Catching-Up

"Akariiiii-neeee-saaaamaaaaa, we're back!!!" A small ball of orange rushed to Akari's chest and tightly held onto her. "Natsu is willing to share her things with nee-sama, so don't go anywhere anymore, okay? I will take care of my nee-sama not to get overworked and get injured. I promised to Obasan and Ojisan before so no backsies!"

Akari remembers the time when they came to watch her play during her first year as a new member of the volleyball club during the quarter-finals where she injured herself during the third set. Her stamina was lacking so she collapsed during the game and hit her head on the referee's stand. The impact causes an area of her head to bleed. It was such a small cut and by this time it already healed completely but the sight of so much blood then still shocked her parents and her cousins. In the infirmary, while she was getting her first aid, that's when Natsu made the promise.

Akari returns the hug and pats Natsu's head rhythmically.

"Yes, Akari-chan is not going anywhere and she'll keep staying with us." Her aunt said and then turned to Akari. "As long as you want to, Akari-chan."

It has been two weeks after that incident and yet her aunt never mentioned anything about the funeral. She must have completed the process on her own and she's not even going to ask for something in return for all her efforts. She's even saying now that she doesn't mind having additional baggage... me.

Akari leans down and sets her chin on top of Natsu's head to try to hide that she was feeling shy at that moment. "I'd like that. Thank you for everything, Aunty~"

'Aunty?' Yumi was bewildered at the sudden change from the usual, obasan but she found this one sounding cuter for Akari so she just smiles in acceptance of the change.

"Yosha!!! I will protect another sister, as the eldest brother!" Shōyō declared.

Natsu rushed up to him and kicked his calf and he comically collapsed on the floor. Again. "Nii-chan, shut it! And Nee-sama is older than you! What are you saying, I'll take care of her!"

"Okay, okay. You two settle down now and eat breakfast. Akari-chan needs to eat on time for her medicine and rest. And quiet down, will you? The doctor may come anytime now."

"Okay!" the two orange puffballs agreed.

Akari looks at the three with a smile.

After briefly chastising the two to stop being too noisy in the hospital, Yumi handed each a boxed bento. When Akari got her own, she noticed there was an additional staple, mashed potatoes.

Yumi noticed Akari's pause and explained. "I know you like your fries but that would be too greasy so I opted for another way, I hope you don't dislike it that much."

Akari shook her head before smiling. "I like it! Itadakimasu."

---

In the afternoon, Akari found herself waking up and then dazedly staring at the ceiling for a while.

'I must have dozed off after taking my medicine this morning.' she thought.

She looks to her side and found Shoyo slumped over near her pillow and sleeping peacefully. Akari grins.

"Yo-kun..." She calls out but Shoyo did not move so she leans over near his ear. "Yo-kun... wake up~"

Shoyo shivers, then his eyes opened wide as he bolted up from his chair, his hands covering both ears. "Rii-chan, y-you're awake?!" He falls back dejectedly on his chair while groaning. "I fell asleep even though I swore I'd look after you properly. Natsu's not going to let this pass."

Akari just hummed to herself as she just watched her cousin worry. She scans the room and did not find her aunt and younger cousin. Seeing the lack of her aunt's bag and basket, she assumes they might have gone home and left Shoyo to keep her company.

"I'll keep it a secret but you'll owe me a favor in return. Deal?" Akari offers with a very charming smile on her face but somehow, Shoyo felt he's making a deal with a demon.

Shoyo gulps audibly but he has no choice so he just nods.

Satisfied with the transaction, Akari smiles like she just won. She wasn't like this before but somehow, 'she' is really assimilating with her properly.

"Ne, Yo-kun," she calls out, opting to change the subject while she turns her gaze to the scenery outside the window to distract herself from her thoughts. "Did aunty face any trouble during the funeral?"

A brief silence permeated the air before Shoyo finally answered. "Nothing much. Kachan is really strong."

"That's true. She's an amazing person."

"You bet!" Shoyo agrees but then Akari hears him hum in contemplation and she looks over wondering if there was anything to note. "Actually, there's one thing that happened that was a bit unexpected."

"Was it bad?" Akari started to worry about what might be the cause of this unexpected thing.

Shoyo quickly shook his head. "It wasn't bad at all. I dunno, you decide."

"Oh." Akari sighs in relief. "What is it then? stop leaving me in suspense!"

