My Neighbor is A Coward

by stripeapple

Kuroko was given a space of five hundred words to write an essay about his neighbor, but he had to recall something before he could lift his pen up-an unforgettable day with his neighbor. (Kuroko, Midorima, Akashi ; 9717 words)

-My Neighbor is A Coward-

A Kuroko no Basket Fanfic by stripeapple, major help from Revixtion.

Just a little AU tragedy story of middle schoolers, inspired by real life events.

Features Midorima Shintarou, Kuroko Tetsuya and Akashi Seijuurou.

Genre: Tragedy, Friendship
Word Count: 9,717 (story only)

!Before you read: AU; the middle school mentioned is not Teikou. Major chaotic personalities: some characters gradually turns out-of-character. If you are not comfortable with OOCness, please refrain from reading.

!Disclaimer: Kuroko no Basket ; The Basketball Which Kuroko Plays belongs to Fujimaki Tadatoshi. I do NOT own any character featured in this story.

---

"Write an essay about your neighbor."

It took me only a second to start lifting my pen up hovering above the pale papers of my psychology test, and not more than a blink of an eye to start recalling of my neighbor.

Though my neighbor is such an indescribable person, that it was hard for me actually write about him in fewer than five hundred words space available.

I decided to take up more minutes of the time given to think of an answer to recall that unforgettable day.

.

.

.

.

.

.

"Midorima-kun, good morning."
"Hmph, Kuroko. It's a bit rare for you to be up at this early hour."

He knows well that I do not usually knock on his door in the morning before he does, and it's not an insult for him to question my early timing. His glasses reflecting the indefinite morning sunrays, his green eyes looking at me in a skeptic expression, his hair gradually displaying shades of green as light poured down on it. Though to begin with, I did not mean anything with my earliness. Was it the noise of the birds chattering? Was it the noises of the public bus's horns? Or was it a random unsoundly call, I can't say.

The day was clearly not any different than our usual days. It was Spring, where flowers bloom beautifully along the streets, and of course, it was one of the days within our beginning of new school term.

For these first three weeks since we started going to school as first years in the middle school, there hadn't been anything new worth noticing. Everything is as flat as ever… The classrooms look just as identical to my previous classrooms in my elementary school building. My classmates are also as same as before, except few transfer students. The teachers are too, nothing worth saying about.

.

.

.

"… Can I sit next to Midorima-kun today?"

I said, as I pulled my bag off my shoulders and placed it on the still-empty chair next to my friend's. The green hair turned his face towards me, and simply argued in a way he usually does.

"I'm guessing you're asking so because there is an extra math class today."

"…"

"The seat is unoccupied, so feel free to sit anyway."

I smiled a bit at the cold yet more likely kind attitude. As I took my seat, I could not help but smile though not directly to his face, and uttered classic words of gratitude. "Thank you, Midorima-kun."

And so the usual classes begin as soon as the school bell rang. The day went surprisingly much faster than usual, for I was able to do every exercise better than usual. Midorima-kun's assistance had helped me more than enough.

Still, the clock had to run and eventually our extraordinary math classes began. It was actually normal to have extra classes on math, but what was worth pointing out was that it was one abnormally difficult math class. Even Midorima-kun, who is usually and mostly intelligent enough to outsmart every problem, was simply silenced.

On one amusingly hard equation, everyone in the class was given ten minutes to solve it, but even after the time lapse, no one stepped up to the board to solve the problem. That was, when suddenly someone rose off his desk.

The thing I first saw was a sharp magnificent red head.

A transfer student? Absolutely someone I don't know.

At a closer glimpse of his face—a serious face and firmly shut lips. The more I look at him, the more familiar his face became. As I slowly recalled, I spoke out my mind to the shamrock haired glasses boy beside me, in a slow voice to make sure that it did not break the silence in the class.

"Midorima-kun, isn't he…"
"… Yes. Absolutely him… our new neighbor, no?"

"Yes. Him."

It gave me a rather odd feeling to never notice our own neighbor in the class after three weeks of enrolling the new term, since we—I had actually seen him for some couple of weeks already.

But back to that previously mute class, everyone looked up to the redhead who walked slowly yet surely to the board in front of the class, as he said, "I have found the solution to the problem, sir."

Then taking the whiteboard marker on his one tad small hands, he brilliantly wrote down every single equation needed to solve the insanely difficult problem. Everyone—most of the students in the class—was looking at him in awe, being the only one able to finish the problem.

"Well done, you are correct." The teacher praised, and continued with a question. "What's your name again, son? You're a new face."

With a single swipe to fix his rather long intense red bangs which had made his serious face even more clearly visible, he answered, "… Akashi. Akashi Seijuurou. I am a transfer student."

Soon as he uttered his name, he took few steps and sat down on his desk, which was actually only three rows exactly behind mine.

.

"Kuroko, come to think of it. Akashi… isn't he…" the sudden question from Midorima-kun startled me, but I responded accordingly then.

"What is it?"

Few seconds passed, and a silence was what came after my words. I observed through his slightly wrinkled eyebrows—Midorima-kun on his attempt of recalling something quite important to speak of, but since he hadn't come up with anything yet, I threw another odd irrational question.

"…? Midorima-kun?"

"-Nothing."

It was clearly something that Midorima-kun doesn't usually do. To take his words aback had created a much more weird feeling in me. I think we both felt that this neighbor of ours has indeed… a weird presence.

His vicious glare? His outstanding intelligence? His reddish surname? His blazing red hair?

Such a strong looking person—was all I could say. A strong will within him… but something else is surely behind them.

At least, that was what I thought about him up to that point.

.

.

.

"So you're joining the basketball team, new kid?"

"Yes, I am joining the basketball club."

"Hah, are you trying to get some popularity? Get lost. Some intelligent kid who doesn't even have enough guts to answer us? You're kidding me!"

