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逃亡皇后
ーThe Runaway Empressー
by Amanozako-hime
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第34章
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— 水曜日 (20xx年2月10日) —
** Wakayama, Japan **
和歌山、日本
Dinner was a loud and noisy affair, given that they were mostly teenage boys – and add Kimiko and Kise to the mix – and Akashi was grateful that Aomine was not there, because then the noise would be unbearable.
Doesn't mean that he won't go along with it.
Orders were made, and the rectangular table was soon filled with steaming dishes. Kimiko then starts telling random stories about their time in Teikou, and they all found themselves doing the same. Even Shirogane told them a few, but mostly, he shared the most embarrassing ones.
"Oh my God, Shirogane-kantoku!" Kimiko exclaimed at one point, "I thought you were not aware of that!"
"I have eyes and ears in the gym, Kimiko-chan."
The Teikou players were enthralled by their tales, especially the silly and funny ones. They had thought that the Kiseki were all serious prodigies that did nothing but train and train and train – well, they did, but that does not mean that they didn't know how to have fun while they're at it. Their summer camps were all unforgettable ones, and it was clear that despite their differences in personality, they were all a tightly-knitted group, despite what others think.
"Heh, after all that talk, I may have to schedule one as well for Aomine, Momoi and Midorima just so they can return the favor," Kimiko said with a laugh. "Might as well give them a chance to redeem themselves in your eyes."
"I want in, Kimikocchi!"
"I'll tell you then. I wonder what Midorimacchi's lucky item will be on that day… Maybe something ridiculous? Like a hammer? A balloon?"
"Remember that fishing net he used on Aomine when he tried to skip on cleaning duties?"
"Mido-chin was carrying a phone book on the first day of class..."
"He once carried an uchiwa around even though it was middle of winter," Kuroko added, though he felt slightly guilty for talking about those who weren't here with them.
Akashi watched them with a contented smile as he ate, perhaps the only one who was taking his food seriously. Kuroko was being talkative tonight, and so was Murasakibara, which was quite a surprise. He smiled as he lifted the chopsticks to his mouth. Were they trying to impress their kouhais?
He glanced at the girl beside him, and had to smile.
At first glance, it might seem that nothing has changed between them, however, for Akashi, it made all those small gestures from Kimiko a lot more precious - from the simplest brushes of her hand to the warm smiles that she gives him - it conveyed to him just how much the girl treasures him as much as he treasures her.
And his teammates were still unaware of the change in their relationship.
Ignorance is bliss, indeed, he thought when he caught Kise looking at Kimiko when she was laughing merrily at what was being said.
"On our training camp in Hawaii, he was walking around with a pumpkin on our first day!"
"You had a training camp in Hawaii?" Akihiko asked in surprise.
"Yep, we went twice – during our first and second year," Kimiko answered. "We were there for like, 5 days."
"I was only able to accompany them in their first year, but I heard everything you did there from Sanada," Shirogane said.
"We want to hear about it!" Matsuoka pleaded with Kimiko, who was just barely containing her laughter just at the reminder of that particular camp.
"Okay, so I'll tell you about the second one, since that was when Ryouta joined the club," Kimiko decided. "So…."
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ーSecond Year, Teikou Middle Schoolー
"Aren't we too early?" Kimiko asked Akashi. It was four in the afternoon, and they'd already checked in for their flight, which was scheduled at nine in the evening. Even Akashi looked like he had wanted to say something about it to Coach Sanada, who had made the decision to go to the airport early due to the incident with Aomine last year. Because of that, Kimiko had decided for Momoi to come along with them this time to help them keep Aomine in check, as well as to handle the important things, like Aomine's passport and other important details.
"They are not suited for waiting for hours without doing something," Akashi agreed. It was almost expecting for the others to do something.
"It's bound to be something stupid, I bet."
Akashi sighs. "Of course."
They didn't have to wait long, though. Aomine, fed up with sitting at the lobby, got up and challenged Kise to a race down the aisle that was probably heading to someplace restricted to only employees of the airport, seeing that none of the other passengers used it. Of course, the two didn't know that, or didn't care to know, and so they started their passing practice. Kimiko and Akashi were about to reprimand them but Coach Sanada reached them first, who had just returned from somewhere.
"They just had too much energy," the older man sighed after lecturing the two, who was lined up against the wall with sorry looks on their faces.
"I should have made them run laps earlier," Kimiko spoke up, and Aomine and Kise turned to look at her. She then smiled at them and pointed her finger at the two.
"The two of you, sit on those chairs until we depart, okay?"
The troublesome pair visibly blanched. "Ch-chairs…?"
Kimiko nodded. "Hm-mm, those invisible chairs behind you. Now. Sit. Down."
"That was mean, Akumicchi..." Kise grimaced. "My legs felt like jelly after that!"
"Heh, just be thankful that Seijuurou saved from standing there for hours…"
When they returned to their seats, Akashi and Kimiko overheard Kuroko talking to Midorima about his lucky items.
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"Apparently, Oha-Asa can only tell your what your lucky item is up to the next day, so to play safe, Shintarou has this huge suitcase full of random things from his house."
"I wonder what the guys at the x-ray machine thought when they saw the contents of his bag~"
"Since it wouldn't be possible to take everything to Hawaii with him, Midorima-kun took pictures of those that he wouldn't be able to bring."
"Midorimacchi is always serious, but when he comes to school bringing all those outrageous lucky items with him, it just makes it terrible. Seriously, who brings a pick ax to school? Like, he's going to start a murder spree anytime… And he even polishes it when he has nothing to do!"
"Midorima sent me an email earlier that week asking me if I can contact Oha-Asa directly. He was not sure what timezone to follow and needed a confirmation."
Their listeners gaped at what they were hearing. To know that the fearsome shooting guard of the Kiseki no Sedai was like this…
"And of course, Atsushi here brought his snacks."
"His bag was huge!" Kise emphasized this by drawing a huge circle with his arms. "I'm surprised that they allowed it as his hand-carry."
"Murasakibara-kun spilled his chips all over the floor. I"m afraid that Midorima-kun is going to lecture him, so I got up and pretended to go to the restroom. It was then that I found Momoi-san."
Seeing the looks of confusion on some of the Teikou players, Kimiko quickly pulled out her phone and showed them a picture of the pink-haired manager.
"She's the head manager at the time – she collects data from our players and opponents and analyzes their possible growth from there." A murmur of awe came from the group. She grinned. "She's awesome, right? And cute, as well."
"Akumi, just get on with the story..."
Kimiko huffed at Akashi. "Fine."
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"Where's Momoi, by the way?" Coach Sanada asked the two. A few seats from them, Midorima was indeed lecturing Murasakibara, and in his disgust, the purple-haired center had begun to pick up the spilled chips and was eating them.
