Falling In Love 20 Times [AkaKuro]

Chapter 5: Your Happiness My Grief

Akashi smiled silently to himself as he watched the teal head try to think up different ways to make him experience joy. He didn't think Kuroko would be that enthusiastic to 'help' him gain happiness, but he wasn't expecting anything less either.

"...And sometimes when you share your worries with someone you can feel happiness when relief washes over you."

"Is that so?" Akashi asks, amused, obviously pretending to be interested in the topic.

But Kuroko went on. "It is. You feel glad that you can get something off your chest," He pauses and looks down at his hands uneasily. "It's not my place to be saying this, but if you would like you could..."

"Ah," Looking away himself, the red head looks slightly uncomfortably to the side. "How I lost my lover?"

'I wonder if I can persevere the pain I experience each time I tell that story', he winces and clenches his fist, his nails digging into his flesh painfully. Finally, he relaxes.

"All I can say is that he was as nice as you and he shouldn't have passed away."

Akashi noticed that the reincarnate seemed to look relieved. Almost as if he was afraid Akashi would turn him down harshly. "Were you afraid I was going to stop having this conversation with you when you asked that question?"

"...yes a little bit."

"I won't," The red head huffs. "I've felt enough grief already lately that it seems almost possible for me not to feel more." Which was of course a lie since Akashi knew he would gain even more stress as soon as this reincarnate moved on.

"You hold so much pain you, don't you, Akashi-kun?" The teal head smiles, a bit unhappily. "I don't like to see you like that. Even though we've only talked for a few hours, I consider you as a friend. You seem like you don't hesitate being with me either so I feel comfortable with you."

But what Kuroko said was only half true. Akashi did hesitate being with him. That smile on the reincarnate's face reminded him of his real beloved's face and it hurt.

It hurt so bad.

"It's because I find you interesting, Tetsuya," A picture of Kuroko and him playing basketball on the court together back in middle school flashed in his mind. "I always have."

"You always have?"

"Yes, from the moment you approached me." 'Good save, Akashi.'

"I see." Kuroko turns to him. "It's getting late, Akashi-kun. I'm afraid I have to leave soon."

"You still haven't taught me about the steps to achieving happiness though."

The red head nearly chuckled out loud at the reincarnate's cute, determined face. "I want to help Akashi-kun smile. If you don't mind we could--"

"Yeah, we could meet everyday in the evening at this park if you want."

"I want to," Kuroko replies. "I want to meet up with you everyday."

They exchanged numbers (although Akashi already had his, but he would be insane to tell him that and give him an impression he was a stalker) and parted ways.

'If I just have to repeat the same tactic with each reincarnate wouldn't it be just too easy?' Akashi frowns. 'No, it can't be. With each reincarnate there will be a challenge even harder than the one before. It won't be that simple.'