"Are you excited to go to school?"

When his father asks that, Aisaka actually laughs. If he'd been asked that back in the other world, he would've rolled his eyes and scowled, saying something sarcastic.

He's surprised to find his heart telling him to say yes .

Yes, I'm excited to go back to school .

It's kind of stupid, really.

He jumps, leans back, and lobs the ball in the direction of the net. The mobile hoop in the apartment building's garden isn't quite the right height, but it works. He hears the swish as it goes in, and he breathes in the serenity of it.

He feels sonder, loving every bit of the excitement, the disappointment, and the thrill of the game. So long ago these wouldn't have come to him so easily.

Now it's different. He's Aisaka Hiroto now.

And he'll fulfill that dream this time.

-

"Ai-kun, you passed the test too? That's amazing!"

Momoi's very generous amount of female chest buries into his arm, so Aisaka stills, but doesn't panic. No adult gets flustered by a barely-thirteen's bosom, even if he's physically thirteen now.

"Yep!" Aisaka holds up the letter of acceptance in one hand, a V on the other, "with flying colours. Now I'll get to play with you on a team!"

Aomine stares dubiously at the letter, as if he can't believe that one plus one equals one.

"Me, a team with you?" he can't hold back the excitement in his tone, so he rushes forward and pumps a fist, beaming, "that sounds incredible. We'd never lose!"

Aisaka tries not to beam right back. He fails.

"We can conquer the whole world if wars were fought with basketball!" he boasts, overexcited, "now that we're a team, we're unstoppable!"

Momoi nods with an audible hum, still attached to Aisaka's arm.

There's a freeze. Then a dry laugh.

"But of course, first, we'll have to actually get in..." Aisaka realizes, a little embarrassed. He takes a step back a shrinks, "and, y'know, I heard their club's really big so we'll have to work our way up to first string..."

In a world as illogical as this one, surely it's not that easy to break the first string barrier, especially alongside a handful of other complete cheats.

Aomine stares at him like he's acting like a fool. Aisaka shuffles under the look.

"Don't be dumb," he actually says it, knocking Aisaka once over the head with a sharp knock of knuckle against temple. "Of course we're getting into first string. It'll be easy for both of us!"

The way Aomine says it makes it seem so simple, it makes his worries seem so trivial and needless.

Aisaka smiles, and somehow, he thinks that maybe it'll all go well after all.

"You're not allowed to lose to anyone else, now that I'm with you!" Aisaka grabs Aomine by the wrist, grin toothy, "I'm the only one allowed to beat you!"

Aomine yells loudly, "I'm not going to be beat, not even by you!"

"Oh, wanna go?"

"I sure as hell do!"

-

KUROKO:

I passed.

Kuroko turns the corner-- and is instantly engulfed by a big mass of indigo.

Aisaka throws his whole weight on the boy, a hug rough and violent and so very warm. Kuroko's knees buckle and they land painfully on the ground, in a mess of limbs and pained yelps.

"I'm so proud of you!" Aisaka sobs with exaggerated waterworks into the smaller boy's shoulder, "You actually got through with your absolute shit grades---"

"You're rude," Kuroko murmured, "ow."

Aisaka laughs at that. He clambers up, hand out as an offer to the shorter boy. Kuroko takes it, and Aisaka pulls him to his feet.

"Congratulations, Kuroko!" Aisaka throws his arms around the boy in a hug, "we'll be going to school together! Oh, we need to tell Ogi about this. C'mon, let's go to Maji Burger's! My treat!"

"Calm down..." Kuroko feels himself pulled forward by the wrist as Aisaka leads him through their usual road. He fails to stifle a smile, "I'm really happy. Thank you so much for helping me study, Aisaka-kun."

Aisaka looks back with a grin like he's just won the world, and Kuroko's mirroring it before he even realizes. There was something so honestly beautiful about him-- it makes Kuroko feel warm inside-- it amazes him how Aisaka can live so honestly, and be so happy over something that barely involved himself.

It was precious.

-

AISAKA :

＼（Ｔ∇Ｔ）／ KUROKO PASSED

HE IS A CHILD OF HOPE AND DREAMS

HE CAN TAKE OVER THE WORLD NOW

OGIWARA:

WOOOOOOOOO ⤴︎ ε=ε=(ง ˃̶͈̀ᗨ˂̶͈́)۶ ⤴︎

GIVE THAT MAN A VANILLA MILKSHAKE

AISAKA:

Camera03.jpg View Image

Already on it boss ヾ(･ω･｡)ｼ

KUROKO:

Thank you very much, Ogiwara-kun.

"You and Ogiwara-kun have been calling each other 'Ogi' and 'Saka'," Kuroko mentions, "when did this happen?"

It's strange to call your friends out for fast food and end up talking to each other on your phones, so Kuroko looks up and actually verbally offers the inquiry.

Aisaka raises an eyebrow at that, " when , you ask, well... it kinda just did? We were tired of typing up full names all the time, so we just started and it stuck."

Kuroko blinks as if that doesn't make sense. He stops drinking his milkshake, and he stares. He stares, and stares, and stares.

Aisaka looks back.

And Kuroko stares even more.

"Okay, okay, I get it!" Aisaka shoots back, waving his arms around in a down boy motion, averting his eyes and bringing his arms up to shield himself from that gaze, "you can call me that too, if you want! I really don't mind."

Kuroko's shoulders ease. There's a visible sag of relief in his next smile, and he only hopes Aisaka didn't see it. It's embarrassing that he's getting worked up over what they call each other-- wait, is he jealous? Surely not.

"Then, Hiroto-kun."

"Wait, first names?"

"Count it as part of your congratulatory present for me."

"You mean the milkshake wasn't enough?"

"I also want a new book."

"Is today spoil-you-rotten day?"

"If possible."

Kuroko enjoys this. It's a humorous, mutually understanding relationship they have. It's friendship, brotherhood, or maybe it's something more or something different.

If Ogiwara was an assuring and gentle younger brother, Aisaka was probably a dependable and strict older brother. Ironic, because the truth was the exact opposite.

Aisaka doubles over with laughter. He lifts his hand in a fist, hovering over the center of the table. Kuroko sees it and smiles, raising his own and bumping their knuckles together.

"To become number one in Japan?" Aisaka asks.

"Of course," Kuroko agrees.