RATINGS: T
WARNINGS: NONE
NOTES: HAPPY BIRTHDAYYY AKASHIIIIIIIIIII!
Chapter One
「帝光学園」
Teikou Academy.
The most famous school in Japan, residing in Tokyo. Their academic prowess was legendary: it was no secret that they were one of the tops, if not the top, in the world. Every year had at least six thousand applications of entry - some coming from other countries over the world.
That might've seemed like an absurd number, but taking into account that it utilised one of the strangest schooling systems in Japan, it wasn't too far of a stretch. After all, whilst Japanese schools were commonly split into 6-3-3 years: primary school, junior/middle high and senior high school, respectively, this academy consisted of the latter six years as a whole.
The student body was standing at a proud 1846 students, with approximately three hundred per year.
However, the famed students nobody could ever seem to stop talking about?
Surprisingly, they were not legendary alumni, nor were they top-notch seniors.
No-
-they were second-year students.
A group of six: although one of them had a special knack for disappearing and reappearing whenever he wanted to.
They were nicknamed the "Generation of Miracles", for their undeniable talent in what they did.
Kuroko Tetsuya; the youngest of them all. As slippery as water, he vanished the second you took your eyes off him. His specialties? History, Geography... And Art.
His art was amazing.
Unlike him, his art captured the attention of any and every single passerby - once they caught a glimpse of it, they just couldn't look away.
The sky blue-haired phantom was an enigma.
Then, there was the eldest of the six, who couldn't seem to keep his hands off of that very enigma:
Kise Ryouta.
Golden hair with eyes just as bright, the model easily surpassed people in subjects he honestly didn't care about - Kise's mimicking abilities were frustratingly skillful to their very core. His favourite subjects were Physical Education, followed by English - the former being a result of one very influential figure in his life.
Aomine Daiki, the third eldest.
(People also wondered if he was a foreigner, with his tanned skin, never mind his dark cobalt blue hair and eyes.)
Fond of the elusive "Tetsu" to a fault, his best subjects were Physical Education and Japanese History - albeit he lost marks in the latter due to writing almost everything in katakana.
(He was working on that desperately.)
Then, there was their second youngest-
-Akashi Seijuurou.
Red, red, red like fire - he was the emperor, the ultimate reigning champion in every subject he did. Music, Japanese History, mathematics, English, all the sciences, crafts, home economics...
He got perfect hundreds in everything, leaving the rest to wallow in their self-pity.
The only ones who could match up to him in certain subjects were the Generation of Miracles themselves - however, none could beat him in everything.
Being the heir to one of the most prominent business conglomerates in all of Japan, he had a right to be as confident as he was. He was inclined to victory, upheld the strong belief that winning was everything, victors wrote history, the losers were wiped from it. He had uncanny predicting skills and a borderline terrifying, sinister ability to weave people into his webs.
He was the holder of absolute control and subservience.
And one of those who were most subservient?
Murasakibara Atsushi, the third youngest.
(Also nicknamed the baby of their group, despite being a literal giant. That may or may not have had something to do with how he was the youngest of five children at home, however.)
Standing at a proud 194 centimetres and still growing, the purple student couldn't keep his hands off snacks, akin to how Kise couldn't keep his hands off Kuroko. He, however, didn't get along well with Kuroko when it came to work.
Yes - one of his best subjects was Art. Despite his strong dislike for handling small things (how did people sew, anyway? Was there some kind of trick behind it? How did they not stab themselves?), he was surprisingly adept at oil painting. He brought life to his artworks through bright, brash colours and strange mixtures of warm and cool palettes, forming beautifully eye-catching works. People called them abstract, but he truly couldn't care less what they labelled his art. His art was his art, not made particularly for any specified genre nor style. The same went for his neverending number of sculptures - all of which were different food items.
It was almost frightening, really.
He also had a bizarre talent in Physics - his expertise in Home Economics, however, wasn't as surprising (and he was amazing at it).
Similarly, the final member didn't get along with Kuroko, either.
Midorima Shintarou - the second eldest member of the Miracles.
He was an odd student, always lugging around his Oha-Asa-foretold lucky item of the day, no matter the size. His hair and eyes were also an odd shade of green.
