A/N: Hello everyone. So here's the 18th chapter for you.

Enjoy.

It is one of the blessings of old friends that you can afford to be stupid with them. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

A smart girl leaves before she is left. – Marilyn Monroe

You can look at my palm and see the storm coming. Read the book of my life and see I've overcome it. – Mary J. Blige

The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance. – Alan Watts

"Mom! Give me a ride to school!"

"Eh? You want to go to practise, Daiki?" Michiko asked him in surprise. It was quite strange for her son to ask for a ride. He usually avoided morning practises and even if he was up, he preferred going out with the dogs, lazing around and then going to school.

That he sometimes skipped classes, she had no idea.

"I feel like it. You've got a problem with it?" He retorted and jumped into his shoes.

He would be at school some time before the official morning practise, but he couldn't stay at home. He wanted to be sure that Kagami was all right. He hated the idea that she had spent the night in the presence of that dreadlock guy and Hikaru. It didn't matter that the coach and her brother were there too, he didn't trust the Shiranuis he knew. All the strange thoughts kept him from sleeping for almost the entire night.

"… N-no." What in the world… "Did something happen?" She asked diplomatically, because her son had no idea about the dancing video she had. With Daisuke they decided to observe their teenager without butting in too much.

"Nothin'." He mumbled, but he knew his mother could see through him.

To his surprise, she shrugged. "If you say so. Come on."

"Ossu." He grabbed his bag and followed her to the car.

######

"Let me accompany you to school." Kouta proposed to Aya when they were leaving Hiroto's bar. He kept his voice down, so Taiga wouldn't overhear.

But Taiga was too preoccupied by helping Senri drag drunken Katsunori to his car. Katsunori overdid it with whisky; he'd let Hiroto provoke him into a drinking contest, and of course he had lost. Taiga had no time to pay attention to his sister and Kouta.

"Eh? Why?" She asked him in surprise.

"We haven't talked much, Lil' monkey." It's been a few years since he had last seen Aya. Despite texts and mails and occasional calls they exchanged, he felt like he didn't know her anymore. He had watched all news and articles about her, some of which were complete bullshit, but nothing could replace a real, face-to-face, conversation. He wanted to get to know her again, and he wanted to ask her a favour.

Aya raised an eyebrow. "You want to talk with me? Like talk talk? Without your dirty-comments?"

"Hmmm…" He frowned in deep thoughts. "… Unfortunately, I believe so."

"Taiga won't be happy much. You behaved rather wildly... But fine." She knew Taiga was protective, and that he didn't like Kouta acting like a perverted idiot. But she wanted to talk with Kouta too. The cigarette they'd shared on the rooftop of the bar wasn't enough, and Taiga'd been there. Moreover she was more than sure Kouta wanted to ask something from her, something he didn't want Taiga to know about. And it got her curious.

"Thank you, Monkey." He grinned happily.

"I'm driving!" Hikaru announced. "I don't care how you are going to fit in, but hurry up. Katsu needs to get home."

"Oh, but Lil' monkey can sit on my lap!" Kouta suggested.

And there goes his 'serious'… Aya rolled her eyes. "If I'm sitting on someone's lap it's gonna be Taiga's."

"Urgh, why? You are heavy!" Taiga complained.

"Oh, then do you want to sit on Kouts's lap? I believe he'd be happy." Aya teased him.

Blood was drained from Taiga's face. He sitting on someone's lap was out of the question. Not a chance. "Fine, do as you wish."

"If you see the police, you –" Hikaru started.

"–have to keep yourself from being seen." Aya filled in. "Yeah, yeah, I know."

With some difficulty, they got Katsunori into the passenger's seat. Then there was some more yoga until the four of them squeezed into the backseat of the car. Fitting three big men there was troublesome, but adding one more girl was a true art.

"Everyone's in?"

"Yep! Go." Taiga grumbled. He wouldn't feel his legs after this ride.

The first out was Katsunori. They accompanied him home, helped him into his pyjamas, made sure he would be okay and left. Aya was finally sitting in the passenger's seat – it was too funny watching how uncomfortable the three in the back were. Next out was Senri whom they drove to his job. Then Taiga, who felt like practising more than the others – preliminaries were drawing closer, and so he wanted to practise alone.

"So? Should I throw you two out at Touou?"

