p style="box-sizing: inherit; font-family: 'Gentium Book Basic', 'Noto Sans CJK SC', serif; font-size: 15px;"Shintarou knew that the happiness would not last an eternity. Surely his late mother's death had taught him that no one would ever stay with you forever. Still, Shintarou hung on to that thread, the thought that there may be a happy ending lying beyond the thread itself. It was a foolish thing for him to do, but he held on./p
p style="box-sizing: inherit; font-family: 'Gentium Book Basic', 'Noto Sans CJK SC', serif; font-size: 15px;"And one day his hopes did not seem to be in vain, at least it was what it appears to be, when Seijuurou entered his life./p
p style="box-sizing: inherit; font-family: 'Gentium Book Basic', 'Noto Sans CJK SC', serif; font-size: 15px;"Shintarou, along with Seijuurou, Aomine and Murasakibara, were selected to become first string members back in their early middle school days. The two's similar demeanours and hobbies prompted the two to interact. At first Shintarou couldn't believe that anyone would ever connect him so effortlessly. He knew that he was a difficult person to get along with, due to his detached, introverted personality that manifested itself when he lost his mother in his younger years. Fearing that he would be abandoned if he ever let himself so easily connected emotionally with other people, he began to distance from people around him, shutting himself off. Even so, he does care and notice the various things that happens around him./p
p style="box-sizing: inherit; font-family: 'Gentium Book Basic', 'Noto Sans CJK SC', serif; font-size: 15px;"Seijuurou Akashi was, perhaps, the first person who had ever cracked through his facade./p
p style="box-sizing: inherit; font-family: 'Gentium Book Basic', 'Noto Sans CJK SC', serif; font-size: 15px;"He soon found himself spending various time with him together, partially because they were captain and vice-captain altogether, but even before that they spent most of their time together in school. Shintarou would always walk side by side with the redhead, discussing about the basketball team and occasionally chitchats that offered a brief insight to Seijuurou's secretive personal life./p
p style="box-sizing: inherit; font-family: 'Gentium Book Basic', 'Noto Sans CJK SC', serif; font-size: 15px;"Needless to say, they can be considered as best friends in layman's terms. /p
p style="box-sizing: inherit; font-family: 'Gentium Book Basic', 'Noto Sans CJK SC', serif; font-size: 15px;"But that friendship developed into something more, as Shintarou slowly realises that he had fallen into the depths of love for the first time in his life. It felt mysterious and deeply entrancing when the mere sight of Seijuurou would send his heart racing and his stomach fluttering with butterflies in them. It was unlike anything he had ever felt before and Shintarou was confused. Society condemns homosexual relationships and Shintarou never considered himself to be attracted to men in any way. Yet fate had other plans for him when he had completely fell for his best friend./p
p style="box-sizing: inherit; font-family: 'Gentium Book Basic', 'Noto Sans CJK SC', serif; font-size: 15px;"Shintarou kept his feelings hidden, preferring to keep their friendship intact and soon the other Seijuurou emerged from within the redhead, replacing that warm, soft gaze that once occupied those red hues. Instead it was replaced by someone entirely different. His eyes were cold as ice, and he was nothing like the man he fell for. /p
p style="box-sizing: inherit; font-family: 'Gentium Book Basic', 'Noto Sans CJK SC', serif; font-size: 15px;"He thought that the Seijuurou he loved was gone from that instant, and proceeded to bury his feelings deep into his heart whilst maintaining his unemotional facade as he graduated from middle school./p
p style="box-sizing: inherit; font-family: 'Gentium Book Basic', 'Noto Sans CJK SC', serif; font-size: 15px;"Shintarou desperately practiced every day when he entered high school, in the hopes that someday when he face Seijuurou again, he would be able to return him back the way he was./p
p style="box-sizing: inherit; font-family: 'Gentium Book Basic', 'Noto Sans CJK SC', serif; font-size: 15px;"Finally, his moment was here. After rigorous practice sessions, they are finally in the semi-finals of the Winter Cup, against Seijuurou's Rakuzan basketball team. He fought hard against him, even if it pains him to do so. However fate was not on his side that day. Shintarou had lost majestically and was unable to keep his promise of teaching him defeat. his fists tightened, his knuckles were white as snow as he shed tears of frustration. Frustrated that he could not bring him back, in spite of how much he had tried./p
p style="box-sizing: inherit; font-family: 'Gentium Book Basic', 'Noto Sans CJK SC', serif; font-size: 15px;"Then a miracle happened in the form of two players, who succeeded to bring the Seijuurou he once loved back finally. Feelings that were buried from that day overflowed from within Shintarou's heart and he took the chance to confess to the redhead finally, after all these years. To Shintarou's surprise, Seijuurou accepted his feelings. It was perhaps the happiest moment that had ever happened in his life./p