Hearing the basketball team being mentioned in such a gruffly manner had caught our attention. Me and Midorima-kun, being a member of the basketball club ever since we were in elementary school, had to turn our heads to where the voice came from: the back side of my seat. Three rows from my seat. Moreover, Midorima-kun is a vice-captain, that he does not simply bear with any kind of insults about the basketball club.

Our recess time at that morning became somehow noisy in a non-wild way for the chatters happening; everyone talked as they watched three people—Tsugawa and his two friends—the people known as the hoodlums of our school. They came from the neighboring class, so we surely did not expect them coming, especially to approach the seat with the flashy redhead on it. Murmurs surrounded them, but no one, including me and Midorima-kun, dared to stand up against Tsugawa anyway. Midorima-kun would have stood up—if it was someone else.

Up to every of the nocuous words thrown at him, the redhead stayed still, with his head down not facing to any of the three.

"Moreover. You requested a class transfer to hide from us?"

Hearing those words from Tsugawa as he closed onto the silently nodding serious face, had rang a bell in my—our ears; there were surely gossips around about a kid being transferred from the neighboring class, and so it seems that the kid was this Akashi-kun.

I didn't know I had such a problematic neighbor.

"So it's him." Midorima-kun said to me, as he looked at the redhead that sat still even with the three people surrounding him with mocks on him. He knew we were thinking about the same things, so I nodded in agreement, then continued observing what happened.

"Surely you're a coward!"

The three let out a happy yet odd guffaw after Tsugawa's words, more likely a cue. Then they started to take things off Akashi-kun's desk—pen, pencil case, then even ripped off a little of his book.

Amazingly—in a weird way, Akashi-kun did not respond a thing but let out a sigh and picked up every of his things that had been dropped onto the floor; not even planning to take anything that was still within either Tsugawa or the two other's possessions.

"Ah, you're not fighting back?"
"This guy's a real coward! He even ain't bothering things when he's in a pinch!"
"A real loser, haha!"
"And you're expecting things to be fine in the basketball club with us? You wish!"

-Mockeries continue even as they started out walking out of our classroom, while throwing away Akashi-kun's things onto the floor randomly. All we did was watch them. Everyone did not even try to warn or remind Tsugawa… No one had ever won against him.

Remembering the previous bully victims from Tsugawa… They fought back, and nothing much happened. They couldn't change anything. If the victim is a girl, they'd be isolated off the class. If the victim is a boy, they'd usually fight, and Tsugawa would always win, then everyone would look down on him, ended up being 'exiled'.

-After all, Tsugawa is the ace, and the captain in our basketball team since when we were in elementary school. He is more than just physically strong, and quite stubborn. Everyone fears his tad bald look. Everyone does…

Apparently, no one has ever found a way to stop him. We had told the teachers, but there has always been zero proof.

Witnesses? Well, Tsugawa, for his 'reign' over us, knows well how punishments work. He always works things out very well and has a two face in front of the teacher. The teachers… consider him as a well-behaved student, therefore they always trust Tsugawa's apologies.

And all those things…

"It's nothing unusual. That Akashi guy is absolutely not going to survive well in the basketball club, I'd say."

Said Midorima-kun. He turned his back and continued eating his meal, considering that the recess time was soon going to be over, and I followed after him.

I could hear few people asking, "Are you okay?" and similar sympathetic things to the new face, and I could hear the plain answers given in a rather soft voice. "I'm okay. I can handle this. Thank you for your concern."

-Akashi-kun, how are you going to handle this?

.

.

.

And thus our classes, that day, had come to an end. I could clearly feel Akashi-kun's presence in the class; how he brilliantly answer each questions was amazing. With him in our class, the usually smart Midorima-kun is even left speechless.

Ah, but I meant no offense to Midorima-kun.

To think again, no wonder Tsugawa bullies him. Akashi-kun has a perfect image of a student, and with his decent socializing skills as far as I could see, Tsugawa might even lose his reign and power slowly… As a lot of people actually dislike him.

"I did not think that Akashi-kun was a coward, though." I suddenly muttered a topic out of my own mind, nowhere out of the blue though. Midorima-kun, who was walking with me out of the school in the gentle afternoon breeze, turned his rather slanted green eyes to me.

"Why are you bringing him up, suddenly." Midorima-kun was of course, confused, but before I spoke, he continued with another response.

"Well, I don't think he is a coward either. All he did was not to fight back. He just wants to play things peacefully, I think, and maintain his academic grades at ease; he prefers to be isolated off the society."

I turned my face to look up to the shamrock colored hair, then turned away after seeing his serious face. "I do think it's the right thing to do, though. To not fight back and let things be.

"Then again, Tsugawa will always triumph…"

"… I know that."

A stop of conversation occurred after my words, and all we did was continuing out slightly slow paced walk, but immediately stopped any further acceleration as we heard something familiar in our ears. We both stepped few steps back to reaffirm of what we heart just then.

The dropping sound of a ball.

Walking even closer to the course of the sound was heard squish of a basketball ring net, squeak of shoes on the tad slippery floors, dynamic dribbling sounds, and last but not least, relentless heavy breaths of someone.

Undoubtedly, someone was in the basketball court. But there wasn't supposed to be a basketball club activity that day, so we thought it was worth checking out—who was inside?

Midorima-kun shared the same curiosity as me, and we both peeked through the little open door to check who was playing.

.

.

.

A red shadow. An agile-gestured boy playing basketball by himself.

The familiar red head was seen to swiftly move around the court, even aimed countlessly yet accurately for the ring, scoring uncountable shoots. Lay-up, double clutch, hook shoots, three points…

"He's more than just decent at this."

Midorima-kun commented, as we distanced ourselves off our peeking spot, having enough observed for the meantime. Since to admit someone's skill was not something Midorima-kun would easily do, so I do consider that the redhead, Akashi-kun, was just so excellent at his basketball.

"I no longer wonder why Tsugawa picked on him."

"…?"

"Akashi would definitely surpass him in the basketball team."

Think again, yes. Akashi-kun excels much more than Tsugawa. My eyebrows wrinkled to join together, imagining things that would happen in the basketball club if people saw how good Akashi-kun is.

