Chapter 2
I Gain a Rival
Reviewer Quote:
i literally just scanned the entire chapter for kohi
truth of the kohi
- confusedwithacock
To: swagcoffee42069666
From: rinrinforthewin
Kohi-san,
I forgot, you don't like having the '-san' at the end of your name.
Kohi,
Thank you for going over the report, but I noticed that nothing was changed. I'm going to take this as a 'You are a brilliant writer and your ideas are so amazing that I don't even have to change' them.
Aww, thanks!
I'm hoping to have the article done by the meeting this afternoon. However, the meeting is actually during basketball practice, so I will be running a bit late to it, if you don't mind.
Thank you so much,
Kobayashi Rin
The third day of school, I actually had to get to school on my own means, since my mom wasn't willing to drive me.
So I had to take the train.
Let me give you a tidbit of information about me now: I hate the train.
So many people crushed together in a small area, that small number of inconsiderate people who are eating - it's absolutely disgusting. Not to mention, there's always that one person who tries to start up conversation, and no, we do not want to speak with you, please leave us alone.
Unfortunately, on the third day of school, I was that person.
I was sitting beside a girl with pink hair - odd on it's own, but I wasn't placed on this earth to judge others - who wore a different uniform than the Seirin one.
You see, the only reason that I actually started conversation was because we accidentally made eye contact and once you've done that, there's really no going back.
"...nice weather we're having." I offered up for a first-liner, before immediately mentally stabbing myself in the chest. I wasn't very, umm, socially talented.
The girl, bless her soul, didn't give me an odd look, only smiling back politely. "Yes, it's been a nice warm spring, unlike last year. It was way too hot then."
"What school are you attending?" I asked, shifting my bag so that it sat more comfortably on my lap. I had been so lucky to actually get a seat, instead of having to stand up on the train. When I do stand up and the train comes to an abrupt stop, I crash into other people and it's not very pretty.
She blinked - she probably hadn't expected me to carry on conversation, but I was trying out this whole 'socializing' thing, so she was a bit too unfortunate to be my test monkey. "I'm attending Too Academy." she turned to jab her neighbor on the other side, a tall man who looked half-asleep. "So is Aomine-kun, right?"
I paused, looking fully at her neighbor, realizing that no, he was not a man, and yes, the full power of his sharp glare had been directed to yours truly.
He gave a noncommittal grunt, probably trying to slip back into unconsciousness.
"I'm attending Seirin High School right now," I said, trying to ignore the way that Pink's eyes lit up and 'Aomine-kun' opened a single eye. "I'm only a first-year, but I've already started to like it."
"Oh?" Aomine-kun turned to look at me, his full attention concentrated upon my person and it felt more than uncomfortable. "You're attending Seirin, huh? How's their basketball team?"
Pink made a face at him. "Aomine-kun, she's not going to know all about their basketball team! It's only Seirin's third day-"
"Actually, I'm the school news reporter assigned to write all about the basketball team," I corrected her, politely. I felt a little awkward, since they looked like they were about to get into all-out bickering. "I've been sitting in on the tryouts so far and-"
"Wait, so you've been at both of the tryouts?" Pink asked for confirmation, looking as if energy had revitalized her. "So you've seen all of the incoming first-years?"
"Umm, yes-"
"Then you've seen Tetsu-kun, right?" suddenly we weren't on a train anymore. It was like something out of a romance story - sparkles started shooting out of nowhere, her eyes were glowing and a faint pink blush had settled over her face.
"...who?"
"Kuroko Tetsuya." Aomine-kun reiterated for her. "Short. Blue hair. Doesn't talk much."
"Oh, Kuroko-san." I laughed at his description. They must have been good friends during middle school. "Yes, he was definitely at tryouts."
"So I'll be seeing him on the court, huh?" Aomine-kun, having received the information he had wanted, reclined against the back of the chair. "Hn. Too bad he's weak."
"Tetsu-kun is not weak!" Pink smacked him on the arm, before turning to smile at me. "I'm Momoi Satsuki and that's Aomine Daiki. He's kind of a big jerk, but you'll get used to it."
I bowed slightly. "I'm Kobayashi Rin. It's a pleasure to meet you, Momoi-san, Aomine-san."
"Oh, you call me Satsuki." Momoi Satsuki said, brushing her hair aside. "We're going to be best friends now, since any friend of Tetsu-kun's is a friend of mine."
I leaned backwards, feeling sort of uncomfortable with this sudden proclamation of friendship. I mean, basing a friendship off a different friendship is sort of unreliable. "Umm, Kuroko-san and I wouldn't necessarily be friends... I mean, I just met him two days ago-"
"Are you saying that Tetsu-kun and you are, dare I say it, more than friends?" Satsuki wondered, her expression darkening. "That certainly could not be the case, right?"
I stared. Talk about a 180 degree personality switch.
"RIGHT?!"
"Yes, ma'am!" I adopted a military salute. This girl's personality had changed to one reminding me suspiciously of my aunt, Heishi. "Kuroko-san and I have a strictly acquaintance relationship!"
"Good," she smiled, pleasantly once more. "Then on Monday, since tomorrow is the weekend, I will have a love letter prepared for him... will you deliver it?"
I hesitated and even Aomine Daiki looked slightly intimidated. "Just accept the damn deal..." he hissed at me.
"Of course I will deliver it for you, Satsuki-san!"
"Oh, you can call me 'Satsuki' or 'Satsuki-chan', because we're going to be such good friends from now on, right?" she looked absolutely pleased with her discovery of me and my slight acquaintance to Kuroko.
"Yes, Satsuki." I felt like a sheep that was mindlessly listening to their herder. I was simply that intimidated by the seemingly-kind girl.
The train slowly rolled to a stop, and an announcement came on. "Seirin Station. Please make your way to the doors in a safe and orderly fashion."
"This is my stop, Satsuki, Aomine-san." I bowed slightly. "It's a pleasure to meet you."
"You too, Kobayashi-chan. Give Tetsu-kun my love." Satsuki waved at me as I did my best not to run for the exit.
"...you scared the shit outta her, Satsuki."
"She just has to know that Tetsu-kun is mine. Then we can be friends."
"...you're scarin' the shit outta me, Satsuki."
"Hush, Dai-chan."
Just as I stepped off of the train, I realized something.
If Kuroko and Aomine had been on the same basketball team in middle school, back at Teiko, that would mean...!
I turned back, the doors closing behind me, just to see Aomine and Satsuki get into bickering.
That boy was one of the Generation of Miracles.
As the train sped off in the opposite direction, I tried my best to add up what sort of player he would be, based on his height, weight, personality, movement and attitude.
I swallowed once, tugging out my composition book from my bag.
Aomine Daiki - attending Too Academy, but a previous member of Teiko Middle School's Generation of Miracles
Aomine Daiki would crush Seirin as it is now
Aomine is dangerous
I arrived fifteen minutes early to school, just like Riko had asked me to. I waited in the gym for five minutes before she showed up.
