A/N:

Greetings, fellow humans! Me is back with an update Yaaaayyyyy 💃💃💃

FACTS: 42% of people who are LGBTQ report living in an unwelcoming environment. 80% of gay and lesbian youth report severe social isolation. 90% of teens who are LGBTQ come out to their close friends. 6 in 10 LGBTQ students report feeling unsafe at school because of their sexual orientation.

After I knew about these facts I just wanted to share them here because I did not expect this from humanity. Come on people, the least we could do is be a HUMAN and respect other people and make them feel safe despite their RACE, SEX, THEIR SEXUAL ORIENTATION and whatnot.

This might be late but I want to say that I am an ally; I am understanding; I am non judgmental; I am here to listen; This is a safe zone and I wish to keep it that way!

Lastly, I hope you all are doing well and I hope you all will enjoy this chapter 🧡🧡🧡

Happy reading!

Sentences in Italics are [Y/N]'s thoughts.

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[Y/N]'s POV:

Waking up every day only to go back to the same old routine of 'eat - school - sleep - repeat' might be the most boring schedule a teen could ever have but this morning, something had changed and it put a smile on my face. I woke up to a series of text messages which I slept through.

Kuroo:

I think you are asleep but I am way too excited for our date! 2.30 am

It's punishment day, we will be going on the jog, right? 4.49 am

Good morning!!! Neko-chan 😘 6.16 am

I never really had anyone wish me a good morning for quite a long while but I must say the smiley and the Neko-chan made it a little too cute for me to handle. My day started off with a smile, a beautiful beginning and I wanted to return the favor to the person who took it upon himself to make it happen.

I called him rather than to reply with a dry text which he picked in Godspeed and he softly muttered a "Hey, hi!" with a raspy voice which threw my remaining fatigue out through the window.

I sat up straight from my bed and stretched my back and groaned, "Did you get any sleep?"

"No? um yes? You slept well I assume?" he chuckled.

"I did and it was much needed. Honestly, I could sleep for another 10 hours and still complain that I'm tired!" I yawned, rubbing my eyes clearing the puddle of water left behind, thanks to the big yawn.

"You could do that but if you do that my poor soul won't be graced by your presence, milady!" he grumbled like he was in physical pain when he muttered those words. I imagined him with his hand over his chest and with a painful face as well.

"Isn't it too early to flirt?" I smiled. On normal occasions, I wouldn't smile if somebody was flirting with me, face to face because I wouldn't want to give it away but this one was different.

"Is it though?" he giggled.

"Kuroo?"

"Hmmm?"

A long pause later, I softly murmured, "Thank you!"

"I was expecting you to say something else after that long pause but I don't understand why you are thanking me. I'm still glad though!"

"Yeah, I will explain why when we see each other in a bit?"

"Actually, I have to thank you! Cause I got to hear your croaky bed-voice ahead of our sleepover together!" he flirted again.

"Now now, let's not skip the steps and jump right into bed," I rolled my eyes but that smile never left my face.

"That's not a bad idea but your wish is my command, milady!"

"Okay, I am going to hang up now," I declared, getting comfortable into the bed again.

"See you!"

The minute I kept the phone down, I heard the bell ring, and let's just say I was too lazy to climb down the stairs after all the calories I spent last night, shifting the furniture and my belongings out of the room from downstairs without any sort of help provided by the guy who actually wanted the room. Man of the house my ass!

"Jojo! get the door!" I yelled hoping his deafened-up ears would hear both the bell and my scream but it was unsuccessful.

The bell rang again for a couple more times and I said a 'fuck it' to myself and ran down the stairs with loud stomps as much as I could expecting the thuds to wake Jojo, since he used to hate it every time I did that when we used to have sleepovers together.

I opened the door and I was greeted by a woman in her late forties, who introduced herself with a, "Hello, I am Mrs. Naomi McNeil. I am half Japanese - half Caucasian. I am the caretaker your mom mentioned to you about. May I come in?"

"Um, yeah sure. That's the kitchen and I will try my best to not trouble you or anything," I pointed out to the kitchen as she wandered into the house, scanning the room.

"Oh, that's alright. I am here to help after all," she gave a reassuring smile.

"Okay then," I awkwardly smiled and started to examine her movements. I mean, she was a stranger after all. No matter my mother's approval, I was supposed to be on guard.

