TheEmperor'sEmpress»
»It was a wise decision on my part to take aikido classes in my free time — even though its not nice to get thrown on the mat every time — because it saved my dignity and most probably my life. So I was walking back to my dormitory inside the campus when a guy appeared out of nowhere and tried to drag me somewhere. Good thing I'm not the type to freak out and panic because if I did, I could be lying dead in a ditch somewhere. But what freaked me out was how he managed to still chase me after I kicked his... you know. It was equally horrifying and funny at the same time. I think that's enough trill in my life for the month — yeah, the entire month. I'm not doing that again, for kami's sake. Just, no.«
*Chapter Three : *
May 18, 20xx — Tokyo, Japan
•• Promises are meant to be broken. That's why I don't want you to promise me anything. I'll do the same. If you want to do something, then just do it. No need for words. ••
It was weeks later before Yanagi saw Akashi again ever since that night at The Bar (Nijimura was still sore about that) and the chartreusette missed his presence sorely. Their group always had something lacking without their dominating leader around.
She was walking aimlessly around the campus after lunch since her afternoon classes were all canceled thanks to a sudden meeting of the faculty and staff of her college. Her feet led her to the courtyard of the school, and in the distance, she spotted a certain redhead sitting in one of the numerous benches, looking at somewhere in the horizon.
"Sei-kun, good afternoon."
"Megumi." He moved a bit to the side to let her sit down beside him, and both were silent for a while, each lost in their own thoughts.
"Megumi, what brings you here?" he asked, though he did not look at her when he spoke.
"I'm not cutting classes, if that's what you think. They were canceled — staff meeting. How about you, Sei-kun? You've been very busy lately."
Akashi caught the wistful tone in her last sentence, and he felt oddly guilty about it. He did not dwell on it though, and replied, "I see. I am fine, thanks for asking. And yes, I don't have much free time since Father deemed it appropriate for me to start working for our company. It's why I can't go with you and the others every time you asks me to."
"We understand. But we can't help but feel sad, you know, not having you there. It's just different."
Akashi checked his wristwatch and saw that it's almost time for his next class. He looked at Megumi. He doesn't want to leave her yet, but duties comes first before everything else and so he stands up, and Megumi turns to him as he did so.
"I'm going to class now, Megumi. See you later."
She smiled sadly, realizing that her time with the emperor is already up, then nodded her head. "Okay. I'll stay here for now. See you later, then."
And then Akashi walked away, and Megumi watched him until she can no longer see him. She thought how Akashi walks in that well-measured pace — not too fast, not too slow — and how his strides were graceful and powerful. Her thoughts led her back to Teiko, her first meeting with the redhaired emperor named Akashi Seijuurou.
Yanagi entered Teiko's first string gym nervously. Normally, she wouldn't be intimidated by crowds, but then this time is different. In this gym, she felt like an outcast. Who wouldn't? Already, a few strange looks were thrown in her direction as she made her way to where Coach Shirogane — as he introduced himself to her yesterday — was standing and talking to a tall, black-haired boy, who nodded and pointed at the clipboard that the older man held in his hands. She approached them silently, and waited until they finished their conversation, before announcing her presence to the coach.
"Yanagi-chan, good to see you! Come here and take a seat, and observe how things are done so you'll get used to it." She followed, and sat beside Shirogane-kantoku, watching as the boy from earlier — Nijimura Shouzo, #4 — facilitated the tryouts for the club. He was only in his second year but it was obvious that he has a good sense of leadership. The aspiring first years lined up as Nijimura called them one by one. A certain name stood out though — murmurs of disbelief rose from the group — and even Nijimura was surprised for a moment.
"—Akashi, like the Akashi?"
"Seriously?"
Nijimura, irritated at the noise, told them to shut the hell up, after which he explained the proceedings of the tryouts. There are three stations: first is an obstacle course of some sort to test their dribbling skills, second is a shooting test to measure their accuracy and ability to score, and the last one is a series of practice matches to see their play style. In the first station, Yanagi could see that most are average, but there are six that stood out to her and they are the ones that she paid close attention to in the next stations, where they made more of an impression on her, aside from their distinguishable hair colors. She checked their names on her clipboard — the blue-haired Aomine Daiki, the purple-haired Murasakibara Atsushi, the greenhaired Midorima Shintarou, the grayhaired Haizaki Shougo, the tealhaired Kuroko Tetsuya, and the redhaired Akashi Seijuurou.
