A/N: Good news, I decided to continue it. I just got caught up with KnB because I was a few chapters behind, and took a peek at some of the wikis so I have a new sort of fuel.

So please enjoy it from this day on.

Warnings: Genderbeding and mentions of death in this one, but the latter isn't so bad.

Disclaimer: I don't own KnB.


I.

It is the summer of her ninth year that Kuroko learns about death.

Begins and ending.

Starts and finishes.

Nothing last forever, and thus everything has an ethereal sort of quality, because no really knows when anything is going to end or begin. It could be tomorrow, or today, or years and years from now.

People are like that too and so is basketball.

II.

There are days when it's only Kuroko and her grandmother alone in the house now with the back door open, feet dangling off the porch as they indulge in something cold and sweet. Kuroko with her band aid covered legs, and he grandmother with the socks pulled all the way up to her knees.

The child speaks of basketball and dreams and techniques and players, and the elder listens and nods. She is quiet like her son and her son's daughter and does better at listening than she does talking, but when she speaks, her words are wise and have an odd bit of humor that Kuroko ends up picking up, and no one but her family will understand. The child can only think to expect that because older people are supposed to be wise.

The older woman that smells of powder perfume and something sweet and delicate speaks of how her husband had big dreams just like the daughter of her son. How he wished to be something great and noticeable in the world.

How he died still aiming for that goal.

III.

Kuroko wants to play with the boys because the girls are too delicate sometimes. They are treated to nicely and innocently. When girls play, people don't pay as much attention as they should for some reason.

She tells this to her mother, who just sighs and looks at her in a way that she knows the outcome of it all. She knows it's going to be hard, and she's worried that her baby girl will get hurt along the way. But one day, she knows that she can't keep holding onto her forever.

Her grandmother nods in that way of hers, and continues on knitting a scarf even though winter is a long way off. She tells her granddaughter that she's glad she wants to change the flow of things, prove that a girl can play a boy's sport just as easily as one of them, better even. Everything needs change every now and then.

Kuroko is pleased when her father ruffles her hair and speaks of how great she'll be, how people will be cheering her and her team on in the stands. How she'll one day become a miracle type player.

She hangs onto and believes every single word that is and isn't said.

IV.

There are no kids in her neighborhood that have the same goal as she does, or believe that she can do it. She doesn't find it to be annoying or saddening in anyway.

It fuels her really; because they're just more people that she can prove wrong.

V.

Kuroko meets Ogiwara unexpectedly and accidentally when her ball rolls too far one day. He is there to grab it, and presents it with a smile she swears that could make anyone return it. And she does, small and barely there because this is the first time someone besides her relatives have actually noticed her. Her people skills are lacking, but he has enough to compensate for them both.

He thinks it's a bit odd that a girl is playing basketball, especially by herself. She doesn't mind and answers in that truthful way of hers, not caring what he thought. Not caring what anyone thinks really, because she's doing this for no one but herself.

He laughs and says something about that being really cool and that they should play together more.

That they should become friends and he'll teach her some things about basketball.

He doesn't say anything about falling in love, but it must come along with the sport.


A/N: I hope you enjoyed and thank you for reading.

The next chapter will be mostly Ogiwara-centric or something of that nature. Their situation will be explained more then.

Feedback of any kind is welcome!