In Shadows
Chapter Thirty-Four
Birthday Plans

Convincing Kagami to come shopping with them was one of the hardest tasks Gina and Kuroko had ever undertaken, probably just as difficult as defeating Rakuzan.

"We can eat somewhere afterwards," Gina had said, ready to tear her hair out. "Come on, just a day out, with the three of us!"

So they managed to convince Kagami to come with them, though after a while dragging him around the shops became a chore. Gina and Kuroko loved disappearing into every bookstore they could find, and Kagami would grumble and look for the magazines. When Gina pulled them into a few clothes shops, Kagami had waited outside, unless there were sports clothes inside that he could look at. Gina and Kuroko discovered that to keep their friend happy, they had to enter every sports store they came across, as well as a few video games.

When they finished shopping they got lunch - there was no Maji Burger, but there was a nice cafe that they sat at. Kagami terrified the waitress with his order, then admitted later it still probably wouldn't be enough.

Is there no filling him? Gina shook her head, her own single slice of vanilla cake looking miniscule against Kagami's portions. 

Gina occasionally looked outside the window, staring at passing shoppers, taking in the hum of activity outside. She was quite content to watch everyone go until two shoppers caught her eye, one with brunette hair and the other with long pink hair. She squinted, though she had a pretty good idea who they were. "Hey, is that Satsuki and Akane?

Kuroko quickly checked. "It is."

Gina stood up, ready to wave and catch their attention, but Akane was the one to spot them first. She waved frantically. "Kuroko, Gina!" she called.

Momoi looked in their direction as well. "And Kagamin!" she called. The two hurried over to their table of three.

"What are you all doing here?" Akane asked, once she stood beside them. Her eyes were instantly drawn to the numerous shopping bags left on the floor.

"I convinced them to come shopping with me," Gina said. She giggled. "Kagami wasn't willing."

"I'm not like you!" he protested. "I can't look at clothes and books for long amounts of time."

"To satisfy Kagami-kun we had to go to every sport and video game shop we found," Kuroko informed the two girls.

Akane snorted, and Momoi smiled wryly. "That sounds like you, Kagamin." Gina wondered if the wry smile came from Momoi's own experiences; she could imagine her friend dragging Aomine out shopping, who probably would've been as impressed with it as Kagami.

"Might as well take a seat," Gina said, feeling like they were in for a decent conversation. "I'm sure it's uncomfortable standing."

They did. A waitress came bustling over, asking if there was anything they'd like to drink. Akane settled on green tea, while Momoi ordered a smoothie.

Once the waitress disappeared Akane turned to Kagami, a bright smile on her face. "I don't believe we've been introduced." She held out her hand. "Hirai Akane, but please, ignore the last name. Just Akane is fine."

Kagami took her hand. "Kagami Taiga. It's a pleasure, Akane."

"So what are you two doing here?" Gina asked, when they finished greeting each other. The waitress came back and handed Momoi and Akane's drinks out. Steam still wafted up from Akane's cup; she blew on it to cool it down.

"I'm trying to make up for lost time with everyone from Teiko," Akane said presently. She took a cautionary test of her tea and winced, blowing on it a little more. "Satsuki was the first I called. I'm trying to organise something with the others, even if I just pop down for half an hour to say hello."

"Even Akashi?" Kagami asked.

Akane froze. "Oh, yeah." She took a sip of her tea, her gaze turning distant. "Akashi," she murmured, as though the name was foreign to her. She lowered her cup so it remained just below her chin.

Gina bit her lip. She knew that topic was a sensitive one with Akane.

Momoi placed a gentle hand on her friend's shoulder. "Akane-chan?" she asked in a soft whisper. "Did something happen?"

"Oh, not much," Akane said, with a short, nervous laugh. "He... Well, he sort of ran into me after the final."

He what? Gina bit her lip. What were the chances that those two would bump into each other? The crowd was huge, and he'd likely have wanted to go home as quickly as possible.

"What happened?" Gina asked.

"We exchanged a few words."

"Is that all?"

Akane's fingers tapped against her teacup and her features scrunched up together. Gina noticed she was making small movements with all parts of her body, like there was nervous energy inside her she wanted to get rid of. "He might be taking me out for dinner tomorrow?" she squeaked. "So we can, in his words, discuss things?" She looked a little sick at the thought - though sick with nerves was probably the most accurate description for it.

"He's doing what?" Kagami exclaimed, the voice for all their shock.

Akane rubbed the back of her neck. "We sort of left things unresolved after Teiko, and I've scarcely talked to him since then... even with our parents having meetings all the time we've barely exchanged a word." She chuckled softly. "Honestly, I'm terrified, and I don't even know why."

Speaking to him after everything that happened at Teiko...Gina recalled Kuroko's story and winced.

"Akane-san, I'm sure you'll be fine," Kuroko said, offering her a small smile.

She smiled back. There was hope in her eyes, but also s warmth that Gina had never seen before. "I know. When I talked to him after the game, even when I was watching, I could tell. He's back to his old self again."

"Do you know what he might want to talk about?" Kagami asked.

"I honestly have no clue," she admitted ruefully. "Teiko wasn't the best time for either of us... or at least, our last year wasn't. Things happened that I regret." She closed her eyes, like it caused her pain just recalling the memories. "He probably wants to talk it over." She sighed and slowly opened her eyes once again. "Look, do you mind if we talk about something else? This talk is making me nervous."

Oh. What's something else we can talk about? Gina could understand why Akane wouldn't want to talk - this would be a rather personal matter for her.

