家出皇后
ーThe Runaway Empressー
*第35章 *
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— 金曜日 (20xx年2月12日) —
** Wakayama, Japan **
和歌山県、日本
Kimiko turned the card over in her fingers, then sniffed it, getting a mild scent of roses and something like lilies – or was it jasmine? Tapping the invitation on her nose, she frowned as she tried to figure out which of the two was the other underlying scent she'd smelled on the damn paper.
"I was merely asking, Akumi. You don't have to go if you don't want to," Akashi said, taking her silence as a refusal to his invitation. Around them, the rest of the Rakuzan team tried their hardest not to listen in on their conversation.
Okay, so everyone EXCEPT Mibuchi was trying hard NOT to listen in on their conversation.
After watching each others' games, the five boys and Kimiko had decided to eat lunch before going back to the hotel, and it was just as they were eating dessert that Akashi had handed her the extra invitation he had and asked her to be his consort for the said event.
Doubt clouded her eyes as she looked at him. "No, it's not that. But, will it really be okay?"
"Of course."
"But I don't –"
"If you are worried about your attire, rest assured that it can be taken care of in a matter of minutes. The party is at seven-thirty, but I prefer to go to such functions half an hour later so that everyone will be there and therefore, I will be able to give them the proper greetings," Akashi said almost nonchalantly. Inwardly he was delighted at the fact that Kimiko accepted.
Nodding, she handed the card back to him, the color pink dusting the curve of her cheeks. "Okay, then. So I will be going as your..date."
Cuuuuuuteeee! Mibuchi had hearts in his eyes.
Akashi was unsure if that was a question or a statement. Deciding that it was the former, he cocked his head slightly and said, "Yes, you will be my date for tonight."
Meanwhile, Mayuzumi was hissing at Mibuchi to let go of his hand, whom the latter was holding in a death squeeze as he tried his hardest not to squeal out loud and ruin the adorable scene before them. Even Nebuya's eyes bulged from its sockets when their red-haired captain uttered the four-letter word.
D-A-T-E.
Their captain just asked a girl – and a very pretty one at that – to go with him on a date.
To a lavish ball nonetheless.
And in front of them all, to boot.
And curse him for acting so calm about it as well – none of that stuttering and tripping clumsily over words and no blushing. Then they noticed the tips of his ears – and though no one dared to point it out – now matched the color of his hair.
Who'd have thought that out of the five – or four, if you'd remove Mibuchi from the lineup – of them, it would be their captain who'd be the first to have a girlfriend?
The shooting guard blinked. "You think that..."
"That what?" Mayuzumi snarled. "And let go of my hand. Now."
Of course, Mibuchi ignored the last part and whispered, "Sei-chan and Aku-chan, Together. As in boyfriend-girlfriend-together sort of thing."
"Ask him, not me!"
"But Mayu-chan~!"
"Shut it, Mibuchi!"
"Ano, will it...will it really be alright having me as your date?" Kimiko blurted out as she toyed with her straw, completely oblivious to the bickering pair on the other end of the table. "I mean, shouldn't you be, like, escorting some heiress or something like that?"
Akashi found himself snorting in disgust. "You're here now, so why should I?" On their daily walks to and from Teikou, Kimiko had a pretty clear idea on how Akashi's social life as the heir works. Also, she'd listened to him complain a lot about his life, and one of those had been how he hated being around girls his age during parties and how they irritated the hell out of him. Kimiko had a good laugh over that particular tirade of his concerning the heiress of a renowned electronics company.
Akashi had been in a foul mood since Sunday evening, when he dropped by Kimiko's house after spending his weekend in Kyoto to attend a company anniversary per his father's instruction. He'd jabbed at the buzzer on Kimiko's front door mercilessly when he usually just knocks, and by the time Kimiko had gone to open it, he just huffed and ignored the confused look on her face before barging into her house without as much as a single "Hello."
With a look of bewilderment, she closed the door and followed him to the living room, where he was already settled on the couch, his jacket slung on the armrest while he sat there, his head tilted back, resting against the backrest as he stared at the ceiling like it held the answers to life's greatest questions.
And it seemed that he had taken the liberty of taking one of her french fries on the coffee table as well.
"Hello, good evening, how are you, come in, make yourself at home, have some fries, continue ignoring me, thank you!"
At her outburst, Akashi swallowed the piece of french fry and finally turned his head to look at her.
And then he smirked in amusement.
She would have smiled too, if not for the exhaustion dulling his usual vibrant ruby pools.
"Akumi," he drawled out, and he sounded tired, yet relieved. The girl took it as her cue to join him. Sitting on the other end of the couch, she beckoned to him and he responded by shifting positions, stretching out and laying his head on her lap. She played with his hair a bit, brushing them off his face as she massaged his temples with gentle fingers, smiling as Akashi let out a sigh of relief, leaning into her touch as his eyes closed.
"Was it that bad?" she asked. He'd told her last Friday of the social event that he had to attend on the weekend, and he'd told her all the details, including his date for the evening.
"The worst," he replied, not bothering to speak proper sentences like he does around his father. Inside the walls of this house, he was plain Seijuurou, and Kimiko would care less if he start talking like a cave man (not that he would, of course!), and he can do things he cannot do in public, like speaking like a commoner (her influence, really) or just plain lazing around, pigging out on her delicious cooking, or playing mundane games on her Play Station game console.
