Reuniting With Your Childhood Friend
Ushijima Wakatoshi oneshot
When they were children, Y/N gave him a friendship rock and declared them friends forever. That was until she suddenly moved to America, leaving without a proper goodbye.
Eleven years later, Ushijima Wakatoshi is asked to recruit a new volleyball manager for the club. He never expects to reunite with the girl who gave him that very friendship rock.
Wc: 4k ~ Fluff ~ Childhood friends to lovers
The first time Ushijima Wakatoshi went to a playground, he did not know what children were supposed to do.
His father had brought him along after their weekly volleyball practice at a nearby gym. Six-year-old Wakatoshi stood beside the swings while his father knelt down beside him.
“I’m going to the convenience store across the road to buy water, wait for me here.” His father said.
He had spent most of his childhood at home. His mother was often overseas for work, he was homeschooled, and his interactions rarely extended beyond his parents, relatives, and his private tutor so the noise of the playground felt strangely loud.
A year younger than him, Y/N L/N was a regular at the playground. Your parents often worked late, and rather than sit alone at home, you would rather spend your afternoons outside until sunset.
Everyone knew you, you were sort of a celebrity among the kids, known as the girl with scraped knees, messy hair, and pockets full of strange rocks.
That day was no different.
Your friend smacked your back and sprinted away.
You immediately forgot about the unfamiliar boy standing near the swings who you were staring at. He looked cold, almost intimidating, with his serious expression and straight posture. You had just assumed he was judging everyone.
After successfully tagging your friend, you ran toward the rock garden near the edge of the playground.
That was when you noticed him.
He had crouched down beside the stones, carefully staring at them as if they were treasures.
You hesitated before crouching beside him but ultimately ended up striking up conversation since it was hard to find someone that was interested in rocks.
You pointed at a smooth grey rock.
“That one looks like it could be a turtle, right?”
He stared at it and nodded.
Feeling encouraged, you continued.
“Uwaka what now? Can I just call you Waka-chan?”
You asked, unable to hear him clearly because of a car passing by.
He nodded as the tips of his ears slowly turned a light shade of pink. He had never had anyone make up a nickname for him before. You smiled brightly.
For the next several minutes, you asked him countless questions. Which rocks did he like? Did he think shiny rocks were rare? Did he know that if he drew on them he could make them look like animals?
Wakatoshi answered most of them with nods yet his eyes never left the stones.
“Hey! Do you want to be friends?”
You said, jumping up and dusting the dirt off your hands.
You dug into your pocket and pulled out one of your treasures. A small round stone with a badly drawn smiley face and heart scribbled on it with marker.
“This is a friendship rock!”
You pressed it into his hands, grinning.
“It means we’re friends forever, okay?”
Wakatoshi carefully held the stone, staring at it before holding it close to his heart. Protecting it like it was a treasure.
Seconds later, his father returned carrying bottled waters.
“Wakatoshi, where are you? Sorry I took a while. The line was longer than I expected,” he yelled out before noticing the girl beside his son.
His eyebrows rose slightly.
Wakatoshi had made a friend, all by himself.
He smiled and greeted you happily before taking Wakatoshi home.
“Did you make friends with that girl, Wakatoshi?”
After seeing Wakatoshi nodding with a small grin on his usually stoic face, he was delighted.
That night, Wakatoshi placed the friendship rock inside an acrylic case and displayed it on his desk.
It became his most important possession.
Slowly, you became a part of his routine.
Wakatoshi would go for his weekly volleyball training sessions on Wednesdays at the gym, then to the convenience store, then the playground to play with you.
His father brought a volleyball with him and suggested for you to have a small training session with them and you have played with them ever since.
Sometimes, the three of you would play together until sunset.
“You have good balance,” his father once told you.
You had proudly declared that you would become a better player than him and Wakatoshi quietly agreed.
Once, you brought chalk and markers to the playground, wanting to draw on rocks and play hopskotch.
