a.n/ To the question of – is this going to be a KagaKuro fic – yes, it is. Eventually. Although I decided I'll keep it at T. I know it doesn't seem like a KagaKuro fic now because where the hell is Kagami. He is off in America and hell if I'll write a story about that.

Chapter 3. Don't go breaking the oath.

A momentary lapse of panic lodged itself in Kuroko's esophagus as he found no reply or protest coming up. What unsettled him the most was the red-head's glare, it wasn't letting up a bit. And there was something in those red eyes that bore past Kuroko's outer frame and into his soul.

"Hah? What are you talking about, Akashi?" Aomine arched a brow at his captain, but it wasn't the first time the guy left him bemused by his sporadic behavior.

Kuroko could've really used his vanishing abilities right now, but they had little effect when everyone was staring at him. "I'm sorry," he began as he straightened himself with the intention of leaving. "But I have to go."

He casually strode forward to where the others were standing in an attempt to slide past them without trouble. But when he passed the red-head, he felt a hand wrap around his arm and tug him back. "Hold on," said the red-head with a steady voice. "Did I say you could leave?"

Kuroko swiveled his head to stare at the other with a puzzled look. What?

Murasakibara actually seemed intrigued by this meeting, as if curious to see how Kuroko would react. Aomine sighed hopelessly while ruffling the back of his own hair. "Ah, man… There he goes again." He proceeded over to smoothly rescue Kuroko from Akashi's grasp. "Tetsu's had a rough day… You think you can save him your prattling for now?"

Akashi didn't appear all too pleased by this at first, but his face slowly molded into one of content. "… Alright then." He said with a slight smile. "But I'm still curious about him. Bring him to the first-string's auditorium tomorrow after practice."

"Jeez, don't treat him like some pet to drag around," said Aomine, patting Kuroko's shoulders. "Come on, Tetsu, let's go for today. I'll treat you to Maji burger on the way home."

"Vanilla milkshake, please."

"Man, you don't hesitate!"

Kuroko was still unsettled by this boy named Akashi. His insight was a level far above the others, not to mention his sudden interest in Kuroko, whom most people overlooked easily. At Maji burger, Kuroko expressed his thoughts to Aomine.

"Sorry about our captain earlier… He gets pretty serious when it comes to basketball. But I guess that's what makes me respect him." Aomine popped a fry into his mouth.

"Your captain?" Kuroko never suspected the captain to be that sort of person.

"Yeah…He's a real demon, I swear!" Aomine seemed to visibly shudder from recalling bad memories. "Anyway, you don't have to come by tomorrow if you don't want to. But…I king of wish you would, Akashi rarely takes an interest in anybody."

Honestly, Kuroko would much rather skip out on the appointment, but this whole time he'd been constantly running away from his problems, and they weren't getting any better. Perhaps it was time to face it head on instead of dodging the issue at hand.

"Hey…" Aomine leaned in across the table. "You're not actually hiding that you're secretly amazing at basketball or anything? S'that why Akashi wants to see you?"

Kuroko could feel his heart lodge up in his throat at the sudden accusation but he willed himself to look at Aomine dead in the eye. "…That's quite an idea."

Aomine laughed. "Yeah, it'd be great if you were though. We could finally play together in a match!"

Kuroko looked down at the milkshake between his hands.

"And maybe you can replace that damn Haizaki, I'd like to see that." The dark-skinned boy then noticed his friend looking a bit dejected. "Hey… You still on about that ranking test result? …Whatever, you know, who cares? All that's bullshit anyways!" He said with fervor even though he always ranked first.

"No…" There no longer lied any indication of despair on Kuroko's features. "I was just thinking, I'll do my best tomorrow."

A wide grin spread on Aomine's lips. "Hell yeah, that's the spirit! Though I warn you, if Akashi's really intent on you…It's not going to be easy."

"Probably not." He didn't expect anything to come at him easy, especially if it was a test of his abilities.

"…Who knows, he might even try something on you."

"Huh?"

Aomine grinned. "Haha, just kidding…Sort of." He sipped at his drink as he blatantly glanced off to the side.

This did nothing to ease Kuroko's nerves.

The next day came and Kuroko went through all his daily classes, bombing one test because it completely slipped his mind. It was surprisingly easy to forget that life didn't revolve around basketball.

Aomine met up with Kuroko after normal practice was over, since first-strings and third-strings held different practices. Aomine accompanied him to the gym, despite the short one's protests.

"I don't need a chaperone, Aomine-kun."

"Shut up! I'm just – curious that's all." He said that, but in reality, his brain was racked with concern of what Akashi meant to do to Kuroko all day. Even if it was the captain, Aomine wasn't going to let it slide if anything happened to his practice buddy.

They arrived at the entrance of the auditorium, which was empty save for Akashi standing in the middle in his basketball clothes. He had a ball balanced between his hip and arm with an expectant gaze. "Glad you could make it."

There's no one else here…Damn, good thing I decided to come. Aomine thought as he squinted in consternation.

"Now, Aomine. Leave."

"What?" Aomine sputtered, "But why?"

"I wish to talk to Kuroko alone."

What is he playing at here? Kuroko pondered as Aomine had a mini internal fit by his side before admitting defeat. "Fine. But don't try anything weird on Tetsu!" He pointed with a half-hearted glare.

"See you tomorrow. Eavesdrop and I'll kill you."

Aomine's skin jumped despite his will to contain his alarm. He turned begrudgingly to depart, but gave Kuroko a reassuring pat on the shoulder before he left. "Good luck, Tetsu. Stay strong."

Kuroko nodded as his friend walked away from the building and he turned back to the boy standing before him. "I'm here. What do you want?"

Akashi began dribbling on the spot while keeping his gaze fixated on Kuroko. "I told you, I just want to talk." He pivoted on one foot and dribbled to the hoop on the south end. "I saw you practicing before."

Kuroko's entire body flinched, his prosaic expression changing into that of mild panic. He was right, he did know.

"Relax, I'm not going to out your little secret." Akashi adjusted to a shooting position in one fluid motion and jumped to make a shot. He didn't even wait to see if it went in before turning to look at Kuroko. "But what I find so interesting…is why would you want to keep it hidden?" The ball flew in through the center of the hoop.

