"Do you believe me if I say I'll triple your score, Mako-chan?" Mizushima Ai asked Makoto Hanamiya... A buzzer beat... 30-10.

***

"I..."

He took a deep breath.

"I... I will destroy you." Hanamiya growled, a resonant rumbling sounding from the bottom of his throat. The newcomers of the team shuddered uncontrollably but didn't forget to sneak a side glance from the corner of their eyes at the figure of a fragile little girl. All their mouth were agape the second the match had ended and her hood had fallen behind her back but none could muster the courage to utter a single word. 

Mizushima took his words light-heartedly, not at all frightened by the threatening scowl her "captain" had on. "You wouldn't kick me out." A smile played by her lips as her words came out as a statement rather than a question even when she knew he was capable of doing as little as kicking her out of the team. 

She had guessed him correctly for how can a man with an IQ higher than 160 be dumb enough to let a gem's radiance fade out? "What is it that you wish for?" Hanamiya seemingly swallowed down his anger, fully conscious of the fact that it would be precarious for him if he had exposed another of his weakness with an eruption of uncontrolled rage. 

"Revenge. I want them to go down." A treacherous glint flickered across her delicate face for a split moment. Hearing her words, the captain who was furious not long ago seemed to relax his posture, letting out an hearty yet menacing laugh, amused by Mizushima's desire. 

"Welcome to the team." A broad smile was etched onto his face as Mizushima stared at him intently, reading the dangerous thoughts his mind was processing though she paid no special caution for she knew deep within her own heart, it was just as dark, or even more so. His was just mischief for the sake of entertainment, done out of boredom whereas hers, was pure hatred, out of desperation and hurt. 

***

Location: Kaijo High School

"Itai!!! Senpai hidoi s-su."

Kise whined as he pretended to cry.

"Oi Kise! Stopspacingout!" Followed the reply of... not Kasamatsu this time, he had graduated though Kise is still in contact with him but right now, that was the current captain Hayakawa Mitsuhiro following suit of the former captain's example of how to manage Kise Ryota of the GOM. His joint phrases that were said together proves his very existence.

"I was just thinking." He answered with an apologetic smile. "Ididn'task'or anexcuse." Kise's smile contorted into an awkward expression with slightly parted lips.

Seeing he had no means of leaving him alone till he explained, Kise stood up, rubbing the back of his neck tiredly. "I was just thinking of one of my old teammates ssu."

...

"I was just wondering if things could've turned out differently."

***

Location: Touou Gakuen

"Dai-chan!" A pinkette climbed onto the roof of the school, risking her own school career for her idiot of a childhood friend. She puffed out her cheeks in annoyance, arms on either side of her waist.

Dai-chan or full name Aomine Daiki turned onto his right side, his left arm covering his face as he leaned onto his right, eyes open but not blinking, in daze. Momoi Satsuki's eyebrows knitted together, he wasn't being his usual pervert self. 

"What's wrong?" She bent down, her voice softer, showing a rare gentler side of her as she felt something troubling her carefree best friend. "Is it..." It was a woman's intuition but she didn't know whether or not she should mention her name, the name that tore at his heart strings. Momoi bit her lip with some hesitation and unsureness clouding her eyes until she clenched her fists, deciding to speak her mind.

"Is it because of Ai-chan?" Her voice boomed in Aomine's ears as his pupils shrunk by a tiny fraction as a jiff of shock passed through his cells. "Come to practice Dai-chan." Momoi continued, her voice firm and strict. "I...I don't want to see her like this either." Her voice cracked a little.

"She.. She..." A deep breath was taken before she strengthened her tone. "We'll face her in Interhigh, you have to practice. She isn't what she used to be." 

"She's so much stronger now-"

"Stop it Satsuki." Aomine sat up, irritation seeping through his usually dead orbs, the number 11 lines between his eyebrows appearing as he shot a glare at the basketball team's manager. Hurt flashed across Momoi's eyes but unlike before, he didn't apologize immediately but continued instead. "It's all because you were all treating her as if she was so weak before that she turned into this!" Anger flared in his dark blue eyes before dread poured down on the flame. "No..." He buried his face into his hands. "No... that's not right... it was all my fault." A laughter escaped his lips before he tilted his head towards Momoi, presenting the same expression as when he had become too strong for a rival back in middle school when the coach confronted him, dismissing him from training. Hopelessness, all Momoi sensed. 

"Dai...Dai-chan... It has to be you then. Show her. Show her she's wrong." She grabbed him by the arms and shook him lightly as Aomine closed his eyes, shaking his head sadly. Seeing him in such a state suffocated her heart. "You really do love her don't you." She whispered quietly yet it didn't go unheard by Aomine's trained ears.

"What?" An incredulous expression was plastered onto his tanned skin. "What are you talking about?" He turned away from Momoi. Denial... denial... the words rang through Momoi's mind as a soft smile crept up her face though fading almost as fast into a sad down turned line. You have to make her realize she's wrong. Make her realize that revenge can't do anything.

Please.

Help her. You have to help her.

Like how Tetsu-kun helped you.