Hidden Beauty

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Basket Six: Training Begins

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For at least an hour, Kuro was alone. Don't get her wrong, she liked the silence for a change. No hushed whispers or loud screaming fans (of Kise).

She was naturally a quiet person, not one to fit in with the loud people. She was also very happy that she was moved outside, where the sun shone and the wind blew gently, the clouds so white and fluffy...

Kuro enjoyed days like these. She would have enjoyed it more, if she wasn't in the midst of doing sit-ups. The last listed thing on her work-out list that Kasamatsu had given her. The only thing to be happy about was being almost done.

Only twenty more, she told herself, trying to ignore the burning feeling that surrounded her stomach.

Touching her elbows against her knee's, she sank back onto the green grass, and pulled herself back up, nineteen...

Down, up. Eighteen. Down, up. Seventeen. Down, up- A blob of yellow appeared from out of no where, startling her. Back down. Does that count as one?

Kuro fumed inwardly, hands still behind her head, knee's still in the air. "Kise-san..." She greeted almost coldly.

"Kise's fine." The blond grinned, making himself comfortable on the grass. Kuro shrugged awkwardly, and stared at the model. He was sweating, if only a little. He'd obviously been doing some sort of vigorous training, maybe just as she had.

Up, down. Sixteen?

"Sempai had me doing the same thing, more or less, when I first joined." Kise said, seemingly going into a daze of some sort.

Up, down. Fifteen.

Kuro rested for a moment, using that time to wipe at the sweat on her forehead. Up- she reached for her water bottle, the cold liquid refreshing and welcome to the heat. Back down.

Fourteen.

Kise snapped out of his trace-like state, and focused on Kuro, silent as he watched from his spot on the grass. "Do you need me to hold your feet? It'd be faster that way!" Kise grinned, waiting for an answer.

Kuro thought about it, and nodded slowly. The model was right, it'd be more quick, and easier. She adjusted herself, staring at the golden locks that peaked just over her knee's.

A sudden wave of awkwardness hit her, but she pushed it away and continued with her sit-ups, counting down mentally.

Thirteen more later, she was finished. Kuro let out a sigh, falling back tiredly. For a moment, all she could hear was her own heartbeat, drumming loudly in her chest.

"Even when you get use to it, you'll still be in pain." Kise mused, smiling widely.

"Great." Kuro replied dryly, voice hoarse. Sitting up, she fanned her face with her hand as she sipped from her water bottle. The water wasn't as cold or refreshing as it was a while ago, she noted with a frown.

"So, what are we going to do?" She asked, spinning the now empty bottle in her hand casually.

Kise thoughtfully tilted his head towards the sky, his eyes staring at the numerous fluffy clouds. "Hey, you know, I met this really weird girl the other day..." Kise murmured, eyes still glued to the sky.

Kuro froze, bottle softly landing on the grass. "Re- really... ?"

"Yup! She even kicked pebbles at me!"

'THAT'S NOT SOMETHING TO SOUND SO HAPPY ABOUT!' Kuro shouted inwardly, twitching.

"That's why I was late this morning, I had to go to the doctor's, cause one went flying in my eye." Kise laughed, shifting into a laying position, back to the ground.

"I'm sorry." Kuro immediately said, feeling bad all of a sudden.

"Heeeh, why?"

"To hear about that! I'm sorry to hear about that... Are you okay?" Kuro quickly covered up her mistake, even though she really did wonder if he was okay.

"I'm fine! It really just tickled, then felt weird after a while because I kept on bugging it."

'How would that tickle... Baka.' Kuro turned away, hiding the amused smile. She paused after a second, face palming.

"Kise! We're suppose to be training! Not talking about some stupid girl!" 'Heheheh, that's right. I called myself stupid. Now he'll never find out it's me!' Kuro thought deviously, smirking in delight.

