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"I'll pick you up after four, okay?"

Tetsu stared up at his dad and his exhausted expression the second he had hopped out of the car. With hands clutched at the straps of his backpack, the small boy frowned at the given time and muttered, "Daddy is going to be late again?"

By the tone of his voice, it seemed Tetsu grew accustomed in being picked up on time. Ever since you left, time management is Tooru's enemy and he couldn't figure out how to juggle between work and parenting again.

Tooru kept a poker face and then knelt to the Tetsu's height to stare straight in his eyes. "I promise I'll come get you as soon as I leave from work. Can you wait for me?"

Tetsu whimpered. Waiting two hours long after school doesn't seem ideal to him. He'll be the only kid playing at the school and the last to get picked up.

"Why can't Mommy get me?" he stared with big wide eyes, and it was a question that Tooru couldn't give a proper answer to.

The older brunette gave a deep breath through his nose as a rush of instant sadness erupted in his chest. He turned his head away so his son wouldn't be able to fully see his distant expression.

The brown locks from his head covered slightly over his eyes to hide his hesitation, "I couldn't tell you, Tetsu. If only, I could."

Then the boy's mind started to swim with thoughts. Ever since you left their apartment, Tetsu is unable to understand what had happened between the relationship between you and Tooru. Adult matters are so far to his understandings and he can only assume the worst due to your exit. He questions if parents argue like this in any household, or a period of separation often happens.

"If you couldn't wait any longer, I'll have uncle Iwa-chan come and get you. Is that okay?" Tooru eased the conversation with an uplifted smile, although his smile is a bit wry. "You can stay at his house and play with Hine."

Tetsu quietly groaned to himself, but the idea of visiting his friend is a good bargain to him. It is better than waiting and playing by himself at his school.

"Okay...," he finally answered.

Tooru tried not to laugh at the boy's stubbornness and patted his head assuringly. "Such a good boy. Be safe while I'm gone."

"Okay," this time, Tetsu replied with confidence.

Once Tooru gotten up from his knees, he swung his set of keys in his finger and clicked a button to unlock the driver's door. Tetsu watched his father start the engine and drove away slowly from the curb of the school until

he can no longer see him. Before the bell rang, he scurried to his homeroom just when class is about to start.

During lunch, Tetsu is once again granted school food which is something he isn't quite used to. Ironically, there was a period he would eat cafeteria food before he had a taste of your home cooked bento lunches. Converting back to his old lunches only made him think about your whereabouts even more.

"Tetsu, are you not eating?" A shaved headed kid sat next to him on the bench with a similar lunch - a tray of an egg sando with a side of apples and a carton of orange juice. Aomine blinked and glanced at Tetsu's sando. "Is it bad?"

"Ah, no," he retorted shyly. "I-I'm not hungry."

It's in fact true. For whatever reason, he didn't have an appetite.

"Eh? But it's lunchtime!" Then his eyes widened. "That means I can have yours, right?"

Aomine is the sort of character who always like to eat, even his mother Kiyoko packs him extra snacks for every hour of the day.

"Aomine, does your Mommy and Daddy fight?" The question was sudden that it brought the slightly taller boy in mid-chew.

Aomine heavily gulped before he popped a slice of an apple in his mouth.

"Yeah, all the time!" He said it too proudly as if it was normal to say. "Mama always scolds Papa for doing something wrong. Even when Papa says he loves Mama, she ignores him and then he cries!"

In his head, there were countless times when his dad is over-affectionate over his wife by washing her with zealous compliments and upright chivalry. But an explanation like that doesn't make Tetsu understand his own either. He couldn't imagine someone so sweet such as Kiyoko would be cold hearted towards Ryuunosuke.

"Mama can be mean but she loves Papa as much as I do!" The little boy declared as he happily chomped on his sando.

Now that's a statement that Tetsu can agree but also reflect.

"So, how does your mommy keep loving your daddy?" The small Oikawa asked as he blinked at his friend.

But Aomine shrugged with his hand raised up.

"I don't know. This one time, Papa told me, 'Loves only hurts if you fall. So keep flying'," he mimicked a tone that was no where near like his dad's. "Something like that."

Tetsu hummed to himself, nodding at the wise advice that he given him. Was it because Tooru is about to give up on you? Did he lose his way in making you happy?

The more he swelled, the more he gotten scared that there is a possibility of losing you. He realized that it is not only his dad is making you unhappy, but Tetsu is too.

>>>

Tooru thought he could be the time by starting practice early with his volleyball team. There is so much more to work before their big game in one of Tokyo's elite teams, and he couldn't afford to cut it short while the game is around the corner.

