Chapter 17: So this is defeat

It was already pretty dark out when practice finally ended for Kuroko and the others that day. It really had been another tough day for them. No surprises there. The others were too motivated to take it easy, not after seeing Kaijō go up against Tōō.

This was the clearest in Kagami, who had been eager to share some news with them today. What he told them was not what Kuroko had been expecting to hear to be honest, but he wasn't mad either. If anything, he was sort of glad. This only further reinforced their earlier revelation.

'To become stronger together…..we have to first become stronger alone.'

Summer vacation was in full swing, and Kagami was going to use all the time he had to return to America for the next two weeks, coming back just as classes resumed for them at the end of August. Apparently he had an old basketball master there, and after seeing Naruto and Aomine go at it, he figured something out. Something he could only train with his old master.

Or that's what he said. As always, he had a tough time explaining himself. But while he was vague with his words, Kuroko had full faith in him. Everyone else did too.

If he was going to come back stronger, then no one was going to complain.

Kuroko felt his body relaxed as he took his first steps outside of the gym. It was definitely a beautiful night out tonight. A full moon too, from the looks of things.

But wait, around this time…..

'The game should be finishing right about now.'

The finals of the Inter-High. Kuroko had to wonder who had made it there at the end. He knew Murasakibara and Akashi had been due to face off against one another, but who had prevailed in the end? He was certain one of them would face Naruto and Kise in the finals.

Really. Who was going to win this tournament?

"You've been quieter than usual, and that's saying something."

Kagami joined the blue haired boy outside. The others were still in the gym, getting everything in order before they left for the day.

Kuroko turned to the taller teen with his usual calm demeanor.

"I was just thinking. About the Inter-High."

Kagami looked annoyed. "T'ch, you should forget about that already. The coach said it best. We've got to focus on what's ahead."

It was a convenient excuse for him really, as he was still bitter about their loss against Aomine. He still made a decent enough point, though.

But Kuroko wasn't worried about that. They couldn't change the past, no matter how much they may want to.

"I'm sure you're a little bit curious too. About who the winner will be."

True, Kagami could acknowledge that much.

"I'll have my answer when I get back." He took a slight pause before a grin started to form. "Not that it makes much of a difference. We're still going to crush them all this winter."

The Generation of Miracles, as well as Naruto. Kagami was more than happy to take them all on.

'I'll get even stronger.'

He wasn't going to lose again. Not a chance.

Kuroko couldn't help but smile. "You're still so simple-minded, Kagami-kun."

But Kuroko liked that about the boy. His love toward basketball was infectious, and Kuroko admired him for it.

Kagami still punched him in the arm as he grumbled. No one liked being called "simple-minded," even if it was said as some kind of compliment.

"Shut up."

Rubbing his arm, Kuroko gave the taller teen a blank stare.

"…..that hurt, Kagami-kun."

That was the point!

In the arena, just as Kuroko predicted, the final minutes of the finals were being played. The fourth quarter was ticking down fast, rather fitting for the game that was currently being played on the court.

'Unbelievable.'

Yuki couldn't look away from the game being played in front of her. She was far too mesmerized by the skill that was being shown to her. She was sure everyone else watching was feeling a similar effect.

The points were rapidly stacking up too. Both teams had already scored in the 90's, and they didn't show any signs of stopping.

That said, Kaijō was the one struggling more at the moment. That was obvious for everyone watching, as Rakuzan slowly but surely closed the distance between their scores that had been built up in the third quarter. Akashi's leadership was to thank for this.

However, it still wasn't a walk in the park for the Rakuzan players either.

'Their spirit just won't die.'

Mibuchi saw this firsthand as Moriyama ran for a better shooting position. The Rakuzan shooter moved to intercept, but the pass still came through.

Moriyama felt his muscles ache as his hands made contact with the ball. Still, he took full advantage of the pass Kasamatsu threw his way. While Mayuzumi was feeling the similar effects from Akashi's support, the difference in skill between him and the Kaijō captain was still too great for him to stop him.

While the pass did reach Moriyama, he still found shooting the ball to be a more difficult task as Mibuchi managed to close the distance even faster than before.

'They're not letting up at all!'

Rakuzan wasn't underestimating them. Not as long as the fire was still in their eyes.

It was a sign of respect for sure, but still irritating.

The frustration was pretty clear in Moriyama, but he didn't let it clout his judgement as he still managed to shoot the ball. It was sort of a forced shot, though. And while Mibuchi failed to stop it or even graze it with his fingers, Moriyama was certain the trajectory was off.

Under the net, both Nebuya and Kobori were aware of this. They wrestled to box the other out for the incoming rebound, but as before Kobori knew he was going to be the one to lose this face-off.

'How tough is this guy!?'

If Nebuya felt like a boulder before, then to Kobori the Rakuzan center was like a mountain now. He tried with all his might, but it wasn't enough as Nebuya jumped for the successful rebound.

"Ah, Rakuzan stopped Kaijō again!"

"Are they going to score right away!?"

Almost in agreement, Nebuya threw the ball down court for a full on counterattack. It was Hayama who was there for the catch, but he already knew that unlike Nebuya and Mibuchi he was going to have a more tough time.

"You're not going anywhere!"

Sure enough, Kise was already on him, blocking the Rakuzan player from going proceeding.

"I'll make sure to get you even once!" Hayama shouted as he raised his hand, bringing the ball along for the ride. He pressed all five fingers on it, prepared to use his Lightning Dribble to its strongest extent.

And he did, but Kise was able to keep up with Hayama's powerful dribble just fine.

This forced Hayama to come to a quick stop. The smile on him now wasn't bitter, but one of resignation.

"T'ch, I still can't do it, huh."

Kise was panting hard, and sweating more than any other player on the court. He was also completely out of the Zone. Even with all of this combined, Hayama couldn't break past the blond's defense. More than likely because Kise could still copy the Emperor Eye and read his movements just fine.

