"Brrrr… Brrrr…"
"Ahh… what the heck?!" Kasamatsu groaned sleepily moving his hand to the table by the side of his bed trying to find his vibrating phone and accidentally knocked down the table lamp.
"Great… just great."
He was too lazy to get up and pick up the lamp, so he just stayed on the bed and checked his phone, irritated.
Who the hell call me in the middle of the night?
The number was… just a number. Whoever calling better have a good reason for that, he thought and answered it.
"Who the hell is this? No, wait. I don't even wanna know. Just go die and let me sleep…"
"WAIT! Is this Kasamatsu-san?"
Huh? Did I just hear a girl's voice? Or maybe I'm just dreaming…
Kasamatsu looked at the phone dumbfounded and pinched himself.
Well, that didn't hurt, maybe I am dreaming…
He carefully put his phone back in his ear and whispered.
"Hello?"
"Please, it's urgent! Is this really Kasamatsu-san?"
He quickly put it down again, reaching down the floor grabbing the fallen lamp and smashed it on his head.
"Eyowch!"
No… he definitely not was dreaming.
He finally talked to the phone rubbing his throbbing head.
"Uh, yeah I'm Kasamatsu. Who is this?"
"… what was that sound? Are you okay?"
"I'm fine. Didn't you say that you have something urgent to tell me?"
Ah, talking to a girl through a phone is better than he thought, maybe because he doesn't have to look at them, which he can't do, ever.
"Sorry to bother you at his hour, Kasamatsu-san, but you're the only one who can help me. I'm Momoi Satsuki, can you remember? Touou Academy's manager?"
"Oh, yeah… I can remember. Wait, how did you get my number?"
"Well, I have every detail about every formidable player that could be a threat for my team. But can you please listen to me?"
"Uh, yeah. Go ahead."
Kasamatsu was still sleepy, but if a 16 year old girl calling for help in this hour, it should be pretty urgent, right?
"It's Dai-Chan! I mean Aomine-kun! He skipped practice again and went missing. I searched every hangout place I thought he might be at but he wasn't at any of these."
"Oookay?... so why are you telling me this? I don't even know the guy."
"Because someone told me that he saw Aomine-kun get into a train to Kanagawa. He doesn't answer his phone and now I'm really scared that he got lost."
"Maybe he went to Kise's place or something."
"I don't think so, Kasamatsu-san. I know Aomine-kun. He might be lost or roaming around town, maybe at a restaurant. Can you please look for him? I can't ask Ki-Chan, I mean Kise-kun. His mom won't let him out at this hour."
No kidding… is she crazy or what.
"Oi, do you have any idea how large Kanagawa is? He could be anywhere! Why don't you call the police instead?"
"Wait a second, another call is coming…"
"…"
Kasamatsu checked his clock. It was almost mid night. A shuffling sound came through the phone and Momoi talked to the phone more cheerfully this time.
"Good news Kasamatsu-san! That call was from a bartender. Dai-Chan is at a restaurant called Tiger's den. Could you please go there and send him home?"
"What?! That is not a restaurant! It's a freaking bar! How in the world he even managed to get in there?!"
Kasamatsu sat up on bed, fully awake.
"Wait… why am I shouting? And how is that be a good news to me?!"
"Please… senpai…"
Momoi asked in a girly breezy voice, Kasamatsu gulped.
"… uh, f-fine. I'll check it out."
"Thank you very much, Kasamatsu-san! Give me a call, when you find him!"
Click.
And it was over. Kasamatsu stared at the screen.
Oh shit… what the hell I got myself into…
Kasamatsu sighed and tossed his phone away. He pulled on a pair of jeans and a hoodie, grabbed a jacket as he stepped out into the chill winter air. The Winter Cup was over and he's no longer a basketball player for Kaijou. It's only been a couple of weeks, but he's already misses his time with his team. He dug his hands deep into his jacket pockets and walked down the road in the direction of Tiger's Den. He knew the place; he was been there a few times with his friends, after he turned 18, mind you. Luckily it was pretty close to his apartment.
