I have nothing to say. Hope the next one is coming soon~!

Pairings : Undecided

Warnings : Teikō Middle School Days.

Disclaimer : I own only the OCs.


Chapter 13 - Like sitting on a carpet of needles

These past few days, what should be 7 to 8 hours of school have turned into a gruesome, what feels like years for poor Yume.

With her official acceptance to the Student Council, thus dealing with the two people she wishes to avoid, and now they even have to intrude on her time of peace with Momoi, and not necessarily, Aomine.

Call it an omen, but Yume feels like today won't be last time she's eating lunch with those boys on the rooftop.

Anyway, thanks God they're not here. Akashi, Midorima and Murasakibara obviously went on their own ways home, while Aomine ran somewhere else, saying something about a photo-book release and the special-thrilling bonus for the first 100 buyers.

Thus leaving Yume to walk with Momoi, just the two of them. As they walk, Yume glances at Momoi every 5 seconds, hesitating to ask her question.

"Uh.. Sat-chan?" Yume began hesitantly, earning a soft hum from the pinkette. She fiddled with her fingers for a while, averting her gaze left and right. "...Do you... Do you know Miyazawa Ayumi?" the snowball has rolled.

"Miyazawa Ayumi?" Momoi parroted with a confused expression, pursing her lips. "I don't actually know much besides her general data." she admitted.

Yume inclines her head, silently urging her friend to continue, so Momoi ransacked her brains for said datas.

"Let's see.." Momoi hummed, pulling out her stored memories. If she is to define Miyazawa Ayumi, perhaps it would be better to explain the Club she is associated first.

"You might have known, Yuu-chan. But Teikō's Choir Club hasn't been the best one with considerable achievements that fits Teikō's standard." Momoi shortened her strides to prolong the walking time to home. She frowned slightly. "In other words, it was on verge of demolition due to underachievement."

'was?' Yume mentally noted the use of past tense in Momoi's explanation. From the previous budget proposal, Yume has known the fact the Choir Club isn't a good one in what they do. Although she didn't know of any disbandment.

"I said was, because this year, a first year musical-prodigy transferred to Teikō, and she has many musical rewards lined up under her name." Momoi turned at Yume, her lips in a straight line. "That's Miyazawa Ayumi."

Okay. Let's say that Miyazawa Ayumi is a prodigy that saves Teikō's Choir Club from disbanding, what does any of that got to do with Yume?

"With her talent no one can equal, Miyazawa Ayumi was immediately appointed as the Club President, a position recognised to be given to the person with the best musical talent." Momoi continued with her explanation, her gaze on the road as Yume tried to relate the informations to Akashi's warning.

"I heard that she sings well, comes from a relatively good family, and her achievements are quite amazing for her age. She is not bad looking either." Momoi listed Miyazawa Ayumi's strengths. Then her brows furrowed. "...Although, some of the rumours about her hasn't been good." her tone fell, earning a questioning look from Yume.

Momoi turned at Yume, catching her gaze with a hardened stare. "Some claimed that she is conceited and cocky, a self-centred rich brat. And that she is two-faced." she turned her gaze back to the road as Yume frowned.

If, this Miyazawa Ayumi doesn't have a good personality, is the President of the Choir's club whose budget proposal Yume rejected, does that mean Akashi was warning her about what length Miyazawa Ayumi would go to for the budget approval?

"Anyway.. I will look for more informations tomorrow." Momoi smiled at Yume, giving her assurance.

Yume returns the smile, nodding. "Mm. Thanks, Sat-chan." they continued to walk home with Momoi's low hums, then she stopped abruptly.

"Oh, yeah. Why the sudden interest, Yuu-chan?" Momoi questioned in confusion. It's unlikely the two are acquaintance since Yume asked basic informations on the girl, meaning she knows next to nothing of Miyazawa Ayumi.

At this, Yume finds herself hesitating. She wonders if she can just outright tell Momoi the truth regarding Akashi's warning, or if she has to twist it a bit so Momoi won't worry, and she herself won't warrant Akashi's fury.

The redhead is an enigma Yume can't and isn't willing to solve with the dangers he carries. With how Akashi avoided the topic before, she doesn't know if she is only to obey his order blindly or if she is allowed to look more into it.

Yume could still feel the shivers in her spine when she heard that low and dark voice Akashi spoke with earlier. It's freaking scary. One thing she is sure of, is that she doesn't want to be on the receiving end of his seemingly dual-personality.

The silence must have stretched for quite a while since Momoi tilted her head with a questioning look, her lips pursed and her brows scrunched as she patiently waited for Yume's reply.

