Author's Note:

Okay so, I thought of something! It'll come up more towards the middle of the chapter, and I apologize in advance if it's confusing!

Team Seirin used one of the multiple locker rooms that the Aida Gym provided.

Ai handed out the black and red uniforms one by one, and the second and third-years thanked her as they passed by. She knew their numbers from Momoi's data, so it was an easy task that didn't require much thought.

"Thanks," Kagami grunted when it was his turn.

"You're welcome, Taiga."

"Akatsuki-san." Kuroko approached her with a smile on his face. However, when she looked up to meet his baby blue eyes, he started to frown. "Are you alright?"

She forced a smile for his sake. "I'm fine, Kuroko-kun. Here." His was the last uniform in the cardboard box.

"I'll go and check if the others are ready." Since Team Vorpal Swords was mostly already in their uniforms, all they had to do was take off their long-sleeved shirts and track pants. They were also using the changing room next door.

As she was about to pick up the empty box to leave, Kuroko stopped her with a hand on her forearm.

"Akatsuki-san. If there's something troubling you, I'd be happy to listen."

She raised an eyebrow at him, but the Phantom Sixth Player smiled softly.

"I noticed you've been out of sorts since the game ended. We're both good at reading people."

She let out a small giggle. "I suppose you're right…" Her gaze flickered to the locker room, where Akashi and the four others were behind the closed door.

"I'll be okay. He has it worse than me, I think."

Kuroko looked sympathetic. "Your feelings are valid, too."

He gave her a warm and supportive hug, making her wonder if he had always been so strong and comforting, and took his Seirin uniform from her rigid hands. He walked towards the locker room, where his teammates' incomprehensible voices filtered through.

"Kuroko-kun."

He turned back, holding the metal doorknob.

"Thank you."

Kuroko smiled. He twisted the handle and entered the room to change clothes inside.

"And I'm sorry," she whispered, but no one was there to hear her.

About a minute later, the other door opened. Aomine came out first, pulling the shirt over his head after flashing his defined abdomen. Unlike volleyball, the basketball players didn't have to tuck their shirts into their pants, so the jersey hung loose. The sleeveless clothing didn't help to cover his muscular arms in the least.

"Aomine-cchi! You forgot your towel!" Kise yelled, running out of the locker room.

"Huh?"

He threw it at the other male, holding his own as well.

The blue-haired ace clicked his tongue. "Tch, I don't even know which one's mine. They're all the same red."

"I'll take care of that," Ai spoke up. "That's my job. It's what I'm here for."

"Thanks, Ai-cchi." Kise grinned and patted her shoulder as he walked past toward the gymnasium.

"Aomine-cchi, wanna see who can score more points?"

"Ha! Who do you think you're talking to?" He dropped a hand on top of her head before going to the court as well. "You think you can beat me? You collapsed during the game."

"I've gotten stronger! And I already rested enough! Are you okay with playing after a full match?"

They continued squabbling back and forth as they strode away. Ai watched their backs longingly.

"Tsuki-chin, do you have any more honey lemons? Also, Mine-chin forgot his water bottle, too."

Murasakibara lightly ducked through the doorway, his arm still in a sling, with Midorima in tow.

"We are about to play a game. You can eat after," the shooting guard stated.

"I'll get it, Atsu-kun. And, I should have some left over," she remembered.

"Thanks." The giant center did the same gesture as Aomine with his large hand, but he didn't squeeze her head.

"Akatsuki."

"Yes?"

Midorima stared at her for a moment, then pushed his glasses up. He rested a hand on her shoulder and went on his way. "Never mind."

Even Shintarō-kun's worried…

That Midorima — who hadn't even known about Momoi's obvious crush on Kuroko until Kise told him outright in middle school, because he simply didn't care as much about people's personal lives — was perturbed.

Standing in front of the changing room, she knocked softly.

"Come in."

She opened the door. He was organizing his locker, alone, as expected. Akashi usually wasn't the last one out, but rather the first. Ai guessed that he was taking his time today.

"Seijuro?"

"What is it, Ai?"

She was quiet for a minute, and her pause made Akashi turn towards her.

"What's wrong?" His red eyes burned with concern.

She shifted on her feet, unsure of how to bring it up. "...Is he gone?" Her eyes were glued to her hands, slowly fidgeting fingers. Then, realizing how that must have sounded, she snapped her head up to look at him. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that. It's just… I didn't think he would disappear so quickly."

