9 YEARS AGO
"Hey Kuroo.." Bokuto greets Kuroo in a very unenthusiastic tone. Kuroo sighed while watching Bokuto with a worried expression in his face.
He sat beside Bokuto and took a deep breath, "So? What happened again?"
Bokuto chuckled, "You instantly assumed that something wrong is going on?"
Kuroo nods, "It's so obvious with your face. You're literally posing as if your world is ending.."
"And every time you want to meet up with just us, you're always telling me your problems or the opposite." Kuroo adds.
"It's just that...Akaashi's family business went bankrupted. He also started working miles away from school, to avoid getting caught.."
Kuroo listened, "And? Why are you worried?"
"I'm worried about Akaashi's wellness, I don't want him to exhaust his body so much. He goes to school, then train for volleyball, and go to work. That's so difficult, I'm so worried.." Bokuto sighed multiple of times.
"You stopped hanging out with him too?" Kuroo asked.
"It's for him, so that he won't feel too tired. I want him to rest instead," Bokuto says.
"Are you okay with that? Why don't you just suggest to him to quit volleyball for the mean time?" Kuroo asked.
Bokuto pouts, "I want to say that to him too, but he's really enjoying volleyball and I don't want to see him sad."
Kuroo pressed his lips together, listening to Bokuto worry everything about Akaashi. Kuroo glanced at Bokuto and he can clearly see that he himself is also having a hard time.
Kuroo cleared his throat, "How about you? You okay?"
"I'm fine." Bokuto said.
'Liar.' Kuroo instantly thought. But he did not push Bokuto to tell him the truth.
"So what will you do? About Akaashi?" Kuroo asked.
Bokuto smiled, "I'll just try my best to be at his side at all times and be there whenever he needs me. Because right now, all I can do is be there for him and support him."
"You're always there for him..how about him? Is he always there for you?" Kuroo asked Bokuto.
Bokuto's smile disappeared, "What do you mean? Akaashi's always there for me too."
Kuroo nods and smiled, "Yeah yeah. But let me say this to you.."
"In a relationship there should always be two people working to make it strong and unwavering. If the other one stops, the whole foundation falls. You can't just work alone to make it stable," Kuroo said to Bokuto.
Which is true. Everything Kuroo said to Bokuto was true, in a relationship it's always a give and take situation, you can't just receive all the time or give all the time. It's balanced.
Bokuto sighed and stepped inside Fukurodani's entrance and decided to wait for Akaashi on one of the school benches near the entrance.
"Bokuto-san!" Akaashi calls, then approached Bokuto.
Bokuto waved his hand at Akaashi, "Hey. So? How's work?"
Akaashi glanced at the time through his watch and sat beside Bokuto after knowing that there's still a plenty of time left before their class starts.
"Bokuto-san.."
"Yeah?"
"The truth is, I met Inoue weeks ago. He suddenly appeared when I'm on my way to work, then he started talking about his feelings for me and such-"
"Wait! He confessed?" Bokuto asked, cutting off Akaashi because he's surprised.
Akaashi nodded, "Yeah but don't worry. I rejected him then he said that he'll do everything for our relationship to be destroyed."
Bokuto looks at Akaashi's face that's full of worry and fear. Bokuto doesn't like seeing Akaashi like that.
He smiled for Akaashi and pats his head multiple of times," Hey. It's okay, don't worry. Do you actually believe that he can destroy our relationship? Just don't let yourself be provoked by him and always have someone around you.."
"Don't go off alone, because he might grab that chance to hurt you." Bokuto said, and smiled at Akaashi.
Akaashi might be calm and composed most of the times but there is one thing that's Bokuto is sure.
When he's panicking or feeling scared he starts ovethinking about things and becomes really nervous.
Akaashi took a deep breath to calm himself, "You too. Don't go off alone, please."
Bokuto showed a bright smile at Akaashi, "Don't worry about me! I won't let myself be harmed by Inoue!"
That's what he said to Akaashi, but everything you say sometimes might not come true at all. Bokuto doesn't want Akaashi to see him like this, he doesn't want Akaashi to see him as a weak person.
