Breaking Through - A Kuroo Tetsurou Fanfiction

Chapter 8

Normal POV

I think I'm getting a clearer picture of highschool mathematics. Kuroo's teaching wasn't that bad; he was so patient and careful around me. The way his fingers moved and how he held his pen was gentle, slowly going through the questions.

My eyes were fixated on them. Should I even mention how freaking cool he looks with glasses? Why does he even need them? I've already lost track of how many times I've told my heart to calm down.

The way he scooted closer to me, I could feel his shirt brush against my arm as he took out the textbook for reference. Thankfully I wasn't a slow learner, and I could grasp what he was trying to explain the first time round. He patted my head like how he did to Kenma when I told him I could try the questions independently after he explained.

I blushed and tried to focus on the work in front of me. Kenma had been doing his work quietly. I guess he wasn't failing anything. He just needed Kuroo around him to stop him from gaming and actually focus on work. I suppressed the urge to laugh.

The three of us sat together comfortably, with Kuroo occasionally checking up on the both of us and making lame jokes. "Hey, hey, let's take a break!" Kuroo closed his workbook and took out the paper bag with the Dorayaki I bought just now. I saw Kenma's eyes sparkle as Kuroo laid them out on the table. "You went out of town to get these?" Kuroo asked me.

"Yea, you guys had practice in the morning. So I took the time to go get them," I picked out the matcha flavor while Kuroo took black sesame and Kenma took red bean. "Oh! They're so good! Aren't these super expensive, though? Is it alright for you to spend your savings on these?" Kuroo's face beamed after he took a bite of it.

"No...? I guess they're expensive for a student to get. But I'm working... so I guess I'm okay with it," I nibbled on the edge of the dorayaki. Kuroo chuckled evilly, trying to bait me to talk about my job.

"Stop trying, Kuroo. I'm not telling you my job," I puffed and turned away from him. He sighed and finished up the pancakes. He stood up and excused himself to get us drinks from his kitchen. "Hey, wait. Pass some to your mom too," I clung onto the hem of his shirt and passed him the paper bag. He just said "oh" and left the room. Things were... awkward now that Kenma and I were left in the room?

-JW-

"I don't dislike you," Kenma spoke up out of the blue, avoiding eye contact. I got confused. "I mean... there's a lot of girls going after Kuroo. It gets really annoying, but it's the first time Kuroo is chasing one. And I don't think you're a bad person. So I don't dislike you," he took a strand of his blonde hair awkwardly and twisted it.

So Kuroo was really trying to win me over... my heart gave a little jubilant squeeze. "I... I already told him I would hurt him in the end. We would never work out, so..." I started a reply but faded off, not knowing what I'm trying to say anymore.

"Kuroo said you're living a false life right now. But I don't believe that. You're living the life you want, the life you hope to live. Whatever job you're on now, the character you're playing now is just another part of you... at least that's what I see," Kenma stated.

I felt sad... I could feel my heart shattering from his words because they were true. Was I that easy to see through? By him? "Well, I'm just comparing you to my video games. So the character is just a... metaphor?" He slumped on the table and sighed. Damn, I wanted to cry. Kenma looked away, probably not wanting to see me in this state.

For the past few months, including the time I've spent in America, I never got close to anybody else. My team in America was just... colleagues, people that I could lose and not see the very next day. We're always living our days as if it's our last, weary and cautious of every move. Paranoid around the clock, thinking that someone will be out to kill us. We never formed deep bonds and never asked for more.