Lat update, I know, but I was just an 14 hour flight from Korea to Houston. My vacation is finally done and I have to start my summer homework in Mexico before it's too late (you can't really concentrate in Korea)
I hope you like this chapter because I seem to be getting more and more writer's block whenever I write this story
I take prompt requests so if there's anything you want me to see writing, just PM me and I'll get right to you :)
Also, please check out my other stories and the poll on my profile for my A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words story
So, without further ado, here is the next chapter!
Note
- Italicized words are words spoken in English
- Though it is summer vacation in Japan, let's just pretend that school is still in session in the States and won't be vacation until after (AKA when the plot demands it)
- Kuroko's school will be modeled after my own, as well as experiences I've had in real life, so I apologize in advance if the things I put aren't relevant in the States (I live in Mexico, by the way)
The staring contest lasted only two and a half seconds but to the Generation of Miracles, those two and a half seconds felt like an eternity past. Kuroko scrutinized them with unreadable eyes and the five did the same.
Kuroko still looked like Kuroko, but there was something different that was staring at them in the face. They just couldn't pinpoint what was it was.
Was it his way of dressing? They always saw him in his uniform and nothing more. Now, he could show off his casual style with clothing since there was no uniform in the States. But clothing was far from the important.
Was it his face? It was still blank as always, emotions kept hidden perfectly. His sky blue eyes showed nothing and he was still very pale. Maybe it was the headphones?
The staring contest would have lasted forever if it weren't for an intruder who grabbed ahold of Kuroko by the neck and started to choke him.
"Tetsu, you bastard, where the hell were you yesterday?" A very tall student, probably towering 190cm, with dark red hair growled as he proceeded to jokingly strangle the smaller of the two. To the Generation of Miracles, especially Aomine, it felt like a stab to the heart. They were the only ones who were able to do such a thing to Kuroko.
"Tetsu?" Aomine whispered furiously to himself and Kise gave him a sideways glance, worried.
"Aominecchi?"
Aomine wasn't listening. "Who the hell does he think he is, using my fucking nickname for Tetsu?"
Aomine's angry remarks were completely lost as Kuroko and the mighty stranger kept jabbing at each other.
"I thought I texted you, telling you I was sick and I couldn't come. You're overreacting." Kuroko said as he tried to get away from the attack.
"Like hell I am! You didn't text me until after I sent you 100 messages."
"I was sleeping." Kuroko stated bluntly.
The stranger glared at him. "Like hell you were."
At that moment, Eddy decided to interfere by wrapping his arms around the two's backs.
"What Tiger means to say is that he was just worried. He's just too sissy to admit it."
"Oi!" The stranger, Tiger as it seemed, shouted. "Don't act as if you 're innocent, Phillips. You're the one who started making up weird shit 'bout how Tetsu got kidnapped or was possibly lost in a forest and was mauled by a bear. We're in LA! We don't have bears! Or a forest, for that matter!"
Eddy smiled teasingly. "Last time I checked, you were dumb enough to actually believe that."
Tiger spluttered. "I hate both of you."
"I'm sure you do. But may I remind you that this is a school bus and we still have a few more stops to go to, Mr. Kagami?" A female voice said from behind and the three students all stiffened as they hesitantly turned around to see Muriel, smiling politely. They knew better, of course, because they immediately took their seats in the bus. Muriel gave them a subtle but dangerous glare and told John to start moving.
Kagami waited a few seconds before turning to Eddy, who was sitting with Kuroko at the moment.
"Dude, change seats with me." Kagami said as he smacked Eddy's arm.
"What? Why? And dude, stop slapping people. You may not realize it, but your 'weak' hits are actually pretty strong." Eddy responded as he rubbed his hurt arm.
Kagami rolled his eyes. "Just do it."
Eddy gave him a joking sigh. "Eh, I don't wanna. I'm too lazy." He drawled.
"I'll chuck you out." Kagami warned and Eddy laughed.
