Chapter Text
"Is the room I booked for you okay? Is everything up to your taste?"
The voice at the end of the line wavered, masking the laugh in which Kuroo thought would be pretty if he wasn't getting annoyed by the minutes.
"Tooru-sama, if this is your idea of me getting a 'break from the city stress', I hope you're ready to face my written and verbal complaints after this youth camp is over. In addition, I might as well break your legs in half."
"You said it yourself that you wanted to have a Japanese styled inn where you could have a great scenery of the land and sea every day when you wake up. You got that right?!! I delivered it right?!!"
Kuroo walked into the room and peered outside his bedroom window. The hills which were covered with green, red and yellow really did paint a nice view. He could see small streams coming down each valley, merging into creeks that meandered across the land and went straight to the sea. The smell of the ocean clearly did something to his lungs. Prickling at his nose with every deep inhale he took. The sunset view was not bad at all.
This seaside town was perfect.
Though, Kuroo just had to be annoying.
"Well, I do have that," he threw his overnight bags right to the corner of the room. "What I don't have is the fancy, fluffy and totally comfortable bed do I? I specifically asked for that, and you're not delivering it, Tooru-sama!!"
His eyes scanned the almost bare bedroom that Oikawa had booked for his one month stay in Ushimado. With Japanese styled aesthetic came Japanese styled bedding. Which meant sleeping on a futon instead of a bed. Kuroo knew his spine was taking a revenge on him over all those years of playing volleyball with all his might, never taking into account of what he was doing to his body.
He's only thirty and his back already felt like it belonged to a sickly seventy years old man.
"Hey, be grateful that the inn is only ten minutes from the youth camp. Otherwise, on top of having your back acting up, you'd have to wake up earlier than usual, and we both know how ridiculous that sounds right? You'd sleep through an earthquake if you had your way."
"You asshole." Kuroo tried his best to roll his eyes. Oikawa laughed with abandon and Kuroo couldn't help but to get swept along with the melodious sound. The sound that should break his heart and make him weep. The sound that he only wished could be his.
"But really, do you not like the room or the inn?" Oikawa's voice floated after their laughter died down. Full of concern. Kuroo sighed. As mischievous as Oikawa could be, he was a caring friend to begin with.
It's Oikawa after all.
"I could phone the innkeeper and book another room for you at a much nicer inn. One with the most comfortable bed you could ask for."
That's why Kuroo fell for him in the first place.
"No, it's okay. You don't have to. It's only for a month," Kuroo's heart was aching, "I'll survive."
"Oh ho! That's such a big boy word," Oikawa teased, uncaring that Kuroo felt like he was thrown to the deepest end with every word he uttered.
"Shut up-," Kuroo heard a soft rustling, a whispered conversation and Oikawa's dreamy sighs at the end of the line. He bit his lips because feeling just his heart breaking wasn't enough. His knees were wobbling, the grip he had on his phone was loosening and if it wasn't for the sturdy wall he was leaning against, he would've collapsed.
He knew what sound he heard, knew the person who Oikawa was making conversation with and knew that there was no future in which he would ever be the one making Oikawa content.
"Is Hajime home?" Kuroo asked. There was a pause at the end of the line. "I'll hang up. You should entertain your fiance instead of hearing my rant about the room. I'll contact you again when the camp starts."
Oikawa chuckled lightly. "Okay. I'll update you if there's anything from HQ." Kuroo was ready to hang up before Oikawa stopped him. "Kuroo, I really mean it you know. This might be a good opportunity for you to take a break. You've been working too hard. I worry about you."
"Yeah, I know." Kuroo spoke lowly. He worked hard because if he didn't, Oikawa would be the one he'd be thinking about.
"You're my best friend." Oikawa continued.
"Yeah, I know." Kuroo mumbled achingly. He's only a best friend. Never more than that.
"Who knows, maybe you'll find someone better to annoy over there." Oikawa just couldn't stop talking could he?
"Yeah," Kuroo with a lump in his throat, "I know."
He ended the call before he lost his mind and blurted his deepest, darkest secret.
