Unabsolutely Absolute (Kuroko no Basket)

Chapter 1: Life Isn't a Fairy Tale

(Author's Note: There's a bit of jumping around in time with this one, but bear with me)

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When I was a kid, I thought that my parents were from a storybook. The story of how they met was so perfect and nice. My mother was an art student from France who came to Japan with a study abroad program when she met my father. Papa always claimed that he'd fallen in love with Mama at first sight. They met by coincidence. My mother was lost and my father running late to class. Papa was rushing, so he crashed into Mama, who fell down and broke her camera lens in the process. Papa went to help her after the two of them apologized to each other and started to speak to her in English, Mama's second language, to her relief. Papa knew how to speak in English well, so Mama's inexperience with Japanese wasn't a problem. Mama explained that she'd just landed in Japan the other day and didn't really know her way around yet. Papa cut class for the first time to show her around. The two hung out for a while and not too long after, they started going out.

Like any love story, my parents' parents didn't approve of Papa and Mama's relationship. They tired to work it out with their parents, but it didn't work, so they eloped and were able to make things work together. Papa came from a rich family, so not having the resources that he was used to having was a bit of a change, but he and Mama adjusted to their new lifestyle together and started a family. For twenty years, Mama and Papa had their happy end.

I suppose that nothing ever really has a happy end though because Papa was killed in an accident when I was ten. A year later, Mama was diagnosed with cancer, and within half a year, she had to be hospitalized full-time, leaving me and my siblings alone at home without any family members to turn us over to. But believe it or not, everything was alright. I was never one to give up easily anyhow. I knew somewhere in my heart that I would be able to make things work.

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Three years ago...

I kneeled in front of my father's picture and bowed my head. "I hope that you're doing well, Papa. I'm going to start middle school today. I'm going to Teiko with Tetsu just like we said we were going to. Isn't that nice?" I said quietly. I sighed softly."Things are getting a bit worse, but I know that you're always watching over us, so I'm not worried at all." I smiled a little. "Ittekimasu, Papa. I'll do my best today too." I stood and smiled a little at my father's familiar smiling face before getting my school bag and heading towards the door.

I hear the sound of soft footsteps making their way towards me. My brother peeked around the corner timidly. "Itterasshai, Onee-chan," he said quietly. He looked up at me with shy brown eyes and I smiled gently before patting his head.

"Ittekimasu, Fuyuhiko," I replied. I kneeled down and fixed his hair. "Make sure Yukiko gets up on time, okay? I left food on the table for the two of you."

He nods. "Okay."

"Good boy," I replied with a smile. "Make sure you lock up, alright?"

"Okay."

I pulled on my shoes and with one last smile, I head out the door to find myself face to face with a familiar person. I smiled. "Good morning, Tetsu."

"Good morning, Masami." He looked behind me and smiled a little at Fuyuhiko. "Good morning, Fuyuhiko-kun."

"G-Good morning, Kuroko-san."

I took Tetsu's hand and tugged him down the hall with me after waving to my brother. I noticed Tetsu's faint blush and dropped his hand. "S-Sorry... we're not little kids anymore, so it was a bit inappropriate of me, huh?" I said.

"I-It's alright..." he replied.

"Oh, if it isn't Masami-kun and Tetsuya-kun," a familiar voice greeted suddenly.

It turned and smiled at the older man with glasses and wispy grey hair. "Good morning, Bunkichi-san," I greeted with a respectful bow.

Tetsu bowed next to me. "Good morning."

"You're up much earlier than usual, Bunkichi-san. Are you going to go out for a morning walk by any chance?" I asked.

"That's right, Masami-kun. I've still got some youth in me!" he exclaimed proudly.

"Yes, of course," I replied with a smile.

The door to his apartment opened and a his wife, Michiko, peered out at her husband. "What are you doing making so much noise in the morning, dear? You'll disturb the neighbors."

Bunkichi laughed good-naturedly. "Sorry."

She seemed to notice me and Tetsu and the corners of her eyes crinkled as she smiled. "Oh, good morning, you two."

Tetsu and I bowed. "Good morning," we replied.

"Ah, that's right. We have some extra melon buns. Why don't you two youngsters take them?" Bunkichi said. "Get the melon buns for me, will you, dear?"

"I have them right here." Michiko passed the two us a melon bread.

"And before you say anything more, we insist," Bunkichi said with a wink.

"Thank you very much," Tetsu replied with a bow.

"Y-Yes, thank you," I said with a quick bow.

"Work hard today, you two!" Bunkichi said with a big grin. Tetsu and I nodded. "Alright then, off to school with you two!"
Tetsu and I head off after exchanging good-byes and into the elevator.

"I see the two of us in them, I swear," I heard Bunkichi tell his wife.

The two of us flushed as the elevator door closed, enveloping us in a somewhat awkward silence. "Tetsu," I said after a moment. He turned to me. "Do your best today, okay? I'll be rooting for you."

He nodded. "Thanks, Masami."

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Present day...

Sometimes, I wonder what it would have been like if I'd chosen to date Tetsu instead. There's no guarantee that everything would have worked out, but I always get the feeling that we would have been just fine. We honestly probably would have ended up like Bunkichi and Michiko. Growing old together after being happily married. Life with Tetsu would be a nice once. A simple one, but a nice one regardless. But that chance is long gone for me.

I sigh as I check into my hotel room and close the door behind me before collapsing on the bed. I wonder if I did something wrong? If... I should have acted differently. If I should have found some other solution.

If I could go back in time, how far back would I go? Back to middle school before I'd begun to speak with him? Back to the time before he changed? Back to the beginning of summer? So far back into my childhood that I'd forget him entirely? On a day where I'm feeling courageous, maybe, just maybe, I'd go all the way back to when I was a child and try to start over again. There are so many things that I would like to change given the chance, but... my mind always goes back to him. It's almost pathetic, really.

I roll over in bed and stare at myself in the window's reflection. I feel tears well up in my eyes as I continue to question myself. "This is pathetic," I tell myself quietly. Then again, I'm all alone, so... what better time is there to cry?

It's easy to be drawn into the illusions of fairy tales, but it's twice as easy to be disillusioned by reality. Life isn't a fairy tale. There are no happy ends. Just an eternal swing between sadness and happiness.