Chapter Text
“I don’t want to go to another school!”
“You said nothing would change.”
“You are mean.”
Akashi hit the breaks hard enough that both kids had to hold onto the chairs in front of them. They glared at him, but looked down when he fixed his eyes on first Keiko, his niece, and then Yoshi, her brother.
“You will go to the best private kindergarten in the city. I don’t want to hear another word.”
They were quiet then, those two children with the same fiery hair as his own, but Akashi could still feel the resentment as he started driving again, especially from Keiko.
Their kindergarten was small, with an old paintjob, but looked cozy. A white fence encircled a playground with a jungle gym and two slides. Parents were picking up their kids, and an old female teacher made sure they all went home safely.
Akashi parked the car right next to the gate. “Get out.”
They both crossed their arms.
“It’s your last chance to say goodbye.”
Keiko looked at her twin-brother and it was he who first opened the door and jumped out of the car. Akashi sauntered behind them as they ran and waved at friends.
“We have to say goodbye,” Keiko told the old lady. “Where is Kuroko-sensei?”
The woman gestured at the door, from which a man, shorter than Akashi, appeared. He carried a boy with a tear-streaked face, shushing him as he cried.
“That’s Hanata-kun,” Yoshi said. “He always cries when he has to leave.”
“Aren’t they supposed to cry when they leave their parents?” Akashi said.
The older teacher looked at him. “Not with Kuroko-sensei. He’s the best we ever had.”
Akashi watched the pale young man as he greeted the twins. For the first time since their mother had died, they laughed and talked happily. Yoshi showed the teacher his new haircut, as Keiko clung to Kuroko’s hand.
How different from when they were with him.
Kuroko-sensei spotted him. His big eyes assessed him quickly, to see if this new presence was a threat to his students. Akashi fixed him with a glare. To his surprise, Kuroko did not flinch or get confused, as almost everyone else. Instead, he walked straight at him.
“You are their new guardian?”
“That I am.”
Kuroko bowed deeply, but there was a defiance to it. “Thank you for taking care of them in these difficult times.”
“I was named custodian in my cousin’s will,” he said sharply.
“I admire you greatly.” Kuroko looked up at him. “It must be hard to give them the extra attention they need in such difficult times. And all those adjustments. They are hard on kids.”
Everything Kuroko said was proper, but Akashi felt an admonishment in it. Kuroko was telling him how to behave to these kids.
“Thank you for your praise,” he said sarcastically.
“They told me you are a money master?”
“That is how Yoshi calls it. I’m just a simple businessman.”
“I see. Excuse me a moment.” Kuroko went off to hand over the sad boy to his grandmother. They talked for a minute, in which Akashi followed his every movement. Here was a teacher who loved his students, and would even go so far to manipulate their parents or guardians to do the best they could for them. If he had just passed him in the street, he would have barely noticed Kuroko, but now he studied him deeper, he saw a hint of hidden depths there. Akashi was intrigued.
Kuroko came back and they watched Yoshi and Keiko go down the slide together.
“They are nice, bright children,” Kuroko said. “I’m sad to see them go.”
Akashi turned for him. “They will stay.”
Kuroko nodded, not looking surprised at all. “I’m pleased.”
“They will be picked up by a nanny most days. I will give you her personal information soon.”
“Thank you,” Kuroko said.
Back in the car, Keiko and Yoshi were as loud as they had been on the playground.
“Thank you, uncle!” Keiko said, after pulling weird faces at other cars for several minutes. “I like Kuroko-sensei very much.”
“Why?”
“He’s always nice and teaches us fun stuff. Like crocodiles who climbed the…those big triangles.”
“Pyramids,” Yoshi cut in. “They climbed them because they wanted to eat the sun.”
“But the sun is far and bigger than the moon!”
Akashi sighed. He wanted to know more about this young man with the big blue eyes and light hair, but doubted he would get more information from them. The nanny was supposed to bring them home, but nobody said he could not pick these kids up from time to time and see more of this Kuroko.
He got his chance two weeks on, just after he had an enormous jungle gym installed in the garden of his mansion. Perhaps he spoiled them too much, but he had seen how much they enjoyed themselves at the small playground. Some good change might help them deal with all the bad.
When he arrived at the kindergarten, most of the other children had already left. Kuroko sat on the front porch with Keiko, Yoshi and another girl, showing them pictures.
Akashi saw they were of costumes in different countries. Kuroko was so deep in his explanation of what cultures were that he had not seen him yet.
“Good evening, uncle,” Keiko said. Both she and Yoshi stood up and made a little bow.
Kuroko stood up too and added his own bow. “Good evening, Akashi-san.”
The other girl took one look at him and then hid behind her teacher.
“I apologize, I did not see you,” Kuroko said.
“No need.”
“They are doing better,” he said to Akashi as they walked ahead to the car. “I must say I was a little surprised when they told me you gave them a jungle gym.”’
Akashi stopped to catch his gaze. “I followed your advice.”
“You did?”
“Of course. You intrigued me,” he whispered. Akashi expected a battle of some kind now, with Kuroko flirting back just as hard to see who would be unsettled first. So he was surprised yet again, when the shorter man stepped back a little.
“Thank you.” Kuroko quickly held the fence for him. “Have a good night.”
“And you, Kuroko Tetsuya.” He lingered a moment longer, as Kuroko tried to avoid his gaze. Then he got in the car and drove off.
Akashi let the kids repeat the things they had learned that day and then got cheers when he suggested going to a restaurant.
McDonalds had not been what he expected, but he decided to indulge them for once. After all, he wanted something from them too; information.
“Does he have children?” he asked after they had stuffed themselves with cheeseburgers and French fries.
“Who?” Yoshi asked.
“Kuroko-sensei…right, uncle?” Keiko said.
“Yes.”
Yoshi looked at her curiously. “How did you know he was talking about him?”
“Uncle always looks at people like this.” She showed them a rather exaggerated impression of a snob. “But he doesn’t do that with sensei.”
“So, does he have children?” Akashi asked again.
“No,” Yoshi said. “But he wants them one day.”
“Why not now?” Akashi added, feeling this was going in the right direction.
“He says he has not found someone to have them with.”
“No wife?”
Keiko and Yoshi looked at each other. “I guess,” she said finally.
Akashi nodded.
“Why are you happy, uncle?” Keiko asked then.
“How do you know he’s happy?” Yoshi asked.
“When uncle is…”
“No more weird faces,” he said sternly. “And we’re leaving.”