Hello everyone, it's been a while! But I finally finished episode 18, so I can finally share this chapter with you all!

Thanks to Erucchin (Thank you!), Ellena Nomihara (Thank you!), LetTheWorldHonorTheFallen (Thanks, I'm glad the cuteness was loved!), irislxi (Thank you!) and AkaKuro4ever (Thanks and oh boy, I'm right there with you considering I just wrote that chapter.) for reviewing, all 91 followers, 77 favorites and 11,327 readers! I'm so honored to see so many of you enjoying this!

Again, apologies for the wait, but hopefully it was worth it! Enjoy!

Chapter 15: The Manager Miracle

If there was one thing Aomine loved most in the world outside of women with big breasts, it was good food. So as soon as he saw Sakurai's bento when he reached the gym, he couldn't stop himself from stealing some of his octopus.

"Hey, that looks good," Aomine complimented his classmate before he helped himself.

"Aomine!" Wakamatsu gaped as the ace ate, seemingly shocked that he was there. Not that Aomine was surprised, he wasn't here to practice or something boring like that. Sakurai having good food he could steal was just a bonus.

"Hey," Aomine flatly greeted the second year through his mouthful of food.

"Where have you been?" Wakamatsu demanded, sounding more like a parent disappointed at their child staying out later than anticipated. What a dull comparison… "You can't skip practice for no reason! You're coming to practice this afternoon, right?"

"You can't be serious," Aomine laughed, it was almost amusing. Almost. But Sakurai's food was much more interesting than Wakamatsu pulling the parent act on him. "This is really good. Give me the rest of it."

"But this is…" Sakurai started to protest.

"Huh?" Aomine hummed.

"Sorry, go ahead!" Sakurai instantly capitulated, just as he always did. Man, this so-called kamikaze captain had no spine. Made him easy to be classmates with at least, but still…how predictably boring. Was this how Akashi felt all the time? Or was it even worse, being able to predict exactly what someone would do at any given moment?

"Don't give him that, Sakurai!" Wakamatsu shouted.

"Shut up," Aomine stated, turning his dull gaze back to the second year. "I can skip practice as long as I have a reason, right?" Wakamatsu glared at him as Aomine picked up his left behind magazine. "They said they'd confiscate my Horikita Mai photo book if I left it here. I just came to get this. So I'm leaving." As he spoke, Aomine jumped off the stage. "Practice hard," he wished the rest of the team as he moved to leave.

"Wait, Aomine!" Wakamatsu cried out once more. The next thing Aomine knew, the second year had run in front of him and grabbed hold of his tank top, pulling him close and practically exposing the names on his collarbones to the air. "Enough already! I'm telling you to go to practice!"

"I'll forgive you once," Aomine acknowledged in a dark tone of voice. "Let me go."

Wakamatsu looked as if he were about to yell some more, so the ace took the opening and kneed him directly in the gut. The second year backed away and fell to his knees in pain, clutching his stomach.

"Aomine!" Imayoshi intervened. Huh, so there were times when he would scold the ace of the Generation of Miracles. Aomine had been starting to think Imayoshi didn't have a spine at all. Good to know for later, he supposed.

"I told him I'd do it," Aomine drawled blandly as he began to walk away. "Practice, practice. Don't make me laugh." He set down his magazine. "Ryo, how many points did I score last game?"

"Huh? Uh, 82 points," Sakurai answered, sounding confused. As his classmate spoke, Aomine kicked a ball into his hand and began to dribble it a little.

A second later, he took off across the court and dunked the ball in the nearest net. When he did so, Aomine did not release the hoop, leaving him holding the now broken piece of equipment in his hand as he touched onto the gym floor.

"Oh? I did it again," Aomine noted as he lifted the broken hoop up to his eyesight. He let out a chuckle, the fear of his team palpable in the air behind him. Honestly, how could they ever forget why he didn't show up to practice? He was a monster, after all. "I don't think you can practice with this thing." He called out cheerfully as he raised the hoop. "Let's see, what was I trying to say? Oh, right." Aomine threw the hoop into the air, hearing it crash to the floor behind him. "You can talk after you perform better than me. Not that you ever will."