"Fine, fine. Just don't let Muriel see us. I swear, if it weren't for the obvious crush she has for me, I would have already been dead."
The red head rolled his eyes one more time. "Yes, because it is obviously her who has the crush."
Because of his skin tone, it was hard to see the blush forming around his cheeks. "Are you implying something here, Taiga Kagami?"
Kagami snorted. "You have a horrible Japanese accent, by the way. And yes, I am."
"I'm just glad your first name sounds like 'Tiger', a word I can pronounce with pride. If only TK had one, too. And don't you dare act like those people who only talk about love. You're a basketball idiot, nothing more."
"Unlike someone here who seems to have more in his mind." Kagami responded back and smirked when Eddy got the implied meaning.
"I can hear you, you know." Kuroko butted in and both jumped, completely having forgotten that the phantom player was still here.
"How is it that I completely forget you when I'm the one who suggested to sit next to you?" Kagami groaned as he slapped his forehead. Eddy laughed and as the bus stopped to pick up the following student, Kagami and Eddy quickly switched.
Aomine took that chance to move at front as well. Kuroko saw this and his normally blank eyes widened slightly. No one saw the action and Aomine glared at Kagami for a second before looking at Eddy.
"Sit next to you?" Aomine asked with an uncertain voice. Eddy gave him a confused look before nodding and scooting to the window seat.
"Oh, and we're talking about your ridiculous crush later." Kagami added and Eddy blushed once more.
"Did not expected the wild Tiger to talk about love."
"Then stop fantasizing about her every time in Spanish class and maybe I'll reconsider." Kagami rebutted skillfully and Eddy found that he hand nothing to say but, "I do not fantasize about her every time - ish."
"Oi, can you speak Japanese?" Aomine interrupted as he looked directly at Kagami. Even Aomine could feel immense strength from this person, but that didn't make him less intimidated. Kagami, not liking the navy-haired student at first glance, nodded but gave him a glare that could match Aomine's.
"Yeah, so what of it?" Kagami answered in Japanese. "Who the fuck are you, anyways? I've never seen you in this bus before."
"That's none of your business now, is it?" Aomine growled and Kagami's eye twitched in annoyance.
"It is if you're going to make a havoc to my friends. I saw you and Tetsu having a stare off. Didn't seem like it was a friendly one either."
It was Aomine's turn for his eye to twitch. "Why the fuck are you calling him Tetsu?"
"Hah? It's not like it's illegal to make up nicknames. I just shortened his name. What's wrong with that?"
"When did you become so overly friendly with Tetsu?" Aomine asked, ignoring Kagami's practical answer.
"Hah?" Kagami expressed with a loathsome look on his face and looked like he was going to explode when Kuroko interfered by jabbing Kagami in the stomach.
"Kagami-kun, you were always too hot-headed."
"Tetsu, you bastard, that hurts. And when are you going to let go of that suffix? You seem fine calling me Taiga when we're talking in English."
"That is a completely different matter, Kagami-kun. But that is not the point right now. Aomine-kun, Kagami-kun has every right to call me whatever he wishes."
"Wait, you two know each other?" Kagami asked before Aomine could have a chance to respond. Kuroko nodded and glanced at Aomine.
Even Aomine could read Kuroko's eyes this time. It was hard not to.
Why are you here, disrupting the peace I have always wanted? His eyes seemed to say and Aomine felt his heart crumbling to pieces as he remembered when he had completely forgotten his best friend one too many times.
"Tetsu, I -" Aomine started to say when the bus stopped entirely. The navy-haired basketball player looked outside the window and saw that they were in a parking lot that was full of school buses. Everyone started to get up, Eddy included, so he had no choice but to stand up as well. He was pushed out of the bus and lost sight of Kuroko immediately.
'Damn it.' He thought as he waited for the rest of the Generation of Miracles to get off. 'He's still as invisible as always. God, it's been so long since I've seen him. I didn't even know he could do that with his eyes.'
