Hiiiii~! It's me again~! I still haven't gotten over Kagerou Days~! And now I'm back for another sad fic… Ah well. Please enjoy this chapter~ It's going to be a little sad, so ready your tissue box :'D (I'm still crying X'D) Also, I was kinda in a rush when I wrote this, so please know that some parts were cut out.

Dedicated to: gabsenpai. Thanks for the request, Gab-chan :D

Disclaimer: I do not own KnB or the song. They belong to their respective owners~!

Warning: Fluffiness. Long chapter. A small sniffle part. Nuff said.

This is also not as heart-moving as the first chapter, so be warned. ( I seriously do not think I can make another one like KD)

On with the story~!


It was lonely, so lonely. The once bright house that was filled with nothing but love and laughter gradually became a place filled with dust. From outside, people would think that whoever lived there must've been gone for a long time. They'd think that the place was abandoned, for it was dark and old.

Little did they know, a person lived there. He was an old man that went by the name Akashi Tetsuya, and this is his story. But nothing would make sense if we started from now, so we'll go back to the very beginning…


Kuroko was not a very vocal person. He preferred staying quiet, and stuck to that. He wasn't really someone that really stood out. He was practically invisible – no one really saw him. If anybody asked him what he would call his life, he would say only one thing. Boring. That sums up everything that happened in his life to that moment.

But, he had two things he liked. One was Basketball, and the other was Akashi Seijuurou. He's loved both ever since he was introduced to them, and he couldn't imagine life without both actually. That's why he was so happy when Akashi noticed him when he was playing in the third string.

Maybe it was invisibility or his exceptional observation skills, but either way, Akashi noticed that he had potential in him. He was immediately tested and trained. He made himself a spot in the first string in weeks. It was the best thing that ever happened to him, and he was never going to forget it.


A few months had passed. Kuroko had gotten used to the first string, and he had grown acquainted with the rest of the team. They were all odd in their own ways. But he was glad. He met wonderful people, and they eventually formed a big circle of friends. They really looked like a rainbow when they walked together. It was awkward.

They spent most of the time together, going out after school to buy some popsicles, having dinner at a family restaurant together, and so on. It wasn't until much later that they started to change.

Of course, being very adept at studying people, Kuroko predicted this. Continuous wins, no challenges, and the lack of good players soon got to them, and their wins got the best of them. They became egoistical bastards, and they gradually forgot about Kuroko.

It's really not like he didn't expect this. He knew. And he merely chose to change them. He left. He quitted the basket ball team, and didn't show his face to them until the graduation day. He vowed to himself that he would do everything in his power to change them.


He cried so hard that day. He left everything. His friends, his favorite sport, even his favorite person. He really didn't want this to happen. When he left that school, the place where they first met still flashed before his eyes. He was tempted to go back, but he couldn't. Not until he gets stronger.

He headed towards the gate. It was the last time he would ever see it, so he stared at it for a good ten minutes. A lot of memories was all he could see. A lot of precious moments were kept in behind those massive gates. 'At least our memories will never disappear,' he thought as he braced himself and turned to walk away.

As he left, he swore he saw a flash of red at the corner of his eye. Akashi. Kuroko looked on for a few minutes, then he continued his stride. Though it seemed impossible, he saw. He saw Akashi cry, for the very first time.


A year has passed. He, just like he promised, became stronger. He stood up to all his previous teammates, and with the help of Kagami, his new light, he successfully defeated the other four. He had only one task now. He had to defeat his former-captain and bring him back to what he used to be. The person who Kuroko fell in love with.

Kuroko was nervous, that without saying, and so were his teammates. They were going up against The Akashi. The person who led the Generation of Miracles that gave them such a hard time. If they were that good, who knows what the redhead would be capable of?

Kuroko suppressed a sigh. He merely untied his shoes and retied them. It really wasn't like he needed to, he was just very nervous, and he needed something to distract him. That did nothing though. He was still scared. Scared of facing the redhead and scared of what would happen afterwards.

