The reason why this book exist is because I'm having a Kuko brainrot right now and I haven't written in a while so here we go,,,, I love this feral cat with rabies so much and i've been listening to young gun of the sun for the whole day now that it will surely show in my most played songs in my spotify
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As you walked around the quiet streets of Nagoya on your way home after work, you focused your eyes on the road, and the warm hues of autumn surrounded you. It is already the third week of September and the air is starting to get colder than before. You thought that it would be great to start adding more layers in your outfit when you go to work on Monday, so you made a mental note for yourself to not forget about it.
Raising your left hand for a bit with you bringing your eyes on your wrist watch, it says that the time was already 16:49 – you always end your work at 16:30 and you prefer to keep it that way – which means that you've been walking for a while now. Sure, your working place is just a walking distance from your apartment, but it's still an ordeal to go to, especially for a person like you who doesn't have a lot of stamina.
Bringing your attention back to your surroundings; Your eyes wandered at the trees that surrounded the area – there weren't any cars that passed by you, so the only noise that you could hear were your footsteps. A loud, crunchy sound was heard when you passed by a spot on the sidewalk where most fallen leaves gathered. When you were younger, you remembered how much you liked stepping on dead leaves because of the crunchy noise they make – it was still the same as of now, but that enthusiasm has toned down unlike before. The thought brought a smile to your lips; it was an innocent, childlike hobby that somehow you weren't aware of until you thought about it just now.
Shaking your head as you let out a chuckle, you dismissed the thought and set your mind to the things that you planned for this weekend – your well deserved rest. You thought of doing some grocery shopping this week, or maybe do some general cleaning since it has been a long time since you last did that. Or maybe–
Your thoughts were cut off when you glanced on a familiar red tori that was standing at the side of the sidewalk along with trees. It was the entrance for the Kugen Temple – a place you've been to a lot of times ever since you were a child. Speaking of the temple, it's been a while since you've seen Kuko, isn't it?
As you passed by the shrine, your head was turned to its direction; Eyes wandering around the area as you looked for your childhood friend. Looking around, it seems like no one was outside. So even if you wanted to greet Mr. Harai at least, that wouldn't happen for today.
A sigh escaped from your lips before closing your eyes and turned your head back to the path in front of you. It was disappointing that you didn't see anyone you knew, so you dismissed the thought of meeting Kuko even for a little bit.
Occupied with your thoughts, you were focused on just walking and didn't even hear the footsteps that were following behind you. It was already too late when you noticed it when you snapped out of your thoughts as a sudden contact at the each side of your waist was poked.
The gesture made you let out a loud shriek and then a shiver followed from your back up to your neck. Your eyes widened and you quickly turned your head behind you to see the very person you were longing for–
"Kuko, you and your jokes!" you yelled, unconsciously raising your voice as the said man's laughter followed. You looked at his golden pair of eyes, long eyelashes fluttering as he blinked, and the tears pricked at the corner of his eyes that it was so noticeable and you couldn't help but be angry at him.
"You–!" Kuko started, still in his fit of laughter and you waited for him to finish his sentence even though it actually took a while for him to calm down and collect himself, "That's the first thing you're saying to me after not seeing me for a while..?"
He couldn't help but let out a chuckle after saying that. You only raised an eyebrow from his response, making Kuko let out a triumphant smirk – he missed seeing your reactions that he loved. Even if it took weeks not being able to see you, it was so worth it tickling you on the waist by poking it with his pointing fingers and it works every time he does it.
"It's not my fault for being busy, you know." you replied, now crossing your arms on your chest and looked at him. "...and you? How's everything going with the shrine?"
Kuko shoved a hand on the pocket of his jacket, "Eh, I'm doing good." he responded with a shrug and you smacked his arm playfully by lightly punching him which brought back the smile in his face, "Well, don't mind that – ya wanna go visit the shrine now if yer not busy?"
You nodded your head, "Yeah, sure." you said and followed behind him as the two of you made your way to the shrine. "It's been a long time since I prayed at the shrine."
"Wasn't it like, months ago?" Kuko said as he recollected his memories about your response, "–In spring when you were starting your first day at work, yeah?"
You hummed in response and saw Kuko pausing for a moment and waited for you to take a step beside him so that he could walk with you side by side. The gesture made you confused for a second, but shrugged off the thought as him being thoughtful or something – he's a great guy with manners and all, but thanks to his personality and that mouth of his, sometimes it's really easy to forget that he's a good friend who treated you gently while teasing you from time to time.
It was probably nothing, and so you decided to ignore the thought.
The two of you reached the offering box and Kuko took a step away from you, now leaning his back at one of the pillars of the shrine. He watched you take out your wallet from your bag and threw a few coins in the box before lightly pulling the rope in front of you. You took your time praying, and Kuko stood there, waiting for you.
Now that he got to see you again after a while, a smile lingered in his face.
Both of his hands were shoved on his jacket's pockets, as if trying to hide his excitement and tried his best not to show anything in his face how happy he is to spend time with you.
