Merry christmas to you all! Happy holidays and wish you my best wishes for the next year!

Back on the story, I change my plan. Asaka never goes see the Basketball Nationals, I completely dropped the idea, seeing that I no longer see the point in writing it, and thus decided to go on as you can see. I want to say my thanks to those who have taken the trouble to answer my question in the last update and as you suggested it, I will bring the story forward with Kuroko's introduction as the main theme for the next couple of chapters.

Almost forgot to tell you, in the "Severe perfection" chapter, it was mentioned that Akashi and the rest had already met Kuroko, forget it. Their first meeting will occur after summer break, that is to say very soon. Anyway, that chapter is about to be rewritten for that reason.

Thank you for following this story.

Good reading.

Shinpi Tekina 04 : Thank you very much for your review! It almost made cry, I'm not joking. If I could hug you, I'd do it right away. As I read it, I found back my drive to write and continue this story. Two chapters written in less than a month, it's a first in a long time. So you have all my thanks. Hope you'll like them and if you can, tell me what you thought about it! Hehe, I too enjoy Akashi fanfics since he's my favorite character in the whole Knb cast. And sorry, no I don't own an account on wattpad but I'll check out your fic and be glad to keep in touch with you!

Oneworld111 : I wish you the same and that all good things come to you this new year. It's really sweet of you to have written this message, I'll do my best this year too. Thank you for your big support and hope this chapter will do as a christmas present! And yeah, long live Akashi x Asaka! Speaking of which, I have a chapter in mind concerning those two alone and I'll be sure to dedicate it to you when the time comes! I'm so happy to know that this couple can make you, er, squeal? Unfortunately, I don't have instagram (Feels like I'm not much of a social person, ugh...) But it'd be very cool to keep in contact!

The new term has begun and all students has taken up their usual routine again. Wake up early, take a breakfast, commute to school and talk about everything and nothing with friends, and needless to mention that the hot topic of the day was summer break.

Amidst the sunbathing-at-the-beach talks, the family-gathering talks and all, Ritsu walked alone as usual, quietly enjoying her way to school. Reaching the gate, she caught a glimpse of Akashi, whom was coming from the opposite way and turned at the gate. Without losing a second, she hurried her way to him.

"Good morning, Akashi-kun!"

Recognizing the voice, the red-haired boy turned his head and smiled at her. "Hello, Asaka."

Ritsu stared at his face for a few seconds, her lips burned to say something important to him. She waited the whole holidays to tell him directly.

"I know I'm a bit late to say that but..." She leaned a bit forward to get a better view of his face and said cheerfully, "Congratulations for winning the championship!"

A faint smile softened his stern facial traits, and he uttered appreciatedly : "Thank you."

"The Teikō basketball club truly lives up to its reputation as a powerhouse, and it surely is on a good way to become invincible with you four in the team. I recently read in the August issue of Monthly Basketball that they named you the «Generation of Miracles»."

"You read those?" Akashi seemed surprised to hear it.

"My little brother buys them every month since he got an interest in basketball. I just happened to look at it at home."

The August Issue of that magazine was mainly focused on the biggest basketball event of summer, the Nationals, which determined the strongest school of the year for both middle and high school. She glanced through the pages out of curiosity since the day Momoi told her by phone that the basketball club won the championship, and well even if she hadn't a great interest for the sport itself, she couldn't have missed the double-page spread on their victory. There was a commemorative photo of the whole Teikō basketball team on which the captain, Nijimura, was holding proudly a huge trophy and around him, all the other players were brimming with happiness flaunting their medals around their necks ; and short interviews of players and the coaches.

It was a simple article yet, there was this quote in italic and bold characters which gave another dimension to her reading : «Five young basketball prodigies, a generation of miracles». When she found it in the text, it spoke about their prowesses for winning all official competitions of the year with a rare talent, seeing as they were only first-years in middle school, and that in the next years, people would continue to hear about them.

Thinking about it, the middle school Basketball Nationals must have been a real sight to have been been so lauded for their achievements.

"You're getting famous. Not only did you win the championship but your team is somehow like the revelation of the year in the basketball world." She said lightly. "Well, it's how I see it."

