"Okay! Ten minutes break, everyone!"
Kuroko heard Nijimura's voice in the distance while catching his breath. Beads of sweat were dripping down his face. His cerulean eyes glazed over, he is on the verge of dying. His head began to spin, a nauseating feeling was thickening in the back of his throat. The weight of his body seemed too much for his legs to hold.
Exhausted, the floor looked like a good place to rest right now, but Kuroko didn't give in to the temptation of lying down. He would not get up anymore.
So he stood there, thankful for this ten-minute break. A little more, he'd have kiss the ground regardless. The first-string practice could kill a man, which was no exaggeration. In the third-string, his stamina could already barely keep up with the amount of exercices, so it was needless to mention how hard it was for him to follow the first-string's rhythm.
He was pushing himself and his body to the limit. However, no matter how strenuous practice was, Kuroko found some kind of relief whenever he looked around. He wasn't the only one spitting blood, the rest of the string also went through Hell. Most of them were worn out, struggling with themselves to stand on their feet. The team regulars showed more hardiness, yet even they were far from looking fresh.
"Kuroko."
Responding to the calm voice, his gaze fell on Akashi.
"Are you feeling alright?"
"I...I'm...fine..."
The vice-captain smiled, even though his red eyes kept showing a small trace of concern for him. Well, Kuroko didn't look all that good, so maybe he should be more honest, especially towards Akashi.
It was all thanks to him that the door to the first-string opened for him. He'd be eternally grateful to him to have given him a chance to prove himself, although he had yet to grasp Akashi's entire reason for choosing him and not somebody else.
His eyes bored into Akashi's, looking for an answer. The latter returned him his silent gaze, barely feeling uncomfortable by his stare; he almost looked like he was expecting a question from him.
Those past three months he'd spent on creating the misdirection technique, he sometimes questioned Akashi's sincerity, telling himself that the redhead was making fun of him. That was why, now that he could properly face him, he wanted to ask him the reason. Not because it was bothering him, he just felt curious.
However, since curiosity was what urges him to ask for a reason, he somewhat couldn't bring himself to to do it. And somewhere, deep inside him, this question seemed unneeded. Despite the doubts, his trust in Akashi's words, and his own confidence and determination might be the one and only answer. So, did he really need to hear it from the redhead's mouth?
Someday, he'd like to ask him, but not now. Kuroko opened his mouth to break the long silence, but instead of words, a strong nauseating feeling rose in the back of his throat.
"Akashi-kun, I..."
"Hm?"
"I'm going to throw up."
His puffed out cheeks alarmed Akashi. A bead of sweat dripped down his cheek.
"H-Hold on!"
The teen hurriedly pulled him outside the gym. When they crossed the door, Kuroko could not hold it back any longer and threw up his lunch.
"I...I'm sorry for the trouble, Akashi-kun." He said, wiping off his mouth with the back of his hand.
"Feeling better?"
"Hn, much better. I might have pushed myself too much..."
"That is a good thing, learning to push your limits. It means you're progressing." Akashi reassured him, "You'll get used to it. Maybe. Toughen yourself up and build some stamina."
Kuroko nodded in agreement. But the vice-captain kept his sharp gaze on him in a pondering way, his lips started moving.
"Having said that, Kuroko. Don't do more than you can. That is the best for you."
"...The best for me? But that means I..."
Kuroko gave him a confused look. Why would Akashi recommend this to him? He didn't make it this far only to be left behind after.
"Hey, Tetsu! I knew I'd find you here. Still can't keep up with the workout?"
Aomine showed up at the door, making Kuroko to jolt.
"Akashi, you here too?" The power forward noticed the presence of his teammate. Sensing a little awkwardness in the air, he asked, "Did I interrupt something?"
"No, I'm going back inside." Akashi said as he walked away. "Look after him, Aomine."
When he left, Aomine casted a quizzical look at the teal-haired boy.
"What were you two talking about?"
"Nothing important. He just gave me a piece of advice."
"About your misorientation thing?"
"Misdirection." Kuroko corrected the name of the move that had allowed him to enter in the first-string.
"Whatever. You've come up with some kick-ass technique; make the ball curve like a banana! Shoo!" His tanned friend moved swiftly his arm, drawing a curve in the air. "Only you could have thought of that."
"You're partly behind the idea, Aomine-kun."
Aomine quirked an eyebrow.
"Really?"
Guess he didn't remember this conversation two months ago. Well, he did mention it as a joke. At the funny memory, Kuroko's lips shaped into a soft smile.
"Anyways, it's been a more than two weeks since you started and I haven't felt the sensation of your banana pass in my hands even once!" Aomine grinned back, "Practice games come just after. Let's team up, Tetsu!"
"Yes."
With the break over, Kuroko, Aomine and all the members gathered back in the center of the court and listened to the first-string assistant coach, Sanada Naoto, or at least, they tried. Most of his speech was punctuated by war cries in the background, even though it was like they were shouted right into their ears. They could only hear a word or two here and there, and on top of that Sanada didn't seem bothered by the commotion, barely accomodating for his voice to get heard.
"WOOOOOOOOOOH~!"
"–five-man team. Time to begin the—"
"AIYAAAAAAAH!"
"HOSHINOO—! JUST SHUT THE HELL UP!"
A voice roared across the gym, the distant sound of a ball slamming hard onto the parquet echoed. All eyes turned to Nijimura who had snapped.
"HAAA?! SHŪZŌOO?! GOT A COMPLAINT? GET YOUR ASS OVER HERE!"
"Nijimura-kun." Sanada said, giving him a sidelong glance.
The boy's face twisted in annoyance. "Tch! I'm gonna talk to them. Continue without me."
Taking responsibility like a man, he stomped his way to the savage girl. Mirrored by her, they stopped at the big net separating the basketball club from the volleyball club.
"Want us to settle this with a fight, captain Nijimura?" Hoshino punched her other hand as she challenged him.
"Why does it already come to violence?"
"Why, it's the fastest way to deal with this situation! You against me in a hand-to-hand fight! The winner allows his club to stay, the loser clears out the place, tail between their legs!" The ace of the volleyball club declared, giving a tap on her bicep.
"Ha?" Nijimura exclaimed, not following at all.
"Don't "ha" me! You came to complain about sharing the gym with us; you dislike it, that's why you're here. But between you and me, if the basketball club were true gentlemen, you'd have let us, the super ultra cute girls of the volleyball club, have the gym for the day!"
"Why would we?" His eyebrow twitched, "Besides, I only have a problem with you, you barbarian girl."
"Then, let me ask you again, Shūzō~ Want us to settle this with a fight? We haven't faced each other for a while!"
Unable to communicate with the girl, Nijimura let out a long exasperated sigh.
"Nijimura-kun," Hearing his name, the raven-haired teen shifted his attention on Kazehaya. "Sorry for the commotion. Our ace has yet to learn some manners, in spite of being in her third year, but you must already know that. Do you want me to get rid of her? Your support would give more legitimacy to my action and leave no room for argument."
"You jerk! You DON'T get rid of a senior!" Hoshino retorted, shooting daggers at her rude underclassman. "Who're you to kick me out?"
"It's getting tiring but I'll repeat it as many times as you need : I'm the captain of the volleyball―"
Hoshino plugged her ears and bellowed an unidentifiable tune like a child not wanting to hear the truth.
