This is awkward. Three months have passed huh... well better late than never? Ok I'm sorry! Having this update out is a miracle! Cause the title but also the wait... my god I've resorted to bad puns!
Disclaimer: I don't own KnB
Chapter thirty six
Miracle
There had to be a conclusion to it all, she knew. And as the brush fell upon paper in the final strokes, she couldn't help but linger. Her hand shook with a tremor while her gaze was drawn to the corner of the room. A shadow hung there. regret. The only one which lingered still, teasingly. Beckoning. What if? Could she see the stars still and watch as the sky filled with the light of possibility? She didn't need regret in her conclusion, couldn't afford to taint herself with it. So the cloth stayed, and the stroke of paint bleed into the canvas with a confident finality.
"Coach Harasawa and Captain Nashiwa san has graciously allowed me back for the finals. I look forward to it!" Asuka announced formally.
"THE QUEEN RETURNS!" Akita proclaimed while fist pumping the air.
Asuka could only laugh as she watched the team join the energetic second year in his cheering. She couldn't find it in herself to manage more than a weary smile.
"Izumi san, can I ask why you decided to come back? N-not that I don't want you here- I'm sorry for asking!" Sakurai stammered earnestly.
"Me too, me too! I wanna know!" Akita piped as he jumped up from his seat only to be shoved back down by Nashiwa.
"No standing on the bus! I swear you're worse than the first years."
Akita pouted cheekily, "And you're sounding more like Wakamatsu senpai every day."
Nashiwa looked scandalised. "I would never!"
The team burst out laughing but looked expectantly at Asuka for an answer. She knew she looked pale with rings around her eyes. The speech she gave was smooth as though it was rehearsed. Busy with art, health hasn't been great due to stress, father needs help as he's releasing a new book, all of it wasn't exactly false. Really though, Asuka found telling these half truths so much harder than her lies. She'd never gotten so close to exposing herself and it made her feel vulnerable.
"Well, it doesn't matter. She's back for one more game so make it a good one." Aomine interrupted.
The bus fell silent, shocked by his sudden comment.
"Yeah, one more game," Asuka said, catching Aomines eyes.
She shifted her gaze deliberately and smile at the team.
It felt strange stepping off the bus with the team. As her foot met the ground, Asuka made sure to savour the feeling. It was the last time after all. The weather was perfect with not a cloud out of place. Asuka couldn't have asked for a more picturesque sight. Aomine walked up behind and gave Asuka a small push forward.
"Hey-" Asuka protested.
"What are you standing there for? We're going in." Aomine scoffed.
Asuka was about to retort when another voice joined.
"Hey, Izumi."
Aomine turned at the unpleasant voice grating his ear and wore a deadly scowl. Sure enough, an even more unpleasant face greeted him. Beady eyes and a patronising sneer mixed to form one of the most punchable faces around.
"Oh, Haizaki nice to see you." Asuka bounced forward leaving Aomine completely blindsided.
"Oy, why are you treating that bastard like a friend." Aomine demanded.
"We are friends; the greatest of friends." Haizaki smirked, putting a very deliberate arm around Asuka and watching Aomine's reaction.
Aomine's eyes narrowed and his mouth quirked down into a threatening frown. Asuka merely laughed and brushed the arm off.
"Now I don't know about that. More like on pleasant terms yeah?" Asuka laughed, "Anyway, I didn't expect you to come watch the game. Is your whole team here?"
Haizaki scoffed. "I wouldn't want to miss the finals. Besides, I heard you quite basketball then jumped straight back in."
"How did you know about that?" Asuka asked, taken aback.
"I'll just leave that to your imagination. I left a small child alone and should get back." Haizaki waved.
As he retreated, Asuka spotted a short girl with a distinct pixie cut. Saeki waved in greeting which Asuka returned. Behind both girls backs, Aomine flipped Haizaki off which was returned back at him with a smirk.
Naturally, they were all there to watch. It was her judgment day, Asuka supposed. Their eyes filled her vision with colours and her head with a deafening pounding. Her hands felt sweating and her body cold. It wasn't the sickness this time, just the guilt. And when heterochromatic eyes turned to meet her silver ones, Asuka felt the urge to run away and hurl. The supporting hand on her shoulder was the only thing that stopped her.
"Nervous?" Aomine asked.
"Against the captain? How could I not be?" Asuka laughed weakly.
"Ex-captain." Aomine remarked. "Just another opponent now."
"To let someone who quit and ran away back on the court, aren't I just a disgrace? I don't feel like I deserve to play in the finals. What if I let the team down after they all worked so hard to get here? I don't know if I can do this." Asuka confessed.
