"Alright! That's it for today."

The players of Teiko Middle School sighed in relief and some even went to the extent of jumping up and down in joy for finally finishing the non-stop practice. Another titled school about to face; the players are practicing for the said match and have been training for hours now.

Panting hard for breath, the famous model/player, Kise Ryota went to the bench and rummaged in his bag. With his fellow first-stringers following closely behind, all of them grunting and greedy for air as they quench their urgent thirst for water. Something though, caught Kise's eyes.

It was Shogo Haizaki, looking all smug and mighty. He was emitting the 'delinquent' aura as always and was grinning maliciously. There were rumors that he was ejected by Akashi because of his violence and for some other reasons that involves his pride being saved from being crushed by someone who will be better than him in the future. On the other hand, the latter didn't pay mind and only remembering the name of that someone.

As for Kise Ryota, he was looking forward with having a one-on-one with him. It wasn't because of enthusiasm. Nope…It was because Shogo Haizaki has been a little bit (Insert some sarcasm here) rude these past few days especially at him. Kise already knew, he knew he was accelerating towards becoming part of the starting line-up. Not to mention, at a threatening speed.

"Huh? What did you just say, Ryouta?" Haizaki sneered at him, his arrogance dripping with every word that was going out of him mouth.

Smirking, "I said: let's have a match with the position of the starting member on the line, didn't ya hear?" he answered unaffected and seemed to emit his own arrogance.

"What sort of bull**** is this coming from a guy who just got in?" The ash-haired one answered while looking at him mockingly, "You can't even beat me during practice. What are you thinking?"

Kise just shrugged, "So I'm planning on beating you right now. Maybe not the other four but if it's Shougo-kun, I think I'm ready to take you down." He explained, his determination to beat him was evident in his eyes.

"Ha. My reputation sure fell. Can't you tell I'm slacking off during practice?" Haizaki looked at him menacingly and grinned, "Fine. Then I'll give you a piece of how I really play."

And so they played….

Knees fell on the floor. His hands fell after, clearly devastated at the result. He was…defeated. It his first defeat in basketball. No, in any sport he ever played. He was not used to this…he always experience the sweet taste of victory, afterall. Looking at the floor with wide eyes, Kise's face was stricken with unbelief.

Suddenly a voice he was familiar with piped in, "Shogo-kun!~ Are you done with practice?"

"Oh~My bad, My bad. I just got done. I'll go take a shower right away. Wanna come with me?" he flirted shamelessly but that didn't miss a giggle from the female.

"Oh gee~z 3"

"Hey, isn't that…Kise's new girlfriend?" Someone murmured and looked at the figure still looking at the floor.

"Huh? Ryouta-kun?" It was his girlfriend. His new girlfriend who is quickly becoming his next ex-girlfriend.

"Oh? He just challenged me and just got owned." He answered with proud arrogance and smirked.

"For real? Wow, so lame~" And the arrogance seems to be contagious with his girlfriend, now sneering at Kise in disdain and somehow laced with disappointment.

"That's how it is. See ya~ Ryouta-kun." He muttered before they got out of the auditorium, walking smugly and maliciously once again.

It was quiet for a while and the only sound were the doors slowly closing as the pair exited. Kise was left mute for a while, Not even talking to his fangirls who were squealing, talking and bothering him. He was not in the mood to talk at all after that match. True, it wasn't an official match but still…losing to someone he doesn't even really acknowledge as someone who's better than him was still a shock. Not to mention but also his first lost to a copycat like him.

Letting his feet carry him to random directions he barely even care anymore, he ended up at a street basketball court.

'Maybe shooting a little might ease me up even for a bit.' He sighed and went inside the court. Gripping a basketball on his right hand and positioned himself for shooting.

Shot after shot, he continued. Not even giving a damn on what time or how late it has become ever since he started to shoot careless shots. He was thinking…reflecting on how he was defeated and…

Pitying himself.

It was hard to take it all. Losing not only on the game but also his new girlfriend over Haizaki. He felt so…pathetic. It kept on taunting him somehow. It wasn't really bothersome. More like he was annoyed and frustrated. He glared at the hoop as if trying to magically detach it from its backboard.

'She was whiny and only talks to herself. Frankly, she was seriously annoying. I was going to break up with her anyway.' Yup..he really was. He was just dating her because of boredom. In fact, he can easily replace her with one of his fangirls who are head over heels for him. He never even felt happy with her or any of those 'fluttering-butterflies-in-the-stomach'-thingy they're talking about. He doesn't even feel like he lost her.

And while all this realizations hit him like a truck in the face, he bitterly laughed at one particular question:

'Since when did I become so numb?'

Not even feeling the sense of loss of his girlfriend, even a teeny tiny bit of lament doesn't even surge in his system. Cruel as it may sound, but he was just playing around with his girlfriends. His heart already turned into stone. Ever since that day, his break-up with his previous girlfriends doesn't seem to affect him. Ever since that revelation, he doesn't feel the joy and fun hanging out with any of his previous girlfriends. His heart became numb because of…what's the right word?

