HAIZAKI:

Camera022_album2_01.jpg View Image.

I'm in Shizuoka now
Lost as heck

AISAKA:

Tell me if they
Instantly hate u

OGIWARA:

Saka's so mean lol

KISE:

Ooh, Haizakicchi is there!
Congrats, you made it!
(ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧

MOMOI:

AI_Img8107.png View Image.
♡ ～('▽^人)

Sending you the detailed map
Again so you won't be late

I'm starting to think I should've
Installed a gps for you guys
Because u and Kagamin are
absolutely hopeless with directions

KAGAMI:

I am not hopeless with directions

HAIZAKI:

Oh fuck off

I hope the morons in
Fukuda Sougo aren't
Worse than you bastards

MURASAKIBARA:

Send souvenirs

HAIZAKI:

Souvenirs are meant to be
Given WHEN I COME BACK

MURASAKIBARA:

Food

AOMINE:

Gotta say Haizaki
Mura's got a point

HAIZAKI:

You guys are
FUCKING Insufferable

AISAKA:

Love you too ♡⌒ヽ(*'､^*)

KUROKO:

Good luck at your new school,
We'll be cheering you on.

AOMINE:

OOooh you got a Tetsu blessing
U r now blessed for life

HAIZAKI:

Blessed with cheesy one liners
ah yes, perfect. Gimme a sec
Gotta hurl into the sink brb

KUROKO:

My feelings have been hurt.

OGIWARA:

Did u take 900pts of damage?

KUROKO:

Yes

HAIZAKI:

Anyway srs gtg bb

NIJIMURA:

Call your parents too

HAIZAKI:

>@NIJIMURA>
>@AISAKA >

Ok hey mom+dad I'm at Shizuoka now

AISAKA:

Good to know sweetie

NIJIMURA:

Excus me u fucking brat

-

The season comes and goes, and before anyone really registers it, it's April. Akashi moved to Kyoto, Murasakibara moved to Akita, and everyone else moved considerably away from each other by attending different schools in Tokyo.

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me, that's overkill," Aomine groans, walking around the Touou hallways with Satsuki at his side, "Kagami, Ogiwara, and Tetsu's all in the same place. That's just unfair."

"Well, don't be such a stickler. We all know Kagami-kun isn't as flexible as the rest of us," Momoi says, her clipboard clutched to her chest. "Plus, Seirin has a disadvantage if we're looking at overall player stats."

"So they're weak?"

"Pretty much," she says, "they've got one outstanding player, but he injured himself last year. The rest of the team isn't actually too bad, but there's too much competition in their regionals, so they're just too average."

"Which means they're weak. I guess they need the advantage, then."

Momoi sighs at that. She doesn't quite have the substance to prove him wrong, so she'll have to depend on Kuroko and Ogiwara to prove that sheer power isn't everything. But how would the initial teamwork plan work out with Kagami there?

They open the doors to the school gymnasium.

"Yo," Aomine says, smiling as eyes turned to him with confusion, recognition, and apprehension. He grins wider. "So, this is the basketball club?"

Aomine loves competition, and all these nasty looks he's already getting makes him so happy to be here. He's going to have so much fun.

"You're Aomine, right? From Teiko," the mean-looking senior with bleached hair approaches him, "you're probably hailed as some sort of deity back in Teiko, but here you gotta show some respect, got it? Which means coming in quietly."

Aomine takes off his tie. "And what happens if I don't?"

A basketball hits the ground and Momoi finds herself with an armful of jacket before roars break through the court, the squeaks of basketball shoes against the polished floors, and-- slam.

The crunch of the basketball hoop rings through the court, and with the yells of one more time, you bastard, Aomine's laughter could be heard.

Momoi turns to the coach with a tired smile. "Good afternoon, Coach. I'm really sorry for the interruption. My name is Momoi Satsuki, and I've received instructions to come here on my first day."

"Ah, yes, I've heard of you," the coach says, giving Aomine one resigned glance. "I suppose you're the one holding his leash?"

Momoi looks toward Aomine.

"Not exactly," she admits.

She came with him to be emotional support, to prove to him that he would never be alone even after he's shattered so far-- but at some point, the hands that struggled to hold him together increased.

There was a cracked gear in the equation, but it's covered in rainbow stickers now, holding him together so tightly there's little chance of it ever coming apart again.

And Momoi loves to remember that.

"He's perfectly fine like that, don't you think?"

-

Himuro Tatsuya moves to Akita.

It was a migration planned quite a long while ago, with Alex finally managing to convince two ridiculous adults to finally leave him alone and pick a fucking country.

Anyways, Tatsuya needed to run, so he moved to Japan alone, finding himself in Akita with his rather distant aunt Araki Masako.

Then he learns what school he's going to.

"Yosen?"

"Yeah, I'm the basketball coach there," Masako had told him, "and I want you on my team cause Alex's been bumbling about you for more than my ears can handle. If you say no I'm tossing you back out to the street."

"That's illegal, though--" Himuro stops himself because Masako looked ready to murder him if his next words weren't an agreement, "okay, sure."

The group chat, now named The Cult, were really looking forward to having Murasakibara and Himuro meet each other somehow, since they were in the same area. But that's honestly harder than it sounds, even with Himuro's social skills.

It's as awkward as trying to meet up with an internet friend that isn't keen on the idea, not for stranger danger but simply because you aren't close enough for that and they're generally uninterested in you.

So joining the basketball club sounds like a good idea.

"So, Masako-san," Himuro says, "is there a nice sweets store around?"

Masako raises a brow. "What for?"

Himuro grins into his phone, "I'm trying to get a guy's attention."

Masako rolls his eyes, "this is exactly why your parents disowned you."

Ow, low blow, but Himuro chuckles. "That's fine," he says, gesturing vaguely at the purple butterfly keychain hanging at the edge of his phone. "I've got a Mama already."

"Tatsuya, I could have gone another three years without hearing that."

Masako walks away with a comically disgusted expression, probably to settle the rest of the ever-growing paperwork she'll dump onto Himuro later.

Himuro sends a text to Kagami, and a part of him feels comforted.

[I'm going to keep it a secret first, then surprise everyone with a picture,] he says, and he just knows Kagami is bumbling at the aspect of a secret now, probably to hide his phone very obviously away from the others in his school.

They're far apart, but somehow, he just knows exactly what Kagami is doing, how he'll respond, and his expressions doing it. It's an inseparable connection only they have.

They're brothers, after all.

He clutches the ring at his chest and tucks it under his shirt.

"Hey, Masako-san, is there a basketball court around?" he asks, leaning into the study to the irritated, heatless glare of the older woman. He smiles, entirely unfazed, "I'm going out for a bit."

"Yeah, right round the corner," Masako points in some vague direction, "knock yourself out, not literally because I don't want more paperwork."

"Kaaay."

-

Kise's relationship with Aisaka is honestly a little awkward.

He can feel it through their texting-- Aisaka doesn't like him as much as Kise doesn't like Aisaka. Their relationship feels like an in-between of 'I'll curse you in my sleep but not today' and 'I'm buying drinks and it's gonna be awkward if I don't get one for you too so what the hell do you want', but only sometimes.

They talk perfectly fine in the group chat, but they all know that's just over text, and they really won't know until they meet again, in person. They don't strike up a conversation with just them in particular-- they always talk as part of the supportive or unsupportive crowd, never alone.

Momoi tells him it's just his imagination, but Kise knows better.

After all, Aisaka is still 'Aisaka-kun' and Kise is still 'Kise-san'.

There's something between them. A wall, a barrier, an almost trivial little thing about them that no one quite cares about. Like the honorific, who cares about that? Kise apparently. He could laugh.

"Hey, Kise! Keep your head in the game!"

Kise lurches forward to grab the basketball out of the air. A spin, a bounce, hard-- and dunk. When he lands back on the floor Kasamatsu is not happy, because he let his mind wander. It's not a good impression, especially after their loss against Seirin in that practice match last week.

"Oh c'mon, Kasamatsu-senpai, I scored, didn't I?" he whines.

"Not the point! Focus on the game or sit out!"

"Alright, alright."

He sighs, looking at his hand-- then he rubs it across his hair, fixing the fallen bangs-- and grins at the crowd, eliciting a crowd of happy fangirl squeals.

Then Kise runs when Kasamatsu starts chasing him.

(Speaking of Seirin, maybe he should call. He promised Ogiwaracchi another two-on-two, didn't he?)

"KISE!"

Kise can't help but smile as he leaps over the stage, scrambling to the other court.

Someone passes a basketball in his direction, surprised on both ends because he wasn't supposed to be there-- but Kise takes it, spins, and leaps, hovering in the air for all of three seconds before scoring another dunk.

He lands on the ground hard, a slight tingle in his feet-- ah, he jumped too high, that hurts.

But that's nice.

