All it took was a plane crash, and Kise Ryota was no more.
Strangely enough, he didn't feel sadness, only regret. Regret for not checking his engine beforehand. Regret for missing out on his friends with his job as a pilot. Regret for not spending t...
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"—I don't remember weak people," the purple head disinterestedly stated as he turned around to join the Yosen team, sparing the Iron Heart a condescending glance.
Ryota silently exhaled, a weak smile painting his features as he disregarded the hurt on his fellow Uncrowned King to focus on Murasakibara. How to put it, Atsushicchi definitely had no filter. He shook his head in mild defeat, a flash of nostalgia in his golden hues as he observed the match from afar, not revealing his presence to the purple head. It wasn't necessary.
Junichiro seemed full of complaints beside him, the disapproving aura oozed out of him without restraints, before Ryota felt his pair of dark brown eyes on his face. As if to scold him for badly raising his Junior and not putting him back into place for his remark. Ah, Juncchi was so easy to read, the green head mused with amusement.
While it is true, Ryota didn't feel the need to intervene despite the obvious hurt on his friend's face, it didn't mean he approved of Murasakibara's words. Simply, if Ryota had wanted to act, he would have done it years before, while Kiyoshi was in his third year of Junior High and the GOM in their second year.
After all, Ryota witnessed the match Kiyoshi spoke of, the play in which Teiko thoroughly annihilated Shoei. He was captain at the time, to scold Murasakibara now was blatant hypocrisy on his part.
Ryota wasn't a good person, honestly, had Kiyoshi not been part of Kuroko's team, he wouldn't have so much as spared the boy a glance in this new life, the same went for most of the Uncrowned Kings as they were Akashi's teammates.
In this life, Ryota held most of the cards, which relationship he should cultivate, create, or break— which one was most beneficial, he knew. He knew because he already saw the achievements they could bring, the ties they would give him to the GOM. Befriending Kiyoshi was another way to keep Kuroko close, as was associating with the other Uncrowned Kings. The fact that they did get along later on and became genuine friends was another thing.
Therefore, while it was true Ryota felt some discomfort and slight guilt at Murasakibara's attitude toward Kiyoshi, it didn't mean he didn't approve of his words. After all, there was a time when he too didn't bother to remember the ants he crushed.
Truthfully, even now he didn't care for them.
It was better to crush, annihilate, killkillkillkill— he breathed, dismissing the blazing red of his golden irises. It was better to break a man before he came back for revenge. Getting stabbed in the back or losing those precious to him because of loopholes or clemency wasn't something the current Ryota could afford. Nor was it something he was willing to risk.
