Since the announcement that Kaijou would be playing Touou, Kise had thrown himself into practices. He lapped the rest of the club at least once during the warm-up circuits, out-sprinted even Kasamatsu on the shuttle runs, and instead of counting how many reps of any drill he did, he just kept going until the last person was done, working on the side after his turn was over. As the rest of the club began their cool-down exercises after a particularly grueling drill, Kise jogged lightly, not stopping even as he stretched.

"Didn't he say he'd miss a practice here and there? He hasn't missed a single one."

Kuroko looked up from where he was stretching in the corner to see Kobori, Moriyama, and Kasamatsu nearby, water bottles in hand. Kobori continued, "He's flashy and just this side of arrogant, but he also works harder than anyone else in this club."

Moriyama frowned. "Don't you think there's something about his attitude that's a little worrisome? In my opinion, he's working too hard and setting too high a pace. It's as if he's chasing something."

Kuroko knew who Kise was chasing. He kept as quiet and as unobtrusive as he knew to be, stretching one leg carefully, and listened.

"Whatever he's chasing, it's certainly not us," Kobori said with a sigh. "The way he plays, the other four members of his team may as well not be on the court. Most of the club can't stop him at all, even when double-teaming him, and the rest of us are on mostly even ground, so the other team can't afford to put three people on him."

"There's something admirable and at the same time terrifying about that," Moriyama said. "Everyone else seems to have taken him as an example, though. It hasn't been as hard to get the members to put more energy into practice. When someone gifted with that kind of talent is working as hard as everyone else-no, harder-it feels really shameful to quit before you really have to."

"We need to make sure he doesn't overtrain and injure himself," Kasamatsu said, watching Kise shift from jogging to knee-lifts. "For now, just keep an eye on him. I'll talk to Coach. Something else is bothering me."

"Something else? What?" Moriyama turned and looked at Kobori. "Do you know about this?"

Kobori shook his head.

"It's not important... at least, I don't think it is. It's just a feeling I've got," Kasamatsu said, shaking his head as if chasing away the thought. "Anyway, I'd appreciate it if you guys could help watch out for him, at least for the time being."

Kuroko switched sides and stretched his other leg; it made it easier for him to watch Kise, who'd switched to slow lunges. Was the power of suggestion working on Kuroko after overhearing the conversation, or did Kise look like he was having a little less fun than on the first day?

The day before the practice game with Touou, Kaijou's basketball club had another mini-match. This time, Kasamatsu's team included Kobori, Moriyama, Hayakawa, and Kise; the other side was composed of upperclassmen reserve players. Kuroko eyed Kise's back, hiding his envy. He wished he was playing, too.

The players stood on the sidelines while Kasamatsu and Kobori conferred with Coach Takeuchi. Kise turned to Moriyama. "Moriyama-senpai, aren't all the starting regulars on our side? Is this how we're going to play in matches from now on?"

"Well spotted," Moriyama said, nodding. "I wouldn't take my word for it, since Coach and Kasamatsu have the final say, but this is probably going to be our starting lineup, yes."

Kise studied the other team, and then sighed, his shoulders slumping. "Maybe they should switch me over to that side to make it a more even match."

From where Kuroko was standing, he could see Moriyama lift one eyebrow. "What's wrong with occasionally taking it easy, Kise? Besides, we have a big game tomorrow, even if it's just for bragging rights." Moriyama smiled and gestured at the stands. "Look, your fangirls are here. Take it easy and show off for them. It's fun to watch you."

"Well, I'm glad it's fun to watch, but it's not much fun when it's so easy," Kise said with another sigh as he eyed the other team. Then he brightened. "Oh, wait, I know how to make it more fun. Do you want to play a game with me, Moriyama-senpai?"

"What do you mean?" Moriyama looked curious.

Kuroko felt a sharp pain in his chest. He narrowed his eyes, feeling his field of vision constrict.

"Let's compete to see who gets the most points!" Kise looked up at the balcony, and then back at Moriyama. "If you get more points than I do, I'll introduce you to as many girls as you want me to!"

The gym felt as if it were closing in on Kuroko.

"No!"

There was silence, and then Kuroko realized that for once, everyone was looking at him.

Kise had turned around at the sound of Kuroko's voice. "Kurokocchi?"

"I said no, Kise-kun." Kuroko felt as if he was struggling to speak. "Don't play the points game."

Kise's face lit with comprehension. "Oh, it's fine, it's fine!" he said, waving his hands. "We're not betting money or anything, and this isn't an official match."