A full three seconds-- that's the closest he's managed to get to Aisaka's infamous five. But it's just a bit too rough to be Aisaka's infamous leap, so it's not the same. He wonders if he'll be able to copy that perfectly one day.

(Well, one day, maybe?)

"STOP SHOWING OFF, YOU BASTARD!"

"Ack! Kasamatsu-senpai, don't hit me, that hurts!"

-

"Ogiwara-kun, I know you can run a lot, but that's about enough out of you," Riko hollers, holding her whistle, "save your stamina for tomorrow!"

It's the day before the dreaded two-kings-in-a-row of Inter-High. They've got Kuroko on extensive stamina training, and Ogiwara decided he wanted in on it, despite being part of the 'watch Seiho's videos until you need glasses' part of the group.

Kuroko himself is dead on the floor, appreciating the cold gravel against his cheek. Kagami sits beside him with the rest of the first years, rehydrating themselves.

"He'll be fine, Coach," Kagami says, swallowing large gulps of water, "Ogiwara needs to release that energy or he'll spontaneously combust or something."

"I don't care if he causes fireworks to explode over the region with his arse," Riko hisses, pointing sharply at the figure in the distance. Because, somehow, he's already in the distance. "if his muscles are wrecked before tomorrow I'll make sure all of you never walk again, got it? Now GO GET HIM BACK!"

Kagami gets up with a groan, the stretch on his tired limbs protesting.

"Hey, Ogiwara!" he shouts, but the runner can't hear him. He groans louder, turning to Kuroko. "Hey, Kuroko, go get him back, would ya?"

Kuroko mutters something indecipherable into the floor.

"Okay," Kagami pretends to understand it. Is there something he can do to drag that guy back? Because he's going to run another lap around town if no one stops him.

Kagami wishes they had their phones on them, but alas, they left it back in the clubroom.

Ah.

He stands straight, breathes in, and--

"HEY OGI, KUROKO SUCKS!"

Kuroko lifts his head, glaring in his blatantly very offended manner. A few heads turned to him, looking confused at what he's trying to do.

"Oh c'mon, Kagami," Furihata says, chuckling, "there's no way Ogiwara would--"

A figure soars into the air, and a flying roundhouse kick smacks straight to Kagami's cheek, sending the Power Forward swerving aside at the impact.

Jaws dropped.

Furihata even squeaks, clinging to Kawahara at the sudden assaulting entrance. Fukuda's gone pale, but Riko is watching in awe,impressed by the absolutely stunning martial art form of that roundhouse kick-- wait no that's not the point-- but still.

Ogiwara stands before them, foot still raised-- then he returns to the at ease position.

"Ten out of ten," Kuroko says, barely lifting his head from the floor.

"Thank you, Kuro," Ogiwara says, humouring the guy. He looks up toward Kagami, "now, what was that you just said? I might have misheard."

Kagami explodes, holding his throbbing cheek, worried for blood or fallen teeth. "Excuse me?! You kick me THEN ask?? Holy shit that hurt."

"Sorry, Kagamin," Ogiwara laughs, beaming with all of the innocence in his soul, "anyways, what was that you said? Really want to hear it again."

Kagami steps back. "Now who the hell taught you how to threaten people?"

"He might have had one too many play dates with Akashi-kun," is Kuroko's stoical response to that. "And Ogi-kun has always had that amazing footwork. As you might or might not know, his specialty outside of basketball is Kendo."

"Don't say those incredulous things in monotone!" Kagami snaps, absolutely baffled at this point, "don't call them play dates, for god's sake. And what does Kendo have to do with anything? I was expecting you to say Karate or something!"

"That would be NIjimura-senpai's specialty."

"Stop giving me pointless trivia!"

Blatantly ignoring the conversation around him, Ogiwara cheerfully turns around to help the phantom back to his feet,.

Kagami shivers.

Riko clears her throat, catching their attention. "A-Anyways," she says, gathering their attention back toward her. "Head back to the clubroom now, everyone. Get as much rest as you can, and don't be late tomorrow morning. Got it?"

"Yes, sir!" came the responses.

"And Ogiwara," she says, pointedly, "no more running. Let out your excess energy by screaming into the distance or something."

"You'll disturb the neighbours," is Furihata's immediate retort to that.

"Oh," Riko acknowledges the problem, "then don't do that."

Ogiwara visibly deflates.

"Well, then let's go the long way home," Kuroko suggests, "maybe we can get popsicles. Kagami-kun will be paying."

"Ooh! Popsicles! Can I join?" Kawahara asks.

"Why don't we all go?" Furihata suggests, "I mean, if we're walking the long way home anyways, we'll be together for a bit."

"Hey hey, remember your curfews, boys," Riko warns. When they deflate, she clarifies, "let's not forget to invite your seniors, huh?"

And they all cheer in unison, rushing toward the gymnasium with Ogiwara ahead of them to extend the honourable invites. Riko follows after them in a moment, leaving Kuroko and Kagami behind.

"Wait!" Kagami barks, "why am I paying? Kuroko, why am I paying?!"

"Punishment for hurting my feelings," Kuroko replies simply. "We're going to catch a cold, so hurry on inside, okay?"

Kagami is left, mouth agape, as Kuroko snickers just a little, before turning away and heading back in.

He holds back his scream of utter incredulity, "now who taught you how to be an absolute little shit?!"

(From the gym, Ogiwara clarifies very necessarily: "he's always been like this!")

-

"Cancer is in sixth place today! But oh, what's this? Look out for the Sagittarians today, they seem to be in trouble! But who knows? A chat with an old friend might just be the thing you need."

Sixth place is smack in the middle of the rankings and that's really just a horrible coin flip. Even with his lucky item, the flute wrapped with a gold ribbon because he doesn't have a golden flute, it's a roller coaster outside.

Two streets down the house and a cat runs past his feet. He jerks back-- to narrowly avoid a flower pot falling from a second floor window. Did he just almost die?

Was that good luck or bad luck? Or is it bad good luck? Or good bad luck? He's tired.

He wants to go home, preferably now-- but alas, practice today is his third strike of the month. He doesn't want a pineapple to the head.

MIDORIMA:

Akashi you're in
last place today

So if u die I am
not looking for you

AKASHI:

Noted with thanks.

May I ask for the
Lucky item I might
Have to acquire today?

MIDORIMA:

A credit card.

You've got a lot of those.

AKASHI:

Indeed.

Thank you for
The warning.

I appreciate it.

MIDORIMA:

Get a silver one if possible.

Talking to Akashi is really weird. And Midorima belatedly realizes that this might be the first time he's texting Akashi like this.

Like this as in, like he's texting Kise or something.

Like they're friends.

(Of course, they are friends. Just. Just, they've never really stepped past the point of a professional relationship.)

(It was sort of weird for them.)

(Midorima wonders if the Cult is the cause of this. He's sort of embarrassed and wants to delete the messages, but Akashi humoured him so maybe it's fine?)

He sighs.

A chat with an old friend, huh. Just a little while ago, Akashi was the furthest thing from a friend-- heck, would Midorima even consider any of them friends?

He smiles to himself as he thinks of his days in Junior HIgh.

They're fleeting, but rather nice to ponder on. It's hard not to think of them as friends, and for a guy like him-- that's a really nice feeling.

(Though, he'd never admit that openly.)

He feels a little better this time as he continues on his way to school.

-

Hiroto smiles at the picture. Kuroko has the camera. Ogiwara, Momoi, and Kise are right beside him, grinning with victory poses into the camera.

Behind them, Kagami is talking with Himuro, and Murasakibara is standing behind the latter, clutching a cute bag of probably pastries protectively to his chest.

Midorima and Haizaki are in the middle of some sort of heated debate. Akashi was probably part of that conversation, but he has his head turned toward the camera, the only one in the background acknowledging the picture taking.

KUROKO:

Camera_album04.052.jpg View Image.

Interhigh Day 1.

Shutoku vs Fukuda Sogo
Shutoku wins 120 - 118.

Yosen vs Touou
Ao and Mura didn't play
But Yosen won 98 - 85

HAIZAKI:

THAT THREE POINTER
WAS A FCKING CHEAT

MIDORIMA:

It is called strategy
And teamwork.

Something your team
Really needs apparently

NIJMURA:

Green's imposter guys

The Midorima I know
Would never drink the
Respect teammate juice

OGIWARA:

*Green was not the imposter.*
• ﾟ 。 . . . 。 。 . . 。 ඞ 。 . • • ﾟ

HAIZAKI:

STOP MAKIGN DUMB
FCKING REFERENCES
I DEMAND A DAMN
REMATCH FOR THIS

AKASHI:

Have some sportsmanship.

HAIZAKI:

Tch.

