Chapter 35

"That was quite a speech."

Masako Araki stepped out of the corner she had been watching the two as Yuri palmed her face and let out a long sigh.

"You eavesdropped."

"Tch. Don't talk to me about privacy while you're standing in the team's changing room."

She sighed and sat down but the woman wasn't done talking.

"How much longer are you going to pretend this way?"

Yuri looked at the coach's violet eyes and knew there was no point in denying it.

"I found out very recently."

"The winter dance."

Yuri sighed again as she recalled the night of the winter dance.

...

Yuri sat with her phone in her lap as she contemplated calling Himuro to come over. He had been ignoring her and while she didn't know why, she didn't care. She just wanted him with her when the snow would begin to fall.

"Yuri-chin is thinking too much."

She turned to Atsushi who was paying her a visit before going to meet his girlfriend. She still couldn't get used to the fact that her dear giant violet haired friend had a girlfriend now.

"I was just thinking of asking Tatsuya to come over today."

He spoke with chips in his hand.

"Muro-chin will be busy at the dance."

"Is he entitled to go?"

"Muro-chin is going with Mura-chin."

Yuri turned to face him and asked in a sharp tone.

"Who?!"

"Mura-chin.. The school president."

"Mei?! Tatsu asked her?"

He nodded slightly and continued to eat.

"Are the two dating now?"

He only shrugged a shrug that meant nothing in particular and it exasperated her. She stood up and began to pace around and then sat down. She repeated the exercise a few times until Atsushi stopped her by placing a hand on her head.

"I'm going to leave now. If Yuri-chin wants Muro-chin, Muro-chin wants Yuri-chin."

"Say what now?"

"Yuri-chin wants Muro-chin and Muro-chin wants Yuri-chin. Mura-chin is Muro-chin's friend.. For now."

Yuri looked confused at first but slowly understood. She reached to punch him on his head but Atsushi ducked easily.

"What's wrong with you, idiot?! There's nothing like that! We're just friends. And Mei is perfect for..."

Atsushi bent down to her eye level and spoke to her.

"I want to eat sweets with her. Yuri-chin wants to spend snow day with Muro-chin."

Another boy's words came into her thoughts as she witnessed Atsushi referencing the girl as 'her' instead of the usual 'chin'.

The special someone?

"Uh.. Friendship is beautiful Yuricchi, but.. No matter how busy I am, I can always find time to remember her beautiful smile."

She wondered if that was how it was between her and Himuro.

She was okay with Atsushi spending time with his girlfriend but it bothered her that Himuro wasn't going to be there.

It wasn't just irritation, it bothered her.

She left Atsushi behind and began to run in the direction of the school. She ran on the leg that hadn't recovered from the fall yet and didn't care. It didn't bother her that it was too cold for her shorts and the thin sweater. It didn't bother her that the cold air was biting and cutting her skin as she ran. It didn't bother her that she was going to walk into a school full of students who were dressed up for a dance and she probably had candy stuck between her teeth. It didn't bother her that she hadn't even stopped to wear her boots and had run out in slippers and she was probably going to get hypothermia.

None of that even crossed her mind because it was full of Himuro dancing with another girl and the girl wouldn't be her. That bothered her.

She reached the school and looked around frantically to spot a raven head. She did spot a raven head but it wasn't the one she expected to find.

"Mei!"

"Yuri-san, are you alright? I mean, your leg. Why are you here?"

"Uh..."

She smiled at her and began to speak.

"Yuri-san, I'm going to the dance with Himuro-san today and I wanted to speak to you about it. I wanted to thank you for everything you did. You made me admit my feelings for Himuro-san and without you, I never would've done anything about it. With your help, I was able to face Himuro-san. I've found my true love because of you and I can never thank you enough for it. Himuro-san talks to me, understands me for me. I want to do the same. I want to understand Himuro-san and love him through everything. I want to challenge the world to challenge our love and win it all. There isn't a thing I want other than Himuro-san and I would never be here without you."

Her grateful words sliced through Yuri as she stood listening. She put on a brave face and tucked a piece of Mei's hair behind her ear and spoke.

"You look beautiful, Mei."

