Differences in this chapter are intended.
This will be the last part of Act III (and the last official chapter of this story).
There will still be an extra chapter after this to explain some of the things that couldn't quite fit in anywhere else.
I do not own KnB; this plot and OCs are mine.
...I hope you'll enjoy this.
~ Lura :)
8th August 2016 (in my current country)
- Act III -
All We Have To Do...
( Tokyo. December 1st- )
"When I made up my mind to do anything I can to make you happy, Hitomi, I didn't think it meant saying goodbye to you a second time."
Covering his eyes with an arm, Kuroko Tetsuya muttered into the still air of his room, his voice raw and dry.
After Seirin's tough battle with Yosen two days ago, he had received an unexpected email from his ex-captain informing him that there was something he should read immediately. He hadn't waited to do exactly what he was told to do; if Kuroko had to explain his- as well as the rest of the Generation of Miracle's- involuntary obedience to a certain red-haired teen, he would say that their reactions was an ingrained one. They still listened to Akashi Seijurou because somewhere deep down inside their hearts, they still respected him. Though that respect was now marred with fear, that fear was shallow compared to everything else they've experienced and gone through together. Perhaps it was because he was so gentle in the beginning, Akashi's drastic change in demeanour was hardest to swallow for them all. But he wasn't the only one at fault. All of them were.
...But maybe Midorima was wrong. Perhaps Akashi was still the same gentle captain they knew- the captain that nagged Aomine and Murasakibara about their eating habits, the captain that tolerated Midorima's ever changing (and at times embarrassing) lucky items, the captain that gave Kuroko himself a chance and helped him develop his playing style... The captain that wasn't a captain but a friend whom Hitomi trusted.
"And of course you chose him to be your messenger again this time..."
Kuroko lowered his arm to gaze at the photo by his bed, his sister's bright smile meeting his eyes.
If it had been anyone else, he would've thought that they were toying with him. But this was Akashi he was talking about, and Kuroko knew Akashi's sense of humor could rival his own... Which said a lot. And there was no way he would not recognise his own sister's writing. Especially not after he had memorised almost the entire diary she left him. Sure, there was a darker edge to the sentences written but the style was there.
A long sigh left him and he finally allowed a small smile to form on his lips.
It was time to let go.
"Be happy wherever you are, Hitomi."
It was time to let her go.
Being her twin for fourteen years was a privilege that he would forever be grateful for, and their memories together would be something he would cherish till his last breath. She wanted him to move on so he will... She wanted him to keep looking forward so he will... He will because he knew she had his best interest in heart, because somewhere in his mind, he acknowledged that she was right. Kuroko Hitomi was no more and it was time to truly move forward. It wouldn't be easy, but together, they'd manage.
...The only regret he had at this moment might be that he would never get to introduce her to Kise...
For a second Kuroko wondered if Akashi had sent an email to Teiko's former copycat as well but as soon as that thought crossed his mind, he realised how small the possibility was. Kise Ryota was never a part of the world where Kuroko Hitomi existed, and as cruel as that sounded, it was a fact. Hitomi's death did not affect him in any way; she may have known of his existence but he never knew of hers until Kuroko told them all that she was dying.
And knowing Akashi, Kuroko could safely say that if anyone bothered to ask- not that any of them would- the former would merely brush off the question with 'it's none of his business' or more bluntly put, 'he doesn't deserve to know; he never knew her'.
And for once, Kuroko had to admit that he agreed.
Hitomi's last words to them were not something he was keen in sharing with people outside their circle.
He reached over to pick up the new magazine Momoi sent him earlier this morning and flipped through it until he came to the final page where the name of the author was finally revealed to the world. His eyes trailed up the page and settled on the last few paragraphs, noting that what was published in the magazine was completely different from the version Akashi sent him.
The name 'Hitomi' never appeared.
But then again, goodbyes were meaningless to an audience that did not know her or her story.
Hitomi knew. And that was why she did what she did.
