A/N: Thank you so much for all your reviews! I must admit, I became teary while reading them. And now, I must apologize because I won't be writing about Akashi's reaction (for good reasons). I hope the epilogue would be enough to make up for it

I made some of you cry last chapter (*cough* including myself *cough*), so now, I hope to make you laugh and/or smile. The extra parts are purely in dialogues, which is something I only tried once before. Since this is arranged in chronological order, the epilogue is at the end of the chapter after the extras.

Enjoy!

EVER AFTER: The Many Difficulties in Akashi Seijūrō's Life

...

In Which Humans Make Funny Fishes

"Seijūrō-kun, I want to swim."

"Once you've improved your walking skills, I'll take you to a public pool."

"No. I want to swim in the pond. Now."

"Even if our ponds are well-maintained, I do not want to risk you catching any disease."

"Seijūrō-kun, I've lived in those ponds for years, or did you forget that I used to be a fish?"

"...Fine. Here, let me help you to the pond."

.

"Tetsuya, are you sure you can swim?"

"Seijūrō-kun... you're asking a fish if it can swim?"

"You are no longer a fish."

"Well, I've been a fish far longer than human. I'm sure I'll manage."

"Alright."

"Here I go then..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"Tetsuya? Are you sure you're alright?"

...

"Tetsuya, I only see you making bubbles. You are not swimming at all."

…

"Tetsuya, you're not moving."

…

"Tetsuya, why are you floating on your stomach?"

…

"...TETSUYA!"

.

.

.

"... Tetsuya... Tetsuya... Tetsuya! Open your eyes, Tetsuya."

"..."

"Tetsuya!"

*cough* * hack * *cough*

"Thank goodness..."

"Ah, good morning, Seijūrō-kun."

"Don't you good-morning me! Dammit, I thought we lost you!"

"Seijūrō-kun, this is the first time I hear you curse."

"You fool! You scared me! You drowned!"

"I did?"

"Yes!"

"Strange. This is the first time I've experienced drowning."

"... I want to hit you with a fan right now, but I won't."

"I am relieved to hear that."

"You... "

"Seijūrō-kun."

"What?"

"It seems that I can no longer swim."

"Obviously."

"And it seems that I can no longer breathe under the water too."

"If you could, you wouldn't have drowned."

"It's funny. I think I'm the first fish I know who drowned."

"That's because you are no longer one. And it's not funny at all. You gave us all a scare. Besides, fishes can also drown if the water lacks-"

"But I think humans are funnier."

"...oxygen... what?"

"Humans. They have very long and thin fin- I mean, limbs. And they can't breathe underwater. Yet, they try to swim. It's not natural."

"Because there are times that we have to."

"Humans should just stick on land."

"You're just feeling bitter that you can't swim."

"Still, humans make funny fishes."

"It's because we are not fishes at all."

"..."

"..."

"Seijūrō-kun,"

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry."

"You should be."

...

In Which Akashi Seijūrō Has No Sense Of Humor

"Seijūrō-kun, Mibuchi-san told me that you've got no sense of humor. Is that true?"

"... Of course not. I have an impeccable sense of humor."

"Then, will you tell me a joke?"

"..."

"Seijūrō-kun?"

"... Fine. Here goes... Where do fish sleep?"

"Near the bottom of the water or in corals. That question is too simple, Seijūrō-kun."

"... In a seabed."

"Yes, seabeds are at the bottom of the sea after all."

"... It's supposed to be a pun."

"Should I laugh?"

"Yes."

"... Haha."

"You're not laughing at all."

"I am."

"You lie. Your face doesn't look like you're laughing at all."

"I'm not used to having a lot of facial muscle. But believe me, I am actually laughing."

"My good joke was wasted on you."

"..."

"Aha! Now you're laughing!"

"I'm not."

"I saw that little twitch of your mouth."

"Ah, I've been found out."

"Why you... *sigh* I shall ask Ryōta to teach you some expressions next time."

"Okay. I also think Kise-kun makes the most interesting faces."

"He does, doesn't he?"

"Also, I cannot imagine Seijūrō-kun making those faces Kise-kun makes."

"..."

"You should ask Kise-kun to teach you too."

"... Tetsuya!"

...

In Which Seijūrō-kun Is Being A Pervert

"Today, I'll be bringing you to the city. We need to buy you a lot of things, especially clothes. I want you to change into these clothes..."

