Title: Saori's Basketball
Posted: 05/08/13
Rating: T
Summary: "That's all you'll ever do if you keep playing." Seijuro said, eyes cold and empty as he stared at Saori's frozen figure. "You won't be able to jump. You won't be able to walk. You won't be able to breathe." He continued, her eyes set only on the ball that her hand had jerked away. "Just quit before you think you'll get anywhere. You won't."
Disclaimer: I own what I own, nothing more, nothing less.
© 2013, Reignstein, The plot of this story and the belong to me. Any similarities that might occur are purely coincidental and I apologize in advance if such an occurrence ever does happen.
CHAPTER ONE
"ENCOUNTER"
"You know Toki," Saori began, her boiling blood reaching new levels as her brother walked steadily beside her. "You don't actually have to walk me to school every single day."
Now, don't get the blonde wrong. She loved her little brother dearly, probably more than any other person on the planet all humans now occupied, but there were just some things that she couldn't help but hate him for. One of them would be the fact that he was taller than her at the age of thirteen, but at the moment, that paled in comparison to the reason she had for strongly disliking him. Currently, the fifteen-year-old just wanted to get away from her over protective little brother.
"But Dad told me that I had to." He answered, nonchalantly. "He said that it was my responsibility to guard you every time you left the house." Saori grinded her teeth as she turned to her brother, staring daggers at his head. Toki didn't pay her much mind though, and decided instead to blow air into his hands and rub them together. There was a rather chilly wind blowing in from the east. He regretted not bringing his gloves.
"Well, I don't know if you've been living under a rock for the past three years, but there's this thing called lying." The blonde continued, crossing her arms and turning away from her brother when she realized the glare was not affecting him in the slightest bit. She cursed Minami for being scarier than her. "It involves telling someone else something they'd want to hear rather than the truth. Have you heard of it?" Toki stared ahead, not spared his sister a glance. He placed his hands in his pocket now, trying to shield them from the Summer Chill.
"You should listen to your older sister when she speaks." Saori added, with the rosette nodding beside her and ticking her off more. So he was listening, but he wasn't paying attention. Damn her father for drilling the defensive mentality into Toki's ten-year-old brain! She didn't need a body guard, as she had told Kise Hayato many times. The man just refused to listen. Apparently, as a father, he knew best.
Ever since Toki had turned eleven and Minami had graduated from Teiko, this had been Saori's morning routine. Her father never permitted her to leave the house without him—whether it be with friends or for school activities. The worst part of everything was that Toki actually followed. He was usually pretty rebellious when it came to orders and chores, yet this was one of the few things he did religiously. Saori sometimes thought that it was just to piss her off and annoy her, but she highly doubted it.
She was, however, very capable of walking herself. She was also strong enough to defend herself if the need came. She did not need an escort everywhere she went just because her father was afraid that the symptoms would start showing early. A decade, the doctor had stated. It would take ten years for anything to happen, and three years in, her father was already worrying that it could progress. Saori just found everything he did dramatic. The blonde loved her family more than anything in the world, but even they managed to get on her last nerve.
"I'm not just doing it for Dad, you know." The pink haired middle schooler finally voiced. "I'm doing it for me too." He continued on. Saori actually felt touched that he would admit. He had been less affectionate as of late. "I mean, who else would make my waffles every morning if something happened? Minami-nee can't cook and dad burns everything he tries to make. Face it, we'd all starve if you weren't around." She sighed. She really should have seen that one coming. Saori just slapped her brother's arm for the answer. Gone were the days that she could whack him over the head for being such a stupid kid. Annoying growth spurts.
"Besides, it's not bad to walk you to school." Toki continued on. "The girls in your school are ten times hotter than the ones in mine. Satsuki-san must really be one of a kind, huh? To be so properly developed at the age of thirteen." This just caused another vein to burst in Saori's forehead. Yes, she knew of Toki's long time crush on her best friend. Yes, she knew of her brother's rather perverted personality. Yes, she has scolded him numerous times for it. It wasn't any help that Satsuki seemed to enjoy the attention Toki gave her either, finding it just 'absolutely adorable' of him.
"Why do I feel like that insult was directed at me too?" Saori blurted out, contemplating. She was far from plain with her blue eyes and blond hair, but she was also very far from her bubbly best friend.
