He couldn't help himself from recalling everything that just happened a day ago. Kuroko Tetsuya has returned. After vanishing for two weeks, the teal-head suddenly re-appeared on the place they least expect him to emerge.

He was filled with so much bliss, he just ran towards the phantom player without even checking his case and situation first, which was very stupid for an Akashi. He pursed his lips into a thin line upon remembering how the phantom player looked after being gone for two weeks. Those bruises, those cuts, those scars. Just what the hell happened? He thought.

He also recalled the eyes Kuroko possessed day ago. His eyes were glassy. They portrayed distance, coldness and pain. Akashi felt like that if he made unnecessary movements back then that Kuroko would permanently shatter.

He twitched when the words Kuroko threw at them –him, especially—still burned. He wasn't even sure of why the teal-head would say such things when they were in such good terms days before he disappeared.

Akashi Seijuuro snapped out of his little day nightmare when a hand waved in front of his face. He blinked, and looked up. He internally grunted, Oh. Right, I forgot. I am still inside the room."Mr. Akashi-kun, it seems you're daydreaming. Would you care to translate the words on the board? That's if you were even listening to how I translated each word."

He frowned, and repeated the words that his brain translated from Japanese to English. "Coarse the rush mat roof. Sheltering the harvest hut of the autumn ricefield, and my shoulders are growing wet with the moisture dripping through." He finished as his classmate gasped and stared at him in awe. He smirked, and sat back down.

Their English Literature subject teacher blinked at him, and nodded sheepishly. "Right. Who am I kidding? You're Akashi Seijuuro, as if you'd make such a mistake as not listening to me or not knowing what to do. I must commend how great you really are, Akashi."

He looked up, smiled slightly and nodded. "Thank you for your wonderful words, Mr. Taito."

So Mr. Taito nodded back, went in front and resumed his discussion. He talked and talked with lots of gestures. He made lots of facial expressions too, which, Akashi admitted, was quite interesting. Even his classmates were attentive enough, unlike towards their other subjects. But despite that, his mind still drifted back on Kuroko. It would always be Kuroko.

"I love you. Thank you for everything you've done until now. I am sorry for lots of things. If ever I don't return, I wanted to let you know that you're the most important person to me. Goodbye." These were the last words Kuroko had said to him when they were on the phone weeks ago. He sounded so sincere. No. He was sincere. His heart growled to his doubting mind.

They became even closer right after Vorpal Swords separated ways again. There were no actual 'I love yours' but with every glance, every touch, and every smile—he was pretty sure those three words were always obvious to both of them.

So why? Why did he push us away? Why did he push me away and told me he hated me?

He gritted his teeth, and frowned with loss of answers. He was an Akashi, he always knew the answer. Well, not always since on this one—he was completely pointless.

The bell rang loudly, indicating the end of all their classes. He grabbed his bags, and stood up.

But I know one thing for sure.

He walked towards the door with so much confidence and a little aura of anger that made most of the people in his way cowardly run away.

I know one thing for sure—Tetsuya is hiding something. And he has built a barrier around him to make sure no one finds out.

But I will.

I will find that secret out. Whatever it takes.

~LFMH021~

He opened their gym's door, and stared right at back at their coach, who was, in the same time, was about to open it. "Oh, Akashi."

"Coach." He greeted with an expressionless face.

Their coach, Eiji, blinked. "Are you alright?"

Blinking, the red-head looked up in surprise with the unexpected question. "What do you mean?"

Eiji placed a hand on his hip, and arched an eyebrow. "Yes, I may be the strictest person in here. And yes, I may be a so-called monster to some, but I always know my team. Each and one of you. Especially you, Akashi. You caught my eyes right after you applied. And I know when you're in good mood, foul mood or distracted even if you always perform the best among the rest."

"Your point?" He mumbled.

Eiji smiled without humor. "You were searching for someone these last two weeks, weren't you?"

He stiffened a little, and frowned. His eyes turning colder every second that passed.

Rakuzan's coach patted Akashi's shoulder, and pointed the gates. "And within this week, something happened. That was why you were so distracted and unapproachable. Go."

"But the team—"

"—Is perfectly capable of managing without you. Yes, you're their captain, but that doesn't mean they aren't great enough to manage on their own. In fact, they'd like this. They'd want you to realize that you were such a perfect captain that even if they were left, they'd still be a perfect Rakuzan Basketball Club."

He looked over his shoulders and stared at the half-opened bronze gates meters away. "I don't even know what I should expect when I arrived there. That person told me that he hated me—"

"But you don't believe him." Eiji finished. "Akashi, just go. I'd handle them today."

He blinked, and turned. "I'll see you tomorrow, Coach." He bade, bowed, and quickly ran towards the gates. He opened it fully, and sprinted towards the train station. He was panting hard, but he figured that it was almost just like weeks ago. He'd figured that if he didn't run now—he'd be too late.

~LFMH021~

"Give me a name of someone we both know. I'd give one word to describe him or her." Akashi challenged.

