Trapped in the sunset

"Akashi-kun, do you mind if you order takeout for dinner?"

Wei Young poked her head out from the kitchen, holding the phone receiver in her hand and asked.The red-haired boy who was sitting in the living room and looked around politely shook his head when he heard her question: "No." After thinking for a while, he added: "You can call yourself whatever you want, don't mind me."

"How can I do that! Akashi-kun, you are a guest."

Shaking his head helplessly, Akashi Seijuro turned his attention to the interior design of Kaiyinji's house again.From the well-organized furnishings, it is not difficult to detect that Wei Young and her father value cleanliness; although there is very little furniture, which can be said to be invisible unless necessary, it still exudes a very faint feeling of "home".He thought of the photo he had glanced at in the corridor before, the picture of a family of four smiling happily, and he thought he understood the origin of the coolness permeating the warmth.Sure enough, a family will never be complete without one person.It's like a jigsaw puzzle with one corner missing, even if the person who put together the puzzle wants to finish it as if nothing had happened, he still can't make up for the glaring defect.

He couldn't help but make a comparison with his own cold mansion, and raised the corner of his mouth mockingly.

——What a shame.Neither he nor his father had even made the most basic "efforts".After his mother's death, his father's alienation and strictness, and his own indifference and unemotional awe, have resulted in today's father and son living like strangers living under the same roof.

"I ordered some simple meals from a nearby restaurant, which should be delivered in half an hour. Would you like something to drink before then?"

The girl's voice again interrupted his thoughts.He raised his head, and for the first time seriously looked at the person in front of him.

Some small details that he ignored in the unlit gymnasium just now are now in full view one by one.Her hair had grown, and the ends of it had grown slightly past the elbows; she seemed to have thinned, and her face had sharpened; . .I always feel that she grows and changes where he can't see.Is a one-month vacancy really that big?

While the boy was sizing up so unabashedly, Wei Young didn't like it.After the surprise and joy of the reunion were over, she calmed down and noticed the boy's more restrained aura.Although he still carried the majesty of an inviolable king, the arrogance produced by never trying to fail disappeared.If the Akashi before the defeat was still a little immature prince, then the Akashi who has experienced failure has already experienced the trials that a mortal must go through, and has completely become an emperor.Maybe he'll never let go of his pride, but he won't take victory for granted either.he already. . .He was no longer the boy who kept a trace of innocence.

Not minding her last question being ignored, Wei Young naturally sat beside Akashi, and leaned back in the chair with a relaxed body.

"I'm sorry to invite you to my house so suddenly. Won't I cause you trouble?"

"Don't worry, I have informed the housekeeper. Someone will pick me up later."

She turned her head to look at his side face, and smiled: "I even forgot about Akashi-kun, you are a rich man."

"It doesn't matter if you don't remember that kind of thing."

Wei Young looked away, after a long silence, she whispered something that the two of them still left a deep impression on after many years——

——"That's right. I just need to remember who Akashi Seijuro is."

It's not the boy's family background, the boy's status, but the boy's truest self-existence after everything is removed.

. . .

After dinner, Akashi was sent away, and Wei Young, who dragged his tired body back to the house, stared at the last paper bag left on the desk in a daze. "Heizi Tetsuya Received" was written neatly on a small card tied to the bag.

"Only Tetsuya is left..."

She even left Ai Harada's gift in the girl's shoe cabinet.

"It seems that I have to go to Tokyo tomorrow. I hope Tetsu will be in his school."

. . .

"The next day, Seirin High School, basketball gym—"

"Wow! I'm so tired, I'm almost exhausted! Really, the Winter Cup is over, what the hell is she excited about?!"

"It's just because the Winter Cup is over."

"...Huh? What does that mean, Hinata?"

"We worked so hard to win the championship! Do you think that demon will just let us go? Let me tell you, she is preparing for the next school year."

"Hmm... Next school year... It's really not going to be that easy. Those guys from the Generation of Miracles will all go all out to retaliate... No way! Just imagining it makes me weak! !"

"Hey! Don't lie on top of me, Koganei!"

"I can see our gloomy future..."

"You boy! Get up!"

"that--"

"Wow! Heizi, don't pop up out of nowhere!"

"Sorry, but—"

"You don't sound sorry at all!!"

"No, now is not the time to discuss this issue. Seniors, please look back."

Hei Zizhe looked almost indifferently at the group of them turning their heads mechanically, and then listened to the earth-shattering screams they made when they met Aida Reiko's eyes that radiated will-o'-the-wisps, and then witnessed them with extreme indifference. This bloodlust must unfold. . .All in all, he was as calm as if everything had nothing to do with him.

——What kind of irrelevance is this? !Kuroko Tetsuya, you bastard!We don't even believe you said you didn't do it on purpose! !