She went right into the kitchen and rummaged through the fridge and hesitantly asked, "I will make French toast for breakfast? There is nothing but bread and eggs."

"Before that um-, could you wake Jojo- um, I mean Jerry up? I need to brush," I directed her towards his room so that he could keep an eye on her while I was away.

"That room? I've got it."

I went back up to my room and finished my morning routine, came back downstairs, and saw Jojo still in hibernation mode and Mrs. McNeil on the other hand was in the kitchen making coffee. She knows I drink coffee in the morning? How? Just how?

She served me a cup of coffee and muttered, "He is still not up. Probably because of those pills."

"What pills?" I inquired, in surprise but still slowly sipping my coffee away.

"Your mother informed me that he takes sleeping pills ever since his mother's condition got worse. That he had trouble sleeping?" Why am I the last person on earth to know this information?

I finished my coffee in a rush and walked into Jerry's room to find his prescription and his pills right on the shelf. He wasn't even hiding it but I was pissed. I was furious that both my mom and Jojo didn't tell me and I had to know it from the maid who literally just walked into the house.

I took a chair in his room and sat beside the bed to confront him when he woke up and my mood had already become sullen, due to the turn of events that happened right after a good conversation I had with Kuroo, which reminded me to text him that I had to take a raincheck on the jog.

A few minutes later I got a reply from him.

Kuroo:

Ah shit, I just saw your text and I'm already at the crossing.

Y/N:

Sorry 😐

Kuroo:

Is everything alright? Should I come over?

Y/N:

Nahhhh its nothing major. You should go on without me.

Kuroo:

You sure?

Y/N:

Yeah. See you in school!

Kuroo:

If you say so 😏

A couple of minutes passed and I heard the doorbell again. Ugh, who might this be now?

"Are you expecting someone? I'll get the door," Mrs. McNeil announced, walking towards the door.

"Um, this is [Y/N]'s house, right?" Kuroo's confused voice echoed through the now-not-so-empty house of mine. I sprinted towards the door like a mad horse cut loose because I wanted to be the one to explain to him about what's going on.

"Uh thanks, Mrs. McNeil, I've got it!" I ushered her to get inside the house as I eyed her and she promptly went inside without any dispute.

I closed the door and stepped onto the porch not allowing Kuroo to sneak a look at the innards of my house which was now filled with two new people that he hasn't been technically introduced to.

"You have guests?" he questioned, studying my crinkled pajamas.

"I guess I told you to go on without me?" I eyed him back.

"Yeah, I was jogging, just in the direction of your house this time!" he grinned, scratching his nape and took the neck of his T-shirt to wipe off the sweat in his face which ultimately revealed a little bit of his waistband and his V-lined abs. I shouldn't stare, I must not stare!!!

I cleared my throat and searched around to look at something else, anything else to stare, and gushed, "Well then please continue with your jogging endeavors!"

"That's not your mom though," he pointed out, without noticing my stupid eyes which wouldn't listen to my brain, checking him out, hoping he would flash it again.

"No, it's not!" I replied, as a matter of factly. I refocused my attention to the conversation we were having because I had to stop gawking or he will tease me until the end of time.

"That's all I get?" he sighed, pouting and cocked his eyebrows.

"Well, she is our caretaker. My mom has assigned her-"

"Hold on! Our?" he cut me off, enquiring about the part that needed careful explanation.

"Yeah, about that. What happened is... um, well the 'our' I mentioned was-" I was cut off by his phone and he excused himself for a second and he picked the call which was from Kenma. Why the hell am I stuttering to tell him about Jerry?

"You woke up soon. What happened?" I woke up soon too. Hello! Care for me?

"Wait, you have a chemistry test and you want me to teach you now? Now? Why didn't you tell me yesterday?" So, Kuroo usually teaches Kenma! Got it!

"Come on Kenma, how many times have I told you not to play all night long when you have class tests?" That sounds very Dad-ly!

"Uh-uh, I'm confiscating your phone and your console when I get there." Dad-ly indeed.

"Get your damn books and your notes ready. I will be there in five!" he sighed, hanging up his phone with a sorry look on his face. I want to say 'Yes Sir!' but he is not conversing with me so, I should maintain my stance.

