Chapter Text
Iwaizumi Hajime, second year Physiotherapy student, wing spiker in a powerhouse team, loves Adegashi tofu and also impossibly in love with Oikawa Tooru. Yes, he can now admit to himself that he’s in love with his best friend. He has been for the last two years, probably longer.
The initial realization came after that time Oikawa said his thanks to their high school team for the past three years. It hit him then that his feeling for his friend might not be as platonic as he thought it was. They have been friends since they were kids, they started playing volleyball together, stared at the night skies multiple times together, came to the same schools together, they do everything together. Oikawa is in every childhood memory Iwaizumi can remember. He was in every ups and downs in Iwaizumi’s life. He never left even during that time in middle school when Iwaizumi pushed every friends he has away. Nobody stayed, nobody except Oikawa. And he appreciated it so much but he never voiced it out. He tries to show it by being with him no matter what, though. He stayed just like how Oikawa did. So when he cried together with the third years that night, it was more because of the overwhelming feelings that came with the realization than Oikawa’s words.
Despite the realization, he never acted on it. He doesn’t want to lose the friendship, yes. But it was more because he was never sure himself. All his life, he liked girls. That made the initial realization that he liked his best friend, a guy (read: beautiful guy), a huge blow on him. He felt different, good different. It was like something he had always known but never realized until that moment. He felt liberated. It was a good feeling but also too much. So he decided to deal with his realizations one at a time.
For the past two years, that was his reason. When he told Makki about it this time, the man just snorts at him. “You clearly dealt with your sexuality ages ago so I don’t know why you tell me the same reason every time I ask.”
So that’s how Iwaizumi ends up lying awake in his bed at 2AM. Makki, one of the two people he confided that he’s in love with Oikawa, thinks the reason is way past its validity so he should come up with a new reason not to act on his feelings.
“We should focus on school and volleyball first.” Yeah, that’s it.
Coward. His brain supplies.
He agrees.
-
He was woken up by his phone’s non-stop ringing. He knows only one person who has complete disregard of other people’s schedule. He squints at the little sunshine that slipped through his curtain before answering. He didn’t bother to check the caller ID.
“Shittykawa, do you know wha-,“
“Hello?“ a woman’s voice cuts his ongoing rant. He looks at the caller ID this time but it says it’s Oikawa so what’s happening?
“Yes?” he answered.
“I am calling from the Tokyo University hospital. May I confirm if this is Iwaizumi Hajime?”
“ Yeah... I mean, yes, this is Iwaizumi Hajime,” he says, voice shaking from sleep and nervousness.
“Can you come over the hospital now? It’s about your boyfriend,” the female said.
“Boyfriend?” he feels stupid after realizing that he hasn’t answered the question. The only thing he caught was the boyfriend part.
“Yes, Oikawa Tooru. His knee which was injured in the past started to hurt last evening so he came in. We need someone to pick him up.”
He feels the world slowed. The woman on the phone is still talking, but he doesn’t comprehend what she’s saying anymore. He even forgot that she called him Oikawa’s boyfriend. Nothing else matters for now. Tooru is in the hospital because of his knee again. He can feel tears starting to form in his eyes but he holds them in. He needs to be in the hospital as fast as he can. He was rushing to the door when the woman calls his attention again.
“Hello? Iwaizumi-kun? Are you still there?”
“Yes, sorry. I am on my way,” he says in one breath.
“Have you heard what I said?”
“Uhm... no, sorry, I was focused on going there as fast as I could,” he said feeling a slight blush creeping on his cheeks.
“I understand. But as I said, we need you to bring some clothes for Oikawa-kun to change to,” she said.
“Okay, I’ll do that. Thank you,” he said before hanging up.
He took a deep breath. He needs to calm down. She said they need him to pick him up so that means he’s for discharge, it must not be that serious. Shaking his head, he heads to the bathroom to wash his face and change into a more decent set of clothes. He can’t believe he was just about to rush to the hospital in his pajamas. He has it bad.
-
When he approached the nurse station to ask where Oikawa’s room is, he was met with knowing smiles. It’s like they know something Iwaizumi doesn’t. It was getting awkward when one of them hands him a form, she said he needs to fill it out first.
He was focused on writing down Oikawa’s information when one of the women talks.
