Whew! Finally I can update! The blackout in our place is getting very annoying… Imagine having to go through 4 hours of blackouts, twice a day! Sometimes, it lasts the whole night! Dang it!
Anyways, here is Chapter Two! Reviews are welcomed!
Somewhere in Japan
"It's been ten years now since I've escaped… will they still recognize me?" a lone voice rings through the silent room. All the lights have been turned off and the only light comes from the moon that is shining brightly in the sky.
The figure has long hair falling like a waterfall, tumbling past the shoulders framing the feminine but solemn face. Long lashes cast shadows in the figure's cheeks every time it blinks and pink lips part before clamping together in a firm line.
If seen from afar, it seems like a doll staring out from her master's bedroom but if one looks closely, it is a figure of a person, eyes full of grief and anguish but the face remains ever blank.
RING
RING
RING
"Hello? Riko-san?"
"I did all that I could do… it's up to you now."
"I see, thank you."
"Hey, are you sure they'll understand? They're idiots after all…"
"If the know me, they will…"
"All right…"
"Trust me…"
"I do."
"Thank you. Have a good day."
CLICK
"We'll see each other soon…Just wait…I'll make you understand."
A knock on the door interrupts her musings. A brown-haired man in black clothes with the words "STAFF" in big white letters, printed all across the back.
"Ten minutes break is over. They need you onstage, pronto."
"I see…" The figure stood up to leave and before closing the door , sent a lingering gaze to the moon.
'Soon…'
Steam wafted in the room as a perky, pink-haired girl named Satsuki Momoi stepped out from the bath. Humming to herself, she was about to start blow-drying when her phone rang.
Pyong~
Pyong~
Pyong~
"Ah, moshi-mosh?"
"Momoicchi!"
"Kise-kun! How are you?"
"I'm fine! How have you been?"
"Same old, same old. Besides, what's new when you're doing what you've been doing for the past few years?"
"Ah, yeah. Momoicchi is the manager for the national team, aren't you?"
Momoi nodded. "Hai!"
'I'm perfectly happy to do what I do best!'
"Momoicchi, ahmm,actually, I have a favor to ask…"
"A favor?"
"Hai! You see, a few days ago, Kasamatsu- senpai gave me tickets to a play this Friday night and turns out that I have an extra ticket. Aominecchi, Midorimacchi and Murasakibaracchi all said that they don't want it 'cause they already had one but I felt that it was a waste so I thought maybe you'd like to have it-ssu…"
"Areee…Since when did you go to play, Kise-kun?"
There was a squeal on the other end of the line. "Eh, but senpai said that he would force me to watch…"
Momoi laughed. It was just like Kasamatsu to do that.
"Well, I'd love to go Kise-kun!"
"Really? That's good! That means everyone will be there!"
'Everyone? Really?'
"Even…."
"Even?"
"Even Tetsu-kun?"
There was silence between the two of them.
"Ano, I don't think he's gonna show up Momoicchi…"
Momoi couldn't help but silently agree. "I thought so too, but would be nice, you know?"
"Huh?"
"To finally see him…."
Kise chuckled. "Yeah, I think so too-ssu…"
"Yeah…"
"Well, I gotta hang up now! Or I'll miss my flight!"
"A-ah, okay! Until then!"
"Bye-ssu!"
BEEP
BEEP
BEEP
'It surely would be nice… After ten years with no contact whatsoever, even a postcard from him would be nice…'
A weak breeze passed through the still-half-wet body of Momoi, reminding her of her wet and undressed state.
"What am I doing? I'm sure he's fine, wherever he is! Tetsu-kun is smart and strong-err-in his own way! I'm sure he's safe…"
"Momoi! Food's ready!"
'Huh? So soon?!'
"H-hai! Coming!"
TIME SKIP
Friday Night
"Wow! The place is packed with people! Are you sure we still have seats, Kaichou?" A cat-like man named Koganei asked upon entering the Cultural Center.
Riko grunted before turning to her former team mate. "Of course, I'm sure. My source got us first class seats so that our viewing experience will be worth it!"
"Your source must be very generous then!" A smiling Teppei Kiyoshi said to Riko.
Hyuuga nodded his head in agreement. "And to think that he would give us 12 first class tickets! It must have cost your source a fortune!"
"Not really. My source was okay with it."
"Hey, Coach! Is Bakagami coming?" Izuki asked.
"He said he'll be coming since I pestered him to come but I think he's late…"
"No, he isn't! He's over there! Mitobe, wave him over!" The gentle giant smiled knowingly before stretching his long limbs to wave at a certain red-head.
Meanwhile, Kagami was pushing through the crowd for his life.
'I know that she said it would be a good show but she didn't say it would be packed!' Kagami grunted as another person bumped into him. 'Where in the world are those brats?'
Suddenly, he could hear voices calling his name.
"Oi, Kagami!"
"BAKAGAMI! OVER HERE!"
"Dame-desu Koganei! Shout louder!"
"BAAKKAAAGGAAAMMMIII!"
His dart to the left and there he found his former team, beaming and waving at him like the idiots that they are. He jogged to where they are and was immediately greeted by an emotional Koganei.
"WAAAHH! Kagami-kun grew taller!" he whined making most of the team laugh.
