Mikoto's arms were crossed over her chest as she stood next to Coach Araki, her eyes following the players on the court as the last few seconds of the first quarter ticked away. It had been slightly over a week since the match against Akitakogyo, and this match against Noshiro High was the first in the final league of the regional preliminaries. Naturally, everyone was tense- even the benched players were paying rapt attention as they cheered their teammates on, hoping desperately to win this match. But with the first string players in the game, their victory was all but decided- barely any baskets had been scored in favour of Noshiro's team so far, as per the norm whenever their top five players were sent out onto the court.
Mikoto couldn't help but give a small, barely audible sigh under her breath, her attention diverting from the court as her eyes darted to the floor. Her grip on her elbows tightened as she recalled the other match that was on today in Tokyo. Apparently, Seirin High had managed to make it all the way to their last league as well, having beat teams such as Shuutoku and Seiho along the way. The team was quickly making a name for itself despite having been established barely two years ago- not a surprise, seeing as Tetsuya had indeed found a teammate worthy of his particular skill set, as well as the prowess of the other members. From what she'd learned, their coach was even a high schooler herself! From what Mikoto had learned from the videos she had seen of Seirin's past matches, their team showed great promise, even from last year, and would only continue to grow in skill and in teamwork.
However, today, they were facing a team that was indeed a force to be reckoned with.
"First quarter is over, Shirato." Coach Araki's stern voice broke Mikoto out of her musings, and she quickly snapped her head back up. Apparently, the coach was right- the quarter had just ended, and the coach was shooting her a firm look, having noticed her brief lack of attention. "Let's make this quick."
"Right, sensei." Mikoto nodded in affirmation, picking up the towels on the bench as she prepared to hand them out to the tired and sweat-soaked basketball players.
"Thanks, Shirato-san." Kenichi thanked gratefully as he accepted the towel Mikoto handed to him. .
"No problem." Mikoto returned graciously, continuing to give out towels to the others as the coach prepared to brief the team on their next 'd adapted to the routine tasks she was given once she committed to attending all the preliminary matches to aid the team whatever way she could. Whether it was recon to help gather information against their opponents, or just preparing lunch in between their matches, she saw it through to the best of her abilities- though even then, she would admit she felt her efforts were hardly significant.
"They'll be subbing number 9 out for number 3 by half time, if they go with the same pattern they have these past few games." The coach made her orders short and precise, pointing out flaws and strengths in their opponent's play so that they would know how to attack next. "Both of them are quite adept at playing their positions. Liu, keep holding off the attacks- Fukui, assist him whenever necessary."
The two addressed players nodded, and the coach turned her attention towards the others.
"Himuro, you're doing well on your own so far." She reaffirmed, to which he just nodded in response. "Murasakibara, Okamura- the defenses are well handled. Keep it up. Let's aim to make sure they know that Yosen is a force to be reckoned with."
Upon those words, Mikoto grimaced, recalling what she had been musing about just seconds ago. Her fingers ran along her bracelet nervously as the thought of the fated showdown between Tetsuya and Daiki. How was the match going on for them now? She wasn't sure what time it had started, but she was pretty sure it had begun before the match Yosen was currently playing...
"Shirato, anything to add on?"
Araki's question caught her attention and halted her train of thought for the second time that day, and Mikoto glanced up to see everyone looking at her expectantly. Flushing slightly at being caught off-guard, she cleared her throat before voicing her opinion.
"Number 3 and 9 were playing around with their formations before the last quarter ended- I'm assuming they're hoping to gain a clear from 14," She stated, silently grateful that she had been able to voice her observations without stumbling over her words.
"They're very dependent on him- their play seems to centre around their new point guard. If the focus continues, then you need only worry about defending." Araki nodded slowly, affirming Mikoto's statement. The coach then shifted her gaze to the sandy-haired point guard of their own team before continuing, "Fukui, outwit him, and this match is ours to dominate."
"Of course." Fukui smirked, his confidence palpable. As a rather talented point guard himself, it was obvious that he was all too eager to pit his own strength against the opponent's.
"That's it, then." Araki clapped her hands once the signal for the beginning of the second quarter was sounded, prompting all of the players to stand up once again. "Do your best."
"Got it!" They all responded in unison, various expressions on their faces. Some were grinning eagerly and some remained passive, yet despite all their differences, their coordination and spirit as a team was nearly flawless. It was a testament to their skill- players worthy of being on one of the top high school basketball teams in the country.
As Mikoto made to retrieve the towels the team passed back to her on their way back out onto the playing field, one particular player stopped in his tracks, making her stop as well when he held on to the towel he was supposed to give to her longer than necessary. Mikoto's eyes shot up then to meet the silvery ones of Tatsuya Himuro's, who offered her a small smile.
"Thanks for the help, Shirato-chan," He said, offering her a sincere smile. "Don't worry too much, alright? We're doing just fine out there."
While she felt genuine appreciation for the effort he was making to alleviate her worries, it did little to ease the lump of anxiety settling in her stomach. "I know. It's just... not you guys I'm worried about."
