Summary [chapter 23]: To put it simply, every action caused ripples. In his case, Masuko Olivier's genuine question caused that revelation that his daughter avoided for some reason. In French football, the rise of four highschool players that came to question the system of the sport itself became a prime example of the chaos theory.
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
[HALCYON DAYS ARC]
FRAGMENTS
~.~
Chapter 23: chaos theory
"TOMORROW?"
Miyuki sighed, her left hand running through her hair tiredly. "You heard it right..."
"At least we know why all that stuff arrived to your apartment today." Taiga added as he landed in a rather graceless manner on the couch. Miyuki didn't make a remark on that.
"Yeah..."
She had been woken up at 8A.M by two men knocking at her door who told her they were there for a door to door move. The most voluminous furniture items and other objects arrived as unaccompanied articles had been delivered to her apartment. The rest would arrive with their family the following day with the confusing 'Customs Declaration' she heard about...
The paintings had finally arrived, she could finally hang hers back in her bedroom. At least she had more or less finished decorating it and the living room before her family arrived... And they only needed to paint the baby's room.
"When's the plane supposed to arrive?"
"Let me check that," she replied before going through the texts papa sent her. "1P.M at Haneda Airport."
"Shit, that's just before practice starts again..."
"It's okay, I already warned Riko-san about us possibly missing the start of practice and she's okay with it. She didn't really look surprised so I think she knows papa is coming to Seirin to meet the koucho." Seeing Kagami so confused, she translated it. "The Principal..."
"Yeah, I know what koucho means but why does Coach–"
"Taiga... You do know Riko-san is the student coucil vice-president of our school committee, right?"
His eyes widened. "She is?"
"Yes!" Miyuki shouted. How could he not know that?
"How does she even get good grades and be a coach at the same time?"
"That's called knowing how to manage your time effectively. You should do that sometimes."
"Shut up..."
Miyuki snickered. It was too easy to rile him up.
"It's a good thing my parents are arriving, they won't let you laze around. Especially papa... he'll be our new English teacher since Nana-sensei is going back to Canada in September."
"For real?" Truth to be told, Taiga sweating bullets at the thought of having his uncle as a teacher was highly entertaining but not only as great as seeing it happening for real in almost two weeks.
"But I've told you that!"
"I thought you were just joking around... and threatening me."
He wasn't exactly wrong...
It was more accurate to say that Miyuki was warning him. There was no way papa would let Taiga sleep during English classes. Despite his usual easy-going and bubbly personality, papa didn't take his career as highschool teacher lightly.
All students in her former school described him as the most dedicated and determined teacher they ever had. He never gave up on his students and chose to stay in the same school despite said highschool having a disastrous reputation due to its neighborhood.
"Kinda but he'll be an English teacher as well as the French literature teacher... And since we both know not many people would take the French literature option, he'll teach English to both first and second years."
"Does the rest of the team know?"
"... No but I can introduce him to them tomorrow."
"This is gonna be a disaster," her best friend said.
She scoffed. "Absolutely not."
There was no way it could go bad... Right?!
"All things considered, I take back what I said yesterday," Miyuki said the following day while standing in the middle of the Haneda Airport with her best friend. They could see her family from afar. That airport was still busy as ever... to the point that her family haven't noticed them yet despite Taiga's anormal height for Japanese standards. And the red hair.
And yet, her family managed to stand out more than Taiga. Well, mainly papa.
"What... is that?" Taiga whispered.
"If you're talking about whatever he's wearing, I have no idea..."
They didn't have the time to ponder about it since Miyuki's mom noticed them and waved at them. They waved back as Taiga whispered while nodding and smiling at Miyuki's brother:
"Is he really gonna show up in front of the headmaster like that?"
She paled at the thought of having papa showing up in a fluo 'let's go beatches!' shirt and sagging jeans at school. "I'm not going to let him destroy the good impression the headmaster has of me like that."
What happened to have him wearing clothes that a fuck boy from the 2000s would wear? Papa was usually stylish enough. To her dismay, many students in her former highschool had a crush on him. He was charismatic and looked like he was in the mid 20s so she could not blame them. And the blue eyes and kindness probably helped too. But it was her papa, yikes.
"Hey 'Milie! I missed you, o-nee-chan!" Her little brother rushed towards her to hug her right leg with a beaming smile.
