The Empress' Redemption (Kuroko no Basket)(Akashi x oc)

Chapter 16: To Be Loved By Two.

Hello!!! (*'∇｀*) I'm back after a long long break *ahem* *ahem*... As usual, I will start with an apology and a great great thank you to all of you who waited!!!

To be honest... I've been reading too much myself. It's so hard to pull away from reader mode TT^TT

But excuses aside, have fun reading!!!!

Ps: Knb characters and the picture above do not belong to me.

Enjoy and see you at the end of this chapter again~
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Recap:

"Why did you lose in that game against me?"

Her eyes widened as a step back was involuntary taken. There had only ever been one game she had played against the Emperor. And that game... had not been in this lifetime.

That could only mean-....

She looked up, voice shaking as her mind registered the meaning of his words even as she opened her mouth to ask.

"What... game...?"

Third POV

Akashi raised a hand towards her face, his touch gentle yet shaking slightly like the heart that was trembling nervously with a flood of late regrets.

In the spur of the moment, he had gone and just blurted out whatever was in his mind.

But was this... really the right choice?

What if... knowing that he had also turned back time would anger her?

What if she blamed him for keeping such a huge secret from her and accused him for playing with her in his palm this whole time.

Even though... he really had not. 

"You know exactly what I'm talking about, Kei," his eyes softened, half with dreadful apprehension and another half because whose heart would not melt and whose eyes would not turn mellow when staring at the Empress?

The Empress with her small pointy nose, her rosy, soft lips, her sweetly-curved lips, her innocent, inviting lips, her-... *cough*

Even her anger would be like a beautifully wrapped red velvet cake. Glaring, striking, beautiful and sweet.

"You... how-...?"

Her mind must be in a mess but he let out a silent breath when he did not see any form of accusation appearing on her face. Yet.

Feeling relieved and definitely a lot braver that his revelation had yet to throw his name into her list of unforgivable matters, he tactfully took her distraction as a chance to hold onto her wrist.

It gave enough assurance that she would not be able to suddenly slam the door in his face.

"You weren't the only one who came back."

Listening to his words, Keiko Rei seemed to remember a warm embrace moments before her death. As well as a fretful voice that had been calling her name in desperation as she had floated into the darkness.

You were there.

In the end, you really were by my side.

"Which part of this lifetime did you return into?" she asked.

"Right after the championship. When I -no, when Seijuro- opened our eyes, everyone in Teiko had already changed."

Keiko remembered that one trip to Teiko middle school that she had taken right after leaving the hospital.