The pale-haired boy wanted to avert his eyes, but he felt trapped by the other's intense stare.

Akashi tilted his head. "Perhaps you're planning on surprising everyone with your buried talent?" He placed a thumb over his chin thoughtfully. "That certainly would catch everyone's attention. You mustn't enjoy being so overlooked all the time…"

"That's not it." Kuroko wasn't out for some petty attention; on the contrary, having everyone's focus on him was troubling. "I…wasn't a good player." He paused and reworded, "I was selfish and only played basketball for myself."

"Who else would you play for then?" Akashi said as he went over to pick up the stray ball. "Would it make you feel better if you played for your parents or colleagues? Basketball is played because you yourself love the game and want to improve at it."

"I mean…I didn't play with my team." Kuroko frowned delicately. "I belittled them."

"So now you feel guilty and want to redeem yourself by abdicating basketball," said Akashi with the ball in his hand. "Surprisingly, that's not the stupidest thing I've heard."

Kuroko looked away, knowing very well how foolish it was. But he couldn't help that something affected him so unconsciously.

"I asked Murasakibara about you. It came as a surprise when I heard you guys were friends before." Akashi twirled the ball in his hand before throwing it in a straight line at Kuroko, who barely caught the forceful pass. "Here, I heard you were fairly good."

"I'm not good enough right now," said Kuroko although his hands were clenching against the basketball.

"You're stuck in a rut, aren't you? The best way to get out of that is to drive you to the point of desperation." Akashi bent over slightly with anticipation. "I'm going to force your true potential out."

Kuroko felt a shiver run down his spine, but it wasn't out of fear. "… There's no guarantee it will work."

"Of course it will, because I'm always right." Akashi smirked as something seemed to spark in his crimson eyes.

Kuroko swallowed hard, not having felt this fired up in a long while.

They started with Akashi gracefully handing over the first ball to Kuroko. The pale-haired boy wasn't all too rusty thanks to the daily practice sessions with Aomine, but he never had the chance to go all out. And here he was facing off against an elite player he knew nothing about. It was all so exhilarating; Kuroko was having trouble keeping his excitement in.

"Don't think too much into it," advised Akashi as he closely guarded Kuroko. "You're not in any position to be second guessing yourself right now. It's best to just…" He leaned in so his lips grazed the shell of Kuroko's ear. "…Lose yourself."

Kuroko widened his eyes in surprise and before he knew it, Akashi knocked the ball right out of his hands and scored it in. He didn't even have the time to get flustered about his previous action. "…What did you just do?" Kuroko pressed a hand against his reddening ear.

Akashi smiled genially. "I proved a point. Hesitation will be your downfall." He tossed the ball over to Kuroko.

There was something awfully wicked behind his smile that Kuroko didn't want to know about. So the game went on.

Akashi wasn't a regular of Teikou's team for nothing. Half-way into the game and the score was already in overwhelming favor of Akashi with 57 – 11. Even if Kuroko managed to turn the tables around, it was still clear what the outcome of the match was. Nevertheless, Kuroko did not let up one bit and struggled to get himself together. It was like his mind was at a wall he couldn't get around, so the only choice was to break through. I need to overcome this.

The red-head captain smiled with wide eyes as he sensed Kuroko's resolve. "Good. I'm impressed you can still hold such determination." He only paused to say that before driving past Kuroko at lightning speed and laying it up in the basket. "As a similar kind of player as me, I'll tell you something interesting."

Kuroko panted heavily as he turned to Akashi. "The difference between me and the other regulars - you could say disadvantage but I don't really consider it that," said the red-head as he wiped the sweat from his chin. "…It's height."

"Probably the only kind of shot I can't do is a dunk, same as you. But still, I've never lost a game," said Akashi with a faint smirk. "Height's a big factor in basketball, a single centimeter can make all the difference. That's why I devote myself to the other aspects, so it doesn't matter how large the opponent is," Akashi passed the ball to Kuroko again. "I still win."

Kuroko never really thought about his inability to dunk, he always figured that long awaited growth spurt would roll around soon and he'd shoot up just like everybody else. It was disappointing to think he would never be able to experience that feeling of slamming in a dunk, but it never hindered him before.

"Hurry up. This won't work if you relax even for a second."

One had to wonder, why was Akashi working so hard for Kuroko's sake? He was just a dull boy with a dampened aptitude in basketball. Did Akashi mean to put him on the first-string if Kuroko somehow managed to gain back his competency? Whatever the reason was, there was time to muddle over it after he took back the points.

The match came down to its final quarter and the gap wasn't shrinking. If there was any time to be considered a brink of desperation, it was now. There was no chance of winning, but Kuroko's aim was something much larger than that. He needed to free himself, to break off these shackles chaining him down. Kuroko was guarding Akashi while the sweat was drenching his t-shirt and his lungs felt like deflated balloons. Faster, keener, he needed to move smarter. Move!

Then it hit him. The place where everything became clear.

Akashi attempted another drive to the right side, but Kuroko reacted quickly and knocked the ball out of his hand with a back tip. The red-head looked back in mild surprise, but smirked when he saw the flicker of light in Kuroko's eyes.

"I see it worked. Congratulations," said Akashi with a fond pleasantness that was difficult to determine if it was genuine or not.

There was nothing but white noise all around him, no distractions inside or out to hinder his concentration.

Welcome to the Zone.

Even with Kuroko playing better than he ever did before, he still lost, but gained something valuable back in return. He should've been grateful to Akashi rather than remorseful of his loss, it was to be expected after all.

The pale-haired boy practically collapsed to the gymnasium floor after the adrenaline wore off. He was essentially drained of any energy his body contained, which was just another candid reminder of his limited stamina.

"You need to work on your stamina more," said Akashi, wiping the sweat off his face with a towel. "Though I'm surprised you lasted this long with your physical capabilities. You really are something."

"Thank you," said Kuroko breathily. "…I mean for your help. I really appreciate it."

"It's fine. It was for my own selfish reasons anyways." He took out a water bottle from his bag and tipped the opening to his mouth, letting cool liquid fall onto his tongue. Swallowing it down, he wiped the excess water from his chin. "I fully expect you to be there at the first auditorium tomorrow at practice."

Kuroko blinked. That was the auditorium used by the first-string regulars. "… Why?" He asked, even though his gut knew the answer.

