[Outsider's PoV]
Ai was absent during class today. Kise immediately noticed it and called her on the phone but she wouldn't pick up. 'Maybe something came up in the office' the blondie thought. Tonight is the semi-finals and the finals yet the girl couldn't see it because of work. 'I hate her work' the blondie thought.
He went to the gym to practice. Kasamatsu-senpai was also looking for Ai. He wanted to thank the girl for the training yesterday. The whole team grew fond of the girl, watching them practice in the benches every single day. She would sometimes act like their manager and start handing them towels and drinks.
It was her nature to do so. She got used to her work as the manager back in Rakuzan and without realizing, she brought that habit of hers.
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The time has come for the semi-finals and the finals. Kise still haven't seen the girl he was looking for. She met the girl's friends, Hinami and Ryu. "She told me something's up in the office. But I think she'll come to watch the finals" Hinami told him. He was relieved to hear that the girl is actually coming.
Meanwhile...
"I wonder where's Ai-san" Kuroko looked at the Rakuzan team searching for the familiar girl. "Looking for Ai-cchi?" Kise approached Kuroko as both teams did their warm-ups. "You won't see him in Rakuzan anymore. She transferred in Kaijo. Something came up in her company so you won't see her until the finals." Kise told Kuroko and was surprised about the news.
'Why would she do that?' Kuroko thought. 'She should have her own reasons. But I need to fulfill my promise with her'
[Ayukawa Ai's PoV]
"Did you bring your passport? Your ticket? You brought jackets too, right? You'll call me when you get there?" dad asked all of those questions as I went down the stairs with my suitcase. "Dad, can I watch the finals before I go to the airport? I still have time. The flight is on 6:30 pm and the game starts at 5 and ends at 6:20. I still have 10 minutes." I told dad. He just cupped my face "Sure, but no crying, kay?" he said. I just nodded and brought my suitcase with me.
Dad drove me to the stadium. The two of us went inside to see the finals. It was Seirin vs. Rakuzan. So Ryota lost. I bet he's crying right now. I guess I'll have to call my little childhood friend.
*ring* *ring*
"H-hello?" Ryota answered, sniffing. "So, I heard you lost? I bet you're crying right now" I said. "Ai-cchi?! Where are you? I'm not crying. How's work?" his voice sounded a bit cheerful now but it's nothing compared to his usual. "It's going fine. Stop crying, dude. I thought my little Ryota is a big boy now" I said on the other line. "Hehe~ I'm not a child anymore Ai-cchi." Ryota said on the other line. "Hey, is that Ayukawa?" I heard Kasamatsu-senpai on the background. "Nee Ryota, listen" I said, now sounding serious.
"What is it?" Ryota replied. "Hey, I'm leaving for America this 6:30 so I wanted to say goodbye at least to you." I said looking at my dad. I can't cry. Ai, you can't cry. You have to leave. I decided to stop the call before I start crying.
I stood there near the entrance, enjoying the last time I'm going to see Akashi play. As I thought, I'm still in love with you. "Seirin is losing" I muttered to myself. Then some brown-haired guy shouted, "Go for it, Kuroko!" It made me want to cheer for him too. "Tetsuya-kun! Remember your promise!!" I shouted "Hey, Rakuzan! I don't recall telling you to let your captain do all the work! BAKASHI! Snap out of it you bastard!" I shouted and the players in the court smiled at me. A sigh of relief escaped my mouth. I know they can manage now. "Let's go dad" I told him and we left the stadium.
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[Nagata Hinami's PoV]
Ryu and I heard Ai-chan cheered for the losing Seirin and the winning Rakuzan. We looked at the reactions of the teams and they just smiled at her. "She's amazing" I thought. Being able to inspire different people, it is a rare gift. She's the only person I know who's capable of that. I felt my phone vibrate and it was a call from Ai-chan. I happily put the phone on my ear and Ryu leaned to it too to listen.
