swan_forest | Unrequited Love?

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kise ryouta

Unrequited Love?

Kaijou and Seirin had just had their first practice match, which was shaping up to be a tradition of sorts. This time, Kaijou had gone to Seirin. The gym was nice, newer then Kaijou's but maybe not as big.

He was breathing heavily, but smiling broadly. It always felt good to play, even if it was just a practice match and they weren't going all out. After all, he wanted to keep some of his new tricks up his sleeves, just like he was sure Kagami and Kuroko were hiding some of their new tricks too. This year's match had ended in a draw. Better than last year's practice match, which had ended in Kaijou's loss by two points.

Just thinking about Kuroko made Kise look over to the Seirin team, focusing in on the smaller boy.

For awhile now Kise had realized that he had feelings for Kuroko. Kise had looked up to Kuroko for awhile, but it wasn't really until after the Winter Cup that Kise realized he was probably in love with Kuroko.

He took a towel that one of the first years offered him. "Thanks," he said absently. He scrubbed at his face, his thoughts racing. He had been thinking about Kuroko a lot lately, and seeing him only brought those thoughts back to the surface, only pushed aside when the game had begun. Now with the game over he couldn't focus. The warm glow in his chest that came whenever he thought about Kuroko was back with a vengeance.

The Kaijou team was gathering their things and getting ready to board the bus. He told the first year that he'd be along in a bit and began to head over to the Seirin team.

"Kurokocchi~" he called out. No time like the present, he thought. He didn't know if Kuroko would return his feelings, but he was hopeful. The time Kuroko had cheered him on while he went up against Haizaki stood out in his mind.

"Kurokocchi! You got a minute?"

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It sounds exciting - I hope you have a good time.

And because his bruise will likely heal by then...

Only if it isn't an inconvenience.

I'll have to get a new suit. I'll show it to you when you're here! The date's the weekend after.

And of course you're not an inconvenience!! You're never one.

Because he's not.

Here's the address btw. Anytime after ten would be good.

And he sends the address as well.

Can't wait to see you!!

I'll arrive at 11. See you then.

The weeks ahead are filled with the passing of the baton at Seirin - Furihata is slowly settling into the idea of becoming captain, Kuroko will be picking up some of Coach's duties, learning all of her training regimens and doing a mix of running intel and coming up with new plays. Their second year is rapidly coming to an end with only a couple weeks left in March.

And on the day of, Kuroko arrives exactly on the dot, announcing his presence with a press of the doorbell of the Kise residence.

The door is opened by a woman in her late twenties, blond and gorgeous, wearing a form-fitting, burgundy v-neck shirt showing just a hint of cleavage and khaki pants that somehow accentuate her hips.

She's barely taller than Kuroko but seems to miss him entirely. "Huh, that's weird." She turned and yelled into the living room. "No one's at the door!"

"Oneechan!" Kise's voice is heard from deeper inside the apartment. "Look again!"

The woman turned to look again and blinked. "Oh, oh wow." Her blue eyes narrow. "You're Kuroko Tetsuya, then?" she asked, voice cool.

"Oneechan, be nice!" Kise yelled again, making his sister roll her eyes. She stepped aside and motioned Kuroko in. "Ryou-kun's in the kitchen."

On the couch, Kuroko will find another blond woman, a little younger than the one who answered the door, watching television with an older woman in her fifties. The middle Kise child is pretty but obviously doesn't put as much effort into her looks as her siblings, her blond hair pulled back into a bun, wearing jeans and a t-shirt with the kana for 'T-shirt' on it. The older woman looks a lot like an older version of her middle child, albeit with rich brown hair and a few streaks of gray she's wearing proudly black slacks and a long-sleeved white shirt. Both women on the couch look up at Kuroko as he walks in, matching blue eyes trying to find him.

"Ah, Kuroko-kun," a man's voice came from the direction of the kitchen. He's dressed in faded jeans and a blue kaijou t-shirt. Unlike his wife and daughters, he has no problem finding Kuroko. It's clear once Kuroko looks at him that Kise Ryouta is more or less a carbon copy of his father. "Ryou-kun overslept, so he went upstairs to change out of his pajamas. He'll be back down in a minute." He smiled a dreamy little smile. "Why don't you come to my office while we wait for him? He told me you wanted to talk about university programs."

