Just a Fairytale [Kuroko Tetsuya x Reader x Nijimura Shuzo]{KnB}

[C.23] College: Diary Entry Twenty-Three

Trigger warning: Mention of suicide and dark thoughts. Please venture forth cautiously.

Something in your body feels off today.

As you stare at yourself in the mirror, you can hardly recognize the person you had become. You appear frail and sunken, just like any other model that strives to have an unnaturally thin body Nothing about you seems healthy, and you feel as if you're at the pinnacle of your stress.

Ever since the album went live, demand for your services has gone up. Your whole life is but a blur to you as you participate in your engagements. However, you do lessen your karate sessions in favor of your job. Your only moment of reprieve has now been stolen at the behest of others.

Today is a lucrative photo shoot for an athletic shoe brand, and you take the train over to the destination. No one notices you as you put on a black face mask, hat, and sunglasses.

Your mind feels as if it's in a haze yet you somehow arrive at Shinjuku with minimal effort. As you step out, you use your phone's GPS to take you to the studio where the photo shoot is. When you stop at one of the high rises, you gulp at the grandeur of the place.

"Ehhh, so senpai really is in today's shoot," you hear someone say from behind you. A gross feeling settles in your heart, and you turn to face an unamused Kise.

You bow your head slightly. "Hi."

"I didn't know you'd be my partner for today," he thinks out loud, "I thought it would be someone more cheery like Maya or Satsuki."

You have no words in response and begin your travels to the front desk. There you get checked in and sent to the thirtieth floor while Kise trails behind you. A tension stirs between you two, one that you can sense quite clearly.

As much as you hate added stress when on the job, you know it stems from his knowledge of what had happened with you and Kuroko. Ever since you began to date Kuroko, Kise regarded you as a friend and spoke to you casually. Now, he appears riddled with distaste at your appearance.

When you make it to the designated floor, you see your manager there, who ushers you quickly into the changing room. She doesn't notice your sickly complexion and it's then you feel grateful for her carefree attitude. As always, the crew does their best in dressing you. You don neon orange mesh shorts and a yellow tank top. Your hair is styled and frizz free, tied in such an impossibly high ponytail. Your head feels as if it is holding so much weight, physically and mentally.

Once ready, you walk over to the photo shoot area to see Kise already there in basketball attire. There are many neon shaped blocks of all sizes while dozens of lights shine brightly at all angles. You can't help but squint at the sheer illumination, rendering you to become even more lightheaded.

Your knees wobble, but you persevere and travel to the block beside Kise. Once seated, a shiver shoots down your spine and an ache in your stomach churns. Again, you ignore the feeling as you have been doing for weeks.

"Are you sure you'll be okay, senpai?"

"Why do you keep calling me that?"

"Because you are my senpai," he smiles but it's disingenuous. "But seriously, you look crazy sick."

"You're the only one saying that."

"Well, it's because I've known you the longest in this building."

"Kise-kun." You add the formality to show your annoyance. You had never called him that, and it sparks an odd feeling in his chest. It's a mild sense of fear and apprehension. "Leave me alone. Be loyal to your friend and treat me like the bad guy I am... Stop pretending to care about me when you honestly don't."