Summary: Kuroko goes through his first day at Teiko Academy. He gets acquainted with new friends, and reunites with the Generation of Miracles. It is going to be a different year than the ones he had in the past, both on and off the court.
Notes:
1. Most of what I base Teiko Academy on is based on my experience with Nick Bolletieri's Tennis Academy, that was part of IMG Academy's group of Sports-Dedeicated Academies.
2. Kuroko will meet different people from how he met them in Canon Manga / Anime. I hope that doesn't bother you.
3. There is an OC that is mentioned. But they are not a big part of the plot. I just wanted more female characters in here.
4. So sorry this chapter is so long! Kuroko has quite a day...
Warnings: Again, not much in this chapter. Unless you find Akashi something to warn about...
Plan A sure is popular. I cannot blame you, Kuroko harem is my favorite. I thought of offering the more challenging option, Plan B, but if the majority of you want the easier route I won't complain. I guess there can be hints of Plan B, or they can be friendships then. :)
Word Count: 8,005 Words
To Kuroko, Teiko Academy was a confusing place. There were large, modern building connected by the wide, expansive grounds and multiple, indoor walkways when there was snow. Seven buildings in total, one large, main building that was taller than the rest, that contained the main office, classes, gymnasiums, a library, cafeteria, and kitchen needed to accommodate the school's growing population and the six other buildings surround it like flower petals were the teachers' offices, a living and party area, work out facilities, and the dormitories full of vibrant, young students that would compete against each other in Winter Cup.
It would not be so bad if the seven buildings were all Kuroko had to worry about, but the gardens, jogging trails, ponds, nearby restaurants, and other recreations that the students were encouraged to use felt like a complicated, possessed labyrinth that was trying to consume the small, basketball player. Still, he wanted to go to Teiko Academy and play the most intense games that could ever experience. If not for his own love of the game, then for Shigehiro who had quit basketball in Middle School so a little navigation was probably the least of the freshman's problems.
The first class Tetsuya had that morning was Human Anatomy and Physiology I, and thankfully it was on the first, basement floor of the main building rather than the language course on the fourth floor. To his understanding, almost all the Science-related courses were in the basement in order to keep the chemicals and other tools in a cooler environment without spending too much on electricity, air conditioning, and power.
The weak presence had its advantages during the hectic first day of school. The crowds of students at last minute receiving their schedules and many of them roaming the halls to find friends they have not seen since last semester, made it easy for Kuroko to ride the flow of traffic down the stairs (he did not want to cram into an elevator) to get to B103. He pushed the door open, surprised to see that there were already seven students gathered.
Another student was talking to the teacher, so Kuroko turned his attention to the projection screen that the two were standing beside to see that it was open seating. His observant, aqua eyes scanned the room and spotted an empty seat next to a studious boy with long, dark bangs covering his left eye, reading today's lesson from the textbook. Tetsuya settled quietly into his seat in order to not disturb the other male, but when he grabbed his book, Kuroko accidentally set the spine onto his desk too loudly. It alerted the boy sitting next to him. He gasped and covered his mouth to deafen the sound, but the obvious question was still panging loudly in his mind "How did he not notice him and how long had he been there?"
"Sorry for interrupting you," Kuroko said to calm the other down.
"Ah, no I should be the one to apologize." The other freshman said before fixing his stray hairs that ruffled up in excitement. "Forgive me, and sorry for my reaction. My name is Himuro Tatsuya, and I am a part of Yosen Dormitory." He extended his right hand out to Kuroko, who promptly shook it to be polite.
"I'm Kuroko Tetsuya, from Seirin Dormitory." The new acquaintance, Himuro Tetsuya was a very nice person. Rarely did anyone apologize for not noticing him. Many times in his life, people scolded Kuroko for his weak presence despite the trait not being within his control.
"Seirin Dormitory? Be careful of the coach, she loves to kiss children and girls." Odd warning, but Kuroko thought the other first year's strange message was one of those interventions of faith that Midorima spoke of in the past.
"Thank you for the advice. Excuse me for asking, but did you sign up as a basketball player or another occupation path?" Kuroko asked. While he did not care if people if studying to go onto different careers, the apparition-like player knew he made friends best with people who were basketball fanatics like he was.
"I'm a basketball player. I studied in America until my family decided that if I was serious about basketball, then I should go to Teiko Academy. Apparently Teiko is really accommodating to foreign students. Are you a basketball player as well?"
"Yes, I am not sure if that is what I will end up doing but I really like to play." Kuroko answered truthfully. Despite Himuro's gloomy appearance due to his bangs, dark hair, and pale skin, the phantom, sixth member of the Generation of Miracles spent the whole ten minutes before class talking to him. Both teens almost forgot that they were attending a class until the bell screeched. Quickly before the teacher was done taking attendance (thankfully Himuro was there to prevent the teacher from marking his new friend Kuroko absent on his first day), they exchanged phone numbers so that they could call each other to eat out, play basketball, or simply hang out during free time.