"Good nii-san." Kouta laughed. "You hear everything!"

"I thought you two haven't had enough time to talk." He shrugged. "By the way, Robin, I've already had your dress cleaned. You can pick 'em up whenever you want. And the video of you and Ao-kun dancing is so cute."

"WHAT?!" She abruptly turned to him. "Even you?!"

"What video?" Kouta asked, confused. "I wanna see, I wanna see!" He nagged, despite having no idea what was going on.

"… but the video of Robin dancing with a boy, who has never held a girl that close before. Probably." Hikaru chuckled. "I'll show you later."

"Yes!"

"No! Where do you have it from?!"

"I work in the same company as Kise, you forgot? Of course I'm in charge of styling him as well…"

"Oh?" Aya raised an eyebrow at him. Her expression was scary. She was ready to murder them both.

Hikaru gulped after glancing at her. "…Shit…"

Kouta in the backseat was dying from laughter.

######

"Is that Kagami-chan?" Michiko asked when she spotted the redheaded girl entering the school gate together with a wild-looking guy. "And who's that?" She looked Kouta up and down and she didn't like the dreadlocks he had…

Daiki was frowning at the duo. Why would he accompany her here? Then he noticed his mother's curious stare. Wait… How does she know her name? "What?" He barked.

"So it is Kagami-chan!"

His eyes narrowed in confusion. "How do you know?" Even if she knew the name… what of it, if she didn't know Kagami's face?

"Mothers have their ways, my dear." She ruffled his hair. "Go and figure out what they are up to. Mom's rooting for ya!" She said with a wide smile and crossed fingers.

"Tch… There's nothing going on." He rolled his eyes, but deep down he was glad to have a mother like this. Despite behaving like a jerk towards her at times, she was always the number one ally of his.

"Of course not." She said seriously, fighting a chuckle.

He could see the familiar teasing spark in her dark eyes. So with a desperate sigh he got out and followed after Kagami and Shiranui. He felt like a weird stalker. This wasn't his style at all, and yet he didn't want to interrupt them, because unlike the previous evening, Kagami wasn't running away from the guy.

"So you have the keys from the gym?" Kouta asked suggestively.

Aya ignored it and answered seriously. "Well, I tend to lock up when we stay longer."

"You can't imagine the dirty stuff that happened in here."

"Urgh shut up!" She shouted in exasperation. "I don't want to know!" She yanked the door open and walked in.

If Aomine could just get to the second floor and watch as Kagami had done before. But he didn't have the keys. He approached the door, and noticed the keys left in the keyhole. Eh? Lucky. He quietly took them and headed up, hoping the door wouldn't creak.

Her feet led her towards the storage room and she pulled out the cart of basketballs. "Wanna try?"

"I don't play basket."

"I didn't ask you to play. Just shoot." She threw him a ball.

He caught it. "Ufff… you give some powerful passes. For a girl."

"I've always trained with boys, so of course."

"Always surrounded by men. Tcs, tcs, tcs, Lil' monkey. You are lucky!" He shook his head in mock disapproval, teasing her. "And that hot stuff you showed me yesterday!" He smacked his lips.

What hot stuff? Aomine managed to soundlessly enter the spectators' area and crouched down, hiding behind a poster hanging there. He felt like that night when he and Kise had observed Kagami twins. Why the hell am I doing this? He felt guilty. Maybe if he had just asked her…

"Aomine wouldn't be happy if he heard you." She said and a shiver ran down his spine. It sounded almost as if she knew he was there.

"Aomine? So that's his name! Wait, the same one Hikaru mentioned? You danced with him? You are one surprise after another… Then you must have a crush!"

Aya wasn't fazed by Kouta's rambling. She shot a ball she was holding; it landed in without touching the rim. Aya nodded in satisfaction. "So? What did you want to talk about?" Teasing was gone as if she switched it off. She was already holding another ball aiming at the basket.

"Mmmmhm." He took one ball too, once he was there, he might as well try it. "You are coming to L.A. in the summer, right?"

That surprised her. What does he need? "Well yes. The Interhigh is in the first week of the summer holiday, so we'll have to wait, but I should be back some last days of July, I s'pose. Why'd you ask?"

"Aaah… Actually… I wanted to ask you a favour."