"Don't feel too bad." The rosette answered her. "You have stuff worthy of ogling too. Especially if the guy is walking behind you." At the slightly perverted and embarrassing words that Toki spoke, Saori couldn't stop herself from jumping lightly and whacking her brother across the head. She was part of the previous Teiko Girls Basketball Team, and though she was not the best player, she could jump high enough to reach the back of Toki's head with ease. Saori still wished that the jump was unnecessary though.
"What?!" Toki answered defensively, rubbing his, now, aching head. "You know it's true!"
"What's true?" The sudden voice made the siblings jump apart. Toki's head injury was forgotten as he focused on his breathing. Saori on the other hand mentally groaned as she recognized the voice. Turning around, both were faced by a teenager with light blue hair and light blue eyes that betrayed nothing of his emotions or thoughts. The blonde truly hated it when he did that. She already had a lot of troubles, having to worry about a heart attack at the mere thought of Kuroko Tetsuya did not need to add to that.
"What's true?" Tetsuya repeated, voice as stoic as ever. He held a book in his hands too, but he was holding it too low for Saori to get a glimpse of the title. The summer hadn't changed him at all, it seemed, not that she was expecting it too. Actually, she hadn't been expecting to see him after Middle School at all. None of them, to be honest.
Managing to get her breathing back to normal—poor Toki wasn't as used to it as she was yet, and she prayed that he would never have a reason to—Saori released a few words. "You know, Tetsuya-kun," She began, her voice in a tone that her mother once often used when scolding her and Minami whenever they got into a fight. "Greeting people 'Good Morning' is customary before scaring them to death." The rosette nodded his head in agreement, hand still on his chest as he tried to calm himself.
"Good Morning." The phantom sixth man started. "What's true?"
Saori left the explanation to Toki—it was his idiotic thoughts after all—and instead decided to inspect the uniform that Tetsuya was wearing. She was sure that any school that had any of the six members of the Generation of Miracles would be one to watch, and it shocked Saori when the uniform came off as familiar. It was a pair of grey—almost black slacks, matched with a stop of the same color. There was a strip of blue going down the front, and it could also be seen around the cuff of the long sleeves.
"You go to Seirin High School?" Saori found herself saying, not double thinking her words and not caring if she had interrupted Toki's rant about how perfect Satsuki was. His blue eyes met her blue eyes as he trailed down her own clothing. It was a white skirt with a matching white sailor top. There was a green necktie around her neck, and the same green color was the lining and detail of the long collar.
"Yes," Tetsuya answered. "So do you."
The blonde had many questions in her mind after finding out this predicament. Why had he chosen a fairly new school rather than a famous one like the others? She had thought, at first, that Tetsuya would have gone to Touou High School. It was the school that Satsuki was attending, after all, and the pinkette had often stated that she would follow Tetsuya to the ends of the Earth. Checking her watch; however, she noticed this was not the time for questions.
Realizing the chance of escape from the over protective brother, Saori took hold of Tetsuya's arm and smiled at Toki with satisfaction. She also apologized to Satsuki in her mind and made a mental note to treat her to some ice cream. "How about you head on to Teiko now, Toki?" The blonde suggested. "I'll walk with Tetsuya-san to school, he's trustworthy right? He's Ryota-nii's friend!"
Toki glared at Saori venomously. He was just about to counter back and challenge her authority, but he too spotted the time on his own watch and noticed that he would be late if he continued walking to Seirin. It was, indeed, getting rather late. Tetsuya, on the other hand, watched the interaction between the two siblings with interest and without interest. He had taken note of Saori's twitching fingers on his arm. She was nervous.
"Just this once." Her little brother finally answered. Saori did a victory dance in her head. "If anything happens though, you're explaining to Dad and I'm not leaving your side for the next three years." Toki turned towards the direction of Teiko and headed off, merely waving back as he heard his sister's call of thanks. When he turned the corner and she was sure he was out of hearing distance, he released Tetsuya's arm.
"Thanks for playing along, Tetsuya-kun." The blonde said, laughing slightly at Toki's panicked and torn expression as she began to walk towards her school. How she would have paid to have gotten that on a picture. Now if only she could get Minami to pull an expression like that, or her dad even! She would have to plan something else for another day to get Toki to leave her be, but she really didn't doubt that her brother had meant his words. This would be the first and last time that she was free to roam the streets of Tokyo alone.
