His Cold Throne [Kuroko No Basket Akashi X OC]

Flickering Pain

~Chapter 1~

I stared out the clear, sharply cold window of the car, my fingers pressed firmly against the window. The driver of the short mini limo ignored me, I didn't really expect him to start a conversation with me anyways. I looked up ahead only to spot the mechanical, steel black gates of Rakuzan.

--Inside Hallway--

I was lost. Again. My memory of the school's twisting pathways always confused me, even last year. I hummed a comforting song that I had learnt at the nearby Church, it soothed my racking nerves as I tried to find my way.

A2, A2, There! After that small 'incident', I felt a bit exasperated before leaning my head against my newly found locker. I fished at the high-tech lock before cramming my textbooks down my heavy school book.

I checked twice for my lead pencil before pulling the metal compartment door to class B3. Rakuzan was certainly a rich school, with at least 4 stories and countless enrichment rooms.

Even better, the library was HUGE. I quickly sat down at an empty desk to the right, beside the window. 'Good choice, Kuroneko.' I thought sarcastically at myself. I hated heights. And here I was, on the third floor, near the window. I felt sick.

Snapping me back to the classroom settings, I tuned my attention forward as the teacher, Mrs. Yume gestured towards me. My heart skipped frantically as I stood up. Was I in trouble? What did I do?

Suddenly, she handed me a fresh paper. I scanned my eyes over it. I nearly sighed with relief. 'Breathe,' I reminded myself and nodded curtly at her.

I then exited the room and headed towards the Library. I had volunteered to do Library Aid and forgot that it was today. I had heard that there was going to be four more people along with me, and I could hope that I would meet new friends, Right?

--Outside Library--

I wanted to go dig a hole, die and then smack myself. A hundred times. A certain yellow sheet of paper on the bulletin board had caught my attention, and on the paper, displayed the names of the volunteers. And it read, to my agony:

• Seijūrō Akashi

• Wagatsuma Sachi

• Shoichi Imayoshi

• Jin Kuroneko

• Kotarō Hayama

This couldn't be. Impossible. It wasn't that I hated Akashi, it's just that Sachi was the one that I hated. And Kotarō was okay too, just a little annoying sometimes that I wanted to bash his skull to small pieces. Argh, that little- What am I doing? I have to calm my jittery nerves. At least I had Imayoshi. What a relief.

He wasn't supposed to be here but was temporarily visiting Rakuzan for some Basketball Match Ups and all that stuff. I was about to slam my head against the bulletin board and die before a familiar presenting shadow overcame my own, short shadow.

"Oi, Oi, Oi, Kuroneko. You're a volunteer too?" I turned around towards the sound as his familiar voice drilled a hole in me. He spoke in a polite kanji but at the same time, it was utterly sarcastic and mocking.

"Imayoshi!" I practically skipped up to him and hugged him. We met at a basketball game years ago, and then were good friends ever since. I could definitely depend on him. On most occasions.

"You shouldn't be so rude, Neko Neko." I realized he was referring to me shouting his first name, and without a suffix. Especially since he was a good two years older than me, but age is just a number after all.

I stuck out my tongue childishly before pulling my right eye down with my index finger.

"Fine Seeemmmpppaaaiii." I rolled my eyes as I stretched out the formal name, cow mocking him.

"What happened to Seijūrō's nice little Kitten, Eh?"

I tensed up but I saw his teasing face and chuckled lightly in amusement. I smiled with gratitude at his presence. After all, I would go insane if he weren't here. You could understand why.

I then remembered the reason we were here and turned towards Imayoshi as He stretched out his arm muscles behind him with a distinctive pop.

[ A/N ~ Imayoshi called her a 'Kitten' because Neko = Kitten/Cat if translated to English ]

"Say... Sempai?" I looked up at him before adding, "Shouldn't we go in?" I checked my watch. We were dramatically five minutes late.

"Oh great, Imayoshi." I groaned as I smacked him playfully on his back. "Open the door."

"Oi, Oi, it's just a door." He responded, smirking his casual, crooked smirk. That sounded weird, coming from me. But his smirk was certainly alluring. I then inwardly let out a sigh as I was going to meet the Master beauty and drama queen, Wagatsuma Sachi.