Hello~ I'm back! Seems like I took a long break from this story and I don't know if this has done any good to it, but here is the new chapter. Also, I'm quite amazed by the interest you all still have for this story! New readers, welcome! Hope you'll enjoy this new chapter! I didn't write some light-hearted moments between Akashi and Asaka in a while, and hope it won't turn very weird when you read it.
Thank you all for reading and following this fic! Special thanks to those who have taken the time to review! They've really kept me going on writing!
A wave of excitation was rising in class 1-A as the homeroom teacher went on his explanations over the organisation and schedule of the next major event of the year. After the feverish school festival in June, here comes the Sports day in October. In about a week, the school ground would turn into a huge arena where nobody would remain unscathed on their course for victory. Said like that, it sounded a bit overdramatic, nevertheless, it was true nobody would come home fresh and clean and without muscles pain.
For a few, the physical and competition aspects of the event made this day less enjoyable and fun than the school festival. But overall, Sports day was just a day to have fun with people on sporting activities...and maybe an unique opportunity for everyone to be able to impress other people.
Well, that last part was mainly how Ritsu felt about the event. In elementary school, she remembered Sports day more like a cute showcase than a bloody and fierce competition. Everything was quite friendly with the children trying their best along their comrades to make their parents proud of them, and the parents cheering them on whenever they showed up on one activity.
She didn't know how things would turn in Teikō, though she didn't expect great differences. Sports day must be quite the same everywhere in Japan. And from the several epic tales of her volleyball club seniors, the show would definetely be here too. Something was telling her that this day would be a roller-coaster of emotions just as the school festival.
"So in order to ensure the proper proceeding of the event, two practice sessions will be held tomorrow and the day before at..."
While half-listening to her teacher's explanation, her gaze stopped on Akashi's back. As always, he was sitting straight as if a thread on his skull was constantly pulling him up. No matter how many times she observed it, she couldn't help but think that Akashi had a truly beautiful way to carry his head. There was this royal elegance about him that charmed people.
With a little bit of imagination, Ritsu could almost draw his delicate profile in her mind, although it was a shame that she would never be able to picture such elegance with a true pen in her hand. She couldn't even draw a proper tree, so portraits were impossible for her drawing skills stuck at the doodles level.
But still, she was kind of curious to see a drawing portrait of him one day.
As the thought made her crack a smile, Akashi slightly moved his head and raised his hand to his neck. By reflex, Ritsu immediately averted her eyes back to the teacher thinking the boy might have sensed her long gaze on his back and be bothered by it. But Akashi was just running his fingers through his hair for a couple of seconds.
His hair has grown a bit longer since Summer. Maybe was he thinking of cutting them soon.
"...That's all for today, everyone. Don't forget to gather at the running tracks tomorrow morning for the practice session! And don't even think of cutting class as morning lessons are cancelled, I'll do a roll call!"
As her homeroom teacher said that, some disappointed voices raised but soon faded when the chime rang throughout the school.
While some of their classmates stayed behind chatting about the Sports day, Akashi and Ritsu left the classroom, heading together to their clubs.
"I read on the provisional schedule that your club will do a performance that day. Do you know what kind?", asked Ritsu curiously as she put away the said paper in her school bag.
In addition to the main activities, performances and exhibitions from several clubs were programmed on that day as well. The cast was mainly centered around athletic clubs like kendo, judo, soccer, etc...since the event was for the promotion of sports, but cultural ones like the school light band would also get their moment of glory. When she said the Sports day was like a showcase, she meant it that way.
"A twenty minutes exhibition game with the soccer club."
"That sounds fun. And a bit funny too...Why the soccer club?"
That unexpected match-up surprised Ritsu. She has never heard about the soccer club and the basketball club sharing close relationship or having any common interests.
"Our club has the tradition of challenging another club in a two-legged tie on Sports day."
"I didn't know they could exist such a tradition in your club," said Ritsu in amazement, hearing that for the first time. "But a two-legged tie?"
"The basketball team will compete with the soccer team first on basketball, then on their own field : soccer. This kind of competition is the whole point of this tradition," said the red-haired teen as he glanced over at her.