"You belong to the first-string now." Akashi turned to him with a half-smile. "My assistance isn't free, surely you should've known that."

Obviously Kuroko didn't know that. But he guessed it was to be expected from a character such as Akashi's. "May I ask for one more favor?"

"You may try, but they're very limited."

Kuroko breathed in and out before saying, "Please teach me how to pass."

Akashi furrowed his brows. "…You already know how. What more do you need to know?"

It might've just been a spontaneous idea that came to mind with no certain outcome, but Kuroko felt that if it was anyone, it would be Akashi who could help him master this technique of his. He was the point guard and captain after all, so he should be the one with the most expertise in this field.

"I don't know…exactly what I'm going to do with it," admitted Kuroko honestly. "But I want to become someone who can unite the team together."

Akashi stared at him with unreadable eyes. "…If that's what you truly wish, then I have one condition." He leaned down to where Kuroko was sitting on the court to lock his eyes directly horizontal from his. "Don't ever play like you did just now. As long as you're on my team, I forbid you from revealing your true potential to anyone until I allow it."

Kuroko looked up in confusion. Why would Akashi want him to hide it? If anything, Kuroko presumed to be forced into action with a devilish training program courtesy of Akashi. There must've been a reason behind this condition, so Kuroko tried to ask, "Why –"

"Don't ask questions. Do you accept?"

This was all too suspicious for anyone reasonable to accept, but Kuroko felt himself be pushed to a decision by his own aspirations in mind. "…Yes."

The nefarious ambience that shrouded Akashi's countenance seemed to dissolve, and on it replaced a gratifying smile, though temporary. "Good. Tomorrow, meet me here again after practice. We'll waste no time in getting right into it."

Kuroko felt a shaky breath pass through his lips.

There were plenty of questions after the short but sweet introduction of the newly made member of the first-string, mostly from Aomine who literally had his jaw drop open when he saw it was Kuroko. Of course, everybody else was pretty curious, but most of them quickly lost interest or forgot about it. Murasakibara wasn't as shocked as everybody else and continued eating. Midorima was admittedly curious as to what Akashi saw in this weak guy, but his pride prevented him from prying.

Aomine's astonishment only lasted a short moment until he was beside himself with joy and proceeded to trap Kuroko into a bear hug. "You sneaky bastard, I knew you had it in you!"

Kuroko was overwhelmed by his delight and death-grip of a hug, he felt the air being squeezed out of his lungs. "Aomine-kun," gasped Kuroko in a quiet voice.

"Oh. Sorry." He backed away from the pale-haired boy but kept him at arm's length. "But seriously, what did you do to completely convince Akashi in one night?"

"I…" Kuroko drew a blank. He didn't think about how he'd explain to others about this. "…was just myself." And it was the genuine truth.

The training sessions with Akashi were every day after regular practice ended, including weekends. Of course, this meant Kuroko could no longer make it to the daily practices with Aomine, but he managed to make the most of it during actual practice hours now that they were on the same string. As expected, the famed captain of Teikou was no light coach and Kuroko always found himself drained to the point of death by the time he got home. Despite that, he felt a sort of satisfaction he hadn't felt in a while. This was what basketball was about, growing and testing your limits.

Day by day, Kuroko's skill was progressively improving.

The first year the Teikou basketball team made its debut, they overtook all the other teams with a staggering force.

Kuroko, who became an essential part of this force, couldn't have felt more satisfied with basketball right now.

By the time they transitioned into their second year, Teikou's middle school basketball team earned quite the reputation with the title of "Generation of Miracles."

Kuroko had yet to show his other abilities to anyone else, excluding Murasakibara and Akashi who already knew.

In the spring, there was news of a talented newcomer storming through the basketball club. It was around this time when Akashi approached Kuroko with a request. (More like an order if it's coming from Akashi).

"There's a second-year who joined recently, he'll make it to the first-string quite soon," he said naturally. "When that time comes, I want you to be in charge of instructing him."

There was no question of refusal on Kuroko's part, but even so he didn't mind. Kuroko was probably the one with the most teaching ability out of all of them. Akashi was less of an instructor and more of a sergeant who bent you to his will.

So came Kise and Kuroko's long awaited reunion.

"Kurokocchi?"

The pale-haired boy turned at the call of the ridiculous nickname only one person ever used. "Kise-kun, long time no see."

Kise wore a look of shock beyond belief, as if he saw a ghost materialize in front of him. None of the other members paid them any attention since it wasn't anything short of usual with Kuroko around.

"You're…Kurokocchi, right? How – when were you at this school?"

"Um… Since the beginning of first year."

There was to be plenty more inquiries and explanations to be exchanged between the two of them later, but for now, Kise just threw his arms around Kuroko's tiny frame and squeezed him tight. "Why didn't you tell me earlier? How could you, you're so meean ~ Ohh, but the fact that we're meeting like this must be fate!" Somewhere in the distance, Midorima's lucky item of the day broke and fell into a sewer drain.

Kuroko made a mildly uncomfortable face. Damn these tall people all far surpassing him in size and taking advantage of that.

"Wait, you and Tetsu know each other?" Aomine stopped mid-shooting as he turned to the pair.

"Wha – Aominecchi, how are you already on a first nickname basis?" Kise cried out in jealousy, still not letting go of Kuroko.

"Kise-kun, please let me go," muffled Kuroko from suffocation.

The blonde regrettably released the smaller, while still keeping him at close distance.

"Well, if you really must know, Kurokocchi and I have known each other since we were kids!" Kise patted Kuroko's shoulder smugly, to which the smaller coldly brushed off.

"Really? He never mentioned you," said Aomine bluntly.

A jolt of shock ran through Kise's frame. "Ehh? But Kurokocchi and I were so close! I used to watch him play basketball all the time, he was the a -"

Just then, before his sentence was finished, a basketball flew out of nowhere and hit Kise square in his beautiful model face.

The whole auditorium fell silent as Kise staggered on his feet and the perpetrator stepped into the building.

"Ah, I apologize. I wasn't properly looking." Akashi strolled in with a smile that was clearly not apologetic.

He wasn't looking? Then what was he aiming for with that throw? Was what the entire first-string group was thinking.

"Oh my, is that blood? Kuroko," the red-head motioned to the boy with a nod. "Take Kise here to the infirmary."

