-Emiko POV-
I sat down on the stage and looked at how Tetsuya tried to shoot the ball.
We did this the last time too, when we tried to figure out how to improve.
I heard Nigo going over to someone else.
"Good boy, good boy!" said the stranger. "Don't you think he looks like you? It's just like I heard. You're not much good at anything besides passing. But who cares about that? I like your basketball. You're not wrong. You're just inexperienced. That's all. Do you want some candy?"
"No, thank you" said Tetsuya.
"Really?" said the stranger.
"And who may you be?" I asked and walked closer.
"Kiyoshi Teppei" said the stranger.
"Are you Kiyoshi-san?" asked Tetsuya.
"Um, do you want something?" I asked.
"Your boyfriend is really interesting" said Kiyoshi.
"Not my boyfriend" I said and blushed.
"Really?" he said and I looked away. "Basketball is about generalists. It's a sport for guys who can do everything. Put loosely, you'll be okay with five scorers who can pass. That doesn't always work, which is why you have positions, and sometimes teams keep a specialist as their sixth man. But I've never seen a specialist as extreme as you. It's extraordinary to specialize so thoroughly in a single thing"
He held out his hands and Tetsuya passed to Kiyoshi.
"But aren't you the one assuming that's your limit?" he asked and tried to score.
'His knees' I noticed.
"It's impressive you can view yourself so objectively and play in that way" he said. "But you may be taking it too far. We're still high schoolers. Believe in your own potential a little more. I'm just talking to myself. See you next week, Kuroko-kun, Maeda-san"
"Excuse me" said Tetsuya and Kiyoshi stepped on his candy.
"I just bought these!" shouted Kiyoshi.
~
The next week, Kagami finally came back to practice.
"Kagami, you bastard" said Hyuga. "You really didn't show up after that"
"Sorry" said Kagami.
"I-If you're going to apologize, just come in the first place" said Hyuga.
"Hey" Kiyoshi walked in... with his uniform on... "Let's practice"
"Good to see you, Kiyoshi" said Koganei.
"Don't give me that" said Hyuga. "Why are you wearing your uniform?!"
"I got excited about coming to practice again" said Kiyoshi.
"Are you serious?! Are you?!" said Hyuga.
"Yeah!" said Kiyoshi.
After Kiyoshi got changed into practicing clothes, he introduced himself properly.
"I've been in the hospital since last summer" he said. "Because of my surgery and rehab, I've been taking a break. Kiyoshi Teppei, 193 centimetres, 81 kilos. My position is centre. Nice to meet you"
"Teppei, you're sure you're okay now?" asked Riko.
"Yeah, I'm completely healed" said Kiyoshi. "I may have forgotten some stuff, but I didn't spend my time in the hospital doing nothing"
"Oh, did you learn something new?" asked Izuki.
"Yeah..." said Kiyoshi. "Card games. The old man sharing my room taught me"
"So?" asked Koganei.
"It's fun" said Kiyoshi.
"That's got nothing to do with basketball!" shouted Hyuga and Izuki at the same time.
"Also, one more thing" said Kiyoshi. "I'm putting my undefeated three year high school career on the line. I'm serious about doing this. My goal is, of course... where is it?"
"What?" asked Riko.
"Where's the Inter-High being held?" asked Kiyoshi.
"It changes every year, and we already lost!" said Izuki. "We've got our sights set on the Winter Cup now!"
"Where is that this year?" asked Kiyoshi.
"It's in Tokyo every year!" shouted Hyuga.
"Anyway, if you're going to climb a mountain, you've got to aim for the summit" said Kiyoshi. "But let's not forget to enjoy the scenery"
"You're weird" I said bluntly.
~
"That's a foul, Kagami-kun!" shouted Riko when Kagami fouled.
He played like he did when he first joined... all by himself...
"Hey, Kagami-kun" said Kiyoshi. "I want to play soon too, but I don't think it's fair for me to ask to start just because I'm an upperclassman. So... Why don't we play some one-on-one for the starting position?"
"What?" said Kagami.
"He hasn't changed at all" sighed Hyuga. "This is why I can't stand the guy. He always plays hard, is obsessed with basketball, acts stupid, and... he's always up to something"
"Huh, for someone who hasn't played in a while, he's not bad" I said.
"But Kagami's the one pressuring him" said Izuki.
But Kagami won in the end.
"You got me. I lost" said Kiyoshi. "Just like I promised, you can start"
"Okay" said Kagami. "Well then, I'm going. Good work"
He just left...
"What are you thinking, Kiyoshi?" asked Izuki.
"Wow, he really is strong" said Kiyoshi.
"And what are we going to do without you?!" asked Riko while hitting him with her fan.
"It can't be helped" said Kiyoshi. "Saying I haven't been playing isn't much of an excuse. This is the best I can do"
"That's not your best. You're acting too stupid" said Hyuga.
"Heh, look at your feet" I said. "Those are indoor shoes"
"Sheesh... don't tell me you lost on purpose" said Hyuga.
"Oh, crap!" said Kiyoshi.
"It wasn't on purpose?!" yelled Hyuga.
"Sheesh!" said Riko.
~
"He's weird" I said when Tetsuya and I were walking home. "Are you feeling better?"
"Yes" he said. "Sorry, for worrying you"
"I'll always worry about you, Tetsu" I said.
"Sorry" he said and I chuckled.
~
Riko had arranged a few practice games.
