A/N: Okay, I know the first chapter isn't that original, but it was merely the start so I didn't want to put too much changes in the beginning because I felt the start of the story was perfect. But don't worry, there will be original scenes in the story. And to clear up a misunderstanding, Kuroko could understand what people are saying to him because he is already a master at reading lips.
Title: Through You
Summary: Right before the start of his third year in middle school, Kuroko got into an accident that made him deaf and mute. He almost quit basketball but his fellow teammates helped him through his loss and kept him playing with them. A year later, Kuroko has grown distant from his former teammates who have changed for the worst. With the help of his new teammates, can he help them just as they helped him back then, or will his wish remain forever ignored?
Disclaimer: I am not worthy of owning Kuroko no Basket.
Chapter 2 - About Back Then
Kuroko made sure that he has everything he needed. Since it's just the first day of school, all what he needs is a notebook, a pen, and snacks along with some money. When he closed his school bag, his uncle, who's driving the car, glanced at him and smiled. Through that, Kuroko knew that he meant 'Good luck'.
And as a reply, Kuroko smiled back as he looked at the window and saw some students wearing school uniforms of the same school he enrolled in. They all headed for one direction, and Kuroko just waited in silence before the car went to a slow stop.
Before he could get a chance to open the car door, his head gets patted by his uncle before giving him a small thumbs up. Kuroko likes those little kind gestures his uncle would give him. The bluenette bowed slightly before opening the door and stepping out. They waved each other goodbye as the car drove off until it's out of the bluenette's sight.
Kuroko looked at the incredibly large building of Teiko Middle School. Cherry blossom petals danced in the morning breeze flying around the school, and he could see more students entering the building.
Many students are new in Teiko Middle School. A new school year has begun, and the air in the school is filled with excitement.
Seniors stood at the front gate, trying to recruit the transferees into their clubs. Others walked by and immediately went for their classrooms.
Kuroko calmly passed through the crowd and looked for the board that would tell what classroom he is assigned to. However, a large crowd blocked his view, and thanks to his short stature it would be difficult to take even a small peak at the papers stapled to the board.
Although, luck is on his side as he has his lack of presence, and without the students even knowing it, he silently snaked his way in and looked at the paper to know what class is he in.
Once he caught sight of his name, he glued the word Class 1-A to his mind as he makes his way to the same school with the help of the school map which his uncle had given him a few days before today.
It was not that hard to reach the said destination as it just took a change of direction to the left then straight ahead until he reached the room. He saw the sign 1-A, and he opened the door to let himself in. He picked a seat at the back row and next to the windows on the left wall.
No one even bothered to greet him or even bat an eye at him. It is understandable, in his case, since his presence is really weak and he had noticed that since his childhood.
That is. . . . until someone approached him and immediately asked the bluenette, "Excuse me. Is the seat in front of you taken?"
Kuroko almost flinched from surprise that there would be a person who would notice him as he did nothing but stare at what laid outside the window, therefore that would make his presence even weaker.
But he did not feel annoyed or anything similar to annoyance as he turned his head, seeing a young man who's almost his height albeit a little taller than him, with spiky, medium carmine hair and odd-colored eyes - with the left eye being gold and the other the same color as the teen's hair.
"No, I don't think so." Kuroko answered with the usual blank tone of his, and the redhead nodded in gratitude before occupying the chair in front of him.
Silence is there again for the young blue-haired teen as he resumed looking out the window again, then he moved his eye to his right wherein he caught sight of a shogi board in the redhead's bag as the zipper wasn't completely closed.
With curiosity piquing him, he asked the person, "You play shogi?"
The redhead tilted his head a little only so that his eyes would meet with Kuroko's light blue discs, and he nodded. "It's my favorite sport, aside from basketball." he replied calmly, not so bothered that someone would ask him what he likes.
It's pretty normal after all when people meet each other for the first time, and he even enjoyed it that someone would talk to him. For some reason, others act terrified or at the very least, anxious in his presence so he feels glad that the young bluenette talked to him like he is just like everybody else.
