Eh? Ah, Sou. [Kise R.] ✓

「 二十八 」

「 二十八 」 Untouchable

" Thank you for inviting us to have a joint practice session... in... our own... gym...? " Aida Riko didn't exactly know how to phrase her words to the middle-aged coach of the (recently defeated) powerhouse school. " Though, " she admitted as the rest of her team finished their warm ups and interacted cordially (albeit awkwardly due to the very recent [literally less than twenty hours ago] Seirin vs Kaijou match) with the Kaijou team, " I'm not entirely sure why...? Or for what purpose...? " The situation itself was weird. So weird, in fact, she didn't even know the Kaijou team would be coming till the morning of when Kuroko kindly informed her.

" It wasn't me who requested for joint training. It was our manager. " Kaijou's coach sighed, massaging his temples.

" Ni...ji...mura-san? " Coach Takeuchi sighed again and nodded begrudgingly.

" I don't know what goes through that girl's head. " He sighed (yet again) tiredly. Pausing, he looked around realizing that a head of long raven hair was currently missing from the area. Takeuchi sighed for the millionth time. " Where did that Nijimura go?? "

In the bowels of Seirin's girls' changing room, Yohime appraised her own reflection in the mirror, standing before the sink in the girls' changing room. Long smoky tendrils of hair pulled high in a ponytail, face placid, she donned a plain white t-shirt with the word "Kaijou" etched over her heart and a pair of plain black shorts. Silver eyes boring into the silver of her reflection, she let out the sigh she had been holding in her lungs. She dared to say she was really quite pretty. And she would be so popular in Kaijou- had she not been.... her.

Because Nijimura Yohime was cold.
Nijimura Yohime was a delinquent.
Nijimura Yohime was... Untouchable.

That's what she was. Untouchable.

___

Then, even more so.

" Nijimura-san! " She was called moments before the ball was hurled lazily her way. The tired visage of the opponent before her, hands spread out in a futile block, hazed before her eyes. With a fake to the right, a step to the left, a pirouette and throw, the Queen (#1), sunk yet another basketball through the goal.

Score: 170-70

" Another win, huh? "
" The Untouchable Queen is on their side, what can we do when we're against her? "

She felt their burning eyes boring into her back as she walked off the court with a placid look on her face even after winning nationals (again). Her "team" followed behind their monarch, laughing among themselves and smirking uglily at the "losers". Indeed, in this world only the winners were validated- the losers cast out.

" It's the Queen! Niiyama doesn't stand a chance! "

In the midst of the silence that befell the arena, her footsteps sounded like thunder.
Stepping off the court, The Queen closed her eyes.

___

Yohime opened her eyes, stepping onto the court.

" I'm here. " Yohime replied Coach Takeuchi from the threshold of the gym. 

" I'm... glad you could make it?? Haha!! " Kiyoshi Teppei laughed in that gentle manner of his and dipped his head in greeting, then turning to introduce the only member of Seirin's team who had yet to (officially) meet the manageress.