Author's notes: This story is a little like an experiment, and depending on how it turns out, I might take it down. The writing style is midly-inspired by noelswonderland. As I am trying to accumulate as many chapters as possible, Diametric will be updated weekly (Preferably on Fridays). Thank you for all the wonderful comments and support I have gotten from 'Resolution' - I sincerely hope that this story will come as an improvement after I have revised my writing.
P.S. Apologies if Murasakibara seems OOC. To be honest, he is a rather challenging character to write - though I made him a little more childish and impatient in the chapter because he is in a bad mood (who wouldn't be when they're out of snacks?)
"Blueberry cheesecake flavoured... Nerunerunerune candy?" Kohaku repeats, squinting at the bright and garish wrapper of the confection. Sure enough, the name of it is unmistakable. She shakes her head. Having a mother who works as the head of a sweets factory often causes her lunch box to end up with an assortment of sweets and new store samples, though she has never gotten such a flavour before. Yet while Kohaku appreciates it, she has never been that big a fan of sweets (especially not the 'special' flavours her mother is unusually fond of). It isn't healthy for an athlete to consume too much of it. And while it is apparent that she is nowhere near a sportswoman, Kohaku still retains hope that she may be able to join a sports club soon - despite the fact that she has only just joined Yosen, two months after the school year has started.
Her thoughts are interrupted by the sound of heavy footsteps entering the classroom. Kohaku gives a start of surprise when she realises that she's no longer alone now. Having arrived at the school early today after hitching a ride on her mother's car, Kohaku has enjoyed the solitude of being the first and only student in the classroom, taking the time to inspect her lunchbox cheerfully without being teased for its excessive child-like contents. But now that another student has joined the scene, she feels unusually pensive.
Kohaku's first thought upon seeing him is that titans do exist. The student is ridiculously tall - and if that still does not make others sit up and immediately notice him, his hair is an eye-catching purple. His arms are clutching an empty paper bag, and he's wearing an extremely disgruntled expressing on his face.
"Getting up early for no reason..." He sulks loudly as he shuffles into the classroom. "There wasn't any basketball meeting after all... Muro-chin's mean... I didn't even get to buy snacks..."
He plunks himself unceremoniously on the seat closest to the window, ignoring her all the way. Not the least deterred, Kohaku proceeds to stare at him in some sort of fascination. She's starting to recall having seen him before. He's part of the Generation of Miracles - a genius basketball player, Atsushi Murasakibara. Kohaku almost feels nervous when the realisation sets in. She's classmates with someone like him. In her eyes, esteemed basketball players have the same respected positions as famous celebrities and idols - if not, more. Kohaku has had a passion for sports since she was young.
Despite having been diagnosed with asthma when she was a child - something that has effectively prevented her from joining a sports club in middle school - Kohaku still retains her eagerness in joining a basketball team. Ever since being taught the particular sport by her father, there has always been something about the heavy weight of the basketball in her hands - the shrill squeak of her sneakers on court, the anticipation of single shot as one basket either secured a victory or a lost - that has drawn her to it. Her height is also another factor. Kohaku stands at a whole head taller than an average Japanese female student, and while she is obviously not as tall as Murasakibara, their height difference is still shorter compared to others.
"Hm?" Murasakibara only seems to take note of her fascinated staring now. He turns to look at her - but his eyes are immediately drawn towards the package of candy she's still holding in her hands.
"Candy," he echoes, his gaze never leaving the ostentatious wrapping. Kohaku stares at him in mild bemusement. Contrary to his height, his personality does not seem all that intimidating. Rather, it is almost the opposite of it. There is something childish in the way he stares yearningly at the confection in her hands.
"You like-" Kohaku switches her gaze to the sweet wrapper in order to read its name. "Nerunerunerune... candy?" While not as taken aback as an average person would be in such a situation, Kohaku is puzzled as to how anyone would like the sweet she's holding onto. Her mother is famous for giving her strangely flavoured sweets, including wasabi flavoured chewing gum at one point of time.
"Yea."
Kohaku laughs. The purple-haired student is an enigma to her. But at the same time, his eccentricity makes it easier for her to loosen up around him. Seeing the way he's staring so hard at the sweet makes rejecting him difficult - especially when he gives a mournful glance at his empty snack bag in between stares.
"You can have this then. I don't eat sweets much." She extends her hand gently, and without another word, the giant almost snatches the candy from her before tearing into it enthusiastically. Kohaku does not mind in the least that he seems to be talking to her only because of the food she possesses. She does not think she is interesting enough to inspire a conversation in the first place.
