Kasamatsu and the 7 Miracles
Chapter Six: Target
A brief glimpse that happened all too fast - flashes of joy, happiness, laughter and friends; until it all melted into sadness, regret, frustration, loneliness and pain.
Then it was over.
Too quickly, so fast that it left Kuroko reeling and dazed. The brief scenes of Kasamatsu's past left him wanting to know more, mostly because the images passed more quickly than supposed to. It because static until seconds later it just... shut off.
"This has never happened before." Kuroko stated, still feeling confused as he turned his questioning gaze straight to Kasamatsu. Said third year sputtered and covered his mouth with the back of his hand, appearing just as - if not more - confused as Kuroko.
"Wh- Why did you do that?" He asked in a stutter, his cheeks burning from the sudden and entirely random kiss. 'Seriously, what is up with the kids here? Kuroko's acting just like... Just like Akashi.'
"I'm sorry, Kasamatsu- san," Kuroko quickly apologized, shaking his head slowly. "I just wanted to... check something." The first year's voice went quiet, looking away from Kasamatsu. "I'll still help you, though. I think that we should start by recruiting Aomine-kun."
"Aomine?" Kasamatsu repeated, watching Kuroko nod. "Why start with that brat?"
"That was what Imayoshi-senpai and Takao-kun proposed, right?"
"Well, yeah, but... Wait, how did you know about that?" Kasamatsu narrowed his eyes, giving Kuroko a rather suspicious look. The blue haired first year just kept on surprising him about various little things - things he felt that the teenager did not want him to know about... "Also, do you know Aomine?"
Kuroko looked somewhat amused at Kasamatsu's first question, but at the second, he frowned. "... No." He answered slowly, tilting his head to the side as if in deep thought. "I don't think I do. I mean, I never met him."
"... Okay." Kasamatsu replied, giving Kuroko an odd look. "But, back to my first question."
"Oh. I was in the gym, as well. I kind of followed you from your class, but Takao-kun was the only one who noticed me, I think." Kuroko explained as if it was not a big deal at all. At Kasamatsu's unreadable stare, Kuroko offered a small shrug. "I'm used to it." He stated in nonchalance.
Kasamatsu sighed but gave in, "I guess we could start with Aomine..." Despite listening to Kuroko's suggestion, Kasamatsu would honestly deal with Aomine last - mostly because he seemed like a no-good brat of a delinquent. Also, maybe because that guy stepped on his head, somehow mistaking him for a ladder, of all things.
Just the thought of it made Kasamatsu twitch in anger, but he pushed his feelings of annoyance aside and turned his attention back to Kuroko, who... mysteriously disappeared. Kasamatsu sighed and decided to search the school for their next target, wanting to use the rest of his lunch hour.
After nearly 15 minutes, with no such luck, Kasamatsu was just about to call it quits and head back to class until he bumped into Kuroko. "Hey-"
"Senpai, Aomine-kun is on the roof."
"But, I checked up there five minutes ago."
"I know, but now he's there. For a while, anyway... I made sure of it and lured him."
"I- I see..." Kasamatsu vaguely wondered what Kuroko used to 'lure' the dark skinned teenager but he pushed those thoughts to the back of his mind so he could focus on the task at hand. "Kuroko-... and you're gone. Again." The raven haired third year looked all around him but the first year disappeared from his sights once more. Kasamatsu gave up his brief search and made his way towards the roof once more, where Kuroko said Aomine would be. He picked up his pace, feeling worried suddenly that maybe he would miss the arrogant first year.
Kasamatsu kept his eyes peeled as he made his way to the central staircase, as it was the only one to lead up to the rooftop. Seeing no sign of his 'target', he ascended the stairs quickly and stopped in front of the door. 'Why am I even doing this?' Kasamatsu asked himself, a small frown gracing his face.
'Why am I feeling so determined to get this stupid basketball club up and running? I'm in my last year of high school; I should be spending my time studying, looking for a job, or a great university.' With the sudden doubts in his mind, Kasamatsu hardly noticed the faint creek of the hinge, nor the soft footsteps heading straight for him. The door slamming against the wall jolted him from his thoughts and Kasamatsu looked up, noticing that the swinging door just barely missed him. His grip tightened on the railing and he resisted the urge to scold the person responsible as he lay his steely-blue orbs on the teenager in front of him.
"My bad. Oh, it's you." Kasamatsu pursed his lips at the teens words, his eyes clashing with the dark royal-blue eyes of one Aomine Daiki. Kasamatsu opened his mouth but stopped himself from saying anything because he did not want to say something that would only end badly for him, or rather, his cause. The third year stared at Aomine momentarily, mulling over his words. "Hey," Kasamatsu offered awkwardly, earning himself an eyebrow raise. "I- I was wondering if you would like to join the basketball club."