I nodded continuously to agree on Midorima-kun's point, then walked out of the school just as usual—with thoughts still going on my mind.

This was clearly none of my business, but I had the feeling that something big would definitely happen. Tsugawa being finally defeated—I have these mixed feelings whether to feel happy or worry of Akashi-kun.

Then at a moment, I thought I should drop by Akashi-kun's place to talk about Tsugawa… while introducing ourselves as his neighbor.

.

.

.

"Kuroko, could you please water the plants for me? I'm busy."
"Sure, grandma."

After making sure I had my phone on standby mode inside my pocket, I opened the door to my small yard and pulled the water spray onto my palms. As I turned around, I saw a slight view of a green hair beside my house's medium-heighted walls.

"Midorima-kun is also watering the plants today?"

The shamrock hair then moved off his previous standing spot, and only being able to see a bit of his head, I only relied on my ears to listen to his little bit unpleased respond. "It's rare for you to come out and water your plants at this lazy hour." Said he.

In confusion, I asked, "Why is it odd for someone to come out at this hour?"

"—You're usually taking a nap at these hours, no."

Then I only smiled, hearing the somehow pleasantly satisfying answer. I then focused back to watering the plants in the yard, slowly tracing the steps within the little garden in front of my house.

I have always thought that Midorima-kun might say unpleasant and rude things outside, but that is actually just how he shows his over concerns. Just like what had just happened was something like supposed to mean as,

"Why aren't you taking a nap? You're tired, aren't you."

For I know; Midorima-kun hides a really gentle side despite his serious looks.

"Ah."

I was looking at the streets as I watered the plants, and eventually noticed the presence of the flashy redhead walking to the fences of his house. On my hypothesis, since he was still wearing his school uniform, I guessed that he just got back from school. At that time, I would love to greet him, but we haven't even formally introduced each other in the first place. Since it would be awkward, I only sneakily watched him opening his house's fences and went into his house subtly.

As the sound of the door closing was heard, I went back to finishing my outdoor work of the day.

Surely Akashi-kun is our neighbor… Quite unexpected, since it was a bit rare for me to meet someone in the same school being in the neighborhood other than Midorima-kun, being my childhood friend after all. Then, thinking of Akashi-kun, I thought he'd be a reliable teacher when I need him to teach me. Hearing how he actually talks with the other of my classmates, he is a good person to talk to. But that is, only if I get to talk to him better anyway.

…or so, again, that was what I thought.

.

.

.

"Midorima-kun, I'm going inside. See you."

"I am as well."

Doors closed tight, we both returned to the indoors.

I did not immediately walk further into my living room, but stood in front of the door and leaned my back on the door instead. I was somehow exhausted, and I even had to catch some breath before I move any of my limbs.

Just a few minutes then, when I was about to go back standing up off the door I leaned onto, I heard a loud chatter from the outside. It was most likely a self-uproar.

"He-y, it's Akashi's house!"

"That Seijuurou kid?"

"Yeah, that coward who particularly does nothing, haha!"

…Tsugawa and his two hoodlum friends. Hearing their coarse voices too often at school, I couldn't recognize better of their voices.

They even searched for Akashi-kun's house? What a somehow strong will… From what it sounded like, Tsugawa is definitely going to take down Akashi-kun before he takes any stage in the basketball club. I had a feeling that Tsugawa knew already about Akashi-kun's talents in basketball and that envy grew inside him.

Well, it was only my own hypothesis.

Though, given the situation, I absolutely wouldn't like to be a witness of the scene. Well, not that Akashi-kun would care.

So I stepped a foot towards my living room which is not far from my door, but in an instant, stopped after an unexpected reaction came into my rather sensitive ears for the silent lazy hour at that time.

"Oh, look, the red head actually bothers us! Here he comes!"

"Come, what do you have to say?"

-I immediately took back my step and leaned my body on my front door again; an ear attached to the door side to listen to what actually happened. I don't plan to open the door even a bit, though, to avoid risks.

Akashi-kun's house door was heard to be opened, and blurry yet quite soundly footsteps followed after. The laughter from Tsugawa and his friends, along with mockery related words like "Coward" coming out of their lips, filled the tranquility within the afternoon.

My curiosity grew as the wild narrations said, "You're finally facing us face-to-face?" and those words absolutely came from Tsugawa. Only relying on my ears, I pictured the situation being like, Tsugawa and his friends were on the outer side of Akashi-kun's fences, while Akashi-kun on the inside.

Though then I was shocked, to hear rough rattles of locks being unlocked as a key was inserted through the steel keyhole. Tsugawa and his friends were suddenly silenced; probably wonder what Akashi-kun was up to—to suddenly be so much welcome. Sound of the fences sliding for a little was heard, and Akashi-kun's rather low voice broke to the sudden silence.

"It would disturb people on the streets if we were to settle this outside.

"So please, come in."

I absolutely did not understand what Akashi-kun's intentions were. Still eavesdropping with my cold sweats somehow, I sled a hand to my pocket and took my mobile phone out, giving a quick short gossip message to Midorima-kun.

"Midorima-kun, Akashi-kun is actually facing Tsugawa in a welcoming way…?"

Then I closed my phone, as I pressed an ear even more to my door to listen to the conversation even clearer. The silent and empty neighborhood had made it even easier to listen to them.

When I continued my eavesdrop attempt, I could hear something—an odd statement from Akashi-kun.

.

"I was planning to keep my hands clean, but I guess I can't help it. You all are forcing me to."

.

Akashi-kun…?

In confusion, I listened to the response given from the trio.

"Heh… you sure got some balls there, even inviting us to your little pony yard."

"Apparently, I did it so that we can talk things out well and settle this. I want to know why you're picking on me, most of all."

The blunt and quite straightforward words shocked me, but that might be just how he is.

As the chatters continue, they surely weren't any friendly to my ears, and so my tired ears started to lose focus and even more distracted as a buzz was felt on my one hand which had my phone on it. I slowly opened it up, and it was a reply from Midorima-kun, a well expected one.

