Chapter 3

"So you two, how was your first day?" Miwa asked cheerfully as the two trudged into the house.

"Why don't you ask the traitor," Tobio grumbled.

"How is this my fault?!" Temari exclaimed. "If you hadn't opened your dumbass mouth you wouldn't have gotten kicked out of the gym!"

"Watch your language young lady," she heard the deep grovel of their grandfather.

From the entranceway, Temari could see her grandpa roll his wheelchair from the kitchen into the hallway facing her. Their house wasn't very big but it wasn't small either. To her left was a flight of stairs leading up stairs to their rooms while downstairs was a kitchen, a living room, and a dinning room.

"Sorry grandpa," she mumbled shrinking her shoulders in defeat.

"You two need to learn to get along," their grandpa was a taller man, when he was able to stand he was almost the same height as Tobio. He shared the Kageyama clans blue eyes and his dark black hair had since turned a salty grey. Deep wrinkles decorated his eyes and cheeks from the many years of smiles and laughter. He was a thin man, in his day he was just as active and athletic as Tobio. However, two years ago he had had a stroke which left him paralyzed from the waist down. For the most part Miwa took care of him in between jobs so that the twins could go to school, have normal lives.

"I didn't do anything!" Temari cried out.

"Nothing but cozy up to the captain and get me kicked out of the gym." Tobio shot at her.

"Are you kidding me?!" Temari exclaimed turning red with anger. Her brother had his back to her and started walking up the stairs to his room. "It's not my fault people like me more than you! Maybe if you let your head shrink a little and stopped acting like you were better than everyone else then people wouldn't hate you so much!" She yanked her back pack up and off the ground then stormed up the stairs making sure to shove Tobio's shoulder as she stomped past. At the top of the stairs was a small hallway. To the left was Tobio's room. To the right was Miwa and Temari's rooms. Their grandfather had a room downstairs that was made wheelchair friendly. When she got to her room, she slid the door open throwing her back pack to the floor and sitting down at her desk where a fresh blank piece of paper sat. She wanted to scribble her brother's face in fiery red flames, but knew this was no good. Her eyes were already starting to cloud with tears.

She just didn't understand how her brother could be so mean? How could he blame everyone else but himself? Why was he so hostile towards her when she needed him the most! She looked down at her desk glancing at the small picture in the golden frame. It was a picture of her parents. Her mother, was a small petite woman with long black hair that was always pulled up in a messy bun. She had big round blue eyes and wore big round glasses. She was the goofball, always laughing. Temari remembered on Saturday's she would wake to hear her mother singing a silly song about washing the dishes or making breakfast. Her mother had silly songs for everything she did. Whether it be washing dishes, doing chores around the house, cooking food, or working in the gardens. Her father, a tall dark haired man with piercing green eyes and messy brown hair, would roll his eyes chuckling to himself as their mother would serenade him. She remembered eventually her father would give in and would watch as the two danced in the kitchen. Their love was infectious to anyone around them. She didn't know a single person that had quarrels with them nor spoke ill-will against them. When they died, it felt as if the world stopped turning and everyone cried.

Temari heard a knock at her door and quickly wiped away the tears pouring down her cheeks setting down her parents picture. "Come in," she said. She turned to see Miwa quietly slide the door open and close it behind her.

"Hey kiddo," she said and gave Temari an empathetic smile. "Want to tell me what's going on?"

"What do you think?" Temari scoffed. "The same crap, different school,"

Miwa sighed and walked over to Temari's bed patting the sheets next to her. Temari stood and walked over to her sitting down on the sheets.

"I know Tobio can be stubborn and hard headed." she said softly.

"He blames me for everything," Temari sobbed. "I don't understand, people used to bully me for being his sister. Doesn't he realize what he does affects me to? I don't understand why can't he just be nice?"

"I know," Miwa said calmly. "Sweetie, I know its hard, these past couple years have been hard on all of us. Tobio..." she paused. "Tobio's not as good as dealing than me and you."

