Another Kind Of Ghost ~ A KnB Fanfic

Thirteen: You Don't Have To Make It Gay

I didn't think cooking kimchi in the noodle bar would be so awkward. It's really weird ; being around my idol. Kise and Takao have been the main instigators of conversation, I'm still not confident about interacting with strangers as Okenok.

"Kise, I heard Akashi and Rakuzan are playing your first years on Friday." Midorima says.

"That's right, Midorimacchi! Akashicchi will be facing off against my fellow first years." Kise smiles as he prods the frying food.

"It's funny because Koneko-chan really wants to improve, but they won't let her play." I complain, slumping back on my chair.

"Why doesn't she use a binder?" Takao-kun asks. I gasp.

"You would encourage that?" Midorima sighs, shaking his head.

"Why not? " Takao grins. "It's just for a practice game after all. And there's no better way to learn than by playing. "

"But aren't binders expensive? I don't think Koneko-chan can afford that..." I muse with a sigh.

"You and Koneko-san seem close, Okenok-kun." Midorima pushes up his glasses.

"We are." I nod. "They call us the three musketeers back at Kaijo because I already knew Koneko-chan, that meant Kise had to choose whether to befriend both of us, or neither of us."

"That's right! And I'm so glad I did! Konekocchi and Ryoucchi are great people! I've learned a lot from them!" Kise declares, before shifting the kimchi from the grill onto the plate.

"I bet! Koneko-san is great! I've only met her a few times bit she really does seem almost inspirational. "

"Inspirational? " Kise muses with a laugh.

"Konekocch-" Kise's face goes pale.

"Koneko-chan is just silly." I explain, this is Kise's first slip up. Considering how long he has known about me, slipping up now is probably the best time and place to do so. We're talking about Koneko Ryoko anyway.

"You think so?" Midorima asks.

"Yeah! She's really silly! You should see how she teases people! Our senpai are always flustered when she's around. " Kise laughs. We share a brief

"I don't doubt that!" Takao nods, moving his food onto his plate.

"She's hilarious!" Kise and Takao begin to talk about my female self. Midoria is studying me. Words have been forming on my tongue for a while, but I am yet to utter a sound.

"You don't say much Okenok."

"You have really pretty eyes."

My face heats up. Why did we say those two things in unison? Why did I say something so freaking girly!
Kise grins, he's scheming, isn't he? I bet he's thinking about his next elaborate lie to get us out of yet another one of the awkward situations I've caused.

"Jesus, Ryoucchi! You don't have to make it gay."

"Right...sorry..." I duck my head, trying to avoid eye contact with Midorima Shintaro.

Surprisingly, the rest of today's meal with Midorima and Takao wasn't so bad after I had "made it gay". We were far more relaxed. Kise is currently lounging around on his sofa downstairs, watching Akashi in previous Teiko games. Looking for something we could exploit. So far we've had no such luck.

There has to be something...

~(^v^)~ Time Skip ~(^v^)~

I stare out at the court, dressed in my gameplay home uniform. This is daunting. Rakuzan will be here any minute. My binder is on. I can't believe Kise bought me one, just to use in games. I found the receipt in his trash. He blew a LOT of his savings to maintain my charade. He's too nice!" He deserves a much nicer friend than me.

I glance downward, I'm not going to deny that this is convincing. You can't tell that there's anything girly about my physique! I tilt my head in wonder, what is someone sees the binder? What could the custom bandaged design mean for games? Will people just assume that I sustained some sort of chest injury? Like what? A stabbing! Nothing like that would work.

I think I might die. I'm starting to get really scared. The only thing we worked with was how to keep him from using his second signature move on us; the ankle break.

"Okenok-kun, you'll be fine. " one of my fellow first years, Yamada-kun assures with a thumbs up.

"I hope so, Yamada-kun." I murmur.

Our coach heads in. His expression depicts anger; his eyes however give him a far more forlorn look. His waddle is far more purposeful.

"What's up coach?" Kise asks, noticing thst Akashi Seijuro is not leading a pack of first years to Kaijo's team.

"Unfortunately, Rakuzan's had to suddenly retract their offer due to the allocation of a new captain. " Coach declares.

"A new captain? " someone asks.

"Akashicchi... " Kise sighs sadly and wistfully.

"No freaking way?" I turn to my fellow blond. "Do you seriously think that it could be Akashi?"

"Unfortunately, yes." Kise mutters. "Rakuzan is going to become even harder to beat."

"So I'm letting you all go home, if you choose. We can't do a game with this little first years. However I am also giving you the chance to go...where is everyone."

"YES! NO RAKUZAN!"

"NO EMPEROR EYE!"

"NO ANKLE BREAKING!"

"NO MORE OF THE GENERATION OF MIRACLES!"

"HELL FREAKING YES!"

The celabatory cheering of the fleeing first years on the Kaijo basketball team can be heard echoing through the halls as they sprint to the locker rooms to escape before the coach can chance his mind.

"Seriously? Were they that scared?" Kise laughs uneasily. He's never been able to withstand Akashi.

The coach sighs, rolling his eyes. "I am also giving you the chance to go nuts and do some one to one training."

"You wanna practise, Ryoucchi?" I am asked. I grin, giving Kise a thumbs up.

"You're going to need it because if Kaijo and his school win the next two games, we'll be up against Torou in the semi-finals."

"That's where Aomine Daiki went, right?" I ask.

"Yep." Kise sighs.

"Time to get my street on!" I grin, grabbing a basketball.

"That's the spirit, Okenok!"

But of course, this could be the first game I'll be allowed to go in for. The coach has analysied Aomine Daiki before and is very much aware of his dribbling style. And he knows that I played street ball. I mean, it doesn't take a genius, my one on ones with Kise are training him up to withstand the weird and free movement in a street game.

Squary Note:
And from this point onwards, the plot returned ;n;