Hey guys!
I hope you are all doing well!
I want to thank Deliriumfanfics (or Raven) for the lovely review! You're just the sweetest! You have no idea how much your words mean to me! They absolutely made my day! You don't have to wait any longer! Kise is coming! And I really hope I made the game justice! I hope you have an amazing holiday and I hope your seasickness gets better! Because that is really no fun! (Had it once, found it horrible) Your support for the story means really so much! It keeps me going even when times get hard. And you absolutely mean something to me! I might only know you from your reviews but I cherish you all the same. Isn't Taiga just the best? And Tetsu too! Akashi was so an intriguing character to write and even more now that he changed. And maybe… just maybe you might get another Akashi interaction in the foreseeable future (before the game). Thanks for taking the time to review and I will keep doing my best for you!
Enjoy chapter 79!
Chapter 79: Kaijō
There was an eery calm all around us.
Nobody spoke, while every single member of Seirin, as well as Kaijō was warming up. The memories of our first game, accompanying our every move. But the calm was only temporary. One could call it, for lack of better words, the calm before the storm. I continued to dribble, shoot and all in all just get my body ready for what was awaiting it in a moment. I had to admit, I was really looking forward to the game against Kise. It felt sort of right to face him again. Especially since he was the first one to come back into my life and the impact, he had on it ever since.
I stopped for a moment, looking over my shoulder at the blonde, that looked nothing like the Kise that he usually was. He was focused and he was ready, but what was more he wanted revenge. As if he had felt my eyes on him, he looked towards me, his golden eyes glinting challengingly, a wide smirk on his face.
"Hey Kise." Kasamatsu spoke up, evidently noticing the two of us looking at one another, when he tossed the ball over to his ace. "Go say hello to them."
Kise didn't need to be told twice. He winked at me before gathering the rest of my team's attention. And like in a true showman fashion he charged towards the basket, performed a lane up and then dunked the ball in spectacularly. When Kise landed on his feet, he turned back to look at us, the smirk still on his face. His message however was clear. This was a declaration of war.
"Well guys." I said turning around and looking at the rest of my team expectantly. "What are you waiting for? It's only right we return the favour."
Hyuga, clearly approving, handed Kagami the ball. Kagami smiled, before passing the ball to his shadow, who catapulted the ball high in the air only for Kagami to dunk it right in. I turned back to Kaijō, crossing my arms in front of me and raising my eyebrows challengingly, a satisfied smile on my face. I just couldn't wait for this game to begin.
I could feel Kises eyes on me and when I met his eyes again, he came walking over. We both immediately felt the watchful gaze of Kasamatsu on us, but we purposefully ignored him.
"Hey." Kise said, his eyes practically shining with excitement.
"Hey." I replied, when he reached me. Kise seemed to hesitate for a moment, before he gave me a small hug.
"No matter what happens today, promise that nothing will change between us." Kise muttered, both his hands on my shoulder, while looking intensely into my eyes.
"I promise." I gave him a small smile and Kise seemed to look relieved. "Ryota…." I spoke up and he raised his eyebrows questioningly. "No holding back from both sides. Whoever wins will do so fair and square. I want to fight you and Kaijō at your best. Nothing else will be accepted, is that understood?"
Kise chuckled.
"Exactly what I was thinking. Bring it on, Emicchi. It's been way too long since I played against you anyway."
"Does that mean you're ready to lose again?" I asked teasingly. Kise laughed.
"I'm not underestimating you this time. Nor am I underestimating the rest of Seirin." I studied the expression on his face very carefully, wanting to see if he was giving anything away, but Kise knew me too well to let his guard down.
"May the best team win." I whispered, winking at him. Kise smirked, before winking back at me and walking towards his captain, whose eyes were on me now. If there was anybody else that would be causing us a lot of trouble, then it would be him. Kasamatsu, a true captain and even better point guard. He had his eyes narrowed and I couldn't help myself. I winked at him too and even though his cheeks flushed red, he narrowed his eyes even further. I let out a small chuckle, before walking over to my team, who all had assembled around our bench.
"Are you trying to mess with our opponents?" Hyuga asked as soon as I reached them.
"Of course not." I said sweetly. "I would never do anything without your blessing."
Hyuga looked at me suspiciously, before he sighed.
"Something interesting you found out from their side?" He asked instead.
"Is that an indirect way of saying you approve of my methods?" I asked instead; however, I quickly answered his question when I saw that he was starting to get irritated. "Ryota will use his Perfect Copy, there is no doubt about that. Kasamatsu has studied Seirin thoroughly and they are not underestimating us in the slightest. So that advantage is gone."
Hyuga nodded.
"So, nothing we hadn't already expected." He said, looking over at the players in blue. I nodded, knowing however that we had to expect the unexpected with a team like Kaijō.
"Captain." Kuroko spoke up, and everybody turned to look at him. "I've been trying to contain myself, but I can't anymore. I'm so excited, I can't wait for the game to start."
"Aho, so are we." Hyuga spoke up, looking at Kuroko with a mixture of pride and excitement. "So is everyone else here."
"Teppei." I said speaking up, a teasing smile on my lips. "I think that's your queue."
Kiyoshi looked puzzled for a moment, until he understood what I meant.
"Let's not forget to have some fun." He said holding up his finger and smiling widely. Hyuga once again started to look annoyed and I skilfully placed myself behind Kagami.
"Why are you hiding behind me?" Kagami asked, eyebrows raised.
"The truth?" I asked and he nodded. "Even if it's going to annoy you?"
He nodded once more, even though he looked more hesitant.
"It's because when he spots you, he is most likely to remember something you did to annoy him and then he forgets to be annoyed at me."
Kagami gasped, while Kuroko looked between us with his calm blue eyes.
"You wanted the truth, Kagami-kun."
"But, but…" He stuttered, looking between the two of us as if he wasn't sure how he should feel about this. Feeling in the mood to annoy him some more, I looked down at his shoes and pointed at them.
"Nice shoes you have there." The teasing glint in my eyes more present than ever. I had recognized those shoes immediately. They were Aomines. So, Kuroko had called Momoi, just like I had suggested he should if ever Kagami couldn't find any shoes. "What did you have to do for him to give them to you?"
Kagami was instantly annoyed, which was answer enough for me.
"You had to play him in a one-on-one, hadn't you?" I asked, nudging his side playfully. Kagami grunted, crossing the arms in front of him defiantly.
"He lost." Kuroko deadpanned. Kagami rounded on his shadow, while I shrugged my shoulders.
"Figured he would."
"I will win next time!" Kagami bellowed immediately.
"Of course, you will." I said and judging from Kagamis expression, he was clearly debating if I was serious or sarcastic. I put my hand on his arm, smiling up at him.
"We have a game to play. Let's focus on that, shall we?"
"You started!" Kagami retorted, still fuming. But I kept on smiling sweetly, unfazed by his wrath.
"Oh Taiga." I muttered. "I'm really glad I met you."
Kagami muttered something in the likes of me always saying sappy stuff, but I ignored him. Aida had taken the stage. We turned around to face her, listening to our last-minute instructions, before the starters passed by me, getting their good luck kisses. And without further ado, they walked on court, while I sat down next to Aida. It was with pride, that I watched Hyuga and Kasamatsu shake hands and it was with even greater pride that I watched my teammates stand tall and proud, ready to face the elite in blue.