Kuroko isn't shocked Kise's sister misses him entirely, but bows once she takes notice of him. He feels a little under-dressed in her presence, his fashion sense as plain as it always is, a striped shirt under a warm hoodie and jeans. He trails in after her, making sure to slip off his shoes at the entryway and hanging his coat.

He is pleasantly surprised that his father manages to spot him easily and he greets him with a small bow as well. "Firstly..." He offers up a cute pastry box. "Thank you for welcoming me into your home, Kise-san. My mother sent me over with some macarons from a popular bakery in our neighborhood. I hope it's to everyone's taste."

"I'm sure they're wonderful, thank you," Kise's father said, bowing slightly in return, then taking the box and motioning his oldest daughter over. "Mihoshi-chan, why don't you put these in the kitchen? We can have them as dessert after lunch."

Mihoshi takes the box and gives Kuroko an icy look before taking going to the kitchen just as there's thundering down the stairs.

"Ryouta," his mother called, sounding like this was a common occurrence. "Don't run in the house." And with that, both she and Saoko feign go back to watching television as Kise bursts into the living area but keep watching Kuroko out of the corner of their eyes.

"Kurokocch! You're here!" He absolutely beams at the other boy, latching onto him and giving him a hug. "My sisters haven't been giving you a hard time, have they? Both of them decided to visit today for some reason." He gives Saoko a glare, then looks around for his elder sister.

"She's putting some macarons Kuroko-kun brought us in the kitchen," his father said. "Come on, let's go to my office."

Kuroko notes the cold reception, but files it away for later. Maybe that's just the way they were with strangers. Most people found his low presence off-putting as well, so he's used to this.

He gives Kise a small pat on the back in response to his usual greeting and shakes his head. "Everyone has been nice." For the few minutes of interaction so far, anyway. At his father's prompting, he nods and waves him off. "I'll talk to you later." And off he goes to the office.

"There's no need to lie to him," Kise-san said as he led Kuroko to his office. Kise gave a dramatic huff and went after his sister. "We aren't the warmest family, and Mihoshi-chan, in particular, isn't pleased with you for turning down Ryou-kun when he asked you out. And he's very aware of that." He smiled softly at Kuroko as he sat down at his desk and gestured to Kuroko to a cushy chair. "We're all very protective of each other, and Mihoshi-chan has a particularly soft spot for her brother. Saoko-chan will be warmer towards you. Well, as warm as she gets." He looked over to a picture of the five of them on a beach vacation. It's an older picture; Kise's ten years old in it, and the entire family is smiling. Next to it is of the Generation of Miracles in their third year. "You're not the first friend he's invited over, that would be Aomine-kun, but we all know you mean a lot to him, it's why his sisters are here. To size you up."

He gives Kuroko another soft smile. "Don't worry, my wife and I will keep the girls in line. Anyway, enough of that; I'll talk your ear off about my family if you let me. Tell me what you're looking for in a university program. Ryou-kun told me you want a literature degree."

Edited 2023-03-04 15:10 (UTC)

"I see..." He takes a seat as directed, glancing over to the photos, his gaze turning fond at the one of them in middle school. "I'm a little envious, then - I'm an only child, so I don't know what it's like to have a sibling look out for me like that." He won't take it to heart!

When the topic shifts back to his reason for coming to visit, Kuroko does look a touch more nervous, folding his hands atop his lap. "I'm not quite sure what I'd like to aim for. I know I can't pursue basketball, so I thought it might be nice to study the other thing I like the most. Perhaps somewhere with a robust English department."

Kise-san smiled. "I was an only child as well. It's nice to see my children cherish each other so much."

There's the unmistakeable sound of Kise yelling in the background, with one his sisters yelling in response. "Most of the time," he amended with a chuckle. "Yui has two younger brothers, so she's more used to the rougher aspects of having siblings than I am."

He settles back into his computer chair with a hum. "Well, I went to the University of Tokyo, and it was an amazing experince. Kyushu University is considered the best at the moment for what you're looking for. I have a friend teaching at Ryukoku University in Kyoto, she's always excited to talk about their program to me, and I have to say it does sound very exciting. And I have an ex I can reach out to who teaches at Komazawa, last I heard from him he said the program was doing some exciting things."

