Cautiously slipping between bushes, as his feet stepped on the unevenly wet grounds, still he had his voice relentlessly calling... until he was engulfed by the depth of the forest.
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-Distorted Colors-

A Kuroko no Basket: AkaKuro fanfic, slight KagaKuro- presented for dear friend's birthday, Chii ^^ very classic story

Genre: Romance
Word Count: 7,129 (story only)

Before you read: I am not a native English speaker, therefore I am trying my best here to keep my English understandable. ;; Pardon for OOCness ;;

!Disclaimer: Kuroko no Basket ; The Basketball Which Kuroko Plays belongs to Fujimaki Tadatoshi. I do NOT own any character featured in this story.
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"Kuroko..."

A slow tone was intended in the muttering of the name. The voice had waked the pale-headed boy on the white bed, in the midst of the silence. And as he regained his consciousness, all he did was to blink his eyes. Uncomfortable was what he felt, that he began to have his hands on his eyes, rubbing his eyelids as they began to shed mellow drop of tears.

"Why...?"

The first word he said after his long slumbering state was no more than a pondering question, as he continued to rub his eyelids, but soon stopped as one's hand felt a dubious touch. It was the shadow that had been around him since he woke up. Just then was the first time he looked up to his surroundings ever since he came to, and realized that he had been in the hospital for some reason, explaining the silence yet somehow deafening ones, as if everything was hushed beforehand. Then the shadow, who had been beside him, was surely not someone unfamiliar, that he, still in the verge of shedding another tear, called out the name of the person.

"Kagami... kun...?"

The pale head had intended a little doubt in his call to make sure if he was not mistaken, since his vision was still a tad blurry, and what he had seen was still more like a shadow. But then his call was welcomed with a simple embrace, a warm one, yet a heartbreaking one somehow; the voice was trembling, his words were simply not one the teary-eyed boy was expecting for.

"Kuroko, I'm sorry."

"Kagami-kun...?"

After hearing the apology, doubts were raised against, assuring that it was surely his friend, his classmate, and his loyal basketball partner. Having the embrace on his body, Kuroko could not help but return the embrace, though he barely understood the situation. In the depth of his heart's content, part of him actually had his own thoughts and managed to understand few things within the tacit mayhem, but then again he could not conclude everything by himself.

"Why are you...?"

"It's all my fault."

His question being cut by the rough yet regretful statement, he decided to not ask his friend for a while-as he slowly got devoured by the witless silence in the simple hospital room.

There were only two of them. One was desperate for answers, and the other was in despair to whether answer or not. In the somehow rather tight embrace, words were even barely said, but slight tears decorated the features of the pale headed boy, as the treatment somehow was something he could understand yet still he had to find out some more truth from the other. The situation lasted for an hour or two; and by the next day, Kuroko had managed to make his hospital release well.

And his friend?
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"Kagami-kun has always been bad at getting over things."

The plain voice uttered his opinion of his taller classmate whom was apparently absent, to the ears of his seniors as they sat together and did a little warm up in their usual place; the basketball hall. No one expected a blunt yet true statement coming from Kuroko, especially knowing well that Kuroko is someone 'special' to their team's ace.

"Kuroko, you should stop saying mean things about your partner." Said the sharp eyed senior, one whom Kuroko known as Izuki-senpai. But to give his senior's words as a matter to think of, was not something he wanted to do, as he had a slight disagreement in the advice given.

"I am not his partner." His slow, flat yet opposing voice, which everyone in the place had gotten used to, triggered a grin on Izuki's face. "A partner is a part's doer. I don't think that sounds too shabby to describe you two.

"Well, I guess we can't help it. If he doesn't feel like coming for the day..." Proceeding to stand up and do some more advanced warm ups, the eagle eyed boy left Kuroko be. "I am sorry I couldn't bring him into practice." Another apology was thrown as the transparent blue eyes watch the not-so-tall back leaving his place.

Though barely understanding what the other had meant, Kuroko then continued with bearing an intact smile by himself while covering his countenance with his bangs, and the words which his senior said, though only passing through his ears for a moment, had somehow been absorbed by his mind; suddenly feeling like it was something he had to re-think of.

Partnership?

The word echoed through the blank minds of Kuroko's-until a rough call from his teammate had him back in place.

"Yes?"