...
And this time, he would not ask Akashi if he knew where she was. For one, Kuroko knew he would receive no answer; and two, he knew that wasn't what Hitomi wanted.
...That was what letting go meant.
( December 12th- )
"They've finally made it to today, huh?"
From where he sat in the audience, Aomine Daiki looked down at the opposing teams with a conflicted look on his face. Since their middle school days, there was always a sort of bond between Akashi Seijurou and Kuroko Tetsuya that none of them could fully understand. Akashi was the one who gave Kuroko an opportunity and the one who aided in creating Kuroko's playing style- in short, the fact that Kuroko could stand on the court today was all thanks to Akashi. However, it wasn't to say that it was only Kuroko that benefitted from this relationship, Akashi- though Aomine hated to admit- must've found some companionship with this more... normal ex-team member. Not that Kuroko's presence was exactly normal; Aomine shuddered.
He took a closer look at the atmosphere below and the crease between his brows deepened.
The entire atmosphere surrounding the court was... tense. But not in the sense expected. There was something more, something only the few of them could understand.
Something that had no connection to basketball.
However-
- "Why are you guys sitting here?! Go sit somewhere else!"
Beside him, Momoi Satsuki elbowed him hard in the ribs, "Don't be so rude, Dai-chan! It's been awhile since we've all sat together so why don't you just smile and enjoy us all sitting together? And also," Here, she rolled her eyes at him, "Don't you think that it should be us that is complaining and not you? You aren't the best choice as a seatmate it you get what I mean."
"No, I don't get what you mean, you stupid woman!"
"That's not how you treat a girl, Aominecchi~"
"You're too noisy, Aomine."
"Mine-chin is a barbarian~"
Aomine felt his temper rising but at a not-so-discreet pinch from his childhood friend, he wisely decided to grit his teeth and hold his tongue.
A buzz sounded, silencing the audience.
The match began.
...
On the streets of Tokyo, a raven-haired girl was slowly making her way down a nearly empty path. She had a thick navy scarf wrapped around her face and neck but the biting chill of winter still caused her cheeks to take on a crimson hue. Blue eyes that were exposed betrayed the anxiety of the girl. She attempted to quicken her pace but stumbled, her hands shot out in response to grab onto a bench that was thankfully next to her. Lifting up her eyes once more, she caught sight of her destination some ways ahead and sighed. At this rate, she wouldn't be able to make it in time... Perhaps she was wrong to insist on walking, but the traffic was bad and she had no other choice.
"Excuse me, do you need help? Is everything alright?"
She turned when she heard a voice ask carefully behind her. Two young men were standing behind her with differing degrees of worry on their faces. The one who asked the question was the teen with chestnut brown hair who was carrying a basketball under his arm while the other one with black hair remained at the side.
As if noticing his own forwardness, the brown eyes widened as he tried explaining himself, "I'm sorry! It's just that we've been walking behind you for a few minutes and we noticed that you seem to be having trouble. I'm Ogiwara Shigehiro and this is my friend Mochida Reiji."
The girl blinked at the sound of his name, her gaze unreadable as she fixed her eyes on him for a good long while. But just as he began to fidget under her stare, she bowed, "Thank you for your concern. If it's not too much trouble, can you help me get to the stadium?"
"Are you going to watch the Winter Cup finals as well? We are going there too so it's absolutely no trouble!" Ogiwara said, clearly excited at the prospect of meeting someone who was interested in the same thing they loved.
He offered her his other arm to grab onto as support, "I don't mean to be rude," He began, hesitating, "But... what happened?" He asked, indicating the slightly noticeable limp in her steps.
"I was... in a coma for a few months," She told him as they started walking again at a faster pace than she had been using a few minutes ago, "I got out of rehab a couple of days ago."
"Should you really be out here by yourself like this? Surely, it's dangerous for you," Their other companion, who had been silent until then, spoke up.
