Teal.

It was not a secret, and yet people seemed to never notice many things about a certain redhead and tealhead back in their days in Teikou.

This was a story from while back, though, so many may have the need to refresh their memories about it. But there was always something special between their captain and the phantom sixth man.

Back in Teikou, everything was different.

It was a story from the days both of Akashi's eyes were still red, it was a story before Kuroko disappeared from Teikou Middle School. It was a story that happened only a short while ago, and yet felt like years for the tealhead himself.

It was a story he was willing to bury deep within his heart, it was a story he really wanted to forget, but could never do. It was a story he thought he could overwrite with his tales with Seirin and Mayuzumi-san...

But it was a story Kuroko Tetsuya could never run away from.


The temperature seemed to drop a few degrees the moment he and Akashi were left alone. But none of them move, or speak. Mayuzumi stood in silence, still overwhelmed by the rush of feelings he thought he could only read from a light novel. Kuroko had been an anomaly in his life, just like a main character from an LN that came true just for him.

Then Akashi must be the rival, no? Probably so, judging from the way Akashi's eyes seemed to linger on the darkness Kuroko had retreat to. Mayuzumi let out an inaudible sigh before he calmly and silently walked away from the park.

Akashi watched him like a hawk, heterochromatic gaze fixed on his back with laser-like focus. But Mayuzumi didn't care. After all, he had no reason to fear Akashi. And Kuroko was one of the few things that managed to hold his interest for long. Mayuzumi will not back down like a coward. So long as he was happy, everything goes.

"See you at school." Mayuzumi chimed lightly as he walked away from Akashi. The redhead said nothing, but Mayuzumi knew what that silence implied more than anyone else in this world.

I will speak with you later.

Well, bring it.


When Mayuzumi woke up on a beautiful Sunday morning, he realized what could happen after last night's occurrence.

What if Kuroko decided to just leave and never come back? It seemed plausible, especially if he and Akashi lived so far away from one another. Mayuzumi could lose him after their first date and that was not what he wanted.

There were still so much thing he had not uncovered. He didn't even know where Kuroko went to school. He didn't know his birthday, he didn't know anything about him.

Mayuzumi spent his lazy morning pondering about things which hadn't come yet and it drove him mad. So he went to the place he could actually get the answers he seek.


The National Library was as exotic as he knew them to be.

It was quiet, yet it was bustling with people. All shelves had some people standing in front of it, trying to deepen their knowledge or amuse themselves. All seats were taken, all but one spot.

Mayuzumi didn't even take a book. His feet took him to his place of comfort. The place where he spent his days reading or admiring a certain boy with teal-colored hair and electrifying azure orbs.

It kind of surprised him to see nobody there, but not the shock he had received a week before. It was... more of a sinking feeling. His heart sunk down in a way he never knew about. The light novels he had often mention the feeling of heartbreak, but those words could never convey how he was feeling at the moment.

Disappointment. Extreme disappointment. Maybe hints of unjustified anger and betrayal. But to whom? To himself? Or to Kuroko, who had done nothing wrong?

So Mayuzumi sat there on the corner, waiting for his feelings to calm and settle down.


The air conditioner was not exactly friendly to him.

It was a hot Sunday, after all. Mayuzumi had worn a short-sleeved polo shirt and a simple black jeans. The fact that his spot was directly under the air-con was really not helping. It was cold, and Mayuzumi stood up to buy a can of coffee. And also grab a book so he won't be feeling like an idiot spacing out in the corner of the library.

He walked unsuspectingly, not caring about the people he actually bumped on the shoulders. They all can't notice him, anyway. On days like this, Mayuzumi was actually thankful about his lack of presence. He could walk whilst reading or spacing out without being stared at by people. And yet, this also reduced his awareness towards his surroundings.

Imagine his surprise when powder blue hair entered his line of vision.

Mayuzumi narrowed his eyes, put down his coffee, and finally stared at those mesmerizing teal-colored hair. But Kuroko said nothing. His eyes unmoving from his classic romance novel as he sipped the white Maji burger tumbler on his hand. Mayuzumi's eyes traveled to the boy's figure. He was wearing a black t-shirt underneath a loose blue-and-white cardigan, looking comfortable to fight against the cold.

Mayuzumi was about to speak when Kuroko casted him a glance, one they used to share before they know each other's names. Mayuzumi exhaled deeply before taking one of the novels Kuroko had stacked just next to his tumbler. His left hand was put on the table nonchalantly.

The gray-haired teen sighed a nearly incoherent 'smartass' in a fond sigh before taking the free hand to his own, fingers interlinking with one another in a comfortable silence. For the first time in his life, Mayuzumi read a tale from William Shakespeare and actually enjoy them.


After an hour of silence, Kuroko put down his book and stared at Mayuzumi with his usual blank expression. Mayuzumi took this as a sign and also put down his book.

Both stared at one another, as if urging the other to start the conversation they must have sooner or later. But neither of them wanted to break the silence.

Until Mayuzumi felt like he couldn't stand it anymore.

"What happened between you and Akashi?" He asked, simple and clear. Kuroko's expression didn't change, but his eyes flickered with a sheer sense of determination Mayuzumi had never seen before. Kuroko held his hand tighter before exhaling deeply. "If I say 'nothing', you will not believe me." Strange. They hadn't known each other for long, but Mayuzumi seemed to understand Kuroko better than most people he had several interactions with. They weren't even friends, he didn't even know what word he could use to describe his relationship with Kuroko...

But here there were, holding hands in their favorite spot while speaking about Kuroko's past.

"There was always 'something' between Akashi-kun and I, Mayuzumi-san..." Kuroko whispered, his eyes overloaded with abundance of emotions Mayuzumi couldn't quite identify, and yet the determined look was still there. "You could say that he and I are former lovers." Bam, bomb number one. "We split up because of a serious difference between our principles. And I declined his offer to come to Rakuzan with him." Bomb number two. "Would you let me tell you the story, Mayuzumi-san?"

The grayhead found himself nodding in sheer surprise. His hand unconsciously tightening around Kuroko's slender fingers. "It all happens three years ago, during my time as a middle schooler in Teikou Middle..."

How could this happen, really? Just how lucky could he get? To think that the only person that managed to notice him from the crowd and held his interest for long had once belonged to Akashi...

Mayuzumi smiled as he listened to a part of Akashi nobody else knew of. A part that was in love with his Kuroko Tetsuya.


Next chapter is a Teikou-arc AkaKuro, look forward to it!