WHAT'S YOUR NAME?
Author: Fumi Grayheart
Note: First attempt of making an AkaKuro fic. This idea suddenly popped up the night before classes have started. (And am thinking of my What awaits at the end too, so I barely slept for that night.) Anyway,I really can't tell if I got the story concept from the Thai Romantic-Comedy movie Hello Stranger because I haven't watched the whole movie yet. But even so, I guess it does—partly (Maybe I'll just disclaim it for safety purposes =D). So let's get started. Don't forget to drop your reviews about this one. XD
Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroko no Basuke (© Fujimaki Tadatoshi). The story is mine but the concept belongs to the writer of the movie I mentioned. And the quote? Yeah, I do not own that too.
Summary: AU. What happens if the most promising but friendless student of Teikou Junior High School runs into a mysterious and barely noticed student of the same school? Not only once—but numerous times. (image disclaimed; not an excellent summary, so better read the whole thing =D)
WHAT'S YOUR NAME?
"A strong bonding doesn't need daily conversations and too much togetherness. But as long as love lives in the heart, true friendship never departs."
Having friends, it's not the material things or what you can get is to be considered—it's the effort, time and love. But for a 16 year old young man, having friends have no benefits at all. Concrete things or abstract things, either way it is all worthless.
Akashi Seijuuro, Class 2-A. The excellent, forever winner and most promising student of Teikou Junior High School. A very popular youngster among the student body that lacks on something (which he doesn't really mind though). Carrying such a menacing aura and darting crimson red eyes no one would dare to come across him, as well as be friends with him.
And there it goes, the rankings for the recent periodic exam being posted at the entrance hallway. Hopeful students came flocking around the bulletin board to look for their respective names and rank as well. And carefree students who really don't mind about their standing were just passing by, chuckling to the grade conscious students being crushed to the crowd of fellow grade conscious.
A red haired young man, who is about 173 cm in height, approached the thrilling students. When one of the students noticed his presence—or rather his famous aura, he snapped and mindlessly gave way to the said young man. Other thrilled students followed too, making a wide way in the center. Some students didn't react, as if it is just a normal thing for them to do, some went furious but didn't stand a chance and the rest just, sweat dropped.
"Does he really need to look for his ranking?" a soft female voice asked the student beside her.
"I don't think so, perhaps he's just showing off." The described student replied.
The red haired student ceased from his walking, and looked straight to the direction of whispering girls.
The whispering students twitched as they meet the crimson gaze of the redhead.
"Got a problem with me looking at the results?" he asked in a cold voice.
"N-N-No!" the stuttering girls cried in chorus.
And so the redhead proceeded and reached for his name.
Rank #1 Akashi Seijuuro, Class 2-A Overall score: 196/200 Rating: 99.4%
"Hmm… I missed four points. As I thought." He murmured.
Then he turned back and walked right after seeing his score, a small frown adoring his stoic face.
"He seems so sad." A certain guy from behind whispered.
It was early afternoon and classes nearly end when Akashi decided to go to the library. As usual, he is going to study. He will be preparing himself for the next exam (which will take place three months from now).
And upon entering the said place, he scanned the area first. There were only few students left in the library. Perfect. Akashi thought. This would be a perfect time for him to study and do some advance reading. And right after taking the books he needed from the shelves, he settled in a secluded area of the library where he would be barely noticed by someone.
After placing the loads of books down, he sat and rested a bit before getting started. And soon as he grabs one of the books piled on the table, he noticed a teal haired guy sitting across him.
"Excuse me? But, isn't it rude to sit to an occupied table?" Akashi raised an eyebrow, staring at the teal head.
The teal haired guy looked up, blank teal eyes meets the crimson red ones.
"And not responding to a question meant for you huh? You sure are ill-mannered." The red head stated, in a very straightforward way.
"And you are judgmental." Finally, the teal haired guy replied. "If you must know, I got here first. And I don't see any problem sharing with other people's table." He added, still staring at the almost fuming red head.
"With other people's table you say? But this is my table. So why don't you just leave and get another one?"