Finally, Yume sighed. She gave in, inwardly cringing at her decision that Momoi's expression forced her to make. "...Akashi-kun told me to keep my distance from Miyazawa Ayumi." she confessed, her limegreen orbs shifting slightly.

"Akashi-kun?!" Momoi shrieked like a banshee, jolting Yume's consciousness as she hastily put her finger over her lips to signal Momoi to quiet down, which she did, regulating her breathings. Her expression hardened. "If it's Akashi-kun, then we can't ignore it as it must be important." she mused.

To all students of Teikō Junior High, and especially to those who know Akashi Seijūrō well enough, they know it's foolish to doubt his words. There's just something about the redhead that convinced people.

"Anyway, I promise I will look more into it." Momoi's smile returned, reassuring her friend with a light pat on the shoulder. "I will definitely crack down this Miyazawa Ayumi!" she declared passionately, almost burning flames in her eyes.

Yume sweat dropped, smiling sheepishly. "Uh.. Thanks.. You can go easy, Sat-chan..." she suggested weakly. She has never seen the extent of Momoi's datas, but when she said 'crack down', it kind of scared her. Seems like she should be thankful Momoi is her friend.


Sounds of students' chatters flooded Teikō's hallway as a lone brunette heaved a huge pile of papers in her hands, almost completely blocking her vision with the height as she weaved through the crowds.

Yoshi-sensei, or 1-B's homeroom teacher had something urgent to do, or so he said, so he appointed Yume to take the notes to his desk at the Teacher room. Momoi was called to a basketball club meeting at half-class period, so she has no one offering to help. Yume sighed as she carried the weighty papers.

Yoshi-sensei should have been mindful enough to appoint another student to help her before he ran off the room, or better, have boys do it rather then a frail girl like her. Well, Yume might not be frail, but she is still a legitimate female.

'This is incomprehensible...' She inwardly sighed, letting herself to wail internally, lamenting her homeroom teacher's irresponsibility. Why was she even singled out? Yume grumbled.

BAM.

"Oomph..!"

Papers fluttered as they scattered around the hall after Yume bumped into someone, some are still in her hands while the others had fallen to the ground.

"I'm sorry." Yume apologised with a bow at the person before her without even taking a look at the face of the person she bumped. Then she went to gather her papers, crouching down.

"Manai-san?"

The sudden mention of her name froze Yume in her paper-gathering as she recalled having heard the voice somewhere from a previous encounter she prefers not to remember.

Yume knows that voice. The monotone, flat voice whose owner's eyes are more expressive than most to make up for his lack of expressions. She can't mistake it, because she's been avoiding any chance of encounter with the boy ever since that day.

It might be too late to notice, but why did he knows her name again? She didn't recall having introductions when they previously met.

"My name is Kuroko Tetsuya, Manai-san. If you are wondering why I know your name, it's from the announcement of your Student Council's position." The boy introduced himself, his back to Yume as he helped gathered the papers on his side. He didn't notice how Yume jumped when he spoke, as he had exactly answered the question in her mind.

Having enough decency, Yume squeaked a reply despite her inner turmoil. "Uh.. I-It's nice to meet y-you, K-Kuroko-kun..." she stuttered, light pink tinting her cheeks as she quickly gathered the mess around her.

"The feeling is mutual, Manai-san." Kuroko answered, his tone as flat as ever. It's almost impossible to know his feelings from the tone of his voice, which is mostly indifferent at all times.

Despite detecting no hostility from the boy, Yume is still feeling tensed from her previous mortification she can't even speak another word until they gathered the papers.

Kuroko wordlessly handed the papers he gathered, and Yume took it, stacking them together and clutching them tightly as she managed a small nod to thank the boy. "T-Thank you."

"It's okay." Kuroko replied quickly, and before the girl turned away, he spoke again, stopping her tracks. "I don't mind your praise the other day, Manai-san." he watched as Yume flinched slightly.

"I don't find it offending." He continued. "Rather, it's pleasant and refreshing. So please don't feel embarrassed, Manai-san." Kuroko kept his blank expression, although the same can't be said for his babyblue eyes.

After Kuroko's sincere confession, Yume is too overwhelmed with surprise that she could only nod for a while, her gaze holed on the ground. Slowly, but surely, she raised her head. "...Thank you, Kuroko-kun.." she whispered, her lips forming a minuscule smile.

As strange and shocking it was, Kuroko actually returned the smile, a small smile gracing his face for once. He even surprised himself, though he is good at masking it. "I wish you good luck with the Student Council, Manai-san."

Yume is mentally slapping herself, and would have pinched her own cheeks if the papers wouldn't fell down and scattered. She didn't actually expect a smile from the boy, but it actually made her happy.