She recognized three of the names — Haizaki, the infamous delinquent of Teikou; Midorima, son of one of the distinguished doctors and owners of a certain hospital in Tokyo; and last but not the least, Akashi, the heir to the biggest multi-billion business conglomerate in the whole of Japan.
When she first caught a glimpse of the said heir, she was surprised to see a relatively short boy, with hair and eyes in the prettiest shade of crimson and a face that's beautiful in a way that's not feminine, and skin of alabaster. Yes, he may be small in comparison to the others, but the way he carried himself makes him look taller than even the purplehaired giant she saw earlier. And when he walked, Yanagi was reminded of a king walking among his subjects, head held high, demanding respect.
He must've sensed staring at him, because when he reached the second station, he turned to her and met her gaze with an inscrutable expression, breaking away when the upperclassman manning the station tossed a ball to him and reminded him of the rules. He dribbled the ball as he walked to the two-point area, shooting three times before moving to the three-point line. She heard the upperclassman tell him that he can move in a little closer because it might be a bit difficult to shoot three's given his height, to which the redhead replied with an annoyed face, and shot the ball succesfully. As if to prove his point, he backed a few more steps from the line before shooting his last basket, and gave a wicked grin to his senpai before moving on to the waiting area for the next station, which was near to the Coach's bench. And Yanagi.
"So how are your observation going, Yanagi-chan?" Coach Shirogane asked her, then noticed something on her clipboard. "What are those stars for?"
"Oh, that? Some applicants that caught my eye — I'm sure you've recognized them and most probably be put on the first string — except for one." She tapped her pen on Kuroko's name. "Not him anyway. It's more like he caught my curiousity."
"Kuroko-kun? He has low stats, based on the scores that Hiro-kun and Asaka-kun gave me. Why are you curious about such a weak player?"
"He'll probably be put in the third string, but I don't know – there's something different about him... I'm not really sure..."
"Hmm, is that so..." By that time, everyone had finished the second station, and Coach Shirogane stood up. "Well, let's see them play in an actual game, shall we?" He clapped his hands, and the first-years gathered round them. "Yanagi, the practice vests, please."
She jogged to the storage room, and returned with her arms full of numbered yellow and blue vests which she distributed in random to the first years. When she reached the redhead, she handed him a yellow one.
"Here," she said, then moved on the next person, but not before hearing the soft "Thank you" from Akashi.
'He has a nice voice,' she unconsciously found herself think.
As the series of practice matches began — blue versus yellow — she watched them run back and forth across the court, the sound of the ball and their shoes on the polished floors like music in her ears, once in a while punctuated by the silent whoosh of the net when a ball is shot, and the whistles made by the referee. She found herself talking comfortably with the captain, who was actually an amicable person despite his scowl and rough language. They pointed out remarkable players, commented on their mistakes, and opinions on what they could have done with their offense and defense styles. She told Nijimura about the players she'd noted on her clipboard earlier, except Kuroko Tetsuya, and asked for his opinion about them. They witnessed Aomine's free form style —
"His basics are weak."
"He must've learned it by himself, senpai. Street basketball, most probably."
—Midorima's high projectile three's —
"Woah! How could he still have a sense of distance with that arc?"
"Yanagi, you're too loud."
— Murasakibara's blocks —
"Senpai, are you sure he's a freshman? He's a giant..."
"I'm having doubts myself. I pity the opposing team, really — he's swatting the ball out of its course everytime they try to shoot."
— Haizaki's pillaging style —
"I don't like that guy. He's too — I don't know... And something weird is going on with the other team."
"Well, he's skilled though. Who would've thought that he is skilled in basketball... But you're right. Something feels wrong with this match..."
— and Akashi's quick thinking and situation analysis .
