Welcome back and thanks for waiting! I wanted to thank everyone who has been supporting this story and all the newcomers who recently favorited and followed. I hope you're enjoying winter.

Hey yuilan, thanks for reviewing. I also feel the same way about Aomine ^^ Well, I hope I can clarify with this: (Ch. 34) Right when Sayumi was about to tell Aomine "Daisuki," Momoi interrupts because she thought Sayumi was going to say "Daikirai (hate)." Momoi had the intention to save Aomine and Sayumi's developing relationship, but instead added to the misunderstanding (sort of). But the one Momoi is still crushing on is Kuroko.

Now:

Chapter 35

Aomine grabbed the basketball and with one hand, mercilessly slammed it into the basket, sending terrifying shock waves through the gray pole. Kise watched as the ball rolled slowly to his blue and white basketball shoes.

"Aominecchi." Kise picked up the basketball and threw it at the tanned boy dripping with sweat. "You win this time."

Instead of taking a drink of water and drying himself with his towel, exhausted Kise chose to lie down on the hard concrete floor. There was no wind to cool his heated body and so the cold floor felt good against his skin. It had been a while since the two had a serious one-on-one game of basketball. It was extremely tiring, but it felt good—they could both agree on that.

Aomine joined the model on the floor after throwing his white towel around his neck. He left the ball on the floor and allowed it to roll back and forth in between them until it came to a halt. Kise began laughing when he realized that Aomine was panting just as heavily as he was. Too tired to respond, Aomine simply closed his eyes and relax.

"By only one point." Aomine opened one eye to look at his ex-teammate. When he caught his breath, he pushed himself up and turned to Kise. "This won't happen again. I won't let it." After mustering his energy to sit up, the blue-haired boy fell back down in his reclined position and exhaled. He then turned and faced upward at the dark purple sky.

"You don't ever go easy on anyone," Kise paused to catch his breath, "except Kinenocchi, huh?" Kise looked at the light produced by the lampposts that lit the entire basketball court.

"That girl," Aomine began, "how can I not go easy on her?" The former let out a deep sigh, arousing the curiosity of the boy sprawled out next to him.

"She is troublesome. Isn't she?" Kise thought back a little. Over the past week, all she did was avoid him whenever he tried to get close. At work, she was too busy scurrying from one room to another. And the only time she ever seemed relax anymore was when she was with the big idiot lying next to him.

"That stupid girl," Aomine grumbled to himself. He shook his head, trying to get her out of his mind. Even without being physically present, the thought of her bothered him.

"I feel," Kise looked at Aomine who cushioned his head with his arms, "if anyone were to see us, they'd think we're idiots." Kise brought his right arm over his eyes.

"But no one is here today."

It was a strange day. On the same morning, Akashi was indirectly restricted to house arrest by his strict father who still struggled with overlooking his son's "rebellious stage." Midorima's horoscope advised him to stay home and after school, he didn't think twice about heading straight home. Murasakibara entered himself into a dessert-eating contest, in which he already secured a winning position the second he signed up. To increase the dwindling numbers, Kagami called Kuroko to tell the others that he was a little busy.

The basketball players who did end up showing up noticed the unfamiliar atmosphere that surrounded them that night. The park was completely void of the usual the squeaking of shoes, rhythmic dribbling of a basketball, and the annoyingly adorable laughter and voice of Sayumi. The only sound that fought the frightening silence was the panting of the two basketball players, and that was dulling too.

"Kinenocchi is hiding something," Kise finally decided to say his worries aloud. The blonde looked at his friend, hoping to find out the reason behind her recent behavior. Much to Kise's surprise, Aomine produced a frown.

Taking his chances, Kise continued, "Did she say anything to you?" Aomine preferred not to share too much of his personal life with the blonde, but his friend's worried look prompted him to overcome his selfishness.

Aomine opened his mouth, but closed it again and went into deep thought. After a little internal contemplating, he licked his lips and voiced his own worries.

"She and I got into a little fight." Aomine looked at the crescent moon lined directly to his vision. "She lied to me."

"Are you sure? Kinenocchi isn't that type of person," Kise immediately defended.

Aomine too wanted to believe that Sayumi was not lying. But what he saw was no lie either. The stressed Touou ace clenched his hand into a fist and pounded it painfully onto the floor.

