Sorry for taking this long for updating this chapter for those of you who are a bit curious about why I didn't update in a while this is my short story:

My sister was here from the end of January to last Friday so I couldn't get to the laptop a lot and I couldn't write anything, so I was planning on using the weekend after she left but I was forced to go home with her by her and my mother (with her endless calls) so I went and my cat decided that while we slept it was nice to play with the cable of my laptop and totally destroy it (that devilish cat's teethes must be amazing just how the hell did it totally separate the damn cable?) and I was kindda low on money for a bit, but right after I got my month allowance I brought a new one so here is the next chapter….

By the way if you expect any change with the match between Shutoku and Seirin I am sorry but I don't plan on changing it, I think that was one very well played match.

Chapter 4

Meeting with the past

Each day after that they trained as hard as they could and yet winter was coming quicker than they thought it would.

Soon Riko organized a practice game against Komada High, so she could see just how much better Seirin got through the time they had to train and that match Seirin easily won and they decided to go eat out and celebrate the win. It was then that the first years convinced their coach to let them participate in the Street basketball 5 on 5. It was supposed to be only the first year but Kawahara got sick and Kiyoshi took his place. There they met Seiho and talked some after which parted their ways but none of them expected to see Seiho face such results against the other team and it was then that Kuroko found out just what had Kagami meant back on the court when he said he had lost a brother over a match.

'I can't say that Kagami is totally innocent because I dislike when someone doesn't give his all but what the hell is that guy's problem? Anyone who cares for someone would do anything not to lose him! Even with real siblings the case where the little brother or sister gets better at something then the bigger on happens a lot, so why couldn't he be happy for Taiga's talent in basketball?' Kuroko thought as the match got called off because of the weather.

The five of them were making their way home together when they got a call from Riko- informing them that Momoi was there and waiting for Tetsuya, so they quickly made their way to the gym.

They were thankful to have finally found the answer to their curiosity as to why hadn't Aomine or any of the other two played in the finals of Inter high but one of them wasn't very happy about Momoi's visit and especially how she clung to certain blue haired boy.

Soon after Momoi and Kuroko parted ways Kagami appeared behind him.

"I really dislike her." Kagami said as he glared the way the pink haired girl had disappeared and Kuroko laughed slightly as Kagami hugged him from behind.

"I thought we had cleared the part with the meaningless jealousy." Kuroko said as he eased himself in the hold of his boyfriend.

"It's not that I don't believe in you but I don't like how she clings to you the second she sets her eyes." Kagami sulked and Kuroko hold himself from bursting in laughter and then looked at his legs after which he sighed slightly, he had to talk things out from earlier today and leaving things for later was a bad idea.

"Earlier today I did say that I believed it was your fault for going easy on him but I should have said that he was also at fault… anyone in your case would have done the same, no one wants to lose a brother if they could have prevented it. I have no right to blame you for anything but even if I had I would never blame you for what you have done." Kuroko said as he left Kagami's hold and then caught his hand in his and started making their way home with Nigou running right after them.

"I don't know from where did that come from but thanks, Tetsuya. I will never look at the past again. I will not blame myself for what happened, nor will I continue to regret getting good at basket to the point of driving the person I thought as a brother away, because it was thanks to basket that I was able to meet you. If out team faces Yosen in the Winter Cup I will not go easy on him, because I will become Japan's number one team together with everyone else and especially together with you." Kagami said as he slightly tighten his hold on Kuroko's hand and then smiled gently yet happily at him.

"Of course we will become number one. No one of them would even see what hit them…" Kuroko declared with a smirk and a question appeared in Kagami's mind, one that he had wondered for a while over.

"How long do you plan on pulling the phantom kind of play? Don't get me wrong I am well aware of just how many times you had saved our asses with that kind of play but I've been wondering- when do you plan to start playing your style?" Kagami said as he looked at Kuroko in wonder.

"Misdirection is a style I have played for years and as stupid as it might sound I want to let go of it when I have fully driven it's spark out and that's why I plan on actually using all the other kind of moves I have thought about through the years and haven't used only because as I start using them my misdirection will start to slowly degrade." Tetsuya said as he smirked at Kagami's surprised look, which quickly turned in a slight grin.

"So you had gotten attached to that style after all."

"It's not exactly because I had gotten attached to it. Part of the reason is because I am bad at giving up and if I don't use it to the point where I can't use it anymore, then part of me would regret it and there is the second part of the reason- with the chance of always being able to go back to misdirection if say my style gets fumbled I will probably go back to misdirection and that way I can't get my real style stronger and that also might mean that I won't be able to enter the zone and that's not something I like the sound of." Kuroko explained and that earned him another surprised look from Kagami.

