POV Midorima
My form is perfect as I prepare to receive Takao's pass. I can feel my pulse as I swallow and I count as seconds go by – waiting, anticipating, trusting that his form will be perfect as well. He laughs it off when I utter passive-aggressive compliments about his abilities in conjunction with mine, but he understand me. There is a squeak of rubber against the polished wood, but the shot never comes, instead I hear the dull thud of a dead ball. I turn and see that Coach has pulled Takao aside. Their conversation looks serious, so my momentary aggravation turns to concern. He feels my eyes watching them and he turns to give me his trademark cheeky grin and a wave. I go back to shooting threes, just regular threes until Takao can join me on the court again.
"Hey, nothing to worry about or anything," Takao prefaces his statement in a way he knows will put me at ease. "But my Mom needs me to come home early today. So, I'm gonna head out now." He scratches the back of his head and looks distractedly around. His mind is already somewhere else.
"Alright," I assure, "I am capable of finding my way home." He smirks. We don't believe in public displays of affection on the court, we hardly participate in it at school at all, but as he walks by me, he bumps his shoulder into my arm in a gesture we've come to think of as a kiss. It is the first time he's done that on the court and it makes me smile.
"Call me later," I say.
"You got it, Shin-chan. I need you to tell me what I slept through in lit class today."
"Tch," I utter, but I will copy my notes for him on the way home, just in case. After all, I will need his help in order to bring my English grade up at midterms. There is almost no skip in his step as he leaves, but he is humming some K-Pop song and that always comforts him.
Without Takao, I work with two of the first year players, Akira and Satsuke. Satsuke is nothing special, but Akira has a decent hook shot, even if he lacks discipline to be as good as Serin's Mitobe. Perhaps I will contact Kuroko and see if he can introduce the two. I haven't perspired this hard all week and I realize that I did not use a single selfish action today. Only Takao has remarked upon the fact that I have self-elected to use one less selfish daily act each year until graduation, but today somehow I feel cheated.
"Practice sucks without Captain," Satsuke says from across the locker room. My hair is wet from the shower, but I turn my attention to wrapping my fingers. The roll of tape in my bag is almost done, so I ransack Takao's locker for a spare roll.
"Only sucked for you," Akira crows. "I got to practice shooting with Midorima-senpai." It is odd to hear them, the new players, refer to Takao as Captain. It is a role he is very suited for personality-wise and in comparison he is even more gifted at it then Akashi ever was. As always, he is the only one able to deal with both me and the rest of the team so fluidly. I once again fulfill the role of Vice-Captain and I do it well.
"Lucky! Where'd he go anyway?" Satsuke asks.
"I overheard him say something about his father coming home today." I stop taping, incomplete on the index finger.
"Hey, Senpai, has his dad been away on business for a long time or something?" Satsuke asks.
"What did you say about his father?" I ask.
"Cap told Coach that his father had come home and he needed to be there," Akira recalls.
I drop the tape and throw my towel to one side. I grab my dirty warm-up clothing and toss them back on. I leave everything else where it is. Liar, I think. Dammitt, Takao, aren't we partners?
"Senpai? What's wrong?" someone asks as I rush out the door.
"Nothing," I snap and then under my breath, "Everything."
It is obvious that Takao is ashamed of something because I have never been invited over. I have no idea where he lives, but Coach knows from the look on my face that I'm willing to trade in my selfish acts for the address. Coach has never seen panic in my eyes before.
As soon as I hit the front gate, I'm running. The easiest way to his home is to pass by mine. Kaori is waiting outside our front door to tell me something. She sees my state and runs along with me.
"What's wrong?"
"Takao," I shout and my legs are moving so fast she can't keep up.
Takao lives in a shitty part of town with poorly labeled streets, but sirens in the distance lead me in the right direction. An ambulance and two prefectural police cars are in the parking lot of a small two-story apartment complex. Takao's mother, Soon-Bok, is barefoot and wrapped in a blanket while speaking to two women in uniforms. I rush to the back of the ambulance. It is empty. I double over as I stop before Soon-Bok and try to recover from the run.
"Kazunari," I pant. She points toward the open door at the top of the stairs. I don't think, I push pass two officers and launch up the first two steps. I'm looking up so I see Takao fly backward out of the door. A large, bloated man with slate gray eyes swaggers after him. There is blood leaking down Takao's face and there is a broken bottle in his father's hand. I am frozen mid-step as I watch the man grab Takao by the front of the shirt and shove him down the stairs. I step back to put one foot on the ground and I brace. Takao slams into my chest like a limp sandbag. As officers charge, I pull Takao clear. He doesn't protest when I lay him out on the concrete and emergency workers rush to us. My eyes don't leave Takao's stunned and pale face, so I miss the confrontation between his father and the police. Takao blinks slowly, making no sound as a shard of glass is removed from his scalp and a bandage is applied.
"He'll need to see a doctor," I am told. I nod.
"Yes, my father is a doctor. I'll take care of it."
Takao stumbled to his feet and glares at his father as the man is taken into custody.
"Takao-san," one of the women officers says to his mother, "will you press charges this time?"
She takes a puff of her cigarette and looks away.
"I'll press charges against that son of a bitch," Takao spits.
"Kazunari," the older man growls, "you little cock-sucking whore –" Whatever else he means to say is cut off as the car door closes. Takao staggers as all the adrenaline and bravado fades. I am right behind him.
"Where is Yukina?" I ask. Takao's eyes aren't locked onto anything. He doesn't hear me.
"She's on a class trip," Soon-Bok says. "I'm going to stay with my sister tonight. Can he stay with you?"
"Of course," I answer. I hear the contempt in my answer and if she doesn't, she is deaf as well as stupid.