He put his phone back into his pocket and positioned his arms on his hips, standing like a showstopper and apologized, "I am sorry. I got to go. Will see you in class? yeah?" He should stop being eye candy. This isn't good for my health!

"Yeah go ahead. I- I can explain later. It's really nothing," I awkwardly giggled hoping I could explain it later and that he would understand everything despite my dirty thoughts.

He left my porch waving goodbye as he sprinted towards the direction he came from, to help poor Kenma with his tests. I went back into the house and found Jojo in the dining table, happily sipping his cup of coffee chatting with Mrs. McNeil which turned my mood right back to glum.

"Jojo!" I called him out, anger reverberating through my voice, with a cocked eyebrow and my arms folded across my chest.

"Woke up on the wrong side of the bed?" Jojo sarcastically chuckled and Mrs. McNeil went back to her work.

"Actually no. I woke up in a good mood and then you ruined it."

"Looking at my face is ruining your mood? I am handsome and I am good luck. You need to get your eyes checked!" he rolled his eyes and turned his attention back to savoring his coffee. Okay, I am going to handle this like an adult and not like a child!

I sauntered towards the table, sat next to him, and sighed, "You take pills, huh?"

"You didn't know? I thought your mom told you!" Jojo tried to defend himself with a slight squeal which was genuine enough.

"Yeah, she didn't and you didn't and- and I just found out. So, um- since when?" I poured out my thoughts into words without really thinking much before I spoke.

"Been six months or so!" his voice croaked. I could feel his hesitation, his pain, his grief that he has been hiding so well up until its being questioned. Something that reminded me of my own pain and grief that I keep buried within.

"Does it help? You know with the grief and-"

"Just helps me sleep and that's about it," he chugged what's left of his coffee and banged the cup onto the table with a small thud.

"We really don't know each other at all! We have changed, haven't we?" I exhaled, pushing out the pain that welled up in my chest.

"We have and yet we haven't," he laid his head onto my shoulders, holding in a drop of tear that threatened to unmask his sob story.

"Sorry to intrude but substantially, nobody really knows each other. Everybody has secrets and a face that we never reveal to anyone but ourselves. So, it is okay if you have one. You kids should lighten up!" Mrs. McNeil butted in trying to cheer us up in the most pathetic way possible.

"That's not helpful!" Jojo sniffled and walked into his room.

"Not helpful at all!" I muttered and left the table as well to which Mrs. McNeil chuckled and got back to her work.

Jojo and I got ready for school, had our breakfast, took our bag, and was about to leave the house and Mrs. McNeil mentioned, "I have got bento boxes for you kids. Don't forget to take them!"

"Yeah, I have it!" Jojo answered fastening his shoes.

"Do you have a spare key? I mean, I could do some cleaning and close up after you guys and come back at 6 pm if that's alright?" Mrs. McNeil hesitantly questioned.

"Sorry, we don't have a spare key, just close the door while you are on your way out. It's an auto-lock!" I replied with caution. Even if I had another spare key, I wasn't going to give it to someone right after I have met them.

"Yeah, sure got it!" she responded hastily but I could tell that she understood my qualms with the matter in hand.

"Hey, if it's possible can you keep the house without any lizards and cockroaches? I'm scared of lizards and roaches just disgust me. So-"

"Yeah, your mom made me speak with your grandpa and he told me about your phobia and everything else. Don't worry about it, I will take care of everything." So, grandpa knows about the maid and the maid knows about the grandpa, everyone knows about everything but I'm the only one who doesn't know jack. How cool is that?

Jojo and I started to walk towards our school but I was treading and stomping on the road and Jojo had to say, "That's cute, just like a little gremlin!"

"Oh, shut it. I'm just pissed and we are not even in school yet!" I grumbled.

"Boooo, I'm scared!" Jojo hissed as he rolled his eyes to the back of his skull.

"I will whoop your ass and leave your remains for the vultures and the crows!" I threatened, channeling my rage towards Jojo for no reason at all.

"Well, I heard you and Captain yummy outside this morning! You told him yet?" he changed the trajectory of the conversation which was effective enough for me to stop thinking about the unknown.

"It's Captain Kitty. But how do you know that name?" I responded almost immediately at the mention of Kuroo.

