"Momoi-san!"

Tetsuya crouches down only a few feet away before Momoi, trying to calm down his breathing into a more bearable level after he runs as fast as he can to catch up with her. After some time, he stands up and sees how Momoi tries to erase the evidence of her crying from him before turning around to face Tetsuya with a strained smile. Even now, even after Tetsuya unintentionally breaks her heart, she still tries to act polite and normal to him. That, and how Tetsuya can still see the clear tear tracks on Tetsuya's cheeks makes him feels as though he is the worst person in the world.

"Yes, Te—Kuroko-kun?" smiles Momoi. The smile did not reach her eyes.

Tetsuya feels as though he is punched. Ever since their third year of middle school, Momoi has never called him with his surname. Tetsuya or Tetsu-kun is what Momoi usually calls him. But just now she calls him with his surname, almost as if she is trying to distance herself from him. He has never thought that to be called by his surname would be such an unpleasant feeling before. How exactly he messed up this so much?

Tetsuya steeled his resolve and look at Momoi right in the eye. "I need to explain something to you, Momoi-san."

There is no going back. He has to tell what exactly his feeling is to Momoi. This might be the only chance left for him to right his blunder. A blunder that might not happened at all if Tetsuya was honest with his feelings all this time.

~oOo~

14 years old, Second year of Middle School.

Tetsuya sighs as he gets out of the air-conditioned minimarket into the open hot summer air. Summer heat in Japan has always been ridiculously harsh. Even now, at night, with a popsicle in his mouth, Tetsuya can still feel the hot summer air scalds his skin quietly. With all the politeness that has been tempered to him since he was little, Tetsuya cursed the Library Committee Chief who decided to have a late well-into-night meeting in a hot summer night such as today in his head.

Slowly mouthing down his popsicle, Tetsuya looks around the outside of the minimarket, seeing many students wearing the same uniform as him. Judging from the time, Tetsuya deduces that the students still around are probably members of the school's sports clubs. Today's Library Committee notwithstanding, usually there are no students comes home this late besides them after all. Tetsuya silently give them his regards. To be able to train sports in this heat is nothing short of Herculean feats in his opinion.

Still watching the students around him, Tetsuya sees a girl in his school uniform watches a couple of boys sharing a double stick popsicle wistfully. Her expression alone shows how much she wants to interact like that with other students. Regretfully, there are no other female student here right now, and so she could not share a double stick popsicle with another. Tetsuya mentally shrugs his shoulder. It is not his business. Feeling the last of his popsicle go in his mouth, as is his usual habits since childhood, Tetsuya looks at the words usually etched to the stick.

Katsu!

Well, what would you knew. There the kanji "Win" clearly written in Tetsuya's popsicle stick. What should he do? He supposes it would be nice to exchange the stick for another popsicle, but it would ruin his appetite for dinner at home. The one popsicle he just had has already makes Tetsuya quite full after all. Even so, he also did not particularly want to throw the stick away…

A stray thought passes his head and Tetsuya glances up to see the girl he saw just moments ago. The girl still stands at the same place and staring wistfully at the couple of boys.

Maybe he could give this stick to her?

After several seconds Tetsuya nodded mentally and take his water bottle from his bag, washing the stick from any syrupy stickiness of his popsicle from it and then dries it with his handkerchief. Then, he slowly approaches the girl.

"Ano…"

The girl turns around to face him and Tetsuya feels as though the road has been pulled under him. In one word, the girl in front of him is beautiful. Even with her pink hair, Tetsuya has an impression that right now he is looking at the personification of Yamato Nadeshiko from Japanese literature herself. Completely entranced, Tetsuya can feel himself stops breathing even as his heart beat speeds up. At the back of his mind Tetsuya remembers the girl to be Momoi Satsuki, the much popular manager of the Teikou Middle School Boys Basketball Club. He remembers she is the same year as him.

"Yes?" the girl—Momoi—says.

Tetsuya forces himself to take a breath. With his poker face, usually no one would be able to tell what his feelings was most of the time, so he hides his nervousness viciously under it. He offers her the popsicle stick and says with the most bland voice he could muster, "I did not want this anymore. You can have it."

Tetsuya sees how Momoi looks stunned beyond belief. Most probably because how rude it is for someone to offer a seemingly empty stick of popsicle. But Tetsuya did not linger to watch what her reaction is after her shocks passes. He is too busy taking advantage of his low presence to high tail from there so he could calm his heart down.

~oOo~

15 years old, Third year of Middle School.

"I did not know what I should do, Tetsu-kun!" cries Momoi while Tetsuya holds her gently, trying to calm her down.

