Summary [chapter 4]: The final of the preliminaries continues as Seirin faces difficulties against Midorima Shintaro, a member of the Generation of Miracles. Will they be able to change the flow of the game? How can Masuko can affect more than one person's way of thinking basketball?
Update: I rewrote some details but the main modification if the point of view. It's still in the third person but I decided to truly write the story from the characters' POV.
Following the canon chronology with some additions for the purpose of the story. Main pairing of the story: Midorima x OC.
Written in the third person. The words in italic are characters' thoughts and the words written like this are said in another language (French or English). No harem x OC.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything except my OCs
[INTRODUCTION ARC]
FRAGMENTS
~.~
Chapter 4 : the rain in your heart
After Midorima Shintaro's full court shot, there was a two-minute break with 21-14 for Shutoku.
"Kuroko-kun...Could he shoot that... from a long time ago?"
Riko-san struggled to find words. That shot was so unbelievable that it wasn't even fun anymore.
"No. The distance that I knew he could shoot was only from the half-line. That's the first time I've seen him shoot from that distance."
Half-line...
The fact that he could shoot from the half-line when he was a middle school student was already frightening but this...
"I've seen videos of LeBron doing doing that during a training session but it's unthinkable doing it during a match, let alone more than once..."
As a shooting guard, Hyuuga-senpai was the most shaken among the members of the team.
It was understandable. After all, what kind of high schooler, no matter how good they are, could do that with such ease and technique?
"Such a bad joke... 'Generation of Miracles'."
After hearing fancy nicknames all the time, Miyuki had started to forget that there was always a somehow justified reason for them... How stupid of her.
"More importantly... How to stop that?"
"... Sure, it's an impossible shot but the game's not over yet!" Riko-san finally said to try to motivate them. "We'll stop Midorima-kun! Kuroko-kun! You might be tired, but please, I need you a little bit more!"
She knew Riko-san hated letting a member play when he wasn't fully in good shape but she knew she had no choice.
"Coach, may I speak?"
"Of course Masuko-chan, just drop the politeness already!"
"I apologize," she replied with a sheepish smile before continuing. "I think Kuroko-kun has to find a solution about Takao-kun... Because they're expecting us to try to stop Midorima-kun but Takao-kun will be there too."
"Did you find something, Kuroko-kun?"
"No... But I think what Masuko-san told me will help."
Miyuki had something in mind but she knew it wouldn't please the rookie duo.
"I have... a suggestion."
"What is it?"
"I think– I think that we should focus the game on the outside with Hyuga-senpai and Izuki-senpai until Kuroko-kun finds a solution. The other players should be on defense."
"WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?"
She almost jumped in surprise.
Taiga, who was strangely calm during the whole exchange, suddenly snapped at her. His outburst just made her feel more uneasy than she already felt.
I knew it was going to happen...
"They're expecting from us to only focus on stopping Midorima-kun but the thing we need to do first is to catch up the gap. Then, we'll find a solution!"
"YOU CAN'T BE–"
"I hate to say it, but that's the best solution for now." Riko-san cast a glance at Kuroko-kun. "Kuroko-kun, we're counting on you."
The sound announcing the end of the break cut their exchange, obliging them to go on the court without any complains.
Although it started back badly with two baskets in a row for Shutoku, Seirin scored back, following her plan. But the main issue was still there: Midorima-kun's three-pointers seemed unstoppable and at this rate, she feared their spirits would break. Miyuki threw a glance at her best friend. Her blood went cold at the sight of his expression.
"What– Please no..."
The feeling of uneasiness striked back with more strength, making her stomach twitch.
"What's happening? Are you alright, Masuko-chan?" Furihata-kun asked.
No. Not this again.
Miyuki bit her trembling lips. "Taiga's face. He's laughing."
She only realized her hands were shaking when she felt Furihata-kun's insistent gaze on her.
The second quarter ended with a score of 27-45 in Shutoku's favor.
The locker room was so quiet and everyone's face reflected concern.
Riko-san seemed to be looking for something to cheer them up while Miyuki threw brief looks at Taiga. The trembling in her hands hadn't stopped.
"Hey guys–" Riko-san started. Miyuki had a bad feeling about that.
"It's alright, Coach!"
Thankfully, Hyuuga-senpai reacted quicker than Miyuki. She was convinced Riko-san was about to say something incredibly dumb.
"Huh?"
"We know whatever you're going to say will be dumb, so quit that!"
The rest of the team noticed Kuroko-kun holding a camera and looking at its content.
"What are you watching, Kuroko?"
"Watching the video I took now. Checking Takao-kun," he answered.
"You found his weakness?"
"Well..."
"Kuroko-kun, could you show it to me please?" Miyuki asked.
"Hai." She watched again Shutoku's point guard's actions at a closer angle that time thanks to the camera.
Wait...
That gave her an idea.
"Kuroko-kun, I think I've found something!"
"What's on your mind?"
"The angle... The point of view... It's like the camera here it only focuses on a precise point. So maybe–"
"I see what you mean, Masuko-san," he cut her politely, with the shadow of a smile on his face.
The fact that the ever so polite Kuroko Tetsuya cut her seemed to have convinced Riko-san enough.
"What is it?" Izuki-senpai asked.
"Imagine Takao-kun's eyes are like a camera. Without any zoom, he can see the whole court but if he's focused on a certain part, then his field of view will be reduced. So..."
"Manager, you're a genius!"
She slightly blushed at his praise. "I just want you to win before going to do my surgery, after all."
"Ah, that's right, your surgery!"
"How long will you stay at the hospital?"
"What are you gonna do after that?"
She got a gush of questions about her surgery Miyuki was just glad the heavy silence disappeared.
"I'll explain you everything after the match but for now, do your best!" Hyuuga-senpai also found back his smile and looked confident again.
"Right, just go after the ball... And don't think about what happens at the end!"
"Seirin, fight!"
The third quarter started, with Kuroko-kun on the bench to preserve his strength and to find exactly what to do to reduce Takao-kun and his full court vision.
