Chapter Four
A light popping sound was heard from Yuzuki Sakamori's small but quaint kitchen. The room instantly smelled like a bakery—clean, slightly sweet, and yeasty. The aroma from the two slices of milk bread that just popped out of the toaster somehow smelled warm, like that particular smell of a thick blanket fresh out of the dryer to be snuggled on a cold winter day. Yuzuki thought how this day was going to be fantastic for not only did she wake up earlier than usual and have time to eat breakfast, but she also felt refreshed after a good night's sleep despite staying up late to play video games. Yuzuki sat down on her favourite dining chair, took a sip of the freshly made yuzu tea, and let out a satisfying "Ah." The hot, sweet, citrusy, yellow liquid instantly warmed her body, giving her a feeling of comfort, almost as if someone gave her a tight hug. Yuzuki usually slips away from reality during quiet breakfast moments and then transports herself into deep thought, consisting of reminiscing events from either school, home, or online.
Yuzuki's mind began replaying yesterday's events, with crisp, detailed scenes as if she watched a high-definition movie inside a theatre. The vivid memory of lunchtime played in her mind as she took a bite of her buttered toast, taking a sip of tea shortly afterwards. Lunch, she admitted happily, was such a fantastic experience for her, although she spent it with three unlikely people. The conversations she had with Kai, Chie, Yaku, and Kuroo were still fresh in her memory, and as she recalled all the topics they talked about yesterday, Yuzuki couldn't help but smile with glee. Another memory was that of Kuroo constantly glancing in Kai's direction, mainly when the latter ate the food she had prepared for him. Yuzuki then thought how weird Kuroo was for staring when Chie had the same thing right in front of her. In the end, she dismissed those thoughts by saying that maybe the beanpole was just amazed at his friend's appetite, for he did eat katsu curry and spaghetti. "He's such a dork," she mumbled, taking another sip of the yuzu tea she loves so dearly as the scene in the movie in her mind shifted to the end of the day.
After lunchtime, she had not seen Kuroo, which made her feel somewhat disappointed, much to her bewilderment. She found herself scanning around the hallways to check if he was in any way near her person. Since Kuroo's tall, it wouldn't take a lot of searching for his head will always be above others. "Why did I want to see him yesterday when we had a day's worth of interaction already?" Yuzuki asked herself, slumping on the chair. "Is it his desperation rubbing off on me that is making me interested in him now?" Yuzuki pouted, sighing once more, for she realized how mixed her feelings were towards him. She had always thought that Kuroo was displeasing because of how he treated her when they first met, but now she couldn't help but admit how awkward, goofy, and adorable he was.
Yuzuki first laid her eyes on Kuroo on the first day of classes when they were both freshmen. She had noticed him because of how tall he was even back then. At the age of fifteen, Kuroo looked like he was already approaching the 6 feet mark, and Yuzuki wondered how the air could be different for him from way up there. He also stood out from everyone else because of how unfazed he looked about starting high school while everyone else was awkward, fidgety, and anxious. In Yuzuki's eyes, Kuroo was confident-standing tall, serious and ready for more workload, different environment, and new people. Yuzuki wished she had his confidence, but having Chie being with her in the same school made everything a little better even though they ended up in different classes.
All the students were requested by the school staff to proceed to the gymnasium for the welcome assembly. The homeroom teachers advised the learners that they have to line up by class and height because once inside the gymnasium, they will have to form an AB pattern with the boys forming a line first with the girls right beside them. The first years gathered at the courtyard, which was not that far from the gym, waiting to be let in by the staff. As they waited, Yuzuki saw Kuroo again, who was standing not too far from her. Yuzuki had admired his confidence earlier, but now she just felt intimidated by him because One: He was freakishly tall (and Yuzuki was taller than the average female!); Two: His eyes, she realized from up close, looked like they were constantly glaring; and Three: He had a deadpan expression. Yuzuki was looking at him for a couple of minutes, studying his features while simultaneously formulating questions as to what kind of sorcery he had done to have this huge growth spurt.
Kuroo then turned to her, harshly whispering, "You are very rude for staring at me. Love at first sight?" making Yuzuki flustered, angry, and flabbergasted. She immediately turned away, not wanting to look at him anymore. "What the heck?" Yuzuki cursed as he heard him chuckle beside her. From that moment on, she tried to avoid any eye contact with Kuroo even though she had often seen him around the school, surrounded by girls, which made Yuzuki form an impression of him as a ladies' man. She disliked it. Yuzuki did not like how flamboyant he seemed, but during all those times, she couldn't help but fixate on him because he had glowed up since the first day of school. Kuroo had gotten taller and more handsome, too. Sometimes Yuzuki would search for Kuroo to take a brief peek at his features, and from there, she started to realize how he was exactly her type—smart, athletic, tall, and handsome.