Honestly, it was beyond frustrating. It took everything Hayama had to not scream right now.

"Hey!"

The frustration didn't stop Hayama from hearing Akashi's call, and without hesitation he tossed the ball for a pass. Beforehand, Kise might have tried to reach for the still. But as he was right now, he just couldn't do it.

The ball managed to reach the redheaded captain with Naruto already standing on the ready. But Akashi didn't try to go in by himself. He knew where that road would lead him. Instead, right as he got the ball, he was already throwing it for another quick pass.

Naruto's eyes followed the ball just fine, but his legs betrayed him as he couldn't reach it in time.

The trajectory of the pass was clear to Mayuzumi, who almost scoffed as he reached the location of the flying ball, appearing at the spot almost like a ghost.

'You're really playing it bold, aren't you?'

Well, Mayuzumi really couldn't complain. If they held anything back, he knew they weren't going to win here. Kaijō was that worthy of an opponent.

The phantom player felt Kasamatsu breathing down his neck, figuratively of course. He wasn't in a position to stop Mayuzumi, but he wasn't as slow to react as Mayuzumi would have liked. Mayuzumi knew he was playing better than he had all day, but the Kaijō captain was once again starting to react more quickly, rapidly getting adjusted to Mayuzumi's Misdirection. Sooner than he had previously too. Probably because he had been on the receiving end of it more often than the rest.

Mayuzumi wasn't going to let the captain stop him again, though. With his determination set, Mayuzumi launched his pass swiftly, not giving Kasamatsu any more time to close the distance between them.

Mibuchi was on the receiving end of this second pass, and Moriyama found himself unable to stop the Heaven shot yet again.

'It's even faster than before!'

And Moriyama had thought Mibuchi's shooting skills had been impressive before now. This was just cruel at this point.

The crowd above erupted into cheers as the three went in.

"Only four points! Rakuzan is only behind by four points now!"

"It's anyone's game!"

Those comments would have probably effected any other team, and for a moment Yuki had to wonder if the spirit Kaijō had managed to show so far would finally break.

She felt like an idiot as Kasamatsu was quickly throwing the ball back in, his face showing nothing but raw determination.

'No, I have to believe in them.'

She couldn't betray their commitment, not now.

It was Naruto who got the ball, and much like his captain he didn't let the comments from the audience get to him. And unlike Kise, his Zone hadn't been drained just yet. He could feel he was reaching his limit, though.

'I gotta make it count!'

The Rakuzan players found that they didn't have a second to rest, but they hadn't been expecting anything different.

Which is why Naruto found his path blocked by Akashi just a few moments after taking off, but not stopping in his moments he was already throwing a fast-paced pass behind his back, one that Akashi had no hope of stopping.

'Eh, not bad.'

Akashi had to hand it to Naruto. His passing skills weren't half-bad.

The pass went over to Kise, who narrowed his eyes when he found that he wasn't being guarded just by Hayama now. Mayuzumi was now there for the double team.

'So they saw this coming.'

Kise wasn't all that surprised. Rakuzan realized that he and Naruto were the only real threats left in the game, and that the two were most likely to pass to one another. So while Akashi covered Naruto, they were going to put Hayama and Mayuzumi on him. This would also have the effect of exhausting Kise faster, and take him off the game if need be.

How annoying.

Kasamatsu almost cursed them out for this. 'Really? You're going to look down on us now!?'

There were no words shared between them, but Kise already knew what his captain was thinking. So, not holding anything back, Kise charged the double team head on. Hayama and Mayuzumi moved to block him off while making sure they weren't leaving any gaps in their defense. In response, following Hayama's example, Kise attacked with the fully powered Lightning Dribble. The ball was covered in a lightning streak as Kise charged ahead. As Hayama and Mayuzumi moved in to cut him off, Kise did a quick step back and pulled out a crossover with no wasted movements, fooling the two just fine.

'Is this guy serious!?' Mayuzumi clenched his teeth as Kise got around them. It was almost like their double team hadn't done anything at all!

Nebuya was about to charge in himself but stopped at the last second when he saw that Kise wasn't looking to score himself. Rather, he positioned himself for a shot. But as soon as the balls left his hands, Nebuya noticed that it wasn't a shot at all.

It was another pass. More specifically, an alley-oop for Kasamatsu who was already in the air.

Confident, Nebuya made to jump as well but found his movements slowed yet again by Kobori who pressed his full body on him. Kobori's hips were low as he did everything he could to slow the stronger center if only for a split second. It was the only tactic Kobori had at this point, but it did the trick as Kasamatsu was able to dunk over Nebuya who jumped too late for the block.

"Oh, Kaijō scored right back on them!"

"I can't believe the captain was able to dunk!"

"Kaijō's spirit is amazing!"

Momoi had to shake her head. How quickly the crowd turned their praises around. But it was the effect that the current game was having on them.

To Imayoshi, it was more than just a little bit funny.

"Up until now, this match has been something of a ping-pong match," the glasses wearer said. The others didn't miss the excitement in his voice. "Both teams kept hitting one another with one surprise attack after the other. But now…."

Now, both teams seemed to have revealed everything they had under their sleeves. There were no more surprise attacks.

It was just a full on frontal assault followed by another, and another. And so on. There was no room for holding back. Both teams realized this, and were using any openings they could find. With Akashi and Mayuzumi on the court, Rakuzan was able to get around Naruto and Kise with their passes, focusing their attacks on Nebuya and Mibuchi who were sure to score. Conversely, Kaijō had to rely on Naruto and Kise for their offense, but even so some of the others managed to sneak a few plays in.

Moving on from the ping-pong battle analogy, now the match was more akin to Kaijō and Rakuzan simply beating each other with a stick, trying to see who would collapse first. It was attack after attack, and the crowd was all for it.

Down below, Mibuchi was glaring at the Kaijō team.

"The double team wasn't able to do anything. Should we-"

"No, we keep it." Akashi looked over to Naruto and Kise. "Only Uzumaki and Kise can make plays anymore. If we stop them, we stop Kaijō."