"START!"
"We got the–"
"Argh?! It's in Midorima's hand..."
As he jumped to score, Taiga also jumped, higher than previously but still not enough to catch nor touch the ball.
After Koganei-senpai's 'goal from anywhere shot', Shutoku's point guard got the ball back and passed it their ace who jumped to score. Taiga did the same but that time around, he went even higher, enough to touch the ball which nearly failed to go into the hoop.
"We've found our chance to stop him!"
But who's going to stop Taiga?
Shutoku's duo went with a two on one attack, with Takao-kun screening but with her indication, Taiga found the weakness of this play, making him able to touch the ball again.
Riko-san understood as well.
"The further Midorima-kun shoots from the basket, the longer it takes for him to initiate the shot!"
The arc was unlike the usual one, meaning...
"Wow! We finally stopped Midorima?!"
"No."
His presence was so overwhelming that they forgot for one moment Shutoku still had other strong players, such as the third-year captain who had the ability to dunk.
After Seirin scored two points, the same thing happened again: Taiga blocked the shoot, as well as Shutoku's captain who was blocked once again by Taiga.
"Foul! Black number 10."
"Kagami's great! As long as we have him..."
She was livid. His face, his way of playing... It was them all over again.
"No, please..." she whispered to herself, fiddling with her hands anxiously as she tried to think of a solution to stop him.
"If we let this going on... I sense danger."
Kuroko-kun was right.
And that moment was only the one where Miyuki realized Kuroko-kun had already been through that himself as well.
She pushed the thought aside, focusing on her best friend again.
Taiga was scoring again and again, now making the game a single digit score difference. But it was in a new one-on-one that Taiga showed signs of exhaustion. As she had feared, it only upset him more, making him do rash and careless actions permitting Shutoku a counter-attack.
"END OF THIRD QUARTER."
"Shit! Damn!"
Taiga was shouting and the trembling in her hands increased. She couldn't breathe.
Her head was spinning and she could barely hear Izuki-senpai saying, "Kagami, don't get worked up like that! Cool down!"
"Yeah, you should've seen that wasn't the time to attack! You should've turned the ball back and–"
"So what if I don't pass!"
That time, she heard what he said.
Too clearly, too loudly.
"Ah?"
"Look– Right now, I'm the only one on par with Shutoku! What we need right now isn't teamwork, it's the scoring!"
"WHAT'S THAT?! THERE'S NO REASON FOR YOU TO GET SELF-CENTERED HERE!" Hyuuga-senpai screamed, probably half confused and half enraged by his kouhai's words.
He was about to slap his head to clear his mind when Kuroko-kun ended up throwing his fist across Taiga's cheek instead. The rest of the team gasped, not expecting violence from Kuroko-kun of all people.
The punch was strong enough to make Taiga fall on the floor.
Miyuki could feel herself panicking more and more at the déjà vu that occurence gave her.
She gasped. "Kuroko-kun?!"
Taiga grabbed his teammate's shirt, making his feet leave the floor.
"Kuroko you...!"
"Basketball isn't a one-man sport!"
"You mean you'll let it rest if you lose as long as everyone enjoys playing?! There no meaning unless we win!"
Kuroko-kun was defying Kagami's angry stare with a firm glance. "But there's no meaning if you win alone! You said you wanted to defeat the Generation of Miracles but you just think like them! And even if we defeat Shutoku 'your way' no one will be happy!"
"Don't talk high-mindedly like this!"
Taiga let him go with the clear intent to throw his fist.
No!
In the middle of her inner panic, Miyuki's first instinct was to roll her wheelchair to push Kuroko-kun and be over the course of his punch instead.. She saw Taiga trying to stop himself when he realized that but it was already too late.
His punch stung. A lot.
"EMILIE! Emilie, are you okay?" Taiga asked, all trace of anger gone and replaced with guilt instead.
Her cheek was burning from the pain of the punch and she could taste her own blood on the corner of her lips but she could't care less at that moment.
"Didn't you start basketball because it was fun? To make new friends? So tell me, where's the fun in winning alone... If there's no one happy in the end, is it worth it... For one moment, you sounded like her," She lowered the tone at her last entence, gaining back her calm. Her hands stopped shaking. Taiga's punch strangely calmed her as well. "I'm sure Kuroko-kun shares my thoughts as well," she continued, now feeling bad for even comparing her best friend to her.
The others didn't seem to notice the emotions that went through Taiga's eyes apart from Kuroko-kun.
"Hai. What is 'victory' if you do this alone?" He said. Miyuki was grateful he decide not to ask who she was refering to. "Basketball is not a sport that can be played alone!" he added with more heat.
Taiga had the light back in his eyes telling her their speech had been received correctly.
He turned his back and told a sincere, "I'm sorry everyone. Emilie, I'm–"
She knew how horrible he felt about the punch. Taiga was hot-headed but he was also someone really caring (maybe even too caring, to her taste).
"Cheer up Taiga! I'll fully forgive you if you make me breakfast before accompanying me to the hospital tomorrow."
He was already fully forgiven but sharing more time with him was always good. He knew that judging by the expression on his face.
"It'll be better if we win this together," he said, a grin on his face.
She smiled and patted his hand. She was thankful no one in the team made any jokes about their small friendly displays of affection.
"Okay, fine... Kagami's cooled down thanks to Kuroko and Manager, but our situation on court hasn't changed!... Any ideas?" Captain asked.
"Here, I... have one way that may work, I can only pass around, but there's one more level on top of that."
"Kuroko's new pass?"
"... Why did you keep that until now?"
"Only a very selected few can catch it... However, I think Kagami-kun maybe one of those," Kuroko-kun explained.
"But we can't rely on Kuroko's pass if the only one who can receive it is Kagami. To undo Takao's marking, they have to be normal passes."
"I think thanks to Masuko-san's hint, Takao-kun can be countered."
With that and the double marking on Shutoku's captain, things were about to be fine, eventually.
"That makes it easier... Kagami-kun! How many more times do you think you can jump?" Riko-san inquired.