AISAKA:

Wait why didn't Ao and 
Mura play in their games

MOMOI:

Because Aomine-kun
Is an idiot. (-_-;)

KISE:

Because Aominecchi
Is an idiot. (°ㅂ°╬)

AOMINE:

Excuse me u bastards

AISAKA:

(o_o;)・・・
Deets pls

KAGAMI:

He broke their

AOMINE:

Don't you DARE

KAGAMI:

His foot

HIMURO:

x2

AISAKA:

WHAT

KAGAMI:

Him and Kise

KISE:

WOW KAGAMICCHI
UR EXPOSING ME
LIKE THAT? OK

KAGAMI:

Your both idiots

AISAKA:

What the

Hell

Happened.

KISE:

It's Aominecchi's fault.
＼( ￣ヘ￣)／

AOMINE:

Kise fuck u

KISE:

He is meanie (っ- ‸ – ς)

AOMINE:

Excuse me you lil shit
Let's take this outside

KISE:

Well I can't Aominecchi
You see my leg is uh

Kinda broken (・∀・*)

Because SOMEONE
Stepped on it y'know
¯\(◉‿◉)/¯

OGIWARA:

How is he so terrifying
With just emoticons

HAIZAKI:

It's his super power.

AOMINE:

HEY MINE BROKE TOO OK

KISE:

DOESN'T MAKE IT BETTER!
(╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻

KUROKO:

The Kaijou vs Touou during
Interhigh Prelims was a bit
too intense for them.

I have never heard two bones
crack at the same time before.

OGIWARA:

I'm gonna get nightmares
About it ok I'm terrified |ʘ‿ʘ)╯

MOMOI:

Think of me I was on the bench
o(〒﹏〒)o

HIMURO:

So they have to sit out on the
Whole of the rest of interhigh

So Atsushi isn't playing either
Just to make things fair.

AKASHI:

It's not fun unless
All of us are together.

KUROKO:

I'm screenshotting that

MOMOI:

Me too!
( ु•⌄• )✧♡

AKASHI:

?

AISAKA:

Congrats!

Smack the two idiots
Over the head for me

NIJIMURA:

Twice please

AOMINE:

NO WTH

KISE:

NOooo ‧º·(˚ ˃̣̣̥⌓˂̣̣̥ )‧º·˚

HAIZAKI:

Sorry dudes,
Mom and Dad's orders.

AKASHI:

And those orders are
Very much... absolute.

AOMINE:

NOT FUNNY AKASHI

KUROKO:

Camera_album04_212.jpg View Image.

Rare smiling Akashi
Reblog for good luck.

Hiroto chuckles at that, looking over on the couch to see Nijimura subtly saving the picture. He does the same too, of course-- they save every picture they get.

They're both in college now, with Hiroto skipping an uncomfortable amount of grades but he manages, (because grade-skipping is a normal thing in America) and his academics are the least of his problems when he's got his future laid out for him..

They're both scouted for the basketball team, though Hiroto's on a higher tier. Generally, they have the same schedule, and spend a lot of their time together.

They even got a shared room at the university dorms, and they visit Alex's gym on the weekends. There are even days they visit NIjimura's dad in the hospital instead. They've settled into a routine here, and it's nice.

(Nicer than in Japan, if they dared to think.)

Their days are filled with basketball, and there's nothing more they really want.

AISAKA:

Camera_album20_11.jpg View Image.

Bonjours from America my lads

KAGAMI:

How the hell did you get
THAT much tanner dude

NIJIMURA:

We play a lot of streetball

HAIZAKI:

Dude both of u r roasted

AISAKA:

I have a wrist brace tan!

OGIWARA:

That sounds hilarious pls show

AISAKA:

Here's a month ago

Camera_album18_81.jpg View Image.

AOMINE:

HAHAHAHA Oh god

NIJIMURA DUDE
Is that a GLASSES TAN

NIJIMURA:

Shut U P about it

KUROKO:

Is that why you got
Contacts last week?

HIMURO:

Kise and Momoi have been
laughing on the ground for
the past two minutes,
should we be concerned
About their air intake?

NIJIMURA:

Let them die

Hiroto can't help but smile as Nijimura makes annoyed faces at his phone, furiously typing out his next replies to reprimand his obnoxious juniors.

They're so far away, but there's nothing that makes him happier than these moments in the group chat.

"Wanna tell them we'll be there in time for Winter Cup?" Hiroto reminds him, and NIjimura grins.

They'd been planning a trip back to Japan, because Winter Cup happened to collide with their Winter Break as well. What better way to spend the holidays, right?

"Nah," he says with a shrug. "It'll be funnier to see their faces when they're flabbergasted, don't you think?"

And Hiroto agreed.

He couldn't wait for Winter Break now.

-

-

-

Winter Cup Day 1

Kise groans. The rehab he had to go through to get his foot back in shape was hell and he had every right to be annoyed at Aominecchi for that.

He got in trouble with Kasamatsu, with his parents, and even the modelling agency! Geez, give him a break.

He yawns.

"Hey, Kise!"

He snaps to attention. Kasamatsu is scowling at him, and Kise quickly moulds his goofy smile on his face. "What, Kasamatsu-senpai?"

"Don't 'what, Kasamatsu-senpai' me! You're the one that really wanted to come watch today, and you look like you barely slept," Kasamatsu chews him off immediately, "if you fall asleep I'm not telling you what happened!"

Kise laughs dryly. "Okay, okay, I'm sorry."

From late nights of last minute homework to early morning photoshoots, Kise hasn't gotten a break at all this week.

There's no match for him today, small mercy, but that doesn't mean he's rested at all. It's really showing on his face even if he tries to hide it with all the makeup skills in his arsenal.

Now they're in a convenience store, getting a quick snack before the matches begin.

Or at least, Kasamatsu-senpai looks like he's getting some coffee for them both. Kise was ordered to stay by the convenience store's little cafeteria section, because Kasamatsu didn't trust his drowsy mind to order breakfast, apparently.

Kise leaned into the cafe table, dozing off against his palm.

Then someone walked into the store, and Kise's eyes were drawn to blue hair and tanned skin. It takes a second to notice it's not Aomine, because though the length's about the same, the style is more fashionable on this guy, the blue was a shade too purple and the skin's as a shade too light.

He leans back into his palm, deciding to ignore it in favour of the wind.

"Here's coffee."

"Ah, thanks."

Someone sits in front of him. He reckons it's Kasamatsu, so when the paper cup of coffee is set before him, he takes it with a soft word of thanks.

Strangely enough, Kise's braced for a mouthful of bitter black coffee (because Kasamatsu is a grandpa like that) only to be pleasantly surprised by a nice sip of coffee with just the proper amount of cream and sugar to his taste.

He looks up.

Aisaka Hiroto smiles back.

Kise shrieks.

The cup doesn't go flying, because Aisaka reaches over to catch it just in time. Wow, that wouldn't have been pretty.

"Kise!" Kasamatsu charges over, "what happened-- who are you?!"

Kise, physically cringing from his freakout, has his face buried in his hands to compose himself. Aisaka, totally understanding, waits patiently for his mental breakdown to conclude.

In the meantime, he introduces himself. "Nice to meet you," he bows his head, "I'm Aisaka. It seems Kise-san has been in your care?"

And Kasamatsu juts out a greeting back. "Oh uh. No problems on that-- I'm... Kasamatsu. Nice to meet you too."

Kise visibly swallows, breathing in and out twice before settling his hand on the table again, hesitating before speaking. "It's been a while, Aisaka-kun," he says. His next line comes out more confidently, with a smile. "I didn't know you were back."

Aisaka actually grins back, hands folded under his chin, "yeah! It's still a surprise, so don't tell the others yet, okay?"

Kise chuckles back, the laughter drier than anything Kasamatsu has ever heard, "you know I'm a loose-lipped person, Aisaka-kun. I'm not sure if you should trust me with a secret of any sort."

Aisaka pouts in a very blatantly fake manner, "awh! That's a shame. I saw you by coincidence, so I thought I'd say hi to you first. You're such a party pooper."

"That's interesting, Aisaka-kun, I'm often told the opposite," Kise says.

And Aisaka immediately retorts sarcastically, "really? That's a surprise."

The silence between them was thick.

Kasamatsu actually takes a step back.

Kise and Aisaka open their eyes to reveal seething glares on each end. If looks could kill, Kasamatsu was confident they'd both be on Akashi Seijuurou's level.

More like, why the hell are they so angry? They're like two gossiping witches respectfully flipping each other off in succession.

There's a click of a camera, and a third person makes themselves known beside them, knocking them both on the head with the edge of his phone.

"Ow."

"Ouch."

"Contain your murder a little, won't you?" Nijimura warns, tucking his phone back into his pocket. "I didn't know you guys got along so terribly."

"I don't know what you mean, Nijimura-senpai," Kise responds in the same way he would tell the Coach he didn't skip three laps during warm-ups, "we get along perfectly fine."

