It's kind of like fate

one : Birthday

I remember that on the day I first met him, I was wearing a happy birthday crown made of flimsy cardboard, and my old high school basketball jersey that I sadly still fit into. I didn't know then, that this encounter would be what marked the start to us, to everything. As I regarded the throngs of people crowding on the dance floor, I immediately turned to my best friend Aomine with a disapproving frown.
" You tricked me."
He glanced down at me with a sly smirk, and shrugged. " It doesn't count as tricking you if you were the one who said, and I quote, ' I don't care where we go to celebrate my birthday, Aomine-kun.'"
I couldn't really argue with that. Normally, we would celebrate each other's birthdays by eating at a burger joint, then partaking in a long one on one basketball match in which Aomine usually always won. I'd never thought that a club would be where Aomine would take me for my twenty fourth birthday. I followed Aomine's line of vision and snorted inwardly. He was staring at the lady in the middle of the dance floor who sported the rather large breasts. Of course.
" Aomine-kun," I said in a disapproving tone. " Tell the truth, you only brought me here so you could check out girls, right?"
Aomine grinned down at me and laughed, slapping me lightly on the shoulder.
" Oi, Tetsu, don't go sounding so bitter, alright? This is good for you too. No offence, but you really got no game. When was the last time you even talked to a girl?"
" I talk to Momoi-san quite frequently," I defended, trying to protect my slightly damaged ego. " And I talk to the kids at the day care."
Aomine snorted, his dark blue hair reflecting oddly against the flashing lights.
" Tetsu, Satsuki doesn't count as a member of the female species, and do I even have to comment on the kids at the day care?"
" That's not a kind thing to say, Aomine kun. Momoi san would be angry if she heard that."
" Hah?" Aomine retorted, " that's not my problem. Oh, there's Hyuga and Riko and the others. "
I was pulled along like some school boy at the super market with his mother as Aomine lead me towards the booth that contained all our mutual friends from university. For a moment, I lost Aomine's hand in the sea of swaying bodies and I was momentarily bounced about by random body parts glistening with a light sheen of sweat. And that's when I caught sight of him from the corner of my eye.
The first thing I noticed was his posture. He sat leaned back against one of the couches, a glass cup balanced loosely between his fingers. His eyes were on the crowd as he tilted the glass up to meet his lips. He radiated an aura of grace and aristocracy; something I'd never thought I'd get to feel at a place like this. He wore an expensive looking black suit and a black button up to match. A white tie hung loosely around his neck. Then, a jolt of shock ran down my spine as those watchful eyes landed on me. I stared at him, and he stared back in return, neither one of us breaking eye contact.
He looked every bit like some wealthy, rich boy who most likely had everything handed to him on silver platter. He looked like he was someone who I normally would never have associated myself with; someone from a completely different world. And yet...
And yet those eyes. Those eyes pierced right through me, and I shivered. It felt as though he could see right through me. I shifted uncomfortably under the intense pressure of his stare and he smirked, his lips curving up in a devious fashion. I felt an arm go around my shoulders. I glanced up and saw Aomine's confused face above me.
" Whatcha lookin' at Tetsu? Come on, let's go," Aomine said, tugging me along.
" I'm coming, I was just..." I looked back to where that aristocratic guy was standing but he was already gone. My eyes swept the dance floor, but there were no signs of him anywhere.
" Just what?"
I shook my head. What in the world was I doing? " Nothing," I replied. " Let's go."

" Happy birthday, Tetsu-kun!" Momoi sang as she threw her arms around me. I gasped a little as she locked her arms around me a little too tightly.
" Too tight, Momoi-san," I wheezed.
Momoi laughed and unwinded her arms from my neck.
" Sorry, sorry," she said with a small laugh and took a step back. Her pretty pink eyes glittered with happiness as she handed me a blue gift bag. " For you."
I smiled and took it from her hands. " Thank you, Momoi-san. you really didn't have to get me anything."
She shook her head. " No, I wanted to. It's nothing big, so don't worry about it."
" Oi, Satsuki, stop hogging Tetsu all to yourself," Aomine complained and turned to me with a sheepish look on his face. He pushed a very poorly wrapped box into my hands. " Here. There's a card in there that says happy birthday and and all that shit."
The box was quite large. I let out a quiet chuckle when I noticed the wrapping.
" If it's this poorly wrapped, maybe you shouldn't have wrapped it at all," i said jokingly.
" Shut up! I ran out of wrapping paper, okay? Just open it."
" Right now?"
" Yes, right now."
I did as I was told and widened my eyes when I saw what it was that he got me.
" A pair of new basketball shoes. Yours are getting old right?" Aomine said while rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment.
I was truly quite touched by this rare kind gesture from my best friend of ten years.
" Aomine kun...Thank you.....wait," I frowned as I pulled out a piece of paper from the box. " What is this?"
And then Aomine grinned, the embarrassed expression completely wiped off his face.
" That, is something you have to wear tonight. If you don't then I'm taking the shoes back."
" Aomine kun," I deadpanned. " This is a birthday crown. It says happy fourth birthday with a two drawn in before the four in blue sharpie."
" I know," Aomine said with a snicker, " I want to see you wear it. You said you'd do anything if you lost to me in one on one again. And you lost pretty badly."
"...I refuse."
A couple minutes later, I was wearing a card board birthday crown and Aomine was wearing a smug smile on his stupid face.
" Tetsu-kun! You look so cute!" Momoi chanted while snapping pictures of my face.
" Kuroko, you haven't aged a single day since high school ended," Hyuga complained.
" I did change, Hyuuga Senpai," I replied cooly. " You just never noticed."
" Nope, Im pretty sure Hyuuga is right. Your face is still fresh as ever. No wonder no girls want you."
" That's not nice, Aomine kun."
" You've been friends with me for ten years. You should know that by now."
Laughter echoed around the table as everyone chatted happily amongst themselves.
" Have you guys still not heard anything from Kise?" Hyuuga asked suddenly. Riko kicked him under the table,a disapproving frown on her face. Suddenly, an uncomfortable silence fell upon the table. I glanced at Aomine hesitantly. His face was a strange stoic calm, features not betraying a single hint of emotion. I knew that face. That was the face Aomine always made when he was trying to hide what he was feeling.
" You idiot," Riko hissed in annoyance.
" Im sorry, I didn't know it was still a big deal," Hyuuga whispered back loudly.
I saw Aomine clench his hands into fists and I stood up before I knew what I was even doing.
" Uh.." I said as loud as I could manage. " Um, I would just like to say a quick thanks to you all for coming. Especially thanks to Aomine kun for picking such an...interesting place to gather."
I picked up the nearest cup of cola I could reach and downed it before anyone could utter a single word.
" Tetsu...."
" Yes?"
" Aren't you really bad with alcohol?"
"...yes?"
" That cola was laced with vodka.."
But I already couldn't see Aomine's face anymore as my vision went completely awry. I felt my knees buckle from beneath me and the floor rushing to meet my body, but a pair of arms caught me just in time before I hit the ground.
" Ah, jesus, Tetsu," Aomine grumbled. " Sorry guys, I'm going to bring him to get sobered. You guys just continue on without us."
" B'Im kay?" I slurred.
" You're obviously not okay, you idiot. Come here," Aomine said and threw my arm around his shoulder.
" Hey, Tetsu," he murmured after we were away from that booth.
" Hmrh?" I think I said.
" Thanks for earlier."
I smiled and closed my eyes. " It's n'problem."

