Approximately a few months ago,
Akashi Seijuurou turned fifteen today. It was a beautiful birthday for him, having someone that he cherished next to him while stepping towards the future. The girl that sat next to him already dozed off and landed her head on his shoulder. Akashi smiled at the warmth that they shared together. He was never the type to openly show his affection, but he’ll let it slide this time.
He reached for her hand and closed the gaps between their fingers.
It fit perfectly.
Once again, a small smile appeared on his lips. The sudden contact made the girl next to him stirred, and woke up. She blinked a few times and murmured, “... Seijuurou?” She rubbed her eyes with the back of her hands.
“Rena, did you sleep well?” Akashi asked, looking at her tenderly.
“Hnn, yeah. Quite a nice one, I must say.” She commented drowsily. “Did I sleep too long?” she added.
“Hm, yes. Quite long since you managed to drool on my jacket.” He said, voice sounding so serious.
“W-what?! Really ?!”she asked, panic flashed on her eyes as she frantically searched for the place that she drooled on his jacket. “S-Seijuurou, I can’t find it! Gosh!” she frowned.
“Hey, take it easy, will you?” Akashi hid his smile, even though he knew he can’t hold back the urge of laughing at that moment.
“Seijuurou! I’m serious, you know!” she said in frustration. Her brows furrowed together and she was biting her lips softly. It was an act that she always did whenever she felt nervous and guilty. Something that Akashi noticed from the first time they met.
“It’s okay, Rena. Don’t worry about it.” Akashi placed his hand around her shoulder, making their gap even closer.
“How could you say that?! That’s so embarassing!”
“It’s a joke, love. I’m just joking from the beginning.” He admitted, and Rena swore she saw a grin on his face for a split second.
“Seijuurou! You’re joking?!” she raised her voice, mustering an angry expression.
“Oh, you’re mad, Rena?” he chuckled softly, pulling her close to him – making her leaned on him.
“Akashi Seijuurou! That joke is too much, you know!” Rena pouted, folding her arms.
“Well, I’m sorry then if it’s a little bit too much.” He apologized, placing his chin on top of her head.
“Mm, not forgiven, Seijuurou.” She whispered, trying to hide the blush that dusting her cheeks pink.
“You can’t forgive me till your face’s red, Rena? How cute.” He snickered, earning a small slap on his arm by Rena.
“Hey, you’re bullying me!” Rena grumbled.
“Sorry, can’t help it, love.”
“Hey, Seijuurou.”
“Hmm? What is it, Rena?”
“What if I’m no longer by your side? What will you do?”
“Rena, what are you talking about?” Akashi frowned slightly. He hated this kind of topic. It made him felt like he was slowly losing her and he didn’t want to feel that way. It hurts. A lot.
Just like the moment when his mother closed her eyes forever.
His chest felt hurt.
“... Nee, Seijuurou! Gosh! Why are you day dreaming right now?” she sighed. “I’m asking you a question, okay? At least reply it before you went off day dreaming!”
“Rena, why are you asking me that?” he murmured while inhaling the sweet scent of her jet black hair.
“I’m just... curious, I guess. But you know, Seijuurou, promise me something!” she broke free from Akashi’s embrace as she turned to look at him seriously.
“Promise you what?” he asked.
“If something happen to me, please find your happiness, Seijuurou. Move on and get over me.” She said softly, her voice was shaking in fear and sadness when she spoke out those words.
“Rena, please stop saying something like that. Don’t ever think that way.” Akashi hushed her softly and pulled her into his arms, embracing her tightly.
“I’m sorry, Seijuurou. I can’t help it, I’m afraid...” she paused, hesitating whether to continue her sentence or just drop it off.
“Rena...” Akashi soothed her, running his finger’s through her silky hair and the arm on Rena’s waist went a little tighter.
“Promise me, Seijuurou.”
Akashi tried to ignore the ache in his heart. He knew Rena said those words as a guarentee, but he can’t help but to feel afraid. He was afraid at the thought of losing her. He was afraid to imagine his life without Rena’s laughs and smiles.
“I promise, Rena...” he whispered gently, and continued, “Stay with me, please. Now till forever.”
.
The sharp pain he felt right now was unbearable. He felt the hot liquid running down from his forehead. He tried to look around, but black spots starting to invade his vision. He felt so lost, vulnerable and tired.