He stepped into the bar, pushing the double doors and scanned inside and spotted a certain dark skinned guy sprawled over the end of the bar with a few Soju bottles around. Kasamatsu mentally groaned as he made his way toward the blue haired teen. When he approached him, he was twirling a bottle while watching it with unfocused droopy eyes.
"Oi, Aomine… get up."
He tapped his shoulder. Aomine slowly turned his half-closed eyes toward the 3rd year and squinted.
"You're… Kasamatsu?"
"Huh? Is that a way to call an upperclassman?! Where's the honorifics, idiot?"
Kasamatsu smacked his head, irritated.
"What the hell?"
Aomine rubbed the back of his head, while Kasamatsu sighed.
"C'mon, let's go. Your pick haired fiend is worried about you."
He grabbed Aomine's hand and hoisted him up.
"Ah… Satsuki sent ya? That bitch…"
He stumbled on his own feet, he was clearly drunk. "I'm okay… okay."
Kasamatsu smacked him again.
"Oi! Is that how you call your friend?!"
"What's your problem? Just go away and leave me alone!"
Aomine mumbled and grabbed a soju bottle, getting a sip from it. A vain popped in Kasamatsu's forehead.
"And I'd love to do just that, but I promised Momoi-san that I'll send you back home, now C'MON!"
He got behind Aomine and pushed him forward.
"Yeah… whatever just let me grab another bottle…"
"No, you're not going to drink anymore."
"You're not my dad, fuck off…"
"If you're not going to come with me willingly right now, I swear to god, I'll smash this bottle in your head."
Aomine just mumbled something as the steel blue eyed teen dragged him outside. Kasamatsu pulled out his phone and dialed to Momoi.
"Um, hello? I found him. I'll get him into a train to Tokyo. You can go and pick him up. You see… uh, he's pretty out of it."
"Is that Satsuki? give me that"
Aomine tried to grab the phone making a really irritated Kasamatsu to plant a foot in his face.
"The hell!" Aomine cried, stumbling back.
Momoi's voice came through the line.
"Ah I see, Kasamatsu-san. Thank you very much, but um… the last train to Tokyo left 3 minutes ago."
"WHAAT?!" Kasamatsu screamed and Aomine blinked at him.
"I'm sorry Kasamatsu-san can you please do me another favor and let Aomine-kun sleep at your place tonight? There's no other way to get him to Tokyo at this time."
Kasamatsu eyed the dark skinned coconut tree of a teen, who was sprawled on the ground sipping the soju bottle he managed to snatch before leaving the bar. Kasamatsu sighed. Again.
"Okay."
"Kasamatsu-san! You're a life saver!"
Click.
What the… she really has to learn how to end a phone conversation…
He hoisted Aomine up.
"C'mon… you're heavy…"
"Hey… where're we going?"
"To my apartment. You can sleep on street for all I care. But because Momoi asked me to, I'm taking you in for tonight."
"…" Aomine took a sip again.
"Stop drinking already!"
Kasamatsu tried to grab the bottle but Aomine held it high above his head as he backed away.
"No…"
The suddenly he turned and ran, swaying sides to sides.
"Oh no you don't…"
Kasamatsu groaned as he started to chase after the 16 year old.
"Come back here! You gigantic Aho!"
Aomine turned a corner and ran into the park. When Kasamatsu reached there, he saw the ace of Generation of Miracles plopped on a park bench, slowly gulping down the alcohol. Kasamatsu let out a sigh for the umpteenth time on that night and sat next to Aomine, snatched the soju bottle from him and took a sip himself. AH! He so needed that.
"You had to come down here to get drunk, you asshole… why not go to a freaking bar in Tokyo? Tche…"
He was muttering to himself, no point in telling that to the drunkass next to him anyways. When he looked up, he saw that Aomine staring at him.
"What?"
He looked away.
"I'm such a jerk…" Aomine leaned forward and put his head in his hands.
"Oh man… I've been acting like a total ass all these years, what was I thinking…"
Kasamatsu lifted an eyebrow at the blue haired guy and took another sip.
"I'm thinking that you're gonna make a heartfelt confession about your miserable life, but you know what? I'm gonna pass."
Aomine continued, ignoring him.
"All I wanted was to enjoy playing basketball… but when my skills improved, they got scared of me… shit. They didn't even try to play against me… it felt like crap, you know."