"Those are contaminated already, Murasakibara! Do not eat them!" Midorima almost yelled, but that only made Murasakibara to pick the chips up at a faster rate.
"Five-second rule~" he said between mouthfuls of chips.
"There's no such thing as a five-second rule!"
Akashi sighed. His teammates are very lively today. "I'll look for her."
"I'm coming with you!" Kimiko said, leaving Coach Sanada to calm down Midorima.
They found Momoi and Kuroko talking at a corner of the lobby, near the duty-free shop. Momoi seemed to be explaining something to a hesitant Kuroko, and so they hurried up to them since the girl seemed to be frantic about something.
"Momoi. Kuroko. Is there something wrong?"
"Oh, Akashi-kun! And Aku-chan!"
"Coach Sanada was looking for you," Kimiko told the pinkette. "Nothing important though, he just didn't see you around so..." she shrugged. "I guess he's just paranoid or stressed. Whatever. Anyway," she gestured at Momoi and Kuroko, "you seem to be discussing something.. important?"
Momoi blushed. "A-ano, the thing is, my mom and Dai-chan's mom asked me if I can buy them lipsticks from that store…" she said, turning her head to look at the store behind them.
"Hm? What kind of lipstick do they want? Can't they just buy it themselves?" Kimiko asked in innocent wonder.
"About that, they wanted a brand-name lipstick…."
"But isn't that available at the mall?"
"They asked Momoi to buy it for them at this store since it would be cheaper," Akashi explained to the chartreusette. "The goods sold inside are exempt from tax, so their prices are considerably lower than those sold in malls or specialized shops in Tokyo."
"I see…"
Momoi then clutched her arm. "Ne, Aku-chan, can you come with me? Please?"
"E-eh? Will it be okay…?" Even Kimiko, who was usually confident with just about everything, was getting flustered as well.
"But Aku-chan, I don't want to go alone…"
"B-but-!"
"We'll all go with you, Momoi," Akashi said with a gentle smile. His words stopped the two girls and Momoi looked at him with part eagerness, relief, and embarrassment.
"R-really, Akashi-kun?" He nodded. "Demo, is it okay with you?" she asked in a small voice.
"You have to buy those lipsticks, right? Then, let's go."
The way he stated it so simply calmed the three, and so they followed their red-haired leader into the store. The staff at the entrance greeted them with a warm welcome which Akashi returned with a polite nod of his head before looking around the store, searching for the location of the cosmetic products.
"Is it really alright for us to be here?" Kuroko asked to no one in particular, feeling totally out of place. The shelves they'd passed by contained expensive goods, imported products whose names he can't even pronounce. Also, they were the only minor customers here who do not have an adult with them…
Well, it's not like they can ask Coach Sanada, anyway.
Akashi looked over his shoulder to Kuroko. "We are customers, therefore we are allowed to go in. It's not a matter of age, or gender, or social status. Anyone is allowed to buy what they want."
When they arrived at the corner where all kinds of make-up where on display, Kimiko and Momoi stopped and stared at all the expensive products in front of their eyes – Momoi with a look of awe and longing, while Kimiko has a confused look, similar to Kuroko's.
"Are you sure that this is not the arts and crafts corner?" she asked, pointing at a row of brushes, then at the palettes of eye shadows and rogues.
Akashi cannot help but smile at the innocence of his companions. They were totally unused to such extravagance. There was a slight feeling of envy as he saw them able to be impressed by such things, the feeling of seeing or experiencing something new, and to be able to show them openly…
Unlike him…
He shook his head at those thoughts and focused on the products before him. "Momoi, did they tell you the specific brand they wanted you to buy?"
"Um, hai! Here," and she handed him a piece of paper. Kimiko sidled over to look at it as well.
"Is that some kind of code?"
"Sooner or later, you'll be learning this 'code' as well, Akumi..." Akashi teased lightly as he looked around. Kimiko was right by his side but she didn't dare touch the displays, but that's alright with him. He had no hesitation picking up a lipstick from the display, turning it in his hands only to return it back when he realized that it was not the one he wanted. A moment later, he turned to his companions with two lipsticks in hand and handed it over to Momoi. "Here you go, Momoi."
"Akashi-kun, thank you so much!" the pinkette squealed, hugging the lipsticks to her chest. "I couldn't have done it without you!"
"It's nothing, Momoi. It's the least I can do to thank you for all the hard work you've done for the team."
They accompanied Momoi to the counter to pay for the items, and they exited the store with Momoi looking like a huge burden was lifted off her shoulders.
"So problem solved!" Kimiko cheered the moment they stepped out of the glass doors. "Anyway, we have to go back to Coach Sanada, or he might really get crazy..."
"Akumi..." For some reason, Kimiko was not really in good terms with the replacement coach for Shirogane Kozo, and it seems that the dislike goes both ways, although Sanada grudgingly respects Kimiko for her skills as well as the fact that Coach Shirogane had given her his blessings.
"Just kidding!" she said, holding her hands in surrender. "Don't tell him, though..."
Behind them, Kuroko and Momoi were also in a silent conversation. With eyes fixed on the back of their captain, the phantom cannot help but say, "Sometimes, I can't believe Akashi-kun is of the same age as us..."
Momoi nodded. "Hm-mm… Akashi-kun is really amazing, ne?"
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"Even if Momoicchi asked me to come with her, I don't think I can manage it," Kise admitted.
"You should've told me, Kumi-chin~ There must be lots of delicious snacks in that store~"
Kimiko sweatdropped. "You never think of anything else but food, eh, Atsushi?"
"How long was the trip to Hawaii, Akumi-senpai?" Hitsugaya asked..
"How long…? Eto, let's see…"
Akashi answered for her. "It was around 12 hours."
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"Daiki, will you please lower your voice?" Kimiko muttered darkly to the hyperactive ace, who was screaming in Japanese about Hawaii being so hot. Already, the other passengers disembarking the plane were looking at them but Aomine didn't seem to notice.
"Hawaii is so awesome!"
"Aomine, at least keep quiet until we reach the bus," Akashi admonished.
Once they exited the airport and boarded the bus that will be taking them to their hotel, Aomine resumed his noise. Their group were situated at the back, with only Kimiko and Akashi sitting at the back seat. Kise was seated with Aomine, Kuroko with Momoi, and Midorima with Murasakibara. Coach Sanada was up front with the other four third-years. Nijimura was not able to go with them because of his father's condition.
Kuroko can only stare outside the window with wonder as he took in the scenery outside. It was his first time traveling abroad, and he was lucky that it was with his friends and in such a beautiful place, too. Momoi beside him was also feeling the same way.
"We're in Hawaii, aren't we…?" he asked, as if in a dream.
"Of course we are, Tetsu!" Aomine laughed from the seat in front of them. "Where did you think we – oh, it's the ocean! IT'S THE OCEAN!"
