Chapter Three:

Takumi Kuroko, our phantom player’s older brother who stays at him at home, was startled when he heard the doorbell rang after few minutes of listening to his younger brother’s cries. He just froze in his place outside, doing nothing. He cannot do anything. Well, he doesn’t know what to do, actually.

“Akashi-kun…” Tetsuya whispered from the inside of the door with the sign: ‘Tetsuya Kuroko’s Room’.

Takumi took a deep breath and went downstairs before opening the door. Outside the locked gate were Tetsuya’s former teammates. “What can I do for you?” He formally questioned.

Akashi Seijuro, his younger brother’s former captain, smirked. “You do not have to ask that, do you, Kuroko-kun?”

 Takumi knows each of them; as CEO of a well-known company, he must. The violet-head who’s eating a pack of cookies is a son of the owners of the best-known pastry shops which has many branches here in Japan. The yellow-head who has a worried expression in his face is the son of a lady model which is well-known since she was a teenager and a gentleman who is a well-known photographer. The green-head who’s holding a hello kitty stuffed toy is the son of one well-known musician and the president of ‘Dew Hotel’ which has many branches around the world for their five-star quality services. The dark blue-head who’s yawning at the back, although he may look like a normal guy, is the son of the owner of ‘Roses Airlines’ a five-star airlines and a singer. And lastly, the red-head which is infront, is the son of one of the best lawyers in the whole world and also the president of another mall in Japan which has the same level as theirs.

“It’s already 6:20 in the evening, you kids should be home now.” He retorted.

“Cut that crap. You know well why we’re here. We need to see Tetsu. Now.” Aomine Daiki replied.

“Is that the way to answer to someone older than you?” Takumi demanded.

“He’s so noisy~” Murasakibara Atsushi grunted. “I have good hearing and can hear Kuro-chin crying in his room. Let us in now.”

“No.”

“Sheesh. This is taking too long. I’m going in.” The dark blue-head complained, held the grills of their gate, went up the steps in it and jumped to the other side. “I know you can also do the same; just do it already.”

Murasakibara nodded and did the same. “Yay~”

“Isn’t that trespassing?” Kise Ryouta asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Do we have time for those kinds of rule, Kise?” The ace grunted.

“Yes, yes, I didn’t say anything.” Kise replied, grinning and jumped to the other side of the gate.

Midorima Shintarou and Akashi Seijuro exchanged looks.

“Want me to help you jump to the other side, Shin-chan?” Takao Kazunari, Midorima’s teammate and also the one who brought them in Kuroko’s house, offered with a wide grin.

“Shut up, Takao.” The green-head retorted and jumped to the other side.

“Well, I guess, I’ll do the same.” The red-head muttered and did the same as his former teammates.

“You’re trespassing; I’m going to call the police.” Takumi threatened.

“Uh, forgot to say that my father is part of the government handling the things regarding police thing-ys and my mother is an attorney and teacher at the same time.” The black-head outside the gate and sitting in a rickshaw suddenly responded.

Midorima smirked. “Seriously…”

“Are you trying to threaten me—“ Tetsuya’s older brother was cut off when someone else talked.

“Akashi-kun, Midorima-kun, Aomine-kun, Kise-kun, Murasakibara-kun, Takao-kun…you’re here.” The teal-haired phantom player of Generation of Miracles, appeared right behind his older brother and whispered those words.

“Waah! Kurokocchi, are you alright? You don’t look fine.” The yellow-head copycat anxiously asked.

Tetsuya went out of the door and forced himself to smile. “I think so…”

“Come here.” Akashi murmured and placed the smaller teal-haired in his arms. “It’s alright. It’ll be fine. What did he say?”

The boy in his arms sobbed as he shakily handed him his cellphone.

Midorima took it and read it with the others. They all became quiet. “Can we please come inside, Kuroko-kun?” Kise asked with polite tone.

The latter gulped then sighed. “Fine.”

“Takao, chain the rickshaw and come inside the house.” Midorima instructed.

“Gotcha, Shin-chan.”

The six went inside Kuroko’s House and sat on the living room as the small teal-haired teen continued to tremble at his former captain’s arms.

Takumi narrowed his eyes before turning away. “I’ll be heading to my room now. Do what pleases you.”

“Hmph. What kind of brother leaves his sibling to other people especially when he’s in such pain? Are you really that irresponsible or just scared that you won’t fulfill your duty as his brother? Oh, maybe, you just love your job more. Go on, then.” Akashi murmured.

