Disclaimer: Check out chapter one for this – Thank you!
"Random Subject Prompts"
Chapter 008: Junpei Hyuuga & Teppei Kiyoshi
Anime: Kuroko no Basuke
Prompt: Unrequited Love
Chapter Warning: Rated T for moderately strong suggestive themes (at the end)
Author's Note: I sort of rewrote the one-shot from a certain point, so if scenes move too quickly for some people, I'm sorry! I did my best with the transitions :P
*ame to ai: Thank you for your reviews and continued support from the very first chapter (: I hope you enjoy this installment, too!
*chiaki ebooks: You can make more than one request to see if I recognize any of them, haha I'm pretty familiar with most :P Thank you for reviewing, too! I've never seen a character like Takeru before, so I thoroughly enjoyed writing about him.
*Wicken25: I love your suggestion of Zeref from Fairy Tail :D I may do a pairing with him at some point! Thank you for reviewing!
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"Do you think it's a total cliché for childhood friends to fall in love?"
From his hospital bed, Kiyoshi looked up from the textbook he'd been studying to the young woman sitting in the nearby chair. He raised a curious brow, though a gentle smile curved the corners of his lips.
"Oh, what's this?" he lightly teased, "Are you finally going to confess that you're in love with Hyuuga, Kagome-chan?"
Kagome's cheeks instantly heated, and her amethyst eyes darted away from the tall brunette. "W-What are you talking about, Teppei? Don't be silly."
He chuckled, amused. "I may have been absent from school for a while, but I've noticed some things in the past."
Cautiously, she peeked at him. "… Am I that obvious?"
"Only to the people who know you." Like me, he silently added. A small twinge entered his heart. Hyuuga really was lucky to have a girl like Kagome fall in love with him. Kiyoshi could almost hate the other male. Almost.
But he loved Kagome enough to want to see her happy, even if it meant it wasn't with him.
Kagome sighed in relief, breaking Kiyoshi away from his inner musings. "That's good. I would've been so embarrassed if Junpei ever found out." When she mentioned his name, her eyes became soft, her expression tender with love and adoration.
And he felt his heart break just a little more.
But Kiyoshi smiled as he gently patted her head in encouragement. When she looked up at him questioningly, he said, "You shouldn't be embarrassed, Kagome-chan. Any guy would be lucky to have you." His expression brightened. "You are, after all, the Captain of the Archery team, an active member of the Cooking and Gardening Clubs, and the Class Representative. You also get the highest grades of our class year."
Inwardly flattered but modest as ever, Kagome blushed. "Thanks, Teppei. You always know just what to say to make me feel better," she said, beaming brightly. "Now, let's get back to studying. There's no way I'm letting my star pupil fall behind in school."
A small sweat-drop appeared on Kiyoshi's head. "I'm your only 'star pupil,' Kagome-chan…"
She waved off his words casually. "That's beside the point, Teppei."
As they continued studying, Kiyoshi couldn't help but notice how Kagome's expression would drop, becoming sad, at certain times before she seemed to shake herself out of her thoughts and refocus on the material in front of her. He wanted to ask what was bothering her, but felt it was something she didn't want to talk about – at least, not at that very moment. But, he knew, when she was ready, he would listen. He always did.
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Flashback to Earlier That Day
"Junpei!"
Hyuuga paused in his steps, school bag thrown over one shoulder, as he turned around to face the owner of the familiar voice. He smiled, spotting his childhood friend. "Hey, Kagome," he greeted.
"Hi, Junpei," she replied, beaming. "I'm glad I caught you before you left for basketball practice."
"Oh?" He raised an eyebrow. "What's up?"
Embarrassed, her eyes suddenly found the tiled floor very interesting. The toe of one foot began to draw indistinct designs, and her fingers couldn't stop fiddling with the hem of her skirt.
"Um," she started, biting her lip. She squeezed her eyes shut, then decided to just blurt out what she had wanted to say. "I heard that you and a few others were forming a study group, and I wanted to see if maybe you wanted my help, too?"
