Singleplayer RPG

Chapter 11 - Turning Against the Team

The rest of the team eventually woke up, each one of them seeming very lethargic. As Kenma faked waking up again, he anxiously scanned the room, coming to the conclusion that he was the cause for everyone's low mood. He sunk his head, trying not to show his panic. He felt a tap on his shoulder, so he took a breath and looked up. It was Kuroo, telling him that he needed to change. It was clear he had something else he wished to say, but he bit his tongue and stood up to change. Kenma joined him and the team changed in silence. Unable to handle the tense atmosphere, he turned to face everyone. The team looked at him, wondering what it was he wanted to say. Given his mood last night and what he said, they weren't sure what to expect.

"Uhm, I'm not sure how to say this but," Kenma began speaking, his throat closing up a little. "I'm sorry about what happened last night. I'm not sure what I was thinking, but I think I ended up making all of you uncomfortable. I'm sorry." He sank his head again, trying to hide his face as he tried to hide his despair. He felt a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"It's okay, Kenma," Yaku said in a soft voice. "It's not your fault. You were just tired, right? I think all of us were. It was a long day after all." The rest of the team nodded, trying to lift the mood. "But if you need to talk to any of us about something on your mind, please don't be afraid to do so, okay?" Kenma looked up at Yaku, smiling as he tried to hold back his tears. He nodded, then the team continued to get ready. Kuroo looked over at Kenma, taking notice of the pain behind his eyes, but as he was about to ask if Kenma was okay, the team was told to hurry up by one of the managers, so the team left to head to the gymnasium.

Kenma was seemingly more tired than before, but he focused his energy on the game and ignored everything else, managing to play effectively. He had applied some makeup under his eyes to try not to raise suspicions with anyone, but some members of his team noticed he still seemed tired. To him practice seemed to drag on for ages. When it was time to eat, he took an onigiri with him and went to his bed, sitting in the room with the lights off. He didn't have the energy to talk to anyone. He turned on his PSP and used it to distract himself from falling asleep. He suddenly heard a knock on the door, causing him to panic and pause his game. He looked up as Hinata peered from around the door.

"Hey Kenma, are you okay?" Hinata said smiling. Kenma nodded at him, then resumed his game. "Can I come in?" Hinata said awkwardly. Kenma simply patted the floor next to him, so Hinata jogged over and sat beside Kenma. He quietly watched as Kenma played his game, but somehow Kenma wasn't too concerned. Hinata normally spoke his mind, so he figured since he didn't say anything, he just hadn't noticed something was wrong. Kenma was grateful to not be berated with questions for once. He found comfort in the silence. Just as Kenma was finished a level, Yaku looked into the room and told the two of them that practice was starting up soon. Hinata stood up, ready to go, to which Kenma said he'd join shortly after he had finished the level he was on. Hinata nodded and left promptly. Yaku hesitated by the door, then decided to go back to the gymnasium. Kenma finished the level, placing his PSP into his bag. He quickly checked his phone, reading a few comments on his recent video, then placed his phone back in his pocket and walked back to the gymnasium.

Having charged his social battery again, Kenma seemingly returned to his normal self. Kuroo asked where he had gone, and though Kenma told him the truth, Kuroo still felt as though there was a hidden reason behind it.

"Did you not sleep well last night?" Kuroo watched as Kenma pouted and looked away.

"I guess not, but can you blame me after what happened last night?" He has a mild sharpness to his voice, making Kuroo's concern for him grow. He understood where Kenma was coming from, but he began to feel a bit restless that Kenma seemed to adamant in refusing to talk to him. After all, they'd been friends for years, so he thought he could be trusted with anything. On the other hand, Kenma thought that he was leaving enough hints for Kuroo to stop prying. After his dream, he felt he couldn't get Kuroo involved – he didn't want Kuroo to get hurt because of him. With the differences in motive causing them to clash once again, the feeling of tension between them continued to grow.