I'm definitely looking forward to your thoughts about this one… I wanted to try something different :D

Chapter 14: Akari

Having one or two brothers was nice. Having three, though, was like one was inviting chaos into their house. Boys were typically messy. Messy, disorganized and generally into nasty stuff. Stuff a girl wouldn't want to see. Akari had learnt to live with it. She'd learnt to ignore the worms and snails which would sometimes be in a jar on the kitchen table. She'd learnt to live with the stinky socks and dirty underwear everywhere, which she often had to toss into the washer. She'd learnt to live with the mess. It had built her into a relatively strong person.

Yet, she never let go of her wish to be a girly girl. Akari didn't know when it had started. But, she could remember that she'd seen a princess one, in real life. Perhaps it had been during a visit to an amusement park or some kind of a play. What the girl could remember were the layers of the skirt, the fluffy, delicately scented hair which left a cloud of intoxicating air whenever it passed close, the shiny tiara and wonderful, smooth movement of fingers and hands. She couldn't recall the lady's face or where she'd seen the woman, but she could remember all those details. She'd dreamt of that dress and those hands enough times. So, Akari had done her best to leave behind the girl who could pick up a jar of worms or a stinky sock, instead aiming to be like that vision of perfection.

In contrast with her two best friends, Chiharu and Ikki, she truly was that image. While her single girl friend was tall, tan and had curves, Akari was short, pale and rather thin. It brought her a sense of femininity. With Ikki's muscled form next to her, from years of training basketball, the second-year girl felt like a lady next to an almost barbarian. Regardless of the fact that Ikki was the gentlest boy she had had the chance to know, other than her middle brother, she still felt like that next to his muscles.

Yet, there were occasions when Akari almost gave in to her old self, the girl who didn't have a problem kicking a soccer ball around or spitting on the ground. And, this was one such occasion. She wouldn't call herself possessive or jealous, but she had become so accustomed to having Haru's attention on her as the female council in her life that she was a tad envious. After all, Chiharu was on her phone during breaks at school, texting and giggling with someone she didn't know.

"Who're you texting to, Haru-chin?" Akari asked taking her lunch to her friend's desk and pulling up a chair. Haru's head snapped up, the girl closing her phone quickly so that Akari couldn't see the name on the screen.

"Just a friend from work," the tan cutie smiled, fishing out her own lunch.

"Oh, a boy?" Akari hummed in a teasing tone. Instantly, her friend's face colored. "You know I support Kuroo-sempai now wholeheartedly, please don't make me intervene."

"No, it's just a girl I work with," Akari's heart sank. "Sorry, Akari, I can't give you a name because of the contract."

"Oh, I see." Akari trailed off, her eyes going to her food which suddenly felt unsavory. Luckily for her, Ikki also joined them soon enough, grinning as he sat down with his much larger lunch.

"Ladies," he greeted. "Wanna come to my game this weekend? We're starting the Inter-High and I'll be in the first line-up."

"Congratulations!" Akari forced the previous discontent away, jumping up to hug her friend. He gave her a tight squeeze, laughing when she kissed his cheek. "My boy is growing up! Mama is proud."

"What the hell kind of a relationship are you imagining between us?" Ikki guffawed, making Haru laugh, as well. Yet, despite the playful banter which ensued, their usual one, Akari couldn't help the deep pit of unease in her stomach.

It appeared that the heavens had it out for her that day. After watching Haru text in class to her new female friend the whole time, barely taking any notes, Akari had decided to treat herself and make it all better. After all, there was nothing better than a small shopping spree, even if she just went to try on new clothing or makeup. But, what she saw that afternoon made her even more uneasy.

Akari left Wacoal with a huge smile on her face, as always. She had a few shopping bags in her hands and headphones on her ears, a cheery tune of the popular kpop group Blackpink keeping her spirits up, as always. She was wondering if she should get something to eat or grab a tea and keep going through stores when she spotted, from her place on the second floor, a familiar tall form in the lobby of the shopping mall. Her smile turning mischievous, she went for the stairs, ready to sneak up on the third-year.

Kuroo-sempai looked rather hot, in her opinion, out of his school uniform. With dark jeans that looked casually ripped at the knees, a loose-fitting white T-shirt and a red and black plaid button-up over it, she could totally imagine him on a date.

"Kuroo-semp-geh!" Akari had just started running to him to scare him from behind, when another figure joined him, making the girl duck behind some decorative greenery. She peeked out from her hiding spot, making sure she'd seen that right. Nishimura Megumi, more commonly known among second-years as Megu-tan, was standing next to the older boy, panting to catch her breath and talking to him. What surprised her even more was Kuroo's reaction. He smiled at her and offered her his hand. "What the heck?" Akari whispered to herself. She pulled her headphones down, wanting to hear the conversation. But, she was too far and they were leaving.

