A/N: Before anything else, I would like to explain some little details. [Minor Edits]

First off, I've been writing this fanfic for like, many months now. You might see that the characters (particularly the heroine here) have the same names with the characters from other fanfics. Let me make this clear, I am not imitating someone. I came up and have thought really hard about my character's names way back before so, similarities are extremely coincidental. Oh, Even the storyline and the plot too but if you think that there really are HUGE resemblances to your fanfic, feel free to pm me and we'll talk about it.

The name of the OC here is Akane Tsubaki. Akane means bright red and Tsubaki translates to camellia (flower) so if you combine it you'll end up with; Bright red camellia. So yeah..thought I'd explain it. This fanfic will tackle a lot of flowery goodness too.. so~

Also, the cover image and Haiku of this story will change per part ^_~

And lastly, regarding Akashi Seijuro. I'm very sorry if he's OOC here, he's one of the characters that are really hard to have a grasp on (you know, there are like two of 'em -.-") so I hope you understand. OTL I will try my best though, to make him still in character.

Btw, I would like to thank YumiSerenity and AdminRin from deviantart for the cover image! You're awesome!

This may be my first and last time writing an A/N above. I will put the my messages at the end in the future chapters to come :) So without further ado..

Note: English is not my mother language so please forgive my future mistakes.

Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroko no Basuke, Tadatoshi Fujimaki does.

Fallen Camellia

=落ちた椿=

(Ochitsubaki)

Part I: Ambiguous Beginning

◤Chapter 1: すべての始まり◢

Born too soon,

Frost and camellia collide..

Silent white.

Cherry blossoms during spring mean new beginning, new life and a chance to change one's self. They also sign the start of classes, which some students dreaded, for it also marks the end of their lovely vacation. But some were thrilled and delighted even; ready to plunge themselves back to the "flashy" school life experiences.

Students, who was not happy to go to school at all walked rather sluggishly. The excited ones were giggling and talking about random things as they make their way towards Rakuzan High. They were all donning their grey winter uniforms because it was still cold.

Pink petals of cherry blossoms were falling gracefully, fluttering in the air for a moment and then swept by the chilly breeze. Students were walking in their own pace, all the while chatting and laughing happily. It was almost a picturesque view if not for the tired looking students (who was not perky about another school year) lazing around like sloths.

Among these myriad of petals however, ran a girl with strikingly bright-red hair, clashing to the pale color of the blossoms. She was dashing too fast for a normal excited student.

"Why is she running?" "It's still early, right? The entrance ceremony will not start till 8."

With a wide smile plastered on her features she skipped her way to school, cold air slapping at her face and her long scarlet locks waving. She doesn't care about how cold it is to be running out this early in the morning or the scrutinizing faces the other students are directing her.

It was her first day of high school. The long-awaited High School! Akane Tsubaki will not let anyone or anything ruin this sacred day for her.

There were three reasons why Akane Tsubaki decided to enter Rakuzan High.

First, she and her family just moved to Kyoto last month and Rakuzan was the closest school from their house.

Secondly, according to her research, Rakuzan High is a prestigious school with a good reputation of teaching students quality education (She's very intelligent) and she heard they even have strong sports teams. (She's quite athletic)

Lastly and most importantly, she got a scholarship via family connections. Although they are not that rich, her father works for the school's owner. In addition to the scholarship, she'll also get monthly allowance, all the more reason to study there. It was very convenient for her and her family.

She scooted her way to the hall where the entrance ceremony will take place, humming all the while.

"Ahh.. High school! This is my sweet escape from that bitter past!"

By past, she means her life as a middle-schooler.

Her middle school experience was not something she liked to think about. Just the mere thought of it made her face scrunch in all ways possible. She decided to forget about it, piled it all in the back of her head. She long burned every memory of it...

No, not all. Just those aggravating memories with him.

To be honest, she just wanted to stay away from her Middle School. Teiko Middle School to be particular. There, many unpleasant happenings occurred.

Just because of one single guy.

Her reverie was broken when something heavy lurched at her body, head in her—not so gifted—chest and the force strong enough to make her step backwards.