It was when Kise approached Kagami and Kuroko, that my attention focused on them.
"That day, I experienced the frustration of defeat for the first time." Kise began, his gaze averted. "I haven't forgotten it for a single day. But thanks to you, I've realised something. I love basketball. So much that I can devote my entire self to it. That's why…" And at this he looked up, looking more dangerous than I had ever seen him. "I won't lose anymore!"
"Kise. Shouldn't you have noticed sooner?" Kagami deadpanned.
"What?" Kise exclaimed, clearly not having expected this statement from Kagami.
"Anyway," Kagami scratched the back of his head. "You've gone kind of soft. Don't worry about the small stuff. I'm raring to go. Let's get this started already."
Kise smirked, while turning his attention to Kuroko.
"Kurokocchi, do you feel the same way?" He asked, while Kurokos light blue eyes were as unreadable as ever.
"Hai." Kuroko said, turning his entire attention on Kise. "I'm also thinking about how much I disliked you."
At this I simply couldn't help myself. I snorted loudly. And it didn't help my case, when I saw how distraught Kise was when he realised what Kuroko had said.
"Why do you have to be so blunt about it?" Kise asked, fake tears rolling down his cheeks.
"But I mean it in a good way." Kuroko said calmly. This certainly caught my attention. And not only mine, but Kises as well.
"Once you joined the basketball team, I was assigned to train you." At this he looked briefly over to me and I gave him a small smile. "Because of it, I thought of you in a special way. But you surpassed me in the blink of an eye. I knew our abilities were different. But I was frustrated and didn't want to lose. In other words, though it was one-sided, I've always considered you my rival."
I smiled, a surge of warmth spreading through me like a wildfire. This is why Kuroko was my light. He had his way with words.
"I don't know what to say." Kise said, a smile gracing his lips. "You meant it in a good way? I couldn't be more fired up!"
Kises smile widened, giving both of them one last look, before walking over to his team, because it was time for them to line-up.
"The game between Kaijō High and Seirin High will now begin!" The referee announced loudly. "Bow!"
"Let's have a good game!" They said in unison, while bowing. And then they positioned themselves. Kiyoshi facing off against Kobori in the tip off. And with one more blow of the whistle, the referee threw the ball in the air, marking the beginning of the game. Kiyoshi won making way for our plan. And that was to attack first. The ball had landed in Hyugas hands, who quickly passed to Izuki, who charged towards the basket.
He located Kurokos position, using his eagle eye, before passing him the ball. Kuroko passed Hayakawa in a blink of the eye using his Vanishing Drive, before his way was blocked by Hayakawa. Not even hesitating for a moment, Kuroko got into position for his Phantom Shot. He released the ball and the ball went in and with it scoring the first points for Seirin. I cheered loudly, alongside everybody else, when a sudden chill was sent down my spine. My smile dropped, when I realised what I had just seen. Kise had scored back using none other than Midorimas three pointer. There was silence all around us, everybody realising what this must mean.
Kise was already using his Perfect Copy.
"One of the things Kagamicchi said before the match rubbed me the wrong way." Kise looked up, his golden eyes shining more brightly, while the entire aura around him had changed. "Who's gone soft?"
I could hear Aida curse next to me and I turned to look at her.
"I can't sub you in or they will think they got us!" She muttered, clearly torn. I nodded.
"It might be good for me to observe his Perfect Copy for a while anyway. See if my predictions are true."
Aida nodded, her eyes back on the game in front of her. And so were mine. Seirin was clearly determined not to let Kise overrule their entire plan, but this was easier said than done. Kuroko Ignite passed the ball into Kiyoshi hands, who was about to dunk the ball in when Kobori appeared in front of him. Using his Rite of Postponement, he passed the ball to Hyuga, who had positioned himself on the three-point line.
"Atsushi." I muttered, when I saw that Kise was on to Hyuga. And just like I had predicted, Murasakibara appeared on court, hitting the ball away. But that one was easy. No one could top Murasakibaras defense after all. The ball had landed in Kasamatsus hands. A smirk appeared on his face, before he passed the ball to his hand, taking Seirin by surprise.
"Shin." I muttered next, seeing the position of Kise on the court. However, Kiyoshi reacted fast enough. He jumped up, successfully blocking Kises attempt, which forced Kise to switch tactic.
"Aomine." Was all I said, before I saw the position he had adapted. The change of pace only confirmed my suspicion. But there was a guy on court that had gone head-to-head with all of these players, one that was raging to go. And that was Kagami.
"Bring it on, Kise!" Kagami bellowed, but Kise didn't stop there and I knew what this must mean.
"Akashi."
And then Kagami fell, opening the way for Kise to score. And he did. But what I had just witnessed was something so impressive and yet so scary, that a shudder ran threw me. He had just copied Akashis ankle break paired with his Emperor Eye. This certainly had some effects on everybody. Seirin was beyond frustrated, while Kaijō morale was at an all-time high.
"They got us!" Aida said, clearly feeling as frustrated as the players on court. "Only Kagami's Zone can withstand Kise now. But from our previous games, we know Kagami never enters the Zone at the start of a game. They struck at exactly the right time."
"But Ryota will not use all of his Pefect Copy now. That would be too reckless." I said trying to comfort her.
"You're right. But if nothing changes, this won't be all the damage we take." Aida said grimly. I had a hunch to as to what she was talking about. And I hoped Seirin would be strong enough to hinder them from causing any of this damage, Aida had been hinting at. Hyuga, seemingly thinking he had enough of Kaijō walking all over Seirin, took hold of the ball. Hayakawa was on him in an instant, but Hyuga jumped back, going through the motion of his Barrier Jumper.
However, Hayakawa had reacted to it, so Hyuga passed the ball to Kuroko, who got into position. My eyes lightened up, knowing that not even Murasakibara had been able to stop that shot. But Kise was on him. It was Phantom Shot versus Perfect Copy. The time seemed to have stopped for an instant, but then it came all crashing back when Kuroko released the ball, while Kise jumped up. And then the thing happened, which hadn't happened until now. Kise had blocked Kuroko's Phantom Shot. I gasped, barely able to grasp what this meant for us. To say we were in big troubles, was an understatement. Kise was terrifying but all I felt when watching him was awe and pride. It was about damn time he showed everyone why he was part of the Miracles.
However, my mind was working endlessly trying to figure out a way to stop him. Because Kise didn't look like he would stop anytime soon. He continued to use the Miracles against us, and every single member of Seirin, including Kagami, was helpless against him. Which only widened Kaijōs gap further. However, as soon as the first three minutes of the first quarter were up, Kises aura seemed to change. Kise was his former self again. But he had achieved the thing Kaijō was after this entire time. They were in control of the game. And that was proven to be the truth, when Seirin still didn't manage to score even though Kise was back to normal. It felt like their flow was disturbed and it didn't help that they were rushing leading to mistaken that might prove fatal in the future. I understood their urge to close the gap, but their approach was the wrong one, because they failed attack after attack.
"Lineup change." Aida said grimly and I immediately looked at her thinking she was speaking about me, when she uttered her next orders. "Furihata-kun. You're in."
The entire bench turned to look from Aida, over to Furihata, who looked like his worst nightmare had come true.
