Princess of Miracles (Kuroko no Basuke FanFic)

I Won't Lose

“I know you better than anyone else.” - Kise Ryota

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The day of Seirin’s departure from the inn dawned bright and clear, and the entire Seirin team were all up at seven in the morning, packing everything up and also to check that nothing had been left behind. Shutoku would also be leaving that day, but only in the afternoon.

And thus, two hours before noon could find the entire team gathered in front of the inn’s entrance with Aoi at Tamaki’s feet, tongue hanging out, and tail wagging happily.

“Everyone’s here. Ready, and…”

“Thank you very much!”

Aoi barked happily.

Tamaki turned to move off with the rest of her team, glancing back at one of the inn windows on the second storey as she does so.

Midorima was standing at the window, staring down at the Seirin team, that day’s lucky item resting in the palm of his left hand. The green haired teen nodded to her, and Tamaki nodded back, recalling what Midorima had told her that morning when she’d ran into him in the hallway of the bathroom.

“It’s today. The match between Kaijo and Touou.” Midorima informed Tamaki even as she remained outside the male bathroom as Midorima squeezed some toothpaste onto his toothbrush and proceeded to clean his teeth. “It’s the first match this basketball season when two starters of the Generation of Miracles would be going against each other.” He spit out the toothpaste in his mouth. “In your opinion, who do you think would win?”

Tamaki was silent for several moments. “I have no idea,” she admitted. “Daiki is our ace for a reason. The ace is the team’s trump card, there to help them out of a tight spot. When we’re starting out during freshman year, it is Daiki who had helped us out of a tight spot, especially during that challenge match against the seniors. But Kise-kun…” She trailed off.

Midorima snorted. “Even a monkey can perform those moves of his,” he commented, rinsing his mouth with water. “But…” He walked out of the bathroom, a lime green towel around his neck, water droplets dripping off his chin. “He’s still one of us.”

“He started basketball because of Daiki.” Tamaki remarked. “Suffice to say, he has tremendous respect for him, and looked up to him. Of course, that also goes for the rest of us. But…” Tamaki closed her eyes briefly. “If he continues with that mindset of his that he is the weakest among our team, and can never beat any of us, then he’ll never beat us. He has the potential to grow stronger. But that potential is getting hindered by his way of thinking. Maybe… This match with Daiki… Just maybe…”

“Well, those two put aside, I want you to pass Kagami a message,” said Midorima, and Tamaki cocked her head to one side curiously.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Riko’s voice broke Tamaki out of her thoughts just then, and the teal haired girl then realised that they’ve already walked out to the main street.

“What? To the station?” Hyuuga asked, confused.

“Why do you think we held our training camp here?” Riko asked with exasperation. Seriously, did nobody check the dates of the Inter High tournament? I mean, sure, Seirin is out of the tournament, but did they never think that going to watch it is a good chance for them to prepare for the Winter Cup? “This year, they’re holding the games here!”

“I see!” Izuki seemed to have remembered something as he reached into his bag and pulled out his dark blue cellphone. “Today’s quarter final game is between…” Hyuuga who was next to Izuki leaned over to see his screen, and the faces of the two second years paled drastically as they read the names of the teams competing that day.