[A/N]: AHHH I'm back! Sorry for the slightly longer wait! Just another warning that because this year has been hectic (and I'm expecting an even more hectic year in 2019) do bear with slower updates.
On a lighter note, thank you skyrayle2021 for adding this to your story subscription list! Also, animefreak112097, this writer is really sorry but yeah it's been a bit tiring writing lately because of a little writer's block and a busy schedule…
Please read and review! This chapter is slightly more emotional than the last, and will involve deeper exploration of the characters' inner feelings and thoughts. Once again, please do comment for me to improve my writing. There will be lots of fluff in this chapter, but I do promise more action and friendship later.
X
Akashi and Misaki moved off onto the balcony together to rest after a few minutes of being forced to dance along to the rock songs, worn out by the overly-loud music that Satsuki was currently blasting, which the two of them disliked.
Hair blowing in the wind, Misaki sighed heavily and leaned out even further, starting to think about strategies that her team could use during competitions.
She was supposed to have some quiet time and relax during the gathering with all her old friends, but she couldn't help but think about the state of her own basketball team while away from them.
Because of her and Akashi's absence, the team was going to be training on some days without anyone supervising at times because Kantoku couldn't possibly make it for all the sessions, which she personally reckoned was going to be absolutely disastrous.
It wasn't like the Rakuzan team was too lazy to practise, or had bad attitudes. It was just that… They got too carried away by their love for basketball and generally, competition with one another a lot.
Furthermore, she was afraid they might compete in stupid games – especially between that musclehead and that hyperactive leopard – like seeing who could do the most push-ups in one minute, that might potentially damage their physical strength and affect their play in matches.
Though Misaki did have a reputation for hellish training routines and torturing the boys during practice, she always ensured that the team never overexerted themselves till the point of destruction, and made sure the team took regular water breaks and rests.
At least Kantoku would be there most of the time, right…
"Akashi, please remember to continue exercising during this gathering or else the training that you had for the past few days might wear off and the next time you train, you'll be even more tired!"
The boy just smiled slightly and nodded, before replying.
"We just played a game of volleyball in the swimming pool today, so I'm sure it'll be alright. Furthermore, if I have the time, I can use the huge empty grass patch out here in the Kise home in order to increase my strength. Perhaps even with the others, who might be worried of getting out of shape as well."
Acknowledging his speech, Misaki nodded and heaved a sigh of relief. If only everyone in the team could be as responsible as their captain.
But if they were, then Misaki would end up having an entire team of intelligent, capable people, which wouldbe totally strange and odd for the manager who had been in a team of absolute idiots for the entire fifteen and a half years of her life.
Okay, maybe not.
"Misaki, do you know what love is?"
She almost choked at the question, looking questioningly at the heterochromatic-eyed boy who now stood looking at her.
Why was he, of all people, asking this strange question?
If it was ever to be asked, Misaki would have immediately thought that Satsuki would be the person to pose such a cheesy query to her. But Akashi? No. Never in her wildest dreams had she imagined him behaving oddly like this, completely unlike his usual self.
"Love is…"
Dang. The first thing she thought of was the Oxford dictionary definition of that word.
A strong feeling of deep affection for somebody/something, especially a member of your family or a friend.
She had instinctively googled it up some time before this, on one cold night in a dorm that Rakuzan was staying at, at a time when she couldn't sleep.
Who knew why.
It sounded strange, and it wasn't the kind of response that Akashi was looking for.
Nah.
"Love is when you fall helplessly for someone for almost no reason at all, even if he or she is an absolute jerk or idiot, and is when rational thoughts are being cast aside. Love has no logic at all.
"It makes you happy, sad, jealous, angry and confused all at the same time. But if it's true love, it'll be one of the happiest times of your life, because you're in love with somebody, and your day will be brightened by him or her. You'll be happy just by seeing that special someone.
