Summary [chapter 1]: After finally realizing her dream, Masuko Miyuki comes to Japan to deal with its consequences and meets once again her best friend, Kagami Taiga. She discovers as well the lively Seirin's basketball team and its members. Post Seirin vs Kaijo practice game.

Update: I rewrote some details but the main modification if the point of view. It's still in the third person but I decided to truly write the story from the characters' POV.

Following the canon chronology with some additions for the purpose of the story. Main pairing of the story: Midorima x OC.

Written in the third person. The words in italic are characters' thoughts and the words written like this are said in another language (French or English). No harem x OC.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything except my OCs

[INTRODUCTION ARC]

FRAGMENTS

~.~

Chapter 1: the girl in a wheelchair

Beautiful.

That was how any foreigner would describe the view of the sakura trees blossoming in the verdure that stretched out at Seirin Private High School's entrance. However, the girl in front of the school's portal did not think any of it. Because she was late.

Very, very late.

Masuko Miyuki was supposed to arrive in the morning but with the strike going on in her country, her flight got delayed and she finally arrived to Tokyo... At 1:30 P.M.

Great. What a way to start my first day in Japan.

Fortunately for her, the school seemed to be aware of this situation, judging by the kind smile the kouchou* was giving her. Maybe it was because he was happy to have a new student coming from another country who had good marks and a good reputation... Or maybe it was pity since she looked exhausted after seventeen hours of flight.

(Or maybe both.)

At least, she made a good first impression to the kouchou. It was hard to get used to Japanese traditions but she did not forget to put her sailor fuku before arriving there and she did bow before presenting herself and used the appropriate suffix when talking to him. By the time their discussion was over, they were in front of what was going to be her class for the rest of the year:

Class 1-B.

To say that Kagami Taiga was bored was an understatement.

A fuckin' understatement.

Japanese language class, according to him was the worst class of all and there was still an hour left.

An hour.

At least, he was not that tired anymore thanks to the whole lunch thing Coach and the senpai organized. All he could think about was the preliminary tournament... That and also the fact that he had to go the faculty office after classes. It was not his fault if his game against that damn Kise had been so intense! Meanwhile, that bastard Kuroko did not get caught.

Did misdirection even work on sensei?!

He heard the door opening and at the sight of the kouchou – he only remembered his face because of the lecture he gave on the roof during lunch break though it was not as if he had listened to what he said –, he woke up Kuroko who was still sleeping and stood up.

"You may sit down."

Having a kouchou visiting a class was kinda weird... That only meant two things: 1. someone was going to get expelled or 2. ...

"Everyone, I am here to announce you the arrival of a new foreigner student. I do hope you will welcome her properly and help her with her condition," he said.

Whispers began to fill the room.

'A girl?' 'Do you think she's cute?' could be heard.

He did not care except if that new girl was strong at basketball. Silence fell again when the kouchou continued.

"You may enter now."

Said girl did so but everyone was surprised to see that she was in a wheelchair and that she was obviously struggling with it. Her hair was covering a big part her face so he could not how her face was like though once again, he did not really care.

Weird...

"Hajimemashite*. My name is Masuko Miyuki and I'm from France. I do hope we will get along as classmates and enjoy this year together. Please take care of me," she finished before bowing on her wheelchair.

"I also came here to ask to you to have at least always one student with her until her conditions are better. I will also ask you to make arrangements and..."

Taiga was not listening anymore and stood frozen.

"Masuko, please take the sit next to Kagami," sensei said.

Masuko Miyuki... Masuko.

Emilie.

It can't be.

But immediately after looking her blue eyes and that serious yet calm look, he knew.

But how? How can she even be here, in a wheelchair?

"Well, hello Taiga," said the girl in English, with the all too familiar smirk on her face.

"YOU!" he managed to whisper, "But – HOW?"

She threw him that damn half-smile she and Tatsuya used every time they had something mischievous in their minds.

As stupid as it was, he had missed it a lot.

"I'll explain to you after class, I promise. We still have an hour of class left, right?"

Kuroko Tetsuya was good with human observation: not only it was one of his main hobbies but it was also one of his main weapons on the basketball court. Which was why he found the way Masuko-san was able to shut down Kagami-kun impressive. It was not the fact itself that amazed him because both Coach and Captain were able to do it as well. It was because unlike the other times, he was not boiling with anger. He seemed... worried. And he could not stop looking at Masuko-san. It was obvious she noticed it as well because 15 minutes later, she whispered 'Stop doing that!' as he immediately complied.

It was highly amusing to see Kagami-kun toss and turn as if he wanted to go to the bathroom and look at the clock every thirty seconds. The bell rang and he immediately pushed Masuko-san's wheelchair to go somewhere else and talk. Naturally, Tetsuya followed them, amused by the unexpected turn of event.

