Hey guys! It's been a reeeallly long time (More than a year!), and I had actually finished the chapter earlier (a week or so ago? (I know, I'm really slow...)), but just hadn't found the time to publish it...I'm not sure if this chapter will satisfy anyone, but I hope that somebody out there will enjoy this. I'về been writing mainly academic essays for the pass year or so so so I'm not sure how much my creative writing/wording ability has deteriorated since then. Hopefully not too much! *^-^*

Thanks for all of the reviews, favorites, and follows, as well as Jen silent readers out there, for all of your support!

Reviews:

mio: I guess I just like to put cliffhangers XD, and I agree that there's no way that he could have tricked Akashi, since the guy's Absolute! ;) I'm glad that you'regularly okay with the current pairing! Thanks for your support!

RinFantasy: Thanks for reviewing like always! As for your very philosophical questions, they will be answered in in this chapter! (Most of them) I really appreciate your support! If I had to say though, I guess that Kuroko's pretty normal...? Kinda? Compared to the others, Kuroko might just be a saint?

BabyNightmareLady: Thanks for always reviewing! I'm glad that you enjoyed it, and I hope that you enjoy this chapter as well!

Hope10032: Thanks for reviewing and your constructive criticism! I really appreciate it! I try to review my chapters for grammatical errors, but I usually get kinda lazy, so there tend to to be multiple errors. :'( I tried to be more thorough this time, but I'm not sure how well I did. Thanks for the compliment! I hope you enjoy this chapter as well!

julie2709: I'm glad that you enjoyed the previous chapter! Thanks for reviewing and your continued support! And now the following part is here! It's really late though...

Crystal3000: Thanks for reviewing! I'm glad that you enjoyed the previous chapter, and hope for your continued support!

zkm08: Thanks for reviewing! I'm glad you enjoyed the previous chapter! I hope you enjoy this one as well! Here's the moment between the two that you were waiting for!

R: Thanks for reviewing! I'm happy that you enjoyed it! As for updating, here it is! Although it's really late...haha...

AugustRrush: Thanks for reviewing! And my story's cool? That's awesome! Thanks for the compliment! Here's the more that you (hopefully still) want!

MyEternalNightmares: Thanks for reviewing, and I'm glad that you found it interesting! I hope you enjoy this chapter as well!

eanniemae: Thanks for reviewing! I'm happy that my story was good enough to be considered awesome by you! I'll continue to try my best! *^-^*

aoichan23: Thanks for reviewing and your continued support! I'm glad that you enjoyed it! And don't worry, there's no cliffhanger in in this one!

RedCrystle19: I'm really honored that this (was) your favorite fanfic at some point! Even if it isn't now, I'm glad that somebody enjoyed my writing enough to consider on of my stories their favoite, even just for a little bit! Thanks for reviewing, and I hope for your support in the future as well!

zleihsh: Thanks for reviewing! I'my glad that you like their sadistic side! (I kinda like writing their sadistic side too, to be honest) Thanks for your support!

Lolo: Thanks for reviewing! Kuroko is sorta awesome huh? I was afraid that I might have been making him seem too powerful/too good at his job, but I'm glad that you liked it! Here's the update! I hope for your continued support!

HolllowfiedWolf-In-The-Shadow94: Thanks for reviewing! I'm glad that you liked my story so much that you prayed for me to to continue it! But don't worry, I don't plan on abandoning any of my stories, and my writing isn't that great. There are many other people in the world with better writing skills! I'my glad you though that it was a good read! I hope for your continued support!

Guest: Thanks for reviewing! I'm glad you liked it! And don't worry, I plan to continue! I hope for your continued support!

louisetuazon.1025: Thanks for reviewing! I didn't know that anyone still read this a year later! Don't worry cause there's no cliffhanger in this one! I hope that you enjoy this chapter! I hope for your continued support!

Whew! That was a lot of revieiws, but I'm glad that I got so many! I probably should have done this in in the beginning, but I'm planning on answering your guys' reviews directly in the reviews section.

Now, I think that I've kept anyone reading this waiting long enough! Let's get this show on the road!

The Phantom Heir

...

Chapter V: A New Game and Dinner Plans

Recap:

The redhead smirked in what appeared to be satisfaction before gesturing the tealhead to leave. Kuroko was doing so, and was about to breathe out a sigh of relief as he put his hand on the doorknob, before he heard a slight change in the airflow, and caught a pair of red scissors between his index and middle fingers. Kuroko only realized his error after he heard a melodious chuckle reverberate throughout the room.

"Just as I thought. You're not really who you say you are, are you, Mayuzumi Takehiro?"

'Sh*t'

*~Tier 0 Dorm, Akashi's Office~*

Akashi's question had caught Kuroko off guard. His heart was pounding in his ribcage frantically, telling him to run, run, run, and to not look back. However, he knew he couldn't do that.