Hyuuga chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. "You heard about that, did you? Well, there's no need to worry about it, Kagome," he assured. He completely missed the depressed look that crossed her face at his answer. "We're just making sure one of the first-years on the team makes it above the class average on his upcoming tests. Besides, we'll be studying at Riko's house since it's the biggest. I'm sure with her, myself, and a couple others we'll be fine."
Kagome stared at the smile on his face, wondering why he never looked like that when he talked to her. But when it came to Riko Aida, the basketball team's coach… His expression glowed. She could almost hate the other girl for unknowingly having Hyuuga's affections, while all Kagome got were scraps of his attention… But all it did was hurt.
"Oh… I see." She bit her bottom lip again, worrying the piece of flesh until it was on the verge of bleeding. "Alright then, Junpei. I won't keep you." She clenched the fabric of her skirt within her fists. "I should go visit Teppei, anyway. He won't be returning to school for a while yet, and I wouldn't want him falling behind."
"That's a great idea," he said, smiling, and patting her on the head. Kagome soaked in the sensation while it lasted, inwardly knowing it didn't mean a damned thing to him but it meant the world to her. "Make sure that idiot doesn't give you a hard time, okay? If he does, let me know right away."
A small smile twitched her lips upward at hearing his teasing tone. "I'll make sure he gets the message," she said. When he turned to walk away, she decided on a last ditch effort. "But if you end up needing my help…"
Hyuuga waved a hand, sending a grateful smile over his shoulder to acknowledge he'd heard her. "I'll call you right away if that happens. Thanks, Kagome."
Kagome returned the wave, watching his retreating figure until he turned a corner and completely left her sight. She sighed deeply, hugging her arms around herself as best as she could. Resignation and depression settled within her being.
Despite her offer of assistance, she knew her phone would be silent for the entire night.
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End Flashback
Kagome sighed, pencil absently scratching her answer into the correct space. Her eyes couldn't help glancing at her phone from time to time, hoping and wishing for a certain someone to call her. She knew it was in vain, however. Hyuuga was with Riko, after all…
Her hand clenched the pencil so hard, it snapped. Kiyoshi blinked, surprised, and instantly felt worried for the normally bubbly young woman.
"Kagome-chan?"
She blinked slowly, as if just waking up. In the next second, she finally noticed the broken writing utensil and blinked again but in confusion. "Did… I do that?"
"You did," he answered, concerned. "Are you okay? You didn't hurt yourself, did you?"
Kagome tossed the pencil into the trash and dug out a new one from her school bag. She sent a reassuring smile at Kiyoshi, though he could easily tell something was definitely bothering her. "I'm okay, Teppei. I guess I just don't know my own strength." She forced a sheepish chuckle out of her throat then returned to her homework, hoping to let the subject drop.
Kiyoshi watched her for a few minutes before speaking. His voice was soft with understanding. "When you're ready to talk, I'll listen."
The smile that appeared on her face was more genuine, and he was glad to see the light enter her eyes once more.
"Thank you, Teppei. You really do always know just what to say."
Silently, he thought, I just wish I knew what to say to get you to fall in love with me instead, Kagome-chan. Then, I would never have to see you make that expression ever again. Out loud, he smiled his usual gentle smile and said, "Anytime."
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Ever since Seirin had lost at the Inter-High, Kagome had noticed how depressed Hyuuga had been acting. She could understand; losing sucked, especially when it came to a sport you devoted your life to and loved. But what could she do to lift his spirits again?
Something homemade used to always work, she thought, contemplating her options. Currently, she was relaxing at home with a cook book open in front of her. She smiled at the thought of making a bento, imagining his reaction to getting something like that from her. Of course, his teammates would be in awe and envy, but would Hyuuga know the meaning behind such a gesture? Girls didn't make homemade lunches for just any kind of guy, after all.
Would he realize how I feel? The thought was terrifying, but a giddy sense of excitement fluttered in her stomach. If Hyuuga figured out how she felt… Maybe… Maybe he'd return her feelings?
Kagome's expression dropped into a frown. "Who am I kidding? Junpei is so dense. I've liked the guy for so long and he hasn't even noticed me in that way before. Besides…" Her amethyst eyes turned several shades darker. It's obvious he has feelings for Riko. I would just be getting in the way.
