The Promise

Five

It was a Sunday and Shizuka decided to do her laundry since it was starting to pile up.

She sat down in front of the washing machine that washed her clothes while she read a magazine.

"Can I seat beside you?" A guy asked and Shizuka looked up and nodded.

"Huh? S-Shizuka-cchi?!"

Shizuka-cchi?

And standing in front of her, was the Generation of Miracles' copycat and small forward, Ryota Kise. "Ryo... chan?" She called, standing up from her seat.

"Waah! Shizuka-cchi! When did you get back?!" Kise said, tackling Shizuka with a hug.

"Just a few days ago," Shizuka said with giggle. "My, you still haven't changed, have you? Still hyper like before,"

"That's because I'm thrilled to see you," Kise said. "Are you attending a school?"

Shizuka nodded. "Seirin High School," she answered.

"Hmm? The one Kuroko-cchi's in?" Kise asked.

Shizuka nodded.

"Why didn't you go with Akashi-cchi?" Kise asked, "Hey, if you're here in Tokyo... does Akashi-cchi know you're here?"

Shizuka's smile reduced and shook her head. "I'm still not ready to see him yet," she said. "Actually... that's why I didn't announced my arrival with all of you,"

"Hmm?"

"You broke a promise," Shizuka said, "And you know how a promise means to me,"

Kise took a moment before speaking. "Aah," he said, "That one?"

He scratched his nape in embarassment. "Sorry, Shizuka-cchi," he said, "But... after Kuroko-cchi and Kagami-cchi beat us at a game... I've changed my way of thinking when it comes to relying on my teammates, and to be honest... I kinda missed the old days, where we were all having fun playing basketball together,"

***

"Oy, I know that we first years agreed that we'll be playing streetball today, but..." Kagami said then leered at Shizuka who was smiling and had her arms linked to Kuroko's. "Why are you here if you won't be doing anything other than watch us?!"

"Hey, Kagami, it's not good to raise your voice at a girl in public," Kiyoshi said with a smile.

"And why are you here as well?!" Kagami asked.

"Fukuda couldn't make it," Furihata said, "He got a cold the night before,"

"I hope he gets well soon," Shizuka said.

"So, shall we?" Kuroko asked.

They all headed to registration booth and signed up their names.

"I'm just going to use the bathroom real quick," Shizuka said then ran off.

"You're doing it wrong Tsugawa," a group of roughly played boys stood next to them at the registration booth.

"Tsugawa?" Kagami said then tilted his head to look who it was beside him and found Tomoki Tsugawa of the Seiho Basketball team.

"Oh, Seirin?!" Tsugawa said.

"Well, well," Ryuhei Kasuga said with a smile, "It's good seeing you here, Seirin,"

"You're playing streetball as well?" Kiyoshi asked.

Tsutomu Iwamura, Seiho's team captain, nodded. "And you? I'm glad to see you back in the court,"

"Yeah," Kiyoshi said, "Anyway, do you guys want to grab something to eat before playing? The games still won't start in a few minutes,"

"Sure," Iwamura said and both teams sat on the grass as they chat and had their snacks.

"By the way, congratulations on making it the Winter Cup," Iwamura said.

"Eh? You're not playing?" Kagami asked.

"Is that supposed to be a joke?!" Tsugawa asked.

"I honestly did not know you bald hot head!" Kagami yelled back.

"Only the top three of each district gets to play," Iwamura explained, "In our case, since Seirin beat us during the Inter-High, we're automatically out with you replacing us. Along side with you are Shutoku and Touo,"

"I see," Kagami said.

"Besides, the seniors are now retiring to give way to our reviews for college,"

"Everyone, sorry to keep you waiting!" Shizuka said as she ran towards them, "The girl's washroom has a long line,"

"W-wha..." Tsugawa said, completely dumbfounded. "W-who... are you?"

"Hmm?" Shizuka said, "Oh, my name is Shizuka Akashi. Pleased to meet you,"

"Akashi?" Iwamura asked, "Are you perharps related to—"

"Attention! The next game of Seiho High School and Minamari High School will start in ten minutes, players please proceed to the court for warm up, thank you!"

"Looks like it's time to go," Kasuga said as he and the rest of the Seiho team stood up.

"Don't get beaten," Iwamura told Kiyoshi, "We still need to settle our game,"

"Of course," Kiyoshi said.

"Tsugawa, let's go," Iwamura called his kohai who was still standing and staring at Shizuka.

"Huh? O-oh, right. Coming!" Tsugawa said and ran after his team.

"Man, I'm still pretty hungry," Kagami said.

"But you just ate a sandwhich," Furihata said.

"Not enough," Kagami said, "Do you think we can stopby to buy something to eat before we watch Seiho's game?"

"Alright, but we should hurry," Kiyoshi said.

But they were already too late the moment they got at the court and stared in amazement and disbelief as Seiho was crushed to the ground with a middle-tier school.

"What..." Kagami asked, astonished not by the result of the game but by a person dearly familiar to him stood in the very court. "What... are you doing here? Himuro... Tatsuya?"

"Himuro?" Furihata asked.

Tatsuya Himuro looked back upon hearing his name and was surprised to see an old friend. "Well, well, well... Taiga, I'm surprised to see you here," he said in english as he approached them.

"You don't look surprised, keeping the usual poker face," Kagami answered back in the same language.

"I ain't keeping a poker face, it's just my nature," Himuro said.

"Uh... is it... Himuro? Kagami's friend?" Kiyoshi asked in english.

"Oh, that's okay, I speak Nihongo," Himuro said speaking his native tongue, "And Kagami isn't my friend, you say he's sort of my brother,"

"Brother?" Koichi Kawahara, one of Seirin's freshmen and basketball player, asked.