When she left her classroom, Ritsu would have never imagined to bear witness to such an absurd incident. After waiting a little while for Murasakibara's answer, which never came, she planned to go look for Akashi, when a distant yet familiar voice called her. Contrary to what she thought, the purplehead was currently giving her a hand. But he did it in the worst way possible, if truth be told.
Now that Murasakibara fled the crime scene and having Akashi's long gaze suspecting her, she wished he had used another way to fulfil his task. She found it even more difficult to invite Akashi for lunch than before. What has gotten into Murasakibara's head?
"Oha-Asa horoscope sure is very accurate." Midorima concluded in a dead serious tone.
That didn't make her laugh at all, she was feeling too guilty to catch on to the slightest hint of a joke. Besides, Akashi's pressure was enough to refrain her from playing the innocent card.
"Asaka. Are you involved in what just happened? I saw you two exchange looks before he threw my wallet."
She was cornered. In this kind of situation, it was best for her to tell the truth.
"Sort of...But I didn't expect that kind of turn of events."
Akashi said nothing and it didn't lift the weight off her shoulders.
"Ah, don't misunderstand. I never asked Murasakibara-kun to do that insane thing."
What a lame defence. Their unconvinced looks suspected her even more.
"Then tell us what was your intention or rather how you did corner Murasakibara to act so stupidly."
Considering how things turned out to be, he was the one who drove Murasakibara into a corner. From the beginning, she knew it wouldn't be simple to treat him for a meal, but never to the extent of pushing a nonchalant boy like Murasakibara to resort to desperate measures. Nevertheless, despite his appearance, the purplehead sure had guts. He threw Akashi's wallet out of the window, and he would certainly be the first and the last person who had been able to cross that line.
"Please don't talk like I'm some villain. I just wanted to treat you to lunch as a thank you for your notes. You really saved me. As for Murasakibara, he offered his help to thank me for sharing my lunch with him the other day. He doesn't have any hard feelings against you whatsoever."
What a complete idiot she was. In the end, she spilled everything. If she had known the outcome, she wouldn't have hesitated in inviting him.
"I'm sorry for the trouble I've caused you."
"I see. I appreciate the concern but it was my very own initiative, whether you accepted my help or not, it was up to you. I wouldn't have minded if you had refused. In a way, you have nothing to thank me for, Asaka."
"AH!" She cried aloud, as he declined exactly the same way she had predicted. "I knew it! No wonder I had to come up with something to make you accept!"
She then grabbed Akashi by his shoulders and looked him straight in the eyes.
"So to make things easier, Akashi-kun, do me a favor, would you just shut up and comply for once? I want to thank you!"
"Asaka, you're asking the wrong way!" Midorima interjected.
"I-I know! But if I'm not doing it this way, he'll never accept!" Ritsu retorted as she started a staring contest with Akashi. If words were useless, she would squeeze a positive reply out of him with the sheer power of her eyes.
"Because you think he would under pressure!?"
"Nothing ventured, nothing gained!"
"Well, I never said I'd refuse an invitation for lunch every once in a while." Akashi put a stop to their banter. "You didn't have to think so hard."
At his wit's end and hungry, Midorima let them be, not wanting to be involved with the both of them any longer. He had nothing to do with it; after all, he was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. In short, a continuation of his bad day all predicted by Oha-Asa Horoscope.
"So you...will?" Ritsu rejoiced, a little hope shining in her eyes.
"Under normal circumstances, I wouldn't have minded eating with you, but you're forgetting something, Asaka. You're as guilty as Murasakibara."
Upon hearing it, her little hope shattered into fragments, but she couldn't have helped it. Since the moment Murasakibara decided to lend her a hand, the odds were already against her. She really should have taken a more direct approach. Just like she did when they first talked with each other.
"So I would ask you to bring me back my wallet. Quickly."
Despite the polite tone of voice, it was undoubtedly an order. Well, knowing him, it would have been very odd if he had let her off the hook.
"But what will you do about lunch?"
"It's a bit late to worry about that."
Ritsu wanted to insist more but when she spared a thought for the poor Murasakibara who went to look for his wallet, she fell silent. Not only Akashi, the purple-haired boy too should be quite hungry right now. And to say, he took the trouble to help her at that sacred hour of the day, she couldn't bring herself to let him bear all the responsibility alone.
"I'm going to help him right now. I won't be long."
"I'm counting on you."
