The scent of old photo film still wafts in my home,
After several years will I still be able to be myself?
I get lost in the history that I'm living in,
Maybe I should just quit overthinking.
-OverThink, from Link Click by Fanka
(This show has banger songs and plot by the way go watch it)
Kuroko is staring into space, when Taiga turns around. There's a look in his eyes that's eerily blank Sometimes, when Taiga just begins to think he's got a better grasp on reading Kuroko, he does something like this, and Taiga... hesitates.
"...Is something wrong?" He asks at length, Kuroko is standing in the shade, staring a little ahead of him, silent. Even if he can't read shit, something feels wrong.
"Kagami-kun," Taiga thought hearing Kuroko speak might make the atmosphere feel a little better, but it just makes him feel worse. Because he can't read his tone either, but things feel even more wrong now, what is he supposed to- "Have you ever hated basketball?"
"What?" The question catches him off guard, and he answers without thinking, a little too quickly. "No, I haven't." He pauses, questioning his own answer afterwards, but it remains the same. The whole situation with Tatsuya, Taiga honestly blamed his own choice more than anything. Hating basketball never crossed his mind.
Kuroko doesn't look at him as he speaks. "...I have."
The words do something to his chest, and it feels stuffy. So this is where the conversation is going, huh? Taiga knows delicacy isn't his strong suit, but he's not that insensitive - he doesn't think so. So he keeps his mouth shut and waits for Kuroko to keep going. But as Kuroko looks up again, whatever vulnerability the shorter teen was about to show pulls back quicker than he can blink.
"I believe my reason was different, but I know the feeling." It's not difficult to guess the reason, with the way Kuroko talks about Teiko, with a similar, blank look in his eyes like the one he just saw moments prior. "They're cheerful now, but hating something you love is... painful." Taiga thought Kuroko's voice cracked towards the end, but maybe it was just his imagination. "When I spoke with Midorima-kun, I told him the past and future aren't the same, but they're not completely separate." Blue eyes turn towards him. "I think, this game is important for our seniors to get over the past."
It wasn't difficult to tell that the situation was bad for Seirin, when they arrived Mafuyu is purely amateur in basketball, his knowledge strictly restricted to what little insight the magazines and the occasional conversations with Tetsuya would offer. But even so, 12 points behind when they were already minutes too late was a blatant giveaway.
For the most part, he spends watching the game in confusion - while his wife is right, and strategies are strategies and things tide over, it doesn't help that he has no idea what constitutes as good, or what makes a foul, or hell, how many points any particular shots should get. Identifying provocation tactics only works so much when you don't know what mistakes there are to make.
It helps, though, sitting with Kasamatsu and Kise-kun, both of whom offer great insight into the game which either of them wouldn't have gotten. He's glad they ran into them, knowing more about the sport Tetsuya dedicated himself to is always helpful. Outside of Seirin, however, it was also interesting to see Seiho's tactics. Namba running is something taught to many within the sorcery society, and it's almost refreshing to see it in another context.
One of the first things a child is taught among them is, after all, running away.
Cheering from the other side of the stadium draws his attention from Seirin's side, and he looks towards the source to find Lysandra staring, as well - specifically, staring at a green-haired teen on the court, as he is passed the ball and then -
Oh, okay. That's a high arc. Mafuyu's gaze follows the ball as it draws the curve through the air, and then lands square in the middle of the net, not even touching the rim. He glances towards Hotaru, who looks appalled, growing into incredulity as the boy does it a second time, and then a third.
He snorts, "That's just about as ridiculous as your coin tosses," he states, and Lysandra leans over in his direction, hissing out of the corner of her mouth.
"Mafuyu, my aura manipulates parabola and projectiles. I literally have aim assist and homing 24/7," she hisses. "Did humanity evolve without telling me? Since when is that achievable consistently without magic?"
Kise-kun, listening in since a while ago, chuckles, "That's his expertise, Midorimacchi," he opens his mouth to say more, but a whistle cuts him off, leaning forwards, the blond frowns, "They're subbing him out in five minutes? Taking it easy, aren't they?"
"Well, of course, their opponent is a middle-tier high school. So there shouldn't be any surprises." Kasamatsu deadpans in response, he turns back towards the Seirin-Seiho game, and Mafuyu turns his attention back towards his nephew as well. "If there are any surprises, then it should be over here."