So Yume threw aside whatever feelings but the happiness. She nodded her thanks before the two walked to the opposite direction. Although, it wasn't as mortifying as she thought it would be, her encounter with the quiet boy gave her a disturbing thought.

'If Kuroko-kun knows my name, and even linked it to my face because of the Student Council's announcement... Does that mean everyone knows as well...?!' she shrieked inwardly, not liking the thought at all.

As if testing her Fate, someone was observing Yume from the moment she dropped the papers, without her notice. The mysterious figure smirked before turning away from the site.


Another loooong sighed escaped the brunette's lips when she discovered just how right her feelings was the day before, as she was faced with familiar colourful tufts, three of which shouldn't be here.

Before she started hoping, maybe Yume should just resigned to her Fate and gave up on eating her lunch in peace. Because the people around her, and peace don't come together in one package.

"It's fun to eat together like this, isn't it, Yuu-chan?" Momoi asked cheerily as she nudged her bestfriend, obviously happy with the turn of events.

Nothing can be further than the truth, is how it is for peace-loving Yume. "..Mm.. Sat-chan.." she strained a smile, not wanting to deny and hurt her friend's feelings.

After being with Momoi for months now, Yume learned the girl is basically opposite of her in almost everything. Momoi is a social butterfly and she loves company, maybe even noisy, annoying bunches since she keeps Aomine around despite his constant troubles.

On the other hand, Yume normally doesn't let people enter her space, she prefers keeping to herself and read books all day. If not for the fact that she actually enjoys Momoi's, and (slightly) Aomine's company, she would have left these people for her private sanctuary by the cherryblossom tree she found on her first day here.

Anyway, if anyone asked why the mighty Akashi and taciturn Midorima are making efforts to sit and eat together with the original three, it's because it's easier and more practical for the the Student Council members to make it to their meetings, which are 15 minutes towards the end of lunch break.

Truth or not, Akashi and Midorima insisted that is the reason, so unless you have the guts to go against the mentioned two, one should have just zipped his mouth and left it be. The purple giant just tagged along because a certain someone said it will be better that way.

"Oh, Yuu-chan? Do you have something to do this Saturday?" Momoi asked, her tone hopeful. Yume only blinked.

"You going to ask her to our practice match, Satsuki?" Aomine asked from the further side, as he lazily rested his elbows on the ledge.

Akashi chuckled. "True. It certainly would be nice if Manai-san could come and cheer for us."

"I don't see why not." Midorima responded gruffly. He couldn't care less whether the girl goes or not, it's not like it would have mattered.

It's the same for Murasakibara, who only munched his lunch, without even batting his eyes. He's plainly not interested in the conversation.

Yume recalled she had nothing scheduled this coming Saturday, although she would loved going to the library for more books to read. Even more after she got herself roped into a silly bet. But if Momoi invited her, which she already had, there's not even a plan in the first place.

"I'm free." Yume smiled a bit. Momoi's eyes sparkled at that, definitely elated at the news.

"That's great! Then we can go together!" Momoi squealed. "You see, Yuu-chan, there's actually this practice match with Tomigaoka Middle School! And-"

"They're strong!" Aomine finished with a grin, he sounds excited. "One of Tokyo's powerhouse! Can't wait to play them!" he balled his fists as Momoi huffed, not liking how he stole her sentence.

Yume sweat dropped. 'Why is he readying his fists?' They are going to play basketball, not fist-fighting. Apparently, she is not the only one with the same thoughts.

"We are playing basketball, Aomine. Crack your fists somewhere else." Midorima commented snidely, adjusting his glasses over his nose. He doesn't look pleased.

"Mine-chin looks like a gangster. His face is scary." Murasakibara added without much thoughts.

Aomine scowled at the giant. "Oh, shut up! I was born like this!" Then he turned to the greenhead. "And I'm not an idiot, Midorima! I know that!" he scoffed. How he would love the day Yume beat the tsundere off his pedestal.

Akashi ignored the silly exchanges as he nibbled on his lunch with mannerism. He might have decided to eat together with the rowdy bunches, but it's not like he has to participate in every conversations. Although, he has to say, these kind of loudness are actually kind of refreshing at times.

Some peaces would actually be nice these days for Yume. She had to deal with Akashi and Midorima, along with their quirks for the whole hour every weekdays now that they're present in her lunch times and not just the last 15 minutes.

And God forbids what Akashi claimed the day before at the gym when she was looking for Midorima's Lollipop. If she even has to work with them after school in the same club, Yume might as well sprouted white hairs in her teenage years.

For now, Saturday is going to be fun.

Hopefully.


Author's note:

So yeah, how is it?

Read and Reviews~