Disclaimer: Kuroko no Basuke is written and illustrated by Tadatoshi Fujimaki, published by Shueisha. Nothing belongs to me, but my fanfics and OCs are mine.

Possible Genres: Romance, Drama, Action, Shoujo, Crime, Girls with Guns…

Note to self: Chapter 25 was uploaded on December 25, 2013

Author's note: Merry Christmas, even though the day is already ending! 8D

"Talking"

'Thinking'

Texting

Chapter 25: Enjoy It While You Can

A crowd of people was lead out of the building and they were guided by the police and by the other staff of the Inter-High. Aomine was walking around among them, failing to find his friends in the school. So he was just trying to get any glimpse of them anywhere. 'Come on, where the hell did you guys go?' he glared, turning his head from left to right back and forth.

Always keeping his head high, Aomine bumped back against someone. "Wah!" a girl let out a cry.

Aomine looked back and just saw Yamauchi tripping forward, but Kagami easily caught her by grabbing her arm. "Aomine-kun!" Momoi suddenly appeared to his side and she grabbed his arm. "You came!"

While the Ace of the Generation of Miracles sighed with relieved at his friends' safety, Kuroko was scanning around. "Yamauchi-san, are any of the girls picking up your calls yet?" Kuroko inquired, looking to her. She was on her phone and was trying to contact her friends who disappeared after they left the school grounds.

Yamauchi shook her head 'no' and moved from Kagami's aid. Aomine then asked, "Wait, where are the others?" He begun to realize other girls were missing from the group.

"We don't know," Kagami replied with a frown. "They just suddenly disappeared on us."

Momoi nodded and held herself with her arms. "I hope Midorin and his teammates are okay too," she murmured, her eyes searching the crowd. The smokes were filling up the sky and people chattered loudly. The air felt tense and Momoi moved closer to Kuroko for security.

"I'm certain Midorima-kun and his friends fine," Kuroko told her as he gazed to her.

Kagami nodded, "Yeah, knowing Midorima and all." He had complete faith in that Cancer guy. In fact, Kagami was not worried at all.

"Oh!" Yamauchi smiled and everybody looked at her. "Moto-chan?! Where are you girls?! Do you know how much I was worried?!"

"Sorry about that!" Moto replied on the phone. She sounded quiet and not as cheerful. "We took Tomimura-chan to the hospital—"

Yamauchi gasped, "What happened to Tomimura?! Why are you guys at the hospital?!" Everyone was staring at her curiously and hoped everybody was all right.

"It's just a small hospital!" Moto said, now chuckling. "She'll be fine. We're already done here, so we'll meet up now. Where are you? Are you with the others?"

\o~o/

Ten minutes later, Kuroko and friends found themselves standing at a wide-opened area that were filled with young people who had planned to watch the basketball match. News reporters were scrumming towards the scene, so this was the best place for a bit of peace. And then Aomine saw the others and spotted Moto. He let out a breath of relief, but then criticized himself for worrying about her more than his friends.

"Oh, Midorima-kun is with them," Kuroko blinked. There was even Takao too. Kuroko wanted to greet them when Kagami confronted them first, uttering something to them. Kuroko noticed Tomimura walking strangely and Fukui was helping her by hold her arm. Before Kuroko stepped up, he paused when he felt his phone vibrating. Averting his friends, he took his phone out of his pocket and saw it was from Akashi. Kuroko answered right away, "Yes, Akashi-kun?"

"…I saw the news just now," Akashi's voice came on.

"Oh," Kuroko blinked yet again. No one heard him on the phone and they continued chattering behind him.

Akashi inquired, "Is everyone all right, Tetsuya?"

"Yes," Kuroko nodded casually.

There was a short pause. "Really?"

"Ahh," Kuroko glanced back. "Oh yes. Tomimura-san went to the hospital for a bit. But she seems fine now. There is no other harm done."

"What is she doing over in Tokyo?"

"I'm not too sure," Kuroko replied, his eyes wandering around slowly. "But Yamauchi-san wanted to see Kagami-kun so some of her friends came along."

"…Where did Tomimura get hurt?"

Kuroko paused and made himself turned around. His eyes traced down to Tomimura's right hand, which held her right stomach. She winced when Moto nudged her. "Moto, that hurts!" Tomimura complained.

"Haha, sorry!" Moto hugged her closely, trying hard not to smile.

Kuroko then answered to Akashi, "She must have hurt the side of her stomach."

There was a soft sigh coming from Akashi. "Tetsuya," he said quietly. Kuroko blinked twice and waited for him to finish. "Pretend you're still on the phone for me, will you?"

"Yes, of course," Kuroko smiled. Though, he wondered why Akashi sounded a bit odd. He even requested Kuroko with a question mark.

"And don't tell anyone it's me who you're talking to."

"Done," Kuroko nodded again, making a blank face.