"IT'S THE OCEAAAAAAN!" Aomine and Kise chorused.
Baka," Kimiko murmured tiredly, her head resting on Akashi's shoulder.
"Just let them be, Akumi," Akashi said softly, "They won't be as loud as soon as we start with the matches. They'll be too exhausted by then." He looked at his friends who were now arguing about the ocean and sunglasses. Murasakibara turned to him briefly to ask about that pancake shop that they just passed by.
Midway into their journey, Coach Sanada made some announcements regarding the rules and their schedule for the day. After lunch, they will be resting until three in the afternoon, by which they be having a joint practice with one of the teams. Of course, Coach Sanada prohibited them from leaving the hotel by themselves, for if they did, then they will be barred from joining the barbecue party at the end of the training camp. Of course, it was enough a threat to make the other boys to behave perfectly until the end of the training camp… Except for one.
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"Really? Aominecchi did that?!" Kise exclaimed. He didn't know about that one!
In his seat, well, Kuroko paled as he awkwardly scratched his cheek with a finger. "I didn't know that Akumi-san was aware of that..."
"When Midorima's roommate as well as my own vanished without a trace, it was the only possible answer," Akashi said, although he was looking at Kuroko like he was mildly disappointed with the bluenette for not stopping Aomine from sneaking out.
"I would have gone myself to look after you, but I have important things to do, so Akumi tailed you at a distance. You may think that it was smart of you to leave your phones in your room so that we will not think that you have gone outside, but it only made things more troublesome for Akumi."
"I'm sorry..."
"How come they didn't notice you, Kumi-chin?" Murasakibara asked curiously.
"Yeah, how come, Kurokocchi?"
The girl shrugged. "Well, they were headed for the beach, and there were a lot of bikini-wearing girls out there..." she sighed as the Teikou boys blushed at the image. Kimiko shook her head. "Well, you know Daiki... right? So he followed one of them like a lost puppy, while Tetsuya here noticed that he was gone a little too late."
"Ne, those guys from that school, Kalae...Kalaue..." Kise stumbled over the name of the school that they had gone against – the one with the half-Japanese forward. "That was the first time I saw someone taller than Murasakibaracchi! Almost all of their players were so tall, it was intimidating!"
"It was Kaulaie," Akashi corrected, then with the slightest hint of pride in his voice, he continued, "True, they were taller and more powerful physically, but we won, didn't we?"
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The afternoon on their first day in Hawaii, Teikou and Kaulaie practiced their basics and drills on their half of the court. Coach Sanada had been the one initially handling their practice but they were distracted by the other team. It wasn't until Kimiko stepped inside the gym and yelled at them to focus that they managed to stick to their own training. Teikou, who had been the one to strike fear into the hearts of their opponents back home, was now the one who was feeling intimidated. Even Midorima was slightly off with his shots, though they still went in, there was something... wrong... with the way they entered the ring.
Akashi, their captain, was the same as usual. There was no doubt, no fear in his eyes even as he gazed at their would-be opponents. Quietly, he followed Sanada's directives with his usual concentration. It calmed his teammates somewhat, but still they needed some form of verbal assurance.
Assurance which Kimiko gave them.
The moment she saw their less than stellar performance during their practice, she had immediately went over to Sanada to ask permission to take over the supervision for their practice, then called all of them to huddle in the center of their court. She was smiling her scary grin, her trusty clipboard in hand, her hair in a high ponytail due to the heat.
"Now, what's with the half-assed moves that the lot of you were doing just now?" she asked pleasantly. To the onlookers, it might look like she was just telling them something, based on the tone of her voice and facial expression, but if they could understand Japanese, then they would have known that she was giving them a serious lecture. "Look, I know they're tall and that they speak English which most of you can only barely understand but hey, we took them down last year, we can do it this year as well, can't we? And we will, I am certain of that. I have trust in your capability to win all of our games during this training camp. Understood?"
"Hai!"
After the short lecture, the team was feeling lighter. Trust in your capabilities, their coach had told them. Kimiko's smile was her usual game-ready smirk. Leading the cheer, she slung her arms over Akashi's and Midorima's shoulders, bringing them down as all of the members mimicked her actions until they were now forming a circle.
"You understand what I said earlier?" she asked them, peering at each of their faces to confirm. All of them nodded back at her. "Good. Now, the only thing left to do is to win. Got it?"
"Hai!"
"Now then," and she raised her voice as she yelled out, "Teikou….!"
"KATSU!"
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"It was after that that I developed my Cyclone Pass," Kuroko said, remembering his talk with Akashi when they retired to their own rooms for the night.
"But, Kurokocchi, you only used it once, right? Why was that?" Kise asked. They'd been talking about having a pass that would cut across the court during their training, before Kimiko had arrived and talked them out of their slump, but Aomine had said that it wouldn't be possible since he'd tried it before, only to fail miserably. So imagine their surprise when Kuroko pulled off that stunt just as their game with Kaulaie was about to end.
"The truth is, the first time was a fluke… Even I was surprised when it worked..."
This admission of Kuroko sent them all into laughter.
"But you know, the first quarter was a horrible one," Kise said with a grave face, making the Teikou players to look at him. "We were overpowered at the start, and the crowd… No one's even cheering for us! It was soooo horrible I don't want a repeat experience!" Murasakibara also looked pissed as if he remembered something unpleasant, and Kimiko explained for him.
"You see, this is what happened back then..."
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"It really is an away game, ne?" For the first time, Momoi watched their team being the one chasing behind their opponents. Murasakibara had lost in the jump ball, giving the momentum to their opponents as Kaulaie quickly scored to the loud cheers of the spectators. The gym was completely filled up like this was a championship match instead of a mere practice game. It was like this every time Teikou had a match. Lots of people would show up just to watch the Miracles play. The only difference this time is who the crowd is cheering for.
Akashi managed a steal, sending their opponents scrambling back to defend. However, when he passed the ball to a completely open Kise, the blond didn't make his shot.
"Rebound!" Murasakibara was under the basket, but was a little too late to respond to Akashi's order. And even when Aomine tried as well, their height difference was just too much.
"We're down by nine points," Kuroko murmured beside him. His hands were tight fists on top of his knees. Watching his teammates struggle with their much taller opponents was painful. Akashi himself had scored twice when his teammates had failed to get away from their defenders, something that he doesn't have to do on normal games. There was however, dissatisfaction written on the redhead's face as he looks at his teammates who were obviously not playing in their best. Every time he manages to get close to one of them, he tries to reassure them but due to the fast pace of the game, it was hard to say more than a couple sentences.
As they were running back to defend, he passed by Kise who was the most affected. "Kise, calm down or you'll continue to make mistakes. We'll be changing the mood soon."
"But it's impossible, Akashicchi! The crowd…and the score..."
