F̶o̶l̶l̶o̶w̶ Fuck the Rulebook - Kenma Kozume

Confrontations - C3

Akasuki slipped through the courtyard of the school with a faint smile on her face as she made her way into the main building, a distant memory bugging her. She took a hold of the door pulling it open. Wait, she halted as the memory resurfaces. The boys, how could she completely forget about them? She let go of the door making her way back through the courtyard towards the gym. She had spent the night rummaging through her books comparing the various protagonists to herself to see if they had gone through similar situations. She turned another corner, spotting the gym entrance. She had discovered that a lot of protagonists experienced betrayal earlier in their lives but they still trusted their companions no matter what. So, Akasuki had concluded that she will trust her new companions, and, sudden shouting from the gym drew her out of her head into the present. Is that coming from the gym? She slowed her pace listening carefully. More yelling from inside. She slowed to a stop. Maybe now wasn’t the right time to confront her new comrades. She turned on her heels, confrontation was not her speciality, especially as she often lets her anger slip through her fingers like water. She assumed that class was a safer bet at this moment, she hoped at least.
As the bell rang signalling lunch, Akasuki pulled open her bag half-heartedly rummaging through for her lunch box, her eyes set on the homework before her. How was she meant to figure out where x was? They didn’t even give the formula. Her fingers brushed up against a cold plastic object, her eyes lifted in curiosity, what is that? She pulled her bag up to her chest staring down into it, her mouth dropping open as she lightly gripped the object. Holy shit, Sō had hidden Kenma’s game in her bag. She sighed pulling it out, carefully slipping her papers into her bag, standing. She should probably deliver the device, the only place she knew where they might be was the gym. She started to head there glancing at the device occasionally. God, when was the last time she held one of these? She lifted it between her hands glancing down at the screen, is it still alive? She ran her fingers over the buttons until she found the one, the screen lighting up. This is pretty cool. She pressed the button, a screen with folders of games loading up. Wow, with volleyball practice daily, she wouldn’t have thought he would’ve had much time for games. She flicked through the games until a familiar app caught her attention, she remembered this game. She opened the game, the catchy melody playing quietly, the small character loading up. She glanced up nearing the door, she has time to play, she doubted that he'd even notice.  She pressed play as she clumsily opened the door stepping out into the cool outdoors. She started to play, chuckling to herself as she went level through level. This is kinda fun. Suddenly her body connects with another, freezing to the spot as she’s suddenly doused in shock. Oh fuck. She lowered the game hastily slipping it behind her back, lifting her eyes to meet multiple pairs staring at her. Fuck, one set of the eyes were familiar to her. Too familiar. 
“Look who it is,” the emerald eyes beamed, throwing her blonde hair over her shoulder, “our little majesty.”
Akasuki took a breath of air as she prepared herself for the worst. Of course, it had to be her she ran into, not anyone else, her. One of the boys reached forward cupping Akasuki’s face,
“how about introducing us, Rei?”
She lowered her eyes to the ground staring at their feet. Even hearing her name made Akasuki clench her teeth. Rei pulled the boy's hand away,
“I wouldn’t touch her. We don’t know what type of diseases she might have.”
The boy laughed, brushing his blond hair out of his chiselled face,
“where you going?”
Akasuki didn’t reply, she had nothing to say to them. Well, actually she didn’t have the courage to say anything to them. A pair of hands suddenly shoved Akasuki’s chest causing her to stumble back,
“he asked a question, rat.”
Akasuki caught herself, fingers tightly grasping Kenma’s device. It’s okay, just, Akasuki tried to gather her thoughts remaining calm, don’t freak out. She lifted her eyes as another hand came flying towards her, connecting square with her cheek. Her mouth dropped open from shock and pain, Kenma’s game almost slipping from her fingers. Before Akasuki could respond, they had all burst out laughing shoving past her strolling towards the school. What the fuck, she clenched her fingers around the game letting out an angry growl, for fuck sake, if So hadn’t hidden the game in her bag, there would’ve been no need for her to come this way. She furrowed her brows storming towards the gym, nothing fun ever lasts. She threw open the gym doors to the boys standing around the court facing one another in small talk. Her eyes shot to Kenma sat on the bench. That was it. The water had slipped through her fingers.
