A/N: Thanks for all the support as usual, guys.

In this chapter, a new perspective would be introduced, and hopefully more often as this story progresses. This is going to be the actual starting point where I start altering things in the manga to fit this story.

There is one TheOutsiders reference in this chapter by the way, just for the joy of those who read that wonderful book.

Anyway, enjoy!

Chapter 11

"None of us desired change – but that didn't stop anything."

"Satsuki, where are you going out at this time of the night?"

"Just a short jog! I'll be right back!"

Momoi Satsuki shut the door, as she squeezed her thin feet into her tight, worn out sneakers. Pulling down her cap, the female made her way towards the basketball court – the one where they always met together.

"… Dai-chan?" She called out, as she saw the tanned boy throw a free shot into the hoop. He was wearing his dark blue sweater and baggy jeans. "Make it short. I need run back home soon. Geez, who calls a girl out during this time of the night?" She sat down on the dusty bench, as the male laughed a little.

"You're a girl? Never knew."

"Dai-chan!" She threw a pile of fallen leaves towards Aomine, as he placed himself next to her.

Comfortable silence fell over the pair. Their silence was never awkward, long or short – considering the amount of time they had known one another. "Hey, Satsuki." The boy started. The girl just listened. "I… don't know what to do anymore."

Momoi's eyes fluttered open, as she turned to face Aomine. He went on, staring dreamily at the night sky. "Basketball… it's boring now. I can't even bother to tell Tetsu about it – she just seems so- so… energetic, you know? And since we're titled that fancy Shadow or Light or something… I can't let her down. But to be honest, there weren't any interesting opponents these past few weeks. Haizaki quit the team yesterday – who knows what's gotten into him. All those strong guys just happen to be in Teiko… There's just… no spice to any game I play in, you get what I mean?"

"… I guess." She responded. Kuroko Tetsuya. That's all Aomine ever talked about nowadays. The pits of her stomach felt empty whenever she heard that name. She wasn't jealous – really, she wasn't. Jealousy was an emotion that was only felt when you had the slightest hope that you'd be able to end up with whoever your crush was. Momoi knew Aomine was never going to like her back – therefore there was no such thing called jealousy pooling up in her mind.

"Coach Shirogane keeps on saying that the time will come – that there are plenty of stronger players that I can fight against in this world – I mean, there are billions of people on this whole Earth, you know?"

"You still didn't fight against any of the Uncrowned Kings." Momoi remarked. "There must be plenty of players out there to entertain you."

"Think about the reason of why they are 'Uncrowned', Satsuki," Aomine retorted, "It's because they are inferior in terms of skill, compared to the Generation of Miracles. Players like them do not interest me. They're not even on the same team – it'd be impossible for one of them to beat all five of us."

The pink-haired girl gave the latter a sympathetic look. Aomine had always aimed for the top. Momoi was always next to him when he was doing so. He climbed, stumbled, and ran towards the finishing line, rushing past people that couldn't catch up to the tanned male's level. What Momoi and Aomine had both expected was a beautiful view at the end. A prize, a satisfying result of becoming the 'best'.

But there was nothing at the top.

Nobody dared to challenge Aomine. Nobody could reach Aomine. Aomine couldn't stretch his abilities any further – if he did, it would be eternally impossible for anyone to be at the same page as he was. So the male waited – he patiently waited, until a 'challenger' arrived. But Momoi could see, that he was starting to run out of that patience.

"You just have to wait, Dai-chan." She mumbled quietly. "Even though somebody may not appear right now, during your middle school years, in high school it would be different. The Generation of Miracles would all be separated into their own teams – you are no exception. You would be able to fight against them, and meet some other worthy players." She stood up, her hands in her pockets as she walked slowly out of the court. Turning back, she smiled at the male. "You'll find someone, Dai-chan."

Aomine stared at her for a while, skepticism in his eyes. But he smirked back, and walked out of the other side of the court. "Thanks, Satsuki." With that, he left. Momoi's eyes remained plastered on Aomine, until he vanished from her sight. She was always gazing at his back – ever since they had met, ten years ago.