It wasn't a matter of looking down on the others. It was just a fact. They had already reached their limit. Kasamatsu's dunk just now didn't change that.

Conversely, Akashi saw that his team was in a similar state. He might have been able to get them to a new level, but that didn't mean their stamina had recovered. The more this went on, the harder it was to keep up. It wasn't much of a shock to him really, as he knew how much pressure all of Kaijō was putting them in. Naruto and Kise might be the ones making the plays happen, but the others were still contributing. As tired as they were, Akashi knew they couldn't let their guard down for any of them.

Hayama noticed Akashi's rapid breathing. "But Akashi. You're-"

A small smile broke on Akashi's face. "I'm aware."

The redhead had long since reached his limit too. It was only expected. After using the Zone in the last quarter, and through all of this one. Not just that, but trying to keep up with Naruto's speed. It had taken quite a toll on his body. Only willpower was allowing him to keep standing and moving.

That, and he was having too much fun at the moment. Why would he stop?

Still smiling, Akashi led his team back on the offensive.

"Let's go!"

They weren't going to lose this match!

"Kaijō! Kaijō! Kaijō! Kaijō!"

"Rakuzan! Rakuzan! Rakuzan! Rakuzan!"

The whole room was filled with the energetic cheers from the crowd. It was evenly split between both teams as they saw Kaijō and Rakuzan continue their unrelenting offensive against one another. It was one quick play followed by the next, with no room for error.

For the most part, Rakuzan continued to use Kobori's and Moriyama's weakened state to their advantage as they focused most of their offense there. In contrast, Kaijō focused their plays mainly on Naruto and Kise. Moriyama managed to force in a couple of more three's, but were it not for Naruto and Kise Kasamatsu knew they already would have lost this match.

In other words, both teams were truly in a deadlock. That's why the excitement was running high.

"You don't see games like this very often," Momoi said softly.

Aomine couldn't help but agree with her. But as energetic and cheerful as the spectators were, Aomine knew that the ones enjoying themselves the most were the players themselves. It only made him love basketball more, if such a thing was possible.

But how could he not? Seeing the sport he loved bring so many smiles to so many people…..it was something else.

All that said, the end was quickly approaching.

How was this to end?

The balance between Rakuzan and Kaijō had held up to this point for the most part. At 107 to 106, Rakuzan had been able to close in just short of a point. But since then, they hadn't been able to overtake Kaijō.

As the final twenty seconds of the match arrived, however, there was a turning point.

Kasamatsu cursed in his head as Mayuzumi was able to get a few fingers in the pass he was throwing to Kise. It was a desperate move by the phantom player, but it seemed to work.

The Kaijō captain couldn't believe it.

Is that how slow he'd gotten!?

Regardless of the reason, Mayuzumi tipped the ball just enough to stop it from reaching Kise, the intended target. That said, the ball still headed in that general reaction, so Kise took off to snatch it before it was too late. A task that was easier said than done as Hayama was running right with him, looking to seize this opportunity. It was just what Rakuzan needed, after all.

By this point, whatever buffs Hayama had obtained from Akashi's perfect rhythmed plays were now gone. Which showed just much strain Kise was now in as he struggled to keep pace with the Uncrowned King, whereas before he would have been able to outrun just fine. It didn't help that Hayama had been in a closer starting position, relative to where the ball was now heading to.

The aftereffects of the Zone were severe, no doubt about it.

Kise still pushed through the pain. Failing at a time like this would be the last thing he was going to do.

Even with all of Kise's effort, he and Hayama arrived where the ball was at the same exact same time. They didn't waste time in reaching for it, but as they did the ball fumbled between their hands.

The ball flew away once more, only this time its destination was uncertain.

It took a split second, but then they saw where the ball was bouncing to. It was something of a cruel ploy as the ball found its way toward Mibuchi's direction.

If Moriyama felt any fear at that moment, he would never know as he was already on the move, his mind focused on defending this coming shot.

Mibuchi merely smiled as he took possession of the ball, but that smile disappeared when he saw just how closely Moriyama was guarding him. It was unavoidable, though. This time, Moriyama wasn't going to let Mibuchi shoot off his Heaven shot so easily. The Kaijō shooter was putting everything on the line here.

'But if he goes for Earth….'

Mibuchi felt tempted to try and bait Moriyama in, but he wasn't going to risk it. Moriyama had already proven to be quite a nuisance, which is why Mibuchi was prepared to give it his all.

There was only one clear move here.

For Moriyama, there was a moment where everything slowed down. As Mibuchi got into his shooting position, Moriyama read his stance like an open book. It wasn't Heaven or Earth.

It had to be Void.

Confident, Moriyama lowered his knees in preparation for his jump just as Mibuchi did the same.

But it was hopeless. As Moriyama tried to raise his body he found that he couldn't jump at all.

'No, this is like before!' he thought desperately.

Moriyama had felt sure knowing what shot was coming that he would be able to stop it this time. He had been proven definitely wrong.

The secret to Void, that third shot…..it seemed like Moriyama wouldn't be able to figure it out what it was during this match.

Mibuchi was the winner of their shooting guard face-off, but Moriyama was no longer concerned with such things. What hurt more was the three pointer that followed. He wasn't facing the basket, but he heard the shot going in nonetheless.

The cheering only made it worse.

"Rakuzan did it! They made a comeback!"

Moriyama didn't need to look at the score to already know what it was.

107 to 109. Yuki really hated 109 right now.

"Oh, is that it then?" Up in the seats, Okamura looked at the clock. Nine seconds left. "How's Kaijō going to retaliate I wonder?"

If they moved fast enough, they could still tie the game here, and if they went into overtime….

The others in Tōō and Shūtoku were thinking the same thing.

Almost like they were responding to the other teams, Kaijō moved for their counterattack.

