Author's notes: Right, so, I think my summary is misleading and I'm probably gonna change it because well… meeehhhhh it's supposed to be a romantic comedy but my writing style is kinda too serious to be funny… Argghhh, so I have to explain myself. While I placed the pairing as Kuroko x GoM, it won't necessarily be romantic for all of them. I'm aiming more for developing their relationships after their Teikou days and mending the rifts that formed between them and that kinda stuff. If anything, it'll lean more towards a single pairing. But the photoshoots are ample opportunity for any _xKuroko and if the first chapter was any indication, there will be a lot.
Disclaimer: if KnB was mine, there'd be a lot more yaoi. But there's not.
Chapter 2
It was a pleasant day at Yosen High. The western styled gardens throughout the school grew freshly thawed greenery with some early-spring blossoms sprinkled here and there. Among the normal lunchtime chatter, a particularly loud squeal erupted from a group of girls sitting under a tree. A pretty faced student heard the commotion while walking by.
"Hi girls," the pretty boy waved as he approached the group, "what's that?" He gestured to the magazine all the girls were crowded around.
"Himuro-kun!" their faces lit up, some even blushed. The one who held the magazine, a third year judging by the pins on her uniform spoke up, "It's the latest edition of Zunon Boy! Would you like to see?" she extended the magazine towards him.
"I would, thank you," he smiled as his fingers brushed hers. She blushed at the contact. Himuro looked at the cover of the magazine. "Ah, it's Kise-kun," he noted a little disappointed. Himuro thought it would be something a little more interesting than another modeling job of the blonde ace.
"No, that's not it, Himuro-kun, look closer!" another girl urged. Himuro did as he was told and looked again. His uncovered eye lit up in surprise, "Oh-" He scanned the cover again. I have to show Atsushi.
He flashed another smile, "May I borrow this?" The girls practically melted.
"Of course!" they conceded in unison. "You can have it, Himuro-kun," a quiet looking girl said. Himuro assumed she was the one who bought the magazine.
This time, Himuro winked and said in English, "Thank you, ladies." He turned and walked away, magazine in hand. The girls erupted into even louder squeals than before.
"Atsushi," Himuro called as he strolled to the purple giant's desk.
"Hmm~?" Murasakibara lazily mumbled through a mouthful of chips.
"Take a look at this," he placed the magazine on top of the giant's mound of lunchtime snacks.
Murasakibara swallowed the rest of his chips and opened a box of Pocky. He peered over at the magazine, "Ahn~ it's Kise-chin," he munched on a Pocky stick, "Kise-chin always does stuff like this." He finished the Pocky stick.
Himuro grinned and pointed at a particular spot on the cover, "Look again."
"Haah~" Murasakibara pouted. He already looked at it. Why couldn't Muro-chin let him eat? Nonetheless he turned his violet gaze downwards to the area Himuro had pointed out.
A Pocky stick fell from his mouth. "Wahh, it's Kuro-chin~!" he said amazed. Himuro took the magazine to open it to the four other spreads.
"There's more too." He sat beside Murasakibara to show the other pictures. The purple haired giant ate his way through another box of Pocky.
"Kuro-chin's a pretty girl~" Murasakibara commented as Himuro flipped through the pages. "Ah, has Kuro-chin always been a girl?" the revelation made him stop chewing a granola bar.
"Idiot, haven't you guys gone to the hotsprings before," Himuro chided.
"Ahh, that's right," he remembered and continued finishing the granola bar.
"Shin-chan! Look what I found!" Takao darted into the locker room waving a magazine.
"I told you to stop calling me that!" A green-haired teen snapped.
Takao ignored him, "Anyway check this o-" He stopped when he saw Midorima polishing a pickaxe. Takao took a small step back. Where the hell did he even get that?
Thankfully, Midorima hid the pickaxe in his locker. Takao breathed a sigh of relief. "Honestly, your lucky items are so scary sometimes."
"You wanted to show me something?"
"That's right," Takao remembered, handing Midorima the magazine. "The girls were going crazy over it back in class. It's kinda insane."
Midorima took the magazine in his bandaged hand and raised an eyebrow, "What, another one of Kise's modeling jobs? That's hardly surprising," he carelessly tossed the magazine into a nearby trash bin.
