2

oji

"STOP SMOKING WHEN I'M AROUND, OJI!" You hissed at your uncle, snatching the off-white colored cigarette from his fingers. You smashed it into the ash tray, rubbing it in till the smoke went out. Your Uncle Ukai groaned, laying his head on the counter. "That isn't fair! You walked in just as I lit it up!"

"Yeah, yeah." You walked behind the counter and pulled out one of the drawers, searching for a snack to eat. As much as you loved your Uncle, you hated his drug addiction. It always left an unpleasant scent through out the store. And it didn't help that you lived in the store too, so the smell of cigarettes lurked everywhere.

"I'll stop smoking once you attend school again." He muttered, standing up from his stool. You discreetly rolled your eyes. "Never gonna happen."

"Come on! Yeah, you got bullied in middle school, but high school won't be the same!"

"You don't know that. Just because I'm no longer chubby, doesn't mean they won't find something else to use against me." You sighed, taking out a bag of chips.

He shook your shoulders. "But you were adorable as a chubby little girl!" A few students walked through the glass doors. "Welcome!" Both you and your uncle greeted.

Ukai turned his attention back to you. "You can't help me run the store your whole life. You need to at least graduate high school." He said, stealing a chip from your bag. You groaned. "I don't know. It's already half way through the school year-"

"But you can still gooooooo." He whined, shaking your shoulders again. You smacked his hands off you. "Forget it."

He huffed. "Fine, but only because I need you running the store while I coach the volleyball team." He folded his arms and sat back down on his stool in front of the register. You blew a raspberry with your lips. "...I'll think about attending school again." You whispered.

Ukai turned to you, his face lighting up. "Awesome! You can go to Karasuno, and I can buy you the uniform and books and supplies and-"

"I said I'll think about it, oji. Not that I will." You tossed the empty bag of chips into the nearby trash can. He slumped back into his chair. "At least you'll consider." He smiled to himself before some customers walked up to the register.

You watched him check them out. Sometimes you felt guilty. He only wants the best for you, but elementary and middle school brought back terrible memories. Your mom disappeared, you were bullied because of your weight, and you were constantly falling behind.

You didn't think high school would be any better. You walked behind the curtains that connected the store to your home, and plopped down on the couch.

Maybe I'll go to school.

-', notes ꒱ ↷🖇🥛
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ahhh, we stan Oji Ukai looking after us!