Focusing on the Seirin-Seiho game is difficult. A little like how once you notice something, you can't quite unsee it. And ever since she set off the ripple and got another read on Midorima Shintarou, it's been nagging at the edge of her senses, insistent and demanding attention.
Whatever remains of Teikou's poltergeist, at least on the school grounds, has dissipated by now. And unless Anthea is neglecting to update them on this new U-turn the domain somehow made, Midorima Shintarou should not feel as though he's just made contact with it once again.
The poltergeist domain is currently roaming around the unpopulated, ever-shifting magical space beyond the borders of the Vertical Crossroad's stabilisation borders or even the remotely 'safe' and mapped-out forests just around the mouth of the cave. She's using the word safe very loosely, here. So unless Midorima somehow wandered into the uncharted, constantly shifting forests of the magical realm, did not get lost, got out alive, and somehow, didn't end up halfway across the world in Germany, maybe the Sahara or, gods forbid, Antarctica, and didn't alert anyone, he should not be carrying this amount of residue.
The last time she and Mafuyu went on a mission in those forests, they got in from Glasgow and stumbled out in St Petersburg. She ran 13 miles and he walked 5 minutes. And even if, if, Midorima did manage to wander in and out, there is absolutely no way he didn't notice the flying trees.
But then, how?
A different poltergeist, then? Unlikely. The wavelength matches with the Teikou ghost, not to mention she didn't notice anomalies in the feedback - much like sound waves, when two different waves interact, the resulting ripple would have rather obvious interference. And Midorima Shintarou had none of it. And if this was any other case, the answer would be obvious.
A Resonant.
But that is impossible. A war ghost Resonant in a school in Japan? Where the whole student body has been checked and none were revealed to have been to war zones at all, and the entire staff frequenting the campus has been cleared? Teikou is a private, rather high-end and extremely traditionalist school. The majority of their students are entirely local, as are their staff. Rich, and elitist, is what she would call the place. Eerily reminiscent of the Nanakasas.
And a war ghost Resonant? In that place?
A nudge pulls her from her thoughts, and she glances towards her husband. He's looking her way, brows pinched.
"I'm fine," she reassures, tilting her head to subtly indicate towards Midorima,"Just thinking." At that he follows her gesture, and understanding dawns on his face Mafuyu doesn't have echo nor ripple, so he is, to quote himself, 'entirely useless in investigations beyond being a bodyguard.' As compensation, his aura and mastery over elements is overwhelmingly powerful... and incredibly difficult to control.
"I'm stepping out for a moment." Mafuyu meets her eyes in askance. "Calling Anthea." She elaborates.
Stepping into the hall turns the sounds from behind her muted, almost, the space closing away the cheering and collision of the basketball on the ground and the squeakings of soles of shoes and bodies. It rolls over the space like a wave, as she waits for the call to connect.
A beep. "Hello?"
"Anthea." She moves to the side, leaning against the wall. "Are you free, right now?"
"Yes-" there's a rustle of paper, something like- feathers? And distant conversation - "one moment." Silence, and then a familiar voice in the back. Several. "Meeting just ended, but, Lysandra. I thought you were off this afternoon."
"Yeah, I am," She glances back towards the stadium, another roar of the crowd cheering rolls over her. "You're currently working with a Doctor Midorima, correct?"
There's a brief hesitation, "Yes, Doctor Midorima Ryouhei. And his wife. What about it?"
"He has a son, correct?"
"...?" She can almost hear the question mark in the silence that follows. But afterwards, her answer is swift. "He has 3 sons, yes. Two are doctors and the youngest - Midorima... Shintarou, I think. He's a student in Shuutoku High? Wait. That's where your mentor taught, wasn't it."
Yep. That's the right Midorima alright, "Yeah - but it's not about that." She shook her head, "Have you met the youngest?"
"No, never had the chance. But Dr. Midorima wouldn't shut up about him sometimes. Seems real proud of the kid - high expectations too." There's a pause, and her voice dips gently. "That's good."
Lysandra smiles wryly, exhaling. But this isn't about that - She shakes her head. "Midorima Shintarou was a student in Teikou."
