A game of hearts {Kuroo}

24.

Y/N sat in her dorm room, staring at her suitcase. It had been two weeks since she and Kuroo had agreed to take a break, and the silence between them was deafening. Her friends had noticed her withdrawal, her professors had commented on her lack of engagement, and even her family had asked if everything was okay. She had responded with half-hearted reassurances, but nothing felt okay.

The acceptance letter for the abroad research program was still pinned to her corkboard, a daily reminder of the decision she had to make. Despite the excitement that had initially filled her when she first got the offer, she now felt paralyzed by the thought of leaving everything—and everyone—behind.

She sighed, standing up and grabbing her jacket. The walls of her room were starting to feel too small, too suffocating. She needed fresh air, and more importantly, she needed to clear her mind. The campus was quiet as she walked through the familiar paths, her thoughts swirling around her conversation with Kuroo. Was the break really the right decision? Could they have pushed through and figured things out together?

The truth was, Y/N wasn't sure anymore.

---

Across town, Kuroo lay on the couch in his apartment, tossing a volleyball in the air and catching it repeatedly. His teammates had noticed his distracted mood during practice, but he hadn't explained the situation. He wasn't even sure how to explain it to himself. Part of him wanted to call Y/N, to hear her voice and tell her that they could fix this, but the other part of him knew that she needed space—just like he did.

As much as it hurt, Kuroo was using this time to think about his own future. He had received a few calls from recruiters for professional volleyball teams, but he hadn't given them much thought. Now that Y/N wasn't around, the reality of what came after graduation was hitting him harder than ever. Could he really juggle a professional volleyball career and still maintain any kind of normal relationship?

Kuroo sighed, sitting up and rubbing his face. Everything felt like it was changing too fast. He loved volleyball, but the idea of losing Y/N scared him more than he wanted to admit.

---

Over the next few days, Y/N buried herself in her studies, but she couldn't escape the nagging feeling that she had been running from something deeper for a long time. Kuroo had always been supportive of her goals, encouraging her to take risks and step out of her comfort zone. But was she really living up to that? She had spent her entire life focused on academics, scared to veer off course, and now, when faced with the opportunity to pursue something more adventurous, she found herself hesitating.

One afternoon, her best friend Aya cornered her in the library. "You've been avoiding me," Aya said, sliding into the seat across from her.

Y/N gave her a small smile. "I'm just busy, you know? Classes, research, all that."

Aya raised an eyebrow. "Don't give me that. You've been acting weird ever since the thing with Kuroo. I'm worried about you."

Y/N bit her lip, feeling a lump form in her throat. She had tried to avoid talking about it, but she knew Aya was right. "It's just... it's been hard," she admitted quietly. "We're both going in different directions, and I don't know how to make it work."

Aya nodded, her expression softening. "Look, I get that it's scary. You're both facing big decisions about your futures, and that's never easy. But avoiding it isn't going to make it any less real."

Y/N sighed, running a hand through her hair. "I know. I just... I've always been so focused on my studies, on following this straight path. Now that things are changing, I don't know how to handle it. I'm scared of losing him, but I'm also scared of losing myself."

Aya leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand. "It sounds like you need to figure out what you want—not just what's expected of you. You can't make this decision based on fear, Y/N. Whether it's Kuroo or the research program, you have to decide what's going to make you happy in the long run."

Y/N nodded slowly, taking in her friend's words. She had been so wrapped up in her worries about her relationship with Kuroo and her academic future that she hadn't stopped to think about what she truly wanted for herself. Maybe this break wasn't just about giving them space; maybe it was about her finding the courage to take control of her own life.

---

Meanwhile, Kuroo was having a similar conversation with his close friend Kenma. They were at Kenma's apartment, the faint glow of video games illuminating the room as they talked. Kuroo had been quiet for most of the evening, but Kenma had known him long enough to sense something was off.

"Do you regret it?" Kenma asked suddenly, his eyes still focused on the screen.

Kuroo paused, tossing the volleyball in his hands again. "Regret what?"

"The break with Y/N."

Kuroo leaned back in his chair, letting out a slow breath. "I don't know. Maybe? I just... everything's so uncertain right now. We've got our whole futures ahead of us, and I don't want to hold her back. But at the same time, I can't shake the feeling that I might lose her."

Kenma shrugged, still immersed in the game. "Maybe you will, maybe you won't. But it sounds like you're both growing, and that's not necessarily a bad thing. Relationships aren't just about being together 24/7. Sometimes, you need time apart to figure out who you are on your own."

Kuroo considered Kenma's words. He had always prided himself on being independent, on being able to handle whatever life threw at him. But with Y/N, it was different. He wanted to build a future with her, but maybe Kenma was right—maybe they both needed time to grow individually before they could figure out how to move forward together.

---

That night, as Y/N lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, she made a decision. She wasn't going to run from the research opportunity just because it scared her, and she wasn't going to let fear dictate her relationship with Kuroo. She needed to figure out who she was and what she wanted, with or without him. It wouldn't be easy, but it was the only way she could move forward.

Kuroo, on the other hand, sat in his apartment, staring at the texts he hadn't sent to Y/N. He missed her, but he also knew that the time apart was necessary. They had to grow as individuals before they could be together as a couple again. And despite the uncertainty of the future, he was willing to wait, to trust that they would find their way back to each other.