Himuro looked like he wanted to say something, but he looked over her shoulder for a moment and visibly hesitated. It didn't take a genius to know that he was looking at Araki, though Mikoto wasn't sure if she was watching them. Either way, there was no time left for chit-chat, and he seemed to realise it as he looked at her and said, "We'll talk after the game?"
"Sure. Go get 'em out there," She added, almost as an afterthought. Himuro shot her a smile over his shoulder at that, lifting two of his fingers in a mock salute before he went back onto the court. It took a moment for her to realise that a smile had found its way onto her own lips at that, but she quickly caught herself and resumed her task of folding up the towels they'd given to her. Once that was done, she took her place by Araki's side, watching as the second quarter commenced.
Just as the tip off started, however, Mikoto's phone chimed from the incoming of a new message just then, and she flinched at the sound. Her hand fumbled for her phone as she drew it out of her pocket, her eyes widening as Satsuki's name flashed across the screen- it must be about the Seirin vs. Touou match, she realised with a jolt. Still keeping an eye on the progress out on the court, she opened the message, her heart rate shooting up as she eagerly read the text...
-x-x-x-
Sender: Satsuki Momoi
Recipient: Mikoto Shirato
We won. Seirin's out of the running.
-x-x-x-
And all at once, Mikoto's mind went blank.
Chapter 11: Motive
Shirato had been absent from the lunch table since last week .
Normally, Tatsuya wouldn't have been bothered by such occurences. She'd passed on lunch several times before, but this seemed different. According to Liu, she had been working on something during recess for the past few days- Tatsuya knew it was probably something to do with that file she'd started carrying around recently. When he'd asked what she was working on, she'd just replied with vaguely about doing some 'research on the side'. It was clear that she wasn't quite prepared to tell anyone what had her so preoccupied, but Tatsuya couldn't help but wonder if this had something to do with what happened at the game last week.
At the back of his mind, he could still recall how antsy she'd appeared during the game, and how sullen she'd been once it was over. He didn't quite get it- everything had gone smoothly on their end, but he wondered if something else had happened during the match. Liu had been the one to approach her first during their bus ride back to school- and Tatsuya had to admit, he hadn't been quite sure how to feel when the small forward slid into the seat next to their manager before he could. On the one hand, he was relieved that someone else had caught on to Shirato's dampened mood and was trying to help her out. At the same time, however... he'd been hoping to have her confide in him, just as she'd done before.
It was senseless and rather selfish of him to feel that way, he knew that. But now he was left feeling rather bothered by the fact that he just didn't know just why Shirato was so focused and closed off recently.
"Hey, Himuro. You listening?" Fukui's voice broke through his musings just then, drawing his attention back to the conversation at hand. Tatsuya quickly composed himself, an apologetic smile curving on his lips as he tried- and failed- to recall just what they'd been talking about.
"Sorry. Mind repeating that?"
His question brought a furrow to Fukui's brow, and the vice-captain leaned forward slightly as he asked, "It's unlike you to space out like that, man. You feeling okay?"
"I'm fine," He reassured. He wasn't the one facing problems just then, after all- but Atsushi remained unconvinced.
"He's worrying about Shira-chin again," The oversized centre interjected, earning a pointed stare from Tatsuya that he blatanly avoided looking at. However, much to Tatsuya's surprise, the statement was met with a hum of agreement and sympathy rather than the teasing he'd expected.
"Yeah, I feel you. I'm a little worried, too. Is she even eating alright these days?" Okamura mused aloud, scratching his chin as a distinct frown formed on his face. Even Fukui gave a slight nod, his eyes darting off to the side where Shirato would have sat had she been there with them. However, an interruption from Liu seized their attention in place of worry once more.
"Shirato has taken to finishing her lunches in class while she completes her assignment. You needn't worry about that." Liu said it so easily, as if he was making a statement as simple as pointing out the colour of the sky. The nonchalance in his assessment rubbed Tatsuya the wrong way somewhat, and it was obvious from the way that Okamura suddenly set down his lunch box that the sentiment wasn't just his own.
"Since you seem to know more about her, mind telling us what's been keeping her so busy these days?" The captain asked, shooting a pointed look in Liu's direction. "She barely even talked to us at the last practice. What's up with that?"
"She appeared rather discouraged about the outcome of a preliminary match in Tokyo that occurred at the same time that ours did," Liu replied, his tone much less aggressive than Okamura's initial question. "I encouraged her to seek her own ways to ensure that our team would not face the same outcome, if that was what she feared. As of such, it would seem she has chosen to approach the situation by preparing an extensive report on the latest developments in the competitive scene."
"A report?" Fukui frowned at that, a concerned expression crossing his face. "But coach doesn't have any recordings from the matches in Tokyo so far."
"Shirato has decided to utilise other resources. Namely, the internet." Liu took another bite of his food here, taking a moment to swallow before he spoke again, "Some individuals in the audience uploaded clips of the games. She is watching them and making notes of anything that catches her eye."
"You've known this all this time, and you never told us?" Okamura asked, sounding almost affronted at the idea that Liu would withhold such knowledge from them. Tatsuya had to admit, he felt the same, but Liu merely shrugged in response.