"Emilie, what the hell are you doing here! And what happened to you?" Kagami-kun shouted in what appeared to be English. He only recognized a few words but Kagami-kun almost looked hysterical.

"Taiga... Still as brash as ever." The soft look Masuko-san was giving to Kagami-kun was so similar to the look Momoi-san had whenever they were talking about discussing them before... before everything. It was full of nostalgia and maybe even melancholia. "Calm down, I'll explain you everything. But first, you could introduce me to your friend," she continued, finishing her sentence in Japanese.

He was slightly surprised to hear that he had been noticed.

"You can see him? Like, right now?"

"Of course I can see him, he's standing right here." She raised her head to watch him. No, not exactly him, he had the feeling she was watching his eyes and the brief intensity in her gaze made him uncomfortable. "Don't you remember? I'm good at observing people. Blame it on Sherlock Holmes." Hearing this, Kagami-kun sighed. Did Masuko-san like detective stories as well? "Although I must say his eyes are really noticeable to me. I can already tell you really are one of the kind."

He felt something he did not feel since months, maybe years. Happiness? Or maybe something else... He did not know what but now that he was looking at her deep blue eyes, he saw something familiar yet different.

"My name is Masuko Miyuki. I'm Taiga's best friend. And you are?"

Masuko bowed and offered him her hand to his utter confusion.

Oh.

He remembered it was the Western Coast way to greet someone. That would explain why she had a few caucasian physical traits.

He stayed silent during the following seconds before he finally answered and shook her hand back.

"I'm sorry for being rude. My name is Kuroko Tetsuya. Kagami-kun is my teammate on the school's basketball team. I'm his shadow."

Masuko-san's face showed confusion, earning an "Uh?" from her.

"Idiot, you can't just go around and tell people you're my shadow!" shouted Kagami-kun.

The blank face she had – not blank like his face but something more more akin to someone being polite and netral – changed into something like recognition.

"I see. So you're Taiga's partner!"

"Hai."

Kagami-kun was frantic. "Just tell me what's going on, damn it! And why are you on... on..."

He knew what was happening. The rest of his sentence were words Kagami-kun could not say. He could not because that would mean accepting it. He knew Kagami-kun since a few weeks but he knew that would never happen. Kagami-kun, despite his intimidating exterior, was someone with a warm heart.

He never accepted defeat and never gave up, even against Kise-kun.

"There's no need to finish your sentence." Masuko-san understood that as well, certainly better than he did due to the nature of their relationship. "It's not as horrible as it seems. I won't stay on this wheelchair forever, it's just a matter of weeks!" She even forced a small smile on her face to reassure him though she was visibly upset. Masuko-san seemed to be a gentle person. "I was supposed to walk on crutches but the pain in my leg is too strong. My AC... my anterior cruciate ligament tear is quite serious and I don't know if I'll be able to play sports at a high level again," she finished in a whisper.

Tetsuya now fully understood the meaning of these words. Just the thought of the possibility of not playing the sport he loved left a sour taste in his mouth.

"Emilie... You –"

"Cheer up, Taiga! I was supposed to move out here after the end of scholar year. I didn't tell you because I wanted to keep it as a surprise. But with this, I'll have my surgery and my physical therapy here... Anyway," she continued, a grin appearing on her face. "I hve no regrets about this since I did it."

"You mean..."

She revealed the thing around the neck hidden under her uniform. It was a medal. Since it was not written in Japanese, he didn't understand the exact meaning but he had a general idea... The number 'one' carved on it... The golden color... It looked like the reflection of their own dream. His dream, Kuroko Tetsuya's dream.

"I won the championship."

Kagami-kun put his arms enthusiastically around her. Surprisingly, he was still gentle with her.

"You did it, Emilie! Congrats!"

That time, she was grinning and Tetsuya wondered if one day, he could smile like her too.

"I did it... I became number one with the team." She watched him, the grin turning into a soft smile again, "It's been a long time I aimed this title, uh. It's kind of funny I finally did it for my first year and last year of high school there."

"I'm glad Masuko-san could make it." Her story showed that hard training was always leading to something. He wanted to believe that again, he truly wanted that. It was the reason why what she said was somehow comforting.

Kagami-kun's mood drastically changed into the Kagami-kun he appreciated the most. The one so determined to win.

"Now you can watch me become the number one player in Japan."

He allowed himself to slightly smile. He did want to fulfill the promise he wrote on the field outside.

"I... was wondering. Why is Kagami-kun calling Masuko-san like that?"

"Ah, this." She was not exactly happy about the question but she was not irritated by it. More like tired, if he heard right the tone she had used. "I'm a mixed-race child. My parents gave me two names, a French name and a Japanese name: Emilie Miyuki."