Regret.

.

.

Regret for rejecting her and being too late to realize…

.

.

Before he was attacked once again by melancholic thoughts which are now becoming heavier because of regretful ones, he once again positioned himself into a shooting position. His arms up high after making the shot, his hip was a vulnerable weak point for a very cold thing that he suddenly felt making contact with his hip. He yelped in surprise and jolted 10 meters away from the source of the cold sensation.

"Ah!"

"Domo, Kise-kun." She greeted nonchalantly as if scaring her best friend like that was the most normal thing in the world. Her hand with a cold can of coffee still suspended in the air like giving it to someone only she can see.

"Ah! Hanacchi! Stop doing that! You're giving me a heart attack!"

Snickering, the magenta-haired lass just grinned, "Well…the reaction I just saw from you was priceless. I envy Kuroko-kun's misdirection. It's more fun scaring people that way. I wonder if it'll be more fun to greet you like that? Making you yelp and jolt." She laughed at her cruel comment.

"So mean!"

"Hey, it's your fault anyway. You're so absorbed with your own world there; you didn't even feel my presence and heard me calling your name. I even tripped before I got in the court, you know." She stared at him accusingly.

"Sorry about that." Giving her an apologetic smile, he looked back at the hoop before muttering in a serious tone, "I was just thinking."

Hana picked up the serious tone and quieted, letting Kise continue shooting once more. It was an awkward 5 minute silence before she decided to break it.

"I heard what happened." She whispered but audible enough for the blonde's ears.

He stopped in his tracks and looked at the floor, "Pathetic, isn't it?" he muttered bitterly.

She didn't say a word for a while, "Listen, Kise-kun. Forget about the defeat, it wasn't really officia-"

"Hana, it's still a match." He cut through coldly. It was his first time not to put –cchi on her name, "I don't need your pity."

"This isn't pity; I'm trying to cheer you up…"

Sighing with a tone of annoyance, "Just leave me alone..for now." He was pleading for her to go before he might burst. Looking away from her, afraid that he might see the hurt in them, he ignored her and proceeded on where he left in his shooting.

"Are you upset because of losing your…girlfriend?" The question was uncertain like she was guessing if it's correct or not. Yet it caught the blonde off guard, causing him to miss a shot.

"No…It isn't like that."

"Then why are you- -"

"Will you just stay away? Please…I told you already, it isn't like that. I never really liked her in the first place. Forget about it." he was getting annoyed big time. NO, Agitated. Why are women so bothersome nowadays?

"Okay." Sighing in defeat, she kept quiet but still rooted at the spot. Indicating that she still doesn't want to stay away.

It was alright for Kise. The silence she granted for him was enough again to make him lost in his own thoughts and shooting and just as he was about to shoot once more, another cold sensation touched his nape making him jerk again.

"Hanacchi! I said stop doing that!"

This time though, the said female didn't laugh or grin, "You looked stressed and I hate it when you're grumpy. Here," She handed him her can of cold coffee, "I know that I'm getting bothersome now but I just really want to cheer you up…I guess leaving you alone for now is the best thing to do but always remember…In case you need someone to talk to, I'm always right here." Offering him a smile, she continued, "Coffee can relieve stress and since the vending machine is out of coffee you can have mine."

Kise just stared at her dumbfounded at her generosity and kindness. Eventhough he acted cold to her…

"See you tomorrow then! And you better be there or I'll drag you mercilessly to school! It's your treat tomorrow like you promised!"She jogged out of the court and waved her hand at him, her cheerful smile still intact.

After leaving Kise, the said blonde unconsciously felt the side of his lips turn upward before breaking into a fond smile. He actually feels tingly inside by the concern that his girl bestfriend was showing. Ironic as it is, he suddenly regretted pushing and making her leave. He actually started to miss her presence.

Minutes of just looking at the spot where she just stood minutes ago, he finally drank the given can of coffee. 'And she even gave me her coffee…' he thought happily before he suddenly realized something…

If Hana drank from this can-and he also drank from it - that means:

This is an INDIRECT KISS.

He spat the coffee as his eyes widened. His face quickly turning into the same shade as a tomato.

"Hanacchi…An indirect kiss…" He muttered and ruffled his hair, trying to erase the embarrassing thought. THEY WERE JUST FRIENDS FOR GOD'S SAKE! 'She just gave this to me to relieve some stress.' His alter ego suggested and like an idiot, he nodded to himself.

But the other Kise contradicted loudly at that,

'Idiot. Keep telling yourself that. No matter how you look at it…It was still an INDIRECT KISS and you can't deny that.'

Tearing his hair in confusion," Ughhh! Stop, Damn it!" Steam was already pouring out of his ears and he was blushing like a teenage girl with a crush. His heart was accelerating at an abnormal speed.

But only one thought surged in his mind where all his alter egos agreed…A thought he now could bravely declare…

.

.

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"I'll never be the same again."