"What?" He stammered, pointing at himself and looking wide-eyed. But without any explanations on Aidas part, she stood up, the whistle was blown and Izuki was ordered off the court. Every single member of Seirin looked surprised, when they spotted Furihata instead of me on the sideline. It didn't help the matter that Furihata was downright terrified. Taking pity on my fellow first-year I stood up and placed my hand soothingly on his shoulder.
"They don't bite." I said softly, trying to calm him down, but he merely looked at me like he was highly doubting my statement. "You will do good, Furihata-kun." I added, placing a kiss on his cheeks. I gave him an encouraging smile, which he half-heartedly returned, before walking slowly, and very very shakily on court.
He looked even worst once he stepped foot on the court. It appeared he didn't even hear Izukis encouraging words, he simply continued walking. I, in the meantime, handed Izuki his jersey before we began discussing possible moves, we could both execute on court in the future, while we both had our eyes on Furihata, who was now standing in front of Kasamatsu. I immediately regretted telling Furihata that they wouldn't bite, because quite honestly, Kasamatsu looked so angry at this member change that he could actually bite. I had to remind myself that he wouldn't.
Izuki and I continued to talk, while Hyuga had passed Furihata the ball. He began dribbling the ball towards Kasamatsu, when out of all the things that could happen, he lost the ball, which flew directly into Kasamatsus hands. But as soon as it had landed in his hands, it was already tipped out of his grasp, courtesy of Kuroko. Furihata was once again holding the ball, still looking terrified, but slowly calming down. I was just hoping internally that Kise wouldn't go up against him. That would probably scar him for life.
On our bench however, I could practically feel the anxiety coming from Fukuda and Kawahara, who were looking concerned for their friends. And right on cue, Fukuda spoke up.
"Coach are you sure about this? He's the biggest wuss around. Wouldn't it have been better to sub in Masako-san?"
"That's why you subbed him in, right?" Izuki said calmly, a smirk on his face. Aida smiled, before she nodded. "His cowardice isn't a weakness. There are some things only a coward can do."
"Every single member of Seirin has strength and weaknesses. And it is on Coach to see when a specific skill is required and I have to admit, you're incredible at it. Furihata-kun was the right choice. You just wait and see." I added, feeling the urge to show my appreciation and support to Aida, who was a truly amazing coach. "Besides, Furihata-kun isn't alone out there."
And right on cue, Furihata passed the ball to Kagami, who was in front of Kise. And just like the hothead that he was, he was raging for a one-on-one. He was about to charge forward, when Furihata called him back.
"Calm down." He said shaking from head to toe. Kagami, naturally wasn't pleased, however Furihatas comment made him reconsider his action and then he passed, instead of just going for it. And just like that, they had gone back to carefully passing the ball and attacking at the right time, instead of just going for it.
"Cowardly is just another way to say careful." Aida said grinning in satisfaction. "In other words, cowards never attack recklessly. He's the perfect player when you want to change the pace of the game."
And then Seirin finally scored. And Furihata did more than just his part. He was supporting his team so well; it allowed them to move around freely. The game turned around entirely on its own and it was with the biggest smile that I watched Furihata finally gaining some confidence and even scoring some points on his own. With two minutes to go, Kaijō called for a time out. We all stood up, and the starters sat down, while the entire team looked proudly at the first-year.
"Furihata-kun, you're out. Good job." Aida said, looking more than pleased.
"Hai." Furihata said, looking really pleased with himself as well.
"Izuki-kun, you're up next." Aida continued.
"I'm okay to go-kay." Izuki said, not letting the opportunity slip for one of his puns. However, the entire team ignored him, while Aida got serious.
"Now that we're back on our feet we will go with the plan we established before the game. We've got something this time to double our strength. We will focus our attacks on Teppei."
"Leave it to me." Kiyoshi said looking ready to go. Moments later, the referee blew his whistle and the boys were back on court. And immediately, Kiyoshi was in hold of the ball, while Kobori was on him. Kiyoshi immediately spotted Kuroko, passed him the ball, or so it seemed to Kobori, who moved before Kiyoshi decided otherwise and scored. However, we weren't the only ones with a plan. It looked like Kaijō was focusing their attack pattern around Kasamatsu who was up against Izuki. Unfortunately, even though Izuki managed to predict which side Kasamatsu would choose to break free, he still couldn't keep up with Kasamatsus speed. And just like that he scored, even with Kiyoshi trying to stop him.
But Kaijōs choice to attack using Kasamatsu also revealed one other thing. They had chosen Izuki as the weakest player, meaning it would be easiest for them to get past him. And Hyuga told him that up straight. Something which was without a doubt harsh, but nothing Izuki couldn't handle. If anything, it was his chance to prove Kaijō wrong. And he did just that. When Kasamatsu was once again in front of him, Izuki had changed. He looked confident. And when Kasamatsu managed to pass him, a smile appeared on his lips, before he tipped the ball out of Kasamatsus hands, while his back was still turned towards him. Eagle spear. The move Izuki had been working on for weeks. Seirin scored moments later.
"Way to go, senpai." I muttered, smiling at the person still standing in front of Kasamatsu. And what we had in store for Kaijōs captain was made apparent, the next time he stood in front of Izuki. It was either go for a drive, or shoot. However, Izuki wasn't his only problem. Kuroko was still on court, able to tip the ball out of his hands. Kasamatsu had no choice really. The only sensible thing to do was pass the ball to Kise. Kagami was on him and from the way he was looking, was rearing to go.
Kise didn't even hesitate.
He charged past Kagami, who was hot on his heels, when he suddenly stopped and jumped up. Kise released the ball only to have it hit away by Kagami whose jumps were from another world. The ball landed in Izukis hands before he passed it back into the hands of Kagami who was now in front of Hayakawa. Looking like nothing more than a blur, Kagami passed by Hayakawa, charged towards the basket and then jumped up high in the air. But then Kise appeared out of nowhere, hitting the ball out Kagamis hands. And just like this, it turned into a showdown of the aces. The tension between them was almost touchable. And then Kagami moved, breaking past Kise and dunking the ball in with such a force, that every single person in that stadium felt the power emitting from Kagami. Kagami, the Miracle that never was but was always destined to become their equal. The game continued in the same fashion.
With Kagami just going for it.
However, something felt off. And it wasn't anything to do with Seirin. No, it had to do with Kise. I began to notice how his jumps were lower than usual. How he wasn't able to reach his normal speed, or the fact that the change of pace was causing him obvious pain. Kises foot was troubling him. And when he continuously didn't manage to stop Kagami, I had my confirmation. He was in pain. But knowing Kise better than anyone, I knew that this wouldn't stop him. He would be willingly put his health on the line to win this game. And before I could do anything, the buzzer sounded announcing a member change on Kaijōs side. I looked hopefully at their coach, who looked grim and I knew what was about to happen.
"Kise, you're out."
There was disbelieve etched on Kises face.
"What? Why me?" He asked loudly, clearly about to argue with his coach. "If you sub me out now…"
"Kise." Kasamatsu said sternly. "Listen to the coach."
My eyes were on Kise, and I instinctively stood up.
"Coach, put me in." I said, trying to sound brave, not wanting to reveal how I was really feeling.
"You sure?" Coach asked, clearly taken aback.
