WARNING: The author is crazy, and this story is bitter, weird, and many other package that make this story far from perfect.

But if you love it, I have no objections :)

That's why I wrote it in caps, okay. To make sure you guys were warned!

Disclaimer: Tadatoshi Fujimaki own Kuroko no Basuke, he only lets me play with them.


"Emi!" A fist pounded on her door. She groaned and rolled over, burying her head under the pillows. "Emi, you need to wake up! You're gonna be late for school." Her mother pounded again. "I'm opening the door!"

Emi still couldn't bring herself to move. Not even when she felt her mother hands shaking her could she manage to care. "Emi, come on."

She groaned and turned myself so that she was facing her mother. "I'm up. I'm up. And you don't have to nag me every morning mom. I can perfectly manage myself." Her mother laughed and kiss Emi's forehead.

"I know you're not happy about our soon to be trip for our wedding anniversary. But you need to get over it. And I love taking care of you! Come on, Emi. Who knows when your husband is going to snatch you away from me, so I will spoil you as much as I can. Get used to it."

Emi's father and mother had been married for over 20 years. Their wedding anniversary will come soon and they decided to go on a romantic trip next week for 2 full-weeks, leaving Emi alone in the house.

Even so, she's still curious on what they have to do to keep up this kind of relationship. They only got into a few arguments and that's it. After those arguments they surely will say sorry to each other and went to their bedroom immediately.

Who knows what they would do, but Emi didn't give a damn.

She's just happy that her family maintained a cheerful and happy house when she comes home. And at the same time she's feeling like she had become a bother for both of her parents.

"Emi, you better be awake!" her father called from his room.

Putting up her uniform was never easy, especially with her situation, but her mother is always there to help her with everything she needed.

"I'm up already! I will be heading to school. I'll be back before you came home."She called through the door. "I'm going!"

"Bye! Have a good day!" they both choruses.

Emi opened her door and couldn't bring herself to move. Not even when she see Kise in front of her house. Out of panic, she immediately closes the door, banging it in front of his face.

"Emi-chi! That's so mean!"

"Emi?" her mother questioned. "Who is it?"

"No need to worry about it mom, just a hobo."

"What?! No I'm not! Open the door!"

"I'm going, bye!" she shoved herself against his leg, pushing him away from her. "Let's go, you fucking idiot." She murmured. Kise smiled so wide that her head almost shoot in pain. It was bright and lovely, not that she will tell him that. They walked out in a comfortable silence, listening to the sound around them.

"After you, milady." He said in what was by far the worst accent she had ever heard. "Now that I know where you live, I prefer that we walk together to school."

"I don't want to, okay. Just leave me alone."

Kise never listened. He just snickered behind her and followed Emi down to the train station.

She knew he meant her company. But the fact was that Kise knew she used to have—mind you—a thing for him a long time ago. He teased her about it, pretending it didn't hurt that even his ex-best friend mocked her about it. But she's not bitter. She slid closer to him when the got into the train.

At the way to school, they met with Riko. "Emi!" she said as I got out of the train. I scooted over to her. "Are you staying for the practice?" Riko asked.

"Unfortunately, I have to visit my brother first and I promised I will come home early. But I think I can manage."She replied, distaste is clear in my tone.

"Still making jokes, huh Emi-chi?" Kise retorted. Because, you know, that really stung.

"Still become a stalker, Kise?" She replied with a sickly sweet smile.

"You know, if you're not careful, your eyes will get stuck that way."

"You know, if you're not careful, my foot might get stuck up your—"

"Emi-chan!" Riko reprimanded. Kise grinned, knowing what was Emi about to say. "I don't understand why you hate him."

"And I don't understand why you don't. Let's chalk up personality difference and leave it at that, okay?"

"I heard that!" Kise protested.

I rolled my eyes at him.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"Hating on you,"She replied.

"I don't like myself either but you don't see me hating on me," Kise said, ruffling her hair.