"And just when I wanted to get mad at her, she throws me off and tells me she's worried about me." Aomine looked sternly at the understanding listener. "Do you understand how stressful that is?" Kise nodded. He understood. Aomine was crushing hard on the same girl that caught his own interest.

"Do you know what throws me off the most?" Aomine placed his palm on his forehead, "I think something's wrong with me." Aomine recalled the incident from earlier on in the day. "Before Satsuki interrupted, I heard Sayu say something."

Kise didn't move from his current position, but listened intently. "What?"

"I could've sworn she was going to say "Daisuki" but Satsuki keeps telling me she was going to say that she hated me." Aomine released his fist and once again allowed the blood to smoothly flow throughout his hand.

Complete stillness followed Aomine's words. The navy-blue haired boy took a minute to close his eyes and temporarily relieve his mind of any more thoughts of the matter.

Kise, on the other hand, couldn't stop thinking. He knew that Aomine was right. Aomine did not hear wrong. Sayumi probably did confess to him. The blonde model sensed that Sayumi smiled the most whenever with Aomine. She proudly wore matching shoes with Aomine. She would always use Aomine's towel and give her water bottle to him in exchange. And she would always let a childish grin slip from her small mouth whenever Aomine gave her a high-five after a good game. In a way, it had to take an idiot to not notice her feelings.

"I'm thirsty!" Aomine complained, stopping Kise from his deep thoughts.

"Why don't you bring your own bottle next time?" Kise asked, hoping to confirm something.

"Habits."

Kise thought to himself once more. Sayumi's actions were not unrequited. Aomine also learned to adjust himself to the girl's presence. A sharp pain pierced through Kise's fragile heart the minute he allowed himself to get upset. For the longest time, he told himself to act earlier, and yet, he was still late. The blonde model was disgusted by the strong feelings of jealousy and disappointment turning inside him. Although he harbored special feelings for Sayumi, as a good friend to both of them, he knew the right thing to do was to simply tell his thickheaded friend.

"Aominecch-"

"I don't want to hear or think anymore about this." Aomine sat up. Kise looked at Aomine in surprise. "I liked life when it was only just me, you, and the guys. Let me try to forget about her at least for now." Aomine stood up and threw his sports bag over his broad shoulder. "Besides, it's not like she's going anywhere." The tall boy waved his hand and headed out of the park.

"Aominecchi!" Kise's voice stopped the dark figure just before he was out of sight. "Go find Kinenocchi and talk to her." Kise felt the urge to just stop and let his ignorant friend walk out, but he knew he wouldn't be able to forgive himself if he didn't at least make one last effort. "She's probably waiting for you." Kise looked at Aomine with the same seriousness that he showed on the courts.

"I was not in the wrong."

Kise watched as Aomine discarded his advice and disappeared into the shadows. Overwhelmed by the sudden burst of emotions, the blonde model dropped down to his previous reclined position and closed his eyes.

…..

Kise fell asleep on the courts for a good hour or two before he was awakened by a strong nudge to his side. Kise slowly removed his arm that shielded his face from recognition and glanced up at the familiar face looking down at him.

"You look like an idiot." Kasamatsu, captain of the Kaijou basketball team, held out a reliable hand and helped his trusted teammate up.

Within seconds of standing up, Kise let out a loud sneeze. The Kaijou captain then scolded his younger classman for sleeping outside covered in sweat, in which the latter apologized readily.

As the two basketball teammates walked out of the park, Kise turned to look at his captain in wonder.

"How'd you know I was here?"

"I was just going for a jog. I needed to clear my mind," Kasamatsu revealed. He scanned the freshman's face. "Seems like you got something on your mind too."

"Yeah." Kise looked down quietly as the two continued walking.

"Let's get a drink." Kasamatsu turned to look at a distressed Kise. "On me."

…

"I can't play ignorant anymore." Kise lifted his glass of Arnold Palmer (Kasamatsu wouldn't allow for anything else) and poured it down his throat. "Aominecchi really lives up to his nickname (Ahomine!). How can he not know about Kinenocchi's feelings?" Kise put his head down on the counter.

"Are you jealous?" Kasamatsu was as direct as ever.

"Yes," Kise immediately replied. "But I don't mind stepping back if it means Kinenocchi would be happy with Aominecchi." The blonde looked down at his empty glass and ordered another.