"What is it?" She asked calmly and threw in another shot.

"You see… I danced competitively too."

"Yes, I know. You still do if I remember correctly." She interrupted him.

"I did buuuut… I broke up with my dancing partner. I'm not good with women." He scratched the back of his neck sheepishly. "I know, I know, you warned me about relationships with my partners, but I couldn't help it! She was gorgeous! And those hips she had!"

"And what does that have to do with me, Kouta? Hm? I'm not gonna scold you, so what do you want?" She asked and made another basket, not looking at him once.

His eyes narrowed. "You know... You knew all along that I wanted to ask a favour!"

"Let's say I know you, and it was written all over your face. Let me guess? Want me to become your partner?" She raised an eyebrow, rested one palm on her hip and gave him an 'I'm-not-impressed' look.

Kouta's jaw almost hit the ground as he stared at her with wide eyes. She really changed, in a good way. Then he blinked and nodded. "Just for one competition! It's in the first week of August. It's a small local event in L.A.. I want to participate, but I don't have a partner. Aya, please!"

Not Lil' monkey? She sighed. "Find yourself a partner. You have plenty of time to do that. I don't compete anymore. And besides, you are in a different age category."

"In that competition there are no categories. That's why. And, Raymond is going to participate with his new partner. Aren't you interested? I mean, he was your partner; you spent years growing up and practising together!"

Aya laughed incredulously. "Seriously?! But... He might not participate in the end though... Still, it makes me quite curious indeed…"

"Why exactly?" He asked because he could feel something more behind this.

"Well… he hasn't entered a competition ever since I've quit. Not once. He has a new partner. He should be aiming higher than local competitions. And entering one in August? That late in the season? Strange, huh? I doubt they'll actually go there."

"I was wondering about it too. He is a spectacular dancer. You won the championship eight years in a row. It was win after win for the two of you, so it didn't make sense for you to suddenly quit and for him not to compete afterwards… And pairs like you two, usually stay together for a long time. What you've told to press… That you were tired of it, it was only half-truth, right?" Originally he wanted a 'yes' or 'no' answer. If she said no, he was fine with it, but this bothered him for a long time. Lil' monkey quitting out of the blue… It hadn't been just because of boredom.

"Half-truths are nice." She nodded. "I was partly tired of it. That's true. Not of the competitions itself, but the constant travelling all over the globe. Almost every week different competition or two, the envy and rumours everywhere, it wears you out. You have to constantly watch your back, what you talk about, who you talk with." She shrugged. If she said there were no friends, she would be lying, but they were rare. "And then I learned that Ray was searching for a new partner. Or rather… he couldn't keep it together and someone took advantage of that as I figured out later on."

"He couldn't stand the rumours about you?" Kouta snorted. "What a weakling of a man."

"A boy, Kouta. And I couldn't stand them myself." She drew her fingers through her loose hair and sat down. Kouta followed her example. They started to roll a ball like little kids. "He was a huge support pillar, and he crumbled sooner than me." She chuckled bitterly. "I needed him. The break up with Tatsuya, the photo, the argument with father and Taiga… You know the shit. Suddenly I had nothing to hold on to except the competitions. Except that weird friendship I had with Ray. Or so I thought. And there he was, going behind my back. That he decided to change the partner and ditch me was one thing, but that he didn't have the guts to face me head on hurt much more. And so…"

"You quit first. You decided to win the last championships and leave first." He filled in. It was probably a simplified version of the story, considering the little time they had, but he could understand all the feelings behind it. Aya could've fought for it, but considering everything she'd had to deal with, it'd been the best choice she'd had.

"…before he could add one more thing to everything that was falling down on me. Not that it was easy." She said with another sigh, but she felt lighter.

Even now, the battle was visible in her eyes, but she was already past 'what if' questions. It was a waste of time and energy to dwell on things she decided to leave behind. With those basketball dorks and the dancing club she felt happier, calmer, better.

"That means you know her. His current partner, right?"

"Of course I do! She is a daughter of one of our former coaches. And she is good when it comes to technique, but there it ends."

"So an ice queen… Then it makes sense he doesn't compete yet. He dealt with fire since he was a kid and now he ended up with a pile of ice." Kouta noticed the strange look she gave him. "I mean… metaphorically speaking… Nah, forget it… I'm surprised Taiga didn't break Raymond's nose for hurting his sis." Kouta mused as he sent the ball back to Aya.