Making a split-second decision, Akari pulled out a hat she had bought earlier and collected her hair in a tight bun, stuffing it under the clothing item. While it didn't make her completely unrecognizable, it did hide her signature wavy locks from sight. Then, she was on her way, trailing after the two people from her school as inconspicuously as possible.

"Where do you want to go first?" Akari heard Kuroo's low voice ask, his head turning to Megumi. She smiled at him in a bright way that the girl had never seen her do before.

"I can't believe I'm doing this," Akari murmured to herself, stopping to look at some dresses in the window while the couple decided on a direction. "Haru had better be grateful."

"Are you hungry, sempai?" Megumi's voice grated on her ears, like it had the whole previous year. Akari could simply never forget those words the girl had spoken to her after being in the class for merely a month. What are you pretending to be? Some kind of a princess? While you're always playing second fiddle to Sakurano. Yes, Akari would never let go of those words.

"Please, drop the honorifics, this is supposed to be a date, isn't it?" Kuroo laughed and Akari swore she puked a little into her mouth. So, it was a date. Was he insane? Did he simply lose his mind for a bit? Invasion of the body snatchers?

"Okay," Megumi was blushing, Akari knew even though she couldn't see the girl's face. "Then, Tetsurō-san?"

"That's better." Kuroo nodded. Akari looked back at the window, making a mental note to come back to that store and check out the light pink frilly dress with straps. She would bet that it would look great on her. "I could go for some food, I finished practice and then came straight here after seeing Kenma off."

"Perfect! Let's get something to eat." And the two headed towards the cafeteria. Akari followed, giving them a bit of a head start. She found the couple again in front of Lotteria, standing in line. The girl waited until a few people separated them and then joined the line, as well. She was going for food, in the end. Akari was still close enough to be able to isolate their conversation if she strained.

"You dance?" Kuroo asked, looking down at the girl. "I didn't know that!" Akari took the chance while Megumi was telling the third-year how she'd always loved contemporary ballet to inspect the girl's clothing choices. In contrast with Kuroo's darker colors of preference, the girl wore pink and white, mainly, accented by beige details.

Her outfit that day was a short summer dress, frilly at the edges, with a flower print. It looked quite cute on her, Akari had to admit, and it was very girly. Not a thing Haru would be caught dead in, and her friend had tried to get her into such things multiple times. They would just go so perfectly with her tan skin! Though, it was the shoes which caught Akari's attention. She had seen them before in Attagirl. The beige princess heels with a bow. She'd even considered buying them, but definitely wouldn't now that she knew that Megumi had a pair.

"Oh, don't worry about it," Kuroo's voice made Akari focus again. "It's my treat." He paid and then the two left the line, going for a table. The girl craned her neck, trying her best to see where they would sit down. Her turn to order came and she lost sight of the couple.

"Umm, just a shake and a water, please." The girl fumbled with her purse, quickly finding her wallet. She needed to be quick if she was to find the couple once more. A small onset of panic bubbled in her stomach.

"Which flavor would you like, miss?" the server asked, being painfully slow.

"Tiramisu." Akari ordered on instinct, her usual drink when she was shopping with Haru. The server bowed and left to fetch her order. Akari got the money exact and ready, needing to be as quick as possible when she left, yet inconspicuous.

"Here you go, miss," the server was back after what seemed like hours. "Please come again." The lady told her when she accepted the money. Akari offered her a small, polite nod and grabbed her drink and the glass of water, leaving. She wandered through the crowd of eating people, seemingly looking for a free table. A group of boys catcalled at her, inviting her to sit down with them. She ignored them, while she might've taken them up on their offer some other time. There was nothing that Akari enjoyed more than wiping a smirk off a boy's face with a biting remark disguised as a flirting line. But, she was on a mission.

She managed to spot Kuroo's messy bedhead and chose to sit on the side of them, a much safer place than behind one of the two. After all, that would leave her obviously exposed to the person sitting on the opposite side. Akari sat down, taking out her cellphone and opening a random app, pretending to read as she listened to the pair and drank her shake. She couldn't stop her hands from trembling, though. She had almost lost them and the adrenaline rush had her on edge.

The two were definitely on the most boring date of the century, Akari decided. They talked about neutral topics, like Megumi's classes, Kuroo's volleyball and plans after the year was done and he went to college. She found out way too much information about the both of them as they ate their meals, the girl being horrifyingly slow. Akari supposed that Megumi was attempting to be ladylike in front of her companion, which clashed with the way she ate her lunch usually. If there was one thing that Akari could remember Megumi liked, from their previous year, it was bland food in large quantities. Her lunches had always been double her own portion. It was a wonder how she stayed so thin.

