They have lost , on the semi- finals against Kaiba middle school ,
Even though they were doing so great before .
It was 41-42 in their favour just two minutes before the ending buzz , until Kaiba's best shooter made a three pointer in the last seconds .
They lost...she lost
Sure like anyone , Teiko basketball female team were not happy by the defeat . again who would be , but they were satisfied since they were ranked so low before and now they made it to the semi-finals. they made a really huge step in Tokyo basketball teams ranking , it was not something unachievable for them anymore , and that will make them work even harder than before and climb even higher .
Everyone resumes Thier life after that
As before , Everyone but Ryouko .
For Ryouko, it was another different story . Before all of this Ryouko never did know the feeling of loss , the meaning of loss . she wanted to win badly , she owed Watanabe that , The girl never forgot the deal she made with her capitain when she joined .
But again Fate is not just conducted by desire .
Ryouko doesn't know herself anymore .
It hurts when the image you shape of yourself starts crumbling in front of you, to see in the end of the day that you are not what you thought you were .
The girl thought that winning was her destiny . It was more of given for her ... Than a desired result .
She should have returned to practice yesterday , but she ditched it , ditched her friends , like that , without the slightest explanation .
In addition , she didn't feel like going to the boy's club either . She even made few excuses to not hang up with them when Momoi invited her in some after practice gatherings .
What must Aomine think now that she lost ? Is he disappointed ? Would he look down on her now ? She doesn't know and she really doesn't wanna know .
--_
The next few days were a blur
Between school , modelling and home , she didn't do much .
Each day she skipped training made her teammates more agitated , and Watanabe really was getting angrier and angrier .
"Where is Kise?" Asked Nanami as she didn't see a pool of blond hair anywhere this days .
"She is skipping practice ." Haru replied back uninterested.
"Still sulking huh ?" The capitain frowned ,' this is getting out of hand .'
They know how hard and painful loss can be . However , they didn't approve of the way Thier friend dealt felt with it .
especially her capitain .
Nanami was not unfamiliar to feeling of loss and rejection ...
First her mother died years ago when she was eight year old .
Her father remarried two years ago , and now her stepmother is pregnant , her father couldn't be happier, and she was happy for him despite that realisation that she won't be his number one anymore .
Thank god she had Haru and shuzo , Then she and Haru joined basketball , she discoverd another familiar and what it meant to share feelings and insecurities with one another.
So , when Nanami decided to come to Kise's house this weekend in her jersey a basketball in hand , and drag her out and knock some sense to her , it was for the blond's own good .
It was Ryouko who opened the door , still dressed in her pyjamas , long golden hair pointing at everywhere and nowhere in particular.
"Watanabecchi ?" Ryouko was taken by surprise , eyes never living her captain deep green eyes , she hadn't seen the girl since that day...
the two faced each none broke the silence for a moment .
"Play against me Kise-chan ."
"Huh ?"
"Play against me , one on one ."
--_
Nanami had barely won , and it was because her Kyouhai wasn't serious enough in her playing , the model girl is a monster in the field , she had so much potential she isn't aware of yet .
"What's up with you Kise-chan."
Kise didn't reply , instead , she crosses her arms against her chest and looks off to the side.
" I just really wanted to win Watanabecchi."
Nanami interrupted " You didn't want to win Kise , you just hated to lose ." She shook her head in disapproval :"Being impatient for releasing your goals is like a starving animal , as you satisfy your compulsion , the food will lose it's taste ." She shrugged
the blond didn't know what to say and so, stayed quiet , her mouth formed her signature pout ,they sat near each other , Ryouko closed her eyes and leaned towards Nanami
unable to open her eyes for a few moments , she Pulled her knees against her chest and wrapping her arms around her legs , she called for her capitain and 'now one of her most precious friends .
"Watanabecchi ?"
"Hmmm?"
"I am not a perfect person ." She buried her head in her knees. For some reason , the blonde needed to say that to someone , someone who wouldn't judge her or think she was crazy for saying something like that out of nowhere .
In the modelling world , it's all about that , being perfect and beautiful often were associated with her since she remembered , family friends called her that , random people on the street remind her daily , and not forget her modeling coworkers that praise her looks none stop .
Repeated lies can get through the thickest brain , and Kise's brain was no different , she at some point in her life thought she was perfect.
"At least you know that !" Her capitain laughed then gave her a small white towel .
"Watanabecchi !" She pouted .
"It was never about being perfect , it's about being imperfect perfectly."
"Wowww ! Watanabecchi is that a quote from a popular movie ?" A little giggle escaped the blond's lips.