As she went home, she passed a convenience store and found Kise packing up in it, through the glass. She beamed and waved at the blonde who looked oddly grim. He then spotted her, and eventually brightened up and waved back. The auto doors opened as Kise jumped at her, squeezing her shoulders. "Momoicchi! Why are you out here, this late? Well, I'm out pretty late too, so I guess I shouldn't be saying anything. But anyway, wanna walk back home together? We go the same direction, right?"

"Sure." Momoi responded, slightly overwhelmed by the optimism of Kise. "Ki-chan, why are you out in the convenience store till this late?"

"Don't call me Ki-chan- and well, I do shifts, you see. I quit working, but then they said they needed somebody so I volunteered. What were you doing?"

The girl just thought about her answer for a while. "Just," she shrugged, "taking a walk."

"Oh." Kise nodded. Then they went on in awkward silence. The two were on good terms in general, but most of the time they didn't have a proper chance to talk to each other alone, personally. When they conversed, it was with all the Generation of Miracles and Kuroko gathered in one place.

"Hey, Ki-chan." Momoi broke the glass. "Do you like basketball?"

Kise blinked. "Of course I do!"

"Why did you join the basketball club?"

"Well… Aominecchi, I guess. He was so cool when he had that match in the court you know, it was the first move that I couldn't mimic! And well, the sport itself got exciting when I actually started learning it, and Kurokocchi was there too – we're really great friends, you see, as I told you before. And then I met everyone else… Midorimacchi is kinda scary, and Murasakibaracchi is okay… Akashicchi is kinda scary too, but I thought the whole team was really friendly and nice, and I got attached." Kise babbled on for a while.

"In the future…" Momoi pursed her lips together.

"Players like them do not interest me."

There was nothing at the top.

"In the future?" Kise repeated, leaning in to look at her. "What in the future?"

"Never mind." She shook her head, and then stopped walking. "This is my house. I'll see you tomorrow, then!" Waving once again, Kise slowly nodded and mumbled good night. Momoi closed the doors behind her. Pain twisted inside her chest, as she squeezed it and sunk to the ground.

Please hold on, Dai-chan.

"Game over, Teiko wins by 198 to 34!"

"198 to 34?"

"Are you serious?"

"Dude, don't even mention it. The last time they went against the… I don't know, the 5th most powerful school in the prefecture, and they won by 203 to 7! Man, that was amazing."

"The only reason the other team gained up to 34 points is because they have one of the Uncrowned Kings, right? Hanamiya Makoto, was it?"

"Man, he was an aggressive player."

"Well, being a third year is tough."

Teiko walked off the court in nonchalant triumph. They seemed so cool – so cool, to the point where it seemed like they had no emotion (as if they were the Socs from the Outsiders) – albeit the fact that they were the victorious team. The Generation of Miracles was in the lead of the huge first string group, along with Kuroko who had a slightly hardened expression.

"Hanamiya was a rough player, wasn't he?" Kise chirped.

"Hmph. I could've gotten all those 100 points if it weren't for Aomine." Midorima fixed his glasses, wiping the moist surface.

"They were weak. We were strong. The results won't change." Grunting in disappointment, Aomine wrapped his head with his large hands supporting it. Kuroko glanced upward at the male, concern flashing in her eyes, as she looked back down at the floor. She had rarely passed to him in the match. They didn't do their usual fist punch after it, too.

Murasakibara sluggishly made his way through. "Mine-chin, the coach will scold you again if you get so full of yourself."

"Bull shit. Tell him to do what he wants to – see if I give a shit. I was looking forward to the match a little bit because they all had that big talk about the Bad Boy and all, but he was just… weak in the end, compared to the five of us together." The ganguro clucked his tongue, as Akashi shook his head.

"That's not the ideal comparison you are capable of making, Aomine. Like you said, there was one of him, and five of us. If you include Kuroko, then that makes six. It was an unfair competition – and that's all there is to it." Aomine rolled his eyes at the captain's intelligent comment.

"I would've beat him to it all by myself, anyway."

This response of Aomine bothered Kuroko. 'By myself.' It wasn't 'By ourselves'.

"Tetsu and I would've beat them easily to it ourselves! Right, Tetsu?"