“Why you--!”

The red-head narrowed his heterochromatic eyes. “Why, am I wrong?”

Takumi Kuroko just clenched his teeth.

“I’m not wrong, am I? That’s because I’m always absolute and I know exactly what you’re thinking right now. Your mind is full of the question: ‘Am I supposed to do something or continue my job?’”

The other gulped.

“I’m right again. Go on, now, Kuroko-kun. I think I’ve said enough.” Akashi mumbled.

Takumi huffed and headed to his room and slammed it shut. After doing so, he slid through the door. “He was right. What kind of brother am I? I do not even know what’s going on with Tetsuya…Ugh.”

“It’ll be alright, Tetsuya.”

The said boy didn’t respond.

“Tetsuya.” Akashi mumbled and lifted the teal-haired teen’s face. He couldn’t help gulping after seeing the latter’s face. His tears won’t stop from pouring. His hands won’t stop from trembling. He could almost see the same face Kuroko had the first time he cried like this and asked their help.

He doesn’t know what to feel. He doesn’t know if he should hug him or comfort him in a different way. The sky blue-head’s lips trembled before they let out another sob. “I’m scared.”

“Tetsu—“

“I was having fun earlier, I almost forgot what happened that time. But right after you dropped me home, the memories flashed in my mind again. I tried being positive again but it won’t work. I tried smiling from the bottom of my heart but his laugh replayed again and again in my ears…”

“Kurokocchi—“

“The song I always sang when I was still young always plays in my mind when I was waiting for any of you to come. I felt like fifteen minutes was too much for me to wait…I thought no one would come to save someone pitiful like me. I thought you’ll ignore my calls.”

“We won’t do that to you, you know that, Tetsuya.”

The sobbing teal-haired teen looked up and stared at Akashi’s heterochromatic eyes, and then he smiled. “Your eyes are so pretty, Akashi-kun.”

The latter gasped with the words he just heard.

“The color of crimson and gold combined together. They’re so beautiful; I want to stare at them the whole time. I want to stare at those eyes when I’m lonely, when I’m afraid, when I’m sad, when I feel broken, and especially when I feel that I’m too invisible for others to see.”

Those sentences made the five teary. Too invisible for others to see.

“No one’s too invisible, even if he has misdirection, if the people that are surrounding him consider him important. If someone is special for others, then those others will always know when he’s there, when he’s not, when he’s happy and when he’s not.” Takao stated.

The others stared at him.

“W-Well, that’s just my theory, er, more like, opinion.” He added quickly.

Akashi smirked and caressed Tetsuya’s cheek. “It’s just like what Takao-kun just said. We might get startled by your sudden appearance sometimes but that doesn’t mean you’re that invisible. You’re never invisible from us, Tetsuya, sometimes, you just have so least presence. Whatever happens, we’re always here for you.”

“I’ll always come whenever you need me, Kurokocchi. Even if it’s raining, snowing, windy or sunny!”

“You know me, Tetsu, I’m always ready to accompany you. I will never leave you again, that was my promise right after you beat me!”

“Well, I might come when—“

“Shut up, tsun tsun Shin-chan. What he means Kuroko is that I’m always ready to bring him here when you need him with our rickshaw. Even if I’m not your former teammate, you can always call me as well.”

Those words made Kuroko lean against the red-head’s chest; wiped his tears before closing his eyes absorbing the heat of Akashi’s arms. “…Thank you, Kiseki no Sedai.”

MONDAY…

“Today, every teaching and non-teaching employees are having a meeting for the upcoming cultural festival, so we decided to make this day a whole club day. You must go to your clubs and do whatever you need to do. You mustn’t ditch your club today or else you’ll be suspended for three days—your moderator and president will report to the advisers what happened to our students. Oh, Kagami and Kuroko.”

The two looked up. “Yes?”

“I want to congratulate your club for being the champion of the Winter Cup.”

“Thank you.” They replied in unison.

After being dismissed by their room adviser, Kagami approached his shadow and patted his head with a book. “Yo!”

“Ow, Kagami-kun, it’s rude to pat someone using a book.” Kuroko complained.

The other grinned. “Hey, I heard that we’re having a practice game with a school from other region; I think their name is Hurion Gakuen. I wonder how good they are.” Kagami reminded.

The other flinched. “Other school from another region?” He repeated.

“Yeah, why?”

Strangers…

The phantom player shook his head. “Nothing. We should head to the gym now or else coach will punish us.”

