Paper Plane
Kuroko no Basuke belongs to Fujimaki Tadatoshi
002
The first time Akashi noticed that there was definitely something wrong with Kuroko was when he didn't come to the library for his tutoring session without telling him first, making him wait in the almost empty library for about two hours before he decided to pack his things up and went home, feeling a little agitated because, who knew Kuroko would be safe wherever he was? He was a walking disaster, after all; bad things tended to go near him and it wasn't like he was smart enough to realize it—sometimes, he was the one who attracted all the bad things to come toward him, pulling them close with his clumsiness, and Akashi was—a bit—worried that Kuroko might run into trouble and hurt himself like he usually did.
And, the unusual behavior of the Kiseki the next day was another clue for him that they were, indeed, hiding something regarding Kuroko from him; something that he couldn't tell what, and it made him slightly disappointed. Did they think he wasn't good enough to be told about whatever they were hiding? Kuroko was his student, for God's sake, why did they not tell him? He also had asked them about what happened to Kuroko; why did he not come to school; why nobody told him about Kuroko's absence, and their answer was the same: Kuroko had caught a flu and couldn't make it to school.
But, of course, he didn't believe it so easily—he wasn't that stupid.
And so, when Kuroko showed up two days later in the library, Akashi didn't start their tutoring session right away and instead, staring at him intensely as he asked in a serious tone, "Kuroko, is it true that you caught a flu?"
"Eh?" Kuroko was uncharacteristically caught off guard. His big baby blue eyes stared back at him in slight confusion, before they were reverted back to their typical blank stare. "It's true, Akashi-kun. I caught a flu two days ago and my parents didn't allow me to come to school." he replied—somehow, Akashi could hear a tinge of sadness in his monotone voice, but he chose to keep it to himself—as he looked down, pretending to check his notes. "I apologize. Akashi-kun waited for me, didn't he?"
Lie. Akashi could see the way Kuroko avoided his eyes was obviously because he was lying. He breathed out before he shook his head—even though he knew Kuroko wouldn't see it. "It's okay," he said softly, and Kuroko looked up to him again, "Are you fine now?" Are you hurt somewhere?
"I'm fine now." Kuroko gave him a small, reassuring smile, which could barely be seen if Akashi didn't pay his attention on him. "I'm just a bit tired."
"If so, you should just go home, we can reschedule our tutoring session next time." Akashi suggested, and this time, Kuroko was the one who shook his head.
"No," he quickly answered, "It's fine, Akashi-kun. I want to get higher marks in the upcoming exams. So, I have to work hard."
Akashi just sighed and decided to give him a nod; arguing with Kuroko was pointless—he would have many ways to retort back, and he thought, maybe, just maybe, he would find what secret they were hiding after this.
Their tutoring session ended two hours later, when the sun was almost setting; Akashi had to admit that whenever he was with Kuroko, he didn't get to check time because it was rather enjoyable—although Kuroko was pissing him off most of the time; he kept on asking him to repeat what he just explained because he said he didn't fully understand, and he, too, was in a daze and spacing out all the time if Akashi didn't poke his cheek repeatedly—but overall, he enjoyed Kuroko's company because he was somewhat able to make him feel better even if he was the one who angered him in the first place.
"So, Kuroko, what did you get from our lesson today?"
Arranging the textbooks on the table, Akashi glanced at a deadpanned Kuroko, "I got that Chemistry isn't supposed to be learned at all." he said matter-of-factly as he slung his bag over his shoulder, which made Akashi frown, so he quickly added, "But thanks to you, Akashi-kun. It doesn't seem to be that hard anymore."
Akashi, still frowning at him, didn't believe him, of course, but he let the topic drop; after spending time to time with Kuroko, he somehow had gotten used to him already. His first impression about him being unfazed of the things that happened around him was totally wrong. Kuroko, behind his expressionless mask, definitely had a lot of expressions Akashi managed to notice every now and then. And he, too, despite his quiet nature, could be really stubborn if he wanted to. There were times they argued about this and that, and Akashi was taken aback at how those words coming from the usually composed Kuroko; how he was capable to utter more that a few words.
