A/N: And after one month and so, my readers have gone away lol
It had been already a little over two to three hours since Kuroko left Kagami at the cafe. His early feelings of relief had slowly drifted away once he spent his hours at the play school. Even after confiding in his friend, the fact that someone from his past, a past he had so wanted to leave behind, had come back into his life once again. For six whole years, he had tried to 'rehabilitate' himself from the pain and hatred that grew within him. For six years, he had endured his self-loathing, and now this just had to happen. More than anything, he just didn't want to get hurt again.
Kagami was certainly a different story. Sure, the redhead had squirmed his way into Kuroko's blackened heart, and that he had been there during Kuroko's worst episodes, but it just seemed that his counterpart – yes, he considered Kagami that – would never fully understand. Kuroko was definitely grateful and all, but experience carried more than trust it seems.
Before drowning more into his thoughts, Kuroko suddenly feels something hot delicately touch the skin on his left arm. He turns his attention there and follows the figure of a mug with what he guesses is filled with coffee, to the actual person holding it.
"Oh, senpai," Kuroko mutters audibly enough, "sorry. I spaced off there a little bit."
Hyuuga Junpei's eye brows meet at the middle and he says with concern in his tone, "Don't worry. We've known each other for quite a while now and our times together weren't for nothing. I'm quite familiar with you and your 'behaviors' back during high school, you know. Now take this and calm down a bit."
Kuroko politely declines the beverage but the sudden change in Hyuuga's kind eyes urgently tells Kuroko that he doesn't have a say in the matter. He sighs and takes the mug from the man next to him. He mumbles a thank you which sadly didn't reach Hyuuga's ears.
"So?" Hyuuga starts as sits down next to his junior. "Something the matter?"
Kuroko silently sighs and shakes his head. "It's nothing big… just… problems that I have difficulty facing, I guess."
Hyuuga hums silently to himself.
"Remember when our basketball team lost the Winter Cup during our second year in high school?" Kuroko nods. "Well, I bet you remember when Kagami was too depressed to see anyone that time too, right? And that he skipped school for almost a week? We couldn't do anything about it since we were too hung up ourselves. But I distinctly remember you coming over to the gym every day, telling us that we shouldn't be bummed about one match, and that you'll bring Kagami back no matter what… Well, when you actually got that idiot back on the court, I started to think that you weren't such a bad person and all… And that you must've loved basketball so much that you were willing to go so far for someone who almost gave up on his goal."
Kuroko takes a moment to internalize his senior's words before releasing a small laugh. Hyuuga blushes red at Kuroko's reaction, a little embarrassed and furious at the same time.
"No, no, senpai," Kuroko assures him, "I'm not laughing at you. It's just that I think you got it wrong."
"Huh?" Hyuuga asks, "Which part?"
"First of all, Kagami-kun was having too many absences that it began to bother me so. Despite my already weak presence, the teacher surprisingly finds me quickly without Kagami-kun staying in front of me. Secondly, I thought it was a waste for a newly established basketball team to suddenly quit the sport since they just faced a strong opponent. Most of the time, it's supposed to be a motivator for achieving more, right?"
Hyuuga almost opens his mouth to retort his second point, but suddenly finds arguing pointless. After all, despite not seeing Kuroko's talent in action on the court, he knew how fond the tealhead was of basketball. With no doubt, this person–
"And lastly, you definitely got it wrong."
"Huh?"
This time, Hyuuga notices the deep pained expression Kuroko's face painted. His eyes grew dark and the boy's grip on the mug tightened.
"I hate basketball. I hate it to my core."
Hyuuga can only sigh in surrender. There was no use in convincing him at this point. It was useless if Kuroko himself did not see his own desperate passion to still be attached to the sport. He decides to let the man be for a while and leaves a pat on his back. Hyuuga rises from his seat and walks out of the vicinity and towards the play school's front yard.
The raven ganders at the children running and playing around there, a little smile creeping on his face despite the feelings that stuck with him from his conversation with Kuroko. These kids had it lucky; they have their whole life ahead of them, so full of spirit and potential. Seeing their faces makes him pray that they don't experience the same things his friend was experiencing right now. But he knows that they need to – to see with their own eyes what lies ahead for them.
At the corner of Hyuuga's right eye, he notices a little girl with squinty eyes about to fall. He quickly sprints over and thankfully saves her. He sighs a breath of relief and would have burst out a lecture if it had not been for Kuroko's yell to watch for his own mouth. He grumbles and thanks him quietly at the back of his mind. Hyuuga lets the little girl stand on her own two feet and finally gets a cute thanks from her.
"Just," he starts with furrowed brows, "don't rush again next time, okay?"
The little girl nods and says, without even being asked, "Ne, ne! You're Riko-sensei's boyfriend, aren't you, mister?"
Hyuuga displays a shade of red on his face as the girl's honest mouth release something embarrassing for a kid. He wanted to say something back but she continued babbling on her own accord.
"Hey did you know?" she smiles widely now," My uncle's coming back tomorrow! He's got really pretty hair and a handsome face! Much more handsome than you!"
A nerve begins to throb in Hyuuga's forehead. "You little-!"
"My uncle's a pilot, you know! He used to model a lot too!" the little girl giggles more, very infatuated with her own uncle and the story she was sharing with Hyuuga, and continues, "He loves basketball and he says he knows Kuroko-sensei! Uncle Ryouta says he's coming back home and is visiting the play school tomorrow, mister!"
"Ryouta? Who the hell is that?" Hyuuga asks totally unfazed and unknowing of the storm to come.
A/N: I don't knooooooow anymooooooooooore