The sound of the doorbell ringing echoed throughout the spacious yet messy and quiet penthouse. The interior walls were painted white while the sofa set, a deep ruby red color, was nicely arranged in the living room to face the large flat television screen. T-shirts, jeans, jackets, and other clothing were hanging on the chairs, couch, and on the stair's handrail.

The doorbell continued to ring loudly while a crimson colored smartphone, on top of a pure white grand piano, abruptly rang loudly as it vibrated with an annoying buzz. Crumpled music sheets surrounded the elegant white instrument.

However, in the messy penthouse there were photo frames on the cabinets that were left untouched and neatly arranged. The frames were filled with pictures of a beautiful couple. Both figures in the photos were smiling and the happiness of that moment was captured, but if only such moments could last forever.

"Akashi-chii! Are you there?! Akashi-chii!" a voice yelled, cutting through all the chaotic sounds in the penthouse as several loud knocks landed on the door.

On the second floor of the penthouse, there was a certain master bedroom where the curtains were shut to block out the blinding morning sunrays.

On the large king sized bed, laid a certain spiky crimson haired man, wearing only a pair of pants, in his twenties. His eyebrows creased as soon as his ears began to pick up all of the chaotic noise in his home. He cracked an eye open as he shifted his gaze to the clock on the nightstand next to his bed.

"Akashi-chii! Are you there?!"

A groan escaped his lips as soon as the familiar voice registered into his half asleep brain. He pushed himself up and left the bed since he wanted the knocking, the ringing of the doorbell, and his phone ringing loudly to all stop. The crimson haired male ignored the untidiness of his home as he made his way towards the front door before unlocking it. An annoyed expression glued to his face as he answered the door.

"What is it Ryota? You're disturbing the neighbors," he sighed loudly.

There, in front of his door, stood one of his old friends, Kise Ryota wearing a simple designer shirt and black slacks with a backpack slung over his shoulders. The blond haired man was once the keyboardist and model for Rakuzan Record Agency, along with a few other renowned agencies. He was a successful man who was a model back in their school days, before he shifted his future towards a better career path together with the rest of their friends.

The blond haired man blinked at Akashi with his amber orbs as he stopped his knocking the moment Akashi opened the door. A smile quickly formed on his lips as his amber orbs widened a bit with happiness.

"Akashi-chii! Thank God that you're here! I need you to do a favour for me,"

Kise turned around and tried to coax to the small child to step out, "Tetsuna-chii, you'll stay with Uncle Akashi-chii."

Akashi's eyebrow twitched upon the honorific Kise had applied to him as the blonde continued to whisper to the small child.

"Uncle?" Akashi echoed as he frowned, crossing his arms over his bare torso as he leaned against the door frame. Perplexed by the model's behaviour, Akashi's frown didn't disappear as he shifted his gaze from the blond to the small figure next to him. A child, wearing a light blue dress and baby blue shoes with white knee high socks, was gripping onto Kise's pants hiding behind him.

Akashi's heterochromatic eyes widened a fraction as soon as he realized who the small child was. Almost a split second later, his surprise was replaced with a frown again. The blond straightened his back before he glanced at Akashi, who was clearly not pleased with the new guest.

"Akashi-chii, everyone is away and you're the only one I know who'll watch over her properly," he panicked as the latter sharply glared at him, "I need to leave today, but there's no one willing to look after her on such a short notice!"

Kise quickly pushed the teal haired child towards the crimson haired vocalist so that the child was standing between them.

Akashi looked at Kise, whose amber eyes were begging him like a kicked puppy. He sighed as he rubbed his temples, "How long?"

The blonde blankly stared at him as Akashi's words began registering in his brain before he quickly stammered, "Th-three months!"

"I'll be away for three months," Kise began to explain, "The agency is sending me abroad for more photo shoot projects."

"Ryouta, you know I can't babysit her for three months," Akashi sighed softly before he asked, "What about her school?"