Though he did not hear what his teammate had called for, he stood up the still-slippery floor and came to approach to where the call came from, while expecting a re-dictation of what was he called for. Slow was his walk, and halfway, he heard a request coming from his teammate-one he could recognize, Tsuchida.

"Kuroko, could you get a ball from the crate behind you? Sorry to trouble."

"Sure. It is not much. Please wait a minute."

The polite-speaking boy then moved to take a ball from the crate which was only few meters away his position.

Upon seeing the crate under the shades of the ceilings, Kuroko broke onto an unexplainable confusion-which later had resulted in him blinking for a few times. But worrying that he might have taken too long to merely pick a ball, his small palm took a ball out of the crate and passed it onto his friend whom was in quite a distance.

Few seconds before he even managed to close the crate back, a call was directed at him once more, and Kuroko turned his back in an expression where as if he had expected another call. Unseen floppy sweats were around his face, his eyes still was blinking to adjust the uneven light coming onto his eyes. He then relied only to his ears to hear what his friend had to say.

The sentence was simple, but quite uncommon to happen.

"Kuroko, this is... a volleyball."

A slight twitch occurred on Kuroko as soon as he heard his friend. Though, his mind had actually expected it somehow, and he tried to stay calm and give an apology in return.

Before he was allowed to speak up for an apology, someone poked his back, triggering him for a turn to see who was behind him. It took him a longer time than one's usual visual capabilities to recognize the person, but Kuroko could tell well especially from the glasses the person was wearing.

"Is it that hard to differ volleyball and basketball with your current eyes?"

The question widened up the blue eyes.

"... Hyuuga-senpai." Kuroko called, before answering to the wondering question given. "Yes, it is quite hard to differ everything now." His answer was honest, hoping that everyone would have to bear with his limits at that moment. His head lowered for a bit, having his bangs covering his suddenly saddened expression; the more he thought about it, the more Kuroko thought he was being a nuisance.

As Hyuuga then threw a basketball from the crate out to Tsuchida, he gave a little 'tch', showing sympathy in his own way.

"I don't know what to say," he said, as he walked a few steps closer to Kuroko and ruffled a bit of the white hair. "This thing is inevitable. I hope you adapt with it soon, Kuroko."

With the little words cheering his actually quite desperate self, Kuroko only smiled and thanked his senior in return. He began to run and started his practices of the day along with the others. As he ran, his plain eyes tried to blink again, and nothing had changed. It was merely an attempt to see if his now distorted world would change.

Inevitable... is it?

Bearing with the limits he had, he managed to perform decently along the practice on that day, save his still stiff body. After all, he had just been released from the hospital. Everyone in the place knew that, and adapted with the tough situation given to Kuroko. Though missing the team's ace in the practice, he consequently played his usual role as a shadow,

Despite the thing that he actually saw everything as a shadow now.
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He would usually take his way home with his basketball mate, Kagami, but knowing that his friend wanted to take a day off so badly, Kuroko could only sigh as he took few steps out of the school.

It was fall, and the time has not been that late yet to witness the sun setting down to the west. The pale head would usually spare some time to sit down by a nearby park to enjoy the sun set while enjoying his daily dose of vanilla shake.

But all his merry thoughts of imagining the somehow now-impossible thing to do, were erased off his mind once he tried looking up to the sky.

Or is the sky just too bright?

He turned his head around to see the trees around the streets, which had their leaves falling, then to the houses which would usually reflect a bit of the dawn's colors. He even soon had to stop his footsteps to try focusing his sight on everything around him.

His heart not bearing to accept the painful ironical truth, he started to drop tears of a mellow despair, though not any much—that he was able to get back to his senses after only few seconds—and since the streets were lonely after all, no men but the sun had witnessed him shedding his tears.

His heels going back to work on moving his body forward, his minds trying to push his somewhat messy and desperate thoughts to a positive state, Kuroko bit his lower lips, then soon his palms forlornly clenching a bit of his black uniform.

Goodbye to the sunset, and all the red colors along with their beauty, which I could no longer savor.

On his determinations, he finally walked in his regular pace to his way home. He looked up to the streets forward and settled with the conditions he was given in. Not a single thought did he try to blame his friend for everything—despite how much he apologized back then—or even blaming to the mother nature for giving him the ill-omen; he only thought that things could have been better if it just did not happen.

