Those dark days

It had begun. Yui sat alone in crowd watching the basketball game where Aomine realised his overwhelming strength. She sighed seeing Kuroko's face. It was only a matter of time when they all 'awaken' and be dubbed the Kiseki no Sedai. The game ended with Teiko completely thrashing the opponent school.

Yui left early without saying goodbye and went home.

Days passed and she no longer hung out with the GOM except for her brother, Kuroko and Momoi. Akashi would sometimes bring her home to cook but she would always leave straight after. Call it cowardice but Yui didn't have the heart to see everything fall apart.

Aomine started skipping practice and always disappeared off somewhere. Kuroko looked sad these days but the rest of the team didn't care or didn't notice. They began focusing on individualistic growth instead of team work and their coach supported it.

Eventually, the day arrived for the finals. The last day of the championship was filled with excitement and happiness from the stands but Yui felt nothing but sorrow. Sure she could go and tell the prodigies not to fix the score so badly but she knew that they wouldn't bother listening to her.

Meiko came to the arena full of spirits while Teiko walked in looking bored. It was disrespectful and rude of them but the Meiko team didn't seem to mind. Yui saw a lob of brown hair and recognised the player as Kuroko's childhood friend, Ogiwara-san.

Both teams bowed at each other and the ball was thrown up.

~*~*~*~*~*~

As expected, everything went the same as the anime and manga. The GOM fixed the score to mock the opposing players and utterly crushed their spirits. Yui watched as Kuroko made eye-contact with his friend who looked humiliated. She wiped a stray tear from her eye and walked out.

Akashi knew very well what he did. He felt a small pang of guilt but didn't regret it. He needed to show the commoners their place and that he was absolute.

The team changed out of their jerseys and made their way outside ignoring the stares and whispers. They spotted Yui waiting for them however, instead of wearing her usual warm smile, she looked at them emotionless and cold. Without a word, she motioned for Atsushi to come and turned her back and left.

None of the noticed the disappearance of a certain member until the next day and he was no where to be found.

~▪~▪~▪~▪~▪~▪~

"You're angry," was the first thing Atsushi said as they arrived home.

"No I'm not," Yui said. Her words and her tone did not match though.

"You are. Why?"

"...I'm..not angry. Just very disappointed," The brunette muttered as she slouched on the couch. "Are you even...aware of what you did?"

"What do you mean? We won the game, that's all that matters," her brother drawled eating maibo.

Yui sighed but said nothing. He will learn eventually once he loses to Seirin but that time seemed so far away. She knew Kuroko disappeared but made no attempt to go after him. This time gap was crucial for him to develop the will and courage to fight against his old teammates and friends. She thought it better not to interfere.

Yui wanted to stay mad at her brother but couldn't because despite being such a bully on court, they were close as siblings and he was a decent person in general.

The two spent the rest of the afternoon playing board games and watching tv before Yui and Sora made dinner.

Sora could tell his imouto was feeling down and tried to cheer her up by telling corny jokes. Niko got fed up and jabbed him in the stomach to shut him up. The family congratulated Atsushi for his win but he just replied, "Basketball is easy. Everyone else is just weak,"

Yui felt the urge to slap him but kept herself in check. Hiroshi on the other hand scolded him and started a whole lecture on good sportsmanship, not that Atsushi listened.

They cleaned up and did their own things before heading off to bed.

Yui was typing on her laptop when a knock sounded on her door.

"Come in,"

The door opened and Atsushi walked in wearing his pyjamas. His hair was dripping wet from his shower and he walked over to Yui handing her a blow dryer.

Yui gave him a blank stare.

"Do I look like your personal hair dresser?"

"..."

*Sigh *

Yui sat on the bed and he sat down in front of her taking out a box of pocky.

She plugged in the dryer and ruffled her brother's hair drying it. They didn't talk to each other and the sound of the hair dryer filled the room.

"...Mom said you're going to Yosen," Yui said after some time.

"Mmm, come with me."

Yui switched off the dryer and brushed the boy's purple hair.

"I...don't want to go so far. Besides, I'm planning on doing home school,"

"Why? I want you to come, you can make me food,"

Yui felt a vein throb. 'This bastard.'

"I can't come just because of that. Besides, I'm sure you'll find someone there who can cook just as good food as me," Yui thought of Himuro.

"Fine. But you'll visit me,"

"Idiot, I won't have to visit you. If you join the basketball team, you'll probably come to Tokyo anyway for games,"

"Oh. That so?"

'This airhead.' Yui did a french braid on his hair and tied it with a rubber band.

"All done. You can go back now,"

"Thank you...imouto," Atsushi said as he stood up. He gave her his usual head pat and went back to his room. Yui got lost in her thoughts. She didn't realise how fast time went by. It was already nearly time for the main plot to begin and she was looking forward to it. Especially meeting a certain red tiger.

'Fufu. Just a little longer generation of miracles, you're gonna get what's coming to you.'

She let out this weird cackle and Niko next door stared at the wall dividing the bedrooms.

"Is she...possessed?"

~_~_~_~_~_~

"...Let her go Atsushi,"

"No way,"

"You're gonna miss your train,"

"..."

The boy ignored Hiroshi and kept hugging Yui unwilling to let go. Yui was a bit happy that this guy was really attached to her but sometimes it was annoying. Like today.

The whole family were at the train station farewelling Atsushi who received an offer from Yosen. They were waiting for him to let go of the small girl and in the end, Ryu hand to pry him off and shove him into the train.

Yui giggled when she saw Atsushi staring out the window not wanting to leave. They waved goodbye and left.

The family had spent Christmas and New years in Kanagawa where their mom's parents were and Yui got to meet her grandparents for the first time. Their hearts were stolen by the girl and they spoiled her rotten the whole time they were there. Yui was overwhelmed at first but quickly got used to their babying her.

It had only been two days since they got back to Tokyo when Atsushi had to leave. There wasn't too much crying, except for Mrs. Murasakibara who didn't want to let go of her baby boy. The other siblings snickered at when she hugged him and straightened up his clothing.

The train left and the family went home.

"What made you want to do home school Yui?" her father asked.

"I just thought it suited me better. Is-is that alright?"

"Of course it's fine. I just asked out of curiosity. I already know you have high grades and you're smart. Plus you have discipline so I don't see a problem with you home-schooling. As long as you don't slack off,"

His wife sniffled. "At least one of my babies will be with me,"

The older siblings; 'What about us? Are we not your children too?'