Akashi shifted his gaze to the child in front of him with her luggage in her small hands. The long teal haired child was known as Kise, Tetsuna, who was about six years old. She is the adopted child of Kise, Ryota. Tetsuna's large sapphire orbs and long teal hair were strikingly similar to a certain songwriter, whom everyone admired.

Kise ignored the first part of Akashi's response as he pulled out a few pieces of papers from his bag and handed it to the crimson haired male, who took it in silence. His heterochromatic eyes roamed over the papers in his hands as he waited for Kise to speak.

"Ah here's all the details and schedule for her. Everything you need to know and do for Tetsuna is all written down here," Kise explained as he pointed to certain sections on the papers, which were now in Akashi's hands.

"Oh, and here," Kise said as he took out his wallet and pulled out a credit card before holding it out towards Akashi.

Akashi's face soured as he glared at the blond stiffly saying, "I'm not poor, Ryota. I can afford all of her expenses."

The latter's shoulders fell slightly, "If you say so Akashi-chii..." He tucked the credit card back into his wallet before handing the crimson haired vocalist the rest of the child's luggage.

Kise, once again, crouched down next to the teal haired child as he said softly, "Tetsuna-chii from now on Akashi-chii will watch over you until I return home in three months."

Tetsuna's expression fell as she gripped Kise's fingers tightly as she shook her head. Her sapphire orbs refusing to meet with Kise's amber orbs as she softly spoke, "But... Akashi oji-sama... looks scary..."

An irritated twitch formed on the said name as she continued, "I don't want to stay with him..."

Akashi sent a death glare to the model who was already sweat dropping as Tetsuna pouted slightly at the model. Kise, on the other hand, shuddered when he felt Akashi's death intent lurking behind him.

"Tetsuna-chii, he's not. Once you get to know him, you'll like him. Remember what I always said to you-" Kise held her hands firmly as he smiled at her.

Her large sapphire orbs blinked before Tetsuna continued her father's words, "Never judge a book by its cover."

Kise smiled again as he nodded while he ruffled her soft teal locks and chuckled, "That's my girl."

Tetsuna's giggled as her beloved father hugged her tightly while Akashi simply shifted his gaze away from the two. His heterochromatic eyes were downcast as he silently waited.

Finally, the blond model stood up as he faced the vocalist with a bright smile, "Akashi-chii, thank you. I know you're still not well but..." Kise trailed off slightly, his amber eyes held concern for the crimson head.

Akashi looked at him with an unreadable expression before he mumbled a short reply, "You're welcome."

He swiftly turned around and went back into his home with Tetsuna's luggage in his hands as he left the father and daughter to finish their goodbyes.

"Tetsuna-chii, behave and don't give Akashi-chii any trouble. Make sure you do your homework and sleep properly," Kise gave a small kiss onto her forehead before he continued, "Take care, Tetsuna-chii. I'll see you in three months. If you ever want to talk to me ask Akashi-chii okay?"

"Hm... Okay," she quietly replied, gripping the fabric of her light blue dress.

He gave the child one last warm hug as he added, "Daddy loves you a lot, Tetsuna-chii. I'll miss you."

Kise could feel Tetsuna's arms tighten around his neck as he finished his goodbye. It took him everything to pull away from her tight embrace before he gently gave her a push into the large penthouse.

"See you soon~" He smiled as he shut the front door and left Tetsuna on her own as she continued to stare at the closed door of the penthouse while she listened to the sound of her father's footsteps slowly fade into the distance.

Akashi watched the small child's back from the living room as he slipped a black shirt on, which had been sitting on the couch. He sighed softly as he got up from the couch before making his way towards the kitchen to grab his morning coffee.

"Feel free to use the computer in the guest room upstairs, which is to your right. It'll be your room for the next three months," he said as his hands diligently grabbed the coffee beans container from the cabinet as he turned on the coffee maker.