With those final words, Aomine picked up his magazine and left the gym behind.

After all, the only one who could beat him was himself.

The day the bracket for the championship league came out, Kuroko could honestly say he was surprised by Seirin's team.

After all, they had met Momoi and had the opportunity to search up the school she and Aomine attended, it wasn't difficult to figure out if you knew where to look. Kuroko may have already known their school due to his personal connections, but that didn't mean the others simply should've assumed their school was Senshinkan. Even Riko managed to figure out they went to Touou, so really they had nobody but themselves to blame for the surprise.

Of course, that was instantly forgotten when Kagami came in late and Riko figured out he played basketball and messed up his legs again.

Kuroko had a sneaking suspicion, however, and followed after his Light.

"Kagami-kun…" he alerted Kagami to his presence as his Light was walking on his hands to the nurse's office, per Riko's orders.

"Kuroko…" Kagami acknowledged him as he stood up on his feet instead.

"Kagami-kun, you're stupid, but…" Kuroko started.

"Where did that come from?" Kagami cried, indignant. Kuroko ignored him.

"But I don't think you'd do something reckless for no reason," the phantom stated. "Did something happen?"

"I played Aomine," Kagami confessed. "He said he used to be your 'light'. It sounded to me like you weren't just ordinary teammates. What happened between you two in middle school?"

Kuroko felt mildly surprised at the insight Kagami had. He wasn't saying his Light was dumb per se, but he hadn't seemed very keen on learning about the Miracles outside of when they were about to play against them.

But now, here he was, the closest anyone had been in quite some time to realizing the Generation of Miracles was more than a simple basketball team.

Kuroko would have to be very careful in this conversation.

"Oh, come on!" Kise cried out as Aomine stole the basketball from him and scored once more. "One more time! Just one more!"

"You're naive, Kise," Aomine laughed good-naturedly. His right collarbone, where Kise's name had only recently been engraved, was tingling pleasantly. Sunbursts of admiration, frustration and determination were blooming in the back of his mind. Kise didn't give up, no matter how many times Aomine beat him in a one-on-one. He liked that about the blonde. "Well, you play pretty well for someone who's just started."

Aomine could feel Momoi's sakura petal soft joy in watching the two of them run back and forth on the court, Akashi's intrigued fire as unrelenting as Midorima's forest in their own observations. He could feel Kuroko's ice and Murasakibara's shadows as well, always there and always watching over them.

But at that moment, Kise's sunlight overshadowed them all. Aomine was having so much fun, he could've gotten lost in this one moment and never needed anything else in his life.

"None of the Generation of Miracles started off as extraordinary players," Kuroko explained as he and Kagami walked to the nurse's office. "However, Aomine-kun bloomed sooner and more suddenly than the rest of us."

Soon, things started to change and Kuroko couldn't help but notice. He noticed everything.

And it was hard to ignore how turbulent Aomine's waves had become when he started scoring so many points all on his own, he crushed their opponents far more than should be expected of a middle school second year.

"Here," Aomine offered as he held out a popsicle for Kuroko to take while they walked home together. It was just the two of them today. Akashi and Momoi were tied up in research and meetings, while Kise and Midorima had agreed to get manicures together. Murasakibara had a family thing he couldn't get out of, Kuroko thought it was for his sister. So that left Aomine and Kuroko, which is why Kuroko chose now to bring this topic up.

"Aomine-kun, you've started skipping practice more lately," Kuroko stated.

"Yeah, it's cool. If I practice, I'll get even better," Aomine explained, his voice dry and flat. "The harder I try, the more boring basketball gets. What I want must already be…"

His mind was a turbulent whirlpool now, sad and angry and frustration all blending together.

"Don't you think Aominecchi's gotten real strong lately?" Kise commented as he and Midorima made their way to their appointment together. Kise couldn't help bringing up the topic, Aomine was just…he was the one who inspired Kise, who made him strive to be better, to be seen as his equal. "He must have so much fun with skills like those!"

