[[A/N: Firstly, I apologise that I took 4 months to update this. This chapter has actually been 80% completed like ages ago but school took up too much time for me to really finish writing the chapter.
Ironic how I finished the ending of the chapter first before I even wrote the rest. I kind of rushed the rest so that I could finish it quickly and since I left it alone for a long time, it was hard remembering what I wanted to fill in the middle portion of the fic with.
It should be clear where the rushed part was when you see how much lousier the writing has gotten. I only had time to read through it once so let me know if there are errors. ]]
Chapter 2: START OVER – Dead End
When Aomine opened his eyes, he was at the designated place that he arranged to meet Kuroko. He fingered the rings in his pockets, relieved to know that they were not smooth as that would mean that they were the rings that were with him from that time. He chuckled to himself when he recalled that he would no longer have a happy ending anymore and this day that he had anticipated for so long was no more.
"Aomine-kun?" Kuroko called out to him just like before and Aomine forced himself to look natural when he knew that this would really mark the end of their relationship. He was horribly tempted to carry on with what he did before but when he recalled Kuroko's cold body, the temptation disappeared completely.
If he carried on like what he did before would completely change the purpose of him even going back in time. Aomine was not sure if the memory that he had was real and whether that future really happened or not, he was not going to risk Kuroko's life at all. How could he risk it if he knows that Kuroko might die in the future because of him.
He could still remember what he said in response that time since it was an important time for him, Aomine could remember everything in detail from the moment he started waiting till he went home. "You're early, Tetsu!" The words came out of his lips naturally and he struggled to keep his facial expression that way.
Kuroko was staring amusedly at him like what Aomine recalled which almost caused him to smile instead of the fidget he did before. Aomine was a lot less nervous compared to before especially since he was not going to confess to him this time. Kuroko's response was one that was the exact same as the one that Aomine remembered it to be. "That should be my line when Aomine-kun is usually late."
Aomine did not give a reply this time either, partly because it was the truth and the other part being that he was uncertain of what he was going to say. When he asked to go back to this time, Aomine had not decided on what he was going to say to Kuroko instead of the confession that was supposed to happen before. What could he say instead when he had called Kuroko out and he had even shown up earlier than the meeting time.
Kuroko would certainly know that it would not be a small matter when Aomine hardly ever had any cases of when he showed up on time or on time so if Aomine brushed it off with a small matter, Kuroko definitely would not buy it at all. Even if he was not going to confess to him this time, Aomine thought that he should still make it up to him for how he treated him in the past and he wanted to have some alone time with Kuroko for the last time.
After today, Aomine would start distancing himself from Kuroko. If he did not, the whole thing would be pointless if the same thing happened all over again. The only definite way that Aomine knew that could prevent the same thing from happening again was if he was not together with Kuroko. This way, not only would Kuroko still be alive in the future, all the things that happened to him because they got together would not happen again.
"So what is it that Aomine-kun wanted to talk to me about that he even came earlier than me?" Kuroko had asked him like what he recalled. Aomine took a deep breath as he mentally prepared himself for what to say this time instead of what he was supposed to say before. He would apologise to Kuroko and to make up for the lack of programme that he did not plan, probably ask Kuroko what he wants as compensation.
It was not that hard to think of what he could say as an apology as it would be similar to what he said before the confession but even so, he was still unable to bring himself to say the exact same thing when he could not bring himself to let this overlap with the memory of his confession. "I…I wanted to apologise to you for before, I denied you back then, from your basketball to your entire self. I knew you were hurting back then but I was too occupied with my own pain to shift my attention towards you. I allowed myself to drown myself in my own misery even when you offered me a hand and I even hurt you with my words when I rejected it. I thought that my pain was something that you would never understand and failed to realise that I was inflicting pain on you too. When you got yourself a new light, although I knew that the one who caused that was me, I was still angry and felt utterly betrayed by you. I tried to find fault with you because of that and rejected your basketball."
Aomine paused and smiled as he raised his fist towards Kuroko. "But despite all that, the times that I spent with you will always be my treasure. Playing basketball with you is one of the most enjoyable moment for me regardless of whether we're playing together or apart. It's thanks to you that I managed to regain my love for basketball again. Even if our personalities and hobbies don't match very well that is not basketball, you're still important to me. That's why, the purpose of why I asked you out today is because I wanted to make up to you."
Kuroko had bumped his fist against his only after he had finished speaking. A small smile was on Kuroko's face as he spoke, the smile caused more hurt than comfort for Aomine though when he knew it was going to be one of the last few ones that he would see directed towards him. "How are you planning on making up to me? Does Aomine-kun think that it would be that easy to make up for what happened between us?"
"Of course not. I know that I would never be able to make up to you for what happened but I just wanted to do something that would make you smile for once. So is there anything that you want? If it's within what I can do, I will do my best to grant it!" Aomine answered, feeling glad that he brought quite a lot of money with him today otherwise it would not work if Kuroko ended up asking for something expensivee.
He lightly fingered the rings in his pocket as he waited for Kuroko to reply. If it was possible, it seemed like Kuroko was even more amused than before. In fact the facial expression that Kuroko had right now was more clear than the one he had when Aomine confessed to him. "Anything I want?" Kuroko asked with a smile that Aomine was certain that Kuroko showed on purpose.
"That's right, anything within what I can do." Aomine answered instantly. There was no point taking his time to reply when it was already too late to take back his words of promising Kuroko anything that he wanted. Right now all Aomine could do was hope that what Kuroko wanted would not be too much or something ridiculous.
Knowing that he was at the complete mercy of Kuroko had Aomine worried though when he thought of all the things that Kuroko might ask him to do as payback. There was always a sadistic side in Kuroko that Aomine knew was present when he witnessed and experienced them before in the past. Hopefully this was not one of those times was what Aomine wished in his heart.
But then again, Aomine knew that the chances of things going with what he wants would be slim when he thought about his past experiences. "In that case…maybe you could start with buying me some vanilla milkshakes for now." Kuroko stated while Aomine stared at him in surprise. That was a lot simpler than he thought.
"That's all you want?" Aomine questioned incredulously, it was hard to believe that when he offered Kuroko almost anything Kuroko had actually just asked for him to treat him to some vanilla milkshakes. There was definitely a catch somewhere when this was just too impossible to believe. The chances of him being let off that easily was close to zero after all.
"I never said that's everything. What I actually said was that you could start off with buying me vanilla milkshakes for now. I haven't thought of anything else for the moment and Aomine-kun never said that it was limited to just one thing." Kuroko answered with a smirk and inwardly Aomine cursed in his mind for leaving Kuroko with a loop hole that most likely would be his doom at the end of the day.
With a small sigh, Aomine gave up without any resistance and followed behind Kuroko. The one who gave Kuroko that loop hole was him and this was the last thing that he could do for Kuroko. "Alright, but it's invalid if you can't give me an answer after we're done with your milkshakes." Aomine responded as he quickened his steps to stand beside Kuroko.
