I've returned and very pleased to say this will be my first chapter ever released away from my home country as I've decided to study abroad for a short while. There is a lot of dialogue in this next bit, which I know can be boring to read, but if you truly think about it, serious discussions make up a huge portion of our lives, and each conversation present in this portion will act as a recurring theme for a majority of the story itself. It's hard for me to always write an interesting dialogue beyond the scope of almost a philosophical analysis, so bear with me. Things should be lighter in the future.

I thank you all for your follows, favorites, and reviews. It makes me so happy to see an occasional notification in my email that a new individual has enjoyed my story. And I'm sorry everything moves so slowly. It's hard to break a realistic mindset of how people move slowly in relationships.

Disclaimer: {I do not own anything Kuroko no Basuke related. I do own my OCs, Mia, Inoue, Akako, Yuki, and of course, Yuki's family. The quote, of course, belongs to Socrates.}

Chapter 7: Your Chopsticks, My Philosophy, His Games

True wisdom comes to each of us when we realize how little we understand about life, ourselves, and the world around us. – Socrates

They didn't do much in the gym that night, that much was for certain. Yuki'd been out way past her curfew and knew that delaying the inevitable would only result in disaster in the Morine household. She tried to recall a time in which she deliberately continued to ignore her parents in such a rebellious manner but could not think of any.

Perhaps – and she hoped from the bottom of her heart – they would write these instances off as a phase she was going through.

Yuki was pleased, however, with Kuroko's passing. While the catching of such a large orange sphere was difficult and led to several moments of embarrassment with the ball ricocheting off her hand and landing in every other possible location in the gym, Kuroko had a hidden strength in directing the ball – even if it was simply thrown to her. The throws were clean, almost always accurate and seemed to lack any of the usual traits Kuroko's skills had. Where he lacked in confidence in his shooting, his passing was the complete opposite.

A heart-to-heart with her father was in order.

The pair left the gym a short while after. While Yuki never explicitly stated her negligence in returning home, it was easy for Kuroko to infer that at some point, she had missed a deadline; she had been checking her watch every few minutes, though Kuroko could distinguish between the actions of rudeness and of urgency.

They'd departed on good terms: Yuki feeling more upbeat and optimistic in ages, whereas Kuroko seemed pleased to have had someone practice with him – not that he said anything directly to Yuki, but his happiness was tangible.

After stepping off from the bus, Yuki began her short walk home from the stop. While her demise awaited her in a few steps, she could think of nothing but the fact that somehow, everyone at her school had missed the talent Kuroko had simply because it wasn't as flashy or useful as another's. That frustrated her, acknowledging that even she had neglected Kuroko, almost even writing him off as a player that should just stick to watching from the sidelines.

That hurt her. That it was so effortless to cast aside someone simply because everyone else had already done so. It was wrong, and no matter how hard she could try and work with Kuroko, it would never truly replace that idea that Yuki, like her superiors, was an individual who sorted people by their talents, or lack thereof.

This was not a place she wanted to live in if it meant hurting those without the drive to defend themselves.

Breaking out of her thoughts, Yuki saw the gate leading up to her home, the light above the kitchen shining through the window. She was unsure of which parent would greet her first, but either way, this conversation would be one for the Pillow Book.

Her mother had answered, eyes wide, ire present within the irises. Yuki knew she was in big trouble when that was the first thing she saw.

"I think you should forfeit your position in the club and return to your work in the library."

That's all her mother said to her before leaving up the stairs to her room. Yuki approached the kitchen, stomach growling, and proceeding to grab some leftovers from the refrigerator. It looks like her mother prepared some curry and rice dish. At this point, almost everything in the refrigerator smelled delicious, that's how ravenous she was.

"Yuki."

Her father called out to her calmly. He'd been sitting at the table, book in hand. She couldn't read the title, but knowing how much he loved Fukuzawa Yukichi's works, she was sure that he was reading one of his.

"Good, uh, evening, Otou-san," she said awkwardly, realizing that even though her mother's temper was ferocious, her father was an equally frightening individual when he wanted to be.

