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When the teacher first announced the assignment, I wasn't sure what to think of it. I never felt special enthusiasm for chemistry, but that research paper would make up half of our grade, so I didn't have any choice but to put honest work into it. I really wanted to go to a good college after all. I owed this to my parents at least.
My heart stopped when the teacher added it would be a group assignment. I didn't work well in groups, having trouble relying on others and trusting them to do their work. Not to forget I was more like an outcast in class, too. Thankfully, my classmate mostly just left me alone. I did not mind that, but it made working with them when assignments required it even harder.
Obviously, I was incredibly relieved when the partners were announced and mine turned out to be Kuroo Tetsurou. The whole class knew the volleyball captain had a passion for chemistry. And he was known to be reliable, a teacher’s favorite, even if he sometimes provoked some of our classmates.
Some girls from my class threw envious looks my way, I was aware of that. Kuroo-kun was a notorious heartthrob, girls and even some boys swooning in his presence.
I could understand why they felt that way. Kuroo-kun was devilishly handsome, his Cheshire grin and his stylishly ruffled hair giving of a bad boy image that made a girl’s heart flutter without even trying. All in alll, he was deeply attractive. Adding to that, he was the captain of the boys’ volleyball club, oozing charisma as their leader. Proud posture that could only be impressive. And he was in the college preparation course. Dedicated, smart and good looks. He was a man of every girl’s dreams.
I knew that and objectively I could empathize with that view, but honestly? For some reason I never felt a physical attraction, even if I could never put my finger on why. If anything, I was glad the teacher assigned me a dependable partner, even if the task wasn't up my forte. I was more of those gifted in literature.
After class ended, Kuroo-kun walked up to my desk. “Hey, Kuni-san, right?” I nodded to confirm his silent question. “How are we going to do this best? I have to admit I'm pretty caught up with practice and our other assignments, so I don't have a lot of time to spare.”
I was putting away my material and getting ready for the next class while I contemplated an answer. “We should probably try to finish as soon as possible. How about we meet up after club?”
“Okay! Sounds fine. Tomorrow?” Again, I nodded in confirmation and we parted ways again. Kuroo-kun skidded away- most likely to have lunch with his teammates. He was easy to get along with indeed.
Kuroo-kun met up with me the next day by the shoe lockers after our respective clubs had ended, showing a chivalrous grin in greeting. We had planned to sit in the school’s library until the school closed to work on our assignment and did not waste much time on unnecessary small talk before we headed for our goal.
Out of politeness I did ask how his club practice was going but the conversation lasted only until we sat down and unpacked our material. Then we got down to business.
We started on our assignment of figuring out different molecular compositions, drawing and deciphering their components. For some time made good progress. Kuroo-kun was knowledgeable on the subject as was expected and he helped me out a lot.
But then I noticed Kuroo-kun beside me getting jitterish. I paid it no mind at first, but after fifteen minutes, in which Kuroo-kun’s legs were shaking with whatever it was that was bothering him- the vibration of the movement could be felt through the table- I had enough and decided to address the issue.
“Kuroo-kun? Is everything alright? You are restless.”
“Ah- am I that easy to read?” He scratched his head. “I'm sorry. I'm having a hard time concentrating. Kenma had to walk home alone today and he has a tendency to get lost so I can't help but be worried.” His grin was embarrassed and apologetic at the same time.
“Kenma.” I repeated as I thought about the reason that name sounded familiar. Then I remembered. “You mean Kozume-kun? Your team’s setter?”
“Yep!” Kuroo grinned proudly. teeth showing. “The heart and brain of our team!”
In the back of my mind, that phrasing seemed familiar, but I could not place it.
“Do you usually go home together then?” I continued the conversation as I played with the pen in my hand and had decided to stop worrying about remembering that particular bit of information. His leg finally stopped moving so much, the distraction seemed to work.
Kuroo-kun rested his chin on his closed hands, elbows supported on the table. “I try to as often as I can- which is usually every day. Hang out after school a lot, too.” He explained and his grin curves into a fond smile. “I'm actually spending more time over at his place awake than I do at my own, but it's never bothered any one. His parents always talk about how they consider me their second son. Well, it's not that my family feels any different about that.”
I hummed. “The two of you sound close.” I returned the smile and looked down at my scribbles. The gaze on Kuroo-kun’s face as he thought of his friend seemed too intimate for me to be able to look at it for prolonged time.
“We’ve known each other since we were kids.” He glanced shortly at me. “Neighbors, actually.”
I nodded again, and silence rose between us. I started working on our assignment once more, but it did not take long for the movement in Kuroo-kun’s leg started up again. He was still uneasy.
He was worrying so much, I felt like I was talking to a mother being separated from his child for the first time and had to admit it was kind of cute. “You care about him a lot, huh? It's okay, go ahead and check in.”