"None of you asked." His eyes slid over towards Tatsuya then, a frown of his own beginning to pull the corners of his lips downwards. "And I'd assumed that Himuro already knew, and had told you all."
"Why would you think that?" Tatsuya asked, feeling a mixture of annoyance and confusion bubbling within his chest. Okamura shot him a disbelieving look at those words, leaving Tatsuya to wonder for a moment what he'd said wrong.
"She is closer to you than the rest of us," The captain said with a shrug. "'Cept maybe Liu, if she told him all that."
"So that's why Shira-chin was watching a recorded game on her phone the other day," Atsushi murmured, loud enough for all of them to hear. Fukui's mouth dropped into a gape at the admission, before he turned on Atsushi with narrowed eyes.
"Why are you peeking at other people's phones for?" The third-year asked, sounding almost apprehensive at the notion. In response, Atsushi just shrugged, which only served to aggravate Fukui further, if the look on his face was any indication. However, before they could pursue that spat, Okamura sighed and spoke up first.
"Man, I just hope she's getting enough rest. It sounds like a lot of work," He muttered, a look of evident concern crossing his face. Tatsuya absently nodded in agreement- he was more worried for Shirato more than he would admit. It was unlike her to just skip lunch like this for so many days in a row.
"Shirato has proven herself to be capable of handling her responsibilities on numerous occasions. Your concern is unfounded." Liu tried to sound reassuring, but there was a hint of doubt in his voice that told Tatsuya that even he wasn't so sure of that. He'd seen for himself just how anxious and fidgety Shirato could get when something was bothering her- just what would happen when she channelled those nerves into something productive? Would she neglect her own needs in favour of pursuing a single goal? She certainly did seem the type...
"What do you think, Atsushi?" Tatsuya asked quietly, once the others started talking amongst themselves again. The first-year didn't reply for a while, settling instead on taking another bite of his food, but once he did that he answered in his usual, unconcerned drawl.
"Shira-chin normally doesn't smile a lot," He said, the response taking Himuro by surprise for a moment. However, that confusion quickly dissipated when Atsushi added, "But lately, she's been even more down than usual. I don't think she's okay."
At that, Tatsuya knew he hadn't been imagining things, after all. He thought back to what had transpired these past few days, between the moments that Shirato had started carrying that file of hers to and from school. With how withdrawn and less open to conversation she seemed, it was as if they were back to where they'd started off. Something had definitely happened if it was enough that Atsushi had picked up on it- and Tatsuya knew that this time, it wasn't something that he could help to alleviate with just a text to a mutual friend. In fact... this time, it was entirely up to Shirato.
"I thought so, too."
Mikoto's eyes squinted a couple of times as she tried to blink away the sleepiness that weighed down her eyelids. The brightness of her phone screen was starting to annoy her at this rate, the words from the various posts and websites she'd been reading from blurring together at intervals. She knew she should have considered drinking that cup of coffee earlier that morning...
A weary sigh left her lips as she took off her glasses, rubbing her eyes and shutting her eyelids as she gave herself a momentary break. She'd been scouring the web for clips and videos from the preliminaries for days on end, comparing them to other footage from before those matches had taken place. Mikoto noted what she could from her observations- improvements, flaws, changes in play style, everything she could distinguish with her still-untrained eye. It was just her luck that she remembered a few pointers and snippets of information she'd heard from Satsuki back when she'd been manager of Teiko, but she almost regretted not listening more closely back then. She needed all the guidance she could get- even if Araki had said she was on the right path, and to keep at what she was doing so that they could add more information to their training files...
"They haven't been together as often lately. What's up with that?"
"Maybe he finally gave up on her. She's so unfriendly- it's no surprise."
As the whispers reached her ears, Mikoto's hand clenched around her pencil as she repressed a sigh. She just couldn't be bothered- the same group of girls from her class had been throwing her odd looks and outright talking about her while they were in the same room.
It was bothersome- from what she pieced together, Mikoto was fairly certain one of them had their confession turned down by Himuro earlier that week- but she was too focused on her current assignment to care. She barely even got to talk to Shuuzo after that one day when they'd reconnected again, all because of that stupid Tokyo preliminary match that caused her schedule to pile up. Even the sandwich she'd brought for lunch lay virtually untouched on her desk, but she decided that she'd scarf it down quickly before the next class. There was just no time to lose.
God. She almost wished there was someone she could rant to just then.
"Hey there."
The unexpected interjection nearly sent her phone flying from her hands- had she been any more alert than she currently felt, she would have reacted much faster. However, as it was, she was running rather slow today, and so she took a moment to process the voice before she realised who it was. Looking up, she confirmed her suspicions when she saw the familiar visage of Tatsuya Himuro as he stood in front of her desk.
"Liu told me you would be in here," He said, shooting her a slight smile as he slid into said boy's seat next to her. Looking around for a moment, he murmured, "Can you even see all the other students from back here?"
"I copy off of Liu-kun when I can't see the board," She replied, feeling a little more at ease at the casual commentary. "What brings you here?"
"I was wondering if you like sweets. I just got a new shipment of snacks from my friends back in America." He lifted the paper bag he held in his hand, giving it a slight shake. "They do this sometimes. I send back some of the local treats from here back to them as thanks."