“I found your stupid game,” Akasuki spoke clear and loudly, lifting her hand holding it up like a trophy.
Kenma’s eyes slowly widened at the sight of his game. Such a stupid thing to become angry over, there’s more important things in life. She clenched her hand around it furrowing her brows, but she knew this would happen, she couldn’t stay burrowed her entire life. Her lips parted, a small sigh slipping out as they quivered, it’s a game. A game where she couldn’t win. She slowly looked to the boys lowering her hand, such a pathetic girl, how could Akasuki let her defence down? Her defence, her hand loosened around the device as she suddenly threw it underarm at the closest boy turning on her heels, lips quivering as the tears brimmed in her eyes. She brought up her hand to cover her face as she stormed out, it was always her. Why her? Why? Akasuki burst into a run towards the school, sprinting through the corridors back to her class, returning to her seat. Why did she even try?
Akasuki’s attention was lifted from the board as the bell begun to ring alerting the students to the end of class. She stayed seated, her mind wondering into the abyss. Now would be the time she would’ve went to the gym to see the boys, but of course, she had ruined that possibility and it’d just be embarrassing for her to return without a good explanation. Akasuki was not about to spill her guts to those boys any time soon. She slowly lifted her body, but she should probably go home instead of sitting here like an idiot. She pulled her bag over her shoulder exiting the class, sluggishly making her way through the corridor slipping into the light evening. Something was nibbling at her conscience. She sighed lifting her hand to stroke her cheek that had been harmed, maybe it was the mark of her past burning into her body. Or, her eyes drifted in the direction of the gym, possibly her irrational behaviour towards them. She felt a tug on her shirt as a quiet voice began to speak,
“Aka, Akasuki,”
Who is it now? She turned around to face them, Yuki’s face turning away from her, Tamahiko stood beside him. Oh.
“Hi,” Akasuki spoke quietly glancing between the pair, “is everything okay?”
Yuki nodded still facing away. Did she do something? Maybe her outburst this morning scared him. She wouldn’t be surprised. Tamahiko cleared his throat,
“we’re now heading to practice, are you coming?”
Akasuki frowned shaking her head,
“I think it’s best if I don’t.”
There was a chance the seed of hatred had already been planted. Yuki’s hand shot out grabbing a hold of Akasuki’s hand starting to pull her towards the gym, hang on,
“we need you!”
What is this kid doing? Akasuki looked up to Tamahiko who was following them. She was confused at what was happening, what provoked him to suddenly grab her? She yanked her hand away rubbing her wrist fear filling her head,
“Yuki, use your words, please.”
He suddenly stopped, his eyes widening as he bowed down to Akasuki,
“I’m so sorry!”
This boy, shit, his actions and his words, they reminded her of a helpless child, she couldn’t disappoint him, she wouldn’t be able to live with herself. She smiled softly as she continued to walk glancing back at the pair,
“you coming or not?”
Yuki’s frown switched to a grin as he sprinted towards her, the three of them arriving together at the gym. She pressed her hands hesitantly against the door, taking a deep breath, she guessed that confrontation is the only option she had now. Tamahiko gave her a brief smile,
“you're not going to storm in angrily again, are you?”
Akasuki chuckled shaking her head.
“good, even though it was cool, your silence was kind of scary.”
“Right, I’m sorry about that,” she whispered.
Tamahiko shrugged, pushing the door open, Yuki slipping through, Akasuki following then Tamahiko last. She glanced up at the boys who were in deep in practice.
“Sorry we’re late,” Tamahiko called dropping his bag down to the floor.
They were late? She glanced up at the time, wow, maybe she sat in that room longer than she had thought. Yuki copied suit, the pair jogging over to the boys. Akasuki gazed over to them catching Kuroo’s eyes who nodded in the direction of the bench. Akasuki followed his nod landing on Kenma sat playing his game. Right, she should probably apologise. She slowly made her way over lowering her bag onto the floor, taking a seat beside him,
“hey, so, I’m really sorry for being rude, and throwing your game.”