"It's not about gambling or whether or not it's an official match." It wasn't just hard to speak any more, it was also hard to breathe evenly.

"But," Kise said, scratching his head. "We did this at Teikou all the time. It's like that quota Akashicchi set, right? And... well..." Kise shrugged and looked sheepish. "It helps with focus when the other side's not much of a challenge, you know?"

"Oy," said one of the players on the other team. "We can hear you."

"Bah, let it be," another one said, waving dismissively. "Neither of us can stop him together."

It took Kuroko a moment to realize he was trembling, and another moment to realize that the emotion he was feeling was rage. Why was it so hard to return to a state of calm? That was the way the phantom sixth man had to be: calm, patient, unobtrusive. He balled his fists, squeezing them hard, trying to force the energy coiling inside him away. Enunciation was difficult now. "That was one of the worst things about Teikou. Don't do it again, especially not here."

The shocked expression on Kise's face was mirrored on the faces of the people surrounding Kuroko. Kuroko didn't have to observe to know that people were slowly backing away from him.

"Kurokocchi," Kise said, halting a moment. He swallowed. "Kurokocchi, are you all right? This isn't like you at all."

"I said, don't do it, Kise-kun."

Kise turned as Kasamatsu came up behind him. Kasamatsu studied Kuroko for a moment and then gestured to Moriyama and Kise. "You two, follow me. Kobori, help Kuroko. Coach, I'm sorry, we need to handle this now. May we use your office?"

Coach Takeuchi blew his whistle and nodded at Kasamatsu. "Match suspended," he said.

A large arm encircled Kuroko. He looked up to see Kobori's concerned face. "Kuroko-kun, come," Kobori said in his calm voice. Kuroko found himself moving as Kobori guided him along behind Kasamatsu, Kise, and Moriyama. Kobori's grip was firm but not painful.

As they left the gym, Kuroko could hear Coach Takeuchi calmly issuing orders and calling names to replace the players who'd left the court. Kuroko wished he really were a phantom. Now would be the most appropriate time in his life for him to disappear.

Kobori guided Kuroko to a chair in the gym office, made Kuroko sit, and then left the room. Kise opened his mouth, but Kasamatsu shook his head and held a hand up to stop him. "Coach will be here soon," he said.

It wasn't long before Coach Takeuchi arrived. "Kobori is taking over practice," he said, pulling up another chair. "Thank you for waiting for me."

Kasamatsu nodded. "Kise, don't speak for now. Moriyama, tell us what happened."

"We were waiting on the sidelines for the game to start, and I was chatting with Kise," Moriyama said. "Kise suggested we play a game, and that's when Kuroko... well, I'm not sure what's going on, but Kuroko was right behind us, so perhaps it was about what Kise suggested?"

Kuroko focused on his breathing. It was easier to control his emotions, sitting here like this. He thought momentarily about slipping out of the room, but he suspected he wouldn't be allowed to get away with that. Besides, there was a sense of inertia pinning him to his chair. He listened, breathing as evenly as possible.

Kasamatsu glanced at Kuroko, and then at Kise. "What did you suggest?"

"It's just a harmless pastime," Kise said, a little sulkily. "I asked Moriyama-senpai if he'd like to compete with me, privately, to see who could score the most points."

Kuroko was watching Kasamatsu closely, so he saw one of Kasamatsu's eyes twitch, but Kasamatsu merely said, "Go on."

"That was it," Kise said, looking towards Moriyama, who nodded in confirmation. "I told Moriyama-senpai that if he beat me, I'd introduce him to all the girls he wanted me to. It was in harmless fun, just something to liven things up a little!"

Kasamatsu glanced at Kuroko again. Kuroko avoided Kasamatsu's eyes. Kasamatsu sighed. "Kuroko, what's your story?"

"It's as Kise-kun said." Kuroko suppressed his thoughts firmly. If he didn't think about anything, then he couldn't think about the rage or the anger. Keep his mind blank, and he could avoid thinking about that stupid game, the scoreboard with 111:11 on it, the asinine wagers and the complete lack of respect for the other team-

"-Kuroko."

Kuroko let out the breath he'd been holding unconsciously. He'd squeezed his eyes shut without even being aware of it. He opened them again to see Kise, Moriyama, Kasamatsu, and Coach Takeuchi looking at him with concerned expressions. Kasamatsu said, "Moriyama, if you don't mind, could you please go back to practice and help Kobori out?"

