Here is another chapter for my lovelies! I hope that you're enjoying the ride :D
My thanks goes out to: Tora3, Chic White and eunoiapaint!
12 ways: Meowing (talking)
After Haru rejected Kuroo's offer to become the manager for the volleyball team she expected that everything would go back to normal. Kuroo would forget that she existed, much like every single third-year out there and she would go back to enjoying her second year of high school with Akari and Ikki. Unfortunately, Haru was quite wrong.
"Morning!" Kuroo called out to her, startling her, before he continued on his way towards the school building, his long legs carrying him much faster than her slow pace. Haru turned around, looking for the person he had greeted with a smile and a wave, but couldn't find anyone. A few moments later, she realized that he'd been saying hi to her and that she'd completely ignored him. Or, perhaps she'd been hallucinating.
Unfortunately, the following morning proved her latter assumption completely wrong. Kuroo's long legs overtook her on her way to the school building and he grinned down at her.
"Sup!" And, he was on his way to catch up to a tanned third year boy and a short one with wavy hair, who were debating something quite heatedly on the latter's part.
Chiharu was in shock and partially denial. It had to be a prank. Some kind of a cruel joke spurred on by her rejection of his offer for the manager position… Right? After all, a third-year captain of a sports team had no business greeting her, a clubless nobody of a second-year. And, how in the world had he managed to pass by her two times consecutively just to greet her? She was, needless to say, thoroughly confused and more than a little worried for her own sanity. Or Kuroo's.
"Hey, isn't that Kuroo-senpai?" Akari asked, nudging Haru. They were eating their lunch outside because of the good weather, sans Ikki, as he had practice.
"Where?" Haru turned and easily spotted the tower of a man. He was laughing with a few fellow third-years, heading out somewhere. Unfortunately for her, he turned, as if he'd felt her gaze, and offered her a grin and a small wave. Haru shakily forced her hand up, waving back. His grin reached impossible proportions.
"Uwaaah!" Akari exclaimed, elbow in Haru's side painfully. "He waved at you!" She gushed. Haru felt her cheeks redden and dropped her gaze to her lap.
"It's probably a prank or something." She mumbled. Akari didn't reply, but switched topics. It was well-known in their small circle of friends not to spur on Haru's paranoia when it showed its ugly head.
"Oh, Chiharu!" Kuroo addressed her quite familiarly when she almost bumped into him during one of the breaks at school. He was on the second-year floor, much to the amusement of its female population. "How are you?" He asked, stopping in his tracks.
"G-good." Haru stammered, very self-conscious of all the eyes on the two of them. Kuroo either didn't notice them or ignored them with indifference.
"Heading to the bathroom?" He smirked down. Haru felt her face flame, because he was completely spot-on.
"No." She grumbled. "Wanted to visit a friend in another class."
"Oh, like me!" Kuroo nodded along. "I'm going to see Kenma. Kozume Kenma, he's in class three." The volleyball captain just kept going, as if he couldn't notice her obvious awkwardness. "That kid is too awkward, you know? Doesn't make any new friends so we have to look out for him." Kuroo laughed.
"That's not true!" Haru defended the boy. She knew that name well enough. Kozume Kenma had been in her class the previous year. He was a relatively short boy, quiet and always immersed in a game on one of his devices. But, Haru had spoken to him quite a few times. "He was in my class last year. We talked a lot."
"Oya?" Kuroo asked, tilting his head to the side. "Kenma was talking to a girl?" Haru looked up just in time to see him wipe off an imaginary tear from the corner of his eye. "Kenma's growing up! Sweet youth!" She couldn't help but giggle at Kuroo's ridiculous antics. "Well, I'm going to go see him before the break's over." He smirked at her again. "Have fun visiting your bathroom friend!" And he was gone before she could reply.
Over the span of the following few weeks Kuroo's greetings didn't go away. He'd give her a cheerful 'hi', 'sup' or 'good morning' on the way to school, hair wet from his morning shower. Or, he'd offer a wave while visiting Kenma in the neighboring class during breaks. Akari was about beside herself with joy, telling Haru that it was time for them to go see one of the volleyball team's practices or matches and cheer on the smirking third-year. Haru didn't reply, but the thought hadn't left her mind since.
So, one day, she finally gave in to her friend's persistent bugging. After school, the two girls headed out, hand in hand, to the bleachers of the gym. They managed to sneak in completely unnoticed and settled down. Soon enough, the boys were inside, stretching, warming up and tossing balls left and right. But, what Haru couldn't do was tear her eyes away from Kuroo's form.
He was so focused, jumping up to block a ridiculously tall boy and diving after stray balls across the court. And, for once, while he was sneering over his complete victory in blocking or yelling instructions to the same tall boy, Haru thought that Kuroo was quite awesome. Throughout the whole practice of around three hours or so, Haru couldn't tear her eyes away from the tall third-year who has been speaking to her in corridors, obviously breaking the unspoken rule of age hierarchy. Even when Akari got a message on her phone and excused herself early, Chiharu stayed, eyes glued onto a certain bedhead captain.
When the volleyball team was done with their practice Haru wandered down the stairs and towards the gym entrance as they were cleaning up. A set of hazel eyes immediately focused on her, the scheming captain giving her a grin and a wave, telling her to wait a moment. So, she did. She felt incredibly awkward, standing at the entrance in a pile of outdoor shoes on her own. But, the frequent looks the captain gave her made her stay rooted in that spot, waiting.
"Hello!" Kuroo greeted her happily when the gym is free of volleyball equipment. "Enjoyed the practice?" By the way he transferred his weight onto one leg and looked down with a smirk she knew that he had felt her gaze on him throughout the game.
