Author's notes: Not counting the GoM, my favorite KnB character is Kasamatsu Yukio - Kaijou's captain, because while he is a very good player, he lacks talent. Yet he never fails to make up for it with hard work and effort. He is also a great leader who has led Kaijou well, even in the face of failure.

The writing style of this story is mildly inspired by noelswonderland/juungi, a truly wonderful writer who writes amazing OC stories! Kasamatsu may be slightly OOC as not much of his character and personality aside playing basketball is shown. Also, I apologise for any mistakes made, as I am not very well-versed with how Japanese schools operate. Hope readers enjoy, and please read and review! This chapter is set some time after Kise joined Kaijou, before their practice match with Seririn.

Kasamatsu picks up the basketball and proceeds to throw it into the hoop over an over. His shots are mostly nothing but net, with barely the slightest click that should register when ball met rim. He's pretty satisfied - their last practice match with a neighboring school had gone reasonably well. But his accuracy had been slightly off the mark; which is why Kasamatsu has decided to stay later again during the next practice.

Kise, Hayakawa, Kobori, Moriyama and the rest of the team have long gone off on a celebration. A part of Kasamatsu would have liked to join them, but he ends up declining in favor of extra practice. His little talent in basketball does not surpass either Moriyama, Kobori nor Hayakawa's (there is not even a need to mention Kise) and thus, Kasamatsu is inclined to make up for it with more hard work and effort. There is an added advantage in staying alone - it is significantly easier to concentrate without his eccentric teammates by his side. Given how rare this experience is, Kasamatsu fully intends to take the opportunity to train hard.

One. Kasamatsu briefly thinks back to the appearance of Kise in Kaijou's basketball team. Two. He remembers the slight envy churning in his gut - silent but very evidently present - when he first witnessed the blonde's skills as a member of the Generation of Miracles. Kise had defeated the second and third-years on a one-on-one, Kasamatsu himself included, with such ease that it felt like their years of hard work on Kaijou's basketball team amounted to nothing.

Three. Despite already mentally preparing for it, the frustration Kasamatsu remembered tasting then when Kise dunked on top of him, was still notably bitter. Four. Kasamatsu knows that he is never going to surpass Kise (coming close already being a feat), even though he has devoted much of his life to training for basketball; consistently fueled by the passion he holds for the sport.

Five. Even so, there are still times when the pressure and stress of being an elite school's basketball team captain becomes all too evident. He has to lead the team to victory and shoulder their loss. He has to put up with the taunts and whispers that follow him whenever he makes a mistake. Six–

Well, he's not completely alone now. Kasamatsu can feel a pair of eyes staring at him, and his first guess is, of course, the loudmouthed blonde that is undeniably cementing his position as the Ace of their team. If not Kise, then Moriyama. Or Hayakawa, or Kobori. That line of thought is why Kasamatsu is completely taken aback when it's a girl that's staring at him.

He thinks horror might be a little dramatic, but that word comes the closest to describing how he currently feels. The girl is fairly normal looking, with brown hair pulled into a messy ponytail and dark brown eyes. Rationally, the fact that she is average and not particularly stunning appearance-wise should make any conversation less nerve-wrecking. But that does not make Kasamatsu feel better in the slightest.

The girl is seated on the bench nearest to him - at a distance that is a lot closer than what Kasamatsu is comfortable with (though he thinks he'd still be equally uncomfortable even if the girl is standing at the far end of the basketball court). Kasamatsu proceeds to stare at her in almost comically stunned surprise. His inability to communicate with the opposite gender is legendary, and he can only be thankful that none of his teammates are present to witness that particular trait now.

"You're not going to practice anymore?" The girl asks. Something akin to disappointment flashes across her eyes at Kasamatsu's pause.

"It's- Er... Ah. Never mind." Giving up, Kaijou's captain turns away, unable to maintain eye contact with the strange newcomer. He hastily hurls the basketball at the hoop. But the distraction has taken a toll on him. The basketball hits the rim of the hoop, and while it falls in anyway, Kasamatsu can feel his concentration deviating slightly.

"You're not very talented at basketball." This comment is delivered abruptly in a matter-of-fact tone. A vein starts to form in Kasamatsu's head at her harsh words - mainly because he is already well aware of that, and he does not require a random girl whom he has just met to tell him so. He briefly wonders if she is a second-year (or maybe even Kise's age) because such insolence would usually hail from a younger brat who did not know their place.

"But," the girl stands up abruptly. "You're a really hard worker, Captain-san," Kasamatsu feels a slight jolt of surprise that she is aware of his title. "It was inspiring, watching you practice. I'm sorry to have bothered you." Her words dealt, she steps towards Kasamatsu - who is quite tempted to step back - and thrusts a plastic bag at him. Caught unaware, Kasamatsu ends up holding onto the item as the girl turns away and disappears from the training hall. Kasamatsu watches her receding figure in an almost awed silence, still trying to recover from his surprise.

Breaking away from his startled manner, Kasamatsu sighs, frowning. First, the girl is straightforward to the point of being rude, and next, she's suddenly apologetic for interrupting his practice - not that she is wrong about that, of course.

"Weird…" Kasamatsu grumbles sourly, wondering how Kise manages to handle all of his fangirls which such casual ease. Realising he's still holding onto the plastic bag deposited in his hands, Kasamatsu glimpses through its contents out of curiosity.

He is once again surprised to find an energy drink - his favorite brand, at that - along with a pale blue towel that is neatly folded for use. Kasamatsu is somewhat thankful, especially when he has forgotten to place one in his bag today. He slings the pale blue towel around his neck. Deciding a break would be imminent, Kasamatsu settles himself on the wooden bench the girl has occupied earlier while downing the energy drink absent-mindedly.

