Forget-Me-Not
.
I.
.
When Tetsuya was six, he had met his grandmother for the first time.
The aged woman was a kindly one dressed in a kimono of dull colours. Despite the wrinkles and the laugh lines etched onto her face, the woman looked every bit as youthful as a maiden in love, her smiles lighting up her entire face every single time.
Tetsuya liked her for the vanilla candy she offered him and the tea she made, which was neither sickeningly sweet like his mother's nor diluted and bland, like his father's.
The tea had just the right degree of sweetness.
At their first meeting, Tetsuya had hopped off to play in the garden while the adults talked. The garden had been decorated with numerous flowers of a variety of colours, the sparkle of the sun's rays in just the right angle making the area glow with a mystic aura. It seemed out of place in the traditional house his Grandmother lived in, but the beauty of it all just seemed to suit the woman's gentle demeanour. Tetsuya had wandered the garden, taking in the many flowers in awe.
"Are you interested in flowers, Tetsuya-chan?" A kindly voice had drifted over to him when he was still squatting down, staring at some beautiful blue flowers dotted with yellow centres. His grandmother joined him, leaning down beside him with a smile.
Boys at his age are supposed to play with robots, with games, but Tetsuya was raised to be honest and blunt and so, he replied without hesitation.
"Just a little…" He answered her, prodding a blue petal shyly. She smiled.
"That flower is called 'Forget-me-not'. It symbolizes faithful love and a lifelong connection through the memories one person has with another."
…Faithful love…Connection…
"Flowers have meanings?" He looked up in confusion.
"Of course." Just like that, his grandmother gave him another blinding smile. "Are you interested in learning them, Tetsuya-chan?"
Tetsuya thought, and abruptly, in a manner seemingly random, he recalled the flower girl that used to be in the same class as him. Right before their graduation from kindergarten school, she had given all of them a flower pot filled with different flowers of all kinds. Even he had not been forgotten, although the teachers panicked when they thought they lost him. Thinking back, the flower he received had been blue as well, just like this one. It had all but withered now though, leaving nothing but memories and a question now of – what had that flower symbolized?
He prodded the petal again almost unintentionally, and he nodded.
"I want to learn." It would be nice to give flowers to others and to make them happy.
"My~"
Not to mention, the bright smile his grandmother gives him makes it all worth it.
.
II.
.
An orange basketball rolled into his leg.
Tetsuya paused, leaning down to pick up the huge round object as its owner came dashing towards him. Blue eyes blinked when he recognized the ball's owner. His name is Tatsuya…something. They are in the same class, but since Tetsuya knew better than to expect people to approach him and make friends with him, he never did bother to remember his classmates' names. The exception is Tatsuya, whose name was just a letter away from his own when written in romaji.
"Sorry about that." Tatsuya panted, hunched over his knees as he caught his breath. "Thanks for stopping it."
"Not at all, Tatsuya-kun." Tetsuya replied politely.
"Eh-?!" Tetsuya jumped when the other suddenly shot up to look at him, grey-black eyes wide with astonishment.
There was a moment's pause before Tatsuya realized he had startled him and laughed.
"Sorry, I was just surprised that you called me by my first name, that's all!" He held his stomach as he laughed.
"Eh-?" Tetsuya blinked before reddening. "Ah, I'm sorry. I only remembered your first name, so- Not that your family name is hard to remember, of course, but I- I..." He trailed off, ears reddening at the continued chuckles while his hands waved about frantically in an attempt to gather an appropriate explanation.
Why had he been so rude? Tetsuya regretted not listening to his Grandmother. It seems like there is a merit to caring to remember the names of the people around him, however invisible he may seem to them.
"It's okay, Tetsuya-kun!" Tatsuya bat his concerns away easily. "I'll call you that, so you can continue to call me 'Tatsuya' if you want! I really don't mind at all."
"Urgh…" How humiliating. "I'm sorry for not remembering."
"Everything's okay, so don't worry about it." The chuckles faded off into a soft smile. Tetsuya blinked at the expression, suddenly reminded of something he had learnt from his grandmother during his last visit. It had to do with serenity and dignity – something which he recalls Tatsuya had always seemed to possess, even when crowded by squealing young girls and when playing with marbles with the other guys. It's-
"Lavender…" He whispered softly.
