I AM BAAAAAAACK, thanks for waiting everyone, did you like last chapter's update, whoa, that was Kagami TIGER for you ahahaha, smooth as fur lol. Didn't see that coming, did you? Kagami's going back to SEIRIN what's going to happen next, asdfghjkl I'm as excited as you are though. Honestly, I really get excited writing chapters for you guys. And I'm so happy reading your reviews, sorry for making everyone wait for Chapter 16, classes got cancelled so what should have been last week's update marathon got cancelled to give way for our thesis paper works and stuffs. But I am honestly doing all the updates *cross my heart* To everyone who are also supporting my new works-Mizuiro to Beni Koi! thank you very muuuuch~~! I hope I can finish writing chapter 2 for Mizuiro to Beni Koi this week and for HTM too! SEND ME VIRTUAL "GAMBATTE KUDASAI" everyone so that i may survive the week without drowning from these piles of papers.

Anyhooooooooow we're baaack to the Kaijo Kingdom! What really happened to King Kise's family? Will Aomine ever found out about his connection to Kise? What's next for the AoKi pair? And what will Aomine do if he found out? Is there room for any romance between them or will it be nothing but another tragedy for the King? Thank you to our reviewers, to SilverWhiteDragon LOL Kagami's a smooth talker when he likes it seems like it, to AJ-san we'll find out about the tragedy that happened a few years ago, what really happened then in today's update! And yeah Kagami isn't he such an "ikemen" AHAHAHAHA that moment. No wonder Kuroko's so into him. And Bubbles9595 ohohohohio indeed what will Kagami do once he knew about his brother-that sounds so climatic, dont you think-so excitiiiing! Ahahaha will Kagami be shock, angry? Will he exceed the limits of his kindness? OOOH~~ what a curious thiiing! And to bella-chii~~ I'm sooooo happy to see your review here too! *hugs you* Oh and I hope today's chapter will clear a lot of clouds of confusion lurking! Thank you and I hope you like today's updaate! *winks*

AGAAAAAAAAAAAIN THANK YOU FOR THOSE WHO GAVE LION A FAV, AND A FOLLOW, AND TO THOSE WHO ARE READING LION!

YOU ARE ALL AWESOOOOME!

AND OF COURSE THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO ARE REVIEWING hope to hear from you guys again and to those who has some comment, suggestion, or just wanna their thoughts about LION you can drop a review or if you're a titsy-bitsy shy you can go PM me! If you want I will not mention you and it will be a secret between us *winks*

SO REVIEW PLEASE?

Chapter 16: Forget

"Search for him, he's gotta be somewhere!"

The voice Kise Ryouta swore he'd never forget, never…

That night he and his father came back to Kaijo, after a long wait his father finally returned and brought him back to their Kingdom. He never explained why he even sent him to the Crimson Palace, though the stay in Teiko was anything but unpleasant. If he would even describe it the short stay it was like a mid-summer's dream, the Empress was as gentle as his mother who had passed away, the Emperor although was rarely seen, as described by Aomine and his brothers is a kind and loving father to them. He likes the five siblings and their peculiar relationship with each other, all his life he only had his sister to be with, he honesty has no idea what it was like to have perhaps an older or a younger brother. The vacation sparked an interest in him, one day…one day he'll come back and see Aomine again, at that time he would have been a great general then, he'll lead their army just like Aomine—and he'll look at him, at his way, finally. He wondered if his father will be alright about it, will he be quite fine with his son taking up a sword, a weapon? In a short time Kise had found that he had been quite comfortable with the weight of the sword in his hand.

That night they asked to stay in the convent where his sister was staying, Kise Yuuka. Yuuka always had a special place in Kise's heart. Yuuka had always tried to look and stand as Kise's support even after their mother's death. She had a long flowing golden hair that she had loved dearly especially when people comments on how she looked like their late mother because of it. She is beautiful and strong. That night however…took that beauty away.

Kise woke up hearing a ruckus outside his room, getting up he found the door quietly but quickly being slammed open. Kise with only the light of the moonlight illuminating the room found his sister standing there and closing the door and locking it.

"Yuuka-nee?"

"Sh!" she hushed him, Kise climbed out of his bed in confusion. Yuuka grabbed him by the arm and dragged him towards the closet, opening it Yuuka took a few of her brother's clothes and threw it on the bed.

"What's happening?" The prince asked.

His sister turned and gave him a sad smile, it was only then when the prince realized something—

"SEARCH AROUND HE'S HERE THAT'S FOR SURE!"