Tetsuya did not know how exactly this happened, but here he is, attempting to cheer up Momoi after the childish, brash, thoughtless outburst that Momoi's childhood friend, Aomine Daiki, does in basketball club practice. Even as he tries to calms Momoi down, Tetsuya couldn't help but remembers what exactly lead him to this situation.

At first, Tetsuya thought that that hot summer night in second year would be the only interaction he would have with Momoi. With Momoi being the popular manager of the basketball club and Tetsuya being the invisible library committee member, it would be the most logical conclusion after all. But it is not so. As it turns out, Momoi is actually an avid library visitor. Every day, when she has the time, Momoi always gives time to visit the school library. Sometimes she visits for researching a new strategy for the basketball club, other times she just visit for the sake of reading books from her favorite genres. As someone who is usually observant in regards to the school library's visitors, Tetsuya is actually surprised he did not realize this before.

Not only that, Momoi remembers Tetsuya as the one who give her the winner popsicle stick. And isn't that a completely different surprise. With his low presence, even Tetsuya's fellow library committee members who daily interact with him could forgets him when he is right beside them in the same room. Of course Tetsuya did not expect someone who interacts with him only once to remember him.

Still, it doesn't change the fact that Momoi remembers him, and just like people said, that one thing leads to another and the rest is history. And here, now, as a friend, Tetsuya ends up holding the girl (who still could make Tetsuya loses his breath without even meaning to when he sees her) as she cries. Giving Momoi assurances that nothing Aomine says are her fault. Assuring her that Aomine is just tired of the heavy practice menu and the responsibilities of the Ace of the basketball club. Assuring her that everything would be alright.

(Tetsuya did not tell anyone, would never tell anyone about it, but at that time, he tries truly hard to just focus on calming down Momoi. Because if not, Tetsuya might just go on a hunt for Aomine Daiki to gives him several lessons for making the beautiful, kind hearted Momoi Satsuki cry. It doesn't matter even if Aomine is an athlete whose body is proportionally bigger than Tetsuya himself.)

~oOo~

17 years old, Second year of High School.

Tetsuya looks out the window of Maji Burger as he sips his vanilla milkshake slowly, observing people on the outside of the window as is his hobby.

"Hey, Kuroko."

Tetsuya looks up to see his classmate and the Ace of his school's basketball club, Kagami Taiga, towering over him, a mountain of burgers on the tray in his hand. "You mind if I sit here? The other seats are full." asks him.

Tetsuya shakes his head. "No. Please sit down Kagami-kun."

Mumbling a gruff thank you, the tall basketball player takes the seat in front of him and immediately opens a burger. Tetsuya did not pay Kagami any attention as he continues observing people on the outside of the window, unaware that he is also being observed by the male in front of him.

"I didn't know you have a girlfriend, Kuroko."

Tetsuya turns his head to face Kagami, and arches one of his eyebrows, "I did not have a girlfriend, Kagami-kun. Who told you that?"

Kagami returns arching an eyebrow at Tetsuya. "Momoi Satsuki. Touo Academy's basketball club's manager. She said she is your girlfriend." Kagami hums as he opens another burger. "I didn't even know that you know someone from Touo Academy."

"You didn't ask." deadpanned Tetsuya. Then, because his curiosity got the best of him, he asks, "When is that?"

"A week ago?" answer Kagami. "Our club had a practice match with Touo Academy, and then there's this one guy from baseball club or something confesses to her, but she rejects him. Says she already have a boyfriend in Seirin."

Tetsuya listens intently at what Kagami is telling him. He couldn't quite believe his ears. "Imagine my and the members of the basketball club from our year surprise when she named her boyfriend to be you." Kagami looks at Tetsuya as he opens yet another burger from the mountain on his tray and continues on absently. "I'm pretty sure Furihata and Kawahara says something about cornering and giving you 'lessons' for being 'the first to have a girlfriend between us but did not tell about it'."

An image of the two throwing a temper tantrum makes a soft chuckle escapes Tetsuya lips. "What should I tell when I did not have a girlfriend in the first place?" Tetsuya shakes his head amusedly. "Besides, there is no way Momoi-san has a relationship with me. She has already have Aomine-kun."

A silence descended upon the both of them. Kagami looks as though he wants to say something to Tetsuya but thought better of it and continues speed eating through his mountain of burgers. Tetsuya ignores him and just turns his head to looks out of the window, acting as though he resumes observing people outside when in truth his mind tries to squish hard the ugly feeling arises inside his mind every time he was remembered how Momoi chose to enter Touo Academy.

Clenching his hand, Tetsuya tries to forcefully bury the hideous jealously that involuntary rises inside his heart.