Slowly, he walked over to her. "Do you miss him?"

She made a small nod.

Akashi breathed out a sigh and reached his arms out to hug her tightly. Her body fell right into his embrace.

"He's not coming back, is he?" The sadness was audible in her voice.

No matter what kind of antagonist of a character he had been at Teikō and up through last year's Winter Cup, she would miss him. His stern voice, commanding the others. Those enthralling two-toned eyes that she could stare into forever. His absolute leadership. His formal interactions that made her feel like a royal princess: the respectful kiss on her hand, his arm leading her confidently as they walked down the classroom corridors together, the steady hand on her back that had gotten her through so many times of uncertainty in middle school… His support had been endless during those two years.

She had so many memories with him, but it wasn't meant to be. The second personality wasn't supposed to be born. She would miss him dearly, and so much.

She had been the Empress to his Emperor. But now, that part of Akashi was gone, and Ai felt like half of a widow.

"I know it's selfish of me," she tried to laugh, leaning into his embrace and resting her cheek on his sturdy chest, "since you were in the middle of the game, but… I didn't get to say goodbye."

Akashi drew in a breath at her words.

Tears stung in her eyes before they began to fall. She spoke through sobs as a suffocating pain clenched her throat and heart. It hurt and throbbed the more she thought of his loss. Her hands gripped the back of her boyfriend's shirt tightly. "I wish," she breathed raggedly and willed her voice box to work, "I'd had the chance. To thank him for everything. To give him a proper farewell… Seijuro..."

She remembered last winter, near Christmas, when Momoi had called her in a frantic voice.

"Ai-chan! You have to see this!!!" her friend had said, sending her the full video of the final round of Winter Cup Nationals.

And as she watched, Ai had unconsciously brought her hand up to cover her mouth. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. She had cried in her room that winter night, watching the fateful match.

"I'm sorry," she whispered to him now. "I'm so sorry, Seijuro. I wasn't there for you... at the Winter Cup last year." She hadn't planned on crying; she didn't think she would. Besides, if anyone should lament the loss, it was Akashi himself.

But now that she was voicing her honest feelings, the tears wouldn't stop. Ai started sobbing quietly with sharp inhales. It was like a dam had been lifted and the flood gates opened. Whimpers escaped her lips, growing louder until finally, she was full-out crying. She cried like she'd never before, like an innocent, honest child. Her wails echoed in the locker room, too loudly for her liking. Bringing both of her hands up to wipe away the never-ending wetness, she tried to mask the ugly crying her emotions had brought. Her shoulders shuddered and shook under the red Vorpal Swords sweatshirt.

As much as it wasn't like him to do so, Akashi hesitated, becoming helpless while she sobbed. He didn't know how to comfort someone who was crying, let alone someone who was so important to him. No one had shown him an example when he was growing up. Moreover, she was crying for his sake.

"It's alright," he finally said, soothing the back of her head.

She shook her head back and forth in denial, hands gripping at the sides of his jersey. The front of it was damp with her tears, just above the black number 4. "No, I should've helped you, and I didn't. I'm sorry..."

She apologized over and over again while crying. She couldn't think of anything else to say, and neither of them could do anything about the past.

A few minutes passed, and Ai finally felt like she was calming down. "I'll have to apologize properly to Kuroko-kun, too," her small voice wavered. The shadow had experienced the pain of growing to hate the thing he loved most. It was brutal and cruel.

Treasure her, his other half had said to him before leaving his conscience for good. She's been through so much, walked through thorns and fire for us. Because of us. Never once defied nor doubted us. At Teikō and even now, she'd do anything for us.

Akashi pursed his lips. I know.

She still blames herself for part of the reason the team grew apart back then. She knows our weaknesses and accepts us for who we are. She understands and has always supported us. There is no one better than her.

I know…

As a last request…, he'd said.

He pulled her in, bending down slightly to match her height, for a kiss on her lips. It was loving and sensual, like he was cherishing the moment with her. His embrace was gentle, but his kiss was strong, capturing her lips and her attention. This was for his sake. It was terrible and tragic that he had to go before being with her for one last time.

A bit of frustration stirred inside of him. Akashi had never wanted to cause her pain or sorrow. But here she was, grieving the loss of the part of him that had gone. So much so that she'd cried her heart out to him, which she had never done to anyone since at a playground in Chiba in her childhood.