"Are you asking me to do that?"
"No, I'm ordering you."
"This is my favourite spot so I won't do what you want me to do." The teal head replied in monotone.
"I don't care if this is your favourite spot. So leave my table right now." Akashi nearly shouted, hint of annoyance adorned his good looking face.
"You are the rude one, sir." The teal head said blatantly, totally ignoring the annoyed face of the young man in front of him.
"Excuse me?" Akashi Seijuuro is now starting to lose his temper. And thanks to his strong self-control he managed to withhold his upcoming fury towards the teal head.
"You're asking someone to leave when he's been here for a while in the first place? You sure are ill-mannered." The teal head answered.
Their staring competition went on as the emotionless teal head continues to be defiant to the manipulative red head across him.
"Why don't you just leave then?" the teal head finally broke the short silence.
Did he just…ask me to leave? Akashi thought, with an unexpected race in his heart.
"Or rather…share the table with me?" the teal head added after a short pause.
At that very moment, Akashi can't help but stare at the blank faced young man. Getting totally speechless (and somewhat defeated) he just nods. The teal head smiled, though it's just a little one the red head didn't fail to notice it. And before he knew it, his face began warming up. It's beautiful. He thought.
The teal haired guy stayed silent while reading a book he borrowed from the library. The book looks like a novel and the teal head seems to be sucked into it. On the other hand, the red haired right in front of him began to read advance algebra textbook and jots down notes from it. The two young men continued their doings in silence and stayed undisturbed until one of them spoke.
"You're such a defiant fellow; I wonder what your name is." Akashi asked reluctantly, not looking to the one he is talking to.
And there was…complete silence. No response. Akashi waited for a couple of minutes, but getting no response made him impatient. He looked up to the young man in front of him only to find out that he was gone.
"What the hell!? Where is he?" Akashi shouted in his breath.
Now he is completely alone in that table.
It's been two days after that fateful meeting between Akashi Seijuuro and the mysterious teal haired guy. Though he found him annoying because he is way too bold and stubborn, he got a little interest towards the said young man. An interest that means nothing to him though, maybe because it was his first time being defied and that teal head was the very first person who dared to come across him. He, somehow, tried to look for that certain teal head. His name left unknown made the searching for Akashi Seijuuro a challenging one.
It's already lunch break and Akashi made his way to the cafeteria. While strolling down the hallway, he walked past a bunch of male students chatting and playing together. He paused for a while and looked at them, one by one. He noticed the wide smiles of the male students and loud laughs they give to one another. A wide smile he never showed. A wide smile he never gave to someone. Then suddenly, the small smile given by the mysterious teal head flashed in his mind. And again, he felt his face getting warm by that piece of memory he had with the boy. Akashi is completely clueless with those bodily reactions an adolescent undergoes, so he just thought that that face-warming of his was just…nothing.
He entered the school cafeteria only to be welcomed by loud chattering and shouting of mixed gender. He got slightly annoyed because they are too noisy but just ignored them and lined to get his food. A stout student saw his coming so he immediately walked out of the line to give way to the red head. Although the said stout is taller than the red head, he quivered when he felt his presence—er his aura approaching.
"Why are you standing there?" darting red eyes meets the shaky, teary eyed ones.
"Y-y-you go first Akashi sam-san." The stout guy stuttered.
"Sama?! Did you just try to call me with that suffix? We're classmates right?" Akashi raised an eyebrow.
"N-n-no Akashi san! I-I-I 'm sorry Akashi san! Y-y-you could take my lunch Akashi san!" the stout continued to quiver.
"It's okay; you don't need to do that." The red head said smoothly."And stop repeating my name in each of your sentence." He added.
The stout student smiled and thanked Akashi for being nice. And Akashi, gave out a little smile as well. The one like the teal head gave him two days ago. The small smile has gone unnoticed by the stout guy and stood behind him, falling in line again.
