Another day, another chapter.

Big thanks to...

EDIT - removed after the end of the story for a better look - EDIT

I am so freaking late. Like, oh my god. Sorry. Jeez. I just sat there and I had no idea and time. And I was like what, what do I do? Do I already jump towards that? Or should I add something else in between? Wouldn't that be too many canon events after another? Would it be too rushed? I started this chapter three times. Writing around 1000 words before I deleted everything and started again, jeez...writer's block can be so cruel!

Sorry for the wait! Thank you for all the lovely follows, favorites and reviews! It's short and stuff, but eh, I update tomorrow again so forgive me!

DAY ONE HUNDRED SIXTY SIX

Mia carefully turned the page, reading the content with anticipation as her novel slowly closed in on the final. The familiar sound of squeaking sneakers and hard bouncing of a basketball filled her ears, mixing with a few loud calls and ragged breathing of the teenagers who were training not far away. The orange-head had found a spot on the stage which was now, of course, not needed. The court of her school's gym was spreading right in front of her as she calmly read on.

Satsuki wasn't here today. The bubbly girl was busy visiting another high school to schedule a practice match. The whole team was fired up after their loss, their new captain, Wakamatsu, spreading his eager confidence loudly. The orange-head hadn't known that her upperclassman could be so loud, his booming voice barking commands and insults mostly towards Aomine who just wouldn't do as he was told.

He often refused to pass the ball which always sent the blond teen over the edge.

It was childish, really. But none of the team members really seemed to care; her tall classmate had finally appeared to practice. It was obvious he'd still be an egotistic player. Too used to do everything on his own, rarely relying on anyone but himself but that he had appeared today in the gym was already a big step towards improvement.

Mia smiled quietly to herself, continuing to read the novel which Nanami had recommended her yesterday. Satsuki had asked her to supervise the team - Aomine mostly - because she couldn't be there. A rather unusual request because the girl did nothing but sit here. However, the pink haired girl had insisted that she wanted to be sure that Aomine really stayed true to his word.

'Dai-chan always lazes around whenever you aren't watching!'

Satsuki had looked so serious while saying it, wagging her index finger from side to side to make her point clear. And Mia could relate to her concern well, the way the blue haired teen always acted in class wasn't really honorable. But if it came to basketball...

Carefully she looked up, watching the teenagers rush after the basketball. The orange orb was in possession of no one else but the very guy in question, his feet easily stepping around Wakamatsu. The basketball nearly flying from his left to his right hand before he run towards the hoop - dunking the ball with one swift movement to his captain's dismay.

No one could keep up with him if it came to the sport, she mused. Satisfied she looked down again, resuming her reading until soon Wakamatsu stopped the practice. His loud voice easily reached every corner of the gym, making her jump in surprise. She'd never get used to that...

"Ah."

Quickly setting her novel aside she leaned towards her left, grabbing the handful of towels she had brought with her from the locker room. If she was already playing the manager for a single day, she could do a good job at it. Mia sat down on the edge of the stage, handing the snow-white clothes to every club member who approached her - returning each breathless 'thanks' with a quiet 'you're welcome'.

Being a manager didn't seem so hard after all...the girl had thought it must be pretty tough.

"I'm tired."

Her attention shifted towards the last teenager she handed out the towel - the familiar frown of Aomine meeting her gaze as he rubbed his face to get rid of the sweat. Mia smiled at him nevertheless, watching him move towards the spot beside her where he leaned his whole upper body onto the stage. His burning skin welcoming the cool temperature of the floor.

"But it looked like you had fun."

Aomine cracked one of his sharp eyes open, glancing at her from the corner of his eye.

"You ain't bored?"

The orange-head shook her head lightly, easily ignoring the way he had avoided to reply to her previous statement. He was a stubborn person after all. Instead she reached back for her novel, tapping her fingers against its cover.

"I got this." Mia said. "But I think it's amazing how everyone is working hard...InterHigh is so far away."

Aomine lifted his upper body, using his elbows as support as he rubbed his neck with the towel. "It only means we got some more time to improve. I'll definitely win next year."

