Kuroko no Basuke: The New Teammate

by RaidenLovesYaoi

Natsumi used to be a national soccer player but had quit long time ago due to unknown reason. He also used to be an basketball player who , with his amazing talent, took his team and school to victory. But he also quit basketball to the same reason. It's up to Seirin and GoM to make him like basketball again and stop doubting himself. OC. R&R! Boy's love romance included!

12. Chapter 12

Kuroko no Basuke: The New Teammate.

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Author: Hello everyone! I know I took a long while to update *Flinches a bit* but I assure you all that I'll try my best to update quickly. Enough of my rants, enjoy!

Disclaimer: I Do Not Own Kuroko no Basuke Nor It's Characters.

Warnings: yaoi, jealousy and language.

Chapter 12: We Meet Again.

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"Isn't this party a bit more…. Serious?" Kagami questioned as he looked around at the invited guests. The grand hall was formally decorated and the floors were polished neatly. The guest s themselves wore formal suits and gowns, accompanied by few accessories to go with their styles. An orchestra was playing as well, in slow rhythm with joyful tunes and melody. The tempo was timed and the progression was set. The Seirin team happen to be hanging out at the far corner of the grand hall, feeling a bit self-conscious about the party and the interesting people in it.

"Formal." Kuroko corrected.

"Well, it doesn't look that bad." Kawahara commented, watching a group of girls giggling by the food and deserts table.

"It's too…." Hyuuga started, trying to find a word, other than 'formal', to describe the party.

"There's nothing bad about it." Kiyoshi encouraged. "Natsu-kun told us to have fun, didn't he?"

"Well, he's the one having the most fun.." Hyuuga said, glancing toward Natsumi's direction. A group of girls surrounded him, all giggling at his cute expressions he unconsciously makes. They were even batting their eye-lashes at him!

"He doesn't look like it though." Kogein pointed out. "It's like he's trying to avoid them so bad."

"He's right." Izuki agreed. "They're busy chattering while he's just looking elsewhere."

"Humph, yet he says we shouldn't be all savages with the ladies." Hyuuga huffed.

"Ah, look at this glory!" Kise exclaimed, looking around with stars in his eyes. All the Seirin members sweat-dropped at that scene. "This is my first time being into a formal dine!"

"Yet you seem to know a lot than what you look." Aomine snorted as he watched how Kise glanced around like an amazed little puppy who doesn't know what everything around him was.

"I only happen to know some things by the media, Aominecchii!" Kise huffed. "Don't you have a television?"

"Actually, I don't." Aomine gritted out. "It's a waste of time, energy and money. Why would I want it if I'm not at home that often, like you?!"

"Wahh! Aominecchi so scary!" Kise cried out, hiding behind Midorima.

"We didn't walked in here to bicker, Daiki, Ryota." Akashi warned, both Aomine and Kise sweat-dropped in fear. "I expect you all to behave accordingly or else…"

"Surely they will cause a scandal even if you warn them, Akashi." Midorima said, calculating eyes observing the magnificent hall full of guests.

"Mido-chin is right." Murasakibara agreed while he stared at the dessert table. 'I wonder how those sugar sticks taste like…' Murasakibara thought as he dreamily pondered.

The guests chattered lively and joyfully, no signs of worry in any of their faces. The hall itself was lively, floors glistened and reflected the guests. The orchestra came to an end of a song and became silent until someone stood at the middle of the hall. The Seirin team, GoM and the guests turned their attention to the host, conversations dying down.

"Greetings to all who came for this glorious day," Ruushiro greeted, the claps of the guests greeted him as well. "I would like to congratulate the birthday girl who decided to finally have her birthday celebrated after many years of her parents trying to do so! Stubborn girl she may be but warm by the heart… My oldest son, Natsumi Suyanai, will grant the lady's first dance on this very floor so let's welcome the lucky lady with our warm hearts and smiles!"

"Wait what?" Aomine questioned. Everyone turned toward the stairway to receive the birthday girl dressed in a lovely sky blue dress with white linings at the bottom and waist. Her hair was pulled up and curled to frame her lovely features, her pale skin glowed as the light from the chandelier shone upon her being as she descended the stairs with low heels. At the bottom of the stairs, there was Natsumi Suyanai.

"So it was a birthday party… I thought it was a wedding.." Hyuuga said. "Why go to such extremes to celebrate such party?"

"They're from high status, senpai." Kuroko said.

"She's lovely." Kiyoshi said. "Isn't Natsu-kun lucky?"

Sertun Mikana reached the bottom of the stairs to greet her childhood friend with a shy smile as he bowed a bit before taking her extended hand into his own and guided her into a dance position. A blush tinted her pale face when Natsumi placed his left hand on her mid-back, did she giggle a bit to tease him. The orchestra started to play "It's Time For Waltz" and the couple moved into the rhythm. Mikana grinned up at Natsumi who held a small smile as he guided her in steps to the waltz.

"You know, you've gotten good in your dancing." Mikana said conversationally. Natsumi lift an eyebrow in question before rolling his eyes at the tease. "I'm also impressed you're not afraid to place your hand on a lady's back to dance."

"Better than the waist." Natsumi retorted. "I can't stand how they happen to switch from formal to persistent ladies."

"Ah, is Natsu afraid of girls?" Mikana giggled softly as Natsumi scowled.

"It's not that." Natsumi retorted again. "They're just a bit… troublesome to handle."

"You speak to me as if I were equal." Mikana pointed out. "You haven't changed, Natsu."

"Well pardon me," Natsumi said. "I tend to do that often."

"Is that so?" Mikana urged again as Natsumi spinned her to fall in step again. "I suppose you tend not to hang out with girls"

"At my new school there is nothing to escape to, except maybe throw myself off the building." Natsumi said with a mumble. "It wouldn't solve a thing."

"Throw yourself?" Mikana repeated. "Now why are you going to do that?"

Natsumi kept silent as other couples joined the waltz. It was true he couldn't handle girls, especially persistent ones. 'Just thinking about them makes me want to fly a jet and kill myself in America…' Natsumi thought in bitterness. 'I don't know how other guys can handle such persistent girls… All they ever want is to have a guy with good looks to make them popular… idiots I would say. No matter if I happen to say it out loud and have them curse me till they get tired…'

"Natsu?"

"Hmm?" Natsumi averted his attention back to his partner.

"I always wanted to tell you something…" Mikana started, gazing directly at Natsumi's golden eyes.

"Always? So you kept a secret from me?" Natsumi teased, though not jokingly.

"It's just that… I don't know how you would take it…" Mikana tightened her grip on Natsumi's shoulder. Natsumi winced a bit, sensing nervousness in that motion.

"I don't get angry very easily." Natsumi pointed out. "Except maybe in sports but other than that, I don't."

"Suure… You just said you get annoyed by girls…" Mikana sweat-dropped. "It's something… that you might distance yourself from me… and I don't want that.."

Natsumi didn't say anything, he patiently waited for his childhood friend to tell him about this something she wanted to tell him, other than that, he still kept in step as the waltz went on and more people started to fill the dance floor.

"Natsumi… I like you…" Mikana mumbled out, a blush spreading over her cheeks.

"You told me that before." Natsumi said, rolling his eyes.

"I meant to say… that I like you… in the like-like sense…" Mikana mumbled, closing her eyes tightly when she felt her friend stop abruptly and break their hand contact.

"What…" Natsumi questioned, staring at his friend in shock and disbelief. He didn't meant to break the dance but hearing those words come from Mikana, was just off. Before he could say anymore, Mikana's father took the lead with his daughter, leaving Natsumi to leave the waltz in a troubled mode.

'She's just joking around… We're friends for goodness sake… But her words sounded sincere… I don't like her that way…' Natsumi thought firmly, jaw locked and nostrils flared. 'She knows I don't want to have any bonds with girls and yet she goes and says she likes me! The horror I feel at this moment! And I hate it when I react like this!' Natsumi glared at the ground, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed and his expression emotionless.

"Did something happen?" Midorima questioned, curious as to why Natsumi seem bothered. Natsumi glanced at him before setting his gaze elsewhere.

"Sort of." Natsumi replied numbly. Things were oddly rushing too fast for his liking, he wasn't used to any affection except from his brothers but that was just it. Normally he wouldn't answer, leaving the others to deal with his silent answer and he still kept it that way. He couldn't feel what others felt but they feel what he's feeling no matter if he schools his face to indifference, they still manage to feel it somehow. Never in his life has occurred to him about other people's feelings, he never pay any mind to it and felt good about it. But now that his best friend confessed to him, he felt terrible for reacting like he always used to react, disgusted or just indifferent. He never tried to act above everyone, he always acted himself. He never thinks about what his actions might sprout to other people and never gave a care about it if he notices it. He tried to be himself, no, he was being himself but now he felt like jerk, a different person. "Hey, Midorima-kun," he called out to the other who abruptly tensed. "… Am I really a jerk?" Natsumi questioned lowly, bringing his gaze to the other's, waiting for Midorima to reply.

