[A/N]: This will focus more on the Generation of Miracles now. Thank you LUCKY02, Soldier9871 for adding this to your story subscription list! Please read and review!
X
Rakuzan stepped into the gym confidently, with the air on a champion that had won many times before, and knew that this match was likely going to be no different. They were led by a stern grey-haired man and a lively-looking indigo-eyed girl, who was carrying a super large bag that looked like it could store a basketball player inside.
She seemed the only apprehensive one, and was frowning hard as she talked to the coach beside her.
Himuro Tatsuya sighed as he proffered another bag of potato chips to his purple-haired friend, who was already finishing a whole box of banana-flavoured Pocky.
Ever since the day he met Murasakibara Atsushi, he was assigned to feed and care for the almost baby-ish giant unofficially, and was in charge of feeding him whenever he got hungry. Or else, Atsushi would stop practising, and Coach Araki would essentially explode at least.
Although it was going to be Atsushi's hardest match yet, he still seemed nonchalant about their opponents, multitasking as his mouth was biting on Pocky, and his eyes studying the Rakuzan players.
Through an entire mouthful of Pocky, he somehow managed to spit out some sentences rather grossly, with some crumbs spilling out.
"Aka-chin never loses. And I'm not playing as well. Although Aka-chin isn't playing, he'll still ensure that his team wins. Anyway, they have that manager Misaki. Aka-chin said she's good. And Aka-chin is always right."
Himuro scowled, before rebuking his friend for being so gross. Atsushi was always saying that Akashi Seijuurou was always correct and supposedly somehow never wrong or made any mistakes in his life.
No one could be that perfect, right? But Atsushi never spouted rubbish about anything. Whatever he was saying definitely would contain elements of truth in it.
However, Himuro could tell that the ex-Teikou captain had an extremely commanding presence. The moment he looked at the Yousen team, from a distance it might seem like a mere glance.
But when Himuro looked into those red and gold orbs, he almost turned away or cringed. Those eyes… Truly terrifying. They pierced directly through you, seeming to examine your every though. Made you feel vulnerable. Helpless.
Did those eyes make Atsushi so sure of Akashi's power? Or maybe not. Himuro could sense that along with those powerful eyes, the Rakuzan captain had other specialties. He was the captain of a bunch of older basketball players, after all.
That would take a lot of skill. Unlike his current captain, whom almost no one listened to despite his seniority.
Imayoshi Misaki. Kantoku had mentioned that she was a freshman straight out of middle school and Rakuzan's new manager. If she was only a first year manager of a first-class school… She must be skilled.
Atsushi had said something about her being in the second string 'together with Ki-chin' – whoever that was – in second year. From what he had gathered, Imayoshi was the second string vice-captain and led them to victory in her final year.
Impressive. That was after a gold drought for more than a decade.
Himuro subtly watched the Rakuzan basketball team manager as she brought her team to the benches and started distributing things, with a kind of stern look on her face, almost motherly. He could tell that she had an athletic figure – after getting trained by Coach Araki once on identifying body shapes – and was really, really experienced.
She was confident, happy, and was always smiling as she started talking to her team about something or other, as the players drank some drinks and nodded.
They all paid 100% attention somehow, unlike what the Yousen team did… That was kind of unsettling, but with Misaki and Akashi Seijuurou in Rakuzan, the players had to pay attention or be bashed.
Even their coach was senior and looked kind of intimidating…
But nothing can beat Taiga and his tiger-like looks.
Though Seirin was already eliminated, Himuro was looking forward to facing them at the upcoming Winter Cup.
He didn't think much of the Interhigh, as Yousen, Touou and Rakuzan's best players weren't allowed to play, under orders of the ex-Teikou captain. Ridiculous, but nothing could be done to change that. It would be certainly uninteresting without them.
Himuro sighed, and decided to gather around Kantoku for further instructions.
This match wasn't exactly going to be very exciting. Perhaps Atsushi had altered his mood to one of slight annoyance – due to the absence of players – and the fact that Taiga wouldn't compete against him soon.
He would just have to wait patiently.
TOUOU
"Dai-chan!" A very familiar voice rang in Aomine Daiki's ears as Momoi Satsuki bounded up to her childhood friend, smiling super happily and seemingly unnaturally cheerful.
Did Tetsu confess to her or something?
Nah, she would be hyperventilating and collapsing by now. This is way too mild.
Or… Does she want me to do her a favour?
Oh no.
"Satsuki… Don't tell me you want me to do something stupid again? Whatever it is, I don't wanna. I need sleep. I'm tired."