It's already six, and, deciding to stay for an hour more, Kasamatsu readies himself for yet another bout of rigorous training. He ruffles his hair with the towel one last time before pulling it off him and placing it on the bench - but not before he catches sight of a name sewed delicately to the hem of the pale blue fabric.

Yamashita Akari.

Yamashita Akari wants to give up.

It's humiliating, she thinks, considering that while she's already a third-year, the newly arrived first-years are allowed to participate in far more dance competitions than she has ever chanced upon. The same applies to the second-years as well. But nothing can be done. Akari would be the first to admit that as the worst dancer in school, her juniors - who have learnt ballet and what-not ever since they were in elementary school - are far superior dancers than her.

There are merely a handful of third-year dancers left, suffocating it was when the horde of talented newcomers first and second-years joined Kaijou's Dance Team - to the point that most of them had quit when it became evident that there was no longer any chance for them to participate in competitions or concerts. Only eight third-years remain now, not including Akari herself, but they have long given up on participating in anything important when the juniors are clearly better. Akari is disappointed in how dance practice has become synonymous to gossiping for her peers, and how they fail to show any tangible reason as to why they are still considered part of Kaijou's Dance Team when they have abandoned all interest in dancing itself.

"Disgraceful," Akari mutters sharply, hoisting her bag closer to her as she marches home alone.

Dance practice has ended half an hour ago. All of the third-years have already rushed home while she has stayed behind (again) in order to practice the new choreography delivered effortlessly by the instructor. Akari sighs, hoping she has not left anything behind. The teacher-in-charge has not been too pleased at how late she has stayed, since she had been given the responsibility of locking up the dance studio after everyone has left. Akari can understand her impatience. But what she shows displeasure at is how the teacher is all smiles when urging the first-years to leave - something she suspects is due to the fact they are the particularly talented few who are mainly responsible for the shining golden trophies in the principal's office.

Oh well. Akari's footsteps slow. It's not like there will be anyone at home, and there is certainly nobody by her side now to accompany her back. Her friends in the dance team have long left her behind when she refused to give up on dancing like them. Akari can still remember their disappointed sneers when she rejected their idea.

"There's no point in continuing, why don't you just quit, like us?"

"Never thought you were such a foolish optimist, Akari."

"Leave her alone. She'll come crawling back when she realises she can't compare."

"Why say that when they're obviously much more talented than me?" Akari can't help but consider that balefully. The words still sting - even her friends cannot believe that she will ever surpass or stand on the same ground as the juniors. Once again, Akari wonders what purpose it is for her to still stay in the dance team. Perhaps it is undeniably better for her to give up on dancing, after all–

Akari nearly drops her bag, when she jolts back to reality upon hearing the rhythmic beat of a basketball being dribbled. She frowns. Surely there is no basketball practice today? She's heard the announcement earlier. Out of curiosity, and a lingering reluctance to return home, Akari ends up looking into the vast hall. What she sees captivates as much as it surprises her.

The captain of Kaijou High's Basketball Team is currently practicing alone, hurling basketball after basketball into the hoop in smooth and fluid motions. It is not only the perfection of his moves that attract her attention, but the signs of gnawing fatigue on his legs. Kaijou has had a practice match with a neighboring school today. Akari is pretty sure it has been a victory - since practice has been cancelled - and it surprises her that there is someone hardworking enough to stay behind for more practice, despite the success. It is not like they had nearly lost the practice match either, based on the wisps of information she overheard from her classmates. In fact, when Akari recounts what she has heard, the match had actually been pretty one-sided in Kaijou's favour. And that makes her think the basketball captain's devotion is definitely admirable.

Yukio Kasamatsu is his name, Akari recalls. He's not very talented, words say, but he makes up for it with his hard work and determined effort. Akari vaguely remembers him to be particularly bad at communicating with girls - though it is largely based off the fact when she passes by his class, most of the girls she overhears talking to him are asking only yes or no questions (with him being a stuttering mess all the while).

In the midst of her thoughts, Akari somehow ends up trailing nearer and nearer to the scene. She gives a start, having not been aware where her tired legs have been taking her. Looking through her bag for a reason to explain her presence (though she honestly thinks that Kasamatsu would be too embarrassed to have any queries), Akari ends up rummaging through her bag. She ends up producing the plastic bag containing her favorite refreshment and extra towel, both of which are originally meant for her, but which she thinks Kasamatsu needs more.

Akari knows it is rather pretentious of her to believe that he would actually accept the bag, especially when she comments aloud her belief - that he has limited talent in basketball. But as embarrassing and awkward as the exchange is, a part of Akari wants to offer her one-sided gratitude towards Kasamatsu. For while it is entirely unintentional on his part, seeing the hard work and effort he has devoted to improving himself serves as a reminder to Akari too - that since she is a talentless dancer with no prior background in dance to help her, she should practice even more to make up for it.

After the apology, her exit is swift, with the intention to leave before the situation can get any more uncomfortable. But a small part of Akari does feel a bit gratified when she gives one last glimpse towards the training captain, and sees him tousling his hair gently with the towel she has given him.

Preview: "I didn't know you had a girlfriend, Ka-" His sentences are getting shorter and shorter right before Kasamatsu cuts him off - this time with an elbow jammed into his ribs.

"She's not my girlfriend." Kasamatsu hisses audibly. But even he has to admit that such words sound empty when he is supposed to walk the girl home - in the dark - after she has lent him her towel and he has invited her to watch him play basketball. He takes back the belief that things between him and Akari cannot possibly get more awkward than their interaction in the morning.