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Furihata Kouki has lived a fairly average life since he can remember, he had below to almost average at most looks, talent and personality. He had amazing friends, really astounding and sparkly friends. For one there is Kagami, to be honest he’s more like an older brother to the brunet. He is tall, strong, good looking, his wine red hair makes him stand out in a crowd but most importantly is his prowess when in comes to basketball. Beside him is Kuroko Tetsuya, he is a quiet young man who had been known since he stepped in their campus due to his previous affiliation to a prestigious school.Only through them for a moment Furihata could bask in their different shade of light. Kuroko never left Kagami’s side and somehow he got wound up in their circle. From the first moment he laid his eyes on Kuroko’s former classmates he knew they were out of his league. Its easy to see and more obvious in their presence, they are brighter, prettier and simply something while he was nothing. That should be the case honestly, there should be no reason for any of them aside from Kuroko to look his way and yet—“F-Flowers?” Furihata says with wide eyes as the delivery man hands him a bouquet of red tulips. His face flushes in embarrassment.“Furihata Kouki?” the delivery man asks for the second time making sure, he looks back to the paper in his hand and again to the brunet.“That’s me but—““Please sign here.” the delivery man says as he passes the clipboard with the receiving form.Furihata fumbles as he accepts the form and signs over his name. He blinks as he sees the name of the sender, his face flushes bright red.“Is that from Akashi-kun?”The brunet and the delivery man both flinches with surprise due to the sudden appearance of the teal blue haired student behind Furihata. The brunet whips his head towards where Kuroko stands, eyes boring at the form in Furihata’s hands with his icy blue orbs. The blue haired student lifts a hand to his lips hiding the quirk of his lips to a smile, a habit perhaps he had acquired from his previous school or his modest upbringing.“I-It uhm…there must be a mix up.” Furihata says to both Kuroko and the delivery man who only gave Furihata a quirk of his eyebrow.The delivery man takes the form from Furihata and makes a curt bow before leaving. Kuroko snickers behind and shrugs.“What does he say, uh…’I do not make mistakes, I am absolute’ or something along those lines.” Kuroko says teasingly.Furihata blushes deeper red as he almost crush the bouquet in his embrace. It wasn’t even two months since he had met Akashi Seijuuro, Kuroko’s cousin and one of his closest friends back in middle school. He is the only son of a business tycoon, with a multimillion business already waiting for him after college. His scarlet red hair is a stark contrast to Kuroko’s light powder blue hair, and his intimidating gaze could make even the mighty to fall to their knees in reverence. It could take Furihata weeks to enumerate the endless reason the red head couldn’t possibly be taking interest in him but despite all of that things such as this happens.“This would be the fourth in two weeks Furihata-kun.” Kuroko says in his monotonous voice. “Is it that difficult to believe Akashi-kun is sincere?”Sincerity isn’t the trouble, Furihata thought quietly as he looks at the bouquet. The red head had been anything but insincere, every word he speaks are calculated and almost impossibly flawless. It was just…him, there could be some kind of misunderstanding, some mistake.The bell rings and as if on cue the door to the gym behind them opens. Among the chattering students in their P.E. uniforms and jerseys Kuroko easily spots Kagami. The towering basketball player approaches them with a grin, he greets Kuroko with a fond gesture of ruffling the other’s hair. Furihata couldn’t help but look, some people say the two are opposite of each other. Kagami’s presence is like the color of his wine red locks, bold and unapologetic. His voice booms with pride and kindness, while his eyes are sharp and masculine. Kuroko on the other hand is something else entirely, he could lurk in the corner for days and no one would notice. He is modest as the color of his eyes like the cloudless summer sky, and his voice cold yet soothing like the soft blanket of snow. But what people didn’t know or see is the bigger part where the two are more alike than different. They both have a tender heart which cares so much for the people they value, a heart that never forgets. They also have a very strong personality, it is just that they have different ways of showing it. Kagami is more overt and Kuroko covert in his ways.“That from Akashi?” Kagami asks with a frown.“Uh, yeah.” Furihata answers with a shy smile.Kagami cringes and folds his arms over his chest, his well-toned arms in display through his sleeveless jersey.“I don’t like him.” Kagami says with a huff, “He’s…weird.”Furihata huffs a laugh and Kuroko simply sighs. Even if Kagami has known most of Kuroko’s friends before  Furihata did this fact doesn’t necessarily meant the taller male has liked them any better. They have their quirks, Furihata thought to himself.“Since when were you his brother Kagami-kun?” Kuroko says.Kagami scoffs and mutters something under his breath before taking Kuroko’s bag from his hands. It has been like this for quite a while now, maybe they don’t notice it, Furihata thinks, small gestures and seemingly random actions between them had an affectionate tone to it whenever they are with each other.  It is easy to miss but if one would look it is there obvious and almost unbashful.“Come on now, let’s get home.” Kagami says with a sigh and Furihata nods in agreement.The three of them usually wait for each other like this, Furihata could barely remember how this routine began. They’ve had this for as long as they can remember, even despite Kagami got his place as the ace of the basketball team they waited for each other like clockwork, walked together to the same street and see each other off at their stops. Furihata and Kuroko began a small quiet chatter about a new book while Kagami walked close to Kuroko almost pressing the teal haired young man against his shoulder.As they walk towards the gate a fairly powerful wind blows, for some reason Furihata finds himself stopping, the scent of the flowers clutched against his chest flutter in the air and some petals joins and dances to the wind. He blinks and turn his head to wear the petals are blow back to the school yard.“Did it got ruined?” Kuroko asks with a hint of concern for the flowers. “That was…quite a wind.”Kagami nods in agreement but Furihata remains quiet. He stands in his ground wondering the strange feeling he has in his chest.“Something wrong Furi?” Kagami asks.“D-Did uhm, did I forgot anything?” Furihata mutters to himself, perhaps the anxiousness is reminding him something he left back in their classroom or at the library.There is a beat of silence between the three before Kuroko perks up.“Furihata-kun, where’s your lunch bag?”...Furihata curses quietly in his head as he hurries back to the library. There it is, one of the many reasons why he of all people definitely does not deserve someone like the Akashi Seijuuro. He’s a klutz, he’s forgetful and a total mess.He told Kuroko and Kagami to go ahead of him, knowing him he’d probably set his lunchbox somewhere at the back room in the library and by somewhere, he means he had forgotten where exactly. It will definitely take some time and he didn’t want to bother the two like that.As soon as he reaches the library committee room he opens the door and without looking twice he searches the room for his green lunch bag. The room is still slightly bright with the sunset filtering through the windows, the silence is different though. Furihata makes a small cheer as he spots the item by the corner, above a counter with four books besides it. He takes it and sighs in relief, he doesn’t want to inconvenience Kuroko tomorrow with the smell of his spoiled lunch stinking the room if he forgets it.Furihata stands up and turn around to face the door. His steps echoes in the silent room, the air is cool even despite the AC turned off. The sound of his feet is steady until he hears another set of footsteps, he turns rigid and the step doesn’t stop. His eyes widen as he sees the shadow casted by the window behind him gets block by a figure. His breath hitches.His heart stutters, he nervously reaches for the phone inside his pocket.“Do you know anyone named Furihata Kouki?”He gasps hearing a smooth ice cold voice of a girl, his whole body is shaking from fear. He recounted his steps coming in, was there someone in the room before? Was someone here before him? No, impossible he thinks to himself remembering opening the locked door earlier.“Who…who is there?”  Furihata asks in a shaking voice.The brunet hears rustling behind him and another sound of footsteps, much quitter and smaller it seems and he hears a small voice whispering. He trembles even more, scared of this ghost perhaps or some otherworldly apparition. It could be hundreds of things but his mind couldn’t help but supply him the grimmest images from horror movies he’d seen with Kuroko and from Stephen King’s books. His fingers shake and he couldn’t even turn his phone on or unlock the screen.“Answer.” The voice orders making Furihata gasps loudly.Scared and confuse, the brunet turns around. He blinks for a bit with the red light of the sunset behind the figure temporarily blinding him. He raises his hand over his forehead trying to block the light and give himself time to adjust. He is prepared to find no one there but when his eyes recovers his breath is once again catches in his throat, across him stood a little girl perhaps no more than the age of ten, her hair is tied to her back in a ponytail, short bangs right above her well-shaped eyebrows and her eyes glisten against the darkness of the room it was the color of the sunset a beautiful shade of red with speckles of orange. She wears a simple black blouse with a gray ribbon paired with a plaid black skirt.She looks nothing like Furihata had in mind for a ghost, her skin though is white has a healthy shade in it, her cheeks supple and her small lips were the color of rose. Instead of him exclaiming in shock he finds himself frozen, there is a familiar feeling about her. Seconds pass and the girl’s expression changes from stoic to something…like joy? Her eyes brighten, her lips parts.“W-Who are you?” Furihata asks, he shows his phone, “I-I will call the police i-if you don’t tell me who you are!”The figure composes, her eyes regains the steady shade of unnerving red. Her eyebrows furrow and her eyes shift to the bouquet in Furihata is still holding.“We will tell you so if you tell us the answer to our question.”Our? Furihata backs away, he did hear another footstep but where? His eyes scan the room briefly until it falls to her again and he realizes she’s holding a small hand. There standing beside him is a smaller kid press close to her leg, with only half of his face visible to the brunet, her bright red eyes similar to the older kid stares wide at him.“I-I am…I am Furihata Kouki.” He answers, which is maybe not the best thing to do when faced with strangers but he isn’t really the best candidate for lying—not when the smaller of the kid looks terrified like that.The girl nods, her expression softens and there is flicker of relief there that makes Furihata’s heart feel strangely warm.“W-Who are you?”The girl steps forward her features slowly illuminated by the natural light.“My name is Akashi Kiryuu.” She says before putting a hand over the head of the boy beside her, “He is my brother, Akashi Hakuryuu.”“A-Akashi?”She nods.“L-Like uhm, like Akashi Seijuuro?”Furihata is shock to see the change of expression in the little girl’s eyes, her red eyes losses its warmth and it is intense. The brunet couldn’t help but take a step back, it reminds him of Akashi’s eyes when he gave Kagami a very public shovel talk right after meeting him. Though she is small the brunet couldn’t help it.“You have already met him then?” the girl asks.Furihata nods, “Who are you exactly?”The girl doesn’t answer immediately, she kneels and picks up her brother, she carries him brandishing his features on the light and words die in Furihata’s lips. The boy though has the same scarlet hair as the girl had a very obvious case of heterochromia, one is scarlet and another is soft brown with flecks of gold. He lifts his hand to hold his sister and the brunet couldn’t help but notice the bandage wrap in the boy’s small arm.“We’re your kids from another world.” she says in the most stoic and serious tone a child could muster. She steps forward, almost similarly to how would Akashi would when he wants to make an emphasis. Without blinking she looks straight at him.“We come here to make sure you don’t make the same mistake of falling in love with Akashi Seijuuro.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