. . .

Very lively.

This is Wei Young's first thought after arriving at Seirin's basketball gym.

She looked at the chaos in the field with some uncertainty.Did she come at the wrong time?

"Ah, um, you...are Heizi's friend?"

A hesitant voice came from behind her.

"Good morning, Lord Vulcan."

The person who came was none other than Vulcan Taiga, Tetsuya's most trusted partner.

"That's right, I'm here to find Tetsuya. But now—" She gestured to the turmoil in the stadium with her eyes, and smiled embarrassedly: "It seems that it's not convenient?"

Vulcan followed her gaze and shrugged indifferently: "It's okay, just get used to it."

--Habit?

"You wait here, I'll call Heizi out for you."

The 1.9m boy walked past her and onto the court without giving her a chance to respond.

"Hey! Heizi! Your childhood sweetheart is looking for you!"

But within half a second, Wei Young regretted that she didn't refuse Vulcan's "help".The momentary focus on her side made her very uncomfortable - and there was an illusion of reappearing the scene.

But even if Vulcan's approach is a bit embarrassing, it is undeniable that this trick-very effective.

Aida Reiko, who heard the words, turned around, stared at Wei Young blankly, then suddenly showed a bright smile and patted Tetsuya on the shoulder: "Okay! Heizi, you are free today!"

——In exchange for a roar of "Are you kidding me!"

. . .

"Half an hour later, M--"

"Tetsuya... I'm sorry for leaving so silently all of a sudden."

Hei Zizhe also looked up from the vanilla milkshake, his lake-blue eyes showed a hint of confusion: "Why do you have to apologize?" He asked in a flat tone: "Didn't you go to England to participate in the competition?"

"So Tetsuya, you know. Really, I wanted to come here today to confess to you, but it seems that I don't need it." Wei Young lowered her eyes, avoiding the probing gaze of the boy in front of her.But she should have expected that even if she never mentions Zhe, there is definitely a way to know what he wants to know - although most of the time it is unintentional, more often it is more like "luck". .

"Actually, I can understand how you didn't want anyone to be with you when you left, Weiyang. Because I left the Teiko basketball club at that time, I would not leave with the same feelings." Zhe Ye's steady voice sandwiched With gentle tolerance and understanding: "At that time, just like I didn't know how to face those people back then, you didn't know how to face me either. After all, I won the school you are in and defeated the school you were in." The seniors you agree with, even you, Wei Young, who are very sensible, will definitely not want to see me at that time. This is very normal."

Wei Young listened to all these words without saying a word, unable to respond.

Finally, she said—

——"They all hit hearts, Tetsuya. Your ability to observe humans has improved again."

Zhe also drank the milkshake again nonchalantly: "Really? Thank you for the compliment." He reacted as if the previous words did not come from him.

Wei Young looked at her quietly, and smiled warmly: "But when I said "congratulations to victory", I meant it sincerely.Tetsuya, congratulations. "

"Thank you. I thought I had to congratulate you on your music competition too."

"It's just No.2, nothing to say."

"No, you are really good, Wei Young. You like music very much, right?"

"...Um."

He raised the corners of his lips slightly, completely closing the pupils of the girl's bright face.

In this way, after they had said all the serious topics, they began to talk without saying a word.He was talking about his life after the Winter Cup: for example, coach Aida's devil intensive training, Vulcan's never-ending fear of Tetsuya No. [-], teammate and senior Kiyoshi Teppei's knee treatment, etc.; she described Bits and pieces of her one-month stay in the UK: the bitterly cold climate in the UK, the uneasiness and tension before the start of the game, and the familiar American girl Anne. . .

—Like a pair of siblings who have been separated for a long time.

They chatted until the afternoon, when Wei Young was about to go to the Shinkansen, Tetsu also asked a simple question——

——"Akashi-kun, how are you doing recently?"

She took back her steps and frowned suspiciously: "He didn't contact you?"

"I and Kise-kun tried calling him, but Akashi-kun didn't answer the phone once. You should have met, did he say anything?"

Wei Young shook her head.

. . .no.

Because yesterday, both of them had tacitly kept quiet about their past month.Not because of mistrust, but because they know that month is a period of time for them to adjust their mentality.

I don't want to mention it, and it's not necessary.

but--

"It will take a while, Tetsuya. Akashi-kun will call you one day."

The author has something to say: I'm sorry for disappearing for so long!The exam is approaching, and there is another recital to prepare for. . . TAT is so tired that I want to cry! ! !What should I do if I type too many English stories and forget how to use them in Chinese? ! ! ! "cry to death"

But but not! I have some clues about the next plot of "clench fist"! !

By the way, when did the school festival come about? "This idea is still under development. I don't know if it will be used."

☆, took office