This Side of Paradise - Tsukishima Kei x OC

Chapter 2: One Dream at a Time

Chapter 2:

Mizuki was in Tokyo currently in bed cuddling with her and Kei's cat, Ren. It was always tough for Kei and Mizuki to part ways for long periods of time but they made it work as best as they could. Additionally, she often thought of what would happen after she retired from volleyball. She definitely wanted to live and raise a family with Kei in Miyagi, not Tokyo. She would hopefully be a teacher in a school so that she could help kids realize and achieve their dreams just like she did.

Also... Having kids with Kei...

Our babies would be so cute and smart, Mizuki thought to herself.

One dream at a time, though. She loved her life right now and she wouldn't want anything to change...

Mizuki reluctantly got up and hopped in the shower. She had been in Tokyo for three weeks without Kei and for some strange reason, she felt more exhausted than ever before. It could be due to practice but she doubted it. She was used to practicing every single day for long hours for matches but she felt a little off today. After she fed Ren and ate breakfast (which tasted weird), she drove down to the arena where her team had been diligently training for the Olympics.

"Mizuki! You're normally here early..." Suzuki Rina, her best friend since junior high and Kageyama's girlfriend, looked at her worriedly, "Are you alright?"

"Sorry," Mizuki murmured bashfully, "I'm feeling a little tired today, that's all."

"Don't push yourself too much today," She rubbed Mizuki's back comfortingly, "You've been working a little too hard."

Mizuki nodded as she smiled meekly.

She joined the rest of her teammates and they began their training for the day. Mizuki's schedule, whenever she was in Tokyo for work, remained constant unless the team had extra training or if her friends and teammates wanted to hang out. Their warm-ups in the morning consisted of stretching for twenty minutes, 10 laps around the track field, and spiking drills. After about an hour and a half, they would have practice matches until lunchtime. After lunch, they would rest, warm up again, and have more practice matches until it was time to leave the arena at 7 pm. After she arrived home, she would eat dinner while on a video call with her husband.

Sleep, eat, train with the team, talk to Kei, and repeat.

After stretching, Mizuki and her teammates began running around the track. On her fourth lap, she suddenly felt lightheaded and her vision began to blur. She slowly stopped to catch her breath as she shut her eyes tightly.

She didn't know what was wrong with her.

"Mizuki-chan, are you alright?" Kojima Sara, the team's setter and Miya Atsumu's girlfriend, asked anxiously.

"I don't know..." She responded weakly, staggering backward a bit, "I feel like I'm going to throw up."

"H-hey..." Her friend stammered, "Do you need to go to the clinic?"

Before Mizuki could reply, she felt a heavy, distressing sensation from her stomach travel up to her chest.

Oh god.

She turned around and threw up on the grass unexpectedly, causing Kojima to gasp in surprise.

"Coach!" Kojima shouted loudly, "We need help! Mizuki's not feeling too good!"

Their coaches instantly called for medical services as her teammates gathered around her. Rina hastily made her way to Mizuki, slinging her arm around her waist to help her walk.

"I love you but please don't throw up on me..." Rina murmured, concerned at her best friend's current state.

"Okay." Mizuki smiled weakly as she hobbled inside the arena with her friend.