"You're Murasakibara-san, right?" It is a weak start to a conversation, since the question is almost rhetorical. Granted, she doesn't think he can be anyone else other than Murasakibara - his namesake hair and height is proof enough.
"Hm?" The purple-haired giant eyes her blankly, busily mixing the contents of the Nerunerunerune candy. A brief look of understanding seems to dawn on his face - she is asking him for his name. Instead of replying, Murasakibara stoically produces a water bottle and proceeds to pour an appropriate amount of it into the shallow moulds. When the concoction turns a pale pink, he gives a barely noticeable smile of satisfaction before asking "Who are you?" a little belatedly.
"I- I'm new here, I just joined Yosen today. My name is Izumi Kohaku. Nice to meet you!" She attempts to dip her head demurely, but the excitement is impossible to contain. Kohaku bounces up to her feet, her amber eyes bright with excitement.
"Murasakibara-san, you play basketball, don't you? You're part of the Generation of Miracles..." Despite Kohaku's nervous stream of babbling, Murasakibara continues staring at her apathetically - which only serves to heighten the former's anxiety. It almost feels like his demeanor has changed when she mentioned the word 'basketball'. However, it may also attribute to the fact that Murasakibara is nearly done consuming the entire contents of the Nernerunerune candy she has given him mere minutes before. This leaves Kohaku to wonder if he will abandon any semblance of a conversation since he has gotten what he clearly wanted.
"I- I mean, It's really cool, watching others play basketball. It's inspiring-"
"I don't like basketball." His words are like a trough of icy cold water, and Kohaku freezes.
"W- what?" Now it's Kohaku's turn to stare at him - though her gaze is far from blank. It is completely and utterly bemused. "What do you mean? You don't like basketball?"
"I only play cos I'm good." Murasakibara gives a semblance of a shrug. "Otherwise, basketball is annoying. I have to go for practice and I have to train." His face contorts a little in distaste.
"But..." Kohaku looks at him, disappointment clearly etched onto her face. "You're so talented at basketball. Don't you like it even the slightest bit?"
"Hm..." Murasakibara pauses and tilts his slightly. Kohaku supposes that he is contemplating her question a little. Her heart lifts slightly, perhaps he is searching for another opinion-
"Nope. I dislike basketball." Kohaku feels comically let down by his anti-climatic answer - like a child who has just learnt that Santa Claus does not exist after waiting for him all night. The one time she has the luck to be in the same class as a skilled basketball player, he turns out to be utterly disenchanted with the sport.
When Murasakibara registers the look of dismay on Kohaku's face, he gives a barely noticeable look of self-satisfaction - as if relishing the fact that she has finally accepted his lack of interest towards basketball. It rubs Kohaku the wrong way somehow. Is he basking in the gratification of her crushed dreams? She frowns. Someone like him would probably never understand.
"Is that so?" Kohaku finally answers, trying to make her tone as light and sarcastic as possible. She does not know if Murasakibara will actually rise to the bait or not - but given his childish ways, she thinks it's worth a try.
Murasakibara frowns slightly at her disbelieving tone. Just as she has hoped, he seems irritated by her mocking voice. "It's true. I don't like basketball. It's boring." He reiterates firmly.
"Mmhmm..." Kohaku trails off vaguely, determined to annoy him to the end.
"I really don't like it."
"Okay."
She can feel his frown growing deeper - before he abandons the conversation sulkily. And while it is rather silly and immature of her, Kohaku gathers some sort of childish satisfaction from the fact that she has had the last word in the disappointing exchange.
Murasakibara is solidly convinced that today is not a good day for him.
Firstly, Himuro has made him wake up almost two hours earlier for Coach Araki's "last-minute-emergency basketball meeting" in the morning. Secondly, he has run out of snacks, having consumed all of them in a huff when he found out that said basketball meeting was cancelled as Coach Araki was ill. Thirdly, Himuro couldn't even accompany him until classes started, since he had a Student Council meeting to attend. Fourthly, he ends up meeting a strange student in class, one that he has never seen before. And while the Nerunerunerune candy she gives him cheers him up initially, her passionate outburst about basketball only serves to sour his mood.
When she has had the last word in their conversation and turns to leave with an annoyingly satisfied look on her face, Murasakibara finishes the remains of the sweets and glares at her back. The first thought he forms about her is that she is unusually tall - though not as tall as him, of course. And that he likes this particular flavour of Nernerunerune candy.