Takao was irked at the action and went to dig the magazine out of the trash. "Seriously, Shin-chan. What'd you do that for?" He fished it out and brought it back to Midorima.
"Don't touch me, that's filthy!" the shooting guard cringed away.
"There was nothing else in there!" Takao protested. "Anyway, look!" he pointed at the cover. Midorima looked but refused to touch.
"WHAT?!" Disgust apparently forgotten, Midorima grabbed the magazine from Takao, "Why is Kuroko there?!" he looked back and forth between the magazine and Takao, expecting an answer.
Takao sat down on a bench and shrugged, "I dunno. But from what I've seen, everyone's talking about it. Not just the girls either, guys are asking too. Look at the other ones."
Midorima had already turned to the other pictures before Takao suggested it. "Wh- what is this nonsense-" the magazine shook in his hands. He tossed the magazine back to Takao before fishing something out of his bag.
"Eh? What are you doing now?"
"I have to make a phone call."
Takao briefly saw a name flash on the screen before Midorima brought the phone to his ear.
Akashi.
In an empty classroom located on the highest floor of Rakuzan's main building, a certain Akashi Seijuro unhurriedly leafed through the pages of Zunon Boy's latest issue. To his side lay an abandoned shogi game he had recreated from an old professional tournament.
Unlike everyone else who had seen the magazine, Akashi had noticed Kuroko immediately. A faint glint in his heterochromatic eyes was the only indication of his surprise. He took his time examining the pictures, following the clean lines of a slender neck and the delicate folds that hung loosely around a slight figure. With the lightest of touches, he traced his finger over Kuroko's blank stare. And then his phone rang.
Akashi briefly glanced the caller id before answering evenly, "Hello, Shintarou. It's so rare for you to call. To what do I owe this honor?"
While Midorima spoke, Akashi picked up a shogi piece and toyed with it. "Yes I've seen it. Tetsuya looks quite ravishing. Wouldn't you agree?"
Midorima seemed to raise his voice on the other side of the line. "What will I do? Well…" Akashi's fingers twiddled with the shogi piece. "What Tetsuya does with his life outside of basketball is no concern of mine."
By the response Akashi received, it sounded as if Midorima couldn't believe what he had just said. Akashi gave a low, humorless chuckle, "I'm kidding, Shintarou. Even I know how to make a joke." The other line was silent. "Be patient for now. It seems as if the pieces are still gathering together." With an audible clack, Akashi placed the shogi piece back on the board, evidently winning the recreated match.
"It seems that we will all see each other soon," Akashi said before hanging up.
"Kise, you really couldn't convince him?" a man asked, obviously downhearted.
"He took your card, but I don't know if he'll call or not," Kise huffed.
"Argh. I don't want another agency to get him first! With an ability like his, we'd be sure to have clients lining up constantly!" Masamune touched his chin, "If only I can get him in another photo shoot, maybe I can get him to reconsider…"
Kise shrugged and looked out the window to recall the events around the photo shoot. The magazine had originally planned to use only one of the pictures for a single page in the magazine. Everything else would have been posted in an online catalogue. But after the pictures came out, the photographer insisted showing all shots to the layout editor. They ended up liking the pictures so much that they turned the original single page into four double page spreads and the cover. It was a big hit.
Kise now regretted asking Kuroko for help. He hadn't expected the photo shoot to be so well received and have everyone asking about the new model. Kise admitted to himself that modeling with Kuroko was extremely fun, but… It would be better if the excitement around him died down.
"-se. Oi, Kise!" He snapped out of his reverie to look at Masamune questioningly. "I asked: how do you know him?"
"Oh," Kise continued absentmindedly, "we played basketball together in middle school."
It was Masamune's turn to look at Kise questioningly. "At Teikou? That little kid played basketball? Was he your kohai or something?"
Ahh… it's been awhile since I've heard someone underestimate him, Kise thought. "No, he was one of us. The Generation of Miracles I mean."
Masamune wrestled with this thought. First, he couldn't reconcile the image of a sweet looking girl with a sweaty basketball player. Second, how could that little kid be part of that famous group? Then thoughtfully, "The Generation of Miracles, huh? I remember someone who was obsess-" an idea hit him. Masamune quickly picked up the phone and began dialing furiously. "Thank you, Kise, you can go home now."