"H-hey!"

It took Tsubaki a few seconds to realize that the person is hugging her tightly. And when that girl turned her head up and grinned at Tsubaki, the redhead remembered her immediately.

"Kazumi?!"

She was her childhood friend a.k.a best friend.

"Good Morning, Aki-chan! Fancy seeing you here!" She greeted.

The taller girl (Tsubaki) is utterly surprised. "What are you doing here?"

Kazumi let go of her gently before standing straight in front of her. She showed a bright smile while emphasizing the uniform she's wearing.

"I will be studying here too, you baka!" The chestnut haired girl (Kazumi) mused.

"Eh?! I thought you're going to stay at Tokyo?" Tsubaki asked, still shocked.

"Something came up and Dad and I has to move here. Why? Don't you want me to be here Aki-chan? I guessed deciding to study here was a bad idea.." She pouted.

"I thought I'd surprise you too.." Kazumi was giving her the "puppy eye" effect while twiddling her fingers.

The redhead, used to her friend's antics just smirked at the latter. She really didn't think that her best friend would be entering the same High school as her. Even though Kazumi is the playful and mischievous type, Tsubaki thought having her around was not a bad idea, it was even the opposite. With her friend around, she would not have to worry about being a loner in the first day of school and the feeling of that sucks. It was for the better.

"You know, those teary eyes of yours won't work on me anymore. And hey, drop the 'Aki-chan' already! It's Tsubaki! How many times do I have to remind you that?" Akane placed her right arm around Kazumi's shoulder hardly.

"Ow! That hurts, Aki-chan!" She complained before the redhead dragged her forward, beckoning her to walk together.

"It's Tsubaki."

"Aki-chan."

"I said it's Tsubaki!"

"Aki-chan~"

"It's Tsu-ba-ki!"

"Aki-chan is Aki-chan!"

"Ugh!"

When Akane Tsubaki entered the entrance ceremony hall, she had never been horrified in her whole life. What she saw inside was the cause of all the grief she had experienced in the past few years and even until now, she is still in the progress of moving on from that miserable memory.

Another redhead was seen.

Smart, handsome, has nice family background, athletic, popular, a good leader, respected and feared, that's how people described him. Any person would be enthralled by his almost perfect disposition. But Tsubaki knows better than that.

He is Akashi Seijuro. A redhead like Tsubaki, only, his was a darker shade. As of the moment he is being surrounded by a bunch of flirting girls to which he's obviously not paying attention to. Seeing him almost made Tsubaki step back outside and change her mind about attending this school. Her stomach churned and her hands clenched into ball of fists.

"What is he doing here? Oh! Wait, he's wearing our school uniform. Could it be..? Please..no. Just. No!"

Yes, he'll also incidentally, be attending Rakuzan High, unfortunately for Tsubaki.

"Aki-chan, what's wrong?" Kazumi noticed her friend's uneasiness.

No answer, Akane's eyes were glued to something or someone, rather. Curious that she is, Kazumi followed her gaze and took a quick look at the guy. Her eyes glinted a bit.

She turned her hazel orbs back to her best friend with a serious face that gradually turned to a teasing one.

"Oh, what do we have here... love at first sight?" She asked knowingly.

And she caught her friend's attention with that. Tsubaki gave Kazumi an incredulous look.

"What?! It isn't!"

They would have talked more if it isn't for the announcer's voice that boomed in the entire room. All of the students took their respective seats. And they eventually listened to the messages being sent from the stage.

After a few minutes, "Now, it is time for our freshman representative to speak," he cleared his throat. "May we call on Mr. Akashi Seijuro."

And almost suddenly a boy with red hair emerged from the crowd; he walked with grace just like any aristocratic man.

Silent whispers were heard, girls giggling with each other. "Isn't the freshman representative the one who accumulated the highest score in the entrance exam?" A girl with short brown-haired asked in a low voice.

"Yeah!" Another girl answered.

"He must be pretty good then,"

"Totally! I heard he got a perfect score at it!"

"Seriously?! But, the test was really hard! I honestly just barely passed!"