After Akashi got his tray of foods, he searched for a quiet place to sit on. He is trying to avoid the noisy crowd so he went to the farther part of the cafeteria. There he saw a table beside the glass window. He carefully placed his tray down and sat calmly to its chair. He was about to stuff a spoonful of garlic fried rice in his mouth when he noticed a lump of teal hair in front of him. He almost threw up after seeing the blank face of the owner of that lump.
A soft chuckle was heard from the said owner as the red head looks up to him.
"I saw that. A guy bigger than you shiver." The teal head said.
"You again? And you're sitting with me again?" Akashi exclaimed, catching few attentions of the students.
"Hello." The teal head deadpanned.
"Hey, if you're making fun of me you better quit it or else you'll regret it." The red head warned, darting red eyes stares at the expressionless teal head.
"I am not. And I got here first." The teal head replied blankly.
"So you're telling me it is my fault for sitting here?"
"I don't remember saying that." After responding to the annoyed red head across him, he nonchalantly sipped in his vanilla milkshake.
"Geez." The red head huffed and returned to his food as well. This guy is really hard to deal with!
The two sat in silence as they take their lunch together. Some students noticed the fearsome genius eating with a pale guy and began chattering about it. But Akashi, who could barely hear them but knows that they are talking about them, doesn't mind. He started to enjoy the silence together with this mysterious teal head. He is halfway done when he noticed the milkshake the other guy is drinking.
"Is that all you're taking in?" he asked, tone of curiosity and concerned formed.
The teal head nodded in reply.
"You see, it's just a sweet beverage that won't fuel you up for the rest of the day. Go and eat something heavy." He suggested.
"Heavy? But I cannot do that."
"But why!?"
"You see, I have a very small appetite. So I easily get full just by taking few foods."
"I'm sorry but I don't see it. And that is really unhealthy. Here, take some of this if you're lazy to stand up and get your food." He then offered a spoonful of cream porridge to the teal head.
"Thank you for your concern but I would decline your offer." The teal head shook his head in resistance.
"Such a stubborn fellow. Won't you try to follow my order for once?" he then forcefully stuffed the food to the teal head's mouth, making the latter blushed.
"See? It worked!" Akashi laughed. Not a loud one like those guys from earlier did though, but a laugh enough to be heard by the flushed teal head across him.
For the first time, Akashi Seijuuro laughed. With semi-close crimson red eyes and a slight wide open mouth, Akashi Seijuuro made his first laugh. The flustered (and humiliated) teal head stared at the red head for the meantime before stopping the red head in his current idiocy.
"It's almost time crazy guy, so you better hurry up and finish your food."
Akashi caught off guard upon hearing the teal head's complaint. He almost lost his poise because of what happened so he immediately straightened up to regain his composure—as if nothing had happened.
He looked down to his almost finish food and began speaking.
"By the way, what's your name?" Akashi asked in an amused tone.
And before he knew it, the person he is referring to was gone. In that blink of an eye the teal head disappeared, absolutely unnoticed by the red head.
"Again?" he could only mutter, shock adorned his pretty face.
It was only yesterday when Akashi made his first laugh—with a complete stranger. The name of that fellow is still a mystery because every time he asks his name, he disappears. For some shallow thinkers, he must be a ghost lurking around the campus and making fun of living students. But for someone who thinks like Akashi Seijuuro, he is a living thing making fun of fellow living thing.
He went to school one hour early to have a walk around the school premises. He never had a time to do that because of his utter devotion to studying. While enjoying the serenity of the green-filled garden behind one of the gyms, he saw a small sleeping figure lying under an Acacia tree. He marched toward the said figure and found out he is someone familiar. With his left arm covering his eyes, his messy teal colored hair revealed his identity to the observing red head. Said red head sat beside the sleeping figure and leaned on the tree. He smiled as he watches the teal head sleep. A smile wider than the one from yesterday.
