Forgiveness - KnB (ON-HOLD)

Chapter 9.1 - Leaving

Hey guys, this is the last chapter because I'm going to Turkey today and I won't be able to update. I'll probably post the next chapter in five or six weeks. And by the way, I finally had the guts to write in the first PoV! 😃

Ai's PoV:
I had received several messages and missed calls after Seirin's losses against Meisei and Senshinkan. These matches were their last ones because they were kicked out of the Interhigh tournament. I watched the matches from one of the last rows so that no one could notice me and I saw the anger in especially Kagami's eyes. He had done so much and trained so hard to lead his team to victory...

He was benched for the two matches because of his leg injury and that was the proof that I wasn't acting selfish with having subbed him out during the match against Tōō. Aida had decided to do the same after all. But that didn't concern me anymore.

Why should I care anyway? I quit my position as their assistant coach because that was what they all wanted me to do. I was really sad about that, but I never liked to stay at a place I am not welcome at. I grew to love everyone of the team, but they don't seem to feel the same about me.

I was sitting at home and was about to prepare some food because I was slowly getting hungry, but my phone rung for the about thousanth time today. I sighed silently and looked at the screen to see who called me this time. Probably someone of the team again. And I was right, it was Aida. I decided to pick up this time because I was slowly getting tired of this. I really didn't  know why they kept calling and messaging me. Why were they trying to cover it up now? Kagami told me the bitter truth. They didn't need to act so fake around me anymore.

Weren't they the ones who wanted me to leave the club?

They could just ignore me as if I never had anything to do with them. I was used to this anyway from back then, so I'd be okay that way.

"Quit being the assistant coach of Seirin; this is what the others want too. We don't need anyone who doesn't even try to support us and always has her mind on other things."

But I wanted to know what they wanted to talk about with me, so I picked up nonethelessly.

"Yes?"

"Finally! Haru-san, I need to talk to you!"

"What is it about?"

"Well, we have been worried about you because you didn't show up to our last two matches, so I wanted to ask you if something happened... And there was another thing I wanted to talk about."

"...Fine. I will be there after practice."

"Alright. See you!"

And this was how I ended up waiting in front of the gym outside till their practice would end. I honestly didn't feel like seeing anyone in that moment, but I had to tell Aida the decision I made.

I entered the hall after the first and second years left the gym hall without seeing me and I encountered Aida who was talking to a tall boy with brown hair and similar colored eyes. He was wearing the number 7 jersey of Seirin and was about the same height as Taiga.

'Who is he...?'

That boy was awfully familiar to me and I remembered him a short time later when my eyes wandered to his tall hands. He was Iron Heart Kiyoshi Teppei, the founder of Seirin and one of the fellow Uncrowned Kings. I have watched his match where he was terribly injured by Hanamiya Makoto, another Uncrowned King and a player of Kirisaki Daīchi High.

He also attended Shōei if I remembered right... And was defeated by Teikō's Generation of Miracles back then... I was so ashamed-

"Haru-san, I'm glad that you are here! Are you okay? You didn't answer any of our calls or messages", Aida's voice brought me back to reality and I nodded hesitatingly as the two approached me.