THOUSANDS THANK YOU TO MY BETA: MAZZIE_NITA ~~~~3

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Disclaimer: I do not own anything except the OCs and this story plot


How many times more until this pain would leave and this wound would stop bleeding ?

I've seen the world, done it all … Had my cake now …

"… Hot summer nights … rock n roll

When you and I were forever wild …"

The crazy days, city lights … The way you'd play with me like a child

Will you still love me when I'm no longer young and beautiful ?

Will you still love me when I've got nothing but my aching soul ?

Kagami knew... He was too familiar with it... Those eyes, and the expression on their face when the ugly truth was revealed.

Fear, dumbfounded shock. Clumsy body language. Cold-sweating, apologetic glances for they were always either desperate to turn away or run for good. Though, he gave Aomine Daiki half of his credit as there had been no fast tracks made or stammering despite a moment of Aomine being absolutely stunned and recovering quickly after. And then came the way things usually went.

The outcome was crystal clear, anyone could predict it was coming. Granted it would not feel any less hurtful and he had been warned, still he could not resist to be enchanted by that strong impact color. It brought him back to the old days at the Caribbean beach, the sun scattered rain of diamond dust to the sea, like polishing a rough gemstone, and finally its beauty shone radiantly, mesmerized every witnesses. That deep, warm and magnificent navy blue, fresh and full of life with every waves, like a mirror reflecting the wide, limitless sky. As the breezes passed by, raking softly through his hair with tingling sound of wind chimes, forming wings on his back and he floated in the air surrounded by shades of blue freedom.

When he first walked in, trouble was shown on his face. The scowling was obvious; it made him look like a child brooding and sulking rather than a troubled man, so was his strong Alpha scent hitting Kagami's nostrils. Spicy yet sweet, exotic warmth of mentholated earth, the oceanic red wine harmonized with cocoa, like flavor of blueberries and lavender snuggled around the richly marine-tasted dark chocolate. The scent was strangely alluring it calmed Kagami's heartbeat as Kagami walked straight to his dead end when he decided to observe the man's eyes with his own windows of soul.

The man named Aomine Daiki miraculously owned the most beautiful scene in his pair of oceanic jewelry orbs. A living treasure. A pair of living aquamarine.

Yet also held the death of him as he had tasted it the most bitter and sour way during last hours.

"I know you will … I know you will … I know that you will …

Will you still love me when I'm no longer—"

"Beautiful" "Beautiful"

The voice singing interrupted and a hand on Kagami's shoulder left him started and he yelped. Turning around, Kagami found Sun smiling warmly and sweetly verbally encouraging.

"Now, now… I do not remember this kind of face has ever shown in my shop. Would you ever be so kind and tell me what happened that made my Tiger baby so sad?" The older male nuzzled Kagami's hair affectionately

"Stop sneaking up on me, Sun. Now you're starting to be like Kuroko", Kagami lightly tapped Sun's hand. "And I'm not sad. Just recalling old times. There's a big difference, you know."

A mixed-blood of Japanese, French and Italian made Sun twice more gorgeous when he smiled. Black olive hair, amber eyes with a bit of green and a great pinkish pearl skin only added more to his sex appeal and then came the brightly gentle personality, all wrapped neatly with a bow. He was Prince Charming in fairy tale legends.

Sun crossed his hand and showed his mature, older brother kind of vibe, "Well, you've never whisperingly sung this song before… with that shit sucking shit-face." Sun wiggled his eyebrows which made Kagami feel both angry and funny at the same time as he chuckled. "My Tiger-chan always shows this dreamy face and hums along while rocking his body back and forth, following the rhythm when this song played on my volumes. Don't you think I didn't observe him through all this time. And I let my playlist go on everyday, you hear this song everyday, yet you only actually sing it today. So I will ask again, any juicy details you want to share?"

The lounge was empty and the last customer had left for a good half an hour ago. In the end, the party of four had canceled their reservation so Sun decided to savour the drinks with his friend's brother, only to find the guy in a state of depression like someone had stolen his wallet and used all his money. Singing Lana Del Ray. With soulless eyes, emotionless voice. So he jumped in when the song came to an end to duet with Kagami, singing the last lyric.

"Correct me if I'm wrong but you've become weird ever since that blue haired ganguro left. And here I thought you've finally met someone. He did something to you, didn't he, Tai-chan? I will hunt him down and burn him alive if you want."

