Chapter Text
They hid behind giant shelves of books. Carefully crouched down. They waited for the doors to open.
They were in huge trouble and may not have a way out. Akagi carefully leaned over trying to get a good look at the doors that were opening. Slowly. The school’s custodians were entering. Sunday was not a workday yet they still had to come to at least check if everything was alright. Though he was not the only one there. Heisuke and some other first years were with him too.
“I saw them on this level from outside, though” they heard the blackhead say. “but they would not break into the library. Kita-san and Akagi-san would never do that.”
And we would? Both Atsumu and Suna thought. Apparently, the others expected them to do things like this, even though Akagi was the one to break in.
Anyway, if they were to be found, they might get expelled from school entirely and their club may never use the school for training camps ever again.
It was bad. Akagi and Kita were third years with good grades and a good future.
Heisuke was trying to convince their custodian that his senpais would not do such a thing. Akagi waved with his hands, trying to get his attention. Carefully. It worked and Heisuke had a look of shock on his face.
Akagi moved his hands to signal him to calm down.
The custodian caught on Heisuke’s distance stare and turned around. Akagi backed up before he was spotted.
“Somethin’ there?”
“No!” He was in a panic, probably not knowing what to do. That’s when he received a message from Suna. Explaining to him that they needed to get out without being spotted. He had not understood anything but nonetheless tried his best.
“I don’t think, anyone is here. Maybe one of the other workers forgot to lock the door.”
His classmates said so too, in attempts to convince him. He would not listen. “Na kiddos, Yer thinkin’ I am an old geezer easy to fool?” He sounded impatient and slightly irritated. “I know when someone broke in or not. And someone definitely broke in here!”
“Listen Atsumu.” Kita held the book in his hands, still reading parts of it. “I see here that the Hinnagami might change the person it decided to fulfill wishes for after a certain time.” Atsumu widened his eyes. How long would something like that take?
“It’s been two days, ya think it’s long enough?”
Through a nearby window, Kita saw that the sun was starting to go down. Soon nighttime should fall upon them. And the exit was blocked. There might not be too much time for them. He turned to Atsumu.
“It could be. I don’t know for sure, so that means you might have not much time.”
Atsumu panicked, “but how are we doing this?! The door is blocked.”
“If we get caught we won’t get out of here,” said Akagi. He looked at them, seemingly thinking about something. He looked in between Atsumu and the door. Deciding to do something he may never even thought of. He inhaled and exhaled deeply.
The sun was going down more and more and with how Heisuke struggled to convince the custodian to leave the matter be they won’t be having much time at all. He needed to take matters into his own hands. Even if it meant to go to the extreme. If caught, they will be taken away from here and probably waiting for their parents to arrive here and the school's principal. Maybe even police will be called into the matter, breaking in was not a small thing after all. If that happened they won't get anywhere for a while.
Why was he ready to go so far? While the libero never interacted too much with Atsumu, the blond still was his junior and he was not doing good at all. Whether Atsumu was delusional or not, Kita trusted his words and risked this much. So Akagi will too.
“This all better is worth it,” he said to Atsumu in an unusually serious tone. He then crawled away from them, carefully maneuvering underneath the tables. Looking around to grab some books when he reached one of the other shelves.
He threw a bunch of books out of the shelf and caused loud noises. The blackhead gestured towards the exit before he ran away to lure the custodian away from the exit. Some of the first years followed, unsure of what to do. Heisuke stood there and saw his senpais approach.
“What’s going on Kita-san?”
“Sorry, there’s not much time to explain. Just trust me on this, we need to leave quickly.”
Heisuke might be new to the team but he understood well enough that when Kita was doing something it had to be important. “Fine, I’ll hold them off for now, but the coach is searchin’ for ya too with everyone. And he’s super mad.”
Atsumu and Kita made their way past him, but Suna did not. They looked at him confused. “I’ll go help Akagi, hurry up and leave.” He did not give them time to respond and followed after the blackhead.
Speeding their way out of the building and over the playground of their school they saw several teammates running around in search of them. "Kita!" Aran spotted them and ran towards them. "What's all this about? Where's Akagi and Suna?"
"Aran, I'll explain it all to ya alter, Atumu needs to go somewhere right now." They left Aran behind, the boy was clearly confused. When other teammates asked him what was going on he simply shrugged.
Unfortunately, coach Kurosu came in their direction. Spotting them immediately and blocking their way.
“What the heck! Kita, Atsumu, what are ya doing here?!”
They had to slow down but Kita whispered to Atsumu. “I’ll handle this here, hurry up and find that doll.”
Atsumu was somewhat hesitant but decided to do as told. He ran as fast as possible, not even able to hear what Kita had to say about the whole matter. Their coach called after him too but the blond could not stop.
If there really was a time restriction to this then he needed to hurry up and reach the old temple. There he found that weird doll and if he was lucky it should still be there. Atsumu prayed that for once this will work out.
Atsumu found himself back at the same spot he and Osamu had fought the other day. Near that abandoned temple where he saw the doll. It was still there, on the exact same spot he had seen it that day.
Without any hesitation, he picked it up and examined it. It looked just like the description. Old and dirty. Nearly falling apart.
It stared back at Atsumu. He gripped tighter. Gritting his teeth harder and harder. How come such a small thing could have caused him so much trouble.
Again, his words ring through the air. As if the doll had recorded them and replayed them. As if it was saying that it all was his doing. It all was his wish. His cause.