She stifled a laugh, and continued the massage until Akashi told her to stop by placing a hand over one of hers. One hand remained, though, as she let crimson strands pass through her fingers. She stopped when Akashi sighed.
"Okay, spill," she said. She's getting tired of hearing him sigh.
Akashi cracked an eye open. "I don't have anything to spill."
She chuckled. "Why is it that you can lie to everyone else but me?"
"You can't lie to me, either."
"Why would I lie to you?" she shot back.
That made Akashi finally sit straight and look at her. "When you don't want me to bother with your scores in Math."
Kimiko blushed at that. "Hey! That's a one-time thing!"
"You do it every time we have an exam."
"You're changing the subject," she pouted. Snatching a fry from the plate on the table, she was about to eat it when Akashi grabbed her wrist and redirected the food to his own mouth. "Get your own food!" she yelled as she laughed at this playful behavior from the redhead.
"Ah, but this is much better," he said.
"Hmp, for you, it is," she said with a pout, but consented to feeding him once in while. At some length, she asked, "So, was she a princess or a witch?"
"A witch," the redhead answered without missing a beat, and Kimiko laughed.
"Harsh."
"I call it as I see it," was all he replied before he yawned, the exhaustion finally catching up to him. He laid back down on the couch. "I don't understand why she had to cover her face under all those layers of make-up. I only seen such thick makeup on the maikos at Gion. Her voice is too high-pitched, and she has an unfortunate characteristic of talking endlessly about the most mundane topics. Her dress is too revealing, as well – highly inappropriate for her age. Why her mother allowed her to wear such a dress was beyond me." And so, he ranted about the ball in his tired, quiet monotone while she ran her fingers through his hair, giggling quietly at his words. A minute later, and the redhead had fallen asleep on the couch, looking peaceful and relaxed than he had when he first came in.
"If you say so." Simple as that – since Akashi said so, then it is the truth. Her doubts gone, Kimiko finished her dessert, and when everyone was done eating, they headed back to the hotel to get ready for the semi-finals later that afternoon. Shirogane Eiji called for a meeting in one of the hotel's lavish conference room, and to everyone's surprise, he asked Akashi to bring the chartreusette with him.
"Eh? But why?" Kimiko said from her bed, where she was laying on her stomach and flipping through a magazine she picked up somewhere. "This is a team meeting, right?"
"Coach wants your opinion as well, knowing how you have served under his brother in Teikou," said Akashi, already wearing his jersey under his tracksuit. "I'm not the only one who's hoping that you'd join us next year."
"We'll see about that," she said with a smile, then finally rolled off the bed to get ready as well. They arrived at the conference room together, but Coach Shirogane was not there yet so the Rakuzan team was busy chatting with one another, pausing only to greet the two when they came in.
"Sei-chan! Aku-chan! Over here!" Mibuchi waved them over, where there were two vacant seats available. The team were seated around a huge oval table, and the regulars were seated right at the front closest to the huge screen used for presentations. A minute later, their coach finally entered the room, carrying a few files and several CDs, presumably of Kaijou's previous matches.
After the greetings were done, Shirogane placed his things on the table and motioned Akashi to play one of the CDs, however, Kimiko volunteered to do it instead. It was Kaijou's game against Seirin last Winter Cup, where Kise had demonstrated just how deadly he can be as well, proving that he is worthy as a member of the Kiseki no Sedai. On Shirogane's cue, Kimiko pauses the video on the significant parts so that they can discuss it with the team. Everyone was allowed to talk, though it was a recent development for the team which is after Winter Cup, but Kimiko didn't know that. Back then, only the regulars participated in the discussion while the rest merely listened, and even then, it was Akashi who had the final say. But now –
"Kaijou has a weak bench," one of the first-string members said. A lot of the members nodded, and Kimiko herself agreed with him.
"Hm, I think they rely too much on Kise," Hayama added in a serious tone. "Kaijou loses a lot of its power without their ace, plus they're one of those balanced teams."
"But they've a lot of determination, don't you think?" Mibuchi mused.
"I'm sure our first-string can handle them easily, though," another member said.
Akashi spoke up for the first time. "True, but we should not underestimate them."
Kimiko cleared her throat from her place behind Shirogane. "If I may…?"
"Go ahead, Kimiko," Rakuzan's coach said with a nod.
"I'm afraid that Rakuzan won't be able to implement misdirection in your game plan against Kaijou. As you can see, misdirection is pretty much useless against them due to the fact that they've played against Seirin twice and are pretty much immune to it already. Also, you really should watch out for their captain, Kasamatsu Yukio – he's one of the fastest point guards I've ever seen outside of the Kiseki, plus he's quite smart, given that he was the one who figured out the secret behind Kuroko Tetsuya's Phantom Shot."
Nebuya slapped Mayuzumi none too gently on the back. "Ah, guess you'll be playing normally then."
Rakuzan's shadow merely shrugged. "I don't mind."
"About Kise's ability..." Shirogane trailed as he looked at Akashi, asking him for his opinion.
'Emperor' Akashi would've just told them that he'll handle Kise and leave it at that, but since he's no longer that, he explained his plan of action in complete detail. "Kise can copy other people's moves, so don't be surprised if he suddenly uses your own against you." The statement was directed to his team. "As for his Perfect Copy, where he can use a combination of the Kiseki's abilities, I'll be doing something similar to what Kuroko had done." His left eye seemed to brighten slightly, looking more golden than the dull yellow-orange it had reduced to after his reversal. "I'll try to stop him before he even uses it."