He considered Kuroko for a moment, those dreamy golden eyes soft and fond. So similar and yet different from his son's. "Do you want to move to another city? Kyoto has several wonderful universities beyond what I mentioned. What about the subject attracted you to it?" He leaned forward. "What does your gut tell you?"

His eyebrows raise, his expression shifting a bit to impressed. "University of Tokyo... I don't think I quite have the grades for that." Kuroko scratches at his cheek, sheepish. His academics were average at best.

It is strange looking at a face so close to one he's familiar with, but a little off - he tilts his head as he thinks about the older Kise's question. "I think I wouldn't mind moving, if it's to pursue education... though, I'd miss my friends here. As to why literature specifically, perhaps it's silly to say, but I've always found books to be a safe haven. I enjoy immersing myself in worlds woven only by words, getting a glimpse into someone's innermost thoughts and ideals distilled into their characters and stories."

He pauses. "That being said, I don't think I necessarily have any stories to tell myself - I'm more fascinated with what others have created."

"Hmm, well, you're hardly in bad company," Kise-san said. "Mihoshi-chan and Ryou-kun don't care for school. Mihoshi-chan skipped going to University altogether. I was worried Ryouta would follow in her footsteps, but he's been talking about going to America for school all year, so I'm glad he's starting to take things more seriously. Even if it is for basketball." He smiled and shook his head. "I played baseball, but Ryou-kun found the sport boring. Broke his old man's heart."

His smile grew when Kuroko gave his answer. "You and I more alike than I thought," he said. "Though I disagree about you not having a story. Everyone has a multitude of stories. Fiction, non-fiction, it doesn't matter. Everyone has one or two worth sharing. But I digress." He considered. "Perhaps a smaller school would suit you better," he said. He swiveled his chair to his laptop, opened the browser went to his e-mail. He hummed absently as he scrolled through his mail.

"Here we go, another friend of mine started teaching at Ryuuzaki University here in Yokohama. A fairly newer university, only ten years old. A bit more... hmm... liberal arts is what they'd use in the US. It's still close to Tokyo, but a new location. It sounds very exciting."

"I didn't think Kise-kun would be interested in going to the States, either, but..." His smile widens thinking about it. "I'm sure our friends are very happy about it. I'm sorry he didn't take to baseball, but he's very well-suited for basketball."

Kuroko has been quietly tapping away and making notes of all these university recommendations onto his phone. "A smaller university sounds more appealing, I won't lie. And Yokohama isn't too far." He looks up. His comments about stories piqued his interest. "How did you get into writing, Kise-san?"

Edited 2023-03-05 03:49 (UTC)

"He has his eyes set on the NBA," Kise-san said. "He's convinced going to an American school is the best way to get noticed, and it probably is."

The older man hummed and looked at Kuroko, a bit of a mischievous glint in his eye. "Ah, well, I mostly paid my own way through university, I had a decent job and made plenty of money in tips, but it was never a steady paycheck. The environment was dramatic and full of big personalities. There was a contest for a fantasy short story, as I've always been a fan of fantasy, and there was a cash prize; I entered it. I drew inspiration from one of my coworkers, one of those big personalities, like I said, basing the main character off of him. I won second place and discovered I really enjoyed world-building and creating characters. And it paid more consistently, so I began to write in what little spare time I had and eventually just switched majors to help hone my craft. Might as well have my homework pay for itself, right?"

Edited (grammar. ) 2023-03-05 13:31 (UTC)

"Money is a good motivator," he notes. "Though, I suppose I am going into this knowing it won't be likely that I'll have a very steady career. My parents would prefer if I followed into their fields for some peace of mind and stability."

He scratches at his cheek. "I'd like to get good at English to follow everyone's NBA careers, but I also believe it would be a useful asset in any job I choose to pursue."

"Yes. Bills need to be paid, after all. And children are expensive. Fortunately, two of mine have already moved out, though Ryouta is a little more expensive than the girls." He winks at Kuroko. "Boys tend to eat more."

With a nod, Kise-san swivels his chair back to face Kuroko.

