Note: Sorry for the constant edit update! (This update system thing is really hard to use/ not even working ;A;) But because I made some major edits to this chapter beforehand, I want to make sure that most people actually read the new version or else the next chapter wouldn't make sense...at all XP
Please excuse this!
Wow I'm very grateful for your words of support! Reading the reviews makes me grin every single time!
To Esperanz, Sleeping Sheep, animefan106, Higashiyama-san, and Takara Yume:
Shoot you guys are scaring me. I'm not going to say anymore than this before I'm completely found out! ;A;
In any case, please enjoy part 3!
EDITED: Ahaha when I saw there was no cliffhanger I went..."what?!" and looked and wow, I forgot a pretty important part. Sorry, this is what happens when you're going crazy because you missed Kuroko's B-day deadline by 30 minutes and it being midnight *heartbreak*
Forever Gold
If Kuroko could define the picture in a few words, subconsciously he would've chosen that.
It was the words of their golden, youthful, moments of joy after all.
Inside said photo was Kise, looking slightly younger than today sporting his Teiko jersey. He still wore the same dazzling smile on his face but this time, it was more joyful as tints of gold enhanced his features, a slight blur here and there for the image to become absolutely mesmerizing.
Beside him, contrasting the summer gold was another teen with one of his sun-tanned arms swung around the blond and the other hand clasped around his own face as the swarthy male cocked his head up—laughing.
A wan bluenette appeared beside the tanned male and with a curt yet undeniably warm smile, had his hand outstretched as Kise shot him a high-five.
The rest of their color gang were ambling towards the trio, each in their own apathetic manner yet, none could deny that hint of a smile on their lips.
The lights of the court a tint of gold onto their respective hair colors, giving the whole image a soft feel, perfectly reflecting their youthful days together on the court, the beautiful memories of them and basketball.
It was something that suited Kise quite well, especially since that day, was the first game they won after Kise became a regular.
A wave of nostalgia panged through the wan phantom player as he recalled the events that transpired, the laughter, the cheers and the aftermath—where they took Kise out with them to "their" spot for the first time at the convenience store. Of course, a lot of chaos ensued but nevertheless, that was their golden days.
"Kurokocchi? What was that for?" Kise quizzically asked, sucking Kuroko back into reality. The sun was nearly setting, a dark haze of dusk melding in with the gold.
"Ah, I just wanted to test out this camera." The blank-faced youth calmly responded.
"Oh I see. It does look pretty old Kurokocchi but, may I see the photo? I wasn't really prepared so I don't know how I looked in there!" The model exclaimed worriedly.
"Hah? What are you, a girl Kise?" Kagami scowled.
The blond only let out a dilapidated sigh. "Ahh...Kagamicchi that's so mean! I'm still a model you know? It's a rule for me to always look good in pictures!"
Somehow, Kagami felt an urge to punch the guy. God he was annoying, everyone in the Generation of Miracles was annoying!
Yet for once, Kuroko didn't join in on his motion. With a ghost of a smile, he reassured, "don't worry Kise-kun, you look beautiful in here."
"Ah?" Kagami turned to his partner, wide-eyed. Did he seriously just say that?! What did he see?
"Eh?! B-beautiful?! Calling a guy beautiful isn't a compliment though Kurokocchi!" Kise whined.
Kuroko simply smiled. "But…it's true. It really is beautiful…your most precious thing that is." He whispered, the last comment barely audible as the blond stared quizzically in response. He peered over at said photo.
His golden irises widened in shock.
"Eh? This photo...how can this be here?" He breathed incredulously. If he recalled, Momoi once took a photo similar to this but, this photo came out of the camera. Moreover, to Kise, despite seeing the same courts and the same equipment for every single home game, Kise somehow knew this was a photo from his first game alongside the Generation of Miracles. Something foreign yet nostalgic gripped at his heart, warmth engulfing it as the sensations from back then, in that second, that were once lost, ghosted along his senses…until he felt this unbearable pang of longing, for those forever golden days.
A lump formed in his throat.
"Ah Kise-kun, it's best if you don't look at it." Kuroko suddenly voiced, shuffling the photo away.
The teen blinked. "E-eh?" Voice softly released with an uncharacteristic croak. He was completely caught off guard.
"You see, Kiyoshi-sempai said it was a camera that makes other cry so it's best if you don't look."