"You've been listening to them too? I'm on my balcony. I can see the three heads but not Akashi's. I still can hear them well, though. It's oddly interesting to see."

My fingers hovered above the keyboard panels to initiate a reply, but just like what happened before, in a blink of an eye, I was distracted by a suddenly unworldly scream from the outside. It was surely unexpected.

Not thinking anything else, for how desperate the scream was, I rushed to open the door to the outer side to see what happened, sliding my feet as quick as I could to the slippers.

.

.

"You crazy mongrel…! What are you…!"

Tsugawa's voice was it, and one of his friends only kept his painful scream and moan relentlessly going. I slowly crept out of my fences to see beyond the walls that had separated between our yards.

Within a couple of milliseconds of entr'acte in which I took on my way to reach the outer side of my fences—to the streets—and gain my view on what actually happened, I heard a bustle sound of punches and hits ensued, along with moans and rushed scream from the three people—since it would literally be impossible for Akashi-kun to let out such a false scream.

"What are you, a double faced psycho-?!"

Soon as I could see some people on the next door's yard, everything simply was too malicious for my eyes—and my eyes opened even much wider after I saw everything.

.

A tacit scream along with pleading tears,

.

A yearn of help caused by the heavily wounded limbs of theirs,

.

A nearly-dead expression from the usually reigning exponent.

.

.

-and an unsightly… happy grin? Or was it odd? Strange? Insane?

.

.

For whatever kind of expression it was, it was clearly printed under the carnelian red bangs which shone bright for reflecting the lazy yet getting hot afternoon.

A burn of skin could be felt through my skin, though I was actually shivering like being inside a frozen heat. My mouth was even too petrified to even move, and my limbs were stunned especially seeing the three people whom were put lying down on the now horrendous-looking yard of Akashi-kun's.

Wait, I don't even think that was even Akashi-kun.

.

.

As far as I could observe was three knives stabbed on Tsugawa's arm; two on his left, one on his right, then six more knives on the two other's limbs as well, as if the knives tore apart perfectly through them. Blood continued to ooze from the torn arms, palms and feet, even though the three people had even actually stopped struggling. I could still hear ragged breathing from where I was standing… and it had made me continue to just shiver.

The yard that used to look green was then stained with red; as red as the red hair that stood on it, and I was only standing still seeing the red head having his face up to me.

Red eyes looking at me, the faint smell of thick iron mixed with some nasty smell similar to the smell of something rotting in the air. The more I breathe, the more I felt the unpleasant smell in me, that I had to hold my breath for some time.

What I was thinking was,

I have to call the police…!

My head started to spin, to whether run away and call the police or clarify things...? What kind of grim even was that, I would not even like to know. But curiosity from the bottom of my mind had pulled me into stepping a few more towards him.

As my soles stepped on the rough grasses of the-odd-Akashi-kun's yard, I slowly uttered my words half-consciously.

"Who are you…? You're not Akashi-kun…! Why are you doing all this?" I said, in my heavy breath, I could no longer control myself, for my fear of him grew stronger as I closed to him.

But he turned his face to an angle facing straight to me. Then I realized what made his face even scarier than ever—his other eye, his left eye, was yellow and not red. I wasn't sure then whether I was only hallucinating in my dizziness or was it real.

His eyes were widened like seeing things with full of fascination, instead of fearing what he had done. After he heard my words, he, answered me, while pulling one of the knives that was stuck on one's hand palm.

"What are you saying?" He asked, his gaze suddenly shifting calm from the previous somehow-menacing stare. He pulled out another of his many knives which were struck on the bloody fleshes. I watched it all with my mouth open, little gasps intended along, moreover seeing the three half-dead people by Akashi-kun's position. "I am obviously Akashi Seijuurou,

"…Tetsuya."

I couldn't help to feel even more scared than before, and I was only silenced. My nails were clenched onto one another, and how in little frequencies they had bumped into one another—I could no longer control my nerves.

Soon, I heard someone calling my name from my behind, along with sounds of rushed heels to my place.

"Kuroko!"

Midorima-kun was he, and he also let a surprised gasp as he saw the messy yard. His one hand still held his mobile phone in it, though soon put in his trousers' pocket. Though unlike me, he was not stunned yet he even approached Akashi in a gruffly way, stepping over the nearly dead three people, then he held up the red haired boy's shirt collar violently.

"What are you doing!?" Yelled the green haired fellow, his hand seen trembling but I knew well that Midorima-kun is—unusually—angry. "You psychopath…!"

Though everything seemed unpleasant, I saw the 'other' Akashi-kun laughing in a chaotic way. Not any large burst of laughter, but his lips were stretched wide aside; most likely only a chuckle but in a way that gave me instant shudders. As he finished his little laughter in midst of such situation, Akashi-kun let his one hand on Midorima-kun's palm which was holding tight the shirt collar.

"Grave isn't their destination yet, so fear not." His words were unlikely straightforward; it took me a few moment and a few blinks of eyes to understand what he meant, until he finally began to spoke again. "Ahh, please don't worry. I had anesthetics lubricated on the knives. They felt ridiculous pain, but they should be numb by now. Moreover, they should be unconscious by some short time."

After his explanation, I felt a little relief of some worries, but looking at the still bleeding three men twitched my body all over again. My weakened feet then tried stepping forward to take a look closer to the horrendous state, but my legs were nearly numb that I could no longer feel the grounds I had stepped on. Meanwhile, Midorima-kun slowly let go of his clench off Akashi-kun's shirt, but still eyes widely directed at the red sharp eyes. Silence were what Midorima-kun gave—it was more likely being speechless, just like what had happened to my jaws.

I mean, still, three men were stabbed to such grandiosely horrendous state.

Just… How? How does one simply feel nothing, even, in joy instead, after stabbing people?I…

"Ah,"

I turned my previously rather bent-down head to the red eyes.. He was standing still, but he began to bow and his hand reached onto one of the knives which previously struck one of Tsugawa's friend's hands.