Kuroko had nodded his head in response and Aomine simply smiled in response as he enjoyed the close proximity between them. It was nothing compared to what he had before of course, but this was something that was the closest he could get in this timeline. This was more similar to how they walked together after practice during their time in Middle School which meant a lot to Aomine as well.
"So, have you made up your mind about what you want yet?" Aomine asked boredly as he watched Kuroko sip on his third cup of milkshake. Kuroko had insisted on buying the cups separately to prevent it from melting before he finished his earlier cups, thus causing Aomine to having to queue up for it thrice. Aomine had long since finished all his food, now he just had to wait for Kuroko to finish with his which he was certain that Kuroko was purposely taking his time with how slow he was drinking it.
Kuroko seemed to be ignoring him when he continued sipping on his milkshake without replying him. Not bothered at that, Aomine simply continued watching Kuroko drink his drink. Kuroko was probably thinking right now, he concluded. That made sense when Kuroko usually drank much faster than this. A reply came when he was not expecting it, causing him to jump in his seat in surprise when he heard Kuroko speak up. "Yes. I decided on it a long time ago but I simply wanted to see Aomine-kun fidget around in impatience that I took my time in replying."
"What? Damn it, Tetsu. " Aomine replied with an angry pout. It meant that the whole time he was simply a source of amusement for Kuroko. Kuroko must have really enjoyed seeing him fidget around then when he was completely reeking of impatience as he waited for Kuroko to finish his drink. His response only caused Kuroko to smile and Aomine huffed as he looked away.
Kuroko stood up, Aomine could tell without looking at him when he could hear the soft sounds of Kuroko pushing back the chair. The footsteps alerted him that Kuroko was walking towards him and he childishly continued to not look over at him. "Let's go." Kuroko voiced out to him as he tugged on his arm lightly. Knowing that he had no choice but to stand when he was supposed to grant Kuroko's wishes today in the first place, what he thought or felt was not supposed to be important at all.
"Where to?" Aomine asked albeit unwillingly as he stood up and allowed Kuroko to tug him along. Kuroko simply flashed him a smile and continued to drag him along without telling him anything. They walked silently together with neither of them saying a word, Aomine only because he was waiting for Kuroko to speak up first when he did not get an answer earlier.
The answer was clear on where they were heading when the familiar place came to view. Forgetting about his silent war with Kuroko, Aomine spoke up. "So that's where you're planning to go." The tone that Aomine used for soft, one that he always reserved just for Kuroko. The place invoked lots of memories and emotions in him, a place where they always spent their time back in Middle School and even when they were dating back then, it was a place that they frequented.
"I thought it would be suitable for us to properly end it off with this." Kuroko stated with a smile and forgetting that he was supposed to be ignoring him, Aomine returned the smile. Things might be different from last time, but it still ended up the same. Back then after he had confessed, Aomine and Kuroko ended their day here at this basketball court too.
"Yeah totally." Aomine answered back, his smile turning into a sad one for a second before it disappeared. He shoved the thoughts of how he would no longer have a chance of spending alone time with Kuroko again. Right now, Aomine just wanted to spend the remaining time with a fond memory that he could recall back in the future.
The one-on-one between them lasted a really long time despite the both of them being very tired that their movements were getting slower and their reaction time not as fast as before. "Let's stop for the day." Aomine announced after seeing how badly Kuroko was panting, they had a few small breaks in between their game but it was clear that Kuroko was reaching his limit.
Kuroko seemed like he was about to protest and was prevented by Aomine packing up his things and tossing a towel over at him. "Come on Tetsu, I'll treat you dinner." Aomine spoke as he passed Kuroko's belongings to him. He silently mouthed a farewell to the place and the figures of Kuroko and him playing together in his mind. This would be the last time he was ever going to come here and the last time he would be playing basketball together with Kuroko.
"Aomine-kun?" Kuroko questioned him with a confused expression when Aomine had grabbed his arm without saying anything. Aomine appeared to be just as confused as Kuroko when he stared blankly at his hand that was grabbing Kuroko's arm when Kuroko spoke up. The arm was released slowly and Aomine quickly apologised.
He understood clearly the reason why he had subconsciously grabbed onto Kuroko but it was something that was not allowed. Aomine knew that much, hence why he was not going to allow the part of him that wanted to stay with Kuroko to win. "It's no problem if I try it that I no longer owe you anything right?" Kuroko gave a nod as an answer and Aomine smiled back.
Just as Kuroko stepped out of the train, Aomine spoke up. "Tetsu, I…" His words caused Kuroko to turn around back at him and Aomine merely flashed him a smile. He messed up on the timing a little, it was still too early for him to continue saying what he wanted when there was still a few seconds until the right moment.
It was only when he saw that the door was about to close that he waved and finally opened his mouth again. "Tetsu, thanks a lot for today. I really enjoyed myself and I hope you live a happy life. Good bye Tetsu and—I love you." The last three words were something that Aomine was certain that Kuroko did not manage to hear as he had paused till the doors closed before he continued.
The puzzled expression on Kuroko's face made it clearly certain that he did not managed to hear what he said. That was a relief for Aomine as he only wanted to say it out once to Kuroko to get it out of his mind. This way he would have no regrets as he was able to say out his feelings to Kuroko even when the other person could not hear him or give him an answer.
"This is enough…" He whispered to himself as he wiped away the tears that were about to fall from his eyes. Now he had to start planning to make sure that their future do not cross each other again.
"I heard that you're not letting anyone know about where you're going after graduation that even Momoi has no idea what it is. The only thing that she knows is that you're planning on continuing your studies." Midorima stated as he stirred his cup of tea. Aomine groaned in response as it was exactly like what he thought when he received Akashi's message to meet him at this café.
Aomine glared at Akashi who was sipping his tea like it had nothing to do with him before shifting his attention back to Midorima as he opened his mouth to speak. "I can't believe you would come all the way to Tokyo just to ask me this. Does it matter what I plan to do?" Aomine answered indignantly as he continued glaring at the both of them.
"We're just showing our concerns towards you. Momoi and Kuroko are both really worried about you when you're plainly distancing yourself from them and it doesn't help how you're keeping your choice of University such a secret. Momoi told me that she even tried asking your Homeroom teacher and he told her that you said not to tell anyone. Even your parents refused to tell her anything, of course she's worried." Akakshi had finally spoken up and Aomine shifted his attention towards his own neglected drink to think of an answer.
Taking a long sip of his drink slowly that Aomine was certain that both Akashi and Midorima knew that he was doing on purpose. The looks on their faces when he finally placed his cup down made it apparent that they would not let him go until he gave an answer. With a sigh, Aomine gave in and opened his mouth. "There's a reason why I'm keeping it a secret and that isn't something that I can really say out. But not to worry, I have really picked a school that's related to the job I want and before either of you say anything, yes I've decided on my future."