His current light followed behind him. “Now that you mentioned that…Kuroko.”

“Yes?”

“Who’s creepier: Coach or Akashi?” The red-head asked in curiosity.

His shadow couldn’t help smiling before glancing sideways at his light. “That’s not something to ask, Kagami-kun.”

The latter raised an eyebrow. “Is your former captain really that terrifying?”

Kuroko replied, “Well, yes.”

“Define: ‘Well, yes’.”

“Alright then, I’ll tell you some Akashi-kun-is-so-terrifying parts of our Teikou life. It’s for you to imagine them.” Kuroko replied and started.

(A/N: The next part will be italicized because they are memories of Kuroko in their Teiko life. Enjoy.)

“I don’t think this is a good idea, Aomine-kun.” Kuroko mumbled.

“You’ve already said that for almost ten times, Tetsu. It’s just a simple prank; surely, Akashi won’t get angry.” His light grumbled.

“Yeah, yeah, Kurokocchi, it’s just a simple prank.”

Kuroko stood up from squatting and waiting for Akashi, Midorima and Murasakibara.

“Where you going, Tetsu?”

“I’m thirsty—I’m going to buy a drink. I’m not going to prank them anymore.” The shadow replied and turned.

“Killjoy~!” Their ace teased.

“That doesn’t matter, Aomine-kun.”

“Ne, Ne, Aominecchi, are they there yet?”

“Then I should have pulled the string already if they are already there, idiot.”

“Waah! Hidoi! Ahomine!”

The dark blue-head stood up. “What did you say?”

The yellow-head stood up and started to run. “A-ho-mi-ne.”

Kuroko reappeared. “Not done yet?”

Aomine grabbed the can on Kuroko’s hand. “Come back here, Kise!”

“Ah, Aomine-kun, my drink….” But they were gone.

Aomine chased after Kise with a can full of juice in his hand. “You copycat, come back here!”

Kuroko sat where the string the two were supposed to pull when Akashi/Midorima/Murasakibara were about to cross this path. Kise passed by the string. Aomine was coming right behind him.

“Aomine-kun, my drink.” Kuroko repeated.

His light didn’t respond so he pulled the string when Aomine was about to pass by it. His foot tripped over it. The can in his hand flew.

“Noooo!!!” Kise shouted.

The contents of the can fell on their incoming captain.

“Yikes.” The dark blue-head muttered.

The redhead raised his head and glared at Kise and Aomine. “Daiki, Ryouta.”

“No, it was Tetsu!!!”

“How will Tetsuya do it when he’s just coming here with a soda in his hands?”

The two turned and found the teal-haired teen drinking his new soda and walking towards them. “Eh?!”

“Daiki, Ryouta, you’ll have a different training menu later. Fifty push-ups, sixty laps around the court and you should be able to shoot 150 balls inside the ring.”

“The last one doesn’t sound so terrifying.” Murasakibara commented.

“Oh, it is, Atsushi. Because they’re going to shoot from the other court. They’re going to do what Midorima’s doing everyday effortlessly.”

“What? No!!!”

“Complaining? Make those fifty push-ups into eighty; those sixty laps into one hundred –without break—and those 150 shoots into 200.”

Evil! He’s pure evil! The two thought as they decided to start.

End of one flashback…

“You were supposed to be the one who’ll get punished right?” Kagami asked, laughing.

Kuroko, trying to distract himself from the message he just got last night, nodded. “I quickly used misdirection and bought a new can of soda and pretended I just came.”

“You devil. How were Kise and Aomine after that?”

“Oh, they’re fine, at least. They got back home at about 12 in midnight and were called for their next punishment at school before 5 in the morning.” The phantom player replied with an innocent look.

“Tell me another one.”

“Alright then.”

Flashback…

“Let’s pillow fight!” Kise suggested, feeling bored.

“Yeah, yeah, it’s just 8 in the evening anyway and I’m still not sleepy.” Aomine agreed.

“Cut me out.” Midorima quickly replied and tucked into his futon.

“I’ll just read here in a corner then.” Kuroko mumbled and sat on a corner and opened his book.

“Yum~” Murasakibara whispered as he munched his popsicle.

“It’s already evening, Murasakibara, why are you eating popsicle?” The green-head among them demanded.

“I want something sweet and cold, so I picked this.” The violet-head answered and nibbled his popsicle, sitting beside the teal-haired teen. “Ne, Kuro-chin.”

“Yes?”

