Kismet - Oikawa Tooru x OC

Chapter 31: Denial

Chapter 31:

When Oikawa failed to receive the ball that Hinata Shoyo, a first-year from Karasuno High, spiked, he felt like disappearing into a void and never waking up.

He failed to make it to nationals, again, and now, he was out of chances.

He could still remember the shock and disappointment in his teammates' faces when they heard the dull thud of the volleyball as it grazed the gymnasium floor. For a split second, Oikawa thought that he was in a nightmare - even after years of practice and perseverance, it wasn't enough to help him win against those who were more naturally talented than him. If he couldn't defeat his underclassman, Kageyama Tobio, then what chance did he have of defeating Ushijima Wakatoshi?

The walk back to the bus after the game was by nature, silent, heavy, and somber. As the captain, Oikawa wanted to comfort his friends and teammates but he was at a loss for words. He was frustrated at himself - if he was just a little bit better, he could've taken his team to Tokyo for the Spring Tournament. If he was just a little bit more skilled, it would be his team celebrating the win, not Karasuno High.

After their loss, Oikawa thought the next best thing he could do to console his team was to treat them to ramen. They ate a lot, and they even returned to their school to play volleyball one last time. He promised himself that he wouldn't cry but he couldn't help it. He had to thank his friends and teammates for all their hard work, and how even though they lost, he was grateful to have had them as teammates.

Iwaizumi even cried.

After they cleaned up the gymnasium, Oikawa and Iwaizumi walked home together in silence. The moon shone brightly, illuminating the otherwise dark night. Oikawa reminisced his best moments with Iwaizumi. They had been friends and teammates since they were kids, and this was probably their last time playing together in a team. It felt bittersweet in a way - after this match, although Oikawa was confident that they were going to be best friends until the day they die, the fact that they would never be side by side again in a team left an aching pain in his chest.

"You probably won't become truly happy until you're a geezer." Iwaizumi murmured.

"The hell? What kind of curse is that?" Oikawa exclaimed, a bit offended by his best friend's statement.

"No matter what kind of tournaments you'll win, you'll never be completely satisfied. You'll be that annoying guy that chases volleyball forever." He explained.

"You always have to throw in an insult somewhere, don't you?" Oikawa complained.

"But keep going without a second thought." Iwaizumi continued with conviction.

He stopped walking, and faced him, causing Oikawa to tilt his head in confusion.

"I couldn't be prouder to have you as a partner, and you're the absolute best setter! Even if we end up on different teams, those facts will never change." Iwaizumi declared.

Oikawa held his breath, clearly speechless. His best friend always teased and insulted him, but his words seemed to be genuine this time.

"But I'll still give my all to defeat you." Iwaizumi muttered.

Oikawa took a few seconds to recollect his thoughts and after a while, he smirked.

"Bring it on." He stated with determination.

After they parted ways, Oikawa took the long way home as he reflected on his actions in the tournament earlier that afternoon. He wondered if there was something he could've done to prevent that spike from Hinata. He sympathized with that shrimp in a way - he might've been naturally athletic but that didn't mean he was gifted at volleyball. Hinata reminded him of himself, in a way.