"Murisakibara? Murisakibara? Is there a Murisakibara Atsushi here?" The door creaked open to reveal the purple-haired boy. "Are you Murisakibara?"
"Yes, sorry I am late. My mom didn't want to leave my side until the bell rang." He answered before munching on another potato chip.
"Do not worry about it. The first two weeks of school are always confusing for first year students. Also, please know that I do not object to you eating snacks as long as you are quiet." The teacher made clear. The childish basketball player nodded and searched for an empty seat in the classroom. Luckily he noticed the empty seat next to Kuroko (lucky for Murisakibara) and started walking towards the shadow.
"Wow, that guy is really tall. Is he a freshman? He looks two meters tall." Himuro whispered to his new friend from Seirin.
"Actually, when I first met Murisakibara-kun, he was still fifteen centimeters away from being two meters. By the end of Middle School he was just a little over two meters." Kuroko said. The teacher was preparing the PowerPoint and taking attendance as the familiar teammate was drawing closer.
"You know that guy?"
"Yes, he was a former member of my basketball team." Murisakibara took his desired chair next to the teal teen, ruffling up his perfectly combed hair. "Please do not do that."
"Uh? But Kurochin, you look cute with messy hair." Atsushi smiled before giving the top of Kuroko's head a swift peck. "See, I was gentle this time. No teeth," Himuro flushed a dark red.
"Is Murisakibara your boyfriend Kuroko?"
"Actually, Kurochin has four other boyfriends and a girlfriend besides me." Murisakibara clarified but he made sure to say it in a low whisper because class was starting.
"What?" Tatsuya yelled, forcing all eyes on him. "I mean, I never knew the Hyoid Bone was not attached to any other bone in the body. It's only support is a network of muscles and ligaments. Speech mechanics and physiology is fascinating!" The genius made up to cover up his blunder.
"Well, thank you for your enthusiasm but please try to contain yourself."
"Yes sensei," Himuro bowed. When he made sure that the lesson continued on and that no one was paying attention to him, he asked the Seirin student "Is your boyfriend telling the truth?"
"He is not my boyfriend and I do not have multiple partners." Tetsuya said his own opinion. Murisakibara frowned.
"But Kurochin, you kissed all of us at the Ferris wheel and said you cared for us. So that makes you our boyfriend. Akachin, Minechin, Midochin, Kisechin, Sacchin, and I are all dating you."
"We never go on dates." Himuro did not know what to believe. It seemed like a couple quarreling to him.
"But we did. All of us went to Asakusa Hanayashiki and you kissed all of us at the Ferris wheel. We just didn't date over the summer because we live too far away." Murisakibara reasoned before sneaking another chip. "Who is sitting next to you asking these questions? Is he a new boyfriend?" Tatsuya was too embarrassed to say anything. Usually he was not the type to become flustered easily, but the pair's bluntness was catching him off guard. Plus, now armed with the knowledge of Kuroko's multiple partners, he had to admit… the boy was pretty cute and he would not mind a date to get to know him.
"No, but we have similar views on basketball. He seems like an intelligent and tenacious person. I cannot wait to play against him." Kuroko said plainly. Himuro did not want to overheat from embarrassment and possible relationships so he turned his attention to the lecture.
"Ah, sounds like an annoying person, but I'll share my snacks with him if Kurochin likes him."
There was not much that happened after that. When everyone was done jotting down the notes, the teacher assigned them to read two sections in their textbook. Not two minutes later into reading, class was dismissed and it was time for Kuroko to get to his next class which was Basic First Aid Training and Response. Since it was on the same level, it did not take an enormous amount of time for Tetsuya to slip inside. There were several large, round tables with an average size, human dummy with no limbs lying in the middle. All the tables had six chairs surrounding it; everyone had to work in groups for there was not enough specialized dummies for every, individual student.
"Ah! Ghost!" The Instructor cried out.
"No sensei, my name is Kuroko Tetsuya. I am from Seirin Dormitory and signed up for this class." The sneaky teenager calmly explained.
"Oh… yes, I think I saw your name on the Attendance sheet. You're one of the basketball students with a scholarship here. You must be one of the Generation of Miracles… hahaha. I'll make sure to mark you here so that I won't forget." Kuroko nodded and took a seat. It did not take too long for the class to fill up because it was by the elevator. So many unfamiliar faces and based on most of their body types, the people attending this class were probably studying to be Emergency Aid Responders, Coaches, or Managers (then again, Kuroko's guns were not impressive either).
"Furihata, you're seriously tired already on your first day?" A boy mocked his friend. His strong eyes and short hair made him appear manly and strong for a first year student. "If you want to be a point guard, you're going to have to build up your stamina."
The shorter of the two friends, Furihata groaned. "Talk big now, but I am the one who went down six flights of stairs! Um… Koichi, where is Fukuda?"
"I thought he was with you in English?"
"He was! I swear he was right behind me…" Furihata said with concern. The school was still overcrowded with curious parents so the freshmen boys hoped their friend was not trampled by oblivious, overzealous sea of parents. As if to alleviate his friends' worries, Hiroshi Fukuda dashed into the room red-faced and sweating. "Hey, there you are! Okay, let's go sit somewhere."
