Haikyuu!!: Can a reclusive genius fall in love?

Outside the shop, the evening breeze carried the hustle and bustle of the city, car taillights cast long red streaks, and neon signs flickered with a cold, ethereal light. Oikawa Toru and Iwaizumi stood on the steps of the barbecue restaurant, like two beacons suddenly cast into unfamiliar waters, anxiously scanning every possible direction. Their gaze swept over hurried pedestrians heading home, groups of students laughing and playing, office workers leaning against the roadside smoking… but they couldn't find that fleeting, moonlit figure fleeing in panic.

"Let's split up and search!" Iwaizumi made a decisive decision, his voice slightly distorted by the wind, but carrying an undeniable resolve. "I'll go to the left alley and the small park! You go to the right shopping street! Keep in touch by phone!"

Oikawa Toru nodded heavily, not even having time to say another word, before abruptly turning and rushing towards the more crowded commercial street on his right. His heart was pounding so hard it felt like it was about to break free from his chest, each beat pounding against his eardrums with a dull, rapid roar. The image of Yukimura Tsukihiro's last glance kept replaying in his mind—those emerald eyes, utterly consumed by fear, unfocused and helpless, like two shards of broken glass, piercing deep into his heart.

He ran wildly along the brightly lit streets, his sharp eyes scanning every open shop window, every dimly lit alleyway, even every bus stop bench like a searchlight. He tried to catch any possible figure, any glimmer of white light. However, all he saw were unfamiliar faces, clamorous music, and a dazzling array of goods. Xuecun Yuebai, like a drop of evaporating water, completely blended into this bustling yet indifferent night, leaving no trace.

"Yuki-chan!" He couldn't help but call out in a low voice, but his voice was quickly swallowed up by the surrounding noise, sounding futile and powerless.

A cold, spreading sense of panic gripped him. He remembered Yukimura Tsukihiro's deathly pale face, his violent, almost suffocating breathing, his uncontrollable trembling body... In that state, what would happen if someone ran into the city at night? He dared not think too deeply, and could only force himself to quicken his pace, searching every corner more carefully.

Meanwhile, Iwaizumi was weaving through quieter alleyways in a residential area and a small children's park to the left of the barbecue restaurant. The lighting here was much dimmer, with only a few old streetlights casting long, distorted shadows on the ground. His footsteps were particularly clear in the quiet alleyways, startling a few stray cats, which hissed warily and darted quickly into the deeper darkness.

"Yukimura!" Iwaizumi's voice was more steady and powerful than Oikawa Toru's, carrying a reassuring quality as it echoed through the alley. "Tsukishiro! Can you hear me? It's Iwaizumi!"

The only response he received was the whistling of the wind through the power lines and the faint sound of traffic in the distance. The swings in the park were motionless, and the dark entrance to the slide resembled a silent, gaping maw. The park was deserted. Iwaizumi's brow furrowed deeper, his anxiety rising like a surging tide. He carefully examined the backs of park benches, the shadows of bushes, even the area next to trash cans, but found nothing. The white-haired boy seemed to possess some kind of ability to completely conceal himself in dire circumstances.

Fifteen minutes later, their phones rang almost simultaneously. They met up breathlessly at the entrance of a small alleyway filled with junk behind the barbecue restaurant, and saw the same answer in each other's eyes—they hadn't found it.

"Damn it!" Iwaizumi cursed under his breath, slamming his fist against the cold brick wall beside him. A sharp pain shot through his knuckles, but it paled in comparison to the intense anxiety in his heart. "Where could he have run to?!"

Oikawa Tetsu leaned on his knees, breathing heavily, his bangs soaked with sweat and clinging to his forehead. He looked up, his brown eyes swirling with an unprecedented heaviness and a hint of almost imperceptible self-reproach. "He doesn't want to be found..." Oikawa Tetsu's voice was hoarse, carrying a deep sense of helplessness, "In that state... he would only hide in the darkest, quietest, and least likely to be discovered corner."

Like a frightened animal, instinctively seeking a nest it perceives as safe, even if that nest itself might be covered in thorns. Oikawa Tetsu could almost picture Yukimura Tsukishiro huddled in some cold, dark corner, trembling, overwhelmed by unimaginable, terrifying memories. The thought made his heart feel as if it were being submerged in ice water, both cold and aching.

"Let's go back first." Iwaizumi took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. As the vice commander, he couldn't afford to lose his composure. "There are still a bunch of people waiting in the shop, and Kindaichi is probably terrified. We need to at least calm them down first."

Oikawa Tetsu nodded silently, then glanced one last time at the deep alley that seemed to have swallowed all light, before dragging his heavy steps and following Iwaizumi Ichi back to the barbecue restaurant that was still shrouded in an eerie atmosphere.

Pushing open the shop door, the aroma of food and lively chatter no longer greeted you; instead, a stagnant, suffocating atmosphere descended. The once bustling long table area was now eerily quiet. The fire under the grill had long been turned off, and the charred meat slices clung coldly to the hot plate like ugly scars. Most of the team members remained seated, but no one touched their chopsticks, no one spoke, they simply kept their heads down or stared blankly into space, and the air was thick with a complex mix of shock, confusion, unease, and a lingering fear.

Yutaro Kindaichi sat in the corner, his face still pale, one hand unconsciously rubbing the spot on his chest where he had been hit. His head was bowed low, his shoulders slumped, and he exuded a heavy sense of frustration and lingering fear. Hideaki Yakiniku and Hideaki Kunimi sat beside him. Yakiniku seemed to want to comfort him, opening his mouth several times but unsure what to say, ultimately only patting him on the back. Hideaki Kunimi, on the other hand, had his eyes half-closed, his face still expressionless, but a closer look revealed that his gaze was more focused than usual, as if he were deep in thought.

