"What do you think, Lamarre-kun, won't you take Haizaki-san under your wing?" Coach Shirogane proposed, his eyes never straying from the green's golden ones.

Mikaël blinked, a bit startled by the older man's proposition. These days his mind was elsewhere, partly because of his new "co-model" but also because of the gift his mother, or perhaps was it wiser to say his father, had left behind for him.

Quickly composing himself, the teen mechanically rubbed his left earlobe. "Haizaki?" he muttered pensively. "As in Haizaki Shogo, Coach?"

Shirogane, who stood before the wooden bench the teen sat on, nodded. "Yes, I spoke with coach Takamine, and although Haizaki-san is a bit undisciplined, his skills in basketball are remarkable."

Mikaël unconsciously nodded in agreement. It is true he despised the man in his former life, but he couldn't deny his prodigious ability. Especially, when it came to stealing one's skill.

"Therefore, won't you mentor him Lamarre-kun? I am sure the two of you will get along perfectly," he said, eyes crinkled in a fatherly way as he gazed at the teen a small smile on his face.

The green could only, mutely comply with his coach's request. It wasn't as if he was in any position to disagree anyway. Looking at his coach's retreating figure with his usual grin, Mikaël heaved a sigh.

To mentor Haizaki, why couldn't he teach Tetsuyacchi instead?

All thoughts on his agency's new model were gone.

"A problem Aka-chin?" Murasakibara asked as he threw a piece of hard candy into his mouth.

The boy's large figure towered above the redhead who lightly shook his head, his magenta eyes flickering away from his coach and sempai. "Nothing you should concern yourself with Murasakibara-kun."

The purple giant tilted his head to the side apathetically, a low hum slipping past his lips in the process. Feeling the shorter's eyes on him, Murasakibara swallowed his candy, not breaking eye contact he furrowed his brow.

"Would you like some, Aka-chin?" He questioned as he brought his pack of candy closer to his chest in an attempt to protect them. "Because I won't give any, even if it's you Aka-chin," he stubbornly explained, violet eyes narrowed apprehensively.

Not refraining the light chuckle from escaping his lips, Seijuro patted his classmate's arm, making the boy stiffen and grip his pack harder.

"Do not worry, Murasakibara-kun," he reassured as he simpered amused. "I have no interest in your snacks."

The center pouted, mildly offended by the statement but also relieved to see his teammate wasn't aiming for his sweets.

::

"Heya, Haizaki-san," the second-year chirped, an unnoticeable strain in his voice as he extended his hand for the younger to shake. "I'm Mikaël Lamarre. You can call me Mikaël or Mika," he greeted, his smile almost faltering as he allowed the boy to call him by his name or nickname as not to seem suspicious.

The silver head slowly gripped the French's hand, his sharp eyes looking at the boy up and down. "Sure," he greeted back, voice laced with unhidden boredom. "Haizaki Shogo, call me whatever."

Mikaël's grin twitched, but he didn't show it. "Great," he beamed, hyper than usual. "Let me introduce you to the others. If you'll excuse us, Coach," he bade with a light bow and a grin before leading the first-year away.

::

"No no no, Haizaki-kun you need to come to practice," Mikaël sermoned as he dragged the slightly shorter male to the gym. "If you don't Shuzocchi will yell at me. Think of the consequences will you?"

The first year didn't bother to answer, rolling his eyes as he usually did he followed the second year inside the gym for practice. Such a hassle. Why train when he, obviously had the abilities to go on without practicing?

"Do you even know what happened last time because of you?" The green continued, not minding of his charge's lack of attention as he ranted. "Well you don't want to, trust me. Can you imagine running a hundred laps, all that while having to recite your latest history lesson correctly? Really, how does Shuzocchi even come up with these things? No, why do I even follow his orders?" He whined.

Shogo who halfheartedly listened to his mentor chuckled.

::

"Say, Mika-sempai," Haizaki called out as the two were stretching. For once the silver head had come to practice on his own accord. Well, a week had gone, and the boy had yet to skip.

Mikaël was starting to feel restless. He didn't remember Haizaki being so, disciplined? Well, maybe not disciplined. Whatever, steering his gaze away from Kuroko's figure (the boy had joined a day ago), Mikaël lifted his gaze to meet with Shogo's brown pupils.

"How come you call every first year you didn't mentor by their name?"

