Changing Peach Hearts (Akashi X OC)

Chapter 30 - Change

"Rakuzan High School and Seirin High School members, please start your warm-up"

Chiharu watched from the side of the court as she watched her team perform their training warm up drills. 

Although they were just doing simple lay ups, she had coordinated their movements so that every single lay up made it in the hoop and on a particular beat. 

She looked across the court to the Seirin High school team which were also practicing lay ups and dribbles. Even now she couldn't imagine how much their name had grown in the world of high school basketball as well as how they managed to beat all four powerhouse schools backed with their own repective member of the Generation of Miracles; Shutoku High, Kaijo High, Touou Academy and Yosen High

Her thoughts were startled as she heard Nebuya release a resounding burp. She turned to him and giggled at his unique way of showing his enthusiasm. After all Nebuya's strength came from the food he consumed. 

Mibuchi in turn scolded him. 

"That's way too long! Isn't that your longest ever?"

However Nebuya happily rubbed his stomach.

"Yeah, I ate to the max today!"

Chiharu watched as Mibuchi and Hayama started conversing about their opponents. Her eyes then moved to the heterochromatic-eyed Akashi, standing far back and observing the team. 

Since the after school practice, two weeks ago, Akashi had never attended another practice afterwards. She could see the dark circles under his eyes and she knew more than anything that he was overworking himself. After all Fuji had said he forced himself to manage the Akashi Corporations from Kyoto. 

She couldn't understand why though. 

Why would he work himself that hard when he still had his aunt who had the experience and knowledge to manage it until he was of proper age?

Chiharu observed his features, hoping to see a secret sign or message that could somehow tell her he was perfectly alright. Akashi looked as calm as ever, although his heterochromatic eyes warded off useless comments and conversations from his teammates. 

Shirogane walked up to him. 

Right now, he was the only one who could initiate a talk to Akashi calmly.

"Akashi, you're going to be on the starting line, right?" Shirogane asked.

Akashi nodded his head. 

"Of course. They are strong so we cannot let down our guard at all. But I am the absolute. And the winner will be Rakuzan. Our basketball is absolute," he replied.

Chiharu's eyes widened at his soft and almost domesticated tone.

Akashi seemed to have three different stages in his personality; first his normal, red eyed self, second his heterochromatic-eyed, passive self and lastly his heterochromatic-eyed crazed self.

After the incident, Chiharu was sure he would be permanently in the last stage, but his current tone seemed to hint he was becoming passive; his second stage. 

He could perhaps revert back and recover. However the one feature that stopped him was his self confidence that he was absolute.

A ball from the Seirin side rolled over to Akashi. Akashi reached to pick it up as Kuroko came running to receive the ball.

"This day has finally arrived. To be honest, I am quite surprised. I thought the probability of perhaps you winning our promise was low. Found the answer you were seeking?" Akashi asked.