He closed the book slowly, taking his reading glasses and placed them upon the table. He looked at her directly, seemingly older than she remembered him looking, the wrinkles around his eyes and on his forehead becoming more prominent.

"Your mother was worried," he paused. "We were worried. We told you only a few days ago that we struggled with the idea that you'd be out later. With all your studies and things, the amount you've taken on . . . it's a lot to deal with at your age." Her father looked away from her and out the window. He was so calm in his behavior. "There's no need to push yourself like this. Is it because of your sister?"

She flinched, knowing that he wasn't talking about the walking disco-ball of a sister she had upstairs. "No."

"No?" He looked at her again, weariness ever-present in his gaze. "I've already had one child walk out those doors, Yuki. I really don't need to lose another." He stood up slowly, grabbing his reader's and his book, and began to exit the room. When he arrived at the threshold of the doorway, he glanced at her again, the wisp of a smile upon his lips. "And it's nighttime, Yuki. Good night."

Even though she heated the curry, it still felt cold.

As did her home.

Entry #1: Untitled due to my inability to come up with one

I was unsure of how to start this "book" of sorts. Do I write about myself? My family? My friends? It's difficult to think about what to write about, so I guess that's what I'll do. I told Akako that I had some ideas for what to write in here, but for my first entry, I thought it would be bizarre to start describing the extracurricular activities in my life.

First and foremost, whatever I put into words in these entries will be as blunt as I am. I know Sensei will be reading our entries, so I wanted to explain that there will probably be things I write in here that wouldn't easily be said from my lips. That, or I simply came to vent.

I like this idea of a book though. I think it's an interesting one. Akako struggles to say what she wants to in English, so I'll most certainly be helping her in most of her entries. I wonder what she'll write about. Maybe that strange encounter with had in the gym? Or something some of the girls said in our class? Either way, I think it'll be fun to read her work as well.

I guess I could close this entry with the idea that I'm struggling. I'm struggling to expand my English – and yes, Sensei, I had to look up a lot of the words I used today – I'm struggling to find the balance between a good student and a good daughter. I struggle to maintain my rank in the class. Worst of all, I struggle to see why I should care.

I only hope that through experience and knowledge I may grow as a person. It is hard, and I am young, but I want to understand who I am.

Not just a name, but the person behind that name.

"So, clarification, there is no ghost?"

Yuki pinched the bridge of her nose. "How are we not past this yet? No, for the last time, there is no ghost, Akako."

"You promise?"

"You were there, standing with me, while we called out to the invisible poltergeist in the gym and for some reason today, you're blanking on this?" Yuki rolled her eyes in annoyance. She could not believe that her efforts yesterday were in vain. She still hadn't forgiven Akako for abandoning her either.

Akako whined out, "Oh, Yukiiii, I was so scared! I thought we were going to die for sure. I couldn't see past my fingers, that's how closely I held my hands to my face."

A couple of the individuals in class were listening in on the conversation. Apparently, no one believed that the two of them had went to the gym last night, and so the ghost stories continued to run wild throughout the school. Yuki was beyond frustrated.

An individual coughed quietly behind her, alerting Akako and Yuki that someone wanted to intervene on the conversation. Yuki leaned around her friend to see the ever-annoying green-haired astrologist decided to grace her with his presence.

"Midorima-san!" Akako called out. "What's the lucky item for today?"

He motions to his left hand, a pair of chopsticks in hand. Akako simmers a bit, realizing that today's item was just as mundane as the orange Yuki had to pamper only a little while ago. "Those are nice . . . chopsticks, Midorima-san." He nods. Yuki finds that if she rolls her eyes any harder, they'll become lodged in place, so instead she lets out an egregiously long sigh.

"I need to speak with that one if you don't mind, Akako-san." She nods and gives Yuki a pitiable look, walking over to where Mia and the other girls sat.

"And why have you decided to grace my presence today?"

He pushes his glasses up upon the bridge of his nose, focusing entirely on Yuki. "While you've been gallivanting with trivialities in the gym, I've been attempting create an adequate regimen for both your mathematics and English courses." Midorima looks at Yuki, seemingly even more perturbed now than he was a few moments prior. "Why is it that the individual who needs to work is putting in even less work now than she was?"