"O-okay?" Kise released, not exactly comprehending yet at the same time, very much so. The quiver in his heart began to subside, something that might've made him verge to tears and, being someone who experienced the same thing, Kagami instantly recognized that for once.
Wow, he didn't expect that happy-go-lucky Kise to hold something so immense within him. Reflexively, Kagami drew his eyes towards his shadow, wondering if Kuroko knew of it beforehand before once again, he caught that look in Kuroko's eyes, causing a strange sensation to scuttle through the red-head. He didn't know how but, there was this indiscernible aura that would snake itself around Kuroko. Just like his partner, it had no scent but…Kagami knew that it was undeniably there.
It was when Kuroko was contemplating something…something that was supposed to be locked in the depths of his heart.
But, it was as if Kise broke through that, ever so slightly.
In the end, Kuroko responded in his ever-nonchalant way before continuing down his route towards Maji Burger, completely hacking off possible conversation. Naturally, the two left behind caught up, all with varying degrees of confusion. Yet, it didn't take long for Kuroko to "misdirect" Kise's attention elsewhere.
However, Kagami was different. The power forward thought he understood Kuroko pretty well but…perhaps there was more that to this than he thought? Moreover, he didn't expect he would be right. After their short tryst ended and both sides gave their farewells, something peculiar passed Kuroko's lips.
"Kagami-kun, could you tell Kiyoshi-sempai that I won't be able to attend practice tomorrow?" The bluenette abruptly requested.
"Huh? But the Winter Cup starts this Saturday!" His partner exalted. They needed to train as much as possible!
For a second, Kagami swore that a nearly painful smile passed the shadow's visage but, due to the wave of blue that promptly obscured the wan boy's face, he couldn't be too sure. All he knew was that once again, Kuroko became incomprehensible.
"I know…Kagami-kun but…there's something I must do. Please tell Kiyoshi-sempai for me." The boy asked again, this time actually BOWING before Kagami. He knew the boy always acted polite, but not to him! Never to him. It was so unexpected that he accidentally choked out an unintelligent "m-mhn", interpreted by his partner as a "yes".
Yet, he didn't expect his sempais to agree so readily.
"Okay, Hyuuga said it's fine," Kiyoshi cheerfully notified the following day.
"H-huh? Is it really okay?" Kagami gaped. Kuroko didn't even bother to make an appearance, an act that would've made both Riko and Hyuuga attempted to go headhunting yet, they were completely fine with this?!
"Yup. Kuroko has something important to do doesn't he?" Kiyoshi smiled.
"Yeah but…" Kagami was confused. They were accepting such abrupt things unusually well. Now that sounded beyond suspicious.
Yet, Kiyoshi didn't say much. "Well Koga said he had something to show me so I'll go first," he explained, turning on his heels as he joined the others on the other side.
With the slight squeak of his basketball shoes rubbing on polished wood, faintly, Kagami heard something pass the Center's lips. "It's fine…to do a bit of photography at times."
He wasn't exactly right, nor was he exactly wrong.
Out in the heart of the city, Kuroko Tetsuya ambled down the streets towards a department store looming many storeys above him. He blankly stared at its LED-lit sign before he strode in, feeling a rush of warm air color his cheeks.
His mother had asked him to buy a new rice cooker at the store. Due to the unprecedented events yesterday, by the time he remembered, the store had closed. Considering that today was the last day said rice cooker was on sale, he couldn't afford to miss this chance. Yet concurrently, that was probably an excuse.
Somehow, the wave of nostalgia that emerged from Kise's photo led the wan boy to recall a few things locked into the crannies of his memories, ones he never thought he'd retrieve…until now anyways.
He scaled the escalators up to the 3rd floor and turned at the next intersection, walking towards the arcade. If he recalled, the gang constantly played there and continued to do so whenever Midorima would reenact his urgent demand for possible "lucky items".
Kuroko never understood that concept, especially how the announcer only announced the item on the day it was prepared for, giving the gang quite a lot of grief whenever Midorima decided to create stockpiles. Naturally, an arcade was a wonderful place to collect strange trinkets and plushies.
However, never would Kuroko have expected to find Midorima so quickly, that whorl of green emphasized by the shooting guard's height made it impossible for Kuroko to miss.
He seemed to be having trouble…with the crane game.
Kuroko could feel the déjà vu already.
"Um…Midorima-kun?" Midorima Shintaro heard amidst his intense concentration to retrieve a stuffed frog.
First it was by a baseball bat and then it was by Momoi. (NG SHU and FANDISK) He could no longer afford to have his "Kerosuke" damaged and broken…, which was why he resorted to plush toys.