"Miyuki is her middle name!"

She nodded. "I thought it would be easier to use this name here since I can't see people pronounce properly Emilie. It was the same when I was in France or in America with Miyuki."

"She's right you know. Even I can't say Emilie in the French way... This language is too hard to learn," completed Kagami-kun.

"Wha – Well, I guess it's true though you aren't doing so bad," she marked a pause before continuing. "I wanted to ask... Are club activities after classes really obligatory in Japan? I read that before coming here but I must admit I'm not used to Japanese culture yet."

"Hai, they –"

Activities... After classes... Sports... Basket... Training... Training session!

We're late for the training session.

Kagami-kun was shaking with fear.

"Kuroko! Coach and Captain are going to kill us."

He thought the same thing although he was not as vocal as him about it.

Coach's wrath was truly terrible.

Masuko-san looked at them, puzzled "What are you –"

She did not even have the time to finish her sentence that Kagami-kun was running and rolling her wheelchair like crazy.

"Taiga, slow doooown!"

He was now sure Masuko-san would make this year even more unique.

"... If we lose, we're out We can't let our guard down for a single game. We were only one step away from reaching last year, but we'll definitely –"

Hearing the sound of hurried steps, Junpei stopped.

These idiots! Arriving late at a training. A training to prepare them for the preliminaries of the Inter-High on top of that!

Good thing that Riko was not here but they would suffer because he was here.

"YOU'RE GONNA PAY FOR –"

He finally laid his eyes on them, he stopped like the rest of the team.

Why is there is a girl in a wheelchair with them? was the question in his mind (and probably in everyone's mind).

"I apologize. It's my fault, I was talking to them and I wasn't aware I made them miss the start of practice," she started, while bowing in the process.

Now that the surprise vanished, he noticed the girl was not totally Japanese... Was she an international student? Her voice was strangely soothing yet distant. She was cute in a way and really polite (unlike these damn other first years in his team...).

"It's a pleasure to meet you, my name is Masuko Miyuki. I'm also Taiga's best friend and new classmate!" she continued, showing Kagami with her head at her last sentence.

Tai...ga?

Wait, like in Kagami Taiga? Bakagami?!

"EEEEEEH! How did you manage to even be her friend?"

Kagami was offended. "Oi! What's that supposed to mean?!... Sir."

... As if Junpei cared. These first years were really annoying sometimes (all the time) so he could get a little revenge.

The girl on the wheelchair sighed.

"What he means that it's a bit strange that someone lacking delicacy and understanding in women could have one as best friend."

Kagami's face was burning with horror and embarrassment and he thought he had never laughed this hard.

This is the best thing that ever happened!

"Kagami-kun's face is really red."

It was so hair it matched with his weird hair color!

"SHUT UP!"

How could Kuroko say something like that with that blank face? And Kagami's face was hilarious.

Trying to stop to laugh, he finally managed to say, "I forgive you... this time."

Gaining back his seriousness, Junpei continued his interrupted speech.

"Anyway. We've got three weeks until the Inter-High preliminaries. We'll be facing a lot of strong schools in this district, especially... The biggest and strongest opponent in the district, Shutoku High. They were in the top eight last year... On top of that, just like Kaijo they recruited a player of the Generation of Miracles. If we can't defeat that super strong school, we won't get a ticket to the Nationals!"

"Kuroko... You know what kind of guy he is, right?"

He was curious about it too but who was not intrigued when it came to the Generation of Miracles?

"This is probably not something you can believe with just words... But... Just like Kise-kun said in the beginning, the other four are of a different class. If he has improved even more since then... I cannot imagine his level now."

He had no doubt about it. And this Masuko girl raised her eyebrows. She looked like she had no idea about what they were talking about. But it was strange, was not it? She was Kagami's best friend, right?

"In order to challenge Shutoku, we have to start by winning our first match! Let's fire up and go for it!"

"Yeah!"

"Speaking of which, where's Coach?"

Riko always arrived first, even before him so her sudden absence was strange.

"Well... It seems our opponent in the first match is having a training match nearby so she went to check on them."

He heard the door of the gym and there was no need to turn his back to know it was her.

"Speak of the devil."

"I'm back..." Riko said before noticing Masuko. "Um... Who are you?"

"I'm –"

"Could you tell us more about you?"

"Do you have any embarrassing stories of Kagami?"

More questions by the team were asked. He sighed again but he did not say anything. He would not admit out loud he wanted to hear Kagami's embarrassing stories (not in Riko's presence at least or she would smack his head... or maybe not since she loved torturing her players).