"I think it's just the opposite," Midorima contradicted as Kise danced around him so he was on his right side instead of his left. His mind was a tangled forest of concern, the leaves trembling with his worry.

"What? Why?" Kise questioned as he turned his focus inward, towards Aomine's bond. It was difficult when they were all separated to parse their many bonds out, but not impossible.

Aomine's ocean was a crest of turbulent waves, all emotions felt so deeply yet too many to parse out. Not far from him, Kuroko's glittering frost began to form sharp icicles of anger.

"Not only does he love basketball more than anyone else, but there is also something he desires more than any other," Midorima explained. "A rival who can stand as his equal. However, he is too strong. He'll never find a rival with the gap between himself and other players being so overwhelmingly wide."

"Basketball's just a game, anyway," Aomine sighed, his ocean becoming slower as his mix of emotions changed to apathy. "I'm going to start skipping games too."

Kuroko had had enough at those words.

"You can't do that," he stated as he pulled Aomine's sweater and shirt back before sticking his popsicle down them both.

Instantly, Aomine jumped before he turned back to Kuroko with wide eyes.

"Popsicle?" he cried out, having not expected Kuroko's actions.

"It takes everything I have to keep up with everyone else, so I don't know how you feel, but…no matter how large the difference in our skill, if I were your opponent, I would never want you to do that," Kuroko argued, glaring down at his best friend. Aomine grabbed the popsicle stick and glared at the 'loser' character on it before he returned Kuroko's glare before his gaze cleared as his words registered.

Aomine's ocean was rife with emotions then, gentle waves flowing as Kuroko's words dragged him from apathy's clutches.

"Besides, I'm sure you'll meet someone more amazing than yourself soon," Kuroko added as he started walking once more.

"You little jerk," Aomine hissed as he followed before he let out a laugh and smiled, holding out a fist for Kuroko. His ocean was once more bright and flowing, the Aomine that had found Kuroko and showed him what it was like to be seen, to have the missing pieces of your soul in your life. "You're right."

Kuroko smiled and hit his fist against Aomine's.

They would be alright.

"That's right," the Shadow agreed.

Aomine was more focused than he had been in a while at a game. He was giving it all he had, playing his best, with Kuroko and the other pieces of his very soul bright within his mind. This team had one of the best forwards and facing off against him was giving Aomine hope.

That is, until he caught a pass from Kuroko and began to drive towards the net, only to realize nobody was trying to stop him.

Huh? Aomine thought as time seemed to slow down and all color faded from the world. Nobody was moving, only him, as if the entire team had given up on trying to stop him. As if they had no will to fight anymore. What is this? Have they given up already? A bitter smile crossed Aomine's face as he scored the basket and the ball hit the ground. Is this what happens when I try even a little? If my opponents lose the will to play, what's fun about basketball anymore?

Everything was dull and lifeless and pointless. What had he even been excited about? He was good at basketball like he wanted, but now he was too good. Nobody could stand a chance against him. Nobody could beat him.

He would never find a rival. What was he even doing here? Not a single person in the world could beat him.

Except maybe…

"Tetsu," Aomine called out as the Shadow reached his side, holding his hand up for a fist bump. "I don't think you were wrong, but…I can't." Aomine pulled away from Kuroko then and he felt…something fall over his bonds. Not a shadow like Murasakibara's bond, but…a covering. It almost felt as if they were dimmer. Or perhaps Aomine was the one who was dimmer. "They all suck. I'll never find what I'm looking for. The only one who can beat me is me."

Kuroko continued walking alongside Kagami and tried to keep the emotion out of his voice. It was difficult, however.

This story was, after all, the beginning of the end, both of the Miracles' friendship and their bond. After that day, Aomine's bond had slowly grown dimmer, as if he were building a wall between himself and the rest.

They had all been concerned, of course, but they had continued drifting away from each other despite both Kuroko and Akashi's attempts to keep them together.

The final wall had been erected by Kuroko himself and if he didn't have the proof of their names still being engraved into his wrists, he would have sworn that day had broken the bond entirely.

But it hadn't. And now, both Kise and Midorima were back where they belonged, their bonds stronger than Kuroko could ever imagine them being.

