It's a cold winter day when the doorbell rings. The sun is of the watery kind, painting the sky in blurry greys, blues and whites, like it was about to snow. The trees outside are bare, but there are still a few birds sitting on their wispy branches, huddled together like a couple at a bus stop.

There are a few people out. He suspects that there will be, it's still too early in the evening for people to be heading home, and even though it's winter, the sun hasn't gone down into the horizon yet.

He shuffles out of his many rooms in his house, wrapping his arms around his body as he breathes steadily, trying his best to regulate his temperature.

His cat sitting on the windowsill meows in greeting when Kenma passes by him, patting his head as he does so. There's a satisfied purr in response, and Kenma smiles to himself.

Despite his fame and money, it's the small things in life that brings Kenma happiness, like completing an assignment a day before it's due or petting his cat. Simple things that helped Kenma remain humble and not get too hot-headed.

Not like he had ever been the hot-headed type in the first place. Throughout high school he kept to himself, only expressing himself to a select few people in his class and the volleyball team. After graduating, he took extra effort to make sure he would stay in contact with his friends, like Hinata and Inuoka, to name a few. Kuroo still popped by whenever he could, claiming he needed to make sure Kenma hadn't turned into a hermit crab yet.

Kenma muses that it's probably Kuroo at the door, with Yaku by his side like the last time he had gotten a visit. Yaku, or some person Kuroo had managed to drag into one of his crazy's laboratory shenanigans.

He reaches the door and braces himself for the blast of cold air that will come into his household, already shuddering at the thought. His nimble fingers tighten around the metal door handle, relishing in the last bits of warmth before the biting cold takes it away. Opening the door, he steadies himself for the icy air, but not for the extremely bright Hinata Shoyo at his door.

"Kenma!" his friend loudly exclaims, in typical Hinata style. Kenma's eyes are wide in surprise, but internally he's happy to see his old volleyball rival and friend. Hinata was the one of the few people Kenma enjoyed being around, although he never expressed his excitement in the bustling way Hinata did. But he's grateful for it: Hinata Shoyo kept things interesting for Kenma.

"Shoyo," Kenma softly greets, the shock disappearing in his eyes for it to be replaced by warmth. "It's nice to see you."

Hinata is beaming, just like those bright lights that lit up advertisements and billboards at the Shibuya crossing. His whole aura is one of glow and radiance, exactly like the sun. To this day, ever since Kenma first crossed paths with Hinata all those years ago, he's unable to comprehend how this orange-haired, crazy-jumping and enthusiastic ball of energy had managed to outshine even the brightest star in the universe.

He lets Hinata in, who's busy rambling about everything that's happened since they last saw each other. His brown eyes are lit up with glee as he excitedly speaks about his last year in high school with the volleyball, the regrets he had and the times he enjoyed. Kenma gives him an attentive ear as he leads Hinata to the living room, and heads to the kitchen to prepare a cup of green tea for himself and his guest.

"Yeah, so Tsukishima and Yamaguchi are planning to do different things in college, and Yachi-san is going to do design," Hinata says, gesturing with his hands as Kenma walks out of the kitchen, a tea tray in his hands. He places it gently on the kotatsu table, and doesn't have to say a word to Hinata as the latter takes the cup in one hand and sips the liquid too quickly, realizing how hot it actually was.

His face pricks in pain, and he gives Kenma a winced smile as he smiles to himself in response. Hinata's nose scrunches as the pain begins to fade away, and places the cup on the table before continuing.

"And Kageyama-you remember Kageyama yeah?" Hinata asks with curiosity, as Kenma nods knowingly. Kageyama Tobio, the all-star setter in Karasuno who had made a name for himself ever since his first year in high school. Hinata beams again, and Kenma's starting to wonder if he really needs to turn on the lights inside if Hinata keeps shining like that.

"Kageyama's gonna go play in the V-League!" Hinata continues, throwing his hands into the air. Kenma's not surprised. With Kageyama's skill-set and talent it makes sense for him to go pro.

"What about you, Shoyo?" Kenma asks, taking a sip of his own tea and watching Hinata do the same. The latter is happy it's not as scalding hot as before.

Hinata grabs a few biscuits Kenma has left on the tray earlier, stuffing them into his mouth eagerly and speaks. Amidst the barrage of crumbs and spittle that emerge from Hinata's mouth, Kenma can't make out a single word.

He gives him a blank look as Hinata swallows it all down with a large gulp of green tea, now gone cold. That's not gonna feel right later.

"I'm going abroad! To play beach volleyball!" Hinata announces, wiping away stray crumbs from his cheeks. "In Brazil!"

Kenma can't help but feel overwhelmed. "Brazil...?" his voice trails off, giving Hinata a disapproving look.

Hinata nods, orange hair bobbing up and down the same way those lucky cat statues did. It's cute, in an adoring kind of way.

"Brazil!" Hinata repeats, with just the amount of enthusiasm as before. "I want to be able to sharpen my skills and then enter the league. I want to learn to do everything on court." His eyes are no longer shining with the same glee and excitement as earlier, but are now steely with fierce determination and focus. It makes him cower slightly.

Kenma doesn't know how he does it. How he can go intensely bright and bubbly about so many things to being so incredibly focused on just one thing. But he's not one to speak. Kuroo would be saying the same thing about him when it came to gaming.