The next time she had an encounter with Kuroo was during the first day of classes again, but it was for this school year. He was in Chie's class, who transferred from Class 2 to 5. Yuzuki accompanied Chie to her new class, orienting her what she should expect in college prep classes because it will be a massive shift for her. She minded her own business, but she couldn't help but feel awkward as if someone was gawking at her. Yuzuki quickly glanced around the room only to see Kuroo staring at her. "You are very rude for staring at me. Love at first sight?" she mumbled back then, repeating the very same words Kuroo said to her when he caught her. Thankfully, Chie didn't hear what Yuzuki said under her breath, but at the same time, she was not feeling so jolly for Kuroo's gaze was still piercing through her like ice. "Is this payback for me staring at you before?" Yuzuki had thought irritatingly, feeling thoroughly uncomfortable. It was then that she realized how Kuroo must have felt the same last year, but this was pretty different from her case because she stared at him blankly while Kuroo was aware of his actions, for he was talking to Yaku while gazing at her. After giving Chie one last reminder about her new classes and a bag of chips and bonbons, Yuzuki subtly looked at Kuroo, and their eyes met each other. Sparks ignited throughout her body.
Two days ago, they met again, but their meeting left a bad taste in her mouth. Kuroo constantly smirked, which irked the heck out of her. Yuzuki loathes being smirked at because it can make someone look dishonest and sly, which she doesn't really like in people. To be honest, Yuzuki wanted to slap the smirk away from Kuroo's handsome face, pull his shirt collar, and scream: Stop smirking at me, you piece of sh-! But, Kai was there, and Kuroo's his friend, so she had to act civilly, much to her dismay. Yuzuki never really had a reasonable opinion of him until yesterday when they met at the library, and honestly, she wanted to remain a nobody to him. But how could Yuzuki stay uninvolved when the school librarian forced them to interact? It wasn't necessarily a bad thing, Yuzuki admitted, for when she and Kuroo got to talk a bit, it dispelled any prejudice she had about him. He wasn't sly nor dishonest; he was actually this shy beanpole! She had seen his cheeks turn red a couple of times yesterday, which looked so cute and goofy-looking on him.
Yuzuki liked how he was so awkward around her, despite emitting a strong air of masculinity. Kuroo's personality was like a chocolate-covered potato chip. Unlikely but wonderful. To Yuzuki, Kuroo was collected, inquisitive, shy, and even puppy-like. He would always look at her imploringly as if she held the answers to the universe, but in reality, Kuroo just wanted answers about her. He desperately wanted to be Yuzuki's friend. She admired how assertive he was, but at the same time, he was bashful whenever she said or did something. "How is he the same person who rudely told me off last year?" Yuzuki felt her chest tighten while thinking about Kuroo, and she hated herself for it. She shouldn't be feeling this way over some boy with whom she formally interacted two days ago. "It's too early to be having these heart-tightening emotions, Yuzuki," she reminded herself angrily. "You must not let that beanpole of a rooster mess with your head, dragging you to the beat of his drum!" And then… "But he's so cute, though…" To be honest, Yuzuki feels really bad for making Kuroo work for something so simple as her number, but at the same time, it was adorable how he was struggling so much.
Chie called Yuzuki last night, with the former narrating every single detail of her interaction with Kuroo. Chie had emphasized how Kuroo was very much annoyed and flustered with her, which made Yuzuki wonder why he wasn't at all the same when they all had lunchtime together, mostly since Chie had made some snide remarks directed towards the boy. This made Yuzuki contemplate whether or not she should give Kuroo her number. He has only been sincere towards building a friendship with her, even going the extra mile to talk or open up conversations. But before that, she is particularly curious as to why he suddenly had that idea. Their first and second meetings were purely the two of them having a bad rep for each other. So what changed? What changed for him?
"What?" Yuzuki half-screamed and half-exhaled the question. "What changed?"