He decided to step out for some fresh air. He definitely needed to relax. At this rate, he would faint right before he would even be able to face Akashi, and he did not want that.

He trudged on, navigating to the small balcony located at the end of the hall. The reason for this is not known to him, but he didn't care anyway, so all was well.

He was met with the sight of orange and pink hues reflecting off the water of the lake located right below him. It was beautiful; befitting a scene in a painting. He closed his eyes. He felt at peace here, like he was part of the whole ensemble. The wind blew against his pale skin and presence spiked up from behind him.

He turned. Facing the intruder, he immediately planned to ask them their business with him, but he was halted by the identity of the person standing in front of him.

It was Akashi. Akashi was standing in front of him. Clear sky blue eyes widened, and the owner's mouth slightly opened. Kuroko was frozen in place; he didn't expect to see Akashi so soon. He felt a mix of emotion stir up inside him, but he quickly regained his composure, and his emotionless face resurfaced.

"Akashi-kun, it's nice to see you again." he muttered, knowing that the redhead could hear him clearly. Akashi nodded, "It's nice to see you again Tetsuya. It's been a long time, huh? Since you disappeared after the tournament."

Kuroko winced. He could hear the bite in Akashi's tone, and he could tell that the former was mad at what he did. He swallowed the bile that was building up in his throat and kept a straight face. "What is Akashi-kun doing here?" the bluenette played with the hem of his jacket to relieve some of his anxiety.

Red and gold eyes narrowed. The blazing fire that always was in them winked at Kuroko, and he felt the full force of the slightly taller teen's anger upon him. He gulped and merely bowed his head. He sensed that Akashi had no intention of answering, so he said his farewell and walked briskly back to their locker room.

The game was starting soon.


The game ended. Shock ran through the crowd and the court. Something unbelievable was just witnessed. Seirin, the underdog, defeated Rakuzan, the towering tyrant. Kuroko had made the last shot that granted them their victory.

As the ball rolled away, the people seemed to snap out of their reveries, and cheers erupted from the crowd. The opposite team was still dumbfounded. They simply stood there, and tried to process what just happened.

Seirin, Kuroko's team rejoiced. They started lifting Kuroko and smothering him with one-armed hugs that spelled out 'Thank you'. He found himself smiling in glee. His gaze made its way to Akashi, and found the redhead staring at him, longing evident in his eyes.

He broke away from his senpais and sauntered over to Akashi, holding his stare. He stopped when he was directly in front of the crimson-haired male. He stood there, trying to coax the redhead to give a response. He was met with none, so he stepped a bit closer, and wrapped his arms around the slightly taller boy.

He didn't feel the least bit of recoil. Akashi snuggled into his embrace, and buried his head in the crook of Kuroko's neck. Kuroko felt something wet and cold land on his shoulder. Tears. They were tears. Akashi was crying. Kuroko felt his spirits drop a little, but he held on. Akashi clutched at Kuroko's jersey, and he let his anguish out.

A few minutes later, it was time for the line-up. Akashi pulled away from Kuroko's hug and walked towards his own team. They all had despair-stricken faces, but they struggled to keep on a positive face. After the line-up, they split up to go to their locker room. They grabbed their stuff, changed clothes and left the place without giving another glance.

Akashi stayed behind as his team left the venue. He retreated to the balcony where he knew the azure-haired would be. As he expected, Kuroko was leaning on the railings, his silky hair blowing in the wind. He gently approached the phantom from behind.

He wrapped his arms around the bluenette. "I lost. You've won Kuroko. Not just the Winter Cup…" he muttered as he held on tighter. He felt the smaller male laugh and hug his arms. "I don't really care about that Akashi-kun."

Akashi slightly tilted his head to the right. After all this time, Kuroko still never failed to amuse him. It was strange, and it set off a budding feeling in his chest. His heart was filled with warmth, and he knew what exactly he was feeling. He took in a breath of air and said the five words that the bluenette longed to hear.

"Go out with me Tetsuya." Kuroko smiled and turned his body to be directly facing Akashi. "Okay Akashi-kun." He said as he pressed his lips to the crimson-haired male's own.