Akashi shook his head. "They don't matter," he said, indicating the audience who were loudly cheering for the home team. "As for the score, we'll be changing that."
"But how-?"
There was no time to explain so Akashi just offered him a small smile. "Remember what Akumi said yesterday."
On their bench, Coach Sanada was in a discussion with Kimiko about the team's dismal performance. They make an odd picture – a brown-haired man who was clearly agitated over something while the chartreusette was perfectly calm, like their team was not on the verge of losing.
"We should call a timeout," he said, but Kimiko only raised her brow slightly.
"It's only the first quarter. Besides, it would be a good experience for them… Something to keep them grounded," she explained cryptically. Perhaps the knowledge that there are other players that are better than them will prevent them from thinking that they are the best while at the same time, it will motivate them to even practice and improve their skills.
"You don't understand, Kimiko. If the score difference gets bigger, then-"
Akashi ran past their bench, and Kimiko caught his gaze. Something had been said during that silent exchange. Turning back to the man beside her, she said, "That would be unnecessary, Coach Sanada. Seijuurou has a plan, so let's leave this to him."
"How can you even be sure of that?" he challenged.
"He just told me." Kimiko smirked when Sanada look like he might just explode in anger. Already, the other players on the bench were edging away from them in case it did happen. Sometimes, they think that the lime-haired girl was crazy because she was always provoking Sanada. "Come on, coach, chill a little. It's just a practice game."
"Even if it is, they cannot afford to lose! Teikou never loses!"
At that, Kimiko rolled her eyes. "Who said anything about losing?" Cradling Midorima's lucky pumpkin on her lap, she gestured with her chin at the court, flashing a thumbs up at the green-haired shooting guard. "Show's starting, by the way."
Akashi had the ball and was easily getting past his defenders with his skillful dribbling. With Kise's screen, Midorima broke free from his man and Akashi passed the ball to his waiting hands. The ball sailed in an impossibly high arc, and their opponents were frozen in place as they waited for the ball to sink or miss, while the Teikou players were already jogging back to defend, knowing perfectly well that Midorima's shots doesn't miss.
While the bench-warmers were doing their best to cheer for their team, it was Kimiko's voice that rang the loudest in their ears.
"Aka-chin, is Kumi-chin going to be okay?" Murasakibara had asked at some point.
"Heh, she's going to be hoarse by tomorrow," Aomine said with a slight grin as he wiped the sweat off his forehead with his jersey shirt.
"Don't worry, I brought some medicines if that ever happens, nanodayo," was what Midorima muttered.
"At this rate, Akumicchi will be mistaken as a cheerleader," Kise sighed, exhausted, yet he was grinning as well.
Looking at them, Akashi was able to breath in relief. Took them almost a quarter to wake up, he thought wryly. "Well then, let's not put their efforts to waste. Midorima, I will pass the ball to you. The rest of you will be on defense. Let's go."
"Yes!"
For the remaining time, it was Midorima alone who scored for the team, making shot after shot. Even the audience was now amazed by his performance. But what really made them cheer for Teikou is when Akashi passed the ball to Midorima with only three seconds left on the clock.
The moment the ball made contact with his hands, Midorima jumped and fired his high-projectile three, landing at the same time the buzzer rang with a deafening sound, marking the end of the grueling first quarter.
There was a heartbeat of silence, and shouts and cheers erupted from the stands.
Although they were a point behind, Akashi had succeeded in his goal – which is to win over part of the audience to cheer for them.
During the short break, in which everyone vacated the bench to give space to their regulars, Kimiko tended to Akashi and Midorima while Momoi fussed with the remaining three, with Kuroko assisting her with Aomine once he finished his warm-up. Kimiko was talking as she worked, thought and action not connected at all.
"So Ryouta will be subbed out for Tetsuya," she said, handing out a bottle of water to Midorima, "so that you-" she pointed at Kuroko, then to Aomine, "-and you will work your magic, since they'll be watching Shintarou closely now that he's dealt the most damage so far. Atsushi, mind the defense, but do not force yourself. Your match might be taller, but you can outsmart him. This time, the momentum is ours, and it will remain that way until the end. Got it?" They nodded with faces full of determination. "Captain, anything to add?"
Akashi handed his bottle back to her. "None. You've said everything, Coach."
Kimiko laugh at the emphasis on her title, then gave the redhead a rough pat on the back. "Off you go, Captain~"
The rest of the team stood up as they huddled once more.
"Teikou…!"
"KATSU!"
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"Since they were focusing on guarding Midorima, Kuroko's skill became even more effective, and that is how we managed to pull ahead of Kaulaie," explained Akashi. "By coordinating my passes with Kuroko, we were able to score freely since the one scoring is not the one they expected."
"In short, we messed up their defense," Kimiko said with a smirk.
"Is it true that you cannot see Kuroko-senpai when he's playing?" asked.
Their senpais looked at the said phantom, then at one another.
"Something like that~" Murasakibara said. "But even when we're not playing, Kuro-chin is hard to find~"
"Then, how can Akashi-senpai coordinate his passes with him?" Akihiko wondered.
"I can see him on and off court," Akashi's reply was short, but that only made his kouhais more in awe of him.
"Hmm, let's just say Seijuurou has a glorious amount of perception..."joked Kimiko. "Anyway, the second quarter of that match was a surprise for the Hawaiian team – I bet they didn't expect to deal with an invisible player, eh?"
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With Kuroko taking Kise's position, Teikou was able to take the lead by misleading the opposition with Akashi's carefully calculated passes. And with Kaulaie still wary of Midorima's long-range three-pointers, Teikou spread their defense even further by utilizing Kuroko and Aomine's combined plays. Despite their fast reflexes, the ball was still able to get to Aomine, who had no problems with scoring for the team. Pulling ahead with a nine-point difference, Kaulaie still managed to narrow it down to a four-point difference, ending the first half with the score of 48-44 in Teikou's favor.
During halftime, Sanada was ranting about the close score, with Kimiko ignoring him as usual. After he was done lecturing his players (who were not even listening to him – though Akashi pretended that he was), Kimiko took over with her usual cheer, giving advice and pointing out some weak points that they can further exploit which she had come up with Momoi's help, and just basically chatting up the team. There was none of Sanada's complaints about their supposed carelessness for letting Kaulaie close the gap. Kimiko was actually glad that Kaulaie was putting up quite a fight – it was nice seeing everyone with eyes burning with the thrill and determination at having to face such a powerful team. It was a nice change from the teams back in Japan, who easily cowers in the face of the reigning champions, like hearing the name "Teikou" saps their fighting spirit, making them give up even when the game has not yet started.
"More honeyed lemons?" Kimiko offered, holding a plastic container in her hands. Akashi turned his head and she was quick to spear a slice using a toothpick and handing it over to him. The rest of them followed, and they spent the rest of their break munching on the yellow treats until the whistle blew.
