Sorry for this lame chapter! DX I thought it was good at first, then I reread, and I couldn't change it once you've already seen!
Please tell me if it's alright enough. Thanks for the Faves, Follows, and Reviews! I love you guys! Sorry if this was out of your expectations.
"Eh? Kuroko-kun's not around?" Riko rechecked every spot where the boy could have been hiding. Even her players didn't know where he was. All attention turned to Kagami.
"Hey, don't look at me!" Kagami yelled. "It's you who placed that crab-hold on him while he was injured."
Riko looked guilty, comically dropping to the ground. "He deserved it, ehehe… He didn't tell me something important immediately…" Her team just stared at her in either amusement or pity. After that small drama, Riko stood up and regained her composture. "Right, who has his phone number?"
Kagami raised his arm, handing her his phone. Riko scrolled through his contacts, staring at him in pity afterwards.
"…Kagami-kun…" Riko looked sad. "You only have your father, this Himuro guy, some Alex person, and Kuroko as your contacts?"
The others tried to hold back a snicker.
"Hey, stop laughing!" Kagami demanded with a tick mark on his face. "I don't think having so many contacts is important, alright?" He defended. Hyuga cleared his throat. "Right, right. Hey, after this, give the lonely tiger your phone numbers." He said to the others. Kagami grumbled at the nickname, and just ignored it.
Riko immediately pressed the call button for Kuroko. She set it up to speaker mode, knowing very well that the others are curious about his condition, too.
"Coach, why are you trying to call me?"
Riko turned around, seeing Kuroko behind her. She screamed.
"W-When did you get here?!" Riko asked. Kuroko frowned. "I was standing here the whole time."
Kagami observed him. He seemed to be panting, sweat rolling down his face.
"Liar!" He shouted. "You just got here!"
He was met with silence.
"You're not even denying it!"
Riko sighed. "I'm glad you're fine. Let's start practice, we have no time to waste."
As they all got ready in the locker room, Kagami had went up to Kuroko to ask him another question.
"Kuroko, do you forgive him?"
"Hm?"
"The annoying blond guy, Kise." Kagami said. Kuroko looked away. Kagami blinked, unsure of what Kuroko's answer will be.
"No." Kuroko said seriously. "I don't forgive him completely."
"But you do forgive him by some percent?" Kagami clarified. Kuroko thought for a moment. "I guess you can say that." He said. "But to his defense, he didn't completely change. He only lusted for victory, his personality didn't change." Kuroko smiled fondly.
"Besides, the sole reason I don't forgive him 100% is because he still hasn't paid back the dessert I wasted from talking too long with him." Kuroko darkened to some extent, earning slightly freaked out looks from the others.
"Just how protective are you for your desserts…?" Kagami wondered, before letting out a groan. "And I thought you were just obsessed with milkshakes."
"Life's full of surprises." Kuroko merely stated before leaving them in the locker room.
"Surprise… He fainted because of Sir Prize." Izuki thought, thinking the lame pun was awesome enough to be put in his notes.
"Izuki, stop." Hyuga said tonelessly.
"Greetings from the Oha-Asa program! Cancers, beware! You will have an unexpected meeting with a familiar person you have not seen for a long time! What is to be wary of? Chances of meeting this person will bring you instant bad luck for the time being ! Don't miss out on your lucky item of the day: a sweetened product to neuter the bad luck away!"
And that was how Midorima found himself walking to school with a small box containing chocolate mousse. However he prevented the dessert from melting, he did not know. He was in deep thought. He had sweets as a lucky item, which would only mean one thing…
He had the chances of meeting Murasakibara, Akashi, or Kuroko respectively.
Murasakibara had this obvious addiction to food, so there was about 85% chance that it would be him Midorima will meet. He'd probably end up losing his lucky item and ending up as road kill on the streets if Murasakibara ever saw a vending machine with food.