Especially since the reason was something that was going to be hard to believe and if he said it out, Aomine had no idea what might happen because of it. Hence why he was not going to say a word, if Kuroko knows about his choice of school, it might lead to a repeat of what happened before and Kuroko changing his choice of school because of him. If Momoi knew what school he was applying for, the chances of Kuroko knowing too was high and that was why he kept it a secret from her as well.
Both Midorima and Akashi seemed taken aback by his words and Aomine frowned in response. He resisted the urge to indignantly shout out that even he would think about his future despite how much of an idiot they think he is. The one who regained his composure first was Akashi which was no surprise to Aomine. "I won't ask about the reason when you state in clearly that it's a secret but you're not going to let us know about your school choice either? Not that I won't be able to find out even if you don't let me know." Akashi ended it off with a clear indication that either way, he would be able to find out about the school that Aomine would be planning to go to.
Even if it was pointless, Aomine was still stubborn that he would not give in that easily. He chose to answer in a way that indirectly gave them the answer that they want. "I'm planning on studying to become a police officer in the future." With the intelligence the other two had, it would be no doubt that they would be able to figure out where he was planning on studying.
"That's rather close to the University that Akashi and I are going to attend." Midorima answered in surprise. Aomine was not surprised about it though when it was something he already knew about before, it was the University that Kuroko ended up attending because of him. Lots of the things that happened in the previous timeline was the same but of course there were things that were different too. Those were probably due to him changing the future that that shrouded person mentioned before.
Since Aomine had no idea what kind of response he should give in response, he ended up deciding on a neutral answer. "Is that so?" Whether the both of their schools being closed to his had nothing to do with him anyway so that answer should suffice. The silence between them was not something that Aomine minded anyway hence he just sipped his drink quietly. Just because there was silence did not mean that none of them were conversing , Midorima and Akashi was clearly communicating with their eyes.
The both of them appeared to have established an agreement when Midorima spoke up right after Akashi had nodded his head. "We won't let the others know about it if that's what you want. Just to clarify, Aomine… you're not in some kind of trouble are you?" Akashi did not say anything but it was clear that it was a question that the both of them wanted to ask.
"Huh? I'm not. What do you mean?" Aomine answered in a confused tone as he stared blankly at him. Midorima seemed perplexed by that while Akashi appeared to be really amused which only served to confuse Aomine even more as he did not understand what was going on. Not wanting to ask about it, Aomine simply waited for Midorima to give him an answer.
Midorima still seemed perplexed even when he answered him. "Forget about that. It's not the main point anyway. What Akashi and I really wanted to ask was if you wanted to stay with us if you haven't found a place yet. Your school is nearby anyway and you don't have to worry about rent either." The way Midorima phrased it gave Aomine the feeling that he was trying to convince him to stay with them although it could just be his misconception. From what he remembered previously, the both of them did not stay together previously so this must have been from his decision of not wanting others to know where he was studying maybe and perhaps due to him alienating from Kuroko.
"No need to pay rent? Oh! You mean one of Akashi's branch houses that's just 15 minutes away from the school?" Aomine spoke out once he recalled exactly where stayed back then. He remembered stopping by there with Kuroko, Kise and Kagami occasionally after school to hang out together with the rest. Aomine did not realise that what he said was something that he was not supposed to know until it was too late.
His response earned him a puzzled glance from both Midorima and Akashi. "I don't remember ever letting you know about having a house there and how far it was from the school." It was only after Akashi pointed it out that he realised that he said something wrong. But it was too late for him to change what he said already so the only thing left for him to do was to find a way to say something that would be able to salvage the problem.
"I heard it from Satsuki." That was all that Aomine said as he knew that if he said anything more than that it would only further dig himself a hole that he would not be able to get out of. If he gave any explanation that his brain could possibly think of, Akashi and Midorima would be able to tell that he was lying for sure with their intelligence. The only believable one was just saying that he heard it from Momoi when they both knew how well her information network is.
Both Akashi and Midorima still appeared to be suspicious but neither said a single word about it and Aomine was not dumb enough to get them to say something about that either. After a few more seconds of silence, Akashi finally spoke up again. "You never did give an answer to Midorima's offer earlier. So how about it, want to live with us? If you let Momoi know that you'll be staying with us, that should be able to reduce some of her worries wouldn't it?"
"Sure, why not? Doesn't seem like I'll lose anything from it much anyway when you already said that I didn't have to pay rent." Aomine agreed nonchalantly when it was a good deal and it saved him the trouble of finding a place to stay when he had not thought that far yet. If he was left alone, he was bound to pick back the same place that he used to rent with Kuroko and that would just be painful for him. Besides, from the look on both of their faces made it apparent that they really wanted him to accept.
Aomine could guess the reason too, there was probably no way that the both of them would stay together if he said no. That would be plain cruel for him when he knew full well of the obligations that the both of them had to their family. His decision of staying with them would help provide them with an excuse to extend the amount of time that they could have with each other. It would be a lot better than back then when he remembered the real time that they could spend with each other was during the housewarming party that he had together with Kuroko. He knew that the both of them would still split in the future but at least they could enjoy themselves before splitting up as compared to before.
"That's settled then." Akashi stated before finishing up his drink. Watching that Midorima was doing the same, Aomine finished his remaining drink as well when it was clear that they were done. Was that their main aim of calling him out was unknown to Aomine but he did not really care about that. From what he could tell, they were truly concerned about him and that was all that he needed to know. Besides, he was really glad that he would be able to help them out this time. He especially had to stop that one decision that he really disagreed with back then.
"I'll let you know when Midorima and I are going to move there and you can choose whether you want to move in on the same day as us or on a different day." Akashi spoke to him as they were standing up and Aomine gave a nod in response. "…There's another thing that I wanted to ask you, is there a reason why you chose not to let even Kuroko know about where you're studying? With your relationship with him, I thought he would be someone that you would make an exception and tell? Aren't your feelings towards him and his towards you the same?" The question was asked when they were exiting the café that made Aomine think that it was something that Akashi chose to ask after some consideration.
Before giving a response, Aomine flashed a bitter smile as he mentally thought of what to say. "There won't be a relationship between us beyond what the both of you are thinking. Don't ask about it… this is for the best, it's for the best for him. If he's with me… he'll certainly be living a hard life. Without me, his life would be so much better. There's a reason behind my choice. And besides, you of all people should know that even if your feelings are returned, it doesn't mean anything. Ah… that reminds me, trust me on this, Akashi if you're considering Midorima's sister to be the one that you're going to marry in the future, don't do it. Although it will seem like the best choice for the both of you right now, but in actual fact it isn't. Don't ask me how I know about this too and if you need to hear reasons why you shouldn't, I can give you a long list of why it's going to be a bad choice in the future."