Then out of the blue, his heart began to race. Watching the sleeping young man beside him makes his face getting warmer. If he could only see his own face slowly showing a colour that resembles his hair. As from what was said earlier, he is completely clueless with this kind of feeling, so he really doesn't mind. For him, maybe it's just a strange reaction. It will never turn into something like attraction or liking or for deeper terms—love. No, he is not attracted. He doesn't like him (and neither dislike him) and moreover, he doesn't love him. Maybe, he had just found him interesting. For a while he found himself like being friends with the teal head. It was, the first time for him to feel like…he has a friend.
The red head continued to stare to the teal head when all of a sudden; the teal head stretched his left arm and yawned. The red head flinched and glanced away from the newly awoke teal head.
"Excuse me, do you know what time is it?" the teal head asked in a husky voice.
"7.30 am. You still have thirty minutes to sleep again." The red head turned his gaze down to the sleepy teal head, patting his messy teal locks.
"Thank you." And before the teal head doze off, he realized the man who answered him in haste.
He then abruptly stood up and straightened without giving the red head a glimpse.
"What are you doing here?" the teal head asks, still busy with his current bed head.
"I'm just wandering around Teikou Junior High. I've been staying here for two years and yet I'm still unfamiliar with such solemn place like this." The red head explained, drawing out the suspicions from the questioning teal head.
There came silence. Again, the two enjoyed their company in full silence. For them, it's their way of communicating. No verbal linkage but complete stillness. It's like the beat of each other's heart could be the only sound heard. It's like a communication through their hearts.
Until Akashi Seijuuro initiated the long wait conversation.
"What class you are in?"
"I'm a junior like you."
"It figures, but it's not what I'm asking you."
Then in the brink of the moment, the school bell rang, indicating the beginning of classes. The red head stood up and brushed the dust off from his black pants and when he looked back to the teal head—the very place where the teal head stood became empty.
"He was…gone again."
On the third meeting with the mysterious teal head, Akashi Seijuuro failed to know his name again. Even so, he still ends up being amused with that guy's company. He also came to know a little information and even what his height is. 168 cm, a junior like me. But as far as he remembers, the last question he gave to the shorter guy was left unanswered. Suspicions then began to grow within the red head genius' mind. Is he…for some reasons, avoiding me?
Probably not, why would he do that in the first place? For the red head's point of view, it will be an honour to be acknowledged by someone like him—someone like Akashi Seijuuro. He brushed off with that sudden idea that popped up in his brilliant mind. Maybe, the bell just untimely rang and that very guy is just good at escaping or for a brighter deduction—that guy could use misdirection.
Akashi chuckled upon saying the weird term "misdirection" in his mind. What a bizarre talent.
Weekends passed and two days without seeing the teal head became slightly hard with the red head prodigy. Did he just…miss him? No, definitely not. And Akashi would deny it with his whole heart.
And in this very day when Akashi, by some means longs to see him, he didn't appear (the teal head). The day ended without him being run into the mysterious shorty. Tomorrow perhaps. He thought.
There comes tomorrow, but still he didn't find the chance to meet the said mysterious guy. He began to feel somewhat lonely. A day without seeing him is like living alone in this world…again.
The following days were spent with Akashi being eaten up by studying. With his usual every day routine, he somehow got used not running into the teal head he considered as a friend—a newly found friend.
It was late afternoon and Akashi didn't feel like going home yet. He is unconsciously wishing for the teal head to appear, the way he used to appear before him. For some unknown reasons, he began to feel lonely. And finally, he admits that he really do miss him. He decided to walk up the rooftop to get some fresh air. For the meantime, it didn't cross his mind that the teal head's whereabouts is there—at the rooftop. What he has in his mind is the need to freshen up his confused mentality.
He stood right before the railings of the rooftop when a soft voice from his side was heard.
"It's been a while." The voice said.
Akashi nearly jumped after hearing the said voice.
It was him. The one he longs to see. The one he misses. And without proper thinking, Akashi embraced the teal haired guy he didn't see for five days.
The smaller teen blushed as his heart begins to race. He could also feel the racing heartbeat of the taller man too. He hesitantly returns the embrace only to be caught off by the red head's push on him. He was held in arms length and crimson red eyes stared softly at his round teal eyes.
