Another story of KnB that was inspired by my sickly days earlier this week~ XD

This would only have a few chapters, around 10 chapters at the most.

Takes place in their second year after Kise joined.

Edit:- Changed Akashi's age as this happened way before December which is his birthday and since he's in the second year of middle school.

Disclaimer~

All Characters from Kuroko's Basketball belongs to Fujimaki Tadatoshi-san!

!Story Overview!

Title:- Inner Burden

-Teiko Days- What become of your life when you put in more work than you can handle? Cutting off your freedom to enjoy your youth? When illness strikes, would you move on despite the glaring effects just to fulfill your place in your family's heritage? or would you collapse before you even reach it? How would your team mates take it? After all, even emperors got sick.

The dawn that brought back the light into the fading dark night painted the early morning sky with its warm glow. A perfect scenery; especially for artist and painters. The early birds already started chirping once they flew in search of their first meal. The morning cold still settled among the trees, roads and buildings. As the sun rises, illuminating the waking city with its light peeking at every corners, the start of another day begins. Especially for the working population. Young children, teenagers and adults alike started off another normal day within the busy city.

On the grounds of a very well refined wealthy estate, various lesser servants went around the building, cleaning and doing what ever it is necessary to make the estate presented high quality aspects. Inside the luxurious building, maids were cleaning and preparing breakfast for their young master, the heir to the family's noble name. The current master left overseas a week ago for prior business matters. The young master was once again left alone although the many studies, lessons and training he had kept him busy. Especially the pressure he was given by the master. His father.

The sole reason, is to be 'Excellent-in-all-areas'.

Some of the older maids who worked with the family for years back, had seen how much the right to the household gripped the masters into that one mentality. Many times they've seen them given more talents to master, one after another which they eventually did. Nonetheless, all they can do was serve them. They couldn't intervene in a household of experts of great status within the community and perhaps the nation. Although much silent worry goes to the current young master. Most of the elderly maids were either mothers or grandmothers. Knowing a child doing more work than what a normal adult would is saying something.

The head butler of the household served the young master in all his daily activities. In his many lessons in either horse-riding or poetry or any other various talents. High classed instructors came in and out of the Akashi estate on every appointed date of their lessons. Although they didn't express it, the other butlers of the refined household had similar sympathy to their young master.

The young heir's morning starts off like any other day. Waking himself up after dawn, he prepared himself with the preparations the household maids had made. He adorned his neat School uniform while the brazer still hanged on a hanger along with other clothes inside the highly furnished wardrobe. After fetching the said suit he heads downstairs for breakfast. On the way, he was greeted by the maids lining along the long staircase to the large hall room entrance. The head butler awaits the master's arrival within the dinning room.

Once he had cuisines that no average thirteen year-olds had, especially for breakfast, he went down to the large family library. He had lessons in performing the Violin earlier that day, hours before the school would open their gates. He was in early and started to practice the last verse before the instructor made his appearance.

After the lessons ended, the sun had already rise a quarter of the growing morning, signaling the butler of the time to which the young heir was aware of.

The refined shiny vehicle was prepared beforehand and after fetching his bag and brazer which he neatly and properly worn over his uniform and tie, Akashi Seijūrō boarded the limousine. Although previously he had stated he'd rather took a more in a sense, 'normal' and lesser eye catching way to get to school and to avoid unnecessary attention from the rest of the student body; though he was intimidating enough to ward them away.

As the limousine went further down the road, Akashi went through his head for the list of duties he'll normally would do once reaching school. The list is a long one as usual. His student council work would pile up by the end of the day's classes and he's to attend the Basketball club, now as their captain. It did surprise him however slight it was. Once he overheard, Nijimura having a discussion with the coach about his resignation as the captain due to family matters, he knew that he, as the vice-captain, would be appointed to be the next captain. It inevitable. He knew it. Although it would increase his workload, its fine. He would see through the best of the duties given to him. Without complaints.

Watching the city through the window somewhat calmed him. He didn't know why. Just so that, to a degree, calmed the nagging feeling he had at the back of his head. What it was? He wondered a few times since getting up that early morning. Although he tried ignoring it, it kept coming back. The foreign feeling is utterly alien to him. But he won't let it stop him from thinking things through for the day.

The limousine parked at the further side of the school as Akashi had requested. The driver went and opened the door for him and Akashi went off towards the entrance by himself. The feeling still lingered but more or less evident once he entered the school building. He was the first to enter his class, as usual. With having some time to spare before other students piled in and homeroom starts, he went to the student council room to get a head start in sorting out matters beforehand.