"We're almost best friends," Aisaka says, rubbing the ache in his forehead mirthfully.

Kasamatsu's jaw drops. Someone other than him is actually pacifying Kise with one hit? And Kise is actually not whining back with fake tears?

"You're from Kaijou, aren't you?" Nijimura steps forward to greet Kasamatsu. "Nice to meet you. I was Kise's Captain for a bit in Teiko. I'm Nijimura."

"Ah-- I'm Kasamatsu." Kasamatsu feels like he's meeting celebrities and he has no idea how to deal with these emotions. "Wait, Teiko?"

"Teiko indeed," Nijimura affirms, "anyways, we're on a schedule, so see you later I guess. Kise go get some sleep."

"Yes, dad," is Kise's dry response to that.

Kasamatsu thinks he might be dreaming, because nothing else can explain this absurdity.

-

"Ah, hey, you. Excuse me?"

Kiyoshi calls out to the indigo-haired male in the distance. He crouches down to pick up the card-- oh, it's an ID card. Aisaka, is it-- and respectfully holds it out.

"You dropped something," he says.

The boy turns around, checking his pockets and hissing in surprise when he comes up empty in his search. .

"...Oh," he says, fumbling and taking it with a gloved hand. "Sorry about that. Thanks."

"No probs," Kiyoshi assures him. "Careful, though. It's crowded around the stadium."

Aisaka nods back. But before Kiyoshi can leave, the boy calls after him. "Uhm... you're from Seirin, right? Good luck on your match today."

Kiyoshi looks back and nods, "thanks!"

He heads back toward the Seirin lockers, a bright smile on his face. He's not sure why, but seeing adorable juniors always seemed to lift his spirits.

He turns back around-- and in the distance, what he sees surprises him.

Aisaka meets up with an older boy with dark hair. The latter has a frown set on his face as he knocks the younger on the head.

Kiyoshi recognizes that guy very well-- and the smile returns wider on his face.

He doesn't get the chance to go talk to him, but that one glimpse gave him hope tha they'd see him again.

"Hey, Kiyoshi! You're late."

"Ah, sorry, Hyuuga."

"Stop smiling like a goofball and get over here!"

(So Nijimura is back, huh...)

-

The ball goes to Aomine, and Aomine whips past with all the speed of a blade of wind-- one fake, a near-jump-- just kidding, he blazes right through.

Haizaki swears under his breath.

Back into play, the bounce is explosive. Haizaki passes the ball, swirls around-- and Aomine is before him.

What comes next is a blitz of feint against feint, blue and silver clashing in a whirl of colourful flashes. There's a spin, a fake, and two runs in between-- then a sharp curve.

Aomine's foot gives way to an ankle break, and Haizaki leaps, slamming the ball down to a dunk.

Aomine tuts audibly. Haizaki grins.

Maybe Winter Cup isn't the best place to play a one-on-one, but when you put these two together, what else can possibly happen?

The game ends with 79 - 80 with Fukuda Sogo's victory.

Their teammates are annoyed by how little they've got to do-- but who can blame them? Their team styles are centered upon the explosive force that is the Miracle in their team. It's a long and exhausting to-and-fro, and everyone's just glad it's over. The people watching though, probably wished it never ended.

"I'm not as soft as Ryouta, right?" Haizaki taunts him over the bench and the coaches are ready to snap at them to listen to the debriefing before going back to the lockers.

Aomine smiles at it, taking the hand in a firm, strong grip. "Ain't gonna lose next time, Shougo," he says, "but good one there."

Momoi smiles. Aomine looks so happy, she'd rather this go on forever.

"Oh but next time, try not to break your foot, aye?" Haizaki snarks, "so you can come at me like you mean it for once."

"Accept your fucking victory and shut up!" Aomine snaps, face flushing red, "and that was forever ago! My foot is fucking perfect, excuse you?"

"Yer'pulling my leg and we all know it. You just don't wanna fight your pretty li'l Ryouta next round, we all get it."

"Is it a rematch you want, Shougo? Wanna get back on the field and duke it out again? Should I punch you right here?"

"Ooh, violence. I'm terrified."

Momoi stands between them, laughing at her throat, "oh, geez, both of you! You're not in Junior High anymore, stop that."

Now the team is moving, holding back their respective idiots before they maul each others' heads off. It's not professional and a total waste of energy, but who can dismiss such a lovely display of hot-blooded friendship? Yeah, no.

"Sit down and behave, both of you!" Wakamatsu snaps, evidently irritated by the noise and all the chasing around, "if you wanna fight, get out of the stadium and do it somewhere not on video."

"Let's go back to the lockers and rest" Sakurai suggests, trying to chastise them both in the most motherly way possible, "I have honeyed lemons enough for both of our teams-- oh here, Aomine-san, Your drink. I'm sorry."

"Why are you apologizing?" Aomine groans.

"Woah, you got another mom," Haizaki teases, picking up his bottle and bag.

"What do you mean, another--"

"Haizaki," Ishida calls, and Haizaki freezes. The captain of Fukuda Sogo frowns, and Haizaki turns around to acknowledge him. Ishida sighs in resignation. "Chill with the sexual tension over there, we need to prepare for our next match."

Both power forwards get absolutely flustered, face exploding to red.

"NO WHAT THE FUCK"

Momoi bursts into laughter.

They split off angrily toward their respective locker rooms, a few of Haizaki's teammates snickering in his direction. He's going to punch them later.

"You have some nice friends."

Haizaki swirls around in annoyance, ready to tell whoever that was to fuck off-- and he freezes.

Aisaka is taller now, and a lot leaner than he's last seen him. The baggy white winter jacket doesn't suit him much, but it's very reminiscent of the Teiko blazers, if it had orange accents instead of blue.

Ishida turns around, confused. Haizaki's teeth had stopped grinding audibly, so the team look for the source of Haizaki's distraction.

"Congrats on your win, Shougo!" Aisaka steps into the light, his stupid, stupid smile on his face. When he waves at the team, the arm brace is still on his hand.

Haizaki's jaw drops.

Aisaka grins. "I'm back!"

Haizaki's face is scrunched up in something of a painful conflict, rage fused with teary eyes, his mouth dropping open with half a swear each time he tries to say a thing. Finally, he breathes out-- because he remembers he needs to.

Then he lunges forward and punches Aisaka right in the face.

(Nijimura finds them later in the arcade, screaming at the basketball hoops for moving too quickly. "It's cheating!" one of them screams, "this isn't fair, I'm tired from my match!" and the other just keeps laughing, because he's a little shit.)

(Nijimura knocks them out and brings them home. He makes sure to call the guys in Fukuda Sogo, though. Just to ensure them that their kid's not dead.)

-

Bounce once, twice.

He grabs the ball out of the air and lunges forward, bringing it to his other hand. He spins there, leaping into the air in a fadeaway.

The trees encrust the horizon, dark against the darker night. The midnight sky of Tokyo is vast, and the most pleasing shade of blue in the world.

(But then again, he says the same thing about every shade of blue.)

The clatter of the basketball hoop is crisp and sharp. The ball bounces deep and hollow against the concrete of the outdoor court.

He brings the ball around him, jumps-- and the air takes him.

His home is here, right in the embrace of the wind. His wings are spread, his arms are free, and his breath is gentle against the wing.

He almost doesn't want to feel his feet on the ground again.

His phone alarm rings for two in the morning. If he goes back to the hotel now, he'll be able to sleep the rest of the jet lag off just in time to be refreshed for the next day.

(He still needs to go home, and see everything he's left behind. If he's lucky, he might get the house back, and he can live there again.)

(Does he want to, though?)

He wipes off the sweat under his chin with his arm, wincing at the cold. Maybe playing in an outdoor court in the dead of a winter night isn't a great idea.

"Arf!"

He looks over to see a...dog.

It's a dog, seated beside the bench with its fur right by the warmth of his thermos, looking up at Aisaka like it's been waiting for him to be done a long time.

He steps over curiously, crouching down to-- the dog climbs up his lap, nuzzling at his cold hands like it's trying to warm him up.

And heck, it worked. Trying way too hard to suppress his smile, Aisaka pats the dog on the head with a muffled excited squeal, "no wayyy!! You're so cute, oh, good boy. You're adorable. Just look at you!"

The dog nuzzles through his fingers, getting every freezing spot back to warmth. Aisaka feels like his heart is warming up, too.

This is so therapeutic. He's gonna cry.

He spends some time with the puppy, warming up by his jacket and taking a sip of the drinkhe'd prepared. Eventually he said goodbye to the puppy, and went back to the hotel with only elated emotions in his heart.

("Oh god, I was just about to go find you," Nijimura is there to greet him, though he looks genuinely worried. "Himuro and Kuroko warned me that your solution to loneliness is to run suicidal into the wilderness and play basketball until you collapse. I thought you were dead. It's winter.")