"Pardon me?" Midorima stared at Natsumi, not comprehending what the other asked. Did it bother him? Did someone said he was? Well, he was a bit forceful, that is something but not enough to be called as 'jerk'. "Well, being a jerk is one thing but being forceful is a different thing."

"Forceful…" Natsumi repeated, his golden eyes lowering to the marbled floor he stood on. Now he understood one thing, he was being selfish. Selfish in a way he only cares about himself and not what the others feel. Maybe ignorant or arrogant could be the words to describe him more. "This is beginning to worry me…"

Midorima flinched a bit, watching how troubled Natsumi seem to look. He shouldn't had said that, even though it was a bit true but Midorima felt Natsumi was blaming himself of something. Natsumi was easy to read even though the other has his times to be unpredictable at rare times but this moment, Midorima felt that he was witnessing a vulnerable Natsumi. He wanted to comfort the other but his pride wouldn't let him and neither would Natsumi, or could he? "Natsumi-."

"Suyanai!" Natsumi's mother called out from the crowd of dancing couples, making her way over to her son. Natsumi flinched visibly and looked up before scooting closer to Midorima, startling the other. Natsumi's mother was wearing a elegant blue dress accompanied by matching jewelry, her long blonde hair was pulled in a high ponytail to bring out the shining blue color of her eyes, her elegance was flawless and her strides longer. She got to her son faster, not stumbling nor swaying, considering she wore high heels, as she stood face-to-face with her son. "Suyanai, I am very happy to see you again after such a while."

"A long time actually." Natsumi mumbled, narrowing his eyes slightly. Midorima watched the interaction between the two, he couldn't move away even if he tried. "Glad to see you as well."

"Aww, my Suyanai don't be like that." His mother cooed. "I was worried sick about your father leading you to depression-"

"Is that how you think about him?" Natsumi growled lowly, his golden gaze narrowed further while he crossed his arms over his chest like his father would do whenever he was facing a threat of others. "What do you know about my condition? You don't."

"Suyanai, I'm always worried about you. You're my treasure to my eyes, I wouldn't have left you with your father if it weren't for the tight schedule at work." His mother said, trying to reach for her son's face but Natsumi backed away from her extended arm, bumping into Midorima. "Why are you reacting this way, Suyanai? You're becoming a bit of a rebel…"

"Is that so?" Natsumi retorted, his jaw locked. His eyes didn't waver, he stood his ground although he had to move out of reach of his mother. Midorima was starting to question himself whether or not Natsumi noticed he was there. His question was answered when Natsumi seemed to lean on him a bit, probably to calm his nerves that he wasn't alone. Speaking of such, Natsumi's mother glanced up at Midorima with a narrowed gaze, having noticed someone heard and watched what has unfolded.

"Do you need something?" Natsumi's mother questioned, her tone changing from sweet to bitter in an instant in which made Midorima straightened in alert and wary. "What's your name?"

"Midorima Shintaro…" Midorima responded numbly, he could feel Natsumi's back tense, as if he barely noticed he was there.

"Alright then, Midorima-kun." Natsumi's mother paused. "Wha-."

"He's a very good friend of mine." Natsumi hissed in defense, startling his mother. Midorima was surprised that Natsumi defended him, although he disliked familiarities. Midorima noticed Natsumi's mother looking at him up and down with those calculating blue eyes before her expression turned a bit between sweet and bitter.

"Ah, pardon me." The woman forced a smile at Midorima who stared in wary. "I haven't noticed. I thought he was just a guest."

"A guest and a friend." Natsumi corrected.

"Well, I haven't expected you to hang around with him." Natsumi's mother said. "I thought you would be more like your twin brother, Tomui, always hanging around with joyful teens ."

This caught Natsumi off guard. 'I have a twin brother?' he thought in shock. 'Since when? How come I haven't known this?'

Noting her son's widened eyes, his mother sighed. "Your father forgot to mention it, hasn't he? I should had expected this but I guess it's alright. Yes, you have a twin brother. I took him with me so he could live with me in America since your father refused to let me take you instead. He's been living with me since his birth while you stayed with your father, receiving a call from him about his arrival to America."

Before Natsumi could utter a word, a teen approached them, setting Natsumi in alert. The other was dressed casually like any normal teen in his age, his face resembled Natsumi's but the hair and the eyes did not, nor their personality. Midorima noticed these differences. Tomui, Natsumi's twin, had clear blue eyes with long blonde hair exactly like his mother, the air about him was aloofness yet a also calm and collected. If Midorima were to compare the both, Natsumi was more serious than his twin brother's easygoing persona. The blonde twin grinned at his mother before setting his gaze onto Natsumi who glared at him.

"Well, mother, who might this be?" Tomui questioned, an smile adorning his face. Natsumi refused to smile like the other, clearly not liking how this was going

"This is your younger brother, Suyanai." Their mother introduced. Tomui grinned even wider before latching an arm around Natsumi's shoulders and brought him closer for a half hug.

"Nice to meet you, Otouto." Tomui chuckled but stopped when Natsumi pushed him away. "What's wrong?"

"I don't like to be touched." Natsumi mumbled, his eyes narrowed. Tomui blinked at his younger brother, clearly not understanding why he would push him away.

"Ah, sorry. I didn't thought you were a don't-touch-me type of brother." Tomui grinned sheepishly, rubbing a hand on his neck. He noticed that his younger brother didn't seem to buy the joke and made him wonder if his younger brother could laugh or not, so he wanted to test it then. "Doesn't the name Suyanai fit for a girl? Funny how I thought you were going to be a girl, hahaha!"

"I don't see nothing to be laughable." Natsumi retorted, deciding he didn't like his twin brother at all. No, he doesn't hate him, that's going too far. He just didn't like how Tomui acted, he just wasn't used to affections. He turned away from both his mother and twin, directing his gaze on Midorima who stood there, stunned. "Let's go with the others., Midorima-kun."

"Ah, y-yes. Of course…" Midorima said before following after Natsumi. Tomui turned his gaze to his mother, a frowned in place.

"I thought he was going to welcome me…" Tomui said, upset about the exchange with his younger twin.

"Oh, my dear. It's just that Suyanai wasn't expecting you so he might be confused but it'll go away. You'll see." His mother assured him with a smile. Tomui nodded with his own smile, somewhat doubting that the other wouldn't just accept him so easily. He was, in fact, surprised how his twin brother acted and how beautiful he was. He felt the urge to spend his time more with his twin than his younger twin brothers he has yet to meet but he knows he'll love them three the same.

"I want him to like me, mother." Tomui said, sighing solemnly. "Clearly, he is upset. But I don't want to start off as me being the bad big brother to him, he looks as though he can very much take care of himself but who knows what might lie ahead of him."

"You've taken a liking of your brother, I can tell. Sadly, I cannot have a decent conversation with him without him having to coldly respond and turn his back on me." Tomui's mother sighed tiredly. Tomui could only nod, understanding what his mother might be going through that involved his twin brother. 'I'll have to get to know him better so he won't be like he is now with mother…. Let's see what I can do..'

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*The Next Day*

"Why are you in my room, Tomui…" Natsumi mumbled as he sat up in bed, having felt someone was on his bed early in the morning. It irked him that the other didn't know when to respect one's personal space and privacy.

"I wanted to greet my dear otouto. Am I not allowed to do so?" Tomui grinned, waiting for his younger brother's reaction to his sincere excuse before getting off the bed. Natsumi sighed as he got up and stretched before taking off his night shirt, discarding it on the basket beside his night table.

"I don't like people intruding so familiarly, it ticks me off ." Natsumi said as he shuffled his way to the bathroom, brushing his long hair with his fingers to get rid of the bed tangles. Tomui's grin dropped into a frown and followed his younger brother until noticing his said brother shirtless, did his eyes widened and a tint of red ran across his pale cheeks. His younger brother had a nice body, a very good-looking body indeed. He wasn't buffy nor very muscled but had a nice toned body, even has a six pack! Tomui felt a bit conscious of his own body frame compared to Suyanai's. His younger brother was like a perfection!

"Looks like you work out, I don't do much since I don't like being filled with heavy muscles." Tomui chuckled nervously. He felt very nervous around his perfect younger brother, he didn't know why.

"I don't work out. I get my strength from sports, I don't like the idea of being weak." Natsumi said, taking a towel and a robe from the stack before exiting the bathroom. "Go away."