"Don't you imitate Tatsuya's control-freak character or I'll blacklist you immediately, I dare you, Sun."

"Tche! You're such a kill-joy, tsun-tsun Tai-chan."

Kagami exhaled and shook his head in disagreement. "It's nothing, history just repeated itself. Well, he is a ganguro like you said. Though, this is not the first or I doubt the last time I've been in this situation, Sun. It's always like this, nothing has changed. Nothing could have been done to change. This I've learned to accept for 10 years. So being sad or not being sad, it won't change a thing but waste time."

At this Sun's attitude stiffened with half-upset, eyes darkened with building irritation as he gritted through his teeth, "I swear, Tai-chan, I will damn repeat this again and again till the day I die; You are not a paralyzer, Tai-chan. Your bones are just weaker than the normal, your legs are semi-functioned and passively active. You only have hearing impairment, not deaf. You can hear perfectly fine and walk norm—"

Kagami cringed as soon as he interrupted immediately. "There's no such thing as semi-functioned. I can't walk, Sun," he heavily sighed.

"Damn right you can." Kagami could feel an elephant had just stepped on his lungs as he knew where the conversation would end up.

"And what, Sun, breaking his heart again? Making him run to the hospital just to cry his life out begging me not to kill myself and going madly mental breakdown again?!" Kagami was practically half yelling right now. "There's a reason I am wearing the hearing-assisting device on both of my ears and sitting dependently on a bloody wheelchair!"

There were ideas that should have never meant to be said, Kagami never wanted to relive that period of time again, ever again. He was terrified of what could have happened. The memory made Kagami sore on his left ear and the scars carved on his body to piercingly ache with pain.

Last time they put on a family drama about Kagami's moving ability, it resulted in a crack in a twelve-year friendship, an end to a strong bond between two partners in a long-term business, numerous hurtful words being thrown between two sides and uncountable tear drops. All have one bullet shot through their heart that had never been taken out.

Sun went to sit opposite Kagami. "And I fully object to what Tatsuya has said." Sun had a sip of a Mimosa. "Your medical description does not say that you have to remain on the wheelchair for the rest of your life in order to walk again."

Kagami stared at Sun, "There is no 'walking again' here, Sun. It was clearly written 'no heavy pressure on your legs and knees, refrain from walking or running as much as possible.'"

"Exactly, 'refrain from', not 'forbidden to', Tai-chan," Sun put the empty cocktail glass down. "If this continues, one day you will surely not be able to walk ever again. You'll be paralyzed for real!"

"I don't think so for I truly am now a paralyzed-plus-deafobject, and we will stop here, no more arguing about this issue. I can't take it anymore!" Kagami spun himself a bit to the counter and closed his notebook. The bad mood had put a stop to his writing a new chapter for his story. Sun was not making his day any better but more irritable. Spitefully Kagami said while moving himself from the stool to his wheelchair by his arms, "Goddamnit, you're really handful at times it pisses me off! Sometimes I think I know why Tatsuya has never agreed to fix that unrequited love of yours."

Sun went silent at that.

Words could do a pretty damage one had never known they were able to. Like how it had swept Kagami off his feet when he met and conversed with those amazing blue eyes and velvety bass sound of a voice, reminding Kagami of sirens from the deep ocean. Charming, enchanting and irresistible, deadly alluring towards their prey as the latter could not hold their defense wall for long. And then they massacred and swallowed their victims. Just like how that person had crushed every crumble of Kagami's remaining hopeful heart and soul. He should have known better, but in the end, it was a good punishment for his naivety and lack of self-awareness. He had brought it upon himself. Not anyone but him, and especially not Sun. Sun had not done anything to have to endure his unreasonable fury. He was taking his temper out on Sun. It was not right.

No use minding over the spilt milk, Kagami extremely regretted it soon after the words slipped out. It was too cruel and was not like Kagami's usual self at all. The man truly loved Tatsuya and had been taking care of Kagami since the accident took place. Sun had been going through ups and downs with them, looking after them like they were his family and loving them unconditionally. For the most part, Sun never asked Tatsuya to return his feelings. He never asked anything back from them. It was not Kagami's place to state that judgement, even if he was an Alpha and Sun was not.

"I'm sorry, Sun. I—I didn't mean—You know that I—" Kagami trembled as he lost his self-composure of what to do.