Incredulous, Ritsu blinked for a few seconds as a comical vision of the colorful squad playing on a soccer field erupted in her mind. The corner of her lips twitched, so she covered her mouth with her hand to hide this mocking smile stretching wider on her face.
"That sounds even funnier to you now."
"S-Sorry, Akashi-kun...That's just hard to picture the basketball team on a soccer field!" Her voice was blended with laughers. "Especially when knowing Murasakibara-kun or Midorima-kun, they seem no good with a soccer ball. I can almost imagine them shooting the ball everywhere and to anyone close just to get rid of it because they can't dribble well enough."
The flicker of a smile passed across Akashi's face. Apparently, she was closer to the truth than she expected if she managed to get that out of him.
"They acutally did," added Akashi, earning a curious look from the girl. "For two weeks now, we've been having soccer training sessions in a wasteland nearby the school on sundays."
"You've been training...?"
"So as to assess the team level on soccer and define a good strategy for the actual game. I heard from a few seniors that they did the same last year when they had to face the baseball club."
"Your club's taking this tradition pretty seriously."
"We have a reputation to uphold, and our pride as well. We can't be easily defeated. You already know the motto of our club, it doesn't matter what sort of game we play in as long as we're competiting, we aim for victory," The redhead explained. "Besides it has been eighteen years since this tradition existed, and the basketball club has currently twelve wins and six losses to their name."
As the most competitive club in Teikō, they carried indeed more pressure on their shoulders than most of the smaller clubs in school. But still, it amazed Ritsu to hear about their prowesses against the different clubs : twelve wins and six losses. That brought their chances of victory above 60%, which was not bad. Not bad at all in fact.
As for the basketball exhibition game, she didn't need to wonder about it, Akashi would confidently say to her that no club has ever been able to beat them if she were to ask. And she would have believed him without a question. What are the odds for the soccer club or any other clubs to beat a national top-ranked club on their own field when even basketball clubs across the country have a real hard time to bring them down?
Well, she did acknowledge that the argument was pretty weak as she could ask the same about the basketball club. Even so, if she was to bet on the winner for this game, victory would go to the basketball club. She thought that out of friendship, nevertheless, she also had concrete facts to base her confidence on them, and most of it came from the boy next to her.
"And so, your observations so far?" Ritsu asked, a bit interested in their training.
"I've never seen a soccer ball fly so high in the sky. That was some impressive technique."
Her lips twitched again. Will the basketball team actually be alright?
"Is that a praise or sarcasm?"
"I can say at least that everyone knows their basics on soccer. I'm not worried."
Seeing how winsome his smile was, Akashi seemed to be having a lot of fun regarding all this Somewhat his current expression reminded her of the school festival, of Akashi dragging his huge bag full of winning prizes after participating in every contests and games on his path. His bag was so big that it could have competed with santa claus'. Just the image made Ritsu laugh inwardly. She hoped to more of this playfulness in his eyes on Sports day. She found him rather endearing that way. Very endearing in fact.
"You sure know how to pick my interest. Count on me to come cheer for your club!"
She couldn't miss it for anything. It was the occasion for her to have a first glimpse of the basketball team at work like most of the visitors this day. Speaking of which...
"By the way, Akashi-kun, are your relatives coming for the event?"
"I wish they could," He simply answered.
Ritsu didn't press further, it was only idle curiosity after all. Little she knew about his family, only that he was an only child and apparently lived with both his parents in Tōkyō's outskirts. Which was more than enough for her, but well, when the conversation allowed it, she sometimes brought the topic up. She just wanted to know little by little things about him, even trivial. Like now, as she looked at him, at those blazing red locks. She was wondering which parent he took after. Was it from his father or his mother that he got those red hair? Because they were stricking beautiful. Though the beautiful part was only added recently after she paid a bit more of attention on Akashi.
Her classmates might be right by saying that Akashi would slightly lose some of his charm with another hair color. The red color suited him well, with that natural pale complexion and those vivid orbs of his. And that was what makes them so alluring. Looking at those red locks soflty fluttering in the wind and brightly reflecting the light, it sometimes tempted her to touch them, to ruffle them. Just to satisfy her innocent curiosity. See if they were as silky and soft as they looked. So, were they?