The voice roared like a thunder, Kise was frozen, was this…another of those bad dreams he have sometimes? As if to answer his mental question Yuuka shook her head and cupped his small face in her delicate hands. Her eyes were sad and scared but she was doing her best not to show it. "Listen to me Ryou," she whispered, "I need you to stay quiet and hide inside the closet until help comes."

"H-Help?" Kise asked, "Why, w-what's happening?"

The blonde princess hesitated to answer her brother's curiousness, however, she realized, he was bound to know it sooner or later, "There are people looking for you. They killed Father." The prince's eyes widen. His father…was killed? "They'll kill you if they found you, they didn't kill me because they thought even if I live I would be easily undermine, I'll never be able to inherit the throne…I'm a woman. But you, you need to be safe, as long as you are safe, then Father's sacrifices, our people, they wouldn't be waiting in vain."

"I can fight. I-I'll protect you a-and myself, then we'll escape!"

The princess shook her head, and slid her hands into Kise's smaller ones, "I know but…a King's hand isn't fit to be sullied by the blood of these beasts." She kissed them tenderly, "Use them to hold our Kingdom in peace, use it to protect our people."

As she spoke those words, Yuuka turned and started rummaging among the drawers, kise was too confused to process to the things that were happening, the next thing he remember was seeing his sister tying her hair in a lose ponytail—

SNIP!

Kise Yuuka, loved her long golden hair, but she cut it down that very night, Kise watched in horror as he saw the long bundle of golden locks fell to the floor soundlessly. She turned to him with a sad smile, Kise was shock to see a mirror image of himself from his sister's face. She looks exactly like Kise with a short hair, just a bit taller. She picked up the hair and threw it in the closet, before turning again to her younger brother. "No one will know." She said barely above whisper, "Didn't they said, we both look like Mother. They wouldn't look for me. They don't need me."

That was when Kise understood what his sister was planning, it was stupid, silly, it was enough that they lost their parents, it was too much already. Kise's eyes started breaming with tears, he started shaking his head vehemently opposing her idea. "No, no, Onee-sama there's no need! W-We can just fight them back and—"

"Ryou," she said sternly, she shook her head and smiled, "Listen to me, once this is over, promise me…you'll be a great King, you'll take care of yourself, alright?"

Kise only nodded and that was the last thing he remember before getting pushed inside the closet. Be a good boy, be quiet, be still, that has always been told to him, Yuuka never insisted the rules on him, never but only this time. The darkness was frightening, and it killed him to hear these people…kill her. They didn't know, what he really looks like, that was what Kise thought, if they knew they'd e surprised to see a taller Kise Ryouta in that bed. They didn't, they laughed and cheered as they stabbed his sister mercilessly, and she didn't scream, she didn't even cry. Their attackers thinking the prince was merely too deep in his sleep to react to the attack didn't thought it was any strange. Kise cried silently in the closet—

it should have been him.

The next morning help came, Kise who was too frightened to see his sister's corpse did not leave the closet until help came. He didn't even dare to turn his head towards the bed, he didn't want to remember his sister that way. He was the only one alive to get out of the convent that night, all the monks were killed. They were slashed, stabbed and beaten to death. And his Father, the King was found in the hallway, a hand missing, and a dagger right through his chest killed him. Kise returned to the palace, but it was never the same again, as if he died that night as well.

Aomine didn't get a good sleep the night before, he was constantly bothered by the thought of that boy in that painting, was that the King's younger brother? Why wasn't he in that painting? If everyone in the painting is already dead, then could it be that the King is the late King's bastard son? And where and when did he met that boy in the painting? He cursed his ever so short term and poor facial recognition, he sometimes wish he had Kuroko's excellent memory when it comes with faces during moments like this. Something didn't settle nicely with him, though he couldn't quite understand what, he somehow knew, that whatever happened back then, the deaths of those people that was the reason for those stupidly fake smiles from the King. It irked him, he didn't like the way the King smiled with all sunshine and bright light knowing those were fake. Could this also be the reason why Akashi had sent him specifically? Did he somehow have connection with the King's family before? Aomine sighed as he continued to lazily gaze down on the palace garden, he was starting get sick of all the fake pleasantries and secrets. It actually even made Aomine puzzled that Akashi of all people went out himself to send him to remind Kise of something such as a stupid promise. Kise doesn't even look like someone who would be very experienced monarch, yeah his looks are stunning and from Aomine's own experience from Kuroko, looks could really be a great weapon for others to cave in—but aside from that what does Kise Ryouta has to offer? Or maybe…it was that—the connection he had with the King's family before. But what exactly is it?

Ruffling his short hair Aomine grumbled—

"Meow."