And what an ugly burning jealousy it was. How could Tetsuya not feel like that? When even after Aomine made her cried so much that day in third year of middle school, Momoi still, without wavering, faithfully follows Aomine into a school of his choosing. Almost as if Aomine's hurtful words that day never happened and did not hurt Momoi so much.

(A deep part inside Tetsuya's heart betrays him and whispers in a snide voice telling Tetsuya that he should know better. Not matter what happens, Aomine Daiki would always be Momoi's number one priority after all.)

~oOo~

18 years old, Third year of High School – 30 Minutes ago.

Tetsuya walks besides Kagami absently. He did not pay any attention to anything around him. Not even the road he walks. Tetsuya is deep inside his mind where the image of Momoi crying after he rejects her confession not too long ago etched on his mind.

Bam!

Tetsuya falls from a punch that hit him out of a sudden. He looks up from his position on the ground and sees the childhood friend of the girl inside his mind, Aomine Daiki being restrained by Kagami.

"What the hell! Stop, Aomine!"

Aomine struggles against Kagami's restrain. A murderous expression etched on his face as he looks at Tetsuya.

"Fuck off! It's not your problem Kagami!"

Kagami startles a bit, glancing uncertainly at Tetsuya and Aomine before frowning and tightening his restrain on the furious male. "You hit my friend out of a sudden! The hell it is not my problem!"

If anything, Kagami's words just make Aomine's trashing to get free much wilder. "Release me Kagami! It's Kuroko's fucking fault! Why did he reject Satsuki?!"

Kagami froze at that, but his restrain on Aomine did not lighten in the slightest. "I don't know what are you talking about, and I don't care! I will only release you if you're not going to hit Kuroko as soon as I let go!"

Aomine grits his teeth frustrated. He struggles against Kagami's hold for a few seconds before giving up and angrily bites out, "Fine damn it! I won't hit him again!"

Slowly, Kagami released Aomine, but Tetsuya could see that his eyes did not leave the other male. Kagami keeps watching Aomine every movements closely in case the furious male tries to hit Tetsuya again.

A strained silence surrounds them for a moment before Aomine repeated his question coldly to Tetsuya. "Why did you reject Satsuki?"

On the ground, Tetsuya flinches. How he would be able to answer that? How could he even try to explain?

"I… did not love Momoi-san. I'm sorry," Tetsuya lies through his teeth. His eyes steadfastly glued to the road.

Aomine steps forward furiously, instantly grabbing Tetsuta's shirt so roughly that Tetsuya has to stand up if he did not want his shirt to be ripped. "Don't give me that lie Kuroko! I don't believe that!" Aomine clenches his fist on Tetsuya's shirt, looking as if he wants to punch him again. "I might not be one of your friends. But I know how you look at Satsuki every time the both of you talk! You're not the kind of guy who would lead her on if you don't like her!"

Tetsuya keeps silent, building on Aomine's anger. Tetsuya wants to retract his previous statements, but he didn't. It's not like it would change anything even if he admits his feeling for Momoi. Not when Tetsuya knows the kind of relationship that Aomine and Momoi have. Not when he knows that he would just be an unwanted obstacle for the both of them.

"Say something damn you!" Aomine raises his hand and Tetsuya knows he is going to be punched again if it's not for the timely question of another male who spectate Tetsuya and Aomine's scuffle.

"But Aomine, aren't you dating Momoi?"

Aomine draws back from Tetsuya startled and turns around to look at Kagami incredulously. "Hah?! The heck you are talking about Kagami? Satsuki and I are just childhood friends! We're not dating!"

Tetsuya looks at Aomine, a flicker of hope blooms in his heart as he listens intently to the vehemence denial that the other boy was saying. Then he quickly erases that thought before it could even fully forms. No, even if Aomine denies it, there is no way Aomine and Momoi did not have any relationship. Not with how they interact with each other.

"But aren't you? I mean, Momoi always taking care of you and what not." states Kagami calmly.

"That's because we're childhood friends! Our parents are close friends so we're practically raised as siblings. Isn't that obvious?"

"No it is not," refute Kagami. When it looks like Aomine wants to argue, he continues on, sighing exasperatedly as he did so. "Look from Kuroko's view, idiot. Both you and Momoi are always so close with each other. Everyone who looks at you and Momoi thinks the both of you are dating. I bet that the reason Kuroko rejects Momoi is because he thinks so too. He doesn't want to come between your relationships with her."

Aomine looks stricken and whirls around to face Tetsuya. An expression of disbelieving, dawning horror etched on his face. "No… No way. That's the reason you reject Satsuki?" he voices out quietly.

