Fun fact about this chapter. Originally, for those who discovered this when it first came out, the title for this chapter was supposed to be the title of the story. But then of course I changed it.

This chapter stars Akashi again. I hope you find this more sweet than sad, but both feelings were what I was aiming at.

I've been waiting forever to get to this point. And to those who favor Meiko and Yuki (Sayu's friends-if you forgot), they'll finally make their appearance again (no matter how short it is).

So let's let Sayu and Akashi take it away for us~

Chapter 23

Sayumi couldn't really recall the last time she played basketball with the boys she admired so much. It had already been more than a month. The only one out of the usual group she saw was Murasakibara. And only once at that, since the giant was dragged to basketball practice as well.

Honestly, the girl felt really bored even though she increased her work shifts. But even working more didn't fill the lonely hours at night like basketball always did. She went herself a couple times, but the eerie silence didn't welcome her.

The hole left by the boys who all had "better" things to do increased with time. Sayumi never admitted it to anyone, but she knew well that she hungered for companionship. Her loneliness eventually drove her to go to the place she thought she wouldn't go back to anytime soon.

So on that bright Sunday morning, she rose earlier than the early bird Ojii-san, and headed to the community shogi center. It was so early that the center was close to empty except for a few elderly people huddled over one shogi board.

Sayumi slipped into a seat and started setting up the board herself. She wasn't expecting to see anyone. She wasn't expecting to see him. She just wanted to relieve the emptiness inside her by distracting herself.

Her savior slipped in right after she finished setting up the last piece in the right position. With a swift movement of the hand, the boy across from her shifted his piece. Sayumi looked up at her challenger.

"Do you like starting first or something?"

Sayumi didn't wait for answer. She knew he wasn't going to answer her. This guy reminded her way too much of a certain Murasakibara. Once he starts something, he'll ignore her until he's finished. They seemed like master and disciple, one obsessed with shogi and the other sweets.

...

"Sayumi."

The girl looked up at the winner.

"You're not concentrating."

"I am."

"You lost in twenty minutes. That's not your style."

"You don't know my style."

"I know everything."

"How do you know?"

"Because I always win."

Sayumi looked at the arrogant redhead who had his arms folded across his chest. He did have the right since he did win at everything. At the end, she lost. At the end, she came back to seek company. At the end, she came to see him. She acknowledged her own double defeat.

Akashi smirked when he saw the girl pout. He rearranged the shogi pieces. "Sayumi. Watch."

Sayumi's eyes watched Akashi as he moved the pieces across the board between them.

"You never do what you did during the game. You do this."

Sayumi nodded and understood. "You teach way better than Koukai-nii. If he were here, he'll talk on and on to say what you just told me."

The boy set up the pieces one more time. After the board was set, again, he initiated. Sayumi smiled, and made her move next.

...

"Seijuurou." Akashi turned to the girl who became a little too comfortable calling his name.

"About last time, I wanted to apologize for my rudeness. I know it's just an excuse, but whenever my brother is involved, I get rather defensive and very sensitive. Sorry." Sayumi stopped to look at the boy who was walking out of the shogi center with her.

"What happened?" Sayumi looked at Akashi's impassive eyes. She couldn't read them. She wasn't ever good at reading anyone, but this boy was extremely difficult.

"I want to go somewhere. Will you walk with me?" Sayumi asked, preparing herself to share her past with the curious boy whom she knew would follow.

"What happened?"

"Koukai-nii always loved basketball. So when he got admitted to the prestigious Rakuzan, my parents supported his decision to move to Japan and pursue his dream. I, on the other hand, didn't mind America. It was great. My friends and family were there, but Koukai-nii wouldn't be. I couldn't bring myself to let him go alone, so I begged my parents to allow me to accompany him." Sayumi smiled at the thought.

Akashi listened quietly, all the while piecing out her life with the information he had at hand. He nodded for her continue.

"I made new friends, but what made me happy was seeing Koukai-nii's smile every day. I felt content with just that. Things were going very well until...until the day of Interhigh."

Sayumi's voice was muffled. This was, after all, the first time she ever shared the tragic event she buried and hid from everyone underneath her smile.

"On the day of Interhigh, Koukai-nii got into an accident. He was rushed to the hospital and I...I didn't even know." Sayumi blinked back tears, but failed.

"I...I was w...waiting for him at the game. I was sitting in the crowds. I went there early that day to watch the game. But...he n...never showed up."