They have been together for five years now. Akashi and Kuroko were not pursuing their individual careers, all the while juggling a relationship. It was hard, to say the least, since both of them barely have time to spend with each other.

But Akashi decided that enough was enough. He knew he had to make a move now. He had readied everything, and he was just waiting for the right time to spring it on Kuroko. He clutched the small box inside his pocket, and strode to their shared apartment.

He slid his key into the lock. He turned it, and entered their large apartment. Kuroko really insisted that he didn't want such a fancy one, but Akashi was impossible to convince. Sitting on the sofa, Akashi glanced at the clock. It was 6PM, and Kuroko was going to be home soon.

Akashi felt kind of nervous. Proposing to someone wasn't really an easy task, even for someone like Akashi. He fiddled with the hem of his jacket and sunk deeper into the couch. Unknown to him, out of his distraction, he didn't notice his lover come into the room.

Kuroko tilted his head. Akashi usually would be able to spot him, but for some reason, the redhead was not noticing his presence at all. The azure-haired male decided to make his presence known.

"Sei-kun, what are you thinking about?" he lightly poked the crimson-haired male in the side and watched him freak out a bit. It was hilarious; Akashi did not show his shocked face often. Kuroko was soon met with the other's annoyed face, and he responded to this with a big grin.

Akashi soon wiped his annoyance off his face, and he let out a little smirk. It was time to put his plan into action. "Tetsuya, please close your eyes and stick your left hand out." he said.

Kuroko was confused. He really didn't know what the redhead's intention was, but he just went along for the fun of it. He covered his eyes with his right hand while holding out his left hand. Akashi moved in front of him, and Kuroko tried to peek from the cracks in his hand.

Akashi noticed this though, and he covered Kuroko's eyes with one hand. "No peeking." he whispered in the shadow's ear. He felt the bluenette shudder, and he smirked once again. He slowly knelt down, and brought the small box out from his pocket.

He pulled the ring out, and slid it onto Kuroko's ring finger. Kuroko slightly gasped at the cold sensation, but he quickly adjusted. "Kuroko Tetsuya, will you do me the honor of being my wife?" Akashi's velvety voice rumbled and he pulled Kuroko's hands away from his eyes.

He was met with the teary blue orbs that screamed out a yes. He immediately hugged the bluenette, and held him close for the rest of the night.


The next years were fun. The two moved out of their apartment, and they bought a small house in a nice neighborhood. They were the only ones there, but they didn't let that fact get to them. Akashi and Kuroko were happy; that's really what matters.

They were having their usual dates that day. They would drive to a meadow or a park, and play all day. On that particular day, Akashi brought him to a miniature park that had tees that gave shade and a bunch of shrubs that gave the place a bit of color.

There were two swings at the very middle, and they both walked towards them with Akashi leading the other by the hand. Kuroko plopped down on one, and Akashi followed soon after. They merely sat there in silence, relishing the tranquility that covered the area.

"Tetsuya, what do you think happens after a person dies?" Akashi looked over to his blue-haired lover and he lightly cocked his head to the left. It was a random question, and Kuroko did not see it coming. The bluenette felt unknown emotion churn up in him, and he blurted out an answer.

"I think that they stay move on to the afterlife, Sei-kun. They go to the other side and they watch their loved ones from there." Akashi turned to him. He let out an amused chuckle, and reached over to pinch Kuroko's cheeks.

The bluenette struggled to get away from his grasp. He wasn't successful at first, but he managed to get away after a few tries. His forehead creased with slight anger, and he let a small pout slide onto his face. Akashi obviously winced at this, and Kuroko could clearly see that the redhead wanted to cuddle him.

"Why does Sei-kun want to know that anyway?" he asked as he looked over to his lover. The male in question shrugged, and he looked up. The sun had sunken past the horizon a bit, so the sky was tinted with orange and pink hues, like the day they started going out.