"What did he mean by 'If Anything Happens'?" Saori jumped once again. Had Tetsuya been walking beside her this entire team? Hadn't he gone ahead? He really needed one of those bell collars to at least alert people that he had moved from his position. Perhaps she would get him one as thanks for him helping her.
"You know the usual." She answered. "Getting hit by cars, chased by a dog, and all of that."
"He seemed a bit too worried for it to be that." Tetsuya didn't push any further than that, and she was thankful.
"Did you join the Basketball Club in Seirin?" He decided to say instead. "Or are you just managing the Boys Club this year?" Saori was truly unsure how his words could sound nosy and uncaring at the same time, but they did. She also stopped walking when she heard the tabooed sport—when it came to her ears—and glared at Tetsuya. Was he mocking her? He had been there when it had happened. He may not have known the real reason, but he was there none the less, when Seijuro had torn her spirit apart. To shreds.
"No." She answered curtly. "Your captain has proven to everybody how useless I can be. I have no skill."
"I don't either, doesn't stop me." His stoic words angered her further. He was not the same as her.
"You won't be able to jump. You won't be able to walk. You won't be able to breathe." The words rang in her head over and over again. "Just quit before you think you'll get anywhere. You won't." Those words that destroyed and ended any dream she had regarding the sport that was Basketball.
"This was fun, Tetsuya-san." Saori stated. "Let's make sure to never run into each other again, okay?"
Tetsuya stared after her as the words that escaped her mouth. The fake smile, the obvious annoyance, the effort to keep herself composed. None of these things escape him. "I'll go now though, wouldn't want to interfere with your reading after all." Tetsuya watched as Saori walked on ahead, leaving him in the side walk and turning the corner that lead towards their school. Shrugging slightly, he went back to reading his book.
The room was filled to the brim with remote controlled cars.
There was a shelf dedicated solely to Ferraris, and there was another for Volkswagen bugs. Ryota had never seen anything quite like it, but he was amazed by it. Was this all Toki's? The blonde wondered to himself, shaking himself out of his stupor and finally sitting down beside the girl that was situated on the play room couch. She smirked as she noticed his awe, hiding it by turning her head slightly to the left. Ryota wouldn't have really noticed if she hadn't. He was too busy staring at a Mini Cooper driving around them.
"Toki's obsessed with them." Saori explained, tapping Ryota's shoulder to finally gain his attention. It worked, for the most part, but he still snuck glances at the blue and white vehicle every so often. "Mom and Dad used to buy him one every time they cancelled on him. They even got him one every time they had to go to the hospital." The girl added, Ryota's wide eyes suddenly relaxing at the mention of his late aunt.
"I'm sorry," He whispered. "About Aunt Rina."
"I'm sorry too." Saori answered. "I mean, we had to drag you, Mariya-nee, and Naomi-nee underneath the hot sun. We—well, I told Dad that we didn't have to make a big deal out of it, but he was set on the idea." She smiled, and he frowned. Toki had looked up from the remote of his Mini Cooper and frowned as well. Both boys hated how she acted, especially because she was allowed to be angry and sad now more than ever. Saori didn't do any of that, she just kept smiling and laughing and smiling again.
"Doesn't it hurt?" Ryota settled on saying. "I can't imagine coming home and not seeing my Mom cooking something for dinner. I can't even imagine having dinner without my Dad suddenly coming in the door and shouting he was back." Toki felt tears prick his eyes at the exact same routine they had once gone through. Now it was nothing but a memory, never to happen again outside of dreams and fantasies. Home videos too, probably.
The blonde girl noticed the change in her brother's demeanor, and she got up from beside Ryota and decided to sit beside him on the floor instead. It was carpeted with a white, furry fabric anyway, it was comfortable. Saori placed a hand on her brother's head and ruffled his hair affectionately and comfortingly. She then settled on placing it around his shoulders and pulling hime a bit closer to her. Toki rested his head on her shoulder then, the tears slowly rolling down his eyes as he hid his face in the crook of her neck.
Ryota was his idol, he was very cool. He didn't want his idol to see him in this state, even if they were cousins. The thirteen-year-old wouldn't have minded though. He understood, though only through sympathizing, what they were going through. Saori offered him a smile though, and he returned it. He also understood, a little bit, why Saori was acting as she did. Someone needed to be that rock that everybody could lean on.