She smiled back, taking him in her arms to carry him. "Hello Nate! I see you got heavier here. You grew up so much..."
She hadn't realize how much she had missed him for the past months until now. Of course they could make skype calls and talk to each other through the phone but she missed having him running around everywhere in the house.
She could see her mom was about to ask her if it was okay to carry her little brother with her knee still not being completely okay but she nodded quickly to reassure her.
"I'll be taller than you soon!"
Miyuki sincerely couldn't wait to see that. "Sure, buddy!"
"Your hair got longer..." her brother noticed as he gently grab her hair and waved it before finally realizing Taiga was there too. "I want to be taller than Taiga-nii too!"
"We'll see that, kiddo," Taiga replied before she let him take her brother in his arms. "I heard you've started playing basketball."
He nodded. "I'm a power forward like you!"
"Of course you had to talk about basket," Miyuki's sister said while rolling her eyes. Despite that, Miyuki could see a smile.
"Eri, still as loud as ever!"
"You're the one to talk, Taiga-nii!"
"Talking about basketball already instead of greeting your uncle?" papa said as they finally reached them.
"Yo, it's been a while, Uncle Oli! Aunt Shynah!"
"Taiga, my boy."
"I see that you're taller than us now."
"Yes," Taiga proudly said. "How's the baby?"
"Fine, he's very calm at the moment," mom replied with a hand on her belly.
They hugged each other before asking the question both she and Taiga had in mind.
"What the hell are you wearing, papa?"
"Well..."
"The baby of the passenger next to him vomited all over his shirt and your papa was dumb enough to wear the only non-casual shirt wearable in summer he had in his luggage."
"At least I've got decent pants in my luggage!."
"But no decent shirt."
"Papa is supposed to be at Seirin in 45 minutes... And he can't be late with the headmaster personally there to welcome him."
It took them 14 minutes then 17 minutes to arrive to the airport by taking the monorail and yamanote so going to a shop to buy a shirt was simply impossible.
She turned her head to Taiga. His fashion sense wasn't the best but it wasn't horrible neither. "Do you have a spare shirt in your locker?"
"No..."
"Not even one of these lumberjack shirts in have in almost every color?" she asked.
To his credit, Taiga didn't even take offense in her subtle dig on his sense or fashion. "Nah."
"Damnit. Then who... Pretty face."
"Uh?"
Papa frowned. "Who's that pretty face? Is that Tatsuya?"
Her eyes widened at the mention of her other best friend's name in front of Taiga. "No... But I do have to admit they're way too similar for my taste," she added to herself as she texted pretty face.
"Ah, I see... He's a new friend of yours, isn't he? The blond one?"
"Yes, he's playing for Kaijo. He's..." That was quick, pretty face answered back that yes, he did have a white shirt in hi bag. She knew she could count on him. "He's assisting me for practice today and I know he always brings spare clothes just in case. He just said he had a white shirt and he's around your height."
"Why would you let a rival be there and assist to your team's practice session, he... Nevermind, I think I know the answer."
She flashed him a knowing smile while he looked at her with suspicion.
Miyuki knew there would be more questions about it later but he probably guessed that she did the same thing as she did a few months ago: let her main rival assist to some of their training to be able to do the same in return.
"I've rent a multipurpose vehicule to win some time, we're directly going to Seirin. It will take 30 minutes but first, let me change my pants."
Ryouta didn't know what to expect. After all, he didn't have true friends before Masukocchi and Kagamicchi apart from the Generation of Miracles (and sometimes, part of him wasn't even sure they had been friends). He was very curious to meet Masukocchi's father. And kind of... anxious?
Ryouta wanted to make a good impression. Or at least not a bad one, he thought, while waiting in Seirin's parking lot.
A black multipurpose vehicule arrived five minutes later and it seemed that Masukocchi's family was in it.
"We have ten minutes left, not bad!" said the man who went out of the car in a perfect Japanese.
He was very good-looking, with the same blue eyes and nose as Masukocchi's. The difference was that he had light brown hair. He was almost as tall as Ryouta and slim yet muscular. If Ryouta was honest, he understood what Masukocchi meant when she said she wasn't ugly but not that appealing either.
Ryouta came to realize that Masukocchi was a kind of beauty that could only be fully appreciated with time. She wasn't that noticable at first glance and looked almost plain when standing with her father. If Ryouta didn't know, he could've mistaken them as siblings. Masukocchi's father was young but there was no way he was in his late 20s even if it looked that way.