The taken aback expressions the both of them had on their face was clear that it was something that they did not expect him to say. From what Aomine could remember, Akashi and Midorima both started having a potential wife candidate list right about now and their decision for Akashi to marry Midorima's sister was somewhere along their second year of university. It was still early but Aomine wanted to sway their mind as early as possible before they really think about it and once again be too late for him to change their mind.
"…How did you know we were considering that?" Midorima questioned and Aomine ignored the harsh tone that he was using. Aomine could not blame him for getting agitated with him anyway when he did something that deserved it. He was meddling into something that was just between the both of them and they probably wanted it to be private. But since he knew full well what would happen to the both of them if that was what they were going to do, Aomine had to intervene when he did not want to see it again.
"When you think of a logical person that would be the best for it, it would be her won't it? But like I said, although it might seem like the best choice, it actually isn't for the both of you. That's why don't do it, in the long run, it won't be just the both of you that's going to suffer, Midorima's sister who got dragged into it would suffer too. I got to go, think about what I said and remember not to let anyone know about my school choice." Aomine hurriedly walked off before they asked him anything else. He did not want to accidentally reveal too much to them anyway so this was for the best.
The both of them ended up keeping their word and no one found out about the school that he was planning to attend. Momoi had let him off albeit reluctantly when he told her that she could relax when Akashi and Midorima knew where he was studying and he was going to stay with them too. She ended up pouting and ignoring him for a week before she started talking to him again and he was grateful for that.
Aomine promptly ignored her whenever she mentioned about Kuroko and pretended not to hear her. He had a few encounters where he almost accidentally encounter Kuroko a few times when he wanted to buy some burgers to eat after school but he was quick enough to realise and prevent them from meeting. He was not sure what he would do if he does see Kuroko, hence why he decided to avoid him as much as he could.
He did allow himself one more time to see Kuroko and have a proper talk with him though. Momoi had pestered him to at least attend Kuroko's graduation and Aomine felt that that much was alright. It should not be too much for him to see Kuroko face-to-face once more and did a proper closure to things when he did not properly end it then.
"Congrats, Tetsu." Aomine mentioned as he passed a bouquet of striped Carnations, Cyclamen and Azalea to Kuroko. Momoi was the one that forced him to buy Kuroko a bouquet but the flowers were chosen by himself. The flowers that he chose were of specific meanings to them that he had actually went to the trouble to research on. Since it was the last time that he was going to allow himself some form of time with Kuroko, Aomine was going to put dedication into it. Striped Carnations as they mean that he wish he could be with him, Cyclamen for resignation and good bye and finally Azalea for love and for Kuroko to take care of himself for him.
Kuroko was obviously stunned by it either by the flowers or the fact that Aomine had turned up for his graduation after not seeing him for a long time when it took him quite a while before he took the flowers from Aomine's hand. "Thanks, Aomine-kun. This is a surprise when it isn't your character to do so." From the small smile on Kuroko's face was all that it took for Aomine to know that he was teasing him.
"You could always return the flowers to me too." Aomine answered in response, since Kuroko was teasing him this answer should be alright. Kuroko had instantly replied with a no and clutched onto the bouquet tightly. Both of them stopped mentioning the flowers although he was teased by Kagami about it for a while and Momoi who joined in the teasing and mention that Aomine picked those flowers by himself without letting her do anything about it.
They went out for dinner together with just the four of them but for some reason at the end of the dinner, the both of them were left alone. Aomine highly suspected that this was a plot to leave him alone with Kuroko but it was already too late for him to escape anyway and besides he already decided it would be something that he was going to give himself for the last time, he might as well make full use of it.
The one who first broke the silence was Kuroko which was not something that Aomine was a bit surprised about. It did seem like Kuroko was finding the right time to ask him about it though when it took him some time before he spoke. "So…. Aomine-kun… you never did let me know what school you're going to attend. Would you let me know now?"
What he asked was not something that Aomine really expected him to ask straightaway but he supposed he was just dumb to not think that Kuroko would ask him that. "Ah. Sorry. It's still a little early right now, I'll only letting others know about it until school starts." Aomine answered naturally, it was something that he already thought of an answer beforehand so it was easy to give an answer. It was too early to let Kuroko know now when he could still transfer to the school close to the one Aomine was attending which was not something that he wanted.
"I see…" Kuroko seemed bothered by it but Aomine pretended not to notice. It would seem him no good if he showed that he knew that he had hurt Kuroko by not letting him know about it, so it was much better to pretend that he was oblivious to it. Aomine mentally whispered to himself that it was for the best and no matter how much it seemed like Kuroko was hurting, he should not give in and let him know about where he was studying. Otherwise, the whole thing would be in shambles along with all his effort.
The only thing that he could think of to distract Kuroko was just one thing so Aomine swiftly spoke it out. "I heard from Satsuki that you're staying in your school's dorms? Satsuki was squealing how she was staying there too and how hopeful she is about the possibility of you staying near her." He had heard all those from Momoi without having to ask anything and that was a good thing when he could still lie to himself that it was not something that he really wanted to know when he did not ask about it.
"That's right. Aomine-kun is staying with Akashi-kun and Midorima-kun right? It's a little surprising that you would be staying with the both of them." Kuroko answered almost immediately after Aomine ended his question, leaving Aomine little time with his thoughts.
Aomine shrugged, he could understand where Kuroko was coming from when it was something that he did not expect himself to do either. "They offered and there wasn't a reason to turn them down when I don't have to pay anything, Besides, it would leave them with an excuse too." Aomine added on the last point knowing that Kuroko would know what he is talking about. The both of them should be the only ones who truly could tell what Midorima and Akashi feel towards each other.
Maybe Murasakibara knew about it too but Aomine was not sure about that. "That's true. I don't think the both of them would live together if you did not join in. That's the real reason why you agreed right?" Kuroko's response was much more than he had thought. Unknowingly Aomine had smiled because Kuroko had been able to read his mind so clearly. It was much more than what he had thought Kuroko would be able to tell.
"Not bad, Tetsu. I didn't expect you to catch on that point. Speaking of roommates, I'm kind of surprised that you didn't end up renting a place with Kagami." Aomine had spoke truthfully when it was something that he really did think. Previously it was because Kuroko was staying with him that he did not stay with Kagami so he had thought that this time Kuroko would end up staying with him.
Kuroko's facial expression remained the same as before which indicated to Aomine that he was asking a rather dumb question. At least to Kuroko it was a dumb question to ask. "He already had someone he was going to stay -san and him had been planning to stay together for a while already. Besides, there's only one person that I wanted to rent a place with…"
The last part that Kuroko spoke was rather soft and Aomine knew the reason for that. The person that Kuroko was talking about was clearly him, so it would be better for him if he pretended that he did not catch it. "Oh, you mean the guy who Murasakibara always hung out with? I thought that he would end up staying with Murasakibara instead. Kise's one wasn't very unexpected though." Even if it was plain obvious that he was trying to change the conversation, Aomine did it anyway.
