POV Midorima

"Are they as bad as I think they are, or am I just being unfair?" he asks as I take off my glasses and massage the spot where nose pieces rub.

"No, they are worse." The coach is calling out encouragements even when the girls miss easy passes or simply fail to achieve a single basket during the first three minutes of play. This isn't like a game with Serin, where we might remain scoreless for an entire period. No, that is strategy and teamwork meeting our equally determined opposite. This is missed opportunities and skill-less play.

"Well," he grins, "at least they can't get any worse."

"I would not place a wager on that."

Yukina is attempting to restart play after the ball goes out-of-bounds. She picks, for her throw in, to toss it two-handed over the head of an unguarded player to a slightly taller girl further in. She fumbles the uncontrolled throw and one of the girls wearing a blue jersey takes the ball. Her momentum stalls when she dribbles the ball off her foot.

"Let's start with dribbling. If they can't move with the ball, there's no point," I suggest.

"Agreed," he says and claps his hands to get the teams' attention. The coach has given us free rein, not because Takao is the captain of one of Three Kings of Tokyo, but because I am a member of the Generation of Miracles. It is insulting to his skills. Not everyone can become a partner to someone like me. It is one of many aspects of her behavior that annoys me, but is the thing that makes me grind my teeth.

"Alright!" Takao says, his energy is high and positive, even though I know he is as dispirited as I am. "We're gonna start with some basic drills."

The girls' collective groan is loud.

"If you put as much energy into your skills as you do complaining, I promise you will improve by the end of the weekend," I tell them.

We keep them broken up into two teams. I take the taller students and begin with the basics of lay-ups and shooting. Takao takes the others and begins with dribbling and passing. After each group begins to find their stride, I can see that the improvement is vast. No one has ever taught these girls that pride should come with accomplishment, but as Takao and I praise successful attempts, I hope they will understand that merit is its own reward.

In my first group, I find two girls who may become the team's centers. They are not the tallest of the girls, but their jumping is impressive. I will see if I can find videos of Kagami's exploits to share with them. He may be a good inspiration, even though he is a power forward.

We switch groups and Yukina is now with me. She is eager and enthusiastic. It is her vision that leads this team, but she is not suited for the position of point guard. She wants to emulate her brother, a noble goal, but it will not benefit this team in the long run. She does not share Takao's hawk eye and it is not a skill one can cultivate. She may very well be the emotional core of the team, but she will never be the play maker and coach on the court.

Takao's group is celebrating some minor victory in their drills. I watch Yukina shoot. Her form is rough, but I can work with rough.

"Yukina, have you consider any position other than point guard?"

"Why?" she asks and she looks like I've kicked her. If she cries I have no idea what I will do. I've learned to tolerate Kaori's emotional outbursts, but other young female are a complete mystery to me.

"I've watched you and I think you, unlike some of your teammates, you could lead the team as the shooting guard," I tell her and she looks a little less like water works are imminent and I push on. "Without scoring, your team will only come so far."

"But won't brother be sad?" She looks at her feet, but her hands are gripping the ball as if it belongs.

"I think his preference for shooting guards is clearly established."

"Was that a joke, Shin-chan?" she laughs.

Yukina and Soon-bok accompany us to the station in the evening. The team has a new training menu and Yukina is feeling very positive in her new position. I think it has been a rather successful weekend.

Soon-bok takes advantage of the moment Yukina and Takao turn their attention to a video clip I have acquired of Kagami to say her first words to me the entire trip.

"Do me a favor," she says. Neither of us are big at looking other people in the eye and if you weren't there next to us, you'd never know we are conversing.

"Oh?"

"Can you wait until he's at college to break up with him? I really can't afford for him to come live with us again. At least if he's away at college, he'll be taken care of."

The voices in my head tell me I should push her into the next on-coming train, but Takao would disapprove.

"Do you hate him that much?" I ask, surprised that I am this rude to an adult.

"Children are a curse," she spits. "Two children are doubly so."

"All Kazunari wants is love and acceptance," I say. She finds the ease in which I say his name surprising. I intend to thank my parents for being the wonderful, supportive people they are as soon as we get home. "Since he cannot find it with you, I will gladly fill that void. If you bothered to try, even in the smallest of ways, you'd know that he is a gift."

"You'll get bored with him," she predicts and lights her cigarette.

"I very much doubt that."

"Ah, I see he hasn't put out for you yet, at least he listened to me about that," she chuckles.

Takao kisses his sister's cheek and hugs his mother as we prepare to board the train. I sag into the first available seat and he groans as he sits beside me.

"What did my mother say to you?"

"Nothing worth repeating."

"She didn't say –" he stops mid-thought as I press my lips against his. I've been waiting for the proper moment to follow my mother's advice and today's forecast for Cancer is high, followed closely by Scorpio. Oha Asa's words bounce around my memory. "Don't be afraid tell the truth today. Someone needs to hear how you really feel."

He is speechless for a moment, which for Takao is rare, and his authentic smile lights up his eyes.

"That was a nice surprise, Shin-chan."

"Takao, I want you to know…," I begin. My stomach twists into knots. For all my elegance and composure on the court, in real life I am a mess. He waits, his eyes glued to mine.

"Its ok, Shin-chan, I know," he says and leans back so that his head rests on my shoulder.