Kuroko's eyes opened wider by a little when he heard the term 'basketball'. "You like basketball?"
"It's very entertaining for me, if I have to say. Do you like it too?"
Kuroko nodded, "Yes. Actually, I'm planning to join the basketball team."
"Oh? So do I." With this very short conversation, a friendship or at least a sense of good companionship has already sparked between the redhead and the bluenette, and the former calmly extended his hand while staying in his seat.
"I'm Akashi Seijuurou. I hope we get along."
And with a small smile and a softer expression on his face, Kuroko accepted the gesture and made a small but kind handshake with Akashi.
"I'm Kuroko Tetsuya, and I'm sure we will get along, Akashi-kun."
The handshake lasted for a few seconds but neither minded as they let go of each others' hands and looked at each other in comfort that they've made a friend on their first day in middle school.
The moment got interrupted when someone walked past them and took the seat on Kuroko's right side. The redhead shifted his attention to that same person and at the sight of green hair with perfectly taped fingers on the left hand, he immediately recognized the person. He felt a little surprised all the while pleased.
"Oh, so we're in the same school and class, Midorima Shintarou." Akashi mused in a teasing tone, and the person whom he is referring to felt his chest being seized from shock at the sight of the redhead.
"Akashi! So you're studying here?" Midorima asked in disbelief, gradually cooling down from the shock.
"Obviously. Oh, what's that on your hand?" he asked, pointing at the small thing resting on Midorima's left hand.
"Today's lucky item." he responded like it was no big deal, and Akashi raised an eyebrow.
"Are you following horoscopes now, Shintarou? I never saw you doing anything relating to horoscopes once before." He exhaled with wonder in his voice.
Midorima sighed casually, "A lot can happen in two months of vacation, Akashi."
As they continued to talk, Kuroko watched them for a moment. He didn't like being ignored all of a sudden, so he cleared his throat for them to notice him. Again, Midorima got surprised at the sight of the bluenette looking at him with unpredictable baby blue eyes combined with a face that showed no particular emotion.
"How long were you sitting there?" Midorima sputtered, not really liking the feeling of being shocked twice in a short while because of unknown and unexpected presences of other people.
"Before you were here." he answered in a manner like it's completely obvious, and Midorima sighed while propping up his glasses.
"Well, you seem to have such little presence for me to not even notice you." Midorima muttered.
Kuroko replied calmly, "It's been that way since my childhood, so I'm already used to that kind of reaction like the one I unintentionally got from you." The latter soured a little at the smaller boy's very straightforward comment and he exhaled in a slightly irritated fashion.
"Oh, I guess I should introduce you both to each other." Akashi butted in, and they let him do so as it is customary.
"Tetsuya, this is Midorima Shintarou. The two of us were classmates for three years in elementary, so we know each other a lot. Shintarou, this is Kuroko Tetsuya. We both are planning to join the basketball club."
Midorima felt a little enlightened at the mention of the basketball club as he fixed up his glasses again. "The same goes for me. Well then, Kuroko. . . ." He extends his hand as a calm aura surrounds him. "May we get on good terms."
Kuroko shakes hands with Midorima with the same smile he showed to Akashi. "I second that, Midorima-kun."
It is merely four in the morning, but Kuroko had already woken up in a cold sweat from the dream.
It is a dream of a pleasant moment of his past in middle school, and even though it's pleasant, it would always lead to a bad end so there was no point in reminiscing about the good parts of his time back in Teiko.
He wiped the cold wet beads off his forehead as he panted slightly, looking at the clock plastered on the wall. He frowned when he saw the time, but when he tried going back to sleep he would always roll and thrash about the bed in discomfort.
Frustrated, he gets off the bed with his feet making a hard thud on the floor. When he took a glance at his face in the small mirror hanging right above the sink, he rubbed his hair that turned spiky and messy at all ends. He sighed quietly, fixing his hair with his fingers.
Since no one else was there to see him, he let his emotions take over his face. His face turned weary, depressed, ashamed, angry, and many other emotions that would always bring discomfort to one's heart.
