Chapter 7

Aomine dribbled his fingers absentmindedly on the table as his thoughts flew far away. He was supposed to attend their basketball practice for their coming game. However, he didn't feel like straining his body so he decided to spend his time in the firm. The cold air enveloping the room seemed to not bother him despite the fact that some of the people around were shivering because the temperature hit full blast. Brows furrowed, his face contorted as his mind travelled across spaces and seemed not getting back any moment. It had been five days but he still didn't get the answer of his questions. How could he? Since all he did the whole time were, sit on his designated area in the office and brain stormed and weave any possibility he could think of to describe Kise's situation. After hearing that Kise was still in love with someone else, his heart believed yet refused to accept it. Now, he was finding loopholes in order to approach Kise again.

"I'm positive that Kise and Mine are the only ones living in that house…And I've already concluded that Kise is a mistress…but then where did Mine came from? Judging from how Kise reacted, I'm pretty sure that daddy bastard is the real father of Mine but why is he living with Kise but not with the daddy's family?"Aomine's brows meet each other again, eyes forming into a line. After countless of times creating assumptions based on the facts he knew, the said situation was what he felt more convincing. He brought his left hand to his chin and bit his index finger.

"Then maybe the kid is this daddy's bastard from another woman." Aomine jumped out from his deep thinking; shocked after hearing someone else' voice just at the edge of his ears. The sudden movement caused imbalance on his chair that he ended up falling on the floor bare back.

"What the fuck are you doing Yukio? He blurted out as he gathered himself up, pressing the back of his head that hit the ceramic tiled floor.

"Nothing. Just giving an answer to your question." Yukio replied, shrugging. He had been observing how Aomine's face changes comically from time to time, as he brooded over his thoughts.

"uhgg—what kind of damn person makes his mistress raise his child from another mistress." Aomine complained irritatingly. Surely, no one as insensitive as such would do that kind of thing.

"But then, let's just say that's the case. This Kise you've been telling me about, isn't he the kind of person who would accept the situation anyway. I mean, if this Mine kid doesn't have anyone to take care of him, then of course a gentle hearted person might take the child under his wings. Not to mention, by raising the child, his position as the mistress of that family man would be somewhat secured." Yukio explained plainly. Somehow, what he said made since to Aomine.

Still, such complicated situation would be something Kise wouldn't want to get involved with. Then Aomine remembered how Kise endured him while he was playing with women left and right during their days together.

The possibility grew and Aomine couldn't help but feel frustrated. His determination to find out the truth only hardened. He knew Kise would surely be displeased if he finds out his stubbornness to pry into his life, yet he wanted to know. He needed to. Because, despite what happened a few days ago, he knew deep in his heart that he could never give up on Kise.

Yukio stared at Aomine as he slowly slipped away from reality again. Shaking his head, he knew Aomine could be ridiculously obstinate once he set his head into something. They had been together for a long time that he could somehow guess Aomine's thoughts and actions. Just watching by the seriousness on his face, Yukio discerned that Aomine would surrender anything for love.

Kise walked through the path of stone holding Mine on his left hand and a bouquet of pure white lilies on his right. The breeze blew softly making his hair dance with the rhythm of the wind as it also drag the dry leaves away from the ground. Rectangular pieces of blocks were everywhere with elongated slabs of stone standing on top of it. On the surface of those stones were names engraved delicately representing the ones who were already resting in peace. Kise and Mine took a few more steps and stopped in front a highly furnished rectangular marble block. On the sign, standing on top of it was a name skillfully engraved.

"Suzuki Keiji"

Kise gazed longingly on the name, his heart squirming in pain. Then he laid the bouquet of flowers on the shiny surface of the marble as Mine took few stick of incense from his back pack. They silently lighted the incense and let the sweet smelling aroma spread. Both closed their eyes as they whispered their prayers solemnly for quite some time. After the somewhat ceremonial procedure, Mine looked up at Kise as though asking permission. Kise nodded with a warm smile on his pinkish lips.

"How have you been daddy?" Mine tenderly greeted, teeth showing as he genuinely smiled, his cheeks brimming with happiness.

Kise closed his eyes, an emerging pain slowly creeping all over his being. He should have been used to it—seeing the same hurtful scene many times already. Yet even how much he tried, the sorrow of watching Mine talking to his father in such a manner where he can never answer back just breaks his heart.

"I've been a very good kid and not giving papa problems. Papa brought me to a trip and I rode an airplane for the first time! It was so high and I was frightened from the start but then it was fun. I was so happy! I can see everything from down here up there!"

As Mine continued to chatter, he took a small fabric out from his back pack and eagerly mopped the surface of the tomb.

"I'm also going to graduate soon daddy! I want to hurry up and work so that I'll be able to help Papa thought I still have a long way to go."

Despite Mine's age, his matured ways of thinking sometimes surprised Kise. Perhaps it was because of the fact that he had been single-handedly raising Mine making him aware of Kise's efforts. The child might have developed a sense of protectiveness towards him seeing how he worked hard for the both of them. It wasn't that Kise found it tiresome. Having Mine was his happiness and the purpose of his life. He wanted to do everything for him and give him a better life. Hearing how Mine wanted to protect him filled his chest with warm feeling.

Turning his attention into the grave in front of him, his eyes rested on the white lilies he brought. He could still remember clearly how much that person loved the said flower. He breathed a sigh of yearning. It had been two years since the death of Mine's "daddy". Before that fated day, everything was rosy pink. His days were perfectly happy and dreamy until a certain event robbed him of that feeling of completeness.

Their family crumbled in just a flash leaving a devastated Kise and a two-year-old little kid who still couldn't comprehend the mischievous thing that happened.

Kise gulped; his throat scorched and dry. The sight of Mine still energetically talking was itched on his vision however his voice was getting far and void. His own thoughts slowly drowned every movements and sounds around him. He was there but his mind traveled back to the past when he and him were still together. When his family was still composed of three persons and when his confused heart learned to love again.

My love of three years ago…

End of chapter 7