"How'd you know she'd be happy?" Kasamatsu questioned, still curious about whom this "Kinenocchi" was.

"It's obvious. She smiles when she's with him." Kise looked distantly into space.

"Doesn't she smile when she's with you too?"

"It's a different smile."

"Does she smile at Kuroko and them?"

"Yes."

"Does she smile at them like she does you and Aomine?"

"She smiles differently to everyone," Kise clarified, but then traced back his own words. Kasamatsu nodded when Kise seemed to gain back some optimism.

"Here's some advice from your senior: some things need to be chased after."

Kise stared at his respected mentor.

Kasamatsu continued, "Love isn't something you should give up so easily. This is your happiness we're talking about."

After seeing Kise nod in agreement, the captain stood up and gave his ally a brotherly pat on the back before leaving the enlightened boy alone.

…

"Why is it that each time I'm the one who witnesses you crying?" Kagami patted the girl's head. Sayumi had her face buried in his chest, muffling her little sobs. The redhead sighed and quietly patted her head until she calmed down.

After wiping away her tears with the back of her hand, she looked up to a disappointed Kagami.

"AH! Kagami! I dirtied your shirt." Sayumi sniffed and pulled out a pack of napkins and blew her nose.

"Why you…" Kagami gritted his teeth. "If you had napkins…"

"Why are you here?" Sayumi asked, further aggravating the redhead. Not hearing an immediate response, she looked up at the boy. "Hmm?"

Kagami was the confused one. He knew nothing about why Sayumi began crying outside Kuroko's house. Neither was he too eager to find out.

"I was just passing by since I'm still early for the park." Kagami looked at Sayumi who didn't even seem like she was listening since she was too busy wiping his shirt.

"Oi. I'll wash it myself later. Are you okay though?" Kise looked at Sayumi again before she started crying once more. "Ah. Stop Kineno. Man up."

Kagami wasn't sure if he used the right words, but it worked. Sayumi blinked away the surfacing tears and then looked at him, ready to answer his question of concern.

"I'm not okay." Sayumi smiled weakly. "But I'll manage."

Kagami looked at the small figure pull out the last napkin from her pouch and blow her nose into that.

"Girls shouldn't be that disgusting." Kagami mentally scolded himself for another misuse of words.

"I'm manning up, Kagami." And Sayumi once again responded accordingly.

After looking at Sayumi in her terrible state, he pulled out his phone and dialed Kuroko's number. When the girl tugged his arm, Kagami brushed her away until he finished recording his message that he was not going to play that night.

"Kagami. You don't have to skip for me."

"Too late. I already told Kuroko to tell the others. I'll walk you home."

"Even after I did that to your shirt?"

"Kineno. You're not funny. And I'm worried about you."

Sayumi looked at the kind-hearted Kagami and agreed to let him escort her all the way back home.

After confirming that the crying girl was in good hands, the faint shadow disappeared from the second floor window.

…

"What's wrong?" Kagami persisted in asking. They were already at the doorstep of her residence.

"Nothing." Sayumi continued to refuse giving a direct answer. "I'm going up first. Thanks for taking me home," Sayumi said quietly. She turned and waved at the worried boy.

"Kineno." Kagami's voice pleaded for her to rely on him, but she didn't have the heart to—not after her encounter with Aomine, the one she thought she could rely on most.

"You should go home. Good night, Kagami." Sayumi closed the door behind her and went up to take a shower, hoping to wash away her feelings.

…

After taking a long hot shower, Sayumi walked out, dazed and still gloomy. She looked at her clean room: everything was packed up. She knew she postponed it long enough and so she got up and walked to her phone that she placed on her table. She punched in her parents' number, but before hitting the call button, she suddenly felt a strange feeling tugging at the back of her heart. A little unsettled, she got back up and walked over to the window.

What are you doing Sayumi? Kagami can't possibly be…

Much to her utter astonishment, right down the window, Sayumi saw the redhead, standing in the same place she left him. The shocked girl hastily lifted up the window and peered out.

"Kagami! Go back home!" Sayumi panicked.

How long has he been there? It's so cold.

The stubborn redhead stood still. He looked straight at Sayumi, unflinching from the cold wind.

"It's dark. What're you doing?"

"What's wrong, Kineno?" Kagami was determined to get an answer.

