As usual I post the prologue + first chapter.
FANFICTION
HAIKYUU! : BEAUTIFUL DISASTER
CHAPTER II : New Beginnings
"I'm a very private person. You don't ask, I don't tell."
— Unknown
"We try so hard to hide everything we're really feeling from those who probably need to know our true feelings the most."
— Colleen Hoover, Maybe Someday
"Sometimes I have the strangest feeling about you. Especially when you are near me as you are now. It feels as though I had a string tied here under my left rib where my heart is, tightly knotted to you in a similar fashion. And when you go, with all that distance between us, I am afraid that this cord will be snapped, and I shall bleed inwardly."
— Charlotte Brontë, Jane Eyre
"When we met again, there was this electrifying spark– and it was dangerous, because we both knew that the other felt it, too."
— Unknown
"A beautiful woman is a beautiful woman, but a beautiful woman with a brain is an absolutely lethal combination."
— Prabal Gurung
"She was the kind of person who took care of things by herself. She'd never ask anybody for advice or help. It wasn't a matter of pride, I think. She just did what seemed natural to her."
— Haruki Murakami
"Fire will attract more attention than any other cry for help."
— Jean-Michel Basquiat
"No one can hate you more than someone who used to love you."
― Rick Riordan, The Blood of Olympus
"You… Saito Akane…" Kuroo Tetsurou hissed, an annoyed vein popping at his forehead.
The same look of irritation and total disdain appeared on the girl's face as her lips trembled, holding back a wave of insults.
"Kuroo Tetsurou…" She said, her tone sheathing.
"What are you doing here?!" They both asked in the same time, leaning towards each other out of annoyance.
"I asked first!" Kuroo exclaimed.
"No, I did!"
"I did – what the hell are you doing here?!" He continued.
"I'm moving in – isn't it obvious, dumb cat?!" Saito exclaimed, pointing at the boxes at her feet, "What are you doing here?!"
Tetsurou gritted his teeth and glanced over his shoulder at the piles of boxes:
"Apartment 406?" He asked, even if his voice sounded strained.
"…Don't tell me…" She continued, closing her eyes in desperation.
"Apartment 407 is me, yeah…" He mumbled, shoulders dropping in defeat.
They stared at each other, gazes clashing.
They remembered all six years they spent competing, mostly about their grades and their results. Whenever they'd cross paths, they'd start arguing, or insulting, or pissing off each other, or competing. They always ended up in the same class and were the two fighting over the best results in every field. It had become even worse since high-school and now… they had to be neighbors. They literally shared the same wall.
The one thing they competed over most was Science. They both loved Science and were the best of their classes in these subjects – they were willing to leave the podium of best of classes to others in Literature subjects but NOT Science subjects. For Science, it was a personal matter between Tetsurou and Akane and everyone knew not to get in their way or they'd get fried.
If Kuroo lived here because it was close to the University of Tokyo, it probably meant…
"University of Tokyo?" Akane asked, reaching the same conclusions as him.
"…Faculty of Science," he answered suspiciously.
"Damn it!" She exclaimed, stomping her foot on the floor, "You had to choose the same university as me, didn't you?!"
"Excuse me! I chose the university I preferred! Not MY fault if you ended up in the same university – and faculty!" He retorted.
"I thought you were becoming a volleyball pro or something!"
"I do that too! I do both but I can't bet everything on volleyball either!" He exclaimed.
Something close to 'impressed' that he'd study and practice to be pro seemed to appear on Akane's face but as soon as it had appeared, before Tetsurou could acknowledge this expression, she erased it with a shake of her head.
"What do you study? Please, don't say 'Department of Applied Biological Science'…" She asked, sounding pleading.
With no answer other than the look of slow agony on his face, it was explicit enough for her to have her answer.
"Area of Biochemistry?" She hissed, closing her eyes.
"Biophysics…" He said, huffing.
They eyed each other. They'd have classes in common but they weren't in the same area. It was at least that.
"Stay out of my way." She said disdainfully, arms crossed under her breasts.
"You definitely don't have to worry about that," he said with a bad smirk.
"Good."
"Good." He agreed.
They promptly looked away from each other and suddenly, it was as if the other didn't exist. Kuroo punched the elevator button while Saito grabbed a box and started to advance towards apartment 406.