Fire huh? But I guess he is right. "Oh, but Taiga doesn't know all my reasons. And we weren't talking to each other much then."

"WHAT?! You two talk about everything and he doesn't know?! Why?!" Those two were an example of a sibling relationship in Kouta's opinion. And now he learnt this? "Then why are you telling all this to me?!"

Not just to you… Aya shrugged. "Who knows? You leave the day after tomorrow, and I don't have to see your face for another few weeks, but I live with Taiga. I don't want him to unnecessarily worry 'bout me, I'm past breaking down already."

"Precisely because you don't tell him things he worries. Your brother is a dork, but he isn't stupid; he knows you aren't telling him everything. For someone as smart as you, you can be pretty stupid, Aya. Get it through that thick skull of yours: You don't have to deal with everything alone. Okay?"

She was nodding with a gentle smile on her face. Wait… How do you know he worries? "Oi! And when did you manage to talk with Taiga alone! He was avoiding you like a plague the entire night."

She knew Kouta was (surprisingly) right this time and she'd have to talk with Taiga. She felt she could for quite some time, but she always found some excuse not to. But Taiga was always there for her, even if they argued and fought, he would always care for her.

"Not the entire night." Kouta smirked. "You both know I'm perverted, and I play around a lot, and tease you a lot, but I'd never do anything to you. I mean… I've known you since you were born. I've seen your mother changing your diapers! What a trauma! Urgh, disgusting…"

Aya picked up a ball and threw it at Kouta, trying to hit his face. He barely avoided it, and laughed. But another ball came flying his way and then another.

"Stop it, stupid." He shouted at her.

"You are stupid!" She reciprocated.

"Yeah, yeah. So? I'll ask one more time. Are you willing to enter that one competition with me?"

"…" She stopped throwing balls at him and thought about it. "Give me a deadline, and I'll decide by then. It wouldn't be bad to play around with Ray a bit…" She tapped at her lower lip.

She'll agree… "Your deadline is by the day of the competition. Sixth August. If you ditch me, then I'll have to compete with a broom as my partner."

She laughed at the image. "Careful, it might be more interesting to see you dancing with a broom than to become your partner for a day."

"Even you aren't that evil, Lil' monkey."

"We'll see on the sixth of August." She said with an evil smirk on her face.

What have I gotten myself into? And his original idea was to help her, because he thought she was feeling down. To his surprise she was levelled up with everything now and he admired that side of Kagami Aya. Whatever swept her off her feet, she could always get back up.

"Anything else, you want to know?"

"Oh, yes! You've invited me to the summer training camp!" He couldn't believe it when he'd received an email about acceptance.

It was a prestige to get invited. The camp had been taking place in the UK for decades. The main idea was to form dancing prodigies and stars. The idea changed and evolved during the years, but it was still a camp for the chosen ones. The Kagamis took over organizing the camp after a supervisor had died and there had been no one else willing to take over, so Aya's mother decided to do it and after she had passed away, it was Aya supervising it; with help of others, but she was the one that had become the main pillar that kept the idea from dying. Its purpose now, was to gather people all over the globe, so they could practise together for two weeks and exchange their experience and skills. It hosted over three hundred people altogether, divided into three categories each year. Only those with results and outstanding potential could get into this camp. Some people, like Aya, were going there every year; that was an advantage of being a part of the organizing group, but without results to back her up, even she would never get to practise.

"Yes I have. The Shiranuis were a part of that for decades but your grandfather was against its policy so you were never invited. He was my first sensei, and I admired him a lot, so I worked with the rules and they are slowly changing. I'd love to expand it and host more people, but that would be logistically difficult… Well… I'm looking forward to dancing with you for the two weeks in the summer."

"Wait what?!" That isn't right. Did I hear what I heard?

She put a finger on her lips in thought. "… That is… If you don't find a partner till then."

"I won't." He blurted out. The opportunity to practise with Aya... It wasn't something to throw away. He knew he would puke blood and he wouldn't feel his feet after the day one, but it was so worth it all.

On an impulse he ran towards her and hugged her. "Thank you!"

"Let go, stupid. I can't breathe." She grunted.

