Where are those carrot fans, of mine? You know, those who love carrots? ... no one?
Okay, so what if said carrot is Midorima Shintarou? Where are the fans now, hm? (Cheers erupt suddenly from nowhere) Yeah, i thought so.
Disclaimer: You know the drill, right? Right? Good. But just in case, i do not own KnB, the plot and OCs are my property.
Naomi let out a sigh of relief as the bell signaled the end of the day. As much as she missed going to school in Japan, the boring lessons would never change, and neither would her eternal urge to sleep through them.
She slowly and neatly grabbed her stuff, looking over at the door to see if Tetsuya would come and get her, and she was disappointed.
The male twin stood at the door with his usual emotionless demeanor, staring directly at her as if telling her to hurry up.
"You know, Tetsu…" she spoke as the class emptied and he joined her inside. "…You never told me how it went with your coach. Did she like your pledge of loyalty to the club?" she smiled.
"Who are you talking to, Miss Kuroko?" apparently the teacher, who hadn't left the room, hadn't noticed the boy that entered.
"That would be me, sensei."
"GYAH—Dear God, I've always known phantoms were real!" the teacher hid behind his desk.
"Actually, sensei, I'm glad to say my brother is very alive, even though he can be… sneaky at times." Naomi told the teacher.
She just knew her brother wouldn't be able to keep a straight face if he were to speak for himself.
"Brother? Oh, yes, of course, now that you've mentioned it, you two are strikingly similar—how have I not noticed this before?"
Naomi giggled slightly, before tugging on her brother's arm to leave, but the teacher had once more held them back.
"Before you go, Miss-Kuroko, I'd like to have a word with you."
"Of course, sensei." She detached her hand from her brother's arm and told him to go along, that she'd meet him at the gym.
"I'll be fine, Tetsuya, besides, I'm only going to talk to sensei, then get changed. I'll be there before you can say… um…before you can say 'I'm not gay!'" Naomi whispered to him.
"…When do you think I'd be in a situation where I'd say that?" Tetsuya rose a brow.
"With Ryo, maybe? Either way, just go ahead, I'll be there soon."
Tetsuya sighed, but complied (only after sending the teacher a blood-chilling glare that clear meant if-you-are-a-predator-you'll-become-my-prey).
"So, sensei, do you need anything?" Naomi asked politely.
"Actually, I was meaning to ask you about the club activities you want to partake in. It isn't obligatory, but since you're a transfer student and that you came in a little late, we prefer you mingle with at least club members, to avoid shunned students." The teacher said.
"Ah, I appreciate your concern sensei, but I've already chosen which club I'd like to join. Is there anything else?" Naomi felt a little rude for downplaying the speech so quickly, but was too excited to get to the club.
"Yes, Miss Kuroko. I've been summoned to a staff meeting to discuss the basketball clubs behavior from yesterday, but I have a few things I have to do. Would you please give his to the head of the meeting, the principal?"
Naomi wanted to say no. She wanted to say 'Nay, I'm busy!' and flip him off from making her late to practice. She really, really wanted to, but she didn't.
"Of course, sensei. Would that be all now?"
"Yes. Thank you very much, Miss Kuroko." The teacher started gathering his stuff after handing Naomi a folder.
"Please, sensei, I prefer being called by my first name, due to American habits." Naomi sighed.
At least she could prevent the three basketball club members in her—soon to be—basketball club from discovering her blood relation with Tetsuya.
She walked out of the class with a pout. It seemed like she'd be later than expected.
óThe Other Kurokoó
"Focus, Kuroko!"
Practice had begun, and they'd started off with drills and warm-ups, but Tetsuya couldn't help but worry for his sister. The gym was exactly five minutes away from her classroom, and since she'd be changing in the girl's volleyball changing room, which itself was two minutes away, she should've been there in ten minutes, fifteen at most.
But twenty minutes had passed since he left her and still no sign of her! Was she hurt? No, no one would dare lay a finger on her…right…?
But the predators… they could easily take advantage of her by ganging up and—
"Haven't you been listening?! The teams have been formed, go join yours! Geez, what's with these freshmen?! And Kuroko-kun—where is he?!"
Tetsuya felt that he'd regret not joining the team with the less members, so he did so before signaling his presence.