Kuko couldn't help but notice how a piece of your hair fell from your ear, which blocked the view of your side profile from his sight. It was a little disappointing, but he had this urge to come up to you and sway that hair away from your face so that he could get to see your face a little bit longer.
After praying, you bowed in front of the offering box. You turned your eyes towards Kuko, who hummed in response and walked towards your direction. Looking at your eyes, he could see how they glint in happiness as you said, "Hey, is it okay to drop in and have some tea with you?"
He smirked and lifted his hand up to reach on your head, then ruffled it so that he could mess up your hair, making you glare at him in protest, "And now you're inviting yourself to my home?" Kuko chuckled and shoved his hand in his pockets once again, "Did ya really miss me that much?"
A glint of mischievousness in his golden, cat-like eyes that you loved were in display as you gaze up to him. Your cheeks heated up for a bit from the way he worded things, "S-Shut up!"
Kuko couldn't help but just laugh from your flustered reaction.
The two of you entered his home, and his dad – Mr. Harai – greeted you cheerfully and had a little chat with you just asking about how you were and stuff before leaving you alone with his son. Speaking of the son, he told you to sit on the veranda while he prepared some tea. You told him that you didn't mind helping, just like back then, but you were quickly denied and was asked to be seated instead.
Oh well, at least you could just sit down here and admire the autumn view in their yard.
The pile of the leaves on the ground were red – crimson even, and the color is very similar to Kuko's natural hair color that you chuckled at when you thought of it. The sight reminded you of when Kuko was much younger and his hair was bright red back then. It was so normal for you that when you looked at normal people who had the usual black or brown color, it shocked you that those were a normal hair color for everyone to have.
Well, it's not like Kuko's normal or anything – he's more like a feral cat with rabies when he was in his teens, but now he's... tamed....? Well considering that he doesn't really go around and beat up people anymore?
Occupied with your thoughts once again, you were surprised when you felt a warm breath on your ear, "You're spaced out again." and then it reached your neck – which made you quickly turn your head towards Kuko.
His eyes widened from how close your face was to his; Kuko wasn't expecting you to look at his way, let alone having your face this close to the point that he can just seal the gap with a kiss – but he ain't gonna ruin his longtime friendship with you, he's satisfied with you being by his side, and really – that's enough for him.
Kuko watched your cheeks heat up, turning you into a blushing mess. Noticing your reaction, he instinctively straightened his posture so that he can give you some space and hopefully collect yourself. You bashfully turned your head on the side, the blush was still sitting in your face as you fiddled with your thumb.
As if nothing happened just now, he took a seat next to you with the tray of tea on the back. He already poured tea in the cup before giving it to you and you offered him a smile as a small thank you before taking it off from his hands. You felt your fingers brushing against his hands, which in turn, made your blush worse and you're sure as hell that he noticed that.
You weren't sure if he's going to tease you again, but when you looked back at him, he took his teacup and took a sip from it. Your gaze was still glued at him, and you noticed that the tip of his ears were colored red – on this point, you're not sure if it's because of his hair or you needing a new pair of glasses because you might be imagining things, or that it's actually real.
Unsure of it, you put down the teacup on the tray and lifted your hand and reached towards Kuko's right ear. You felt him stiffen from your touch, but did not question it as he looked at you at his side.
Your thumb runs across his ear where you could feel the cold, metal piercings that he has before your pointing finger enveloped the back of the top of his ear and your thumb caressing it. Naturally curious, you brought yourself much closer to him and you felt him turn his head towards your direction in surprise.
Kuko's cheeks were starting to heat up too, as well as his ears; It appears that it wasn't an imagination after all – it was real and it's a wonder why he's blushing like that.
"Are you, perhaps, sick?" you asked, now bringing your other hand to his shoulder so that you could support yourself when you change your position and brought him closer so that you can feel his forehead on yours. You blinked, eyes locked with his and Kuko could feel his hands starting to sweat from fluster–
"It doesn't seem like you're sick, though?"
"You're the one who assumed that, you idiot."
Your cheeks puffed into a pout, hand still on his shoulder while your faces were still close. As if your face wasn't this close earlier before you got flustered.
In a sudden, you felt Kuko's arm at the side of your waist, wrapping it and brought your body closer to his. "If you're going that far to tease me – wouldn't it be much better if you'd be direct instead?"
You let out a chuckle before replying, "I'm not teasing you, though? You're the one doing all that."
Kuko moved his head away from you, which made you drop your touch from his ear and instead of falling on the ground, he caught it with his other hand – now wrapping his fingers between yours.
Kuko threw all his doubts from earlier in the window while thinking how fucked he'll be if you rejected his advances.
"You're oblivious as fuck, (Name)." Kuko said, "–then why bring your face close like earlier? If you repeat that in the future, I'll kiss you." You blinked from his statement and swallowed the lump in your throat, "...do it, then."
With that one word you let out, Kuko made his way to seal the gap between the two of you.
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