Ritsu turned around, ready to join Murasakibara. He would certainly not be happy to see her so soon after taking such a risk for her. Even if she had wished things would have taken a better turn. Nevertheless, all was not lost.
She grabbed her wallet and took out two free coupons from a famous coffee shop, which she had kept as a plan B in case Akashi refused that she paid for his meal.
She took a look out a window and a cheerful smile passed on her lips.
Seems like this treat will be for another day.
Left behind, Midorima and Akashi didn't move an inch from their spots.
"What will you do, Akashi? I assume you won't wait for those two idiots to eventually come back with your wallet." Midorima asked in an exasperated voice.
Both of them were in the same situation now: without lunch nor money to buy food.
Akashi glanced at him from the corner of his eyes along with a smirk. Of course he wouldn't.
"You should have accepted her treat in this situation. Now you're left with no option."
"Like you're one to talk." Akashi countered with a chuckle as he showed him two meal tickets from the cafeteria. "I always have options."
Midorima rolled his eyes. At this point, nothing could surprise him anymore; he had his fill of emotions for the day.
"It's getting late. Let's hurry."
The red-haired boy led the way.
In front of an outside vending machine, Murasakibara pressed the button of the selected item and stooped to grab the fresh bottle of ice tea that fell at the bottom. Taking another coin out of his pocket, his hand went over the same ritual, save for the change of selection. But with a growling stomach, those repetitive movements made his patience grow rather thin.
Why couldn't the vending machine take multiple selections at once?, the purplehead asked himself.
When he lifted his chin up to the sky, the sun was at its zenith. The gaze lost in the blue, he smelled the ambient air as he breathed in. A stifling breath invaded his lungs with heat before it spread to his whole body. For a day in early June, the weather was rather hot and humid today. In only a few minutes, the water in the air seemed to soak into his skin and the sticky impression it created made his uniform more or less uncomfortable on him.
With this invisible and bothering weight upon his body, all his spirit abandoned him, swept away with the heat wave. He suddenly didn't feel like doing anything, even the most insignificant movement that was to remove his uniform jacket, because for that he had to put all the snacks he bought as his lunch down, take off the cloth, keep it on his arms and take the trouble to pick up the food. The thought of that long series of movements stopped him from even starting. Too much of a hassle. So instead, he decided to go sit in the shade and eat. After that, he would take up the search of that tiny wallet. Yes, after that, not before and at his pace.
In any case, he didn't know where it landed and the open scenery before him was enough to put him off. So, there was nothing wrong in taking his sweet time to look for it. He didn't care in the least to bring the wallet to his owner on time, as long as he brought it back by the end of the day. Besides, he ran away fast enough to not let Akashi order him to retrieve it before lunchbreak ended. All of his excuses were found if he was to be scolded later. And given the circumstances, Murasakibara doubted Akashi would be lenient on him whether he was late or not.
He made Akashi angry, that was reason enough to think he had crossed the line.
"Giving up already? It's only been ten minutes." Ritsu gave him a smile, her gray-blue eyes slowly drawn to the snacks piled on his left arm. "Don't tell me you've already found Akashi's wallet and used his money to buy snacks as compensation?"
Murasakibara stopped in his tracks and stared at the ash-blondhead who popped up at his side.
"You're not eating with Aka-chin? Why?"
"He found out about everything. He sort of sends me here to help you."
"Asa-chin..." He mumbled her name with a faint tone filled with reproaches.
Ritsu vaguely tilted her head from side to side in a pensive manner, masking a little sense of guilt shown through her embarrassment.
"I know, I completely failed. As I thought, from the beginning he really didn't expect any gratitude from me...And now that he had all the reasons to refuse my treat, I didn't have much power of persuasion to make Akashi-kun accept."
Murasakibara took the news with the same distance with which the girl relayed the event. She didn't try to go into details and he would not ask them. The only thing he needed to know was already said, she didn't manage to invite Akashi for lunch despite his help.
With a long gaze, he looked at the girl's face and a faint scowl showed on his face. Here was the very reason why some people, in most case weak ones, tended to annoy him. They always try too hard and believe they can do many things, even when they are conscious of their own weakness, but when they fail, they always turn other's efforts into naught and generally drag those around them down. And needless to say that this very fact was even more emphasized in a team sport like basketball.
Weak people only make him double his efforts for things he could do easily alone and for the same results.