Even though they couldn't see because of the scarf obscuring her face, they could somehow sense that she was smiling when she answered them-
- "I have something I wish to see today and there's no way I'm letting anyone or anything stop me from coming."
...
"By the way, what's your name?"
"...I'm Kurokawa Hisako. It's a pleasure to meet you, Ogiwara-san, Mochida-san."
Third quarter did not start well for Seirin.
With Hyuuga being subbed out for four fouls, Kuroko knew he had to do something before they began to crumble under the overwhelming pressure of their opponent. Without much of a choice, Kuroko was put back into the game under the worried gazes of his coach and team members. He had no time to assure them that everything would be fine. No, at this moment, his mind was going into an overdrive at what he could and should do right this second. Mayuzumi Chihiro- Rakuzan's own phantom- was staring down at him with unhidden contempt, clearly looking down at him for being the 'older and weaker prototype'.
His saw a flash of red from his peripheral vision and grit his teeth.
He needed to win this.
He needed to prove to his former captain that winning was not the only way to live, that winning was not the thing that held a team together... Now that he thought about it, a sudden thought struck him that perhaps all along, Akashi Seijurou was also desperately trying to keep them all together, however, unlike himself, he chose a path that led them further and further away from each other.
But it wasn't his fault.
Winning was the only thing Akashi knew. It came as naturally to him as breathing. Losing was unacceptable; it meant not having control, it meant not having the power and right to right the wrong in his path.
For once, Kuroko felt as if he could somehow understand the reasoning behind Akashi's twisted reasoning.
In a way, it brought him comfort that somewhere deep down, Akashi was still the Akashi they all knew.
Determination rose up in Kuroko. He needed to win, needed to bring back Akashi before he was too far gone in his pursuit for victory.
...
He needed to fulfil his last promise to Hitomi.
Akashi abandoned his own team.
Now in the zone, he scored one basket after the other all on his own. His teammates had disappointed him.
Kuroko tried to regulate his breathing as he sat beside Kagami on the bench after their coach called for a time out. The score was now 90-78 with Rakuzan in the lead.
'Akashi-kun, is this what you really wanted? To leave your team behind, to fight on your own. You want victory, but what's the point of winning like this? Even if you win, you're by yourself... You're not even smiling.'
He looked across the court at the crimson-haired emperor who was sitting alone, a plan formulating in his mind.
"We've finally arrived."
Ogiwara Shigehiro heaved a sigh of relief as they stepped into the stadium, leaning over the railing, he peered down at the courts. The girl beside him let go of his arm as soon as he did so, quietly thanking him and his friend for their help. It didn't seem like Ogiwara was paying any attention to her however, though Mochida definitely did, and it was the latter that acknowledged her when she told him that she would be looking for somewhere to sit on her own.
Down in the courts below, there was only five more minutes left in the game. Rakuzan had called for a time out and by the looks of things, the team was at their wits end. Seirin had made their comeback and they were now 92-90.
It wasn't hard to see that Rakuzan's captain was falling apart.
...
"Who are you?"
At Mayuzumi Chihiro's pointed question, Akashi snapped out from his self-pitying thoughts.
Who was he?
He was just a captain who wanted to keep his team together, a normal teenager who wanted to keep his friends. He was tired of being left alone by people he cared for, tired of being unable to make people stay despite him trying all he could, and he was tired of making the same decision over and over again everyday even though he knew- subconsciously, he knew- he was wrong.
He lifted his head up and ran his eyes across the audience.
Even without trying, he caught sight of his ex-team members all sitting together in a row. He saw the expressions on their faces, their faith and hope in Seirin's phantom, and their altered demeanours. For one split second, their unfaltering support for Kuroko Tetsuya brought back a sting of betrayal in him but he brushed that feeling aside. He couldn't blame them for wishing the best for their friend who had brought them all back together- and it wasn't only that, Kuroko Tetsuya revived their love for basketball.
...Perhaps it was time for him to let go?