Then, he finally realized what was so different about Kuroko.
His aura. He seemed… stronger. More confident. He felt as if Kuroko could defeat the Generation of Miracles on his own.
And that was absurd. Kuroko was merely a shadow, a supporting player who couldn't survive without a stronger light to help him.
And then, a more horrible revelation hit him.
Could it be that one Kagami Taiga was a new light Kuroko found? Could it be that… Aomine was replaced?
When everyone got off and the five basketball prodigies gathered around, Aomine was ready to hear a handful from Akashi because he had moved impulsively. However, to his surprise, Akashi just glanced at him and said nothing more.
"We're finding Tetsuya. Come on." Akashi ordered and they started moving instantly. Aomine stayed in the back, looking at Akashi with a confused look.
"We heard the conversation you and Kagami-kun had. We also saw the look Kurokocchi gave you." Kise commented but he seemed to get more depressed as he talked. He didn't expect anything less from Kise, especially since they had all seen Kuroko's look of pain.
Aomine felt like a complete douche. All he wanted was his best friend back, but as he thought about it, he wondered to himself, did he really deserve to have him back? Maybe Kuroko was ok staying here.
Maybe the intruder in Kuroko's life was not Kagami, but him.
The five walked into the school with complete astonishment. Even Akashi seemed impressed by the size of the school. It looked like a university campus, though that may have been because the school had every grade, from kindergarten to 12h grade. Still, it was immensely big and looked extremely expensive.
"Wow, I never would have expected a high school to be so big. Makes my school look like a wimp." Kise said in awe and everyone grudgingly accepted that except for Akashi, who still believed that Rakuzan was the best.
"Akashi, how are we going to find Kuroko in this? It would be like finding a needle in a haystack." Midorima distressed and everyone else groaned.
"Shit, it's going to be more than that. Tetsu's presence is still weak as hell. It'll be like trying to find a fucking invisible needle in a haystack at this point."
"Aka-chin, I'm hungry. Does Kuro-chin have a bento? Murasakibara groaned pitifully as he held his stomach, completely ignoring the stares they were getting from the actual students in the school.
"Let's find a secluded place. We are attracting too much attention." Midorima added, uncomfortable with the stares. Akashi nodded in agreement and they decided to act like actual visitors as they took a table at Starbucks. ("What kind of high school has a fucking Starbucks inside? This is complete bullshit! Why doesn't Touo have one, too?")
They bought coffee, courtesy of Akashi, and all sat down, exhausted. The bell rang and the students all scurried to go into their classes.
"What's the plan?" MIdorima asked cautiously as he took a small sip of his expresso.
Akashi also took a drink from his Americano. "I'll let you choose. Shall we wait outside one of his classes and talk to him when classes are over, or introduce ourselves inside the classroom?"
"Uh, come again?" Aomine asked with a dumb expression. Kise followed his example unconsciously. Murasakibara was too focused on his hot chocolate to notice.
"Akashi, you're not actually suggesting that we go inside a class that is in session, are you?" Midorima said in horror and Akashi smirked.
"While I do understand your concern, Shintarou, it is a valid option. We are pressed for time and if we just go in and take Tetsuya outside to talk, we could easily resolve this and go back home as soon as possible. I doubt some of you want to spend 80 minutes waiting, so the second option is completely valid."
"Wait, what do you mean 80 minutes?" Kise asked after the shock had passed.
"The school's scheduling system is very different from ours. Instead of having 7~8 classes that are 50 minutes, there is only 4 and all are 80 minutes each with occasionally breaks and lunch." Akashi explained.
"Damn, I don't know which one's worse." Aomine commented and surprisingly, Murasakibara nodded.
"It's such a hassle to stay in a classroom for more than an hour." Murasakibara drawled uninterestingly. "Let's just go in. Not like we're gonna hurt anyone."