Testurou tried to ignore her but as soon as she was a few meters away, his anger recessed and he glanced on his left. He saw her trying to keep up her box by lifting up her knee all the while struggling to her studio apartment. Did she bring up all of these boxes on her own? She didn't have anyone to help her out?
"Tch…" He muttered.
The elevator's doors opened but he leaned down and grabbed the box he had dropped earlier. He half-hoped the broken thing wasn't in this box – he'd feel guilty otherwise and he didn't want of such a feeling for Saito Akane….
Akane turned around and jumped away suspiciously, eying Kuroo while he carried her last box.
"What are you doing?" She asked, mistrustful.
"I may dislike you but I'm not enough of an asshole to let a girl carry so many boxes on her own!" He answered, a little annoyed that she couldn't just be thankful.
She continued to stare at him, eyes slightly widened then understood that he was helping her.
"O-oh… oh. Than–"
"Don't thank me, it'll get creepy," he cut, rolling his eyes.
"Fine!" She exclaimed, frowning once again and taking out her keys to open her apartment.
She opened the door angrily then went inside with a box, making sure that Kuroo would not be the first one to step inside her new place. He helped her in silence, noticing that unlike his place, there was no furniture at all in hers. Only boxes to fill the emptiness. His furniture had come from his home and he glanced down at Akane as she was counting the boxes.
"Do you have anything else to bring up here?" He asked.
"Ah? No, I have everything, than…"
Her voice trailed off and she glanced over at the young man, wondering if she could thank him. He smirked at her, silently telling her to not thank him for something so simple.
"If you don't need my help anymore, then I'll go." He said, turning around.
She stared at him leaving before startling and, not wanting to let him have the last word, ran to her door and screamed at him already at the other side of the hall:
"I didn't ask for it!" She exclaimed before slamming the door.
She didn't hear his answer – he probably just ignored her. Akane moaned and covered her face with her hands before sliding down on the floor, cursing her life for forcing her to spend more years alongside Kuroo Tetsurou. Very, very much close considering now they'd probably hear each other's from across the thin wall.
For the following days, they didn't cross paths again and they were very happy about that. The next time they saw each other was on the first day at the university for a presentation of the Science faculty and different departments and areas.
Tetsurou was already sitting down, being glanced at by a few girls (and boys) who probably found him sexy – he had this effect on people, after all. He was acting casual, as if he had gone to a thousand presentation of the Science field but on the inside, he wasn't quite as reassured as he let it show. It was stressful – what if he failed? Even though he was a genius, it didn't mean it'd be easy studying and practicing on the National volleyball team. What if he realized in five years that he didn't like Science that much after all? What if he should have chosen another field?
His line of thoughts was cut when his gaze was attracted by another student entering the amphitheater. This girl didn't have anything that stood out, wearing casual clothes and a bag over her shoulder, her determined steps taking her forward, her gaze unwavering… But what had made Tetsurou look over at her was that he knew her. Saito Akane. Former classmate and rival of the last six years. New neighbor.
He followed her with his intense gaze, half-hoping– arhem, half-expecting her to notice him as well and that they'd end up stressing together… but she either didn't notice him or ignored him completely. He kept staring as she sat, a few ranks in front of him, taking out a notebook and pen. His golden eyes could have burnt a hole in her back but she didn't even blink or shiver. Finally, he clicked his tongue, grabbed his bag and walked down the few meters until he was at her level but instead of sitting next to her or salute her, he just sat right behind her, still staring like a cat going after a mouse. Even though he knew she was not a mouse. More like a panther.
He kept staring at her, trying to make a noise, a gesture, to have more people noticing him just so she would notice him – but it didn't work. He just didn't want to seem lonely and desperate for her attention. Not that he was. Not at all.
Getting bored, he switched from staring at her at ignoring her presence yet again and playing with his pen by making it twist around his fingers repeatedly. He did it again, and again, until his mind was focused solely on that and that the presence of hundreds of students slowly filling the seats around him didn't bother him anymore.
A sigh from Akane and he lost his focus, his pen went flying. Just at her feet. He quickly leaned down to pick it up but she had heard the light clicking sound and bent down to retrieve it before him. He froze, half-way bent down to get it back when she turned around with the pen in her fingers. Tetsurou almost didn't recognize her as she handed him the pen with a polite smile – until she recognized him and frowned, smile disappearing at once. They stared at each other for a short moment until Akane sighed and forced the pen in his hand, both straightening up in their seats.