None of them were whole, not yet. But Kuroko had some hope now, that they could fill in the cracks they had caused. They wouldn't be the same as they were, but Kuroko couldn't help but think they would be all the more beautiful for it.

"We swept the tournament that year because of Aomine-kun's strength," Kuroko continued his story aloud once he was certain his voice would be steady. Kagami didn't seem to notice. "But then the other four started to change too. Because of a certain event at the national tournament in our third year, I quit the Teiko basketball team."

"I see," Kagami hummed. "Well, if I can say one thing, it's…don't get ahead of yourself, you idiot! It's boring because you're too strong? The only one who can beat me is me? The Generation of Miracles is full of those guys! It's so funny, I could bust a spleen!"

"You mean a gut," Kuroko corrected his Light. Even still, amusement and agreement flooded through him, causing both Kise and Midorima to notice.

"Kurokocchi, did something good happen?" Kise questioned with a streak of sunlight.

"Kagami-kun just made some good points about Aomine-kun," Kurorko explained, frost no doubt glittering in his wake.

"He is an arrogant fool if he believes he can defeat Aomine," Midorima scoffed, the branches of his trees shaking in his offense on Aomine's behalf.

"But it won't be him, if anything it'll be Kurokocchi!" Kise insisted, optimistic and bright as he always was.

"Thank you, Kise-kun," Kuroko couldn't help the smile he sent through the bond. He knew Kise was just as likely to root for Aomine when the actual game came, but his encouragement always brightened Kuroko's path.

"Hmph, just don't expect it to be easy," Midorima warned, his concern hidden behind his scathing words. Kuroko could almost hear Aomine calling the sharpshooter a tsundere and his heart ached at the missing piece.

Someday soon, they'd be complete. He just knew it.

The mental conversation was cut off, however, when Kagami held his fist out towards Kuroko.

"Let's go beat him and wake him up," the Light stated, as if there were ever any doubt.

Silently, Kuroko returned the fist bump, hope shining in his heart.

The deciding game is today. Momoi thought to herself as she stared into her bathroom mirror.

Today was the day either she and Aomine defeated Kuroko or Kuroko defeated them.

"I promise I will beat Aomine-kun,"

She may be desperately holding on to the phantom's promise, but Momoi still had a job to do.

And just like her boys, she didn't like to lose either.

A smirk formed across her lips.

The game was on.

Kuroko stared down at his fist before smiling down at Nigou, who was eating at his feet.

Today was the day.

He couldn't take for granted that Aomine was on Touou's team. Momoi, after all, was there too.

One Miracle was already a deadly enemy to face.

Two Miracles was going to be even more difficult.

But still…he made a promise, to both himself and Momoi. He would win.

He would win, and bring both Momoi and Aomine home.

"What? Aomine-kun's not here?" Momoi screamed when she entered the locker room.

"He won't answer, no matter how many times I call," Imayoshi sighed, clearly exasperated. Not that Momoi could blame him, Aomine had grown so much worse in the last year.

She was losing him and she didn't know what she would do the day he vanished entirely.

She desperately wanted that day to never come. She couldn't lose him, not her Dai-chan. Not after she had already lost the five other pieces of themselves they had found at Teiko.

"That bastard…" Wakamatsu grunted, clenching his fist, his voice drawing Momoi away from her dark thoughts.

"Sorry, sorry. It's all my fault," Sakurai apologized, already bowing furiously.

"I'll try calling him!" Momoi cried as she grabbed her phone from her pocket and ran out of the locker room. It rang for a few moments, when the call suddenly connected. "There you are!"

"Hello?" Aomine drawled lazily.

"What are you doing? Where are you right now?" Momoi demanded, her panic overwhelming any need she had of being nice.

"Where? I'm at school," Aomine answered, as if it were obvious. "Oh, sorry. I overslept."

"You overslept?" Momoi cried and honestly, this was the one moment, the one moment, that Aomine was lucky their bonds were blocked off. If their bond had been open, Momoi had no doubt her anger and panic would be cutting into him like knives.

