"Why so speechless? Did a cat got your tongue?" Mayuzumi was smirking little by little. He doesn't know why but he is enjoying this.

Kuroko squirmed uncomfortably in his seat. "I…I…was his lover." He answered stutteringly as he stared down at his cup vanilla milkshake.

Well Mayuzumi does not like the sound of that at all, not the least bit even if it is "A was? I'm asking in presence tense, Kuroko." He pushed on with it. "Do you even mean anything to him? Or are you just some sort of trophy for a victory, a victory over you." He was toying with his drink, stirring his shake using the straw, truly nonchalant about the tension in the air surrounding him.

Mayuzumi looked calm but Kuroko was the opposite of it, Kuroko was filled with ire. He was just about to hiss something when a figure walked towards them with a recognizable assured steps. Akashi Seijuurou stood beside his little bluenette at stared down hard at Mayuzumi. "To answer your question Chihiro, yes. He is a trophy. A trophy I found myself and polished to perfection and I owned it. He is the ultimate trophy and the ultimate tool for winning. I suppose that should answer your question." Akashi said as directed a worker to pull another small table and a chair for him to sit, right next to the bluenette of his.

"Now, would you answer me as to why, are you two, together, here?" Akashi looked at them with deep interest, the both of them was still startled by the redhead's sudden appearance but it did not take too long for the words Akashi had spoken as a greeting to become clear in their minds. Trophy, Kuroko Tetsuya is a trophy.

"Ironic. The trophy is the tool of winning. Is that all he is to you, Akashi?" A sneer from Mayuzumi. "That kind of answer could make you lose him." His hand reached out to grasp Kuroko's hand and he glance at the blue eyes. "And ran away to someone else."

"And what can running achieve, Chihiro?" The redhead seems to be unbothered by this, unless you account how his eyes are trying to burn Chihiro's hand that is touching his right.

Kuroko bit his lips, his eyes is staring at the both of the two boys's faces, his mind totally blank just like how his heart is feeling like. It was not a total surprise to him at what he is to Akashi, because no matter how many times Akashi seems to say 'I love you' or how Akashi seems to be wanting him to always be by his side, it all just seem like a false sense of warmth. He clenched his other hand and stared out of the window. "If everything was real, why did it all seem like a façade?" He whispered softly, it was only meant to be heard by his ears but the mutters of his breath was heard by the other two.

Startled by what they saw, both called his name. A stream of water was rushing down his cheeks, even the bluenette himself did not noticed that he had started crying because his expression was nothing more than empty. Akashi raised his hand to wipe away the silent tears but, Kuroko without looking at anything his right hand quickly parry off the bothersome hand. "The title of the phantom sixth man, Akashi-kun, I give it up." Kuroko got up from his seat without further ado and walked off. His stride never seemed more relaxed.

Ah, he misses Nigou. Why could he not bring his dog along? Nigou was the only one that could ever understand his feelings even though it was only a cute dog, but it always gives the right reaction, a bark, a gruff, a whine, all timed to his stories, to all the activities they all did together, Nigou is a smart dog.

Everything is going off in a spiral, he hated it. But most of all his mind despise Akashi for making him like this.

"Kuroko-kun?" A voice startled him. "What are you doing here?" Her voice shifted into heavier concern. "Kuroko-kun, what happened? You're so gloomy that I even noticed you."

Kuroko blinked at her. "Aida-san? Why are you here?" He was very much surprised to found his previous coach on his way home.

"What do you mean why I'm here? That question should be directed to you. Why are you here all the way from Kyoto? It's already late at night. It would be dangerous for you to return back to Kyoto now." The coach of Seirin High huffed.

"All the way from Kyoto?" Kuroko doesn't understand.

Her eyes widened in surprise. "Don't tell me you came all the way here without noticing?" She snapped her fingers. "Kuroko-kun, you're in Tokyo. Specifically, right in front of Seirin High School gym." That is not good, something must've happened for the bluenette to travel all the way from Kyoto to Tokyo without even noticing all of his actions. What thought had plagued the shadow's mind that it overtook his actions?

"Eh? Ah, really." Kuroko stared longingly at the building he now recognized. "I-I was just thinking about returning to my home. Afterall that happened, home sounds best. I don't know how I made it here." He took a step forward, hands reaching out to slide open those doors. Is he is allowed still? Is he is welcomed still? To this place…along with the other members of Seirin High.

"Seirin will always be your home, none of us blame you." Her tone was soft as if reassuring a child who was lost.

Sounds of basketball sport shoes skittering around the gym didn't ceased but got louder. Kuroko hesitantly opened the door. The view of the net swishing as a score was made, and a triumphant shout from the red-headed tiger. Kuroko felt a hand on his shoulder, Riko gave him her usual smile. "You should say hi." She lightly slapped Kuroko on the back to push him in. "You do know they'd be missing for you, right?"

He glanced back once at his old coach, turning back to the rest who has yet to notice his presence. There among the Seirin's he wanted to play with them again and so. "Coach, can I put back on my Seirin uniform?"

"It's your right." Her words were spoken so confidently because she knows, her choice of words were the right one for the bluenette current condition. "Now, head up and change." She commanded, half-heartedly.

With light nod Kuroko jogged towards the locker room and in the mean time, Riko put the mini-match on hold. "Alright, 1st half is up. 10 minutes break. Kiyoshi, don't over exert yourself. Next quarter you're sitting out."

"Who'll be subbing me, Riko?" He knew better than to object.

"Oh no one." She gave a sly grin making all the member shiver and wondered what did she have in mind.

After the 10 minutes break they lined up again, one side lacking one member. [Team Yellow's: Izuki, Hyuuga, Furihata, Mitobe and Fukuda.] [Team Blue's: Kagami, Koganei, Tsuchida, Fukuda and empty [Kuroko] ]. None noticed the bluenette lining up along side them, who is ironically wearing his number 11 Seirin High uniform, it all feels so nostalgic to the bluenette. Riko had to made sure the phantom was already on court before blowing the whistle. Really his uncanny lack of presence is just so annoying sometimes.

"PIIIIIIIII!"

I'm sorry for the late and rare and short updates on all of my KuroBasu fics. If only I have a phone then maybe I could sneak it to my boarding school and just write and post using phone...but for now bare with me okay?