After School (Kuroko no Basket Fanfic)

Love Smile | Chapter 2 | Kiyoshi

"Hyuga..."

There we stood, on an empty street ball court, in the middle of the night. We'd been competing on the court for hours, and both of us were nearly at our limit. We were panting, sweat drenching our clothes. It was getting too dark and too chilly for this sort of game. We needed to get home and prepare for what was inevitable tomorrow.

"Stop this." I have my hands on my knees, panting out my words. "We really need to get back..."

"Why?!" He yells, standing tall. I knew he was just as exhausted, but his determination was making his physical weakness hardly noticeable. There are tears in his eyes, begging to be released. "How can you be so strong when you're about to lose everything?! Are you not scared?! Does it not bother you?!"

"Hyuga, calm down..." My eyes are wide with concern, and I reach out a hand to place on his shoulder. "You're going to wake the whole neighborhood..."

"Stop calling my name!" He yells, clutching his ears. "Stop being concerned for me! Why are you not thinking about yourself?!"

And, like that, one of the strongest men I had ever known began bursting into tears, falling to his knees with weakness. And all I could do was fall down beside him, wrapping my arms around him. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

"Why?" He asks again, begging me to answer.

However, there's nothing I can say to ease his pain, nothing I can do to ease my own. But I suppose I can at least try to explain myself. "I'm terrified. It takes everything within me not to cry, not to show weakness." Even right now the pain in my chest rose with each passing second, and there was nothing I could do to stop it. "How can I burden everyone with something permanent like this?"

"Then just burden me!" The sudden outcry caused me to release my grip until I could look at his face. He was a mess, but I'm sure I wasn't exactly in the greatest-looking condition either. "Let me in! Let me help!"

I stare at him, my face blank. How should I respond to such a pure-hearted confession such as this? I felt my heart bursting with emotion, and I clutched at it to keep it from rising. No, this wasn't the time for this. I had to control myself. "Hyuga, I couldn't do that to you. This is my problem."

"You bastard!" He grips tightly onto my uniform, his anger rising to replace those tears that were now beginning to subside in our emotional debate. "You really think you're the only one who's affected by this?! What about Riko?! What about the team?! What about me?! You really think so lowly of yourself that you think we aren't affected whatsoever?!"

"Hyuga..." It was shocking to see him so insistent about this. I know we're friends, and that we'd do anything for one another, but when did he start recklessly proposing things for my well-being? When did he get so brave? "Why would you do that? Why would you throw away all your time and effort on me?"

At this, he straightens himself up, pushing his glasses up towards his face. "Idiot, why wouldn't I do this? We're friends, aren't we? If I didn't do this, then all of our promises to each other would be completely meaningless now." With a heavy sigh he ruffles the back of his messy hair, apparently bothered by his tussled locks against the nape of his neck. "Besides, someone's gotta look after you, or else you'll burden yourself for all eternity, and turn into one of those grumpy old ladies in a nursing home."

Suddenly, with a single joke from him, my smile is back, and I can't help but reach out a hand and ruffle the top of his head. "I'll try not to burden your little heart too much."

"Hey!" He retorts, slapping my hand away. "It's statements like that that began this mess!"

With a groan I completely release my grip on him, and I stand to my feet, reaching a hand out to help him up. "Well, you can start unburdening me by letting me stay over at your house."