"I don't mind them." That was an understatement- she had a huge sweet tooth that had almost given her problems back when she was younger, but he didn't need to know that. Tilting her head, Mikoto asked, "Don't you want to pass some of these to Murasakibara-kun?"
"He'll take the entire bag if he had his way. I thought you might want to salvage some goods for yourself before he grabs the whole thing."
"Then, don't you want some for yourself?"
"I've already kept what I really want. Everything else is free for the taking." Himuro offered the bag to her again, this time raising an eyebrow at her as if to insist on letting her take it. Despite her earlier stresses, Mikoto found herself smiling slightly at the gesture as she accepted the bag.
"Thank you," She said- and she meant it. Unfolding the top of the bag, she peered into it and looked at what was available, her interest piqued. Mikoto had seen a fair number of these brands in her father's store, but some of these were new to her, and she took her time sifting through them. She'd had liquorice candy before, hadn't been a fan... Mixed berry snacks? Oh- that one had blueberry flavoured sweets in it. She was definitely trying that out.
"Try the saltwater taffy. That's pretty good," Himuro suggested as she took out several, brightly-coloured wrapped sweets, further prompting her curiosity. He hadn't said anything about the others she'd taken out, so this must be a personal favourite- she silently took note of that as she offered one to him.
"Would you like to share some?"
"Sure," He accepted with a smile. Mikoto returned the gesture, before unwrapping her own candy and popping it into her mouth. The chewy texture surprised her for a moment, but when the fruity, sugary sweetness hit her tongue, she began to see the appeal.
"That is good," She murmured, a hand hovering over her mouth slightly as she chewed on the candy.
"Right?" Himuro agreed. It was then that Mikoto noticed he hadn't eaten his taffy yet- instead, he was still looking at her rather attentively. It wasn't unnerving as much as it was strange- but she soon understood why he was doing that when he spoke again. "You're looking kind of tired lately. What's been keeping you up?"
Suddenly, she was grateful for the chewy taffy in her mouth- it gave her time to think about how to respond before she spoke again. Was her weariness really that obvious? "I've been doing a bit of side work for Araki-sensei. I'm compiling some updated information on the teams competing in the Interhigh. She liked what I turned in for Touou and Seirin, so I decided to see what else I could find."
"You've been doing this for the past week?" Himuro gestured towards the folder on her desk, which lay closed while she worked on a new page separately from the rest. Mikoto just nodded in response- once she was done with this page, she'd insert it into the file and hand it back up to Araki to check and correct her work.
"Yeah. I think I'm almost done."
"That's good. Maybe you'll get in the proper hours of sleep now." Another pointed look was shot in her direction, and Mikoto flushed at being called out on her recent sleeping habits.
"I can take care of myself," She defended weakly, but that only earned a small sigh and a shake of the head from Himuro.
"The others are worried too." His statement caught her off-guard for a moment- had the guys on the team sent him here to check on her? "Don't overdo it, alright? We can't function without our manager around now that we're used to you."
Mikoto glanced away, her fingers moving down her wrist as her thumb brushed over her bracelet. "I'm not your manager. I'm just... helping."
"If I agree with that, will you stop working like one and get some rest tonight?" It was clearly meant as a light jest- a suggestion hidden in a lighthearted sheath. However, Mikoto found her hands balling into fists as she firmly shook her head.
"I can't promise that," She stated firmly, silently wishing that she couldn't continue this conversation in the easygoing tone that Himuro had tried to steer it in. Looking him dead in the eye, she continued, "At least this way, it makes me feel like I'm making an effort. I can't just sit around and do nothing this time- I won't."
Her resentments and doubts had resurfaced ever since Satsuki had told her of Touou's victory over Seirin. All the hopes she'd pinned on Tetsuya and his newfound light, thinking that he could best Daiki and shake him free of his disillusioned mindset had come crashing down, reminding her that success would not come so easily. The one person she believed would have the greatest chance at this- bested, and she had done nothing to change the outcome. She bemoaned the changes that had befallen her friends and yet she had done nothing. Blaming someone else for this was meaningless if she wasn't making an effort to change it- and with that mindset in place, she'd turned to the only thing she knew to do.
It didn't matter if the entire team- if Himuro wanted her to stop. On this issue, she would not cave.
So, when Himuro suddenly placed his hand over her clenched fists, Mikoto was too startled to pull away. She'd expected protests and insistence that she would cease her attempts- not for that understanding in his eyes and the gentleness in his touch.
"We don't want to lose to Touou either, so I can't say we don't appreciate your help. But again- try to take care of yourself while you're at it." As their eyes met again, Mikoto felt her earlier indignation deflate. He was just trying to look out for her, not to deter her from her attempts to aid in their goal. Realising that made it easier to swallow his chastisement, and she took a deep breath before she spoke again, quieter this time.
"I appreciate the concern, Himuro-kun."
"Just try to heed my advice from now, okay?" Here, a gleam of mischief appeared in his eyes, and his voice took on a contemplative note as he mused aloud, "Or who knows? The whole team might be joining you at your desk during the next lunch break to help me nag at you."