"How rude of you, otouto. And here I thought you'd at least be a bit friendly.." Tomui grinned, trying to make the other smile.

"I don't tend to." Natsumi said, walking past his brother to open the door to the room connected to his own. "Kuroko-kun, I brought a robe in case you'll need it. The bathroom contains only towels so a robe wouldn't hurt, don't worry about the size." Apparently, the Seirin team has spent the night at the Natsumi Mansion even though they had school on the next day but Natsumi assured them to not worry about their uniforms and undergarments so they stayed over again.

Tomui waited for his brother to re-enter the room so he could try again. "Suyanai, do you still hold a grudge against mother and myself?" At this, Natsumi had re-entered his own room and glanced at the other's wavering gaze.

"I hold one with mother but that's in between only us and I don't hold none for you. But I don't like you so leave me alone." With that said, Natsumi exited his room to head to the baths. 'I'm a jerk by heart…' Natsumi thought, biting his lower lip. Even so, he couldn't shake off the idea how his mother hid this information about Tomui and how she spoke of his father. His father could be an idiot when he wanted to but when he wasn't, Natsumi admires his father's confidence, determination and the unwavering leadership. His father was his advisor, his father was his world and he will not have his mother insult his father of such way. However, what really troubled him was Tomui. The twin appeared to be too attached to him like a leech and he found that a bit creepy. Natsumi could not imagine himself as the other, he would let himself be called insane than undergoing to Tomui's level of spoilness or was it really just spoilness? No, there's something else other than that…

"I won't leave you alone until you tell me the reason why you don't like me, Otouto." Tomui said, reaching out to grab for Natsumi's arm but flinched when said other turned to coldly glare at him. It was incredible how Natsumi was actually at the same height as Tomui, though he should have known since both of them are twins.

"I don't need to give you any explanation of my actions nor the reason for why my dislike is on you." With that, Natsumi faced back around and continued walking while Tomui's face shadowed a bit.

"Is it because I've been with mother?" At this, Natsumi stopped, Tomui kicked himself mentally as his younger brother took his time to answer.

"No, it is not. I am proud and happy with being by my father's side because he taught me the ways of life and business. He's the one who saw me grow and mature into a full blossom. Although I won't admit it to him personally, I am very happy and honored to be his son and be beside his wisdom. Mother does not carry what father has, there is no point for me to have gone with her, I could have gotten bored with her lifestyle and demand to be by my father." Natsumi spoke carefully and honest, his form relaxing when he spoke of his father. "He might be intolerable when he wants to but he never left me alone to wander off my duties and knowledge. He has taken me to his meetings often to discuss over his business, mostly he pays half of his attention to the others and the other half for me. The businessmen were interested as to why my father will bring a child into the meeting, until I surprised them with my knowledge of the production of the sales and ways for the business to be successful shall it ever be near a hole."

Tomui was stunned to his spot, clearly admiring how his younger brother talked about their father. He can guess that their father was actually very loving toward Suyanai and not with Tomui staying with his mother. Had he stayed with their father as well, would he be like his younger brother? His brother was perfect in anything and his posture and voice were also perfect.

"Teach me to be like you and father, make me understand what is should be it." Tomui stated firmly, watching his younger brother, this time, glance at him with a raised brow in question. "Clearly, you have matured and I still don't swell good in businesses. I can only do calculations and computation in big industries with mother."

"That is for you to speak with father, I am just his son and student." With that, Natsumi continued his way to the baths, leaving a confused Tomui alone in the hall. Tomui sighed, deciding he couldn't get to at least have a decent conversation with his younger brother so he just went to the dinning hall to receive his breakfast. This Manor was strange, especially the servants. The maids did not look at him in the eyes and would not answer his questions regarding of their work. He then decided to question about his younger brother and got only one of the butlers to answer, even though it was just a bit but worth.

"Master Suyanai was never a mischievous boy that we all dreaded, he was a quiet child and minded his questions and manners. He will speak to us when he wishes company whenever Master Natsumi cannot dine with him at nights due to the work of the corp. He will demand of us to teach him the work around the Manor to distract himself of his boredom, we complied to his wish. He was a good child and a fast learner, a sharp boy indeed. He never complained nor did he ever raised his voice against us and he considered us all as equals to him." The old butler said, smiling at the memories of the young master. Tomui nodded and turned to gaze at the rest, waiting for them to say anything about his younger brother.

"Did he have friends?" Tomui questioned, waiting for one of them to answer. The chauffeur was the one who spoke for the rest this time.

"He was not often seen playing with the children his age. Master Suyanai has always distanced himself from the other children, simply saying that he did not felt quite to fit in." the chauffeur said.

"Master Suyanai disliked being near children that were there to compliment him about his looks and what not. He has a temper but he does not lash out." One of the maids said. Tomui nodded numbly, feeling quite guilty. He had friends during his childhood and he was never one to be shy about socializing. But when he hears about his twin, he felt the need to protect him and lead him to a path to wander with company and not alone.

"I heard he played sports during his childhood. I assume he did very well in them and at least got friends and rivals." Tomui spoke, picking up the fork and knife to slice a piece of pancake with fruits while he waited for the servants to answer.

"Y-Yes, Master Suyanai did very well in the three sports… however…" one of the maids hesitated. Tomui chewed and swallowed the piece of delicious pancake before whipping his lips clean with a white hankerchief.

"I am already aware of Saichi's and Soichu's conditions, don't hinder yourself to explain it to me." Tomui said carefully, his blue eyes flashing with a bit of sadness, thinking how his twin must have felt when going through that drastic conflict.

"We know, Master Tomui. But what we referred to was about Master Suyanai being targeted by yakuza and few classmates of his class…" the chauffeur said quickly. Tomui's eyes widened and he turned to look at the driver with questioning eyes and worry evident in them. "The yakuza were being hired by companies rivaled against the Natsumi Corp. There was a day that Master Suyanai was targeted to get kidnapped just outside his elementary school by the hired yakuza in order to have Master Natsumi pay the rescue."

"S-Suyanai?" Tomui questioned, not believing his ears. 'But he was just a child back then!, However, it makes sense why those cowards would want to kidnap him since Suyanai is our father's joy… ' Tomui thought as he clenched his hands into fists on the table. "Is there still a chance he'll be targeted again?"

"Targeted for what exactly?" came the monotonous question. Tomui started and whipped his head to the other side and saw Natsumi standing there combing his hair while the servants quickly excused themselves and went to do their job, not before one of the maids brought Natsumi's breakfast and left quickly right after. "What were you talking about with them?"

"I-I heard you were once kidnapped during your elementary school days… Don't get angry with the servants, I was the one to ask them questions I shouldn-." Tomui started but was cut off by his twin who glared at him to silence.

"I agree. You shouldn't be asking questions that does not concern you. Yes, I was kidnapped and what of it? Are you wanting to know what they did to me? Nothing really, they just bounded my limbs and one bastard burn his damn cigarette onto my lower back to emphasize that I could not escape. The joy of having them underestimate me has brought me freedom to escape their malicious clutches." Natsumi said, his impassive mask betrayed no emotion and Tomui felt the need to feel them for his twin. "That is all I'm letting you know and do refrain yourself of asking our servants because I will not hesitate to lock you up in a stable."

"But… how did you…" Tomui couldn't bring himself to ask his next question. He's asking too much of his twin and he knows it, though, he just wanted to know what might happen if his twin happen to be in that situation again. No, he told himself, he'll tell me when he wants me to know. I can't force my questions on him because he still might be affected by it and I don't want him to move further apart from me even though he still won't talk to me normally.'With this in mind, Tomui decided to change the subject instead once he saw his twin seat himself across from him, not wanting to sit near Tomui just yet. "I heard from mother that you play in a basketball team."

At this, Natsumi glanced at his older twin with a blank expression before diverting his gaze onto his breakfast. Clearly the other decided not to pester him about his past and was grateful of that, though, he won't say it to the other. "I do, I just started practicing with them. Our match was changed to Monday instead of the previous date."

"I see, that's good to know." Tomui smiled but was ignored by the other so he continued. "What position do you play in?"

"I am comfortable with any position as long as I support my teammates." Was Natsumi's short reply.

"Basically saying you don't have a position but you are the supporting member." Tomui said, still pondering.

"Correct." Natsumi nodded stiffly and proceed to eat his breakfast.

"I see now." Tomui nodded and followed his twin's example in eating their breakfast. Natsumi glanced at his older twin for a moment, pondering whether he should ask the other about the topic. Sensing his younger twin's silent question, Tomui glanced up to meet his twin's golden gaze. "I used to play basketball during middle school, I still love the sport but I didn't have much time to play since I had to complete my studies first."