"I'm here, coach."
"KYAH- but you weren't there—I just looked away for a second and—forget it. Let's just get on with the match." Riko pinched her forehead in annoyance before putting the whistle in her mouth, and blowing into it as she threw the ball in the air.
Kagami, who'd been playing the tip-off against Hyuuga, got the ball, bypassed his fellow first years and dunked the ball immediately.
"As amazing as dunking is, if that's all he can do, then what's the point?" Hyuuga asked.
"Kagami does have a… Kaga-mean habit of not passing, too." Izuki inputted, earning him a punch for his captain.
"Die, Izuki!"
"I'm sure that if he worked with Kuroko-kun we'd get a powerful combo, but with the way he's playing, I doubt he'll do it. Not without encouragement, of course!" Riko grinned evilly from the sidelines.
"Oi! You guys! If you get the ball, pass it to me, I'll score." Kagami told his teammates. "And you Kuroko… well, let's see how far these passes can take us."
Tetsuya frowned at the lack of team-play. He did believe (even if there was very little belief) that Kagami could beat the GoM with his help, but if he acted and thought like them, what use would it be, to try and beat them? It probably wouldn't even work that way!
The distinct sound of a whistle brought Kuroko's head back to the game.
Izuki was in possession of the ball, was ready to pass it to Hyuuga, and Kagami was to his right. Tetsuya observed the way he turned before waiting for the perfect opening.
'There!'
Tetsuya quickly stole the ball and passed it to Kagami, who fumbled with it a bit, but still managed to make the dunk.
The small forward phantom sighed. They needed to work on that. Desperately.
Speaking of need, he needed to know if his sister was safe. It wasn't normal for her to disappear for so long! If another minute passed without her showing up, he'd go look for her, regardless of—
"Kuroko-kun…are you staring at Kagami-kun?" Riko asked, a small excited glint in her eyes.
"No, I wasn't. I was thinking of someone." Tetsuya immediately regretted saying that, because the whole court turned to look at him.
"This person you're thinking of…would it be someone like um… a possible… boyfriend?" Riko's blush clearly made some of the second years uncomfortable, but they still were surprised by the possibility of the phantom being gay. (Just to be clear, they weren't discriminating or anything, they were just surprised).
"You're gay?!" Kagami exclaimed.
"No." Tetsuya frowned. "I'm not g—"
"Sorry I'm late Tetsu! I got lost after the teacher asked me a favor!"
All eyes turned from Tetsuya to the girlish voice that came from the gym's door, and said teenager let out a sigh of relief.
Naomi stood at the door in baggy basketball shorts, and the leggings she wore under defined her toned legs from boxing and dancing, basketball shoes, a large tank top that really did nothing to hide the neon-pink sports-bra she wore underneath, her hair tied up to the side of her head, and a black and pink sweatband on her left wrist.
"Naomi-san…?" Riko asked. 'Even if I'm not trying to analyze her, I can already see she has very high stats. Probably due to practicing more than one sport. She seems to have great stamina, speed and flexibility, her reflexes are good too…'
The girl skipped over to Tetsuya and gave him a side hug as she faced the coach.
"You can all call me Naomi, class 1-A. I'm here to join the team, if you don't mind!"
…
"EH?!"
Naomi flinched at the high frequency of their screams.
"Geez, Tetsu, your team is loud!" Naomi told him, releasing him from the side hug.
"Wait, you know Kuroko?" Kagami asked.
"Of course I do, we're…what are we Tetsu?" Naomi asked.
"Naomi and I are close friends, if you want." Tetsuya explained.
"Yeah, I remember when you told the principal's grandson off when he was bothering her!" Furihata snapped.
"I remember that too. I think that's the most talkative Kuroko has been around us." Kawahara added.
"Naomi-san hugged him that day too, and even calls him by a nickname of his first name. That, and Kuroko doesn't use any honorifics with her, and he usually uses honorifics with everybody." Fukuda added.
"You know her too? I'm starting to think she's popular." Tsuchida said.
"I guess you could say that she is among us first-years. Everybody knows her, especially after the incident with the principal's grandson." Kawahara explained.
"What are you doing here Naomi-san?" Riko asked.
"I said I was here to join, right? Can I?" she smiled.