"Hm? What about la- Laven- Lanvenda?" Tatsuya made a strange expression as he tried to pronounce the foreign word. Tetsuya found himself smiling lightly. As young as they were, it just seemed funny to see his classmate looking that undignified with pronouncing a word. "Don't laugh at me, Tetsuya-kun!"
"I am not laughing in the slightest, Tatsuya-kun."
"Come on! What was that you just said about me?" Tatsuya sighed.
"…It's nothing." As honest as he may be, Tetsuya knows better to talk about flowers in front of other boys.
"I'm going to bother you until you tell me." Tatsuya said with a mischievous glint in his eyes.
"I doubt you will be able to find me to do that. Not to mention, you have a game ongoing, don't you?" Tetsuya tried to direct his attention away to the one thing he knew Tatsuya loves. The boy is always making quite a ruckus about the game in class.
Tatsuya murmured something that Tetsuya wasn't able to catch.
"I'm sorry. What was that?"
"-I was just playing by myself since I wanted to become better." A light flush of the face and Tatsuya looked away for the first time, seemingly embarrassed to admit that. "And the ball bounced off the hoop to roll towards you…"
"…Oh."
A moment of awkward silence passed before Tatsuya looked down at him again.
"Come to think of you, have you ever played basketball, Tetsuya-kun? Do you have time to practice with me right now?" A smile easily fell back onto Tatsuya's face, one that was not so confident, but radiated calmness and just the slightest hint of excitement. Tetsuya was once more reminded of his thoughts previously when Tatsuya took his wrist and started dragging him to the court. "No? Yes? We're going to have so much fun!"
Tetsuya didn't have the heart to refuse him, even if he assumed those answers on his own. That smile of his just slightly reminded Tetsuya of his grandmother's. With a light sigh and an inquisitive glance at the other boy, Tetsuya took his first step into the court.
.
III.
.
It took them no time at all to realize that Tetsuya was downright horrid in basketball.
Poor shooting posture, not including his below average height, a weak arm strength, poor stamina, poor hand-eye coordination, even a bit of clumsiness with him tripping all over…The list of problems goes on and on.
In another parallel world where Tetsuya is younger and met Ogiwara instead of Himuro, most of those problems will never be fixed. As much as Ogiwara is a good player for one who is not part of the Miracles, he is an instinctive player, one who will never be able to tell what a good shooting posture is from a bad one, and thus, many of those problems were never resolved. It will not be until Middle School, where Akashi patiently, stringently, unravel them one by one but even then, leave the first problem hanging for the purpose of maintaining some degree of control over his teammates.
However, this world differs.
"Well, everyone has to put in hard work in order to succeed." As Tatsuya puts it eloquently with a huff.
Tetsuya found himself carrying his school bag in his arms for the next couple of weeks instead of carrying it on his back, running to and from school under timed conditions and even around the parks, and even visiting Tatsuya's house to play games – dancing games – to improve his coordination.
His reaction at this menu laid out by the other seven year old had been simple.
"I'm going to die, aren't I?" He stated frankly, glum showing in his stance despite his outward nonchalance.
"The fact that you think you will be dying with just these shows how unfit you are." Tatsuya sweat dropped in turn.
"It seems hardly fair that I have to undergo these things when I was pulled unwillingly into basketball." Tetsuya complained lightly.
"Regardless of how you began, you love basketball right now, don't you?" Tatsuya smiled, and Tetsuya deadpanned in spite of himself.
"Yes, I absolutely love losing to you, Tatsuya-kun."
Despite his words, Tatsuya was correct in assuming that Tetsuya likes basketball, if only a little bit more than when he first begun. The reasons are just a bit different from the ordinary reasons most people begin their basketball journey with. Basketball is still not cool, just as before. The clinging sweat feels very much disgusting, they both agree, even though a shower thereafter felt absolutely heavenly. However, Tatsuya is cool in the manner he shoots, and Tetsuya found himself desiring that as well.
