JUST MAYBE || KUROO TETSUROU

Chapter 8- Routine

Kuroo wasn't a person that liked going to school, but that Monday, he was excited enough that someone might have thought he was one.

"What's got you so enthusiastic?" his grandfather asked from the dining table, reading the morning newspaper with a cup of tea next to him.

"Practice match, Fukurodani, meeting a good friend after a long time" he said between bites of his breakfast, his grandmother lightly slapping his head when she saw how he was eating.

"Finish chewing before eating" she said, taking her own seat at the table. He finished swallowing the mouthful of food and nodded, and quickly finished the rest.

The clock showed the time to be 6:25, which meant he'd have to leave in 5 minutes to first go to Kenma's house and then the station, to reach school by 7:15.

He was, luckily, on time. But gods only knew if Kenma would be ready. He wouldn't be surprised if his friend had eye bags bigger than his backpack because of the new game he'd bought on Friday.

Friday. It seemed like it had been a few weeks, and not just a couple of days since he'd gone to get ice cream with Hamo. He'd never really had many friends who were girls. Even if he did, they weren't the type he'd talk to beyond greeting them when he saw them.

But Hamo was easy to engage in conversation, funny and nice. He could definitely get used to being her friend, seeing that everyone around him (read as Kenma) loved roasting him whenever they could.

"I'm leaving!" He shouted, after grabbing his school bag and wearing his shoes. "Have a good day!" His grandparents and father, who had come down for breakfast chorused.

He rang the doorbell at the Kozumes' house twice, which was a habit he'd had since he was a kid. The door was opened by Kenma's mother, who smiled at seeing him, and ruffled his hair.

"Tetsurou! Right on time as usual. Kenma's eating the last of his breakfast, go hurry him up."

"Hai" he replied back, smiling warmly at the woman whom he would call a second mother. He walked over to Kenma, who was, predictably, on his game boy with a half eaten breakfast in front of him.

"Oi, get moving. We'll have to prepare the gymnasium during morning practice itself for the practice match" he declared, pulling out and sitting on a chair opposite his best friend.

"Nghhh" Kenma groaned in annoyance, miraculously putting the game away and finishing his cereal.

That's unusual. I guess he's stuck on a level, and was waiting for someone to tell him it's okay to take a break. Or he might be excited to play against Fukurodani. Or maybe he grew a conscience and decided not to make me wait for him for the millionth time.

Ha. Like he'd care about making me wait. I'm getting funnier by the day he internally congratulated himself.

"I'm ready" the subject of his thoughts mildly interrupted.

"Finally! I thought I'd grow old!" He exclaimed, smirking.

"Hmph" Kenma muttered, and he laughed.

"Back to the Grunt language, I see. Let's go."

They set off to school as usual. If there was one unwritten rule between them, it was that morning walks were wordless and quiet.

There really was something about the peace and the quiet, the cool fresh air and the birds chirping that set the tone for a good day.

"How are your fingers?" Kenma asked guiltily. After returning on Friday, he'd eaten dinner in his friend's house and the teen had accidentally tried to close the door on his fingers when he was leaving.