When the message notification flashed on his phone screen, he just scoffed and resumed with drinking the wine he ordered, puffing on smoke.
When the message notification flashed again, he read who it was from and shoved the device into his pants pocket. It was his mom and whatever she has to say is probably unimportant, a waste of time.
When the fucking device flashed again and started vibrating, he ground his cigarette to the ashtray in front of him with much vehemence, it broke, and bits of the tobacco spewed out of the paper warp. A hand fished out his phone and immediately answered the call.
A couple of seconds, one dark scowl, and an angry press to the end button on his cell later, the teen stood up and packed his things. Some cash slapped to the table, and he was stomping his way to the bar's door while muttering profanities
The problem with airports is that it's always ridiculously crowded, be it early in the morning or in the dead of night. And it's noisy, too fucking noisy. Yells of other people here, cries of joy or sadness there, the wheels of the damn suitcases everywhere, and the intercom that reverberated. And don't get him started on the shit they sell that cost a buttload of money. A dot of food for a ton of cash, a cheap poorly made souvenir that cost the same as a three-course meal in a restaurant.
Fucking airports. He wished he wasn't here and could just stay at the bar.
And to think that he had to stand here, in front of the arrival gate. Squished from all sides and almost died of suffocation. He could feel his body being pushed around, feet being stepped on and ears being screamed at be it intentional or not. Like being in the middle of a concert. The concept of private space thrown right out of the window.
A click of the tongue. What's taking that damn woman so long? Is a walk from the airplane to the gates that far? He checked his watch and realized that it had been around fifteen minutes since he stood there. His patience was running thin and eyes glaring daggers at each person emerging from the gate.
A mother carrying her son, a man with a briefcase and a suit, an elderly woman with a cane, a flight attendant holding a sobbing girl's hand. Various people came out and not one of them the person he was supposed to pick up. He was about to walk away and wait at one of the coffee shops there if not for a hand that gently grasped his shoulder.
"Hey there handsome." He turned around and saw a woman in her early twenties, leaning against the crowd control ropes, face uncomfortably close to his. "Mind if you take me home with you? I promise I'll make it worth your time." Her voice was sultry, alluring. Cerulean eyes shining bright, a flirty smile playing on her small plump lips, flowing sky blue strands of hair and voluptuous body to die for.
What the fuck?!
"Get of off me you fucking whore!" Hands pushing her away from him, making her stumble a bit. "I don't have time for you."
A chuckle. The female not the least bothered or offended at the rough treatment. "My, is that how you greet your childhood friend, Mako-chan?"
Mako-chan? That ridiculous nickname. But the only person who would call him that...
Then it clicked.
"T-Te-Tetsuki?" Flabbergasted.
At the sound of that name, she smiled. This time a soft one like the ones she would give him all those years ago. "I'm glad you still remember."
"What the-" A hand clamped his mouth, just in time to stop the string of colorful words that was about to spill. "Watch your language, Mako-chan. There's still children here." She whispered, eyes straying to the glaring mother beside her friend. The mother huffed before walking away from them, pulling her child with her.
When the woman and child had vanished from her line of sight, Tetsuki retracted her arm. Deeming that the male won't spew dirty words again, she spoke up. "Come on."
Not bothering with his response, she went off to the exit. A bag slung over her shoulder, one hand pulled a large suitcase, and the other flipped her silky hair to the side. Hips swayed as she strutted there like a model would on a fashion show. Every movement just screamed elegance, executed with perfection as many eyes focused on her being, in awe and in love. And this does not exclude one Hanamiya Makoto who's still trying to make his brain ingest the sight of Tetsuki before him.
Where did the plain and shy girl go?
The one he had to always keep a constant eye on. The one that always got bullied and would run to his side, crying her eyes out. The clumsy girl that would often bump into things and other people, getting herself in a lot of trouble that he could count. The one that was such a klutz that he always had to accompany her to the optical shop at least once a week to get her glasses repaired. That person there was nothing like the past one. All his initial image and expectations of her stripped away in a matter of seconds. Replaced by the stunning beauty she now epitomizes herself as.