"What a shame." Natsumi commented indifferently.

"Indeed." Tomui chuckled nervously at his twin's tone of voice.

"What position did you play?" Natsumi repeated his older twin's question. Tomui started at the question but smiled nonetheless and gladly answered.

"I mostly played offense since it was my comfortable position and I was quite good at being the Ace of my team. How I wish I had stayed in it though. Good memories." Tomui sighed lightly, his smile widened a bit as he recollected his memories. Natsumi kept his unwavering gaze onto his older twin before glancing away and continued to enjoy his breakfast. "You know," Tomui started, taking Natsumi's silence a sign to continue. "we should play a one-on-one mini game someday, Otouto."

"Aah." Natsumi just hummed.

"Shall I take that as a yes?" Tomui glanced at his twin for his reply.

"Dunno." Natsumi replied. Tomui raised an elegant eyebrow at the other, not quite understanding his younger twin. 'We're twins and yet I feel we were born not being so, in the meaning of at least understanding his way of communicating..' Tomui thought bitterly.

"Well, how are your studies coming along?" Tomui decided to change the subject so it wouldn't be uncomfortable for his younger twin.

"Perfect." Natsumi replied shortly after taking a sip of cinnamon tea.

"I'm glad to hear that." Tomui smiled and took his mug of coffee to take a sip of it. Natsumi finished his breakfast first and just sat there, pondering on what to say next to his older twin. It still feels out of place when he talks to his older twin, though, they only have the same face but everything else was different. Like two different dimensions, two different worlds he couldn't quite name them yet.

"We are different in many ways." Natsumi finally spoke this time, capturing the other's attention with ease. "I don't understand why we're twins if we have nothing in common. We have the same face but everything else is different. We were meant to be different than the same and it kind of relieves me."

Tomui just stared at his younger twin with widened eyes, not even a thought crossed his mind about his younger twin speaking more than short word replies and it actually caught him off guard. However, he was certain that he must have heard a sad tone in the other's voice even if Natsumi's face remained impassive. Tomui sighed and unexpectedly reach out to take his younger twin's pale and surprisingly soft hands into his own, wanting to feel what the other was feeling at the moment. The first thing that came into mind was that lonely sensation. Tomui stared directly at his twin's golden gaze, trying to read those unwavering eyes that glint with no emotion and glowed with curiosity. He was confused when that lonely sensation just vanished and was replace with wariness but the golden eyes did not, not even the slightest emotion, surfaced in those beautiful golden orbs. They were like golden gates held firm on their own to guard whatever was guarding inside from intruders.

"What if we were actually the same than different?" Tomui questioned slowly, watching Natsumi glance away to think and glanced back again.

"Then I am not an individual but a repetition. A copy." Natsumi replied, his voice firm and strong yet monotonous.

"Is that how you view Saichi and Soichu?" Tomui questioned carefully after seeing a flash of irritation in those golden orbs before it was casted aside again.

"You clearly don't understand what I'm trying to say, Tomui." Natsumi said, his golden eyes lost a bit of the glow. "That is not what I meant."

"Then make me understand your troubles, Otouto. Make me think like you and I'll hel-." Tomui started, giving a slight squeeze of comfort onto the hands he was holding but they broke free of his grasp which made him glanced up at Natsumi's blank expression and dark aura.

"I don't need you to understand my troubles, I can handle them by myself. If I handled them before, I can very much handle them again. Though, it does not mean that I'm keeping everything to myself because my father and brothers know about my troubles no matter how much I try to hide it, they bound to know it and I let them. However, I don't want to depend on them or anyone because it will also cause them problems and I will later regret them. Do try to understand that at least, Tomui." Natsumi said, his golden gaze firm and the aura around him loosened a bit.

"Otouto, please." Tomui started, his tone serious yet gentle. Natsumi wasn't the type to pay any mind of tones of voices, he just knew that Tomui is getting serious now. "We may have been apart but that does not mean I will not worry for your safety and the twins as well. You may be wondering why would I bother worrying but that's how brothers are, no matter if you like it or not."

Natsumi sighed, closing his eyes for a bit while thinking it through. This was not making any sense at all. Everything just happened to get chaotic without him knowing it and it bothered him. He opened his eyes after having heard a chair screech and was taken aback at the proximity of his older twin's face being close to his own. A pale hand caressed Natsumi's cheek with gentleness while blue eyes glowed into his, a gentle smile graced Tomui's lips.

"Otouto, you have wrapped yourself around my heart like a dragon curling around its valuable charge. How can I not worry over my perfect twin's safety?" Tomui chuckled at Natsumi's puzzled expression, unfazed by the affection.

"Perfect?..." Natsumi whispered to himself while his twin continued to stroke his cheek.

"At first, I thought I would be greeted warmly by my three younger brothers and with smiles upon their faces. It has caught me by surprise how you reacted toward me and I felt a bit disheartened at your cold shoulder but I knew you would come to at least trust me, maybe even possibly like me." Tomui smiled with his eyes closed. Natsumi held a bitter face when the other mentioned about the cold shoulder but was confused about the 'like' thing.

"Possibly like you? Are you mad?" Natsumi retorted. "That won't happen so please don't say such things-"

"I'm quite happy about you not saying 'ever'. That gives me hope and motivation." Tomui grinned, opening his eyes to stare at the golden orbs before him with a knowing glint.

"What are you talking about? I know for a fact that there might be possibilities so why try to deny it?" Natsumi said, a bit irritated at the other's statement.

"Indeed. I like the fact of you being honest with me even if you haven't noticed this yourself." Tomui placed his hand upon Natsumi's head to stroke at the violet locks and continued on. "I'm surprised you haven't broken away of my touches, I was sure you would walk away."

"It's just simple touches. It's not like I'll feel it important or anything." Natsumi said, an red animated arrow stabbing at his older twin's chest after his comment, his older twin chuckling nervously at that.

'Such coldness…' Tomui thought with a animated sweatdrop at the side of his head. It was clear to him about his twin's indifference was something that should need to be fixed and he doubt the other wouldn't let himself fix it in a short amount of time. Tomui retracted his hand and sat back down on his chair to finish his breakfast while Natsumi just watched him with boredness. 'I don't think he wants to ask me more questions… His attitude says so and it unsettles me a bit just being under those golden eyes of his…' Tomui thought.

The dining hall was silent once more except for the clatter of silverware the older Natsumi twin was using to finish his breakfast. The younger twin just plainly stared at the other with a blank face and wasn't aware how uncomfortable the other twin was feeling. It was nothing special or surprising to Natsumi, he was used to seeing other people fidget under his gaze and it did amused him only for a short amount of time until he became bored and will turn away to do something productive but now that he stare at his older brother, it did confused him as to why the older of the two would release this air of nervousness when he was just simply staring at him and not glaring. 'I was told that it was a bad manner to stare but I just couldn't help it.' Natsumi thought and exhaled a soft sigh before glancing away. It bored him to stare anyway and he just wanted to go to school now but he had to wait for his teammates to come down and eat breakfast. Speaking of them, the Seirin team appeared at the entrance of the dining hall, chattering about headaches and what not. Tomui glanced up to see what was the chatter and saw new faces entering the hall with Seirin uniforms on. The Seirin's basketball team stopped talking when they noticed Natsumi and Tomui already at the table, silent but the blonde one stared at them with curiosity while Natsumi just looked bored.

"Uhm… Are we interrupting?" Kogein was the first to speak for the others since they all held their breaths and waited for one of them to ask for them. Natsumi glanced at his older brother then back at his teammates and shook his head lightly.

"No, not really. We're done talking about personal matters." Natsumi said and beckoned his teammates to take a seat while the maids, who heard the others chatter from the stairs, served their breakfast. They did but refused to talk and kept quiet throughout the breakfast until Tomui decided to question them, irritating Natsumi in the process.

"May I ask who might you all be? I've never seen you before and I'm just curious to know you all since I get the feeling it won't be the last time that we'll meet again." Tomui smiled at them, trying to ease the tension that accumulated in the air but noticed they weren't going to speak, as if asking permission of a certain someone who can answer their silent question. Tomui glanced at Natsumi with questioning blue eyes as the other was staring at the table but snapped out of his daze when he sensed his older twin's stare on him.

"Ah, they're my basketball teammates." Natsumi replied. Tomui glanced back at the others and was surprised to see them exhale a relieved sigh and they all turned their questioning eyes at Natsumi, briefly glancing at Tomui's direction.

"Natsumi-kun, who might him be?" Kuroko voiced his question and startled the life out of Tomui who hadn't noticed nor even sensed the blue-haired boy's presence beside him. Tomui's widened eyes and paled expression amused Natsumi who let a small smirk grace his lips.