Finally, the couple decided to leave the cafeteria after about forty minutes. Akari waited a tad, then followed, tossing her shake container into the trash on her way. She tailed them for over three hours and decided that Kuroo and Megumi were like a slow flowing river, lazy and boring. The third-year let the girl drag him around the mall, trying on outfits and getting his opinion. She made him go into a few stores and test out a few himself. The only thing he seemed genuinely into was when he pulled them into a sports store, getting himself a pair of new sneakers for the tournament.

But, Akari didn't miss the sly little things that Megumi was doing the whole time. Taking his hand, touching his arm, even pushing against him in the more crowded areas. The girl had moves, Akari would give her that. Megumi was obviously looking for something more physical with the boy, while Kuroo seemed uncharacteristically oblivious. From what Haru had told her about the volleyball captain, he was perceptive, cunning and terrifyingly smart. He saw the smallest of details and provoked on the sensitive topics, looking for reactions. There was no way he would've missed the signs Megumi was giving. Then, Akari concluded, he wasn't that interested.

After a full rotation of the mall the two finally called it a day and agreed that Kuroo would see her off to the train station. Akari practically heard alarm bells go off in her head. A train station was the perfect place for a parting kiss and she wouldn't put it past Megumi to pull off a sly move like that. So, Akari followed them yet again, with a low groan.

"I can't believe this," she grumbled to herself, exiting the mall into the sunny street. She took out her sunglasses and placed them over her eyes. "I'm going to kill her if she does anything." Then, Akari stopped short for a second. "What if he does it?" she said to herself, remembering to keep tailing the couple. "Oh, I'll kill him, too."

Akari cursed the couple for making her waste a ticket as she swiped her card to enter the train station and made certain to stand a little to the side, hiding behind one of the pillars. She saw them saying their goodbyes as Megumi's train arrived, but was too far to hear what was being said. Then, Megumi pushed herself onto her tiptoes and kissed Kuroo's cheek, making him blush and Akari mutter a rather unladylike curse. Then, Megumi gave a kind of inviting look to the boy, before going for his lips. And he let her.

"Yuck." Akari turned around, having seen just enough. She left her hiding spot fuming, not really in the mood to go back to the mall. Instead, she went to her own station, waiting for the number. Then, changing her mind, the girl walked to a different platform, taking out her phone. She dialed a number she'd gotten rather recently, forgoing her usual embarrassment to contact the boy she didn't know that well.

"Hello?" the voice picked up after at least ten rings, when she was ready to hang up. It sounded uncertain and borderline uncomfortable.

"Kenma, we need to talk," Akari addressed the boy familiarly, as he always demanded everyone did. "You won't believe what I just saw!"

"Okay?" Was that a question?

"I'm coming to your place, text me the exact address." Akari demanded, not leaving him any room to wriggle out. There was a short silence before Kenma replied.

"Okay…"

"See you soon." And Akari hung up, the train arriving. She didn't even manage to get on it before her phone dinged, showing her that Kenma had texted his address to her almost instantly. Akari grumbled, plopping down into a free seat unceremoniously.

Kenma was a little miffed that his free afternoon was being interrupted, but he still opened the door as soon as the bell rang. The vision that he was met with put him at a sense of unease. Kudō Akari wasn't his friend, per se. He knew of her, but he'd never really spoken to her until he'd started hanging out with Haru more. So, for her to be at his doorstep, cheeks flushed and in a ridiculous looking wide-rimmed hat and large sunglasses, was rather unbelievable.

"Is Kuroo right in the head?!" Were her first words as she reached up, pulling the hat off her head and leaving her hair rather messy from it. She walked into his house without him having to invite her, positively fuming at the ears. Her summer dress looked cute, Kenma nodded absent-mindedly, cheeks flushing a soft red. "I mean, Megumi?! Megumi of all people!" She wasn't making any sense.

Kenma walked behind her after closing the front door, watching the girl struggle with the strap of her shoes in her anger. Then, she pulled of her sunglasses as well, finally getting out of her low heels, and stepped into his home barefoot. She turned around, fixing him with a glare. Kenma felt air leave his lungs at the vision of absolute fury and beauty. He didn't know the girl could look like that.

"Did he get hit in the head by a ball during practice?" Akari asked in a tight voice. "Many times?"

"Probably…" Kenma replied in a monotone, stepping closer to the girl. "What happened?"