"Where have you been? I haven't seen you for a long time!" the red head nearly exclaimed, but still keeping his composure.
"It's just five days though." The smaller young man deadpanned.
Akashi smiled upon seeing the natural blank face and deadpan voice of his "friend". And tints of pink adorned the pale, beautiful face of the emotionless teal head.
Akashi twitched; it was his first time seeing the teal head's face up close. It's beautiful. He thought. He can't help but stare at his smooth and pale face with tints of pink in his cheeks—tints of pink? Is he blushing? Upon realizing his friend's blushing face, he felt his face warms up. Am I blushing too? He asked himself mentally.
Alternatively, the red head's blushing face didn't go unnoticed by the teal head. In a blink of an eye they parted from each other, hiding their warm faces.
"Y-you…are you wearing m-make up?" the red head asked, stuttering?!
"I am not. How about you?" the smaller teen replied blankly, though deep inside he is quite quivering.
"Of course I don't! What makes you think that?!" Akashi exclaimed as he begins to regain his stoic disposition.
"I swear I saw your face coloured red. Like the colour of your hair."
"I am not. I swear it was you who did that." Akashi defended.
"I didn't."
"You did."
"No."
"Yes."
"I said no so let's end this here." The teal head suggested in a complete blank expression.
"I saw you did it so it's pointless to deny." The red head then stuck his tongue out to be followed with a childish grin.
The smaller teal haired sighed in defeat. Indeed, it was pointless to deny it because the other guy is denying it too. They are both in denial and that ends there. But the thing that surprised the smaller guy was the wide grin given by the slightly taller guy before him.
The teal head smiled after seeing the smiling/grinning face of the red head genius of Teikou Junior High. He felt his face warm up while staring at the smooth-looking face of the latter. The said latter merely stared too, disregarding the reddened face of the teal haired guy.
Akashi stepped back, shifting to his right to take a look at the view of Teikou Junior High.
"This school is big." The observing red head stated, not looking at the teal head.
"I never met any friends from the start. I really, don't like the idea of interacting. It will just give you emotions that will be a hindrance to your goals."
"Hindrance?" the puzzled teal head asked.
"Yes. If you have a goal, in order to achieve it, you should stay focus on reaching that goal like getting rid of hindrances such as emotions. If you want victory, be less compassionate. Avoid bonds that would only get in your way."
"You're…being ridiculous."
"Of course I do. That's why I am friendless, aloof and scary." He smirked to the other guy, making him gulp for a moment.
"You're not scary." The teal haired guy deadpanned.
"I know you're not scared. In fact you are the only person who dared to stand against me."
"I know that. And I was pertaining to your looks, not your way of dealing with other people."
"For real? So do you find me handsome?" the red head asked in an obvious amused tone.
Yes you are. The teal haired answered mentally.
"I can't remember saying that. What I said was you're looks are not scary and neither handsome." The teal head denied nonchalantly.
A loud chuckle was heard from the red head prodigy. He glances away and continued to observe the top view of Teikou entrance grounds.
"So now, would you mind introducing yourself? I have been noticing you forgetting to say your name." he said in a smooth and cool tone, only to know his companion totally disappeared.
"What is…that!?"
The fourth meeting with the total stranger was the most memorable yet bittersweet moment for Akashi Seijuuro. It was his first time to hug a person of the same gender. It was his first time to hug a friend. A friend, he held dearly. A friend who patiently conversed with him even in short periods of time. And a friend who wholeheartedly accepted him for who he is. And that previous meeting, seemed to be the last.
It's been a week already, and no hint of the mysterious friend of his was found. For the fourth time he failed to know the guy's name. It'll be futile to ask the whole student body because he noticed that the mysterious guy has a little presence. The one that makes him almost shriek in shock. At the moment, a question came rushing in his mind. "Why is it that every time I ask his name, he suddenly disappears?"
For the first time in his life, he couldn't answer a very simple question that contains no logic and extreme use of brain cells. Does he need to answer from his heart? What a lame joke. He thought. He cannot use his heart! He doesn't have one. As for him—he doesn't have one.
