"Kurokocchi!" Kise's voice rang out loud and clear from the other end of the hall.
Kuroko's head whipped around to face the owner of the voice. Said owner was now sprinting towards him at top speed, hands spread out to engulf Kuroko in a massive hug.
Kuroko could easily step away and avoid Kise's hug, but he decided to indulge the blonde that night and grant him the hug.
After glomping the daylights out of Kuroko, Kise stepped away and observed the blue-haired teen. Kuroko was dressed in a standard waiter's uniform. "Eh? Kurokocchi is a waiter tonight?"
"Akane-san told me that there aren't enough waiters to serve the food tonight, so I was drafted in last-minute," Kuroko explained. The basketball club of Teiko had organised a charity dinner event where the entire school was invited to dine for a fee which would go to charity. Most of the basketball team members were the servers. After the dinner, there would be an auction on basketball team members that had volunteered to dance with the highest bidders for each of them. All of the proceeds would go to charity. "Are you nervous?" asked Kuroko, when he saw that Kise was bouncing on the balls of his feet.
Kise had been volunteered by Aomine to host the event tonight. Aomine's reason? Kise was a model and so was pleasing to the eye, and besides, his personality suited him for being a host. There was a unanimous agreement from the first-string members, so Kise was stuck being the host. "Uh, a little," Kise replied, chuckling nervously. "I've never done this before-ssu!" He pulled on the hem of the suit he was wearing.
"Kise-kun will be fine."
Kise's face brightened at Kuroko's statement. "You really think so, Kurokocchi?!"
Just as Kise was moving to hug him another time, Kuroko dodged the embrace expertly. "Kise-kun, one a day is enough," Kuroko deadpanned.
"Eeehh?"
"Oi, Kise!" There was a violent nudge on Kise's back. "Don't harass Tetsu!"
"Aominecchi!" Kise turned around excitedly. This time, Aomine was the recipient of his massive glomp.
Aomine ruffled Kise's hair affectionately. Under normal circumstances, Aomine was not very warm; he didn't show kindness very openly. But since he and Kise were dating (and had been for the past three months), Aomine dropped his shields around Kise.
"Aomine-kun," Kuroko greeted.
"Mou, I'm not disturbing Kurokocchi!" Kise moaned into his boyfriend's chest.
"Whatever," Aomine ground out. He had one arm over Kise's body and was still gently caressing Kise's hair. "Oh, Tetsu, Satsuki told me to inform you that she submitted your name to the auction thingy later tonight."
Kuroko's eyes widened. "She what?"
Kise turned around in Aomine's arms to face Kuroko. "I think she wants to buy a dance from Kurokocchi," he mused thoughtfully.
"Hmph," snorted Aomine. "I know she doesn't have much money to spend, so she shouldn't get her hopes up."
"Er, she might actually win, you know," said Kuroko. "Seeing as I'm practically invisible anyway, she'll be the only one to place a bid."
"I'll bid for you too, Kurokocchi!" Kise chirped in. "That way, Momoicchi won't be the only one to place a bid!"
"Don't be ridiculous, Kise!" growled Aomine. "You're hosting the auction – how the fuck are you going to bid too?"
"EEEHH? I can't?!" Kise looked at Aomine with a horrified expression.
Aomine sighed in exasperation. "Excuse me, Tetsu, I need to teach my boyfriend a lesson," he said, before grabbing the back of Kise's collar and dragging the whining blonde away.
Kuroko waved at the couple as they disappeared from sight, choosing to ignore the sexual connotation to Aomine's statement. Then, he slumped down on a nearby chair. So, he was to be auctioned off, huh? Well, more precisely, a dance from him was to be auctioned off. He supposed a dance wasn't too bad, but problem was that Kuroko couldn't dance! He didn't know how to dance! The person who won the bid on him would have to have the money refunded because he couldn't fulfil what had been paid for.
Oh, this was a disaster.
The rest of the night went by smoothly. As expected, most of the guests who arrived for the dinner were of the female persuasion – mostly, they wanted to see the basketball team members involving themselves in activities out of the court apart from school.