("Let me have my coping mechanisms in peace!")

-

Winter Cup Day 2.

Murasakibara is tired today. Himuro didn't have snacks ready, they lost the Seirin vs Yosen quarterfinals, even though Murasakibara finally got into the zone and that's stupid because how did Kagami hold it longer than him? That's unfair.

Brooding and annoyed, he heads into the lockers, ready to sleep the rest of the year away. Himuro has gone to talk to Taiga, so he's left to go meet the team in the locker rooms on his own.

He wants something sweet-- does he have sweets in his bag? Probably.

"Oh, Murasakibara," Liu calls out to him as he enters, "some guy was here just now. Dunno who he was, but he left these here."

Okamura whistles, "Murasakibara's got a guy fan?" someone gives him a look and he holds up his hands, "hey, we have a Himuro in our team."

Murasakibara makes a disgusted face. "If there's anything I learned from Kise-chin, you should never accept things from fans," he mutters, ignoring it to head over to his locker. He wants out of this sweaty jersey.

"Really?" Liu says, "he seemed like a nice guy, though. And these cookies smell nice."

And in that very moment, Murasakibara did the quickest spin and snatch in the history of his entire basketball career.

It went by so quickly, they all had to do a double take.

Murasakibara has the little blue pouch in his hands, and when he unwraps it-- there's a letter inside.

[It's Tuesday!]

And Murasakibara all but sparkles. His team actually flinches back with a wince-- "oh lord, he's so bright!", "He's sparkling! My eyes!", "I've never seen him this happy, ever! I didn't know he could show this much happiness!"

He takes a cookie, and the taste is just like he'd remembered.

He missed it dearly. Kagami's cookies were definitely made with much more skill,-- but there was just something warm about these that he liked better.

"Hey, that's not fair! Murasakibara, share them!"

"Yeah, your fans are our fans too!"

Murasakibara hisses at them, holding the cookies high above their heads, "no, these are mine," he whines, "they were given to me..."

"Agh, no fair! Why do you and Himuro get all the fans??"

Murasakibara huffs, not interested in gossip. "Ah," he remembers something, "the guy that gave this-- where'd he go?"

Liu blinks at that, "well, he was here a second before you came in... maybe you missed him?"

Murasakibara lifts his bag over his shoulder, the cookies still held carefully in his other hand. "Okay. I'll be going first."

"Huh?" Okamura gawks, "wait, Murasakibara, you're going to catch a cold-- at least put on your jacket!"

"Where are you even going?" Liu goes after him as Murasakibara makes his way out of the locker room, "do you know the way to the hotel? Murasakibara??"

"Himuro, stop him-- wait, where's Himuro?!"

"Damn it! Himuro's not here!"

"Hey, Murasakibara! Call Himuro to pick you up if you get lost!"

Murasakibara probably didn't hear the last part, though.

-

"Oh hey, it's Momo!"

Momoi looks over from her clipboard. Imayoshi lifts his head from the stadium map to see Momoi's face light up with pure joy.

Wakamatsu was taking a drink from Sakurai, and Imayoshi was looking around for any signs of their miracle, who had run off the second they came in the vicinity of the stadium.

"Ai-kun!"

Wakamatsu immediately spits out his drink. Sakurai actually drops something from his bag, and Imayoshi's jaw drops.

Momoi runs up to meet the newcomer hand in hand, like two dramatic girls would do after three days away from each other.

"It's been so long! When did you get back to Japan?"

"Yesterday, really early in the morning," the boy says with a warm smile, "I wanted to come see you guys a little earlier, but I had to go home for a bit, y'know..."

"Is that so... a lot of paperwork?" Momoi asks, almost empathetically.

"A whole spring cleaning!" He makes a pained face. "We're not done actually, I left Nijimura-senpai back there to suffer."

Momoi giggles at that, "you better go back or he'll be really mad."

Imayoshi turns away to find his team looking away respectfully, but unable to suppress just how curious they were.

Everyone knew about her tendency to call Aomine "Dai-chan" like a pair of lovers, but all those rumours were quashed by the basketball club, who were fairly sure Aomine was engaged and married to basketball till death do they-- probably not part, to be honest.

And the childhood friends things, maybe.

But Momoi was here, calling this random hot stranger "Ai-kun"?

Oh sure, maybe it's an old friend-- Momoi was notorious for pet names, even Haizaki couldn't escape one-- but Ai-kun was a bit ironic.

"Ah, that's right!" Momoi claps her hands together, turning toward the team. "This is the Touou basketball team-- Imayoshi-senpai, Wakamatsu-senpai, and Sakurai-kun. As for Dai-chan, he should be somewhere..."

"It's fine, it's fine," the boy interrupts her gently. He smiles at the team, "thanks for taking care of our Momoi. I'm Aisaka."

Sakurai is nervous, but he stands up and bows curtly in greeting, like the inevitably gentle person he is. "Nice to meet you... ah, I'm sorry," he takes the handshake offered to him.

"Why are you apologizing?" Aisaka asks anyway.

Wakamatsu is a little more apprehensive, taking the hand roughly and shaking it like a jut out of a machine. "Momoi's not yours."

"That's nice to hear, " Aisaka beams at that, shaking the hand with equal firmness before promptly removing hands. He lays it on Momoi's head and, pointedly looking at the senior, he smirks.

Wakamatsu clicks his tongue, "is that a fucking challenge you punk? Hands off our manager already--!!"

"Ahh, Wakamatsu-san," Sakurai comes between them in a panic, not wanting a brawl, "Don't do that-- I'm sorry."

"Ai-kun, don't tease him," Momoi warns the boy above her.

"Okay."

Imayoshi considers him.

It's obvious just from the way Aisaka carries himself here that he plays a sport-- basketball if this place is anything to say.

And from the conversation, he's obviously been absent from Japan for a while, so Imayoshi probably won't find him in a magazine of any sort. But there's something about him that's oddly... familiar.

They've never met before, though.

"What're ya, Aomine's long lost brother or sumthin'?" Imayoshi says, and Sakurai's jaw drops at his senior's utter gall.

Aisaka immediately starts laughing, so Imayoshi retracts his statement.

This guy isn't quite like Aomine in the sense that he actually had a sense of humour-- Imayoshi actually thinks he'll get along with this one.

"We were all together in Teiko," Momoi says, counting off her fingers, "Ai-kun, Dai-chan, Ki-chan, and Zaki-kun were all in the mix for starter positions all the time before we had the substitute system set up."

"Aomine and--" Wakamatsu pauses to decipher the nicknames, "uh, Haizaki? Is that Haizaki? And Kise?"

"All four of you?" Sakurai is surprised too, "that must've been a clutter..." He's utterly terrified, muttering something about still being unable to imagine all of them in the same school together. Like, just think about it. It's a horror story.

"Nijimura-senpai was up there too," Momoi adds cheerfully. "And Tetsu-kun, too, though Tetsu-kun was a little different."

Aisaka chuckles, "yeah, it was one hell of a power struggle up there! Kise joined late and Shougo was never a match for me, so it was just me, Mine and Nijimura-senpai for a while."

"Who's Nijimura?"

"He was captain before Akashi-kun."

"The predecessor of the devil himself?!"

Aisaka's eyes meet Imayoshi's-- and when the latter's eyes are always closed, that's something that really caught all of the Touou regulars off guard.

"So you're stronger than Haizaki?" Imayoshi asks.

There's a challenge in his tone.

(They were defeated squarely by Haizaki yesterday, after all. Would you really walk up to the losing team to tell them how you're someone stronger than that?)

Aisaka smiles back, knowing exactly what he said.

"Head and shoulders above them all," he says, his statement utterly baseless at this point of their lives, but his tone is confident enough to pretend it's true.

Momoi smiles.

All of them seemed to love picking friendly fights everywhere they could go.

She'd call it a blood connection, but everyone under the sun knows they've got none of that. Undeniably within the miracles, there's a connection that goes beyond the blood, and links them back to this awful habit Momoi can't help but adore more as time goes by.

Like a Miracle code.

"We should organize a big tournament of our own, then!" Momoi suggests happily. "Then we can all know who's stronger again."

"Oh, that sounds like a great idea," Aisaka says, turning to her and forgetting Imayoshi's ire. "But don't tell the others yet."

"Aye, aye!"

-

Akashi rarely gets surprised by anything.

They're in the middle of Shutoku's match against some nameless team. There's no particular reason they're watching this match-- Akashi was confident that their next noteworthy opponent would be Shutoku, so they were observing Midorima for research.

Then someone sits down on the seat beside Akashi, and all the Uncrowned Kings immediately stop everything they're doing.

Their heads whirl around in complete unison, and Hayama actually chokes on the energy bar halfway down his throat.

Why the dramatic reaction?