"Same here!" They laughed at each other quietly.

Unbeknownst to them, Tsubaki was listening and to say that she is angry is an understatement. It was because she herself almost perfected the test if not for a tiny bit of miscalculation on her part. She poured her heart into reviewing for that "big" test because, for her, everything in high school must be done flawlessly and the successful accomplishment of the entrance exam is a major part of it since it's the very beginning. In the end, she got only 2 mistakes which is absolutely a great thing and everyone —including her—thought that it was the highest score.

Not until that redhead of a guy arrived. She wasn't chosen as the freshman representative of course.

Poor her.

Akashi's speech went on smoothly and the fuming female redhead had no other option but to just sit and at least restrain herself from gritting her teeth loudly.

The short tour around the school by one of the teachers is also over. And now, she's at the front of a bulletin board with the class roster. Tsubaki was all by herself at the moment because Kazumi excused herself after the tour saying that she's going to retouch at the bathroom.

"Tsk, tsk. Girls these days.. They care more about their appearance than their studies," she thought as she dragged her finger at the board, locating her name. She found it and it turns out she's in the same class as Kazumi. Class 1-B. Tsubaki nodded in contentment at this. As she raised her eyes up her name, she also checked out Akashi's.

"Great." Fortunately, they are not in the same class, he'll be in Class 1-A. It's a good thing, because she decided never to interfere with his business anymore. She plans to stay out of his way no matter what, making a connection with him is the last thing she would do.

While she thought on this, she didn't notice that someone has arrived and it seems that, that someone is also checking out the bulletin board.

Tsubaki glanced at her side and then regretted it right after she did it.

There he was. Akashi is standing beside her and seemingly in search of his name on the list.

It was out of her consciousness that as much as she hated it, she stared at him for a while instead of leaving immediately. He looked breathtakingly handsome in that angle. Those red locks of his that framed his pale face pleasantly, his amazing eyes that seemed to sparkle and his princely posture, just one look at him and you'll know he's someone from a rich family. Each of his charming traits greatly complimented him.

This, of course didn't get unnoticed by the perceptive male. Akashi Seijuro looked at his side as well, his long red bangs brushing past his face and his gaze lingering at her.

Tsubaki immediately flinched. Feeling sweat form on the sides of her face. Akashi, however, looked apathetically at her as though he was scrutinizing her, perhaps, he had seen this girl already. The stare continued on and Tsubaki was paralyzed and her body failed to coordinate with each other because of that cold looking heterochromatic eyes of his. She wanted to move and run away but it was futile, it was like her own feet were glued to the floor.

"What is wrong with me? I'm supposed to be moving away now, but why can't I?"

"Ah!" She remembered. From the old days. His eyes always held control with them. They make everything that it lingers on freeze right on the spot, in ways unexplainable even to her.

She then frowned, mad at herself for not being able to stand against him. Was she always been this weak that even up to now she is unable to take up the gauntlet when it comes to him?

He noticed her change in expression and almost instantly he remembered her. Those eyes, those brown eyes of hers that reflected great loathing and dejection.

He knew this girl.

"Akane Tsubaki,"

She shot her head up abruptly, bewildered at his sudden call of her name. At least he remembers.

"I didn't think I'd see you here. It really is a small world." He stated firmly.

She hesitated for a moment before speaking, "Indeed."

Akashi regarded her again for a good one minute before suddenly smirking. His dual-colored eyes narrowed conspicuously. Tsubaki was baffled by his sudden action and before she could retort, a loud voice was heard.

"Aki-chan! I'm back!" It was Kazumi. She was running rapidly in their way.

The two redheads both looked at her.

The brunette stopped when she's already beside Tsubaki. "Oops! Am I interrupting something?" She chided.

Her redhead best friend gave her a murderous look in return. And because she was really itching to get away from there, she took this opportunity to escape.

"Oh, Kazumi! Since you're here already, let's go to our supposed destination!" The female redhead started dragging her friend away.

"Whe-where?" Kazumi asked, confused.