Class went as usual. The normal routine; where the teacher noted the class list register and each student signaled they were present once their names were called out. Akashi's the first on the list. The school lessons went as normal as any other day. Most of the subjects, no, all of them, Akashi held with his extraordinary marks. The top of the school. Many tried to compete against the red haired but they always ended up below his position. At the most, Midorima was the second top and he tried the hardest in his studies to beat Akashi for the highest position but of course, Akashi beat him as usual.

When lunch rolled by, the young heir was always found playing the difficult and complicated game of Shogi. Either by himself or with the vice-captain of the Basketball team. He appointed Midorima and that's who he was currently playing against. When it comes to games, Akashi normally came out on top. How he planned through the strategy and the fundamentals of every single game was a mystery to those he had competed against. Though the red haired remain calm and unwavering as ever since victory came to him as easily as breathing. He repeatedly stated so.

Midorima always expressed how the red haired would beat him repeatedly. Nonetheless, still went up to play against him. But somehow, Midorima noticed a slight difference in Akashi. Aside form the growing 'other' side to him that he had seen many times in the past, another strange trait displayed it self on how the red haired acted. Akashi's hand kept brushing the back of his head once over five to ten minutes. The small gesture was unusual no matter how small it was. When Akashi noticed Midorima was staring while he brushed the back of his head for the fifth time, he asked the reason for his stares and Midorima brushes the gesture and the unusual habit off.

Later he goes through the work presented to the student council especially to the president, Akashi himself. The school and its many matters were settled quickly and efficiently by him. Akashi once again amazed the rest of the student council in his many problem solving and dealing with difficult matters. They knew that no difficult mess couldn't be cleaned up without the calculative and efficient Akashi to guide them the way. Everyone knows he would know the answer to everything. Its only normal.

All the while, Akashi felt the foreign feeling increased. He still hadn't came to a conclusion on what caused, which he now recognizes, as pain known as a growing headache. He felt slightly frustrated. He couldn't come up with an answer that his own head, literally, his brain created. All in all, he won't let the headache bother him so he continued his rounds around the School clubs before entering his own.

Later that afternoon, Akashi went to the first strings stadium and was greeted by Nijimura, standing by the entrance. They exchange a few words of the day before the former captain notices the shorter red haired clutching the back of his head. He ask him whether something had happened to him or such but with a straight expression, Akashi denies having any problems he couldn't solve later. That sends disbelief in Nijimura but he let's it go but not completely. He'll have to observe the red haired later.

Akashi went into the changing lockers then starts to neatly discard his uniform. A few of the members within the locker room had changed and already went. The red haired gathered his T-shirt but before taking them above his head and onto himself, the annoying pain started up again. This time, much more than usual. The pain went up a notch which made Akashi to slightly clutch his teeth. His hand subconsciously moving from the back of his head to his forehead. His crimson eyes narrowed slightly when he felt himself warmer than usual.

" Akashi-kun? "

" Akashi-cchi? "

A monotone and a chirpier voice caught Akashi's attention from himself to the two who entered the changing room. He instinctively removed his hand from his forehead before facing the two.

" Kuroko. Kise. ", he greeted them. Kuroko replied politely as with Kise who adds that whether Akashi had just arrived. He did and that's what he told them before finally covering himself with his T-shirt that he gripped on to. He noticed the pain somewhat dimmed but is still there.

The two went to their individual lockers to change themselves soon after. Kise talks about the practice ahead while Kuroko observes the red haired in a side glance. Just before Akashi leaves, the light blue haired stopped him at a question which he was similarly been given by Nijimura; that if he's alright. Akashi responded the same way he did with the latter then he exited the room without another word.

Kise went up to Kuroko after changing into his work out clothes. The shorter of the two was in thought and Kise knew he was thinking of something intriguing.

" Kuroko-cchi? ", he inquire and Kuroko glanced upwards towards the blonde. " Yes? " Kise holds his index finger and thumb up to his chin, " Were you thinking of Akashi-cchi? " Kuroko gave a slight nod, before opening his locker. " Somehow, Akashi-kun is not feeling like himself today... "

Kise responded with a 'mm', stating that he too noticed something's wrong with their captain but by knowing how Akashi could see through any problem no matter the size and level of difficulty, it's only normal that he'll fix it later but...

Could he have missed something?

That wouldn't be normal.

Unknown to the two, the normal day would soon be revealed into an unusual one.

Yes! I finally made a more serious story of this awesome anime!~ (not like my other KnB story's not serious, it will get to that part as the story progressed~) I just love their Teikō days. The earlier ones that is. When they were close friends.

I was listening to serene and sorrowful songs while writing close to the middle of this first chapter which made it more easier to write~ : )

If there's a story similar to this, it's only a coincidence!~ X-X

Please Read and Review!~

HIJAMIYA, Out!