In Shadows | Kuroko no Basket Fan Fiction

6. From Experience

In Shadows

Chapter Six

From Experience

Her heart was still going at a rate that was faster than usual. At least it was better than it had been, when it had thrown itself against her chest as a result of the intensetraining.

After draining the last drop of water that was in her water bottle, Gina gasped in a lungful of hair and wiped at her forehead.

Her first meeting with the track team had just finished, and she'd wandered off the track sweating bucket loads. She had worked herself harder than she had in two years, since she made the move back to Japan. With the way her muscles protested against her every movement, Gina knew that she was going to wake up the next day with stiff and sore muscles. She might have to stretch once more when she got home to try and relieve the strain even just a little.

It had been a huge relief to find that the changing rooms did, in fact, contain showers. While she didn't wash her her hair due to the cold wind that was just blowing, just being able to wash the sweat off her body made her feel that much better.

Now dressed in track pants and a warm jumper, Gina headed out of the change rooms. She didn't pay attention to anyone else who was there, and they didn't look at her. Gina was grateful that the others were caught up in the conversations with friends they'd made over a few years. She was the outsider here, and she didn't really feel comfortable talking to anyone. Her fear of approaching and talking to those she didn't know had risen again, especially considering how many people there were.

Besides, she didn't particularly want to talk to anyone after today.

She walked along, biting her lip as she remembered how the training session had unfolded. She shuddered. It wasn't exactly a day that she wanted to remember. She'd rather push it all the way to the back of her mind, but knew it would be impossible to do that. She only would have to face the same problems tomorrow.

"Ah, Gina!"

The sudden voice struck a dull chord in her mind. Turning around, she smiled tiredly in greeting to the person approaching her. "Kiyoshi-senpai," she greeted, as the much taller brown-haired boy started to approach.

Basketball practice must have just finished, she realised. Looking at the position of the sun in the sky - which was dipping into the sky, causing the sky to turn golden in colour - she guessed that all clubs must be drawing to a close just about now.

She slowed her pace slightly, allowing the second-year to catch up. As he caught up with her she frowned, remembering just how much taller than her Kiyoshi was. Anyone looking at them would definitely think that they were a mismatched pair.

"You've joined a club?" Kiyoshi commented with interest.

Huh? How did he know? Gina touched her cheeks, and felt the heat still pulsing through them. They were still flushed after working so hard. On top of that, her hair was a little damp with sweat.

Well. I guess, looking at me, it's obvious.

She nodded. "Yeah - the track team. I started today."

"I see. How did it go?"

Gina bit her lip. She tried shrugging it off and making it look casual, but she couldn't look at Kiyoshi directly in the eye. Her gaze fell a little flat. "Eh... not too well. I've got two years worth of catching up to do."

Kiyoshi's face clouded over. Gina was more than sure he had detected the lie - she generally wasn't very good at lying. Nonetheless, he sent an encouraging smile her way and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sure you can do it."