Yuzuki always listens to music at almost full volume on her way to school and pretty much anywhere. Today she chose to listen to Shamrock by UVERworld, a famous Japanese rock band. UVERworld is one of Yuzuki's favourite bands because all their songs have colourful, touching lyrics combined with very catchy beats. Yuzuki loves the band so much that she couldn't help but sing along to their songs even in public. As Shamrock was coming to its end, Yuzuki stopped walking to savour the last two beautiful minutes of it. The song's bridge was incredibly catchy because the vocalist used a growl-like voice before flawlessly switching to his regular one to sing a very melodic phrase that was one step away from being considered a rap.
言おうとずっと思ってたもの 言葉ってなんで伝えきれずに
Iou to zutto omotteta mono kotoba tte nande tsutaekirezu ni…
Why couldn't I say the words I wanted to say for a long time?
"Good morning, Yuzu!" Kai greeted with a smile in front of her.
Yuzuki jumped in surprise, then removed her earbuds quite unhappily because the best part of the song was interrupted by her friend. "Good morning, Nobu." she acknowledged, attempting to hide the slight annoyance in her voice with a sweet smile. Kai apologized for interrupting Yuzuki, saying that he didn't know she had earbuds on. Yuzuki assured Kai that he shouldn't fret too much over it, for there are plenty of times when she can listen to the song anyway. Yuzuki started walking again, with Kai matching her pace.
There was a comfortable silence between the two as they walked towards the school. Both of them were just taking in the beautiful summer wind breezing through the area. The sky was clear and blue; the clouds were puffy like marshmallows; the trees were green, lush, and vibrant. The sun was warm but not too much. It was a perfect day—a halcyon day. Yuzuki does not really enjoy summer because of how humid it can be, but she does appreciate beautiful summer mornings.
"You look happy today, Yuzu," Kai pointed out, for Yuzuki was staring up at the sky with a faint smile on her pretty face.
"I mean, it is a beautiful day. I woke up feeling refreshed, went to sleep fulfilled. I got to listen to awesome music. It's just… nice."
"Speaking of music," Kai started. "What were you listening to earlier?"
Yuzuki's face lit up like a Christmas tree. She always brightens up when she's asked about things she is passionate about. "UVERworld!" she responded excitedly, clapping her hands. Kai scratched his head, lowering it down too, for he was ashamed that he had no idea who Yuzuki was talking about. The girl beside him gasped in gleeful horror at Kai's uncultured musical tastes. "Oh my god! Nobu, you're definitely missing out! UVERworld is amazing!" Yuzuki began to describe what kind of band UVERworld is, who the members are, and what kind of songs they write.
Kai intently listened to Yuzuki's passionate storytelling, somehow starting to feel curious about the band now. "How did you start liking them?"
"Oh," Yuzuki paused. "A former friend introduced them to me. They said that UVERworld sang many anime songs, especially in shows that I watched before. But I actually started liking them because they sounded really good and looked cool. They weren't that crazy type of rock band."
"That's cool," Kai acknowledged. "Former friend?" He asked cautiously, curious as to who the former friend was.
Yuzuki didn't reply; instead, she just smiled sadly.
There was silence between the two of them again, but not the comfortable kind. Yuzuki looked melancholy, and Kai cursed at himself for making her feel this way. He shouldn't have asked about her former friend. He shouldn't have pried. Yuzuki clearly said former friend, so why did he even try to get an answer out of her? "Great of you to ask, Nobuyuki." he sarcastically remarked. "Yuzu just said this day was beautiful, and now you've ruined it."
On the other hand, Yuzuki was not angry; rather, she was just preoccupied with pushing away the memories she shared with her ex-friend. She wanted this day to continue being a beautiful one, so any painful memories will have to wait until later at home. "Ah, please go away," she pleaded. "Wait until this evening, please."
"Hey Yuzu," Kai called her name out quietly. "Is it safe for me to ask your favourite song from the band?"
"Ai ta Kokoro," Yuzuki responded with a smile, thankful that Kai decided to break the ice for them. "Do you want to listen to the song with me?" Without waiting for a reply, Yuzuki took out the earbuds from her skirt pocket and gave the right side piece of it to Kai.
When the song started playing, Kai was surprised at how chill it started, but the drums began to play, exciting him. The intro shifted from mellow to upbeat, rock-ish even, and then going back to its chill vibe. Kai liked how the rhythm kept turning but what he liked more was his closeness to the black-haired girl beside him who was already bobbing her head to the music. Kai had never walked this close to Yuzuki before, so his heart started to hammer in his chest. Their shoulders were touching, arms grazing, and if Yuzuki's left hand wasn't tightly gripping the straps of her backpack, Kai was sure his hand would be meeting hers. Yuzuki started to rap along with the vocalist, which impressed Kai because he did not expect Yuzuki to keep up. She was so adorably focused on singing, not looking anywhere except forward.