Kuroko complied and proceeded to support a much too quiet Kise with blood running down his face. "Come on, Kise-kun."

"Oi, wouldn't it be better for me to go? I don't think Kuroko can hold up Kise by himself," said Aomine at the sight of Kuroko's already unsteady legs.

"No. I need you for something else." Akashi shot Kise and Kuroko an icy glare that only lasted a split second. "Go on."

Kise was shouting in pain with tears running down his cheeks as Kuroko escorted him out of the premises.

"Oww ow…Akashicchi is too much." His words were muffled by his hand covering the blood flow.

"…Kise-kun," began Kuroko. "My basketball is…different from before."

"Hm?" The blonde was only half paying attention with the other half too preoccupied with pain.

"You'll understand at practice. I'm not the same as I was before."

Once Kise's minor injuries were healed, he went back to practice with the first-string the next day. There, he watched Kuroko with anticipation at how much the boy had grown from the basketball prodigy he was as a child.

Kise was left dumbstruck after seeing the extent of Kuroko's performance. At first he thought a joke was deliberately being played on him, so Kise went up to the pale-haired boy after practice was done and clean-up was left to the new members.

"Kuroko…What are you doing?" Kise was so astonished that he forgot to add his pet ending.

"Hm?" Kuroko looked up.

"Why are you playing like that? You never played like that – no, you were a hundred times better! Yet, why are you holding –"

Kuroko cut him off by firmly pressing his palm against the other's lips. "Because, that was the deal."

Kise made a disgruntled noise in confusion.

"I can explain it to you later if you want. But it's easier if you accept the fact that this is how I am now."

The blonde furrowed his brows with the topic not getting any clearer, but couldn't get out of his mind that Kuroko's hand was on his lips. With just a flick of his tongue, he could taste Kuroko's skin, but Kise knew better than to do that now.

Apparantly Akashi had a little persuasive talk with Kise after that, so the blonde didn't bring up the topic of the sudden drop in Kuroko's skill anymore. But he still couldn't understand how Kuroko managed to be a regular if he was posing as a terrible player.

Kise kept all these thoughts bottled up until eventually they exploded out. "I can't accept this!"

"Huh?" Aomine said at the sudden outburst.

"Why the hell is he a regular?" Kise shouted, pointing at the regular in question. If Kuroko was supposedly such a bad player, why was he even a regular? Wasn't that a bit obnoxious of him? To everybody else who was working so hard, Kuroko puts on an act as if he's so much better than everyone else that he doesn't need to show his true potential.

"If we two were to play against each other, who do you think would win?" The blonde blurted out. Even with Kise aware of Kuroko's amazing talent in basketball, there had to be a reason he was acting like this now. Maybe the boy really did get weaker. Nevertheless, Kise finally found a challenge in basketball and wanted to excel further as a regular. Even if it was Kuroko, he wasn't going to let anything stand in his way. Kise was truly confident in his basketball skills and felt that he could beat Kuroko either way now.

"That would be… you?" Aomine said naturally.

"Then, why…"

"He's different. The total opposite of you and me," said Aomine with a slight smile. "And he's really reliable in a game. You'll come to see how amazing he is."

Huuh? Did Aomine know then of Kuroko's true abilities?

Before he could ask any further, Midorima showed up with an order from Akashi for Kise and Kuroko to participate in a match with the second string. So Kise, seeing this as an opportunity, decided to try and make a deal.

"Kuroko-kun, I have an idea…" Kise said as they walked side by side to the opponent's school.

"What is it?" Kuroko didn't ever inquire why Kise stopped giving him his usual nickname.

"If it happens that we get on the court in this game, want to see if you can score more points?" Kise smiled faintly. "And if I win, I get your uniform." A quick way of obtaining a spot on the regulars, but the thought of challenging Kuroko shook him with an exhilarating wave. Kise challenged Murasakibara once before out of old-time's sake and got obliterated in the process. Would the powerless Kuroko give him the same kind of treatment?

"Don't wanna… But what if we lose the game?"

"We still could count the poin – wait, 'don't wanna?'" So much for the plan.

"It's pointless," stated Kuroko simply. "It's not my style, but I'm kinda an instructor, so let me say something." Kise was a good player; Kuroko knew that from the start. But he didn't want to see his old friend turn into the sort of conceited player Kuroko almost became.

"What is most important for the team is that you think what you should do for the team." It was something Kuroko identified himself with since he was carrying it out right now. There was no use for self-centered thinking in a team; it was all about becoming strong to support your comrades. "But I acknowledge your enthusiasm." Kuroko hoped Kise would become a regular soon so they could play on the same court together.

The opposing team was fairly strong, relying on their powerhouse skills to break through any defense. Plus, the referee was shady in favor of the opponents, so Teikou was losing pretty badly even with Kise on the court.

"Player change for Teikou."

There was a scatter of confused murmurs among the audience, even outbursts of mockery at their new change in.

Kuroko went up to Kise. "Sorry, please help me."

"Eh? Shouldn't I be the one saying that?" But he wondered, with such a large point gap, would Kuroko finally shine to save them?

"I'm in the shadows," Kuroko corrected his teammate. "The light taking the points will be you, Kise-kun."

A lot of the time, Kise wished people would stop speaking in such riddling terms.

As the game progressed, Kuroko's power became increasingly clearer to Kise and the points were accumulating in their favor. With the assistance of Kuroko's passes, they eventually won the game by two points. Although the whole time, Kise was waiting for the boy to score a point himself, but he didn't. Despite that, Kuroko wasn't weak at all, if anything, he had grown stronger.

"I think… I got a bit of what you said. But still not everything," said Kise while they were walking home after the game. "The part about what one should do is alright, but sacrificing oneself for it? I can't agree with that!" This new style of Kuroko's was incredible, but to someone as skilled as him, it couldn't be as enjoyable as using your true ability to the fullest.

"I know you're amazing, Kurokocchi… But is it fun to play like that?"

Kuroko considered the question for a short moment. The short boy never thought of it as a sacrifice, he was the one who wished for it after all, a method of supporting his team so that he could play for the sake of his teammates. And he was happy with his role, no matter how limited it may seem. So he answered truthfully, "It's not."