"To the library. Right?! You said you wanted to check something out!" Tsubaki gave her a piercing look in the eye and Kazumi seemed to understand it.

"Right," she agreed half-heartedly.

"Now, if you'll excuse us, Akashi-san.." Tsubaki smiled at him and gave a slight bow.

Akashi just nodded at them in reply. As soon as he did that however, the two girls were already out of sight. "Akashi..-san?"

He grinned.

"Geez, Kazumi why did you have to say that?" Tsubaki gritted her teeth at her friend.

"What?"

"The 'Am I interrupting something?' part, duh!" She practically yelled which caught the attention of everyone in the classroom.

The going to the library to check something out part was obviously a lie just to escape from Akashi. The two girls instead went directly to their classrooms.

Kazumi, at the news that they were in the same class is pretty much elated. The introductions in their class was over and after a few more announcements from their Sensei, it is finally their break time. Tsubaki was seated by the window with an empty chair and desk beside her that probably belongs to her best friend, but at the moment the brunette is standing behind her pouting best friend, braiding her red hair into a simple fish tail.

"Shh! Aki-chan, don't raise your voice like that.. Unless you want a blast for your high school début that is.." She said cheerily while twirling the silky red locks under her hands expertly.

The redhead clicked her tongue and rested her chin on her palm in response.

"Almost done!" Kazumi tied the end of the braid with a black elastic band. After that, she skipped to her bag and retrieved something from it's pocket. It was a hair-clip which Tsubaki failed to see clearly because of the brunette's hasty movement. She gently secured it at the bottom of the braid, covering the elastic band which was inconspicuously visible with Tsubaki's red hair.

After some minor fixes, "There! All done!"

Kazumi proceeded to grab her friend's hair carefully and moved it above her right shoulder. She pulled out a mirror from her pocket and directed it to Tsubaki's face.

"See, Aki-chan? You're very pretty!"

Once Tsubaki landed her orbs into it, the first thing that she noticed was the hair clip. Her eyes got wider, leaning closer to the mirror and she touched the delicate clip made of cloth subtly. It's design was a fully-bloomed red flower with the end of each of its petals decorated with small diamonds intricately patterned. The center of it is yellow, in different shades if one would look closely. She immediately got attracted to its unique design. And this flower, this is not just an ordinary flower, she thought.

"A camellia.." Tsubaki murmured.

"Yes. A red camellia." The brunette added.

Kazumi brought the mirror back to her pocket and Tsubaki gazed to her friend with an expectant look.

"Well, I chose it purposely for you! Your name; アカネ 椿 (Akane Tsubaki) translates to 'bright red camellia' right? Ahh I'm actually so jealous of it." Kazumi paused for a while when Tsubaki cocked her head to the side. "You know, I always knew that you will be studying here. Why? Because I called your dad last month. Before moving here to Kyoto, I did a quick shopping. I saw that hair-clip at a store and you suddenly flashed through my mind so I thought I'd buy it for you." She explained happily.

"Uhm.. Do you like it?" She asked anxiously.

Tsubaki directed her a beautiful, bright smile. "I love it! Thanks, Kazumi!" She suddenly hugged her friend. Kazumi chucked in response and patted her back. "No worries."

The two was interrupted in their moment when one of their classmates approached them. She is a girl with long blonde hair.

"Uhm.. Akane-san? Someone is calling for you."

The said girl looked back with a confused expression. The blonde girl who Tsubaki recalled to be Mitsuki Yumi jerked her thumb at the door's direction.

Tsubaki smiled to her best friend before proceeding to go by the door and see who is calling for her.

The supposed visitant was unexpectedly, Akashi Seijuro.

Tsubaki immediately widened her eyes at seeing him right outside the room. He smirked.

"Why the expression? Is it that surprising for me to be calling you? He mused.

The girl was momentarily at lost for words but she eventually regained he sanity and cleared her throat a bit. She cannot let her guard down at this moment.

"Is there something that you need from me?" She asked simply, she is determined to make this talk with him—whatever his business is with her—to be as short-lived as possible.

"You." His answer was as vague as her question.