“Here have some refreshments.”Furihata Emi says as she places two glasses of cold orange juice on the coffee table. She stands straight and looks at two children sitting in the gray couch of their living room. She couldn’t shake the strange feeling that they both look familiar and yet she couldn’t quite place it. The eldest sat with a perfect posture, back straight, shoulders even and chin slightly raise, in contrast the boy beside her clutches to her sleeves, eyes darting around the room with curious eyes. She couldn’t help but worry for both of the kids, especially the boy with the bandages in his arm and a small fading marks of bruises underneath the collar of his white button up.The girl turns her eyes from the drinks then to Emi, her expression softens with a well-rehearsed smile. She bows her head curtly.“Thank you very much, Ma’am.”Emi returns the smile before looking at her son. Furihata sits on the floor with a bouquet of tulips sitting beside him. He is barely out of his uniform which meant that whoever these children are, they are his son’s current priority.“Would you like me to put those flowers in a vase, Kouki?” she asks earning his attention.“Y-Yes, please.” The brunet answers.Emi takes the initiative to get the bouquet and bring them back to the kitchen to get some vase she hid on the cupboard overhead by the sink. As soon as she disappears from his line of sight, he looks up at Kiryuu and Hakuryuu, there is no mistaking their resemblance to Akashi with their eyes and most of their features especially Kiryuu. Everything about her reminds Furihata of the red head, the way she speaks, her gestures and even the way her eyes seem to have perfected this strange unreadable expression.This is in many levels absurd and yet the uncanny way they knew his name, Akashi too then looking so much like the other seems to point the other way. It wasn’t as if he just simply accepted this as fact, there are couple of times he pinched himself to see if he had somehow fallen asleep and is dreaming. He thought it may have been a prank by two bored kids but what would they get from pretending to be his and Akashi’s kid from another world?  “So…you’re here to stop me from liking Akashi-kun?”Kiryuu nods.“If that’s too impossible, then at least eliminate the prospect of marriage.”Furihata almost chokes in his own spit at that, marriage?  Okay, so yes maybe these kids are branding the name Akashi which meant he and Akashi had …been married? But that’s for another world, he thinks, but what about this world, can he see himself that far into their relationship?“O-Okay.” He says fighting off the blush that’s slowly creeping to his cheeks, “Well, maybe in your world some miracle happened and I’m not like…uhm, me. B-But A-Akashi-kun here h-he…uhm surely he doesn’t see me in that light. You can rest assure now and go back. I-I mean, your parents would be looking for you, right?”Kiryuu looks at him for a moment and answers.“They won’t.” she says. She doesn’t elaborate further and simply reaches for one of the glasses and passes it to her brother, she assists him and allows him to take small sips from the cold drink.“L-Look,” Furihata sighs, “I-I’m not good with all of this, I-I can call Akashi-kun. No, I think I need to call him.”“No!” she says in a slightly raised voice. She takes his eyes off his brother and looks at the brunet.“B-But he’s smarter, he can help a-and I mean he’s involve in this two unless this is just some joke and—“Kiryuu shakes her head. She takes the glass of drink from his brother and sets it back to the table.“You’re naïve, mother.” she says in almost a hush voice, “You’ve always been…too kind. But you don’t need him. You don’t need Akashi Seijuuro.”Mother? Furihata blinks, did she just called him mother? He shakes off the thought, this isn’t right though. They’re dictating his life, and surely Akashi can be peculiar sometimes but he isn’t that bad. Yes he can be overprotective especially towards Kuroko but he wasn’t exactly someone to hate.“That is uncalled for.” Furihata says with a frown, “You cannot decide for me.”She doesn’t speak immediately, she looks at him with this unreadable expression. But despite the indifference and coldness she’s been showing him since, there is something underneath it and he sees it flicker whenever she would look at Hakuryuu and it is eerily alike to the way Akashi’s eyes would shine whenever he is in Kuroko’s presence.“I’ve told you. It is enough that you’re already involved with him. I guess that part is inevitable but that should be enough as it is.” she tells him. “Do not let him fool you…with these.”“With what?”She sighs lowering her head for a bit.“Flowers, letters, sweet talks…all of it are just…they’re fake.”“You don’t know what his intentions are. That’s not right to judge him right off—““How can we be wrong? We’re his children.”The words die in his lips, there is dread in her voice that shakes him to the core. It resonates and though it was said with a gentle tone it echoes through the walls of his soul like a cry. He couldn’t ask, a part of him feels this fright from the knowledge making his fingers curl to a fist in his lap. He wants to believe her but none of what he had seen from Akashi has ever seems to show anything close to that.“I…I’m sorry.” Kiryuu mutters. “It’s…been difficult.”Furihata sighs and decides to drop Akashi as a topic, for some reason it is clearly a sore issue for the eldest.“And me?” Furihata asks, “What was I like…there from where you came from I mean.”Kiryuu’s expression changes, this time like the sun peaking from the thick cloudy skies, her small smile is bright.“You were…the best.” She says, “You…I know you love us. We know you do and I…you deserve better than our father.”“You said I am married to Akashi-kun in your world and one of your parents…was I…I mean I’m—““Our mother?” Kiryuu asks wondering if that is what he means and Furihata nods. “You are. In our world some people, they call them omega, regardless of their assigned gender at birth they should be able to conceive. You are…you are that person.”Biological mother, Furihata thought as he looks at both Kiryuu and Hakuryuu, a small smile couldn’t help but escape his lips as he looks at the one brown eye of the youngest. That could explain the color. He wonders if his shyness is also from his otherworld version. A fondness creeps up to his chest at the thought.Despite all of these peculiar matters dumped to him by these two kids looking at them, seeing the shine of wisdom in Kiryuu’s eyes and that small spark of child-like innocence in Hakuryuu, the way they care for each other, he feels pride in his chest. In some sense they are his, and they are undoubtedly the most beautiful things he’s laid his eyes on. The reverence and respect that Kiryuu has when she speaks of him feels genuine and warm but a part of him hurts that despite that, the same cannot be said to the other parent.Their small talk comes to a halt when they hear Emi returning to the living room. She smiles at the three and sets down a plate of biscuits for everyone.“So, is anyone going to tell me what’s going on?” she says in a concerned voice.Kiryuu bows her head meekly. In her memory, the only images of their grandmother Emi is from the photo albums her mother kept secretly in the attic of their manor. In them she always had a gentle smile, always holding their mother in their arms. It is perhaps one of the few things that kept their mother together through those years.“Kouki?” she asks her son. “I don’t mind that you brought friends over but…aren’t they….uhm, they’re not exactly the kinds of friends you usually have so I’m just worried.”Kiryuu looks between the brunet and Emi, the brunet is loss for words which is understandable. Their situation isn’t exactly easy as far as skipping worlds and looking for your mother who haven’t met your father situation can go, even in their own world and time going out and seeking others’ help isn’t exactly simple. Hiding the truth does not seem of their best interest here however telling the truth isn’t the best option either, Kiryuu drums her index finger against her knees thinking.“W-Well uhm,…”“I’m very sorry.” Kiryuu speaks making Furihata turn his brown eyes at her. Emi looks at her as well. “I…my brother and I have nowhere to go and Furihata-san saw us, he is very kind to help us.”“Oh, do you want me to call the police? I mean to escort you home or c-contact your parents?” Emi says hands over her chest in concern.Kiryuu looks down, her expression hidden from the brunet teen. She reminds herself of her mother’s words—you are smart Kiryuu, you can find your way around this.“I…please, please don’t c-call home.” She says as she looks up at Emi. She tries to imitate her mother’s soft tone she remembers well. “There…at home…”“Is there trouble at home?”Kiryuu nods. Emi is quiet for a while before looking at Hakuryuu, her eyes glazes over the bandages on the boy’s arm.“Did…was your brother’s injury caused by that?” Emi asks and Kiryuu nods. “Are your parents fighting?”Kiryuu taps her index finger once against her knee, fighting? Well how can she even answer that?“It’s alright, don’t answer that. Its fine.” Emi says with a sigh. “If we call the police they can help you.”“Our…Dad is…he’s someone…big, police will just give us back to him. They won’t believe us.”Emi looks at Kiryuu, her clothes looks good and so is her younger brother’s. With the way she speaks and presents herself it doesn’t seem too far-fetched that they may be some rich man’s kid. Emi’s heart sinks at the thought, they are far too young to be having this kind of experience, running away to save themselves from a troubled household.“I-It doesn’t have to be forever.” Kiryuu says in a small voice, she looks up at Emi. “J-Just for a while u-until Mother…until Mother is…until she’s better.”“Is she sick?”Kiryuu nods.Emi sighs, “Alright, does she know where you two are?”Kiryuu nods again. Emi couldn’t help but feel bad for the two kids, it would be unwise to just let them leave the house but seeing that they don’t look like lying—if those bandages on the younger’s arm is anything to go by. Domestic abuse, she thought to herself, the boy hasn’t uttered a word since they’ve sat there and it could possibly be a sign of trauma. The lack of interest on playing and exploring the unfamiliar surrounding is also a very telling sign of the disturbance on the kids.“I’m sorry for having to ask you those questions, Kiryuu—yes?”“Yes.”“Alright, you both can stay here.” she says, “I hope you don’t mind staying in Kouki’s room, don’t worry he can sleep on the futon.”Kiryuu smiles a bit.“I…thank you, but is that alright with uhm…Kouki-san?”Furihata couldn’t help but feel strange about the way Kiryuu says his name, there was a tone of uncertainty on the girl’s voice as if she isn’t used to the name itself.“T-That’s fine with me.” Furihata says.For the brunet this is shockingly easy, he didn’t expect this to go this well. He is somehow prepared to insist to his mother to let the two stay, he couldn’t really have them wandering around the streets telling everybody they’re from a world where he managed to conceive two kids with none other than Akashi Seijuuro. That would be very strange headline for the next day.Emi speaks with the two kids explaining house rules and such to the two. They introduce themselves to each other and it looks almost normal. The brunet teen couldn’t help but find his mind wandering back to Emi and Kiryuu’s conversation, he wonders for a brief moment if what she said are the truths of their lives back in their world, did he had a fight with Akashi, is that why they came here to prevent that from happening altogether by making sure they never get together? But if all of it are true then the injury in Hakuryuu’s arm…was it the result of their fight, did he hurt his own child?An unsettling feeling creeps its way to him at the thought of hurting the two kids, even if it is not him now it is still him in some way.He looks at the two and he knows it’s going to be a very long week for him.....Surprisingly the night came and went by pretty much without trouble for Furihata and the two kids. Kiryuu and Hakuryuu resorted to wearing a pair of small yukata that Furihata’s mother had kept all these years, the two didn’t complain. They snuggled on Furihata’s bed while the brunet laid down his futon. By past nine in the evening Kiryuu called and requested for the brunet to read them a book, and so he did, he read them To Kill a Mockingbird and the two fell quietly just on the fourth page of the book.When morning came, Emi served everyone breakfast with Furihata’s father there. The man didn’t ask any questions and simply talked with the kids about what they like and it is almost normal. As soon as his father left for work, Emi handed the teen with several paper bills instructing him to get the kids clothes. It is how they came to be standing in the department store on a Saturday morning.