It was a busy night for Kuroko, too, as there were just enough waiters, so no one could afford to rest. The waiters were constantly running in and out of the kitchen to get the food to the guests.
The hectic situation made Kuroko forget about the auction that was due to happen later in the night.
Well, almost. It was a mild nagging at the back of Kuroko's head even as he served the food.
Nevertheless, Kuroko was glad when dessert was over and he could finally rest his sore feet. He plopped himself down on the ground next to Murasakibara, who was munching on some potato chips. Murasakibara was also assigned to be a waiter for this event, but was peeved that he couldn't snack while serving the food. So, he was now catching up on his eating. "Want some, Kuro-chin?" Murasakibara offered up the pack of potato chips to Kuroko.
"Huh? No thanks, Murasakibara-kun. I don't have the mood to be eating right now."
"Eh? Do you have a tummy ache?"
"No. I'm just nervous."
Murasakibara stuffed a potato chip into his mouth. "What about?"
"Momoi-san entered my name into the auction."
"Ara? Kuro-chin is going to dance with someone?" Kuroko didn't miss the glee in Murasakibara's voice.
"Well… yes. But I don't know how to dance."
"Eh? It can't be that hard, can it?" Murasakibara bit into a particularly large potato chip. "You just move your feet with your partner, right?"
Kuroko shrugged. "I don't know. I've never attempted to dance with anyone before."
"Hmm."
Then, there was silence between Kuroko and Murasakibara.
From what Kuroko could observe so far, the highest price that had gone for a dance with a basketball player was 40,000yen. It was from one of the female guests to buy a dance with one of the better-looking players on the team, a second-year by the name of Usui. He was, however, in the third-string. Which goes to show that it didn't matter which string you were in. As long as you were good-looking, women would flock to you.
Finally, it was Kuroko's turn to be auctioned. Because of Momoi's late entry, he was the last one. He stepped onto the stage with as much dignity as he could muster when Kise announced his name.
"And here we have the invisible player of the team-ssu!" Kise declared. "He's a gentle soul…"
After that, Kuroko didn't hear what else Kise said. But it seemed as though Kise was trying to sell his positive traits. As if that's going to work. Nobody sees me anyway.
Kuroko was jolted out of his thoughts when a silky voice said firmly, "700,000yen."
What?
There was an audible gasp from all the occupants of the room.
Kuroko gulped. Which middle-school student would have that kind of money to spend on a dance? What more with an invisible person like Kuroko?
Kise was laughing nervously. "Anything higher than 700,000yen?"
There was silence. Nobody could afford to beat that price.
"Well… going once, going twice, and it's sold!" Kise yelled. "A dance with Kurokocchi sold to…" Kise squinted at the crowd to determine the person who put forward that price. "Ehh? Akashicchi?!"
All eyes turned to look at the smug-looking basketball club captain.
Kuroko sighed. Well, it made sense – only Akashi could afford to pay such a large sum of money. But why him? Why Kuroko?
"And that concludes our auction!" Kise announced. "Now the dancing will take place. Whoever that bought a dance can come up to the stage to claim your dance. And the rest of you can enter the dance floor and dance with whoever you see fit."
It wasn't long before Akashi approached Kuroko. "Hello, Kuroko," he greeted.
"A-Akashi-kun," Kuroko stammered. Why was he so nervous around his red-haired captain?
"Shall we dance?" Akashi held out his hand for Kuroko to take.
"Akashi-kun, I have a confession."
"What's that, Kuroko?"
"I… I don't know how to dance."
Akashi laughed. It wasn't loud. It wasn't teasing. It wasn't cruel. "I know."
"What?!" Kuroko exclaimed. "You know I don't know how to dance and you still bought a dance from me?!"
Akashi raised an eyebrow as if to say, "What does it look like, you idiot?" His hand was still held out, and Akashi looked once at his hand, encouraging Kuroko silently to take his hand.
Hesitantly, Kuroko placed his hand in Akashi's. That was the cue for Akashi to lead Kuroko into the dance floor.
