Chapter 13
It had already been hours since the Seirin basketball boys scattered to look for Kagami's girl (tutor) individually. Kuroko glanced at his phone. 8:30pm and still no calls. That meant that the other members had no luck finding anyone either. The shadow boy moved swiftly and unnoticed through the populated streets and made a turn at the next corner where all the restaurants were located.
...
After Sayumi finished subbing for her absent friend's cleaning duty, she rushed to the park and stayed there ever since. The ball, unfortunately, stays MIA. The girl noticed the dark sky and knew it was time to retreat for the day. She exited the lonely park and turned at the corner to the street lined with food shops.
...
Kuroko couldn't help but notice the golden-brown haired girl who sat on the table in front of his. He also couldn't help but overhear her talking on the phone.
"Dad. Mom. It's me. I'm sorry I didn't call back for so long. I promise I'll give you a proper answer soon, but for now, I don't want to go back to America yet." Sayumi stow away her phone after she left the message for her parents. The long-haired girl stood up, pulled down her school skirt a little, grabbed her unfinished vanilla shake, and left the restaurant. She didn't notice the shadow following behind her as she headed back home alone.
...
This can't be happening again. Not two nights in a row.
Sayumi pretended to stroke her hair as she glimpsed at the man dressed in black. She recognized him from the fast food restaurant she ate dinner at.
He wouldn't try anything in public right?
Suddenly, the girl felt a blow on the back of her head.
"Ow." Sayumi turned around to see what hit her. She saw an empty soda can rolling back and forth near her feet. "Why'd you throw that at me?" she asked befuddled.
"Give me your wallet," the man ordered.
Sayumi examined the speaker and noticed that he was unarmed. "You didn't have to throw a can at my head to get my attention, did you?
Wait. Out of all the people, you chose to rob a school girl? If you want money, you should just apply for a job like the rest of us. This was definitely his first time attempting robbery.
The man threatened again and flashed out a pocket knife. Sayumi looked at the knife.
It would really hurt if I got stabbed. But I can't give him my wallet. Aomine-kun may actually be hiding the basketball from me and lied to Kise about leaving it in the park. I NEED the money to pay him when I bump into him again and to pay next month's rent. Keeping the wallet is the better option. If I get stabbed and die, I'll see Koukai-nii. But if I give him the wallet, I'll lose the money, get stabbed, but just lightly enough to not die and not have anything. My parents would then force me to leave Japan to go back and live with them and I won't have my basketball with me when I do. Wait. What am I thinking? I should probably check out the situation one more time.
Sayumi turned to look at the man she originally ignored, but looked around aimlessly. The man was no longer there, but the pocket knife was sitting on the cement.
What? I could have sworn there was a man.
Sayumi turned around to go, but bumped into an invisible object and fell backwards.
"Are you okay?" asked a boy with an outreached hand.
"Yeah. Thanks." Sayumi grabbed the pale hand and got up. She smiled and looked up at her helper. She stopped when her eyes met his.
"Thank you for chasing that guy away. I didn't suspect that he'll follow me all the way from the restaurant. When did you arrive?
"I was eating at the same restaurant."
Sayumi stared in disbelief, but then remembered that she wasn't really the alert type.
"This is probably the first time we met. My name is Kineno Sayumi." The girl stuck out her hand in which he shook.
"I'm Kuroko Tetsuya. We met once before."
"We did?"
"Yes."
"Like in a tunnel?"
"Yes."
"You were the thing I bumped into in the tunnel."
"Yes."
"I thought you were a ghost."
"More like a shadow."
"Oh. Then double Thank you Kuroko-kun. You saved me twice."
Gosh. I hate owing favors-especially more than one.
"Hey Kuroko-kun. If there is anything I can do to thank you, just say so. I'll be glad to help."
"I followed you to ask for a favor. I'm glad you offered to help voluntarily."
"I'll help only if it's legal and doesn't cross over any boundaries, but Kuroko-kun looks decent enough. Ask away."
"I overheard you in the restaurant speaking fluently. Were you raised in America?"
"Yeah, but I moved here with my brother three years back. So if it's like bringing something over or bringing something back, I don't think I can assist."
"Can you help tutor a friend of mine in English?"
"If he's willing to learn."
Kuroko's face lit up. He found a tutor for Kagami. For free too. "Can you start tomorrow?"
It's either pay off my debt I owe to someone who saved me twice or search the park for my missing basketball AGAIN.
"Out of curiosity, how long do you need me to tutor for?"
"He just needs to pass his next test."
"When's his next test?"
"Next week."
"I'm not sure if I can help him too much in such limited time."
"He needs to pass."
"I don't want to fail you. If the test is very important, I think he's better off getting help from someone more professional."
"We can't find anyone else."
"Is it that important?"
"If he doesn't pass, he'll be kicked off the basketball team and banned from further games." Kuroko looked at the girl seriously. "Basketball is his life."
"Let's exchange numbers." The two swapped phones and punched in their contact information.
"Tell him to meet me in the public library tomorrow. There shouldn't be too many people since it's the weekend. Remind him to bring all his books."
"Thanks."
"Don't mention it. By the way, I've been meaning to ask. That night in the tunnel. It was you who threw the basketball right?" He nodded. "You were also the one who tapped my shoulder right?" He nodded again. "Phew. I thought it was a ghost or something. What you did with the lights was clever. I took that chance to escape."
"I didn't do anything to the lights."
"Oh, really?" Sayumi's eyes widened. "Um. Kuroko?"
"Hmm?"
"Which direction is your house?" The boy lifted his finger and pointed in the same direction as the girl's house.
"Let's walk together then." The two found out that they lived only a few blocks away from each other.
"Kineno-san. Thanks again."
...
When the girl came out of the shower, she went over to her phone.
{Text from Kuroko Tetsuya}: Kineno-san. I don't think I can make it. I told Kagami-kun already so it'll only be him at the library tomorrow.
{Text from Kineno Sayumi}: No problem. How do I identify your friend?
{Text from Kuroko Tetsuya}: Big. Tall.
{Text from Kineno Sayumi}: I'll keep an eye out.