Yes.
He should let go.
The past was over and he needed to keep moving forward.
Unnoticeably, the gold in his eye began to fade but before it completely disappeared, he caught sight of a sudden flash of sky blue.
Far away from where the colorful bunch of teens sat, Akashi saw the girl he hadn't seen in weeks. Their eyes met across the distance and for a few seconds, just before the last bit of gold vanished from his eye, he clearly saw Kuroko Hitomi in her original appearance. Blue-haired and eyes with skin as pale as moonlight. He held her gaze even as the blue began to darken into the shade of black that was visible to anyone looking and Kurokawa Hisako was left in her place.
That brief glimpse at her soul was enough for him though.
It was enough for him to know that she was still there. Still in his life.
A soft smile spread across his face as he felt the last piece of unease in his heart fade away.
...
People who wanted to remain in his life would remain in his life no matter what happened. The most precious of relationships was when one decided to stay by another's side not by force but by the act of free will.
He acknowledged that now.
Victory was still something he would always work for for the rest of his life. But only in matters that did not concern relationships.
...
"I'm Akashi Seijurou."
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( Kyoto. December 20th- )
The taste of defeat from a few days back still lingered on in his system. His father was, to put it lightly, less than pleased when he heard the new but strangely this time, the older Akashi made no comment on his failure. Not that the man ever showed any interest in his son's life. Akashi had to admit that while a part of him was relieved, a bigger part of him- a part he thought was numb- was vaguely... disappointed.
After the Winter Cup, it was as if everything went back to normal and that nothing had changed. He was still president of the student council of Rakuzan, still the captain of the basketball team, still the class representative of 1-A. Life went on as usual, night still came with the end of each day, time ticked on.
But of course, the above statement only stood true for those that did not matter- those that merely looked at the surface of things with a sort of indifference that was only natural for them to have. Everyone was living a Story of their own, and unless their paths intersected, the happenings of another's life would never be of any consequence to their own.
Such was Life. Such was the Rule that governed the living.
As Akashi sat alone in the deserted classroom, he allowed his mind to wander.
So to him, what had changed?
Well, for one, the burden he had been unconsciously shouldering all the while had lightened up considerably. In a way, he had to acknowledge that his match with Kuroko Tetsuya played a key factor; the ex Teiko phantom did deserve his win.
Right then, the door to their classroom slid open softly. Akashi closed his eyes briefly, immediately recognising the approaching footsteps. The sound of rustling fabric reached his ears as the presence took a seat next to him.
"How was your meeting with Serizawa-sensei?"
He broke the stillness first by asking the question, finally directing his gaze at the girl sitting beside him with a distant smile on her face.
"It went well," She answered, her voice equally soft as his when he spoke, "She scheduled the make-up tests for me after winter break- said that I'm going to need all the time I could get; not that I'm complaining. As long as I pass those, I should be able to move up the next grade like everyone else by spring."
He raised a slight brow, "Knowing you it wouldn't be a problem."
"Knowing me," She countered, imitating his tone, "I'd count myself blessed if I could even get half my concentration back onto my schoolwork," At this, her smile grew just a little, "But you're probably right."
His own lips curved upwards, hearing the implication behind her words. She was now staring at him and he let her do as she wished, waiting for her to be the next one to break the silence that had befallen them once more. This was the first time for the both of them to be sitting together like this ever since his last visit at the hospital. She hadn't stayed a minute longer during the day of the finals- not that he'd expect her to, especially not when there was so many present. For her, it was far too soon to meet anyone of them. And after the finals, she had disappeared for a few more days until she showed up at school this morning, smiling at him in greeting as soon as her eyes found his as if the months- or more to be exact, year- of their separation had not happened in the first place.
"Your eyes,"
Like he expected. she spoke.
He inclined his head, indicating that she should just speak her mind.
"I couldn't recognise them even though everything in my soul screamed at me that you seem familiar the first time I saw you months ago."