"You two, get some rest," Kimiko indicated at the shadow-and-light duo, "Ryou-kun and Kageyama, you're up."
Without Kuroko to redirect his passes, Akashi switched to a more strategic play style, fully utilizing his teammates as he made them do screens, fakes, and other combination plays to throw Kaulaie off their game. The redhead never made the same play twice, and there never really was a pattern to his game plan, so you can never really what he was planning to do next. With his perfect court vision, Akashi is well aware of everyone's position on court. One moment he had the ball and then in a blink of an eye, he'd be passing it off to someone without even looking.
"Satsuki, tend to Daiki, please," Kimiko told the pinkette who was folding the towels. Shirking her job to the other bench players, Kimiko drummed her fingernails on the plastic surface of her clipboard. "He's doing it again."
By 'doing it again', Kimiko meant Aomine getting in a state of utmost concentration that nothing mattered to him but the game alone, he's body going on autopilot while his mind is in overdrive. Now if he could just have the same level of concentration during lessons, Momoi sighed, unfortunately, the only thing that can capture Aomine's focus like this is basketball.
That and nothing else.
Even as the pinkette changed the ice pack on the ace's neck, he didn't even as much flinch.
Only when Kimiko lightly jabbed his forehead did Aomine blink.
"W-what..?"
The chartreusette was unsure whether or not to feel exasperated or proud. Or maybe both? "Aho, third-quarter's over… Still a four-point lead. I'm sending you and Tetsuya back in, think you can handle another quarter?" The question was mostly aimed at the bluenette since his stamina wasn't really that great, plus the two had practiced late last night and had barely slept.
"We can handle it, right, Tetsu?" Aomine held a fist to his partner, who smiled and bumped his own fist against Aomine's.
"Are you going to be fine, Kuroko?" The returning Akashi asked the bluenette, who silently answered positively.
Kimiko turned on the three who had been out there for three straight quarters. "How about you guys? Shintarou, Atsushi?" With a towel in hand, she reached out to Akashi who had taken the seat nearest to where she was standing. With gentle fingers, she rubbed the cloth over his damp hair, then trailing it downwards to press it against his neck to dry the beads of sweat gathered on his pale skin. "Seijuurou?"
His name was murmured softly, as if they were meant for his ears only, and though Akashi knows that she knows his limits perfectly, it warmed him just hearing her ask if he was okay.
He nodded, trying hard not to lean into her touch that was so calming, refreshing. "Of course."
"Still have ammunition to toss against them?" she teased lightly, her hands automatically massaging his shoulders.
He scoffed. "I have unlimited supply, Akumi."
"It seems that you have a shortage of modesty, though."
Ruby eyes twinkled in mirth. "I'm afraid I don't know what that is. Care to tell me about it later?"
The laughter he got in return was a satisfying reward. "Aa, after you win this one."
"I expect a thorough explanation on the said subject on the way to the hotel then."
As the whistle sounded once more for the final quarter, Kimiko gave his shoulder one last squeeze before her eyes sought out Aomine's. She was aware of the circumstances that one of the players of Kaulaie was facing, and though she was not that cruel to purposefully crush his dreams knowing that basketball was also dear to him, she was fully certain that that player wouldn't accept their pity. Without hesitance, she looked their ace straight in the eye, and issued her order.
"Defeat them."
Despite losing the lead in the last two quarters, Kaulaie was still alive and fighting, and there was nothing more that motivates Aomine than facing serious opponents. He was almost feral to look at, despite the grin on his face. Cornered, the home team fought with such ferocity that the score hung in a precarious balance with a gap just a basket away from the other. Everyone – the audience, Kaulaie's bench, Teikou's bench – was holding their breath as they watched the two teams battle it out on court like their lives were at stake. In a way, it was – Teikou's reputation on one side and the dream of Kaulaie's power forward on the other.
The frustration and anticipation reached sky high when it came to the last minute of the quarter, with Teikou just ahead by one point. It was Kaulaie's ball, and they were being cautious while killing time. There's no way that they will allow an overtime. With sheer luck, they actually managed to trick Aomine with a splendid fake, tipping the score to their favor.
With six seconds remaining, Kaulaie was certain that they had already won.
Heck, everyone inside the gym thought that Kaulaie had won.
Except for the five players in white-and-light blue jerseys on the court and a golden-eyed girl sitting on the opposite bench.
Kimiko murmured to herself the same exact words that Teikou's phantom sixth man said as he stood outside of the end line, the ball in his hand.
"It's not over yet."
Several things happened at once. The Kaulaie team, who were already celebrating their victory right in the middle of the court, were caught off guard as the Teikou players burst into action all at once. Surely, it would be impossible to get the ball across the court in such a short time -
Akashi already knew this coming and nudged Aomine in the side.
"Run." A single word, stated so simply like they were not on the verge of losing by a mere point, but such was his trust in his teammates.
With a strength that belied his appearance, Kuroko sent the ball flying across the court at such speed that interference was near impossible. Kaulaie can only look in disbelief as Teikou's ace received the pass with a loud cry of satisfaction.
"ALL RIGHT!"
And with a mighty dunk from Aomine, Teikou secured their victory, 75-74.
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"I really thought that we were going to lose!" Kise confided out loud. He'd been seated during the fourth quarter, and had shot up in disbelief when Kaulaie managed to take the lead at the last minute. Actually, everyone on their bench had reacted strongly to the sudden overturn, all except their first-string coach. In fact, he remembered Kimiko looking bored, like she was waiting for someone to do something.
"I was surprised that Akashi-kun let me do it," Kuroko said. As he had displayed during the Winter Cup, full-court passes are also included in the redhead's arsenal, that's why at the time, Kuroko was inwardly freaking out when Akashi told him to receive the ball for the inbound. "I was certain that I informed Akashi-kun before the match that despite our late night practice, I was unable to do it with such distance."
"But you succeeded, did you not?" Akashi told him, looking past Kimiko who was between them. "Aomine was your partner, so it was only fitting that you give the ball to him."
Wow, Akashi-san really believes in his teammates… Akihiko thought at the exchange between the captain and the phantom. He felt slightly guilty for not quite feeling the same way about his own teammates. If he was in Akashi's position, he wouldn't have allowed Kuroko to do it, for fear that he might actually fail. And then the team will lose…
"The other teams we fought after that were pretty easy to beat, bragging aside… The only interesting thing that happened after that was -"
"The barbecue party, right, Kumi-chin~?"
Golden eyes flickered to Murasakibara's dreamy face at the recollection of the tasty grilled meat that was served during the party.