The three scanned the room and selected on Kuroko's table. "That one is free!"
All of them took a seat at the group table, but Hiroshi could not pull his chair out.
"Why is this chair so heavy?" Fukuda grunted. His stray strands of hair were glistening with sweat due to over-exertion.
"I'm sorry, but I am sitting here. If you would like, I could move." Kuroko announced. All three friends jumped in fright.
"Oh my goodness! I'm so sorry!" Hiroshi apologized and bowed.
"How long were you there?" Furihata asked nervously.
"I was here the whole time." The unnoticeable male told them. They were amazed.
"Wow, you are a real life ninja." Kawahara said in amazement. Hiroshi took the seat next to Kuroko so that Kuroko sat between him and Furihata. After the other boys introduced themselves to the misdirection specialist, they immediately bonded over basketball. Favorite players in the professional and college leagues, sneaky strategies, smartest coaches, and anything else they could think of. The four teenagers were psyched when they found out that they were all staying in the same dormitory and decided on their first day that they must celebrate this new friendship by playing basketball video games all night long (even some of the ones with questionable ethics due to their decision to not pay the college players whose images they stole). However, before they could agree to a time, Hiroshi, Furihata, and Koichi got distracted by the entrance of a petite, busty, cheerful, young lady. Mouths dropped; she was gorgeous.
"Tetsu-kun, I missed you!" She squealed and rushed to the teal-haired boy. She held him tight; her breasts pressing against the side of Kuroko's face and shoulders. "Excuse me, but could you switch seats with me so that I can sit next to my boyfriend. I haven't seen him since last semester and I really missed him." Momoi begged while bouncing in anticipation. Her voluptuous assets were jiggling with every hop.
"Sure…" Hiroshi gulped before moving to the next empty chair so that he sat beside Momoi. "You are really Kuroko's girlfriend?" She nodded.
"I'm Tetsu-kun's only girlfriend, but my Tetsu-kun is so popular that he also has five boyfriends. I feel so special being the only girl he likes." The pink-haired girl gushed. "Also, Tetsu-kun kissed me first. I was the envy of those silly Generation of Miracles for weeks. Dai-chan didn't even want to play basketball with me for three days."
"Eh? Kuroko is dating the Generation of Miracles?" Furihata gasped.
"I would not consider it dating, but apparently everyone else does." The shadow said with no emotion.
"Actually, Tetsu-kun is one of the Generation of Miracles. He plays a unique type of basketball play that I cannot predict, all due to his hard work and determination. It is why the others and I fell in love with Tetsu-kun. He's just a shy gentleman when he says he isn't dating any of us." Momoi explained.
"Generation of Miracles? What is that?" A rough voice interrupted. Wild red and black hair, intimidating eyebrows, and a large, muscular frame of the stranger surprised the group. Satsuki flashed a knowing grin.
"You'll know soon enough Kagami Taiga, basketball player, and Seirin Dormitory first year." She beamed at his horrified and frightened reaction.
"You know me?" Kagami asked. He did not remember meeting this girl.
"Momoi-san knows everyone's stats in the entire school. She was Teiko Middle School's basketball team manager, and is an excellent data collector and analyzer due to her extreme intelligence. I think she loves basketball more than most of the players I know." Kuroko added.
"Tetsu-kun, you're making me blush! But yes, I have information on all of you. Fukuda Hiroshi, Koichi Satoshi, and Furihata Kouki, all of your skills, strengths, weaknesses, and even the future progress you'll make is all mine. So don't underestimate Touou Dormitory!" She chirped. The familiar ring of the bell signaled the students to take to their seats as the instructor began calling out people's names to mark them present that day (he made sure to mark Kuroko). Most of the lesson after that was about the basics of an Emergency kit, and how to properly use the materials inside. While most of the students were paying attention to the lesson, Kuroko was fascinated by Kagami Taiga.
He knew that he saw that name somewhere before. The Japanese-American mixed teen reminded the ghostly, basketball player of Aomine before their third year at Teiko Middle School. He wondered if the other Seirin first year liked the sport as Aomine did those days… just as Tetsuya was about to ask, the class ended and Kagami swiftly left as if his life depended on it. Kuroko noted that they boy was not the studious type.
"Bye Tetsu-kun!" Momoi cooed and gave him a kiss on the cheek. It was a bit harsher than what the sky-blue, young man would have wanted but he knew she was probably in a hurry.
Thankfully the invisible member of the infamous basketball team had another class in the basement, which was Sociology I. However, he wanted to turn around as soon as he saw who was there waiting for him. Kise and Midorima were sitting at the same table, with an empty seat between them as they talked (Kise talked while Midorima did his best to ignore him). The shadow did not realize that the school really wanted the ex-teammates to associate frequently with each other despite being in different dorms. Perhaps it was destiny that made the Generation of Miracles flock together. He sighed and knew it was inevitable that either of them would recognize him and follow. Kuroko promptly took the chair that they reserved for him and set his book bag on the desk.