"I don't want to dream about anything in Teiko anymore. . . ." he thought in annoyance as he cupped his hands and let the water fill the space formed between the palms, then he splashed the water over his face to completely remove all tiredness from his body. Drops fell from his forehead down to his chin and he stared at his reflection for a while.
There was a time when he looked this soaked and pathetic, and he unconsciously reminisced of that exact time.
"What school did you go to?"
Among all the questions they asked him after months of not getting in direct contact with them, Kuroko found that question to be the most difficult to answer. It's not like he gave an answer to most of their questions, but he is sure that they want an answer this time.
Even if he would look from Akashi to another person, they would ask him the same thing. But he did not answer, and he made no movement or noise and just looked blank without anything else to think about except how could he tell them what school did he choose.
Seconds felt like hours, and the slowness of time around him felt so pressuring that he might explode. Their gazes were on him like predators ready to pounce on their prey, and the intensity compelled him to scrunch his eyes shut for a while until he hesitantly wrote on a small piece of napkin, taking a long time to finish what he was writing even though it's just one word, one name.
He clutched onto the napkin real tight for a minute, his fears getting the better of him, but he knows there's no escape from the situation he's in right now, so he loosened his hand and pushed the napkin to the center of the table. Since he wrote it in big letters, they're able to read clearly what he wrote.
Seirin.
Kuroko didn't have to look at their faces to see how did they react to the situation, as it is already clear when he felt a banging force on the table, followed by a wet splash of ice-cold water on his face. He looked up with his lashes blinking away the water close to his eyes, and he saw a furious Akashi who could barely control his temper.
Leaving them, not getting in contact with them, then letting them down by going to a school whose basketball team was newly formed. . . . anyone would see why even someone with so much patience would not be able to hold his anger in anymore.
"What was that? Seirin?" Akashi seethed, his fists clenching and pressing hard against the wooden table.
Even though they're in public, he didn't care about it since he was too mad to focus on that. He is mad, but he couldn't let it out any more or else. . . . he knew he wouldn't be able to hold back in what he wanted to do to Kuroko.
Kuroko did not move his head, but he rolled his eyes back up to take a glance at all their faces.
Kise and Momoi didn't look mad at all, but the surprise and sorrow on their faces is definitely not missed.
Midorima closed his eyes, breathing out deeply through his nose as he wondered whether he's mad, disappointed, or sympathetic for the bluenette.
Murasakibara paused eating and gave a serious look, but aside from that Kuroko could not understand what the purple head was feeling.
Avoiding Akashi's deathly gaze, he turned to Aomine who gave a slight glare and aside from that the teen didn't know what should he show on his face.
Everything else was a hellish blur, and Kuroko had never had this much pent up aggravation in him for a long while. He tried to bottle all those feelings away, the feelings he felt when he left them, when he realized how much they changed, when they talked to him again, and when he told them what school he enrolled in.
Everything now about his past is nothing but a bitter and white-hot sting to his heart and mind.
Unaware of it before the pain shot up his arm, he banged his fist and his forearm against the hard tile walls with such strength that it gave the nerve endings on his arm a bad hit and therefore his arm felt like it is being broken - even though no bones were fractured from the impact.
He opened his mouth to let out a yell, but there's no sound coming out from his damaged throat as he just let himself be overtaken by the agony while he dropped to the floor, his uninjured hand holding his other fist which turned red. He put a lot of force on the impact that it made some of his skin bleed, and touching the bleeding areas made him wince.
For minutes, he stayed kneeling on the floor as he held his arm until he was snapped back to reality. He reached up and grabbed bandages, hastily wrapping the white cloth around the damaged area on his arm until he could see no speck of red skin anymore.
There was nothing he could do but put his all in what he has now.
He already has his teammates who he instantly found as trustworthy and likeable and enjoyable to be with; there is also Kagami who was more than perfect to be his new light, and he has his ability of misdirection, passing, stealing, and invisibility.
Yet, no matter how many times he reflects on how his skills brought his former team to victory, he knows that it is not enough to achieve his current goal.
