Chapter Three
Time went by rather slowly for Class 2-5. They had Modern Literature and English for 50 minutes each after homeroom, which was really taxing for all the students because of how intense both classes went. In Modern Literature, the students had to study The Crab Cannery Ship by Takiji Kobayashi, which was quite exciting but very heavy to learn about. Some students liked reading about how fishers started a rebellion due to unfair treatment in a ship, which was their workplace. The issue of capitalism in the story evoked strong emotions like displeasure, disapproval, and annoyance from the students, especially when they have connected fiction with reality for workers across the country, and even across the globe were experiencing wretched treatment from these capitalists. The book sparked intense discussions within the class, and while some of the learners were interested in the points presented by their peers, some found it confusing to internalize.
It was a bit more relaxed in English class because all they did was listen to the teacher, do their workbooks, and practise English conversation with a partner. Even then, the amount of work they had to do in a 50-minute time frame was still stressful. English conversation was easy for a handful of learners in Class 2-5, but a majority needed a lot of support from the teacher and the students who have a strong command of the foreign language. Chie was one of the few students who were tasked to help out some peers who were struggling with the activity. She didn't mind helping them out, especially with the pronunciation of words and correct grammar use, but she felt her energy level drain quickly as she did so. By the time English class finished and the students were given a twenty-minute break, Chie was all ready to take a power nap. Both subjects were mentally exhausting for her, and she honestly felt like her brain just short-circuited and turned into goop, so as soon as the teacher gave them the go signal to enjoy their free time, Chie rested her head on her arms, which were crossed over her desk. As a part of her easy-going personality, Chie didn't really care much about what her classmates would think of her taking a nap. I mean, if it's allowed for Japanese employees to sleep at work as a sign of showing diligence, then the same rule should be allowed for students.
Despite the room not being a suitable environment for a person to sleep in because of the noises and the uncomfortable 'sleeping area,' Chie still felt her body loosen up and eventually drifted off to sleep. Chie started to go into the light stage of sleep not too long after she began to rest her head on her desk. She was still aware of what was going on in her environment, but Chie could also feel being drawn to a calmer place inside her mind, urging her to give in to slumber. "Macarons…" she whispered to herself before letting go.
"Fukuhara!" a voice called out loudly, momentarily pulling Chie back down into light consciousness.
Chie refused to open her eyes.
"Fukuhara!" the voice called out again, much louder, with more emphasis. "You can't possibly be asleep already. It's been researched and scientifically proven that your body is still alert in stage one of non-REM sleep and can be woken up as well. I know you're awake, so there's no use pretending."
"What the heck are you talking about?" an annoyed voice asked.
"I'm just stating facts," the first voice, which was deep and manly, responded in a teasing way.
Chie knew who the voices belonged to. The deep, fruity voice belonged to beanpole rooster Kuroo, while the pleasant yet annoyed voice belonged to Yaku. She liked Yaku's voice the best out of everyone in her class because despite him always being griefed by his teammates and peers, she could feel his parently qualities shine through. She still didn't open her eyes, though. Listening to the two boys talk about her, Chie treated them as just white noise-and white noise helped her sleep. Thinking about macarons one more time, Chie tried to dive back into sleep.
"Fukuhara," beanpole rooster Kuroo said, coming closer to Chie's desk while still remaining a respectable distance between them. "I have something to talk with you about." Kuroo looked at Chie's sleeping figure. Her pastel pink hair spilling over her shoulders and face despite its semi-short length. Kuroo was confused as to why Chie was wearing track pants under her skirt, though. He thinks Chie is pretty cute, but not as much as Yuzuki. Chie had a more sassy, cutesy, and easy-going vibe around her, while Yuzuki had a responsible, mature, and alluring touch. Sometimes Kuroo wondered how they became friends.
When Chie first entered their class a few months ago after transferring from the standard courses to college-prep, Kuroo thought she would be docile and shy. She was clinging on Yuzuki's arm, or it might have been the other way around. Either way, they were clinging to each other. Little did he know that Chie was actually free-spirited, lazy, and quite an eater. She began showing her true colours more as soon as the days went on. Chie would always eat during class, munching on chips and sweets to keep her energy levels going. She would also take a bunch of photos during her free time to collect memories, as she would often say, and this would only happen if she's not taking a nap, like right now.
Kuroo still didn't know much about Yuzuki, although he has been silently observing her from the sidelines ever since seeing her for the first time a few months ago when she walked Chie to her new class. He wasn't aware that Kai was really close to Yuzuki to the point that they even have nicknames for each other. It's not like Kai talks about himself that much anyway. He has always been a quiet fellow, only speaking when he needed to or when he has a question, so it was quite perplexing for Kuroo to see Kai being close to a girl. It was also mildly vexing to Kuroo how Yuzuki was hard stuck in his head like a bee in a bonnet.
The memory of Yuzuki in the library earlier then rushed through Kuroo's mind like a flood. Yuzuki showed how adorable she could be to him. She was blushing at him. She was looking at him. She also wanted to be friends with him! He felt ecstatic again, feeling a new softness in his chest and a light queasiness in his stomach. He admitted that he was pretty forward with his advances earlier, but it didn't seem like Yuzuki minded. Well, he thinks that she didn't care about it all, considering how she walked with him and even suggested that he ask her number from her sleeping best friend. Kuroo slightly bared his teeth, dispelling any other thought of his time with Yuzuki earlier in the day and focusing on her sleeping best friend. "Oi-"
Yaku teasingly punched Kuroo's arm. "Just leave her alone, Kuroo." He rolled his eyes at the tall guy beside him. Yaku was utterly oblivious to why Kuroo suddenly decided to talk to Chie, given the fact that the two only talk if they are in a group activity. Other than that, they stay away from each other but treat each other civilly. Kuroo still didn't move from his place despite Yaku suggesting that they give Chie space. This made Yaku think of all sorts of reasons why the rooster head was so hung up on the sleeping girl. Could Kuroo possibly be interested in Fukuhara? He's not usually this persistent over someone other than Kenma. Maybe Kuroo is going to confess? Oh, this is gonna be good… "Hey Kuroo, if you wanna talk to Fukuhara about something of this importance," Yaku commented. "Tell her after school when there are not too many people around." His face, including his ears, turned rouge at the thought of Kuroo being alone with Chie, confessing his feelings to her.