"It hurts, probably more than any other hurt I've felt in my life." His cousin answered, now rubbing circles on her brother's back. She had her own tears building up in her blue eyes, and Ryota felt the need to sit beside her and be the one to comfort her as she did Toki. "But Dad told us it would hurt, and he told us that it was better to just enjoy what time we had left with her. There was no point in hating her and getting mad at her."
"I don't want to bring up bad memories." The thirteen-year-old began, unsure of how to say his next words. He thought that maybe it was better to treat it like a band aid and get it over with. No matter how much he hid it behind nice sounding words, it would still have the same effect. "But why did Aunt Rina die?"
Toki's tears escalated to sobs, and Saori's smile faded slightly. "She—"
"Minami-chan, wait!" Came the sudden call of Naomi's voice. "Minami-chan!" She called once more, only to be answered by the loud slamming sound of the pink haired girl's bedroom door. Ryota turned to Saori and noticed that the girl's eyebrows were knitted in uncertainty. She continued her comforting notions towards Toki, but she seemed torn about whether she should stay or if she should check on her older sister and find out the cause.
The blue door of the play room opened to reveal two girls. Both were blond, but their eyes were different. One girl was around fifteen years of age, while the girl beside her was probably closer to seventeen. The younger girl looked a lot like Ryota, with her brown eyes, but the oldest amongst the three possessed orbs black as a raven's feather. Both older girls wore looks of apology, grief reflecting in their eyes.
"We tried to talk to her," Mariya, the fifteen-year-old, explained. "But she wouldn't even talk about Aunt Rina. When we pushed she got mad and ran." Ryota sighed at his sisters' impatience, but he knew that they were just doing their best to help. Even Saori understood, and she offered them one of her reassuring smiles. Both seemed to relax slightly thanks to the gesture.
"She's the most sensitive out of all of us." Saori explained, turning to Toki and stroking his hair lightly. "She really loved Mom a lot, and well, Minami-nee spent the most time with her." Naomi nodded in understanding and moved to sit beside Ryota on the couch. Being who he was, the blonde boy stood and offered his seat to his other sister who gladly took it. He then situated himself on Toki's other side and began rubbing his younger cousin's back. Saori whispered him a silent thanks.
Silence remained—aside from Toki's quieting sobs. Naomi and Mariya watched Saori whisper into Toki's ear, and they also observed Toki's silent answers. When they both turned to Ryota, he gave them a look and shook his head, explaining that they didn't need to know. Mariya was about to push and speak, but Naomi stopped her with a wave of her hand, nodding at her brother's unspoken instructions.
"Mom wouldn't want to see you crying."
"Then she should have been here to scold me."
"Don't be selfish."
Naomi felt tears in her eyes. Their Aunt Rina really was someone special. Everyone in the family loved her, and even their own mother just adored her. Both girls, Mariya and herself, had gone to her for advise on boys and clothing—when their mother was not available, of course—and she had helped them without a second thought. If it had hurt for them to lose her, what more for Minami, Saori, and Toki?
"You're should check on your sister, Saori." Naomi decided to say, seeing the restless eyes that zipped towards the door as another slam echoed in the walls. "I think she just threw her table lamp. We'll handle Toki-kun." The youngest blonde sent her gratitude as Ryota took hold of the ten-year-old and gave her a thumbs up in good luck. Minami was not the most pleasant person to deal with during such situations, so Saori appreciated the gesture more than she would care to admit, even to herself.
"Thanks Naomi-nee, Mariya-nee," She began, turning to the two girls on the couch as she stood. "You too, Ryota-nii." The boy offered her a smile as he pointed towards the door and told her to calm the drama queen. She chuckled and nodded, exiting the room and going to the pink door beside the play room's blue one. Saori took a long and needed breath before knocking three times.
"Minami-nee," Saori started. "Are you alright?"
"Leave me alone!" Minami shouted, voice muffled by tears and walls.
"Do you want to talk about it?" The blonde persisted.
"I said leave me alone, freak!" The rosette replied. "I don't need your help!"
Saori slumps her shoulders in defeat as she is about to turn around. She thought of fetching her father downstairs, where he would be talking with her Uncle Shota and Aunt Hikari. Perhaps he would be able to get through to Minami and explain to her that everyone was just trying to help her and understand her. The door slid open slightly though, revealing that the rosette had failed to lock her bedroom door. Taking another much needed breath, Saori pushed the door open and shut it behind her with a soft click.