"Okay. One, my hair is unruly enough without you doing that and two, don't touch me." she said. "Isn't it enough that you know where I live already, stop pushing my buttons, Kise." She love winning. They spent the rest of the trip in silence and she's kinda happy that the train is not that crowded.

She sighed in relieve when the train stop came into view. She don't like having Kise around. She spent the majority of her time at home, drawing what she likes. Peace and calm without any distractions.

She is usually reserved and she hates it when people get into her personal bubble. Home was where she was the most comfortable, especially without anyone around.

"Okay, this is my stop." Kise said to them. "I'm going home, see you later after school, Emi-chi!"

He hopped out o the train, flapping his hand in good-bye until the train got away. But Emi didn't return it.

If Kise had a problem with that, he should grow some balls and said it to her face.

Kuroko and Kagami were already sitting at the class already. She could practical hear them bickering in front of her class. "Mila Kunis is way hotter than Miley Cyrus," Kagami shouted. Kuroko merely scoffed.

"Have you seen them without make up? I'm not saying they're not pretty. But they're just—"

"Short." I said, rolling to my table. "Beside, let's face it, I'm hotter than both of them." Kagami laughed loudly while Kuroko just smiled. They knew she's kidding, but if there's only one way to freak them out, it was to pretend she was serious. "Wow, guys," she said. Her eyes filled with tears. "I mean, it's not like both of you can hand out compliments like popcorn. Way to boost my self-esteem." She felt a tear trickle down her cheek and fought the urge to smile. Tears: the way to make any guy feel guilty.

"Emi, that's not what we meant. It's just that...I mean...You're more like a sister," Kagami stutter. Kuroko nodded right along with him. Kagami's mouth was opening and closing like a fish.

She wiped her eyes before she interrupted. "Chill, dude. I'm just kidding." She smiled and pushed Kagami's shoulder. "You should've seen your face though. Both of you looked like you're gonna pee your pants,"she laughed.

Kagami socked her in the shoulder, but both visibly relaxes. "I forget sometimes you're not a real girl." Kagami said, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. She knew she should be offended, but her lack of femininity was something she prided herself n. She knew how to act like a bitch if she needed to, but she tried to avoid it.

"What am I? Pinocchio?" She knew it was lame, but it was the best she had.

"I wish; then I'd know you were lying." Kuroko scoffed and laid a dramatic hand over his heart.

"I do not lie, Kuroko!"

"Then, I don't breathe." they chuckled.

She was always known for her talents. She could always make it seem like she had read the book for class, or like when she's fine when she's sick. She didn't lie often; lies were the scissors that cut the strings of relationships. But if she was in a pinch, she's confident that she could do it well.

She honestly couldn't tell you what was going on in her Advanced English class. She couldn't tell you how she managed to have an A in class either. During the real test, she read whatever book she had picked up off her shelf that morning. But she never recited them. She likes reading new books. If she didn't, she won't know what to do.

Classes ended without any trouble and when the last period bell rang, she gathered all her stuff and rushed out the door to the basketball court. Ugh, she hated Math as much as she hated Science. Math practically ruined her life. Why can't it grow up for once and solve it's own problems and not Emi solve the problem for it. Lunch was boring. Kagami and Kuroko still argued over celebrity beauties.

Thanks to her condition, she don't have any P.E. class which was great because she hated people in general. You could forget your sole purpose entering P.E. when you see girls that attracts boys with short shorts and tight shirts.

She used to compete, but she stopped competing. And she wasn't exactly happy about it. As far as the school was concerned, she can't do P.E. she do more physical activity walking up the stairs in her house everyday than they do in a semester's class.

It had been months since her brother, or as she called him—the douche-bag— left. She become unresponsive. If she went to school, which was questionable, she came home and planted herself in her room. Sat before the window and stared out into the forest, holding her sketch book.

Emi knows that her brother needed some space, especially after what happened to her and his match against the Generation of Miracles. She can't blame him, really. After everything he had done for her, she should be feeling grateful. And she does.

She pranced to the basketball court, knowing that she only have two options: either come to the basketball court willingly, or having Riko dragging you around enthusiastically.