Ritsu was somewhat toeing the Weak boundary he set. The first time he made acquaintances with her, the latter didn't mark him with a strong impression at all; rather it was close to an ordinary feeling, like the one he had when he looked at his daily surroundings. She didn't stand out much, despite the expectations around her.
"Well, like you, I tried to force him as last resort but it got the opposite effect, I might have worsened my case instead. I was out of arguments and he got the best of me." Ritsu tapped her chin with her fingers, looking elsewhere as though she was reflecting on her actions. "...But Akashi-kun sure is someone who knows how to play hard to get. That makes me remember the first time I tried to thank him." She chuckled. "In a way, that's kind of funny from a boy like him."
The brief analysis seemed to amuse the girl a little, but Murasakibara just continued to seriously stare at her delighted face, asking himself in what sort of twisted way she was seeing his red-haired teammate to come to such a conclusion. He didn't understand the reason for her delight. There was nothing, strictly nothing funny about Akashi and the whole situation. As a matter of fact, Akashi wasn't the funniest guy around, not to say the least he encountered. As schoolmate or teammate, his clear opinion never changed about him, and for good reason. Whatever the situation or the person were, he would always have the last word. Which meant, they lost to him.
Thus, he could not manage to share Ritsu's positive attitude.
"Anyway, we better find this wallet before Akashi-kun gets really mad at us. I'd like to avoid that." The girl's gray-blue eyes scoped the schoolyard, and she narrowed them slightly for a better view. "Hm, I wonder if he'd accept my treat once we find it– Oh, but Midorima-kun will certainly help him out. I'm sure they must be eating together as we're speaking."
The ashblonde let out a faint sigh of disappointment.
"They can't eat, Asa-chin." Ritsu looked back at him. "Mido-chin doesn't have his wallet, he forgot it at home."
The girl suddenly blanched and gaped at him, almost forgetting to breathe in that lapse of time.
"T-That means they'll both starve to death unless we come back with Akashi-kun's wallet...Oh..." She mutered to herself, slowly realising all the mess she caused with one innocent intention. She then heaved a long and heavy sigh. "We're in deep trouble, then...I mean I am. Murasakibara-kun, you should go eat. You must be hungry too, right?"
She sneaked a glance at his pile of snacks.
"I'll try to find the wallet myself. You threw it just to help me, meaning if I didn't sent you the message earlier, you wouldn't have done this. You're kind of a victim just like Akashi-kun and Midorima-kun are, though I must say that Midorima-kun had some bad luck to have been caught in this. Moreover, I can't have three outstanding members of the basketball club go to practice in such a pitiful state and probably get scolded ‒ all because of my initiative."
Slowly figuring out what she was getting at, Murasakibara showed a slight frown.
"So, you should go and see Akashi-kun to treat him for lunch to make up for his lost wallet. Then tell him you'll do your best to look for it after eating. Since he figured out my intention, he'll probably overlook what you've done and accept the treat. He knows when times are critical."
Murasakibara shook his head at the idea, a disgusted look marking his facial traits. "I'm staying with Asa-chin."
Notwithstanding the bloom of a new friendship, the truth was he wasn't very excited at the idea of facing an angry Akashi at the moment. His hesitant behaviour wasn't due to intimidation from the redhead, but found its roots in a more personal level and resulted from a lesson he learned the hard way one day during basketball practice.
More than homework, more than basketball practices, more than everything, dealing with Akashi required too much of his effort – something that unnecessarily draws on his best resources. Yes, Akashi could be very demanding, so it was only natural for a person like Murasakibara to not find him very fun and to stay low under the redhead's radar in order not to be bothered with all kinds of tiring stuffs and to keep up with his usual amount of work.
Besides, he hates losing. And if he was to confront Akashi, he definitely had to apologize to him for the trouble he caused him. He didn't want to do it because by acting this way, it was the same as accepting defeat. So, he preferred to choose the easy way.
"Oh, really, but..." The girl pursed her lips, thinking of a way to change his mind, but she soon gave in with a certain enthusiasm. "Thank you!"
All things clear between them, Ritsu stretched her back, ready for the laborious task. For a while, her eyes scanned the school facade and traced an imaginary arc line in the blue sky.
"It must have landed somewhere near this area." She said while following the invisible trajectory that stopped on a grove of trees a good meter away. "But you took me by surprise with that...move. I never imagined that you'd put that idea of stealing Akashi's wallet into action...Not in this kind of way – to say the least. You really threw his wallet very far, Murasakibara-kun!"
"Aka-chin didn't leave me any choice. Should I not have thrown it?"
