one wild cat [Kuroo Tetsurou x OC]

XII. This Feeling, Part II

Kimi picked up the paper from the ground. She stared, and breathed in. How was she supposed to find this? She exhaled a huge sigh.

She was ready to find anything, or anyone for that matter. She just didn't think someone would have the heart to get her to find...this.

Should she really just take anyone from her class? Shibayama? Sou-chan, maybe? Maybe she can negotiate and get an exception. How does sports festival work again? Do they actually verify the "borrowed item"?

She sure she wouldn't be able to get it right.

"Ahh, damn it all to hell," she cursed, and ran to Shibayama.

"Have you seen rooster-head captain?" she asked. Shibayama answered, clenching his fists. Kimi saw.

She knew.

But she left.

It really had to be him after all.

-

"Borrowed item, run with me," Kimi tugged on Kuroo's jacket.
"Huh?" Kuroo sounded pissed off and confused at the same time.
"What did you even get?"
Kimi turned her face to the side, but it looked like she didn't want to explain. Her expression really reminded him of Kenma's face when Coach Nekomata told him to take care of Lev.
"There's no time, let's go," she grabbed on Kuroo's hand, and they took off.

The two of them were fast.

Fast. But Kimi wasn't even making an effort.

"Nishikawa, you can run faster than this, right? Damn, you're not even sweating."
"I'm cutting you some slack, I know senpai's not the fastest runner in spite of having long limbs."
"Huuuh? I'm quite confident with my speed you know, I'm not as fast as Inuoka, but I'm definitely not slow."
"Oh. Well no point in giving my all, if we can win at this pace anyway."
Kuroo stared at Nishikawa as she ran effortlessly. It pisses him off how she's very talented, yet always exerting the bare minimum efforts in doing things. He knew there was only two ways to motivate her. Her brothers, or provocation, and there are times when the latter doesn't even work.

But he could try.

"Well, I guess it can't be helped then. It's better this way than having you go all out and collapsing later, you don't have the strongest physique after all."
"Huh?" Nishikawa frowned, still running.
"Kaito isn't around to carry you, and you hate it when your kindhearted Kuroo-senpai does that, do you? You have tough love, Nishikawa. I don't want to see you faint too, so this has to be the best you can give," he sighed.
"I won't faint."
"I know. Don't strain yourself."
"It's a race. Loser buys ice cream."
"Hmm?"
"It's on," she said, and picked up the pace, pulling Kuroo's hand.

Kuroo grinned, and stepped up too.

"Why do they look like...They're racing each other?" the people in Kimi's class said, and it was actually true. They did look like they were racing each other, while still holding hands.

Kimi sprinted towards the finish line with Kuroo just a little bit behind her. Everyone in the class cheered, and the jury approached them.

Kimi passed him the paper, and he read it out.
"Oh your onii-san? That's cute. Alright, pass."
The guy rewarded Kimi's class' scoreboard with the winning point, and with this, their class had a chance of actually winning the sports festival.

But something was on Shibayama's mind.

What was written on the paper?

Why did Nishikawa, who always exerts the minimum effort, went out of her way to find someone from another class, a senior at that?