Despite the song's fast and upbeat tempo, the lyrics were actually pretty sad. Some lines that Yuzuki rapped said something about a growing love that doesn't come to fruition, and instead of giving up on those feelings, they keep and hold on to it. Kai reminisced about his conversation last night with Kuroo and how he admitted to his friend that he still likes Yuzuki, even though he's not going to do anything about it. He wanted to confess his feelings before, but when she told him that she had broken up with her boyfriend, Kai knew he had to back off because he doesn't want to hurt Yuzuki in the future if he ever pursued a relationship with her. Kuroo then confessed to Kai last night how he started liking Yuzuki after learning how close she was to the latter. Kai didn't really like Kuroo's way about things. He couldn't understand why Kuroo had to act on his feelings now, especially when Yuzuki finally moved on from a painful relationship. Kai is almost sure that Kuroo's feelings for Yuzuki will deepen because the same happened to him. Even though Kai decided to remain close with Yuzuki as a friend, he couldn't stop his growing feelings for her. Once Kuroo gets an opportunity to know Yuzuki, he will surely like her even more, and Kai can confidently bet that his friend will then confess his feelings. "I dread it," Kai whispered, thinking of Yuzuki, who will inevitably begin liking Kuroo back too.
Kuroo was standing outside of the school gate, anticipating Yuzuki's arrival so he can be the first one to greet her a good morning. He was excited to get to school early again today, and as much as he missed having Kenma around, he wanted his best friend to be 100% healthy by the time he returns to school. Himari had told Kuroo, who she affectionately calls Tetsu-kun and treats as her second son, that she would prefer if Kenma were to stay at home for one more day for good measure. When Kuroo visited Kenma last night and this morning, he had ordered him to lay off the video games to get started on his homework, which Kenma promised to do so. Kuroo knew Kenma spouted flaming lies with that promise of his. But, with Kenma being away again, Kuroo had no choice but to head straight to school, and if he was lucky, he could maybe spend time with Yuzuki once more. This time, he decided, he would actually make an effort in striking up a conversation with her- going as far as making a mental list of all the topics he wanted to use as a conversation starter if they ever do meet.
The tall black-haired boy waited, and when he saw her figure walk towards him, he was immediately disappointed in what he saw. Yuzuki was walking so closely with Kai, listening to music together using only one pair of earbuds, and apparently, she was singing to him too. Kuroo clicked his tongue in annoyance. He could hear Yuzuki's singing from where he was standing, and it wasn't because she was loud, but he just filtered out every other voice that wasn't hers. Yuzuki's singing voice, Kuroo acknowledged with absolute earnestness, was very lovely and pleasant to listen to.
"What do you think of the song?" Kuroo heard Yuzuki ask Kai as they passed by him, completely unaware he was even there standing.
Kuroo heard Kai reply, but he didn't really think much of it. He wanted Yuzuki to notice him, so as much as he didn't want to look like a desperate puppy, he walked briskly to catch up with the pair. "Good morning!" he greeted, cutting off Yuzuki and Kai's path. "It's a nice morning today, isn't it?"
"Good morning," Yuzuki greeted before turning to Kai to ask for the earpiece back.
"What were you two listening to?" Kuroo asked.
"Music," she replied curtly.
"Yuzu and I were listening to her favourite song. It's by this band called UVERworld. It's my first time hearing about them even though Yuzu told me that they'd debuted a few years back." Kai responded with a smile towards Kuroo, despite having such a heated tête-à-tête last night,
"I don't know who they are," Kuroo responded with a hint of sadness in his voice.
Yuzuki didn't really say anything except for an 'Ah.' She didn't know how to answer Kuroo even though she just told herself this morning not to get swayed by him. But what do you know! As soon as he appeared in front of her, all resolve went out the window. "Curse your damn handsome face!" she complained in her thoughts.
"I don't see Fukuhara anywhere," Kuroo pointed out, sugar-coating the annoyance in his voice as he said Chie's family name. He didn't really dislike Chie, but he couldn't stand her either. She was just this big, freaking hindrance. Chie was also this annoying short brat that he has to put up with to be close with Yuzuki. If it weren't for Yuzuki, Kuroo would have already sassed right back at her.