"... Jump?"
"That super-jump he used on Midorima?"
"While it's Kagami-kun's talent, it uses a proportionate amount of strength. Kagami-kun's body isn't that developed; that level of jump comes with a limited number in a match! You should have instinctively known this, right?"
"WHAT THE– I can jump as long as the match requires me to!"
Miyuki and RIko-san rolled their eyes.
Men...
"Don't put up a brave act!" Riko-san scolded him.
Miyuki still felt the need to defend him. "Coach, don't blame him, he just doesn't know himself enough yet."
"Oi, Emilie!"
Riko-san used her eyes to analize him.
"Twice... At most," she said.
Miyuki's eyes widened, along with the rest of the team.
Two jumps were clearly not enough to hold 10 minutes against Shutoku.
"From what I predict from your muscle, that should be the maximum. After two more jumps, I think... It'll take a lot of effort for you to just stand in the court."
"Only twice... Can we stop Midorima with that...?"
"One chance is to be used for an important shot! The second... Just stop the first fourth quarter shot from Midorima!" RIko-san proposed.
The team had finally found their spirit back and her best friend finally understood how important the team was. A smile escaped from her mouth at that although it hurt.
"Ouch..."
Miyuki had forgotten about the pain until she moved her mouth.
"Are you okay, Masuko-chan?" Tsuchida-senpai asked. He handed her a tissue to wipe the blood on her mouth.
"Hai. I just need a bag of ice, please."
Preparing to go back on the court, she saw Taiga apologizing to his captain.
"Senpai. Just now... Well, I'm sorry."
"Hmmm, it's okay..." she thought that was it but Captain's expression darkened. "...was just I wanted to say, but it's hard to shallow that from a freshman... Yeah, punishments later."
"Uh..."
Ouch.
"Hyuuga's clutch time again!"
Of course.
"We've got ten minutes left. Everything else can wait! CHARGE!"
"START OF FOURTH QUARTER."
Seirin was now back to its usual teamwork, resulting a two-pointer from Mitobe-senpai and making the score 49-61 for Shutoku.
Taiga jumped and stole the ball, permitting Izuki-senpai to score on the outside, just as they planned.
"Coach! Is it fine to use one chance away right at the start?!"
"We're doing a front! After that, Kagami will just try to keep his mark on Midorima-kun. If he shoots, he won't stop him!"
She lifted her head.
"I think I've understood Coach's intention. Midorima-kun's never shoots when he isn't certain he will score. If Taiga exceeded his expectation somehow, he'll think 'there's more to his jumps'... And refrain from shooting unless the chance is clear."
Riko-san nodded, her eyes never leaving the court. "To be clear: we're using the psychological impact to reduce Shutoku's scoring chances and... Scoring ourselves! So... We have to bet on Kuroko-kun!" Riko-san patted her head, smiling. "Do you know how amazing it is to have you with us? Boys can be so stupid, I'm glad somebody finally understands me."
Cries of protest from the benchers gushed out. "HEY!"
"Hahahah– Ouch!"
Her cheek still hurt so she had to avoid abrupt moves with her mouth.
"Look, Takao finally lost Kuroko!" Furihata-kun pointed out.
"Yes!"
"Now that Takao-kun is confused, Kuroko-kun will be able to do his new pass!"
She watched with amazement the ball blow away at an impressive speed and Taiga catch it. The other ace was determined to stop him but...
"Taiga is going to use his last jump now."
Cheers from the public echoed in the building.
"Not only Midorima-kun is shocked but the dunk brings energy to the whole's team play... That's a fine play that score alone can't bring."
"Right now, the team will rely on Kuroko-kun."
The team was quickly catching up and in the last three minutes, the score was 74-78 in Shutoku's favor.
"Mitobe-senpai scored! That makes us only two points apart from them!"
"SHUTOKU HIGH TIME OUT!"
"Alright, guys! The momentum is with us right now so we have to keep this flow. They'll try to make all their passes to Midorima-kun... So Kuroko-kun, I'm counting on you."
"Hai."
Miyuki had nothing to add so she just encouraged them, "You guys are going good, keep going on until the end!"
"Come on guys!"
She watched them going back on the court to have a three pointer landed for Shutoku but Seirin reacted perfectly by returning with a three-pointer as well.
"THERE'S NO TIME LEFT! YOU HAVE TO GET IN!"
"We have the ball! Fifteen seconds left!"
The match reached its climax, the benchers and the coaching teams did their best to encourage their own team.
"GO SEIRIN!"
"Take the game, Hyuuga!" Hyuuga-senpai scored a beautiful three-pointer giving Seirin advantage.
Everyone was smiling but she and Riko-san saw the smirk on Shutoku's point guard.
"NO!"
He made the pass to their ace, who was aiming to make a buzzer beater while everyone in Seirin was exhausted. Miyuki knew there still was a light of hope...
No, rather a light and its shadow.
"No we'll win, I believe in them! In both of them!" Because no matter how tired they were, they would do something.
Especially her best friend.
And of course, Taiga did so after superhuman efforts... Midorima-kun saw through it and faked but he wasn't the only one who knew he would do this. She let a smirk appearing on her face.
"I know Kuroko-kun believed in him too."
"What–"
One second before the final buzz and intercepted the ball to the two aces' surprise.
"END OF THE MATCH!"
Miyuki raised her hands up as she tenderly watched the team jump with joy. As the rest of the team, she casted a glance in Shutoku's direction and particularly at Midorima-kun who had just lost a match for the first time in his life.
As the players gathered to bow and thank each other for the game, she felt nostalgia.
The thrill of the game, the happiness shared with teammates after a victory... It made her want to return to her former level – no, to become even an even better footballer after her surgery.
The ringtone of her mobile stopped her thoughts.
"Excuse me, Coach I have to take this call, I'll be back in a few minutes."
"Find us in the locker room!"
Taiga waved at her.
"Emilie, I can go with you!"
She would have said yes if only he didn't look that miserable from the match (and the punch).