"Asaka."
"Hm?" She let out as she snapped out her thoughts and focused back on the red-haired boy. The latter was eyeing her in bewilderment.
"What are you doing with my hair?"
His hair? Her gray-blue eyes flew wide open at what she was currently doing to him. Her fingers were entangled in his hair as if she was caressing them ‒ No, not "as if". She did caress his hair!
"Aah—! Hdfjbmdsfz...?!" Ritsu shouted out in confusion losing her japanese. In a brisk movement, she removed her guilty hand and clutched it with her other hand against her chest upon which she felt her heart beating like crazy. She had no idea of what just happened. What has gotten into her to touch his hair in such a brazen way?
While the question seemed to trouble her, Akashi kept eyeing her in wait for some explanation. Well, she ought to explain her bold action.
"I-I-It's...nothing really! My hand just moved on its own...! D-Don't mind it!" She fumbled for words, not knowing what to say at all.
Akashi cocked a brow then said, "I do mind."
She cringed as she expected him to brush it off or make fun of her. Have she crossed a line here?
"Are you angry?"
"Only startled. I don't see any matter to be upset about."
She supposed he said the truth. If he had been upset or hated it, she wouldn't have gotten off so easily. He would have grabbed her hand to stop her and given a piercing glare.
"Also Asaka, that's not the first time you pull off these kind of moves on me. You're bolder than you look."
She would have prefered not to hear that from him, it only made her feel even more guilty. She didn't have that much mischievousness in her to pull these moves everytime and intentionally. But that wasn't the part that acutally bothered her. Akashi seemed to feel comfortable around her, maybe a bit too much...He let her approach and touch him almost too easily that she couldn't avoid put herself in embarrassing situations, just like the time after the play when she hugged him by surprise, or the other time when she almost had a dance with him in the school library. Not that she complained about it, she liked their relationship as it was but...
"...You're being too used to have me around, I think," She countered as she tried to cover the lower half of her face with her hand so as to hide a faint blush tinging her cheeks.
"It must be the case," Akashi acknowledged as he resumed his track and took the staircase.
"Anyway, I'm sorry for catching you off guard and, well, touching your hair," Ritsu apologised for her rude behaviour, even though Akashi wasn't waiting for one.
As they climbed down the stairs, he seemed bothered by his bang pushing some locks on the side.
"But your hair have grown over summer vacation. I've noticed in class. It does seem uncomfortable."
His bang was partially covering his eyes, and around his neck it felt itchy just by looking.
"Aa, they're getting in the way. I might have waited too long to cut them. I'd better do it soon."
"I know what you mean. When you do sports, long hair aren't very practical," concurred Ritsu. She then grabbed a lock of hair from her side bang and mused while looking at it : "Speaking of which, I should probably go cut mine as well before they grow too long..."
Her hair was at shoulder length in spring, now they almost reached her armpits. Talk about growth.
"Long hair looks better on you than a mid-long cut." Akashi said, glancing over at her as he heard her mutter to herself.
Ritsu's face slightly flushed, although it wasn't the first time he complimented her hair. "Isn't it your preference speaking here? You told me, while you tried to slice me in tiny pieces with your sword in the play that girls with long hair are pretty."
"You remember," He answered with delight.
Ritsu let out a faint chuckle and went on, "But I think so too. Loose or tied, I like the way long hair fall on your back and swing. I used to have them long before I started playing volleyball. Around mid-back length."
She twisted her arm in her back and showed him approximatively.
"So you cut them for practical reason."
"Um, sort of," She tilted her head. "I can't bring myself to cut them short though. To be very honest, it's only because I don't know how to style my hair. That's why I cut them and always let them loose. I only tie them in a quick ponytail when they get in the way." She grabbed a lock of her hair and mused on it. "But isn't it a shame? I wish I could do more with my hair and use some hair accessories. My seniors have showed me a nice accessorie shop nearby the school."
"You're interested in them?" remarked Akashi, his voice laced with surprise.
"Can't say if I'm really interested. But everytime I see a beautiful hair accessory, it makes me want to try and learn a few hairstyles so I can wear it. And in some way, that would force me to keep them long."