Mikaël widened his eyes, almost choking on his saliva before humming tentatively, as he ushered his charge to go on. He could feel a rather persistent stare on his back, and he didn't have to be a genius to know who it was.

"Also adding '-cchi' to their name," seeing the green was about to speak up, Haizaki continued, not letting him. "Don't tell me it's some seniority bullshit. You call the blue-haired midget 'Tetsuyacchi'," he said, almost accusingly as his sharp eyes glared at his mentor for an answer.

"Well, Haiza—"

A grunt. Mikaël blinked before clearing his throat.

"Shogo-san?"

Haizaki's eyes sharpened.

"Shogo-kun?"

A glare. Mikaël sighed.

"Shogocchi?" he squeaked out.

Noticing the younger's demeanor had somehow smoothened, Mikaël regained his usual composure. He beamed.

"Aww, so you wanted me to call you Shogocchi," he drawled. "How cute of you Shogocchi, were you jealous?" he teased, leaning to mess up the other's silver locks.

"Wha— of course not," Haizaki barked, squatting the boy's hand away.

Mikaël's laughter grew. "Sure thing, Sho-go-cchi!"

The matter of the nickname given to all the first years was forgotten, much to a certain redhead's annoyance.

::

"I don't know what happened Shuzocchi," Mikaël drawled absentmindedly, his golden eyes blankly staring at the fast food's counter as he sipped on his strawberry milkshake.

Nijimura, long used to the other's impromptu change of mood only hummed to show he was listening.

"It's about Haiza— Shogocchi," he corrected himself. "When did he become so diligent?" He murmured, not quite understanding why he was complaining to Nijimura who practically never interacted with the silver head (unlike in his former life where Nijimura had to drag the first-year to every match).

Right, because he was his best friend.

"I mean," straightening as not to be slumped over their table anymore, Mikaël's glazed eyes met with the raven's grey ones. "Isn't he supposed to be a trouble maker who runs after girls and plays video games?" He asked, his voice laced with what appeared to be despair.

Shuzo hummed, his poker face perfect he put his drink down before crossing his arms and leaning on his seat. "Isn't it a good thing? Haizaki-san is a valuable player, to begin with, if not for his behavior he would have transferred to the First String earlier. I believe Coach Shirogane's and Coach Takamine's timing in his transfer, as well as the decision to have you mentor him, were the right things to do."

"Really," the green mumbled in disbelief.

"Yeah, you did a good job, Mika," Nijimura praised, simpering in amusement as his friend's puppy-like attitude as he calmly tousled his hair.

Mikaël didn't bother pushing the other's hand away, relishing in the feeling of having his hair ruffled, he sighed. "If you say so."

Shuzo hummed, nodding to himself.

::

"Watch closely, Shogocchi," Mikaël began as he slowly dribbled. The bouncing of the ball was the only thing they could hear in the gym as the green stared at his closest friend dead in the eyes.

"This is the type of ability you won't be able to steal," he finished before calmly inhaling and regulating both his breathing and heartbeat. On the sidelines, most of the players had stopped to watch the famed "wizard's" move.

"Whenever you want, Mika."

The green nodded, leaving behind a pregnant silence. His eyes tinted themselves in beautiful indigo.

One dribble, two, three, and three Mikaël were now standing on the court. Each emitted an indigoish color before they charged at the power forward.

Nijimura extended his hand to block the first one, which turned into a cloud of smoke, chased after the second one who in turn imploded into a thin veil of indigo. For the third one, he managed to reach him fast enough to block. The ball turned into mist.

The sound of the ball hitting the floor echoed.

Nijimura sighed, wiping the sweat off of his forehead. He simpered lightly, the adrenaline every time Mikaël performed his trick was incomparable.

"Now tell me Shogocchi, can you steal that?"

Haizaki clicked his tongue before mutely shaking his head.

Coach Shirogane chuckled before clapping his hand and bringing attention to himself. "Then that settles it, everyone, back to practice. Haizaki-san we will see you next time won't we?"

Shogo could only nod.

::

Sitting on the bench, Mikaël leaned on the wall behind him, his eyes never leaving Kuroko's figure.

"Tetsuyacchi's ability is, truly... dazzling," he muttered.

Nijimura who sat next to him barely spared the green a glance. His eyes remained focused on the practice match they were having with Shoei's team.

"You can see him?" He asked, searching for the phantom player.

Mikaël absentmindedly nodded. He didn't know how, but since his rebirth, spotting Kuroko had become extremely easy, as easy as finding the sun on a cloud free day.