Kuroo narrowed his eyes at Yaku, raised an eyebrow, and when he figured out what Yaku was implying, he yelped. "No! It's not what you think it is, you idiot!" Kuroo pointed at Chie's head. "Yakkun, you thought I'm going to confess to her?! Her? Fukuhara? Why? What? Where's your brain at?"
Yaku threw his arms up in the air, shouting back the black-haired boy. "Well, grandpa?! How was I supposed to know? You were very ambiguous!"
"As if you know what ambiguous means!"
"Of course, I know what it means! I just used it in a sentence!"
Chie was very much awake at this point. Well, she has been awake ever since Kuroo called out her name the second time. She couldn't go back to sleep, and she doesn't think she will be, especially if her two classmates keep on bickering. "My nap…" she lamented before opening her eyes and sitting up straight on her chair. "I do not get paid in this school to deal with this type of bullcrap," she grunted and immediately looked daggers at Kuroo and Yaku, holding her gaze until they finished their squabble. Yaku was the first to notice Chie's terrifying look, and he flinched soon after.
"Oi, Kuroo," he whispered, waving his hand up and down like a cat scratching its paws on furniture. "Let's go! Quick! I don't wanna get in trouble!"
"Ha?!" Kuroo made a face at Yaku, widening his eyes and sticking his tongue out. "Trouble? What do you mean?!" Yaku slightly nodded his head towards Chie's direction, but Kuroo thought that he was stretching his neck or something. Kuroo scrunched up his face more. "Yakkun, you're so weird."
"You know," Chie said in a tight voice, which caught the attention of the two boys. "Normal people would just go and ignore those who are sleeping. But you two…" Kuroo and Yaku felt chills down their spine at Chie's sinister voice. Both boys took a step back, not wanting to get anywhere near Chie lest she decides to jump on them out of annoyance. "You two just didn't back off. I am flabbergasted at how you kept on bickering as if I wasn't asleep…" Chie slowly breathed, closing her eyes in the process and then shook her head from side to side. "I'm-"
"Were you even asleep, though?" Kuroo interrupted, with a hint of curiosity in his voice. He rubbed his chin and looked down at Chie, not because he disrespected her, but because of the 25-centimetre height difference.
Chie crossed her arms over her chest and looked straight up at Kuroo. They just stood there, staring at each other as if the battle was happening through telepathy, and whoever breaks eye contact first will surely be the loser, and Chie doesn't like losing. Especially not to the obnoxious beanpole. She sneered at him, showing how sassy and intimidating she can be. "What do you want?" she asked in a booming voice. "You better speak up, or you can walk away like Yaku-kun like a decent person."
Kuroo searched for Yaku only to find him naturally blending in with a group of boys from their class. He didn't appreciate that Yaku ditched him, but at the same time, he knew Yaku would rather not get caught up in a predicament he didn't want to be a part of. With his lips pursed together, he turned his attention back on the pastel pink-haired girl in front of him, who was crucial to his budding relationship with a certain black-haired female. She was still sneering at him, and Kuroo thought that Chie was stubborn like Yuzuki, making him check off an item in his 'Why are Yucchan and Fukuhara even friends?' list. Equally stubborn, check! He still didn't know how to open up the topic of asking Chie for Yuzuki's number without him looking like a complete idiot stalker. He also predicted how Chie might react when he does ask, and Kuroo imagined Chie replying with a flat 'no' and then going back to sleep or maybe eat, like what she usually does. Mustering up the courage to ask because he can't afford to waste more time and because he wanted to get everything over with, Kuroo started to speak. "Fukuhara, I wanted to talk to you about something, and before you get any weird ideas, no, I am not confessing to you."
"Ew," Chie expressed.
Kuroo pretended he didn't just hear Chie say anything, so he continued talking. "I was talking to Yuch- uh," he stopped to correct himself. "Sakamori earlier today, and she told me to ask you for her number. And, yeah, I want to ask you for that number." Kuroo rubbed the nape of his neck and looked away, for he could feel his cheeks starting to get warmer, and he didn't want Chie to see him blushing.
"You…" Chie started to speak. "Woke me up just to lie?" She stomped her foot on the ground, her hands up in the air as if she threw a table out of annoyance. Modern Literature and English was already mentally and emotionally exhausting for her, and Kuroo adding himself to the picture made everything worse. "Beanpole Kuroo and Yuzuki aren't even friends, heck! There's no way Yuzuki would talk to a person like him, so why is he saying that she suggested I give her number to him?" Chie pondered angrily with a pout and furrowed eyebrows.
The tall, black-haired boy's expectation of Chie just replying 'no' straight-up was incredibly wrong. He didn't expect Chie to still be hung up over an interrupted nap, but he reflected on his actions and made a mental note. Never interrupt Fukuhara's sleeping time if you want to see another light of day. "I'm not lying."
She rolled her eyes at Kuroo. "And you want me to believe that?"
"Well, obviously!" At this point, Kuroo could feel his blood rushing through his head. "I talked to her this morning in the library! I even walked with her on our way to class this morning!" Thinking of ways to convince Chie that he's not lying, Kuroo explained the events of today, trying to use a calm voice even though he was at wit's end over Chie's lack of enthusiasm and cooperation. Chie's eyes were utterly void of any sort of emotion, but he knew she was listening, trying to discern whether she should trust him or not. "So that's what happened, and just so you know, I am a man of my word," Kuroo placed one hand on his chest and extended the other in front of him.
Chie took out her phone to go through her contacts. She kind of believed Kuroo's story but only 10%, and it was the part where Yuzuki told him that she brought kimchi spaghetti for her and Kai. Her stomach grumbled as she thought of Yuzuki's cooking and how much food she will be eating later during lunch. Unknowingly, her frown turned to a smile at the thought of the spicy, savoury, and cheesy flavours dancing inside her mouth. Kuroo mistook Chie's smile as her finally giving him Yuzuki's number. But, his hopes were put on hold when Chie began tapping the screen instead of just showing him Yuzuki's contact details or dictating her number. "Hold on, rooster, I'm texting Yuzuki."
