Restart (Aokuro)

Prologue

KUROKO ENTERED THE SCHOOL with no plans in mind. He held his book close to him, eyes focusing on the tiny words printed on the object. The students around him were busy looking and signing up for clubs. Loud cheers and persuasions echoed the garden.

Kuroko tried not to let it bother him when people bumped into him, completely unaware of his presence. He was just too silent and invisible — no one would notice him unless he spoke up, or caused a scene.

Kuroko walked past the basketball club's booth, and like the other clubs, the members of the team were walking around and giving out flyers, asking students who were eligible to join their team. Kuroko had always loved basketball, but knowing himself, he knew he was bad at it, so there wasn't really a reason for him to sign up for the team. He'd only be useless anyway.

Bowing his head, Kuroko quickened his pace to increase the distance between him and the basketball club's booth. His escape plan was succeeding at first, until he bumped into someone tall in accident.

The purple-haired student turned around in confusion, not knowing Kuroko was the one who bumped into him.

"Eh?" He murmured. "I swore someone bumped into me. Ah ~ maybe I'm hallucinating. This hunger is killing me."

"Um, excuse me," Kuroko waved his hand a little, trying to get the taller boy's attention. It was a little bit difficult for Kuroko, since he was three heads shorter than the other boy. "Down here!"

Murasakibara glanced down, eyes widening in surprise to see a small-sized boy. Kuroko offered an apologetic smile, but his expression changed when the purple-haired placed his big hand on Kuroko's head.

"Touch me again and I'll crush you."

Kuroko gulped at that statement. After nodding his head, Murasakibara smiled a small smile before turning around. He seemed like a nice person, so Kuroko followed him from behind.

"Eh? You're still here?" Murasakibara flashed an amused look when he saw Kuroko trailing behind him like a small puppy.

"I've got nowhere else to go." The pale boy answered. The taller boy glanced around before shrugging his broad shoulders, and they ended up walking around the school together.

Kuroko smiled in awe as he noticed the way people looked up to the tall student. Murasakibara doesn't seem affected by it, though, only mumbling the names of the snacks that he was planning to get once school ended. The pale boy chuckled in amusement, finding that adorable.

No one noticed Kuroko during the whole walk, which was expected. Murasakibara almost forgot that the small boy was always near him. Kuroko was too quiet and his presence was never felt.

Kuroko was perfectly fine at first, already getting used to the lack of attention he was receiving. That was, until his eyes met darker ones. He was expecting the tanned boy to look away, but their gaze remained connected.

And that was when Kuroko realised Aomine could see him, and he didn't know what to feel about that. The tanned boy only frowned before getting up from the bench and walking away, leaving Kuroko confused.

"This is boring," Murasakibara whined. "Let's go somewhere else, I'm hungry."

"Ah - yes." Kuroko blinked before catching up to the tallest boy he's ever met, trying his best not to think too much about the previous event.