insouciant || ON HIATUS

ℂℍ𝔸ℙ𝕋𝔼ℝ 𝟙𝟜

But recently, he'd begun to see Sanada as a warm figure. The snowy-haired boy often caught him staring at the group, specifically the Generation of Miracles, with something like a mournful look.

"It's scary how fast everyone is changing, is it?" He murmured, watching Midorima shoot from behind the halfcourt line.

Mamoru returned his gaze to Midorima, a tiny frown etched on his face. He hummed his assent.

There was nothing to say.

──── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ────

Aomine didn't walk with them.

Satsuki, Kuroko, Maiko, and Mamoru walked home without him. It was obvious he was avoiding them.

"Murasakibara-kun was amazing today," Kuroko murmured.

"Yeah...you're right," Satsuki replied softly. Maiko gently tugged on her blue shirt, a silent comforting gesture.

"At the same time, it scares me."

Kuroko said the line that Mamoru was thinking. It was rather amazing to see everyone evolving. But it felt like they were going about it in the wrong way.

Not to say it was their fault. Talent came naturally to certain people. Everyone had a talent, whether it was sleeping until noon, baking, or basketball, like in Aomine's case.

But to see someone change because of a talent was alarming.

Mamoru felt like he was reverting back to the beginning, to the point where he didn't know them at all. The fuzziness in his head wasn't helping either. It was clouding his thoughts, something he found extremely irritating.

"Seeing how he's evolving reminds me of Aomine-kun," Kuroko frowned, his blue eyes dark with worry.

Satsuki lifted her head slightly, looking unusually gloomy. "Tetsu-kun, Moru-kun, have you talked to Aomine-kun lately?"

"Not since the Nationals ended." Kuroko sighed. Mamoru nodded, silently giving the same answer as Kuroko. "I do feel like I need to do something, but honestly, I don't know what to do right now?"

Mamoru frowned and tilted his head down in thought. He, too, wanted to help them. He knew Aomine and Murasakibara wouldn't be the only ones to change.

But how do you help someone who doesn't want anyone's help. It surprised Mamoru how much it hurt to see someone not of his kin suffer. Every time he saw that despairing look on Aomine's face, he wanted to do something, anything.

But he couldn't. He didn't know how.

Satsuki tugged on both their sleeves, stopping them in their place.

"Momoi-san?"

"Satsuki?"

She was silent for a little bit, giving some thought to her words. "Everyone...we'll still be together forever, right?"

Mamoru found the reassuring words stuck in his throat. He wanted to comfort the girl, to say yes, everything would be alright. He wanted to bring back the happy memories from before...

"We can continue to be friends and play together forever, right?" She insisted, eyes wide in a plea.

Kuroko smiled lightly. "Yes. We're together...forever."

How could they make a promise like that? Obviously, the way things were going, it was going to be a terrible ending.

But Mamoru couldn't bring himself to say something against her belief. He wanted to believe it too, after all. For Maiko's sake, who had flourished under the connection of the data analyst and the Generation of Miracles, he wouldn't say anything.