Chapter Two
Goal Setting: Professor Akashi can't settle for just being in charge of the class
The goodie two shoes kids didn't seem to know what to do. Akashi was clearly in charge, but the teacher was still their teacher, even if only in name. They weren't sure who to kiss up to. The teacher would be the one to talk to their parents, but Akashi was the one taking care of them.
Aomine would never let himself be categorized as a kiss up. He went out of his way to not be, pulling pranks and sleeping through class. He didn't prank Akashi, Satsuki, or Tetsu though.
Satsuki was his partner in crime, so he couldn't prank her. She might not help him anymore if he did. And he couldn't prank Tetsu because it was mean. Tetsu was so nice and he had big blue eyes that made Aomine's tummy feel weird. Plus, Satsuki said she loved him, so if he pranked Tetsu she'd get mad. It wasn't kissing up that made him not do anything to Akashi. It was self-preservation instinct. He may be friends with Akashi, as much as one could ever really be friends with Akashi, but that didn't make the other any less scary. Not just any six year old could take over a classroom in less than a week.
Aomine was not going to let Akashi being scary keep him from winning basketball though. Satsuki was getting better at jump rope as their games continued which meant they lasted longer every day. "Aominecchi, we won!" Kise shouted, actually jumping onto the darker skinned boy when he noticed Momoicchi stop jumping.
Aomine stumbled a little at the unexpected weight on his back, but managed not to fall. "Kise, get off of me!" He whined, trying to pry the blonde's arms away from him.
"Kise. Someone will get hurt." Akashi said sternly. Kise let go immediately.
"I'm sorry, Akashicchi." He mumbled, looking down at his shoes. Said shoes had become quite colorful over the past few days since Kise's mom had bought him a pack of sharpies. Aomine had gotten a pink mustache the first time he fell asleep in class after Kise got the markers. Kise was also quite willing to share his markers with 'his Kurokocchi' as he'd put it. Kuroko now had very colorful hands every day. He seemed to have taken to drawing different patterns on them each morning while Akashi told everyone what they were doing that day. He'd even managed to get Kise to draw on his arms for him. Midorima had provided the term 'tattoo sleeve' for them as Kise drew. Akashi had never seen tattoo sleeves with quite so many flowers, butterflies, and happy faces –most of these happy faces resembling their group of friends- but decided not to say so since Tetsuya had a rare bright smile on his face as he watched the art forming on him.
"Everyone needs to be on their best behavior tomorrow. The principle will be visiting our class to talk about the importance of education." The announcement had certainly caught Akashi's attention. He sat up straighter and a gleam entered his eyes, much resembling the one that had been there when he'd first introduced himself to the teacher. She hadn't noticed it then, but she knew it now. It was the look he got when confronted by something holding more power than him. Power that he intended to take as his own. She prayed for anyone who got in his way when he was old enough to hold real power, not just control of other five to six year olds.
The next day, Akashi arrived at school in a tailored black suit and a red tie. When the principle arrived after the morning announcements Akashi was the first student he noticed.
"What are you so dressed up for?" He asked, looking down at Akashi. There was something too close to amusement in his eyes for Akashi's liking.
"Whatever job is above yours. Dress for the job you want, not the one you have. You are no better dressed than a teacher. I'm already residing in that role. If you plan to down grade, let me know about the available position and I will gladly trade with you." Akashi said curtly. He turned on his heel and walked over to his group without waiting to see how the man would react.
"He's an ambitious one." The principle said to the teacher.
"You have no idea." She replied.
"Tetsuya. I am making you my second in command. If ever I am not here, for whatever reason, you are in charge in my place." Akashi said when he reached the group. Tetsuya had avoided coloring on himself that morning since Akashi had confirmed that they should all behave for the principle after the teacher had said so. "I got you a tie so that you could look a bit more professional." He'd gotten a light blue one to go with Tetsuya's hair and eyes. He stepped forward, into Tetsuya's personal space, and started tying the tie for him. He either didn't notice or ignored the glare Aomine gave him for standing so close.
"Thank you, Akashi-kun." Tetsuya said, surprise in his voice, and eyes on the tie around his neck.
"Wait, why is Kuroko second?" Midorima asked indignantly.
"Because he knows more about all of these students than even I do. He is best fit to know what is best for them. For example, Midorima, can you tell me what Momoi-san is allergic to?"
"Oh! I know!" Aomine said with a grin.
"Yes, but you have an unfair advantage, having known her for so long. Tetsuya sees her the same amount that Midorima dose." Akashi said.
When Midormia looked lost Akashi looked to Testuya. "Shellfish and peanuts." He said.
Akashi didn't feel the need to explain further, and was saved the trouble of it when the principle stepped to the center of the room. The story time rug was out as well, so Akashi could guess that they would all be sitting on the floor instead of at their tables.