Aomine blinked as he realized the small sound of a cat nearby, turning he found a slender ball of black fur with dark sapphire eyes staring right at Aomine's similar colored eyes. "What now?" Aomine asked the cat who only raised it's paws and licked it. Yeah, not a very good sign, AOmine thought, he is starting to ask a stupid cat for an opinion. The cat suddenly jumped and stood in the balcony and stared at Aomine again as if studying the new face.

"AH! Aoi-cchi!"

Aomine's eyes widen…cchi? Where did he heard that before, whipping his head to find who it was he found a female attendant running towards them. When the maid realized Aomine's presence she quickly dipped her head in an apologetic bow, "I-I'm sorry Y-Your Highness!" she said almost squeaking under the harsh and piercing gaze of the taller male. "D-Did Aoi-cchi d-disturb you?"

"You." Aomine clenched his hand into a fist, that way of calling people…he had heard of it before.

"Y-Yes?"

"Where did you hear that?"

"E-Excuse me?"

"That name."

The maid blinked and stared at Aomine and chuckled lightly, "Oh, you mean Ao-cchi?" she then walked pass the prince and brought the cat up and into her arms, "Aoi-cchi's His Majesty's pet. His Majesty named him."

"The King…named him."

"Actually his name was only Aoi, but His Majesty puts cchi in his name whenever he calls him, its like uhm…a nickname. Aoi isn't used anymore when someone doesn't call him with cchi, he thinks its part of his name since His Majesty always calls him that." The maid explained, "Is something the matter Your Highness?"

Cchi…

He had heard of it be—

"Ah, Aominecchi there you are!"

"Huh?" Turning Aomine found a boy with short golden locks and smile as bright as that summer's sun. "What's with you and that stupid nickname, its AO-MINE, just AO-MINE, understood?"

"But that's boring! I like it that way!"

Aomine was baffled, that kid…the kid with golden hair back then, he called him with that right? Who…what was his name again?

"Has he always done that?"

The maid nodded, "I've been only here for a few years but since I started working here I heard him calling the attendants that way, so I think so."

Aomine bit his lower lip, he's getting it, slowly he can feel that he's close to remembering, "Another question—is the King…what was his birth order?Did he have…two siblings?"

The maid's eyes widen, "Eh, I thought Your Highness knew already, His Majesty is second child of the late King Yuuki, he only has a sister."

"Who is that?"

Akashi turned and found where Aomine was looking at, some of their mother's attendants were escorting someone into the inner courts. Watching from the second floor of the palace they could see few of the details however—"Ah, he must be Prince Kise Ryouta of Kaijo, Mother told me a few days ago." Akashi answered. Aomine watched as the golden hair quietly followed the number of attendants. He looked young, not as young as their youngest brother though. Akashi carried the fifth prince in his arms as he walked closer to the window watching the scene unfold and Kuroko quietly watched in interest. "He's having a vacation here Mother said, the King of Kaijo his father is Father's close friend, we must be courteous of him."

"I don't care." Aomine said lazily.

"Don't speak like that, you know well Mother would be displeased."

.

.

.

"Father will be coming tomorrow, he's going to take me back to Kaijo."

"Good for you." Aomine said. It was too quick, he thought, the day he met Kise he thought the other ws one of those spoiled rotten kids, brought up with a silver spoon in the mouth, Kise might not be entirely not like that but he isnt entirely like that either. He's talkative and spontenus, and highly energetic—too energetic, but on the other side he is the kind of person who isn't afraid to be injured or hurt. Kise is hard working and very jolly, for a few weeks of his stay he added some energy aand air of change into the ever so stagnant life in the Palace. People liked him easily, he can easily get into the hearts of anybody. Though Aomine knew Kise had always wanted to go back to Kaijo, he prayed that in the back of his mind he wanted to stay there with them…with him. He like the way Kise showered him attention, he liked the way the other followed him everywhere, he liked the way he admired him, and looked at him like some amazing hero of an epic journey. If Kise would only stay.

"Hey,"

"Hm?"

"Promise me something Aominecchi!"

"Huh? Why should I, you're such a pain in the ass sometimes."

Kise puffed his cheeks like he always do when he was annoyed, Aomine was sure he was mentally scolding him for saying something so un -princely, whatever that might be. "But come on!"

"Whatever, whatever, just stop doing that."

Kise's eyes brighten up like the sun suddenly decided to live in it. "Ah, then, promise me you won't forget me!"

"You sound like a lovesick heroin in some cliché romance novel, do you realize that?"

"EH! But you're so forgetful!"

"I am not."

"YES YOU ARE!"

"No."

"Yes!"

"NO!"

"YES! Remember it took you seven days to remember my whole name and to think that my last name has only two syllables!"