Yuki resisted the urge to grab his chopsticks and throw them. "I've been busy, Midorima-san. I have not neglected my studies, however." She paused. "So, do you get to eat with those chopsticks, or are they like, a family relic that you're honoring today?"

"Did I eat the orange?"

"No."

"Then I leave the answer to your imagination." He stood up rather gruffly. "We will be studying after classes today, Morine Yuki. I'll tell you now so you won't have to imagine what not going later might result in."

Akako sat down in a quieter fashion than Yuki was used to. "My goodness, that boy is out for blood."

"At least I know he won't be after me with those ridiculous chopsticks."

"You don't think it's cute that he has lucky items throughout the day?" Akako tilted her head slightly to the left.

This time an eye roll did slip out. "What could possibly be cute about a teenage boy holding mundane household items that he refuses to use?"

Akako laughed.

"No, I'm serious. He wasted a perfectly good orange carrying it around with him the whole day and then soiling it with the germs in the gym."

"I didn't realize you valued the care of oranges so much, Queenie!" Akako burst into a fit of giggles.

"I despise oranges," she grumbled out, pleased to see their teacher had arrived.

"It's unbelievable how noticeable it is that you've actually gotten worse at these math problems."

She stared up at him in frustration. "Well, we can't all be perfect, I suppose."

"Sagittarians were supposed to have a trying day today. I guess it is fitting that your skills have depleted," he ground out, thinking back to his horoscopes.

"Wait, what?"

He looked at her in annoyance. "Did I say something wrong?"

She shook her head. "No, but I never told you my astrological sign. How did you know I was a Sagittarius?"

Midorima looked a bit flustered at the question and glanced to a different part of the library, pushing his glasses up again. "I may or may not have requested certain details from Akashi-san concerning the individual I would be tutoring."

"Y-you asked the student council president to look through my files just to get my birthday?!" Yuki spluttered out a bit too loudly, before quieting down, a red hue present on her face. "Why can I not just have a simple interaction with you!"

Midorima looked at her in outrage. "I asked you upon our first meeting and you ignored the question."

"I was focusing on the orange you graciously gave me, your highness. I thought that would have been more important to address."

He scowled at her, not appreciating the name calling. "Both issues were equally as important. You can never simply weigh out one over the other."

"Oh, just save it. Next time just repeat the question if it is that important," Yuki mumbled out, thoroughly embarrassed. However, the red hue on her face at this point was due to her outrage with Akashi. "And why does our student council president have access to private school files?"

Midorima shrugged. "You're always welcome to ask him the next moment you see him."

"There's no way that does not weird you out, Midorima." All honorifics were dropped at this point.

His mood seemed to worsen at that comment. "Akashi-san does as he pleases, Morine Yuki. Rather than question the position that he has, you should question your own. Your status as an assistant manager and a student is in crisis. Until these are sorted out, perhaps your focus should remain on these and these alone." Pinching the bridge of his nose, Midorima glanced at Yuki again, a little less angry this time. "Just try and solve the problems I gave you, would you?"

Yuki nodded, relenting from attacking him again. She looked at the problems and began to take each equation apart piece by piece. While the atmosphere was less tense than before, there was still an overlying feeling of awkwardness.

After a while, Yuki mumbled out, "I thought Cancers and Sagittarians were compatible signs – that they worked well together."

Midorima glanced up from his work. "They're supposed to, yes."

"So, shouldn't that mean that we should work well together?"

He nodded slowly. "Akashi-san is also a Sagittarius. He and I get along rather well." Midorima paused. He seemed to be intensely thinking about something before he looked up again at Yuki. "I suppose, then, that we got off on the wrong foot."

"We did?"

He scowled at her again. "I'm trying to be decent."

Yuki scoffed, "But you're still blaming me because you're stuck teaching me math problems. It's not like I specifically requested that you help me. If you didn't want to do it, certainly you could have told someone else to assist."

"Such as?"

Yuki paused. There was only one other individual capable of working on math with her if the situation was looked at from a ranking perspective. "Oh."

Midorima smirked, putting his elbows on the table so that his palms supported his chin. "Yes, 'Oh.' And I'm sure you and Akashi-san both would rather not sit in on a tutoring session together?"