Power borne from hardship
Violets and Lavenders
Tatsuya, a lavender, becomes a violet on court, and Tetsuya finds himself wondering-
What flower will he become when he's on court?
So, Tetsuya continues to work hard under Tatsuya's careful eyes, striving to find his own style on court.
Between them, a yellow rose steadily bloomed.
Things were different for Tatsuya just as they were for Tetsuya.
There is just a little thing which couldn't quite fit into the description Tetsuya has for him.
Pride.
If Tetsuya puts things into the names of flowers, Tatsuya thinks of people as animals.
Tetsuya, in his opinion, is a songbird. Tetsuya is free, despite what he thinks, only that his kindness binds him to people. The bird can leave at any time, bringing its melodious singing along with it, but Tetsuya never leaves, never disappears of his own free will even though Tatsuya is at times swept away by his other friends. The songbird is delicate, just as Tetsuya always seems so fragile and small in comparison to him, but Tatsuya could not help but want to protect – to nurture – it.
They were both quite romantics in their own artful manner.
And he is a wolf.
Hungry, sly, and very much prideful and solitary.
Tatsuya never did understand why he invited that boy to basketball that day in spring. There was just something about Tetsuya that made people open to him, something that was dangerous in its own nature.
He would later recognize that trait as kindness. Tetsuya was kind and so, people trusted him. He returned them the same amount of trust. It was simple.
In another world, Tatsuya's ego would eventually cause him to explode in jealousy, cutting off ties here and there and punching the one Miracle that pushed that ugly jealous side of his far too much. Part of the reason is due to his inability to trust.
But for now, even though Tetsuya is starting to catch up to him, Tatsuya is surprised to find that he feels nothing of such sort and instead, just a serene quiet peace. Perhaps, it is their age, or it could also be the fact that Tetsuya has grades exceeding his and he's teaching him schoolwork – they were both equals technically. For now, the wolf in him was just quenched, satisfied by all the joy at the friendship and trust which Tetsuya offers him, and that was all there is to it.
.
IV.
.
Shiota and Karma understood all too easily.
Their son has always been mature in the manner he expressed himself, simple to the dot and every pause that he makes: Speak only when there is a logical point to express; Always be polite and be a gentleman; Do not criticise others and treat their faults just as you would do yours – meaning, don't be mean even if they fail to notice you.
It is quite like the Japanese saying for children: 'Children are meant to be seen, not heard'.
It is a mannerism that is bordering unhealthy when your child was often not seen.
That is why, when Tetsuya returned one day with another boy being lugged by the hand, they were only relieved.
"Are you certain about this, Tetsuya-kun? I do not want to intrude on your family…" The boy said uncertainly, beauty mark on the bottom of his right eye enhancing that adorable uncertainty of his as he wavered in Tetsuya's grasp.
"Nonsense." And here, Shiota hid her surprise. It went out of line in Tetsuya's character. "What friend do you make me out to be if you think I would let you out in this weather?"
It's an odd way of phrasing, but it had the other boy faltering in partial guilt and silent amusement.
Her Tetsuya really is so cute. Shiota smiled as she stepped out of the kitchen where she had been. Then again, so was the boy he was so masterfully guilt-tripping.
"Welcome home, Tetsu-chan. My, is that your friend?"
That night, Karma returned home to two boys and his beloved wife, taking shelter in the warm solace of his house where the storm outside had been soaking him to the bone. A coat was placed aside with a soft smile when his wife came into view, and they hugged gently, silently, while two boys poked their heads out of the living room – one curious, the other emotionless.
"Ho? My son has duplicated to produce a darker version and a less emotionless twin, I see." Karma smirked with all his usual cheekiness as he released her with a peck to the cheek (the children still watching inquisitively) and strolled towards them predatorily.
"…Father, this is Himuro Tatsuya, the boy I told you about. And Tatsuya-kun, this is my overly dramatic father." Tetsuya introduced blankly.
"Yarh!" Karma pounced.
"What the-"
"Please stop that."
