บท 2: Chapter 2: The First Crow

(TW: Mentions of implied pedophilia and abuse/torture, as well as shock therapy)

ARRIVING IN NARITA AIRPORT WAS A DREAM COME TRUE- especially with how anxious Li Wei had been. When he found his luggage within the luggage retrieval area, all 4 plain suitcases, he sauntered towards the exit. One of the things Li Wei had done for his plan was to have transportation ready to arrive at his new home and god, that word home hit Li Wei in a way he'd never known before.

Suddenly overcome with emotion, a few tears escaped his jewel-like eyes, leaving him to take off his glasses to wipe the tears away. His eyes alone demanded attention be brought to it and before he knew it, people were staring at him. Uncomfortable, Li Wei swiftly left the area and stalked towards the cab that was waiting for him as he waved towards the driver. It didn't take long after that for him to find himself within the car and on his way towards the Miyagi prefecture, a thought that brought glee to his eyes.

Li Wei was far more relaxed than he'd been in a while, but the creeping of a breakdown was on the horizon. It was truly unavoidable. Taking off his 'disguise' was nice as he felt more free. There was no real worry about someone recognizing him as despite figure skating being a fairly popular sport, he was going to find himself in a volleyball domain. If someone were to truly recognize him, he'd...probably have no choice but to go further with disguises by changing his hair color, eye color, and using makeup in a way that would mask who he is.

Only an hour had passed before the car drove up onto the driver of his new beautiful home. It was an ordinary two story home with 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, and a large enough backyard for him to maybe build a wall to bounce a volleyball off of. Stepping out the car, Li Wei attempted to tip the driver who helped him bring his bags inside, but suddenly remembered that it could actually be seen as rude.

A bit flustered, Li Wei bowed and said thank you, before quickly entering his home and sliding down the door. He was embarrassed and found himself unable to put on a facade any longer. When he was surrounded by his 'friends', Li Wei acted fairly cold and untouchable because it was necessary to present himself in a way that showed no weakness, but his actual personality was more on the shy side. He could easily be intimidating and did have quite the temper when angry, but his lack of having real friends and parents who gave him more than just a beating left him shy and touch starved. Those were traits that had needed to be buried beforehand, but now that he was free, he could truly be himself.

Li Wei finally felt himself crack after years of living in a cold stone cage, though he still had chains wrapped around him. Sobbing, he cried for the life he never had, the love his parents never showed him, and the need to constantly hide who he was. Crying had been such a sign of weakness that Li Wei learned how to do it perfectly silently as being caught would end in a whipping. Sadly, it took years to master and the scars littering his back told that fairly well.

It took nearly an hour for Li Wei to come back to his senses as he wiped away the tears and snot that covered his face. He truly just wanted to sleep the rest of the day away, feeling exhaustion hook onto him, but found himself in a dilemma.

The movers would not arrive until tomorrow, leaving Li Wei in a furniture-less house...which meant no bed nor no pillows or blanket. There was nothing he could truly do about it, unless he left his home and bought a few things, such as a futon. When Li Wei created his plan, he transferred whatever money he made into a private bank account so that neither of his parents could track his transactions. He knew they often monitored what he bought as Li Wei was not allowed to indulge himself in certain luxuries, such as eating the food he liked. Being a world-class figure skater meant he often had to stick to a specific diet and his parents took that to the extreme. He couldn't remember the last time he ate something that was classified as 'junk food'.

He sighed, staring listlessly at the wall across from him as he tried to figure out his next few steps. Karasuno High did not start until next week, so he had time in that regard, however he really did need some furniture and food in his household. The real issue was that Li Wei felt his depression rear its ugly head in his direction and found that he had no motivation to do anything. Instead, he wanted to wallow in his fears of his parents somehow finding him and dragging him back home. He suffered from a full body shudder at the thought, knowing he'd honestly be screwed if he were found.

With a long groan, Li Wei slowly stood up, using the door as support. He decided that it would be best to go shopping earlier than later, to avoid both missing meals and having to scour his new town at night, both of which were not viable options. Li Wei, before leaving his new home, searched for the bathroom on the first floor so he could clean his face with water as he did not appreciate dry snot being anywhere on his person. It didn't take very long to find and Li Wei found himself standing in a very lime green bathroom, something he could not recall when looking through the pictures of the house. A bit put off by the color, he promised himself he would change it into something more fitting as he did not want to live in a house where the colors were simply everywhere. He was also fairly peeved at the agency that promoted this household as they clearly did not update the images.