Since she was at it, she also browsed the article on the high school champion, which was a school named Rakuzan from Kyoto. Apparently, they were in the top three of the strongest school in the basketball junior league for a decade, so it was needless to mention how talented and powerful this club was. However, by comparing the two articles, it felt like Teikō had gotten all the spotlight this year.

"The Generation of Miracles..." mused Akashi.

Ritsu heard him and looked at him from the corner of her eyes. His expression was the same as usual but his tone was deeper than the one implying a fleeting thought or a sarcasm. That title didn't left him indifferent but not in the way she imagined. Well, Akashi showed his emotions through subtle manners, and naturally, there's no way he would jump for joy or make a victory dance to show his happiness. On the commemorative photo, she remembered well his soft and proud smile. However, seeing him concerned about this title was quite surprising. Somewhat, she expected him to brush it off.

"You think they're exagerrating?"

At her question, Akashi slightly raised his chin, as though he was drawn out of his thoughts.

"It's the highest praise an athlete can hope for." He acknowledged. "I don't have much to say about it and I gladly receive it, but be that as it may, it goes along with a heavy responsability."

The pressure to win.

"Like a burden?"

"As far as I am concerned, striving for victory has never been much of a burden, I rather found it natural to do so. I don't see the point in doing something without efforts."

"So by responsability, you meant as an obligation to yourself."

Akashi added nothing to her comment, but even without a clear answer, Ritsu knew that she wasn't mistaken. Although very brief, the corner of his lips did pull up.

"You're a hardworker to the bone."

Quite far from the image of the genius who does everything perfectly without breaking a sweat. Genius or not, Akashi sure spares no efforts in everything he's doing and has undoubtedly put many hours of work and practice to reach such a level of perfection, though she didn't completely reject the idea of a natural talent. No matter how much hours, days or months, there are things that she'd never master in her whole life. But that aside, maybe this obligation of his was the secret to walk on a brillant path.

Somewhere, in the deepest part of herself, she was kind of envious of him. How strange...Not long ago, all she had for him was simple admiration, but now it felt like she wanted more. Looking at him from afar was not enough, she felt the desire to catch him up – As an athlete...and as an individual.

As she mused on him, she smiled internally. It won't be easy, knowing the character. His diligence and determination are setting the standards pretty high.

"The only moment when I can rest is when I win."

His words came out so smoothly that Ritsu couldn't help but laugh.

"You really like winning!"

Both in front the entrance hall, Akashi pulled the door and invited her to step in first.

As she got in, she slipped a little tease to him. "But don't push yourself too hard, Akashi-kun. From what I'm hearing, it doesn't sound like you're resting much."

"It's all right."

He gave her a conniving look along with a smile.

"I do not know defeat."

As he said that, his smile seemed to twist into a smirk in her eyes. That was some assertive statement, although she found it preposterous. But on a second thought, if it was Akashi, that might be true. Thinking of which, she has yet seen him lost a game or she has never heard somebody say the contrary since she met him.

So he has never lost in anything in his life.

At the thought, Ritsu forced a laugh. Perhaps, Akashi was more of an alien than she believed.

After putting their indoor shoes in the hall, they both headed to their classroom but on their track, they came across Midorima at his shoe locker.

"Hello, Midorima-kun."

At the greeting, the green-haired boy glared at her. Yet it wasn't his usual stern greeting to her, he was suddenly pissed off by something or by someone, and sadly to say but that someone was, at ninety-nine percent, her. She was likely the cause of his high blood pressure this early in the morning.

Ritsu didn't know what she did or said wrong and maybe was he just in bad mood after seeing her face, but well, she didn't say anything about it. Since their first meeting, Midorima has always given her the cold shoulder and has always had something to be upset about her, so she kind of got used to it to not lose her temper. And in fact, he was quite charming this way.

"Asaka. I didn't give you my contact number for you to play around with it or send me awful pictures." He told her off while rummaging through his school bag. He took out his cellphone and showed to Akashi and her, a picture. "What's the meaning of this?"