“Don’t you have any preferences?” Furihata asks showing two pair of blouses, one is simple round neck white blouse and the other is a red long sleeves. “Come on, you can choose anything.”Kiryuu tilts her head to the side, one hand holding her younger brother’s. Hakuryuu stares at Furihata while clutching a plush toy in his free arm.“I do not know.” Kiryuu answers flatly. “I’ve never chose clothes for myself.”Furihata sighs, they have been there for almost half an hour and yet he has no luck in finding clothes for the two. Kiryuu and Hakuryuu would simply agree and nod their head at whatever Furihata presents them, a jumper, a denim pants, a statement shirt, a dress and slacks. He didn’t want them to wear anything they didn’t like or feel comfortable in, that’s usually how people are but then—“You have to choose though.”“But you are our guardian, shouldn’t it be your decision whatever we receive?”Furihata shakes his head.“No, that’s not how that works.” He tells her as he places back the clothes in the rack. “Guardians aren’t there to control every bit of your movement, they don’t get to tell you what you like.”Kiryuu is quiet for a while, she purses her lips for a while before weakly lifting her finger and pointing at a pink sweater behind Furihata with a lone strawberry printed right in the middle.“I like…strawberry.” She says in a small voice.She feels heat creep up her cheeks, babies that’s what he called her for the things she likes. Someone like her is supposed to be elegant, strong and fierce, people like her didn’t like pink and strawberries but she really liked them. She isn’t used to being allowed to say the things that she likes, the small and petty stuff. She braces herself for a scoff or a mock but it doesn’t come, she looks up and finds Furihata taking the sweater off the rack and inspecting it.He looks at her and at the sweater before a bright and genuine smile escapes his lips.“Yep, I think it definitely looks cute on you!” Furihata says as she stash the first article of clothes in their cart. “See, it’s not that hard, right?”Kiryuu nods sheepishly, ah she forgot she tells herself as Furihata turns around explaining something with that big smile, of course it’s different…after all, their father isn’t here.The rest came easier, Kiryuu helps Hakuryuu choose his clothes. They had a dress for Kiryuu, and two pair of denim pants, a sweater, and two shirts and one black turtle neck longsleeves, for Hakuryuu they bought him a two pairs of shorts, one in black and the other in khaki, then a zip up hooded jacket with red sleeves, three comfortable shirts in white and black. The short trip almost seem to cause the two kids to warm up to Furihata almost instantly, Hakuryuu asked to be carried which surprised his sister but Furihata kindly complies.The boy remains quiet but he now seem to communicate with Furihata directly, tapping his shoulder every now and then and pointing at something he likes. Kiryuu would confidently tell the brunet too if she likes or dislikes the color or design of the clothes which in the teen’s opinion is quite an improvement from where they began hours earlier.“Ah!”Furihaata’s eyes widen as he heard Kiryuu’s exclamation, he turns to his side and finds the girl frowning at the sight of her untied shoelaces. Furihata expected that she would be calling him to wait so she can lace them back but she doesn’t. She stares at it with a frown.“It’s…untied.”Furihata chuckles, “Yes we can see that Kiryuu, why don’t you lace them back so we can go back. We haven’t gotten you any shoes now that I think about it.”Kiryuu looks up at him with lips puckered to a cute pout, cheeks red from embarrassment.“I…I don’t know how. A-Am I…was I supposed to know that too?”Furihata chuckles, apparently, wherever the kids came from they were pretty much this sheltered. It couldn’t be helped he thinks as he sets Hakuryuu down on the ground.“Wait up, I’ll just teach your sister how to tie laces, alright?” Furihata tells Hakuryuu who merely stares at him mutely.Furihata begins to explain to Kiryuu how to fix her shoelaces in a very tender and patient tone. He remembers how his mother taught him to do it as well. It is a fond memory after all. As soon as he finishes he hears an amuse wow from the little girl, the mask of uptight maturity fades to a pure childlike expression of glee and charm. Furihata couldn’t help but smile.She brandish her newly laced shoe with a grin, a very beautiful toothy grin.“I’ll try to do it once we get back!” she says, “I think I understand your instructions well.”Furihata chuckles and reaches to put a hand on her head.“Well I’ll teach you as long as it takes.”She nods happily. Furihata turns around to take Hakuryuu back to his arms. His eyes widen and he finds no one there just the wide expanse of the aisle and hallways of the department store no red haired five years old in sight.His heart hammers loudly in his chest.Where is Hakuryuu?...Midorima groans out loud he makes sure his companion hears his displeasure but it doesn’t seem to have an effect as Akashi continues to rummage through the rack of clothes. He should be asleep at this time, he was reading up until almost one in the morning finishing his paper for their class in microbiology but then Akashi thought it is a good call to drag him out of bed at 7 in the morning and take him to a department store to shop normal  and casual clothes for his surprise visit to his crush. It is infuriating.Akashi is infuriating all on his own, he has knacks for dramatics but all of that goes up the notch upon meeting that brunet friend and classmate of his dear cousin. To be truthful, Midorima doesn’t know what exactly Akashi saw in the brunet, the first time the two met they barely spoke a word to each other but Akashi insisted it was love at first sight, whatever the hell that means. Since then, the red head had gone through lengths to get the brunet to notice him, from getting his number, visiting him in the mask of visiting his cousin but actually just wanting to see the brunet, to getting him flowers and now dressing up.“Why do you even have to buy clothes from here?” Midorima asks knowing the red head could buy clothes without stepping out of his house through his personal stylists and all those fancy clothing stores that gives him clothes for free. “This is…this is a local department store for normal people.”Akashi ignores him and simply looks through the rack.“I do not wish to stand out when I am with him.” Akashi says simply.“You always stand out.” Midorima replies.“I heard as well that this is where Kuroko and his…his friend would go and select clothes.” Akashi says, “And Kouki seems to like those style.”“It will look ridiculous on you.” Midorima tells him. “These isn’t…you.”Akashi stops, hands midway of getting a shirt off the rack. He turns around finally to look at Midorima.“Unlike me?”Midorima sighs.“Yes.”There is a pause, Akashi crosses his arms over his chest thinking. Now that the other pointed it out, he does remembers that Furihata told him once that he likes him best as himself which ultimately brings out a soft smile to his lips. It is what he likes about the brunet best, a lot of people had seen only his good side, the heir to the Akashi Corporation, the star student of Rakuzan High School, the mild mannered, polite, and confident Akashi Seijuuro and they liked that. They liked the fake him but Furihata met him in another way, he met him when he was just the cousin of Kuroko Tetsuya, the impulsive, stabby and incomprehensible Akashi Seijuuro but he didn’t hurried to ran the other way.Furihata looked at him in the eyes and stared right back to the Akashi that had flaws, the him who was ill tempered and reckless but he took him still. He smiled at him with the kindest and most genuine smile he had seen since his mother. He calmly accepted his friendship, his patience to him is just…it is fresh and just pleasant.He had never asked for him to be anything but himself and it does things to his fragile and starving heart, so sue if he simply wants to make the other feel wanted and appreciated because he deserves that. He deserves this effort.“Right.” Akashi says in a quiet voice.Akashi almost trip on his own feet when he feels a something bumps against him. He looks around and his eyes widen as he finds a boy on the floor who fell on his bottom from bumping from him.“Are you alright kid?” Midorima asks the boy.The child looks up and his mismatched eyes met Akashi’s own mismatched eyes. The boy freezes, eyes wide and his small body begin to shake, his mouth gapes....“…Fa…ther?”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Panic, Akashi notes as he finds the boy sitting on the floor right in front of him shake like a leaf. His eyes are wide and breaming with tears. It doesn’t take too long before the child begins to hyperventilate which also sends a wave of alarm to the older red head. He steps back unsure of what to do, did he say something, or do something to cause this? No. Surely he doesn’t recall saying anything before the child bumped into him.“He’s lost.” Midorima says looking around and hoping to find a parent seemingly looking for something but he finds none. “Surely he didn’t come here on his own.”Akashi would reply something about how that would be a very obvious scenario but his eyes is glued to the boy in front of him. He hasn’t moved since, he thought, his eyes are still staring at Akashi as if he had seen Death.To be fair, the red head isn’t new to people getting scarred of his presence. In some occasions he deliberately allow people to fear him. In his experience in the business industry filled with lying and opportunistic adults, fear and respect goes hand in hand. It proved its benefit but really, it isn’t always that pleasant and good. For one, he thinks making children fear you is petty unfortunately though apparently he’s become what he hates.“Calm down.” Akashi tells the obviously panicking boy, as soon as the words left his lips he felt silly. Surely no has actually calmed down upon being told to do so. He tries again. “Are you alright?”The boy skitters away still on the floor, he doesn’t take his eyes off him almost like how a prey would watch a predator as it approaches it. Unconsciously the boy’s apprehension makes the red head frown which he discovers isn’t a good move as the boy gasps and begins to tear up.“He hates you.” Midorima says nonchalantly. “Come on, just leave him alone. Could be just some kid playing around an and you are just scaring the poor child.Hate, the word is strong and for some reason it made something in him ache. Tears stream down the boy’s cheek but he doesn’t make a sound, he doesn’t hiccup or sob loudly like most children his age would. Akashi couldn’t help but stare and observe.Akashi takes a step and the boy moves away again but just like then he doesn’t call for help or cry out loud despite the fat tears streaming down his face. The child moves away until his back collides against a divider, he gasps soundlessly looking behind him before turning back at Akashi with fearful eyes. Akashi approaches closer until they were two feet away.“Hi, I’m very sorry I scarred you.” Akashi says trying his best to use his calmest and most even tone.The red head almost feels a weight lifts off his chest when he finds the boy blink for the first time, his big wide eyes full of fear softens even for a bit though his body is still shaking. Small steps, he tells himself. He reminds himself of the people who would have known what to do in this situation, Kuroko for one but his soothing and perpetually calm demeanour is something innate, he couldn’t possibly use him as reference. He shakes the thought away and his mind supplies him with another image, a brunet with a tender smile. Furihata. Furihata would have known what to do in this situation.What would Furihata do?Smile.Yes, the brunet always told him that he looks very approachable when he is smile and smiles are something children always seem to take as a sign of fondness. Akashi reminds himself of things that would make him happy, and he smiles for the boy, a small but genuine smile.