"I didn't actually think you'd participate Murasakibaracchi. Well, I agree. I'd rather just go in and get it over with."
"You're kidding me, right?" Midorima cut off with dread evident on his face. "We can't just barge into a classroom! It would be more than disrespectful!"
"We're not in Japan anymore, Midorimacchi. Loosen up a bit!"
"Just because we're in the States doesn't mean that respect isn't here!"
"Mido-chin is so uptight." Murasakibara droned, taking a gulp of his hot chocolate with glee.
"I am not uptight!" Midorima flushed in anger. He turned to Aomine for back up. "Aomine, what are you going to do?"
"Um…" Aomine responded and rubbed the back of his head. "I guess it wouldn't hurt, would it? It's not like we're going to threaten anyone, and I'm sure Tetsu'll agree to talk to us. The faster, the better."
With three against one, Midorima couldn't say no anymore, but instead laid the condition that he didn't go inside and just wait for them.
"I, for one, will not disrupt a perfectly peaceful classroom." He harrumphed and Akashi nodded.
"Well then, that's settled. Shall we go now?" He asked and the others agreed.
"Where are we going exactly?" Kise inquired.
"Tetsuya's first class is math, on the third floor. There should be an elevator that can take us."
Aomine blanched. "There's a fucking elevator? What kind of high school is this?" The others couldn't help but agree.
Akashi decided not to answer and asked one of the Starbacks workers.
"And here I thought you were from this school. I was going to report you guys to the principal." The worker expressed and Akashi gave him a smile with a subtle glare.
"Is that so? Well, I'm glad that we were able to work out the misunderstanding before things got out of hand. The elevator?"
The worker nodded. "It's just around the corner."
Akashi thanked him and gestured the four to follow him. They took the elevator to the third floor and were kind of glad that there was no one roaming the halls except for a few people who were most likely going to the bathroom. They stared at the five, amazed at both their heights and their hair colors, but thankfully, none had the courage to actually come up and ask them about it.
"Room 315." Akashi revealed.
"Akashi, where exactly did you get Kuroko's schedule?" Midorima asked in bewilderment.
"I have my sources." Akashi replied and Midorima decided to say no more. He glanced at the others and all thought the same thing.
Akashi has gone insane.
When they got to the front of the door, Aomine peered through a glass window but couldn't spot Kuroko anywhere. His eyes, however, narrowed as he scowled at a familiar red headed student.
"That bastard…" Aomine remarked in anger as his fists clenched.
"Aominecchi, can you see Kurokocchi?" Kise questioned and Aomine reverted his attention back to them.
"No, I can't. Goddamn it, you'd think he'd gain at least some presence. His aura changed so why is he still invisible?"
"His aura?" Midorima suddenly asked and Aomine nodded solemnly.
"You all felt it, too, didn't you? When we saw him in the bus. He's changed." No one could deny that.
"Aka-chin, can you spot him?" Murasakibara asked and Akashi nodded, taking over Aomine's place. Before he could look in, however, the door opened and an lady who was probably in her 50's stuck her head out.
"Excuse me," the lady said with a hint of a Mexican accent, "what do you think you're doing in front of my classroom? You're being annoying, so leave." She articulated with a nasty look on her face. Akashi's eyebrow merely twitched at the rudeness.
"We actually have some business to take care of. Mind if we come in?"
"During my class?" She shrieked and at this point, everyone was looking at the window to see what was going on.
Akashi didn't lose his cool. "Yes, it is important. Is Tetsuya Kuroko here?" He asked, ignoring the exploding face of the lady.
"You are disrupting my class. get out immediately. If you want to talk to him, you can wait until the bell rings. Now leave." And before anyone knew it, she slammed the door on Akashi Seijuuro's face.
The four Generation of Miracles replayed the scene in horror as they quietly took steps away from the menacing red head. Said person was frozen in place, his face hidden from his growing bangs. Even the people who were walking down the hallway felt the brooding aura the Japanese student was letting off and carefully walked away, not wanting to deal with whatever was about to happen.