She laughed quietly, deciding it was better to spare him.
"It's fine Taiga, just rest!"
She began to roll her wheelchair to go somewhere more peaceful as she took the call from an unknown number.
"Alors, comme les rumeurs le disent, tu es vraiment au Japon, hein?"
That voice...
She froze, unsure of how to react, or how to feel about it.
Anger? Happiness? Confusion? Maybe a mix of all those feelings.
The only thing she could say was, "How did you get my number?"
"From your high school friends of course. All I had to say was I missed my friend from middle school!"
She didn't know whether the girl was saying it seriously or not. They had left on bad terms, although it had felt unfinished.
"I see... But to answer your question, I'm in Japan now. Not that you didn't know that already," she drily told her.
"So you did tell us the truth back then. You'll stay there now."
"Yes but that doesn't mean I forgot the promise we made, don't worry," Miyuki replied back in an over-suggary tone.
"I'm not worried about that, after all, you never forget your promises, no matter how unrealistic they are. But the question is, will you make it?"
That was the question that deep down inside her, Miyuki couldn't answer for sure since she didn't know if she could gain back the level she had before her injury.
"I WILL," she shouted, quickly feeling all that anger and resentment coming back at once.
But will she? She had to, since she couldn't let things the way they were.
"We'll see... But you didn't ask about me, isn't that a bit rude of you?"
A sardonic laugh escaped from Miyuki's lips. She forgot how unpleasant her former teammate could be. "I don't need to ask. You won Nationals."
"Isn't it wonderful? I'm a national champion, just like you! Or should I say I'm Women's Nationals football champion and you're Men's Nationals football champion, E-MI-LE."
"Don't call me like that!" she spat.
How dare she?
"Your male teammates called you like that."
Despite her anger, Miyuki knew it was better to avoid that topic.
"Stop with that! Gender is not binary and you're not my teammate. Not anymore."
"If you don't make it, it will not be the case indeed."
Losing her patience, Miyuki sighed, tempted to throw her phone away. "So, you just called me for that? Is it another mind game of yours? Are you angry I haven't been deceived by your act last year?"
There were a few seconds of silence before her former teammate said something again, her voice softer. "I just wanted to check on you."
It unsettled her but she couldn't allow herself to fall into another emotional trap.
"As you can hear, I'm perfectly content," Miyuki coldly confirmed.
"Apparently, yes," she conceded in a neutral tone. "Goodbye, Emilie."
"Goodbye... Lisa." She hung up, now feeling upset and conflicted by that unexpeted interaction.
She hadn't planned to ever talk to her again until she fulfilled her promise but her old teammate wasn't that patient. Miyuki sighed again. That call was only a reminder of the incoming surgery the next day and she was getting more and more nervous.
She needed to clear her mind, and get some fresh air. She decided to take the umbrella hooked on her wheelchair and went outside.
Midorima Shintaro didn't know how long he stood there in the rain alone, pathetically crying...
Like a loser.
How ironic.
A few weeks ago, he was mocking Kise for losing against Seirin and now, there he was, doing the same thing as Kise did when the match ended.
Crying.
"You should never look down on your opponent.. because sometimes, those who you thought to be at your feet would take you down."
Those words from Seirin's manager couldn't leave his mind.
Maybe that was why he lost. Maybe he could have won if he had taken Kagami seriously from the start...
Shintaro couldn't see another reason. He did his best as always, and he had his lucky item...
"Do you need an umbrella?"
That voice startled Shintaro. He looked around then lowered his head to see it was Seirin's offering her own umbrella with a polite smile.
How ironic.
He froze, confused to see her there and unsure whether to feel embarrassed or not, depending if she had seen his tears or not.
He hesitantly took the umbrella from her hands and held it for the both of them.
"What are you doing here? DId you come to gloat at me?" he curtly asked.
So, what if he sounded harsh to her? He always was harsh in a certain way but he didn't need that now. He didn't need to have Seirin manager coming to mock him and make him remember how he had just lost a match for the first time in his life.
"I needed some air..." she softly replied, looking at the droplets of rain falling from the umbrella.
He frowned at the oddly melancholic sight she gave him but he still snorted at her answer. "Why? Aren't you happy your team won?"
"Of course I'm happy. I just needed time to think about other... matters."
Her tone was surprisingly somber than before. Was it because she pitied him or was it because she was truly preoccupied with something else?
He would say the latter one though after having seen her wandering gaze.
And where did that ugly purple bruise on her cheek come from?
An uncomfortable silence settled between them, mostly due to his own refusal to start a trivial discussion.
He literally just lost to her team, after all, and he had his pride.
She didn't seem the type to begin small talk neither but her voice once filled the heavy silence.
"You know... You truly are a wonderful player, Midorima Shintaro. I rarely saw someone with such talent in sports but I think you lacked something important."
He was now looking at her.
"What–"
She locked her gaze on him. Comforting blue eyes on confused green eyes.
"Team work..." she paused. He hadn't realized until now how small she looked in that wheelchair.
Why is she in a wheelchair?
"You need to let go of some of your pride and consider the fact you can count also on your team."
She smiled at him again but that time, it was... different.
Warmer.
"You'll understand someday."
The girl checked her phone and raised her face to look at him again.
"Well, I have to leave. I hope we'll talk again soon."
He gave her back her umbrella, unable to find words. "Ha."
She refused to take back her own umbrella, confusing him to no ends.
"Please, keep it. I would not like Midorima-kun to catch a cold."
He wanted to tell her that he didn't need her pity, that he didn't want to keep this umbrella but he said nothing of that.
She wasn't pitying him because she was leaving as she said.
She was being polite, that was all. And as he realized that he was wet and cold, he felt somehow thankful for her gesture.
Still, he didn't say a word as he watched her leave.
"Goodbye, Midorima-kun."
She respectfully bowed before rolling her wheelchair. For some reason, it felt wrong to leave it that way.
"Wait!" He didn't mean to say it out loud, but he had to ask. The girl turned her head after stopping her wheelchair. Shintaro's heart skipped a beat. "What's your sign?"
