A/N: I like Teikou Arc Akashi, that is all I have to say.

underneath the summer trees;

"Yo, Akashi! Classes are over, hang out with us!"

"Oh… no thanks, but I have to get home early today. I have to meet my brother today. Maybe next time."

"Again? Awww." They sulked. "You're always so busy! Alright, next time, okay? See you!"

At the disappointed tone of his classmate, Akashi could only wave a helpless hand, say goodbye and display a fake smile. He unlocked his bicycle and walked it to the school gate. It's almost summer, he thought. Almost a year after he got trapped on the cave near the beach, and almost a month when he first met Ryouta… yet nothing had really changed for the most part of his life. He's still so restricted—it had been always like this because he was never allowed to do anything outside of his school, unless he has an errand to run. His uncle pays for his tuition so disobeying him might be a bad idea. He wanted to study, finish high school and get out of the main house. It was hard at first, to always turn down invites from his friends but he can't always say he's busy being a servant so he just tells them lies and excuses. The more often he lied, the easier it became for him eventually. More convenient. It was bad but he was never discouraged by this.

"Do you always lie like that? You have talent, it's convincing."

He froze on his spot and almost lost hold of his bike when he heard the familiar voice. His head snapped back on the source of it and wore a sour face. "What are you doing here, Ryouta?"

"And hello to you too, Akashi." Kise said with a little smirk. "So… do you always lie like that?"

The boy questioned drew an uncaring shrug. "It's none of your business. Why are you even here?" Akashi's frown deepened and continued walking his bicycle, not sparing Kise a second look in every step.

"That's cold." Kise joked. "Why? Well, in case you haven't noticed I am also a student in here. An upperclassman, apparently."

For the second time, Akashi stopped on his tracks and gave Kise a critical look. He, indeed, did not notice that Kise was actually wearing the same uniform as him—a white long-sleeved polo shirt that has a red neck tie and black pants—all crisp and mighty new. Seeing how Kise's clothes were whiter than his kind of pissed Akashi. He never had someone to do the laundry for him or teach him that so he still couldn't wash them properly. In his head, he's thinking that Ryouta is probably a rich man's child.

"I never see you in here, are you a transferee?"

Even though he was still kind of mad at Ryouta for treating him like an idiot during the last time they talked, Akashi grew inwardly curious as to since when the other boy started going to the same school as him. He honestly had never seen him before. It's not a big school, everyone knows everyone.

Kise shook his head. "No. I've been here since middle school." And probably much longer than that too.

"Is that true?"

"There is no rule in the world saying that it has to be true."

Akashi frowned yet again. "It's no use talking like this, you totally have issues; how did you even know of my cousin? Kuroko's too good to be a friend of yours."

"You surely think highly of him."

"Are you stupid? Of course I do. He's one the greatest people that I've ever known." There were sparks on his eyes, as if fireworks were etched on them.

In return, Kise merely gave him an unsatisfied look. "Ohhh, really?"

Hearing the tone of his voice, Akashi couldn't help but pay him more attention. "What?" Ryouta's pissing him off yet at the same time, that same irritation have made it harder for him to actually stay away from him.

"Nothing." Kise chirped. "So… wanna go home together?"

At the sudden invitation, Akashi have to conceal his insincerity.

"And don't even try lying. Your excuses won't work on me." Kise looked at Akashi's bike as if it was such a foreign object to him. "Hey, can I ride on that too? I've never used one before."

"Why…" Akashi muttered.

"Huh?"

"Why are doing this?"

"Doing what?"

Akashi grasped the handlebars too tightly until his hands hurt, "This. If you're really from this school then why didn't you even show your face to me once? Just once would have been enough." He yelled and he didn't mean to because Akashi didn't want Ryouta to think that it was a big deal for him, which is true but he's not going to admit.

Despite Akashi's reaction at the moment, Kise couldn't help but put a grin on his fake name—this was probably not the wise reaction but right now, suppressing his amusement would be inevitable. Did Akashi look for him that hard? Even though he's always been here, just watching Akashi from the corners, Kise had never had a reason to talk to him personally, not until now by the way.

"Why do you like me that much?" He asked then, not thinking that his words might get misinterpreted because of the way he asked it, given their situation.

"What?" Akashi exclaimed, exasperated.

"Well if no, then do you hate me?"

"I'm starting to."

"So you like me?"

"What the hell is your problem?"