Aomine yawned and immediately rested his chin on the table in the classroom as his classmates all streamed out for break, leaving the two of them left talking.
Satsuki pouted in annoyance and rested her body on his table, using her hand to nudge his chin away impatiently, causing Aomine to scowl at her and finally prop his body up to listen.
'I'm not so bad, Dai-chan! I just want to tell you, Mi-chan's match against Mukkun is today! Rakuzan VS Yousen! Aren't you interested at all?"
Satsuki squealed, hugging herself in delight. She obviously was way too interested in her best friend's basketball life.
What should I say?
I want to see her again, watch her play, but I can't…
"So what? She's likely playing her match against Yousen super far away near Akita or Kyoto or something. Besides, Rakuzan will win."
Urgh… Why do I always sound like that?
"But if Rakuzan wins, we'll play Mi-chan and Akashi-kun and the other players! Aren't you even slightly interested in their strength?"
"I'm not even playing, Satsuki. Neither is Akashi. I don't really care, since we'll likely lose."
"DAI-CHAN! It's your old cru-"
"Shut up already, Satsuki!"
Aomine lay back again and sighed.
Misaki…
He thought of that little photo of her she had taken with him and Tetsu, which he kept hidden in his bedroom drawer beside his bed. All those beautiful memories in the past stained by his behaviour. Tetsu withdrew from him as well, and he was left all alone.
Tetsu…
KAIJOU
A blonde model was glugging a sports drink quickly as Coach Takeuchi Genta finally let the team take a break, and all his teammates were doing likewise, making most of the chance to rest after exhausting training designed to prepare them for the Winter Cup.
After the loss against Touou Gakuen, they were more determined to do well and perhaps even defeat them if they faced Touou again.
But Kise wasn't just thinking about their future matches against them, or even the Winter Cup. His thoughts were simple.
He had found out from online that the Interhigh semi-final match between Yousen and Rakuzan would be that very day, and well… with both Akashi and Murasakibara not playing, it wouldn't be very interesting. But it was a still a clash between 2 prestigious high schools.
Basically a match without their aces. But it would be still exciting, still stimulating, with a very interesting new Rakuzan manager that Kise was keeping his attention on.
He highly suspected his senpais of this as well, despite pretending they were only interested in their self-progress and didn't bother about the Interhigh. Kasamatsu had questioned him – with a rather red face earlier – about who on earth his "indigo-haired friend" was.
After stammering out the three-word phrase for around five minutes.
And twisting his hands together nervously.
Before smacking him, naturally.
Obviously Misaki. Who else?
She had similar ideas to Kuroko, that basketball was a team sport and that they all had to work together happily – he was still confused about that part, yes, but he was slowly getting enlightened as he played with Kaijou – but still went to Rakuzan. An elite school very similar to Teikou.
Why?
Kuroko went to Seirin, that obscure new high school, but Misaki journeyed to Kyoto.
Why?
Maybe it was because she focused a lot on her studies and was serious and all that, but Kise felt that it was because of something else. Not only because Rakuzan was prestigious, but maybe, just maybe…
Kise suspected it had something to do with a particular blue-haired ganguro. Ugh. He was the main reason why Misaki was sad about their past in Teikou together. No matter how much Kise admired Aomine and his exceptional talents, it didn't stop him from seeing that Aomine was really a monster in some ways.
And that meant hurting one of his closest friends, for whom he had one of the strongest feelings for.
He had seen how much he destroyed his Kaijou teammates, all those disappointed expressions and crying faces – with Aomine simply saying that he was unbeatable. What kind of person would do that?
Kise couldn't really remember the days back in Teikou when Aomine wasn't so beastly. He had joined the team in second year and was relatively new, spending one less year together with the ganguro. But he still hadn't been as awful back then. He was a basketball-loving boy, his idol. Someone that he had always looked up to. Misaki was right.
You have to stop looking up to him in order to defeat him.
He sighed and continued practising.
X
TIME SKIP
RAKUZAN
"Yea~ Yea~ Yea~"
Hayama Kotarou leaned back in the bus heading back to Rakuzan and started whistling a tune very awfully, occasionally poking his disgruntled black-haired teammate besides him or elbowing him roughly.
"Hey, Reo-nee, that was a cool game, right? Even with Akashi not there, it was pretty awesome. And we totally crushed them, eh?"
Mibuchi Reo huffed, shooting him an irritated glare and continued staring out of the window, perfectly poised, not slouching in the least bit.
"Don't bother a lady. It's unrefined and ungentlemanly. Besides, Yousen didn't have that Miracle, Sei-chan's old teammate. Murasaki-something. So naturally we were much better, even without Sei-chan."
