Here's chapter 4 everyone! They're so OOC here :) I tried my best, I guess it paid off :) Thank you for all those favorites, follows, and reviews :) I'll try to update now and then, I kinda have writer's block... Enjoy~! I edited some of it (mostly typos), and a bonus sentence was added, but it was nothing much :) !
"I heard, Ogiwara-san... not only did he get punished, he got expelled."
"Is it...because of me...?"
"Oi, Tetsu, what's wrong?" Aomine Daiki, who had just arrived, did not know what made his mentor's mind adrift.
Kuroko Tetsuya remained silent, he didn't know how to put it into words. He looked at Aomine Daiki and merely said two words.
"Good morning." It was not really a greeting, it seemed more like he wanted to avoid talking about it.
"Tetsu, that's so messed up. That doesn't answer my question from earlier, something's bothering you, I know it." Aomine seemed sure, he was genuinely worried in a way.
"Aomine-kun, may I... excuse myself?" Kuroko stood up, not bothering to hear Aomine Daiki's answer to his request. To his surprise, he was stopped by Aomine Daiki's hand, holding his firmly.
"Let go, Aomine-kun."
"Tetsu, this is what you did when we first met right?"
"Aomine-kun, now's not the time for that..."
"Promise me you'll come back as the Tetsu I know, I'll let go then. I'm a goner when I see you like this..."
"Aomine-kun, promises, they are big things. I can't promise anything, but I'll try." Aomine's grip started to loosen at Kuroko's words, he had let go.
He didn't know that there was a possibility he could never take back what he had let go.
~Class~ (20 minutes after Kuroko left)
"This was supposed to be a joint class, where the heck is the teacher? It's been 10 minutes already..."
"Who knows? Akashi-sama's father was supposed to be our teacher again right?"
"Now that you mention it, Akashi-sama isn't here..."
"Eh? He's not with the other miracles? He always makes my mornings..."
The said miracles were sitting together just like their seating arrangement from the previous day. They were quite bothered not only by Akashi Seijuro's absence, but also by Kuroko Tetsuya's absence.
"Not only is Akashicchi absent, Kurokocchi too... that's so sad... Life's boring without Kurokocchi..."
"Is he unwell, perhaps?" Midorima Shintarou felt disappointed, just when he had planned to give Kuroko his lucky item for the day, and just when the horoscope said Cancers like him should stick with Aquariuses, he sighed at the thought.
"Ara? Look, over there." Murasakibara Atsushi pointed at the seat beside Kuroko's seat, and the one seated was...
"Not only are Akashi and Kuroko absent, so is that new student... It couldn't be a coincidence."
"...I'm starting to get worried, what if Akashicchi did something to Kurokocchi-"
"Idiot, don't start thinking of bad things about Akashi, he wouldn't do that, maybe."
"Tetsu, he just left..." Aomine Daiki stood up from his seat and sat on Kuroko's seat.
"Oi, that's Kurokocchi's seat! No! I want to feel the warmth of that seat too!"
"Now's not the time for that, Kise."
"Eh? Who knows... that warmth might be gone at any moment... When exactly? Tomorrow? The day after tomorrow? You never know... Kurokocchi might never-"
"He'll come back, I just know it."
"Aominecchi..."
"You just have to believe in him, after all, if you don't, you'll be the first one to lose him."
They all looked at that particular seat, imagining the shadow they held dear.
"Who knows... maybe somewhere in the darkness... Kurokocchi's hiding... somewhere we can't see him..."
Suddenly, Midorima stood up from his seat, much to Kise Ryouta's surprise, especially because Midorima did not keep his lucky item with him.
"Eh? Midorimacchi? Your lucky item..."
"You are all being so sentimental it feels rather annoying, I'm going out to find Kuroko. He's just trouble..."
"Midochin... we can't let the tsundere do everything can we?"
"Aominecchi, j-just once, a truce."
"Yeah... sure..." Aomine didn't know what to make of it, but he knew it was better than just sitting around waiting for Kuroko to come back.
Because with the Miracles, he'll be the one bringing Kuroko back.
At least that's what he thought...
~Meanwhile...~
A certain emperor was fighting his own battles, and unfortunately, the shadow accidentally stumbled onto the battlefield.
Kuroko Tetsuya was wandering around when he heard it.
A certain voice which belonged to a person who normally wouldn't go to such lengths to fight back for the sake of someone.
But a certain question struck to Kuroko Tetsuya.