"So if Sei-chan will go against Kise, then how about the rest of us?"
It was Kimiko who answered then, slipping into her coach-mode like she was in Teikou. "I'm pretty certain that Kaijou will let Kise mark Akashi, so that leaves you to mark your respective opponents in terms of your position on court, except that Hayama-san will have Kasamatsu instead, since you're the only one aside from Akashi to match his speed."
"Is that correct, Coach?" Hayama verified with Shirogane. He meant no insult by that, but it was enough to shake Kimiko that she blushed and apologized for speaking without asking for permission first.
The older man, of course, would have none of that. "You don't need to apologize, Kimiko. I have explained to the members of your presence, and I did call you here to hear about your opinion. So please, for this meeting, consider yourself a member of the team, if you'd like, and to speak freely as well." He then answered Hayama's inquiry. "Yes, she is, Hayama. Other questions?"
"Do we have their stats?" Mayuzumi asked. He's not really familiar with his mark, and he'd failed to observe them closely when they were traveling together. Well, it seems that I'm growing lax, he thought. Akashi had taught him to observe their opponents to make his misdirection that much effective, but he'd forgotten all about that, it seems, because he'd been too busy talking with that Nakamura-guy about light novels and anime.
Shirogane was about to look for it in his files but Akashi has other ideas. "Akumi, if you will."
"Uhm, what exactly do you want to know?" she said with a slight raise of her eyebrows.
Shirogane paused and looked at her in an evaluating manner. His older brother had told him that the girl was a gold mine when it comes to information. He'd like a demonstration, and now was a good time to see if that was true. "Well, Kimiko, how much do you know?"
"Just tell her when to stop," Akashi said almost jokingly from his seat at the table. Kimiko glared at him for that.
"Fine. Since it was Chihiro-san who asked first, then I'll start with his mark." She turned off the video and swiped a marker from the drawer and went in front. Clearing her throat, she wrote with swift and precise strokes on the board. "Kaijou No. 10, Hayakawa Mitsuhiro. Height, 185 cm, weight, 77 kg. He specializes in rebounds, especially offensive ones. Thanks to his explosive jumping power, he can still get the ball even when you managed to jump before him. He's very skilled in boxing out his opponents in order to get the rebound, so it's a must that you restrict his movements every time he is near the basket. He has a lot of stamina as well, also, he's pretty loud -"
"Like Muscle Gorilla here?" Hayama quipped. Kimiko blinked at the interruption, but she was not annoyed by it or anything. Middle school was heaven compared to this. In fact, she grinned as Nebuya squawked a protest, and proceeded normally.
"Aa. Hayakawa-san has solid defense, and if you know that Tsugawa-guy from Seihou, his defense is on the same level. Any further questions?" She turned and looked at the phantom, who shook his head and thanked her for the thorough information.
Tsk, so I am stuck with a loudmouth, Mayuzumi sighed.
"Okay, so we'll have Kaijou No. 5–" she faced the board and started writing again, missing the awed looks on the Rakuzan players – except Akashi who was smirking proudly in his seat – as she recited all those information from memory, "Moriyama Yoshitaka, the team's wannabe cassanova. 181 cm, 67 kg – Mibuchi-san is taller by seven centimeters, an advantage. Objectively speaking, Mibuchi-san is the better player all in all, physically and ability-wise. Important thing to note is that Moriyama-san has an odd way of shooting the ball," here, she paused and made a shooting motion with her hands, "a modified underhanded set shot that gives it a high arc, though not as much as Midorima's shots, and the ball, if you watch closely, does not rotate – almost. It's what makes his shots difficult to block, but I think if you can adjust to his timing, then you can block him just like with Hyuga-san's Barrier Jumper."
Mibuchi gave her a mock salute. "Got it, Aku-chan!"
"Next is their center, No. 8, Kobori Koji. Slightly taller by two centimeters to Nebuya-san's 190 cm, but he's lighter, obviously. He's only 74 kg… I'm sure you'll have no problem pushing him back if it comes to that. His play style is mainly defensive, but look out for his screens. His specialty would be the low post – back step – shoot sequence. Again, do not underestimate Kobori-san – remember that he was able to match Kiyoshi-san during the Winter Cup semis."
"So it's like facing Kiyoshi, eh?" Nebuya asked, scratching his chin thoughtfully.
Kimiko nodded. "Yep, pretty much."
Rakuzan's center leaned into his seat and patted his belly. "Okay then. I'll eat lots later."
"You'll just burp all over the place," Mibuchi grumbled.
"My turn!" Hayama sat straighter in his seat, his attention now focused on the chartreusette. "Tell me about my mark, Kimi-chan!"
"Hai, hai. No. 4, Kasamatsu Yukio, point guard and captain of Kaijou, and also its mental pillar. One of the best players in the league – a good all-around player, if you will. Aside from his powerful drives, he is also a deadly three-point shooter, plus the fact that he's the point guard means that he is a passing specialist as well. He gave Izuki-san trouble as well, outsmarting him and rendering his Eagle Spear useless… You'll have your hands full with this one, Hayama-san."