She nodded, feeling a bit embarrassed. The entire school was acutely aware of just how busy Akashi was in academia, social life and athletics. "Well, then, I do apologize. This was not a voluntary decision, so I can understand why you're less polite than you could be."

"Why does that still sound like an insult despite the fact you're apologizing?"

Yuki let out a slight giggle. "I just can't help but note that you're not the easiest individual to get along with, Midorima-san."

"Oh, yes, because I'm the only problem at this table behaviorally."

They both smirked at that comment.

"Just do your work so I can go home, Morine-san."

It was harder being at home that evening. She was earlier than usual, having finished her problems with Midorima, literally and figuratively, rather quickly. But the unspoken issue concerning her involvement in the basketball team still stood, forever lingering in the home, in her parents' actions and in the lack of a certain bratty girl's presence.

Talking to her mother was difficult. While it was her father that had reprimanded her, it was clear to see that her mother truly held fault with her daughter. Yuki couldn't blame her. However, that didn't make pointing out the elephant in the room any easier. Every moment in which Yuki attempted to talk to her mother, she would proceed to walk away, find something to clean or engage in conversation with Yuki's father. It troubled her.

Talking to her father would seem logical, but the idea of having one parent understand the situation while the other does not would probably backfire, causing a divide between the two.

She needed to talk to both, but it was so much harder than she expected. Conflict was hard.

However, if she could talk to Midorima without hitting him with his chopsticks today, then she could certainly sit down with her parents.

Having made herself tea in the kitchen, Yuki felt prepared enough to sit in the living room with her parents.

"Otou-san, Okaa-san," Yuki called out quietly upon entering the room. Both of her parents raised their heads to look at their daughter. "May I talk to you?"

Her father nodded, a soft smile upon his lips. Her mother took a bit longer to respond, only slightly moving her head in approval.

"I realize that I was wrong," Yuki started, but her mother cut her off.

"I don't think you do," her mother called out. "Because if you truly realized you were wrong, you would have resigned today." She gave her husband a look.

"Uh, yes, we would have liked at least some form of confirmation on your end about that, Yuki," her father said, a bit quieter than he normally would.

Yuki sighed. "Well, I didn't leave the basketball club, nor do I have any intention to do so currently."

Both her parents looked at her, her mother in outrage. "And why not?!"

"Let her explain, Ame. There is a reason behind whatever Yuki is doing," her father looked at Yuki again.

"While I never intended to stay as late as I have been due to either my tutoring sessions or practice, I can assure you that neither of these two activities were originally my decision. I will admit my grades slipped, so a classmate of mine was told to work with me. However, he is a primary member in the basketball club, and mandated that for him to tutor me, I would have to assist in the club." Yuki paused, letting these comments sink in. "I realize that this is a bizarre time for me to struggle in my classes, but also involve myself so heavily in a club, and for that I do apologize. However," she paused again, looking at her father for permission to continue. He nodded in assent. "However, there is a student in the basketball club whom I've promised to help."

"You go to school for the benefit of your learning, not to improve other students," her mother ground out.

"She understands that, but Yuki's also never been one to stretch herself thin for other people – well, beyond Akako," her father intervened.

"It's the boy with the snowball, remember, Dad?" He nodded, remembering her immediate interest in him. "I wanted to work with him on that technique you told me about – misdirection."

Her mother looked at her husband, realizing she was missing a portion of the story. "The day you sent Yuki to find Ayako, she returned with more than just her sister; there was a classmate of hers with an affinity for passing at the park."

"So, you hope to have him improve his skills?" Her mother asked, less tense than she was a few moments prior.

Yuki nodded, but then bit the side of lip. "I'm not really sure how. I don't play the sport. We were passing yesterday and unfortunately; I think I did far more harm than good."

Her father started laughing. "You played basketball yesterday? You were late coming home because you were shooting some hoops with your classmate?" He broke out into louder hysterics. "I take it back, this – this is the greatest thing that has ever happened."

Her mother scowled at him. "Enough."

"Oh, come on! You know it's like pulling teeth to get Yuki out of her room, let alone the house. It's about time she actually did more than filled her head with poetic quotes."

