Knights of Teikou
Genre : Adventure, Friendship, Fantasy
I didn't own Kuroko no Basuke, Fujimaki Tadatoshi-sensei own it! (May include OOC)
Hey again, minna… Sorry if I take so long for update, hope u enjoy this chapter too~!^u^
-Chapter 5:-
Akashi listened to the whole story calmly, he would never thought that the boy had faced such experiences in the war. Not to mention it happened when he was only 7, it was normal for him to be terrified but…
" After that, that knight helped me up and rode me back to the evacuation place. They treated my wound there.", Kagami looked down with his bang of hair covering his eyes. " After that, I found Tatsuya and his mother… and his father …"
Kagami paused for a sec and continued, "He lost his life because of the blood loss. The boys I helped that time were safe too, they even handed my wooden-sword, that they took with them, back to me. After the war ended, we moved to Harnia."
The atmosphere was silent and heavy after Kagami finished his story.
" So that's why you let go of your sword in the spar before?", asked Akashi calmly.
Kagami didn't answer it directly, he didn't even share a mind on how the boy realized it, " I was surprised myself too. Suddenly I just let my grip off."
" But you know? If you chose the road in becoming a soldier, you will have to overcome your fear sooner. You can't be a real soldier if you can't even hold a real-sword.", Akashi stated it firmly.
Kagami stared at the ground and sighed, " I know it, Akashi. I already tried it, but my body moved by itself.", Kagami looked up at him desperately.
" That's only some excuses you make, Kagami Taiga.", Kagami widen his eyes in surprise.
" It's your body, no one has the control over it except you yourself.", Akashi stood up and swept some of the dusts away gracefully. " Besides you shall know already, if you want to protect the country… You need to fight the enemy, in other words you shall eliminate them."
Akashi looked down at Kagami who was still surprised, "I'm disappointed in you, Kagami Taiga. You don't have enough resolution to be here. If you still terrified to even hold a real sword, then I suggest you to sign out from the army and stay away from this business."
" W-What?", Kagami was totally shocked to hear that.
" Teikou don't need a coward like you.", Akashi stated firmly.
Kagami stunned, his eyes looking at Akashi who walked farther and farther until he gone.
" Me? Coward?", Kagami asked to himself and raised his trembling hands.
'Looks like I really am a coward.', thought Kagami bitterly as he looked at his trembling hands. " But…"
Kagami looked at the direction Akashi just gone to.
" Why did I tell him at first place by the way?!", Kagami hit his face on the ground and rolled back and forth, " I never even told Tatsuya about this. No one…", murmured Kagami surprisedly.
He really didn't know why, he just simply answered the question given to him…
" Hah, that's not matter anymore…", Kagami laid his back on the ground and looked at the sky.
'If you still terrified to even hold a real sword,
then I suggest you to sign out from the army and stay away from this business'
" Hah, is he an idiot?", Kagami murmured to no one.
Kagami came back to the group in time when the training started again, he noticed how Riko was glaring at him and the others were stealing a gaze at him. He even met Kuroko's aqua-eyes who were looking at him with the gaze he knew so much.
'Sorry, Kuroko.', Kagami said in his mind before he averted his gaze.
The rest of the day, Kagami decided to put aside any thoughts he has and devoted himself to the training alone. He kept away from Kuroko and the other Kisedai too. He realized how Aomine were glaring at him as he refused to take his (undeclared) battle in the training, how Kise were trying to make a conversation with him but couldn't, how Midorima and Murasakibara looked aware of his sudden change in attitudes, how Akashi didn't even share any glances at him (Kagami felt quite unsettled with this one) and how Kuroko as always looked worried about him.
But Kagami had decided he wouldn't talk to all of them for the meantime.
- Later -
The training ended at 4 o'clock and they were given a time to take a bath before gathering in the dining hall at 6.
-Third floor, in west-wing tower-
" Then I will go first, okay?! Izuki, make sure they don't stay in the bath too long, 'kay?"