"It's been three years," Temari whispered. "Doesn't he realize we're in pain too?"

Miwa sighed. "Yes, he does. Tobio knows it has been just as hard for you as it is for him. But he's not like us, he doesn't know how to release his anger other than taking it out on other people."

"Doesn't make it right," Temari grumbled.

"I know..." Miwa said putting her arm around Temari's shoulder. "I'm doing my best for you kiddos."

Temari gave in letting her head rest on her older sister's shoulder and wrapping her own arms around her.

"I just want my brother back," Temari said quietly.

"Give him time," Miwa said rubbing Temari's back in comfort. "Some people take longer to heal."

Temari nodded allowing Miwa to hold her until the tears dried.

"So other than getting into a huge fight with your brother, how was your first day of high school?" Miwa asked.

Temari smiled sitting up brushing her messy hair out of her face. "It was good," Daichi's smiling face popped into her head.

"That smile tells me it was more than good." Miwa turned, folding her leg on the bed so she could face Temari. "This doesn't have to do with a boy does it?" Temari smiled even more.

"Maybe," Temari blushed.

"Is it the volleyball captain Tobio was so upset about?" Miwa asked and Temari nodded. She could never hide anything from Miwa. "Tell me all about him," Miwa smiled from ear to ear. Temari assumed Miwa was just happy that Temari finally talked to someone other than her teachers.

"He seems really sweet," Temari smiled. "Do you remember when I lost my sketchbook at Tobio's tournament?"

"Yes, but what does that have to do with anything?" Miwa asked.

"Well, he was the one who found it." Temari said. "He gave it back to me today, and when he kicked Tobio out of practice for being a jerk to the other first year, he let me stay in the gym."

"So that's why Tobio was so upset." Miwa said.

"Yeah, but he did it to himself. Tobio was arguing with another first year and hit him in the face with a volleyball. Then it bounced off and hit the vice principal!"

"Oh no," Miwa gasped.

"Daichi did what he had to do, he told Tobio to knock it off and Tobio didn't listen." Temari said.

"Daichi..." Miwa said softly. "What is his last name?"

"Sawamura... I think," Temari tried to recall. "The zipper in my bag got stuck and someone shoved me into the lockers trying to get to class and everything fell out. Daichi saw and helped me pick everything up, he even let me sit with him during the opening ceremony and walked me to class!"

"He seems like a really sweet boy," Miwa said.

"He is," Temari smiled. "He has a nice laugh, and he didn't call my drawings weird or make fun of me."

Miwa smiled. She felt giddy at the fact her little sister was interested in this guy. Going into high school, Miwa was nervous her little sister wouldn't take advantage of her high school experience. Miwa had played on the girls volleyball team herself at Karasuno and loved every second. She had friends, dated a few more guys than she'd like to admit. Temari was nothing like her however. Temari was just like their mother, both in looks and personality.

"Well, I'd really like to meet this kid and I'm sure grandpa would too. Maybe you should have him over one night?" Miwa asked.

"Yeah, right," Temari scoffed. "Tobio would kill me. Plus I don't even know if he likes me, he's a third year, and captain. Why would he like a nobody like me?"

"Hey don't do that! You're Temari freaking Kageyama, you're awesome!" Miwa said. Temari laughed it off.

"I'm just the shy girl that nobody talks too." Temari said hugging her knees.

"That's because you don't put yourself out there. Sweetie I know its hard, but if you want to have friends, you've got to put yourself out there." Miwa said.

"I know," Temari sighed.

"Just be careful okay?" Miwa said. "You don't want to end up like me."

Temari looked at her confused. "What do you mean?"

"Temari," Miwa said putting a hand on her thigh. "There's something I have to tell you."

"What is it?" Temari asked letting her legs fall to the floor.

"Things are going to be changing around here," Miwa said.

"What do you mean?" Temari asked, her heart beating faster by the second.

"Well, there's no easy way to say it so I'm just going to say it." Miwa said sitting up taking a deep breath. "Temari I'm pregnant."