"We promised one another to not hold back. If you don't sub me in now, we would be. Ryota will understand that this is not a way of using his injury to our advantage. It's a way of ensuring the gap will widen so that when he returns, he can't catch up. It's a way of showing him that we know how strong he is and what he is able to do." My eyes were burning, wishing it didn't have to be like that, but my little speech seemed to have convinced Aida.
"Alright. Do what you have to do."
I nodded. Aida signalled to Izuki, who understood at once. He walked towards me, holding out his hand and I clapped it, before walking towards Kise who had a heated discussion with his captain. But before I could reach them, Kise had walked off court, head hanging low. He hadn't even noticed that I had been subbed in. I sighed, knowing that showing mercy wouldn't do him any favour, so instead I walked over to my team.
"No holding back." I said sternly. "This is our chance to turn the game around. Kaijō however, won't go down without a fight. But we need to take control of this game, before Kise comes back. Never forget, a cornered Miracle is the most terrifying opponent you could ever go up against."
"Well said." Huyga said, his eyes narrowed. "We will focus our attacks around Kagami."
"Taiga." I said, almost pleadingly.
"I know." He said his red eyes focusing on me. "I feel bad for him. That's why I will play as hard as I can."
"Good." I said, squeezing his arm, before getting into position right in front of Kasamatsu.
"I knew this would happen sooner or later." Kasamatsu said, his blue eyes narrowed.
"If there is anyone who doesn't underestimate Ryota then it's me." I said calmly. "It would have been an insult to his skills if I hadn't been subbed in."
Kasamatsu nodded.
"You may think this is the moment to turn the game around, but Kaijō isn't weak just because Kise isn't playing."
"Who said that you were?" I asked my eyebrows raised. At this Kasamatsu smirked.
"Glad we're on the same page."
"I couldn't agree more." I returned his smirk, before the game continued. The ball was in Kagamis hands, but he was immediately double-teamed. Kaijō knew we would focus our attacks on him. I tried to break free from Kasamatsu, but he made it nearly impossible for me. It appeared that he had decided to focus his sole attention on me. I should have been flattered really, if I wasn't starting to get annoyed that I couldn't help out Kagami. However, Hyuga was there and the ball landed in his hands before passing it to Kuroko. And just like that, Kuroko scored using his Phantom Shot, no one but Kise could stop.
I ran back to our basket, getting ready to defend while Kasamatsu was giving instructions to his teammates. However, the look on his face had changed. Kaijō scored another basket, while I grew uneasy. Kasamatsu was looking more and more at Kuroko like he was planning something. And my uneasiness only grew when the ball landed in my hands. Kasamatsu was keeping a huge distance to me. And I couldn't figure out why. I mean he knew how proficient I was with my three pointers. It just didn't make any sense. But before I could think about it, Kuroko entered my line of sight and I instinctively passed him the ball. And that was when Kasamatsu made his move. He positioned himself in front of Kuroko. And what was worst, while Kuroko had entered his shooting motion, Kasamatsu had taken a step back, which could only mean one thing. Kasamatsu had figured out the trick behind Kurokos Phantom Shot. And before I could react, Kuroko had released the ball and just like that, the ball was hit away. I was simply flabbergasted looking at the captain in blue, who was cheering alongside his team. I was brought back to reality when the buzzer sounded, announcing a member change.
Kuroko walked off court, while Izuki came back in.
"Tetsu." I said going after him when I saw his head was hanging low. "I will be waiting for you."
Kuroko gave me a small smile, before he continued to walk off court. I wasn't the only one having something to say to him. Kagami did as well and when I heard his words, he was looking at me and we came to an immediate understanding. It was time Kagami and I showed our teamwork.
"Ready tiger?" I asked smirking at him. He returned my smirk, his eyes practically burning with anticipation.
"Of course. You?"
"More than ready!" I said, my smirk widening. And to my surprise Kagami held out his hand, that was formed in a fist. I looked at him for a moment, trying to decipher what he was thinking, before I bumped my fist against his. We got into position before the ball landed in Kagamis hands. Without even hesitating for a moment, he broke free from the two player that were guarding him. And without hesitating, he charged to the basket only to jump up, out of anybody's reach and dunk the ball in. I, on the other hand wasn't pleased.
"Taiga, I thought you were finally going to pass me the ball!" I said marching right up to him. He merely smirked.
"Wanted to send them a message first." He said, before adding. "Don't worry. I'm not planning on leaving you out of this."
And true to his words, the next time Kagami broke free from his guards and was about to dunk the ball, in, he passed me the ball when he noticed my position. I was standing just outside the three-point line and before anyone could stop me, I had scored. However, Kaijō was quick to come back. The ball had landed in Moriyamas hands. And he did not hesitate either. He released the ball in his unusual fashion, when Kagami blocked its path. Having believed Kagami could do it, I had run up to them as well. The ball landed in my hands and I shot the ball to the basket a second time. I knew it wouldn't go in, but this had not been my plan.
Kuroko and Kagami weren't the only ones able to coordinate an alley-oop.
Kagami, like the beast that he had unleashed, charged towards the basket, caught the ball and dunked it right in. And just like that, the second quarter officially ended, while we had managed to catch up. My team had assembled on court, one looking more pleased than the other. Especially with Kagami, who was finally passing. The mood was not the same on Kaijōs side. I felt a pair of eyes on me, and when I turned around, I stared into the golden eyes of Kise. We exchanged a look, that transferred more than words ever would. He knew I was doing this to honour our promise. And I knew that when he would come back, he would come back with a force that would be unlike any other. Kise turned around and walked away, while I made my way over to Kuroko, who had been looking at Kise.
"So, you feel it too?" I asked and Kuroko nodded.
"Nothing is over yet." He said calmly.
"No." I said agreeing. "Not in the slightest."
We walked after our team, who was marching off the court and towards the changing room, where we all sat down, waiting for Aidas instructions. However, the instructions didn't come. She exclaimed that she had nothing to say. Something, which hadn't happened until now.
"Things are going well. We will keep playing like this." She explained to our amazement. We remained silent, waiting to see if Aida really had nothing to say, but no instructions came. With a water bottle in my hand and my jersey back on I walked over to where Kagami and Kuroko were talking.
"Aomine's shoes are surprisingly comfortable." Kagami said while tying his shoes.
"I will make sure to let him know." I said, taking the seat next to Kagami and giving him a teasing smile.
Kagami glared at me, but knowing that his bark was louder than his bite, I smiled at him totally unfazed by the look he was giving me. Knowing we would end up bickering again, I turned my attention to Kuroko and Kagami did the same.
"Are you okay? They stopped your Phantom Shot." Kagami asked calmly, eyeing his shadow closely before adding. "Do you have a plan?"
"I don't know." Kuroko deadpanned and I looked at him in disbelieve. Now was not the time to not know.
"Hey!" Kagami said loudly, annoyed by this answer. "Don't you think you say that too much?"
"But I don't have time to mope." Kuroko replied, and just like me he ignored Kagamis outburst. "I have to do something."
"And you will do it." I said calmly, having full confidence in the person standing in front of me. "There is no doubt about it."
Kuroko gave me a small smile, before he sat down on my other side.
"Hey." Kagami spoke up once more. We both turned to look at him. "Do you think Kise will be subbed back in after the break?"
We both shook our heads.
"No." I said thinking about Kise and his injury. "That would be reckless. Kasamatsu won't let him play."
Kagami looked surprised before I elaborated.