Yuki was blushing furiously at her father's mockery. "Why must you say everything like that!?"

He just continued to laugh at her.

Her mother sighed. "I still don't like it," she mumbled out, crossing her arms. "I barely get to see you anymore with your additional studies and extracurricular work with this boy. Surely there is someone more qualified in this area to work with him?"

Yuki shook her head, thinking back to the conversation with Kuroko. "I wish there was, Okaa-san. One of the coaches even told him to quit the team." She looked down at the ground, unable to shake Kuroko's face from her memory. "I wouldn't be so serious about this until I heard how hurt he was in that moment. To be told to quit something you love – it's wrong!" Yuki covered her mouth at her outburst, realizing she shouted. "I'm sorry, I just can't live with myself if he gets tossed aside because his talents weren't as striking as another's."

"Mama, you should let Yuki do it."

The three looked up to see Ayako in the doorway.

"Ayako!" Her mother called out. "This is not a conversation for you to – "

"You both know you've never heard Yuki get that angry before. It'd be nice to have a cool older sister for once." Ayako stuck her tongue out at Yuki. "Fight those bad guys, big sis!"

Kuroko sought her out first. She'd been reviewing in the library for one of their upcoming quizzes. While she had no issue studying with others around, Akako had been a little too aggressive today in her conversations with Mia and Inoue. Of course, she was so deep in thought, she barely registered that the seat across from her was moving.

"Morine-san?"

She startled a bit, and looked up, bangs obscuring a portion of her left eye. "O-oh, Kuroko-san, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to jump."

"I get that reaction a lot."

"I'm sure you do," she grumbled out, frustrated at his ability to simply appear. "Is there something wrong?"

Kuroko shook his head, his baby blue locks swaying with the motion. "Did you get in trouble a few nights ago?"

Yuki sighed. "Ahh, so you saw me looking at my watch in the gym." She smiled at him. "It's quite all right, Kuroko-san. I talked it over with my parents. If anything, it was a slowly building storm that only hit that night."

"You know you don't have to work with me?"

"Mm-hmm."

"So, then why would you?"

Yuki gave him a pointed look. "I'm sure I already explained this to you that night in the gym, Kuroko-san. It's mutually beneficial if the two of us work together." She paused, waiting to see if he would interject. When he didn't, she continued. "Look, I like basketball, you like basketball. We improve your misdirection; I get to see justice be delivered to these stuck-up coaches."

"Misdirection?"

She nodded. "That's what we're going with. Diverting attention from yourself, putting emphasis on passing, so on, so forth. That's your ability." She raised her pencil to her lips, pensive. "The only issue is getting you into one of the games in such a way that we can capitalize on your passing."

After a few moments, Yuki looked up at Kuroko. He'd been staring at her for the entirety of the conversation. "What?"

"Well, Akashi-san wanted to speak with you."

"Oh, does he now?"

"He said it was important."

She thought back to the last conversation she had with the red-haired savant in her class. In terms of conversationalists, she'd rank Midorima as being a stronger candidate of the two. Speaking to him felt human, whereas a single look from Akashi made Yuki feel like her entire existence was being scanned and criticized.

"I didn't realize you two were acquainted."

Kuroko nodded. "He approached me in the gym last night while I was practicing."

"You were practicing again?" Yuki couldn't believe her ears. "You must be exhausted."

He gave her a deadpan look. "I've gotten used to it."

Yuki opened her mouth as though to respond and then closed it, feeling very confused by Kuroko's nonchalant response.

"That being said, Akashi-san really does want to discuss certain things about the basketball team with you, Morine-san."

She was flustered by that comment. "Where is he now?"

"The student council office."

"Oh, joy. Should I also assume that a certain green-haired boy will be there, too?"

Kuroko gave a slight smile, "I wish you luck, Morine-san."

If only he could realize that her luck abandoned her many moons ago.

There's never anything out of the ordinary in the description of a school building. Most schools model another in their layouts, with maybe the colors and artistic liberties being a bit varied, but otherwise, many individuals can look at a school and quickly pick out specific rooms in said building.