"I'm sorry for being late!" she called, running over, her arms full of papers. "I was just wanting to talk to you about Kuroko-kun's specialization."
I nodded. "Want to go to the cafeteria? I didn't grab breakfast this morning."
"Sure."
"So he literally uses his lack of presence as an ability?" I drawled, sipping strawberry milk through a straw.
The cafeteria was practically empty, a few stragglers rushing in to grab a quick bite to eat before classes started. None of them payed us any heed however, leaving Riko and I to chat idly.
"His shooting and dribbling abilities are average, but his passing...!" Riko sounded like she was going to pass out from happiness. "It's absolutely wonderful."
"Yesterday, Kuroko-san wasn't exactly quick on his feet at running, so I'm going to go ahead and make an assumption that he is incredibly dexterous, or handy with his, umm, hands, if you ignore the possible innuendo."
She nodded. "It's actually really fantastic, the way that he uses it. ...the Generation of Miracles is really something."
I agreed. I had met Aomine Daiki and I sure as hell didn't want to meet anymore of them.
"But that's not all I wanted to talk to you about." Riko's expression switched from awe to something that can only be described as mischievious. "This Monday, at 8:40 AM, on the roof, we're going to be accepting players into the basketball team."
"I saw that on the schedule, when I was writing everything down in my agenda." I waved around said book, which was absolutely full of scribbles about basketball and newspaper club.
"However, the way that we'll be accepting players is a little different..."
"Explain."
And she did.
"It's slightly against the rules, since last year, we all got called out by the principal." she admitted, sheepishly. "And because you're not a member of the basketball club, and you're not going to be an official member of the basketball club, I thought that I should warn you about it, and that you wouldn't have to participate or show up, if you didn't want to."
"Oh, but that sounds like so much fun!" I was laughing, the idea of it was absolutely hilarious. "There's no way I'm not participating. Maybe I can be inducted as like a special member of the basketball club or something."
She smiled, clearly pleased with my answer. "I was thinking something about that as well, because then the basketball club can take you out of school earlier for games, or you can be excused from school for training camps and trips."
"I can ask Ichisada-san about it, he's the president of the newspaper club." Fuji, the other sports reporter, had some sort of membership like that as well, according to Kohi. "He can definitely get something arranged for it."
"I'll see you at practice today, and on Monday at 8:40." she reminded me, before adding, "And don't tell the others. This is our secret tradition!"
"Yes, ma'am."
At practice, I worked on my article. I had gone through like four drafts, each of them sounding worse by the moment.
The boys were now discussing strategy and positioning, the second-year player going to instruct the first-year player of the same positioning. The numbers had definitely dwindled, the small crowd that had been there on the first day now only a handful.
Takeda-sensei was absent, so I took his chair. Let me just say, it was a bit more comfortable than sitting on the floor.
There was a bunch of things that I wanted to mention in the article, but I wasn't sure how to tie them all together. I wanted to mention Riko and how amazing it was that she was only a second-year, but still such a wonderful coach, but I also wanted to talk about Kagami and Kuroko and how much potential they had, but I also wanted to go on forever about the greatness of the current second-years and how they had gotten so far last year as a rookie team.
"Seirin's basketball team is back this year, led by impressive second-year coach, Aida Riko, as she begins tryouts for what will hopefully be the team that leads Seirin High to victory in both the Interhigh and Winter Cup tournaments."
The newspaper club meeting started ten minutes ago. But basketball practice was ending in fifteen minutes, so I was hoping that running a bit late wouldn't kill anyone. I had also mentioned my expected tardiness in my email to Kohi - her email was swagcoffee42069666 and I couldn't stop laughing - so she would know where I was.
"Despite last year's impressive display at the Interhigh tournament, where Seirin surpassed all expectations and made it into the final league of the Interhigh, where they ultimately suffered defeat at the hands of 'The Three Kings of Tokyo', or Shutoko, Senshinkan and Seiho High Schools, Seirin's first-years are expected to provide much to this year's team."
I wasn't sure how much room I would be given in the column, but Kohi would know what to cut out and what to keep in.
"A couple of first-years with particular potential include Kagami Taiga, who recently returned from America, and Kuroko Tetsuya, a previous member of Teiko Middle School's infamous Generation of Miracles."
I had managed to mention everything I wanted to, but conclusions had always been my weakness.
"High expectations are held for everyone and with both luck and talent on our side, Seirin will have victories for both tournaments by next year."
"That's it for practice everyone!" Riko announced, knocking me out of my writing-spree. "If you want a membership form, please come find me tomorrow during classes... there is no practice tomorrow!"
I shut my laptop quickly - the damned thing was all but falling apart at the hinges, held together by duct-tape - stuffing everything into my bag. "I'm going to the newspaper club, bye everyone!"
A chorus of "Bye Reporter-san!" floated out the door after me as I rushed down the door, only tripping once on the threshold.
Yeah, I hadn't been able to shake that nickname, thank you for nothing, Tsuchida.
"I'm sorry I'm late!" I all but threw open the door, rushing into the room. "Basketball practice held me up and-"
I decided to look up at that moment and all I could see was the dark gaze of Ichisada. "Kobayashi-san, it is all right if you are held up by your field research duties." he excused, but his eyes narrowed. "However, do not disrupt a meeting with your impudence."
"Uhh, yeah, I'll try not to do that again, Ichisada-san."
"Take a seat, near Kohi-san." he told me, gesturing me over towards my editor, who was draped over a desk chair, a chocolate bar in her hand.
"Yo, Rin." she half-saluted me with her chocolate bar.
I greeted her quietly, my face red from the scolding from Ichisada. "Hi, Kohi- what are you eating?"
Ichisada shh-ed me.
I nodded at him once, trying to pronounce the name on her chocolate bar. I assumed it was some sort of Canadian chocolate, since it was one I had never seen before. It was written in English letters, "Oh Henry!".
"Owe heh-no-ree." I muttered quietly, my poor English skills not helping me in the least. "Owe heh-nah-ree. Owe heh-no-rei."
Kohi stifled a snort. "It's an 'Oh Henry!'."
"Owe heh-nah-rei."
"You are so wrong, it's not even funny-"
"Kohi-san, please listen to what Ichisada-san is saying." the girl on her other side told her quietly, someone I assumed was 'Fuji', the soccer field reporter.
Kohi gave her a lazy look, and responded kindly with the middle finger.
Fuji didn't even blink. "Kohi-san."
She yawned in response.
I shook my head at my editor, facing Ichisada. He was welcoming the first-years to the newspaper club, telling them about what sorts of things are discussed at the meetings.
