He was suffocating. He had to get out of the gym. It wasn't because of the hard practice he was going though alongside his teammates. Images ran through his head, stopping midway the running to get the ball from the opponents' team.
"Kise, get together!" Kasamatsu yelled at the small forward.
The blond model tried to reply back, but his voice was caught in his throat. No sound came from him, less alone a reply as he leaned his hands on his knees, his eyes wide in horror.
"Kise?" Kobori stopped by his side and put hand on his shoulder. "Are-" Before he could ask him a question, the blond small forward flinched under his touch and took a step away from the centre. "Kise?" he called once more.
He didn't know when or how he calmed down. He raised his head and smiled his usual smile that instantly made everyone believe him. "Kobori-senpai," he spoke, his voice sounding more than normal. "Kobori-senpai is so nice being worried for me." His smile turned into grin.
"What are you saying, idiot?" Kobori flicked his forehead. "Get to play or Kasamatsu will kick your ass again for being lousy." He said and passed him by.
A hollow chuckle escaped Kise's lips and shook with head before following Kobori to get the ball back. The game went on, yet the images and thoughts didn't leave Kise's head. They hunted him like a lone prayer. And he didn't know how to get rid of them.
"Kise" The blond model heard his captain calling him and prepared for a kick that didn't come. "I would kick you for daydreaming in the middle of practice, but seeing you took the ball back, I won't." he growled. "But you better stop daydreaming or I will kick you with no hesitation next time." he threatened.
"Hai Kasamatsu senpai…" Kise grinned and scratched his head before looking at gym doors, seeing a long haired brunette, looking his way. "Ah, Anna-cchi came," he looked back at the black haired captain. "I am going now" he waved with hand.
"Don't forget the practice tomorrow morning." Kasamatsu called after him.
"Hai" Kise sang and ran to his childhood friend, who smiled upon his arrival. "Anna-cchi…" he greeted her.
"Hello, Ryouta," Anna greeted back and glanced at the team that was getting ready to leave as well. "Are you sure you wouldn't wait for them?" she asked and looked back at the blond model.
"No," Kise shook with head, his smile still present.
"You don't have to force yourself, Ryouta…" Anna spoke quietly.
Kise's smile faltered a bit and leaned on Anna's shoulder, stopping on his tracks. "Let me stay like this for a while…" he whispered, his voice quiet as he closed his eyes. Anna's lips turned up in a small smile and patted his head.
If anyone knew what was going on with the blond model that was well known in Tokyo and around, Suoh Anna was the only person aside from his two older sisters and his mother. He only showed his real expression, emotions, to her and no one else. No one ever saw him with eyes empty like a dessert, except Anna. But even there were days when even she didn't know his fake smile that was on his lips.
The two friends were walking down the street when they stopped in front of public bathrooms. Kise looked at Anna as she gave him a quiet nod before he disappeared inside of men's bathroom. Anna leaned on the wall and looked around, observing people passing by.
Kise has for a while already changed in one of the public bathrooms near his school, which was at the same time not so near. He didn't want his teammates to see the small bruises that were covering his back or chest that would instantly make them alarmed of the blond's doing. And he always came first to the club room, where he changed before going into gym, where he practiced his shots.
And there was one thing everyone took a notice off, even those that didn't go to Kaijou and knew the blond model. Anna and Kise hanged out with each other quite much. Anyone would think they are dating, yet the truth was always far from that even when Kise was questioned about his relationship with her. He would always say she is nothing but a childhood friend, with whom he always hangs in their free time despite they weren't in the same high school. And his childhood friend she was.
Coming back out from the men's bathroom, Kise wore his usual school uniform and grinned at his friend. "Ready?" he asked, walking to her.
"Of course," Anna smiled in reply before the two followed towards their home that was in the same street.
Anna was living in the apartment below Kise's and she knew what was going on one floor above Suoh family. In fact every Suoh family member knew of the situation in Kise's apartment and despite their knowing they couldn't do anything. They could just watch as the blond teen fakes his smiles every morning when he came to pick up Anna.
Reaching Anna's apartment, she quickly opened the doors and put the bag by the closet. "Mom, I am going with Ryouta on his shooting." She called.
"Won't you eat anything?" Her mother called from kitchen before she appeared on the hallway, greeting the two children. "Hello Ryouta," she smiled.
"Hello, Suoh-san," Kise's smile returned back on his lips, but this time it was real.
"I told you many times you can call me by my first name." Mrs Suoh chuckled. "Won't you eat anything before you go?" she looked from Kise to her daughter. "There is enough food." She added.
"We won't," Anna replied. "We are already running late." She frowned when she saw the time and was ready to turn around and leave, but her mother stopped her.
"Wait a second then," she spoke and disappeared inside the apartment. Kise and Anna looked at each other, both shrugging, and looked back at Mrs Suoh, who came back, holding a bag. "At least eat these sandwiches I made few minutes ago." She smiled and gave the bag to Anna.