When Li Wei finished washing his face, he felt like an idiot for forgetting that he had no towels, so there he was with water dripping down his face. The only thing he could do is grab one of his other sweaters and use that as a replacement for a towel, as his current sweater was dirty from earlier. With that said, Li Wei was en route to his largest burgundy suitcase that had a volleyball print all over it. The suitcase was one of the few volleyball memorabilia of sorts that his parents allowed him to keep.

The contents of said suitcase was filled to the brim with clothing set for comfort, something he often found himself wearing on days where his mind was trapped in a sea of self-loathing. He grabbed a sweater with a cat-paw print that said "Meow" in large white katakana lettering, fitting perfectly amongst the black coloring. Li Wei always had a soft spot for cats and knew a school in Tokyo had cats for a mascot, however he was more likely to be recognized in Tokyo and simply could not risk it.

Yes, if he were anywhere but the Miyagi prefecture, he may be even less noticeable but he remembered watching an online match of Karasuno's and falling in love with the atmosphere the team possessed. The idea of being part of a 'family' of sorts brought a flutter to Li Wei's stomach and he simply could not resist it.

Once his new sweater was one, he quickly dried his face and left the house, using his keys to lock the door. Taking out his phone, Li Wei searched for a store that sold futons first, wanting to get the heavier purchases out of the way first. Luckily, there was a store 15 minutes away from where he lived on foot, which he was thankful for.

His walk to the store was peaceful and quiet, something that truly helped his mind stabilize in a sense. Instead of blaring lights, busy nights, and loud noises, his new surroundings were worlds away from his life in Beijing. The difference was truly astonishing but so welcoming for someone who acted outwardly as an extrovert but was actually an introvert.

Arriving at the store, Li Wei searched for a comfy futon that wasn't too expensive, along with some blankets and pillows which were also in the bedroom section. He was worried he'd go back home with just the futon, but no warm blankets or pillows. Luckily, he found exactly what he wanted for a reasonable price and walked over to the check-out section intent on purchasing what he found.

The lady at the counter kindly let him know that his purchases would be delivered later that night, closer to 9pm. All of his items would be placed into a single large box and left out on his porch. Li Wei would make sure to be home then because he wasn't sure if anyone would steal his items but, those kinds of people existed everywhere so it'd be safer if he were there. Graciously thanking the kind lady, Li Wei paid with his card and left the store, aiming to find a convenience store for a quick meal for dinner. It was currently 5pm, so he was sure somewhere would be open.

Li Wei was using his phone at the moment, sneakily checking up on what his 'friends' were doing now that he was gone. He wasn't surprised to see them talk about how much they missed him, before talking poorly about him on their private accounts. They'd all seemingly forgotten he followed both of their accounts on his own private account as he rarely used it. Just another reason as to why he was glad he was gone.

Li Wei had not been paying attention to his surroundings and honestly, he should have. Maybe he would have avoided getting crashed into, but alas, this was a consequence of his own actions.

Li wei hadn't heard the shouts to move out of the way and before he knew it, he was down on the ground and groaning. His eyes were blurry and all he could see was a bright orange light on top of him. It took him a second to adjust to his surroundings, his ears still ringing a bit.

"- you ok." Li Wei managed to catch the last bit of whatever the person in front of him was saying, before finally getting a good look at them. The first thing he noticed was the clear worry and panic stricken on the maybe kid's face, then he saw where the orange came from. His hair looked exceedingly fluffy and Li Wei had half a mind to touch it but quickly refrained, as that would simply be weird.

Hinata Shouyou was freaking out! He'd accidentally hit someone on his bike and the beautiful person wasn't responding. He tried waving his hand in front of his eyes for any form of recognition but nothing, so instead he decided to shake the guy. This wasn't supposed to happen! He kept speaking to the guy, hoping he'd eventually respond.

"HELLO? ARE YOU IN THERE?!? I'M SO SO SORRY FOR HITTING YOU WITH MY BIKE. I P-PROMISE IT WAS AN ACCIDENT.." The kid in front of him trailed off before rapidly bowing multiple times in order to show just how sorry he was. Li Wei, despite the bit of pain shooting through his left leg, let out a soft laugh which caught the kid off guard. The kid was so cute-no, no he was just average. He quickly shook those thoughts off as a subtle twitch occurred in his fingers.

It took Li Wei a second to calm himself down as he was almost assaulted with memories of that place. He'd never forget the doctor who made him touch to convert him. With a shake of his head, Li Wei quickly plastered on an emotionless look, as though the small laugh he made never happened.