'I can't give in now.' Kuroko thought. 'Think Kuroko, think!' Despite his internal dilemma, Kuroko stayed in character, giving his response perfectly, with a scared tone and downcast eyes.

"I-I'm not q-quite sure what you mean sir..." A chuckle that Kuroko thought was far too alluring to be in existence filled the air, before there was a response.

"Please, there is no need to continue your act around me. You may have been able to fool everyone else, but you can't fool me. No one can." Kuroko knew he was in trouble when he heard the redheaded male's last sentence. The only thing going through Kuroko's mind now was, 'How much did the man behind him know?' At this point Kuroko was debating whether to give in and tell the truth or try to bluff his way through. As a member of the Kuroko family however, he knew what the obvious choice of the two was.

"I-I'm sorry if I o-offended you somehow sir, but I-I really d-don't know what you're talking about." Kuroko hoped that with a second affirmation the redhead would back off, and believe that Kuroko truly wasn't lying.

"Interesting. Are you saying that I'm wrong?" The last word seemed to be loaded with promises of pain and unhappiness for Kuroko should it be true. Kuroko quickly made a move to respond, but was unable to as the redhead continued, his next words poisonous and scathing. "Trust me, Takehiro, when I say that I am never wrong. You're hiding something, and I will figure it out sooner or later, so why not spare us both the trouble of that and tell me now?" With those words, Akashi spun the tealhead around, and raised the boy's face up to meet his eyes, a sadistic smile on the redhead's face as the two locked eyes, teal orbs clashing with red and gold ones.

Kuroko, now trapped between Akashi and the door, began to internally panic. At this point, it seemed that it was impossible to continue fooling the redhead any longer. Any more lies and the redhead might just decided to attempt to kill him, which would rob Kuroko of any possible chance of trying to get the redhead and his other 5 companions out of the place. Kuroko knew that he might have to tell someone sooner or later, but he hadn't expected it to have to be this soon!

"Well, Takehiro-kun? Are you going to tell me? Or will we have to do this the hard way?" Akashi inched his face closer to the tealnette's as he said this, his gaze intensifying. Kuroko took a deep breath, gritted his teeth, and did the only plausible thing he could think of in his current situation.

He headbutted the redhead before him before swiftly sending one of his famous Ignite Pass Kais on the redhead's stomach, and sprinting out the door. He heard a groan escape the redhead sitting on the floor, which Kuroko personally thought sounded way too attractive to be normal, before he speed down the hallway, rushing down the stairs that would lead to the 3rd floor. While rushing down the steps, Kuroko questioned his previous thought about the redhead. 'Why did I just think that he was attractive? What's wrong with me?' His mind then began wandering to the question the redhead had asked him before Kuroko had decided to headbutt him. With that also came Kuroko's remembrance of the two's proximity. At that, a small blush crept onto the tealhead's cheeks. Kuroko himself didn't know why his body was reacting the way it did, but before he could delve any further in his thoughts in order to figure out why he felt the way he did, he heard an alarm beginning to blare throughout the building effectively putting the boy's senses on high alert. Kuroko began to slow down, making sure not to trigger any traps that most likely came with the activation of the alarm system. He proceeded slowly but surely, making his way down to the 3rd floor, avoiding poison tipped bullets, spike pits, solving complicated puzzles, all the while looking out for any other people that might approach him from the front, behind or sides. Once he had reached the 3rd floor, Kuroko did a little stretch; It seemed like the place was filled with traps that would force someone to have to be both knowledgeable and physically adept in order to survive.

Fortunately for Kuroko, his training as a member of the Kuroko family required him to well versed in most if not all areas, although he did specialize in infiltration. Before Kuroko could proceed to the elevator, he heard someone clapping slowly behind him. Kuroko turned, only to be met with Akashi's smirking face staring at him with amusement present in the redhead's eyes. Kuroko was shocked! He hadn't even heard the redhead, even though his senses were at their peak! How did the redhead do it?

"My, my, I must say, that was quite the performance you put on there. Being able to get through all of that without a single scratch...not to mention, doing this," Akashi gestured to his slightly reddened chin, "to me. I must admit, I was not expecting you to be something so...intriguing." Akashi then began to step forward, and for some strange reason, Kuroko found himself unable to move, as if the redhead's heterochromatic eyes locked him in place, trapping Kuroko in their gaze as the redhead came closer, closing off Kuroko's view of the rest of the world, until Akashi was so close that the only thing Kuroko could see was his face. Akashi cupped his face then and once again, Kuroko put up no fight.

"Now then, Takehiro, tell me, who are you?" The question was asked softly, the redhead's eyes glowing eerily as they pried the answer from Kuroko's lips. Unwillingly (or was it willingly?...) Kuroko felt his lips part as he gave the attractive redhead an answer.