Akashi watched the girl turn away and cry. He knew the pain of losing someone who meant the world to them. He knows the feeling. He remembers the hurt. A hurt that would never fade. He, of all people, knew. The redhead patiently waited for the girl to recover before he repeated his question from a month ago.

"Why are you still here?"

"After my brother passed, I lost my purpose to stay. I didn't know what to do. My parents...they told me to go back, but I couldn't. If I did...I...I would..." Sayumi paused to think. "I felt that there was something here. Something for me. I know that sounds stupid, but I had a feeling. It's a little silly. It's already been three years."

"Have you found the reason yet?" Sayumi noticed a change in Akashi's normal indifferent tone. His question sounded genuine.

"I don't know." Sayumi frowned at her own lack of understanding of herself. Akashi didn't press any more questions.

The boy and the girl walked together down another street without exchanging any more words. It was strange. Walking with each other was more relaxing than it seemed. The girl's eyes stared at the floor while the boy looked distantly at the street ahead.

"I hate pink carnations."

"They're my favorite."

The two stopped walking and stared at each other. Opposites.

"You're lying. Seijuurou. You like them." Sayumi was glared down on by the heterochromatic eyes of the boy hovering over her.

"Don't act like this. On the train, your eyes never left the bouquet. And you didn't reject them when I gave them to you," the girl pointed out.

"Motherly love..." Akashi said more to himself than to the girl.

"And sisterly love," Sayumi cutely added.

"My mother..." Akashi's eyes softened at the thought of his most precious person.

Sayumi understood now. Akashi went to visit his mother's grave when she went to pay her respects to her brother. She now fully understood. The boy experienced everything she did. He knows the pain of losing that irreplaceable someone.

"I'm sorry." Sayumi said to the boy. "I didn't know."

"I played basketball because of her." Sayumi scanned Akashi's unreadable face. "I'm continuing to live because of her."

After hearing those words, Sayumi thought of her own mother. Her dear mother who would tuck her in bed. Cook for her. Clean her room for her. Smile at her. Love her. Sayumi looked at the boy who was deprived of all those things at a young age.

"A mother's love. I forgot how that feels like a long time ago," confessed the redhead. He wasn't ashamed nor mad. He was neutral.

"How do you remember her then?"

"Basketball."

"Basketball is just one of those things, huh?"

Sayumi absorbed every word from the redhead. She knew what she had to do.

"I think it's time for me to go then..." whispered the girl.

Akashi walked with the girl a little longer before turning the other direction.

...

"Tou-san. This is Sayumi."

"Sayumi. I'm surprised you're calling yourself. I thought I would have to remind you."

"I'm ready to go home."

"It hasn't been exactly two months yet. Are you sure?"

"There is something very important I need to tell you and mother. I really miss you both."

"I'll buy the ticket for the day after tomorrow. It's very late here. What time is it over there?"

"It's morning."

"Shouldn't you be at school? Just because you're coming back, doesn't mean you get to slack."

"Tou-san."

"But that doesn't mean I'm not thrilled that you're coming home. I'll tell your mother the news. She is really worried about you."

"I know. I'll see you both soon."

"Don't be late for school."

"I won't." Click.

...

"Meiko-chan. Yuki-chan. I'm leaving for America after tomorrow."

The two friends stared at Sayumi in disbelief.

"Sayumi-chan! You can't!" Yuki protested.

"Why are you leaving all of a sudden?" Meiko, the more cool-headed one asked.

"I've been meaning to tell you guys, but I couldn't bring myself to." Sayumi said honestly. "My parents want me to return."

"You didn't listen back then. Why now?" Yuki asked sadly.

"It's been three years." Sayumi looked at her best friends. "Please don't tell anyone. Only the teachers know. I have to pack tomorrow, so today, if you're not bus-"

"We're not busy!"

"We need to have some girl time. We haven't hung out with just the three of us in forever."

...

On the last day of Sayumi's stay in Japan, she was called to the principal's office. When she entered, a special package was handed to her. When she went home, she opened it.

Sayumi's hands ran over the familiar white jersey. She immediately packed in the present into her carry-on. Immediately after the packing was done, she ran out to her favorite flower shop.

...

On the morning of Sayumi's flight back to America, Akashi was called down to the principal's office.

"Akashi. Someone left something for you."

The redhead was handed a beautiful bouquet of pink carnations. The boy walked out with the flowers. He read the little note attached.

Seijuurou. You know you love them just as much as I do.