Broken Reflection

'K-Kurokochii?'

His figure loomed over the dark, empty gym room which a certain person had always used. Footsteps echoes loudly, and the small beam of light from outside starts to fill the gym. For a moment, there were no answers and not a sight of blue had sienna eyes caught. The blonde sigh loudly, hands shoved in his pocket as he makes his way back to the exit when a bounce was made, an all too familiar hard bounce to polished floors.

'Kise-kun.'

Instincts took over, and he ran to where the voice came from.

'Kurokochii!' the blonde ran towards the now visible person standing below the court basket. There Kuroko stood in Teiko's pristine white uniform with a ball clutched between his palms. He stared blankly as Kise Ryouta, Teiko's basketball club SF, encages his around tan arms.

'I missed you! Jeez, where have you been? You resigned the club as soon as Championships were over…' he made an awkward laugh. 'You really disappeared' it wasn't a joke, he knew too deeply. In all of truth, Kise was always afraid of his mentor's ability, that one day his Kurokochii would become really invisible that he'll never find him again.

The ability to disappear into thin air, leaving nothing but an un-fill-able void.

A smile adorned his face but Kise could already feel the temperature around them drop, freezing and emitting a bad aura as he lets go of Kuroko.

But the teal head doesn't complain like always or land a punch on his stomach. No, he just remained head down and stoic. Yet this doesn't bother Kise in the slightest bit as he already knows that he carved a special place in Kuroko's heart.

How? Why, his own lover couldn't even find him nor did he bother to. Kise was so sure his Kurokochii was also scared of being not seen or the fact a small smile would decorate his lips once he knows he's been found.

Was.

'Is it because of what happened in during the Championships?'

A small parting of his lips, but the teal closed it back. Though slightly unnoticeable and could be mistaken for breathing, Kuroko remained quiet but a small reaction was enough for Kise to know he hit the bull's eye. 'Jeez, you shouldn't worry about things like that!'

The harsh way he played in the court, his painful passes manipulated all the players in the court; dancing around like fools unknowing how their opponent led to their demise.

'I'm sure it was a coincidence, something like that can't be so easily made.'

Meiko's team; fully drained of their energy continued to fight a predicted battle of an outcome. Their ace carried their will, even with an impossible comeback, gave them hope; to play till they're dead tired.

'…Right?'

Kuroko's pass came at Aomine, and with a reflexive move, Teiko's ace accidentally shot into the opponent's basket. It was a buzzer beater, two points within violation but the Phantom smiled wickedly at the result.

'Kurokochii wouldn't-'

The haunting memory of the Teiko team as their opponent's ace falls to his knees, tears and agape.

'That's the least of my worries, Kise-kun.'

111-11

Raw sienna eyes dilated, everything around him narrowed and though agile, Kise felt time go slower. His pivoting had improved, speed increased before he made a one-hand dunk at the opposite court.

A perfect copy of a new light he had met back in Tou.

Kaijou's second string players applause but Kise paid no heed, only to wipe the sweat at his upper lip with his drenched practice shirt.

He had been very serious since he lost the practice match with Seirin weeks ago. Fist clench when the memory came haunting fresh, both from Kuroko's last words in Teiko and after the match with Kaijou.

Kise bitterly laughed at himself. After all, he reaped what he sow. He admits he got ahead of himself when he thought he was so much closer than his Kurokochii's lover. First to find him when he disappeared, what school he went or where his home was.

Borderline stalking, they'd call it, but Kise knew there were no boundaries for his love. And if he had to go against –

WHACK!

"Pay attention to your senpai!"

Kasamatsu Yukio, Kaijou's captain had once again struck his slouching back. Kise immediately changed his serious demeanor into a childish tone, whining of how painful his body was and questioning why he was always the scape goat. Silver sharp eyes hardened, as he had managed to read through the blonde. Well, he couldn't be more obvious in the first place. "Jeez, if you keep hitting me like that I don't think I'll last till Interhigh-"

"Are you still hung up about Seirin?"

Kise flinched.

Kasamatsu glared harder.