Mikoto blanched. "You wouldn't."
"I might," Himuro returned, the humour in his voice underlined with a mild threat that told Mikoto that he meant what he said. Dreading the implications of such an occurrence, Mikoto sighed and relented.
"I'll turn this in to sensei today, and then I'll lay off for a while. Happy?" When she moved her hand to pat the cover of her file, Mikoto noticed with a slight jolt that Himuro's hand was still on hers. She'd been so caught up in their exchange that she'd forgotten about it- and from the look of surprise that suddenly crossed Himuro's face, he had, too.
"Overjoyed." As he replied and withdrew his hand, Mikoto suddenly found it very difficult to look him in the eye- or at anything else, really. She noticed then that the chatter from the girls in the class had suddenly gone silent, and she felt her embarrassment swelling as she realised they were most likely watching their exchange. Thankfully, Himuro didn't leave her to her misery for long, as he suddenly spoke again- in a much more casual tone, a that. "Actually, may I take a look at what you've done?"
"Go ahead." Mikoto absently waved her hand, still trying to regain her composure from what had just transpired. Where Himuro's touch had initially helped her loosen her grip, now they were back to fidgeting with her phone as she tried to distract herself. Out of the corner of her eye, however, Mikoto watched anxiously as Himuro flipped through the pages of her file, reading each one with surprisingly keen interest. It didn't take long before he voiced his opinion on her notes- and when he did, Mikoto released a breath she hadn't realised she'd been holding.
"This is pretty impressive," Himuro commended, looking up at her for a moment before his eyes fell back to the pages yet again. "You've even thought of who and what exercises to counter them with."
Flattered by the unexpected compliment, Mikoto's cheeks coloured in response. "Those are just suggestions. They could still be wrong."
"If Coach accepted it, you must be doing something right," Himuro said with confidence- an assuredness that she herself lacked. However, Mikoto didn't have much time to revel in the praise, because Himuro visibly stiffened and did a double take as he turned another page. Immediately concerned, Mikoto's hands nearly darted out to grasp his shoulders- but she refrained and settled for questioning him instead.
"Himuro-kun? Is something wrong?"
"This..." Himuro turned the file towards her then, giving her a clear view of what had so obviously surprised him. "Do you have a recording of this player?"
"Taiga Kagami... Yes, there are a couple of clips online. Apparently he's a pretty big deal on Seirin's team." Mikoto took a moment to register the name at the top of the page, sifting through her memories as she read aloud. She opened up her phone and scrolled through her saved videos before stopping on the one that had been recorded by someone in the front rows of the audience during the Seirin and Shuutoku match. Turning her phone screen so that Himuro could see what was going on as well, she played the video depicting Seirin's latest power forward scoring an impressive dunk after breaking through the defenses of his opponent. He was rather outstanding- both in terms of his skills and appearance. The reddish roots of his otherwise dark hair gave him a look that was difficult to miss, and he had intense eyebrows that gave him a rather severe expression.
Once the video ended, Mikoto's eyes moved back up to Himuro's face- and she noted with shock that there was a prominent furrow in his brow and a frown on his face. He didn't usually express his displeasure so openly- it was enough to almost make a chill run down her spine. This time, Mikoto couldn't stop herself from reaching out and touching his arm in concern, her earlier worries and hesitations about etiquette erased. "Himuro-kun, are you okay?"
"It's nothing." Despite how quickly he answered and smoothed out his expression, Mikoto wasn't fooled for a second when he shot her one of his half-smiles that didn't quite reach his eyes. However, he didn't give her time to question his reaction as he closed her file and handed it back to her, saying, "Remember what you said, alright? You're turning this in today."
"I will. But..." Mikoto didn't get a chance to finish, as the bell signalling the end of recess chimed just as she'd tried to formulate a sentence. Himuro rose to his feet with little to no hesitation- if she hadn't seen his face earlier, she would have bought the idea that he was truly unbothered by what had just transpired. However...
"By the way, I'll be staying back to get some extra practice in today. You can head home first, if you want," He said, stretching his arms in front of him as he turned towards the exit. Mikoto found herself frowning this time- how could he just pretend everything was normal, after... whatever that was?
"I'll wait up for you. There's not much to do today." And even if there was, she would have stayed anyway. There was just something about his reaction that made her instinctively want to make sure that he wasn't alone for as long as she could. Maybe he detected her unspoken concern, because when he shot her a smile before he left, this time there was a touch of actual sincerity to it. Even so, the action made her gut twist with an odd sense of guilt- and it only served to remind her just how little she knew of the person she called her friend, even after everything he knew about and had done for her.
If Himuro could hide his frustrations behind that smile so easily... what other burdens was he shouldering that she had no idea about?
"Shirato, I need to go to my office to handle some work. I'll be back later." Coach Araki's voice drew Mikoto's gaze away from the jersey she was folding in the back room, prompting an absent nod of acknowledgement from her. Practice time had ended a good half hour ago, and Himuro was the only one left practising by himself in the gym. The extra time gave her the chance to run another batch of laundry in the wash and dryer in the room behind the gym, and she was just finishing up as Araki walked in.