"What do you mean join? I mean, having a manager wouldn't be bad but…" Hyuuga said.
Naomi frowned. She didn't want to be a manager! Hadn't Tetsuya explained that before she came?
"I want to join as a player on the team! Like, maybe a small forward, or even a point-guard!"
The team remained silent.
"Tetsu, didn't you talk to then about this? I thought you told them already!"
"Sorry, I was worried about you and I forgot."
Silence remained for a while, the air became stuffy and tense.
Was it such a bad thing, that she wanted to join the team as a player? Their coach was a teenager, a girl no less, so why couldn't she be a player?
"Um, Naomi-san, you are aware that this is a boy's basketball team, right?" Riko asked.
"Yes, but that really shouldn't be a problem. Many girls have played on an all-boys team before, like Sydney Phillips. There is no rule that stipulates I can't join and play with you guys, so all you have to do is say yes!" Naomi smiled.
"Say yes? No, it isn't that simple, Naomi-san. I mean, I personally wouldn't mind, but every single member on the team has to agree, including Takeda-sensei. Also, not that I want to sound un-feminist, or reversely-sexist, but to be able to join the boys team and not receive complaints from anyone, you'd have to be an amazing and above-average player, be able to keep up with the boys without favoritism or special treatment." Riko explained.
"I understand." Naomi nodded. "Which is why I'd like to prove my worth. I'll play against any player you throw at me, and you'll be able to judge if I'm amazing and above-average enough to join with the guys; also, I never expected to receive any special treatment from anyone at all, as I'm fully aware of the injustice and problems it can be in the team. I'd rather be known as just one of the guys."
Naomi finished her rant as she picked up a ball and dribbled it a little.
'She has a steady grip on the ball, a steady rhythm and the ball is practically bouncing up to her expecting-hand. She knows what she's doing.' Riko squinted her eyes, watching Naomi closely.
"…Very well. You'll go against Kagami-kun; if you manage to score three shots with him on defense, and if every player accepts you as a member, then I'll let you join. If he gets five baskets in before you reach three baskets, you shall not be accepted, even if everyone votes a yes." She spoke. "However, I have a close idea of what you can or can't do. Please try not to go all out with your other skills- as this is only basketball."
"I'm perfectly capable of holding back, Riko-chan! I know better than to punch someone in basketball, I also know not to suddenly turn a one-on-one into a salsa, so don't worry." Naomi grinned sneakily to the coach.
The boys were partially stunned to hear their coach ask to hold back, but said nothing of it and cleared the court.
Kagami, however, felt highly offended when his coach had asked his opponent to hold back- and that she had openly accepted to do so!
He stood on the court putting himself immediately in a defensive stance, glaring at Naomi.
'She seems familiar, though…' Kagami shook his head, as if chasing the thought, and focused on the girl, waiting for her to move, but she just… stood there.
"…Oh, so we've started?"
Tetsuya resisted the urge to face-palm at his twin's ridiculousness. Really, had she no sense of seriousness when it came to matters of people she had yet to provoke?
"Are you serious?!" Kagami raged.
His coach really had to have a good reason to put her on offense. She had a disadvantage of height (obviously), of strength (somewhat) and speed (something he assumed by smelling her).
How could she possibly win against him?
Naomi looked over to her twin, who seemed bored and slightly annoyed with her stalling.
'Well then, time to get serious!'
Kagami almost felt relieved when Naomi bounced the ball, but that had quickly turned into anger when he realized that she had passed him.
'Damn!' He thought. 'I was so busy focusing on when she'd act, rather than how she'd act!'
Naomi smirked slightly as she noticed Kagami behind her from the corner of her eye, and suddenly stopped running.
Kagami felt a bit surprised, seeing the girl's action, and unconsciously slowed down while trying to figure out what was going on, when she shot the ball from the three point-line.
"When did you get there?!" Kagami yelled.
"Who, me? Why, I've been here the whole time." Naomi retrieved the ball, ignoring the blazing look from Kagami, and got back into position. "Show me what you've got, tiger!" she taunted.
Kagami's face darkened, and everyone held their breath for what'd happen next—an angry basketball idiot was one to commit fouls and be aggressive, and judging by the look in the red-head's eyes, he wasn't far from such a state.