But that didn't mean she had to give up on him, right? By all appearances, Riko didn't return his feelings in that way. The other girl treated Hyuuga like she treated the other basketball players on her team.
"Right," Kagome muttered, new determination shining in her eyes. "I won't give up yet. I can do this. It's not over. I still have time to confess my feelings for Junpei."
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The Next Day
Kagome released a deep sigh, clearly depressed and defeated. Kiyoshi raised an eyebrow, wondering what had happened this time to get her so down and sad. It upset him that she was so despondent, especially because Hyuuga was being an oblivious idiot, but it wasn't his place to interfere.
Besides, while he was willing to let the girl he was in love with be with someone who wasn't him, that didn't mean he had to help said guy in question realize what a great catch Kagome would be as a girlfriend. There were limits, after all, even for nice guys like Kiyoshi.
"Are you okay, Kagome-chan?" he inquired.
In response, she placed two neatly wrapped bento boxes on the tray that was usually used for his meals. He blinked, not quite understanding.
"I'm sorry, Teppei," she said, catching his attention. When he looked at her face, he saw a happy, genuine smile. "I shouldn't be laying my problems on you, especially not today. I heard the great news – You're finally busting out of this place, and returning to school. You must be so excited."
"There's no need to apologize," he reassured. He smiled in gratitude as he looked at the bento boxes again. "Is this to celebrate my release? Did you make this yourself?"
Kagome scratched her cheek with one finger. "Once I heard that you'd be back, I sort of borrowed the Home Ec room." She pushed one particular boxed lunch closer to Kiyoshi. "I made this one for you, specifically. You can just… ignore the other one."
"Thank you, Kagome-chan." His smile was warm and grateful. As he opened it, he couldn't help glancing at the other even though she said to ignore it. "Was the other one your lunch or something? You shouldn't skip meals, you know."
"You're welcome, Teppei," she replied. Her gaze landed on the other bento, her lips pursing in remembrance and disappointment. "And, I didn't skip lunch or anything. That one was actually… for Junpei." Her bangs shadowed her face, not wanting to expose her emotions. They were still too raw, too vulnerable.
Kiyoshi paused in taking his first bite. Surprise colored his expression. "What? Hyuuga didn't accept your homemade bento?" If Hyuuga had done such a thing, Captain or not, Kiyoshi was going to hit him. It was just too cruel not accepting something as precious as a homemade lunch, especially one Kagome had put her entire heart into.
Kagome instantly answered, waving her hands back and forth, "No, no. Nothing like that happened," she said. "I just… I just didn't actually have a chance to give it to him." Nibbling on her bottom lip, she added, "He was with Riko all throughout lunch. I didn't have an opportunity to even tell him that I'd made lunch for him." By the time she finished speaking, her voice had turned soft and sad. "It… probably didn't even come out good, anyway."
"Nonsense," Kiyoshi immediately said. "You're the best cook I know, Kagome-chan. Your meals always have the most important ingredient. Love." As if to emphasize his words, he took a bite of the food she'd specially prepared for him. And, of course, the bento was filled with all of his favorite dishes. It warmed him on the inside that she would take such care and consideration into every single item she cooked. He could see it from just how she diced the meat, cut the vegetables, and fried the tempura to perfection.
His words had an immediate effect on Kagome. She giggled, feeling better than she had since earlier that day. Being in Kiyoshi's presence had always soothed her, comforted her in a way she hadn't been with anyone else – including Hyuuga. Kiyoshi's mere aura set her at ease, and his words were always encouraging and sometimes even flattering. It worked as a balm to her tattered feelings, especially when she was having an emotional crisis caused by her secret love interest.
"Thanks, Teppei," she said. Opening the other bento box, she grabbed a pair of chopsticks for herself. "We should celebrate your release from the hospital properly. Let's eat!"
Kiyoshi grinned, happy that Kagome's mood had elevated and was once more bubbly. "Yes, let's eat," he agreed, chuckling.
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When Kagome answered her front door a few nights later, she blinked in surprise at who she found on her doorstep. "Teppei?"