"Sure thing, Coach," Mikoto replied, putting away another freshly-dried jersey as she did so. The coach appeared to turn around to make her way out, but just as she did so, she paused for a moment. Inclining her head towards her slightly, Araki's next words made Mikoto stiffen in surprise.
"I looked through some of the work you just turned in. You did a good job, Shirato." Here, the coach turned to face her fully, and Mikoto made an effort to close her slack jaw before she could notice. "I'll give you access to our database once the new recordings come in."
A sense of relief overcame Mikoto then, making her breathe a little easier. Placing a hand over her chest, she averted her gaze as she bowed slightly towards her teacher, feeling somewhat breathless as she said, "Thank you, sensei."
"You've earned it, Shirato," was the only thing Araki said before she went on her way at last. Standing straight up, Mikoto found herself shaking off her sudden rush of chills as she smacked her cheeks, trying to slow her suddenly racing pulse. A shaky smile found its way onto her face- she hadn't expected the praise and acknowledgement to be so... assuring. It took her a while to collect herself enough to put away the laundry and leave the room- even then, she had to do a double take and turn off the lights properly when she did so.
As she walked back into the main gym, she was greeted with the sight of Himuro landing yet another basket from the three-pointer line- though she noticed that this one had almost missed the fall into the basket. He seemed to catch onto that too, as a slight grimace crossed his face before he composed himself. His eyes- they looked more slate-gray beneath the shadows of his slightly dishevelled hair- moved over to her then, and he raised an eyebrow as he saw her approach.
"Did Coach say she liked your work?" He asked, earning a look of surprise from her.
"How did you-?"
"Unless you're smiling for another reason, that's the best thing I could think of." He gestured to his own face, a hint of a grin uplifting the corners of his lips. She couldn't help the flush of heat that rushed up her neck at his blatant observation- he could read her far too easily.
"She's giving me access to the records," Mikoto murmured, still somewhat in disbelief. Himuro chuckled as he went to retrieve the ball that he'd thrown, shooting her a teasing look as he did so.
"What'd I tell you?" He asked, the concealed 'I told you so' hardly making itself scarce. Mikoto couldn't help but pull a face at that, though it was only half-serious.
"Alright. Maybe it was better than I thought it was," She admitted, watching as Himuro went back to practice. He faced off against an unseen opponent as he faked and sprinted and broke past invisible blocks, and Mikoto couldn't help but stare in wonder at how he did it all nearly effortlessly. However, there was a tension in his shoulders that wasn't normally there- and a noticeable edge to his response whenever he failed to score his throws perfectly. It was a barely noticeable change, but it was there nonetheless- and it worried her somewhat.
A few minutes passed like that, and Mikoto just watched him from the bleachers while paying close attention. He was practising some sort of throw that she'd never seen anyone do before- but from the way he missed and hesitated several times, she could tell that it wasn't quite perfected yet. He seemed to grow more and more agitated with each failed attempt, however, and she was getting a little bit concerned. When he paused a moment to catch his breath, Mikoto took the opportunity to approach him first ad she stood from her seat.
"How are you feeling?" She asked, barely hesitating as she got closer. Himuro seemed a little taken aback by her approach, but he merely tilted his head at her in mild confusion.
"Are you worried about me?" Something about her expression must have been obvious, because before she could even speak, he already caught on to her answer. A mild laugh left his lips, but Mikoto didn't buy it for a second as he assured, "Don't be. I just had a bit of a shock earlier, that's all."
"Do you want to talk about it?" Mikoto asked, and Himuro blinked at her direct approach to the topic. She knew she wasn't one to confront someone so openly like this, but his reaction just didn't sit well with her- it told her that this was more serious than he was making it out to be. He turned the ball he was holding over in his hands, eyes lingering on the movement as he seemed to think over her question.
"You really want to hear my sob story? It might make you cry from how pitiful it is." He said it without much inflection, as if it was just a casual thing to say. Himuro then threw the ball from his hand, landing another basket as he did so- and if anyone asked her later on, Mikoto would not be able to explain why she'd done what she did just then.
As Himuro took another basketball from the trolley and began dribbling on the floor, Mikoto followed the action for a moment- and once she saw the opportunity, she dove forward, stealing the ball from him right as it left his hand. There was a moment when triumph bloomed in her chest as she watched his stunned expression, though she deliberately kept a straight face as she replied calmly, "I'm willing to see if that's true."
Her retort seemed to snap him out of whatever momentary trance he was in when he stared at her, utterly dumbfounded, and Himuro folded his arms as he accused, "I thought you said you didn't play this game."
"I don't." Mikoto stopped dribbling the ball then, tossing it back towards Himuro and waiting for him to catch it before she placed a hand on her hip. "And believe me when I say that up until this point, the saddest thing I've known is my attempt to play basketball. So, let's give that sob story of yours a shot."
For a few seconds, Himuro just stared at her, his face unreadable beyond the stunned expression of surprise. However, that look slowly dropped away as his lips twitched upwards into a smile, easing the tension of his stance in the process. His hand reached for the chain around his neck as he lifted the ring between his fingers, fiddling with it for a second before he looked back up at her. This time, there was no hesitation in his eyes- only resolve, and Mikoto found herself exhaling a sigh of relief that she hadn't realised she'd been holding in.