"Asking me this now is kind of..." Ritsu tittered, "It's just that it seems to me you've really put your heart into that throw! Strength wasn't the only thing that guided your arm there to hit such a great distance. Akashi-kun must have sensed it too to have not been able to react. It's the first time I've seen him completely shocked!"
"But now Aka-chin is really mad at me. I don't want to deal with him later, especially in basketball practice. He'll come at me...definitely."
Ritsu kept any comments to herself and gave him a compassionate smile.
"I can't do anything about that, but since we're partners in crime," She then brought a hand over her skirt and grabbed her wallet from which she took two coupons. "The least I can do is to thank you with this. I'm aware I wasted most of your efforts, so to not leave on a bad note, why don't we meet after school and eat our fills while letting out our frustration."
With a beaming smile, she presented them to him. Murasakibara lowered his head to take a good look at the coupons – They were from a famous coffee shop with a special mention that made a thin trail of saliva escape the corner of his mouth: All-you-can-eat–pastries for free. At the sight, flowers were popping up and floating around him.
"I hold them in case Akashi-kun refuses the lunch treat, but as of now I think you make a better candidate for them, Murasakibara-kun! I really appreciated your initiative. So, are you up for it?"
Murasakibara accepted the invitation with a smile, forgetting all his bitterness and the clouds that were forming on his horizon.
Sweets will always be there to reward his efforts.
"Midorima, what are your thoughts about Haizaki?"
Amidst the lively quietness of the cafeteria, the question didn't slip Midorima's attention and managed to rouse some of his interest. The green-haired boy stopped all his movements and thoughtfully studied Akashi eating across from him, then without thinking too long on the question, he took a mouthful of rice that he was about to eat.
"Personally, I dislike him." He said curtly, just after swallowing his rice. "A week has passed since his promotion, and his poor behaviour is the only thing I notice from him. He doesn't take practice seriously and, even if he was to, he just keeps adding more trouble for the seniors and other members. Moreover, he seems to have no intention of improving his behaviour. There's a limit to how bad a player can behave inside a team."
Midorima merely stated what was on his mind and made no secret of his bad opinion concerning his new teammate. He then awaited a comment from Akashi, but the latter didn't look like he was about to give one.
"Why do you ask?" He eventually enquired, trying to squeeze an answer out of the redhead with simple eye contact.
"I was just wondering, I already asked Murasakibara and other seniors the same question. Haizaki got his bearings in the first-string quite quickly, it's undeniable. He has talent for basketball and keeps up with all of us." Akashi concluded, lifting his bowl of rice and quietly took a mouthful. "Yet he still hasn't been well-integrated in the team. He has yet to find his place with us."
Midorima mused about it, getting the gist of his teammate's observation. Although he didn't approve of Haizaki's poor behaviour, he knew when he had to recognize talent. Sadly for him, it was the case for Haizaki. He got his basics down pat, his basketball prowess attested for some good hours of practice to reach his current level, and on top of that, he was promoted to the first-string just a couple of months after the basketball try-outs. Sometimes, when observing the style of the latter, Midorima did wonder why he wasn't accepted in the first-string from the start. But, had he even been at the try-outs? Either way, maybe the response was just in front of his eyes. With poor behaviour and so little social skills, Haizaki would hardly attain excellence. Only those who fully commit themselves to one purpose will achieve it.
"In a nutshell, he's only accepted by the club's standards but not by the members themselves."
"To put it bluntly, yes." Akashi nodded. "This lack of communication is a real problem. You already know what I'm talking about; you formed a team with him in practice games."
"Can you even call that a team?" Midorima hissed, his fingers tightening around his chopsticks at the bad memory.
As his tone suggested, that was one of the worst experiences he had since he joined the basketball club. Two days ago was the day of the basketball club's weekly mock games, in which all the three strings were gathered and played against each other in twenty-minute games. The specifics of that special day rested upon the heterogeneity of teams, that is to say that first, second and third-strings members were mixed together to compose each team. Those games were a good occasions to test one another through various and different play configurations. Midorima liked those special days as it allowed him to face his first-string teammates and tested team coordination with his basketball style.
However, the last session had been far from being enjoyable. He had the bad luck to be put in the same team as Haizaki, but his bad experience didn't stop there. Their game was a reflection of the grayhead's arrogance, much to his dismay. Never once had Haizaki demonstrated the slightest intention of a team-orientated play. The ball travelled across the court one-sidedly and the boy relied too much on his own skills to the detriment of his teammate's abilities. Not to mention his aggressive style, that pushed both teammates and opponents aside, knew just one direction: the hoop.