The pouring rain made her dark hair messy and she had to push back some bangs to properly looked at him. Shintaro almost found her beautiful as the raindrops fell down her face. She smiled, genuinely that time.
"Libra."
Shintaro's heart skipped a beat. After that simple word, she went back to the building.
He remembered about Oha Asa's horoscope of the day.
"Today, Libras will lead you to a significant change."
How strange, he thought.
"Masuko-chan, you're finally back! Now, let's go home!"
She was relieved that Riko-san was so delighted by their victory that she didn't scold her for getting herself wet outside.
"No, wait... Please, wait up for me..." their captain whimpered.
Hyuuga-senpai was trembling as he raised his hand to tell Riko-san to stop.
"We just played two matches. Against the Kings no less!"
"Like we could go back immediately..."
She looked at the other starters, only to see they were as good as zombies.
Riko-san winced. "Fine, sorry for asking."
"We'll be fine in a bit. Kagami though..."
Miyuki looked at her best friend who couldn't even stand by himself.
Literally.
"But we can't stay here forever! Let's go to the nearest restaurant! Someone carry Kagami-kun!"
Everyone sighed.
"Okay, let's decide by rock-paper-scissors."
The road to the restaurant wasn't too long but as expected, Taiga fell flat on the ground, giving her the amusing sight of him covered in mud (yes, she laughed out loud until her cheek started to hurt again).
Finally taking pity, Miyuki offered him to sit on the wheelchair with her, with Kuroko-kun leading them.
They entered the restaurant and Miyuki was just happy to smell food everywhere around her.
"Welcome!" a waiter said.
"I won't forget this, Kuroko..." her best friend said through his teeth.
Taiga was still unhappy (which was understandable).
"I apologize, Kagami-kun is just too heavy for me."
As usual, Kuroko Tetsuya didn't look sorry.
"Hmm?"
Taiga's glance was now focused somewhere else.
She looked at what had caught his attention, or who, to be accurate.
"Hey."
"Hmm?"
It was two young men, probably from a prestigious school judging by their uniform, or at least a private one.
The tall one had a really pretty face and he was blond, something she thought she would never see in Japan and the other one had black hair and seemed a bit older. That guy had a Captain aura.
"Kise and Kasamatsu!" Taiga shouted.
These two names were familiar for some reason... She had already read their names somewhere but couldn't pinpoint when it happened.
"Hi."
"Call me Senpai!"
Her presence was seemingly forgotten until she greeted them.
"Good evening. I'm Masuko Miyuki."
There were a few seconds of silence before the blond one decided to speak.
"Um, Masuko-san... What are you doing in a wheelchair with Kagamicchi?"
Kagamicchi?!
... Oh, he means Taiga.
"That's my wheelchair, I allowed him to sit on it because he was feeling weak after the game," she explained, very tempted to smirk at her own wording.
"Oi!"
The other one at the table appeared to be troubled by her presence but he didn't seem to be a bad person.
Heavy blush on his face, stuttering, trying to avoid my eyes... Just like Théodore.
She deduced Senpai-san felt uneasy around women.
"If you– you ne– need more tables you can share with u... us. Yeah."
She threw a polite smile. "Thank you for your consideration."
She didn't even need to watch to know Taiga was rolling his eyes because of her "abusive politeness", as her friends put it.
Whatever, the blush on Senpai-san was sweet.
As they went to share the table with them, she felt a certain... awkwardness between them, especially between Taiga and pretty face – she still didn't exactly know the blond's name. –
"What's with this seating plan... And what's with you Kagamicchi! What's with that mud!"
Miyuki noted he was being familiar with Taiga, a strange thing considering Taiga did not do friends, except when it came to basketball.
"I was carried here. Just don't ask– and don't call me 'cchi'!"
She turned her head to the two young men.
"Who are you, may I ask?"
"Sorry, I forgot to present myself. I'm Kise Ryouta and this is Kasamatsu Yukio-senpai, my captain and senpai!"
Her eyes widened. "So you're from a basketball team too!"
That explained things. Now that her mind was clear again, she remembered she had already heard his name from Taiga.
'I hope Kise won't be dumb enough to lose' or 'how the hell someone like Kise can be that good at basketball?' he had said.
"Let's just order drinks now!"
Everyone complied and as they raised their glasses to cheer and restaurant's doors open again.
"Excuse me, table for two–"
She turned her head to see Shutoku's first year duo standing at the door. A defeating silence filled the room before everyone screamed.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE! AND JUST THE TWO OF YOU?"
"Well, our senpai left when Shin-chan went off crying, so I'm eating with him!"
"Oi!" She met his eyes before he quickly turned his back. "Let's go elsewhere, Takao."
Was he embarrassed because she saw him crying? Miyuki understood why but she wouldn't say a word about the incident.
"Hey!"
Both went outside but came back a few seconds later, soaked with water. Miyuki was torn between feeling amused or exasperated at the display of failed stubbornness.
Typical.
"Oh, Seirin's manager's here too!" Takao-kun exclaimed.
She made a respectful nod to greet him. "Good evening, Takao-kun."
The blond, pretty face, looked at her, visibly startled.
"You're Seirin's manager?! I didn't know Kurokocchi's team had a manager!"
Oh, here we go again...
"Hai."
Takao-kun watched her, curious.
"What's Kagami doing in your wheelchair?"
She remembered how Kise-kun asked the same thing and now understood why.
Japanese people weren't into physical contact, especially between a man and a woman in public but until now, nobody seemed to bother because the team knew how Taiga and she were like siblings though she wouldn't exactly describe their relationship as such neither.
"He was feeling physically too weak to stand after the game, so I let him sit in this wheelchair with me."
Of course, Taiga immediately snapped at her.
"Oi! Stop saying that to everyone."
She shrugged. "I'm just stating the truth."
Okay, maybe she did use certain words such as 'weak' on purpose and maybe she was enjoying it a little.