Their lips realigned again, pressing together for what felt like minutes. He kissed her until he felt her knees starting to buckle. He pulled apart then. She breathed more heavily than he did, but at least her tears had fully stopped. His lips met with her forehead after.

Even the hubristic side of him had felt somber at the thought of leaving her. Take care of her. For the both of us.

"I promise," he whispered against her face.

"What?" she asked breathily, not hearing what he'd said. Her mind was still numb after the intimacy they'd just shared.

Touching his forehead to hers, Akashi smiled. His red bangs mixed with her raven black hair.

"Nothing. Let's go. The others are waiting." He rubbed her arms and started to pull back.

"Wait, Seijuro," Ai grasped onto him, hugging his fit torso tightly. She didn't want to go back, not yet. Just a few more seconds alone with him.

"Give me a minute? Please?"

How could he say no? He held her close until there was no space between their bodies. They avoided looking at each other, as both were still a bit shy from their previous actions.

Akashi sighed against her hair. "He'll miss you, too."

.

"What's taking them so long?" Kagami grumbled beside the Seirin players. The two teams minus Akashi were already waiting on the basketball court.

Murasakibara had discovered a tupperware from Ai's bag of treats and was having a snack. "Kuro-chin, want a honey lemon?"

"I'm fine. Thank you, though," he declined politely.

"I'll go check on them!" Momoi said, and she skipped out into the dim hallway.

Outside the locker room door, the data manager listened to her best friend's cries, unbeknownst to the couple. She could hear Akashi trying to soothe her, but Ai's voice kept apologizing to him.

It made Momoi feel like crying, too. Instead, she turned to go back and give them their privacy.

.

When Akashi and Ai finally joined the others, Kagami was being teased by Aomine, Kise, and Murasakibara again. The ace, now wearing the black Seirin uniform, looked up and was relieved. "What took you so long?"

Akashi gave his girlfriend's hand one more squeeze before stepping out onto the court. "Thanks for waiting."

Ai stood beside Momoi behind the white lines, with Wakamatsu and Takao. Her best friend didn't say anything about her red eyes, but she gave her a tight hug.

Seirin's coach stood, eyebrows furrowed, with Tsuchida, Koganei, and the first-year backup players. They had a few handicaps, but it was a match against the entire Generation of Miracles. The third-year small forward carried Nigou, who lolled his tongue out happily, while a drunken Kagetora held a basketball in preparation for the tip-off.

"Well then, let's do it." Akashi smiled at everyone, and then at Ai. His gaze lingered on her until Riko blew the whistle.

"Last game, tip-off!" everyone yelled.

.

After the final game, everybody was going their separate ways to go home. Except for Riko having to take a taxi to her house with her dad, and Ai staying over at Akashi's mansion.

She smiled at Kagami, stepping onto the court and holding out a hand to shake. "Have fun back in California, Taiga. I'll be cheering you on with Kuroko-kun and Tatsuya from Japan."

He grinned back and took her hand. "Thanks," he said, and she knew he truly meant it. They hadn't spent much time together physically, but they both had heard many stories about one another, and Ai had saved his team from Coach Riko's questionable cooking last summer with recipes for protein smoothies.

"For everything," he added.

"You're one of my players now. We both wore the Vorpal Swords' team colors today, so I'll always be your manager."

Kagami nodded with a smile. He'd gotten to know each and every one of the Generation of Miracles during his time in Japan. Seirin's ace also made plans to meet his teammates for the last time at the airport.

Then, Kise called to her before she could pack her bags. "Ai-cchi!"

He jogged over to her with the biggest grin. "I'm super glad you were our manager again!"

He was about to bring her to tears again. "I'm happy that I could too, Ryōta-kun."

"Are you going back to Miyagi, Akatsuki?" Midorima asked, walking over.

"In the next couple of days, yes."

"Why don't you just stay over at Satsuki's or something?" Aomine suggested.

"Ai-chan, want to have a sleepover like old times?" Momoi asked, but her enthusiasm was tempered with empathy for whatever had made her friend cry before.

Ai knew that Akashi wouldn't stop her from spending a girls' night over, but she declined with a strained smile. "I'm sorry, Satsuki, Daiki-kun."

