This is actually a special story from my other fanfic (currently not yet published)

Please enjoy ne!

It was a fine day in December, a few more days and it will be Christmas. The students in Rakuzan Gakuen were busy chatting about their Christmas plans for today marks the start of their vacation.

The snow - covered ground and the cold billowing air sets the atmosphere of the season but the hearts of the Basketball club is raging like the summer heat.

"Ten more laps and we are good to go!"

Exclaimed a trainee who was running with a group of players. Beyond the gym lies a modern training facility where lots of modern equipments are placed for the regulars to use.

Mibuchi Reo had just finished working out. He sat on a nearby bench and looked at the white scenary beyond the transparent wall window.

"It looks so cold outside ne~ A warm hug from a cute boy would instantly melt this icy feeling! Oh, it just makes me remember the poem I read."

He hugged his own self from just imagining the scene. Hayama Kotaro sat beside him wiping his sweat with a towel.

"Reo-nee sure is romantic. All I want to do is lay under a kotatsu."

He looked up to imagine his plan. Mibuchi Eikichi, who was eating a cup of hot noodles heard their conversation.

"A dip from a hot spring would be the best!" he shared, sticking out bits of noodles as he spoke with a bright expression.

"How about you? What would you like on a cold day like this?"

Reo asked the ever silent and unsociable phantom of the team, Mayuzumi Chihiro. The said person just looked at them with his lifeless eyes .

"Nothing much, just read some books." he replied before walking out of the room.

His emotionless and uninterested answer made them feel gloomy and sad, totally opposite from their excitement just a few seconds before.

"Cold as ever, ne." Kotaro commented as his eyes never left from where Chihiro exited.

"Yeah, but where is our captain? I thought Sei-chan of all would not miss the practice today~" Reo opened up feeling quite lonely.

"I'm sure he's lazing on a cold day like this. " Nebuya guessed as he continued to sip down his snack.

"Baka! Akashi of all won't do that. Today is the last day which means the Student Council is busy for the papers to be passed." Kotaro strongly defended.

"I heard the papers were already finished and sent long ago. It's Sei-chan we are talking about." Reo informed.

"Then is he really ski-"

"Unfortunately, I'm not."

Everyone almost fell from their seat as a voice they knew so well cut Kotaro's sentence. Their eyes immediately found the owner standing by the door with arms crossed, Akashi Seijuro.

"Aa.. Akashi-san, when were you there?" Kotarou stammered trying to keep his cool.

"A while ago."

The trio kept quiet as Akashi stepped inside the room retrieving something they were too shock to see. They wanted to know just when is a while ago but knowing their intimidating captain, they stopped from asking.

"Sei-chan! Where were you?" Reo tried to break the ice

"We were just shocked you're not training with us." Reo continued with a bright gesture.

"Apparently, I was with the coaches the whole time to discuss the plans for the upcoming Winter Cup." Akashi sternly replied not looking at them.

Once again, they were out of voice as they felt guilty for doubting their hardworking captain.

They felt his footsteps gradually getting further and further away until it suddenly stopped.

"Practice is over. You better go home so the cleaners can leave fast."

As soon as they wanted to thank him for reminding them, Akashi had already walked away. They sighed with relief when Akashi didn't punished them for the rude behavior they showed.

"Don't you think Sei-chan is little bit off today?" Reo observed.

Kotaro looked at Reo with a confused look before agreeing his observation.

"Well, I do agree since it's unusual how he didn't scold us for chatting and neglecting our training."

"That too, but his aura." Kotaro looked at Reo with a what-about-it face.

"It was like he wanted to leave fast."

-\(-_- \")-

Akashi walked through the long noisy hallways of Rakuzan. It wasn't that cold due to the heater being on. And although it's the start of vacation, there are quite a lot of students around.

It wasn't similar to that day, but somehow, his heart couldn't just calm down.

He fasten his pace as he immediately felt uncomfortable. Arriving at the shoe rack, he switched his indoor shoes to outdoor ones when suddenly, he was greeted by a cold wind followed by the eery silence in his surroundings.

He hated it. It made him remember that painful day.

A day he never wants to repeat...