"I guess I realized that we aren't getting any younger Tetsuya. We too will soon perish and leave this world, and I am sure that you are aware of that." Akashi said as he closed his eyes. He sat there for a few seconds, then he stood up and faced Kuroko.

"When I die, I want only one thing Tetsuya. I want you to be by my side smiling. It's better to be sent off with a smile rather than a frown, isn't that right?" Akashi then strode over to Kuroko and grabbed his hand. With a genuine smile, he pulled on Kuroko's hand and led him back to their house.


Time passed by quicker than they expected. Their youth slipped away from them, and wrinkles found their way to their skin. However, they both didn't regret a single moment. Each day of their lives have been filled with laughter and joy and they were together, so happy memories stayed behind.

Kuroko watched as the color drained from Akashi's face. His once vibrant vermillion hair had faded to a whitish color. The past few days, Akashi had not been feeling well. His pneumonia has been bothering him, and he's been having trouble breathing.

It was natural. Old age does do that to people, but Akashi could tell that his end would be coming soon. He guessed that his emperor eye still worked, if only a little bit. He already knew when he was going to die, and he was a little scared.

Of course, this wasn't because of the fact that he was going to die soon. It was because of the life he was about to leave behind. Kuroko was the best thing that happened to him. He knew that he had hurt Kuroko a lot of times before, and he really didn't want to see Kuroko's crying face.

As much as he didn't want to leave, he had to accept that his time was running out. The clock was ticking, and he had to go soon. He smiled to himself. What would the younger him think if he saw him reduced to this poor state?

It was time. He was really going to cross over soon. He could feel it all throughout his entire being. It was a strange feeling; a powerful longing shook your bones and bit at your skin as if pulling your soul out of your body.

He gently nudged Kuroko. If he was going to pass, he really wanted to have his lover sending him off. Kuroko's beautiful sky-like hair had faded into a faint gray that reminded him of the person he tried to use to replace the shadow. It was futile of course; he soon realized that the bluenette was the only one.

Beautiful azure eyes stared up at him. Kuroko's eyes were now clouded and weary, but they were still the same pair that made him fall hard. Akashi placed his hand on Kuroko's cheek. Maybe it was expression or maybe it was his eyes, but Kuroko immediately knew what was coming up.

Kuroko gently took Akashi's hand in his own, and he clutched it tightly. He didn't want to let go, so he held fast and he leaned a bit closer. Tears streamed down his pale face, and he kept shaking his head. He refused to believe it. It was really too soon.

Akashi slightly chuckled. Kuroko was really forgetting his promise. He replayed that scene in his mind. The former-captain of Teiko reached over with his other hand, and he brushed away the tears that accumulated on the phantom's face.

"Tetsuya, you're doing it wrong… Didn't I say that when I die, I want you to smile and be by my side? Why aren't you smiling?" he said with a cool tone. At those words, Kuroko cheered up a bit as he remembered.

The shadow smiled fondly, amused at the redhead's choice of words. He was right though. He made a promise, and he had to keep it.

His tears continued streaming down his face, but he kept a bright smile intact. He stared at Akashi and clutched his hand tighter.

Akashi looked over to Kuroko and reciprocated the squeeze. He gave out a loving smile and looked straight into the other's eyes. The pull was becoming stronger, and he could feel his eyelids start to droop. But before he could go, he had to say one more thing.

"I've never seen you so beautiful Tetsuya and I've never been so happy." His eyes slid close and his breathing stopped. The heart monitor by his side let out a piercing screech, as if mourning for the redhead who was never going to open his eyes again.


It was a Wednesday then. A Wednesday when they met, and a Wednesday when they would last see each other. Kuroko rested his tired back against the soft couch that lied at the center of the room. Surrounded by memories and remembrances, he had only one thought before he too, fell into an eternal slumber.

'Thank you Sei-kun… For everything…'


Hello~! Rikari is here~! TuT I am crying and smiling at the same time… I cannot believe this X'D Ah well~ Please tell me what you thought about it~! And please know that if you suggest something, it will probably be on the seventh chapter :'D I've gotten more requests than I thought XD

R & R~!