Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroko no basuke. All of the characters are originally made by Fujimaki Tadatoshi. Enjoy!
"Reaching for the Sky"
CHAPTER 6: "Worries."
"Ah, the weather's kind of gloomy today." Tetsuna remarked in thought as she looked at the grey clouds drifting in the sky with a frown. The surroundings too were all dismal, as if she was the only person inside the town. While walking, she met Akashi on her way to school.
"Oh, it's you Tetsuna. Good morning." Akashi greeted.
"Good morning Akashi-kun." Tetsuna replied.
After that, both of them walked in silence. It was just as if their emotions too were affected by the weather. Yes, both of them are laconic but as the situation became more awkward in a way like they were just securing the existence of one another, Tetsuna broke the dead quietude with a question.
"Akashi-kun's family is wealthy, right?" Tetsuna asked meekly while scratching her cheek sheepishly.
"And what about it?" Akashi replied nonchalantly.
"Umm, I'm just wondering why you rather walking instead of riding a car on your way to school." Tetsuna said.
"That said… All eyes are on me whenever I go out of the car. In short, I'm getting too much attention, and it's quite annoying." Akashi answered.
"Ahh, is that so." Tetsuna said not knowing what to say next.
"Really, what should I say next?" Tetsuna thought as she doesn't want to hear the noise of silence when she's with Akashi; it feels to her that they weren't friends at all. Locked in the thoughts of thinking for the topic to talk about, unnoticed, she shut herself down. Akashi noticed the frown on Tetsuna's face and thought of something.
"Tetsuna." Akashi called.
"Hai?" Tetsuna mumbled with her eyes blank, still lost deep in thought.
"Your lips look so lonely, would they like to meet mine?" Akashi asked with a smirk. Saying that question made Tetsuna snap into reality.
"W-what was that for Akashi-kun!" Tetsuna said embarrassed, her face flushed.
"Hn, that was for you to notice me. You must be thinking something problematic that you had a frown on your face before." Akashi said.
"No, I'm uh-" Tetsuna stuttered.
"You know, you can tell me what it is. I'll listen to you." Akashi said.
"Well, Akashi-kun isn't saying anything at all, aren't you in good mood today?" Tetsuna asked. "Did I do anything that frustrates you or… maybe I…" Tetsuna stammered.
Akashi just released a small chuckle.
"W-what?" Tetsuna asked.
"Nothing, I just find it cute how you overreact. But, it troubles me if you think in that way because I won't be able to converse with you properly." Akashi said. "Don't be pessimistic okay?" he continued as he patted Tetsuna's head in assurance.
"Y-yes Akashi-kun." Tetsuna mumbled as she nodded.
Later, "W-what again?" Tetsuna stammered as she noticed Akashi was staring at her.
"Well, I just noticed that your bangs got a bit shorter, did you cut it?" Akashi asked. Of course, nothing can escape from his emperor's eyes, not even Tetsuna's ghostly existence.
"Hm? Ah, yes. I just trimmed it short back then. I'm surprised you noticed it." Tetsuna answered.
"I look at you every day so of course, I'll notice." Akashi replied with a smile as he nudged Tetsuna's face gently with the back of his hand.
"R-really Akashi-kun! What are you saying? Have you hit your head somewhere?" Tetsuna said blushing as she stomped fast alone. Unknown to her, Akashi was not saying a joke. Too bad for the red-head captain, Akashi can't help but to sigh at all. But he won't give up. He'll definitely win her.
"You're really forcing me to make a move don't you, Tetsuna?" Akashi said while heading towards the school.
The dark clouds enveloping the sky had started to pour rain. Fortunately, the two got into the school before it happened.
The classes have gone smoothly despite of the rain. The first strings hanged out together as usual however, postponement of basketball practice was commanded due to the bad weather.
"Since the weather is turning into worse, coach has instructed us to go home." Akashi announced while writing something on a piece of paper.
"Gahh! This sucks, I can't practice with Aomine-cchi." The blonde model complained. "Midorima-cchi! Let's share with your umbrella, please?" he pleaded.
"No." Midorima bluntly answered though he will be have no choice but to relent later.
"Sa-cchin, I don't have umbrella, you have extra one right?" Murasakibara asked.
"Oh yes, you can have it Mu-kkun." Momoi said as she gave the umbrella to Murasakibara.
"No wait, Satsuki let me have it!" Aomine shouted, too late because Momoi already gave it to Murasakibara. "Tch, damn it. I don't have umbrella." he said.
"Dai-chan, it's okay. We can share, I have another." Momoi offered.
"Hmph, as if I want to share it with you." Aomine said.
"Really! You have some attitude don't you? That's right, go home wet in rain!" Momoi said annoyed as she walked out of the room.
"Oi! Satsuki!" Aomine said as he chased after the pink-haired girl.
"Kuro-chin? Aren't you going home?" Murasakibara asked.
"Ah not yet, Murasakibara-kun." Tetsuna said.