Kise gave a polite nod before going home.
Kuroko walked into the huge lobby of a fancy hotel to find four pairs of eyes trained on him: blue, purple, yellow, and green. Kuroko was unsettled by the weight of their stares. For some reason, all parties present seemed to look at him more intensely than normal. He dismissed it as his imagination.
"Tch, why do I have to see you guys again?" a deep voice grumbled. "And on a Friday night too." Aomine sprawled himself out on a lobby couch, obviously unhappy.
"Aka-chin said there'd be free snacks~" Murasakibara drawled, a plate full of food in his hand.
"Kurokocchi doesn't have a chaperone today!" Kise was sitting in a chair, flipping through a sports magazine. "Aominecchi brought Momoicchi though."
Speaking of whom, "Tetsu-kun!" Momoi appeared and immediately pulled Kuroko into a tight hug.
"Momoi, please refrain from screaming so loudly in public," Midorima rebuked. In his hands he held a snow globe from Kyoto, turning it upside down now and again to pass the time.
Momoi muttered, "Midorin is so mean," before sticking her tongue out at him.
"Good evening, everyone," Kuroko politely greeted.
The animosity present during the Winter Cup had somewhat deceased, and the tension between the ex-team was lessened. Outside of basketball at least, the Generation of Miracles could still consider themselves on friendly terms.
"Someone tell me why Akashi called us here," Aomine groaned.
"I can answer that," a new voice cut in. "Did you enjoy the complimentary snack bar?" All eyes turned towards the new character.
"Hey, Masamune," Kise waved. "Only that guy ate," he gestured towards Murasakibara, "Everyone else wasn't hungry I guess."
"That's fine, Kise," Masamune greeted back. "My name is Masamune Tasuku of Iris Models. I assume this is Aomine Daiki, Murasakibara Atsushi, Midorima Shintarou, and Kuroko Tetsuya?" he received a nod of confirmation from each of them in turn. He scanned the lobby before asking, "Akashi-kun isn't here yet?"
"He's late, as usual," Midorima calmly replied. "You were saying?"
Masamune cleared his throat, "Yes, I asked Akashi-kun to call you here for an interview concerning the Generation of Miracles."
"We've done that before~" Murasakibara said while clearing his plate of food.
Aomine looked up confused, "Generation of Miracles? We graduated more than a year ago, we're not a team anymore."
"I'll be willing to explain the details in a minute. If you will please follow me to the meeting room?" He walked towards the inside of the hotel and led them to an office room. It was only as everyone filed in that he noticed Momoi. "Excuse me, miss, this meeting is only for the members in the 'Generation of Miracles.' I must ask you to leave." Momoi cast her eyes down, embarrassed.
As she moved to leave, the sound of a low voice caused everyone's head to turn, "Momoi was our manager back at Teikou and proved essential to our team's victory numerous times. She is meant to be here." Akashi appeared, his declaration absolute.
Momoi blushed even more out of embarrassment. Akashi very rarely gave compliments, and hardly ever acknowledged her role on the team. "Thank you, Akashi-kun." He nodded.
"So nice of you to join us Akashi-kun," Masamune said while taking his seat at the far end of the meeting table. Akashi sat at the other end, his former teammates taking their seats around him. "To continue from our conversation earlier–"
He was cut short by the door slamming open. "TASUKU! IS IT TRUE YOU GOT ME A PHOTOSHOOT WITH THE GENERATION OF MIRACLES?" This was practically screeched, much to everyone's chagrin. The person responsible was a woman with a mess of hazel waves tied loosely in a ponytail. Underneath her hipster-framed glasses were dark eyes that currently shown with craze. She turned those crazed eyes towards the Generation of Miracles. "OHMYGAWD THEY'RE HERE!" she screeched even louder before. Everyone in the room covered their ears.
"Yuna-san, your voice, please" Masamune had to strain the last word. She glanced back at Masamune, and then the people in the room.
She laughed, "Oh my, I'm so sorry. I just couldn't contain myself! I'm Natashou Yuna, self-employed fashion photographer and art director," she hastily bowed and then scrutinized the people in the room. "Yes… yes I see it! Seeing them in person has given me a vision! All my old designs must be changed!" Her voice shook in excitement. "Wait! I want to see the famous Kuroko-chan! Where is he?!"