The change in the air is almost tangible. "Oh," she can hear how the smile leaks from Anthea, "Let me guess. He's friends with your kid."
"Well- I'm not sure about friends," She hesitates, not knowing enough to put a word to the odd air around her nephew as of late, though something she is sure about. "Tetsuya certainly cares about him a great deal." Whatever between Tetsuya and his ex-teammates is his to tell, so she doesn't want to assume. "Wait, how did you know?"
"Basketball." She deadpans, "Not much of a connection to make there. And with that on top of what we've seen from the school and what I've seen of Kuroko-kun and the way you worded it, I can't imagine it was pretty. So, what is it? Do you want me to check up on him? You know you can do that, right?"
"I just did- I'm at one of Tetsuya's matches and he's playing another team right now." Another glance back, another wave of cheering. "Anthea - he feels like he just contracted the poltergeist again."
Summarising his condition isn't something Lysandra is used to. As Esmeray her role is less on the field for the aftermath - and she doesn't often do rescue either, so it's not her strength. But then again, having worked with Anthea for so long, the woman understands her well enough.
"That's-" the line falls silent again, "That shouldn't be possible."
"I know." She shakes her head, "But - fact of the matter is, that's what's going on right now - and... honestly? I don't think this is just about settling Tetsuya's worries anymore, something is going on here. Once would be coincidence but - anyways," a sigh, "Do you think you can go check up on the boy, just to confirm? After that, pull up the staff list again. We need to expand the search." She glances backwards into the stadium, thinking for a moment, "And just in case, ask for the list of students within the Teikou basketball club."
"Basketball club, is it?" Anthea sighs, "Got it. I have to make a visit to the Midorima's tonight for the case, anyways. Which, speaking of." She hears shuffling through the line, "About the case that Dr. Midorima and I are working on."
Lysandra raises a brow, "Your drug ring?"
Anthea splutters, "Don't call it my drug ring that sounds weird." She protests, indignant, before sighing. "The process didn't go through Patrol and Response, so you haven't heard much about it. But... Lysandra. I think this might be the biggest case in the last two decades." She emphasises on the time, pausing allowing the weight in her voice to sink in. Lysandra straightens. "The Saitama incident as well - the task force for it will merge soon, the paperwork will be on your table tomorrow but since you called, I thought that you should know."
"I know about the correlation." Lysandra frowns, Anthea sounds worried, "Merging teams isn't surprising, but, why the heads up?" She hesitates, "Anthea?"
"We found surviving samples of the drug in Saitama." Finally, the woman relents, "Just - it's biomatter."
She almost drops the phone. "Oh."
"I don't know, we've been careful, and I might just be paranoid because of the whole situation when Haruka-" the words die there - "But now there's also this new thing where it might be related to her kid as well with the poltergeist being intentionally at Teikou - I don't know, Lysandra, I don't know. But... just, brace yourself, alright? I don't know if it really is that but - brace yourself. Okay?"
Something tightens its grip in her chest, and hers follows suit around her phone, "Yeah," she finds her voice after a moment, "I will."
"And keep an eye on the kid, he's - good. Kind. You don't find people like him often." A pause, "I'll see you at Pyrite tomorrow."
Walking back towards the stands and wrenching her attention back on court is almost a difficult thing, after that. She takes her seat and feels the rolling cries of the crowd roll over her - she watches as Seirin's 5 passes towards 8, a little off to the right, and- ah.
Tetsuya slips out, taps the ball, and sends it right into 8's hands, where he scores.
Watching him play has always been like that, a series of surprises after another - like a magician. She smiles, Kise-kun seems oddly proud as well. He laughs. "Looks like the iron wall of Seiho has never seen a pass from inside their wall before," he leans forwards, grinning, getting close enough that Kasamatsu-kun wouldn't hear him as he asks, "Was the phone call just now SSRA stuff?"
"Hm? Yeah," she glances back at him, he looks almost worried.
"About Midorimacchi?" Ah, so he is worried. "Is he okay?"
She slides smoothly into her role as an adult - and experienced sorceress, letting the swirling mass of conflict in herself flow away and recede like tides. "He... is, mostly." She ponders the wording a little, "Well, at most he'd feel like having a bad day or two. But nothing is permanent, with Poltergeist domains." She glances back towards the Shuutoku match, and-
Oh?