"AH!" exclaimed Ritsu in shock.

It was the photo Hoshino took in her sleep and sent to Akashi and Midorima at the training camp. Embarrassed, she leaped to the phone and slammed shut the flip in one swift movement.

"Hey!"

"Y-You've kept it!"

Midorima stiffened at the remark.

"...Don't get any weird ideas, Asaka. I kept it to have an explanation. If I had erased it, I'm sure you'd have tried to deny that you sent it to me. I don't want my mail box to be flooded by stupid messages and photos of you."

Better not play many pranks on Midorima, it seemed very painful to deal with him later. That aside, she already found it strange that she didn't receive a single reply from him concerning the photo. Not that day, not even the rest of the summer holidays. So, having him react this way was kind of relieving, though she'd have preferred that he had erased this cursed picture.

"And what's up with the message? «To my pri»—"

"Ah-Ah!" Ritsu tried to cover his words with her voice as she hushed him with both hands on his mouth.

That message was already embarrassing in writing but hearing it out loud was more than she could take. How could Midorima say it without blushing?

"That photo, Asaka sent it to me as well." Akashi broke in the conversation quietly.

"Akashi-kun...!" Ritsu interjected, his intervention didn't help her at all.

"You too, Akashi?"

"I still have it."

"...Y-You've kept it too, Akashi-kun?"

"You'd better remove it." Midorima recommended.

"Like you're one to talk, Midorima-kun. Erase it already! Both of you!"

Ritsu sighed exasperatedly. To think this photo was saved in their phone memory for so long, she was at a loss of words. Midorima had his reason, very peculiar, but still. However, as for why Akashi had yet erased it off his phone, she couldn't figure it out. His reply had only been a greeting and the exchange had ended there. Truth to be told, the fact he said nothing more than a simple "good morning" was even more disturbing for her. Through it, it gave her the impression he wasn't bothered by it and somehow... liked the picture. Just by thinking about it, she wanted to hide into a hole.

"I will! Frankly, you should know when to stop a joke, Asaka." Midorima scolded her.

"Listen, it wasn't me. My seniors in the club played a prank on me while I was asleep. They sneaked into my room, took a photo with my cellphone and decided to send it to the both of you among all of my contacts." explained Ritsu, asking herself when this awkwarding situation would end.

"So it was just to the both of us." noted Akashi amusingly.

Ritsu blushed as she came to understand what he implied. "L-Like I said it was prank, there's nothing deep into it...and well, perhaps, I woke up before they could send it to the others like Aomine-kun or Murasakibara-kun. So..."

A smirk slightly tugged his lips. Ritsu got the feeling she just had been made fun of by him. Once again.

"Of course, there's no meaning to it." Midorima responded in a curt and serious tone barely figuring out what was going on between the two. He then adjusted his glasses and went on, "Anyway, I will ask you to refrain yourself from playing pranks with your cellphone."

"You don't have to tell me..." She was about to add more like the name of the real culprit which was her senior, Hoshino Wakana. But at this point, she no longer had the strength to confront a stubborn Midorima.

"I'd spent a really bad day after reading that message. Astrological sign compatibility must not be underestimated." He said as a note to himself.

"I don't think our astrological sign compatibility has anything to do with your daily fortune, Midorima-kun." She retorted flatly as she rolled her eyes. Around them, she noticed some long gazes on their little group, and peculiarily on Akashi and Midorima. The girls giggled and the boys looked at them with both curiosity and new admiration. Noticing that, she remembered something important. "Oh, speaking of good things. Congratulations for winning the championship, Midorima-kun!"

Midorima stared at her without saying anything. When he looked away and he began to walk off, he simply said : "Thank you."

Ritsu cracked a smile. Along Akashi, she followed him.

"In your case, things didn't go so well, did it?" Midorima asked out of the blue.

"Eeer...Hm, yes." Ritsu stammered, surprised that he actually knew about this news. Aside Akashi and Momoi, she didn't think the others would care about it. "We lost at the quarter-final. How did you know?"

"Shōhei told me."