"He's Natsumi Tomui, my twin older brother." Natsumi said, trying to keep himself from smirking wider at his teams' paled and surprised faces. "A shock, isn't it? I never knew it myself until yesterday. Maa, that really caused me trouble to sleep."

"GEH?!"

"T-Twin?!"

"Y-You guys don't even look alike!"

"Are you shitting me, Natsumi-kun?!" Hyuuga growled out, wanting to strangle the violette for lying if he was.

"Like I said, it caught me by surprise as well." Natsumi said defensively. "I didn't know none of this until my own mother said it."

"That's something that shouldn't be kept a secret and yet you're fine with it?!" Hyuuga glared at Natsumi who gave him a shrug and irritated him further.

"I didn't say I was fine with it, I am not. The truth is, I'm really bothered about this and am not happy with mother." Natsumi said, staring at his teammates with interest. "That is why I wish not to speak nor see her at this moment because I am not in the mood for her excuses."

Tomui turned to face his younger twin with furrowed brows and clenched fists. "She has no fault-"

"Tomui, I don't want to discuss it in front of them so please save it for later because I don't want them to worry for another thing before the match today. Can you be considerate?" Natsumi interrupted, bringing his golden gaze onto Tomui who hesitated and thought about it before calming down and nodded.

"You are right, I apologize for my insensitivity."

"We have a match today?" Kagami questioned and received a whack to the back of the head by Riko who had entered the hall and had captured Kagami's question before she could go sit beside Natsumi. "Ow!"

"Have you forgotten already, Kagami?!" Riko growled and sat down on a seat with a huff, not believing that Kagami had actually forgotten about the match.

"Kagami-kun is the worst." Kuroko commented in which Kagami whipped around to stare at him with a shocked face.

"Kuroko too?!"

"Well, I wouldn't blame him entirely. I assumed everyone enjoyed themselves yesterday and had their worries lifted off their shoulders for a while." Natsumi said seriously without his smirk this time. Everyone kept eating but had their attention on both their Coach and their Trump Card. Tomui was amazed how this team really was focused on Natsumi even though they appear to be carefree.

"Tenkio High seems to have only one foreign transferred student since two years ago and was known to be undefeatable afterwards. They haven't gone to the Winter Cup but they will this year, along with two more schools that have gained two more transferred students. They also planned in going to the Interhigh so this shouldn't be a surprise. I already signed us up in the Interhigh and so that is why we are going against Tenkio High in a friendly match."

"With that being said, we can't lose in this and we have to give it our all like in the Winter Cup!" Hyuuga said, had already calmed down after his tempts on wanting to strangle a certain violette.

"Hai!"

Natsumi leaned back on the seat with his arms crossed over his chest and nodded at his teammsates' enthusiasm. Tomui smiled at this and sighed softly before excusing himself from the table and bounded to the other side of the table and placed a hand upon his younger twin's shoulder who glanced up at him with questioning eyes.

"I wish you all good luck." Tomui smiled at Natsumi's team who stopped to watch the older twin and listen. "And also, please take good care of my Otouto at school as well, I won't be able to go to your school since I chose a different one."

"Off with you already…" Natsumi mumbled, glancing away from his older twin but was irritated when the other decided to approach him again at the other side of him with the close distance and blocking his sight on his teammates.

"If anything happens, don't be surprised to see me by your side." Tomui smiled with closed eyes while Natsumi rolled his eyes at him.

"No one asked you to babysit me, Tomui." Natsumi said firmly and wanted to turn away from his older twin but found himself engulfed in Tomui's embrace. "Cut it out!"

"My, my. Otouto sure knows when to deny and lie to himself." Tomui chuckled, ruffling Natsumi's hair while holding him in a playful head-lock. Natsumi mumbled under his breath, not really bothering to get his older twin off of him, and just stayed still while protesting.

"Just go already."

"Fine, fine. See you tonight then." With that, Tomui left the dining hall, chuckling his way out while Natsumi glared at the retreating form of his brother and started to comb his long hair with his fingers. He decided he didn't like him after all.

"Forget what you just saw and ignore him." Natsumi said, annoyed that his bangs got tangled due to the ruffling his older twin did and wanted to do the same on him. "If you're all done, let's head to school. You choose if you want to go walking or by car, it matters not but I want to be in school now." With that, he left the dining hall to go grab his bag but noticed Tetsuya #2 brought it for him so he thanked the cute dog and picked up his bag before continuing to walk with the dog by his side.

"He didn't seem to mind about the head-lock?" Kogein questioned while Mitobe nodded in agreement.

"That guy doesn't even care." Hyuuga said, grabbing his school bag and placed it upon his left shoulder while he waited for the others to do the same. "The only question that bothers me is why does he act like that with his older twin? I can understand about his situation but shouldn't he be blaming it on his parents instead of Tomui-kun?"

"That's how all brothers are, I guess." Izuki said, smiling as an idea popped into his head. "Troubles forgotten and apologies forgiven."

"What's up with that pun?! Doesn't make any sense!" Hyuuga lectured Izuki who chuckled a bit with a sweatdrop at the side of his head.

"Natsumi-kun just needs time to process the fact he has a twin since back then." Kuroko said. Kagami turned to him and pointed an accusing finger at him, eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"What's up with you understanding him so well? Not only that but you two have been getting along pretty well and it kinda creeps me out." Kagami said, capturing the rest of the Seirin team's attention.

"Now that you mention it, it's true." Izuki nodded, thinking about the few times he has seen Kuroko beside Natsumi.

"It wasn't just Kuroko-kun but the Generation of Miracles as well. Ever since the day they met Natsumi, suddenly they started to act a bit different. I can't tell about both Akashi and Murasakibara since they seem indifferent at anything but the other three are quite obvious, especially both Kise and Aomine." Hyuuga explained, they all huddled together to listen their Captain and nod in agreement.

"I've seen Aomine more attached to Natsumi than Kise or is it the other way around?" Kogein started.

"Let's just say both of them," Riko said. "Midorima seems the type to keep to himself like Akashi and Murasakibara but the way he's near Natsumi, he seems a bit talkative or is just my imagination?"

"Either that or has anyone not notice how Natsumi seems attached to both Kuroko and Midorima than the other four?" Kawahara said.

"This isn't making any sense…" Fukuda said, brows furrowed in concentration while they all decided to head out of the Manor to meet up with Natsumi who was already waiting for them outside.

"It's sort of like a love triangle then?" Riko mumbled to herself, her thoughts dangerously falling into her yaoi fantasies but slapped herself mentally to take this serious. Who knew she was a yaoi fan girl? Well, only Hyuuga and Kiyoshi since they happened to be victims on finding unnecessary yaoi pictures in her old phone when she forgot it in the gym last two years. She had restrained herself for reading yaoi mangas due to her dad catching her reading one and threatened to burn it before it could any damage on her. 'Well, if it were to be the case… I wonder what Natsumi might be… Seme suits him due to his indifference and sudden cold self but Uke also suits him…. Wait… why Uke?! I-It'll be h-heaven if he were! J-Just imagining him being U-Uke… That would be a good yaoi manga definitely worth reading!' Riko thought, a pink blush spread across her cheeks just by thinking about the violette being Uke while both Hyuuga and Kiyoshi sweatdropped at her dazed and drooling face.

A shiver ran up Natsumi's spine and he shuddered a bit while looking around before shaking his head and dismissed the idea of someone thinking of him in a romance novel or something.

~.0.~

~.0.~

~.0.~

"Mr. Natsumi-kun, can you please translate this?" Natsumi glanced up at the literature teacher before he nodded and stood up with the small novel in his hands and flipped through it before setting it on the right page and started to read the line.

"My heart throbbed in pain

Though I did not know the cause

Must be poison or must be something else

Hearing the voice of my love strengthens me

I never recall calling it my love

Have been blinded by darkness to notice love

What is love? No one answered me

I knew for a fact I denied a tender thing

I denied its existence and it scared me

With one touch of it, my barriers crumble

One by one they go

One by one they fall

One by one they break

Did I stand exposed to the tender thing

It reached out and embraced me within its embrace

Hot tears cascaded down my cheeks

I wasn't sad but I wasn't angry either

This tender thing

These tender beings had me feeling something beyond

Did such thing existed?

Was I really blinded to ignore its existence?

I felt miserable but I was assured to not worry

They held me, as if afraid I'll break free

No

No more running away and I knew it

That is why I had one job to do

Was to tell these beings how much I love them

To grant us happiness and not despair

It mattered to believe in it now

I was such a fool back then but now it's different

No matter how I was back then

I am glad they saved me from what I had become

A lonely soul with no desire to accept happiness."