"Fine," Kuroo gritted his teeth and glanced at the clock on top of the classroom's whiteboard. There were only 6 minutes left of their break, and he hasn't gotten anywhere near his goal. He had just wasted time bickering with Yaku and sneering at Chie. He considered his other options. He could talk to her during lunch, but even then, he wouldn't want to interrupt Chie's free time, and it's not like he knew where she eats lunch anyway. The self-study period was another option, but Chie would probably want to be undisturbed to study while munching on snacks and then continue the power nap that she could not take. After school could work out, Kuroo considered it with a hum; he has club activities this afternoon, and so did Chie, but she might skip because she's notorious for doing that anyway. He can try to talk to her then and just rush to practice after getting Yuzuki's number. "Well?"
"Hello, Yuzuki?" Chie said over the phone, blatantly ignoring Kuroo by turning her body away from him.
"Hey! There are only a few minutes left of the break. Are you sure you should be calling me right now?" Yuzuki replied with a hint of amusement in her voice that only Chie could hear.
"I know," Chie, who was not in the least bit offended at Yuzuki reprimanding her, said cutely. "But, I just want to talk to you quickly about a certain person wanting to get your number from me." She told Yuzuki what Kuroo told her, but it was so fast that Kuroo thought she was rapping. Kuroo was able to keep up with what she was saying to Yuzuki because, according to him, he has a galaxy-level brain. "Can you please confirm if beanpole Kuroo's story is legit or not?"
Yuzuki sighed. "It's true. I happened to meet him earlier this morning, and we kind of, uhh…"
"You two hit it off?"
"I wouldn't exactly phrase it that way, though. But, let's just say that I'm opening myself to him?" Yuzuki said unsurely that Chie even questioned herself. "Alright, you know what, let's make this fun! I told him to ask you for my number, right? So let him ask you for that said number."
Chie turned her body to face Kuroo again, and he noticed that her face glowed, but it was because of the mischief in her eyes and the evil smile she had fun projecting. "Oh! So you mean I can…"
"Yeah."
"So?" Kuroo urged after Chie said her goodbye and put her phone away. "What did she say?"
"Yuzuki said that you can ask me for her number."
"Okay? So what's her number then?" Kuroo asked, irritation in his voice.
Pointing at herself with both of her thumbs, Chie smiled at Kuroo sweetly, but it was not like Yuzuki's. Chie's 'sweet' smile was more sinister while Yuzuki's was genuinely endearing. "Oh, I'm sorry you must have misunderstood me. Yes, you can ask me for her number but, no, I am not giving it to you."
"Why?!" Kuroo flung his arms up in frustration. "Fukuhara! Why can't you just give me her number? I just want to be friends with Sakamori!" He was unhappy but not to the point of disliking Chie for being a tough nut to crack. "Okay, calm down, me. Maybe Fukuhara is still pissed because of me waking her up so let's be patient and get on her good side. Maybe if we apologize, she'll reconsider." Kuroo thought to himself and then addressed Chie again. "Okay, you know what, I am sorry for waking you up from your nap. I shouldn't have done that. I was just excited about asking you for Sakamori's number. Can I make it up to you by giving you candy or something tomorrow?"
Chie huffed, sat back down on her chair, crossed her legs, and her arms over her chest. Looking up at the tall figure in front of her, she waved her hand, shooing him away. "Yeah, if you think that buttering me up will make me reconsider not giving you Yuzuki's number then," she sniggered. "You're absolutely wrong. Now go away; class is starting."
Kuroo felt like multiple blood vessels popped in his brain from his conversations with Chie. He didn't know if he should laugh or cry at how frustrated he was at a girl of 162 centimetres. Chie was too cheeky and snarky for his taste, but he knows that he has to accept Chie's personality if he wants to be friends with Yuzuki. Kuroo chanted the word 'patience' in his mind as he walked back to his seat, which was at the very back of the room, by the windows. He then looked out the window, trying to calm himself down by looking at the lush, green trees by the school's courtyard. The green leaves were vibrant and yet pleasing to look at. Summer will be starting soon, he contemplated happily. Cicadas will be emerging, the sun will be higher in the sky, and the spring flowers will be replaced with summer blooms. He will also be busy with summer training camps with the Fukurodani Academy Group, which he was really looking forward to.
The Fukurodani Academy Group is a group that consists of four schools in the Kanto region who train together in between tournaments. Only four schools are included in the training: Nekoma High, Shinzen High, Ubugawa High, and Fukurodani Academy. Kuroo has a good relationship with the players, but he is most close to Kotaro Bokuto from Fukurodani Academy because of how refreshing he was and is to be with. They became fast friends after one night of individual training when Bokuto stopped Kuroo from going to the cafeteria so he can block some spikes of his, for Bokuto is a wing spiker while Kuroo is a middle blocker. Bokuto is the complete opposite of Kuroo-loud, pouty, and sometimes reckless, but instead of being annoyed with him, he actually enjoyed his presence. Kuroo thought that this summer would be another great one as he smiled at the one tree dancing from the sudden gust of wind. But, of course, it would be better if he could have Yuzuki's number before it starts so their friendship can blossom. Glancing at Chie now, whose seat was about 3 desks away, Kuroo thought about how he had his work cut out for him, but he was willing to be tolerant and understanding. For Sakamori, he told himself. For Sakamori.
The school bell rang for lunch. The students hurriedly rushed out of their classrooms or took their time standing near the doorway, but Yuzuki did neither. Comfortably slouching in her chair, Yuzuki fiddled with her phone, checking the notifications, which were mostly Twitter mentions from mutuals who play the same game as her. As she waited for the hallway to clear so she could meet up with Chie for lunch. Kai was still on his seat, for he just finished cleaning his desk to prepare for the next classes after lunch. Yuzuki still hasn't told Kai that she has something special for him, even though they have been passing notes to each other the whole morning whenever the teacher wasn't looking. Their messages to each other consisted mostly of short sentences and doodles, though Kai wasn't really much of an artist. During Math, Kai doodled Yuzuki as a bear, but instead of looking like a normal animal, it was absolutely horrifying. Kai had given the bear Yuzuki's 'math face' consisting of narrow eyes, creased forehead, and an O-shaped mouth. He had written that he was sorry that it looked scary, and Yuzuki thought it was so adorable despite it looking like the bear had eaten some sour berries.