To compensate his still-disappointment of being unable to enjoy the visual beauties, he simply focused himself to enjoying the audible arts within him; the sound of winds, the echo of birds tweeting as if in folklores, the chime of monsoon jingling as it was blown by the winds.

Though regaining his senses back, perhaps it was not completely in him yet—that he somehow brought himself to the park he used to settle in, to enjoy the sunset. He did not know, what had brought him to the place, seeing as enjoying the view was no longer something he could do. Being confused of his own senses, he decided that it would be a waste if he turned away and went straight to his home, that he decided to take a sit in the park, though not with his usual glass of milkshake in his possession.

The park had its own unique tranquility, despite the actually few trees to hide noises of cars in the park, and that it had been left in the cold for a while by the developers in the city. Then again, not being able to enjoy the view on all counts, he derived every of his senses to his ears, and tried to enjoy the audible details around him.

…Unsatisfyingly, there was not anything worth hearing around him, since the park itself was quiet and all left was the vrooming sounds, and it was obviously not something Kuroko's ears could enjoy.

In the still-winded park, he only watched people as they come and go. Though seeing them in a flatter dimension than he usually does, he stayed still and observed everything as if anything was in his interest, though the truth he was only spacing out. Little did he not intend to go home yet, since he somehow realized that he would enjoy even less interesting view in his room. He would usually just have his phone up and have some call with Kagami while lying on his bed, spending a whole day talking about things, starting from school and even basketball matches, since he knew well that Kagami is a person who loves basketball more than anything else. Or if not, he would usually call someone else, but having quite different regular activities and all, he was more likely afraid to initiate a call to them. But then again, at this time, he was afraid that Kagami would only either be bothered or be desperate with his apologies and all.

Kuroko came to forgetting about the partnership he wanted to ask, slowly engulfed by the monochrome view he was staring at.

I am color blind…

Or is it the colors that had been blinding me?

Soon drowned in his train of brainstorm, unconsciously closing his left eyelid, then switching with his other eyelid closed, he only wished that a miracle would happen and his blindness would be cured in any way.

Hopeless what he had felt, after his efforts to blink his eyes for a while. His eyes grew faint in an indecorous face, moreover his colorless world had prevented him to see whether he was turning pale or not, after all his negative thoughts.

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His blank space of mind drove him to not noticing a shadow approaching him very close though—he only realized one's presence after a small unfamiliar greeting came onto his ears.

"Greetings, Tetsuya."

Eyes widened, and before the light-blue haired boy had any chance to respond or even see the shadowed company's face, he felt a tender touch on his chin, though little force was applied in it to have him facing upwards.

A soft tissue of another pair of lips were then pressed against his own lips; he could feel it unswervingly, as his sense of touch might have went more sensitive than usual due to his unfocused sight. All Kuroko could see was a streak of light, but due to the shock of the gentle taste on his delicate lips, he eventually closed his eyes, soon feeling an odd feeling he had not be sensible of for some span of time already.

If it was some random person, he would have turned away and struggled, but just by hearing the peculiar and familiar greeting, Kuroko knew exactly who he was. He welcomed the soothing and alluring contact while relishing the feeling of longing to meet the person after all. Then again, the odd feeling turned into a comfortable pleasure, though only done by a slightly short press on his rim of lips.

"Akashi-kun…" He called, in a slow voice, as he slowly opened his blue eyes to the still-yellowing dawning skies as the distance between the two's oral cavity increased slowly.

In front of his eyes was one of a bright-red haired person, and eccentric heterochromatic eyes clearly visible although the person was opposing the light source. Smiling was what he did, as he saw the other smiling as well.

Kuroko then continued their rather straightforward meeting with a wrap on the other's shoulders, a pinkish feature drawn on his previously pale face. More like a spoiled child, he leaned his head onto the soft short red hair of the other's, showing just how much he had missed the presence of the heterochromatic boy.

"Tetsuya, what is it? You're acting more spoiled than usual." As the question struck Kuroko's ears, he immediately answered bluntly, "I miss Akashi-kun very much."

Hearing the simple answer made the redhead feel a glint of happiness, as he himself had that feeling of missing the teal-head, since it has really been a while since they last met.

