Disclaimer: Don't own, don't sue. © Furudate Haruichi & Shueisha Publishing Co., Ltd.

Chapter Twelve: What's in a Name

"You're like the sweetest, softest autumn I've ever seen

I'm all nostalgic and genuinely weak in the knees"

He stood next to one of the pillars in the busy Shinjuku Station. Like every morning, it was packed with people hurrying to get to their destinations. Akaashi sighed and lifted his arm. He pushed back his sleeve to check his watch.

'Late as always,' he told himself.

He dropped his arm to his side and continued to wait by the pillar. His eyes roamed the station for a bit while his mind drifted somewhere else.

March came earlier than he expected. It was the last month of him being a first year student in Fukurodani Academy. Whenever Akaashi thought back to everything that transpired throughout the entire year, he still cannot believe how fortunate he was.

Getting into Fukurodani Academy was one thing but becoming a regular on his first year was another. As a top contender in Tokyo, vouching for a position in the volleyball team was not easy. Not to mention the amount of students who tried out but, miraculously, Akaashi was able to secure a spot.

Playing volleyball was not his first choice in terms of extracurricular activity but it was something he took up because none of his siblings dared pursue it. His decision ended up disappointing his doting aunt but, to reassure her, he promised that from time to time he will recall everything she had taught him over the years.

Akaashi subconsciously started fiddling with his fingers. If it wasn't for his aunt, he would never have met her. It was because of her that he, for the first time, saw how such a graceful form was capable of producing something so powerful and captivating. If he closed his eyes now, he could picture everything as vividly as if it just happened yesterday. He was still waiting so sparing a few minutes to walk down memory lane sounded like a great idea.

"Akaashi!" boomed Bokuto's voice, putting a complete halt on what he was about to do.

He looked up and saw his senpai running towards him, a grin stretched across his face.

"Good morning, Bokuto-san," he greeted with a slight bow. "You're late."

"I know! I know!" he answered, shoving his hands in his pockets. "I was so excited last night that I forgot to set my alarm."

Akaashi sighed. "We should get going."

"Aren't you excited?" Bokuto asked as they headed for their train.

"Not really," he said with a slight shake of his head.

"Don't be like that," his senpai added. "You should be since everyone in the team thought you were perfect for the position."

They went through the turnstiles and waited for the train to arrive. As they stood in line, Akaashi mentally prepared himself for what he was about to formally accept once they arrived in school.

Today, the third years were officially retiring from the volleyball team. Bokuto and Akaashi were agreed upon to take on the positions of captain and vice-captain respectively. Another thing he knew he had to be thankful for but something told him it was not going to be easy holding the position down.

He was staring blankly ahead and agreeing noncommittally to whatever Bokuto was saying when the train slowed down and stopped. They got on and planted themselves away from the doors. Gripping the safety handles, the warning buzz went off and they were on their way.

"Have you downloaded that application I told you about?" Bokuto began, pulling out his phone.

"Not yet," Akaashi replied.

"Everyone in the team is using it," he said, his thumb already scrolling through at what Akaashi assumed was the team's conversation.

"Perhaps I'll—"

The rest of his sentence was drowned by Bokuto's laughter. Those closest to them were quick to shush him from his outburst. Trying his hardest to suppress his mirth, he shoved his phone against Akaashi's face.

Akaashi eyed the conversation without any reaction. Sharing something that someone found funny from the internet was one of the team's favourite conversation topics. He blinked one last time at the screen before shifting his gaze at Bokuto.

"Didn't you find that funny?" Bokuto asked with a grin.

"Not really," he said, shrugging.

"Live a little, Akaashi," his senpai stated, returning his attention towards his phone.

But how can he? There was a lot to be done once he took his new position besides being the official setter for the team. With the departure of the third years, their regular members were reduced to a few until next month when the new school year began. Not only that, but being in the team for a whole year taught him what kind of people he was going to help handle.

Akaashi looked at his carefree senpai who was now busy chatting away in his phone. He felt a sigh left him as he thought of how he had to adapt to the complexities of their captain to be. All those were made possible thanks to their manager and the rest of the team.

The train got less crowded when they stopped at Shimokitazawa Station. The last to get on board was an elderly woman accompanied by a female student. She led the old woman to a seat then stood in front of her. Akaashi assumed she was her granddaughter from how they seemed to converse happily. He smiled at the scene until his eyes landed on the girl's profile. There was something familiar about her face.

Was it the combination of his musings and worries that triggered something inside of him to be seeing things? There was absolutely no way she was in Tokyo. From what he last heard of her from his aunt, she was attending a top school in her hometown to make the best of her abilities.

His eyes didn't leave her face as she took a moment to look at the front of the train to where they were standing. Akaashi's eyes widened and all thoughts about his new position dissolved in an instant.

"It can't be," he whispered to himself.

He then narrowed his eyes, scrutinising every inch of her face. Every part was as he remembered except for her eyes and hair. Those threw him off forcing him to think twice before having any urge of getting closer to her inside the moving train.

Steering his thoughts to something more logical, he recalled an article he once read. According to it, an individual can have at least up to seven look-alikes in the whole world. That must be the only reason why he was looking at the female student with deep interest.

Akaashi heard the intercom telling the passengers they were arriving on the next station but, for some reason, it did not register in his mind. He looked on as the female student kneeled down in front of the old lady. She held her hands as she talked to her, her eyes clearly holding the gaze they shared. And then it happened.

The girl stood slowly from her position and made her way for the exit. As she waited for the train's complete stop, she must have felt his eyes on her which led her to look his way. The moment their eyes connected, Akaashi thought time stopped.

