"I'm so sorry for the disturbance that happened last night! Please except these in my thanks for withstanding it!" I almost shout as I bow low and shove the plate of cookies towards my elderly neighbor.
Shouyou and Tobio came over to my apartment last night, and, as expected, bickered the night away. It appalls me how they can be so perfect fro each other when they fight as much as they do.
Once they finally tired each other out, at 2 in the freaking morning, the first thing I did was bake three-dozen cookies to apologize to my dear neighbors who probably couldn't sleep with all the shouting.
Shouyou says that I'm a 'stress baker', but that's not true. I mean sure, I've baked after many stressful occasions, like when my sister's cat got sick, and after a certain important class exam, and… okay, I guess I could be considered a 'stress baker', but that's not important!
My apology cookies will be going to the kind Tachibana family across the hall, old Ms. Mizaki to my left, and the somewhat aloof, tall guy to my right that I have yet to introduce myself to, even though he had moved in over a month ago.
I've only seen this guy twice, and the only thing I can say is that he'd be quite attractive if he could show some kind of…positive emotion. Both times I've seem him, he looked either bored or annoyed. So…yeah, I have a reason for not speaking to him yet. Plus, he hasn't made any attempt to speak to me either so I'm not the only one to blame for this.
Why am I debating with myself anyways? Oh right, I'm trying to burn time so that I don't have to knock on his door yet. As I stand outside his door, final plate of cookies in shaking hands, I create a mental list of reasons why I shouldn't knock.
He doesn't seem to be one for visitors.
I wouldn't want to bother him on a Saturday.
What if it was his birthday? I wouldn't want to interfere.
What if someone he knows just passed away?
What. If. He. Hates. Freckles?!
"Did you need something?"
The voice shocks me out of my internal thoughts and I'm almost certain that I let out a ridiculous squeak. My cheeks burn like something wild and I've never before been as thankful for my darker skin tone that hides it. I bow and stutter out what I'm sure is a very awkward apology, knowing myself as I do.
"I-I-I'm so sorry! For being lost in…in my head and not noticing you and-and never introducing myself. I'm Yamaguchi Tadashi by the way! Nice to meet you. And… oh my goodness! I could never be more sorry for the ruckus last night! My friends are very loud and it was late at night, well, technically it was early in the morning, but that's not important! … Cookies?" I end my incredibly embarrassing spew of words and shove the plate of cookies towards the man before me. I'm startled to hear a soft snort and when I raise my head to it's source, a gasp is swept from my lungs.
Well, there goes my heart.
I may have thought that he was attractive from a distance, but I was so, so wrong. He is not what is considered cute, he's gorgeous!
His short and utterly soft looking blond hair curls loosely around his ears and thick rimmed glasses frame stunning golden irises that … are staring right at me? Shot! I can not believe that I've been staring at him like a dead fish! How completely embarrassing! Have I no grasp on social norms? C'mon Tadashi! Get a grip! I can't…
"Is that all? Because if we're done here, I'd love to get back to anything more productive than this," he says, seemingly irritated.
"Of course sir! Sorry to…"
"Don't call me sir, I'm not an old man."
"Sure thing. My bad! What should I call you then? You haven't exactly introduced yourself. Not that you have to of course!" I quickly interrupt myself. "Only if you wish to, I don't want to make…"
"Are you aware that you tend to ramble?" He's the one to interrupt me this time. I decide not to open my mouth in case more words decide that they want to stumble off my lips. Instead I give a slow nod to his question.
"Good, " he responds, "At least one of us gained something from this conversation."
Ouch. I'm not gonna lie, that kind of stung. Here I am, bringing this guy some apology cookies, and he has the nerve to blatantly insult me. I don't know whether it was due to my lack of sleep or some other force of nature, but for some reason this guy was making me uncharacteristically mad. I could not believe this jerk! Gorgeous or not!
Well I was not about to make a bigger fool of myself for no reason. My pride had suffered enough beating today.
I proceeded to drop the plate of cookie, (thank all holy deities that the plate was plastic), at his feet and stomped away, fuming like a child.
But ya know what? I don't care if I act like a child! I have had a troubling morning and am just ready for the suffering to end.
It wasn't until I closed my own door behind me that I realized what I had just done.
Well damn.
I really liked that plate.
"Tadashi, I'm not sure what makes you think that I care about your social crisis, but I don't."
"This is not a social crisis! I'm just flustered, and embarrassed beyond belief, and mad. Very mad."
I probably should have known that Kozume would be as uninterested in my problems as he is with most things.
"Hey, why are you pouting Yama?"
"I'm not pouting! I'm mad! Particularly fuming, Kuroo-san, thank you very much."