"There is one meeting per week, always on the Friday, unless it is a holiday. If the Friday is a holiday, then it will be on a Thursday, or the last day of the week before break." he said, adjusting his glasses slightly. "Newspapers are printed on Saturdays and are to be passed out on Mondays before school for 150 yen. There is a schedule of which department is going to pass out newspapers on the door."
I smiled to myself. I already hate the schedule scribbled into my agenda, since Ichisada had given it to me on the day of club recruitment.
"Oh, Kohi." I almost forgot. I pulled out a sheet of paper from a folder, passing it to her. "This is the finished article."
"Okey-dokey." she nodded. "I'll read it over and it'll go off to the ol' bitch of an Editor-in-Chief and then it'll zoom off into the newspaper."
I smiled, weakly, focusing back on Ichisada. Newspaper club meetings were really boring...
"Oi." Kohi jabbed me in the side, waving the Owe Heh-nah-rei in my face. "Want a bite? It's not Japanese, so you've never had it before."
I blinked. "Does it have nuts in it? I just hate nuts."
Kohi hesitated for a second. "...no."
"Then sure." I leaned forward, taking a bite. I thought for a moment, crunching through the fudge, ooh, was that caramel? and... "Wow, it's really crunchy." I swallowed.
Kohi waited for my reaction. "How was it?"
"I really liked it, but I wonder what made it crunchy-" I was cut off when I felt my throat close up. "...Kohi, was there actually nuts in it?"
She blinked. "Yeah, even though are nuts in it, I thought you'd like it because Oh Henry!s are just so good."
The world was darkening.
"I'm allergic to nuts."
And I think that was when I passed out.
THUD.
"Oh Henry."
"Kobayashi-san! Kohi-san, what's wrong with Kobayashi-san?"
"I accidentally poisoned her with peanuts."
"She's allergic! Didn't you read her file?"
"I did! I just didn't memorize every detail, unlike you!"
"Fuji-san, call the ambulance!"
"Yes, sir."
"I really hope she doesn't sue me for lying."
"Kohi-san, I really don't think this is the time."
I awoke on Saturday afternoon, in the Tokyo International Hospital. Upon my awakening, a whole bunch of machines started beeping, so I kind of sat there alone for a moment, before a nurse rushed in.
"Oh, it's a good thing you're awake." she said, a smile growing on her face. "We just had to monitor you, to make sure that the food passed through your system properly. A young girl came by earlier, leaving you a bunch of gifts. However, most of them were confiscated, because they contained nuts."
I laughed. I was willing to bet anything that it was Kohi. "At least I have visitors."
"Her name was something in English, so I can't pronounce it, but she called herself 'Kohi'."
Called it.
"She also left a letter for you, which is sitting on your bedside table." the nurse said, checking the machines. "I'll go get you some food, you must be famished. Once you eat, I'll have you checked out, since your mother is in the other room, and then you're free to go."
"Thank you."
"Oh, of course."
"Dear Rinny,
Sorry for accidentally poisoning you with peanuts. But you liked the Oh Henry! anyways, so I think I have done a good thing.
Also, I didn't draw on your face when I was in here, so that is also a positive point for me.
Ichisada came with me, though, to make sure that I didn't like poison you while you were down or anything, but I think that was a cover-up to hang out with me because I'm so rad.
Don't sue me,
Kohi"
Satsuki gave me her love letter on the train. "Tell Tetsu-kun I love him, alright?"
"You really don't have to do this, you know that?" Aomine suddenly said, the first words he had said to me since pressuring me into sending the letters.
Wow, this guy goes from supporting Satsuki to not supporting Satsuki.
Her expression turned sad. "Kobayashi-chan, if you don't want to send these letters to Tetsu-kun, I understand-"
"Satsuki obviously misses Kuroko-san, Aomine-san." I said, simply. "Who am I to separate Satsuki from her one true love?"
Aomine rolled his eyes as Satsuki hugged me tightly. "Finally!" she exclaimed, clinging to me painfully tightly. "Someone who understands my feelings! Kobayashi-chan, if you ever need any support in the field of love, you just call, alright?" she thrust her phone in my direction, urging me to put in my phone number.
"Yes, yes, Satsuki." I dug my phone out of my pocket, offering my phone. I punched my name in as 'Rin', indirectly giving her permission to use my first name.
The announcement came, just as I got my phone back. "Seirin Station. Please make your way-"
"I'll see you later, Satsuki, Aomine-san." I saluted Aomine, who shook his head at me, and smiled at Satsuki, all but skipping out the door.
I had three friends at Seirin - Riko, Kagami and Kohi - and two friends from Too Academy - Satsuki and Aomine-san (sort of).
A small smile grew on my face and stayed there the entire day.
"I like her." Satsuki announced, as the door shut behind the other girl, Seirin Station becoming a blur as the train zoomed away.
"I dunno," Aomine shrugged, looking out the window. "It's weird for someone to talk to us."
"She was just being polite on the first day," Satsuki reasoned, playing with the strap of her bag. "and I guess she liked us enough to stay. Look at how cool we are, Dai-chan!"
"She said she was the news reporter for the Seirin basketball team." Aomine pointed out, trying to argue against her. "Maybe she's just gatherin' information for their team."
Satsuki scowled at him. "We haven't talked about basketball at all!"
"She might be like you." Aomine countered, simply. Satsuki recoiled at the suggestion. "She could know all about me and how I play already, Satsuki-"
"Tetsu-kun is on the Seirin team, though," Satsuki shook her head. "He knows all about you, so they already have all that information."
"Satsuki, she isn't-"
"Aomine, please just let me have one friend that's not you." Satsuki said, looking down at her lap. "Kobayashi-chan put her name in my phone as 'Rin'. She wants to be our friend and you're being mean. Let me have a friend, okay?"
Aomine shook his head once, redirecting his attention to the window. "Don't come cryin' when you're all upset then."
I arrived at 8:30 on the roof, where Riko was sitting on the floor. I had grabbed a copy of the week's newspaper on my way up - Kohi should have submitted my article to the Editor-in-Chief, so if everything had gone right, it should have been in there. I shoved the paper into my bag. "Are you ready?" she asked me.
I nodded, brushing my bangs out of the way, from where they were whipped around by the wind. "Yes."
"I heard you were in the hospital from Yasuko, in the newspaper club." she said, slightly concerned. At my look of confusion, she reiterated for me, "Yasuko is the editor of the Celebrity Gossip department."
"Oh, ew, Celebrity Gossip." I wrinkled my nose. "Oh, but I was only in the hospital because my editor poisoned me with peanuts, despite my allergy."
Riko looked alarmed, but I reassured her. "It's all fine, I don't blame her."
The first-years came through the door then, and she stood up quickly, brushing off her skirt. I joined the first-years, standing beside Kagami.
She chuckled at everyone's disheveled expressions, as they all looked rather uncomfortable. "I've been waiting for you."