Sayumi recognized when Kagami was serious. Once he makes up his mind, one had to literally beat him down to even tell him to change his mind. The frantic girl quickly ran down the stairs and opened the door.

"Kagami. It's cold." Even cracking the door open, Sayumi felt the cold. "Please go home," she implored. "Don't make me worry."

Sayumi honestly didn't know what the redhead was trying to accomplish. She couldn't simply close the door while her friend froze out there.

"Then don't do the same to me," Kagami said softly. There were no signs of anger in his eyes, just candid worry.

"Bakagami!" Seeing him stand out there for her and unable to stand her own selfishness, Sayumi slammed the door and ran back up to her room.

The frustrated girl blinked back tears. She didn't like it when someone cared so much. She didn't know how to respond if they did. And here he was. Standing in the cold just to make sure she's all right. The girl threw on a heavy jacket and grabbed something off her chair and raced back down.

Sayumi opened the door once more, greeted by the sight of Kagami standing in the same place. She ran out and looped a long red scarf around the boy's neck.

"It's cold," Kagami said, letting out a sigh of relief that his actions finally reached the girl.

Sayumi could see Kagami's breath meet with the cold air and was instantly struck with guilt.

"You should go home."

"I didn't wait so long to hear you say that. What's wrong? You've been acting distant recently. And now you're crying."

Sayumi took in a deep breath and finally decided to share. She didn't really have a reason to hide it any longer. It was too late to change anything. The only thing left for her to do was make a phone call to her parents.

"My landlords are going to leave for two months. If I want to stay in Japan, I need to find a new place to stay." Sayumi cast her eyes down on the floor, unable to face the redhead.

"When are they leaving?"

"They're leaving tomorrow. I also plan on going back to the States tomorrow." The saddened girl forced a smile. "I'm going to miss you."

"Why didn't you tell me and the others?"

Sayumi swallowed the tears that were fighting to come out. "If I told you guys, and you guys don't find me someplace, you guys will feel guilty. I don't want that."

Unexpectedly, Sayumi found herself being pulled in by a strong arm around her shoulders. She fell forward into the warm chest of the boy in front of her.

"Idiot. Why didn't you just tell me?"

Sayumi looked at Kagami apologetically and ducked her head lower. Now when she was asked aloud, she herself believed her own excuse was a little weak. If she trusted her friends, she should've just told them. But she knew that finding out now was too late anyways, or so she thought.

"Kineno. You can live with me."

Sayumi's eyes widened as she processed his sudden offer. After looking at his eyes and confirming that he was serious, she felt warm tears stream down her face.

"On one condition." Kagami paused until he got the girl's full attention. "You don't need to tell me anything. Just promise me that you'll smile again without having to fake it. Can you do that, Kineno?"

Sayumi nodded. Even if she couldn't now, she would learn to later.

…..

After giving Kagami her suitcase to bring home first, Sayumi left her parents a message:

"Kaa-chan. Tou-chan. This is Sayu. I'm going to stay at my friend's place. I wrote the address below. You can send me things there. And don't worry about me. I'm fine. I didn't withdraw from school either. Thank you. Love you guys."

…..

Sayumi sat on her bed and reflected on everything that happened that day. Many thoughts flashed in her mind. She was clouded with agonizing thoughts and feelings of Aomine. She curled up in her bed, trying her best to suppress her tears.

You don't need to tell me anything. Just promise me that you'll smile again without having to fake it. Can you do that, Kineno?"

Kagami's words suddenly sounded across Sayumi's distressed mind. And right when she thought of the redhead, her phone vibrated.

{Text from Kagami}: I'm tired.

{Text from Sayumi}: No one told you to stand outside for so long. You're an idiot.

{Kagami}: Yeah. If I wasn't, I wouldn't have met you. Night.

{Sayumi}: Wait. Can you not tell anyone about this?

{Kagami}: About what? You crying or you hiding your secret?

{Sayumi}: All that and me moving in.

{Kagami}: I wasn't planning to say anything.

{Sayumi}: You're a good friend.

{Kagami}: Just noticed?

{Sayumi}: Night.

After pondering a little longer, Sayumi turned and looked positively at the mushroom she still kept beside her.

"Take-kun, we found a new home," she whispered before falling asleep with a smile.

Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Merry Christmas everyone!