They walked together through the empty hallways. It was 6P.M., and the skies were already dark. There were no students in sight—Akashi was able to borrow the library key from the library committee by his power as the Student Council President—so, dead silence enveloped between them; neither of them was a chatterbox like Kise, and besides, they had nothing to talk about other than Kuroko's studies, anyway, as they weren't exactly friends; they were only a tutor and his student. And also, Kuroko was pretty much in his little own world, staring dazedly out the window; he tripped on his own leg two or three times, as Akashi had counted, lost his balance and bumped into him, and Akashi didn't know how to make him stop being that clumsy, or at least make him try to walk properly without tripping and almost falling because of his own stupidity.
They were still quiet during their walk toward the bus stop, even when both of them had sat side by side, waiting for their bus. Akashi had told his chauffeur that he'd be using public transportation and he wouldn't need a ride back, as he would be by home late, and when he learned that their houses were located in the same direction, they decided to just go together.
A gentle breeze brushed past Akashi's cheeks, and he decided to start a small talk; the awkward silence between them suddenly became unbearable. "Kuroko has to study really hard." he mumbled, but loud enough for Kuroko to hear, as the latter snapped his head to him, slightly looking up due to their height differences.
"Did Akashi-kun just imply that I'm so stupid and I need to study really hard even though I have studied harder than anyone?" he deadpanned.
Instead of getting offended, Akashi let out a low chuckle. "I'm not saying that, you know. You said it yourself." he softened as Kuroko's expression showed that he was frowning. "But, Kuroko has indeed worked hard; he gets better than the last time. Congratulations."
"Is Akashi-kun teasing me?" muttered Kuroko, "Either way, it's because Akashi-kun teaches me that I'm improving quite a bit. Akashi-kun is a great teacher."
Akashi didn't have time to answer when their bus came, stopping in front of them. Quickly, they got up and hopped onto it. There were only a few people on the bus, and they took the seats in the back rows, with Kuroko sat by the bus window; it strangely had been their unspoken rule than Kuroko had to sit by the window. Akashi didn't know how did it happen; it just happened that way.
"Am I?" Akashi asked once they had sat down, intending to continue their previous talk.
Again, with those unwavering blue-hued eyes, Kuroko replied, "Yes. It'll be easy to understand if Akashi-kun is the one who teaches it."
"Why, thank you," Akashi looked away, a faint blush coloring his cheeks for the reason he couldn't figure out why. Perhaps it was because of the cold air-conditioner?
"And, Akashi-kun," Kuroko's cheerful voice—which shocked Akashi that he had to look over to Kuroko again and found a smiling Kuroko; he got even more shocked at the sight—ringing beautifully in his ears, "Sensei also said I got better and better. Again, thanks to you, Akashi-kun. If it's not because of Akashi-kun, I won't be able to look at my textbooks differently."
Akashi was frozen.
Kuroko's small, yet sincere smile was so beautiful that he couldn't tear his eyes away; too mesmerized to even utter a single word.
What was this? Why did his heart beat faster? What have Kuroko done to him?
What was wrong with his feelings?
/
"You're fine, Akashi-kun. Nothing's wrong with your body."
Fourth period; the teacher couldn't teach his class because of personal reasons and so, it was free class for him and his classmates, and instead of studying by his own like he always did whenever the teachers couldn't come, Akashi went to the school clinic instead, in attempt to check his body which had shown weird symptoms lately—especially when Kuroko was around, or when the thoughts of him popped up his mind. He was sure there was something wrong with him, but why did the doctor tell him he was fine? He absolutely was not fine.
"No, sensei, there must be something wrong with my body." Akashi insisted, "You haven't checked me thoroughly. How do you come up with such conclusions?"
The doctor looked at Akashi with a smile, "Akashi-kun, you're fine. I can make sure of it."
"If I'm fine, then why is my heart unusually beating faster than usual?" Akashi was still couldn't take her words positively, "And I think I'm not acting like myself, either. I keep on making a fool of myself, I think? I can't even focus on anything and do something properly. I'm definitely not me."
"Hmm, do you like someone, Akashi-kun?"
"What?"
"Then, you're not sick at all, Akashi-kun." her smile grew wider when she saw Akashi's flustered expression. "It's the stage where someone in your age will go through, and it is called: falling in love."
"Falling in love?" A blush crept on to his face, "This can't be true. I'm not even seeing anyone. You must be wrong, sensei."