"By the time you decide to use your style I swear I would have gotten stronger than now and I will become someone you can easily rely on, so you wouldn't have much need to enter the zone." Kagami declared as he smiled slightly remembering that the zone had been one of the reasons his boyfriend had gotten injured.

"You don't have to worry about me. I am somewhat grown up now and I won't get injured so easily now." Kuroko stated as he looked at Taiga with a reassuring smile. He had gone through having to give up on basket once he didn't plan on doing so twice.

Kuroko stopped walking right after his boyfriend nodded to him and looked at the parted ways on the road and nodded to the one road that was opposite to Kagami's.

"I am going this way." He said and Kagami looked ready to say something but Kuroko shook his head. "We have to get up early tomorrow and we have a full day of training and then if you wish you can join me and Kiyoshi-sempai in our overtime training, so it's better if you get as much of sleep as you can. Also, I can go home alone! I leave nearby, so you don't have to worry."

"But I want to send you home…" Kagami complained like a little kid and Tetsuya smiled amusedly at him.

"Another time… Good night!" He said as he kissed Kagami and then left quickly, not even letting Kagami have the chance of wish him a good night too as he run down the road.

"Sweet dreams." Kagami said as he watched the quickly disappearing blue haired boy.

Time flies and soon come the day of the preliminaries and Seirin faced Josei High and as much as it pissed Kagami that he was well guarded, it was thanks to that that the other members of Seirin could easily make points and it was quite amusing for certain blue haired boy to watch just how hot headed his boyfriend was and he was even more amused when he could easily calm him down and then just as easily get him even more fired up.

'So the training with me and Kiyoshi did help but to think he would go and use the lane-up just to show off to Touou… baka, you should keep your show off instincts at bay!' Tetsuya thought and then he sweet dropped as his boyfriend fell for the second time today, but smiled a second later as the match ended and Seirin won.

That day Kuroko was training alone with Kagami and he tried the drive he had come up with one year ago and hadn't had the chance to try out.

"Amazing." Kagami said awed with just how easily and unseeingly Kuroko had passed by him and then he saw the ball get rolled next to him and after pointing that Kuroko shouldn't lose the ball this easily he picked it up and looked at it surprised. 'It's so smooth… I know he trains after practice sometimes with me and Kiyoshi, alone or with his father but to get this smooth over the summer.' Kagami thought and looked at Kuroko who sighed.

"I should buy a new one this is the 6th one… I should probably ask dad to let me use one of the gyms he uses for shoots… playing outside is smoothing the ball too quickly." Kuroko complained as he looked at the ball in Kagami's hands.

'6th? Just how much time does he spend training?' Kagami thought as he looked wide eyed at his boyfriend 'Then again from being unable to shoot to being a great shooter in matter of weeks, he probably only leaves time for sleep, but even so he really is amazing…'

That evening the two of them trained until midnight, passing, shooting, laughing and all in all having fun playing together and that day Kagami managed to convince Kuroko in letting him send him home and then after a kiss good night the two of them parted.

Soon after come the match with Senshinkan and even though not much time ago that team had beat them this time Seirin's win were easily archived.

'It's good that we didn't show who knows what in this match but to think that they would throw away their match to watch and analyze our team…' Tetsuya thought as he looked at Kirisaki Daiichi's team in the audience. 'Just what are you planning this time around, Hanamiya? The last time I played against you, you forced us in so many false fouls that I drove myself in the zone to beat you… and now you've become even worse with harming players, but no matter what I will not let you stay on the way of Seirin' dream!' Kuroko thought as he slightly glared at the audience and then turned around not seeing the wide eyes that looked at him.

'He is playing?!' Hanamiya thought as he glared at the blue haired boy's back. 'As far as I saw his current style is so different than the one he played years ago that it makes me doubt that it was him, but that blue hair and eyes and the same name… so what happened at that match is still affecting him. Probably all I heard about his leg is true… our match would be very interesting. Apparently I destroyed your chances to be amazing player, now I want to destroy your chances of being a player at all as a payback for beating me at that time.'

Seirin was slowly making their way through the corridors of the building after the match when they had to pause as Kiyoshi excused himself for a minute while Kuroko glared at the dark haired boy sitting in the dark corridor, which in return smirked and Kuroko turned his head away from him, not wanting to give him more pleasure than the guy already felt.