"It is based on feelings alone, so you absolutely cannot control whom you love. That is why you look at your parents sometimes and wonder why they love each other, or look at your cousin and wonder what's so special about his or her fiancé."
That was the case for Misaki. Why on earth would a kind and gentle man like her father fall in love with her devilish, strict and downright cruel mother? She asked that question to herself almost every day in the past.
Akashi nodded, and if Misaki's eyes weren't tricking her, his cheeks turned slightly…
No, no… He isn't – No, Akashi would never be doing something like that, even if he didn't mean to…"
As he inched closer to her, Misaki couldn't help but bite her lip out, heart beating faster and faster…
Urgh, why do you get so anxious so easily when you're with him?
Your emotions are being manipulated by this redhead too easily.
"So what are the signs of being in love?"
Wait, WHAT?
She totally didn't understand why he was asking these questions, but alright…
"I can't really say, but… You're always thinking about her for no reason at all, and tend to smile or be happier when you're together with her. She makes your day, and you find the smallest details about her interesting or cute, thinking that she's amazing no matter what flaws she has."
Was he asking this because…?
Does he like someone?
Blushing furiously and then forcing her thoughts to go in another completely unrelated direction – about her old Teikou second string mates –, Misaki made herself look directly in his eyes.
She totally regretted that decision.
They seemed more emotional than usual, mysterious, dark and…
Even more mesmerising than usual.
"So Misaki, what do you say if…"
She held her breath as he eventually made her back press against the wall of the balcony, slowly but surely moving his left arm to place on the wall beside her, inching and inching even closer…
"I think I love you."
What?
"In fact, I'm fairly certain."
She could just stare openly at him, brain too confused to process anything.
"I've displayed all of those signs you mentioned, and you… The other day I kissed you simply instinctively, for no reason at all. Well, love is irrational. As you probably know by now, I have two personalities, and my two eyes are always red when I am with you. So I suppose this is love."
"Are you willing to try… an experiment with me?"
Before she could even process what he had said, he leaned closer, pressing his lips against hers for the second time, slitting his tongue into her mouth slowly but surely, savouring the taste of her lips.
She tilted her head slightly and kissed him back; fire pulsating through her veins, her heart burning with a passion that she had never felt before, completely and utterly absorbed in him.
It felt good.
After running out of air, they broke apart at last, slightly gasping for air, and the other's lips left behind a taste on their own which they longed to taste once again.
And before Akashi Seijuurou even asked her once again, he already could tell the answer from the glimmering sparkle in her deep indigo eyes.
Yes.
As she impulsively pressed her lips against his once more, he closed his eyes in satisfaction as a warm feeling bloomed in his chest.
Yes.
And as they pulled apart, he could see fire mischievously dancing in those midnight orbs, dangerously taunting him.
"But didn't you already ask me the other day?"
His eyes taunted her back, beckoning her to come even closer.
"I did, but just for confirmation's sake…"
"How insecure of you, Akashi Seijuurou. I thought you'd be more confident than that."
That damned smirk of hers managed to turn out cute for some irritating reason.
"Well, I'm not confident with someone like you."
He bent down, wrapping her in a large hug, as her cheeks bloomed red once more.
Akashi Seijuurou smirked.
Turned the tables back on you, huh.
"Idiot."
His smirk grew bigger as his ears registered that one whispered word, full of emotion.
"But what about your father?"
That beautiful moment was instantly shattered.
He let go of her, and stared deeply into her eyes.
Those beautiful eyes.
"I'll think about it later. But for now…"
He smiled.
She smiled back.
X
Walking back inside the room, Tamaki narrowed her eyes suspiciously as she noticed the Rakuzan pair – as she now called them inside her head – come back from the balcony, both of their cheeks strangely pinkish.
Tamaki had been watching the others dance themselves silly unlike their usual calm selves for the past few minutes, and had noticed that they had gone missing after a few songs, but didn't think that much about it.