She blinked her eyes multiple times before uttering unsurely, "E-Eh?! Pardon?"

"Bring you, and only yourself to the Shogi club room right after class. I'll be waiting."

That was definitely an order from Akashi Seijuro.

"Wha-what?"

"I won't take any excuses." And at that, he left.

Did he just command her to do something? Tsubaki was well aware of what he's up to, he'd been her rival before anyway so she's used to this. Before. But does he wish to be her enemy again?

She remembered when they were both attending Teiko. Tsubaki would challenge him for a game of Shogi and they would always meet each other after his basketball practices at an unused classroom. There, they would play. And there, she would always lose. She hadn't won any single match with him, although she managed to win in various regional tournaments at the said game. She was unable to accept defeat at first, so she would constantly go to the gym and challenge him again and again. But, the result would be always the same, he would win, with that sickening apathetic expression on his face. She would lose, although she had done everything in her power. The feeling of being bested by someone on your forte, the feeling of losing when you've done your all and your opponent barely exerted effort to win, the feeling of being crushed, she felt them all and it was like being reduced to nothing. It was like you are worthless. It was like soaring high above the sky with pride then being pulled down to the depths of the lowest point suddenly, without you realizing it.

Not just in Shogi though, even in every other field of studies, she was always second to him. In class, a tear would just fall from her eyes to the slightly wrinkled paper on her hand as she stares at space. He got the higher score on the test again. Does it always have to be like this?

That was why at the quarter end of her senior year in middle school, she ignored him. Call her weak if you may, but she'd had enough. She'd had enough of being obliterated by him. She gave up all her will on playing and studying well. Screw the fact that she consecutively won tournaments, she can't even beat a normal guy in school who—she discovered to—have no experience or history in playing Shogi before. Screw being praised by the other people for her talent, screw being well-known for that, screw it! Screw it all! She feels extremely despondent.

And now here he was, asking her to go to a Shogi classroom, probably inviting her for match. Does he have no heart? Doesn't he know how he wounded her pride in the past?

Tsubaki squeezed her eyes shut and breathed in heavily.

"There is no way I'm going."

*A knock on the door*

"Come in." A rigid voice accorded.

The cream colored door slid gently and from there, came in a girl with red locks. She had a deep glare on her face.

"Please have a sit here," Akashi offered —though it looked like more or less a command again—without looking at her while gesturing to the space across from him and a low table.

Tsubaki complied silently and sat down on the floor, it was not cold since there was a cushion in it.

"I knew you would come." The male spoke as he stood up and went to the counter by the window.

The female redhead sighed.

During their classes prior to Akashi's visit, she could not concentrate. She feels awfully uneasy because something is bugging her. Her head ached so badly and it got to the point that she had to go to the clinic. Kazumi was worried but then decided to not intrude since her friend looks really troubled by something serious and when this kind of times occur, she knew better than to meddle with her problems.

And when she was lying down the bed in the clinic, everything was made clear. When she first saw Akashi after a long time, something inside of her rekindled. It was a feeling that started to profusely disturb her serene and content mind ever since the witness of him. It was undeniable, irresistible.

It was the urge to compete. She felt hungry for a match and she's well aware of the way to end this trouble once and for all. She knows that the plan to avoid him at all costs just got thrown out of the window but she can't lie to herself anymore. She herself wants this, she needs this.

He did this on purpose. That Akashi.

"I decided, just one last game and I say goodbye to Shogi forever." Tsubaki stated with finality.

An aroma reached her nose then, it was an effluvious but sweet smell. She followed the smell with her head and saw that Akashi was holding a tray with two cups of something smoking while making his way to the table.

"Oh, Is that so?" He sat across her and placed each of the cups at their side. "Have some tea."

She wondered how a freshman like him managed to have the equipments to brew tea and provide her some in a room like this. "Is it even fine for us to be using this room?" She thought but disregarded it afterwards. This is Akashi we're talking about after all. He is unpredictable in all ways.

"Well then, shall we start?" He placed a Shogi board from out of nowhere above the table.

He looked at her in the eye first, "I won't hold back."