p style="box-sizing: inherit; font-family: 'Gentium Book Basic', 'Noto Sans CJK SC', serif; font-size: 15px;"However, that happiness did not last very long./p
p style="box-sizing: inherit; font-family: 'Gentium Book Basic', 'Noto Sans CJK SC', serif; font-size: 15px;"Glassy emerald hues watch as the redhead who had once belonged to him; who had embraced him so warmly in his arms were no longer his to claim; were no longer his to possess. Shintarou stood in the rain, months after their breakup that left him completely devastated while he watched his former lover in the arms of another from afar. Seijuurou, in the arms of his former teammate, Daiki Aomine, their lips touching as they melted into a deep, lustful kiss in the rain. That sight was inscribed onto the back of his head so painfully and Shintarou could not tell if it was tears that were running down his cheeks or was it the rain droplets hitting hard on his face. He drenched himself in the rain while the two lovers from afar continued on, oblivious to his presence./p
p style="box-sizing: inherit; font-family: 'Gentium Book Basic', 'Noto Sans CJK SC', serif; font-size: 15px;"Days later, he received an unexpected phone call from Seijuurou. The caller ID shown predominantly on his mobile and Shintarou could not believe his eyes. Nevertheless, he took the plunge and answered it./p
p style="box-sizing: inherit; font-family: 'Gentium Book Basic', 'Noto Sans CJK SC', serif; font-size: 15px;""Hello, it's me." said Seijuurou, his voice unwavering. "I was wondering if after all these months you would like to meet to go over everything?" Months had passed and Shintarou already missed the other's voice so much. However, the sight of Daiki's lips touching upon Seijuurou's own lips from a few days ago came back into his head, and had almost thrown him off his composure./p
p style="box-sizing: inherit; font-family: 'Gentium Book Basic', 'Noto Sans CJK SC', serif; font-size: 15px;"Taking a deep breathe in an attempt to calm himself, Shintarou spoke, albeit struggling. "I…" but he was unable to form any sentences when he feels his vision slowly enveloped by tears. It was all too much./p
p style="box-sizing: inherit; font-family: 'Gentium Book Basic', 'Noto Sans CJK SC', serif; font-size: 15px;""I'm sorry, for everything that I've done…" He heard the other say through phone./p
p style="box-sizing: inherit; font-family: 'Gentium Book Basic', 'Noto Sans CJK SC', serif; font-size: 15px;"And Shintarou hung up, sinking to the floor as he curled up in a ball. He had heard enough. After all, Seijuurou should not be apologising for all of this./p
p style="box-sizing: inherit; font-family: 'Gentium Book Basic', 'Noto Sans CJK SC', serif; font-size: 15px;"em style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit;"I'm sorry, for even hanging on to such a foolish belief./em/p
p style="box-sizing: inherit; font-family: 'Gentium Book Basic', 'Noto Sans CJK SC', serif; font-size: 15px;"And one day his hopes did not seem to be in vain, at least it was what it appears to be, when Seijuurou entered his life./p
p style="box-sizing: inherit; font-family: 'Gentium Book Basic', 'Noto Sans CJK SC', serif; font-size: 15px;"Shintarou, along with Seijuurou, Aomine and Murasakibara, were selected to become first string members back in their early middle school days. The two's similar demeanours and hobbies prompted the two to interact. At first Shintarou couldn't believe that anyone would ever connect him so effortlessly. He knew that he was a difficult person to get along with, due to his detached, introverted personality that manifested itself when he lost his mother in his younger years. Fearing that he would be abandoned if he ever let himself so easily connected emotionally with other people, he began to distance from people around him, shutting himself off. Even so, he does care and notice the various things that happens around him./p
p style="box-sizing: inherit; font-family: 'Gentium Book Basic', 'Noto Sans CJK SC', serif; font-size: 15px;"Seijuurou Akashi was, perhaps, the first person who had ever cracked through his facade./p
p style="box-sizing: inherit; font-family: 'Gentium Book Basic', 'Noto Sans CJK SC', serif; font-size: 15px;"He soon found himself spending various time with him together, partially because they were captain and vice-captain altogether, but even before that they spent most of their time together in school. Shintarou would always walk side by side with the redhead, discussing about the basketball team and occasionally chitchats that offered a brief insight to Seijuurou's secretive personal life./p
p style="box-sizing: inherit; font-family: 'Gentium Book Basic', 'Noto Sans CJK SC', serif; font-size: 15px;"Needless to say, they can be considered as best friends in layman's terms. /p
p style="box-sizing: inherit; font-family: 'Gentium Book Basic', 'Noto Sans CJK SC', serif; font-size: 15px;"But that friendship developed into something more, as Shintarou slowly realises that he had fallen into the depths of love for the first time in his life. It felt mysterious and deeply entrancing when the mere sight of Seijuurou would send his heart racing and his stomach fluttering with butterflies in them. It was unlike anything he had ever felt before and Shintarou was confused. Society condemns homosexual relationships and Shintarou never considered himself to be attracted to men in any way. Yet fate had other plans for him when he had completely fell for his best friend./p
