insouciant || ON HIATUS

ℂℍ𝔸ℙ𝕋𝔼ℝ 𝟙𝟞

It was a crushing defeat for their opponent's team.

151 to 12.

Breathing heavily, Mamoru wiped the sweat off his forehead. He'd been subbed in for the last quarter, having taken Midorima's place.

Victory was usually something people would rejoice over, to put aside something because of their team effort towards their triumph.

But the air was heavy on both sides.

On one side, it was the devastating, despairing feel of overwhelming defeat. They hunched over, shoulders curling in on themselves as if they were trying to hide from the world.

On the other side, six people stood tall. The victors of the match avoided each others' eyes and chose to stare at the floor.

No one was smiling.

"You played harder than usual, Moru-chin," Murasakibara pointed out, setting a large hand on his head.

Mamoru looked up at him, unsettling the hand. "I suppose I just needed to release some energy," he concluded hesitantly.

"That's good for us," Akashi said, overhearing their short conversation. "Keep scoring points, but don't overdo it this time."

Don't pretend to care.

Mamoru nodded and said nothing more.

──── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ────

The cherry blossoms were in full bloom, Mamoru noticed absently, catching one of the falling flower petals and handing it over to Maiko, who was collecting them for some odd reason.

"Aomine-kun isn't with you?" Kuroko asked softly to Satsuki.

A sad smile sat on her face. "Yeah, I think we hardly hang out anymore," she clarified quietly. "I only talk with the other guys when I'm relaying messages concerning the team too..."

London Bridge is falling down.

"The team is strong and undefeated, but it's somehow a bit lonely."

Falling down.

Satsuki stopped walking. Kuroko stopped after a few steps forward while Mamoru and Maiko, who were behind the girl, stopped with her.

"Hey, Tetsu-kun, Moru-kun, Mai-chan," she addressed each and every one of them with a despondent tone. "Do you remember what I said before?"

Falling down.

Kuroko was silent for a moment as Satsuki turned her solemn, almost pleading, gaze towards him. "I'm sorry. I don't recall. What did you say?"

Her face fell. "Moru-kun? Mai-chan?"

Mamoru swallowed uneasily. He couldn't pretend this time. It was going too far.

"No, I don't remember either," he answered hollowly, already feeling guilty at the dismal look on her face. Part of him wished she never met them, that she never became the manager of Teiko's basketball club. It would've saved her from a lot of pain, perhaps only the pain of Aomine and Kuroko, instead of the eight of them.

London Bridge is falling down.

Maiko echoed her brother's response, looking torn between crying and putting up a confused facade.

He almost broke down when he saw the Satsuki hold back her tears and say it wasn't anything important.

They came to the intersection where Satsuki separated from the others to go home. Mamoru sent Maiko with Kuroko since they lived close by and stood behind Satsuki.