"Apparently, I think I need your help, while you are here." Lending a hand would probably something I could not possibly do-especially in such state. "I'm afraid they might bleed to death though, if we don't hurry. So could you help me drag them into my house? And then we can call the ambulance."

Hearing the reasoning had scared me, and I knew I had to move, get going and help Akashi-kun, but then I saw Midorima-kun, who was gripping his own hands tight while biting his bottom lips. It was as if Midorima-kun wanted to convey something but was somehow unable to.

Still being speechless, I only closed in a few steps closer the now-freed-from-knife bleeding people, when suddenly a voice broke the somehow senescent-like silence.

"Why…?" it came from Midorima-kun, as he slowly initiated a move to drag one of the weakened hands of the unconscious Tsugawa. His eyes were looking to the pale countenance of the half-dead gangster. I knew well, that it was hard to believe, that the usually strong and indomitable Tsugawa could actually turn into a chaotically bleeding body.

"I just want to paralyze them, Shintarou." Again, what suddenly popped in the odd Akashi-kun was his sudden address with the first names. But to more than considering that, I listened to Akashi-kun's explanation of his motives, which I had been asking inside my mind for a while already—the moment I watched everything.

"But why?"

Still Midorima-kun had shown a complete distrust in the red-haired person. Upon hearing Midorima-kun's question, another smiled was painted on Akashi-kun's somehow satisfied face.

"I thought it'd be better if people like them can't walk. Apparently, this way, they won't be able to walk, meaning that they won't approach people for some bullying, they won't kick people. And then, since I thought it was necessary, I tore part of their hands as well-so that they won't be able to rip off papers, or snatch away people's things.

"Don't you think my idea is fancy?" said he, as he looked deep into our eyes, as if trying to dig up for answers in us. I, though, remained silent and continued on getting closer to start my attempt of dragging one of the two remaining men. I saw Midorima-kun froze on his way to pull a hand, though, with an unusually odd expression.

"…What is ever fancy with hurting people to this extent?" said the shamrock-haired boy. His eyes were looking through his glasses well, to the red eyes within little distance between them. "I only paralyzed them in a simple way. I might've struck onto few of their nerves that their limbs won't function well, but I made sure I didn't cause any bone fracture so they'd have a fast recovery."

I was shocked, to be honest, for Akashi-kun to have actually considered things that far. He is surely considerate, but on the other side, still it was cruel. No matter for how good it was, part of me still couldn't believe what I was seeing.

'Clack.'

Akashi-kun opened the door to the insides of his house, and with his strength, he dragged on Tsugawa's body in a malice yet careful way, and along the little stairs to the inside of the house had some impact on bumping with Tsugawa's head, but I think Tsugawa was that completely numb and unconscious that he looked dead with no reaction nevertheless what happened to him.

"And what is ever fancy with bullying innocent people from year to year?" Said the redhead, still dragging the body further to the living room of the house. His voice turned smaller in volume yet so clear, as it was silent in the neighborhood; only birds were tweeting throughout the unusual twilight. We both gulped as soon as we heard him. We could not hinder the fact that he was right, though Midorima-kun's jaw opened a little bit as if he wanted to talk back, but I knew well, that he couldn't.

"I am always right. Though I might be wronged in the beginning, but I will always be the righteous victor in the end."

He then released his grip on Tsugawa's hand once he reached a certain distance in the living room, and turned his face to us as he stood back straight up. Akashi-kun was more likely demonstrating on how to drag a body, while I and my friend watched it with a feeling of grossed out mixed with fear, but we wanted to prevent any of them dying any further.

Midorima-kun began to drag the other unconscious boy, and so did I. I, in reflex, uttered small "excuse me" in between my process of dragging the slowly bleeding boy as I dragged his body; his torn limbs oozed fresh blood yet having the person to not scream for pain himself somehow made me feel strangely grossed out.

As we dragged the still silent bodies into the room, Akashi-kun switched on the lights to lit up the previously semi-dark room with only lights from the yellowing skies, but with the lights on now, we could see the blood even clearer. I could feel my body slightly trembling for a moment, seeing some flesh exposed in the limbs of the three men.

Soon as we managed to bring the bodies in, I heard Midorima-kun sighing as if he was tired. But I understood; since I felt it as well, that we had been mentally screaming throughout the horrendous scenes. Then I saw Akashi-kun lifting up his phone from a distance. We couldn't hear him well, but he was obviously calling for an ambulance. We could hear, though, that an act was intended as Akashi-kun called, to show some panic, manipulating his overly joyful contents.

I turned a gaze to Midorima-kun, and so did he, giving some eye contact as we were surely too afraid to speak for anything. Though, I saw Midorima-kun's lips giving a silent cue to me, saying an inaudible word.

"This is crazy."

I nodded in agreement. My teeth clenched to one another every time I took a glance of the pathetic bodies; I finally chose to not look at them anymore. Then, thinking again, I actually wonder why I was even there. I could have ran away.

Before my thoughts continued any longer, Akashi-kun's voice broke into the tacit room. "I've called the ambulance. Thank you for your help, Shintarou, Tetsuya." His hand was still holding his phone, and he was smiling.

I only nodded in respond, my face turning tedious for somehow being mentally broken. I was still speechless that I had nothing else to say, and my feet started turning itself to make my way out of the rusty-smelling room. But Midorima-kun's voice halted me on my way out.

"Akashi… aren't you going to be accused by law for this?"

His voice was trembling.

What was given in return was a slight pitying chuckle from Akashi-kun. Then he added, "Would people believe Tsugawa and the others if they said I hurt them?"

-I wished he would stop saying such creepy reasonings.

"After all, aren't you happy now? Shintarou."

Midorima-kun then immediately averted his gaze off the red eyes, turning his back against the rusty-smelling living room, and attempted to leave the room, passing by the freezing me; but was once again, for the last time at that moment, he was halted in process to hear what Akashi-kun had said.

"…saying goodbye to being bullied by Tsugawa."