"Wow… aren't you annoyingly chatty today… just my luck."
Kasamatsu muttered and looked over at Aomine. He looked sad and bummed. What the hell? He's only 16 years old and already brooding.
"Tche. Here…"
He held the soju bottle to Aomine. Kasamatsu couldn't believe he was actually drinking with a 16 year old minor. But to hell with that! Aomine took it and gulped down some alcohol. Then he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and turned to the steel blue eyed teen.
"You know what Tetsu told me after I lost to them? He wanted me to return his fist bump! What a stupid thing to ask from the guy who lost…"
He scoffed and put his head in his hands again, eyes casting downwards.
"I miss playing with those idiots…"
He mumbled.
"You're the idiot, dumbass." Kasamatsu took the bottle from him and began to drink.
"Now you're blurting out every fucking thing you want to tell them, to me, who doesn't give a shit. Why don't you swallow your fucking ego and talk to them like a normal human being? They'll be happy to do that" He shrugged. "I mean, they're your friends, for fuck's sake!"
Alcohol in his system has begun to kick in. Aomine stared at him with big drunk eyes.
"… You really think it'll go fine?"
"Just try it!... like right now, yeah! Get your phone out and call Kise. Ask him for a one-on-one."
Kasamatsu was beginning to feel tipsy by now. Aomine fiddled with his jacket and found his phone.
"You mean like right now? But he must be sleeping."
"To hell with that! Just make the call." He took another sip and gestured Aomine to hurry up, so he dialed Kise.
"He-hello?" came Kise's sleepy voice through the line.
"Oi, Kise, let's meet up tomorrow after school and have a one-on-one. What da ya say?" Aomine asked in one go.
"EH?!" Kise was confused. "Is this Aominecchi? Are you drunk?!"
"…No."
"Why suddenly you wanna go against me? I thought you didn't like my guts…"
"Still don't."
"Aominecchi, meanie!"
"Just tell me are you down for it or not."
"Yeah, sure! It's been awhile. Don't think I'm the same Kise you met in the interhigh. I won't lose to you."
""whatever… I'll still beat you, dumbass."
Click.
"How did it go?"
Kasamatsu asked as he watched the blue haired teen shut the phone. He looked up and smirked.
"He's down with it."
Kasamatsu scoffed.
"Can I have the privilege to say 'I told you so'?" he's definitely more than tipsy and beginning to feel slightly drunk.
"…"
"You know what? I won't, because it's not strong enough to go with your ego."
Aomine took a sip. "Huh? What do you mean my ego?"
"You've got a big ego. 'only one who can beat me is me'… pffft!" Kasamatsu laughed.
"Well, check your ego out. 'Is that any way to call an upperclassman? Call me senpai, SENPAI!'"
Aomine imitated Kasamatsu and smirked. It was Kasamatsu's turn to look speechless. He snatched the soju bottle from the dark skinned teen and chuckled.
"Oh please… your ego is way bigger than mine_" He spread his arms. "_ like the size of the Jupiter, huge."
"Yeah whatever, senpai."
"Shut up… I hate the way you call me 'senpai', brat"
"And I hate the way you kicked my face"
"Oh well, I'm glad that we have mutual understanding."
XXXXXXXXXX
They crashed at Kasamatsu's apartment that night, morning to be correct. They couldn't even remember how they got there. Early in the morning Momoi came down to his apartment and took the blue haired teen with her, apologizing for the trouble last night. Aomine went with her without much fuss since he got a heavy hangover.
Kasamatsu had a killer headache. But he had to go to school because they were having a chemistry pop quiz the same day. The last thing he wanted was a fucking hangover. He stalled down the road to Kaijou when his phone vibrated in his pocket. He took it out and saw that he received a text from an unknown number. He opened it and read.
That was fun, senpai. Let's have a drink together again, maybe at my place?
Kasamatsu scoffed to himself as he texted back and put the phone inside.
Go die, Aho!
He saved the number to his contact list anyway.
Yeah, why not…? Maybe some other time…
He smiled to himself and then let out a groan touching his aching head.
I'm never gonna drink in a school night, ever…