Ah, there aren't many chapters left until the end, so I will appreciate every opinion. I hope you enjoy it!


Chapter nine: I am tired

The flight to New York turned out to be tiring as hell since it was way too boring. At first Aomine had decided to stare at the blond stewardess's big boobs but soon after that he found out that they seemed to be so big thanks to a plastic surgery. He was disappointed. Then Aomine had tried to read the sports magazine. It didn't take long for him to come to the conclusion that baseball was not his sport of interest. Sadly, the basketball pages were full with information he already knew. When he had tried to fall asleep in order to kill some time, the baby that was on the next seat started crying.

Perfect. Just perfect.

Now all he could do was to think through his plan. Not that he had one. Aomine closed his eyes and sighed tiredly.

What am I going to say to him?

Good question since he had left without much thought. All that had been on his mind while making that phone call to his father, was that he wanted to see Kise. There was nothing planned beyond that.

What could I possibly say to him?

Yo, Kise! I know I have been acting like an asshole for the last few years but recently I have been feeling strange when I am thinking of you. And there is another thing... I have been masturbating while thinking of you for a while...

Such a nice way to star a reunion. Aomine frowned and looked at the clouds outside the window. The sun was already rising slowly above the horizon and the color of the rays reminded him of Kise's blond hair. Aomine let his lids shut down and tried his best to suppress a groan. He wanted to see him.

Tetsu was right. He needed to see Kise.

The thought of being the reason why Kise had quit basketball was hurting Aomine in a way he did not want to admit.


The game was in its fourth quarter and the Hawks, Ian's team, was leading with a small point difference. The other team, a strong one Kise realized, was still trying to catch up and turn the flow of the game. Not that it was going to happen given that Kise had taught the Hawks a few tricks how to use their smaller built as their advantage. It wasn't much but it was enough to help them score. They were faster thanks to the new movements and no matter how tall the other players were, it was hard to defend the hoop from the half line. That's why Ian's team had managed to lure the opponents away from the basket and now were using their speed to break through the defense.

However, when the clock showed just three minutes left of the game, something bad happened. The small forward of Ian's team was pushed on the ground by an opponent while the first was trying to score. In result Callen, the small forward, injured his ankle badly enough to be subbed out permanently for the rest of the game. Sadly, there was no one even close to his abilities to fill in the gap.

Kise watched from the Hawk's bench (Ian had insisted on him going as their supervisor) as coach Wesley examined Callen's leg. Then he silently wrapped it and sighed.

"I guess he wouldn't be playing for the last few minutes." The coach scanned the benched players for someone who was good enough to support the team. There was no one since the team had only one small forward. Wesley scratched the back of his head. "My, my... Paul..." a dark haired boy looked up and his eyes flashed with something that Kise knew was fear. The boy wasn't confident in his abilities. "No... I can't let you play now.." the coach had obviously concluded the same.

Kise bit his lip, an idea forming in his mind.

"I could replace him. I am a small forward as well" He suggested before he could even think and that made the rest of the team gape at him. The blond model immediately felt like ha had screwed something. Maybe it wasn't a good idea after all. He was still recovering from his knee trauma and not to mention that the thought of going out on the court again was scaring him... but he couldn't let the Hawks lose when he had the power to help them. Not when Kise could see that each and every one of them was playing not only like the wanted to win. They were playing like the game was enjoyable.

Ian's face lit up and he quickly took out a spare black uniform from his bag.

"Ah, I hoped you would say that, Ryouta!" he exclaimed and handed the clothes to his friend." I remember you saying you were number seven back in Japan so I made sure you would wear the same one here."

Kise took the uniform not sure what to think. He had made himself quite clear that he was not going to play for them. Yet, Ian had prepared clothes for him as if he knew Kise was aching to play.

The coach watched as the two boys stared at each other. He sighed and smiled softly before he clapped his hands.

"Rick, you take Callen to the infirmary and then come back as soon as possible. Paul, you go with them and keep an eye on Callen" the coach shot a warning look at injured boy. "You stay there and rest."

The dark haired boy tried to stand up but ended falling back on the bench with a yelp of pain. "But I can still play" he said not actually believing himself. " There are only three minutes left, I will handle it!"

Kise's lips curved into a smile. Ah, he remembered a scene like this one a few years back when Kuroko had been injured in a game.

Callen was just as determined as Kurokocchi.

The model threw the uniform on the bench and quickly stripped his T-shirt. There wasn't enough time to go to the changing rooms. With new found determination, the blond put the top of the black uniform and unbuckled his jeans in front of everyone's amazed faces.