“We’re not going to hurt you.” Akashi repeats and this time the boy uncurls from his position, his hands loosen from a fist to a more relax state. “Are you lost?”The boy stares.“Does he even talk?” Midorima asks.“I heard him speak earlier, just a whisper but I heard it.” Akashi says to his friend before returning to his one sided conversation to the boy. “We just want to help.”Brown and red eyes shift its gaze from Akashi to Midorima then back at the red head. Suspicion and mistrust laced his young eyes which is a very surprising thing, children weren’t known for being too keen. Parents often accompany their children in fear for their children’s trusting nature but this child isn’t like that and Akashi knew because possibly this is how he was as a child.“…No…no hurt?”Akashi blinks, he almost misses him speak, he barely saw his lips move but the boy raises his small head and repeats his question.“Not…hurt?”“No. We will find your guardian or parent, we’ll go see the security to help you if that’s okay.”“P-Pa…rent?”“Yes, your mothe—““Mother?”“Yes.”The boy eyes him for a brief moment, he remains at the corner. Midorima couldn’t help but to think that if the child there it is possible that he will never move from that spot. His lips twitch as he takes in the sight now, he crosses his arms over his chest as Akashi remains still. Red hair, heterochromia and that heavy case of stubbornness laced with mistrust, it is almost as if he is seeing Akashi in his days as a child.However amusing the sight however escapes Akashi’s attention due to the distress of the child across him. It usually doesn’t bother the red head but something about the way the boy seems to panic makes him feel guilty to simply leave and turn the other way around.“It’s alright.” Akashi says with a gentle tone kneels in one knee not minding the dirt that will get in his pants.He watches as the child’s eyes soften even more at the gesture. Furihata would tell him those words whenever he would have a particularly bad day, he would call and he’d hear him say that it would be alright and he’d be able to believe it. He allows the memory to warm him and it reflects in his smile which doesn’t go unnoticed from the boy across him.The boy moves from his corner which surprise Midorima, he shifts his eyes at his friend wondering since when did he learn to soothe crying and panicking children. He shakes the thought off his mind, the important thing is that the child is now standing up.“What’s your name?” Midorima asks.The boy is quiet for a moment, Akashi couldn’t help but find the small pout of his lips adorable as he tries to phrase his words. Though the boy is still standing a good four feet away from him, this is a massive improvement that the child cowering in the corner.“…Ryuu. Ha…ku..ryuu.” he says in a raspy voice.Akashi opens his mouth to say something but he doesn’t know what to do next, does he introduce himself too? But those are often adults kinds of introduction, this isn’t that.“Good job.” He finds himself saying and that earns him a shocked expression from Hakuryuu.“…Good?”Midorima is about to say something when the usual music of the department store stops and is interrupted by a sound of a soft bell followed by an announcement.
“Looking for a lost boy, five years old, red hair with heterochromia, wearing a gray shirt and dark pant.  If found or spotted please report to the customer service immediately. Once again, looking for a lost boy, five years old, red hair with heterochormia, wearing gray shirt and dark pants. If found or spotted please report to the customer service immediately.”
“That must be his parents.” Midorima says.Akashi nods and reaches out a hand at the boy.“Well why don’t we go see your parents then?”....“Please calm down.”Kiryuu turns her head back at Furihata, she couldn’t help but frown and feel bad for the brunet. She should have known better than to peel her eyes off her brother. Despite everything he is still just a five years old boy. It wasn’t the brunet’s fault truthfully and yet he obviously blames himself.“Are you telling yourself to calm down?” Kiryuu asks the brunet as she sat beside him next to the customer service booth.The brunet is a mess, he is sweating, he’s scared, panicked and anxious. His legs are shaking and his hands trembles against the tissue box he was given by one of the saleslady who saw them earlier looking for Hakuryuu. It hasn’t been even been a whole day that he’s with the two and he already lost the youngest. He looks at Kiryuu who is clearly worried but is obviously handling it way better than him.“I…I’m the worst.” He mutters to himself.“I know people who are worse.” Kiryuu says, “You’re not one.”“You’re biased because you’re my kid.”Kiryuu’s eyes widen, she turns her head to look at Furihata who now anxiously watches every single family with a boy with them. she wonders if he had noticed that he admitted their blood relation, it would be understandable if he would see them as an outsider as that is a fact. In this world Kiryuu and her brother may never exist yet Furihata saw them as his…perhaps care too like they are truly his.Furihata curses under his breath but not loud enough for Kiryuu to hear. Has parenting always been this hard, he wonders, did his mother and father had this kind of crisis when they had him and his siblings?Tears begin to form in the corner of his eyes as his mind supplies the worst case scenarios. He hugs the box of tissue closer to his chest not minding the looks he’s receiving from other customers passing by the booth. He closes his eyes trying to control his breathing, he wouldn’t be able to forgive himself if harm comes to Hakuryuu, he thought.“Excuse me?”The brunet opens his tear stained eyes as he hears an unfamiliar voice, he finds a tall saleslady standing in front of him, her hair pulled to a neat bun and her uniform crease free. She smiles comfortingly to him.“We think we found your nephew Furihata-san.” She says, she takes a step back revealing two figures walking towards them.“Oh my.” Furihata exclaims as he runs to meet Hakuryuu half way.The boy frees himself from the hold of the man with him and launches himself to Furihata’s arms. Furihata embraces him tightly and the boy begins to cry in his arms perhaps in relief. He carries him and looks up at the man who found his son.“Well hello there Furihata.” Midorima says with a blank expression.“M-Midorima-san!” Furihata exclaims in disbelief. “H-How…”“Save your thanks if that’s what you’re planning to do.” The bespectacled green eyed teen tells him with a sigh.Furihata remembers him, Midorima Shintaro is one of Kuroko’s friends from his former middle school. He isn’t exactly close to Kuroko or that’s what he would say, but he is one of the few people the teal head respects and trusts. Apparently he is also Akashi Seijuuro’s childhood friend as they used to live in the same block when they were young up until middle school.Surprise doesn’t begin to explain what the green haired teen is feeling at the moment. This is a situation one could only describe as absurd.First, upon finally getting the lost kid to trust them enough to take him to the customer service booth Akashi gets a call from his father and apparently it is urgent, so urgent that he leaves the task of getting the boy to the booth to Midorima. He expected Hakuryuu to act skittish and cautious around him just like how he seem with Akashi but he actually follows him all too quickly. He doesn’t shake or stare at him like he had grown another pair of limb on his forehead like he would to Akashi. And now, he stands there in the booth staring at the relative of the boy who looks like a mini version of his friend, and this relative is no other than the boy he’s friend is crushing onto.Yey, he cheers sarcastically to himself.Who would have thought that Furihata Kouki would have a relative who looks like a compact version Akashi Seijuuro ?In some odd twist he isn’t done thinking yet when he finds another mini version of Akashi approaching them but this time it’s a girl. She looks at Midorima with the same confidence and intensity as Akashi would in a typical day.“Were you the one who found my brother, Mister?” Kiryuu asks Midorima.Brother, oh that makes sense now…or not.“T-They’re uhm siblings.” Furihata says as he rubs a soothing hand on Hakuryuu’s back. The boy keeps snuggling close to him; the brunet could feel tremors in wracking his small form.Midorima raises an eyebrow.“And you’re related to them how?”“Uhm…nephew a-and niece.” Furihata says with a squeeze in his tone. It doesn’t sound convincing in his ear. Midorima doesn’t seem convinced either but doesn’t call him out on it thankfully, instead he simoly stares at him with a look of obvious I don’t believe you but I have no choice. “B-By the way, thank you f-for finding Hakuryuu.”Midorima stares again for a while, he watches as Kiryuu moves to Furihata’s side and grabs the hem of his shirt watching the scene unfold her before her scarlet eyes. It is almost frighteningly alike Akashi’s that it sends shivers down his spine. He thought Hakuryuu already look like Akashi but the girl is more like Akashi’s photocopy.He looks back up at Furihata who bounces Hakuryuu in his arms, the scene has a domestic feel to it which is peculiar…or maybe not since they’re related. However their relation doesn’t seem to answer his internal question as to how can Furihata have two relatives who looks exactly like Akashi Seijuuro?  Coincidence, perhaps?“It wasn’t me.” Midorima says.“O-Oh, uh…” Furihata trails unsure what to say.“Akashi saw him but he had to go, so he left the kid to me to bring him here when we heard the announcement.”“What?” Two voices says in unison, one in a confuse tone which came from the brunet teen and the other a raised shock tone coming from Kiryuu. Midorima raises an eyebrow at the girl.“P-Please d-don’t mind her.” Furihata says in panic, he reaches for her and pulls her to his back. “U-Uhm, why is Akashi-kun here?”Midorima debates whether he should tell him or not that his best friend went all the way from Kyoto to Tokyo to shop at this department store for this brunet.“What did he do to Hakuryuu?!” Kiryuu asks out loud making Midorima stop in his train of thoughts. “I-If I find out he harmed him in anyway I—““Kiryuu!” Furihata exclaims in shock. He turns to Midorima, “I-I apologize, she’s very over protective of her younger brother. T-They’ve been through a lot.”Midorima shrugs, that’s understandable however what he doesn’t understand is the flaming red hot anger radiating from the small girl besides Furihata, her eyes were very menacing for a small girl.“Its fine.” Midorima says. “It’s understandable. He’s quite…an anxious mess to say the least.”“He…he is.” Furihata says, it is however understandable he tells himself.He bit his lower lip, wondering if Akashi had notice their similarity, did Hakuryuu tell him, did the boy recognized Akashi? He presses the child closer to himself feeling somehow protective of him. Kiryuu clearly stated something unpleasant happening back in their world that involved the red head, he wonders if Hakuryuu’s anxiousness is triggered by meeting the other so unpredictably.“…home.” Hakuryuu whispers to Furihata.The brunet’s heart melts at the sound of the boy’s small pleading voice laced with exhaustion. He bounces him in his arm and runs a soothing hand in his back.“We will.” He tells him before looking back at Midorima and bowing his head. “I-I have to take them home now, I-I’m very sorry.”“Yes. I think that’s wise, that boy looks fatigued.”Furihata smiles and thanks the other for understanding before holding out his hand for Kiryuu and letting her hold it. He sends his thanks to the staff of the booth as well before bidding them good bye. He walks away and Midorima watches them go. Hakuryuu who is perched on Furihata’s arms lifts his head from the brunet’s shoulder. He looks up to him with his dual colored eyes and waves him goodbye.It is cute, he tells himself, if only he doesn’t look so much like his childhood friend.He pulls out his phone snaps a picture, he doesn’t think twice and sends it to Akashi with a message attached to it.
“Did you somehow forget to mention to me that you have a son and daughter to Furihata Kouki?”