On those fleeting seconds he kept his eyes on her, he hoped even in its smallest measurement that she would recognize him. But she only stared back at him and timidly smiled in return. And when the train finally stopped, she bashfully lowered her eyes and brought her left hand to tuck a few stray strands behind her ear.

An involuntary gasp left him at the sight of the small, white earring dangling from her exposed earlobe. He became rooted to the spot as he was reminded of the first time he ever saw her.

How long has it been since he last laid eyes on her? Was it two or three years from what he could remember but he never expected the change it made on her.

Initially, Akaashi found her appealing to look at but with the tweak she made with her hair and eyes, he couldn't help and admire her more. There was still a sense of innocence from her smile but he noted that there was some kind of solemnity within her gaze.

He knew there was only one way to confirm that it was really her but he suddenly felt his heart drop a little at the thought. How can he forget the most crucial part? How was he able to approach her if he can't even remember her name?

Akaashi looked down at his shoes and closed his eyes as he searched his memories for her name. Desperately, he allowed his mind to travel back to the day his aunt first uttered her name to him. And, as if on cue, the warning buzz came on and he was finally able to recall.

When his eyes returned ahead she was no longer there. He quickly turned his attention on the door and saw her getting off the train. His feet were already moving before he could stop himself.

"Excuse me," Akaashi said, squeezing through between two men in suits.

"Are you getting off?" one asked him, irritated by his pursuit.

"Uh, no," he started, trying to sound apologetic but his eyes were on the slowly closing doors. "But I have to—sorry."

When he got to the door, there were only a few centimetres to spare. Her name was practically trying to escape from his mouth at that point. He took a deep breath and called after her through the gap.

"Ishigami," he said. But he then realised that her last name was a pretty common one. There might be a few people on board sharing her last name so he tried again and added something else. "Ishigami Kanon!"

His hand landed on the door as it closed. He waited with bated breath at her response. Thankfully, she heard him. He watched as she stopped on her tracks and slowly turned around to look at the source of her name.

When she saw that it was him, she blinked in confusion. Then a furrow came to her eyebrows. She was evidently trying to figure out who he was. She parted her lips to say something. Even if Akaashi was not able to hear her he clearly read her lips:

'Who are you?'

The train pulled away from the station but she remained standing there. Akaashi looked back at her until she was too far away for him to see. He was about to sigh the breath he held on to when a hand came to rest on his shoulder.

"What was that about, Akaashi?" Bokuto asked.

A gentle tug on his sleeve kept him from answering his senpai. The old woman whom the student assisted earlier was looking up at him expectantly.

"Yes?" he said politely.

"Do you know her?" she asked, beaming at him.

"Uhm, kind of," he answered.

"That's good to know," the old woman said, relieved. "I forgot to ask for her name."

"I thought you knew her?" Akaashi asked.

"No," the old woman shook her head. "She just came to my aid when she saw me struggling with the stairs on my way to the station."

At the length of her sentence, Akaashi only realised that she said it with a northern accent. "Are you not from here?"

"My accent gave me away, didn't it?" the old woman said, smiling. "When I spoke to her, she immediately asked me if I was from Tohoku. When I told her I was from Iwate she smiled and said that her grandparents are from there, too. And then she told me that she moved here from the neighbouring prefecture."

"Miyagi," Akaashi added but his mind was already processing the information.

The old woman nodded at his response and pulled out something from her bag. A hairclip lay on her palm which she offered to Akaashi. "I may have bought too many for my grandchildren so, if it's not too much trouble, will you give this to her as a thank you?"

He hesitated. "I'm not sure I could . . ."

"But you know her, right?" she said, looking up at him hopefully.

"I think so . . ."

"Then you'll be able to see her again?"

"He will," Bokuto suddenly said.

"What are you talking about, Bokuto-san?" how can his senpai be so confident about his short statement?

"You're forgetting something very important, Akaashi," he said proudly. "She was wearing a sailor type uniform and got off at that station."

Akaashi followed to where Bokuto was pointing: it was the overhead map inside the train. His eyes quickly shifted to the current station the train just stopped for then back at the map.

"The last station was Izumi-Tamagawa Station," Akaashi noted.

"Yup," Bokuto confirmed, crossing his arms and nodding back at him. "And there's only one school I can think of that's five minutes away from that station."

It finally clicked. Her unprecedented appearance was strong enough to distract him from gathering essential information about her. "Nekoma."

"That's right," Bokuto added. "I could ask Kuroo for help."

With his senpai's words, Akaashi picked up the hairclip. "I'll gladly give this to her for you, ma'am."

"Thank you," she said. "What was her name, again? I didn't catch it when you called after her."

"Ishigami Kanon."

She repeated the name and smiled. "I hope I get to meet her, again."

Akaashi stared at the hairclip before slipping it inside his school bag. He quietly hoped that he, too, will see her, again.

Note: I am SO SORRY for the major delay. My already hectic life has been infiltrated by Saturday language classes. I'm taking a break from it for a month and a half so I'm hoping I get a lot done by then.

This chapter is dedicated to Dreams of the Forgotten, Bluemoonyue, 4R1B4B4, twgreentea, toffeemilk, readingnotsleeping, Loving-you-is-a-crime, Nomchi, KirikaAndo, syzygy zacker, Estriella, wiznoy, mikansakura37, Jesmel, CasualLadyGamer, Icy Cream, nueiii, happysleepdays, PortgasDTatze, Gillian Tng, Aoi Kurashiki, 1, Erina-san, midnightshadow49, SweetAssassin, Kaiko Pyon, tigerlilyroars1, KaliRenee, SherlenaFrost, JokersBatman, NekoM0on, Yukichi730, and Lady Syndra.

What's in a Name by Late Night Alumni

Thank you so much for reading!