The choices she had made in life had never been as crystal clear as this one.

When she arrived, she watched the basketball athletes were practicing for the upcoming match. She got to say, Riko actually knows what she's doing. The coach's daughter analyze each person and practice them to their perspective advantages. This team is actually quite good.

With Kuroko's invisible pass, Kagami's blocking, Hyūga's leadership, Izuki's strategy and Mitobe's defense. They could make an amazing team and there are more than one way to make this team work.

No.

They don't need her help here. She was forced to be here, not because she wanted to. And she's certainly is not willing to help them win this.

Emi don't want to make another GoM team again, and that's final.


Never in her life she wanted her brother to die this much. And not a quick painless death, no, she wanted him to burn alive. Starve to death and have someone slowly peel every layer of his skin.

I'm not at Grandpa's today. Sorry Emi, I lost track of time.

That was what the message said.

She flipped her cell phone open, and tapping furiously at the buttons.

What exactly are you doing?

The reply came quicker than what she thought because it was only one simple word.

Practicing.

You fucking idiot Douche! Don't you hear what the Doctor said about your conditions?

It's okay, he said I can go back after a few weeks.

She texted him back: Don't do anything reckless, you ass. Just went to Grandpa's and rest. We need you here, and I'm worried about you, okay?

He quickly replied, Really, I don't have any idea about how worried you were ;)

Real smooth, dickhead. I'm allergic to your touchy feelings.

Before he could reply she send him another text: You know, that's not funny at all! You're really irresponsible!

She could feel her brother smile while she grumbled a few obscenities underneath my breath, slung her bag to her shoulder and take her train home.


Emi pushed the door to her house open with her wheelchair. Her hands steering the wheels, bag on her lap. She's trying to raise her knees in vain attempt to get her bag from falling. She shuffled in awkwardly, puffing, and she swore she could feel sweat forming on her brow.

"I'm home."

"Emi-chi~!"

She yelped in surprise and dropped her bag with her books tumbled out. She wasn't expecting him to be in her home! Him, nonetheless. And when she looked at the source of her voice, he was sitting on the dining table totally comfortable, leaning casually on the chair with a carton of milk on his hand. Her carton of milk!

Her mother is cooking in the kitchen, obviously happy with a total stranger coming to her house. "Welcome home." She said loudly on the kitchen.

Her father's sitting across Kise, talking with him in an enthusiastic way.

"What the hell? What are you doing here?!"

His mouth hung in an easy smile, amused. "Last I checked, I wanted to pick you up after school but you weren't there. And then when I visit your house, you weren't home either." He told her as he walked towards her.

She furrowed her brows, "Wait, you're stalking me?"

He nodded with ease and set the carton of milk on the table before helping Emi with her bag.

"Didn't your father tell you I was coming?"

"What?! Dad?"

Her father just shrugged happily, "I never thought that Kise would grow to be such a handsome young fella. Why haven't you told me anything about this?"

Emi groaned. This impertinent brat, he had crossed the line already.

As if on cue, her mother walked into the dining table with the food ready, joining the rest of the family. Kise immediately sit on the chair calmly. He looked good upon their entrance, completely enchanting her parents and a small smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

"Glad that you've made your way home safely." Greeted Kise.

"Sure, whatever." She replied, positioning herself at the dining table.

"Emi, would you go get some tea?" asked her mother.

"I don't want to," she pouted. "He doesn't like tea, mom."

"Sorry," sighed her father to Kise. "She's not usually this rude."

"Hey, I can hear you dad!"

"It's okay, she's right. I'm not really fond of tea." Kise said stiffly, looking around the room. Like the rest of the house, it was neat and orderly but lacked personality, save for pride.

Her parents are staring at her.

"What is it?" Emi said bluntly.

"I'm just wondering how close both of you are," said her mother honestly. "I know, he's really handsome Emi but you've never introduced him to us properly."

"Yeah," said Emi tiredly, not willing to bicker. "I'm not."

