I yawned sleepily as I walk with the others proceeding to the school where Kise attends, the Kaijou High. In fact, although I'm as thrill as Kagami like now, I'm really tired and sleepless because who the heck won't get sleepy when you just sleep for a maximum of 3 hours?
I know I'm torturing myself.
"Are you alright, Mari-chan?"
Kuroko's voice popped out of nowhere like it used to before but honestly, I can't still get used to it so I immediately get awaken by the fright and looks at him on my left side.
"I'm over here."
Wow, I didn't know that Kuroko's lack of presence is really effective against me. I never realized that...when we were still dating. But who cares? Past is past, and I can't barely keep him on my guard for a seconds because, one blink of a eye, he's gone. Like a ghost, he's gone.
I look over at my right side and saw Kuroko with his usual blank gaze.
"Yeah, um, I'm alright." I answered, while yawning.
"You must be so tired."
"I am. But don't worry, I'm fine."
I've been through the worst, Kuroko. I've been through a lot of pain and sacrifice. And that's because of you, so you shouldn't worry about me anymore. I'm as strong as a rock.
But emotionally...uh, nope. Because my heart is still as soft and delicate as it was before. It is so soft and fragile that one heartbreak can literally makes me wanna die.
And all of that...is because of you, Kuroko.
"Hey, Kuroko-kun. Think of myself right now as Kagami-kun. Restless because of the excitement. Maybe I get too excited so I can't sleep last night." I jokingly said, easing up the complicating atmosphere between the two of us.
I saw Kuroko smile a little bit before the two of us turn to Kagami, who is literally creepy because of his face right now. Ah, personal laughing stock.
And...didn't I tell you that Kaijou High is amazingly huge?
"Wow! This place is huge!" Junpei-senpai commented, looking at those large gymnasium. Yep, I know that this school is awesomely huge. "You can really tell when a school is devoted to its athletics.
"Kagami-kun, the look in your eyes is worse than usual." Kuroko stated, as the both of us stare at Kagami and his tired face.
"Shut up, both of you."
"What? I'm not even speaking!" I defended, raising my hands on the air.
"I was a little to excited." Kagami continued, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"What are you, a kid going on a fieldtrip?" Kuroko teased him.
"What did you say?!"
"Hey, guys!"
All of us turned our attention to the running Kise. I immediately grin and wave at him happily like I'm really excited to see him again.
"Kise-kuuun!" I greeted him.
"This place is big, so I'd thought I'd come get you." Kise said while stopping in front of us.
"Hello." Riko-senpai greeted him while bowing down.
I sighed while placing my hands on the both side of my hips.
"Mari-cchi!!" Kise excitedly called my name while running towards me, which is just meters away. "Ever since Kuroko-cchi and you turned down my invitation to join us, I've been crying into my pillow every night."
"What's wrong with him?" I heard Hyuga-senpai muttered.
"Just show us the way." Kagami added.
"You're the first girl that ever turned me down." Kise continued, as if ignoring Kagami.
As I open my mouth to speak, Kuroko speaks up. "Could you stop being so sarcastic?"
Okay...Kuroko is being too hard on Kise, really. But then my eyes widen in shock. Don't tell me...Uh, no, no, he isn't. Don't assume that he's jealous, alright.
"Kise-kun, just the lead the way." I sighed, shaking my head to shake out my random thoughts about getting Kuroko back. I mean, it's so hopeless why am I still hoping that thing to come?
Ladies and gentlemen, the guy who broke up with me, the very guy who broke my heart for the very first time...and now, I'm kinda hoping that we're getting back together again...
Wow, I never know that I'm really an...idiot.
Maybe more idiot than Kise can be.
Ugh. I rolled my eyes, eyes secretly looking at Kuroko. I can typically describe myself right now as some hopeless, creepy secret stalker stalking her blunt ex-boyfriend.
Ah, yes. Welcome to the beautiful story of my life. Where you can meet some freaking characters who can literally freak you out..like the guy walking beside me.
"Mari-cchi!"
So this is the joking part. Being with Kise is fun, but mostly annoying. Like I said, I've been through the worst, so I can managed being with him...like, with Kuroko walking in front of us.
"Kise-kun, don't tell me the thing I'm expecting you to tell me." I hissed, pinching the bridge of my nose. "That was over one day ago. Please move on."