"Ne, Reo-nee, don't spoil the fun…"
Misaki couldn't stop chuckling a little before turning around from her chair and glinted at the boy who had just spoken, causing him to gulp a little and stop immediately. Although Misaki wasn't exactly fierce to the team, she had an intimidating aura when she wanted to be in control.
"Don't be so complacent, Hayama-senpai. This is only the semifinals, and we still have to play Touou – and win – in order to win the Interhigh Tournament. They're better than Yousen I suppose."
She was about to say something important, then stopped herself.
Why did they have to be up against Touou for the finals?
Touou had way-too-interesting people. If they were playing against them, Misaki would have to face Satsuki and her alarmingly good tactical skills and analysis, Shouichi and his mind games that broke his opponents, and…
Well, this time she wouldn't be seeing him on the court. Akashi's orders.
And the match was in about a week's time.
About that other person who bothered her…
She still hadn't informed her team that her brother was on the Touou Gakuen basketball team, but she had to soon. She just wasn't prepared to reveal that she hadn't followed her brother and lived in Tokyo, and surely people would be curious…
But if she didn't say anything, when the two teams met up and their names were announced or read out, people would start asking questions… Besides, it would be good to prepare Rakuzan for Shouichi's tactics.
Kantoku already knew, though, as he had recognised the surname and had openly asked her the moment he started formally training her as a manager. Avoiding all the awkwardness that might follow.
Akashi already knew everything, though. Even without telling him, Misaki had a hunch that he would have figured it out anyway.
She wondered if he had ever gone through any emotional drama in his life. He was perfect. Simply too perfect to be true.
Misaki gazed at him, sitting beside her, gazing out of the window with an unfamiliar expression in his eyes: one of interest. Akashi Seijuurou was certainly thinking about something. Usually his eyes were just looking at whatever they were glancing at, but this time they held a little emotion. She couldn't tell what, but it was peculiar.
She was a girl who often showed her emotions via her eyes, not one to keep it all locked up. Shouichi and Dai – Aomine were exceptions. She wasn't that type to just be quiet about it all, not saying anything about whatever happened in daily life. She would say everything out, just not as openly as someone like Kise.
Misaki always thought that those quiet, seemingly emotionless people like Tetsu always hid something in their hearts, were silently despairing, or something like that.
Or they were just really nice and introverted, perhaps. But, honestly, Akashi wasn't that type of person. And Tetsu was just… different. Unique. But Akashi was just… too…
She knew the pain Tetsu had been through, so she understood him. He was the phantom player, after all.
Akashi… What's up with him?
Most people couldn't imagine, never in a million years, him proposing or confessing to anyone. He was so… just indescribably perfect, so untouchable so that no one could see how he might fall in love with anyone. Or even show a slight bit of friendship. Except her.
She hadn't seen his genuine smile before, or see him do anything nice for her expressing concern or the slightest bit of his feelings, but he radiated an aura of care.
Everything he did made her heart skip a beat, made her head fly into the clouds, made her sit up straighter, made her smile stretch slightly wider, made her mood improve, even if it was just by a tiny bit.
She hadn't felt this feeling in the longest time. It was an old, raw feeling, something that she had experienced before but had forgotten. And then she recalled.
Second year.
Everything that happened.
And the memories flooded back, all at once, overwhelming her.
No no no why –
Misaki turned away from Akashi, a lump in her throat.
She was just afraid, afraid that someone might hurt her again. She didn't dare to care about someone, didn't dare to show even a little bit of concern, didn't dare to give something a little more than basic friendship, didn't dare to do anything extra. Making friends was perfectly fine. But having deep connections and ties that might potentially be broken?
No.
She would never again do something like that, that would break her heart into tiny little pieces, crush her soul and give her sleepless nights, and make her life despairingly miserable again…
After all, who would try out something again that they had been hurt by two times already.
(and she had)
If you try it once and get hurt, it's okay. Don't get hurt again.
If you try it twice and get hurt, that's a little naïve, but it's fine. Just don't.
If you try it thrice…
Recipe for disaster.
She just wanted to make him smile because of her, be happier. Not carefree because that would be changing his personality altogether, but be happy.
She just wanted to make a difference.
But she was going to try to understand her friend – no, classmate and deskmate, as much as possible. Akashi was different, and although he had been the captain of the Kiseki, he wasn't that arrogant prick she thought he would be.
He seemed to have a background story worth listening to, worth understanding, and a quality that was unique.
Whatever that quality was that he possessed, Akashi had it in truckloads, and whenever he interacted with her the slightest bit or did anything vaguely friendly, it made Misaki's heart turn cartwheels.
