level up | kuroo tetsurou

19 | kare-kano

"Tetsurou, we're going out now. We haven't bought anything for the reunion," his grandfather's voice pierced through the silence in the storage room.

The two backed away from the kiss, surprised, flustered, and nervous. Yuko turned around and covered her face in embarrassment. She did not just have her first kiss in a storage room.

"Okay, take care!" Kuroo raised his voice, convincing them that everything's okay.

"Can you make dinner on your own?" his grandmother asked.

"Yes!" he exclaimed.

"Alright, good bye," his father then spoke before they heard the sound of the front door opening.

They both sighed in relief and Kuroo eyed on the shy girl refusing to face him. "Kitten," he murmured just before the door closed.

"Kitten," he repeated and tapped on her shoulder.

"What?" she hesitantly responded.

"Let's go back to the living room, shall we?" he placed his head closer to hers, whispering on her ear.

Yuko's mind went completely blank and she just nodded. Kuroo slowly opened the storage room door, still wary of his elders.

"They really went out," Kuroo informed.

Yuko, still not getting over it, nodded again and stepped out of the room. "We almost got caught there," Kuroo chuckled and headed to the living room with her.

They both took a seat but Yuko kept some painstakingly obvious distance between them. Kuroo wondered, is this shyness? Or is she thinking about something else?

"Good thing we were pretty quiet," he added and rested his head on the sofa.

With her not speaking, he looked at her with curiousity. "What's wrong, Yuko-chan?"

She pursed her lips and looked at him. "That was my first kiss!" she exclaimed, then quickly covered her mouth in embarrassment again.

"Oh," he mouthed, doubting it. "Your first kiss? Really? Are you sure that was just a kiss?" he added, it was definitely a whole make-out session.

"You're a really good kisser, kitten," he even teased.

"I'm not kidding!" she spoke again, with a frown this time.

"I wasn't kidding either," he said and closed the distance between them. "You're a good kisser."

This time, she stopped avoiding his gaze and stared back. "How are you so," she asked then paused, "lax about it?"

"What do you mean?"

"Does the kiss mean anything to you?" she asked with a frown. "I mean, it does to me."

"That really was your first kiss?" he confirmed, which she responded with an immediate nod.

"Tetsu," she called.

"Yeah?"

"What exactly do you think about me?" she asked, now in a more mellow sounding tone.

"So we're having this what are we kind of talk," Kuroo thought before speaking. "Well, right now," he answered, "I see a very capable and kind woman. My type, even."

"I'm your type? Really?"

"Uhuh."

"Then," Yuko spoke and moved to face him fully. She looked at him in the eye, proving her sincerity. "I like you, so, please go out with me, Tetsu."

Kuroo stared at Yuko, surprised with the confession. "I know it has just been a few weeks and all, but, I really like you."

"If you still have some emotional baggage from your last relationship, I can wait for you to be ready," she blurted out, afraid to mess up her confession.

"I'm over Mi-"

"You don't need to say her name though," she mumbled with a pout.

"Okay, well, kitten. I'm over her."

"And?"

"Maybe we should really date," he added with a smirk.

"Maybe?" she clicked her tongue as he brows furrowed. "You and your suave carefree attitude," she muttered.

"Since such a cute kitten asked, then I'm happy to oblige," he finally gave her an answer.

"So," she spoke again, now supressing a smile, "We're?"

"Kare-kano? (boyfriend and girlfriend)?" he continued her sentence.

Yuko nodded in response. Kuroo tried not to laugh at how adorably naïve and new she was to relationships. The thought of a Kare-kano relationship was even enough to make her loud and expressive self so giddy and bashful.

"Yup," he answered again with a matching nod.

Yuko was getting redder than ever, contrary to Kuroo's cool and calm demeanor. It made him chuckle for a bit, which further embarrassed the poor girl.

"So I'm your first boyfriend, kitten?"

"Yes you are, Tetsu," she responded. "I'm really new to all this, so please take care of me."

"How cute," he commented and leaned in closer towards her red face. He placed a hand behind her ear and pulled her near him to plant a kiss on her forehead. "I'll be in your care, kitten."