Of course, Kuroko was a kill-joy, so he replied, "Me."

There was silence.

Akashi narrowed his eyes. "Seriously?"

"Wow, that's a great adjective to describe me. I'm so flattered, Akashi-kun." Kuroko replied, his eyes ever so emotionless.

He was about to comment again when he saw the mischievous glint in the teal-head's eyes. "Oh? Since when did you begin to kid around?"

"Don't know. Since I met you? I mean, you're so serious, I figured I should learn how to joke or else we might die due to seriousness."

He hummed in thought. "Now that mentioned that..." He nodded. "I do not want to die due to seriousness."

He couldn't help smiling with that memory. He looked at his phone, and realized that he hadn't changed his phone's wallpaper yet. It was a photo of the two of them. He wasn't sure how and when Kise captured this, but he asked the blonde to send it to him. He and Kuroko sat under a blossoming cherry tree. In Kuroko's hand was a basketball. In his hand was a book. Both of their other hands were intertwined with each other. He couldn't believe it when he saw it at first but he was laughing in the photo, and there was very wide smile in the teal-head's face. He couldn't remember when this was, but he sure loved that moment.

When the train stopped on the station where he needed to get off, he immediately grabbed his bags, ran out of the door and sprinted off towards Seirin.

He was panting hard. Not in exhaustion, but because he was running and was nervous at the same time.

"Nervous." He repeated out loud. He frowned. "Uh, that sounds so new in my vocabulary."

He continued running anyway, and some were starting to stare at him because while he was sprinting off towards Seirin's direction, he was also talking to himself. The people around him weren't sure if they should even ask the red-head what was wrong.

"And when did I start talking to myself?" He wondered aloud, as he realized that more and more passer-by's were glancing at him warily.

"Uh, since you became nervous?" He answered himself.

He frowned after saying the last word. "Nervous. Ugh, still not used to the word."

"Then, don't say it." He grumbled to his own.

He blinked when he noticed that a cop had stopped him, and was staring at him with suspicious eyes. He blurted out, "I swear I'm a normal person."

Wow, Seijuro, seriously?

The cop examined him even more. "I can see that you are indeed a normal person, but why is someone who's studying in Kyoto here?"

"Well, if you try to fix the letters 'Kyoto' and 'Tokyo' are almost the same," was his intelligent remark.

This is all your fault, Tetsuya!

The cop frowned. "What?"

He cleared his throat, and answered, more seriously this time. "I meant that I am a normal student. A friend of mine kind of needs my attention right now, so I hurried here. I was talking to myself like earlier because I was practicing how I should talk to them or I might sound so formal, that person might end up looking at me like I am a person out of this world."

"Your name."

"Akashi Seijuro."

"...A-A-A-A-A-Akashi? YOU CAN GO!" Was the cop's shriek before running away.

That was one of the times when he was proud of his surname. He continued running, went to a turn, and finally entered Seirin's gates while ignoring the students' drool, swoon and stare at him. He was feeling like things would be better now. Until it didn't.

He opened Seirin's gym's door, and didn't expect the situation in front of him.

Akashi blinked thrice when a ball almost hit his face straight on. He caught it on time, and raised it. "Whose team does it belong?" He asked.

"Our team." Kuroko, who was suddenly in front of him, answered. He took the ball from Akashi's hand, and turned around. He surprised everyone when he suddenly dropped the ball with his shaking hands.

Akashi approached him. "What's the matter?"

Kuroko frowned, and then stared at his trembling hands. "I-I-I can't..."

"You can't what?" He prompted.

The teal-head fell on his knees as Riko approached them, and picked up the ball. "He's been like this since he reappeared. He can't hold or tap the ball...It seems that Kuroko-kun can't play basketball anymore." She whispered.

He stared wide-eyed on the teal-head in front of him. The latter bowed his head, and hid his face with his fringe. He bit his bottom lip, and clenched his hands into fists. "Laugh at me. It's fine, laugh at me. Laugh at how pathetic I am right now. I mean, just few weeks ago, I was playing like I am one of the best players in Japan, and today, I am a laughing stock who can't even hold the ball anymore—"

Akashi took a step forward, placed his index finger under Kuroko's chin, and lifted the latter's head. His red-and-golden eyes stared at those wide, surprised teal ones.

"Let me go." Kuroko grumbled, but looked away anyway.

He narrowed his eyes. "Tetsuya, we need to talk."

"I don't want to talk."

"That was a command, and you have no say to it." He snapped.

"That was indeed a command, but I have so many say to it. Stop treating me like one of your servants, Akashi-kun. I'm tired of following you around. Just leave me alone. The street basketball game's done. You can forget about me again," Kuroko grunted as he picked the ball up. He tapped it, but it clumsily ended hitting Kagami's forehead.

"That freaking hurts!"

"I am sorry—"

"—Good."