There were many ways her direct confrontation could have gone wrong. She was just glad that it hadn't.
"Well, I guess I should start with this…"
"... and not long after Taiga moved, I ended up moving here too, when my father got his promotion." Himuro concluded with a shrug, spinning a basketball on his thumb as both he and Mikoto sat on the floor by the bleachers. "The rest is history."
"That... sucks," Mikoto muttered, for lack of anything else to say, steepling her fingers against her lap. What else could she say about the story he'd just told, really? If her own pursuits and interests conflicted with her role as someone's best friend, how would she have reacted?
"Doesn't it?" Himuro laughed shortly, the sound coming off as an almost bitter scoff. His reaction only made her frown deepen, and she leaned against her knees as she voiced her inquiries.
"Are you satisfied with this arrangement of yours, though? Cutting things off just like that can't be easy."
"The right choice never is, is it?" Himuro responded, to which Mikoto found herself humming in agreement. Granted, she couldn't say that she would go as far as to call it quits with someone if she'd lost a bet personally, but she couldn't empathise well enough with Himuro's aspirations to say his decision was unjustified. Anger and embarrassment could make one act in ways that didn't make sense at times- perhaps, Mikoto thought, he would find a way to compromise once that bitterness subsided. Still, he hadn't asked for her criticism or her opinion, and so she silenced that thought- for the time being. Instead, she found herself commenting on something else.
"You remind me of Daiki, a little. He loved this game, too." So much that it destroyed him, she silently added- but she didn't voice that thought to Himuro. Mikoto leaned back against the seats for a moment, the memories of all the games she'd seen Daiki play coming to the forefront of her mind. She'd been enraptured by how he played back then- she wondered if she would ever feel that same intrigue when she watched him ever again. "I never got tired of seeing him on the court. There's just something alluring about the way someone moves when they're driven by such passion for what they do."
Here, she looked over at Himuro again, who was listening attentively to her words. With a somewhat self-conscious smile, Mikoto continued, "You have that same magnetism too- I recognised it from the day you first joined the club. So... even without this bet of yours, I certainly believe that you're a great player."
He was quiet for a moment as he processed her words, and Mikoto hoped that she'd said the right thing. When he glanced up at her again, she noted with relief that his gaze had lightened up somewhat. "I'm glad you seem to hold me to such a high standard. Being compared to a Miracle is quite the honour."
"You're better than you give yourself credit for," She retorted, sounding utterly serious in contrast to his lighthearted tone. "I've seen the best of the best, and I can safely say that you've got the potential to stand alongside them, Himuro-kun. I wouldn't just say that out of courtesy."
This time, his eyes darted down towards the floor of the court, lingering there for a moment before he looked up again. There was a hint of a smile on his lips then, and his voice was soft as he replied, "Thanks. I really appreciate that."
For reasons she couldn't quite explain, the sincerity he directed at her sent another flush of heat unfurling across her neck and face. Suddenly desperate to distract herself, Mikoto attempted to sound casual as she said, "Seirin's already out of the running for the Interhigh, though. It looks like the conclusion to your bet will have to wait."
"That just gives me more time to prepare." Thankfully, Himuro didn't seem to mind the abrupt change of subject, and he easily replied, "I want it to be a good match."
"It will be." Mikoto laced her fingers together, recalling the videos she'd seen from Seirin's game against Shuutoku. The mere memory of the pass Tetsuya had sent flying past Midorima was enough to steal her breath away yet again. "Tetsuya-kun's with Seirin, too. They'll certainly put up a fight- we can't go easy on them."
"'We'?" Himuro raised an eyebrow at her as he repeated her wording, and Mikoto found herself sputtering.
"That was just a slip of the tongue." She mumbled, her hands moving up to cover her face as she tried to deny any truth to her mishap. To further her dismay, Himuro started laughing quietly at her distress.
"Welcome to the club, manager."
"I'm not-" Mikoto cut herself off when she saw the teasing glint in Himuro's eye, and she huffed in resignation. "Whatever. At this point everyone thinks that anyway."
"For good reason, I'd say." Himuro sighed as he leaned back on his arms, and Mikoto's eyes were drawn once again to the tautness in his muscles as he did so. While she silently acknowledged his... admittedly impressive biceps, she couldn't help but wonder if that stiffness in his posture was at least partially due to what they'd just discussed. He'd been that way ever since they'd sat down, and she wondered if he was still uncomfortable about having discussed his situation with her. With that in mind, Mikoto scoured her mind for a way to diffuse the tension.
"Well, if my story was a five out of ten," She mused aloud, putting on a faux seriousness as she spoke. "Then I'd say yours would be rated around... seven. Lost points for not getting into a cheesy love triangle with your best friend, or falling for your coach."
It took Himuro a second to catch onto her jest, before he feigned a wounded expression and put a hand over his chest. "Ouch. How will I ever get over such harsh criticism? Now I'll have to cancel the sequel featuring my evil twin, Katsuya."