'It ain't over till it's over!' Kasamatsu used all the strength he had left to launch the ball out as far as he could. It was definitely reckless, but there was no time to play it safe. Thankfully, it was Kise who ended up catching it and making a run for it.

It was a race to Rakuzan's basket, and they were intending to win it.

"Do you really think it'd be that easy!?"

If Kise wasn't already thinking of his next move, he would have cursed as Rakuzan was already in defending positions.

"We already knew you wouldn't give up, not at this point." Nebuya glared at Kobori, who was more than happy to return it. "We'll stop this, no matter what!"

The sentiment was shared by all of Rakuzan, even those on the bench. But Kise didn't have the luxury of fixating on such things. The clock was ticking, and in the state he was in with the time remaining he knew he wouldn't make it.

'You're the only one I can count on!'

As those words echoed in Kise's mind, he passed the ball to his right just as Naruto came running by. Hayama had no chance of stopping such a quick pass, and so the shorter blond sprinted away, now with the ball.

Aomine knew this was the best decision Kaijō could have made under the circumstances. No one but Naruto had the stamina left to make a play happen. Even if the blond was no longer in the Zone, he was still more able than the rest.

There was only one problem.

Just as Naruto got past the three point line, Akashi arrived just in the nick of time. As they locked eyes with one another, they knew straight away.

This was it. It was the moment of truth. Not just between them, but for the whole game.

This was the last play.

'What is he planning?' Akashi was more wary and anxious than ever before. Just as Naruto, he too had lost the Zone. All he had was the Emperor Eye, but even then it wasn't complete like before. If he waited till Naruto moved, Akashi knew he would lose this.

But what was Naruto planning on doing?

'In this position, he would probably fake and crossover…..'

Or maybe he would just charge right in with a straightforward drive? No, that couldn't be. He no longer had the speed for it. But what if Naruto was trying to outsmart him? Doing what Akashi least expected and just bolt right through. It would definitely catch Akashi off-guard.

'That would be the unexpected thing, right?' Naruto thought. 'Just try to force my way in. But that's also why it'd be the most predictable.'

So then, what to do?

Aomine was completely immersed by the two, more than aware of the mental battle raging between them.

'What are you going to do, Uzumaki?'

As Naruto's body made to move, Akashi couldn't help but grin.

'At this point, relying on complicated strategies won't get us anywhere.'

The time for thinking was done. Only action would resolve this.

And act Naruto did. He surprised everyone as he kicked off the floor with a powerful jump. He wasn't going with the first two options. He was making a third one for himself.

Takao jumped out of his seat with wide eyes. "It's a formless shot!"

Indeed it was, and Mibuchi had to gape at the action.

'You're kidding me! He can still move like that!?'

Even after being in Zone for so long, after using so much stamina? Just how resilient was this guy!?

Despite how unexpected Naruto's plan of attack might have seem to Mibuchi and the others, Akashi was a different story. The redhead was jumping right along with Naruto, his hand raised just high enough to block the incoming shot.

Kasamatsu gritted his teeth. 'It's no use! He can't shake him off anymore.'

It wasn't just Naruto's speed that had taken a hit. Kasamatsu could tell that the blond wasn't jumping as high as he normally did. That's why Akashi was able to be in a position to block the formless shot that was coming.

But then there was a second surprise. Akashi, thanks to his eyes, was able to see it first. Instead of going through with the shot, Naruto lowered his arm back at the last possible moment. That alone would have been enough to prevent Akashi from stopping whatever the blond was trying to do next, as he didn't have the energy or the reaction time needed to keep up with Naruto's moves, even with the Emperor Eye. That's the one area Naruto and Aomine excelled at, after all.

Naruto still traded the ball with himself behind his back, passing it from his right hand to the left. From that, many believe that Naruto was still trying to make the shot on his own, just that he was switching which hand he threw the ball with. That thought ended when the ball started to leave Naruto's grasp altogether.

It definitely wasn't a shot. It was a pass.

'What!?' Nebuya's glare hardened, but Kobori didn't move an inch. 'Who's he passing to!?'

Hayama was quick to do the same with Kise, but to his surprise he found the boy wasn't moving at all. Was he thinking that he could still get it, despite Hayama being on him?

'No, that's not it.'

Even if Kise did get the pass, he wasn't close enough to the basket to matter.

So who was it then!?

Mibuchi almost squealed in a panic when he realized who the pass was going to.

It was Moriyama!

Somehow, the Kaijō shooter had been able to evade Mibuchi's notice just long enough to get into an open position.

'No,' Mibuchi realized as he tried to reach Moriyama in time to stop the pass from going through. 'It's my fault.'

He had been too fixated on Naruto and Akashi and because of it he had let Moriyama slip through.

Still in midair, Akashi could do nothing but watch as the ball left Naruto's hand. He now realized what Naruto's true intentions were. He had only been baiting Akashi in, but Naruto had never planned to make the shot himself. He wasn't looking for a tie.

Naruto was trying to win the game, here and now, and he was going to use Moriyama's shot to do it.

Moriyama was more than prepared for it, silently vowing to make the shot no matter what.

And at that moment, Akashi really did think that Kaijō was going to win. There was nothing he could do to stop Naruto's pass, and Mibuchi wouldn't be able to make it to Moriyama in time.

Then the third, and final surprise appeared. Only this one didn't come from Naruto, as he too was caught completely off guard by it. And that was Mayuzumi, whose sudden presence stunned the blond.

'How did he-!?'

This had been the opening Mayuzumi had been waiting for. All this time, he had never directly faced Naruto, choosing to bid for just the right time instead. And his gamble had finally paid off, here during the final seconds of the game. But even so, Mayuzumi knew that without Naruto and Akashi capturing everyone's attention, his Misdirection wouldn't have been able to fool the others. Not at this stage of the game. Especially not with Kasamatsu on him.

Regardless, by the time Naruto was able to take note of the so-called phantom, the ball was already being slapped out of his hands.

The pass would not be reaching Moriyama.