"Tsuki-chin, let's stay in Tokyo for a bit. We can go back before school starts." Murasakibara was already planning on riding the Shinkansen with her back to the Tōhoku region; traveling with her meant yummy snacks on the train.

"I have to prepare for the volleyball qualifiers, Atsu-kun, since we passed the preliminaries." None of them, not even Akashi, could stop her from going back to her other teams, and they all knew it well. It was who she was, and that trait made her so desirable.

The guys weren't quite at the point where they could be sincerely happy for her. If they could be greedy, they'd all take her back to their own teams. However, she had chosen Karasuno High School.

Kuroko especially knew how meaningful such a decision was. "I really wish you the best, Akatsuki-san."

Ai smiled softly. "Thank you, Kuroko-kun."

"You'll visit again, right?" Kise pressed.

"I will. I promise."

The blond came over to hug her tightly, as if he didn't want to let go. He stayed bent over with his arms wrapped around her back until the next person replaced him.

"It just isn't right without you," Aomine grunted when he hugged her. Whether he was only talking about basketball or in general, she couldn't read his voice without seeing his facial expression.

Midorima stepped up to her, feeling the need to follow suit and hug his manager as well. "Akatsuki, you push yourself too hard. Akashi's going to be furious if you're not taking care of yourself. All of us are."

A smile crept up to her lips. "Thank you for caring about me, Shintarō-kun."

"It's only natural to reciprocate what you do for us."

Murasakibara gave her a side-hug so that it wouldn't hurt his injured left arm in the sling.

"I know it's hard to tell," Takao said to her after the shooting guard had walked away, "but Shin-chan really likes having you around. Although, I think you already knew that." Shūtoku's point guard winked at her.

"Takao! Don't spew false information," Midorima yelled from afar.

"Is it really false, though?" Takao teased.

She giggled. "Thank you, Kazunari-kun," she smiled and hugged him.

"Oh, uh, you're welcome." He blushed.

Ai shook hands with the Seirin team and thanked Mitobe and Tsuchida for watching the game with her. They nodded and smiled kindly.

"Are we done?" Akashi asked patiently, already holding her bags. "The car's just parked out front."

She nodded, and he took his girlfriend's hand in his.

.

'A plate can never be fully restored once it has a crack. But if it is still usable, what we have now will suffice.' Akashi had said this once, when they were in middle school, to Kuroko.

However, time had passed since their dark days at Teikō.

'Fill those cracks with gold so that they will connect once more. Piece it back together, slowly, one by one,' she would say now. 'Those cracks will make beautiful designs and sparkle mesmerizingly. Imagine it shimmering in delicate golden lines. Don't you think it would look stunning? The flaws would make it that much more gorgeous.' Ai smiled. 'Miraculous, isn't it?'

"I think today's match was just as beautiful," she said to him in the car.

Akashi sat on the left side behind the driver, while Ai took the middle seat and leaned against him.

A small smile appeared on his lips. "I agree." His arm around her shoulder tugged her closer, and he kissed her temple.

.

After they got back, the two went to bed as soon as they could. She knew that Akashi would be tired after the two games, although one was unofficial and just for old time's sake.

As they laid in his bed together, she watched him breathe tranquilly with those gorgeous eyes closed. He faced upward as his right hand rested casually on his abdomen. She snuggled up to his left arm, being careful not to wake him.

He didn't move. Assuming he was already asleep, she gave his shoulder a gentle kiss.

"Goodnight," he whispered into the dark, proving her assumption wrong. His eyes were still closed.

She paused for a second in surprise. "Goodnight, Seijuro," she whispered back, smiling.

They were quiet for a while, and the only sound was his soft breathing and the ticking of the grandfather clock next to his desk.

Ai reflected on that day's game with the Jabberwock team and how Akashi had let go of his other half. She wondered what that meant for him. Was he free now, or did he miss the part of him that was always there for three years?

His other half. He was gone forever.

She'd never see him again.

The fact was finally sinking in. It was a dreadful feeling, but Akashi was still here, right beside her. Her hand clasped onto his arm as she tried to ground herself. He was here, sleeping next to her on the bed. He wasn't going anywhere.

As her mind wandered, she came upon an idea. She'd been meaning to ask, but her volleyball schedule always kept her busy.

"Seijuro?" she whispered again, trying to see if he heard her.

A moment passed before he hummed back, obviously tired. "Hmm...?"

The corners of her lips turned up, and her gaze softened. "Never mind." It could wait until the morning.

