Teiko's basketball

Post-match blues

Author's note:

Teiko wins the quarters! Oh and before reading this chapter I have a slight note to add. This chapter may have a just bit of swearing.(Not too much ofcourse!) I wanted to make it a bit accurate, and there was no other way I guess.

Chapter 68:

Post-match blues

A general feeling of euphoria prevailed in the locker room. Teiko had cleared the quarter finals! They would be playing the semi the next day.

"Let's go, Akira-san." said Sora. "The guys have a match now. Wanna watch?"

"Yeah."

******************

The gom won. It was expected from the start. But this victory sort of came under the 'overwhelming' category.

"We said that we would meet them outside right?" said Sora.

"Yeah."

*******************

"What's taking them so long?" said Sora impatiently clicking her tongue.

"God knows. Maybe aho got 'drunk' on victory." suggested Akira.

"Haha. Funny."

"Hey, not exactly my fault. But anyways, let's go look for them then."

And find them they did.

But they didn't seem to be in a good mood like they had expected. They were huddling around and discussing something in low tones.

When Sora and Akira went closer, they noticed that Haizaki had bruised knuckles and just a bit of blood on his shirt. The others were gathered around him.

"Haizaki-kun, you alright?" said Akira. Haizaki just gave her a venomous stare and looked down at the ground.

"Yeah. Unfortunately he is." said Aomine. "Don't worry, we can take care of that."

"Mine-kun!" exclaimed Akira.

"Can we help you in any way?" asked Sora gently. Haizaki looked up for a second and then swore really badly.

"Haizaki-san! Language! Well then, if it's a bother to you, we'll get going."

"This one doesn't deserve your sympathy, Himeji." said Akashi quietly. "He's the one who was in the wrong."

"He got into a fight with one of the team members of the match we just played. The blood's not his, nanodayo."

"Eh? But doesn't that mean you can be disqualified?" exclaimed Akira.

"Heck if I don't know, woman." he snarled back. "But anyway, no one's going to give a sh*t about that wimp. If you idiots have finished lecturing me, my girls' waiting. I'm out of this hell...."

Saying so, he rose to leave. But Akira blocked his way.

"Wait a moment!"

"Akira. Why don't you leave this to the guys...." began Sora. But Akira simply overrode her and continued to rant.

"Quit thinking about yourself 24/7. You're blackening the entire team's name. You won. Then why is it necessary to beat some random person...."

"Shut your trap and go s.... yourself. Unlike you I've got a real date."

"You're a disgrace! After doing something like this, all you can think of is going out with someone? Tell me, which girl can tolerate a piece of cr*p like you?"

"Eh.... I've gone through quite a few, want a list? I can add your name if you want it that bad. Even though you're not to my taste...."

That did it for Akira. She raised her hand as if to slap him and then controlled herself in the last minute.

"Why..... you......utter...."

"Eh? Looks like the woman's got some temper. But all bark and no bite is it? Let me show you how it's done."

Saying so, he raised his hand and hit her. But at the last minute, he was blocked by Aomine.

"Taking your anger out on women is distasteful." he said in a surprisingly menacing tone.

Haizaki just made a rude sound in answer to that and left.

"Beggar's gone." said Aomine moodily. "We might as well move it. Want me to come with, Akira?"

"Fine....."

"I'll get going too, nanodayo." said Midorima.

"Me too." said Kuroko. Everyone jumped when they heard his voice. They had forgotten....

"Bye bye, Aka-chin, Sora-chin." said Murasakibara.

"Then I'll go too." said Sora.

"Wait for me at the gate, Himeji. I have one or two things to sort out." said Akashi.

*****************

Sora ran into Honami when she was going out.

"I've been searching for you, kouhai! Now where's Akira?"

"Umm....she left senpai. But I'll pass on the message...."

"You'd better. I asked the team to assemble, didn't I?"

"Oh! The tactics meeting! God, I forgot tomorrow's match... I was just so preoccupied.... completely slipped my mind..."

"Calm down, kouhai! You didn't miss anything major, I suppose..."

"Senpai, who are we playing next?"

Honami hesitated a little. "Kamiya junior high."

**************************

"It's over now...."

Akashi sounded a bit relieved.

"Oh. That issue eh? Can I ask how it went......."

"Coach barely manager to hush it up. I think we won't be having any issues as of now."

"He got off?"

"You could put it like that I suppose."

"Who was the poor guy?"

"Number 4."

"Shame.... Why did he do it though..." wondered Sora.

"Himeji..."

"Hmm?"

"Remember when you asked me why it was necessary for us to set targets during the match? It was to prevent things like this from happening. The team sort of gave up after the first quarter. Even for us, that's a sort of record. To be honest, I was sort of disgusted. Maybe if the rest of us didn't have self-control, we would have done the same thing....."

"Would you go about beating up weaker people though...."

"You be the judge...." he said staring off at the distance.

"Nah."

"No?" he said raising his eyebrows.

"You have a ninety percent chance of becoming a murderer. But not this I guess."

"So you're saying I have criminal tendencies?"

"Ofcourse."

"But anyways, coming to the more important topic.... you need to improve your drive."

"Eh.... Is it?"

"Yes. And you were utterly passive in this match."

"What can I say ...... I'll try to improve?"

"You'd better...."