Starry Eyes - Inotan College AU

Basketball and Broken Hearts

Tanjiro POV

It's a long ride to class on the Mugen Train. I put in my earbuds and set an alarm so I can sleep, like always.

I dream of that day. The day it all went wrong. The day I lost everything.

I'm working at the café downtown, before I started college. My family just said goodbye to go to the park. It's a good day so far; not many customers, and I have a break soon.

I glance up at the TV screen and see the news broadcasting footage of a car wreck. I do a double take when I see the car. Oh, nonononono.

It's my family's car.

It's in flames, upside down and smashed. I frantically search for a glimpse of my family, but find no one but paramedics and firefighters.

"We're here at the scene of a large car crash on the intersection near Taishō Park, where paramedics have been unable to find any survivors," the newscaster rambles. "Inside was a family of 6, who were identified as the Kamado family. The oldest son doesn't appear to have been in the car."

I drop everything and sprint out the door, running down the sidewalk faster than I've ever run before. I make it to the intersection just in time to see one of the ambulances pull away.

I can't stop myself from running toward the wreckage, ignoring calls of "Hey, kid!" and "Is that the other one?"

They're all gone. I search for them everywhere, but my family is nowhere to be found amongst the wreckage. I look up, devastated, and see a small arm poking out from under a door, wearing a pink jacket. Nezuko.

I dodge arms trying to hold me back, needing to get to her. She's my last hope. A still-burning flame burns my forehead, but I don't feel the pain.

I lift the metal from Nezuko and find her in the fetal position, covered in blood, eyes closed. Her throat is badly bruised. My stomach drops, until I notice the soft rise and fall of her chest, barely there.

"You need to get away from here. They're gone." A black-haired, stern looking paramedic steps forward.

"She's still breathing!"

His gaze softens. "What's your name?"

"Tanjiro Kamado."

"Oh, you're the oldest boy. I'm Giyuu Tomioka, paramedic chief. I'm really sorry, but your family- there was nothing we could do."

"Please, my little sister Nezuko is still alive! You need to help her!"

"I don't think we can help her."

"Please." It comes out as little more than a whisper. He sighs and nods.

"Ok, I'll see what we can do."

He calls for a stretcher and carried her away, leaving me alone in the wreckage until a firefighter pulls me out.

I gasp, sitting bolt upright. I'm still on the train, and my alarm is playing in my ears. A few people look at me strangely as I stand to go to class.

Zenitsu greets me at the door as per usual. As we head up the steps to the building, he looks at me sideways.

"So... Inosuke."

"What about him?" I blush.

"I saw the way you looked at him."

"Dude, he's just a friend. Besides, I just dated Kanao for almost a year! I'm not really ready to move on that quickly."

He sighs and opens the door to the classroom. "The amount of mutual pining makes me want to murder people."

•        •        •

Inosuke POV

I sit and think for a while about what that kid Caribou said. A crush? Sounds all lovey dovey and dumb.

But the thing is, everything he said about them was right. My stomach feels all fluttery around him, and my face gets all hot.

But I don't want to have a crush. Liking someone seems too hard. It sounds like a big commitment, and I'm not good with commitments.

Besides, even in the impossible scenario that I do like Gonpachiro, no way he'd like me too. He's so sweet and calm and kind, and I'm the exact opposite. That Zepichu dude had no idea what he was talking about.

I do end up eating the now cold eggs, then I reach into my bag and pull out the hat I found years ago on the sidewalk. It's grey with little ears and eyes, like a boar's head. It's stupid, but it's my favorite thing. I need something familiar right now.

I turn the cap over and over in my hands, confused and unsure. Staying here is suffocating. I've been in the same spot for hours, and I'm feeling jumpy. I stand and change into my jeans and hoodie, then walk down the stairs to the lobby, walk out, and am surprised to see a basketball court by the side of the building.

I walk over and grab a ball, feeling myself calm down like I always do when I play basketball. I dribble and run up to the basket, jumping and dunking the ball into the net.

I stay there for hours, feeling much better. Basket after basket, forgetting, floating. The sun has dropped to the horizon by the time I look up and see Kentaro standing on the sidewalk, watching me. I drop the basketball and stand awkwardly.

He startles. "Oh, sorry. I was just- I didn't know you played."

"Uh, yeah. I- you can't get kicked out of a basketball court as long as you're playing. So when I needed somewhere to stay-"

"Why don't you stay with your parents?"

I look away and clear my throat.

"Oh, sorry, that was a stupid thing to ask."

"It's fine. Um- I never knew them. I was in an orphanage until I was 10. Then I ran away. They, um, they didn't take care of us."

"Us?"

My eyes fill, but I push the tears away. "Me and- me and my friends. I couldn't save them. For all I know, they're still there."

Tanjiro walks over and embraces me, catching me off guard. I freeze for a second, then put my arms around him and rest my head on his shoulder.

"I know how you feel. My family - other than Nezuko - died in a car accident. That's why she's mute."

I don't respond, because someone clears their throat. We break apart and look up to see Zenpocho standing by the door and smirking.

"Sorry to interrupt you two, but it's dinner time."

"O-of course." Tanjiro stammers. He smiles sheepishly at me, making me blush, then rushes inside. Zenischu looks back at me and smirks again, then follows him.

I stand there, dumbstruck. What just happened?

I take a quick walk around the building to clear my head, then walk inside and up the stairs. Before I open the door, a thought hits me. Does this mean Tanako likes me? The thought makes my chest feel weird.

I walk in and am surprised to see an extra person sitting on the couch, eating more instant noodles with the other two. A girl. She's beside Kentaro, laughing at something he said, and he looks so happy.

My heart breaks, and I don't know why.

1191 words
Song: Heart Like Yours by Willamette Stone
- Madzzzzie_the_frog ✌︎('ω'✌︎ )