That almost made Ryouta forget the flashy shirt Masukocchi's father was wearing... Now he understood why Masukocchi was so insistent on getting him a decent shirt.
"Take off your shirt already papa!" Masukocchi sighed.
"Let us greet your friend first." Ryouta now knew where that intense look came from. "Emilie was right, you really are as good-looking as Tatsuya. Shynah, look!"
"Wow..." Ryouta whispered. He didn't think Masukocchi's would be this good-looking and charismatic. He could feel Kagamicchi throwing him daggers with his eyes. Not that threatening knowing the guy didn't hate him.
Ryouta almost chuckled. So he wasn't only protective with Masukocchi...
"I'm Emilie's father, Masuko Olivier but you can call me Oli-san."
He knew Masukocchi's father was French but he had no idea his Japanese would be that good.
"I'm Masuko Shynah, her mother. You can call me Shynah-san. I suppose you're Kise Ryouta, Genta's ace."
As a model, Ryouta had met many pretty faces but Masukocchi's mother's beauty was striking. "Hai," he answered, still slightly taken aback by her appearance.
'Genta-san'?
Right, Masukocchi had revealed that her parents and his coach were old friends. Ryouta had felt there was more to it when she shared that piece of information but his mind had been more focused on his injury.
"You should come to eat dinner with us tonight," Masukocchi's mother proposed.
"I would love to!" Ryouta enthusiastically answered.
"Please tell me uncle is the one cooking..."
"Yes but what is that supposed to mean, Taiga?"
Ryouta only saw Kagamicchi panicking that way with his coach, Aida Riko (a fearsome girl).
"Nothing, auntie!"
In Kagamicchi's offense, Ryouta briefly had a feeling that could be the scariest pregnant women he's ever seen before she start huffing.
"Come at 8P.M with Emilie and Taiga," Masukocchi's mother replied while pretending Kagamicchi didn't say anything. Ryouta nodded. "You two, don't overpractice. Olivier, I'm going home with the kids to rest. Take care!" Masukocchi's mother continued before retreating to her car but that time, she took the driver's seat.
"See you maman," Masukocchi said. They all waved as the car left the parking. Ryouta didn't exactly why he was doing that as well but he really, really wanted to make a decent impression at least.
"Now please take off your ridiculous shirt for real and put pretty face's shirt, we only have five minutes left and I want to keep the good reputation I have here."
Ryouta handed him the white shirt as Masuko's father quickly took off the... funny shirt he was wearing.
"Thank you, Kise-kun!"
Now Ryouta knew where Masukocchi got her (overly) good manners from. It was almost unsettling to have an adult (who was coincidentally a teacher as well) being so polite with him.
Ryouta laughed awkwardly. "No problem, Masuko-san." Ryouta only noted at that moment that Masukocchi's father took his wife's name rather than keep his own last name. It wasn't frequent to see that but interesting nevertheless.
"I told you... You can call me Oli-san!"
He slowly nodded. "Okay, Oli-san..." he hesitantly repeated, the nickname easily rolling on his tongue.
"Where did koucho tell you to meet him?"
"At the entrance of the school, he's going to make me visit then have a talk with him about my schedule among other things."
"It's just there." She pointed the pristine metallic portals.
No one made a comment on the fact they walked slowly to match Masukocchi's steps until Masukocchi's father said, "I'm happy you're walking by yourself again."
"Thanks. It took me more time than I wanted but I did it," Masukocchi answered with a small smile. Ryouta was still worried after what happened two days ago. He understood why she felt that way... If his injury ever get that bad, Ryouta wouldn't know what to do. He would be lost without basketball. "We have to go back to practice, see you later papa!"
Olivier wasn't sure why he chose to teach in Seirin of all schools. Probably because it was the closest to his apartment. He did the same in France and it worked well. Except that Seirin wasn't a school with a bad reputation. Or even located in a bad neighbourhood.
After the headmaster finished his talk with him, Olivier went to the parking of his apartment complex to take the car. Even if it wasn't far, he didn't want to have his daughter to walk too much and he wanted to visit an old friend after picking up the kids after practice.
Still, Olivier went back to Seirin earlier than planned. He decided he would explore the facilities.
Seirin was nowhere was big as the highschool where he used to teach in France but it was new. The pitch was in an impecable state. Now, it was time to go to the gymmnasium. The school's basketball team was still practicing before the petite girl finally blew on her pink whistle.