And as the ball bounced off, Naruto felt his heart sink. It only sunk further as the buzzer went off. There was no more time left. That truly had been his, and by extension Kaijō's, last chance.

"Time's up! Rakuzan High wins the Inter-High!"

Those words were the last thing that rang in Naruto's ears. All the screaming, jumping, and celebrating that followed after went unnoticed by him.

He didn't miss the looks of defeat and agony that befell his team, though. Not just those on the bench. But Kasamatsu, Moriyama, and Kobori. As tired as they were, it didn't stop them from feeling the full brunt of this defeat.

It only made it worse. They had given it their all, but it hadn't been enough.

Yuki too. Naruto locked eyes with her for just a moment, but it was more than enough to see that as sad as she was she was far more worried about him. The fact that she was on the verge of tears only hurt him more.

Naruto turned his gaze upward as he held back his emotions as much as possible. There was nothing but the lights of the room glaring back down on him, but they did little to light up the sadness coursing through him.

'So this is defeat.'

He didn't know if he had felt something like this in the past. But for him, the Naruto existed here and now, this was a first. After giving it everything he had, after trying so hard, after putting it all the line…..it ended in defeat.

This was the other side of basketball. No, perhaps it was just the other side of life. You couldn't always succeed.

Naruto could understand that, but that didn't stop him from hurting any less.

'I could have-'

"Uzumakicchi."

It took Naruto a few moments to register Kise's presence next to him. When he did, he saw that Kise was hurting just as much as him, if not more.

Kise still flashed him a smile. "Guess we couldn't make it, huh."

Seeing his friend trying to put on a brave face made Naruto sigh.

"I can see why you're a model and not an actor. You can't lie to save your life."

Naruto's words were enough to make Kise's mask crack, if just for a bit.

"You're not one to talk, Uzumakicchi. I can see you're about to cry too."

Of course he was. Because Naruto loved basketball so much.

"You're both idiots." A smiling Kasamatsu approached them with Kobori and Moriyama in tow. "You're not the only ones who lost tonight. So don't go taking all the pain by yourself."

Being part of a team meant sharing responsibility, did it?

It didn't lessen the pain in Naruto's heart any, but he knew it would help him heal faster.

"That was an excellent game."

The Kaijō players found a smiling Akashi walking up to them, with the rest of Rakuzan not far behind. Just like their captain, Mibuchi, Nebuya, Hayama, and Mayuzumi wore smiles on their faces.

"Even if we had lost, it doesn't change that," Akashi said as he extended his hand toward Naruto. "We all gave it our best, after all. And it's not like this is over, right?"

Knowing a challenge when he saw one, Naruto narrowed his eyes as he grasped Akashi's hand with his own. He made sure to fight back the tears for now.

"You're damn right. We might not have been able to beat you tonight, but the future is a different story."

"We'll always be there." Akashi's eyes shifted to Kise. "This was our victory, but in the end we weren't able to stop you two."

Kise pouted a little. "If this was the old me, I would be bragging about that right now. But it's pointless if only Uzumakicchi and I win."

Akashi was happy to hear that. "You've definitely grown, Kise. Or perhaps this is how you've always been?"

"Who can say?" Kise replied with a guarded smile. "It's not like you haven't grown either, Akashicchi."

Akashi could accept that. Because he knew Kise was right. Besides, if there was a catalyst for their change, they knew Kuroko was it.

There were a few more words exchanged between both teams, but there was no sense of animosity in any of them. It had been a tough battle, but they all had fun in the end.

Which is why, even though Yuki shed tears as both teams lined up, she couldn't help but smile.

The ceremony came and went, and even as Kise finally broke down as they headed back to their locker room, Yuki's thoughts didn't change.

She was glad she and Naruto had been able to find Kise and the others. And more importantly, Yuki was happy that Naruto had found basketball.

"My dear Naruto, forgive meeeeeeeee!"

To say Naruto was ambushed would be an understatement. After the awards ceremony had ended, the blond and his team had started to made their way out of the building with their second place medals hanging around their necks.

That's when someone decided to make their presence known, specifically Michiko who was in the middle of shedding tears as she engulfed her son in a tight hug. Naruto was sure he was going to die right then and there with how strong his mother's grip was.

Thankfully, he was hope as Eiji came to his recuse.

"Kaga-sama, you might want to release your son before he dies from a lack of oxygen."

"But I should have been there for him! But instead, I was only able to see the last minutes of the game!" Michiko cried even harder somehow. "I'm a terrible mother!"

"If you don't kill me now, I'll forgive you!" At least, that's what Naruto tried to say. But it all came out as gibberish as his ability to speak was all but gone, being pressed as hard as he was right now.

The others in Kaijō watched the scene with varying levels of amusement and confusion.

Except for Yuki who ran to her father. "Dad, you came too!"

Eiji smiled as he placed a hand on her shoulder. "Of course I did. We would have arrived sooner, but…..we were delayed."

Delayed?

"Oh, that's right!" By some miracle, Michiko finally released Naruto from her death hug as she turned to address the others. "We were preparing your celebratory party!"

Oh. That made sense.

"You went overboard if you ask me," Hiroji said under his breath as he joined the scene. "You ordered too much food and decorations. That's why we couldn't make it in time."

"It was for a good cause!"

Sure it was.

"W-Well, we appreciate the gesture." Kasamatsu tried to stop himself from stuttering as he stood straight. It didn't take a genius to realize that he was speaking to Naruto's mother right now. "But you see, we sorta-"

"You lost, yes." Michiko's simple phrasing of the situation made Naruto and the others freeze for a moment. "However, it was a good night, right? And you were still able to make it all the way here. That's enough cause to celebrate I think."

Kise's eyes sparkled. It was a total one eighty from just a few minutes ago when he was crying. "I totally agree with you!"

Naruto grumbled. "You just want to party, you idiot."

"Stop being so gloomy, Uzumakicchi. Be more like your mom. You'd be so much popular that way."