As usual, the volleyball club was lively and loud, Kuroko thought as he watched the scene. The third-string occasionally shared a gym with the women volleyball team, and in those days, he always observed their liveliness while playing. He kind of found it enjoyable; despite knowing little about the team and volleyball, there was a scenery that managed to snatch his attention away from the basketball court – One of a united team.
He liked it.
There was a strange feeling of being able to make the impossible possible; he wished to feel it. In the third-string, he hardly got to play in matches against other schools and only used to cheer on the players. So now he'd acquired a technique of his own – misdirection –, being part of this beautiful sight didn't seem like a distant dream but something within his reach.
This thought made him smile somewhat. He would not have been able to think that three months ago, when he'd announced his intention to quit the basketball club to Aomine. He still remembered his friend's upset expression and words that day : he could make things happen as long as he never gave up.
His words made him regret the thought of quitting the club.
«Aomine-kun will be sad to lose his basketball partner.»
His cerulean eyes stopped on Asaka Ritsu. Since then, he hadn't met with her. They could barely be called acquaintances but Kuroko wanted to tell her the good news of him getting into the first-string, even though she might have already heard it from Akashi or Aomine. She had been concerned for him, so it was only natural to tell her.
The ashblonde looked in his direction and waved her hand, a faint smile on her lips. He started to raise his hand to return the greeting, only to see that her attention was directed at somebody else.
Momoi was approaching him while waving at the girl on the other side of the net.
"Tetsu-kun! Are you in a team already? I'm writing them down." The pink-haired girl chirped, her pen poised to write his name on the paper.
"Tetsu's in my team!" Aomine chipped in, putting his arm around his neck and pointing at himself with his thumb. "Right?"
Kuroko looked blankly at him, which made Momoi furrow her brows in suspicion.
"Geez, Aomine-kun, don't force Tetsu-kun!" She chided the navy-haired boy.
"How did you come up with that?!"
"He doesn't look excited to join your team!"
"Ha, since when are you able to tell that?" Aomine scoffed and went on, "«What's with the blank face? I can't read him at all! He's so weird!», didn't you say that just after meeting him for the first time?"
Momoi flushed and gasped in horror.
"T-Things have changed!" She countered angrily, clutching her clipboard against her chest, "But say whatever you want, I'm not putting you in the same team unless Tetsu-kun says he wants to! Hmph!"
The pink-haired manager looked away and cut the conversation short.
"Oi, Tetsu! Speak up already!"
"You two make a good couple."
The pair shot him a disgusted look.
"No-no-no, Tetsu-kun! You're wrong! We're not like that! There's no way this ganguro and I would...We don't get along that well!" Momoi faltered as she looked straight into his eyes to convince him otherwise, "Rather, I... I think Tetsu-kun and I would make a lovely couple!"
Aomine inched closer and whispered into his ear, "Be careful of her. She's the cunning ty—"
The tanned boy clutched his stomach after being silenced by a swift punch from the girl.
"He's so insensitive..."
After mumbling the remark, Momoi eventually scribbled the names of the two boys together on her paper. The close sound of steps at her back made her turn. Three seniors were walking up to them.
"How long are you going to make us wait, Aomine? You said you'd bring us our fifth member..."
"Just here!"
Aomine slapped his shoulder as he introduced him.
"The new guy?"
"I'm Kuroko." He re-introduced himself properly.
The three seniors exchanged sceptical looks. They looked at him from head to toe, judging him.
Kuroko merely stared back. He often got those perplexed gazes from the other members of the first-string. He was alien to them. It was unprecedented for a third-stringer to be promoted to the first-string, not to mention he came out of the blue. No one had heard a single thing about him, not even a rumor about his supposedly amazing basketball skills; and that was probably why he earned those judging looks. To be in the first-string, one must possess skills and talent, which the first-stringers didn't seem to detect in him.
However, this only meant one thing for Kuroko, if he wanted to get rid of those looks, then he had to work harder and prove himself. Akashi had warned him from the beginning : he won a ticket for the first-string but whether his stay would be a long one or not, it was up to him to make it happen.
It meant sneaking his way into the team.
That, he will do. He didn't get in there for no reason. Also, he had a promise to keep with an old friend, Ogiwara Shigehiro : to meet on a basketball court again.
"We've got no other choice, I guess...There won't be anyone else left now."
The matches began soon after. Waiting for his turn, Kuroko was observing them with keen eyes. The pace truly differed from the third-string's. The ball travelled back and forth fast and clumsy mistakes barely came to break the rhythm.
Everyone knew what they had to do. Without an ounce of an hesitation in their moves.
He looked at his hands. Would he be able to follow?
A final whistle ended the current game. The cue for Kuroko and his team to get on court.
"Miura! Here!" One of the seniors shouted. The ball in his hands, he ran towards the hoop, only to be stopped by two players.
Unmarked, Kuroko was about to call for a pass but too late.
"Senpai!"
Bursting into his view, Aomine darted straight to the hoop after shaking off his mark. The senior promptly answered his call. One step into the paint, the power forward then leaped and scored without a hitch.
Amazing, the word crossed his mind with a hint of resentment. They were amazing, but the bitter part was that he wasn't included in it. As he expected, the pace seemed too fast for him to perfectly fit in with his teammates. He felt somewhat in the way. And rather than it being a simple impression, he might actually be. Five minutes into the game, he still hasn't done anything useful for his team like scoring or blocking. Neither his aim nor his strength could be trusted.
Kuroko was well-aware that he'd not be able to score a single point in this match, nevertheless, he firmly believed that basketball wasn't just all about scoring.
Akashi's piece of advice came back to him.
«Don't do more than you can. That is the best for you.»
The next minutes followed the same pace. Kuroko found it hard to catch his breath yet still continued to run in hope to support his teammates. And they needed it more than before. The opposite team broke their momentum by tightening their defence, and mainly concentrated on keeping Aomine contained.
Miura made his way to the hoop and was soon stopped after crossing the three-point line. He secured the ball in a tight grip and quickly scanned his options. But they were all sealed. Aomine was marked by two players and his two other teammates as well.
"Miura-senpai!"
The shout pulled him out of his thoughts.
"Ah? Who—"
Confusion seized all the players.
The point guard darted his eyes around and caught sight of Kuroko, ready to catch the ball. The senior showed hesitation but the lack of better options forced him to act.
The ball flew at him. With a quick glance, Kuroko locked onto one of his teammates. With a mere tap, he deviated its trajectory, under the astonished gazes of his opponents (and teammates).
Aomine, who took advantage of the confusion to break free, gasped in shock at the sight of the ball bolting straight at him. Miura had sent it in the opposite direction, so what sort of magic was at work here?
The power forward almost failed to catch it. The pass came stronger than expected, but there was resolve in it.
He crossed Kuroko's gaze and a thrilled grin spread across his face.
"Aomine-kun! Go!"
The teen didn't need to be told twice and scored.
Chatters erupted all over the place, everyone was flabbergasted by the trick.
Kuroko heaved a sigh of relief, closing his hands as if he'd been able to grasp that one thing he always hoped for.
"Tetsu!"
Aomine was jogging up to him, his fist raised. He smiled, and they bumped fists.
As they ran back together to defend, Kuroko noticed the lone figure of a middle-aged man in the bleachers giving him a nod of acknowledgement.
The flow of the game changed. With misdirection, their moves were unpredictable. And thus, nobody could stop Kuroko from passing and his team from scoring.
Their teamwork was at its best.
After fifteen minutes, Kuroko found himself short of breath. He gave his everything to keep up with the quick play of his teammates, but it sure was tough. His body still ached from all the previous workout and his concentration seemed to drop. He felt like he'd collapse at any moment.