Kiyoshi lightly grimaced, one hand laid over his stomach as he tried to keep himself upright. It wouldn't be good if he just collapsed right in front of her house. He was, after all, so much bigger than she, both height and weight-wise. There was no way she could lift him, and there's no way he'd make her try.
"Hey, Kagome-chan," he greeted, wincing at the shot of pain he felt in his belly. "Sorry about this. Could I rest here for a little while? Seems like I couldn't make it all the way home." At the last, he chuckled sheepishly.
She instantly waved him inside. "Yes, of course. What's wrong? You look like you're about to kneel over," she said, concerned. She grabbed his school bag and the duffel bag that held his basketball gear, placing the items on the side and out of the way. "Here, let's sit down in the living room. Do you need anything? Water? A bucket?"
Kiyoshi slowly eased down onto the soft couch, his hand still holding his stomach like a lifeline. He grimaced again, but tried to send the petite girl a reassuring smile. "Thanks, Kagome-chan. I think I'll be fine if I just rest for a few minutes." He hadn't wanted to see her like this, but he hadn't had a choice. The stomach cramps just wouldn't let up, and there was no way he'd make it home safely at the rate he was going. The best he could do was make a quick stop at Kagome's house before attempting to get to his own home once more.
Kagome placed her hands on her hips, her signature stance when she wanted answers and wanted them yesterday.
"Tell me what's going on with you, Teppei. What's wrong?"
He groaned, closing his eyes for a brief moment, before opening them again to see Kagome's eyes narrowing. He let one of his goofy, dopey smiles cross his face. "Ah, well… Riko sort of… cooked for us, that's all."
Horror instantly colored her facial features, lightning striking behind her in a dramatic fashion.
"She did, what?" she exclaimed, mouth dropped open and eyes wide, incredulous. "And you just ate it? Are you stupid, Teppei? You want to be admitted into the hospital again that badly?" However, even as she continued to reprimand him for his stupidity, her hands started fluttering over his being, worried and panicking about the repercussions of his foolish actions. "Oh no, oh no. What should we do? What should I do? I should be calling an ambulance, right? It's a miracle you even made it this far, Teppei."
Despite the pain and the nauseous feeling in his gut, Kiyoshi couldn't help but smile and watch as Kagome darted around the room, obviously trying to find something that would magically cure him. If she had been thinking straight, she would have given him medicine as easy as aspirin, but he could read her actions like an open book:
She was so worried about his health, so worried that he would 'kneel over' when she wasn't looking, that she wasn't chancing leaving his eyesight while she tried to look for something to help him. He could tell by the way she would immediately come back to his side, asking if he was okay, when she was only gone mere seconds before that.
It warmed something inside Kiyoshi, that Kagome could care so much about him. In this moment, he had her complete and undivided attention. For a little while, at least, he could pretend that they were the only ones in the world.
"There's no way you're going home tonight," Kagome suddenly declared. Kiyoshi blinked, his attention once more on her. What had she said?
"What?"
Kagome scowled, but her eyes reflected their concern. "I said, there's no way you're going home tonight," she repeated, imperiously. She placed her hands on her hips, daring the tall brunette to challenge her authority. "You're too sick, Teppei. In fact, I should be calling for the paramedics, at least, but I think I can handle anything you need. So, you're staying here tonight – and I don't want to hear any complaints, got it?"
Kiyoshi chuckled sheepishly, knowing better than to argue when she got into one of her 'moods.' It just wasn't smart. She'd get her way, regardless of what she had to do to achieve it. Besides, despite his size and obvious advantage he had on her, he wouldn't put it past Kagome to fight dirty. Her fiery personality was quite famous, which was how she had managed to accomplish so much in only two years of high school.
"O-Okay," he acquiesced, "I understand, Kagome-chan. Sorry for the intrusion."
"Nonsense," she replied, smiling sweetly now that she'd gotten her way. "I'll get the bedding and some other stuff." Before she turned to do just that, she narrowed her eyes warningly. "Call me if you start feeling worse. Alright, Teppei?"
He waved his hands in surrender. "Alright, Kagome-chan. Alright." When she finally disappeared from his view, he chuckled under his breath.
