Strategy of the Heart (Kuroo x Reader)

Days passed after Y/N's encounter with Kenji, but she had more pressing matters—or rather, an unexpected distraction. Kuroo had been everywhere lately. Every time she turned around, it seemed like he was popping up out of nowhere. It became a common occurrence, something she couldn't exactly explain but, surprisingly, didn't mind either.

"Morning, Y/N!" Kuroo's familiar voice rang out one morning as he jumped out from behind a classroom door.

Y/N flinched, barely containing her gasp. "What the—!" she groaned, her heart racing from the surprise. "Do you seriously enjoy scaring me every day?"

Kuroo leaned against the doorframe, grinning like he'd won a prize. "What? I'm just making sure you're awake for class."

She gave him her signature cold stare. "You're annoying."

"Aw, come on. You'd miss me if I didn't say hi," he teased, unfazed by her glare.

Y/N opened her mouth to retort but realized he might not be wrong. Would I miss it if he suddenly stopped?

Her friend, Rika, watched the interactions from the sidelines with growing amusement. "It's kinda weird that you let him hang around so much," Rika mused one day. "You usually hate when people get too close."

Y/N shrugged, brushing it off. "He's harmless," she said coolly. "Besides, he's persistent."

Rika chuckled. "Yeah, persistent is one word for it."

But the next morning, things felt... different. Kuroo wasn't waiting for her at the front gates like he sometimes did. She scanned the crowd, but he didn't appear out of nowhere, ready to make her jump. She even made it all the way to her locker without being startled, which was, honestly, unsettling. By the time she reached her classroom, Y/N couldn't help but feel like something was off.

Where is he? she wondered, fighting the strange pang of disappointment that she couldn't quite place.

Rika noticed her silence and sidled up next to her. "You okay? You seem... distracted today."

Y/N blinked, shaking her head. "It's nothing," she said, trying to act indifferent, though her mind kept wandering. What could he be up to?

Throughout the morning, she thought about asking Kenma where his friend was, but every time the thought crossed her mind, she hesitated. Why do I even care where he is? It's not like I need him to be around all the time.

Still, as the day dragged on, her curiosity only grew. By the time lunch came around, she was tempted to text him—just to check if he was okay. But the idea of being the one to initiate a conversation felt foreign, so she resisted, shoving her phone back into her pocket.

He's just a senior and a friend. Why do I care so much?

The day passed in a blur of lessons she wasn't paying attention to, and before she knew it, school had ended. She sighed, heading out of the classroom, hoping maybe she'd bump into Kuroo. But no sign of him. Instead, her phone buzzed. She quickly glanced at the screen, half-hoping it was from him, but it was Rika, telling her she had club duties and would be late.

Y/N grumbled under her breath, feeling ridiculous for waiting to hear from Kuroo. What's wrong with me?

Without even realizing it, she found herself walking toward the gym. She paused, standing just outside the door. Why am I even here? It felt like her feet had brought her there on their own, as if she'd been led by instinct.

Inside, the volleyball team was wrapping up practice. She didn't see Kuroo anywhere, but Yaku, Lev, Kenma, and Yamamoto noticed her lingering at the door.

"Yo, Y/N! Looking for someone?" Yaku called out, his tone teasing.

Y/N shook her head quickly, a little too quickly. "No, I was just... passing by."

Lev laughed, not buying it for a second. "You're looking for Kuroo-san, right?"

Y/N shot them a glare but didn't respond.

Kenma, eyes still glued to his handheld game, finally spoke up. "Kuroo's sick. He didn't come to practice today."

"Oh..." Y/N tried to act nonchalant, but there was a slight crease in her brow. "Why didn't you tell me earlier?" she asked, directing her question at Kenma (even though she wanted to ask).

Kenma merely shrugged. "Didn't think it was important."

Yaku rolled his eyes. "This guy, honestly. Anyway, don't worry, he's just at home resting."

Before Y/N could thank them and leave, Kenma added, "If you want to check on him, his house isn't far from here. Here's the address." He rattled it off casually.

Y/N blinked, surprised. "Why are you giving me his address?"

Kenma shrugged again. "You seem worried. Besides, we're neighbors. I figured you might want to know."

Y/N left the gym, feeling oddly conflicted. Why would I visit him? It's not like he's helpless.

Yet, before she knew it, she was standing in front of Kuroo's house. She let out a long sigh, debating whether to knock or leave. This is ridiculous. What am I doing here? Just as she was about to turn and walk away, the door opened, and an older man stepped out with a trash bag in hand.

"Ah! You must be Y/N," Kuroo's father said with a warm smile.

Y/N blinked in surprise. "Yes... I—"

"Come in, come in! Tetsuro upstairs resting. I've heard all about you!" Before she could protest, he was already inviting her inside.

She followed him up the stairs, silently cursing her decision. Why did I agree to this?

They stopped at a door, and Kuroo's father knocked lightly before opening it. "Tetsu, you've got a visitor."

Y/N peeked in to see Kuroo lying in bed, looking pale but otherwise fine. She stepped inside, unsure of what to say. He was sleeping peacefully, so she quietly sat on the floor beside his bed, staring at him for a moment.

Why am I here?

Kuroo stirred, and his eyes fluttered open, slowly focusing on the figure sitting beside his bed. When he realized it was Y/N, he jolted upright, startled. "Y/N?! What the—"

Y/N jumped, equally startled. "I—I just came because the team told me you were sick," she stammered, trying to regain her composure. "I was just... passing by."

Kuroo raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. "Passing by, huh? Pretty sure your house is in the opposite direction."

Y/N glared at him. "I didn't come all this way to listen to your sarcasm."

Kuroo chuckled, leaning back against his pillows. "Fair enough. But I'm touched. You came to check on me."

"I didn't check on you. I was curious," Y/N corrected him, though her heart raced a little faster.

Kuroo gave her a lazy grin. "Whatever you say."

Y/N glanced at her watch, eager to leave before this got any more awkward. "I should go. Get some rest, Kuroo-san."

He waved her off. "I'll be good as new tomorrow. Thanks for visiting."

As she walked out of his room and closed the door, she heard a loud yell from inside.

"YESS!!"

Y/N stopped, her lips curling into a small, involuntary smile. What an idiot.