CHAPTER 4

"I wonder if he's still out there..." Kagami said, eyes staring at the ceiling-mind drifting to the boy he has recently shut his door too. He found himself unable to sleep, and he kept on glancing at his digital clock.

An hour already passed. I'm sure he's gone by now. Get some sleep. He closed his eyes at first, but a moment later, it opens. He groans and shifted to his side facing the window. Kagami remembers that it was always chilly during the night. He imagines the boy unconscious outside, freezing the life out of him. His clothes barely providing any heat, and soon, he'll... he'll...

Kagami stops the thought from continuing with a palm over his head, coupled with a deep groan. Not even a full minute, he got off to his feet and heads out of the door.

Kagami has successfully opened the door without making it creak. The cold air washes over him and he slightly shivers. He sticks his head out slowly, peering in every corner his eyes lies on. He couldn't see any trace of the boy and hope he's back home. He was about to return inside when he caught blue from the moment he turned around. He cranes his head to take a better look and saw the boy in a fetal position against the apartment walls, shivering.

Kagami's jaw drop. He's still there?! It's freakin' cold outside! The longer he stared, the harder the tug on his heartstrings. His mind and heart was clearly yelling at him to do what is humane.

Another deep sigh left his lips.

"Hey kid," He called. He tried to ignore the flinch that came before the boy looks up at him. He averted his eyes, "Get inside. You'll freeze to death out here." He only heard a choke sound come from him. Another cold wind came by and the two shivers. He looks down to the boy again, "Hey, I'm already inviting you in. If you want to sleep out here, then be my guest." Kagami made a move towards the door, and a second later, he heard shuffling of feet. From the corner of his eyes, he peers behind him if he was following.

The boy was there.

Glad you're smart, kid. He thought.

"Where do you want to sleep? I have a spare room. You can use that." Kagami walks towards the said room, away from the living room. He opens the door down the hallway, adjacent to his own. "Here."

Kagami could see the reluctance as he walks inside the room, but, what surprises him is that he turns around and bows low to Kagami. "O-onii-san, thank you very much..."

"Whatever. Just sleep, and don't do anything funny while I'm asleep." Kagami waved him off. "I hope you're not too hopeful about me helping you, because my answer is still the same, regardless of this. I've helped you more than once." He said. A flicker of emotion flashes in the boy's eyes, but he caught it. Barely. "I'll send you tomorrow to the police station first thing in the morning."

"...H-hai..."

"Get some sleep." Right after Kagami closed the door, a wet droplet splash on the floor.

Morning comes and Kagami just had to scratch his head. This was the second time in the morning he was standing in the doorway of the guest room, seemingly staring at space. He expected that he's still there, a presence-less, watching him with a smug smirk while he stays in the shadows, but after checking the other rooms of the house, this one being the last one, Kagami concludes the boy is gone.

"Where in the world did that boy run off to?"

Nothing was stolen, he knew, since he had looked into it earlier. The boy was innocent—that, or he had a changed of heart.

Kagami scratched the back of his head, "Gone home by himself, I guess?" With all the harsh words that came out of his mouth, he won't be surprised if he does. But thinking about it, he was really young to be wandering about in the streets. Kids his age gets screwed real quick without adult supervision, and the last time he saw him, he was—"Oh, shi..."

From his time being outside, he knows he had already walked far enough to be unrecognized by anyone. He idly swings himself on one of the hanging seats of the small playground, seemingly in deep thought.

I didn't even apologized to that big brother... he thought. He knew the amount of trouble he had already caused him, and figures out that he just had to leave him alone to thank him. But no apologies...

"Well, well, look what do we have here?"

He looks up and saw three kids, probably older, tower him. He was unfazed, or rather, prefers not to show it. He eyes the three kids suspiciously.

"You're new here, aren't you kid?" the brunette boy said, smirk growing. He pursed his lips and lowers his head. This irked the boy. "Hey, I'm talking to you!"

"Y... Yes, I am..." he said.

"Want to play with us?"

"No."

