a/n: yes, this chapter does include a good amount of japanese. but i found this topic kinda fun, and i wanted to try it out. i tried to make it as understandable as possible for non-japanese speakers... you should get everything in here if you watch sub haikyuu or sub anime in general. okay, that's it! have fun reading :D

PLEASE OMG THIS BOY.

much like the other boys on the team, tobio usually spoke in slang. even to teachers, he would say 'osu' instead of 'hai', or 'mn', or he would say 'doumo' rather than the usual 'arigato'.

okay, he was better than the other volleyball guys, who would say 'osu' very forcefully, and 'azasu!' rather than 'doumo'. plus, tobio knew basic japanese manners, and would bow and was respectful to his senpais and sensei's.

but when we first started dating, he didn't look at me as a sensei or adult (obviously), so would let his slang out.

and me, being a classical pianist who barely interacted with kids my age and was constantly around very formal adults, had no idea what 'azasu' and 'osu' meant.

i learned what 'doumo' was in my last year of junior high. please. i was so sheltered.

i'd heard the volleyball team yell OSU!! all the time after sawamura-kun or ukai-kun said something, and realized it was basically 'hai' but more informal. and you could yell it easier.

but 'azasu'? i had no clue. it sounded sharp and loud, and kind of overwhelming. shoyo said it to me once when i lent him money to buy a popsicle, but i just thought it was a cool exclamation. like wow! i get a popsicle!

i don't know.

so when tobio said it to me when i handed him his gym bag, i stared at him. there was no way he'd say 'wow' for me handing him a gym bag.

"azasu? nani?" i said, picking up my own bag to go. tobio stared at me blankly, adjusting the strap on his shoulder.

"what do you mean, nani?" he questioned, walking out the gym door and pulling on his outside sneakers. "what's azasu?" i asked, following him. he looked back at me, his eyes wide. "you don't know what that means? how?" i shrugged.

"i'm not too caught up with the slang lately. does it mean like 'sugei!' or something?" i said, making my expression big when i said the exclamation. tobio smiled a little at my animated movements and shook his head. "no. not even close. it means 'doumo' but even more informal."

i frowned. "doumo is already pretty informal though. it can get even more than that?" i sighed and tossed my hair to swing down my back. "kids these days."

tobio reached over and hit my head a little. "what do you mean 'kids these days'? you're a kid. you've never said 'doumo' in your life, have you?" i rolled my eyes and looked over at him. "so what if i haven't? i've never had the chance to." i looked at my feet and kicked a rock in the way. "i've always been around formal adults. i think saying 'arigato' instead of 'arigato gozaimasu' is pretty big for me already."

tobio made a 'hmm' sound and said, "well. sorry if saying azasu is too informal then. i'll keep that for the team." i smiled and looked at him. "that would make me feel a bit better. but i'd like to try to say azasu sometime." i looked at the setting sun, streaking the sky beautiful colors.

taking his hand, i looked at him, his short dark hair blowing in the slight wind. i cleared my throat and said in a weirdly deep voice. "for being my boyfriend, azasu!"

we stopped walking and stared at each other. then both started laughing. i laughed really hard, while tobio chuckled. but still he laughed, and i felt the achievement swell in my heart.

"okay, okay." i held my other hand in the air, closing my eyes to say, "i shall stick to 'arigato'. occasionally 'doumo'. i am not enough of a jock to say 'azasu'."

tobio nodded, agreeing with me and pulling me down the street.

"chotto. tobio-chan?"

"hm?"

i stopped again and looked at him with a genuine smile on my face.

"for being my boyfriend, arigato."