The Perks of Being a Phantom Player
"Where there is much light, the shadows are deepest."
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Chapter 3
The Perks of Kuroko Tetsuya
April 13
Dear Friend,
Remember Kagami Taiga, the Sakuragi Hanamichi look-alike? He is totally full of himself. I guess he deserves to show-off but man, as his friend, I felt embarrassed by what he did yesterday. (Also a bit awed but I have to settle with embarrassed.) Everyone was gathered in the school ground for the morning assembly and then out of the blue, from the school rooftop, Taiga shouted.
"Class 1-B, seat 8, Kagami Taiga! I will defeat the "Generation of Miracles" and become number one in Japan!"
Everyone was surprised! And I finally got to say "NANI!" with a shocked face. I just perfected that expression. I don't know what that was about and I couldn't talk to Taiga since he is not eating his lunch in the classroom. I had to wait on him until his practice was finished after school.
We stopped by Maji Burger, a nearby fast food restaurant because he was really hungry. You can't really talk to him when he is hungry, you know. His brain wouldn't work. Anyway, hungry wasn't the best way to describe his appetite. He just ordered ten hamburgers (and it's all for him)! Can normal people eat that?! No wonder he got so tall! I waited until he had his second before I spoke.
"Are you an idiot?!" I said. I was really happy saying this famous line. Every anime has this line! I spent awful waiting hours just to say this to Taiga since he was the only one I could say this to. Mika and Toru are out of the question.
"The teachers already lectured us." Taiga said.
"I just wanted to say 'are you an idiot'." I confessed. "Anyway, what was that about?"
"It was the coach's requirement to be a real club member. Either that or confess naked in front of the girl you like."
"Wah! That was a bit extreme. For basketball." I said, fishing out the fried fries.
"But the teachers…really, do they have to be that angry because I spoke a little bit loudly?"
"A bit loudly? That wasn't your loudest?!" I asked him aghast.
"I hadn't done anything yet and I still got scolded…" a voice so eerie it made the hairs in my back stood up, suddenly said. It was soft and low.
I whipped to my side and saw a guy with sky-blue hair and eyes, with the uniform of Seirin High. He was sipping a vanilla shake. And he was sitting BESIDE me. I choked with the fries I just ate. It got stuck inside my esophagus and I can't breathe. Oh my god, I can't breathe! Taiga, due to shock, sprayed the soda out of his mouth and the liquid splattered into my fries. I could have said that was disgusting and demanded a new one but at that time I was in the process of dying!
"And it has become quite a problem." The guy continued.
Shit! I can't breathe!
"That's true…" Taiga suddenly agreed with him. My eyes were watery now but both of them seemed to be oblivious to what's happening to me so I pounded on the table. I'm dying! For god's sake!
"AHHH!" Taiga screamed seeing my situation. He immediately stood and gave me a good slamming just below my sternum with his fist. If I didn't die from choking then I'll probably die from what Taiga just did. Jeezus, he is ridiculously strong! I think I just broke a bone there! The fries came out from my mouth and it landed on the wet fries. I was exhaling heavily while the three of us looked at that disgusting piece of fried potato that nearly caused my death.
Recovering from a near-death-experience, I was glaring at the guy who was now in front of me. I sat beside Taiga to get a good view of this villain. I know it's rude, but he just almost got me killed, appearing out of nowhere like that! It seems that he is in the same club with Taiga.
"Who the hell are you?" I asked, rudely.
"Hello, nice to finally talk to you Maya-san." He said nicely. I already felt guilty.
"Uhm, do I know you?"
"We are classmates. I am Kuroko Tetsuya."
I looked at Taiga and he nodded that he is indeed our classmate. My face turned red.
"I'm sorry! I didn't know!" I apologized.
"It's ok, it's actually happening to me a lot." He said this so seriously, I wondered if he was actually hurting or just completely indifferent.
"Kuroko here has really unnoticeable presence." Taiga explained.
Well, obviously.
"So when did you sit with us?" I asked.
"I was here first." He said mildly.
"So I've been sitting beside you from the start?"
"Yeah."
All the hairs of my body stood again and I started to have goose bumps. I was really freaked out by this creepy person named Kuroko Tetsuya! I nearly fainted.
"Maya! Get your act together!" Taiga said, pushing me back up.
"Anyway, it doesn't seem that I will be able to fulfill my part of the promise anytime soon. What will I do if I can't join the club?!" Kuroko sadly said.
"There's no way that can possibly happen!" Taiga said, trying to comfort him. "Anyway, you are good enough to be called the phantom sixth player, right? Why didn't you join renowned schools like the other members of the "Generation of Miracles"? Do you have a reason to play basketball?"
Although Taiga seemed to be asking Kuroko a serious question, I can't help but be curious and ask them about the Generation of Miracles (Kiseki no Sedai) and Kuroko being the Phantom Sixth Player. I have no idea what they were talking about.