She really looked like Kagetora's wife. But with Kagetora's eyes and hair color.
"That's a nice basketball team you have here."
Everyone's head turned to stare at him with utter confusion.
"Who are you?" a young man of average height with glasses asked. It was probably Seirin's captain, according to Emilie's description.
His daughter made a face. "Papa?"
"Uncle?"
Olivier smirked. These kids never fail to make the teasing easier.
"Eh?"
"I'm Masuko Olivier, your new English teacher starting September. You might know my daughter, Emilie and her best friend there, Taiga."
"EH?!"
"Oh my god... We're sorry Masuko-sensei, we didn't know!"
"It's fine, you're still on vacation and my official presentation by the headmaster hasn't been done yet so there's no need to be so formal, just call me Oli-san." He noticed Taiga's coach eyeing him with interest. So it seemed she got her father's analizer eyes. "You never met me but I'm an old friend of your father. Could you say hi to Kagetora from my wife and I?"
"Uh, sure..."
He and Shynah should really invite them to dinner one day. In fact, they had many reunions to make happen. First, he decided to visit his daughter's godfather, Masaaki. Of course, Masaaki himself didn't know that but Olivier thought it would be a nice surprise.
"I've come to pick up these two and Kise-kun there. I would like to invite Kuroko Tetsuya-kun as well... It's you, right?"
It had to be him. Emilie wasn't kidding, he really had light blue hair. And a very pale complexion, almost like a ghost.
"Masuko-sensei," a boy with mousy chestnut hair said. Olivier lifted his eyebrows. Which one of Emilie's players was he? "I mean Oli-san," the young man corrected himself after Olivier threw him a pointed look. "You can see him?"
If Olivier's presumption was right, it seemed that Emilie had a strange fascination for him, Furihata Kouki-kun. "Well yes, since he's standing right there..." he replied. "Blue hair isn't that common and..."
That young man had the same eye color as Nathanaël. And the same hidden sorrow as Emilie held in her heart last year.
"Emilie and Taiga talked a lot about you," Olivier finished.
Kuroko Tetsuya blinked repetitively for a few seconds, looking positively flabbergasted before asking in the most monotone voice ever heard, "Did Kagami-kun say anything negative? Please ignore his words."
"Oi, you bastard!"
Taiga was always an easy target when it came to teasing, to Olivier's amusement.
"Of course not, don't worry."
Quite the contrary, Olivier wanted to add but he didn't want to embarrass Taiga that way (yet). Taiga probably didn't even realize that apart from basketball and Emilie, he mainly talked about his new partner.
"If Masuko-chan and Masuko-sensei can see Kuroko, that might be an issue because that means that his ability doesn't work with everyone..."
Olivier cocked his head.
"Don't worry about that, Coach," his daughter said. "I think I figured out why we immediately notice him, I'll explain later."
So it was about that... Olivier wondered how much Emilie had told them about herself. She was still working on her trust issues, which is why he had been surprised when she told him she decided to become Seirin's manager. She would have never done that just for Taiga no matter how she loved him. It meant that subconsciously (at least in the beginning) she was willing to be emotionally invested in that basketball team.
He brushed that aside for now.
"Let us change our clothes before."
"Sure, I'll wait here!"
His daughter eyed him. "I'm not sure it's a good idea to leave you alone with my team and pretty face but..." she slowly made her way to the locker room with Taiga and Kuroko-kun without finishing her sentence. There was no need to anyway.
"Well, I already know everyone's names thanks to my daughter so you don't need to present yourselves but I want to thank you for taking care of my daughter and of Taiga while my wife and I weren't here."
"It's no problem, sir."
They all seemed oddly touched.
Emilie chose her new team well. And her new friends too. Genta's ace looked very attached to his daughter and she didn't push him away despite the physical closeness.
"If you ever need help for anything related to practice, you can ask me. My speciality is football but I know basketball quite well too. Emilie might have told you that I was her previous team's coach, I've continued my job until the end of their pre-season last week."
He didn't want to leave the kids before making sure they had a good pre-season before European Inter High group stage matches starting the following month.
"Really?" Kagetora's daughter asked, surprise laced with curiosity in her voice.
He nodded. "Of course! And from coach to coach, I believe your team is talented. Good job, young lady."
