"They— well, Akashi-san has changed," Nijimura muttered as he observed the Winter Cup's finals. He stroked his chin silently, strangely enough, as he overlooked the redhead, there wasn't any surprise. As if he long knew that Akashi would fall to the 'Dark Side.'

His head throbbed, he frowned, softly clicking his tong before refocusing on the game.

Watching with rapt attention, Nijimura gazed with some fascination as both the Seirin and Rakuzan teams unraveled their trademark techniques.

"Say," he absentmindedly called out, watching as Hayama bypassed Seirin's red-headed player with his famed Lightning Dribble. "You didn't give Rakuzan any tips, did you?"

"I do not understand how you can have so much faith in him and Kuroko-kun's ability to beat him. But I can assure you that Rakuzan won that year. Much like every other year after that one."

"I believe the reasons he didn't lose were his skills, undeniably, but maybe also you. From my understanding, you went to Rakuzan at some point, and after that, the team's tactic took a change for the best, I suppose."

A talk he once had with Future Nijimura echoed in Ryota's mind as he listened to the raven's question. Hid golden eyes slightly darkened, a self-deprecating smile momentarily adorned his lips before he repressed it.

"Mou, of course, I didn't! I'm not the type to play favorite Shuzocchi!"Ryota whined his mask a perfect display of childish innocence.

There was a pause, the ringing of the buzzer filled the gymnasium, indicating that one of the two teams had scored.

Nijimura blinked his steel-grey eyes. He hummed to himself before gently shaking his head. "Right, forget I asked that."

The match went on, and soon the end of the first quarter rang. 21-21. "Seirin's pretty good," Shuzo acknowledged as he leaned in his seat for the pause. "I mean, Rakuzan's team's really powerful. Aren't they all part of your little band, Mika?"

Ryota excitedly hummed in agreement as he uncapped his water bottle to wet his parch throat. He took two large gulps before handing the plastic bottle to Nijimura, a soundless way of asking him if he wanted any.

Shuzo silently accepted the beverage.

"Yeah!" the green head enthusiastically answered. "They have Reocchi, number six, Kotarocchi, number seven, and Eikichicchi, number eight," he cheerfully introduced, carelessly pointing out the players as he did so.

Nijimura gave a silent nod. Junichiro, who sat behind them, leaned closer to better follow what they were saying, Shura peacefully napped.

"Ah! But Seirin still has Teppeicchi!" he reminded. "He's their Center, number seven."

Shuzo's eyes narrowed. "The Iron Heart?" he whispered before flickering his gaze from the said player's figure to Mikaël. "I thought he retired? Didn't he get an injury a few years back?"

"Mmm, from my understanding he's definitely retiring next year to get surgery then rehabilitation," Ryota provided, trying to remember the bits of information from his former life with what Kiyoshi had told him before.

"Oh, if you know, then does his team know?"

"Frankly? I dunno, I learned it in passing."

"Oh."

There wasn't much time for them to continue, soon the alarm sounded, announcing the beginning of the second quarter.

The whole quarter was largely dominated by Rakuzan. From start to finish, Seirin difficultly scored any point. With Kuroko out of the picture after every one of his skills got countered, the Light and Shadow duo couldn't work.

In the end, by the time the end of the second quarter sounded, Rakuzan led the game by a large 25 points margin, making up for a final score of 62 to 37.

It was evident that without Kuroko, Seirin didn't stand a chance against the mountain that was Rakuzan. And although Ryota more or less remembered that Kuroko got countered by Mayuzumi during the finals, his memory of how the match went was a bit unclear.

For a moment, he doubted whether or not Seirin would be able to bring Rakuzan to its knees and Kuroko lead Akashi on the right path.

Nijimura seemed to think the same thing, he nervously bit on his thumb. His steel-grey eyes flickered to Mikaël's slightly tensed face.

"Say, you're sure that—"

"Sure!" Ryota cut, not even needing to know what the raven would ask. "I'm sure that— that this time, I did nothing," he breathed. "I didn't even call Jurocchi— I-I only contacted Rakuzan once at the beginning of the Winter Cup," he hyperventilated.