What had these five years done to her?
"Mako-chan! What are you doing there? Hurry up, we don't have all day!"
There's gonna be a lot of catching up to do.
The winter breeze blew past them, seeping through their winter garbs and freezing the skin and bones underneath. A shiver went down the female's spine as the coldness seemingly decided to mess with her. The brown scarf she had coiled around her neck didn't help much in keeping her warm as her gloved hands clutched her coat tighter around her frame.
Beside her is her childhood friend, Hanamiya Makoto. The one who had just picked her up at the airport, left her luggage in his apartment, and was now taking her out for dinner. Although he looked as if he wanted to be anywhere but there with that scowl and dark look on his visage.
"You can go home if you want," She finally said what was on her mind. "I can go and eat by myself."
A roll of the eye. "And let you get into various trouble? Yeah, right." He shoved his hands into his coat pockets. Strides matching his friend's shorter ones.
"I'm twenty-two now. I'm not the same girl you know several years ago. I can take care of myself."
"Tell that to the pervert hounds that kept on raping you with their eyes like a hyena." And true to his words, she did see many people looking, no, ogling her. Some with jealousy, some with lust, others a mix between the two. The only thing stopping them from banging her right there is the male beside her who'll throw them a dark look as if daring them to do so.
"...Fine." She finally resigned herself to having Makoto as her personal guard. "But where are you taking me to?"
"Somewhere where you can eat a lot and cost little." Was the vague response.
But even with her question getting little to no answer, she let herself be dragged around the place. Walking through a busy street and bumping into a lot of people. She was overwhelmed and almost got herself swept by the waves of flesh if not for Hanamiya who held her hand so as to not get separated from him. This gesture was done like it was the most natural thing to do. All done so nonchalantly as he gripped her limb without having to look.
"Just like all those times." Tetsuki mentally said. A nostalgic smile graced her features as she was reminded of the times they went to school and home together. Hanamiya would always offer to carry her bag and grip her wrist. Firm but not tight, warm and welcoming. And when it was raining, she held the umbrella above their heads. Although, the boy at that time would always get wet no matter how high she held it up. She was too short and Hanamiya at that time was rather tall.
But now that she thinks about it, her friend is still tall. Her only reaching his shoulders when they walk like this. Guess that's the only thing that didn't change between them. And let's not forget the scowl he always plastered to his face. That alone made him so scary looking that all the students at school labeled him as a delinquent.
And they're not that far from the mark. Hanamiya was and still is intimidating. Not afraid to use his fists and sharp tongue against other people, even to elderly folks. But even so, he doesn't just go around and randomly punch individuals in the face for fun. It was quite the opposite. When there's a fight, he'll always resort to using his tongue first, telling them off and insulting them with snide remarks and colorful words that could give any sailor a run for their money. If that's not enough, then he'll let his fists do the talking.
And whenever a fight happened, she'll always find herself scolding him. Treating his wounds the best as she can and getting upset when he told her off. It's something that would happen for at least once a month, and for some reason, the fight usually revolves around her be it because people bullied her or talked bad about her. And to this day, Tetsuki still doesn't know why he would do something like that, always so easily offended when it comes to her.
"We're here." Hanamiya snapped her out of her thoughts, and the two of them found themselves standing bellow a bridge. In front of an oden cart lit by some lanterns. The male released his hold on her hand and sat on the long bench. When she was still standing there and not sitting beside him, Hanamiya glanced over his shoulder, giving her a look as if saying "What are you doing there? Sit down."
It was so like him to invite her to dinner in an isolated place like this.
"So what'll it be, Makoto-kun?" The friendly looking man who owns the cart greeted. "And who's this beautiful lady here?"
"Her name's Tetsuki." Hanamiya introduced her to him. "I'll have the usual."
"Alright. And what about you?" He eyed the female customer who had just sat herself beside his number one customer.
But her cerulean eyes reflected confusion. Them darting left and right at the various food laid in front of them. There were hard boiled eggs, konyaku, daikon, and many others. It was a lot, and she's having a hard time deciding.