But Kiyoshi had asked to let only the first years play.
The other team didn't look happy about it...
"Coach, what are you thinking?" asked Izuki.
"He insisted on watching the first years play" said Riko.
"Kiyoshi, what is this?" asked Hyuga.
"I know what Kiyoshi is thinking!" said Koganei.
"I highly doubt that" I sighed.
"We're probably going to lose this game, aren't we?" he said. "And recently, Kagami's been playing selfishly. But they can't win that way. That's why you're making them lose on purpose, so he can realize he can't just win on his own, right?"
"I see" said Kiyoshi. "That's amazing, Koga"
"Wait, but..." said Koganei.
"Told you" I said.
"You're not wrong, but..." said Kiyoshi. "Do you think he's so stupid he wouldn't notice if we didn't tell him? He didn't seem uncertain or worried to me. If there's anyone I want to notice something, it's him"
He looked at Tetsuya and I frowned.
The first years were doing okay, our score was lower than I thought it would be.
And Tetsuya wasn't coordinating with Kagami at all...
In the end, Kagami beat the other team and they won.
I realised what Kiyoshi was trying to show Tetsuya.
'His limits on his current style...'
Tetsuya went to talk to Hyuga.
So I went home alone.
'What's wrong with me? I can't keep Tetsuya out of my head... why am I getting so flustered?'
My phone went off.
"Kasamatsu" I said when I picked up.
"Maeda" he said, he sounded happy.
"You sound like you have good news" I chuckled. "Tell me"
"We got through the championship league" he said. "We'll participate in the Inter-High!"
"Congratulations" I said and sat down on a bench. "I'm very happy for you guys"
"What's wrong?" he asked. "You sound a bit down"
"Oh, it's nothing" I said. "Just some trouble... nothing I can't solve"
"Kasamatsu-senpai! Is that Maedacchi?!" I heard Kise.
"Please tell him it's your mom" I sighed.
"No, it's my mom!" I heard Kasamatsu shout, making me laugh.
"Thank you" I said.
"Will you be okay?" he asked and I sighed.
"I think so" I said. "There's just been a lot on my mind lately"
"You care too much" he said and I smiled.
"I guess you're right" I said. "But how can I not care? I mean, all those idiots need me"
He laughed and I felt a bit more relaxed.
"Guess you're right" he said.
"I should go home" I said. "Thank you for telling me. And good luck in the Inter-High"
"Thank you, talk to you soon" he said and hang up.
When I walked home, I saw Tetsuya and Kagami play, so I hid myself.
"I am going easy on you! You're just too weak!" shouted Kagami. "The first time we played was a lot like this too. When I later found out what you could really do, I was blown away. Not only that, but... hey, I've been wondering about something since then. Why did you choose me?"
"Sorry" said Tetsuya. "I have to apologize to you. I lied. In middle school, I received a uniform as the team's sixth man"
"I know that" said Kagami. "You were the trump card of the Generation of Miracles"
"That's not quite right" said Tetsuya. "They may have believed in me, but they did not trust me. No, it may be more accurate to say... that they stopped being able to trust me. When I was a first year, I was an unremarkable player. I joined the bench as the sixth man in my second year. Back then, I believe they still trusted me. But as their talents began blossoming like Aomine-kun, they lost their faith in me. The Generation of Miracles began placing their trust in themselves over everything else. If we were one point behind with only a few seconds left in the game, they could not pass. They had to do it themselves. The truth is, it didn't have to be you. I was simply using you to force the Generation of Miracles to recognize my style of basketball"
"I was wondering what you might say" said Kagami. "I had a feeling it'd probably be this. I've always felt it. I'm just like them. Even though you had supposedly quit the Teiko basketball team because you rejected the style of the Generation of Miracles, I knew why you chose to work with me. Everyone plays basketball for their own reasons. I am not any different"
"No!" said Tetsuya quickly. "Kagami-kun, you are different. In all of our games so far, you trusted me. Those were not parting words, when you said we can't win just by working together. But they were words meant to make us stop relying on each other and become even stronger. So we could combine even greater strength to win. Please allow me to correct myself. I am glad I go to Seirin. All our seniors are wonderful people, our classmates who work alongside us are all great as well, Emiko who went with me to Seirin, who cares so much about everyone, and you trusted me. I am not Teiko Middle School's sixth man, Kuroko Tetsuya. I am Seirin High first year, Kuroko Tetsuya! I don't want make someone else the best player in Japan. With you, with Emiko, and with everyone else, I want to become the best in Japan! That's why I will become even stronger and defeat the Generation of Miracles!"
I smiled, I was happy...
"That's what I've been meaning to do all along" said Kagami. "And you got it wrong again! You don't want to be the best. We're going to be the best!"
"Yes" smiled Tetsuya.
"You should probably go see Maeda" said Kagami. "She's been worrying about you. You don't make a pretty girl worry about you that much"
"I heard that" I said and got out of my hiding spot. "I'm glad you two finally talked. The tension was killing me!"
~
"But how are you going to get stronger anyway?" asked Kagami when we walked home.
"I don't know" said Tetsuya. "But, I will find a way by the Winter Cup"
"You idiot, don't be stupid" said Kagami. "I'll become stronger too. If you take too long, I'll leave you behind. Get stronger soon. This winter, show it to me... Kuroko's new style of basketball!"
They fist bumped and I chuckled.
"Geez, I'll make sure you boys don't die before this winter" I laughed.