Kai then interjected by saying that he doesn't see Kenma anywhere either, to which Kuroo replied how Kenma was being held 'hostage' at home to recuperate fully. Yuzuki then mumbled how nice it would be to meet Kenma to talk about games with him. Kuroo heard her say this and replied, saying that Kenma is shy, but if it's Yuzuki, he might open up because she's bright, friendly, and enjoys the same things as him. Yuzuki just smiled at Kuroo's comment, not wanting to reply or even address him because up until now, she was trying to keep her emotions at bay. "Let's start heading inside," she said to Kai before skipping towards the school entrance.
Kai and Kuroo followed her footsteps shortly after staring each other down. There was an awkward feeling between Kai and Kuroo as they walked together behind Yuzuki, although their conversation last night ended on a somewhat positive note. Last night, Kai vaguely told Kuroo how his feelings for Yuzuki developed and why he decided not to act on them. "She has been hurt too much," Kai had said without adding too much detail. He was crestfallen when he mentioned Yuzuki being hurt, and Kuroo couldn't help but wonder what might have possibly happened last year to the girl he likes. Yuzuki is only sixteen, but what kind of relationship could she have had experienced to feel the way she did, making Kai thoroughly overprotective of her. Kuroo couldn't understand.
What could possibly have hurt her? Who broke her heart? The thought of someone breaking Yuzuki's heart enraged Kuroo. He honestly thought of hunting down whoever Yuzuki dated so he could grab him by the collar, shake them until they get dizzy, and then maybe grab a volleyball to serve the ball right onto his face. Kuroo took a deep breath, attempting to calm himself. He didn't know why he got so worked up over Yuzuki being in a relationship before, considering that he hasn't known her that long anyway. It could have been Yuzuki's fault that the relationship ended. It could also be because of other reasons. But just thinking of Yuzuki being heartbroken broke his heart too. "I won't break your heart," Kuroo said, remembering the promise he made to Kai last night about doing everything he can to not hurt Yuzuki. He values honesty and his friendship with Kai, and although his relationship with Yuzuki hasn't started yet, he strangely cherishes her as well.
"I am going to the library, so you two can go ahead," Yuzuki said now, peeking from behind the shoe lockers. Kai replied with an 'okay,' smiling and waving at her. Yuzuki didn't really have any business inside the library, but since there was still time before classes started, she figured that chilling inside the library would be a good idea. Kawamoto would definitely poke fun at her, maybe tease her about Kuroo too, but if she was quiet enough, she could probably arrive unnoticed. Once Yuzuki arrived at the stairs' quarter landing, she stopped on her tracks and leaned her back on the wall to face the bottom of the stairwell. Then he appeared. Kuroo gazed at her longingly from where he was standing, a boyish smile on his face. "I had a feeling you were going to follow me."
Kuroo chuckled, walking up the steps hastily and then standing right in front of Yuzuki when he reached the landing. He did not expect Yuzuki to be standing right here, anticipating his arrival. His heart started pounding in his chest, and while he kept his breathing steady, he couldn't feel overwhelmed at the sight of her. There's a connection—a spark. Chemistry. Being the science nerd he was, Kuroo was in no position to turn down anything related to chemistry. "Hey," he greeted breathlessly.
"Where's Nobu?" Yuzuki broke their eye contact, turning away from Kuroo. She was now facing the wall, and for Yuzuki, this was better because she can think of what to say without looking at his handsome face.
"Can we not talk about him right now?" Kuroo sighed. Kai had a judgmental look on his face when Kuroo said he had to 'do something' in the library. He knew his friend wanted to stop him and not act too forward, but Kai knew he couldn't really stop Kuroo from doing what he wanted to do. "Okay fine, see you at lunch then," Kai had said to him before walking away without turning back. Kuroo heard a tinge of bitterness in his friend's voice, but instead of brooding over it, Kuroo answered with a "Yeah, see you later." He took a step forward, closing the distance between himself and Yuzuki. Students were starting to use the stairwell, and he really didn't want anyone to see him with Yuzuki, so he tried using his tall frame to shield hers. Kuroo could smell how fragrant her hair was. The scent was a mixture of honey, vanilla, and roses, but it wasn't overpowering; rather, it was quite sweet and pleasurable. "Do I still have to ask Fukuhara for your number? I doubt she will give it to me, and I really would like to be in contact with you."
"Why are you so hell-bent on pursuing a friendship with me?" Yuzuki asked simply, then abruptly turned around, her backpack bumping Kuroo's torso, making him take a step back. "Oh, sorry," she apologized when he let out a small yelp.
