Ah, fate is cruel. Let's fast-forward to my last softball game of the season. Everything was going as planned. Well, not quite. Our second-string catcher had taken my place during the first two innings, allowing four runs in.
My fists clench at the scoreboard. 2-4, Teiko. "You know what you have to do, right?" My coach gives me an icy stare as I walk to the plate, swinging my bat with one hand to stretch my wrists. "I want Kagome and Honda in before the inning ends." With a sigh, I nod. It takes four pitches, but I manage a solid triple. I don't score than inning. 4 all, three innings to go.
"Hai, I expect you to win." I turn a deaf ear to my coach, utterly disinterested. What can I manipulate? Who can I move? I sort out my plan, moving my teammates accordingly. My predictions are accurate to within several centimeters.
As usual, I receive the anticipated injuries. Well, all but one are anticipated. I adjust my gear cheerfully, tightening the necessary straps about my knees and calf before, out of nowhere, a bat slams into the side of my still unprotected ankle. My eyes widen, and I let out a yelp. Mizuki runs for my braces.
Time is called, and while I strip my leg of cleats and socks, I examine the blossoming bruise. It'll hurt for a while, that's for sure. I can probably manage the rest of the game. Mizuki dumps the first aid supplies and my things before me while Kogame attempting to calm down her anxiety and Haruna attempts calming the angry fielders.
I wrap it as firmly as I dare before slipping on a soft brace and my athletic support. Testing out my makeshift first aid, I pull on my socks and add on my more rigid brace before putting my cleat back on. "Go back to your positions." I say flatly. "I'll take care of everything." My good mood has vanished. 5-4 won't help. 10-4 won't do. I want to crush this team. I want to butcher their near-win. We do so, my team following my directions as best they can. We win, 20-4.
"What was that about?" My coach nearly screams, yelling at me after the game. "How many times do I have to tell you not to treat yourself on the field? It makes all of us look bad!"
The urge to kill suddenly announces its presence in the depths of my mind. "Would you rather I delay the game further?" I respond calmly, binding ice to my wound now that the game is over. The nurse gave me crutches and instructions on how to care for my ankle.
"Just... don't ruin Teiko's reputation!" It is in that moment that I decide just what I want to do to utterly anger my coach. Akashi meets up with me as I hobble to the gates of the school.
"Have you decided what you will do?" I look at the redhead in amusement, my lip twisting into a painful smile.
"I suppose." I reply, mindful of the bumps in the cement. "How angry do you think he'll be?"
"Quite."
"Good enough for me." I reply calmly. "I'll trust you just this once."
My summer and weekends, hell, any moment I wasn't in the classroom, consisted of brutal training in both sports. My softball scholarship was extended to include basketball as soon as I could play moderately well.
Between the coaching from Akashi and Kuroko and the exercises I did in the hallways, my body was stressed and pushed to its limit. It wasn't all for naught. Within a few months, I was able to surpass many of the second-string players.
One day, practice was a bit different from usual.
"I want you to play against Kise." Akashi says. I normally practice on my own or with either Kuroko or Akashi in a separate gym. I want to question the redhead, but I learned earlier that Akashi doesn't appreciate being questioned.
"Fine." I say. After all, I did promise to do as he said. "Now?"
"Now." That's basically how I ended up racing Kise, neck to neck, as he dribbled his way down the court. Just as he looks my way, I apparently pull one of my vanishing acts and steal the ball from him. We race the other direction. I barely manage to get the ball into the net.
"Heights! What in earth do you think you're doing?" For a moment my last name sounds completely foreign. Then I blink and glance at the familiar outline of my softball coach.
"Ah, Coach. I'm practicing. Why?" He stalks forward.
"You should be on the field."
"Games don't start for a long time."
"What are you even doing here?!"
"Practicing." Kise stares at the coach in irritation. "You're distracting me."
"What do you think you're doing, playing with these guys? You don't play basketball." I blink slowly.
"Really? I could've sworn I was playing it. Kise, what do you call this sport?" Kise stares at me with a slightly amused expression.
"Basketball." he answers.
"So I do play basketball?" Kise nods. "Okay, maybe this is just me misunderstanding, but it looks like I do play basketball, Coach." Coach seethes.