He tried his best to be tough, though his mood swings sometimes destroys that. But, most of the times, he wants Akaashi to rely at him at all times.
Bokuto sighed as he lay on the bed inside their school clinic, reaching out for his phone to call Kuroo.
"Yeah?" gladly, he answered.
"You're not in class?" Bokuto asks.
Kuroo chuckled, "Are you?"
"I'm..." Bokuto paused for a while, "I'm in the school clinic, with a sprained ankle."
"What? Wait, what? You never got yourseld injured in school, what happened?" Worry is starting to overflow in Kuroo's voice.
"Inoue happened. I met him earlier, he snuck inside the school." Bokuto said and closed his eyes shut.
"That crazy fucker, if ever I saw him I'll really beat him up.." Kuroo said with so much frustration in his voice. "What did he say and do?"
Bokuto glanced at the entrance of the school clinic, making sure no one's going to hear what he's going to say.
"We talked..about Akaashi. He said that if I continue being with him, he'll harm Akaashi." Bokuto bit his lower lip trying to prevent his tears.
"I don't want to see Akaashi hurting. So, I plead. I plead to him not to hurt Akaashi." Bokuto explains.
"What did that asshole say? I swear to god Bokuto if ever you made another risky decision I'll smack you." Kuroo says.
Bokuto chuckcled, "It's not that deep."
"He said that instead he'll make me suffer, of course not including my friends or my family. Just me. He said if I can withstand everything he'll do, he'll leave us alone.." Bokuto says.
Kuroo went quiet for a while.
"Dumbass. Don't be stupid Bo, do you actually believe that he'll do that? He won't leave you two alone until he gets Akaashi!" Kuroo angrily said. He's pissed off, not at Bokuto.
"But, if I don't agree...Akaashi will be hurt. He already reported about Akaashi working and Akaashi cried to me after that day..I...I don't like seeing Akaashi cry."
Bokuto's voice started to tremble because of a memory of Akaashi crying while saying to him about his frustration about his parents finding out about the job.
And them accepting Inoue's mother's business partnership.
"Bokuto! Think about yourself too! What do you think he'll do to you? Do you think he'll just make your ankle like that and stop?! He might do worse! You know him," Kuroo said over the phone.
"It's fine." Bokuto cleared his throat to make it normal and whole.
"I'll just have to withstand it. Then everything will go back to normal," Bokuto said.
Kuroo let out a very loud sigh, "We will talk tomorrow. I'll visit you home."
Bokuto laughs a bit, "Okay."
Thank goodness Bokuto stopped himself from crying hard, because minutes later after the call there was Akaashi. Running towards the clinic and so worried about him.
"What happened? Are you okay? I heard you were brought here.." Akaashi worriedly asked Bokuto, making Bokuto smile.
"Oh...I don't know much since I lost consciousness but I remember seeing Inoue." Bokuto lied.
He have to. But not about seeing Inoue.
Bokuto's life became hell, to the point that he doesn't even want to step out of his house since he know Inoue's going to do something again.
He had to bring extra-uniforms in school everyday, because he doesn't want Akaashi to see some stains in his clothes. He even had to wash his own clothes because he's afraid his mom would notice.
2 weeks have passed with those things going on. It was so tiring, Bokuto's starting to feel really scared to even sleep at night because Inoue might come.
But when he wakes up and goes to school, he's happy upon seeing Akaashi's beautiful face. As long as he's fine.
"Bokuto." Kuroo is serious, as he looks at Bokuto who's sitting on the bench at the park where they usually meet.
Bokuto looks up, "Yo!"
"Stop the act. I know you're not okay." Kuroo said seriously.
Bokuto's smile fell and stream of tears started to flow down from his eyes, while trying to prevent any whimper from coming out from his mouth.
Kuroo sat beside Bokuto, "What happened, I'm really mad right now, tell me what happened."
"I..I think I won't be able to play volleyball anymore..."
With just those words being said to Kuroo, he felt like his breathing stopped and looked at Bokuto.
"What! Why?" He asked, his mouth literally hanged open.
Without volleyball, Bokuto won't be Bokuto.