His mind wondered. ‘What happened? What happened to me?’ he thought. He heard the sirens and some voices. But it was unclear. Like a static ringing in his ears. He wanted to say something, but his voice won’t came out.
He wanted to breathe. But his chest hurt everytime he tried to inhale. The drizzling rain somehow managed to wash away the blood from his face but surely it can’t washed away his pain. Akashi new he was forgetting something, but he can’t point it out with his hazy mind.
He was torn between numbness and the feeling as if he was hit by a bullet train. His vision was surrounded by dark and murky shape. And he was quite sure the metallic taste of iron filled his mouth.
The rain made him shivered, he was cold but he couldn’t tell.
Cold and warm.
Heavy and light.
Blurry noises.
Tired. He was tired, why was he here again?
Again, that blurry noises. As if he was drowning, as if he was underwater.
Drowning and distant.
Maybe it was just static ringing in his ears.
And he was falling.
Weightless.
He was falling into the embrace of darkness that welcomed him towards the unknown surface.
A never ending fall.
.
A few weeks after,
Akashi found himself walked towards the grave. It was a miracle he was there. That was what he often heard for the past few days. But he couldn’t agree with that statement.
Not anymore.
After all, he was standing alone in front of the grave that craved the name of his love.
Koizumi Rena.
A daughter, a sister and a friend that will be cherish forever.
A soft laugh escape from his lips. The laugh sounded so fake and sad that made Akashi felt so disgusted with himself.
“... Rena...” he called out softly, gently as his finger’s touched the craving of her name.
“You leave me, in the end...” a soft sob was heard at the solitary cemetry indicating the sadness and suffering that he faced at that moment.
He wanted to hold it in, but not now. He was too lost.
He felt so lonely.
He felt his world just ended.
He swore he heard his heart broke into pieces.
And he didn’t bother to pick it up once again.
Because he wasn't able to do so.
.
Months later,
Akashi’s recovery made everyone silently happy. After all, who could survive such accident and still breathing? Akashi proved that miracle does exist and that was what they always thought.
And now, he was still remain as the Captain of Teikou’s Basketball Club.
The basketball team that tasted victory again and again.
And it was the moment when every prodigy's in the club – known as the Kiseki no Sedai – talents bloomed beautifully.
There were Akashi, standing in front of the tallest among the prodigy – Murasakibara – and challenged him for one-on-one game.
“Aka-chin, if I win, then I will no longer come to practices.” Murasakibara spoke, determination laced his words. “After all, Mine-chin didn’t go to practices too.” A pause.
“And I don’t want to listen to anyone weaker than me...”
Crimson red eyes met with violet orbs.
“What did you say?” Akashi furrowed his brows. He knew their talents were blooming, but this was unexpected.
“Like I said just now, I don’t want to listen to anyone weaker than me!” Murasakibara emphasized his words.
Gasps and shocks were heard across the gym. They were surprised by Murasakibara’s little outburst.
“Fine, a one-on-one.” He decided, before continued, “The first to take five points win.”
“Akashi?!” Midorima’s surprised tone was ignored.
“I shall discipline you!” Akashi spoke.
“We’ll see what’ll happen next, Aka-chin...”
Tension filled the gym as the play between the two prodigy continued. But, in the end, they were served with the most unbelievable sight.
Akashi was losing.
He, Akashi Seijuurou, who never lose, was going to taste the bitterness of losing for the first time.
Silence made the tension that they felt unbearable.
The clash between their Captain and Murasakibara was not going to end well.
“I, who wins everything, am always right.” That moment, Akashi felt himself succumbed to memories of his past. He felt thousands of emotions stirred up inside of him.
Part of him was trembling in rage.
Another part of him was trying to deny the reality.
And part of him felt like he wasn’t even suppose to be there.
He can’t take this anymore.
All these feelings... he wanted to make it disapear.
“You’re getting ahead of yourself, Atsushi. Don’t make me angry.” The sudden change in his voice made everyone shivered in fear.
There was something different about Akashi Seijuurou.
“I’ll kill anyone who opposes me... Even my own parents.”
A familiar face, but with a new intimidating aura, along with an unfamiliar pair of eyes.
That was the birth of the new Akashi Seijuurou.
“I am Akashi Seijuurou, of course...”