What kind of person would make Akashi Seijuro fight like that?
"You didn't have to do that, I haven't heard about any of this."
Kuroko peeked into the small opening of the door and saw Akashi Seijuro somehow different than usual.
Kuroko Tetsuya knew Akashi Seijuro enough to know he was angry, but who was the target of his rage, he wondered, thought it was rather obvious, he was still unaware of the situation at hand.
Cutting classes was currently not his greatest concern, nor what he was feeling right now.
It was the fact that Akashi Seijuro's father was the one at fault, and Akashi Seijuro didn't know anything about it.
There was a time in his worries when he blamed Akashi Seijuro, but he was terribly wrong.
But was he really entirely wrong?
~Kuroko's POV~
"You wanted to get rid of Ogiwara Shigehiro, you got what you want, yes?"
No way... Akashi-kun wanted to get rid of Ogiwara-kun?
"Not like that, I didn't want-"
"Didn't want what?" I saw Akashi-kun's father smirk.
"I didn't want Tetsuya to feel that it was his fault, I didn't want him to feel sadness just like how he was hurt before. Well, father, are you satisfied? To see me suffer this way... that was your aim from the start, wasn't it? Well, it's working... that way Tetsuya walked out from the classroom earlier, the face I saw was not the face of the Tetsuya I knew."
Could it be... Akashi-kun saw that?
And what's more...
"Humph, to think my son actually has the emotions of a human, interesting, so Kuroko Tetsuya makes you that vulnerable huh?"
Am I only a nuisance to Akashi-kun?
Am I pulling him down?
"Tetsuya is my weakness, my flaw, yes, that is true. Tetsuya's happiness is my happiness. Don't underestimate the bond we've made together for all those years, father. And believe me father, I know your weakness, people like you are so easy to read, your pride will be your downfall, you'll see."
Akashi-kun was about to exit the room, I backed off from the door.
Wait, why am I running away?
"Tetsuya."
That look in his eyes, it was inescapable.
"Akashi-kun..."
~Narrator's POV~
The two exchanged gazes with each other, neither were hateful. But both didn't know what to say to the other, it was awkward silence.
"Tetsuya, we're going to see someone right now... is that fine with you?"
But the teal-haired boy did not know what to answer, he didn't need to.
Because Akashi Seijuro didn't give Kuroko Tetsuya an option to say no.
~Meiko Academy~
"We're here." Akashi opened the limousine's door and got out of the car. It was pretty much the only words he had exchanged with Kuroko Tetsuya for the entire trip.
"Akashi-kun, where are we?"
"Meiko Academy, questions can be saved later." Akashi Seijuro held out his hand.
"Was he expecting me to take it?" Kuroko thought to himself.
He took it anyway, his hand felt warm to the touch.
And for some reason, their hands perfectly fitted each other, as if they themselves were meant to be.
But that alone didn't decide anything, their actions did, and so did others' actions. Everything was connected, and the strings of fate were playing with Akashi Seijuro.
Yes, tricking him into playing the game of love.
Akashi Seijuro had never met such a formidable opponent before, he always seemed to find it laughable. But now that he was like this with Kuroko Tetsuya, he didn't feel it was just nothing but nonsense, and that it was something much more...
"Akashi-kun, where exactly are we going...?"
"We're about to see Ogiwara Shigehiro, don't leave my side."
Akashi Seijuro said it not as an order, but as a request. He felt a weight lifted from his shoulders, he seemed to be calming down.
But quick pounding heartbeats proved otherwise.
"Akashi-kun, thank you."
"...No need to thank me, consider it an apology for what my father had done."
Kuroko Tetsuya was about to say something in return to Akashi's statement or let's say way of apologizing, but they were interrupted by a boy who entered the room.
"...Kuroko, is that you? I was told to head to the principal's office... and..."
"I'll leave the two of you alone, I need to head back to school, a car will wait for you at the main gate and lead you back to school."
Akashi Seijuro, about to leave by Kuroko Tetsuya calling his name.
"Yes?"
"Thank you, again, Akashi-kun, I'm grateful..."
"So am I, for letting me see Kuroko again."
"Don't mention it, now, if you'll excuse me."
As Akashi Seijuro walked, he felt the weight in his chest grow heavier and heavier, every step he took.
"What is this feeling? Tetsuya's supposed to be happy and yet... why.. Why does it hurt?"
Akashi Seijuro felt he was so selfish, so selfish that he wanted Kuroko Tetsuya for himself and only for himself.