Two groans and yelps were sounded out as the two boys wriggled in the man's grasp. Tatsuya's grey-black eyes were wide in surprise, flickering to his friend in more shock when he responded as if this was a normality of the Kuroko family. The fingers digging into his sides paused at the words and red eyes looked up at them contemplatively.
"Hmph, another mature brat it seems." Karma snorted and rolled his eyes. Tatsuya jumped at the large hand which came down and ruffled his locks, small hands reaching up to smooth them back when the man stood up. "I'm going to bathe. Please take care of our helpless, little birdie from now on, Tatsuya-kun~" A cattish grin later, he was gone.
"What was that…" Tatsuya let slipped as he sat up.
"It's my father." Tetsuya deadpanned, but couldn't have sounded more sarcastic.
"He's…weird." was the only adjective Tatsuya could use to describe the red haired man.
But if he had to be honest, it was a bit nice.
Away from the children, Shiota and Karma exchanged knowing glances but said nothing.
There was something a little strange with Tatsuya, who responded to their affectionate hugs and tickle wars and pouncing with all too much shock. There was also the revelation much later on that Tatsuya was living with just a housekeeper, but out of respect to the tiny mature, noble soul that was so similar to their own son, they chose to keep their silence. Despite being unaware, prideful little Tatsuya found his security blanket that day.
They had dinner together that night, and Tatsuya stayed over in an impromptu sleeping party with Tetsuya.
After that day, many more sleepovers followed and Shiota made all their bentos for school.
The pouncing and the cattish grins never did stop.
Tatsuya was thus adopted into the Kuroko family.
.
V.
.
Their first match where Tetsuya made the decisive shot ended up in a loss.
Tetsuya was never able to stop blaming himself, especially when he gazed at Tatsuya.
"It's just a casual match now, Tetsuya-kun. No need to be so hung up over it." Tatsuya gave him that usual serene smile the next day in school and smacked his back, but it wasn't quite enough to curb that sense of guilt.
They both knew he had started basketball on a whim.
And despite loving it, Tetsuya knew deep inside that he never really did give it his all in basketball.
Training was difficult, but not impossible for him. Nevertheless, he still did it with much complaining. In that game, rather than focusing on his own plays, he had been admiring Tatsuya's, causing their team to be short one player and gain just one cheerleader (but what could cheerleaders do anyways?). It had been so difficult for Tatsuya, who loves basketball more than anything, to get them that one match, but he had went and tossed it anyway.
Tetsuya then made a resolution to become stronger in basketball.
He surfed the Internet, trying to find something which he could add to Tatsuya's team.
It was by chance that he ended up on a magic website. It was by resolution that Tetsuya ended up practicing magic for the next three months and eventually learnt to control the amount of presence he wants to have.
It took another one month before Tetsuya was able to become the shadow.
Their eyes were wide when the ball bounced off Tetsuya's hand and went out into the bushes. None of them made to get the ball though, because the shock that they had just succeeded was still settling in.
"…You did it, Tetsuya!" Tatsuya gave a blinding smile that was less of violets and lavender, but more of nasturtium – victory and yes, yes, yes! They managed to pass with a hundred percent success for over fifty times – and Tetsuya slowly fell to his knees, stunned but belated.
"…I did it…" He whispered.
"Four months of hard work were not in vain!" Tatsuya did not burst out shouting in joy, but he did gave him a large smile full of understanding and pride – for him, because of him – and wrapped a strong arm around his shoulder, pulling him up.
Tetsuya was placed on a bench beside the court, and a waterbottle was pushed into grip. A moment, he was drinking, gasping and smiling all at the same time while Tatsuya beamed in pride.
"W…With this, I can support you with my basketball, Tatsuya-kun." Tatsuya was momentarily blown back by the brightness of that smile he was given. Tetsuya's voice was shaky with emotion, and Tatsuya soon found himself struggling to not burst out in sadness or laughter as well, because no one has ever trusted him so much and said that they wanted to support him until Tetsuya.
"We'll win, with this." Tatsuya settled for a smirk instead, and extended a fist.
Two fists met and they hid their smiles behind more composed expressions.
.
VI.
.
They later discovered that they were now murderers.
"…We're doomed." Tatsuya muttered, and for once, Tetsuya agreed.