The blonde was grinning though, excited at the thought of having such a powerful opponent. "Heh, this will be a very interesting game..."
Sou ka, Kimiko said to herself, remembering Aomine, so he's like that, as well…
"What about Kaijou's No. 9?" Akashi asked. He remembered the boy who substituted for Kise. "Do you have data on him?"
Kimiko, who was about to return to her seat, paused, then nodded. "Oh, right." As she went back to the board, she heard some of the other first-string players muttering to themselves, probably trying to remember what Akashi was talking about.
"He's the one with ash-blond hair and glasses," she supplied helpfully, and recognition dawned on them.
"Ah, the one who's always talking to Mayuzumi-san during the trip!" one of them piped up, and eyes turned to the phantom expectantly.
"His name is Nakamura. Nakamura Shinya," Mayuzumi grumbled.
"Right," Kimiko wrote his name on the board. "Nakamura Shinya, 181 cm, 68 kg, shooting guard. Specialty is pick and roll, and he is pretty good at defense. He helped in guarding Kagami during the semis, and given that it's Kagami, he did a pretty decent job. Back in middle school, he was ranked among the top ten defensive players, so he's no joke either. Any more players you want to know about?"
"That would be all, Kimiko," Shirogane told her, completely impressed. When she passed by him on her way to her seat, he added, "Kozo-nii did not exaggerate when he told me about you."
Akashi heard that, and gave a short laugh. "Coach, if you want, she can tell you about their birthdays and blood type, if you want."
A light blush colored her cheeks a light pink. "Oi, Seijuurou, quit it."
"Really?" One of the players in the back asked.
"That kind of information would be useless in a match, though," she muttered, but did not deny that she knows them. Actually, she only did that for Midorima, horoscope-obsessed that he is, until it became a habit, so there's that.
After giving them the player's information, they moved on to tactics and strategies, with everyone joining in, Akashi had joined her in front and soon the board was full of his and her diagrams on their possible plays. For a moment, Kimiko showed her ruthless and manipulative side as she tossed out plays that ends up in fouling the opponents or blindsiding them. She exposed the weakness of Kaijou's players and how to exploit them mercilessly, leaving everyone gaping at her when they were finished with the meeting.
I see, Mayuzumi thought, feeling wary of the girl who looked harmless on the outside, so basically she was like the other side of Akashi. The bitter memory of how he was used during the Winter Cup finals resurfaced in his mind and wondered if there was a connection to Kimiko's dark side to the awakening of Akashi's split personality.
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2:25 PM From: Akumicchi
[Gomen ne, Ryou-kun.]
Kise blinked when he read her message. Anger, disappointment, envy – all those feelings churned inside him and slowly boiled down into one of dull acceptance.
It was a vague message, but Kise, as will everyone in the Kiseki no Sedai, perfectly understood what she meant by that apology. Of course, Akumicchi… Anything for him, right?
He didn't notice just how tight he was holding his phone until Kasamatsu called him out on it.
"Your phone will snap in half if you keep that up, baka." They, too, were in the middle of a game meeting as they figured how they will deal with Kyoto's tyrants. They'd watched the Winter Cup Finals, and even though Rakuzan lost, they're back at the Nationals with a more stronger and better team. Seirin might have beaten them, but ended up exposing everything they had. Kagami's Direct Drive Zone was the peak of Seirin's full potential as a team, but Rakuzan can be considered a wild card… Who knows what Akashi has his sleeve this time around, now that he's awakened his second skill – the fearsome Perfect-Rythmed Play… Granted, they have Kise's Perfect Copy, but how far can it take them this time around?
Kise knows that Kasamatsu was worried for their upcoming game and there is nothing he can do to assure his captain when he himself was unsure how he could measure up to Akashi – and there's the issue of Kimiko as well.
Why does she even have to help him? Isn't he strong enough? Isn't his team strong enough? But even as he asked all these questions to himself, he realized that Kimiko never betrayed Akashi, nope, not even in the smallest of things. He fought the urge to groan in frustration. How does he do it? How did he managed to find someone so devoted, so loyal, like her?
"Oi, Kise, are you listening?" Genta asked.
"Hai, Genta-san." It was a knee-jerk response – obviously, he's busy moping to even pay attention to the intricate plays being discussed by their coach, because, really, once on the court, Akashi will just render them void and useless. Remember when he stopped Kagami's Meteor Jam on the very first move? But he didn't dare say it out loud and crush his team's morale.
As Genta's voice droned continuously in his ears, Kise prayed that somehow he and his team can make it out of the coming match alive with their sanity and spirit intact.
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At a fast food joint near the gym, Kimiko watched Nebuya down another bowl of katsudon with terrifying speed and order another, downing it in the same speed as the previous one. As the bowls on his table piled up, she couldn't help but nudge Mayuzumi, who was the closest to her at the time.
"Will he be alright?"
"Who?" The phantom followed her line of sight and saw their center, pigging out before the match. He sighed and closed his light novel as he regarded the girl in front of him. "Don't worry about him; he has a fast metabolism – he'll burn all those calories in no time."
"..." Accepting his explanation, she was about to join Akashi where he stood next to their coach, but Mayuzumi called her name.
"If you don't mind me asking, what was exactly your duties in Teikou's basketball club?"
"Information gathering, constructing training menus, organizing training camps and practice matches during off-season, and designing plays with Seijuurou," she answered in one breath. "Why?"
