By now, I am extremely sure that all of you have got the pattern: it is getting extremely difficult for me to update these stories. I am going to be graduating soon and I barely have time to even read, much less write, these fanfictions. It kills my soul but until I have some actual free time and a relaxed mind, you might as well get used to these almost yearly updates. I'm so sorry and I really will do my best to update faster, but until then, please excuse my lateness.
As for the story, you can say this is a filler chapter but we are finally introduced to some major characters, so hopefully it will be entertaining enough. I won't say alot in this AN but there is an issue that I want to talk about.
Given my terrible updating skills and my horribly uncompleted stories, I was wondering whether I should put some stories on hiatus until I finish at least one of my stories. What I was originally planning on doing was to put every other story, including this one, on hiatus and finish up on my Overseas story first. And then I would move on this and so forth. What do you guys think? Please tell me in the reviews!
So, without further ado (and with much apology), here is the next awaited chapter!
(This chapter has been edited)
A few answers for my lovely reviewers:
EchizenRyoma: I just read this story and i like kuroko be able to see again?will this story reach up to seirin fighting rakuzan? i like the implied harem thing...like they guys like her and she is oblivious.
A: For the first question, it is going to be surprise. I'm going to ruin anything :) For the second question, my goal is to reach the end of the manga, so yes, I want the story to reach up to seirin fighting rakuzan (that, and there is a very important event that I planned to write that can only happen on that match)
~.~
Guest: Oh I absolitely adored this chapter! I dreaded how you would handle writing Kise's confession ('cause I've read so many bad ones) but it went better than I could've even dream and I'm greatly thankfull about that.
A: Thank you for saying that! I don't know what kinds of stories you've read about Kise's confessions but I'm glad that mine lived up to your expectations! Hopefully the rest of the story does the same :)
~.~
Little Ms. Pumpkin: I'm rereading this story again coz i love it. like how aida became an elder sister figure to her, the drama, and the angst. I'm training myself as i tried doing the things you did to terumi and boy it was hard, i had an awful eyesight to the point i was rejected to sports multiple times and part time jobs. it was dishearteningly discriminatingly to guys like us. sigh* damn. i couldn't feel the vibrations like what you wrote however the sense of hearing and other aspects of sensing becomes more sensitive and keener, which was freaking awesome and goddamn awfully scary and disastrous at the same time. it was mortifying to know that soon you'll be blind. maybe when I'm blind permanently i hope i could feel the slightest vibration on my feet. it would be helpful. i think I'll train like her.
A: I am so sorry that you have to go through that, and I'm really happy that you love my story. I mostly based this version of Kuroko from Toph (Avatar: The Last Airbender) and honestly, I think she one of the best characters I've seen, anime or otherwise. It shows how, even with disabilities, she can still overcome it and become even better than anyone can ever think of. She became a master as the age of 12! How amazing is that? So, while you might be going through a hard time now, remember that your becoming blind does not change how amazing you are, ok? I believe in you!
~.~
Soleil-Angel: Waaa, even with what is happening I keep hoping it's an Akakuro! I love the idea of Tetsuya with Akashi
A: lololol who knows?
"I hear jingling from somewhere." Terumi noticed as they walked through the crowds of avid basketball players. The wind blew nicely and the sun was one with no hint of grey clouds, making this the perfect day for a nice friendly basketball tournament that the freshmen could enter. When they all arrived, Kuroko was back to looking like man, Kiyoshi was covering for one of the freshmen who couldn't make it, and they even met Seiho, whom they conversed with naturally. Now, as they walked towards one of the food stands for Kagami's intolerable stomach, Terumi heard something akin to a chain moving and stopped in curiosity.
"You could hear that? Is it just me or is your hearing getting better?" Kagami responded before he purposely took Kuroko's slim wrist and guided it to his chest where his necklace was. Kuroko was, for a lack of a better word, flustered for a split second because her mind went back to the summer camp where she and Kagami had shared a very intimate moment together. Then, she felt something round.
"A ring?" She said. "Were you fiddling around with it?"
Kagami nodded. "Yeah, I guess I was." He said wistfully, which Terumi could easily notice.
"What were you thinking about?"
Kagami took a second before he answered. "I was thinking about the person who gave me this ring. It's from someone whom I played basketball with while I was still in the States. He's the one who taught me basketball and after a while, vice versa." Kagami then let out a somber sigh, which caught Terumi off guard.
"Is something wrong? Did something happen between you and that person?" She asked in worry and Kagami sighed once more.
"I don't know myself, really. I guess you can say that he's someone who I want to play against, but never a second time."
Terumi was left dumbfounded because she could tell that Kagami was restless. It seemed like this person had a great impact on Kagami, so much so that he would feel somewhat unconfident in himself, which was something she never thought he would show. Nevertheless, Seirin's group waited for their turn to enter the court but there was something in the air that made Kuroko uneasy, maybe even a bit afraid.
It was until Seiho was on the playing field that she realized what it was. Specifically, it was after Seiho was finished that she felt it: an ominous, threatening aura coming from the other side of the court, where the opposing team won 51 to 32, a staggeringly high margin, considering it was Seiho they were up against.
Kuroko, Kagami and the rest of Seirin pushed forward into the crowd to get a better glimpse of what had just happened, and Kagami suddenly stopped in his steps, Kuroko almost crashing into him. She held on tightly to the back of Kagami's shirt, unsure of what was going on in her surroundings and her eyes widened under her bangs when he felt him trembling slightly.
"Why…" Kagami trailed off, completely at a loss for words.
"Kagami-kun?" Terumi whispered in confusion.
"Why are you here?" He then shouted in almost what seemed to be anger and Kuroko could then 'see' the person that was standing on the court, his stance radiating with dominance and his look ignorant of the large crowd that had formed to watch him play.
"Tatsuya…?" Kagami breathed in astonishment and pure confusion. "Himuro Tatsuya!" He then screamed, grabbing the attention of the mysterious man.
The ominous man turned around and Terumi heard the same jingling chain. Though she couldn't see it, she was sure he had the same ring around his neck, like Kagami had.
The man named Himuro Tatsuya smiled, not at all surprised by the sudden turn of events, and even he was, he was good at hiding it.
