Warning: The author's real life is a bitch hence she claims to not have properly proof read this chapter.

Disclaimer: Kuroko no Basuke belongs to Tadatoshi Fujimaki. I just own my OCs and the plot as they are the figment of my imagination.

Chapter 20

Believe... 'Lie' lies craftily in its core!

... "Where did Ayame-san go?"

"What?!" Ayame screamed but it looked as if Haruko had turned a deaf ear to her. He looked only at Midorima and slowly a scowl formed on his face and Midorima didn't feel like keeping his calm façade.

Quickly looking away from Midorima, Haruko searched for Ayame; whom he was unable to spot. He was certain that just few minutes ago he had seen her talking to Midorima and watching the flames but after he ate and dumped his plate he couldn't spot her any more.

Instead of frantically searching for her he thought it would be better, not necessarily pleasant, to ask the person who had seen her last. And it happened such that Midorima was the last person who had seen her. He shouldn't have bothered anyways but the lingering doubt about the ghost took better half of his judgement.

Even though he dashed towards his teammate, he hardly had anything to say to him.

It didn't take much time for either Ayame or Midorima to figure out that Haruko was unable to see the ghost.

He calmed his racing heart and with an even tone asked, without looking at Midorima, "Have you seen Ayame-san?"

"Why should I tell you?" Now that Midorima's brain was not able to process what was happening and that he was sure that Haruko won't be answering him, provocation worked best.

He openly ignored Ayame and looked at Haruko, who was still avoiding eye contact and waited patiently to get a reply.

Hearing Midorima's question pissed him off to a greater extent than expected but he didn't want to fight, "Do you know what you are doing?"

"What do you mean?" Midorima's eyes narrowed at an unanticipated question.

"Are you pretending to not understand?" Haruko knew Midorima was not a fool to ask silly questions.

"She can go wherever she wants." Midorima said when his cover was blown by Haruko

"You are still not replying to my question?" Haruko crossed his arms and still denied to look towards his teammate.

"I'm doing what I want to." Midorima stated simply as an answer to Haruko's query.

Haruko hated this eccentric guy. He felt terrible to even think that he could have changed when he saw him smile once while playing and even bothered offering water.

"Midorima! Why are you ignoring me?" Ayame wailed beside him but he didn't pay any attention to her, he didn't even spare a glance towards her.

Haruko was worried that something might trigger another phenomenon if she was left unchecked. He sounded like a hypocrite but who wouldn't? Hoping for the best he said nothing anymore and left the spot. On his way back towards Takao he kept worrying and playing various possible dangerous scenarios involving the ghost; in his mind. Although he felt a bit guilty for telling her that he believes in her good intention and then turning tails when he couldn't spot her. What frustrated him more was Midorima's reaction towards Ayame.

Once Haruko was a good distance away from them, Midorima spoke, "He can't see you."

"I know that. You should have at least told him that I was here, ya know." Ayame said because she saw how worried and wild Haruko looked.

"Who said he would have believed me?" he looked at the dying ambers of the bonfire as he spoke.

"He is a nice guy. He believed in me." Ayame retorted. She felt oddly defensive even though Midorima is the one giving her company and helping her meet with others when he leaves.

"Believe, you say?" It was barely audible but Ayame was able to hear him. It reminded him of times when they believed in Kuroko on court and then crushed that delicately built trust.

"'I believe that you didn't intend' he said that, ya know." She quoted what Haruko had said the last he was had seen her.

'True. He believed in your words but it did look like he trusted you?' Midorima wanted to say this but he let his thoughts slide.

Midorima didn't say a word after all. He knew Haruko didn't trust Ayame to be absolutely docile and somewhere in the back of Haruko's mind he feared another accident. Though he wouldn't go so far as to label Haruko as a hypocrite because he could see the delicate play with the words- believe and trust.

Moreover he could let Ayame stay in her bubble. She wouldn't be seeing him or Haruko after tonight or maybe after a year when Shutoku would come here for another camp.

"You listening to me?" his train of thoughts were broken when Ayame forced herself to sit right in his line of sight and increase her decibel.

"Hmph." He grunted as he recovered from his trance.

Ayame was sad to know that Haruko couldn't see her anymore and this phenomenon was surely odd but there was nothing she could do about it other than noting this point. Haruko was an oddity like Midorima. Both saw the ghost but one of them had an erratic sighting; like a switch. Haruko never noticed her and then suddenly started seeing her and then again he stopped. She quietly wondered if Matsumoto Risa would be like Midorima Shintarou or Saionji Haruko.

"It is late." Midorima broke the silence and stood up, carrying his plate along.

