The Shadows of Fate

A night full of heartaches

The sun was already set when they went back after biking, chatting along the way.

It was honestly nice.

Though most of the time Tetsuya stayed quiet since he couldn't relate to some of their topics. Nonetheless he still listens to them, intrigued for the most part.

When they reached home, Tetsuya told them that he'll step out for a bit to walk around. He doesn't have any plans or locations to go to.

He just wanted to give them some alone time.

Tetsuya relishes the breeze of the night. He couldn't see the stars quite well from here considering the night is still alive in the town, the streetlights are all on.

That's fine, the cold wind is enough. This actually reminded him that the winter season will start soon. He couldn't wait to see the town covered in snow and children playing in it.

It'd be his first time seeing the snow outside his village. In the past, they used to sleep when the snow began so that when they woke up, the snow had already piled up. Piled enough to build snowmans everywhere and play snowball fights.

He especially used to play with the children from the village and help the adults set up a celebration for winter season at night.

Tetsuya closed his eyes, he misses them dearly. There's no other words he can muster to describe what he's feeling. The words "missing" and "longing" are too vague.

This brought him back to reality.

Those children didn't have to die.

He doesn't understand why those innocent children have to get killed. He doesn't understand why the world hated them so much.

They just wanted to live in peace together, within themselves. The children just wanted to play with snow.

He just wanted to sit in front of the fireplace with his grandmother.

Tetsuya sucked his breath. His grandmother.

His grandmother didn't have to die. She didn't have to die in that way. She could've died in a way she always wanted, not in the most gruesome way.

She just wanted to watch him grow and spend her days with him.

Yet winter is starting soon.

The very first winter where Tetsuya will have to sit alone in front of the fireplace.

If only he came home early. If only he didn't take up too much time in picking up plants. If only he was there.

Then maybe none of this wouldn't happen.

At least that's what he wants to believe.

Deep down, he knows he wouldn't stand a chance against them.

It took a lot to stop himself from thinking further. He cannot grieve about it now. Especially not in the middle of a sidewalk.

He stared at the figure of himself, a lonely shadow, that's what he is.

He was meant to be alone, the shadow before him was the real one.

The Kuroko who's surrounded by people he called "friends" was not meant for him, but for someone he's pretending to be.

He needs to separate the heart from its shadow and always remain in the shadow.

The light flickers from above, eventually turning off, leaving a brighter light that he didn't even notice from his side.