"Oh, believe me, I'll crush you!"
Kagami stood before the short girl, putting as much pressure as he could on her, turning his anger into determination and will-power, however, the girl seemed entirely unaffected by it, as she faked to the left, crossed to the right, and shot a three pointer.
"Woah…"
"How does she do that?!"
"Kagami has been owned by a girl?!"
"That's some sick talent… doing such simple moves but making them look impossible to counter!"
Naomi dribbled the ball a little, waiting for Kagami to get his head back in the game (as he was distracted by the comments), but was surprised when Kagami quickly stole the ball and dunked it before she could catch up.
"Wow, that's some strength you've got there, tiger. Think you could teach me?" Naomi whistled.
"Like hell, I'll teach you!" was the only response she got.
"If that's the case…" Naomi frowned. "…I guess I'll learn it myself!"
Naomi performed a crossover, once more passing Kagami with simplicity, and running over to the basket.
"A jump-shot...? No… she's going to dunk!" Hyuuga exclaimed.
Naomi jumped as high as she could, arms stretched out to the maximum, as she came closer and closer to the basket, when… gravity did it's work and brought her back to the ground.
"EH?!"
"If you're going to dunk, do it properly!" Kagami yelled, grabbing the ball and dunking it himself.
"Huh? But it was my first try, I'm not perfect you know." Naomi pouted, taking the ball. "Besides, you couldn't have gotten it right on your first try either!"
"Whatever!" the red-head snarled at the girl.
'Seems like I'll have to pull a Tetsu, hm?' thought Naomi.
With a terrifying smirk, Naomi put all her force into the ball as she bounced it.
The loud noise it produced caused Kagami to look away from her completely, and she took profit of that slight moment of distraction to go past Kagami, towards the basket, and gave her the needed opportunity to try to dunk again!
…Keyword: Try.
She fell short of a few centimeters, losing the ball once more to Kagami, who scored another point.
"If you're going to do something, do it right!" the red-head yelled.
"…Tetsu, what are the scores again?" she turned away from the infamous idiot and towards the phantom.
" Three baskets to two, with Kagami-kun in the lead."
"I can try to do it once more, right? The dunk!"
'Is she… is she an idiot?!'
As if reading the audiences minds, Tetsuya sent a chilling glare at everyone who had thought the previous, and nodded at Naomi.
"Of course you can, Naomi. Just don't get too carried away and hurt yourself."
"M'kay, I'll be careful!" the girl sent a Kise-like smile towards Tetsuya, who inwardly cringed, and continued playing against Kagami.
"How did you do that?" the latter gritted his teeth.
"Do what?" Naomi smiled innocently.
"You know what I mean! You just disappeared, like Kuroko!"
"Oh, that? I guess I'm kinda good at trying new things. It's my third time trying to do that particular move, too, and it's my first time getting it right." Naomi waved her hand nonchalantly at Kagami and drove past him.
"Third time?! There's no way someone could learn a trick like that by doing it three times!" Kagami put pressure on the girl, occasionally trying to swipe away the ball.
"Wanna bet, eyebrows? Cause I can assure you…" she paused to drive once more past the player, rushing to the basket and jumping. "…'Three times' a charm' is something that I live by!"
And at that, she dunked the ball, earning her the last point she needed, meeting half the conditions set for her to join the team…
"…I DEMAND I REMATCH! I WON'T LOSE AGAIN!"
…and earning herself a new rival.
"Aaaaaaand, game over!" she gave Kagami a thumbs up.
"Don't make fun of me!"
The other members of the team all seemed to agree on the fact that the girl had extraordinary talent and could be a great addition to the team, while coach seemed a little skeptical.
'She's capable of a lot more than she shows… I can't say for sure, but it does seem like the first time she dunked. However, I can easily tell that she missed the first two on purpose… why would she do that?'
"Did you see that Tetsu, I dunked the ball!"
"I did see it, but there was no need to show off."
"Why can't you just say you're jealous, hm?"
"I'm not jealous, Naomi. In fact, I'm quite glad I can't dunk."
"Huh? Why is that?"
"Because if I did, you'd feel bad about being inferior to me."
"Says you, Tetsu. I'm the very definition of perfection; you are in no way superior to me!"
"Especially in stupidity."
