The Wager (Kuroko no Basket)

Phase 12: Comforting Each Other

I can't deny that watching the end of the game leaves me with a bit of a hollow feeling. I suppose that's what defeat feels like though. I've decided. I'm going to get better at this before Winter Cup. I can't be the only one slacking off after all. I finish my coffee and head towards the locker room. I suppose I should see how they others are feeling; If I'm feeling hollow, I can only assume that the actual players are feeling much worse. I head into the locker room to find the others looking totally fine. "What are you moping around for, Tsukino? You didn't even play," Kobori says. I can't think of a good response to that.

"We finally got her! She doesn't know what to say!" someone cheers.

"Don't be absurd," I reply, "I thought that you'd all be fragile and depressed as you gathered the shreds of your male pride, but I suppose not." I pick my bag up.

"Hey, hey, those are some big words for a such a small girl."

I scoff. "Try me," I reply. "I'm in charge of practice tomorrow." They fall silent for a moment before begging me to go easy on them. "Ha, go easy on you?" I ask. "As if! In face of defeat, you work harder to overcome your loss." I add, "I'm going to think up a killer practice plan for tomorrow. Pun fully intended." As they groan about tomorrow, I smile a bit to myself. Well, at least they seem okay... I'm not sure when it happened, but I care about this team much more than I'd ever expected to.

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I walk home with Kise after we get back to the school. "So you're really okay?" I ask. I look at him. I can't tell much about his expression, but he seems alright walking on his own now at least. I was worried before that his injury would be serious.

"Of course," he replies. I don't buy it. The tone of his voice doesn't sound quite right.

"I'll treat you to dinner," I say as I continue to look straight ahead.

"What?" Kise stops walking.

I turn to him. "I told you. I'll treat you to dinner," I repeat. "My family went out to see a movie, so, I'll cook." He gets that stupid grin on his face again as we continue to walk to my house. "I can only make curry at the moment, so I hope it's okay with you," I add.

He nods. "Anything is good as long as you make it!" He looks so happy, I can't help but laugh. He gives me a blank look.

"You're so weird. What are you getting all excited for?"

"You're making me food, Kimikocchi! Of course I'm really happy!"

I shake my head. At least he seems like he's feeling better now. I smile a little and let him into my house.

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I glance at Kise as he eats the curry with a happy smile. I smile a little to myself from behind my book before continuing to read. I'm not sure why, but a warm, happy feeling comes over me as I flip through the basketball strategies book. "Kimikocchi, why aren't you eating?" Kise asks.

"It's kind of late. It's not healthy for me to be eating at this time," I reply.

He frowns at me. "You should eat something anyways. You haven't eaten since lunch."

"It's fine," I reply. "I'm not hungry anyhow." I skim through the next page. It's quiet for a moment.

"What are you reading?" Kise asks finally.

"A book on basketball strategies," I reply.

"Huh? How come?"

"After seeing Touou's manager, I felt kind of irritated," I reply. "I shouldn't have to only rely on tricks when I'm planning." I've had the book for a while, but I only skimmed through it before.

"So even you get frustrated," he comments.

"Of course I do," I reply. "I'm human, after all."

"I like how you're so hardworking though." He smiles at me.

"Wha-" I begin.

Kise puts a spoonful of curry in my mouth. I swallow it and he gives me a satisfied smirk. "Got you~"

I sigh. I'm really not sure what he accomplished by doing that, but he looks pretty proud of himself right now.

"I'm serious though. You really are super hard-working," he says, "I don't think that I'm really good at basketball strategy, but I'll help you as much as I can." I nod and almost say more, but then he continues, "But, if it's really not your thing, I think that you're perfect just the way you are now, Kimikocchi. You don't need to change the way to manage."

"Even if it means that it'll be more difficult for you to get to nationals?" I ask.

He nods firmly.

I've never needed validation from someone else before, but for some reason, hearing Kise say this makes me feel more at ease. That warm feeling washes over me again.

Kise looks at his spoon and sighs. "Aww... I thought that you'd open your mouth to say something for sure." He pouts and holds it out to me. "Will you eat it so it doesn't go to waste?"

"I wouldn't even consider it," I reply.

"Aww, you're so mean," Kise whines. Somehow, this, which would have been strange for me not too long ago, has become a normal part of my life; I'm enjoying myself, and that in itself is even stranger.