"Hah? I'm busy here Takao don—"
Midorima suddenly blinked. Wait, Takao doesn't call him anything other than that annoying nickname. Wait…could it be?
He instantly swept his eyes below, meeting a fluffy tuft of powder blue.
Immediately he jolted back, unintentionally knocking the joystick to the right before his "Kerosuke" plopped back down into the basin, the words "LOSEEEEE DX" flashing provocatively.
"Ah!" Midorima released as he stared at the toy frog, somehow sinking down into the crater of plushies. A vein abruptly popped as he whirled back to the wan youth, standing blankly beside him as he promptly scowled "KUUROKOOO!"
"Yes, good afternoon Midorima-kun." His former teammate responded in a spitefully calm tone. Another vein popped at his impassive response.
Although, instead of spewing out a string of reprimand, Kuroko only saw the teen release a sigh. He wasn't sure if this signified growth or because he was simply too accustomed to it.
Kuroko leaned to the latter.
"Kuroko, I have no idea why I've been subjected to this unpleasant greet from you but, I suppose you're aware at what you've done?" He demanded, forcing his tone to stay even.
Kuroko blinked. Did he finally learn the concept of anger manag— um, self-restraint from being around Takao too long?
"…Well, if you mean that by me interrupting your inevitably failed attempt at getting that toy frog then yes, I am." Kuroko bluntly expressed.
Mt. Midorima blew.
Nope, self-restraint was still impossible. He cared too much to stay calm. Yet, amidst Midorima's continuous rant of fury, Kuroko released a curt grin.
Well, that was also what he liked about him, even if he did find him to be an oddball.
"I understand Midorima-kun, it's fine if I compensate correct?" Kuroko confirmed as he slipped a coin into the machine and placed his seemingly delicate hands onto the keys. In truth they were calloused and hard from handling the ball too often but in return, they became deft. With a few nanosecond long clicks and maneuvers, a stuffed frog dropped out…the largest one out of the whole machine.
Midorima gaped. This one was at least 3x bigger than the original and slightly bigger than the claw itself. How did he—no, he knew what Kuroko was capable of long ago.
It had been a year since Kuroko left Teiko basketball team and through that time, Midorima had long stopped allowing himself to depend on others for anything. Even Takao was quite helpless against crane games. Kuroko was the only one…and he had forgotten it.
"Ah right, you were good at this." The verdant teen murmured with a slight push of his glasses.
"Thank you for your compliment. This will serve as compensation right? For probably all your attempts at the crane game today." Kuroko deadpanned, causing the male to cringe.
"Ngh! How did you know?!"
"Well, Midorima-kun was always unbearably bad at this."
Immediately the shooting guard clenched his fist. Nevermind the cranes games, he had also forgotten Kuroko's most irritable points! "Oi, are you making fun of m—"
*Snap!*
A dazzling light followed, blinding a hamster with luxuriously long eyelashes. "Wha?" Midorima squinted before his vision settled onto the blunette…with a camera and a picture in hand.
"Ah sorry Midorima-kun…but, that frog seems to cost a lot more than I initially thought so is taking a picture like this okay?" He heard the boy confirm, deep azure eyes meeting emerald green.
"…What are you doing Kuroko?" Midorima demanded, instantly noticing how strange this all was. As far as he knew, Kuroko wasn't into photography and him suddenly snapping pictures of others seemed quite abnormal to the male.
Yet, Midorima also realized that the male stopped meeting his eyes. They were downcast, hidden by a mottle of blue.
"?" What was this about?
However, the blunette never replied. "Well Midorima-kun, I'll be excusing myself. Originally I came here on an errand after all," Kuroko immediately bowed, politely removing himself from the conversation.
"Hah? Hey wait Kuroko!" Midorima cried in confusion but, as expected of a "shadow". The moment he left Midorima's attention was the moment he disappeared.
He could no longer see his former teammate stride away, a picture of the Generation of Miracles in hand, together in a messy array at the arcade. As usual, Midorima's scowl was there though again he looked younger, more dynamic with his hands angrily slapped onto the crane machine shooting a yawning Aomine a scowl-glare who was probably and usually the cause behind Midorima's misfortune.
Actually scratch that, they all were with their incredibly colorful personalities.