Aomine averted his eyes, well he can't deny that one. "Alright, whatever."

"EH! That can't do! Promise me!"

"Promise whatever makes you shut up."

"Okay! Then in return I promise I'll come back, and I'll be the best general you could ever fight, I'll give you a decent fight!"

When Kise Ryouta left he didn't get to see him, the King's arrival and Kise's departure was made secret eve for them. And then…just like that he had never heard of him. It was difficult to keep his promise. Aomine didn't wish to have such feeble storage for memorization of names, it took him only a month before he had forgotten the name Kise Ryouta. Then week turned to months and before he knew it he could barely remember what the boy who spent a summer with them in the palace looks like. Kise, why didn't he say anything to him? What changed, where was the kid he knew before? Storming through the hallways he ignored all the looks he was getting from the attendants, he needs to know from Kise himself, what happened to him, he said he'd come and become a general, what changed? What made him into this, why didn't he sent him any letter, if he only sent even just one letter, he would never be able to forget him. He'll read it every day and remind him about a blonde kid who once spent a summer with them in the Crimson Palace. He never wanted to forget him, never.

"A-Aomine-denka!" Sakurai exclaimed seeing him storming out from the hallways with eyebrows furrowed in anger. Aomine was never known to express his feelings other than anger and brute force, having him at this state in a different territory would not reflect good for Too nor the Empire, Imayoshi wouldn't be happy to hear this when they return. Aomine stopped and suddenly look at Sakurai with his piercing blue eyes. Noticing Aomine's mood Kasamatsu who wasn't very far from the scene walked towards the prince.

"Is something the matter Aomine-sama?" the raven haired Royal Adviser asked.

Aomine whipped his head towards Kasamatsu as if he had switched his target instead and had turned his attention full on the other, "Where is Kise!" he asked without minding about formalities and all. He didn't like it, he had been treating the other like a complete stranger when they had met each other before, became acquainted and lived under the same roof for a whole season.

Kasamatsu's eyes widen at Aomine's sudden question and disregarding the other's title. It clicked to his mind that this was what Kise was hiding from him, Aomine has something to do with it. "He's in the garden." Kasamatsu replied. Without any word Aomine quickly made his way to the garden, in confusion and worry for the King's state under Aomine's anger he followed the tanned skin prince to the garden. What is Aomine for Kise, was what Kasamatsu wanted to know, why wont Kise talk about it, Kise who talked too much for his own good would instantly shut up when it becomes about Aomine or the promise he made to the current Emperor of Teiko.

Aomine's strides were fast and hurried and before they knew it they were there in the garden, Kise was sitting in his usual spot with a female attendant next to him and two guards while reading through the papers of the reports from the capital. Aomine stopped there staring at Kise's back, his long hair made Aomine hesitate about his real identity, however, right now he would know, he decided he will do everything to know the truth from the other. Without any formal announcement of their presence Aomine walked towards the other, the guards all bowed their heads to him which made the King turned his head to him, and that was the chance he needed. The dark skinned prince forcefully grabbed the King's upper arm and forced him to stand—

"DENKA!" Sakurai exclaimed in horror. The guards all went wide eyed and started to grab the sheath of their swords but before they could wield it Kasamatsu raised his hand telling them to keep in standby. Kasamatsu knows Aomine isn't that much of an idiot to just suddenly cause the King any fatal harm, and besides—Kise needs this talk, he needs to face whatever Aomine has to say.

"A-Aominecchi!" Kise suddenly slipped the word from the sudden action from the other. However, Kise realizing the word slipped, quickly tried to rephrase it, "I-I mean Denka, w-what…what are you doing—"

"Say that again." Aomine's voice was low and it sent shivers in Kise's spine. The hold in his upper arm tightened, Kise almost squeezed himself from the pain from the other's hold. Aomine's hands and gripped had gotten heavier and stronger last time he remembered. Kise looked at the other, what was happening, what's wrong with Aomine? His eyes were frightening they were staring right at him like undressing him or sucking the life out of his soul. The last time he felt this frightened was that night. Aomine tugged again his arm making hiss involuntarily, "What did you call me?"

"I-It was just a slip of the tongue, b-bad habit, Denka w-would you mind letting—"

Kise gasped and everyone in the garden as well except for Kasamatsu and dark blue haired prince, as the he suddenly grabbed Kise hair and pulled it back revealing Kise's slender neck. Kise with all his remaining strength that was drained by those frightening midnight blue eyes tried to pry the other away, the guards were starting to feel the need to protect their King, however Kasamatsu only shook his head, it takes more than a pull in the hair to kill a King. And looking at Sakura's constant wailing for the prince it was enough for the three them.