Takao let out a big sigh, "Whew! I wonder who actually managed to put all those bombs in the school! That was crazy!"

"I know, right?" Moto pouted. A second later, she grabbed for his shirt. "Where was the security?!"

"Don't ask me," Takao shrugged to her and she instantly let him go.

Momoi was concerned about Tomimura, so she offered, "Come over here and sit, Tomimura…" There was a bench just a few ways behind them. Whilst Tomimura nodded, Fukui helped her walk toward it. Momoi aid them and her eyes noticed Kuroko. "Tetsu-kun, who are you talking to?"

"I'm contacting my mom because she tried to call a while ago," Kuroko lied almost perfectly.

"Oh," Momoi smiled.

As Tomimura was seated down, Yamauchi took Moto's arm and noticed a strange cut. "Moto-chan, you're hurt too!" Yamauchi whined, hugging her quickly.

"Eh, I'm fine!" Moto chuckled, hugging her back rather tightly.

Midorima was glancing to the girls and his eyes narrowed. Takao was quiet and gave Midorima a silent look. "Who were those girls fighting the three of you?" Midorima inquired bluntly.

Tomimura, Fukui, and Moto all stared at him dryly. Kagami was puzzled and looked to the green head guy. "Who are you talking to?" Kagami inquired, raising an eyebrow.

"We don't know 'em," Fukui said calmly. She pretended to look she had no clue what Midorima was talking about. "They just attacked outta nowhere."

"Yeah, it's strange," Tomimura murmured, still holding her side. And that was true enough. Those girls attacked out of nowhere and aimed for her and two of her friends. It made no sense. Unless it was about work, but Tomimura believed no one would know their faces as Bullets.

"That's horrible!" Yamauchi said, her hands shaking. "And they attacked when the bombs went on?"

Moto nodded with a frown, "Yep."

"But," Takao blinked at the girls. "The three of you even took them on… like you knew how to fight."

"It's called self-defense!" Moto hit her shoulder against his back shoulder. That caused his upper body to move forward and he turned to give her a sigh. "Yeah, we all learn them so no people or perverted men would attack us," Moto voiced with complete honesty, beaming all at the same time.

"Oh, really?" Takao found himself smirking. "So if I did this…" When he reached out, Moto quickly took his wrist and twisted it. Surprisingly, he let his guard down and he turned around to keep his arm from twisting any further. "Okay, okay! I believe you!"

Moto let him go and Midorima frowned, "Don't hurt him like that. We need him for Inter-High." Moto merely grinned to Midorima and said nothing.

"Then how about this?" Aomine had grabbed Moto's right forearm and pulled on her. Moto used her free hand and grabbed her hand of the arm that he held. With a twist of her captured arm, she used her hand to pull her arm out through his grasped fingers. He blinked silently. "You really do know your stuff," Aomine commented as she smiled up at him. Because of the bone of the human arm, she turned it to make her escape easier and leave where his weaker grip was. …Maybe he should have held her arm tighter.

Fukui was laughing so they faced to her. "Geez, if ya wanted ta touch Moto-tan so much, ask her out first, silly boys!" Fukui winked.

Aomine snorted, "Who would?"

"Oh, so Moto's single?" Takao smiled to the tall girl.

"Yep," Moto nodded with a giggle.

Takao continued to smile. "Then you wanna go out with me sometime?" he asked. Moto paused, blinking at him while everyone directed their attention to them. "Oh, wait, we never introduced ourselves." He held his hand out and smirked, "I'm Takao Kazunari. You?"

She giggled and took his hand childishly. "Moto Shizuka!" When they let go of each other's hands, she added, "And I'm sorry, but I wanted to go out with Himuro-san first."

Takao blinked, "Aw, too bad."

"If Himuro-san doesn't want to, then I'll go out with you," she smiled. "I only called him a few times, but he never bother to call me. And I'm starting to get his hidden message. Heh."

"Alright then," Takao grinned. He had no worries. There were a lot of girls chasing after Himuro, so maybe he would not consider Moto. Which means, Takao would have a chance.

Aomine frowned at them and thought nothing.

"I live in Kanagawa though," Moto clarified, pointing to herself.

"Doesn't matter to me," Takao almost laughed, smiling widely.

Kagami let out a sigh and wondered out loud, "Do you guys think they'll delay the match now?" The police sirens were heard from afar and people were looking around. "This might holdup the whole thing too."

"We'll simply wait," Midorima furrowed his eyebrows to him. "Nothing would change either."

Yamauchi smiled with a bit of pity. "This means we'll have to head back home without seeing Midorima-san in action," she said, disappointed.

"Huh?" Takao blinked to her. "You want to see Midorima play? …Wait, how do you guys and girls know each other?" Takao looked at them back and forth. "Or am I misunderstanding something here?"