"Ehh?" Kise wailed, tears comically streaming down from his eyes. "But you just-you just slap me with your clipboard and gave me one of your menacing stares that looks like a monster."
"Shut the pie up, Kise-kun." I groaned, eyes focused to the blue-haired boy talking to the walking dead Kagami. "I don't know that he is attending the same school as I am. Life is full of surprises, yep."
"But I thought you both are actually dating each other again." Kise pouted, obviously sulking. Wow, Kise is the number one fan when it comes to Kuroko and I's love team.
"Nope. I'm done." I stated, although I'm not even sure what I am speaking.
Maybe my voice sounds so serious that Kise just hummed in some kind of disbelief and both of us walked together side by side quietly.
*******
"What, Kise and Miu are dating?" The red-haired idiot whispers to Kuroko, glancing secretly at the pouting Kise with an obviously pissed Mari.
"What?" It almost makes Kuroko shout, which is highly unusual for him to do. "No. They aren't."
"They aren't?" Kagami repeated once again. "Really? Because you know, they act like one."
"I believe Mari-chan doesn't like a person who annoys her so much." Kuroko bluntly stated, like it was nothing. "They aren't dating."
Kagami secretly smirks. "Getting ruder because of jealousy, aren't we?"
*******
"We're here."
All of us walked into a huge gymnasium...with the half court being used by the others. What, don't tell me they're playing at only on a half court? What the freak is that?
"We're playing on a half court?" I asked, voicing out my obviously pissed-off thoughts. What the heck? Where is the coach or something? "Why is that? The other half is being used for practice?"
A middle-age man, with a fat body holding a clipboard greeted us with some kind of monotonous greetings. "You're here. Welcome. I'm Coach Takeuchi."
He seems surprised at first when he examines us, but then asked, "Which one of you is the coach?" Oh right, the coach is a high school girl, might as well get used to that.
"That's me." Coach Riko answered.
The fat coach was suddenly shocked, pointing at Riko. "You? You're not the manager?"
I crossed my arms, sighing. "Well, I wouldn't be here for that part. Do I even need to be here?"
And now I'm a full-grown, mature and badass girl.
Coach Riko smiles as she bows down. "We look forward to playing with you today!"
"Right. We've only made simple arrangements for today's game." Coach Takeuchi started, as all of us look at the other half of the court. Arrangements? That wasn't so obvious...
"There won't be enough lesson to learn from this game to make it worth watching for the guys sitting out." He continued, as I started to shake with annoyance. And so now he's underestimating us.
"We're having the other players practice as usual so we don't waste time. Despite the arrangements, you'll be playing our regulars. I hope you won't let us triple your score."
And he walks out.
"Yep. He's obviously underestimating us." I sighed, glancing at the fully-pissed coach Riko who is clenching her fists like she was about to go rampage and kill everyone on sight.
"They think we suck." I heard Kagami muttered, looking similar like the coach. "They're treating this like a sideshow to their practice."
We watched as Kise was told by his coach not to play in the game. Seriously, I know I'm a good and bubbly girl, but Seirin being over underestimated like this is so completely....unacceptable.
Kise runs towards us and gave us some really friendly advice to beat the guys up so that he'll be put in the court. So clever.
"Hey, show Seirin the way to the locker room." The coach ordered, but the rest of us started walking away out of the gym.
"No need." I look at Kuroko talking to Kise. "We don't have time to wait."
I smile faintly, excitement rush to my body as I can finally see Kuroko play in the court...again.
******
Just as the games begin, (with everyone freaking out when Kuroko revealed that he's one of the five starting players) the others on the bench, including the coach and I, started scanning the players.
"Ouch." Coach Riko stated, scanning the Kaijou players. "This doesn't look good."
"Yes, it is." I agreed, as I review the stats of the players written in my notebook about analysis and stuffs. You know, I kinda idolizes Momoi. She's expert at data-gathering and I was so fascinated by that skills so much that I tried to collect some data for the other teams. I think I found it useful for strategies making.
"Miu-san, look!" Coach Riko happily nudge me on the side, and I look up, and in my disbelief, Kagami did really listens to Kise's word of advice. I mean, he just broke the hoop. What could have been better than that?
"All right!" We heard Kagami shouted, unaware of the fact that he just broke the hoop. Other people started to murmur about how amazing he was that he broke it and I can't help but to feel nostalgic too.