"Ha! Momoicchi was right! We would have Sociology with Kurokocchi on Monday." Kise grinned and pulled the shorter teen into a tight embrace. He snuggled his face against the soft, wispy hairs, relishing the feeling of Kuroko against him again.
"Of course Momoi is right. She would not be our manager if she was not meticulous and accessed the most accurate information." Midorima rolled his eyes at the blonde hogging Kuroko. "By the way Kuroko, how was your summer?"
"I mostly spent it practicing. I assume you were training as well Midorima-kun?" Tetsuya countered. The green haired man nodded.
"Oh Kurokocchi, before I forget!" Kise smiled before kissing Kuroko on his slim nose. "Thanks for the surprise on the Ferris wheel. I wanted to return the favor. By the way, are you free on Sunday? We can grab a vanilla shake together. Midorimacchi can even tag along if he wants."
"The only reason that I would do that would be to make sure you do not violate Kuroko's wishes. You can be quite selfish." Shintaro said with a deadly glare that communicated "I don't trust you."
"I would never hurt Kurokocchi," Kise sounded wounded by the harsh words and accusation.
"But you can be selfish Kise-kun," Midorima hid a tiny smirk from Kuroko's words while he adjusted his glasses. Ryouta cried crocodile tears and held the ghostly, ex-teammate against his solid chest. "I would like to have an outing with Kise-kun and Midorima-kun this weekend if I can. However, before that happens, can Kise-kun let go of me before class starts? While I like the warmth, I do not think it is appropriate for us to be hugging like this. I am almost on your lap."
The fashion model sighed and with a heavy pout he let go of his tiny boyfriend. The only person willing to sit across from the eccentric trio of yellow, sky-blue, and green was a young, dark-skinned woman with pitch-black hair. She introduced herself as Antonia Garcia. Comedy ensued when the Mexican-Japanese, young lady noticed Kuroko there, but at least she was polite about the other's weak presence.
When the bell signaled for everyone to go to their next class, Kise scrambled out quickly to outrun his rabid fans, causing Kuroko to land into Midorima's lap. Midorima sighed. The shooting guard mumbled something about the blonde being an inconsiderate idiot and brought the phantom to his feet. But the taller, basketball prodigy surprised Tetsuya, drawing his right hand up to his lips and kissing every digit.
"Midorima-kun?"
"Your calluses are rougher and thicker in texture. You've really stuck to a disciplined and strict training regimen. It is one of your great qualities, that almost annoying tenacity. Don't disappoint me when your team plays Shuutoku." Midorima commented. "I will not go easy on you. I have training and Oha-Asa on my side so don't get careless."
"I would not like it any other way." Kuroko breathed out rather than spoke.
"Good," Both were a little disappointed when the Shuutoku rival released the Seirin member's hand, but they were too private, shy, and poised to hold hands while walking down the hallway.
As soon as Midorima left Kuroko, a powerful, tan arm wrapped around his waist and the phantom heard the words "Tetsu, Satsuki is waiting for us by the garden near Touou dorm. We had a free period before this, so after a light jog we got lunch." Kuroko nodded and followed closely behind Aomine. It was easy to do for the tall, almost unstoppable basketball player had a charisma that made people want to not stand in his way. As the light and shadow passed through Touou Dormitory, Kuroko swore that they walked past a familiar face. An older male with messy, black hair, glasses, and a wide grin, and the sixth man for some reason thought of a Kansai dialect. Knowing that this would not be his last time roaming the corridors of Touou, he brushed it off. Despite not having any hesitation to point out his friends flaws, Kuroko missed being with everyone one of them, especially Aomine.
Daiki, Tetsuya, and Satsuki sat under a tree full of matured flowers. The cherry blossom flowers that represented spring, but also loyalty and integrity. It would be quite fitting to share this scenery with the two childhood friends. Aomine and Momoi had a friendship so strong in its foundation, that Kuroko was frightened to guess what made the pink-haired girl so scared that there would be something that could cause it to crumble.
Before he discovered both Aomine and Momoi had feelings for him, he could not help but feel a bit envious of their relationship. No formalities and their thoughts just rolled off their tongues when they were together. When they kept inviting him to participate in their outings, it made the shadow happy. To be the person they allowed into their special world, loved him with a fierce passion just as strong as their solid friendship and he returned it with full force. His weak presence did not afford him many friends so when Satsuki and Daiki thought he was important enough to add to these moments, despite the disagreements, Kuroko loved every minute with the two and was eternally grateful for this gift.
"Hey Tetsu, eat your takoyaki before it gets cold. We specifically got you the small lunch so that food doesn't go to waste." Aomine scolded. "You can stare at the flowers later." Kuroko pleasantly sighed and stretched out so that he could kiss the side of Aomine's chin.
"Thank you for the reminder." The invisible man whispered before eating.
"Aw, Dai-chan is so concerned about our Tetsu-kun," Momoi mused.