But if really does not have one, then why does he feel it race every time he is with that certain guy?
Bit by bit, he started to figure out everything. Those weird reactions he had upon seeing the smaller teen smile, his heart that beats fast every time he crosses his mind and—his deep longing for that certain teal head who led him to this turmoil he is going through.
It was already dusk when Teikou's most promising student left the school. He fell hopeless for not seeing the guy he really does wants to see. Why don't you appear before me now?. For a while, he started to feel empty again. Now that he is ready to face and enter this world. Now that he is beginning to accept and release emotions. Now that he is starting to feel loved and appreciated. And most especially, now that he is…falling in love with the teal head stranger.
So that's how it is. He already fell for that certain person. He didn't notice it from the start, because he was not interested. He was not attracted. But even so, he fell for a reason left unknown. And in his point of view, he could feel love every time he is with that person, he is being trusted, and he feels comfortable.
While walking down the busy roadway of Tokyo, he passed by a fast food chain located near the park. And there he spotted a lump of teal coloured hair sitting beside a glass window facing the empty alley on the chain's left. Without further ado, he zoomed towards the teal head and grabbed him by the hand and began to walk, heading to the park.
"What's wrong with you? Why didn't you show up for a week? I don't know why but for the time being, you're the only one I think about and I—"he was trailed off by the teal head speaking.
"I'm sorry for not showing up—"and before the teal head conclude his sentence, he was cut off by the lips that locked his.
With teal eyes widened in shock, he felt the other's lips pressed hard, enough to block the passage way for air. When the red head felt the lack of air too, he then let go of the teal head's and gasped.
Looking at the panting smaller teen, he went on with his interrupted queries (and reprimands).
"If you must know, I really hate being interrupted while I'm talking. You made me angry that's why I did that. And would you mind answering my questions first before you explain yourself?" a slightly irritated voice filled the peaceful, secluded part of the park.
"I'm sorry for pissing you off but you need to apologize to me as well. And I was about to do so when you cut me off—"he trailed off upon seeing the darting red eyes of the fuming red head.
"Listen carefully Akashi-kun. I hope you won't feel deceived but, all of our meetings had never been an accident. I purposely follow you and used my weak presence to track you down and pop up instantly to get a chance to talk with you and…" he paused for a while, gasping for air.
"I did it all because..."
"Because of what?"
"…because I really like Akashi-kun." a bright red colour adorned the beautiful face of the confessing teal head.
After hearing that shocking confession, Akashi Seijuuro was left speechless, surprise evident in his sparkly crimson eyes.
"Y-you like me?" Akashi stuttered. As for this moment, he is running out of words. His heart beats faster than ever, his face is getting hotter. He likes me.
"Wait, I think I'm wrong." The smaller teal haired guy spoke, glints obvious in his round eyes.
"What…do you mean?" Akashi asked, in a slight shaky voice. What if he will hold his word back? What if he really doesn't like me and he was just confused with his feelings? What if what he truly feels is just mere admiration and not liking? What if he is just clueless with his true feelings? Tons of questions came rushing in the red head's genius but now troubled mind. Those questions began consuming lots of his brain cells yet the answers are not found.
"I-I love you Akashi-kun." the teal haired young man almost cried.
At last, the words he longs to utter to one specific person finally came out.
And without any second thoughts, Akashi leaned forward to the flushing teal head, closing the gap between them. It was a deep, passionate and open mouth kiss full of love and longing. A kiss that opened the door of their hearts to welcome feelings and emotions toward each other.
After a few moments, they broke free from each other and gasped for air.
"Would you mind telling me your name now?" Akashi asked. Crimson red eyes stared lovingly at the teal ones while caressing the soft cheeks of the other.
"I'm Kuroko Tetsuya. Nice to meet you." He slightly bowed his head for the short introduction then looked up in haste, together with his beautiful smiling face.
"I love you, Tetsuya. And nice meeting you."
So that's it. What do you think? Feel free drop your reviews, I'll be so glad reading those. Thank you!