Despite so, getting a pass, Kuroko didn't falter and linked all actions into one. One of his teammates shot a three-point. The ball sinking into the basket, he turned back, when a cry pierced his ears.
"ASAKA!"
"Wha― Don't fucking zone out in the middle of a game, Ritsu!" yelled a tall raven-haired girl.
On the other side of the net, the ashblonde was laying on the floor, unconscious. Her teammates rushed over, checking on her. But she didn't get up.
As he watched the scene, Kuroko didn't see the ball coming at him either. His eyes opened wide and his body froze. And what was to happen, happened. The ball smashed him right into his stomach, cutting off his breath.
"TETSU!"
Everything went black.
Ritsu and the rest of the girls watched Hoshino picking a fight with the poor basketball club's captain. Due to some circumstances, they had to share the gym with the basketball club's elite. And needless to say that the cohabitation was far from peaceful, with a noisy neighbour such as the volleyball club. Many clubs complained about it, saying a savage beast ran loose there as they could hear the wild roars of a certain raven-haired for miles around.
Ritsu bet most of the school could name the volleyball team just by hearing her shout, but no matter how they complained, nobody has really managed to make Hoshino shut up.
Sad to say, the captain of the basketball club would be no different.
"Do we replace her?" Yagami suggested, predicting the situation to drag on.
"No, hold your position. I'm going over there and get her. It'll only take a few seconds."
Kazeyaha passed the ball to the blue-haired girl and walked fearlessly into the storm.
"She's going to add fuel to the fire."
Ritsu chuckled, "Definitely."
As they guessed, Hoshino started bellowing in a child-like way. Despite being used to these kind of stupid situations, Yagami couldn't suppress a long sigh from escaping her mouth. The members of the basketball club showed their exasperation but went on with their business.
In the middle of the crowd, she caught sight of a pinkhead, a pen and a clipboard in her hands, fighting her way through the giant boys of the basketball club. Their gazes met, and Ritsu waved at her.
"By the way, Asaka, can we try something when the game resumes?"
Ritsu shifted her attention back to her partner, "What is it?"
"I want to focus the play on you. Only you."
She stared at her, bewildered.
"Will the other be okay with it?"
Yagami shook her head in disapproval, then turned the question back at her, "Are you fine with it?"
In all honesty, it didn't sit well with her – this kind of strategy of relying on one player only. For her, it was one of the worst and weakest options a team could take. Teams which strongly depended on one individual were bound to face a wall one day. No matter how extremely skilled a player was, they had their limits. How far can a player go all alone? What kind of options were given to them when they faced a wall, except their own two hands?
A lone player would never bring their team as far as a united one would. With this simple logic in mind, Ritsu would always favour teamwork.
However, throughout these months in the volleyball club, she did take notice of the reality of competition. Even though she would rather have her team focus on teamwork, some situations required of her to fight alone in order to change the flow of the game.
And it seemed she'd confront these kind of situations more and more in the future. She'll have to get used to it.
"If that's what you think, I won't object. I follow your lead."
Yagami furrowed subtly, the answer didn't seem to satisfy her completely.
"Ritsu! Get the ball!"
Having a bad feeling, the ashblonde hesitated a second before meeting her mentor's burning eyes.
"I'm gonna make you and that so-called captain of yours bite the dust!" Hoshino fumed, pointing an accusing finger at her while she stomped to the other half of the court.
"Why is she angry at me too? What did I do?" Ritsu said in a deadpan voice.
"Wakana-san can't hope to make short work of Rin-chan with you in her team. Asaka-chan can stand up to her in terms of power after all; you stop her from making mincemeat of Rin-chan." Yūzuki explained softly as she walked along with Kazehaya, coming back after dealing with Nijimura and Hoshino. "But between you and me, Wakana-san is just happy to play against you. You're her student."
Ritsu glanced at said mentor who was shooting daggers at her, her eyes filled with rage.
"You make it sound so pretty..."
"In any case, that would make an excellent training for you." Kazehaya declared, the hints of smile on her lips. But her gaze was penetrating, as if looking for something in her.
"Lead the team to victory, Asaka."
Easier said than done.
The ball broke through Kazehaya and Yūzuki's defense and hit the floor.
Hoshino looked at the score gap widening and smirked at them in triumph.
Naturally she'd show off. She never allowed her team to lose the lead and kept coming at them with that super aggressive style of hers. If she wasn't all too familiar with Hoshino, Ritsu would have said that her strength was overbearing, as if no matter what they did against her, she'd be unstoppable.
That impression alone never failed to leave Ritsu in awe. She admired Hoshino's strength but not only that. Now that she no longer was her shadow and had to compete with her on equal ground, she became more sensitive to it – to the way Hoshino plays volleyball.
It was straightforward, bold, reckless, so much that there were times where Ritsu deemed it one-sided; and yet, she couldn't help but feel inspired.
A curious feeling for Ritsu. She never truly was fond of that kind of— of her style, but no matter how one-sidedly Hoshino would play, Ritsu had always been pulled by her drive, her energy.
Her charisma.
Which surely explained why Hoshino could play so freely. With all her teammates at her back.
As this image crossed her mind, Ritsu looked at her own team.
«Lead the team to victory, Asaka.»
She looked at her hands. Will she be able to lead?
The other team served. Ugai promptly received and sent the ball Yagami's way. In this fleeting moment, Ritsu met her gaze. She'd toss the ball at her.
She made one step forward, then started running and jumped, her resolve set.
If Yagami trusted in her, so did she.
Just for a mere second, her view of the opposite court was clear before the tall figure of Hoshino blocked it like an unbreakable wall.
It was too late to back down— No, she would not back down.
A wall could only be broken by force.
Her hand smashed the ball with everything she got, without wondering where it'd land, without worrying about the consequence of one rash action. And in a loud thud, the ball hit the opposite court.
A small victory, but Ritsu spun to Yagami and the rest and grinned in exhilaration.
However, the time of rejoicing was short-lived. The following minutes, Hoshino responded in kind by stepping up her game. Her cries continued to enliven the court, stronger than ever, along with the cheers of the other members.
On the other side of the huge net, the ongoing game seemed to captivate its audience as well. The peculiar squeaking of sports shoes and the distinct sound of dribbling never stopped.
Aomine was dashing to the hoop with the ball until one player was about to block his way. But before the encounter could even happen, the power forward immediately made a pass instead of outflanking him.
Ritsu raised an eyebrow. His choice of making a pass seemed rather curious to her. Outflanking a player has always looked so easy with Aomine and the boy never was the type to refuse a challenge, so when has his play learned a bit of prudence?
Then her gray-blue eyes opened wide, mouth agape.
'Eh?' She blinked in disbelief. 'Did the ball just curve?'
The trajectory of the ball changed, as if it had hit an invisible wall. The ball went around Aomine's opponent and fell right into the hands of a teammate who was just behind him.
She must have dreamt it. There's no way a ball could...
"Look out!"
As her gaze shifted back to her own game, for one second, she saw the ball bolting straight at her head. The impact threw her body backwards onto the parquet.
"ASAKA!"
"Wha― Don't fucking zone out in the middle of a game, Ritsu!"
She heard several steps scurrying around her before losing consciousness.
The next time she opened her eyes, Ritsu saw a white ceiling, her nose was tickled by the chemical odor of disinfectant. The infirmary.
"Asaka, are you okay?"
