A/N: YAY A CHAPTER! Anyway sorry it's late a lot of things have been happening lately and it's shorter than I expected it to be. I couldn't really find a better place to end it though as the other 2 scenes I could have put into this chapter make up about 3000 words put together so that can come next chapter YAY! Anyway on with the story~

-Chapter 1-

Pretending

Returning to school after the diagnosis is something Kise dreads. His stomach twists uncomfortably, flight urge growing stronger as he reaches the gates of Kaijou high familiar polished metal gates glinting in the bright sunlight. It's been a week since the diagnosis and despite having been given the time to think he still didn't think he was ready. No matter how hard he tried there was no conclusion that didn't include everything crumbling at his fingertips.

Basketball, modelling, everything really would have to change. The thought of not playing basketball, even though he'd only just begun to enjoy the sport once more hurt the most. Even if he hadn't grown up playing basketball the past 2 and a bit years of playing had been one of the best parts of his short life. He'd miss the challenge of playing against the other miracles; letting down the rest of the team also wasn't something he was looking forward to. Kasamatsu and the others really wouldn't be impressed at all, Kise was the ace it was his job to hold the team together. They relied on him to be there, to score; he couldn't imagine what they'd do without him.

"Better take the step sooner rather than later." Kise sighs running a hand through his hair walking stiffly through the gates. He breaths out letting himself relax ever so slightly as he slips into the familiar routine of walking to class stalked by a horde of raving fans he's learned to ignore with time and an exceptional amount of practice.

"Kise-kun…"
"Look at me, Kise-kun…"
"Oh my god it's Kise-kun!" Whines, squeals and screams follow in his wake as he walks to class head bowed in order to hide his face from view. The last thing Kise needs is for someone to see the unfocused look in his eyes and lack of sunny expression plastered across his face. Usually he'd just fake it, sometimes he even managed to convince himself he was actually happy when in truth he was far from it. However, today that was not the case. He didn't have the energy or conviction to even try and if he did he knew it wouldn't reach his eyes.

Denial is easier without the world knowing the truth. Someday soon he knew he'd start having to accept the fate the universe had wished on him, but for now he lived in blissful ignorance. He was still naïve enough to ignore the facts, pretend that everything is as it should be, exist as if nothing is happening. Locking himself away like this is something he hasn't done since he was little when his mother left taking his older sisters with her. But then he'd been too young to truly understand what was going on and simply missed the company of his siblings and other parent. Now everything is so much more real, it's only a matter of time before he goes completely blind.

Kise just keeps his head low increasing his pace hands shoved in the pockets of his blazer. Key chains clink against each other from where they attach to his messenger bag, shoes making no noise as he glides across the pavement silently as possible. His height and celebrity status prevent him from disappearing into the wave of other students like Kuroko could so easily. It's moments like this that Kise wishes he had the passing specialist's invisibility. Sometimes life would be so much easier without being noticed even if he gives off the impression of living for attention.

In great contrast to what many think Kise isn't anywhere near as obnoxiously boisterous and loud as he leads people to believe. Over zealous happiness and energy is just his way of coping with his demons. Pretending that everything is okay, that nothing bothers him that he wants to be a famous model and basketball prodigy. In reality he wants very different things. Sure, he enjoys putting on a show for his fans, lives and breathes the adrenaline rush that is a good basketball game, is dedicated to his team like nobody else is. But, in all honesty he just wants to be noticed, loved, remembered, for who he is, not the glorified figure he pretends to be.

For a time, back in his third year of middle school at Teikou when he and the other miracles had started to change. Kise had convinced himself that a model basketball prodigy was what defined him. That he was nothing other than the public image, developed and refined over time with plenty of practice. Looking back on it now, that may have been the darkest part of his life. He'd lost himself only seeing the lights and fame his profession and talent bought. Now Kuroko had bought him back from the brink, dragged him away from the dangerous path he'd been walking. Everything looks different from how they did before and not just because of his failing sight.

Lights are no longer as bright, shadows so much more defined. Aomine's arrogant attitude no longer admirable instead downright frustrating to deal with. Their match in inter-high had changed his perspective on the tanned teen greatly. Overcoming his admiration and accepting him as just another opponent had forced him to see the truth. Kise had seen through everything Aomine had done analysing his style of basketball and turning it into his first perfect copy. The morbid thought of never being able to perfect any more moves from the other miracles haunts him. If only, if only he had more time.

Now he just slips a pair of headphones over his ears letting music fill his world with something other than the screams of fangirls. For once he ignores them refusing to make eye contact, suppressing the urge to turn around and wave, smile, make them happy. For once in his life he's going to be selfish and no one will complain, and if they do he'll ignore it. Ignoring the selfless side of his personality is hard for Kise but easy enough to do given the situation. It's so much easier to keep pretending without having to look, without having to remember his vision was failing.

