Separation

Chapter One: A New. . . Friend?


"Good Morning Midorima-kun."

"Kuroko." Midorima nodded in greeting before stiffening. Sure enough, beside him was Kuroko Tetsuya, from his Teikō basketball team, wearing his high school's black uniform. "What are you doing here?" The question came out more harshly than intended.

"Walking to school like everyone else," Kuroko cooly replied not bothering to look at Midorima.

"I meant why Shūtoku, nanodayo." The two entered the school gate.

"If you want to know why I decided on Shūtoku then it's because I wanted to stay in Tokyo and my first two choices didn't work out." Kuroko spoke as if there was nothing odd.

"Didn't work out?"

"Yes. My grades weren't good enough for my first choice and my second choice had lost my registration forms so I wasn't allowed to sit the entrance exam. It's not bad, though. Shūtoku seems like a good school." The two of them stopped to look at the first year class board in silence; Midorima wasn't even going to respond to that comment.

Midorima wondered if this was the surprise Oha Asa had warned him about this morning. "I suppose that only leaves four other teams then."

"Huh?" Kuroko looked away from the board to look at Midorima curiously.

"Teams worthwhile playing." Midorima found his name on the board and walked away.

Kuroko was surprised. Did that mean that even as a support player he was considered a worthy opponent? The thought of that warmed him, not that he would tell Midorima that.

He turned back to the board and found his name before leaving the crowd.

.

Takao Kuzunari entered room 1-2 as assigned by the school. He noticed that most of the students had already arrived and were chatting with each other.

Taking a look at the board, he realized that they had arranged seating by student numbers. He looked at the arrangement to see where he would be sitting in the six by six room. As student 11 of class 1-2 he was sitting in the second row in the second desk to the back.

He placed his bag on the floor next to his desk when he noticed a student in the last desk of the fifth row reading by himself. Unlike the other students, he was alone and nobody seemed to invite them into their social circle. He was the type of person who got along with anyone, he decided to confront his new classmate. The transition between schools could be difficult for some people when they were separated from their friends.

"Hey!" He was a little disappointed when he was ignored. He looked over to the board to find the boy's name. Kuroko Tetsuya. "Kuroko." The boy finally stopped reading, but he simply stared up at him with his big blue eyes.

"Yes?" Today apparently was going to be an odd day. First Midorima gave him a backhanded compliment and now a stranger was willingly confronting him. Yes, today was definitely odd.

"I'm Takao Kazunari. We'll be classmates from now on." He smiled to be welcoming, though the action itself was a natural reaction.

"Kuroko Tetsuya. Nice to meet you." The silence returned. Not only was the boy quiet but apparently polite and...shy? or at least someone of few words.

"Do you know anyone here? I don't so high school will be a fresh start for me," said Takao.

"I know one person. He's in another class, though, and we don't really get along," replied Kuroko who had marked the page he was on and closed his book seeing that his classmate wasn't about to leave. "I'm sorry. I'm not really good with holding conversation." He spent so much time alone and unnoticed that he didn't really know how to act normal in a social way.

"That's okay. I'll just have to keep talking to you until you are good with them."

Kuroko slowly nodded. Definitely odd start to the morning, but he would probably be forgotten soon anyway so he didn't pay too much attention.

The bell rang so Takao left to be seated in time for their teacher's arrival. When the teacher arrived, he took attendance before they were dismissed for the opening ceremony.

.

After the opening ceremony, the students returned to class and had a further introduction to the school rules and courses before dismissing the class. Harada-sensei reminded them that afternoon classes were still on before writing it on the board and the time they were expected back.

Being the first day, they had a few free periods to mingle with the other students, join clubs, eat lunch and the like. It was a period of assimilation and exploring extracurriculars.

"Kuroko!" He had honestly been surprised when Takao still remembered him from this morning.

"Takao-kun."

"Honestly, don't you have emotions or something?" He hadn't seen the boy's expression as anything but void.

"Of course I do. I'm very happy that Takao-kun remembered me."

"You're happy," he muttered looking for any kind emotion on Kuroko's face. Even his voice was monotone. "Wait. Why wouldn't I remember you? I told you, didn't I? I'll break you out of your shell."

"There's no shell to be broken."

Takao decided to change subjects, wanting to get a reaction from his new friend. If it was something of passion, Kuroko's expression should change right. "So what club are you going to join. No wait let me guess." Takao had his thumb under his chin and his curled forefinger against his lip as he hummed. Then remember the book the Kuroko had his morning. "The literature club?"

"Not at all. Though, I do plan on joining the library committee. The club I'm going to join is basketball."

It took a moment for Takao to process the statement. Basketball. "Eh? That's great! We can spend more time together!"

"Takao-kun is joining the basketball club."

"Of course! Though if you're going to play basketball then be more enthusiastic about it." Takao invaded Kuroko's personal space and pulled his cheeks in a failed attempt to make Kuroko smile.

Kuroko rubbed his cheeks. "That hurt."