It's no wonder, then. Ever since he has met Midorima on that basketball playground, her little brother, Shōhei, was hooked on him and his talent for basketball. Whether it was at the club that Shōhei was registered in and Midorima had gone to during his elementary school years or the place of their first encounter, those two met several times over summer break to play basketball. And as pushy as her little brother can be, he requested her many times to contact Midorima for them to meet and practice together. Despite his relunctance, Midorima has never turned down any of his invitations and went along Shōhei's pace. They got along well.

"I see. Are you concerned about it?" She raised the question even if the answer was obvious. He wouln't ask disinterestedly.

"You've worked hard for this tournament. It's just a shame your team and you couldn't go further."

If she didn't know Midorima as much as she did now, she would have laughed it off and teased him for being all honest all of a sudden. But when it came to efforts and hardwork, Midorima took it seriously. They were words he kept as his motto and qualities he acknowledged in people. It was genuine of him and she couldn't simply laugh at it when knowing that.

She smiled at him then looked straight at the path ahead of her.

"Sad to say we can't always win. I wanted to win and wished to say wholeheartedly that I had fun participating in this tournament...Well, I did have fun, but it'd have been greater if we had been victorious all the way. Losing does hurt your pride, doesn't it?" She let out a faint but awkward chuckle. "So in order not to feel this again, I will win next year with my team."

Midorima and Akashi stayed silent, both musing on her. As the green-haired boy shifted his attention away, he uttered with satisfaction : "You've changed."

Ritsu casted a strange look at him, then at Akashi whom silently concurred with his teammate, a pleased smile on his lips.

Two weeks and a half have passed, summer break was now far behind and days were slowly getting shorter. Ritsu was walking alone on the dark school ground seeing no soul around. Of course they wouldn't be many students wandering around at this hour. It was late, the sun had already set down. After practice, she had stayed behind to perfect her spikes until Hareki came to tell her that she had to tidy up. She helped her and seperated soon after, Hareki went to put the key of the gymnasium back in the staff room.

On her way, she passed by the gymnasium where the basketball club were usually practicing. The lights were off. Their practice seemed to have ended for quite a while. Guess she had gone a bit overboard with practice today. Generally, the basketball club was one of the few clubs that finished late.

Ahead of her, she caught sight of Momoi, also making her way home alone.

"Momoi-chan!"

The girl turned around as Ritsu ran up to her, "Asaka-chan! You were still here?"

"I could ask you the same thing. I stayed behind to practice a bit more." Ritsu chuckled.

"Ah! It's not safe anymore, Asaka-chan!" Momoi exclaimed all of a sudden, then she moved closer to her and whispered as if she was about to told her a secret information. "You'd better watch out around this hour. Lately, I've heard rumors about a ghost that haunts the gymnasium where the basketball club's third string is practicing!"

"A ghost...haunting a gymnasium?"

Why there of all places?, Ritsu asked herself sceptically. That aside, it was the same gymnasium that the volleyball club was using since it often happens that the basketball club's third-string practice schedule coincided with theirs. She never heard about such rumours, even in the volleyball club, as far as she recalled it. And today, when she was practicing, she didn't hear or notice anyhing suspect.

"Some students who were passing by there around this time said they saw lights and the sound of a ball coming from the gymnasium when there shouldn't be anyone inside. It was like someone was playing with a ball."

"It must be someone who was practicing late, no?"

Momoi's face got closer. "That's what they thought but when they went to check it out, they found no one inside and the moment they were about to leave, something popped up next to them! They said it the ghost of boy. Pretty scary, isn't it?"

"Oh...I'll be careful, then." Ritsu couldn't come up with a better response. Even if she wanted to believe it, it would only be for the fun. "And you as well, Momoi-chan...You're staying rather late recently."

"You don't believe me!" She scowled at her seeing through her.

"Er, well, sorry, Momoi-chan, but that's a bit too big for me to believe it."

The pink-haired girl let out a sigh of defeat. "I also warned Aomine-kun about it some time ago but he doesn't look like to care about it."

"Sounds like him." Ritsu said, which made the girl smile. "Talking about him, he's not with you?"

