Hinata gives Kageyama photo of them before he leaves to Brazil. Kageyama sets that photo on his nightstand—it's the only one he keeps aside from the family photo of his grandpa and sister he's had since he was five.

Kageyama looks at this photo every day.

It's both a blessing and a curse, he thinks.

On bad days Kageyama sets the photo face down, not wanting to be reminded of the bright smile that he can't look at anymore—the hands that he can't toss to anymore. It's easier to just look straight ahead and never look back.

On good days Kageyama spends a minute of his day looking at the picture before he falls asleep, heart racing in his chest as he counts the days down till they'll be able to play with each other again.

He texts Hinata sometimes. Only very briefly, but it's enough.

There's also the normal days—the days in between. On these days the picture acts as somewhat a constant in his life—a reminder for him to never slack off, to keep pushing forward, because there's someone he's supposed to meet at the top.

Kageyama doesn't usually bring very much with him when he travels for international games. During this time, the photo remains on his nightstand, collecting dust over the days only for it to be wiped clean gently upon Kageyama's return.

Natsu is over at his house one day when she picks the photo up from his nightstand, examining it closely.

"Nii-chan should really stop writing on pictures with sharpies. I always tell him not to, but he forgets every single time."

Kageyama turns to her in confusion.

"Writing?"

"Yeah, the writing on the back," Natsu says easily, as if it's the most obvious thing in the world.

Kageyama takes the picture from her, looking at it closely. "I don't see...."

"It's on the back. You can faintly see it through the-"

Kageyama isn't listening once he pops the frame apart, turning the photo around, and yeah...there's definitely writing there.

"You mean you didn't know?" Natsu asks astoundedly.

"N-No?"

"You both really are dumb," She laughs, standing up to leave. "I'll let you read it then."

Kageyama waits for his front door to click shut before he can bring himself to read the writing. It's short, barely a sentence, but his heart is ringing in his ears.

"I love you, wait for me."

Kageyama's breath halts, and he reads the sentence over and over again in his head.

Hinata Shouyou gave him a photo before he left. It was both a blessing and a curse.

But now, on the bad days, Kageyama just flips the photo around and reads that note to himself, willing his heart to calm, to rest, because Hinata will be there eventually.

He just needs to wait.