"Don't answer me with another question, Akashi."

Apparently, Kise wasn't clear on the concept of 'liking' someone.

"Then just stop asking me stupid questions. I'm going home now and don't you dare follow me."

"At least let me ride on that thing first; I told you it's my first time trying to use one." Kise pointed curiously at the Akashi's bike.

"Seriously, what time are you from? It's just a bicycle."

"Oh… so that's called a 'bicycle', huh…"

"Yo kids! We're closing the gates! Are you two going to stay in there forever?" The stout guard shouted at them, relevantly impatient.

Akashi just muttered an irritated apology and then he turned to Kise. "Fine, you can ride it with me," there was a sudden pause. "…but just for today. I'll be the one to drive so just step on those metal bars beside the wheel and hold onto my back. I don't care if you fall."

Kise blinked, probably clueless of the instruction Akashi just gave him. He readjusted his bag on his shoulder instead. The other boy sat himself on the bike once they were outside the school grounds and waited for Kise to ride it himself. He readied to jab his feet on the stainless-steel pedal.

"What are you waiting for?"

"We can ride that together?"

Akashi stared at him for a tick, only to realize that Kise was serious.

"Ryouta, you seriously haven't ride a bicycle before?"

Kise nodded. But instead of finding it weird, Akashi found it incredibly interesting. That was what he sensed when he laid his eyes on Ryouta's impending pair, as if they want to trespass his being and stay there for good—this guy gave off the feeling that he wanted to be with someone and that he was lonely. Akashi truly didn't know how he arrived with that conclusion and that made feel even weirder because with the way Kise treated him a month ago at the light house—it was clear the he didn't want to see Akashi. He was precisely very rude to him. This innocent Ryouta was the total contradiction of everything; this person wasn't the person he met many days ago—he was suddenly vulnerable. Akashi sighed. Many things had happened.

"Come here," He signaled to Ryouta and the other boy assented. "Step on the steel bars," He pointed at the back wheels wherein the bars were attached, "stand there, and hold onto my shoulder so you won't fall." He said slowly, as if he was talking to a child.

Surprisingly, Ryouta followed his instructions right then. Akashi felt like he was the adult between the two of them and this made him content quite a bit. Akashi smirked unconsciously as Ryouta settled his hands on his shoulders, holding onto them securely.

That's all.

Despite his small figure, Akashi was actually quite strong so even though Ryouta was centimeters taller than him, and significantly heavier, he still managed to steer the bike with ease. They passed a sporadic road with a few bumps and after that was the small bridge that connects the capital and the downtown, an old river flowing below it. On the side mirror, Akashi saw Ryouta giving the other side of the bridge a wary look, as if something terrifying that he loathed was in there. The expression reminded him of the Ryouta he first met. He gave off an aura of superiority and hatred.

Akashi looked at the direction Kise was looking but saw nothing, he focused cycling on the road afterwards, afraid that they might stumble upon a rock and crush indefinitely. He couldn't afford to let his bicycle to be broken now anyway- Kuroko have fixed it so many times that he would feel guilty if he doesn't take care of it now.

The sun was almost down the horizon when they arrived at the manor, casting long shadows of the two boys on the ground as they walked past the black gate and into the mansion. The summery wind passed by. The trunks of the trees surrounding the estate were grey and bright, and the leaves that clung to them were as theatrical green as leaves could get. The courtyard was like an avenue of beech trees, with roots lifting massively out of the earth in front of them.

"Hey Ryouta, why did you even insist on coming with me?" Akashi asked as he locked his bike near the storage room, only a few meters from the main house. Ryouta refused to tell him where he lives, but Akashi had already suspected it to be at the light house.

The blonde just stood there, quietly staring at the roof of the mansion, wherein the attic was supposedly located. His hair was long enough for Akashi to suggest cutting it but there was something in them too that made him think otherwise. They suit him, he thought, his hair.

It was a romantic scene, really, standing among this green avenue of huge leaves—Akashi had always read love novels from Kuroko's mini library and often imagined his love story to start off with a beautiful place like this. He should've been in here with someone like Shakespeare's Juliet or Austen's Elizabeth, would have been thinking of the girl the he was destined to love. Instead of which, he was stuck, in all this beauty, with Ryouta, a bipolar upperclassman that once saved him from dying. What an odd situation, he thought.