The doctor laughed, "Indeed, you're falling in love, Akashi-kun."
Akashi was about to retort because, was she joking? He didn't even like anyone. He never liked anyone that way... right? But he closed his mouth shut again when a few students rushed into the clinic, indicating that something had happened—probably someone had fainted, and the doctor threw him an apologetic smile before she ran toward them; a curtain separated them and him, and he couldn't careless about what was happening because he was trying to sort out his mind.
Falling in love? Him? With who?
"God, how does this happen again? Wasn't he in this state, too, a few days ago? And I thought he hasn't been through this state again since two months ago?"
He heard the doctor's panic voice from the other side of the room, and Akashi sighed, trying to block the commotions near him with covering his ears using his hands. But, still, even though he tried to not eavesdrop on their conversation, he still could hear it clearly.
"Yes, Kuroko-kun collapsed again, just like two days ago. It seems like he hasn't recovered from his illness."
Akashi was surprised upon hearing it.
Kuroko? Collapse? What illness? Wait, what?
Quickly, he got up from his bunk and pulled open the curtain, only to find the doctor and a few students looked at him in confusion. He ignored their stares and asked in slight panic, because this was Kuroko they were talking about; the clumsiest person he ever met. "Where is Kuroko?"
"His parents brought him to the hospital a few minutes ago." The doctor said helpfully, "Are you his friend, Akashi-kun?"
Hospital? Kuroko? What actually happened?
"Akashi-kun?"
"What happened?" Akashi asked again, trying to calm himself down, "To Kuroko, I mean."
"He lost his consciousness." A black-haired girl answered for him. "He is our classmate. He suddenly collapsed and our homeroom teacher called his parents after that."
Akashi was taken aback by the information.
"His parents quickly came and they took Kuroko-kun to the hospital," The doctor then continued, noticing Akashi's confusion. "His classmates came here to inform me about it and—"
Akashi was no longer listening to the doctor's words, or the loud bell signaling the end of the fourth period, or Kuroko's classmates who threw him confused looks before they hurriedly went out the clinic to change their class.
He knew that something was wrong with Kuroko, but, was it because he was sick? And, again, why hadn't he or his friends told him about it? Was it the secret they were hiding from him; that Kuroko was sick? Was it the meaning of Midorima's words from the other day? What sickness? And why were they keeping it from him?
They were so going to answer all the things Akashi was curious about. Soon.
/
After what he'd heard about Kuroko yesterday, there were many questions Akashi had intended to ask the rainbowheads; what sickness Kuroko actually had; why did they hide such thing from him; why didn't they tell him about that, and the other why's and what's to ease all the hard feelings in his chest, but when he looked for them in their classes yesterday—they had no practice on that day—each of them had left and no one knew where they were going to go—probably the hospital Kuroko was admitted to?
Akashi was slightly pissed because, did they have to leave him out just because he wasn't their childhood friend? Wasn't he their friend as well, although he'd just been in their friend circle not too long? And, he was also Kuroko's personal tutor; they shouldn't have done that to him because as his tutor, he, too, was worried—a little—about Kuroko's condition; he didn't know if his sickness was bad enough or not, either.
And now, after the teacher had left his class, Akashi quickly ran to the locker room, hoping that the rainbowheads hadn't gone home yet and ran away from him. Again. He quickly changed his shoes and waited for them to show up, pretty sure that he would catch them this time—he had come out from his class earlier than anyone, after all.
A long minute had passed and just like he had predicted, footsteps were heard from afar and not long after, he saw his friends, sweating, looking at him in utter disbelief. He only folded his hands across his chest, demanding an answer with his eyes; he knew they understood what he was referring to.
"Err, hi, Akashicchi!" Kise was the first one to speak up. "Are you, uh, waiting for us?"
Akashi stared at them. "What do you think, Kise?"
"But, we have no practice today?" Aomine piped in, causing Akashi to deadpan.
"No, I'm not here for it, Aomine." he sighed, "Care to tell me what actually happened to Kuroko? You're keeping something from me, aren't you?"
Even though they'd known that Akashi would eventually ask them about Kuroko's condition, still, they were surprised that it would be that soon; the news about Kuroko lost his consciousness so suddenly must've been a hot news for the whole school to talk about that Akashi, who didn't gossip, heard it.