It was pretty ugly to see from Midorima's point of view, despite winning with flying colours.
"Haizaki follows no rule. In those conditions, it is hard to rely on him and trust him. Even Aomine and Murasakibara who tend to do things their own way still care about their surroundings and show respect for their teammates."
"So you trust Aomine and Murasakibara?"
"Naturally." His voice cracked a bit, despite his efforts of making it sound fully composed. "Basketball is played by five players, I can't rely on my own skills alone. Even if it means I have to share the court with two idiots."
He ended the conversation on those words, preventing Akashi from pushing the matter further than he intended to reveal. Along with his silence, he brought the miso soup to his lips and sipped quietly. Seeing that Akashi wasn't about to question him any further, he thought of enjoying the rest of his meal. But Midorima scrunched up his brows.
"What's so funny?"
"I was just appreciating your honesty, Midorima."
The green-haired boy sighed in exasperation. Akashi still hadn't told him the exact reason of his concern about Haizaki's case.
"If you're asking around, Nijimura-senpai and you plan to take measures against him." He got things straight and hardened his gaze on the boy, pressuring him not to beat around the bush any longer. "Right?"
"I'd rather say for his sake. We talked it over with coaches Shirogane and Sanada, and yes, some limits are to be drawn in order to maintain a good cohesion. Nonetheless, it won't change anything. Haizaki is part of the team and has to be considered as such from now on." Akashi went on his speech in a neutral tone, subtly emphasizing on the formal aspect of the matter. Which meant there was strictly nothing to contest about the decision. "And, the sooner, the better."
"Not that I could rejoice about it." Midorima retorted, his facial lines becoming even more apparent.
It can't be helped, thought the green-haired boy. As always, it brought a bitter taste to the back of his throat. But, when he decided to join this prestigious club, he was already prepared for all sorts of difficulties and troubles. The Teikō basketball club strived for excellence, and this path was not to be trodden on without sacrifices. Though, if he was to say it out loud, he'd rather not put up with Haizaki.
"What are you going to do about him?"
"Nothing more than usual."
"What?"
"As you said, Haizaki follows no rule, which means the more you try to bind him to rules, the more he'll try to break them. And we have no time to waste in tag games. We'll hold him in check when necessary but our actions won't go further. Like everyone else, Nijimura-san and I have our own practice and duties to focus on as well, we have our limits." Akashi put down his chopsticks neatly and closed his eyes just for his lips to let a very faint breath slip. But as his eyelids slowly reopened, an expression of cold solemnity flitted across his expression. "We're not here to take care of him."
"Still, I think you're taking his case too lightly. At this rate, Haizaki won't stop giving us trouble."
Akashi raised his gaze up to his face and locked his red eyes upon his.
"As far as I'm concerned, it's obvious when being teammates, there will be problems. You guys have to learn how to play basketball together, that's our main duty. Nijimura-san and I are to enforce the club's motto and unite the team under the same banner, not to baby-sit him or anyone who gives us trouble. For victory's sake, I'll do my best to make him progress and reveal the best of his potential on court." The redhaired boy broke the eye contact and looked out of the windows. "However, if he doesn't make the slightest effort in trying to integrate into the team, there's nothing I can do. I'm not kind enough to extend my hand knowing the other won't ever take it."
For a moment, Midorima found himself speechless. His red pupils shone with an icy light; bright enough to catch his strong sense of duty and his care for the club's welfare on its surface, but the depth of his gaze was unfathomable to his senses.
"...I see, I understand." Midorima managed to say after a couple of seconds, removing that eerie impression from his mind.
Overall, he agreed with him concerning Haizaki. Over this week, the latter showed no improvement in his behaviour despite the warnings and pieces of advice. This absence of self-consciousness wasn't entirely a problem of behaviour or a lack of common sense. In fact, Haizaki felt no true desire to grow with and into this team. So why bother about his fate if he didn't wholly grasp this opportunity for himself?
Though he must admit, for a moment, he mistook Akashi's concern for Haizaki as misplaced compassion, thinking he would request of all members to get along with him, but such compassion had no reason to exist in a club that aimed for excellence. Those who cannot grow along others won't last long. And, Akashi seemed well-aware of this fact.