Mayuzumi shrugged. "Just confirming something."
"And that 'something' is?"
How can I say this without sounding rude or judgmental? "That you're not what I initially thought."
The smile that graced her lips was bitter and melancholic. "I know, right?
"Your plays were brilliant and effective," Mayuzumi blurted out, fearing that he offended her or something. He was telling the truth, not just throwing empty compliments at her. It just came as a surprise that someone like her could even cook up such a devious plan that he thought only Akashi's second personality can only concoct – only to find out that Kimiko was probably the one behind all those killer plays of Teikou back in their middle school years. Just how many players had suffered breakdowns or quit basketball altogether after facing Teikou?
"And borderline cruel, don't you think?" She seemed to be talking to someone else, what with her eyes going out of focus as she stared right through him. "They're not the only ones responsible, Chihiro-san. I'm the original chessmaster, after all. I was the one who pushed them into becoming the monsters you all feared on the court."
It was just a practice match against one of the stronger teams in Tokyo, and Kimiko had gone and scouted the team the week before, returning with a complete compilation of information about the team, the players and their individual and overall play styles. On the day of the actual match, Shirogane had sent Kimiko, Nijimura and the rest of the freshmen to give them the experience they need before they play in actual tournaments. Inside the bus, Kimiko had reviewed the details to them, along with the plays she'd created that they'll put to use against this particular team.
Unlike Momoi, who collects data that will help her in predicting the growth of that particular player, Kimiko goes beyond that. She picks at the individual's personality as well, looking for their fears and insecurities and incorporates them into her plays. It's what makes her different from Momoi, who has clear boundaries on what to know and what was better left alone.
Kimiko has no such limits, though.
If she wanted to ruin a whole team, she can and she will, make no mistake, to secure Teikou's victory.
This certain school that they're going up against was one of those who had given Teikou troubles in the past. Nijimura had told her about it, and her mind immediately went to work. They were enough to be a threat to Teikou, and she'd made it her responsibility to eliminate all threats to her team… From her little trip she had gathered that Kinzaki Middle – that's the name of their opponent – had some pretty good members and a few promising recruits as well, three of which was just a couple levels below Aomine and might actually give her current team a bit of a struggle.
What better way to nip them in the bud before they fully bloomed?
She lingered there, listening to the players and the managers, and learned that there was actually some kind of a dispute over the position of captain going on. The previous captain had been injured in a practice accident, and his appointed successor was not approved by his teammates. Apparently, they all believed that when you're the captain means that you are the best player, and thus they were pushing someone – a second-year, to take the lead even when he's shit when it comes to leading others.
There's chaos in Kinzaki's basketball team, and Kimiko witnessed firsthand how the lack of teamwork was putting all their skills useless, no matter how good they're supposed to be. The current captain somehow pulls them together though, and that made him the perfect target in her eyes.
She drew her plan on her board and explained it to her team, who was listening in rapt attention. "...and then, Tetsuya will cut in here and draw a foul against No. 4… Okay?"
"Why the emphasis on this guy, though?" Aomine asked then, since all the plays she'd given them all involved fouling the poor guy or forcing him to make mistakes. Haizaki was the only one who has no questions whatsoever.
"He's the control tower, once he's out, then the team will break down," she explained simply as she erased all the writings on the board in preparation for the next one.
Midorima, though, was worried about one thing. "What about their ace?"
"No. 12? He's nothing without a point guard, and No.4 is the only decent point guard they have. Anyone else is a joke when they face Seijuurou."
When Teikou and Kinzaki finally faced on the court, they went with Kimiko's plan and watched as Kinzaki's No.4 broke down on his fourth foul near the end of the first half and how his team followed soon after. With the seeds of distrust already sown in their hearts and minds, they forced themselves to score once they got the ball, not passing it to their teammates even when it was the better option at the time, and by the end of the fourth quarter, Teikou had already doubled their score without even breaking a sweat.
Teikou celebrated their victory, and had forgotten all about that particular match until the preliminaries for the InterHigh began. Kinzaki was one of their first opponents, and everyone had expected a breathtaking match between the two teams who ranked first and second the previous year. Unfortunately, Kimiko's machinations had taken root – their captain had quit altogether while their ace had taken to playing selfishly while the rest of them fumbled about as they tried and failed in their pathetic attempts at teamwork – and so it was another walk in the park for the Teikou team. And in the following tournaments and the years thereafter, Kinzaki never reclaimed their Top 2 ranking and steadily fell through the ranks that year and the year after that.
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Kimiko watched the Rakuzan-Kaijou match with an apathetic face that even Alex find it eerie. She watched as Akashi checked Kise over and over again and ignored the desperation in his and his teammates' faces as Rakuzan stayed five steps ahead of them. The only time she reacted was when Kise's Perfect Copy finally ran out, sealing Kaijou's fate, and she had only clenched her jaw slightly at that.
"It's over," she murmured, like a shinigami before it claims someone's soul.
The buzzer rang. 97-75.
In favor of Rakuzan.
Akashi had approached a broken Kise and offered him a handshake, and while the blonde had accepted it, his heart was not in it. Not a word was exchanged.