An amused smile tugged at Akashi's lips. But not in the usual way.
"You're laughing at me..."
Well, she usually doesn't bring up such a girly topic with him. She might have sounded weird.
As they stepped on the corridor of the first floor, Akashi and her caught sight of a small boy carrying a big cardbox from which two maps sticked out. Behind it, Ritsu could make out teal hair, and she only knew one boy with that distinguinshable feature : Kuroko.
The teal-haired teenager stopped in front of a prep room staring at the door for a little while as he was probably wondering how to open it. He then held the cardbox with one hand while the other tried to slide the door open, but in the process the cardbox was on the verge of falling out because of its weight. The time Kuroko took notice of it, it has already slipped his grasp. But Akashi rushed to his help and put his hand below to prevent the cardbox from falling and lifted up for Kuroko to carry it properly.
"Careful."
Kuroko blinked in surprise as he watched the red-haired boy open the door for him, "Akashi-kun?...And Asaka-san?"
"Do you need help?"
"No, I can manage on my own. It's not as heavy as it looks," He assured placing both his hands on the corners of the box so as to secure his grip. "But thank you for your help."
He bowed his head then stared at Akashi and her in silence.
"How are you doing?" Akashi came to ask with a polite smile.
"I'm doing well."
A simple exchange of greetings, or so Ritsu thought. But Kuroko became somewhat puzzled as he answered him.
"But Akashi-kun," He spoke up, having the latter's all attention. "About what you said the other day, were you..." He changed his mind midway and retracted his words. "No, never mind. It's nothing."
"Is that so," said the redhead with consideration.
With that, Kuroko excused himself politely and went inside the prep room. Akashi stayed until the latter put the cardbox on a table and carried on his task, then he left the place along her. Ritsu couldn't make much of this short yet odd conversation, but she didn't miss out on that Akashi and Kuroko seemed to know each other from the way they interacted. That wasn't strange since both went to the same club, nevertheless...
"You know Kuroko-kun?"
"I made his acquaintance after finding Aomine practicing basketball with him a few days ago. I take you've already spoken to him before too," Akashi pointed out the familiar way she called the boy.
"I've met him not long ago after school. With Aomine-kun too."
"I see," Akashi pushed the double door leading to the courtyard. "He's a curious boy."
Once they stepped outside, a cool blast of wind hit them.
"He's just like thin air," He stated, the wind gusting through his hair. "It's the first time I can't sense anything from someone."
"You don't know what to think of him?"
"Rather, I'm unsure of what to expect from a boy like him," answered Akashi, his voice turning deeper. "Everyone has some kind of presence that will leave more or less impressions on others. However, the first time I met Kuroko, I was unable to work him out. I sensed nothing from him at all."
"Like he has no presence?"
"No, he has some as a matter of fact. I assume it to be incredibly weak to be lacking this much of presence though."
"Just like thin air," She repeated his previous words. From her own experience with him, Kuroko was indeed hard to grasp at one glance both literally and figuratively. Despite so, she didn't find it more bizarre than Akashi made it sound if it was only a matter of presence. Ritsu reckoned that his lack of presence was pretty particular to be able to startle people, but considering Kuroko's personality, she thought that it was deliberate from him.
"But maybe he doesn't want to stand out," supposed Ritsu tilting her head. "Kuroko-kun doesn't seem a very talkative or expressive boy, so..."
"I wouldn't question it if his lack of presence is merely due to his personality. But it is not. It almost feels natural from him."
"Natural?" Ritsu was bemused. How such a great lack of presence can be a natural thing? Of course, there are people with weak presence, but even so they don't completely vanish from sight like Kuroko does. It felt like he's never around. And for her, this sort of thin-air-like presence was only possible unless it was wanted. That wasn't something natural at all. "You mean that he's not doing it on purpose. What makes you say that?"
"You must know that Kuroko is a member of the basketball club."
"Yes. He plays in the third-string."
She looked askance at him, having no clue where Akashi was getting at by making her take note of this fact.
"Then, you've already heard people saying that athletes have some distinctive atmosphere surrounding them which make them stand out more than common people. That's what we generally call aura or charisma. Athletes naturally draw people's attention on them with their performances and therefore cannot remain unnoticed."