Moriyama looked as if he'd prefer to stay, but he nodded. "Of course." He left the room.

Kasamatsu pulled up a chair for Kise, who shook his head. Kasamatsu leaned against a desk, pushing the chair back where it was before. "Kuroko, stay where you are. Kise, tell me more about this points game."

Kise babbled, prompted by questions from Kasamatsu and Coach Takeuchi. Both Kasamatsu and Coach Takeuchi occasionally asked Kuroko if Kise was telling them everything, and Kuroko nodded.

Kise was actually saying a lot more than Kuroko had known. Kuroko had only guessed at the details, and it was both cathartic and infuriating to listen to Kise explaining how Teikou's regulars had kept themselves motivated. So it had been Kise's idea in the beginning, he thought. He'd assumed it had been Aomine's. In any case, Aomine had certainly bought into it by the end, and Akashi...

Kuroko measured his breath, counting to five slowly between each inhale and exhale.

When Kise was done, Coach Takeuchi looked thoughtful. Kasamatsu's lips were compressed tightly. Kuroko focused on breathing without moving.

"Thank you for your honesty," Kasamatsu said to Kise. "Because of that, I'm only going to bench you, not kick you off the team."

Kise's jaw dropped. "What- But- Why-" He gulped. "Coach- Captain! I don't understand!"

Kasamatsu glared at Kise, quelling the protest, and then addressed Kuroko. "Tell me why you're against the points game."

"It's disrespectful to our opponents."

"Aominecchi said playing half-heartedly wasn't very respectful either," Kise said.

Kasamatsu pointed his thumb at Kise. "Did you tell him?" he asked Kuroko.

"In the beginning I tried," Kuroko replied quietly. "By the end... I had stopped trying."

Kasamatsu frowned and crossed his arms, leaning heavily back against the desk. "Coach?"

"I assume your coaches didn't know about this," Coach Takeuchi said to Kise.

If Kise had a tail, it would be tucked between his legs. "I don't know if our coach knew," Kise said, hanging his head. "Akashicchi encouraged it, though, so I thought it was okay even if I had to persuade the others to do it in the beginning."

Kuroko watched as Kise wilted under Kasamatsu's glare and felt a moment's pity. He remembered the self-righteous conviction in Akashi's face after the Meikou match and said, "In fairness, even if Kise-kun had come up with the idea, if Akashi-kun hadn't approved or encouraged it, it would have been stillborn."

Kasamatsu gave Coach Takeuchi a long, measured glance. Coach Takeuchi shook his head. Kasamatsu scowled at Kise. "Again, I repeat, you're benched."

Kise's eyes widened. He looked at Kuroko, and then back at Kasamatsu. "But, I still don't understand why!"

"Since you appear to need it spelled out for you, let me do so in no uncertain terms," Kasamatsu said. "Willful disrespect isn't something we like here. Basketball is a team sport, but there are two teams on the court. It's not just about you and your teammates; it's also about how you play with the other team. This points game looks down on the opponent and doesn't even give them a shred of consideration. It tells the opponent that they aren't even worth taking seriously, that you can't even spare the length of the game to see them as your opponents, that they might as well not be on the court. Is that what you really think?"

Something in Kasamatsu's face seemed to have caught Kise's attention. He shook his head quickly.

"Dismissed. Nakamura will start tomorrow in your place. I expect you to be on the sidelines, cheering for your teammates," Kasamatsu said.

"Wait-you're benching me tomorrow?" Kise shook his head. "But-you can't, you need me for that one. I'm not trying to boast or make a big deal out of myself-without me, you won't stand a chance against Aominecchi. Kurokocchi, tell him!"

Kasamatsu stepped forward and pointed a finger at Kise's chest. "It doesn't matter whether you're the ace or the last person on the roster. Tomorrow isn't Kise Ryouta versus Aomine. It's Kaijou versus Touou. You're Kaijou's Kise Ryouta now." Kasamatsu jabbed his finger hard against Kise's chest, forcing Kise back a step. "When you're on the court, you're not just fighting for yourself. You're fighting for everyone out there whocan't be on the court. As our ace, you are Kaijou. Play like it."

Kise blinked down at Kasamatsu's finger, and then at Kasamatsu's face. "Did you say... ace? Me?"

Kasamatsu paused; he'd clearly not been expecting that reaction from Kise. "Of course," he said shortly. "The ace scores the points. He leads the team to victory. You're Kaijou's ace."