" Haii~~"
The wooden-door was slided open, revealed a black-haired man with his glasses on. He held a small basin with his shampoo and other things inside, his towel were hanging around his neck. He walked toward the room he and his other comrades were sleeping in, but stopped at the room just beside his destination.
He knocked the door thrice and soon the door was opened by a green-haired boy who had looked clean and neat in his clean shirts.
" Captain Hyuuga? Is there something we can help you?", Midorima asked politely.
" Nope. Just remind you not to slack off and gather at the dining hall before 6, get it?", Hyuuga looked at the boy sternly.
" Understood, Sir. We will get there before 6."
Hyuuga nodded, " Then you can continue your rest." Hyuuga continued his walk to his room, he heard the sound of door closing slowly behind.
Yep. There's actually where the Kisedai slept. A special private room prepared by the King for the Generation of Miracles, so they don't need to be worry about how the others will insulate them. The room consisted of six single-bed with a large bathroom inside the room. It's not looked too luxury as a hotel was, at least it less crowdy and more neat and the facility of private bathroom had already made the room itself special.
The fact about this was only known by some high-positioned knights, Hyuuga and his comrades who slept just beside the room where Kisedai were. It was kept as a secret from the other freshmen to prevent any negative-opinions coming from them.
Hyuuga opened the door to his room, " Kiyo-", he halted his words when he saw no one in the room. " Uh? Where did he go? Didn't he say he want to go back first?"
-Meanwhile, outside the west-wing tower-
" Soo…", Kiyoshi started as he followed his companion to stop beside the tower. " What can I help you, Kagami?", Kiyoshi smiled as he looked at the red-haired boy's back.
Just now, Kiyoshi indeed said he wanted to go back first and that's what he did. But when he almost arrived on the room he was sleeping in, he could see Kagami standing in front of the door and seemed to debate whether to knock it or not, Kiyoshi knew it by looking at the boy raised and lowered his hand repeatedly. So, Kiyoshi decided to call for him and asked what bring the boy here. And the boy suddenly said that he needed his help and asked him to come with him for a while. And that's why they were here.
Kagami looked down for a moment before he turned around and looked up at Kiyoshi, " Fight me, Sir!", declared Kagami full of determination.
Kiyoshi's smile dropped instantly, he blinked his eyes in confusion, " Fight you?"
" Yes! I want you to fight me. Uhm... I mean, please have a spar with me!", Kagami bowed down.
" Okay then.", Kagami was too surprised by the fast also unexpected answer and looked up instantly to see the older-man was smiling his usual smile at him.
" We shall get ourselves a pair of swords then.", Kiyoshi looked around and found two plain-long swords laying on the ground not too far from their place.
" Ah, I have prepared the swords.", Kagami said nervously as he went to retrieve the swords that Kiyoshi had just found.
" We are going to spar using this?", Kiyoshi asked as he reluctantly took one (real) sword from Kagami's hand.
Kagami nodded and looked at him determinedly, " Please give it your all, Sir!"
"B-But…", Kiyoshi looked so reluctant.
" Please, Sir! I really need you to do it!", now Kagami sounded pleading.
Kiyoshi still looked reluctant but looking at Kagami's expression, he couldn't just say no, " Okay then, I'll try to give my best."Kiyoshi smiled and readied his stances.
Kagami smiled for a second before he readied his stance himself and focused on his opponent, 'Come on, Taiga. Don't be afraid, Kiyoshi-san is strong.'
Both of them looked at each other in focus before Kagami broke it and took the first move. He attacked Kiyoshi from the left, and of course Kiyoshi blocked it. Kagami kept attacking from all directions which were all blocked by Kiyoshi easily.
'Hmm, his power is strong.', thought Kiyoshi as he blocked one of Kagami's attack and dashed forward for a counter-attack.