"I'm right here," Kuroko raised his hand. He was sitting directly in front of her.
Natashou gasped. "The rumors are true! It's like you appeared out of nowhere! You were beautiful in the Leila shoot by the way." Her eyes flared. "Another vision! This one better than the last! It's so perfect! An entire photo shoot focused on the Generation of Miracles and centered around their phantom player! I must draw up concept designs and prepare the set! TASUKU!" she screeched again.
Masamune sighed, "Yes, Yuna-san?"
"I want them in my studio as soon as possible!" she dashed out of room, leaving everyone in a dazed stupor.
"Please accept my apologies. Yuna-san is brilliant and amazing at what she does, but her personality is a little… over the top."
"Waah, that lady hurt my ears," Murasakibara complained. Although it didn't seem like he was bothered by the way he kept munching on his bag of popcorn.
"Masamune, please explain all this. I'm really confused too." Apparently, Masamune hadn't told Kise all of the details of this meeting.
"Right," Masamune cleared his throat. "As you mentioned, Basketball Monthly wrote an article about you guys before. I contacted them, and they have agreed to do a collaboration. Their focus this time will be on the Generation of Miracle's lives after Teikou and the teams you're currently playing for."
"You mentioned that you work for a modeling agency. If so, why are you telling us this instead of a representative from Basketball Monthly?" Midorima pointed out.
Masamune smiled, "That's correct. Iris is a modeling agency. But we have many connections in the business, namely in photography and advertisement. The photos taken in Basketball Monthly are usually by freelance sports photographers who sell them as needed. But with this collaboration, they've agreed to a separate studio shoot as opposed to pictures taken during your games."
Momoi listened intently. Aomine leaned his head back and looked bored. Murasakibara continued to eat. Midorima played with his snow globe. Kise examined his nails. Kuroko stayed impassive as ever. Akashi had his arms crossed. No one spoke. After all, none of them had a right to refuse this offer. A popular sports magazine, Basketball Monthly provided articles and interviews for nationally reputed middle and high school basketball teams all over the country. To be featured was considerably impressive.
"Very well," Akashi spoke. "On behalf of everyone present, we accept your offer. Discuss the details concerning date and time with Momoi. She knows all of our schedules and should be able to coordinate a time when we are all free. When it is finalized, allow her to contact us."
"Wow, Momoicchi has kept tabs on us?" Kise whistled. "How scary~"
Momoi pouted. "Of course I've been paying attention! You're all my biggest rivals now."
"Then excuse us." Akashi stood and everyone followed suit, except Momoi who stayed to speak with Masamune. "Ryota, Tetsuya," Akashi said as they reentered the lobby, "would you like to explain your previous photoshoot?" It wasn't a question.
The other former Teikou players did not leave. Partly because Akashi had yet to dismiss them, and partly because they wanted to hear the answer.
"Kurokocchi was just helping me!" Kise burst out. "I didn't know the photoshoot would be so popular…"
"That wasn't very smart, Ryouta." Akashi's voice was even, but his eyes were narrowed.
"Kise is stupid."
"That coming from Aominecchi?!"
"He just doesn't use his head."
"Midorimacchi, you're so mean…"
"Kise-chin made Aka-chin angryyy."
"EH? Murasakibaracchi, you too?!" Kise's face fell.
"Akashi-kun, please don't get mad at Kise-kun. I was the one who accepted willingly," Kuroko spoke up.
"Kurokocchi's defending me for once?" A smile lit Kise's face.
Akashi slowly turned his gaze towards the phantom player. Kuroko kept his eyes level. "Is that so…" Kuroko nodded, his expression unchanged. After a moment, Akashi mused, "Well then," he strode past Kuroko, "I will see you all at the photoshoot."
End of Chapter
I know this chapter didn't have any modeling, but I promise next chapter will make up for it! (be prepared)
Brownie points to anyone who can correctly guess who Natashou Yuna is related to ;D
Headcanon: Muro-chin's most def a lady's man.
Another note: I was watching the anime and man do I love Kuroko's voice. I wonder if his seiyuu does yaoi…