As Kuroko succumbed to the comfort of feeling the other's long-yearned warmth, he added a reason of his clinging acts. "Moreover, I have been feeling quite desperate…"

… For being color blinded.

His previously dimmed sight was then widened as soon as his mind continued his trailing-off words, and his previously well-attached hands on the other's shoulder was released, for him to take some distance and re-observed of what he was seeing.

I was afraid or not being able to no longer savor the beauty of red.

His mind suddenly went on a blank as soon as he flashed back on what he had thought, and turned his eyes around his surroundings to reaffirm of what he was seeing.

Akashi's red hair, heterochromatic eyes, the yellowing dawn, the reddish refraction of the sunset, and then the browned leaves of fall.

His jaw was wide opened due to his shock, yet, he tried to stay sober within the moment of his surprise, and blinked his eyes over and again. He would love to believe what had happened, but on the other side it was most likely something he found hard to believe.

Akashi, pondering of why the previously content and spoiled boy was suddenly in a panicky attitude, could only smile as he thought it was rather rare to see one's change of mood in a blink of an eye. As the other had his palms covering his eyes then opened it—and did it repeatedly, the still calm redhead took a hold of Kuroko's wrist, and asked in a calming tone,

"What is it?"

Kuroko, still not being able to get a hold of the surprising situation, breathed in and out in a fast pace as he had just ran in thirty laps, clenched his teeth onto one another as he looked deeper into the red and yellow eyes staring at him.

"I…"

Still he was too stunned to speak, and Akashi knew well that it would be unpleasant if he were to force the jumpy boy to talk for a while. So he only let his arms circle around the light blue head, as he slowly caressed Kuroko's soft hair in a calming gesture. All he did was done without words, but it was clearly felt that it was almost as if Akashi was saying, "There, there." to calm Kuroko down, judging by his acts.

Feeling a bit deviously calmed down after all his relentless gasps, the smaller boy slowly returned an embrace to the other, not bothering whether anyone was watching their strange reunion or not. He let himself get drowned within the warmth of the embrace, then the gentle slender fingers on the back side of his head. Basking under the mild orange sunlight, he took a deep breath before he spoke out his mind.

"Akashi-kun, I was…"

But he was still mentally not prepared enough to tell the whole surprising story, and Akashi could only grin a little at the nervous company. Though he was actually curious with why the other was in such a shock, he finally settled with giving out an idea to the other.

"Well, well." He said, as he continued the tender caresses on one's hair. "Should we kiss once again, before you start explaining everything to me?"

Kuroko had a little flustered feel in hearing the other's request, but it was not like he minded at all. A little nod was given in response, not any wordy sort of comment. Slowly pulling away to give some distance between them, the pale yet slightly pinked cheeks felt a constant and warm hushes of breath. He was sure it was Akashi's, but soon he noticed that he was breathing in the almost same pace.

Deliberately closing in the gap between their faces, their soft edges of lips gradually in contact with each other's, both could no longer tell whose breaths were they feeling around their faces.

In the silence, they knew that they were in a public place, which Akashi decided to just make it a simple peck, but a strong one intended. Feeling enough with tasting one's lips, the redhead returned the distances they once head while showing a smile of satisfaction towards the other. Kuroko had only watched the other as he retracted in a somewhat-longing gaze, while devouring still to the taste of the other's warm lips.

Akashi simply took a seat beside his company, and faced to the nearly setting sun and the darkened orange skies. His heterochromatic gaze, though, reflected one of a shiny sunlight, perhaps for his natural eye colors had been shiny enough, after all. He intentionally initiated a silent treatment to the other; then again, he did not want to force the other to speak, that all he did was to wait for the tedious-faced person beside him to speak.

Few seconds had passed, and none had started to open a mouth up. In his intentions, Akashi only calmly waited while enjoying the autumn winds blowing around him, while Kuroko, had his face somehow lowered, his pale bangs covering part of his face. There had been some thoughts on his teal head, yet, as usual, he got stuck in his usual problem—

"Akashi-kun," he said, breaking into the intentional silence left by the other. "…I don't know where to start."

'I knew it.' Akashi's mind instantly clicked as he heard such expected repartee, seeing as it had been a habit for the Seirin boy in telling one long story. Though, despite his thoughts, Akashi smiled, and decided to leave his silent treatment intentions be, for may he has went too far for someone like Kuroko. He opted to start asking questions to lure out answers from the other.