"Are you stupid?" Kagami muttered under his breath, shaking his head.
"Is this a duel?" Kuroko wondered, eyeing Riko nervously.
I smiled at him, "Kuroko-san, Satsuki sends her love. Also an actual letter, but I accidentally left that in my locker, so I'll give that to you during practice after school, alright?"
He stared at me. "You know Momoi-san?"
"She rides my train," I nodded. "Along with this other guy named-"
"The morning assembly is in five minutes, can we get on with it?!" Kagami shouted, waving his form in the air. "Just take the damn form!"
"Before I accept your forms, I have something to tell you," Riko said, her arms folded smartly over her chest. "I made a promise when I accepted the position of coach last year from Hyuga-kun. I vowed to push the team in the direction of the national championship. If you can't handle that sort of pressure, there are other clubs better sorted to you."
"Like the newspaper club." I cut in. Might as well self-promo, right?
"Huh?" Kagami gave me a look. "Of course I'm joining the basketball-"
"I know you're strong, Kagami-kun," Riko interrupted, rolling her eyes. "But I need to be sure that you have something even more important than strength. No matter how hard a person can practice, words like 'someday' and 'maybe' aren't good enough."
I pulled out my composition book, scribbling down quotes for my next report, which would hopefully be on this tradition.
"No matter how hard a person can practice, words like 'someday' and 'maybe' aren't good enough." - Aida Riko.
"State your year, class and name!" she was saying as I looked up, pointing to the assembly down below, where students were gathering. "Announce your goals here and now!"
First-year students had to announce their year, class and name, along with their goals for the year to the entire morning assembly below
"If you fail to complete your goal, you'll have to come up here-" a giant grin was plastered across her face. "-strip naked and confess your love to the girl-"
"-or guy, we don't discriminate." I chipped in.
"-you love." she finished, proudly.
The three first-years that weren't Kuroko and Kagami looked horribly panicked, but the others looked more calm. Kagami looked more annoyed than anything and Kuroko looked like he just wanted to go home.
"All of the second-years did it last year." Riko pointed out, as if defending the tradition.
The other first-years were muttering amongst themselves, expressing doubt.
"Should I go first, Riko-san?" I asked, peeking over the side of the railing.
"I am looking for something concrete and ambitious, so you're going to have to do better than 'I'll try my best' or 'I'll play in a game'." Riko said to them. "I'm not really sure where Rin-san is going to go with her's, but it should be equally ambitious, for something to do with her writing and the basketball club."
I opened my mouth to do mine, but Kagami cut me off. "This'll be easy." he shrugged, walking right past Riko and jumping onto the railing. "This isn't even a test."
I immediately went into a panic, shrieking at him to 'Get the hell down, Kagami!', but I was ignored completely.
"Class 1-B, number 5, Kagami Taiga!" he shouted, his voice carrying all the way down to the morning assembly. "I will defeat the Generation of Miracles, and become the best player in Japan!"
"Okay, Kagami, you've done your part, now please get off the railing!" I ordered, yanking him down myself. In the back of my mind, I noted that he had barely hopped up there, his jump prowess more impressive than I had expected.
I scribbled down his words for a moment.
Class 1-B, number 5, Kagami Taiga announced his intention to 'defeat the Generation of Miracles and become the best player in Japan.
"I'll, uhh, go next. But I'm not going to go up there like Kagami, because I'm not suicidal, okay?" I leaned over the railing. "Class 1-B, I don't think I have a number, Kobayashi Rin! I will write a piece so amazing this year that it breaks free from the sports section and is placed on the front page of the standard newspaper! Please take notice of this!"
I looked to Riko, in expectation. "Is that good enough?"
She gave a short nod. "It will do."
Down in the crowd, Ichisada shook his head. "That's not going to happen," he muttered to Kohi, who was standing to his right. "The sports news will always stay in the sports news section. It's not important enough to make it to the front page-"
Kohi jabbed him in the side. "Shut up."
Ichisada shot her a look, but nonetheless obliged.
"You gotta stop being mean to Rin-Rin, or she'll move away to Australia, come back, lose to you in a swimming competition, go back to Australia, come back and win against you in a swimming competition and swear that she'll never swim against you again." Kohi warned, completely serious.
Ichisada groaned - Kohi needed to learn how to stop. "First of all, I saw that anime-"
Kohi swore under her breath.
"-and second, I treat her like everyone else. You're just being insensitive." Ichisada scoffed. "You were never like this with Fuji-san. Favoritism amongst field researchers is frowned upon-"
"Fuji can actually take care of herself." Kohi snapped, annoyed. "Rin doesn't have many friends. I almost killed her when I offered her a chocolate bar- she's a walking disaster. Just cut down on the asshole-ishness of your personality."
Ichisada opened his mouth to speak, but Kohi cut him off. "I don't want to hear your shitty excuses, just grow up while you still can."
"Who's next?" Riko asked, looking to the four other basketball players. "If you don't hurry up, the teachers will get here."
"Excuse me?" one kid, the second shortest of the group (other than Riko and I), raised his hand. "Can I say I want a girlfriend?"
"What does that have to do with basketball?" I asked him, squinting through the morning sun.
"Yeah, rejected." Riko agreed. "What else do you have?"
A boy with a buzz-cut (it was definitely Connie Springer) volunteered next. "Class 1-A, Kawahara Koichi, from Chuo-ku, Tokyo." he was substantially quieter than Kagami and I. "I was a sickly kid, so I couldn't play sports. Things started to change for me when I was in kindergarten..."
I almost fell asleep.
"I'll never forget the all-star game I saw in the fifth grade. It was the first time I thought basketball was cool..."
Was he still talking?
"I joined the basketball team when I was in middle school, but I wasn't very good. I was always dragging my team down and I was miserable. But-"
Riko, apparently having heard more than enough, literally kicked him away from the railing. "Next!"
I scribbled down what he had said, quickly, before rushing to his side. "Are you alright, Kawahara-san?!"
Class 1-A's Kawahara Koichi joins the basketball team because he doesn't want to drag down a team ever again. It is a point to prove not only to himself, but to his family, who supported him ever since he was a sickly child who couldn't participate in sports.
One of the boys hesistatingly raised his hand. It was the same kid as last time. "Uh, I want a girlfriend."
"I told you, no!" Riko was getting aggravated. The scene was getting dangerous.
The other boy sighed, moving up to the railing, his face slightly flushed from embarrassment. "Class 1-D, Fukuda Hiroshi! I like helping others, so when I heard my upperclassman asking for help, I immediately offered my assistance!"
I coughed into my hand. I was willing to bet that was Izuki's fault.
"My goal is to help this team win one of the tournaments!"
Riko nodded. "You!" she pointed at the kid who wanted a girlfriend. "You're next! And if you mention wanting a girlfriend, I will kick you off the building!"