"A date!" Akari threw her hands in the air and Kenma felt his own eyebrow twitch in irritation. The idiot had actually gone and done it this time for real.

"Did you tail them?" Kenma asked, leading Akari past the living room and kitchen, towards his room.

"Of course, what do you take me for," Akari grinned at him finally, looking more like the girl he knew at school. "I've got tailing and stalking skills for days. Oh, wait, I need water, I'm going to drop dead otherwise," she caught the edge of his T-shirt, pulling him into his own kitchen. "This heat today is ruining me."

"Okay…" Kenma went to the fridge, getting the girl a glass of water and when she finished it in seconds, he poured the elderberry juice into it.

"Oh, is this like Haru's?" Akari asked after taking a sip.

"Yes…" Kenma looked down, cheeks blushing. He'd liked the juice so much that he'd bought it in the end. Nobody other than him in his family liked it, however.

"That's cool, I love this juice." Akari smiled at him and the blush on his cheeks got worse. "Haru's always complaining how she has to buy double when I'm at her place."

"Do you want some pie?" Kenma asked, putting the juice back into the fridge.

"Oh, now that you mention it, I'm starving," Akari laughed. "I was too focused on tailing and didn't get lunch."

"Is apple pie alright?" Kenma pulled out his favorite dish which could always be found in his fridge, cutting off a piece and putting it on a plate.

"It's my favorite!" The boy almost dropped the fork he had gotten for the girl.

Akari left Kenma's house feeling much calmer. He had even let her use his bathroom to remove her makeup, all messed up from her stressful afternoon, and then put on a new layer. In fact, he had been rather interested in her routine, watching quietly from the door. Akari had found it adorable and asked him if he'd ever done his nails. She had taken a class about it last month and was desperate for victims to practice on. Ikki had already been subjected to a deep green color, his favorite, with various decorations. He'd complained the next day how everyone on the team had teased him about the bling, but wouldn't take the polish off until it started getting chipped. Kenma had told her how he'd never gone to the nail salon, and Akari had promised to do his nails really prettily sometime.

The short setter was a mystery to her, if she were being completely honest. But, she enjoyed his presence. He was like a calm sea, without much wind. Though, definitely a summer calm ocean. There was something warm in everything he did, from the way he talked to the way he fiddled with his PSP or phone in order to evade eye contact. She wondered why she'd never taken the time to talk to him before and attempt to break through his wall of isolation. Akari would definitely hunt him down again, regardless of the mess with their best friends going on still or not.

Speaking of the mess, Kenma had confirmed her suspicions. Megumi had gone and confessed, and Kuroo had agreed to go out with her because of that. On one hand, she could objectively understand his actions, wanting to reward the bravery that it took for one to go out on a limb and confess. On the other hand, though, Kenma had told her that he was pretty certain that Kuroo liked Haru quite a bit, and wanted to be more than friends. That had brought her to a state of confusion. She'd asked Kenma if he'd told his friend that Satoshi and Haru weren't dating, as far as she knew, and he'd replied that he had. So, she was at a standstill with the situation. In the end, why would he go out with Megumi of all people. That despicable, gossiping, horrible girl. She was the worst, in every sense.

So, Akari decided that she would clear up the mess which had appeared in front of her nose like an unsavory dish that afternoon as soon as possible. She went straight to Haru's house, despite it being a tad late. She'd ended up playing games at Kenma's for too long after they'd finished their discussion and plotting. It was hard to refuse, as the boy had almost every game that she knew of!

Haru's house was just a few stops from Kenma's, and then a bit of a walk up the street. Akari waited in front of the door for a bit after ringing the bell multiple times before she took out her cellphone and called her friend.

"Hello?" Haru's voice sounded tired.

"Did I wake you?" Akari asked, leaning on one leg.

"I wish," her friend replied with a sigh. "I'm doing overtime. Is everything alright?" Akari groaned, leaving the porch and heading back towards the train station. If Haru was doing overtime she was either at the studio or at Satoshi's, which were both downtown.

"Of course not, that's why I tried stopping by," Akari told her, the irritation from before making a reappearance. It seemed that she needed Kenma's calming presence next to her or she would blow a fuse again, the girl mused. "Can I come over and take you for drinks?"

"Sure," Haru's tone had changed, the girl sounding worried. "It would be even more amazing if you would bring coffee here and we could chat while I work?"

"Oh, that busy?"

"More," Haru groaned and Akari heard Satoshi in the background, laughing and telling the girl not to slack off. "I'm at the studio. Do you know what to get?"