"But I like this fur. It's warm and fluffy."

"It's not fur. It's a bath robe. You can't wear them out in the streets."

"Humans are so weird. You don't like to show your skin, but instead borrow different furs. I think Seijūrō-kun's skin is beautiful. You shouldn't hide it."

"Tetsuya, humans find it indecent to show a lot of their skin. That's a big part of the reason why we wear clothes."

"Alright. But I still don't get why I need to change. A lot of my skin is covered with this fur, so I see no problem."

"And again, it's not fur; it's a robe. Humans are expected to wear specific clothes for specific occasions. Wearing bath robes in malls is absolutely not allowed. Now stop complaining, and change."

"Why do you have to wear different furs? It makes no sense. I think humans should wear what they like. I didn't like the fur you made me wear when Mibuchi-san visited. It was not fluffy at all. I like this fur- robe better."

"Strip, or I'll do it for you."

"... I didn't know Seijūrō-kun is a pervert."

* thwack! *

"Just go and change."

"It seems that Seijūrō-kun is a sadist as well."

* thwack! *

"You're being ridiculous."

"I think Seijūrō-kun is enjoying this too much."

* thwack! *

"Stop hitting me with the fan. It hurts."

"Then stop with those obscene comments."

"I was joking."

" *sigh* Jokes aside, today will be your first time in the city. It's a very crowded place filled with humans. Stay close to me, or you might get lost."

"I don't get lost."

"You do. In fact, you've already gotten yourself lost seven times just inside the compound."

"I wasn't lost. I was having an adventure. Then you or the servants would suddenly appear and interrupt my adventures."

"We wouldn't if not for the fact that it was already very late at night and you haven't returned yet."

"Fishes are nocturnal."

"You are no longer a fish. You are expected to sleep when I sleep and wake-up when I do."

"Still, I wasn't lost."

"You were. And you know, you are such a hard person to find, Tetsuya, that we had to take out the dogs to sniff you out... which reminds me, we should take a dog with us in case you do get lost. Just imagining you getting curious and wandering about the mall is starting to give me a headache. Right now, I am sorely tempted to put a leash on you."

"...Seijūrō-kun is into bondage?"

* thwack! *

"Where did you pick up that crass language? I do not remember teaching you such inappropriate words."

"Ah. Aomine-kun dropped his colorful book in the pond back in Tōkyō. That time, I've been using it to practice reading the characters you taught me."

"... I should have known that Daiki was behind this. Listen, do not mention things like that again, especially in front of other people. They might think that we are engaging ourselves in questionable activities, which we are not. We are not that, and nor are we into those, okay?"

"You're right. We are not that or into those. I think that an owner and pet relationship best describes us after all."

* thwack! *

"We'll have to fix that strange humor of yours once we get back."

.

.

.

Epilogue

Seijūrō woke up in the middle of the night and saw that the futon beside him was empty. It took a moment for his eyes to adjust before he saw and felt that the room was unnaturally brighter and colder. A chilly breeze swept past him, and he turned and saw that the shoji doors that led to the garden were fully opened.

"It must be Tetsuya," he thought.

He stood up and wrapped a blanket around him. He also took Tetsuya's carelessly discarded blanket, folded it neatly, and draped it across his arm. Then he went outside to search for his missing roommate.

It was not hard to find him; there was only one place that the former fish loved to stay on his midnight excursions, and that was the pond. He soon found him squatted at the edge of the pond quietly staring at the water. He went behind him and draped his blanket across the boy's shoulders.

"Is there anything interesting about the pond tonight?" he asked.

Tetsuya turned to look him and then turned back to the water. "Nothing. It's quiet like usual."

Seijūrō helped the other boy stand up and rubbed his hands which had grown cold. "The wind is chilly tonight. You should get inside before you catch a cold."

Tetsuya obeyed him and turned back towards their room. It was then that he noticed that Tetsuya was walking barefooted, again.

"Can you wait at the porch? I'll draw some water so you could wash your feet. You should wear your slippers next time."

"Okay, next time," Tetsuya acquiesced. He went to the porch and sat down. "Still, I don't understand why humans wear them. They feel so weird on my feet."

"If you are going to complain about it, then I won't be hearing your complains about the water being too cold. Now, stay there and wait until I get back."