She wasn't included in the sentence anymore. Surely, he could've forgotten. Or maybe he never considered themselves as partners from the beginning.

"I can wait."

Are you still waiting?

Kuroko clenched her fists as she inhaled a deep breath. Murasakibara looked down and leaned in towards her pale face. "Kuro-chin, are you okay?" The female jumped – she didn't know whether to appreciate how fast Murasakibara noticed the condition of others, or not. He seemed like a simply dense, tall center, but he was actually sharp when it came to instincts and reading situations.

"I'm fine." She smiled a little, as Murasakibara nodded and stood up straight again. The tall male was concerned. Teiko was changing. Aomine wasn't enthusiastic, Haizaki had left, Akashi always seemed paranoid, and… Murasakibara didn't like it. He didn't like it one bit. It was unnecessary. If only they could stay the way they were – just like that day they had all went to the convenience store together – it was already nothing but a vague memory.

Murasakibara Atsushi himself had never enjoyed basketball as much as his teammates did. He still didn't understand why he felt so inclined to join the club. He disliked basketball. He disliked sports. So many people that didn't give up on the game participated in sports. So many talentless people, not giving up on the hope of winning against the other team until the very end. It was like hoping you would be chosen to win the lottery when the results were already out.

But at the same time, it wasn't like he hated his team. He liked hanging around Akashi, who was always levelheaded and calm, leading the team through their hardships after Nijimura had departed. Although he was on the worst of terms with Midorima, they were still capable of having an ordinary conversation. Aomine and Kise got on his nerves now and then, but they always traveled to the convenience store together, using Kise's money. Kuroko… the girl looked weak. Murasakibara would usually ignore weak things – but Kuroko looked so fragile, so gentle, so kind – that Murasakibara was afraid of what would happen when she broke. So he tried in his own way to protect her.

Of course, it wasn't love. Well, yes, it was. Love, but not in such a romantic way as Akashi, or Haizaki… or Aomine. He felt like Kuroko's guardian, having to guard her from the dangers that were soon to approach. Nijimura's words had always bothered him for a while – that the Generation of Miracles wouldn't be able to be by her side until the very end. But who will stay by her side if they don't?

"Murasakibara, don't laze around and move!" Midorima grunted, as the giant just shrugged, and walked forward to catch up with the rest of the team.

Haizaki Shogo exited the stadium. He inserted a few coins into the vending machine, picked up a can of coffee, and sat down on a bench. It seemed like his weekly routine, to go see all the matches of Teiko. It wasn't like he had any regrets left. He was nothing but a troublesome player for the team. It was a miracle that he had been accepted into first string.

"Why…"

"… Haizaki-kun…?" Kuroko awkwardly stood there, not knowing what to do or say. She just waited until the male seemed calm again. Haizaki sighed through gritted teeth, and let her go. "Hai –"

"Don't." He grumbled, picking up his bag and throwing his shoes back into them. "Forget what happened just now." Glancing back at her in a nostalgic manner, Haizaki opened his mouth. "Forget that I was ever on the team. Forget that day. You don't owe me anything. Forget Haizaki Shogo. I'm just a troublemaker of this school that is always tardy to his classes, in homeroom 2-B. You are Kuroko Tetsuya, the phantom sixth man of the basketball team. It's better off that way."

"Haizaki-kun." Kuroko's eyelids fluttered. "I'm sorry everything happened."

Haizaki would've said it wasn't her fault if he was in the right mind to speak any more. But he wasn't. "Whatever."

Until the end, he couldn't ever say anything close to the lines of 'I loved you.'

"Loved… huh." Haizaki opened the can and gulped the dark coffee down. That was wrong. He still loved her. There was no other reason why he continued to squeeze in the time of coming all the way to the arena where the games were held, as he watched the Generation of Miracles played together.

Her hair grew longer – it now came a little above the midpoint of her back. She was also slightly taller, maybe by about two centimeters. She looked more exhausted, and duller. She wasn't shining. She wasn't smiling, either.

He wondered if the Generation of Miracles noticed. He wondered if they noticed the things he did. The things that constantly changed about Kuroko in the span of two years. How the seasons were rapidly changing, and as they did, so was the girl.

"You're like a stalker, aren't you?"