He could no longer say he regretted coming here. In fact, he was definitely pleased with the outcome. It made him think about eating more of Riko's cooking if Kagome taking care of him was the end result. He cherished being in her presence, and she'd just given him the perfect opportunity.
Kiyoshi laid his head back, staring at the ceiling. His thoughts drifted towards his other teammates, wondering if they were okay and recovering. He, after all, hadn't been the only one to experience Riko's dangerous cooking. In fact, he and Hyuuga were the ones who ate most of the 'curry.'
A frown suddenly appeared on his usually happy face at the thought of the basketball Captain.
"There's no way I'm telling Kagome about his condition," he murmured decisively, nodding once to emphasize his words. Sorry, Hyuuga.
Kiyoshi had no plans of sharing Kagome tonight.
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"Ah, so you guys are going to the beach to train, huh?" Kagome commented. She was currently in her bedroom, on her bed, on her stomach, feet kicking lightly back and forth, as she gazed at the dark-haired male seated at her desk. Hyuuga was furiously doing his homework, angry tic marks pulsing on his forehead, as he struggled from one English translation to the next. Despite the stereotype of people who wore glasses, Kagome thought it was a miracle Hyuuga was even graduating on time. She figured she had basketball to thank for that; bad grades meant he couldn't play.
The corner of Hyuuga's eye twitched, entirely focused on the sheet of paper in front of him. Why did the assignments have to be so much harder than the actual work they did in class? It was so annoying!
"Yeah. Apparently, we're going to be training at the beach and in the mountains."
"That will be good. Running on the sand is like resistance training. You and the others will feel lighter when you run on the basketball court."
"Oh yeah?" He grunted. One hand rose to rub his temple, eyes narrowing behind his glasses. His other hand squeezed his pencil, as if the writing utensil would leak out the answers he sought with enough pressure. When that didn't work, he loudly sighed.
Kagome huffed, bouncing up and off her bed to peer over Hyuuga's shoulder. She instantly saw the problem.
Expression dropping to resemble a dead fish, she bluntly said, "That's the wrong page, you idiot."
Hyuuga froze, becoming as still as a statue.
In the next second, he shot to his feet to point accusingly at the work book and homework sheet. "What?" he exclaimed. "I can't believe this! I've been working on this stupid assignment for the past two hours! And it's the wrong page? What the hell?"
To stop his ranting before it developed a life of its own, Kagome placed a calming hand onto his shoulder. The moment he paused, she shoved him down onto the desk chair once more.
"Calm down, will you?" she said when she had his attention. "I'll help you, Junpei. Okay?"
Hyuuga released a deep breath. She always knew what to say – and in the right tone – to keep him cool-headed. Kagome had been his first friend when they were younger. She'd always been bright and cheerful, and had always been supportive of whatever he did – even when he'd dyed his hair blonde. Hyuuga honestly couldn't imagine his life without her. Outside of his basketball family, she was the most important person in his life.
"Alright, I'm good. Thanks, Kagome." He smiled at her to prove his words. "I don't know what I'd do without you."
She lightly laughed. "Let's hope we never have to find out." Turning her focus back onto the matter at hand, she replaced the homework sheet with a new one then flipped the work book to the correct page. "For the assignment, we're supposed to translate these Japanese phrases into English, then fix any grammar and punctuation errors…" She continued the mini lesson, pointing and explaining things further when Hyuuga didn't understand.
Gradually, his expression went from frustrated confusion to understanding. The furrow between his brows eased. His pencil glided over the paper rather than jerky scratches. As the tutoring continued, his shoulders began to relax and he became more and more confident about the material. He'd never realized it before, but Kagome was a great teacher. She was patient, and her examples and explanations were easy to follow.
It made Hyuuga wish he had taken up her previous offers of help sooner. And he could now understand why Kiyoshi liked being tutored by Kagome. It made Hyuuga almost envious of his teammate. Almost.
When they were more than halfway done, they took a break.