"Do I really have to let go of him just for him to be happy?"
But no one answered, and it was followed by silence.
"Of course no one'll answer. This is pathetic, me talking to myself..." He felt a hint of a smile grace his lips, but it wasn't the usual smile Akashi Seijuro had.
It was the other side of Akashi Seijuro, the side only a few saw, his hidden side.
His other self.
~Teiko Middle School~
"Any luck in finding Kuroko?"
"No luck finding Kurokocchi here..."
"Ah... we've been searching for a long time already... I'm getting hungry."
"We've gone around the grounds already... Any place you think we might have missed?"
It was no joke, compared to elite schools, Teiko itself was large in comparison. Divided into 9 buildings, Teiko Middle School indeed had its own grandeur, it was on a level of its own.
"Akashicchi might be playing basketball now..."
"At a time like this? I highly doubt that..."
"Who knows? We don't really know much about Akachin, he loves the unexpected..."
"Tetsu... he promised he'd come back, I peeked into the classroom and he still wasn't there..."
"Aominecchi, who knows? He might be using misdirection at the moment, and then he'll suddenly say he's here... with us..."
"But use your eyes, Kuroko's not here."
"I know that, Midorimacchi... aren't we at fault too?"
"Huh?"
"Think about it, it's Akashicchi's father we're talking about... he must've known Akashicchi had feelings for Kurokocchi..."
"Could it be?"
"You all know it everyone, stop pretending like all of you don't have anything to do with this..."
"The idiot's unexpectedly smart for once... smarter than us."
"Kisechin..."
"Everyone, I doubt Kuroko and Akashi are still in the grounds, they must have gone somewhere."
"But where exactly?"
"Meiko Academy." The miracles and Aomine were surprised to Akashi Seiji.
"That boy, he put up quite a fight for Kuroko Tetsuya. What do all of you see in that boy? He even went far as to send that Ogiwara Shigehiro to another school for the sake of Kuroko Tetsuya even though he himself wanted to get Ogiwara Shigehiro out of the way... he's so confusing sometimes..."
"K-Kurokocchi is... so awesome that words can't explain how awesome he is."
"Don't expect a complicated answer, Akashi-san. Kuroko is Kuroko, and that's what makes him special. He's true to himself, and..." Midorima stopped himself, and strangely, he was blushing.
"Kurochin is a delicious phantom, hands off."
"If you want to harm Tetsu, you'll have to go through us, and as you know, your son won't just sit around watching from the shadows."
"Now, now, I have no intention on starting a fight, I come in peace. Seijuro should have come back by now, you can talk about it through him, not me. Expect him to not be himself once he steps through those gates."
"Huh? What does that mean?"
"I don't know my son very well, but the father side of me is telling me he'll be quite different from now on, visible only to those he wants it visible to. Who knows, he might not want me, his own father, to see it."
"Yeah... thanks for the warning..."
"You're welcome, now, you have to come back to class, the fangirls are waiting for you."
"Oji-san..."
"Don't call me oji-san, that sounds so old, and you're not my son either, just call me Sir Seiji, I'll be fine with that, my son's friends don't need to be that formal with me."
"We're not really Akashi's friends..."
"Then, what are you, his boyfriends?"
"NO!" They all shouted in sync.
"Just kidding..." He started heading towards the classroom, and the rest of the Miracles followed, along with Aomine Daiki.
"He's unexpectedly... warped, isn't he?"
"Could Akachin's father actually be a fudanshi?"
"Akashicchi's life must be fun having a father like him, but wait, if his father is a fudanshi, doesn't that mean his father might actually support the whole relationship thing?"
"That would be weird... Aomine, you have been quite silent for a while."
"Nah... it's just..."
"Just what?"
"Father and son, they're quite the same in a lot of ways..."
"Really?"
"Yeah... in a way not so clear to the eye..."
~Meiko Academy~
"Ogiwara-kun, are you sure you don't need to go to class by now?"
"Well, I got to see you again, so it's pretty much worth it."
"What does that mean, Ogiwara-kun?"
"A-ah, don't think about it, it's nothing."
Kuroko shot him a questionable look, and Ogiwara smiled, mostly to clear the suspicion.
"So, Ogiwara-kun, how did you end up at Meiko Academy?"
"...Ah, I think you know by now, but I was expelled by Akashi-san's father."
"Gomen, Ogiwara-kun, I think it's my fault..."