"Denka, please let go of Kise-heika!" Sakurai cried in panic, what will he tell Imayoshi when they returned, he let Aomine go bersek towards a King, A KING of all people! However Sakurai knowing well the fourth prince restraining the other would probably end him up with a broken rib or two, and he stayed there in a safe distance trying to convince the other that holding a King like that is in so many levels wrong.

Aomine however stared at the other ignoring the Kise's struggle under his grip, this was the second reason why he wasn't able to quickly remember Kise, right there in that pale neck, on the side was a small scar that he knew so well. The first scar of the perfect beauty of Kaijo was inflicted by him. Letting go of Kise's hair, he shoved the other out of anger. Kise stumbled on the moss, his attendant quickly ran to Kise's side trying asking the King if he was hurt anywhere, however what was hurting Kise was not found out in his skin, but inside. The way Aomine looked at him made his chest churn painfully—he looked like he was betrayed. And maybe he did betrayed him by not telling him the moment he came there, about him, about what happened.

"You…lied to me." Aomine said, his muscle ached in the extreme want to flex it and punch Kise square in the face. Kise remained on the floor hair was everywhere, his neat golden locks were now covering half of his face hiding the other's expression. "Did you plan this with my brother? Did Akashi know this too? Did he know that you were the kid that lived with us before?"

There was silence before Kise answered, "Yes."

Aomine laughed humourlessly, the anger in his system was uncontainable, he turned and punched the table where papers were shocking Kise, "Was it fun?" he said his voice lower and trembling. He then turned and faced Kise, "Was it fucking fun for you? You made a fucking fool of me! I was playing this stupid game of guess-who, for this past few days with you, do you even know what that feels now, huh? Was it fun, Kise? Did you enjoy making me look like the worst person? Why didn't you say anything! Why didn't you even tell me anything?!"

Kise trembled as the words were thrown at him mercilessly like a sharp knife slashing in his skin, he didn't mean to hurt him. He didn't want him to know what happened, he didn't need to see him in such a pathetic state. He promised Akashi he will be strong in order to gain Aomine's respect and then maybe the other would look at him more. But things are not as simple as that. He couldn't run away from the nightmares, he couldn't leave the cage of his past, if he let go of it, it would seem like as if he was forgetting about his sister, his father, and they were the only thing he has. He didn't mean to, he wanted to say that to him but it would be stupid to tell someone whom he had hurt so much now. He chuckled to himself, why was he even getting angry at something so trivial, he could just simply forget about him right? He would be like one of the thousand faces he met before, he'd forget them eventually, he didn't mock him or anything, he didn't made fun of him, he easily accepted the chance that maybe Aomine wouldn't remember him because he was simply Aomine and maybe that was okay.

"You…didn't have to remember me." Kise said in a soft voice. "Was…there a need to?"

Aomine's eyes widen and without a word raised his fist and sent it flying towards the other, everyone gasped at the sight and Kise closed his eyes bracing for the impact however, none came. Opening his eyes he found the fist an inch away from his face. The fist unclenched and before Kise knew it Aomine pulled his hair this time with gentleness off his face, he brushed off the hair that has fallen and ccovering his eyes revealing his tears stained eyes.

"Liar."

Kise's eyes widen, how come he knew. How can he know him so well, it was so unfair. It was so unfair he knows what breaks him, he easily sees through his bulletproof lies. Why? Why did he have to meet someone like him again? Kise didn't know what to say. Aomine turned and just walked away like that, like every time, just back then, he'd point out the holes in his defence then leave him there, it was unfair that someone like him exist. Why does he always have to come when he already think he's alright, then only to tell him he isn't? Angry, Kise punched the ground grumbling curses. It wasn't right, he swore his sister he will be a King, he will love the Kingdom and no other. It was the only way he could repay them for sacrificing their lives, his personal happiness had long gone off the list.

…

As Aomine stormed back to the hallways, Sakurai followed him. He was still angry about Akashi keeping a secret to him and Kise not telling him anything but what made him angry is the fact that he couldn't stay angry at the King. A part of him kept telling the stubborn part of his ego that Kise has a reason, the look he gave them told that enough. Something happened in between those days that Kise left Teiko, how did King Yuuki died, and Kise's sister, what happened to them? Could it be that Kise was copying his sister's looks, was that why he grew his hair longer? But why would he do that? Aomine stopped and unclenched his fist. Could it be…the reason why Akashi sent him specifically for this was for him to confront Kise about whatever promise he had with his brother? Could it be the reason why it has to be him of all people?

"D-Denka?"

"Leave me alone." Aomine said brushing off the younger boy and walking pass him back to his room. He needs to think.