"Why do you like to play shogi by yourself, Sei-kun?" Akari leaned closer to her childhood friend who placed a piece down. He smiled at her question, "Because a certain girl won't play with me. You are truly heartless, Akari." He said and looked at her. The girl chuckled and straighten up ,putting her hands behind her back, holding onto her right wrist.

The door slid open and Midorima came in, "It's not a surprise you'll be here, Tsutsumi." The green haired stated, pushing his glasses up with two fingers. The girl crossed her arms, "What do you mean by that, four eyes?" She asked, beaming at him. Midorima gave her an irritable expression. He shrugged his anger away and went to the two of them with his hands inside his pocket, "Time to practice." He told the red head.

Akashi nodded his head and stood up from his seat and grabbed his bag, "Let's go, Akari." Akashi turned to her with a soft smile. The girl nodded her head and the three of them walked towards the gym. She sat down on a bench and she continued to examine everyone, mostly Kuroko. He kept on missing shots, but that didn't surprise her. She looked at the others and landed on Aomine who made his shots with a smile on his face. Hope that doesn't fade away, she thought to herself and then her eyes trailed to Midorima who kept on making three pointers. "Show off…" She muttered.

Murasakibara was crushing his opponents. "He is still going on with that." She said and looked around the room. "You've looked at mostly everyone except for me, Akari." Akashi said in a straight face. His childhood friend got startled and looked at him, "Don't be such a kid. Also I don't have to examine you since you're perfect." She said and she just realized what she just said. Akashi blinked and he smiled, "I'm perfect?" He asked. The girl looked away, blushing from embarrassment, "Forget what I just said!" She said and walked away from him. Akashi chuckled and kept on staring at her.

The following day, the generation and Akari were all eating lunch until Haizaki decided to steal one of Kuroko's meatballs. Aomine glared and pointed at him, "If you're hungry, get an extra-large one or go get more food. Don't go stealing other people's food every day!" He shouted at him. Haizaki was chewing the meatball, "It's no big deal." Haizaki said. Akashi and Akari sighed at the same time.

"It's just that food on other plates looks more delicious. I can't help it. See~" He grabbed a piece of Akari's lunch and ate it, licking his thumbs. "You're cooking is really good. Maybe you should be my wife and cook for me, Akari~."He said. Akari glared at him and Akashi growled quiet, "Shougo!" Akashi snapped and everyone looked at him quietly.

Midorima felt the tension around them and he decided to break it, "There's a 2nd year who's moving up to the 1st string today. Apparently, he started just two weeks ago. He's been advancing as fast as we were. His name is Kise Ryouta." He informed. "Eh? Ah! I know that guy too! I met him before." Aomine said with his eyes widening up.

Haizaki raise his brown, "Kise Ryouta? … Huh." He said. "That's rare, for you to remember other people's names. Except for Akari of course…" Midorima stated and the girl glared at the green haired glasses. "Sounds like he'll do pretty well. And… doesn't sound like we'll get along well." Haizaki replied back and he was right.

When it came to practicing, the two of them weren't doing so well and Kise kept on losing. A girl came in the gym, "Shougo-kun, are you done with practice?" She asked and he walked towards her. "Eh? Wasn't that… Kise's new girlfriend?" A member asked.

"Huh? Ryouta-kun?" The girl blinked. "Oh~ He just challenged me to a match and got owned." The guy said. "For real? Wow, so lame~" She said and Akari was furious. "Just get out already!" She snapped and the girl scoffed, "Whateves, you're just jealous that Shougo picked me instead of you!" The girl said back. The blue haired girl widens her eyes and she was going to talk back, but Kise told her not to say anymore. The two of them walked out the building.

"I want to shave all of that hair of hers." Akari growled and clenched her fist. Kise heard that and he smiled softly, "Thank you, Tsutsumicchi." The blondie said. Akashi couldn't keep his eyes off of them and saw the two of them were getting close. "Ryouta! Hurry and get a mop, it's your turn to clean the place." Akashi ordered and Kise dropped his jaws. " What?!" He shouted. "It's best not to disobey… that's Sei-kun for you." The girl warned Kise. He sighed, but did what Akashi told him to do.

After practice Akari and Akashi were heading to Akari's place. "What are we going to do with Haizaki?" She asked. Akashi sighed, "It's best if we should kick him out." He said back. "We should…" The girl muttered. Akashi glanced at her, "Are you thinking about Ryouta?" He asked with a hint of jealousy. She nodded her head, "I just can't believe that girl went to Haizaki. Well she wasn't bright enough to begin with and Kise did told me he was going to dump her anyways." She said.

"Then you don't have to worry about. But I promise you that Shougo won't be in the team if he keeps doing this." Akashi said back and the girl nodded her head. They reached her house, "Goodnight, Sei-kun." She smiled at her friend who smiled back. She walked into her house and Akashi walked away. "Akari, you are really cold. You are paying attention on someone else other than me." He said to himself. He stopped walking when he turned around the block. "Damn it…" He whispered and held onto a wall.

The game started and everyone was playing. Akashi snapped out from his thoughts and watched the game go on. Akari watched the players and she saw how they were playing. She analyzed them and she was impressed by their skills. After the entire game, the result was in. Rakuzan won the Interhigh and the crowd went wild for them.

Akari told Midorima he can go home, but he didn't want. "Midori-kun!" She pushed him towards the exit. He sighed, "Geez… fine fine…" The green haired said and walked away. The girl waited until the teams were out. It's been an hour already and she slowly went to sleep in a nearby table. Akashi saw her and he shook his head, "Why are you always sleeping out in public?" He asked and caressed her cheek.