"Hinami~" Ai-chan greeted. "We saw you, Ai-chan! Where are you?" I asked, Ryu still listening. "Well, that's why I called. I don't want to leave without saying goodbye to my friends" she said. Now, Ryu finally reacted. "Goodbye? What goodbye? Why goodbye?" he asked. His questions were funny but I was nervous about this. "I'm leaving for America later." she said. So this is why she's been so distant the past few days? Always saying that something came up in the office but she was getting ready to leave? "Ai-chan! Please, don't leave. You don't have to. Narumi-san is no longer blackmailing you, right?" I said, but a part of me thought I can no longer convince her to stay.
"Hey Ryu, take care of Hinami, okay?" Ai-chan told Ryu and he just started crying and so was I. "Y-yeah." Ryu replied, sniffing and sobbing. "We will miss you Ai-chan" I managed to say in between sobs. *toot* *toot* and the call ended. I wiped my tears and decided to focus on supporting Akashi-kun in Ai-chan's behalf.
We watched the whole match and Rakuzan lost. The whole team looked upset but they were able to line up. We were about to go out when someone called us from behind "Hinamicchi! Ryucchi!" It was Kise-san. "It's about Ai-cchi! She's-" he was about to say when Ryu cut him off "leaving for America? Yes we know."
"We need to tell Akashicchi! He's the only one who can stop her!" he suggested. Now that he said that, only Akashi-kun can stop her from leaving. I nodded and The three of us went to the locker rooms.
"Hey, she called you guys too-ssu?" Kise-san asked while running ahead of us. "Yeah. She said she can't leave without saying goodbye" I replied and just in time we reached the locker rooms. All of them were quiet and upset and for a sec, maybe this is not the time to tell them but we need Akashi-kun to stop Ai-chan!
"Akashi-kun!" I called as soon as we entered the locker room. "Ai-cchi is-" Kise-kun said "leaving for America!" Ryu finished. The whole team heard us and I caught Narumi-san smiling in the corner. "We have to stop her-ssu! She'll be leaving this 6:30!" Kise-kun said and the whole team stood up from their benches. "No Seijuro, we should leave her be" Narumi-san stopped Akashi-kun by grabbing his arm. "Narumi Shiro. Who are you to order me around?" Akashi-kun said without looking at her.
Is it me or his eyes are no longer heterochromatic? "I am your fiance!" Narumi-san said impatiently. "Well, I am sorry but I am cancelling the arrangement" Akashi-kun said, pulling away his arm from the girl's grasp. "Y-you can't do that! Uncle Masaomi agree-" Narumi-san protested. "My father has nothing to do with my decision. A girl like you is not fit for the Akashi household. I knew what you did, Narumi-san" Akashi-kun said, putting a stress on 'Narumi-san'.
Narumi-san was about to slap Akashi-kun but he was able to catch her arm. "I didn't do anything to receive something like a slap. So, if you would excuse me, I still have a friend I need to meet after you destroyed her life" Akashi-kun finished and left the room, followed by the others.
We ran to the exit and I looked at my phone to see the time, "We have 8 minutes left!" I told them. "How do we go there?" Hayama-senpai asked "I have a car".
We were cramped inside. It was only supposed to be for 5 persons including the driver but we're like 7. Akashi-kun and Ryu sat beside me in the driver's seat and the others in the backseat. I'm even an illegal driver! I still don't have license, cuz I'm still 16. But being friends with Ai-chan made me want to go against rules like her. "How many minutes do we have left?" I asked. "6 minutes" the gray-haired-senpai replied.
Inside the car, Mibuchi-senpai gave Akashi-kun a jacket. "Sei-chan, Ai-chan told me to give that to you after the match. She told me to tell you to wear that, it's cold outside" Mibuchi-san said. "She really loves you Akashi. She really cried when you asked her to leave the club. She was expecting you to help her out" the gray-haired-senpai said. "I admit I was stupid to let Narumi do that" Akashi-kun replied. "Hey, there's a paper sticking out of the pocket" Ryu said, pulling out the paper and reading it out loud.
