MiRACLE (KnB Fanfic)

21.

"Are you sure you don't want to take any of their calls?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

Fate really has it out for Aisaka Hiroto. Maybe it's because he cheated on death and decided to live again. Yeah, maybe he really wasn't supposed to be here at all.

He really didn't think he'd have to suffer the pain of losing his father, twice.

(Both of them meant equally as much to him.)

(Yet, why did this one hurt more than the other? Is it because it's the second time?)

"Hiroto-kun, you really don't need to rush," kind Mister Policeman tries to urge him, "you can stay here for another week, or month, or even a year before you go."

Hiroto leans against his suitcase, taking one last look at his room.

He looks at the unmade bed, then to the pile of reference books he wasn't going to bring with him. He picks up a gray cat plush and decides to stuff it in the edge of his backpack.

The smell of chlorine fills his nose. He didn't want to be in this house any longer.

"I'm fine," he tells the man.

"You could stay with one of your friends, or even your neighbours," the policeman continues-- he's really desperate to have Hiroto not leave, huh? "It wouldn't trouble me if you wanted to stay in my house for a few more days, too."

By law, it's required for every underage child to be under legal guardianship. Hiroto lost his, and without guardian approval he doesn't have, he can't continue to stay alone. But he doesn't want to stay over at Kuroko's or Aomine's.

(It would just hurt more if everything reminded him of his dad and how he isn't here anymore.)

"I'm fine," he insists, "I'll go to American and stay with my Aunt."

Maybe it was ironic. His dad promised to bring him out of the country one day, when they had enough cash to get by-- but in the end, Hiroto is sent out of the country because his dad died.

(It's all just a fucking joke, right?)

"You can get everything else you need in America," he's told, so he doesn't bring much. There isn't much he wants to bring, anyways.

(It's not a joke?)

(He's really gone?)

Maybe he imagined his upcoming trip to America to be something happier. Something more interesting, something to look forward to.

But Dad isn't here. Dad isn't here with him, and wouldn't be there when he returns.

He's not going there with hope and aspirations. He's going there in despair, torn away from everything he once knew was his own.

(It can't be real.)

He rubs his wrist brace, looking at the stains and the worn-out velcro, and he can only try his hardest not to cry again.

(Maybe if he woke up, this would all just be a nightmare.)

Ah, maybe if he died again, all this would reset and he could start over again, just like the first time.