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"Damn, you look like shit."

Naomi couldn't be any more right. You can always count on her to give you the prettiest compliments.

Indeed, you look like a train wreck and you got mulled by a lion at the same time. The dark circles stamped underneath your eyes from the sleep deprivation last night when you got home and you couldn't wink a minute of rest.

The early shift didn't help one bit but you were relieved to see your friend visiting during your lunch break to reward you a triple shot latte from your favorite coffee shop - a much needed beverage to lift your sad spirit up a notch.

A sigh lifted from your lips, cradling your head in your hands with eyes glowering at nothing.

"I don't know if I'm cut out for this," palming your face, last night's events kept on flashing in your mind. "I tried my best and yet-..."

Naomi stared at your stressing form while her lips kissed at the straw of her bubbly lemonade, trying to find the correct words to comfort the situation she has no knowledge of.

"Must be hard dating someone who has a kid," she let out easily, still it's not something you didn't know about. "You're basically dating his son, too."

"It's given," you added, "which I simply don't mind. He just... makes it easy for me to take care of him."

"Well, Daddykawa didn't make it easier," Naomi corrected, narrowing her dark eyes at you.

"I don't blame him though. Four years of being a single dad, he's cautious," you defended the man which made the girl gape in surprise. "I mean- of course, he has no right to fight me, even if I'm wrong, but I'm no better to tell him on how to raise his kid. That's just..."

"I get it. You don't want to cross him," she finished and folded her arms under her B-cupped chest, finally getting the picture of your situation. "Plus, you're not Tetsu's mom either so you have no say. Only Oikawa can decide if he wants to include someone in their lives or not."

It sounded wrong but also understandable which it frustrated you. You don't want to cross any more lines, however, you want to out of selfish reasons.

Before you managed to make another predicament, the door of the cafe opened to find a familiar head walking in but most of all, a noticeable voice shouting upon entrance.

"Where's [Name]? She's not here," the small Oikawa ran to the counter to sneak a peek behind and found Yachi jumping at his sudden head.

The man next to him, to your disappointment or to your relief, wasn't Tooru but his best friend, Hajime. You also spotted another person beside him with light brown hair added with a hue of pink when light reflects his head.

"Hm? What is it?" Naomi traced your eyes to where you were gawking at and noticed the boy searching for you behind the counter.

Hajime scanned the room before he tapped Tetsu's shoulder and pointed to your direction. Then his bug eyes widened at the image of you sitting at a table in your chef coat and ran to where you are with the biggest grin on his lips.

"[Name]!"

"Tetsu? What are you doing here?" You stuttered at his weight hugging your calf from underneath the table. Picking him up from under his arms, you placed him safely on your lap. "Where's your dad? Did you come here to see me?"

He nodded happily. "Daddy is at work. Uncle Iwa took me here to see you!"

"Sorry to bother you, [Name]," Hajime approached with his friend behind him. "He wanted to see you. Luckily, he knew where you worked at."

Your head shook, "It's alright. I'm on my break right now. Er, who's this?"

"Hanamaki Takahiro, pleasure to meet you," the man slightly bowed to you. He seemed polite from the looks of it. "You can call me

Maki."

"I'm [Name]. This is Naomi, my best friend," you pointed to the girl who casually watched the scene but her interest was on the boy clinging to your chest. You noticed her fascination and nudged at Tetsu to look upwards at you. "Look, Tetsu. This is Naomi."

The boy dragged his gaze shyly to glance at the woman who shown pure amazement but he cowered and buried his head deep into your neck at the sight of your friend. You tried not to laugh at his shy habits of meeting adults for the first time. Thankfully he never reacted that way with you.

"Hi, Tetsu. I've heard a lot about you from [Name]." But Naomi's alluring conversation didn't pique his interest since his face remained hidden against your chest, uninterested in befriending her.

"Sorry," you unknowingly apologized while holding him tighter in your arms but she didn't mind the rejection. Standing up, she sipped the last of her lemonade before checking the time in her wristwatch.

"I'll leave you with the kid. I got a hot date with Ushi-Toshi."

"Ushiwaka?!" Both Hajime and Takahiro exclaimed at the name and you can only assume that they all know the green haired man. Volleyball is such a small world to you. But who wouldn't? He played for Japan.

When she left, the two men sent their astonishment to you.

"Are they...?" Hajime trailed and you shrugged.

"The last time I heard from her, they did the hanky-panky," you blurted mindlessly. You didn't forget the long day you had with her filled with wine and cheeseboard, talking about her wild one night stand that turned into a casual relationship the next day.

Tetsu turned, "What's a hanky-panky?"

Hajime sent you a warning stare before you conjured an answer for him to believe. But Takahiro beat you to it. "It's a dance."

Then his eyes sparkled. "I want to do the hanky-panky!"

"Ahhh, we should order some desserts, Tetsu," Hajime hurried, quickly changing the subject from tainting the youngster's mind.

