A Kuroko's Basket fanfic featuring another OC of mine. He's almost not an older sibling this time of you were wondering :))

Eiji Imayoshi is a child with a gifted mind. He wishes to become a writer and sees life itself as a big storybook with himself starring in as the main character. 

- Eiji is two years older than the GOM, and yes, he's related to a canon character, namely Imayoshi Shoichi Too's captain

- I want Eiji to be a grey character, but I'm not too sure about the execution, so we'll see

- Eiji is narcissistic. He unconsciously thinks himself superior to others and detests the idea of people ignoring him

- Like Akihito from In My Shadow, Eiji can be considered antagonistic to a certain extent

- I actually want this story to share In My Shadow's universe with another few and have them all come together in the end, but we'll see if this ever gets done before we get there

There can only be one left standing.

This is Checkmate.

---

«How pathetic. What? Did you want me to comfort you? Encourage you? I won't be doing any of that. I'm not a saint.»

Grey eyes blinked, an excited light gleaning behind his glasses as his amiable smile twitched, threatening to twist into a broad grin. One all too similar to his brother's insufferable smirk. This boy was so-

"You're very interesting, Mayuzumi-kun."

"Shoichi, Eiji, your mother and I decided to divorce."

There was a pause.

Grey eyes silently blinked behind the lenses of his black-framed glasses, the slight smile on his face not falling as he drew his gaze downwards to look at his honey-lemon hot water.

"Oh," he vocalized.

The teen next to him, his broad unreadable grin plastered on his face, raised an eyebrow, his squinted eyes cracking open to reveal a similar shade of grey.

"Well~ I suppose it was to be expected," he voiced, his tone laidback and unbothered.

"Will it be before or after graduation?" Eiji asked, his voice calm and composed as if his parents hadn't announced their plans to divorce after more than twenty years of marriage and three kids together.

Souta, their father, cracked a reluctant smile. His dark brown eyes fondly staring at his second son— it was sad, the question came in the same way he expected it to arrive. Eiji was detached, as if it didn't really reach him.

"Your father—" it wasn't papa anymore, but this changed a year ago already. "—and I have begun the procedures already, but we will go our separate way once you graduate from middle school," Akiko explained, eliciting a nod from their father.

Eiji traced the rim of his mug, gently bringing it to his lips and taking a comforting sip of his favorite drink. Although his smile did not fall, he did not seem wholly focused on the situation either.

Eiji vaguely listened to his parents talking.

It was like a movie.

Was this a turning point in his life? The moment when his routine would transform to give place for an epic story?

Eiji's eyes softly narrowed behind his glasses. His hand went to adjust the rim of his glasses, a reflex whenever he'd squint.

If this was a turning point, he needed to completely change his surrounding. He could become a hidden boss— yes, like his latest favorite character.

"—going to Kyoto, I will stay in Tokyo so you'll be able to continue your education here," their father said.

"It's okay," Eiji interrupted. His voice still calm and detached, gentle and mellow, low and hypnotizing. After years of hearing himself and seeing how people reacted to his words, Eiji perfectly remembered his best pitch. "I'll go to Kyoto with mother."

Eiji did not seem to register his brother's slight frown or the worried looks his parents gave at his doll-like attitude.

Of all the characters that made up Eiji's life, ironically enough, Eiji was the most artificial of them all.