"My name is Li Wei. Thank you for apologizing but I have somewhere to be." He stated, attempting to shake off the tangerine. He didn't want to be near someone who made him have abnormal thoughts. Unfortunately, the kid didn't seem to get the message whatsoever and instead introduced himself, but also somewhat clung to Li Wei.

"Oh oh! Hi! My name is Hinata Shouyou, future 1st year at Karasuno and ace of the volleyball club. Let's be friends!!" Hinata yelled out energetically, practically jumping at the idea of making a new friend. Unknowingly, he'd been hanging onto Li Wei's sweater, not noticing the way his hands shook and twitched.

In that moment, Li Wei truly wanted to run away but he was also trying to start an entirely new life so he let the emotionless mask fall before gently smiling at Hinata. "Well alright. I will also be attending Karasuno and aiming for the volleyball team," Li Wei stated gently, subtly removing Hinata from his sweater without bringing much notice to it. He noticed the exact moment Hinata lit up and jumped for joy, before he began shooting a million questions at him.

"How tall are you? What's your favorite color? What position do you play? Why are you so pretty? Where do you live? Where did you go to middle school? Do you like the Little Giant?" Hinata rambled on and on, before Li Wei gently placed his hand over Hinata's mouth. Li Wei had gotten up when Hinata first began bowing, ignoring the pain in his left leg.

"Calm down there Hinata-san, give me a second to process those questions." He stated, wondering what exactly he was getting himself into. It was also surprisingly refreshing, as Hinata did not know who he used to be so there was no fakeness, which brought a small smile to his lips. Thinking back on all the questions, Li Wei slowly answered them as he simply could not speak as rapidly as Hinata could.

"I am 5'7" and my favorite color is emerald green. I trained myself for all positions as I wasn't necessarily on a team so I am unsure of what I am truly best at." Li Wei states, choosing to ignore one specific question before continuing on. "I live 10 minutes from here, closer to the mountains but still close enough that everything is in a somewhat reasonable distance. I went to middle school in China, my homeland, before deciding to..move here. I do find the Little Giant likable, but that is not my reason for attending Karasuno." After answering all of Hinata's questions, he noticed how awed he was, unsure of what prompted that reaction.

"Woah! You're a foreigner?!?! Why'd you move here?" Hinata asks, tilting his head to the side. Li Wei takes a second to think of a reasonable answer before replying. "Compared to where I lived, this area is far quieter and when looking at schools in the area, I was captured by Karasuno's essence per say. The volleyball team seemed like a family, something I always wanted.." Li Wei says the last part softly enough that Hinata does not catch it.

The two continued to chat, with Hinata following Li Wei all the way to the convenience store. When he asked why he would follow him, Hinata said that he wanted to hang out with his new friend as much as possible, causing Li Wei to feel flustered by that statement. Li Wei was admittedly touch-starved of affection and positive reinforcement. His 'friends' would sometimes hang onto him, but there was no affection behind it.

When they arrived at the store, Li Wei found himself somewhat giddy at the notion that he'd finally be able to purchase whatever he wanted and before he knew it, he quickly went in. Hinata followed right behind him, a bit surprised by the sudden rapidness of Li Wei's walking but he takes it all in stride. Having a new friend who is also going to the same school makes Hinata feel a lot less nervous, especially as they're both joining the volleyball team.

While Li Wei looks around the store, a childish look is visible on his face as the excitement from being able to choose what he wants is overwhelming and new. Cup noodles are a delicacy that was banned from his household because of the salt contents..so Li Wei buys 7 individual cup noodles as no one rules him now. He also grabs different snacks and candies as he'd rarely been allowed those either. The only time he was able to indulge in such luxuries is during galas thrown by his parent's friends.

Hinata finds that he enjoys the excitement on Li Wei's beautiful- he means nice face. He continues to stare at him and laughs at the way Li Wei becomes increasingly flustered once he notices. "AH YOUR FACE IS SUPER RED," Hinata exclaims, almost falling down while laughing. Li Wei attempts to cover his face but is unsuccessful as his neck is also red.

Li Wei scurries over to the cash register, noticing the man who seems bored out of his mind behind the counter. He has blonde spiky hair and sharp brown eyes, but the most noticeable feature is the clear crankiness pleasant on his face. Before he realizes, his emotionless mask is up again as he stares the clerk down.

