Sunrays
"Ryōta."
He's forgotten just how frightening that voice really is.
"E-eh?" No, it can't be.. "Akashicchi?" Kise Ryōta finds himself completely frozen inside Seirin's gymnasium, screeching sneakers and the Coach's roars dull compared to voice he's not heard since middle-school.
Clenching his cellphone abit too hard, knuckles white, he awaits a response.
"Shūtoku High found themselves all too easily dispatching Kaijō High in a recent skirmish. Care to explain?" A mere sentence is enough for him to know he's forgotten something very important.
"A-Ah.. you see..!" He might've let it slip that Kaijō offered him a scholarship back in middle-school during practice. It's not really surprising that it's coming back to haunt him in the form of his Captain.
Former Captain, right..
"You declined." It's not a question, and he cringes all too visibly at the mental image of Akashicchi staring him down as if he'd been acting out of line back in Teikō. He'd honestly declined at the last minute, unsure to the very last day of middle-school about his enrollment to Seirin and his wishes to follow Kurokocchi after the nationals.
..Maybe he should've told the others.
"Why." Kise Ryōta recognizes that he's only got a few seconds to explain himself properly, he'd rather not face any more possible consequences. God knows what would've occured if this had been in person..
"I-I might've just.. ah, decided to enroll in Seirin?" There's more sweat pouring now than when he's actually playing basketball. It's not a good sign.
There's a moment of silence on the other end, and the Copy-Cat's gaze snaps to his team. It's difficult at first, but gold zeroes in on pale-blue pushing himself past his limit trying to keep up with everyone.
Kise almost forgets just who's on the the other side of this conversation as his lips mold themselves into a brief smile as their Captain encourages their Phantom Sixth Man.
"You're with Tetsuya." He's catching on now, that two of his former teammates have decided to play together for three more years. Kise's unsure just how much of a difference it's made to his former Captain's future plans.
He remembers their promise, to compete as rivals in high-school.
"Yeah, I am." Kurokocchi was never part of that promise. He's not one of them.
"Let me speak with him." It's a command, and Kise Ryōta's still wise enough to heed it. The Captain of Teikō still rules with an iron fist over his former teammates.
Taking a much needed breather from the heavy task of speaking with Akashicchi, pushing his cellphone into his shirt as he muffles the sounds out of paranoia, Kise finds himself both relieved and terrified.
Relief that he's survived misinforming his former Captain about his high-school plans.
Terror that he's passing over his phone to his precious mentor.
Nothing good will come from this.
"Hey, Kurokocchi!" Shouting perhaps wasn't the best choice in beckoning his friend over, he catches on to just how everyone freezes in their current drills, confusion and curiousity shared amongst all eyes on him.
"Yes?" The Phantom Sixth Man appears within seconds at his side, completely unnoticed. It's enough for him to almost jump out of his skin with how stressfull this is.
There's a brief flicker of amusement in his mentor's gaze as he recoils just slightly at the sudden movement, though it's just as quickly quelled down and a more 'serious' expression comes to fruition as his current state of mind's easily visible to his friend.
"Akashicchi's on the phone." He relays the message, along with his phone - awaiting whatever possible end this call might have.
He doesn't pay attention to just how his friend's eyes widen just abit at his declaration, though he remains stoic as he accepts the offered cell-phone. It's unnerving.
Deciding to indulge in whatever he can to take his mind off what's happening, Kise finds himself chugging down the remainder of his water.
"Hello, Akashi-kun." He can still hear it, as his friend hasn't moved a single muscle since accepting his phone. The formal greeting's setting a tone for whatever conversation's about to unfold.
Muffled, the voice of Akashicchi remains unrecognizable but he's still able to catch just where their conversation's heading.
"Yes, we're practicing." Pale-blue eyes are focused on the cedar-esque wooden walls of the gymnasium as he's confirming just what they're doing, it seems the sounds of the Coach's roars had gotten through as he himself had spoken.
It's enough to briefly lend him a quirk of his lips during a time like this.
"No." The Phantom Sixth Man proclaims, the negativity of the statement catching the Copy-Cat's attention yet again. He's never wondered until now just how a conversation between his mentor and their former Captain would unfold, two polar opposites when it comes to the sport they all got to know eachother from.
It's surprisingly civil, yet equally as unnerving. Especially when he himself's the most likely topic of discussion.
...Maybe that's abit too selfish to assume?
Nah, he's probably right.
"He did not ask me, Akashi-kun." Ask him? Oh...
It's about how he even got the idea of enrolling in Seirin? Well, he didn't exactly ask for Kurokocchi's permission to follow him, it sort-of just happened with time.
He just took the rare crinkle of amusement in his mentor's eyes as acceptance.
"No, I did not ask him either."
That's what it meant, right..?
Maybe his Shadow's catching on too easily these days, for he finds his matted-hair, sweaty and completely uncool, pat.
Once, twice. Retracted.
Just like that day.
It's a wonder how his neck hasn't snapped by now with how much he's been surprised by his friend, same pale-blue eyes staring completely straight ahead at the gymnasium walls.
Yet..
Yet..
He's still got the time to reassure him of whatever's haunting him. A pat gives him insight into just how much he's come to care for his teammate, of their relatively new, if not awkward, bond.
His newfound appreciation of Kurokocchi lends with it some immediate downsides, he catches on just to how his friend's brow furrows just slightly as he hears a muffled voice on the other end.
It surprises him, not only because it's Kurokocchi, but because he's never seen him this irked.
Their deep respect for a former Captain transcends great distances, and he see's just how his mentor bow's enough to be polite, formal, despite it being a phone call as he answers the muffled sounds.