"Taiga. I never expected to see you here." He said in fluent English as he walked towards their way. He was a good looking man with his hair covering his left eye and a beauty mark right below his right. With his height, weight, and looks, it would've even rivaled that of Kise's had Kuroko been able to see.
"What a surprise." Himuro commented, his sly smile still intact.
"You don't look surprised at all. Still wearing that poker face?" Kagami replied skeptically, also in fluent English, and it made all the Seirin members jump in surprise. They had never heard Kagami speak in English, and they were mostly in awe at the fact that Kagami had such good language skills when his test skills could have been flushed into the toilet.
"What do you mean poker face? I'm not trying to hide anything. It's merely my way of expressing how I feel." Himuro calmly explained and Kagami clicked his tongue in annoyance.
Kiyoshi stepped in. "Ah, is it Himuro? Are you Kagami's friend?" He asked in English, not as fluent but not as broken as well.
Himuro turned to the upperclassman and smiled. "I can speak Japanese, don't worry. It's just that I'm used to speaking in English all the time with Taiga that I forgot for a moment there."
Kiyoshi grinned, albeit awkwardly. "Well then, that helps a lot. So, are you his friend?" He asked again.
"Hm, I wouldn't necessarily define our relationship like that. If anything, you could say that I'm his big brother."
"What?" Everyone listening exclaimed and Kagami sighed as he ran his hand through his hair.
"We've known each other since we were children, when I just moved to the States and had no friends." Kagami began to explain. "I was having trouble making friends because I knew no English at the time, and Tatsuya helped me out by introducing basketball to me. He was like a big brother to me and we bought these rings," he pointed to his necklace, "as proof." His face then grew sad as old memories started to arise.
Himuro, however, looked like he was having none of it. He took over the story. "I graduated first and left Taiga behind. About three years later, we reunited again as opposite basketball teams and for the first time, Taiga beat me. We both won some and lost some but when we were both at our 49 wins, I told him that if he won, I would no longer call myself his big brother."
Seirin was flabbergasted as Kagami hung his head low. Kuroko felt it and gave him a gentle pat on the back. Kagami's fists clenched in response.
"But… why?" Furihata asked hesitantly.
"Who would be proud to call themselves big brother if their little brother surpassed them? It would be humiliating and an embarrassment. I told him to not pull any punches." Himuro's face then grew solemn, but anyone who knew him well enough would know the anger that was resonating behind his facade. Kagami, for one, could see it as clear as day. Kuroko, who had a knack for understanding people's emotions, could also feel it. "But in the game, he ended up purposely missing a shot, allowing me to win."
Kuroko felt Kagami shift again. "Kagami-kun…" She murmured but he was ignoring her, which stung a bit.
"I told him that this game was a draw and that the next time we fought, it would be the last time we would have this relationship. We bet our rings and whoever lost would have to throw it away and act as if it never existed."
Himuro then walked closer to Kagami, and he looked at the redhead with hostile eyes.
"I told him not to run away and face me head on." He continued and Kagami couldn't take it anymore. He broke the eye contact first.
"But I left to Japan a few days later and we could never fulfill the promise." Kagami gritted out, concluding the story, and Himuro looked satisfied with that answer. He walked away and picked up a basketball that was lying close to him.
"It's a shame that we couldn't settle this back home but now is as good a time as ever, isn't it? I'm currently in a school called Yosen High, if you didn't know." At the school name, both Kiyoshi and Kuroko stiffened.
"I've always wondered whether we would face each other again, and now we've been bestowed with such a great opportunity. Let's end this here, Taiga. Face me now."
Kagami's fist clenched so hard that they were practically turning white. Anyone could tell, with that facial expression he was showing, that Kagami was extremely torn between agreeing and backing down. Terumi called for him once more, only be to ignored again, and she was getting impatient now.
"Tatsuya, I— I just— To me, I just— You know you'll always be—" Before he could finish his sentence, a small but powerful punch broke through the tense atmosphere and both Kagami and Himuro had to take a second to realize what had just happened.
When Kagami saw that it was Nigou who had punched him, he raged. "What the fu— Nigou?" He shouted, dissolving any tension he had on his shoulders, and then saw who was holding him.
"Kagami-kun, you get very annoying when you're indecisive." Terumi said rather impassively.
"Excuse me?" Kagami replied, slightly offended.
"I hope you will listen to me now, seeing how you've been ignoring me all this time." Kuroko continued, severely unamused. "Regardless of what you might have felt during that time, it is wrong as a sportsman to lose on purpose when the other is evidently serious."
"But, you know what would've happened if I had won back then." Kagami tried to reason but Kuroko wasn't having any of it.
"Kagami-kun, while I understand your sentiment, there is nothing more insulting than purposely losing to a person who loves the sport as much as you do. Yes, if you had won, you would not have been able to call Himuro-san your big brother but that did not and will never mean that you two will not be important to each other afterwards. What you did in the past is practically the same with what happened to us in the Inter High. No matter the difference in strength, if my opponent was not playing to the fullest, I would never feel happy about winning."
Kagami was stunned for second, letting her words sink in slowly and to its fullest. But once it registered to him how much of an inconsiderate dick he was back then, he had to agree with her words. "You're right." He started say as a smile marked his features. "I love playing basketball because I can always face off against strong opponents." He patted Kuroko on the shoulder as thanks for bringing him back to reality before stepping up towards Himuro and looking straight into his eyes.
"I've made up my mind. I'll face you today, Tatsuya. Face me like you would with a strong opponent!" He declared and Himuro, for once, had a truthful smile on his face.
"Of course. But before anything," he began and then turned his attention towards the teal-haired player with an awed look, "who are you, exactly?"
Kuroko didn't even blink. "Kuroko Tetsuya. Nice to meet you."
Himuro's eyes widened significantly. "So you're…" He then inspected the smaller player from top to bottom and an unexplainable soft smile appeared in his features.
"I see. Well, Taiga, you've certainly found yourself an interesting partner." He then commented vaguely, leaving Kagami to believe that Himuro had already noticed something about Kuroko. He always was extremely good at that.
"Wait, you know who Kuroko is?" Kagami demanded and Himuro shrugged.
"I've heard about your partner. A rather interesting teammate of my own told me stories."
"L-like what?" Kagami stuttered slightly and Himuro gave him an ambiguous smile.
