Author Note: Thank you for the review, favorites, and follows! I really appreciate them fact that people are interested in this story! I shall be posting this story around a weekly update or a little before depending on a bunch of things! I hope you all enjoy this chapter!
I do not own Kuroko no Basuke.
Hair
Chapter 2: Grocery Market
Emi struggled to reached the eraser at the top of the board, so she could clean it up, and she pouted at this before looking behind her and grabbed a chair to stand on. She picked it up and headed to the chalkboard but instead the eraser was held out to her. She blinked at this and glanced up to see the giant staring at her to grab it.
"Ah, thank you, Atsushi-san." She said and took it from him, pushing the chair aside. He observed her as she began to clean the board down and struggled to reach the top, yet she held a look of determination to get it. She swiftly turned back to him and pointed to the chair she had left.
"Do you mind fetching me that chair, Atsushi-san? I can get the rest of the board and you can finish putting the rest of chairs up." She said and he blinked at this. He had thought she would ask him to do it for her because of his height, yet she bluntly ignored it and wanted to do it herself. He nodded and grabbed it before handing it to her. She smiled at this and said, "Thank you."
He nodded before moving about the rows of desks and chairs and slowly put the chairs on the desks, observing her at the same time. She was quite different from any other girl he knew, which it only being his coach, Seirin's coach, Sa-chin, and his sister.
"Ne, Atsushi-san, when are you going to the cafe?" She asked as she continued to clean the board, standing on her toes to reach the top of the board. He blinked at her question and shrugged.
"Whenever I feel like it." He replied and she nodded at this, a small smile greeting her lips again.
"Ok. How about I tell you when I'm working and you can drop by then?" She suggested and he blinked at this before nodding while also mumbling something else.
"Hai, Emi-chin, where's your schedule?" He asked and she turned back to face him, confusion written on her face at the honorific he used for her name.
"Eh, why did you add 'chin' to my name, Atsushi-san?" She asked and she jumped off the chair, picking it up and placing it on the desk that she took it from. He shrugged and continued to look at her desk, seeing the plenty of papers on her desk. She walked over to it and started shuffling through them before pulling it out from few papers, holding it out to the giant. He stared at it before noting one time he could go visit her and took a mental note of it.
"So, when do you plan on stopping by?" She asked as he handed her back the paper and gathered his own stuff.
"Thursday after practice." He said and pulled out a bag of chips to much on. She blinked at this before she gathered her stuff and place it in her own bag, knowing it was only two days away.
"Ok, I'll keep an eye out for you then." She said with a smile and he glanced down to his bag of chips before popping them continually in his mouth.
She bolted towards the grocery market as soon as she was able to leave the giant's side so she could get the food she desperately needed for the following week. A look of determination was seen on her face as she struggled to get by people who also tried to get the discounted food. She was shoved yet stood tall and manage to get some food on sale, smiling at her accomplishments.
Then suddenly someone had shoved right past her with such force that caused her to fall over and spill the contents she had gotten. Shock glazed over her features before she swiftly started to pick up the food, hoping no one would step on her hand. Suddenly a hand reached and grabbed the wakame that had fell out of her basket. She opened her mouth to say something but it was instead returned to her and looked to see who had helped her. A singular gray-black eye stared at her, seemingly emotionless, and black hair that some girls, she would assume, thought was stylish but caused her to cringe on the inside. The two stared at her each for a few second before he gave her a smile and said, "I believe you dropped this."
She blinked and she nodded, a hint of blush coating her coats and replied, "Thank you." She then took note of the familiar Yosen school uniform and gapped a little at realizing that he was the one had been there when she had freaked out about Atsushi. She struggled to remember his name before saying, "Tatsuya-san?"
He blinked at her before he held a hand to help her up, which she gladly grabbed, and she dusted her skirt.
"Hai, and you must be Emi-san, correct?" He asked and she nodded, not noting the plenty of people who moved around them.
"Yes. I'm surprised you know my name, Tatsuya-san." She commented before she noted that they were now walking together towards the fruit selection of the market.
"You had made quite an impression, Emi-san. It would be hard not to forget." He stated and she looked away while also biting her lip, unsure what to do know that he brought the incident back up.
"I apologize for that. I…have many things I need to work own. Just please forget about it and do not be concerned." She said as she rummaged through the fruits and grabbed two apples along with some strawberries. She placed them in her basket and he continued to follow her around, concerning her about what he was planning on doing.