"It seemed like Murasakibara-kun turned him down once he knew that Kagami-kun would be staying too. As for Kise-kun you're right about who he wanted to stay with him but I didn't really expect Kise-kun to get him to agree to let him to stay with him though." Even when Kuroko did not really mention why that was so, he understood what he meant. Living 24/7 with Kise was just plain hard work, he still remembered the times where they used to stop by Kagami's place with him too.
"Do you think he would regret it?" Aomine questioned although it was clear that it was a rhetorical one when he started chuckling after that and Kuroko had a playful smile on his face. The conversation so far had been nice when Aomine really missed talking to Kuroko and having him with him. Whenever he recalled that it was just for today, a part of him really wanted to find a way to make it longer.
The peace was short-lived though as if it was mocking his thoughts of thinking that their current conversation was pleasant and safe. Kuroko's facial expression had gotten serious, making it apparent that the next thing that he was going to destroy the current peace and in turn causing the time Aomine had left with him to end. Aomine struggled to find a way to prevent it from happening but his brain could not think of anything fast enough before Kuroko started speaking. "Aomine-kun, I have something to say. I—"
Swiftly before Kuroko could finish what he wanted to say, Aomine had pulled Kuroko into a hug. The familiar warmth that Kuroko gave off was nostalgia and making his resolve falter when h was tempted to give in and let Kuroko finish what he wanted to say. The logical part of him won though when he managed to push those thoughts aside. "Don't, Tetsu. It's better if you don't continue what you were going to say. It's better for you this way."
He had pulled away straightaway after he finished speaking. Aomine allowed himself one last selfish act before he truly put an end to any possible relationship that he could still have with Kuroko. Ruffling Kuroko's hair with a sad smile, Aomine silently pondered if this action that he wanted to do would make it worst but he did want something to remember of from this timeline instead of the one that he could never have again that he had with Kuroko.
Giving in to those thoughts and the self consolation that this was the last thing he was going to be selfish about, Aomine pressed his lips against Kuroko's gently. He had pulled back five seconds later, that being the time limit that he had set for himself when he would most likely lose himself into it if he allowed himself any more time. Aomine hurriedly spoke up immediately after he pulled away so that he would be able to speak before Kuroko would be able to. "Good bye, Tetsu. It's best if our lives don't intertwine again….No, our lives won't be connected ever again and… you have to live a happy life."
Leaving behind a stunned Kuroko who was still unable to give any response yet, Aomine ran off quickly before he started tearing up right in front of Kuroko. He did not want Kuroko's last image of him to be such a pathetic one and neither did he want to hear what kind of response that Kuroko might give to him. If Aomine had allowed Kuroko to speak up and hear what he wanted to say, the chances of him being able to continue with what he wanted to do would be close to impossible. How could he harden his heart when he sees Kuroko's facial expression saying things that he really wanted to hear.
His phone started ringing and without even taking a look at who was calling him, Aomine had it switched off. He needed a place to have some time to himself to properly settle his feelings so that the next time that he meets Kuroko, he can face him naturally without feeling pained or anything. But for now, he would allow himself to have these lingering feelings and to cry all he wants. After tonight, his future with Kuroko would really end.
The next day when Aomine switched on his phone, there were tons of missed calls, voice messages, messages and mails from Kuroko that he had deleted instantly. He did send Kuroko a message before he deleted his contact though, a message telling Kuroko that he should move on and that their lives no longer have anything to do with each other anymore. Right after sending that message to Kuroko, he messaged Momoi next telling her to not tell Kuroko anything about him.
He closed his eyes and sighed, today was just the first day, he would get over Kuroko sooner or later in the future.
"Daiki, you're back earlier than expected." Akashi remarked as he placed his spoon back to his plate. From the amount of food that Akashi and Midorima had left on their plates indicated that they had only started eating not too long ago, either that or that they were eating really slowly. That was possible when the frustrated expression on their faces were really clear.
Passing his bags and coat over to one of the servants, Aomine waited till he was seated before he spoke. "Things finished quickly than expected. From the looks the both of you have on your face, I take it that you both finally finalised the engagement?" That was the only thing he could think of that would frustrate the both of them and something that was bound to happen after those piles of letters with potential candidates that their fathers sent to them.
Neither of them said a word and Aomine treated the silence as a yes to his question. "So who did the both of you ended up choosing?" Aomine had strongly protested to them about selecting Midorima's sister and listed a whole pile of reasons why it would be a bad choice and bugged them about it every time he saw the piles of potential wife photographs that the both of them received from their parents.
"The ones we told you about last night." Midorima answered as Akashi continued eating without saying a word. The maid served Aomine his food right after that, which spared Akashi and Midorima of any possible questions that Aomine might continue asking. He had ended up involved with the decision of who they should marry after he had insisted so often to them about Midorima's sister should never be a choice for them. Midorima who had been annoyed with him had then demanded that he might as well take part in the decision if he had so many opinions.
It was tiring when it involved having to shortlist from the huge piles of photographs the both of them had but Aomine felt that it was worth it when he could reduce the suffering that the both of them would have in the future. "We'll let you know when the engagement party is." Akashi's sudden words had caused Aomine to pause in his eating and groan. It was clear that Akashi meant that he would be involved in the planning for the engagement party.
Aomine ignored the both of them and continued eating in silence, especially when he could see the amused smiles Akashi and Midorima had on their faces.
'Hey Dai-chan! Guess what, Tetsu-kun and I are dating now!' Aomine stared at the message for a good ten minutes before he replied with a single congratulation. Tossing his phone to his bed, he closed his eyes and buried his face into his pillow. This was something that he had hoped for, for Kuroko to date a female and luck was certain on his side for the other party to be Momoi.
This way, Kuroko would definitely be happy when Aomine knew full well how much Momoi loves him. Even after all this time, the heart ache was still around no matter how much he thought it would be gone. He slowly got up and opened his eyes, whispering silently to himself that his words had to be sincere when Kuroko is the person he loves the most and Momoi his precious childhood friend. After all, this was what he wanted.
It was expected that Akashi and Midorima would ask him about it and Aomine was glad that he could act normally about it and the ache in his heart had reduced a huge deal after he reminded himself of this being something that he wanted. From what he could tell that, it was clear that Akashi and Midorima both did not think that he was really alright. He chose to pretend not to notice about it and feign ignorance when it would be for the best for him right now to not say anything about it.
The next few days were a little confusing for him when Momoi would often send him messages about her dates with Kuroko and would always ask him if he was alright and if he really meant it when he says that he is glad for them. It continued on for another few more days before Momoi asked him out with Akashi and Midorima.
