Rebound

Summary: He died and well…he guessed he was 'rebounded' back to life seeing he was now in the KnB world. Another chance was given to him, to play the sport that he loves so much…but with a price that involves a certain phantom

Author's Note: oops that was a long break ahahaha but I hope you enjoy this chapter!

Warning: English aint my first language ya'll

Disclaimer: I do not own KnB only Daiiro Aki and other OCs I made up!

Chapter 3

It was before 3rd grade when the both of us started to play basketball. I thought it wouldn't have any effect in the plot if I were to introduce to Tetsuya basketball earlier than intended. A bitter thought came that my dear cousin wouldn't improve despite how early he started not until Akashi discovers his potential as a phantom on the court or when Aomine teaches him how to shoot

I really wanted to help Tetsuya but I was still thinking about it, weighing the pros and the cons

It would have been easy if I didn't (intensively) teach Tetsuya basketball since I wouldn't have to worry about probably changing the plot but… guilt was eating my heart and consciousness alive. He was my cousin. My brother. My friend. And what kind of family would I be to let him not progress in the sports that he loved so much while I do, unlike him

However, if Tetsuya were to improve…will Tetsuya and Aomine's relationship be the same as the plot that I know or not? Would Tetsuya, in the future, still be in the third string and practice in the gym to practice more wherein he'd eventually meet Aomine? Would Akashi see a different potential from him? Will there still be a Sixth Phantom Man? Will…

A question was asked after it was questioned again by another question

It hurt my head, to be honest, thinking about it

After giving some time about it 'Maybe I could help him with his stamina instead?' was my final conclusion

"Whatever happens, happens"

My eyes blinked as I looked at the kid who was yelling at Tetsuya to not pop out of nowhere

"Aki this is Ogiwara Shigehiro-kun, Ogiwara-kun this is my younger cousin Daiiro Aki" Tetsuya introduced the both of us by the nearby court that we often used to play

"It's nice to meet you Ogiwara-san" I greeted, giving a small bow with the basketball tucked under my arm

The boy scrunched up his nose in distaste, "Don't be so formal like Tetsu, Daiiro-kun! Makes me feel old when we're just the same age"

I stared at him in surprise and repeated my greeting just to satisfy the hyperactive kid, "It's nice to meet you Ogiwara…kun?" and just like that, Ogiwara…kun's? expression changed, with a smile plastered on his face

"Heyya Daiiro-kun it's nice to meet you too" his smile was bright I had to cover my eyes

Tetsuya had explained to me that they had met when I had caught a cold and that Ogiwara-kun lived around the neighbourhood. Apparently he studies in the nearby school that Tetsuya and I go to

Introductions and greetings were made and done and as soon as that was through the three of us played the sport that we all love

It made me feel giddy that I could play basketball again after getting sick

The dribbling of the ball and squeaks of our shoes could only be heard in the court that we were playing in

Almost two hours has passed by and we decided to rest ourselves. Casual talks were being spoken between Tetsuya and Ogiwara while I just stayed silent, contented by just hearing their voices

"Waah! I didn't know that Daiiro-kun is younger than us but in the same grade as us" I could see the sparkle in Ogiwara's eyes

A small smile on Tetsuya's face could be seen "He skipped a grade when we were in nursery" I didn't have a choice but to allow the school to let me skip a grade

If I were to be placed in one grade lower than Tetsuya, seeing I was born on the month of November the same year as Tetsuya, I wouldn't be able to be with him. I was just lucky enough that I still remembered my past lives and come on guys, with the mentality of a twenty plus years old mind inside a kid's body, nursery was just a breeze.

I silently cried that I had to endure all of these again and prayed to the gods to give me more patience with school

'Come to think of it, why isn't Akashi in a higher grade with that brain of his? He could skip two or three grades with his excellence'

The three of us chatted until it was time to go home. We waved our goodbyes to Ogiwara, whose house was at the opposite direction as ours

Tetsuya and I, silently walked side by side with the sun setting slowly behind our backs

"Ne Aki"

I hummed letting him know that I heard him

"Basketball…do you love it?"

A simple question but I knew it meant a lot to Tetsuya what I was going to say

I tilted my head looking at the evening sky, spotting a single star. I did not stop walking nor turn my head to face him as I answered him with a small dimpled smile "Of course Tetsuya, with all my heart"

When I first met him, it was raining

He was sitting on the swing completely drenched by the rain as he softly swung himself back and forth with his legs. A basketball was laid there a few feet in front of him a little muddied by the wet ground

At first I didn't want to approach him but as I remembered in the manga what happened to him, my heart would clench unconsciously as my mind told me to go to him and at least cheer the kid up somehow

I gingerly took a step forward, away from him, as I painfully continued to walk down the familiar path going to my cousin's house. The plastic bags that I was holding felt heavier with each small step I took away from him.

'Tetsuya needs his medicine'

It wasn't really an excuse

I bit my lip hard and stopped on my tracks as I glanced at the same boy by the swing over my shoulder

'Screw this'

I turned my heels as I hastily went back to where the soaked kid was seated, wanting to get it over with fast

As I entered the small playground, I grabbed the ball and nervously went towards the kid. Sweat began to form on my palms when he stopped swinging. Slowly but surely his head looked up and met my eyes

Red met orange

Everything inside my head went haywire "Yo-you shouldn't be here…" I cursed for stuttering as those red empty eyes stared onto mine. "…under the rain a-and drenched" I was getting anxious that he wasn't saying anything

I thrust the basketball to him "Here!" I was getting jittery

"Arigato"

It was soft but I heard it come from him as he stared at the ball with emotions I couldn't decipher. Better than it being empty, I told myself

I really should have left him behind after I gave the ball but for some unknown reason my body wouldn't cooperate with me and my mouth just started to sprout out stuff to the older one before I knew it "You…you should take care of the things that are precious to you" I wanted to slap myself wondering why I said that and why I was still here but seeing him in that state made me lose all the nervousness in my body as I spoke to him with sincerity and my eyes softened a little

"That ball…it looks precious to you so please take care of it. Not just for yourself but to the person who gave it to you"

I blushed when I noticed he was eyeing me with those wide red orbs

With that, all the nervousness came back again. And without thinking, I grabbed his cold hand and hastily trusted the umbrella I was using as well as one of the plastic bag with extra soup that was made for Tetsuya

I ran after doing so while I placed the hoodie of my sweater onto my head but later stopped on my tracks when I reached just outside the playground, almost tripping on my own feet

"By the way, it's soup! Tofu soup to get you warmed!" I shouted then ran again to go to my original destination and do the momentarily forgotten errand that I was supposed to do

Daiiro Aki left a bewildered Akashi Seijuurou

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