She had nothing better to do so she followed him around.

He kept his plate and washed his hands and quietly sat on a nearby bench that was near to his teammates gathering. He knew that if he tries to go away someplace Miyaji would kill him. Staying near people didn't seem that bad.

"What happened back there?" he was really curious. Though he said to Ayame that it was not her doing but Ayame knew better. He coaxed the incidence up to lift Ayame's spirit but lie would take it so far. Knowing her reason would be better.

"What are you referring to?" Ayame said while standing just behind him. She still found a lot of difficulty in facing him.

"Back in the gym." He leaned back, straight against the bench, and crossed his arms across his chest.

His body language made Ayame nervous. He looked extremely defensive yet she couldn't tell for sure. They weren't facing each other which she found better. She didn't want to reveal anything to him but she knew he had the right to know since he might have died so near to her.

She clenched her fists and looked straight ahead where humans had gathered around and was sharing joy. She took a long look at Haruko who seemed relaxed while Takao whining out loud near his ears. "I lost my consciousness." She declared.

"Why?" his shoulder relaxed a bit as he continued to look ahead at the gathering. Both of them ignored to look at each other while feeling like a coward. Although in their mind they had made a steely resolution of shedding that quality.

"I don't completely understand the phenomenon but if I lose my mind, I lose control over my..." she paused to think of an appropriate word "... power."

"Do you know why you lost control?" he wanted to take a peek at her expression but her standing behind made it difficult even with his height.

Go ahead tell him. That dark voice echoed sardonically in her mind.

'He is different.' She thought counteractively.

Haruko doesn't trust you, ya know. It sent chills down her mind but she knew that was the fact.

'He believes that I didn't intend in breaking the glasses, which is a fact, but it doesn't change the truth that I did break them. It is completely right for anybody to not trust me.' She closed her eyes to erase those darkened thoughts within her, 'They have their own mind to decide. It takes time to built trust.'

When he noticed a hesitation from her end he was sure that he hit a mark. Whatever happened must have pained her but he promised himself to listen to her so he opted to wait patiently till she answers.

He didn't have to wait long as he heard her say, "It is a ghost thingy, ya know." And the last thing he expected her to do was laugh. She was actually laughing out loud.

He turned his head to get a glance back at her face and then turned his face away and retorted while fiddling with his spectacle, "Fool."

It seemed that he worried himself for naught but he got a feeling that Ayame wasn't going to share. After she had seen him walk away heartlessly that time, he was the fool to believe that his actions then wouldn't have affected her. But her hearty laugh indicated that mistakes from either side were forgotten.

Also, his recent conversation with Risa led him to ask another question to her, "What is your name?"

"Huh!" Ayame stopped laughing when she heard that. Her eyes widened at such a surprising question, "Ya kidding me!"

"I'm not." He arrogantly replied- with eyes closed and vein popping under his eye.

"It is Ayame." She wasn't sure why he would even ask this.

"Your full name, idiot. Not just your given name." He nearly shouted at her response. He was embarrassed when he called out to her with her given name when she refused to come along with him, after Haruko left.

It was bothering him. It even got him thinking when Risa said that ghosts are tied down to earth with incomplete business. If he knew her full name something might gather up which he could correlate. If fate has chosen him to see the ghost then there might be something out there which would eventually lead it down to her even though Matsumoto Risa is going to stay with her. Fate or not, knowing a bit about her wouldn't hurt.

"I don't know." Her voice was solemn.

The shocking answer that he received made him react. He turned his upper body to face her; unfolding his arms and clenching the wooden bench's rail with his right hand, "What?"

She didn't look at those jade irises that with shock were trembling a bit. She had decided to tell him about her memories since she wasn't able to tell about her senses. He very well deserved to know what he got entangled with.

Looking at the vast sky and sea she breathed in the air although she could not sense either the texture or the fragrance contained in it. She just assumed that it could have been her mannerism just like Midorima's constant fiddling of spectacles.

This act helped in building up some courage to gaze into his eyes. And once her eyes met his she quickly closed her eyes and smiled while saying, "I have no memories of my living self, ya know."

~~0~~

The light from the chandelier was the only source of lighting in the dining hall. Seated on one end of it was a graceful man in his forties and his son occupying the seat on his right. The silence in the room was broken occasionally by the clattering of cutleries while they ate their dinner.

Silence was a comforting company other than the maids who came by at appropriately scheduled time for taking the plates and getting fresh meal, if required, or would set up dessert.

The father finished his course at the exact time as his son but before their customary parting words he added few details that his son should include in his schedule, "Seijuurou! I need to have a word with you." With that said he got up from his seat and walked towards their living room.