She moved her head to the voice. Beside her bed, Yagami gently rose from the stool she sat on and took a look at her.
"My head hurts. Terribly." Ritsu answered as she set the ice pack on her head aside. Then she sat up in spite her spinning head. Yagami tried to stop her from getting up, but seeing that she looked fine aftter a while, she sat back on the stool, a smile of relief brightening up her face.
"After getting smashed in the head, of course it still hurts."
"How long was I out?"
Yagami glanced at the clock on the wall, "Around ten minutes. Hareki-senpai and me brought you here. She went to inform the coach and the others of your state and she will bring your things after."
"We're not going back to practice?"
The blue-haired girl chuckled.
"I'm going back, you stay here and rest. You're still a little dizzy and I don't want to get stuck with a player who can't put one foot in front of the other without wobbling. You weren't knocked out by some random smash; it was Hoshino-senpai's."
"You sure are harsh..."
"If you understand, get some rest and enjoy the peace while it lasts." Yagami chirped, "Tomorrow, you probably won't get to see the sun set. I'm sure the coach will lecture you for spacing out in the middle of a game and make you go through one of his special spartan trainings. Kazehaya-senpai will be on your back and..."
"Y-Yagami..." Ritsu cringed. That was exactly what would happen tomorrow. She remembered the time she sprained her wrist, when she came back, practice had never been so hellish. But that wasn't what worried her the most.
"The worst of all is that Hoshino-senpai will tell Hibari-senpai about the accident. Knowing them, they won't leave you alone and mess around with you."
An unescapable fate. Why did her attention drift to the basketball game?
"...I'll make the most of it. Pray for me tomorrow."
"If that'll help."
The two girls broke out in laughter, causing the persion in the bed next to hers to stir. Surprised that there was someone else, Ritsu turned her head to take a peek.
"That's Kuroko-kun!"
"You know him? A senior from the basketball club carried him to the infirmary along with us. Apparently, he has been knocked out by one of his teammates around the same time as you." Yagami told her, glancing at the sleeping boy.
"...Talk about a coincidence." Ritsu said wryly.
Her partner cracked a smile. "I guess the commotion we made is partly to blame."
"You might be right..."
Sorry, Kuroko-kun. Ritsu silently apologized as she looked at him. If she hadn't been so focused on the basketball game, neither of them would have been sent to the infirmary. But the image of the curving ball was still crytal clear in her memory despite the hit. Honestly, just what tricked her eyes to see such an unbelivable thing?
The next moment, his eyes fluttered open.
"...Where?" He asked in a weak voice.
"Kuroko-kun?"
Hearing her voice, he slowly turned his head in her direction. He squinted his eyes slightly before he recognized her.
"Asaka-san?"
Ritsu nodded, "Are you okay?"
"More or less..." He leaned on to sit up while clutching his stomach and stared at the two girls. "What about the game?"
Yagami sighed at the question, instantly guessing what the boy had in mind. Yet, her expression remained soft, lips curled into a faint smile.
"The matches must still be ongoing. Are you planning to go back to practice?"
Kuroko's hands clutched the sheet.
"If so, let me advise you to rest. You certainly need it considering how long you've stayed unconsciousness. I hardly believe a mere pass has enough power to knock somebody out1; you must have reached your limit to pass out cold."
Kuroko averted his eyes, unable to deny the truth.
"Well..." He bit out.
"I know what it is, this strong desire to persevere, I also often push myself to exhaustion. But you must know that you won't accomplish anything in your current state. The best thing to do is rest and do your best the next day."
These weren't mere wise words, Yagami lined by them herself. Several times in practice, she was on the brink of collapsing. And many times, Ritsu thought that she was pushing herself too much but she learned that it was a needless concern of hers.
Yagami was not an pigheaded but a patient girl.
She knew when she had to stop herself, even if it meant stopping on a bitter note. Under Hibari's guidance, her training often ended with her biting her lips in frustration and completely worn out. But instead of pushing herself more and more, Yagami would always accept the failure and try harder the following day, when she was in condition to accomplish something.
That strength of character and self-awareness were the main reason which convinced Ritsu that Yagami would surely make a better lead – a good setter. She would not break whatever the hardship.
That thought reminded her of a question Kuroko had asked her months ago, that if she didn't become a regular, would she quit volleyball? Even Ritsu had never considered this choice, she remembered telling him that she'd have given up at some point; it might have been the truth. When one realises how little the steps they makes are, it is easier to stop than continue walking on an uncertain path. However, Yagami would have not given up. She couldn't confirm it, but deep inside, she was unable to imagine otherwise. If her partner had been the one talking to Kuroko that day, maybe the boy would have been more comforted in his choice of not quitting the basketball club.
Using their former captain, Hibari's own words : Yagami was a worthy player of the Teikō volleyball club. She was stubborn and reckless in her own way.
"You better do as she tells you," Ritsu began with a mischievous smile, "or Yagami will start to be really concerned about you – it's not something I recommend you to do. She won't leave you alone until she has the last word."
"Asaka!"
The teal-haired teen bobbed his head, when the door slid open abruptly.
"Tetsu-kun!"
Momoi stood on the threshold and looked around. When she sighted her beloved awake and well, she rushed to him and hugged him tightly in relief. The display of affection made Yagami blushed slightly and brought a soft smile on Ritsu's lips.
Momoi was really infatuated with Kuroko. And to think that just a few days ago their relationship was completely different, it sure showed how love could be as sudden and unexpected as a downpour.
Momoi had told her every bit of that fateful moment. One day after school, Aomine, Kuroko and some other basketball members went to a convenience store to buy ice cream, and she tagged along with them since she had nothing else to do. Being the only girl in the group, she was left out. The only one who talked to her was Kuroko, not to share an ice cream with her but to give her his winning stick with which you could get another popsicle. That, was the instant her heart had been pierced by cupid's arrow.
Well, to be very honest, Ritsu still didn't totally understand how this could make one fall head over heels for someone, not that she questioned Momoi's love for the teal-haired teen, but she realised that it took little to nothing for someone to fall in love with an another.
She supposed a little contact was enough to connect people with one another in every kind of way. If Akashi hadn't given her that chocolate bar that day, chances are, their friendship would not have bloomed.
"Does it hurt?" Momoi asked, pulling away. "I've just heard from A-chan you took a ball to the stomach and collapsed! That stupid Aomine-kun! I'm sure he didn't look before making the pass!"
"It's not Aomine-kun's fault. I didn't pay attention."
The pink-haired girl looked unconvinced.
"You don't need to cover him!" She huffed. She then grabbed the strap of the sports bag on her shoulder and put it on the floor. "I've brought your things. Akashi-kun told me to since you might not be in any condition to come back. He notified it to the coach and Nijimura-senpai."
"I'm causing him a lot of trouble."
Momoi shook her head, "Everyone causes trouble for Akashi-kun. Especially Aomine-kun, Midorin and Mukkun, they always make a fuss!"
"Because of that, he can't even rush to his beloved's side and get a glimpse at her beautiful sleeping face~" All eyes turned to the mischievous voice. "The basketball club is full of bad boys!"
Hareki Kisa waltzed into the room, carrying Ritsu's belonging with her.
"So. How are you feeling, Asaka-kun? Did you have nice dreams?"
"I wasn't sleeping, I lost consciousness..." Ritsu retorted. "But I'm fine. The ice had its intended effect. It still hurts though."