"Then smile~ You like basketball right. It's alright to show emotions. Emotions make the person!" Takao looked like he just solved a difficult puzzle. Too many people looked down on emotions and it affected his classmate as a vulnerable child.

"What are you imagining," Kuroko rhetorically said in a deadpanned tone.

"Let's go register!"

.

"Let's see...Art club, Home Economics, Kendo… Ah! There's the basketball club!" Takao pointed excitedly. He was excited to play with people. He had retired, but even then he couldn't bring himself to quit. He loved the sport too much.

Kuroko's lips twitched upwards even if his eyes continued to have a hollow effect.

"You smiled!"

"Takao-kun must really like basketball."

"Of course! Don't you?" He replied like it should be obvious. Kuroko was saved from replying when they reached the table set up from the basketball club-though Takao probably just assumed his answer would be the same. Or maybe it was rhetoric. He couldn't be quite sure.

Two of the members were at the table. Despite sitting down Kuroko could tell they were tall. Somehow he felt he was doomed to be surrounded by stupidly tall people. He always felt short despite being average height. The person sitting on the left had dark eyes and hair, as well as thick eyebrows. The person on the right had a wide chin, a large nose and big ears.

"Hello. Are you interested in the basketball club?" He asked hopeful for new members. "I'm Ōtsubo Taisuke. I'm captain. This is Kimura Shinsuke. He's vice-captain."

"I'm Takao Kazunari. I'd like to join."

"Nice to meet you Takao," said Ōtsubo Taisuke as he handed the first-year a form and a pencil. "Do you have prior experience?"

"Yep! I played in middle school. I miss playing." Takao then noticed something. He wrapped an arm around Kuroko's shoulders and pulled him closer while pointing the pencil dangerously close to his face. "My friend would like a form too please."

"We're not friends." It wasn't meant to be condescending, but Kuroko would hardly call someone he just met a friend. The captain and vice-captain only just seemed to realize he was there.

"That's not nice. If I say we're friends then we're friends," Takao said ignorant that his seniors had been completely oblivious of Kuroko.

"Words don't change reality."

"H-How long was he there?" stuttered the vice-captain also vocalizing the captain's thoughts.

"Huh?" Takao looked at Ōtsubo and Kimura confused. "What do you mean?"

"I've been here the whole time." Kuroko's remark didn't comfort their seniors at all.

"You guys are acting weird," observed Takao as he was trying to figure out what was going on. Was Kuroko just human repellant?

"Takao-kun is the weird one."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Sorry about that," Ōtsubo apologized sheepishly. "Here." He passed over a form and a pencil. As they began filling in the forms he informed them, "We practice regularly and training can be tough. We have a reputation to uphold."

"Fine by me. I'm ready!"

The seniors seemed happy to have someone so enthusiastically.

"Besides, I heard the Generation of Miracles split up. It's finally payback time. Especially that Midorima-" Takao stopped before he went on a rant because he felt the three stare at him. "What's wrong?" The captain and vice-captain looked at each other wary. What was with them? They said they wanted to win, right?"

"Takao-kun." His stared moved from the uncomfortable captains to his friend. "Midorima was scouted by Shūtoku." Takao suddenly felt like he turned to stone. When he snapped out of his momentary despair his head whipped to his seniors for confirmation.

"Is that true?"

"Kind of," replied the Captain, scared they were going to lose a first year. Less people joined in the past two years because of the Generation of Miracles.

"Do you still want to join?" Kimura warily asked.

"Give me a second." Takao went into what can only be described as a pondering stance. After a few moments of lack of movement, Takao slammed his fist into his other hand. "It's decided! It might not be the same but I'll just make him recognize me." Takao happily returned to filling in his form. He stopped at previous school. "Hey Kuroko, what school did you go to? I don't remember many people who I've faced because there's so many, so I could have forgotten you, but I can't remember facing you. I'm from Tsunoya."

"Teikou." Kuroko replied as he finished filling the form and handing it back to his seniors.

"Eh?" Takao had a confused expression before changing to a look of understanding. "Then you must not like the Generation of Miracles either, right? I mean they hogged the spotlight since their first year. And you did say that there was someone you knew at this school but didn't get along with."

The seniors suddenly worried that a ruckus would be caused right after they had just avoided one. Despite what they wanted to say and believe, they would need Midorima if they were going to confront the other members of the Generation of Miracles.

"Midorima-kun is the one I don't get along with." The seniors envisioned red flags as a danger zone. "But not because of his position." The imagined red flags turned to white. There was hope. "I respect Midorima-kun but we just don't get along together."

"...You… Respect him…" The idea was ludicrous to the other first year.

"Also, you're wrong on another aspect," continued Kuroko. "I have played in games." Now that surprised all three of his future teammates. Kuroko nodded his head respectfully to his seniors. "Until later, Ōtsubo-senpai, Kimura-senpai." Kuroko began to walk off without waiting for Takao.

"H-Hey wait!" Takao quickly finished filling in his form and handing it to his seniors before dashing off after Kuroko.


Coming up Next: Chapter Three: Shūtoku's Basketball Club