Or was his presence in this world what would unmistakenly doom Akashi to his fate? Was it his fault? What did he do wrong? Was he supposed to disappear, die, vanish before everything went back to how it used to be—

"Hey, Mika, breathe," Shuzo coaxed, placing a comforting hand on the green-haired teen's back. "In, out, in, out," he dictated, watching as Mikaël slowly regulated his breathing.

Shura opened an eye, minutely watching the two boys. He raised a contemplative eyebrow when he noticed the light blue hue that covered the raven's palm, as well as the blueish veil over his eyes. Ah, so he was the Rain.

Ryota felt himself quickly calm down, the soothing effect of Shuzo's presence did miracles to him and in less than a few seconds he was already much calmer.

Nijimura carefully rubbed Mikaël's back. He wasn't too sure about the reason why the other had a sudden panic attack, but he had an inkling that it had to do with Rakuzan leading the match by such a large margin.

"It's okay, Mika. I believe you," he coaxed, noticing that it did little to comfort the green head he added, "I'm sure Kuroko-san will find a way to reverse the match."

Truthfully, Nijimura didn't know why he mentioned Kuroko to soothe Mikaël. He simply felt that it was the right thing to do. His steel-grey eyes gleaming a blue light, he successfully coaxed Mikaël to calm down.

"Yeah," the green shakily exhaled. "Tetsuyacchi will definitely succeed!" he asserted, more to comfort himself than anything.

The speakerphone sounded, announcing the beginning of the third quarter and Mikaël stiffened. The small composure he had regained seemed to dwindle as he saw how easily Akashi predicted Seirin's game before counterattacking.

Nijimura's eyes darted to the court, he frowned. "Let's go out for a bit, yeah?" he said, gently pulling Mikaël up from his seat.

Ryota numbly followed, mentally too exhausted to put up any resistance.

Light blue eyes met blue-tinted ones, Nijimura gave the younger a small smile. "We're going to take a break, get some fresh air," he explained. "We'll be back in a bit."

Shura's eyes focused on Mikaël's figure in mild distaste and worry. He looked back at Nijimura, noting that the boy was a Rain and most probably his 'Future colleague,' before nodding in approval. He didn't bother to sign, after all, from what he understood when they first met, the raven wasn't the least bit proficient in Sign Language.

Leading Mikaël out, they came across Junichiro who was jogging back to his seat after his stop by the bathroom. Nijimura carefully retold the raven why they were going out, and after placating the Sun and telling him that they would be quick, finally exited the gymnasium.

The sound of cheers remained in the background as both teens walked around the corridor.

"Should we go out for a walk?" Nijimura suggested, already tugging the taller male toward the exit and out of the stadium.

"I— you should go back inside Shuzocchi, I'll go alone," Ryota countered. "You came all the way to see the finals, you shouldn't restrain yourself because of me."

Nijimura rolled his eyes and clicked his tongue. "Nonsense," he retorted, lightly hitting Mikaël on the back of his head. "You're more important than the finals. Either way, even if we miss the third quarter we can be back by the fourth. What's more, I'm sure that there'll be a recording of it."

Ryota's eyes softened, he threw himself in Nijimura's arms, gently rubbing his cheek against the shorter's black locks. "Whoah, I love you so much Shuzocchi," he confessed, his voice unnoticeably trembling.

Usually, Nijimura would have shoved him off without a second thought. This time, he refrained himself, silently patting the green's back, he hummed.

"What am I going to do with you?" he teasingly whispered back.

Stepping back to pull himself out of the raven's arms, Ryota beamed, his artificial hand wiping the edges of his eyes. "Keep me of course!" he rebuked.

Nijimura questioningly hummed, his steel-grey eyes casually seized Mikaël up and down before he snorted. "Yeah, sure, in another life maybe."

"Mou, why so mean Shuzocchi?"

::

"Ah, Song-chan!" Kise greeted with a beam as he waved his hand to catch the foreigner's attention. The rest of the Kaijo team flickered their gaze to look at who their Ace was waving at.

A man, about Kasamatsu's height, silently waved back at the hyped looking blonde. His steps were steady, giving off a kind of unapproachable aura. He had reddish, almost gingered colored hair and a pair of piercing and strangely intimidating blue eyes.