Because, Akashi was terrifying enough for the crowd to give them a wide berth. The two rows were most empty save for the edges where one or two daring crowd members dared to inch around.

But in the sea of empty chairs, this daredevil came and sat right next to Akashi.

Is he suicidal or just plain rude? They had no idea.

Akashi had his eyes fixed on the match. He had probably noticed the new presence, but was ignoring it like the composed guy he was.

Then, the man speaks up.

"So, you made yourself a new army, Akashi?"

Akashi's eyes widen. Instead of maiming the impudent bastard like everyone expected-- Akashi sits up straight, looking over.

Then, "Nijimura-senpai," he addresses, sounding genuinely surprised. "I didn't know you were back in Japan."

Nijimura actually grins back at him-- and then hooks an arm over the redhead's shoulder (everyone in the vicinity simultaneously suffers an intense heart attack) before dragging him over to his seat.

"You're still such an authoritarian! Built yourself a cult, didn't you?" he teases, ruffling Akashi's hair roughly. "Have a cuter reaction! I came all the way here to surprise you!"

"I am surprised-- stop that," Akashi shoves, but Nijimura is just too strong for him to break free. So he lets out a laugh, "yes, I was caught off guard. Please let go of me."

"If I wanted a reaction like that, I'd have gone for Tetsuya," Nijimura denies, hand still held on the younger captain's head. "So, did you get taller? You're still so damn short!"

"What do you want from me."

The other members of Rakuzan are deathly pale, and Nebuya is half convinced he's actually dreaming right now. Mayuzumi is quite literally nowhere to be seen, and Reo is two seats away and no longer confident that he's looking at Akashi right now.

More importantly, that guy just called Akashi short to his face and he's still alive! And he's ruffling his hair and he still has his fingers! It's a miracle!

"Wait," Nebuya finally gets a good look at the man-- "Nijimura-- as in, that Nijimura?" he realizes-- "The guy from Teiko?"

At that the former captain finally looks up at his little jaw-dropped audience.

Akashi takes the chance to struggle out of his grasp, fixing his collar and recomposing his appearance, trying to pretend that didn't happen.

"Oh? Ohh!" NIjimura's face lights up. "Nebuya! Now that's a face I haven't seen in a long time. You guys still carting round that Uncrowned King title?"

"Carting around you say," Nebuya stifles a laugh, "you'd have been one of us if Akashi didn't wipe your existence right out of the media, ya know?"

"I'll have you know I resigned from my position willingly."

"Ohh, I remember now!" Hayama lunges over the back of his chair to get a better look. "Nijimura! We literally never saw you again after Akashi came around, so I kinda forgot you existed until now!"

"Well you're just as cheeky as I remember, Hayama."

Meanwhile, Akashi tries to fix his hair with a mirror he's borrowed from Reo. He frowns at it-- he's got this stubborn tuft sticking out now, what an annoyance.

"Well, you've gotten so much manlier I didn't recognize you at first," Reo says, expertly inserting himself into the conversation as well. "Where've you been?"

"Mibuchi is here too? Man, this team's overkill," Nijimura's grin widens. "I moved to America with my family. Right now I'm playing for a college team."

"Really? That's crazy. And so unfair!"

Akashi gives the scene a side eye. Nijimura had apparently come to surprise him, so why is he immediately lost in a conversation with past basketball opponents? Sure, they've had some history, being the same age and Nijimura almost being an Uncrowned King himself-- but still.

"Does this mean Kiyoshi and Hanamiya are around, too?"

"Yeah, but not in Rakuzan. Wanna go find them? Not sure about Hanamiya, but Kiyoshi should be around."

Akashi stares at their happy conversation, and he is not jealous at all.

-

"OGIII!"

Ogiwara turns around and is immediately engulfed in a running hug.

He squeaks, arms opening instinctively to catch the flying figure. He skids, nearly falls-- and then he realizes who it is and his arms wrap right back around him.

"Saka? SAKA?" He looks up in excitement, arms around the other's waist and lifting the slightly shorter male a little off the ground. "Oh god, it's Saka!"

"Ogi, my man!"

"Saka, no way!"

"Ogi!"

"Saka!"

Hyuuga stares at them, wondering which one he should punch first.

Kagami and Kiyoshi had a nasty crash during the match, so Kuroko and the rest of the first years were with them in the infirmary to get a final once-over just in case.

Riko is beside Hyuuga, having half a mind to just keep walking and pretend their junior isn't squealing like he's finally reunited with his long distance boyfriend.

It takes them another moment for Ogiwara to set the boy down on his feet again, and the boy, who has a head of indigo hair and-- Riko whistles, those are some great stats even through his clothes-- a splendid figure turns up to greet the seniors of Seirin.

"I'll introduce you," Ogiwara says, then he goes around, from Hyuuga 'the scary clutch shooter! Oh look he's a little angry already' Junpei to Mitobe to Koganei 'he's so average at everything it's actually incredible' Shinji. "Guys, this is Aisaka. He's an old friend of mine."

"You pickin' a fight, ya brat?"

"Why are you guys always mean in my introductions?"

"..."

"Mitobe, don't agree with them!"

Saka smiles, a hand held out for Hyuuga, which the captain angrily shakes. He meets Riko in the eyes for half a second, and nods back politely.

"It's really an honour to meet you guys," he says, "I've heard Ogi, Tetsuya, and Taiga have been in your care. I hope they haven't been too much trouble."

"Oh, they really have," is Riko's and Hyuuga's synchronously exasperated response.

"Wait, Tetsuya and Taiga-- Kuroko and Kagami too?" Furihata asks, surprised. "Does that mean you know the rest of the Generation of Miracles too?"

At that, Aisaka grins.

"Of course!" he points proudly at himself, "I'm one of them, too!"

"What?"

"Woah!"

One detail Aisaka really loved about the present was the fact that the miracles weren't just five men and a phantom anymore. With the way everyone came in and out of battle every so often, it was hard to pinpoint the five that made up the best.

So there weren't just five of them and phantom sixth. It was the seven of them, including Haizaki. Then rumours spilled about the incredible manager that was the root of their success, and Momoi was the mysterious eighth of the pack.

And the rumours didn't stop there.

Basketball media loved gossip. Eventually, news of Aisaka's former glory seeped through the courts. Most people consider him one of them as well-- but no one quite knew his name or face anymore, only that he flew like a fairy and blew through courts like a dragon.

Eventually, the term Miracle came loose, and even in the present, it just came to refer to their little niche of friends.

(And just among themselves, they considered Ogiwara, Himuro, Kagami and NIjimura a part of the Miracles as well.)

(No one's gonna police them or anything, right?)

"Wait, but I"ve never heard of you," Riko says. "There was a ton of news coverage for them at the time-- I'm surprised I've never once seen a picture of you or anything."

At that, Aisaka gives a nervous laugh.

"Well, I moved to America before we got really big, so..." he scratches his cheek bashfully, "oh. If you search up Fairy of the Court, you'll get a ton of stuff that's just them dragging my name through the mud."

They had absolutely no idea how to respond to that.

Ogiwara actually laughs at that. "So, how long are you staying? Kuroko and Kagami should be back soon, so..."

"Ah, no, no," Aisaka shushes him quickly. "Don't ruin the surprise now, Ogi."

Ogiwara sighs contentedly at that. "I'm gonna guess I'm not the first to know you're back."

"But you were surprised, weren't you?"

"Oh, I was indeed."

"Anyways," Aisaka raises his hand, fingers clenched. "You're my last stop today, Ogi. I've got tons to do before I can really settle down yet. Rain check?"

Ogiwara bumps his fist with a smile. "As long as you don't go running off to another country again without telling anyone, of course."

"Oh, you're never gonna let me live that down?"

"Maybe if you didn't scare everyone half to death all the time, yeah?"

-

Midorima stands outside the convenience store.

Takao exits, holding two sandwiches and some cans of warm drinks. MIdorima takes it gratefully, and they spend a moment enjoying their late meal before heading home.

"What's got you so fidgety, Shin-chan?" Takao teases, "you've been looking everywhere all day!"

Midorima's irked. He does not like his habits being watched like that, but it's unfortunately also Takao's most useful trait so he can't complain too much.

"Oha-Asa foretold unexpected encounters for Cancers today," he says simply, "I'm simply not a fan of unpleasant surprises, so I'm not letting my guard down just yet."

"Unexpected encounters, huh," Takao looks at the sky, "there was that guy in our match. Not surprising enough for you?"

"Oha-Asa would not see the need to inform me of something as insignificant as that," MIdorima says, taking a sip of his red bean soup.

Takao hums, thinking it through again.

Unexpected encounters was just one of the many vague phrases that people often found in Oha-Asa fortunes.

Takao wasn't one to bother deciphering them, but they always seemed to come unnervingly true for Midorima, so he's cultivated the habit of looking out for them too, just in case it warns him he's going to die or something.