When you saw Wakatoshi writing on the ground with chalk in his left hand instead of his right, you were instanly intrigued.
“Waka-chan, you write with your left hand? I tried writing with it but my words ended up looking like caterpillars.”
You said in passing, not thinking anything of it.
“Sorry. Is it weird? My mother has been trying to fix it for a while now but I keep using it out of habit.”
Wakatoshi said quietly before switching the chalk over from his left to his right hand.
“HUH? I NEVER SAID THAT?!”
You exclaim out loud, feeling wronged. You then pry the chalk out of his right hand and place it into his left.
“I think its cool! I could never do that. Plus, if its more comfortable to write with your left hand then you should just use it!”
Other than his father, nobody else in his life has told him to embrace his left-handedness so he was glad.
After seeing that scene unfold, his father smiled to himself.
“You made a good choice becoming friends with her.”
His father said on the walk home, slightly squeezing Wakatoshi’s left hand.
Goodbyes were never sad since you always said the same thing while eagerly jumping up and down waving,
“See you next Wednesday, Waka-chan!”
For two months, he believed it.
Then one day, you were gone.
Your parents had been posted to a job in another country and they had delayed telling you because they knew you would be upset.
You cried for days, refusing to come out of your room, silently cursing at your parents for not allowing you time to prepare.
You told your playground friends and kindergarten friends but the day Wakatoshi normally visited the playground was the day you would leave Japan.
“Please tell Waka-chan I’m sorry.”
You said to one of your playground friends while aggressively sobbing, hicupping and wiping the snot off your face.
When Wakatoshi arrived after practice, he immediately looked for you.
You were not near the swings.
Not near the rock garden.
And not sitting beneath the tree where he would usually find you collecting stones.
Your friend approached him.
“She left in the morning.”
His father watched as his son's expression changed.
His eyes widened, his shoulders stiffened.
The small boy who rarely showed emotion looked genuinely devastated.
The volleyball he was holding up slowly dropped down as he walked back to the pavement where his father was standing.
“Wakatoshi? When is she returning?”
“I don’t know. They told me that she didn’t even know if she was ever going to come back.
His father had never seen him look so lost.
That night, the friendship rock remained on his desk.
Wakatoshi stared at it for a very long time.
Volleyball became his everything.
Shiratorizawa Academy recruited him through its sports program and he become the ace everyone feared. His powerful spikes, calm personality, and overwhelming talent earned him admiration across Japan.
Inside his shared dorm room with tendou sat a simple desk.
And inside, there was a clear acrylic case which contained a faded rock with a poorly drawn smiley face displayed on the desk.
“Ooooo whats this?” Tendou said one afternoon, picking up the acrylic case and observing it.
“A cursed object? A symbol of luck? A random rock you found outside as a child and made your pet? GASP Ushiwaka has a childish side that I didn’t know about!?”
Tendou questioned relentlessly.
Wakatoshi calmly took the case back.
“My first friend gave it to me. It is of great importance.”
“It is a friendship rock.”
Tendou collapsed onto his bed laughing hysterically.
“You’ve kept this since childhood?!”
Wakatoshi returned the rock to his desk.
He had never forgotten your name.
Coach Washijo informed him that the current manager would be graduating this year.
“We need a new manager from the first years.”
“There is a girl named L/N, I saw she managed her middle school team quite well on TV. I was happy to find out she came back to Japan and joined us. With her, we would definitely become stronger. Find her and ask if she is interested.”
Wakatoshi memorized the classroom number.
Year 1, Class 6. A college preparatory class.
During lunch, he opened the classroom door.
“Excuse me, Is L/N here?”
A few students looked up and responded.
“She just left for lunch.”
Wakatoshi thanked them and walked down the corridor.
You stood in the center of a group of friends, laughing.
Sunlight spilled through the windows, reflecting beautifully off your hair.
He approached you and tapped your shoulder.
The moment your face came into view, Wakatoshi froze.
There was no hesitation. Even after 11 years, he recognised you immediately.
You still had same bright eyes and the same smile.