After training, Taiga insisted on taking her back home (could she really call it 'home' already? She was not ready to call it 'home' yet but she would live there from now). Even if she said she could handle herself – and she meant it –, Miyuki was more than delighted to spend time with her best friend again. Rolling her wheelchair, he listened to her instructions to take her back home and was surprised to find out that she lived very close to his apartment...Very, very close.

Looking at the map given to her, she smiled.

"It seems like it's here!"

She remembered the pictures papa took a few months ago. He chose well, the neighborhood looked good (it would always be better than what they used to have) and there were a basketball court and a football pitch nearby.

Silence was her only answer until Taiga shouted, "Your appartment is in the same building as mine! You just could've said that, idiot!"

She quietly answered to defend herself. "I didn't know, I just arrived this afternoon. I was supposed to arrive in the morning but –"

"There was a strike going on?!"

"There's still a strike going on."

She gave the keys to Taiga so he could open the door, her leg still too painful to even allow her a slight move. She saw her suitcases in the hallway, already there since months, papa putting them there when he had visited the apartment to buy it.

"Where's everyone else? It's too calm..."

Ah, her family...

It was strange to come to another country and not having her loud sister greeting her or her little brother inviting her to play games with him. Taiga probably wanted to see them again, especially papa.

"They're still in France. School there ends at the beginning of July like in Los Angeles, so I think they'll arrive at the end of August, just to be sure to finish their businesses there." ... and to go to the beach, certainly. She would have liked that too: resting a bit on the beach with her team and her family.

"I forgot Japan has a weird school calendar."

Taiga lived there since two years already so he was getting used to it. Would she be the same at one point?

"Exactly. Why had Japan to make the start of the academic year now? I wanted to have a taste of two month holidays for once last time," she ended sheepishly.

"Uh? But you love school and stuff!"

"You aren't wrong." As strange as it was for certain people, she did love having classes. "But who doesn't love holidays?"

"Guess you're right."

"Of course. So, what are you waiting for? Come in."

Rolling to the living room, Miyuki took a look at her new apartment. Because it was planned for her family – and not only her – it was quite spacious. There were five bedrooms and she was the only one present: that meant she would get to choose the one with the best view. But right now, she was so tired she would sleep anywhere.

At the same time, she was just so happy to see him and she had plenty to say.

"You're really tall now. I remember we had same height four years ago."

She said it last year when he went to see her and she said it again. It was also one of the first things she said whenever they got to see each other. How in the world did little Taiga become that tall, strong young man?

"That's right! Weren't you always mocking me for that?"

He's still the same inside, she thought, moping.

Her height was still a sensible subject since she thought of herself as not tall enough (everyone on her team was so tall it was unfair).

"It's weird to see each other face to face again. I mean, we still talked a lot through e-mails but... it's not the same, you know."

She smiled, understanding what he meant.

"I know. It's good to see your face for real again."

Taiga blushed and looked away.

"Geez, why are you and Kuroko always say such embarrassing things?"

That time, she giggled.

"You're still the same. I don't understand why, it's okay to voice your feelings," she replied, amused to see him getting even more embarrassed. It was probably because they hadn't been around each other for months but he usually didn't get embarrassed immediately. She finally changed the topic to save him from embarrassment, "I see you got yourself an interesting partner."

She remembered him talking about "a weird guy who looks weak."

It was Kuroko Tetsuya... An interesting person in many ways. From his blue hair to his deadpan face.

"This guy's really strange sometimes but... we made a promise."

"Number one player in Japan, uh?"

"I'll make it!"

A growl interrupted their discussion.

It was from Taiga's stomach (of course).

"Emilie... Do you have food?"

"Taiga! I told you I just moved out and you expect me to have food here. You really only think about basketball and food."

"Food is important! You need to eat a lot every day."

"I love food and you know it but I'm just tired, that's all." She did not really have the opportunity to sleep in the plane nor during class – she was not Taiga who used to sleep during classes sometimes... okay most of the times –

She accentuated her pout. She knew what he was thinking, it was written all over his face.

'How could someone so mature be so childish sometimes?'

He told her that every time she was pouting this way. But for once, he did not say it (although she was convinced he thought that).

"Geez, I'll bring you breakfast tomorrow... You better eat everything!"

She smiled at his sentence. Taiga would never admit it out loud but he was really caring towards his friends in his own awkward way.

"Sure."

Japanese words that you might not have understood:

*kouchou: headmaster.

A/N: So, first chap done! I hope you enjoyed it :D The story will mainly be focused on how Masuko is dealing with her injury and the friendships she will forge with Seirin team (as well as her friendship with Kagami), the romance will come then with Midorima's entrance in the next chapter (but do not expect something romantic yet because I need to settle things little by little).

Reviews are more than welcome, tell me what you're thinking about this story. If you have any question, do tell me :)