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“Hello?” Daichi answers from the other side. Kuroo’s heart almost jumps out.
“Hello there, Sawamura!” He greets in a cheerful tone. “Say, do you have any plan for new year's eve?”
“Yeah, I do.” Kuroo’s heart drops.
“Oh? I bet with Suga-chan, Azumane-san, and Shimizu-san?” He guesses.
“Yeah, exactly. We’re going to Sendai to watch fireworks.” Daichi sounds excited for a second, but then turns to a curious tone. “Why? Do you wanna ask me to join you and Yaku-san?”
“Um, well, yeah, actually. Yakkun and Kai have been eager to watch fireworks in the town. We hope you guys can join as well.” Kuroo explains.
He is tapping his foot on the floor and his right index finger on the table.
“But really, it’s okay! If you guys have a plan already, it’s totally fine. It also takes 4 hours to come here anyway. So it’s more convenient to go to Sendai instead, right?”
“Well, I’d love to go there. But, I really am sorry…” Daichi answers apologetically. Then go with me, dammit!, Kuroo mumbles in his mind.
“We can arrange a hang out on the next day, though. How’s that sound?” He offers.
“I’ll ask the others about it.”
“Okay,”
“Okay, then. See ya, Sawamura. Happy holiday!”
“Happy holiday, Kuroo!”
Just like that, the phone hangs up. Kuroo sighs heavily. Well, it’s fine. He shouldn’t feel upset about Daichi having fun with his friends. After all, those are his friends for three years, right? Unlike him, who just met him for about a year.
“No luck?” Kai asks. Kuroo forces a bitter smile.
“Nope. He had a plan with his friends.”
Kai pats his shoulder sympathetically. “Don’t mind. Didn’t he ask to hang out the next day?”
“Ah well… Can you join, though? I mean, I don’t want it to be just me and him, y’know.” He crosses his arms, rolling his eyes.
“Hmm… I’m not sure. I might go out with my family.”
“Right?! I bet Yakkun can’t too.” Kuroo scoffs.
“What can’t I do?” Yaku suddenly appears, carrying a bag of breads and snacks on his left hand while he sips a bottle of yogurt.
“Nah, doesn’t matter. Let’s go! It’s getting cold outside.” Kuroo walks past Yaku, snatching the bag from his hand.
“Hey!” Yaku gets how Kuroo is always being annoying to him, but he doesn’t get why he is still helping him when he’s annoyed.
Yaku looks at Kai asking for an explanation. “What was that about?”
Kai smiles softly. “I’ll explain it on the way home. Let’s go.”
Kai and Yaku know about Kuroo’s major crush—Daichi, and how desperate Kuroo wants to meet him, especially after they all have graduated.
Kuroo wears his last piece of his outfit for the night—his jacket—and is ready to go out. Kenma looks at him like he’s doing the most exhausting work in the world. But then goes back to his game. Kenma decides not to say what’s on his mind, which he keeps thinking why people even bother to go out on a new year's eve. He remembers back then when he and Kuroo went to watch fireworks for new year eve with Kuroo’s dad and his parents, but both of them ended up separated from their parents. Kuroo cried and held—more like, grabbed—on Kenma’s hand tightly, scared that they might get separated.
“Oh, Kuroo,”
“Yeah?” Kuroo stops midway in the door.
“Just don’t get separated from the others,” Kenma reminds him without breaking eye contact with his game. “You were so scared back then. Heck, I think you were having a panic attack at that time.”
Kuroo chuckles. “Oh, that time? I’m surprised you still remember it.”
“Well, you depended your life on me. How could I forget?” Kenma scoffs.
“Yeah. Thanks for the heads up. I’m going.” Kuroo rushes to the stairs.
“DON’T GET LOST!” Kenma yells out from Kuroo’s room.
“SHUT UP!”
Apart from how impressed Kuroo with Kenma’s memories, he gets a major flashback to that exact moment. Kenma’s right, he depended his life on Kenma at that time. Losing his loved ones scares him the most. He lost his mother once, he couldn’t bear to lose his father as well. Also, he was 9 back then. Of course he was still a cry baby!
“Now I’m freaking 19, goddammit ! I won’t cry just because I got separated from the others!” He looks outside the train window. "I won't, right?"
Kuroo, Yaku, and Kai arrived at the spot where new year fireworks will be performed. It’s packed, but still enjoyable. Kuroo feels his heart is beating so fast. He glances at Kai, then to Yaku. Nope, he can’t ask them to hold his hand—or his arm. He’s too embarrassed for that. Only Kenma can know this weakness of him.
“Well, let’s go get Takoyaki first.” Kai finally opens his mouth while clasping his hands together.
“Let’s go!” Yaku responds in excitement.
It’s gonna be fine. Kuroo just needs to walk as fast as them so he won't be left behind. The two of them walk pretty slowly, thank God. After it feels like forever looking around to find the Takoyaki stall, finally they arrive at the nearest one they can find. Kuroo buys himself one with extra cheese.
See, I didn’t get lost this time. It’s gonna be fine, Tetsu , Kuroo calms himself while lets out a relieving exhale.
Two and a half hours goes by. It’s 11:35 PM, which means the countdown is in less than half an hour.
They have been sitting on a bench near the food stall, tired from strolling around. Smiles and laughs fill the air between them. Kuroo takes a quick glance at them tenderly. He doesn’t regret going out with them on new year eve. Who knows when they can meet up just like this again. Maybe he will have his chance with Daichi next time.
Looking at his watch, Yaku stands up immediately.
“Crap! The countdown is close. Let’s find a good spot now. Hurry, hurry!” He yelps, and runs through the crowd without waiting for Kuroo and Kai.