The annoyed furrow of his brow never leaving.
"I must respectfully decline your offer, Akashi-kun."
..Offer?
''..Don't tell me he actually..' Kise Ryōta does not wish to complete that thought.
Being left alone now, it would..
The muffled voice of Teikō's former Captain comes through yet again, and he see's just how whatever was said breaks whatever boundary's Kurokocchi has set for his expressive nature.
"He's not a replacement."
He's not a replacement.
Kise Ryōta, fifth and last to join the Generation of Miracles, is not a replacement.
He's not even sure when the conversation between the Phantom Sixth Man and their former Captain ends, but eventually his gold meets with pale-blue.
Crouched down, Kurokocchi's hand places itself upon his shoulder, shaking him out of his haze of emotions.
"People are getting worried, Kise-kun." It's been that long?
The Copy-Cat blinks once, twice, and shakes his head to clear it from the fog. "Sorry, sorry..!"
His lips adorn one of his most radiant, yet genuine grin's he's had in a long while. And he rises, despite the burning sensation of his tired legs, and walks onto the gymnasium court.
Fingertips itching.
He pauses, looking over his shoulder at his precious mentor for just a brief moment and he only knows one thing.
Gratitude.
"Thanks, Kurokocchi." And he really means it.
It's enough to have his acknowledgement.
Kuroko Tetsuya knew it was inevitable.
"Oi, Kuroko!" Hyūga Junpei, their captain, bellows at him. It's clear they're wishing for an explanation for whatever had occured at the side-lines.
Seeing as it had interrupted their practice, Kuroko only feels more inclinced to share. There's nothing negative that can come out of this.
Throwing a brief look off towards the corner of Seirin High's gymnasium, where his friend's off with basketball in hand, practicing as if they hadn't already been going strong for two hours now - he steels himself for the oncoming conversation.
"What was that all about?" Izuki Shun, their point-guard, gestures off towards their ace. The majority of their team approaches the trio, brimming with curiosity.
"Akashi-kun called." There's no real need to be elusive with answers that will come to them eventually. A minority of them recognizes the name, and he see's just how their eyes widen in momentary surprise.
The majority looks on with questions unsaid, awaiting an explanation.
"Our former Captain." He clarifies, and now, perhaps for the first time, he's made aware just how infamous Teikō has been to the high-school basketball scene.
Coach, Captain and players alike look shocked, some perhaps reacting with abit too much fear or surprise over such a matter.
"He offered me a paid scholarship to Rakuzan High." It's best he gets it off his mind now.
Rakuzan. Overwhelming victor of both the Inter-High and Winter Cup for the past five years. It's lucrative, really, to recieve such an offer for a prestigious school. Not only in terms of sports but also academic opportunity.
He almost feel ashamed, as he see's just how their Coach's eyes momentarily rise in panic, internal turmoil over his announcement.
"O-Oi! Don't tell me you're actually accepting it..?!" It's their Captain, fear present in his eyes. Kuroko Tetsuya's unsure if it's the possibility of losing his value as a teammate, or the fact that they're viewing him as a terrifying opponent that's causing it.
It stings, yet only briefly, because it's understandable.
He shakes his head.
"I declined," He announces, and the immediate slump of relief from all parties involved does nothing to answer his own internal question. Yet, if it's the former.. he's happy.
Their Coach rushes forward and embraces him whole-heartedly, almost crushing him with her bear-hug.
It's the former. He allows a brief, subtle quirk of his lips to appear.
Innocently happy.
"D-Don't you dare leave..!" Despite barely being a team for a mere month, Kuroko can't help but feel grateful. He's taller than her, and he pats her head to reassure her that, no, he's not going anywhere.
The whole team approaches, their Captain grinds his knuckles into his skull as punishment for being so dramatic, yet it's only in good spirits and he does not feel the need to object.
And he smiles, for he's surrounded by a team whom appreciates him.
Pale-blue wanders off amidst the chaos and he finds that lone, hard-working back practicing despite them all taking a break. Sweat rushing with each movement of his frame, Kise Ryōta has yet to miss.
The sun, forcing it's way through the gymnasiums upper windows almost seem to illuminate his dedication. And he can't help but admit..
Kise-kun is his light.
Yet..
Those words are haunting him.
'To think you'd find a replacement for Daiki so soon, Tetsuya.'
For he's never known Akashi-kun to be wrong.
"Coach's returning!" It's a shriek, filled with terror.
They all wince, the tone grating on everyone's nerves and their Captain pipes up, gruff as always, "What are you on about, Koganei?" He's oblivious to whatever fate might be in store for them.
"She's skipping-..!" Pitch breaking, puberty kicking in, it's clear he's in distress.
His seniors all freeze, and Kise Ryōta finds himself dumb-founded by the look of pure terror they all adopt. Kurokocchi, equally as puzzled, remains at his side - ready to watch this unfold.
But then he hears it..
"Shūtoku! Dun, dun, dun!"
It's a feminine voice.
"Shūtoku! Dun, dun, dun!"
Kise feels like he's just had a bucket of ice-cold water dumped on him, completely frozen.
"Shūtoku! Dun, dun, dun!"
Their Coach, overjoyed with herself for some reason, enters Seirin High's gymnasium chanting just those words.
They all stare.
"It's pretty catchy, isn't it?"
Chapter 3 was abit less well-recieved from what I've gathered so far, I'll keep that in mind for the future.
Thank you for the kind reviews however, I got some much needed motivation to continue right away with this chapter.
As for Kagami, who knows? Might just be dead, he's going to show up at some point right?
Critique always welcome, even harsh ones. I seek to improve.