"I'm sure Kise wants to come back after the break. If anything, he is probably arguing with his team right now. I wished we could have faced him at his best, but even with his injury securing this win will be hard enough."
Kagami nodded.
"Let's go all out in the second half." He said and I smiled.
"Hai." Kuroko and I said in unison.
When we stepped back on court, it was apparent that I had been right. Kise was not coming back. Not yet. However, Kaijō was still willing to fight. For themselves but also for their ace. A fierce battle began, when neither of the teams backed down. And with the minutes slowly trickling down, we managed to slowly widen the point gap. Kaijō was hanging on, but we weren't known for our teamwork for nothing. Besides, every single member of Seirin had grown stronger and not a single member should be underestimated. But just how much Kaijō was fighting, was shown in the next few moments. Kasamatsu was dribbling the ball, a look of full determination on his face, when he came face to face with Izuki.
I made myself ready to get hold of the ball, when Kasamatsu charged past Izuki at full speed. However, he couldn't evade Izukis Eagle spear. I saw the ball flying towards me and I opened my arms to catch it, when Kasamatsu lounged himself forward hitting the ball away and with it preventing it from reaching me. The ball landed instead in Koboris hands, who in turn prepared himself to dunk the ball in. But Kiyoshi was there to stop him in time. The ball bounced off the rim, and a variety of voices called for rebound, when Hayakawa and Kagami lounged themselves in the air. But there was one member on Kaijō that was unbeatable at rebounds. And it was that member that dunked the ball in, scoring some well needed points for Kaijō. I looked in awe at the players in blue, when I stretched my hand out to Kasamatsu. He had his eyes narrowed, but he allowed me to help him up.
"We're not finished yet!" Kasamatsu said loudly. "Don't underestimate Kaijō!"
I smiled, knowing that the hardest part was yet to come. And just how much they were out for revenge was proven when Kobori managed to draw an offensive foul against Kiyoshi. Kobori then continued to give Kiyoshi a whole speech about why Kaijō wouldn't lose, while Kiyoshi merely listened. This of course, didn't go down all too well with Hyuga.
"Say something, you moron!" Hyuga said loudly, hitting Kiyoshi hard on the back. "Don't just listen to him speak his mind!"
"It seemed reasonable, so I couldn't help it." Kiyoshi said apologetically.
"What?" Hyuga asked, growing angrier by the second.
"It explains why they're strong." Kiyoshi replied, shrugging slightly.
"You couldn't help it?" Hyuga asked and I took a step back to not get in the way of his anger. "Don't accept his logic, Iron Heart!"
"Sorry." Kiyoshi said looking really uncomfortable now. "So don't call me that."
But Hyuga didn't back down.
"You've hardly done anything until now!" Hyuga bellowed. "We're counting on you, Uncrowned King!"
"Don't call me that either." Kiyoshi muttered scratching his face.
"Where's the spirit you had when you faced Murasakibara, Iron Heart?" Hyuga continued, ignoring Kiyoshis pleas.
"I really don't like it." Kiyoshi repeated.
"Pull yourself together, Iron Heart!" Hyuga bellowed more loudly.
"Stop that." And now Kiyoshi began to look annoyed.
"Iron Heart, Iron Heart, Iron Heart…" Hyuga repeated loudly, set on annoying his center. And then Kiyoshi exploded.
"I told you to stop!" He bellowed, looking angrier than I had seen him in a long time. "We may be friends, but you don't get a free pass!"
I was simply flabbergasted looking at my captain and Kiyoshi, who was the kindest human being I knew.
"Don't call me Iron Heart! Don't you know it takes one to know one?"
"What are you talking about?" Hyuga replied, meeting Kiyoshis anger full on. "That doesn't make any sense, baka!"
"Well, you've let tons of threes trough!"
I looked over to Kagami, who was just as flabbergasted as I was. We then both turned to look at Izuki, who looked perfectly fine.
"Shouldn't we stop them?" Kagami asked pointing to the two arguing figures. Izuki turned around, smiling serenely.
"Leave them. They will stop eventually." Was his reply, before he got back into position. Kagami and I both exchanged one last doubting look, before doing the same. And it turned out Izuki was right. Because they stopped eventually. They were still fuming, mind you, but they had stopped arguing. Izuki assured us, that this had happened a lot last year and it was only a sign of how close they were to one another. He continued to explain how these two carried Seirin last year. I was looking at the two figures who were running in front of me, when Izuki passed me the ball. Wanting to see just what they could do in that state, I passed the ball to Hyuga.
The look on his face could have intimidated everyone, but Moriyama still blocked his way so Hyuga passed the ball into Izukis waiting hands, who was about to score when Nakamura managed to tip the ball with the most outer part of his fingers. Izukis eyes widened, but he wasn't alone. Kiyoshi, fuelled by his fight with Hyuga, dunked the ball in showing everyone why he was one of the Uncrowned Kings. And Kiyoshi wasn't the only one playing at his best. Hyuga was as well. He finally managed to stop Moriyama and the ball landed in my hands, while I felt Kasamatsus eyes on me. He was immediately coming for me. I, knowing now was not the time to hesitate, feinted to the left and Kasamatsu mimicked my movements, like I had intended him to do. I immediately switched back to the right, Kasamatsu trying to fight against the momentum of his body. I spun around, bringing the ball out of his reach, when I sped up.
The ball at my side, I could feel Kasamatsu close behind me. Knowing that my next move could be extremely reckless, especially when Kasamatsu was up too close, I stopped running out of nowhere. Just like I had expected, this change of pace caught Kasamatsu off guard and it was a miracle that he didn't crash into me. I had already spun around him once more, when I saw Kiyoshi approach. He screened Kasamatsu and I used this opportunity to shoot a three. It went in. I clapped Kiyoshi on the back, while looking at Kasamatsu.
"Don't underestimate Seirin either."
I ran back alongside my team, while I heard the cheers all around us. And just like this the game continued. While we scored, Kaijō managed to score right back. I heard Kises voice on more than once occasion arguing with his coach to let him back in, but the coach kept denying him. I couldn't look at Kise. I knew how hard this scenario was on him, but like I had promised him at the beginning I wasn't going to back down. The time would come when he would return. But until then we needed to widen the gap as much as possible. And that was what we did. The third quarter ended with us being in the lead by nine points.
Not a lot in my opinion, especially when I kept Midorimas three pointers in mind. So, the plan for the fourth and final quarter was already set in stone. We needed to widen the point gap. The ball landed in my hands more often than not. Coordinating with Izuki we managed to break through Kaijōs walls more effectively. And even though Kagami was our force that kept us going, we used three pointers as much as possible to widen the gap. I couldn't help but think about something which Midorima once said. Three pointers were worth more points, hence they were better than anything else. Even though I never agreed with his point of view, I knew in that moment that this route was the way to go. But there was another reason as well. There would have been no way I wouldn't have noticed the new wall of white and blue that was now watching our game. Nor could I ignore the pair of eyes that were watching me more often than not.
I didn't even need to look up to know to whom they belonged. After all, it was these eyes who brought me down to my knees earlier that day. But now was not the time to get intimidated by his presence. Not when I had a job to do. 15 points. That was the number Aida had told us over the two-minute break. If we managed to get to a 15 point gap, not even Kises Pefect Copy could stop us. But we weren't the only ones who knew about these 15 points. Kaijō knew it as well and they were fighting harder than ever. But there was something three people down on that court knew for certain. And that was when these 15 points were achieved, the real battle began. Because that would be the time Kise would return. No matter his health, no matter his pain, no matter the time, no matter what. Why? Because he wanted more than anything to win with his team. His team… The time we he was Kise of Teiko long behind him, replaced by something better. Kise of Kaijō.