A feminine voice approached him. Haizaki looked up and saw a pink-haired girl – someone he recognized fairly well.

"Satsuki." He smirked. "What the heck are you still doing here?"

The girl's expression softened, as she sat next to him. "Just, my house is nearby, and we don't have a meeting after this, so we can go straight back home." Scratching her knee, she put her folders to the side and tied her shoelace. "On another note, what are you still doing here?"

"I was bored." It wasn't exactly a lie. He was bored. He had finally decided to indulge himself a little more in his studies, as he had neglected them for so long.

"You were bored on every single day Teiko had a match for the nationals, these past few weeks?"

"Yeah."

"You're lying."

"I'm not."

Momoi stiffened a little where she was standing. Haizaki simply tossed the can to the trash bin and groaned in fake exhaustion, rubbing his eyes as he cracked his neck. She had a hunch of why the gray-haired male visited every single one of their matches. At the thought, the grasp around her folder tightened as she looked down on the floor. What would happen if the Generation of Miracles forgot about Kuroko? Would she be able to leave the girl alone? I'm never going to take advantage of her. I can't do that to Kuroko-chan. Closing her pink eyes, she exhaled a sigh of determination.

"Haizaki-kun, why did you quit the team?"

"Hah?" The boy frowned at her, looking slightly irritated. Then he bit the inner part of his cheek and leaned back on the wall. "None of your business, Satsuki."

She bit down on her bottom lip. "Haizaki-kun, what are you going to do if Kuroko-chan gets left behind?" Haizaki gave her an extremely annoyed look, but Momoi went on. "You know what's going on right now. No, you should've noticed. Akashi-kun isn't the same- he's… he's odd. Even Dai-chan looks like…" He looks like how he used to be, when his father passed away – when he was just the Aomine Daiki, a normal high schooler that had nothing to do with basketball. "… He's not himself."

"All of you…" Haizaki grunted despondently. "Every one of you… Kuroko this, Kuroko that. Aomine's an idiot, but he'll manage. And Akashi is Akashi, odd or not. She won't be left behind. Besides, there's Atsushi, Ryouta, and Shintaro –"

"It's exactly because it's them." Momoi said through gritted teeth. "I don't want to see Kuroko-chan broken at the end of this. I… I have a really bad feeling about everything. The timing of when and where and how everything is going on is… it can't be a coincidence. You need to come back."

"And what are you – do you possess the power of clairvoyance? How do you know that that's all going to happen?" Haizaki retorted, and Momoi's back straightened a little at that.

She thought it was a cruel act of fate. Momoi Satsuki wasn't the dense, stupid, imperceptive kind of person – especially when it came to romantic affairs (Her own relationship matters weren't an exception). She could easily tell when Aomine had fallen in love with Kuroko, or when Akashi and Haizaki both fell in love with Kuroko as well.

Or when Kuroko herself had fallen in love with Aomine.

But the way everything was locking into one another – it did not fit. Nothing was going smoothly. The timing of when Aomine decided to trail away, or when Kuroko finally decided to like him back, or when Akashi was transforming into someone that Momoi didn't recognize – or when Haizaki had departed from the team.

"Do you have anything else you need to say? Because then I'm leaving." The male turned away from her, and shuffled through the empty hallway.

"Haizaki-kun?"

"Ugh, what now?"

"If anything happens, then can you stay by Kuroko-chan?"

Haizaki stared at her, as if she had gone insane. But Momoi's facial expression told him that she was nowhere to close jesting; in fact, he had never seen her any more serious that she was right now. "… I'll stay by her side even when nothing happens, idiot."

The pinkette smiled warmly at that, her shoulders relaxing as she giggled a little. "Haizaki-kun, you're secretly really sweet, do you know that?"

"Sweet, my ass."

Midorima Shintaro was in a downright pathetic mood.

He had forgotten to study for his biology quiz (he never forgot to do anything until then, as a matter of fact), he had missed two, like, two freaking three-pointers during morning practice (he never missed, ever), and he had even completely ignored the papers he was supposed to fill out by this afternoon for the basketball club's training camp next year.

It was just terrific.