"Are you heading out already, Nobu?" Yuzuki asked, smiling, for she felt jubilant after remembering the doodles she shared with Kai.
"Yeah, I should probably go. I don't want to miss out on the lunch special. How about you?" Kai smiled the usual sweet and polite smile of his that Yuzuki always liked. "Eating at the courtyard again?"
Yuzuki sat up straight. "I brought lunch with me, as usual. But, I thought that the cafeteria might be a good place to eat today. Would you like to walk together?" she asked apprehensively, also feeling a bit shy too. "But, if you have to meet up with your friends from the other class, then it's totally fine." Honestly, Yuzuki just wanted to surprise him with the kimchi spaghetti she had made last night.
Kai hummed as he thought of his reply. "It should be fine, Yuzu. I can always meet up with them at the cafeteria anyway."
"Perfect!" she said happily and then grabbing the tote bag she carefully placed beside her desk before standing up. "Shall we go?"
Chie was already outside of her classroom, for as soon as the bell rang, she hastily exited the classroom to avoid being cornered by Kuroo, in case he wanted to question her about Yuzuki's number again. She intended to blend in with the crowd of hungry students making their way to the cafeteria or wherever they may eat their lunches at, and so far, her plan has been a complete success because beanpole Kuroo was nowhere to be found near her person. When she saw Yuzuki and Kai exit their classroom talking casually and comfortably with each other, Chie smiled and thought how they looked cute together. "If Kai-kun asked me for Yuzuki's number instead of rooster boy, I wouldn't even have to think about it." Chie imagined herself presenting Yuzuki's number written on a scented paper folded neatly on top of a gold plate to Kai, kneeling as if she offered him a marvellous treasure. "But then again, Kai-kun probably knows Yuzuki's number already." Chie sighed disappointingly before running towards her friends. "Yuzuki-chan!" she called out sweetly, clinging onto Yuzuki's arm and then waved at Kai. "Hi to you too, Kai-kun!"
The three started walking down the hallway, talking about their day as they made their way to the cafeteria. Kai was talking to Chie about how their class went. They had Math and Japanese before the twenty-minute break and then Science afterwards. He told Chie how the subjects were tedious and challenging to them as a class, especially Math since it was the first subject they had to study today. Chie then interjected by saying that she felt the same way with her classes and felt her brain exploded from the information overload. Yuzuki and Kai laughed at cheeky Chie as she told her friends about this morning's lessons. "Like, during the break, I wanted to take a nap since my brain was basically like slime, but then, this beanpole rooster kid Kuroo and mother Yaku just had to bicker near my desk! Especially Kuroo! He woke me up multiple times! I am so annoyed!"
The mention of Kuroo and Yaku bothering Chie instantly worried Kai. "Oh no, what did they do?" He knew his friends were loud and would often squabble, but he never expected them to intentionally wake up a sleeping person. "I'm sorry that they were rude to you, Fukuhara."
"Yaku-kun was actually fine because he actually thought of his actions and just walked away, but Kuroo stayed and pestered me for Yuzuki's number! I didn't give it to him, though," she said, looking at Yuzuki with sparkles in her eyes. "I totally gave him a hard time. He should have popped a blood vessel or two."
Kai remained silent, curious as to why Kuroo acted the way he did. Kuroo was never really interested in any girls even though he has been the center of attention since he came to high school because of his tall stature, good looks, and intelligent brain. His friend would almost always receive love letters or confessions from girls in their year or higher. Still, Kuroo would just brush it off by saying that volleyball and studying are more significant than relationships right now. Hearing how Kuroo is vying for Yuzuki's number was peculiar and suspicious to him. It also made Kai feel uncomfortable and a little bit green-eyed. "Did he say why he wanted Yuzu's number?" Kai asked cautiously, slowly, not wanting to show any negative emotion.
"I told him to ask Chie for my number this morning," Yuzuki replied as a matter-of-factly. "Basically, we met each other this morning in the library, and a few other things happened, so we walked to class together. He said he wanted to be friends, but since I didn't want to be late for homeroom, I told him he can text me and ask Chie for my number." Recalling the events from this morning made Yuzuki's cheeks pinken. Kai and Chie both noticed but equally decided not to comment on it mostly because Chie didn't want Yuzuki to feel uncomfortable and because Kai didn't want to think about Kuroo evoking certain emotions within Yuzuki. "Anyway, I'm sorry, Chie," she said quietly after clearing her throat, regaining her composure again. "I feel like it's my fault for you not being able to take a nap. I mean, it was me who told Kuroo to ask you, and it's like me indirectly waking you up, you know."
Chie shook her head. "No! It's not your fault! Only beanpole Kuroo is at fault here!" She sighed heavily, contemplating how much she disliked her classmate for waking her up and for being an insufferable rooster with his advances towards her best friend.
"Yeah, don't blame yourself, Yuzu. Kuroo should've just asked at a different time. You can only control your actions and not others." Kai said nicely with a smile, reassuring Yuzuki that she wasn't at fault anywhere. "Anyway, I've meant to ask," he lied. Kai just really wanted to change the topic from Kuroo to something else. "Why are you two eating at the cafeteria today?"
The entrance of the cafeteria came into view, and it was a very busy sight to behold. The voices of all the hungry students echoed throughout the dining hall, for the area was too large that the sound waves just kept bouncing back. The two girls haven't been near the cafeteria in a long time, so the voices were almost deafening as soon as they arrived. Chie thought that making their way through the dining hall just to look for a table was like diving into a snake pit. However, Yuzuki thought it was like one of the team fights in her games where you don't really know where you are, but you can hear a dozen sound effects one second after the other. Either way, both girls were overwhelmed.