He is so like Aomine-kun...
I wasn't really paying attention to the coach and the others apologizing for what happened because I was still looking at the hoop. So right now I'm overcome by the acute nostalgia for my days in Teiko. I miss the others. I miss the old Aomine too. I miss Akashi and his gentle attitude..I miss Midorima and his tsundere attitude. Man, what's wrong with his personality? Murasakibara with his armful of sweets..and..and....of course, Kuroko. I miss him too...
But we're together now.
I secretly slap the side of my cheeks. Oh come on, sentimental thinking right in the middle of the first game of Seirin in my first year in high school. I know I'm weird.
******
And since the net has been broken, the Kaijou coach decided to let the full court be used for the game. The game's finally heating up, because he also let Kise to be in the game.
Wow. Kise's piece of crap is some sort of...clever idea. I never think that..nevermind, Kise's brain is finally working. Way to go, Kise-kun!
The coach and I look over at the bunch of girls fangirling over Kise. And mind you, I'm used to that when we were still in Teiko while practicing. But at least his captain is able to you know, kick him in the back like what's happening right now.
And so the game resumes with Kise dunking even harder than Kagami's. Like I said, the game is finally on.
*******
It's a time-out and I watched the others, namely, Izuki-senpai, Junpei-senpai, Mitobe-senpai, Kagami and Kuroko all looking weary even though only five minutes have passed.
I was about to tell them about Kise's abilites but we all turned to the other side and saw the fat coach again angry and shouting at his players. So..un-sporty like.
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?" He shouted. "HOW MANY POINTS ARE YOU GONNA LET THEM TAKE? IS THE DEFENSE ASLEEP? HUH?"
I closed my eyes, shaking my head in dismay. "This isn't a good coaching like I used to know. Is shouting and scolding some parts of a modern coaching?"
My eyes went wide in alert, forgetting that I was here to make strategies. I was too focused and thrilled by the game that I forgot to plan tactics. Well, making last-minute plan is somewhat kind of the thing I'm used to.
"Soooo..." I started, others looking at me while I scan my clipboard, seeing a few of reliable information about the Kaijou that I gathered during the game but it wasn't enough for me to think clearly.
"We need to deal with Kise-kun first." I continued, doing some kind of critical analysis where you can really see the future of what plans are you going to do. Much to my frustration, any angles I think about is being dominated by Kise. I hate that guy.
"I can't believe that Kagami can't handle the guy himself." Hyuga-senpai said. "Should we put another guy on him?"
"What? Wait no...please!" Kagami protested. Kagami's right. We can't put another guy on Kise. Only Kagami can...I mean, with Kuroko, I believe they can beat Kise.
"There is a way." All of us turns to Kuroko. "They have weakness."
"Weakness?" Riko-senpai voiced out.
"What? You should've told us sooner!" Hyuga-senpai said.
"No, to be honest, I'm not even sure you could call it a weakness. Either way, I'm sorry. There's another problem. Because of the high-paced game, my effectiveness is already wearing off." Kuroko said, the others widening their eyes in shock.
"Ah yes, complication." I mumble to myself, scratching my head. Honestly, it's been a long time since I dealt with this kind of problem making strategies. When I was on Teiko, I don't even really make strategies because the Miracles are capable of defeating the opponents. All I did was to help Momoi gather information, sit down on the bench and get a good game. And voila, don't have to worry cuz victory is ours.
I remained silent, listening to Kuroko as he tells them about the effects of his misdirection....and watched as the coach beat Kuroko telling him why did he didn't tell this sooner. So brutal..
******
"Alright...I think I'm quite naive right now." I mumble to myself, before catching up with the others. The time out is already finished. "Switch from man-to-man to zone defense. Keep solid defense on the inside, and move to stop Kise quickly."
"Stopping Kise is your first priority." Coach Riko added, as the four players nodded in agreement. "Also, slow down your pace, Kuroko-kun. Don't let the gap get too big. Can you do that?"
My eyes soften as Kuroko walk passed me. "I'll try." He answered.
I don't know what am I doing with my life, but I smile at my ex-boyfriend whom I used to avoid a lot. Life is so full of surprises, and I'm getting a hang of it now on what I am doing. "Good Luck." I whispered to him, the first of good luck ever since we broke up.