Tetsuna quietly turned around and watched her temporary guardian move around in the kitchen area. A moment later, her large sapphire orbs were looking around the living room before she walked around to look at every nook and cranny of the first floor of the penthouse. Tetsuna blinked upon noticing the untidiness of every corner and spot her sapphire orbs would roam to.

"Your house is a mess, Akashi oji-sama," she bluntly commented and Akashi's eyebrows twitched upon her comment as his hand halted mid-air from reaching for the coffee cup in one of the cabinets of his kitchen.

"I never had guests and I don't see the need to always keep it spotless," Akashi continued his task and began to pour his coffee into a cup, "Also, don't call me Akashi oji-sama. Seijuro will do."

Clothing that had been left around in the area and began to pile them up into a small mountain as she responded, nodding, "Okay, Seijuro nii-sama."

She huffed as she plopped another small pile of clothing on the small mountain of clothes. Her large sapphire eyes roamed around the room for anymore clothes and landed on a pair of t-shirt and jeans on the couch, near the clear cabinets filled with photo frames.

Akashi, on the other hand, frowned when he saw that all of his clothes had turned into a pile. He sipped his coffee as he watched the small child continue to collect his clothes in the living room before he said, "Ryota didn't send you here to be my housekeeper."

His mood darkened when he saw Tetsuna glance at the photo frames on the shelves as he warned, "Don't touch anything you're not supposed to."

"But... it's the least I can do for you, Seijuro nii-sama," she pouted and turned around towards him, but in the process her elbow had hit one of the unsteady shelves where the photo frames were.

Akashi's heterochromatic orbs widened when he noticed the shelves wobbling behind the oblivious teal haired child.

"TETSUNA!"

He dropped his coffee cup and quickly ran towards the small child. Akashi quickly covered her from the falling shelves as glass frames, falling onto the marble floor, shattered into pieces.

Large sapphire orbs widened when she heard him let out a sigh of relief above her. Slowly, Tetsuna shifted her gaze from the shattered photo frames on the marble floor to the person who had covered her as she quietly whispered, "Seijuro nii-sama..."

His cold and sharp heterochromatic eyes glared at her as he harshly said, "I already warned you to not touch anything."

Akashi glanced at the fallen wooden shelves and the pieces of shattered glass that was all over the marble floors. He moved away from the child as she hung her head low, looking at the marble floor. Akashi then grabbed the clothes from her hands as he stood up.

"Next time, when I say don't touch anything... I mean it. DON'T TOUCH ANYTHING," he clenched his teeth as he refrained from shouting at the small girl. Akashi grabbed the rest of the small mountain of clothes before he dumped it all into the washing machine.

He frowned when he remembered that his coffee cup had also shattered on the floor and sighed as he turned on his heels to walk towards the kitchen.

"This is ridiculous. First thing in the morning," Akashi grumbled as he grabbed the crimson smartphone on the white grand piano.

Tetsuna stood frozen in place and unable to look at the master of the house. A moment later, she noticed the shattered photo frames on the floor. When she looked closer and saw pictures of Akashi and a woman whose hair and eyes were teal colored. In the photos the woman's smiles were gentle and filled with happiness while Akashi's arms were wrapped around her waist, protectively yet lovingly.

Tetsuna shifted her gaze from the man in the photos to the same person nearby as she whispered to herself, "Where has Seijuro nii-sama's smiles gone to...?"

She carefully and slowly picked up the photo from the shattered frame as she studied the photo even more closely. A smile curved on her lips as she softly said, "She's really pretty."

Suddenly, someone snatched the photo from her small hands as she yelped in surprise. Tetsuna looked up with her large sapphire orbs to see Akashi Seijuro standing in front her. His cold gaze frightened her as she quickly bowed to him, "I'm so sorry, Seijuro nii-sama. I just wante-"

Akashi sharply cut her off, "Just go to your room."

With a heavy heart, Tetsuna left for her room on the second floor of the penthouse. When she found the said room, she dragged her luggage into the guest room. And as quiet as possible, she shut the door behind her. Her large sapphire orbs could only stare at the cold and large spacious bedroom.