“Wait, Yakkun!”
They immediately follow him. But Kuroo stops a very split second to grasp his bottle of water on the bench. And when he looks back at the crowd, his nightmare begins. He lose them.
No, no, no. This can’t be happening.
Kuroo runs through the crowd. Fortunately, he’s taller than most people in the crowd, he can see Kai around 4 meters in front of him. But it still doesn’t slow down his freakin’ pulse. The more he thinks he’s getting closer to Kai, the more he loses sight of him. He stops for a moment to catch his breath.
“Fuck!” He’s panting as his fear intensifies. A second later, he tries to inhale and exhale slowly. “Calm down. Let’s think calmly.” He raises his head again, looking around, hoping he could see Yaku or Kai running back to… taps his shoulder ?
Kuroo jolts, quickly turns around to see who it is.
“No way,” He mumbles. “Sawamura?!” This time, he says it loudly so the guy in front of him can hear.
Daichi looks at him with concern, a bit of panting as well. He puts his hand on Kuroo's left arm.
“Kuroo... Are you okay?” He asks.
“I—” Crap. Did he see him running around in panic like a 5 years old kid losing his parents?
“I’m fine. But forget that, what are you doing here?!” His brows furrow as he demands an answer from Daichi. Both of them finally breathe normally.
“Let’s take a walk, shall we?” He grabs Kuroo’s arm and starts walking.
Kuroo’s heart flutters for the second time, but for a different reason now.
“Don’t get lost, you hear me?” Daichi stretches out his right hand as a sign for Kuroo to hold on to him. Kuroo—who is very shy right now—quickly grabs Daichi’s hand. His palm is so warm despite the cold weather.
Daichi guides them through this crowd of people. Kuroo just follows him like an obedient kid. They finally arrive at a certain spot where there’s less people.
Kuroo glances at Daichi.
“So, are you going to tell me why you’re here?” He asks. “Are you changing your mind?”
“Not me, initially. Suga did.” Daichi turns to him, looking deep at his eyes. “But I guess it’s not that bad. I wanted to meet you anyway.”
Kuroo blushes even more. Thank God it's quite dark.
“Psh! You should’ve told me earlier. I could pick you up from the station.”
Daichi chuckles. With the minimum light they can get, Kuroo can still see how beautiful he is with that smile.
“There’s no time. We decided at the very last minute and the station was very packed.”
“I know right!” Kuroo laughs. “It’s unlike you to make an impulsive decision right there, Sawamura. Y’know, you could’ve reject Suga-chan’s idea and stay at Sendai,”
Daichi squeezes Kuroo’s hand—Kuroo almost forgets that they are still holding hands. Ouch . “I told you I wanted to meet you . It was not an impulsive decision.”
“Alright, alright!” Kuroo chuckles a bit, then looks down to their hands. “So are you gonna hold it forever or what?” He asks with a smirk.
Daichi looks at his watch. “Do you mind if I hold on to it for the next 5 minutes?” He asks.
Kuroo smiles softly. Did he just flirt with him?
“Not at all. I don’t wanna get lost anyway.” He replies, lying. He actually does mind. They have never held hands before. Hug? Yeah, a few times. But holding hands? Nu-uh.
Kuroo places his fingers so it’s more comfortable for both of them.
“You haven’t told me why you’re here alone. Did you get lost too?” Kuroo breaks the silence.
“Well, I can’t say I didn’t. I lost them while buying Dango.”
Kuroo takes a sip from his bottle in amusement.
“My, my, Sawamura,” He gets closer to his ear. “Or, maybe you're just eager to meet me?” Daichi shivers from Kuroo’s deep voice in his ear.
“N-no!” He looks away in blush. “I mean—yes, but I really lost them. Our meeting is purely an accident.” He tries to explain himself nervously.
Kuroo grins widely. “Eh? I would call it fate, though.”
Daichi smiles softly, but Kuroo barely sees it. Too bad. Daichi snatches Kuroo’s bottle.
“Maybe.” he mutters before takes a sip.
“What was that?” Kuroo asks genuinely, because it’s getting so freakin’ noisy.
“Nothing!” Daichi responds with a bit of yelling. He gives back the bottle. At that time, Kuroo just realized that they drank from the same bottle.
Now people are counting down loudly from 60.
“It’s starting.” Kuroo utters while looking around. Daichi turns to him, observing his sharp side profile and height. He hums as a reply to Kuroo.
30 seconds left.
“Sawamura,”
“Yeah?”
“I’m glad you’re here.” They look at each other for a few seconds until Kuroo looks away. Warmth fills their hands and faces.
“Me too, Kuroo.” He squeezes his hand gently this time.
“5…4…3…2…1…”
Daichi pulls Kuroo closer.
“Happy new year!”
And kisses him passionately. Deeper and deeper.
Kuroo widens his eyes in shock. The light from the fireworks is giving him a clear sight of Daichi’s face. Peaceful. Loving. So beautiful. He never sees Daichi from this close.
“Happy new year, Kuroo.” Daichi says after they break apart. “You should close your eyes next time. It feels ten times better.”
“Wha—” Kuroo seems to not recover from his shock. His face is as red as a tomato. He clears his throat.
“Will do.” As soon as he replies, he grabs Daichi’s nape gently and pulls him into a sweet, deep kiss. He rubs Daichi’s thumb as he tries to dominate the kiss.
“Gosh, I love you so much, Sawamura.” He mutters after the kiss, which Daichi can still hear.
Under the fireworks light, he looks deeply into Kuroo’s perfect hazel eyes, creating more fireworks inside Kuroo's heart. “I love you too, Kuroo.”