And then Kagami dunked the ball in, at long last widening the point gap to 15 points. And it was like I had known all along. At that Kise had stood up, and was now throwing his jersey aside, revealing the uniform underneath it. There were still four minutes to go, but Kise had made up his mind. I could tell by the look on his face and the fire burning in his golden eyes. But to my relieve, he wasn't the only one subbing in. Kuroko did as well. Because he, like I, knew what a cornered Miracle was capable of. All eyes were on Kise and Kuroko when they walked on court. I could practically feel the relieve flow through Kaijō when they saw the return of their ace. My eyes were on Kise as well. And when he didn't look at me, nor at anyone else I knew that I had been right all along.
The scariest part was yet to come.
And my mission wasn't the easiest one. I was back as Point Guard, in charge of making the plays, while I was being carefully watched by Mr. Emperor himself. It was Kaijōs ball and Kasamatsu was dribbling the ball in front of me, trying to make his way past me but I was doing my best in keeping him in check. But then he merely smirked, his body changing, telling me his next move. I had my hands outstretched, trying to intercept the pass, but I was too late. The ball was already in Kises hands. It should have come to a relieve to see Kagami in front of him, but Kises aura had already changed. He was back using his Perfect Copy and Kagami was nowhere near the Zone. And just like that Kagami fell, while Kise charged past him. He had just used Akashi's Emperor Eye only to move into Aomine's drive. A deadly and unstoppable combination.
I looked after Kise who had already jumped up high in the air. Kiyoshi met him mid-air, but he couldn't do anything against him. Kise was simply too strong. But having experienced his Perfect Copy during the first quarter of the game, Seirin wasn't one to back down. Hyuga, as soon as he had gotten hold of the ball, passed Kuroko the ball, while Kagami was running with all his might towards the basket. Kuroko Ignite passed Kai the ball into Kagamis hands, who caught it and dribbled as fast as he could. Then he jumped, set on performing a layup, when he was stopped by none other than Murasakibara. And once again Kise had combined the skills of two Miracles.
The ball was in Kasamatsus hands, and everyone instinctively ran back to defend the basket, while I ran towards Kise. There was only one Miracle he would copy now. Or so I had thought. Convinced he would perform a three pointer; I was taken total off guard by what I saw before me. It wasn't Kise anymore. It was Kuroko. And just like that, the ball passed right by my side with a speed only chosen peoples could catch. I was still frozen in my spot, when the realisation of what I had just witnessed hit me. Kise had copied Kurokos pass. But what was more, he had copied Kuroko. Kuroko, the one person he never could because he was invisible. I heard the swoosh of the basket and I knew Kaijō had just scored.
"We will win!" Kise said loudly. "I will put everything I have on the line!"
I stared at him, having always known how incredible Kise was but clearly not having grasped the range of his talent. And there was something else I noticed. He was using his teammates to score, when the opportunity presented itself. It was a way of saving energy, meaning only one thing. Kise was going to make his Perfect Copy last until the very end. And Aida told us the exact same thing when she called for a time-out.
"It means our lead isn't safe anymore." She continued, while I was sitting on the bench, lost in thoughts. "If we don't do something, we're screwed."
"Well, I guess it's time." I said speaking up at last. All eyes were on me. I meanwhile turned to look at Kagami. "I need you to keep playing Ryota like you would. And I will intercept his game." My eyes flickered over to Kuroko. "And I could use your help."
Kuroko immediately nodded.
"I will be able to work in the shadows for a while but Ryota will know sooner or later what I'm up to. That's when I will have to coordinate the plays. You all faced four of the five Miracles before. You have played three he's using. But what is more you played two of them twice. There is something I noticed. When in doubt he copies Aomine. The one Miracle he worked hardest to copy. Don't forget that."
They all nodded, before I continued. "We might be able to draw out the Miracle he is going to copy next by the way we play." I said, before Kuroko added something I hadn't noticed before.
"Kise-kun doesn't copy the same Miracle twice." He looked thoughtful, clearly thinking back to the scenes he had seen while playing him. "Maybe he's not aware of doing it, but so far he hasn't done it."
"That would make it slightly easier. However, we might be able to stop him when he relies solely on himself. But I'm not sure he still is." I quickly looked over at Kise, who had eyes for nothing except for the court in front of him.
"It will be hard, but with the right timing we may be able to stop Kise." Kiyoshi said calmly, his eyes furrowed in grim determination.
"Okay!" Hyuga said loudly, standing up from the bench and looking at us. "We can't afford any mistakes. Focus, guys!" We assembled in a circle, our hands on our knees while we were looking at our captain, who was rightfully leading us in the time of needs. "Even if our plan succeeds, Kaijō's team isn't just Kise. Don't stop until the final buzzer sounds. Be even more careful with passes and teamwork. Don't miss any easy shots. Do everything you can to keep our lead! Let's go Seirin! Fight!"
"Yeah!" We shouted in unison. And while we did, I looked at every single member that was part of that circle and I felt more than ever that I belonged. I couldn't help but to smile when we walked on court, even though our situation couldn't have been worse. However, I began to do my work. I positioned myself, a little behind Kagami, using just like Kuroko always had, his massive aura to my advantage. Kise was right in front of Kagami, who had the ball in hand one moment, while in the next, the ball was tipped out of his hand.
I jumped forwards, arms outstretched when I located Kuroko. As soon as my hands touched the ball, I passed Kuroko the ball, who redirected it into Hyugas arms. He shot the ball, just outside the three-point line but he had not been fast enough. Moriyama had tipped the ball and the ball bounced off the rim of the basket. Kobori and Kiyoshi were underneath it, but Kobori managed to get hold of the rebound. And just like that Kaijō was in possession of the ball. I ran with all my might towards the one person, whose hands would soon be in possession of the ball. And just when I reached him, my arms outstretched and my body aching to go, the ball landed in his hands. Kises golden eyes were shining brighter than I had ever seen them.
I was entirely focused on them and what I could detect was surprise mixed with excitement. This was his time to take revenge on me as well. For the time I had beaten him in Teiko. A few seconds later, Kise was nothing more than a blur to me passing me on my right. There was no doubt, he had spotted Kagami behind me, but this wouldn't stop him. If anything, he was more than a match for both of us, so he wouldn't back down. But we weren't alone. How could we make a move on Kise without Kuroko present? Appearing out of nowhere, it was three against one with Kises center of gravity exactly where we wanted it to be.
It was perfect.
The entire thing had been executed to perfection, giving Kise to possibility to escape. Or so we thought. Spinning on the spot, ball still in hand, Kise catapulted it out of our reach and into the waiting hands of his captain. We were stunned for only a second, but a second was all Kise needed to break free from us and with the pass from his captain he dunked the ball right in. Not even Kagami, with his impossible high jumps could stop him in time. Kagami fell back down hard, and we were immediately by his side, when Kise walked by and spoke up.
"It doesn't matter what you do. No one can stop me now."