Say what now!?

"If you insist, we'll take you up in your offer." Naruto blinked when he found Takeuchi standing in front of Michiko all of a sudden. And was his chin sparkling? "I believe this is the first time we're speaking face-to-face, correct? You must be Uzumaki's mother. I'm Takeuchi Genta, the head coach for the team. It's a pleasure to finally meet you. I must say, you're more beautiful than I imagined."

Naruto's jaw almost hit the floor. Was he just imagining it….or was his coach actually trying to hit on his mother!?

Whether Michiko realized it or not was unclear as she simply offered a smile back to the man.

"It's a pleasure to meet you as well, Takeuchi-san. Thank you for taking care of my son."

"It's not a problem! Glad to do it!"

Who was this positive man!? Naruto surely didn't recognize him!

Kise almost laughed when he saw Naruto continue to grumble at this unexpected twist.

"A bit overprotective, are you?"

"…..no."

Yuki rolled her eyes at this. "I don't know why you're so surprised, Naruto-kun. Believe it or not, Kaga-sama is very popular. She's a beautiful woman, you know? It's more surprising that she's not seeing anyone."

Maybe….but that didn't mean that he had to like it.

So maybe he was overprotective. Sue him.

"Anyway! This is actually a good chance!" Kise pulled out of his phone and asked, "You don't mind if I invite a few extra people, do you?"

Michiko's smile only widened. "Of course not! The more the merrier!"

Naruto had to give his fellow blond a wary look. "More people?"

It was a feeling shared by Moriyama. "What are you talking about, Kise? The whole team is already here!"

Kise merely chuckled.

"You'll see."

Naruto really didn't like the way he said that.

"I knew I didn't like the way you said that!"

Aomine looked bored as he took his first steps into Naruto's house, not reacting to Naruto's shout in the least. The whole living room had been prepared for a party. Hiroji hadn't been kidding when he said Michiko went all out for tonight. It was like the woman had been prepared to serve over a hundred people!

"So this is your house, huh. Rich bastard."

"Aomine-kun, mind your manners." As usual, Momoi was lecturing the boy as she followed in after him.

But it wasn't just them. Midorima was also there, a hand on his glasses as he took a look around.

"I never expected for you to live in a place like this. I suppose you really can't judge a book by its cover."

Hey, wait a sec. What did that mean!?

"Hope no one minds me tagging along!" Takao said as he playfully saluted. "When Shin-chan said he was going somewhere, I knew it was going to be interesting!"

"I(t) is to(t)all(y) out (o)f t(h)is wo(r)ld!" Sure it was Hayakawa, sure it was.

"Eh, who cares about that." Murasakibara strolled in next, looking just as bored as Aomine. "Where's the snacks?"

That's the only reason he accepted Kise's invitation. He had been totally seduced by the promise of delicious snacks.

Naruto nearly slapped Kise on the back. "You invited Murasakibara!?"

Just like Michiko, Kise was all sunshines and rainbows.

"He's a friend, Uzumakicchi. So of course I would invite him!"

A friend? By the way Naruto was glaring at the taller teen, that didn't seem to be the case.

"Just you wait. Our battle got interrupted, but you won't get so lucky next time!"

"What was that?" Murasakibara matched Naruto's glare with his own. "I can crush you right now if you want."

"Oh yeah!?"

Yuki felt like melting away out of shame from the sight. "Naruto-kun, control yourself!"

But Naruto was already butting heads with the purple haired boy. How that was possible with Murasakibara being so much taller was anyone's guess. It took Yuki and Momoi prying the two apart before things got really out of hand.

It was enough to bring a tear to Michiko's eye. "My Naruto has so many close friends now. I can't believe it!"

She couldn't be more happy.

Nakamura looked at the woman in disbelief. That's what she called close friends!?

Noticing his look, Kasamatsu pushed him away with a defeated sigh. "Don't question it."

But Nakamura had to!

'Almost all the Generation of Miracles are here,' Kobori thought while he counted them one by one. For a split second, he almost pinched himself to make sure he wasn't dreaming.

Only one was missing, but it didn't take too long for Akashi to arrive at the house with the rest of his team following his lead.

"Ah, they weren't kidding," Mibuchi said as he took in the party guests. "Everyone else is here."

Hayama and Nebuya were too busy staring at all the food prepared. Their mouths were practically watering.

Mayuzumi just hung back. He wasn't one for parties, but Akashi had instead he come here. Besides, they had won the championship game. Nothing wrong with making an exception once in a while.

"Thank you for having us tonight." Akashi took a different approach from Mayuzumi and walked right to Michiko, where he bowed to show his gratitude. "I apologize in advance for any trouble we might cause you."

"Trouble?" Michiko waved off his concerns. "There is no trouble here. I'm more than happy to accommodate my son's friends."

Naruto interjected here, "Too early for the F word, mom."

"Shush you." Michiko then studied Akashi for a moment. "Wait a second. You're Akashi-san's son, aren't you?"

The Rakuzan captain smiled. "Yes. I'm surprised you recognized me. I don't believe we've spoken face-to-face before."

Akashi had seen his father meet with the woman on different occasions, though.

"There's no way I wouldn't recognize that face of yours! My, look how much you've grown. The last time I saw you you were still in diapers!"

Akashi's patience took a toll that night as Naruto, Takao, Kise, and Aomine all burst out laughing at the mental image of Akashi in diapers. The boy's patience suffered even more when he saw Yuki and Momoi cooed to one another.

Was this the price for his victory?

Naruto quickly recovered as he looked between Akashi and his mother.

"Wait, how do you two know each other?"

"It's not that we know each other exactly," Naruto's mother corrected. "It's just that his father and I have been business partners for a long time."

To be precise, Akashi's father and her late husband. But when she took over, she made sure the partnership continued.

"Hmm, I never expected for Uzumaki-kun to be your son," Akashi said. "What a small world."

Naruto felt like the one saying that.