"Hussssh—hh It's OK, Taiga," the elder male came near a confusingly mortified Kagami and hugged the latter to a tight embrace. "We all say things we don't mean in our bursts of rage."

The olive haired man lightly rubbed Kagami's back. "It hasn't been easy for you to handle everything at once, I know. Trust me, the process hurts so much I even wish I could take your place. You were only a young, hot-headed teenager and you held it in for Tatsuya, for me and Alex. We know. So we will always be there with you, for better or worse."

Kagami silently let his tears slowly run down as he shudderingly breathed in Sun's familiar scent of mint and rosemary to calm himself. For years after his parents' death, Kagami had been looked after by his separated-at-birth brothers and his mentor, Alexandra Garcia. Kagami shared and spent most of his childhood with them, same as when he reached the rebellious stage of puberty, when the unexpected incident changed his entire life up until now.

The two-year older Himuro Tatsuya was very overprotective of him from the beginning. It had gotten worse after he had an accident, while Sun and Alex were on a different page, encouraging Kagami to step out of his comfort zone and enter another horizon, no matter how small the safety or success percentage was. It was Kagami's life and his choice to do whatever he wanted to do with it, as long as he was not risking or wasting his life. Even so, Tatsuya did not handle it very well in the end. And there came the crack in the family.

Pulling himself back, Kagami wiped his face dry with his sleeves, not expecting Sun to put his ridiculous face towards Kagami's, eyes narrowed, "But I still wanna know what truly happened."

The redhead just smiled, surrendering. "I told you, Sun. It's old tradition. Cheap pick-up lines. Saw the massive, heavy bitch lifting me. And sprang out of the tavern with their tail wailing between their legs… To make it worse, son of a bitch was even hotter than the assholes I've been picked up by before. One of your frequent customers, bad news for you, I supposed (Sun snorted: "Not a problem"). The only new exception is me, for the first time, being so foolish for not putting up a protection wall."

Sun poured Kagami and himself a glass of 1967 Chateau d'Yquem that the former had just stood up moments ago to take a bottle of one "… Whoaaa~ A hotshot male bitch ?!… Have a drink and tell me everything in specific, exact details, please~"

Kagami did not know how to respond to that but proceeded to do what he had been told to do, revising the story in the last hours, of course, scratching out the details of how Kagami felt about Aomine's looks, the younger male had a large sip and let Sun refill. "I haven't had a chance to show my hearing device and had already had the bastard on his feet, leaping like an antelope out of the lounge. Pretty good actor for maintaining a you-cannot-affect-me face." His eyelids fell gradually by words.

"I see… wow…" Sun widened his eyes, internally transforming the story into Hollywood movie scenes.

Kagami was a bit annoyed at Sun's reaction "What do you mean 'wow'?"

"I mean… Wow… Wait until Tatsuya hears this."

"Oooh no! I don't think so, Sun. If Tatsuya so much hears a single word, he would fly all the way from LA to Tokyo and I am grounded for life. And I really hate that." Kagami deadpanned. "I've been made fun enough for a normal human lifespan."

"Bullshit! You're not deserved to be made fun of. That jerk is a massive dickhead."

"Well, I've had my lion share of Meeting Jerks experience with my condition, so it's all old news. No need to sweat over small stuff... Tcheh! Like I've never had that kind of flirt and run tactics before."

In truth, it strangely hurt more than usual this time, but Kagami did not want to admit it outloud despite the scoffing tone of mocking.

"But it still hurts and actually oddly hurts more this time, right?", Sun quirked an eyebrow.

At this Kagami nearly had his heart jump out of his chest, and he rolled his eyes. "Are you sure you haven't been hanging around Kuroko too much? Since when are you starting to have his sixth sense freaking perceptiveness and mind reading? Geez~ You're freaking me out… Agreed, saying it didn't hurt was probably a lie but who said anything about whether it hurt more or not?!"

If seriously considered, Kuroko Tetsuya was quite a scary existence if he wanted to be, and it gave cold chills down Kagami's spine. Blank face and piercing gazes.

Sun's eyes dropped low. "Because you seemed to glow at that moment, Tai-chan."

With the special gentle key tone that only Sun possessed in the verbal ability slipping through his ears, Kagami was lost for words to say.