Kenma didn’t move, his eyes were set on the device. Okay, well that didn’t quite work. Maybe, she should get his attention or something. She glanced at the screen; he was playing the game she opened earlier.
“You got pretty far,” Kenma muttered, “you play?”
Right, maybe games were the best form of communication. Akasuki shrugged,
“it’s the only way I can entertain my brothers.”
That and playing football or reading to them. Odd kids.
“Right,” he muttered closing the game pulling up the folder with other games in it, pausing at specific games, “I think these are good for kids.”
Akasuki tried to memorise the games he showed her. Right, hopefully she can remember those. But why did he completely ignore her apology?
“Hey, Kenma!” Tetsurō called.
Kenma lifted his head with a nod, placing the game on the bench making his way towards Tetsurō.  She gazed at the boys who began to throw balls for one another. Maybe she shouldn’t have assumed they were going to be angry. Especially him. Her eyes fluttered to Kenma, it’s as if the device was a catalyst to contain his anger. A small smile twisted onto her face as she pulled out her notebook, titling the page, ‘the rules'.
Near to the end of practice, Tetsurō jogged over, hunching to look down at Akasuki’s notes sticking his tongue out as he pulled the pen from her fingers, writing notes next to her sentences,
“Akasuki,” he lifted his eyes to meet hers, “do you want to talk about what happened earlier?”
She wasn’t sure. She felt like she should but in the briefest way possible,
“I, ran into an old friend,” she lowered her eyes to the ground, an old friend.
Tetsurō's hand brushed against her cheek lifting her face, what was it with these guys being so handsy? Narrowing his eyes to stare into hers,
“is someone messing with you?”
What?
“No,” she blurted, pulling away slamming her book shut, “no.”
Tetsurō frowned watching Akasuki grab her bag, hurrying out of the gym. She took a deep breath, that wasn’t obvious at all was it? She sighed brushing her hair back as she gazed into the darkened sky,
“you’re such an idiot.”
“Yep,” a voice agreed.
Akasuki spun around in shock to see Tetsurō standing behind her. Jesus, he was quick and quiet. He shook his head,
“tell me the truth.”
The truth.
“I ran into an old friend,” Akasuki repeated, that’s the truth
Tetsurō furrowed his brows,
“If someone's messing with you, you need to tell us.”
“Tell you?” Akasuki whispered.
“Yes, tell us,” Tetsurō repeated again more seriously, “or just me.”
“Why?” Akasuki asked rolling her eyes.
“Don’t do that,” Tetsurō warned, “you’re on my team, you are my problem now.”
His problem now. Before Akasuki couldn’t even think about what was happening, her lips began to move,
“this girl from the year above me, we used to be friends, I accidentally walked into her playing Kenma’s stupid game and she hit me, or one of her friends did, I don’t remember.”
Despite pretending to be as cut of as she could from everyone, there were still cracks that let things in. It didn’t help she had a weakness for those with leader like qualities who care for others. Tetsurō sighed heavily putting his hands on his hips as he stared at her. He must be angry at her. She frowned lowering her stare to the ground,
“I’m sorry.”
“So, you’re being bullied?” Tetsurō asked curiously.
“No,” Akasuki muttered, “it was the first time in months.”
“In months,” Tetsurō scoffed, “alright, in morning, at lunch, in the evenings, you will be here with us.”
What is he on about?
“Alright?” Tetsurō growled.
He’s only protecting her, right? Akasuki nodded slowly. He proceeded to drape something over her shoulders,
“get some rest, we’ll see you tomorrow.”
She nodded, gazing at the dinosaur scarf she had lent to Taketora. He must have given it to Tetsuro so he could return it, he must be pretty nervous around girls then.
By the end of the week, Akasuki had managed to create multiple pages of notes about volleyball, alongside the continuous interrogations from Tetsurō.