"You follow me in silence now? Creepy." She said, sounding annoyed he was sitting right behind her.
"I'm not! I was already sitting here, you just sat in front of me and didn't see me!" He shamelessly lied.
She frowned lightly, nose crunched up, as if she wasn't sure whether he was lying and she had not noticed him, or if he was just making that up. He rose from his seat and shook his hand, forcing her to move to sit one seat away so he could take the place she had been staying on until now.
"Ready to start the university?" He started with a smirk.
"Finally we're starting to get to serious business," she answered almost smiling before catching herself and keeping a straight face, "And you? Started practice yet?"
"Nope, next week."
"I'll finally pull ahead of you now that you'll be so busy playing with your little balls." She mocked.
He glanced at her, a teasing smile on his lips, wondering whether or not he should follow her little innuendo but he chose something more stingy to reply:
"It's sad you're betting on my practice to pull ahead of me. I have been playing volleyball for as long as we've shared classes and yet I've always been better than you~!"
"Uh? When have you been the best? I had better results for the finals,every year!" She exclaimed, leaning towards him challengingly.
"Because I let you get these results so you wouldn't cry on your last day – I'm generous, am I not?" He mocked.
"You are…"
She was probably about to insult him when teachers entered the amphitheater. The two science nerds turned their full attention to them, falling silent as slowly, all students stopped their conversations to listen.
After the welcome and first introductions, the useless but reassuring blah blah continued, the professors presenting the year to come, what was expected of the students and what they would study in the different fields.
"For information… don't think you have a lead just because I'll practice aside from studying…" Tetsurou whispered at some point during the presentation.
"You will spend less time studying than me, though. It's a fact." She replied in the same hushed voice.
"And you really think it's enough to give me a disadvantage? Please, I'm a genius. And sexy."
"However you look at it, it is a disadvantage. And you're not."
"Genius or sexy?" He asked smirking, glancing at her from the corner of his eyes.
"Both." She answered without hesitation.
Amused by her behavior, he couldn't help but let his left hand go under the table and delicately touch her knee, almost teasingly. She didn't react and kept her eyes focused on the teachers while he let his fingers tickle her leg.
"You really think I'm not sexy…? Even though you've stared at me so many times… such long, long glances…?" He whispered, his fingers reaching her inner thigh.
He felt pride swell within his chest when she flushed but she kept her lips tight and gaze focused on what was going on at the teachers' desk.
"You must have kept an awfully close attention to me to notice these glances, did you not, Kuroo?" She answered in the same hushed voice.
His fingers didn't stop teasing her leg even though he felt his confidence crumble just a little – how did she always manage to find something to retort?
He opened his lips to answer when Akane's hand suddenly grabbed him – not his knee, not his thigh, but directly his crotch. He hadn't expected this and was so shocked he jumped, a high-pitched cry escaping his lips. He let go of her leg but hit the desk loudly. He stopped breathing when the teachers turned silent, glancing up at him with narrowed eyes while many students turned around to glance at him. He felt his cheeks burn as he kept his lips thin, silently apologizing to the teachers for interrupting. Finally, after what felt like forever, they continued their presentation.
Tetsurou glanced discreetly at Akane and was even more shocked to see that she was trying hard not to laugh, her lips trembling with an amused smile dancing on her mouth. For a moment he was shocked to see her smiling and amused and having fun but then, he felt terribly offended she dared returning his teasing against him – and shaming him in front of all students and teachers of the science field!
"I'll get back to you for that one," he said in a whisper, frowning at her.
"Sure, you will," she answered, a proud smile on her face, unimpressed by his threat.
Still embarrassed to no bounds, and embarrassment was not something Kuroo Tetsurou felt often or knew how to deal with, he barely listened what happened next. What he knew was that he was glad to meet with his friend, Bokuto Koutarou, at a nearby café to complain about Akane being part of his life yet again.
"How went the presentation for the Science field?" Bokuto asked when Kuroo arrived.
He dropped his bag and let himself fall in front of his friend who was drinking some very colorful drink.
"GUH!" He growled, lifting up angry arms to the ceiling.
"Not well, uh?" Bokuto concluded with a smile, "Let me guess, it was Ak–"
"Akane! This witch! I can't believe she's actually part of my life! What did I ever do to deserve such a fate?!" He hissed.
