KagaKuro AU Collection

Day 3: I believe in him - Faith

Kagami hoisted his bag onto his shoulder, following the line of people as they exited the plane. Immigration was crowded, but with his red and gold passport, he passed through relatively quickly. The immigration officer said something to him with a smile, and he returned it nervously with a little bow.

What was it that she said? 'Welcome home' or something?

He really needed to brush up on his Japanese.

"Yo, Taiga." The sudden usage of English and his first name made him spin around, his eyes landing on a familiar figure.

"Tatsuya!" Kagami threw an arm around Himuro in relief. "You have no idea how relieved I am to see you! I can't remember how to speak Japanese!"

Himuro laughed heartily, thumping his brother on the back. "Well, time to start practicing," he grinned, easily switching back into their mother tongue. "I'll be your practice buddy. We're both returnees, after all."

"Bah." Kagami snorted. "You came back a year earlier."

"That's only because I'm older by a year. Come on, let's get some food. I know you're starving." Himuro dragged him towards a familiar sign – Maji Burger! Oh, how he had missed it – and Kagami allowed him to. Someone had to patch up his foreigner's Japanese, after all.

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"I'm home."

Kagami called out as he slid his shoes off, wrinkling his nose at the musty air in the deserted apartment. He walked around opening windows and doors to let fresh air in, kicking up dust clouds as he went. He went through several bouts of sneezing before he decided to just clean the apartment out.

As he busied himself with the repetitive task of cleaning, his mind drifted to the place he was going to visit the following day. School would not begin for another month or so, yet he would be paying a visit to one. Funny how things seemed to work out that way. Despite his attempt to take it light-heartedly, he got nervous jitters just thinking about it, and took to cleaning more vigorously in order to take his mind off it.

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Kagami leaned against a tree, watching children stream out of the kindergarten-slash-childcare. The carefree kids brought back memories of his own youth, and he shook his head to clear it. He didn't need those bad experiences to clog his mind, not now.

When it seemed as though the last child had left, Kagami strode up to the school, heading for the office.

The cheery yellow walls were nostalgic, but the many artworks lining them were new. He bent to look at those placed at a lower height, grinning when he recognised the lousy colours that crayon produced. Once upon a time, that had been him.

"Excuse me, sir, are you looking for someone?" A monotonous voice said from beside him, and he jumped.

Turning his head, he saw a man with sky blue hair wearing an apron with paint stains covering it, his expression neutral. A lightbulb went off as his mind registered the man's face as familiar. Kagami straightened up, his voice shaking slightly with nerves.

"Um. I'm looking for a Kuroko-sensei?" How on earth do I still not know his first name after so many years? Why didn't I think of asking back then?

"That would be me." The man confirmed. His tone was so devoid of emotion that Kagami began to feel cowed at the thought of what he came to do. "What is your business with me?"

"Oh, uh..." Damn it, why was it so difficult to just say it out? Curse my returnee's Japanese.

Kagami scratched his head awkwardly, and as he did so, his phone fell out of his unzipped bag.