Kagami was surprised but he still blocked the sword fluently. Both of them kept exchanging blow after blows. Kagami was caught in the heat of the spar, he knew from the clashes that the man was strong and maybe this wasn't his full power yet. Forgetting himself, Kagami got excited and increased both his speed and power, so did Kiyoshi. Kagami attacked again diagonally but this time Kiyoshi blocked it and pushed Kagami's sword away.
He attacked from short-distance and just raised his sword away for a short distance, causing him to be able to give out a fast-stimulate continuous attack. Kagami obviously couldn't catch up for the attack and kept backing down.
'S-Strong…', Kagami thought as him continued being cornered.
Kiyoshi then moved his sword a little to the right, intended to give Kagami a slight-hit on the face (since they were using real-sword, he couldn't really slash him, right?) and so declared the end of the spar. But when he did that, Kagami suddenly dodged his head down. Kiyoshi was really surprised for that, Kagami looked up and intended to counter-attack but Kiyoshi moved faster as he changed the route of his sword to block it again.
Kiyoshi knew Kagami was surprised from how his red-eyes widen but both of them didn't stop. Kagami attacked again, this time from Kiyoshi's right. Kiyoshi raised his sword to the right to block it, but once again the boy surprised him. When the swords almost touching, Kagami instantly changed the route to circle down the sword and aimed for Kiyoshi's chest.
Kiyoshi tried to move his sword back even if he knew it was too late as their distance was too close.
CLANG!
*blink* *blink* 'I-I got in time…', thought Kiyoshi confusedly as he blocked the sword.
He saw Kagami gripped on his sword tighter, looked troubled by something. " Kaga-"
Kagami suddenly looked up and attacked Kiyoshi right at the face. But Kiyoshi made no movement to block it and Kagami just stopped his sword directly just when the tip of his sword touched the right cheek of the man. " S-Sir? W-Why didn't you block it?", Kagami asked in confusion.
" That's enough, Kagami. What's wrong with you?", Kiyoshi asked, his smile wasn't there on his face anymore.
Kagami's eyes widen as he saw a little blood started to appear from where his tip of sword touched the cheek. " Ah!", Kagami immediately threw his sword away, " S-Sir, y-your cheek."
" Uh?", Kiyoshi was confused, he touched his cheek and saw some blood on his finger.
" I-I'm sorry, Sir! A-Are you okay?", Kiyoshi turned his straight gaze to the red-haired boy who was totally panic and was currently looking around for something to treat his wound.
" W-What should I do? W-Where is medicine? A-Ah, I-I don't have any here. W-What should…", Kagami stopped panicking as he heard a low chuckle which soon became a loud laughter.
" U-Uh? S-Sir?", Kagami tilted his head and looked at his vice-captain confusedly.
Kiyoshi tried to hold down his laughter while he put his big hand on Kagami's hair and started to ruffle it non-stop.
" S-Sir?", Kagami was totally confused for the sudden movement while he tried to keep himself standing as the man's force was bigger than he could handle.
Kiyoshi finally stopped laughing and removed his hand, " What are you panicking for, Kagami? It's only a small stretch. See?", Kiyoshi wiped the blood away with his finger and his cheek looked good as usual.
Kagami stared at him, " A-Ah, i-is that so?", Kagami sighed in relief and sat down. " S-seems like I still can't get over it.", murmured Kagami bitterly.
" Uh? What do you mean, Kagami?", asked Kiyoshi in confusion.
Kagami didn't answer him and just looked into both his trembling hands troubledly.
"Kagami. Look at me.", commanded Kiyoshi suddenly and Kagami unconsciously looked up right to his eyes.
" Can it be … that you are afraid of hurting someone?", asked Kiyoshi seriously and judging by how Kagami widen his eyes, he already knew he was right.
Kagami looked down full in guilty and nodded. Kiyoshi just stared at him for a moment and suddenly he spoke, " Could it be because of what happened to you five years ago?"
Now Kagami was totally surprised as he looked up at the worried-man, " H-How do you-?" and then suddenly by how he looked up at Kiyoshi from his seat. The differences in height made him remembered the face in front of him.