"But losing is even less fun," said Kuroko with a slight smile.

Later on, Haizaki was kicked out of the team and replaced with Kise who was so exuberant with joy that he invited all the regulars plus the manager out to a celebratory dinner.

"Hosting your own welcoming party? That's rather pathetic," said Midorima while pushing up his glasses.

"Hey, that's mean!" Kise whined. "And this isn't just my party, this is to signify the fact that our team is finally complete!"

"Hm? But… weren't we complete before?" Murasakibara cocked his head.

"No, because you didn't have me on your team before!" Kise laughed triumphantly and nobody else joined him.

Aomine kicked him. "Shut up, Kise."

There was a quarrel amongst the members on where to eat since Akashi surprisingly allowed them to choose. Eventually they all grew too hungry to argue so they went to the nearest restaurant which was a Korean barbeque place.

"What kind of meat should we order?"

"Get the most expensive one since Kise's paying anyways."

"Hey! Who said I was treating you guys?"

"What? Then why the hell did you invite us out? I didn't bring any money!"

"Jeez, Dai-chan, I told you it wasn't a free meal."

"Hey, Satsuki –"

"I'm not lending you anything!"

"Can we get a plate of gyozas?"

"I heard the beef here is of high-quality."

"Seven orders of gyoza, please."

"Muk-kun, I don't want any gyozas."

"Oh. They're all for me."

"That's too much!"

"Midorimacchi, can you not hold that spray of rat poison so close to me?"

"But it's my lucky item of the day – ah."

"AH! He just sprayed some on Akashi's hair!"

Kuroko remained quiet in his seat as he skimmed through the menu. Even with all the noise and the amount of disturbance they were causing in the restaurant, Kuroko felt quite at peace. If this was what it meant to play basketball together in a team that respects one other, Kuroko didn't mind remaining the sixth man.

Aomine ruffled the boy's light blue hair. "You look happy," said the dark-skinned boy with a grin.

Kuroko didn't realize he was smiling. "…Do I?"

"Eh? Kurokocchi's happy because I'm finally a regular on the team? Kurokocchi ~ let's take a picture together and later you can come over to my place –"

"Get lost, Kise!" Aomine said, pushing the blonde's face out of the way.

In the end, they all paid equally except for Momoi who had to compensate for Aomine's share too.

The summer of their second year passed by like a blur, but there was something unsettling brewing that Kuroko could sense.

He felt uneasy about Aomine, his attitude was subtly changing before Kuroko even knew it. Aomine was blossoming farther than the rest of them. Maybe if Kuroko had taken the initiative to do something about it at an earlier stage, he would've been able to help his friend. But either way, he knew there was no stopping Aomine's escalating potential.

"Another dunk from Aomine! That's crazy, how many has it been so far?"

It was Aomine's forty-seventh point scored alone. He was playing against the other first-string players who weren't regulars, but were still considered formidable opponents in the standings. Aomine was crushing them like they were nothing.

The next day during practice, Aomine was a no show. It was hardly a surprise; it wasn't the first incident this year.

Kuroko approached Momoi after the warm-up exercises. "Momoi-san, do you know where Aomine-kun went off to?"

The pink-haired manager looked up at him with lips pursed, clearly contemplating whether or not to out her childhood friend. "He told me not to tell anyone… But I can't lie to you, Tetsu-kun." She tapped the cap of her pen against her clipboard full of information. "Maybe if it's you, he'll listen. I can't do anything for him now…"

Kuroko placed a hand on her shoulder reassuringly. "You're doing everything you can right now."

She smiled sadly up at him.

Aomine turned out to be lazing around on the rooftop of the fourth auditorium. Before Kuroko even climbed up to the second level of the roof and was in Aomine's line of sight, the dark-skinned boy lying on his back muttered, "Satsuki told on me, didn't she?"

"I made her tell me," said Kuroko, defending Momoi.

Aomine snorted, since yeah, the idea of Kuroko interrogating someone for information was a bit ridiculous. "Don't worry, I'm not mad. But I guess that makes you look manlier, taking the blame for her and all." He sat up to face Kuroko. There were no signs of having slept around his eyes, so he wasn't napping up here.

Kuroko silently wondered if Aomine was starting to get used to his presence, if he was developing so far that his perceptible eye could even detect Kuroko. The pale-haired boy pulled himself up. "You shouldn't worry her so much."

"Let me guess, you're here to lecture me on not going to practice?"

Kuroko shook his head, sitting cross-legged. "I can't force you to do anything, nor lecture you on your behaviour." When Aomine raised his brows curiously, Kuroko said, "All I'm here to say is that I'm still going to practice."

"I told you, we're different. There's no point in me training if –"

"And that I'm going to wait for you," interrupted Kuroko smoothly. "With everyone until you decide to join us seriously again."

For a short pause, Aomine went silent, looking past Kuroko with an unreadable gaze. Whether he was going to laugh or dismiss his words, Kuroko didn't know or care. It was just something he needed to say.

"I almost regret it," confessed Aomine. "All those hours training so hard to get stronger, if I knew it was going to turn out this way."

"It would've eventually reached this point anyways," said Kuroko. No matter how much Aomine could've delayed his growth, his strength wasn't something that could simply be stunted.

"Yeah…" Aomine scratched idly underneath his collar. "Man, I just wish that person you said who'd beat me would show up already. I'm starting to wonder if that person even exists."

Kuroko pondered who 'that person' Aomine was referring to when he recalled back to what he said before. "…I'm sure that person will come."

"Starting to doubt that," said Aomine, declining his body to the side to rest his head on Kuroko's lap.

If Aomine didn't have his eyes closed, he would see Kuroko visibly tensing up and squaring his shoulders. "What are you doing?"

"Sleeping, what does it look like?" Aomine muttered. "Might as well skip with me, as long as you're here."

Kuroko shifted his upper body uncomfortably, surprisingly careful not to move his legs. "I have to get back to practice," his voice came out just a pitch too high, but thankfully Aomine didn't seem to notice it.

"You're always practicing," said Aomine through a yawn. "S'good to take a break once in a while."

"I'm not like you, I…" He trailed off, pausing for a beat. The pale-haired boy stared down at Aomine's face, regarding the other distantly. "...Maybe that person's already here," he mumbled to himself.

"Hn?" Aomine grunted with a lack of energy.

