The Wager (Kuroko no Basket)

Phase 4: Begin to Get Along

The game ends, and I must say, it was one of the most interesting basketball games I have ever seen. If this continues, I may just end up enjoying watching basketball. Kaijo lost by two points. Seirin got a buzzer beater on us.

I glance at Kise. He looks like he's in a daze when suddenly, tears streak down his cheeks. This catches me by surprise. Is he actually crying? I think about it for a moment longer. Now that I think about it, this is probably his first loss. Seeing him cry kind of makes me want to cheer him up. It's strange. I watch him for a bit longer before going to help clean up the gym. I shouldn't care about him nearly as much as I do right now.

I glance at my cell phone as I get a text. He's almost here. I tell him that he missed the game.

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While I'm helping out with clean up, I get another text and I head to the back of the school to meet up with him. When I get there, I find my green-haired childhood friend, Shintaro, and Kise; It seems that the two of them were talking.

"Hm? So this is where you went, Kise," I say with a sigh as I walk over. "You disappeared so quickly, the others got a bit worried." I add with a grin, "By the way, you owe me dinner," I say.

"Huh?" he asks.

"Don't believe me?" I ask. "Check the paper." He pulls the paper out of his pocket and his eyes widen a little. "Told you," I reply.

"Still playing those games?" Shintaro asks.

"Of course," I reply, "I have to keep myself amused somehow."

Shintaro sighs. "You've always been bored too easily." He pushes his glasses up. "In anycase, it seems that you've had a decent day."

"Talking about Oha Asa?" I ask. I'm a Gemini, so apparently, my luck was supposed to be horrible today. "I saw it. I can't say that my luck has been particularly terrible today," I reply with a shrug.

"Hm," Shintaro replies. I'm not a non-believer, per say, but I don't take horoscopes nearly as seriously as he does.

I decide that it's about time to change the topic. "Anyways, Shintaro, what did you think of the match? Need I spend my time figuring out how to beat them next time?" I ask.

"Unfortunately, you will not be seeing them again this season," Shintaro replies rather confidently.

I fold my arms. "Oh? Well, if you say so, Shintaro. I'm not too sure about this myself, so I suppose that it would be unwise to bet about this one."

He sighs. "You and your games, Kimiko."

"EHH?! Since when are you two so close?!" Kise exclaims as he looks back and forth between the two of us. "Kimikocchi," he whines, "why don't you complain when Midorimacchi addresses you like that?"

"Shintaro and I have been friends since childhood," I reply. "It's only natural that I'd be alright with it, don't you think?" Kise seems upset about that. "By the way, I've been meaning to ask, it's been awhile since you called me and said you were on the way. Exactly how did you get here, Shintaro?"

"That would be thanks to me..." another guy wearing the same uniform as Shintaro replies between heavy breaths. He's riding a bicycle with a rickshaw in tow. "Your childhood friend is a jerk," he says.

I nod. "I'm aware."

He sighs and tries to catch his breath. "Anyways, how did Shin-kun manage to become friends with such a cute girl?" he asks.

"We were neighbors when we were kids," I reply. "I'll ignore that other comment," I add. "I'm not interested."

He smiles a little. "I think I get it now." He seems to think for a moment. "You and Shin-chan are so alike you'd probably be an interesting couple."