Kuroo scratched his head. "Do I need a reason why I want to be friends with you?"
"I just think it's weird-" Yuzuki glanced to the right because a student passed by her and Kuroo, and this made her conscious. "I," Yuzuki started. "I don't want to be seen with you. I'm not ashamed of you; it's just that I don't want to be a target of your fans."
Kuroo tried to hide a smile, taking a step forward, completely hiding her. He was delighted that Yuzuki didn't try to push him away; rather, she seemed somehow relaxed now that he was 'protecting' her. "Do you expect me to believe that you will just let them target you?"
She laughed. Yuzuki didn't really care if Kuroo's fans were to seize her skirts so that they could tell her to stop monopolizing him. She had bigger things to worry about than thirsty females who are starry-eyed over a volleyball player. "I would fight back!" She leaned her back on the wall again, providing space between her and Kuroo, but at the same time, inviting him to take a step closer so he could hide her. It wasn't uncomfortable for her, being close to Kuroo like this. Yes, she had told herself not to get swayed by him, but what can she do now? She's strangely attracted to him.
"I didn't think you would be the feisty type, Sakamori."
"Oh, if only you knew! I am a lot of stuff, buddy."
"Well," Kuroo smiled. "If you gave me your number, then I would know stuff. Just saying."
"What would we even talk about if you did end up having my number?"
"Anything! As long as I can talk to you, any topic will be fine." Kuroo said this truthfully. He just really wanted to talk to her. He wanted to know her. He wanted to be closer to her. "We can talk about music, cooking, or games for all I care. Just…" he stopped and blushed. "Let me know more about you."
Yuzuki felt her chest tighten. "Why? You haven't answered my question from earlier too. Why do you want to be friends so badly? I was a complete nobody to you for a year. You were rude to me when we first met. It wasn't until two days ago that we actually saw each other again at such close proximity, and it wasn't until yesterday that we started talking. So what changed?"
His eyebrows furrowed. Kuroo didn't know what she meant by him being rude to when they first met, so he asked. Yuzuki squinted her eyes at him, confused why he asked about his past actions. Shouldn't he know this? She told Kuroo how he rudely told her off for looking at him during their first year. While Yuzuki was doing so, Kuroo's face was full of puzzlement as if he was tasked to prove the Theory of Relativity before a panel of judges without having time to review his research. "I can't believe I actually said that," he said, anger and sadness in his voice as soon as Yuzuki finished talking. "I'm sorry for acting the way I did and for saying something as rude as that to a stranger. I guess that's the reason why you're wary of me?"
Yuzuki sighed. "Part of it. You came off as really dishonest to me because you always had that smirk on your face." She was whispering now because more and more students were passing by. Some students glanced at them, and a few actually held her gaze before scoffing or rolling their eyes at her out of annoyance. "Can we talk somewhere else or maybe just talk about this later?"
Kuroo placed his left hand on the wall, blocking Yuzuki's peripheral vision of those who were passing by and glancing at them. He wanted her to focus on only him right now, and she did. Her attention was now solely on Kuroo, and it drove him wild when she leaned her head on his outstretched arm. "I want to talk about this now. Since Fukuhara won't give me your number and it's highly unlikely you will do too, I'm just going to keep you hostage here."
"No, you won't." In one swift motion, Yuzuki cupped Kuroo's face with both her hands, making the boy jump in surprise. Kuroo's outstretched hand fell to the side, his face beet red from Yuzuki's touch. He stammered, trying to think of something to say to her. Something confident. Something that can divert her attention from his blushing face. Kuroo said nothing. "Not too tough now, huh?" Yuzuki removed her hands from Kuroo's face, and the boy stepped away from her, covering his face with his forearm. Kuroo started to say something to her, but she ignored him by rummaging through her backpack. "Hold on." she requested. She took out two resealable snack bags from inside her backpack, and each contained a bar of chocolate. One was different, though, for it had an origami bear in it. Kuroo looked at Yuzuki, his face back to its normal colour now. "Here," she said, giving Kuroo both plastic bags. "It's for you and Yaku-kun. I kind of felt bad for not giving you guys anything yesterday, so consider this as a thank you for letting me and Chie join you for lunch. The one with the origami bear is-"
"Mine?" Kuroo interrupted with a smile.
"Yaku-kun's," Yuzuki replied, looking at Kuroo as if he just committed a grave mistake.