Feeling a presence next to him, Mikaël lifted his golden eyes to meet with dark brown ones, he beamed.

"Heya, Teppeicchi!" He greeted. "You came to see your first years too?"

The Iron Heart nodded, a good-natured laugh escaping his lips at the green's obvious enthusiasm. "Right that, Mika," the brown head agreed. "Nijimura-san," he said with a nod in the vice-captain's direction.

"Kyoshi-san."

"So Mika, I heard you had a protégé? Which one is it?"

"That would be Shogocchi," Mikaël's eyes flickered to the Shoei player, and he pouted. "Though he isn't my protégé. Coach Shirogane asked me to mentor him upon his transfer. That's all."

"Ma, it's the same thing if you ask me. Haizaki's the small forward I guess then?"

Mikaël hummed.

::

Neatly tying his necktie, Mikaël heaved a sigh. His hand combed his short curls of greens before he opened his golden eyes. Letting them travel to his bedside table he paused, a deprecative grin on his face before he shook his head.

Grabbing the jewelry, he carefully put it in the midnight blue box's double bottom. He grabbed his phone and schoolbag before marching to the leaving room.

"Good morning, Claudecchi," he chirped as he stole the man one of his toasts.

The Italian didn't mind the gesture, humming in return, he took a sip of his espresso. "Good morning, Mika. How does your first morning as a third-year feel?"

The teen grumbled, he swallowed his toast before taking a mouthful of water. "No comment."

Claude chuckled, standing up he folded the newspaper he was reading before gently ruffling the boy's hair. "Right, don't be late. Also, don't forget to call your grandma."

"Yes, yes, mommy."

::

"Should I call you Captain from now on Shuzocchi?" Mikaël asked as ran his laps, Nijimura by his side.

"Did you call me Vice-Captain last year? I think not," the raven retorted amused as he rolled his eyes.

Feigning hurt, Mikaël weakly laughed. "Then Shuzocchi it is."

Nijimura hummed, both continued their laps in comfortable silence.

::

"Kyah! Mika-sempai!"

"Do something about them, Mika," Nijimura ordered, sending a pointed look at the sheepish green head. "They are disturbing practice."

"Right, my bad," Mikaël murmured, his hand going to his left earlobe as he turned to wave at his fans, creating another more powerful wave of shouts. "I'll go right now," he promised before jogging to them.

Shuzo shook his head in mild defeat.

"What are you waiting for? Twenty laps, now!"

"Yes, Captain!"

"You too Mika."

"'Kay, Shusocchi," Mikaël chirped back before waving one last time at his fans and running.

"Say, Mika-sempai, can't you introduce me to some of your fans? Preferably one with a huge rack."

"Don't be stupid Daikicchi," the green reprimanded, slapping the teen on top of his head.

::

"Doesn't the screaming seem more, passionate today?" Aomine wondered. "Did ya do something Mika-sempai?"

Mikaël gave a light chuckle, tilting his head slightly to look at the tan male. "I don't think I did."

"It better not be your fault, Mika," Nijimura added as he marched by the stretching teen.

"Your trust hurts me," Mika whined before shifting his gaze to the door.

Fans always came to support him, that was a fact. But were they usually so passionate? He didn't think so. What's more, wasn't the volume growing?

"—se!"

Mikaël's brow furrowed. —se?

"Kise!"

He froze, the motion didn't go unnoticed by the other players.

"A problem Mika-sempai?" Haizaki asked.

Mikaël mutely shook his head in denial, his usual sham grin on his face, though the strain in it was noticeable. "It's nothing."

A blond popped out of the crowd. Scanning the players, he seemed to be looking for something, or someone.

"Isn't that Kise, from your class Midorima-san?" Kuroko asked, startling those around him by his unexpected presence.

Releasing a somewhat shaky breath, Midorima nodded. "Yes, Kise Ryota. If I am correct, he should be in the football club."

"Really? Does he play basketball?" Daiki asked, excitement brimming in his eyes at the thought of a new opponent.

"I don't think he does," the green added, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose.

As Aomine released a disappointed moan, the gym fell into silence, making most of the team look the door's way to see the reason why. The blond was still looking around until his eyes fell on his target.

"Ah, Mika-sempai! I was looking for you-ssu!"

Ohoho, now the GOM has reunited! 

Thank you for reading, until next time^^