Kuroko scraped his fingernails against the pavement beneath him before answering, "…No, it's nothing." But Aomine was already asleep and snoring lightly before Kuroko could convince him to find another alternative as a pillow, as he had practice to get to. So Kuroko figures it's not his fault when he has to stand up and let Aomine's head drop painfully against the rooftop.

If Aomine were to find a rival worthy of his skills, would he go back to the way he was? Back to the shining Aomine he looked up to so much, who loved basketball and gave his all for it. And if Kuroko became that person, possibly, could it amount to anything?

It was around then when Kuroko's father approached him with an inquiry. "Tetsuya, what do you think of moving to your mother's home in the countryside? Of course, you'd transfer to the local middle school, which I hear is quite lovely."

Kuroko immediately declined. He didn't want to leave the friends and team he had obtained behind. The life and basketball he built for himself, he was reluctant to just abandon it.

Although he wasn't aware of it then, Kuroko would eventually come to accept this offer. In his third year, when everything went haywire and fell apart at the seams, it would all go down.

After the championship in winter, Aomine abandoned his partnership with Kuroko and officially went solo.

Kuroko couldn't really be surprised; the signs all lead up to the point where Aomine would progress too far for anyone to keep up with him. It was perhaps inevitable, but it didn't stop from hurting when it actually did happen.

The spring of their third year, it seemed anything but a smooth transition.

They were all getting better, the Generation of Miracles were at the mere budding stage of their talent, but they would all blossom and flourish in the end, just like Aomine. Even Kuroko, training away from public eyes, was slowly rising up to a higher grade than before.

Kuroko came up to Akashi one day, after practice where no one was around.

"I want to challenge Aomine-kun."

Akashi was putting away his belongings in his locker. Without even sparing a glance, he said, "And you need my permission to?"

Kuroko felt a tad surprised and embarrassed. "It was part of the deal."

"You're right, it was," said Akashi with slight amusement. "You've been a good sport for holding true to it so far."

The pale-haired boy nodded. "The thing is, I think I'm ready to take on Aomine-kun now."

"And to what, defeat him so he'll return to the way he was before?"

"…That's part of my intention," said Kuroko slowly.

Akashi closed his locker shut. "I admit, Daiki's arrogance will eventually be his downfall. There's no victory without effort." He finally turned towards Kuroko. "But if you challenge him now, you'll probably lose."

"I'm willing to take that chance." Aomine was still a better player than Kuroko and there was a high possibility he'd lose, but Kuroko had confidence in his skills, no matter the odds.

"How noble," muttered Akashi, turning his back to Kuroko again as he packed up his bag. "You and I aren't the same kind of players as the rest of the Miracles, Tetsuya. One-on-ones aren't meant to be our specialty, especially with the advantage in height."

It was true, the other members seemed to have grown even more since the beginning of middle school, leaving Kuroko and Akashi stuck at average.

"Do you have a plan?" Akashi asked.

Kuroko answered with a silent no.

"So, instead of needlessly throwing your cover, why don't I suggest a better solution for you." Akashi slung his bag over his shoulder and proceeded to exit the locker room. Kuroko naturally followed behind. "In a one-on-one, you can't even put to use the misdirection pass you worked so hard to refine."

I can't put to use my true potential by remaining a passive player either… Kuroko thought, which Akashi seemed to have read by the faint smile on his face.

"Tell me, Tetsuya, which high school are you applying for?"

Kuroko blinked. "I haven't thought about it." He honestly hadn't, it was never something he concerned himself with, mostly just left it up to his parents.

Akashi tsked in disapproval. "That's no good. It's a very important decision you have to consider. You want to join a strong school with a highly-esteemed reputation in basketball."

That didn't matter to Kuroko - the strength of the team - if the school was weak, then all he had to do was make them stronger. It was a simplistic way of thinking, but it was what he figured.

"I've already decided to join Rakuzan High." Of course, it's not that surprising for Akashi to choose the strongest high school basketball team in the nation. "I wanted you to come with me."

Kuroko nearly stopped walking, but instead turned to Akashi with a slightly alarmed expression. "Me? But why?"

"You're a more valuable player than you know," said Akashi easily. "Losing you would be a waste."

There were four other players who were just as valuable as him, so did that mean Akashi asked the rest of the team to attend Rakuzan too? Somehow, Kuroko doubted that. The tone in his captain's voice gave away something that said he solely desired Kuroko.

"…It's not one of my parents' choices. I'm sorry."

Akashi nodded. "That's fine. You don't have to apologize for something like that," he said with a faint chuckle. "In answer to your first question though, no, you won't be challenging Daiki anytime soon." With that, he walked off in a different direction from Kuroko and looked back with a smile. "See you tomorrow, Tetsuya."

Kuroko didn't know whether his answer to Akashi's offer determined the response to his own request, but he couldn't muster up the guts to ask so it remained a mystery.

The beginning of the winter tournament was awful in Kuroko's opinion.

Everybody had progressed so much in terms of basketball; matches started becoming a means to an end rather than a challenge to look forward to. Akashi even set up a quota for each of them to reach, excluding Kuroko of course. It was ridiculous how winning became a given instead of something to strive for. What was the point of playing basketball if it was like this?

Victory felt hollow, their individual ability shined against each other, but nothing tied them together. Even Kuroko, the operator of passes felt detached from everyone else, as though they were slowly fading into a different world from his. He felt his stomach churn. Kuroko was back exactly where he was in the beginning.

Perhaps then, something in him just snapped, because during the championship game of the summer tournament, Kuroko took the ball in his hands instead of normally passing it and performed a lay-up into the opponent's basket. The movement was so fluid and fast-paced that you had to be looking at Kuroko in the first place to have seen him move. He barely held the ball, and before anybody else realized it, the ball landed on the floor.

There weren't any cheers immediately, only scattered conversations of confusion. Nobody actually saw how that point was made, some people figured it was Midorima's famous three-pointer from the half-court, but it didn't truly matter because Teikou was already leading by an overwhelming number.

Kuroko was hesitant in turning around and facing his teammates' scrutiny. He tilted his head to the side and caught sight of Akashi's emotionless stare on the bench.

"That's the first time I've seen you make a basket." Aomine was the first to say something, striding up to Kuroko in mild shock. "You must've been training hard, huh?"