"Of course I am, he's so skinny that he cannot afford to miss a meal." The dark-skinned, ex-teammate worried as he stroked Kuroko's hair. He watched the phantom eat with pure content spread across his face. "He is my shadow and I am the light. At first, we look like two opposites but on the court, we are always thinking the exact same time." The shorter male twitched but continued eating as it nothing happened. That statement used to be true, but the Aomine that was with him at this moment was not the Aomine he was always in sync with. The biggest thing they had in common, basketball, was drifting them apart now.
Good things happen at a swift pace. Momoi and Aomine had to race back inside for class. Shortly after that the ghostly teen got filled and decided to go on a small walk. This time was his scheduled free period, and he did not want to be sick because he did not wait for his stomach to settle. The passing specialist was so busy making sure that he did not get lost in the maze-like grounds that he bumped into someone while reading his map.
"Excuse me,"
"No, actually I was hoping to see you again Kuroko Tetsuya." Kuroko looked up to see the person he spotted at Touou. "Do you remember me? I'm the guy who also likes basketball at the LBGTQIA+ Community meeting in Tokyo." The apparition-like teen nodded. Imayoshi Shoichi was going to be a senior at Touou Academy after the break and he confided in the sneaky man about his problems with the people he loves. It was nice to talk to Imayoshi about those matters because the elder, basketball fan was also polyamorous, pan-romantic, pansexual, and cisgender (a hard combination to find).
Senior and freshman walked aimlessly around the garden; the phantom was not worried about the time or getting lost for he knew the older male was meticulous and calculated. He knew that Imayoshi planned everything about this meeting, the walk they would take, and controlled the flow of the conversation. Knowing that, Kuroko knew he should be scared or cautious, but he felt quite the opposite about the manipulative man (perhaps due to Akashi's influence these kinds of people did not bother him). The invisible member of the Generation of Miracles admired Shoichi's intelligence and how he was able to lull calm into most people despite his usually devious intentions. But really, he could not think of many things the elder man would want with him. There was nothing to gain from physically harming him, and any psychological attack was rather useless as well. Still, despite the concern for a younger person feeling genuine, Kuroko knew that Imayoshi probably had something to ask of him.
"Imayoshi-sempai, thank you for listening to me." Kuroko said.
"It is no bother to me Kuroko-kun. I enjoy helping a younger person who is dealing with the same problems as I am."
"I do not know what you require of me Imayoshi-sempai, but I am not naïve enough to think a good deed from you is free. But despite knowing that, you have been a great help." Imayoshi smirked.
"Hahaha, no, I did not expect you to either. Honestly, I wanted to know more about you because you're very interesting. I can see why the Generation of Miracles are drawn to you, a person they can call their equal and a sixth person of their elite group. So I decided to get to know you. If you were someone that I wanted, then I'd tell you. If you rejected me, then no harm will come of it. I wouldn't want to do anything knowing that you're dating Akashi Seiijuro." Imayoshi leaned over, slowly backing Kuroko up against a tree. "I wouldn't want your boyfriend's emperor-sized ego to deflate as I pleasure his most precious teammate better than he ever could right in front of him."
"Imayoshi-sempai, what have you decided about me?" Naturally curious.
"I will confess right now, I am quite fascinated with you Kuroko Tetsuya." Sly as always, Shoichi snuck a hand into Tetsuya's pocket. Nimble fingers quickly retrieved the phantom's cellphone, adding in his name and phone number into the contact list. "Call if you ever want to see me. Whether it is for basketball, advice, or… well, I'll show you when we get there."
"Okay, I'll call if I want to ask you anything." Kuroko said with a deadpan stare.
"Hm… it is not nearly as fun teasing you when you do that Kuroko. Can't I get at least some reaction? You didn't even flinch when my hand was in your trousers!" Kuroko shrugged. Imayoshi laughed at the continued lack of reaction. "I certainly cannot complain that you are too easy. You should probably go back now. Class will begin soon. What do you have after this?"
"Home Room, apparently it's a scheduled study time while free period is considered time for a light work out."
"Well, we did a lot of walking so I guess you can say that you filled your quota. I'll walk you to your home room. It would not be polite of a sempai to just leave his kouhai lost in the gardens, wouldn't it?" Imayoshi said, his slanted, silvery eyes staring intensely at Kuroko's smaller frame.
"I do not think that I could navigate through the grounds and Touou Dormitory within the time I have left."
With five minutes to spare, the sixth member of the legendary, Teiko Middle School team was in his home room and saw Furihata, Fukuda, Kawahara, and Kagami sitting together. Kuroko learned that the freshmen boys' videogame party began at seven so that they could shower, eat, and rest and they invited Kagami and some of the second year students Hyuuga, Mitobe, Kiyoshi, Izuki, and Tsuchida that were also basketball players.
"I hope we won't be inconveniencing a lot of people who might want to use the public, living room." Kuroko thought out loud.