"Yet you neglect-"
"You're wrong. If anything, I'm more dedicated." My coach narrows his eyes. "I practice softball in the morning with Haruna, Kagome, and Mizuki. I do this after school." He reddens furiously and storms out, but not before saying, "It's not like you could ever be any good at basketball!"
My eyes narrow furiously as I watch him exit the gym. "I think he triggered it." I barely register the words before I'm off, racing with Kise for the ball. My legs have never felt so swift. I've never had this sort of confidence in my abilities before. All I can see is Kise and the ball, the court and the hoops.
Our game to 5 points takes almost an hour. In the end, I barely lose at 5-4.
I continued to practice with Akashi's team for a long time. Just before basketball season actually began, Akashi decided it was time for a serious discussion with me. I nearly fainted with terror. His last "serious talk" had resulted in me playing streetball for nearly two months. Let me tell you, that stuff is farging hard for a beginner.
"I've seen enough of your practices." He said. That then resulted in me having to officially join basketball. I played in their next game, and all those stupid little things that I'd noted, all those little problems with the team grew bright before my eyes. They were blinding, terrifying. Kuroko quit basketball the year after, forcing me to play in his stead.
In my mind, pushed far into the back corners where cobwebs likely reside, are the memories of that Teiko team, of the terror they inspired. They must've really hated the sport to play as they did. I grew to dread playing with the Miracles. When middle school came to a close, I was approached twice.
"Come with me to Rakuzan."
"Come with me to Seirin."
In the end, my choice was dreadfully obvious.
"Hai-chan, you're more absentminded than usual." Kuroko says, walking with me into the unusually new school. I risk a glance in his direction.
"Just thinking." I reply quietly. Kuroko looks at me curiously. It took me a long time to be able to read his expressions, but I've gotten the hang of it, and I'm happy I did. The throng of students yelling things, all in Japanese, feels overwhelming. I can't understand a lot of it still, but Kuroko helps me quite frequently. "You're going to join basketball?" Kuroko nods.
"Yes." It's a rather obvious question, but I wanted to make sure. I nod in return. "You should join as well, Hai-chan. I don't think there's a girl's basketball team here, and they have no softball."
"You're right." I say quietly. As much as I hated playing softball in my last year, growing to detest the sound of cleats and the ringing of bats, I still want to play the game. "I should join a sport of some sort. That's probably what they'd want."
Kuroko offers me a smile before we approach the booth. I have to have Kuroko fill in all the kanji I can't remember on the application form. "Are you sure it's okay for me to join? It is a boys' team." I say, reading over my answers.
"There isn't a rule against it." He replies. We walk away casually, while this ridiculously tall redhead nearly runs into us. He doesn't see Kuroko. Of course. He barely notices me.
"Hai-chan, we'll be late." Kuroko walks with me as I attempt to stuff my snacks back into my backpack without spilling them.
"Sorry, Kuroko! I'm really just all over the place today." He hurries into the locker room as I approach the coach... or is she the manager? "E-Excuse me?" She doesn't see me. At least, I think that's what it is. I attempt projecting my presence toward her. "Excuse me?"
The girl does a double take at me. Caramel hair, short and soft, distracts me momentarily. "Can I help you?" She asks, crossing her arms.
"Ah, yeah. Is this where basketball is meeting?" She nods. "My friend is interested in joining... um..." I nearly wring my hands. "Do you accept applications from girls?" Her eyes widen. "It's j-just that my usual sport isn't o-offered and you guys don't seem to have a girls' team, so I-I just um... I'm sorry!"
My face reddens in embarrassment as I try to cease my stutter. "You play?" Brown eyes staring into me. I nod hesitantly.
"Yes." She gives me the once over, as if trying to look past my uniform. I glance away.
"My name is Aida Riko, I'm the coach. Please come with me." Kuroko passes us as I walk with her into the locker room. "Please take off your clothes." I stare at her for a moment, my face reddening with embarrassment and a bit of indignation before I submit to her unwavering gaze. "I know how it must look, but I promise it's just so I can judge your capabilities." I'm forced to strip to my underclothes.