When Matsukawa Kazushige and Hanamaki Takahiro saw Oikawa Toru and Iwaizumi return, they immediately looked at each other with questioning eyes. Oikawa Toru shook his head slightly, a subtle gesture that made everyone's hearts sink even further.

Iwaizumi walked to the center of the long table, looked around at the silent team members, cleared his throat, and tried to make his voice sound steady and strong: "Yukimura is fine, he just... suddenly felt a little unwell and went back first." This explanation was so weak that even he himself could not convince himself, but before the truth was clear, it was the only explanation that could temporarily stabilize morale.

However, the team members were no longer children. The impact of what they had just witnessed far exceeded the scope of "discomfort." Whispers began again, low and incessant, like the buzzing of mosquitoes.

"Would you feel that way if you weren't feeling well...?"

"He looked so scary just now..."

"Kindaichi only touched him..."

"Does he hate us...?"

These suppressed murmurs, though faint, pierced the tense air like cold needles. Yakinibu's head drooped even lower, almost burying itself in his knees.

"Enough!" Oikawa Tetsu suddenly spoke, his voice not loud, but carrying a rare, unquestionable authority that instantly drowned out all the whispers. His usual smile was gone, as was the anxiety he had shown outside; only a deep, unfathomable calm remained on his face. But beneath this calm, a powerful, inviolable force seemed to surge.

All eyes immediately turned to him.

Oikawa Tetsu's gaze slowly swept over each face, finally lingering for a moment on Kindaichi Yutaro, his eyes softening slightly: "What happened today was an accident. Nobody wanted it to happen. Kindaichi," he looked at the first-year student, "Yukimura wasn't targeting you, he was just... frightened. The reasons are complicated, but now is not the time to discuss them."

His tone was calm yet carried a strange soothing power, acknowledging the seriousness of the matter without pursuing too much responsibility, cleverly diverting everyone's attention temporarily from "accusations" and "speculation".

"But Oikawa-senpai," one of the team members couldn't help but ask in a low voice, "is Yukimura... really alright? He ran out all by himself..."

"He'll be alright," Oikawa Tetsu interrupted him, his tone unusually certain, as if stating an undeniable fact, or as if convincing himself. "Give him some space. Now, let's tidy up here, and then go home. That's enough for today..."

Iwaizumi glanced at Oikawa Toru and chimed in, "That's right. Hanamaki, Matsukawa, help pack up. Everyone else, check your belongings and get ready to leave. Club activities will proceed as scheduled tomorrow; no one is allowed to be late."

The deputy commander gave the order, and despite lingering doubts and unease, the team members began to move about silently. Some got up to help clear the messy table, while others quietly put on their coats. The atmosphere remained heavy, but at least basic order had been restored.

Oikawa Tetsu didn't help with the tidying up. He walked up to Kindaichi Yutaro, squatted down, and looked him in the eye: "Are you alright? Do you need to go to the hospital?"

Kindaichi Yutaro suddenly looked up, his eyes slightly red, and hurriedly shook his head: "N-No, it's alright, Oikawa-senpai! I'm fine... really... I'm sorry, I..."

"I told you it wasn't your fault." Oikawa Tetsu patted his shoulder, the pressure just right, with a reassuring tone. "Don't overthink it. Go back and get some rest."

After speaking, he stood up, walked to the window, and looked out at the deep night once more. The light from the shop cast a patchwork of light and shadow on his sharply defined profile, making it impossible to discern his expression. Only his tightly clenched fist, knuckles white, tucked into his pocket, betrayed that his inner peace was far from what appeared to be.

After Iwaizumi directed everyone to quickly tidy up and settle the bill, the team members said their goodbyes in twos and threes and left the barbecue restaurant one after another. As each person left, they couldn't help but glance one last time at the empty seat in the corner and at Oikawa Tetsu standing silently by the window. The clouds of doubt and worry did not dissipate with their departure; instead, they gathered even heavier in everyone's hearts.

In the end, only Oikawa Tetsu, Iwaizumi Ichi, and Matsukawa Kazushige and Hanamaki Takahiro remained in the shop to help.

"So," Hanamaki Takahiro broke the silence, his voice tinged with caution, "what do we do now? Are we really just going to abandon Yukimura?"

Oikawa Toru turned around, a crack appearing in his calm facade, revealing clear weariness and worry. "He won't answer the phone," he whispered, almost to himself. "Right now... he probably doesn't want to see anyone."

"So what exactly did he do just now..." Matsukawa Kazushige asked cautiously.

"I don't know." Oikawa interrupted him, his voice carrying a rare hint of frustration and helplessness, but he quickly regained his composure and took a deep breath. "But I can guess that it's related to... something from his past." He didn't explicitly mention the scar, nor did he state his guess, but Iwaizumi's eyes changed slightly, as if he understood something.

"Let's go back first," Iwaizumi finally said, picking up his backpack. "We'll see how things go tomorrow. Oikawa, don't be too... tsk, anyway, let's go back first."

The four locked the shop door and stepped into the cold night wind. The street was much emptier than before, with only the neon lights flashing tirelessly.

Oikawa Tetsu pushed his bicycle, but didn't immediately get on. He stood there, looking back in the direction where Yukimura Tsukishiro had disappeared, his gaze seemingly trying to pierce through the layers of buildings and the deep night to find the boy who was curled up somewhere, licking his wounds alone.

The night wind rustled the fallen leaves on the ground, making a sound like a silent sigh.

The aftershocks of that night were clearly far from over. And the silently spreading clouds of doubt were quietly changing things, casting a long, lingering shadow in everyone's heart.