“Can I lean my head on your shoulder? Mine-chin and Kise-chin are going to pillow fight and I’m between them—I do not want to get hit.”

“It’s fine with me.”

The center leaned his head on the phantom player as he ate his popsicle.

The green-head just listened to his Ipod as he closed his eyes.

“The first one to get hit by a pillow will lose—you can dodge or pat it so it won’t hit you—the loser will treat the winner lunch tomorrow!” Aomine declared and threw a pillow at the copycat’s direction.

The yellow-head dodged it then threw his attack.

The other dodged it, too.

They continued throwing pillows at each other. Aomine had his turn again so he threw with all the energy he has left since it’s his last pillow. Kise was startled with how fast it was so his hand moved on its own and patted the pillow. It went to the upper right and hit…their captain who just went in inside tehri room.

Kuroko stiffened; gulped then hid his face with his book. Murasakibara pretended that he didn’t see anything and nibbled his popsicle as he closed his eyes. Mdorima heard the impact, opened his eyes, saw what happened, closed his again and brought the volume of his Ipod to maximum.

End of Flashback…

“So, what happened to those two that time?” Kuroko’s current light queried.

“Akashi-kun left them at the mountain when the bus picked us up. He just gave them their wallet and bags.”

“That’s it?”

“Ah, I forgot to mention that they got their hair cut.”

“In what kind of haircut?”

“Semi-bald.”

That made Kagami burst out laughing again; some students –especially girls—tried to get away from him because they fet like they just heard a monster roar.

“How far was it when you’re just going to walk it?” Kagami asked.

“Uh, Kise-kun and Aomine-kun arrived at their houses after four days.”

“Whoa.”

“I’ll tell you more tomorrow when we have spare time.” Kuroko promised as they entered the gym.

“Ah, you’re here! Go change now and we’ll practice even just a  little.” Hyuuga instructed.

“Alright.” The two replied.

After about five minutes, the two got back in the court again, just right after their opponent team went in their gym. “Here they are.”

Their opponents removed their jackets and stretched.

“Hey, Kuroko-kun, can you bring this to their coach?” Riko Aida, Seirin’s coach, asked and handed Kuroko a folder.

“Uh, but…”

“Please? I just need to check Kiyoshi’s leg.”

Kuroko gulped. “Alright.”

The teal-haired teen was accompanied by his dog, Nigou, upon meeting their opponents’ coach. He handed him the folder which the older man opened and looked inside. “Oh, the papers I asked her of. Thank you.”

The phantom player nodded and turned.

He bumped into someone. “Eh? Ah! Why didn’t I see you earlier? You’re a regular of Seirin? Why didn’t I see you? I was staring at each player since earlier.”

“Uh, that might be because of my misdirection.” He hesitantly replied.

“For a guy, you’re cute. I’m Kakoru Hanaki. Hurion Basketball Club’s captain.”

“Kuroko Tetsuya.”

“Oh, cute!” Another exclaimed and hugged him very tight. “I’m Dinou Guria.”

Kuroko stiffened as he tried to squirm out of the guy’s arms. “P-Please let me go. I’m going to practice.”

“Did I hear the word cute?” A new voice asked.

“Sh*t.” Hanaki cursed. “Yoruh.” He warned to the guy who stopped infront of them.

“He is cute. I want him! Give him to me!” The guy named Yoruh Rue shouted.

They heard thunder and lightning and then big droplets of rain falling on the roof.

“No, Yoruh, he’s an opponent. And you shouldn’t act like that.” Dinou scolded.

“Shut up.” Yoruh grunted, got out of his other teammates’ grasp and placed his palm on Kuroko’s cheeks before lifting his face up. “So cute! Can you be mine? Please? Please? Promise, I won’t be that bad.”

“Don’t worry I won’t be that hard to you, my dear Tetsuya.”

“No…I—“

“I won’t be as hard as I did with your dear friend who sacrificed himself for you.”

“No!”

The teal-haired teen remembered another scene from that time as Yoruh tried to hug him and his hands grasp roughly his arms. He suddenly recalled the way he held him.

“Let me go!” Kuroko yelled which startled everyone who was at the court, even his own teammates.

Yoruh let the trembling phantom payer go. “Even when you’re scared or angry—you’re still so cute! Hey, coach of Seirin!” He called out.

“Yoruh, cut this out.” Hanaki commanded.

“When we win, lend me this teal-haired guy for a day, alright?”

Riko stood speechless.

“You agree? Thank you!”