"AHO!" Hyuuga replied. "Can't you see it's because of the shoes?"
Kagami could feel the familiar sense of anger as he watched his former captain's face pull into that familiar smirk.
"WATCH IT OR I'LL PUMMEL YOU DOWN, SEEEMMPAAIII!"
"BAKAGAMI!"
"FOUR-EYES!"
"BASKETBALL IDIOT!"
Their exchange made the team laugh harder to the point of Koganei rolling on the ground.
His face unwillingy pulled into a smile as he watched them interact the way they did before they went their separate ways.
Just like before, Koganei, who looked more mature, was sticking by Mitobe who still smiled that sleepy smile as he pulled his partner up from the ground. Izuki,now had a different hairstyle and Hyuuga donned another set of eyeglasses. Riko's hair was still short but it was arranged in a different style and Kiyoshi looked more relaxed and dare he say it, sympathetic. The freshman trio were at the back laughing at their sempai's goof around.
"Okay! That's enough!" Riko, though still a bit red in the face, declared. "Let's go in before the seat get taken!"
"HAI!"
One by one, the Seirin team piled in the theater and had been ushered in the front row. They looked like little children who are going in a field trip. They had goofy expressions on their faces as they looked around the VIP section.
The theater itself was a sight for sore eyes. It looked like an opera house what with red velvet cushions and curtains everywhere but it still retained a modern feeling on the way the seats were arranged. It followed a flower-like pattern where the VIP section was the one upfront, facing the stage directly. The boxes above them were spacious enough to fit six people at minimum.
The stage was no exception either. Even if the curtains aren't drawn yet, you can see just how big it was. It was probably bigger than the gym back at Seirin or the pool at Aida's Power Gym.
"Take you seats, please. The show will begin momentarily." The usherette said as she took her leave. The Seirin team flopped down on the seat and found them to their liking.
"Ha, not bad. I thought they would be stiff and all that." Kagami said.
"Yeah," Furihata replied "I wouldn't mind sitting in this all day!"
"Neh, Kaichou.. This is a ballet play right?" Izuki asked.
Shock coursed through Kagami. "Ballet?! Nobody told me it would be a ballet play?!"
"Oh, suck it up Bakagami!" Riko murmured. "Besides, don't tell me that you're afraid of twirling people are you?"
Kagami's face became as red as his hair. "Oi, who are you calling afraid!"
"Please lower your voice. It hurts my ears." A cold yet familiar voice murmured. Kagami felt his ears tingle when he realized that it was coming from behind him. When he turned around to practically growl at that person's face, he was staring right into the face of a Midorima Shintarou.
"AHH!"
"What is it, Kagami-kun?" Riko asked. The team also turned to look behind them and were surprised as well.
"AHHH!"
"Ah, it's Midorima-san!" Furihata squealed.
"And Kazunari-san!"
"Hisashiburi!" Izuki bowed slightly and Midorima returned the small gesture
Kagami pointed his shaking fingers at the familiar greenette. "W-what are you doing here?!"
"I am here to watch a ballet play and as terrible as it will be, don't make it more horrible; Bakagami." Midorima replied with a cold stare. "Unless you're too scared of ballet…"
"I'm not scared of ballet! You'll see! I'll finish the whole recital!" Fire of enthusiasm flare around Kagami as he declared his will
"That's what she said…." Midorima coldly retorted and quickly looked away from the red-haired man.
"Oi, Shin-Chan!" Takao whispered. "Didn't you say that you hated ballet a bit earlier?"
"Nonsense, Takao… I just said that I couldn't last long in watching."
"Eh? But you said-"
"Shut it, Takao!"
Takao grunted but complied nonetheless. "Whatever you say, Shin-chan…"
The two sat in silence as they watched the energetic Seirin team in front of then bicker and joke amongst themselves. Midorima didn't exactly keep tabs on any of their previous opponents but he could observe that they have changed a great deal since their last encounter.
"Neh, Shin-chan…."
"What is it, Takao?"
"Would like to visit the others sometime?"
"Why would I do such a thing?"
Takao couldn't help but shrug his shoulders. "I don't know why I want to either but I just felt like it's the right thing to do, I mean a decade is long enough… A visit or two wouldn't be bad…"
'It does seem like a good idea… What am I saying? It would be perfectly impractical to wander about the city, wasting precious time to visit people who won't remember me…'
"Neh, Shin-chan? Please!"
'Like Otsubo-san or Miyaji-san…'
"Come on, Shintarou!"
'Or Kimura and Nakatani-san…"
"I think…."
"Think what, Shin-chan? What? What?"
'Darn it!'
"Fine…. But it's because you're so annoying
Takao was shocked. Never before in their long period of friendship or acquaintanceship as Midorima put it, did he relent in so easily. He would have to beg and plead for hours on end or bribe him by pedaling for months on that stupid rickshaw just to let him have his way.
But this… this is different…
"Shin-chan?"
"Hmmm?"
"Yourenotahsunsunmore…."
"Excuse me?" Then Takao glomped Midorima who was taken by surprise and is caught in Takao's strong grip.
"You're not a Tsun-Tsun anymore!"
"Eh? What a-are you sa-saying!? L-let go!"
"Yadah!"
"Oh, is this a hugging fest?" a familiar voice reached their ears. " I want to join too!"