A/N : This chapter is supposed to be published on this weekend, but since today is the birthday of my dear Rena-pyon, I decided to be kind and post this today. Happy birthday, Rena-pyon~! *hug*

Chapter 2

Missing

"I told you, you're light is too dim."

~Aomine Daiki, Touou Gakuen's Power Forward no.5~

They got to be kidding me.

It wasn't a funny joke, really.

It wasn't fucking funny.

And yet, all his six friends looked at Aomine, waiting for his answer. Did he… Did Akashi just ask who Kagami was? Was this some kind of bad joke? Maybe all of them would burst out and laughed at his shocked expression and told him they were just kidding. But no… He waited, but none of them moved to say this was only and elaborated joke.

"Are you saying… You don't know who Kagami Taiga is?" Aomine said. "Quite joking around, Akashi! You guys too! Something is wrong with that guy. Tetsu, say something!"

"No need for yelling, Daiki," said Akashi. "We really had no idea who's this 'Kagami Taiga'. Your friend?"

"Stop it already!" Aomine lashed out.

"Don't you dare to order me around, Daiki," Akashi's eyes became serious. The other Miracles gulped. Aomine just pushed the wrong button, and the navy haired boy didn't seem to care. He turned to Momoi who was really frightened right now. Aomine groaned, before he took off.

He heard Kuroko, Momoi, and Kise called his name, but Aomine just ignored them. He ran until he reached the train station. He had to go to Kagami's apartment. He had to find the answer for the dreadful feeling in his stomach. Aomine was panted as he arrived in front of the familiar apartment. He looked up and tried to calm his breath.

"What are we doing here, Aomine-kun?"

"Tetsu! Stop doing that!" Aomine jumped as suddenly Kuroko appeared beside him. "Akashi sent you after me?"

"Yes," Kuroko said. "So, what are we doing here, Aomine-kun?"

"I need to find the answer…" Aomine said. He walked up to Kagami's apartment. "You really don't remember him, Tetsu? Because this game isn't funny anymore…"

"I don't know who Kagami is. Do I suppose to know him?" Kuroko asked as he turned to Aomine.

"You're supposed to know him better than me," Aomine murmured the words until they reached the door for Kagami's apartment. Aomine was familiar with this door, since he spent a lot of time in Kagami's apartment after their one-on-one in the basketball court not too far from here. Aomine knocked the door and waited for an answer. None came. He knocked louder and called Kagami's name. Still no answer.

Aomine looked around and found a doorbell. He buzzed it a few times, and yet, there was still no answer.

"Oi! Bakagami! Open this Goddamn door right now!"

Aomine was now banged on the door.

"Aomine-kun, you might bother the neighbors…" Kuroko said as he tried to stop Aomine.

"OI, BAKAGAMI!"

"What's with the ruckus?"

Aomine and Kuroko turned around as they saw an elderly woman came out of the apartment next door. Her hair was already grey, and she looked almost annoyed by the loud noise Aomine made as he knocked on Kagami's door.

"Youngsters these days! Can't you keep the noise down?!" the woman said.

"Ah, We're sorry, ma'am," Kuroko said. "Can you please tell me about Kagami who lives here?" Kuroko asked the elderly woman.

"Kagami? Kagami who?" asked her.

"Kagami Taiga," Aomine answered quickly.

"He lived next door?" asked the woman. "I don't know any Kagami Taiga, young men, and that room next to me is always empty for three years. Maybe you got the wrong room or the wrong building."

"No! There's supposed a tall guy live here. He's as tall as me, dark-red hair, weird eyebrows… You should know him!" Aomine said stubbornly. "He went to Seirin High School before he graduated yesterday."

The woman sighed.

"Well, do you have his photo or something? Maybe I'll recognize him," she said.

"Wait," Aomine flipped open his phone as he browsed through his photo collections. There was supposed to be one photo that Momoi took when he and Kagami met up at Maji Burger… He found the said photo, but his fingers stopped when he look at that.

In that photograph, he sat alone, laughing while eating his usual teriyaki burger. No… There was supposed to be a mountain of cheese burgers and a stupid red-haired idiot with goofy smile sat in front of him! Something was wrong, something was wrong…! He tried to find another photo, but none came up. Aomine turned to Kuroko and asked for his cell phone.

Kuroko took a lot of picture of his team mate, but none of it had Kagami in it. What hell was wrong?! Why did it suddenly disappear just like that?

"No… nononono…" Aomine mumbled as he frantically browsed through all the photos.

"Aomine-kun…" Kuroko said.

"Look, boy, I don't have time for this. There's no one live in that room, okay? I don't know who this 'Kagami' guy is, but he's not in this building. Now leave before I call the police," the old woman said. She returned to her room and slammed the door shut.

"Aomine-kun, let's go…" Kuroko said as he touched Aomine's shoulder lightly. "Come on."

Aomine didn't say anything. He only followed Kuroko in silence.

Why did Kagami just disappear?

And why was he the only one who remembered?

"Just leave me alone, Tetsu…" Aomine said slowly when they reached a basketball court where Aomine and Kagami had their one-on-one yesterday. Kuroko looked at Aomine with a worried expression. He never saw Aomine like acting like this. The basketball court was empty, except for a single orange ball in the middle of the court. Aomine looked at the ball as he tried to analyze this situation. Last night… Before Kagami left, he put down the ball they've used. Aomine didn't bother to ask why Kagami didn't bring the ball along, and now, he saw the very same ball, being put there innocently.

Aomine ran to the court and took the ball. He examined it carefully, trying to find any sign of who's this ball belonged to. He didn't see anyone. The court was almost deserted, as if no one had been used it for awhile. He looked up and saw the rusty ring and battered basket. He looked around as he noticed a few things. The grass on the court's sides was long. Some part of this court was cracked and the weed had grown between the cleft. Yesterday this court looked normal.

