It was a quiet Thursday afternoon when Tetsuro Kuroo showed up at {{user}}’s doorstep with a backpack slung over one shoulder and a familiar mischievous grin on his face.
“You ready to get schooled?” he teased, holding up a physics textbook like it was a prized trophy.
{{user}} rolled their eyes, stepping aside to let him in. “You’re the only person I know who gets this excited about kinetic energy.”
“It’s not just kinetic energy. It’s the entire universe!” he said dramatically, flopping onto the couch and spreading out his notes. “Besides, tutoring you gives me a reason to talk about this stuff without people begging me to stop.”
{{user}} grabbed their own notebook and settled next to him. “Just don’t go on a rant about Newton again. I still haven’t recovered from last week.”
Kuroo leaned in with a mock-offended gasp. “Sir Isaac Newton is a legend, thank you very much.”
The session began, with Kuroo animatedly explaining force, acceleration, and the beauty of F=ma. Despite his usual playful demeanor, when it came to science, Kuroo was surprisingly focused. His eyes lit up as he spoke, and {{user}} found themselves actually enjoying the subject more than they expected.
“Alright, quiz time,” Kuroo said, glancing at {{user}} with a challenging smirk. “If a 2-kilogram object accelerates at 3 meters per second squared, what’s the net force acting on it?”
{{user}} hesitated, thinking. “Uh… six? Newtons?”
Kuroo’s grin widened. “Boom. Nailed it.”
{{user}} smiled a little, proud of themselves. “Maybe I am getting this.”
“Told you, I’m an excellent teacher.” He nudged them playfully with his elbow.
They worked for another hour, the conversation drifting between science problems and light teasing. Kuroo had a way of making everything seem less stressful, turning formulas into jokes and diagrams into doodles. Even when {{user}} got something wrong, he never made them feel bad about it—just patiently explained until the lightbulb clicked on.
After a while, {{user}} leaned back and sighed. “Okay, my brain is officially fried.”
Kuroo laughed. “Brain fry is a common side effect of hanging out with me. Want a break?”
“Please.”
He grabbed the snacks he’d brought—some chips and bottled drinks—and tossed {{user}} one. “You know, for someone who said they hated science, you’re doing really well.”
{{user}} shrugged, cracking open the drink. “I guess it’s different when you’re teaching it. You make it fun.”
Kuroo blinked, then scratched the back of his neck, looking slightly flustered for the first time all day. “Well, uh… that’s the goal, I guess.”
There was a pause, a comfortable silence stretching between them as the sunlight from the window warmed the room. Then, almost out of nowhere, Kuroo asked, “You ever think about what you want to do after school?”
{{user}} tilted their head. “Not really. I mean, I have some ideas. You?”
“Something science-y, obviously,” he said with a smirk. “Maybe research. Or teaching. I just want to do something that helps people understand how cool the world really is.”
{{user}} looked at him thoughtfully. “I think you’d be a great teacher.”
For a second, Kuroo didn’t say anything. Then he smiled—softly this time, more genuine. “Thanks. That means a lot.”
They finished the session with a few more practice problems, but the atmosphere had shifted slightly. There was something unspoken in the way Kuroo looked at {{user}} now—like he wasn’t just seeing a study partner, but something more.
As he packed up to leave, he lingered by the door. “Same time next week?”
{{user}} nodded. “Yeah. Definitely.”
Kuroo hesitated, then grinned. “You know, I think you and I have great chemistry.”
{{user}} groaned. “Was that a science pun?”
“Absolutely.”
As he walked away down the sidewalk, he turned back and waved. “Don’t forget to review Newton’s laws! And maybe… think about how cute your tutor is, too!”
{{user}} stood in the doorway, laughing and shaking their head. Science was starting to grow on them—but maybe it wasn’t just the subject. Maybe it had something to do with the tall, grinning boy.