"Stop it or I'm gonna drop you on the floor!"
She pouted childishly. "You're no fun and may I recall you that's my wheelchair."
Takao-kun, after laughing rather loudly, interrupted their bickering.
"You're Kaijo's Kasamatsu-san?"
"You know me?"
"I saw you in Basketball Monthly! You're a nationally reputed point guard! Wait... Wow! It'd be awesome to talk to a famous senior who plays the same position as me! Let's have dinner together!"
So it meant that Senpai-san was part of the best Japanese point guards in high school level?
"Huh...? But Seirin's in celebration mood, is that okay for you two?"
"I don't mind! Come Kasamatsu-san! Here!"
He led him to another table where part of the team was sitting.
It left the five of them on the same table with the previous awkwardness intensified. Miyuki could swear Riko-san exclaim with excitement, "But aren't you all feeling excited about what's going to happen?!"
Kuroko-kun didn't take notice of it or rather purposefully ignored the tension around the table.
"Anyway, let's order," he said in his usual flat tone.
"You're right Kuroko, I'm hungry."
"I'm almost full. Just let me finish what I have on hand," pretty face said.
"You just love food that looks like vomit, nanodayo!"
"Must you take every opportunity to insult me?" the blond haired cried, offended.
He looked really... overdramatic.
As the rest of them started to order, she looked at what was written on the restaurant's set menu.
Yakizakana? Shabushabu?
What the hell were these dishes?
She turned her head to get her best friend's attention.
"I don't know most the plates written on the card and now that I think about it, it's my first time going to a true Japanese restaurant."
"WHAT!"
She rapidly tried to defend herself against everyone's outraged scream.
"I just arrived in Tokyo recently and the only restaurant where I've gone to is Maji Burger, if I can even call that a restaurant!"
She knew that she was guilty for accepting to go there though it wasn't healthy for her since she was in a wheelchair.
Luckily for her, she compensated with healthy homemade meals the rest of the week.
"I'll just order for you," Taiga continued, perfectly unfazed. "– squid eggs, scrambled eggs, octopus with eggs, eggs with Kimchi pork..."
"What spell are you chanting!"
"You ordered too much!"
At least, Midorima-kun and pretty face agreed on something.
"It's okay– Kagami-kun will finish it all. And Masuko-san will help him," Kuroko-kun exclaimed, to which Miyuki nodded.
"Are you human-ssu?"
Waiting what they had ordered to arrive, pretty face started a discussion with her.
"So... Masuko-san, how did you become Seirin's manager? I would've noticed you at the practice match-ssu."
Was he even interested by his own discussion?
Pretty face had a casual yet flirty tone and a bright smile but there was something unnerving in the way he acted with her... The smile he was presenting to her was big yet empty.
"I arrived in Japan three weeks ago. I became manager because Taiga is my best friend and I enjoy Seirin's basketball."
He cocked his head. "Taiga?"
Something in his eyes changed. Funny to see how nobody in Japan knew 'Taiga' was Kagami's first name.
"The idiot sitting with me on my wheelchair."
It took a few seconds to make them realize who she was talking about.
"EH? THAT GUY?! YOUR BEST FRIEND?!"
"Everyone in the club had the same reaction when Masuko-san told them," Kuroko-kun added.
"Oi, I don't like the way you said it, Kuroko. I don't understand why it's that hard to believe!"
She gave taiga an amused look.
"Do I need to remind you why?"
He gulped, probably remembering when the team laughed the first time they had met her. She knew he had his own pride and he didn't want to get embarrassed again, especially in front of his rivals.
"Okay, I get it! Shut up!" he barked.
"Does Masuko-san still need ice for the bruise?" Kuroko asked, interrupting their banter.
She touched her cheek, having completely forgotten about the pain with the adrenaline of Seirin's win and the call.
She winced at the contact of her cold hand with her hot throbbing cheek. It must certainly not look pretty, but it wasn't the first time either.
"I'm fine, Kuroko-kun. It doesn't hurt that much anymore."
Taiga scratched his head. "Yeah, 'bout that... I'm so sorry... Again. You know I would never do that to you on purpose," he finished in a smooth English English he tended to use whenever he felt nervous.
She rolled her eyes. "I told you it was fine, Taiga."
"What happened?" pretty face asked.
"Masuko-san took Kagami-kun's punch that was meant for me." Kuroko-kun had already apologized as well, feeling guilty she had to do that to stop Taiga.
Pretty face and Midorima-kun stared at her with wide eyes but she smiled politely in return.
"It was nothing, he just needed to cool down and to truly understand he needed his team."
She saw how Midorima-kun slightly tensed and she recalled the words she gave him in the middle of the rain.
She touched the chain around her neck.
Taiga saw it and gently tapped her head.
"Oi, you sure you're okay?!"
"Yes, I'm just..." She didn't want to talk about the call she got from her middle school (old? former?) friend so she told him the half-truth instead. "... a bit nervous about tomorrow."
He tried to reassure her, "Don't worry dumbass, it'll be fine. And I'll be there with you!"
She lowered her eyes to look at her chain and smiled. Taiga had always been there with and for her.
She knew the other people on the table – except Kuroko-kun, who was in their class – were surprised to see Taiga being able to cheer up her.
After all, Taiga didn't look like the type to be able to cheer up a girl. He was brutally blunt (to the point of almost being insensitive) and short-tempered but he was also kind to people who were close to him.
Kuroko-kun shamelessly said what everyone thought out loud.
"Kagami-kun can be sweet sometimes."
Taiga blushed. "SHUT UP!"
Miyuki was fairly impressed by the redness of her best friend's face but decided to spare him and not to make a remark on the matter.
Food arrived on the table, cutting them for a short moment. Pretty face – although she now knew his name, she really liked using that nickname in her head – filled the silence with new questions.
"What do you have tomorrow Masuko-san, if I may ask."
"It's okay Kise-kun, I don't mind. I'm... having my surgery to repair my injured knee tomorrow and then I'll have around six months of reeducation."
More like months of torture...