It didn't feel exactly foreign from the feeling someone used to give her.
Someone whom she used to know as her best friend and a few months later, her…
Can I see you again?
Will I ever be able to see you?
X
"Right. We're playing Touou in 6 days, and we need to train a little more before the finals. We're going to win this, but not without any training. Touou wasn't very prominent till this year because they've been putting more effort into their scouting of promising players, so you can bet that this year they'll be quite formidable and confident."
The Rakuzan manager clicked on her computer a few times before connecting a wire to the side of it, with the Rakuzan basketball team regulars sitting before her and Eiji Shirogane sitting at the side.
Most managers needed only to manage the finances of the team and to arrange logistics and mostly miscellaneous things, but Misaki was an exception. She had prior experience, so the coach thought her exceptionally useful in helping to bring the team to its full potential by helping him with their training.
"First, I'll show you the players so you can understand them better."
Her breath hitched a little as she pressed the space button on her keyboard and up flashed a picture, together with some basic information. She needed to reveal some important facts here.
A certain redhead noticed that slight lump in her throat.
"Sorry, but I haven't… I mean, I kept some things from you. If you haven't figured it out yet… the Touou Gakuen captain and Point Guard, Imayoshi Shouichi here, is my… brother."
Hayama abruptly stopped chewing on some sweets and gaped at the screen, dropping the box, which got picked up by his captain who was glinting at him in annoyance. For once, the Power Forward didn't notice or stutter with fear at the redhead.
And every single regular except the redhead was staring at the screen, totally gobsmacked. Eikichi even banged the table with his hand in shock, not bothering to care as his water bottle fell onto the floor.
"Yes… Sorry once again… I mean, his surname is the same as mine, right? I mean… Urm, sorry.
"And here are his vital sta – Eikichi-senpai, don't do that again, please. Shouichi is 1.8m, average height, shorter than everyone besides Hayama-senpai. 71kg, and if you want to know for some reason, his blood type is AB.
"He only began playing in first year, but he's pretty quick in learning and basically he can do three pointers despite him being a Point Guard, pressurise his opponents, and an uncanny knack for buzzer beaters. So no slacking around him. He might do anything anytime."
Again, those piercing multicoloured eyes focused on the indigo-haired girl. The last sentence wasn't meant for him. He wasn't even going to play. She met his eyes confidently, a little despair in her eyes, as if asking him why he wasn't going to play.
She knew – it was to give "a little excitement to the game", in his own words when she asked him. It was true – the Kiseki no Sedai might just dominate everything. After all, Touou had only recently become prestigious because of Aomine and Satsuki.
I need to focus…
"Anyway, lets continue. Next is vice-captain Yoshinori Susa, another third year. Small Forward, 190cm and 80kg. Slightly bigger than your average height. Specialty is Fade-away shot, as shown here…."
"Ryou Sakurai. First year Shooting Guard. 175cm and 59kg, he's a little small, and a total self-blamer. But don't underestimate him. He might be one of those people with mood swings or something like that. His abilities are quite …"
"Wakamatsu Kousuke. Second Year Centre. 193cm and 85kg. Big-sized, like most other Centres. According to sources, has rough personality and isn't afraid to try new stuff. Specialises in rebounds."
"Aomine… Daiki."
Misaki bit her lip. She just wanted to hide her face then. She already could feel several of the Rakuzan players looking really curiously at her. But maybe it was just because they had heard a name of someone belonging to the Generation of Miracles.
Hayama suddenly decided to cross his legs and pay attention really hard. Eikichi stopped trying to eat some corn he had brought, and Mibuchi stopped trying to stop him. Akashi was just sitting there, looking at her half-expectantly.
Urgh.
She needed to get over this ganguro.
"Power Forward. 192cm and 85kg. Big, just a little smaller than Wakamatsu, the Centre earlier. He's a WILD player. Very similar to Hayama, but extremely dangerous so."
Here Hayama looked even more interested and propped up his head, narrowing his eyes to study his so-called future opponent.
"He has speed and agility out of the norm, has animal instincts, can make formless shots with his body parallel to the ground, changes the pace as he likes it – most of the time, fast – as he used to play streetball with adults when he was younger.
"Basically, Aomine Daiki has a LOT of experience. Whoever's marking him needs to be speedy and has stamina. Persistent."
Misaki paused, letting these words sink in to let her team understand the extreme importance of them. Aomine Daiki was a monster, and the way the Rakuzan captain looked at her, she had a feeling that he knew what Aomine could be like as well.
"Hayama."
At the mention of his name, he suddenly shot up in his chair, standing up and saluting, while shouting loudly.