"I will not tell a soul, Emi-san." He said and she stopped at the comment, eyes wide in shock that he would listen to her request, "It is something private you do not wish to talk about and I will not bother you about it."
A breath escaped her lips and the weight on her shoulders was taken off. She smiled softly at this and he blinked at this before he too graced a smile on his lips. They continued to walk side by side as she examined the food and asked for his own opinion. After a few minutes, Emi had gotten everything that was on her list and proceeded to the check out. Tatsuya stood next to her before placing a few more candies in her pile and she turned to voice out that she couldn't afford it until he said something else that shocked her: "I'll pay for your food."
No one had ever done that for her before, she was speechless as the cashier bagged her groceries and even paying for everything she had gotten.
"Tatsuya-san, you don't need to do this." She said and he gave her smile as he pulled some money, handing it to the cashier.
"It is fine, Emi-san. I do not mind. You can view this as an apology for what I had overheard." He stated and she opened her mouth to protest but he had already gotten his money back and her groceries in his hand. He walked with her until he had stated his house was at a different crossroad and she nodded at this before bowing her head down, a blush evident on her face.
"Thank you very much, Tatsuya-san! I appreciate you paying for my food; if you ever need anything, please do not hesitate to approach me for returning the favor!" She announced and he gave a small smile at her words, running his hand through his hair.
"If I do think of something, I will let you know." He said and started down the other path, "Take care, Emi-san."
She returned the statement before she continued her way towards the apartment she shared with her aunt. Her mind began to wander elsewhere and as she turned to head up the stairs she saw the familiar lavender haired giant go to the lower complex.
"Atsushi-san?" She called out and he stopped to turn and see who spoke to him. A couple of pocky sticks were out of his mouth and he blinked at her before finishing them up.
"You live here, Atsushi-san?" She asked and he nodded before swallowing, pointing to a certain door.
"Hai, I live here with my brothers and sister." He stated and she nodded, following along before she saw the door to her aunt's apartment complex open up and a scream escaped out of it, "GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE, YOU PIECE OF CRAP!"
She sighed at it and waited for the person to be kicked out, which happened only after a few seconds a woman who bore tomboyish clothes walked out with an angered expression on her face.
She quickly got out there and Emi saw her aunt poke her head out of the door. Her aunt shared similarities to herself as she also had brunette hair but much longer with it being pulled up in a messy bun and blue eyes look to find her. She bore a police officer's uniform yet her outfit showed she had hastily put it on. She barely looked the age she was, which was thirty, and stood only a little taller than her, yet was nothing compared to Atsushi's height.
"Ah, Emi-chan, you're back!" She called and Atsushi stared at her aunt before heading to his door. She blinked at his actions before calling out, "Good night, Atsushi-san!"
He gave her small wave as a goodbye before he entered the door and quickly shut it behind him. Emi walked up the staircase and gave her aunt a sad smile.
"I'm guessing Yuki-san won't be returning anytime soon." She said quietly and her aunt nodded, a click of her tongue as a response.
"Yes, the bitch told me she was done pretending to be something she's not. She thinks being gay is like an illness, something that can be cleaned and removed. So, I decided to call it quits with her." She replied and Emi nodded in agreement, knowing her aunt's sexuality caused many people to be weary of her.
"Don't worry, Masami-san. You will surely find someone. I know it." She said to try and cheer her up. Her aunt gave her sad smile before nodding and glanced down at the bags of groceries in her hands. A glow of delight surrounded the woman and nearly squealed like a little girl.
"You got them, Emi-chan! I'm so thankful to have a niece who cares so much!" She shouted and proceeded to hug her, causing Emi to break out in a large grin.
"Yes, I got on time for the bargain and got everything we needed." She said and then also stated, "I didn't pay for it. A fellow student did."
Her aunt blinked at this before her jaw nearly dropped to the ground and questioned, "And who would this gift from above be?"
"Tatsuya Himuro, he is in the same class as me. He offered to because…" She started to explain before biting her lip and glanced away, not wanting to explain exactly why he did so.
"I won't ask." Her aunt said as she knew it was something her niece did not wish to speak about before grabbing the bags of groceries and racing into the complex, "Come on, it's time to make some dinner with this food that your gracious classmate bought for us!"
She couldn't help but not keep the smile away from her face as she nodded in agreement and followed her aunt inside.
