Tetsuya Kuroko talked about his past experiences.
Daiki Aomine let out a couple of carefree laughs.
"So basically, your presence is so weak that no one even notices you're there?"
"That's amazing—hahahahaha."
Daiki Aomine kept laughing.
Tetsuya Kuroko spoke with a blank expression.
"Aomine-kun, don't you think you're laughing a bit too much?"
"Sorry."
Daiki Aomine scratched his head apologetically, then suddenly noticed something off.
"Huh? How do you know my name?"
Tetsuya Kuroko looked at Daiki Aomine with admiration and explained,
"Because you're famous for playing in official matches as a first-year."
Then he glanced at Miyamoto Tokima sitting beside them.
"Miyamoto-kun too. He was chosen as vice-captain in his first year."
Daiki Aomine clearly remembered that and muttered quietly,
"And yet he didn't end up taking the position."
Tetsuya Kuroko immediately corrected him.
"That's because Miyamoto-kun didn't want it."
Daiki Aomine laughed a couple of times and changed the subject.
"What about you?"
Tetsuya Kuroko thought he was being asked which team he belonged to.
"I'm on the third team."
Miyamoto Tokima understood what Daiki Aomine really meant and explained,
"Aomine isn't asking which team you're on. He's asking what your name is."
Tetsuya Kuroko looked at Daiki Aomine with a questioning gaze.
Daiki Aomine laughed and nodded.
"Miyamoto's right."
"I was asking your name. First team, third team—none of that really matters."
As he spoke, Daiki Aomine glanced at Tetsuya Kuroko's shoes, worn dark from constant practice.
"You stay late every night to practice. That means you really love basketball, right?"
"People who love basketball can't be bad—that's my theory."
Daiki Aomine genuinely loved basketball, so he naturally felt close to anyone who shared that passion.
A faint smile appeared on Tetsuya Kuroko's face.
"That's a strange personal theory."
Miyamoto Tokima immediately agreed.
"You think so too? I feel the same way."
Daiki Aomine muttered helplessly,
"Do I really?"
"Yes, you do."
Satsuki Momoi chimed in right away, smiling as she watched the scene.
Tetsuya Kuroko smiled as well, enjoying the atmosphere, then spoke.
"My name is Tetsuya Kuroko. Nice to meet you."
Even though he already knew Daiki Aomine and Miyamoto Tokima, a proper introduction was still important.
"I'm Daiki Aomine. Nice to meet you."
Daiki Aomine reached out to shake Tetsuya Kuroko's hand.
"I'm Miyamoto Tokima. Nice to meet you."
"I'm Satsuki Momoi. Nice to meet you."
Miyamoto Tokima and Satsuki Momoi introduced themselves one by one and shook hands with Tetsuya Kuroko.
Tetsuya Kuroko smiled as he greeted everyone.
The four of them officially got acquainted.
While chatting, Daiki Aomine realized that Tetsuya Kuroko truly loved basketball, so he suggested they play a one-on-one.
That was simply Daiki Aomine's nature—when he met someone he liked, he had to play them one-on-one.
Tetsuya Kuroko found it hard to believe.
After all, Daiki Aomine was a well-known player from the first team. Was it really okay for him to play against someone as weak as himself?
He voiced his concern.
"Is it really okay to practice with me?"
Daiki Aomine rubbed his nose with his index finger and smiled.
"Yeah. Anytime."
Tetsuya Kuroko nodded, took a deep breath, turned around, and looked at Daiki Aomine with firm determination.
"I see. Then please be prepared."
Hearing that, Daiki Aomine felt that Tetsuya Kuroko might be strong. He met his gaze seriously and nodded back.
"Is this really okay?"
Satsuki Momoi asked worriedly beside Miyamoto Tokima. She also thought Tetsuya Kuroko was strong and was afraid the one-on-one might be too intense and cause injuries.
"It'll be fine."
Miyamoto Tokima smiled and nodded.
"This is a famous scene."
He knew exactly what Tetsuya Kuroko meant by "be prepared."
It wasn't that Tetsuya Kuroko was too strong…
It was that he was…
…too weak.
Satsuki Momoi clearly didn't understand what Miyamoto Tokima meant by "famous scene." She watched the court with concern.
Tetsuya Kuroko turned sideways and dribbled the ball.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
The sound echoed through the gym.
Daiki Aomine took a serious defensive stance, ready to respond to Kuroko's attack.
The two moved quietly—one preparing to break through, the other ready to defend.
The atmosphere grew tense.
Satsuki Momoi's breathing slowed along with the heavy air.
Miyamoto Tokima watched the court with a smile, knowing that this was the only way his laughter in the next second wouldn't feel abrupt.
Suddenly—
Tetsuya Kuroko moved.
He quickly drove past Daiki Aomine's left side.
The sudden breakthrough stunned Daiki Aomine for a split second. By the time he reacted, Tetsuya Kuroko had already slipped past him.
Daiki Aomine hurriedly turned and reached out with his right hand, trying to steal the ball.
But the very next moment—
The basketball Kuroko was dribbling slammed into his own knee and bounced away.
Tetsuya Kuroko let out a flat "Ah," then clutched his knee.
"That hurts."
Daiki Aomine froze with his hand still in the air, then snapped back to reality and complained,
"What was that supposed to be?"
Miyamoto Tokima couldn't hold it in and burst out laughing.
Satsuki Momoi stared at the scene in complete confusion, unsure how to react.
"You told me to be prepared. I thought you were actually something special."
Daiki Aomine muttered, disappointed. He had expected an intense match, but instead…
Tetsuya Kuroko explained calmly,
"What are you talking about? I'm on the third team."
Daiki Aomine looked puzzled, so Tetsuya Kuroko continued,
"I meant I'm not skilled enough yet—so please be prepared."
Daiki Aomine sighed.
"You really are strange."
Tetsuya Kuroko smiled helplessly, beginning to doubt whether basketball was really the right path for him.
"So… you're not going to play anymore?"
Daiki Aomine scratched his head, feeling a bit guilty. He walked under the basket and held out his hand, signaling for Kuroko to pass him the ball.
Seeing this, Tetsuya Kuroko understood that Daiki Aomine still wanted to keep practicing with him. He smiled and passed the ball over.
Miyamoto Tokima watched quietly.
He knew in his heart that tonight marked the beginning of the bond between Tetsuya Kuroko and Daiki Aomine.
And he had just witnessed another famous scene himself.
On the court, Daiki Aomine held the ball while Tetsuya Kuroko defended.
Daiki Aomine didn't attack carelessly just because Tetsuya Kuroko was weak. He smiled slightly.
He drove from the left.
Tetsuya Kuroko's eyes stayed locked on Daiki Aomine's footwork as he adjusted quickly.
Daiki Aomine suddenly crossed over, switching from left to right.
He thought this move would completely shake Tetsuya Kuroko off.
But in the very next second…
...
(40 Chapters Ahead)
p@treon com / GhostParser