"He'll make an excellent point guard, ne, senpai?"
"I agree. I never thought that a rich brat like him actually plays basketball. He scared Asaka earlier though."
When the results was announced, the five boys made it straight to first string — a first in the history of Teikou's basketball club. Then Coach Shirogane introduced Yanagi to them as assistant coach, and a pink-haired girl who arrived just as the last match ended — Momoi Satsuki — as their manager. Being the only females in the club, the two bonded instantly, and she learned that she is childhood friends with Aomine.
With the exception of Haizaki, she got along well with the other first-years. They tend to stick together during practices and meetings since they're the only freshmen in the whole first-string anyway, and they got pretty close — along with the Captain Nijimura, whom they claim as part of their group even though he's a year above them. Akashi was made vice-captain in his first year, and the rest became regulars. And then Coach Shirogane fell ill during the spring break before their second year, and thus the duties fell on her shoulders. Nijimura and Akashi were especially supportive of her during those times, and it was when she became quite close with the redhead. And then Nijimura's father's illness worsened, and they decided it would be better to turn over the captaincy to Akashi to unburden Nijimura, and the ravenhead was grateful for that. By that time, Kuroko Tetsuya and Kise Ryouta had joined them, Haizaki long forgotten, and the name Kiseki no Sedai was coined to their group. They won the Nationals for the second time and dominated the basketball scene in middle school. She remembered Kise making a promise to make the Kiseki no Sedai plus their phantom sixth man, Nijimura, and the two girls as the number one team in Japan, and everyone agreed. However, at the end of the year, Nijimura had decided to go to America for his family, and Yanagi had to continue her education in London due to her father being transferred abroad by his company. And everything went downhill for those who were left behind after that.
Nijimura had told her of his plan to go back to Japan for college, seeing as there's no point of staying in the US after the death of his father, and asked her if she was planning to come back. She didn't have a sure answer to give him, since it depends on her parents' decision, but when they died in a freak car accident the winter of her second year in high school, she made her decision.
In her third year, she applied for Tokyo University, took the exam, and when she received the result that she was qualified for Japan's top university, she took the first flight to her homeland the day right after her graduation.
[From: Nijimura Shouzo-senpai]
[Congratulations on your graduation. When are you coming back?]
[To: Nijimura Shouzo-senpai]
[Thanks a lot, senpai. About my return, actually... I'm in the airport already.]
[From: Nijimura Shouzo-senpai]
[Narita? WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME EARLIER?!]
[To: Nijimura Shouzo-senpai]
[Erm, I forgot?]
[From: Nijimura Shouzo-senpai]
[Wait there. We'll come get you. And when I say wait, you'll wait. Go to a cafe or what. Starbucks.]
[To: Nijimura Shouzo-senpai]
[Hai, senpai... And who's 'we'?]
[From: Nijimura Shouzo-senpai]
[The brats, who else? We're on our way.]
"Yanagicchi!" A tall handsome blonde yelled excitedly upon seeing her distinct hair color seated at one of the tables in Starbucks at the airport. Heads turned, and a few females squealed at seeing the famous Kise Ryouta in person. Their smiles, however, faded to irritated and jealous looks when they saw him waving enthusiastically at a girl with chartreuse hair and eyes covered by black sunglasses.
Nijimura came behind Kise and whacked him on the back of his head. "You're too loud, baka." As Kise whined about his senpaid always hitting him, Nijimura nodded at her in acknowledgment.
"Kimi-chan!" Momoi squealed, and ran to her side and gave her a good tight hug. "I missed you soooo much!"
The group had reached her table by then. There was Aomine who was spinning a basketball, Murasakibara munching on his ever-present snacks, Midorima clutching another weird-looking lucky item, Kuroko sipping a vanilla milkshake, Kise grinning like an idiot, and Nijimura with that signature scowl of his.
"Yo."
"Hi, Kimichin~ Here, I have your favorite choco-almond Pocky~"
"Yanagi, welcome back. And today's lucky item is a stuffed gecko, nanodayo."
"Yanagi-san, nice to see you again."
"Yanagicchi, I missed you too!"
