4 Fourth Quarter

"Speaking of which," Ryota Kise said, pausing his frantic eating to look up at Kuroko, "you haven't seemed very happy lately, have you?"

Kuroko poked at the cauliflower on his plate with his chopsticks, hesitating. He didn't really want to discuss his lack of motivation with anyone, but if it were Ryota Kise...

"Actually, I have been quite troubled lately," Kuroko said slowly.

Kise, not expecting Kuroko to actually open up, straightened his posture immediately. "Is it... because of Aomine-cchi?"

Everyone could see the situation with Daiki Aomine, yet no one could do anything about it. Seijuro Akashi had been furious at first, but ever since the incident with Murasakibara, even he had started to let things slide. After all, Kuroko had been personally scouted and promoted by Akashi, and his relationship with Aomine had always been the closest among them all—something Kise, who had been brought into the team by Kuroko, had always envied.

The five members of the Generation of Miracles, along with Kuroko and Momoi, were all close friends who understood one another. But those two... they were different. Kuroko and Aomine had once been like soulmates. That friendship had been so pure that no one else could ever intrude upon it. Seeing them reach this point of cold silence left Kise feeling not just sentimental, but a deep sense of helplessness at their inability to resolve it.

Kise preferred the way things used to be over watching them drift apart bit by bit. Even if his envy was one-sided, he didn't want to see his friends fall to pieces. Especially when those two were Aomine-cchi, whom he admired, and Kuroko-cchi, his own mentor. But he didn't understand. He didn't understand where things had gone wrong.

So, he wanted an answer from Kuroko.

"Yes, and no," Kuroko said, realizing it might be better to lay it all out. "Aomine-kun is only part of the reason. What I’m truly bothered by is everyone’s attitude toward the games."

Tetsuya Kuroko was no genius; simply keeping pace with his teammates had consumed all his energy. He gave his all in every match and took joy in every victory. All he wanted was to share that joy with his companions and to treat every game with seriousness and reverence. Kuroko believed that every opponent who had worked hard for victory deserved respect.

But gradually, he found that the distance between the principles of the "Miracles" and his own was growing. Nobody cared about the game anymore, and nobody cared about winning. To them, victory was as natural and trivial as eating or drinking; it brought no emotional change. They felt no joy, no excitement. And, consequently, no one cared about the games. They no longer did the research, mapped out strategies, or worked step-by-step to earn a victory like they used to.

It was as if, in the entire Teiko team, he was the only one still trying. How was such a Teiko any different from a scattered pile of sand? Kuroko knew this might be his own failing—that he lacked the talent, that he was clumsy in his attempt to stand on the stage of geniuses... but...

The image of Ryota Kise before him began to blur. Kuroko wiped his eyes in confusion, only to find his hand wet with tears.

"Kuroko-cchi?" The sound of a chair scraping back echoed through the room.

Seeing Kuroko cry, Kise stood up, almost uncontrollably. He had never seen Kuroko cry before. Kise walked over to him, clumsily trying to offer comfort. "I'm sorry, I'll change whatever I did wrong. Please, don't cry."

He was usually good at comforting girls, but Kuroko, who rarely showed strong emotional fluctuations, left him completely at a loss. Kuroko pushed Kise's hand away and stood up to clear the dishes. "I'm sorry. I just need some time alone."

"If you don't want to leave, Kise-kun, you can stay in the guest room. I'm a bit tired, so I'm going to sleep." Silently, he washed the dishes, then grabbed his pajamas to take a shower.

***

Just as he threw his laundry into the washing machine, he received a message from Toru Oikawa.

[I'm already on my way back to Miyagi. The coach says the junior high qualifiers are set for next Sunday. Do you have time to come over then? I'll treat you to grilled beef tongue.]

Kuroko replied: [I'm sorry, Oikawa-senpai. After thinking it over carefully, I still have no intention of switching sports. I’ve disappointed you.]

[It's fine! I just wanted to invite you over for fun, don't put so much pressure on yourself.] Oikawa replied quickly, as if he had already expected this response.

Kuroko couldn't refuse again. He glanced at his schedule and typed back: [We have our finals next Saturday. I should have time to come over.]

[Great! I'll be waiting for you then!]

Putting his phone down, Kuroko sighed softly. He had failed to live up to Oikawa's expectations. As it turned out, having too much on his mind meant he didn't check the water temperature before turning the handle, and he ended up doused in freezing water.

Kuroko sneezed, trembling, and quickly turned on the bathroom heater. Ah... he really was a good-for-nothing who couldn't do anything right.

***

Kise sat on the sofa, his face filled with confusion. Just then, his phone lit up—a call from Seijuro Akashi.

"Ryota, what did Tetsuya say?"

