Chapter 2

It wasn't that Akashi had no faith in Kuroko. It was just that when the shadow affirmed him that he could pull this cross-dressing business off—truth be told—Akashi didn't expect he'd be able to pull it off this well. With jaw slightly hanging (elegantly, if possible) and arms loosely on his sides, he stared at Momoi's creation—or at least that's how Momoi introduced the Kuroko she was with at that time—with wide and disbelieving eyes.

A week had passed since Akashi dropped by Kuroko's territory and asked a favor of him, for him, Momoi and Aomine—a favor which Kuroko accepted under certain terms and conditions which the shadow had established and the captain agreed to comply to. As a part of what they've talked about in the Maji Burgers at that time, there they were now, in the train station—each, ready to play the roles that had been tasked down to them.

"…Tetsuya?" he was able to mutter out with brows scrunched together and eyes wider than usual.

Wearing permed cyan blue hair extensions that matched the original color of his hair, a black, sort of loose, half-sleeved turtleneck dress which went down up until his knees, plain gray stockings and a pair of non-leather black boots that reached only up until his ankles and slightly resembled loose socks, Kuroko was presented to Akashi by none other than the great and beautiful Momoi.

Seeing Akashi's reaction, Momoi grinned and squealed partly at the first part of her rambling, "Beautiful, isn't Tetsu-kun, Akashi? Would you believe it if I told you that those are my clothes?! We have a bit of a problem at the chest part—or so I thought. The looseness of the dress just added up to Tetsu-kun's cuteness! Oh my god, I swear he looks better in my clothes than I do. How unfair! W-waah! I-is this jealousy I'm feeling!?" she ended up whining at the near end of it though.

Even after seeing the priceless expression Akashi's face slipped into after seeing him and Momoi's reaction, Kuroko's face remained blank as always. Neither flattered no embarrassed, he casually eyed Akashi and monotonously spoke, "I've read and studied the cue cards you've mailed me, Akashi-kun. Thank you. Nevertheless," he paused then turned to Momoi, "Thank you for helping me dress up, Momoi-san."

Momoi blinked then smiled. Shaking his head, she muttered, "No. It's not you who's supposed to thank me, Tetsu-kun. It's I who's supposed to thank you. Thank you for doing this for us. You're our only hope—the three of us, Akashi, Dai-chan and me. Thank you, Tetsu-kun."

"The train will depart in five minutes. Passengers, please start boarding."

Hearing the train announcement, Akashi grabbed Kuroko's wrist, "Tetsuya." he significantly said, saying no more, completing his sentence through his eyes.

Kuroko nodded. Turning to Momoi for the very last time, he waved, "We're going. Take care on your way home, Momoi-san. Say 'hi' to Aomine-kun for me."

Momoi smiled then waved back, "Alright! You two, take care too, alright?"

Akashi glanced back.

"I will return victorious like I always do, Satsuki."

Boarding the train, the pair occupied the spot they had reserved. Taking a seat, they decided to review what they've talked about back in the Maji Burgers and the cue cards Akashi sent Kuroko.

"Your name is Tsuraiya Kuronuma. You were born and you live in Yugawara, Kanagawa Prefecture. No siblings. Your parents passed away in an accident when you were very young and were raised by your grandparents. Due to your grandmother's condition, you are homeschooled, therefore no school records. Your grandfather is an active fisherman, however, he caught some sort of illness, and now, both of your grandparents are incapable of providing for you—"

Kuroko smoothly continued, "My uncle who is residing in Amsterdam heard of this, and now, very much insists on bringing the three of us with him in Amsterdam. He will be arriving tomorrow evening and will be taking the three of us along with him by the time he returns. I will be 'returning', rather, you will be telling your parents the truth, after Momoi-san and Aomine-kun finally gets the knot tied. We met during the Winter Cup since I am a basketball enthusiast, and a friend of mine is from Seirin." he scoffed, "I believe I've told you, Akashi-kun. I have reviewed your cue cards."

Proving that Kuroko had indeed studied his lesson, Akashi snorted, "I see that you have."

They fell into a moment of silence, until, Akashi's face lightened up a bit, then he spoke, "Thank you, Tetsuya. Thank you for reading the cue cards and thank you, most of all, for doing this for me—rather, for us. I—"

A smile which presence was as weak as his broke out of Kuroko's lips.

"It's just for a day thanks to the back story we were able to come up with, so don't worry much about it, Akashi-kun. Besides, I can't just let Aomine-kun and Momoi-san's relationship disintegrate just because you couldn't find a lover. Your parents, yours and Momoi-san's, are willing to compromise so long as both of you already have someone, isn't that right, Akashi-kun?"

Silently, Akashi nodded.

"I wouldn't do this if I didn't want to, so please, don't think too highly of me just because of this."

Once in a while, the two would get into a short-lived conversation, but all throughout, the trip was smooth and mostly quiet (it wasn't the awkward type of quiet though. Quite the opposite actually). After around three hours, the three made it to their destination—Kyoto—Akashi was welcomed and picked up by one of his father's subordinates, thus was brought home (with Tetsu—Tsuraiya).

"You have a lovely girlfriend, young master." the driver complemented smiling as he drove along the streets of Kyoto, with Akashi and Akashi's girlfriend as passengers.

Fixing his tie, Akashi snorted, "Indeed. Isn't she?"

To make things look realistic, he rested his hand on top of Kuroko's after saying so, and looked the other straight in the eyes, with a small smile on his face.

The gesture—everything Akashi did—made Kuroko twitch.

God, Akashi was so good at this.

He inwardly heaved a sigh. Not wanting to hold Akashi down, Kuroko finally decided to match his former captain's acting skills. Faking a smile, he turned his hand (the one under Akashi's palm) up and interlaced their fingers together.

"I think that you're beautiful too. Your hair, your eyes, your…"

For a split second there, Akashi could've sworn—

"I love everything about you, Seijuurou-kun."

—Kuroko wasn't just acting.

It was as if everything he just said was sincere—maybe without even him knowing it.

That or—Hmph. What am I thinking. He likes Kagami Taiga—he was just a really good actor.

Akashi heaved a sigh.

"…I love you too, Tsuraiya (Tetsuya)."