"You took a hit from Wakana after all." Hareki giggled and leaned in a bit, brushig the ashblonde's bangs aside to see the round bright red spot on her forehead. "No wonder it hurts. Seems like you'll keep this mark for some time. Well, isn't it a good thing?"
Ritsu furrowed her brow, "Huh?"
"Use this injury to get closer to A-k-a-s-h-i-k-u-n!" She sing-songed happily. "Why don't you have him kiss you on the forehead to make it disappear? It'd be absolutely lovely! But a kiss might be too much to ask, why not have him say that magic spell «Pain, pain, fly away~!» like kids do? Imagine the great Akashi Seijūrō so innocent and pure!"
She sighed, expecting as much from her manager. Since the date at the coffee shop and the photo incident at the summer camp, Hareki found it very amusing to poke fun at her about her close relationship with Akashi, saying that the sweet air of spring floated around them.
"I don't know if you seriously want to see it or just want to make fun of us...I'd be very worried about Akashi-kun if he were to be so affectionate."
"Eeh, so you like to be treated coldly. In that case, Midorima-kun's better choice."
"Don't twist my words!"
Hareki laughed.
"Okay, okay, I guess I should stop teasing you." The older girl put her school bag and a paper bag containing her uniform down and put the jacket over Ritsu's shoulders. "I see you're fine enough to talk back. The future ace of the Teikō volleyball club has a hard head!"
"She sure has." Yagami agreed with amusement.
"Well then, we shouldn't stay here too long, the others will get worried and imagine the worst. Yagami-kun, let's go!"
The blue-haired girl stood up, "Are you coming back with us, Momoi?"
"Hm," She nodded after taking a look at Kuroko. "I have to inform the coach. Aomine-kun and Akashi-kun might want to know too. See you later, Tetsu-kun."
Following Hareki and Yagami, Momoi waved at them and closed the door behind her. Silence returned to the room. Ritsu turned her head and shot a little smile at the boy.
"I'm sorry for the all the noise, Kuroko-kun. Hareki-senpai loves to spout nonsense and it's hard to stop her."
Kuroko silently stared at her, a question hanging from his lips.
"Asaka-san, you like Akashi-kun?"
His innocent question threw her off. Is that really something you ask a girl with a straight face?!, she wailed inwardly. But well, ever since they met, Kuroko hadn't been very expressive, so...
She stared at him before answering. She supposed Kuroko must have some questions given how close Akashi and her were; he had accompanied them on the Lovers' path of the Haunted house after all. That said, she must personally thank Hareki for trying to play matchmaker, and thus imply that there might be some romantic feelings involved.
"I...do like him. Akashi-kun is the kind of friend you can't find everywhere. And he is oddly cute."
"Oddly cute?"
"If I say that Akashi-kun can behave like a child, it sounds strange, right?"
"Quite."
"That's the oddly cute part. Well, it must not make much sense to you right now, but you might understand after spending some time with him." Ritsu chirped. "And now that you're in the first-string, there'll be plenty of occasions to see it!"
His expression clouded a little.
"I'm sorry for not telling you."
"It's not a big deal." She chuckled. "I'm glad for you. You must have really blown the first-string away with your play! Akashi-kun was pretty excited; he said you've gone beyond his expectations."
"He said that?" He raised the question in disbelief. That's the first time he's heard of this.
"It seems to me he was expecting a lot from you."
Kuroko's eyes lit up.
She was sincerely happy for him. The past months must not have been easy for him, full of doubts and uncertainties. Even he might have been aware that whatever hope he was given, the odds for failure were greater than for success.
The door of the first-string doesn't open to mere knocks on it and patient waiting for a sign from the other side, but to brute force and those with the strength and will to break it.
Against all odds, Kuroko forced his way into the first-string and set foot on the other side of the door with his own strength. Well, «against all odds» was certainly disrespectful towards the boy, but conveyed her sheer surprise when Akashi announced the news rather well. Like most people, she had doubted his potential.
"Exactly what kind of feat did you achieve to go as far as beyond Akashi-kun's expectations? He remains vague about it and said that it was better to see it for myself..." Her voice trailed off as the curving ball flashed in her mind. Her gray-blue eyes focused on the boy. "Say, Kuroko-kun, I'm not well-versed in basketball but there's no such thing as a curving pass, is it?"
Kuroko straightened a bit, his chin raised in full interest.
"I must have dreamt it, however, I saw Aomine made a pass and instead of following a linear trajectory, the ball deviated and went around his opponent..."
"That was my doing." Kuroko affirmed plainly.
Her assumptions were right, even though it was still shocking to hear it from his mouth. What she saw now made sense. Kuroko had deviated the ball's trajectory yet something bothered her. She only remembered the ball, as if it changed course on its own...How is it possible that she missed seeing Kuroko at that moment?
"You said you did it but..."
"I don't catch and pass the ball. I only tap on it." He reproduced the move with his hand. "Just like that."
Just as he said, it was a soft tap, enough to make the ball change direction. Adding to that the fast pace of a basketball game, it explained the impression of a curve. Kuroko's action didn't even last a second.
"So it was too quick for me to catch you in action?"
He confirmed with a nod. "I can't touch the ball more than a second so that my presence on court stays low. The focus needs to remain on the ball."
Ritsu tilted her head, perplexed. "But the ball is the most important thing in a game, everyone has their eyes on it whatever happens on court. Why do you say the focus needs to remain on the ball?"
"The ball possesses the strongest presence, but, that attention is then redirected on the player who holds it. They become the person with the most importance on court." Kuroko explained. "However, I can't have everyone's eyes on me when I get the ball. I can't allow it."
"Why?"
"The ball would be stolen from me in the blink of an eye."
"...Huh?" A bead of sweat dripped down her cheeks. His grave tone made her expect something bigger. "Aren't you exaggerating? You're in the first-string because you...seem to have talent."
This came out oddly, and was a very rude thing to say to someone's face. The way she phrased it, it felt like she wasn't fully convinced of his basketball skills. Nonetheless, Ritsu now understood Akashi's words when he said he couldn't fully figure Kuroko out : you seriously don't know what to think of him.
Kuroko's gaze was fixed on her, which made her even more uncomfortable. "Ack! No...That—"
"It's the truth. Although I hope that being in the first-string would improve my play, I'm still nowhere near Aomine-kun's level or any of the others. I can't win against them in a one-on-one." He slightly lowered his head, eyes on his hands before he raised his chin again. "But I think it's exactly because I can't stay in their way that I prove to be useful for them."
Ritsu didn't understand. "What are you getting at?"
"I support my team in the shadows. It's the only way I can think of to fit in a team like Teikō, and also the best way to use my own abilities."
As Kuroko noticed the slight twitch of her eyebrow on the «in the shadows» part, he went on with his explanation.
"When I tried to figure out what kind of position Akashi-kun expected to fill that day, I thought of point guard. Their role suit me best. But Akashi-kun is already an outstanding point guard; I'd never be able to outshine him or even hope to be his replacement, no matter how hard I worked. So I reconsidered my thinking but to no avail."
Kuroko had really put some serious thoughts on Akashi's words. Ritsu could only commend his determination. In his stead, how many would have gone this far without a promise of success?
"Then, what was the trigger for you?" She asked the question in full anticipation to know the end of his extraordinary story.
"Aomine-kun."
As the name of his precious friend touched his lips, his expression softened.
"One day, on our way home, Aomine-kun mentioned that he'd be amazed to see a banana pass in a game so that it could go around any of his opponents."
A banana pass, Ritsu mused amusingly. No doubt, that had Aomine written all over it.