"I am...Kuroko...Tetsuya." Akashi smiled at Kuroko's response.

"...Tetsuya. How interesting." The way Akashi said his name made a shiver go down Kuroko's spine. "Well then, Tetsuya, why are you here?" Once Kuroko had fully processed the redhead's question, he shook himself out of his stupor and slapped Akashi's hand away, and responded, confidently, "I have no obligation to tell you such things Akashi-san." As Kuroko said this, he fixed an ice cold glare on the redhead, communicating his seriousness on keeping his intentions to himself. Kuroko's expression, rather than making Akashi look angry or shocked, made the redhead laugh. Once again, Kuroko's thoughts seemed to wander to ones along the line of how 'the redhead was so very attractive'. He was brought out of his thoughts however, with the abrupt silence that fell over the room after Akashi's laughter had died down, and the expression on the redheaded male's face was replaced with a predatory one.

"I see. Well then, Tetsuya, I suppose I can allow you to run around a while longer. And just to keep things interesting, let's keep this as a little secret between just the two of us yes? Lets see how long you can entertain me, Takehiro." With that Akashi strode off, his footsteps as silent as ever, and his aura, one of a man that had never known defeat. Once the redhead was out of sight, Kuroko felt himself slightly relax, before he replayed in his mind exactly what had just occurred. 'I can't believe that someone found out already. It hasn't even been the first day of school yet!' Kuroko internally groaned at that fact.

'Although, I suppose that I underestimated that Akashi Seijuro…Looks like I'll need to be more careful from now on.' Thankfully, Akashi had promised to keep Kuroko's real identity secret. 'I should take precautions though, just to be safe…'

Kuroko decided to head to his room to be alone and think up an escape plan should Akashi reveal his secret. Thankfully, his student ID had his room number. It seemed he was on the 5th floor. Great. Of course he had to on the floor right under the one person that had his identity figured out, and therefore, was the person most harmful to the success of his mission. Although, Kuroko supposed that it could be a good thing to have the main hindrance to his mission nearby for observation…

*~Tier 0 Dorm, 5th Floor, In Front of Kuroko's Room~*

The door was a nice mahogany like the rest of many unlabeled doors throughout the building. The only thing that distinguished his door from the others was a golden plate nailed to the door with his 'name' inscribed on it. As Kuroko scanned the rest of the door's features, he saw a twinkle in the corner of his eye as leaned down to inspect it, and found that it was a fingerprint scanner.

'Of course they have a fingerprint scanner.' Kuroko internally rolled his eyes. He then proceeded to place his finger on the pad, a light moving vertically down the pad as the device analyzed his fingerprint pattern. Then, a small beep filled the air as the door unlocked, and an automated female voice spoke monotonously, "Identity Confirmed. Welcome, Rank 007, Mayuzumi Takehiro." Kuroko pushed the door open, revealing a dark room that lit up once he passed the entrance. Inside he was unsurprised to find that his new "home" was furnished with barely anything. The school was housing the children of criminals after all. The room consisted of a little more than the basics: a bedroom, a study table, a closet, a bathroom, and what appeared to be an intercom attached to the wall of the . The bathroom looked as if it was installed more recently compared to the rest of the room. 'I'm most likely the only one on the floor since I have a private bathroom…Now, just in case, I should look around.'

Kuroko began to walk around his room, eyes shifting from place to place in search of any hidden cameras or listening devices that someone could use to spy on him. Call him paranoid or whatever, but with the people that he was living with, he wouldn't be surprised if there was a hidden spying mechanism or two somewhere in his room. In the end, Kuroko had found a total of 3 listening devices and 2 cameras, all placed in strategic areas of the room for optimal stalking.

To best avoid suspicion however, he decided that it would be best to not remove the devices, and just allow the unknown viewers/listeners to believe that they had the upper hand.

The intercom came to life as a distinctly feminine voice pierced through the silence.

"Hey Hiro-kun! Sorry for disturbing you, but since it's your first day here, I wondered if you would like to come and eat lunch with me and some of our other dorm mates?" Kuroko pressed a button on the intercom and began to speak.

"I-I suppose I could...th-that is of c-course, i-if you and the ot-thers wouldn't mi-mind, Momoi-sa-san."

A few moments passed before Kuroko heard a reply.

"But of course, Hiro-kun! There's no need to be shy, I'm sure everyone will be very excited to meet you! See you at 6:00 then!"

'I guess I'll be meeting the rest of them sooner than I thought.' With his upcoming meeting with the rest of his 'targets' Kuroko decided that he needed some hours of peace and quiet in order to properly mentally prepare himself. Thus, after setting out the set of clothing that he was going to wear, the tealhead went to his bed and drifted off into the land of dreams.

I know that it was an uneventful ending for this chapter, but you can look forward to the dinner interactions between the 7 of them next time! *^-^* That's all that I really have to say, so, see you all later!