Olivier was about to ask if he said anything wrong judging by her glassy eyes before she started bowing. "Thank you so much, Oli-san," Kagetora's daugter replied, her voice quivering.
"It's nothing, I assure you. I have my own strong points but my team mostly won thanks to my daughter's ability to see her teammates' talents and potential."
"She did?"
Olivier allowed himself to be smug over that. "Yes, she did. If it wasn't for her, France's two newest hopes wouldn't be where they are." He heard steps coming closer. That was quick, Emilie probably changed her clothes as fast as possible to avoid having him talking too much. "Well, it was a pleasure to meet you. Come with me, Kise-kun," he added to the blond young man who had been sitting on the bench all along. "See you when classes start again but this time as your teacher, Seirin basketball team."
"Goodbye, Oli-san. Bye Kise, see you next week!" they all replied.
'Next week?'
Olivier was right then. He would have to ask them about it then.
"I took the car!"
"Why?"
"I want to invite Masaaki to dinner, it's been a while and Shynah would love that. But before we get into the car, I would have to ask you something..."
Emilie's expression confirmed she probably guessed it was about to happen but she didn't stop him from asking. He was now laying his eyes on the blond young man.
"Kise-kun, how secret is your injury?" he inquired as gently as possible.
Kise-kun's smile froze. "How–"
Olivier quickly cut him, not wanting him to panic. "Emilie didn't tell me anything, I guesed it by myself." Kise Ryouta-kun didn't look like the type of peron who would willingly spend the whole time on a bench without playing during practice, even if it was in another school. "It explains why Emilie and Genta would willingly let have their own teams be scouted so easily." That injury had to be bad, poor boy. "I suppose your injury is a secret to any other teams. Since we're heading to Shutoku, they might question your presence so I'll just say I invited you to dinner and avoid mentioning anything about you coming to watch Seirin practice," he explained in details. "Your secret is safe with me, Kise-kun."
He knew how any athletes wouldn't want to have their injury outed that way to their opponents and he respected it. Even when it had been her daughter in that case.
Kise-kun deeply bowed, his voice shaking. "Thank you."
That was too much of embarrassing respectful bows the same day for him. Olivier wouldn't have pegged that young man for someone so respectful even if he didn't come off as rude at first sight, unlike Taiga.
The way to Shutoku had been fairly entertaining. Olivier learned a bit about Kise-kun and Kuroko-kun. Their personalities were polar opposites but they seemed to know each other well. He asked them and learned they went to middle school together. Its name sounded vaguely familiar for some reason.
"Does any of you know the way to the gymnasium?"
"I know more or less," Emilie replied "I went here to see Midorima once."
Midorima... Judging the looks Taiga, Kuroko-kun and Kise-kun exchanged, it confirmed his impression. The way Emilie described Midorima Shintaro-kun was slightly different than anyone else. Olivier couldn't pinpoint what why but he might get his answer soon.
"Then lead the way."
To Emilie's credit, they arrived to the right gymnasium. The players left were cleaning the court under Masaaki's sharp eyes.
"Well well, it's been a while, Masaaki-senpai."
Masaaki finally noticed their presence "Who... Olivier?"
"I'm glad you still remember me, senpai," he teased his friend. All the players stopped their tasks to observe that exchange. One of them looked like he was about to laugh in a rather loud fashion.
"Please, don't call me 'senpai', it's been years."
Masaaki let a long suffering sigh, just like during old times. "Emilie and you are the same..."
"I'm slightly offended, Masaaki-san!" Emilie added behind him before he had time to say it.
"Masuko-chan? Also... Kagami and Kise?"
"I'm here too," Kuroko added.
"UH? Stop scaring us like this, kid!"
Olivier laughed at the exchange before turning his head back to Masaaki "She still uses the 'san' with you?"
"You just heard it," he dryly replied. "Did you just arrive?"
"Yes, today. Let's have a small talk just between us!"
"Everyone, keep cleaning!"
"Hai... Masuko-chan, you're doing good without your crutches, congratulations," Olivier could hear in the background as he and Masaaki walked toward the bench.
"Why did you come here, Olivier?"
"To invite you to dinner, of course. Shynah would be so happy to see you!"
Olivier knew he was being sly with the Shynah card but she would truly be delighted to see her favorite senpai again.
"I suppose I cannot refuse, I'll have to call my wife to tell her I won't be back for dinner."