Mei's face lit up in delight as she thanked Yuri with heartbreaking sincerity. She turned to leave and when Yuri was sure she was gone, she placed a hand to cover her mouth. Tears fell on their own and it surprised her. Her eyes went blurry as her knees buckled and she winced as they hit the hard concrete under her. She bent down and let her silver hair cover the falling tears with her hands on the ground. She watched her fingers go white in the cold as she sobbed uncontrollably while muttering, speaking, yelling and then howling only one name into the empty space all around her.

Her teeth began to chatter and she lost feeling of her hands. She managed to stand back up and walked. She couldn't see the world around her but made it home.

She reached her room and looked at her ghost-like reflection in the mirror. She was a mess- it showed and it was too evident. Something inside her snapped like a switch and her head wasn't bowed anymore. She looked up with wide eyes and picked up a brush to run it through her hair. She cleaned the wounds on her knees and changed the bandage on her ankle. She wore warm clothes and washed her hands in warm water. She pinched her cheeks and rubbed her bloodshot eyes while whispering to herself.

"I'm always going to be okay."

She heard a knock on the door and opened it, already knowing who it was. She drank the hot chocolate and welcomed the warmth. She hugged him every time her eyes couldn't hold the tears in. She felt her heart race the whole time and prayed it would become too much for the heart to bear. She knew he was going to say it and stopped it. Thankfully, he understood and didn't say the words she didn't have the strength in her to lie to.

Her handsome knight with his raven black hair and the tiny beauty mark was forbidden fruit now and she, was not Eve. She was Yuri and she didn't make the same mistakes as everyone else.

One dance. One snow day. And one embrace.

It was what she settled for.

...

She wasn't making a sacrifice, she was making a decision.

Mei's feelings for Himuro were genuine and she had always known that. Her feelings?

Yuri wasn't normal and she was used to that. Himuro accepted it all but she was still something else. She was trouble and Mei wasn't. With all the things Himuro had going for him, she was one less problem.

She decided she knew nothing about love or relationships to start one. She just didn't understand emotions and feelings like every other person.

So she made a decision to stick to what she did know- being a friend.

"So you gave up? That's typical of you."

"Huh?! I'm not giving anything up! Mei and Tatsu have something going on and I'm choosing to stay out of it."

The coach flipped her hair and decided to not say anything after all- she wasn't ready to listen to it. Besides, she had other things on mind as she picked up the game tapes of their next opponent, Seirin High and left.

...

The next few days passed just as they had for Yuri. She still had Atsushi to talk to but Himuro was different. Yuri continued to ignore the track club's comments that followed her everywhere and turned her attention towards school.

The day of the match came and Yuri took her time to reach. She knew Himuro wouldn't want to see her and decided it was best to not try anything.

She did meet Atsushi to wish him for his game like every other time.

"Atsushi! Good luck today! Do your best- don't lose to the Smurf now."

He ruffled her hair and for once, she didn't protest.

"Yuri-chin isn't coming?"

"I am. Just not the usual place."

He nodded in understanding and turned to her as she was about to say something but didn't. He wasn't one to ask and didn't. He turned to leave and she said it in a low voice.

"Atsushi, play today for him too."

"Yuri-chin is being stupid."

It was the last thing he said to her as he left. She reached the stadium late and made her way to the top floor which she knew wouldn't be filled. But she was surprised to find a tall woman she recognized instantly.

"So you like the quiet while watching a game too?"

The woman turned to look at Yuri through her pink glasses and looked confused

"I'm Yuri.. I know Tatsuya from when I watched him play in L.A... And I go to Yosen."

"You're here to support Himuro then?"

"I know Atsushi.. And Kuroko.. I went to school with them too."

Alex made an 'oh' and nodded in response with her eyes on the court. The game began and she could see the strategies built by Seirin fail under Atsushi's absolute domination.

Alex made various comments about the play as it went on and Yuri noticed she was completely in sync with Seirin's game and her support was obvious. But Yuri's eyes weren't set on one side. She knew the start would be tough but Seirin would catch up soon. Just as she thought, Kiyoshi was taking on Atsushi and all attention was on them. Himuro hadn't done much and she knew it was coming.