My eyes widened and for a brief second, I saw no way out. Especially since we kept failing. And we continued to fail. And Kise kept being unstoppable, even scoring using Kurokos Phantom Shot. And things went from bad to worse real fast. All around us, chants of Kaijō supporters could be heard, rooting for Kaijō and evidently marking us as the villains. And there was no point in denying it. This got to us. When we kept failing, the cheers grew louder. When we succeeded, groans and disappointment could be heard all around us. That's when I had enough. Nobody had the right to appoint us the role as villains. Not when we fought tooth and nails to be where we were right now. Not when this was our last chance to fulfil a promise once made. Kaijō wasn't the only ones deserving to be here. Feeling the need to protect my team, I blocked the way of the one person that was standing in our way. Kise.
"Come on!" I said loudly, grinding my teeth and looking like a ferocious beast myself. Kise smirked, when we began our little dance. When he feinted to the left, I moved right, intercepting his path. Kise switched the ball from one hand to the other, while I closed the distance between us. My hand was almost touching the ball, when the he took a step back, changed his pace and charged past me. I dashed behind him, my eyes focused on nothing else but the ball in front of me.
I didn't even see the blur of red passing me. Not until Kagami was right in front of Kise. But Kise simply spun around him, but it wasn't over yet. Kise jumped high in the air and Kagami followed, while the chants around us grew wider. And then Kagami bumped into Kise, making the two of them tumble to the ground. I barely listened to the referee appointing two free throws. All I could hear was the crowd around us and how they were talking about us. Kise and Kagami both stood up, but Kagami had his head hung low, while he was panting heavily. I was by his side a moment later.
"Hey tiger." I said gently, putting his arm around my shoulder while my arms went around his torso trying to stabilize him. Kagami continued to pant heavily, while I felt Kises eyes on me. I didn't have the strength to look at him and see what I assumed would be pity. And then slowly, very slowly, Kagami straightened up.
"I don't give a shit if we're villains." He growled, still panting heavily, while my eyes widened by the look on his face. "Villains only exist and lose in the world of fiction. This is our story!" And at long last he looked up and right into the golden eyes of Kise. "We decide how it goes!"
I was still looking at him open mouthed, not knowing how to react. My reaction was however, not needed when Hyuga placed his hand on Kagamis shoulder.
"Kagami." He said barely able to contain himself. "That was lame." And then he broke out into laughter.
"I'm amazed you came up with such a lame line." Kuroko muttered wide eyed. "How could you even say that?"
Not able to contain myself any longer, I looked up at Kagami, who was starting to turn beet red.
"And you're the one lecturing me about saying corny stuff all the time. Didn't know you had it in you as well." And we weren't the only ones giving him shit for his line. Kiyoshi gladly added his part. Kagami was almost at his end.
"It's just you know…" He began sounding desperate. "Don't listen to the fans. We will definitely win!"
"We know." Hyuga replied calmly, still smiling in amusement. "You don't have to tell us. Let's enjoy the last two minutes."
"Hyuga that's my line." Kiyoshi deadpanned and I couldn't help myself. I burst out laughing once more. But I got serious fairly quickly when Kuroko spoke up, telling me it was time. We all exchanged a look and I gulped, knowing what he was hinting at.
"With the two of us combined, we might be able to stop him." I spoke, nodding slightly. And then our plan was formed. The time out Aida had called came just at the right time. We used the two minutes to refine the plan that had been lurking in the back of our minds this entire time. And it was with new determination that we walked back on court. And we had everybody in on the fact that we had not given up yet. In fact, we were just getting started. The game resumed with Kise successfully scoring the two free throws, closing the gap even further.
The pressure was on. On Kagami more than anyone. Because he was the one who had beaten the Miracles in the past. With the ball in hand, he was once again in front of Kise, but this time he managed to pass him. His way was blocked by Moriyama, but Kagami merely spun around him and continued to charge towards the basket. But this delay enabled Kise to get in front of Kagami. Kise, or should I say Aomine. Because it was him, who was blocking his way. Kagami stopped, something which would be impossible for any normal player at the speed that he was going at. Without hesitating, Kagami jumped up releasing the ball, but Murasakibara had appeared in front of him, hitting the ball away. I didn't need more confirmation. I knew which Miracle he was going to use.
But I also had the confirmation that Kuroko had been right. He wasn't using the same Miracle twice in a row. Kagami meanwhile was doing his best in keeping Kise in check. Kise having adapted Midorimas shooting motion was high in the air, when Kagami jumped up with all the force he could muster. And then something unexpected happened. At the height of his jump, Kise passed the ball to Moriyama. He had faked Midorima's three pointer. A choice that was giving Kaijō the strategic advantage we hadn't counted on. Kise passed Hyuga and Kiyoshi as if they weren't even there and dunked the ball in. Without wasting more precious time, the ball was in my hand and I ran with all the energy I had left. I could feel Kise behind me, so I passed the ball towards Kagami who was in front of me. He jumped up, but Kise hit the ball away.
The ball bounced away from the board before bouncing away from some players on court. It was going to go out of bounds which then would mean it would be Kaijōs ball and without even thinking about it, I used something I had never thought would come in handy in a basketball game. I dove forward. Just like the countless times I had practice this specific move, which would give me a head start in the water, I was now using it to get my hand on this ball. And I succeeded. I reached it just in time, hitting it back towards the court where it bounced off Moriyamas legs and out of bounds. I had however, no time to brace myself for the impact that was awaiting me. It wasn't the smooth and welcoming touch of water that met my body, it was the hard and solid floor of the stadium that I had upon impact. When my body hit the floor, I rolled away before I finally got to a standstill. My entire body was aching, but I lifted myself up on my elbow, looking back on court. I was met by looks of countless disbelieving players. Kuroko was immediately by my side, helping me up to my feet.
"Emiyo you're bleeding." He said pointing at the corner of my mouth.
"Oh." Was all I was able to say before wiping it away. Now tasting blood in my mouth, but I continued to walk on court. "Don't worry about it, I'm fine. We have a game to play after all."
And the battle continued, both teams fighting with all their might. But it was with 38 seconds to go, that Kise scored making it officially a comeback for Kaijō. It was now or never.
Maybe our plan was reckless. Desperate even. But we needed drastic measure to win this game. So, we used the only style we had used more than anyone. The true style of Seirin. Full on run and gun. And I was leading the attack. It felt exhilarating running towards the basket, two of my teammates on each side, while Kaijō was looking taken aback by our course of action. For a moment we had the upper hand. Deciding in a split second, the best course of action, I passed the ball to Kiyoshi who was up against Kobori. Kiyoshi managed to win the battle, jumping up right in the air, when he used his rite of postponement to pass the ball to Hyuga, who was on the three point line.
Hyuga immediately entered the Shooting motion, when Moriyama blocked his way. Managing to turn his shot into a fake, he passed Moriyama when Aomine appeared in front of him. I knew Hyuga couldn't avoid him, but we had seen this attack coming. So, Kuroko tipped the ball right out of Hyugas grasp and into my hands. Kise was in front of me in a second and I passed the ball to Kagami, who was already high in the air. Kise jumped up a second time, but this time he was too late. Kagami had scored, bringing us back in the lead with 27 seconds to go.
But the truly hard part was coming now. Kaijō was on offense and we had to stop Kise. I exchanged a look with the rest of my team, before we all got into position. Kuroko, being the first one having to face Kise, positioned himself in front of him. There were a variety of emotions crossing Kises face, but Kuroko couldn't wait for him to make his move. No, he had to act first.