" H-Hey…", Kagami called for the unmoving man, but no answer just like what he had expected.
Kagami dropped the bleeding sword in his hand, his eyes never left the body which became lifeless now in between his own blood. ' I-I killed .. I killed him…', Kagami's hands started to trembling as he sat down on the ground, eyes still locking on the lifeless corpse he had made.
" Kid!", Kagami could hear heavy footsteps running to him and stopped just beside him.
The knight widen his eyes as he saw what happened there, " K-Kid, y-you…", he turned his gaze to the shocked-kid beside him.
The knight touched Kagami's shoulder which made Kagami looked up at him. The knight's eyes widen and before he knew it, Kagami already fell unconscious.
" Y-You are…", Kagami whispered in surprise.
Kiyoshi smiled bitterly and crouched down so he was in the same level as Kagami, " Take you long enough to remember me, hmm? Little kid?"
" N-No way… ", Kagami mumbled, " Y-You are that knight…"
Kiyoshi nodded, " Yeah… I was the knight who was fighting with you five years ago, little kid." Kagami just stared at him in surprise, he didn't even know what to say or what to express in that situation. " Five years ago after the war ended, I'd tried to look for you. But I couldn't find you. I would never thought I can see you here and… as a soldier. ", Kiyoshi whispered as he patted Kagami's head slowly.
" You've grown so big hmm? But you still have the same crimson-hair and same eyes, so I could recognize you in the first sight. And your sword-play is much better now, you can even match me! Hahahaha…", Kiyoshi laughed and patted Kagami's head continuously.
But all the time, Kagami didn't say anything. Kiyoshi could only find the word 'guilty' from the boy's expression. " Nee, Kagami. Since five years ago, I have always wanted to say this to you.", Kiyoshi removed his hand and looked at Kagami seriously.
" That's not your fault.", finally Kiyoshi said the sentence that Kagami had been longing for for so many years. He wanted someone to tell him that that wasn't his fault, that he was doing the right thing yet he couldn't find the reason to say so himself. No matter how, for Kagami… It was his fault that the man died.
" You had saved four kids that time. You even saved me too, remember? When you refused to leave and stayed to help me…", Kiyoshi smiled sincerely at him, not the nonchalant and bright smile he often showed on his face.
Kiyoshi stood up, " You are a brave soldier, Kagami Taiga."
Kagami stared at him with his widen-red eyes, he couldn't describe how he felt at that moment. Relieved? Happy? Joyful? Touched? Proud? He couldn't describe it, he wasn't good at these expression things in natural since he was born.
Instead, he grinned and stood up rigid, " I am not a soldier yet, Sir! But I made a vow that I'm going to be a brave soldier one day!", Kagami said out loud.
Kiyoshi smiled, " Be a brave soldier, Kagami?"
Kagami was confused at first at how Kiyoshi was smiling at him, but he soon received the signal Kiyoshi was giving him, " No, Sir! But a brave knight!", Kagami grinned happily.
Kiyoshi smiled sincerely, " Then Kagami, how about you go to bath now? We are both sweaty, we won't be let in the dining hall like this."
" Uh? Ah, it's okay Sir. You can go first… I want to visit one place first.", said Kagami eagerly.
" Uh? Where do you want to go? We'll have dinner at 6, and you shouldn't come late again, Kagami.", Kiyoshi frowned a little as he mentioned how the red-haired boy was late last night.
" Hahahaha.. Don't worry, Sir. I'll make sure I arrive at 6.", Kagami started to run. " See you later, Sir!", Kagami waved at him before he ran off.
Kiyoshi smiled and looked at two swords laying on the ground, " Where did he take this by the way?", Kiyoshi murmured as he picked both the swords up.
" Sir.", Kiyoshi was surprised as Kagami appeared again behind him.
" Wh-?"
