Spark | Kuroko no Basuke x OC

Driven to a Corner

Tomoko blinked mid-celebration with the confused but content giant, "But you said you liked Keiko-san?"

"I do!"

"Why can't you like Mura-kun then?" she asked with a frown. "That's not fair. What did he do to you?"

"That's because—" Ichirou knew his sister has always been dense, but did he need to say it out loud? "Tomoko, do you know why I established the BLT when you started junior high?"

"...Because you're weird?"

Keiko and Himuro chuckled at the girl's blunt response as Ichirou's eyes widened with a start.

"What? I-Is that what you really think of me?"

"I will love you no matter how weird you are, Ichi-nii," Tomoko smiled sincerely, completely missing the male's distress. "But you have to try and be nicer to my friends."

"That's just it..." he grumbled instead. "Your 'friends' see you as more than that! I made BLT to protect your purity. I have to approve of them before they even think about asking you out."

"...Huh?" The girl was genuinely confused now. This is where Keiko finally stepped in.

"Tomoko-chan," she asked. "Are you aware of how people see you? Let's take your blue-haired teammate for instance. Do you think he sees you as just a friend?"

"Yes," Tomoko nodded confidently, but seeing the woman's concerned expression, she faltered slightly. "Does Tetsuya-kun not see me as a friend...?"

Keiko saw the devastation in the girl's eyes and knew that she had misunderstood her question. The girl was completely tactless when it came to relationships and could not decipher the difference between the other side liking her as a friend and liking her romantically. She had in mind that it was partially Ichirou's fault for sheltering her so much that she never had anyone other than 'friends' by her side.

"Of course he does," Keiko explained and saw the relief wash over her face. "But let's just say hypothetically that he likes you more than a friend. Like he wants to go on dates with you and hold hands. What would you do?"

"I would crush Kuro-chin," Murasakibara answered for the confused girl and Ichirou had to mentally give the giant a high-five.

The purple haired woman shot her brother an amused look. While her brother was just as dense, it was only because the male had a one-track mind and never cared for anything except his snacks. She was excited to know that when he was interested in someone that he can come to terms with it. "Or let's say it was Atsu-chan or someone else... You can always like a lot of people, but when you love someone, you'll know because they will make your heart skip a beat. Does anyone come to mind?"

Does anyone... Make my heart skip a beat...?

Tomoko was like a fish out of water with the way her mouth opened and closed without anything coming out. Everything the woman asked seemed too overwhelming for her brain to wrap around. It was something she never thought about and so these hypothetical scenarios was really throwing her for a loop.

"I, um..."

Seeing the poor girl getting tongue-tied, Himuro finally decided to come between them.

"The match is almost at the fourth quarter. I think Okuma-san should return to her team before they start to worry."

"...Oh!" Tomoko's attention was immediately pulled away and instead drawn to the time on the wall. "Y-You're right! I should go back before I miss too much."

"Atsushi and I want to watch the rest of the game as well. We'll walk you out," Himuro offered in place of his friend. Though Murasakibara looked unamused with the prospect of going back to watch the match, he nodded slowly because it was a chance to lose his sister. He pulled at her arm gently.