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Kuroko's P.o.V
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I wasn't sure what to think. I knew I was easy to forget. I knew that I was invisible and that even though my team could remember me more often than not, it was still difficult for them to see me at times. But still. Unwavering loyalty, complete faith, holy honor. I thought that would keep the Seirin team from leaving me behind. I thought their iron will and strong mindset would keep me with them, for as long as we played basketball.
I never thought I could be wrong. I was just walking into the gym when I was proven wrong.
"I don't actually need to play side by side with Kuroko!" Kagami was shouting and I raised an eyebrow at the display, unaware that my untimely walking in would be my own demise.
"Bakagami, shut up already! We're trying to focus here!" Hyuuga shouted back from where he was on the bench, working on something with Izuki beside him. "If you have a problem with Kuroko, just stop being his partner already!"
The words hit like a brick to my chest and I stilled, my feet ceasing to work as I looked on in shock. The entire team was here, with the exception of Riko, Koganei and Mitobe. But I didn't notice that. All I could see was my light, standing with his hands thrown up into the air as he stormed across the court, yelling.
"I'm strong enough without Kuroko! Can't we just leave it at that? Why does everybody have to see me and him. Why not just me? It's not like he makes much of a difference anyways. These days at least. Jeez."
Kagami shot the ball and it swished into the basket but the other players, Furihata, Kawahara, Fukuda and Tsuchida were too busy frowning to pay attention to that.
"Kagami, you should show respect to Kuroko. He helped us in the Winter Cup and every game we ever played while we first years were here."
That made me feel… better? I didn't know. I couldn't tell what I was feeling. But somewhere inside me, I could feel myself… waiting. And I realized after a moment, I was waiting, just as I had waited for Aomine to fall away completely. I waited for Kagami now, unconsciously knowing it was going to come. Even before I registered it completely.
"I mean, of course I respect him, but I'm strong now. I really don't want to be paired with him all the time because he's weak."
Ouch. I felt my lip curl in a small, painful smile.
"If that is the case, than so be it," I said softly, but it caught everyone else's attention nevertheless. Kagami spun around so fast, I'm surprised he didn't get whiplash. The others were just the same, Hyuuga and Izuki suddenly scrambling up from their seats as if it was burning them. Each of them looked shocked maybe? But I didn't pay any attention to that either, instead looking down and away from their expressions.
Middle school all over again. Except this time, I wasn't going to be naive, foolish, stupid. I wasn't going to cling to a hope where none existed. I wasn't going to fight for something that didn't need fighting for. Afterall, fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Even I knew when to quit.
"A shadow's quite useless without a light, and I have no wish to play now that I know what you truly feel. At the very least, I still brought this team to the top, so I can leave knowing I did something to help."
Heavy, my feet felt heavy. Too heavy to walk with and too heavy to run away with. My chest was even worst, tight and constricted with pain and regret. But I pushed all that down now. I still found myself turning around, leaving. All on autopilot. How sad that running away has autopilot.
"What?! Wait, Kuroko!" my second light, my last light, Kagami called after me. But I wasn't a child anymore, and I wouldn't bother with a repeat drama of middle school. I'd probably shorten my lifespan due to stress if I tried to. So with my team calling out to me from behind, I walked out the doors I came through.
I made a quick stop by the office, to tell them that I resigned and to let Riko know. I didn't think I had the will to tell it to her face, nor the will to write a letter of resignation or apology. I didn't have the will for anything anymore. It seemed to leave me all of a sudden.
It took all my energy to get to the bus stop, all of my will not to break down, everything I had to wait until I got home before vomiting in the toilet and sliding down the wall.
None of them had followed me. And that was… I guess that was the end of my basketball career.
I would have to tell Father.
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Kagami's P.o.V.
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I didn't see him, hear him, anything! All of a sudden, a quiet voice took over everything and I knew I was screwed right into the ground.
"If that is the case, than so be it."
I whirled around and gaped at the small, blue haired boy standing innocently by the gym doors. His expression was carefully covered with a blank facade. His eyes didn't even reveal what he was truly feeling and for a tiny second, I wondered if I broke him. I panicked but before I could speak, Kuroko was. I felt my stomach fall.
"A shadow's quite useless without a light, and I have no wish to play now that I know what you truly feel. At the very least, I still brought this team to the top, so I can leave knowing I did something to help."
And he was walking away. That was all, he was just walking away, from the court, from basketball, from Seirin and from me. But like hell I would let him. This was wrong, I didn't mean it the way he took it. Maybe not as bad, but still! I freaked out as soon as I couldn't see his face anymore.
"What?!" I immediately shouted, taking a running step forward. "Wait! Kuroko!"
But a force slammed into me and Kuroko was gone, beyond the doors of the gym and I felt rage taking over my body as I struggled to get out of the grip that was holding me. "Dammit, let go! What the hell are you doing!"
Before I could clobber the guy, I was thrown and landed on my back, the breath knocked out of me. I wheezed a bit as I looked up in outrage, only to meet the equally outraged eyes of Mitobe. My anger faltered, almost sputtering out. Koganei had a bewildered look on his face as he looked between Mitobe and me.
"He says, um. He says he's angry. He wants you to leave Kuroko alone if you're going to hurt him."
"What?" I yelled and scrambled to my feet, using my couple inches I had on Mitobe to seem more strong. So he would let me by and over to my shadow. Before I could say anything though, Koganei was talking again.
"He says he heard everything. And he says you just pushed Kuroko away so you should leave him alone before you cause more damage." I didn't even bother wondering how the hell Koganei could tell all that from the vague as fuck motions Mitobe was making.
"I'll just sorry or something! Now let me through."
But Mitobe just shook his head, then turned to Hyuuga and Izuki with a disappointed look on his face. Kagami saw them jerk and look away, shame clear on their usually stoic and strong faces. "Mitobe says he's not happy with you guys either. What the hell, Izuki, Hyuuga. You guys totally brushed off Kagami's rants like it was nothing? He was saying bad things about Kuroko!"
Hyuuga flinched and rubbed his face tiredly. "Sorry! We weren't paying too close attention. We just let Kagami talk. My tongue slipped."
"Slipped?"
They all turned to Riko, who was standing by the doors to the coach's office, a dazed look on her face. "What…" her voice trailed off and she clenched a fist, but the look didn't leave. I felt very afraid all of a sudden. "Kuroko… The office. They called me to tell me Kuroko told them he reigned… What the hell happened?"
It was quiet. I felt cold. Cold and stupid, regretting ever losing my cool, ever saying anything in the first place. What the fuck had I just done?
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A/N
Hope you readers liked this one. Comment what you think, and keep reading because hopefully, I'll get another chapter in fast enough that none of you will be disappointed. Seeya~!