But the boy pouted, "I want to stay with [Name]."

The men casted you a curious look and you just nodded, permitting them to leave the boy in your care for the rest of your break.

Now that you're once alone with the boy, realization dawned you when you remembered the last time you saw his face. Yesterday's nightmare turned into today's anxiety. You don't know how to face him or know what to say to him. Seems like to you, he's back to his old self.

"So... what brings you here?" You didn't want to ask, maybe it's best to not know you, but your curiosity overwhelmed you to make conversation with the boy. "How's your daddy?"

Tetsu pondered before answering, not at all bothered by the sudden topic change and pierced his gaze at you, deciding what to spew out.

To your surprise, he spoke honestly with a blank face. "Daddy is sad today. I want to help him feel better."

He had your full attention as you turned to him in interest. Most of all, you were amazed that a small child like him is sharp and observant. You would assume Tooru would do his best not to show any form of weakness, at least not so obvious for Tetsu to see.

"I-I see," you muttered but a light bulb flashed above his head.

"If Daddy plays with [Name], it will make Daddy happy!" He then noticed about yesterday when he felt the hindrance in the air. Of course, you froze at Tetsu's easy mind in solving your issue. "Is [Name] still mad at him?"

"It's complicated, Tetsu," you tried to muster up the courage to decline his help. You didn't know what else to say for a youngling to understand the situation.

"Please don't be mad. Daddy is sorry. He wants [Name] to come home again," he begged with hands slamming at your lap. "I will tell Daddy to be better! I promise! So [Name] won't be mad at him again."

"Tetsu... I'm sorry but it's not that simple," you lowered. "I'm sure your dad will feel better later on but don't start worrying about me. Okay, kiddo?"

He didn't like the sound of your gentleness, knowing that you were just being modest. Suddenly, his mind began to take over his lips.

"Daddy looks happy when he plays with me," Testu continued, "but he makes a frowny-face when he's all alone."

Then his brown pools diverted away to reminisce to his morning routine.

"Daddy! I'm ready to see Iwa-"

Tetsu blinked when he spotted his stiff father dressed in his sports attire at the couch, sitting at the spot where he last sat with you on the night you two shared a kiss. With his elbow propped on the armrest, his deadpanned eyes glued to what seems like a cellphone in his hand.

Tooru didn't budge at his son's voice, unmoved but his thumb was the only thing that fidgeted against the screen of his phone. When Tetsu sneakily approached the aloof man, he can make out the distorted image that he's looking at. He kept on scrolling, slowly skimming his thumb up to see a series of your past photos on your social media.

Until he landed on a particular picture, Tooru's finger came to a sudden stop to memorize the curl of your smile and the sanguine light glimmering in your eyes - the same light he can never get enough of that made him see stars at night before he drifts to sleep.

But the image of last night resurrected the regret in him for doubting you when you tried your hardest to adjust for him and Tetsu - for being the most capable to fit into their lives. He thought he had ruined that chance for himself after years of relinquishing in solitude.

"Daddy!"

Tooru jumped, not realizing that his mind was in a trance and Tetsu's form looking at him from the floor at his feet.

"Tetsu!" Shutting his phone off, he quickly stood himself from the couch to smile at him and crouch to his eye level. "Are you ready to go now?"

"Daddy," the miniature brunette called again to gain his father's eyes. "Will it always be the two of us?"

As obvious the answer is, Tooru had trouble in saying it for some reason because, deep down, he doesn't want it always be them. The distraught on his face became more evident while he peered at Tetsu - unable to say his truth when he looked him in the eye and hung his head low. An expression that never goes unnoticed.

"Listen, Tetsu," he started. "It will be easier if it's just you and me for now. We're not ready yet."

In other words, he's not, even if Tetsu is ready to search for a mother in somebody.

"Is [Name] sad too?"

Tetsu's voice broke you out of your contemplation, unaware that his words shot you like pellets. You simply can't lie to him because he can see right through you like a magnifying glass. No doubt you were but, coming from a kid like him who shown sincere concern and empathy, you wanted to break down in that moment.

Knitting your brows together, your expression couldn't hide the sorrow any longer as your chest instantly became heavy.

"Yeah... I am." He didn't see it but Tetsu can scope the twinge of sadness soaking your voice and he stiffened at your distressed face. "I'm sorry, Tetsu."

A brief pause ignited between you two as he speculated your watering eyes - a face he never witnessed from you before. He saw it all.

"[Name] didn't do anything wrong," the boy blinked innocently at your words and petted your hair to comfort you, wanting you to be happy from whatever stress you felt. "There, there. Pain go away now."

You released a chuckle at his kind gesture but that shaken laughter caused you to leak a tear at the corner of your eye. Quickly wiping that single tear, you collected yourself once again by suctioning the water from your eyes and inhaling a breath.

"Thanks, buddy," you managed to tweak a smile which it definitely brightened his mood.

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Posted: 05-10-21

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