Midorima grunted and Fukui snickered in the background. Moto gladly said, "We met each other at a mixer!"

"Whoa, seriously?" Takao grinned. He laughed a little and nudged the glasses guy. "Shin-chan, you didn't tell me? Why not? I would have come along! I bet you wanted all of the girls to yourself!"

And while Takao still teased the quiet Midorima, Momoi looked to Tomimura and asked, "Does it hurt? Will you be able to get back home okay?"

"I'll be fine as long as I'm still," Tomimura nodded with her eyes on the ground. Her gut was hurting, but it was just a hole. Better than being stabbed by a knife. "…And Fukui's here, so we'll be back home safe and sound."

Momoi let a smile spread on her face and was still concerned for Tomimura. Fukui then gave the pink haired girl a wink to assure her and Momoi nodded once. Just right after that moment, Kuroko stood next to them and he was still on the phone. Momoi fixed her gaze to him and gave him a strange look. "Tetsu-kun, you still haven't reach your mom yet?" she inquired.

"…Hm," he nodded. He took the phone away and pretended to dial. And then he put it back to his ears.

"Ask how Tomimura's been doing this past week," Akashi told him.

Kuroko blinked and his eyes over on Tomimura, who was still looking at the ground with an uncomfortable expression on her face. "So, Tomimura-san," Kuroko spoke. She lifted her face up to him and Fukui was smiling curiously. "How was your week?"

"Why are ya only askin' her?" Fukui grinned in a teasing tone.

"I was going to ask all of you," Kuroko smiled back. "I never met any of you, but I know Tomimura-san a little. And I want her to feel comfortable as well as everyone else. I mean no offensive."

"Aw, what a cutie," Fukui chuckled.

Tomimura sighed for a second and looked to him. "…My week was fine, Kuroko," she said, smiling a little. "Thank you for your concern."

\o~o/

Akashi was in his bedroom, lying down on his back against the bed. His eyes stared at the ceiling and he listened when Tomimura was talking. But then Kagami's loud voice overpowered as Midorima scolded him about something. Akashi did not react to that much and knew they would quiet down soon.

And then he heard Tomimura asked, "Do you guys know what Akashi is doing?" Akashi's eyelids opened a bit.

"Oh," Aomine started. "Nope. Not at all. No one is keeping tabs on him."

Fukui giggled, "Aw, does our little Tomimura-tan miss 'im?"

Tomimura's sigh was heard, "Are you kidding me? Of course not." Akashi breathed through his nose and felt nothing in his chest. When he was going to tell Kuroko he was going to hang up, Tomimura's voice quietly said, "I just think… it's strange he hadn't called me."

"Ah ha!" Moto's voice rung. "Look, everyone! Tomimura-chan looked lovesick just now!"

"No, I am not!" Tomimura retorted suddenly.

Kagami then said, "Wait, Akashi's not talking to you, Tomimura? Did something happen?"

"Nothing happened!" Tomimura's voice sounded shy.

Akashi rolled on his right side and stared blankly. He continued to listen and heard Midorima inquired, "Akashi is interested in this girl?"

"What's wrong with dat?" Fukui sounded proud. "Our Tomimura-tan is lovable if ya get ta know her."

Takao snickered, "Then we better stay away from her. Akashi would kill us if we try to hit on her, yeah?"

"Exactly," Aomine agreed and then yawned.

Yamauchi giggled, "Tomimura-chan, why don't you try calling him? Maybe he's just busy with his basketball club and all?"

"No, I won't," Tomimura's determined voice responded. Akashi grunted and kept his thoughts to himself. "I rather call Kise." And that made Akashi snapped in the inside. "Akashi's possessive and I don't like it."

"Hm?" Momoi's voice was now heard. "Then…what kind of guy do you like, Tomimura?"

Everyone was quiet and Akashi waited patiently. "I…" Tomimura uttered. "Do I have to answer that?"

Moto laughed, "Aw, Tomimura! If you're asking why Akashi-san isn't calling, then he must have something you like, right?"

"Enough, I'm done talking about this," Tomimura told them.

"Then don't bring it up," Moto snickered.

The group went off to talk about the bomb incident now. Akashi said, "Tetsuya, I'm hanging up."

"Yes," Kuroko noted.

When Akashi ended the call, he went and called Kise right away. 'I want to see her again,' Akashi thought, his eyes staring at the wall emotionlessly. He only promised not to talk to Tomimura, but his father did not said they could not see each other. When Akashi heard the phone click, he spoke, "Ryouta, when are we meeting for the summer?"

"Eh, do you mean when we play Spin the Bottle, Akashi-cchi?" Kise inquired.

"Yes."

Kise chuckled and nothing was heard in the background. "Well, I had talked to the others about it last week and I was going to inform you the details," he notified. "Most of them would be training with their basketball club in the first two weeks of summer break. That would leave August wide open. We have a month of break there. So it would depends when we all want to meet with each other during that time."