I gazed at the uneasiness in the moment. To the strange words, I did nothing but stay silent.

As I saw Midorima-kun leaving the scene, so did I, walking out of the room. And when my eyes, for the last time, tried to take a glance at my back, I could see the red eyes still staring at both of us, despite our distance turning greater.

.

.

And as soon as we managed to come back home, we heard the ambulance coming—its soundly siren echoing through the silent darkening time of the day.

Though, none between the three of us spoke to each other. While others murmur to wonder what happened while watching the ambulance in an eager expression, I only sat still by the balcony, watching everything with my very own eyes and listening everything with my own ears.

Akashi-kun walked by, looking worried, as he saw the three injured bodies.

"I don't know what happened."

.

"When I woke up, they had those injuries on their limbs already."

.

"…I will pay for the hospital fees."

And as I saw the ambulance making its way to the hospital, I wondered:

What was Akashi-kun thinking…?

.

.

.

"Good morning, Midorima-kun."

"…"

.

.

Midorima-kun has been silent, ever since we came back from Akashi-kun's house. Even as we walked to school, we didn't even spit out a single word. I would start a conversation, but since the mood has been gloomy after all, I decided to not share any words during the whole day; at class, at the canteen, and even when our eyes meet, we end up doing nothing but stay silent.

It was spring. The day was, as usual, breezy and not too chilly. But in me and Midorima-kun, certain uneasiness haunted us… all day.

.

.

.

.

.

"Tetsuya."

"…Akashi-kun."

It was afterschool; when I was sitting under a tree, enjoying my later onigiri lunch. The skies were still yellow, but the time was actually already pretty late. Everyone had gone home, so of course, I wondered why Akashi-kun was still around.

Though, it was quite a coincidence, since:

"…Akashi-kun, I have some questions."

"Hmm?"

Fascination was within his red eyes. Then he took a seat beside me, leaning his body on the solid tree trunk. I still remember well, when he exhaled a deep breath, as if he took a long way to get to that place. Seeing him so tired, I had an initiative on sharing my late lunch—it was few, but I thought he needed some refreshments.

"Akashi-kun, before we talk, do you fancy some of the handmade onigiri?" I asked, politely with my hand offering my onigiri lunch box. He turned his tad smiling face to me, then had a hand shoving my lunch box away slowly. "Thank you for your offer, Tetsuya." He said.

"But I'm afraid my hand would be too filthy to touch them."

His eyes showed a glint of despair, slightly averting his gaze from me to the trees beneath.

"Filthy… is it?"

"Of course. Or are you not disgusted at my once blood-poured hands?"

Then, I took a moment to think. Images of the day before's horrendous and chaotic events were flashing through my mind. I slowly remember his widened eyes. Then the bodies that lied under him. Everything was still clear in my head up until that moment.

I slowly took another bite of my onigiri in my possession, while leaving the lunch box be, on the space of grasses between me and the calmed-down redhead. Though, he was staring at me with an intense glare, waiting for my response.

.

But instead, a smile grew on my face, after all. I could no longer hold my usually flat expression.

A broad smile was put on my face, and I said, while looking at the redhead,

.

.

"Akashi-kun, the blood on your hands was a dose of blood I cheered on. Therefore, why would I consider it filthy?"

.

.

Akashi-kun's eyes widened, slight surprise shown on his face. But it soon turned into a smile, gradually changing into a laugh—the similar laugh I heard the day before; satisfaction and joy were in it. And this time, what followed after his laugh was my name—my first name.

"Tetsuya."

I soon realized that he had just taken one onigiri from my lunch box, then munching it few times. He continued to speak then,

"You know, I didn't expect to see your true nature today, after being hidden for the whole day yesterday, which made Shintarou upset."

"… I prefer for him to not know—that yesterday was a deal between us to keep his cowardly side sealed." I fixed on my sitting position, finding a more comfortable place to sit on, as I listened to Akashi-kun.

"He is still THAT afraid of Tsugawa?"

"I think so. Apparently, he had been cowering and wondering if he will be targeted by Tsugawa ever since we started school. He told me it was impossible if he were to hide behind me; I am powerless. But then, Akashi-kun is actually in the same school, and taunted them well, leading Tsugawa and the others target you."

"Ah, it was easy to set bigger fire on small sparks. All I did was to remind them of what happened two years ago, and threw a stone at them to start inflicting fire. Then just yesterday, I thought stone was simply not enough that I chose knives instead."

"But I thought you were going to kill them? So I was speechless, when Akashi-kun said you had anesthetics on the knives, and at night, I heard that you paid for the hospital fees."

There was a light smirk. "Sympathy, Tetsuya. I'm sorry, after all, for not killing them as we had in the deal, but I had sympathy. Other than that, I enjoy it less when they die; I won't be able to torture them any next time."

"But again, accusations are risky."

"No." Akashi-kun shook his head immediately. "I told you both yesterday, didn't I? No one will believe Tsugawa's accusations towards me. As a proof, I made it all well today. No one would accuse me, as I have no particular stereotypes. Also, money nowadays expresses 'sincere' feelings—I took advantage of that trending mindset. I paid for the ridiculous hospital fees as an alibi, which led their parents to believing that I hadn't taken any part in injuring their sons."

I was silenced. Utterly stunned. I could only chuckle a bit in advance, while taking another bite of my onigiri. "Akashi-kun," I called, in between muffles of the rice grains. "I knew it wasn't wrong of me to have a deal with you."

It was a praise.

Then, between us was created a pause, until after some time I had finished my lunch, Akashi-kun began to speak up, with his back still leaned on the trunk.

"But really, you don't know? Tetsuya."

"… What is it?"

"That Shintarou invited me to this school initially, for his protection."

"Aah?"

"Oh, so you don't know."

"I thought Midorima-kun had lost contact with you, and that coming here was a coincidence."

"Well, no. Did you know, what did we actually speak of when that happened?"

"… Not quite. I believe Akashi-kun knows that I was only mere observer behind the shadows."