Akashi, he did not know the reason, but Midorima couldn't help think it has something to do with his ex-teammate he had replaced. Akashi would probably skewer him for not being able to find the teal-haired boy immediately, or demand he give his lucky item as a form of repent to get back on Kuroko's good graces. Midorima couldn't measure correctly, but he was sure there was a random chance of this happening.
Kuroko… Yes. He was the person he had not seen for the longest time, but that didn't really mean it was automatically him. The smaller boy is fond of sweet products, even going as far as to have desserts for breakfast, lunch, and dinner at times. Kuroko had the tendency to show up at random times and would cause mini heart attacks at absolutely unnecessary times. Yes, also a high but random chance of happening.
As he neared Shutoku's entrance, he heard a familiar voice that brought music and annoyance to his ears.
"Ah! Shin-chan~!"
"Here comes the noisy dimwit." Midorima thought grimly.
"What's that? A dessert? For me?" Takao swiped the dessert out of Midorima's hands. "You didn't have to, Shin-chan."
"Moron! That isn't for you." Midorima took the dessert from Takao, fixing his glasses. "This is my lucky item. I have terrible luck and I have to keep this with me at all times." Takao puffed his cheeks out. "If that was the case, I think you should have chosen a product that wouldn't melt immediately."
Midorima clicked his tongue at him. "Shut up, Takao."
"So, have any of you found Kuroko yet?" Takao asked seriously. Midorima didn't answer immediately, as if he thought deeply for the answer. "I don't know. And I don't have time to care for someone who is not willing to show up." He said fiercely. Takao snorted. "Tsundere. You do care for the dude, you're just being a stingy old Shin-chan."
Midorima flushed instantly. "N-No, I don't! Stop putting blood in my mouth when you don't even know what is going on!" He said defensively, earning an eye-rolling from his partner. "Right, right. My bad."
"Besides, he was a coward." The greenhead mumbled, earning a concerned look from Takao. "He said so himself, nanodayo." He taped his left hands again, earning an 'I'm-getting-slightly-tired-of-this' look. "I don't deem cowards as something worth worrying about."
"He's not a coward," Takao said seriously. "He did the right thing, actually. Leaving you guys, not to be seen again. That Akashi tore him apart, after all. I'd be surprised if he stayed even if he treated him like shit." He whistled. "Then again, he managed to stick with your crap for two and a half years."
"I'm not doing this to make you feel bad, Shin-chan." Takao said with a smile. "I'm just telling you this to remind you what you've lost and your motivation to bring it back." That was true. If Takao really wanted Midorima to feel like crap for what he did, Takao wouldn't be hanging around him in the first place.
No matter how much Midorima wanted to protest, Takao was correct.
"Takao, you can sometimes state the most bluntest words that has exquisite meanings. You truly are one of a kind." Midorima said, looking away. "But it's not like I'm saying this because I'm impressed with you. I am merely stating what I really think about your ridiculous taste in words and your unusual ability to make them sound so meaningful-nanodayo."
"You and your deepness." Takao said light-heartedly. "Then again, that's what brought us together, right? Right?" Takao laughed excitedly. Midorima just sighed in defeat and rubbed his temples. "Takao, you can be deep down intolerable, I can almost admit I want to choke you whenever you speak nonsense."
"I know, that's why you love me." Takao teased.
"…Shut up."
Takao laughed at his plain words, both of his hands at the back of his head as they proceeded to the gym.
He used to hate all of the Generation of Miracles. They broke him and his team apart. If he had not learned that Kuroko going from school to school just to apologize for those assholes, he would have lost his love for basketball. It was thanks to Kuroko that he was still playing and he was able to meet his wonderful Shin-chan. Takao learned that not all of the Generation of Miracles were bad. He met Kuroko when he suddenly appeared at his doorstep right after their match against each other in middle school. He used to look so awful, now that Takao recalled. He wondered how Kuroko had been able to tolerate the arrogant teenagers for two whole years. During their middle school, Takao and Kuroko would catch up from time to time, just so the teal head would be able to lift some of the burden from his shoulders.