When Ryouta didn't answer his earlier question, Akashi realized that Ryouta wasn't just looking at the attic; he was examining the said place—as though he can view something in there that Akashi could not, just like what he did on the bridge.

"Where's Kuroko?" Ryouta suddenly asked, words stopped before more could be spoken.

Ah, perhaps this was why Ryouta accompanied him through home; he just wanted to see Kuroko, he thought. He should've noticed this earlier anyway, especially when he met Ryouta on the beach. There was already an air of familiarity that was settled between him and Tetsuya—which was odd since his cousin was never the type of person who has lots of friends, probably only Kagami if you would ask him and besides, why Ryouta of all people?

"I've been meaning to ask you this but I never had the chance," Akashi walked in front of Kise and said this. "What really is your relationship with my cousin?"

Kise could not manage to ignore Akashi, not when the boy was in front of him, demanding for an answer, his eyes so honest that Kise could not even make fun of him.

"We have a strange relationship." He replied. "It's complicated in many ways."

Akashi's stare dropped to the ground and he asked. "What do you mean by that?"

Ryouta's answer was probably true and Akashi did not like it. No, not even a bit. Just who is Ryouta to his cousin? It's a questionable connection. He was almost at the perfect state of minding other people's business when he heard a familiar voice, cutting the conversation between Ryouta and him.

"Ryouta," Said the voice behind them. "We're not supposed to meet until midnight. Why are you here?" It was Tetsuya. "And why are you with Akashi?" He shot his cousin a questioning look.

Akashi was about to answer when Kise spoke for him. "I asked him for a ride," he said, smiling brightly as if Kuroko just told him a joke. "I could not wait until midnight, we must talk right now. Do you mind?"

Kuroko gave Kise a serious stare, probably understanding that it would be a 'talk' that has something to do with Aomine. He sighed and just nodded, tiredly. "It's alright. Come with me inside."

Akashi did not like the way Kuroko easily agreed with Ryouta too, he clenched his fists and hid his eyes behind his bangs. He wanted to ask what really was going on but his voice dried up and he couldn't form a sentence, it was suddenly hard to speak, or perhaps he suddenly didn't have strength to meddle between Kuroko and Ryouta's business, whatever that was. What he knew was that he's just uncomfortable with all of this, seeing his cousin getting close with someone else and seeing Ryouta get familiar with Kuroko. Midnight? Is this why Kuroko's always up so late?, he asked himself.

"I'm sorry Sei, I might not be able to join you in dinner, if you want you can jus—"

"It's okay." He faked Tetsuya a smile. He looked tired. "It's okay." He repeated.

Kuroko gave him a worried look but still guided Kise inside; entering through the back door so no one else would notice them. He knew Akashi wanted to ask many things but he also knew that he couldn't give him the right answers.

Alone outside, Akashi's eyes were jaded. "It's okay." He said to no one in particular.

His words melted in that afternoon without reaching the two older boy. Only the orange summer sky saw what happened.

Right after arriving at the attic, Kise immediately tossed his bookbag on the floor and walked furiously to Aomine's direction, it was entirely visible that he was panicking. His brows were furrowed together as his lips were pursed into a thin intimidating line. Kuroko could only care less about that because he was at lost himself too.

"Should I get mad? Because you completely appeared right in front of my cousin when you are—"

"Aomine, it appeared." Kise had to cut Kuroko off and there was extreme wariness on his voice as he said this to the tailed boy. He ven dropped the nicknames. "The bridge appeared."

Kuroko was immediately silenced then, the air was so thick and everything in the attic was so silent that you could almost hear you own breathing. He looked over the place where Aomine sat—at the window sill, one leg hanging down to the floor and eyes solid yellow glimmering through the darkness. Kuroko fought shivers down his spine. It was a beast.

"I know." Aomine said lowly, cold. "She's here."

Okami.

Her name wasn't needed to be mentioned for Kuroko to know who they were talking about.

"So," Having forgotten what he was about to ask earlier, about why Kise was with Akashi exactly, Kuroko's mind was suddenly filled with Okami. "Are we going to look for her now?" He asked Aomine.

Jumping down from the window sill, the chains on his feet hit the floor loudly and produced an eerie clang. Aomine shook his head once he's standing flat on the floor. "No. We're gonna wait for the full moon. I need to be there myself."

"Three days from now, there's gonna be one night with a full moon. Things shall start during that." Kise said afterwards.

"What about the bridge you mentioned earlier?" Kuroko's question was hurried.