"YES MA'AM!"
Managing four irresponsible, strong-willed, slightly annoying and eccentric boys as captain must not be easy.
X
Two people walked along the classroom corridor together right after class had ended. Not quite friends, but more than acquaintances. An indigo-haired girl, and a multicolour-orbed boy.
They always journeyed to the cafeteria or the classroom after class together, most of the time not talking, simply enjoying each other's presence. Close but not quite together at the same time.
Unsurprisingly, no one had commented on anything like that. If this occurred in other highs, fellow classmates and friends would start thinking about how close they seemed to be. Middle school would be worse.
But this was Rakuzan. A prestigious high school, well-established. Victory and success came first. Besides, the two involved were sure to start plotting their classmates' murders even if they were to mention such a thing.
Four months had passed, and they weren't friends yet. One was achingly heartbroken, but still wanting to do something about it. There was a sort of gravitational attraction between the both of them, sharing a common past, knowing all the same people, living in completely different universes.
The perfect, and the one who had to fight for anything she wanted. Maybe that perfection attracted her.
The other was desperately trying to control any emotion he might have, occasionally letting that cover of his slip and getting it back unconvincingly. Sometimes, having everything under his control was simply… disgusting.
She was a game changer. At first, he thought he had control over her, but it turned out to be the opposite. Someone unpredictable, that let his control slip. Maybe that difference attracted him.
But both of them still weren't quite clear on why, why they were together as almost friends. The girl thought of him as her friend, as one who understood her, even if it was only a little. The boy thought of her as a girl who was his only companion and comfort, even if it was only a little.
Her thoughts were filled with moments of him teaching her shogi once and failing miserably despite his utmost trying, both of them walking in the rain together sharing an umbrella, her head falling onto his chest, rocking on the train soothingly, and most of all, his beautiful eyes.
His thoughts were filled with her sweet little smile whenever she thanked him after a small favour, her blush when he held her wrist gently at the game, anything exceptional that she did, he all stored it inside his brain.
But one of them was slipping away. Memories flooding back into her from the past. They weren't quite the same as the present, but they served as a little warning for the future. Two people she had loved before, and their promises were utterly and completely empty.
She still remembered some words someone she used to know had said to her on a certain night. They made her so happy, and a couple of weeks later, made her so heartbroken.
"I won't do anything else besides making you be happy from now on."
And it turned out to be quite the opposite.
X
I wanted to focus more on the romantic aspect of the story, since basically the underlying current of this story is about the complicated relationships between the characters. Since there is very little mention of Kuroko although he's the main character, he will be brought out more soon. Don't worry Aomine-lovers, Aomine wouldn't be an antagonist for much longer! He's actually very complicated, having two sides, one after he 'blossomed' and his personality before, which is really very sweet.
In this story there are a lot of psychological bits involved like Akashi's double personalities and Misaki's past, with Imayoshi's mind manipulation games and the Other Side of Kise Ryouta… Please review and tell me if you like it so I can include more or less of these self-reflections and analysis, depending on your likings.
Although in KnB usually only Akashi and Aomine are portrayed to have two sides, many others are likewise. For example, Midorima can be totally stoic most of the time, but inside he is soft-hearted. A true tsundere. Kise can be a happy-go-lucky guy, and also a passionate, burning person who refuses to see anyone he cares about get hurt, especially when he goes serious while playing basketball – which is totally hot. In this story, I will be exploring this slightly more as everyone in this world has more than one personality.
This is especially so for Misaki, because if you have noticed in every chapter she is portrayed rather differently, and even within chapters her different aspects come out. She reacts kind of differently with different people – like in the earlier chapters she is more cheerful with Midorima, cynical with Kise and sort of quiet and nervous, self-conscious with Akashi. So far, Misaki's the happiest with Aomine in the past.
Misaki can be very confusing. She is thought of as kind, quiet, stoic and ruthless, and has many varying personalities, together with Akashi. So both of them pair really nicely, and since both of them have to hide their feelings at times, they are very similar. Akashi's father and Misaki's parents also treat their children rather cruelly at times, even if they have good intentions. Hence they understand each other so well. Although that's the main attraction for now – besides their looks and all – later they would truly develop feelings.
It's kind of hard to distinguish between love and feelings which are not love, so I feel it's more realistic to make them simply more than ordinary but less than lovers first, before gradually gravitating closer and having a true relationship. For example, Akashi opens up to Misaki first and cracks. Please do not take this personally, but sometimes fanfics which feature the second Akashi personality falling in love are a bit unrealistic, since the second Akashi would be focused on winning and not on relationships.