The room was a mess, with different knick knacks on the floor. Naomi had been right, and the lamp was now laying broken on the floor spot just beside the left wall. She saw things that their mother had given her, and Saori frowned. Minami would surely regret destroying those when she woke up the next day. Looking at her sister's school desk though, she was relieved to notice that the ring their mother had left her was still intact. Minami would have hated herself if she accidentally threw that out of her window.
Turning to her sister, Saori was greeted by a hateful glare from Minami's brown eyes. She sat on her bed, short hair a mess and pillow hugged to her chest. Her legs were curled under her, her back leaning on the wall just beside the window. Saori wondered when she had moved it there. It used to be situated in the center of the room.
"Stop over reacting." The younger Kise tried. "Naomi-nee and Mariya-nee are just trying to help you, like their trying to help Dad and Toki and me." Minami's glare became more menacing for just a second before she turned away and gazed out of her window. Saori sighed and remained leaning on the door, afraid to go closer. Minami had once chucked her clock in her direction when she tried to get too close, and she had no wish for a repeat.
"You know, people would know what to say or what not to say if you actually talked to them." She decided to continue. "Dad probably knows how you feel if not more, but your sealing him out too. If you're gonna push everyone away, at least explain why so they can give you the space you need. Stop acting like the Drama Queen you always are." Saori tried to remain calm, but her hands shook in fear when Minami turned to her with such a murderous gaze. The blonde kept a solid hold on the door knob, just in case she needed to run and get their father.
"What do you know, freak?" Minami said coldly, fearfully. "You were always Dad's favourite, always the blonde and perfect angel. All I had was mom!" The rosette finally shouted, hurling the pillow towards Saori. The blonde ducked and the pillow made contact with the door behind her. It fell to the ground with a soft thud. "None of you will even begin to understand what I feel!"
"Then help us understand—"
"SHUT UP!" Minami blocked, throwing another pillow. Saori didn't dodge this one, and admitted that it hurt just a bit. Nothing compared to the clock though. "Mom was there for me in everything! YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT IT FEELS! You don't even know how much I've lost and how much I'm going to lose because of this! Toki doesn't even understand what we're going to go through, and you keep pretending like nothing's wrong! EVERYTHING IS!"
"Why don't you just let—"
"I said SHUT UP!" This time it was a notebook, and Saori ducked as Minami's glare became intense, almost crazy looking. "None of you get it! I could die, you could die! And Mom already is! You're all pretending like everything is going to be okay because we're going to move past this, but we never will! I NEVER WILL! I—"
"You're not the only one who lost her!" Saori finally shouted, anger finally revealing itself. "We're trying to understand, but you don't seem to understand that You. Aren't. The. Only. One!" Perhaps her father and her aunt and uncle heard, perhaps Toki and cousins heard. Saori didn't care anymore. She was sick and tired of Minami acting like the victim, and God help her if she wasn't going to finally let her know it.
"Toki and I lost our mom too! DAD LOST HIS WIFE!" The blonde continued on, picking up the pillow and throwing it back at Minami. The rosette caught it without much trouble. "We're just as risk as you are, and you have no idea how much I'm trying to make this work! Toki keeps crying and sneaking into my bed, Dad is just getting back to normal! I don't need you acting like a BRAT just because you think you're the only victim!"
Saori picked up the second pillow and threw it with all the force and strength she could muster. It hit Minami square on the head, but before she could even retaliate with her hurtful words and angry screams, Saori had slammed the door closed behind her as she left her sister's room. She looked up to find Ryota waiting for her in the hall.
"That bad?" He asked.
"Worse." Saori answered.
"Want to talk about it?"
"Maybe another time."
Ryota nodded his head and walked up to her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders as she did for Toki moments ago. "If it makes you feel any better, I promise that I'll always be here when you need me." Saori shook the arm off and elbowed him lightly on the side. He laughed when he caught her arm, dragging her back towards the play room where Naomi, Mariya, and Toki were waiting. Saori silently thanked him from the bottom of her heart.
Riko groaned loudly, earning the attention of both black haired players near her. She had her head in her hands, shaking it from side to side as if to show her distaste for whatever it was she was thinking about. When she groaned once again. Shun and Junpei shared a look. What could have possibly gotten their coach so worked up? It was normal for her to have a lot on her mind—especially with the Inter High coming up—but there was still a month at most. What was she stressing herself out so early?