"Yanagi. You better explain why you didn't inform anyone that you're coming back."
She laughed and greeted them back. She stood up and said, "How about getting out of here first?"
Agreeing with her, Aomine tossed the ball to her, which she caught with ease, and with Nijimura, they grabbed her luggage while Midorima went on ahead to get them a ride while she walked together with the rest, chatting and laughing.
"Akashi was busy today — you shouldn't have gone home without warning if you're expecting to see him with us," Nijimura told her once they were inside the cab. Even though she hadn't said it out loud, the older boy had seen her eyes searching for a certain redhead and the disappointment reflected in their pea green depths when she realized that he was not there with them.
"Good thing we planned to play basketball together today, ne, senpai? Saves the trouble of gathering everyone up," Kise commented beside her. "Akashicchi was in Kyoto, he wouldn't be in Tokyo until the start of classes, it seems. He's been busy with work — his father was very demanding, as always."
They arrived at Kise's apartment, who offered to house her for the meantime. They have an early lunch at a restaurant nearby where they talked and have a merry time, catching up with the other's lives, because aside from Nijimura, Kuroko's short message, and that match against Jabberwock, she doesn't really know much about the other's lives in her absence.
She told her story first, which was pretty much uneventful, and most of it was surely relayed by Nijimura since he returned a year early and had spent considerable time with his favourite kouhais. She told them why she left — her dad's transfer to London, her performing career in her high school years (which didn't came as a surprise to them after seeing her in a special role in an indie movie in second year), and the death of her parents which prompted her return. Some few questions were raised, some serious, like if she ever regretted coming back since she had pretty much established herself a career in London, and some half-jokingly, like if she had a boyfriend back then. After her story, the others told theirs, and it was pretty much the same — high school, the usual pranks and problems, their basketball teams. Jokes were shared, eliciting rounds of laughter, and when they were all finished, she began asking questions.
Like, why did you went to separate high schools? I thought you will all be going to Rakuzan?
Her question was met with an uneasy silence. Nijimura remained silent — it's not his place to tell. Momoi squirmed uneasily in her seat, and everyone was clearly avoiding her gaze.
"What happened during third year in Teikou?" She guessed whatever happened back then must have occurred during that period because she noticed that they all started their stories with their first year in high school, and if ever one of them tells something about Teikou, that something was from their first and second years, where she was there to witness it. Not a single memory was recalled from third year, and she was sure that it was not out of consideration of her absence that they didn't mention anything about it. Because if that is so, then why would they look like dogs whipped by their masters at the mention of that topic?
"Helloooo~ I'm asking a question here. Kuroko," she turned to the tealhead, "was that the 'problem solved' you told me about in your message?"
Kuroko finally met her eyes, his usual blank sky blue orbs reflecting distress, like he'd rather not talk about this topic. But he has to, since it seemed that no one would volunteer to do so, and so he clears his throat awkwardly and began his explanation after an encouraging nod from Nijimura.
"Things changed after you and Nijimura-senpai left, Yanagi-san...""
"Especially Aominecchi and Akashicchi..."
Aomine looked away guiltily, while Murasakibara's grip on his snack tightened visibly. Midorima stared at his lucky item like it was the most interesting thing in the world. Kise and Momoi was unusually somber and silent. Kuroko's face was blank but she could see in his eyes that he was pained.
"Just... What happened to you, guys?"
Kuroko told her about the things that happened during their third year in Teikou: Aomine's awakening, Murasakibara challenging Akashi, Akashi's personality change, the Finals match during their third Nationals, and his resignation from the basketball club. Kise butted in, about the oath that Akashi ordered them to do, and then let Kuroko continue with the events in their first year of high school: a brief summary of the InterHigh, where his team lost before reaching the semi-finals, and then the all-out war between the Kiseki no Sedai and him during the Winter Cup, where Akashi tasted defeat for the first time and gained part of his old self back.
"So, what are you guys not telling me about Sei-kun?" She'd observed their reactions throughout Kuroko's speech, and her suspicions grew. It annoyed her though — why the secrecy? When no one answered, she narrowed her eyes at them and crossed her arms across her chest.