"My ankle hurts so much Kuroo.." Bokuto cries. "Kuroo it hurts, everywhere.."
Kuroo bit his lower lip, "Let's go. Let's go to the hospital, let's get you checked up."
Bokuto sniffs, "Every time I jump..it would hurt.."
"Shh, yes I know. Now let's go, let's get you treated. I won't let you stop playing," Kuroo says.
Kuroo was so mad, so mad that he want to hurt Inoue as much as he is hurting Bokuto.
Thankfully, nothing serious is happening with Bokuto's body. It's that the bones in his ankles are swelling because of being continously broken.
Kuroo balled his palm into a fist.
"Let's tell Akaashi-"
"NO!" Bokuto immediately refused. "Just...no.."
Kuroo just stood there, while seeing so much fear and worry at Bokuto's face.
"He'll be mad at me if he'll know what I just did to stop him from being harm.." Bokuto said and lay down on the hospital bed again.
"And your mom? She'll wonder why you aren't coming home because of that," Kuroo said and pointed at Bokuto's foot cast.
"Just tell her I'm staying at your house for a meantime, please Kuroo, don't let them be involve in this. I can manage." Bokuto mumbles and fell asleep.
Kuroo felt so stupid. If only he told Bokuto's mother and also Akaashi about what is happening things wouldn't turned out like this.
Skipping his class, Kuroo ran through the hospital's corridors when he heard what just Bokuto's mom told him over the phone about Bokuto.
When he reached Bokuto's room, his heart broke into pieces when he saw Bokuto lying on the hospital bed wrapped with bandages around his body and a cast in his arm and ankle.
'Fuck. Just what the hell.'
That time Kuroo's emotion were mixed, specially when his mother just told him a very bad information that may tear Bokuto's life into pieces.
"Tetsu-kun..please can you tell Bokuto about it instead? I can't take it if I'm the one who'll say it.."
Kuroo showed a tired smile, "Okay..Sure. I'll do it."
Bokuto's mother nods, "A boy named Akaashi visited yesterday, I think he'll come back here again.."
Kuroo did not say anything, he doesn't want to hear anything about Akaashi, or Inoue. He just can't accept what happened to Bokuto.
Bokuto is innocent from all of this. If only he acted much more earlier, to prevent these things from happening.
"I'll just head home to get Bokuto's change of clothes, I'll be back immediately.." Bokuto's mom said and left the room.
There's a deafening silence all over the room, making Kuroo hear his thoughts more clearly.
"Kuroo?" When Kuroo heard Bokuto's voice he was cut off from his thoughts and he instantly sat on the stool placed beside Bokuto's bed.
"Hey, how are you?" Kuroo asked.
Bokuto smiled, "I'm fine. Also, Inoue said to me that this will be the last time. He said if I'm okay after this, he'll finally stop.."
Kuroo clenched his fists, "I see...that's good.."
Bokuto looks at Kuroo, "Are you okay? You don't look so good."
Kuroo smiled at Bokuto, "I am. Anyway, there is something important I need to tell you."
Bokuto rremained attentive, "Yeah? What is it?"
Kuroo opened his mouth to say something but wasn't able to say anything when suddenly Akaashi barged in inside Bokuto's room.
Kuroo looked at Akaashi, he looks...tired too.
Everyone is tired. Kuroo's sure that Bokuto is also tired but he's just trying his best to be tough.
When Akaashi asked if it's possible if he can talk with Bokuto alone, he immediately stepped out the room. He needs some fresh air to breath too.
He still doesn't have the courage to tell Bokuto about what Bokuto's Mom told him to say to Bokuto.
Kuroo was outside the hospital and trying to calm his mind and emotions, he needs to be composed. This news shouldn't affect Bokuto much, after all, he's okay, and Inoue will finally stop.
Minutes passed of Kuroo calming himself, he saw Akaashi rushing out of the hospital with so much tears in his eyes but no whimpers coming from him.
There's also no emotion in Akaashi's eyes but he's crying so hard.
And Kuroo immediately thought of Bokuto when he saw Akaashi crying, 'did something happen?'