"Yeah!" Haru didn't know why, but something stopped her from backing off. "Kenma really is amazing! And that tall guy, the one with light-colored hair, he's awesome! I couldn't look away!" She saw the way Kuroo's grin faltered and the way his eyes crinkled in irritation.
"I see." He nodded, smirk widening again. "Hey, Kenma!" Haru felt her limbs freeze when Kuroo counter-attacked. "You've got yourself an admirer! Come here!" He called over the wobbly setter who seemed startled, but came to their side regardless.
"Chiharu." The boy greeted.
"Kenma." She grinned, before turning to Kuroo, wondering how she could return the embarrassing favor. But, he was gone. The bastard had run away. "Good game!" Chiharu quickly said, focusing on the setter in front of her. They were about the same height, she realized, glad that she wouldn't have to keep looking up, like when talking to Kuroo.
"Mm." Kenma nodded. He looked around, before his eyes focused back on the girl. "Do you want to walk home with us? It's late." He was being quite talkative and forward, so Haru couldn't help but agree.
"I'll wait at the entrance?"
"Mm." Another nod and Kenma left. Chiharu grabbed her stuff and went towards the school gates to wait for Kenma and whoever walked home with him. Her mind, though, was still replaying the way Kuroo dove after balls across the court during the practice games. He had some amazing thighs, she realized with heated cheeks.
"Waiting for me?" Speak of the devil, Haru thought. Kuroo was grinning down at her again.
"For Kenma." She deadpanned, glaring up.
"Oya, why so hostile?" Kuroo grinned.
"Stop riling her up, Kuroo." Kenma's voice stopped Haru from retaliating. The odd trio headed out for the train station, a silence among them. Soon enough, with a small sigh, Kuroo starts up a relaxed conversation about the practice match, making Kenma speak up, as well. The train arrived on time and they all got on.
"This is my stop." Haru said, heading for the door.
"I'll see you off." Kuroo hopped up, as well, following her. Kenma offered a small nod as the odd duo left the train. The first part of their trek to Haru's home was quiet except her small 'thanks' she offered to the captain and the 'no problem' he returned. As they were walking, Haru battled with her own shyness inside her head. Finally, curiosity won over. She tentatively looked up at the captain next to her, who was taking in the scenery with a relaxed face.
"Kuroo-senpai." She started.
"Eh? Kuroo's fine, Chiharu." He waved her off instantly.
"Then, Kuroo-san." She wouldn't be deterred. "Why are you still talking to me?" That got his full attention. The captain stopped in his tracks, staring at her incredulously.
"Why?"
"I mean, I'm a second-year who has nothing to do with you." She tried to explain. "Sure, we spoke about the position of the manager once, but that's it. I'd have more reason to be talking to Kenma than to you."
"Why?" Kuroo hummed, hand going to the back of his neck to scratch it in an awkward motion. Haru thought that that was the first time she'd seen him actually uncomfortable about something. "That's stupid, don't you think?"
"Eh? Stupid?" Haru shrieked, instantly feeling her cheeks heat up.
"No, no, I didn't mean it like that." Kuroo stopped her before her paranoia could make up another weird scenario. "It's like… umm… urgh…" He seemed to get to a solution, like a light-bulb turning on in his head, index finger up. "I think that the whole senpai kohai thing doesn't matter? So what if I was born one year before you? Does that make me better than you in any way?" Haru was honestly too stunned to interrupt his word vomit at that point. "I want to talk to you because I want to. You seem kinda cool and I just want to get to know you more. Is that so weird?" When he looked down at her, he noticed that her cheeks were completely red and she seemed ready to blow steam out of her ears. But, he didn't comment because of his own blush overtaking his ears and neck.
"N-no, it isn't." Haru nodded. Slowly, the two started walking towards her home again. "But, why me? I'm not cool at all." She frowned. Kuroo, though, when she looked up, offered her only a shrug and a smirk.
"Meeeeow." He replied with a wide grin. That finally broke the tension between them. Haru burst into laughter and struggled to compose herself.
"You really are weird, Kuroo-san." She giggled.
"All the best people are." He shot back instantly. The rest of their walk to Haru's house was filled with easy conversation about a wide variety of topics, strangely including the benefits of docosahexaenoic acid.
Meowing (talking) – cats don't talk to each other, except for the kittens and their mothers, so when your cat meows at you, they're definitely showing affection
Well, I enjoyed this one. What about you guys?
Omake:
Haru entered Kenma's classroom, a bit self-conscious of the way everyone turned to take a look at her. She wandered over to his desk and settled in the chair of the one in front of his.
"H-hi." Haru greeted awkwardly.
"Chiharu." Kenma answered back, eyes still on his PSP screen. After a bit of silence where Haru was battling with her own self inside her head, the setter actually looked up at her. "Can I help you with something?" He hoped to ease her obvious anxious behavior.
"How does one go about accepting a position they've already rejected?" She asked, eyes everywhere but on the boy in front of her, who is obviously analyzing her every motion.
"You want to be our manager?" Kenma asked. When he got a nod in return, his eyes went back to his PSP. "Just come to the practice after school." Haru's eyes widen in shock, it couldn't be that simple, could it?, but then she smiled.
"Alright." She replied. "Say, have you done the English homework yet?" She asked. After a shake of Kenma's head, her smile is a bit more confident. "Want to come study after practice with Akari and me? We're going to my place."
Oh my Gosh, Haru stop being so awkward. And Kenmaaaaa you're awkward, too. Awkward duo! I hope the lot of you had as much fun reading this as I did writing it.
On the other hand, as soon as I hunt down a beta my Kuroo/OC story will be up. Stay tuned!