She blinks, it's a little far away, but having been on a mission with the kid helps. Kise notices her distraction, "What?"
"Nothing- just, Tetsuya might have some problems next match."
The whistle blows, and the referee calls for lineup. Tetsuya is about to join his teammates, but then something stops him dead in his tracks.
Hostility. It sends pinpricks up his spine, as he turns around, keeping his face carefully blank. Midorima-kun approaches him, and Tetsuya's breath catches.
"I never thought you would actually make it this far at all." Whatever it is, that hostility that Midorima is carrying, isn't his. Nor is it directed at Tetsuya at all. It feels strangely fresh, and desperate. It's hostile, not like aggression, but more so like that of a cornered animal, or the hands of drowning men gripping onto a singular rope from shore. "But it ends here.'No matter how weak, small, or unknown, any team can fight as long as they work together.' That is of course, just an illusion."
He barely heard what was said at all, mind far too occupied with the way that magic clung to his teammate, crawling and making his skin crawl. Tetsuya suppresses a shudder as he looks up to meet his teammate's eyes.
"Come," Midorima-kun says, "I will show you just how foolish your choice was."
Tetsuya doubts Midorima-kun caught his behaviour - the teen was never good at reading expressions at all. He pushes the part of him that wants to cower, not because of Midorima, but because of this part of the fight that he doesn't know how to face. He knows Midorima-kun, he knows his teammates, and he thinks he can save them. But this? This thing that is clinging to his teammates' skin, that is writhing with hostility and desperation and sending emotions off in waves? He has no idea how to fix this. But.
Tetsuya has always prided himself in his self-control, of his own emotions. So his voice doesn't waver when he speaks. "I didn't choose to do this because it is 'right' or 'wrong'." He states. Honestly - he chose to do this because he misses his friends. And he found another reason in Seirin and now, looking at the crawling mass of something, digging their claws into Midorima-kun's skin and his friend, oblivious to it, Tetsuya thinks he found his third.
At length, Tetsuya continues, "And no one knows what the right decision is to make in life." He knows this now more intimately than he ever did. Ghosts only ever come from people who didn't really want to die, after all. And his parents didn't know getting on that car that night would kill them either. "And if I may disagree with one thing - it is that Seirin is not weak." He pauses. "We won't lose."
He doesn't stay to look at the expression that graces the green-haired teen's face afterwards. And when Tetsuya turns and leaves, that desperate hostility fazes him less than it did when it was approaching.
Less.
Takao Kazunari is an excellent choice of an apprentice for Lysandra.
His spatial awareness - just from what he's seeing here, is impressive - it's not hard to tell that he's got a mental map and is using it well too. He recalls the teen's profile from the mission - Takao Kazunari's magical reservoir is just above average among those of his generation raised in Dōten, with echo and glyphs stated as his abilities. His rank in echo is low, but the assessment had stated he had impeccable control.
He uses his ability in court well, too. It doesn't take an expert to see that, even with the lack of scoring so far. But what it means is that the teen is flexible - both valuable traits in a fight. Honestly? The only person nearly as aware of their surroundings, and as capable of utilising that awareness he's seen is Lysandra - and her mentor, both being legends in their field.
It's not difficult to see why Lysandra chose him from her description of what went down the day of that mission, and what he's seeing right now - as the teen pushes forwards with Tetsuya's captain blocking, and passes backwards smoothly - right into Midorima Shintaro's hand, where the teen immediately performs one of those ridiculous high arc shoots.
His wife makes a noise next to him which sounds a little like a dying owl, in disbelief. Which is funny, because he's pretty sure that's the exact same reaction people usually have to her doing her job - if they're not too busy staying alive, that is. He was amused, until-
...Until Tetsuya takes the ball, turns around, and slingshots it like a catapult across the entire fucking court like it's Tuesday. Mafuyu tilts his head back, and inhales deeply. What the fuck.
About five minutes later, Midorima shoots from the other end of the court, and Mafuyu joins his wife in her disbelief. Meanwhile Kise is laughing from behind them with no sympathy. Generation of Miracles indeed.
Lysandra is right. When the fuck did humanity evolve without them?