"Why were you in such shock?"

"Ah," the bland-faced boy finally had words popping out onto his mind, in a proper chronological order then started telling them to the red-headed colleague. But from all the words he had in mind, only few were uttered, them being the conclusion to all he had worried of.

"I was color blinded, and when Akashi-kun came, I suddenly found back those colors that had left my eyes before…"

"Color blinded?" The redhead found the intriguing word in Kuroko's answer.

"Yes, color blinded. I was only able to see things in monochrome until then…"

"Wait, I didn't know you are color blind, Tetsuya."

"Umm… It was only yesterday." Kuroko had to leave a gap, as he had to sort out some things in his mind again before he started the whole story-telling. He clenched his fingers onto his black uniform, his eyes directed to the boundless urban panorama around the park.

"I found myself in the hospital yesterday, coming into consciousness with realizing that Kagami-kun was beside me, calling my name in a slow tone. I hadn't yet fully realized something odd in my eyes, since you know how hospital has just the flat colors. But as I blinked my eyes more, over and again, I finally realized how I was unable to see any colors other than some shades of grey. Kagami-kun looked like only a shadow; his reddish hair looked more just like a flat black.

"I turned desperate—I tried to move my eyes around, yet I was still unable to see any vivid colors. Then my despair was stirred with confusion as Kagami-kun suddenly embraced me, and flaunted his mellow side. He apologized to me in a regretful face."

The red and yellow eyes twitched as he heard the last two sentences.

"Kagami Taiga, he is… your team's power forward, isn't he?"

"Yes."

Akashi took a moment to then remember, how Seirin's ace was, as far as he could recall, a strong-headed person. He somehow found it a little odd, to hear such person being mellow. Slowly getting off the topic, he shook his head and left aside what he wanted to conjecture. From beside the redhead, Kuroko watched the redhead and his unpleased expression, and then gave a slight hint to erase the other's further worries.

"Akashi-kun doesn't have to worry. He was only embracing. Nothing else."

The redhead then turned his head to see the teal head, whom was obviously, being silly. It somehow got right to the point he was worrying of, and Akashi only smirked with a slight flush on his face. And under his bangs, Kuroko slightly hinted a little smile, feeling amused with the other's somehow unjustified acts.

"Well, why did he apologize again?" putting aside the chit-chat, Akashi continued to have his ears ready to hear what the blue-haired boy had to say.

"Ah, it took some time to finally have him speak. He was sobbing—without shedding tears—for a while and I thought he was in despair himself, so I didn't even bother to ask more. He was saying weird things like, 'It's all my fault', and such. I let him calm himself down for a while.

"After a moment, he spoke up. He was not getting to the point though, he reaffirmed about my current condition first.

"'You are color blind at the moment, Kuroko. The doctor says so.' He said, as he took a seat beside my bed. In the room were only us; I could tell his voice was actually slow, but for the silence, it somehow echoed to the whole room. It was obvious, so I could nod to what he said.

"But you know that wasn't the answer I was expecting. Therefore I asked him, 'I am aware of my current eyes. I only need to know why and how did it become like this.'

"A clench of his shirt was all he did, and Bakagami-kun started to spout nonsense again. 'It's all my fault.' He said. I wasn't satisfied with his answer, and returned his words by saying, 'Kagami-kun is stupid. You know I wasn't looking for such answer.'

"'I don't think anything is your fault. Even if it is really your fault, I want to know how all of this happened.' I said, being determined enough that Kagami-kun didn't actually take part in making me any blind.

"Then, he said, everything was related to what happened two days—or three days from today- ago."

"Three days ago?" Akashi halted the other's story for a bit, having no knowledge of what was in the span of three days before. All he could remember was him being in the classroom, working on his exams. And at that time, he certainly could not remember having received any message from Kuroko at all.

Though, Kuroko's next words explained how well he did not know anything of anything happening in 'three days ago' other than his exams.

"I knew Akashi-kun was on exams, so I didn't tell you about the camp. I didn't want to disturb you…"

Silence was what Akashi had in response. It was rather a considerate act from the other, but he might have actually preferred if Kuroko had told him some news even though he was in his exams. Then again, putting aside unnecessary things for the meantime, he went back on track with what they were talking about.

"Then, do tell me now, about what happened three days ago."