The scene of murder was at the side of the court they had been using. The murder weapon? It was a basketball, along with some wires that had ended up digging into the man's shoulder. The man in question looks like one of those yakuza from the television, with a large pompadour and a cloak around him. His eyes were closed, possibly comatose or worse, Tetsuya surmised grimly.
"We've killed a yakuza." That statement itself was said rather emotionlessly, too emptily even for Tetsuya. "What should we do now?"
"…Run."
They hadn't managed several steps before the yakuza groaned.
"Fucking kids and their stupid basketball. Who's stupid enough to practice passing with just two people?"
Well, this yakuza sure sound strangely knowledgeable about basketball, despite being a yakuza. Tatsuya exchanged a look with Tetsuya and the duo cautiously approached the slumped figure.
"Aren't you dead?" The more courageous of the two questioned.
"Do dead people talk?" The ridiculous pompadour somehow made the glare scarier. "You have good arm strength, kid. If I were anyone else, I bet my skull would have cracked at your passes." He noted to Tetsuya.
"Thank you for the compliment." Tetsuya even did a little bow. Tatsuya frowned.
"Don't thank him for it!" He reproached. "And besides, I doubt a human's skull is that fragile."
"As if. What's unnatural is how strong your friend there is- Are we really going to talk about that?" The yakuza's brow twitched.
"Of course we are…Wait a minute." Tatsuya narrowed his eyes at the yakuza who suddenly jolted, the gears in his mind racing as his brain flickered through the numerous pictures of professional basketball players he had once seen. "You…Aren't you Harasawa Katsunori, the ace player of the national team five years ago-?"
The yakuza jumped. A hand went up to fidget and twist where a bang might be if he lets down that hair of his.
"N-No, who the hell is that?!"
"He~" Tatsuya made a sound of amusement and Tetsuya deadpanned. The yakuza is too bad a liar, isn't he? Besides…it seems like Tatsuya has spent too much time with his father, judging by that cattish grin on his face. "Teach us, Harasawa-sempai, and we'll keep quiet about this!"
"Wha-!?"
"Tatsuya-kun, are you serious about this?" Tetsuya questioned blankly, only to be met by a wink and a smile.
"Of course I am. Teach us, Harasawa-sempai, and we'll not bother you or tell the rest of the world about you or continue to throw this basketball at your head." Blackmailing. Ah, Tatsuya loved doing that with a bright smile.
The yakuza's brow twitched three more times in rapid succession.
Tetsuya knew it would be doing so for many more times in the future.
.
VII.
.
At the age of nine, they were doing their first crime. Come to think of it though, were yakuza protected by the laws?
It had not taken much for them to track the yakuza base down. All they had to do was to put a tracker on Harasawa's phone when he was not looking and they were done. Tetsuya mildly wondered where the other child got such a thing from. (His mother was a detective, a reason for her constant absence.)
Now, all that remains is to break into the base.
It's disgruntling, really, how easy it had been for Tetsuya to enter it. The base was some traditional house at the base of a mountain, with guards posted around the entrance. Ironically, Tetsuya had smoothly gone through the entrance without being caught by a single guard. It wasn't really that demeaning until he overheard that there was some sensor at the entrance that was supposed to go off when someone passes by.
It meant that technology failed to notice him. It also meant that technology did not register him as a human, which is mildly offending, but let's push that matter aside for now.
"Turn right at the next turn and a left later." Tatsuya commanded him using the earphones.
Really, he wonders why his friend has such gadgets, or how he got a map of the yakuza's base for that matter.
Five minutes later found Tetsuya sitting in dogeza before Harasawa and another gang boss. The nine year old didn't really understand what was being discussed, except that it was most likely bad, judging by the expression on Harasawa's face. Another few seconds later, the other crime lord stood up and a gun was whipped out and pointed to a still calm but somewhat nervous Harasawa. The doors opened and they were surrounded suddenly by yakuza who seemed to be siding with the crime lord and-
Tetsuya frowned and stood before the still oblivious crime lord, lifting his foot in the posture his mother had taught him, and brought it up mercilessly.