She felt something warm and soft touching her cheek. As she opened her eyes she saw Akashi, "You still have the habit of sleeping in public." He told her. She rubbed her eyes, "You should try it someday, it isn't that bad." She said back. "Why didn't you play?" She asked him right away. "It wouldn't be fun." He replied, but she did believe that.

"Anyways, come on. Let's bring you home to your real place this time." He grabbed her hand and the two of them walked out of the building. The girl noticed how people were staring at the two of them. She looked down, blushing from the attention she is getting. Akashi noticed it too, but he didn't care. He pulled her closer to him and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. "A-Akashi!" She hissed with a flustered look across her face. "I want everyone to know that you're mine." He said and her eyes widen.

They took the train to go back to Akari's home place. They went out the train and walked towards her place. It was really awkward, well for Akari only. Akashi didn't mind the awkwardness. The girl stopped in the middle of walking and the guy stared at her. "Akashi… can you please stop all of this?" She asked vaguely. He looked at her weirdly, not understand her question.

She sighed and turned to him, but before she can say anything else, he kissed on the lips. He held the back of her neck with one hand and the other held her waist, pulling her closer to him. The kiss was very passionate, but she still didn't respond back and pushed him away from her. "I said stop it! I'm sorry Akashi, but I don't love you! I never did and never will!" She snapped and he became quiet. She covered her mouth from what she just said. Even though Akashi had a straight face, she could see the hurt in his eyes.

"I'm so sorry, but please. This is just only a one sided love." She said then ran away, leaving Akashi alone in the dark. There was a droplet of rain that fell on his cheek. It slowly started to rain and looked up at the sky. His eyes widen as a thunder roar, "Akari…" He whispered and ran to where she went. There were more flashes of lightning and thunder.

It was a stormy night and young Akari was still at school, trying not to pay attention to the storm. There was a loud banging sound against the window and she jumped. "Mama! Papa! Where are you?! Please hurry!" She screamed and was in the verge of tears. The lights went off and she screamed at the top of her lungs and hid under the table. All she could hear was the thunder and see the flashes of lightning. She always hated this and whenever she's alone, there will always be a storm.

More and more, her heart was racing and tears rolled down her cheeks. "Someone… please…" She begged. A blanket was wrapped around her and she opened her eyes to see her friend, Akashi next to her. "It's alright, I'm right here." He said softly and wiped away her tears away. The sound of thunder made her jumped and hit her head on the table. "Ow…" She rubbed her hurt head. Akashi chuckled and gently rubbed her head and the girl blinked then stared at him.

His smile was the only thing she wanted and the only thing that can make her forget about the frightening storm. "I'll be here with you no matter what." He told her softly and embraced her. "So warm… you're so warm, Sei-kun…" She said. Her eyes were getting heavy and she went to sleep in the arms of her friend who she trusts.

Akashi was running around until he saw Akari next to a garbage can in an alley. She was kneeling and covering her ears tightly. "Akari!" He shouted and placed his hand on her shoulder, the same time thunder roar and it made her scream. He bridal carried her and she looked Akashi. He saw the worried look on his face. She looked down and clutched onto his clothes, "You are still warm… Sei-kun." She whispered quietly. He hurried to her place and when he made it, he knocked at the door.

The door opened and Akari's mother came out. She widen her eyes when she saw the two of them, but her eyes were mostly on Akari, "You're back?" The mother let the two of them in. Akari was in the bathroom, taking a shower, she wrapped a towel around her body. After she was done she went to her room. She opened her door, but saw Akashi in her room, looking at the pictures from her past. He stared at a picture of her and Akashi next to one another, a smile on their face.

He heard the door closed and he turned around. "A-Akashi?! G-Get out!" She shouted with flustered cheeks. He stared at her body and blinked, "Is it me or have you been working out? You sure have grown." He said and she blushed even more. "I said 'GET OUT!'" She punched him in the face and kicked him out of her room.

He held his cheek, "That hurt…" He said in a normal tone. When she was dressed up, she walked out and he was outside of her room, holding onto his bruise. "Perv…" She muttered and walked pass him. The two of them went to the living room and the mother came out of the kitchen, "Seijuro-kun! What happened to your face?" She asked him and examined his face.

"Being a pervert, that's what." Akari muttered. "Be right back." The mother walked away and came back with a first aid kit and a bucket of water and a cloth a few minutes later. "Akari sweetie, is it alright if you can treat Seijuro-kun? I have to go to work an overnight." The mother said and put on her jacket. The girl glared at the guy, "Fine…" Akari said and the mother smiled and said her farewells to the two then walked out of the door.

"The storm is over." Akashi said holding onto his face. "Yeah, I know." She said back and washed his face with the cloth. She put aside some of his hair, "Sorry if my hair is getting in the way. I'll try to cut it later." He said, touching his hair. After 5 minutes of treating her friend she prepared dinner for the two of them. The guy looked around the living room and there were pictures and paintings hanging up on the wall. He saw a picture with all of the six Generation of Miracles, Momoi, and Akari in a group picture. He took a notice of the smiles on everyone's faces. They looked to be really close to one another.

He has been staring at that certain picture for a long time that dinner was ready. "Akashi, dinner is ready." Akari said and set the plates and bowels down on the table. The red head smelled tofu soup which was his favorite. He gazed at the girl who was blushing and avoiding any eye contact. "Hurry up and eat." She muttered. He chuckled and sat down on a seat. The girl sat across him and they said their thanks then began eating.

"Akari, what are you going to be doing tomorrow?" He asked. Akari thought about her plans and she remembered that she turned down Kise. She felt bad about that and since she rejected his offer, she has a free schedule. "Because I was wondering if you would like to come with me somewhere." He added. "Where is it?" She asked, narrowing her eyes at him, but he only smirked slightly and ate his food.


Here's ch.5 everyone, hope you guys enjoyed reading and thanks for everything.

Well until the next time bye bye~