Of course, Kuroko was beside Aomine, turning to Midorima as if to say something which from experience, generally seemed to add upon Midorima's frown line. In fact, that was the very reason Kise was blocking Midorima from maiming the light and shadow duo, attempting to make amends but failing due to Aomine's incredible apathy to Midorima's anger.
In fact, Kise was gaping both Kuroko and Aomine in tearful shock while the swarthy male had his mouth popped open, probably slipping out something disastrous once again.
Akashi and Murasakibara were in a corner, staying neutral to it all as one handed the other a Jalapeno pepper cracker, a new brand only available at said arcade. By this point, as long as they weren't disturbing others, Akashi was quite lenient on them.
Kuroko smiled. If Midorima actually saw this, things would definitely become troublesome but…even so, he couldn't help but feel a slight twinge of joy.
"So even after all that, Midorima-kun still treasures this the most?" He murmured, contemplating the word Takao once described the shooting guard as. Hmm…was it a "tsundere?"
But again, he never disliked that, in fact, he was grateful. Midorima picture unexpectedly represented their nonsensical joy, the bulk of their bonds. That was enough…for Kuroko to decide something, something concrete.
Back at the arcade, Midorima Shintarou stayed stoned, toy frog hugged into his arm. Suddenly his cellphone began to ring, playing a rather dull standardized melody.
He flipped it open, skimming through the contents of a text message.
To: Midorima Shintarou
From: The Annoying One
MIDORIMACCHI! ＼(o)／DO YOU KNOW WHAT A CAMERA THAT MAKES YOU CRY IS?! KUROKOCCHI TOOK A PICTURE OF ME WITH SOMETHING LIKE THAT BUT HE WOULDN'T TELL! o( )o ｏ( )o
Oh and please don't ignore me again Midorimacchi!
From,
Kise Ryouta ～（ゝ。∂）
Midorima frowned and no, it was not just from the sheer irritation he felt from receiving such a heavily emoticon layered message.
"…A camera that makes you cry?"
He knitted his brows...and promptly delivered a call.
*Click*
"Oh? Now what may I owe this call to Shintarou?" A velvety voice asked on the other end.
"Oi Akashi, a camera that makes you cry...you had something like that before didn't you?" Midorima intoned.
"...I did."
"Kuroko's going around with one, are you related to this?"
A pause.
"...Tetsuya is?"
Back at the Seirin gym, Kagami Taiga sighed as he sunk into the bench, chugging down the contents of his water bottle.
"Working hard I see," Kiyoshi greeted as he sat down next to the red-head, taking ahold his own bottle.
"Yeah." Kagami replied, sucking in a breath before exhaling just as hard. Practice was extremely rigorous but on the other hand, he needed every ounce of improvement as possible.
But even so...Kuroko still left.
"Um, Sempai, did you knowthe truth about it? That Kuroko's photo...was actually empty?" Kagami suddenly inquired.
Kiyoshi didn't even seem slightly fazed. "Mmh? Well why would you think that?"
"Cause you gave him that camera. Did you want him to take pictures of the Generation of Miracles in the first place?"
Suddenly, Kiyoshi's eyes grew serious. "Oh? So Kuroko did start something like that."
Kagami narrowed his eyes. "Why would you get him to do something like that?"
Kiyoshi seemed surprised. "Hmm? No, I just told him he could have the camera. He did that all on his own."
The red-head was clearly unsatisfied with this answer but, he knew that getting angry would do him no good. "But do you at least know why he's doing something like this?"
Kiyoshi smiled. "Hmm well, Kagami, what do you think of Kuroko's mentality?"
"Hah?"
"Just asking."
Kagami furrowed his brows. "Well…he's a scrawny guy and barely has any expression but he's always very straightforward and positive I guess? Oh, and he can say some pretty embarrassing things at times."
Kiyoshi nodded at his reply. "Hmm, but then, don't you think that's slightly contradictory to the environment he grew up in?"
"Huh?"
"Well, he was always with the Generation of Miracles, great geniuses that even made me want to quit basketball after only one match. But he stayed with them for 3 years and you heard that he apparently quit the team right? But…he's still 'positive' and 'straightforward'. Don't you think that's a bit strange?"
Kagami blinked. "T-then what's going on with Kuroko?"
"Well, this is just what I think so who knows what the truth is but, don't you think he sometimes overthinks things a lot?"
"Overthinks? Well, sometimes he does manage to come up with some deep stuff I guess and…sometimes, he would become…" Kagami suddenly jolted up as a surging memory rushed through him. At the time when they versed Aomine and he rendered Kuroko's passes useless, Kuroko grew strangely agitated, almost…desperate.