And then the certain incident happened.
Takao couldn't believe how stupid and heartless the captain of Teiko had been to Kuroko. He was cruel, and that made Takao boil in rage that time. He swore he would never forgive those jerks for what they have done. How could they replace their own teammate like a broken toy when they have manipulated and betrayed him like he was a just a puppet for their own amusement?
Takao didn't meet Kuroko after that. From what he had heard, Kuroko had quit basketball and refused to show up until Graduation, only to be seen for a few seconds on the stage, and disappear immediately, never to be seen again. Kuroko had told him he was moving away, to a new house and a new school. He remembered one conversation he had with him that particular night.
"You're a jerk, Kuroko!" Takao whined. "Why do you need to leave?"
"I was weak." Kuroko merely replied. He looked up to the raven-haired boy with sad eyes, but a small smile graced his lips. "Don't worry, Takao-kun. I won't be moving too far from where I am now. Only a few miles away, to be exact."
"I don't think 100 miles is a few miles, Kuroko." Takao answered deadpannedly. Kuroko huffed a little, obviously defeated in a starting argument.
"It would only take a few minutes by train."
"30 minutes doesn't seem too nice. Not to mention you'd need to take multiple rides just to get to your house."
"Takao-kun is surprisingly smart in guessing how many minutes it would take to get to my new house." Takao let out a sound of protest.
"Why don't you tell me where you'll live and go to, anyway?" Takao whined. "That's mean!"
"I don't want any of them knowing where I went." Kuroko said. "I doubt they'd chase after me, since they have no use for me anymore, but I don't want the risk of them hunting me down."
"But, Takao-kun," Kuroko started. "You once told me you were attending Shutoku, right?"
Takao nodded. "Yeah."
"…One of them will be attending there, too."
Takao looked disgusted.
"I don't know which one of them is attending, but please, do me a favor and be a friend to him." Kuroko bowed to Takao. "I despise them for what they have done to me, but I wouldn't want them to have no one as support by the time they move. I highly doubt there would be anyone who will like them when they have humiliated them in multiple tournaments."
Takao felt hesitant to accept the favor, but since this may be the last time he'd be meeting Kuroko again, he sighed and accepted.
"You have my word, Kuroko."
"Thank you, Takao-kun."
"…Kao…"
Takao snapped out of his trance.
"Takao!"
"Huh?" Takao muttered, hitting an incoming door straight to the face. He bounced back, holding his face in pain. "Why didn't you warn me, Shin-chan?!" Takao asked, tears streaming down his face from the pain. Midorima huffed and pushed his glasses up.
"I was trying to, but you weren't listening." Midorima said stoically. "Your fault for not paying attention."
Takao sighed, pouting. "Meanie."
"Moron." Midorima said immediately.
"Shin-chan…" Takao started.
"What is it?"
"….You'll apologize to him, right?" Takao asked. "After all… You've learned what you did was wrong, and you constantly tried to plan ideas to be able to make it up to him…."
"H-How…?!"
"I've heard and seen you, Shin-chan." Takao replied. He grinned. "It makes me really happy to know you aren't truly a jerk like the others!"
Midorima sighed, and looked away.
"Even if I tried to, I'm not sure he'll forgive me easily." Midorima unconsciously gripped his lucky item tightly by the handle. "After all we've done to him… Not even time can make him forget about what we had done."
Takao gave him an encouraging smile.
"Then, we'll just have to wait and see."
Sorry for the crappy chapter, guys. I do have something good planned, so please bear with this chapter for now! I'm really sorry. Tell me what you think, guys!
So this was obviously AU! Takao had met Kuroko earlier than expected in this, so I hope you think it doesn't ruin the story altogether!
Regarding the pairings... Lol, i decided to be evil and let you guys try and guess until this story ends. (jk, I'll have to tell you eventually)
Read, Rate, Review!