---
The quiet sound of doors sliding from across the hall woke Kuroo up from his sleep. The sound of horns blaring by the docks and seagulls squawking in the distance reminded him that he was nowhere near Tokyo. As he felt his body was getting a little bit function, his ears captured the muffled conversation at the end of the hall before a surprised laugh from what he was sure coming from the innkeeper forced him to open his eyes.
The chuckling followed by the surprised laugh sounded thick and tasted of golden honey.
Kuroo sat up by a sudden urge to eat toast drenched in honey for breakfast.
He blinked his eyes a few times before adjusting to the morning ray which hit him squarely on his face from behind the flimsy curtain. Morning chill made him hug himself, basking in the warmth of his own body. He looked at his phone by his side, half hidden under the futon, and saw the number 7:30. He grunted as he rubbed his face raw. His nest of a hair was tugged over and sideways, putting a real bird's nest to shame.
It's too early, goddamnit!
The youth volleyball camp that he'd assist only start tomorrow. Today was a chance for him to be lazing around, exploring the homely traditional inn before he was thrust into dealing with a bunch of wet behind the ears teenagers, teaching and showing them the holy path of professional volleyball that they could walk on and perhaps finding some motivated people that could well be his future subordinates.
Kuroo didn't ask much, he just wanted to sleep in before all the crazy start.
But now, the golden honey voice was excusing themselves and Kuroo felt a sudden emptiness in his stomach.
Which was then replaced by the loudest growl he ever heard coming from his treacherous stomach. He grimaced as footsteps were heard coming towards his room. The green shoji door was knocked twice.
"Kuroo-san, I'm here to bring your breakfast. If you'll let me, I'll prepare the table for you," the innkeeper said.
"Please come in, Mikoshiba-san."
The door slid with a rattle and Mikoshiba, the innkeeper, greeted Kuroo with a warm smile. "Ah, it looks like you're not an early riser are you?" The elder woman stepped in with a tray of food in her hands. Kuroo fetched the low table at the end of his feet and placed it in front of the woman. She smiled before she went on her knees, hands quickly arranging the bowl of soup, rice and side dishes.
Kuroo was salivating. It's quite lavish for his usual simple breakfast.
"I hope you're hungry even if you look like you better be sleeping," Mikoshiba said kindly.
"I'm sure that my good looks won't be diminished by the eye bags under my eyes, will it?" Kuroo smiled as a response.
The woman chuckled. "Ara, I'm so lucky having such good looking tenants staying here. It's quite a change after spending day in and out looking only at my husband's face."
"Oh ho, Mikoshiba-san! Make sure this stays between us. Don't want the husband to feel jealous." Kuroo scooted closer to the low table. The food in front of him was tempting, begging to be devoured. Mikoshiba poured hot tea in his cup. He spared a second to question what the innkeeper said.
"Is there somebody else staying here besides me?" He asked as he chomped on a tamagoyaki.
"Yes, there is. You see, this inn isn't as fancy as the ones closer to the sea. So, not many people book their stay here. Right now, there's only you and that guy."
Kuroo swallowed his ball of rice. "That guy?"
"Tsukishima-san. His room is at the end of the hall." Mikoshiba gestured her thumb to Kuroo's left.
"How long he's staying?" Truthfully, he couldn't care less. It's just a polite thing, you see. Making conversations, that is.
"I'm not sure. Tsukishima-san is a regular customer of this inn. He often comes and goes whenever he likes. Paid the room in advance, so I never question it. He's stayed here from a day even until months at times."
"Sure is nice to be carefree like that." Ah, there's something stuck in his teeth. "You're sure he's not a criminal or anything?" Kuroo clicked his teeth.
"Even if he is, his crime would be to steal the hearts of the young girls of this town."
"Surely that's just an exaggeration," Kuroo drawled.
"It's true!" The innkeeper seemed to be offended. "He's a bit standoffish and aloof at times. Though that's actually part of his charms."
Paid the room in advance, stealing the hearts of young girls, charming. He's a criminal alright. Kuroo blanched at the bitter taste of his tea.
"Oh, my! Here's me talking about another customer while you're having breakfast. Let me excuse myself."
Mikoshiba was on her feet before Kuroo stopped her.
"So, is there any rules here or something?" He asked.