But this kind of determination and focus is different. Volleyball, for Kenma, had been more of an experience that helped him shape his perspective, but it never was a passion he wanted to continue later on in life. Much like high school, he pushed all volleyball-related activities away to make space for other things he wanted to do. And while a large part of him was grateful for it, a much smaller part of his conscience missed being part of a team, having to attend weekend practices, and looking forward to training camps and official matches.

For Kozume Kenma, volleyball was more about the strategy and the dynamics of the people, rather than the sport itself. He enjoyed watching it, enjoyed analyzing and figuring out things people wouldn't have usually spotted.

He only stayed in the club for so long because of his teammates, and partially because he wanted to face Shoyo in matches and such. But when the third-years left and Fukunaga became captain, much of his own interest had left with them.

Volleyball, Kenma selfishly thinks, is only special because of the certain people who made it special, like Kuroo and Hinata.

It's not like the rest of the team didn't matter to Kenma. He always has a special place in his heart for them, the team who took care of him and loved him despite his apathy and lack of interest. From Yaku's doting and Lev's simpleton confidence, to Fukunaga's quiet yet expressive exterior and Taketora's bravado, each and every single member of Nekoma's volleyball team holds a special memory to him, but it's not enough to keep Kenma as involved in the sport as they would have liked.

Before he met Hinata Shoyo, volleyball had simply been a side hobby of his, one he showed interest in because it was. simply, interesting. It was interesting to see how players moved on court, synchronized like sardines swimming together in a school. It reminded Kenma of games he'd play on his consoles back at home, so he could apply game technique and strategy from there to real-life.

Hinata Shoyo came into his life and changed that. What simply was a chance encounter because he was lost turned into something that Kenma would cherish forever, and change his perspective on the game completely. Something that made him want to play. Something that made him want to continue to practice harder with Lev to perfect his spikes, something that drove him to go and face Hinata in games that determined the end for one of them. Hinata Shoyo made volleyball interesting for Kenma.

Which is why, when Kenma ponders over his friend's plans to go to Brazil, he considers it.

"You'll need a lot of funding to support that kind of trip," Kenma says after a while, after Hinata's determination has died down a bit. He sits straight up, running a hand through his fading hair. "It's important you get a sponsor for it."

"Sponsor?" Hinata asks, his eyes now wide, cocking his head to the side. It's clear to Kenma that he hadn't considered this before. "I know about the funding, I've asked my mom to direct my college fund into this instead, but what do you mean by sponsor?"

"You know, someone with connections who'll help you find a team and support you with accommodation and things like that," Kenma explains. "If you find a really good company, you'll be able to get a lot of benefits and additions, but most companies will just help you get a proper foundation to help you support yourself. Most athletes and loads of other professions have those."

Hinata's mouth is agape in wonder. "Where am I gonna find one of those?" he inquires, and Kenma gives him a smirk in response.

"I run one. It's called Bouncing Ball Corp," Kenma replies, the smirk still plastered on his face. "But I'm currently not sponsoring anyone at the moment. It might be interesting." When Hinata's eyes have reverted back to their usually sunny state, Kenma can't help but feel warm inside, and the former smirk changes to a genuine smile.

Hinata reaches over the kotatsu to envelop Kenma in a warm hug, one which he isn't expecting. He freezes up slightly as Hinata's arms wrap themselves around his oversized sweater, and slowly reciprocates by hugging Hinata back.

"Thanks so much, Kenma!" Hinata says with cheeriness in his voice, letting out a sigh of relief as he pulls away. He gives him a small smile in response. "It really does mean a lot."

"I'm glad I could help out," Kenma answers, his cheeks suddenly warm. Thinking that it has to do with Shoyo's own sunny demeanor he turns his eyes to the window, where the sun has set a long time back and now the moon and a few stars are out.

"It's late, you should be getting home," Kenma advises, turning his eyes back to Hinata, who's nodding knowingly. They both get up, Kenma shuddering when the cold from earlier returns as he heads to the door, showing Hinata out. As Hinata slips on his shoes and takes his bag from the floor, the cat on the windowsill meows.

"Ah, I didn't notice the cat!" Hinata states, his eyes now on the calico feline. Its eyes are closed in bliss as it purrs in delight, enjoying the heat emanating from the radiator under the sill. "He's just like you, Kenma."

Kenma chuckles to himself, crossing his arms. "Maybe."

Hinata gives him another warm and brightening smile, before heading outside. The icy air from before has become significantly colder, and Kenma is uncertain how Hinata Shoyo is still this warm and high-spirited. I guess the weather doesn't really brighten this sunshine, huh, he thinks to himself.

"Come over again," Kenma calls out, as Hinata waves goodbye. He's walking down the lane in reverse, his eyes still on Kenma. "We'll discuss the necessary things then."

In the heavy white lights of the street lamps above, Kenma can still make out the bright light in Hinata's eyes. "Sure thing!" his friend calls out, waving more enthusiastically. "See ya later, Kenma!"

Kenma waves back in response, waiting until Hinata has disappeared from his sight. He turns around and heads back inside to the warmth, where the cat on the windowsill meows again.

"Just like me, huh..."