"He said he's dissatisfied with how Teiko treats the games right now," Kise reported truthfully. "Though, to be fair, the games really aren't that interesting lately."

"Ah, Akashi-cchi, I have an idea..."

After the call ended, there was silence from Akashi for a while before he suddenly pulled Kise into a newly created group chat.

[Akashi invited you to "Temporary Discussion Group (No Kuroko or Momoi)."]

[Aomine: What is this for in the middle of the night?]
[Midorima: ...]
[Murasakibara: ...Kuro-chin's business?]

Murasakibara Atsushi, like a big kid, was unexpectedly sharp. Of course, it also had to do with him being close to Akashi and knowing that Akashi had gone to pick up Kuroko.

[Aomine: Tetsu? What's wrong with him?]
[Midorima: ...]
[Murasakibara: As I thought.]
[Akashi: For the quarter-finals, I want everyone to use 100% of their strength.]
[Kise: 10,000%!]
[Aomine: Huh? Why? We win even if we mess around, and the moment we get serious, the opponents become boring.]
[Murasakibara: Can't do it.]
[Midorima: I won't do things that have no meaning.]
[Akashi: Then let's set a goal. Let's see who scores the most points.]
[Aomine: And if we do?]
[Akashi: Everyone else splits the cost of the winner's drinks and meals until the next game.]
[Murasakibara: Sounds good, kind of interesting.]
[Murasakibara: Can I include snacks?]
[Akashi: Yes.]
[Murasakibara: Then I'm in.]
[Aomine: Count me in. Free lunch is free lunch.]
[Midorima: This is meaningless.]
[Kise: Midorima-cchi, 5 to 1. Majority rules.]
[Midorima: Where did you get 5?]
[Kise: I voted for Kuroko-cchi and Momoi-cchi on their behalf.]

[Midorima: ???]
[Akashi: It's decided. I want everyone to participate actively in the next game.]
[Akashi: Understood?]
[Group chat dissolved.]

Looking at the dissolved group, Kise put his phone away, feeling relieved. This way... Kuroko-cchi should be a little happier.

But Kise's relief didn't last long. Perhaps due to the recent stress, his poor mental state, and the cold shower, Kuroko fell ill the very next morning.

"I'm sorry, Kise-kun," Kuroko said, sitting on the sofa and looking apologetic.

Kise glanced at the thermometer in his hand; there was still a low-grade fever. As he rummaged through the medicine box, he replied, "What are you talking about? Don't think about that nonsense."

"Your temperature is a bit lower than before, so it shouldn't be a big problem. Also, Akashi-cchi told me to ask if you’re still coming to watch the game today. You definitely can't play, but sitting on the bench is fine too."

"Okay," Kuroko responded. It was boring lying at home anyway, so he might as well go and watch.

The two didn't travel with the school bus, and by the time they reached the arena, both sides were already warming up.

"Kise-chin is slow," Murasakibara said, tossing a basketball toward Kise.

"Sorry, sorry, had a bit of an incident," Kise said, catching the ball and joining the warm-up.

Murasakibara walked past Kise and slapped a large hand on top of Kuroko's head. "Why is Kuro-chin wearing a mask?"

"I have a cold. Also, Murasakibara-kun, please don't touch my head," Kuroko said, moving the hand away. These people were always touching his head.

"You're sick?!" Momoi Satsuki was startled and immediately rushed over to check his temperature. "It is a bit warm. Come, come, sit over here." She led Kuroko to the bench.

Daiki Aomine withdrew his gaze from Kuroko and said without looking back, "What a hassle. Just sit there and watch me win."

Akashi checked on Kuroko before going to organize the team. "Play well today. Don't forget what was said last night."

"Got it—" Kise was the first to raise his hand.

Teiko's quarter-final opponent was an old, prestigious Tokyo school, but their level was far beneath the Generation of Miracles. The whistle blew, and the game began.

Unlike the dull, uneventful games Kuroko had anticipated, Teiko showed a remarkably active approach to scoring from the very first quarter. Teiko's games usually ended with lopsided scores, but this was the first time they had surpassed 40 points before the first quarter had even ended.

First quarter, 40:9.

The Teiko players were in great form; when they returned to the bench, Kise was even arguing with Aomine about a specific play. It was a complete departure from their previous indifference. For a moment, the game made Kuroko feel as if the "old" team had returned. Momoi was also surprised; in all the time that had passed, this was the first time she had seen Aomine argue with Kise over two points.

Kuroko intertwined his fingers, his nose feeling sore.

Ah... everything was moving in a better direction. Could he continue to look forward to Teiko's tomorrow? After all, he loved basketball most of all. And just the same... he loved Teiko most of all.