The girl smiled at that. The voice of her classmate sounded gruff and deep like always, although the bitter tune she remembered from the past was gone. Maybe a tiny hint was still present, he was no magician who could heal fresh wounds and change his ways immediately. However, behind his lazy drawl was the light spark of interest. Eagerness. Impatience.

And that alone was already enough.

"Mia."

"Mhm?" The orange-head turned towards Aomine completely, her mind pushing all those thoughts back into the back of her mind.

"Your hand."

The tall teen had offered his own one, the sight confusing her because she didn't know what to make out of it. Nevertheless, she laid her hand obediently into his. There was only a second hesitation in her body before she reacted and did what she was told. His skin was burning from all the exercise he was doing, making her shiver at the harsh contrast of their temperatures.

But Aomine easily lifted her hand towards his face, pressing her palm against his temple before a deep sigh of relief left his lips. He closed his eyes once more. Content to have found something better than the floor to cool off his face, he held her hand right there.

Mia couldn't help but blush. Her lips pursing at the feeling of his skin right beneath her fingertips, it was smooth. But not as smooth as she had imagined - she could feel stubbles. Only lightly, although that was a detail which made her wonder if he shaved. It made him sound older. That was something adults did and not teenagers...right?

But she couldn't move away, letting him abuse her natural cold hands to his advantage before he straitened his body. Standing on his two feet completely again, he blindly reached for her other hand to repeat the gesture on the other side of his face.

Mia laughed beneath her breath, her face probably turning redder as she offered him her other hand on her own will.

"You're better than any cool pad." Aomine groaned as he pressed both of her hands against his face.

It was a miracle how he could always stay so calm. The girl could already feel her heart squeezing, the touch of his skin against hers making her nerves flutter while the teenager in front of her didn't even flinch. His expression merely relaxed beneath her cold fingertips, the hard lines on his face ceasing to exist.

Mia bit her tongue, her gaze ghosting over his face. When he wasn't looking at her it was a lot easier. She could examine the light wrinkles around his eyes, down to his nose and lips where she paused. The sight was familiar, mesmerizing and so close...until her attention slowly but surely lost its focus. For a second her gaze flickered past his head towards the court behind him. And only then she noticed the handful of gazes which had rounded towards them, curious. Startled by the unexpected audience she tried to jerk her hands back, the embarrassment invading her mind.

Aomine quirked his brow in annoyance, his grip on her hands tightened as he refused to let go of his personal cool pad yet. Only as the familiar booming voice of Wakamatsu reached them from the other side of the court, he reacted. Glaring over his shoulder.

"Break is over! Run five laps to warm up again!"

The rest of the club slowly set their drinks and towels aside, grumbling to themselves that they were too tired. Although in the end every single of them did what they were told anyway. Except the blue haired teen who still merely threw a sharp, disinterest look into the direction of his upperclassman.

"That includes you, too. Aomine!" Wakamatsu yelled, throwing his fist into the air. "Quit flirting, you bastard and run!"

The orange-head was ready to die. Surely. With all the blood which filled her head, she was certain that her heart had soon nothing left to pump through her body. But Aomine grumbled something quietly to himself, unfazed apparently by the noisy demand and accusation of his captain as he slowly let her hands slip away.

"You're just jealous."

Of course, he had to rile the blond upperclassman further up.

"What did you say-! Six laps, Aomine!"

"Nah."

"I'm your captain, for god's sake. You can't just-!"

"I already started running."

"Who freakin' cares!? Seven laps!"

"...if you beat me one-on-one, maybe."

The last thing Mia heard was Wakamatsu's frustrated outcry, his tall form chasing after Aomine as the blue haired teen joined the other club members on their task. It was easy to see from the distance that they continued their bickering. A little one-sided, she noted, by the way the upperclassman continued to swing his fist around while her classmate merely shrugged with his shoulders.

Carefully she lifted her hands which were now rather warm, pressing them against her own cheeks in hope she could get rid of the terrible blush before anyone could really see it.

He was always being so unfair.