The location of the training camp was set in Kyoto because its main sponsor was the Akashi Group. The place was a large training facility meant for training future Japanese athletes. It consisted of a soccer field, a baseball field, two tennis courts, and three indoor gymnasiums with basketball courts and swimming pools. It was heaven for sports enthusiasts.
One by one the representatives of the selected schools all around Japan poured into one of its gymnasiums to attend the Opening Ceremony. Upon seeing the many basketball players, Seijuro itched to play with them and, of course, win. This camp would further validate his status as the Generation of Miracles' Emperor. He would savor victory. Against every single one of them. No longer would he allow to be defeated. The taste of loss would no longer be on his lips. And he would never forgive anyone who would hinder his way.
"Yo." It was Daiki approaching, with Satsuki by his side. The tan boy was already wearing his jersey like the other players. "I haven't seen you since Inter-High."
"Yes," Seijuro replied. "But don't think Rakuzan is the same as before."
Daiki scratched his head. "Of course. Heard you forced your starters to quit."
"It was a necessary move to make a better team-"
"Akashicchi! Aominecchi!" The golden-haired Ryota was walking toward them with Shintaro who was carrying a teddy bear. They all regarded each other. "I can't wait to play against you all!" The blonde exclaimed.
"What? Can't wait to be defeated by me?" Daiki was quick to say.
Ryota frowned so deeply it scrunched his face. "Huh? You'll never score against me! I trained, you know." The two started yelling at each other with nonsense.
"How are you, Akashi?" Shintaro looked at him, ignoring the two and the rest of the players gathered inside the packed gymnasium. Of course, the other students would be watching them. Because their schools differ, it was rare to see the Generation of Miracles together.
Seijuro glanced back at the bespectacled boy. What could he say? Everything was just like before. No. Maybe, even better. His team now was close to becoming indomitable. He smiled. "Fine," he replied.
"We're almost complete," Satsuki suddenly chimed in. "I saw Mukkun earlier. I'll call him."
Ryota was finally done bantering with Daiki. He looked around them. "So, we're only waiting for Kurokocchi."
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Kuroko sneezed. "Excuse me. It's cold." He was carrying plastic bags of candies.
"It's just past summer!" Kagami was trying to balance the bags of snacks and juices he was carrying. They were running across streets trying to catch up with the next bus.
"Hurry up, guys!" Mika was running as fast as she could. "I'm so sorry!"
"It isn't your fault, Risa-san," Furihata assured her. He was carrying a box with packed meals just like Mitobe. "It was the fast food's fault."
"Yeah. They weren't as fast as they promise." Kagami wiped the sweat on his brow using his jacket's sleeve.
A car honked loudly at them as they crossed the main street because the light was about to turn green.
"It was still red!" Furihata screamed but it was not heard by the driver of the vehicle. They were already feet away from the lanes and already near the bus stop.
Mika's lungs burned and her legs were already too heavy but she forced herself to run stride after stride. When they finally reached the bus and sat inside, she was panting and gasping for dear air. Kuroko looked tired too.
"Risa-san," he called her, and then rested his tired head on her shoulder.
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The Opening Ceremony was not too long and when it was over, Seijuro wondered where Tetsuya was. It wasn't like him to be absent on such an occasion. He was sure the boy was always up for a nice fight, especially regarding his beloved sport which was basketball.
"Please head to your respective rooms inside the buildings. You're free for the rest of the day. Tomorrow, we begin your training." Rakuzan's coach, Shirogane Eiji, said in front of the players.
Seijuro exited the courts together with his teammates.
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"It's over!" Mika yelled the moment they reached the gymnasium where the Opening Ceremony was held a few minutes ago. The students were already heading outside. She turned to Kuroko with worried, teary eyes. "Seirin didn't have a manager during the ceremony! Oh my gosh! Are you guys out of the training camp? Are you kicked out?! What to do? Oh no! It was my fault. Definitely, my fault."
"Calm down, Risa-san." The pale boy was saying.
"I'm so so sorry, Kuroko-san." She exhaled. "I cannot ask you to fulfill Shelter's works now. It wouldn't be fair. It's alright. I'll just do it alone."
"What are you saying, Risa? Everything is fine. You don't need to worry or change plans. You weren't needed in the Opening Ceremony, anyway." It was Seirin's basketball club captain, Hyuga, smiling at the girl. He was together with Aida and his other teammates who waved at her. "Now, we should head to Haven and start with our charity."
Mika noticed that not all basketball players were with Hyuga, but it was alright. She was more than happy with the help they were willing to offer. She nodded her head. "Okay. Let's go!"
The walk to Haven was just a couple of minutes. When she was arranging the packed meals on the table inside the place's hall, Kuroko placed himself beside her and asked, "How could you just leave Angels' Place, Risa-san?" He was pertaining to the orphanage she was helping while she was still in Teiko.
She answered, "A-actually, I had Madam Blanc check on them once in a while."
"Madam Blanc?"
