It was the first day of spring where the sun shines warmly outside and the cherry blossoms were blooming beautifully. However, inside of the RAKUZAN Agency, a certain band has been rushing in perfecting the new songs collection for the Spring Release. With Aomine Daiki as their lead singer, pumped up for their next tour, the practice and the recording session went smoothly.

“Dai-chan, I’m going to pick up Tsuki-chan. Her school session about to end soon.” She gestured at the clock on the wall.  The lead singer nodded as he drank his bottle of cool water, “Alright, drive safely on the road, okay?” He reminded her as she grabbed her handbag.

It has been a few months since his adopted daughter, Tsukiko enrolled into the elementary school. Not long ago, she told him about her feeling left out in the classes all due to her background being an orphan. The agency reminded him not to reveal himself as Tsukiko’s adopted father, if he wants the young bluenette to have a perfectly normal life. He did once thought of transferring her to another school, however, Tsukiko refused and he knew how stubborn his daughter is, and so, he did not spoke much of it.

Sure, Tsukiko is a bright child, whose imaginations are wider than most and behavior are much more mature than the rest of the kids he seen in his life, but he was worried if she’s putting a strong façade, just to not make him worried.

He rested his head on the couch as others went to get their lunch, he stares at the sky outside the window, ‘She is too young to be too strong…am I doing the right thing, Tetsu?’ his hands unconsciously held the pendant, that once belong to his beloved wife, Tetsuki. He closes his eyes, ‘I wish you’re here…’ he sighed.

Little does he knows, a pair of big round blue eyes quietly looked at him from the crack of the studio door. It saddens as her small hands tighten a little. She bit her lower lip, ‘Daddy has been working so hard…he barely gets enough sleep and here I am…’

“Tsuki-chan, what’s wrong?” The pinknette approached her from behind.

Quickly, the bluenette plastered a smile then she brought her pointy finger to her lips, “Shh, daddy’s sleeping.” She quietly said underneath her breathe as she peeked into the studio where the said man sound asleep on the couch. The two girls giggled when Aomine fell to his side and hit his head on the edge of the couch, “Well, it’s understandable why your dad’s like that. The tour’s coming soon and they worked really hard for it especially your dad.” Satsuki whispered as they watched the vocalist rubbed the top of his head groggily then he looked at his watch.

Knowing that he would be worried seeing his daughter has not arrived, Tsukiko quickly pushed the door wide open, “DADDY! TADAIMA!” she ran towards him as she jumped onto him, followed by the manager who smiled at the adorable sight.

Aomine smiled as he hugged her, “Welcome home, Tsuki-chan. You’re getting bigger and heavier by the day.” As he adjusted himself so that his beloved daughter can properly sit on his lap. Then, he noticed the pouting lips on his daughter, “I am not getting heavier.”

He blinks, forgetting that his daughter was a growing up young lady. He smiled apologetically, “Sorry, it’s been a while since I carried you and you’ve already grown so much.” He ruffles her soft blue locks, “How’s school?” he asked as Satsuki excused herself from the studio for a meeting in the third floor.

The child halted slightly upon the question. Then, she puts a smile, “School’s fine, daddy. We had lots of fun today when the teacher had us taking turns in taking care of a rabbit in the school nursery. I had my turn to!” she kept on and on, telling her beloved father, the fun she had in school that day. Below that smile were hints of sadness and loneliness, hidden from him.

‘Daddy has so much to think about. There is no need for him to worry more about me.’

…

It was the next day when things gone wrong.

Her smooth skin severely cut by the sharp stones on the ground as the girls and boys of her class pulls her hair. She yelped as one of them throws the dirt on her at the back of the school building. One of them snatched her bag and dumps it into the pond as they laughed at her, tears began to pool as she watched her belongings floats on the water.

“That is what you get for lying!” the boy kicked her, “Dared to say your father is a singer?” the other girl pulls her locks, “You don’t even have parents!” they pulled her and threw her against the fence. Her breathe hitched the moment she felt sharp pain on her left leg, quivering she turns around and looked at her leg. Her body trembles, as soon as she saw the sharp edge of the metal fence stabbed into her skin.

‘Daddy…please help me…’ Her tears fell. The pain was excruciating.

“OI! YOU BRATS! WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING WITH MY DAUGHTER?!” someone shouted at the top of their lungs as they pushed the other kids away from the smaller child who was writhing in pain against the fence. The kids ran away upon seeing the murderous look on the dark tanned man who glares daggers at them.

“Daddy…” her voice shook as she cried, her father quickly hugged her, “It’s alright, baby. I’m here.”

A pink haired woman and some of the schoolteachers gasped at the sight of the teal haired student who was crying in the arms of her beloved father. Aomine’s blood boil at the sight of bloods dripping from his daughter, it got even worst when he saw the sharp fence in Tsukiko’s leg, “Oh God, Tsuki-chan…hold on to me. I will try getting it out. ” His voice shook as he took a deep breath. He could hear Satsuki ran back to where they parked the CRV to get some cloth.

“Don’t worry, baby. It’ll be just a few second.” He bit his lower lip. He could feel his daughter grips tightly on his jacket as he swallowed the heavy lump in his throat, “Okay, baby, here we go. 1…2…3!” he pulls the metal wire from her leg as droplet of bloods sprawl all over the ground. Tsukiko screamed in pain as Aomine quickly calmed her down.

“It’s okay now, it’s okay. We're going to the hospital now. Satsuki, get the car!” he gather his daughter into his arms, ignoring the teachers who was panicking, “Move it, damn you!” he roared as they made a way for him.