"Well read, Mr. Natsumi-kun!" the literature teacher exclaimed and the whole class clapped for Natsumi who nodded and sat back down to ponder about his middle school days. Both Kagami and Kuroko noticed their teammate spacing out again since Natsumi turned to look out the window with that dazed look in his golden eyes. Kuroko turned to look at Kagami to exchange worried glances before glancing back at their violette teammate.

Natsumi stared out at the campus, watching the students walking around during their lunch break. He exhaled a soft sigh as he closed his eyes for a moment to recollect his middle school memories.

~.0.~

*Flashback: At Seitsu Middle*

"Oi Natsumi-kun!" A violette-haired boy stopped and turned slightly to look at the panting student, hugging his books tightly.

"…" Natsumi waited for the other to catch his breath while he glanced around the hall to see if someone would pop out of nowhere and try to surprise him.

"Damn… your… haa… long legs…" the midnight dark-haired boy panted before straightening up and gave the violette a grin before approaching said other. Natsumi tilted his head a bit, questioning eyes bore into the other's emerald green eyes. "I was wondering if you wanted to join me for lunch?"

"No." Was Natsumi's immediate reply and was about to turned away but the other got in front of him to stop him so.

"I admire your style in basketball since kindergarden. I don't think you remember me but I do remember you." The emerald-eyed boy grinned. "I'm Kanou Takashi, nice to meet you."

"…" Natsumi remained quiet and glanced around once again to look for any escape route but found none. He then felt someone flick his forehead and he blinked before glancing back at the annoyed boy.

"It's rude leaving someone to talk by themselves you know!" Kanou said before sighing. "Geez, and here I thought you were talkative like back then."

"Kanou-kun, I need to get to class if you don't mind." Natsumi insisted. Kanou stared at him and sweatdropped when he noticed Natsumi's stance, ready to run for it.

"We're in the same class anyway so let's go then." Kanou said and grabbed ahold of Natsumi's hand and started to run to their class. Natsumi held onto his books and ran after Kanou, ignoring the yells of teachers. They finally made it and they went inside quickly, not wanting to get lectured. To Kanou's annoyance, they weren't late at all and had ran for nothing. He turned to look at Natsumi who already chose a seat next to the window, did Kanou approached him, ignoring the girls' squeals as he sat down next to him and tapped his shoulder to get the violette's attention. "So?"

"I don't like Kanou-kun's friends at all." Natsumi said bluntly, causing Kanou to raise an eyebrow at that.

"Why?"

"… They've been following me everywhere and it annoyed me." Natsumi said with a blank expression.

"Does it have to do with joining basketball club?" Kanou asked, tilting his head a bit to look closely at the other's reaction. As his reward, he received a nod. "It'll be great if you did though!"

"…..Is Kanou-kun in it too?"

"Yep!"

"Then no."

"What the hell?! Why the hell not?!"

"I don't want to."

"What do you mean by that?!"

"It means what it means."

"Makes no sense!"

"Good."

"You're kind of pissing me off you know!"

"Then go sit somewhere else."

"Like hell I would!"

"…."

"…"

Kanou sighed again and slumped onto the desk, putting his head on top of the desk's cool surface while staring at the violette. Natsumi stared right back and his gaze did not wavered at all when Kanou met his gaze.

"Was it because of your brothers?" Kanou questioned softly for only Natsumi to hear him. Natsumi did heard him and broke the stare to glance out of the window, his gaze held no glint and his aura seemed to get colder by the minute spared. "Bull's eye? Look, I under-" Kanou started but was cut off when the classroom's door burst open and in came a devious looking boy with red hair and violet eyes. Both Natsumi and Kanou glanced at the newcomer and noticed how the few students, that were here before them, empty out quickly from the second door.

"That's Seigaru Mitsuyo." Natsumi mumbled lowly for Kanou to hear who nodded a bit. The mentioned student was grinning like a crazed teen and was about to go choose a seat at the back but noticed the two remaining students in the room and approached them with a smirk upon his lips.

"Hey, there. What's up? Is that your girlfriend? She's very cute!" Seigaru grinned as he stood in front of Natsumi who stared at him with disinterest while Kanou fumed.

"He is not my girlfriend…" Kanou hissed dangerously, shoulders trembling in anger. Natsumi glanced at Kanou and was about to place his pale hand onto his shoulder until a hand prodded between his legs, did he intake a sharp breath when Seigaru's breath ghosted on his neck. Kanou stared with widened eyes at the red-haired, not comprehending how he couldn't have heard him move until he saw Natsumi struggle to keep his composure while Seigaru chuckled against his neck.

"I thought he was shitting me about you being a guy but I guess he wasn't lying after all." Seigaru smirked, moving his hand away from Natsumi's guarded area and instead slither it up inside the shirt to feel the skin. Natsumi's eyes narrowed even further as he locked his jaw and clenched his hands into fists.

"What do you think you're doing to him?!" Kanou growled, abruptly standing and fisted the red-head's shirt and raised a closed hand in the air. Seigaru stopped his ministrations and pulled his hands away from Natsumi before grabbing a hold onto Kanou's hand and pulled him to headbutt him. Kanou hissed out in pain, clutched his head as pained throbbed violently and his vision blurred for a while. Seigaru laughed at him before bending down to suck onto Natsumi's neck who was reaching his limit but held back his fury. After Seigaru was satisfied in leaving a mark on the attractive violette's neck, he walked away toward the back to sit as the teacher entered the room.

"Why didn't you stopped him?!" Kanou hissed lowly at Natsumi who refused to look at him, instead, Natsumi abruptly stood and turned his gaze onto the teacher who flinched at his menacing aura and caused the same reaction to the students who re-entered the room. "Are you even listening to me?!"

"May I take Kanou-kun to the infirmary? He has a severe headache and it cannot wait any longer because I don't want him complaining about it to me." Natsumi said firmly enough to cause their teacher to nod numbly and Natsumi grabbed a hold onto Kanou's wrist and dragged him out of the room, not before gathering their bags as well and then exit out of the room. They walked in silence as they hurried toward the nursery. Kanou couldn't hold his anger anymore and broke free of Natsumi's grasp and took a hold of his shoulder to turn him around.

"Are you just going to walk away like nothing happened?! Aren't you even grossed out of what he did to you?! Answer me goddamnit!" Kanou growled but flinched as Natsumi stared at him with those dangerously narrowed eyes and that cold aura surrounding him.

"Don't you have any idea how I wanted to kill him?" Natsumi questioned, his face impassive and no emotion showed in his eyes. "It sickens me how he touched me and I had to restrain myself from getting myself in trouble." Then Natsumi pointed to the red mark that the jerk had left on his neck. "Am I willing to take this? No, I don't. I know for a fact he plays basketball because he was the one responsible for Saichi's injury and I will not take matters too far as to kill him on the spot. So I will join the basketball and let us see which one of us will end up satisfied."

Kanou shivered as he felt like drowning in ice-cold water when he was under Natsumi's icy golden gaze and he didn't like the sudden change in character, it was just not who he liked to talk.

~.0.~

"Let's go, a one-on-one." Natsumi boldly said when he actually showed up in the gym and surprised the other members, including Seigaru and Kanou. Natsumi held his gaze on the smirking Seigaru who bounded over to him and wrapped an arm around his shoulders.

"Aww, aren't you cute with those emotionless eyes of yours, babe." Seigaru mocked and laughed when Natsumi pushed him away, his eyes narrowing in the process. The other members whispered among each other about what might an attractive girl be here if it's an all-boys team and also wondered if he was taken by Seigaru in which disgusted Natsumi further.

"I am not laughing. If you're picking up trouble with me, you've messed with the wrong person." Natsumi calmly said yet his tone held venom. Kanou shivered again as somehow the gym dropped in temperature and wondered if it was a good sign. He noticed the other members put on their sweaters at the sudden drastic change in temperature and he knew it was indeed not a good sign.

"Oh really? I don't believe you can play basketball with that slender body frame of yours, don't make me laugh." Seigarau mocked, not affected by the temperature since he was wearing a sweatshirt himself. "If you're really asking for it, then let's go."

"No, you asked for trouble and I happen to be the one to punish you." Natsumi mumbled as he got ready in a stance while Seigaru dribbled the ball with his left hand. Seigaru smirked and ran forward for a drive, dribbling the ball in between his legs and managed to pass Natsumi's defense. What he hadn't expected was to find himself faced again with the violette teen, surprising him.