Bringing Kagami and Seirin to number one is very difficult, especially now that the Generation of Miracles have split ways and are in different schools.
Only one can imagine how much pressure it would be to watch two members of the legendary team fight against each other. He trained for months on end since he left the team, doing everything to learn how to shoot. He is already good with shots from close range, but not from far range and he has to be good at both.
The practice match with Kaijo High is still a few days from now, but Kuroko didn't join practice today. He is in his home, changing into a plain blue hoodie and dark jeans with sneakers as his uncle texted him that he'll be having an appointment with the doctor today.
Kuroko made sure to lock the doors before leaving, and he headed for the bus stop where his uncle, Yuugo, was waiting. They only greeted each other, but nothing more than that.
Kuroko's mother died from giving birth to him, so he never got the chance to know her. His father was left caring for him, and he did his best to be sure that Kuroko lived a good life, although he died from a car accident when the bluenette was still at the age of 5.
And ever since then, the only relative left to be able to care for him is Yuugo, who offered to take him in. Kuroko agreed, but when he graduated from Teiko Middle School, he moved to a small condominium but he is still able to get in touch with his uncle, since they didn't live so far from each other.
The bus ride is completely silent, and Kuroko just looked out the window to see the streets they would pass by quickly. But even though the sight gave him some peace, it is still hurting him that he couldn't hear.
Even if he can't speak, at least. . . . if he could just hear and perceive all kinds of sound around him, like the voice of his friends, his teammates, of everybody. . . . then it would be more than enough for him.
Yet as the days went by, he started to lose hope if he would ever hear again. He and his uncle did everything they could to find a doctor that could repair her hearing, but many have already said that once the ears are damaged, it will stay damaged.
Yet Kuroko desperately wishes to hear again, because without sound, life for him became kind of dull.
He has a 50-50 chance of having his throat repaired, but what is the point if he can't hear? He won't be sure if he'll just make nothing but jumbled words, because he can't even hear what he's saying.
Thinking about all that, he let out a quiet exhale of stress, but he could only feel the air leave his throat, and not the sound of the exhale he made. He's sure that there's no sound, but he knew better than to brood on that repeatedly, even over the trivial matters.
It would remind him of his first months in his third year in middle school. At those times, he acted almost motionless and blank and uncaring towards everything with the exception of his studies and his housework, and the fact that he was more monotone than he usually would be made all the others worry about him.
He even made the nonchalant Murasakibara get concerned for him that he always shared snacks, and he would just agree and take a bite or two. But it didn't help at anything but quell his hunger, and since he and the purple head are always on bad terms when it comes to basketball, there was not much that the tall center could do.
Kise tried to cheer him up by some nice words that he got from some of his fans, but even though he conveyed it through writing, Kuroko didn't budge an inch at any pep talk Kise tried to give him, much to the blonde's dismay. It frustrated the blonde that he couldn't do anything to help.
Momoi tried as well, but just every moment when she sees the look on Kuroko's face, she always goes near to crying and thus she was unable to say what she wanted to say to him. Everyone knew that she tried, so they sympathized with her when she sobbed after yet another attempt to let out the words bugging her head all day.
At one time, Midorima wanted to make Kuroko just a little better by offering him his lucky item at that day. The younger teen didn't reply and just kept on his palm almost all day, but he wasn't in the least bit comforted. The green-haired teen wanted to say something to help, but if none could get through him, he thought that nothing would happen even if he tried to give some advice to enlighten Kuroko.
Aomine didn't know what to say either, and it even made him all the more uneasy he couldn't think of any way to cheer the boy up. Anything he did ended up with no comment and no reaction at all from Kuroko, and he grew so irritated with the whole situation. He couldn't blame Kuroko, but rather fate for destroying Kuroko.
As Akashi was the captain of the team, it was his responsibility to look out for his teammates and therefore he was the only one among the rest to break through the extremely hard shell that Kuroko had put up after learning of all his defects. It was surprising, but in a way it was expected from the leader of the Generation of Miracles. No one could deny him or oppose him, not even the almost-permanently-broken Kuroko.