"I now remember very clearly why we decided to bring lunch every day and eat in the courtyard," Yuzuki commented.
"I know, right?" Chie responded with a forced smile. "This is so chaotic, and I'm chaotic with you."
Kai looked back at Yuzuki and Chie, whose faces showed a very uncomfortable expression. "Are you sure you want to eat at the cafeteria today?" he whispered in Yuzuki's ear.
"Oh yeah, definitely. We need the microwave for our lunch today, so we absolutely have to be here." Yuzuki whispered back.
"Alright, follow me! There's this great spot where you guys can eat."
While Yuzuki and Kai were whispering to one another, Chie couldn't help but feel butterflies in her stomach at how cute the two were. Chie knows that Yuzuki doesn't like anyone now, but she is almost sure that Kai is attracted to her best friend. She could be wrong, delusional, and irrationally hopeful, but she's still going to give them a seal of her approval. Yuzuki grabbed Chie's wrist, pulling her forward and pulling her away from her fluff thoughts. Kai had led them to a table by the back of the cafeteria. The surrounding tables of the one they stopped at were already full, but this one was empty as if it was already reserved for them. "You guys can eat here," Kai said. "This is actually where we eat our lunch since our senpais basically claimed this table for the volleyball team. None of them eat here anymore, though, so the table is just for us second and some first years. You're more than welcome to use it today if you don't mind sharing it with a bunch of volleyball guys." He eyed Chie, knowing how much she disliked Kuroo and then studying Yuzuki's expressions, which didn't really say anything except for 'I just want to eat.'
"I don't really mind as long as you are all fine with us being here," Yuzuki said slowly, thinking of how to control her emotions once she sees Kuroo. "How about you, Chie?"
Chie sat down, indicating that she's willing to share the same space as Kuroo and Yaku and maybe the other volleyball club members. How bad could it be? Chie wondered a little bit angrily. "Here is fine. It's better than having cold spaghetti."
"Alright, well, make yourselves comfortable here while I buy my lunch. If Kuroo or Yaku or any first years wonder or even complain why you two are here, tell them this…" Kai then leaned over to Chie and whispered in her ear, instructing her carefully on what to say to whoever dares to send them away for sitting at their table. Chie gave Kai a thumbs up, telling him that he can count on her.
Yuzuki and Kai walked together but parted ways when he had to go to the counter to buy while she had to go to the cafeteria's side to use the microwave for their packed lunch. The dining hall at Nekoma High is spacious and convenient. There are also two microwaves and two beverage vending machines on each side of the dining hall. Students often commented on how the cafeteria is cut above the rest of other local high schools for the delicious and abundant food options and the extra perks, like the microwave and the ample choices in the vending machine. Yuzuki wasn't the only one who had to use the microwave for lunch today, but there wasn't much competition over the appliance either, so she didn't have to wait long. She placed the tote bag on the counter where the microwave was and hurriedly ran over to the cafeteria's entryway where the trays were stacked. After she grabbed a tray, Yuzuki went back to the counter and carefully took out the three containers from inside the bag. "Two minutes should be fine," she muttered as she placed the first container in the machine to start heating it up.
Back to the place where the group will take their lunch for today, Chie had just been watching videos on her phone as soon as Yuzuki and Kai left. Switching between food and animal videos, Chie enjoyed her alone time until a familiar voice made her look up from her phone. "Oh, Fukuhara. You're here." It sounded more of a question rather than an observation, Chie thought. "This is uhh…"
The girl clicked her tongue, disappointed at how she was disrupted again by the same person. Chie thought that she couldn't win today. Everyone seems to be getting in the way of her rhythm. "Oh hi," she greeted blandly.
"What are you- um, are you lost cause… uh," Yaku stammered, trying to think of a way to talk to Chie about her being in their eating space without offending her. "Hi." he just said, giving up.
A tall figure behind Yaku emerged, and Chie instantly rolled her eyes in annoyance. Kuroo immediately felt a dark urge to snap at Chie for rolling her eyes at him, but he chanted 'patience' once again in his head. "Patience. Patience. Patience." he told himself, and his inner voice seemed like it was saying the words with clenched teeth, for it was muffled and full of bitterness. "It's unusual seeing you in this part of the school, Fukuhara." Kuroo tried his best to sound civil towards Chie. "What brings you here?"
Returning her attention back to her phone, Chie replied coolly. "Kai-kun told me to say this to whoever wonders or complains about my being here: The table is big enough for two more extra people, so why not share it. This is a request from Nobuyuki Kai." Chie put down her phone, eyeing the two confused boys standing in front of her. "If I were to rephrase what Kai-kun said into my own words, it would be: Just let us sit here, we just want to eat. Just for today. And," she focused on Kuroo, her mouth curving into a smile. "If it makes any difference," she sighed, not really wanting to play the cards this way. "Yuzuki will be joining in."
Kuroo perked up, which Yaku and Chie both noticed. Chie didn't really enjoy his reaction, but Yaku absolutely did. He saw the black-haired boy's cheeks suddenly turn scarlet with a smile forcing itself to come out behind pursed lips. "Where is she?" Kuroo asked thickly, which made Yaku look up at him more confused than ever.
"Microwave."
Kuroo turned on his heels as if possessed, meanwhile Yaku sat down at the chair in front of Chie. "That was really odd," he commented, confusion very evident in his voice. He scratched this head before speaking with Chie, who was back to watching videos on her phone. "Hey Fukuhara, correct me if I'm wrong but, did you think Kuroo suddenly acted weird when you said the name of your friend?" Yaku didn't want to say Yuzuki's name, but he knew who she was because she was the conversation topic yesterday between him, Kai and Kuroo. "He kind of glowed."
Putting her phone down on the table, Chie shrugged. "I guess so. I mean, if you noticed it, then maybe it is what you think it is."
"You sound unhappy about it; why is that?"
"Because I'm rooting for someone else. I'm rooting for someone better." Chie replied simply, thinking of Kai, who, as if summoned by her thoughts, appeared from within the crowd of students, currently making his way towards her and Yaku.