"Of course, it was merely a joke, but..."
"His idea wasn't as stupid as it sounded."
The teal-haired boy nodded. "I wondered if it was possible...If I could make it possible for a pass to curve, then maybe I'd be able to bring something new to team dynamics. I remember Akashi-kun saying to me that I should stray from conventional conceptions."
It sure did sound like an advice Akashi would give, confusing as hell. But seriously, the redhead must have truly believed in Kuroko's potential to find this special thing. He'd never have given this sort of advice to someone who was not worthy of his time. Even though Kuroko had never given an answer, Akashi had patiently waited for the day he'd step into the first-string.
"So after parting with Aomine-kun, I stopped by a bookshop and while heading to the sports corner, I stumbled on a basic magic tricks book and bought it."
"You thought magic tricks would help you find a way to make the ball curve?" She remained perplexed. Magic tricks would rather help him to make the ball disappear. That would certainly stray from conventional plays too - a bit too much though. Even Kuroko or Akashi would not consider such a thing possible in basketball.
"They did. I learned about misdirection."
"Mis...direction?"
"A magician subtly shifts the public's attention anywhere but on his trick. That's what creates the illusion. While you focus on the object he's showing you, you became inattentive to the rest, only because your brain can't take all the information of the whole scene at once and will prioritize what your eyes are following and focusing on first."
Seeing no reaction from the ashblonde, Kuroko looked around for something and took a pen from a small table beside his bed. He sat on the edge of the bed and pulled the sheet over his legs.
"Look at this pen, Asaka-san."
She did as he said. Without a word, Kuroko then threw it into the air. Ritsu followed the object with her eyes and saw it twirl before the boy caught it back when it fell down.
Her attention back on Kuroko, she looked at him askance. But as she took a closer look at him, she noticed that the white sheet was no longer over his legs.
"That is misdirection." Kuroko stated when her gaze met his.
And she realised what he wanted to demonstrate to her. Now that she obtained that last piece of the puzzle and connected them all, misdirection, the curving pass and Kuroko's own words, she finally got the whole picture - Of how Kuroko went beyond Akashi's expectations.
"You use the basketball to deviate attention from yourself..."
"People often says to me that I have zero presence. They can't sense whether I'm close or not and get scared. I don't quite understand how they can't tell, I don't think I have less presence than others. But..."
The corner of the girl's lips twitched. Is he being serious? She remembered their experience at the Haunted house. While she could more or less guess Akashi's whereabouts, she was unable to for Kuroko. She could use the excuse of being in the dark, even so the teal-haired boy had practically no presence.
If you didn't pay close attention, he'd vanish into thin air.
"It's thanks to that that I can use misdirection and thus be a support for my team."
Like that'd be the case in the middle of a heated game. With such a low presence, there was a high chance for Kuroko to remain unnoticed. If so, he would be completely free with his movements and would thus have the element of surprise with misdirection. In addition to that, a curving pass would add a lot more variations to their teamplay.
Whatever the situation he'd find himself in, Kuroko would be able to connect with his teammates, which made him an excellent support.
On the other hand, another question popped into her head. For misdirection, Kuroko suppressed his already low presence so that nobody would notice him, but then couldn't he do more than just passing? With this kind of ability, he should have no problem with scoring either. In fact, wouldn't he be the perfect player to score since he could disappear from everybody's sight?
"Just a support? From what I understand, you're practically invisible on court. Why don't you score as well? "
Ritsu was curious to know. In his pla ce, she'd not have been satisfied with herself with just passing, when she could score.
"I try but I miss the hoop most of the time. I don't remember scoring a lot since I started basketball." A shadow spread over his face and masked it with anxiety. "And Akashi-kun..."
"Akashi-kun?"
Kuroko realised his slip of the tongue and bit his lips. "No, never mind. As it is, passing is fine but I know there's always room for improvement and I will do my best. I can't be a burden to Aomine-kun or Akashi-kun when they believe so much in me and I do wish to get into the team. I'm unsure if that time will come anytime soon but I can say one thing for sure : I don't want to be left behind."
Ritsu kept silent, watching the boy clench his hands into fists. She didn't need to say anything, not when his cerulean eyes were alight with an unswerving determination. Still, the intensity of his gaze surprised her. To think his eyes were capable of burning with such a strong flame.
Honestly, what a gap. Kuroko's actions and words had so much power in them and yet it was strange how she wouldn't catch any of that greatness with a mere glance.
It seems like a new alien had torn the door of the basketball club open and would bring with it the winds of change.
Somehow, this made her want to praise his courage and cheer for him.
"In that case, you have my full support, Kuroko-kun. You want to stand on the same stage and be acknowledged by those you respect and admire, I know I share that sentiment."
"Asaka-san as well?"
"Everyone comes upon at least one person they can't win against and has to give chase to catch up to them. For me, my senior and former instructor is one of them." Ritsu paused, "So is Akashi-kun. He is quite far ahead of me, even though I'd like to believe the gap separating us isn't so big."
Kuroko perked up at the name of the vice-captain of basketball club. "You wish to win against him?"
"I do, he did beat me in volleyball, but it's not my top priority." She laughed softly, "It'd be more fitting to say that I don't want him to leave my sight when I do my best to catch up with him. I have yet to show him what I can do and for that I must do my everything to be his equal!"
In the school library, Akashi and she had promised to keep an eye on each other's progress. Holding on to that promise, she must not let the gap between them widen. So maybe one day, she would not just look at his back but walk along with him.
"Akashi-kun is not bored with you." His words were accompanied by a gentle smile which melted her heart.
"We aren't friends for nothing! But the same goes for you, Kuroko-kun. Akashi-kun has a lot of fun at the club since your promotion to the first-string. With you, it seems like the winds of change will blow in the basketball club."
"I like the sound of that."
Kuroko Tetsuya.
This was a name she'd not forget. Ritsu understood now what both Aomine and Akashi saw in him.
He is a boy full of surprises. He'd never fail to surprise them.
Just like a magician who pulls a rabbit out of his hat.
On the horizon, the sunset was coloring the sky in hues of red and violet. Ritsu and Kuroko were told to go home and rest for the day but the pair was uncomfortable with the idea and stubbornly waited for the end of club activities to leave the infirmary. The school was closing soon, they decided to go make the way to the train station together.
Leaving the main building, they caught sight of a bunch of colorful heads gathered at the front gate.
"How much longer are we going to wait? I'm sure they already left..."
"Nothing stops you from leaving."
"Sacchin said I'd get an ice cream if I wait."
"Then stop complaining already."
Murasakibara stared at the greenhead in petty annoyance. "Say Mido-chin, why are you waiting with us in the first place? You don't like Kuro-chin or Asa-chin. Actually, nothing stops you from going home. Why don't you leave?"
"I would have done so if Akashi and Momoi had not strongly insisted." The shooting guard spat, glaring at the two causes of this stupid situation.
"It was merely a suggestion." The redhead shrugged it off.
"Come on, Midorin! Don't take it like that! The more, the merrier! Even if it's you!"
His eyebrow twitched.
"Akashi-kun is even joining us today, when he always manages to get aw— Aaah!" Momoi gasped in shock at what she nearly let slip. She gulped nervously and looked at the boy to see his reaction. As the redhead was keeping silent, Momoi didn't know how to interpret that mysterious smile of his.
"B-Besides, the last time we hung out with all five of us was at your birthday, Midorin! We had fun at the crepe shop!"
