Set in Teiko Days

"Dai-chan!" the sound of the sliding door being forcefully opened echoed in the room along with the high pitched voice of Momoi Satsuki. Some of the students turned, admiring the beautiful girl as she walked to the table of her childhood friend who was sleeping on his desk.

"Dai-chan!" she repeated.

Aomine stirred placing the magazine down. He narrowed his eyes at the sight of his childhood friend. She looks so excited for some reason.

"What do you need, Satsuki?"

Momoi put a pink bag on his table and grinned.

Aomine raised an eyebrow before pushing the bag forward.

"Don't give me girly things, Satsuki," he said, annoyed by the bag and irritated by Momoi's excited expression.

"Come on, Dai-chan. You didn't even check it!" Momoi exclaimed, opening the bag herself, revealing the seven rainbow colored paper planes inside.

Momoi smiled at him, "Dai-chan you've to read all of this home, 'kay?"

"What the hell are you talking about, I'm not into reading!" Aomine exclaimed.

Momoi pouted, "But you really need to read these"

"Why should I?"

"These are the last letters that Hanabi-chan made for you! Isn't it romantic that she even managed to write this?"

Aomine's face darkened, "Akiko wrote them?"

"Yup. Hanada-baa-chan sent them to me yesterday"

Aomine scratched the back of his head, Akiko Hanabi was someone who died last month. She was what he can consider as one of his 'friends.'

"So, read them, 'kay? Or else Hanabi-chan will scare you to death!"

"Idiot, she can't even leave her room for a long time how can she—"

Aomine stopped himself, seeing the sadness that passed Momoi's face. He didn't notice it earlier, that her childhood friend was mainly hiding something behind that smile of hers.

"Fine"

Momoi smiled.

. . . .

Aomine retired on his bed, magazine on hand. He hasn't started reading nor did he look at the paper planes. His mind was still debating on it. Wondering what he should do. He contemplated with it for awhile until he finally decided to open the bag again.

He picked the red paper plane up, since Momoi told him that the letters should be read in the rainbow pattern.

Aomine breathed out a sigh as he unfolded it. He hated reading anything that is not related on basketball or on the Rated X magazines that he have.

Yet he never expected Hanabi to write to him and since he somehow felt like he was obligated to do it, he started reading.

Dear Aomine-kun,

June started with thirty days, seven hundred twenty hours and more than one thousand seconds. June is also the last month that I was able to see this world but nonetheless I'm glad that I met you…

Aomine glared at the paper. If that glare can burn, the letter should've been burned into ashes already.

Too much words that I can't even make out with, he thought. But nonetheless he continued reading. Hanabi was a friend after all, and even if he doesn't show it sometimes, Aomine still cares for his friends.

He continued reading, remembering the first time he met her.

. . . . (flashback)

"Hanabi, wear this properly, your yukata will open up!" Akiko Hanada scolded her daughter, who smiled sheepishly at her.

"But, okaa-chan , it's too tight," she complained.

"Geez," Hanabi fixed the sash on her daughter's waist. "There, it's fine already"

Hanabi smiled sheepishly while gripping her parasol tightly.

"I'll be heading out, okaa-chan"

"Sure, but make sure that you'll meet up with Satsuki, okay?"

"Yup~"

Since, the shrine was a short walk from their house, Hanabi got there quickly. She looked around, amazed by the people that gathered around the place. She clutched her parasol's handle nervously. It was the night of the summer festival and this will be the first and the last time that she'll be attending.

She wanted to at least feel the fun and excitement that teenagers her age was able to. When you have s chronic disease you'll never have the time to really enjoy the life that you wanted to.

She wanted to feel that and—

"How long will Satsuki make me wait?"

The mere mention of her cousin's name made her turn. She perceived a dark skinned boy that she can't hardly see because of his dark yukata and because of the darkness that covered him.

"Hey, what are you staring at?" he grumbled at her.

"Uh, I'm sorry…" she bowed low politely. "Anyway, are you hungry, I can buy food for you since I'm also planning to buy for myself. Um…"

Aomine frowned at the pale girl in front of him. Her hair was on the darker shade of pink and her skin was so pale emphasizing the years of it not being able to absorb oxygen from outside properly. His eyes fell on her chest.

Quite big…

"Are you serious?" he asked, feeling the growing irritation because of the growling of his stomach.

"Um… I sound weird, right?"

"Of course you do, what's with the 'I offer you food,' crap?"

His stomach growled in protest.

"I don't want to owe you anything but fine…"

She bowed low politely, she just offered that because this guy might be a friend of her cousin. "I apologize for being this weird," she said, not telling him the real reason.

"Let's go," Aomine said, back turned on her.

She followed after him. The duo now stopping by a yakiniku stall. She immediately produced a small wallet from her bag. Looking up to the tall boy with a smile.

"What would you like to get?" she asked.

"Anything as long as it won't cost you much"

She nodded and bought the food that will fill them in.

"Um… here," she handed the yakiniku to Aomine. "It's still hot so please be careful with it"

The dark skinned boy simply devoured the food given to him. He was too hungry that he can't even mumble a word of 'Thanks' nor protest.

"You mentioned Satsuki earlier, may I ask if the person that you were referring to is the same with Momoi Satsuki-chan?" she asked while watching him.

"Yes, but how did you know?"