Sensing the other's silence as permission, Sun continued, "You know, for an attitude towards our normal frequent customers at our lounge, you were smiling too much; plus, you unnecessarily shared your personal life information and sexually joked with a stranger you've just met for like, I don't know, I think it lasted for freaking 20 minutes. Hell, you didn't even throw a fit when he made funny remarks about your cat's name. While in the past, after you had to, in your way of venomous quoting, bury your reasons to live to a wheel-fucking-chair, Alex had never succeeded in making you blurt out even a boring joke, apart from menacing, top sarcastic ones that are dripped with irritable mocking. You've been better as time went by but may I say you rarely joke around with people. Hell, even your jokes are really boring now, let alone sexual."

"…I—It was a rambunctious, ardent 'flu' of stupid youth that still unpleasantly remained in my mind. It has gotten worn out for a major part after this, I'm sure." Kagami felt his face getting more heat. "Five years more to my thirty for God's sake"

"But is was something, right?" Sun suggested

Kagami did not answer, but he knew Sun was right in some part of the whole topic. Physical attraction. Yet Kagami was not that confident like before when it concerned his body condition. Because normally, under any circumstances, Kagami would never let his heart control his mind like that when it came to him, a handicapped person; being hit on while the one who was hitting on him was not aware of the truth or what that person was throwing himself into. No one wanted a burden as a lover.

"You'll feel better when you learn to accept that you're attracted to him. Physical is counted as something due to my experience." Kagami just pouted at that and mumbled an oath at that.

Sun chuckled as he flicked Kagami's forehead. "Silly Tiger, you're an open book as bright as daylight."

Kagami swatted Sun's hand away and huffed annoyingly, "Stop with the 'Tiger' nickname! I hate it!"

"Sounds grand ADORABLE to me," Sun skipped quickly to the kitchen to avoid Kagami's foreseeable fury explosion after finishing the sentence.

And explode Kagami did, "Damn it, Sun!"


He. Could Not. Fucking. Concentrate. At all.

Fuck it all to Hell

Fuck Imayoshi.

Fuck Chihiro and Chiharu.

Fuck Satsu—

… Damn Satsuki

And fuck those beautiful yet full of sorrowful tears on the verge of those damn miraculous ruby eyes.

Sweet Pocari help him, he was definitely having a heat stroke. Since when had Aomine Daiki become a romantic poet?!

Dropping the document that needed his signature, Aomine sighed as well as groaned for the umpteenth time. This was going nowhere damn near what he wanted to when all he had ever thought about was the man named Kagami Taiga and their latest encounter. With a damn shocking revelation, showing he was getting more than he was willing to bargain for. It's like Kami was holding a collar around his neck and dragging him every fucking place, having absolute fun and finding it fairly entertaining, Aomine did not remember saying he needed something outrageous to keep him alive and survive meaningless years to come.

Well…

In some twisted occasions, he did, to be honest.

But for the sake of every big and bouncy pair of boobs in this universe he certainly did not request for this type of carnivalfor his already dull and fucked up life … Ugyaaaahhh~ … Aomine frustratingly scratched the back of his head, jaw tightened and gritted out an oath.

Now that Aomine had given himself some real time to think about his personal affair which had kept poking at his sore spot of neurons non-stop, it could have been better if Aomine had ever so uttered a sincere apology. The least he could have done was to ask for friendship with Kagami. So deep in thought Aomine did not realize a bunch of people had already made their presence in the room.

"What's wrong with him?" Wakamatsu rearranged the files to turn over for his Boss. "Momoi, do you know?"

"Not too sure. Probably Mai-chan's retirement is still having some effect on him? But I thought he had gotten over that a long time ago," Momoi gazed skeptically at her childhood friend.

Suddenly, two figures in fashionable striped suits appeared next to them, saying at the same time, "It's not so bad when he can effectively finish his assignments with a new record, 60 minutes for half a dozen folders of document. At least, he didn't skip work this time."

"His works are usually piled up like mount Fuji," a violet-navy haired commented.

"And now he's at his best top form ever," another copy followed.

"Like he's just had energy drink, right?" Chihiro asked

"Yeah right. Like Red Bull? Strawberry Sting Pocari?" Chiharu chirped

"That's right. Red Bull," Chihiro said

"Strawberry Pocari," Chiharu giggled

"Daiki the Strawberry Bull Pocari."

"Daiki is a massive fan of Pocari God, so much he'd turn into Sting Red Bull Pocari."

"SILENT!" A thick Business Dictionary was thrown and made a double headshot as it hit precisely on the twin's heads.