Kazunari emerges from the stadium, exhausted. The rain hits his face, and wipes away most of the evidence that he's been crying before- but it's been a good cry, he doesn't vent like this often. After all, he's a member of Karasuma, not Constella, and therapy is not a part of the Karasuma medical benefits. And naturally, like most of the sorcerer population, he's just a little fucked up in the head.
All the antagonising of Shin-Chan's ex-teammate feels a little stupid now after he played him like this. Say it's pride, but this is something he's specialised in over the years, in both basketball and on the field, having it fail him right now really does hurt. But to be honest?
Better on court than on field. On court, it's a loss and a good cry, on field - well.
His family would be the one to cry about it in his stead.
'Worthless without his misdirection,' huh? Kazunari really did put his foot in his mouth there. Kuroko is flexible and smart on his feet. It might be a stretch, but with those skills? Kuroko might do well even within the sorcery community. He wouldn't wish it on anyone, though.
It's one thing to be born into it. Another to know peace and safety and then lose it.
Kazunari wipes at his eyes, calming down. His throat is a little sore, and his eyes too. He doesn't have an umbrella with him today - and since Kazunari's subspace magic is shit, the only thing he can pull one out of thin air right now are his usual set of ghost-busting weapons, so he's down on his luck.
So he does what he always does when he's down on his luck, and goes off to find Shin-chan.
Seirin emerges exhausted from the stadium, with three of their teammates practically dead on their feet, and Tetsuya lugging Kagami behind him like a body sack. The latter being nearly too tired to protest when the former begins to drag him out towards the muddy path. Nearly. And it is in this situation that they run right into the Nanakasa couple.
"Ah, it's Kuroko's aunt, and -" Coach Riko's eyes turn towards his uncle, and slowly bug out. "Is that your uncle?"
"He's huge." Someone murmurs, there's an attempt to sound as though they're in awe. But it remains an attempt. Perhaps the reaction would've been a bit more enthusiastic, if the team weren't all both emotionally and physically exhausted.
"Yes, he is my uncle on my mother's side. Nanakasa Mafuyu." Tetsuya introduces, shifting his grip on Kagami with great difficulty. As he looks towards his aunt, he can practically feel the mirth radiating off of her. "Should we help you with that?" She says, barely containing her laughter.
"Yes." Kagami rushes to answer before him, he sounds desperate. "I do not want a face full of mud, get me out of his incapable hands."
Hotaru-san laughs, not unkindly, and then bumps her husband with her shoulder. "Mafuyu? You're up."
Mafuyu-san sighs, and walks over to take Kagami off Tetsuya's very capable hands. "You know you can carry him easily, right?" His uncle mumbles, addressing Hotaru-san. But of course, it comes out grumpy and like a complaint. Hotaru-san just laughs.
"Mmh, yes, but I don't think Kagami-kun would appreciate being thrown over my shoulder like a sack of potatoes." Tetsuya pictures the scene, and it is hilarious.
"His arms might drag on the ground if you did that," Tetsuya notes. His aunt snorts.
"I'm not that short."
Several of the team members take a second glance in her direction. Tetsuya identifies doubt in their expressions. Meanwhile, Kagami has managed to stand up with Mafuyu-san supporting basically his entire body weight. "Where are we going?" Mafuyu-san asks, turning his gaze towards coach Riko, who seems almost intimidated for a second, before clearing her throat. Tetsuya is impressed, not a lot of people get past his uncle's deadpan face.
"Just the closest restaurant to rest up and maybe eat something." Coach Riko says, pulling out her phone to show the man the address on the map. "Thanks for the help."
"Oh, no, it's fine." Hotaru-san smiles, her eyes meets Tetsuya's, and they brim with pride. "Those matches just now were amazing, by the way. Come on. Let's get all of you some food."
Thankfully, the restaurant wasn't too far, the rain was growing heavier by the second when they finally arrived. By then Kagami has recovered enough to walk, so he thanks Mafuyu-san awkwardly and makes his way to Tetsuya's side. As Coach Riko leaves the group to talk to the owner about getting them all seated, Tetsuya spots a familiar head of blond hair, the exact same time as Kagami does.
"Ah." Tetsuya blinks.