"If we have a chance to meet him, I'll introduce you to him. But for now, let's focus on the game, shall we?"
"Kagami-kun, do you have a moment?" Terumi suddenly asked.
"What's up?" He responded but it looked like his head was too focused on the game that was about to begin.
"I do not want to alarm you but from the moment we encountered him, he has been giving off the same aura as the Generation of Miracles." She revealed and for a moment, Seirin grew silent. But then, Kagami gave her a gruff laugh.
"Is that all, idiot? I thought it was going to be all serious and shit. I've noticed it myself. He gives off a completely different smell from before. I don't know what happened during the time we were apart but whatever happens, I'm giving 100% from the start!"
The buzzer rang and a microphonic voice excitedly yelled the beginning of the match. The ball was thrown and both Kagami and Himuro jumped as high as they could to push to the ball to their respective sides. However, before any of them could reach other, a jelly stick landed right on top of the orange ball and with everyone absolutely caught off guard, the ball went untouched and dropped straight down to an awaiting hand.
"Whoops, did I come too late? My bad~" A drowsy, almost lackadaisical voice droned and Terumi's feet shifted as she knew this vibration so well. He was tall, taller than anyone had ever seen, towering over two meters. His purple hair as vibrant and his eyes droopy and always looking tired, but what really stood out was his aura. Though he was slouching and had a jelly stick in his mouth, the atmosphere around him was not to be meddled with. If anything, it was warning everyone to stay out of his way.
Both Kiyoshi and Terumi stood on guard as the intruding man finished his remaining bag of chips.
Himuro sighed as he put his hands on his hips. He gave the newcomer a patient smile. "You always come late, Atsushi."
"Sorry, sorry. I got lost again~" The man answered, though he didn't look sorry at all. Kagami looked at the man who had interrupted with annoyed hate but then he saw Kuroko moving forward towards the extremely tall man with an unreadable look.
"It has been a while." She commented as the purple haired man looked down at the familiar, intruding voice. "Murasakibara-kun."
Murasakibara, the fourth member of the Generation of Miracles, tilted his head for second before the voice and the appearance before him finally clicked, and a huge smile spread across his face.
"Is that Kuro-chin?" He asked, his voice already giddy with excitement, and when Kuroko gave him a slight nod, he jumped towards her in glee. He held her up easily and before anyone knew it, he gave her a bone-crushing hug.
"Hey, put my partner down!" Kagami yelled, trying to get Kuroko back to the ground, but Murasakibara wasn't listening and merely kept hugging her.
"I missed you, Kuro-chin~" He expressed happily but it was obvious that Terumi was trying her hardest to break free from the tall man's grip.
"Murasakibara-kun, please put me down. You cannot disrupt a game that was just about to begin." She then pinched Murasakibara's ear and pulled his face close to hers. "And you cannot act in such a way that may seem unnatural to other people." She whispered fiercely and as vague as her statement was, Murasakibara understood immediately as his eyes widened at his mistake.
Like an obedient puppy, he put her down and pouted sadly. "Sorry, Kuro-chin." He apologized like a toddler who had just been scolded and Terumi sighed in irritation.
"It is alright, Murasakibara-kun. If you are not playing, please get off the court. We have to begin the final match." She then ordered but he didn't budge from his spot.
"I wanna play against Kuro-chin~ Ne, Muro-chin, lemme play on your team." He demanded childishly and Himuro, already used to his partner's antics, asked for another spare t-shirt and quickly switched him in with another player.
Kagami looked at Murasakibara with determination, ready to face off against another Generation of Miracle but Kiyoshi grabbed him by the shoulder and caught his attention.
"Sorry Kagami, but there's no way you can take both of them on your own. You take care of Himuro-kun, I'll take on Murasakibara."
Kagami was about to protest but then, as he saw Himuro and Murasakibara conversing like old companions, he realized that Kiyoshi's words were right. He agreed and Kiyoshi walked over to Murasakibara with a forced chill air to him.
Kiyoshi started the conversation as easily as he could. "It's been a while, hasn't it? I think the last time we faced off against each other was back in middle school."
Murasakibara didn't even spare him a glance. "Who are you again?"
The upperclassman was dumbfounded, and even a little hurt, but he did his best not show it. "You really don't remember me?"
"I don't remember weak people." Murasakibara answered nonchalantly, and Terumi couldn't help but furrow her eyebrows in distaste.
The voice on the microphone began to talk once more and when the tipoff happened between Kagami and Murasakibara, the redhead had the upper hand, surprising the taller player for a second. Seirin took the ball first and Kiyoshi ran over to where Kuroko was.
"Kuroko?" Kiyoshi said but Terumi already knew what he wanted to say.
"Don't worry, senpai. You know I never let opponents like that rest."
The ball passed over to Terumi and before anyone knew it, she launched an ignite pass towards Kiyoshi, who caught well, though it did sting a bit. He jumped as high as he could, passing over Murasakibara, who was guarding, and skillfully made a dunk, allowing cheers to rumble.
Kiyoshi then looked over to the purple-haired giant and sighed. "It's sad that you don't remember me but I guess it doesn't matter now. If you can't remember me now, then I'll just have to make you remember with my basketball skills." He declared and Murasakibara gave him a hateful look.
"Don't bother. I think I remember you now, Kiyoshi Teppei, Iron Heart." He replied, making Kiyoshi stiffened for a second at the nickname. "You know, you're going to regret making me remember. Now, I have this urge to defeat you." It looked like Murasakibara was getting fired up and honestly, with that declaration, it was hard to not to.
Murasakibara hated basketball. The only reason he started the sport was because he was good at it, and nothing more. When he saw people like Kiyoshi Teppei, who, regardless of the disastrous score they were getting in the game, still worked hard to overcome barriers like himself, the giant hated it. He hated them, people who got worked up over nothing.
However, just as he was about to move from his spot under the basket and move to offense, Himuro stopped him.
"I'll take offense, Atsushi. You just stay there, ok?" He proposed and Murasakibara agreed easily, as he was always one to not exert himself.
The match began once more but it quickly ended to a halt when the skies grew dark and it started to rain heavily.
Kagami groaned. "You've got to be kidding me."