'How the heck did he caught up?!' Seigaru thought as he growled before going toward Natsumi's left, knowing the left hand are always weak. He couldn't continue on due to making a mistake in passing the ball from his left to his right and the ball was snatched out of his hand by Natsumi's pale hand. Natsumi ran after the ball and caught it before intending to run toward the hoop but Seigaru got there in a blink of an eye. 'That was just a simple mistake! He won't be able to break through my defense due to my strength and he won't be able to shoot because I'll block it no matter what!' Seigaru thought and smirked at Natsumi who gave him a bored look.

"You're underestimating me, Seigaru-kun. I hold no magic but pure talent, allow me to show you." With that being said, Natsumi ran toward Seigaru's right, dribbling the ball with his right. As expected, Seigaru moved to the right and intended to snatch the ball from the violette but to his surprise, Natsumi took a step back and released the ball, intending to score.

'A fade-away?!' Seigaru thought angrily and reached for the ball and managed to tip it off for a rebound. He smirked and intended to take it until it was forced to slip through his hands and managed to go in the hoop, catching Seigaru by surprise. He landed on his feet and heard the other land after him, did he looked over a glared at the violette who gave him a blank look. "I will not be defeated by the likes of you!"

"Then try proving me wrong." Natsumi said and got into his defensive stance. Seigaaru clenched his teeth together as he dribbled the ball with his right hand before sprinting forward in a head-on drive. Natsumi reacted quickly and blocked his path but was caught off guard when Seigaru made a spin and managed to break into his defense again.

Seigaru was close enough to dunk but Natsumi caught up and was prepared to jump if needed, did Seigaru smirked and made a fake jump to dunk and led Natsumi into his trap. Natsumi jumped to block but was once again surprised to be fooled and now Seigaru had shot the ball. With gritted teeth, Natsumi reached out and managed at the last second to tap off the ball, it hit the board instead of going in. Seigaru was shocked about Natsumi being able to block his shot, in mid-air!

Trembling in anger when he heard the basketball members cheer for the violette, did he, with one swift movement, managed to get the rebound and held it above his head once Natsumi positioned himself to block his path again. Seigaru had enough of being made a fool out of and he took a step forward to give more leverage and he screamed as he jumped. Natsumi jumped as well and caught the ball with one hand while Seigaru applied more force into the ball. Everything happened in slow motion for Kanou and the basketball members as they held their breaths when Seigaru grinned wickedly and applied more force until the ball slipped past Natsumi's fingers and dunked, hitting Natsumi above the brow in the process.

"N-NATSUMI-KUN!" Kanou yelled as he watched in horror when Natsumi landed on his bum and he winced before glancing up at the smug-looking Seigeru who shrugged and went back to a defensive stance on his side. Natsumi got up and dusted himself before straightening and was about to retrieve the ball but felt a sudden burning sensation and he heard like lightening crackling that blocked out other sounds and voices. He stood there, immobilized as the sensation washed over his body and he couldn't quite comprehend what was happening with him and was confused when he saw Kanou with two other members rush to him and started asking him questions but he couldn't hear them due to the deafening crackling sound bombarding in his ears. He felt a cloth wipe away a warm liquid from his brow and caught a glimpse of it until his eyes widened and his vision turned red and it flickered rapidly. The next thing he knew, he felt as though he was drowning in a dark pool with that sticky black goo sticking onto him like slime and he tried to reach toward the light before being fully pulled into the dark pool of darkness.

"Y-You… how could you… be stronger than I am?... You're like… a beast…" Seigaru's words snapped Natsumi out of his dazed state and he blinked in confusion at the trembling teen who have molested him five hours ago. Natsumi stared in confusion and glanced around the gym before being taken aback at the basketball's members staring at him in fear and flinched when they felt his stare on them. Natsumi's stomach turned into tight knots and he felt the urge to throw up but held it as he felt a trembling hand on his shoulder and he glanced back.

"N-Natsumi-kun… that was… what… How did you… become so… good-no, an demonic expert in basketball..?" Kanou forced a smile, as if not believing that was the Natsumi he had met those five hours ago.

"I…" Natsumi tried to speak but felt light-headed and almost collapsed if it weren't for Kanou's fast reflexes in catching him. "That wasn't me…" he muttered lowly.

"Are you feeling alright? Y-You didn't even broke a sweat!" Kanou laughed nervously and hoisted Natsumi's right arm onto his shoulders and slung his own arm around the violette's slender waist to keep him up.

"What happened?" Natsumi managed to ask as he tried to stand on his own but the other wouldn't let him to do so.

"W-Well… you took a blow to your forehead and you fell…. Then you got up and we saw that you were bleeding from above your brow and we rushed to help… then all of the sudden… y-you… you just said it was fine and you still played against Seigaru and the match was pretty deadly to the fact you haven't even given him the chance to score….and you did a lot of moves not even us can handle… so…" Kanou explained lowly but Natsumi still heard him. Natsumi closed his eyes and released a shuddered sigh before reopening his eyes and turned away from Kanou.

"Kanou-kun… that was not me… I play my basketball with vigor and passion… not wildly and destructive." Natsumi muttered as Kanou led them out of the gym, ignoring the stares from the other members. "I don't know what exactly happened, which is why I asked you. But please don't think of me as different person like the one who went against Seigaru because I am not the type to destroy dreams and crush hopes…"

Kanou listened and glanced at Natsumi's shadowed face, wanting to comfort the other but he felt that would offend the violette so he didn't. "I believe you just are starting to realize of your hidden power, Natsumi-kun." Kanou forced a smile when Natsumi met his gaze, his face impassive but those golden orbs told him how tortured the violette felt. "I think it's alright to be scared of it for the first time and it gives you the advantage of knowing what you're really capable of. It may have got you by surprise but the next time it happens, you'll know for sure to hold back until you figure out what you can change the destructive power to a balanced one."

"Hn…" Natsumi hummed before managing to break free of Kanou's embrace and started to walk on his own with a confused Kanou following after him. 'I don't want to depend on a power I still need to tame so I'll try training myself doubled and keep continuing until I won't be needing it at the Nationals.' Natsumi thought. 'I guess I'll stay for Seitsu's basketball club after all… Make them the number one Middle school in the Nationals.'

~.0.~

*End Of Flasback*

"Oi Natsumi!"

Natsumi startled out of his daze and was greeted by a smirking Kagami and a worried-looking Kuroko in front of his desk. Natsumi sighed and stood to pack up his things after asking if the class was over before slinging his bag over his left shoulder and joined along with his two teammates toward their next class.

"What's up with you, Natsumi? Already getting excited about the match?" Kagami teased, glancing at the tall violette who spared him a brief glance before turning to look ahead.

"I should say the same thing for you, Kagami-kun. Your eyes proves you haven't gotten not a wink of sleep due to how excited you were." Natsumi retorted, placing his hands in his basketball joggers's pockets.

"S-Shut up!" Kagami snorted and turned to Kuroko. "Quit laughing, you bastard!"

"I'm sorry.."

"Like hell you are!"

Natsumi sighed and shook his head at their usual bickering before continuing to walk along side with them. They almost reached their next class until, out of nowhere, Riko appeared and startled Kagami while both Kuroko and Natsumi just widened their eyes but remained impassive.

"Can you not do that?! I aready had enough with Kuroko's already!" Kagami growled out while Riko chuckled nervously and apologized afterwards before looking serious and took a hold of Natsumi's arm and dragged him away while Kagami gaped and Kuroko blinked in confusion.

"What's with the sudden kidnapping, Riko-san?" Natsumi questioned as he let himself be dragged by the shorter girl, ignoring the other students' stares.

"I need to talk with you about Seitsu Middle and Tenkio High!" Riko panted out before turning a corner and pushed the double doors of the gym open and continued dragging Natsumi toward the benches where paperwork lay on them in a neat pile.

"What about them?"

"Look at this list of Seitsu's basketball team and then look at Tenkio High." Riko said, handing Natsumi three sheets of paper for him to look at and waited for his reaction to them.

Natsumi raised a questioning eyebrow as he scanned through the Seitsu Middle paper. His eyes widened when he saw his former teammates names and their pictures beside their names. He frowned a bit and turned to look at the Tenkio High paper while Riko was grinning to herself and spoke. "I never knew Natsumi-kun looked attractive with shoulder-length hair, you could had passed off as a girl. Fufufu~"

Natsumi gave her a deadpanned look before looking back at the paper and raised it a bit to hide his face as Riko laughed at him. 'She's crazy.' Natsumi thought. He scanned the names and pictures of Tenkio High until he spotted two of them that looked familiar to him and he took a closer look at their pictures and profile.

"See anyone familiar?"

"I do. Amane Fuji and Seigaru Mitsuyo. Though Seigaru was no longer a regular due to me taking his spot." Natsumi said and glanced at the Coach who nodded and waited for the tall violette to tell her more. "What?"