.

.

.

“Come now.”

Hakuryuu gasped feeling a big and hot hand wrapped around his small wrist. He looks up and dual colored eyes almost similar to his stared down at him, gold and red glared down at him. Before he could ask or form any words he felt him tugged him upward. The process caused him to knock the tower blocks he made.

The commotion caused a brunet to emerge from his post in the kitchen, Hakuryuu turns to him and a silent plead escapes his eyes. Alarm quickly fills the omega’s expression.

“W-What are you doing?” he asked in a small voice.

“None of your business, omega.” The man of the house said in a firm tone. He pulled his son to him. “Come now, walk child. You have no time for idle things.”

“A-Akashi-san, but he’s only five!”

“He is already five.” The man replied. “Do not lump him with the others, he is unlike them. He does not need…this. These are just distractions, he is far more than that.”

“Please, A-Akashi-san! Hakuryuu is still a boy!”

Hakuryuu knew his mother should stop by now, he stands up and tugs his father’s hand to tell him he’s ready to go. At this point there is no use, he knew he would only find his mother hurt with his stubbornness, whenever he tries to get in his way he would hurt him. The thought made his heart clench. He is always kind, but sometimes he fears for that kindness.

He hears his voice and the sound of her feet across the polished floorboards, he turns and he finds him running towards him saying something to his father. He doesn’t stop even when his father’s expression changed, it grew dark.

“No!” Hakuryuu exclaims.

The brunet walks up to them and reaches to the boy but before he could touch his son a loud slap echoes in the room. With wide eyes, he watches as he stepped back losing his balance, however instead of giving up his mother tried to push back. It was silly he knew it, his father is a strong alpha, one of the most powerful man known to Japan but his mother…he loves him, him and Kiryuu so  much it physically hurts her. He watched unable to do anything as his father grabs him by the neck and he hears him gasps for oxygen and then he hears the loud sound of his mother’s body thrown across the room and hitting the corner of the counter.

“Mother!” Hakuryuu cried and everything felt freezing and hot at the same time.

He remembered seeing red, he remembered the sound of his cackling of the floorboards burning and the icy scent of frost. He cries so loud it drowns everything else. His eyes watch as the blood slowly drips from the side of his mother’s head. The tears spill down his face but even them freezes. He wondered if hell felt like this?

.

.

.
“Mother?”Hakuryuu opens his eyes and he could feel the fabric clutched against his grip, he feels the comforting warmth wrap around him like a sweet blanket. It doesn’t take a long while before can realize he is in Furihata’s arms. He is back to reality. His embrace felt familiar and kind like everything he does. He stirs a bit wriggling to get to a comfortable position and he hears him chuckle. He can hear the faint sound of his sister humming somewhere near them.“Tired?” Furihata asks.“Uh-huh…”“I’m sorry about what happened.” Furihata says and puts a gentle hand on his chest.“…Mother….”“Hm?”“…Don’t leave me with Father...I'll be good.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