'Shit, she's on it,' Aomine cursed inwardly, remembering the fact that Yanagi was quick at this kinds of thing. What gave it away? Their body language?
"You know, I'll know about it sooner or later, and I can just ask Sei-kun myself. But then, Ryou-kun said he won't be here for a month, so just save me the trouble and just get out with it."
Yanagi sighed. She'll have to be more specific if she want answers. She started with the greenhead. "Shintarou-kun, something happened during your semi-finals match with Sei-kun. What is it?"
"We lost, what did you expect?" was his grumpy answer.
"I know that, Tetsuya-kun said so. But there is something else. Something that Sei-kun did or said during the game. Losing against Sei-kun is not really bothering you, because you acknowledge his power. I know that much, Shintarou-kun."
"Midorin—"
"Akachin said he would gouge out his eyes if his team loses~"
"Oh?" Yanagi leaned forward on the table, her chin resting on her hand. "And why is that?"
"He was dissatisfied with his team's performance and decided to give them a wake-up call. He shot the ball in their own goal and gave them a lecture, and that's when he told them that." Midorima sighed, giving up.
"Aa."
Midorima twitched. "Is that your only reaction?"
Yanagi blinked. Everyone in their table was looking at her like she had grown a second head. "Eh? Why are you looking at me like that?"
"Akashicchi just threatened to harm himself and you're not surprised?" Kise exclaimed in disbelief.
"Knowing how he is that time, he might actually do it!" Aomine said.
And then it clicked in her head. She confused them further when she chuckled. "I see. You guys have been going at it the wrong way. Sei-kun, gouging out his precious eyes? Come on, he said he'll do it if they lose, right? No offense, Shintarou-kun, but Sei-kun was already certain of their victory when he declared that ridiculous statement. He's not so far gone that he would really inflict harm on his own being. As you've said, it's merely a wake-up call. It's to get his team moving and functioning the way he wants them to be. You've been worried for nothing. Though I have to admit, he might really do it they really lost. He's a man of his word, after all."
"When you put it like that, yes..." Kise said thoughfully.
"So it's just a misunderstanding?" Momoi asked, to which Yanagi nodded.
"Sou ka," Midorima pushed his glasses upwards.
"Now that's settled, Tetsuya-kun, anything to add?"
'She noticed, too,' the phantom thought wryly. "Akashi-kun tried to stab Kagami-kun when they first met."
Kise snorted. "Kagamicchi is stubborn. He should've left when Akashicchi told him to."
"Who's this Kagami person?"
"Ah, he's Tetsu's light in Seirin," Aomine supplied.
"Okay... And then?"
"Akashicchi cut off his hair."
"He what?!" Yanagi almost jumped out of her chair, shocking the others with her reaction.
"Really, Yanagi... You didn't react about Akashi stabbing someone else but cutting his own hair did?"
The chartreusette pouted at Aomine's remark before settling back on her chair. "Of course, I will! It's his hair we're talking about! And Dai-kun, Akashi TRIED to stab Kagami — 'tried' being the operative word here. He's not stupid to actually plunge the knife —"
"Scissors."
"What was it, Atsushi-kun?"
"Akachin used a pair of scissors~"
"Oh. Why in the world is he carrying a pair of scissors to a basketball tournament?"
"It's Midorin's lucky item that day."
"I see. So, as I was saying, he's not stupid to actually plunge the scissors to Kagami's heart or something. Maybe just enough to leave a gash to make his point? With his Emperor Eye, he'd know if Kagami could dodge it or not." She smirked smugly. "And based on your reactions, I guessed right."
"What's important is that Akashi-kun is not like that anymore. For the most part, anyway. Rakuzan won the next championships until we graduated." Kuroko said, smiling.
But still, there is that unmistakable wariness whenever the redhead is around, and it saddens Yanagi to know that the trust they once shared back in middle school was reduced to a frail thread nowadays. But then, they were but kids when it happened, so maybe all they need is time.
However, for Akashi, the cut runs deep. And she doubt that even time could completely heal it.