Sitting on the edge of her bed, Kagome gazed longingly at Hyuuga. He stretched his arms over his head, a satisfied smile on his face. He was clearly pleased that he was going to get a good grade on his homework for once, but she just liked spending time with him. Of course, he'd never see it that way. He would only ever see her as a friend, his childhood friend. She could already tell by the way he gazed at Riko in comparison.
Knowing she would never beat the other girl in his heart, Kagome murmured in English, "I love you, Junpei."
And, of course, he didn't hear her, oblivious as always.
It was time for her to give up on Junpei Hyuuga. It was time… to move on.
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"I've decided to give up on Junpei."
His drink halfway to his mouth, Kiyoshi blinked, shocked. "W-What? Kagome-chan…?" he asked, confused and incredulous. Had he heard right? "Why… Why so suddenly?"
The smile that appeared on her face was resigned and… peaceful.
"I sort of decided this a while ago," she confessed. "You guys passed the Winter Cup Preliminaries, and now you're on your way to becoming the best team in Japan. I have faith you guys will win." She paused for a second, before continuing. "Win or lose, I know Junpei is going to confess his feelings to Riko. It is… inevitable."
Kiyoshi tried to argue, "You don't know that – not for sure."
"I do," she softly cut in, and he hated that expression on her face. It spoke of utter heartbreak. It made the tall brunette want to punch something – namely a certain Captain – but he knew it wasn't what Kagome wanted nor needed right then. "If you guys lose at the Winter Cup, Riko will make each of you strip naked and confess to the one you like. Junpei is honest enough that he'll do it, too. If you guys win… Well, that's pretty self-explanatory."
Tears brimmed her eyes, but she valiantly kept them from falling. In a whisper-soft voice, she added, "Either way, I lose."
"Kagome-chan…" For once in his life, Kiyoshi had no idea what to say.
"It's okay, Teppei," she reassured, wiping her eye with a finger. The smile that appeared next was slow, starting from the corners of her lips. It rippled across her entire face in a breathtaking transformation that ended at her eyes. The amethyst orbs shined and sparkled like the gems they mimicked. He felt his lungs seize up, his heart thudding heavily in his chest, as his eyes widened at the expression. He'd never seen that one before, and he doubted anyone else had either.
She continued speaking, not realizing the effect she had on the tall brunette. "I realized that I was being selfish, wanting to confess my feelings for Junpei when he already had a special someone in his thoughts. Hoping and praying he would change his mind about me… I don't think I would've liked the person I was turning into, so I gave up on him. Besides," she chuckled, "if he had any romantic feelings for me, I'm pretty sure it would have come out by now. Right?"
All Kiyoshi could say in response was, "I… guess so." Honestly, what could he say? "So… you're planning to… move on from Hyuuga?"
"That's the plan, though I know it'll take some time." Placing a hand over her heart, she closed her eyes. "I think I've learned some things about love from this experience… and some things about myself, too." When she reopened her eyes, she grinned happily at Kiyoshi. "You know something, Teppei? I think I'm excited about falling in love again."
He chuckled, eyes soft. "Oh, really? With who, Kagome-chan?"
"I don't know, but he's out there somewhere, right?"
Or he could be standing right in front of you, waiting for you to notice him. But he could wait. He'd wait an eternity for her.
Because Kiyoshi didn't want a few months, a few years, with Kagome.
He wanted forever.
"He's definitely out there, somewhere, Kagome-chan," he answered, smiling his usual smile. "And he's going to be one lucky guy."
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Epilogue – 3 Years Later
Hyuuga heavily sighed as he sat across from Kiyoshi at the diner they had started to frequent when they found it near their University. The two had gotten in on basketball scholarships, and were now currently playing for their college's team. Of course, they missed the old team back at Seirin, but they all still got together when schedules allowed. Right now, however, Hyuuga and Kiyoshi were only grabbing lunch before their respective classes started.
Kiyoshi raised an eyebrow. "Still depressed about your breakup with Riko, Hyuuga?"
"Not… exactly," he answered, focusing on the menu a little too hard. After winning the Winter Cup during his second-year of high school, he'd confessed his romantic feelings for the basketball coach. They had been dating since then until about six months ago. Riko had broken things off when she decided to follow in her father's footsteps and attend University in America. Hyuuga had wanted to make their relationship work, but… "She didn't want a long-distance relationship. I respected her wishes." It didn't mean it hadn't hurt like Hell, though.