He groaned slightly. Akashi moved his arm over her head so that he was hugging her shoulders to his body. "What is it?"

She hugged him back with a fluttering hand on his chest. "I'll ask you tomorrow," she cooed.

His grip tightened for a second, then he rubbed her shoulder. "You don't need to hold back," he mumbled.

"I just wanted to visit your mother's grave. I haven't paid my respects since the first time we went." Ai had never seen his mother outside of pictures, but she knew they had been close when she was alive.

Mrs. Akashi was a very beautiful woman with a gentle smile for her son. Her hair was a deeper, more auburn color than red, with a soft elegance that Ai could only dream of. She wore a dress in the photos with a frilled parasol, standing with a loving hand on young Akashi's shoulder.

Slowly, he turned to face her and opened his eyes. He smiled dreamily. "Yes, we'll do that." He kissed her head and fell asleep this time.

Ai did the same, dreaming about all of the people she loved.

———

It was morning.

I was in my bedroom at my house, and I chose an outfit from my dresser. Once I'd changed, I went to stand in front of a small desk mirror. I looked around for an accessory to wear on my neck, but I couldn't find any.

It felt strange, like my collarbones were bare and missing something that was always there. Shrugging it off, I took my purse and headed out the door.

I was in Tokyo, at the house where my parents and I lived while I went to Teikō Junior High School. The only sport I knew and that would come to mind was basketball; I was one of the managers for their prestigious basketball club with my best friend.

I knew where I was going, my feet carrying me to the familiar train station I'd been to a thousand times.

Daiki-kun was waiting for me in front of the entrance. He was often late to practice, but he was early today and leaned against a railing surrounding a patch of green grass. He took one look at me and frowned. "You're not wearing blue today?"

I glanced down at my summer clothes: my form-fitting blouse, skirt, and apparel in a soft shade of red. Nothing out of the ordinary.

He shrugged. "Well, I guess it's ok. Your name is Akatsuki. Red as the dawn, they say."

He took my hand and started walking, leading the way for me. "Let's get going."

We went to a fancy cake shop where he and I picked out five cake slices. They came as a set, but we could choose which flavors to get. One chocolate, one strawberry, a mont blanc, a glazed fruit tart, and a mille-feuille.

As we waited for the shop attendant to box them, I caught him looking at my chest several times, enjoying the view.

"What?" I asked, folding my arms under my chest.

He smirked. "Nothing."

After paying, we went to another station. As we rode the train, I held the bag of boxed desserts because I didn't trust him to keep it flat and steady. But he took my purse by the straps and carried it for me.

The train was a little crowded, but not too much for a weekend. There were some empty seats if we wanted to sit down, but we chose to stand.

Daiki-kun reached up to hold the handle dangling above us with one hand, and I grabbed a hold of a pole nearby.

The blurry scenery passed by. I felt his arm snake around my waist, pulling me closer to his body as he leaned down. For a second, I didn't know what he was doing, so I placed a hand on his chest to look up at him confusedly. "Daiki-kun? What...?

He grumbled, "We can at least flirt when it's just the two of us."

"Flirt?" It took me a second to put two and two together. He was trying to kiss me?

His pout turned into a smirk. "Yeah, before we get to Akashi's." He straightened and let the subject go. "And, stop adding the '-kun'. It's not cute anymore."

We got to our stop and walked through the rich neighborhood to a particular, elaborate house. It had tall, pointy gates, a flowering front garden, and thick curtains draped on the other side of the windows in wide white frames.

Daiki-kun rang the doorbell.

Without much time to wait, the heavy oak door opened. Our captain came out to greet us. "Hey, welcome."

"Seijuro," I smiled.

Both of them flinched when I called him that.

He tried to laugh the awkwardness away while Daiki-kun knitted his brows.

"Thanks for coming, Aomine. I hope it wasn't hard to find the address."

"Yeah, it was no problem. Got cake for us, too."

I just stood by as they exchanged small talk on the porch.

"Seijuro? Won't you invite your guests inside," a feminine voice said.

He turned back toward the inside of the house. "Yes, Mother."

I froze right then and there, but the sun was shining brightly in the clear blue summer sky.

The sound of heels came from the door as a woman approached the foyer. I saw her long, flowing skirt first, before my eyes traveled up to see her face framed by soft waves of maroon hair. The opposite of my straight, black hair. She smiled gently at us at the door. "Hello. You must be Seijuro's friends. I'm his mother."