"Oh," He didn't even try to hide his disappointment. "Why does he have a bear, and I don't?" Kuroo looked at the contents of the bags, searching for a hidden paper but to no avail. Yuzuki favoured Yaku more, which seemed so perplexing to Kuroo, considering that the two didn't even talk that much during lunchtime. Sure, Yaku thanked her personally, but how can an act as simple as that be rewarded with a bear?! Kuroo sneered at Yaku's treat, cursing at it too.
Yuzuki started walking up the steps hastily, not wanting Kuroo to see her shaking with mirth. "You absolutely cannot switch the bags' contents, Kuroo-kun," she instructed, looking down at him from the top of the stairwell. "Do not even think about it!"
She caught him, and he flinched. He looked right back at her, shrugging. "Alright, fine! I'll be good. I won't do anything to Yaku's bag." Kuroo started walking up the stairs, and when he was on the same tread, only then did Yuzuki continue walking. He saw how her hair swayed from left to right as she kept walking up the stairs. Kuroo couldn't help but think how he liked every little thing about Yuzuki so far. Her voice, hair, kindness, the softness of her hands, generosity, unpredictability and, of course, her smile. "Thank you for the chocolate, Sakamori. I really appreciate it."
"Mhm."
Yesterday, Yuzuki and Kuroo walked to their classroom together while maintaining maximum distance from one another, but today was different. They were walking side by side, at least two feet apart, and both felt a sense of comfort in each other's presence. Few female students whispered to each other, which Yuzuki heard because they didn't really do an excellent job of being discreet anyway. They wanted Yuzuki to listen to what they were saying about her. One remark was about how mindless Yuzuki was for walking with Kuroo for the second time this week, while another said something about her being too sly. There were plenty of other criticisms, and while Yuzuki thoroughly disliked being the center of attention and vulgar commentary, she just tried to block all the negativity out. In one ear and out the other. Kuroo heard what the girls were saying about Yuzuki, and he felt absolutely livid. He clenched his fist. If he wasn't so desperate in showing Yuzuki his good side, he would have approached every single gossipping female to tell them a piece of his mind. The gossips were getting louder; they weren't even trying to hide it anymore, which really pissed Kuroo off. Yuzuki noticed how taut Kuroo's features were—eyebrows furrowed, eyes squinted, fists clenched, and breathing heavy. Yuzuki whispered to him, hoping to calm him down. "Don't bother feeling angry. Don't even try listening to it; it's not worth it. I appreciate you getting angry for me, though."
He couldn't believe what he was hearing. "How can you be okay with this?" he responded in a hushed yet panicked voice. "They're saying bad things about you just because we're together."
Yuzuki sighed, clenching her backpack's straps—one of the many ways she uses to try and calm herself when she's in a tilting situation. It was funny hearing Kuroo say the phrase 'we're together,' though because the way he said it was like he was treading on thin ice. "Even if you were with another female, they would act the same, honestly. You're too popular, Kuroo-kun," she teased.
"I actually dislike being popular."
"Am I supposed to believe that?"
"You should," Kuroo cleared his throat, feeling bashful. "I dislike drawing attention to myself unless it's about volleyball. I like to make smart, flashy plays on the court, but I'm just this average guy off of it. I don't really want girls fawning over me just because of how I look. I've always felt uncomfortable whenever these 'fans' surround me. Sure, they try to get to know me, but it's only because I'm a 'catch.' I know that. I bet if I looked different or didn't play any sports, I would just be this invisible person. I am not going to lie and say that I don't like hearing compliments, but I know when they are real or not." He glanced at the girl beside him, surprised that she was listening intently to his ramble, her eyes full of warmth and understanding. "I didn't mean to rant. But yeah, it's nice to tell someone about it… other than Kenma."
Kuroo stopped walking, and so did Yuzuki. They had walked too slowly, but not slow enough for them to be late for homeroom. He just wanted to savour the time he can share with Yuzuki before they go their separate ways. Kuroo knew he couldn't keep coming to school early just to wait for her because Kenma will come back eventually. If he wanted to spend more time with her, there should be progress, and right now, this is as far as it will go. "Have a great day today, Sakamori. It was really nice spending time with you this morning, even though it was short and chaotic, in a way."
She sensed disappointment in his voice as if he didn't want to part with her. "Before you go," Yuzuki managed to say, her hands and voice shaking. "I want to ask you something."