"What?" he asked with a mocking smile as he adjusted the bottom part of his new uniform. "I don't intend to let you lose a game I prepared you for so carefully"

Ian's lips curved into a bright smile and he took Kise's clothes before folding them and placing the garments in his own bag. Just looking at Kise in that back uniform was enough to convince him that the model was stronger than he looked.

His muscles were too well defined for someone who played only during his free time. Not to mention that Ian had seen Kise play.

Too bad their opponents didn't stand a chance against their new player.

"OK! NOW LET'S WIN!" Shouted Ian and all of them headed back with Kise walking just a step behind.

His blood boiled at the moment the ball hit his hand and something in Kise awoke. It was something hidden deep inside his heart, something that made him feel even stronger.

I wish you could watch me now, Aominecchi.


Aomine cursed again when Kise didn't pick up his damned phone. Currently the Touou's ace was standing in front of the door to what had to be Kise's apartment according to the note from Momoi, bit no one was answering his desperate knocks.

He dropped his black bag on the floor and scrolled down his address book to find one specific name. If Kise wasn't home or had a new number, there were a few people who could help him get in touch with the stupid blond.

The man picked up almost immediately.

"Hai, Aomine-kun?" asked Kuroko, sounding slightly confused. No wonder since in Japan it was still night. Aomine felt guilt for waking up his former partner but he had more important things right now to say.

"I am in New York and I can't get in touch with Kise." he said bluntly not bothering with greetings. There was a short silence and then rustle of sheets.

"Didn't Momoi-san give you his address?" the teal head asked sleepily and rubbed his eyes.

Aomine rolled his eyes. What was he according to Tetsu? A moron. Of course he wouldn't take off without knowing Kise's address.

"Yeah, but he isn't home and I can't just sit in front of the door until he comes back." He grunted and ran his fingers through his short hair.

Kuroko smiled in the darkness and lied back on his bed with his eyes closed. Perfect timing.

"Ah, I remember him saying that he was going to the basketball court near his apartment. Something about an important game I think." He decided to leave out the part in which Kise was supposed to just watch the game.

Aomine felt his blood freeze in his veins and his face paled.

"Kise is playing again?" On the other end of the world... not even bothering to call and let them know?

The phantom player was already grinning. Perfect. The plan was going as smoothly as possible.

"Well, you should ask him" he mumbled and yawned. "If you don't want to go see him right now, wait for him in the apartment. Kise-kun said there was a spare key under the door map."

He could already imagine the surprised look on the model's face when he found Aomine in his apartment.

Aomine gripped his phone.

"Yeah, thaks, Tetsu" and without waiting for reply he shut his phone.

Shaking with a mix of emotions Aomine certainly did not like, he found the key (mentally noting to scold the blond for being so stupid to leave the key there) and opened the door to leave his bag there. He didn't really bother with looking around, too busy to go to that fucking court.


Aomine arrived just a minute before the game's end and he couldn't do anything else but stare. The black uniform on Kise looked wrong. He had to be in blue. He had to play for Kaijo, not some stupid American team.

Once he had recovered from the initial shock of seeing Kise in a foreign uniform, Aomine was amazed by the blond's movements. Kise was faster, his technique had improved and what is more... Aomine couldn't even recognize who's style the blond was copying...

No...

Aomine narrowed his eyes and looked more carefully as his former team mate broke past two of his opponents with agility equal to his. The movements... they looked like they were made for him.

Kise isn't copying. He is playing.

And fuck him, but right then Kise looked stronger than during their match against each other.

The game ended with a victory for Kise's team, which wasn't really surprising. What caught the Touou's ace off guard was the look on the model's face as all of his new team mates hurried to him to celebrate the win.

Kise was smiling so bright that Aomine had to blink a few times to make sure he wasn't really dreaming. His face looked so happy, so enthusiastic that it made the other wonder how long had it been since the last time he had seen this expression. Years?

Just when Aomine had decided to go back to the apartment and wait for Kise there, the blond looked up as if he had sensed the other's stare.

His expression froze, the happiness was replaced by utter confusion, anger and something else that Aomine did not want to name. Kise's eyes widened in surprise.

Aomine was there? In New York? Watching him play? And that face he was making... it was almost as if he was hurting. Kise swallowed and tried to keep his facade. He had to stay calm. He had to keep his emotions under control. No matter how happy he was to see his former idol (bacause somewhere deep down Kise had been prying that Aomine would come to get him back), the model was angry. That bastard dared to show in front of him after everything he had done?

Aomine felt a cold shiver run down his spine and shame filled his heart. He had screwed up really hard this time, hadn't he?

Aomine watched as Kise brushed off his team mates and silently walked to the bench to take his clothes. Before leaving for the changing rooms the blond made a sign for Aomine to wait outside. They needed to talk.