Mikoto couldn't help but laugh at his distinctly unimpressed tone when he said that, an unrestrained trill of laughter pouring from her lips. When she took a breath in the middle of it, however, she felt the air catch against her throat- producing an ungainly snort that abruptly made her pause. Horrified, she clamped both hands over her mouth, suddenly unable to look at Himuro in the eyes. She'd forgotten all about that little problem she had whenever she laughed that hard- shit, how utterly embarrassing...
"Please pretend you didn't hear that." She practically squeaked out the request, forcing herself to look at Himuro. To her surprise, he didn't appear fazed by her embarrassing mishap- in fact, the smile he wore looked somewhat... fond.
"Why? That's the first time I've made you laugh like that. It was nice."
"Don't tease," She mumbled, her face growing uncomfortably warm. Himuro, however, shook his head and protested.
"I'm not, honest! Would I lie to you?"
"I don't know." Mikoto shot him a half-hearted glare, still not quite over her embarrassment as she said, "You tell me, Katsuya."
This time, he was the one who burst into laughter. Mikoto couldn't hold back a slight grin of her own when he starting wheezing, though this time she was careful to control her own laughter so she didn't end up snorting again. Somehow, hearing him laugh after how downtrodden he'd seemed just talking about his sworn brother seemed... almost like a relief. When he looked up at her with his eyes crinkled in mirth, she could have sworn that she felt her heart skip a beat.
"Thanks. You were right- it feels good to get that off my chest."
"It's not a problem," Mikoto assured as she glanced away- dammit, she was positive that all the gushing over him that she'd heard from others was getting to her. There really was no denying how handsome he was when he smiled at her like that. "I've been told that I'm good at listening, so feel free to talk my ear off anytime."
"Do you offer all the people chasing after your affections such services?" Himuro asked, humour evident in his voice as he quoted what she'd said so long ago. Mikoto swore her face had reddened again- did he really have to remember all the dumb things that she said? Before she could retort, however, the door to the gym opened again, and Mikoto jumped slightly as Araki entered, raising an eyebrow at them.
"Shirato, Himuro. Are you two going to be much longer?" A trace of pointed chastisement underlined her voice, and Mikoto couldn't help but cringe under the pressure as she got to her feet. Right after she thought she'd impressed her, too...
Thankfully, Himuro stepped forward just then, taking over with answering before the silence dragged on. "We just finished here, Coach. Sorry to take your time."
"Hm." The teacher's eyes darted off to the side for a moment, as if a thought just occurred to her before she looked at them again. "Be quick about cleaning up, both of you. It's getting late."
"Yes, Coach." Himuro nodded before he turned towards Mikoto, a slight smirk on his face as he shot her a look that Araki wouldn't be able to see. She swore it was just her embarrassment from earlier catching up again, but Mikoto felt her pulse leap at the expression on his face. "Sorry for keeping you, Shirato-chan."
"No worries," She managed to breathe out, narrowly avoiding sounding too breathless as she did so. If Himuro noticed anything, he didn't say it as he walked past her, leaving her to pack up her own things as well. Once more, Mikoto found herself unable to look at anyone else around her as she focused on her task- though this time, it was with a much lighter heart that she realised that Himuro was starting to rely on her, too. It had taken a while, but she was glad that this friendship was finally starting to feel even- that he was trusting her just as she trusted him. For now, that was enough to ease her heart and mind.
(And maybe she didn't notice it then, but as Araki watched the slight smile spreading across her face, the coach began to wonder just how much more interesting this was going to get.)
Edit date 16/7/18: Major update to this particular section, removed the entire scene with the bet and shortened the three chapters to two instead.
AN: I do know that I leave out the style of which Liu speaks with words like 'thou' and 'thy'. I decided to go with the way Liu speaks in the anime (more modern, but still very formal) to avoid confusion, and I omitted Midorima's speech style because I figured it would sound odd in an english fic. Opinions? Depending on what you guys would prefer, I can adjust future and past chapters before it progresses too far!
Many thanks to Tiger Lily Burning Bright, amaya-tsuki-chan, amytilly24, J13K6N99, MsCharis, TheTinyMouse, Zecrea, taciturnAnalyst, CreepyAntisocialGirl1999, noelswonderland, oep, AmandaVonDoom, Luminence, RaNdOm PeR5oN, zOMGPrincess, ChigUnnie, Juliedoo, Bloodyredblackwolf, aniqa 1234, kirika o7, DearestELFFriend, SpiritlessSoul, Fairytale-GhostPrincess, INSPIRIT99 , xenocanaan, VixenOfMeiraz, carlosgirl 1, LincoeAlisson3298 , eguzman, kanbikijanai, squadlevi, April Marciano, TitaniaPhoebe13, easily1994addicted, lime green lily, Linnette , ElenaFromItaly, RecordingDreams, papertowel1567, SevranDaLune, RomanticKissez, Leo Inuyaka, lostinthefridge, PhoenixRage92, Tiger Lily Burning Bright, BlazeMary, Addicted-to-GazettE, SilverStar, Bliss Autumn, Nube2013, LadyAmazon, AnimeFreak9091 and violacciocca! Hope ya'll enjoyed this chapter, and I'll see you next time! ;D