"Hm...Why don't we go there again instead of Maji Burger, Sacchin?" Murasakibara asked, his eyes shining expectantly. "The crepe was delicious."
"You liked them that much?"
The giant nodded, "I want to try a different flavour than last time."
Momoi tilted her heard in thought. "It's true that they were good but...It's also the perfect place for a date. I'd like to go with Tetsu-kun alone and the two of us share the biggest crepe of the shop together. And he and I would..."
The girl left to the world of dreams, where a certain teal-haired boy would look at her with passionate eyes and played the perfect gentleman for the lady she was.
"Sacchin?" Murasakibara frowned, seeing the girl smiling in bliss.
The delusion of her wiping off cream from Kuroko's cheek and seeing his flustered face had definitely convinced the girl. Momoi suddenly snapped back to reality and exclaimed, "That's absolutely no! We can't go there, Mukkun! With you all around, Tetsu-kun won't come close to me and I won't be able to share a crepe with him! So it's definitely a no if Tetsu-kun is coming!"
Murasakibara frowned even more as Kuroko's name came up far too often for his taste.
"It's settled. We don't bring Kuro-chin with us. We can go then."
"Don't be stupid! We're having this party essentially for him." Midorima retorted at his wit's end. "Also, Maji burger is closer to the station. The quicker we go there and eat, the faster I can go home."
The silly conversation made Aomine roll his eyes. Those two didn't give a damn about Kuroko. Not that it was surprising of them. Then, his eyes fell on Akashi who was silently watching on the side.
Something was bothering the power forward.
"Hey, Akashi, you sure you want to come?"
The redhead's eyes flickered to him.
"What are you trying to say, Aomine?"
"Have you ever stepped into a fast-food joint before?"
Though stupid, the question piqued everyone's curiosity.
"Has Akashi-kun said something strange again? You're all staring at him like he's an alien."
"Asaka-chan!" Momoi saw Kuroko standing next to her and clutched his arm. "Tetsu-kun~!"
"Were you waiting for us?" Ritsu greeted all the familiar faces with a smile, even though only Akashi and Aomine responded friendly to her.
Momoi nodded cheerfully, still clinging to Kuroko's arm.
"It's been more than a week since Tetsu-kun has come to the first-string and we haven't celebrated it yet! So we thought of throwing you a welcome party! Me, Akashi-kun and everyone else!"
"A welcome party for me?" Kuroko slightly gaped in surprise and looked at the whole group, not knowing what to say.
They were all the best members of basketball club, so to have them throw a party for him when he had yet to make it into the team...He understood Aomine and somewhat Akashi's presence for the party but what about Midorima and Murasakibara? He has barely talked to them at the club and never had the opportunity to play in the same team in practice games to get to know them better.
Honestly, he didn't know what to think of it but their attention made him a little bit happy.
"We wanted Nijimura-senpai to come but he seemed to have some urgent matter to deal with. Maybe we should leave it for when you become a regular, right Tetsu-kun?"
"When I become a regular..." Kuroko mused on those words, an hopeful glow shining in his cerulean eyes.
"Of course, Aomine-kun will treat you!"
"Ha?! I never said anything like that!"
"As an apology for knocking Tetsu-kun out!" Momoi shoved the fact in his face, causing Aomine to swallow back any other comments.
"Er...well," Ritsu joined in nervously, scratching her cheek with her finger. "In that case, I should be the one treating Kuroko-kun. I think it's because of me he got knocked out."
"By the way, what happened to Asa-chin?"
"I kind of spaced out in the middle of the game and...took a ball right to my face. I guess the commotion I caused drew Kuroko-kun's attention and he didn't see Aomine's pass." She gave an apologetic smile to the teal-haired teen. "I'm sorry! If I had received the ball correctly..."
"You don't need to apologize, Asaka." Midorima cut in. "Kuroko and you are both at fault for spacing out in game."
"Ugh...You don't let anything slip, do you, Midorima-kun? It's like a foretaste of what is going to happen to me tomorrow..." Ritsu said dejectedly while staring at the strict shooting guard. "But I suppose it was a good thing, like Hareki-senpai would say. I've learned a few interesting things about Kuroko-kun during our little stay at the infirmary."
The ashblonde exchanged a knowing gaze with Kuroko.
Momoi giggled, fully understanding her friend's interest for the boy. "Tetsu-kun has also caught your eyes, hasn't he?"
"Hard to ignore the fire within him."
Aomine and Akashi silently acknowledged her words.
"Enough of Kuro-chin..." Murasakibara's impatient voice cut the moment short. "Can we get a move on? I'm getting hungry."
"Geez, you're only interested in the food, Mukkun."
Murasakibara shrugged his shoulders. "If you aren't, I'm going alone."
"Eh?! You're forgetting all about Tetsu-kun's welcome party."
Ignoring her, he spun and started to walk away. Midorima let out a long and heavy sigh before he fell into step behind the giant.
"Those two always go at their own pace! Mukkun, Midorin, wait for us!"
"Just leave them be, Satsuki. We're all going the same way, anyway." Aomine said indifferently, his arms crossed behind his head.
Momoi pursed her lips. She had wished the two boys would be a little more amiable to Kuroko, the one for whom they were having the welcome party for.
"Let's go, Tetsu-kun! They just can't wait! And I'm sure they're going to get mad at us for being too slow if they arrive first!"
Momoi, Kuroko and Aomine followed close at the heels of the two boys walking ahead.
"It must not be easy for you everyday, Akashi-kun." The ashblonde observed the two groups amusedly.
Before getting scolded by one of the groups ahead for dragging their feet, Akashi and Ritsu followed Momoi's group closely.
"Does your head hurt? The impact had to be quite violent for you to black out."
"Enough to leave a round red mark. The pain is almost gone, it does hurt a little when I touch it though. " She rubbed the spot softly and winced a little in pain. "Apparently, the bruise will take time before disappearing...It's a little embarrassing, to have this in the middle of my forehead."
Akashi sneaked a glance and noted said red spot, partially covered by her bangs. It was easy to get a glimpse of it when she moved though.
"I can see it."
Her cheeks coloring up, Ritsu tried to hide it the best she could. "I can't completely cover it with my bangs...At least, it's not too windy today."
A sudden blast of wind rushed through the streets and swept her hair up, revealing the round mark on her forehead entirely.
"I want to crawl into a hole." She said with a deadpan voice, the corner of her lips twitching.
"It's no longer necessary for you to hide it from me."
Ritsu sighed in defeat. "Is there anything I can hide from you?"
A delighted smile tugged at his lips.
"I hope not."
The group arrived at Maji burger a few minutes later. The place was bustling with people, making it hard to find unoccupied seats. Fortunately, regular customers like Aomine and Kuroko exactly knew where to go and spotted two four seat tables aligned alongside each other near the back of the restaurant.
Kuroko, Aomine, Momoi and Midorima sat around the first table while Asaka and Murasakibara shared the second one and would soon be joined by Akashi who had yet to finish placing his order at the counter.
"Is that all you ordered, Tetsu?" Aomine asked, gawking at the small boy sipping his milkshake quietly.
"I like the vanilla milkshake they make here."
"What a waste...! You should have made Asaka buy you tons of hamburgers or milkshakes instead! It's not everyday someone's treating you!"
"I'm not that rich, Aomine-kun..."