"AAAARGH?!"
It was a scream filled with anguish, pain, and confusion.
The crime lord went tumbling down to the ground, holding his nuts with tears in his eyes when he had been looking triumphant moments before.
"That was good, but a punch from you would have been even better, Tetsuya-kun." Tatsuya sounded amused.
"Perhaps, but I thought I would have cracked his bones there with a punch." Tetsuya answered coolly, remembering the conversation about how his passes could break a skull.
Another war cry came from the outside of the manor, and suddenly, they were surrounded by an even larger group of men, intimidating the small group which had been accompanying the crime lord that had attacked Harasawa. Speaking of which, the ex-basketball player had stood up, gave a long and smug speech about how this was all planned, and thoroughly decreased the enemy's morale, getting them to drop their guns and swords and gauntlets and axes etc.
Tetsuya just watched with nonchalance, silently cheering with Tatsuya when Harasawa's gang kicked the gang leader towards him and told him to go along with their demands, because hell, if he didn't respect the one who rescued him, they would drop all their stuff and leave the paperwork with him.
It was of utmost reluctance that Harasawa ended up teaching the two children.
.
VIII.
.
"…Who might you be?" Tatsuya smiled politely, and Harasawa's eye twitched.
"I'm Harasawa, brat, the yakuza you wanted to teach you." He gritted out with admirable patience. Really, teaching was never high on his career path unlike that of Tora, seeing how he was the Ace, and Aces tend to be egoistical. But that was a story for another time.
"…I see."
Tetsuya secretly agreed with Tatsuya that the man looks totally different. In fact, he wondered how his friend had even identified Harasawa as a basketball player before.
"First of all, before I even teach you anything, I want you guys to know how to play in all positions." Harasawa launched straight into teaching. "Basketball may be a casual sport for you guys, but any student of mine's not going to be anything but the top. For a start, I don't have a clue what positions you guys are playing, but increasing your arsenal in all areas is the best."
"You mean by watching videos?" Tetsuya's gaze flickered down to the bag that the man gripped. There were numerous videos in there, to start with.
"Yeah. Watching is a good start, especially since you can identify the ones that best suit your style. Since you're young and barely started puberty, it's also good for reference in the future, when you guys are taller." Harasawa weaved a hand through his hair. It felt good to let down his pompadour once in a while.
"Then, let's start at once." Tatsuya stated. "We can do it over at my house, if not yours, Harasawa-san."
"…Since when did my base become your playground?" The man's brow twitched.
"My, is old age ruining your memory? It's been ours ever since your gang members declared that you owe Tetsuya-kun a debt." Tatsuya gave a pristine smile as the man blew a fuse and punched a number into his phone to complain to his gang.
"You shouldn't tease him so much, Tatsuya-kun." Tetsuya reprimanded, and his friend chuckled.
"It's only for a while, Tetsu."
.
IX.
.
Harasawa Katsunori watched his two seedlings grow.
First, they watched videos. In spite of himself, Harasawa was stunned to find that they watched the videos so many times – devoured it over and over again – until they memorized all the moves within those videos he had given them.
Then, they had practiced.
First, there was the typical maintenance kind of practice. Sit-ups, push-ups, jogs, controlled diets, all of those which his own coach had once made him do. Now that he thought back to it, he thinks it is kind of heartening how much effort his coach had placed into setting just the right amount, because Kuroko is fragile but not weak, and it is difficult to determine the right amount of exercise that does not break him.
Then, there was specialized training. Each of them was to learn a minimum number of moves specialized for each role on the court. Then were they allowed to learn more.
They were growing at a scary pace. Children were always adaptable in that sense. In spite of himself, Harasawa found himself getting riled up by them – because who doesn't want to play such good players?
Then again, he had abandoned basketball after that one tournament where they lost.
He shouldn't have the right to play anymore.
That was what he thought until Kuroko said something interesting one day.
"I am a shadow. The court is the one place where I'm able to move the most freely, because Tatsuya-kun will always be there to steal away all attention and be my light. I love basketball because it is freedom to me." Then, those blue eyes that looked so much like the sky had turned to him inquisitively, as if asking what Harasawa's motivation for playing basketball was. "I wonder if that is normal."