"Hey," Kuroo said quietly, not wanting to startle Yuzuki. He had his hand cover his mouth, for he was feeling shy.
Yuzuki turned her head to the direction of the greeting only to see Kuroo, with eyes downcast, his body language showing how tense he was just by being near her. "Oh," was all she could manage to say.
"I didn't know you eat in the cafeteria. More like, I rarely see you around here."
"I usually eat somewhere else, but remember when I told you this morning about how I brought lunches for Chie and Nobu? Yeah, I'm heating them up right now. You see, I added a lot of grated cheese on top this morning and microwaving it would melt it into this gooey goodness." Yuzuki mentally cursed herself for saying 'gooey goodness,' but what can she do? She's always fired up when talking about food.
Kuroo noticed that Yuzuki instantly shone when she talked about food. "Cute," he thought with a slight smile on her face. In front of him, the black-haired girl just finished taking out the last container from the microwave and put it on the tray right beside her. He remembered how he offered to take Yuzuki's tote bag from her earlier in the morning for him to carry, which she coolly rejected. But seeing as how all three containers on the tray were made of glass, Kuroo couldn't help but marvel at Yuzuki's strength. "Please," he started to say, really wanting to bond with Yuzuki, even if it means carrying her food around. "Let me help you carry this."
"Why?" Her tone was sharp even though she didn't mean to be hostile. Yuzuki just didn't see the point of why she had to be assisted when she's perfectly able to do such a menial task such as carrying a tray of food.
"Because I want to." The boy replied assertively. "I'm a gentleman, you know."
She chuckled but immediately tried the smile from her face by placing her hands over her lips. Yuzuki glanced up at him, her eyes full of mischief. "What if I don't want you to?"
Kuroo started walking towards her, closing the distance that they maintained ever since he arrived near her. He took the tray in his hands and immediately started walking away from Yuzuki. His stride was confident, posture was upright, and his smile… attractively childish. "If you could grab the tote bag for me, that would be amazing," Kuroo said playfully. "Hurry up! Spaghetti isn't good when it's cold. You're hungry, aren't you?"
Yuzuki blinked at him but did what she was told, walking behind him as she finished collecting her bag. "What a dork," she thought, staring at the nape of his neck and then up at his messy, black hair, admiring how good-looking he was even from behind.
Tetsurou Kuroo only had three things on his mind as they walked to their lunch spot for today. One: Yuzuki will be eating lunch with him and his friends. This will be a perfect time to interact with her, and if it goes well, maybe he can also ask for her number instead of relying on sass brat Chie. Two: The food that Yuzuki prepared looked and smelled so good that his stomach started to grumble. Third: Kai. Kuroo would give anything just to be Kai for the whole duration of the lunch break, but since he's a realist, he just accepted that he had to work his way up on Yuzuki's friendship list.
Kai, Chie, and Yaku were already settled in their seats, talking with each other when she and Kuroo arrived. There were five empty seats left around the table, so the late pair didn't think twice where to sit, especially Yuzuki, since she knows that the open seat beside Chie was reserved for her. "Hello!" Yuzuki greeted with a smile. "Thank you for letting us share the lunch table with you all today." She bowed, only to be interrupted by Yaku, saying that it's no big deal and that she and Kuroo should sit down. "Ah, yes, thank you." Yuzuki then extended her hands towards Kuroo, wanting to take the tray from him, which Kuroo complied apprehensively.
Kai and Yaku marvelled at how the food looked delicious once Yuzuki placed the tray on the table. The two boys were singing oohs, ahhs, and wows, which made the cook extremely shy, for she was not used to receiving compliments. Kuroo, on the other hand, rolled his eyes secretly and with a pout on his face, as he reminded himself that 'It's okay' for he saw what it looked like first. Yuzuki sat down with Yaku in front of her because Kai was already sitting across from Chie. Kuroo, not wanting to be too forward, decided to sit beside Yaku, leaving the seat beside Yuzuki empty. He thought it would be fine this way since he can get a good view of her if he's across from her. When Kuroo sat down, he caught Chie glare at him, as if warning him to behave and be respectful.
"Yuzu, that looks amazing," Kai exclaimed. "It makes sense to me now why you had to use the microwave. But, if I may ask, why do you have three containers? Surely you're not going to eat the extra one?"
"Actually," Yuzuki started, handing one container to Kai with both hands. "I packed a portion just for you. I wanted to surprise you. I also didn't know if you would be full if you only eat this as it's a small portion, so it's totally fine if you have something else to eat today." She suddenly felt flustered, blushing as she said her words, which intrigued Yaku, delighted Chie, annoyed Kuroo, and overjoyed Kai. "I don't know how well you handle spicy food, but I really hope you'll like it."
Kai took the container from Yuzuki with a slight bow of his head and a beaming smile. He could feel his heart beating fast in his chest, and while he didn't know if he was blushing or not, he was aware of how his body felt warm. "Thank you, Yuzu. I really appreciate it. I'm sure I'll love it."
"And this is your portion, Chie. I made sure to add a lot of cheese on top of yours." Chie's face lit up when she set her eyes on her lunch. "Thank you, Yuzuki!" Taking out her phone from her skirt pocket, Chie started to take multiple pictures, taking her time to choose the perfect filter to make the photos look more aesthetically pleasing. She then hugged the sweet, black-haired girl beside her, feeling immensely thankful at how she's well-taken care of by her best friend. "You're the best, Yuzuki-chan!" It gave Chie a feeling of superiority when she glanced at Kuroo slyly as she called Yuzuki endearingly, for Kuroo squinted his eyes at her in slight annoyance. Chie then decided to talk to Kuroo, the beanpole. "Kuroo-kun, aren't you going to eat lunch? Oh," she then noticed Yaku not having food in front of him either. "And you too, Yaku-kun."
"Oh!" Kuroo and Yaku exclaimed, excusing themselves from the group to buy their lunches before it runs out. The two didn't take too long for most of the students who were in the cafeteria already bought their food, so the cashier's line-up was practically non-existent. Kuroo was lucky enough to get the katsu curry like Kai, but Yaku opted for a gyudon, with an extra serving of vegetables on the side. When they went back to their table, the three were already eating while chatting comfortably with each other. Yaku thought it was a good time to snoop on his tall friend. "So, about the two girls there…"
"What and why do you want to know, Yakkun?" Kuroo asked the curious, brown-haired friend of his.