"Kise and Kasamatsu?!" Kagami-kun blurts.
"Hey"
"Oi! Honorifics!" Kasamatsu seems mildly offended. But that seems to be a natural reaction to Kagami most of the time.
"Ara?" His aunt pokes her head out from behind him, her form having been mostly hidden by the team of basketball players. She doesn't seem surprised at all. "Kise-kun, Kasamatsu-kun, we meet again." From behind her, Mafuyu-san nods a greeting.
"Hotaru-san, you know Kasamatsu-san?" Tetsuya glances at his aunt, curiously. His aunt just shrugs.
"We watched the game together." She doesn't elaborate on that.
And that is how Tetsuya and Kagami-kun ended up sitting at the same table as Kise-kun. He can hear his aunt suppressing her laughter from the booth behind them. "You guys get along now, alright?" She pats him on the shoulder, her smile slightly wobbling before she turns back around to speak to her husband in a hushed tone. Mafuyu-san, as expected, does not understand why she is so amused.
If only the drama ended here. Tetsuya thinks with a bit of dread, and some glee, because he does love his drama, just not so much when he's in the thick of it. As he hears Takao Kazunari's voice from behind him, announcing his entry into the restaurant.
Kazunari is many things right now, and none of them are called 'content'. He's just cried his eyes out 15 minutes ago, got soaked to the bone by a freak storm, and is right now in a packed restaurant where he would be forced to sit with the opposing team he just played against, and lost to. So forgive him if he makes Shin-chan the subject of his amusement by dragging Kasamatsu-san to sit with him, just so he gets to watch Shin-chan suffer a bit.
He approaches the table after calling out the Kaijo captain's name, approaching the table. "I saw you in Basketball Monthly! You're nationally famous as a strong point guard-" Kazunari grins, feeling the stares from Kise Ryota of the Generation of Miracles, Kagami and Kuroko, and pointedly ignores all of them. "As someone who plays the same position, I'd love to hear your stories! Do you mind if I join you?" He looks around for empty seats, and finds the booth behind Kuroko and Kise with two spots, and immediately drags Kasamatsu-san out of his seat. "Ah, we can talk over there."
Perks of being an extrovert, no one suspects you for being overly friendly.
They take their seats, with Kazunari sitting directly behind Kuroko, and Kasamatsu across from him. This leaves Midorima with nowhere to sit except right next to Kagami. Kazunari steals a glance behind him and sniggers. Kasamatsu-san sends him a deadpan look. "You did that on purpose, didn't you?"
"What? Of course not." Kazunari doesn't even bother to hide that he's fucking with them anymore. He's had a shitty day so everyone gotta go down with him.
It is at this point that the woman next to him chuckles. He blinks, and turns to look towards the stranger, only that- HOLY SHIT THAT IS NOT A STRANGER.
Esmeray is laughing, sitting right next to him in casual clothes. He's never seen the woman out of uniform, which is why he didn't recognise her at first. His eyes bug out in shock, and he splutters. Esmeray catches his stare, and laughs even harder. "Hello, Takao-kun," she greets with mirth in her eyes, "I guess you didn't notice us when you sat down."
"Esmeray-san!" This is the only situation where Kazunari would not be ashamed to say that his voice rose a full octave and broke. And then he notices the wording, and turns towards the man sitting opposite of her, and his voice spikes another octave. "Hyoshin-kakka?!"
The address draws more attention than Kazunari would've liked. And Hyoshin coughs into his fist. He does not look happy. Esmeray just smiles warily. "I'm off duty today, so it's just Lysandra and Mafuyu... and you can skip the kakka nonsense." She motions towards the tables behind them, where most of the team members, as well as the other guests are staring.
"I wanted to ask as well. You know each other? And what's with the names and honorifics?" Kasamatsu-san's gaze shifts between the three of them in askance. Kazunari manages a smile, and Esmeray just laughs.
"Ah, the names are, well, for a lack of a better word, code names. My workplace also holds collaborations with school districts sometimes, and I chaperoned him once." She explains in a slightly lower voice. "As for Mafuyu, well, his family is part of the founders of the branch that leads the collaboration, and he's the current head of house. The Nanakasa family has... a lot of history." She tries to play it off. Meanwhile, Kazunari just tries to keep the smile firmly plastered on his face.