Kaijou never reappeared from their locker rooms to watch the Yosen-Seirin game after that, unlike Rakuzan who had joined her and Alex up in the stands just as the second half was about to start. Kimiko's uncharacteristic silence went unnoticed except by Akashi and Mayuzumi (who was feeling guiltier with each passing moment) while the rest of the Rakuzan was still drunk with their win over Kanagawa's elites.
"Is something the matter, Akumi?" Akashi asked her softly, worry reflected in his eyes.
Her eyes followed Kagami as he faced off with Himuro. "Can we talk about this later?" she pleaded.
By that, you mean 'Never'. Akashi sighed. Something was truly bugging the chartreusette. But what? She'd been so full of life earlier at the meeting, completely in her element as she slipped into the role as easily as a fish takes into water, and then she leaves his sight and she becomes this lifeless doll.
"Promise me," he insisted, and held out his pinky finger to her.
She stares at the offered appendage for a moment, and the sudden childish gesture coming from the redhead was enough to draw a startled laugh out of her. She interlaced her own with his and they shake their joined hands once, twice. "I promise."
Akashi smiled and poked her cheek lightly. "There, keep that smile on your face. You look much more beautiful with it than when you frown." Her face flared up as she looked at him, clearly flustered, and Akashi chuckled lightly.
He didn't let go of her hand.
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"The current game is much more interesting than the previous one, don't you think so, Shirikawa?" Akashi Masaomi asked his current companion as they watched from the special viewing room of the gym.
"The young master's team was too much for them, it seems, Akashi-sama."
The Akashi patriarch nodded with a pleased smile on his face. Despite being disillusioned by Rakuzan's match against Kaijou, he was not disappointed. Not when the younger Akashi was playing with such a blissful expression on his face surrounded by his trusted teammates.
Ten minutes after the start of the third quarter, he decided that he had seen enough. The team with that brash redhead and frail bluenette will win this game, and he found himself looking forward to the championship game between them and Rakuzan tomorrow.
"Let us go, Shirikawa. I still have something to attend to."
"Hai, Akashi-sama."
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Seirin did not show further development aside from polishing what they had from last year's tournament. Yosen, with their taller players and tight defense, cornered them until Kagami unleashed his Zone, together with Kuroko's Quasi-Emperor Eye. Seeing the teal-haired boy down there made Akashi smile. Even though Mayuzumi had almost perfected his own style of misdirection, Kuroko is and always will be the lone phantom sixth man. Nothing beats the original, and Mayuzumi, even with his higher specs, was outmatched by Kuroko.
"Who do you think will win this?" he asked her and was not surprised when she gestured at the team with red-and-black jerseys.
"It's a close fight, though." The gap never went beyond six points, and Seirin was doing their best to widen it or at the very least, maintain it. Yosen managed to catch up to them in the middle of the third quarter, when Murasakibara entered the Zone, and held Seirin at bay. From there, it became a showdown between Yosen's double ace and Seirin's light and shadow, with Kuroko's cunning saving them once again, as he always does.
Kagami's Meteor Jam sealed the deal – 99-98. Once again, Seirin won just by the skins of their teeth.
The rematch between Seirin and Rakuzan is on.
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"Kimiko-dear, you're taking too long in the shower~"
"Hai, hai...Coming!" came the reply from the inside the bathroom. She'd given him the same answer the last three times, but this time, the water finally stopped running for good.
He flipped through the magazine and stared at another picture of her and that handsome blonde model just as the girl finally reemerged from the bath, clad in a thick carmine bathrobe, the sash tightly knotted around her waist. A matching towel was wrapped around her head like a turban.
"Finally," he mildly admonished, and the girl grinned at him sheepishly.
"Sorry, Jean-san..."
He waved his hand at her, gesturing for her to sit at the chair, its back to the study table that served as his makeshift studio. A large three-way mirror stood there, amidst the myriad of brushes, palettes, lipsticks, and hair ornaments arranged on the table's wooden surface.
"Shush, and call me Jeanne. J-E-A-N-N-E," he said, spelling it out for her. "Emphasis on the additional N-E."
"Jeanne," she repeated after him, pronouncing the name like a proper French woman.
"Parfait (Perfect)!" the half-French make-up artist that Akashi had hired clapped his hands happily. He removed the towel around her hair, and hung it on the back of the chair. As he plugged in the hair dryer, he busied himself with combing the damp locks. "Hair first, then face, then the dress!" he announced happily. "You'll be the prettiest lady to grace the ball tonight!"
Kimiko laughed. She never once dressed to impress Akashi, nor make a conscious effort to look beautiful for him. But when she watched that video on Facebook about the Lampe Rouge Ball, where it gave her a glimpse of the venue, all crystal chandeliers and silk curtains screaming luxuries and opulence, she felt nervous, pressured even. Sure, her family was well-off, enough to indulge some of her whims, but they were nowhere near the wealth of the Akashi, who was practically ruled Japan's business circle and whose influence reached outside of the country.
In the video was stated the names of those who'll be in attendance, and those named were either business or political leaders, though some famous celebrities were also mentioned.
I didn't let society get in the way of our friendship, and I'll be damned if I let it get in the way of us now.
Had she been a lesser person, Kimiko would've backed out in an instant. Just to see what she was getting herself into, she'd looked up some of those names and looked for pictures of them attending similar events, and her jaw dropped as she saw them wearing all those designer outfits that are probably worth millions, not including the shoes and their jewelry. And then she just had to look up the other heirs and heiresses that Akashi probably knew personally or by name only, and wished she hadn't.
