The One that Got Away
The evenings are getting colder and colder, and the Winter Cup is fast approaching. Kurko Tetsumi adjusted her scarf tighter around her neck. Seirin's basketball club practice finished a little later than usual, so when dismissed by the coach they took a detour to a ramen shop near the school to warm their stomachs. Everybody was in full shape, since they plan to win until the end, and knowing that the Generation of Miracles are the opponents, they have to be on their best form. Tetsumi, being the manager were one of the last one to get home, Kagami accompanied her back home, and seriously he was the mother hen of the group. She arrived at the Kuroko household a little after dinner.
"Tadaima," her grandmother appeared and greeted back.
"Okaeri Tet-chan, I saw Kaga-chan outside, did he sent you home?" the elderly lady wipes her hand, she obviously washing dishes.
She nodded, "Mama Kagami wouldn't let me go alone, even threatened me." Her grandma laughs and even giggled a little.
"That kid is so charming," she smiled "by the way Tet-chan have you eaten already?"
She nodded again "I'm going to greet grandpa and go to bed."
Her grandma's mood visibly changes. "Go ahead then, and have a good night" she went back to the kitchen. She cast a concern look at her grandmas disappearing figure and sighed inwardly. Her grandpa became very sick these past few weeks, and the old man was adamant on staying at home rather than to go have a check-up. Her grandmother was restless because her Grandpa is a cancer survivor; her fear of losing her husband is coming back. The two heatedly argued about it but the old man wouldn't back down.
Reaching his room, she paused after hearing coughing sound on the other side. She knocked, when it quieted down a bit.
"Ah! My favorite grand-daughter is here." Despite what he was feeling, he gave her the best smile he could. She sat down beside him and greets back.
"Grandpa, I am your only grand-daughter" she sighed, but thinly smiled at her doting Grandfather. He is like any grand-father in the world, the one who supports and motivates their grandchild in everything they do; he was her number one fan in basketball.
"Exactly!" he laughed but ended up coughing, Kuroko immediately went to rub the sick man's back. He raised his hand to halt her, several seconds later. He steadied his breathing before giving her strained smile. Her large eyes filled with worry.
"Do not worry, this old man's body is tougher than it looks Tetsumi," she nodded, holding her grandpa's hand tightly.
"You'd be well soon." He pats her hand with his free one, he asked about her day. She tells him how as he slowly drifts to slumber. When she was certain that he was asleep, did she let his hand go and exited the room.
But her grandpa never recovered it became worse; he was rushed to the hospital one time. His cancer came back and this time malignant. Operation cannot be performed anymore since the patient was too old and chances of surviving were extremely low. Tetsumi could only visit the hospital every single day for the next years until her grandpa's last moment.
That memory haunts her whenever she enters a hospital, so after talking with her grandma about her parent's condition she went outside to take a break. She figured she wasn't ready to face her father yet, and her grandma deemed it good to inform him first hand of her arrival. A warm feeling on her left cheek broke her out of reverie.
"Stop worrying too much," She saw Ogiwara's smiling face holding coffee on one hand and the other pressing warm milk on her cheek. He removes the milk on her cheek and puts it on her lap.
"Sorry, that is the nearest to vanilla the hospital has. We have no vanilla milkshake in here. Not advisable to the patients, you know." He babbles as he sat down beside her, drinking his coffee.
"Thank you," Kuroko looked at him straightly a look that made Shigehiro nervous. Her eyes look very grateful and sincere.
'What the! Tetsumi, don't look at me like that! You're way too close' his heart thumps very fast.
"I mean it," she said, turning to look ahead that made Shigehiro breathe a little.
He followed her line of sight wanting to avoid eye contact and scratched his cheek with his fore finger, "Ehehe, What has gotten into you, no need to sound serious it was only milk, I don't cost that much." laughing a little.
Tetsumi whirled her face to him, cerulean eyes blank face reaction saying 'Are you kidding me?'
"Eh?" Ogiwara's clueless face insert here.
"Way to go to ruin the mood Ogiwara-kun" she said blandly, she was silent for a second and continued.
"I was talking about how you helped my family, taking care of them in my place."
"Ah!" He drank his coffee with ease "Then no need to thank me, I consider them my family too. You too, I'm glad you're back" he grinned.
"Still, I feel indebted to you." He blinks and blinks, staring at each other for seconds. Seeing her determined look, which he finds irresistibly cute, he turned his head sideways away from her and covers his mouth.
"Nemff"
"Hm?"
He coughed awkwardly, still not looking at her. "I said, name, call me by my name."
Kuroko thought about it, she has never called anyone on their given name before eve HIM. She had always wanted to remain formal with anyone and planned to see to it. But then she was greatly indebted to this man, her childhood friend who she hasn't seen for years, helped her family without blinking an eye.
"…..Shigehiro," she tried testing it. His ears perked up with this, and abruptly turned to her meeting her beautiful sky-blue eyes.
"Shigehiro-kun." She said more firmly with her deadpanned tone. That did it, speechless, Ogiwara's face was so red and steaming, he looked like a tomato with orange leaves. He covers his mouth to avoid any sound from coming out and stood suddenly, not wanting Tetsumi to see his burning face.
Tetsumi was mildly surprised of her childhood friend's behavior, but shrugged it as one of his antics. When the he was composed enough, he was planning to ask her out to dinner, when loud roars, I mean voice got their attention.
"You squirt! You made me look everywhere for you!" clearly the red head was pissed off, "Do you know what your scary mother will do to me if you got as much as a scratch?! She's gonna kill me! Kill me!" A tall bulky red head scolds a young teal head, while pinching his ears.
Feeling heroic, Shigehiro approached the two, "Uh? Excuse me, we are in a hospital. Please do not raise your voice and let go of the child's ears, he might lose it." He commented, not losing his nerves despite Taiga's animalistic appearance. Tsuji only looked at him in wonder.
Taiga let go of the brat's ears, Tsuji touches his swollen ears and glares at Kagami, while Kagami glared back.
But then Tsuji smirked victoriously, "I'm sure mother's going to kill you Bakagami, saying she was scary and all."
Kagami shivered, "You never saw how scary your mother gets, wait till you witness it!" Kagami hugged himself.
Tsuji's smirked widened, "I bet I will witness it now or later." Then he called out.
"Hi Mom!"
"Hah! As if you'd fool me shortie!" Kagami mocked, until he felt a hand on his shoulder, he whipped his head slowly sideways to look at his shoulder. He froze seeing the familiar blue hair and eyes.
"Why, hello Kagami-kun." a smiling Kuroko said. Smiling. That was it, Kagami fainted.
Tsuji knelt to poke Kagami's sides. "Mom, you scared him too much."
"And just whose fault is that?"
"It was mine I guess." He answered also deadpan.
Ogiwara Shigehiro was lost; "what just happened?' snapping out of trance, he asked frantically, "What? I don't get it, who is your scary mom?" he asked Tsuji.
The little man looked at Tetsumi, Shigehiro looked at her, and she looked at him. He looked back and forth between mother and son before finally passing out, following Kagami. He landed with a loud 'ooff'.
Tetsumi shakes her head disbelievingly, while Tsuji said a quiet "Idiots".
.