"Mom-" "Please," She overtook her daughter. "Eat these sandwiches, okay?" she caressed Anna's cheek before smiling at Kise once more. "Have a safe trip." She added and watched the two childhood friends walk towards the stairs. Her smiled fell when the two disappeared behind the corner. "What has that boy done to deserve a father like him?" she asked herself quietly before going back in the apartment.
"Look this way, Kise" The photographer called for the blond's attention.
Kise blinked few times before turning his head, looking at the man. Anna was quietly standing beside his manager, who was narrowing her eyebrows. She knew the manager was starting to get a bit suspicious of his actions, but she didn't want for anyone to find out about his state. Not when he doesn't want for anyone to know about his personal life.
"Great work today," Manager smiled at the blond model when he walked to two women that were waiting for him. She handed him water which he happily took. "How are you feeling?" she asked.
Kise took a quick glance of Anna, who was quietly standing beside before looking back at his manager. "Fine," he answered and took a sip. "Ah, drinking water always refreshes me." He grinned.
"Geez, Kise," The manager sighed, shaking her head. "You were daydreaming a lot today. You should stop if you still want to get calls." She said with a gentle smile before turning to Anna. "Apparently they also want you, as always. Do you want to take few pictures with Kise?" she asked.
"I don't want them to be published anywhere, thank you." Anna politely declined.
"What about as memory of two childhood friends?" Kise asked, his grin widening. "Come on, do it for me…" His lips formed a pout that no one could ever resist.
"Fine…" Anna rolled with eyes. "But only as memento," she pointed at him, shooting him half glare as he hopped to the photographer and asked him if he can take few pictures of him and Anna.
The photographer more than willingly accepted.
"Are you sure you are going to be okay?" Anna looked at Kise in worry. "You know you can always sleep in my room or call me even if it is in the middle of the night, right?" she asked, while standing in front of the building they lived in.
"Mm," Kise nodded with a half-smile. "Thank you, Anna-cchi…" he said.
The two walked inside and stopped in front of Anna's once more. "I have practice tomorrow, so I will be going earlier." Kise looked at Anna.
"It is okay," Anna smiled. "Just…be safe, okay?" she said and hugged him tightly. "I am always here for you…" she whispered.
Kise's eyes slightly widened before he looked to the ground. I don't deserve any of this… He thought and wanted to pull away, but didn't find any strength. He couldn't pull away. "Thank you…" he replied in quiet voice.
Anna pulled away and smiled once more. "See you tomorrow." She waved and watched Kise walk towards stairs that led to one floor higher.
Moments later she walked into her apartment and it was just a matter of time before she heard noise. Yet none of it came. It surprised her and even made her worried, but there was nothing she could do. Sitting on her bed in her bedroom, she stared at her phone, deciding if she should send him a message or not.
At the end she did. And reply came soon after.
I am fine, Anna-cchi. You don't have to worry (^_^)v
Was what his message said and she believed it though for some reason she felt restless until she fell asleep. There was no noise coming from the upper floor that night.
Next morning, Anna went to school as usual, though alone. She couldn't wait until she saw Kise once again. She was going to Touo Academy and she also knew Aomine Daiki and Momoi Satsuki. She was friends with the two and hanged around each other quite much in the breaks.
And once Anna was done with her school for the day she went to Kaijou High once again. It was her daily routine. Waking up, going half way to school with Kise before they parted their ways. Kise went towards Kaijou while Anna towards Touo. They texted each other during breaks or classes, depending what was going on and before they knew it, the classes were over and it was time for Kise's club activities. Anna wasn't in any club, though her name was seen in basketball's club as manager right under Momoi.
The moment Anna came to Kaijou, she was bombarded with Kasamatsu's yelling. Not at her, but at his team. He was furious and she wondered why. Looking around the gym, she couldn't see the blond teen anywhere. Narrowing her eyebrows, she stepped in the gym, making her presence seen.
"W-where is Ryouta?" she asked no one particular, but anyone could guess to which this question was spoken to.
"Shouldn't you know?" Kasamatsu faced her. "He didn't come in the morning to practice and he wasn't at school." Anna's eyes widened as she covered her mouth. "What is happening to him?" he growled in slight annoyance.
Without saying a word, Anna ran out of the gym and towards her home. Her restless feeling only grew strong by each minute until she reached the flat. She ran up the stairs, not minding her father, who startled when he left their apartment.
"Anna?" he called, but narrowed his eyebrows seeing fear completely visible on her face as she ran one floor higher. He followed her though he knew where she was going and stopped right on the corner, not wanting to make himself visible.
"Ryouta, it is me…" Anna knocked on the doors of Kise's apartment.
There was silence before shuffling was heard. "Anna-cchi?" It was Kise on the other side.
"Ryouta, open the doors." She called. "Please, open up the doors." She begged and after a moment of complete silence, a sound of doors unlocking was heard. The doors opened slowly as Kise stared to the ground. Anna's eyes widened and covered her mouth.
"R-Ryouta…" She whispered in a choke before cupping his face, her dark eyes looking over the dark bruise and swelling that covered his left eye. "Why didn't you call me?" Her eyes showed nothing but pain and regret that she didn't check up on him in the morning.