"Yes…I have." Kuroko noticed Murasakibara and Kise looking at him in familiar knowing. Momoi gaped at her crush as though he'd grown another arm. Midorima was just as caught off guard as Aomine, possibly even more since it was an especially unlucky day for Aquarius.

Kuroko's hands were shaking after scoring in public for the first time in a while. He didn't attempt any more shots after that. It might've had something to do with the constant overbearing gaze on his back from the bench.

If it's one thing you should know about Akashi Seijuro, it's that you should not break any deals made with him.

The day before the battle for the championship crown, Kuroko walked into the first-string gymnasium only to be greeted by all of the Teikou's regulars. They stood scattered around their captain standing in the center of the room with a basketball under his arm.

Kuroko looked around and saw none of the other club members. "Where is everyone else?"

"I decided it was a day off today, since you all went above the quota. Think of it as a reward," said Akashi.

"And yet we're all gathered here because Akashi wanted to show us something," complained Aomine.

"Correction, Tetsuya's going to show us something," said the captain with a humorless smile.

Kuroko had a bad feeling on where this was going.

"Tetsuya," Akashi passed the ball to Kuroko who caught it with both hands. "Go on. It's time to show everybody your true skills."

This wasn't a ruthless attack Akashi was aiming at him, if anything, Kuroko should be glad to finally let loose. But after such a long absence from actually playing basketball with other people, he was right to be nervous. Plus, all the eyes boring into him were making him awfully discomforted.

He fingered the bumpy surface of the ball gingerly, never taking his gaze off of its orange skin. After a while he said, "Alright."

"Wait, what are you talking about?" Aomine asked, frowning in irritation from being kept completely oblivious as to why he was here. "What the hell do you mean by 'true skills', Tetsu?"

The only other two who were oblivious as Aomine were Midorima and Momoi, and they appeared just as confused.

"It'll come clear soon," said Kuroko.

Akashi made him go through all the basic drills they normally went through at practice, since warming up was crucial for the body and the others already did it while waiting for Kuroko. He wasn't anything extraordinary at them, but he was significantly better than he normally was. There weren't many words spoken until the practice match started.

"Ryouta, you and Tetsuya will have a one-on-one. You could use the practice anyways," said Akashi.

"Me against Kurokocchi?" Kise repeated in case he heard wrong. "But – why now of all times…?"

"No questions. Just do it," ordered Akashi, turning to Kuroko. "Unless you have complaints."

"This is stupid! Tetsu can only pass – what are you thinking, Akashi?" Aomine shouted.

"No. This will be fine," said Kuroko, wiping the sweat off his chin.

Nobody, not even Kise, could've expected this outcome. Kise might've been the weakest out of the Generation of Miracles, but he was no pushover. It took more than just simple hard work to beat someone of his level. And yet, Kuroko managed to secure victory with a score of 21 – 29.

Everybody except Akashi stood slack jawed. "It's only to be expected, after all, Tetsuya is your weakness, Ryouta."

Kise looked drained both physically and emotionally, but he still wore this smug smile on his face. "Haha, but of course, that's the Kurokocchi I know."

Aomine was absolutely baffled and it showed everywhere. He gritted his teeth, stomping over to where Kuroko was bent over in exhaustion. Momoi tried to stop him but no physical force could prevent him from grabbing Kuroko's collar and pulling him up so he stood straight. "What the hell did I just see, Tetsu?"

"A basketball match," said Kuroko clearly.

"I know that," he hissed. "I'm more curious of the fact that you fucking beat Kise when you can't even shoot an unguarded lay-up." Everybody was staring at them now. "Either you went through some drastic changes, or you've been lying to me," snarled Aomine, looking more furious than ever.

Kuroko couldn't even meet Aomine's gaze and he hated himself for it. "I haven't told you everything."

"No shit, why would you even –"

"That's enough, Daiki," interrupted Akashi with a clap of his hands. "Despite Tetsuya's reasons for wanting to hide his blossoming talent from the rest of us, what matters is that our strength has gotten that much more formidable with Tetsuya's weakness out of the way." He smiled. "But this revelation was not the purpose for which I gathered you all here. With all our truths out, I wanted to pledge upon the team an oath."

"An oath?" Midorima said.

"I figured committing it alongside a spectacular revelation such as the demonstration of Kuroko's true potential would give it more effect." Akashi paused to draw out a long glance over Kuroko. "Next year, as you know, we'll all probably divvy up and go our separate ways into high school. That means we'll be facing each other, a brawl amongst the Generation of Miracles. So I want to graduate with the guarantee that no matter what happens, despite all circumstances, winning is still the only thing that matters for everyone here."

A silence fell in the auditorium after Akashi spoke. Everybody was still suffering from the after effects of Kuroko's triumphant performance.

"That means you too, Tetsuya," said Akashi as his smile grew. "No more hiding from us anymore."

Kuroko didn't tear his gaze away from the captain's, taking any excuse not to look at Aomine. He was afraid what his expression would behold, after lying to him so blatantly all this time.

"I swear," spoke Aomine first. "I won't be beaten." He said it so casually to the group, with his back to Kuroko. "Especially not by some brat who fakes it."

Aomine turned to leave, but Kuroko tried to block him. "Aomine-kun, please…"

"Get the fuck out of my way, Tetsu." He was seething, it was so clear in his face. The rage and disappointment. "You're the one who told me never to hold back for some moral bullshit code of yours. And then I learn you're a goddamn hypocrite to your own principles. So don't try spouting anymore of your crap to me." He leaned down to glare at Kuroko dead in the eye. "You want me to believe you, show it through your basketball," breathed out Aomine in a harsh whisper before stomping past his former shadow.

Kuroko didn't expect his reaction to turn out this way, but then again, Aomine had developed far from his past self when he loved basketball to the core. Momoi casted an apologetic frown at Kuroko before running after her childhood friend.

Kise was the next to say something after being beaten by his instructor. "Darn – I was so uncool in front of Kurokocchi." He panted a laugh. "But yeah, I'm part of whatever pact we're making between us. I'm not one to lose a second time after all." He threw a grin in Kuroko's direction. Then he left.

