Ame’s POV

Well the Kirisaki Dai Ichi match continued which means, more bruises for Teme. That idiot, he’s already at his limit. He even got hit at the head “accidentally” by one of the players and had to get a time-out for that. Eventually, Coach had to take him out. Well they won anyway and they can proceed to the Winter Cup after this. Tch, what are they so happy about? There’s still way more to go before they become No. 1.

“I’m going to the restrooms” I say to Kyo before leaving the celebrating team. I didn’t actually feel like peeing but with their win, I assume some of those players will attack me a hug. Especially that airhead. Instead of going to the restrooms, I just got myself a drink and sat on the bench beside the vending machine, closing my eyes for a bit.

Crap, I have a big problem…

I haven’t been updated in the latest release otome games this season…

What am I supposed to do?

Ah screw it…

“It’s all because of that Teme…” I gulped onto my drink and slouched on the bench, boredly. Well it’s not like I hate the job… I just… don’t like it. I groaned and finished my drink and threw it nonchalantly in the trash bin without even looking at it and walked off.

“Your basketball skills haven’t changed at all” I flinched when I heard someone say, meaning they saw what I did. I sceptically turned around to see—

“Oh, it’s just you, bastard” nothing to do here. I turned my heel to walk away from him, but he suddenly grabbed me by the arm and pulled me back. Tch—“What do you want?” can’t he see that I don’t want to see him?

“Is that how you talk to a person who just lost?”

“No. This is how I talk to a person like you, Makoto”

“Cold as always, Hana”

Can I punch him now?

“But, that never change the way you attract me…” his leaned his face closer and closer, with his hand trapping me in a hug when--

“What do you think you’re doing?” I was pulled away by someone, and placed in his arms, catching me by surprise. I looked at his chest to see the Seirin jersey with the number 7 on it.

“Oh, it’s you” I heard Makoto’s voice with a hiss on his tone. I looked up to see Teme, holding me close to his chest. Our position is really awkward right now. “It’s a shame that I didn’t get to see your dreams crushed” I felt him flinch after Makoto said that and pulled away, facing away from him.

“Oi, let’s go” I tug his jersey jacket but he stood still.

“Hmm? Are you Hana’s boyfriend or something? It seems that you didn’t like the way that we were so close to each other” Makoto taunted with an evil smirk on his face making Teme stiffen even more and I tug his clothing even harder.

“Teme, just ignore him, let’s go” but Makoto kept on talking. It seems that he’s having fun teasing Teme. You can see the uneasy look on this idiot’s face. Tch, he shouldn’t listen to this bastard. “Teme!”

“Physically aside, I bet your heart would be crushed if you see her with another guy”

“Stop it!” I snapped, giving the Kirisaki player a glare, standing in front of Teme. He was startled at first but then smirked again, and still continued. “Are? Have you gone soft towards someone, Hana? The last time I saw you like this…” why you little—“Your heart was—” I punched his face before he could even talk any further. How dare he? How dare he speak about that? He has nothing to do with it… yet, he says like it doesn’t even hurt—

“Amei-chan, stop it” Teme held my fist as Makoto fell on the ground. “Remember what I told yo earlier? Violence—”

“No, let her” Makoto but in, as if not hurt by my punch. “I like it… the pain she gives me…”

“You’re sick!” I yelled at him and grabbed Teme’s hand, pulling it and walking away from that psycho. Grrr, why do I always pass by him, unexpectedly? It’s annoying. I get to see that stupid face of his, and suffer.

“Amei-chan, wait! Shouldn’t we help him?” Teme tug my hand and glance back at Makoto who was still sitting on the ground.

“Why should we? Besides, that punch I gave him wasn’t enough. He still owes 12 punches more” I said but Teme gave me a warning look.

“Amei-chan” Tch. I huffed; “Fine” I blew at my bangs, crossing my arms, stubbornly. Even though Makoto did terrible things to him, he still wanted to help that bastard. What’s wrong with this airhead? Why does he help people who hurt him…?

Teme walked over to Makoto, offering a hand to stand up but the bastard just slap it away and stood up on his own. He gave a glare to Teme and walks pass him, shoving his shoulder away. Rude, very rude. I stepped away from his way and watch him leave and heard Teme sigh. “Is he going to be alright?” is it really the time for him to worry about others?

“You should ask that yourself. Look at those bruises you gained” I told him and dragged him back to the locker room. Turns out, he followed me when I left not even passing by the locker rooms making Coach and Kyo worry. They let him sit on the bench for a while and heal his wounds while, Tetsuya was the one missing again.

“I’ll go look for Kuroko-kun!” Kyo volunteered raising her hand and headed for the door.

“Wait, I’ll go with you” Taiga followed, and they walked out the locker rooms together.

“Hey, are your injuries okay now?” I asked, sitting beside Teme. Hey, I just don’t like seeing injuries okay? It reminds me of something… he gave a slightly surprised look then smiled.

“Yeah, don’t worry”

“Stop lying” I snapped, getting annoyed. Tch. “Sorry, I just don’t like to see beat people…” I mumbled lowly for him the only to hear.

