Gypsophilia.

After that fleeting encounter in the Maji Burgers, he began to bump into Akashi-kun more and more.

But the fact that Akashi-kun often came to the Maji Burgers in the specific hours where it would be too crowded for his captain to find another seat remained true. He then sat in front of Kuroko, claiming that he didn't see him.

Even for Kuroko, Akashi-kun wasn't the greatest person to be with. It was true that he enjoyed the redhead's company like he did everyone else, but being stared at with a pair of piercing eyes wasn't a thing he was used to, especially with his misdirection in practice.

If Akashi-kun claimed that he couldn't see him, then how come he always stared at Kuroko like he was a hawk eyeing its prey?

So Kuroko decided to run an errand from his sister. Not many people knew about his family, and he didn't really hide it. But it was just like everyone to just forget about him and his own personal problems. After all, Kuroko lived in a small apartment with his sister. His parents were away in the overseas. They would have brought him and his sister along, but his sister had her writing careers and Kuroko had his basketball, so they gave up on taking the siblings out of the country.

Tonight was a movie night for his sister and her lover, so their apartment would be crowded. It wasn't like they shunned Kuroko, but he preferred to let his sister had some freedom without him. Because like him, his sister also had very little presence. And Rei-san was one of very few people who liked to spend nights quietly with her without ever forgetting that she was there.

Besides, today was his sister's birthday. He didn't have the heart to interrupt such an important night between a pair of lover. But he will get a present for his sister.

And that thought brought him into a flower shop both he and his sister loved.

Although he didn't look like it, Kuroko loved flowers. They speak thousands of words without even sounding anything, and he loved that.

Kuroko then stood in front of a bouquet of baby breaths, smiling slightly as he remembered his sister lovingly gave this flower in each and every important moments of his life. As he was about to take the fragile flower from the display, another hand clashed with his.

"Tetsuya," there was a slight surprise there, although his face relayed nothing of the sort. Akashi-kun looked as calm and in-control as ever. And... this would be the fifth time this week that he ran into Akashi-kun, or in this case, Akashi-kun ran into him. "Akashi-kun." Kuroko bowed slightly. "Do you want to buy this flower as well? If so, I can just-"

"No." Akashi-kun cut him immediately as he offered the flower to the him. "I was just admiring it. This flower reminds me of someone, that's all." Who? But it wasn't Kuroko's place to ask, so he won't. "What about you, Tetsuya? You do not strike me as a man who would buy flowers."

Kuroko took the flowers and bowed in gratitude. "Yes, I'm buying this flower. Today is my sister's birthday and I wish to give her this flower before going to the basketball court and play with Kagami-kun, who'd most likely be there." There was an unreadable look on Akashi-kun's face before he nodded. "Why don't you play with me, Tetsuya? After all, it's been such a long time since we played together."

Since you offered to be my light in the match when Aomine-kun refused to receive my passes...

"I don't see why not. Would you like to just meet there? Or..."

"Actually, I have nothing better to do this evening. I think I have become a stranger in a city I've spent my Junior High life in." What about training? But Kuroko didn't want to discuss anything pertaining basketball with his captain, especially not after the circumstances Kuroko left the former with.

Kuroko nodded as he left the money in the cashier. "Fine. Let's go to my home."

"Welcome home, Tetsuya-san." Kuroko flashed a full-blown smile he'd never shown anyone else but his sister and bowed slightly. "I'm home, Onee-san." His hands were still behind his back, hiding the Kuroko family's favorite flower.

Akashi-kun looked surprised as his heterochromatic eyes went to one Kuroko family to the other. When Rei-san first met him, he also had the same reaction. After all, Kuroko and his sister looked alike.

The only difference was the fact that his sister's hair was longer than Kuroko, and she tied it in low side ponytail. If he were ever born a girl, he was sure that he'd look exactly like his sister.

"Come in, please. Rei-san and I are just about to start the movie." Kuroko smiled again as he shook his head. "Oh, no. I wouldn't dream of interrupting you two in such an important night," The teal-haired boy then raised the bouquet and offered it to his sister. "Happy birthday, Nai-neesan." But instead of letting his sister grab it, Kuroko blew the flower to his sister's face, making her smile widely.

"Tetsuya-san... I, um, thank you very much!" The siblings then exchanged a hug before Kuroko apologized for interrupting her. "I'm just going to take my basketball and then leave, okay? I will be back before midnight." Kuroko then went inside, bowing slightly to Akashi-kun.

Meanwhile, the redhead then stood face to face with Tetsuya's sister. They were almost in the same height, after all, with Tetsuya's sister being just a little bit shorter.

"You are... Tetsuya-san's friend from Middle School, aren't you?" The older Kuroko asked with a tilt of her head, very much like Tetsuya in that aspect. "Yes, I am. My name is-"

"Are you Daiki Aomine-san?"

Under normal circumstances, Akashi would have been pissed when she dared to interrupt him while he was talking. But the serious expression and the sheer intensity the lady displayed as he spoke the name of Tetsuya's former light took his full attention. After all, she'd been nothing but sweet and polite to her own brother, and if she was anything like Tetsuya, that was how she behaved to everyone.

"No, I'm not. My name is Seijuurou Akashi, I now go to Rakuzan High School in Kyoto." Akashi bowed slightly. After all, the lady in front of him was older than him by a few years and she was a lady.

The lady then sighed in relief. "Nice to meet you, Akashi-san." She bowed respectfully, again, much like Tetsuya. "My name is Nai Kuroko, Tetsuya-san's older sister. I went to the Rakuzan High as well. I was hoping that Tetsuya-san would go there as well... but he refused and asked to attend Seirin instead."

Huh...? So Tetsuya's family already asked him to go to Rakuzan? And he refused? It was so unlike Tetsuya to even try and disappoint someone so close to him. Could it be that the reason Tetsuya didn't want to go to Rakuzan was because he was there?

What an insolence.

"Um, Akashi-san?" Nai asked, staring right at his heterochromatic eyes with a pair of sky-blue eyes. "Yes, Kuroko-san?" He asked in return.

The older Kuroko sighed and then took his hand in hers. "Please... can you watch over Tetsuya-san for me? He's... not really the same after Daiki Aomine-san told him that he wasn't needed. For people with zero-presence like us... being told that is the worst thing possible." She sighed. "To be honest, I wanted Tetsuya-san to go to Kyoto just so he never have to face Daiki Aomine-san again. I... don't want to see my brother cry anymore..."

Akashi exhaled and showed the older Kuroko a comforting smile. "Please don't worry, Kuroko-san." He said as he let go of her hand. "I will do my best to make sure that Tetsuya will never be hurt again. I promise you." At the very same time, Tetsuya appeared from within, carrying his basketball with him. He pecked his sister on her cheek before bowing to her, muttering a soft 'I'm going' before eventually leaving.

The older girl still had a worried expression on her face as she waved her goodbye. But Akashi sent her a convincing smile.

After all, it was his plan all along. To bring the phantom sixth man he'd cultivated during his middle school year into his empire. It was his plan to convince Tetsuya to leave Tokyo and join him in the old capital all along. And he'd gotten an approval, an encouragement, from his family.

Unfortunately for Tetsuya, 'convincing' and 'manipulating' consisted in the same page within Seijuurou Akashi's dictionary.

A/N: I can't believe someone noticed that this is a prequel to my 'What the Emperor Wants' oneshot. Brilliant.

Now that I've decided that this would be a proper story, I will give a warning that said this story will contain Rakuzan! Kuroko. For those who hadn't read the 'What the Emperor Wants', by any means, please do.