"Well, I guess this is what you need to know; the story of our cowardly neighbor, two years ago." The redhead sat still, his eyes closed; sometimes opening up to see the darkening skies, but since he looked tired, he was just laying down. I listened carefully to the story he told as he lied down, despite the fact that I had known most of the story, but that was my first time to listen the story from the person directly involved with the scene.

.

.

In the story was one elementary schooler, who happened to play with a kitten by the urban riverside. The elementary schooler was a nerd; he was antisocial, he crept to socializing with animals better than people. And at that fateful sunset, a group of three people ran by that nerd kid. The three people were high-social statused kids in the same school as the nerd.

Seeing the nerdy kid playing with a kitten, the three kids bursted in guffaw, and snatched the kitten away. They made fun of the nerd's little happiness bringer. Unpleased, the nerd, though physically weak and powerless, threw a stone on one of the three kids, standing up for the kitten.

"Don't hurt animals."

The one who took the stone was a baldy—and he was angered. He proceeded to push the nerdy to the ground, and started hurting him. Few punches there were, and some kicks. As the two other kids joined in harming the nerd, there came another kid in third party; a red-haired kid, bearing red irises staring serious at the one-sided fight. Though the redhead had no intention in getting involved in the fight, he yelled at the fierce kids, turning their attentions to the barehanded red head.

"Stop it, please."

It was a polite request, yet the three kids find it unpleasant. They let go of the both mentally and physically scared green-haired nerd, and surrounded the rather short redhead instead.

"Eh, what do you want, reddy?"

"You're standing up for a coward? I guess you're just another coward, then."

"… Please, do not use violence."

The respond was short, and suddenly, a punch welcomed his innocent sight; a punch right on his left eye.

"I wasn't using violence. I was using power." Said he, while taking a handful of red hair, pulling it to inflict pain, but the redhead stayed only clenching his teeth. He let no pain audible, as he knew well; that it would only please the bald kid.

His current state quite pitiful already, the red eyes growing faint as he bore with the painful left eye, yet the green haired boy remained trembling at his place, watching the kids harming the innocent third person. As the fight grew fiercer, the nerd decided to take his leave, crawling slowly with his weakened limbs.

From the distance, the suffering redhead watched the cowardly act of the other; yet he would not mention it. But rage had invaded him at that time—he was powerless, he was being hurt, he was left alone. With his remaining power, his hand slowly reached onto the bald kid's tight grasp and lowered his head a bit, covering his eyes with his red bangs.

"I can't lose to a bunch of people like you."

Within very short lapse of time, the red haired boy suddenly broke off the bald kid's grasp, pushing him backwards in a vile amount of strength, and successfully hit the other two kids as well, knocking them down onto the grasses. It was unknown where all his strength came from; with all the wounds on him, and the drained-out fatigue, he managed to stand up, and slowly rubbed injured left eye.

The strongest—the bald kid attempted on attacking the redhead once more with a tackle, but merely a push had knocked down him again—it was as if a certain force had slammed the kid down to the grounds.

"M-monster…!" The two other kids turned vengeful but scared, and slowly crawled out of the scene to run away. And so did the baldy—"Curse you, coward duo! Just you see, red head, green nerd! I'll crush you…!"

Fearing the enormous strength that had suddenly come out of the injured redhead, the three kids ran away in vain, meanwhile the redhead merely brushed off dirt off his shirt.

.

.

.

"…It was as if the redhead was in a one-piece state. But as he looked up to the bridge not far away from the riverside, he noticed a pair of transparent blue eyes staring onto him innocently, clapping his hands silently—probably an applause to the stunt earlier."

"But what he looked into was no longer a pair of red eyes—but a mismatch of red and yellow eyes. The left eye had turned bright gold, and his stare was no longer as innocent as he first came onto the scene but one of another person's."

"Ah, you noticed?"

There was a slight pause in the story, as I narrated the change of the redhead's eye color. In return, I only slightly smiled, and nodded.

"Yes, I do notice. Which is why, I wanted to ask why have you gotten back your pair of red eyes now."

"Hm? Isn't that simple, Tetsuya? Contact lenses." His one finger was directed at his left eye in attempt to proof his words true; he took a thin and soft red colored lens off his left eye, and showed his bright gold eye to me, and placed it back on his left eye immediately.

Since I knew it was abnormal for someone to have heterochromatic eyes other than being born naturally with it, I understand that the golden eye is better concealed. Though I could barely understand how the sudden change of eye color happened, I decided to put my question aside and asked for the continuation of the story to Akashi-kun.

"Then, what happened between the redhead and the shamrock-haired nerd?" I raised my eyebrows.

"Well, after the three kids ran away, the redhead, in a glum expression, approached the fearful and trembling nerd kid. Though glum, he still had little smile painted on his face, that he leant out a hand to help the scared boy get up off his knees.

"That time, the green boy was covered in fear. He was desperate for protection, that then he asked for the redhead's name, address and phone number, and begged the redhead to protect him. In return, he promised the redhead a life—that he will pay for his middle school fees, buy him a house near his—whatever it takes to keep him secure.

"The redhead only stayed silent and agreed with the fascinating offer, and after very few talks, the nerd went home. In the talk, he told the redhead about him and why he did that far to protect his pride—since he is a son of a famous doctor, and that being much mentally weak would be a disgrace to his family."

I couldn't help but have my eyes widened at the surprising deal. I didn't know that Midorima-kun had gone that far to conceal his weak mental state. That had explained well about how Akashi-kun could get in our school and even become our neighbor.

I was about to comment on the story, but Akashi-kun still had something to speak of, that I decided to stay still and listen until the end of the little flashback.

"As the sunset grew older, the redhead, whom was actually only passing by, was approached by the transparent blue-eyed boy—you, and ever since, we had always been in contact with each other, no?"

Ah, I still remember what I had said that day, and that was the very beginning of my friendship with Akashi-kun. An odd friendship, that is.

"Yes," I answered. "I remember coming to you with my hands clapping still."
"And I was sure you looked like a villain mastermind, Tetsuya."