He let go and took a step back, grinning like an idiot. "Oh, sorry. I got carried away."

"Someone is in the gym, captain!" Wakamatsu's voice reached them.

Aya glanced at the clock and it was indeed time for a morning practise. The boys peeked inside, they still weren't in their training clothes, but they came to check up the gym first. It wasn't usual for it to be open like this.

"So it was you Aya-san! Captain, you were right!" Wakamatsu said loudly and Imayoshi took a step back, his ear ringing with the vice-captain's voice.

"You don't have to shout, Wakamatsu." He reminded him calmly. "Now, since we resolved the mystery," he looked at Kouta with interest, but didn't comment on it, "go get changed. Coach is not going to be here today. I'm leading the practise!" He ordered, and with some grumbles they turned on their heels and left to the changing room. Imayoshi then stared at Kouta. "I believe you shouldn't be here any longer, Shiranui-senpai."

"Ohooo?" He blinked at Imayoshi. "So you do remember me! I had a feeling you might, Shoichi-kun."

Urgh… "Yep. At first I didn't but… Well. It's nice seeing you doing so well." He said with a sly smirk. He didn't like this senpai who had been a part of the student council when he had entered his first year, but there had always been some sort of a mutual understanding between them.

"That terrible personality of yours." Kouta smirked as well. As the number one prankster, his personality was similar to Imayoshi's. He approached his kouhai with an evil spark in his eyes. "What would you say about some reunion poker game? I'm the one who've taught you how to play after all…" He asked and they walked out of the gym, leaving Aya confused.

What the hell was the meaning of that?! She thought. Then her eyes focused on the poster hanging over the railing.

She picked up one ball, aimed and shot.

"OUCH!" Aomine's startled grunt resonated through the gym.

She knew he was there. She'd noticed him the moment he'd exited his mother's car, and she'd left the keys out there for him; out of curiosity over what he would do. "It's not nice spying on others, Honey-bun. I'm disappointed."

He jumped to his feet scratching the spot that was hit. "I wasn't…" Damn! This one's on you, mom! He wanted to deny it, but what could he do? She caught him red handed. "I don't trust him." He grumbled out the truth. "So when I saw him going here with you…" He was looking everywhere but at Aya. "I didn't like it."

That's the definition of jealousy… But at least he isn't coming up with stupid excuses. "Thanks for your concern, but I can handle myself, Aomine. Mainly when it comes to my family." She waited until he would look at her.

When he did her reddish eyes pierced him with intensity he'd never felt before. "I haven't lied to Kouta just because you are here though."

"Since when have you known I was here?" He asked, staring back at her.

"Since you've exited the car."

"Why haven't you said anything?"

"I was curious about what you'd do. And did you want to chat with Kouta? I doubt it." And… maybe… I wanted you to know? She thought …because it didn't make sense. For someone who valued her privacy above everything and who hated people sticking their noses into her business, she didn't mind Aomine knowing. On the contrary, as much as she wanted to understand him, she wanted to be understood as well. Not that she'd admit it.

So you were saving me? What nonsense… Yet everything he learnt… There was quite a lot to process. And he wasn't sure what to think of her anymore. He was learning bits and pieces, but now he wanted to know everything. In the proper order, because some things didn't make sense.

He climbed down; using the ladder Aya feared would break under his weight. "You angry?" He asked.

"A bit. I certainly haven't expected you, out of all people, to spy. But I guess there's nothing to be done about it. Next time, it's your turn to answer my questions." She said with a smirk. Teasing was a good mask both of them liked to use.

"Oh?" He raised his eyebrow, understanding her intention. "You have questions for me, Sweetheart?"

"Of course, Honey-bun. And I'll start right now." She pulled out her phone to look for something. When she found it, she stuck it under his nose. Diverting attention…

His eyes widened.

"So, what do we do with Model-kun?"

"I'll kill him." He growled dangerously.

"Aomine-kun! Good to see you here!" Satsuki appeared at the door carrying water bottles.

Not a good timing, Satsuki. Not a good timing… Aya sighed inwardly.

"Have you seen this?" In his abrupt turn he almost hit Satsuki in the face with the phone.

She avoided it and stumbled backwards to regain her balance. "Aomine-kun! Watch it!" She scolded him, but then she noticed what he was showing her.