He explained to Kuroko what all the others tried and tried to say to him, and slowly Kuroko recovered from his deep state of depression. It took a lot of perseverance, patience, and determination for them to help him recuperate with his injuries, but they all were more than willing to go through with it.
Kuroko sat on a bench right outside the room of the doctor that they have an appointment with. Yuugo sat right beside him as they waited for their turn, and Kuroko batted his eyes from one nurse to another, trying to distract himself from the boredom wracking his body.
He isn't used to doing nothing in situations like this, because lately he has been doing nothing but practice his shots all day whenever he would get the chance. But he knows he can't go outside to play, since he's at the fifth floor and the hospital's pretty crowded both inside and outside so it would be difficult for him to go back up.
Instead, he poked his finger on his uncle's shoulder and when the older man looked at him, he gestured if he could go get a drink.
Receiving a nod, Kuroko stood up from the bench and went to the nearest machine where he flicked in a coin and twisted a knob, with a carton of milk immediately dropping to the hole where he would get his order. He poked the straw and started sipping on it, feeling a little happy that the milk tasted like vanilla.
And when he turned around to walk back, he froze in instant fear when he saw someone he least expected to see today.
The one he's shocked to see is wearing a white and light blue jersey jacket with the name Rakuzan printed on the back, and the person was talking to someone taller wearing the same jersey. It took a while until the person noticed Kuroko, and the atmosphere dropped instantly from that brief eye contact.
Five seconds passed and the teen started to walk towards the bluenette, and Kuroko couldn't move his legs as each step made by the other just instilled more fear into his veins.
He rarely feels fear, but when it comes to this particular person, it was an exception for a man like him. Anyone would understand if they meet him and get into an encounter with the man.
Akashi Seijuurou is not someone to be taken lightly, no matter the circumstances. Regardless of his age or his stature, he can make people immediately go on their knees and grovel if he wills it.
"So Tetsuya. . . . I didn't expect to meet you here." he greeted, but nothing about his tone or his voice is kind or welcoming. There's silent anger there, and Kuroko is sure of that when Akashi stopped moving his feet forward when the distance between them was merely a few feet.
Why are you here?
"You don't have to know why."
Akashi looked around him with only his eyes, and he sees that the hall is kind of crowded. "This is not the proper place for us to talk." he said, making sure that the bluenette could read his lips clearly. "You don't mind if we go somewhere else more. . . . quiet and unoccupied?"
There is something in his throat that made Kuroko very much tight and stiff from many negative feelings rushing through his blood and up his brain or to his heart and lungs.
He couldn't even swallow down the knot in his throat, but he agreed with just the smallest of nods and immediately his wrist is grabbed with such force as Akashi led him to a small room where there are nothing but bandages, and the room is small but the walls and the door protected them from the ruckus outside.
"I haven't seen you since graduation. No, since a month before the start of our first year in high school." he said with a barely visible but fake smile on his face as the glow on his eyes intensified with fury that he managed to control.
Without even expecting it, Kuroko got immediately cornered when Akashi placed a hand on the wall, and the latter let a bit of his rage come out through words that he always wanted to say to the bluenette.
"Why betray us, Tetsuya?" Akashi almost growled. "We're the reason why you're still playing basketball now. If none of us did anything, you would have already been equal to nothing more than a shell of your former self. That is something that you wouldn't even want, right?"
Akashi sounded so dark, and even though Kuroko couldn't hear him, he could feel it, see it in those eyes that looked like black holes, that the bluenette couldn't look away. He felt intimidated from head to toe, that he could only shake his head at the question of the redhead.
"And yet, how did repay us? Everyone went to good schools except for you. That is close to betrayal as it is. We did everything we could to keep you playing on the team because you were a valuable member, and we all agreed that we would go to prestigious schools. Yet you didn't, on your own will. I wonder if you could tell how much I wish to destroy you more than that accident did."
Kuroko flinched and he was reminded of what Midorima told him a few days ago.