"Rules? What rules?"
"You know, with that guy," Kuroo shrugged. He'd definitely don't want to be getting involved if there's any criminal activity going on. He's only here on a work trip and he'd like to get home in one piece. The guy sounded shady. Kuroo would do anything to survive.
"Ah, I don't know what rules you're talking about, but Tsukishima-san wakes up early and spends his mornings in the woods. He doesn't go out of his room that much unless he wants to eat. So, there's nothing for you to worry about."
Ah! That guy definitely is a criminal. He's burying his victims in the woods, right?
"Ah, right..." Kuroo gulped harder.
Tooru! Just what it is you're getting myself into!!
Kuroo might be a social butterfly, always butting into stuff that's none of his business, but that was around the people he trusted, the people he knew like the back of his hand. Not with someone who was a stranger and who his social alarms had warned him to stay away from. It's good that after today he'd be busy with work.
"Mikoshiba-san, thanks for the meal. But, you don't have to bother serving breakfast to my room after this. I'll just come downstairs whenever I want to eat." He might be taking a chance here, but it's better than bothering the older woman coming up and down the stairs wasn't it? Now that he got some kind of idea of the guy's schedule. He could do it!
"Ah, I get it. It's because you want to sleep in don't you?" Mikoshiba-san smiled behind her hand.
"Yes, that's right!" Huh, that went well. "And also," Kuroo thought for a moment, " I don't want Tooru to think I'm being pampered here."
"Ah, right!" Mikoshiba clapped her hands together. A wide smile on her face. "His wedding is next month isn't it? I've slot his bookings in the schedule, so it should be alright when he's here."
Kuroo nodded.
The reason Oikawa had even found this inn in the first place was because his wedding with Iwaizumi would be held at one of the scenic shrines near the sea. Afterwards, the reception would be held right here, in the very inn he was staying. It's convenient, as Oikawa said. For both grooms this was the kind of destination wedding they had in mind. Although the destination was only a few hours away from their city life in Tokyo, and considering both of the grooms were from a different hometown altogether, it certainly put the destination to the 'destination wedding'.
Kuroo was so pathetic, he wasn't even able to take a break with his heartache. Wasn't able to be dramatic and sulk like other people with unrequited love.
"Yes, I'll be staying here until then. So, you can just treat me like you treat... Tsukishima-san."
Something weird happened then.
Kuroo didn't notice it until the stranger's name rolled up his tongue. He looked down to the empty bowls in front of him. This was a simple Japanese breakfast, but the taste of honey suddenly coated his mouth.
Too sweet!
---
"Why are you bothering me?"
"I'm bored," Kuroo pouted.
He got his wish of lazing around and had already finished exploring the inn. The place was small after all. Currently he was sitting on the porch overlooking the backyard. Oikawa truly found a hidden piece of gem with this place.
Although the inn was nowhere near as those grandiose, well-known Ryokan, the place had instantly charmed him. The backyard was wide open, suitable for hosting a banquet. The blooming white clematis climbing the fencing line added a romantic flair to the space. The sleek black archway by the side connected the yard to the inn's very own onsen. The cobblestone lining the path to the onsen continued on until it reached the tree lines that indicated the start of the mountain path.
His mind wondered if this was the path Tsukishima took every time he went to the woods.
"That's your issue, not mine."
Kenma was staring down at him impassively through the screen. Kuroo watched as Kenma's too long stray hairs moved along with the flutter of his eyelashes.
"You should cut your hair a bit. You'll eat your own hair if you're not careful," he said.
"That's my issue, not yours."
Trust Kenma to be every bit of done with his coddling and nagging. Kuroo was well aware of his habit of taking somebody under his wings and dote on them whether the person liked it or not. Kenma had been beside him since they were little and it's not like he could stop being the way he is. He liked taking care of people.
"Do you think I'm gonna get killed in my sleep?"
"Phone me in after you die. I'll make the funeral adjustments."
"Seriously though, if the guy at the end of the hall turned out to be someone with a shady background... My last vacation would be about work!!"
"It's good then, isn't it? You're always complaining of not catching any break. Not like I don't know you're only distracting yourself."