I quickly wrote down Fukuda's information-
Class 1-D's Fukuda Hiroshi, who simply wanted to offer his assistance second-year Izuki Shun, joins to help the Seirin basketball team win one of the tournaments.
"Class 1-D, Furihata Koki!" Girlfriend-Boy shouted, gripping the railing in an iron grip. "The girl I like said she would go out with me if I became the best at something! I joined the basketball team to become number one!"
I laughed, writing it down.
Also from Class 1-D, Furihata Koki wants to get the girl of his dreams by becoming a basketball stud.
"If that's not good enough," he was saying to Riko, "then I will simply have to become number one in something else."
Riko offered a weak smile. "I guess that I'm moved. Who's next?"
"Excuse me." a voice piped up from beside me.
I shrieked, almost falling over the railing. "Kuroko-san, please stop doing that."
"I'm sorry." he apologized to me, before facing Riko. "I'm not good at speaking loudly, so may I use this?" he produced a megaphone out of nowhere.
"Why do you have that?" I wondered, but Kuroko simply glanced at me.
He marched up to the ledge, holding the megaphone up to his lips and prepared to speak, but a loud slam cut him off.
"You idiots!" a man who I assumed was some sort of faculty had thrown open the door. "The basketball team, again, huh?"
Riko swore. "And we were almost finished too!"
We all knelt in front of the man, who was giving us a thorough scolding.
"I warned you last year!" he was telling Riko, who simply scowled back at him. "Didn't you say that you'd never do this again? Shouldn't you know right from wrong at your age?"
"It was my idea, sir." I interrupted, looking up at the man. Riko nudged me, but I ignored it. "My name is Kobayashi Rin, from the newspaper club. I had heard about this idea from the second-years and I thought it would make for a fascinating article. After all, such daring traditions inspire school pride in not only the basketball team, but also in the morning assembly students."
The man raised an eyebrow. "It was still wrong to do and you all shall receive consequences."
"Please place the blame solely on me, sir. I was the one who pressured Aida-san and the other first-years." I blinked out a few tears. "My mother will be very, very disappointed in me."
He suddenly looked uncomfortable. "Um, I suppose I can get rid of the consequences, but only if you all promise never to do this again."
"We promise, sir." I nodded, solemnly.
"But you can still print your article, little girl," he said, turning to look at the morning assembly. "School pride is just what this school needs."
"Thank you very much, sir." I bowed, standing with the others. "We will go join the morning assembly. Have a good day."
We all rushed down the stairs, into the hallways.
Riko grinned at me, "Nice save, Rin-san. You sure played him."
"Thank you, Kobayashi-san." Kuroko put in, from behind me. I managed to suppress the surprised screech, but only barely.
"It was no problem, you guys." I grinned at them.
We rejoined the morning assembly, and as we exited the school to join them in the courtyard, we received thunderous applause.
I walked by Kohi - she tossed an 'Oh Henry!' at me, but I threw it back - on my way to join Class 1-B. I wondered, briefly, how Kuroko, who hadn't finished his announcement, would be inducted into the team.
I'd sort it out later.
Practice went as per usual.
It was good weather outside, so Riko and I got in the golf cart and we led the basketball team around the soccer fields.
The girls' soccer team was doing warm-up drills, so the boys were getting more than an eyeful. Riko kept them on track though, allowing me to drive while she hollered at the boys to stay focused.
I felt very honored.
I also gave Kuroko his love letter from Satsuki, which he sighed at, putting it in his bag after practice. "Tell Momoi-san thank you, Kobayashi-san."
"Oh, you can just call me Rin, Kuroko-san." I told him. "Satsuki is convinced that you and I are very close friends. It's hilarious. I don't think her friend likes me too much though."
Kuroko blinked. "Her friend? Momoi-san doesn't have any friends outside of the basketball team."
"Was she involved with the basketball team?" I asked, out of curiosity.
He nodded, once. "She was the manager."
"I get the feeling that he really didn't like me..." I bit my lip. "I was gathering serious hate vibes from that guy."
Kuroko suddenly looked uneasy. "Do you know his name, Rin-san?"
"Yeah, it's Aomine Daiki." I blinked. "Oh, you two were friends in middle school, weren't you?"
Kuroko looked away, shouldering his bag. "I suppose... I'll see you during class tomorrow, Rin-san."
He left quickly after that, leaving me to stand alone after him, wondering what I had said wrong.
Now, when I get on the train, I immedately went straight for Satsuki and Aomine. Something was different about that Tuesday. Normally, Aomine sits on one side of Satsuki, leaning against the wall of the train car. However, that day, Satsuki sat against the wall of the train car, Aomine on the other side of her.
So I sat beside Aomine.
"Good morning, Aomine-san, Satsuki." I greeted, politely, pulling my bag onto my lap. "How are you today?"
"I'm good, Rin-chan." Satsuki smiled, peering around Aomine's large frame. "How did Tetsu-kun-?"
"Did you give Tetsu the letter?" Aomine interrupted, turning dark eyes on me.
I blinked, startled. "Um, yes, I did. He said to tell you thank you, Satsuki."
"Did he read it in front of you?" she looked worried. "I do like you, Rin-chan, but it'd be so embarrassing if you had to listen to Tetsu-kun swooning over my love letter."
Aomine snorted. "When will you get it through your thick skull, Satsuki? Tetsu doesn't like you. And he never will. So get over it before you make a bigger fool of yourself."
As he spoke, her face became increasingly red until it was darker than her hair. She stood up, slapped him, and stormed into the next car.
He scowled after her, folding his arms. He turned his now annoyed gaze on me. "I did that on purpose." he told me, and I swallowed. "I wanted to talk to you."
"Well, now you've got me." I raised my eyebrows as high as I possibly could. "Was it really necessary to be so mean to someone who looks like your only friend, Aomine-san? You could have asked-"
"Why are you here?" he asked, using his full height to his advantage. He cast a giant shadow over me, but I didn't waver.
"I'm on my way to school, you idiot." I rolled my eyes. "This is pointless-"
"Why are you talking to Satsuki?" he demanded, ignoring what I had said. "If you're spying for the Seirin team-"
"You think I'm a spy?" I blinked, staring at him, his unwavering expression. He honestly thought I was a spy. I tried to hold a straight face.
"Are you laughin' at me?" he narrowed his eyes at me. "What the fuck are you doin-"
"I'm not a spy!" I burst out laughing. This guy was nuts. My smile faded slightly. "You went and was a bitch to poor Satsuki just to accuse me of trying to get basketball information out of you?"
He raised an eyebrow. "Of course not, that's not what-"
"I would never do that. Satsuki is so sweet and kind and a little intimidating when she was getting me to give Kuroko-san his letter, but she's a real sweetheart, and I'm horrified that you did something like that. Not to mention, if you were on the same basketball team, then Kuroko-san probably already knows all about you, dumbass." I shook my head. "Aomine-san, that was very cruel."