~

Temari couldn't sleep a wink that night. Miwa was having a baby. Miwa wasn't even seeing anyone, not that Temari knew of. She always complained about guys saying that with the twins, she didn't have time for a man in her life. Obviously that wasn't the case. Temari couldn't help but feel excited and dread at the same time. She was excited because there was going to be a cute little baby soon! She was going to be an aunt! However dread filled her stomach knowing the responsibilities she'd have to take on. Miwa was already stretching herself so thin. She worked three jobs to support the family, she cared for their paralyzed grandfather and was a mother to two twin teenagers. Temari had to step up. She wasn't strong enough to take care of their grandfather, and she was too young to get a job, but she could babysit. She would be a good aunt, a good sister. She was going to step up and be there for Miwa. After all, Miwa had always been there for her.

Temari turned over looking at the alarm clock on her desk. It was three a.m. She sighed and rolled over again. There was no point in sleeping now. Soon she'd have to get ready for school. A soft knock sounded from her door and Temari sat up.

"Temari," she heard Tobio's voice.

"Yeah?" she asked.

"C-can I come in?" he asked.

"Yeah," she answered.

The door slipped open and Tobio walked into the room.

"What are you doing awake?" she asked.

"I couldn't sleep," he said. He walked over to her desk and sat in the chair. "I'm sorry for getting mad at you yesterday." She couldn't tell if she heard incorrectly or if he was actually apologizing. "That guy just really gets on my nerves,"

"Shoyo... or Daichi?" Temari asked.

"Shoyo," he answered. "H-he's just so annoying,"

Temari giggled. "Yeah, but so are you,"

Tobio shot her a look.

"I just don't understand why you have to be mean about it." she said.

Tobio didn't answer. Instead he looked to her desk. He reached out his large lanky arm to the picture of their parents. He took it in his hands and held it in his lap.

"Do you remember that night?" he asked looking at the picture.

"Yeah," she nodded. She wish she didn't but the sad truth was it was the worst night of her life and it haunted her dreams.

"I think a lot about what dad said." he said without looking at her.

"Is that why you work so hard?" she asked. "Because he wanted you to go to nationals?"

Tobio nodded. "Sometimes I think that if I make it to Nationals, somehow I could be closer to him."

"You can go to nationals without being a douche Tobio." she said.

"It just frustrated when other people suck because they're holding me back from getting there. At least if I went and had the best team and still lost it'd be my own fault." he said setting the picture back on her desk.

"If there was something I could do to feel closer to mom and dad I'd probably be the same way." Temari said. A silence filled the room. Either one of them would do anything to get their parents back. "Mom and Dad were always proud of you. They always will be."

Tobio smirked then looked at her leaning into her desk chair.

"Thanks, I needed to hear that," he said.

"You're welcome," she responded. "So does that mean you're going to be nicer?"

Tobio chuckled. "Maybe to you... but that's it."

"Would it kill you to be nice to everybody?" she asked.

Tobio shrugged.

"I just don't want this year to be like last year," Temari said. "Tobio, I want friends... I want..." she sighed knowing he wouldn't understand. "I want a boyfriend for goodness sakes."

"Ew," Tobio shuttered.

"Hey!" she smacked Tobio on the arm. "I'm not that ugly!"

Tobio chuckled to himself. "No its not that," he sighed. "Does it really have to be Daichi?" he asked.

"No," she said looking down at her hands in her lap. "But he's nice to me even though he knows you're my brother, that's never happened to me before."

"I'm know," he said. "I'm sorry,"

"You're my brother," she said. "Its okay,"

Tobio let out a smirk. "Alright," he said then stood up. "I guess I better get ready. You should too."

"For what?" she asked.

"I have practice at 5am." He answered.

"Well thanks for telling me asshole!" she whisper yelled then threw a pillow at him. He caught it and tossed it back onto her bed. He chuckled then walked out the door. She may not have gotten any sleep, but at least she got to talk to her brother.