"Don't worry about that Kuroko. There was a sheet by the open room and people could sign up to get time to spend there or party. We signed up for seven to midnight, and it was free. I think a lot of other students want to go outside because the weather is warming up." Fukuda reassured.
"Just don't get too disappointed if you don't have the energy to stay up late. Coach is brutal." Kagami smiled.
"You know Seirin Dormitory's coach?" Kuroko asked.
"Yeah, she was my mentor in the United States. About two years ago she got an offer from Teiko Academy to be the coach of the new dorm they were building. Last year it was completed so she immediately moved to Japan and took the job. She really likes teaching people how to play basketball." Taiga said nonchalantly before taking a drink from his water bottle.
"She's a former pro, so I'm really excited to see what she'll teach us. I can't wait to play!" Kawahara cheered. Immediately he got asked to be quiet by the students that were actually studying. "Sorry,"
"So… Kuroko, you are a considered one of the Generation of Miracles? Furihata explained to be who you guys were. You're supposedly really good at basketball, so you better not disappoint me on the court. I want to play strong players; otherwise it is no fun to win without a challenge." Kuroko smiled.
"I do not play basketball like most people, so that may disappoint you. But as a shadow, I will do my best to magnify the intensity of everyone's light." The four basketball freshmen were confused but said nothing about the profound statement. With the amount of homework looming over their heads, all of them agreed to get to work. Whenever someone interrupted the silence because they were stumped on something, whoever knew the answer would try to think of an analogy with basketball to the point it became a game. Kuroko could not stop himself from the feelings of joy bubbling inside him, that it almost hurt and yet Kuroko did not want it to stop. He loved every minute of it. Seirin really was the best choice for him.
Kuroko's last class before practice was English I. Despite not liking elevators (due to being crammed into the corner every time he went on one), he knew that his Home Room was three floors away and on the other side of the building. The passing specialist was relieved to know that the elevators in the school were much faster than what he was used to. Even with the long walk, Kuroko was able to get there in time. When he saw Himuro talking to another boy at the group table with four chairs, he was happy to know that there was a familiar face that wasn't the Generation of Miracles. Before Kuroko could surprise them, the teen beside Kuroko's acquaintance noticed him and flashed a knowing smirk.
"Kuroko Tetsuya, we're over here!" The stranger yelled out. Kuroko nodded and headed towards them, sitting next to Himuro and across from the boy that called for him. Mid-length, sleek, black hair, slanted, silvery-blue eyes, and a face that expressed immaturity to conceal his actual skill made the phantom remember a match last year. The boy was able to see him even when he used misdirection. Akashi had to switch him out with Kise because they did not know how to counter Takao Kazunari's Hawk-Eye abilities. "Do you remember me?" The tone of that voice was almost sensual. Kuroko could feel his insides shiver.
"Takao told me about you and your team. The Generation of Miracles is quite an impressive title Kuroko." Himuro said, his face more fixed in an unfamiliar poker face than before. It was a face that dared Tetsuya to play a game against him, and Kuroko could feel his blood pumping harder and his legs twitching in anticipation. He really wanted to play with his friends.
"Yeah, but don't try to run away when we eventually meet. Don't underestimate Shuutoku Dormitory Tet-chan, for I can see you. Honestly, the way you play basketball gets on my nerves…" Takao boasted before leaning in until his face was a few inches away from touching Kuroko's face. The serious look suddenly became one of adoration. "But honestly, what I remember most about you was your adorable face!" Takao grinned and put a hand on Kuroko's cheek, stroking it lightly and twisting the fluffy, soft hair around his index finger. "And you're just as soft as you look-" Kazunari jumped away and back into his seat when a flash of red and a fancy, fountain pen attempted to stab him.
"Hm… you have improved your already impressive reflexes Takao Kazunari. But I will not forgive you again if you touch Tetsuya without his permission. If you do not respect my boyfriend's body autonomy, I will not hesitate to destroy you. Do not believe me at your own risk, but know one thing about me: my word is absolute." Akashi said before withdrawing the pen out of the table. Because of its fragile structure, the ink spilled out, subconsciously sending images in Takao's mind of the flow of blood from a fresh and deep wound. Once the Captain of the Generation of Miracles discarded the broken object, he returned to wipe up the mess with the handkerchief. Himuro and Takao raised an eyebrow at Akashi, wondering why he displayed that much rudeness and violence to a stranger.
"Akashi-kun, how are you?"
"I had a very busy summer, and my only moments of peace were when Shintaro would visit for a game of Shogi. I never had a scheduled break, so I unfortunately couldn't visit you. I really missed you Tetsuya," Akashi said softly while holding Kuroko's hand. Himuro wondered why a gentle person like Kuroko would date someone like Akashi, but dismissed it because it was not of his concerns. Takao grinned. He had met Midorima earlier when they were moving into the dorms and teased him, prying him for information on his girlfriend since he kept checking his phone. When the other went to the bathroom, Takao peaked into the boy's journal to see his rambles of his boyfriend Kuroko Tetsuya, and the people he willingly shared the boy with because they were good friends. So this was Akashi Seiijuro… "Have you been well Tetsuya? I know we send texts, but I never feel that is as desirable as the flesh."
