Autumn Games

Summary: Between the summer Interhigh and the Winter Cup, there was autumn. Stories from on and off the court. Chapter 3: Keeping an eye on the teacher, he penned a note on the back of a grocery receipt in his pocket, folded it, and carefully passed it backwards.

I don't own Kuroko's Basketball. Fujimaki Tadatoshi does.


Chapter 3: Note Taking

"Hikaru lined up the hina dolls across the window sill and watched them with admiring eyes.

'Hikaru, you really like the hina dolls, don't you?' Sachiko watched her son playing."

Taiga paused. This manga was ringing a bell in his mind. Seriously. Keeping an eye on the teacher, he penned a note on the back of a grocery receipt in his pocket, folded it, and carefully passed it backwards. Kuroko's fingers plucked the paper from his and unfolded it behind his copy of their class reading material.

Hey Kuroko, does this manga seem familiar to you?

The note came back with Kuroko's tidy handwriting. (Taiga's eyes darted between Haruno-Sensei and his team mate so he could watch out for the returning note and Sensei's gaze at the same time..)

This is my first time reading it.

It's not that. Something in the manga reminds me of someone...

Taiga's scrawl, still a bit shaky with his kanji, used the remaining space on the receipt so the note that came back to him was a receipt for vanilla milkshake at Maji Burger.

Which someone?

Midorima I guess. He's not the same as Hikaru, but he's obsessed with horoscopes and those lucky items. Well, I don't know the guy as well as-

His pen reached the edge of the paper. Quietly he fished around his pocket for another receipt and found one from Mizuno Books.

-you. Do you reckon Midorima has autism?

Midorima-Kun has Asperger's Syndrome, a type of autism. Ah, I didn't know you shopped at Mizuno Books, Kagami-Kun.

Whoa, seriously? That explains it. I get cook books from there.

I buy my favourite novels at Mizuno.

Several pages later, a thought popped into Taiga's head as he saw Hikaru join the special education class with other students.

What about the other guys from Teikou? Does anyone else have – you know, something different?

A library notice came to him this time, saying,

Kise-Kun has ADHD and Aomine-Kun has dyslexia. I don't think the others have anything like that.

They were probably weird though. Genius types always were...

OK. I'm not going to go easy on them though. On the court they're just opponents.It doesn't matter if they're "special."

How like Kagami-Kun to say that.

What? I'm not being dis- you know, judging them for being different. I'm judging them by their basketball!

Discriminating. I know what you mean. You're a good guy, really.

What's that supposed to mean?

Keep reading or Haruno-Sensei will catch you.

Watch out for yourself, Kuroko. Haruno-Sensei is sharp eyed,

but he ducked his head into his book.

He is sharp.

Almost as much as Arai-Sensei. Remember when he caught you sneaking in late?

Remember when he caught you sleeping?

There was no room left on the library notice, either side, so Taiga tore a blank page from his note book to write on.

Oi, how do you deal with Kise? The other day he sent me a video during class and I got detention. And coach was mad at me too!

You should have turned your phone off or put it on silent.

I was caught off guard.

I forgot to ask. Did Kise send you the same video he sent me? You got a message at the same time.

Yes. Considering it's Kise-Kun, he probably sent it to everyone from Teikou and Kaijou.

That idiot. Gangum Style has been on TV and the radio every day. Why does he need to send us the YouTube link?

Kuroko's answer came back on a new piece of note paper, and arrived with another note that read,

please pass this to Mamiya-Kun

Taiga passed it backwards and read,

Kise-Kun likes that sort of music. He must have gotten excited. He always did this at middle school too.

Pass this to Fujimoto-Kun

How come people keep using us to get notes around class?

Because we rarely get caught, I guess. Ah, can we use a different kind of herb in cooking class? I can't afford saffron.

Saffron? Oh, crap, I misspelt that! Saffron is really expensive! I meant Moroccan seasoning. Sorry.

Wow. Kagami-Kun, your spelling is really bad.

Shut up! I got used to English spelling.

Then why are your written English tests so bad?

Hey Kagami, how come you're not in the cooking club? From Oda.

I'm busy with the basketball club.

You can be in more than one club, Kagami-Kun. I'm in the library committee.

Oi, are you reading over my shoulder?

Sorry. The writing was so big and flashy I couldn't help it.

This was on a new note page again.

Aw, come on! You're one of the best cooks in class! At least think about it. I know lots of people who are in two clubs.

Yeah. At least think about it, Kagami-Kun.

Uh, fine. I'll think about it. Don't nag me!

Hey Kagami-Kun! If we end up doing a food thing for the school festival you're on kitchen duty! How are you at breakfasts? From Osakada.

Oi Kagami, there's a rumour about a ghost in the gym! Is it the same ghost that was haunting Teikou school?

I think they're talking about me.

I'm not surprised.

The ghost is Kuroko. He's sitting behind me. And he's not a ghost.

Oh. I was kind of hoping... well, my cousin is a霊媒. I want to see her working.

Can you translate this Kuroko?

It means someone who deals with spirits.

Have you finished reading, Kagami-Kun?

The latest note was on office paper.

No. Why?

Maybe you're too busy passing notes.

I didn't ask everyone use me as a pass lane.

Why don't you stop then?

Who is this?

This is Haruno-Sensei.

Taiga jerked his head up. There was sensei, looking knowingly at him.

Oh crap...

XXX xxx XXX

12.15 pm

From Aomine-Chi

((Oi Kise! Don't send me stuff during class time. I got detention because of you))


12.30 pm

From Momoi-Chi

(( XD Ki-Chan!))


12.32 pm

From Midorima-Chi

((Don't send me stupid things, Kise. That video is ridiculous.))


12.34 pm

From Kise

((At least you watched it XD))


12.36 pm

From Midorima-Chi

((Idiot. Takao stole my phone when I was checking my messages.))


12.46 pm

From Akashi-Chi

((Ryouta, don't text me during class.))


4.04 pm

From Murasaki-Chi

((How like Kise-Chin))


6.13 pm

From Kasamastu-Senpai

((Don't text in class, dumbarse! You're gonna give me 40 push ups tomorrow!))


6.20 pm

From Kagami-Chi

((Don't text me during class you idiot. And why Gangum Style? It's already all over the TV. I don't need it on my phone. Bugger off))


6.23 pm

From Kuroko-Chi

((You shouldn't be using your phone during class, Kise-Kun.))

XXX xxx XXX

Notes and translations

The manga their class is reading is called With The Light by Keiko Tobe. It's a fictional-but-educational series about raising an autistic child in Japan. I read it in a library. It's pretty cool.

霊媒 – spirit medium