“W-Why is that?”

Before I could answer him, Shinji interrupted informing us that the rest of the team would get the freshmen, leaving the two of us alone in the locker room. “Just go after us, we’ll be waiting by the court where Kyo texted. I think, she texted you too” Coach told me as I gave her a nod.

“Got it” after that, we were left alone in silence and I sighed. “So about what I said…” Teme looked like he was ready to listen so I started. “Well, when I was a kid, some thugs wanted to holdup my dad. He refused to give them their money ending up getting beaten by them and collapsing on the ground. He looked really weary and I was scared that he would die or something but good thing he didn’t… since then, I didn’t want to see beat up people…” I scoffed. “Ironic right? And I’m the one who always beat up people…”

Uh…

I looked down on my hand and saw his hand, clamping it. He pulled me into a hug, resting my head on his chest.

“Amei-chan…” he muttered and ruffled my hair. “Sorry for giving you a sight…”

I shook my head and chuckled silently. “Idiot. That’s because you’re an idiot…”

“Hehe, sorry, Amei-chan”

Author’s POV

“I wonder where Kuroko-kun is” Kyo wandered around the stadium with Taiga, looking for their teammate. “Do you have ideas, Kagami-kun?” Taiga looked at her and thought for a while.

“Well, maybe…”

.           .           .

“Oh, there he is!” Kyo perked up when she saw Tetsuya playing basketball alone, at a small court. They were on their way walking downstairs when Taiga sat on one of the steps, putting his cheek on his palm, watching Tetsuya play. “Kagami-kun?”

“Man, this dumbass still hasn’t have enough” he smirked as Kyo sat beside him; he flinched. “O-Oi, don’t go sitting next to me that close!”

“Eh? What’s wrong with that?” Kyo pouted and watched Tetsuya, then smiled. “Kuroko-kun’s… really passionate in basketball, isn’t he?”

“Yeah…” Taiga trailed off and noticed that Kyo’s smile somehow looked sad. “Are you okay?” he asked her, moving away a bit, because of the close distance between them.

“Not really” Kyo admitted. “I just miss how Ame-ne is like that…” she referred to Tetsuya’s passion. Tetsuya reminded her of her past with her sister; the passion Ame used to have. And also, the hard work Ame once has as kid. All of that was gone when she entered middle school.

“Like that? You mean playing basketball?” Taiga cleared as Kyo nodded, then perked up. “Ame-senpai used to play basketball before?!” he looked clearly surprise which Kyo had expected.

“Well, yeah... you could say that” she scratched her cheek, cutely. “B-But don’t tell Ame-ne that I told you, okay?! She’ll get mad at me!!!”

“O-Okay, okay”

“Please don’t scare me like that” “AH!” Kyo and Taiga jumped when they saw Tetsuya opping in front of them with a frown on his face. He was talking about Kyo and Taiga watching him when he was playing basketball and the noise they created surprising him, giving him a mini heart attack.

“We suffer from it every day!” Taiga complained with a vein popped and sighed. “Why are you playing out here? Everyone’s looking for you”

“S-Sorry about that” Tetsuya looked at his trembling hand. “It’s just that, since earning a spot at the winter cup, I just can’t help but feel excited that my hand’s shaking…”

“That’s called trembling with excitement, idiot” Taiga said and took of his jersey jacket, joining Tetsuya in playing. Kyo caught it and just watch the two play; smiling by herself while sitting on the steps. ‘I wish I could see, Reo-nee, Eikichi-nee and Kotaro-nee again, and see them play like this…’ she thought.

“Achoo!” Ame sneezed and rubbed her arms because of the cold brought by the Winter season. She and Teppei were on their way to where their team were after Kyo had texted their location. Teppei noticed her shivering and offered to give her his jacket, putting it on her shoulders.

“There, you might catch a cold if you don’t wear this” he smiled at her.

“T-Thanks…” she looked at it, and flips the sleeves that covered her hand because it was too long. It made her look like a little kid wearing her parent’s clothes. ‘It’s big…’ she stared at it. ‘Just like that time I wore Reo’s sweater…’

“Hmm? Who’s Reo?”

Ame flinched after realizing she said that aloud and glance at him. “Just a friend of mine…”

“Eh? You had friends before?” she stiffened and mentally punched herself. “Yeah, my imaginary friend who understands me and supports my love for otome games” Ame said humour in her tone but her face says the opposite.

“You had one too?!”

Ame---> =_=

“Don’t tell me…”

“Ah, mine’s name is Icchan, he’s a hanafuda expert”

“No… stop with your stupidity…”

“E-Eh, it’s true…”

Ame face palmed and at the same time, relieved that she thought of that topic to push away the unimaginary friend she mentioned. She said one of the things she prevented Hanamiya Makoto was saying earlier, yet she was the one always bringing it up accidentally. She always wanted to slap herself for that. In opening a gate of her past.

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This is a rushed chapter so I hope it doesn't suck... hope you like it!!!