But now if she didn't know better, seeing the pair walk in like this, Tamaki would have instantly thought and assumed that they were lovers or something. They looked so cute together.
She was technically supposed to "dislike" Akashi being together with Misaki as an older sister of Ryouta who liked Misaki, but honestly when seeing them together like this, she somehow felt that the girl seemed more compatible with the redhead. They understood each other so well – Tamaki could tell just from their body language.
When listening to conversations among the Teikou graduates, Akashi always seemed to be slightly isolated from the rest of them, and less carefree. Whenever Misaki talked to him, he appeared less serious and smiled a little more.
And when she was with him, her face seemed to light up happily, and she had an aura around her that Tamaki didn't know how to describe exactly. But she was sure that she was always in one of her happiest moods when she was with him.
And what were those lovebirds doing out there on the balcony, anyway?
"Misaki-san, what were you and Akashi doing out on the balcony? Everyone's dancing over here."
Was it just her, or did the Rakuzan manager blush a bit?
"Umm… We were just inhaling the nice night air, Tamaki-san. Also, we danced a little just now, so we're slightly tired. Maybe we'll continue to dance later?"
The boy beside her nodded, and they smiled at her before joining the rest.
Still confused, Tamaki made her way back into her room, where she resumed reading a book that her professor at university wanted them to analyse. But she couldn't concentrate on her homework, and ended up staring at the ceiling.
What was up with those two?
ONE MINUTE LATER
As Satsuki was dragging Dai-chan's slightly tired body along to the music, something caught his attention, and he turned his head back abruptly to look at whatever it was. Her eyes followed in the same direction, and they widened.
Misaki and Akashi were walking back into the Kises' living room from whatever they had been doing on the balcony, and Mi-chan was somewhat blushy. Barely noticeable, but Satsuki knew her friend's body language exceptionally well.
And what the hell, Akashi Seijuurou of Rakuzan actually seemed to be in a good mood for once.
She frowned and pulled apart from her childhood friend as she observed the two talking and sitting down on the couch together, watching the others continue to dance obliviously to the music.
Why was Mi-chan acting so friendly towards Akashi? And why on earth was Akashi smiling at her and actually looking genuinely nice for once? Usually the redhead only smirked at others when he was demanding something from them, or was pleased with himself.
She sensed that something was different between those two once again, and turned with curiosity at how Dai-chan would react. As expected, he was frowning heavily as he watched those two get along, looking his usual grumpy self, but Satsuki knew different.
Dai-chan was just simply jealous of Akashi Seijuurou, even if he would never admit it.
All that time spent together in Kyoto and as basketball friends must have made them grow closer together, and Dai-chan must have been feeling slightly left out. After all, he had only made up with her a few weeks ago.
She did pity Dai-chan, especially when that proud ex-Teikou captain flashed him just a subtle little smirk that Dai-chan didn't see simply because he was too occupied with his troubles.
But Satsuki had a romantic mind, and to her, all was fair in love and war. Despite Dai-chan failing, it would be cool to see Mi-chan trapped in the middle.
How did she fall for the two of them, again?
TIME SKIP
"Mi-chan, I saw you and Akashi-kun just now, and you were romantically together at the balcony alone. What were you guys dooo-ing~"
"Do you like him~ He's quite good-looking, you know~"
"He's super cold, how are you gonna deal with a cold boyfriend on your hands…"
"Oh, and by the way…"
She flushed as her best friend probed her with totally embarrassing questions once again, overwhelming her mind as Satsuki pounced on her with every chance she got.
Since they were the only girls besides Tamaki in the household, they got to share a room, while the other boys all busily sorted out their own sleeping arrangements. And Misaki could still hear Kise's annoyed pouts coming from the corridor, saying something about "Kurokocchi being mean" or something.
"Gosh, Satsuki, you don't have to ask so many questions all at one go. And Akashi and I are just… good friends. Nothing more than that."