With Tetsuya's nod, Seijūrō went to the well near the corner. He slid off his blanket to one shoulder and rolled up his sleeves. The night was really cold even if it was still summer. He drew water from the well and transferred it to a wooden basin. Then, he carefully carried the basin to the porch where Tetsuya sat staring intently at a frog as if it was the most curious thing.

As he came near, the frog jumped off, and Tetsuya was dismayed. But Seijūrō just brushed it off and placed the basin besides Tetsuya's feet. He went inside the room to grab a small towel, went back to where Tetsuya sat, and carefully folded the bottom of his yukata before he knelt on the ground in front of the other boy. He took one foot, and then the other, and bathed them with water.

"It's cold," said Tetsuya.

"No complaining," chastised Seijūrō. Tetsuya pouted, but Seijūrō was having none of it. "Wake me up next time you feel like having another midnight excursion."

"Fine. I will, next time."

Seijūrō inwardly questioned when was 'next time'. Despite telling Tetsuya the same things over and over, the other boy seemed to forget about them when 'next time' came. But he dropped it and pursued a different topic.

"What was so interesting about the frog?" asked Seijūrō.

"It croaked," said Tetsuya.

Seijūrō rolled his eyes. "Of course it did. What about it?"

Tetsuya seemed lost in thought. Seijūrō thought he was going to drop it like the other times he asked when he found the boy fascinated by crickets, birds, and other animals. He didn't expect that Tetsuya would actually reply.

"I used to understand them," Tetsuya answered. "The birds, the insects, the frogs, and even the loud cats outside. I used to be able to hear their voices. Even if I couldn't speak their language, I could understand everything that they said. But after I became human, I can no longer hear them talk. It's actually the first time that I'm hearing frogs croaking instead of speaking. It feels strange."

Seijūrō thought that it made sense. If all his life as a fish he could understand all other animals, then he wouldn't know the difference between a human speaking and a dog barking.

"Is that why you said that the water was quiet?"

"Yes," Tetsuya replied. "Back when I was a fish, the pond was always full of chatter. Each koi and goldfish has its own voice. I thought that if I tried hard enough, then maybe I could hear their voices again. But now, I think that," he paused, and whispered, "I think that I won't be able to hear them again."

Seijūrō studied Tetsuya's face, but it was blank as usual. He thought that the boy sounded almost wistful. "So that's the reason why you don't eat fish," he mused.

"Yes. It is very hard to eat them if you can hear them speak and even beg for their lives," said Tetsuya.

"You have a point. I don't think I'll have the appetite to do so."

Then Seijūrō grew silent. There was a question in his mind that had been bothering him. He finished washing Tetsuya's feet and toweled them off. Then after contemplating about it, Seijūrō decided to ask Tetsuya, "Do you regret being turned into human?"

"No. Never. Why?" Tetsuya asked, confused.

"You could no longer hear their voices. You also have to learn how to live like us. It must have been very difficult for you."

"It is difficult," Tetsuya admitted. "It's like... a human learning how to fly like birds. Fishes don't have legs, so even learning how to walk was very difficult. It is even more frustrating for me that I can't swim. Swimming is the most fish-like thing to do, but human limbs are so clumsy and awkward. I couldn't even do the most natural thing for fishes."

"But I don't regret it," Tetsuya continued. "It was also my wish to stay by Seijūrō-kun's side, and I am very happy to be with Seijūrō-kun."

"During my time in the sea, I used to understand all the creatures I met: the fishes, sharks, and whales, every single one of them. I hear their voices but they couldn't hear mine. Looking back, I think that it was a very lonely existence, but I didn't know it at that time. It was only after I met Seijūrō-kun that I understood it. Seijūrō-kun was the first other creature who tried to understand me. I was very happy, and yet lonely at the same time."

"It was Seijūrō-kun who taught me how loneliness feels like, and what fear is like, all because I wanted to be with Seijūrō-kun. I still feel them now, but I am also the happiest when I'm with Seijūrō-kun. It is strange, but it feels right. I don't know how to call this uneasiness, but I feel that if I'm with Seijūrō-kun, I will learn. So, I don't think I'll ever regret staying with Seijūrō-kun."