"I'm sure she'll understand. Say hi to her from us, let's have dinner with her as well one day."
"I'll be back in a few minues."
"Sure." He looked at the kids. They were interacting with two of Shutoku's players. Emilie did mention they had their summer training camp in the same place by chance.
He didn't know if it was a coincidence but another young man among Shutoku had a strange hair color. It had to be Midorima.
He was taller than anyone, including Taiga and had a stern appearance. However, he didn't look uncomfortable when interacting with the others, even when Kise-kun started wailing about how 'Midorimacchi always is so mean'.
Olivier would have to ask about that 'cchi' suffix later. But before that, he decided a small official presentation wouldn't be so bad.
"Good evening, young men! I'm Emilie's father, Masuko Olivier but you can call me Oli-san."
The Shutoku players had that look. They were surprised he could talk Japanese that well. Olivier wasn't offended though it kept happening.
"Papa, you're just in your mid thirties..." Olivier chuckled. He had that habit to talk as if the teenagers in front of him were way younger than him to be taken seriously by other adults. Especially colleagues.
"Nice to meet you." Olivier presented his hand for a handshake. Midorima-kun had a moment of hesitatation before using his bandaged hand to shake it.
"I'm Midorima Shintaro. Nice to meet you, sir."
"So you're Emilie and Taiga's friend as well." It was more of a rhetorical question but his reaction was interesting nonetheless.
"... Yes," Midorima-kun replied, his face reflecting a slight pain. He was sure it had to do with admitting that he and Kagami were friends.
"I see." He smiled as Emilie was asking what was his intention with her eyes. He almost laughed at the hidden threat she just gave him. He knew that look quite well, since he invented it. Olivier turned his head back to the other young man. He had black hair and somehow reminded him of one Emilie's senpai, Izuki-kun. "And you are?"
"Takao Kazunari, nice to meet you!"
He also kind of looked like Masaaki when he was younger, how amusing.
"So you're the point guard of Masaaki's team, right?"
"Hai!"
"I hope Masaaki isn't pushing you too hard, he was a strict vice-captain back in the days."
"Well..."
"Olivier, what are you talking about to my players?" Masaaki was already back, damnit.
He smiled sweetly as he crossed his arms. "Nothing, Masaaki-senpai."
Masaaki sighed. "I don't want to know."
"Good! I also brought Kuroko-kun and Kise-kun since I invited them to dinner. Kise-kun was around for one of his photoshoots and he was kind enough to lend me this shirt so I owed him that."
"Your... shirt?"
"A baby threw up on the shirt I was wearing on the plane and I didn't have any other decent shirt left in my luggage..."
Masaaki was resigned at this point. "You really haven't changed."
"Not really! I want to invite Midorima-kun as well, are you okay with that?"
Masaaki frowned. Olivier took notice of that and in that moment, he remembered there was a good reason why Masaaki had been named vice-captain of the Japanese national team. "What's your intention?"
"Nothing in particular, I'm inviting him since I've invited Kuroko-kun and Kise-kun as well. I'm sure Midorima-kun doesn't mind, right?"
Midorima-kun looked like he was trying hard not to say to Takao-kun to stop laughing. "No..."
"Then let's get into the car because if Shynah gets too impatient, she'll attempt cooking."
That remark always worked. To some extent, Olivier wasn't lying Masaaki, Taiga and Emilie started walking away in a moderatively quick pace to reach the car. Good thing Olivier rent a people carrier.
On the way to his new home, Olivier eavesdropped Taiga whispering in French to Emilie about he forgot how his uncle was the same as his best friend when it came to plotting thing for unknown reasons but worst.
Olivier took it as a compliment.
"Did you rent that car at the aiport?" Masaaki asked.
"Yes, Shynah and I sold one of our cars and the other will arrive soon. We'll have to look for a car with at least 7 seats so we'll probably go for a mini-bus." Masaaki was certainly about to ask more but Olivier thought it would be better to talk about that with Shynah there so he settled down for a new topic: Emilie. "Masaaki, did you know that Masako-chan and Eiji-senpai wanted to get Emilie into their school so she could become their manager? How rude." Olivier pouted. Masako-chan could be a pain in the ass sometimes and she had been stubborn about wanting to get her goddaughter to her school. Good thing that said goddaughter was even more stubborn.
"Papa..."
"Eiji too?" That remark got Masaaki's complete intention.