Fighting the urge to smile, Misaki put on the dead-est expression she had and she leaned back against the pillows, hoping against hope that her best friend wouldn't notice her lie.
After tonight, we're obviously not friends any longer, right?
"Psh. As if I would fall for such an obvious lie. I saw you when you were looking at Akashi just now, and it was totally romantic…"
Misaki rolled her eyes and sweatdropped for the fifth time as Satsuki went into one of her romantic rants. That girl was just a plain sucker for any romance, and would find every chance she got to tease Misaki about the guys in her life.
"Rubbish, Satsuki. I was just talking to him, and naturally looked at him. I mean, you wouldn't look away from someone when you're talking to that person right?"
Satsuki merely pouted and stared at her friend before shaking her head in mock disappointment, sitting down on the bed and resumed combing her hair. That was the tactic she commonly used whenever she wanted Misaki to tell her something.
Urgh. She just couldn't stand the sight of her usual happy energetic friend nonchalantly combing her hair through, not wanting to know whether Misaki liked Akashi or not, not bothering…
And that trick worked like magic.
Whatever. Satsuki was her best friend, after all. Even if she probably couldn't be trusted to keep a secret.
Oh well. It was just the Generation of Miracles.
"What I said is true, but… maybe I like somebody. Not necessarily Akashi Seijuurou."
Blushing furiously, Misaki regretted her decision as Satsuki's eyed widened and she suddenly shot up, standing before her and began shooting questions at her like a machine gun. Again.
Oh dear kami…
"It's Akashi, isn't it? When did you start liking him?"
"Don't you still like Dai-chan?"
"Are you liking two of them at the same –"
"Satsuki, SHUT UP!"
She covered her face with a pillow in complete embarrassment, as the grinning bubblegum-pink-haired girl pried it off her successfully, with a smirk as smug as the Cheshire cat's.
Oh well, since this was one of the rare times that Misaki actually got to talk to a girl instead of the boys she usually had to handle in the club… She would put up with her girl talk. For once.
"When we were at the balcony… Akashi… urm, confessed to me after asking me about love… and we um…"
Her eyes widened even more to the size of saucers, and Misaki fought the urge to crawl under the blankets once again.
"WHAT DID HE SAY?! OMG!"
"THAT STIFF REDHEAD ACTUALLY CONFESSED?! THE WORLD IS CHANGING. PIGS ARE FLYING."
"Dear kami, no. Pigs are not flying."
"DID YOU GUYS KISS?"
"Yes. Urgh, Satsuki, you remind me of an old, nosy and annoying –"
Before she could complete her sentence, Satsuki already wrapped her arms around her shoulders, and was hugging herself in excitement, eyes sparkling.
"Are you that thirsty for roma –"
"SO ROMANTIC! Tell me more details, and yes, I need more girl talk! Being around Dai-chan is fun, but very annoying and I hang around boys too much in school…"
"So I'm a bit iffy about Daiki cos I haven't seen him in so long and we're a bit awkward, but for Akashi I know that… um…"
Misaki was too embarrassed at herself for saying this, and buried her face in a pillow once again. How did she get convinced to talk about these cheesy things again? Satsuki was the worst.
"Aw, so Mi-chan, you like the both of them?"
She barely got a response from the huddled-up indigo-haired teen hiding behind a pillow, with a small little nod.
"But if you like Akashi-kun more, go and date him, it's so romantic, even if Dai-chan doesn't get the girl he likes~"
She shot up immediately out of her head in horrification.
"Daiki doesn't like me in that way at all, Satsuki. Don't spout rubbish…"
Satsuki rolled her eyes at her best friend and plopped down on the bed once again. Seriously, what was up with those two baka? They obviously liked each other, but they themselves were blind to the other's feelings.
Honestly, if they had known about it, Mi-chan and Dai-chan would probably have gotten together as a totally sweet couple two years ago. But well, usually the two people who liked each other were blind to the other's emotions. Very annoyingly so.
