WELCOME TO THE FIC DEBRIEF OF...
love as told by you
What makes someone fall in love with something — with someone? Can the beauty of something only be realised when we see it through the eyes of another? I think about these questions constantly, toying around with the idea of writing something based on these.One day, the idea struck me: to write a fic through Kiyoomi's point of view, third person interspersed with first person.Descriptive writing is something I truly adore, so I hope that my writing here was able to convey a semblance of visual imagery through paragraphs and phrases.Obviously, spoilers ahead. If you haven't read the fic, you can do so here.If you've read it, then click on the options below to navigate!!
INSPIRATION
I touched on this a little in the Author's Note, but throughout my years in Junior College, I had a friend who adored sunsets. He'd marvel at the scenery and take plenty of pictures every evening.We'd have (secret) dinner picnics in school every Wednesday and gradually, I started looking forward to seeing the sunset as well.When I realised, I couldn't stop thinking of how many other things I've fallen in love with just because I saw it through someone else's lens.I personally struggle a lot with apathy — feeling absolutely nothing about everything all the time. Most times, I need to see someone else express happiness before I realise the allure of something seemingly mundane.Human interaction and connection is a fascinating thing isn't it?As always, I took this and projected it onto Kiyoomi and Atsumu. This piece is a love letter not only from Kiyoomi to Atsumu, but also from me to everyone who's ever made me love the small things in life a little more.
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Also, I love writing threadfics and I have so many headcanons, so this piece was essentially nine threadfics rolled into one. I had so much fun with this, and unsuprisingly, this is the writing I'm MOST proud of :")
EXTRA INFORMATION
one.
handshake
"I grab ahold of your calloused palm and you pull me in — into your orbit as another one of the monsters who dance to your tune.(But this is no symphony and you are no conductor. This is a waltz where together, our plays shall be art in motion)"
In Haikyuu, the setter is always compared to a conductor — the one with the ability to change the tempo of the game. I've always loved Atsumu's line about having all these monster hitters dancing to his tune. And now, he has Kiyoomi as well.However, Kiyoomi doesn't see this as a one man show. To him, Atsumu is not the conductor of a symphony. Instead, it's a waltz between them — a two man effort to make the best plays.—
three.
bus rides
I have motion sickness, so this portion was definitely me projecting my experience onto Kiyoomi...Motion sickness sucks, but it definitely sucks less when you have your favourite blonde seated next to youAnyway, Atsumu is really shocked when Kiyoomi lets him sit next to him, he just does a good job of hiding how happy he is. Atsumu then scrolls through his phone in a panic and settles on a true crime podcast because he thinks 'Ah, some blood and a few violent murders. That'll be the best distraction for Omi.'And he was right.—
four.
going to new places
This is the robot playground young Kiyoomi and Motoya visit in the beginning blurb! Motoya thinks it's the coolest thing ever while Kiyoomi is probably really creeped out.Anyway, I envision Atsumu and Osamu's childhoods to be filled with a lot of venturing around and exploring new places. Coming from a more rural prefecture (Hyogo), Atsumu is probably more adventurous than city-boy Kiyoomi.The thought of them making new memories together, making their mark on places across the world, makes me so happy.
天照
Amaterasu: Sun Goddess
Japanese MythologyI'll always be fascinated with legends, mythology and beliefs. When I was writing this story doing research about Togakushi Shrine, I stumbled across the legend of 天照 and knew I had to include it in.Atsumu is just a man. Kiyoomi knows this. Yet there's a part of him that views Atsumu as someone holy, otherworldly, godly.How else would he explain this blessing of a man?—five.
plants
Yes. Plant music exists (and I play them for my own plants...)This is Mother Earth's Plantasia by Mort Garson!! You can find it on Spotify if you'd like, or any other platform.—eight.
taking pictures
"These fragments of our lives shall persevere despite the flow of time, untainted by things like my fickle memory."
Sometimes, you get those moments that you want to remember forever you know? And so you do, it stays with you for years. But you can never be 100% sure you remembered it exactly as it was.I think a lot about how our memory is fallible. We'll forget over time, over or under exaggerating the moments we swear to remember. This is why I said the memory is fickle.But pictures keep an image of these beautiful events suspended in time forever. Isn't that wonderful?—nine.
my last nameThis is the culmination. Where all of Kiyoomi's feelings coalesce into the final proposal. We see Kiyoomi comfortable with the Miya family and them trusting him to take care of their son.I adore Miya four and this was definitely an excuse for me to insert the scene where Suna fiddles with his wedding ring fondly.
"宮 is the kanji for Miya. 家 is the kanji for house.
It’s fascinating how both of these characters share the same 宀 radical.""Ten years I’ve known you, since we first met in high school. Ten strokes in 宮. Ten strokes in the 家 — no wonder when we’re together, I feel like I’m home."
These are my FAVOURITE lines. Chinese is my second language and Japanese kanji is somewhat similar in writing. When I realised the similarities in radicals and strokes, I got so fucking excited, you would not BELIEVE.Anyway, the final note / proposal has every single thing on the list. I was driving myself insane trying to think of the perfect way to end this story.I thought of this ending in the middle of a family dinner and sprinted to the washroom to type it out.Miya Kiyoomi is something I hold so dear to my heart and I'll stand by it forever.
At the end of it all, of everything on this list, the thing Kiyoomi loves the most is Miya Atsumu.
GALLERY
Sights from Nagano
Pathway to Togakushi Shrine
The forest that could swallow you whole
Shrine Gate
Okusha (Upper Shrine)
Where Kiyoomi and Atsumu make their prayers
Karuizawa Ginza
Peculiar jams, top-shelf honey and a delicious lunch
Shiraito Falls
They visit the falls after the Ginza in a deleted scene
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I like to think that because of this trip to Nagano, where they finally get together, Kiyoomi feels especially happy whenever Autumn rolls around.This is why he waits till it's the season of warm hues again to propose to Atsumu
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