"Aomine-kun… Should I call everyone…?" Kuroko asked. The shorter boy could feel the creeps as he stood in this place. Just what kind of place was this?

"No," Aomine said. He held the ball and bounced it once on the court. "Say, Tetsu… You really don't remember him?"

"Kagami? No. I don't even know him," said Kuroko.

"Then, you went to Seirin, right? Tell me, Tetsu, who's the one that became your light after we're separated?" Aomine asked as he bounced the ball once again. "Who was the person that made me enjoy basketball after I despised it long time ago?" Another bounce. "Who was the person that could beat us, the Generation of Miracles, on the court after so long we became so invincible?" Aomine threw the ball to the ring. "Tell me, Tetsu, was that all is just a dream? Or am I dreaming right now?"

"What are you saying, Aomine-kun?" Kuroko asked with a worried look on his eyes. Aomine turned to him.

"Do you really forget him?" asked Aomine. "The miracle that did not become one of the 'Miracles'…" Aomine smiled at his description about Kagami. He picked up the basketball once again before playing it around. "The true light…"

"Aomine-kun, I think we should leave now…" Kuroko said. He really felt uncomfortable in this creepy court. What was Aomine doing here? What was Aomine talking about? He didn't know how to respond to Aomine's question, but the longer Kuroko stood in that place, the more creeps he got.

Kuroko almost jumped when suddenly, the gust of wind blew hard, taking along the leaves and sent a shiver down Kuroko's spine.

"Aomine-kun…"

Something inside his mind screamed to him to leave this place. Aomine didn't seem to care. The taller tanned boy kept looking at the orange ball before he dribbled it and jumped for a dunk. Aomine didn't smile. He didn't feel the same thrill as he went one-on-one with Kagami. He never thought he would say this, but Aomine already missed Kagami.

And what the fuck is going on?!

Kuroko followed Aomine home. Aomine seemed to be deep in thought, and Kuroko noticed that Aomine brought along the ball he found in that abandoned basketball court. The shorter boy wanted to remind Aomine it wasn't good to take other people's property, but at one look on Aomine's face, Kuroko knew Aomine wouldn't let the ball go. Now, they sat together in a train. Kuroko promised to take Aomine home, and from his story, it seemed like Generation of Miracles' get together outing was canceled.

Kuroko couldn't imagine how mad Akashi would be, since he came far away from Kyoto and Murasakibara had to come from Akita.

"Aomine-kun, you seemed to be quiet," Kuroko said. Aomine only gave a short 'hm' as an answer. "Well, you can tell me about… Kagami… then…" Kuroko said. "Earlier you said something about him being my true light or something…"

"Hey, Tetsu, do you know how your team managed to beat my team, or anyone from Generation of Miracles'?" Aomine asked. "Do you remember the matches?"

"Yes, of course," Kuroko said. "We all managed to beat you guys through hardwork and exhausting game…"

"Then can you remember your team's ace?"

"Hm? Of course. It's Kiyoshi-senpai. After he graduated though, Seirin never had a real ace."

Aomine could feel something clenched tightly in his chest. Why? Why suddenly Kagami's existences disappeared like a puff of smoke?

Please forget about me.

How could he forget when he was the only one who could remember?

"Tell me Tetsu, how did Seirin managed to get to the final of the last Winter Cup then?" Aomine asked.

"I'm not sure… We're stronger than you think, Aomine-kun."

And yet, you forget about the person who made your team stronger, Aomine thought bitterly. He had to find the answer, and he needed it fast.

"Tetsu, there's this… uh… pretty guy in Yousen… I forgot his name… Himura or something… the shooting guard who used to accompany Murasakibara…" Aomine said.

"Ah? You mean Himuro-san? What about him?" Kuroko asked. Aomine sighed in relief as he knew Kuroko recognized the name. But, there was a big chance even that Himuro guy didn't remember his supposed to be brother. Aomine never really knew Himuro that much, but he knew the guy usually hanging around Murasakibara and Kagami's brother (or something like that). And yet, Aomine hoped maybe Himuro could give him some answer.

"I need his phone number," Aomine said.

"I don't have it. Let me ask Murasakibara-kun."

Kuroko quickly texted Murasakibara, and the tall purple haired boy replied it rather quick. Kuroko thanked Murasakibara before he forwarded the number to Aomine.

"Why do you need Himuro-san's number?" Kuroko asked.

"Because he was supposed to be Kagami's brother figure back in the United States," said Aomine as he quickly saved the number.

"Kagami is an American?" Kuroko asked, a little bit confused since 'Kagami Taiga' was a Japanese name.

"He's a returnee," Aomine mumbled.

Kuroko nodded. They finally stopped in front of Aomine's house. Aomine proceeded to get into the house while Kuroko stood near the gate. He looked up to Aomine and offered him a small smile.

"I hope you find him, Aomine-kun…" Kuroko said. He waved at Aomine and walked home.

Once again, the gust of wind caressed his face softly. Kuroko could feel his heart clenched tightly. Something was missing… Aomine said he was supposed to know Kagami better than Aomine himself. Kuroko couldn't remember it, no matter how hard he tried. Aomine had said something… Something about true light…

"You'll always stand by the light. That's your basketball."

He felt the shiver ran down his spine. It wasn't the coldness of the wind. Kuroko looked up to the sky.

It was…

"Kagami… -kun?"

A/N : *Insert dramatic music*

Well, that's it for today. I'm sorry for bad grammar. And... stay tune for the next chapter~ Please review~