Boys with Bed Head

Chapter 3

The last bell of the day rang, and I packed up my stuff. As I walked to the door, the teacher called me.

"Sorry to keep you, Miss Shio, but I need to ask a favour," she explained as I walked closer, noticing Kuroo beside her. He was looking down at the floor, and I think he might be blushing?

Mika agreed to wait for me outside, and other classmates left the room, giving us some privacy.

The air was warm and stuffed, mixed with the chemical smell of chalk, which the teacher cleaned off the board.

"How can I help you?" I asked, approaching the two at the front of the room.

The teacher pushed up her glasses, "Kuroo here needs a tutor."

I blinked and furrowed my brows, "Okay?"

Kuroo shifted his weight between his feet, swaying nervously from side to side, hands in his pockets.

"If he is to continue with volleyball, his grades must improve, especially his English grade." She looked over at him with a sigh. "You are the best in your year and would be a perfect candidate."

I tilted my head, wrapping my brain around what she was asking.

"You want me to tutor him? In english?"

"Yes. I know this might be inconvenient, but if you do this and his grade improves, I'll arrange a recommendation letter to the college you want to attend after high school. I know your future is important to you."

This was a great opportunity. Sure, I'd have to study for myself and help someone else, but getting that letter would boost my chances of getting accepted.

"When will the tutoring happen?" I asked, shifting the straps on my bag better onto my shoulder.

"I'm afraid it can't happen during the school day, so you must arrange that between yourselves."

I nodded, looking over to see Kuroo carefully scanning my face.

"Alright, I'll do it."

The teacher clasped her hands together, "Wonderful! I won't hold you any longer. I hope this works out for both of you."

Kuroo and I strolled out of the classroom, silently walking down the hall.

"I'm sorry about that," he said after a while, breaking my train of thought,

"Sorry about what?"

"You having to tutor me."

I smile up at him, "Don't worry about it. We're both getting something out of this. Plus, I could have said no."

He returned my smile, scratching the back of his neck, "I guess you're right."

We came to the shoe lockers, seeing Mika scroll through her phone as we approached.

She looked up, and her brows flew to her hairline. Her eyes moved between the two of us, sizing up Kuroo before widening her eyes at me.

"Could I have your number? So we could schedule a time?" he asked when I stopped by my friend.

"Sure."

Mika watched us as we exchanged phones and said goodbye to the tall boy before he left for the gym. I changed my shoes and grabbed my gym back from the same locker, and we started our way to practice.

"What was that about?" Mika bumped my shoulder, grinning wildly.

I shrugged, "The teacher asked me to tutor him."

She stopped, staring me down, "You're going to tutor him?"

I stopped to look back at her, "Yes?"

"So you'll spend time with him"

"Yeah?"

"Alone?"

"Mika, I'm teaching him something he'd probably rather forget; there is nothing more than that."

She huffs, and we keep walking, "I'm betting a month."

"A month for what?"

"For one of you to confess."

I sigh but say nothing. When Mika sets her mind to something, it's impossible to change it.

~~~~~

I wake up to an empty house. My parents both left for a business trip yesterday, and they'll be gone for a week. Which means it's a quiet week of me reading and studying in peace. I got out of bed and walked to the kitchen in my pyjamas. My breakfast consisted of toast and eggs, and my lunch was already made the night before ready to go in the fridge. I hummed in delight as I breathed out in relief. I loved to have everything planned and accomplished. The only thing I needed now was to plan when to tutor Kuroo, and my weekly plan would be complete.

I finished my food and went to change into the school uniform. My door slammed shut exactly when I planned to, and I made my way down the stairs and towards school.

Mika waved excitedly as I approached her at the station.

"Good morning!"

"Good morning. How was your sleep?" I asked, stopping in front of her.

She grinned and drew her hair away from her face, "It was alright!"

We chatted some more before the train arrived. It slowed to a halt, and before I got on, Mika grabbed my hand, "Is that Kuroo?"

I turned to look over my shoulder, and sure enough, the volleyball player was entering the train further down from us.

"Yeah," I grabbed her arm and pulled her inside, afraid the door would crush us both.

"I didn't know he took this train," she commented, glancing towards the wagon he was in like she could see through the door between us.

"There is probably a lot we don't know about him," I sat down on a seat, scooting over to make room for her.

"Yeah, you're right," she slumped beside me, "But now that you two have to hang out, I guess you'll get to know him better." She poked my side, making me jump.

"You're impossible, you know that?"

Mika smiled, "I try."