"...I know," Of course he knew now, "I changed."
Her lips quirked at his admittance, "Speaking of change," she said, almost forlornly, "I'm the one that changed the most."
"Only on the outside," He said.
And he was right. Unlike himself, her change was only at the surface while his was deeper. She was still the girl who wormed her way into his- their hearts, still the girl who gave more thought about others than herself, still the girl who perhaps had the clearest mind compared to the rest of them. She knew when to let go, and she wasn't afraid to remind them that holding onto the past was not the way to live.
"Say, Akashi-kun, did you really not suspect anything?"
There was a partly expectant, partly teasing hint in her tone when she asked the question.
He glanced at her, the edges of his lips curving upwards a little in response to hers.
"You must know that the possibility we're talking about is not high."
"But you saw me after I died. What makes this time different?"
"For one, like you said, you died and I was there to witness you disappearing. And for two, even if I did figure out something was suspicious with Kurokawa Hisako, what are the odds of you being her? And don't forget that you did not recognise me." If only she had shown recognition of some sort, perhaps things would have been different. But regardless, it was meaningless to think about this now.
"...Touche. But I know you did figure out that something was wrong. What gave me away?"
"The first time we bumped into each other outside the gym on the first day of school, you uttered something about basketball being your brother's favorite sports. When I met Kurokawa Yoichi later, he clearly told me that his interest lies in football."
"...Just that?"
"At that point of time, yes, just that."
She blinked and her lips moved as if there was something she wanted to say then but changed her mind. Instead, she settled on the simplest statement of awe she could conjure-
- "You're amazing, Akashi-kun."
He shrugged at her praise, tapping the long-ignored shogi board that had been in front of him all these while and asked the girl in front of him, "How about a game? It's been awhile."
"I'll play. But only if you promise your time after school."
...
"It's snowing."
Akashi paused in his tracks when he heard the soft exclamation to look at his companion who had stopped walking and was now gazing up at the sky with child-like delight, her hands outstretched as if to catch the flakes as they fell. With her face now upturned, the reality dawned him that while the soul that currently resided in this body was without a doubt Hitomi, she really wasn't the Hitomi he had grown to know in Teiko. She no longer had a twin named Kuroko Tetsuya, who adored and loved her with all his heart; now, she had an older brother named Kurokawa Yoichi who, though will never take the place of her twin, would look out for her just as much. She no longer had hair that resembled the sky; her raven-locks now created a stark contrast against the falling snow and her white scarf. She no longer had a frail body that she needed to lie about. She could now travel and run and do anything she wanted to her heart's desire.
As if sensing his thoughts, sky blue eyes met his crimson ones and she gave him another smile.
"Say, Akashi-kun, have you decided what to call me yet?"
"...Does it really matter?"
She slowly made her way back to his side, seemingly amused by his answering question.
"Not really, but it'll be good to know. Besides," She added, "You can't just not use a name when talking to me in the future."
He wordlessly looked around the park they were in, idly recalling the way she had dragged him out of the classroom as soon as the dismissal bell rang and pushed him up a bus. He finally sighed, relenting.
"Do you have a preference?"
She tilted her head in thought, "Well, for other people, I don't mind them calling me by the name I have now. But for you..." She trailed off, certain he would understand.
Of course he understood.
Being the only one who knew of the soul behind her new identity, he had, in a way, become some sort of an anchor for her. However, who was he to say that it wasn't the same the other way round?
...
A lot of people possessed the wrong idea of the term letting go. For them, letting go meant completely forgetting the past. It meant not having anything more to do with what had happened.
They couldn't be more wrong.
The past would always be a part of them all. It was and is what shaped them into who they are today. Letting go of the past meant looking forward with a new focus and purpose in mind. It meant putting down the hurt, the burden, the pain, and the sorrow that would hinder them from living a fulfilled life.
Letting go did not mean forgetting the things that had come to pass, but to acknowledge and remember them as precious memories and lessons to cherish and learn from.