"I..." Kise's face lit up with a huge smile. "I've never been called an ace before." He grabbed Kasamatsu's hand and shook it, and then beamed at Coach Takeuchi and Kuroko and saluted. "I won't let you down!"

"Wait, I'm not done-" Kasamatsu began, but Kise had already skipped out of the room. "Dammit, Kise!"

"May I leave, too?"

Kasamatsu jumped, and then let out a heavy sigh. "It shouldn't be this easy to forget you're there," he said, frowning at Kuroko.

"That's not a compliment, senpai."

"Sorry, I didn't mean..." Kasamatsu scowled again, staring at the door Kise had just pranced through. He signed deeply and shook his head. "Yes, you can go."

Kuroko glanced at Coach Takeuchi. When Coach Takeuchi nodded, Kuroko excused himself.

They'd been in the office so long that practice was over. When Kuroko walked into the locker room, the only other person in there was Kise, perched on a bench, tapping away at the screen of his phone.

Kise looked up and beamed. "Kurokocchi, did you hear? I'm the ace!"

Kuroko gave Kise a long look, imagining a wagging tail all too easily. "Congratulations, Kise-kun. I'm sure you'll be the best bench ace Kaijou has ever had."

"Bench a-"

From Kise's frozen expression, it was clear Kise had forgotten his punishment already. Kuroko sighed and headed for his locker. There were times when Kuroko was quite sure most dogs had more brains and self-awareness than Kise did.

Kise whimpered. "Kurokocchi... help me?"

Kuroko took a deep breath before responding. "Have you forgotten how you got into this situation, Kise-kun?"

The lack of an answer was answer enough. Kuroko opened his locker, pulling his things out and heading into the showers, pretending he didn't see the kicked-puppy look on Kise's face.

When he got out, Kise was still sitting on the locker room bench where Kuroko had left him. Kise looked up, a serious expression on his face. "Ne, Kurokocchi, can I ask you something? I want an honest answer."

Kuroko toweled his hair. "I always answer you honestly, Kise-kun."

"Do you hate me?"

Kuroko peered at Kise from under the towel, and then wiped his bangs back from his head. "I don't hate you, Kise-kun."

"You've been really cold to me ever since the first day of school," Kise said plaintively.

"That's true," Kuroko said after a pause. He counted in his head to three. "I suppose I do hate you a little." He watched as Kise's face fell, and then said, "After all, Kise-kun, you have all the athleticism I've ever wanted. Every time I watch you on the courts, I hate you a little more."

Kise tilted his head. "But you've known that for a while. Besides, for someone who's pretty average, you do really well, Kurokocchi."

"That's not a compliment to me, Kise-kun." Kuroko turned his back on Kise and continued walking towards his locker.

"Ah, sorry, no, I didn't mean it like that," Kise said, scrambling up hastily. "I mean, Kurokocchi, do you remember when we first met and I... uh, well..." Kise trailed off. "Actually, I wasn't very nice then, was I?"

"No you weren't." Kuroko unzipped his bag, retrieving a fresh change of clothes. "The more we talk, Kise-kun, the more I wonder why I continue to talk to you."

"I'm sorry," Kise said, waving his arms quickly. "I really didn't mean it like that, please, Kurokocchi!"

Kuroko sighed deeply. "I know, Kise-kun."

Kise was quiet for a long time. Kuroko finished dressing, and then paused, giving his locker a once-over. He folded his dirty practice clothes to take them home.

Kise said, "Before you chose schools, did you know I was going to be here? At Kaijou, I mean."

Kuroko nodded, and then remembered he was hiding his face behind the locker door. "Yes."

"So you did think it would be nice to play on the same team together again!" Kise smiled his Never-Fail Get Out of Trouble Smile.

"To be honest, Kise-kun, you didn't factor into my decision to come here at all." Kuroko put the shirt he was folding down and moved out from behind the locker door to look straight at Kise. "And even if you had, it would not have been a positive."

Kise bit his lip and looked away.

Kuroko rearranged things in his locker slowly, giving Kise time to process. He was running out of things to move ineffectually and was thinking about walking out and giving up on Kise when Kise finally spoke. "So, Kurokocchi's here despite my being here, then," Kise said quietly. "Was it Kasamatsu-senpai? Coach Takeuchi?"

Kuroko wondered where Kise was going with this train of thought. "Both," he said, closing the locker door quietly. He looked at Kise, face carefully neutral. "The club and the team, too."

"Kaijou's not like Teikou was," Kise said.