"—Not." Kuroko finished. Kagami was about to protest again when the whole gym quieted down. Everyone turned silent as the teal-head took the ball between his palms, examined it, and leaned his forehead against it. Akashi's heart thumped loud when he heard a sob.

"...Why?" Was the only audible thing they heard from Kuroko's cries.

He felt his own tears swelling up in his eyes when the phantom player turned towards them, his eyes swollen, and lips quivering. He frowned, looked away, and whispered, "I want to continue playing...I want to play basketball...M-May I still be part of Seirin even if...if...I'm this useless?"

Akashi watched as the older members of Seirin ran towards their kouhai, and hugged him while wailing. He saw how the teal-head stiffened, gulped, and then hugged his upperclassmen back. Then his co-classmen approached him, and crowded him, as well.

He was there in the sideline, but he could almost read what was in the phantom player's head: I'm sorry. I am so sorry. But this might be the last time I'd let you be this close to me.

Those barriers were up again. Those eyes became lifeless again. That smile became forced again. And the red-head was sure...his Kuroko Tetsuya was fading.

~LFMH021~

He waited outside the gym as the practice resumed. There were loud thuds. Laughter. Chattering. And then just taps of ball, and basketball shoes again. He was listening to this sounds when finally he heard Riko Aida shout, "Dismissed!"

He stood up from where he sat, leaned against the wall beside the door, and looked up when Kuroko, himself, stopped in front of him. "So, I guess, you'd talk with me now?"

He hated the way those teal eyes almost looked clouded. Like soon, they'd lose their colors. The phantom player nodded, took one of his hands, and led them towards the farthest part of the campus. "Talk to me," was Kuroko's first words.

"What happened when you disappeared?"

"I got lost."

"Don't joke with me, Tetsuya." He snarled.

"I don't want to talk about that, Akashi-kun."

"Where were you?"

"Drop it, Akashi-kun," Kuroko grunted.

"I won't. Not until you spill everything out." He demanded, and looked at the hand Kuroko still had around his own. "Your hand is cold."

Quickly, the teal head snatched back his hand upon realizing that they were still holding hands. He took a step backward. "If that was all, Akashi-kun, I'd take my leave now."

"Tetsuya, wait—"

But Kuroko had turned around, and started to walk back towards the gates. His eyes widened when he saw the scars that was slowly fading on Kuroko's forearm. Instead of running after the teal-head, he sang,

"When you try your best but you don't succeed
When you get what you want but not what you need
When you feel so tired but you can't sleep
Stuck in reverse"

Kuroko halted. His shoulders stiffened, and Akashi was sure that the former was trying his best not to turn around.

"When the tears come streaming down your face
When you lose something you can't replace
When you love someone but it goes to waste
Could it be worse?"

Those stiffened shoulders began to shake, and with how silent the whole place was, he swore he heard those heart-clenching sobs again.

What happened, Tetsuya? Tell me. Face me.

He continued,

"Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
I will try to fix you"

Slowly, Kuroko turned. He had stopped crying, but the pain was still very visible in his expression. Akashi's eyes widened a fraction when the teal-head resumed the song,

"High up above or down below
When you're too in love to let it go
But if you never try you'll never know
Just what you're worth"

"You cannot fix me, Akashi-kun, so leave me alone." Kuroko protested.

"I'll fix you. I'll definitely fix you, even if that meant I'll break myself instead." He vowed.

That was when the continued the song,

"Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you"

Kuroko frowned. "You don't need to break yourself into pieces to fix my broken parts. Believe me when I say that I have lost so many parts already."

"Then, I guess the means your lost parts will be supplied by mine." He whispered.

That was when Akashi continued,

"Tears stream down your face
When you lose something you cannot replace
Tears stream down your face
And I"

The teal-head threw his arms in the air in exasperation. "But, Akashi-kun, why? I don't want you to break for me! It's better if you just leave me alone."

"Even if it meant me breaking, I'm fine as long as I know you're fine."

"Yet—"

He smiled sadly. "Besides, I'm happy to know that even I become broken, you will become whole again because of me. At least, I know that I will have part of me on you. That's what love is, right?"

Kuroko resumed with cracking voice,

"Tears stream down your face
I promise you I will learn from my mistakes
Tears stream down your face
And I"

Kuroko closed his eyes when Akashi took steps towards him, and stopped inches from him. His heart clenched when he feel the red-head bow a little, and then their forehead touched lovingly.

He tried his best not to cry again as the red-head finished the song,

"Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you."

A/N: I'm done! I hoped you liked it despite it being less dramatic and shorter than usual; I tried my best.

Love you all! [The song inserted is: 'Fix You' by Coldplay. And it's because I love it so much.]

Reviews will be so appreciated!

SNEAK PEEEKKK:

"Are these cigarette burn marks?" Akashi gasped as Kuroko set his hands on his lap, palms up.

The teal-head nodded. "Yes, indeed, Akashi-kun."

The latter caught his break in awe when the Emperor lifted his hands, and kissed each cigarette marks gently.