Her eyes widened upon seeing the video and she paled. I'm dead for sure. "I…" She took a step back and looked at her feet. "Ki-chan sent it to me right away… And to your mom, and I have no idea who else…" She rambled out the truth. It was pointless trying to come up with excuses when Dai-chan was pissed off.

"Why haven't you told me?" He asked Satsuki in a dangerously low voice.

"Because she knew you'd react exactly like this." Aya butted in. "I received it on Sunday too. It probably circulated your former team…" The moment she said it, she realised her mistake after she saw the rage glimmering in his eyes.

He was too furious to feel embarrassed anymore. He felt like punching something. "You're all traitors." He growled and stormed out. On his way out he rammed into several boys, shoving them roughly out of his way.

"What has gotten into him?!" Wakamatsu grunted; the first year sure had a lot of strength. "And why was he even here?!"

"Let's say we pissed him off…" Enough that he forgot to return my phone… Aya shrugged with a half smile. "Now I'm finally going to change."

######

Aomine skipped classes that day.

He was laying on the rooftop slowly calming down. So the entire Teiko team saw him dancing… Oh god… I'll so kill you Kise! (Kise felt a chill run down his spine at that very moment.)

But he had Aya's phone. He should go and return it. The idea to rummage through its content crossed his mind, but he had spied on her enough. He decided not to do that anymore. If it were the other way around he wouldn't like it either. And he didn't know her password.

So what have I learnt about her? She had a partner who ditched her… Because… Why? Why would someone ditch her? He was just a coward. And she won't be here during summer break… Well neither will I… And she will spend two weeks in a camp with Shiranui?! That one?!

"…What the hell?!" He mumbled and stared at the clouds passing by.

But that wasn't all. He could relate to almost everything she had said:

Having a talent that exceeds everyone? Check.

Getting tired of winning? Check. She didn't say it like this, but she must have felt that too.

Arguing with parents over it? Check. But we've resolved it already. Kagami probably hasn't.

Being ditched by your teammate and friend? Check. Tche… Who am I fooling? I'm the one who ditched Tetsu…

"What d' ya know? We are more similar than I've thought…" He said out loud and sighed, spinning her phone in his palm.

"Yep, we are." Aya's voice came from below him.

He almost got another heart attack. "Shit! Do you have to do that?!"

"No. But I want my phone back. It's not my fault you talk to yourself." She climbed the ladder up and sat next to him.

He was frowning at her, not willing to hand her the phone. "How did you know I was talking about you?"

"After your little spying adventure? Pretty obvious." She said with a serious face. But then her lips broke into a wide grin and she laughed. "I didn't, stupid! I can't read your mind. But I thought it was a hilarious remark."

He rolled his eyes and slumped back to his original position; spread on his back with arms folded under his head. His eyes were closed now. It was easier to talk with Kagami this way.

She took the phone he left on the ground. "Are you still angry?" She tried. Satsuki kept nagging her to go after him, because the pinkette was too scared to face him.

"Yes."

"For how long?"

"…"

"You know, just so I can mentally prepare myself for classes when my partner will ignore me, or be very rude and hostile to me… And I don't recommend that."

"…'cause you'll be a bitch towards me?" He remembered her words from when she'd decided to take him on as a partner for schoolwork.

"Something like that." She smiled and he could hear rustling of her clothes as she laid next to him. "Who are you angry with the most?"

"Kise-bastard. And Satsuki and mom and you, and everyone who hasn't told me a thing." The more he talked with her, the more his initial anger seemed pointless. It was already out, and he couldn't erase it from their minds…

"We knew your reaction…" She said and watched clouds above her. "And you can't kill Model-kun before the preliminaries."

"They would manage without him too." Aomine didn't pout, but this was the closest thing to pouting he could do.

Aya chuckled. "Come on. When I saw it for the first time I wasn't pleased by it either. I don't like people taking photos or videos of me without my consent... But it's not that bad! He caught your first baby steps in dancing and it's cute!"

First? He cracked opened one eye to glare at her Go-to-hell-with-calling-me-cute.

She laughed. "So what do we do to him?"

"We?"

"You are not going to kill him on your own, are you? Let's prank him."

"Oh?" That sounded interesting. Pranking Kise was never easy. Something like video sharing wouldn't make him angry in the slightest. He was a model after all, he loved being seen. "What are your ideas?"