Riko attentively watched the banter between the two bluenettes in curiosity. Wasn't Kuroko more of the silent type?
She shook her head and blew once more into her whistle.
"Alright, all those in favor of Naomi-san joining us, please say so!"
Almost immediately, Fukuda, Kawahara, Furihata, Koganei, Mitobe and Hyuuga expressed there acceptance. Izuki hesitated a while, before nodding, as did Tsuchida. Takeda-sensei gave that one smile of his, not needing words to give his opinion, and Kagami just grunted a yes, earning a few looks.
"What?!"
"Oh, nothing… I just though you'd be a little…" Hyuuga scratched his neck.
"What? You think I'd let her have her way, fooling around, and then just let her leave? Oh, hell no. I'll have my revenge first, I swear it!"
"…yeah, I knew you'd be immature about this." Hyuuga sighed.
"Okay, so that's everyone except… Kuroko?" Riko gasped.
"Eh? Why, Tetsu?" Naomi whined.
"…The predators…"
"…We've talked about this yesterday, Tetsu. I promise to kick anyone I find overbearing in the nuts, and to karate chop them if you like!" she grinned.
'How can she say that with a smile?!'
"…Well, that's convincing, but what if you get hurt?"
"Jeez, Tetsu, you worry so much for my welfare, I might just blush!"
"Please don't say stuff like that." Tetsuya sighed.
Here came the emotional, long and convincing rant.
"Tetsuya, we both know I can defend myself, and if I couldn't I know you'd do it for me. I'm joining this club because it's what we both need, and because I want to be by your side, hm? I know how dangerous it could be for me to play with guys, especially when fouls get involved, and dirty players too, but I'll handle it, and you'll be there for me too, right?"
"Always." Tetsuya nodded.
"If so, then there is no need to worry, hm? Also, I'm sure you'd take profit of being with the team to eat unhealthy things, so it's also a way to keep a close eye on your diet."
After that somewhat beautiful-emotional-'romantic' moment (and Riko secretly fangirling at the cuteness) (and the boys cursing the former Teiko player), Tetsuya had given the okay, thus letting Naomi join the team.
"Welcome to the team, Naomi-san!"
"Please take care of me!"
óThe Other Kurokoó
No matter how many times Naomi tried to tell herself it wasn't true, she'd have to accept the fact that she had not only gotten separated from her brother, but also was lost, in Tokyo, the fifth most dangerous prefecture in Japan.
It was all well, though. She and her brother had gone to eat dinner, and then got a few milkshakes, then went roaming around the city, and she suddenly lost her brother. She went looking for him and ended up getting lost, herself.
It didn't make any sense, really!
She sighed before stopping in front of a random house.
She'd have to ask for help, and it seemed a lot safer to ask someone who was inside a house, rather than someone standing around. (Seriously, those people were fucking creepy, staring at you like a piece of meat!)
She walked up to the door of a nice and slightly outdated looking house (which was also a comfortable shade of green that somewhat soothed her) and sighed.
Oh, how she hoped it wasn't the house of some perverted old man.
She knocked gently on the traditional styled door. At first, she was startled by the immediate response of the door opening, and even more when she saw the face of a man towering over her, but calmed down, even if just a little bit, when she noticed the white coat he was wearing.
"Good evening, Miss. Can I help you?" the man asked as he gave her a tired yet welcoming smile.
"Oh, I'm sorry to bother at such a late hour! I'm Naomi! It just so happens that, um, I'm kind of, uh, lost?" she stammered nervously.
"Lost? In this part of the town?" the man frowned.
"Actually, I just returned from America, and I've never lived in Tokyo before now… I was with my brother up until earlier, but we were separated earlier, and, well…I-I don't want to be a bother, and, um, all I ask for are directions, on how to get from here to uh… Seirin High School? O-or Maji Burger, or something like that?"
"Nonsense!" the man laughed warmly, surprising Naomi greatly. "It is far too late to let you go home alone like that. How about you come in? My wife was making some tea; I'm sure she wouldn't mind sharing some with you. Once you've warmed up a little, because I doubt you, being in the cold for so long, aren't freezing, and then my son will walk you home, hm?"