The older girl threw an arm around her shoulders grinning widely : "You own me a lunch pretty girl ."
While they were in the middle of the court not so far from house , bickering her phone vibrated through her pants 'who could be messaging me now ?'
'let's meet tomorrow after club's activities '
Aominecchi
Kise was so shocked , she reread the name sender few more times . It's Aominecchi !
''Ok _ '
--_
"Hi Aominecchi ! " She called cheerfully walking towards the navy blue haired guy waiting at the Teiko's gate .
"Don't Hi me , where were you ? why didn't you come " Blue eyes looked at her in annoyance .
"Aominecchi is so loud ! I had a lot photoshoots . "
"Liar you finished your summer shooting one week ago , you should be less busy this week ."
"How do you know that ?" The blond blinked "OMG did you read my last interview ."
" A-As if ! Satsuki mentioned it ."he looked away from her startled face
" anyway I can't hit a girl , let's one on one."
"Aominecchi is so mean." The blond whined .
"Keep quiet and follow me , we are having one on one ."
"Yaaaaay !" clapped her hands together in excitement following him like a puppy .
--
They played one on one for an hour or so until Kise asked for a time out so she can catch her breath and drink some m water while Aomine wipes the sweat from his face with his t-shirt .
"Ewww gross ! don't you have a towel ?"
Aomine only responds with throwing the ball at her , thankfully she catches it before it hit her head .
"Kise buy me a popsicle after ."
"Why should I ?"
"You are a model you earn money ."
"AM I your sugar mummy ?' the blond tried to argue .
"Just buy it ."
"Meanie !" A small pout on her lips.
Daiki slowly sits down next to her "So why were you running away all this time ?"
"I wasn't running away ." Daiki raised an eyebrow ,' did she think he was THAT stupid ? sure he was slower that Satsuki or Tetsu , but the blond made it so obvious that even Murasakibara who only thinks about food would notice , Aomine looked at her for a moment before he sighed " Just answer the question ."
"We kinda lost in the tournament ."
"And ?" asked Daiki a bit puzzled , He already know about that , but they did an amazing job , as a team especially the blond who just got there , she will become the ace in a matter of time . so he didn't really understand what does it have to do with the blond weird behaviour .
"And , and ! " Kise bit her lip " It bothered me , I disappointed the team ." She was gonna say 'you ' but changed it in the last moment , the blond couldn't meet those deep blue eyes , couldn't stand the pity or disappointment in theme if it's directed at her.
What she didn't expect however , is the sound of breathy laughs coming from the Teiko's ace as patted her gently .
"Do you know how Tetsu and I met ?"
"No ?" she shook her head not quite sure where he was getting.
"Tetsu was one of the firsts to join basketball club , however he didn't join the first string until recently ."
"He is kinda small and weak of built , he can be pretty clumsy and he collapses quickly ,"
"He couldn't even make a proper shoot " Aomine Added between chuckles.
"Really ?"
"He still can't but the guy never gave up . "
"He kept going , never missing a training no matter how hard it was , no matter how tired he got , until Akashi discovered the true gem that is Testu the shadow of Teiko ."
" Kurokocchi is amazing ! " She couldn't help the admiration she felt for the smaller guy
"Isn't he ?" The blond looked at the bright smile that adorned the dark skinned male , a smile so beautiful and so happy like no other , that it made her heart ache from longing .
"You are amazing too ." The blond said with a gentle smile on her lips .
"Of course I am ." Despite the overconfident cocky reply , he was quite embarrassed as he placed a hand in the nape of his neck smiling sheepishly , and damn he looked so cute right then .
The blond closed the distence between them and kissed him on the cheek "that's a thank you gift for cheering me up ."
'she Kissed him on the cheek .'
'she kissed him .'
Aomine blinked twice digesting what just happened , his brain seems to shut down 'did I broke him ?' , then he exploded into a blushing mess , and it was the same for Ryouko, when she saw his reaction , her cheeks flamed instantly as a response even though she was the one responsible for this mess in the first place.
suddenly , the still blushing guy stood up" I I should go now s-see you at school ! " he stuttered uncharacteristically , took his bag and run as fast as he could .
"W-wait you left your ball ...here ." The blond's voice got lower with each spoken syllable until it become a barely audible whisper.
Face still burning bright red , she took Aomine's basketball in her hands and hugged it tightly to her chest . At the same time a dark skinned blushing guy slowed down until he stood up in the middle of the street eyes casted on the ground , both of them had the same question in mind .
'what was that ?'