ICE CREAM
Fandom: Kuroko no Basuke
Character(s): Momoi Satsuki, Kuroko Tetsuya
Disclaimer: Kuroko no Basuke belongs to Fujimaki Tadatoshi.
Seven kids went out to eat ice cream.
No one won.
It didn't matter.
They were having fun.
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Momoi couldn't help but frown.
This was the third time this week that Aomine skipped practice. She could picture him sleeping on the rooftop, a gravure magazine covering his stupid face.
Stupid Dai-chan!
It was nighttime and the freshmen had started cleaning the gym. Most of the members had left few minutes ago. Akashi had something important to discuss with the coach; Midorima said that it was Cancer's unlucky day and he needed to get home before bad luck could catch him; Murasakibara heard that there was a new item at a nearby convenience store and wanted to check it out; and Kise left in a hurry because of a shoot and an angry manager.
She couldn't help but sigh.
"Momoi-san."
She almost screamed but calmed herself immediately when she recognized the voice. She turned her head to see Kuroko standing next to her with his usual blank state. It relieved her a lot that he was still here.
"Ah, Tetsu-kun, what is it?"
"Is it all right if I can accompany you home?"
Momoi blinked twice before the words could sink in.
"Eh?"
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The scene would have been perfect if it weren't for her shaking hands and palpitating heart. The only thing missing was chattering teeth. Kuroko had asked her twice if she was all right and she quickly told him that she was fine. Totally. And that of course was a total lie.
How could she be fine when she was alone with Kuroko?
The last time she experienced something like this was the date they had, and it felt so long ago. It didn't help that Aomine was always with them. Not just him, everyone included: Akashi, Midorima, Murasakibara, and Kise. They used to all go out together, but not anymore.
"Tetsu-kun—"
She stopped when she looked up to see that Kuroko was nowhere in sight. She started to panic. What if something bad had happened to him? He had the tendency to go off on his own when no one was looking. Maybe he saw someone being bullied again at one of the courts they passed by.
What should she do? She better go check.
Before she could make another step, Kuroko appeared in front of her.
This time she screamed.
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"Tetsu-kun! I'm so sorry!"
A large red print adorned Kuroko's face but the blank expression remained. "It's all right, Momoi-san. It's my fault for scaring you like that."
This was embarrassing, Momoi thought, her head bowed down. It was a reflex she developed whenever Aomine did something stupid. She couldn't believe that she did that to Kuroko, of all people. She wished that the ground would open up and swallow her.
"I have something to give you."
Momoi didn't want to look up but she did anyway. What she saw next was a popsicle. She wordlessly get it from Kuroko.
"We just passed by the convenience store and I thought of buying ice cream for both of us. I'm sorry for disappearing like that without saying a word," Kuroko apologized.
Her cheeks burned red when she realized that Kuroko bought her an ice cream. This person was giving her more reasons why she loved him. "A-Ah, it's okay. Thank you," she said softly.
She opened the wrapper and took a bite. It was the same popsicle the seven of them used to buy. The taste was still the same too.
A sad smile crept on her face. "We used to eat ice cream with everyone," she said aloud.
"Yes," was the only thing Kuroko said.
"When we go out again, we should ask everyone," she suggested.
Kuroko said nothing and the silence that followed was uncomfortable. Momoi thought that maybe she should have kept her mouth close.
"Momoi-san is always worrying about everyone," Kuroko said all of a sudden. "Especially Aomine-kun."
Hearing her childhood friend's name caused a frown on her. "If I haven't, who knows what kind of trouble that idiot would have put himself into?" she said, taking another bite.
"I'm glad."
Another silence.
There was something odd about the way Kuroko was acting. Although his expression had always been the same, his eyes had a hint of sadness to them. She opened her mouth to speak.
What's wrong?
Why do you look sad?
Please don't make that face.
You can tell me.
But nothing came out.
"Ah, Momoi-san, you won."
Momoi looked down and true, the word 'winner' was etched on the stick. Her face lit up in happiness. "I won!"
"Isn't that great, Momoi-san?" The smile Kuroko gave her was small but it was enough to make her heart beat faster.
Maybe what she saw was just her imagination.
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She should have said something.
But it was too late.
Please continue taking care of everyone.
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Momoi Satsuki went out to eat ice cream.
She won.
It didn't matter.
She was alone.