She shook her head soflty and began to walk.

"These past days, I haven't seen him practicing much with the others or walked home with him. Even Nijimura-san and Akashi-kun have no idea where he's wandering off."

Ritsu was surprised to hear it. A basketball freak like Aomine had other priorities than basketball, it sounded almost unbelievable. But the more surprising thing in that was the fact that Momoi didn't know what Aomine was doing.

"He's skipping?"

"I don't think so, he loves basketball too much to even think of skipping a practice" She assured with a sweet smile. "Well, I asked him about it and he said he found someone fun to practice with at school, and since he was practicing, I let it go. Besides, Nijimura-san and Akashi-kun said it was fine by them as long as they know he keeps training."

That someone must be truly amazing for Aomine to choose to practice with him over the people of the first-string. But somebody as great as that shouldn't be playing in the first-string in the first place? So it could only mean that he/she was from another string or wasn't in the basketball club at all.

Concluding this, Ritsu glanced at the girl who was quieter than usual. "You're worried?"

Momoi tilted her head in a vague manner.

"Not really but I can't help it either. Aomine-kun has nothing else in sight but basketball and tends to do as he pleases. Someone has to put him on the right track or he'd slack off, or even worse make a mistake."

Taking care of Aomine sure looked to be a lot of work. Of course, Momoi was saying it in the sense that the boy could be hopeless concerning many aspects of his life. Yet, by considering on a deeper level, it also sounded as if Aomine could become helpless if no one was behind his back or at least try to. Ritsu could almost laugh at herself for even imagining that, there's no way Aomine could possibly show such a weakness. In either case, he just...

"He can't be left alone." Ritsu concluded.

Momoi confirmed with a nod, her expression softened. "It always has been so since we were kids, so it sort of become an habit to look after him. Especially when basketball is involved."

"Is that why you chose to be a manager in the club? You want to support him?"

"Hm," She nodded, this time a warm smile was drawn on her face, "I have to stay with him to keep an eye on him but that's not the whole reason I decided to join the same club as him. I can't play basketball well, not good enough to enter the women basketball team."

"It's rare to hear you so unconfident."

Perhaps was she seeing Momoi too much as an optimistic character who would rather try and gave her all in something instead of a girl who would giving up before even trying.

The pink-haired girl laughed in a soft way. "Well...I've actually never tried to because I've never felt the desire to play basketball. But I like watching it. That's why I signed up as a manager in the basketball club. This way I do the things I like, and in truth..."

Momoi fell silent, her grip tightened around her school bag handles.

"I like seeing Aomine-kun playing basketball. He looks so happy and seems to have fun, and it's even more visible with other players. Sometimes, it makes me envious to know how much fun he has in playing basketball. On the other hand, doesn't it make you want to join him on a game or follow him?"

"It does. He's literally dragging you into the basketball world just with just his passion."

That time, in the street basketball court, she felt that way when playing with Aomine. Even a girl like her who has never been attracted by the sports came to feel and understand a part of the fun and thrills of basketball games. Against him, there were nothing else but basketball, and maybe it explained why he was so dazzling. His passion was all it took for him to captivate other people.

"Hehe, Aomine-kun told me you played basketball with him."

"Just once."

"Next time, let's play together, with everyone!" chirped Momoi, excited by the idea.

"By everyone...you mean Akashi-kun, Murasakibara-kun and Midorima-kun?"

"Yes! The more, the merrier! Something's bothering you?" A mischievous smile was drawn on her face. She moved closer to her and asked, "Is it because of Akashi-kun? You want to show yourself in your best light!"

"Akashi-kun? N-No, it's not that." Ritsu averted her eyes and tapped her chin in reflexion. "I think Akashi-kun has already seen enough of my poor talent in basketball in PE classes. Playing against Aomine-kun is one thing, but against Midorima-kun or Murasakibara-kun is another...I can already hear them tell me how bad I am in basketball."

"We'll be two then!"

Ritsu had nothing to retort and gave in, even if she was sure Momoi was more capable than her in basketball. Nevertheless, she liked the idea. So, maybe one day, they would all have fun playing basketball.