Kagami was doing his morning run as usual when he spotted Fae was sleeping on the hill where he was passing by. So, he decided to stop by after doing the mental arithmetic of pros and cons.

"Uh..." Fae's face was scrunched up. Kagami noticed how the sunlight was basking on her face. He sat closer to her so that his shadow blocked the sunlight.

It worked.

She slept soundly like a baby.

Aomine was standing in front of Fae's house, which was also, Midorima's house. He prayed so hard that the one who would answer the damn door was the girl, rather than her eccentric cousin.

He couldn't help but grunted as the door opened to reveal the house owner.

Damn it.

His prayer was left unanswered.

A jolt of pain sent Fae awake abruptly, startling Kagami in the process. She rubbed her eyes at the same time she felt her backbone.

A yawn escaped her lips.

"Morning."

Kagami felt perplexed, that he yelled at her. "What the hell are you doing sleeping on the hill publicly like this?! What if a rapist or kidnapper come here and do something bad to you!?"

Uh-oh.

It was only then Fae had been hit with realization. "What are you doing here?"

Kagami went facepalmed. "What do you think I'm doing here?"

"Er.." She paused when she felt something on her chest. Fae looked at herself. A jacket was placed on top of her. Not hers, of course. And she noticed how the sun was covered by the clouds. No wonder it felt a little but chilly. She probably would have had frostbite if not for him.

"Thanks."

Kagami nodded. Fae stretched out. She cracked her head, her wrists and was about to do the same with her waist, but stopped. Kagami noticed that.

"What's wrong with you?"

Fae stretched her hands upwards. "Nothing. Just something from the past."

"Why did you stop playing?"

"Injury."

"Oh yeah..." Kagami scratched his head in embarassment. "Thanks for the flowers."

Fae smiled. "No biggie." She got up and tossed his jacket back at Kagami. "Thanks again. Good luck in your next match."

Before Kagami could ask further, Fae already walked 100 miles ahead of him.

Midorima served tea to Aomine reluctantly. "She's probably on her way back to Akita. Get lost already!"

Aomine rolled his eyes. "Is that how you speak to your former teammate?"

"Oh. You're gonna go nostalgic now?"

"Shut it. I'm not even here to see you." Aomine scowled. "How is she?"

"Fine." Midorima pushed his glasses upwards. "At least, that's what she made me believed." He sighed.

"That incident two years ago really broke her, eh?"

Flashback

The Inter-High finals between Teikou girls basketball club and Meisei middle school was fierce. While the other players busy playing defense, the shooting guards kept on battling for more points to guarantee a win for their schools.

Fae was wiping her forehead with her wristband. She's almost at her limits. Her legs felt shaky that she thought she would collapse any soon.

Her eyes travelled to the scoreboard. Only one-point gap. There was another 15 seconds left. It was Teikou's offensive play. Teikou's PG, Sayaka was dribbling the ball. Her eyes scanned all over the court, simulating the best route to lead them to victory.

She knew there was no choice, but to go heads-on with three pointer to end the points tug-of-war.

And her best shot was...

"Midorima!" She passed the ball to Fae and created a screen in order for Fae to shoot freely without anyone trying to block her path.

Fae smiled after receiving the ball. There was not enough time to get under the basket and shoot a lay-up or doing fancy tricks. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and remembering all those hellish shots she made with her prodigious cousin.

She positioned the ball firmly in her palms and jumped, aiming for the hoop. But Meisei's number 15 was trying to block it, so she retreated backwards and released the ball.

BBBZZZZTTTT!

It was a buzzer beater and she made it in!

Teikou had secured their consecutive double wins with a score of 90 to 88.

"I won!" Fae gave Midorima a hug and jumped on Aomine's back. "Give me a kiss, Daiki-kun~"

Momoi giggled at Fae's request and how Aomine was taken aback. Midorima shook his head in disapproval. "Don't do that in public, Fae."

She puckered her lips and got down from the tanned teen's back. She wrapped her arms around his.

"You're no fun, Shin."

"Shut up."

"Congratulations, Faecchi!"

"Good work, Fae."

"Nice game, Fae-san."

"Here's a snack, Fae-chin."

Fae smiled brighter than the sun. The boys were so cute. "Thanks! Let's go celebrate!" Aomine and Fae were lagging behind than the team.

"Aren't we joining them?" Fae asked. Aomine had been quiet. Something he hardly do.

"Nice buzzer beater." Aomine complimented. "And..." He gave her a peck on her lips. "Be careful with what you're asking for."

The group was waiting on the side of the road, waiting for the light to turned green on them.

"What shall we eat? Okonomiyaki?"

"We ate that last time!"

"I want more snacks."

"Murasakibaracchi..."

"Cake?"

The noise they made made it felt like 30-person was conversing when in fact, it was only seven of them, including Momoi.

"What do you want to eat, Fae-san?" Kuroko politely asked. The light had turned green by then. They started crossing the road.

"I don't mind." Fae took out her cellphone and began replying some texts she had. She didn't realize that she had been left behind so when she did, she ran before the light turned red again. Unfortunately for her...

"FAAAAEEEEE!"

That was the last sound she heard before collapsing in her own pool of blood.

End flashback

"She changed drastically after that."

Midorima nodded. After the accident with the car, Fae broke her spine. It nearly cost her her mobility. But, it costed her the sport that she loved. The very same sport that she had poured her heart and soul into it.

From Midorima's POV, Fae wasn't exactly the smartest girl. She had just enough grades not to send her to detention room or took supplimentary exams. And sports? That was her greatest weakness. She polished her basketball skills just because of him. Because she enjoyed the fast-paced basketball.

And simply because, she felt so happy when it was her first win.

Yet, that also was taken from her.

"She didn't let anyone come to her hospital room. She stopped socializing. It took her awhile before she could actually smile." Or faked one.

"More importantly, she said something I never expected her to say." Aomine hold his head in hoping to reduce the headache he suddenly had.

I hate basketball.