You were older, taller, and looked more mature but you were still unmistakably you.
“…Are you L/N?” he asked.
“Yep! Y/N L/N. Did you need something?”
Your friends glanced between the two of you curiously.
Until this moment, the surname L/N meant nothing to him.
Coach Washijo only mentioned there was a first year called L/N who had experience as a volleyball manager at a formidable middle school overseas. Wakatoshi had accepted the task without giving the name much thought.
After all, the little girl he had met at the playground had only ever introduced herself as Y/N. You never told him your family name and he had never thought to ask.
It wasn’t until you turned around that he realised the talented manager Coach Washijo had been talking about was you.
“Yes. I needed to talk to you about something.”
Wakatoshi said. Before you reply, your friends exchanged knowing looks.
“Ooooh, we’ll leave you two alone.”
“We’ll buy your sandwich for you!”
Ignoring your embarrassed protests, they hurried off, leaving the two of you standing in the hallway.
Once they disappeared around the corner, Wakatoshi spoke again.
“Our current manager is leaving soon. I would like to ask if you would become the volleyball club’s student manager.”
You stare at him, pointing to yourself and tilting your head.
“I mean I was a manager in middle school, but… I’m not sure I’m good enough for Shiratorizawa.”
His answer came so quickly that you couldn’t help but laugh. Though, he was dead serious.
“Yes I am. I believe you’d be a great fit.”
You thought for a while before smiling.
For a brief moment, neither of you spoke.
“I am Ushijima Wakatoshi.”
He said, brekaing the silence and bowing slightly.
The name lingered in your mind. It sounded familiar but you couldn’t quite place your finger on it.
Ushijima waka... WAKA-CHAN?!
Your eyes widened immediately, memories rushing back.
Back then, you had never actually known his full name, only knowing him as ‘Waka-chan’. Every time his father called for him, you were too busy climbing the monkey bars, collecting rocks, or daydreaming.
You ask catiously, not wanting to accidentally mistake him for someone else even though you were sure it was him as he still had the same dark olive-brown hair and hairstyle.
For the first time since approaching you, the corners of Wakatoshi's lips lifted ever so slightly.
You stared at him for another second before your hands flew to your mouth.
"No way... It's really you the rock boy!” you blurted.
"You grew taller as well."
“I mean yeah but- wait that’s not the point! Are you really,really, REALLY Waka-chan?!”
Your eyes scanned him from head to toe.
"I can't believe this...The tiny, quiet kid who only nodded at everything became... This!?"
"I'm so sorry! I didn't recognize you at all!"
You couldn’t stop laughing till you pause and sudden realisation hits.
“Wait, you actually remember me? That’s amazing!”
For eleven years, a poorly drawn smiling rock had remained safely tucked inside an acrylic case. First on his desk at home, then on the desk in his dorm room.
He had never once considered throwing it away.
"I remember," he said simply, as if stating a fact.
Even after eleven years apart, the promise that was sealed with a dirt-covered and poorly drawn friendship rock had somehow led you guys back to each other.
The following week, you officially became Shiratorizawa Boys' Volleyball Club's newest student manager.
Coach Washijo introduced you before practice with his usual bluntness.
"This is L/N. She'll be our new manager. She managed a formidable middle school team overseas."
"Hello everyone. Please take good care of me!"
Coach Washijō folded his arms.
"Show her where everything is."
With that, he walked away.
The graduating third-year managers spent the afternoon showing you where everything was kept.
"The first aid supplies are in here."
"Coach Washijo likes the water bottles prepared before everyone arrives so make sure you prepare them. Oh and the practice schedules get pinned up every Monday."
Thankfully, you already knew how to do the job since managing your middle school's volleyball team in America had taught you everything from recording statistics to taping fingers.
All you needed to learn was how Coach Washijo liked things done.
Practice began shortly after.
You quickly settled into your work, preparing water bottles while the team finished changing.
The nickname slipped out naturally as you looked towards him.