Harasawa had wanted to laugh, because those words were so artistic, so romantic and theatrical, like those he once spewed, back in his own youthful days when he still loved playing basketball with all his heart.
Instead, he found himself answering the opposite.
"Basketball is not bounded to anything but your abilities. In a sense, I guess that's freedom."
"…I see." The fourth grader then turned away, musing over something in his head before trying out another one of his specialized moves.
Harasawa clenched his fist and looked at it like a newborn baby.
For the first time, he notices the scratches on his fingers developed from his battles as a yakuza – scratches which he would never have let happen to his hands back in high school. For the first time, he wonders what he was bounded by, because the hands he saw were just so strong and large, so much that they could easily grasp a basketball with just one palm; they could easily overcome any chains bounding him. And for the first in a long time, he felt a surge in him, right now to his fingertips.
It was his desire to play basketball.
Himuro watches from the side with a smile and knows that his new favourite basketball player in Japan was back.
Three days later, Harasawa called on the rest of his old team. Tora had laughed and patted his shoulders in greeting; Masa grumbled and later slapped him lightly, mumbling something about the gang missing him; Marbo huffed and pretended to not care; Eiji smiled knowingly, calmly, serenely in a manner not unlike his Himuro kid and nodded at him; and Gengen, now round like a Santa Claus, had given him a crushing hug before turning red at the comparison of his appearance with everyone's favourite bishounen – which was him, of course (in his own words).
A month later, he quit the gang and rejoined the society as an upright (yeah right) working adult.
.
X.
.
Shiota blinked when she exited her kitchen.
It seems like her son has brought another stray home this winter – a much larger one with gorgeous long wavy hair and onyx eyes, shivering rather pitifully despite the two kids in front of him.
"I-I really should go back." He murmured the moment he caught a glimpse of her but Tetsuya caught his sleeve before he even took a step back.
"What kind of student do you think I am to let you go in your state, Harasawa-sensei?"
With that line, the man looks both affronted and guilty at the same time, while Tatsuya rocked on the balls of his feet and smirked in partial amusement and sympathy. He had suffered this treatment when he joined them initially too.
"Tetsu is more stubborn than he looks. You'd better bow down and apologize before you are grovelling at his feet in guilt." Tatsuya laughed.
"…I'm sorry, Kuroko." The man murmured, face hidden behind his hair, but whatever expression he was wearing, it made Tatsuya freeze in shock while Tetsuya sent a reprimanding look at his friend.
"My, my, Tetsu-chan. Another friend of yours?" Shiota decided to intervene with smile, wiping her hands on her apron.
That night, after a rather formal greeting between Karma and the man – Harasawa-san – Shiota had been passing by the kids' room when she overheard the trio.
"I quit the gang a week ago." She froze.
The man was part of a gang? That gentleman? Him?
There was a moment of silence before he continued.
"I've gone on to become a teacher. I wanted to thank you two, because you're the ones who convinced me to go back to the so-called right path." A snort of dismissal suggests that he clearly thought no different between either paths. Shiota wondered momentarily if the children were asleep, and that's why the man is taking the opportunity to express his true feelings.
"…Blue Lotus." Tetsuya's voice sounded out calmly, and a sound of puzzlement was made.
"Eh?" Harasawa grunted.
"It is a symbol of rebirth and victory. It suits you most, because Harasawa-sensei will definitely go on to bring victory to all students he teach." Tetsuya explained calmly, just like how her own mother used to do, and Shiota could not help but to smile at the emotional silence that followed.
"Naturally, those students include us." Tatsuya mused. "Afterall, any student of yours is not going to be anything but the best, right?"
"…Thank you, brats." A soft sniffle sounded.
"Come on now, Sensei, please don't cry." Tatsuya sighed, exasperated, whereas Tetsuya made the softest sound of discomfort at the back of his throat. Sounds of shifting drifted out. Perhaps they were hugging? She did not mind that, surprisingly.
Shiota smiled faintly and walked away.
.
A/N: OOC? Please review if you're interested, to keep me interested.