What followed after that brief explanation was a time of eating and talking. There was no ramen on the menu, but Naruto still found the party to be enjoyable. Not that he could admit it to himself. It was just like his friendship with Kise. The boy couldn't admit that he found himself getting attached to the rest of the Generation of Miracles, even if they did piss him off from time to time.

The rest of Kaijō was starting to feel the same way, especially Moriyama who had to hand it to Kise. He sure knew how to spice up a party. It wasn't everyday that one could say they were hanging out with the Generation of Miracles, after all.

'All this needs is cute girls.'

Well, more cute girls. Yuki and Momoi were pleasant to look at, but Moriyama didn't dare approach either one. Naruto and Aomine made for some opposing obstacles, and he didn't feel like losing his spine tonight.

Next to him, Kobori had to shake his head, already knowing that his friend was probably thinking of something stupid again.

As for Michiko, she had to take a step back to admire the sight she was gifted with. This definitely wasn't the party she had envisioned when planning it out. It was even better actually. There were so many voices in this once empty house.

Could she maybe call this a miracle?

She didn't know, but she would think of it as such.

It would be sometime later that Eiji would make his way upstairs to Michiko's private office. When he opened the door, he wasn't surprised to find Naruto inside as he had noticed the boy sneaking his way up here. What he was somewhat surprised about was seeing the boy sitting in his boss's chair.

"Thinking of taking over so soon?" he joked as he made his presence known.

Eiji fought back his laugh when Naruto stood up abruptly with a sheepish look.

"Oh, Eiji-san! No, no! Nothing like that. I was just thinking through some stuff is all."

"Hmm. I didn't thinking was your forte."

Naruto looked down with a sulking expression. "Yuki says that all the time. Does she get it from you?"

"I like to think she inherited her personality from her mother, but who can say."

Funny.

"Shouldn't you be enjoying the party downstairs?" Eiji questioned as he stepped inside the office. "It's not everyday that you get to relax like this."

He left the door open behind him, which is what Yuki happened to come upon in her search for Naruto and her father. Unlike her father, she didn't actually step inside the office, choosing instead to remain in the hallway when she noticed the two inside.

"I just had a lot in my mind is all." Naruto scratched the back of his head awkwardly, not knowing what to say. And it wasn't because he was now technically dating the man's daughter.

Naruto had mentioned it before, hadn't he? How the man was always glaring at him when he thought Naruto wasn't looking. It made Naruto wary to be around him, especially now that he better understood his feelings toward Yuki. He didn't want to get on the man's bad side since he was an important person to the girl. But to Naruto, it seemed like he already got there without having realized it.

"Oh? Care to share?"

Eiji didn't seem to pick up on Naruto's discomfort, or maybe he did and was just ignoring it. Naruto didn't know, but having someone to talk to about his thoughts was too tempting to pass up, especially since it wasn't something he felt like he could share with Yuki or Kise.

"You might think it's stupid, to be thinking like this. But…I don't know, this all just seems a bit too freakish for me. Everything that's happened. I just can't get over it all."

Yuki frowned. 'That's what he thinks?'

But why?

Eiji had a different question. "In what way is this….freakish?"

"I'm sure you already know. Last year I was a guy with no memories and no friends or family. But now I have it all. My life is as perfect as you could get. I even have a goal! Where before I didn't even know what do do with myself. And a beautiful girlfriend too! What more-"

Naruto paled as he realized what he just said. When he saw the man smirking, he started to panic a little, and if he knew that Yuki was overhearing this, with her face turning all kinds of red, then he probably would have panicked more.

"Beautiful girlfriend you say? Well, I guess I should be happy you think so highly of my daughter."

'He knew!?' Both Naruto and Yuki screamed in their heads at the same time.

Naruto was quick to blurt out, "I promise to be the perfect boyfriend! To always respect her! And-!"

"You don't have to tell me anything." Eiji raised his hand, his face softening somewhat. "I can understand where you're coming from. These past few months have certainly been an eye-opener. Not just for you, I'm sure. I will admit that I had my…..reservations about your inclusion in this household. The first few months seemed to only prove me right. I saw you as nothing more than an unmotivated teenager that would do nothing but drag down those around you. I was afraid you were going to be a terrible influence on my daughter."

Naruto didn't fault the man for thinking that. His attitude back then had all but shown that.

"However, despite my fears, my daughter continued to believe in you. It's only now that I realize what a fool I've been." Eiji approached him and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Out on that court, I was able to see a different side to you. The side that Yuki always sees and believes in. You've got a good spirit in you. I believe that's what's attracted all these people to you. So you shouldn't overthink it. Just be grateful to have all these people in your life. Not many can say they do."

Whatever uneasiness Naruto may have had toward the man before this were now gone.

It was incredible, what a few words could do. Naruto felt his shoulders relax as most of his mental hangups left him.

Yeah, there was no reason for him to be hung up over all the changes. They happened, and there was no changing it. Heck, Naruto didn't want to change anything. From when he met Yuki, to his first encounter with Kise on that park, to joining Kaijō. It was all perfect. That's why he had been somewhat scared. To receive so much good fortune, who wouldn't be?

But as the man said, no point in worrying about it. Just enjoy it for as long as you could, and Naruto intended to make it last as long as possible.

"Thank you."

Naruto meant it too.

Outside, Yuki had to smile. 'Father….'

She mentally thanked him as well.

"You can call me father if you want."

Yuki's smile disappeared, her face mortified. 'What did you say!?'

How could her father say something like that!?

Naruto was just as embarrassed. "Um-"

"That was a joke."

Oh, whew. What a relief. If he actually meant that, then-

"But tell me. Isn't my daughter just the cutest?"

…..he just made it worse!

Yuki buried her face in her hands, trying to hide her embarrassment from the world.

'Stop talking, father!'

She didn't see it, but Yuki was just sure that Naruto was giving her father a thumbs up.

"Aye, just the cutest."

Her cheeks burned even more.