Thus, finding and journeying into the student council office was as easy as breathing for Yuki. The difficult came from the natural variance that was Akashi Seijūrō as he sat in the back of the room playing shogi with Midorima. Akashi was and always would be the trickiest piece to solve in any puzzle. His existence as enigmatic as they got.

She knocked softly on the door, twice, and waited before Midorima beckoned her in. "I must say, I've never had the pleasure of being in this room in all my days at this school. What a time to be alive," she spoke the last few words slowly, her voice echoing in the room.

"I am grateful for every day you weren't invited into this room."

She glared at Midorima. "I thought we were past this."

He glared right back. "We aren't past anything. We aren't in the library, are we?"

Yuki opened her mouth to retort before Akashi cut her off. "Morine Yuki."

She looked over in surprise. "Good afternoon, Akashi-san. I was informed you wanted to see me."

He hadn't looked at her yet. That's what always unnerved her about Akashi was the placement of his eyes. They were either looking through you or looking at something farther ahead in time. At this moment, it looked like he was witnessing the successful completion of his shogi game. "I did."

She waited for him to begin speaking, but Akashi simply continued to analyze the board. Yuki looked at Midorima in confusion, but his face offered no answers. After a few more uncomfortably quiet moments, Akashi defeated Midorima. The two nodded at each other, before Midorima excused himself from the room.

"One of the third-string members mentioned your name to me last night," he began, slowly moving the shogi pieces back into a starting position.

"You mean Kuroko-san?"

"I do, yes."

Akashi continued to move the pieces on the board until they were perfectly back to where the belonged. "Do you play shogi, Morine Yuki?"

She nodded, "Very little." A slight gulp. She realized he wanted to play another round with her instead of Midorima.

"Sit and try your hand."

Yuki sat down across from him and began to move one of the pieces on the board. "Is this some kind of test?"

"Certainly not. I find the best conversations come from intellectually stimulating activities." He paused for a moment, moving his next piece. "Kuroko Tetsuya. He's a rather curious basketball player, wouldn't you agree?"

Yuki nodded, attempting to follow both Akashi's moves and his commentary. "I think he could be extremely talented, if given the opportunity."

"At his current level, the rational interpretation of his skills is less than desirable for our team. If he were talented, he would not be a third-string member."

"They always say there are hidden diamonds in the rough."

"Your optimism is a kindness unnecessary in basketball."

She paused, looking at Akashi. He still hadn't looked at her this entire time. "You said you found him curious?"

"I did."

"Yet you insult him?"

"I do not insult him, but you," he looked at her, his red eyes sending shivers down her body. "You seek to benefit him, but you lack the knowledge to properly assist. Had you come to me sooner, perhaps his afterschool efforts would not have been so taxing."

Yuki looked at the board. She realized that like this current conversation, her game was also not going well. "I see. So, I should have come to you sooner."

"Why else would I have requested that you join this team?"

Yuki felt thoroughly confused by that statement. "I thought this proposition was discussed between the teachers and Midorima-san?"

"Shintarō simply followed my instructions. Just as the teachers felt that was suggestion was fitting, as having such a high-ranking student evade all forms of extracurricular activities was undesirable."

"I was never one for clubs."

"That much is apparent."

She glared at him.

"Glaring produces no results. Everything in this life is about results, and currently yours have been most disappointing," he paused, fiddling a bit with his cherry-colored bangs. "As I must take matters into my own hands, I have decided that Kuroko will have three months to learn, develop and improve his own style of basketball, one that you've deigned to be misdirection. After this time, I will decide if he is a fitting member of the basketball team."

She looked at him in surprise. "You still want me to work with him?"

"Perhaps with a time limit, you will cease from fruitlessly discussing possible techniques with him and create something worthy of the first-string."

"You think Kuroko-san is good enough for the first-string?"

His eyes met hers. "I would not have approached either of you otherwise."

Yuki looked away from him then, feeling a great deal of pressure from the intensity of his gaze. She looked to the board and realized that in only a few turns, Akashi had managed to beat her.

She looked back at him, to see that he had moved to the doorway of the room. His red pools boring down at her, he said one final remark, "Had this been a test, Morine Yuki, you most certainly would have failed."