"I don't know, but let's wait until after the preliminaries, but before the final league. That means two weeks for coming up with a good prank. And we could get his sister involved. The one you addressed formally." Aya didn't know her, but she assumed they would get along.

That sounds good. "… Aiko-san? Careful with that, she knows the best ryo ashi hishigi [S1] in the world. You don't want to provoke her much." He shivered at the memory when he had last fallen victim to her. Aiko was all smiles, until one managed to piss her off; then her abilities in martial arts shone. And she was better than both of them.

"What is that?" Aya asked, confused.

"A wrestling move, basically." He didn't feel like explaining it any further, and demonstration was out of the question. Though the idea intrigued him...

"You wrestle?" Her tone was careful. She didn't think that was it, but she couldn't not ask.

He turned his head to look at her; he so wanted to see her expression. "No. I do jiu-jitsu."

At that moment her expression went blank. "So you do…" She turned away and stared expressionlessly at the clouds. Then she snapped back to stare at him with wide eyes. "You do martial arts?!" She asked loudly, not quite believing it.

A typical smirk formed on his lips. It felt great stunning the redhead. "Satsuki hasn't told ya?"

"No!" She shouted.

"I'm surprised you know what it is."

"Of course I do! I don't know the names of techniques or anything but Kiku gave me a quick explanation of Japanese traditional martial arts. It was really interesting…" She rambled out. Crap, I shouldn't have mentioned Kiku… "But I thought you only played basketball. So why…"

She wanted to question me… But she sure does it in a roundabout way… "My father is a policeman, former soldier. I've done martial arts since forever, and I wasn't allowed to quit, though I was allowed to cut down those practises to two in a week." And he enjoyed it too. Maybe because he wasn't as good at it as he was at basketball. But he still loved basketball the most.

"Interesting…" How come it didn't occur to me sooner? She mused inwardly. Aomine had that kind of air around him, she couldn't describe. It was a mixture of respect, confidence, aggressiveness and wildness but it wasn't scary. It was safe. Aya just never connected it to fighting skills.

"That's all you say?" He raised an eyebrow, expecting her to ask more, to say more.

"Want me to praise you?" She teased. "I knew you had to do some workouts to stay in shape, but martial arts… That was unexpected."

He chuckled. "So you were thinking about me?"

"I'm a manager, I think about the entire team." She was spinning her phone now… "Did you go through it?"

He had to trace her stare to understand the question. "I don't need the hell to break loose, do I?"

"Smart choice." She nodded. "We should go back. There are still three more classes."

"I'm skipping today." He announced and closed his eyes again.

"Fine."

######

"Tada-senpai!" Aya called after him when she spotted him in the second year's hallway. Surprisingly he was not accompanied by Wakamatsu.

"Aya-san, what's up?" He stopped and waited for the manager.

"Shall I invite Kiku for our preliminaries? At least to those matches we have in the afternoons?"

Tada caught Aya's hands and his eyes sparkled. "Please do! Kousuke is too shy to do that, and it's probably better if he doesn't know."

Aya smirked. "Consider it done, senpai."

######

"So? Is he still furious?" Satsuki asked, when Aya returned to the classroom, with phone in her hands.

The boys and even Kiku were expecting Aya's reply. They didn't know what exactly had pissed the ace off so much, but they were more or less involved in the story.

"Not anymore. At least I think so. But he is still skipping." Aya announced.

Satsuki sighed in relief. "Thank you. I was afraid he might start ignoring us."

"So he ignores people that piss him off?" Kano asked. He had pissed Aomine off several times, but the ace didn't seem to ignore him.

"If it's serious." Satsuki nodded gravely. "Dealing with him when that happens is very difficult."

"Good to know." Aya smiled at her, just as the bell rang. "Let's give him some space and we'll see."

"Sure. I'm going! See you at the practise!" And the pinkette was gone.

######

"What are you doing, Kise?" Kasamatsu asked him during the afternoon practise, fighting the urge to kick him. He knew that Kise was strange and weird, but his behaviour that day exceeded the usual weirdness. The blonde kept looking over his shoulder and mumbling something that sounded awfully similar to prayers.

"I'm feeling chills, Kasamacchi. Someone is cursing me." He shivered and looked over his shoulder yet again.