"Eh, you don't have to answer if you don't want to," Yaku replied, thinking that this conversation will go nowhere since Kuroo asked a question as a form of reply.
"Sakamori," he replied with a subtle hint of pride in his voice. "I'm attracted to her. I can't explain it, but I am."
"I see," was all Yaku could reply since he honestly didn't know what else to say. After Kuroo's honest answer, Yaku's head was suddenly filled with the memory of his earlier conversation with Yuzuki's best friend. It was back when Kai was buying food while Kuroo ran off to see Yuzuki. Yaku was left alone with Chie, and she expressed how much she disliked Kuroo for her friend. When Chie mentioned that she was rooting for someone else, Yaku immediately thought of Kai. He wasn't sure if Kai had romantic feelings for Yuzuki, but if he did, and Kuroo liked her too, then things might get really messy. As much as he wants his friends to be happy, he doesn't want them to fight over something trivial. Something trivial such as liking the same girl.
The group ate their lunches with gusto, mixed with comfortable conversations about their classes and clubs, and a couple of jokes thrown here and there. The conversation started flowing freely like the Shakujii River at the mention of Kenma, who is currently sick. Cautiously asking who Kenma was, Chie and Yuzuki found out from Kuroo that he's his childhood and best friend and with Yaku adding in that Kenma is the 'gamer of the group.' Yuzuki then exploded with delight, asking more about Kenma and his hobbies with a voice evident of pure curiosity and excitement, for she thought that Kai, Kuroo, and Yaku only have volleyball in their male brains. It was then that they, excluding Chie and Kai, got know to what a gamer Yuzuki is-an avid gamer, to be very specific. She began regaling stories about her gaming life with information about her competitive accomplishments in League of Legends and how she looks forward to new game releases, may it be from a big company or an indie one. Yuzuki also cheerfully talked about her favourite weapons in a first-person shooter game, which astounded Kuroo and Yaku because they've never heard such a girl proudly say how much she was into fighting and shooting down enemies.
The bedhead bearer, Kuroo, then cheekily said that he also enjoys gaming after hearing Yuzuki impulsively say that she would love to be Kenma's gaming buddy. Yaku rolled his eyes and retorted by saying that Kuroo was lying, for he stated, with a raised eyebrow and a naughty voice, that the only things in Kuroo's head were volleyball, science, fish, and how to get rid of his bed head. This led to an outburst of laughter, with Chie's being the loudest. Kuroo, despite being humiliated by Yaku, turned to Chie instead, baring his teeth while looking at her with eyes full of intimidation. Chie stuck out her tongue at Kuroo before shifting her gaze at Yuzuki for a split second, reminding Kuroo to be on his best behaviour. With a heavy sigh, Kuroo calmed himself then started to talk to Chie, asking questions about her. Chie was cooperative this time, much to his and Yaku's surprise. She shared her hobbies, such as reading comics and webtoons, sleeping, and eating, which Yuzuki commented on how she felt the same on a spiritual level. The pink-haired girl also told the group about her penchant for cute looking food and charms. Yaku and Kuroo both thought that Chie's liking for anything cute and nurturing was totally the opposite of her personality: snarky, haughty, and sassy.
The boys soon after took turns in sharing information and fun facts about themselves. Yuzuki and Chie listened intently, which Kuroo, Yaku, and Kai were immensely thankful for. As the lunchtime drew to a close, Yaku thanked the girls for being such a good company, even suggesting that they should join them again since they were both cool and funny to be around. However, Yuzuki and Chie politely declined the offer with a bow and apologetic smiles. They reasoned that as much as they enjoyed today, they will always prefer the outdoors over anything because it's less overwhelming and more relaxing for them. This dismayed the boys, but Yaku decided to lighten the mood by saying that Yuzuki and Chie are always welcome to join since bonds between them have been formed. There were hearty smiles on everyone's faces, especially from the two girls, because even with their quirky and fun personalities, they have always struggled with belonging and fitting in. So, hearing Yaku, and even just the silent approval of Kai and Kuroo, about spending time with them really sparked joy within Yuzuki and Chie as if fireworks had been lit up within their hearts.
The group walked closely together as they made their way back to their respective classrooms. Yaku and Chie, who were both short, walked in front, casually and comfortably talking about cats. The people behind them were quiet, though, with Yuzuki walking in between Kai and Kuroo. Kai didn't bother starting a conversation, for he was content listening to the short pair passionately discuss how every breed of cat is fantastic, wonderful, and cute. Also, Kai knows that Yuzuki has downtime after eating lunch, so he just focused on someone else. Kuroo, however, is entirely and expectedly unaware of this, so the tall male tried to strike up a conversation with the girl beside him, asking if she liked any animals, only to be ignored. He tried again, though, but instead of asking a question, he mentioned that he preferred dogs more. While this piqued Yuzuki's interest since she absolutely loves dogs (and bears), she was in a state of food coma, therefore unable to respond coherently. Just as he thought that they'd already made a connection from earlier, Kuroo felt disappointed and disheartened at Yuzuki's unresponsiveness. Then it all disappeared when she poked his muscular back with her finger, catching his attention and spreading wildfire throughout his body. A smile tugged at her lips, indicating that the poke wasn't an accident as he didn't hope it would be.
"I like dogs too," she said, her voice barely audible, but enough for Kuroo to hear and appreciate. "I actually have one."