"Everyone, gather around. Class is starting. We will be sitting at the story time rug today." Akashi said. The class quickly formed a simi-circle around the principle, sitting crisscross-applesauce.
The principle looked a little bemused by this, but recovered quickly. "Today we will be talking about why education is important. Everyone needs it. So, we're going to start with a little activity where you all tell me what you want to be when you grow up, and I'll tell you how education can help you reach your goal."
It was almost amazing, really, just how quickly Aomine could fall asleep. Akashi considered using the school directory to find his home number and ask his parents if he slept at night at all. He discarded the idea though. He had a hunch that Aomine only did it to spite authority. The class had only just started and Aomine was already passed out, spread out across the laps of Momoi and Tetsuya. Considering Akashi was the authority though, he took it upon himself to jab his elbow into Aomine's head when the principle started point at people to ask what they wanted to be.
"I want to be a ballerina!"
"I'm going to be a space man!"
"I wanna be an assassin." Midorima scooted away from the kid who said that one, grabbing Kuroko by the shoulders and pulling him away as well when Kuroko made no move to get away on his own. Kise was also clinging onto Kuroko.
"Do you know what that means?" Akashi asked, both eyebrows raised.
"No. But my older brother has been playing a video game with an assassin and he says the assassin is supper cool!" The kid said with a big smile.
"I don't think that's what you want to do. They kill people." Akashi explained slowly. He wanted to make sure that particular lesion got across very clearly.
"Oh." The boy considered that for a moment before shrugging.
Since he didn't change his original career option Midorima kept his hands on Kuroko's shoulders to keep him from moving back to where they had been sitting. Kise just chose not to remove his arms from around Kuroko's waist when Midorima didn't remove his hands from Kuroko's shoulders. Kuroko's face remained impassive.
After a moment of awkward silence Akashi decided to get class moving again. "Atsushi, what would you like to be when you grow up?" He asked.
"A chef." The purple haired boy answered in a bored tone. Akashi looked to the principle to prompt him to continue.
"Right, well, there are university courses on culinary science, a fancy term for cooking, and you have to get through highschool first to go to university." He said and then pointed to Aomine for his turn.
"I'm going to be the greatest basketball player in the world!" Aomine declared loudly, jumping to his feet and flashing a bright smile. "And I don't need no education for that." He added, crossing his arms over his chest and raising his chin to meet the principle's eyes.
"How enthusiastic of you. However, you do need education for that. You would play basketball for different schools. Professional teams look at university players when making selections for their teams."
"Yeah, but Akashi-kun says that I can get a thingy for that. That way I can still play for a college if I'm good enough."
"An athletic scholarship." Akashi reminded him.
"Right. That." Aomine nodded.
"You have to get through highschool first though. And you have to make certain grades to stay on the team." The principle told him.
Aomine contemplated that for a moment. "That doesn't sound like I need education at all. That sounds like education is a price I have to pay to do something that has nothing to do with education. But it can't be too hard to meet the standard set. There are some pretty dumb sports players out there." He decided, sitting back down.
"I'm going to be a doctor." Midorima said when the principle looked to him. "I know the education I will need." He added, removing a hand from Kuroko's shoulder to adjust his glasses. The light caught on them, making him look a bit scary for a five year old, as he put his hand back on Kuroko's shoulder.
"I'm going to be a model!" Kise announced, not even having been so much as looked at by the principle. "Kurokocchi, you should be a model with me!" He added, hugging Kuroko a little bit tighter.
"No thank you, Kise-kun." Kuroko replied, squirming a little at Kise's tightened grip until he loosened it. The principle looked over at Kuroko in surprise, apparently just noticing him there despite two students hanging off of him.
"So mean, Kurokocchi! Why not?" Kise whined.
"Kise, get off of Tetsu already. You're probably hurting him." Aomine said, yanking the blond off of Kuroko by the collar of his shirt.
"Whaaat? Kurokocchi, did I hurt you? I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to hurt you!" Kise wailed, extending his arms towards Kuroko like he was going to try to hug him again, but Aomine was still holding onto his shirt so he wasn't getting very far.
Kuroko hadn't had an answer when asked what he wanted to be. He just shrugged and mumbled that he didn't know, looking uncomfortable with having all of those eyes on him.
"And what about you?" The principle had asked, looking to Akashi, the only student who hadn't answered yet.
"I want to be in charge." He replied simply.
"In charge of what?"
Akashi furrowed his eyebrows and frowned a bit. "Everything." He said, sounding as though he couldn't believe that wasn't obvious.
Akashi decided that on that note he wanted to expand his horizons. Merely taking over a classroom was not enough. "Tetsuya. Keep an eye on the fifth graders for me." He said when the principle was leaving as they walked back to their desk.