Dear Mr Paper,
I can't believe I'm calling you that but I needed to take out these feelings. I couldn't tell anyone about this. I just realized this over the summer. I fell for Akashi Seijuro. Even if his attitude is quite annoying, everytime he tells me he's absolute it pisses me off that I want to shout at him 'You're not absolute, Bakashi! You just haven't met the person who can defeat you.' but I didn't do it, he'll just throw a scissor at me. Even though he's cold, I can tell that he cares.
This week has been hard. Right after I realized my feelings, I met Akashi's fiance. I have to admit, I was hurt but I don't have the right, because to Akashi, I am just a schoolmate, a classmate, a teammate and a fellow officer of the student council. I had to leave the club and what hurts is that I expected him to help me out.
After that incident, a lot happened. A pot fell on my head, got locked inside the women's restroom with 2 other guys ready to make me their punching bag, got tagged in a post in social media telling people that I stole someone's fiance, and I got blackmailed. The last one was enough to make me surrender. She said she'd destroy Hinami, Ryu and our company. I didn't want them to get mixed up in a mess I made.
Here I am, writing my confession in a piece of paper. I miss the club, I miss everyone, I miss practice, I miss Akashi. I didn't want to leave the club. The moment I stepped a foot in Tokyo, I was told I would leave for America in Winter. So before I leave Japan, I had to take these feelings out of my system. I was so happy I met the Generation of Miracles, Hinami and Ryu, my teammates in Rakuzan, and I was thankful I met Akashi Seijuro.
Love, Ayukawa Ai
We all fell silent and I turned to see everybody crying except for Akashi-kun. "I will stop her" Akashi-kun muttered but for some reason, I felt relieved and I seemed to believe too that he can stop her.
After 5 minutes, we reached the airport. "Get out! Get out! Quick!" We were still getting out of the car but Akashi-kun was already running towards the entrance.
[Ayukawa Ai's PoV]
I stood from my seat when I saw it is about time. Man, I never thought leaving would be this hard. I opened my back to get my passport and my phone. I saw the bunny charm on it. Akashi won it back in the amusement park and he was the one who put in on my phone. 'Geez, Ai why are you crying?! You should get on the plane!' I scolded myself. 'How can a small bunny phone charm make you cry?' I wiped my eyes dry and walk to the escalator.
"Ai! Ayukawa Ai!" I heard someone shout my name so I turned back to see a familiar redhead, wearing a familiar black jacket, white tshirt and jeans. Now my tears started streaming down my face. I was in the escalator going to the 2nd floor and I saw that I am almost there. I still need to go. Staying here won't change a thing.
I turned away, walking to where I would find my flight trying hard not to look back despite all the people calling my name. Then I felt someone forcefully pull my arm. "Hey, don't you dare leave without saying anything" my face was inches away from the redhead. "A-akashi" was all I could say. "Did you love the other me, or the me now" I realized that he's back. He's eyes were no longer different from each other. The two were in the shade of red just like his hair. "I loved both of them, baka" Just seeing him here pulled all the courage away from me and I just hugged him right there. "I love you, Ayukawa Ai" he whispered in my ear, slowly stroking my hair.
"How about Narumi?" I pushed him slightly but he hugged me harder. "I cancelled the engagement. I'm so sorry I let her hurt you. I couldn't say it but I really loved you since I can't remember" he whispered in my ear. "Am I dreaming? Akashi Seijuro is not capable of doing that to me" I teased. "Well, now I can" he said, as he cupped my face "Ayukawa Ai, be my girlfriend, or die? Which is it?" he looked straight into my eyes like he's reading my whole existence. "Do I still have to say it?" I avoided his gaze but he lifted my chin to forcefully make me look at him. "Yes, you have to" he said. "W-well, I don't have a choice but to become your girlfriend then." I managed to say despite the embarrassment.
The people around are looking at us and started clapping their hands. I even saw Minami, Ryu and all the Rakuzan basketball club regulars. Akashi just smirked at me and made his lips touch mine. My eyes went wide but then I surrendered to him and just wrapped my arms around his neck.