“Wait, who are you?!” one of them stopped him from entering the car. He hissed, “I’m her father, Aomine Daiki, now move away before I move u myself!” he warned. His bloods boiled at how irresponsible the teachers were, “I never should have let Tsukiko attend this school.” He grumbles as he shut close the door. The pinknette quickly drove as soft sobs echoes quietly in the car.

He frowned as he watched the cloth wrapped around his daughter legs stained with bloods, “its okay, you’re gonna be alright. We’ll be there soon.” He gently soothed her by the shoulder. As soon as they reached the Shutoku Private Hospital, Midorima was there, waiting by the entrance upon receiving an emergency call from the pink haired manager. Aomine forced to stay outside of the Emergency Room as he waits impatiently, tapping his foot on the floor, looking at the red sign on top of the room, and going back and forth.

“Dai-chan, I’ve called Akashi-kun and the others. The practice today has been cancel.” The pinknette said but ignored by her childhood friend. Clearly, he was worried about Tsukiko more than anything was.

The door finally slides open. Aomine rushed to the forest green haired doctor, “How is she?!” his midnight blue eyes followed the sight of his daughter cart away on the hospital bed to another room. Midorima cleared his throat, “We’ll keep her here for a night or two. We removed bits of metal in her legs but …”he sighed, Aomine frowned.

“She won’t be able to walk around until her legs properly healed. I also found several marks of bruises on her body. What happened?” Midorima sharply looked at the vocalist. Aomine gritted his teeth, “I don’t know, when we arrived there to pick her up from school, she was nowhere to be seen…when we found her, some kids were picking on here and that’s when…”upon realization his orbs widen.

“So, she has been bullied this whole time and you didn’t know about this?” hints of disappointed in the doctor’s voice. Aomine sighed, “I know partly it was my fault. I was always busy with work and all…”

Midorima eyed the vocalist, “Well, in any case, she’s allowed to have visitors but for the time being we’ll keep an eye on her, she might run a fever in a few hours but don’t worry, no words of this will come out so you won’t have to worry about the medias.” He jolted something down on the clipboard.

“Thanks, bud.” The vocalist felt disappointed of himself. Midorima nodded his head before excusing himself.

…

Satsuki has already returned to the agency, leaving Aomine to his daughter as he watched her breathed evenly with a flushed face with a cool compressor on her forehead. Gently, he pushed the strands of blue away from her cheeks. He sighed as he leans back against the chair. He looked around at the familiar place where he enters so often back in the days.

‘It really does bring back memories…’ his dark blue eyes saddens, he shifts his gaze to his daughter whose eyelids flutters open, “Da…ddy?” her voice cracked. Her forced a smile, “Hey there, babe. We’re at the hospital now.” He scooted nearer.

“Daddy…I’m sorry for making you…worry so much…” pearl of tears fell. It broke his heart. “Hush now…if I’m worried it means I loved you.” He wiped away those tears, “But…Daddy…you’re exhausted…day by day I watched you worked and fell asleep as soon as you reached home…I don’t want to trouble you anymore…” soft sobs escaped her cracked lips.

“I tried telling them I had a father but…they told me I lied…” his eyes widen, now he knows why. It was his fault; it was his fault that, Tsukiko had to suffer at school. His blood boils just thinking the way those children bullied his defenseless daughter.

“It’s okay now…I’m here. I won’t let anything happen to you anymore.” That is a promise. Even if he has to kill, someone to protect her, he would be more than willing to do so, “Get some rest, babe. I’ll be here and you wakes up. Then, we’ll go home as soon as you get better.” He gently kissed her forehead.

“Goodnight, baby.” He whispered.  Carefully he held his daughter hands whose eyes slowly flutters close.

‘Tetsu, if you’re there, please watch over her. She means the world to me.’

…

It was a little later at night when all lights were off as the patients sleep soundly into the night. This includes Aomine who did not let go of his daughter’s hands throughout the night as the silent murmurs of the nurses quietly passed by the room.

The scent of vanilla fills the room. Tsukiko whose senses are sharper than most kids, her eyes flutters open as she searched for the source of the scent. She turns to her side, then her sapphires widen, “Mommy…” she trails off as the familiar sight of a woman that she often sees in the pictures her father often shared with her, smiled warmly at her.

Slowly, she leans forward and kissed the bluenette’s warm forehead, suddenly Tsukiko felt drowsy as her eyes threatens to shut close. Her sapphire eyes follows the woman in soft blue glow who went to her father’s side before leaning down and peeked a kiss on her beloved husband’s cheek. She smiled, and then she shifts her gentle gaze to the child on the bed.

“You’ve been a good child. Daiki is lucky to have you. He may not be the best man, but he is the best father you could ask for. So, grow up. Grow into a fine young lady, that your father will be proud of.” Gently she held the child’s soft cheeks, 

“Tsukiko, you are his treasure. Thank you for coming into his life.” Slowly the glows began to disappear, “My daughter…”

It was soon after she disappears, Tsukiko once again fell asleep comfortably. Her fever was completely gone and the blue pendant that Aomine always wore glows gently before it dims.

“I love you, Daiki…” Tetsuki’s voice resonates gently in the room.

“Always and forever…”

 ______________________________________

A/N - I was watching some elementary school kids earlier and this pops up. I experiences some bullying back in middle school and I believe bullying should not exist. Anyways, please review? It would give me some boost to my deteroriating depression. Right now, I'm completely stressed out. 

Every word ya guys gave to me earlier, made me smiled and cheered up. 

I hope you had some fun in this chapter. Also, I just realized they started the KnB award, I attached a link to Aomine Daiki's category. So please click the extrenal link i attacked if you feel this book is worth the vote. Would mean a lot. 

Thank you for reading and coping up with me.

Winter.