"Akashi even thought that 'destroying you could be a way to snap you out of your stupidity'."
I don't mean to betray you, Akashi-kun. But I won't change schools. Seirin is the right school for me. Most of you may be mad at me, but I'm still staying firm in my decision. I can't think of any other school that would be something I would want to enroll in. I'm not making a stupid decision, Akashi-kun. I know that what I'm doing is better than anything else. Be angry at me as much as you like, but I will not go anywhere else. If the whole situation was different and you all didn't become the people you are now, I might have followed your wishes.
The captain's breathing hitched for just one second when he heard the teen's last sentence.
"Exactly what do you mean by that last part?" he asked, his tone lower but dark and sharp nonetheless. Kuroko hesitated to answer and collected himself for a moment.
He didn't hesitate because he's afraid of what he's going to say, but when he saw how the redhead's jaw hardened and his mouth make him look like he's ready to bite, he had never felt this scared before in his whole life.
There was never a time when he incurred Akashi's wrath, until the previous time they met and now. And for some reason. . . . even though Akashi lashed out more at the first time he got made with the bluenette, the captain seemed even scarier than before. Akashi never loses his cool, so Kuroko knows that he crossed the line with the captain. But he did not cower.
You know why we played basketball in the first place? It's because we love basketball, and we gave it our all in each match. Whenever our opponent would be defeated and we would gain victory, we would cheer and celebrate. But during the third year, I could feel the change in all of you. Unlike the previous two years of middle school, when you would still laugh at each time we win, you didn't act like that anymore during the third year.
Akashi couldn't say anything to make a biting remark at the bluenette's reply. Even just through the gestures of hands alone to convey the thoughts in Kuroko's head, the redhead could feel how serious the smaller teen is.
When I thought I could play with you again as a team when I recovered from my injuries, I noticed that you all didn't need my help. You were too focused on your individual skill, and instead of seeking joy from winning a match, you seemed to gain the joy from seeing your opponent give up even before the fight's over. It was almost sadistic. I could feel that in my veins, and I could see it in all your eyes. There, I felt so helpless and you all abandoned me. Not exactly abandon, but you didn't need me anymore. That was why I quit.
Akashi removed his hand that was implanted on the wall and beside Kuroko's head, and he lowered it down. The bloodthirsty glare in his eyes softened by a centimeter, and Kuroko felt his chest loosen a bit as there is more distance between him and the redhead captain.
I don't want to lose the friendship we could still have. But you all seem to not care for anything anymore than winning, and by winning I mean crushing all our opponents that they give up all hope. It makes me feel revolted. I don't like that kind of basketball, where you just make the other suffer on purpose.
"Nonetheless Tetsuya. . . ." Akashi bit back with a tone sharper than ever but he kept the tone low. ". . . . You still shouldn't have betrayed us. Whether all what you said may have a point or not, you still betrayed our trust. I won't deny that we're still friends, and I won't be too harsh on you considering on what you have been through so I'll give you a deal. And you better heed this one since you already disobeyed me once."
There was never a time when Akashi let an event when someone would defy his orders slip by like water under the bridge. He knows how scary Akashi would be when someone would stand back at him, no matter what the reason would be. And he wasn't even much like this during their first year, yet gradually the teen grew more and more frightening and therefore Akashi became hard to approach normally.
Even though Kuroko is the closest to Akashi like he is the closest to Aomine and Midorima, he knows he won't be able to get away with anything the redhead point guard says.
But he knows that despite that scary personality, Akashi is always the most concerned for his teammates, and Kuroko understands that Akashi just wanted him to have a good future as a basketball player like everyone else, and going to Seirin looked like all the concern and help they gave him was nothing but shit.
"If ever we meet either in the Inter High or in the Winter Cup and my team or the others' teams obliterate yours, you move to another school in your second year. And you know what I mean by another school - go to a good school or even to my school if you have to. Remember, I'm the reason why you got in first string and why the others recognized you as a fellow member of the Generation of Miracles. So you better agree to at least that if you're so obstinate to give up this year."