Kuroo-kun’s face lit up. It was barely noticeable but there indeed. He grabbed his phone that he had put away to the end of the table at the beginning of their session. After tapping away at his phone- sending a message I assumed-, he breathed out audibly, his shoulders finally relaxing. He put his phone away and sent a calming, grateful smile my way. We continued on our assignment, only interrupted by the inconspicuous vibration of a received message from time to time. I never mentioned it whenever Kuroo-kun checked his phone and neither did he.
We worked until the bell announcing the school’s closing rang. Kuroo-kun offered to walk me to the train station and having no reason to refuse, I agreed.
On the way, Kuroo-kun pointed out the convenience store he and Kozume-kun regularly stopped by during summer to grab some ice cream. Recently, though, his teammates started joining them more often. Kuroo-kun talked about his team's antics, what shenanigans their troublesome and newest addition to their team got up to, frequently mentioning the blonde setter. He told me about the first year who was bothering Kozume-kun into practicing more than he was originally willing to, about the blonde’s favorite ice cream- melon, apparently- even though according to Kuroo-kun his favorite dessert was apple pie.
I heard a lot about the second year I never thought I’d get to know about someone I have never even talked to before, but Kuroo-kun looked so content talking about his friend, I could not bring myself to disrupt him. Meeting the setter officially would definitely be an awkward encounter, though. Kuroo-kun had no filter when talking about the blonde.
“Next time, I wouldn't mind if we walked him home." I said once we arrived at my train station. “and maybe we can go to near cafe or something after that? I don’t think we will need more than we did today, and we can easily take our textbook with us.”
The raven, however, looked conflicted about the offer. “Wouldn't that be a detour for you?” He asked worriedly.
“I don't mind if it means my partner can actually concentrate” I teased. “Plus, we can stay out longer and get it done a lot quicker. I really don’t mind it, I swear.”
Kuroo-kun looked to the far side of the station, humming in thought. Finally, he faced me again. “I’ll ask Kenma about it and get back to you, alright?”
I nodded as my train was arriving. “Sure! I'll see you in class, Kuroo-kun!”
After the doors of my train had closed and I was seated, I saw the raven at the station, again checking his phone. My mouth curled into a smile. He worried about his friend a lot. It was sweet.
We met up again two days later. Kuroo-kun had sent me a message a day before, telling me Kozume-kun was fine with me accompanying them home and informed me about the cafe that was only a few blocks away. It was a place suitable for us to continue our assignment.
That was why after my club, I waited for the volleyball players by the shoe lockers again. They arrived some time later, Kuroo-kun waving to catch my attention and shouting an apology for being late. Kozume-kun next to him winced at the loud noise and threw an annoyed glance his friend’s way.
I introduced myself to Kozume-kun who reciprocated with a nod of his head. He seemed vaguely uncomfortable, partly hiding behind Kuroo-kun’s back but I did not mind it. After everything the raven had told me, I was aware that Kozume-kun took some time to warm up to people and did not mean it offensively in any way.
“It’s nice to finally meet you officially, Kozume-kun. After everything I’ve heard about you from Kuroo-kun, I mean.” I said honestly with an easy smile.
Kozume-kun frowned at his friend and stated accusingly. “You were talking about me again.”
Kuroo-kun just shrugged his shoulders like he had no other choice. “What did you expect?” He threw his arms around the blonde’s shoulders and leaned down to drawl in his ear. “You are my pride after all.”
Angling his head so that the blonde’s hair was covering his eyes, he avoided eye contact. “I can’t believe you actually said that. You are so embarrassing, Kuro.”
I could see the tips of his ear turning red, as he shoved Kuroo-kun off, lackluster more than anything. The volleyball captain was grinning broadly the entire time. It was incredibly endearing, and I could tell Kozume-kun was not sincerely mad at the other.
Laughing at their antics, the duo turned their attention back to me. I gestured to the school’s exit. “Want to get going?”
Three of us started to walk way home together. At the beginning we were all walking beside each other, Kuroo-kun and I engaging in pleasant small talk about the days classes and our respective club activities. He made some effort trying to involve Kozume-kun in the conversation, but the setter seemed to be completely uninterested. When the setter pulled out his gaming console, my classmate gave up completely.
For a while we continued our conversation, Kuroo-kun nudging Kozume-kun from time to time to make sure he paid attention to where he was walking. The conversation died slowly, however, and neither of us invested more energy into keeping it going. The raven got gradually more distracted, making sure our companion was alright.
Idly, I fell back, getting lost in my own thoughts. When I got conscious of my surroundings again, I got aware how Kuroo-kun made sure Kozume-kun did not walk on the side of the street where cars were passing, shielding him with his body and steering him with a soft touch to his waist.
Meanwhile Kozume-kun was playing a game, relying on Kuroo-kun to prevent him crashing into obstacles, talking to him in a low voice. I did not really understand what they were talking about- some of their teammates I guessed- and did not particularly mind being excluded from the conversation. Hearing Kuroo-kun tease the other about this one first year that kept bothering him and Kozume-kun’s silent complaints in return. It was fine like this, I did not feel like imposing.