"Then what's up with you?" Kiyoshi cocked his head to the side, curious.
Hyuuga was silent, contemplative, until the waitress came to take their orders then left. When he finally looked up at his long-time friend and teammate, his eyes were serious.
"Do you think it's a total cliché for childhood friends to fall in love?"
Kiyoshi nearly choked on air, his eyes wide in surprise by the sudden question. He had a sense of déjà vu, remembering when Kagome had asked the same thing all those years ago.
"W-Why are you asking that?" And why now, after all this time? It made something inside him clench with worry.
Hyuuga rubbed the back of his neck, nervous. "To be honest, I've thought about asking Kagome out for a while. Even when we were still in high school, but… The timing never seemed right, you know? And most of my time back then had been with Riko, so it was only natural for my feelings for her to grow. If I had asked Kagome out during that time, it wouldn't have been fair."
Kiyoshi swallowed thickly. His palms were starting to sweat, and he was tempted to run away. He really didn't want to have this conversation any longer. If they had been still in high school, he might have encouraged Hyuuga to confess his feelings to Kagome, but… But things are different now. We're not in high school anymore.
Suddenly, the tall brunette's eyes narrowed as a thought occurred to him. "Are you only thinking about asking Kagome out now because Riko is no longer in Japan?" he demanded to know, fists clenched on the tabletop.
"What?" Hyuuga blinked, surprised. "Of course not, Kiyoshi. Why would you even think that? You know how important she is to me."
Appeased, Kiyoshi nodded. "Right. I just wanted to be sure you knew what you were saying. Kagome has been a good friend to me, too. I wouldn't want her getting hurt…"
Hyuuga smiled, chuckling lightly. "Well, it's good that she has someone looking out for her." His expression abruptly turned guilty. "I know I haven't. After getting together with Riko, I was caught up in my relationship and basketball. I told myself I wasn't going to do that, but…" At the end, he shook his head, clearly ashamed and disgusted by his actions. "Kagome had always been there for me. I didn't notice… I took it for granted." And he'd apologized for his lack of common decency, of not being a better friend. Kagome had laughed, waving off his words.
The fact that she could do that – could smile and treat him as if he hadn't been a complete dumbass for neglecting her – showed Hyuuga just how much she meant to him. He hadn't noticed that a heavy weight had been steadily forcing his shoulders down until he'd seen that smile, one he'd never seen before. It had completely and utterly taken his breath away.
Kiyoshi's next question caught his attention, and Hyuuga looked up at the tall brunette sitting across from him. "What made you realize your feelings for her?"
Hyuuga's mouth parted slightly, debating on how best to answer. "I guess… it was right after Riko broke up with me," he finally settled on. "I had immediately called Kagome afterwards. I wanted to… talk to her. Just hear her voice – hear her say that everything was going to be okay. She has a way of calming me down. No one, not even Riko, has ever been able to do that."
He paused for a moment, his thoughts drifting to that time six months ago, and Kiyoshi waited patiently for his friend to finish.
"We hadn't… talked a lot, not like that, since I started dating Riko, but… Kagome was immediately there for me. She came over to my house, and just… listened, said how sorry she was that I was going through such a hard breakup." The more he thought about that night, the more a smile started to appear on his face. Kagome had always been the nurturing type. It shouldn't have surprised Hyuuga how much of an overprotective kitten she could be, how fierce and true her loyalty was.
As he got deeper and deeper into his thoughts, he missed the frown that crossed Kiyoshi's face. If the tall brunette wasn't mistaken… Hyuuga's expression right now… was the one he wore when he used to think about Riko.
The expression that spoke of love yet could shatter another's heart instantly.
Back then, Kagome's heart had been the one to shatter, but Kiyoshi refused to allow that to be his fate.
She was the one thing – the one person – he refused to lose to anyone, including Hyuuga. Maybe even especially to Hyuuga.