"What's your usual sport?" She asks, circling me like some sort of predator.
"Softball." I say quietly. She nods.
"Explains the physique. Did you train for basketball and softball simultaneously?" I nod this time. She hums under her breath. "Switch into your gym clothes." I gratefully comply, pulling on a pair of shorts and an old t-shirt before slipping on my athletic brace and shoes. "Old injury?" I nod, stretching the tense muscles of my shoulder. "Are you a foreign student?"
"Yes." I reply smoothly, tying up my shoulder length hair into a ponytail. I'd cut it a week ago, so the length no longer bothers me.
"Your Japanese is pretty good." Aida says sweetly, offering me a smile. "It must be hard to be away from home." I offer a slight smile in return.
"I guess." I stand off to the side as Aida orders the boys to remove their shirts. I have to say that Kuroko definitely seems subpar compared to the others, but it works to his advantage. Introductions are made with instructions for tomorrow's practice.
"I hope you come back tomorrow." Aida says, her eyes bright. "It'll be good for this team." I look at Kuroko anxiously before changing and heading home, my ghost-like friend right beside me.
Riiing! Riiing! My phone distracts me as we cross the street to Kuroko's favorite hangout, Maiji Burger. I gesture for him go ahead before I open my phone, paling at the number that pops up. "Hello?" I answer, waiting outside the fast food joint.
"Hai." Any hope of the number being wrong is dashed to pieces.
"Ah, Akashi-san..." I say quietly, shivering despite the balmy air. "This is a surprise." Akashi is silent for a long time. I'm about to speak again, to wonder what I did, before he answers this question for me.
"You've upset the balance, Hai." I shudder.
"H-How so?"
"Two of Teiko's Miracles on one team?" I frown.
"Akashi, I don't qualify to be a Miracle. I'm not even from this country." Akashi is silent.
"Regardless of where you were born, you cannot deny the fact that you played as an equal with the rest of us. To have two teammates on the same team is not within the agreement." I gulp loudly.
"What would you have me do, Akashi? Switch to a new school? Besides, Kuroko and I aren't entirely compatible as players. Our styles won't mesh correctly." I reply, nodding to Kuroko as he looks at me through the window.
"Aomine is in need of a new shadow." I blanch completely, my legs shaking.
"Akashi..."
"Their history together no longer matters, Hai. Aomine is in need of a shadow." I want to complain, to choose someone else. "You could have Kise if you liked, but he's already adjusted to his team. Aomine is not a part of his team. Having someone who will willingly revolve around his play style will be essential for us to compete as we used to."
"But Kuroko..."
"Tetsuya can take care of himself, Hai. He will find a new light. His style is no longer compatible with Aomine's." I close my eyes, rubbing my temples. "You have no arguments you can use to convince me otherwise. I've arranged for the necessary papers to be ready for you."
"You can't do this to me!" I exclaim, absolutely livid. "I'm not a puppet, Akashi! I'll play for Seirin if I want!"
"You will play for Aomine." Akashi's word is final. It always has been. "All that's left is for you to show up at Touou and meet the coach." He hangs up before I even have a chance to open my mouth. Kuroko, what am I going to do? My chest constricts.
"Is everything okay?" Kuroko comes out with two vanilla shakes, giving one to me as he walks me home. I shake my head.
"I'm sorry, Kuroko." He gives me an uncertain look. "Akashi called just now..." Blue eyes widen slightly. "I... I don't know how to say it..." I do. I do know how, but I want to forget the sentence desperately. "I'm supposed to play for Touou."
"Aomine-kun's school?" Kuroko asks, concern lacing the undertones of his voice. I nod, gulping.
"I'm really, really sorry, Kuroko! I want to go to Seirin! I want to play basketball with you!" I wish there was something I could do. "Akashi didn't even let me protest... he wouldn't listen to me at all. I don't know what to do."
"It's okay, Hai-chan." Kuroko says after a while. "I understand. Akashi's word has always been that way with you." He holds out his fist to me, a slight smile gracing his features. "Help me make Aomine smile again."
My eyes are burning with tears, but I fist-bump Kuroko as best I can. "I promise."