Unlike Murasakibara, he was terrible at Home Economics. He abhorred the subject.
(Why did everything go wrong? Why would his pan set on fire? What was happening?)
His talents lied within Chemistry and Biology - however, if Health were a subject, he'd undeniably be the best. He also had an unnatural gift for headshotting people with flying projectiles.
Now, one would look at the six and think, 'wow. They're so amazing as a team, making up for everything one another lacks.'
That was not the case.
No, a million, billion times over.
They were not a team in the slightest.
The Generation of Miracles were not a team - they were two groups of three, that were constantly at war.
Kuroko Tetsuya, with Aomine Daiki and Kise Ryouta by his side.
Akashi Seijuurou, with Midorima Shintarou and Murasakibara Atsushi by his side.
They despised each other to their very cores.
And that was how their long five years began - the first year with them being blissfully unaware of each others' existences.
Their first year was great. Each one of them built up their reputation at a shocking rate - all except one. He painted both during and after hours. News of his art spread one morning, near the end of the year, after he'd finished a piece overnight and left it to dry.
"Hmm~? What's all the fuss about?"
Several people jumped, and whipping around, eyes widened. The crowd instantly parted for the violet-haired titan.
"What, what?" He peered over, catching sight of a painting.
It took his breath away.
It was a beautiful, stunning watercolour landscape. Various shades of reds and pinks spotted the paper with dashes of green and thin lines of black, forming mesmerising cherry blossoms that splayed across the entire page, seemingly glowing. Petals whirled across the foreground, giving way to a beautiful lake reflecting mountains of fire, surrounded by grass made of a myriad of light and dark greens and blacks, some shining from the blaze. The juxtaposition between the cool blues and vivid reds, oranges and yellows was positively hypnotising. The clouds were on fire, and there were a small cluster of stars flitted across the fringe of black, black sky.
Beautiful. Enthralling. Fascinating. Gorgeous.
There weren't enough words to describe the painting. Murasakibara was captivated, and he couldn't deny the pull he felt. He instantly focused on the bottom left, where there was a small signature printed in silver-white.
黒子テツヤ
...Too faint. Also, too calligraphy-like. He couldn't decipher it at all.
Murasakibara heaved a sigh, grumbling before he literally tore his eyes away from the painting.
(It was extremely, extremely difficult.)
Students instantly huddled back around the work as he trudged out, miffed and pouty. He looked back at his hands, where he was clutching a box of Maiubo. He froze for a moment.
'Did I forget that I had Maiubo...?'
He stared at the box before clutching it even tighter.
'I'm sorry, I'll never forget about you again!'
As he walked away, slightly happier with a snack in his mouth, he turned back to the art room that was nearly out of sight.
'Who painted that?'
"Aka-chin~"
"What is it, Atsushi?"
"There's this-"
"Akashi!"
"Ah, Shintarou."
Murasakibara turned, glaring at the said student who had just burst through the door, looking uncharacteristically flustered.
"You told Takao where I was this-"
He was instantly cut off by an overly excited "SHIIIIIIIIIN-CHAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!" from down the corridor. He froze almost immediately, and the look of horror on his face was flawlessly comical. Mischief danced through Akashi's eyes for the briefest moment, but he wiped the look off his face as soon as it came.
"Akashi, you-!"
"Aaaaaaaahhh, found you, Shin-chan!" A student suddenly appeared behind the tall, faithful follower of Oha-Asa with a wild grin. He pounced onto him playfully, shocking Midorima.
"Taka- get off!"
Takao Kazunari - a boy who'd, by some turn of strange events, become enthralled with Midorima after being utterly defeated by him during several school events and competitions in primary school. He, too, loved Biology - though, Chemistry? Not so much. He did both regardless, and somehow he'd ended up with the exact same timetable as the green-haired male.
Teikou Academy was extremely particular in its schooling practices. Unlike the standard class-to-class strict subject timetable, every subject was an elective other than English, Japanese History and Mathematics. Students were free to choose as they wanted, although they had to go through every subject within the first year. Towards the end of the year, students would get a form to choose their electives: of course, the choice was not permanent. They could change any time before halfway through their first term of their second year. Their timetables were decided in a shockingly fast amount of time considering the sheer number of people there - the school hired specialists specifically just to come in and work out such.