Aomine brought me to a what looked like an outdoor patio. The chilling winter breeze seemed to help in sobering me up. My head felt a lot clearer right away. I looked towards Aomine and noticed that he was looking towards the door, face wide with surprise as if he had seen a ghost walk by. I tried to see what he could possibly be looking at, and I saw nothing but a flash of blonde hair. He couldn't be thinking it's him right?
" Um, Aomine kun--"
" Hey, Tetsu, stay put alright?" Aomine told me without looking away from the door. " I'm going to go get you some water."
Before I could say another word, he was already gone.
I sighed as I was left alone.
Kise Ryouta, the one person Aomine would never forget...was he really here? I shook my head. That blonde could have easily been anyone. And Kise was a famous model. There's no way that he could have been here coincidently tonight of all nights. Aomine was probably going to be disappointed again.
I clutched my stomach as I felt the after effects of the alcohol kick in. Washroom, I needed to find a washroom.

Finding the washroom was no easy task.
For one thing, all the hallways of this place looked almost exactly the same. I hadn't exactly been paying attention as to where we were going when Aomine had brought me up to the patio to get some fresh air. as I turned into the same corner for about the fifth time, I was quite sure that I was lost.
" Ah...This isn't good," I mumbled worryingly.
Suddenly, an arm stretched out from around the corner and yanked me around it. I was twirled around until my back hit the cold marble wall and I felt a body press up against mine.
" What took you so god damn long?" The voice purred. It was a nice voice; soft, yet not quiet; lyrical, almost like wind chimes. Before I could respond and ask what in the world was going on, I felt a pair of lips press onto mine, rendering me completely speechless.
The moment the stranger pressed his lips onto mine, I could tell that he had realized I wasn't who he had been waiting for. Yet he continued to kiss me anyway; his lips never leaving mine. For a moment, my urgent needs of finding a washroom were completely forgotten as I slowly lost myself to the heated kiss. Without a warning, the stranger broke apart from me and let out a breath.
My breathing was also ragged as i tried to slow down my pounding heart. Whoa. That was something I was not accustomed to.
" Who," the person said cooly, " in the world are you?"
" Not who you were waiting for," I replied bluntly.
The person laughed a sharp melodious laugh and leaned into me, his lips touched the tips of my ear. Shivers ran down my spine as he whispered into it.
" You're a quick one, aren't you?"
" Not particularly," I murmured, not sure what the hell was happening to me. Maybe it was the influence of the alcohol, or maybe I was just delirious, but this was definitely the first time I felt this attracted to a person.
My hands mindlessly traveled up to his chest and I felt the soft suede of the suit that he was wearing and a loose tie, rumpled from our previous make out scene.
A light bulb went off in my head as I realized who he was.
" I know you," I said without thinking. It was weird because I would always think before I speak. " Well, I don't know you, actually. But I've seen you before."
" Have you, now?" I could hear amusement in his voice.
" Black suit, black shirt and white tie. You were sitting by the bar, drinking wine."
He seemed to recognize me now.
" Ah, I remember you. You were the kid wearing the basketball jersey. You were just standing there, staring at me."
His hands traveled over to my face and trailed down to my chin, tilting it up in an entrancing fashion.
" I'm twenty four actually," I managed to whisper, feeling the nearness of his lips to mine. " As of today."
I could feel his smirk as his lips brushed mine gently. It was enough to send a thousand jolts of electricity throughout my entire body.
" Good, because you're coming home with me tonight, and the things I have planned for you cannot possibly be legal for someone under eighteen."
He pressed his lips against mine once again, harsher and more eager this time. We broke apart, both out of breath.
" What's your name?" He asked me between breaths.
"...Kuroko," I told him. " Kuroko Tetsuya."
" Well, Tetsuya. Get ready for a birthday like no other."