Suddenly, Imayoshi was there and he took her phone from her without even a word. Momoi resisted the urge to pout, did anyone here know how to show respect? Oh, where was Kuroko when she needed him…

"Aomine, how long until you can get here?" Imayoshi demanded.

"Oh, Imayoshi-san," Momoi heard Aomine say over the line. "I'll probably be there by the second half."

"We're counting on you! We're up against Seirin!" Imayoshi argued, emphasizing the school. After all, nobody but Momoi and Aomine had considered the possibility of the two Kings of Tokyo losing to Seirin of all people.

"There you go again," Aomine laughed. "Twenty minutes is more than enough time to crush those scrubs. Do whatever you can during the first half."

"What? Oi…" Imayoshi protested but evidently Aomine had hung up.

Momoi tried not to sigh with the weight of a childhood friend and a soulmate on her shoulders.

It was all up to her and the rest of them for now then.

Not that that would be the most difficult thing in the world.

As they entered the gym, Kuroko innocently glanced towards Touou as inconspicuously as possible. He could see Momoi near their bench alongside their captain.

But Aomine…

"Excuse me," Kagami suddenly said as he approached one of the Touou Academy players. "Where's Aomine?"

"That self-centered bastard is running late," the player scoffed, clearly frustrated with the ace of the Generation of Miracles.

Kuroko's ears perked, and he knew he sent a string of ice towards Kise and Midorima. The rays of sunlight and the shake of bamboo in response were all he needed to know for that, but he couldn't focus on them right now.

Aomine wasn't here.

Could he have been even more lost than Kuroko had thought? Was it too late for him to beat Aomine and wake him up?

No, he couldn't believe that, he refused to.

"Sorry. We're actually in a bit of a bind without him too," the glasses wearing captain of Touou Academy's team apologized. "He said he'd show up around the second half. I guess you could call us the opening act. Go easy on us."

The air around the court became a bit more uneasy then. Kuroko didn't trust those words for an instance.

With Momoi on their bench, there was no chance in hell the rest of the team would be an easy enemy. Even now, with Aomine absent, the fight hadn't changed.

This was still a battle of the Oath, a Miracle against a Miracle.

"Kagami, you've already played Aomine once, right?" Izuki questioned as they prepared for the tip off. "Your motivation hasn't dropped, has it?"

"No way," Kagami denied. "If anything, I'm pissed! If these guys are the opening act, I'll pull so far ahead they can't catch up and make their star the world's biggest idiot!"

"I agree," Kuroko concurred. "Aomine-kun is dangerous. We should score as much as possible while we have the chance." That is, once they found the opening hidden within Momoi's complex and well analyzed strategies. It was not nearly as easy as Kagami seemed to think it would be. "There's no point in getting angry at someone who isn't here. The opponent in front of you is everything."

"Alright, you got it," Hyuuga agreed. "Let's go all out from the start!"

Seirin won the tip off, but their captain, Imayoshi, stole the ball before Izuki could catch it.

Imayoshi drove towards Seirin's basket, but Hyuuga just barely managed to stay on him. Kuroko couldn't hear what the two captains were saying, but he saw Imayoshi pass the ball and heard his next words quite clearly.

"We'll start by having our kamikaze captain pave the way for us," the Touou Academy captain smirked.

Number 9, Sakurai, caught the pass and instantly shot the ball towards the net.

"Sorry!" he cried out as he threw the ball.

The basketball swished through the net effortlessly.

"Calling yourselves the opening act was evil," Hyuuga called out as Imayoshi practically skipped away.

"What? I wasn't lying," Imayoshi practically sang. "You'll know once Aomine gets here. We're cute little kids compared to him. I told you, we're just the opening act."

Kuroko gazed at Touou Academy as they walked away to continue the game.

The battle between the phantom and the manager was on.

And there we are, the beginning of the Touou match!

Can I just say how glad I am that this game is not as long as Shutoku's? God, that one took so long solely because of how many episodes I had to cover. But we've got quite the emotional roller coaster ahead, so strap in everyone!

I don't know when I'll update again, I just know that the next chapter I have to write (19) will be shorter since it's mostly Seirin focused. But that's it for now. Bye!