"Tch." he looked pointedly away from me. "I don't need a weakling like you to tell me what I should and shouldn't do."
"Apparently you do." I sighed. "Go find Satsuki and explain to her why you just did what you did."
"What? I ain't gonna do whatever you tell me to-"
I was so done with Aomine's shit. Generation of Miracles or not, this guy was an absolute douchebag. "She's probably ultra-pissed about you, and it's better you get it over with sooner than later."
He got up despite his claim of never listening to me. "I ain't doin' this cuz ya said to, I'm doin' this cuz I want to."
I nodded. "Of course, Aomine-san. Goodbye, Aomine-san."
He disappeared into the next car, just as the train pulled into my station.
I shook my head after him, getting up and off of the train.
That boy needed some serious help.
I arrived at class at the same time as Kagami, who I greeted, before making my way to my seat. Everyone was crowded around the windows, and Kagami too, joined them.
I stood behind him, trying to see what the commotion was all about, but wow, my impossibly short height did me no favors. Finally, after I tried to jump to see over Kagami's shoulder, he shoved some kid out of the way and nudged me forward.
"We will be the best in Japan." I read outloud, smiling slightly. We both stood back and looked to the back of the room, where Kuroko, uninterested in the hullaballoo, continued reading a book, flipping the page.
I excused myself, making my way back to my seat near the door, digging out my composition book.
"Class 1-B's very own Kuroko Tetsuya makes his intentions clear, as he writes the message 'WE WILL BE THE BEST IN JAPAN' in chalk into the courtyard's pavement, on Tuesday."
I placed my composition book back on my desk, but as I did, a thick packet fell out. I scooped it off of the floor, opening it.
It was the school newspaper that I had picked up the morning before, but had forgotten with the whole 'shout out your goals' event that had happened immediately after.
I flipped to the very last page - the sports section was always on the back, searching for my article. I found it - tucked into the bottom right corner, in tiny print.
"Basketball is Back!
By: Kobayashi Rin
Seirin's basketball team is back this season, led by exemplary second-year coach, Aida Riko, as she hosts tryouts for what will form the team that leads Seirin High to victory in both the Interhigh and Winter Cup tournaments.
Despite last year's impressive display at the Interhigh tournament, where Seirin surpassed all expectations and moved into the final league of the Interhigh, where they ultimately suffered defeat at the hands of 'The Three Kings of Tokyo', or Shutoko, Senshinkan and Seiho High Schools, Seirin's first-years are expected to provide much to this year's team.
A couple of first-years with particular potential include Kagami Taiga, who recently returned from America, and Kuroko Tetsuya, a previous member of Teiko Middle School's infamous Generation of Miracles.
High expectations are held for everyone and with both luck and talent on our side, Seirin will have victories for both tournaments by next year."
A couple of words had been edited in the first paragraph, but nothing had been cut. I cheered - my first article had passed!
"Why are you so excited, Rin-san?"
My cheer turned into a scream as I launched myself out of my seat. "Can you please make some sort of noise?"
Kuroko stood beside me, blinking innocently. "What are you talking about, Rin-san?"
"You're so quiet, it's weird..." I shook my head. "Anyways, my article was published in the school newspaper!"
He nodded, face blank. "I saw it yesterday. It was very good, and I am flattered that you included me in it with such high compliments."
"I just said you had particular potential." I shrugged. "After your first games, I'll start doing interviews and stuff, and we can really make you all shine!"
"It's disappointing that your nicely written article was printed in tiny letters and in the corner." he commented, unknowingly pointing out something that had hit me hard.
I rolled up the newspaper, sticking it into my bag. "I-I'm only a first-year, so obviously they're not going to print that largely. A-And it was just tryouts, not an actual game, unlike Fuji-san's article on the girls' soccer team, s-so there's also that too."
"You'll get it in there next time, Rin-san." he assured me, a straight-faced thumbs up. "Good luck."
"Thanks, Kuroko-san." I bowed slightly. "Class will be starting in a few minutes, so you should get back to your seat-" I started to tell him, but when I looked up, he was already long-gone.
When I showed up to the gymnasium for practice that day, Riko was missing.
I didn't ask Hyuga or Izuki about it, going to my seat beside Takeda-sensei, and pulled out my laptop.
The boys were doing another practice match, and everyone was in awe of Kagami - same old, same old.
Since my last article had been published, another report was due on Wednesday. Then I'd have to produce an article by Friday. That was the schedule that Kohi and I had decided upon, despite Ichisada's declaration of a report every other day.
And since it was Tuesday, my next report was due the next day.
Article Topic: Goals and Traditions
Main Points: First-year students had to announce their year, class and name, along with their goals for the year to the entire morning assembly below. If they fail to complete this goal, then they must strip naked, return to the roof, and profess their feelings to the girl (or guy) they love.
Class 1-B, number 5, Kagami Taiga announced his intention to 'defeat the Generation of Miracles and become the best player in Japan.
Class 1-A's Kawahara Koichi joins the basketball team because he doesn't want to drag down a team ever again. It is a point to prove not only to himself, but to his family, who supported him ever since he was a sickly child who couldn't participate in sports.
Class 1-D's Fukuda Hiroshi, who simply wanted to offer his assistance second-year Izuki Shun, joins to help the Seirin basketball team win one of the tournaments.
Also from Class 1-D, Furihata Koki wants to get the girl of his dreams by becoming a basketball stud.
Class 1-B's Kuroko Tetsuya makes his intentions clear, as he writes the message 'WE WILL BE THE BEST IN JAPAN' in chalk into the courtyard's pavement, on Tuesday.
I also participated in this tradition, announcing that I would get an article on the front page of the standard newspaper.
I looked it over again and attached it to an email.
To: swagcoffee42069666
From: rinrinforthewin
Kohi,
I have my report ready for Wednesday. Please email me back once you finish editing it.
I have to get back to basketball practice - Riko-san just returned from wherever she was. Even I get yelled at, if I'm slacking, though she is significantly nicer to me than she is to Hyuga-san.
Wish me luck,
Rin
I shoved my laptop into my bag, clutching my composition book under my arm. "Sorry, I was sending an email to my editor-"
Riko, who had been discussing the next game with the team, gave me a look. "The same editor that poisoned you with nuts and hospitalized you?"
"She poisoned you with nuts?" Hyuga repeated, incredulously. "Why didn't anyone tell me? We could have all visited you in the hospital, Reporter-san."
"That sentence, right there? It just made me very uncomfortable." I scooted away from Hyuga, who rolled his eyes in response.
"I can't believe she poisoned you," Izuki said, in disbelief. "That's just... nuts."
Koga punched him.
"Please continue with the previous conversation, as if I had never interrupted." I apologized, moving to stand by Kuroko and Kagami, who raised an eyebrow.
"Someone poisoned you?"
