This Side of Paradise - Tsukishima Kei x OC

Chapter 6: Change

Chapter 6:

After the lawyers left, Kei sat on the sofa silently. He couldn't really process what his parents or his brother had said. All he needed to know was that his parents were splitting up after 31 years of marriage. His father was the one that filed for divorce. He could tell that his mother was devastated even though she tried not to show it.

"Are you alright?" His father interrupted Kei's thoughts as he sat down beside him.

Kei looked up and noticed his father's tired yet gentle expression. His grey hair had become unkempt, and his glasses were lopsided. His father seemed to be exhausted and relieved at the same time.

"I'm fine." Kei mumbled.

"I know that this is difficult for you..." He exhaled, leaning back against the sofa, "Your mother and I certainly didn't... expect... to split up."

"Okay."

A tension-filled silence surrounded the room, and Kei felt his heart cracking from the thought of his parents splitting up.

"I still love your mom, you know... I always will." His father murmured.

"You're just not in love with her." Kei stated monotonously.

His father sighed reluctantly and said, "When you get to my age, you'll understand."

"Understand what?"

"Life is complicated. It doesn't always end in happy endings," He continued on, "I just... Deep down... I realized I didn't..."

"You realized you don't love her anymore." Kei repeated, a queasy feeling engulfing his entire body.

His father nodded slowly.

"You are my son Kei, and I know I wasn't there much during your childhood and teenage years but..." He placed a hand on Kei's shoulder reassuringly, "I'll be here for you now, in case you or Mizuki decide-"

"What does Mizuki have to do with you and mom?" Kei interrupted his father bitterly.

"No... Uh... Nothing..." His father stammered, "Never mind."

"What were you going to say?" He glared at his father.

"Kei... If..." His father sighed deeply, "You and Mizuki fell in love when you were so young. When I found out that you proposed to her at 18 years old, I nearly lost it. I understand that you're married now and that you love her but should the circumstances change-"

Was his father seriously implying that he was going to fall out of love with Mizuki?

"Why would it change?" Kei exclaimed, not realizing that he was almost shouting, "I am not like you. I would never abandon her."

His father stared at him and cleared his throat, "... I understand."

Kei stood up abruptly and headed to the kitchen, fuming. He watched Akiteru and his mother planting a few tomato seeds in the backyard from the kitchen window. Kei knew that whenever his mother was stressed, she liked to garden. His brother was there presumably to make sure that she was alright.

"I'm leaving now, Kei. I'm staying at your grandparents' place for the night..." His father mumbled, "Tell your mother that I'll be back tomorrow to finalize... everything."

"Sure."

After a few seconds, Kei heard the door slam shut. He grabbed a glass of water and hastily drank it. He was overwhelmed with so many conflicting emotions and he didn't know how to process them. The divorce was hard enough on their family - why did his father have to imply that the same, horrible fate would befall him and Mizuki?

Kei decided to stay with his mother for the night as his brother had to go home to take care of his three kids with Saeko. They recently had a new baby girl and it was hectic. His nephews - Tsukishima Haru, the 4-year-old, and Tsukishima Koji, the 2-year-old - were a handful, and although his brother-in-law, Tanaka Ryunosuke, and his wife, Tanaka Kiyoko, helped, it was ultimately Akiteru and Saeko's responsibility to care for their children.

At around midnight, his mother went to sleep and Kei sauntered into the living room to relax. He opened up his laptop to do some research for his Ph.D. dissertation when he received a text message from Mizuki.

Mizuki: Hey baby are you awake? ♥

He smiled softly and decided to video call her. She answered almost instantly.

"Hey princess." He murmured softly.

She was wearing his purple t-shirt with shorts, and it was then that he wished he was back in Tokyo. Her hair was messy but it didn't matter - she was so beautiful.

"Hey... You didn't text me that you were home safe..." Mizuki pouted, "I was worried..."

"Sorry," He apologized, "I got caught up with... stuff."

"Is everything okay?" She asked, clearly concerned.

Kei sighed tiredly, "It's... My dad came home."

"That's great!" She exclaimed excitedly, "It's been a few months since you've last seen him right? How is he?"

"Fine, probably." He muttered sourly.

Mizuki knew that something was wrong judging from his pensive expression.

"What's wrong, baby?" She mumbled anxiously, "What happened?"

"My dad only came back home to file for divorce... Some lawyers were here earlier discussing assets and stuff," Kei explained somberly, "It's... Whatever."

"Oh no..." Mizuki murmured sadly, her heart aching for her husband, "I'm sorry Kei... Are you alright? Do you want me to come home?"

"No... No..." He shook his head, "Stay there in Tokyo. Don't worry about me. Focus on the Olympics."

"But... I want to be there for you..." She bit her lip guiltily.

"No, Mizuki..." Kei stated, "Please stay there, alright? I'll be fine."

"Baby..." She grimaced, wanting to drop everything in Tokyo to be in his arms.

"You're banned from coming home until you win the Olympics," Kei teased playfully, "Understand?"

Mizuki smiled slightly before sighing defeatedly, "Fine. Only because I love you so much."

Kei's heart frantically fluttered.

"I love you too." He murmured affectionately.

~

3 months later, a few days before the Summer Olympics officially start

"Hey stingy-shima," Hinata snickered, "Are you ready to see me dominate on the court?!"

"Hinata, you idiot..." Kageyama rolled his eyes, "I'm the one that's going to dominate."

"Do you two even know what that word means?" Yamaguchi snickered teasingly.

"I'm actually cheering for Oikawa-san's team." Kei stated nonchalantly.

"What?!" Kageyama frowned, "Why?!"

"Because he's so much better than you two." Kei smirked, causing the two to growl in protest.

They were currently waiting in a restaurant in Tokyo, about to reunite with so many of their old high school upperclassmen from Karasuno, Nekoma, Fukurodani, and more. Suzuki Rina, Mizuki's best friend, rented out the entire venue and made sure that they had the restaurant to themselves. A lot of things had changed now that they were adults and Kei was secretly excited to catch up with everyone.

Kei excused himself as he had to go to the restroom when he accidentally bumped into someone.

"Oh. Sorry-"

His eyes widened in surprise as soon as he realized who it was he had bumped into.

It was his ex-girlfriend, Hayashi Ayumi.