Aomine groaned instantly when Momoi finished speaking upon seeing the three of them. "I hope Dai-chan hasn't been troubling you two." Kuroko, Midorima and Akashi seemed amused by it and Akashi even played along by stating such false information about how Aomine had been troubling them which were all immediately denied by Aomine.
Halfway through their conversations, Momoi had excused herself and dragged Aomine with her stating that there was something that she needed to talk to him in private. "Dai-chan…are you really alright with me dating Tetsu-kun? Are you really happy about this?" Momoi questioned him in a serious tone, her eyes reflecting something else that Aomine could not really tell what it was.
"Of course I am, don't be stupid Satsuki. Now stop asking me this everyday and just enjoy your life with Tetsu already." Aomine answered easily when it really was something that he felt. Momoi seemed both relieved and sad by his answer which only confused Aomine when she refused to give him an answer when he questioned her why she seemed a little sad about it.
With a shrug, he asked her if they could return to their seats already when it was clear that Momoi would not be giving him an answer and it seemed pointless for him to stay there. When the both of them returned to their seats, Momoi had immediately whispered something to Kuroko that Aomine did not managed to overhear what it was about. But strangely, Kuroko had stared at him sadly for a few seconds after that before averting his gaze away from him.
Aomine was not at all surprised when Midorima and Akashi told him that they were planning on having their weddings together when that was something the both of them had done before. Their brides were completely different than the one he attended before of course and he had ended up unhappily being a part of their organising of the wedding. He had long moved out of Akashi's house when he started working but the both of them strongly insisted that he had to take part when he was part of the decision on who they picked to be their brides.
"I'm surprised that Aomine-cchi actually helped with the wedding." Kise remarked as he patted Aomine on the back playfully. Before Aomine could give his answer, Kasamatsu seemed to have taken pity on him and helped him pulled Kise away much to his relief. Ignoring Kise, he gave his thanks to Kasamatsu before excusing himself.
The next person that approached him were Momoi and Kuroko. "Aomine-kun, there's something that we'll like to let you know." Kuroko spoke first and Aomine glanced at them both confusedly. From the expressions that the both of them had on their faces, it seemed hard to tell what they wanted to tell him. Kuroko seemed a little hopeful if he was not mistaken while Momoi appeared to be worried.
"What is it?" The only thing that he could do was ask when it was pointless for him to think about it at all. No matter how much thought he put into it there was no way he would be able to figure it out in the first place. The both of them seemed to hesitate for a while and they seemed to be silently communicating with each other about something.
"We're getting married soon, Dai-chan!" Momoi announced to him in a cheerful tone although the expression on her face was a different matter. Shifting his gaze towards Kuroko to look at his expression, Aomine frowned when it was clearly not a happy one either. Kuroko's expression was clearly conflicted and Momoi seemed to be the same.
He initially wanted to congratulate them but the painful ache in his heart that he thought was long gone ended up resurfacing. Aomine made sure to force himself to remain his current facial expression and after debating for a while, Aomine decided that it would be best if he just gave them congratulated them. "Congratulations! I'm happy for you both." His answer seemed to cause Kuroko's expression to shift to a pained one while Momoi's one was still conflicted. It only made him even more confused by it.
"I see. So that's your answer, Aomine-kun…" Kuroko whispered softly to him before walking past him and Momoi eyed him with a sad smile as she followed Kuroko. Aomine gritted his teeth after he made sure that the both of them were out of sight, there was no way he would let himself be overwhelmed by crying when he was not the only one suffering right now. Both the grooms today were on a similar situation as him and they were both facing their decisions head-on. He should do the same and carry on with his decision.
"Congratulations." Aomine repeated again when he saw Momoi and Kuroko on their wedding day. He was not very confident that his facial expression was one that he wanted them to see though despite his congratulations being very sincere. He thought he was doing alright with accepting it at first but seeing them during their wedding just invoked a sudden pain when this meant that his ties with Kuroko really came to an end.
But this was for the best when he recalled holding Kuroko's dead body in his arms and how much Kuroko sacrificed to be with him. Kuroko is happy right now and that was all that matters to him but it still hurt to see the person that you love the most with someone else. The ring that Kuroko wears would never be the one he is currently wearing around his neck ever.
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, he can cry all he wants after the wedding is over. He is the best man after all, so Aomine would do his best to keep his emotions to himself. Opening his eyes, Aomine turned around to face Kuroko again when he recalled that there was something that Kuroko wanted to tell him earlier. "Aomine-kun thanks a lot for all the help."
"It's nothing, Tetsu. I'm really happy for you both…you have to be happy, Tetsu!" Aomine answered with a sincere smile, he would be fine as long as Kuroko would be happy. But for some reason, his answer seem to cause Kuroko to have the exact same pained expression from the time that Momoi and him told him that they were getting married. Kuroko was silent for a few seconds before he gave him his answer
"Aomine-ku n… I— No, it's nothing." Kuroko paused mid-sentence and smiled sadly before excusing himself leaving Aomine puzzled as to what Kuroko wanted to let him know. He was distracted from thinking much about it when Kise came along and pulled him off to join the others.
When the wedding finally ended, Aomine swiftly excused himself when he was certain that he was reaching his limit. Despite all that he felt about truly being happy for Kuroko, the tears that he did not want at all ended up happening anyway just like always.
Aomine's life after the wedding was pretty much similar to the one he had before, minus the fact that he did not have Kuroko with him anymore. In fact things were so similar to the ones he did before that he ended up solving cases rather easily when he already knew who were involved in it and how it happened. Aomine tried not to make use of his knowledge too much except when the case was very dangerous that he would try to make it so that everyone was on the right track to solve it and catch the criminal.
It was expected that the bank robbers would end up appearing too. This time he would be able to apprehend them when he knew where they would show up and Kuroko would not be there so he could go all out too. Of course he could have stopped it before it happened but Aomine did not think that messing with the future too much was a good idea so he left it be when there were not much harm happened during the bank robbery.
Aomine had lied that he received an anonymous source about where the robbers would show up and luckily for him, the lie was bought and there were now currently waiting for the robbers to show up. Although he had no clear idea about if they were really going to show up or not , Aomine thought it was worth to give it a shot to see they could capture them.
They had charged in immediately when the robbers showed up and despite the robbers being taken by surprise, they still managed to struggle and prevent capture. The robbers were putting up more of a good fight than expected and unlike Aomine and his collegaues, the robbers were more willing to make use of their guns.
"Watch out, Aomine-san!" Aomine's colleague called out and Aomine turned around to see what it was about. The answer came to him when he heard a loud gun shot and a sharp pain on the right side of his chest. Before he fell to the ground, he had managed to catch sight of who had fired the gun and he was not surprised to see who it was. It was the same person who had shot Kuroko then so it was something he should have expected.