Keishin Ukai stares straight back at the kid with long black hair and wonders what the hell he's on. One second, he acts like a flustered schoolgirl and the next, he acts as if he'll murder your dog for speaking out of turn. It's so fascinating and if he were more awake at the moment, maybe he'd attempt to strike up some form of conversation, but his crankiness says otherwise. "Oi, kid, you gonna let me ring ya up or not?" He asks, noticing how the kid still hasn't really put the items on the counter.

Li Wei feels like an idiot for just standing there and quickly places his food on the counter, pretending as if the last few minutes were nothing but a memory. Luckily for him, the clerk doesn't dwell on it and instead focuses on ringing up his items, before putting the tray out so that Li Wei can pay.

While waiting, Hinata comes up and hugs him from behind, causing Li Wei to flinch subtly. After constantly being scared into submission by his parents, Li Wei learned to control his flinches so no questions would ever be asked. He's confused as to why Hinata is already so touchy-feely after 1 day and though he doesn't hate it, he struggles to understand it. Hinata, oblivious to Li Wei's inner struggles, talks about whatever comes to mind as Li Wei takes back his card and groceries from the clerk.

Fleeing the store, Li Wei allows Hinata to hang onto his wrist because he doesn't quite know how to say no without coming off as rude. He's exhausted from both his day and by Hinata, no matter how much he enjoys his company, therefore Li Wei is glad when Hinata says he has to go home. Apparently, he was supposed to be doing errands of his own and was meant to arrive home an hour earlier, causing his mother and younger sister worry. "Well, maybe we can meet up sometime this week before school starts, if you'd like..?" Li Wei trails off uncertainty, still feeling new to the whole friend concept. On the bright side, Hinata is ecstatic by his suggestion, "YA! We can practice volleyball and and get better together and walk to school together-" About to go off on another tangent, Li Wei gently shushes Hinata before taking his phone out of his hands. Li Wei adds his own number, with a promise to contact Hinata before classes begin.

The two say their goodbyes, leaving Li Wei to walk home alone. The time's now 7pm and Li Wei is surprised by how fast time has flown by, having believed it would've been only 6:30pm at most. It's fairly dark out already, yet he feels nothing but peace and safety, a luxury when he lived in Beijing. Often enough, being home around this time would result in some form of pain for not being home on time. It didn't matter what his reasons were as his parent's words were law.

With a shiver, Li Wei once again locks those memories away, to be dealt with when he feels he is ready..which could honestly never be. He's currently 14 and yet, he feels as though he is over 20 years old from having to mature rapidly. The concept of coddling was foreign to him as his parent's, who he often felt should maybe have aborted him, act as though he needs to be an adult. A sigh passes his lips as he slowly comes up to his house and opens the door with his keys, glad to finally be in his new safe space.

He places the groceries on the kitchen counter and begins unpacking what he can, placing most items in the pantry. The only non-pantry items are the milk, butter, and cheeses he purchased just in case. He also has a few bottles of water he bought because he currently has no other drinks, aside from water from the fridge itself. A sudden realization hits Li Wei, he has no cups, nor no plates. He feels like a fool for not thinking that far ahead, realizing the rest of the week will be extremely busy. He may only be able to hang out with Hinata if he comes over and helps him unpack everything.

With everything put away, Li Wei finds himself really exploring the house as he searches for what is to be his room. The master bedroom is fairly large and has a lovely walk-in closet and shower, which is great for him. He couldn't deny the fact that he owns plenty of clothing that is expensive due to needing to keep up appearances and having that large closet space is very helpful. He then finds himself exploring the backyard and planning out how to create a nice enough wall to practice volleyball as he feels he'll need far more practice than his future teammates. There's an extremely low chance of him being able to join the starting lineup in the beginning, but he refuses to fall behind.

Li Wei turns his phone back on, noticing how another 2 hours have passed and runs towards the front door, hoping the futon has arrived. He wanted to sleep but he knew sleeping on a cold hard floor would only result in sickness. Luckily for him, the package has arrived and sits innocently on his front porch, which he then drags inside. Caring less about the preservation of the box, he rips open the package and drags the futon out towards the living room, feeling far too dead on his feet to drag it up the stairs towards the master bedroom.

He then goes straight back for the pillows and blanket, before setting it up in a way that brings comfort to him. The fluffy purple blanket, one of the few colors he was banned from owning in any form as it was too girly, fits perfectly on the futon and is paired with a white pillow. He quickly sets his alarm for 10am, an hour before the movers are meant to arrive and charges his phone. It'd be annoying if it were to die throughout the night

Slowly getting himself into bed, not really caring to get himself in pajamas, Li Wei finds himself falling off into a fitful sleep full of dreams of what ifs.