What surprised him the most when he saw Bokuto also coming out of the hospital rushing towards Akaashi, wiping his own tears using his uninjured hand and trying to smile.
"Akaashi!" Kuroo heard Bokuto called Akaashi's name.
Kuroo instantly approached Bokuto, "Hey..hey, what's happening?"
"Call Akaashi please, bring him here, please, we need to talk, I still have to talk with him, this can't be happening. I did what Inoue told me, he can't be breaking up with me. No..I won't allow it." Bokuto is panicking, as he walk towards Akaashi.
Kuroo looked at Akaashi's back and turned to Bokuto who's trying his best to smile for Akaashi who's not even looking back at him.
Kuroo was frozen in place, he doesn't know what to do. He needs to stay with Bokuto, but Bokuto wants him to go for Akaashi.
"Please Kuroo...get Akaashi, I did my best...I endured everything...please..Kuroo.." Bokuto started crying again.
Kuroo felt like crying. He hates it, seeing Bokuto like this. It's hurting him too.
Bokuto falls on the ground and he immediately crouched down to give Bokuto support, 'Was he walking with his foot cast?'
Kuroo can see nurses coming out from the hospital coming after Bokuto.
"AKAASHI!" Bokuto calls out Akaashi's name.
Kuroo turned his head to look at Akaashi's direction and his eyes widened when he saw what just happened.
' No. No freaking way.'
His eyes immediately turned to Bokuto and when he saw the emotions playing on Bokuto's face. He knew, he knew immediately that he saw. He saw what just happened to Akaashi.
Despite being injured, Bokuto managed to get away from Kuroo's grip and immediately rans towards Akaashi's direct, ignoring the pain in his ankles.
"No.. no.." He continously mumbled.
"No, Akaashi... I must be seeing things, that can't be Akaashi, Akaashi can't be the one who got ran by.." Bokuto started talking to himself, as he walks towards the crowd.
There's also a lot of nurses and emergency staffs coming out to do their job.
Bokuto walked closer and closer. Kuroo ran, he ran as fast as he can to stop Bokuto from seeing Akaashi's face.
Tears are already escaping from Kuroo's eyes, and when he saw Bokuto froze in place. He immediately blocked Bokuto's field of view by standing infront of him.
He held both of his shoulders tight, "Bokuto! Bokuto! Hey!"
Bokuto's eyes were so unexplainable, it was hurt, confused, puzzled, sad, and a lot more.
"Ah, I must be dreaming..that can't be Akaashi, this can't be happening. This must be a dream.." Bokuto mumbled to himself and held his head.
"Ah..Kuroo, are we in a dream? Let's wake up, I don't like this dream, this dream is hurting Akaashi. I don't want to see Akaashi hurting.." Bokuto mumbled.
"Kuroo, let's wake up.." Bokuto tugged Kuroo's shirt, as he tell him that.
"Bokuto. Yeah, let's do that." Kuroo smiled and saw the nurses finally catching up with Bokuto.
But before they can inject something at Bokuto, Bokuto just fainted. Was it because of the extreme emotions he is feeling?
Kuroo doesn't know, he doesn't want to know.
Kuroo felt like it was all his fault, that if he had done better this won't happen. Everything will be alright instead, if only... if only he did everything right.
It took Bokuto 3 days to wake up, and when he woke up, Kuroo just wanted to end everything. He hates it.
"Kuroo, this is strange...Akaashi's still not visiting. His volleyball training should be finished now right?" Bokuto said as he stare at the door.
Kuroo bit his lower lip, "Yeah..maybe he's tired. I'm sure he'll be here tomorrow.."
Bokuto smiles, "Yeah! I can't wait to tell Akaashi that everything will be alright now!"
Kuroo gulped, and smiled. "Yeah, I'm sure he'll be very happy."
"Bokuto...I have something to say.." Kuroo said.
It's better to say this to him while he still can't remember what happened.
"Yeah? What is it?" Bokuto asked with a smile in his face.
"I, uh..talked with your mom last week, and she said some news to me...a bad one.." Kuroo said.
"bad news? It's okay! So what is it?"