Coach Harasawa called the team to gather and for once Aomine joined in, if only to stand beside Asuka.
"Yet you dragged the bastard Haizaki back. What's his excuse for the free pass?" Aomine asked. "I'm still here but I once turned my back too."
"There's a difference."
"No there's not."
Asuka shook her head. "There is a difference. I'm not here to stay. It's false hope and then I'll be leaving again."
Aomine placed both hands on Asuka's shoulders and leaned in until their forehead pressed together. Asuka stared into Aomine's eyes, the intense blue reminding her of lighting blue lighting streaking the sky.
"Listen, it doesn't matter that this is the finals. Doesn't matter there are scouts. What matters is you play this like it's the last game you're ever going to play because it might be. And if it's no, then you just proved that you deserve to be here."
Asuka knew that the others were watching in confusion but she didn't care. For a moment, the sound of the coach and the team was drowned by her and Aomine's breathing.
"Play for the win." Aomine recited.
"Win for the team" Asuka followed.
The whistle blew. It was shrill and grated Asuka's ears.
"Izumi senpai!"
Asuka startled as Akita passed to her. She was completely open, it was a perfect chance. Move! The second delay was all it took for a member of Rakuzan to reach her and suddenly Asuka was shut down. Get back the rhythm, make a fast break. Asuka bit her lip and attempted to fight her way out. It should have been easy for her, she was supposed to be known for her speed and reaction. Asuka gritted her teeth as the court around her seemed to blur and the players become fuzzy in her view.
"Izumi san, pass!" Nashiwa shouted.
She followed his directions and found a chance to pass to Sakurai. He seemed confused at the move but went with it. As the game continued, Asuka found herself falling further into the haze.
I've lost basketball, I've been left outside the gate.
Asuka felt her breath catch. Before her, Akashi stared her down with the look she'd seen him give to so many other but never to her. It was as though she was beneath him, as though she really was meant to crumble under his gaze.
"I'm disappointed Asuka. If this is all you have, why did you come back to basketball?"
Time froze, captured in a single phrase. Why did you come back to basketball?
They were moving again, and Akashi was already gone. When had she begun watching their backs? She was stuck as they moved to the future, leaving her behind. Asuka clutched her chest as she ran. What was this feeling? Her chest felt tight and her face felt flushed. Indignation and outrage. In a second, Asuka sped across the court spinning around the player marking her in an elegant dance. She pivoted, completely shifting her weight and moving into a free space. There was no time for the any of the players on court to react except Akashi and Aomine. The former had a dangerous energy in his eyes while later grinned wildly. Aomine was in possession of the ball. He weaved it around, trying to break past Akashi. An opening to pass to Asuka appeared. Instead of pushing forward with brute force, Aomine took the chance.
"Izumi!" he roared.
She was there, receiving the pass which created a stream of air behind it with effortless grace. The Rakuzan number 8 appeared. He was a towering figure built for power. Asuka dribbled the ball straight up to him as though she was about to ram into the man. Startled, he took an instinctive step back as Asuka completely changed her rhythm. Suddenly she was wind blowing through the court in a relentless but gentle sweep. The ball flew through the air as though it was an extension of Asuka's path. Just like wind, after passing by it left a stillness. In the crowd, Kise gave a cheer as others began murmuring in wonder. Asuka breathed out. She faced Akashi with a new fire.
"I'm sorry for before Akashi kun, but I've returned now!" Asuka announced.
Why did you come back to basketball? She lived through the glory of being a basketball prodigy too. Then as the generation of miracles formed and found fellow players with the same skill and drive she was there as well. When they began to struggle with the weight of their title, Asuka had felt the pressure too. She'd taken every step until leaving for art. And I missed it. The thrill, the pain, the joy. Asuka missed it because basketball was part of her. Play art, paint basketball. Both intertwined in a delicate balance and Asuka couldn't ever let them go. She loved basketball. It was frustrating, so frustrating. Of course Asuka had to come back, and now, on the final steps of the road, she didn't want to say goodbye. Asuka looked to Aomine.
This is your fault that I don't want to let go. It's your fault, This false hope.
Aomine understood her message but to him, it wasn't false hope. It was the calling of a miracle, and the fulfilling of a promise. They were playing together, on the same team and even if it was just for a moment, Aomine really believed a future lay ahead.
"I can't believe we won." Akita said in disbelief as the entire team erupted in celebration.
They all flooded onto the court, laughing, cheering, some even crying.
"We won the interhigh!" Akita repeated, this time pouncing on Nashiwa in an embrace.