"Okayyy~" the tall man replied. "We'll be going now~" he continued as he left.
"Midorima-cchi! Don't leave me behind, share your umbrella please?" Kise whined as he tried to convince Midorima.
"Hmph, as if-nano dayo." Midorima replied.
The voices of the other club members continued to faint until it finally disappeared. Only Akashi and Tetsuna remained in the classroom.
"Ah, done with the rescheduling of practice. Now I can go home." Akashi said in relief as he stood up.
As he noticed the blue-haired girl is facing on the hyaline windows weakly and watching the hard drops of rain slam unto it, he approached her anxiously. "Aren't you going home?" Akashi asked.
"I'm waiting for the rain to stop." Tetsuna said.
"How can you assure that the rain will stop? Well it's up to you. Good luck in waiting. Sooner, you'll get out." Akashi said as he left.
An hour had passed and the rain got stronger, Tetsuna had no other choice but to leave the school.
"Ugh, I should've at least asked them if I can share umbrella. Looks like I have no choice." She mumbled as she covered her head with her book bag, preparing herself to launch.
Before Tetsuna runs into the heavy rain, her wrist was held back by a hand. Surprised, she turned around only to see that it was Akashi.
"A-akashi-kun? What are you doing here? I thought you already went home." she stuttered.
"Hm? I was wondering how long you can endure waiting so I waited too for the answer." Akashi said.
"How can you assure that I'll go out of the classroom?" Tetsuna asked, almost repeating the same question he threw to her.
"I'm always right, aren't I?" Akashi said confidently which earned him a pout from the girl.
"Yes. And it's annoying." Tetsuna replied as Akashi smiled into her honest answer.
The two watched the drops of rain continue to hit the ground and create rumbled beating sounds of water crystals that flowed into the sky. Suddenly, a luxurious car stopped in front of them and a chauffeur got out of it and opened a parasol.
"Akashi-sama, sorry for the wait." The chauffeur said as he opened the door.
"You don't have umbrella, right? Get in." Akashi ordered.
"Huh? I wouldn't want to impose." Tetsuna said embarrassingly.
"There's no point of being shy in situations like this. It's fine. I'm the one who offered right?" Akashi sternly said.
"Yes, Akashi-kun." Tetsuna obeyed.
As the two got inside the car,
"Tetsuna, please tell him the address of your house." Akashi said.
"Ah yes." Tetsuna replied.
As Tetsuna told the chauffeur the way to her home,
"I'm sorry but we cannot pass into that street because there's a thick fog covering it. Accidents are possible if we take a risk." The chauffeur answered.
"Ahh, what should I do now." Tetsuna said as she slumped back anxiously.
"Aren't there any possible roads to cross?" Akashi asked.
"There is, but the traffic is heavy in there and it might take time before we can get her home." The chauffeur answered.
"It's fine Akashi-kun. I'll just go home by myself." Tetsuna said as she opened the door of the car.
"No." Akashi firmly rejected as he pulled the girl back. "Do you want to get sick? You can't even stand cold and you're planning to run in the rain?" he continued.
"But I've been bothering you. Instead that you should've been in home, you're still here because of me." Tetsuna reasoned.
Akashi frowned as he let her go. "Don't you think it's the other way around?" he said. "I think I'm the one whose bothering you, I try to get along but you're always avoiding me." he continued.
"W-what? I-I'm not avoiding you or any, Akashi-kun." Tetsuna defensed.
"Then what about this? And what do you call the time you left me when we're heading together towards the school?" Akashi asked.
"That's–" Tetsuna mumbled as she behaved herself.
"Kuroko-sama, where should we head now?" the chauffeur asked.
"Just follow Akashi-kun's orders." Tetsuna relented.
"Understood." The chauffeur replied.
As they went into the other route, like the driver said, the traffic was long. Tetsuna reflected on what Akashi said as she found herself in a mixture of self-consciousness and happiness when she's with the red-head captain. It was the feeling that she always denies.
"Akashi-kun." Tetsuna called out. "I-I'm sorry how I reacted before. It's just I don't want to be a burden to you especially when you have lots of duties to take care." she continued.
Akashi didn't reply to her and every seconds she anxiously waited for his response torn her heart. About half an hour they're still stuck in the traffic's stoppage as Tetsuna fell asleep.
"So you slept huh?" Akashi affirmed as he put Tetsuna's head on his shoulders to rest. "If I told you that it's fine as long as you're my concern, would hearing that will make you happy?" Akashi said in thought as he closed his eyes and nuzzled into the girl's head.
Author's note: Hello there everyone! Tadaimaaaa XD
Did you miss this fanfic? or not? Sorry for not updating this for so long, you must have thought that it's already a discontinued story. BUT IT'S NOT! I just lack time (and maybe inspiration) to make up for things like this and a flood of school projects and tests drowned me, and I'm still drowning haha XD
Anyways, here it is! I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter. :)