Chapter Text
An alarm blared throughout my room, effectively waking me up. However this would only last for so long because when I peeled my eyes open to slam my hand down on the persistent alarm, I curled up underneath the sheets once more, slipping into a peaceful state of unconsciousness once more.
My sound sleeping was once more interrupted by my moms loud yelling and running around the house trying to get ready, all whilst trying to wake me up. I slowly dragged myself up, abandoning the warm covers.
“Kuroo’s not always gonna be here to pick up your slack and wake you up in the mornings, you really need to get it together!” My mom scolded
Her constant bitching leaves my ears ringing.
“It's too early to be yelling.” I mumble in rhetoric.
Nevertheless I pulled myself up completely to my feet and shuffled around my room, knocking over random nick nacks and empty video game cases.
“I signed your permission slip, it's on the table. Don't forget it!” My mom yelled from downstairs before pulling the front door behind her and pulling out of the driveway in a hurry.
I find it hypocritical of her to scold me about not having my life together, but she's pushing 40 and almost late to work every single day.
I signed and pushed my hair back, it looked fine enough to not brush for one more day. I scurried to the bathroom, checking the time on my way out of my bedroom. Kuroo would be here in about three minutes and I still have to brush my teeth and put on my shoes. ‘Did I even do my homework last night?
It's too late for that now.’ I thought to myself, I brushed my teeth in record time while rubbing a lotion on my face. It's winter now and the cold air sucks. If I don't want to face flaking off, I had better get into the habit of using moisturizer.
Three minutes have passed now and I was just about ready to go. I grabbed my backpack and opened the door to see Kuroo looking back at me.
As I was about to close the door behind me I had realized I almost forgot the permission slip. I paused and wondered for a minute, weighing all the pros and cons. Kuroo, and basically the whole team, would kill me if I didn't go. It's not like I can even turn it in tomorrow for today was the last day. Typical me to wait till the last minute.
“Umm can we go now?” Kuroo asked, he looked at me halfway concerned.
“Oh yeah just give me one minute, I left something”, I ran back inside and yanked the paper off the table and caught up with Kuroo, who was standing at the end of my driveway now.
“What is that?” He asked curiously.
“The permission slip for training camp” I mumbled in response.
He looked at me with some sort of weird sparkle in his eyes. I looked away quickly as soon as we met eyes. The glimmer only lasted for a minute.
“Hey, isn't today the very last day to turn those in?”, he says.
I nod in response, feeling a lecture brewing within him. The taller sighs.
“Yaknow Kenma it's not good to procrastinate.” He says with a hint of concern.
I hate that tone that he always uses. It's not just him, but everyone. It doesn't even feel like concern and worry, just pity. I hate it.
“Whatever, just be glad I'm turning it in at all.” I snap back at him.
He stays silent, and so do I.
We arrived at school soon and split ways, I didn't spare him another glance. I walked over to my class at the end of the hall, I took my seat and began to unpack.
I only get halfway through when the teacher strolls into the class and asks that everyone pull out their homework. ‘shit’. My eyes widen and my heart sinks to the floor. The teacher makes his way around the classroom with a clipboard and checks each student off.
He finally gets to me.
“Please pull out last night's homework, Kozume” He says impatiently.
I pause for a second, even my breathing. I don't know what to do and I feel everyone else pause what they're doing just to turn and look at me. Their curious eyes wonder why I'm the only one who doesn't have a sheet of paper on my desk.
“...I don't have it…” I whisper under my breath.
“What was that? Please speak up. I can't hear very well.” The teacher demands.
I grit my teeth and my face flushes with embarrassment and shame. I can still feel everyone looking my way, some people even whisper about the situation at hand. I stay quiet once more, by then it's clear I don't have it won't be saying any more. The teacher sighs, like everyone does, and moves onto the next student.
Eventually everyone begins minding their business again and chatting about what they're gonna do over break.
Before I know it class is over and another teacher walks in to teach us a different subject. I don't usually participate in class but I do usually do my work, before my first period teacher leaves he walks over to my desk.
I start to internally panic, is he going to shout and berate me in front of all my peers? Is he gonna lecture me about how my grades have been slipping? Is he gonna call me into the hallway and yell so loud he might as well have just scolded me inside the classroom?
A million possibilities scour through my mind, he stops in front of me and places a mini green sticky note on my desk. ‘Meet me in my office at lunch time.’ He continues on his way out of the classroom and the other teacher begins.
The dreaded moment comes up and the lunch bell rings, releasing a mob of students from each classroom. I wait for the halls to clear out before I go to his office, at least that's my excuse for stalling. I take the sticky note with me as well and open the door.
At least 50 cubical shaped offices were all crammed in one giant room, each row has teachers sorted in alphabet order. I slowly make my way to his desk and he notices me from the corner of his eye.
“Hey Kozume, nice if you to drop by.” He says while pulling out a chair for me to sit on.
I knew I was gonna be here for a while. He turned back to his computer and typed up something before turning back to me.
“ Is everything going good at home?” He asks with a warm smile.
A smile so innocent as if he didn't ask an extremely invasive question. He didn't even wait for me to respond before continuing.
“ I see here that your grades have started to drop quite a bit recently. Is there any reason for that?” he asked, turning to me.
I shake my head in response, there was no way I would let this guy in on any personal information of mine.
“Ok, so why haven't you been turning in homework?”
“That was just one time…” I argued back.
“Don't you play sports?” He asked. And oh of course this is what he asks. People always use that as a lecture point. It takes everything in me not to roll my eyes and walk away.
“Yeah”, I responded solemnly.
“Does this behavior just fly by your team?” he accused, ever so smugly.
That comment completely threw me off but he just continued.
“Who’s there to pick up after you when you don't pull your weight? When you don't do your part in a team setting that falls on everyone, not just you at that time.” he scolded.
The teachers' lectures lasted almost all of lunch. I was spaced out for most of it, the teacher didn't get mad often, but when he did it was bad. It's most certainly something you don't want to be directed at you.
When he dismissed me from his office, never letting me get a single word in, I'm sure I had tear tracks running down my face. I didn't cry much, certainly not in public. I made a beeline for the bathroom to dry my eyes.
“Kenma!” A loud voice called out, echoing throughout the bathroom.
I turned around slowly, disturbed.
“Kenma-san, how come you weren't at lunch?” Lev announced.
It seems he noticed my tranquility. He stood there in front of me for a second, awkwardly. Lev observed and took note of the wet tissue in my hand and the poorly wiped tears on my face. Just then another person entered the bathroom.
“Lev did you ever find- kenma!” Yaku said in relief.
His rejoice only lasted a second when he realized something was wrong.
“Kenma is everything alright?” Yaku said concerned.
He rushed Lev out of the bathroom, picking up on the hint. I was in no way going to be vulnerable in front of him. He shut the door and looked back at me with a worried expression.
“Well I wanted to ask you if you brought in the permission slip for training camp” he confessed.
“Look man, I'm not gonna pry but if anythings wrong we're friends, just remember that.” He says, giving me a reassuring grin. I nod my head and return with a small smile. Yaku exits the bathroom and I finish up as well.
The rest of the day was a drag. I gave our coach the paper at the end of practice and he accepted it with a smile. After practice ended I caught up with Kuroo, who was surprisingly silent. I can't believe he hasn't gotten over this morning, it's been hours.
Whatever, the silence doesn't bother me. I got home, kicked off my shoes and sighed in relief, break is finally here. However, training camp has just begun…