Kuroko was having his breath almost out, though, he actually wanted to let the others know everything, that he made sure he had some more spare breaths to use. As he regained his intended pace of breathing, he started to continue his previous narration.

"Three days ago was a camp with the whole Seirin basketball club members, excluding the first years. It was a fine camp; we managed to practice a whole day long. As the day grew later, we all had to start setting up our tents. The seniors were setting up the tent, I and the other second years were preparing for our dinner, while Kagami-kun was left to find some wood for our campfire.

"But that was when suddenly a heavy rain poured down on us, and we all hid in one tent, out of three we should have set up if we have more time.

"The rain unpleasantly grew heavier as the skies turned dark, and without proper lighting, we were basically trapped in a nightmare. We had no food to snack on, we had no back up needs; since none of us had expected a large rain pouring in such clear and windy autumn.

"Though, what we were worried about was not about our starving selves, yet Kagami-kun, whom was still out there, and not returning after quite an amount of time. Along the rain, we all murmured and had our speculations of where might Kagami-kun had went.

"Even after the skies turned completely dark, and the rain had stopped, Kagami-kun was yet to be around. Among everyone who had been starving including me, I initiated to go on a search for Kagami-kun, while the others set up the tent and prepare dinner."

Having a bad feeling in his mind as he listened to Kuroko's story, Akashi wrinkled a bit of his eyebrows, but he could be wrong if he was to comment at that half-told story, that he decided to just sit still and hear more.

"Then?"

"I didn't know the forest would be that dark, and I had recklessly forgotten to bring a flashlight along with me. It was already too far for me to go back, and also, I was quite confident that Kagami-kun hadn't gone that far yet, that I kept on going while calling Kagami-kun's name every few meters I walked.

"I could feel the ground was uneven, save its no-longer solid compound for it was showered by the heavy rain earlier. Even so, I continued on and moved around to search for Kagami-kun.

"I didn't think the ground was a threat, until I feel myself stepping on a fairly light surface, where then I found myself unconscious as soon as I slipped down to some kind of gorge.

"…That was everything I can remember. When I opened my eyes, I no longer had colors in my eyes."

An exhale closed the little camp story; the transparent blue eyes then directed his gaze at the somehow-amused redhead. Little by little, the story had dovetailed between Akashi's predictions and the storied which Kuroko had told.

After a little gap, Kuroko's eyes twitched and widened a bit, having something he had previously forgotten to say.

"Ah, and then, Kagami-kun told me the continuation of that night at the camp site."

"Hmm?" The heterochromatic eyes looked at the plain boy who started to tell another set of story—perhaps not a too long one, seeing it was an addition.

"Kagami-kun had actually heard a little of my voice at that night. Then he tried to find where the calls came from, but when he found me, I was found bleeding all over my body, dirtied by the grounds, and not even slightly conscious.

"Kagami-kun then carefully took me out of the steep grounds, and brought me back to the camp site, and everyone tended on my wounds carefully, he said, and Riko-san, our coach, called for an ambulance as I seemed to be in a grave state.

"'Everyone was worried about you. I was dead worried about you. So, that night, we canceled the camp activity and brought you to the hospital. We were all shocked, to hear that you had suffered of a light cerebral concussion, and soon got news that you'd be color blinded. From the moment you open your eyes.' Kagami-kun said, yesterday, with his teeth strongly clenched onto one another."

"'It's all my fault. If just I had come back sooner, you wouldn't have to search for me, and you don't have to—' Kagami-kun then turned into his mellow self, and since I was, of course, annoyed, I gave him a single head-chop. I mean, it was nature, and it wasn't anybody's fault to blame.

"But Kagami-kun is Kagami-kun, he gets depressed over things so easily. Even when I had my hospital release already, he still puts the entire burden on himself and took things the hard way. He was silent the whole day, and skipped the basketball practice today.

"To be honest, I was in a desperate state myself. But then Akashi-kun came, and…"

His words trailed off, and the previously still-gazing eyes were averted to the view of the darkened skies. Though it was dark, he could still see a hint of red in it; remnants of the sunset there was. And the mismatched eyes grew eager as he could finally see the end of the pitiful story, with a rather amusingly happy ending.

"At least, it's all settled now, isn't it? Tetsuya."