Midorima seemed to frown disapprovingly at the quiet sixth player. "…I'm not sure of your reasons behind hiding your talent, but I'm guessing the only other player who wasn't aware of this was Aomine." He looked between Akashi and Murasakibara for a split second. "It's quite palpable that I already live by that oath. I'll say nothing more except that Kuroko…you've been wasting your potential." He left with his lucky item of the day clutched in his hand.

Murasakibara ruffled his hair on the way out and didn't utter a word.

Akashi approached him and gently placed a hand on his shoulder. Leaning down to whisper in his ear, he said, "Don't go breaking the oath, Tetsuya. But then again, you can hardly escape from it either way." Akashi left satisfied.

Kuroko didn't know whether to feel refreshed from taking this weight off his shoulders, or dejected by the fact that from this point on, he no longer was the phantom sixth player. He was just like the other Generation of Miracles, individually gifted in basketball. It should've been something to be happy about, to finally play giving it his all instead of just passing. But what was the reason he started passing in the first place? To be able to become someone who could unite the team.

But looking at the state of their team now, could he say that he improved anything?

Everyone scattered with this assurance of victory. This oath forever embedded in their memory.

Kuroko wanted to run away. So he did the closest thing and went for a run around the neighborhood to clear his thoughts, even though it was freezing cold.

It used to be all so perfect, everything in his life felt just right for once. But time passed and people grew and before he knew it, the comrades he cared for drifted away. Aomine drifted away, and when Kuroko thought he could reach him again with the truth, Aomine just feels farther gone. But thinking about it now, Kuroko doesn't blame Aomine for his reaction. Kuroko, who constantly went on about playing at your best and being true to yourself, lied to Aomine for the whole time they knew each other.

It was then he realized, if Kuroko had challenged Aomine at the state he was in now, he would've lost. Aomine knew that too, that's why he said those words before he left.

By the time he ran a full lap around his neighborhood, his face and fingers were numb from the cold, but he reached finality.

His father was just hanging up the phone when Kuroko got home. He looked up at the sight of his son. "Oh, Tetsuya. That was your mother just now. She wanted to ask again if you would stay with her in the countryside. You can come to back to Tokyo for high school, but she wants you to live with her for the remainder of the year. I swear, that woman… You'll have entrance exams soon and she asks this now of all times. So unreasonable."

"I'll go," answered Kuroko. "Just for the remainder of the year."

"Aka-chin, why'd you decide to take an oath all of a sudden?" Murasakibara asked.

"You mean to ask, why did I decide to out Tetsuya," said Akashi with a laugh when Murasakibara didn't answer. "It's okay, I can read it all over your face." He smiled amiably. "It's just as I said, I thought you guys would take the oath more seriously if it happened alongside something shocking. I honestly couldn't care less about Tetsuya's so-called real potential."

Murasakibara furrowed his brows.

"Let me tell you the most amazing thing about Tetsuya. It's not that he's an incredible basketball player – we're all above average players." He paused for a beat. "It's his misdirection passing skills that's got me hooked."

"What's speed when there's someone just as fast? What's height when there's someone taller? We all have specialities, but not something nobody else has." He smiled slightly, narrowing his eyes. "I've never heard of a specialist such as Tetsuya. To think he even thought of it himself…He could take it to even greater heights."

"Hm? Does that mean you'll keep teaching him?" Murasakibara cocked his head.

"…I'm someone who guarantees his own victory." Akashi looked up at the other with a smile. "That's how I win. Tetsuya…He's a dangerous fellow. If he makes the right choices…He'll eventually become an unstoppable force."

"Even against Aka-chin?"

"Yes. But that won't happen. Not on his own."

When the pair walked into the club room, the first thing Akashi noticed was the long envelope placed on the middle of the desk. Picking it up and sliding out the letter that was folded inside, he scanned the words, but smiled as soon as he saw the top title.

Resignation Letter Form

Kuroko Tetsuya _ Class 3-C

I'm sorry it had to be today of all days to do this, but I don't think I'd be able to play in the match anyways. I have faith everyone can win without me. I had to think about this while running in near freezing weather, but I think I've come to the right decision for me. It was fun playing basketball with everyone, and there were a lot of good times. I doubt we will speak to each other again, since basketball was the only thing that tied us together. Since I broke my part of the deal, I feel I am no longer allowed a part of this team. I also agree with your oath but don't think I'll be around to fulfill it. I'm sorry. I wrote that twice but I do mean it. Goodbye.

P.S. Aomine-kun still has my Mario game. Kise-kun still has my CDs, t-shirt, textbook, charger, etc. Murasakibara-kun owes me money for snacks. Momoi-san still has my used towel she never gave back. Midorima-kun did not borrow anything from me but I broke your doll. Sorry. Akashi-kun does not owe me anything, nor do I owe him. But to those who have it, please return my stuff.

The letter ended just like that.

Akashi laughed aloud, to which Murasakibara gave him a strange look.

"It looks like the first choice he made was a right one."

The sound of the train clattering against the tracks lulled Kuroko strangely in a side-to-side motion, already swinging the stranger in the aisle across from him to sleep. He stared outside the windows, watching the scenery pass by in a repetitive manner. It was then Kuroko realized he forgot to put an address in his letter, so there was no way to get his stuff back. Too bad, he liked that Mario game.

He rested his head against the cold glass and watched his breath smoke up the clear surface. Some might consider his choice to be running away again, it probably looks that way to everyone. But it's better than just lifelessly grudging on in a place he knows he's lost.

Maybe one day, he'll find his way back to basketball again. Until then though, he was going to stop competing. Awaiting the day he found the right reason to return to it.

The trip to his mother's house made him think about the one they made to America when he was younger. It made him think about a boy he met there, whose face and name he couldn't quite remember because he was horrible with them. It didn't matter though, because Kuroko fell asleep after that, as the distance between him and his former light grew farther and farther apart.

a.n/ Finally done this whole Teikou arc. I decided to get it all done in one chapter instead of splitting it into two. This one was hard because towards the end I didn't know how I was going to make Kuroko leave, and I thought up different ideas but eventually went with this. A small part of Kise and Kuroko's dialogue was taken from the manga, because I liked what Kuroko said there.

Did you guys notice my favoritism with Akashi I hope not. Also I apologize for the serious lack of Midorima in about everything. I actually even forgot about Kagami while writing this.