'You stop talking too, Naruto-kun!'

"See, I've been meaning to share my most important treasure with someone. Who else but my daughter's boyfriend, right?"

Wait, treasure? What treasure!?

"I took these when she was just eight months old and-"

Having heard enough, Yuki marched right into the room, her cheeks burning hotter than the sun. "Alright, that's enough you two! No more of this!"

Both Eiji and Naruto turned to her with expressions akin to that of a kid having been caught with his hands in the cookie jar.

Her embarrassment only grew when she saw her father about to hand several items to Naruto. She knew what those were.

"You were going to show him my baby pictures!?"

"O-Of course not!" The two quickly backed away from one another to try and appear innocent, while Eiji did his best to sound sincere. "You think I carry baby pictures of you around? That's preposterous! Why would I ever do something like that?"

Because he loved her, duh.

But just like with his dear wife, Yuki didn't buy his fake sincerity.

Next thing Eiji knew he was being pushed out of the office by his daughter.

"Come now, Yuki. Is this really necessary?"

"You've embarrassed me enough!"

Knowing when he was beat, Eiji made sure to discreetly shoot Naruto a thumbs up which the boy quickly returned.

They could see the baby pictures at another time. There would be plenty of chances in the future, after all.

Once Eiji was out and the door was closed, a weird silence fell between the two teens.

Naruto knew where it was coming from. "You heard all that, didn't you?"

Yuki didn't need to answer that.

Sighing, Naruto tried to think of a way to reassure her that he was no longer fixated on his earlier problem. But as it turned out, that's not what had Yuki all quiet.

When she turned to face him, she was pouting.

"It's just not fair. Why am I always the one getting embarrassed during times like this? You haven't even blushed once! Not even when we kissed….."

Oh.

Naruto held back his laughter. "That's what you're so worried about? Man, you are cute."

"I'm serious! Am I just not good at this?"

"Don't be an idiot." Naruto pulled the girl closer to him. Starting to get used to the closeness, Yuki wasn't as embarrassed as before. Although maybe it had to do more with the fact that they were alone this time.

"I probably never showed it before, but there was a time when I was worried that I wasn't good enough for you."

Yuki frowned at his admission. "That's not-"

"You heard your dad." Naruto knew she was too kind to admit it, but he wasn't blind. "I was a total mess. When I first realized I liked you more than a friend, I did freak out. A lot. I think I played it pretty cool, though."

Yuki almost rolled her eyes at this. He probably only got away with that because she wasn't exactly an expert at this sort of thing either.

"I'm still worried." Wrapping his arms around her waist, Naruto held her close to him. "Things are really great right now. Even if I'm still a little pissed about our lost tonight-"

"Language."

"-I'm still happy. I don't want things to end. I don't want to screw anything up. So if I seem confident, I guess it's because I'm good at hiding it….and I try not to think about it."

Not thinking was his forte, right?

Realizing what he was getting at, Yuki let out an exasperated sigh.

"You're an idiot."

Ouch. So straightforward.

"But I'm still not giving up." Leaning in closer, Yuki said, "I'll make sure to see your embarrassed side."

Naruto was more than up for it.

But as their lips met, the door to the office went wide open. And on the other side was basically everyone, with a sheepish Kise leading the pack.

"Um, this is totally not what it looks like."

Momoi had a different approach, in which she squealed as she took several pictures with her phone.

"Oh my gosh, you two are so adorable together! I was too far away before, but I can finally get pictures!"

Yuki started to blush again. "Momoi-san!"

Moriyama was glaring daggers at Naruto. "Damn you. I swear, I'll-"

"Alright, that's enough from you." Kobori spared everyone another one of Moriyama's speeches as he started to drag him away, something which Kasamatsu was grateful for as he was too busy trying not to pass out to give out his usual punishments.

Aomine was more thoughtful of the situation. Maybe he should get a busty girlfriend of his own? But where to find one?

"This is highly inappropriate. Spying like this is unacceptable!" Midorima tried to keep what dignity he had left while Takao snickered in the background.

Murasakibara wasn't going to let him, though, as he pointed out, "Eh? Then why did you follow us up here?"

Midorima fell silent, which only made Takao laugh even harder.

Akashi had to smile. "We apologize for this. But when we saw you two were missing, we just had to find you. The party wouldn't be complete otherwise."

"Yeah, that's right!" Kise nodded. "We can't help it that Kurokocchi isn't here, but we can't have you two disappear either!"

"It wasn't anything like that," Yuki tried to explain. "We were just…."

"Not a word." Momoi was in front of the girl in seconds, already grabbing Yuki by the hand and pulling her along. "These ruffians wouldn't understand. But me, you have to tell me everything!"

"W-Wait, Momoi-san! I don't think I can-!"

Yuki had no way of explaining, though. Momoi was too deep in her fangirl mode for that.

"If you ever have kids, you have to name one after me!"

"MOMOI-SAN!"

Akashi looked amused. "Well, we can't let them be the only ones who enjoy themselves tonight."

"I feel like Uzumakicchi already had the most fun here," Kise joked. Which only earned him a slap on the back of the head from Naruto.

Aomine smirked. "Ha, I'm sure blondie has some good dirty magazines for us, right?"

He was sure Naruto had the same tastes as him.

Naruto twitched. "Don't compare me to you!"

"Unbecoming I say!"

No one was buying it, Midorima.

"Sounds boring. I'm going back to the food," Murasakibara yawned. "It's like a whole buffet down there."

Kise's shoulders dropped. "It really doesn't feel like we're in sync at all."

"Give it time," Akashi said with another smile. "I'm sure we'll get there. This is only the beginning, right?"

But as Naruto and Murasakibara started to argue again over something trivial, with Aomine then attempting to break into Naruto's room just to see if he could find any porn the blond might be hiding which resulted in Midorima lecturing the three of them some more, Kise had to wonder if Akashi was right.

But it wasn't boring at least, and for that Kise was grateful.

Till next time.