'You could have been an excellent player yet you turned yourself in the 'bad boy'…' Kuroko thought as the team kept on going through the corridors for a while and then stopped to wait. It was then that after Kagami's question Hyuuga explained a bit more about Hanamiya and Kuroko stayed behind him listening to the story yet lost slightly in his thoughts. 'Kiyoshi and Hanamiya can never be anything but the total opposite. But why the hell didn't Kiyoshi just ignore him and keep going? Hanamiya would defiantly try to provoke him and that isn't the best of time for him to get provoked… if we don't win against Shutoku we would have to end up facing him and the nerves of the whole team would be picked to the impossible, which would make that match quite hard to win. I don't know what Kiyoshi feels about facing Hanamiya but I personally don't have any wish to fight that guy!'

The little time they had between the matches ended quickly and the match against Shutoku started. It was a match worth watching. Neither of the team slaked even for e second. The audience was cheering non-stop but yet not for a second could they say with certainty which one of the team would win. Everyone was amazed at the vanishing drive but what was even more surprising was the result in the end, no one expected a tie. All in all it was one good game.

After the match ended the team separated to go home. Kagami and Kuroko went together with Hyuuga who ended up telling them the whole story behind Kiyoshi's injury. It was more than obvious that the next match was going to be a though one and yet the team was so nerve-wrecked that it was going to be hard to play at their best.

After Hyuuga told them everything they separated and he went home while Kagami send Kuroko home.

"Something is eating you…" Kagami started as he put a hand on Kuroko's shoulder and his eyes widen when Kuroko looked at him with regret and disappoint filled eyes.

"I could have helped more, gone more serious and we could have won! If only we had won, we wouldn't have to face him tomorrow!" Kuroko exclaimed as he looked at Kagami's eyes and then moved his look to the ground and flinched slightly when Kagami ruffled his hair.

"This way, with no one knowing about you, we have an advantage with the other teams. These three matches aren't as important as the one coming next and we can't lose our thump card before the Winter Cup had even started and just like always you are our thump card. Don't belittle yourself, what you did with that drive was amazing and it was one of the reasons we made it to a tie. We will win the next match and then we will make our way to the number one Japanese team, but I ask you not to show your real talent tomorrow. The real matches haven't started yet, we have a long way to go but we will make it, all of us." Kagami reassured Kuroko who sighed and then smiled slightly.

"Thanks, Taiga-kun. I guess you are quite good at calming me, too." Kuroko said and then resumed their walking home while talking for different things.

That evening Tetsuya asked his father for a permission to use of him gyms and got the keys to one very nearby his home that also had a fitness in so he could strengthen his arms and legs and also pick his stamina up, so that he could continuously strike for the hoop from distance and so he could jump higher without tiring easily. He decided to go and see it and he ended up spending three hours in training there, his mind filled with thoughts of tomorrows match. He couldn't also ignore the talk between his parents he had overheard. They were obviously worried about tomorrows match too and both had even cleared out their schedule to go and look at his match, he might have healed but that didn't mean his parents didn't worry for him.

"It's time you head home, Tetsu." His father said from the entrance of the gym.

"Uhh, sorry I forgot to play mind to the time." Tetsuya said as he stepped toward Daisuke who smiled.

"Don't worry, you still have time to get some hours of sleep? Your mother actually send me to convince you not to play in tomorrow's match but I don't think you would appease that, neither will you listen to it but I want you to be careful, don't let him injure you and also give him a piece of your mind by blowing him off, but don't show your thump cards, Tetsuya, because a game with all cards open is very easy to lose." Daisuke said as he put his arm around his son's shoulder and smiled, he was proud to be this boy's father and he couldn't wait to see his match tomorrow. "It's been so long since I actually watched your match. No matter what happens I want you to know that I am going to be always proud of you, Tetsuya."

"Thanks, dad. I won't lose tomorrow." Tetsuya declared with a smile and the two made their way home after which they went to get some sleep.

The next day come quickly and just like Kuroko thought all members of Seirin were high on nerves, Hyuuga couldn't actually even get one ball inside the ring and that worried Kuroko slightly. He had more or less promised Kagami not to play his style but if Seirin was on the way of losing he wouldn't even hesitate to go all out on Kirisaki Daichi, he couldn't help with the match against Aomine and they had lost at that time, but he didn't want to feel the same way as then ever again if he could prevent it. 'I don't know just what you have planned out for us, Hanamiya, but I won't let you stay on the way of Seirin's goals!' Kuroko thought as Hanamiya started talking with Kiyoshi and when he saw Hyuuga joined he couldn't stop himself and took a step at them and smiled as he saw Kagami do the same.

"He is even shittier in person." Kagami said as he put his hand on Hyuuga's shoulder. "No matter what you pull…" Kagami started as he slightly glared at Hanamiya.