p style="box-sizing: inherit; font-family: 'Gentium Book Basic', 'Noto Sans CJK SC', serif; font-size: 15px;"Shintarou kept his feelings hidden, preferring to keep their friendship intact and soon the other Seijuurou emerged from within the redhead, replacing that warm, soft gaze that once occupied those red hues. Instead it was replaced by someone entirely different. His eyes were cold as ice, and he was nothing like the man he fell for. /p
p style="box-sizing: inherit; font-family: 'Gentium Book Basic', 'Noto Sans CJK SC', serif; font-size: 15px;"He thought that the Seijuurou he loved was gone from that instant, and proceeded to bury his feelings deep into his heart whilst maintaining his unemotional facade as he graduated from middle school./p
p style="box-sizing: inherit; font-family: 'Gentium Book Basic', 'Noto Sans CJK SC', serif; font-size: 15px;"Shintarou desperately practiced every day when he entered high school, in the hopes that someday when he face Seijuurou again, he would be able to return him back the way he was./p
p style="box-sizing: inherit; font-family: 'Gentium Book Basic', 'Noto Sans CJK SC', serif; font-size: 15px;"Finally, his moment was here. After rigorous practice sessions, they are finally in the semi-finals of the Winter Cup, against Seijuurou's Rakuzan basketball team. He fought hard against him, even if it pains him to do so. However fate was not on his side that day. Shintarou had lost majestically and was unable to keep his promise of teaching him defeat. his fists tightened, his knuckles were white as snow as he shed tears of frustration. Frustrated that he could not bring him back, in spite of how much he had tried./p
p style="box-sizing: inherit; font-family: 'Gentium Book Basic', 'Noto Sans CJK SC', serif; font-size: 15px;"Then a miracle happened in the form of two players, who succeeded to bring the Seijuurou he once loved back finally. Feelings that were buried from that day overflowed from within Shintarou's heart and he took the chance to confess to the redhead finally, after all these years. To Shintarou's surprise, Seijuurou accepted his feelings. It was perhaps the happiest moment that had ever happened in his life./p
p style="box-sizing: inherit; font-family: 'Gentium Book Basic', 'Noto Sans CJK SC', serif; font-size: 15px;"However, that happiness did not last very long./p
p style="box-sizing: inherit; font-family: 'Gentium Book Basic', 'Noto Sans CJK SC', serif; font-size: 15px;"Glassy emerald hues watch as the redhead who had once belonged to him; who had embraced him so warmly in his arms were no longer his to claim; were no longer his to possess. Shintarou stood in the rain, months after their breakup that left him completely devastated while he watched his former lover in the arms of another from afar. Seijuurou, in the arms of his former teammate, Daiki Aomine, their lips touching as they melted into a deep, lustful kiss in the rain. That sight was inscribed onto the back of his head so painfully and Shintarou could not tell if it was tears that were running down his cheeks or was it the rain droplets hitting hard on his face. He drenched himself in the rain while the two lovers from afar continued on, oblivious to his presence./p
p style="box-sizing: inherit; font-family: 'Gentium Book Basic', 'Noto Sans CJK SC', serif; font-size: 15px;"Days later, he received an unexpected phone call from Seijuurou. The caller ID shown predominantly on his mobile and Shintarou could not believe his eyes. Nevertheless, he took the plunge and answered it./p
p style="box-sizing: inherit; font-family: 'Gentium Book Basic', 'Noto Sans CJK SC', serif; font-size: 15px;""Hello, it's me." said Seijuurou, his voice unwavering. "I was wondering if after all these months you would like to meet to go over everything?" Months had passed and Shintarou already missed the other's voice so much. However, the sight of Daiki's lips touching upon Seijuurou's own lips from a few days ago came back into his head, and had almost thrown him off his composure./p
p style="box-sizing: inherit; font-family: 'Gentium Book Basic', 'Noto Sans CJK SC', serif; font-size: 15px;"Taking a deep breathe in an attempt to calm himself, Shintarou spoke, albeit struggling. "I…" but he was unable to form any sentences when he feels his vision slowly enveloped by tears. It was all too much./p
p style="box-sizing: inherit; font-family: 'Gentium Book Basic', 'Noto Sans CJK SC', serif; font-size: 15px;""I'm sorry, for everything that I've done…" He heard the other say through phone./p
p style="box-sizing: inherit; font-family: 'Gentium Book Basic', 'Noto Sans CJK SC', serif; font-size: 15px;"And Shintarou hung up, sinking to the floor as he curled up in a ball. He had heard enough. After all, Seijuurou should not be apologising for all of this./p
p style="box-sizing: inherit; font-family: 'Gentium Book Basic', 'Noto Sans CJK SC', serif; font-size: 15px;"em style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit;"I'm sorry, for even hanging on to such a foolish belief./em/p