"Did you have so little faith?" Nashiwa joked.
"Well, I knew Aomine kun and Izumi san are amazing, but the vibe was really weird at the start. I thought we would really lose!"
Asuka was currently collapsed on the floor, looking ready to fall asleep on the spot.
"Hey, are you alright?" Aomine asked offering a hand.
"I don't want to let basketball go." Asuka admitted as she allowed Aomine to pull her up
"There's still time. You don't know what could happen.
"You sound like otosan."
To that, Aomine had no reply.
It was only two days after the final finished that the scout results came out and the international basketball competition for the under twenty was officially announced. After everything, it all seemed underwhelming to Asuka and even as she spotted her name among the list, she felt no spark of happiness. She couldn't play after all. What did make her smile was seeing the entire generation of miracles, Kuroko, Kagami and even Haizaki on the list. It was no surprise but still good to see. What was more unexpected was Nashiwa's name.
"Dude, why didn't you tell us you were a basketball genius! I though you were just a benchwarmer!" Watanabe patted Nashiwa on the back.
"He's team captain idiot," Minako drawled.
"I'm honestly surprised too! I'm so shocked I don't how to react. I wonder if I'm really good enough," Nashiwa said humbly, "Izumi san, I'm sure you're very happy too. I saw all your old teammates got in."
Asuka grinned at the comment and oozed enthusiasm. She boasted her teammates amazing abilities, expressed mock confusion at Aomine getting scouted then sincerely told Nashiwa he deserved his place.
Everyone spoke endlessly about it and Nashiwa couldn't escape being congratulated by everyone for the rest of the day which caused his face to be perpetually red. Asuka joined in the excitement but couldn't help feeling a little bitter. On the walk home with Aomine and Momoi, surprisingly neither spoke of the event. Asuka was grateful, but it only made the emptiness grow. It was easier to accept back when she'd given up, but now the stubbornness and hope only made the disappointment hurt even more. Alone in her room, Asuka resolved herself to finishing her AYAI project. For even if she couldn't quell her regrets in basketball, at least art was there. The ring of her phone alerted Asuka and she set down her paintbrush to answer. The caller ID showed it was Doctor Mori. Asuka sighed as she held the phone to her ear. She prayed that if it was bad news, at least let it be about her and not her father.
"Hello, Asuka speaking."
"Izumi san, I have some very good news."
Once Doctor Mori finished speaking, Asuka immediately bolted out the door.
"Otousan, I'm going to Aomine's place!" Asuka called.
She sprinted all the way, never having felt lighter than she did at that moment. Luckily, Aomine was the one who answered the door when she urgently pressed the doorbell. Without any explanation, Asuka first wrapped her arms around him in a tight embrace, burying her face into his chest.
"I-Izumi what's wrong?" Aomine asked in alarm.
"I can't believe it Aomine, tell me I'm not dreaming." Asuka muffled voice came from Aomine chest where her face was buried.
"Dreaming about what?" Aomine muttered, lost for how to act.
"You were right Aomine, you were right!" Asuka laughed. "The doctor just called me and told me there was a significant breakthrough in the research. I can get treatment. It's a surgery procedure, and afterwards, I'll be on medication for a period. It's not guaranteed either, but it's hope. I-"
She pulled back and stood tall with the most brilliant smile on her face. Aomine felt a wave of warmth swept over him. The smile she gave was real. It was genuine. And her eyes blazed with the brilliant flame that Aomine had missed seeing. They were a clear sky, the sun and stars all in one.
"I could live."
Perhaps I am wrapped up in my novels but a miracle can happen. So help her live on, no matter what happens. Aomine didn't know why those were the words he thought of then, but he swore to himself, and swore to Izumi Hyōsuke, that she would help Asuka live.
I know I suck at regular update (what's that? I don't understand either), and this chapter is so rushed, bad and short to top it all off. Excuses? Well nothing really unique from the last few updates. I've been writing this for a long time (Oh I wonder why, maybe because I update once every lifetime), but as time goes on life just gets busier. When I started, getting through classes were easy and score barely mattered in the long run. Now, study actually matters whaaaa? Plus trying to find a damn job, keeping up hobbies and maintaining some semblance of social interaction (hahah study is my only friend now...), it's piling up. I do plan to endeavour with WSOC and in the future may come but, cry at how bad my pacing and writing is, then attempt to fix it. Honestly though I really really appreciate reviews and feedback. I don't really have time to edit (what is this foreign concept) and between disjointed writing sessions contributing one sentence at a time, the flow isn't going to be great. So feedback can really help with that. I thank every sticking with this and humbly ask for reviews.