The other boy on his right bristled, "Hey, we're actually inviting you to play with us. Aren't you even grateful?"

He averted his eyes, "Please leave me alone..."

"Aw, little boy is scared of us." said the left in a tone of mockery. "He doesn't want to play with us."

The brunette among them holds both chain and leans forward to him, "What if we don't wanna? You're gonna cry to your mommy?"

He quivering all over, but with all his strength, he pushes the boy away from him and makes a run for it. He heard him yell indignantly behind him and yet, he didn't turn around. A precipitating pull sends him falling on his back. As he recovers, the three boys loom around him, preventing him from escaping.

"You got guts to push me, brat." The brunette said.

"I didn't mean to... I'm sorry..." He whimpered.

"Shut up. Let us teach you some lessons in manners, shall we?" As they inch closer to him, his hands went up protectively on his head, eyes firmly shut.

"HEY! Don't touch him!" A familiar voice yelled.

"Eh?!"

"Run away!"

The boys around him run away frantically at the new comer. He didn't move. He was too scared to look up.

One calloused hand landed on his head, ruffling his hair gently, "You alright, kid?"

His savior kneeled down to his level, allowing him to see who it is. He runs into his arms and there, he knows it's safe, "Onii-san..."

There, he could cry 'till his heart's content.

"Finish it all up. I know you're hungry." Kagami said. The blunette tried not to look overwhelmed at his pile of burgers, and just continued on with his own burger. Their meal was silent, only breaking at each burger's unwrapping.

Kagami noted the boy's eyes widening upon drinking his shake. He brought it up, shakes it, and drinks again. A small smile blossoms in the young child's face. The endearing sight made Kagami stop, just to stare at his enlightened face.

This boy... he thought.

The boy noticed him staring, and he shrinks back at his seat, snapping him out of his trance. "Sorry about that. I didn't know you like vanilla milkshakes that much."

He tilted his head, "V-vanilla milkshake?"

"It's your first time tasting it?" Kagami asked.

He looked at his cup and nods solemnly, "He said I'm not allowed to drink because..." He suddenly bites his tongue to stop, which Kagami finds suspicious.

"Is this person why you ran away from home? Why you're searching for your parents?" He asked, slowly as he can.

He nods again.

"I see..." he murmured as he close his eyes. After a minute of a silence between them, he reopens his eyes. With a small huff, he crossed his arms in front of him, "Hey kid, let's strike a deal kid. I will help you in two weeks. A month at most, nothing more, nothing less. If I figure you're working at some shady organization or whatever, I'll send you to the police station. At worst case scenario, I'll drop you off a cliff. Got that?"

The boy gapes at him, "O-onii-san will help me? I thought onii-san doesn't want-"

"Well things change. You look so miserable that I think sending you to a station or a daycare center won't stop you from getting hurt." He said with a light tint on his cheeks. "Moreover, I already said that I'm going to help you. Be a little happier, will you?"

The boy lowers his head, shoulders quivering.

Kagami's eyebrow twitched, "Oi! Don't cry! People will misunderstand!"

"k... you..."

"What?"

"Th-thank you... Onii-san has a big heart." The blunette said, eyes sparkling.

Kagami blushed, "Whatever. It's as if I have a choice..." He said. "Anyway, I didn't get to know your name yet. Mine's Kagami Taiga."

"My... My name is Kuroko Tetsuya... I'm five years old, Kagami-oniisan."

Hello~! XD Thankies for the new reviews, favorites, and follows guys! XD You're making more motivated to fix this thing called my sloppy writing. Anyway, I'm sorry for the delay of the chapter. I'm sad to say that future updates might get delayed even more as school just started (and I'm telling you, I want vacation already \(T^T)/).

BUUUT~, I'll try to update this baby once a week. Twice a week, might be, but will be a rare occasion. That aside, this chappie will mark the real start of the story, so please tune in for mooooooore~! XD I'll assure you, you'll love (hopefully) what I have in store for you guys. XD

~See you on the next chapters! XD