"The first years this year are insane!" She shouted, aggravated. Junpei felt a drop of sweat fall from the back of his head. This was what was worrying her? "There's a player with statistics so great that I can't measure his potential! Then there's a player from the Generation of Miracles with the worst statistics I've ever seen! What the hell is up?!" Junpei wanted to laugh at her frustrations, but decided against it. He wouldn't want her to suddenly drill them so hard that they would actually consider marrying their beds just because of how beautiful they looked when they got home.
"A pessimist's blood type is always b-negative." Shun commented, earning himself a roll of the eyes from Junpei and another groan from Riko. He really needed to know when to stop using these stupid puns, especially when the situation didn't call for it. "And I think that we really won't know anything until we see the practice game later. If he was from the Generation of Miracles, he should have a few surprises up his sleeve."
"How are we sure that he's from the Generation of Miracles, though?" Junpei suddenly added. "Teiko had more listed Basketball Teams than any other school at the time. Over a hundred players! He could have been part of those teams." Riko just groaned once again, lifting her head from her hands to stare at her two players. They were both looking at her as well, waiting for her own opinion on the matter.
"Didn't he say he played in games?" She decided to put in. Actually, she really couldn't put that feeling she had somewhere inside her either. There was something off about Kuroko Tetsuya, and yet she can't pin point which. Also, with his statistics, even Shun's theory seemed low. A boy with a body like that is just not cut out for sports. "That means that he was on the main team right? Besides, what's up with his lack of presence!"
"An invisible man marries and invisible woman, the kids are nothing to look at either." Junpei actually face palms, and even Riko feels a slight irritation towards their resident Point Guard. Shun just ignores them and shrugs.
"Wasn't there that rumor from when we were in Middle School?" The clutch shooter said, deciding to ignore and not comment on his friend's lack of creativity. "That there was the sixth player, the phantom man that people used to talk about." Riko's ears twitched at those words. Phantom Man? It was weird how the title seemed to suit Tetsuya so well. He could be easily compared to a phantom.
"Isn't that just a myth?" She voiced.
"Maybe it isn't." Shun answered. "We haven't seen him play yet, so we don't really know. That's why we should just wait for the practice game later. Maybe you can get a better read on Kagami too. I'm already afraid of facing that first year." Junpei had to agree. He would feel sorry for the poor guy that would get stuck to be his point. That boy would be going home battered as hell, for sure. He strongly hoped that it would be Shinji.
"I'm actually thinking of just telling him that he can't be on the team." Riko stated. "I mean, his statistics make him seem pretty frail. I don't want to risk hurting someone like that on the court, and I already have low expectations to begin with. He's pretty short too, so I don't know how he could shoot." She sighed and groaned once again, wondering slightly if that was the right decision to make. Junpei and Shun said nothing, and that troubled her all the more. They were leaving this decision solely to her.
"In democracy your vote counts." Shun offered, turning to her after finishing his words. "In feudalism, your Count votes." Junpei actually smirked at that one, while Riko hit Shun on the arm lightly. It was obvious she was on her own, cause it would be her decisions that benefited and destroyed the team. Stupid Shun for actually making a good pun.
They sat on the roof top in silence after that. It was still morning and classes were yet to start for the day. Riko had approximately eight hours to make a decision. Should she let Tetsuya walk away? What if he had something worth seeing? What if he had a skill worth keeping? Placing her chin between her fingers, she listed all the possibilities and pros and cons she could think of. Before she could voice any of it out though, another presence made itself known.
"It would be a good idea to keep Tetsuya-kun on the team," A girl with blonde hair emerged from behind the wall that blocked the other side of roof top from view. "But that's just my opinion." She had a small smile plastered on her face, but the three students jumped at her sudden appearance. Riko thought that she was having a lot of jump scares lately, and wonders if all the first years would have a lack of presence. It would be a big head ache.
"Who are you?" Junpei asks.
"An acquaintance of Tetsuya-kun, you could say." The blonde answers.
"How do you know him?" Shun asks.
"We went to the same school."
Riko observed the girl. She was standing a good few feet from them, and she talked in a respectful voice expected of an underclassman. She couldn't see much, but she knew that this girl was an athlete or used to be an athlete at least. "Why do you think we should keep Kuroko-kun on the team?" She decided to ask instead, the blond offering her a smile and putting on what seemed like a 'thinking face'.
