The dark room was lit up by several tall candles placed around the room; illuminating the faces of a few butlers and maids as well as a lone Scarlet family member standing around the long table. Seated at both ends was Kuroko and Akashi; whom eyed Kuroko with a pleasant, dark look.

After Akashi found Kuroko, he practically dragged him to this place and the staff started handing out plates with a decent amount of servings to both as soon after a few moments that they arrived. Kuroko was feeling a bit rushed by this as well as confused.

Akashi smiled a little, breaking the silence as he spoke. "How are you?"

Kuroko was about to respond before he dropped his fork and leaned down to pick it up. However, before he could grab it, the Scarlet family member from before rushed over and leaned towards him, whispering into his ear;

"I'm warning you, peasant, say a word that makes you look like your good friends with King Seijuro, we will-"

"What's the matter?" Akashi said with a flickering, snake-like tone. "I hope he's capable enough to pick up his fork, is he not? Go away now..."

The member nodded slowly, backing away to the side. "Of course"

Akashi then glanced back at Kuroko; whose head was a little wrapped around what the family member said that he couldn't really pay attention.

"So...?" Akashi chuckled a little "You didn't answer my question from before, Tetsuya."

Kuroko flinched, looking at him a bit worriedly. "Oh, yeah, um... what was it again?"

"I said 'How are you?'"

"Oh, I'm fine. I'm... fine"

Akashi frowned a little as he gripped the knife in his hand. Kuroko presumed he was upset about something in that moment of silence.

"Aren't you going to ask?"

"Ask what?"

"About anything." Akashi growled slightly. "Like how that kid you met years ago is now your king."

"How, then?" Kuroko said. Akashi smiled once more, almost like Kuroko had finally followed his script.

"Well, I became their rightful ruler because my real father was in fact the Great king," He said with pride. "And because I'm absolute."

"That's nice..." Kuroko said. It wasn't as if he wasn't interested in what Akashi had been saying; in fact, surprisingly, he was. It was just because of the red-haired Scarlet member in the corner giving him a deadly glare that told him to say as few words as possible, or else.

However, Akashi seemingly detested this lack of language or emotion. He spoke roughly. "Is something wrong?"

"No, it's just I think that I must be going now." Kuroko said, standing up and heading towards where he entered. "I don't want to be a bother"

"You're not a bother," Akashi said, standing up as well. Kuroko hesitated, not sure what to do for that moment. "You can stay."

"No, I really must go," Kuroko said after a moment of silence; thinking of some excuse. "I have to make sure Kise is okay."

"Kise? Who's 'Kise'?" Akashi said with a tint of anger.

Before Kuroko could respond, the family member from before stepped in.

"King, you have to meet with the family soon." He said. He seemed like he wanted to leave as much as Kuroko did in that moment.

"What's it about?" Akashi said.

"They didn't specify. They just said it was important".

Akashi sighed. "Fine, fine... I'll go..."

The family member smiled and glance at Kuroko, walking over towards him. "King, may I walk Mr.Tetsuya back downstairs?"

Akashi nodded as he headed towards the door, followed by a few of the maids from earlier. Before he exited through another entrance, he glanced at Kuroko and smiled darkly.

"Bye, Kuroko."

As he left, the family member led Kuroko out the other exit and slammed the door as they went outside the room. Kuroko looked at the family member's face, sensing as if he was about to finish what he was talking about before.

"Look, Mr.Tetsuya, as I was saying before King Seijuro interrupted me; you need to stay away from the King." He said hastily and with a rough tone. "If you don't, that 'Kise' isn't going to be left in one piece... and trust me; we will find out who he is. We are, in fact, the Scarlet family. And we are absolute."

Kuroko felt himself stiffen a little. While it had not seemed like it, Kuroko actually cared about Kise within a part of him; no matter how extremely bubbly and slightly annoying he was.

"So if I do agree to try to stay away from him, will you at least tell me why?" Kuroko said.

The family member paused, looking at him with an angry look. He then glanced to side and sighed a little, almost as if he admitted defeat towards himself.

"If anyone knows that King Seijuro is pursuing a peasant then they'll doubt he's royalty."

"Even if they doubt him, he's still the kings son, isn't he?"

The family member hesitated. "Well... we aren't sure. He might, but he also might just be another red-head who was found and placed as king. And I think, if he truly isn't the great King's son, his coronation would've been just an excuse to have someone in power."

Kuroko blinked a few times. "But don't they have princes who could've been King as well?"

"Well, the Scarlet family are like any other royal family; they want power. However, the people aren't stupid enough to fall for the whole family controlling the country for a long period of time. They need a king; a figure-head for them to look up to. And King Seijuro is just like that. A figurehead. Now, the other princes are much smarter about the system; smart enough that the family could not control them as easily as they wanted to. King Seijuro is practically their-"

"-perfect pawn." Kuroko finished. The family member nodded, placing his hand on Kuroko's shoulder as he finished with a few more words.

"You must not tell anyone I told you this, especially the Scarlet family. Hell, I'm surprised I even dared to tell you this!" The Scarlet member gave a dark chuckle. "Anyway, Mr.Tetsuya, you have to go now. I don't want anyone around to get the wrong idea..."

Kuroko nodded and the man walked away, but not before Kuroko said one last thing before he disappeared from his sight. "Who are you?"

The man laughed and glanced back.

"I'm just the first Prince of the Scarlet family."

And as he left, Kuroko stared a little longer until he went back down the spiralling stairs to the celebration. He looked around to see about half of the party had left and only a few gentlemen and ladies dared to stay past the castle's curfew. Kuroko tried to see if he could find Kise as he met with the first floor when he suddenly felt someone touch him from behind. He turned around to see none other then the yellow-haired Kise himself.

"Kuroko-chii~! I haven't seen you this entire time!" Kise whined as he tugged at his sleeves. "I saw so many amazing things~!"

"I don't doubt it..."

"Oh, Kuroko-chii... where were you?What's wrong?" Kise whined a little more yet a little quieter and more worried-like.

Kuroko sighed. "Let's just go home, Kise, and not worry about that..."

Kise smiled and his eyes lit up, his expression changing suddenly. "Okay~!"

And so they left, and Kuroko was stuck thinking about Akashi while Kise talked about his night at the celebration while they all headed back home.