"I was thinking about it!" Kise huffed, shielding the sun from his eyes. "Let's see... I have three days. Well, four, if you are counting Friday." He sat up, his eyes narrowed in deep thought. "No, make it three. I have something to do tomorrow after school!" Kise nodded to himself, smiling.

"So, today we'll just handle the basics, as well as tomorrow. That's your job for tomorrow! Then, on Thursday we'll work on your skills. Finally, on Friday, before the match, we'll go one-on-one."

"Yes, sensei." Kuro teased cheekily, standing up to dust the stray grass from her shorts and shirt. "By basics, you mean practicing my shots and others plays, right?" Kuro assumed, stretching. She scowled the moment her muscles protested, and instead punched her stomach.

Kise stared, a curious look on his face. "Why'd you do that?" He sweat dropped, holding his stomach in the same place, the memories of Kasamatsu's abuse filling his mind.

It was Kuro's turn to stare at the sulky Kaijou member, before shrugging. "I dunno. Well, now that I think about it, it was pretty meaningless." She smiled, taking the basketball that lay beside her duffel bag.

"I need to work on my dunks and layup's and such. I'm really short, so it makes it harder for me."

"Yeah, you are a little on the short side." Kise easily agreed, fingers tapping against his chin.
"Thanks." Kuro said gravely.

"But maybe you can use that to your advantage, you know?" Kise grinned, giving a thumbs up. Kuro eyed him, before shrugging again.

"Yeah, I suppose. Maybe I could slide under taller guys' legs." She said jokingly, waving it off.

Silence greeted her, and she turned to look at Kise. He literally had sparkles in his eyes. "That'd be so cool!" He cried, clearly ecstatic.

"I was joking." Kuro looked taken-aback.

"It'd work, though!" Kise replied stubbornly, puffing his cheeks.

"You're such a child!" Kuro crossed her arms, glaring up at the blond male. "Ohhoho, and you're just that much older?" Kise laughed, face fixed into a big frown.

"What's that suppose to mean!" Kuro demanded, brooding silently. "You know exactly what it means!" Kise poked her shoulder with impressive strength.

"No, I don't! But, please. Enlighten me." She yelled, punching his arm.

"Ouch!" Kise pouted, rubbing the sore spot on his arm.

"Sorry!" Kuro apologized with a heavy sigh, putting her arms behind her back. "I won't hit you again." She said, head directed to the grassy fround.

Kise simply grinned at her, holding his arm. "Okay, thanks."

"You are strange, Kise Ryouta." Kuro shook her head, hands on her hips.

"HEEEYYY! KASAMATSU-SAN SAID YOU CAN GO HOME NOWW!" Kuro and Kise turned, staring at the loud Hayakawa, who seemed to be running towards them with lightning speed. He was still clad in his street clothes, but had his bag hanging from his shoulder, and a towel hanging loosely around his neck, soaking up any dripping sweat.

"Yeeey!" Kise cheered, thrusting his fist in the air. "Not 'Yey', we've only been talking the past fourty minutes!" Kuro face palmed, rolling the ball between the palms of her hands.

Kise pouted, "Well, we'll stay later tomorrow, if you're allowed!" He said, grabbing his small bag, and jogging off. "See ya tomorrow!" He shouted, waving as he jogged.

"..." Kuro waved slowly, and turned to look at Hayakawa. She smiled awkwardly, nodding. "Uhm, goodbye, Hayakawa-sempai!" Kuro bowed politely, taking her bag while holding the ball in the other.

She headed back to the gym, so she could put the ball away, dribbling it as she went. She poked her head inside, the huge gym entirely empty.

"Whoa, it looks even bigger when it's not filled with people." She commented, bouncing the ball as she went into the storage room. Kuro successfully placed the ball inside the awaiting bin, and turned on her heel, leaving the empty gym to head home. Well, mall first, then home.

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D'aww, Kise and Kuro seemingly had a 'fight', but then made up in a weird way... Hmm, I'm having a hard time thinking of any special skills for her, but I may have one. :I

~Love me or Hate me~