"Um… I'm her cousin" she smiled at him innocently. "I've heard a lot about you, Aomine-kun"

"That's unheard of. Look, little girl, don't play jokes with me, okay?"

"I'm not lying, Aomine-kun!" she puffed her cheeks defensively. Besides, she's the type who always wants to clear her point.

"Dai-chan~!"

"Aomine-kun"

"Aominecchi"

Aomine turned to the newcomers namely Momoi, Kuroko and Kise. He was distracted by the trio's sudden presence. Hanabi hid in his back holding on to his arms while peering through it.

"Oi, what are you doing?" Aomine glanced at the girl who was hiding on his back.

"Dai-chan, who's that?" Momi asked curiously.

"I don't know she's telling me that she's your cousin," Aomine peered the girl from him and pushed her forward. She nearly stumbled but she managed her balance.

"Um, hi, Satsuki-chan," she greeted nervously, clutching the parasol tightly.

Momoi's eyes widen, "Hanabi-chan~! Why didn't you tell me that you'll come sooner," she embraced the small girl tightly, that the girl gasped for breath.

"C-Can't breathe"

"Uh, sorry," she apologized, releasing her cousin. The boys threw them questioning looks.

"This is my cousin Akiko Hanabi," Momoi introduced. Hanabi quickly bowed low as a greeting.

"Since when did that cousin of yours existed?" Aomine asked, wondering why he never knew Hanabi from the start.

"That's rude, Aomine-kun," Kuroko said impassively to the taller boy.

"But I don't know anything about it!" Aomine exclaimed defensively.

"That's because Dai-chan wasn't listening to me everytime I talk about Hanabi-chan," Momoi said with a pout.

"You're such a basketball junkie, Aominecchi," Kise remarked, patting the taller boy's shoulder.

"Shut up, Kise!" Aomine snapped at the trio's accusations.

"U-Um… please don't argue here," Hanabi said in a low tone. "Let's just roam around together and enjoy the festival, right?"

The four of them looked at Hanabi with bewildered expressions on their faces.

So innocent! They all have in mind.

Hanabi looked at them questionably, before hitting her head lightly.

"Um… I did it again, right?" she asked, disappointed of the effect of her own words.

"N-No! Hanabi-chan is just too kind, right?!" Momoi asked giving the boys a meaningful stare.

"A-Ah, right! She's a kind hearted girl-ssu!"

Kise raised a second motion. The duo now staring at Kuroko and Aomine for back up.

"Hanabi-san, it's good for you to stand up for arguments like these," Kuroko said blankly yet a slight smile passed his face.

Now, the trio turned to Aomine who gave them a frown. He was oblivious of the current situation.

Seeing that he won't say anything, Kuroko hit his friend's gut with a jab from his fingers.

"Itte! What was that for?!" Aomine grumbles, feeling the pain on his gut.

"Read the situation, Aomine-kun," Kuroko remarked, putting emphasis on his words.

"Huh? What situation are you talking about?"

He's hopeless, the trio thought while Aomine looked at them questionably.

"Um… the fireworks are starting soon. I think we should find a good place before—" Hanabi cuts in, saving Aomine from trouble.

"That's right, Tatsu-kun, Let's go!" Momoi held on Kuroko's arm, that the boy nearly stumbles, saved for Momoi's quick hold on him. Kise and Aomine walks along with the pair while Hanabi tags along.

But, unfortunately she can't follow their pace that sooner or later she'll be left alone. She was smiling, smiling while her eyes were glassy. Tears are threathening to fall.

"Oi, you okay?" Aomine asked, slowing his pace to match hers.

Hanabi smiled, pleased and happy of the Aomine's concern. Though, concern wasn't written in the dark skinned boy's face.

"I'm alright, Aomine-kun"

"You're slow, they'll leave us already"

"I'm sorry… I just tire easily"

Aomine nodded, "That's right, you look like you're going to faint anytime. How about trying basketball, you'll be able to learn how to be more active. You know, like move your muscles more frequently…"

She laughed causing a frown from him.

"What are you laughing at? Did I say something wrong?"

"Nothing, just don't mind it, Aomine-kun"

The sound of the fireworks made the two of them looked up the sky. It lit up the dark sky with bright colors, reflecting in their eyes.

"Aomine-kun, do you like the fireworks?" she asked, eyes still on the sky.

Aomine briefly glanced at her before turning back up again.

"Of course, I do," he simply replied.

Hanabi sadly smiled, "I hate them"

. . . .

Aomine fell asleep while reading, barely finishing the last paragraph of Hanabi's letter. Even if some of her descriptions was hard to understand, he still managed to picture it in his head.

The red paper plane lies below his hand and was barely crumpled because of the way he handled it. The writer of the letter would likely feel offended. But she's no longer there to complain. And it's not like she would show that 'feeling' easily.

"Dai-chan~!" Momoi Satsuki unceremoniously entered the boy's room. The boy remained unfazed, despite of Momoi's high pitched voice.

Momoi was furious to see her childhood friend sleeping, thinking that he never opened even one of the planes.

Her eyes searched for them finding the red one on top of his hand. She smiled, pleased that she did a good job on getting Aomine to read it.

"I'm glad that he started reading…" she utters, talking to herself.

That's good for you, Hanabi-chan

A/N: Rasielis here, so my second story is finally here~! I hope I managed to portray Aomine's character here DX

Anyways, thanks for reading and if you can, please leave a review. I can really use that for inspiration purposes. Thank you so much~!