Having those eyes fall on them, the Kaijo players could barely refrain themselves from shivering. It was as if they were preys and the stranger the predator lurking in the dark.

"Kise," the Korean acknowledged with a nod as he reached the group. His eyes unnoticeably softened as they fell on the blond before going back to their usual aloofness as he greeted the other players.

Standing next to the High School team, it was evident that the man was smaller than every one of them. Yet, as they met his steady gaze, they couldn't help but feel like they had met their nemesis.

A tall mountain.

Someone untouchable.

Something they couldn't dream of reaching.

An Emperor.

Right, like the Emperors in older times, the man was from a different world.

"I apologize," Song Hye began as he faced the blond back. His eyes flickered to the court, noticing that the fourth quarter would soon begin before he refocused his attention on the model. "I couldn't come sooner, some," he minutely paused, narrowing his eyes. "Things kept me up."

"Oh, sure, no problem Song-chan," Kise beamed back, dismissing the matter entirely.

Song Hye's thin lips curled up into a smile. He really liked the childish innocence Kise displayed in public. It made his skin tingle with pleasant yet uncomfortable sensations.

His eyes flickered to the blond's knee for a second and his smile dwindled. Right, he wasn't there to see himself winning in the first place— ah. Shouldn't it be losing this time around? he mused.

"About your injury," Song Hye began, ignoring the way the air around the team chilled at its mention. "Have you considered getting surgery?"

There was a dry, uncomfortable laugh from Kise. "Whaat? Surgery? I don't need it," he refuted, his eyes darting aside as he carefully rubbed his left earlobe.

"I have an— old friend in Holland, he's a surgeon. I told him about your case," Song Hye steadily explained, disregarding the blond's words. "He goes by Edwin Geels, he said he would be okay with operating you once the Winter Cup was over.

"I— no, really, it's not necessary," Kise tried to refuse. Although the prospect of surgery was something he considered, he didn't want the man, whom he knew for less than half a year, to take charge of it.

Song Hye blinked, seeing as there was no use in trying to persuade the younger, he decided to take a step back. He would arrange for Shintaro to be the surgeon, regardless of the hospital Kise's family chose.

Instead, the ginger head took a cursory glance around them. "Also, you said that you wanted to introduce me to someone? Lamarre, was it?"

"Yes-ssu! Well, it's Mikacchi-senpai who wanted to meet you," Kise corrected in a mumble before humming to himself. "I saw him earlier, he should be seating somewhere around there," he mumbled, looking in the direction where the green head previously sat.

Song Hye's eyes silently followed the blond's gaze. He minutely stopped, a light frown adorned his face as he spotted a peculiar head of pink.

Shura Volkov? He wondered with narrowed eyes, casually taking his eyes off of the teen before the pink deemed him a potential threat.

"It doesn't matter," he called back, seeing as Kise was still looking around. "I'll meet him later either way," he said before feigning curiosity. "Do you have a photo?"

Kise hurriedly nodded, his fingers flew over his phone's tactical screen as he searched for a picture of the said green head. Soon, he found one of the older male casually biting on his drink's straw. It was one that he took on their latest outing, before the beginning of the Winter Cup when they went to Maji Burger.

"Here, that's him," he indicated, shoving his phone in the shorter's hands. "He's my upperclassman from Teiko and was my captain for half a year," he introduced. "Actually we met through modeling at first, he's my Senpai both on and off the court," the blond laughed, tinges of pride veiling his voice.

"He plays basketball too?"

"Yeah! Mikacchi's really strong you know!" Kise boasted before gently frowning. "Though he stopped playing after Junior High, for some reason," he mumbled.

Song Hye hummed. Even if he already knew this information from his underlings' report, having Kise confirm them was better.

Song Hye's eyes narrowed. No matter how he looked at it, he had no recollection of a 'Mikaël Lamarre' who attended Teiko.

"Oh, he sounds interesting. I can't wait to meet him," he praised, a ghost of a smile covering his face.

Kise beamed.

The speakerphone sounded, announcing the beginning of the fourth quarter.

Thanks for reading, until next time^^