Without hesitation his son followed his steps till they entered through the grand door and sat next to each other on the twin sofa chair with an elegant table separating them. The decor of the room was warm with a fire place facing them and grand bookshelf made from ebony wood standing poised with various types of books adorning its shelf. It contained the books that were their favourite and their library possessed the glorious archive of numerous books.

"The day your Inter-High finals are ending we have to leave for Yukimura's dinner ball." Akashi's father announced as he picked some files from the table and started flipping through it.

"I believe your stay at the venue is for three days. The car will be ready to take you to Tokyo." Further instructions followed while the father adjusted his reading glasses.

"That is all. Good night, Seijuurou." His son had kept quiet the whole time and has noted down the order. There was no good luck wishes from his father but he knew his son will emerge out victorious.

"Good night, Father." He stood up and walked away to his room through the gigantic staircase.

Once he heard the click of the double doors of the living room he took a deep breath, took off his glasses and leaned his head back onto the head-rest of the sofa. He closed his eyes for few minutes and combed his thinning salt and pepper hair with his fingers. Through the closed eyes he could clearly see his wife's gentle smile and feel the warm radiance that always emanated from such a fragile body. Those flowing crimson hair and eyes were beyond any comparable beauty. A part of him was lost but he could not bear to look weak before anyone and also not let his son fail.

He opened his eyes and his golden irises focused on the ceiling. He straightened up and started going through the files from his office and engrossed himself in doing what he did the best.

His son sat on the chair near his study table and opened his laptop. He knew that Yukimura's are very important in his father's business and as an Akashi successor he should plan and watch them closely; "Seems interesting."

~~0~~

"Are you serious?" He drawled on ever word.

"Yeah." She replied as she dared to open her eyes to look at Midorima who had closed his eyes when he heard the answer. He decided to stand up and walk towards the ghost.

She floated few feet away when he approached. In her defence she reasoned that his full height is very intimidating.

"And you mention it now." The accusation was sharp.

"There was no specific reason to tell you that earlier, ya know." She put up her palm while still retreating.

"You!" because of this stupid explanation he felt even more embarrassed at the memory of calling her by her given name.

"Would it have mattered?" she questioned because she had made the fact clear that she couldn't leave this area while he would go back to where he came from. This was a temporary arrangement and according to her this wasn't a big deal.

"Yes it would." Midorima's head was flooded with many questions. Now he would not be able to ever know her blood group or the type of person she actually was. A ghost with no memories- how would she even cross-over to Afterlife if she doesn't know what is tying her down to this side.

While maintaining a safe distance from the raging boy she replied, "I was going to tell you but I realised it didn't matter."

"What?" his dangerous aura was still suffocating her.

"I was going to tell you tonight and ask you to do me a favour, if possible." She said while trying to not run away from the intimidating guy in front of her, "Now, Matsumoto is going to deal with me, right?"

He didn't respond because he knew this was certainly the case.

When he didn't reply she panicked and continued blabbering, "There are loads of phenomenons that I can't explain. It is not like I'm a pro-ghost or anything so how would I know. Documents in this limited area are not helpful as there were no mention of amnesic ghost or of that sort. I wanted to ask you for help because; ya know these hippie psychics suck but you could hardly do anything from Tokyo. Then-"

"Shut up, idiot. I know." He could hardly handle her. He did understand the circumstances and he was glad that Risa was here to take care of her. In his eyes Ayame was looking completely ridiculous with such uncertainty hanging around her.

By this time everybody were retiring for the night and Midorima could feel his body demanding rest. And just for tonight he could let Ayame stay around and with Haruko not being able to see her was favourable, "I'm going to sleep."

"Good night, Midorima." She said but didn't follow him like she would have done if that incident wouldn't have happened.

"Aren't you coming along?" Midorima found it odd that she didn't come along and 'collect the perks of being a ghost', to quote her.

"It is dangerous with me around." She said immediately.

He did not want to force her in doing something if she can't handle. Mind is a delicate thing especially of a ghost. She needs time and her place to not lose control of it.

But if he leaves she might take his action as his distrust, "Take your time." He said in hopes of not sounding heartless.

"I will meet ya in the morning." She seemed pleased with his answer.

"Hmph." With that he left to give his body proper rest and Ayame left towards her usual bookstore and prepare herself for a new day and a new leaf with Matsumoto.

~~0~~

She raided most of the books but nowhere had she found anything that would explain what happened with Haruko. She also feared what would happen the next morning when she meets the beautiful woman whose voice she admired and which helped her from raging out of control.