And he did.
His hand shot out towards the ball in Kises hands out of nowhere, when Kise managed to get it out of his reach while passing past him at the same time. Aomine had just appeared, when Kagami stood in his way. Kise smirked, and next second Akashi was in front of Kagami. He dribbled the ball once, twice and then Kagami began to fall. But this time he managed to stay upright. But Kise doing a second crossover brought him down on his knees.
Now, there was only one Miracle that could appear. And that was Murasakibara. Kiyoshi and Hyuga were there to draw him out of Kise. And it worked. The aura around Kise changed, while he spun around on the spot, preparing for the one move appropriate to end this game. Thor's Hammer. I had gotten closer and closer, my eyes on nothing but the ball, knowing the moment was drawing closer and closer. And then it came. Kise had turned right my way, the ball still in hand when I moved. My arm shot forward, and then finally, at long last, my fingers touched the rough surface of the ball. The ball went flying out of Kises hands and it kept flying and flying. When Kise suddenly moved. With a speed unlike any other, his hand had reached for the ball, and then he hit it right into the hands of his captain.
And Kasamatsu scored. Naturally.
I immediately looked at the black board, where 4 seconds were illuminated. And then the ball landed on the floor and we acted at once. I took hold of the ball, while Kagami was already running. With all the force I could muster, I threw the ball high in the air. With my eyes still fixed on the ball I ran after Kagami, who was running faster than I had ever seen him. And then the ball landed in his hands, but he didn't slow down. If anything, he sped up. I could see Kuroko in front of me, while a wall of blue was running after Kagami as well. But there was only one player on this court that could catch up to him. And that was Kise. And he did. He had managed the impossible by overtaking Kagami and blocking his way. But Kagami didn't stop. He couldn't. This had to be the end. So, he did the only other thing he could do. He sped up and then he jumped. But Kise was right up there in the air to match him. And he would stop him.
I knew it, Kagami knew it and so did Kuroko.
"Kagami-kun!" He shouted from the top of his lung, Kagamis red eyes flickering over to where his shadow was standing.
Alone, free, unguarded.
But the ball was already leaving Kagami's hands. It looked like this was the end. But then Kagami did something truly spectacular. He hit the ball with such a force that it bounced right off the white board and into the waiting hands of Kuroko. And before anyone could stop him, he shot the ball. The ball was still in the air, when the buzzer sounded. I had reached Kurokos side, but I had stopped breathing. I was too transfixed by the ball, who seemed to float in slow motion. And then, at long last, the ball went in.
There was a moment of silence, before the moment of comprehension dawned on us. We had won. And while Kuroko was still standing dumbstruck by what had just happened, I launched myself at him. I was hugging him so tightly, I might have cut of his air supply, but he wasn't complaining. If anything, he held on to me just as tightly. And then the others were all around us clapping Kuroko on the back and cheering loudly. I finally let him go, tears now falling from my eyes, the most radiant smile on my lips. And then I turned to look at Kagami, who was grinning brightly. He opened his arms and I jumped into them. He immediately closed his arms around me while lifting me up and spinning me around. He was laughing and cheering at the same time and I couldn't help but do the same. When he let me down, I found myself in the arms of Kiyoshi, who was hugging me tightly. One after the other, I hugged my teammates, before I reached the side of the one person, I wanted to speak to more than anyone.
Kise. But he didn't look at me immediately.
"You beat me." He said, the smile on his lips forced and strained, when he held out his hand. Kagami and Kuroko, who were standing to either side of me, looked surprised and unusually quiet.
"You beat me twice." Kise repeated, looking at Kagami and shaking his hand. "I can't even think of anything to say. But my head is clear. I gave it everything I had. I have no regrets."
"Kise-kun." Kuroko spoke up, smiling gently up at the ace. "You were really strong. We won the game but we couldn't stop you."
"Well…" Kise groaned scratching the back of his head. "There is no point if only I win. Before I would have been flattered to hear you say that, but now it just feels like salt in the wound."
Kuroko looked surprised by Kises words, before he apologized looking rather awkward. But Kise smiled.
"I will beat you next time." Kise said, looking more like himself than a few moments prior. "Let's play again next year."
"Hai." And at this the two of them shook hands. And then at long last Kise looked at me. I gave him the softest smile, while Kuroko and Kagami walked away giving us some privacy.
Ryota." I muttered. He looked at me, returning my smile, but I could see that it was forced. He was disappointed and I couldn't blame him. I took a step toward him, placing my hand on his cheek.
"I'm in awe of you Ryota." I muttered, while his eyes widened in surprise. "I am." I repeated when I noticed his surprise. "You have turned into the greatest player out there. But not only that. You have found yourself a team. A team worth fighting for. Tetsu was right. We couldn't stop you but everything you did; you didn't do for yourself."
Kise closed the distance between us, hugging me closely while burying his face in the crook of my neck. My hands wandered into his golden hair, where I slowly and gently began to stroke them.
"It's alright. You don't have to be strong anymore." And these were the words that did it. Made Kise break down. And while I felt his tears, I held on to him more tightly and he did the same. Because after this game, there was nowhere I would rather be.
"I really want to play with you someday, Ryota." I whispered so only he could hear me. "Let's make it happen, alright?" Kise nodded his head, but he didn't let me go. And I didn't either. I could see the disappointment in every single Kaijō player and it broke my heart that we had to be the one to end it for them.
"Emicchi." Kise muttered, slowly disentangling himself from me, but placing both his hands on either side of my face, his golden eyes sending shivers down my spine. "You have to beat Akashicchi."
I nodded, unable to speak. Kise continued to look into my eyes, before a small smile graced his lips.
"If I had to lose at least it was against you." He moved a strand of hair behind my ears, before he stood up a little straighter, when he noticed that someone was approaching us. I turned to look at the newcomer as well and I gave Kasamatsu a smile, which he returned even though I could tell it was forced. He was fighting with his emotions.
He held out his hand, which I ignored before flinging my arms around his neck.
"Good game, captain." I muttered into his ear. He stiffened, clearly overwhelmed by the sudden touch. Before he could react, I had released him and taken a respectful step back before bowing politely. "You were a worthy opponent."
At this he managed a real smile, his face a dark shade of red, which I returned more brightly.
"Go win the Championship. And do it for us too!" He said and I nodded. The rest of Kaijō gathered around us and before any of them could react, I had hugged them, before returning to my own team. I understood their need to be with one another. Find comfort as a team. But when they lined up, they all stood tall and proud as was appropriate for what they had achieved up until now. I looked after them when they walked off court. My heart breaking slightly, when I spotted Kasamatsu who had put Kises arms around his shoulder to help him. And then the rest of his team took his other side, all patting Kise on the back and comforting him.
I turned to look at the person who was by my side. Just like he always was.
"Finals, huh?" I asked, still looking after the elite in blue.
"Finals." Kuroko muttered, before I turned to look at him. For the first time in what felt like forever, I couldn't tell what he thinking.
"Still ready to do it?" I asked, when Kuroko raised his eyebrow questioningly. "Bring him back I mean."
At this Kuroko smiled.
"Hai." He said taking my hand in his. "It's time he returns to us."
"I couldn't agree more."