Prologue

'Tetsuya is nothing but a mere prototype...'

'Merciless.'

Kuroko's breathe hitched as he heard those words coming out from his ex-captain, Akashi Seijuro. He suddenly found it difficult to breathe. He could just widen his eyes. He didn't know how to respond. He felt hurt, betrayed all at the same time. He didn't want to lose. He wanted to keep his promise to his current team.

He was his most trusted friend and yet… he had backstabbed him. Akashi, his ex-captain, his friend, who had supported and shielded him from the darkness. Those pair of once red eyes, now heterochromatic, burnt him, making his skin crawl with fear. The grin the redheaded had worn was menacing and sent shivers down his spine. What had happened to Akashi, his knight in shining armor?

He wanted to scream out the name the other had possessed, wanting so desperately to have him back. The true Akashi… not this creature who had given out that dark aura as if wanting to eat him alive. The name was at the tip of his tongue and just as the few syllables of the name escaped from his lips... He couldn't call him out. He clenched his fist and bit his lips.

He wants to believe, that a miracle could happen. However, he doubted that.

'Doubt.'

He looked down, his head hung low. He couldn't help a thing for the team.

'Useless.'

He wanted to scream, let the pain out. But he couldn't. He, himself, didn't know why. He wanted to cry. He wanted all those bottled emotions to be freed. He couldn't handle it any more. So why...?

'Unneeded.'

'Prototype... Tetsuya is nothing but a mere prototype.'

It repeated in a repetition. He knew he was a prototype. He finally gave in.

'I... give up.'

-End of Prologue-