"Of course he does, Mi-chan…"
If Satsuki had gotten a dollar for every single time Dai-chan blushed unnaturally when talking to or about Misaki, she would have been living in a luxury mansion by now. Even if couples were blind to each other's emotions, it was a bit too dense of Mi-chan to not notice.
"Mou… But since you're kind of getting into a relationship with Akashi-kun already, it's much too late… Do you want me to tell Dai-chan?"
Misaki just squirmed even more and sighed.
"No, Satsuki. Just… UGH."
Satsuki got what she was trying to say, and slumped down.
Dai-chan was going to be disappointed…
She turned off the lights abruptly and mumbled a good-night, before Misaki also returned to her own bed and began sleeping.
Looking at the sleeping form of Imayoshi Misaki, Satsuki couldn't help but sigh again to herself.
Mi-chan, you're lucky to have been liked by two boys at the same time, but at the same time it's a curse.
And honestly, given Akashi's past records, Satsuki was a tad bit uncertain about how well he would treat her.
Sure, he was making her happy for now, but what if they fought? Would Akashi try to aggressively take control or something?
And his personalities…
Satsuki was pretty sure Misaki knew about them already, but in a relationship, those personalities could sure screw their interaction up.
X
The next morning, the two girls rose up slightly earlier than everyone else, just to help to prepare breakfast. Since Misaki had protested the other day that "not only girls should do the food preparation", when they got to the kitchen, Midorima Shintarou was already there up and early, using chopsticks to flip over mackerel in a stove.
"Midorima-kun, arigato for helping us cook~"
Misaki rushed up to the green-haired teenager before Satsuki could do so, guarding the sauces and meat left protectively from her best friend. Sure, Satsuki loved to cook to "express her love", but honestly, Misaki wouldn't want to wish her cooking on anyone.
Thank goodness, the Kiseki no Sedai had been with Satsuki long enough to know that whatever she cooked was just not safe to eat.
"Oi, Momoi, don't touch that spare piece of –"
"But I want to help you cook! Especially because Tetsu-kun and… um, Mi-chan are here, I want to show them that my cooking has improved a lot and it's much, much better than last time…"
More like because of Tetsu, and I'm an added excuse…
Midorima and Misaki momentarily made eye contact for a second, and the green-haired shooter sighed before letting Misaki take over his cooking, before pushing his glasses up, telling her that she could decide.
"Fine, Satsuki. I'll give you a chance, for once, but if you cook weirdly again… There'll be no more chances. Remember last time when you almost poisoned Tetsu…"
The last time the Teikou friends let Satsuki attempt to cook, she had specially prepared a peach pudding – which they thought was perfectly safe for others to eat – with some uncooked egg, salted caramel, mackerel and 99% dark chocolate as the ingredients, which were all prepared by herself.
Tetsu had kind of choked mainly because of the large amounts of pudding Satsuki had dolloped into his mouth, and also because the ingredients were too rich in flavour and were made of strange things as well.
Misaki couldn't blame Tetsu for refusing to eat anything of Satsuki's after that happened… The way he avoided consuming anything of hers was to accept it with gratitude, and then quietly "recycle" it somewhere afterwards.
Hopefully her cooking was just slightly better now…
Leaving Satsuki to her own devices in order to make her "prove herself", Midorima and Misaki began taking out the rice and cooking it, with them assigning unsaid rules to each other.
As they finally finished preparing everything, Midorima decided to go and supervise Satsuki before she did anything stupid, and Misaki went to go and wake up the guys in their rooms before they could oversleep, in time for breakfast.
The first room she knocked on was the one shared by Murasakibara and Tetsu, and when she opened the door after no reply, she was greeted by a lit room, with Kuroko being held in the purple giant's arms.