"I stalked him on social media last night. His Instagram wall is hot but sadly, he has a bad taste in women. What can I say? I could gawk at that guy forever-"

"Fuck you!" I bellowed with irritation.

"Ewwww no. I would never do you even if you begged me to. You are too.... You!"

"I meant fuck you for not helping me with the furniture and another fuck you for stalking and drooling over the guy I am about to date. Where is your bro code, huh?" I questioned his morals as his statement made me halt in the middle of the road.

"You didn't let me finish, gremlin. The 'guy' I was talking about was the little one on his wall. The short one, he's probably your height, long, blond hair? His name is Kozume I think? He is cute. I could gawk at him forever!" he happily sighed as a smile generated on his face while he continued to walk ahead of me.

"Wait!!" I held him and rushed him to walk along with me to the sidewalk.

"What?" he asked, puzzled.

"You are gay?" I warily asked knowing that it was a sensitive topic to touch.

"No!" he asserted as his facial expressions changed into more of a poker face as his eyes darted from left to right for a couple of times.

"But-"

"I'm not gay" he asserted again.

"Then why did you say that?" I questioned, idiotically.

"Because I-"

"Because?"

"Okay, I have never done this before, not even with my mom. Only my friends knew. The real close ones," he said staring into my eyes, and at that moment, I knew that he was about to say it.

"Knew that you are um- not gay?" I awkwardly smiled trying to understand his 'not gay'.

"I'm only going to say this just once and uh- I don't want you to judge me and I think of you umm- as my friend too and I uh-"

I cut him off, trying to reassure him saying, "I don't know what to say but it's okay. I am not going to judge you or anything and-"

"Stop! Just, just let me finish okay?" he gritted his teeth, slightly raising his voice.

"Okay!" I nodded.

"I'm attracted to both genders. I mean, I- uh- I'm Bi," he finished his sentence, with confidence but I could sense that he was being hesitant to let me in on this matter. What am I supposed to say? I don't want him to feel awkward. Okay! Let's just say okay! That should do it!

"Okay!" I said without thinking further. Who was I to judge him based upon his sexuality? If he has it figured out then it was good enough for me.

"That's all? That's your reaction? Just an 'Okay'?" he questioned, visibly confused.

"Well, what did you expect?" I questioned back, his contagious confusion passing on to me.

"I don't know, some astonishment?" he yelped with a frown on his face.

"Look, you were my first friend ever. Now, you are sort of my brother. Um- not sort of, scratch that; You are my brother, and a friend. I still consider you my friend and it's the first time for me too, like someone is discussing their sexuality with me. So, yeah. I'm just going to say 'okay' cause I'm not judging you and you don't need my approval or anyone else's. I'm going to accept you for who you are. And, I am a moron and I should stop rambling!"

"That was not awkward at all!" he declared and continued to walk. I messed it up! Ugh, I messed it up!!!!

I walked beside him silently, not knowing what to converse with him. I had made it awkward for him. I didn't know how to react and I felt like I had made him feel more awkward than it should have felt for him. I wanted to talk with him as we normally would and that's what I planned to do because I don't do awkward.

I didn't judge him; I didn't think this changed anything. So, a few minutes later, I asserted and lied a bit stating, "You know? Kenma is just too intelligent and silent to be with a loud dimwit like you. Besides, he already has a girlfriend! He will never swing your way!"

"A man has got to try, right?" he smiled like he normally would and I felt relieved for some odd reason.

"Like I said, No!"

We kept walking as our argument grew a hundred folds which felt like the normal us. As usual, we reached the school, changed our shoes and we started to walk towards the stairs to get to our class. Our school has staircases from the two ends of the hall, such that people coming from either side of the building could have easy access to the stairs. I saw Kuroo walk into the school building from the school gym's direction as Jojo and I walked into the school building from the other side and I halted right on track.

"Jojo!" I held his bag, not allowing him to move a step forward.

"Hmm?"

"Scram!" I said with a wide smile on my face as Kuroo waved a 'hi' from the other side.

"Oh! you want steamy time in the halls with your guy? Okay then, I will 'scram'!" he muttered, facing me with a sheepish grin on his face.

"PDA (Public Display of Affection) is frowned upon in Japan and we aren't even allowed to hug in the school campus. So, keep your hands to yourself and never ever do what you did yesterday!" I sort of threatened Jojo as I kept my smile so that Kuroo wouldn't know what we were talking about.

