MiRACLE (KnB Fanfic)

30.

Hiroto makes himself decently at home in Alex's streetball club. He's just there to play, though. Not to learn like the others.

Sort of like Nijimura's little siblings, Hiroto is just there to leech off the classes and play when people are free. The people don't particularly mind him there, and as long as he doesn't get in the way of practice, all's fine.

That's enough for him.

He managed to convince Alex out of sending him to therapy (he's had enough of that in his past life on a bed), and spends his time figuring out ways to spend his hours.

He jogs in the mornings, plays streetball whenever he can. Eventually, he regains his muscle mass and fitness, and gets accustomed to life here.

After his initial match on day one, people started fighting over playing one-on-ones with him once they got their break time. Alex yells at them every once in a while.

"I can see why they call you the Fairy of the Court."

"Stop calling me that."

"Fairy."

"Shut up, Tatsuya."

"Fair--"

Hiroto chucks a ball at his head.

"Oh c'mon, it suits you," Tatsuya teases him.

Hiroto beams. "Tatsuya, look at this trophy I found!" he raises Alex's doctorate in whatever medal made of glass, "it's the perfect size to chuck at your head and hopefully send you into an infinitely comatose state--"

Tatsuya wisely steps back. "Oh, I miss when you were just a scared little bunny hiding behind me..."

-

Hiroto puts the trophy back into the cabinet.

It's nine o'clock, much after dinner. Tatsuya, like some sort of obnoxious routine, has come over to pester his new friend. Hiroto wonders why he has a key to this house, and contemplates calling the police. Alex stops him, though.

Opening the cabinet again, he reaches for a metallic object in the corner. Tatsuya leans over to examine the pocket watch they've found.

"This is so out of place... I wonder why Alex leaves it in here."

He opened it, squinting at the hands and pressing the available buttons, flipping it over-- there's no switch or battery or mechanism outside of the device. Oh man.

"It's not even working anymore."

Tatsuya slings an arm over his shoulder. "Maybe it's an antique?"

Hiroto shakes his head. "This shabby thing?"

He runs his thumb through the rather paltry carvings on the shell. It's nothing special, just a clumsy string of stars that was probably a constellation, and a signature on the back.

"It says 'Jyo'," Hiroto reads it, carefully studying the crude, amateurish strokes.

And somehow, he sort of knew who carved it in.

Tatsuya puts a hand on his head, and Hiroto turns to see the older boy smiling at him.

"I'll ask Alex if you can keep it."

Hiroto immediately flusters. "It's fine!" he shoves it back into the cabinet and drags the drawer shut before turning away quickly. "I'm going to go for a run!"