(It was a bit much, in some peoples' opinions. But, they were the elite after all - why shouldn't they get the best?)
With that, Takao had taken jumped on Midorima the second he'd received his timetable, only to yell out a "we have the exact same classes, oh my god, hahaha! Shin-chan, this is great!" much to the latter's dismay.
"Mido-chin, you're so noisy. I'm trying to talk to Aka-chin."
"Tell that to this idiot!"
"So rude, Shin-chan! Gahahaha!"
Akashi turned his attention back to Murasakibara, unperturbed. "Did you want something?"
"There's this painting in the art room... But I can't read the signature."
"Oh? A painting caught your attention? How unusual." Akashi raised a perfect brow.
"Well..." Murasakibara struggled for words, frowning.
His facial expression was the exact one of a sulking baby, the members in the room thought. Takao laughed harder, prompting a heavy sigh from the boy he was latched onto.
"What type of painting was it?"
"A watercolour. It was-"
"Oi, oi, are you talking about Tetsu's artwork?"
All heads in the room instantly turned. Midorima suppressed a groan, whilst Murasakibara did so openly.
"Geh, it's Aomine..." He grumbled. Aomine's brows furrowed, "Well, it's not like I wanted to see you here either, asshole!"
"What did you say?"
"Daiki. Perhaps you could explain-"
"Nope, nope. I'm getting outta' here," Aomine interrupted audaciously, clearly not worried for his life.
If he could run out of there quickly, he was safe. That was the motto he'd decided on when confronting Akashi-scary-as-fuck-Seijuurou.
"By the way," He quickly poked his head back in, "don't bother looking for him. You'll never find him."
He paused for a moment, contemplating whether or not to mention that he couldn't, either, until the volatile boy had spoken up to him, himself.
They were assholes, for the most part.
He left like a hurricane, leaving Takao whistling, impressed.
"Wow. He's got guts."
(None of them dared to look back at Akashi.)
"Ooooooi, Tetsu! Where are you?"
"Aomine-kun, did you call?"
"Geh-!"
Aomine whipped around, eyes widened comically. Before him sat a much shorter male, sketchbook on his lap as he leaned against a tree.
"You gotta stop doing that." Aomine sighed, flopping down next to him.
"Doing what?" Kuroko repeated, frowning slightly. Inwardly, he chuckled a little.
...Not that he'd ever admit it.
"Appearing and disa- whatever, it doesn't matter. Be careful, Akashi and his henchmen are on the lookout for you after seeing that painting you finished last night."
"Aka-"
"Akashi and his henchmen? What? What is this?"
Two similar shades of dark azure eyes turned to look at the source of the bright voice. They both sighed simultaneously at the sight of dazzling golden hair and eyes.
"Ehhhhh?! So mean! What were those sighs for?!"
"It's you, Kise..."
"Kise-kun again..."
The two shared a grin for a split-second, though Kuroko's was more of a faint tug of his lips, unbeknownst to the model.
"Aominecchi, Kurokocchi, you two are so mean!" He whined, teary. Kuroko's eyes softened as he gazed up at his friend, "Just kidding, Kise-kun."
"Kurokocchiiiii!"
Kise leaped onto the smaller male, almost suffocating him in his embrace. Kuroko looked at Aomine with wide, panicked eyes.
"Oi, Kise, get off. You're suffocating him."
"Oh! Sorry, Kurokocchi! Are you okay?"
"I'm okay. Regardless, what was that about... Aka... shi-kun, was it?"
"The kid from our year."
"Oh, Akashi! His father's worked with our company before," Kise piped up, "I respect him."
"You respect him? Where's the -cchi?" Aomine raised a brow, only to have a disgusted look shot at him.
"Aominecchi, you can't be seriously asking that."
"Nah, it was a joke. He's a cocky little shit, I get you. Same with his little followers, the Oha-Asa idiot and the tree."
"..." Kuroko silently figured he meant Midorima and Murasakibara.
"Midorima and Murasakibara, huh? I don't get along with them either," Kise sighed. Kuroko looked at him with mild surprise.
Oh, he understood, too.