As he stared intensely and watched each player making a spike across the net, Tooru tapped his foot impatiently, resisting himself to look at his watch for twentieth time.

But his urges gotten the best of him, and unfortunately for him, looking at the time dawned on him.

It's been half an hour after Tetsu gotten out of school.

Damn it. Not again. Tooru gritted his teeth under his lips as guilt protruded. He feels like every day is getting harder to be punctual now that he is overworking himself. He thought that this time he will actually be on time.

"Sorry, but I'm going to make a phone call really quick," the brunette stood from the bench and informed the assistant coach who was also intently watching the team.

The elderly coach glanced up from practice.

"Your son?" He asked, knowing that this is already a routine for them. Around this time, Tooru would always dismiss himself to call Tetsu.

He shamefully nodded, nervous that he was going to get scolded.

"Don't be long. The kids are about to start their match soon," he instructed and Tooru happily took the opportunity to scroll through his contact list to find the school's number.

The man stepped outside of the gym so he can make a private conversation, holding his phone up to his ear and expecting a teacher's voice.

Someone did, greeting him like the usual with a polite tone as they announced their school and address.

"Hello, is my son, Oikawa Tetsu, still there?" Tooru wondered. "This is his dad."

"Of course. Let me call him over," the lady over the room disappeared for a second as their faint voice was heard through the phone.

It didn't take long for Tetsu's voice to chime in while a shuffling noise crackled against the speaker. "Daddy!"

Tooru almost winced at the volume, but smiled. "Hey there, how's school?"

"It was fun! I drew a picture in class and it was picked number one!" The boy announced cheerfully as it brought Tooru a sense of relief that the day didn't rain on Tetsu's parade.

But telling him the bad news might just do that.

"That's good to hear, son. I'm very proud of you," but Tooru gave a lingering second as he must change the happy topic to a serious one. He scratched a the tip of finger against his cheek unsurely as a seeping groan emitted from his throat. "Listen, Tetsu, I'm going to be late again. Do you want Iwa-chan to get you instead so you're not waiting for too long. He'll take care of you."

There it was, a disappointed silence came from Tetsu. His record of cries and complaints about not being able to go home on time would make Tooru expect another tantrum from him. But it was odd that his son wasn't making a fuss which only made the older brunette worry even more.

"Tetsu," he called again, making sure he's still on the phone. "Did you hear me? Is that okay with you?"

"Yeah..." Tooru couldn't see his expression but he can totally picture it by the sound of his voice. It definitely wasn't a happy one. "Daddy, when is Mommy coming back?"

Thanking about his answer carefully, Tooru is wondering the same thing. He wasn't sure if you'll ever back with the way how things are going - like both negatives are never moving, just more apart.

"I don't know," he spoke honestly, almost like a whisper over the phone. His hand clutched tighter around his device as frustration surged through him.

Right now, he's looking the best role model for Tetsu, not only does he appear irresponsible as a parent but he is having trouble providing the right answers to him. Tooru wants to assure him, not make him question even more.

"Daddy!" The boy's voice broke out.

He shocked his dad. "Yeah?"

Tetsu took a second longer to conjure all of his energy so that Tooru can hear his confidence.

"Love hurts if you fall! So keep flying!"

"Huh?"

>>>

Night approached quickly when you came to your apartment. Meeting Koshi after work work was the least of your expectations but meeting him has brought some good insights you never had.

But meeting him again made you miss Tooru even more.

Once you set your coat on the hook behind your bedroom door, you heard a certain sound emitting from your pockets and it was the buzzing noise of your phone. With curiosity, your hand reached to steal a quick glance at the bright screen, and the first thing you see is a photo of a brown headed man. His contact image appeared on the screen and your eyes stilled with shock.

It's been a while since you last saw and heard from Tooru so seeing his name come up on your phone is striking to you.

Your thumb hovered between the 'cancel' and 'accept' button for a lingering second but with no thought, you tapped on the green icon and brought the phone to your ears.

"Hey."

There was a brief pause before Tooru could realize that you picked up his call. Despite the monotone voice you had, he stammered nervously, "Hey."

A simple greeting it was, but it weighed with a lot of emotions. Instantly, you were refreshed with the familiarity of his voice and you missed it so much.

Tooru started, "How are you?"

"Fine." That was a lie because you are not fine - so far from it. "You?"

"Fine," he mimicked your answer but not mockingly. Same as you, it was telling that he wasn't either.

"Is there something you need, Tooru? Besides making small talk," you insisted impatiently, hoping that he has a good excuse for calling you after a decent amount of time you two were separated.

"Am I disturbing you?" He asked thoughtfully as if he was walking on eggshells.

You shook your head although he couldn't see the gesture, "No, I just got home from work."

