The Wager (Kuroko no Basket)

Phase 15: Become a Matchmaker

I glance at the shorter brunette girl as we walk to school together. "People sure are strange," she comments. I'd only begun talking to her fairly recently because I found her notebook in the hall a few weeks ago and she began to speak to me randomly after I returned it. She's not a bad person though. Pretty normal, actually (which is a relief). Cute, average intelligence, just a bit shy, and a genuinely kind at heart. So, I suppose that I don't mind her company. She's far less terrifying than bright, seemingly-cheery and friendly, but surprisingly strong-willed and cunning Masami.

I raise an eyebrow. "Are you just realizing this now?" 

She smiled sheepishly. "Well...not really, but you know what I mean."

We begin to cross the street as I ask, "So, what makes you say that?"

She pouts a little. "Well, when I was in the hall yesterday, the guy in front of me, I think he was a senpai, dropped his book. So, I picked it up for him and returned it to him, but when I did, he started stuttering like crazy and blushing." She frowns "Then he ran away..."

I start to smirk. "I may have an idea as to who that is."

"Really?" she asks. Her eyes light up as she continues, "I was kinda curious actually, since he was kinda cute." 

"Oh?" I ask. "I didn't think I'd ever hear someone call Kasamatsu-senpai cute." I chuckle. "The thought of that is strange." I shake my head. "You should see him kick Kise around."

"What about me?" a familiar voice chimes in. Kise pops out of seemingly nowhere and smiles at me before jumping up and attempting to hug me. "Good morning, Kimikocchi!" he exclaims mid-leap. 

"What the hell? Stop appearing out of nowhere! What are you? A demon?" I ask as I jab him in the stomach with my elbow almost immediately. He winces and gives up on hugging me."You'd best give that a rest," I add, doing my best not to look too irked.

"But, Kimikocchi!" he whines.

I sigh. "Save it for later. Yumi and were discussing something just now."

Yumi laughs softly and shakes her head. "It's alright. We can talk about it later," she replies before smiling at me. "I'll see you in class then." She waves and starts to head off.

"Come to club with me later," I tell her. She nods and continues to head off.

"I didn't know you knew anyone else." Kise comments.

I sigh. "Don't be stupid. I might seem like some friendless loser to you, but being friends with Yumi means I've got one more friend that you do at the very least."

"You're being so mean today," Kise whines.

"When am I ever nice?" I reply. "There's no need to answer that, by the way. In anycase, you're becoming my accomplice today."

"Sure-" he begins. "Wait!"

"Now that that's settled, let's begin planning," I continue on.

"What are you talking about?" he asks.

"What Yumi and I were talking about before."

"I'm not really into gossip..."

I sigh deeply. "As if I'd be into that stuff," I reply. "You're a bad liar by the way. Aside from that though, Yumi thinks that Kasamatsu-senpai is cute, so I'm going to set them up."

Kise's eyes widen. "You're into this kind of stuff?" he asks.

"Obviously not," I reply with a shake of my head. I smirk. "I have a bet with Moriyama-senpai going on. If I can get Kasamatsu-senpai to go on one date, I win. There are bonus points if they start dating, of course."

He smiles weakly. "That explains everything."

"Besides, in the worst case, I get a laugh out of it all. In the best case, Senpai gets himself a girlfriend. There's nothing to lose."

He smiles weakly. "That's only in your case, Kimikocchi..."

"That's the only case that I care for."

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After classes end, I go to Yumi's class and meet up with her before heading to the gym. As we get into the club, a slightly surprised expression appears on her face as she spots Kasamatsu. I walk over to Kasamatsu as Yumi awkwardly trails behind me. "Kasamatsu-senpai," I greet. "I brought a friend with me today. You don't mind if she stays do watch, do you?"

He looks confused for a moment. "A friend?" he asks. When he sees Yumi, he leaps backwards. It takes every bit of self-control I have not to burst out in laughter. He walks back over to me somewhat hesitantly and whispers, "Y-You realized that this was the girl who startled me in the hall, didn't you?"

I smirk and laugh. "Don't be absurd," I reply with a shake of my head. "How would I know something like that, Senpai?" I ask. "In anycase, I have to talk to the second-string and explain today's workout, so if you could watch over her for a moment, it would be much appreciated." With that, I casually turn around and head to the other side of the gym.

As I walk past Kise, he stops me and glances at Kasamatsu and Yumi. 

"What?" I ask, "Jealous?"

He pouts at me.

I roll my eyes and glance at Kasamatsu. "Senpai's stuttering like a lunatic," I comment with a sigh. I turn to Kise. "Well, your turn. Go smooth things over."

"Eh? Why me?" he asks.

"It's not something I can do on my own; I need to help run practice," I reply. He doesn't move. Damn it, he's gotten better at this. "If you need incentive then I'll..." I pull a random activity off the top of my head. "I'll agree to watch a movie with you."

His face lights up instantly. "Really?!"

"Sure," I reply with a shrug.

"I'm on it!" he says excitedly before running over to Kasamatsu to help. I shake my head and walk over to the second string.

"You know, when you have that glint in your eye, it's usually not a good thing," someone begins a bit hesitantly.

"It's not for you guys today," I reply dismissively. "In anycase, for today's practice, Coach says to follow this regimen."

_____________________________________________________________

I turn back and glance in Yumi and Kasamatsu's direction as the second-stringers practice. Thanks to his nature, Kise's busy talking up a storm with Yumi while Kasamatsu watches with a half-panicked, half-flustered expression plastered to his face. I sigh deeply and grumble, "Stupid Kise." I turn to the second-stringers. "Someone pass me a basketball." I catch the one that gets tossed to me and hurl it at Kise's head. My projectile makes it to its mark and I turn my back towards Kise.

"Ow!" I hear him exclaim.

"Sorry, it slipped," I call back with a dismissive wave of my hand. "Don't worry about it."

"You don't have the right to say that!" he cries. "Besides, that doesn't happen unless you throw the basketball at me!"

"I told you not to worry, didn't I?" I reply dismissively. Kise continues to cry out his complaints in the background. I glance at the second-stringers, who look somewhat panicked. If I had to guess, I would think that they're all thinking something along the lines of, "She's terrifying."

"Well? What's the problem?" I ask. "If there's nothing, carry on. No one told you to take a break."