Princess of Miracles (Kuroko no Basuke FanFic)

Practice Match From Hell

"I'm in the shadow. The light taking the points will be you, Kise-kun." - Kuroko Tetsuya to Kise Ryota (Chapter 62.5)

* * * *

"RUN FASTER! OR I'LL TRIPLE THE NUMBER OF RUNS YOU HAVE TO MAKE!"

The bellowing voice of Seirin High's student-coach Aida Riko could be heard screaming at her players as they did their usual drills and warm-ups around the court before they actually got to the real training.

"I-Isn't she even more tedious than usual?" Koganei Shinji wheezed, trying to force his aching legs to press on even faster as he jumped to catch the ball before throwing it to Mitobe.

"Don't let Riko hear you say that." Hyuuga warned in a whisper.

"By the way, where's Tamaki?" Izuki Shun asked, glancing around and checking the entire gym just in case. One will never know in the case of Tamaki after all. "I hadn't seen her around yet."

"Oh, she took the day off today for some reason. Something about a medical appointment." Hyuuga informed his teammates.

"Medical appointment? Is she okay?" Koganei asked, concerned. The match with Kaijo High School is just three days away after all.

"Well, Tamaki doesn't seem too concerned about it when she came to our classroom during lunch hour earlier to tell Riko and me about it, so it should be okay," said Hyuuga, shrugging his shoulders. "I hope." He added as an afterthought.

* * * *

Meanwhile halfway across the Tokyo district, one can find Kuroko Tamaki and Aomine Daiki on their way to Morita Hospital in central Japan.

It wasn't that obvious on Tamaki's face, but she was irritated, and Aomine looked rather sheepish. "I can't believe that you just skipped practice just to come with me to the hospital," said Tamaki, a note of irritation in her voice that is obvious only to Aomine, seeing as how he had spent so much time with Tamaki throughout their three years in middle school. "Satsuki is not going to be happy with you."

Neither Aomine nor Tamaki had spoken of that event that had just taken place in Tamaki's house four days ago. Tamaki didn't speak of it, and neither did Aomine, with both of them pretending that it never did happen. And as it stands, Aomine wasn't sure where their relationship—if it is a relationship—even stands.

"Whether I go to practice or not, the result will still be the same." Aomine said. "I'll still win the next match, no matter who it is, so why bother?"

Tamaki looked at him, looking as if she is about to say something, but in the end, she closed her mouth and looked away. Aomine sighed inwardly. He knew that Tamaki is right—he hadchanged. The Aomine Daiki of three years ago wouldn't say such a thing. He had been working on repairing his friendship with Tamaki, but it looks like no matter how hard he tried, it only serves in pushing them further away from each other.

He hates it, but it is almost like his mouth had a will of his own, like it's sprouting all those words on it's own: "The only one who can beat me, is me alone", "Your basketball can't beat mine", "No matter who it is, the result will still be the same."

Tamaki sighed. "Do whatever you wish. You've always been that way, anyway." She muttered something beneath her breath, and Aomine grinned. "And it's not like it's anything major. It's just the usual monthly check up and rehabilitation. You know that."

After Hanamiya had shattered Tamaki's left wrist back in second year, and when Tamaki had the brace taken off a year after that, it soon became a requirement for her to go to the hospital every month for a check up and also for rehabilitation. Back in Teiko, one of the Generation of Miracles would usually go with her, usually Akashi. But if he's held up, it will be Aomine or Kise. The Generation of Miracles usually took turns accompanying Tamaki to the hospital. At least, until Tamaki had disappeared.