"We won't lose." Kuroko declared as he finished Kagami's sentence without even losing a second.

"Crush us if you can." Kagami challenged with as offensive voice as he could while stopping himself from doing something stupid.

"Oh my, now that's assertive. I've heard about your first-year duo. You should be careful…" Hanamiya started as he looked pointedly at Kuroko with a smile "especially with that leg of yours. You've come back to play a lot different basket style than the one I faced six years ago but are you sure you are up for a match with me again? It gives me a lot of pleasure to know I am at fault about your change in style, but watch it – we don't want you to have to give up on basket fully now, do we? I hope nothing happens." Hanamiya said and then turned while Kuroko glared at his back.

The other three looked all wide eyed at the retrieving back and then at the smaller boy right next to them. Kagami and Kiyoshi hadn't known that Hanamiya was on the team Kuroko had faced with all his mighty and gotten himself injured, while Hyuuga looked somewhat paler and surprised a lot. He had no idea just what was Hanamiya talking about but it didn't have any good sounding in it, but neither of the three had time to voice any question as the match was started.

Hanamiya's word had pissed Kuroko even more than he was already and he went and did his Vanishing Drive from the gateway, he was going to keep his promise with Kagami but he didn't plan on holding back anymore than he needed to yet he felt like greeting his teeth as one of the other team went and stepped on Kagami's leg, so he couldn't rebound and then the guy even tried to hit him and he really felt like just striking at the hoop as they also went after Kiyoshi and Hyuuga right after. 'This is going to be hard to win.' He thought as he stopped Kagami from hitting the player that had screen him out by hitting him and then give him a bit of a lecture how he could have ended the game with his anger.

'If anything through the years of having to almost give up on basket, then learning a new one and all that I thought I had learned how to hold my emotions and especially my anger in check but this match is driving me crazy. I feel like I would end up doing something stupid. Damn, I don't think I have been this angry before.' Kuroko thought as he watched Kiyoshi being forced to fall and the opposite team's player over him.

'Kiyoshi is really amazing.' Kuroko thought as Teppei declared that he would protect Seirin's members and that was also a thought that flew through many who were inside the gym.

As the quarter ended Hanamiya purposefully hit Kuroko and then pushed him away "Move." He yelled with pissed off voice

"Wait" Kuroko said as he looked at Hanamiya's back.

"What?"

"Why do you play in such an underhanded way? The last time we played you at least didn't go on hurting my teammates, why did you change like this? Do you really enjoy winning like this?" Kuroko asked while he barely handed his anger in check.

"It's actually all thanks to you. You know the way I lost to you made it obvious to me that forcing a false fouls is meaningless but also at that time, after losing to you, I wanted to injure you so much that I ended up injuring some of the members of the next team I faced and I felt so good. Also you've no idea how good I felt when I learned what playing against me like that had done to you. I wonder are you having fun playing this kind of basketball. Your style was so good and strong but then again it's all thanks to that leg of yours that no one would ever witness your old style again. They say that misfortune of others tastes like honey. Don't get the wrong idea. I don't really want to win. I want to watch hard-working guys who've devoted their youth to the game grind their teeth as they lose. You are wondering if I enjoy this? Yes, I do. What I did to your sempai last year and what I've done to you unconsciously and indirectly is a masterpiece. Watching you two try to play while being unable to play the way you want, fills me with pleasure! But I hope you don't think you are done, you've just began to grind your teeth." Hanamiya said with a smirk.

"That bastard!" Kagami sword loudly and tried to move tried to move toward Kuroko's side but Hyuuga stopped him, knowing that Kagami wouldn't be able to keep his anger in check. As Kirisaki Daiichi left the court so did Seirin and right after entering the restroom Kagami ended up kicking one of the benches. "Damn it! Those bastards!" he sword, but right after that Riko hit him on the head and scolded him about taking his anger out on stuff.

All of them wanted to ask Kuroko for the meaning of the talk between Hanamiya and himself but they knew that would get them probably angrier and they didn't need any more of that to win this match, their nerves were already stretched to the impossible.

'I've never seen him this angry! It actually sends chills down my back.' Kagami thought right after he almost complained about Kuroko being too calm.

The little rest they had come to an end and Seirin made their way back to the court. Kuroko didn't lose time and as the quarter started he went and used Vanishing Drive again but soon after he got benched, so to save his misdirection, but from then on Seirin started having trouble after the new substitution of Kirisaki Daiichi on the court.