After Kuroko explained that the Generation of Miracles was the strongest basketball team in the history of Japan's Middle School Basketball (from Teikou Middle School or something) and after Taiga explained that Kuroko was one of the Generation of Miracles that comes only once every ten years. I asked:
"Ehhh… so why did you choose Seirin, instead of Kainan or Shoyo?"
Taiga looked at me like I'm crazy. "That just what I asked him! And what is this Kainan and Shoyo thing? What are you talking about?"
I gasped. "I can't believe you don't know Kainan or Shoyo?! And to think that you're a basketball player!"
"Dakara!" Taiga said exasperated. "What on earth are you saying?"
I dropped the subject noting that Taiga doesn't watch anime and let Kuroko state his reason. I kept my mouth silent the whole time that he explained to keep myself from saying any unnecessary comments. I'm blunt sometimes. Taiga and Kuroko take basketball (maybe a little) too seriously. Kuroko was even coaxing Taiga to become number 1 in Japan, and of course the Seirin Basketball Club, and that he will be Taiga's support (he actually said shadow – WTF).
I finally rolled my eyes.
"Do you mind if I call you Tetsu? Kuroko and Tetsuya are a bit long." I butted in, looking at Kuroko Tetsuya.
"Ehm, you can call me anything you want." Tetsu said.
"Great. So Tetsu, I'm just warning you not to make Taiga's head bigger than it already is."
"Oho, and just how big my head is?" Taiga said, his eyes dim. His (super) big hand grabbed my head like a basketball. And it's gripping it too tightly. Despite this however, I'm amazed that he can grab my head just with one hand.
"Just to remind you, I'm a girl. You have to treat me a little better!" I said to Taiga. He released his hand.
After a few minutes of talking about basketball, we went home. Tetsu's house is farther than Taiga. He really is dedicated to go to a school as far as Seirin for basketball.
Before we part, I suggested he watch The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya. It will help him communicate with what he wants to say.
This morning, the school was at a big commotion because on the school grounds written in extremely large fonts.
"I WILL MAKE YOU THE NUMBER ONE IN JAPAN."
I knew instantly that it was Tetsu. He just forgot to write his name. That idiot. I hope their coach saw what he did and will finally make him an official member of the basketball team.
During class, l tried to feel the presence of Tetsu but I failed. He just appears in his seat at the back whenever he wants to or whenever I call him. He is extremely gifted with this unnoticeable presence thing. I even interviewed our classmates about Kuroko Tetsuya and it seems that they are all unaware that he even existed! The teachers, Taiga, me and now Mika and Toru are the only ones who know about him.
At lunch break, I introduced Tetsu to Mika and Toru. They almost screamed when he appeared.
"Whoa! That was amazing!" Mika said.
The three of us were crowding around him, looking at him like some prized jewel.
"See, I told you! He is amazing." I said, proud to have a friend like him.
"Can you do that again?' Toru requested.
"Uhm, I am not really sure, now that you've noticed me." Tetsu said timidly.
"What if we turn around and count to five?" Mika suggested.
"Uhm…" Tetsu said unsurely.
"Yeah, yeah! That's a great idea!" I said.
The three of us turned and counted to five. When we turned back, Tetsu was gone. All of us made an "ohh" sound.
"Tetsu, show yourself." I ordered, extending my hand to where he was seated, as if performing an incredibly awesome magic.
And then he appeared! The three of us cried in surprise and then laughed, praising how awesome Tetsu is. Just when I was having fun, a (super) big hand grabbed my head again.
"What do you think you are doing, Maya?" Taiga said, again, his eyes dim.
I sweated and laughed nervously. I looked for help but Mika and Toru already moved away. They lifted their fist to me and mouthed "gambatte". Those traitors! They even have the guts to cheer me on!
"We're getting friendly with Tetsu…" I said.
"You're making fun of him!" He accused. I gasped in shock.
"He's my friend! How can I make fun of him?!"
"No, it's ok. I was enjoying myself as well. And you shouldn't be really doing that to a girl." Tetsu comes to my rescue. Taiga released his hand.
"You don't have to defend Maya." Taiga said to him.
"But I'm not."
"See!" I said. I stuck my tongue out at Taiga.
I, then, held Tetsu's shoulders so that we're looking at each other's eyes. "Tetsu, if ever Taiga bullied you too, just tell me…"
"You'll save me?" Tetsu asked expectantly.
"No." I said flatly. "I'll call the teachers."
"Oh."
"Tetsu, understand that someday, you will become a great ninja!" I said with such conviction, I saw for a moment that Tetsu's eyes sparkled.
And so that ended my day. I made another incredible friend. Tetsu really does amaze me. I decided to feel his presence from now on! He's such a character; it's the first time that I saw someone like him!
Love Always, Maya.
PS. I'm going to kill Taiga. His grip just caused marks in my head! That idiot!
PPS. Tetsu is a poker face aka kuudere (search google for further explanation).