The man on his screen turned his head sideways. Kuroo could see a soft smile on Kenma's face. A lump of body under a cover by his side.
"Awh, Kyannnma!" He shouted suddenly.
"Shut up! You'll wake Shoyo!" Kenma was quick to whisper while frantically covering the phone speaker.
"Oooohh, is it the new boyfriend?" Kuroo asked with a teasing smirk on his face. The body next to Kenma stirred. "When will you introduce us?"
Kenma frowned. "Never."
"Aw, come on, man!" Kuroo whined. "I gotta know if he's good for you or not!"
"I don't take advice from someone whose love life consisting of him pining from afar and getting hurt in the process."
Harsh, but it's the truth. Kuroo laughed.
"It's a low blow but you're right." Kuroo turned to look at the clear sky. "A person like me has no right to give any advice about any relationships. You'll be better without at this point."
A small sigh was the only thing he heard coming from the man on the screen. "Kuro, that's the reason you're there right? To move on."
"Can it be considered to move on when nothing has ever started?" The gush of wind chilled him to the bone and it scared him to be vulnerable like this even with the person who he trusted the most.
Before Kenma answered, Kuroo could smell the scent of honey wafting in the air. It's faint at first but getting thicker as moments passed by. The smell nearly consumed him, suffocating him!
Then he heard it. The yelling. The screaming.
Even Kenma behind the screen was surprised by the screaming. Kuroo threw his gaze to the black archway, nearly bolted before he was rooted to the ground by what he was seeing. He flipped the camera so Kenma could see it too.
"Fuck! You assholes! Fuuuck!! Fucking fuck it all! Argh-"
A tall man was running frantically across the backyard, hands swatting around his head, mussing a part of his blonde hair. He screamed again before tucking both of his hands inside his windbreaker. The man whined pathetically as long legs nearly buckled when he tripped over the cobblestone path.
"Fuck!!! Mikoshiba-san!! Help!!"
Tears were running down his smooth skin. Red blotches on his cheeks were enough proof that he'd been crying and screaming for a long time now.
"Mikoshiba-san!!" The man yelled again.
Kuroo, still frozen in place, had his jaw dropped when he realised what was making the man panic. Bees. No less than ten of them were swarming the blonde as he hid his head in his jacket. Red spots littered on his exposed pale legs, no doubt that they'd been stung. Kuroo was well aware that this was the man that he swore he wasn't going to get involved with. The man that might be a wolf in a sheep's clothing.
"Dude! You gotta get down and roll on the ground!" Kuroo screamed. His empty hand flailed around making gestures for the man to do as he said.
The stranger watched Kuroo as if he'd seen a ghost. Though, he'd started to move, ready to fall on the ground as he heeded Kuroo's words before he stop himself.
"No! Go take a dive in the onsen!" Kenma chirped from the screen.
"Kenma! He'd burned himself like that!" A voice Kuroo couldn't identify was coming through his phone. "Use your jacket and swing it around like 'fwah', 'bashahh'."
"That's not gonna work, Shoyo," Kenma chided.
The man continued to panic as flurries of instructions coming from everyone at once. Kuroo's nerves flared up because the man clearly did not know what to do. Mikoshiba was taking too long to come out. He got up and went straight to the watering hose a few steps from him. Without thinking of any consequences, he turned on the faucet and aimed the pipe at the man.
Tsukishima was drenched from top to bottom in seconds. His movements stilled due to shock or relief, Kuroo wasn't so sure. Kuroo turned off the faucet once he stopped gurgling the water in his mouth. Tsukishima opened his eyes slowly. His glasses fogging up and water was pooling at the lenses. The curls of his bangs were sticking to his face haphazardly and Kuroo swore he wasn't going to laugh.
A click of a camera was heard from the phone Kuroo was holding. Kenma was grinning before he showed the picture he took to the red haired man next to him.
The man's golden eyes widened even more and bore into him in a combination of rage and humiliation.
"Hey, at least the bees stop attacking you," Kuroo offered as consolation.
His triumphant grin lasted only for a second before he felt a sudden prick breaking his skin. He looked down at his arm.
A part of broken stinger was lodged on his skin.
It seemed like the bees found a new victim.