"Just give her the same as mine." Her friend said to the elderly man, saving her from having to decide. The owner nodded his head and proceeds to fill two bowls.
"Here you go." He handed them the twin bowls, steaming hot. Evident from the steam that puffed out from it. "What about drinks?"
"Sake." Was the short response from Hanamiya, taking a sip of the rich broth and biting on the egg. The man nodded and shifted his gaze to the other customer. Silently asking her the same question.
"The same."
Those two sentence she just uttered prompted the one beside her to choke on his food. Coughing loudly as the owner quickly pour some water for him while Tetsuki patted, well, more like pounded his back with such force that every time her hand came into contact with his back, it produces a dull thump.
Slim pale fingers grasped the offered glass and gave it to the male who gulp it furiously. When he was not on the verge of death from asphyxia, he cast a glare towards her. "What the hell?! You're not drinking sake."
"I'm allowed to drink. I surpassed the legal age." The Japanese legal drinking age is twenty years old. She's not a minor anymore. She can and is allowed to drink by the law.
But her friend seems adamant to not let her do so. "No. I don't care if you fucking surpassed the legal age. You're not drinking booze!"
"You're drinking. So why can't I?" It wasn't fair that Hanamiya could do anything he wants while she got restricted here and there.
"I'm older than you."
A roll of the eye. "Yeah, only a year older. That doesn't actually make much of a difference."
"I can hold my liquor!"
"So do I. I drank a lot during my time at the States." She could sometimes drink around three bottles of alcohol. And those bottles are not something to laugh about. They're far larger than the ones in Japan.
"You what?! Oh hell no! You did not just fucking say that."
"Some of my friends invited me to their party. There were a lot of alcoholic beverages there. It can't be helped." More like every week. But she'll save that little detail. Can't have him going ballistic any more than this.
"Kami-sama..." Hanamiya groaned, fingers covering his face, massaging his temples and pinching the bridge of his nose. He knew this is not going to end well.
What did she do when she's in the States? What kind of troubles did she cause? What kind of troubles did she get into? He knew it wasn't a good idea to let her study abroad like that. He should've dragged her by the leg and make her attend the same university as him.
"Come on Makoto-kun. Give the lady some slack. It's okay to get drunk once in a while." The oden man interjected, snapping the male out of his own thoughts. He let out a boisterous laugh. Suddenly jolly at seeing his customer all frustrated. His hands placed two bottles of sake and two empty cups in front of them. "Seeing the both of you bickering like that is like watching a couple's quarrel."
"We're just childhood friends. There's nothing going on between us." Hanamiya grumbled, shoving a tofu to his mouth. Munching with much vigor.
The man only laughed, ignoring the fuming male as he continued with reading his book while Tetsuki followed her friend's example and proceeds to eat her oden.
"Youngsters these days."
"Ya know gramps *hic* you're oden'ss reaaalllly gooood." A giggle escaped the girl's lips as she laid her head on the table in front of her. "Whatzz yur seaaacret ingreedeeyent?"
"Well, I can't tell you that young lady. I'll go bankrupt if I do."
"Yurrr soooo meaaan." A hiccup. Slender hands gripped the sake bottle's neck and was about to tip its contents into her mouth when a larger hand stopped her. Snatching the bottle as he glared at the girl.
"Maakooo-chaaann~ Give it baaack." She leaned towards him, pathetically trying to take back the bottle as the male did his best to keep the booze away from her flailing arms.
"You're drunk. No more sake for you." She 's clearly is. The somber Tetsuki won't slurr and would use overly polite words. The Tetsuki now was a far stretch from the usual. This flailing and whiny mess is delirious. That's a fact.
Although, he had to hand it to her. She could really hold her liquor. His onyx eyes drifted to her corner of the table, where at least eight bottles of sake perched themselves over there. Lined up like ducklings and emptied of their contents. The one he's holding away from her is the ninth and he assumed it's half way empty from the weight.
"Nooo 'm nott." She doubled her efforts. Practically sitting on his lap as her arms fruitlessly tried to grab the alcohol. "I can drink *hic* mooaarrr."