" I've wanted to say this to you too since five years ago!", Kagami took a deep breath and shouted " Thank you, !", Kagami grinned as tints of blush appeared on both his chubby cheeks, made him look just like a little innocent kid.
He didn't wait for Kiyoshi's answer and ran away again in a fast pace. Kiyoshi couldn't help himself but feel a little proud and maybe happy? Finally, one stone that kept pressuring in his heart for five years had now been lifted away.
-Dining hall-
Kisedai came to the dining hall just behind their own squad and all took their seats on the table they seat on last night, except the seat's arrangement was a bit different. The Kisedai sat face to face 3-3, with Murasakibara, Kuroko, Akashi on the left side and Midorima, Aomine and Kise on the right side. The rest sat close with their new acquaintance too.
Once again, Kuroko couldn't find a certain red-haired boy. He silently sighed as he remembered what happened today. He knew from experience that Kagami was trying to stay away from him, not only from him, but from the six of them… and Kuroko couldn't think of the reason why…
'Did he find out that we came from a noble family and decided to stay away from us?', thought Kuroko to himself but he didn't express it out on his face.
Kuroko seemed to be too deep in his thought that he didn't realized someone coming before he heard the voice spoke, " Uhmm… Sorry… Can you let me sit here?"
Kuroko looked up diagonally to the left and found the red-haired boy he had been thinking about stood there. His crimson hair still wet and looked like he was so hurry that he didn't wipe his body completely dry, making his new-changed-shirts became a little wet and exposed a little of his body behind the fabric.
" Uh? O-Oh, sure…", the man seemed confused but the row moved to make a space.
" Ah, t-thanks.", Kagami murmured nervously and sat down on the seat given to him, just beside his opponent this morning, Tanaguchi Hans , who sat two seat beside Kise, and in front of Reino (Kuroko's opponent in the spar this morning).
Kagami sat there and seemed so nervous, he kept playing with his fingers and kept stealing a gaze to the quiet-man beside him.
" If you have something to say then say it, Kagami Taiga.", Hans turned to face the smaller boy.
Some of them that attended that table started to turn their attentions at the two of them.
Despite Hans serious golden-gaze, Kagami smiled and rubbed his cheek nervously, " Urr… I-I want to say sorry… for what happened in the spar this morning.", Kagami apologized to him sincerely and it made all of them attended the table looked at his direction.
" Sorry?", Hans raised his eyebrow, even if his face still looked scary but you could see he was surprised by the sudden apologize.
" Y-Yeah.", Kagami knew the man must feel angry to him. 'If I were him, I would absolutely be angry if my opponent didn't take me seriously.', he thought that and he really didn't have any intention to look down on the man.
" I didn't mean to do it. Really, for me you are strong!", Kagami leaned himself a little to the older-man, made the man being taken back a bit. " So, next time… Let's give it our all, yeah?", Kagami smiled sincerely and offered his hand nervously.
Hans looked at him doubtfully, trying to find any intentions the smaller boy had but found only one. 'Let's have a nice spar next time!'
Slowly, Hans raised his right hand and shook the smaller hand offered. Kagami's smile widen before he yelped because Hans suddenly head-locking him, " If you ever did that again to me, I won't forgive you brat.", he hissed dangerously and then released the lock.
Kagami was surprised at first but then he grinned, " I got it! I won't do that again, Hans.", Kagami said honestly, completely unaware that Hans was someone much older than him and also that 'Hans' was his first name.
Then for the countless times, Kagami met Kuroko's eyes again. But instead of averting his gaze, Kagami smiled at him even if it was a nervous, shy smile.
Kuroko returned the smile sincerely, he was happy that Kagami didn't avert his gaze anymore, but at the same time curious as why did Kagami suddenly looked so down in the morning and now looked like the usual him again.
The table started to be crowded as it being filled by peoples, Hyuuga stopped at the freshmen' table first to check whether all of them present and he raised his eyebrow a little when he saw Kagami whom just grinned and said "Yo." to him.