Himuro looked up at the grey skies and shook his head in disappointment. "I guess we'll have to postpone this match to a later date. Besides, even if we were to have the match right now in the pouring rain, there would a higher chance of someone slipping and hurting themselves." He then looked specifically at Kiyoshi. "You wouldn't want your injury to act up again, right?"
Kiyoshi looked at him first with suspiciousness. How did he know?
"Hey, but before I go, I want to show you something. Try defending me." Himuro asked Kagami as he picked up the ball and took his shooting stance. Kagami, though slightly confused, did as he was told and when Himuro jumped, he jumped as well, not worrying too much about the outcome because he was sure he was going to block it.
However, the moment Himuro threw the ball, Kagami knew something was amiss. It phased right through Kagami's hand and everyone who was watching was stunned into silence as they saw the ball swish through the net. Kagami himself was stunned as he realized that his timing was completely off, even though the shot itself looked extremely normal.
"How did you —" Kagami began but Himuro quickly shut him down.
"Next time we meet, it'll be on the courts of the Winter Cup." He said slyly and Terumi, who was walking over to them to try and talk to Kagami, accidentally slipped from the puddle in front of her. She was never good at walking in the rain, especially when the mud and puddles blurred her vision. She braced herself for the impact of the ground but soon felt an arm wrapping around her waist and hoisting her up gracefully.
She touched the unfamiliar hand and soon felt a gasp of hot breath next to her ear.
"You should be careful. We wouldn't want you to hurt yourself, right?" Himuro whispered softly, almost seductively if she didn't know any better, and that alone made Terumi shiver uncomfortably. He then helped her up and touched her cheek gently.
"You…" She started to say but Himuro shushed her.
"You really are interesting, Kuroko-san. I hope to meet you again soon." Himuro said as his last greeting before packing up to leave.
Terumi's eyes widened as she realized that Himuro knew. But how? They had only met today, only ten minutes at that, so how did he…?
"Atsushi, are you coming?" Himuro called out and she whipped her head to the direction where the purple haired giant was at.
"I'm coming~" Murasakibara said lazily but Terumi had to stop him, to talk to him because she knew he had something to do with this. She ran towards them but slipped once more, making her crashing into Murasakibara's broad back. The taller of the two turned around slowly to see who it was and when he realized it was Kuroko, he immediately helped her get back up in panic.
"Kuro-chin, what's up? Are you ok?" He asked, and was slightly excited to have her attention as well.
"I am fine. Could you spare some time for me, Murasakibara-kun?" She asked and his mouth dropped for a second before he picked it back up. He turned to look at Himuro, silently asking for his permission, and Himuro rolled his eyes and gestured at him to go.
"Sure, Kuro-chin. Where do you want to go?" He asked softly, never having the guts to talk to her badly again, after what happened in middle school.
"There is a burger place a few blocks down from here. I'd like us to go there and dry off as well."
"Sure, of course. Do you have spare clothing?"
"I do. And I'd like to change as well. My hair is getting uncomfortable."
The implication was clear enough. Murasakibara picked her up bridal style and got ready to run. For once, Terumi didn't object to the sudden action because both of them knew that Murasakibara could take them to the restaurant in a matter of seconds like this.
"Hey, what do you think you're doing?" Kagami yelled from behind and Murasakibara ignored him. Terumi, however, waved towards him.
"I need to talk to Murasakibara-kun and we need to go quickly before the rain completely drenches us. Kagami-kun, could you pass me my basketball bag?" She called out and Kagami, though he was very skeptical and hated that fact that the two of them would be alone for who knew how long, complied and threw her the bag with perfect accuracy. Murasakibara caught it with ease and she thanked him before Murasakibara whizzed past everything, making it almost impossible to catch up to him and his long legs.
Kagami growled in anger but left it at that. Given how Himuro was acting completely unlike himself when he prevented Kuroko from hitting the ground, there was evidently something that Murasakibara did that she would want to talk to him about, and Kagami wasn't going to prevent her. Instead, he and the others packed up and got on the train, ready to discuss the matters of the event.
Murasakibara actually stopped a building away from Maji Burger because Kuroko had told him that she had wanted to change back. The building was a hotel, about three stars, so when they entered, there was no staff to tell them to leave unless they had a reservation. Kuroko immediately fled to the women's restroom to dry off and change, so Murasakibara decided to do the same.
As he went into the men's restroom and took his time to dry off, he pondered about Kuroko, like he always did when Himuro mentioned her at school. It had been almost half a year since he last saw her and while her physical appearance as a man was still the same, there was a notable difference in her aura.
Back in middle school, when the accident took place and maybe even before then, she was lost and utterly useless. She had no purpose in being with the team anymore and while she did disappear before they graduated from middle school, it had always been there. When everybody started flourishing in their talents, Kuroko remained the same and slowly, her presence was disappearing; she no longer became someone to lean on.
Back then, it didn't matter to him that she was blind and the opposite gender. Yes, he was obviously shocked beyond belief when he first found out but that didn't change the aura that she had both in and off the court. Murasakibara had a knack for spotting passionate but weak basketball players and he knew from the moment he saw her that she was one of them.
And yet, she was the only exception to his hate towards those kinds of people. Because unlike them, she still stood with the Generation of Miracles on the same court, the same playing field. Because unlike them, she was, by default, a step behind but still stood strong. It made him want to admire her, to respect her, and to love her.
Now that they were in high school and Kuroko had adapted to her new environment in a no name school called Seirin, there was something about her that had clearly changed. She was prouder, in a sense; more keen to her surroundings and heightened in terms of senses. Before, she had looked like a helpless midget. Now, he was seeing a strong, resourceful, powerful woman. Her aura had changed from tiny and useless to robust and mighty.
Were his senses dulling or did something happen that changed her so drastically?
"Murasakibara-kun, let us go." He suddenly heard and he turned around a bit too forcefully. His feet got tangled and he started falling to the ground. He braced himself for the impact because this was a very common occurrence and he could take a few seconds of pain anyways. But when he heard the loud gasp of a very familiar female voice and he felt something grip at his shirt, he knew he was falling with Kuroko underneath him, and if she got hurt, and everyone, especially Akashi, would have his head.