"Can you help me move this box?"
Ushijima walked over without hesitation.
He picked it up as though it weighed nothing.
Behind the two of you, Tendou slowly turned his head towards Semi.
"...Semi-Semi. Did she just call him Waka-chan?"
"...Captain has a nickname?"
You immediately turned you head to look at Ushijima.
"What for?" Ushijima asked curiously, unsure of why you were sunndelt apologising.
"I’ve just always called you Waka-chan so it accidentally slipped out. We're older now so I probably shouldn’t call you that right? Sorry!!"
You said, cheeks flushed with embarrassment.
Ushijima looked at you for a moment.
"You've always called me Waka-chan, I don't see why that should change."
Tendou dramatically grabbed Semi by the shoulders and gasped out loud.
"HOOOOOOH?! SEMI-SEMI, DID YOU HEAR THAT? HE SAID 'YOU MAY CONTINUE!!'"
Semi immediately pushed him away.
"I didn't even know he had a nickname."
The weeks passed by surprisingly quickly.
Soon, preparing the gym with the other managers before practice became part of your daily routine.
Filling water bottles, pushing in volleyball carts, managing practice schedules and attendance sheets.
By the time the players arrived, everything was already prepared.
Tendou wandered through the doors carrying his shoes over one shoulder.
The familiar sound of volleyballs being hit echoed throughout the gym.
Coach Washijo barked instructions from the sidelines while you sat nearby recording statistics.
You looked up, Shirabu was standing infront of you.
Before he could finish speaking, you handed him a roll of tape.
"Mhm! You prefer the narrower tape."
A brief silence followed.
He accepted it with a small nod.
As he walked away, Semi glanced over.
"You've only been here a month. How do you already remember that?"
"I’m the team manager for a reason y’know?”
One afternoon during lunch break, you sat beneath a tree with a book resting in your lap.
"...Another romance novel?"
You looked up, Semi was staring at the book.
"I don't get it.They're all predictable."
"I like how predictable they are."
Before either of you could continue, Tendou skipped over.
"Oooo~ What’cha guys doing?”
Without thinking, you immediately closed the book.
He accepted your answer without another question .
You waited until he looked away before glancing at Tendou, completely dumbfounded.
"...He actually believed me?"
Tendou grinned and teased about how dense Ushijima is.
As summer approached, practices began lasting longer.
The sun had already set by the time you finished locking the equipment room one evening.
You stepped outside the gym.
"Eh?! Waka-chan? You’re still here?"
Ushijima stood a few metres away, sports bag resting over his shoulder.
"You don't have to y’know?” You said, letting out a soft chuckle.
"I know. But I prefer knowing you arrive safely."
The answer was so matter-of-fact that you couldn't help but smile.
He stared at you for a while before answering.
"Yep!" You said as you stepped closer, popping the ‘p’.
The walk to the station wasn't particularly long, most of it passed in comfortable silence.
It reminded you of sitting beside him in the playground all those years ago.
Back then, you had always been the one talking. That hadn't changed.
"I finished another book yesterday."
"I see. What was it about?"
You smiled before beginning to tell him the story. He listened quietly the entire walk home.
For some reason, your conversations became a little longer every day.
As autumn arrived, spending time with the team outside of practice became more common.
One evening, the team decided to hang out in Tendou and Ushijima’s dorm room.
As everyone settled into the room, you wandered around absentmindedly.
Your eyes landed on an acrylic case sitting neatly on Ushijima's desk.
Curious, you stepped closer.
The closer you looked, the more familiar it looked.
A rock with a faded smiley face and tiny heart.
You slowly picked up the acrylic case.
Ushijima looked up from where he was folding his jersey.
You stared at the rock in disbelief.
"You kept the rock I gave you?!"
"HUH?? Why would you? I mean- this is practically junk!”
He looked at you as though the answer was obvious.
"It’s our friendship rock. You said we would be friends forever."
"Woah…I can't believe you still have it."