"Well, it's not like that unexpected encounter is going to just walk up and say hi, so you might as well calm down a little--"

"Hi, Green!"

Takao and MIdorima stand there, utterly stunned by an unexpected wtf moment.

Midorima turns over to the voice.

Aisaka Hiroto has his hand in a curt greeting, his other hand holding a strawberry popsicle, bitten into once.

"I'm indigo, long time no see!"

Midorima's still frozen in that shell-shocked state when Takao chokes on his drink and doubles over with laughter into the alley.

Takao takes pride in being absolutely obnoxious, but even he has never managed to see that Midorima reaction before. He wants to take a picture and frame it up because guys, our tsundecarrot has emotions. I'm not joking.

The indigo-haired boy takes another bite of his popsicle, patiently waiting for Midorima to react. He even looks at Takao and smiles in greeting.

"What was that, some sorta comedy schtick?"

And another guy comes by. Takao is starting to think this is some sort of heaven-gifted lucky day, because Midorima flinches, his face morphing into a disgusted expression when the other guy comes into view.

And ooh, Takao recognizes this one. Nijimura Shuzo, Teiko alumni that once got into the same magazines as Kasamatsu and the other niche third years.

"Yo-ho, Muraniji-senpai has finally found me," indigo says in lieu of a greeting. He holds up an unopened popsicle, "got you one."

"It's Nijimura, don't invert it," he snatches the popsicle, "I'm fucking exhausted form chasing you round all day. You've got some gall just leaving me to clean your dust-stained house, you punk."

"What can I say, I learned from the best."

"I'm going to fucking murder Shougo."

"But I was talking about you."

"What was that, you li'l shit? You want me to toss your cat in the garbage?"

"You won't do that to Hai-chan, you love him."

"Why did you have to give that thing such a creepy fucking name?"

"Hai-chan is Hai-chan."

Takao is equal parts flabbergasted, amused, and confused. First of all, these guys were talking about Haizaki Shougo, the guy who won against Aomine, over popsicles.

Midorima finally clears his throat and fixes his glasses.

"What on earth are you two doing here?" he says first, his tone clear with irritation, "coming out of nowhere and making a ruckus. Have some mind for the local community in this late hour."

Indigo grins. "I was looking all over for you today and I couldn't find you," he says, stepping closer, "and whaddaya know, I find you immediately when I decide to stop looking. Forgive the late hour, grandpa."

"Don't call me a--!!"

"Oh, you're a first year from Shutoku, aren'tcha?" Nijimura turns to Takao. "I'm NIjimura. Our Midorima's been imposing on you guys, hasn't he?"

"I have NOT been--"

Takao grins, "oh, he really has!" he feigns the tone of a gossiping auntie, "would you believe the hell he puts me through? I have to bike him around with a rickshaw, for god's sake." He even wipes a fake tear to solidify the impression.

"Takao, damn it!"

"I totally get you!" Indigo sets a hand on Takao's shoulder, "he's such a cold bastard, isn't he? We all know he's just a softie deep inside but sometimes he's just too dishonest. It really hurts my heart."

Midorima is ready to blow a gasket, and Nijimura watches on fondly as Takao and Aisaka continue their dramatic declarations of love for Midorima. Midorima's face is red by the end of it, and Takao got himself a popsicle midway through.

"Enough! I'm going home," Midorima declares.

"Okay! I'll take you on the rickshaw!" Takao grins, because he's a little shit.

Midorima pointedly ignores him, marching right off. Takao sets his hands on the bicycle, smiling back at the two.

"Anyways, that's that. Bye!" he says with a wave. Remembering something, he picks out his phone. "Oh, and Nijimura-san? Gimme your autograph next time. My sis is an old fan of yours."

Nijimura blushes at that. "Wha--?!"

Aisaka chuckles, taking out his own phone. "I'll make sure he does that," he says. "I'm Aisaka. You're Takao, right? Can I have your number? A fellow Miracle irritator is very welcome in the Cult."

"The Cult?" Takao asks, handing his phone right over. "Terrifying, sign me up."

"TAKAO! I'm not waiting for you!" came Midorima's voice in the distance.

The point guard shrugs at that, patiently waiting for Aisaka to finish tying in his number and his name, "so he says."

Aisaka waves at Midorima, hollering, "Midorima! See you tomorrow!"

"Yeah, whatever," came the distant muttering.

(Oha-Asa is really never wrong, is it?)

-

"Sorry about that, Tatsuya," Alex says, shrugging off her winter coat at the door, "you missed the last train because of me."

"It's fine, I've already called my team," Himuro assures her, hanging it up by the door for her. He toes off his shoes, glad that there isn't another match so he doesn't need to worry about his laundry yet-- "it's been a while since we've got to sleep over at Taiga's, so it's nice, too... oh."

They step into the living room to be met with the dropped jaws of every member of Seirin.

"Himuro Tatsuya from Yosen?"

"And a hot babe!"

"..."

"A hot foreigner lady and Yosen's Himuro Tatsuya just walked in!"

"They're walking in together so I guess that's... a total walkover."

"Shut up, Izuki!"

"Oh, hey Himuro-kun! Kuro, look-- and he's gone."

"I'm still here. It's nice to finally meet you, Alex-san."

Kagami turns around in horror. "Crap, I forgot you guys were coming!"

Alex didn't quite care for the crowd. She lunges right into Kagami, wrapping arms and boobs right around her student, "Taiga! It's been so long!"

"Wait Alex, NO--"

Cue the unexpected kiss, the intense screaming, and Ogiwara's intense picture taking.

Himuro chuckles, settling down calmly beside everyone as if utter bizzarity isn't happening behind him.

"I didn't expect to see you guys here," Himuro says in lieu of a greeting. "An after-match party? Or did everyone miss their last trains as well?"

"Oh-- uh, both of that, actually," Kiyoshi says, "you too?"

Himuro nods, "I'm sorry for the ruckus. It's been a long while since Taiga's gone back to America, so our teacher is a little intense."

"Your teacher?" Riko says, snapping out of her stupor as Kagami screams, shoves Alex away, and starts lecturing her in English. "You mean, Alexandra Garcia?"

"The one and only," Himuro says. Meanwhile, Kagami is starting to sound hysterical in his anger. The first years are watching him, none quite ready to go stop him because they don't understand what he's saying anyways.

"Oh, Ogiwara!" Alex escapes Kagami's lecture ("ALEX I'M NOT DONE WITH YOU") to find Ogiwara in the crowd, "it's so nice to finally meet you. Hiro's talked lots about you!"

"Oh-" Ogiwara blushes, "oh, he did? I see..."

Kuroko stares. "It's nice to meet you too, Alex-san," he repeats himself.

"Same to you-- oh my GOD!" she shoots away, "how long have you been there?!"

"The whole time, ma'am."

"Wait, how do you know Kuroko?" Riko squawks, "why are you kissing Kagami? Why did you walk in with Himuro Tatsuya?? I think you owe all of us an explanation!"

And through the chaos, Kiyoshi laughs. Mitobe smiles beside him, and though nothing in this situation makes sense-- it's nice.

It's nice to have heartful chaos like this.

"But why are you here, Alex? I told you we couldn't make it back to winter break," Kagami says, finally settling down.

"Huh? Didn't we tell you?" Alex says, snapping a rice cracker between her teeth. "I came back here with Hiro and Shu, of course. Have they not met you guys yet?"

Silence.

Then three voices simultaneously went "huh?"

"Yeah, he did," Ogiwara replies, oblivious to the shocked expressions from Kuroko, Kagami and Himuro. "He found us right before you guys came back from the infirmary. He got so much taller, I was surprised!"

Then he keeps munching.

Kuroko and Himuro are staring holes into him. Kagami's jaw is just dropped.

"Oh, if you mean Aisaka-kun, we met him," Riko says, "why didn't you guys tell us there was another one of those Miracle crazies?"

And yes, they did search him up.

Kuroko grabs Ogiwara by the shoulders, hard and solid.

"Uhm, Kuro?" Ogiwara speaks up, hands trembling against the rice cracker, "you're holding me with all the force of an Ignite Pass. It hurts."

Kuroko stares hell right into his eyes. "When did Hiroto-kun come back?"

"Okay, you're scaring me. Calm down. CALM DOWN. KURO PLEASE."

-

KISE:

Camera_album111_09.jpg View Image.

Aisaka/Nijisenpai sighting #1

A rare photo of me
Looking ugly o(；△；)o

AOMINE:

But you're always ugly

KISE:

Rude

AOMINE:

Wait.

SAKA's BACK?!

HAIZAKI:

Camera_album022_47.jpg View Image.

Hiroto/Shittymura sighting #2
P.s I won

KISE:

Haizakicchi we have a match
Tomorrow and YOU WENT TO
THE ARCADE?

I am offended.