"You're right," Kuroko said, taking care to form the words deliberately. "It isn't."

"But we won a lot at Teikou," Kise said after a moment's pause. "Wasn't it fun to win every match? You said you liked winning, that even though the way you play isn't a lot of fun for you, you play that way because losing is less fun."

Kuroko put the rest of his gear in his bag before he turned to face Kise. "At some point, winning became even less fun."

Kise flinched and looked away. Kuroko pulled his bag out of the locker and set it down on the bench, made sure his basketball shoes were packed properly, and then retrieved his walking shoes and socks. He sat down to pull them on.

Kise leaned back, supporting his weight on his arms on the bench. "Kurokocchi, you really hate the points game, don't you?"

"I think it's a terrible thing to do."

"I... I think I'm beginning to understand why you think that."

That got Kuroko's attention, and he paused in the middle of lacing his shoes to look at Kise. "What do you mean, Kise-kun?"

"The last time we spoke, back in Teikou, after the finals..." Kise looked up at the ceiling. "Back then, it seemed like Kurokocchi never wanted anything to do with any of us again. You stopped answering our e-mails or our calls, and you avoided us so well it was like you weren't in school... wait," Kise glanced at Kuroko. "Were you in school?"

Kuroko nodded. He hadn't been there all the time, but he had showed up to classes just often enough to graduate.

Kise looked back up at the ceiling. "So you left us, you stopped hanging out with us, talking to us... and you stopped playing basketball. It's like... you didn't care what we did any more."

"What's your point, Kise-kun?"

"You told us you were quitting basketball, but you're here playing basketball at Kaijou now. You made the decision to leave on your own, and you made the decision to come back on your own. It's like you don't care whether we're on the court or not, even though we were teammates all that time." Kise sat up. "I really don't like how that feels... and I guess if I feel like this about Kurokocchi making important decisions about basketball without considering his friends, then our opponents probably felt bad because we didn't care what they did when we were on the same court, right?"

Kuroko waited, watching Kise impassively.

Kise bit his lip and hung his head. "I-I know this is really late, but I'm really sorry, Kurokocchi. I never saw it that way, even after you tried to tell me. But I get it now, and I'll never do it again."

Well. That was a strange and circuitous route, and some of that logic was questionable, but Kise had gotten there in the end. Back when they were in Teikou and Kise had switched from wanting a new mentor to following Kuroko around in the blink of an eye, it had surprised Kuroko. This time, it was easier for Kuroko to go with the transition.

Besides, it was really difficult to dislike someone who bore such a strong resemblance to a sad puppy. After a moment, Kuroko sighed in defeat. "I believe you. Apology accepted, Kise-kun."

"You mean it?" Kise beamed, straightening. "I'm so relieved, Kurokocchi! I don't like having you angry at me."

"As long as you've learned from this," Kuroko said, lacing his shoes at last.

Kise nodded quickly, and then paused a moment. "Does this mean you'll have me as your light? I really do want to play basketball with you, Kurokocchi."

Even considering Kise's often-mercurial disposition, that felt like a quick change. For a moment, Kuroko wondered whether all that had just been Kise's way of manipulating Kuroko into agreeing. Then he noticed Kise's fingers worrying at the edge of his shirt and the wrinkles he'd put into the material already. "It's a bit early to say, Kise-kun. After all, you're benched."

Kise's face fell, and he jumped up. "Oh no, I have to apologize to Kasamatsu-senpai and Coach, and Moriyama-senpai, and Kobori-senpai, and the guys who were on the other team-" Then he realized he was still in his practice gear. "Argh, and I haven't showered yet! Maybe if I go to the office now... No, I stink, it would be too weird, gotta shower first, but if I rush it I'll smell bad on the train home-"

Kuroko watched Kise scurry around. "Do it tomorrow morning, Kise-kun."

"But I'm benched, I have to play, we can't let Aominecchi say his school is better, even if Momoicchi is there too!" Kise frantically swept some bottles into his shower caddy. "Kaijou won't lose to Touou!"

Kuroko noted Kise's wording, feeling the knot he hadn't realized was in his throat loosen. "Kise-kun."

Kise paused mid-flurry. "Hmm?"

"You can come early and apologize tomorrow morning."

Kise processed that, and then ducked his head, grinning. "Oh. You're right."

Kuroko picked up his bag, turning away to hide a smile. "Good night, Kise-kun. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Bye!" Kise called over his shoulder as he headed into the showers.