"Yes, I'm sorry I didn't visit you Akashi-kun. You always kept saying that you were busy with work."
"It is no problem Tetsuya. Now come here," Kuroko leaned his head against the Rakuzan student.
"Could you please be polite to Himuro-kun and Takao-kun? Takao-kun is nice to be around because he can see me, and Himuro-kun is a good person."
"Tetsuya… I cannot promise not harming people who might hurt you. Friends do not show such blatant disrespect. They are not your boyfriend, so they shouldn't feel as if they can touch you without any words. While you willing give permission to Atsushi, Daiki, Momoi, Ryouta, Shintaro, and I, that doesn't mean that you give it to other people. You need to be respected and I will remind people of that." Seiijuro remained firm. When the Captain explained it like that, Kuroko could not help but appreciate the concern.
English had so much tension. The teacher wanted to scold the ruby and aquamarine teens for inappropriate displays of affection, but the stern stare from Akashi's eyes silenced the man before he could utter a word. Kuroko decided to lighten the mood; in between reading the grammar rules and basic, necessary, English words, he would ask Himuro and Takao about their day. Takao gave both Himuro and Kuroko his phone number, the three of them almost forgetting Akashi's ominous presence. Seiijuro knew English fairly well due to his father's business connections (it was a necessity in his house), so he spent most of the time watching Tetsuya and stroking the teal boy's hair; he did not mind Tetsuya making friends as long as the Rakuzan student made his stance clear. If anyone harms or touches Kuroko in any manner that displeases the boy, they would have to deal with the red head.
"By the way Tetsuya," Akashi interrupted. "Ryouta proposed to me during lunch that we all go out on Sunday together. We're thinking of going to the zoo, to see the new animals from the Philippines that were recently transferred here. You are free to invite your friends to come along with us." The scary teen said looking at Kuroko's new friends.
"What about the ones you haven't met?"
"Who would you want to invite besides these two?" Takao rolled his eyes at Akashi's tone. The Captain of the Generation of Miracles was still as controlling as ever.
"Kagami-kun, Fukuda-kun, Furihata-kun, and Kawahara-kun would probably like to come." Kuroko listed off. Takao held his laughter behind his hands at the sight of the veins that were appearing much more visible on Akashi's forehead, but Himuro kept his amusement hidden.
"Anyone else?"
"There is an older person, a third year at this Academy staying in Touou Dormitory, Imayoshi-san. We met over the summer. We go to the same LBGTQIA+ Community meetings in Tokyo." The ghostly, pale basketball player remembered.
"I do not want any older people on this trip. They should be studying for college exams, not fraternizing with freshmen. Also, that disgusting Hanamiya Makoto said something once about Imayoshi Shoichi. He described his as the worst kind of person. While I know not to trust such a lowly person's advice, Makoto appeared to be truthful when he was saying that." Seiijuro commented.
"So Tet-chan, what do you want to see first at the zoo?" Takao said trying to make things less uncomfortable.
"The wolves are usually my favorite. They have a strong, pack structure that reminds me of a nice family." Kuroko answered.
"They are pretty interesting. I like the elephants personally. I like how they appear kind, despite their big size and their history of interacting with humans. What is your favorite animal Tatsu-chan?"
"I think giraffes are lovely creatures. They always looked poised and graceful."
"What about you Akashi-kun? Which animal do you want to see the most?" Kuroko asked his authoritative boyfriend.
"I do not need to go to the zoo to see the animal that I am most interested in. Humans are everywhere. But watching humans at zoos can be fun. You see the worst in humanity. Pointing, staring, mocking, humans do these things and act as if this is all for those beautiful animals' welfare. Humans are strange and terrifying, because of their desire to harm and oppress others for amusement, and do everything in their power to deny or excuse these actions. It is for the animals' welfare, to gather knowledge about the world around us, or protect these animals from extinction, but zoos have not afford us much knowledge like observations of these creatures in their natural habitat have accomplished and their efforts to boost populations rarely work. So why do humans like zoos despite how useless they are? Simple, oppression is the most marketable thing on this planet because it taps into humans' desire to be foul to everything around them. Though, I really cannot say it bothers me that much because it is not the exploitation of humans." Akashi's eyes were glowing. Kuroko could always count on the Captain to make everything tense.
"But couldn't the same thing be said about tourists and their relationship with the locals?" Himuro wondered.
"Also strip clubs, for seven out of ten people when asked why they went or frequented strip clubs gave answers similar to reasons to why slave owners liked slavery and having sex with slave women. They liked the power and control over another human being, rather than derive any pleasure sexually from the experience." Takao added.
"… Takao-kun, how do you know that information?" Kuroko asked bluntly. Akashi smiled.
"Tetsuya, you attract very intelligent people… perhaps I should trust your judgment more, even though you can be too trusting." Kuroko hid a pleased smile against Akashi's neck, not realizing Himuro and Takao stared enviously at the cute act and wishing to be in Akashi's position.
