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To date or not to date?
That was the question that worried Furihata.
It wasn’t that he wanted to sprint away after the almighty captain of Rakuzan, Akashi Seijuurou had asked him if he’d go on a date with him.
It was right after the winter cup, sadly not in Seirin’s favour that year. They shook hands, they bowed and celebrated the team’s effort. When they all scattered from the stadium after the end ceremony, a familiar voice called his name.
Furihata turned back: it was Akashi. Graceful, handsome and truly just mesmerising.
“Yes?” Furihata managed to smile back. He was not shuddering as he had last year.
Until the question popped right out of Akashi’s mouth. “Would you like to go on a date with me tomorrow before I leave for Kyoto?”
It was sudden, despite his soft and rasp velvet voice, it still somehow reached most of the ears of the crowds, that being: the whole of Rakuzan, with Mibuchi fawning. The whole of Shuutoku with Midorima’s glasses slipping from his bridge nose. The whole of Kaijou with Kise digging his ears to make sure it wasn’t Hayakawa’s gibberish that spoiled his hearing. The half of Touou with Aomine seriously not giving two fucks. Except the whole of Yosen because Murasakibara was a loud eater. Last but not least, the whole of Seirin, each gawking as were Kuroko’s eyes.
Furihata’s fingers clutched onto his sleeves. Akashi was unable to read the other’s face but before he could even ask him, Furihata had turned and sprinted.
“Akashi Seijuurou? A date? With me? We barely even talked!” Furihata’s mind was shrieking—if he was even aware, his voice echoed in the empty locker room.
Panting and gasping for air as he had never ran so fast in his life before, especially after a tough and adrenaline fueling game.
“What about Himari?” That was the girl who had came up to him and agreed to go on a date with him after Seirin had won the winter cup last year.
Sure, he liked her. ‘Liked.’ Furihata pondered on that.
He had never thought of her just a few months in the team.
When she showed up after recess, it was like Furihata had completely forgotten about her.
Nevertheless, he said yes. Because that was their promise, no?
However, this was Akashi asking him.
Sure, he likes him. ‘Likes.’ Furihata felt like throwing up all the butterflies flapping in his stomach.
When did that happen?
‘Akashi’s cute.’
‘Akashi’s very kind.’
‘Akashi’s smart.’
‘Akashi’s a good captain.’
‘Akashi’s a graceful player.’
The reasons that came up at the thought of Akashi were boundless. The more he thought of it, the more his face heated up to his ears and it made his chest have a sort of feeling which was actually pretty nice despite the discomfort.
But Furihata made a promise and he couldn’t just back out could he?
‘Back out?’ Why had he even thought of that?
Because it was the right thing to do?
Because he felt obligated?
Was there any other choice?
Was it alright to change his mind?
Furihata did what he always had done when he couldn’t decide. When he was afraid, when he doubted, when he was insecure of an outcome.
After all, he was only human. He couldn’t see the future, nobody can.
So, he opened his locker and pulled out a hand sized thick book with golden edges: The Magic Book for Answers.
Furihata didn’t need to look, he didn’t need to skim, he only needed to open at its random pages and read what it says : Keep An Open Mind.
Furihata had a choice.
“Furi.”
Furihata shoved the book into his back and into the locker with a loud slam. He turned back and met the worried faces of his teammates. He felt a little guilty, afterall, they needn’t need to worry.
“Kuroko,” Furihata asked before anyone could utter their concern for him.
Furihata swallowed thickly.
“Can I have Akashi’s number?”
The winter breeze in Tokyo was much kinder than in Kyoto.
Still, Akashi didn’t feel very much of its kindness. No one had spoken a word with Akashi, not even Mibuchi who would usually attempt to say anything whenever one of his teammates is down.
Akashi’s steps were unusually slow, while everyone had already got into the bus, the phone in his right pocket chimed.
He whipped his phone out, he unlocked it, he saw the unsaved digits, he read the message, and then he smiled.
“Sei-chan?” Mibuchi poked his head from the bus.
“Coming.”
Akashi tapped a quick reply and saved the number: Furihata Kouki.