Classroom 1-C is comfortingly quiet in contrast to the overwhelming noise of the halls and courtyard. Kise takes a brief look around the room noting that the population registered at around 5 before taking his seat closest to the window in the third row from the front. He shakes his head briefly, black and silver slipping down to hang around his neck. It's unusual for Kise to be early; usually he's that one guy that always runs into class just as the bell rings. Many a teacher had been frustrated with him over time. His third-year homeroom teacher at Teikou in particular had given him detention at least twice a week for walking into class just a moment too late to be deemed on time in her opinion. Kise hadn't even bothered to try being on time either, not like he'd particularly cared back then.

Students trickle into the room over the next 10 minutes the majority completely ignoring Kise, those who notice him simply acknowledging his presence with a nod. The blond himself just stares blankly out the window. He hadn't really made friends with anyone in his class. Charismatic as he may be, Kise's celebrity status often resulted in two ways of being treated. His fans that blindly worshipped him and those who hated his guts. It was hard to come by a person who genuinely wanted to be friends, not just use him for popularity or to get girls.

It was sad, the number of people who didn't realise just how lonely his existence was. Modelling wasn't all just glory and fame, the long hours and lack of time spent with those he considered friends hurt. The fact most people in his class thought he was a complete idiot thanks to his lack of academic prowess was also irritating. Kise wasn't stupid, his copycat ability should have told anyone that. To copy somebody else's movements as effortlessly as he did took brains. He had to analyse what the other person was doing before applying the movements himself and to make a copy seamless took even more effort than that. The only reason he didn't get high academic marks was because he didn't have time to do homework in-between basketball and modelling. At least, he didn't before the diagnosis, when he was still a basketball player and a model.

"Hey, Kise." The voice came from the desk on his right. Golden hazel met chestnut brown as the blond turned to face the only friend he had in his class.
"Oh, Hi Naoicchi." He replied smiling across at the raven-haired teen. Naoi Masashi was the only other first year member of the basketball team that made it to first string and the team's reserve small forward. Naoi smiled back, brown eyes twinkling mischievously.
"You've been missing for an entire week, Captain was starting to wonder if you'd died or something." Naoi chuckled good-naturedly but the happiness didn't quite reach his eyes. Worry swam in the red-brown depths as he regarded Kise with a searching gaze.
"I'm fine, don't worry Naoicchi." Kise laughed along with the fellow small forward smirking devilishly. This sort of interaction was normal for them. Normality, something he'd have to give up soon. But for now he can keep going like nothing's wrong, like nothing matter's but basketball. He knows Naoi will probably be one of the first to notice but he doesn't care.

"You sure?" Naoi tilted his head to the side in a questioning manner giving Kise a once over with the most critical gaze possible. The raven-haired teen sighed relenting to the blond's stubbornness. "Okay, fine. I'll accept that your alright, but seriously don't go disappearing like that."
"You sound like Kasamatsu-sempai." Kise replied golden eyes twinkling.
"Big brother instincts, they tend to extend to anyone and everyone with me." Naoi replied smiling running a hand through his naturally messy hair.
"Yeah, sure. Your just the caring type Naoicchi." Kise chuckled smiling back. One of the first hurdles was over. Convincing his freakishly observant classmate that everything was fine. His elaborate pantomime was still intact.

"Maybe I am." Naoi chuckled leaning back in his chair forcing it back onto two legs. "We should probably shut up, Takeda-sensei likes the class quiet when he walks in" Brown eyes flick to the door where their teacher stands chatting to the vice-principal about something or other coffee cup in hand.
"Yep" Kise replies enthusiastically turning to the front of the class just as Takeda walks in door clicking shut behind.

The rest of the day passes surprisingly calmly. Kise keeps a low profile only straying out of his classroom once for a brief trip to the library. He's lucky that Monday is the only day he doesn't have maths, the subject that would have given away his failing sight almost instantly. Trying to do algebra homework had been torture, zero's appeared to multiply before his eyes sometimes there would be one others two. Not to mention squared and cubed numbers, root signs and fractions. At least it had been his worst subject to begin with so the teacher hopefully wouldn't be able to tell the difference and just equate his horrible assignment and test gradings to being horrible at arithmetic.

However, the most challenging part of the day was still to come.

A/N: Please follow, favourite and review if you enjoyed. This story is the one of the three I've got going that will probably get updated the least, as I have to be in a particular mood to write it. Mostly because I'm completely deconstructing a character I love to death in a very brutal way and as much as I admit to being incredibly sadistic this is challenging. This story also takes a lot of research as Stargardt's disease (the eye condition Kise has I this) is real and I'm trying to get it accurate as possible. Also later on white canes, talking laptops and other random devices will come in that I'm trying to get accurate. (Noting the fact I am legally blind myself so some of this stuff I already know about.)

Anyway thank you for reading and sorry about the rant
-Angel