“I’ve always wanted a sibling.” Kuroko says as he watches the five years old boy draw on a sheet of paper using different colored crayons.The teal haired teen hears his brunet friend chuckles beside him as he ties the older kid’s hair to a braid. Earlier just after lunch, Furihata’s mother comes to their school with two red head children. Apparently she got an emergency call to her work and won’t be able to watch the kids for a while, she hope the school could excuse the kids for a while and allow the brunet to look after them even for a while assuring them that it will only for this day. The good natured school director allows it saying he understood as someone who also took care of two kids when he was very young.The kids are well behaved, Kuroko notes as Furihata took them earlier with him at the class after lunch. They sat quietly in the corner, the older reading and the younger sitting on Furihata’s lap and just about listening. They barely made a fuss which is quite adorable, but he guess all kids are adorable. However, despite their cute features, Kuroko couldn’t help but look at their eyes and hair. Since when did Furihata have relatives with red hair and eyes?Kiryuu and Hakuryuu, Kuroko recites in his head, it seems quite…extravagant names but he couldn’t say they didn’t fit them. They look like someone from quite a good upstanding in life which is peculiar as well as Furihata never mentioned having known someone of that, all the more a relative. Maybe he had missed, or perhaps he simply wasn’t aware?The older Kiryuu, almost eerily looks familiar and yet he couldn’t entirely say that it is due to the similar glow the girl had in her eyes like his brunet friend whenever they would smile. There is something else he couldn’t quite put his finger on. The younger however is more quiet than the other, Kuroko could count on his fingers how many times the kid has spoken since arriving there. And though he has similar eyes and hair as the older, there is an image of unblemished innocence in his features that he could see clearly resembles that of the brunet.“How long will be staying with your family Furihata-kun?” Kuroko asks.“Eh…uhm, u-until uhm…”“Our Mother is sick.” Kiryuu says knowing the brunet may not remember exactly what lie she concocted.“Oh.” Kuroko replies. “I’m very sorry to hear that. I hope your mother gets well.”Kiryuu remains quiet as Furihata finishes braiding her hair. Kuroko couldn’t help but look, though the child looks uptight to others, she is very sweet and fond of the brunet. The same goes for the younger of the two.“You seem close.” Kuroko notes.“Uhm, ye-yeah, I mean we’re relatives after all.” Furihata answers awkwardly.“I see.” Kuroko says as he looks back at the book in his hand. “It’s just that you didn’t mention them before and we’ve never seen them before.”Kiryuu looks up from her seat, she watches the teal haired teen as his eyes flicker from the book and back at Kiryuu’s eyes. They stay like that for a moment and the red head girl notice something in them a gleam of…interest? Did he notice, does he know something, she wonders.“Well I…it’s just, we didn’t know too. It was very sudden.” Furihata tells him as he finishes the girl’s braid. He looks at his work and smiles with glee, he spent hours watching videos online on how to tie long hair and it is honestly worth it seeing his daughter look like the princess she is. Kiryuu reaches to the back of her head tracing the braid there and turning to the brunet and flashing with a smile.“Do I look well?”“Like a princess.” Furihata says with proud grin.She chuckles and gets off the chair. She pushes it back to its place and spins around showing off her French braided hair. Kuroko couldn’t help but smile as well, he likes kids and this is why. They are very simple and always kind.“Can I show my hair to Kagami-san?” Kiryuu asks to both Kuroko and Furihata.Furihata laughs, for some reason the little girl has taken quite the fascination to the towering red haired basketball player as soon the other told her of some of his stories of their matches. Kiryuu is somehow thoroughly convinced that Kagami is the best basketball player she has ever met after just a few chat. Kuroko didn’t help much as he seems to fan the flame of the other’s stories telling how the red head beat the so called Generation of Miracles in several of their practice and official games.“Well they’re at practice today.” Furihata says.“I’m sure a little break won’t be bad.” Kuroko says fondly which makes Kiryuu’s eyes sparkle with delight. Kuroko notes how he looks oddly like Furihata whenever she looks happy. “Would you like us to walk you there?”“I won’t be long.” Kiryuu says with an excited smile. “Can I?”Furihata sighs and nods.“Do you know your way?”“Uh-huh!”Furihata chuckles and gives his approval. He reaches to the girls’ head and she chuckles.“Alright, just don’t make any detour. If you get lost just go back here and we’ll take you there.”“I won’t.” she says proudly. She bounces on the heels of her feet with excitement.  “Can I play there too, just for a while, I-I won’t get away I promise!”“I’m sure you won’t.” Kuroko says.Furihata nods and just gives her his yes. She squeals with delight before rushing out of the library as fast as she can without running. Hakuryuu looks up finally from his paper to watch his sister leaving.“Kiryuu went off to show Kagami his hair. It’s okay, we’re here.” Furihata tells the younger of the siblings. The boy looks up at him for a moment before nodding in understanding.The younger boy begins to draw again, and Kuroko couldn’t help but look at the crude drawing. He finds a house in the side, and four figures. The teal head blinks, could it be their family? The tallest figure has a lines over his circular head which he could only guess are the man’s hair, and on his hands are red lines as well. Kuroko tilts his head to the side…blood or…is that…fire? In the middle are two smaller figures, both have red head too, the other has twin tails and the other doesn’t. Beside them is another figure with brown lines over the head but instead of a smile they all wear a straight line for their lips.“He’s very quiet.” Kuroko notes.“Uh…yeah.” Furihata says in quiet voice. “Kiryuu said that Hakuryuu’s been like this since she can remember. As far as I can tell he’s more advance than most kid in almost everything except speaking. Kiryuu said Hakuryuu only began speaking at the age of four.”“That’s…a bit delayed.”Furihata nods in agreement. After hearing the boy speak for the first time, he found himself curious at why the child has not spoken to him until then. Kiryuu explained to him as much as a child her age is can. She revealed that though Hakuryuu had a normal if not advance speaking until he was one and a half years old, he stopped speaking before reaching the age of two. The boy refused to speak since, unless when crying. It wasn’t until he was four that he began speaking again but only by a few words and incomplete sentences only to their mother.He couldn’t really tell if he should be alarmed or not, he’s smart and obviously can understand most verbal and auditory signals. He responds to it but just not often verbally.Kuroko looks at the boy, the pause from the brunet makes him feel a bit suspicious. Could it be speech delay, that could make sense but it’s too vague to assume. Kuroko tilts his head to the side and realizes the amount of time they’ve spent there and he realizes that for once Hakuryuu has not left his seat looked at other people or was even interested in anything else but his crayons and papers.“He’s a good artist.” Furihata says looking at the boy.Kuroko contemplates his wording, he opens his mouth to speak but for a moment no voice escapes and he closes them again.“He’s not…like his sister is he?”Furihata nods seeing nothing wrong with the other’s question. It is obvious that the two are very different from each other, Kiryuu after warming up to Furihata had become more interactive to Furihata, his family and others however Hakuryuu is a different case. He is extremely clingy to either Furihata if Kiryuu is busy. He refuses to be away from him if possible without his sister.“He’s a bit a loner.” Furihata says, “Maybe he’s shy.”“Kids his age should be extremely friendly.” Kuroko says. “It’s…a developmental milestone. It’s a skill they need in their later life, even shy kids makes friends.”Furihata blinks.“What are you implying Kuroko?”“…is there a possibility that he’s abused?”The words said in Kuroko’s monotonous voice feels like a bucket of icy water splashed over his head. Furihata freezes in his spot, his chest tighten at the thought and the images of Hakuryuu and his bandages. He remembers his mother dressing some of them and one of them in his left upper arm is a very obvious burn mark.Abuse, the word made it hard to swallow. Were his kids…were they abused, was it…was it by him or Akashi? Both prospect made his head spin and his hands tremble.“I’m sorry.” Kuroko says pressing his lips to a tight line, “It is just quite strange for a child not to play and withdraw like this.”Furihata nods understanding the other’s concern but now it cannot be removed off his head. Is this why they came here to prevent him and Akashi getting together? Is it possible that they’re simply not meant to be as they are meant to be each other’s demise?“I…I guess I’ve never thought it.” Furihata mutters in defeat.How can he not have seen that? The pieces somehow begin to stick itself together, is that why Hakuryuu is reluctant of other people’s touches? He had not seen him speak to others as well aside from him and Kiryuu, and even posed with the opportunity to play he doesn’t go for it which is rare case for children. Kiryuu never discussed to him the origins of Hakuryuu’s wounds and Furihata simply assumed it was some accident which possibly be related to why Kiryuu said their mother is in the hospital.Silence fell between the three of them, Kuroko almost regrets saying anything. It is not right to put up that especially having not known anything about either the kids or their parents but he couldn’t shake off the signals flaring in his mind. It doesn’t help that both the kids looks very familiar.“…Maybe he’s simply not given the opportunity to play.” Kuroko says before turning to look at Hakuryuu. “Would you like to watch a basketball game?”The little boy looks up from his work to Kuroko, he furrows his eyebrows almost as if contemplating the teal head’s question. After a few moments he looks back at Furihata with a questioning look.“Basketball…” he repeats in a soft voice. “Can I?”Furihata smiles, “Alright we’ll go watch the game with your sister. We’ll finish up here.”The boy’s eyes widen and for the first time Kuroko saw the blank eyes filled with glee. The boy nods and quickly collects his crayons back to the box. The two teens watch in fascination as Hakuryuu cleans the table himself before hoping down the chair.“Not angry?”“No.” Furihata says with a kind smile. “You sure you wanna watch a basketball game?”The boy nods again.“Play! I can play?”Kuroko nods at the impressionable child. He gets off his seat and lowers himself to his level.“Yes, you can play after their practice. I’m sure they’ll be very glad to have you in the team.”The boy’s big red eyes blinks at Kuroko before his lips breaks into a smile, it is not a toothy smile like Kiryuu would but a smaller one a reserve smile that strikes Kuroko. He finds himself unable to move as his mind begins to process the image in front of him. Sweet red rose colored irises, soft scarlet hair that seems to slightly brush the shade or blood orange when the glow of sun kisses the locks and his small smile. Of course, he thinks to himself as the boy turn his back away from him and follow Furihata like a chick to its mother hen, he would find his looks familiar after all, his cousin looked like this when he was at this age and it was the first time he met him.But it can’t be.Kuroko looks where the two are behind a counter at the far back of the library, it couldn’t possibly that his dear cousin had a child that age, right?....“Seijuuro.”Red irises lifts up to his father’s. The man across the dinner table has stopped eating, his aging features void of any obvious expression. Even despite the years he’s been with the man he has yet to guess what goes in his mind with his stoic expression. The man sighs and folds his hands over the table watching him mildly.“I apologize.” Akashi immediately supplies despite not knowing whatever he must be saying prior. “I did not intend to space out.”“Are you feeling unwell?”The question stings the red head. He presses his lips together, his fingers trembles a bit against the linen of the table. It was not an easy fit for him to admit his troubles, especially letting his father know of it. Since his mother’s passing it had become difficult to both him and his father to face the days ahead. He couldn’t truly blame him, he loved her and surely it is the same if not more for his father. And though his actions were intolerable after that, he understood him as he was as broken as he is.His desire to have his affection and approval drove him to a seek perfection to the point of fault. His hunger for excellence became poison and soon it drove people away from him, his cousin and even his friends. It didn’t occur to him however, his temperament, his superiority complex and his growing obsession with triumph and everyone else who turned their back from him he didn’t felt the dread but instead saw it as a sign of betrayal, abandonment which resulted for him to resent others.It took Kuroko leaving and going to Tokyo to study for him to mildly wake up from the haze of his own faults. It took him to meet him in a practice match between Seirin’s basketball team and Rakuzan to realize how far his cousin had gone from him when he saw him cheering for the towering red head. The first meeting was less than pleasant, as Akashi could remember but almost losing it and stabbing the said man in the eye by simply looking his way had him realize the danger he posed not only to himself but to others.However, it wasn’t exactly that time that bought him to the door of a psychiatrist.It was him. Furihata Kouki. He remembered the poor guy almost turned to a puddle of goo after seeing him almost stab his friend which to be fair isn’t the best way to make yourself known. The boy despite being a nervous wreck upon their first meeting had been kind to him and surprisingly understanding. Even for the short while that he was in the other’s side he had felt a sense of security and content he hasn’t felt since his mother passed.He didn’t felt as if he needed to be right about everything, calm and perfect, he felt like someone is looking at him for the first time and he didn’t want to be someone who would hurt him. He knew it was bound to happen if he does not accept the fact that there is something that needs to be looked into in him.He truly wants to improve his relationship to the brunet and possibly have his heart in the future if the other allows it, and being a kind and gentle soul that the brunet is, it is only right he deserves a better version of him. After all it is not the brunet’s job to fix him.“No.” Akashi answers after a while. He sighs, communication, that’s what his therapist told him when it comes to his relationships. He needs to communicate. “I have met a child a few days ago, somehow I couldn’t help but worry for him.”“Is it a child of someone you know?” his father asks.