The marker had faded over the years. The smiley face was crooked and the heart wasn’t even symmetrical. You remembered drawing it with a marker that was almost out of ink.
“Pffft I drew this so badly.”
“HEY! Wait- then why even keep it??”
“Because you gave it to me.”
Tendou finally broke the silence.
"That’s random. I fail to see the correlation."
Semi pinched the bridge of his nose.
"...He doesn't even realise what he just said."
"He definitely doesn’t…" Reon agreed with a laugh.
You carefully placed the acrylic case back onto his desk.
Before anyone realised it, a year had passed and it was graduation day.
The school buzzed with conversations as everyone took photos and signed uniforms.
You smiled as you watched the graduating third-years laughing together.
Even Coach Washijo looked slightly less stern than usual.
You looked up to find Tendou standing beside you.
"Yeah, I guess it does. Time flew by.”
“Exactly!!” He said before glancing across the courtyard..
Ushijima stood a short distance away.
Tendou looked back at you cheekily before bending down slightly and lowering his voice.
"Pssst! Wanna know something?”
"You're probably the only person who can get the great Ushiwaka to smile so much."
Before you could ask anything else, Tendou waltzed away.
Tendou walked up to Ushijima, hands tucked behind his head.
"You are giving Y/N-chan your second button, right?"
Ushijima glanced down at his blazer.
"HAAAH? Don’t tell me you don’t know what it means?!"
“I know there is a tradition but I’m unsure of the details.”
“The second button is the one closest to your heart. Guys give it to the girl they like! How could you not know this?”
Ushijima looked at the row of buttons on his jacket.
Tendou leaned closer, grinning mischievously.
“And Y/N-chan loves that cheesy romance stuff. She reads tons of romance novels. She’ll probably treasure it forever you know~~ Go confess to her already!!”
Ushijima rested his gaze on the second button.
The courtyard slowly emptied as students began heading home.
You stood beneath the school gates, looking back at the building one last time.
"So...I guess this is goodbye for now!”
Silence settled between the two of you.
"I'll miss seeing you every day, Waka-chan."
Ushijima looked at you quietly before reaching up and repoing out the second button from his uniform.
He held it carefully in his hand before placing it into yours.
You stared down at the small brass button in your palm.
"Waka-chan...? Do you know what this means?"
"I was told this is traditionally given to the person you love. I have never read the romance novels you enjoy so I do not know if this is the correct way to do this..."
He paused, meeting your eyes.
"But I wanted to tell you myself.“
"When we met again, I believed I was simply happy to see my first friend again after so long.”
He hesitated before continuing, choosing the right words.
“But I was mistaken. I found myself looking for you after every practice. I looked forward to walking you home. I enjoyed listening to your stories and random thoughts. I realised that I wanted to stay by your side."
"I love you. If you would allow me...I would like to remain by your side. Not only as your childhood friend. But as the person you love."
The tips of his ears turned a bright shade of pink.
You looked down at the button resting in your palm, then back at him.
A laugh escaped through your tears.
"You know...This is exactly something that would happen in one of my romance novels."
"I was told you would like it."
"...Tendou told you, didn't he?"
You wiped away the tears forming in your eyes.
Carefully closing your fingers around the button, you smiled at him.
"I've liked you for a long time too, Waka-chan."
Without another word, you stepped forward and wrapped your arms around him.
He hesitated for a second before gently hugging you back.
Somewhere in the distance, Tendou quietly cheered.
"...About time." Semi sighed.
The door clicked open. “I’m home.”
You looked up from the couch as Ushijima stepped through the front door. “Welcome home!”
He smiled softly before crossing the room and pressing a gentle kiss to your forehead, His wedding ring shining in the afternoon light.
On a nearby shelf sat a faded friendship rock, carefully preserved inside the same acrylic case. Beside it rested a single brass button, the second button from Ushijima’s Shiratorizawa uniform.
The rock symbolising the day your story began, the button marked the day it blossomed into something more.
Also on Ao3 & TikTok (part 1 only)