KH*JH*TK*KH*JH*TK
After having lunch with Hyuuga, Kiyoshi immediately made his way back to his apartment. Skipping his afternoon classes hadn't been part of the plan, but what he needed to do was far more important, especially after that 'enlightening' conversation.
Entering the small apartment, he dropped his school bag at the entrance before making his way to the bedroom.
When he slid the door open, Kiyoshi breathed a sigh of relief at the rumpled sheets and the petite, naked figure that still snoozed on the futon. The soft, cotton blankets were wrapped snuggly around her pale, creamy flesh, like a jealous lover, her more intimate parts teasingly hidden strategically.
Silently, he started undressing until he was only in his boxers. Slipping into bed, he securely wrapped his arms around her and buried his nose into her sweet-smelling hair, comforted and soothed by her presence.
"Shouldn't you be in class?" Kagome mumbled sleepily, amethyst eyes cracking open the slightest bit. Her arms, however, wrapped around his much-bigger frame as best as she could to snuggle her head under his chin.
He chuckled, the sound rumbling in his chest, as his fingers tangled in her hair to massage the back of her skull. The purr she released was sexy and content, eyes drifting closed once more.
"I skipped my afternoon classes," he answered, voice low. Intimate. "There was something I wanted to tell you."
"Mm? What?"
His mouth found her ear, nipping the shell with his teeth, before soothing the sting with his tongue. The shiver that raced down her spine made him smirk. "Happy One-Year Anniversary, Kagome," he whispered. "I love you."
The smile that appeared was the one he loved most – the one she showed him for the first time three years ago. It started from the corners of her lips, and rippled across her entire face in a breathtaking transformation that ended at her eyes. The amethyst orbs shined and sparkled exactly like the gems they mimicked.
And, just like three years ago, he felt his lungs seize up, his heart thudding heavily in his chest. Only Kagome had ever made him feel this way.
"Happy One-Year Anniversary, Teppei," she softly said back. "And I love you, too. So much."
Kiyoshi leaned down to press a kiss to her lips, savoring the sweet contact. It was meant to be a short exchange of affection, but he quickly flipped them to hover over Kagome's prone form. His large hands easily gripped her, pulling her closer to his body. His mouth moved down her neck, nuzzling the soft skin.
She giggled, eyes gleaming with love and lust, delicate hands running through his hair and wrapping behind his neck to pull him down to her mouth once more. She moaned into the heated kiss when one of his hands reached up to gently coax her mouth open, his tongue instantly surging inside to tangle with hers.
His blood was starting to boil with need. He thought he'd burned most of it off last night, but Kiyoshi should have known better. He would never get enough of Kagome.
"Teppei…"
Her voice, the heated expression on her face, was like a siren's call. And he wasn't going to ignore it, wasn't going to even try to fight it.
Blindly, he reached for the box of condoms he'd kept near. If he had any say in the matter, they wouldn't be leaving the bedroom for the entire afternoon.
And Kagome seemed more than eager to follow his plans.
KH*JH*TK*KH*JH*TK
Later that evening, as Kiyoshi sat at the small table and Kagome used the tiny kitchen to make dinner, she asked, "So, how was lunch with Junpei?"
Kiyoshi was quiet for a moment, thinking, then answered, "He's experiencing what unrequited love feels like."
"What was that, Teppei?" she questioned, glancing over a shoulder. "I didn't catch that."
Instead of replying, he smiled his usual smile. "Nothing, Kagome. He's doing fine." Standing from his seat, he wrapped his arms around his girlfriend from behind, his height and size easily dwarfing her petite frame. He gently laid his chin against the crown of her head. "That smells good. Is it ready?"
She lightly laughed, elbowing the male gently in the stomach. "Almost. Just be patient."
"I've always been patient." Especially when it came to you. And it had paid off. Kiyoshi was now dating the girl of his dreams, the girl he planned on spending the rest of his life with. Their One-Year Anniversary was just the beginning, because they were going to have many, many more. He would make sure of that.
His love was no longer unrequited.
I'll leave it up to you, the readers, to decide if Kiyoshi had told Hyuuga about his relationship with Kagome ;)
*Next Time: Daryl Dixon (The Walking Dead)
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