"I was wondering whether you'll tell me a bit about those two since they used to be with you back then." Riko explained, taking a seat on the bench while Natsumi remained standing and stared at her for a moment before glancing back at the papers and noticed a third paper so he scanned it through quickly before handing them back to the Coach who nodded and placed them beside her.

"It's better if I'll tell you later but for now I'll let you know that Seigaru is one to be 'touchy'." Natsumi said and turned on his heels to go back to his teammates but was face to face with a shoulder-length black haired teen with stormy grey eyes and a small mole below his left eye. Natsumi's eyes widened a bit, his face remained impassive of course while the other stared blankly at him.

"I always wondered where you've gone to but I never knew you would end up in this no name school." The other said lowly, glancing around the gym before settling back on Natsumi's questioning gaze. "I'm just checking how this school is until I found you. It's clearly a coincidence."

"There's more to it, I assume." Natsumi said with the same tone of voice, though, a bit colder. "However, I got a class to attend and you're wasting my time, Amane-kun. We'll save this discussion for later." With that, Natsumi brushed past the other and exited out of the gym. Amane exhaled a ghostly sigh and intended to follow the violette since he skipped his school anyway and hanging around with the violette wouldn't harm him but then he noticed at the confused girl that Natsumi spoke to and just stared.

'Why is he staring at me with a dead expression?!' Riko thought as she kept her gaze on the other.

Amane then let out a quiet snort and walked out, leaving a furious looking Riko who clenched her fist tightly while her forced smile twitched alongside with her right eye.

"Just who does he think he is?!"

~.~.~.~

It seems Amane has followed him into his class because Natsumi could just stare blankly at the other who was at the front of the class due to having the teacher stop him from going further. 'I knew he was somewhat strange but I never expected in this level..' Natsumi thought, glancing out the window after hearing Amane choosing a seat in front of him in which a student gave up to sit somewhere else after glaring coldly at the teacher. 'If he came, he might just came here to bring back news to Seigaru about me being here.'

"Natsumi-kun's teacher is very up-tight. I don't see why Natsumi-kun bothers to listen to a old man babbling on and on." Natsumi heard Amane comment and exhaled a sigh for the nth time that day, not in the mood to deal with the Amane boy.

"Aren't you suppose to be at school, Amane-kun?" Natsumi retorted while closing his eyes and let his head be supported by the palm of his left hand while trying to rest his eyes a bit.

"I told them I would go check up on Seirin and here I am, Natsumi-kun. I don't mind being absent for one day since I got nothing to do at home but study." Amane replied and turned his body to fully face the violette who was resting his eyes. "Does it bother Natsumi-kun?"

"Very." Natsumi mumbled. "Just seeing you here makes me want to take a nap and I don't want that."

Throughout the whole period of class, Natsumi ignored Amane that whole time and busied himself with work while the latter just took a nap. The class has gotten deadly quiet when Amane came in and Natsumi just didn't know whether it was of the latter's presence or anti-social personality. He hasn't even got the slightest idea that two of his teammates, Kagami and Kuroko, were staring at him in worry and weary about Amane.

"Who is that guy?" Kagami questioned lowly to Kuroko who shrugged a bit, blank aquamarine eyes glancing toward Natsumi's back who was busy solving formulas of mathematics. "Natsumi doesn't even talk to him…"

"I may be wrong but I can assume he might be from Tenkio High." Kuroko said as Kagami raised an eyebrow and glanced back at the napping stranger before looking back at Kuroko. "I know, I wonder the same."

"This is kind of giving me a bad spine.." Kagami mumbled to himself, unaware of the professor standing beside his desk until a whack to the head alerted him of his professor being there and sweatdropped.

"If it's giving you a bad spine, I suggest you sit properly by facing forward, Mr. Kagami!"

"H-Hai.."

"Kagami-kun is an idiot."

"S-Shut up, you bastard!"

"Mr. Kagami!"

"G-Gomen!"

"Ah, Kagami-kun really likes finding himself in trouble." Natsumi mumbled but Kagami heard him since he was sitting right behind the violette and said Tiger restrained himself of wanting to poke-stab Natsumi on the ribcage. Natsumi knew this and he let a small smirk grace his lips while closing his eyes again and finished off another question before moving on to the next.

"Even Natsumi-kun agrees."

"Shut up, Kuroko!"

~.~.~.~

"So he's from Tenkio High?" Hyuuga questioned as everyone gathered in the gym, ready to set off to Tenkio High.

"He's almost the same height as Natsumi-senpai!" The 2nd years gasped as Amane stood beside Natsumi with a bored expression on his face while the violette's remained impassive.

"Only half inch shorter." Riko said, still not happy with that brat. She didn't understand why he was even here in the first place and she wanted to kick him out so bad. "Anyway, is everyone here?"

"Hai!"

"Good! Then let's go!"

"Natsumi-kun's Coach is that girl?" Amane questioned, walking beside the violette who gave him a brief glance before facing forward again as they all exited the gym and started walking to Tenkio High with the both of them leading.

"Don't underestimate her, Amane-kun." Natsumi warned, closing his eyes and kept walking like that, surprising Amane.

"I did no such thing, Natsumi-kun. But Natsumi-kun should be careful where he goes or he'll end crashing into pole and that'll ruin his beautiful face." Amane said, staring at Natsumi, waiting for the other to open his eyes but the violette didn't and didn't even got out of the sidewalk. They continued walking for about another hour and they finally could see Tenkio High coming in view behind a public park. They only needed to go around the park since going through it wasn't a wise idea due to the fencing that surrounded it.

"It's actually not that far?" Kawahara questioned, slinging his sports bag onto his left shoulder to balance out the weight.

"It looks like a public library." Koganei said to Mitobe who glanced up at the building's structure and didn't know what to think of it since it seemed very high schoolish than what Koganei commented.

"It is not. You'll like the gym though." Amane said as he gone ahead to talk with the security guard to let them in. Natsumi leaned against the marble wall as his team waited in front of the gates, chattering about the exterior of the big building in front of them. Natsumi sighed and let his head rest against the cool surface of the marble wall as the breeze of the autumn wind caressed his bangs and pale but beautiful face.

"I wonder what might Kanou-kun be doing." Natsumi mumbled to himself and didn't move from his spot when he sensed a presence in front of him without opening his golden eyes. "It's been a while after that graduation. I thought you weren't up for basketball again but I already knew you wouldn't let things just slip your grasp," Natsumi paused for a moment before opening his narrowed eyes to stare into violet orbs that held amusement and something else he couldn't quite comprehend. "…isn't that right, Seigaru-kun?"

Seigaru stood in front of the violette, hands in his pockets and his hair pooled around his neck since he must have let it grow a bit longer and the bangs covered his left eye but Natsumi could still see his left eye when the breeze caressed it. Seigaru didn't say anything as he stared at the beauty in front of him, pondering whether to say a greeting or just pull that slender waist toward him. He let out a small smirk grace his lips, noticing that Natsumi has gotten quite taller and only beated Seigaru with a whole inch. Those golden orbs held no emotion in them but lightening and his violet hair has grown longer than the last time he saw Natsumi with that shoulder-length hair.

"We meet again, huh? This time, as enemies." Seigaru said, bringing his hands out of his pockets and placed them on either side of Natsumi's head on the wall. "I'll make them see who you really are, mark my words, Natsumi. What you showed me back then, you'll scare them away. Keep this in mind that if that were to happen, you'll be all alone again."

Natsumi's eyes narrowed even further and he closed them before letting a cold and sinister smile grace his lips in which Seigaru felt a bit intimidated just by seeing it up-close. "I've dealt with that sensation once before and I can assure I can handle it again no matter what you say to me because together with my team… we'll defeat you at the Interhigh." At this, Natsumi slipped out of Seigaru's trap and followed after his team with a cold air around him, walking alongside with Kuroko and Kagami. They turn their questioning eyes on Natsumi but he payed them no heed and he only wave it off. Seigaru watched them go through the gate and he also got back in the school's campus, a predatory smirk on his features.

"I'll make you swallow those words, Natsumi-kun. Because it is time for you to accept reality."

~.0.~

~.0.~

---

Author: I am very sorry for not updating since a long while. I have problems with my Internet and since I moved out of my old house, it's going to take a while to get Internet back so I can update more chapters. I made this chapter quite long as my apology to you all and I hope you still like it. Again, please bear with me guys! I have to use my school's Wi-Fi and I think I'll be writing shorter chapters but please bear with me! Again, I am very sorry and I hope you still review.

Ciao Mio Amicos!

-Raiden Out-