Tsubaki frowned in return and just nodded.

History repeated itself as the magical words slipped right out of his mouth.

"Ōte."

Of course, Tsubaki expected this. What she didn't expect was Akashi Seijuro improved by a mile. Yes, he was excellent at playing before, but his skills just enhanced to a whole new level, Tsubaki has no say to that. He was like a professional player already.

She stared at the board for a while and after learning that there was no any other ways to glean, she admitted defeat. "You win... as always."

This time, she didn't feel anger or resentment for him. It's like her feelings were nullified, it's like she knew that she would lose yet again anytime soon.

"I'm amazed by your skills, say, did you train while on vacation?" She asked.

"I would not waste my time as to train in this cinch of a game. But you could say that, I entertained myself with it." While he was saying those however, his eyes were directed at something else. Tsubaki followed his gaze.

She didn't notice it before when she entered the room, but you can see a great view of a short camellia tree in all it's glory by the window. Its evergreen leaves and the full-bloomed red flowers of it that is being gently swept by wind looked fascinating.

"Tsubaki (Camellia)..." The female gasped.

Akashi gave her a quick look before speaking up, "Those flowers are just like your name and the ones in your hair."

Tsubaki felt the said hair clip in her fingers as she stared back at him. "Yes." She nodded.

"Do you know about the history of Camellias?" As he said that, he made his way to the window to look closely at the beautiful flowers.

"Huh?"

"It is said that samurais did not like camellia flowers because the dropping of it were a reminiscent of the cut-off heads of dead warriors. Even up to now, others from samurai heritage still refuse to plant such a disturbing tree." He explained, his back facing her.

Tsubaki was oblivious to this fact and pouted at the discovery. She loves her name very much because this is what her mother and father decided for her. When she was little, her parents would always tell her that the reason why they named her "Tsubaki" was because she was as beautiful as the flower. Camellias can also bloom in winter even if the snow is falling, they are there not affected by the cold, which in turn symbolizes resilience, to which her parents hoped her to be; a brave and a strong woman.

She huffed. "Don't make fun of my name!"

Akashi turned around and smirked at her. "I am not. I was just telling the truth."

The female just rolled her eyes while standing up, preparing to leave. She had no more business here and she really did not want to hear anymore from him. If he's going to lecture her negativities about her own name then she is better off leaving.

Once her hand reached the sliding door handle, he said something obscure.

"However, I think camellias are really, very beautiful."

Tsubaki paused mid-step and very slowly she craned her neck, rounded orbs peering at him.

She was definitely not expecting him to say that. To say that Tsubakis (her name) are beautiful, it was like saying that she is as well.

A warm breeze coming from the marginally open window blew past the both of them. His heterochromatic eyes met with her brown ones as both of their hair gently swayed, like the leaves of the camellia tree outside.

From her point of view, he was standing there, under the dusk sky with the little remnants of the ray of the sun reflecting on him, the camellia tree with its red flowers as his background. She didn't want to admit it but he looked equally as beautiful as the flowers behind him with that handsome smug look he's giving. Equally as beautiful as he described them—and her..NO!—to be.

She felt heat rush up to her face when she thought of that, forming a blush on her cheeks. Her heart was also beating rapidly like it would explode anytime now.

Tsubaki was feeling something unexplainable. Before, everything goes downhill, she reverted her eyes somewhere else slid the door with all her might. "I-I'm l-leaving!" That came out as a stutter and too high-pitched for her liking.

Without looking back at him again she slid the door abruptly then ran away as fast as she can.

She was panting hard and leaned her back to a wall, meters away from the gate of Rakuzan High. She placed her shivering hands above her chest and felt that her heart was still beating rapidly. Heat was also engulfing her. "Wha-what was that?"

Akane Tsubaki had never felt this way before.

Chapter 1: The start of everything

A/N: How was it? That was my first attempt of writing KnB fanfic. And with Akashi as the lead at that -.-"

Please let me know what you think about it; REVIEW! :D

*I accept constructive criticisms but I do not tolerate rude or senseless reviews.

-MW ツ