It was only a (very long one in Akashi's opinion) month later that Akashi managed to find a suitable excuse to see Furihata again in the form of basketball practice match between his team and Furihata's. It didn't take long to convince Aida Riko, Seirin's coach, to agree to a one week long trip to Kyoto when the excuse of basketball practice was involved and a promise from Akashi of paid high class hotel rooms for both her and his team along with paid meal expenses.

Orginally he had only wanted to try and invite Furihata to hang out with him, he had even come up with a couple of excuses to assure it happened, but then he thought better of it when he remembered how terrified Furihata seems to still be when he sees Akashi. Thus he decided to invite both his and Furihata's teammates along hoping to ease the brunets nerves and hopefully keep him from being so terrified even if just a little.

He and Aida had come to the agreement that the trip would take place a week after they talked, she told him that she needed time to the basketball players about it and help them prepare before the trip telling him how she was pretty sure they would probably be scared -excluding Kagami and Kuroko- out of their minds and how Furihata would be the most terrified of them all -Which caused Akashi's chest to tighten slightly in pain- and how he would take the longest to calm down before the day of the trip.

Not for the first time, Akashi regretted acting the way he did infront and towards the brunet. There was no one else to blame for the brunet's fear towards him other than himself.

A week later it was finally time for both teams to meet up and Akashi was excited, during the week before Furihata's team arrived he had been thinking of ways to make the brunet feel at ease around him and after thinking about it for a long time he came to the conclusion that the best way was to try and be kinder and more understanding towards both his team and Furihata's, cut down on the I'm- the- best- and- my- will- is- absolute attidute of his and try to be more involved in the converstations and activities between both teams. It was going to be hard but if it will put the brunet he discovered he had feelings for at ease around him then even if it might take a while for it to happen, it will be worth it.

It was decided that the first day would be a rest day for both teams since the trip to Kyoto wasn't short for the Seirin members, and thus the day would be spent getting both teams to know each other properly.

It was going better than anyone expected, everyone was having fun and happy laughter rung through the air.

Meal time was spent idly chatting about school, everyday life, future plans and other random things.

The week was spent practicing and bonding. While they were enemies on the court, they saw no problem in being friends out of it.

While slowly, Furihata seemed to become less intimidated by them the more time both teams spent together.

It didn't stop him from shaking in fear during practice matches though.

Everyone came to the conclusion that no matter how at ease he was around them, and while it might happen later, on court his fear towards them won't be going away anytime soon.

The week was over way too fast in Akashi's opinion and now they were acompanying Seirin to the train station to see them off. Akashi would of liked for them to stay a little while longer but he knows that it wasn't possible what with school and all, so he saw them off with a smile and a promise to himself that he would be paying a visit to Tokyo in the next couple of days to see Kouki.

He guessed he would probably have to invite the GoM members again. This time with their partners though since he was curious to see what they were like with each other off court. He had yet to decide where they would be hanging out and decided he would search up suitable dating spots once he gets home and text them the time and place a day or two before he heads to Tokyo.

'I can't wait to see him again.' Akashi tought.

He hoped the progress he made at getting Kouki to be more at ease around him during this one week would still be there by then.