Neither the coaches, nor Nijimura or Akashi were taking his case lightly at all, they were just waiting for Haizaki to prove himself a valuable asset of the Teikō basketball team – Until someone more worthy came to knock at the club's door.
Midorima exhaled at the conclusion of his long introspection. The idea of playing with Haizaki on the same court again was quite displeasing, but as long as their interactions were kept to the strict minimum, he would put up with the situation. Besides, he was actually doing the same with Aomine and Murasakibara.
Speaking of the latter, his gaze was fixed on a tray next to Akashi, where two bowls of rice and two servings of grilled mackerel were waiting to be eaten. Earlier, Akashi took the trouble to ask the canteen lady to prepare two other servings after explaining the situation. Those were left overs, but they would still be enough to last till dinner time.
"Akashi."
"Is there anything else?"
"No. But are we really going to wait for them?"
"I am, but you go ahead if you have finished." Akashi suggested to him. "I can't let Murasakibara and Asaka take up classes and their practices with an empty stomach."
Midorima looked at him plainly while thinking otherwise, but he didn't comment.
"I'll stay with you, that's the least I can do. You have my gratitude for today." He just said and quickly went on, not to let Akashi get in even a word about his initiative. "But you sure are confident they'll come back on—"
"AH! Here, Murasakibara-kun! T-They're here!"
Like most of the students in the cafeteria, all gazes shifted to the distant shout. Midorima recognized the two silhouettes scurrying into the place and at the sight, he couldn't refrain from grimacing.
"You were saying?" Akashi teased him.
"Nothing." He pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose and stayed silent.
Murasakibara and Ritsu hurried to join them.
"W-We finally found you...! We were looking for you for a while now! We ran through the entire building and to think you we'd find you here..." The ash-blondhead gabbled, almost out of breath. "Of all places!"
Midorima took a look at them. Sweat was dripping on their faces which were reddened and all twisted from exertion. While catching their breath, Murasakibara was giving them a dark look, his purple eyes falling directly on their meals, and Ritsu still hadn't paid attention to the both of them or the food, seemingly more relieved to have found them before lunchtime ended. As he went a little further on his observation, he noticed their dishevelled uniforms, and there even was a twig sticking out of the girl's hair. But the things which marked a frown on his face were the pile of snacks on the boy's arm. Although Midorima decided not to make any comment on it, he caught on that Murasakibara never made the effort to look for the wallet until Ritsu came to the rescue.
Midorima glanced at Akashi who showed no peculiar reaction.
"Aka-chin...How come you can eat without money?" Murasakibara asked, seething with anger. His gaze was intensely fixed on the food.
"I just happened to have to meal tickets with me." Akashi answered.
"I knew it, I could have taken my time." The purplehead said. "I'm going."
At his limits, Murasakibara turned around and walked away, no longer feeling the need to stay around them.
"You don't need it, then."
Upon hearing Akashi's voice, he stopped in his tracks and took a look over his right shoulder. In a simple movement of the head, the redhead redirected his look to the tray next to him on which two bowls of rice and two servings of mackerel were arranged.
"Is that...for us?" Ritsu eventually asked, a small glow of happiness erasing all traces of exhaustion in her eyes.
Akashi nodded. "Help yourselves. At this hour, there's nothing left. You better hurry, lunchtime is almost over."
Touched by his kindness, Ritsu indulged herself without a second thought.
"Thank you, Akashi-kun! Ah, and before I forget."
She returned his wallet to him. Then, as she took a seat next to him, Midorima saw Murasakibara hesitating and eyeing both the food and Akashi before he turned back, mumbling some words that none of them could hear distinctly.
As he sat down beside the redhead, Murasakibara picked one of his snacks on the table and handed a pocky box to Akashi.
"For you, Aka-chin."
The giant boy didn't make a tiny effort in smiling and gave a plain look at Akashi, waiting for the latter to accept the token of his gratitude. Despite the lack of manners, Akashi barely held it against him and took it.
Just like that, Murasakibara indulged himself in the food without having the feeling of owing him anything. Midorima wasn't actually approving of such conclusion, expecting at least some kind of apologies from Murasakibara or a stricter attitude from Akashi.
He let out a faint sigh. If Akashi intended to take the same lenient approach with Haizaki, the future of the basketball club sure looked rather dark.
Later in the afternoon, Midorima was proved the contrary.
From this day on, Murasakibara and Midorima swore to thmselves to avoid any warm-ups or training with Akashi as a partner.