"Yeah. She's the seamstress who always helped with Shelter's costumes. Her shop was driven out of business shortly after I left Japan but we kept in contact. She was the one looking after Angels' Place while I was gone. I heard the 14 kids all found their foster homes."
Kuroko started placing candies on top of the packed meals for the children. "That's nice. Why did you come back?"
Mika switched to placing juices beside the meals. "My grandfather got really sick and my parents cannot afford the hospital bills, medicine, and my expenses using their salary. Madam Blanc's daughter, Juliette, is being supported by a scholarship program and she helped me apply to the same one. Now I'm under a very good scholarship here in Japan so I transferred during my second year of senior high. It also has a really good allowance. My parents' salary could just be spent on paying for my grandfather's bills."
"So, you're alone here?"
"Not really. My apartment's just next to Juliette." Finished, she clapped her hands once. "Okay. All set. Let's call the others."
Clumsily, the Seirin basketball club members distributed and fed the meals to the elderly and to the rowdy kids. More than once they almost spilled the food, but they recovered fast and focused once more on their task. Out of the more than thirty members of their club, not even half of them helped with the charity work. It was alright. The others would soon warm up with Shelter.
"R-risa-san!" Mika laughed as Kagami asked for her help from the three toddlers climbing over him. The other club members laughed too.
Gently, Mika removed the kids from the boy's body and gave them each a candy.
On one side of the room, the elderly were having a fun conversation with Koganei. On the other side, Aida and Hyuga looked like a married couple entertaining their kids. Mika smiled. They all were doing quite well even though it was their first time doing the tasks.
It was already nighttime when they finished and said their goodbyes to Haven's clients, promising they would return soon. They would be holding other events at the place until the training camp was over.
Mika looked at the night sky and noticed how beautiful the full moon was with its golden glow.
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It was the same, boring full moon, Seijuro thought as he looked at the sky from their room. All the schools' basketball teams were given one large room to share with each other. Their dinner was served by the managers to their respective rooms. He was done with his and was alone by the veranda just thinking. Of what? The training camp? Of being better? Of being the best? He smirked. No. There was nothing else to think about but proving Rakuzan's reign once more. And he would be on the top, where he had always belonged. No one had truly beaten him on a one-on-one. He was sure he was the strongest.
Only the Generation of Miracles could go against his way, but they too should bow down again to him. They should know about his new challenge. He should meet them again tomorrow, first thing in the morning.
Right.
He took his phone from his pocket and messaged his former Teiko team.
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It wasn't too early for Mika. She was used to getting up early and preparing for her beloved charity works. But, today, she was asked by Kuroko to accompany him for something important, he said. So she put on her Seirin uniform, tied her hair with a black clamp, and put on her fake eyeglasses. She was feeling happy because the task in Haven yesterday was a complete success. She should do her best on playing her part, too, for the basketball club.
Kuroko was already waiting outside her room and she noticed that his eyes had lost their usual shine.
Why?
No. It must have just been her imagination.
She followed the pale boy to one of the facility's gymnasiums. It was empty save for the few players inside it.
There she saw, right in its middle, one very tall male student with purple hair… He looked very familiar. Murasakibara… Atsushi? Yes. It was him. She was sure of it.
Mika stopped in her tracks. W-what was this?
The others… they were… Aomine Daiki? Kise Ryota?
Her heart beat fast as the wheels inside her mind turned. She didn't like this. Not even a bit. She knew she'd see him here. With them. After all those years of running and hiding away from him.
Him.
The person she both didn't want to meet again but also dearly missed. The one plaguing her mind but at the same time wanted to forget. The one person who could drive her crazy.
Surely, in front of the group was the red-haired basketball captain of Teiko's basketball team before. Akashi Seijuro.
Mika gasped so loud that the boys looked in her direction.
Akashi saw her and at one glance, as their eyes met, all the memories locked inside Mika's heart resurfaced. She remembered how she convinced Akashi to change Shelter's booth's location for Teiko's school festival, how Akashi, later on, helped her club, how they became close, and how he appeared on TV answering questions about his fiance, Shimizu Fuyuko. Mika remembered the heartache and how the whole of Teiko's student body bullied her in Akashi's absence.
Right at that moment, inside the gymnasium, as they looked at each other, Mika seemed to see the others smirking and laughing at her. Bullying her once more. She ran back to the doors and bumped into Midorima Shintaro, the wine glass he was holding fell and broke on the floor. Mika almost tumbled, but a hand caught her arm, helping her stand up straight.
It was Kuroko.
"Risa-san," he called her name and Mika finally realized that her presence in a training camp with Akashi Seijuro and their meeting was something planned by this boy.
Mika's tears threatened to spill from her eyes. She felt hot rage simmer within her, together with the tornado of emotions kept inside her frail body. She took her arm from the pale boy and with all her might slapped his cheek. "You had no right!" she told him. "No right."
Then, as she ran away, she heard Momoi's voice say, "What have you done, Tetsu-kun?" The beautiful girl was following her.