"English is a useful language to know, as it's everywhere. I believe Ryuuzaki University requires you to take another language to graduate. English would certainly be offered, and you can always ask Ryouta to help. His English is surprisingly good. Who else is aiming for the NBA? Ryouta's convinced it'll be him, Aomine-kun, and the ace of your team."

He lets out a small amused huff at the "boys eat more" comment, because that was wholly untrue for him.

"Yes, it'll mostly likely be those three. The others already have very set career paths, though I'm not sure what Murasakibara-kun intends to do. Kagami-kun's mentor used to play in the WNBA, so I expect it'll be easy to get the scouts' eyes on everyone. I think even without that, they're all very talented and are sure to be picked up. Kise-kun, especially, has continued to grow beyond what we could've predicted."

Well, he did say most boys.

"Ryouta is amazing. All my children are." He smiled fondly and glanced at the picture of the Generation of Miracles. "Ryou-kun surprises me the most, though. We had planned to stop at two children, but seven years after Saoko-chan, we discovered Yui was pregnant with him. I always liked that the sports papers called your team the Generation of Miracles because I felt it described him perfectly. Even if he is a handful at times."

He gazed at the picture some more, his gaze shifting from his son to Akashi. "If you don't mind, could you tell me about Akashi-kun? I feel like out of all his middle school friends, Ryouta's talked about him the least, though he has been talking about him more, especially after he's been getting more work in Kyoto." His smile took on a wistful edge. "I won't ask about his intentions. I was a sixteen-year-old boy with a boyfriend once, though we kept our relationship mostly behind closed doors because of the era we were in; I do wonder, however, do you think Akashi-kun is a good match for my son?"

Kuroko always liked the name 'Generation of Miracles' as well, even if it eventually became wrapped up in a lot of complicated things. Still, there was no getting around the fact that he viewed each of their friendships as a miracle in and of itself.

"About Akashi-kun...?" He brings a hand up to his chin in thought, wondering how he could sum up the other boy. "I think I wasn't surprised to hear Kise-kun developed feelings for Akashi-kun - he has a natural charisma that draws people to him and he is a great leader, despite our troubles at Teikou. He's smart, talented, handsome, and he has a kind heart. He can be a little guarded around us and there do seem to be some walls around him, but I think it has to do with his upbringing..." He is trying to imagine Akashi and Kise together and his brow furrows unconsciously. "I commented once that they would definitely be considered a power couple."

A very clinical view of it all. He's pretty good at that.

Kise Touma took this in with a thoughtful hum. "That matches what Ryou-kun said about him. Still, a parent worries when one of their children starts dating for the first time. I worried when Mihoshi-chan and Saoko-chan started dating. I'll worry everytime they start seeing someone new, but the first time is always the worst."

He looked back to Kuroko, and raised and eyebrow. "Something wrong, Kuroko-kun?"

"Ah-" He waves his hand, trying to ignore that maybe something does feel wrong. "No, sorry- I was just wondering if my parents were worried about the same thing."

Kise-san raised his eyebrow, again the exact same way Kise raised his. It's clear he doesn't quite believe Kuroko, but he's willing to let it pass if Kuroko doesn't want to discuss it with a man he just met.

"I'm sure they do," he said easily. He stood and went to the door to open it. "Well, if I know my son, he's getting antsy to see you. And he's hungry. He might not have the best manners, but he knows to wait until everyone's at the table to eat."

He is going to think it's the way he's always been disinterested in talking about dating and matters of the heart and ignore it!

But before making their way back out to the kitchen - Kuroko rises and makes sure to bow to the older man. "Thank you very much for your advice and recommendations, Kise-san. This has helped a lot and I have much to think about."

"You're quite welcome, Kuroko-kun," he said and started towards the kitchen. "I hope I was helpful."

Kise's sisters are sitting at the table; Mihoshi's texting on her phone; Saoko's reading a book on philosophy and law, while Kise and his mother are at the counter, putting together plates. Since his sisters were guests, they got out of helping.

Kise Yui looked up at her husband and smiled softly at him as Kise Ryouta perked up when he saw Kuroko. "Kurokocchi! We got Fried Chicken. Mom was in the mood for American."

"It smells good." It was hard to ignore the aroma, as he drifts over to the other side of the counter. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

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