“No…not that I am aware of.” Akashi tells him.He is quiet for a while, remembering the aftermath of that trip. After meeting his father then he finds himself staring at the image Midorima sent him along with his message. It isn’t difficult to understand from the message that for a very strange coincident, the child whom reminds him of himself is under the care of Furihata Kouki and not just one but two. The implications the other put there could be passed on as a joke but Akashi’s mind supplies other ideas such as the brunet having children from a young lady with red hair and perhaps red eyes like him, another part of him also calls to the fact that would be impossible the brunet is too young to sire children at that age. There is a bigger likelihood of the children as a relative of the brunet.“That boy, Tetsuya’s friend from Tokyo, perhaps he is rubbing off you.”Akashi frowns, his mood is not good and hearing his father speak of the brunet didn’t help. He looks up at him and shoots him a silent glare but before Akashi could speak the older man beats him to it.“In a good way he has been influencing you to care for others.” The man adds before taking a sip of his wine. “You’ve been more…you’ve been different since.”“It could be my therapy.” Akashi says.The man chuckles and shakes his head.“No. I know that look, child.” He replies as he sets the glass down and looks at him. “I think I enjoy that look more on you.”Akashi’s eyes widen, he hasn’t spoken to his father about his boy crush on the brunet. He didn’t really hide it either, he would tell him whenever he would leave for Tokyo to meet the brunet, or when he would send flowers. The older Akashi didn’t say anything about and the other thought it was simply because the other didn’t care as long as he did his job in their company.The man laughs, his lips quirking to a smirk but instead of his usual vicious smile he’d use against his business partners, it is more of amuse and playful kind.“You thought I would not note?” the man says as he takes a slice of his steak.“I know you are aware.” Akashi says in quiet voice. “It is just that I…I am not expecting you to praise him.”Suddenly the red head felt parched, he reaches for the glass of water and quietly takes a sip as his father finishes chewing. He looks again at him with a quirked eyebrow.“You think lowly of your lover.” He says without batting an eye making Akashi almost choke at his water.“What?”“Did I say something wrong?”“We…it is not like that father.”The man looks at him for a while, Akashi couldn’t help but want nothing now but have a read on his father’s mind but he is granted none as his eyes remained calm and composed.“Oh then you are not yet lovers?”Akashi debates whether or not to answer that but there was no malice in the other’s questions and it is better now to put it out there.“Yes.” He replies. “I am, however…I am courting him.”The man nods.“Good luck.” The man answers with a curt nod. “It would be nice if he could join us for a dinner, even once would be alright.”Akashi frowns and he sighs.“You are busy…it would be rude of us, me, to impose of you.”The man glances at his nearly empty plate before looking back at his son. Many things have changed between his relationship to his son since he went to meet Kuroko and inevitably that brunet boy he has yet to meet or know. The younger Akashi confronted him once and admitted that he is not well psychologically, they had a long talk that day and though he did not blame him entirely it is not that difficult to see how he had contributed to his son’s demise. His initiative to change made him want to be better too, even if it is late.He is shock but not displeased when he noticed the boy’s smiles whenever he would be thinking of his trip back to Tokyo, there is subtle excitement that he has not seen there in his eyes until then. For the first time he realized how much he had missed about the other’s life as he distant himself, drowning his sorrows with work and fatigue.He didn’t know where this leads, but his son is happy for the first time and it was such a good sight. Home feels warmer since.“Just let me know, a day off from work would not put us in bankruptcy.” The older Akashi says cleans himself up before slipping out of his seat and looking back at the other one last time. “Please don’t forget to mention it to him.”Akashi nods wordlessly as his father slips out of the dining room and back to his work.The other couldn’t believe his ears, his father…is please to have the brunet. A warm feeling blossoms in his chest and he finds himself smiling. He pulls his phone out of his pocket and begins to dial a number....Giggles and laughter fills the basketball gym that afternoon. Kuroko watches from the bench as Kiyoshi Teppei carried Hakuryuu on his shoulders and ran around the gym while Koganei and Hyuuga playfully chases them across the court. The usual quiet boy is now giggling and squealing with happiness and it is contagious. Furihata on the other hand is standing on the other side of the court watching them with a soft expression. Over the other end of the court, Aida Riko is sitting on the floor with the red haired girl, they were talking and enjoying themselves, the little girl hugging a basketball rules and manual in her chest as she listens to the coach.A loud sigh resounds beside Kuroko and the teal haired teen turn to find Kagami lying down on the floor like a starfish heaving and soaking in his own sweat.“Did Furi fed his little monsters with a bag of sugar?”“He did no such thing Kagami-kun.”“You sure?” Kagami asks in between heaving as he looks up at Kuroko from his spot. “We played catch, run around the friggin place for thirty minutes straight and the little girl barely broke a sweat.”“Maybe you’re getting older.” Kuroko jokes making the other frown.“You wanna fight?”Kuroko raises an eyebrow at the empty threat.“You can’t take me Kagami-kun, I’m too powerful for you.”Kagami rolls his eyes, he had heard him said that even despite having no obvious advantage in any kind of physical fights.“Kiryuu seems to like you very much.” Kuroko says, “I am surprised.”“I know right.” The other answers, “Kids usually scurry off around me.”“They’re not easily fazed.”Kagami nods in agreement. He takes in a deep breath before turning to his side to watch Hakuryuu set down on the floor. Kiyoshi says something to the boy and the child nods with enthusiasm, then they begins a new game of chase.“Ah,” Kuroko says noticing an incoming calamity for Hyuuga as his loosed shoelace goes under his feet.The captain didn’t notice this as quick as Kuroko did and inevitably steps on his shoelace and trips himself. He falls face first on the floor, Kiyoshi laughs but doesn’t stop from running away from the red head boy, Koganei screams an apology before making a run and passing the brunet. Hakuryuu who doesn’t understand it well just simply saw it as an opportunity to tag Hyuuga.The childlike happiness blooms in the whole room and there are chuckles from everyone in the gym watching this.Unescapably, Hakuryuu makes it to Hyuuga before the other could stand up. He tags him, victory for the red head.“I gotchu!” Hakuryuu squeals in happiness.“You did buddy!” Hyuuga says chuckling, it was worth the embarrassment of falling face first after seeing the boy’s wide smiles.“I am good?”“Yes.” Kiyoshi asnwers.The boy nods excitedly and begins hopping in his feet.“Go Hakuryuu!” Furihata exclaims proudly as he sees the boy so happy for the first time.Small victories he tells himself, however his happiness soon dissipates when he notice the odd look the Captain of the basketball team is giving the bouncing boy.“Is his eyes supposed to glow like that?” Hyuuga asks staring at the boy’s glowing red eyes.The boy doesn’t notice this and just like that as soon as his feet touch the ground again, the room’s temperature drops and ice covers the floor in mere milliseconds.No one dares to blink.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Headache, Furihata thought as he bounces the small red head boy in his arms trying to pacify his tears as he begins to heave and take shallow breaths in panic. The room temperature has visibly melted most of the ice from the floor and currently Kiyoshi, Koganei, Kagami and Hyuuga are moping them off. The whole ordeal is quick and surreal for most of them in the gym. In a moment everything is well and suddenly a thin layer of ice crept across the court and tears came along.It has been thirty minutes and Hakuryuu’s tears has only turned for worse, the little boy has seemingly fallen to a fit of panic. Kiryuu on the other hand seems to be in a state of shock and confusion.To say it is a lot is quite an understatement, Furihata needs not only to face the fact that other worlds exist and somehow in one of those alternate lives he had kids and bore them, married Akashi Seijuuro, and then those kids risking the settlement of the space and time continuum to come to him and prevent him for liking the former but now also the fact that apparently one of them can conjure ice out of thin air. The boy’s shallow breathing is now causing the brunet to panic as well, he’s an eighteen year old teen with barely enough knowledge to pass him through every semester and now faced with a panicking five years old.“We got to get Hakuryuu-kun to stop.” Kuroko says in his stoic tone.Furihata sighs, he wish he knows how.“I-I’ve been trying.” He replies, “B-But he won’t stop.”“If he does not stop he may faint.” Kuroko adds, eyebrows slightly scrunched together in concern.“Go sit, you two.” Aida says as she takes some bottles of water for both the brunet and the two kids.Furihata complies and sits down on the bench putting Hakuryuu on his lap. Kiryuu skittishly follows and stands close to the two, eyes cast down.“Can you calm your brother?” Aida asks Kiryuu as she hands her a bottle of water.Kiryuu purses her lips and shakes her head, she pressed the bottle close to her chest with tears beginning to bream on the corner of her eyes. Aida tries her best to reassure the girl and pats her small head.“It’s okay.” The brunet coach tells her.“I…I didn’t know this w-would happen.” She says in her trembling voice. “Hakuryuu’s j-just surprised I-I  swear we-we’re not b-bad o-or d-dangerous.”Furihata’s heart breaks as he sees the stronger and older of the kids shake in the brink of tears. He reaches a free hand to give the girl’s shoulder a gentle squeeze. The girl whimpered and throws herself at the brunet’s side for a loose hug.“Nobody thinks you are dangerous Kiryuu-kun, Hakuryuu-kun.” Kuroko says as calm and soothing as his icy cold voice can relay. “We are…we should be the one to apologize.”“Agreed.” Aida adds and sighs.Their reaction to put it mildly has been too harsh for obviously surprised kids. It was uncalculated and purely driven by instincts; their response has obviously brought this on too. This has come to be something beyond them and yet perhaps there must be a strong reason for this, a good understandable explanation.“You don’t have to tell us anything.” Aida says to the three. “We just want to be sure you’re alright.”Kiryuu presses herself closer to Furihata’s side almost trying to make herself small and it made Aida’s chest tighten with guilt.“Ugh, this is your fault Hyuuga!” Aida exclaims making Hyuuga jolt in his spot.The brunet grumbles something under his breath, possibly an apology if his sullen expression is anything to go by. Aida sighs again, and he spare a look at the three, Hakuryuu’s fist balled on Furihata’s shoulder shaking in fear. Furihata tightens his hold on the two kids, he looks at his friends with a pleading look.“Hakuryuu, t-they’re not angry, see?” Furihata tries.The child shakes his head unable to believe it. He presses himself further into the brunet’s embrace almost pressing his skull painfully to the sharp bone of the brunet’s shoulder.“…Not bad. I don’t mean it.” The boy says in repeat.“Yes, we know.” Furihata says, “Nobody think it was any of you twos fault. Do you hear me?”The two do not seem convince by this, Kuroko decides to help. He kneels down in front of the three and carefully finds the word to say.“We know there are things you find hard to tell us right now, that is…that is understandable.” Kuroko begins. “But we are not angry or scared of you, we are surprised. Its just something we have not seen that before and we apologize for acting the way we did. But as Furihata-kun said, it is neither of you two’s fault, no one here is to blame. It is an accident, Hakuryuu-kun.”Hakuryuu through his hiccups turns his head slightly to look at Kuroko through his glassy eyes as if looking for any hints of lie. Kuroko keeps his lips sealed but he sees a deep rooted mistrust in the ruby pools, and it is too much for a child that Kuroko couldn’t believe he is gazing at a child no more than a decade old. When the red eyes seem to find no trace of treachery in his words his shaking begins to simmer which makes Furihata able to breathe a sigh of relief. Hakuryuu’s less panicking state also seems to comfort the older of the siblings and looks up at the adults.“You’re not really angry?” she asks. “Y-You’re not gonna t-take us away?”“No.” Aida says, “Why would we do that?”“B-Because…we could hurt someone?” Kiryuu says.Kuroko shakes his head, Kagami walks up to them and reaches to ruffle Kiryuu’s head. Kuroko smiles as he finds the little girl look at the taller male with adoration. She eases herself off from Furihata because of this.“We make mistake, that is how we learn I guess.” Kagami says to the little girl. “Nobody’s gonna take you away.”“N-Not leave…Mother?”Kagami blinks at Hakuryuu’s question. Mother? Well, it doesn’t seem harmful to agree so he nods and smiles at the boy as well.“Yes. We’re not taking you away from your Mother.”Hakuryuu looks up at Furihata almost asking for him to affirm this and the brunet nods. The boy’s breathing evens in finally and the whole room finally is able to come at ease. Furihata hugs the boy close and kisses Kiryuu’s head, a disaster managed. He looks up at Kagami and Kuroko with a silent gratitude....Thankfully the team found themselves exhausted enough to let Furihata and the kids off the hook. Kuroko and Kagami kindly offered to walk them home, with Hakuryuu still latched in Furihata’s embrace and Kiryuu yawning Kagami offers to carry the eldest of the siblings. The red head girl soon drifts to sleep out of exhaustion while Kagami carries her in his back and the group walks quietly with the sun slipping off the horizon.Kuroko walks beside the brunet who runs a soothing hand over the boy’s back who is still slightly shaking. Even asleep the boy is still frightened to be taken away from the other, it almost uncannily reminds him of a close familial relationship, almost like…a mother and son. This day has been weird, and usually it would seem absurd for him to even dare take it in consideration but with everything that happened it doesn’t seem too far-fetched.The teal haired teen looks back at his friend, then at the boy perched in his arms, rose red locks slightly reaching over his closed eyes, framing his soft childlike features, and his red lashes kissing his cheek. There is nothing that resembles Furihata to the boy or anyone of the Furihata family that Kuroko had met but the kids’ closeness to the brunet is undeniable. It is so strong that the fact that the kids looks like the teal haired teen’s cousin could almost be overlooked but there is something else, something more about the way the brunet cares for them and the way the children reacts to him.“Is there something you would like to tell us?” Kuroko asks in quiet voice, low enough so the tall red head teen behind them cannot hear it and loud enough for the brunet.Furihata looks up at his friend, visible signs of exhaustion painting his features. His eyes are puffy almost as if he had cried as well.