So quickly, instead of hugging himself, he wrapped his long arms around Kuroko's body and twisted himself slightly so that he would end up falling to the side instead of to his face. There was a loud thud and then a moment of silence as Murasakibara breathed a sigh of relief. His rib cage stung a bit but it was nothing compared to what would have happened if Kuroko ended up getting all the impact.
And besides, he actually liked the position they were in at the moment.
"Sorry Kuro-chin, I didn't know you were there." The giant murmured but had no intention of moving from his spot where he was still hugging Terumi. Her hair was down now, and was still as long and as beautiful as Murasakibara remembered. It tickled his chin and he could subtly smell water lilies.
Said person was catching her breath as she tried to release herself from the giant's grip. "I apologize for making you trip, Murasakibara-kun. Could you let go of me now?" She asked.
Murasakibara shook his head like a child. "Eh~? But I like it like this. I get to hug Kuro-chin~" He drawled and Kuroko rolled her eyes before punching him in the stomach with all her might. Murasakibara, out of instinct, let go and Terumi quickly stood up.
"I apologize again for hitting you. I was feeling very uncomfortable." She explained and though she couldn't see it, she knew Murasakibara was pouting.
"You're so mean sometimes, Kuro-chin."
"I apologize." She said a third time in monotone and dusted herself off. "Do you mind if we go into the restaurant now?"
Murasakibara nodded. "Sure. Do you want me to carry you again? It's still raining."
"I'll ask if they have an umbrella. I wouldn't want us to get wetter." Kuroko said instead, rejecting Murasakibara's offer, and quickly left to talk to one of the receptionists. Murasakibara's eyes trailed after her and sighed once more. It was a nice moment, albeit a an unexpected one, and he wondered if his presence made her uncomfortable in general. The thought of that made him depressed in a matter of seconds, but in those few seconds, Kuroko was back with an umbrella fit for two.
"Thankfully, they gave us this. Shall we go?" She asked and Murasakibara nodded once more as he took the umbrella from her and held it high so that it would cover both her and himself. Still, because the umbrella was so high, there was more chance of Kuroko getting wet, so he put his arm around her and pulled her close to him.
"You might get wet, Kuro-chin. I don't want you to get a cold." He said as nonchalantly as possible, though his heart and mind were feeling the exact opposite.
If Kuroko could feel it, she did a good job of not noticing. "Thank you, Murasakibara-kun. That is very kind of you." That was enough to make his cheeks pinker.
When they finally arrived to the restaurant, Kuroko asked for a simple vanilla milkshake while Murasakibara ordered a tray full of hamburgers. He urged her to eat one of them and after great persuasion, Kuroko reluctantly took it.
As they get settled into their seats and Murasakibara opened his first burger, he asked, "So, what was it that you wanted to talk about?"
Kuroko took a sip of her milkshake. "I needed to talk to you about two things, actually. The first one would be, and I apologize if I am being blunt, if you had told anyone about my secret."
Murasakibara blinked in surprise. "What?"
Kuroko stirred her milkshake, refusing to look up. "At the match today, Himuro-san, whom I had never met before, prevented me from tripping but said and did some questionable things that allows me to believe that he knows both of my secrets. I thought that, since you and he seem like good friends, you would know how he knew."
Murasakibara stiffened and Kuroko felt it immediately. She bit her lip in anger and quickly tried to push it down. "Did you tell him, Murasakibara-kun?"
The giant broke down as soon as the accusation was there. "I'm sorry Kuro-chin, I didn't mean to!" He wailed, grabbing the attention of the customers around them.
Terumi had imagined as much but it still hurt. "Why?" She asked simply but her fists were trembling..
Murasakibara sniffled. "Because I missed you."
"Why would that lead you to tell Himuro-san?"
"Because he was asking about what the team was like in middle school and we just got on the topic of you. I tried to keep it a secret, I really did, but Muro-chin has a way with words, and I was telling him everything before I knew it. I'm really sorry, Kuro-chin. I really didn't mean to." He pleaded and Terumi gripped her milkshake hard, which the giant saw.
He started to tremble. "Ah, I'm sorry, I'm really sorry." He cried. "Please don't be mad, Kuro-chin. I'm really sorry."
Terumi took a deep breath as she felt Murasakibara's distraught feet that were swaying beneath the table. "Murasakibara-kun, you do realize why I am angry, right? I may not show it but I am doing my best to not let it out. What you have done is not excusable. I trusted you."
Murasakibara's voice fell to a whisper. "I know. I'm sorry."
"This is my secret to tell, Murasakibara-kun. Unless the people find out for themselves, it is my decision whether to disclose it or not. The least you could have done was contact me beforehand, as soon as it happened so that I could have been prepared if we ever met. What will happen in the Winter Cup now?"
Murasakibara's ears perked up. "Winter Cup? What do you mean?"
Terumi sighed. "It is already bad enough that we all have to compete against each other. However, there are various people who would rather go easy on an opponent like myself if they knew what I really was."
"Muro-chin would never do that." Murasakibara immediately retorted.
"Do you know for sure?" She prodded.
He nodded vigorously. "I do. Muro-chin would never do that. Not in a million years."
Kuroko paused for a second, taking in the giant's words, and sighed once more before nodding. "Alright. I'll believe you for now."
Murasakibara reached for Kuroko's hand, which was still gripping the milkshake. He placed it gently on hers and put his head down to the table to look at Kuroko's face. They were still covered with her bangs but he could see a hint of milky blue goodness. "I'm really, really, super sorry, Kuro-chin. It really was an accident. It won't happen again."
"I know, Murasakibara-kun. I trust that you will be more careful from now on. I am still angry, but it lifts some of the burden as well. Although, Himuro-san could have done a better job at disclosing it." Terumi added.
"Exactly what did Muro-chin do to you?"
When Kuroko was done explaining, Murasakibara was close to breaking the table. His face was livid and the people who were behind him moved away from the intimidating man.
"I'm murdering Muro-chin the moment I see him." He declared with a growl and Kuroko had to calm him down.
"Please do not, Murasakibara-kun. It is alright. Really. It is not the first time this kind of thing has happened. Please calm down."
"But still…"
"What happened in the past stays there. It does not affect the present now. Which leads me to the next thing I wanted to talk about."
Murasakibara gingerly opened another burger. "What is it? Are you going to scold me again?" He asked cautiously and Terumi shook her head.