Kuroko didn't do anything and he lowered his head on the ground for a minute. Then he looked up again, and he let out all the tension from the conversation come out of him through a deep silent exhale.
Fine. . . . if you really want me to go to a better school, as you call it. But if I win, even if through luck, I'll stay in Seirin. I didn't go to that school out of random pick nor did I do so to incur your wrath. I have a very good reason to why I chose Seirin, but I doubt you would understand me as of now. Aside from Aomine-kun, you're the other who changed for the very worst.
Akashi refused to back down, and he would never back down, not even to his friend, even though the latter had a solemn and grieved look in his eyes from even saying all those to them, because Kuroko knows no one would completely understand his words and that hurt him that they all drifted away from him to the point that it's like they were never friends, nor teammates, and just acquaintances or someone they know.
But again, he felt how earnest Kuroko's message is to him, but his hardened heart refused to accept it. He refused to accept anything that Kuroko said, whether they're honest or not.
"Think of it that way as long as you like, but in the end, the winner will be me. Since I always win, I'm always right. And you'll have no other option but to follow my orders, teammate or not." And those were the final words Akashi bid him before leaving, and Kuroko let out more tension leave his body.
He never had this much nervousness pile up in him in only a few minutes. And those were the most awkward and scary few minutes of his life, he had to admit to himself.
Kuroko wiped the sweat off his forehead and his palms as he tried to calm down from all that tension. He knew that if he stayed standing any longer, his uncle would be worried about him and he does not want to trouble his only relative about what just happened, so he walked back and continued to wait until it was his turn to have his appointment with the doctor.
And right now, he wishes that he would be given any medicine that is stress-relieving, along with pain-relieving, as what happened a few moments ago made his heart break a little from having to make another encounter like that with another of his teammates.
It took an hour for all the tests to be done, and Kuroko waited on his bed. His fingers are twitching with impatience to know what would the results be.
He wished that the results are positive, for if it is, then he would be able to hear again and he could hear the voices of his new teammates. He could hear how they talk, and he would cherish every moment of it. He would cherish the pitch of everything, whether it's annoying or harmonious.
Ever since he got deaf, the only thing he could hear was just loud ringing in his mind from some of the damaged nerves on his brain that lead to his muteness and deafness.
He almost cried before at the thought that no one would be able to understand him, and many times his sadness took over his rational thoughts about his disability. There was even the event when he shed tears in front of his teammates and they didn't know what to say to comfort him, since the first few weeks after his accident were nothing but stagnant and dark.
Kuroko despised his third year in middle school, if he must admit, because of a million reasons that he is afraid of telling anyone.
He despised his third year because his accident made him almost quit, made him discouraged to play, and then. . . . the change of his teammates and the sight of what the Generation of Miracles have become made him hate basketball.
And it hurt, since Kuroko loves the sport from the bottom of his heart, even before he was accepted as a member of the legendary team. Hating something you love will always leave a painful feeling, like a thousand sharp needles pricking their way through your skin up to the core of your heart.
Minutes passed so slowly, and it gave him extra time to think of Kise, Midorima, and Akashi's words.
Among all the three who he encountered within a week, Akashi is the one who got through him the most. And for the second time, he's the one who is the most blunt and the one whose words are always what made Kuroko pause for a long time to contemplate upon what was said to him.
He didn't expect to have so much confrontations with his former teammates in a few days, and they talked to him about the same thing: his choice of school. No matter how many times it would be repeated, the subject never got old and thinking about it redundantly made Kuroko literally scratch his head as he wished the memories would go away.
Like after the time he hit his arm, every time his old teammates would come back to his mind, the pain reawakened again and if he had a voice, he would scream. But he just bit his lip and persevered with the agony.
At the same time the pain faded away, the doctor finally entered, with Yuugo following behind the man. Kuroko felt excited for the results, only to be disheartened when the results are shown to be negative. He lowered his head and tried to keep himself from letting his sorrow take over, and his uncle patted his nephew's head to sympathize with the boy.