“I…uh…” The brunet trails unsure of what to say.He knows he can trust Kuroko with anything, the smart teal haired teen has always been his confidant in everything and despite his stoic expression he does cares a lot for others. There is no doubt regarding the other’s consideration however their situation is rather…more complicated than the things he usually confides with making him think twice. He knows he will not push further either but it is not impossible for the other to find out soon, it seems to be their thing, Kuroko and Akashi being able to figure things out on their own.“Is it possible that you are their parent?”Furihata almost chokes in his own spit making Hakuryuu stir in his arms. Kuroko quirks an eyebrow slightly at the other’s response, he tilts his head waiting for the other to deny or confirm his leap of conclusion.The thought of saying it out loud makes Furihata’s cheeks burn, he doesn’t know what it is like where Kiryuu and Hakuryuu came from but here Akashi is Kuroko’s cousin and admitting it to the former just something he has not prepared himself for yet. His current relation with Akashi is vague, it is difficult to acknowledge the current state of their relationship and it doesn’t help that there is a looming fact of a bad situation between him and Akashi in the world where the kids came from. Kuroko and Akashi has only recently mended their relationship and even now though as Kuroko said they are in better terms than back in their middle school there is still a lot to work out and knowing those things doesn’t seem to be something the teal head blue eyed teen would be glad to hear.Things are becoming painfully clearer but it doesn’t make Furihata any happier, as Kuroko had pointed out the traces of abuse in Hakuryuu can be seen and if the two kids are preventing him and Akashi to meet and vouching for the others presumed lies it isn’t surprising that one may assume Akashi from that world is the reason for the said injuries. It is a hard to swallow pill, Furihata thought of it for a while trying to find alternative interpretations but he always ends up with the first. Though he may not be the smartest, he isn’t exactly that stupid.He didn’t want to believe it, he didn’t want to look into that one scenario where he and Akashi is actually married and had kids and see violence and broken home smothered across it. He didn’t want to think that the man who had looked at him like he put the stars up the sky, as if his fingertips painted Earth with its colors, is the same man that had caused Kiryuu and Hakuryuu such fears. Maybe they are not exactly the same, but they are both Akashi Seijuuro.“…Would it be weird if I would say yes?” Furihata replies.Kuroko is quiet for a moment before he shakes his head.“I have seen a child froze a basketball court in less than a minute Furihata-kun, I think there is nothing weirder than that.” Kuroko says looking down at his shoes for a second before looking back at his friend.Furihata tries to find the humor in the situation and chuckles in response.“What gave it away?”Kuroko shrugs.“He has the same smile as Furihata-kun and the same innocent look in his eyes. Their closeness to you is quite strong for someone who had only known them for a while.” Kuroko answers. “It was just a guess, a very absurd guess but I guess after I have seen what Hakuryuu-kun did I could not simply wave off everything just because it seems odd.”Furihata smiles a bit. He is thankful for Kuroko and Kagami coming in his life, they’ve brought with them everything he needed in a set of friends. Kagami resembles that of a protective older brother, often loud and boisterous but reliable and kind. Kuroko on the other hand is like a mature younger brother, frank and quiet but understanding and certainly supportive. He may not always have the best response but he does have some wisdom to share with, his soothingly even voice also inexplicably calming.“Are they from…a future?” Kuroko asks hesitating to say the last words as if he cannot believe it himself.“Uh…”“I see.” Kuroko says with a slight disappointment in his tone. “I was rooting for you and Akashi-kun though but it is understandable.”“W-What?” Furihata blinks. “I-It’s not like that.”“Not like?”Furihata chews his lower lip thinking of the right words to say and explain the situation but he finds none that doesn’t make him sound like he has gone off his mind.“I-It’s a very complicated situation.” Furihata admits.“I assumed since you said they are yours.” Kuroko replies. “To have children must mean you had a woman pregnant twice.”Furihata’s face flushes in embarrassment. Kuroko doesn’t  speak for a moment, head slightly tilted to the side.“I-It really is not like that.”Kuroko blinks and decides to set it at that. His eyes settle back at the boy who blinks sleepily, he twists and turns finding a comfortable position like a very tired kitten. His unfocused and half lidded eyes begins to droop again but before they shut a metaphorical light bulb lights up to Kuroko’s mind as he finally clicks it together.“Kiryuu-kun reminds me of someone.” Kuroko says testing the waters.“Uh…r-really?”Kuroko nods looking ahead.“I have been thinking about it since this morning but I couldn’t fit it immediately.” Kuroko replies. “I realize it just now upon looking at Hakuryuu-kun.”“W-What do you mean Kuroko-kun?”“They both look like Akashi-kun.” Kuroko says without missing a beat. “I had some time figuring out why she seems familiar, I realized why just now it is because she is a girl and my mind has been trying to compare her to Akashi-kun.”“I…I-I uhm…”“Is it possible that they are also—““Uh Furi?”Furihata turns around hearing Kagami’s voice, he blinks finding the red head teen looking at the girl in his arms with an expression of slight panic. Kuroko walks up to Kagami mirroring the red head and the brunet’s concern.“Isn’t she uhm…a little feverish?” Kagami asks with a very anxious in his expression, he moves the girl to the two.Kuroko looks at the sleeping girl, she doesn’t seem exactly sick but she does seem to be slightly stressed given the crease of her forehead despite being asleep. She mumbles something incoherent in presses his cheek against Kagami’s back making the man hiss.“That sure feel feverish.” Kagami says through greeted teeth. “Can you go check her? I mean I could be the one sick and I don’t really wanna pass any germs to the kid if that’s the case.”Furihata obliges and gingerly reaches to the girl’s forehead, brushing the evenly cut bangs and just as soon as his palms makes contact to the skin the brunet pulls his hand away. His eyes widen and his heart begins to hammer loudly in his chest.Well this day couldn’t be worse, right?“I-I…I think that’s just not feverish.” He says with a shaky breath.Kagami blinks and reaches to check the girl herself and he feels his heart leap out of his chest. He couldn’t believe himself, he had experienced taking care of people who get sick, prime example is the teal head teen, but even with a very bad cold never had he felt anyone burn this hot. It almost feels like touching a bare light bulb that’s been lit for more than 48 hours without rest. He looks at Furihata but the brunet seems lost, shock and frightened of this ordeal.The bubbles of fright quickly fill Furihata to the brim and he begins shaking in his spot. What does he do now? Children aren’t supposed to be this hot, right, and they shouldn’t because naturally that should be—“Furihata-kun we have to go to the hospital now.” Kuroko tells him cutting him off his train of thoughts.Hospital, yes they should go there. Furihata nods with tears beginning to form in the side of his eyes. He looks at Kiryuu in Kagami’s back, he only have them for a while now but somehow the short days has proven him how incapable he is as a parent. Making a run for the other direction, the brunet couldn’t help but think for the worse.“Please be alright.” He murmurs a prayer to the Gods....Midorima frowns as he hears Takao’s carefree chuckle at the young physician wrapping a bandage around Takao’s ankle. The raven haired basketball player still finds the humor in the situation despite the very uncomfortable looking bruising on the said ankle. It isn’t that serious the physician assures them saying the x-ray shows no fractures on the area. Muscle sprain, the doctor tells them soon, though less severe than the first is still quite a trouble as this forces the raven haired player to inevitably skip practices and trainings.The thought of not having his trusted partner on the same court caused Midorima to feel uneasy, though of course he would not dare to admit this. Takao may have been a wishy-washy kind of man but he is one of the few that Midorima trusts in and out of the court, he respects the other too not that he had told him about that but that doesn’t really matter, right?The fact is, the dark haired teen had annoyingly caused his injury by not following their coach’s order and stepping up to guard a six-feet-something center player of their opposing team earlier in the day, when the unforeseeable happens the opposing player losses a balance when trying to catch a loose chest pass tripping on his own feet and dragging Takao with him on his fall. The game stops in a second with the loud sound of the referee’s whistle seeing as Takao clearly is almost squashed underneath the taller and bulkier player. When the two separates Midorima calls Takao to be switched out noticing the odd limping from the other as he struggles to stand up but of course, the idiot as Midorima calls the other insisted to remain in the game.They finished the game but soon after Midorima dragged him to the hospital to have the said injury check and just like he suspected it is there.“You could have made it worse.” The doctor tells Takao as he finishes wrapping the bandage. “I know the game must be very important but that could have been your last game if you had pushed yourself ay further.”“But we were so close to winning Doc.”“And so were your ankle so close to breaking.” The man chided.Midorima scoffs as the doctor sets the injured feet down and stands up. He gives a quick instruction to Takao reminding him to not move his injury too much.“I will try.” Takao says with a smile.The doctor looks at him and rolls his eyes, he had seen patients like him before, the ones who tell you they will do as you instructed and as soon as you turn your back does the exact opposite of it.“Well try harder.” He tells him before looking at Midorima who is still in his basketball jersey. “Are you the captain of the team where he plays at?”“No.” Midorima answers. “I’m his teammate.”“Alright, good enough.” The man says before briefly looking at the chart in his hand then back at the emerald haired teen. “Well just make sure he doesn’t worsen his injury and by that I mean don’t let him do any strenuous activities in a week. After that it should be alright. I’ll give you his medical certificate and please present it to your team’s captain so he Takao-san can be excused for practices for a while.”“B-But what will I do?” Takao whines.“You can cheer for your team.” The doctor answers. “I’m sure they will value your emotional support.”“It is just a week.” Midorima adds. “Surely you can find something to do.”“But Shin-chan I’ll miss our team play!”Midorima feels his cheek heat at the raven head’s words, he glances at him from the corner of his eyes seeing the other looking at him with a teasing smile.“Well you’ll just have to make do without him Takao-san.” The doctor replies before disappearing to talk to one nurses who pass by.Takao makes a boo-ing noise before slumping back to the bed with a sigh and crosses his arms over his chest.“So boring!” Takao whines again, “I can still move, it’s not like its broken. Kise played for Nationals with a bad knee and ankle and nobody bats an eye. I got a little bruise on a practice match and I don’t get to play for a week? Where is the justice in all of this?”“Kise’s career is forever threatened because of that injury. “ Midorima says with a grave tone.His former teammate Kise Ryouta was injured in a very hectic game during Nationals but pushed forward, the strain caused his injury to worsen over the course of game and by the end of it he was wheeled to a nearest hospital only to find that the injury will be more or less permanent damage. Even if he had won the game, he is now unable to be in the court for a very long period of time, his jumps and movements has also changed due to the said damage in his knee and ankle. Though they are not exactly what one would call close as a basketball player himself, Midorima could only imagine the dread of the news.To play without Takao, it just felt strangely empty for Midorima. More than anyone, since he has left middle school he had never trust anyone as much as he does the raven head and the prospect of not having him permanently there because of an injury that they could have prevented just squeezes his chest.“Are you worried Shin-chan?” Takao jokes.Midorima doesn’t answer fearing his voice may betray him. I am, the green haired teen says in his head. He sighs instead and frowns hoping it could convey his displeasure over the accident.“Okay, alright.” Takao says with a sigh of defeat, “I won’t do it again, I’ll try.”Midorima looks at his friend for a brief moment, instead of taking it seriously Takao grins at him.“Idiot.” The taller teen mutters.The doctor returns and hands them Takao’s medical certificate and a couple of prescription for Takao. Midorima receives them and the doctor gives them a green light for Takao’s discharge. After signing up a couple of papers, and taking a crutch, Takao and Midorima leaves the out-patient department.It is already sun down outside and less patients and visitors are on the lobby. Midorima slows his pace for Takao who is barely getting used to his crutch, the raven head frowns at his own progress.“This is much difficult than TV drama makes it seem.” Takao says.“Well if you were just—““Please calm down.”Midorima hears from the lobby, he looks towards where the voice came from and he sees a short haired nurse walking up to a familiar bunch.“Please tell us what is happening?” the nurse asks them.Takao who has only catches up on what is happening looks at the bunch and makes a surprise gasp.“Isn’t that Furihata, Kagami and Kuroko?”It surely is, Midorima thinks but not just that, in addition the two red haired kids Midorima met before. Furihata looks very exhausted and anxious as he explains something to the nurse. Furihata passes the smaller child to Kuroko and Kagami hands him the sleeping girl on his back. The nurse then runs briefly to her station and pulls out what seems like ear thermometer. She takes a quick check and her face turns pale as soon as the device beeps.“P-Please come with me.” The nurse tells Furihata and she takes him to the emergency room with the said child.Midorima blinks, that seems quite a chaos, he cringes thinking how Akashi would react if he had known this. The red head will surely find a way to be here if he had known Furihata is in a pinch and to be honest, though he is mildly concern of whatever is happening, he would like not to have Akashi’s overly infatuated and concerned person adding to his current predicament. He turns to Takao who has been uncharacteristically quiet for the past few minutes, to his surprise Takao is typing on his phone, with a brief ping on the device Takao looks up at him.“What were you doing?” Midorima ask somehow having a feeling he needs to know.Takao smiles widely at him.“Nothing, just texting Akashi that I saw his boy crush at a hospital.”