"I'm allergic to nuts." I explained, briefly. "It might as well have been."
Kagami sighed at me. "Are you always so danger-prone?"
Just as I was about to answer - a furious no, I am not! - Riko said something that caught all of our attention. "-and this year, Kaijou got their hands on one of the Generation of Miracles, Kise Ryota."
"What?!" Furihata sounded horrified.
Fukuda looked equally surprised. "Him?! The Generation of Miracles?"
"Wow, that was fast." I muttered, scuffing my sneakers against the floor. "I didn't think we'd be up against one of those guys for a while."
In contradiction to everyone's horror-filled faces, a smile spread across Kagami's face.
Hyuga turned to face his team. "Apparently, Kise works as a model."
"Really?" Izuki was practically inspired. "That's amazing!"
Koga, on the other hand, looked like he was about to sink into an everlasting depression. "Good-looking and good at basketball? That's brutal."
"Rin-san," Izuki looked to me. "What do you know about Kise Ryota? You're a reporter, so you have to know all sorts of information about everyone?"
"Isn't he like that super tall purple-haired guy?" I squinted at Kuroko, who shook his head. "No? Yeah, then I have no idea."
"But he's a model," Koga pointed out. "Shouldn't girls be in on the know about this?"
"Excuse me, but do I look like the sort of person who has time for that?" I demanded, ready to stab him with my pen or smack him with my composition book. "I am a full-time worker. Between basketball and newspaper club, I can't even take a breath! So shut your mouth, Koga."
Izuki whistled. "Reporter-san takes a stand."
Just as I was about to kill them both, a bunch of girls started filtering into the gym, whispering and giggling amongst themselves.
"What is happening?" I wondered aloud, as the gymnasium became lined with people of the female gender.
"I didn't mean for this to happen..." someone muttered, standing tall among a crowd of short girls. He smiled at a girl, signing her a quick autograph.
We made eye contact.
I stiffened. People make me nervous.
"It's good to see you again." Kuroko said, suddenly appearing beside me.
For the record, I didn't scream, I jumped, knocking into Kagami, which probably gave me a bruise, but at least I didn't scream. I gave Kagami a smile and he snorted in response, which made me embarrassed to exist.
"Good to see you too!" the guy - tall with yellow-blonde hair, and a single earring - called back in response.
I relaxed slightly - if Kuroko knew him, then he couldn't be an entirely bad guy. Right?
"Kise Ryota." Hyuga muttered.
I was very confused. Are people allowed to interrupt practice?
"Really, I'm sorry." Blondie apologized, sheepishly. "I'll talk to you guys in five minutes, alright?" he continued signing autographs.
"Really, what just happened?" I looked to Izuki and Koga, but their eyes were trained on Blondie. "Okay, I am so confused right now."
It took the combined power of Blondie, Kagami, Riko, Hyuga and I to get all of the girls out of the gym. Which took a little bit longer than five minutes (more like twenty), but everyone ignored that.
(I didn't, for the record.)
Finally, Blondie shut the gym door with a final wave to his fans, and stood in front of us. "There."
Hyuga looked absolutely frazzled, his glasses askew. "W-What are you doing here?!"
"Junpei is causing me Jun-pain." I murmured to Izuki, who snickered, but silenced himself after a sharp look from Riko.
"When I heard our next opponent was Seirin," Blondie said, with a laugh. "I remembered Kurokocchi was here, so I thought I'd say hi." he walked towards us, stopping just in front of poor Kuroko. "We were best friends in middle school-"
Okay. I was getting more screwed up. Blondie was screwing me up. "There isn't a Kurokocchi in the basketball club. You're crazy."
"You mean, he's nuts." Izuki muttered, sending me in a wave of internal cackles.
Blondie blinked. "Kurokocchi is right here. What are you talking about?" he put his hand on poor little Kuroko's hair, ruffling it.
"You're crazy, that's Kuroko, not Kurokocchi. There isn't a -cchi. There is no Kurokocchi in the basketball club." I repeated.
Hyuga, Kagami and Koga all groaned, simultaneously.
"I'll explain it to her!" Izuki volunteered, before turning me around to face him eye-to-eye. He looked at me very seriously, his hands on my shoulders. "Rin-san... you are absolutely right, this guy is a nut-job, and he's convinced himself that Kuroko-kun is actually named Kurokocchi, we must flee-"
Hyuga punched him.
"It's a nickname." Hyuga explained, shortly, before facing Blondie again.
I stared at Kuroko, silently asking him if it was true.
He nodded.
I sighed. And now I look like an idiot.
He nodded again.
My eye twitched in annoyance and I bowed stiffly to the tall blonde guy. "I apologize for the misunderstanding."
"It's alright!" Blondie excused, swinging an arm around Kuroko. "I mean, we were best friends in middle school, so any friend of Kurokocchi's is a friend of mine!"
Kuroko had gone to Teiko... so Blondie here went to Teiko. I'm going on a limb, but I'm gonna say that Blondie was on the basketball team.
My heart stopped.
Generation of Miracles?
There was no group I hated more than the Generation of Miracles. And my reasons were justified.
"We weren't any more friends than anyone else." Kuroko stated, plainly, unhooking Blondie's arm.
"You're so mean!" Blondie immediately sobbed, wiping at his tears with the sleeve of his coat.
I immediately lost interest - there was no way this guy could be a Generation of Miracles, he wasn't serious enough - and drew little basketballs into the margins of my notebook, shading them in lightly.
I was no artist, but they looked pretty good.
After I ran out of room on the page, I became discouraged and tuned back into the conversation. "-they bullied Kurokocchi and I for it all the time."
That grabbed my interest. "Kuroko-san, you were bullied?" I was horrified. Bullying was a horrible, horrible thing and I had lost someone to it. I had lost him to it. "If this ever happens again, please let me know. I will sort them out - my sister was a Yankee in middle school so she's probably aching to let herself go again." I started getting a bit choked up, something that I would be embarrassed about later. "You should have told me."
"That never happened to me." Kuroko said, his voice sounding a little uncomfortable.
"EHH?!" Blondie sounded horrified. He needs to get his facts right before getting me all worried. "That only happened to me?!"
I sighed in relief - I had been so concerned for poor Kuroko, having to suffer through the horror of mankind's darkness - when out of nowhere, a basketball came hurtling towards us.
Blondie's eyes narrowed and he held out a single hand, stopping the ball. He winced, but it had appeared effortless and instinctual, his arm coming up without hesitation. "Ow, what was that for?"
...okay, maybe the basketball wasn't hurtling towards us so quickly that it was going to be leaving dust in its path, but it was scary and I'm not fast enough to dodge.
Everyone looked towards the source of the act of violence, to see Kagami as the guilty criminal. "Kagami!" I scolded. "You almost killed me! I would have died!"