He was supposed to be the "quiet" and "calm" one after all with his deadpanned expressions. Moreover, despite giving them the speech to never give up, right after, he was dead silent.
"So you remembered something," Kiyoshi smiled.
"Y-yeah so…he might overthink but, what about it?"
"Well, why would someone overthink? Because they're troubled right? And why would someone be troubled? Because they're afraid—of repeating the same mistakes."
"Ngh! What?!" Kagami gaped, words not registering in his ears. "Kuroko? Afraid?" Kuroko saved him many times over, saved them all the time and with that frail body of his, carried more spirit than anyone else. How could he be afraid?!
Kiyoshi's smile didn't waver. "Calm down Kagami, relax,this is usually how it is with ordinary people. With me, Hyuuga, Riko, and all the others but...Kuroko always been different hasn't he?"
"Hah?" Kagami looked dumbstruck. Kiyoshi's words seriously didn't make sense in his ears.
"Oh but hmm, you know, at the same time though...don't you think Kuroko's a genius? In his own right anyways?" The Center suddenly added.
"What?" Kagami bulged out his eyes. He just said he might be afraid!
"Well, he stayed with them for 3 years in the face of that talent while people like me were crushed in 1 game. That can also be interpreted is ingenuity right?"
At this point, Kagami was twitching with rage. "Hah? But you just said he might be afraid sempai! Which one is it?!"
Kiyoshi beamed a goofy grin. "Hmm? Who knows? This is just what I think anyways."
The red-head gaped at his sempai, feeling the same rush to strike his as Hyuuga.
"But well...what would you think, judging by the looks of Kuroko? Would you think he's a genius? Or a coward?" Kiyoshi intoned, eyes serious once more.
Kagami sighed. "Obviously the first one. There's no way Kuroko would be afraid."
Kiyoshi smiled. "...Then that's good. Hopefully you're right Kagami."
A vein snapped. "HAH?! You mean you don't know?!" He disparaged.
"Hmm yup, I don't really know but…There's one thing that definitely is true."
At this point, Kagami was finally ready to snap. "Yes?" He asked through gritted teeth.
"Well, Kuroko probably made you take another picture right? And you were the first to look at it?" Kiyoshi confirmed.
"Huh? Y-yeah?"
"Then…doesn't that mean, right from the beginning, he knew he was empty?"
Kagami blinked.
His eyes widened in realization.
"Then...if he's going to the Generation of Miracles...did they have something to do with it?"
"Hmm...well, maybe they did. You remember right? That for a while, Kuroko hated basketball."
"Y-yeah?"
"Well, what got him to take it up again?"
Outside, as Kuroko saw the drizzle of autumn leaves tumble down from a tree above, he heaved out a breath, watching it dance in front of him before it dissipated.
He knew who he was going to see next—Aomine Daiki.
It was the only way…he could save himself.
"Ahh... Oi Tetsu, don't keeping me waiting like this. If Satsuki didn't drag me here, I'd still be home sleeping." Kuroko heard a low gruff voice call as he stepped towards a swarthy male, towering nearly 30cm above him.
Kuroko glanced up, meeting a narrowed gaze engulfed with a black darker than night. He was supposed to be the "light", yet, the stronger his "light" shone, the darker his eyes became, not even reflecting a hint of that shine it held before- the shine that was the beginning of everything for Kuroko.
Kuroko narrowed his eyes. "...So you aren't planning on going to practice?"
Aomine didn't catch the anguish hidden within his words. "Of course, it's boring anyways. The only one who can beat me is me."he continued eyes lowered to that tuft of powder blue. "No one can beat me, not even you."
EDITS MADE:
Midorima speaks to Akashi after Kuroko leaves
Longer convo between Kiyoshi and Kagami (new info)
Kuroko meets Aomine
But lol I hope you guys liked this chapter, especially how I did the Kise scene and the Midorima scene. Hopefully I didn't disappoint with the quick setting changes (wow, short stories are hard in this sense!)
OH and a note: Sorry for the miscommunication. For Murasakibara's scene, I actually want to try out an idea a reviewer gave me so that's why I didn't write that out. No, I'm not going to skip Mukkun! (just that...Aomine's scene and Akashi's scene will be...exceptionally dark LOL)
Thank you very much for the support~ I'm so glad you guys enjoy this story and hopefully you'll continue to do so!