There was the heiress to the Inoue Shipping Industries, Inoue Hikari, a gorgeous girl with hair and eyes of caramel brown and a body to die for. There was the elegant princess, Irino Kagura, with her midnight hair and eyes and the softest smiles on her doll-like face. The blonde-haired Fumio Aya, who could pass as Kise's sister, although Kimiko doubts that it was her natural hair color since none of her parents had blonde hair.
It's not that she's jealous, and neither was she insecure. Sure, lots of people had complimented her on her looks, but beautiful is different from elegant. Akashi Shiori is elegant – heck, Akashi Seijuurou is elegant – but what about her? Is she elegant enough to justify Akashi's choice in choosing her to be his consort for the night?
She'd hate it if she became a reason for other people to criticize the Akashi heir, who had been the epitome of perfection in everything he does. And so for him, she'd have to measure up to society's standards; and since she cannot beat them in terms of wealth, then she'd just have to beat them in terms of beauty.
"Je suis entre vos mains (I put myself in your hands)," she replied with a slight bow of her head as Jeanne started drying her hair in preparation for his planned hairdo for her.
"Ne t'en fais pas. Laisse-moi m'en charger (Do not worry. Let me take care of it)," he assured. I'll make a princess – no, a queen out of you, my dear… And dear Seijuurou-bocchan won't know what hit him~ Jeanne cackled in his mind.
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With a final brandish of his brush, Jeanne finally stepped away from her and cried with a touch of pride, encouraging her to finally turn to look at herself in the mirror. "Voila enfin!"
Kimiko couldn't believe that the gorgeous face staring back at her was her own. She gingerly raised a hand to the side of her face as if to prove it. When the girl in the mirror did the same, she took a deep breath. "It's me..." she murmured in awe. She prodded at the sleek, hanging curls that framed the curve of her face. Jeanne had her hair in a half updo, curling the bottom half into soft ringlets down her back while the upper half was combed back and held together by an exquisite bejeweled barette, and those red gems doesn't look like they were just mere imitations.
"C'est incroyable (It's amazing)," she breathed as she angled her head a little. "Merci beaucoup (Thank you very much), Jeanne."
"Je vous en prie, mon cher," Jean replied, loving her reactions. He patted her cheek lightly with the brush and gestured at the boxes at the foot of her bed, waiting to be opened. "Prepare to be amazed again after you get dressed in your evening gown. Go change in the bathroom, and be quick, time's running short."
Kimiko did as she was ordered and reemerged minutes later. Jeanne helped her in her crystal stilletos, and before she forgot, he handed her the smallest box containing a gold band that serves as an armlet, and a pair of dangling earrings with the same red gems that was in the barette.
When everything was set, Jeanne packed his things and pressed his cheek against hers lightly in farewell. "I enjoyed working for you, Kimiko-dear. The next time we meet, tell me about bocchan's reaction, okay? Enjoy the night~"
"Merci pour tout (Thank you for everything), Jeanne." She walked him to the door and waved at him as he entered the elevator. When he was gone, Kimiko closed the door and sat on the edge of her bed to wait for Akashi's return, but then she got restless that she began to pace the length of the room, only to pause and do a backtrack when she saw her reflection in their room's floor-length mirror.
Now, Kimiko was no narcissist, but can you blame her for admiring her appearance at that moment? She'd never gotten the chance to look at the dress since she was in a rush when she put it on, but now, all alone in front of the mirror, Kimiko took the time to appreciate the flowing crimson gown adorning the length of her body. A chain of rubies secures the dress around her in halter-fashion, leaving her slim shoulders bare and emphasizing her swan-like neck. The front of the dress dipped down to expose a slight amount of cleavage, not so much that she would call inappropriate. She ran her hand at the red silk that clung to her waist like second skin. The slightest movement made the sparkling fabric to shift from crimson to gold, and when she turned, she was slightly taken aback at the sight of her bare back. Eh, why didn't I notice this before? From the back of her neck, the chain of rubies ended just at the base of her spine, brushing her skin once in a while, and she cannot help but reach behind her and play with it a little.
It was in that position that Akashi found her when he finally returned.
"Akumi?"
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While Jeanne was preparing Kimiko for the ball, Akashi was passing the time in an empty room down the hall, already dressed and ready to go. He was dressed in nothing new, just another of his expensive black tuxedos and a crimson tie to match the dress that Jeanne had gotten for the chartreusette. When he received the message telling him that she was ready, Akashi got up and went back to their room without knocking. His eyes were already searching for Kimiko the moment he entered, and he found her standing in front of the mirror, and the first thing he noticed was her bare back that was slightly turned in his direction. One of her arms was reaching for something behind her, and she was too caught up in what she was doing that she didn't notice his presence.
"Akumi?" he called out, almost laughing when he saw her jump like a startled cat at his voice, only to find his breath caught in his throat when she fully faced him.
The two of them remained frozen in there positions, both with awestruck faces as they stared at one another.
Red really suits her, don't you think so? came the sly voice of the Emperor inside his head.
Indeed, Akashi found himself replying as his feet moved towards her still-frozen form, and when he was right in front of her, his hand cradled her face, fingers tracing the curve of her cheek and stopping beneath her chin so that he can tip her face upwards to him.