Shoyo sheepishly scratches his cheeks. "Your aunt came."

"Aunt?" Akari was bewildered that she actually had another relative!

"Don't think about it too much, she'll be visiting anytime soon. She seemed nice, though she has a really weird habit that got her scolded by kachan."

"I see, that's something to look forward to then."

With that out of the way, Akari started feeling bored and if nothing changes, she might just drift off to sleep again.

"Ne, Rii-chan," Shoyo's voice woke her up before she completely fell asleep. "I brought a friend over!"

Without waiting for Akari's response, Shoyo shows this 'friend'.

"Tada!" Shoyo lifts up a volleyball ball like he was worshiping it. It was the one she gave to him after she got a new one after the new year using her saved-up allowance.

Akari reaches out a hand and Shoyo complies by handing it over. "Don't worry, I washed and sanitized it so you can play with it with no worries." He smiles cheekily.

Akari, amused at his antics, chuckles. "Good thinking... and thanks."

It was a Mikasa ball of blue and yellow-orange color. The colors are not as vibrant anymore but the heft and feel of it felt the same. As she silently traced the lines, her thoughts started to wander.

Shoyo, fidgeted at the side, not knowing what to say but then thought of something and jumped up to his feet before asking his question. "Do you want something to drink, I'll go buy one?"

Akari stops squishing the ball briefly. "Milk Tea." 'Ah! This matches with her too.'

Shoyo laughs. "With tapioca, right?"

Akari gives a solemn nod. No one can dissuade her from that panacea of greatness! Oh how many have tried but failed miserably and in the end, they even found themselves joining her. This belief is even twice more potent now.

"Hehe, I'll get the same then," Shoyo says at the side, proving that he is one of the converts.

But before Shoyo can leave, Akari was brought back to her thoughts of a few moments ago. "Yo-kun, wait?"

"Yeah?" he asked, tilting his head to the side in wonder.

"Can you help me out, I also want to stroll around since I've been here for a while."

Shoyo frowns. "But will that be okay? Won't your leg get--" he was unable to find the words to complete his doubt without saying anything too harsh since he still doesn't know what Akari really feels about her situation and he doesn't want to further exacerbate that with an accident to an already existing injury.

Akari has an idea of his thoughts and doubts but she still wanted a change of scenery at least. After firmly hugging the ball to her chest with her right hand, she knocks her casted leg with her left. "This is solid enough that I can't twist it any further. And if you're still uncertain, maybe we can borrow a wheelchair so I won't be walking unstably with the crutches."

Shoyo's expression quickly lifts up and he dashes out while shouting, "I'll go ask!"

Akari facepalms. 'Wasn't he warned not to shout in the hospital already? Does he want to get banned from this place?' She can't help but think.

---

Ping!

"I'm so glad they allowed us to borrow this!" Shoyo beams as he pushed the wheelchair out of the elevator and heads out toward a shaded area of the hospital's garden.

"I'm guessing, I was supposed to be out last week but I did not wake up right after the operation. The only reason I'm still kept here is for them to monitor if I'm sane enough to leave." Akari answers while she plays with the ball on her lap.

"Eh? Did you become--?!"

Akari looks up to glare at her buffoon of a cousin. "I was being sarcastic about my weird situation!"

"But why do that to yourself?" Shoyo still could not follow what Akari is saying.

Akari looks down and massaged the bridge of her nose. She understands that he's not getting it since she has left something crucial from this exchange. It's not his fault but really, why is she itching to cause some pain to this guy that is too blunt and dense for his own good.

They finally arrived at one of the benches and Shoyo assisted her when she stood up to move to the bench. After sitting, she breathes in the fresh afternoon air.

"And still, I think I'm really picking up some bad habits now. I guess we were more similar than I initially thought," she murmurs to herself.

Shoyo leans over wondering if he heard wrong. "Did you say something?"

"I wanted to spike the ball..." Akari began while spinning the ball in her hands, like the usual ritual she does when doing a serve.

"Same!" Shoyo adds as he placed the wheelchair at the side.

"...to your face." Akari finished and grasps the ball tightly in her hands.

The look of horror plastered on Shoyo's face as he ran away to get milk tea finally made Akari burst out in laughter.

"Gosh, that was fun." She wheezed before resting her head on the backrest of the bench. "So Haikyuu, huh?"

---

1732 words - 11-30-2022