Although, the doctor stated that there is a doctor in Shikoku that is very good in ear surgery, and the momentary dread in his heart is gone in an instant. Kuroko grabbed quickly the paper that stated the same message and bowed in gratitude as they left the hospital.
Again, the bus ride going back home is quiet but the silence is different compared to the previous one since Kuroko has more hope in his heart than he did yesterday.
He smiled but he hid the glowing look on his face, his feelings overriding the bad ones from a few days back. He feels happy because the chance that he could hear again got higher.
After that day of meeting with Akashi, he trained twice as hard in terms of workout despite the toll it took on his body for he has less stamina than the others in the team; but he stated that it's to compensate for a day of absence even though his reason is valid. When in the presence of others, he shows only his passing skills. But when they're all already gone, he would stay in the court and practice all kinds of shots.
First, he practiced jump shots and all kinds of shots as long as he was close to the basket. Most went in, and only few missed. Right now, he just finished with lay-ups.
The ball dropped to the ground and bounced a few times before rolling on the floor. Kuroko panted and wiped the sweat off his face with the collar of his shirt.
"That's my 100th try in lay-up, if I count correctly. I missed nine times, but the other ninety-one shots went in. That's good improvement. But. . . . I still have to master shooting while jumping a little farther from the basket." he thought as he let himself fall to the floor, his arms being his support so that only his legs are the ones resting flat on the floor but his upper body would stay upright.
He inhaled and exhaled repeatedly, trying to regain his oxygen before he could move to practicing jump shots. The lights of the basketball training room became brighter in his eyes the more he stared at it, so he closed his eyes and breathed deeply through his nose.
A memory played in his head, reminding him of one of the reasons why he's practicing how to shoot.
"Tetsu. . . . you're misdirection is good and all, but do you have no intention to learn how to score?" Aomine asked out of the blue and the younger teen paused eating his bento at the question. He placed down his chopsticks and his eyebrows creased in wonder to what his best friend unexpectedly asked him.
"Why ask that all of a sudden?" he asked back with a monotone voice as he tilted his head to look up at Aomine. The latter sighed and rubbed his head as he replied, "I'm just wondering. If you're able to use that near-invisibility of yours on the court all the while being able to shoot, you'd be almost invincible, right?" he shrugged, munching on his sandwich.
Kuroko didn't say anything for a moment "Now that I think about it, it can be possible."
"Right? So why aren't you trying to train yourself in learning how to shoot?"
"Well. . . . Akashi-kun didn't teach me how to. And nonetheless, I'm doing fine on my own."
"Don't say that, Tetsu. People always have the potential to get better, and I can see that in you. Whether Akashi forgot to tell you or not, you should at least know how to score a two or a three." he suggested while taking another large bite before taking a drink of his orange juice. Silence followed, but Kuroko acknowledged what his friend said to him.
This time, Kuroko felt no pain in his arm but rather a hollowness in his heart from having all those memories lead to a bad end that might or might not be changed to a good ending.
"You're right, Aomine-kun. For all of you, I am trying everything. I trust in Seirin, everybody in it, to achieve their dream and mine as well."
TO BE CONTINUED
A/N: Sorry that it took a while. It's pretty hard for me to write flashback scenes that are not canon since I am afraid of ruining the characters. And about one review which said that Kuroko doesn't seem so distant from his teammates, well Kuroko has grown distant since before things went downhill during their third year school since I can say this much for now: they were all glued together before the bad stuff happened. And they can't just go all yell and argue like kids, and in Akashi's case in this chapter, it's more like letting Kuroko know how pissed he is without him lashing out like crazy.
And I'm sorry that the pace was slow. I guess everyone needed a bit of a sneak peek into Kuroko's past and that's mainly what this chapter is about so you know what I mean. Don't worry, the next chapter is about the Seirin vs Kaijou practice match, with a bit of changes in the events before and after the match.
I'm still not yet decided in pairings but it might be better if this is just a friendship fic. But I will make Kuroko have more encounters with the GoM than in canon because the fic is also about repairing the scars left behind by all the bad things that befell on their team.