The bell rang loudly in the hall, meant that the dinner was ready. Each table took turn one by one according to table arrangement, which mean the freshmen should wait after everyone took their turns.
After finally everyone have took their dinners, it was now their turn to took it. Everyone took their own dinner immediately and back to their seats. But not Kagami…
" Uhmm… Auntie… Can I ask for bigger portions?", Kagami asked, a little nervous.
" Of course you can, boy! Just tell me and I'll gladly accept your challenge and prepare it for you!", the woman answered confidently and full of energy.
" Then I want to ask for seven portions.", Kagami said happily, the others behind him sweat-dropped.
" Only seven, boy? That's easy! Why don't you ask for more?", the woman said enthusiastically.
" Uh? Really? I can? But how about the others behind? I don't want to eat up their portions.", Kagami glanced at the back.
The woman smiled a little before she glanced back at the row still waiting, "Then is it okay if you wait after them?"
" Of course okay, Auntie!", Kagami happily walked to the most back in the row, just behind Kise.
Kise stole a gaze at Kagami and looked back again when Kagami saw him. Then after the row moved forward, Kise did it again and was surprised that Kagami was staring at him since the start, " What's wrong, Kise?", Kagami asked curiously.
Kise just stared at him at first, 'He was back to usual…' " N-No… You eat much hmm, Kagami-cchi?", Kise murmured the –cchi part as he still felt hesitant.
" Oh, y-yeahh…", Kagami rubbed his neck nervously. " I have a big appetite. Some said my stomach is like a black hole, you know? Haha…", Kagami stated it out honestly.
' His attitude was totally different from how it was in the training just now.', Kise thought in relief. " R-Really? A black hole, isn't that too much?", Kise asked curiously as he thought that someone was trying to insult the boy but the boy just laughed it off.
Akashi and Kuroko were stealing gazes at him even if they did it more skillfully to made it went unnoticed by Kagami, but Murasakibara simply just stared openly at him. Kagami looked at him and somehow as a big appetizer, Kagami understood that kind of gaze Murasakibara was showing.
" You can stand here too if you want.", suddenly Kagami stated it with a friendly smile on his face.
They were looking at Kagami confusedly and followed his gaze to the tall-boy. The boy himself looked at Akashi, silently asking for permission.
" If you want, go for it Atsushi.", Akashi said gently.
Murasakibara immediately smiled like a little kid getting a candy, " Okay~" and moved to Kagami's back.
Now, Kagami's gaze was put on the smaller red-haired boy, the boy seemed to be gentle to his friends and he even came to him and asked for his problem. That was a kind act, right? Well~ For Kagami, it was. If Akashi didn't care about him then he wouldn't come to him at the first place.
" But you know? If you chose the road in becoming a soldier, you will have to overcome your fear sooner. You can't be a real soldier if you can't even hold a real-sword."
" That's only some excuses you make, Kagami Taiga."
" It's your body, no one has the control over it except you yourself."
" Besides you shall know already, if you want to protect the country… You need to fight the enemy, in other words you shall eliminate them."
"I'm disappointed in you, Kagami Taiga. You don't have enough resolution to be here. If you still terrified to even hold a real sword, then I suggest you to sign out from the army and stay away from this business."
" Teikou don't need a coward like you.", Akashi stated firmly.
' He was right, though…', Kagami thought to himself.
' Even if I did feel I'm not longer feel guilty about that, but it doesn't mean I have overcome my fear in using a real-sword… I still need to test it next time we have a spar again. I must do it right next time.', Kagami thought seriously.
' Naa~ That was for tomorrow. Now I must feel my stomach fully!'
" Auntie, I want 10 bowls of rice!", Kagami and Murasakibara both chorused at the same time when their turn came.
Both of them looked at each other in surprise, Kagami smiled then both of them nodded in understandment.
-To be continued—
As always, thank you for reading minna-san! ^^ I decided to make this chapter a little relax before going on. Hope you enjoy it, minna!