She watched in awe when Himuro finally made the mirage shot and left everyone stunned. Atsushi's defense was breaking, but so did Kiyoshi. Without his presence on the court, pressure only fell on the red head who became unusually aggressive and determined. Yuri could admire his style of play as he played to win, but also for his team. Kuroko's shooting was a surprise to everyone and Yuri was glad they had trump cards like that.

Kagami's ability to go into the zone was well known by now but Yuri could see him trying too hard. She was glad when Kise helped him figure it out and he managed to make it.

Yuri's eyes were only set on Himuro as she anticipated him to start soon. But more than him, worse than him was Atsushi's awakening. Yuri knew his offense play would have to come out but even she hadn't expected this. She smiled to see her friend finally play his best game. When even that failed and Himuro's mirage shot failed along with it, there wasn't anything left to do.

But Yuri knew they still had that one thing to do. Atsushi could do it, Himuro could figure things out- there was still hope.

The fight that broke out on Yosen's bench had all of her attention. Alex was only looking at Kagami with worried eyes.

"He's been going all evening.. There isn't any guarantee how much longer he's going to last."

But Yuri was looking at Atsushi and knew he was giving up. He was still having that little attitude about the game and refusing to play. He had never admitted to loving the game but Yuri had always known he did.

Atsushi Murasakibara did have one thing he loved above all- more than the sweets.

The why of it could be answered in a lot a ways. But most of all, he loved it enough to give eating a break to train harder than anyone to get better.

You only want to win in something you truly love.

She knew it was why Atsushi refused to lose, it was why Himuro was so bent to win.

Seeing Himuro in tears made her lean against the railing to see better. She was desperate to see and hear. She wanted to hit her friend for being stubborn at a time like this. She wanted to cheer him on so he wouldn't stop.

But this was all she could do.

Yuri knew she was being irrational at this point but she was annoyed when Alex continued to look concerned about Kagami and Seirin's strategies.

"Why would you do that? Choose him?"

The woman turned to examine the girl's face, as if checking whether she needed to answer or not.

"I'm their teacher, I don't choose between them. I'm here to cheer for the both of them."

"Oh, but are you?"

"Every teacher has favourites. Everyone does. Yours is Kagami, isn't it?"

"You wouldn't understand."

"He has more potential right?"

Alex looked at the girl who wouldn't stop talking and she just wanted to watch the game that was on a break at the moment.

"Of course he does. Himuro has always worked hard and had a serious attitude about the game but Kagami has a natural talent that overpowers everything else."

"So you just chose the student you knew would be more successful?"

She was now annoyed at this girl with her strange eyes and constant questioning.

"You wouldn't understand."

"Actually, I do and I still choose Tatsuya."

She now scoffed at the girl's obvious love struck idiocy.

"That's great then."

"He does have a problem with his little obsession to defeat Kagami.. But he's still the hardest worker and the most determined- that makes him amazing."

"Do you even know how naive you sound?"

"Yes, I sound naive. Yes, I love him. But that isn't why I'm supporting him. Kagami, Atsushi and all the players from the GoM play because they have a talent. They play because they know they're going to be extraordinary. They practice because they know its going to bring them victory. But Tatsuya doesn't have all that. He has one thing- his love for the game and he's still there. The gifted ones can wake up everyday and walk out because they have the extraordinary in them. But Tatsuya wakes up everyday, makes it to the same place with everyone else and plays to win- I think that's extraordinary. He's making the extraordinary out of the ordinary and that, is the most amazing thing to me."

As she said this, Himuro made a shot against Kagami and Yuri's eyes filled with tears. Alex looked at the girl and quietly contemplated her words. She had always known Kagami's potential to go far and Himuro's determination that would take him far. But she had also expected Himuro to back off from the race between the miracles. She had expected him to not compete because she considered that it wasn't his race at all.

But it was his race.

Because at the end of the day, it was basketball and they all shared that one love.

Everyone played because they loved the game- it was the primary drive to every single one of them but somewhere down the lane, they forgot. They needed someone to remind them and the reminder was here now.