Akashi found them a spot away from the crowd where they could not be disturbed. "I'll lead, okay?" Akashi said.
Kuroko felt his throat go dry. This was really happening. Akashi was going to dance with him! "O… okay," he managed.
"I'll hold this hand," Akashi muttered, taking Kuroko's right hand and holding it up in a clasp. Then, Akashi placed his right hand on Kuroko's shoulder blade. "Now you just rest your arm easily on mine and place your hand on the back of my shoulder."
Kuroko did as Akashi instructed him to.
"We'll take this slow, alright? Just follow my steps," Akashi said reassuringly.
Kuroko nodded.
The music was already playing when Akashi and Kuroko were ready to dance. So, Akashi took the first step. He stepped forward with his left foot, so Kuroko had to take a step backward with his right.
Soon, Akashi and Kuroko had a steady rhythm going, and although Kuroko still stumbled a little, Akashi was very patient.
"Akashi-kun?"
"Hm?" Akashi was looking at Kuroko's face.
"Why did you buy a dance from me for such a high price?"
Akashi smirked. "I had to make sure that I was the only one to get it, don't I?"
"But I can't even dance!"
"Does it matter?"
"It does!" exclaimed Kuroko. "You need to get your money's worth!"
"I've already gotten my money's worth," Akashi replied simply.
"Huh?"
"Kuroko," Akashi said in an amused tone. "You are so dense."
Kuroko was getting more and more confused by the minute. Was Akashi implying what he thought he was implying? But it couldn't be! Kuroko's feelings for Akashi were most definitely not requited. Akashi was asexual! Akashi had no inclination towards romance or even sex!
Akashi took Kuroko's silence as a sign to clarify things. "It was me who asked Momoi to put your name into the auction," Akashi explained. "I wanted to dance with you. So of course I had to put forward that ridiculously high price so that I would outbid everyone and get to dance with you."
"But… why…?"
Akashi smiled. "Isn't it obvious by now?" He lifted his right hand to brush Kuroko's cheek tenderly. "I like you. I may even say that I love you."
Kuroko's jaw dropped open. His legs had turned to jelly and he could no longer stand to support himself, what more dance. His hand unconsciously let go of Akashi's hand. If not for Akashi's strong arms holding him upright, Kuroko would have fallen to the ground.
It was then the dam broke. A choked sob ripped through Kuroko's throat, and soon, he was sobbing helplessly into his hands.
"Kuroko!" Akashi cried. "It's okay! I don't expect you to return my feelings – I just wanted you to know!"
By then, both Akashi and Kuroko had sunk to their knees onto the ground.
"No no no…" Kuroko held up a hand and placed it gently on Akashi's shoulder. By then, he was smiling, even though tears were streaming down his face. "Your feelings are returned. These… these are tears of joy," he explained. "I've been harbouring feelings for you since I met you, and it is a huge relief to see that they are requited."
Akashi touched his forehead against Kuroko's. "Then don't cry. I hate seeing you cry."
"But I am happy!"
"Even so," Akashi lifted his hands to Kuroko's face and touched the sides of his face lightly. Using his thumbs, he brushed Kuroko's tears away.
Soon, the both of them were laughing together. When they were done laughing, Akashi was looking at Kuroko with a loving expression on his face.
"Can I kiss you?" Akashi asked.
Kuroko felt his cheeks warm up. Wordlessly, he nodded.
Akashi leaned forward to plant the first of many kisses on Kuroko's lips.
"It's about time!" growled Aomine from where he was standing at the bar where soft drinks were being served.
"What is it, Aominechhi?" Kise slid up to his boyfriend.
Aomine gestured towards Akashi and Kuroko, who were both kneeling on the ground, deep in a kiss.
"Eeh? Kurokocchi and Akashicchi?!" Kise shrieked. But he quickly calmed down. "That explains why Akashicchi was willing to fork out 700,000yen for a dance with Kurokocchi."
"Akashi is a crazy bastard," grunted Aomine.
A/N – Akashi here is Oreshi, that's why he calls Kuroko by his last name.