Kuroo gulped and took all the courage to say it to Bokuto, "You...you can't play volleyball anymore.."
Bokuto's smile dropped, "W-What?"
Kuroo avoided Bokuto's eyes, "She said that after the doctor reviewed your full body xray, he told your mom that it'll be impossible for you to play volleyball again.."
"What...why? But I'm feeling okay though.." Bokuto asked, confused.
Kuroo held Bokuto's uninjured hand, "Bokuto listen to me, your right wrist and ankle is damaged. They're currently healing right now, but if you'll play one more time, they'll literally break, and worse you'll lose feeling of your right wrist because the nerves are also in a very complicated situation."
Bokuto stares At Kuroo while talking, "No way..I want to be in a professional volleyball team when I grow up. That can't be possible."
"Bokuto please...just listen to me, think about yourself too.."
"Ah..I need to talk with Akaashi, call Akaashi please." Bokuto mumbled, "I want to hear his voice.."
"I miss Akaashi.."
Bokuto started panicking, "Kuroo call Akaashi please, I want to talk to Akaashi, where is Akaashi! Please! Kuroo!"
Kuroo stood up and held Bokuto close making him lean his head on Kuroo's chest, "I'm so sorry....I'm sorry Bokuto..."
"Call Akaashi, Kuroo...please...I just want to hear his voice..."
"You can't...I can't..."
"Why? I just want to hear his voice...even just for a minute..."
Kuroo held Bokuto's shoulder, "Bokuto. Listen to me, please...just listen to me, just this one..I'll bring Akaashi to you but you need to get better first."
"Okay?"
Bokuto nodded, "It's fine...it's fine if I can't play volleyball...It's okay, Akaashi's still here..."
Bokuto fainted. Once again. Kuroo was so lost, he doesn't know what to do with this anymore, Bokuto's mom is also worrying so much about Bokuto.
And when Bokuto woke up, it's the worst thing he could even imagine.
And that's when Kuroo felt so empty.
Kuroo the can of coffee in his hand before slamming it down to the table infront of him.
Then he noticed someone sitting across him, he looked up and saw Konoha, with his red and puffy eyes. He has also been crying.
"How's Bokuto?" Konoha asked, not glancing up at Kuroo.
'Right. Akaashi is in the same hospital with Bokuto.' Kuroo realised.
Kuroo sighed, "Dissociative Amnesia, cause of emotional trauma."
Kuroo heard a small gasped from Konoha. "What part of his memory he can't recall?"
"Everything about Akaashi, Inoue and You."
Konoha pressed his lips together upon hearing that, "I'm sorry..."
"You don't have to apologise, the one who needs to is that fucking asshole Inoue." Kuroo grits his teeth and his jaw tightening because of madness.
"And how's Akaashi?"
Konoha smiles a bit, "Retrograde Amnesia, he can't remember everything."
Kuroo did not say anything, and continued drinking the can of coffee in his hand.
"Inoue's going to bring Akaashi out of the country to continue his medication," Konoha tells Kuroo.
Kuroo glanced at Konoha, "You agreed?"
Konoha chuckled, "I can't do anything about it, our parents feels indebted to Inoue's mother because of how she saved our company."
Kuroo stood up, "Then we won't see you ever again?" He asked, looking down at Konoha.
Konoha smiled and looks up at Kuroo, "Never again."
Kuroo smiled, and Konoha can't figure out if it's a sad one or a relieved one.
"Then this is the end, I hope we won't ever meet again." Kuroo said firmly.
Konoha chuckled, "Cocky bitch. I don't want to see you again too." he joked.
Konoha smiled, "Nice meeting you Kuroo. Also, Kenma and Bokuto. Thanks for the friendship."
Kuroo snorts, "Sure. Bye."
Kuroo turned his back from Konoha, deciding to bury every memory in here and never discuss about it again. Because this time, Kuroo will do everything.
He won't let Bokuto remember everything, he can't take seeing Bokuto hurting like that again. This will be the last time.
This is the end.
to be continued.
・・・
note:
and this is the last time i'll be
writing angst in this chapter istg
im saying this twice becz I don't
like it anymore 😭