Aomine rose to his full height, his Alpha aura dangerously emitted. "If you're so idle to make scrappy petty talk or have a chitchat during work, return to your office and help Imayoshi with BLAU LUNA's orders and human resources allocation right this damn fucking instant!"

At Aomine's outburst, the twins laughed wickedly and rushed out. People who stayed were breaking cold sweats.

"The fuck, what's with him, Momoi?" Wakamatsu tucked on the pink haired girl's sleeves, eyes widened in horror.

"He's in a bad mood" Susa calmly stated with a blank face, yet his fingers shook lightly from the after-effect of an anger earthquake.

"I don't even dare to give a proper apology. Momoi-san, it was me, wasn't it? The reason why he's mad?" the brown haired male, Sakurai Ryo, shivered and sobbed while clutching some important papers that might need using for another labor resource clarifying meeting.

Instead of being frightened and scared away, Momoi untangled herself from the surrounding males and walked towards Aomine's desk. She lowered herself and whispered, "Dai-chan, are you okay? Are you sick?"

Aomine glared up ."Peachy, Satsuki. Fucking swell," he scowled. "Until those shitheads came along."

"Hiro-san and Haru-san?"

"Of course not, I mean the UFO from Mars... Yes, the bastards are the devil twins, Satsuki!" Aomine mocked, his frown was even deeper as he let out a sigh and furiously clicked his pen and swirled it around his fingers.

"… You know," Momoi's tongue clicked as she said, "If I hadn't known you any better, considering how rude, arrogant, selfish, unrefined and tactless a narcissist you are, I'd say you've just done something bad that can't be reversed or there aren't any chances left for you to show remorse sincerely. Like offending some disabled people or even hurting their feelings and now being all grumpy and a jerk, regretting for not behaving better to fix the situation."

Aomine choked on his saliva. "Wh–why are you saying this?"

"For a fact. Your cousins' teasing doesn't affect you much, you'd think they're just bites from a bug. You have your way to brush them off with that naturally born bitter and harsh mouth with no filter or mercy of yours; more importantly, shouting back is none of them. And your behavior is really odd today… Whatever it is, no matter how it bugs you crazy, keep it down and concentrate on your work, please." Momoi re-tied her hair into a ponytail. "At least you're not a scumbag who would literally hurt the handicapped, mentally or physically, then go on living your life like nothing happened. Freshen up your mind and do your job properly… Geez, how did I survive those years with an XXL size baby like you, I wonder? Kami must have granted me an amazing strength."

"Everyone, get out."

The cold voice shook everyone out of their stupor and halted whatever all of them were doing

"… Huh?" All of the employees looked at the male who had just spoken.

"Except Satsuki, anyone whose name I did not call, get out. Now," Aomine half gnashed half growled, eyes seriously rolled as his orbs contracted. If he had emitted a dangerous Alpha aura before, now he was unconsciously trying to strangle his surroundings with a deadly toxic scent of onslaught. The tanned male fisted some files into paper balls and threw irritatingly to the bin. "Uuurrgghhh".

Seeing no reaction from his subordinates, Aomine angrily scowled and bumped his fists on the table hard and made everyone startled. "GET OOOOOOOUT~~~ !" he roared with his Alpha aura thickened by minutes.

Before everything could get worse, Momoi hurriedly urged her colleague and seniors out of the room, Sakurai nearly tripped over his feet while Susa managed to help Wakamatsu carry a box of files, leaving the younger man's arms full with document folders and fumed questioningly of Aomine's anger, the earthy-yellow haired male would start an Alpha one on one if it was not for Susa and Sakurai gripping him and trying to pull him to the opposite direction of the CEO table. The blue haired male intertwined his hands and pushed up to his forehead with a deep frown

"… Dai-chan."

Momoi poked. Aomine did not move.

"… Dai-chan."

Momoi poked again. Aomine's fingers twitched.

"… Da—i—cha—n." Momoi poked non-stopped at her childhood friend.

"Aaarrrghhh ~~ Alright, stop ! I know ! Kami …"

"What happened?"

Aomine hesitated and Momoi dropped her jaw a bit. It was not everyday her Dai-chan was so reluctant and so awkward at expressing what he wanted like this.

"I— …"

"… Yes, Dai-chan ?"

"…"

"…"

"… I— … think I did just that."

"Did what, Dai-chan?"

"I hurt a handicapped person."