level up | kuroo tetsurou

25 | hues of red

Kuroo decided to take her to a restaurant that offered pork and fish dishes to suit both their tastes. He opened the door for her and they were quickly seated near the window. The restaurant wasn't as crowded as he expected, and the ambiance was just right.

"Their katsudon's their bestseller," Kuroo said as they browsed through the menu. "You said it was your favorite," he added.

"It is, it's also one of the only dishes I can actually make," Yuko let out a chuckle.

Later on, the waitress jotted down their orders but the waitress pursed her lips upon hearing Yuko's. "I'm sorry, we ran out of pork for today. How about gyudon, Miss?" she informed.

"Gyudon?"

"Yes, gyudon."

"No thank you, I'd rather have the mackarel too," Yuko changed her order.

"Noted, thank you. Please wait," the waitress said before lowering her head and leaving.

"My kitten doesn't like gyudon?" Kuroo asked.

"No, I like it a lot actually," she denied and shook her head. "There's a backstory on gyudon, heh," she nervously added.

"Oh, what about it?" he continued asking.

"It's something about my, my, mom," she explained, stuttering for a bit.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, baby," he reassured and held her hand idling on the table.

"Thanks, it's something none of us talk about," she added, putting an effort to smile.

"Anyway, we can keep talking about the science of love, the topic earlier," Yuko changed the topic.

"You still wanna hear all that?" he confirmed and chuckled.

"Why not? You were in the middle of saying something about oxytocin being a commitment neuromodulator."

"You remembered that?" he scoffed, though not in a mocking manner. As a matter of fact, he was strangely amused and touched.

"Even that thing with docosahexaenoic acid," she showed off. "I'm all ears.

He discovered a weird turn-on; his girl remembering his nerdy science facts and terms.

"Alright, well," he chuckled, trying to conceal how that made his heart skip a beat, "This commitment neuromodulator makes you long for the person you love. Pretty much explains why we get so clingy when in love."

"Wow, my brain has too much of this oxytocin then," Yuko gasped dramatically, supressing her incoming laugh.

"Is that a pick-up line?"

"Are you a carbon sample, Tetsu?"

"And why is that, kitten?"

"Because I want to date you," she said with a mischievous look written all over her face. "Now that was a pick-up line," she continued.

"Wow kitten, carbon dating now? Impressive," he figured the joke and laughed, almost like the hyena one.

"It's our lesson on science but honestly, I suck at it," she admits, jist before eyeing on the waitress walking to their direction.

"I think that's ours," she guessed right. The waitress stopped on their table and placed the plates. "Two grilled mackarels. Enjoy your meal," she stated.

"Itadakimasu!"

They began to eat and Yuko seemed thoroughly impressed with the food. "How is it?" he asked.

"It's really good. Even better than Ryo's, heh."

"So Ryo's your basis for good food, I see," Kuroo spoke before taking a bite.

"He's good with food. Like, really good. That's why I never need to cook. But he keeps telling me I need to learn or else I'll remain single."

"Don't worry, I can cook." Kuroo smirked and winked, it sent Yuko butterflies in her stomach, the entire zoo, even. "They also make me do chores, just saying."

"Oh? Is my baby sick? She's turning so red, oh my," Kuroo teased and pinched her already reddening cheek.

"Because I like you," she spilled out. As cheeky and suave Kuroo is, Yuko proved she could get even more poised. He had just met his match.

"Oh? Is my Tetsu sick? Why is he so red? Even red on the ears? Wow," she teased and pinched his cheek. Kuroo reverted his hand back from her face and held hers on his, out of words to say.