Aomine laughed hollowly to himself. Even when he had changed the future, it seems like some things are just meant to be. This bullet was something that he was supposed to take previously anyway and Aomine did not really mind dying when he had already achieved what he wanted to do. Kuroko is happy right now and the only thing that Kuroko had to give up was the future that he could have with Aomine.
Aomine felt that it was a good bargain anyway. Especially when he thought that Kuroko had forsaken too many things for him back in that previous timeline, so this time Aomine was content enough to see Kuroko happy. This time, Kuroko could achieve happiness without losing much and most importantly he did not have to see Kuroko's father disowning him again.
He clutched the rings around his neck tightly, they were the most important thing left for him. "This is the right ending. A future where Tetsu lives when he's not supposed to die anyway. If he was with me, he probably would have tried to take the bullet for me again. My choice is correct. Tetsu is happy after all." There was a tinge of bitterness and regret still remaining in him when it was impossible to not feel hurt on letting go the person that you love the most and see him with someone else.
But even so, Aomine was still really happy to see that Kuroko could lead a normal and happy life now. Kuroko's happiness was more important than his own, if Kuroko is happy, Aomine would be happy too. Because there is nothing that would make him happier than to see the person that he loves the most living with a smile.
Aomine smiled as he thought back to the times that he saw Kuroko smiling and closed his eyes. He was going to die soon, there was no doubt about it. He was the only one here after all, there would not be any help coming for him any time soon and even if someone did came back, the odds of the person being able to get him to the hospital on time was impossible.
"This is definitely the correct ending." Aomine repeated again to himself. With him gone, Kuroko would definitely be able to lead a much better life without him being a burden. He was not blind or stupid either, Aomine was aware than despite Kuroko marrying Momoi, he still held feelings from him. That was why he tried to distance himself even more after the wedding, he did not want to get in the way of Kuroko's happiness again.
"Ah… I guess this is the end." Aomine muttered to himself as he clutched the rings tighter, he was going to die soon and that was alright with him. He had these rings with him as company which was more than enough for him. The familiar mist from before appeared and Aomine was not surprised to see the same silhouette again with it.
The shrouded person seemed to be observing him for a while before speaking up. "The price that you paid for turning back time led to this that you had to exchange your life for him. Do you regret your decision?" The tone that person was using showed curiosity which Aomine was surprised to hear when he did not expect the shrouded person to turn up. He could not help but let out a chuckle when the answer to the question was obvious.
"Of course not. The one who was supposed to get shot back then was me in the first place and if I can die in exchange for Tetsu, why would I regret it?" Aomine answered with a smile. He thought that it was obvious that he would not mind dying if Kuroko could live because Kuroko is the person that he loves the most. That was why no matter what the consequences are, he would not regret his decision to turn back time and distance himself from Kuroko.
The silhouette seemed to be considering something before he gave a response. "I see." The tone was monotone without any emotions and Aomine did not care about it. It was more like he did not have the time to care about it anymore as the strength to keep his eyes open were already almost all gone.
"The price you paid was the wrong one, that's why it led to this ending." The shrouded person muttered softly before he disappeared from Aomine's view as he closed his eyes. Aomine pushed away the confused thoughts of what the shrouded person meant to recall Kuroko's smiling face. He wanted to die with Kuroko being the last thing on his mind, there was no way that he would be able to see Kuroko one last time before he died anyway. The rings were do when they gave off Kuroko's presence in them with it being something that the previous Kuroko wore.
He closed his eyes with a smile and breathed his last.
"Aomine-kun…?" Kuroko stated in shock as he stared at the body on the ground surrounded by many numbers of police officers. He had no idea why but he had ended up walking here as if he guided here but something. The number of police officers had caught his attention and when he walked closer, his eyes spotted a body on the ground and when he approached it, it turned out to be the person he wished it was an illusion.
Kuroko had instantly ran past the police officers around him and due to his lack of presence, none of them noticed him till he called out Aomine's name again as he bended down next to Aomine's body. There was no response and Kuroko timidly touched Aomine's body, the coldness of the body gave him the answer to his question. There was no need to check and see if Aomine had any pulse or not when it was apparent that Aomine was dead with how cold his body was. "…Why?" He questioned as he stared at the peaceful face Aomine had on as he rested Aomine's head onto his lap.
He was too lost in his own thoughts to hear any of the police officers who were asking about who he is and how he is not allowed to be there. Why did Aomine had such a facial expression? How was he even peaceful before he died? Those were questions that Kuroko knew he would have no answer to when Aomine had already died. When he shifted his gaze away from Aomine's body, Kuroko finally noticed the strange mist that was surrounding him and Aomine's body. "What…?" He questioned confusedly when he could see no one else besides Aomine's body and himself.
"So you came." A voice startled Kuroko out of his confusion and he glanced around anxiously to find where the voice came from. All he could see was simply a silhouette in the mist with nothing else that would give him a hint of who the person is. Even that person's feet was covered by the mist around.
Kuroko subconsciously held onto Aomine tighter as he finally managed to voice out a response. "What do you mean?" It seemed like the other person knew who he was and was not at all surprised to see him here which really surprised Kuroko. He could not help but wonder if the reason why he ended up being led here was due to this mysterious person despite it being rather illogical to be true.
The mysterious person seemed to have laughed at his response, which was proven to be true with the amused tone that he used to reply to Kuroko. "I had a feeling that you would show up. The chances of the two actors from that scene to be both present was rather high even if the ending had ended up different." His response had only further confused Kuroko as to what was going on. He had no idea what that person meant about that scene but he had a hunch that the two actors applied to him and Aomine.
"Won't you explain it to me with more details?" Kuroko questioned with a sharp voice to indicate that he was not requesting but demanding that the mysterious person would give him a detailed explanation. There were just too many things that Kuroko did not understand about the current situation and those things did not seem to make much sense either. The only thing that was clear was that all the answers was with that person.
Kuroko was greeted with another laugh before the other party spoke up again. "I'll ignore your rudeness this time and be kind to answer your question. The scene that I mentioned was similar to the one over here, except that the one that I was talking to wasn't you but him and the one who was lying dead over there was you. That's what I meant by the two actors being present again despite the difference in the ending. How is it, this current life of yours? Are you happy with the life that you have right now with your current lover?"
The amusement was really clear with how the other person ended up chuckling after he finished talking as if what he said was something funny. Kuroko ignored the chuckle and replied nonchalantly to the later parts of the question as he deemed the earlier parts to be a joke when how could he and Aomine switched places. "What do you mean by my current lover? Satsuki-san is the only one I had and of course I'm happy with her. Our marriage is going well if that's what you meant."
His answer caused a snicker from the other person and Kuroko frowned at that. "Are you really sure though? From what I can tell, you're not one hundred percent happy. Your marriage is going well alright but your love for your wife isn't complete isn't it? In the deepest part of your heart, the person that you long for isn't her isn't it? It's the person that you currently have on your lap right now right? Can you really say that you're happy right now?"
