Different Or Just Unique? [ A Kuroko No Basuke Fanfiction ]

Chapter 1: Childhood Innocence

Age 7 - Elementary School - 1st Grade

"Teacher, what is this?" Hikari raised her hand, while her other hand was pointing towards a picture of a family of three. The young girl was between a man and a woman and was holding their hands, smiling happily. Hikari continued to stare at the picture in her textbook in confusion as the teacher made her way over.

"Oh that, Hikari-chan is a family." She bend down and pointed toward the woman. " That is the mother." She shifted her finger towards the man. " That is the father." And lastly at the little girl between them. " And this is their daughter, their child." The teacher then looked at Hikari. "Do you understand now?" She smiled.

"I don't understand." Hikari shook her head, not understanding the teacher's explanation at all.

"Which part did you not understand?" The teacher asked once more, a bit surprised at the young girl's straightforwardness.

"This part." She point at the man. " What is a 'Father'? She looked up at her teacher, expecting an answer.

"E-err-" The teacher, she didn't know how to answer that question. Stunned, she stared at her student and all she got was a blank stare in return.

"Hikari." She bend down to face her, prompting Hikari to face her directly as well. "You..have a father don't you? You know..the one who is taking care of you right now." She finished and waited for a response. Expecting a nod, instead all she got was an expressionless gaze.

"I don't have one, so I don't understand." She replied.

"H-hikari-chan.. then who is taking care of you now?..is it your mother?" The teacher found it hard to get those question out, deep down she somehow knew that the answers she was going to get were not going to be pretty, but she just had to ask to reassure herself.

A shake of the head was all that she got, and the teacher found herself panicking internally, but she remained calm and composed outside so that she would not frighten the child in front of her unnecessarily. She took a deep gulp before asking again.

"Then who is?"

"The auntie living next door." Hikari answered after a short moment of silence.

Feeling a bit relieved at the fact that the child was getting proper care and was not getting neglected, she let of a sigh of relief before placing both of her hands on either side of Hikari's shoulder.

"Hikari...may I ask..that if you request your mother to come to school later on?..I would like to talk to her about.." She stopped for a while before continuing. "...your condition.." She finished.

Silence was all she got. Thinking that maybe Hikari did not hear her, or simply did not understand her question, she decided to try again but was cut off immediately.

"Hika-"

"You can't." Was the immediate reply that she got. The teacher looked taken aback before Hikari started explaining.

"Auntie said that mother is sick..that she is not well..so I don't think she'll be able to come here, she needs to stay home so that she'll get better." Hikari explained with a deadpan expression.

"I-is that so.." The teacher trailed off.

"..this child...."

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Age 8 - Elementary School - 2nd Grade