Kise blinked at her self-deprecating statement, evidently unsure how to reply. Her father chuckled, move from his chair, letting her wife sat there and move across Emi.

"You father and I had talked earlier," said Kise, "and it seems that your parents are going for a vacation on their anniversary."

"So?" said Emi warily.

Kise nodded. "Looks like we're going to leave on the same roof for a while."

Emi looked uneasy and startled, while her parents were listening very varefully. "Excuse me?"

Her father shrugged his shoulder. "We don't want you to leave at the house alone, sweetheart. And I know that you know him for years. He seemed like a good boy."

Her mother nodded, completely siding with her father, but that word didn't ease Emi's anxiety. Her father continue with his explanation.

"When we go later," said her father quietly. "I want you to take care of the house. At first I wanted to take your brother home, so I called your grandfather. But he insist on staying after you said a few words to him this afternoon."

Fuck.

"Isn't that risky?!" said Emi. "I may know Kise but you guys barely know him. How can you put your trust so easily on people you barely knew."

Again, Kise shrugged, obviously he wasn't worried.

"It wasn't him, Emi. It was you that we trusted. You will hold the key of the house, and Kise's there to keep an eye on you." His father explained calmly.

"It shouldn't be that difficult. Considering your caliber, everything will go perfectly."

"You mean, considering your caliber." Said Emi dryly.

Kise smirked. "True, but I didn't want to say that for the fear of sounding conceited."

Another stiff silence fell, Kise just smiled at her, and she felt a ripple of annoyance course through her. How irritating.

Her parents eyes were pleading. They're sincerely worried that something would go wrong with them leaving, and Emi knows how much this anniversary is important for the two of them.

She rolled her eyes and sighed. "Fine. Only because you guys felt the need to."

"I'm glad you agreed to this," Kise said.

"You're a creep and you sounded like one."

He chuckled. "Creep? That's not kind. I'm just interested because you hate me so much, that's all. I don't like being hated by someone I know for years."

"Your way of flirting sucks," said Emi crassly.

He simply chuckled again.

"Time for dinner!" her mother called with a meaningful look.

Emi grimaced. So he had noticed her immaturity. Worse, he wasn't perturbed by it. He was amused.

Dinner passed by pleasantly, to say the least. Emi remained silent most of the time as Kise and her father talked a bit, her mother joining in a few short conversations. They talked about school, his job, and his role as a basketball athlete. It was a typical dinner conversation but Kise had to brought her up to his own accord.

"You daughter is very talented." Said Kise looking at Emi.

Her father nodded, obviously wanted to hear more.

"She's quite the accomplished student."

"Really?

"She's one of those rare prodigies," said Kise seriously. "She's also very helpful during our basketball matches when we were in Junior high."

"Yes, well," said her father uneasily, "She loves basketball very much at that time."

"I don't want this to happen to, you know." Said Emi suddenly, finishing the food on her plate.

The table grew silent to stare at her. Emi looked unrelentingly back at Kise, who was aghast at her outburst.

"Sorry." She said unrepentantly. "My tongue slipped."

Another silence fell around them after Emi's words, Emi didn't seem to care to shook it off apathetically. While Kise stood up, and collecting his already empty plates.

"Oh no," said her mother, standing up with him. "I'll clean up—you're the guest, please sit down."

"It's fine," said Kise with a rare smile. "I'm used to cleaning up, I'll feel bad if you clean up by yourself."

Her mother seemed genuinely touched at this and smiled broadly at Kise.

"Well, I suppose I can;t refuse you if you say it like that," she laughed. "Here, I'll help..."

Kise retreated into the kitchen but he couldn't help but feel apprehensive at Emi's murderous aura rising behind him.


Emi persuade her mother to leave the dishes to her and Kise, promising that no plate will crash on the floor. Her mother gladly took that over and sit next to her father watching the television together.

"So, Emi," said Kise as he placed her father's plate for Emi to wash, "I had a few more questions..."

