The One that Got Away
Chapter 2
Australia, Crossford Academy 9:47 am
Crossford Academy's playground iss usually full of children playing but now it is deserted with no single soul. No wait, a teal head could be seen on the sandbox. A kid wearing the academy's uniform and seems to be skipping. A fifty-year old man clad in a dark grey suit approaches the young kinder gardener. The blonde six footer man sat alongside the young student.
"Class is still going, why are you here?" Grey eyes looked at the brunette.
"I don't need broken radios." the boys answered and shrugged still continuing to build his magnificent full-scale castle.
The older sighed "How many times must I tell you to respect your teachers hmm?"
"I'm saving their pride by not correcting them in their mistakes." the little man countered "I bet they did not even know I'am here. They already checked my attendance" the boy added, he inherited his mothers' invisibility.
Dean Crossford chuckled his face crinkling "I guess my school is no good for a prodigy like you. But I'm still the principal you should at least show me some respect Tsuji"
Calculating cerulean eyes locked in to grey ones "You wouldn't like that gramps"
Dean went for a full blown laugh "I guess you're right. Then how about a round of chess in my office?" He offered.
Blue orbs sparkled "You're on!" he coughed " I mean, If you insist"
Crossford smiled at least the teal head prodigy did not lost the boy in him. Raised alone by his mother he was forced to grow up. 'Who could leave such angels was beyond him' He and his wife Natalie came to love Kuroko Tetsumi and of course Kuroko Tsuji when he came. Scratch that they adopted Tetsumi and is Crossford now, Tsuji is too. The two filled the gap their family of two was missing.
:::
Crossford elementary building, staff room
A shoulder length cottony sky-blue hair bowed before an auburn haired woman.
"Natalie-san I'm off now, thank you for your hard work"
"Tetsumi you're too polite. Anyway, say hi to the two boys for me. I bet their on Dean's office playing chess again" Natalie smiled "and my husband losing as always." she added.
"I will." Kuroko smiled a little and left.
She sighed as she walk on the prestigious academy hallways. Tsuji never attended half of his classes, where he got that she have no idea. Her son was the boy version of her, a total carbon copy but has HIS winners fetish. HIM, she haven't spoken his name in years and neither did the people around her.
'That man was probably leading a peaceful life with his own family.'
'No! Don't think about him, the past is over, the past is over.' she repeated mentally. It became her mantra over the years.
To wind off her mind she thought about what to say to her obnoxious angel. As she approached the heart of tha main building where Deans' office is. She knocked and opened the door slowly. She smiled at the peaceful scene inside. Tsuji was situated on Deans lap both sleeping soundly. She found a shelter under the Crossfords when HIM and her own family have forsaken her. Two-months pregnant she hitched a ride in a yacht owned by the couple, heading to Australia managed by Kagamis father. They did not expect the Crossfords to find out, but it turned out to be the luckiest thing that happened. This was not the life she imagined to have, but it was nonetheless the simple life she craved for. She prays this peaceful setting to last but she was all too aware that nothing last forever. She believed on it once but not anymore.
:::
Japan
"Shin-chan! You haven't called me in ages!" Takao Kazuna whined loudly, making one Midorima Shintarou to take his phone away from his left ear. His girlfriend since high-school is always on hyper mode. Though he wasn't going to complain since it was a part of her that he also like. Secretly though.
"Don't be ridiculous Takao. I called you yesterday." Midorima said pinching the bridge of his nose for the incoming headache. "Besides I'm too busy to call you"
Other girls would probably be annoyed in receiving such response but Takao Kazuna was not really an ordinary girl. She see beyond what was in a person and the same do for Midorima. Despite the tsundere act he is always pulling, she saw a soft heart.
"I miss you too Shin-chan!" Takao said those three words, enough to make the green head to blush and stutter on the phone.
" Aww! Shin-chan's blushing"she giggled. "By the way Shin-chan have you eaten already?"
"Yes, I already did at the hospital." Midorima answered sitting on his sofa.
"EH! But the food there is tasteless! Wait for me I'll come over and cook for you!" Takao offered.
"There is no need for that Takao." He reached for the remote on the center table, turning on the t.v.
"Hmm maybe we could find one way or another to relax hmm" she grinned knowing too well what the green head might be thinking. "Relax Shin-chan I"m offering a real massage though. But if you mean a different one I won't mind." She grinned mischievously. Her Shin-chan's so easy to tease. Midorima do not know any other way to respond to that other than "TAKAO!"
Due to the consecutive heart attacks the doctor had he was surprised by the volume of the t.v, he tuned it down when breaking news flashed on the screen.
"NEWS FLASH : A TRAFFIC ACCIDENT JUST HAPPENED ON XXX INTERSECTION TOKYO. A CAR WAS HIT BY A TRUCK. AFTER THE COLLISION THE TRUCK DRIVER ESCAPED LEAVING THE SCENE. THE VICTIMS ARE RUSHED TO MIDORI HOSPITAL WHOSE NAME WERE FOUND OUT TO BE..."
"Shin-chan? Shin-chan!" Takao's concerned voice fell in deaf ears.
"Kazuna I will call you back." He hanged up and grabbed his coat and cellphone heading back to the hospital.
"Just what is going on? Shin-chan?" she looked at her phone deep in thought.
:::
'Tetsumi...Tetsumi..Tetsumi.' A voice calling to her fading slowly in the background. 'I know that voice'
"Tetsumi..Tetsumi wake up" Natalie shakes her shoulders slightly. Blue eyes peeked under her mop of cottony blue hair.
" You okay? You look paler than usual" her adopted mothers voice was laced with concern.
"I'm fine Natalie-san" she insisted though not really sure. That voice disturb her.
Natalie straightened, walk back to her table, grabbed some files and walk towards Tetsumi's chair.
"Dean needs these files signed. Take these to him" She handed the files to Tetsumi.
"No need to rush and take your time." Natalie smiled.
Dean was clearly surprised of her arrival, but said nothing. He asked the same questions as his wife but was met with the same answer. She could not answer them when she herself did not know what is wrong. Tetsumi took a detour back to the staff room to avoid crowds. She suddenly got chills when her cellphone vibrated. 'Nah, I'm just being paranoid'. She fished it out her pocket and Kagamis name flashed on the screen.
"Hello Kagami-kun" She tried to sound normal, but for people who knew her could tell the difference.
"..." A pregnant silence ensued. Tetsumi waited patiently. Kagami could not take silence very well even if it too was killing her now.
" Your grandmother called." Tone dead serious.
"You have to go back here" he said with finality
"Wha.." confused.
"Your parents are dying Kuroko" he said lamely "they're dying".