"It wouldn't have even hit you." he snarked back, before directing his attention on Blondie. "Sorry to interrupt your little reunion, but I doubt you came all this way just to greet us. Why don't you play with me a bit... pretty boy?"
"Kagami!" I shouted. I was just full of scoldings that day. "We do not condone name-calling!"
"I dunno..." Blondie hesitated, but the intensity on Kagami's face only... intensified. "Okay, let's do it!"
"He gave in so easily." I muttered to Izuki, who nodded.
He froze, before grinning. "Kagami can be... Kaga-mean."
"This could be bad." Kuroko said - I jumped, not screeched, I am truly the queen of self-control - from behind me. "He learns plays as soon as he sees them and makes them his own."
I blinked, watching Blondie, mentally adding up his height, weight, personality, movement and style. "He's a copycat." I murmured, watching him replay a move that Kagami had done not even half an hour before. "His visual comprehensive skills are impressive - he must have a photographic memory if he can remember every single movement that Kagami made. If he can remember a move, muscle for muscle, from half an hour ago, that means he can probably remember every single move he's ever seen."
I continued my analysis. "He is literally a basketball player with limitless potential - he can watch any move and copy it. The only problem, however, is if he has the same - or better - physical prowess as the player he copied it from. For example, if he can't jump as high as Kagami, then he won't be able to copy the dunks."
Izuki stared at me. "I didn't understand a single word of that - you were talking way too fast."
"Oh, when I start making inferences based on previous information gathered through height, weight, personality, movement and style, I end up talking incredibly fast, so if you want to gather anything from my analysis, you have to listen carefully." I smiled brightly.
Kagami fell to the floor and I jumped, stricken out of conversation.
"Kagami, are you alright?" I cried, moving forward, but was stopped by Hyuga, who placed a hand on my shoulder. "What are you doing, Hyuga-san?! He just fell!"
Hyuga shook his head. "Wait."
"Kuroko-san, what are you doing?! Your friend is insane! He just bodyslammed poor Kagami to the ground!" I knew that wasn't the case, but I was concerned. One of my five friends in the entire universe just was all but killed.
...I overexaggerate when panicked.
"I don't know that person." came the serious reply. "To be honest, I think I might have underestimated him until just now. It's only been a few months since I last played with them, but the Generation of Miracles might have improved far more quickly than I had expected."
"Wait, what?" I blinked rapidly. So this guy was a Generation of Miracles?
Hyuga cuffed Izuki up the head. Izuki screeched like a banshee. "I understood why you hit me previously, but I didn't even say anything!"
"I can't hit her," Hyuga reasoned. "she's a first-year, a girl and tiny." Hyuga turned to face me with a strained smile. "Yes, he is a member of the Generation of Miracles. Where has your mind been for the past half-hour?"
"I zoned out for like most of it." I defended, picking at the corner of the cardboard cover of my composition book.
"That was really disappointing," Blondie-Generation-of-Miracles-Guy said, shaking his head."After that, I just can't leave now." he walked away from Kagami, still on the floor - my poor friend - and stood in front of us. "Give me Kurokocchi."
I gasped. "Kuroko-san chose to come here! You can't force him to do anything he doesn't want to-"
Blondie-Generation-of-Miracles-Guy rolled his eyes at me. "You really should learn to stop talking."
I gaped at his words, but no one spoke in defense of me. I opened my mouth to teach him a fucking lesson or two, but Izuki pulled me back.
"Come join us." Blondie-GoM-Guy said to Kuroko, whose face was blissfully blank. "Let's play basketball together again. I seriously respect you, Kurokocchi. It's a waste of your talent to stay here. What do you think?"
"If he wanted to play basketball with swine like you," I snided, shaking Izuki off. "he would have visited the farms, pighead!"
Even Izuki wasn't impressed.
Not my best work.
"I am honored to hear you say that-" Kuroko just went on to speak, like wow, Rin didn't totally just defend your honor even though you said nothing for mine. "-however, I must respectfully decline your offer." he bowed slightly.
I mentally cheered. You tell him, Kuroko!
Blondie-GoM-Guy immediately reacted. "That doesn't make any sense! Besides, this isn't like you! Winning was everything! Why didn't you go to somewhere better?"
Excuse you, but Seirin's Harry Potter club won first place in a trivia tournament last year, so you can take your definition of better and shove it up your ass, because there is absolutely nothing better than that.
"My thinking has changed since then." Kuroko said, his determination to defend Seirin's general honor never wavering. "More importantly, I made a promise to Kagami-kun. I told him we'd beat you, the Generation of Miracles."
Blondie-GoM-Guy scowled. "It's really unlike you to joke around like that."
Kuroko blinked. "It's really unlike you to insult girls like you did to Rin-san."
I practically glowed, mentally drawing hearts around Kuroko. Kuroko Tetsuya: Honor Defender.
Kagami started to say something - probably offensive - so I took the chance to write down Blonde-GoM-Guy's information.
Blonde Generation of Miracles has defeated Kagami in a one-on-one, and is, as his codename displays, a member of the Generation of Miracles, an elite group that Kuroko-san is also a part of
Blonde Generation of Miracles can copy every single move he has ever seen, if he has the same or better physical prowess as the demonstrator of the original move
Blonde Generation of Miracles is a copycat
"I still have no sense of humor." Kuroko said to Blondie, bluntly. "I'm serious."
"I'm serious too!" I announced, placing my hands on my hips. "You, Blondie-san, are a complete asshole and I can't wait until Seirin kills you brutally in the practice match."
Finally, Blondie withdrew from our four-way standoff - Kagami, Kuroko, Blondie and I - and grabbed his coat from the floor. "I look forward to seeing you on the court."
"Thank you for stopping by, Kise-kun." Kuroko bowed slightly. "I will see you at the practice match."
"I'll see you there too." 'Kise-kun' met eyes with Kagami and I. "You two as well."
Is this a bad shonen manga?!
"Oh my god, do I have a rival?" I hissed to Izuki. "I'm not even on the team."
"You're a fan though." he pointed out. "Which makes this absolutely fan-tastic."
Hyuga didn't hesitate to punch him.
To: rinrinforthewin
From: swagcoffee42069666
Rin-Rin!
ur report has been approved
sorry about poisoning u again
i guess u passing out was a little
nuts
-kohi
To: swagcoffee42069666
From: rinrinforthewin
Kohi,
It's alright.
But the 'nuts' joke was already done like four-hundred times by Izuki-san.
You're a bit late.
-Rin
Oh my god, this chapter was so long, like 10,800 and I am amazed at how I am still conscious.
(It was definitely the girl scout cookies that kept me going)
15 reviews for first chapter? Brilliant
Thanks to everyone omg
also i have a poll on my profile that you might want to check out
QUESTION:
Do you like Kohi?
Leave a review
this was like 10,800 words, there better be a review
LeoInuyuka