"I want to go home..."

Tears began to roll down her soft pink cheeks as Tetsuna curled up into a ball.

. . . .

Akashi was picking up all of the photos from the floor. When he picked up the last photo, he stared at it with a longing gaze as he whispered, "Tetsuki..."

.

.

It was the first day of spring where the cherry blossoms were in full bloom. It was the same day their wedding ceremony was held and everything was perfect.

"Sei, hurry up!" his beloved wife pulled him along as she laughed, "We'll miss the group picture!"

Akashi sighed teasingly as he let her pull him where everyone else was waiting. Both of them still wearing their wedding attires. He smiled as Tetsuki's melodious voice rang in his ear.

Tetsuki's cheeks were a shade of soft pink while her baby blue hair gently swayed in the spring breeze. The beautiful white wedding dress, Akashi had carefully picked for her, hugged all her curves beautifully. Despite the fragile health she had, Tetsuki didn't let it stop her from enjoying the best day of her life.

She was his beloved songstress, Kuroko Tetsuki or widely known as HEAVEN. She was his one and only beloved childhood sweetheart. After 18 years of struggling, their love had come to a full bloom. Tetsuki was more than everything Akashi could ever ask for.

Akashi felt a gentle tug on his hands and blinked as he looked at his beloved. A small smile curved on his lips, she saw far more beautiful than anyone he had seen. Akashi was more than glad that she had finally become his. His on and only Tetsuki.

As the photographer was about to take the group picture of the wedding, Tetsuki whispered to him with a gentle smile on her pink lips, "I love you Sei."

Her sapphire orbs looked at the camera and missed the big smile curving on his lips as Akashi tightened his hold on her hand as he glanced at her.

"I love you too Tetsuki," he smiled before he shifted his gaze towards the camera again.

More than anything else in the world.

.

.

Akashi carefully put the photos on his nightstand. As he left his room, he gave one last glance at their group wedding photo. Where he and Tetsuki were smiling so brightly, holding hands and silver rings shining brightly on their ring fingers.

Above the small pile of photos, stood a single unbroken frame. A picture of his beloved wife, Akashi Tetsuki. It was the last photo they had taken before everything had changed for the worst...

. . . .

Akashi silently stared at the door of the guest room in front of him. Slowly, he knocked on the door and heard the sound of someone scrambling onto their feet as they ran towards the door. A few seconds later the door creaked open and he shifted his gaze towards the small teal haired child.

A pair of gold and crimson orbs met large sapphire orbs as he asked, "Have you eaten lunch?"

He could clearly see her frightened sapphire orbs and frowned slightly. Tetsuna quickly shook her head at his question, too afraid to speak.

"We'll go out for lunch and get some groceries for the fridge since you'll be here for a while. Wait for me in the living room while I take a quick shower, understood?" Akashi grimaced at his words, since he still couldn't get out of that habit.

He hit himself inwardly as he watched Tetsuna nod her head in response. His heterochromatic eyes narrowed as he did not miss her puffy cheeks and the dry trail of tears on her soft face.

"Tetsuna, I'm not mad at you. So, don't be so scared me. I haven't been around people for the past few years... so, I'm sorry for lashing out at you like that," Akashi apologized as his gaze softened a bit. He knew that the old him wouldn't say this easily, but he knew he was at fault for the child's tears.

Tetsuna's large sapphire eyes blinked at him as she titled her head to the side.

Feeling a bit awkward Akashi cleared his throat before reminding her, "Well, make sure you're in the living in twenty minutes. We'll go as soon as I'm done with my shower."

As soon as he finished his words he left the room without another word.

"This will be a long three months," he mumbled softly to himself.

Little did Akashi know that it will be the most cherished and meaningful three months of his dull life.

. . . .

Yep, a side story of Fate & Destiny. I'm not sure if this will be angsty but how about we watch how things unfold between Akashi and a child.

Don't forget to review ^^