"I don't think I should spoil much," Saori began. "But I guess I could tell you that yes, he was part of the Generation of Miracles. You could even say that he was actually a very heavy contributor to why they won as much as they did. I mean, they could have done it without him, but it was easier to do it with him." She didn't make a lot of sense, but Riko understood enough to know that she meant Tetsuya had skills that weren't going to be obvious to the naked eye.
"You've seen him play?" Shun asked.
"Lots of times." Saori answered.
"Do you play?" The point guard continued.
"No, I don't." Was her curt response. Riko highly doubted that, scanning her once again. Her arms had muscle, and her legs were strong. She still possessed a girl's figure, but her shoulders were a bit broader and her statistics higher than that of any normal girl. She looked into the girl's blue eyes to find a bit of distaste. It was obvious that Saori had caught her measuring her up. "At least, not anymore." She decided to add, for Riko's benefit mostly.
"Is Kuroko going to be good for our team?" Junpei finally asked. "How does he play? What does he do?" The blond shook her head, winking and turning away from them. Her hair flopped in the wind as she called out and answered in her sing-song tune of voice: "You're gonna have to find that out for yourselves!" To say that Junpei got irritated was an understatement. From just his eyes, you could tell that he looked like he had just gone into clutch time mode.
Saori closed to door to the roof top after that, leaving the three Seirin student once again.
"Doesn't she know who she's talking to?" The team captain began, menacingly. "That's not how you talk to your upperclassmen. She should show respect!" Shun shook his head as he saw his friend clutch his hand and turn it into a fist. Riko didn't pay him mind and allowed the words of the girl to sink in. Give Tetsuya a chance, was basically what she had told them. He'll surprise you.
"Sea Captains don't like crew cuts." Shun said.
"I'll kill you!" Junpei answered.
"No, Izuki is right." Riko intervened. "If I'm the captain and I had to cut my crew, I wouldn't like it either. We're keeping Kuroko-kun and we're gonna see what he can offer." Shun smiled secretly. Junpei—at least tried—to relax himself and cool his head down. He nodded his agreement when he managed to return to his usual self. He had many worries, but he would voice them out later. The determined look in their coach's eyes was never to be messed with. Unless, of course, you were willing to do drills in the pool for the rest of the week.
"Kagami Taiga and Kuroko Tetsuya," The clutch shooter sighed. "We're in for an interesting two years."
"Time flies like an arrow," Shun answered. "Fruit flies like a banana."
Junpei actually laughed at that one and nodded his head, agreeing with his friend. At least for the beginning of the worthless pun, he did. Riko nodded her head as well, and nearly shouted when she checked her watch for the first time in the past hour. It was nearing the start of class! They needed to head back to their respective classrooms. Her sudden standing caused Junpei and Shun to shake their heads though. They knew she would notice eventually.
"See you guys later!" She called out, running towards the door. "Be ready to face the first years!"
Junpei and Shun nodded, secretly sharing a smile. Oh, yes. They would be ready indeed.
YES! I actually made this chapter longer! I feel so proud of myself! There's more plot development. Okay, for some explanations though, your gonna have to wait. Have you guessed her illness yet? Hahaha! Aside from that, what did you think? I prefer this than the original one I wrote. Plus, this one has 6,000 words! I feel proud of myself…oh wow, I just repeated my previous statement. Sheesh, I'm turning into an old man. The puns I used proves that already.
Speaking of puns, do review if you need me to make explanations for them. I would use Japanese puns, but if I translate them in English, it won't be as fun. A good example is 'Suteki wa suteki'. This is a Japanese pun that Izuki used. You see, it's funny cause SUTEKI is steak and great. In English the pun would mean Steak is Great, which doesn't really make sense as a pun right?
I gave you a look at Saori's past just a bit. I just wanted to introduce her family more, and show her relationship with Ryota previous the Generation of Miracles. You can obviously guess from how she talks of Akashi that she isn't a big fan, huh? Also, I'm warning you know, this story is a bit OC heavy just because of the plot. Don't worry, it won't focus on the others, mainly just Saori.
Again, OPINIONS MATTER, so please, LEAVE A REVIEW, so that I could get some ideas from you or at least know if you think the story is too slow, too fast, or stuff like that. Really, it's a serious thing. Fellow writers should know what I'm talking about.
Reign, over and out!