Yes, chaperoned, and saved him and the entire team's arse before dying in front of him. Only she didn't, and crawled back up all bloodied and shit. But he can't say that, so he just laughs.
"Yeah, and so," the laugh comes out awkward, "Lysandra-san, what brings you here on your day off?" The name rolls off weird, he is not used to addressing her like this. But, then again, she did offer mentorship, so he might have to get used to this. Esmeray glances at him as she passes him the menu, smiling with mirth in her eyes.
"I was here to watch my nephew's match, you know him, well, at least kind of," she gestured behind him, and Kazunari just died a bit inside, "Kuroko Tetsuya."
Damn. Kazunari laments. The world just has it against him today, doesn't it?
Tetsuya startled a little when he heard the name 'Esmeray' come out of Takao Kazunari's mouth, having not expected to hear it at all. But he didn't react, and just passed the menu to Kagami to order. Kagami then proceeded to order basically the entire menu, earning incredulity from his friend and former teammate.
"It's okay, Kagami-kun can finish it all by himself." Tetsuya reassures. Kise-kun stares.
"Is he really human?"
Tetsuya just shrugs.
The table descends into an almost awkward silence. And Tetsuya tries to keep an ear out for the conversation behind him, a little curious now that he's heard Takao-kun say his aunt's code name out loud, but they were just making small talk. Their food arrived not long after, and they began making their okonomiyaki. It cheers up the mood a little, but Midorima-kun is still scowling.
"I know losing sucks, but c'mon!" Kise-kun makes an awkward attempt to cheer Midorima-kun up, which he should've known better to do so, as Kise-kun historically does not cheer up Midorima-kun at all. "Yesterday's enemies are today's friends!"
"I just lost to him." Midorima-kun retorts, and Kise-kun falters like a kicked puppy. And Midorima-kun couldn't give a shit about a kicked puppy. Especially since said kicked puppy is Kise-kun. "If anything, I can't believe you have no problem sitting with them. You already lost to them once."
"About that," Kise-kun smiles, both competitively and good-natured, "I'll get my revenge at the Inter-High, of course." His eyes narrow with his smile as he bumps Tetsuya on the shoulder with his own, "I won't lose next time."
Kagami-kun barks a laugh, seaweed pieces still stuck around his mouth. "Bring it on." The redhead grins.
Midorima-kun's expression sours, at Tetsuya's and Kise-kun's casual interaction, but he suppresses it and turns his gaze towards Kise-kun instead, something simmering in his gaze. "Kise, you've changed a little."
"Really?"
Midorima-kun's eyes narrow, and he states bluntly. "Your eyes are weird."
"Weird?!" Kise-kun protests, but then sighs. "I mean... I have been practicing more since our match against Kurokocchi, and... basketball has gotten pretty fun again." Tetsuya catches a note of something almost familiar in his voice, like guilt, and he frowns. What... "Oh! And also, I've become friends with Kurokocchi again, isn't that amazing?"
"And now you bother him everyday after practice, so no, it's not amazing." Kagami-kun grumbles. Kise-kun just laughs.
"I don't think I ever stopped being friends with Kise-kun, though." After a moment of contemplation Tetsuya offhandedly notes. Sure, there might've been a rough patch, and he would hesitate to call Kise-kun his friend before. But he still valued him greatly. After all, if he didn't, he wouldn't have wanted to save them. Both Kagami-kun and Kise-kun stare at Tetsuya, jaws dropped, before Kise-kun's eyes well up with tears, and he pulls him in a bear hug.
"Kurokocchi" he sobs, and Tetsuya lets him perform his dramatics on his shoulder. Midorima-kun watches them, the look in his eyes growing unreadable.
"It seems I was mistaken." Midorima-kun says, stiffly, "You have not changed at all. You have simply reverted to a state before our three consecutive championships."
Tetsuya stays silent for a while, "But," he starts at length, "we were all like that back then, weren't we?"
Midorima-kun snorts, and looks down. "How you change is none of my business." He states. "However, I am not playing basketball to have fun."
The table falls silent again- and it is something almost tense. The magic clinging to Midorima-kun's skin silently crawls across the teen's skin, digging its grip deeper into him and failing.