"There is no basketball club." Came Aomine's immediate response. The younger male made to leave but Kasamatsu stopped him.
"There isn't," Kasamatsu agreed, dropping the hold on Aomine's arm. "But there will be if I could get you and five others to join."
"What five?" Aomine looked hesitant, almost like he did not want to ask, but did so anyway out of pure curiosity.
"I already have Kuroko; I just need you, Kagami Taiga, Murasakibara Atsushi, Kise Ryouta, Midorima Shintarou, and Akashi Seijuurou." Kasamatsu explained, mentally doing a checklist. He eyed Aomine, his lips falling into a small frown at the amused smirk the dark blue haired teenager was giving him. He asked, "What?"
Aomine gave his head a shake, turning around and walking back through the doorway to the rooftop. Kasamatsu did not understand at first, but he decided to follow the taller male, albeit slowly, almost warily. He found Aomine leaning against the wall, beside the very ladder where they first happened to meet. "I know Akashi," Aomine spoke suddenly, "He isn't going to join 'just like that', he'd only do it to benefit himself, you know. As for the others - Midorima and Murasakibara - they only do what Akashi says. Murasakibara mostly. Midorima likes to think he doesn't have Akashi's power over him."
It took Kasamatsu a moment figure out that by 'power', Aomine meant literal power, control. "Akashi hates disobedient dogs." Kasamatsu muttered under his breath, nodding to himself. 'How would this stupid basketball club benefit someone like him?'
"-know about the others." Kasamatsu paused his thoughts and just realized that Aomine had been talking to him. "Sorry, what?" He asked, feeling slightly bad for not listening.
"I said: I don't know about the others. I mean, their names... they sound familiar, in a sense. But I can't place their looks or anything." Aomine scratched his cheek, looking mildly disturbed by that fact. Kasamatsu studied his face with a cocked eyebrow, and decided to ask if Aomine was okay.
"Not sure." Aomine responded casually, shrugging it off. "Anyway, why do you need to get those guys to join in the first place?" The teen asked, rubbing the back of his neck tiredly.
Kasamatsu stared up at Aomine and shrugged, "Takeuchi-sensei wouldn't tell me why. All I know is that he said he would coach if it meant getting you lot to join." Hearing his own explanation, Kasamatsu figured that he should really ask Takeuchi about it next time he sees him. The request, or probably labelled as 'demand', was very odd, after all. It was suspicious and it made everything feel like there was a hidden deeper meaning or something. Kasamatsu took a deep breath and let it go slowly, facing Aomine once more. "So, are you going to join?"
"... I'll think of it. Maybe. No promises." With that, Aomine pushed himself from the wall he had been leaning against and walked past Kasamatsu, his hands jammed into his pockets. Kasamatsu watched the taller male leave and once he was out of sight, turned his gaze to the concrete beneath his feet.
'Hopefully he will join...' Kasamatsu thought as he neared the exit. He pushed the door open and just as he was about to descend the staircase, he noticed Aomine standing at the first step, staring down the many steps laid out in front of him. "What are you-"
"I thought about it, senpai." Aomine voiced quietly, Kasamatsu having to lean in closer to be able to hear the first year properly. "I think I'd rather you just... leave me alone." Aomine whispered the last part, turning to face Kasamatsu.
Taking steps towards Kasamatsu, Aomine soon had the third year backed into the door, pinning him by his wrists. Kasamatsu opened his mouth to demand to be set free, but Aomine reaching up and cupping his cheek made him fall silent. Aomine leaned down, eyes searching Kasamatsu face as he moved in closer. The taller male could feel the older teen's hot breath against his own lips and he fought the urge to smirk. Just as Aomine was about to make contact with Kasamatsu's lips, the sound of footsteps coming up the stairs forced him to pull away.
"You're safe for now, senpai." Aomine decided, whispering so only Kasamatsu could hear him. He turned and walked down the stairs calmly, his hands in his pockets once again.
Kasamatsu watched Aomine leave, his heart hammering in his chest. The student who 'saved' him passed by without a clue and left Kasamatsu alone in the stairwell. Silence followed and Kasamatsu took a shaky breath in, realizing that he had been holding it. 'What the heck was that about?' The steel-blue eyed teenager asked himself, ignoring the pounding of his heart as he began to make his way all the way back to class.
'What did he mean that I was safe 'for now'?'
Hey, look - I finally updated. *is attacked*
~WinterAssassin~