"I see," he emitted carefully as he second thought himself about his request. For some reason, his behavior reminded you of the first time he met you. "Well, I called because I wanted to invite you to a game."

"Game?" You didn't follow through.

"It's the team I've been coaching, and it's their first game against Fukurodani," he explained. The tone in his voice gotten lighter and chipper by speaking about his team. "If you're free, you're welcome to watch. My family is going to be there to support us, including some of my friends that you've met before."

"Is Tetsu going to be there?" you asked curiously. It was no question that he'll show up.

He didn't waste a second to reply, "Of course."

"How about Rina?"

But this time, Tooru isn't so confident to make an answer and you knew it before he said anything. The idea of that woman being in the same room as you and Tetsu will be very complicated and you're not a fan in dealing with the stress again.

It will be mostly embarrassing on your part.

You especially don't want to say much because of obvious reasons, and you don't want to ask because of the answers you may not like.

"I don't know..."

Tooru gotten the idea, but didn't want to push you to be uncomfortable. "The reason why I want to invite you is because it wouldn't feel right if you weren't there. You always supported me in things like this."

His words were heartwarming as it reminded you the times when you were always present in the events in his life. Tooru, in the end, still thought about you regardless what type of situation you two are in.

"I thought Rina is supposed to do that now," you mentioned as your assumptions took over your mouth.

The man let out a soft chuckle."As a matter of fact, she's not. I didn't ask for her help since you left."

"At all?" Your brows raised questionably.

Does that mean Tooru is been handling everything on his own? The more you replayed the scenario, the more guilty you've gotten. If what he said is true, then he must've been by himself struggling.

The brunette can sense the hesitance as the lingering silence filled the conversation between you two, reminding him the difficult times when you weren't there to help him take care of his son. He began to sigh quietly to himself as he brought his hand over his eyes while the memories of his hardship flooded his mind.

"Things have been so difficult," he began to mutter as if his voice is about to tremble. "You have no idea how hard it is for me to take care of Tetsu by myself again."

You remained silent at his words that is so striking to you. Hearing the sadness oozing out of his mouth can help you picture the kinds of struggles he's been having. You didn't have to ask because you know that you made an impact in his everyday life.

You know now that he realizes it too.

"Can I come over?" He suddenly asked which to your attention. "So we can talk about it - about us."

"How about Tetsu?" You wondered.

"Iwa-chan is watching him right now, and I'm about to leave the gym," he informed formally.

Curse yourself, it sounded so convenient for the two of you to meet. It always have been. No matter how much you tell yourself to be guarded, you somehow can't miss the opportunity to advocate yourself once again.

So, you gave in.

"Yeah," you said finally, although the excitement isn't obvious in your tone.

But Tooru didn't care. He was quite ecstatic for seeing you again and your permission gave him a boost of serotonin, which something that he hasn't felt in the past week.

"I won't take long. I'm going to shower first and then I'll be over there," Tooru instructed before the two of you declared a specific meeting time.

You anticipated for his arrival. Never had you ever felt this nervous in seeing him. It was more nerve wracking than the time you had to visit his photoshoot to return Tetsu's doll.

You made sure to look presentable. For once, you put in effort in looking cute with a spec of light makeup. You didn't want the dark circles underneath your eyes to make him worry about your lack of sleep. Surprisingly, when you took a glance at your vanity mirror, you looked more alive than an hour ago.

It was a perfect opportunity to open up your wine bottle as you mentally sent out your apologies to Naomi. You needed the extra boost of confidence for an occasion like this, plus you needed a beverage to go with the charcuterie you hastily fixed up for yourself. Drinking half a glass will be enough to get your blood flowing.

A knock came from the front door and you gotten up from your white cloud couch to greet the brunette. You took a second to shake off the nerves before reaching for the handle and opened the door.

On the other side, Tooru stood before you in his tall form. His tossed hair grown a bit longer since the last time you saw him. The ends of his curls reached to the tip of his ears as it all parted on the left side of his face. You can't help but notice the stress marks engraved from the inner corner of his eyes to his cheeks, showing the lack of sleep he had in the past week. Just like you, his skin gotten a bit pale as if he hasn't seen daylight. He perhaps lost a bit of weight by how thin his face looks. His baggy, black tunic shirt and joggers made him look lean but thinner than usual.

When Tooru finally met eyes with you, you can speculate the lack of light missing in his brown eyes. They were almost bloodshot and glazed with the tears the second you appeared right in front of him. He looked like he was about to cry.

Looking at him disheveled, you lost all of the anger in you. Whatever you two were fighting about didn't matter anymore, because seeing him in the flesh freshened your best memories of him.

You, too, missed him so much.

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Posted: 12-02-22

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