"Anything," he stepped closer, not caring about the tittle-tattle that was getting louder. Yuzuki was right; the idle chatter was not worth listening to because all that matters right now was this enchanting creature before him. "Ask me anything."
"Why and why me?"
Kuroo knew she wanted him to be truthful with his answer, but he just can't say that he started liking her because of his jealousy towards her closeness with Kai. "I'm…" he began to speak but stopped himself, not wanting anyone else to listen in to his answer. He leaned forward, whispering in her ear. "I'm unexpectedly interested in you." That was his truth. Kuroo didn't see this, but Yuzuki's eyes widened when he said those words so close to her ear, giving her goosebumps all over. Her heart was hammering in her chest, and she was breathless. He started to speak again; this time, his voice was hoarse as if he was trying to contain his emotions from spilling over. "Actually, no. I'm uncontrollably attracted to you."
Kuroo barged into his classroom, startling all his classmates who were busy getting ready for the day. They all looked at him judgingly as if Kuroo just flipped three tables out of rage. Kuroo had always acted calm, confident, and carefree, which surprised his classmates when he behaved utterly tepidly when some of them asked if he was alright. Kuroo just kept walking straight to his seat, coveting privacy and space for him to think. After the class greeted their teacher by standing up and bowing, Kuroo blocked out whatever the homeroom teacher said so he could gaze at the same tree he was staring at yesterday. Kuroo was mentally giving himself a dressing down for being so direct with Yuzuki resulting in her pushing him away. He wanted to be honest. She wanted him to be honest. But his honesty only made her run away. He thought that his parting with Yuzuki would end on a positive note, for she had her hand on his arm, gripping it for what seemed like a blissful eternity to Kuroo but in reality was only short of two minutes. She was so enchanting to him all morning, making him crave for more interactions.
But then she pushed his body away from hers.
Kuroo saw how troubled she looked—eyes glassy...filled with unshed tears, teeth clenched, breathing unsteady, and face red. She had muttered, "No. No..." and Kuroo stood still, staring at her. Yuzuki closed her eyes, trying to steady her breathing, and when she finished, she gave him one last look before hurriedly going inside her classroom. "I shouldn't have said it. I could have said another reason that didn't mention my attraction for her," Kuroo pondered regretfully. "I am such an idiot." He rubbed his face with both his hands, clicking his tongue as his hands did a final rub downwards towards his neck. "I don't know how I'm going to approach her after this… more like, how will I be able to face her? I might have just lost my chance to be friends with her because of these stupid feelings." Kuroo sighed heavily. "I'm such an idiot."
Just like Kuroo, Yuzuki barged into her classroom a few minutes before their homeroom teacher stepped inside. She didn't look nor greet anyone, for her feelings were in a total state of chaos that she couldn't focus on anything else. Kuroo had admitted not too long ago that he was attracted to her and the memory of him whispering the confession made Yuzuki feel weak in the knees. She covered her mouth with the back of her hand—not that there was anything to hide except for a lip bite. Yuzuki's head was in the clouds during the whole homeroom period. She was kind of listening to the teacher's notes and reminders, but Kuroo's words to her were blocking everything else.
It's mutual. Our feelings are mutual…
Kai, whose attention was on Yuzuki before entering the classroom, noticed how the girl beside him was very disoriented. "Are you alright, Yuzu? You look really bewildered."
"Huh?" Yuzuki asked blankly after Kai whispered her name about three or four times. "Yeah, I',m… I'm alright." She was trying very hard to think of what to say next. "Just a lot of things on my mind right now, but I am okay. I'm great. Sorry if I worried you, Nobu."
Kai knew precisely what was in Yuzuki's thoughts, and he hated himself for knowing. While Kai had no clue what Yuzuki and Kuroo did after the pair left for the library, he did see how close they were just outside of their classroom, for he was waiting for Yuzuki to return. The thought wasn't respectful, but Kai had severely wanted to eavesdrop on Yuzuki's conversation with Kuroo, but the pair's voices were too hushed for him to hear. However, he did see how the couple stood so close to one another, with Kuroo leaning forward, blocking the side of Yuzuki's face with his head. Kai felt a pang in his heart. But when he saw Yuzuki take hold of Kuroo's arm, Kai heard something shatter in him. Kai didn't want to see anything else, so he left the scene, placing his left hand over his aching heart.
"I see," he replied now, feeling terribly disheartened and uncomfortable at Yuzuki's jubilation over his friend and teammate. "I'm glad you're okay."
Oh, how Kai wished he felt the same.