Ritsu took a peek at the mountain of hamburgers on the tanned boy's tray. Her gray-blue eyed gaze then travelled to Kuroko. In fact, she'd have gladly paid him a full-course meal. When she made the order, Kuroko only had eyes for the cold drink and didn't need anything else, even though she told him to indulge himself. Oh well, he looked quite happy with his vanilla milkshake.
As she scrutinized his blissful expression, the way he drank it made her want to try it too. She wasn't very fond of vanilla but it looked delicious.
"Don't lump Tetsu-kun together with you! He'd never do that! He's a gentleman unlike you!" Momoi spoke up before she inched closer to the teal-haired teen sat next to her. "I'm sharing with you! Let's eat together!"
"If you ever need anything else, feel free to ask Aomine, Kuroko. I haven't heard him apologize to you for his blunder yet." Akashi butted in, his full tray in his hands.
"Tch! What blunder?" The power forward was ticked off by the remark.
The two boys stared at each other. Aomine didn't like the subtle threat hidden behind his words, as if he was compelled to apologize or that little devil in disguise would get back at him one way or another. Which he'd rather avoid at all costs. And thus, he eventually gave in.
"Catch."
With a relunctant yet gentle movement, Aomine threw one of his hamburgers to Kuroko, making the whole mountain collapse and some of them rolling near Midorima's tray.
"Eat up. You threw up all of your lunch during practice after all. Wasn't pretty sight."
"Spare us the details when we're eating! And take those hamburgers of yours away from my tray!" Midorima lost his temper.
"Like I want to share anything with a freak like you!" Aomine snatched them up and put them back on his tray. "Besides, who orders a fucking salad in a fast-food joint?!"
"I choose whatever I want. Perhaps you should consider eating healthier."
"You don't go to a fast-food joint to eat healty!"
"How do you explain salads being included in the menu?"
Leaving the two boys arguing over hamburgers and salads, Akashi quietly took a seat at the next table, in front of Ritsu and Murasakibara.
"What did you get, Aka-chin?"
"A classic menu."
Ritsu took a glimpse at his tray and noticed another cup aside from his drink.
"You picked up a milkshake too?"
"Vanilla milkshake. Kuroko recommended it to me earlier."
"Aka-chin has a sweet tooth?"
"Not particularly but Kuroko seems quite fond of it. It piqued my interest."
"He knows how to sell them." Ritsu chuckled as she sneaked a glance at the quiet teal-haired boy. Kuroko wasn't very expressive, nonetheless, better not underestimate his power of persuasion. Akashi couldn't resist the temptation after all.
"Talking about sweet food...Asa-chin, do you want to go to the crepe shop with me next time?"
"Sure, if you're fine with me."
Ritsu responded positively, though his invitation took her aback. Murasakibara usually tags along but he seldom asks others to hang out with him. Whenever there is a place he wants to go to, he'd go, even alone, as long as he could get what he came for.
"Asa-chin is kind. I want us to share crepes together." The giant declared without a tinge of embarrassment, which baffled both the girl and Akashi.
Since when did Murasakibara want to share food with someone? Well, he did share his snacks sometimes...but it is a crepe they're talking about right now, not one piece of maiubo or a little candy!
"Y...You don't just want us to eat together, you'd like to share food with me...?" Ritsu rephrased his words to be sure she hadn't misheard or misunderstood anything.
"Hm," Murasakibara bobbed his head, not picking up the surprise in her voice. "This way, I get to taste two different flavours at the same time."
Learning of his true intention, Ritsu laughed lightheartedly. Light pink tinted her cheeks in happiness. Even though his main motive was the food, Murasakibara was willing to share food with her.
"I'm not into very sweet food, is that okay with you?"
"Asa-chin will pick a tasty crepe, I'm sure of it. You have good taste in food. Aka-chin had this very delighted face when he took a bite of your crepe last time."
"In sweet company, everything would taste good."
The red-haired teen gave Ritsu a knowing smile.
"Aka-chin, do you want to come with us?"
Akashi shook his head softly. "No, I'll pass. If I have to share food with someone, I'd rather like us to be alone. And you're not wrong, Murasakibara. The food does taste good in Asaka's company."
Ritsu's cheeks became hot under his gaze, and especially at the memory of them sharing a piece of cake at the coffee shop as she could say the same about Akashi. The cake that day had been the sweetest she ever had, even though she tasted it so many times before. However, she couldn't fully understand why she felt a notable difference in Akashi's company and why the simple memory of that moment could fluster her this way. She never had problem with sharing food with someone before, or even with the thought of it. She often did it with her little brother, and when Murasakibara suggested the idea, she was fine with it.
Maybe is it because her biased view on Akashi has changed and she can no longer take her eyes off him? Ritsu could imagine hundreds of answers to that strange feeling without any certainty, but there was one thing she was sure of, that Akashi knew how to throw her in that kind of state.
"Honestly...you two know how to sweet-talk people. How can I refuse your invitations if you think so highly of me?"
Murasakibara tilted his head in confusion and Akashi's smile shaped into a smirk.
Little extra
While sipping his precious vanilla milkshake, Kuroko listened in to the various conversations around him and observed his surroundings. Even though this was supposed to be a welcome party for him, it seemed like everyone had forgotten about the reason of them eating and having fun at Maji burger, or perhaps they actually forgot he was there. Well, all that mattered was that everyone was enjoying themselves here, him included.
"It's sweet."
Akashi was the one who made the comment. Curious, Kuroko directed his attention on the next table where the vice-captain was sat around with Murasakibara and Ritsu, and noticed a vanilla milkshake in his hand. Kuroko was pleased to see the redhead try the drink upon his recommendation, although he didn't look like he had much of a sweet-tooth.
"Sweeter than expected given your face." Ritsu noted with amusement.
"It's not bad. I expect it to taste more like milk but the vanilla flavour is authentic and rich."
Akashi took a second sip of it. For a fraction of a second, Kuroko caught the teen slightly furrowing his brows.
"Still, it's too sweet for your taste. Are you sure you're going to finish it, Akashi-kun?"
The redhead eyed the grinning girl for a brief moment, "I will, but before, would you like to try it, Asaka?"
Ritsu regarded him with a suspicious look. "Why all of sudden?"
"Ehh...Aka-chin is trying to fool Asa-chin so that he won't have to drink the whole thing."
"You get that feeling too, Murasakibara-kun?"
Unfazed, Akashi continued to eye the duo who was making fun of this situation.
"So, will you try it, Asaka?" He reiterated, more curtly this time.
Ritsu and him stared at each other before the ashblonde gave in to the boy's demand, refraining herself from making Akashi repeat his question a third time. Never test Akashi's patience, Kuroko assumed from the scene that this one rule didn't apply only to the members of the basketball club.
"I can't really leave a friend in a bind, can I?" Ritsu resigned herself to her fate.
She took the cup on the table and put the straw in her mouth, sipping the mixture until its sweetness tickled her taste buds. Her lips released the straw and she then confirmed :
"...It's sweet."
The redhead's lips curled up in full satisfaction. He took the cup back and finished sipping the rest of the cold drink.
Kuroko watched the boy savouring this small victory. His expression was the same of a child that indulged itself in warmth and happiness. Somehow, to see him this way was...
«Oddly cute.»
Those affectionate words, Kuroko could clearly read them in Ritsu's eyes. And he could tell that Akashi seemed to hold a special place in the ashblonde's heart.
Kuroko has joined your party.
Kuroko (Mage) Lv 1
Hp : 286 Mp : 131
Str : 4 Def : 5
Mag: 15 Mdf : 10
Agi : 12 Luk : 7
Do you want to change formation?