Naomi wasn't feeling it. Sure, the man before her gave off a trusting vibe, but that never meant that it wasn't fake! He could be a psychopath for all—
"Tou-chan, why are you at the door?" a sleepy, muffled voice came from behind the man, who bent down to the source.
"Ah, the little princess is awake? We should get you back to bed, Himeko-chan." The man picked her up. "Please do come in, Naomi-san."
…Okay, so he seemed suddenly very trust worthy. She had brainlessly followed him in at that point.
"Pardon the intrusion. I'm very sorry for bothering you all, so late." Naomi bowed upon entering, but receiving a light chuckle made her lift her head.
"Don't worry about it. I had my fair share of getting lost in my own teenage years, so I know how it is."
Naomi smiled towards the beautiful green-haired woman, dressed in a white kimono.
"I'm Midorima Nakano, this is my husband, who has surely forgotten to present himself, Midorima Hayato. This is our daughter, Himeko." The woman took the sleepy child from her husband.
"Pleased to meet you all, Midorima-san, Midorima-san, Midorima-chan. I'm Naomi." She smiled.
"Please, just call me by my first name, or uncle. It gets confusing otherwise." Hayato waved it off.
"Me too, Naomi-san. I hope being so informal doesn't bother you." Nakano gave a motherly grin.
"Of course not. I lived in America, these past three years, so it's actually quite common for me."
Nakano excused herself to put the child to bed, and Hayato did the same, but to get changed.
"Make yourself at home, Naomi-san. We won't be long." Hayato waved.
"Thanks again, Hayato-san!"
Naomi sat by the wooden table et in the middle of the room, observing the asago flower-buds placed on it, waiting patiently for summer to go into bloom.
She fingered the hem of her skirt patiently, when she heard a door open.
"…Who are you, and what are you doing here –nodayo?"
It wasn't intentional, not at all, but Naomi let out a giggle.
What was that? 'Nodayo'? the accent he had was funny too.
"Oi, answer me before I call the police."
Naomi took a good look at the boy before sighing. He wasn't the type to take a joke, hm?
"I'm Naomi. I'm lost, and Hayato-san offered me to have some tea before his son takes me home, son who apparently is you, if genetics aren't wrong."
"Obviously." The boy scoffed. "…What is your sign? And blood type?"
"Aquarius, and A-blood type. Why?"
The teenager frowned and didn't reply, which really irked Naomi, but she decided to be the bigger person and didn't let it show.
Instead, she asked him why he was holding a bottle of magnesium.
"Do you have bone problems or something?"
"Of course not, fool." She frowned at the comment. "This is Cancer's lucky item today. Even though Cancer's were ranked first today, one is never too sure. Oha-Asa is never wrong."
"Oha-Asa…?" she asked.
"I see you two are getting along." Nakano entered the room with a tray and four cups of tea.
"Okaa-san." The teenager acknowledged her presence.
"I'm sure he hasn't told you, but this is Shintarou. The men of this family have great problems when it comes to presenting themselves to the female gender." Nakano shared, giggling a bit.
"Okaa-san, please don't say embarrassing things."
"Now, now, Shintarou." Hayato reentered the room in a kimono of his own. "It's true, we just have to be men about it and accept the fact. Rather than that, I thought I overheard you talking about Oha-Asa again."
"It seems our guest has no knowledge of the zodiacs and their impact in our lives." Shintarou frowned.
"Actually, I am well aware of the zodiacs impact, and I know all the signs, both western and Chinese. Mind you, I always listened to the horoscope before going to school, in America. I just haven't really found any reliable horoscope here in Japan—oh, I'm sorry, you probably don't want to here me rant on, and on!" Naomi scratched her neck in embarrassment.
"Ah, it's fine. With Shintarou, here, we're quite used to it, but it's nice to know he isn't the only one of his age thinking about such things." Nakano smiled knowingly.
"It's more of a habit than an interest, really, but yeah. This tea is also delicious, Nakano-san. Is the earl grey?"
"Ah, thank you, Naomi-san. It is earl grey. How did you know?"
"I tend to drink some when I'm nervous; it has a really soothing effect."
"You find so too? I'm glad we see things the same way, Naomi-san." Hayato nodded.
"Well, not that I don't appreciate being here, but I must go now; I'm sure my brother is worried sick, by now." Naomi got up after finishing her tea.
