The world does not care about personal epiphanies. Intellectually, Akashi understood this. No matter how much his world has been shaken, in tatters because what could never be has come to past, it means nothing to the world. Less than nothing, because home is an empty mansion that has not been aired out since the servants went on their leave almost a week ago.
Akashi busies himself with turning on the lights in the Japanese style living room, pulling out the kotatsu and plugging it in; there's a spare futon in the cupboard here too, he wouldn't have to go upstairs at all. Dinner is the takeout he had bought on the way after leaving the rest of the team. It is now officially winter break for all of them and Akashi does not expect to meet anyone until school starts again next year.
He had first come to that conclusion when he had come home to find it dark and empty. Traditionally, the Akashi household's servants start their paid leave on the 23rd of December, coming back to work on the 5th. The two weeks in between is supposed to be a time for the Akashi family to be together – just the three of them. Just the two of them. But his father had not been within the country during this period in many years, not since his last year of primary school. This year is no different, Akashi finds as he starts up his laptop and checks his email.
Clicking the reply button, Akashi wonders what he should write. His father probably needs to be informed that Akashi will be going back to the Rakuzan dorms on the 9th, in time for school. The fact that it would mean he just misses meeting his father coming back on the 10th is an unplanned – but not unwelcome – coincidence. His father probably also needs to be informed about Rakuzan's loss at the Winter Cup. The first loss of Akashi's life. The most bitter loss of Akashi's life. And when it comes down to it, the most pointless loss of Akashi's life.
He wonders, a little pettily, if now his father will actually remember what sport he plays. If his father will actually let the word 'basketball' come out of his mouth. Or if he will keep pretending that nothing of Akashi's mother remains.
Akashi gently pulls down the lid of the laptop and moves it off to the side. Putting his head down on the hard surface of the kotatsu, he closes his eyes and lets the soft whirring of the hard drive fill the empty silence of the house.