Akashi moved to sit up with a thought. "…Then let's spend one week together in the middle of August," he decided.

"Where do you suggest?" Kise asked.

"There is a private site where my father owns," the redhead said, recalling about it. "It's close to Kyoto."

"Then we'll go with that," Kise said, trusting Akashi. "I'll let everyone know and see what they think of it."

Akashi had a faint smile, "And one thing, Ryouta."

Kise chuckled softly, "…Say it."

"Tomimura Mizuki is mine."

"…Unless she chooses me, Akashi-cchi," Kise taunted, sounding a bit carefree. "I know losing hurts… and I have decided. I'm going to try out this battle with you. Actually, not try, but I will do it. We'll see who she chooses." Akashi's face become cold and he said nothing. "Since you live so far away, I have a slight advantage. I'm going to ask her out when I'm close enough to her."

Still saying nothing, the two of them had a long silence. Akashi's left eye acted up again, but he ignore the pain. As much as he felt victory was certain, Akashi had his doubts. There was his father. But Akashi also wanted Tomimura for himself as well. What would he do now that Kise confirmed he was interested in Tomimura?

Kise chuckled and said, "I hope we'll remain as friends though. I don't… really like fighting over a girl with someone I respect."

"Same here, Ryouta," Akashi honestly remarked. "But go ahead and lay down your cards. Enjoy it while you can."

"Ahhh, Akashi-cchi always sounds so confident!" Kise whined and sighed right after. "But okay. I'll give it my best! You better not regret it when I win!"

Akashi smiled a bit, "I could say the same to you."

Kise had a heartfelt laugh as if something that burdened him had left. "If this is all, Akashi-cchi, then I will have to go," Kise told him. "I have a photo shoot to attend to."

"Alright," Akashi said.

"I'll talk to you as soon as I tell everyone about the plan!"

"…Yeah," Akashi lowered his eyes.

"Bye!"

Akashi ended the call and closed his cell phone. The pain in his left eye was gone. He narrowed his eyes and begun setting his mind about Inter-High. 'I can think about Tomimura later,' he told himself. 'I have to train my teammates harder.' If he showed a sign of weakness, his teammates and opponents would notice.

There was no room for love for the moment. …Love? Was it really love?

\o~o/

The day was ending as everyone saw Tomimura, Fukui, Moto, and Yamauchi off at the train station. The train had left and Takao let out a depressed sigh. "Ah~ah," Takao put his hands behind his head. "There they go… They're such a fun group of girls."

"I think so too," Momoi chuckled as she brought up her fingertips to her lips.

Midorima glanced to Kagami, "So they've become your fangirls?"

Kagami snapped at him with a small blush, "No, not at all!"

"Ha," Aomine rolled his eyes. "You should have seen those girls, Midorima. They were jumping and screaming Kagami's name."

"Aomine-kun," Momoi sighed at him. "Not every one of them. Tomimura didn't do any of that."

"You should have seen the look on her face then," Aomine told her. For he saw Tomimura was also enchanted by Kagami's play.

Kuroko blinked, "Aomine-kun, you were staring at Tomimura-san?"

"Of course not!" Aomine retorted for some reason. They all stared at him strangely and he glared. "I just caught a glimpse of it. Nothing more." He was actually staring at Moto most of the times, but as if he would tell them that.

Takao was the first turn around. "Well, time to head back home," he waved. "Shin-chan, let's go." Midorima did not need him to order him around and followed him. He sulked a bit, but quickly covered it up. Takao already saw that though and smirked, "Oh let me guess! Did you also wish you have fangirls? Which one of them do you like?"

"Shut up, Takao," Midorima glanced to him coldly.

Momoi took Kuroko's arm and they walked together with Kagami and Aomine at different sides. "Our homes are almost in the same way," she smiled. "Let's walk together for a bit."

Kuroko nodded as Kagami frowned. 'I still don't get why Kuroko feels nothing toward Momoi,' Kagami flattened his face.

With Aomine yawning and daydreaming, he was soon irritated about something. Moto Shizuka. First she wanted Himuro and now she might go to Takao. 'I can't believe she would go for any guy,' he thought. Not that he was upset, but it was like she would take what she could get. That was annoying.

Kuroko looked down to Momoi's hand that slipped down to his own hand. She was only holding his hand though and did not lock her fingers with his. He smiled and slid his fingers between her own soft fingers, but she did not notice. Kuroko looked at the back of her head since she was in front of him.

Truly, he did not mind if she was unaware of it. Because no matter what kind of action he tried to show, Momoi always failed to see it. Even his friends were the same. So it did not matter if no one saw his attempts. This was already good enough. So he held her tighter and just wore a kind expression on his face.

Thanks for reading!