Kasamatsu rolled his eyes. "Call me senpai! And if you don't start practising properly I will be the one to curse you."

"But Kasamacchiiii! Don't be so mean towards me!" He whined, which earned him a kick from Kasamatsu.

He took a deep breath, chills or no chills, he had no time to spare.

After the practise, he checked his phone to see if he had some new texts from fangirls, or new jobs, but to his surprise he found a mail from Ayacchi:

'Aomine saw the video. Pray you won't meet him by chance, Model-kun.'

Craaaap! Why'd you do that Ayacchi?! Whyyyyy? He slumped to his knees holding his phone up in almost a praying gesture.

"What is he doing?" Moriyama asked their captain.

"Let the idiot be the idiot." He rolled his eyes and slammed his locker.

######

Aomine returned home, much later than usual – Satsuki was too immersed into her analysis of their first opponents, which, in Aomine's point of view, was pointless. It was Kitamiya-high, the one they had faced before. After one glance at their game he assumed they were not worth the sweat, but Satsuki insisted, she had to finish her analysis, and she wouldn't have time once she got home, and so he stayed at school with her. He wasn't angry anymore, but he wasn't talking to her much either.

"Where were you, Daiki?" His mom asked when she served him dinner. Father was in a night shift and it was surprising that she was home. They were usually working the same schedules.

"At school. I'll go out with Shiro and Kurome after dinner. Why?"

"Did you stay with Kagami-chan?"

"No, Satsuki. Kagami went to her practise." He explained curtly and started eating. "I believe you do know she dances."

Michiko sighed, but ignored his jab. She'd been warned. "Ryouta-kun stopped by. He said he had something for you. So he left it in your room."

Daiki's eyes narrowed. So the Kise-bastard dared to come to his house after all that…

"Are you angry with him?"

"I'm angry with all of you!" He snapped. "You should've told me, when you received it."

Oh dear… He's seen it… "Well son, we didn't want to trouble you –"

"Don't." He raised his arm to shut her up. "Just don't talk to me now."

Michiko sighed sadly, but nodded. They finished dinner in silence, but to her surprise, Daiki took the dishes and washed them. He usually didn't do that at all, and it made Michiko smile.

He strolled up to his room, followed by whining Shiro, which wanted him to pay attention to her. But he pushed the Samoyed away and sat on his bed. Shiro wasn't one to give up so she rested her big head on his thigh. With a sigh he scratched her behind her ears.

"Yeah, yeah… Good girl."

His eyes fell on the magazine stuck under his pillow, wrapped in a brown paper. So he brought Mai-chan's photo book… Kise kept his promise, but Daiki didn't care much about it now. It was intact, meaning that his mother hadn't checked it out. He reached over and took it out. Once he tore off the wrapping, he spotted a sticky note covering Mai-chan's breasts.

That bastard… He smirked mockingly, a vein popping on his forehead, but then he read the message Kise had left:

'Here's the photo book I've promised. Sorry 'bout the video, please don't kill me Aominecchi! I've sent it only to Momocchi, Kurokocchi, Murasakibaracchi, Shiracchi and your parents!

(And Aiko-nee-cchi might have seen it by accident…)

Sorry!

If you really want to kill me, do so after the prelims…'

Daiki crumpled the note and threw it away. What a smart idiot. He wasn't that angry anymore. Somehow, talking with Kagami helped. Though he still wanted to get back at the blonde.

His phone vibrated.

He took it out of his pocket. Who might that be?

It was a mail from Kagami. She'd never sent him anything, except an invitation to their team's chat group she had created some time ago, and he kept ignoring the chat anyways.

'The video, so you can't say you didn't see the whole thing.'

[S1] Boston crab holding. I'm 99,9% sure it's called "ashi hishigi" in Jiu jitsu, but the term comprises more than just this one technique. Whether it's "ryo" ashi hishigi I'm not sure (Mr. Google said so), so if someone knows, please let me know!

A/N: I hope you liked it! Aomine might be a bit OOC with the spying adventure (if so, then sorry), but I believe he can be quite unreasonable too - and Kise's rubbing off on him.

/sentence structure, grammar minor wording changed on 26.6.2021/

Let me know what you think and remember, reviews are appreciated but never necessary!

S.