Ritsu listened quietly and understood his point. In sports, it is practically impossible to be suppress one's aura. Even the weakest player in a team carries an aura that catches people's eyes.
"But Kuroko doesn't have that aura. Or at least I'm unable to fully grasp it."
"He might just have started basketball or haven't gained enough experience in matches yet to built this kind of aura. According to Aomine-kun, his basketball skills are pretty low."
Akashi considered what she just said, "I wouldn't deny those possibilities, he does give this frail impression from his build. Nevertheless, I haven't forgotten our experience in the Haunted house with him. There's more to Kuroko than meets the eye. And coming across him the other day only confirmed it."
Having that said, his red eyes lit up expectantly, which left Ritsu a little bit perplexed. Akashi only met him twice - technically once since in the Haunted house, he never saw his face - yet he looked strongly interested in this strange boy named Kuroko.
"It seems that he has caught your eyes, Akashi-kun."
"He has," The red-haired teen affirmed, the shadow of a smile on his lips. "He might be the player our team needs."
Which explained this glint in his eyes. Recently, Akashi has been thinking of a way to improve his team. Regarding that matter he looked for a specific player and seemed to have already a concrete idea of the role he would have inside the team. But to think that Kuroko may be Teikō basketball club's future special player...
"In what way?"
"That's what I'm expecting him to show me pretty soon. I told him to come find me whenever he's ready to show me his potential. If he wish to enter the team, that is."
"What?" interjected Ritsu. "You intend to promote him to the first-string...?"
"It depends on in what way he will be able to contribute to the team. I only open a door for him. Whether this door will remain close or not, the rest is up to him. I set all the requirements for him to find an answer on his own."
Now she understood why Kuroko had that puzzled look when he tried to ask something to Akashi earlier. He had been given a lifetime chance to make his wish come true : play in the team. But she guessed he might still find it hard to be offered such a big opporturnity out of the blue while he had been considering quitting the basketball club because he couldn't compete with other members.
"You think he'll pass your test?"
"If a new player is to be welcomed in the first-string, it'd likely be him. I hope so."
"Aomine-kun said something similar."
"In that case, I look forward to his performance."
Her as well. Will Kuroko be able to crack open the door of the Teikō basketball team and hit the same court as Aomine?
As you read it, Asaka's feelings are sloooowly growing for Akashi and the story finally reaches the point where Kuroko will get into the basketball team.
By the way, I want to ask you, since I've reached forty chapters, what are your thoughts about this story so far? I know I've spent a lot of chapters on Asaka's character development and the story might have lack of that crazy touch from the previous chapters. So I'm only curious to know what you expect for this story in the future and what I should focus on next. Do you want me to write more romance between Asaka and Akashi? More interactions with the other GoM members? Or is it good as it is?
Next chapter, be ready for the Sports festival! Basketball club vs soccer club!
Feel free to review! Until then!
Guest (from last time) - Hello! I don't think you still remember what you wrote on the review as many months has passed since my last update, but thank you for reviewing! You're right when you pointed out the importance of this chapter, I can already tell you that THIS very decision is what will bring changes in Asaka's life in good and bad. As for her actual position, I made some mistake regarding it (glad you made me notice it). I mixed a few things together when doing research on volleyball positions. I'm ashamed to say that my knowledge in volleyball is very limited while my oc is a vollyeball player so if you find anything strange on that matter in this fic, please do tell me. So anyway, she will continue to play as a wing spiker and follow Hoshino's footsteps. Yes, Asaka had finally a conversation with Kuroko -a short one though- but she will interact more with him when he makes it to the first-string! Don't worry I really didn't take any offense concerning my grammar mistakes! On that subject, I wanted to contact you but your mail (I guess that was it) has surely been removed by the site and I can't pm you since you're a guest. nadia4245 - Isn't he one lovely ghost? Hehe. Elda-Shirakiin - Ah~ the play chapters, especially Akashi-Asaka's duel, are definetely the best chapters I've written and liked so far in my opinion. That was pretty intense and so fun to write! I'm so happy to hear about it after such a long time!