Seijūrō finished drying Tetsuya's feet and stood up. Then, he bent down and hugged the other boy, and Tetsuya's scale on Seijūrō's pendant clinked with the other boy's matching pendant. They were the only reminder left of what Tetsuya was once was, and under the pale moonlight, they glowed almost ethereal-like.

"Then stay with me, Tetsuya," said Seijūrō. "Don't leave my side. I'll teach you everything you need to know. And I will protect you from anything that might harm you. So, stay with me, always."

Tetsuya smiled. It was awkward, and it felt odd on his face, but nonetheless it was the first of the many smiles that he was going to make from that day on.

"Of course, Seijūrō-kun," he answered. "That is also my wish."

.

.

.

-fin-

Words from the author: And so we come to the end of our story. Thank you so much for taking your time reading this story and being part of it. All your reviews/faves/follows have really encouraged me. It was a wonderful experience for my part. Bittersweet have always been the taste that I'm most comfortable writing. I hope a lot of you enjoyed it too.

I would also like to congratulate AokazuSei for beta-reading this story. Thank you very much.

And lastly, I might be posting a chapter about the legend of Kuroko's kind (but I'm still undecided about it). But as of this chapter, this story is officially complete.

The rest that follows is just the mad ramblings of an author, so you may ignore it if you wish.

If you'd want to know what would happen to Midorima in the story, then maybe this could give us a hint:

"Needless to say, Seijūrō was looking forward to Midorima's reaction once he learned that Tetsuya became human, and secretly so was Tetsuya."

"They will never let him live through it." ... which pertains to his embarrassing speeches with the fish.

Midorima is one of the more frequently-appearing characters since he is Akashi's closest friend (according to the wiki). The wiki also said that only Midorima didn't change after the five got their abilities. Also, he's very perceptive to have observed that there were two Akashi(s). Ah, and the author also likes to tease Midorima.

Asides from the main characters and Midorima, Kana was also a character I loved to write. She's the stereotypical girl from the province that should have heeded her grandmother's advice that she 'shouldn't have gone mingling with the queer city-folk'. She grew up making mud rice balls, catching frogs, and all those dirty things kids do. Thus her persistence that her young master should 'play with kids his age'.

My initial plan with this was just a light drama sprinkled with my brand of humor. But somewhere during the process, the emotions grew thicker, and I started thinking things from stupid ones like, "if fish are like birds where males are prettier than females, then Kise would make the most manly fish," to more curious ones like "how would a fish feel if it's touched by my hands? The difference on the body temperatures would probably make it very uncomfortable for the fish," and ,"how far was the distance from Kyoto to Tokyo for a fish that used to swim across the oceans and seas?" But Kuroko was a special fish whose thoughts was slowly turning more human as the years have gone by. He even chose human sentiment over fish instincts at the end when Akashi held the very sick him.

I think it was almost inevitable for Kuroko to turn into human. He was slowly thinking like one, unconsciously hoping to be one, and although he didn't know it, he was the wish-granting fish in the legends. He couldn't know that understanding different species was an ability unique only to him as a wish-granter because he couldn't talk to anyone. What I thought was the real miracle was how two very different species with very different values, who couldn't even hold a two-way conversation, arrived to the same wish. Through their years together, and the bonds they shared, Akashi and Kuroko's wish became one at that single moment.

And so, Kuroko took form of a human so similar in likeness to Akashi. He couldn't be as tall as Midorima, as beautiful as Kise, or become a woman like Satsuki. Even if he was formerly a magical fish, his human form could only turn out to be the plain Kuroko Tetsuya, who looks so much like Akashi (it's good that their character designs look so much alike). Akashi was his ideal person, and the person he spent most of his time with, that he unconsciously modeled his human form after Akashi. -though I imagine Kuroko would have asked for more height if he knew about human aesthetics, no offense to Akashi. Only Kuroko's unique coloring was preserved from his physical appearance back when he was still a fish, maybe as a semblance of familiarity, or as something he wished to hold on to; Akashi did find the color of his eyes and his scales beautiful.

I really enjoyed writing this fic, and mostly because at the end of the day, I could open my laptop and read all your feedback, and they would never fail to make me smile. I didn't expect this much feedback since my style could be quite odd and a bit wordy compared to a lot of fics; and I even started with a long narrative for part 1, which could be a little discouraging for readers. So I'm really glad that a lot of you reached the end. Thank you :)