AOMINE:

When was anyone going
To tell me saka and niji
Are in japan???

MURASAKIBARA:

Camera_album21_01.jpg View Image.

Thank you for the cookies
They are nice
Will return the favour tmr

Cookies yes

HAIZAKI:

NO FAIR

AKASHI:

Camera_album13_04.jpg View Image.

I did not find Aisaka,
But I did receive a rather
Surprising visit from
Nijimura-senpai.

OGIWARA:

Oh, is that why Kiyoshi-san
Disappeared halfway through
The day? To take a picture?

Uncrowned Kings gathering,
That's cool.

AOMINE:

???Does everyone
Except me know
About it or what

MOMOI:

Camera_album72_036.jpg View Image.

Ai-kun/Nijimura-san sighting #5!

AOMINE:

Excuse me HOW

MY OWN TEAM

SAKA THIS IS A V
SHITTY WAY FOR
ME TOFIND OUT

MIDORIMA:

Camera_album07_777.jpg View Image.

If you guys still want this.

I did not take this,
Takao just insisted
So I sent it.

HAIZAKI:

Ok tsundere

KISE:

Ok tsundere
(｡•ˇ‸ˇ•｡)

AOMINE:

Seriously am I the last
To know this I am
Genuinely hurtby this

OGIWARA:

Camera052_album07_31.jpg View Image.

I guess this is #7?

Don't worry Aomine
Apparently Kurokagahimu
Didn't know either

HIMURO:

I'm still devastated.
To think I'd learn of it
From Alex of all people.

KUROKO:

...

AOMINE:

Wow you can just
Feel the disappointment
In those three dots.

I'm scared.

HAIZAKI:

Don't worry I punched
Him in the face.

NIJIMURA:

Oh so that's where the
Bruise came from.

AOMINE:

NIJIMURA

HIMURO:

SHUZO

KAGAMI:

NIJIMURA-SAN

NIJIMURA:

Crap i wasn't supposed
To talk i forgot

AOMINE:

YOU OWE US ONE
HELL OF AN
EXPLANATION

KISE:

Rip NIjimura-senpai
"ψ(｀∇')ψ

NIJIMURA:

Uh.
Surprise?

KUROKO:

...
Nijimura-senpai, are
You free to take a call?

KAGAMI:

DONTDOIT
HE"LLK ILL U

OGIWARA:

Sakaaa

You can't run from your
Death so come out pls

AISAKA:

Dont wanna
Roko's scary when he's mad

AOMINE:

THERE HE IS

-

Winter Cup Day 3.

If a member of the audience were to pass by the back of the gymnasium, they would find a colourful crowd near the bridge, chatting away with cookies in their hands, cans of juice and drink littered around them.

It's not a strange sight, except, it is.

Because it's a crowd of some of the most well-known figures in the basketball world, including the Generation of Miracles themselves.

Nijimura drags Aomine and Midorima down to his height, and the two protest against the rough action. Murasakibara is eating all the cookies, though Kagami is taking some too. Among them Aisaka and Himuro indulge in it with a side of coffee, serene amongst the rest.

Kise and Akashi are standing over the eating group, and Haizaki comes over with a bag of what appears to be arcade crane game toys. Kuroko seizes a dog toy for himself, and Momoi has a child-sized rabbit toy in her arms.

The smiles on their faces are wide.

The colours clash, the shapes conflict. But they come together like cogs in a sequence, joining together despite the disfigurements and cracks on their shells.

They hold each other together, and the gears spin.

That spiraling phenomenon is nothing short of a miracle indeed.

-

Winter Cup comes to an end with Seirin's narrow victory.

It's hard to say who really won, because it didn't quite feel like anybody lost. Partway through, the one-on-ones became delightful challenges. Jumps became joyful rounds of strength, and the rally of offense and defense was exhilarating.

No one wanted the match to end.

They would lose sight of Kuroko-- only to find themselves in the face of an Ignite Pass. Mayuzumi would appear, and with him, the ball vanished-- it's through the hoop at the next beat. A match with two phantoms on the court-- how eerily fascinating could it be?

It's such a shame that the clock eventually ran out of time.

Forty minutes just wasn't long enough sometimes.

They were out of breath, limbs weak, head glazed over with fog and confusion-- but the ending of the match was upsetting, because it meant they couldn't play anymore on the court.

They shook hands-- and Seirin walked away with the victory.

Watching from the crowd, Aisaka breathed in the ambience of the gymnasium.

There was no madness, no hostility, no violence. Just hot-blooded passions, inscrutable sportsmanship, and the frustrating left behind after a match's outcome.

It's the beauty of competitive sport, and he's in love with it all over again.

-

"Oh bring it on, Ogiwara"

Ogiwara charges forward, and pauses before Haizaki with a smile. He glances left sharply-- and charges right. Haizaki swerves in the same direction

And immediately, Ogiwara spins back to the left, twirling twice and-- shucks the ball forward. Aisaka turns just in time to catch it, wincing at the burn of the spin against his palm.

Haizaki's jaw drops "What the hell was that?!"

"Pseudo Ignite Pass!" Ogiwara calls out as a joke, pretending to be smug.

Aisaka grins at the sight. He turns toward the opposing hoop, dribbling carefully forward with large, confident strides. He twirls past Kuroko easily, and leaps.

His arm comes down on the hoop-- but not that easy.

Kagami leaps in line with him, stronger, higher-- and slams down on the ball with a loud shatter against the ground.

He's frustrated, but Aisaka can't help but smile wider.

They land on the ground at the same time-- and Kuroko is running forward to get it. NIjimura snatches it out of the ground, and a quick pass to Kuroko leads Kagami leaping into the air again, read for an alley-oop.

The ball is mere fractions from the hoop when Aisaka's leap cuts right in, a hand sliding right under his arm to guide the ball out of trajectory.

It clatters against the hoop, and falls into Midorima's hands.

And Midorima's full-court shots never miss.

Momoi adds a stroke to the tally. Nigou barks happily from the bench, and Akashi observes the game with a warm smile on his face. He's sitting out this room due to the uneven numbers, but he's fine here.

"Himurocchi's Mirage Shot!"

"Ah, that's mean, Kise. When did you learn to copy that?"

"And here's Tetsuya's Phantom Shot!"

"Haizaki-kun, stealing my signature from me is just cruel."

A Nijimura versus Aomine one-on-one ended with Aomine getting soundly crushed the first time, and then Aomine turning a reverse in the second try.

They're all combinations that haven't been in conflict for a long time, and Momoi adored everything about it.

Spending a whole day just playing amongst themselves-- a while ago, she'd lost hope that this was ever possible again.

She wipes a tear from her eye, the smile on her face unable to fade.

"Akashi," Aisaka approaches them, "time to switch."

"Ah, alright," Akashi says, standing up to join the blue team.

Aomine urks, and Haizaki cheers. Akashi smiles and declares his inevitable victory. Nijimura chops him on the head.

"Momoi-san," Kuroko makes his presence known before the girl, "you too."

Momoi blinks, surprised at the offer. "Wait... are you guys sure?" she asks. After all, she was nowhere near a normal player's level, much less to be playing at their level.

There's something amazing about the way the group smiles as they wait for her to come into the court. The unspoken agreement rings through their hearts.

She lets the happy tears fall. "Alright, then."

Aisaka sits down beside Kuroko, and for a moment, the cacophony of their game is all that's in their ears.

What can be more therapeutic than this beautiful noise?

The boy with indigo air looks up to the sky, and breathes.

"Y'know, if my dad could see us now, I wonder what he'd say," he mutters.

Kuroko doesn't flinch, doesn't stiffen at the mention. He just stays still and listens, like the many times he would do the same when Aisaka spoke to himself about miracles and things that could never be.

This time, however, Aisaka turns to Kuroko, and says his next line with a chest full of confidence.

"Well, we're all doing fine, so I don't think he's worrying too much anymore at least."

Kuroko smiles back.

"Yeah," he says, "I think so too."

-

Kuroko is a shadow. He stands at the feet of a large light-- and through time, that light has changed. From Ogiwara, to Aomine, and finally, Kagami.

It's not in that order anymore, though. Ogiwara stands beside him, Aomine was never replaced, and there's another undeniable miracle that shines his light upon him. And they don't swallow each other-- they coexist.

This is the story of Aisaka Hiroto.

The seventh of the many, many miracles in Kuroko Tetsuya's life, and it just so happens to be one of the lights Kuroko's hands couldn't drag out of the murky waters.

But that's fine.

If one of them sinks, they'll all dive in with him. And when one of them makes it out, someone will reach in and help them out together.

Kuroko couldn't save Aisaka Hiroto-- but not everyone needed a hero to save them.

Your wings are already spread out for you.

So take a deep breath, and let's fly.

(Because surely, we can get somewhere further than here if we're all together.)