"You're being incredibly rude with fate now… it's not that terrible," he answered just as a waitress arrived to take Kuroo's order.
He mumbled something, glancing up at the girl who stared at him for a few seconds longer than what was socially acceptable. Immediately connecting the dots, he looked back at her with his seductive gaze – but he was still annoyed and he almost looked hungry. She flushed and walked away to prepare his order. Kuroo stared at her figure, appreciating her curves while Bokuto stared at him with an annoyed look.
"You're doing it again," he said.
"Doing what?"
"Seducing girls for no reason," his friend answered.
"It's not for 'no reason' – I get a good fuckery in the end." Kuroo shrugged just as the waitress came back to give him his order.
He looked straight at her, making her blush and look away – she had heard him and there was no doubt that ideas were flowing her mind. Bokuto rolled his eyes and shook his head.
"What happened to get you in such a sour mood, seriously? I thought you'd be glad to finally start university, in the field you've always been a nerd for!"
"Akane happened!" He hissed before sighing.
He told him what had happened in the amphitheater, making the owl laugh loudly when he learned how well Akane had tamed Kuroo.
"I'm sure you actually loved it! A hot girl grabbed your crotch – and you're not a shy one when it comes to public places! So what really annoyed you?"
"Everyone heard and turned around! I don't mind the attention, mind you… but it was still so embarrassing in the middle of everyone!"
"I never thought a day would come where Kuroo Tetsurou would be embarrassed…" Bokuto teased.
"How are you doing? Without your Ayaka? Holding up all right?" Kuroo continued instead, switching the topic to something less embarrassing for him.
Koutarou's expression darkened, he pouted a little before sighing and smiling.
"I'm all right, I'm a big boy and we knew we'd spend less time together. It's just weird going from seeing each other every day to… once or twice a week. Especially with what happened with what happened after the Spring High, even if she says she's fine I'm sure she's not feeling that good about the whole story…" He admitted, his shoulders dropping a little, "Thankfully I have my friends and volleyball and now, History to study… and Ayaka too isn't alone – she's got Akaashi so she's not on her own either. It's reassuring. He keeps me updated on how she's doing so… for the moment, everything is fine." He explained with a faraway gaze.
Kuroo would never cease to be amazed by the infinite love uniting the two loveowls – it was breathtaking how united they were after only a year of dating. Granted they had gone through quite the hardships and had faced many things that were the reason why their couple was working so well… but for someone like him, who never had a stable relationship and the only girl he liked had broken his heart… Koutarou and Ayaka's relationship seemed like a fairytale, a dream-like fantasy he would never get. It almost felt like a lie, but he was still incredibly jealous to not get to live the same dream.
"By the way, I got an invitation for a party for the new students," Kuroo stated, pulling out the flier that had been distributed at the end of the presentation.
"AH, I got the same!" He answered, nodding.
"It's written we can invite one person with us. I thought we could invite some of our friends to it – you could ask Ayaka to come, and I'll ask Oikawa."
"Ayaka's father will never agree to let her go to such a party, but I'll ask Ushijima. It'll be some volleyball team bonding moment!" He exclaimed enthusiastically.
"Even though it's totally out of volleyball context," Kuroo answered with a smirk, but he was glad to go to some party with his new teammates.
For the following days, Tetsurou got used to the rhythm of the university, then he started practice for the national team with Bokuto and two more players from Miyagi he had gotten along with well: Oikawa Tooru and Ushijima Wakatoshi. All four of them, plus Iwaizumi Hajime who had remained in Sendai for his studies, had bonded during a training camp a few months ago. He loved this new rhythm, his days were filled with only things he liked: volleyball, science and more volleyball. The only two, tiny downsides of living on his own: he didn't get to see his mother or Kenma much anymore. And he got to see Saito Akane a little too much to his tastes.
He tried to avoid seeing Akane but he couldn't do much when they were crossing paths in the hall they sjared, or when they were going to the same groceries shop ten minutes from where they lived, or when they recognized each other on the university grounds. They usually tried ignoring each other, but for some reason, they were constantly meeting. One morning they would cross paths at the university, the afternoon they shared a class, the following day they would have lunch at neighboring tables, another day they'd study at the library in the same corner… He had hoped that he could easily ignore Akane now that they weren't in the same class from 8am to 3pm five days of the week. But they would always see each other anyway.