And honestly, it was. He should know what to say and whatnot. He should have simply accepted that he was at fault and no one else. He should not have been a jerk in the first place and just apologized. To his teammates and to his brother. He should have accepted it when Osamu pointed out his mistakes and just go with him back to the camp. Everything could have been the same and none of this mess would have happened.
Even now, without any help, he would still be whining around how this could have happened and what he could do. Kita trusted him and due to that, he got Akagi's and Suna's help (kind of). They were in trouble right now and maybe they will be expelled.
Why did they even believe him? Atsumu had no idea but he was glad. He was glad that his teammates believed him and helped him. He understood through the year he had spent at Inarizaki high how amazing Kita was, despite not being a regular player and now he only proved that he was so much more amazing than that. So did Akagi. And even Suna.
He’d forever be thankful to them once this all had been over.
His focus went back to the item in his hand. There was no doubting anymore. No what if's, this had to work. This had to go back to normal or his teammates' efforts would be wasted. How? How can he make this thing redo everything?
'I wish yer never existed'
Again the doll repeated his wish. Atsumu's grip tightened. "No!" He screamed, "That's not what I wish for! I was mad and didn't think at all!"
The doll stayed quiet. Be honest! "Truth is, I was just being stupid and mad over nothing! I was a jerk and tried blaming Samu for it! I want everything to go back to how it was and apologize to him!
Tears started forming in his eyes, blurring his vision.
“I don’t want to live without my stupid brother! I want Osamu back! He might be an idiot and an annoying bastard, but he is still my brother!! I want our team to be like it was before!"
"I never wanted him to disappear! I was mad and not thinking! I was just stupid and not accepting my fault for my mistakes! I want it all to go back to normal! To be like it used to be. Please! Please undo this all!”
His eyes were shut, tears falling. Everything halted and time seemed to stop. Nothing was happening, nothing was there for a moment he was in nothing but darkness. No sound no vision, nothing.
Suddenly a strong breeze blew against his body. Making him shiver in the coldness he was suddenly met. When Atsumu opened his eyes the doll he had clutched in his hands was gone. He had no idea what exactly happened. The doll was gone but nothing seemed to have changed. At first. Atsumu realized that he was not in front of the old temple anymore. He seemed to be in an unfamiliar place. At least he did not recognize it.
“Oi!”
A way too familiar voice called out to him. Atsumu widened his eyes and when he saw him appear in the distance it was like the cloudy sky started clearing up. Sunshine came through and illuminated the other boy.
“Damn it Sumu! What’re ya doing here!”
Osamu was approaching him. It really was him, right? Or maybe not?
Atsumu pulled himself back to his feet and ran. He ran towards Osamu spreading his arms wide and engulfing his brother in a hug. He almost threw them over though.
It was real, this was reality. He hugged Osamu tightly, squeezing him just to be sure he really was there. He was.
Osamu was greatly confused. He had no idea how to respond to his brother’s sudden affection, Atsumu never was like this.
“What’s wrong with ya?”
Atsumu startled upon the realization of his action and nearly jumped back. “Nothing, why yer askin’?”
“Nothing? Ya were out here for the whole fuckin’ night!” Osamu complained, “everyone was crazy worried. Oh! Were ya scared out here alone?”
Osamu smirked at him. Atsumu felt uncomfortable. “No, I wasn’t!”
“Ya were! Yer even cryin’!”
“Am not!”
“Hey! There you are!”
In the distance, Kita and Akagi appeared, behind them the other team members. “Come on! We have to get back!”
Before leaving the place Atsumu turned around and took a good look. The doll had vanished and the temple seemed far less menacing than he thought. Things were back to normal. Everything was all right. As if his ordeal had never happened and was all part of his imagination. It was not. It felt too real for that to be imagination. He was out all night? When looking up into the sky it was bright, probably early morning. He grabbed his mobile, it showed that the day was Saturday. The day he woke up inside their gym.
"Move yer ass, Sumu!"
Kita and Akagi as well as the rest of the team waited for them to catch up. Wondering why Atsumu was gone like that and scolding him for it. They were worried about him and looking at their bags underneath their eyes, they must have searched for him for a while now.
Atsumu felt bad for having them worried like that but the feeling of happiness to see everything the way it should be was far greater than anything else.
No one knew of what he went through and no one will ever know. For them, nothing ever happened and there was no reason for the blond to address any of the matter at all so let it be. Everything was how it was supposed to be and nothing else mattered.
He smiled brighter than ever when examining his team being its usual self. And the words rolled off his tongue, far easier than he remembered them to ever be.
“Hey Samu, I'm sorry”
Hinnagami is a yokai possessing inanimate objects like dolls. No one knows for sure where they came from and what caused them to fulfill people's wishes. Yes they do listen to your wish and maybe make them true, but be warned! That might not necessarily be good at all. It seems that they get attracted to negative emotions and selfish desires, but only to ruin the lives of those foolish enough to be that.
Their wishes may have been fulfilled but also their lives had been ruined without any help. Never seek out a Hinnagami only to fulfill any selfish wishes or curses you want to bestow upon another man. Not even accidental wishes shall be spoken out in their presence, as emotions are very dangerous to let yourself be led by them.
There is no guarantee that the Hinnagami will undo a wish that they granted but maybe if the person they connected to leaves those negative emotions behind the Hinnagami might deem them worth of forgiveness and undo their bad wishes.
Never seek out their help!