Well, he supposed it wasn't much of a shock. Kise had always been smarter than he'd let on, after all.
"So? Why're they looking for Kurokocchi?"
"His painting caught Murasakibara's attention, or something." Aomine waved his hand dismissively. Kise perked up instantly, turning to Kuroko.
Kuroko wondered if that was what dog-owners felt like.
"That's amazing, Kurokocchi! You caught Murasakibara's attention! He literally never cares about anything!"
Kuroko blinked, "Is that so."
Kise deflated like a balloon, "You could show a little more excitement..."
"I don't necessarily paint to be acknowledged," Kuroko said quietly.
Kise's eyes softened.
'That's why you're so amazing, Kurokocchi. You never whinge for attention, but you never reject it, either.'
"Well, it'd be bad if they caught onto Kurokocchi, after all! I wouldn't want to give my precious phantom away!" He grinned brightly, reaching over to ruffle Kuroko's hair.
"It'd be bad if who caught onto who?"
He froze. Aomine froze before slumping, letting out a groan, "You've gotta be kidding me..."
Akashi towered over the three, red orbs glittering. His left eye shone with a strange, faint, amber glow. Behind him stood his very two "followers", each laughably taller. Before the two self-proclaimed guardians of Kuroko could do anything, however, he stood up...
"Hello."
...Shocking the other trio. Akashi inhaled, slightly peeved. Murasakibara was staring at him, wide-eyed and bewildered. Midorima hastily adjusted his glasses, astounded.
"I am Kuroko Tetsuya. Who might you be?"
Still sitting, the other two snickered. Kuroko clearly knew who he was.
"Akashi Seijuurou," The redhead declared after a pause, "are you the one who painted the watercolour artwork left overnight?"
"Many artists painted watercolours to dry overnight, Akashi-kun. You'll have to be more specific."
Midorima and Murasakibara swallowed dryly.
Oh god.
"I apologise," Akashi said, very obviously unapologetic, "but it seems you weren't sharp enough to hear the fuss this morning regarding the painting. It was quite noisy and disruptive."
"Oh? I'm sure you didn't hear it yourself, either, Akashi-san. From what I've heard, you obtained the information from..."
Kuroko glanced at Murasakibara, who let out a "Wow~ He's so small."
"...Murasakibara-san."
Definitely not a good first impression.
Aomine stifled a chuckle. Kuroko was definitely the opposite of impressed.
"Ah, but Tetsuya, don't you think an artist should know what is being said about their own work? Have you no sense of responsibility?" Akashi chided almost menacingly. Kuroko's expression stayed frighteningly void.
"Why should outsiders' comments affect me? They will not change the way I draw."
For the briefest of moments, the absolute emperor looked impressed.
"I do not suck up for others' recognition nor approval, Akashi-san, much unlike yourself."
Oh shit.
Aomine and Kise were both feeling the tension now, too. Cold sweat ran down their backs, and they scooted away. Midorima and Murasakibara began edging away, too.
"I had been planning on asking you to join me, but I'm afraid I'll have to reconsider."
"Join you?" Kuroko raised a brow. How he managed to scoff without actually scoffing, nobody knew. "The mere thought is appalling, Akashi-san. I do not wish to join those whom both myself and my friends view with disdain."
With that, Kuroko spun on his heel and left, leaving a very noteworthy trace, for once.
Aomine gulped.
Kise paled.
Akashi turned too, hellbent on not giving the other the satisfaction of watching him leave 'till the end.
"Shintarou, Atsushi. We're leaving."
He left, but the two he called did not.
The four sat and stood in silence, unable to move a single inch.
"Holy fuck."
Too shocked to feel begrudged, Midorima, for perhaps the first time, and the rest agreed with Aomine's words.
In that moment, fire and ice had clashed. Who was fire, who was ice?
Perhaps everyone else had a very big misconception on which was which.
After all, seeing the rather ... Hostile exchange just now, it was quite obvious.
Kuroko Tetsuya was fire, his blaze bright and scathing.
Akashi Seijuurou was ice, his disposition cold and chilling.
"...Ho - ly fuck."
Holy fuck indeed, Aomine, the three swallowed,
Holy fuck indeed.