milk pudding « kozume kenma

chapter twelve || orange juice

chapter twelve: ORANGE JUICE

Asano Miruka groaned, rubbing her throbbing head in pain. Occasionally, she'd wave to the people passing by and make small talk with a few members of the volleyball team. Dark circles hung from her eyes as she huffed, shuffling around to get her purse.

Playing video games till four in the morning was definitely not the best idea.

She pushed a 100 yen coin into the vending machine and pressed a few buttons. Turning around, she pulled out her phone and waited for the machine to drop her drink down.

"Hey, Milk-sama ~ !"

Miruka growled, pausing her rhythm game and shoving it in her pocket. "Kuroo-san, get the hell away from me," she hissed. "I'm not in the mood."

"But Milk-sama," the captain whined, pouting his lips. "I wanna tease you!"

"Kuro, you're in the way." the pudding head mumbled, shuffling to the vending machine with his eyes glued on his PSP and eyebrows furrowed.

Oh, Miruka thought to herself. It's that monster battling game, YAJUU! What was the attack combo for the Oni again . . . ?

"Dash three times, press B and jump," Miruka quipped, ripping the straw packet. "It's the best attack combo for the Oni."

Kenma's amber eyes widened and immediately pressed the controls, finally defeating the monster.

" . . . Where did you learn that combo?" the boy asked, staring straight at her. "I've been trying to - "

Her lips split into a wide yet tired grin. "It's the game I played last night, actually."

Miruka stabbed the straw into the box and her face turned into one of disgust, glaring at the carton in front of her.

"Orange juice," she spat, chucking the drink into the bin next to her. "Gross. Damn it, now I have to buy another!" Dejectedly, she moved to the corner, mumbling with self-pity. "This is the worst morning ever . . . "

"Ah, you can have mine then," Kenma offered, grabbing her favourite milk drink from his bag. "It's not warm or anything. I drank out of it, but I don't mind."

A light flashed through the girl's eyes and she snatched the bottle quickly, chugging it down passionately. Closing the cap, she wiped her mouth with her arm and sighed. "Arigato ~ Kenma-kun!"

A few seconds of silence until a thought sprang up from everyone's minds.

That - That was an indirect kiss!

The pair blushed to themselves, Miruka entering her corner again with embarrassment and the gamer going back to his PSP quickly. The bed-head let out a string of 'ohoho's, his hand covering his hand with a  cocky smile. "Come on, love nerds, we need to get to practice."

"Urusai!"

• • •

The squeaking of sports shoes and the shouting of the players was all too familiar to the second year while she ate her homemade lunch. She observed them all and hummed a made up song to herself, reminding herself to thank her sister in-law later.

"Asano-san, how are you?" Coach Nekomata questioned, making Miruka jump in shock. "Sorry I frightened you."

"Eh - Well - I - I'm fine, thank you," she said, tucking her short hair behind her ear. "Is there anything you need, Nekomata-sensei?"

He sat down slowly on the bench beside her, joining in with her watching them play. "You seem to have an impact on the team you know. Everybody seems closer; especially in your presence."