Tetsuya keeps silent. He could not trust his mouth to say anything.

"The hell is this. I did not know that." mumble Aomine as he runs his hand across his hair exasperatedly.

Aomine looks at Tetsuya and sighs, trying to rein in his temper. A second or two passed as silence descents around them, until finally Aomine opened his mouth again. "I never liked Satsuki like that. We are close and have known each other from we're little that I always thought of her as more of a sister than anything else."

Tetsuya listened to Aomine and finally glanced up to meet his eyes. Aomine just look straight at Tetsuya with a no-nonsense air around him. "If you care about Satsuki, tell her. She loves you so much that I know how much her heart must be breaking right now. If, after this you still did not fix it, I will come back and beat you up. Not even Kagami be able to save you then."

After that is said, Aomine then turn around and left without another word.

~oOo~

18 years old, Third year of High School – Present

"I need to explain something to you, Momoi-san."

Momoi's body stiffens before giving Tetsuya another strained smile, shaking her head a little. "There is no need for you to explain anything, Te—Kuroko-kun. I understand."

"No. I do need to explain it." Tetsuya opens his mouth. "Because I have been very unfair to you."

Momoi looks at Tetsuya and timidly asked. "What do you meant?"

Tetsuya hesitated, and try to weave the words in his head carefully. At the end, he decides to just tell her the truth. "I… did know what to do with your affections."

"Momoi-san has always been close with Aomine-kun. I did not think I will ever have a chance. Not with the atmosphere that Momoi-san and Aomine-kun has. I did not want to ruin any relationship between the two of you."

"Because of that, I always told myself to not believe in any shows or saying of affection from you. It's also why I rejected Momoi-san when you confessed to me earlier…"

Tetsuya swallowed. He had unconsciously looked on the ground when he began talking. Confessing all that he felt all this time is more difficult than he thought. "If… If Aomine-kun did not punch and contradicted me just then… I might never accepts my own feelings and regret it forever. That's why, I will say this to Momoi-san now…."

Slowly, Tetsuya lifts his head, looked at Momoi in the eyes and say what he always wanted to say to her. "I love you, Momoi-san."

Hearing Tetsuya's confession, Momoi looks shocked. She did not say a word, and Tetsuya let her process everything that he just said. He decided to let her make her own decision. If, after this, Momoi rejects him, then it would be Tetsuya's just medicine for being idiotic enough and rejecting her in the first place.

.

.

.

.

.

"Thank goodness…" A sob escapes Momoi's mouth.

Tetsuya stilled. "Momoi-san?"

Another sob quickly becomes crying and Tetsuya sees Momoi tries her best to erase her tears. "I… had thought that Tetsu-kun did not like me… that Tetsu-kun hates me… I thought that's why you reject me…"

Momoi's confession makes Tetsuya's heart feel broken. He quickly steps up in front of Momoi and embraced her gently. "Never, Momoi-san. If there is one thing I know I'm incapable of, it is that I'm incapable of hating you."

Tetsuya can feel Momoi erasing her tears again. He looks down a little and sees Momoi smiling up at him through her tears. "This means that now you are my boyfriend right, Tetsu-kun?"

Tetsuya smiles gently at her. "Yes, Momoi-san."

To Tetsuya's surprise, Momoi then shakes her head a little and distangles herself a little from his embrace. He looks at Momoi who looked at him clearly in the eye. "Satsuki." says her firmly.

Tetsuya angles his head a bit to the left, bewildered. Momoi must have felt his confusion since she continues.

"We are now a couple right? Call me Satsuki, Tetsu-kun. Not Momoi-san."

A surprised chuckle comes out of Tetsu's mouth, and without a moment of doubt he tightened his embrace on her once again and bent down to put his mouth besides Momo—Satsuki's ear, delighting in how he can feel her face turns red. Then, still a little giddy and feeling more bold than usual, Tetsuya gently whispered. "If that is what you wish, my azalea flower.**"

** I know that the name Satsuki could meant the fifth month, marking her as being born in May, but in here I just assume that she was named after the Satsuki Azalea flower.

Author Notes:

- If anyone read this found a name of person or place that is not from Kuroko no Basuke, please do tell me because I first write this for my assignment in writing stories, and I had to change the characters and places name so it is not discovered that I actually wrote a fanfiction XD. I'm pretty sure I had edited out all of it, but just in case...

- If anyone could actually give me a better summary and title for this story I will accept with open hands... I know I suck at both...

- And for anyone that read my "One Week Friends", I know I haven't updated that in a long while. I'm sorry, I really am for that. Do not worry, it is not abandoned. I just haven't had the time to write my drafts completely.