Kuroo smiled as he finally got an answer from her, but how he wished time was longer. How he fervently hoped that he could talk to her more. But, alas, it was time for the group to part ways, for they have arrived at their destination. Chie thanked Yuzuki for lunch with a tight hug, which Yuzuki returned earnestly. Yaku also thanked Yuzuki, and while it was not about him receiving anything from her, it was mostly him appreciating her spending time with them. Yuzuki thought Yaku was friendly and pleasant to be with, so she thanked him as well. Chie started walking first, followed by Yaku, and then Kuroo. Kai had already gone inside the classroom after saying hasty goodbyes with his friends, leaving only Yuzuki outside. She just stood by the classroom's entryway, half hoping that Kuroo would look back at her so she could wave at him since she never really verbally thanked him. It was only until Chie and Yaku disappeared from the view when Kuroo glanced in her direction. He smiled instead of the usual smirk, which she thought suited him so much more for it was manly and childish at the same time. Of course, she smiled back, a winsome smile, to say the least. How could she not smile back after seeing him do so anyway?
"See you later," Yuzuki mouthed to him from across the hallway. They were several feet apart, but she knew Kuroo understood what her lips said, for he smiled back at her again, this time beamingly.
"See you," he mouthed back and then entered his classroom after seeing the girl he's strongly attracted to set foot into hers.
Club activities for the volleyball club ended at around 6:30 in the evening, which was not really a big deal for the players since their love for the sport makes them want to keep going. Kuroo, especially, thought that he still hasn't practiced enough, but then again, he knew he had to start heading home and give Kenma information about what he missed in his class for today. The three second-year members of the club, Kuroo, Yaku, and Kai, walked out of the school together, talking about the plays they made during practice. They all provided each other with constructive criticism, encouragement, and tips on making their moves more seamless during the next club day. Yaku had to end his side of the conference, though, for he had to go in the opposite direction from Kuroo and Kai, much to his dismay because he really wanted to talk more about volleyball.
"We can always talk about it tomorrow, Yakkun." Kuroo said, and then teasingly, "Don't forget to eat a proper meal when you get home. Don't skip your vegetables!"
Yaku scoffed before enunciating a biting retort towards his annoying friend. Kai laughed but intervened shortly after, saying that it's too late in the evening to be hostile to one another. Yaku and Kuroo stopped bickering with each other, and only then did Yaku turn and make his way towards home.
Kai and Kuroo walked in silence, and it wasn't that kind of comfortable silence that they were used to having between them when they walked home together after practice. Kuroo didn't know why the mood was the way it was, but he still felt it nonetheless. Kai felt the awkwardness between them, too, not really feeling uncomfortable about it, though. It started being awkward for Kai to be with Kuroo when he saw him consistently glancing at Yuzuki without her knowledge during lunchtime. Still, the girls have been really great at dispelling any negativity with their fun stories and exciting personalities, so the tension in his chest and in the air was utterly overshadowed. Kuroo wanted to break the quietness between them, although not sure how, so he just kept walking.
"I heard from Fukuhara that you were asking her for Sakamori's number," Kai said, looking straight forward at the scenery in front of him and Kuroo-street lamps lit under the night sky which was absent of stars.
Kuroo felt a pang in his chest, and it was not a good pang. He felt attacked. "Why are you suddenly calling her Sakamori? Don't you call her with that cute nickname? Yuzu, was it?" he said bitterly.
"Either way, you know who I am talking about," Kai replied coolly.
"I just want to be her friend."
"Why?" Kai stopped walking, scrutinizing his friend's expressions, which were showing signs of intimidation. "You didn't even know who she was until yesterday. You don't care for girls at all. I know that about you, Kuroo. But what I don't know right now is why you're showing interest in Sakamori."
"Why are you interrogating me this late, Kai?" Kuroo started walking again, trying to hide the anger blazing through his eyes. "I can do whatever I want."
Kai called Kuroo's name ominously, which surprised both of them but more so infuriating Kuroo. "I refuse to believe that you've always wanted to get to know her. You did this out of jealousy, didn't you? You came to her after knowing the fact that I'm close with her; otherwise, she would have stayed invisible to you."
He was not wrong, Kuroo admitted angrily. Indeed, he had begun taking more interest in Yuzuki after seeing her yesterday being so familiar with Kai. And the note she left in the book escalated that interest even further. "Why are you so cross about this, Kai? Tell me because I really want to know. But yeah, I admit. Fine, you caught me. I've taken a liking to her after seeing and knowing how close you were. But don't you dare assume that I didn't know who she was until yesterday."
"Don't dare use friendship as a reason to get close to Sakamori. I swear to god, if you end up hurting her, I will never forgive you." Kai couldn't filter his words now, but still, his tone of voice remained level and calm, despite the whirlwind of emotions causing havoc inside of him.
"Whoa," Kuroo put his hands up. "Overprotective? Why are you talking as if you're her parent or boyfriend? You're just Kai. It's not like you like her anyway."
Then there was silence, which gave time for both guys to calm down. Kuroo had lost his cool there, lamenting how Kai is the last person he wanted to anger. Kai had never raised his voice to anyone, no matter how irritated he got. But this time, he had shown intensity for the first time. "I did," Kai said quietly, breaking the ice. "I did like her, and actually, I still kind of do." Kuroo couldn't believe what he was hearing. Kai began telling him how he developed a crush on Yuzuki but decided not to act on his feelings out of respect for her grieving heart before. He continued by saying that as much as he pushed his feelings for her under the rug, some still lingered, making him overprotective of Yuzuki. He doesn't want her to experience the same wretched feeling she felt before, and pursuing her romantically will just make their friendship fragile. "I don't want you to hurt her. She's been hurt too much. Please."
Kuroo's eyes were downcast, thinking of everything Kai had just told him. His anger had subsided, making him perceptive again, but he still wanted to pursue Yuzuki and develop a relationship with her. "I won't hurt her. I'll try not to."
"How can you be so sure about that?"
"I'm not," he said truthfully. "But I promise you this, and I really want you to trust me when I say that I have no intention of befriending Sakamori just to play with her feelings. Now that you've told me how she was hurt before, I will be more mindful of my actions and act appropriately towards her." Kuroo said every single word with sincerity and resolve. He was looking at Kai straight in the eyes, letting him know how genuine he was. "And if the unimaginable happens and I do end up hurting her, you can spike a volleyball to my face how many times you like."
Kai started to smile at the thought of Kuroo's face being hit by around 100 spikes. "I accept that. You have yourself a deal, Kuroo."