"You guys all think too hard." It's Kagami-kun who breaks the silence, glancing at all of them. "Of course we play basketball because it's fun."
"What did you say?" Midorima-kun scowls. He's never dealt with being disagreed with well, and Tetsuya watches as the magic clinging to his skin flares at Kagami-kun's words, like they burnt. "How dare you speak like you understand a single thing when you-"
"...Sorry to interrupt." A hand lands on Tetsuya's shoulder, small, gentle, and familiar. Tetsuya turns around to see his aunt having turned around in her seat, looking over towards them. "But I need to talk to Tetsuya."
Midorima-kun's expression changes from anger, to something stone-cold. "You're the SSRA agent that day, from the Kaijou-Seirin match." He states.
"I am," she nods, then turns towards Tetsuya, "We won't be headed home together tonight, it won't take long, but Mafuyu and I have to make a brief detour. Also," she hands him a chain of keys with a basketball charm on it, "you left your keys this morning."
"Ah," Tetsuya takes the keys, he's been a little too preoccupied with thoughts about the match- he must've left them on the side table, "Thanks."
He feels Midorima-kun's gaze, the teen having been watching this whole interaction with growing suspicion and disapproval in his eyes. "Kuroko lives directly above the conbini his mother works at, there's no need to give him his keys." Midorima-kun snaps, his voice irritable and growing hostile by the second. Something like dread creeps up on Tetsuya, and Hotaru-san's hand on his shoulder grows firm and supportive. "Also, at this hour, his grandmother would be home to open the doors anyways." Midorima-kun doesn't seem to notice the change in atmosphere, and continues to glare at Hotaru-san. "So what is an SSRA agent doing with his house keys? Kuroko has nothing to do with your lot -"
"Midorima-kun." Tetsuya interrupts, almost forcefully. "She's my aunt." He opens his mouth again, and it grows dry and wants to crack, but he keeps it together, and forces himself to take a sip of water. "My parents died this January." He says at length, quiet.
"...What?"
Half the restaurant has grown completely silent. Kasamatsu-san and Takao-kun are both staring in their direction with wide eyes, and the rest of Seirin looking their way with looks of either shock or sadness. Coach Riko is covering her mouth, hiding a gasp. And Midorima-kun
Midorima-kun looks furious. There's something more to it, a realisation of some kind, as well as shock and disbelief. Pain, maybe. He's never seen this look on his face before, and Tetsuya doesn't like it at all. All of this comes to a crest on his face like a wave breaking, turning into white hot anger. "And you didn't tell us?" He demands, almost half standing up from his seat.
"Oi, Midorima!" Kagami-kun immediately protests, Midorima-kun sends him a glare sharp enough to kill, but Kagami-kun stands his ground, glowering, "Who he tells isn't for you to decide."
"I knew Haruka-san as well," Midorima-kun retorts, "All of us did. We had a right to know, and you didn't think to tell us?" He whirls back towards Tetsuya, at this point Hotaru-san has stood up from her seat, standing right next to Tetsuya, staring unflinchingly at Midorima-kun with a firm look in her eyes.
"Tetsuya had a lot on his plate." She says evenly, "Family issues, he was too overwhelmed - and Kagami-kun is right. While objectively Tetsuya should've informed you, no one should force him into carrying the news."
"And your ilk would know about that, huh." Midorima-kun almost spits, at Hotaru-san. He says the word 'ilk' like a curse, glaring at Hotaru-san. "The SSRA should have nothing to do with high schoolers."
Kise-kun opens his mouth, "...Midorimacchi…" he starts, but doesn't seem to know how to keep going.
Hotaru-san meanwhile is unfazed by his hostility. Almost like she's used to it. "Or maybe have you considered, that we have lives beyond being an SSRA agent."
Midorima-kun almost recoils, and he whirls around to look towards Tetsuya, indignant. Tetsuya doesn't look his way, keeping his gaze firmly on the table.
"Fine." Midorima-kun snaps. He wrenches his wallet out of his pocket, counts out his portion of the bill, and smacks it on the table. "So be it."
He storms out of the restaurant and into the rain, leaving silence in his wake and Takao Kazunari, who stares after him with something like hurt in his expression.
A/N
Hi I'm back, missed me?