Chapter 1 - Red
Now as he walks towards me from yet another victory, I see a different kind of red. Just like the car from that night, he has no intent to come to me – I'm just in his way. I don't have to stop or turn away - he'll simply walk past me. I have never said a word to this prince of mine but I have remained a part of his world.
My prince is so much better than the ones that all the fairy tales speak of- primarily because he is real and he exists.
The snowy white horse he rides every morning is real. His eyes that fall upon the morning flowers and smile are real. That smile is only for my eyes though - not because it is directed towards me but because he doesn't let anyone see it and I'm in hiding.
For how long have we been playing this game of hide and seek? I suppose it is from the very beginning – my beginning at least as the red that lit up in the darkness on that night is really the day my life began.
Every morning he would make a basket and not stop to watch it go in. Instead, they would seek the immediate admiration of yet another woman who possessed that red. Her red was a glow that radiated a kind of eternal warmth. She would watch him with those eyes and he would give her the best show. Their private little universe was one I managed to penetrate. Not because I could, but because he let me.
The game where I'd do my best to hide and he would simply look. Those eyes that never had to search or try to look would always find me - and I would be caught. Except that his burning red eyes that are all intense are also capable of kindness and warmth, just like the woman he loves. He always knew that I was in their personal world but never called me out.
Because kindness is not always in extending a hand. It is also in never pointing a finger and simply, letting it be.
"Is this going to be okay?" Momoi's voice was full of concern as she stood beside the door outside the gym. They were eavesdroppers but it would not matter much if they got caught. It was the GoM's personal farewell party where the captain (henceforth the ex-captain) officially declared them rivals.
"It will be Suki-chan! Though I really am sorry that you're not going to be able to go to the same high school as Kuroko-kun." Tsubaki's words were full of comfort for her dear friend.
"Yes.. But I do get your point. I can't leave Dai-.. no.. Aomine-kun alone."
"None of that Suki-chan.. It isn't time to give up on Mine-chan yet. This distance is only temporary and nothing more than an obstacle. After all, they're amazing."
Even so, Momoi couldn't bring herself to continue calling the blue haired boy she had grown up with by the same name she had been using all along. He had changed too much into something she couldn't recognize.
"I hope so Tsu-chan. Have you spoken to Tetsu-kun?"
"Yes. He took up my suggestion to join Seirin High. Since the others have chosen all the other power houses, it seems like the right thing to do."
"Its amazing how much work you put into this Tsu-chan…" Momoi was the only one who knew and would accept Tsubaki for what she was – the manager of the Teiko Basketball Team, without ever being one of course.
Her work would remain in the shadows better than Kuroko's plays. Not that anyone could complain about that- including Tsubaki herself. It was just what the team had needed and also, everything the team that was no more would need.
"Mido-chan should pick Shutoku!" Tsubaki exclaimed to Momoi as she burst through the door.
"Shutoku?"
"Yes! Shutoku is the school of veterans you see. Mido-chan works hard so it will be more than just perfect."
Momoi ran a hand through her pink hair while examining the papers of their research. Two months remained until their graduation but they had begun their research the day their team had achieved the three-peat and Kuroko had quit the team.
Neither event seemed to have any significance for the rest of the team.
"Uh.. Tsu-chan, Touou Gakuen is simply going to be a team full of athletes from all over. How will Aomine-kun get any better here?"
"It isn't like that Suki-chan.. No matter what atmosphere we put Mine-chan in, he'll never get better just from his teammates. That needs to come from a team he faces so really, we have less choice." Tsubaki's lecture-mode softened Momoi's expression of concern.
"Hmm.. That really makes sense. We are low on options here." At this Momoi held up a copy of Aomine's transcripts and the atmosphere immediately turned into a dark one.
"That idiot. He's failing so hard in everything that the teachers seem tempted to pass him for all the talent he possesses in failing! Tsu-chan look at this! He's even failed gym class! How is that even possible?!"
"Uhh.. Mine-chan fell asleep as it was after lunch and skipped the exam.."
Thus the two girls concluded that Touou was not a pick – it was more of a last resort.
"So Ki-chan will be going to Kaijo, Mukkun to Yosen.. It has a nice ring to it right? Ki-chan of Kaijo High!" Tsubaki would remain the only one to ever enjoy Momoi's strange sense of humor.
"…. and Rakuzan High for Akashi-kun." She completed the sentence in a low voice as if to complete the discussion but wishing she didn't have to bring it up.
But Tsubaki remained unruffled by her words as her smile didn't falter at all.
"That is one where we never had to make the pick Suki-chan.. It was obvious and decided for Akashi-san to enter the school of the Emperors."
"….. Yes." Momoi failed to mimic the obviousness as Tsubaki could. Because her one dear friend hadn't just accepted Akashi's choice of high school with obviousness - she had set her own ambition to match his with the same.
While Momoi knew that their research would help the ones who she acknowledged as friends, it was still Tsubaki's idea to manipulate the team into picking certain high schools. She did not know why but helped anyway because she knew the Tsubaki as only a girl could.
A woman's intuition. She knew that while the GoM made it look like their bond was a thing of the past and claimed that bond had never existed in the first place, the case did not end there. And if anyone could save anything, it couldn't be ones who were a part of it – not even Kuroko as if he stood alone, he needed to stand first and that required strength. The strength had to come from someplace and it just happened that the red head was the source.
"I'm going to follow him to Rakuzan."
Her clear voice had made that simple statement. With it the girl, Tsubaki Akahana with her red eyes and red hair - began a new chapter for everyone.
A/N : Hello! This fic is for Akashi but it is going to cover almost all the characters of the anime. I hope you enjoy it! Let me know what you think! :)