Urgh… Whose idea was it to start a drinking contest again?
"HAHA! I guess you won against your lady friend!"
That's right. It's the old man. The damn old geezer. He literary stole his money right out of his wallet. Them ordering one bottle after the other without realizing. And when he saw his own line of bottles on his corner…
His wallet's gonna fucking weep.
DAMN IT!
"Well? Pay up Makoto-kun." The oden cart owner cackled. Palm thrust forward, uncomfortably close to his face. That is until Tetsuki's attempted cannibalism made the said wrinkly limb retract with a surprised yelp. "My hand's not some kind of food, lady!"
He's starting to like this intoxicated version of his childhood friend.
"Wipe that grin off your face and pay up!"
"Yeah, yeah." He placed a hand on Tetsuki's face and pushed her back from him. Taking a swig from the bottle in his hand and emptying the contents. The whine from the female was ignored as he took out his wallet and pulled out all of the cash it contained. "Here. You shitty old man."
"Is that how you address your elders? Fucking shithead." The man counted the money before giving the change. "Just go and get lost. Damn youngsters these days have no respect."
The cash was snatched and shoved into his pants pocket. "I'm outta here."
"Wait four meee, Mako-chan~" Tetsuki fumbled with her purse. Arms flailing to zip it shut and feet unsteady as she immediately fell back on her seat when trying to stand up. "Yuu always walk sooo fast."
"Leaving your lady friend here. Real smooth, brat. Real smooth." The oden owner sneered. "Maybe I can take her to my place if you don't want her."
"Shut your trap you fucking perverted old man!" Hanamiya snatched the purse from those delicate hands and slung it over his shoulder. Then he crouched in front of the female, back against her and hands held behind. "Get on."
Seeing this, the intoxicated female wasted no time to lunge forward, latching herself to him like a koala would. The male grunted a bit before standing up, adjusting his hold. Tetsuki expressed her glee by squealing and hugging his neck. Slurring out that it was a long time since he gave her a piggyback ride and that it brought out good memories.
"Come back again." The old man waved at the pair. The supposed goodbye sounded as if insulting him. He was about to retort with an insult of his own or give him the glorious middle finger if not for Tetsuki who was giggling beside his ear. Alcoholic breath tingling his skin, making his desire to tell off the man die out.
"Let's go."
The moon shone on them. The streets less crowded as it was already midnight. The houses and buildings had all turned off their lights, a sign that the occupants were asleep. But the streetlights stayed faithful, still pouring their artificial lights to further brighten the dark street.
On a deserted road, Hanamiya walked. On his back is a heavily drunk girl who slurred random words every now and then. Letting out giggles and hiccups as she laid her head on his shoulder. All of which he promptly drowned out, keeping an eye on the road and the dark alleys. Night is the time where scumbags roam, and if one were to ambush them, it would not end well.
A sigh. He still has to walk for another fifteen minutes till he arrives at his apartment complex and he had been walking for around half an hour. The weather was not helping either. The winds were harsh and the cold unrelenting. He'd be surprised if tomorrow neither of them caught a cold.
"Mako-chan~. How've yuu been?" The female on his back said. She nuzzled his shoulder, flushed face warm on his skin.
"Fine." A brief answer. Feet still dragging them both back to his apartment.
"Juzz fine? Yuu didn't miss mee?" She asked. Not waiting for a response, she continued. "I miss yuu lotss! Her hands unclasped from his neck and spread out to her sides as if telling her the size of her feelings. "It wuzz lonely without yuu."
The arms coiled around his neck again. "Miss me? You've got a shit load of friends there. And that Taiga guy too."
"Taiga? Oh yuu mean dat assholee?" A hiccup and then suddenly a sob. "He's always leaving me aloneee. Always goin off wit hiz othur friendzz."
"What the fucking hell?! I thought you were dating him."
"We were dating, but then we broke off. He forgot about meee. He would alwaaayss bring back other girlzz. Then he would go into hizz room end then moans end grunts would come out from the room."
"Fuck!"
