Coming Back [Kuroko no Basket]

Rooftop Confessions

"Hey Tetsuya, what are you holding in your hand?"

"Hmm? This is the form for becoming a basketball member. I was a trial member up until now, but coach said I was welcome to join the bench since I had potential."

As she heard Kuroko's answer, Nakamura tilted her head in confusion, asking, "So why are you bringing it with you right now? Don't we have the morning assembly today?"

Kuroko nodded, as he also realized it this morning, and told her, "Coach said that she would only accept our forms if we brought it to her to the rooftop at 8:40 a.m. today."

Nakamura scrunched up her face as she thought about it. The coach must have known that the morning assembly happens on Monday mornings at 8:45 a.m., so why would they turn in their forms 5 minutes before it starts WHILE ON THE ROOF. 

"Nee, Tetsuya. Isn't it weird that an faculty member would plan this on the day of the morning assembly? What are they trying to do?"

"I'm not sure but I guess I forgot to mention. The coach is actually a second year student."

"WHAT?! Wait, but doesn't that mean that they have to attend it too?"

Kuroko knew it wouldn't mean anything to try to explain it to her, because he was just as confused as she was. Instead, he decided to switch topics and ask her about how she was doing with joining a club.

"I'm sure everything will be fine. Anyways Nakamura-san, have you thought about what club to join yet?" Nakamura could only shake her head, as she had still yet to figure out what club she wanted to join. Kuroko had expected that and was glad, because that meant that there was still a chance that she would join the basketball club. "I think joining the basketball club as a manager would be a good fit for you. You have experience and even the senpais had invited you to join."

She could only hum as she thought about what Kuroko had said to her. It was true that it would be nice to be a manager again like before and she was invited, but she doubted that they would remember her. But the senpais did seem nice and chill, not people who were dying to beat the crap out of everyone in basketball. "I'll still consider basketball as an option. But, you know, I don't want to join a team where winning is everything, but I also don't want to join a team where the members are half-assing everything."

Kuroko could only nod when he heard her say that, as he also agreed that he didn't want to be part of a team that didn't have some goal in mind. They both said see you later  to each other and walked off in different directions, Kuroko heading to the rooftop while Nakamura headed to the school's track field. While standing on the school's track field, it was only 5 minutes but Nakamura decided to listen to some music before the assembly would start. As she pulled up her tracklist, she decided to listen to a slow song and taps on "Walk You Home" by NCT Dream. As she feels herself relaxing listening to the Dreamies voices, she almost drops her phone when there was suddenly someone shouting.

"CLASS 1-B, NUMBER 5, KAGAMI TAIGA. I WILL DEFEAT THE GENERATION OF MIRACLES AND BECOME THE BEST PLAYER IN JAPAN!"

Everyone on the track field was confused as to why there were students yelling from the rooftop. Ignoring the confusion, another guy had begun to shout, "CLASS 1-A, KAWAHARA KOICHI, FROM CHUO WARD, TOKYO! I WAS A SICKLY KID, SO I COULDN'T PLAY SPORTS. THINGS STARTED TO CHANGE FOR ME IN KINDERGARDEN AND I'LL NEVER FORGET THE ALL-STAR GAME I SAW AT SCHOOL IN 5TH GRADE! IT WAS THE FIRST TIME I EVER THOUGHT BASKETBALL..."

Realizing the guy wasn't going to stop anytime soon with his life story, Nakamura took the chance to look around the crowd to see what the students and teachers reactions were. The freshmans were all confused but the senpais seemed to be shocked but amused, which she assumed meant that something similar to this has happened before. Looking around to read the teachers' expressions, her attention was sudden brought back to the rooftop when she realized the Kawahara guy was cut off mid-sentence and had disappeared from where he was standing.

Assuming someone, presumably the coach, had cut him off because of his long speech, another guy had stepped up and started shouting, "CLASS 1-D, FUKUDA HIROSHI, I LIKE HELPING OTHERS, SO WHEN I HEARD A SENPAI ASKING FOR HELP, I IMMEDIATELY OFFERED MY ASSISTANCE." The student didn't seem to annouce his goal but with the coach pissed off with the last guy, Nakamura assumed that he got an okay from the coach and the next student was allowed to go.

"CLASS 1-D, FURIHATA KOKI. THE GIRL I LIKE SAID SHE'D GO OUT WITH ME IF I BECAME THE BEST AT SOMETHING! I JOINED THE BASKETBALL CLUB TO BECOME NUMBER ONE!"

Hmmm to become number one because of a girl....I don't know about the reasoning behind the goal but at least he has a goal. The basketball club must be serious about meeting goals if they go to such lengths to announce them. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to join them.

As everyone stood around still slightly confused with what was going to happen now, Nakamura stood in anticipation, waiting to hear Kuroko's goal, but he never announced. She guessed the teachers had finally reached the rooftop and the students were all on their knees receiving a lecture. She ended up pocketing her phone and earbuds and turned to face the front of the group, waiting for morning assembly to begin.

~Time Skip~

After the morning asembly had ended, all the students headed back to their classrooms and Nakamura walked up to Kuroko, who was standing next to a super tall red-haired person, who she recognized to be the first guy to announce his goals. "Hey Tetsuya, I now understand what the coach was planning when she wanted the new members to go to the rooftop. It was a little surprising though."

Despite his poker face, Nakamura could tell he was a little irritated, probably from the fact that he was lectured despite not doing anything. "Yes it was surprising to all of us new members, but I also now understand what the coach's intent was. By the way, this is Kagami Taiga. He's also in the baseketball club and is planning on beating the Generation of Miracles."

The red head turned to Kuroko and said, "Hey, it's not 'planning' on beating, but I AM going to beat them. But yeah, nice to meet you. My name's Kagami Taiga and I was in America up until middle school." Nakamura nodded and also introduced her, "Nice to meet you. I'm Nakamura Yuyan. My mother is from Hong Kong, but my father is from Japan, hence my first name being Chinese." Right as she finished introducing herself to Kagami, the teacher walked in and all the students took their seat. Nakamura took her seat that was to the right of Kuroko, as he took his window seat that was right behind Kagami. As the teacher begun to discuss the different classes of animals in biology, Nakamura turned to Kuroko and started whispering to him, "Nee, Tetsuya. You weren't able to announce your goals so what are you going to do? Will you be able to enter the club?"

Staring straight ahead at the blackboard, Kuroko thought for a second before saying, "I'll figure it out later." Although unsatisfied with what he said, she left him alone and started taking notes down.

~The Next Day~

Everyone was gathering around the windows when Kagami had walked into class. Curious to what was going on, he also looked out and saw "WE WILL BECOME NUMBER 1 IN JAPAN" written on the school grounds. He smirked as he looked at Kuroko, remembering their conversation they had last night. Nakamura continued to sit at her desk and listen to her music while watching everyone's reactions.

Not bad Tetsuya