Kise frowned when the two of them entered his apartment. There was a black bag right in the middle of the hallway. He sighed and placed his own sack down on the ground before closing the door behind his former team mate.

An awkward silence followed. Actually, during the whole way to his home, neihter of them had dared to utter a single word.

Kise gathered all of his courage and released a breath he had been holding.

"So... I heard that you lost to Kurokocchi..." the blond cursed himself for saying something he hadn't planned on saying. The expression on Aomine's face, one of discomfort, only made Kise feel more on the edge.

Aomine looked away from the blond boy, not sure what to say now that Kise was in front of his eyes. A simple sorry wasn't enough.

"Yeah..." he mumbled and scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "I guess he really brought me back in reality" his lips curved a little but it wasn't a smile. More like a grimace.

Kise nodded and took off his shoes.

"There is no need to ask who told you about the game today. my address and the location of the spare key?" he asked casually although he was shaking on the inside. Kise walked to the kitchen, Aomine was following close behind.

The Touou's ace barely noticed the expensive furniture and the nice yellow color of the walls that reminded of Kise.

"So you really kept in contact with Tetsu although you refused to answer to that Kasamatsu guy?"

Kise looked up from his position next to the coffee machine, surprise written on that handsome face which made Aomine's heart skip a beat.

"How do you know about senpai?" he asked, forgetting the coffee for a while.

Aomine adverted his gaze once again and wished he hadn't started this conversation.

"He came to me to ask if I knew anything about your leaving." He felt his stomach sink.

Kise tilted his head, the smile on his face wasn't a happy one at all. No, his eyes were full with something that resembled sadness.

"But you didn't know anything, right?" he asked with a faint trace of desperation in his voice. He hope Aomine had at least tried to learn about his whereabouts.

"Ah, no, back then all I knew was that you had left for America because some stupid contract." and that was all he had managed to hear from those annoying fangirls.

Kise wanted to object and say that his contract wasn't stupid at all, but all words seemed to stuck in his throat. So instead of saying anything, he nodded and turned away to finish the coffee.

"It is better if we don't get in contact" the blond mumbled and turned on the coffee machine.

Aomine's eyes narrowed and his lips formed a straight line. Anger was starting to boil.

"Why? So that you could play for another team across the world instead of continuing to support Kaijo?" he accused coldly and clenched his fists. He was prepared for a fight with Kise.

To his surprise, the model turned around to face him with a blank expression on his face.

No, Kise, smile. You should always smile.

"Why do you care?" he asked quietly and then looked down to his feet. " You didn't care before, so why now?"

Aomine felt like slapping himself for upsetting Kise like this. The face the blond was making was a sight the Touou's ace did not want to see ever again.

He stepped closer and started to reach out but his hand froze midair.

"I am sorry" he said quietly. "I am sorry for leaving all of the team behind and for being so selfish"

Kise felt his chest tighten but he refused to let the tears that had fogged his vision fall down. He was not going to cry. Not in front of anyone.

"I am happy that you are back" the model said and moved away from Aomine to take out a forgotten box with Chinese food from the fridge. He hope it was still edible. He set the box down on the table and took out two sets of chopsticks. "I guess you are hungry"

Aomine watched how Kise sat down and took a bite from his dinner. That was all? He wasn't going to cling to him, to cry like he used to and to beg him for some one on one?

Of course he wouldn't.

"Aren't you going back to Japan in two weeks?" Aomine asked and decided not to sit down. Not yet.

Kise swallowed his food and put the chopsticks away for a while. His appetite was long gone.

"Ah, no..." he admitted and looked away again, not daring to meet the other's eyes. Aomine felt his world start shaking. " I was thinking about moving permanently here."

His head spun so Aomine had to grip the edge of the table to steady himself.

"Here?" he asked weakly and blinked a few times, hoping it was a fucking dream. A nightmare. "You want to stay here? Not go back to Kaijo?"

The model let his head fall did not want to have this conversation.

What are you doing here, idiot? Why would you come here now of all times?

"Yeah, I think I couldn't go back to Japan" he admitted and Aomine finally sat down. His knees were too weak to support his weight.

"Why?"

Kise looked at him with a smile Aomine did not like at all.

"After the game today I realized something." the blond said and a dim flame lit his sad eyes.

Don't look at me like this, please. Not with those eyes.

"I am tired of watching you and everyone else from Teiko play the way you do..." his voice was weak, almost a whisper. "All of you had forgotten why we started playing basketball. At some point even I was lost the same way Kurokocchi was but now I refuse to go back and watch not only you, but all of them."

Aomine was dumbfounded. All he could do was sit there and try to assimilate what Kise had said.

He didn't even notice when Kise excused himself and walked out of the room saying something about preparing the guest room.

I am tired.