My mouth parted, and I gasped. The handle of the bag slipped from my fingers. The box crashed down onto the ground. No doubt that the ornate cake slices of delicate whipped cream were ruined now.

His mother was here.

She looked beautiful and healthy, and like a lady from high status, with a fair complexion that didn't seem sickly. Her elegance was only accentuated by the sophisticated way she carried herself and the thin, delicate gold necklace she wore on top of her blouse. She was graceful just standing there.

"Ai? What's wrong?"

The guy who was supposed to be my old crush took me by the shoulders, holding me like a precious thing.

Seijuro looked worried, but he kept a respectful distance between us.

"I... What..." I tried my best to answer Daiki-kun, but my mind was full of questions and confusion, too.

Then, somehow, from somewhere in my mind, a name popped up in my brain. "Where's Kuro?"

"Huh? Kuro? Who's that?" Daiki-kun asked me.

My head spun, and I couldn't think straight. Nothing made sense. Daiki-kun, Seijuro, Kuro… Basketball, volleyball…

.

Ai jerked awake, with eyes wide open and panting as hard as if she had just been running. She pulled the covers off of her chest and sat up, trying to breathe better.

Her boyfriend beside her stirred, turning over. He was a light sleeper. "Ai?"

She caught her breath. "Seijuro..."

"What's wrong?" He sat up with her, even though she could tell he was sleepy.

"Nothing... It was just a dream," she told him and herself. It was so detailed and felt so real. A nightmarish joke.

When his hand rubbed her back, she twisted toward him, burying her face into the crook of his neck. Her hands went around his torso, gripping his shirt and her arms squeezing.

Akashi hugged his girlfriend, trying to comfort her in the middle of the night. He rubbed her back and held her close without saying anything.

After a few minutes, her body started to relax, feeling lulled into sleep again. She pulled apart. "I'm going to get a sip of water," she said to him, slipping her feet onto the floor. His bed was taller than hers at home, and the elevation felt strangely extravagant.

"Wait," he stopped her from going down to the kitchen. He got up from his side of the bed and walked over to a glass cabinet. Opening it, Akashi produced a water bottle and glass cup in the moonlight.

Ai stepped around the couch chair over to him.

He twisted the cap open and poured her a glass. "Here."

"Thank you." When she took it, she immediately felt the sharp indentations and elaborate cuts of the crystal glass. How much did this alone cost? He must have a whole set of these.

"Better?"

She nodded.

He took it from her, setting it on the coffee table. He kissed her forehead and then her lips, tilting her face up with a curled finger beneath her chin. "Let's sleep for a couple of more hours."

.

Some psychologists say dreams mean nothing, that they're only a figment of people's imaginations. Others read into it, trying to draw coherent meaning from them. Ai was usually indifferent to those opinions; she'd leave the spirituality topics to Midorima. He was the one who believed in superstitions. It wasn't her area of expertise.

She tried to ignore the dream and washed her face.

Akashi asked the chauffeur to drive them to the gravesite, and they prepared to go.

He wore a pure white dress shirt with a pitch-black tie, a stark contrast of opposite colors, and slacks just as dark.

The inheritor of the Akashi estate also pulled out a black dress for her as well, producing it out of thin air like it was nothing.

It had short sleeves and a modest square neckline. The design was simple; plain but classic. The skirt went down to her knees and the fabric was light, sure to sway prettily in the late summer breeze.

Wearing all black, she took the necklace from Akashi off as well. "You wouldn't happen to have pearls to go with this dress, would you?" she asked a little jokingly. It was the first time she didn't wear the jewelry during the daytime, and it felt weirdly lonely.

"It's one of your birthstones, of course I have them," he said. "But, keep it on. I'm sure Mother wouldn't mind." He stood behind her to clip it back into place. The red gem shined beautifully.

.

The couple arrived at Akashi's mother's grave in the afternoon.

"I haven't once visited her gravesite, although I've traveled to Tokyo multiple times now."

Her volleyball club had kept her on a busy schedule. Cooking for and helping two teams with practice was a full-time job, with little time to rest, let alone go out. What little break time she had, she spent it on pampering her crow and cat players and refining her notes.