"I knooow, fuck." She parroted. "Because of dat, I moved two another apartment. Slapped the fucking dick on hiz face and kicked his ballzz. Hope he can't *hic* have kidzz." A hum and a nuzzle. "Fucking shithead~"
A chuckle. This Tetsuki's amusing. Saying profanities as if it was nothing. It's something he would never catch the normal, polite Tetsuki blurt out. But as they say, alcohol lowers inhibitions. Destroying all barriers and revealing the consciousness' hidden thoughts. That can't be anymore truer.
But he was glad that her bravery never changed even after all these years. Never afraid to do what's right. Going neck to neck with other guys twice her size. Consequences be damned. She'll think of whatever would happen to her later. That's why he's always so worried. That single trait of her's got her into various troubles.
Sure she has low presence and could use misdirection, but when confronting people, she never bothered with all that. She'll purposely let her presence be known, misdirection left behind. Which would have saved him a lot of trouble if she ever bothered with that.
Well, no use in entertaining that thought now. What matters is that she's here, safe and sound and not getting into any sort of trouble. Yet…
"Hey, Mako-chan~"
"What?" He took a turn. Adjusting his hold on her legs.
"Did yuu know? I liek yuu." A giggle. She hugged him tighter, her cheek pressed against his. "Ever since we were little~"
Hanamiya blinked. He heard that wrong. She's drunk, no need to take her words head on. "Yuur probably think 'm crazy. Thinking 'm *hic* drunk end your ears r broken." Did being drunk made her gain supernatural abilities?
"But I really liek yuu." She nuzzled a flabbergasted Hanamiya. "Yuu always put up with my crap, always protecting me end never leaving mee behind. In fact I was da one who left yuu behind." Another sob, accompanied with a sniffle. "'m really sorry. But I thought I need two bee away from yuu. Get away from yuu."
"Why?" He didn't understand. Really. Why would she do that?
"Ya know, yur really popular with da ladies back at school." She mumbled, not exactly answering his question. "They said yur hot end sexy end smart end atuhlehtic end other things. But then yur with lil' ol' me. Butt ugly, overly shy, bug eyed end stupid as hell. They say if I wuzn't with yuu, chainin' yuu down, yuu'd be banging ladies left end right. Yuu'd be able ta spread yuur wings, do what eva yuu want."
"And that's why you fucking left? Without so much as a goodbye?" He remembered that day. Him knowing about her studying abroad the day she left. He remembered immediately running to the airport only to discover that her plane had taken off. Ever since that day, they would only contact each other by e-mail. No calls, no video calls, no photos. The only thing that made him recognize her at the airport earlier that day is her eyes, hair, and the ridiculous nickname she still calls him.
"Yea." Stupid woman. "But when I wuz in da States end saw da girlzz there all pretty end how fucking Taiga left me fur other girlzz, I realized sumtin'" A yawn, it was getting late but they're almost there. Jetlag didn't help either. "I need ta be like dat twoo."
"So I began doin' makeup. Read fucking fashion magazines. Go out on shitty parties every week with mah friendzz there. Studied mah fucking ass off. I thought that if I'm goin' home, I won't be that same Tetsuki who always got bullied end insulted end shy end stupid. I'm not gonna be da girl that would drag yuu down."
They arrived and Hanamiya brought both of them in front of the elevator. Head butting the button and the metal doors immediately opened. He entered and pushed the top most floor with his forehead. He's got no choice. Tetsuki's too drunk to help, his hands are occupied, and he's definitely not pressing that button with his tongue.
"I hoped ta dazzle yuu when I get back here. Make yuu fall fer mee." Tetsuki continued as the elevator brought them further up. "I even ditched my glasses."
A couple of seconds later, a ding was heard and the metal doors parted again for them. "But I guess, in da end 'm just yuur childhood friend. Nothin' goin on between us. Just liek wat yuu said two da oden man."
He kicked off his shoes and walked in. Navigating his way in the dark private penthouse of his until he reached a door. Good thing his bedroom was not properly shut. That made him able to just barge in without having to struggle with the handle.