Kise ran a hand on his unruly hair as if he was so stressed. "There is another bridge located just beside the bridge you have in this town, the one that connects the capital and the downtown. It can't be seen by normal people because it takes a very great psychic ability to be able to sense it." He then loosened his tie before continuing. "Spirits call it the 'Suicide Bridge', another term for 'The Bridge That Commits Murder'. Factually, during the old times, a bridge was really built in there and many people have chosen it as the place to end their lives, hence the current name. It was destroyed by a flood centuries ago and was totally washed out but it seems that the nonphysical attachment of the people who committed suicide on it in the past was so strong that the bridge, even though it was already gone physically, had remained spiritually. It might not be seen but the very same bridge was still standing in there, and only we, along with other unworldly creatures can see it and even walk on it. That includes you too, Kuroko."

"I've never seen it before." Kuroko replied, skeptical.

"The bridge's power remained weak for the past ten years so it couldn't take form, even I couldn't see until now."

"How is that connected with Okami exactly?"

"You are aware that Okami usually feeds on human, right? Well she isn't really picky with her food, so she eats spirits too. Suicidal spirits are her favorite so the Suicide Bridge is the best place to hunt for them. Besides, when that Bridge appears, it's a sign that a strong spiritual power is nearby, allowing it to manifest a distinguishable form. As of now, Okami is the only one creature around this place that could make The Bridge respond like that."

"Crossing The Bridge is also quite essential, if we really want to meet Okami, we need to rub on you the smell of 'suicide souls'—just to be certain that she'd really be attracted." Aomine told Kuroko, momentarily concerned as he faced the said boy.

On the other hand, Kuroko's expression never changed, still clam, still unfazed. It pissed of Aomine and he didn't show it. Kuroko would act strange or afraid once in a while but it never got to the extent that he'd be so restless or anything that could be considered out of his personality—which might actually be the normal response towards this matter at the moment. For a normal person, that is.

But then again, Tetsu was not normal, was he? Aomine stared at Kuroko's wings and wondered if anyone else could see it. He never had the chance to ask Kise but even if he did so, there's a high possibility that Kise wouldn't tell him the truth.

"Rub the smell on me? That sounds disgusting…" Kuroko muttered but it was loud enough for Aomine to here.

"This is coming from a person who'd normally talk to a creature who has a tail. Really now, Tetsu?"

"This is this and that is that." Kuroko then scowled, which already a good sign because he, at the very least, has shown a reaction. "Those are completely different things."

Aomine tsk-ed.

"Besides," Kuroko started. "Why do you always emphasize that you are different, don't you like to be treated as a human?"

"I hate humans; they are irrational, unfaithful and they AGE. What's so good about that? I believe I've also emphasized my hatred for them right from the very start."

"But you've grown like us, with us. You've also aged, aren't you?"

Aomine gave Tetsuya Kuroko his best glare, to no discernible effect, of course.

"I shouldn't have." This attic made it all possible, he said on his head. "Or should I say, the attic made it 'faster'."

"Huh? What 'faster'?"

Kise didn't appear to be listening now, peering around with a bored look on his face; it's merely an Aomine-Kuroko thing after all. He stopped by the window and gazed at storage shed were Akashi had put his so-called 'bicycle', leaving Kise with the impression that it must have been really important to the kid. However, as he recalled Akashi's sour expression when they left him at the courtyard earlier, everything seemed to matter on his face—more than how much he cared for the 'bicycle'.

"Do you know how old I am at the moment?" Aomine asked after a moment.

"Very?"

"I am 170 years old."

"…" A pause. "Should I laugh?"

"No." Aomine hissed. "I am perfectly serious that you lose the right to make fun of me."

"But that's impossible."

170 years old? Then how long is his lifetime, a thousand? But then again, when it comes to Aomine, that too was possible, Kuroko supposed.

"I just age slower." He breathed out. "Ten human years is equivalent to a year, so when we first met, I was actually a hundred years old—human age: ten. Supposedly, I only should have been eleven right now—since only ten years have passed, but the attic prolongs time in an irregular basis so my body at the moment is of a seventeen years old person."

"So you mean…"

"For me, I was here for more than 70 years."

Of course Kuroko knew that he was being serious. But that didn't help him to swallow the guilt that has long been settled on the pits of his conscience. After all, it was all probably his fault.

Probably.

A/N: I feed on comments.