"He wasn't as insistent as Masako-chan though. I think he asked mainly because he heard Rakuzan's ladies football team tried to scout her."
"I see."
The mention of Rakuzan brought some kind of reaction to some of the kids. His daughter remained clueless on whatever was the cause of the shift in their demeanor. From what Olivier knew, Rakuzan High was a prestigious school with a long tradition of excellence, something Emilie had come to loathe, on both academic and athletic level and–
Of course.
"If you don't mind me asking, do you know anyone going to Rakuzan High?"
Taiga tilted his head. "I think I heard that school name somewhere before... Didn't they win Inter High?"
"Our captain... I mean our former captain plays for Rakuzan," Kise-kun explained.
Something in Kuroko-kun, Kise-kun and Midorima-kun was wistful, akin to Emilie's mood whenever her last year in middle school was mentioned, the ghost of her past still dancing in her eyes. "Was your middle school team strong by any chance?" He got an odd look from everyone but Emilie. "Did I say something wrong? Sorry for being ignorant, I just arrived today and frankly, I was too focused on French Nationals. Was that team stronger that France's new hopes?"
"Almost but nah."
"No."
Every head turned to Taiga and Masaaki after their immediate answer. Kuroko-kun seemed to be taken aback by these answers while Kise-kun and Midorima-kun looked insulted.
"Are you looking down on us?" Midorima-kun asked, his jaw clenched in anger. He almost seemed hurt that his coach would say that.
"Hey, as much as I hated that nickname, we weren't called the Generation of Miracles for nothing," Kise-kun added, to which Midorima-kun nodded.
Now that was getting very interesting. So there had been a bunch of talented kids with a fancy nickname in Japan too?
Taiga simply rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I know that. I hate to admit it but I played against you so I know. It's just that even if these guys play football and not basketball, they're just above anyone in highschool sports."
"I don't understand... Who are you talking about?" Kise-kun asked.
Fascinating.
The now hectic exchange unfolding in front of his eyes reminded him one of the main principles in football.
Olivier was among those who believed in the chaos theory in the beautiful game. He truly believed major events happened by reason of absolute fortune (or misfortune), rather than due to logical and predictable patterns. Football wasn't and would never be a stable system. Considering the prevailing role of psychology on the performances of each team as well as –no matter what people claimed– the referees, thus the outcomes of matches. It was reasonable to assume that match results, then entire tournaments, seasons, and careers, could be modified and shaped by any single moment on a pitch, no matter how insignificant they were.
To put it simply, every action caused ripples. In his case, Olivier's genuine question caused that revelation that his daughter avoided for some reason. In French football, the rise of four highschool players that came to make everyone in the sport question its system itself became a prime example of the chaos theory.
Olivier smirked. "I'm talking about the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse."
A/N: Surprise! Yes, I'm still updating this story, even if I admit I have to become more regular with downloading new chapters. Thank you for still liking it and following it. I wrote and wrote again that chapter, modifying many things every time until I was satisfied. And I made another kind of cliffhanger?
Enter Masuko's father, Masuko Olivier : CHAOS erupts. In chapter 15, there was a brief preview of Masuko's father personality from Shutoku's coach's perspective: 'polite yet provocative, just like her father'. Albeit he's joyful than Masuko, you can see the ressemblance on some points so having him meeting his daughter's (and Kagami's) new friends was something I was looking forward to present. Obviously, Masuko's mother will be properly introduced later.
Kise's point is still very interesting to write as well. He's trying so hard to be a good friend to Masuko and Kagami but as hinted, he'll also deal with the Generation of Miracles' dynamics because it has to be addressed. So much is happening!
The theory of chaos in football is a still on-going debate and that chapter was perfect that introduce that concept that will appear again later. Personally, I'm leaning toward the ones in favor of believing the chaos theory even though I do think that in some cases, statistical analysis can predict the outcome of the match.
I would like to thank the people who has favorited or/and is following this story after I published the previous chapter: nityag2003, yunibell, ziqing04.01, HellToTheNo123, JessEwa26, MysticalLights, ariannapeters18, 13fanfic89, CattieSasy, DarkDragonessFlies, . , kakyo55, Tim-tam-ash, lei01150221, Patricia Mae Santos
Once again, thank you for the fav/following! Don't hesitate to post comments, I'll make sure to answer them on next chapter's A/N or through PM :)