Akashi was silent for a few seconds, and when he finally opened his mouth, the four all braced for the worst.
"Atsushi." Akashi called out and Murasakibara ran over to his side in a split second. Even the purple haired oblivious giant couldn't afford to be lazy at a time like this.
"Yes, Aka-chin?" Murasakibara said in his usual voice, but the strained tone said otherwise.
"Break the door down and do not let the teacher interrupt us." He ordered and Murasakibara hesitated.
"Eh? You want me to do that to the old lady?" He asked hesitantly. With the blessing of Akashi's murdering gaze, Murasakibara flung himself onto the door, breaking it open.
Behind him, Midorima slapped himself on the forehead. "Did he not know that the teacher didn't lock it? He could have just opened the door with the handle." Kise and Aomine snickered in the background.
The teacher and the students all jumped as the door flung open and in came a foreign giant with eccentric hair, his eyes droopy but still intimidating.
"What do you think you're doing?" The teacher screeched but Murasakibara didn't heed her as he walked in front of her and looked down. The teacher, being only 150cm, had no choice but to look up and stiffen at the daunting stare he was giving her.
Murasakibara looked at the white board for a second and scrunched his face.
"I hate math." He said to no one before grabbing the shoulders of the teacher and making sure she couldn't move.
"What do you think you're doing? Let me go!" The teacher shouted but Murasakibara wasn't fazed at all.
"What a pain. Aka-chin, when can I let go?"
Akashi entered the room, as well as Aomine and Kise. Midorima stayed behind, watching the scene from afar and glaring at hallway students to mind their own business.
"As soon as Tetsuya comes with us. I do see you, Tetsuya." Akashi said as he raised his head and glowered at the teacher for a second before glancing at the pale blue haired boy who looked like he was trying to hide himself with his arms.
"I will get you reported for this! Let me go!" The teacher kept screaming but the Generation of Miracles barely heard her. The students in her class could only stare since it was still too early for them for their brains to process what was happening. Then,
"Oi, what the fuck do you think you're doing?"
Akashi turned his head to see who it was and wasn't surprised to see Kagami Taiga standing up in rage.
Aomine stepped forward. "Mind your own business."
Kagami moved forward as well, though some of his friends tried to stop him. "This is my fucking class you're disturbing."
"Yeah, well, it doesn't involve you, so just go back to your seat." The two hotheads glared at each other profoundly, hating each other at first sight.
Kise just looked helplessly until Akashi ordered him to get Kuroko. The copy cat walked slowly, avoiding everyone's gaze and feeling more and more guilt. When he arrived at Kuroko's seat, he hesitantly touched his shoulder.
"Kurokocchi, let's go." He said softly. Kuroko didn't respond and didn't raise his head from the desk. Kise wanted nothing more but to let him be, but when he glanced back at Akashi and saw his gaze, he had no choice.
"Come on, Kurokocchi. You have to come with us or Murasakibaracchi won't let go of the teacher. Please, before Akashicchi does anything else." He said in a whisper so that only Kuroko could hear it.
Though his head was still down, Kuroko finally responded.
"Why are you doing this?" His voice was muffled but Kise could hear him so clearly that he just wanted this to never have happened.
"I'm so sorry, Kurokocchi." Kise said but held onto his shoulder to make him get up.
"Hey, let go of Tetsu!" A voice demanded and Kise saw that it was Kagami. He was done scowling at Aomine and was walking over to them.
"Kagami-kun, it is fine. I need to talk to them anyways. It would better to finish this as fast as I can." Kuroko cut off before Kagami could do anything else. Said person hesitated in place but with a solemn nod, he walked back. The friends who had tried to stop him a while back surrounded him, asking him questions, but Kagami told them that he didn't know himself.
