A game of hearts {Kuroo}

28.

The day had come far sooner than either of them wanted. Two months had flown by in a whirlwind of preparations, final exams, and packing. Now, standing at the airport, reality weighed down on them both. It was the day Y/N would board her flight to Switzerland, embarking on her year-long study abroad program, and Kuroo was there to see her off. The atmosphere was heavy with unspoken emotions, and both of them were acutely aware of the finality of the moment.

Kuroo stood by Y/N's luggage cart, his hands buried deep in his jacket pockets as he watched her fidget nervously with her plane ticket. His usually playful smirk was replaced with a somber expression, his eyes shadowed with the weight of their goodbye. Y/N, who had always prided herself on staying composed, found herself struggling to hold it together.

The airport was bustling with people, but to Kuroo and Y/N, it felt like they were the only two people in the room. Everything else—the noise, the announcements, the hurried passengers—blurred into the background. This moment was theirs alone.

"I can't believe it's really happening," Y/N murmured, her voice soft and tinged with disbelief. She glanced up at Kuroo, her eyes searching his face for reassurance, though she knew there wasn't much he could say to make this any easier.

Kuroo gave her a small, strained smile, though his usual confidence seemed a little shaken. "Yeah, it feels... surreal, doesn't it?" He shifted his weight from one foot to the other, his gaze flickering to the departure board above them before landing back on her. "But this is what you've been working for, Y/N. You're going to do amazing things over there."

Y/N swallowed hard, nodding. "I know. It's just... harder than I thought it would be to say goodbye."

Kuroo reached out and took her hand, his grip firm but gentle. He pulled her a little closer, as if reluctant to let her drift too far. "It's not goodbye forever. You know that, right? We're going to make this work." His voice was steady, though Y/N could hear the slight tremor in it—he was trying to reassure her as much as himself.

She managed a smile, albeit a small one. "Yeah, I know. It's just... a lot to process all at once."

They stood in silence for a few moments, both of them grappling with the enormity of what was happening. Y/N had known this was coming, but standing here, on the verge of leaving everything familiar behind, the reality of it all felt crushing. And leaving Kuroo—well, that was the hardest part of all.

Kuroo shifted closer, resting his forehead against hers for a moment. "I'm going to miss you like crazy, you know that?"

Y/N's heart clenched at his words, and she nodded. "I'm going to miss you too, Tetsurō. More than anything."

She looked up at him, her eyes full of unshed tears. Kuroo's thumb gently brushed over her cheek, his usual teasing grin absent. He was always the one with a clever comment or a joke to ease the tension, but today, even he couldn't hide the sadness in his eyes.

"I'm serious, Y/N. I know it's going to be tough, and we're going to have to work harder than ever to stay close. But we've got this. You and me, we've been through a lot already." His hand squeezed hers tighter. "This is just another challenge. And I'm not letting you go that easily."

Y/N chuckled softly, though it was more out of nervousness than amusement. "You make it sound so simple."

Kuroo's smile widened a bit, though it was bittersweet. "It's not going to be simple. But I'm stubborn, remember? I don't back down from a challenge."

Y/N let out a shaky breath, trying to hold back the tears that were threatening to spill over. She didn't want to cry—not now. She wanted to be strong for both of them. But the overwhelming emotions were too much to keep at bay.

"I love you," she whispered, her voice barely audible above the hum of the airport around them.

Kuroo's expression softened, his dark eyes meeting hers with a mixture of affection and sadness. "I love you too, Y/N. So much."

The tears that Y/N had been fighting finally spilled over, and Kuroo pulled her into a tight embrace, his arms wrapping around her as if he could shield her from the pain of the goodbye. She buried her face in his chest, her hands clutching the fabric of his jacket as she let herself cry. For a long moment, they just stood there, holding onto each other as if the world outside didn't exist.

Eventually, Kuroo pulled back just enough to look at her, his hand gently wiping away her tears. "Hey, none of that. You're going to come back before you know it, and we'll pick up right where we left off, okay?"

Y/N sniffled, nodding as she wiped her eyes. "Okay."

They stood there for a few more minutes, not wanting to let go but knowing they had to. Finally, the announcement came over the intercom, calling for Y/N's flight to begin boarding. The moment they had been dreading was here.

Y/N took a deep breath, gathering her courage as she picked up her carry-on bag. Kuroo stood beside her, his hands in his pockets as he watched her with a mix of pride and sadness.

"Go show them how brilliant you are," Kuroo said, his voice quieter now but still full of warmth.

She smiled at him, her heart aching. "I will."

With one last look at each other, Y/N turned and began to walk toward the boarding gate. Each step felt heavier than the last, but she kept moving forward. She could feel Kuroo's gaze on her the whole way, and just before she handed her ticket to the attendant, she turned around to catch one final glimpse of him.

Kuroo gave her a small wave, his eyes full of emotions that he wasn't saying out loud. But Y/N didn't need him to—she understood. She gave him a wave in return, then turned back around and handed her ticket to the attendant. With one final breath, she walked through the gate.

As she boarded the plane and found her seat, Y/N stared out of the window, the city that had been her home for the past few years now fading from view. Her heart felt heavy, but there was also a small spark of hope. They had promised each other that they would make it work, and though it wouldn't be easy, she believed in Kuroo. She believed in them.

The engines roared to life, and as the plane lifted off the ground, Y/N closed her eyes and let herself feel the bittersweet emotions of the moment. She was leaving, but she wasn't leaving everything behind. Her relationship with Kuroo would endure, even across the miles. It had to.