After School (Kuroko no Basket Fanfic)

Sweet Guardian | Chapter 1 | Himuro

"Muro-chin... Where did you run off to?"

It seemed our star miracle was looking for me, however I didn't really want to be found. I had just come across a very difficult situation, and if Atsushi figured out what was going down, then no doubt he would be troubled by it.

How did he find me anyway? Did he track me all the way from school? But I took two trains, and walked multiple blocks, to get here, and I didn't once see him. So how...? And... why?

So, I hid behind a shelf in a bookstore, my nose stuck in the first book I pulled off of the shelves. Please don't see me... Please don't see me...

"So this is where you were..."

His voice sends shivers down my spine, and I turn around to face him, my eyes wide with confusion. "H-How the hell did you find me?!" I demanded.

"I followed you..." He mumbles before reaching his large arms over to swipe the book from my hands. "Did you really think I couldn't see you?"

Ah, that's right. Atsushi is like a giant compared to these shelves. Of course he'd be able to see me from anywhere in the store. Damnit! "H-Hey!" I hold out my hand. "Give me that back!"

"Hmm?" He glances at me from the corner of his eye. "Are you going to make me, Muro-chin?"

This makes me cower a bit, however I still held out my hand. "It's public property, so either give it back, or put it back on the shelves."

At this he rolls his eyes, stuffing it back into an empty spot on the shelves. I was too distracted to tell whether it was the right spot or not, and I really didn't care if it was. I had more important things to think about. "What kind of stupid books are you reading anyway?" He yawns, hand over his mouth. "Reading is too troublesome..."

I looked back at the title I had chose, and apparently it was a book called Intro to Gardening. Instantly, I look away from him, sighing. Apparently I'm a gardener now... "You wouldn't care enough to listen, anyways..."

At this, he blinks. His face is blank, and he's obviously confused. "Muro-chin... Did something happen?"

Normally I'm very good at hiding my expressions, however Atsushi seems very observant and determined today. Should I go ahead and tell him? Should I wait until it's all over, and then let him know? For now I couldn't decide. Instead, I smile halfheartedly, and I begin to walk outside of the book store. "It's nothing. We should head on home."

"Right..."

Hopefully, he wouldn't pry about this matter anymore. Usually, whenever things like this happens, he forgets about most events by the time the train ride is over. After all, who can remember things properly after napping throughout an entire ride home?

Atsushi didn't talk all the way home. He didn't even nap, or look at me at all. I felt as if there was this growing silence between us, like something was about to go really wrong. However, I just couldn't bring myself to tell him what I really wanted to admit, so I just said nothing.

When we arrived on our street we were supposed to go our separate ways. I gave him my usual wave, and I opened the door to my home. However, Atsushi didn't go home. He followed me inside my house, standing in my doorway.

I look behind me, finding his confused face. "Atsushi... What are you doing?"

"I'm inviting myself in..." He mumbles bluntly, slipping off his shoes by the front door and walking past me into my living room.

"H-Hey!" I object, darting towards him. "I didn't give you permission to waltz through my home!"

"Then give it to me now..." He glares at me. "What are you hiding, Muro-chin?"

"I..." I look away, struggling with my words. "I'm not..."

He seems to grow angrier with every growing second, and the more I waited the more agitated he grew. Finally he reached a point where his blood boiled, and he stomped over to me, grabbing me by the collar, and pulling me close to him. "Tell me now!"

I clutch at his hands, begging for him to let go. "Atsushi, stop! Why the hell does it bother you so much?!"

"Muro-chin is scared, and I want to know why!" He yells. "So tell me why!"

"Because I'm leaving!" I blurt out, before I have time to process my words.

His grip loosens, however he doesn't move away from me. "Leaving...?"

He is apparently just as shocked as I expected, and I can see some of the life drain from his face. I look away, nodding my head. "I left school early so that I could gather supplies for the trip. I was trying to avoid confrontation with you, which is why I hid in the bookstore..."

"I see..." He lets me go, taking a few steps backward. "So you didn't want me to know..."

I jump back into the fray, quick to explain myself. "No! That's not it!" I have his arm in my clutches now, begging for him to understand. "I just didn't want you to get depressed over it, so I hid it... But it was for your benefit, honest..."

"My benefit?!" He demands, tossing his arm out of my hands. "You're just going to leave and not tell me, and it's for MY benefit?!"

Hearing him say it like that makes me feel like a complete idiot. I swallow down my pride, and I look him straight in the eyes. "I'm really sorry... I wasn't thinking..."

He scoffs, running a hand through his hair. "How long?"

I blink, confused. "What?"

"How long until you leave? How long are you going to be gone?"

"I leave tomorrow after school..." I look toward the ground. "And I'll be going back to America, but I don't know how long I'll be... I'm studying abroad there, though, so I'll be sure to come back and visit whenever I can... At least a couple times a year..."

My rambling doesn't seem to be helping at all. With each sentence Atsushi seems to grow farther away from me. "I don't want you to go..."

His sudden declaration made my heart melt just a little. For someone so guarded it was nice to see him open up just a little bit. I smile, trying to lighten the mood. "You'll be okay. You're tough."

"You're wrong..." He sniffles, and I can see tears in his eyes. "I can't make it without Muro-chin... I'm not strong enough..."

And the tears seemed to pour out of him in a way I haven't seen since our face off with Seirin. At this, I couldn't help but pull him close, wrapping my arms around him and patting his back in an attempt to comfort him. "You made it without me before. You can do it again."

He hugs me with a deathly grip, his tears dripping onto my clothes. "I need Muro-chin."

I couldn't help but be flattered. The biggest defender on the court, and yet here he was bawling like a complete idiot over me. Could I really have affected him this much? "Atsushi..."

Few words were spoken the rest of the night, however Atsushi never left my side. It was as if he was in fear of losing me the moment he took his eyes off me. He wouldn't even go to sleep for hours because he kept looking at my face, afraid of going to sleep and me leaving him. I told him he was an idiot, and he ended up grabbing a hold of my arm to make sure I wouldn't go anywhere. What an idiot.

However, I'm glad to have this idiot at my side, desperately holding on to me so dearly.