Looking for a Miracle | Kuroko no Basket

03. Night Out

Looking for a Miracle

Chapter Three

Night Out

The final note from her cello rang through the air. I closed my eyes, listening to the sound fade out. I lowered my bow and exhaled heavily, wiping a hand across my forehead as though to rid it of the non-existent sweat.

It had been two weeks since I'd arrived at Teiko Middle School, and two weeks since I'd joined the basketball club as manager. It had been two weeks since I'd started talking with the other first years in the basketball club, and two weeks since I'd become good friends with them.

I didn't regret my decision to become a manager for the team. Even if I didn't get to play basketball, spending time with those friends made everything so much more enjoyable.

And it was definitely worth seeing how Sei enjoyed the club. He never admitted it, but I knew him too well.

A light rap sounded on the door. "Akane?" I looked up, and my mother opened the door, a warm smile on her face. "That sounded beautiful. Dinner's ready."

I nodded. "Okay." I stood up, stretching out a little as I did so. Once I assured myself my cello was leaning safely against the wall, I followed my mother out of my room toward dinner.

My father was already seated at the table. I took my seat and, once we were all sat around the table, I started eating. I was starving, but still tried to eat slowly and properly.

"How's school going, Akane?" Mum asked presently.

I swallowed my food and smiled. "I'm enjoying it. I've made a few friends."

"How about classes?" Dad asked.

"They're not too bad. They're interesting." I took another bite of my meal.

He nodded. "Remember you need to keep your marks up. If you can't keep them up, we'll have to consider homeschooling again."

I nearly spat my food out. "What?"  

I hadn't heard anything about this. I didn't even know my withdrawal from the school had been on the cards. I'd thought it was pretty much guaranteed that I'd be staying at Teiko, since Akashi's father himself had recommended it. 

"If you can't handle being in the environment, then maybe it isn't in your best interest to continue," Dad said. "We only want you to achieve the best results possible. We're looking out for your future."

I blinked. "But this is middle school, Dad!" I still had six years before I left school. Wasn't this a little too early to be thinking that far ahead? Shouldn't I only really worry about that sort of thing when I reached high school and things became more serious? 

Of course, my father didn't share my views. "Middle school the basis for high school," he said slowly. "If you can get good grades now, you can get placed into the advanced class."