'Damn, I forgot he had something like that up his hand, but he is gotten better. With Hyuuga not being able to make a point the only way to stop this is for me to stop the team play' Kuroko thought as he looked at Hanamiya's back just as the quarter ended and as the team set down he voiced his idea and when the next quarter started he went on the court.

Kuroko quickly stopped Hanamiya's steals and Seirin started making points again, but they hit Kiyoshi again and Riko called out a time out.

'Hanamiya is pissed off, he might go more offensive, and Kiyoshi can't go back!' Kuroko thought and then as Seirin's coach said that Kiyoshi was out, Kuroko didn't lose a second to voice his agreement with her.

The moment Hyuuga's shoots started their success facing Kirisaki become easier but that pissed Hanamiya even more.

"This is ridiculous. It's all… It's all your fault. This is what I hated the most in you; there is no way to read you and your movement." Hanamiya growled out and he swung his arms at Kuroko, worrying everyone for a second, but he moved backyard and it missed him.

"Your shitty tricks won't work on me so easily." Tetsuya stated out with barely controlled anger and then his eyes slightly narrowed at Hanamiya's next words and when he went pass him Kuroko looked for a second at Kagami but then he shook his head, he would have to forgive him but his anger was burning him. For pulling one stunt for the whole match they shouldn't scold him a lot and with those thoughts in mind he sprinted after Hanamiya who was just about to throw his tear drop but Kuroko jumped behind him and hit the ball right after it left his hand, making everyone look at him wide eyed.

'Since when is he able to jump with that highness?' was the thought that went through many in the audience and in the court.

"My style is not one that would never be witnessed again. I just promised not to use it before the Winter Cup." Kuroko said quietly, so that only Hanamiya could hear him but Hyuuga and Mitobe being close heard it too.

"I should have crushed you!" Hanamiya hissed under his breath and glared as Kuroko took the ball in his hands.

"I choose to fight… because I believed that the Generation of Miracles' basketball was wrong. But they would never play as underhanded as you. Don't you and your style get in the way of our seniors' – of everyone's – of our dreams?" Kuroko said loudly as he punched the ball toward Kagami who dunked it. In the last seconds of the match Seirin made a couple more points and won the match. Everyone were exclaiming happily at the win.

As the team made their way to the restroom Kuroko slipped away and went to a nearby court. He knew he shouldn't have gone on and jumped like that but he couldn't stop himself.

"We are all leaving, you moron." Kagami said from the stairs and Kuroko looked at him, missing his shot thanks to the surprise.

"Don't scare me like that. You'll make me angry." Tetsuya scolded him then smiled slightly.

"That's how I feel all the time." Kagami complained and then smiled at Kuroko and stood up, quickly making his way to him while asking. "What are you doing a dribbling drill for now?"

"Sorry. I just couldn't sit still." Tetsuya said gently as he passed the ball to Taiga.

"Trembling with excitement, huh?" Kagami asked as he spooned the ball on his finger.

"More like nerve wrecked. I know with all that today I have to tell the team everything and I am getting slightly scared about their reaction. I really don't want to get kicked out the team." Kuroko confessed as he looked at the ground and Kagami sighed.

"That's actually pretty normal reaction and all thanks to the way I reacted to the truth." Taiga said with regret obvious in his voice and face and he put his hand on Kuroko's head ruffling his hair gently.

"You were in your right. Hiding something like this, I knew it wouldn't be a good think, but I still never got the courage to tell everything to everyone." Tetsuya said with somewhat of a weak voice and Kagami hugged him, letting go of the ball.

"I was by far not in my right at that time and I will probably always regret my reaction at that time, so don't think that that kind of reaction is right and I am not the only one thinking it, I got a big scolding from Teppei at that time. So, what would you say about one-on-one? It will probably get some of the nervousness out." Taiga asked as he let go of Tetsuya and looked at his face and smiled as the smaller boy nodded.

Just as they were playing and Kuroko hit the ring from the free throw line the other members of Seirin appeared.

"That's not something I was thinking I would witness after deciding to come and search for you two." Hyuuga said as he looked surprised at Kuroko, all of them expect Kagami and Kiyoshi wondered since when could Kuroko strike a three.

"You have some explanation to give you two." Riko stated as she looked at the two culprits.

"If we are going down, so are you, Kiyoshi-sempai!" Kagami stated with a smirk and everyone turned toward Kiyoshi who scratched the back of his neck.

"Found out…" he complained slightly and then he sighed. "I don't think this is the right place for such a long talk."

"I have the key to one of my father's gyms and it's actually close by, it's a lot warm inside and we can order take out, too." Kuroko stated as he looked at his teammate and they nodded at him, quickly telling him to lead the way.