Aomine thought Kuroko was mocking him at first, but seeing the sincerity in his eyes, he realized he'd been overthinking.
"You really love basketball, don't you?"
"…"
"I mean, why else would you train alone every night? People who truly love the game are good people—I've always believed that."
Aomine smiled brightly. Something about it warmed Kuroko's heart. For a moment, his impression of this teammate shifted.
Originally, Kuroko had expected to be looked down on by the first-string players. But this guy didn't have a hint of arrogance in him. Aomine Daiki felt warm and approachable—just like Byakuya.
He really did love basketball, deeply. Playing made him happy.
But lately, he had started to wonder whether he had any talent at all.
Kuroko smiled faintly. "That's… kind of a strange thing to say."
"Huh?"
Aomine smirked. "I'm trying to be nice, and that's what you say? You're weird, you know that? But whatever. I'm a generous guy."
"I could use a practice partner," Kuroko said.
"You sure? You don't mind?"
"Of course not. Anytime."
"Alright. Then please take this seriously."
Seeing Kuroko's serious expression, Aomine's smirk faded. When it came to basketball, he was never one to fool around.
"Let's go."
Bang, bang, bang…
The ball dribbled steadily in Kuroko's hands. Aomine waited, alert.
Dribble. Pass. Swift execution.
Aomine's eyes lit up—but just as he was about to intercept, something unexpected happened.
Thunk!
The ball hit Kuroko's knee and bounced off to the side.
"Ow…"
"…What the hell? You made it sound like I should be getting serious!"
"I did warn you… I'm on the third string."
"Huh?" Aomine blinked. "So you're saying you suck?"
Kuroko retrieved the ball calmly. "I'm saying… if you keep underestimating me, you'll end up losing a lot. You've been warned."
Aomine laughed. "You're seriously weird."
Kuroko looked discouraged. "Maybe I really should give up."
Aomine sighed dramatically. "Man, you really know how to bring down the mood."
He stepped to the center of the court, motioning for Kuroko to pass the ball.
In the middle of the court, Aomine gripped the ball, and Kuroko squared up to defend.
Bang, bang!
The sound of the ball echoed like a powerful heartbeat.
Kuroko watched Aomine's footwork with laser focus.
Aomine drove forward. Kuroko reacted immediately, cutting off his path.
Again and again, Aomine changed directions—but Kuroko kept up.
Impressive… Aomine thought.
With a flash of concentration, Aomine pivoted, left foot anchoring him. The ball bounced high off the floor.
Leaping up, he caught it with his left hand and slammed it in mid-air.
Kuroko's pupils widened.
So strong…
Aomine landed smoothly, turning to face him.
He'd wanted to ask—how had Kuroko seen through his moves so easily?
Even most first-stringers couldn't follow his rhythm once he started improvising. If not for his superior physicality, he might've lost the ball right there.
Kuroko's defense was sharp—but his body just couldn't keep up with his mind.
"That was incredible, Aomine-san. Can we go again?"
Aomine grinned. "Heh. Sure."
…
"I'll head out now, Aomine-san."
"Alright. Later."
Aomine waved goodbye, but just as he turned back toward the gym, that same creepy feeling from earlier returned.
The basketball hall was empty again.
"…Weird."
They parted ways—but maybe fate had other plans, because they ran into each other again not long after.
At the 24-hour convenience store.
Aomine walked out with a bag full of snacks. Kuroko appeared behind him.
"Huh? You again?"
"I really like the vanilla milkshakes here."
"…Figures."
Aomine glanced at what Kuroko had in his hands.
After a moment, he pulled out a burger and tossed it to him.
"Here. That can't possibly be enough to fill you up."
"Arigatou."
"You live nearby?"
Kuroko nodded. "Mm."
"Then let's walk back together."
"Mm." Kuroko nodded again, then looked at Aomine's hands and hesitated. "But… you're kind of full-handed right now."
"…Tch."
They walked and talked until they reached a small fountain plaza.
"So you stay late training because you want to make the regular lineup?"
"Yes."
"That's some dedication. Most starters don't even work that hard."
"What about Byakuya-san?"
"Him? He trains every day too. He's seriously strong."
"Really? I've never actually seen him play."
"Oh, I have."
Aomine chuckled, then grew serious.
"On his first day in the club, he crushed a bunch of the older guys. And I'm pretty sure he wasn't even trying."
"Not even trying?"
"Yeah. He won 5-0 in a one-on-one match. So yeah—he's the real deal."
Kuroko looked down, a thoughtful expression on his face.
"Byakuya-san… is really that good?"
"Of course. Oh yeah—by the way, how come you saw through my feint earlier? That was one of my best moves."
Kuroko blinked. "I just… thought it looked like a feint."
"Huh?" Aomine raised an eyebrow.
"Maybe it was just a lucky guess."
Kuroko still couldn't believe he'd actually defended against a top-tier player.
To him, he was still a weak, unnoticed third-stringer.
But what he didn't realize was that years of quietly observing people had given him master-level instincts.
Aomine, on the other hand, wasn't convinced it was luck. Kuroko had seen through every single one of his movements.
Aomine had scored—only because he was faster.
Next day.
"Hey, Tetsu, wanna come to the basketball club with me?"
"Uh… but…"
"Don't worry about it. Just hang around and help out a bit. Let's go, Tetsu!"
Kuroko's expression remained flat, but he didn't get the chance to argue.
Out of nowhere, a giant net swooped down, wrapping him up like a chicken in a sack.