Midorima pushed up his glasses, looking at a frowning Akashi before he turned his attention on his childhood friends as he said, "I think we have to tell about it to Akashi."
The other rainbowheads, excluding Akashi who only raised an eyebrow in confusion, even Murasakibara who'd stopped eating, were startled at Midorima's words.
"But, Midorimacchi!"
"Tetsu said to keep it as a secret to Akashi, didn't he?"
"But, Aka-chin will eventually know about it, though~"
"Murasakibara is right." Midorima looked at Akashi again, who stared back at him in return, "Akashi will know about it with or without us telling him. So, might as well just tell him the truth."
"Are you sure, Midorimacchi?" A nod from the greenhead had Kise pulled Akashi by his wrist, "Then, let's go, Akashicchi!"
Perplexed, Akashi didn't follow after Kise that easily. "Wait, where are we going?"
"If you want to meet Kurokocchi, then come with us!"
Upon hearing Kuroko's name, Akashi, unhesitatingly, followed them to the outside of their school, and hopped on to a black car, which he assumed as Kise's, as the car dashed off quickly. He was curious, glad, and nervous at the same time. He wanted to ask them all the questions he'd prepared to ask—first was about Kuroko's condition—but when he saw their nervous expressions, that he didn't know why, Akashi kept his mouth close, thinking to find the right timing to ask them regarding his curiosity, and instead, he texted his chauffeur to not pick him up as he would go home with his friends.
Twenty minutes later, Kise's car stopped in the parking lot of the huge hospital, and without wasting time, they got out of the car and quickly dragged Akashi in with them. Akashi was still confused, and nervous, but none of them spoke so he let himself be dragged into the elevator, with Midorima pressed the eleventh button of the elevator swiftly.
When they arrived in front of a room number 1511, Akashi could vaguely hear Kuroko's voice from the inside, most likely speaking to his parents, asking them to bring him home, and he got startled when Midorima tapped his shoulder lightly before he opened the room, revealing a pale Kuroko in his hospital gown, sitting on his bed with a small smile on his face upon seeing their arrival.
"Hello, minna-san—umf!"
"Kurokocchi!"
"Tetsu, you woke up!"
"Kuro-chin already woke up~"
Kuroko couldn't even finish his sentence when Kise ran to hug him; Aomine followed Kise's movement, and Murasakibara drew the three into a bear hug, while Midorima—with a relieved face—only shrugged at their antics. Kuroko's parents were laughing in the background.
Akashi, too, was relieved to see Kuroko in good shape. A little too quickly, he made his way toward Kuroko's bed and pushed the rainbowheads away from him, "You'll suffocate him to death." he said sternly, and Kise whined upon being separated from Kuroko, but he ignored him; he only focused on Kuroko, face was softening as he greeted him in a soft voice, "Kuroko."
"Hello, Akashi-kun, I don't know you'll come here." Kuroko was unusually smiling a lot—Akashi thought that he must've knocked his head on the wall. His eyes went bigger, eyes beaming as he looked to Akashi's side. "Wow, what a pretty unicorn you bring here, Akashi-kun."
What?
Akashi, confused, looked around him. I don't even bring anything!
And, seriously, a unicorn?
"Is that for me? Do they actually let you bring it in? How do you even manage to take it in? It's seriously pretty, Akashi-kun."
Akashi froze.
He quickly turned his head toward his friends who, to his surprise, looked back at him with sad smiles.
He knew that there must be something wrong on Kuroko.
But, even so, he hadn't thought about the consequences of having Kuroko suffered from his illness.
/
a/n: I'm so sorry for the late update because school kept me away from my laptop and also please forgive me for the crappy chap and grammatical errors, I seriously didn't even know what did I write ;-; thank you very much for the reviews, favs and follows! I really appreciated them! ^o^
Special thanks for Akakuro Seiya, ShinseiShinwa, BlueSkyBlue, Q, Rinfantasy, Chisato Morohiko, Kuroko-SenPaille, Guest, EchizenRyoma, simsimchocolatte, Danny Joey Ketail, and Grace!
footnotes: Yes, Kuroko is sick, the detail about his illness will be explained in the next chapter/the last chapter! And no, BlueSkyBlue-san, he doesn't have ADHD ^^
Thank you so much for reading!