Slightly kicking the wooden entrance gave him the view of his slightly messy room. Only the bare minimum resides there, only the necessities. A large closet leaned on the wall, a desk cluttered with papers, a shelf housing his college tomes, and finally a futon in the center. Unmade and messy.
Hanamiya gently crouched. Hands ever so slowly released their grip and placed her on his futon. One look at her face revealed that slumber had taken her over as her flushed face relaxed. Breath steadied, and a slight purr could be heard coming from the back of her throat.
Next, he took off her boots and her coat and scarf. Setting them aside for now before pulling out another futon from his closet. Spreading it a little further from where Tetsuki's laying and placing a pillow on it.
"Idiot girl." He said to the room. Onyx eyes strayed to his childhood friend's sleeping form. Body curled up on her side as the white comforter protected her from the cold air.
Rough hands placed the bag on top of his desk, took off his own coat, and throwing it to the corner of the room lazily. "All these years and you didn't realize."
A melancholic smile. One that was certainly unbefitting of him and one that people won't caught it being plastered on his face. "Did you really think I'd do all that to any girl?" He asked the slumbering girl. Words falling on deaf ears and not echoed an answer. "Walked you to and from school, helped you with your homework, stayed up late to care for you when your ill and home alone. Any other girl and it'd be a waste of time for me."
He laid on his futon. Pulling the comforter until it reached his shoulders. Body laid to the side, facing the girl. "For years I only ever saw you. Always wanting for your smile, carving for your laugh, yearning for your kindness. You're the only one who would see me for who I am."
"And here you are, saying that you chained me down when in truth you held my hand and led me to brighter days." A hand snaked out from underneath the covers. Reaching for the delicate hand that had strayed from its fluffy white land. Rough fingers stretched out but not quite touching, distance too far for the limb to cover. "You left me behind without notice, without a goodbye. Changing yourself for someone like me. I can never understand you."
"I can never understand your line of thinking. All my efforts you saw those as me only doing those for the sake of my childhood friend. So can you blame me when eventually I began to think that way? You're like an impossible thing to reach." He slightly raised his hand, using his limb's shadow to brush her bangs from her face. Pretending that the dark shade was an extension of himself even though it didn't accomplish the small job.
"You took those insults to heart. I told you numerous times not to be bothered. Fuck those guys. They don't know you. They don't know how hard you tried." The limb retracted. The cold stinging it. "And if you asked me, you don't need to change. You can wipe those make-up, put back those huge glasses atop your nose, fail the tests, and wake up with that bird's nest of a hair. I don't care. You're still Tetsuki."
He flipped his body so that he was now facing the window, back towards the female. "I was not fine. I missed you. The only thing keeping me sane are those e-mails."
"...And I l-like you t-too." That one sentence was mumbled. Hands raised from beneath the comforters to slightly cover his face. He could feel a blush began to creep to his cheeks and ears. Kami-sama that was embarrassing. Good thing Tetsuki's asleep and the room is dark.
Well, better get some sleep.
If Hanamiya chose that time to face the slumbering girl, he'd be rewarded with the sight of Tetsuki actually awake. Cerulean eyes soft as a gentle smile rested on her lips. Her having heard every single word from those lips that would usually spew only profanities, even though she was still slightly intoxicated. Guess those days drinking booze at the States actually paid off.
"You're so sweet Mako-chan."
A/N: Hello! Origami Scrawls here and thank you for reading this fic. This fic is a request from Shiranai Atsune who wanted a fic about Fem!Kuroko and Hanamiya being childhood friends.
Oh and for those who's still wondering. First, this fic is set five years later after Kuroko graduated high school, so they're older. Second, the sake bottle in this fic is not those large glass ones but the small ones made of clay with a slender neck and wide lips. Third, I used "I like you" instead of "I love you" it's because in Japan they don't actually say love. Because saying I love you is like saying it on someone's deathbed where it's the last time you'll ever see them. That's how serious the love word is to them.
Anyway thanks for reading! I apologize for any misspellings or grammatical errors you may find in this fic (I purposely broke and twisted the spellings for the drunk Kuroko though) Have a great day!
I do not own Kuroko no Basket nor the image I used. They belong to their respective owners.