The blonde SF knew it was futile to lie, but the truth was stuck like a lump to his throat. His right arm suddenly felt heavy, weighing the guilt of the sin he had caused to his beloved. Kise bit his lips, looked away whilst blonde frizz covered his eyes. He could hear his captain sigh before blowing the black whistle around his neck twice. It was the signal for the second and third strings to begin the second part of their training menu outside the gym.

Wordlessly they followed, and wordlessly the regulars began to round Kise. Before he could question or complain if they were bullying him again, Kasamatsu had already dribbled the ball with such high impact, almost defeaning his ears.

One blink and the whole team had proceeded to their position, a defense stance against the court in front of Kise while his captain makes a quick drive with such speed and unto the opposite court to shoot.

Kōji Kobori guarded the center, un-moving with determination as Mitsuhiro Hayakawa, not talking into gibberish for once had stayed under the net of the basket. Shinya Nakamura, one who should be in spite of him for somewhat stealing his position, just casually guarded the left side and Yoshitaka Moriyama on the right. The shooting guard had no intention of running towards the opposite court.

It wasn't making sense on why they'd leave only one, their captain let alone who wasn't really a special at shooting, as offense whilst the rest stayed behind on a four way defense. But Kise gave his teammates a knowing smirk.

As painful it was to see them underestimating him, he ought to teach them a lesson that his childish demeanor wasn't something to look down on. With calculating speed, he had sprinted towards his captain who was in a stance to shoot by the three point line. A sight of yellow was enough for Kasamatsu to make a fake, but only to be shocked when Kise had already made a grab for the ball.

'He saw right through it.'

Kaijou's captain had a plan B, as to have guessed that the blonde will make a turn around. How could he loose to his own technique anyways? But silver eyes widened to see that the SF had not bothered to intimidate him, copy him, and instead ran full force forward. A knowing smile decorated Kasamatsu's face as did the rest of the team.

Who wouldn't be happy to see their ace-kouhai ginning like no tomorrow?

After one agonizing hour; the color of vibrant orange had begun to fill the gym whilst the regulars were almost on their knees, sweet evident and dripping unto the polished floors. Though with obvious results, none bothered to be bitter but joyous to have reverted their ace back to his normal self.

Kasamatsu blew the whistle, thus ending the regulars practice with laughter. "Having fun?" the captain asked and the SF gave a toothy grin. Not a the half-hearted cocky smile or the strained one, but one that can only be recognized by Kaijou's players. Satiffied with the game, Kasamatsu blows the whistle and while the regulars are forcing Kise to treat them to the nearest convenience store, he wonders something.

Does Kise smile like that back in Teiko?

It was no surprise that someone of his talent was from the respected Generation Of Miracles nor was it to find him at Kaijou's doorstep. A player befitted to join a powerhouse school but the surprise was the overly friendly and bubbly character he possessed.

100-98

It was the first time Kise had looked so off, so desperate. That time he accidentally struck a teal head player and left him bleeding. He was shaken! Even after the game he kept washing his hands till red and clean until Moriyama had to pull him out of that state. Though they tried to keep it between themselves, the captain had already witnessed the scene. One thing they had observed was that he kept repeating a name like it was curse.

Just who exactly was this Kurokochii?

Definitely not a name of someone from the Generation of Miracles.

As they head home clad in brown uniforms, Kise had decided to walk a little slower. He knew his senpais's were worried about him to the extent of the 5-1 practice a while back. Sure they were proud that he had not used Copy-cat on any of them and that he could win without his stockpiles, but, happy as he was Kise was sure that Kasamatsu-sempai had definitely wanted him to open up.

He wished he could tell them that he can't, and for them to understand.

'Kise-kun, I have to ask you a favor.'

Because despite pain and the manipulated relationship,

'Anything Kurokochii!'

Despite the happiness he had wanted, longed for, Kurokochii would

'Ever we meet again, do not tell anyone of my existence.'

Kill him.

"Oi, Kise! You'll be left behind!"

"Coming-su!"

'Eh, Kurokochii, are you.. leaving?'

Dead silence before the smaller boy hugged him from his waist below.

'I am a shadow, Kise-kun, it would be awful if I'd get find out without having anyone experience my tricks.'

Kise could've retorted but the intimate gesture was something he would not want to get rid of just yet. