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Kuroko no Basuke is copyrighted by Fujimaki Tadatoshi-sensei. Give him the best regards for creating this great manga!
The OCs are mine.
Warning: Akashi x OC. Later on it will be Midorima x OC, but the main story is focused on Akashi.
Alluring Gaze
Chapter 11
That Time When Our Eyes Met
His father once told him that his name is supposed to be Ryouhei. But his parents decided to give him the name he will bring along for his entire life, and so Midorima Shintarou is here.
His father; Midorima Shuuhei, is a doctor in a renowned hospital in Tokyo. He married to his mother, who now bears the name Midorima Ayako, who works in a pharmacy. When Midorima was two years old, Midorima Meiko was born. Midorima got his superstitious personality from watching his mother; who likes watching Oha Asa every morning before she goes to her work. If his mother watches Oha Asa only for leisure, Midorima takes it very seriously and immediately believe about fortune telling due to his serious demeanor derived from his father. And so, Midorima always bring his said-to-be lucky item everyday to everywhere, making his family must bear the strange look from the neighbors. But as time passes, they just let Midorima does what he wants, as long as he can behave himself.
During his times in elementary school, Midorima was a good-learner. He did well in all subjects, but his best ones are chemistry and biology. But he doesn't have any friends. His classmates were all terrified seeing his lucky item, which ranging from normal, cute, or bizarre. Other from that, Midorima didn't matter about it. He doesn't care if there's no one who wants to become his friend, as long as he is perplexed. And that's how his tsundere attitude came from.
But things turned upside down to him when he met Urenomiya Sakuya.
"Isn't she…?"
Midorima was surprised to see a schoolmate of his, Sakuya, was asleep in the bus he always takes if he wants to visit his usual optical store. He was still in fifth grade, and it was winter. He spotted her sat in one of the seats, her eyes closed and she didn't bring anything with her. He then looked around the bus. It was only the two of them with the driver.
"How can she asleep so soundly like that?" slightly annoyed, Midorima decided to wake up his schoolmate. He sat next to Sakuya and shook the girl's shoulder. "Hey, wake up."
Disturbed by the sudden shook, Sakuya opened her eyes slowly and rubbed them. She glanced to her right to find a boy around her age wearing a black beanie and black-rimmed glasses.
And their eyes met.
Midorima was quite surprised to see her eyes. Her eyes are blank, unreadable. She has long lower lashes like himself. The green-yellowish color of her eyes caught his interest. He couldn't help himself but stared at those eyes. He felt himself was being sucked in.
"Um, why are you staring at me like that?"
Midorima quickly regained his composure. He pushed up his glasses and looked away from her, slightly embarrassed at what he did earlier. "And why are you sleeping here?"
"Sleep?" Sakuya looked from the window and back to face Midorima again. "Where are we now?"
"Somewhere far from Tokyo," Midorima replied.
"I see."
Midorima took a peek at Sakuya. "Where are you going anyway?"
"I don't know," Sakuya replied monotonously, only to make Midorima frowned.
"You don't know? How will you get back home?"
"I can't right now," Sakuya said. A hint of sadness heard in her tone. "I want to get away from those people."
"People? Are you referring to your parents?"
Sakuya shook her head. "My father and mother both died two days ago."
Midorima was shocked. He sweated and felt guilty for asking that question. "I-I see…"
A silence engulfed between them. After a few minutes, Midorima realized his destination was near. He decided to stand up and readied himself near the exit. But when he took a peek again at Sakuya, the girl still sat in her seat.
'This will be the last stop," Midorima thought. 'If she is still here, will she be able to go home? I doubt she knows the bus route, anyway…'
Midorima decided to get back to sit next to Sakuya, noticed by the brown-haired girl. "You don't want to get off from the bus?" Midorima asked again, earning a nod from Sakuya. "If you don't get off soon, your relatives might be worried for you. You should get back home."
"I still can't," Sakuya replied. Midorima was annoyed at her answer.
"Just what is your problem? Why are you running away from those people you mentioned earlier?"
"I don't like their eyes," her answer got a confused look from Midorima. "Those eyes; looking at me with pity. It's like I deserved to be pitied like that."
Sakuya's gaze hardened. She looked at Midorima with hurt in her eyes. "I hate those eyes. I hate those who looked at me like that. I hate it. I hate all of it."
Midorima didn't know what to do. Should he comfort her or ignored her? But if he ignored her, his father would snap at him for neglecting a girl in distress. But the problem is, he didn't know how to comfort someone, especially a girl. Anyway, he doesn't have any friends to begin with.
"And why are you here? Are you pitying me, too?" Sakuya asked Midorima, making him quite shocked.
"I'm not here to pity you."
"Then why did you sit back here? You want to get off, right?"
"It's…" Midorima tried to find suitable words to explain, but alas, he failed. He sighed and pushed up his glasses. "If I ignore you, my father will not forgive me."
"Your father?" Sakuya blinked.
"A-anyways!" Midorima looked straight into Sakuya. "If you don't want those people to give you that look, you should move on and be strong. I don't know about your family and stuff, and I don't care about it, but you must also consider your relatives' feeling," Midorima said with his stern tone. "Think about it. You are being a coward here, you know that?"
Sakuya was quite offended with Midorima's blunt remark, but she felt the boy was right. She thought for a while. "A coward, huh?" and she smiled sadly. "You're right."
"It's good that you realize it," Midorima remarked confidently. "You were just running away. Stop that and start to find the solution for your problem," he said while remembering his father's words to him.
Sakuya nodded weakly. "You're right…" and Sakuya started sobbing, making Midorima panicked.
"Oi! Why are you crying?!"
"It's just that…" Sakuya tried to clear her voice. "I've been running away all this time. I've been running away from the fact that my parents are not in this world anymore. I tried to put that truth behind, yet…"
"Okay-okay! I got it!" without much choice, Midorima brushed away Sakuya's tears with his long sleeve. "We're going to get off to the last stop. Don't complain. You must get out from here or your relatives will start looking for you anywhere."
When the bus got into the last stop, Midorima dragged Sakuya along with him and he brought her to Maji Burger near the bus stop. He bought a drink for Sakuya to calm her down. While the girl drank her beverage, Midorima called his father and asked him to pick him up at Maji Burger, since it is near his father's work place. Not long after, his father came and quite shocked to see Sakuya was with Midorima, but decided to keep the explanation later from his son after they brought her home.
"Where did you find Sakuya, Shintarou?" his father; Shuuhei, asked Midorima after they brought Sakuya home. Her aunt was very worried and almost cried when she finally found her, and so let them to settle the matters. Now, the two were in the living room and Shuuhei thought it was the best time to let his son explain the situation earlier.
"I found her in the bus, father," Midorima explained. "And she was asleep."
"Asleep?" Shuuhei thought for a while. "Then for how long did she sleep there?"
"I don't know. But I heard that she was running away from these people who gave her a pitying look and couldn't go home. I think she wanted to stay away from them until she thinks it is the right time to go home," Midorima sighed. "She is stubborn."
Shuuhei chuckled at that. "Indeed she is."
"By the way, father. You seemed very familiar with her family, especially her aunt. Do you know them?"
"I do," Shuuhei answered calmly. "I was the one who handled Sakuya's parents' accident."
Midorima widened his eyes. "You mean that plane accident?"
Shuuhei nodded. "I was one of the doctors responsible for taking care of the victims. However, when we brought her parents to the hospital, we were too late to save them."
"I see."
"By the way, Shintarou. Did Sakuya cry?"
Midorima blinked a few times. "She did. Why?"
Shuuhei smiled. "I'm glad she cried," he remarked, earned a confused look from Midorima. "When I called their family and arrived at the hospital, they were crying, of course. But for their daughter, she didn't. She only watched her aunt and other relatives cried."
Midorima frowned hearing that. "She was acting strong."
"Indeed," Shuuhei agreed with his son. "So I'm glad she finally can release her sadness and pain for losing the ones dearest to her. I bet you did something to Sakuya to make her realize that, I assume? After all, you are very skeptical."
"Hmph! I didn't do anything."
"Now-now, still acting like that?" Shuuhei stood up and approached Midorima. He then rubbed Midorima's head. "I'm proud of you, Shintarou."
"I'm not doing anything worthy…"
Shuuhei chortled. "By the way, have you introduced yourself to Sakuya?"
"Yes," suddenly, Midorima was excited. "Oha Asa predicted that I will meet someone new, so I must introduce myself."
Hearing about Oha Asa thing, Shuuhei sweated at Midorima. The aged man actually watched today's Oha Asa before going to work, but when he heard Midorima's horoscope… "Don't tell me that you really use your nickname to introduce yourself to Sakuya when you both were in Maji Burger?"
Midorima nodded at that. "What did you tell her?" Shuuhei asked again.
"I told her that my name is Ryouhei."
And that's when Shuuhei face-palmed. "Shintarou…" his father's tone suddenly changed, making Midorima shivered. "Tell her your real name tomorrow. Understand? Don't ask why. Just do it, or else."
"But I am in different class with her. It is not like we are going to meet again anymore, right? And it is only one person, so there is no pro-"
"Do. Not. Complain. Do it tomorrow."
Reluctantly, Midorima nodded to his father.
"Good morning, Ryouhei-kun," Sakuya greeted Midorima on her way to school. Midorima, who was also going for school, was surprised to see her again.
"Morning, Urenomiya," Midorima greeted back.
"We meet again," she retorted. "Do you always walk to school every morning?"
"Yes. Since it is quite near from my house," Midorima explained. "Oh. By the way, I must tell you something due to my father's demand."
"What is it?" Sakuya tilted her head innocently, making Midorima stunned with how cute the girl looked when she did that. Much to his dismay, Midorima found himself flushed.
'W-why am I blushing myself for?' Midorima quickly put his thoughts away. "It's about my name."
Sakuya blinked. "What's with your name?"
"I told you yesterday my name's Ryouhei, right?" Sakuya nodded at that. "Actually, my name is-"
"BROTHER! DON'T LEAVE ME BEHIND!" from behind the two, Meiko rushed to her brother who seemed left her behind. When Meiko reached Midorima, she snapped at him. "You're so mean, brother! Why did you leave me behind? We should go to school together!"
"It's because you were so slow readying yourself," Midorima replied, only to earn a pout from Meiko.
"Is she your sister, Ryouhei-kun?" Sakuya asked. Midorima nodded to her, but Meiko was confused at the name Sakuya called to her brother.
"But my brother's name is-" when Meiko wanted to reveal Midorima's name, her brother quickly covered her mouth and didn't want to let go. He dragged Meiko away from Sakuya and whispered something to her.
"Don't tell her that!" he snapped in low voice.
After Midorima released his hand from her mouth, Meiko snapped. "But your name is not 'Ryouhei', brother!"
"I know! That's why I don't want her to know it from you!"
"But isn't it fine for her to know it from me?!"
"Father demanded me to tell her about that by myself! You shouldn't get involved with this!"
A tick mark appeared on Meiko's head. "Putting that aside, why she knows you as 'Ryouhei', brother? Are you an idiot?" when Meiko wanted to continue her bickering, she finally realized something. She sighed afterwards. "I bet it was because of Oha Asa prediction yesterday…" Meiko muttered silently. She and her father also watched yesterday's Oha Asa, and also sweated at Midorima's horoscope. To think that Midorima would actually use the name 'Ryouhei' to introduce himself to someone he will meet that day; Meiko couldn't help but wondered if her brother is really an idiot.
"Are you two alright?" Sakuya asked the sibling in worry.
"We're fine," Midorima replied. Meiko only snorted at her brother. "Let's go, Meiko."
"What? You're going to leave your friend behind?" Meiko asked when the sibling walked past Sakuya.
"She's not my friend."
Suddenly, Meiko smacked Midorima's head so hard, making the boy groaned in pain. "How tsundere you are? She's your schoolmate! Don't leave her behind! Anyway, why don't we three walk together to school?"
"Like I said-" before Midorima countered, Meiko already approached Sakuya and grabbed her hand.
"You are brother's friend, right? What's your name, senpai?"
Sakuya blinked when Meiko called her as Midorima's friend, but decided to let it go. "Urenomiya Sakuya."
"Sakuya-senpai, then! I'm Midorima Meiko! Nice to meet you!" Meiko quickly dragged Sakuya along with her and approached Midorima. "Alright, it's settled! Let's go to school together!"
"Meiko…" Midorima sighed. He really can't stand his sister's easy-going personality.
"Is it okay to walk together with you?" Sakuya politely asked Midorima, since she felt that Midorima was annoyed earlier.
"It can't be helped. Since we go to the same school and we use the same way, I don't mind."
"Ah, thank you very much," Sakuya thanked Midorima gratefully, revealing her smile. It's the first time for Midorima to see the brown-haired girl smile, since he always saw her rarely smiling at school. She always showed that expressionless face around.
And somehow, he couldn't help but think that Sakuya is beautiful when she smiles.
"Also, thank you very much for yesterday, Ryouhei-kun," Sakuya added again after the three started walking by the side of the street.
"What for?"
"For encouraging me to move on and to realize my relatives' feelings," Sakuya replied. "We talked after your father brought me back to my house. My aunt, my uncle, my cousins, all of them gathered yesterday. We shared our feelings to each other until morning," she continued and looked up to the morning sky. Her eyes softened. "I feel bad for making them worried. But at the same time, I'm happy."
Midorima scoffed. "It's not like I helped you. I just wanted you to stop being a coward. That's all."
"Brother!" Meiko smacked Midorima's back hard, making him winced.
"Is that so?" Sakuya stared at Midorima's green eyes. She thoughtfully observed Midorima's being. "I think that's just how you care for others in your own way, Ryouhei-kun."
Midorima stunned. He didn't think Sakuya would say that. He nervously pushed up his glasses. "W-what are you saying?"
"I'm just stating the truth," Sakuya retorted monotonously.
"That is not necessary."
Sakuya smiled again to him. "You just don't know how to express your feeling," she added again. Before Midorima retorted, she continued. "Maybe that's why everyone in the school is offended with the way you talk to them and they avoid you."
"That's right!" Meiko agreed with Sakuya. "Brother is just shy. He actually wants to make friends, but he is too embarrassed and ended up being a tsundere."
"Shut up, Meiko," Midorima snapped.
"I see," Sakuya nodded. "Ryouhei-kun, do you want to be friends with me?"
"W-wha-?" Midorima rolled his eyes. "W-what are you talking about so suddenly?!"
Sakuya stared at Midorima thoughtfully. "I want to know more about you, Ryouhei-kun. And I want everyone in the school knows that you're actually a kind person."
"I don't need that."
"It's okay. Let's just say this is to return your kindness for yesterday."
Midorima sighed. He took a peek at Sakuya's harlequin eyes for a moment. The girl noticed his gaze and blinked. "Is there something on my face?"
"Nothing," Midorima quickly turned his gaze away from her.
"By the way, your eyes are beautiful, Ryouhei-kun."
Sakuya's sudden compliment made Midorima rolled his eyes. He took a peek at Sakuya again, and their eyes locked.
Her eyes sparked sincerity, and for Midorima, those eyes are lovable.
"I just notice them earlier," Sakuya added. "Your green eyes are rare around here, but I like it. I like your eyes. They really suit you, Ryouhei-kun."
Midorima scoffed. "Stop talking nonsense. We're going to be late for school if we don't hurry," and he walked faster, leaving Sakuya and Meiko behind.
"Jeez, brother…" Meiko sighed. 'You don't think I didn't notice? You're blushing, brother.'
Like Meiko said, Midorima indeed was blushing. His cheeks were red from the embarrassment. Seeing that, Meiko chuckled to herself.
"What is it, Meiko-chan?" Sakuya looked to Meiko who was giggling to herself. Meiko shook her head.
"It's nothing!" Meiko exclaimed. "Anyway, I'm glad that brother has a friend like you, Sakuya-senpai."
"Is that so?"
Meiko nodded at her. As the two walked following Midorima from behind, Meiko smiled to herself.
'I guess it is okay to let Sakuya-senpai knows him as 'Ryouhei' for a while.'
She just needed to make sure Midorima told Sakuya the truth some time.
Ever since that day, Midorima felt something was different.
If he always ate lunch alone, Sakuya always asked him to eat lunch with her at the rooftop. If he spent his time at the library, he always found Sakuya there, too. If he wanted to go home, he always met Sakuya along the way since their house was in the same way. He found out that Sakuya has the same hobbies like him; reading and listening to classical music. They also prefer to be in quiet places. Other than that, Sakuya's behavior is very polite for her age and good with taking care of people. His sister already liked her and always nagged at Midorima to bring Sakuya to their place so she could play with her. Both his father and mother also took a liking to Sakuya due to her well-mannered attitude and honest remark; which sometimes made Midorima embarrassed.
In their fifth grade, the two were in different class. In their sixth grade, however, both of them got into the same class. And so, they were always together since that. But up to this point, Sakuya still called her 'Ryouhei-kun'. Midorima hasn't told her his true name, yet. He didn't know why, but he was not prepared to tell her. He was scared to make Sakuya upset, and he also didn't know why he thought that.
He was glad their classmates called them with their surname, so Sakuya wouldn't be confused when someone called him 'Shintarou'. However, it was not valid when their homeroom teacher called his students' name one by one every morning before class started. When it was his turn, Midorima would shout 'I'm here!' loudly before his teacher finished calling his full name. His action got a bewildered look from his classmates and he, too, also embarrassed by it. But for his own sake and Sakuya's sake, he did that.
Wait, for Sakuya's sake? How could he think of that?
If it's about him, he knows. But for Sakuya? Midorima couldn't believe himself thought deeply about that.
'Is it because we are friends now?' Midorima thought while he observed Sakuya read her book in the library. It was lunch time and the two were the only ones in that room. Midorima sat in the opposite of Sakuya near a window. He kept pondering, but he still couldn't understand. 'And I still don't have the courage to tell her the truth.'
If this keeps going on, someone will tell her his real name and Sakuya will be shocked and will hate him.
'And why did I think that she will hate me?!' Midorima snapped to himself. 'Just what happened with me?! Every time I am with her, I always feel guilty! And my mind is messed up, too!'
"Ryouhei-kun," Sakuya called him so suddenly, making him almost popped his heart out. "Ah, I'm sorry. Did I surprise you?"
"N-no," Midorima replied nervously. 'That was close. I almost threw my lucky item…' he pondered while glancing at his lucky item of the day; a butterfly hairpin. Since it is very small, he could hide it inside his pocket. He decided not to tell Sakuya about Oha Asa and his lucky item thing so the girl won't be scared with him.
And again, he didn't know why he doesn't want Sakuya to be scared with him.
"What is it, Urenomiya?" after Midorima composed himself, he asked.
"I want to give you something," Sakuya answered. She then gave him a wrapped rectangular box she brought along with her to the library. Midorima only blinked when he saw the wrapped box. "Please open it."
Without asking questions, Midorima unwrapped the white paper and opened the rectangular box. Inside it, a dark green scarf lied there. Midorima took the scarf and confused with it. "A scarf?"
Sakuya nodded to him. Then, she congratulated him. "Happy birthday, Ryouhei-kun."
Midorima rolled his eyes. He just remembered today is July 7 - his birthday. He carefully examined the dark green scarf that was a gift for him. The scarf is well made, and soft.
"Do you like it?" Sakuya asked. Her eyes filled with curiosity and hope. Midorima noticed that look. The girl will show that face every time she makes something, like the plush bunny she made for Meiko once for her birthday gift.
"You made this?" Midorima asked back, which earned a nod from Sakuya. "Wait. You give me this in *July?"
"That's okay, right? You can wear it when the winter comes," Sakuya explained. "I don't know what should I give to you on your birthday. That's why I give you that scarf. I haven't seen you wearing a scarf in winter before, so I thought I can make you one."
"…I see," Midorima decided to try his new scarf. He draped it around his neck.
"Aren't you hot wearing that?"
"Of course it's hot. That means this scarf will be useful in winter later," Midorima retorted while looking away from Sakuya. His tsundere side appeared again when he didn't know how to express his gratitude.
Sakuya only smiled at him. "I'm glad it works well, then," and she continued reading her book.
Midorima took a peek at Sakuya who seemed didn't mind with his attitude earlier. But he quickly put his doubt aside because he just remembered something. "How did you know about my birthday?"
"Meiko-chan told me about it," Sakuya replied while her eyes focused on her book.
"And…" Midorima stuttered. "Your… birthday?"
"April 13."
'It had already passed!' Midorima lamented. He thought that he would give Sakuya a birthday gift, too. However, hers is earlier than him. He kept fidgeting to himself.
"It's okay, Ryouhei-kun. I don't mind," Sakuya assured him.
"That's not good," however, Midorima didn't agree with her. "It's my own ignorance for neglecting your birthday. I must return your kindness for remembering my birthday."
Sakuya blinked a few times at him. "What will you do?"
"Giving you a very late birthday gift," without much thought, Midorima handed his lucky item to Sakuya. 'Just for today, I will sacrifice my lucky item!'
Sakuya inspected the butterfly hairpin carefully. She then tried it on her hair and looked to Midorima. "How is it?" she asked his opinion.
"It's…" Midorima quite embarrassed to say it, but he has to. "You're beautiful wearing that."
"Ah, really?"
"And why should I lie?"
Sakuya smiled. "You're right," she retorted. "Thank you, Ryouhei-kun. I really like your gift."
The moment when she looked at him with those harlequin eyes, Midorima could feel it.
Every time he stared at her eyes, he always finds himself being sucked away into her world.
And that feeling always shows up. That mysterious feeling he can't describe.
He then remembered Oha Asa's prediction of his horoscope this morning.
'Cancer! Today is all about sacrificing your important thing to discover the most important thing to you! Use that chance to know more what you have missed to this point! The hint? Even the most normal thing can be appealing than the others. Only if you are observant, however! Bring any hairpin to boost your luck in finding it!'
At first, Midorima didn't understand it. But now he grasped the meaning behind his horoscope.
"Sakuya…" he muttered her name in whisper.
"Yes?" Sakuya responded when she was called.
"W-wait! You heard it?"
Sakuya tilted her head in confusion. "You said it loudly, Ryouhei-kun."
Midorima face-palmed. "What am I doing…"
"Could you please say my name again, Ryouhei-kun?" Sakuya asked politely. Midorima gaped at her request. Why she suddenly asked him that? But nonetheless, he did it.
"Sakuya," Midorima called again.
Sakuya nodded curtly. "Please one more time."
Midorima frowned. "Sakuya."
The brown-haired girl smiled sweetly. "Ryouhei-kun, could you please grant this wish of mine?"
"As long as it is not troublesome."
"Please call me by my first name."
Midorima rolled his eyes. "W-why?" he asked nervously.
"Because I like it when you called me with my given name," she answered honestly.
The green-haired man froze. He didn't know what would happen to him after he granted her wish. That entire he knows, he doesn't like the result.
"Jeez," Midorima covered his face with his hand. "Do you know how much trouble you have done to me? You're making me crazy."
Sakuya was confused with what Midorima had said to her. Did she make him feel uncomfortable? "I'm sorry-"
"Sakuya!" Midorima suddenly shouted, making Sakuya stunned. A moment of silence engulfed the two, until Sakuya voiced out.
"Are you alright, Ryouhei-kun?" feeling the need to check her friend, she stood up from her seat and approached Midorima from the side. Midorima still didn't want to release his hand from his face. With her sharp sight, she noticed the pink tint on her friend's cheek. Midorima was blushing.
"I'm fine," Midorima replied shortly. He still didn't want to show his face. For him, it's embarrassing.
"Then why you don't want me to see your face?"
Midorima didn't answer. He then felt someone's soft hand grabbed his hand and put it down to uncover his face. Sakuya's gaze softened after she saw his face. "There's nothing to be embarrased about, Ryouhei-kun. I know you are not suited with this kind of thing yet, but please do not worry," she assured her while her hand hold Midorima's hand. Her lips twitched upwards. "I am here for you. Feel free to share your worries to me."
Midorima only stared at Sakuya. The brown-haired kept smiling to him. Her harlequin eyes sparked purity, honesty, sincerity,
And love.
"That is what friends for, right?"
Midorima pushed up his glasses with his other hand. "We are not friends."
Before Sakuya retorted, Midorima corrected. "We are close friend," and he managed to say it without showing his blush to the girl. The reaction he got was Sakuya's polite giggle. "Y-you don't mind it, Sakuya?"
"I am glad to be your close friend, Ryouhei-kun," she said happily.
Another pink tint decorated his cheeks. He quickly looked away. "P-please take care of me in the future."
"You can count on me."
And that's when he realized his true feeling.
And also, realized his guilt will grow bigger with his time spent with Sakuya together. Before that happens, he must tell her about it.
However, it turned out more difficult than he thought.
"I will take my leave, then," Sakuya said to Midorima; grabbed her suitcase and readied herself to her flight. It was the day when Sakuya moved to England to continue her study there. Midorima decided to see her off with Meiko, who kept nagging at him to bring her along. Sakuya looked to Meiko who was about to cry. "See you, Meiko-chan."
"Sakuya-senpai…" Meiko sobbed. She tried to keep her composure. She already promised her brother to not cry in front of Sakuya. "I will miss you a lot!"
Sakuya approached Meiko and crouched. She patted Meiko's head to comfort her. "I will miss you too, Meiko-chan. Please be a good girl while I'm away, okay?"
Because she couldn't hold her tears any longer, Meiko embraced Sakuya and cried on her chest. "SENPAI!" Meiko cried out. Sakuya only smiled at her and kept rubbing her head.
"Meiko, did I tell you not to cry?" Midorima sternly said to Meiko.
"It is okay, Ryouhei-kun," Sakuya assured Midorima to not worry his sister. Behind Sakuya, her relatives from England called her to get ready for the plane. Sakuya turned her head to nod at them and she stood up after Midorima took Meiko to his side. The brown-haired girl looked to Midorima and smiled. "I guess I should say goodbye now," she remarked. "Please take care of yourself, Ryouhei-kun."
"I should be the one who said that to you," Midorima responded. "Take care, Sakuya."
Sakuya nodded to him. She bowed and turned her heels to get ready with her relatives. Midorima only watched his friend walked away; the distance was wider and wider.
Yet he wanted to say something, but he didn't.
"You should tell her, brother!" suddenly, Meiko yelled to him. "We don't know if she will be back again here again! Tell her or you will live your life in regret and depression until your death!"
"The last part is not necessary right," Midorima scoffed, only got a pout from Meiko. "However, I am not ready yet. I don't want to make her disappointed in me."
"That's because you are an idiot who used the name 'Ryouhei' because of Oha Asa!" Meiko yelled and forcefully she pushed Midorima, almost making him tripped. "Tell her now before it's too late! She will understand if you're being honest, brother!"
Midorima sighed. Before he got another preach from his sister, he rushed to catch up with Sakuya. Fortunately, the girl was still not far within his reach. "Sakuya!" he called out, heard by the brown-haired girl and so stopped her steps to turn around to see Midorima panting.
"Yes?"
Midorima straightened himself and cleared his throat. "I… I have something to tell you."
The girl nodded to him. Sakuya patiently waited for Midorima to say what's inside his mind. "Actually," Midorima started. "…The truth is…"
'Stay calm! Stay calm!' Midorima chanted in his mind like a spell repeatedly. He was anxious. He wanted to continue his words, but he couldn't. He wanted to tell her the truth, but he couldn't. He wanted to express his guilt, but he couldn't.
All because of his fear of being abominated by his first and only best friend.
"Ryouhei-kun," Sakuya called. "You are straining yourself. What's wrong?"
Midorima twitched. "It's nothing, but… I have to say it or I will lament it for the rest of my life," he explained. "You even don't know if you'll be back here again, so I must say it. Yet…"
Yet, he doesn't want to severe their friendship.
"Are you scared, Ryouhei-kun?" Sakuya suddenly asked, making Midorima's shoulders tensed. She hit in the right spot. "Are you afraid something will affect our relationship if you say that?"
Midorima reluctantly nodded. He still couldn't understand how Sakuya can read him, yet he can't do the same to her. Somehow, he hates that part about himself.
"Then don't say it now, Ryouhei-kun," Sakuya said, making Midorima rolled his eyes.
"H-how can I do that?" Midorima snapped. "If I don't say it, you will-"
A hand caressed his cheek, cutting his words off. It was Sakuya's. The girl shook her head and looked to Midorima's eyes with warmth. "Don't worry," she calmed him. "When we meet again, you can tell me what you wanted to say."
Before Midorima countered, Sakuya added. "Only if you are prepared for the consequence, Ryouhei-kun. The state you are right now is not in the best condition. I will be worried if you force yourself that way."
"Sakuya…" Midorima sighed. If it ended this way, he will really lament it for sure. "You should be the one I must worry about. It concerns about you, you know?"
"Really?" she giggled politely. Sakuya leaned away her hand from Midorima's cheek and raised her pinky finger to him. "Let's make a promise, then."
"A promise?"
Sakuya nodded. "You will strengthen your heart and tell me everything what you wanted to say to me when we meet again. As for me, I will wait for that fateful day and prepare my heart to accept it. If one of us betrays the promise, one of us will eat stacks of nails."
"Are you a kid?" Midorima scoffed. His remark only got another polite giggle from Sakuya. 'I guess there's no helping it…' He then raised his pinky finger and entwined it with hers. Sakuya smiled to him.
"It's a promise, then."
"I know."
"Please keep your promise, Ryouhei-kun."
"Hmph! Don't underestimate me, Sakuya. I am a man with my words."
"Ah? Your tsundere side is showing," Sakuya remarked bluntly, only got a growl from Midorima. She backed away and grabbed her suitcase. "I should not make my relatives wait for me too long. I am going now, Ryouhei-kun."
Midorima nodded to her. "When will we meet again?" he asked, only to earn a shook from Sakuya.
"I don't know. Time will tell, however. You don't mind waiting it, Ryouhei-kun?"
"Since we already promised, I should not complain about it," Midorima retorted with his tsundere side. "Be it a year, two years, three years or more than those, I will wait the time when we will meet again."
Midorima's green eyes sparked constancy. "I'm going to show you how ready I will be in the future, Sakuya. Be prepared for it."
"Yes," Sakuya showed her brilliant smile; the last smile Midorima saw. "I believe in you, Ryouhei-kun."
And so, Sakuya bowed to Midorima once again and turned her heels to her awaiting relatives. The three walked inside until they were not seen again. Midorima relaxed himself, until Meiko came and smacked his back hard.
"What were you doing, brother?! You missed that chance!" Meiko snapped. "And that's it! You will not see her again anymore!"
"Shut up, Meiko. And about that, you're wrong," Midorima said while rubbing his back, making Meiko rolled her eyes.
"What did you mean?"
Midorima pushed up his glasses and tightened his grip. His eyes focused on the way Sakuya left earlier. "We will meet again some time."
Before Meiko retorted, Midorima continued. "Sorry to disappoint you, but I must polish myself before that happens. When we meet, I will tell her everything."
Meiko frowned. "Are you sure she will be back here again?"
For a short moment, Midorima's lips twitched upwards.
"I believe in her."
And so, Midorima enrolled to Teiko Middle School and joined the basketball, which made him known as one of the prodigies from the group called Generation of Miracles along with his other teammates. Many things happened along the way; pleasant or shameful, but he kept moving on. All those experiences affected him, yet he moved on his own pace.
People changed, and so did him.
But his feelings towards Sakuya still remain the same, until now.
Midorima observed his lucky item of the day; a shogi piece. He then remembered his times back at Teiko, where he would play shogi against Akashi during the redhead's captaincy. Of course, he always lost to him that time.
Midorima sighed. "What sort of fate is this?" Although knowing his ranking from Oha Asa is the second, he still not feeling sure about it.
It is such a strange irony of fate.
"Midorima, what's that?" Kimura Shinsuke asked when he noticed Midorima was looking into something on his palm.
"It's my lucky item," Midorima replied as a matter of fact.
"Oh! Today's lucky item is small and nice," Kimura retorted. After all, Midorima would bring bizarre-looking thing each day with him and the size is noticeable for people to see.
Miyaji Kiyoshi then sat next to Midorima and tied his sport shoes. "You're Cancer, right? What's your rank for today?" the blonde-haired man asked him.
"It's second."
"What the heck?" Miyaji's face darkened. He smiled darkly. "Go take the first place. Want me to bury you?" he demanded, only to make Takao Kazunari laughed and their coach; Nakatani Masaaki, sighed at his threatening atmosphere.
After the Shuutoku team is ready, Otsubo Taisuke signaled his team. "Okay, it's time!" He stood up, followed by the others. "Let's go!"
Midorima followed his present teammates outside the locker room into the court. A loud cheer filled the gymnasium after their arrival. The green-haired man then trailed his eyes on his opposing team; Rakuzan, to see his ex-captain along with the three Uncrowned Kings and the rest of his comrades. He eyed them one by one, but he seemed couldn't find someone he was looking for.
"Meiko said Sakuya is Rakuzan's temporary manager. But I can't see her anywhere," he thought after he put off his jacket to the bench and readied himself after taking his wrapping from his left fingers. "I guess she's concealing herself because of the crowd. Or maybe she is not here today."
As his teammates are already in the court, he joined them. The Rakuzan team also joined in, and when he spotted Akashi, Midorima approached him with determination. "I'm gonna win, Akashi," he declared.
"That's impossible, Shintarou," Akashi replied with his calm manner. "Was there even a single match where you managed to make me surrender?"
Midorima's eyes twitched. "Shogi and basketball are different."
"It's the same. There was never a single time when I said anything wrong."
Akashi's eyes widened and gave off tremendous aura to Midorima. "I, who wins everything, am always right."
Midorima flared up in anger. "Not this again. Speaking such nonsense about winning. He hasn't changed at all since that time."
"By the way, Shintarou. Let me introduce you to my chaperone," Akashi suddenly said and he raised his hand to point out to someone on the bench. Midorima surprised to hear that, since he also didn't believe his ex-captain has a chaperone with him when they met with the others after the opening ceremony of the Winter Cup.
"I'm not interested with your said chaperone, Akashi," Midorima declared after he pushed his glasses. He really didn't have time to know about someone else. He needs to focus on this match.
Akashi chuckled to hear his response. "Do not say that. You are the first person to know her. Be honored."
"Like I said," Midorima was slightly annoyed, but in the end he followed Akashi's line of point and saw a brown-haired girl sitting on the bench while observing her team in the court. "I am not interested with…"
And that's where he couldn't believe what he had seen.
The girl that Akashi mentioned is none other than his childhood friend; Sakuya.
There's no way that he mistaken. He knows her too well. He knows that hair color. He knows that stature. He knows those eyes. There's no mistaking it.
"No way," Midorima even more shocked when Sakuya met his gaze. "It's really her. Those eyes of her… they belong only to her. But to think that she is Akashi's chaperone…"
Midorima couldn't help himself but spelled her name. "Sakuya?"
Akashi, who wanted to check on Sakuya, turned his head to see a shocked-looking Midorima. "You know her, Shintarou?" the redhead asked.
"Of course I know her, yet… I still can't believe it with my own eyes."
He can't believe that the fateful day will be today. He can't believe that Sakuya is Akashi's chaperone. He can't believe this is happening to him.
"Ryouhei-kun?" from afar, Midorima could hear Sakuya muttered his fake name. The girl couldn't believe what she saw. To know that one of the Generation of Miracles is her childhood friend, it is such a shock to her. She stood up from the bench and took a step forward to clearly see Midorima. "You are Ryouhei-kun, right?"
"This is the time," Midorima composed himself and looked to Sakuya with his serious demeanor. He also took a step forward so the girl can hear his voice from afar.
"I am," Midorima demanded. "I am the one you know as Ryouhei. However, it is not my real name."
That statement sure got a bewildered look from Akashi. As for Sakuya, the girl widened her eyes.
"I will explain all of it to you after the match," Midorima added while his eyes trailed to people who started murmuring. Midorima knows, that Sakuya still uncomfortable being the center of attraction. "I know it's unbelievable, so you have to wait, Sakuya."
Feeling the assurance within his tone, Sakuya regained her sense and silently nodded to him. She smiled to Midorima. "I believe in you, Ryouhei-kun."
"That's not my name," the green-haired man then glanced at Akashi, who nodded in approval.
"That will do, Shintarou. You will have some explanations later on," Akashi checked on Sakuya once more, before turning himself to face Midorima. "Let's line up before people are starting to get restless. I don't want Sakuya to feel insecure here."
"I know about that," Midorima retorted. The two got into the line-up and faced each other.
The announcer started to announce the upcoming match. "Then we will now start the first match of Winter Cup semifinals. We will commence the match between Rakuzan High School and Shuutoku High School."
Both teams bowed to each other. "Let's have a good match!"
Midorima quickly positioned himself on the court. His eyes took a glance at Sakuya before focusing back. While he readied for the tip-off, he closed his eyes and murmured.
"Wait for me, Sakuya."
Author's Note:
*July: In Japan, summer starts on May 7 until August 8
Chapter 11 is out! Finally I was able to finish this along with the struggle I had gone through, haha!
This chapter focused on Midorima's point of view and practically about him reminiscing his past with Sakuya. Turns out, Oha Asa is the one to blame! Well, since Midorima is a superstitious guy, he quickly believes what it says and so… leading it to now. Kuroko was right about Midorima. He is smart, but can be an idiot sometimes (sorry, Midorima!). The next chapter will be the battle between Rakuzan and Shuutoku. I hope I can write the match well because I'm not good with describing the match's pace and stuff. I will do my best, though!
For further notice, I will update the next chapter VERY late. Well, I'm going to stop writing for a few days to focus myself to finish my college's tasks. So, sorry about that, dear readers!
Also, thank you for those who favorite, follow, or give reviews! Thank you very much! Oh, and to answer a guest's review, you are right. I used the name 'Ryouhei' based on the Character Bible of Kuroko no Basuke. It says Midorima's first name should be 'Ryouhei' instead of 'Shintarou'.
Have a nice day, everyone! Please give reviews if you have time!