"I won't be the one to bring down your sense of duty and honor down the floor. That would be Hyena hair or wait, what was that... uhhh, Captain yummy!" he whispered the last part into my ears.

"Did you say something? I thought I told you to leave!" I awkwardly smiled again not paying any more attention to Jojo as I eyed him to leave.

"I will be expecting to hear some details later!" he patted my shoulders and departed on his way up the stairs.

I walked towards Kuroo as he was standing just a few meters away from me, with his hand in his pockets like an eye candy.

"Hey," I said with a pretty smile, halting right in front of him feeling all giddy.

"You sent him away because you saw me?" Kuroo asked, cockily.

"No!"

He inched in closer and he toned down his voice as he asked, "What is he to you anyway?" Somebody is still feeling jealous! I should totally use this!

"Why? You feeling jealous?" I asked innocently, batting my non-existent eyelashes which made me realize Kuroo had longer eyelashes than I did.

"You are still not answering my question!"

"You are so jealous. I can see that!"

"I'm not jealous, I just want to know who he is because you two seem very 'friendly'!" he shrugged, stressing the word friendly.

"We are friendly! Yeah! Come on, accept you are jealous and I will tell you the whole thing!" I teased, as I took his hand in a handshake enacting a pact.

"There is a whole thing? So, there is a lot I need to know huh?" he withdrew his hand at the mention of 'whole thing' as he was a bit shook.

"There is!" I said pursing my lips.

"So, when will I know the whole thing and everything else about you?" he inched in much closer, as he slightly bent so that our eye level remained the same.

"Do I know everything about you?" I questioned back, with an oh-so-serious face.

"You could; if you just ask me what you want to know, like I did right now," he straightened his back, ascending to his height. Why is he like a whole floor taller than me?

"Oh please no. You are no communication expert. You can't even admit that you are jealous!" I teased again wanting him to admit that he was jealous of other males around me no matter what the relationship I had with them.

"What? People call me the provocation expert. I am going to provoke you and I will get all the answers I want!" he challenged.

"You are so sure about that? Cause I am not getting provoked right now!"

"Fine, I am not jealous right now because you said you were just being friendly with that punk. I trust you! So, tell me now," he urged me to talk to him about my relationship with Jojo which I found cute because we haven't even started dating yet he was already feeling jealous.

"So, you are telling me that you were jealous but you are not jealous right now?" I pried, trying to get him to admit to his jealousy.

"I did not say that!"

I looked around to check that nobody was in the surrounding and softly muttered, "My ears are working just fine, you know? I really did hear you say 'right now' so, I'm sure that's what you meant!" as I stood on my toes, gingerly dragging my finger across his perfectly sharp jawline to which he slightly shuddered.

"No. Whatever you are doing right now, it's not working, I'm not going to say it!" he whispered, holding my wrist as he yanked my body closer to his.

"Hey Kaichou-san, we got the files! Sorry to interrupt man, we got work to do!" Akihiko-san yelled from the other end of the hallway with a bunch of files in his hand. Why do I keep getting caught like this? Whyyyyyy?

Kuroo let me off his grasp and I turned back to look at Akihiko-san and yelled, "Yeah! I'm coming. You go ahead!" to which Akihiko-san obliged and left us alone once again.

The second Akihiko-san's head vanished from our sight, Kuroo pulled me back close to him as he begged, "Come on! Don't leave me hanging. Just tell me!"

I unhinged myself from his grasp and chirped, "When you admit to me about your jealousy, I will tell you everything you need to know about him. Give and take policy baby!" adjusting his necktie in place.

"I'm not baby!" he declared, loud enough for me to hear as I was already a couple of feet away from him hiding my grin.

I walked away concealing my smile as I was able to fluster him right off the bat. I knew I had to tell him about Jojo and a lot of things about me but this game of catch was getting much interesting than ever and I was beginning to get addicted to his entire being.

To be continued...

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A/N:

How was it? Did you guys like it 🙈

I'm almost done with the next chapter as well so stay hooked 💚

Let me know your thoughts through comments or Dm's 😘

Thank you so much for your continuous support. I appreciate it very much 💝

~ Toodles now, Loads of love from PudumaiPen ❤