"No, it is merely an inquiry." She fiddled with the burger that Murasakibara had given her in the beginning. "Do you still think basketball is boring?"
At that, Murasakibara stopped munching and his eyes narrowed. "If you bring this up again, I'll crush you, even if it's you, Kuro-chin." He said with a sinister undertone.
Kuroko merely sighed, unaffected by Murasakibara's empty threat. "I expected as much. But I never understood why. Why do you keep playing if you find it so boring? I understand that you started solely because the members saw your height, but to keep playing basketball even though it is not fun… It is something unimaginable to me."
"It's not the matter of thinking whether basketball is fun or not. I play because I'm good at it, and what's wrong with that? I get to crush other people and still remain on top." He explained with a terrible smile on his face and it made Kuroko shiver.
"Even still, do you not think it is wrong to think like that when you have other people who dearly love the sport?"
"Those people should just stay down there. Why waste so much energy on something when you know you won't win anyway? It's just stupid."
"It is not, Murasakibara-kun." Terumi immediately counteracted.
Murasakibara shrugged. "Well, if you want to change my mind that much, then prove it to me at the Winter Cup. Even if it's Kuro-chin, I won't go easy on you."
Terumi nodded. "Of course. I wouldn't have had it any other way."
The two then grew silent as the conversation died down. Murasakibara took a glance at the person sitting in front of him and realized that she had matured significantly from the last time he saw her. Even more, now that she had matured, she was looking even more beautiful than ever. There were so many things that changed, and it was amazing how much she had grown. He unconsciously reached out to pet her hair and Kuroko, startled by the sudden contact, looked up and her bangs parted slightly to show her beautiful milky blue eyes. He was always intrigued by them, almost hypnotizing even.
"Murasakibara-kun?" She asked in confusion.
"Ne, Kuro-chin, are you still with Mine-chin?" Murasakibara suddenly asked, his voice still lazy as ever but somehow a bit bolder than usual.
"Why the sudden question?" Kuroko replied in surprise and Murasakibara shrugged.
"I just wanted to know."
"Well, you and everyone else should know that it ended in middle school. Why are you suddenly bringing this up, though?"
"I was just curious. Is there anyone else you like right now, Kuro-chin?" He asked, eagerly awaiting her answer. Before he could hear it, however, a phone's ringtone cut her off and Kuroko excused herself as she took the call. Murasakibara pouted as he sunk into his seat. He was so close to seeing whether he had a chance.
When Kuroko came back, she abruptly hoisted her basketball bag to her shoulder.
"Kuro-chin, is something wrong?" Murasakibara asked, immediately sitting up and looking at her with uncomprehending eyes.
"It seems the coach wants me to go to school. I must go. Thank you for having this talk with me, Murasakibara-kun. It was nice to see you again."
"Ah, wait!" He called out in a rush. "Can we meet again?"
"We will at the Winter Cup, Murasakibara-kun." She replied but before she left the restaurant, she turned around and faced him once more.
"Maybe, just maybe, Seirin's love and passion for basketball will not be enough to win. That much I agree with. But I also agree that winning is not everything when it comes to playing a sport you love. If we give our best to something we love, then regardless of the outcome, we will enjoy it from the bottom of our hearts."
Murasakibara narrowed his eyes dauntingly. "I don't like that way of thinking."
"Well, you must accept that, Murasakibara-kun. I love Seirin and everyone there. I have been blessed with amazing people, and I will do my best to prove it to you. Basketball is fun, and we all do it because we love it. Goodbye." And with that statement, the phantom woman disappeared, leaving Murasakibara speechless.
Then, he went back to the table and mercilessly butchered one of the burgers as he squeezed it with all his might. The condiments and ingredients spewed out disgustingly, but he didn't have a care in the world. Instead, he was fuming with anger because what she had just told him felt like a confession; that she loved Seirin more than she loved the Generation of Miracles.
He would show her. He would show Kuroko that they were the better ones; that going to Seirin was a mistake.
"I'll crush them." Murasakibara growled. "I'll crush them all."
When Terumi finally arrived to the gym, she found that almost everyone on the team, seniors or otherwise, was there waiting for her. They were all looking grim, doubt and worry lacing their features, and quickly ushered her in.
"What is the matter? Why did you suddenly call to have me come here?" She asked, slightly worried herself, and then she felt the vibrations of a beloved friend who was definitely not part of Seirin. They got closer quickly, making Terumi assume that this friend was running towards her, and she braced for impact as Momoi Satsuki launched herself onto Terumi's chest.
"Tetsu-chan…" Momoi cried out in sniffles and Terumi immediately patted her on the back.
"Momoi-san, what is wrong? What happened while I was gone?"
Riko scratched her cheek uncertainly. "Well, today's rest day wasn't really a rest day because everyone was here when I entered the gym. We were training when Momoi-san entered, asking for you."
"Shall we move to a more comfortable place, Momoi-san?" Terumi asked softly and the pink-haired beauty nodded against her shirt as more sniffles rung out. When she got seated and the Seirin members surrounded her, Terumi went to get her a soda can and passed it to her.
"Thank you, Tetsu-chan. I see you're not in disguise." Momoi noted and Terumi nodded.
"I was stuck in the rain for a while and it was getting uncomfortable to wear the wig and chest binder. But that is not the issue right now. Momoi-san, what happened? Is something bothering you?"
Momoi couldn't help but cry as tears ran down her cheeks. "Tetsu-chan, I think Aomine-kun hates me now!" She cried in anguish and covered her face with her hands.
"Why would you think that?"
Riko butted in before Momoi could answer. "Does it have to do with the fact that none of the Generation of Miracles played in the semifinal or the final?"
Terumi whipped her head towards Riko with surprised eyes. "Excuse me?"
Riko nodded because she understood the shock. "Yeah, the three schools, Touou, Yosen and Rakuzan, which all have a Generation of Miracle in the team, ended up not playing this Inter High. We have no idea why, though, so I was hoping that you could have some kind of explanation." She said as she looked at Momoi, who was still trying her best not to cry again.
"I'm not too sure about Mukkun — I mean, Murasakibara-kun but I can only imagine that he didn't want to fight Akashi-kun in the first place. Some things happened back in middle school and now, Murasakibara-kun refuses to fight him."