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On the last day of training camp, all three teams convened at the hotel grounds for the barbecue party, a tradition to foster camaraderie and friendship among the players as well as a reward for their hard work during the training camp. Though they do not speak the same language, the boys were able to put all differences aside as they crowded over the grills in a bid to get the first serving of the delicious meat.
Akashi eyed the crowd around the grills with hidden distaste – it was above him to join the fray and fight over food, though the rest of his teammates do not have the same mindset as him. Moving away from the rambunctious group of teenage boys, he went over to where the vegetables where and gotten himself a few; Kuroko was doing the same, although he was sure that Aomine would give him some meat later, seeing that he had unloaded some of his haul on Momoi's plate when he passed her by.
He'll get his own once everyone has gotten their share, he thought as he nibbled on a carrot.
"You're not seriously eating just that, are you, Seijuurou?"
Akashi paused with his fork halfway to his mouth. "Akumi."
He felt a tug on his arm before he can face her. "Sit down, it's just sand," the girl told him. He obliged, feeling slightly conscious of himself. He looked at her, eyes widening in surprise when he saw the pile of meat on her plate. "Here," she transferred half of its contents on his own, shaking her head when he tried to tell her that he was going to get some himself later. "Don't worry, I didn't fought my way to get these," she gestured with her meat skewer. Biting into the grilled beef, she paused then added, "I asked Atsushi to get me some, but he must have forgotten that I was a girl and ended up giving me this much." Her eyes were shining with the sunset's reflection as she smiled at him. "Thought I'd share, you know."
He can only nod at her. "Thanks."
She bumped her shoulder against his, rocking his balance slightly. "Eat up, Seijuurou… I know you're starviiiiing~"
"Perhaps," Akashi turned his gaze back to the sea, dyed red and orange by the dying rays of the sun, the light setting his scarlet hair aflame. He bit into the meat and relished in its rich flavor, for once not minding the fact that grilled meat is not exactly on the top of his diet list. There was only comfortable silence as they ate, their mouths too busy to talk to each other.
He didn't notice Kimiko was staring at him until she ask him with another merry grin.
"Tastes good?"
"Aa," he replied, just as Aomine's cry reached their ears.
"Hey, Tetsu, Tiki, they're frying Kobe meat over here!" he yelled at his two companions who were sitting near the beach. He pointed behind him. "It's first come, first serve so hurry your asses up!"
Kimiko hurriedly stood up as well, then cupped her hands over her mouth as she shouted to Aomine up ahead, "Oi, baka, leave some for me!" And then she was off, racing through the sand, but not before leaning down to tell him excitedly, "Did you hear that? I'll go get us some. Wait here."
She was gone before he can stop her, and as he glanced down on his empty plate, he blinked. Was he that... hungry? He didn't even realize that he had finished all those meat that Kimiko had given him, and now she was off to get them another serving.
He heard her as she approached him; it seemed that something funny had occurred while she was getting their food.
"I should have gone instead of you, Akumi," he said, feeling slightly miffed that the chartreusette was the one doing the fetching. It seemed rather ungentlemanly for him.
"Don't be so uptight, Seijuurou," tutted Kimiko, then handed the plate to him and getting a skewer for herself before resuming her seat by his side. Her head came to rest on his shoulder, a welcome weight and not the least uncomfortable to the redhead. She motioned at the sea. "Ne, it's beautiful, isn't it?"
"Indeed, it is."
"Can't believe we're heading back to Japan tomorrow morning," she sighed. "I kinda like it here..."
He laughed under his breath. "But home is Japan, isn't it?"
To his surprise, she shook her head, "Depends. What was it that they say…? 'Home is where the heart is'… Don't you agree, Seijuurou?"
"And your heart is in Hawaii…?" he asked after he swallowed his food, and almost missed her murmured reply to the sound of the waves.
"Right now, it is."
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After the dinner, the group were now standing outside the restaurant, waiting for the bus that will be taking the Teikou team back to their quarters.
"Akumi-senpai, I..."
Kimiko paused and looked at the boy who was fidgeting uneasily in front of her. "What is it, Matsuoka?"
"Ano, someone gave us this flyer when we were in the park yesterday," the magenta-haired freshman said, thrusting a piece of paper to her. "We thought you'd be interested..."
Streetball Tournament, it read in bold letters. Kimiko grinned. It will be held on Thursday, and there are two categories: 2-on-2 and 3-on-3, lasting 30 minutes each. Just quick, fun matches to pass the time for those who were free or wanting to challenge the other teams they weren't able to play against in the official tournament lineup.
"Thanks, kid. Planning to join?" she asked, and laid a hand on the boy's shoulder in an older sister way.
"We have a game in the afternoon, so we will be watching in the morning. Shirogane-kantoku said we might learn something."
"I'll give you something worth watching, then… Seijuurou!"
Akashi was talking to Kuroko when Kimiko called him from where she was standing among the Teikou players. Calmly, he walked towards her, with Kuroko, Kise, and Murasakibara following him out of curiosity. The girl did not even allow him to speak as she practically shoved a piece of paper in his face in her excitement, making him lean back a little as his eyes focused on the writing.
"You want us to join in that?"
"To be specific, I want you and me to join in the doubles," she replied with a determined glint in her eyes.
Akashi was reluctant, though. It's not that he's scared of losing or something; he's worried about Kimiko's safety. In basketball, there are times when the game gets physical, much more when it is streetball, which emphasizes flashy moves and stunts.
"Come on, Seijuurou, this will be fun~!" she insisted.
If he did agree, then this will be the first time that he will be playing with only Kimiko as his teammate.
If he refused, Kimiko can easily drag someone else to be her teammate.
Akashi cannot allow that to happen.
So against his better judgment, the redhead found himself nodding.
"Yosh! Let's do our best!"
While Kimiko was cheering happily, Akashi was mentally kicking himself in annoyance.
What have I done?
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— 木曜日 (20xx年2月11日) —
** Wakayama, Japan **
和歌山、日本
"Wow..." Kimiko stared at the people crowding around the outdoor courts that will be used for the streetball tournament. There was a large turnout, and a lot of the Nationals players have come as well, either to watch, join or cheer for their teammates. Kaijou, Seirin, and Yosen is there, huddled on one corner. The moment Rakuzan made their entrance, though, almost everyone stopped and stared as Akashi led his team to the registration table. He signed up for his event with Kimiko, then made way for Mibuchi to register on the 3-on-3 with his fellow Uncrowned Generals. Mayuzumi was there to watch – or to read, seeing that he has brought his light novel along with him.
"Akumi-san, you're playing with Akashi-kun?" Kuroko asked with the barest hint of surprise in his voice, the equivalent of him shouting in shock. It was the only reason he can think of when he saw the matching outfit of the two before him – Akashi in a white shirt and black jersey shorts, while Kimiko had on a black shirt and white shorts. They look like Yin and Yang.