"So... anything exciting coming up?" Gina asked lamely. She cringed when she spoke. Man. That was awful. And it probably won't ignite any sort of real conversation.

But then Momoi gasped, a light bulb flicking on in her head. "Oh, Tetsu-kun, it's your birthday soon isn't it?" she exclaimed.

Kuroko continued to sip at his vanilla milkshake. "Yes," he said simply, as though turning another year older was no big deal.

"It is?" Gina demanded. She glared at her boyfriend, resisting to urge to punch him on the arm. "You should have told me earlier!"

Even Kagami looked a little angered. "You didn't think that we'd like to know?

"We need to organise something!" Momoi said, getting down to business. Already she had grabbed a notebook and pen from her pocket - honestly, did she go around everywhere ready to do scouting? She jotted down a few words. "A party or something similar!"

"There's no need," Kuroko protested.

"Oh yes, there is," Momoi said firmly. She paused in her writing to look up at Kuroko. "I don't think we celebrated your last birthday at Teiko, did we?"

"That's not -"

"We didn't," Momoi remembered. She scribbled down a few notes. "We need to make up for it. I'll handle everything, Tetsu-kun." She looked at Gina, and smiled. "Gina-chan, would you mind helping me?"

Gina beamed. It was like Momoi had read her mind. Kuroko had done so much for her, and she wanted to give something back to him, no matter how small. She wanted to do something for him, to show just how much she cared.

"I'd love to, Satsuki," she said, and her friend's eyes warmed.

*          *          *

Preparations for Kuroko's party were easier than Gina thought.

Kagami had told the rest of Seirin about Kuroko's upcoming birthday, and they were already arranging a Seirin-only celebration. When Gina relayed this information to Momoi, they decided that they'd organise a separate party, with other people who weren't in Seirin, so they too could wish Kuroko a happy birthday.

Of course, that was the Generation of Miracles, and Akane.

They'd debated briefly what to do, but the answer had been simple, almost glaring at them in the face: basketball. It had been too long since they'd all come together to play a casual game without any animosity or competition. They used to do it all the time in middle school, according to Momoi. Doing something like that would mean a lot to Kuroko, Momoi had said, who really had suffered when the Generation of Miracles started to fall apart.

Once they'd decided that, it was a matter of contacting everyone and making sure they would be free for Kuroko's birthday. Gina left that mostly to Momoi to sort out, since she had everyone's phone numbers, and she knew everyone better than Gina did, anyway.

Then there was a discussion of whether they should bring food. Gina had the idea to ask Saki if her bakery wouldn't mind making a cake and a few snacks for the day, and her friend was all too happy to oblige, saying that she'd deliver everything herself since the basketball courts weren't too far from her family bakery. They'd organised a list together; vanilla birthday cake, pizzas, sausage rolls, and anything else teenage boys might want to eat.

Organising everything brought a smile to Gina's face and raised her spirits. She loved organising the party, and loved knowing that everything she was doing would make Kuroko's birthday better. He'd be having a party with both his Teiko and Seirin teammates, who he had formed close bonds with over the years. It was fun to organise, and spending time with Momoi made it even more enjoyable.

"There's no reason you have to do all this for me," Kuroko said one night, a week before his birthday. They were currently at Gina's house, camped out in front of the TV in the lounge room. They'd just finished watching a movie. Chocolate and sweet wrappers dotted the floor beside them. Though, Gina had eaten most of the food. Kuroko just had a handful every once and a while. They were now on the floor; Kuroko was sitting with his back to the couch, and Gina lay out on the floor, using one of his legs as a pillow.

By then everyone had said they'd be able to make it; even Akashi, who was currently living in Kyoto, and Murasakibara, who was north in Akita.

"Nonsense," she scoffed. "Of course I have to. You're my boyfriend, and well, I care pretty deeply about you." She leaned her head back and reached up with one of her hands, touching his cheek. "It's your birthday and, well, I just want you to be happy."

"Gina, you are going out of your way -"

"Kuroko," she said firmly. "I am enjoying this. Let me do this for you."

They stared at each other for a minute. Gina raised one eyebrow, challenging him, daring him to say another word.

He stare must have worked for he relented, a small smile on his face. "Okay. Thank you, Gina."

"Thanks, Kuroko." She yawned and stretched out, pushing herself into sitting position to quickly press her lips to his cheek. "Say, let's play a video game or something. We have Mario Kart, or perhaps Wii Sports, or whatever other games I've forgotten about." Reluctantly, she pushed herself off the ground and crawled toward the cabinet where they kept their games. "If there's anything at all -"

"I'm only good at bowling," he said.

So sports it is.

He smashed her at bowling, but she got him back when she chose tennis. When Kuroko chose baseball and they both failed to score a single point for their team, they agreed to stop and fell to the ground again, Gina still laughing at her poor attempts to eat the ball to connect with the baseball bat.

They could've stayed there forever, but Kuroko had to go home for dinner. Gina saw him to the door and smiled as they kissed goodbye. Everytime they kissed Gina had to hilt her head up slightly, but she was used to it by now, and instead focused on allowing herself to melt into the kiss. She till felt tingles go down her spine every time their lips met.

Then he had to leave, and Gina waved goodbye, watching him go with a smile.

Somehow, she felt that everything was going to work out just fine.

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whoo so kuroko's birthday is coming up! you know what that means... :D
a bit of hinted seikane in there are well! 
the next chapter's the last one, and then there's only the epilogue to go... but don't think this is the end of gina's story just yet! i have a lot still left planned for gina, and akane as well!