She scanned through every book available but nothing explained such a happening. She wished upon the stars that Matsumoto Risa doesn't display an oddity like Haruko, "Please." She whispered in her desperation.

She doused herself in the world of her own with so many possibility and happenings but without any answer or explanation. She was successful in making a list with the help of telekinesis, pen and paper which included the things she would tell Risa. She kept the list well hidden in the bookstore which she would eventually collect. To accept the truth, she was a bit excited even though a little sad at Midorima's and Haruko's departure.

When the morning came she looked at the clock in the store. It said 6:01 am which means that she was a minute late to greet Midorima.

On her way she tried her best to put up a bright smile. She entered to room just in time Midorima was getting ready to go to the bathroom after doing his morning stretches and the others had not woken up.

"Mornin'!" she surely was in high spirit as compared to the yesterday's miserable self. She is fresh to take her journey ahead with Risa.

He looked at the jolly ghost and said, "Stay rooted there."

"Aye, aye!" She said and did not dare to follow him to the bath. She wanted to show her gratefulness towards Midorima.

And just as predicted Midorima came out at the same time when others woke up. She had hoped that Haruko would see her and scream at her but that boy went about doing his daily biding without any realization.

Haruko passed through Ayame just like earlier times and left her in swarming doubts. She still smiled even when odds seemed against her as she thought about her meeting with Risa. She stayed with Midorima while the male was busy listening to Oha-Asa.

His lucky item for the day was origami which he skilfully created from pages of his notebook. Once it was complete, light shown over his glasses as he showed Ayame his craft skills with prideful smile.

Ayame doesn't remember seeing any skilful origami so this was her first origami memory with Midorima so she clapped at the display.

He left for early breakfast in an almost empty canteen. Ayame appreciated the fact that he was taking careful measures so that he could reply back to her. So she started the recent topic, "I read few interesting fact about basketball."

Midorima hardly thought that Ayame had anything in store that would come as a surprise to him. Even though he didn't respond, Ayame knew that she has to say her facts, "Fouls are tricky."

He almost chocked on his food when he heard such a ridiculously vague expression. When he looked at her, she was staring back at him with determination and hopeful look of achievement. He gulped down his food before replying, "So what?"

"How do player keep tab of not making fouls while trying to play?" she paused and exhaled heavily, "Sounds tedious, ya know."

"Playing will become rough and out of control without rules." He replied. He had never actually had this question asked to him ever.

"Is it fun?" Ayame asked. She has been floating in front of him while waiting for him to complete his meal.

Anyone could have answered that question easily but for Midorima it was thorny. He and the Generation of Miracles had actually fallen behind in such a simple concept.

He thanked Kuroko because now he knew the answer for Ayame's enquiry, "Yes."

~~0~~

"You are looking for whom?" Miyaji asked because he couldn't believe his ears.

"A very tall greenette named Midorima." The gorgeous lady answered with her musical and appealing voice.

"Seriously." Miyaji tried to smile but his irritation didn't let him to but he had to ask, "I will relay the message to him."

"It is personal." Matsumoto Risa regretted to have come ten minutes early. But she was very much excited about today. She could hardly sleep as she looked forward to this time.

"Kimura! I need pineapples." Miyaji was having a hard time digesting this. He wanted to smash something with pineapples.

"I don't need pineapples. It will be quick." She hated pineapples. She had to decline the handsome high-schooler's offer.

Thankfully Midorima was on his way to the guest house reception with Ayame trailing him. When he spotted Risa he stopped in his way. He did not want to meet her with Miyaji-san breathing down his neck. Luckily, Risa spotted him. Midorima stands out anywhere.

She looked at Miyaji with a smile and said, "Midorima-san is here. Thank you very much for your help and sorry for the inconvenience caused."

Midorima cringed at her appearance. She looked entirely different with her assistant uniform on.

"Midorima! We will talk about this later." Miyaji said as he moved past Midorima and through Ayame on his way towards the cafeteria.

"Good morning." She greeted him as he and Ayame closed in towards her.

"Good morning." When it came to Risa he always replied. Her voice sure was compelling.

When Ayame's experienced eyes saw Risa, up close, everything in her mind collapsed. Her joy, excitement, her plans and her only hope shattered when Risa said, "Where is she?"

Thanks for reading and supporting!

A/N: So Season 3 episode 1- thoughts anyone? Of course! Just can't wait a week for the next. I liked the opening and ending song especially baby Kuroko pictures in the ending video: Just. So Adorable :3
And the best part is AKASHI playing the violin... my heart skipped a beat!
Man! Half the episode went in recap and rest was meeting with Hiazaki :'( I just expected to see Kise unleash his talents (*3*)