Hidden Beauty

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Basket Nine: A Friend in Need

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Kuroi sat on the train, staring out the window. She glanced up at the dimming sky, silently watching the clouds float by without a single care in the World...

Today was different, after her little talk with Riko, she had went to the nearest mall to change out of her boyish things, and went back into girl-mode. She was just too tired and exhausted to do it after her long train ride back home.

All she wanted to do was shower and collapse on her soft bed. Yeah... That sounded comfortable...

Her thoughts drifted back to Riko, remembering their 'talk'. She glanced back down at her hand, reading the number over again for the seventeenth time.

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Kuro followed after the Coach of Seirin, fingers still securely wrapped around the strap of her bag. They came to a stop outside, further away from everyone.

Riko had an unreadable expression on her face, and they just stood in the silence for a while.

"So, you're a girl..." Riko spoke first, laughing awkwardly.

"I am... I'm sorry." Kuro winced, ducking her head. "It's just, ever since I entered middle school, I've wanted to play basketball for a long time... Ever since I saw them play... Teikou's Generation of Miracles..." Kuro spoke softly, eyeing the ground. She didn't know why she decided to tell the female her life story, but maybe it was because she could finally confide in someone, especially if that someone was a female. It actually felt like a weight was lifting from her chest, for once...

Riko watched with interest, hands still firmly on her hips.

"Though, do to my gender, I couldn't join, plus I was too shy and inexperienced to start a female basketball club myself. That's when I entered High school, I began one at my old school, Seika high, but all the girls there were too... foolish. They had zero experience, and opted for doing their make-up and nails and stuff... So I transferred. To Kaijou, figuring it was far enough away that I wouldn't get found out... An-"
"That's nothing to be sorry about!" Riko interrupted, grabbing both of Kuro's hands, frowning.

"Eh?" Kuro blinked in response, staring at her hands then looking back up at Riko. She was shocked when she saw tears in the coach's eyes, threatening to spill.

"I can understand how you feel! Although that never really happened to me before! And I feel your pain! I'm flat too." Riko wailed, pulling Kuro close to her.

Kuro blinked, confused. "Fla-.. ohhh. Oh." She flushed, patting Riko's back.

"I was trying to decide if I should have told anyone! But I'm glad I didn't! I'm sorry, but, here's my number if you ever want to talk, and just let it all out!" Riko added, taking a black marker out. She wrote down her name and cell phone number down on the back of Kuro's hand.

"Tell me your name."

"Ya- Yasuhiro Kuroi... Well, now it's Kuro." Kuro mumbled, still having a hard time processing what had just happened.

"Remember; don't hesitate to call me if you wanna talk!" Riko shouted, waving as she disappeared around the corner.

"R- right..." Kuro shook her head, and walked back inside to change from her sweaty uniform.

She was about to enter the locker room, before she was stopped by Moriyama, who she had replaced during the game. "Y- yes, Moriyama-sempai?" She asked, still dazed.

"What's that?" He gestured to her hand. Kuro blinked, staring. She blushed again, putting her hand behind her back. "Riko-chan's number..." She murmured, before going into the locker room.

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The next day, Kuroi didn't wake up until 1:27 in the afternoon. She had gone straight home from the train, and took a quick shower before passing out on her bed.

Her muscles somewhat ached from the game and also the one-on-one yesterday, and she didn't want to get out of bed. So she lay there for a few minutes, thinking things over before looking at the number that was still written on her hand.

Even after her shower, the name and number was still written clearly. 'I hope that isn't permanent...' She thought, smiling.

"Don't hesitate to call me..." She quoted Riko's words from yesterday. She glanced at her cell phone, and grabbed it. Kuroi gave it a long hard stare, before making up her mind.

She dialed the given number, listening to it ring. Kuroi nearly chickened out, and was about to hang up, but then she heard Riko's voice pick up on the other end.

"Hello?"

"A- ah... Hi... This is Yasuhiro Kuro-"

"Kuroi-chan, it's good to hear from you!"

"Y- yeah..." Kuroi blinked, staring up at her ceiling. "I was wondering... If-"

"Are you doing anything today? It's Saturday! I was thinking we could go hang out and talk, like I promised!" Riko chirped from the other end of the line, and Kuroi could practically hear her smile through the phone.

"I'm free." Kuroi replied, smiling quite shyly. 'I feel like a girl… er, a guy?... I'm confused.' Her confused thoughts only made her head spin. Riko's voice pulled her from her thoughts, and she blinked.

"Where do you live? We could meet up somewhere! How about Kaijou, I know how to get there."

"Ehh, su- sure." Kuroi nodded slowly, "Uhm, what time?" She asked.

"Mmm, how about 2:30?" Riko hummed. Kuroi listened to the shuffling noise on the other end. She turned to look at her clock.

"Yeah, sure." She agreed, sitting up. "Wait, uhh... do I dress like a girl... ?" She asked, nibbling on her bottom lip.

"Of course! I want to see Kuroi-chan as a girl! Oh, I know, bring me a picture of before you cut your hair!"

"Al- alright..." Kuroi chuckled, "Goodbye, Riko-chan, I'll see you soon."

"Bye bye!" The line went dead, and Kuroi tossed her cell onto her bed as she stood up quickly. "I only have an hour to get there..." She pouted, looking through her dresser for clothes. She managed to find a simple black skirt, with a purple line that wrapped around the whole skirt an inch above the bottom, and a dark purple sweater which had the sleeves ripped off just above the shoulders, cat ears attached to the hood.

She changed and went into her bathroom, fixing her stupid wig and doing her business before she went digging through her desk to find a picture and to grab her wallet. Kuroi managed to find a good picture; it was when she was in middle school, at Teikou.

She was standing with a group of her friends, and they all happened to be at the Generation of Miracles basketball game, cheering them on.

Kuroi smiled at the memory, before tucking the picture in her pocket. She practically hopped down the stairs, and to the door.

"Kuroi, where are you going?" Kuroi stopped, and turned to look at her mother with a sheepish smile.

"Oh, I'm just going out to meet a friend! I love you, bye!" Kuroi said quickly, tugging her hood up as she slipped her sneakers on. She took her keys and ran out the door and onto the sidewalk outside, jogging for the train station.

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I'm happy I'm going onto the tenth chapter so soon *u* Thanks to those who continue to review/favorite/follow this story! It keeps me awake at night~ Uh, in a good way?...

Just picture Kagami when he's excited, and stays up the whole night smirking. Yeah.

~Love me or Hate me~