I was trailing behind them, taking in their silhouette in the setting sun. They seemed familiar with each other, close, maybe almost intimate. Kuroo with his arms settled against the waist of their school’s setter, fingers twitching when he pulled him out of the way of approaching pedestrians. Kozume trusting the captain completely to make sure he stayed out of harm's way.
It reminded me of my first impression of their relationship from the library the other day and found I had to reevaluate my opinion. Kuroo was indeed mothering him, but it seemed there was more to it. They really were good friends- childhood friends as Kuroo had said, I fully understood that now.
I wondered if Kuroo-kun was always that caring for anyone. In class, he was always ready to joke around with the boys or help out if asked to, but he also seemed inapproachable, sly and always ready to tease mercilessly. The bad boy image never left him regardless of what he did. Seeing him like this now, I had to admit, I had trouble adjusting the picture I had of the raven. But it fit.
Not long after, we arrived close to Kozume-kun’s house. I slouched at the corner of the street awkwardly, my back turned to the duo and lazily taking in my surroundings. Waiting as Kuroo-kun said farewell to his friend until he met up with me again.
We quickly found our way to the cafe after that, got our orders and sat down to start on our assignment once again.
That's how we went through our work. We met up after our respective club, walked home with Kozume-kun, sat down in a cafe and worked while I listened to Kuroo-kun talk about his teammates and the boy with showing roots. We fell into a pleasant state of equilibrium.
Kozume-kun warmed up to me as well- at least I’d like to think that. Walking home together, we exchanged some words, talked about teacher’s the three of us knew. It was comfortable, and I didn’t mind whenever the two childhood friends entered their own world.
In times like that they seemed to forget all about me, hushed voices and inside jokes only them could understand. To be honest, more than being annoyed by it, it made me jealous. I wanted someone like that, too. To be that close to someone, being a loner could hurt at times you needed someone.
I did not mind hearing him talk about his friend at all, even when we were working. Kuroo-kun was precise and helpful in his participation, even more knowledgeable than I had imagined as he answered every question I had. Talking about Kozume-kun seemed like a natural part of him and I accepted that.
The raven was pleasant company, too. I learned a lot of different things about him. Despite his image, he was not a bad boy at all. You could tell that as soon as you had your first in-depth conversation with the volleyball captain, but it only really showed when he was with Kozume-kun or talked about him. The soft gazes, the fond smiles, it showed a picture of a different Kuroo Tetsurou than everyone seemed to perceive.
Soon, our assignment was finished. As we submitted it I was sure we would be getting an almost perfect grade. I was smug and shared a cheeky grin with Kuroo-kun for a job well done. We reverted back to classmates whose social circle barely overlapped afterwards. Again, I did not mind it, but I could not forget the Kuroo-kun I had gotten to know whenever I saw him in class.
It was during the lunch break a few weeks later, as I was walking along the hallway leading to the rooftop, that my perception of the childhood friends changed again.
I noticed a back clad in Nekoma’s school uniform. A back that I had become familiar with in the few weeks I was following him and Kozume-kun. And over his shoulder I saw a glimpse of blonde, dark roots showing, crowded into a corner and only partly hidden.
Before I could call their attention to myself, I paused. Kuroo-kun closed the distance between him and Kozume-kun, still locked into an intense stare that the blonde returned for once. I could not say anything, then. My body completely frozen.
I could feel practically the tension among them. It seemed like ages until their lips touched and Kuroo-kun’s shoulders slumped in a sigh that felt a lot like relief. Kozume-kun gently placed his hand on the raven’s neck, pulling him closer and angling his face for better access. I might have heard the younger sigh, too.
They kissed, I saw how their lips moved against each other in a familiarity that told me it was not the first time they did and finally, everything clicked into place. Suddenly, all of it made sense. I had to avoid my gaze due to sheer intimacy of their moment.
I understood. The worry, the fond gazes and proud grins that I had come to expect whenever Kuroo-kun talked about the dyed blonde- the different Kuroo-kun that the boy from the year under us managed to bring out with ease.
It was the behavior of someone deeply in love. I chuckled to myself, dumbfounded that I had not realized this earlier. And I prided myself to be observant.
It explained that sense of aloofness Kuroo-kun showed in class. Unconsciously, he was signaling to everyone that he already had a place, shielding himself from showing who he really was. Or something like that.
But then, I guessed as I left the two of them behind me with quiet steps, of course the shy second year setter Kuroo-kun always talked about would know him best and be able to see what's beneath all those layers that made up the raven.
They have known each other since they were kids, sharing their secrets from early on. Of course, he was the one who was able to bring out the raven’s true side and made him feel comfortable showing it- Kozume-kun would probably not even know him differently. Seeing them like this, it felt like that was how things were supposed to be. They just fit.