"Well, that explains his absence in the semi-final between Yosen and Rakuzan. But what about Akashi?" Hyuuga then asked.
Momoi's face grew solemn, her troubles temporarily forgotten. "I'm not too sure. But I do know that he had, and still has, no interest in becoming a champion."
"What?" Everyone exclaimed in shock and Momoi sighed.
"It isn't that he wants to lose, it's just that he thinks that victory is preordained for him. When he was interviewed after the Touou-Rakuzan match and was asked why he didn't participate, he responded that it wouldn't have been fun if he had."
The people started murmuring to each other to discuss the mystery that was the Generation of Miracles captain. Riko stepped up and asked, "What about Aomine?"
For Aomine-kun," Momoi took a deep breath, "he was absent from the games because he had injured his knee." She explained. "It happened during the match with Ki-chan, I mean Kise-kun."
"He overexerted himself, didn't he?" Riko speculated and Momoi nodded unhappily.
Terumi sighed at the news. "If there anything that can be called a weakness for the Generation of Miracles, it is the fact that they are still only high school students. They may have the talent and prowess but there is only so much their still underdeveloped bodies can handle before they hurt themselves. It happened to Kagami-kun, Kise-kun, so I am not surprised that Aomine-kun has done the same."
"You're right. Aomine-kun is no exception." Momoi continued. "I noticed something wrong with him and told the coach immediately, and he and I both made sure that he wouldn't participate in any more matches. We both wanted him to heal properly, is that so wrong?"
"I would've done the same." Riko commented before looking directly at Kagami, who looked at her back with a sheepish glance.
"Aomine-kun made such a scene afterwards but the coach refused to let him play. It was almost unsightly how he kept shouting at us. When he found out that I was the one who informed the coach, well…" Momoi stopped herself as she remembered the sudden outburst that Aomine had on her. She started to cry once more, wailing uncontrollably.
"He hated how I was always meddling in whatever he did, and he didn't care that I was worried about him. I knew that he was going to exert himself even more if he went up against Akashi-kun, and I told him that, but he told me to leave him alone." She cried even more. "He told me he never wanted to see me or my ugly face ever again!"
Momoi bawled and honestly, nobody could blame her. "What else could I do but chuck my clipboard at him? I was so angry and so hurt, and I told him that I had enough of him and his stupidly grotesque face, too. Then I ran and came here to talk to Tetsu-chan. I don't know what I'm going to do."
Terumi's lips casted downwards, severely reprimanding Aomine's actions in her head, and reached out to gently pat the top of Momoi's head. She then gave her a soft smile as she reassured, "Momoi-san, it will be alright. Knowing Aomine-kun, he probably said those things without meaning to. There is no way he would ever hate you. You two have been friends since you were children, right?"
Momoi sniffled and gave her a small nod. "Yeah, childhood friends."
"Then he is probably looking for you right now. I'll take you back." Terumi suggested and Momoi immediately hugged her tightly.
"Tetsu-chan…" She cried onto her shoulder and Terumi patted her back with love and care. The others decided to leave the two girls be, and let them go when Terumi requested to leave.
Now, as the two walked to Momoi's house, which was right next to Aomine's, Terumi pondered what Seirin's future would hold and how she would be a part of it.
But first, "I met Murasakibara-kun today, right before I went to the gym to see you." She brought up and Momoi stopped for a second before walking again.
"Mukkun? I've always had an issue with him." She said with a grimace. "I never really understand what he was thinking."
"He apparently told one of his teammates about me."
"What?" Momoi asked, shocked. "What do you mean, about you? Does that mean that he told his teammate about…?"
Terumi merely nodded. "Yes, my two secrets."
"Oh no, Tetsu-chan… I'm so sorry that happened. What did you say to Mukkun?"
"I told him very directly that I was angry with him and he would not stop apologizing soon after. I decided to let it go because he assured me that regardless of what that teammate has heard, it would not affect his performance in matches."
"Well, that's good to hear. You never liked people underestimating you. Remember how Aomine-kun acted after he found out?" She chuckled as Terumi clicked her tongue in distaste.
"He started treating me as if I were broken glass. The amount of times he grabbed my hand to guide me to class was almost infuriating."
"You knew he did that as an excuse to hold your hand." Momoi pointed out.
"He could have found better ways. I was not amused. He had seen me various times walk to class just fine."
"Didn't you get so annoyed that you ended up punching his stomach? He couldn't stand up for two days!" Momoi laughed and Terumi smiled at her with relief. It seemed like Momoi was feeling better now.
"Aomine-kun is an idiot." Terumi stated simply and Momoi agreed with her wholeheartedly.
"He is, but he's also caring and kind at heart." The pink-haired student said before her expression shifted to that of sadness. "At least, he used to be. Now, I don't know where that Dai-chan went."
"We will find it again." Terumi declared. "We will win against them at the Winter Cup."
"I know you will. I won't go easy on you, though." Momoi replied as she bumped her shoulder with Terumi's.
"I would not have had it any other way." Terumi then said with the smile Momoi always loved to see.
"Did you and Mukkun talk about anything else?" She then went back to the topic and Terumi nodded in response.
"I asked him if he still found basketball boring."
"And what did he say?"
"The same thing he says every time I ask him. It seems like not much has changed from the last time we had met. How long has it been, Momoi-san, since we had all just met up and played?" Terumi suddenly asked and Momoi's eyes casted downwards in guilt.
"Too long to count, Tetsu-chan. Too long."
Terumi sighed in grief. "It's saddening. They say you shouldn't live in the past but the past was so much better compared to now. Back then, everyone was happy with what they already had, never asking for more. It was so much fun back then as well, with everyone together. I was truly blessed at the time. I wonder what went wrong."
"I really don't want to dwell on that right now, Tetsu-chan, not when we still haven't met Dai-chan. Do you really think he's out there looking for me?" Momoi asked hopefully.
Terumi nodded instantly. "Aomine-kun may have a terrible personality but he still cares for his loved ones."
"Do you count as well then?" Momoi then brought up and Terumi hesitated.
"… I am not too sure. It would be nice if I still were, but after everything we have been through, I highly doubt it."