"Don't worry Masuko-san, Coach will be a good therapist."
She shivered as she watched Riko-san happily talking with Hyuuga-senpai about the training she would go through.
"That's not truly what I'm scared of. Although she seems a little too happy about this..."
Taiga grumbled, "Serves you right for doubling my menu every time..."
She kept straight face but lightly elbowed him in the stomach. "I heard that Taiga. I'll tell Coach to triple your menu while I won't be there."
... Once he would be healed himself, of course.
Everyone around the table flinched but she didn't care.
Serves YOU right.
"So you're playing a collective sports too, right?"
Pretty face had to be a keen observer to specifically guess that.
She nodded.
"I play football," she replied.
"I'm sure Masuko-san is talented."
The fact he said it as a statement awoke her curiosity. So pretty was more than just a pretty face?
"Hai. Masuko-san is a high school national champion of her home country," Kuroko-kun replied for her. If she didn't know better, she would say he was bragging.
"Masuko-san really is amazing!"
She could see that just like her, he was using a façade but she still slightly blushed at the compliment.
"Thank you! I hope I'll be able to play like I used to in a few months... I truly am missing that," she ended in a whisper.
Maybe she hadn't been as discreet as she thought she would be since everyone around the table looked away.
As an athlete, she knew injury was a taboo subject.
People thought talking about such thing would bring them bad luck but she was telling the truth. She missed running to steal the ball and score. She missed passing the ball to her teammates and she missed her teammates.
They all started to eat with the exception of Midorima-kun who was still moping and refusing to talk to anyone.
"Midorimacchi, your food's burning."
Said 'Midorimacchi' grumpily replied, "I don't feel like eating."
"I know you feel bad but... Hey! You'll get another chance someday!"
"We were just beaten a few seconds ago, nanodayo!" He paused, trying to calm himself. "The fact– I find you're the hard one to understand! Hanging around and joking with them like that. They're the ones who defeated you!"
She could understand, she had felt the same about the one that became one of her closest friends. Keeping a balance between friendship and rivalry was sometimes hard to maintain.
"Well... It's because I'm gonna get revenge! At the Inter-High competition, of course. I won't lose next time!" pretty face said.
"Ha! Bring it on!"
Taiga did consider him as a true rival after all. Miyuki was glad for him.
She saw Midorima-kun scrutinizing what appeared to be his former teammate with a mildly perplexed look.
"Kise, you seem different."
"Really?"
"Your eyes... They look weird."
"Weird?!"
She understood where it was going. The flicker in pretty face's eyes changed, as if he finally understood what he meant.
"After the match with them, I went back to practice more. Recently I've started to think... It's fun playing basketball with everyone in Kaijo-ssu."
Midorima-kun kept silently observing him for a few seconds before finally starting to eat. "... I was wrong. You haven't changed a bit. You just went back to your old self. Before we were triple champions."
"But... So has everyone, right? What you want is freedom. But I do play basketball for fun," Taiga explained. Miyuki might get him but she knew it wasn't that easy for everyone. "You're all thinking too much! Basketball is something people do because they like it!"
She shook her head. Always with that simple-minded way of thinking when it came to basketball... Miyuki envied her best friend's simplistic vision.
She now played football again for the love of the beautiful sport but it had taken months to learn again to fully appreciate it.
"You...!" Midorima-kun's glance was now almost frightening. "Don't tell us what to think when you don't even know us!"
She could feel the tension around the table reach its climax. It made her shift uncomfortably until food went on Midorima-kun's head.
"Ah!"
Miyuki tried her best not to laugh out loud.
"Anyway, we'll talk later. Come here, Takao." He stood up, with the food still on his hair and dragged his teammate forcefully outside where his voice can still be heard.
"Hey I'm sorry, no I mean it... I don't know how that Okonomiyaki could fly– OUCH!"
The two Shutoku players came back like nothing happened while everyone – including her – sweat dropped at that unusual display of childish behavior from Midorima Shintaro.
It was her other friend and classmate who broke the tension once again.
"It's just as Kagami-kun said. I've thought about it since the match. We'll never get any better if we don't find basketball fun!"
"Kuroko-kun and Taiga have a point, playing a sport is better if you enjoy it. And revenge is sweet..." she added to give them motivation. It would only make Seirin's future matches more challenging but more fun too.
The two members of the Generation of Miracles seemed to understand that and smirked. But Kuroko-kun's gaze had something that wasn't usually there... She couldn't pinpoint what.
"Does Masuko-san want to sit on my lap?" Kuroko-kun asked out of blue.
She saw the other blush at Kuroko-kun's blunt question. It was highly unlike him to ask something like that.
Taiga didn't care, too preoccupied with food, leaving her confused.
"i beg you pardon?"
"Kagami-kun has only eaten half of his meal and I think Kagami-kun will need space when his stomach will be full."
He was right. It was actually difficult to eat with someone moving non-stop to put as much food as he can in his mouth. Her shoulders were covered with crumbs.
"If if doesn't bother you, I'll accept."
"It doesn't bother me, Masuko-san. Kagami-kun can be bad-mannered when he eats."
That remark finally got Taiga's attention. "OI! ARE YOU TWO PLOTTIN' TOGETHER TO BE RUDE TO ME?!"
Their lack of answer betrayed the accuracy of his statement.
It had become an unspoken rule to tease him at every occasion they got. Before anyone asked her if she needed help, she stood up and hopped towards Kuroko-kun's chair (it was easy now that her leg didn't hurt as much as it used to).
"Masuko-san is doing well with only one leg, even better than Kagami-kun with two legs."
"YOU BASTARD!"
She ignored his outburst like she usually did (that worked with him).
"Taiga can be airheaded sometimes, it's not his fault... That makes me think that you two need to repass for the upcoming review test. By the way, I warned the headmaster as well as every sensei about my absence and they told me Seirin's review test is in a week. I've already taken mine two days ago, though."
Taiga was going to feel more concerned after her next sentences.