The mysterious person's words caused Kuroko to flinch, the words stabbing him deep when he could not refute them. Those were not wrong when the love that Kuroko felt towards Aomine had never faded away no matter how hard he tried. Even after he married Momoi, the feelings he had for Aomine were still very much dominant in his heart. "I—" He tried to speak up a response but the words failed to form.
"You can't give an answer because I'm right. The person that you love the most isn't your wife, it's him. In your heart, the person that you want to live the rest of your life with is him isn't it? To think that you can say that your marriage is going well when your wife isn't even the number one in your heart. I really pity her when she lost to someone who you never even got to start a relationship with in this timeline—" Kuroko shouted for him to stop before the other person could continue with what he wanted to say.
It took Kuroko a while before he could calm down and think about the other's words completely. His earlier words of how Aomine was the one who was alive and he was the one who died appeared in his mind as he thought about what the other person meant by this timeline. "What did you mean by this timeline? You mentioned it earlier too that the one lying dead was me."
"I was wondering when you were going to ask about that but before I tell you anything, let me ask you this first. If the life that you have right now is not what you're supposed to have, would you want to change it?" The mystery person questioned and Kuroko felt that it was a serious question when the amusement from before were no longer around. He was confused at what the person meant about how his current life is not what he was supposed to have, what was that supposed to mean?
But since the other person was most likely expecting a serious answer from him, Kuroko pondered about it seriously. He honestly had matched feelings about it when a part of him was content with his current life while another part of him that was still holding onto his feelings for Aomine wanted to know if there was a future that he could be with him. "I…I'm honestly not very sure." Kuroko answered truthfully, the mixed feelings were preventing him from getting an answer.
"Ah, I suppose that's a little hard for you without knowing what the other life you should have be. Why don't I make it easier for you with this. The other life that I mentioned about involves you living and being in a complete loving relationship with him. If that's the case, are you still happy with your current life?" The other person's response was not exactly a surprise at how he mentioned Kuroko and Aomine to be the actors before which gave a hint as to who the other person might be. But since it was something that triggered his buried feelings, Kuroko was not exactly comfortable.
He was also stuck in a dilemma as to what should he answer with. The other party had made sense when he was well aware of how Momoi knew about his feelings for Aomine and even so, she was still alright with it. Kuroko owed her a lot and life with her was rather pleasant too. Nevertheless, he could not deny that a part of him would want to say that he would want to choose that world instead. Instead of making a choice, Kuroko picked another option. "Does that matter though? The current life that I have is this."
"I expected you to say this when it's clear that you can't really make a choice. It's true that this is what you have right now, but don't you want to know how you got this current life? Especially since I mentioned before that the one that should have died was you but right now, the one that's dead is him." The words had instantly caused Kuroko to react. He had a hunch that something was strange at how that person kept mentioning his current life and repeating about Aomine and about whether or not he was happy with his current life. But most importantly, it triggered the thoughts that he had tried to bury away when he first heard about it.
The way that person had phrased his words just made it seem like the thoughts that he had was the right one. As much as he wanted to push those thoughts away, Kuroko had a feeling that he was on the right track. The reason why Aomine and him switched places was… "You can't mean…" Kuroko whispered softly, uncertain if he even want to know the truth.
"You really are sharper than him. That's right, it's like what you thought. The reason why the both of you switched places is because of him. To keep you alive, he wished to turn back time and in order to prevent you from dying he decided to do a certain something to change it. Can you guess what it is?" It appeared to Kuroko that the other person was trying to test him and was expecting something from him by letting him know all that. But he just did not know what it was.
What could it be though that the other person kept having him to think more than once? Kuroko shook the questions away from his mind, right now he had to think of a way to get more answers instead of questions. "Does it matter if I know what it is or not? What do you want me to do about it anyway?" Kuroko really wanted to know the purpose for all these and what exactly does that person want from him.
There was a short pause before there was a response. "…What do I want from you? I guess I have to give you credit for being able to tell my purpose. That's right, all these are just to find out what you think because I have to be sure that I have correctly fulfilled his wish. Part of his wish was for you to be happy and I'm just here to confirm whether or not you are. If you aren't, it means that his wish wasn't completely fulfilled. As a special reward, I'll give you this for managing to tell what I'm trying to do." The mist had grown thicker and Kuroko closed his eyes when some of it had gotten into his eyes. While his eyes were still closed, two fingers tapped against his fingers and Kuroko was unable to say anything even if he wanted to.
Especially since the visions that were being poured into his mind was especially overwhelming. They were filled with emotions and Kuroko could see himself clearly reflected in each of the visions. When it finally stopped, Kuroko felt extremely exhausted that he was unable to think for a while. It took him a few minutes before he finally managed to calm down and speak. "…Those aren't just plain visions aren't they? They're… Aomine-kun's memories."
As much as he was unable to tell what they were earlier, once he had managed to calm down the answer came to him clearly. The emotions that came along with the visions visibly showed who it belonged to. Kuroko gritted his teeth, the last portion of Aomine's memories were something that he did not agree with at all. If he was there, Kuroko would have made the same response as the other him would have. He would never want Aomine to die in exchange for him to live. "Aomine-kun is an idiot like always…" He whispered softly to himself.
"That's right. Now that you know, what are you going to do? If possible, I wanted to have you give me an answer of whether or not you're happy or not with your current life without revealing everything but that did not seem possible. You were unable to give a definite answer then, but I am sure you're able to right now. After knowing what it's like to have spent time with the one you truly love and what gave you your current life, are you happy? If it's possible to once again turn back time, would you take it up or continue with what you have right now?" The other person questioned with a serious tone of voice, leaving Kuroko no choice but to ponder about it seriously.
On one side, he would be able to prevent Aomine from dying and perhaps possibly live a happy life with him, but on the other side he would have to destroy what he has right now after everything that Momoi had done for him. Kuroko bit his lips, this was something that was really hard to make a decision. Kuroko knew he had to, hence after minutes of thinking, he finally made up his mind. "My decision is to—"
[[A/N: Remember how I mentioned that this has a Sad End and a Happy End? Kuroko's decision leads to either one of the ending! Of course, I'm going to write them both which I don't know when I can finish but I'm going to write some of it after I publish this.
So after reading it, I'm sure it's even more apparent which parts were the one I left blank to rush later on…. I'm not 100% happy with some of the parts but I don't have time to think about how to change it so it's left as it is.
Also, if you're wondering why this Chapter is called Start Over, it's because just like when you select this option when you're watching a show, it goes all the way back to the start which was what Aomine decided to do. The Dead End is clear...because Aomine died and like all Visual Novel Game, when your character dies it's the Dead End.
You guys can guess which Ending would be up next if you want to. ]]