The cowardly forgets. The brave remembers and moves on.
Letting go is not an excuse. It is a chance to grow.
...
( 7:59 pm- )
Night had fallen.
It had been an hour and a half since they arrived at the park. And other than the few conversations they had in the beginning, they had settled down into a comfortable silence. The stone bench they were sitting on had long lost its biting chill. From his peripheral vision, he noticed that for once, she seemed to be enjoying the cold- there was a faint sparkle in her eyes that were absent from them before as she stared at the barren trees surrounding them. Her nose and cheeks had turned red from the wind but she did not seem to mind.
She was waiting for something. That much he was certain.
"One more minute."
Her breath escaped her in the form of white wisps. Nudging his arm lightly, she pointed to upwards.
As if on cue, the barren branches above their heads began to glow a warm shade of yellow. Growing brighter and brighter, the lights lit up the entire tree and soon, with this tree as a center point, the trees around them began lighting up in the same manner. It wasn't long before the entire park was bathed in the soft glow.
He, not having seen anything like this before, watched the display with a sort of attentiveness that would have been queer for anyone else. But for him, Akashi Seijurou, who had grown up all his life living within the walls of magnificent buildings, attending formal parties and meetings with people who knew not the meaning of being genuine, this simple light show moved something deep within him with a kind of feeling that he did not bother yet to identify.
Slowly, he turned to look at the smiling girl sitting beside him, watching him as he watched the show even though he knew that she hadn't really seen a display like this herself. The yellow glow had softened the lines of her face and as he held her gaze, he felt something being placed into his hands.
"Happy Birthday, Akashi-kun."
He blinked.
It was his birthday.
...he had completely forgotten about it...
"You forgot, didn't you?" She asked him lightly, amusement showing in her voice, "The same thing happened when we were first years in Teiko. It was so easy to surprise you on this day," She fell silent for a few minutes after that, a look of wistful nostalgia crossing her expression. When she spoke again, her voice was a mere whisper-
- "They should be calling to wish you soon."
She didn't need to say who 'they' were. Despite being away for so long, she still knew each and every one of them by heart. Kuroko Hitomi truly cared about her friends. Their habits, their way of thinking, their methods of doing things were all engraved into her memory... though she may never act on that knowledge again.
Then and there, Akashi silently thanked Kuroko again for bringing them all back, for bringing back their love for basketball. Never had he been so thankful that Kuroko Hitomi hadn't been there during their third year to witness their change and their drifting away from each other.
Perhaps nothing was ever a coincidence.
She didn't need to see them at their worst... though if he had to guess, she had always known the gist of what was going on. Her perspective on things were easily on par with that of Kuroko Tetsuya's after all.
His cell phone rang.
Raising a brow as if to say 'I told you so', she indicated for him to pick up the ringing device but he shook his head. Instead, he silenced his phone, putting it back into the pocket of his jacket under her surprised gaze.
"They'll call again," He said nonchalantly, used to their relentless and persevering nature.
If she was puzzled, she did not show it. A contented sigh left her lips as she leaned back a little, "Did you know I liked you back in Teiko, Akashi-kun?"
Her confession was random and totally unscripted. If anyone had passed by at that moment, they would've been more convinced if they were told that she was talking to herself.
But he heard it.
"I had a feeling that you did."
And he had to admit that yes, he knew.
She tilted her head slightly to look at him once more, sincerity pouring from her next words.
"Obviously, I'm still a mess right now but if... If it's alright with you... Can I- May I keep on liking you?"
A small smile made its way onto his face at her bold request. Inclining his head, he gave her his wordless consent.
Her answering smile was radiant.
...
There were still a lot of things they had to work through, individually and together.
But what mattered most for them was the knowledge they had that they were not alone.
He held the secret of her name; she kept her place in his life.
That was how Hitomi knew that as long as Akashi did not forget her, he will always be her way Home.