After her brother died unexpectedly, Kuroko Tetsuna has been attending Teikou under his name throughout middle school. Now in high school, how can she fare against a sudden twist of events while keeping her secret (and sanity) intact? But one thing's for sure, she won't let anyone know her true gender or all hell would break lose.

Note: I don't own the cover picture or Kuroko no Basuke (that's a given)

I will break free of this shell

And be my own person.

But even if I can't, I'll still do my best

Because it's myself I'm going against

HALF-LIFE

Loading Prologue

3 years ago…..

The lovely long-haired bluenette walked with her father through the cemetery. She was wearing a black dress- the custom color code when you attend a funeral. She successfully hid her emotions well behind her stoic face even though she couldn't bear the pain anymore. She just couldn't bear the pain of losing her other half.

"Tetsuna," her father whispered. It was the first word he had said throughout the whole day to her.

Tetsuna paused in walking and faced the man. "Yes Father?" she asked, voice void of any emotion. For a 13-year-old, she had an unsettling control on her emotions and outward appearance. If Takeharu wasn't her father, he wouldn't be able to read her at all. Except that he is and he can perfectly tell that she's on the verge of crying.

The man sighed at his daughter's mental fight on keeping stoic. "I know that you're going through a hard time in your life. So am I. losing your brother was like losing another part of me. Just like when your mother…"

'Passed away. I know,' Tetsuna thought grimly.

He sighed again and sat on one of the steps leading to a nearby garden. He motioned for Tetsuna to do the same.

"Tetsuna," Takeharu said, facing his daughter, "I have come to a decision and I don't think that you'll like it but it will be for your own good"

Tetsuna examined her father carefully and braced herself for the worst. "…. Decision?" she asked after a few moments of silence.

The man nodded, "I think that it's one that your brother would have wanted though. Tetsuna, you will attend Teikou Middle School starting on Monday"

"I…," Tetsuna was speechless for a few moments. Had he heard him right? "Come again?"

"You will attend your brother's school," Takeharu repeated firmly this time.

"So you want me to attend school?" Tetsuna asked hesitantly with an even voice- but she was wary and confused on the inside. On top of that, she was tired and a little in depression so she can't think as clearly as she would have liked.

The moment Tetsuna's mother died when she and her brother was six, their business went downhill and it was decided that only one of the twins can continue going to school because of financial problems. Tetsuna volunteered even if her brother tried to stop her to. In the end, her brother would go to school and Tetsuna would self-study at the local library. She hasn't set foot in a school ever since.

Truthfully, Tetsuna always wanted to return to school. She was as brilliant as her an-hour-older brother. Where they were both intellectual, she also had a knack in music and arts. She always wanted to show it to someone other than her family but chose to seclude herself from the public eye. She doesn't even have a best friend (other than her twin, of course). That's what she got for being so painfully shy and invisible most of the time- metaphorically of course.

"There's a condition though," Takeharu continued, "That's the part that I think that you won't like. You will attend in your brother's place. He has a scholarship there and the uniforms are already provided. I'm sorry Tetsuna, but I can't buy new uniforms. You'll have to-"

"I'll just have to act like nii-san. I can do that Father," Tetsuna cut off Takeharu. "Only three days has gone by since the start of the school year. I'll manage."

Takeharu smiled and ruffled Tetsuna's hair affectionately. "That's my girl," he whispered.

Tetsuna smiled. She was going to make her father proud. She'll make sure of that.

"There's one thing you should know, though," Takeharu quivkly said.

Tetsuna blinked. 'Another condition?'

He sighed for the umpteenth time. "Your brother signed up for the basketball club on the day of the welcoming ceremony. You'll have to attend it in his place,"

She groaned inwardly. 'Lovely. Just lovely'. But Tetsuna smiled afterwards despite the hardships she knew she'll face.

"Don't worry I'll make you proud. Both of you. This will be an interesting life," Tetsuna said then looked up at the sky, "Ne, Tetsuya?"

Present….

Tetsuna donned the male uniform of Seirin High and had her long hair hidden cleverly under a cerulean wig, just like her hair. She had been attending there for two months now and had acquainted herself with its basketball team and its members, especially Kagami Taiga who is also her classmate. Like middle school, she attends Seirin with a scholarship.

She reached for her bag and glanced at a picture of her and Tetsuya when they where eight. They were smiling brightly there and Tetsuna was wearing a white summer dress while Tetsuya was also in his casual summer clothes, courtesy of Takeharu. Anyone who knew Tetsuya (of course it means Tetsuna in her male facade) would have thought that the boy in the picture was an imposter with his open display of emotions and all. But they won't spare young Tetsuna a glance, she was sure of that because to the rest of the world, Kuroko Tetsuna died at the age of 13 from an incurable disease that also killed her mother.

A small smile graced her lips before she went out of her room.

'So far, so good'

A/N: So sorry to my readers of my other fanfic to find this one uploaded instead of an update. I'm experiencing a writer's block and a bad case of "mamayanayan" disease (Filipinos will get that!). I have no idea if I'm gonna continue this but I'll do my best!