Finally getting to practice on the court made Kuroko shudder in excitement and he rushed inside Seirin's area, seeing a blonde woman in her thirties, a second year girl with short hair, a second year boy that resembled a happy kitty, and Antonia Garcia, the girl that was in his Sociology class. The blonde and the second year girl were talking about the schedule for today, making the phantom feel even more joy about practice. Since everyone was still in the getting dressed, Kuroko decided to do some stretches on the floor. The blonde woman was scanning the room, making sure that everything was in place when she absent-mindedly tripped over the shadow.
"Gyah!" She yelled and turned to see Kuroko trying to touch his toes. "How long were you there?" Her American accent was much more apparent when she was surprised compared to when she was speaking with the other students moments ago.
"I was here the whole time."
"Really? Such sneakiness! Are you a basketball player? You are so cute!" She gushed. Recalling Tatsuya's words, Kuroko used his misdirection to shuffle behind the older woman. "Huh? Where did you go?"
"I am behind you."
"Ah! You are amazing at being unnoticed. What is your name?"
"My name is Kuroko Tetsuya." Kuroko introduced.
"I think I remember that name. Are you the one that has a scholarship? You must be one of the Generation of Miracles then." She realized.
"Yes,"
"It is a pleasure to meet you then Kuroko. The name is Garcia, Alexandra, please just call me Alex. I feel so old when students call me by my last name. Oh, I'm also the coach of Seirin Dormitory." They shook hands. "The cute, Japanese girl who is my assistant coach is Riko Aida, our Emergency Responder is Koganei Shinji, and our Nutrition and Diet Expert is Garcia, Antonia, who is my niece. While the other students at Seirin will help out in preparing training menus and cheer for you guys at the games, these three will be the ones that you will interact with the most. Please listen to their advice and you'll undoubtedly improve!" The bubbly woman clapped him cheerfully on the back and went back next to Riko.
It was a bit unnerving when all the players gathered around and Riko Aida ordered them to be shirtless. Kuroko scared the girl a bit when she forgot to examine him, but after she wrote down everyone's stats and where they needed improvement, the assistant coach ordered a game of first years against second and third years.
Team one was Hyuuga, Kiyoshi, Mitobe, Izuki, and Tsuchida, and team two was Kagami, Kuroko, Furihata, Kawahara, and Fukuda. Surprisingly, the freshmen team was able to match evenly with the other team. Every time Hyuuga scored a three pointer, of Kiyoshi dunked the ball, Kagami would dunk and Furihata would get a shot in.
"Alex-sensei, Kagami is a fantastic player just as his physical stats predicted. But the other freshmen are disappointing." The blonde woman laughed at Riko's words and pointed to the court.
"Are you sure? You really need to pay attention to that Kuroko boy. What he is doing is much more impressive." Aida blinked. Kuroko? She forgot that he was playing.
The short-haired girl focused on him, watching his movements. The phantom-like teen was just passing the ball at first to her, until she realized the genius behind it. He was using a technique called misdirection, taking advantage of his weak presence and making others forget he is in the game. While people were not paying attention, Kuroko used his observations skills to quickly intersect the ball and pass it to his teammates. It was brilliant. He would make eye contact with his teammates to make sure they were able to catch the ball without being aware of what he was doing. Kagami would be in mid-run, when suddenly he would have the ball and slam it into the net. Furihata would stand nervously; only to be amazed he had the ball and shoots it in to the best of his abilities. Same with the other players, Fukuda and Kawahara, they were only playing as well as perceived before all because of Kuroko's abilities to steal the ball and pass it to them.
"Who is he?" She gasped.
"The phantom, sixth member of the Generation of Miracles, and now he'll soon be a regular of the basketball team." Alex grinned.
"Soon? Oh, you mean we still have to have them do that tomorrow morning." Riko smirked.
"Of course! It has become a tradition. Besides, didn't it get you a handsome boyfriend Riko?" The Japanese girl blushed.
Once all four quarters were up, everyone was amazed to find that team two had won the match 78-76. Kagami cheered and all the freshmen high-fived each other.
"Don't gloat Kagami, there is still tonight." Hyuuga smiled, remembering the video game night as planned.
"Yes Captain, we didn't forget. Just remember to not underestimate us!" Taiga exclaimed. Alexandra and Antonia chuckled at his antics; there was no difference compared to how he acted in the United States. "Hey Kuroko, you did well. Want to grab a bite to eat before we head back to our dorm?"
"Our dorm?"
"Duh Kuroko, we're roommates. You didn't know?" So that was where he saw the tall teen's name. His mother and father dropped him off early in the morning, and he never got to meet the person sharing a dorm room with him, only the name.
"I didn't know because I came before I got a chance to see you. As for food, I'm willing to eat anything as long as I have a vanilla shake."
Whoa... I will try to make chapters shorter next time. But I think you know what you guys will look forward to in the next chapter. *wink* Remember the roof scene? Except of course, a little altered like everything else in this fanfic.