The redhead asked, a look directed to the rather shy teal-head, a warm smile despite Kuroko's perplexed complexion. His free hand moved to the top of Kuroko's head, ruffling the soft blue-hair, triggering the stale face to turn and look at the smiling company.

He was not sure with how the matter of his color-blindness was solved; it was more like a miracle, and if he told such thing to everyone, no one would probably believe him. There was null proof to proof if it was a miracle either—all he knew was that the entire distorted colors were brought back to him when Akashi came.

Rather than fussing about the uncanny thing that had just happened, Kuroko felt that it was better to think about what he could do for the moment, in which he soon thought about Kagami, whom would still be stressed and in grudge for his acts.

"That's right, I should tell Kagami-kun that I am okay."

He immediately took out his phone from his pocket, and Akashi, hearing so, did nothing to hinder the others from doing so, but decided to flail a question regarding his suspicious towards Kagami, which he had been feeling the moment he started listening to Kuroko's story.

"Kagami—"

"Kagami-kun is acting too odd towards me… isn't he?"

For a moment, Akashi thought if the person beside him had somewhat read his mind, or thought if his face had reflected well every word he was going to talk of. Upon his agreement, he nodded, eyes silently directed at the blue eyes which soon averted its lights to the phone in his possession, his fingers slightly toying with the keypads.

"Everyone also sees so. People think we are partners… Since we have something in common after all, that we both love basketball very much—Kagami-kun loves basketball more than anything. I have thought about this, especially when earlier Izuki-senpai had called us as partners. I am not comfortable with being called partners, since…"

Kuroko had given little gap, bearing some explanation behind, leaving Akashi waiting for the next words to come.

"…my partner is someone who, I believe, loves me much more than anything."

A rosey flush struck onto the previously bold cheeks of the redhead's, as a surprise was intended by the blunt Kuroko. Few seconds after, Akashi turned his unusual sheepish expression into a happy grin. A grateful feeling was inside him.

"You're holding onto the right thing."

Then the mismatched eyes continued to take a glimpse on the still stand-by phone, and let out a sigh instead of anything else.

"Though, I don't think partners describe you two wrong."

Kuroko's eyes widened, a slight confusion and jolt of insecurity suddenly striking onto his nerves. His head tilted to a side while looking seriously at the other, having his whole perception to be wronged.

"You are basketball partners. You and I both know, that it is an unavoidable fact," the redhead explained, as he leaned slightly closer to his company. His eyes stared deep onto the bewildered expression. "But perhaps you can change the perception that we are not partners—

-but lovers."

The intimidating word was hardly well accepted in the ears of the smaller boy, but he could feel his face growing heated in very small shudders and chills as the redhead's words echoed in his mind. His mind was somehow the fulfilled with awkwardness, with his palms immediately covering his face in reflex; ignoring the phone on his lap.

"A-Akashi-kun."

It was an unconscious call, and Akashi could only stare at the other with an indomitably satisfied smile, having returned a surprise attack. He soon let out his hand to ruffle the other's hair, thus while hoping his words weren't too much.

A warm and fuzzy feel were felt by the two, despite the relentless autumn winds blown the two as they spent a little more time in a the park with talks—until the red colors had completely been gone, and dark blue took place in occupying the colors in the skies. The selenic scenery had bright stars in it, shining like brighter than they ever had.

.

.

.

"Why didn't you tell me earlier though, that you were color blinded?"

One, two, three steps, Kuroko couldn't find a proper pleasant answer to the other's question. There were a lot of reasons stirring in his puzzled mind before, and just as usual, he wasn't sure which would be nice enough to be stated first.

One, two, three, four steps, still he left a hum to fill in the awkward silence as he walked beside the redhead in the slightly crowded streets, his hand clenching still to the rather chilly cup of vanilla shake, which Akashi had given treat to him as they walked together earlier.

"Speak." A somehow unpleased tone was done in the request. Kuroko's body jolted a bit as soon as he heard it coming from the person beside him. But a smile was given in compensation after Akashi laughed at the innocently shocked look in Kuroko's pale face. In an instant, Kuroko was slightly feeling ashamed of being tricked by the rough tone he heard just now.

But he finally found a point for him to start speaking. "I knew Akashi-kun was busy. So having you to know about my condition would be rather troublesome."

"But it's Friday and you have to know that my exams are over by the day."