“Wait, no—I—“

“Try disagreeing and I’ll do a scandal here.” Yoruh threatened.

The members of Seirin stiffened. Kuroko quickly departed and went back to their side of court.

“Kuroko, you alright?” His light asked.

“Yes.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.” His shadow repeated with emotionless tone. He can see the blue-head tremble but he doesn’t know what to do.

The game started and Kuroko was already pumped up even though it was just the first quarter. The phantom player tried hard not to face to face Yoruh again. The members of Seirin do not know the reason why and cannot figure it out. The game ended with Seirin winning with 109 to 79.

“UGH!” Yoruh shouted after assembling and bowing to one another.

“Let’s go, Yoruh.”

“No.” He stubbornly replied and ran towards the Seirin’s part of court and grabbed Kuroko by the arm. The latter gasped and turned.

“Let go of my arm, Yoruh-san, we need to leave.”

“No, I want you. You’ll be mine.” The Hurio’s ace retorted and neared Kuroko’s face to his.

“You’ll enjoy this, I promise.”

“Please…No…” He cried and tried to push the guy away.

“Hey, let go of him!” Kagami shouted and tried attacking the guy himself but Yoruh just pushed the red-head away.

The door burst open. “So, that’s why Kurokocchi seemed bothered when we called him earlier when he said he was taking a break from your match.” Kise uttered.

“You dare to touch Tetsuya that way? Daiki.”

The said boy quickly kicked Yoruh’s foot which made the latter out of balance and then the dark blue-head punched his face hard that made the Hurio’s ace unconscious. “Take him out of here or I’ll kill him.”

Hanaki quickly took Yoruh by his collar and dragged him out of the rain. The poor guy. Why? Yes, he was rescued from the fists of Aomine Daiki but his face was full of mud right after he arrived inside the bus. Uh…I do not know if his mouth has mud too.

Murasakibara patted Kuroko’s head. “Chips?” He offered the pack of potato chips in his hand.

Kuroko, although still crying, couldn’t help smiling at the violet-head’s childishness before shaking his head.

“Tetsuya…!”

Kuroko gasped and covered his face. “No…”

The members of Seirin Basketball Club confusedly gaped at their phantom player. What the hell is going on?

“Tell us what is going!” Kagami shouted.

Akashi wrapped his arms around the crying Kuroko. “You dare to shout at me, Kagami Taiga?”

“Why was he so afraid? Has something happened before that we do not know? What’s going on?” Kagami ranted.

Kise blocked Akashi and Kuroko. “No. Take a step closer to Kurokocchi and you’ll face us.”

“I’m his light, damn it!”

This time, it was Aomine who went infront. “Your light is too dim.”

“It’s too dim, you didn’t notice that your shadow was not happy anymore. That he’s lost already in the darkness. He became too invisible.” Midorima added.

“W-What?”

“Kuro-chin’s breaking apart but you didn’t notice that.”

“Breaking apart?” Kagami repeated and he glanced at his shadow. He’s still trembling helplessly at his former captain’s arms. Tears are dropping on the floor as he silently cries.

“Yes, he’s breaking apart.” Akashi stated.

“But….why?” Seirin Basketball Club members murmured in unison.

“Atsushi, carry Tetsuya at your back. Daiki, carry his bag. Ryouta, wipe his tears. Midorima hand him his lucky item. Satsuki, even though I know you’re clueless about what’s happening, please do try making Tetsuya smile and distracted. And Seirin,” Akashi paused. “No word shall go to your teachers about what happened here. Alright, Riko-san?”

The others already went outside except for the green-eyed and heterochromatic-eyed fromer members of Teikou.

The coach of Seirin nodded. “Alright.”

“Will Kuroko be alright?” Izuki Shun, Seirin’s Eagle Eye, asked anxiously.

“We appreciate your concern to our former teammate and, yes, we’ll take care of him. He’ll be here tomorrow. We’ll just talk to him.” Midorima replied in place of his former captain.

“Can’t you really tell us our own teammate’s secret?” Koganei repeated.

They both shook their heads. “It will be better if you do not know about it. If you’re really that curious, find it out yourself. I doubt that you’ll figure it out rapidly.” The one who possesses the Emperor’s Eye murmured and left the Seirin’s Gym.

The members of Seirin watch as the members of Generation of Miracles walk away with Kuroko. What struck their hearts is that Kuroko just smiled then laughed. Something he only did very few times with them.

“I hope I know what to do.” Kagami mumbled, clenching his hands.