Emi continue to sponge a plate with soap, listening. When he didn't continue, she looked at him and meet his eyes. Strong, bold and...kind, in a way. she flushed, looking away.

"Why are you blushing?" he said, standing closer to her.

"I'm not." She said, her eyes fixed on the plate she's currently washing. She was being conscious of the strong arms placed near her, his tan skin, muscular chest that was so prominent even through his school uniform, the lingering feeling of warmth as he breathed against her neck.

"Do you like me...perhaps?" he asked. "Theoretically, at least?"

"What kind of question is that?" she said coldly, rinsing the plate and setting it aside. Much to her relief, Kise stepped away and took the plate, drying it with a clean towel.

"Sorry," He said, a smile on his face again. "I know I tend to get conceited sometimes."

"What were your questions?" she said inquired, desperate for a change in conversation.

"Well, for one, I was wondering why your father felt somewhat uneasy when we talked about basketball. I thought he would urge you to do what you loves most."

"Believe it or not," snorted Emi, "My father actually didn't like me playing basketball. My brother had already become one and he did ask me to find something new, something that was more of a variety. And when the..." I sighed. "Accident occurred, he hated the sport even more. My mother is very supportive in what I do, but I don't want to make her choose between my father and me. So, I simply gave up."

"I see..." murmured Kise. "So he's never asked you to try some therapy either?"

"He did. But I don't want it," she said, knowing full well that it was a lie. "I don't want to become a burden, really."

Kise cocked his head to the side in inquiry.

"Why?"

"I'm not my brother. I'm not willing to take others burden or to help them." She replied frankly.

"That's not exactly what I expected," he said, his voice was a bit darker than before.

"Sorry," Emi said apologetically. "I don't harbor any particular love to people who didn't want to help me. I'm a rather selfish person."

"Then what exactly are you here for?" he said, turning the water off and forcing her to look at him. His eyes were gleaming in a strange way, as if he was demanding an answer. He was angry—latent enough his emotions were, she could sense that. "You must have to protect something in the beginning, have a passion for—"

"I have a passion for the people that I care about, and for things that I love." She said indifferently. "But that part of me died when I lost my legs. You know that Kise, you were there when it happened."

Kise remained silent, his hands still cupping her chin. Emi could feel his warm breath near her mouth, and pulled away immediately. She turned the faucet on again and resume watching.

He laughed quietly, but the sound was not amusement. It was almost uneasy and darker.

"I'm jealous, in a way," he said softly. "To think in that mindset, I would be overcome by guilt with every second of my breath."

"I know," she answered. "That just proved my point the other day—perfect, brilliant, strong, genius—and yet you're not conceited but self-sacrificing." She gave him a wry smile. "A perfect gentlemen, hm?"

He looked at her oddly, as if absorbing her words. Kise reached over and took the cowl from her hands, pushing her gently to the side.

"Your hands will wrinkle if you wash dishes all the time," he said quietly. "I'll take it from here."

Emi looked at him ridiculously. "I'm not a model, Kise. I don't need to take care of what I looked like."

He was angry.

"You see, it's natural for us to hate each other," she said, her words dripping with acid. "My logic doesn't work to you, my personality is bitter and hateful, and I annoy you. So lets stop with the courtesies, how about it?"

"You don't annoy me." He said, rinsing the bowl. "I can follow what you're saying perfectly."

"Then, why are you angry?"

"I'm not."

Emi scoffed.

"Your logic, it made sense." He continued. "It's in your personality that I also don't hate. I appreciate everything about you." He gave a brief smile. "I'm, interested to see how your words will match your actions when I started moving here." He handed her the bowl. "Here, dry this."

Startled, she took the bowl. So she wasn't being dismissed? He wanted her to stay nearby? It's absurd.

The didn't talk about anything more, the sound of running water filled the quietness that's blanketing the atmosphere, it wasn't hateful, but it wasn't loveable either. She snuck a glance at Kise's face. His eyes were dark, so dark that it almost looked shadowed.

A perfect being or not, she wasn't so sure anymore.