"…Was I?"

.

.

I couldn't really tell what I looked like at that day, but I only simply talked to Akashi-kun, asking one favor:

"If you don't mind, will you aid me in protecting that –friend- of mine?"

And all he said was, "That coward?"

I couldn't help but laugh, that Midorima-kun being coward had always been an inevitable truth.

But I—we all know, that his cowardly side is one thing we can take advantage of—seeing that he is quite a clever person, though sometimes selfish. To Akashi-kun, though, Midorima-kun's wealth is his biggest advantage.

"Yes, that coward-Midorima-kun plays a big and important role in my academic life, so I need to make sure he stays in the school with me. If he gets bullied too much, it might affect his academic life, and so does mine."

"Your… academic life?" Akashi-kun was surely confused with how I explained my reasons.

"Yes; just a little shameless confession, redhead-kun… I don't do academically well. Therefore with Midorima-kun's help, while ensuring his trust and reliance on me, I can keep my grades slightly above average."

"Haha," Akashi-kun, finding it something funny for sure, laughed a little bit, and then said, "You are mean, but on the other side, quite considerate regarding your school life, eh, observer-kun? And would that mean you'll leave him be once you finish school?"

"…I'll think of that later. After all, it might not be long until he becomes no longer a coward; I want to have it all before that time comes."

A smirk was painted on the heterochromatic kid's face. Even under the strong sunset, the colors in his eyes weren't fading at all, making a strong look on him. Then he clapped his hands just like I did, slowly but quite loudly, as he moved closer to me.

"One does not simply live and survive alone, after all. Other people also play an important role, yes?" Despite being only a kid back then, he was speaking something beyond one of a normal kid's, but other than that, he continued, "I'll take this deal, observer-kun. Seems quite a responsibility to fulfill, but I'm going to enjoy this."

"My name is not observer-kun. I am Kuroko Tetsuya."

"Then I'm also not redhead-kun. It's Akashi Seijuurou."

.

.

"Then we shook hands, and exchanged phone numbers… I wonder if I should call it our fateful meeting." I said, as I looked into the much taller redhead, compared to how he looked like two years ago.

He responded at my gaze with only a smile, and ending our little flashback in the late afternoon, he began to stand up off the grasses, leaving the side of the tree he previously leaned onto.

"Now you know, Tetsuya, that your request to aid you in protecting that coward is coincidentally the same favor as what he himself asked me, and that I accepted it because it was beneficial enough for me—not that I want to help you that much or anything."

My eyes blinked in surprise, that Akashi-kun actually considered such thought.

"No, Akashi-kun," I said, while sitting still under the tree, but my eyes directed at the slowly distanced form of Akashi-kun. My words had halted his steps, though, and so I proceeded to speak. "I don't actually mind as well."

He turned his face slightly, looking at me with his one eye.

"It was purely beneficial for me, as well. In fact, I didn't even have to go through anything harsh to give you a reward as my gratitude."

"… You have the reward already?"

"Of course; you wanted something special, didn't you? So I simply gave what Midorima-kun can never achieve—glory and title. It should be crowned to you by tomorrow; the seat is empty, after all."

At my words, the redhead stretched his lips quite wide, grinning in relief, as my reward was seemed pleasant. I knew he would understand me enough already, seeing the day after is a day for our basketball practice…

And before he left, he turned around, and from the distance, he showed a sincere smile at me.

"Thank you, Tetsuya. I surely look forward to work with you again. Have some rest; tomorrow will be quite a day."

"Yes… Captain Akashi."

.

.

.

.

.

.

And so I had to end my unpleasant flashback at that time, as I realized that I had taken most of my time just to daze off and recall about the amusing set of events. Fifteen minutes was all that was left. It was between regret or no regrets for recalling it.

I can say it brought me some chills back, just by thinking about it—how Akashi-kun was really scary, how Tsugawa and his friends weren't missed in the community, how Midorima-kun was trembling much and traumatized for a few days, how Akashi-kun took glory in place of Tsugawa, and how I remained neutral in the community by the aid of Akashi-kun, despite all my sinful schemes.

Still I plan to hide behind this innocent-faced veil of mine; until the right time comes, or that I just have to hide it for the rest of my life, except to one person I've trusted. After all, up until this moment, I believe, that cowards don't exist for nothing.

I might be quite mean, but this is just how I live; it's how I survive. I'm content with the way it is.

And before I put this story to an end, perhaps I shall talk a bit to what happened to my psychology test.

In the end, I was unable to think clear. "These two neighbors involved in my story—which one should I tell about?" was all in my mind. The ink on my pen was ready to be slid on the papers, yet my hand did not dare to write anything.

Though in the end, I managed to conclude something mean, yet quite the fact for both of my neighbors, either one in the past or one in the present. Perhaps, psychologists reading this will recognize a bit of my sinned genes in myself for reading this, or hopefully, they will consider that as a mere statement.

'My neighbor is a coward.'

---

~Afterwords~

Kanpai…!

Everyone, thank you very much for bearing with my super-long and weird stories, plus the awesomely messed up grammar! My stories are basically and mostly inspired by real life events, but I dramatized a few of them.

But of all, I'm glad I can finish this piece of crap in the middle of my business. School is busy, busy, busy, and so I resorted to write gloomy and mean stories as an expression of my stress.

After all, I'm not the type to seriously write… Consider this a random writing.

And, I'd like to thank Revixtion-kun for the very, very big help in writing this story! Your bloody ideas are as brilliant as ever, ahh. And I hope we can continue to serve more bloodshed stories. /shot

Last but not least, thank you to everyone who has read this (again), thank you to everyone who would love to share comments and critiques for me to improve, thank you to everyone who has supported me, thank you to everyone who has shared ideas-!

p.s if just anyone would teach me some more vocabularies, I need to improve it a lot. (though I don't know how?) X_x I feel like I've been only repeatedly using the same words over and again.

May we see each other again soon; I'm probably going to work on a slight romance romance romance! Please look forward to it. *bows*