Practice went as per normal on that particular day, except for a few things.

They knew something was off with their captain when they saw him smiling, without the scary intention to it. It scared them more knowing that their captain can actually be happy. But of course, Akashi is human too so he has emotions. It seemed that Kuroko is also happy from the way he didn't show his usual expressionless expression.

The expressionless face became full of bliss and the devil who smiled with such happiness scared them. What shocked them more was the closeness they shared with each other. The intimacy they shared infront of them made it hard to look away. With the two of them behaving this way, it seemed as though the time has stopped.

Something good must have happened to them yet they can't think of anything. Aomine knew Kuroko had some feelings for Akashi. Did they perhaps get together?

When the two of them moved even closer, the rest of the team's jaws dropped. Kuroko turned red and swatted at Akashi's hands told him to not touch his face infront of people. But Akashi knows no shame. "What is there to hide?" he says boldly. With that, all of them knew their feared captain and their cute sixth phantom man is in a relationship. None of them asked how they got together. They didn't want to ruin the pure image they have of them right now.

-line-

Things were going smoothly between them until that fateful day…

Akashi's eyes were no longer both red. One remained the same while the other turned yellow. The eyes were no longer loving when it set its gaze upon Tetsuya. When his eyes turned hetero, it was as though he became another person as well. His whole personality changed, his feelings towards his teammates changed too. What's worse, he treats Kuroko different than before. It was as though there were no chemistry between them at all. Kuroko's heart shattered. The love and warmth he once held on dearly to, disappeared. Perhaps, it will never be back again.

The words that came out of Akashi's mouth scared him. 'Kuroko' became 'Tetsuya'. If Akashi wasn't like this, he would love it if his lover called him Tetsuya. But, the 'Tetsuya' that came out of his mouth was void of love. It sounded too cold for Kuroko's liking. It was cold, like his eyes. He became so foreign, so distant. He no longer felt the love from him. He felt fear. The warm Akashi will never be back. The Akashi he once loved whole heartedly became a stranger—someone he does not know anymore. Their relationship will never be the same.

Kuroko loved Akashi nonetheless. It hurts to hang on like this. Maybe, just maybe, Akashi will return to his old self one day. He believed in the little hope he has for Akashi's humanity to return to where it once was.

After that incident, the Generation of Miracles changed too. They all started thinking of themselves. No matter how hard Kuroko tried to bring back the once harmonized team, it was futile. No matter how hard he tried to catch up with them, he couldn't do it. He would be out of stamina. He knows he will never reach their standard because he is a shadow. Someone who's stats is lower than average, someone who isn't needed in a team where the team itself is already strong that with just one member out on court he would be able to crush his opponents. He never existed. Never, ever since everyone changed.

It hurts when Aomine doesn't know how to receive his passes anymore. Aomine's light was too strong. Kuroko as a shadow isn't needed. It dawned on Kuroko that the team doesn't need someone who is as useless as him. 'The only one who can beat me, is me' made everything even clearer. His efforts were a complete waste.

Even Kise, who followed Kuroko everywhere and always wanting to get closer to him, got distant. When he knew that Kuroko is weak, he thought that there will be nothing good being with a weak person.

As for Midorima and Murasakibara, they weren't close to him at all. There was almost no change in Midorima's attitude. Murasakibara's attitude became the same as Aomine's.

Being with Akashi hurt. They weren't as close and they never interacted much. He knew Akashi never thought of him the same ever since the incident. He had to refrain himself from getting closer to Akashi. God knows what would Akashi do to him if he ever step out of the line. Akashi didn't give two shits about Kuroko's wellbeing. Somehow, everyone is getting stronger, Kuroko is getting weaker. Every practice they had was torture. Even when at his worst, he tries hard.

Once, he almost fainted during his training but no one came to his side to help him. Since no one noticed him, he informed Akashi he wasn't feeling well to continue his training for the day and requested that he go back home to rest. Staring into the captain's eyes gave him a sad feeling. The answer he got was a cold, short "yes". There was no worry in the tone, neither does it reflect in his eyes. Kuroko tried masking his expression but no, it hurt too much. He quickly got out of the gym and used misdirection to get back home. No one knew that there was a tearing boy walking back home with a broken and heavy heart.

He decided to break off everything when Teiko crushed Meiko deliberately. He didn't mean for this to happen. All he wanted was to be in a match with his childhood friend. He didn't expect that his team did all these to his childhood friend. Sure, a match is a match. But you don't have to do it this way.., right?

Kuroko hardens his heart. There is no way he can endure what comes after. Although telling Akashi that they are in a relationship is useless, seeing as Akashi doesn't even recognize the fact that they are indeed together, he still has to break it off whether Akashi acknowledges it.

He handed in his resignation letter. He couldn't agree with the way his team plays. It felt so wrong. There was no team-play anymore. No more relying on others, just individual scoring. Whether or not he quits, it wouldn't affect the basketball team's victory.

He wrote a letter to Akashi. No one knew whether the redhead read the letter. All they knew was how crestfallen Akashi was after he was told that Kuroko Tetsuya has quitted the club.

And that 's the second chapter! More of Kuroko's past with Akashi will be revealed in later chapters! Thank you guys for the favorites, follows and reviews! I really appreciate them!