"I didn't mean it that way, I don't regret being expelled. I didn't belong in a place like that anyway, out of generosity, Akashi Seijuro-san enrolled me here, to Meiko Academy. It was kind of him to pay for everything too, I have nothing to worry about, my parents have been informed."
"Ah... Akashi-kun did that?"
"He's unexpectedly a good guy, no matter how you look at it. But anyway, how are things in Teiko?"
"Things are the same as always, it could be quite noisy sometimes, but I don't mind."
"Did you ever wonder if all that noise was actually caused by you?"
"Eh? I don't understand... I only say a few words, knowing it's rude not to answer.."
"Kuroko, so that means you're not aware?"
"...Of what, Ogiwara-kun?"
"Of- Nah, it's nothing, don't mind me..."
"Ogiwara-kun, you're definitely hiding something, saying it's nothing just makes it more suspicious."
"You're quite perceptive today, hehe, hehe... But anyway, don't worry about me. Just enjoy your school days with your friends, those what do you call them? Ah, miracle students... along with Aomine Daiki. But beware, you might get eaten." Ogiwara chuckled, which lifted Kuroko's spirits up, as if nothing happened.
"Eaten? Ogiwara-kun, I'm not food..."
"The way you say it with that blank expression makes it even funnier, but don't worry, you probably won't get eaten, probably."
"Ogiwara-kun, it's about time I leave, so..."
"Wait, before you leave, I want you to have this." He took out something from his bag, and to Kuroko's surprise, it was a drawing of him with Ogiwara. Every single bit of the drawing was obviously worked hard on.
Most might disagree, but some of the best masterpieces were not judged by skill or appearance, but by the amount of hardwork dedicated to it.
"Ogiwara-kun, this... I can't have this, it's too valuable..."
"I'm not a student in Teiko anymore, you can have it, think of it as a gift from me."
"...I'll gladly accept it, arigatou, Ogiwara-kun."
"Don't mention it, just so you know, even if we don't go to the same school, we're still friends right?"
"...Yes."
It was a bond, a bond of friendship. And bonds were fragile, but could be made stronger.
"Kuroko."
"Yes?"
"Stay strong, you're not alone, you have your friends with you."
"...Same to you, Ogiwara-kun, well then, I'll be leaving now." They said their farewells.
And both knew they wouldn't be seeing each other for a long time, at least not on an everyday basis.
~Teiko Middle School front gate~
A certain teal-haired boy was greeted by five other people at Teiko's main gate.
"This is quite welcoming, I'm back everyone." Kuroko Tetsuya smiled, and the five other people let out a sigh of relief.
"Took you long enough, Tetsu."
"You really are nothing but trouble, Kuroko."
"Kurokocchi~! You're back, we were all worried!"
"Kurochin... You suddenly made me hungry."
"Tetsuya."
"Everyone, I'm sorry to have caused all of you to worry." Only now was he aware, that he had caused a lot of fuss.
"Don't sweat it, what's important is..."
"You're back!" Kise continued.
"Akashi-kun."
"Tetsuya, not here."
"Eh, eh? What's going on? Did something happen between the two of you?"
"Stop being so nosy, Kise."
"Midorimacchi, I'm sure you're curious about it too."
"I-it's not like the matter has any relevance to me... or anything..."
"Midochin, that's getting so old..."
"It's nothing for you to know about."
Akashi was somehow happy, it wasn't really a secret.
But it was something only he and Kuroko knew about.
Akashi wanted to keep it a secret, a secret between him and his shadow.
"Let's get back to class already... Your father could get all of us screwed."
"Yeah, Akashicchi's father is funny but scary... he goes from creep to fudan-"
"Okay, leave it at that, move your bodies, not your mouths."
"Well, what's wrong with getting 'screwed' once in a while?" Akashi smirked.
"Akashicchi actually..."
"Congratulations Akashi Seijuro, it's the first time I've heard you wanted to get screwed, or... is it?"
"Ridiculous, Daiki, I've always waited for this, for my entire life."
Akashi Seijuro didn't mind sticking with the usual bunch of weirdos.
Because these "weirdos" made his life interesting.
Phew! That was done, I know it felt rather weird, while I was writing this chapter, it felt so weird, I was creeped out. But well, all that's over, next is the vacation arc ! I hope you look forward to it, because I am :P I think I got some inspiration from Season 2 episode 12 :3 (I WAS FANGIRLING SO HARD!)
-BerryBliss