And Kimiko, feeling nervous, whispered in a shaky voice, "Est-ce que je semble bien? (Do I look okay?)" not realizing that she had just spoke in French.
"The word 'beautiful' is but a pale description as to how you look tonight, Akumi," he murmured, then pressed a chaste kiss to her forehead.
"Th-then, if I'm not beautiful, then what am I?" As soon as the question left her lips, she wished it hadn't. Kami, he'll think I'm conceited! Ground, open up and swallow me now! His eye bored into hers, the intensity of his gaze weighing down on her.
"You're absolutely breathtaking, Akumi." He bent his head lower, but just as her lips were just a breath away, he stopped and pressed his forehead against hers instead. He chuckled at the expression on her face. "Don't look so disappointed, Akumi. I don't want to ruin your makeup," he silently explained, sending her into a flustered mess when she realized that her disappointment at the aborted kiss was glaringly obvious on her face.
"I'm not disappointed!" she denied vehemently, her head turned to the side, and whether or not she was aware that she was worrying the inside of her bottom lip, Akashi did not know. "Why should I be?"
"Because I didn't go with the kiss?" Akashi teased, leaning on the wall with his shoulder and crossing his arms in front of him.
Kimiko feigned ignorance. "Kiss? What kiss?" She heard another chuckle from him and her head whipped around to look at him. She frowned – he's so enjoying this. "Hey, aren't we going yet? What time are we supposed to arrive at the venue?"
He did not even check the time. "It's still early, Akumi. Back to our original topic, though–"
"No, we're not going back there," she said, the redness of her face almost matching her dress.
"As you wish." Akashi then went over to his closet and took something out. Curious, Kimiko approached him and saw that it was a kind of a cloak, which he held out to her. "This is for you," he answered, and draped the silky dark material over her shoulders. He fastened it close with a gold brooch at the base of her neck, then carefully fixed her hair that had gotten underneath the fabric. "There."
"Thanks," was all she managed to say in response. When he took her hand and led her to sit at the foot of the bed, she surprised Akashi when she suddenly embraced him. He was quick to respond, though, and he patted her gently on the back.
"Nervous?" he asked. There was no point in lying, so Kimiko merely nodded. "Don't be. I'll be there with you, alright?"
Oh, Seijuurou, why is it that you always know what to say in every situation? She tightened her embrace but careful not to crumple his coat. "I know but… Can we...stay a little longer...like this?"
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A sleek black limousine was waiting outside the Vermillion to take them to the party on the other side of the city. Kimiko had shed all of her nervousness and was now back to her usual self, much to Akashi's relief. He understood, of course, and he was ready to give her the comfort and reassurance she needed. She'd been overwhelmed by the realization that she was going to attend a highly anticipated social event where almost every prominent figure in the country would be in attendance. Part of him felt a little guilty for making her feel that way – insecure and unworthy – but she had told him afterwards that she was just being silly, when she was anything but.
He kept his thoughts to himself on the matter, but as they got inside the vehicle, he threaded his fingers through hers and let it remain there for the rest of the journey.
As they approached the hotel, Akashi turned to his companion who was looking like she was steeling herself for a battle.
"Akumi."
She turned to him distractedly. "Hm?"
"Je ne me soucie pas de ce que les gens disent (I do not care what people say)," he said softly, "and neither should you. Tout va bien se passer (Everything will be alright)."
Why she decided to say it in that moment, Kimiko herself doesn't know, but she held his gaze and said, "Seijuurou, je t'aime… Je vous aime plus que je ne peux dire (I love you more than I can say)."
A slow smile mixed with innocent wonder crept to the redhead's lips. In all his life, Kimiko's declaration of her love for him was probably the sweetest words he'd ever heard.
"Je t'aime aussi (I love you, too)," Akashi replied as he gathered her in his arms, this girl who had loved him for everything he is – all the good and the bad parts of him, "Et souviens-toi que peu importe ce qui arrive, je t'aimerai toujours (And remember that no matter what happens, I will always love you)."
They let go of one another when the limousine finally pulled up at the hotel's entrance, and behind the tinted glass windows, cameras flash left and right as the media captured the arrival of the party goers.
Akashi looked at her with a steady gaze. "Ready?" he asked as their chauffeur opened the door on Akashi's side.
"As ready as I'll ever be," said Kimiko, with her calm confidence.
He gave her a smile, as the cameras closed in on their opened car door.
Akashi stepped outside first, and as he held out his hand to her, Kimiko took a deep, calming breath and took his hand in hers.
The cameras almost blinded her as they focused on them, but Akashi paid them no mind. Instead, as he steadied her on his feet as she stepped out of the vehicle, he brought his lips to her ear and whispered, "Tout ira bien, tant qu'on s'aimera (As long as we love each other we'll be alright)."
Perfection.
The word flashed in her mind's eye, and a memory of Akashi telling her about his family's strict adherence to such idea.
An Akashi does not have any excuse for disgrace.
I won't be, Kimiko swore to herself as she finally straightened up, taking Akashi's offered arm with grace.
And thus, it began – her first venture in the other side of Akashi's world.
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Some reviews would be nice... I want to know if I should continue this story or not... Since Kuroko no Basuke is officially over now, soooo...
And please, pardon my French - to all French readers out there, just tell me if I butchered your language or not. I apologize for any mistake and please feel free to correct them by sending me a message.
Thank you and enjoy reading!