"Does it have to do with Kagamin?" The pink-haired student then whispered and Terumi stopped in her steps for a second.
"What?"
Momoi looked at the ground. "You're new light, Kagamin. Dai-chan's jealous, Tetsu-chan. He still loves you, you know." Momoi said quietly and if it wasn't for Kuroko's heightened senses, she never would have heard.
"What makes you so sure? I hurt him, Momoi-san. I hurt him a lot."
"Vice-versa, Tetsu-chan. And I know Dai-chan. So much so that I know that he still grieves the happy days you two had in middle school and he grieves that you two couldn't have been more. He still loves you a lot, Tetsu-chan. What about you?"
Terumi took a long while to answer. "I honestly do not know. I have various conflicting emotions with each and every one of the Generation of Miracles, if I am being really honest. Aomine-kun is no exception."
Momoi began to hum. "It makes sense. Still, it would nice if things went back to the way it was before, right?"
"I disagree, Momoi-san." Teurmi rejected and Momoi looked at her in surprise.
"Really?"
"I love Seirin and everyone in it. I would not change them for the world." Terumi said with a soft smile and Momoi realized how Seirin was now the support that Terumi could lean on now that Teikou, their middle school, was gone. Seirin, while Teiko had abandoned her, took her in and protected her with the love and care that she deserved. It stung but she was happy that Terumi was happy. Seirin seemed like good people, and she was glad that Terumi was able to meet such good people.
They were getting close to Momoi's house and Terumi could feel a subtle vibration that alarmed her that Aomine was in this area, probably in front of Momoi's house. She didn't tell her, however, because she was sure that if she did, Momoi would probably take her hand and force her to meet him. She wasn't in the mood to encounter Aomine at the moment, so she decided to stop here.
Momoi looked back and saw that Terumi wasn't following her.
"Is something wrong?"
"I have to go back soon before my friends worry. Can you walk alone?" Terumi asked and Momoi nodded, albeit a bit confused, and realized a second later that Kuroko couldn't see her.
"Yeah, it's just around the corner. But why can't you come with me?"
"My phone is dead and I am worried that Ayaka-san may have called."
"The principal in Seirin High? She was your mother's friend, wasn't she?"
"Yes, and she has been treating me as if I were her own daughter. I cannot make her worry more than I already have. I am sorry, Momoi-san, but I believe this is where we have to part."
Momoi looked at her sadly. "It's ok, Tetsu-chan. I get it. Go and call Ayaka-san. Tell her you're alright."
"Thank you." Terumi bowed. However, before she left, she touched Momoi on the shoulder and the pink-haired student looked at her curiously.
"What's wrong, Tetsu-chan?" Momoi asked.
"I would like to disclose some information before we depart. I am currently working on a new skill that might help me face against Aomine-kun and the others. It is not complete and I will have to test run it several times, but if it is hard to talk to Aomine-kun, please tell me what I am about to tell you."
"Tetsu-chan…?"
"Will you believe me if I say that I am currently working on a drive that will help me become more invisible than I already am?" Terumi finally dropped and Momoi, stunned, looked at her with extremely wide eyes.
"I— what? Tetsu-chan, is that even possible? I mean, I'm not talking about whether you can do a drive even when blind, because I don't doubt for a second that you'll be able to make it, but to have a drive that will make you more invisible… It's practically unheard of. The ball is practically a red light that everyone is conscious of. If you touch it, your misdirection disappears." Momoi tried to reason, and to be fair, it was completely logical.
Still, Terumi had a trick up her sleeve. "I will strive to do the impossible. I will make an unstoppable drive." She declared before smiling softly at her and bidding her goodbye.
Momoi's eyes trailed after Kuroko's disappearing form, and took a deep breath before walking to her home. She then saw a familiar shadow looming over her front porch and saw that it was Aomine sitting grumpily, watching the front garden. When he finally saw her, he jumped and ran over to her.
"Where the hell were you?" Aomine screamed, anger and worry spewing in his tone.
"I was at Seirin, talking to Tetsu-chan. Were you looking for me?" Momoi asked, not fazed by Aomine's outburst.
"Obviously I was, you dumbass. You can't just run away like that and not expect me to be worried. What the hell, Satsuki?" Aomine berated but the thought of him looking frantically for her made her giggle.
"Why the fuck are you laughing? Are you mocking me?" Aomine demanded and Momoi shook her head.
"I'm not mocking you, Dai-chan. It just feels nice to know that you still care about me." She said and Aomine stopped his rant for a second.
"Did you really think I wouldn't care about you? Are you kidding me? How stupid can you be? Your mom would literally kill me if she found out I wasn't taking care of you. Do you want me to die?" Aomine scoffed and Momoi giggled once more.
"Right, right. Sorry, Dai-chan. I won't let this happen again."
Aomine clicked his tongue before pushing Momoi to the front of her door. "Go inside before your mom barges into mine."
"Ok, I'll see you tomorrow! Oh, and remind me to tell you some important news."
"Huh, what important news?"
"It's about Tetsu-chan! See you tomorrow!" Momoi exclaimed before closing the door and making Aomine lose his opportunity to ask for more. Said person was now outside of his childhood friend's home, looking absolutely dumbfounded, and looking like a complete idiot for standing without a purpose.
Then, he grumbled, "Stupid Satsuki" before walking over to his own home where he would go this room and lose sleep over what this important news was about and how Kuroko was related to it.
The next day, the Winter Cup finally began and Seirin entered proudly, hoisting their losses, humiliations, and regrets onto their backs to show a new light that would evidently shine throughout the entire event.
So how was it? Good, bad, meh? Tell me in the reviews!
Again, please tell me your opinion on the whole hiatus thing. If you don't know what i'm talking about, refer back to the AN on the top and tell me what you think in the reviews.
We are finally at the Winter Cup and I'll do my best to really condense and get to the juicy parts (cough cough hanamiya cough cough) I'm probably going to skip over the really unnecessary ones, and I don't know if I should skip over the rematch with Midorima too. hmm decisions decisions
Anyways, I hope you enjoyed it and you're still with me until the end, even though it might take me forever to update the next one. Still, let us rejoice that I even updated now!
Thanks for reading and I hope to hear all your opinions (I never miss out on reading your lovely reviews :))
Peace,
FlyAndDontLookBack