Another day, another chapter.

Big thanks to...

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The feedback was amazing, I'm really happy that you liked the previous chapter! This here is pretty short and more or less only the view on these two from another perspective. Nevertheless, I hope you'll like it.

Thank you for all the follows, favorites and reviews! I'm glad you're enjoying the story.

DAY THIRTY TWO

"Where the hell is that damn jerk!?"

Wakamatsu's glare was directed at the rest of the club members who all more or less had been busy with practice the past hour. None of them had spared the absence of one of their team colleagues any heed until the blond basketball player pointed it out. It wasn't the first time it had happened anyway.

"We won the match two days ago, we can't slack now! Even that stupid, arrogant..." The second year continued nevertheless, his voice brooding with his annoyance. "...he's part of this damn team! He has to practice with us!"

"I'm sorry!" Sakurai cried out, hugging the basketball in his arms close to his chest. "I'm sorry for not bringing him along...I'm sorry for not being useful! So-"

"It's enough, Sakurai." Imayoshi started to say calmly while patting the shoulder of the nervous brunette. It was a weak attempt of the older one, because it only made Sakurai feel guiltier that the rather scary looking upperclassman tried to comfort him.

"I'm sorry..."

"Please stop that." The dark haired teen muttered beneath his breath. "And it doesn't matter whether Aomine is here or not. As long as we win, I don't really care."

"I care! It's annoying as hell!" Wakamatsu interrupted them, his frown darkening. "Just because he is strong doesn't mean that he can do what he wants!" His voice rose as he kicked the ball next to him away out of frustration. "He should move his ass here just like the rest us and practice!"

"W-well..." Sakurai dared to speak up, blinking the tears in his eyes away. "...he d-does play...sometimes...with Nidori-san..."

"Who?" The blond haired student approached the nervous boy, staring him down with a burning gaze. He didn't hear anything about a person with such a name before who had found a way to make that lazy team member of his touch a basketball. It sounded like a lie. Although if someone was incapable of lying - then it was the poor brown haired boy in front of him.

"I'm sorry." Sakurai immediately whimpered, bowing his head. "Aomine-kun plays sometimes with Nidori-san after school, I, I only heard them talking about it in class- I'm so sorry for eavesdropping!"

Imayoshi blinked slightly surprised at that information although he did faintly remember the few times their ace did appear to practice - only to disappear with a basketball and one of his magazines again - but who would have known that he was at least doing something useful in his free time.

"No way, I don't believe that." Wakamatsu grumbled, crossing his arms in front of his chest. "There's no way that lazy ass is playing basketball after he's always spouting some crap about being the best."

"What does it matter? Let's just continue-" Their captain tried to offer an end to their discussion but he was quickly interrupted by the blond teen whose nerves were still on edge, his mood becoming worse thanks to the nonchalant treatment concerning Aomine's skipping. Wakamatsu threw his hands into the air, gritting his teeth.

"I won't believe it 'till I saw that jerk! Sakurai, is he playing today as well?"

The nervous boy jumped. "I-I think he is, I mean yes. I mean, I'm sorry for not saying it earlier!"

"Then let's check it out!"

"But..."

"Shut up and tell me where they are."

Imayoshi found himself sighing, pushing his hands into his hips as he stared at his underclassmen. The blond haired guy was surely a good player, only his temper was something he hated to deal with. And Sakurai always found a way to annoy him even though he didn't mean to do that, of course. But the two of them together were certainly a thing he couldn't handle at the same time.

In defeat he lifted his hands into the air, his glasses slipping slightly from his nose. He had no choice but to comply, Wakamatsu was too stubborn to just forget it and continue practicing anyway.

"No way..."

It was easy to see that none of them could believe their eyes. They didn't dare to step closer; their spot behind the fence and bushes was too good to leave anyway. But it didn't lessen their view on the playground of the park. Imayoshi had to take his glasses off, rubbing them against his shirt to make sure he wasn't just seeing an illusion.

However.

It was reality.

Their stubborn and rude ace was standing on a basketball playground, his hands loosing his tie which hung around his neck as his eyes followed a certain orange-head. Sakurai didn't look as terrified as his team member, Wakamatsu. But they all watched in silence as the girl dribbled the ball awkwardly in front of her before she threw it towards the hoop.

It bounced onto the metal ring, quickly flying out of its reach.

"Damn it!" She called out; her voice faintly reached their ears as she quickly rushed after the orange orb.

Her figure only came to a halt as Aomine gestured something with his hands, none of the fellow club members could see his expression from the distance, but it was a miracle for any of them that he was actually talking with a girl who was not their manager. No one had ever seen him interact with another female student besides Momoi - well, maybe his magazines...although none of them wanted to mention them.

"That's Nidori?" The blond teen whispered doubtfully and Sakurai nodded in between the taller guys.

"Y-yes..."

Their gazes returned to the unbelievable scene in front of them. The blue haired basketball player had now reached the side of the girl, lifting her elbows as he pointed towards the hoop. It didn't look right to see Aomine like this; Wakamatsu remembered the last time that jerk had dared to knee him in his stomach, leaving him in pain behind. To him this scene didn't look right at all. Even more as the orange haired girl turned away from him, voicing something which didn't seem to face the tall teenager at her side.

"It must be blackmail." Wakamatsu concluded. "Or an illusion, it can't be freakin' real."

"But it is..." Sakurai mumbled, feeling the need to defend his classmate. Mia had always been one of the few he got along with since the start of semester, even though they hadn't talked that much yet.

"It's interesting." Imayoshi commented smiling. "Definitely interesting..."

The brown haired boy paled at his impish grin, his captain had always been rather intimidating whether he had wanted to look like it or not. Whenever the tall teen smiled it was a reason for the nervous boy to run and hide. Right now, it felt like he had done something terribly wrong by telling his comrades about Mia as well; his bottom lip trembled as he tried to shrink in size.

"I'm sorry." He mumbled to no one in particular.

Their attention was drawn back towards the two in front of them. The girl had finally made a shot, cheering loudly as she threw her hands into the air. She jumped on her feet in excitement, her skirt and sweater bouncing with the movement as she turned towards the blue haired basketball player.

It was easy to see that they were talking, their hands gesturing ever so slightly. Whatever they were saying ended with Aomine patting her head forcefully, loosening the hair strands out of the hairclip Mia wore on the back of her head. They couldn't see her scowling at Aomine's snarky comment, her face flushing like always as she tried to push his hand bravely away.

They were still oblivious to the doubtful audience they had.