Kise and Kuroko walked to the front where Akashi was waiting for them. Kuroko still had his head down, but shrugged Kise's hand off and walked to Murasakibara instead of acknowledging Akashi.
"Murasakibara-kun, please let go of the teacher." Kuroko said.
"Eh? But Aka-chin said to not make her interrupt us."
"She will not. We will talk outside. Please let go of her." Kuroko said once more and Murasakibara looked at Akashi for confirmation. When the red head nodded, Murasakibara reluctantly let go.
The teacher, obviously shaken up, didn't know how to react. Kuroko walked up to her and bowed 90 degrees, making her even more uncomfortable.
"I am so sorry for what has happened. This is my fault and I will try to fix this as fast as I can. Until then, please continue with the class as if nothing has happened. I am so, terribly sorry." Kuroko apologized with his head down and the teacher couldn't say anything back. She just nodded and the Generation of Miracles all walked outside with Kuroko.
The door closed, students both inside and outside the classroom talked in whispers about what just happened, and Kuroko finally raised his head to see each and one of his former teammates and friends.
Akashi went straight to the point. "Tetsuya, I want an explanation for this. Why in the world did you move to the States without telling us?"
Kuroko said nothing and just looked at Kise, who felt more and more exposed under the phantom man's stare.
"Tetsuya." Akashi demanded and Kuroko sighed before looking at the red head. His eyes portrayed so much sorrow that even Akashi was caught off guard.
"Why did you come here?" Kuroko instead asked. "How did you even know where I was at?"
"Ah, Momocchi told us." Kise supplied and Kuroko's eyes widened slightly.
"Momoi-san told you?"
Aomine rubbed the back of his neck. "Ah, kind of." He was being vague but Kuroko understood the implied meaning. Of course she wouldn't just tell them. Of course she would be forced to.
"You never did answer my question. Why did you come?" Kuroko asked once more and the four looked at the emperor.
"To bring you back home. What else?" Akashi said simply and Kuroko looked at him blank eyed.
"This is my home." Kuroko answered back and Akashi's heterochromatic eye twitched.
"That is just preposterous. You're a Japanese student who has lived in Japan for his whole life. You should be in Japan right now, battling us."
"LA is my home now, Akashi-kun. I like playing basketball here." Kuroko emphasized and this time, Akashi's fists clenched.
"What does that mean?"
"Exactly what I am saying. I do not intend to leave any time soon. I love being here."
The spectators put their guards up as the two basketball players had another stare contest, this time more intense and definitely more frightening. Kuroko was unfazed at Akashi's glower and after a moment, the phantom sixth man turned his head and walked a few steps back.
"Akashi-kun, you have disrupted so much in so little time. I suggest you leave, before anything else goes wrong. Goodbye." And with that, Kuroko bowed and entered the classroom once more, closing the broken door and walking back to his seat silently.
Kagami looked back at the window to send an intimidating glare at the five but stopped when everyone inside the classroom heard a piercing shout of anger and a object being hit hard.
The four Generation of Miracles just didn't know what to do when Akashi Seijuuro held his right eye as he roared in pain as he punched the nearest locker, leaving a dent in the process.
So, how was it? Good, bad, meh? Let me know what you think in the reviews!
I really should start moving the story along, but like I said, I've been having writer's block for this. If you think you have a good plot line for this, don't hesitate to advice me. I just might take the offer up :)
And yes, my ridiculously big school has a fucking Starbucks inside the high school (it's not a good thing, trust me, especially when there is a huge line in the morning at Starbucks with a bunch of little kids waiting for their hot chocolate. Honestly, Starbucks was made for high school students who can't sleep well and need coffee to wake them up, not first graders who just want chocolate) and there is a really mean math teacher who pretty much speaks like that every time. You really do not want her for teacher, but she's actually really good at teaching math so I guess I can't really complain.
Anyways, I hope you enjoyed it and don't forget to review!
Peace,
FlyAndDontLookBack