Teiko's basketball II: Second miracle

66: Reconsiderations

Chapter 66:

Reconsiderations

"Good morning, Sora."

"Morning, Aka..... Seijuro."

Akira turned sharply when she heard this dialogue. "Since when were you two on first name terms?"

"Since.... Four fifty yesterday." replied Akashi.

"Is that approximate?" questioned Sora.

"No. Exact."

"You have.... an excellent memory." said Sora slowly.

"Thank you."

"Any time either of you want to explain, I'm right here...." reminded Akira. "Besides, you have quite some guts to call him by his first name, Sora-chan."

"What's this?" said Aomine coming up. Akira gave him a brief explanation of what had happened.

"Eh... Interesting. Call me when he tries to kill you." said Aomine looking at Sora.

"On the contrary, she has my permission." said Akashi.

"Is it so..... Seijuro?" said Aomine trying it out too.

"Eh, why did you do that, Sei-kun." said Akira with a grin, catching on.

"It wasn't an open invitation." said Akashi frigidly shutting his locker. Akira and Aomine knew better than to push it further, but they lapsed into silent laughter with their mission accomplished. Akashi nodded at them all and left for his class. Aomine watched him go as if trying to make up his mind about something. Sora noticed.

"Aomine-san, if you really want to do it..... Don't let your pride stop you. It's just no use." she said, guessing what was in his mind.

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"Akashi...." said Aomine catching him during break.

"Hmm?"

"I... I know I've been skipping out and all..... And it's been a lot of trouble.... I.... Just wanted to say, if you want me to come back..."

"It doesn't matter."

"What?"

"It doesn't matter. If you are able to perform in the matches... Well, as long as we win, it doesn't matter. I leave the rest to you."

Aomine watched him leave again. He had no idea whether he had been accepted back or told off. Well, he supposed it was neither. He would just attend whenever his gut told him to.....

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Sora was just planning to leave when someone behind her shut her locker with a loud snap.

"Looks like someone's going somewhere." said Akashi.

"Seijuro.... Well, yes. I was going home..... Like I do always."

"What day is today?" he demanded.

"Friday...."

Sora hadn't been sure whether he would still be willing to train her after the current circumstances but apparently he was. And he looked really mad.

"I just caught a few people skipping practice today you know. More than the usual number. Tell me is there anything so special about today that no one wants to practice?" he said.

"Nothing like that.... I wasn't skipping! I was just not sure whether you would be willing to train me...."

"After nearly one and a half years, give me one good reason why I would suddenly send you off now?" he demanded.

"That...." Sora had no idea whether he even realized what was going on for the past two days.

"Do you know what happens to people who skip practice..." he said narrowing his eyes.

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Sora fell down on the floor with a groan. She had lost count of the number of times she had fallen down somewhere after twenty.

"Will you stop doing that?" she said indignantly. Akashi had been using ankle break on her,

"No. I will not. Not until you learn to resist it." he said calmly.

"There is literally no way I can do that!"

"Then invent something."

"What...."

"This will teach you not to skip out. Besides, I need to stay in practice too." he said with a shrug.

"So I'm a sort of guinea pig..." mused Sora.

"Not exactly..... Think of yourself as some sort of pet..... cat, say. I will have my way with you. No matter what." he said contemplatively. "On your feet, neko..."

(Note: Neko - cat.)

Sora began to get up. "Again?"

"Again." said Akashi offering her his hand. Sora took it and got into position.

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Kise was going back to class when he heard a loud argument inside. He hesistated, unsure of whether or not he would go in and then decided to. Inside, he saw the twins arguing about something. They stopped immediately when they noticed him.

"Ryouta...." said Miyu with a forced smile.

"Hey Ryo." said Mayu who didn't bother to conceal her irritation.

"Did I sort of walk in...." began Kise.

"Nah. That's not so..." began Miyu uncomfortably when Mayu cut in. "If you knew that, then why the heck did you come in? Don't give me this garbage." Kise blinked and then swallowed. Mayu was the more violent of the two and he had no intention of getting beaten up.

"Is something up?" he asked slowly careful not to anger Mayu who looked beside herself.

"It's nothing." snapped Mayu, when it was clearly not so. "It's just that Miyu wants to quit soccer too." Kise had known the twins for long and both of them had been well-known for migrating from club to club. They just couldn't settle and were pranksters of the finest degree.

"Then you can join basketball!" said Kise brightly, momentarily forgetting that Mayu was in a bad mood. "Miyucchi, do you still remember my offer?"

Mayu narrowed her eyes. "Offer? So you're the one who's corrupting my sister!" she said and took a swing at him with her bag. Kise barely ducked out of the way. "Mayucchi! That would have hurt!"

"It was meant to, idiot! We finally settle down in one club and you come along with all your fine ideas....."

"Ryouta only meant to help...." said Miyu stepping in. "I was worried that the soccer club would kick us out and he was the one who suggested the alternative."

"Oh yeah? Tell me, I don't have any sh*t idea about basketball and so do you. What does he want us to do in the club? Fetch balls?"

"I could teach you...." voluteered Kise. "Miyucchi would just have to learn the rules because she'll probably apply for the manager's post and Mayucchi, you won't have too much trouble either. After you've tried it out for a couple of months, you can apply slowly even next year if you feel like it....."

Mayu looked at him critically for a couple of minutes and then spoke slowly. "You're going to regret this so bad...."

"Why?"

"Because I'm going to take your offer."