His mind was going places for several reasons. The first reason was Haizaki resigning from the team. Of course, Teiko had many replacements for a player like Haizaki. Ton of third years were prepared to take on the position as the small forward (although Kise ended up getting it anyway) and they continued to gain victory after victory, even after Haizaki's departure. But without doubt, Haizaki had more potential than others. It mystified Midorima why he had suddenly decided to quit the team, especially during this crucial moment as a second year.

It also disturbed him that Teiko was changing. Definitely, Midorima cared less about how the team was constructed as long as their victory was ensured. But he wasn't emotionless – he had silly memories that he enjoyed, as much as he hated to admit, and he felt slightly anxious at why the whole team was beginning to change – Akashi, Aomine, and even Kuroko.

Nothing could stay gold. Everything had to change at some point. Midorima knew that. His father, his mother, his sister, and him – then it was just the father, the sister, and him. Because nothing could stay the same, his mother had diminished from the surface of the world. He couldn't blame anyone. It was neither an unfortunate accident, nor any random death that was sudden and unexpected. It was bound to happen at some point, and it did. She was gone, and that was final.

Midorima Shintaro was afraid of change. He always preferred consistency. For things to remain as it was. And he knew that somewhere deep down, the strings of his heart were tugging at him – saying that he had to keep things as they used to be. To bring back Haizaki, to go to convenience stores with the other teammates, to convince Akashi that whatever is going on, it'll be alright – and for the Shadow and Light pair to come back to the spotlight.

"Useless." Midorima muttered under his breath, closing his locker as he slung his bag over his shoulder.

"What is?"

A lazy, monotone voice echoed, as the green-haired boy turned around with a glare. Murasakibara Atsushi was standing there, holding a maiubo in hand. "Mido-chin, you're weird."

"I'm not as weird as you are." Midorima snapped, and realized that Murasakibara might've been the only one that remained the same, ever since everything had begun.

"Hm… Mido-chin and Aka-chin… even Mine-chin. Why is everyone so serious nowadays…" Mumbling as he crunched on the snack, Murasakibara sluggishly walked at the same pace with Midorima. "It's no fun."

"I'm always serious."

"I guess you are."

Pregnant silence engulfed the vicinity. Midorima and Murasakibara's silences weren't awkward, but that didn't mean it was something comfortable or snuggly either. Rather, it was something around the lines of just the amount of time they spent together. They had grown used to each other, but they weren't friends or simple acquaintances.

When Midorima broke the silence, it was when both of them were on the bus. "Murasakibara, I have a favor."

"I don't really want to take any favors from you."

"Then never mind."

Murasakibara irked at that. "… I guess I can at least listen to what it is."

"If Akashi looks like he's going too far, then you stop him."

The purple-haired boy's grasp on the wrapper of the maiubo tightened a little as he heard that. "Why me?"

"Because among the current Generation of Miracles, you're the only one that is capable of beating some sense into Akashi, if he decides to go insane."

Brushing the crusts off his lap, Murasakibara spoke. "There's Mine-chin too. He's the ace."

"You and I know perfectly well that Aomine's been quit different the past few weeks. Kise doesn't know Akashi as well as we do, and Haizaki's not here to take the role for you. You are stronger than me in terms of power."

"Mido-chin is better with words."

"Sometimes words aren't enough."

Murasakibara's purple orbs shook a little at that. "Kuro-chin is here too. I thought Aka-chin was like that because of –"

"I do not know the exact causes of the reason behind Akashi's… peculiar behavior." In truth, he didn't even want to know. "We can't make Kuroko take on the role. You know that Akashi likes Kuroko, but Kuroko… well, I'm not the one to gossip, but she likes Aomine. Or at least, that's what it seemed like. It's unbeneficial for all sides if the situations turn out that way." Murasakibara was staring at him in disbelief. Midorima looked up, and repeated. "Stop Akashi, Murasakibara."

The doors of the vehicle opened, and Midorima stood up and left. Murasakibara sat there, putting his bag down on the empty seat where the shooting guard had just been, and merely gazed at the blurring scenery of the busy streets as he thought of what Midorima had said. He closed his eyes, and just mumbled.

"Easy for you to say, Mido-chin."

A/N: We're about halfway through the story…