"Seriously?" Kagami exclaimed, gaining the attention of everyone around them. Akashi can only sigh at the unwanted attention and sent a half-hearted glare to the smiling girl who was spinning a basketball on her fingertip.
"Yes, I am," she confirmed with a smug grin. "Anyone got a problem with that?"
Everyone shook their heads.
"Good," she said with a smile. "Boys are not the only ones who play basketball, you know."
"We're on the third match, Akumi," Akashi told her. "Let's talk about our strategy, then."
"Okay."
Akashi and Kimiko sat on the grass a little ways from the large group composed of the four teams, and on a small white board that Kimiko took out from her drawstring bag, she and Akashi took turns drawing plays, sometimes even bickering like children when Akashi disapproves of her plans.
"It's too risky," Akashi was saying. "What if he bumps into or pushes you?"
"None of that, Seijuurou," Kimiko answered, pulling her hair up in high ponytail before taking the marker from Akashi's hands. "It's a brilliant play, admit it."
"They really are playing, eh?" Kuroko murmurs as he watched the couple fighting over the marker like a pair of toddlers. I wonder who will be their lucky – or should I say, unlucky opponents?
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"What a coincidence," Kimiko mutters when she sees their opponent for their game. The moment they step inside the court, they were greeted by catcalls and loud shouts by the male audience. The cheering and whistles further increased when Himuro and Murasakibara came in as recognition dawned on the spectators and remembered her from the famous magazine, though everyone was puzzled at the girl's presence on the court; even the referee was looking at the chartreusette with hesitation.
Possession was determined by a coin toss, which Akashi clearly won, and he threw the ball to a smirking Kimiko, just as Himuro stood to guard him, leaving Murasakibara to face the chartreusette. The particular match-up elicited hoots and laughter from the audience due to the height difference.
"Yo, Atsushi," she greeted Yosen's center who grinned lightly at her.
Moving in a defensive stance, Murasakibara said, "I'm not going easy on you, Kumi-chin~" to which the girl replied with a cocky smirk, despite the obvious height disadvantage.
"You better not, Atsushi. I'll get angry if you do."
Kimiko was dribbling the ball almost lazily, and when Murasakibara attempted a steal, she surprised him by pulling an impressive ankle-break on him Akashi-style off the bat and as he lost his balance, she took a step out of the three-point line and fired a fade-away three-pointer, sending the crowd in a frenzy.
"Nice shot," Akashi said as they high-fived as they ran to defend their goal. Kimiko kept a close guard on the purple-haired giant while Akashi faced Himuro outside the line. It was obvious that they will be aiming for a three as well, and Himuro knows that Akashi knows that. He was thinking of using his Mirage Shot, hoping that the redhead will not be fast enough to do anything. Unfortunately, Akashi was able to steal the ball from him the moment he dropped into the triple-threat position.
"Kuso!" Himuro cursed and in that moment, Murasakibara broke free and dashed after his former captain and blocked Akashi who was about to execute a lay-up. When his fingertips were inches away from the ball, Akashi tossed it backwards without looking, landing the ball perfectly in his partner's waiting hands.
"Muro-chin!" Murasakibara yelled at him. Himuro made the mistake of not sticking close to his man that he was late to react when Kimiko tossed the ball towards the ring carelessly.
An alley-oop?!
The Yosen duo watched as Akashi dunked the ball gracefully, making the score 5-0 in their favor.
The redhead looks a bit annoyed though. Walking over to the sheepish-looking girl, he growled out, "What was that?"
"Uhmm, I wanted to see you dunk?" she replied as Akashi sighed. It was only thanks to his quick reflexes that he was able to catch the ball in time.
"Tch." He shook his head as she grinned at him as they continued with the game.
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Himuro dribbled forward, intent to score a basket when he sensed his pursuer drawing closer. Kimiko was smiling as she blocked him easily, and he found himself grinning back at her.
"So we face off again, Kimiko," he said, trying to catch her off-guard, because to be honest, the girl really knows how to play the game, and she plays well.
"Indeed, Tatsuya," she replied, gold eyes glinting. "I didn't expect you and Atsushi to be our opponent, though."
Himuro merely hummed, a plan forming in his mind. Stepping back, he faked to the left – it was executed perfectly that Kimiko fell for it for a split second – but that's all Himuro needed to break free from her defense. She managed to catch up to him, though, just as he fired the ball for a normal three-pointer. Kimiko jumped to intercept it, her hand knocking into his wrist, causing Himuro's eyes to widen in shock as the ball bounced on the rim.
The referee called a foul, but the two were frozen, eyes on the ball.
Don't fall out, don't fall out...
"Damn!" Kimiko laughed as the ball rolled once, and went inside the hoop. She frowned slightly as she gazed at her hand as they lined up for the free throw.
Two minutes and the score is 5-4, in favor of Akashi and Kimiko.
"Nice try," Akashi teased as they ran side by side, the Yosen duo already waiting for them on the other end of the court. He did not expect her to be able to reach that high. Perhaps it was just an adrenaline rush.
The girl stuck her tongue out childishly at him. "Tch. You wait and see – I'll get the next basket."
She dribbled low, her face set in concentration as Murasakibara was on her again. Unfazed by his height, the center saw her smirk at him before she slipped past him, dashing off to his right only to fake it at the last moment as she spun around, avoiding his arms and jumped up to pull a tricky hook shot. The ball went in, and the crowd cheered loudly to the point that it was almost deafening.
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"Atsushi, don't lower your guard on her," Himuro berated his teammate after the first half. Wiping the sweat off his face, he glanced at the scoreboard.
48-39.
A nine-point lead.
Himuro clicked his tongue. The height advantage over their opponents wasn't exactly an advantage – Kimiko was slippery as an eel as she managed to throw off her defenders every time and Akashi was, well, Akashi. No need to explain further. The only reason that they weren't that behind in points is the fact that it was Kimiko attacking most of the time, with the redhead assisting every now and then. Had Akashi been playing seriously, it would be no surprise if they cannot even land a single shot.
He found himself staring at the other side of the court, where their opponents are, and saw an amused Akashi and a pouting Akumi. They seemed to be arguing about something. He saw Akashi reach out and flick her nose, to which Kimiko retaliated by throwing her towel at the redhead. Akashi simply caught it and used it to wipe the beads of sweat on her forehead. It was then that Himuro turned away, unable to look any longer without feeling jealous.
Thankfully, the whistle blew, signaling the start of the second half. As they stood up, Himuro said to Murasakibara, "You guard Kimiko, and I'll take care of Akashi." His tone was final, leaving no room for discussion.
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Akashi narrowed his eyes at the approaching pair. At the toss coin, they got possession again, only this time, Akashi did not hand it over to his partner. Something feels... off.
"Akashi."
The redhead turned and saw Himuro approaching. He recognized the challenging look in the mirage shooter's eyes immediately.