“So you are the mysterious boyfriend ha,”
“What?” he stopped writing to look at the girl.
“Oikawa-kun is famous in the university and everyone was wondering why he’s not dating despite a number of admirers. I guess we have the answer now,” says the girl. Iwaizumi glances at her name plate. Yui, an intern. That would explain how she knows that Oikawa is famous.
The smile she shows Iwaizumi is starting to irritate him, he knows she’s expecting an answer but what should he say? He forgot about that bit on the phone call earlier and now this intern brought it up again.
“Yeah,” he prays the intern would stop looking at him like he’s some museum art on display. He would be angry at Oikawa for telling them that but he is not even sure if Oikawa said it. Maybe they just assumed that he is a boyfriend because he’s the speed dial in Oikawa’s phone. If that’s the case and he brings it up to Oikawa, things might go out of hand and he might end up spilling his feelings he so dearly kept hidden from him for years.
When he finished the form, he was given a room number. He head there with a purpose. Oikawa’s injured knee sometimes hurt but a little cold compress would usually solve the problem. This is the first time since their third year high school that he went to a hospital for it. How bad was it? Why didn’t he tell him? Did he overwork himself again? College season is near, he must be practicing too hard.
When he reached the said room, he didn’t bother to knock.
Oikawa is in the bed, looking as ethereal as ever. Iwaizumi felt his heart beat faster at the sight. Tooru is always beautiful, it’s almost ridiculous. A nurse is talking to him, he assumes she’s also the one who called him earlier.
“Hi,” he said tentatively.
“You must be the boyfriend!” the nurse said brightly.
Iwaizumi went red, if that is possible. He stole a glance at Oikawa which is the wrong decision because he’s smiling, an amused one. Why would he be happy when someone clearly mistook him, his bestfriend, as his boyfriend? How dare him find this funny? Is it so funny to see him as a boyfriend?
Iwaizumi knows he’s being unreasonable but seeing Oikawa possibly finding this misunderstanding funny hurts him. Before he can say a word though, Oikawa answered for him.
“Nurse Mei, this is Iwa-chan,”
“Nice to meet you, Iwaizumi-kun. I was the one who called earlier,” she said offering her hand for a handshake. Iwaizumi took it and nod.
“I will leave you both for a while. I should inform the doctor that you’re here so he can discuss some things about his knee,”
Iwaizumi lost his ability to speak, afraid that his voice will betray the poker face he’s currently making, so he just nods.
The moment she closed the door, he looked at Oikawa, unable to control the anger showing in his face anymore. Are his feelings really that funny for him? Oikawa doesn’t know, yes, but he still can’t keep his anger anymore.
“What was that?” he said, trying not to shout.
“Ah, they need to talk to us about my knee. They needed a family member but I don’t want my mom or dad or my sister to come running here so..”
“So you just thought ‘Oh my bestfriend is going to be fine pretending to be my boyfriend. Let’s tell everyone he is without actually telling him beforehand!” Iwaizumi said, voice getting louder by each word.
“Iwa-chan that’s..”
“If you’re not in a hospital bed right now, I would punch you in the face,” Iwaizumi said in a flat tone. He’s already tired considering he just woke up an hour ago.
“Mean. That’s not something you should say to an injured boyfriend,” Oikawa said while sporting a very convincing sad face.
“Good thing you’re not my boyfriend then,” Iwaizumi snapped.
A brief silence followed his statement. Oikawa opened his mouth like he has something to say but thought better of it and closed it.
Iwaizumi was about to apologize when Oikawa said in a hushed voice, “I want to be out of here. If I call anyone back home, it would take another half day. Please, Iwa-chan.”
Iwaizumi saw the worry in his eyes. He knows Oikawa hates hospitals, the fear it gives him, the possibility that he has to give up something he love so much. Iwaizumi hates seeing Oikawa scared.
“Okay,” he agreed against his better judgement.
He knows pretending to be Oikawa’s boyfriend would mean more trouble than he can handle. It will surely spread like wildfire at school but right now, the only thing he wants is to get rid of that scared look at Oikawa’s face. He would do anything, he would live in a false reality for a moment, he would let himself hope then get hurt. He would do anything for Oikawa.
He really has it bad.