"I don't know in details how Japanese schools work so I asked Coach about the review test and she said although the score doesn't count, the test will be used to draw up the school's rankings. And... the problem is that the bottom 100 will be made to do a remedial class every Saturday... It means–"
Taiga was now choking with his food and Kise-kun was starting to panic.
"The final league is on Saturday! Crap!"
"I forgot Kaijo have a review test too!"
Is he as bad as Taiga at school?
"Coach was panicking so I told her Kuroko-kun's marks are okay but that yours are poor..."
"But–"
"Taiga, I know you don't care about marks but at least do care now or you won't be able to play the final league!"
"But–"
She was beginning to get exasperated. "You are so bad you even failed English test! How could you only get a 41?"
A fucking 41...
Kuroko-kun asked even though he knew, just to make it worse... She would have done that too.
"Didn't Kagami-kun live in America?"
(She was proud of Kuroko-kun.)
Miyuki snorted. "It's even worse than you think... He's American, he has a double citizenship!"
Taiga then tried a half-hearted defense (that was not quite believable since he didn't care about school in general). "Japan's English's too formal! No one there cares about precise grammar! I got just fine with feelings and instinct."
"Wait? America? That's so cool, Kagamicchi, did you learn basketball there?"
"Yeah, I–"
God...
"Let's talk about souvenirs from Los Angeles later. Your outrageous 41 is the current topic."
He was probably the only one who could live in an English speaking country for years and still fail an English test... Or not.
Americans could be as bad as him in English or even worse, it was outrageous.
"Coach had planned an entire week of unstoppable revisions, but I told her to only make it for two days. I'll be your teacher for the other days!"
"But you'll be at the hospital!"
Of course he was still trying to protest, that fool.
"You'll entertain me, then. Hours in a hospital room alone are boring."
"Masuko-san, will you be able to teach him?"
She turned her head and nodded. "Of course! When I was with him in the States, I helped him."
"We were in elementary school!"
What a stubborn child...
"Masuko-san was with him too?"
"Yes, I was. And Taiga, I'm still first in class... With Hisao-san but I think he won't be able to keep going on."
"Uh, why?"
"He's currently heartbroken."
"How do you know?"
"I've noticed."
Only her classmate and fellow friend in the 'observer squad' like she called it knew what she meant, giving her a small smile.
Kise-kun, who had just left for an instant to ask something to his senpai came back, looking even more distressed than before. "I talked to Kasamatsu-senpai and he told me Kaijo would keep me on the bench if I don't do good enough!"
"If Kise-kun wants, I can help," she proposed.
His eyes widened. "Really? You would do that?"
"Of course," she replied with a half smile. She took a piece of paper from her bag and wrote her phone number on it. "Just text me and I'll tell you where to find me."
Taiga was surely annoyed by her 'overwhelming kindness' as Riko-san would say. But they partly got it wrong: she was also doing it because he was Taiga's rival. And having him get benched due to poor marks couldn't happen.
Miyuki also thought it would be a good way not to get bored at the hospital as well.
"The rain has stopped."
"Really?"
"It's getting late, let's go back," Hyuuga-senpai said.
To everyone's horror and astonishment, Taiga really did finish his dinner without any struggles.
He had now enough strength to walk by himself again and (thankfully) her wheelchair was once hers again.
"Kagami, some advice to you. There are two of the Generation of Miracles in the Tokyo district. I am one and the other is Aomine Daiki. You'll definitely see him in the final league. And, he's the same type of player as you," Midorima-kun declared, looking slightly more tense than the rest of the time.
Taiga was confused and so was she. Who was that 'Aomine'?
"Huh? I don't get what you mean but, he's strong, right?"
"... Yes, he is. But his style of play... I don't like it," Kuroko-kun answered in a quiet rage.
It made her shiver.
She didn't like Midorima-kun's warning tone nor Kuroko-kun's dark look or Kise-kun's uncharacteristic seriousness.
How strong was that Aomine Daiki guy?
"Just work hard."
Kuroko-kun stopped him gently.
"Midorima-kun! Let's... compete again."
She saw that tiny, small smile Kuroko-kun had whenever he was talking about books, or about things that were important to him.
"... Of course. And next time I'll be the winner."
Finally leaving, Shintaro saw Takao waiting for him, already ready to drive the rickshaw.
"Don't worry about rock-paper-scissors. I'll take you, okay?"
He looked at his teammate, surprised. He inexplicably had Seirin's manager words in mind again.
"... You need to let go your pride and consider the fact you can count on people in your team."
Maybe she's not wrong.
He simply smirked and let out a soft 'Hm,' almost smiling at the attention.
Shintaro had a dreadful day.
He had played two games and he lost the final. He had just lost for the first time in basketball and he had to admit to himself that it did sadden him. And he had that strange moment in the rain with that girl... Masuko Miyuki. Seirin's manager and Kagami's best friend. He couldn't fully understand her words yet but he felt they were important... And it warmed him, just like her genuine smile.
"You'll understand someday."
Someday... he thought.
And as Takao and he started to discuss, he thought he might like that sport after all. It was the first time since years he felt passion for basketball.
And just like the night sky, the rain in his heart stopped.
A/N: This is the longest chapter I've written until now. I was really waiting for the restaurant scene because I really like writing funny scenes, it changes from what I'm used to write (aka angst everywhere) but since KnB has lots of funny moments, I wanted to do something nice and amusing and I hope you liked it! I think this chapter was also important to Kagami's and Midorima's character development: Kagami now understands the way the Generation of Miracles is thinking is wrong and Midorima is beginning to think about his team.
Thank you for the fav/following guys! Don't hesitate to post comments. Now time for to answer to comments I previously go:
Batman78: Haha, I wanted to end the previous chapter with a cliffhanger like that moment. Thank you for adding my story to your favorite by the way :)
angel1: Thank you for your kind comment, I'm happy you like Masuko ! While I like romance, I do value friendships in tv shows and mangas and I find friendships are almost always underrated, that's why I made it something important in my story. You have hints about her past in this chapter and you'll get more soon :D