"I see," Akashi said simply as he met the older boy's gaze. First, Kise, then here comes Himuro. From his periphery, he can see Kimiko talking to a pouting Murasakibara. Seriously, Akumi…
"I am interested in Kimiko," Himuro stated, and saw the way the redhead's eyes narrow in a mixture of amusement and annoyance.
"And?"
Himuro gritted his teeth at the obvious display of confidence and nonchalance from the redhead. "Thought I should let you know, that's all."
"Why?" Akashi asked, dribbling the ball carefully, mindful of the time on the shot clock. When Himuro failed to respond, Akashi smirked and attacked, almost toying with him as he dribbled the ball almost like Aomine, fast and low to the ground. Picking up the pace, he dribbled faster only to straighten up, the ball nowhere in sight for a second. Kimiko was running towards them, Murasakibara hot on her heels. With an elbow pass behind his back, Akashi sent the ball to her waiting hands, then as Himuro tried to stop her by blocking her way, the girl simply passed the ball back to Akashi who was standing outside the line by bouncing it through the gap between Himuro's legs.
Akashi landed an easy three, amid the crowd's cheering at their display of skill.
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"I didn't know Akashi also knows how to do those tricks," Kagami grumbled, watching with the other three teams. Kise was the one nearest to him, since the blond ace of Kaijou always seem to gravitate to whoever from the Kiseki was present. Kise was also surprised as well. Akashi had always played point guard during their Teikou years and had faithfully stuck to his role, content with making assists and plays instead of scoring himself.
At first glance, Akashi seemed to be the most normal in comparison to the rest of the Kiseki. Murasakibara is freakishly tall and played center, blocking all those shots and making all those monstrous dunks. Midorima is deadly accurate with his high-arc three pointers, and his defense is not something to joke about either. Aomine is stunning with his flashy moves to the point of ridiculousness, and his speed is not something to be easily matched. Kise, though he was considered to be the weakest of the Kiseki back then, was like a second version of Aomine, although his talents lie in copying other people's moves, making him an unnerving all-around player. As for Akashi –
Akashi was just there, calmly dribbling the ball at every start of the match, making sure to get the ball to where it was supposed to be. His plays were simple but the underlying logic behind them was not to be taken lightly. It was just like when he stopped Kagami's Meteor Jam back in the first quarter of the Winter Cup Finals. To a normal spectator, it may seem like nothing, but if you really delve deeper into it, you'll see just how fast and brilliant Akashi's mind works. Add in those eyes that never miss a single detail, and you get a demon of a point guard.
In all his three years in Teikou, Akashi had never shown anything flamboyant like that fancy streetball – and Himuro was not the only who was surprised when Akashi caught that alley-oop from Mayuzumi as well.
All of them had already displayed their full potential, but the question is: When will they get to see Akashi's full array of skills?
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Himuro was angry – angry at himself for not being good enough - why was he not good enough?
The game had just ended in their loss. With a 25-point deficit. With Akashi getting serious at the second half and handling all the defense by himself and leaving the offense to Kimiko, who – surprise, surprise! - has never missed a single shot, landing all those three-pointers with grace. Like she channeled her inner Midorima or something.
When will he be good enough?
They shook hands, thanking each other for a good game, but Himuro was inwardly fuming. He felt like he'd been mocked, belittled – Akashi had handled the two of them with ease…. Even Murasakibara was no match from the pressure that Akashi had unleashed on the two of them.
Will I ever be good enough?
Kimiko was now leaving the court with Akashi at her side, gracing the welcoming committee waiting for her at the exit of the court. They were the Teikou players, and they were cheering loudly as they congratulated their senpais on their victory.
"Muro-chin, let's go, the next game is about to start." There was the Kuroko-Kagami duo against the captain and ace of Kaijou making their way to the side where the referee was. With a grunt of displeasure, Himuro followed his teammate, ignoring Kimiko who called out to him as they passed by.
"Muro-chin, Kumi-chin was –"
"Save it, Atsushi," was all he said, before he stalked out of the park and went off to somewhere to cool his head, not seeing the concerned gaze that Murasakibara and Kimiko was giving him.
The chartreusette sidled next to the purplehaired boy who promptly congratulated her. She thanked him and then asked, "Atsushi, is Tatsuya…?"
Murasakibara can only shake his head sadly in response. "I don't know, Kumi-chin..."
Tatsuya, what's wrong?
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What was that all about? Akashi asked his other 'persona', who suddenly decided to take over when that mirage shooter declared his interest towards the chartreusette. He wouldn't have done all those stunts had he been in his original self – not that he needed to anyway. What was supposed to be an easygoing game suddenly turned into an intense smackdown.
Huh. Hardly, seeing that we trashed them. I could have slaughtered them if I wanted to.
And what made you hold back?
She wouldn't like it.
Still, he could see that Kimiko was worried over the Yosen player, even as they now watched Kise and Kuroko's match. The Kaijou pair was dominating the game, and it helped that Kasamatsu was getting familiar with Kuroko's presence. He was, after all, the one who beat the Phantom Shot.
"Kise is getting his revenge on those two," Akashi said, shifting the girl's attention to him.
"Looks like it. It's sad that Yukio-senpai will be graduating soon – Kise really looked up to him as his captain in Kaijou."
"I wonder who's going to replace him, though." She glanced at the Kaijou team nearby, eyeing the one who was the cheering loudly for his teammates, although his words were lost to Kimiko. She looked back at Akashi. "What do you think?"
He looked slightly troubled. When Kaijou's two seniors leave for University this year, the only regulars left would be that loud guy, Kise, and that flirty shooting guard, then there's that silver-haired one as well. Unless they have other players that Akashi hasn't seen yet, Kaijou's future was looking a bit... dark.
"Well, let's just hope one of them matures enough to take the responsibility next year, eh?" Kimiko said hopefully, just as Hayakawa screamed something incomprehensible with that speech of his, making the two of them wince at the volume.
Akashi nodded at her. "Let's hope for the best."
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**Tokyo, Japan**
東京、日本
Akashi Masaomi held a printout of the schedule of the Nationals. His finger traced the name of a certain school in Kyoto, looking at the results of all their matches which ended in overwhelming victory with a large point gap over their opponents. A proud smile, which he quickly hid behind his usual indifferent facade, appeared on his lips for a merest fraction of a second.
That boy. He thought of his only son, with hair and eyes just like his mother, dribbling that orange ball with his small hands as he accompanied his mother on her daily morning walks around the courtyard of the manor. He's always so lively, so cheerful whenever he's with her, quick to laugh, to smile, to hug. But with his own father, he's too guarded, too somber, too quiet. It was like being with a stranger.
He picked up the phone on his desk and called his secretary.
"Make sure everything is ready for my departure to Wakayama after lunch."
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