"Ano, Tetsu, what happened to you…"
Tetsu's eyes were wide open, and they were staring at Misaki with a slight plea for help in his eyes, with Murasakibara snoozing away, a packet of chips conveniently placed right beside him in the bed.
"Misaki-san, please… help me. Murasakibara-san is kind of suffocating me right now…"
Misaki sighed and gently tried to pry the teal-haired boy out from Murasakibara's arms with much effort, waking him up in the process. After all, Murasakibara's arms were just too strong, and the only way she could save Tetsu was to awaken him to release his grip.
"Mou…"
The Yousen centre yawned tiredly as he got awakened from his beauty sleep, and opened his purple eyes lazily as he held on even tighter to the Seirin player.
"Please release Tetsu, Murasakibara-kun. He's kind of suffocating…"
The giant protested with a little murmur as he rolled over instead, and wrapped his huge arms around Tetsu even more strongly and protectively, mumbling something about "sweet and soft" or something. It sounded really perverted to her…
"Please release me, Murasakibara-san. I feel a bit tight and I have no space, and furthermore you have been hugging me throughout the night even though I have my own bed."
Tetsu stated it with his usual expressionless face, and Murasakibara considered it for a moment before releasing him unwillingly, before apologising to his friend.
"Gomen, Kuro-chin, I didn't know that I had been doing that. I thought I just asked you to sleep together in the same bed as me…"
Misaki smiled at them in amusement and then went out of the room after ensuring that Murasakibara wouldn't fall back asleep again and "kidnap" Tetsu. As Satsuki and Daiki often said, he was like an overgrown child with a screw loose when he wasn't on the court.
The next room: Midorima and Kise's. The two of them didn't get along very well, but since almost no one wanted to put up with the blonde's antics, the boys had decided to draw straws and Midorima was the lucky one to end up with the Kaijou player, who refused to go back to his own room to sleep.
The moment Misaki opened the door, the blonde model immediately pounced onto the Rakuzan manager, causing her to let out a little squeak of surprise as he wrapped his arms around her shoulders.
"Kise…"
"Ne, Misacchi, call me Ryouta instead. We've known each other for three years now, and you still call me by my last name while I call you Misacchi…"
"Fine. Ryouta, you're wide awake right? Not getting back to sleep?"
"Hai, I'm always up and early~ Plus Midorimacchi always wakes up extra early every morning, so when he got up today he also woke me up at the same time unknowingly because he's super loud when he gets ready… Ne, Misacchi, don't go yet…"
Misaki smiled at the mention of the greenhead's weird antics, and shut the door softly, as the blonde continued to whine about Misacchi not staying longer.
Walking down the corridor, she halted in front of the last door she had to open, and entered the room softly after a gentle knock. As expected, Akashi was already awake, but Aomine was still sleeping away, with the redhead tapping him on the shoulder repeatedly, failing to wake him up.
"Akashi? Just give up, I can wake Daiki up. I'm kind of used to doing it by now, and I suppose I'm the second best here at waking him up after Satsuki…"
Akashi frowned slightly.
"No. It's fine, Misaki. I don't want to bother you with the tiresome task of waking Daiki up. Besides, I can do it as well."
Sighing resignedly, Misaki nodded and smiled at him before making a move, before her wrist got caught by his. She turned around, curious.
"By the way, Misaki. I noticed that you called me Akashi. Please call me Seijuurou or Sei in the future. After all, we're much closer now."
She blushed just a little, and nodded her head as she noticed the slight mischievous glint in his red eyes, sighing a little.
"Well then, Seijuurou, you're slightly more humorous and comedic today than you are usually, but oh well, I guess that's a valid reason."
Rolling her eyes humorously at the slight twinkle in his eyes that remained, she shut the door softly and returned to the kitchen, attempting to ignore her red face.
Unknown to the pair, a certain Touou Gakuen Power Forward was wide awake, with only his eyes shut.
Seijuurou…?
X
More serious things coming up in the next chapter!