Of course, wherever Kozume is, Kuroo isn't far behind.
"This is your mad face?" Kuroo pauses until I respond with a short nod. "Aww! That's just too cute! It seems that our wittle Yama can't make his face do anything but look cute and happy."
This statement only deepens my frown, or what might actually just be a pout.
"Stop Kuro," Kozume interjects for once, "Just let him think he's scary."
I watch Kuroo snicker in that creepy way only he can as he leans across the counter.
"Kuro, get off the counter, you don't work here," Kozume barely mutters, but loud enough for Kuroo reply, "Yeah, but you do Kitten, so I can't keep myself away."
It still eludes me how people with such contrasting personalities can match and fit as well as Kuroo and Kozume do. After working at the bookstore with Kozume for a couple of months, I've seen my fair share of interactions between them, and I still don't get it.
I almost forgot that I had a previous mission to tell Kozume my troubling tale from yesterday.
"Hey Kozume-san,"
"No honorific."
"Hey Kozume,"
"Just Kenma."
"Kenma-san,"
"No honorific."
"KENMA!" I just yell, utterly flustered with this 'game'.
"Hmm?" Kenma hums, and I realize that he hadn't even been paying attention to what I was trying to say. The jingle of the bell calls on my attention, and I had started to welcome the customer, until I realized it was the exact person I didn't want to see.
I do realize that I should probably let go of our one-sided spat and be mature about it, but I can't help but feel hesitant. Because in he walks with his stoic, tall, beauty… No Tadashi! Bad thoughts! We will not again get caught in his piercing, golden, beautiful eyes. "Gah! Not again!"
"Umm, Yama?" I hear Kuroo snicker.
Wait, did I just say that out-loud? Way to go, Tadashi, way to make yourself look like even more of a fool in front of your neighbor.
"Sorry! I just forgot that I … um… forgot to feed my cat again. Yeah!" I hastily try to throw together an excuse for my outburst.
"Pets aren't allowed in the apartment building, Yamaguchi, so try again." My neighbor pipes in. Even with his rude statement, I can't help but be a little flattered that he remembered my name from yesterday.
"Huh? Tsukki, do you know YamaguchI?" Tsukki? When Kuroo says this, I realize that I never got his name. Tsukki sounds like too sweet of a name to belong to someone so grumpy. I doubt that he'd appreciate me using the name, so I'll just have to file it away for later.
"Not that it's any of your business, Kuroo, but yes. He's my neighbor."
I couldn't fathom why he would emphasize the word 'neighbor,' but it must have meant something to Kuroo, because he grin turned into a nasty smirk.
"Would you look at the time? It looks like Tsukki and I have to be on our way. See ya!" Kuroo suddenly grabs Tsukki, which he does not seem too happy about, and heads for the door.
"Stupid Kuro, he just got here and he's already leaving," I can barely hear Kozume huff out when standing next to him, but somehow Kuroo heard him from a couple meters away. I'm amazed to see his smirk melt into the genuine smile designed just for his boyfriend, as he turns and said, "Sorry Kitten. I'll see you at home after work, all right? Don't miss me too much!" He doesn't leave through the door until a slightly red Kenma gives him the smallest of nods.
I turn to look at Kozume and can feel the stupid smile on my face.
"Kenma-san, you and Kuroo-san are just too cute."
"No honorific."
"GAH!"
"So Tsukki, you didn't tell me that Yamaguchi was the cute neighbor you've been stalking and gushing about," Kuroo laughs as he drags Tsukishima down the sidewalk with an arm slung over his shoulders.
"I have not been stalking him, I simply recognize his presence when it's there. And I'd hardly call it gushing. I didn't even know his name until yesterday anyways, not that it matters."
"Why on Earth wouldn't this tidbit of information matter, old buddy old pal?"
"Because," Tsukishima sneers when he shoves off the offending appendage off his shoulders. "I'm quite certain that he's not fond of me."
"Well I can't imagine why, especially with your shining personality." This drags an even deeper glare on the blonde's face.
"All right, all right. Why don't you tell uncle Kuroo what went down?"
"As long as I never have to here you say 'Uncle Kuroo' ever again."
"Deal."
When Tsukishima begrudgingly the embarrassing story of the events from the day before, Kuroo can't stop himself from laughing.
"I cannot believe," he barely chokes out through his chortles, "that you insulted sweet, little Yamaguchi, out of nervousness. You! Nervous! This is the best thing I've ever heard!"
"I was not nervous," Tsukishima snaps.
"Yeah, you keep telling yourself that. But anyway you see it, you still have to apologize."
Through Kuroo's rambunctious laughter, Tsukishima realizes that this cackling idiot might be right.