Spark | Kuroko no Basuke x OC

Ichirou's Unwitting Predicament!

The bouncing of a basketball could be heard from Shutoku High's giant gymnasium early Saturday morning. The captain of the Shutoku basketball team, Otsubo Taisuke, was there working on a few moves before the rest of his team came in for morning practice.

Off to the side, Midorima had also came in a little early and was shooting hoops by himself.

"Otsubo-san!" Takao greeted cheerfully as he walked into the gym, holding a magazine in his hands. "Who's Seirin's No. 7?" he asked. He was reading an old article about the mysterious Seirin player on his way here, and he figured that since the captain was a third year, he would know.

"No. 7?" Otsubo echoed as the ravenette showed him the picture in the old article. "Ah, must be him."

"Him?"

Otsubo nodded. "The guy who was Seirin's center last year. Their team used to revolve around his and their No. 4 Hyuuga's cooperative inside and outside play, but for some reason, he didn't show up at the championship league. If he had been there, we probably wouldn't have tripled their score," he explained, gripping the basketball in his hands as his expression hardened. "No, we may even have lost."

Impossible... Needless to say, the captain's sincere words shocked Takao greatly. Last year they didn't have Kuroko or Kagami, and they had only just formed!

"I think you're giving too much credit to them!" Takao laughed, turning to address his green haired friend. "Right, Shin-chan?"

The ball in Midorima's hands fell into the net neatly. "I know him."

"What?"

"From middle school," Midorima told him. "We only played him once, but I remember him. It was before Kuroko joined, so he probably does not know about him."

Takao quirked a questioning brow, "Then, what's he like?" The green in the miracle's eyes swirled to a darker tone as he remembered how Kiyoshi Teppei played during middle school.

"It was similar to the recent Touou game. In the face of overwhelming odds, just like Kuroko, he refused to give up until the very end."

He's another Kuroko, then? Takao wondered, eyes then narrowing afterwards at Midorima. Wait, he knew what happened during the Touou game?

"You ended up going to see the championship league!" Takao teased with a sly grin, forgetting about the Seirin player as the notion of making fun of the green haired miracle was much more interesting. "'I don't want to see it,' my ass! You're such a tsundere!"

"I simply live nearby," Midorima denied, going back to his three-pointers.

"You're lying! You live in the opposite direction! I know!" the ravenette roared with laughter, "Girls don't like guys who are dishonest, Shin-chan!"

Midorima started walking away to the other side of the court.

"You couldn't resist... You cared how Seirin did!" Takao continued with mirth, following behind and not caring that he was getting on the green haired miracle's nerves. "Was seeing Tomo-chan part of the factor?" he asked suspiciously.

"That is the stupidest thing that has come out of your mouth so far, Takao."

"Aww, really though! Did you see Tomo-chan after the game?" the ravenette calmed his excitement by a few levels. "From where I sat, I think I saw her cry a little."

Midorima didn't say anything, only picking up another basketball to shoot.

"She sounded really sad when I asked her about it, too! She said that her team was recovering but Kagami and Kuroko seemed to be at odds," Takao remarked offhandedly, though he was actually carefully assessing his friend's expression. He thought he saw a small twitch from the miracle and he addressed what he assumed was Midorima's unspoken question. "Oh, I got Tomo-chan's number when we saw her at that ice cream shop! You were being tsundere and left early that day, remember? Are you worried about her?"