Akashi nodded. "I hadn't come here yet, either. It's a good time to do so." He had a faraway look, and Ai knew that he was thinking about his recent splitting with his other half.

They cleaned the gravestone by spilling water over the smooth stone and scrubbing the indentations a bit. The two high schoolers put water in the containers for the flowers. They placed the red carnations, white chrysanthemums, and violet rindos that they'd brought with them. Lastly, they lit an incense in his mother's memory.

They prayed in silence and appreciated the good weather it turned out to be.

"Mother married into status," he said after a while. "She told me once about the time she first met Father, at a dinner party. She wasn't poor in the least, but the Akashi family was wealthier. She said she got used to the affluence and her role as the lady of the house fairly quickly. She liked western clothes and dresses, but I remember her wearing expensive kimonos on special occasions.

"Mother's family lived in a traditional grand Japanese house, with intricate gardens and large property surrounded by stone walls. When she was little, it took her two hours exploring and counting all the rooms and wandering corridors, indoors and outdoors, and getting lost in her own house in the process." He chuckled at the memory of the story.

Then, Akashi stood up and faced her. "She had experience growing up in a similar environment as Father." He brushed the back of his fingers across her cheek, gently caressing.

"She said her father liked basketball, so she taught it to me."

"She sounds like a lovely person." Her voice came out small, but he heard her just fine.

He smiled sadly. "I wish you'd met her. Mother would have loved you."

They spent a few more minutes at the gravesite before taking their leave.

His hand was on the small of her back as they walked towards the parking lot. "Thanks for coming with me today."

When she looked up at him, she caught a glimpse of his sorrowful expression. Ai stopped in her tracks and pulled on the sleeve of his black suit. "Seijuro…"

He turned back to look at her.

Stepping forward, she took his black tie in her hand and tugged downwards until he leaned over. When his lips were within reach, she kissed him softly, wishing she could tell him through the pain of missing his mother that she was right here to support him. She could never in a million years replace his late mother. But the least she could do was to be there for him when he felt lonely. How she knew how awful that feeling was.

He kissed her back and cupped her face with both hands. He was amazed at how she could read his mind, analyzing his character as Kuroko did to others, and how she could lift his spirits when negative emotions weighed him down. Akashi would be eternally grateful to have her so close to him in his life.

Their mouths separated and her grip on his necktie loosened.

He pressed his forehead to hers in a loving show of affection and appreciation, then held her hand as they walked back to the car.

.

In the evening, Ai started preparing for tomorrow's trip back. She walked back and forth around the room, gathering things to take with her as Akashi leaned against the doorpost. He stayed out of her way and simply watched.

She stood at the foot of the queen-sized bed and folded her clothes on the deep pink comforters.

Seeing her pack her bag to go back to volleyball, to Miyagi, to somewhere far away and out of reach made his heart clench achingly. He couldn't stop himself from crossing the room, and before he knew it, he had wrapped his arms around her from behind.

He felt her stop moving immediately. "Seijuro?"

"Let me hold you like this for a bit," he mumbled against the crown of her head.

Ai dropped the hairbrush she was holding onto the bench and hugged his arms to herself. It was the only thing she could do with him keeping her in place.

His carved biceps flexed as he put strength in them. He wasn't built like Aomine or Kagami, but it didn't mean that he wasn't as strong; Akashi worked out at Rakuzan's gym in the mornings before class. Ai was willing to bet that his muscles were more trained than Kise's, but that could be because the blond's modeling manager advised him how to maintain a certain body type.

Akashi continued to embrace her quietly. He needed to come to terms with his heart, accepting that she had to leave tomorrow, but she would come back the next time they had a school break. Ai was his girlfriend. She would return to him again.

He sighed deeply and squeezed her once more. "I already can't wait for the next time you'll come over."

"Maybe I could visit you in Kyoto for once," she mused.

"It doesn't matter where. As long as you'll be with me again, as soon as possible."

As always, thank you so much for reading!!!

This concludes the chapters for the KnB movie, "Last Game". I hope you enjoyed it!

(Next week will be 2.14 Growing Fast part two!)

Feel free to send me feedback on how I could improve the story or plot, or just tell me what kind of scenes you want to see! I'd be happy to either incorporate your ideas in future chapters or edit the previous ones to make them better and more interesting! :)

Reference:

In case you were wondering, the birthstones for June are pearls, moonstones, and alexandrites.

Total Word Count: 6308