Misplaced

Chapter Four: Kaijō [Side Story]

Aomine didn't know what to expect when he got stuck with Kaijō. He didn't really know much about high school basketball teams. Why did it matter? It's not like anyone could defeat him; so why bother?

But Kise's choice.

The blond has never defeated him and never will, but he was still a good opponent. But could he be trusted to pick a school with a good team. On one hand he couldn't picture Kise going to a school with a weak team. However, it was Kise. Even if they had some good players by others' standards, what would their personalities be like? He could still remember when Kise spoke of makeup as a topic of interest. Even if just for a short while, he did have to spend time around them.

Satsuki hadn't been helpful to him either. He has asked once but she hadn't had time to gather information yet. Since then, she probably has. He knew for a fact that Satsuki went and introduced herself to the coach. No doubt wedging her way in while also briefly explaining the situation.

He went to the first official practice. He had to see what he had to deal with; if there was anyone interesting enough to even come to practices (though he knew there wouldn't be), and Satsuki would kill him if he didn't at least go to make a first impression.

He yawned. It was the middle of class, but maybe he would take a nap.

.

Kasamatsu stiffened when his name was called out. It was lunch and he had been gathering his things prepared to leave the room.

"Hello Kasamatsu Yukio."

He looked towards the person. It wasn't just anyone, it was a girl. A single syllable left his mouth and it was incomprehensible. He opened and closed his mouth a few more times but nothing came out.

"I'm Momoi Satsuki. I'll be the team's manager." A manager. They had a female manager. He visible shook. "I was thinking about talking about the recruits before practice—" She wasn't oblivious to the Captain's uncomfortable form. "Right," she muttered. "I knew you were bad with girls, but I didn't know it was this bad." Kasamatsu made some more incomprehensible squawks and squeaks. Momoi just took it as wonderment to how she knew. It was a common reaction. "I know everything." The statement didn't make him feel any better.

.

The day didn't get any better when practice started. He had been expecting Kise, but now he had Aomine. Not that the decision was his to start with—that was all on the coach. It would have been nice to get some warning.

His first order as captain was to introduce themselves.

"Hey captain! Who is she?"

It wasn't like anyone hadn't notice. A cute girl like Momoi standing at the side of the gym with a clipboard and pen in hand.

"Momoi Satsuki. I'll be your manager."

"Lucky!"

Katsamatsu yelled at them to quiet down. He didn't need a reminder that there would be a girl around them all the time.

Aomine was bored as person after person introduced himself. Eventually, as the only person left, he introduced himself. He blandly said, "Aomine Daiki." He didn't say anything else.

As drills were going to begin Aomine went to the side of the gym and laid down with the magazine he previously put there.

"What do you think you're doing? Get running!" yelled Kasamatsu. The nerve of the first year.

"It doesn't matter. As long as we win it doesn't matter." Aomine didn't want to hear his nagging. He got enough of it from Satsuki.

"This is Kaijō's team. That means as a Kaijō member, you'll be practicing with the rest of us. I don't care if you were part of the "Generation of Miracles" or whatever. You're a first year and us senpai have been building this team."

Aomine remembered being told not to attend practices anymore. "It doesn't matter. The only one who can beat me is me. Practice or not, that fact won't change."

The coach stayed out of the conversation. He did think that Aomine should be practicing but it wasn't like he would make Aomine sit out if he didn't. They didn't have the power to beat Aomine's former teammates if he did. According to Momoi, those were probably the only matched the ace cared about anyway.

Aomine stood up and grabbed a ball instead of running. He casual dribbled the ball onto the court. He spun the ball on his fingertip showing his amazing control before making a slight hand movement, shooting with his formless shot.

People gapped. What kind of shot was that?

Aomine looked over his shadow back at the captain. "I've been beating older opponents—older than us—when I was still in elementary school. And if none of Kaijō's player's can even open it then you don't have room to complain. Aomine left the gym, trusting that Satsuki would bring him his belongings later.

Kasamatsu wasn't pleased and yelled after him.