a chance, an opportunity | haikyuu

Chapter 3 - some things never change (others do)

Maybe it was the fact that Shun had only ever visited japan for at most two weeks every 1-2 years. Maybe it was the fact that he was on his own this time without dad to calm him down or knock on the door for him. Maybe it was the fact that neither he nor Shoyo used their phones often so their regular contact was from the near weekly calls his dad and mom would have to check up on each other... and really the only time they could speak on those calls was when they were both in their respective homes (which was also uncommon considering Shoyou was almost always out doing solo training and Shun spent a lot of his time asleep if not with his old team).

Yeah... it was hard to keep contact when neither of them used their own phones often... but they texted sometimes anyway! When they were both free and the feeling of wanting to catch up overcame Shun... Ehem! Moving on-

Here he was, a duffle bag (filled with the sports gear he was allowed to bring) on his shoulder, his phone in his hands, and two rolling luggage bags positioned beside him. He took a deep breath. It was 9am. By now they should all be awake. It was a Saturday way before the start of school. Neither Shoyou nor Natsu should have classes today, and his mom shouldn't have work today either.

In. And out. In. Out .

He raises a hesitant hand and pushes the doorbell. It takes a few seconds but he can hear muffled footsteps and scurrying. The door swings open and he's greeted with a familiar sight. The fluffy orange hair of his older brother (again! by a few months!!! and with their dynamic Shun felt more like an older brother to Shoyou despite the distance...).

The boy (and really he was just a boy, Shoyou had barely grown at all since his last visit!) before him rubbed his eyes and blinked blearily, staring up at the familiar person standing on his doorstep. 

He blinks once.

Then twice-

"SHUN???"

Suddenly there's a blur of orange and he feels himself being tackled by his brother. Oh. He grabs onto Shoyou and embraces him just as fiercely. He missed this. All of Shun's doubt melt away. Why had he even been so nervous? This was Shoyou! His older brother who once tried to eat all the cookies they'd bought in a day. The one who challenged him, Koji, and Izumi to a race right after that (not so unexpectedly) ended with him throwing up halfway through. The one that would tuck him in and say "Lights out!" even though they'd both stay up giggling until either mom or dad came in to kiss them both good night.

This was Shoyou. His older brother. One he'd been missing despite the visits and the phone calls and the few texts they'd send each other. God. He missed this.

And then there's sniffling and shuffling and he sees two other heads of orange hair peeking out curiously. He sees two sets of brown eyes widening before his mom and his little sister (and geez! Natsu had sure done some growing while he'd been gone... sure she was still only eight, but he was certain he and Shoyou were way smaller at that age...) moved to join the hug.

The last of his fears wash away as he hugs them all. There's a lot of crying (though if you ask him the next day it was only Shoyou who was crying, and no! how dare you even suggest that he had shed a few tears!!). There's a lot of catching up too. They spend a whole 12 minutes on the doorstep before their mom ushers them back inside. She prepares snacks and then they all keep talking (even Natsu who updates him on how good she was at all the sports they'd had her try out at her school, which damn, clearly Natsu had the better genes out of the three siblings).

Shoyou had also taken to chatting animatedly about his volleyball journey. And how in their first match/official tournament, his team had lost to a powerhouse with a mean setter. Who was apparently now his rival?? Even though neither of them kept contact??? Well- if the setter was from a powerhouse and had a big reputation, then it was probable that Shoyou would compete with him again if he joined the right team.