STEPBROTHER (HAIKYUU X KUROKO NO BASKETBALL SUMMER CAMP)
32

"Okay, maybe enough practice today. You can clean up and go back to your homes!" ushijima orders with a forehead wrapped in gauze.

Since this afternoon, no one had dared to question what had actually happened to the Volleyball captain. They just act that everything is fine and nothing happens, because they know that Ushijima will not feel comfortable if he becomes concerned about something unpleasant. But this did not happen with Tendou, he always billed Ushijima's promise to be frank with him.

However, until this moment Ushijima was reluctant to tell anything to his best friend. Not because he didn't want to, but he needed the right time to tell Tendou about what he was doing this morning.

And it seems that this is the right time for Ushijima to be frank, so he immediately invited Tendou to go home together first while the volleyball members represented by Sami were in order.

With a calm face and still wearing Volleyball uniforms, Ushijima and Tendou walked away from the already deserted school.

"Do you want to tell me now, Wakatoshi-kun?" ask the impatient Tendou. Ushijima just nodded and sipped his mineral water back.

"I deliberately truant this morning" Ushijima said calmly.

Tendou looked up at Ushijima with a curious expression, "For what?"

"Reply for the actions of Ryo and his friends, and threaten them not to approach the boy."

"That kid? You mean your sister, Seijuro-chan?" ask Tendou.

"Yes, my step-sister. And the impact I received from the fight, my forehead was cut from the glass bottle punch from them." Ushijima threw the drinking bottle by throwing it into the garbage tub that was on the side of the road that he passed.

"Wait first! A Wakatoshi-kun willingly fights and truancy for the sake of Seijuro-chan? Did I not hear wrong?" ask Tendou again who is not sure of what he knows at this time.

"You didn't hear wrong, Tendou. I feel that there is no harm in occasionally sacrificing for someone, let alone that he is my half-sister. Besides, I don't like bullies like Ryo and his friends, they not only get Akashi into trouble, but they get me in the loop."

"What is Wakatoshi-kun really doing?" ask Tendou.

"They made me into Akashi's hate food, I just don't like being hated by that kid. I also don't like to see him in pain from being punished by Masaomi-San."

"You're really afraid of being hated by him, Wakatoshi-kun? You don't usually feel worried about being hated by others, even though your attitude alone has become a strong reason to be hated by others."

"Once, I just feel uncomfortable seeing that captain Kiseki no see that looks weak in front of me. And yesterday was the first time I saw Akashi being a different person" Ushijima told a bus stop.

"You're really weird, Wakatoshi-kun. I think your personality has changed even more since living with that rich family" Tendou said with a smile.

"No, you are just tendou. I'm still the Ushijima you usually know, even if something changes it must be a change in my abilities that are increasing. Ah, Nevermind!I'm going home first." Ushijima immediately boarded one of the buses that happened to stop in front of him. He has been deliberately going home alone lately, because he feels much more comfortable than having to be picked up at any time.

Fortunately the bus stop was not too far from the location of the house, so he only walked a little to get to the main gate of the luxury house. And as soon as he got to the front gate, he met Akashi who had just gotten off the taxi with a face that was still irritated.

Ushijima had no intention of saying anything or caring about Akashi at first, he just walked ahead of Akashi regardless of the awkward atmosphere between them. Similarly to Akashi, he also did not care about Ushijima's existence and instead slowed his pace in order to let Ushijima disappear from his presence as soon as possible.

But who would have thought, the guilt of a Ushijima when recalling Akashi's anger yesterday and plus the groaning sound of Akashi who felt pain often walking made Ushijima more upset. He immediately twisted his body and let out a long breath.

"You've been taking pain medication from the doctor this afternoon?" ask Ushijima who knows very well that yesterday there was a personal doctor who treated Akashi after getting punishment from his father.

"In addition to emotional smothering, you're a vindictive as well." Ushijima again provoked Akashi, he was a little annoyed at being ignored like this by others. But it seems that his words are not at all powerful to make Akashi speak and respond to him.

"You really hate me apparently," Ushijima said, shaking his head. Then he put his hand on Akashi's shoulder to stop his sister's steps.

"Listen to me! You" Ushijima had not yet finished his words, Akashi immediately released Ushijima's hand from him and accidentally hit Ushijima's forehead with his own hand which had been bandaged when he turned around.

"Ouch!" lament Ushijima who felt the pain was very painful, fortunately the bandage that covered the wound did not come off at that time.

"Sorry, I didn't mean it." Akashi could not hide his guilty expression, but he also could not forgive Ushijima.

"It's okay, I'm fine." Ushijima began to look calm again, he did not want to show his pain in front of Akashi who he thought was much more painful than him.

"Oh," Akashi's response turned back to make sure that Ushijima was okay.

"Come on! Are you still sitting on me? I mean, I don't care about you and I don't mind being hated by you. But, I think everything you've been through is not my fault and I strongly object to being considered non-existent by someone like you!" ushijima complains that he is beginning to feel upset and desperate to stop Akashi.

Akashi himself suddenly remembered the words of Mayuzumi at that moment, somehow he could feel Ushijima's worry through his tone. And at first glance Akashi also remembered with Rei who was able to forgive his opponent's mistakes, he thought it would never hurt to forgive Ushijima as well.

"What's with your forehead? You can be scolded by Papa and Mama if you get caught fighting," said Akashi who immediately turned around.

Ushijima was stunned to see Akashi finally talking back to him, although Ushijima was still embarrassed by complaining earlier. It felt, he had dropped his pride just to make Akashi just out of pity for him.

"Just relax, I just got hit by a volleyball earlier." Ushijima tries to cover up the truth about him fighting to defend Akashi.

"Oh, I don't care." Akashi averted his eyes, not budging at all as Ushijima walked over to him. He did not even dodge or turn around, as if he no longer wanted to be hostile to Ushijima.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't blame you for all the trouble I did yesterday. You're not my brother either, so I shouldn't be mad at you for not defending me." Akashi stared intently at Ushijima who was already in front of him, the two exchanged glances simultaneously without saying anything else for a moment.

"Then, let's learn to be a pair of brothers! I will learn to be a reliable brother to you, as well as you who must learn to be a good brother to me." Ushijima said it with confidence and a serious look, leaving Akashi stunned for a moment.

"Why? Are you afraid of failing to be a good sister to me?" asked Ushijima who was still provoking Akashi.

Akashi just sighed with a smile, he started to get interested in the provocation that Ushijima had delivered to him.

"Alright, let's live as a pair of brothers starting today. Oh, ushijima-san... Ah, naw. I mean, Oniichan!" akashi said with a smile that made Ushijima also smile. Although that smile signaled an awkward feeling between the two.

Meanwhile, on the other hand, Ryo was approaching a group of delinquent students with untidy clothes and reckless appearance. It appears that a group of students are doing something that violates the school rules, in fact, some of them were beating a teenager who became a victim of oppression in a narrow alley that was rather dark because it was covered with large walls on both sides of the alley.

"I need your help, Senpai!" ryo told one of the students among the group of delinquents who stated as if he was the leader of the gang.

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🤭 Akashi and Ushijima started learning to be brothers? Whether later their relationship can be close to each other like siblings. And what is Ryo planning?