"Mocha with extra cream and an americano?" Akari asked, already familiar with what the two people who were usually found at the studio preferred. She reached the train station and walked to the platform, checking the board for the next train in passing. It would be there in a few minutes.

"Satoshi is begging for a double shot americano." Haru laughed. Still, she sounded quite exhausted.

"Must be a hard day's work, then." Akari giggled. "I'll be there in twenty minutes, max."

"Alright, see you soon." Haru hung up and Akari was left standing at the platform almost alone. She looked down at her phone before pocketing it. There was a small thought of going home to drop off her shopping bags, but she dismissed it. There were more pressing matters that she had to deal with. For example, was Haru actually dating Satoshi. And, how would she tell her friend that Kuroo had went out with Megumi. Akari groaned, cursing the fact that she had managed to spot the third-year for the tenth time that day.

Thoughts? Stupid Kuroo? Silly Akari? Btw, Kenma and her kinda hit it off without a plan, this is getting me all excited! Akari was simply supposed to be a supporting character in the beginning, but she'd taking over hahahaha I love it when that happens on its own xD

Reviews:

Yesitsjennifer:
Your review arrived to my mailbox just as I was finishing up the touch-ups before an update xD I paused to reply before I uploaded hahahaha
I'm coping, what can I say… I did a practice test today and got 21/30 and I'm doing this exam on Saturday, I'm terrified and I need coping… I need help. I am depression and confusion, why is English phonetics so hard?!
Take your time and read at your own pace, I get that :D I'm usually one of the people who likes to wait until chapters pile up and then read them all at once xD
Thanks! I know a lot of people from my generation and similar age have the same issue, so it makes me feel like I'm not alone… I don't know what happened to us xD Somehow we're all like this hahahaha I don't see the same feelings much in my students, who range from 2001 and younger ages…
I'm a sadist, too, don't worry xD Jealous Kuroo is the best Kuroo! Makes him stop dragging his arse like an idjit and make a damn move. Wrong one, though, but still a move xD
I'm stressing, but not so much about the updates as about the test xD I found out yesterday that we would have transcription in our test which was just supposed to be spelling and vocab, so I'm panicking xD Luckily, it's two weeks away… I'll cope with fanfiction until that passes probably xD Enjoy the ride while I'm on a writing binge hahahahaha
Have a great day!

Valen Goncalvez:
Hey there, hope you liked the new chapter!
Have a great one :D

Rosto'sGirl:
Kuroo is too nice sometimes, I agree xD But, we gotta appreciate him for it xD
I'm always happy to have communication with my readers :D it makes me all warm and fuzzy :)
Binge read aaaawwwwwwwww That's the best compliment I can get! I'm glad I managed to keep you entertained :D
I'll admit I'm a sucker for happy endings, so there's a preview right there :P
Cheers!

Omake:

She looked cute. Kuroo had let himself be guided by Megumi around the mall, listening to her chatter and generally doing his best to enjoy himself. But, there was a thought at the back of his mind that there was something off the whole time. While the girl surely was entertaining and paid attention to him, there was something that the whole date lacked.

The scent of coconuts and coffee, he realized as they left the dress store, the girl having tried multiple outfits and let him decide which one looked best. Megumi smelled like flowers, a gentle and breezy perfume. While Kuroo preferred the familiar scent of hidden citrus under coffee and coconuts. The realization had made him pull back from her a bit.

He hadn't been oblivious to her attempts to get his attention in a more intimate way, either. Megumi would take his hand to lead him into a store, touch his arm while she was talking and come quite close to him in a crowded area. All that did, however, was make her perfume even stronger in his nose, which in turn made him pull away more determinedly. She'd even offered him a bite of her food, to try she'd said, and he'd accepted.

Long story short, Kuroo had thought that he could do it. Go out with someone that was blatantly interested in him. However, it was proving to be a false hypothesis. His mind kept wandering to the scent he was so intoxicated by, then to the scene with the sleek blue car and then in defiance telling him to pay attention to the date.

It was, however, the kiss which had done it in for him. He had expected some form of a goodbye from the girl. But, when Megumi had reached up and pulled him into a rather intimate kiss, he'd obliged, before gently letting go, too soon for her liking, he could tell. They both knew it, at that moment, that there would be no second date. Kuroo was left standing on the platform, disgruntled and angry at himself for being unable to say no to that date.

"Damn it," he murmured to himself, hand going up to wipe his mouth where Megumi's lip gloss still shimmered. "Damn it all to hell." For once in his life, Kuroo was truly left unhappy with the situation he had put himself into.

That's all folks! Give me your thoughts :D Also, Akari and Kenma? Unlikely pair? Do you like it? Hate it?