"Of course, Naomi-san. You're welcome back her any time, so don't hesitate to visit us again." Nakano smiled, standing up herself.
"Yes, we will happily have you over. Also, Himeko surely will be glad to meet you too." Hayato stood next, and signaled for his son to do the same. "Shintarou, accompany her home. She doesn't know the way, so take her somewhere she finds familiar, and once she gets somewhere she recognizes, help her all the way home, hm?"
"…alright, Otou-san." Shintarou sighed.
Naomi put her shoes back on and stepped out of the door, with Shintarou following behind her.
"Thank you again, Hayato-san, Nakano-san!" Naomi smiled.
"Any time, Naomi-san."
The couple then closed the door and Naomi turned to Shintarou.
"…so…"
"Where do you live?"
"Not really far from the Maji Burger near Seirin High…"
"I see. Let's go. It's unwise for the both of us to be out at such an hour."
Naomi silently followed the boy, feeling much more tense than when she met his father. He walked a couple of steps in front of her, seeming totally uncaring as to if she was keeping with his pace.
She really didn't understand why he seemed to hate her so much when she hadn't done anything to him at all. The thought caused her to let out a sigh, that caught his attention.
"…If I recommended you a reliable horoscope service, would you follow it?" he asked.
"Uh?...I guess I'd try it out and see for myself if it is reliable first." Naomi mused.
"…Try Oha-Asa. Not that I care or anything. It's just annoying to think that you could end up losing faith because the lack of liable sources." Shintarou never turned to look at her as he spoke.
"…I'll take your word for it, Shintarou-san. I'll give it a week, see for myself." Naomi nodded slightly.
"…also, do you go to school at Seirin High?"
"Yes, I do. You must go to another school in Tokyo—I'm pretty sure I'd remember seeing you in school."
"Correct. I attend Shuutoku High."
"That's cool."
Silence reigned one more before Shintarou spoke again.
"Who is this brother of yours?"
"Oh, my brother? I doubt you know him. He's a really silent guy."
"So silent as for you to not notice you are no longer with him?"
"A-ah, well, that isn't exactly…" Naomi fumbled on her words before pouting. "He's a ghost-like human, okay?! It isn't really my fault if I lost him in the crowd, even if I usually see him better than most!"
"Don't embarrassing things such as screaming in the middle of the street." Shintarou reprimanded.
"O-oh. Sorry."
"…We're here."
"Oh, good! My house is that way!" Naomi pointed off towards the park that was slightly visible from where she was, but suddenly gasped. "Tetsu!"
She obviously noticed the worried frown on his face, but still ran over and gave him a huge hug (suffocating him).
"Kuroko." Naomi slightly released Tetsuya, giving him enough space to be able to talk (and mostly breathe), surprised that Shintarou knew her twin.
"Midorima-kun." Tetsuya kept his poker face on, concerned by the fact that Naomi was in company of his former teammate.
"You know each other?"
"Of course, fool. I wouldn't know his name otherwise." Shintarou scoffed.
"Refrain from insulting Naomi so casually, Midorima-kun." Tetsuya didn't hide his frustration, earning a look of shock from Shintarou.
"Ne, it's okay, Tetsu. It's his way of acting, and he helped me found my way too. Just take me home, already. I'm tired, and we have school tomorrow!"
Shintarou was genuinely puzzled by the way Naomi addressed Tetsuya so casually, and how he replied in the same manner, and even standing up for her with more aggressiveness than he'd ever displayed before (which he actually never displayed in the two years he'd known him).
"…Are you perhaps Naomi-san's brother?"
"…Who knows, Shintarou-san? Maybe he's my brother, or my closest friend—he could be a total stranger that I only met once too…"
"That last theory is impossible, as Kuroko never greets someone so casually, as to let them hug him when he could have easily dodged them. You mentioned having a phantom like sibling, and Kuroko happens to have the title of the 6th phantom player. It is no coincidence."
"…you are right. I am Kuroko Naomi, his twin sister, but no one else needs to know that. Well, see you later Shintarou-san!"
Naomi flashed him a smile (that somehow got on his nerves) and dragged the older twin away, not sparing another glance at the green-head.
She was really a strange one, even for an Aquarius.