Akashi's objection silenced Kuroko at a moment, leaving their footsteps only being audible. "I told you, I'd like it better if you could just bother me at all times. I won't mind." He added, then somehow initiated a mild caress on the blue hair—for the few times already in the day.

And Kuroko personally did not hate the feeling either; he likes any kind of touch from Akashi, as they are usually just so peculiar, and to feel such touch was surely something he could not sense at all times.

He only nodded in response to the suggestion from the redhead, and continued to walk side-by-side as he took another sip of the somehow soothing vanilla shake.

They were heading to a restaurant to relish their hunger, one that Akashi usually visits whenever he is around the area, as it serves well of Akashi's favorite menu; tofu soup, and of course, it was not the first time for the two to go there together. It was not that far from Kuroko's house either, making it a place of Akashi's choice.

Just a few steps away, in which the restaurant was already within their range of sight, Akashi suddenly broke the silence, while Kuroko was on his attempt to finish his milk shake before they arrive to the restaurant—since the restaurant would forbid him to bring his favorite drink in.

"To be honest, I have actually suffered color blind before, as well."

"Eh?"

Kuroko's eyes widened, hearing that it was a fact he had never knew about his company, even since he first knew him as a captain in his middle school's basketball club. While continuing to sip his drink little by little, he found it weird to hear a new story about Akashi's past.

"Yes. I think I actually had it since I was born. Then at one time though, it was cured." The mismatched eyes grew tender, though remaining still abundant in colors, and a faint smile painted still on his face.

"When was it…? Was it when you were in elementary school?" Curiosity overwhelmed the smaller boy, as he continued to finish his milk shake still, his eyebrows raised for his questioning self.

The redhead colleague, though, shook his head, and simply answered, "No. It was cured the moment you came to my life, Tetsuya."

The previously bland expression on Kuroko turned into one of a flustered person-moreover the little dose of milk shake spilling out a bit to his lips as he thought the answer was more likely silly. Unnoticed, his face grew partly red, coloring the previously plain face.

"B-but…?"

"You brought colors to my life. I had only been living in monochrome for twelve years."

The answer was persistent, and Kuroko knew it would only be a waste for him to object his former captain. His jaw slightly created a gap out of surprise. He knew well it was more likely sarcasm, but still, a feeling of embarrassment and joy were mixed in his heart's content, and he could not hide it from being shown on his face that he had to lower his face a bit and hide it under his bangs. Though, Akashi could still have a glimpse of it a bit, and chuckled for his satisfaction in teasing the other.

"Akashi-kun…" he called, as he clenched his delicate fingers onto the grey shirt of the other's. His pinkish nails bumped onto one another as Kuroko started to cripple a little bit of the redhead's sleeve.

"I was only being honest."

The moment the conversation ended, Akashi's palms had pushed the doors to the restaurant, and as the waiters greeted their entrance, Kuroko threw away his empty cup of vanilla shake to the trash bin near the doors. It was dark outside, and it was overly bright inside the restaurant.

But Kuroko could tell that there were more colors than the contrasting darkness and brightness. The colors that once were distorted were brought back into his eyes—and not a little bit did he intend to have them leave his eyes again;

So I could savor the beauty of the colors of red when I see them.

.

.

.

~Afterwords~

Kanpai~ Nothing much to say except that I sure have wrote some nonsense up there, pardon my blank mind because I was ill when I am writing this piece /shot The story ended up being really long because I am silly and mashed up tons of ideas together ;_;

Also I am surely not good at romance. To be honest romance is not my cup of idea but ahhh since this is kind of a dramatized true story and all I don't think any other genre will fit the feelings I am trying to pour and present *_*

I do realize I still have to learn more, especially on making dialogues and all. They don't seem any lively don't they; they look so awkward asdfghjkl

But I would really love to present this to my dear friend, Chii! Happy Birthday to you, best wishes as always~ 3

Thank you for bringing colors to my life \(^_^)/

I really need to learn how to write in English better ( ="=)

For the meantime, thank you for reading this and please look forward to my next writing soon…~ (just have to review it and it's all done!)

~Special Thanks~

Antares-kun, loyal supporter and ideas maestro! :3

Hayaka-san, keeping me sane when I am writing this!

Fujimaki Tadatoshi-sensei, for making this awesome series!