Totally ignoring the other quickly became boring for both of them, though. Tetsurou and Akane started to catch glances of the other, and keep staring until one would look away and lose, or until they had no choice but to continue their way. In class they were making sure to sit within eyesight of the other, sometimes teasing by drawing the other on their notes and showing it – but no one else seemed to notice their game. In the halls, or in the cafeteria or on the campus, instead of walking in opposite direction and making sure people would be in between them, they'd walk until their arms brushed… Even if they wanted to, they couldn't ignore each other.
They still hadn't had any exam or test and he couldn't wait to try it out to see how he and Akane would do – they'd definitely compete against each other once again but… he got to see her so often, in so different ways than back at school… constantly brushing each other, seeing the other from the corner of the eye but never talking, never teasing, never exchanging… it was starting to get exhausting. He wanted to ignore her but he couldn't fight the urge to tease her. He couldn't comprehend why he wanted her to notice him and tease him – perhaps it was for the sake of the good old days… It had always motivated them for more and they had always found strength in themselves and each other by doing so.
Tetsurou finally cracked someday when he was doing his groceries. He was checking his list with everything there was in his cart, casually walking through the halls. He took notice of Akane and despite what he would have done two weeks ago (ignoring her and walking the other way) or what he would have done a week ago (going her way and making sure she'd notice him without engaging contact other than a casual and innocent brush of his hand against her back) he stopped. He observed her as she struggled to reach for some biscuits at the highest shelf. Her fingertips were inches from the packet she seemed so determined to get.
He advanced in the hall then stopped next to her – she didn't notice him, too busy fighting against her height to get the biscuits. He easily grabbed the box of biscuits, making her go down on her heels at once. Akane looked up at him as he handed the box of biscuits. She would have thanked the helper, she would have smiled and she would have taken the box… but she hesitated when she recognized said-helper. Akane and Tetsurou stared at each other for a long moment.
"Kuroo…?" She said, raising an eyebrow, suspicious in his action.
It seemed kind, helpful, innocent enough – but she knew better. It was Kuroo Tetsurou after all. Playing the innocent kitten, he put on his most helpful expression:
"I saw you were trying to reach for it. That's what you wanted, right?" He asked, glancing down at the box of biscuits.
She glanced at the box then back at him and she nodded without a word. She reached for the box of biscuits just as he put it into his cart.
"Good luck, then," he said, turning around and grinning to himself.
Akane hissed when she realized he had done it on purpose – he hadn't wanted to help her at all! He just wanted to annoy her by showing how freakishly tall he was! He had gotten the box of biscuits for himself, this annoying cat!
Kuroo continued walking, satisfied with his little game, feeling more alive than during the last few days. It was so invigorating to tease and mock Akane~
He gasped when he received something in the back of his head. He stopped in his steps and glanced down at the box of cereals she had thrown against his head. He glanced over his shoulder, narrowing his eyes at Akane who glared at him, a furious blush on her cheeks. Satisfied with her hit, she huffed and turned back to the shelf. She climbed over the lower shelves and finally got the box of biscuits she so wanted.
"I'm not picking this thing up," he told her, glancing at the box of cereals at his feet.
She walked past him, head held high and totally ignored his words.
"Oi! I'm not going to pick… it up…" He continued, voice trailing off when she disappeared, "Damn it… I'll pick it up…" He mumbled, bending down to retrieve the box of cereals and put it back on the shelf.
He glanced down at the box of biscuits he had taken to piss Akane off – cat-shaped chocolate cookies called 'catisfaction'. They bought a lot of this back at Nekoma, in honor of their school mascot, the cat. He didn't dislike them so he might as well keep them.
He paid for his groceries then went home, thinking back on the little teasing they had done at the grocery shop. They had it coming. After failing to ignore each other, and failing to ruffle the cats' furs, the only choice left was to be their usual selves. Teasing, mocking, competing and loving to hate each other.
If you have any question, don't hesitate to ask! I chose these specific fields for them for reasons; and for Kuroo it's cnaon he loves science and especially Chemistry. The University of Tokyo has a system as 'described' here with different Faculty - Department - Area. There are common classes for a same department, with more specific classes for the specialties in the different areas.
I really like Akane and I'm very excitde to finally post this story but I'll keep the updates to one chapter every two weeks until I'm done with writing for Sowlmates and Quiet Voice! :)
Hoping you'll enjoy this story~
Yours Truly,
May
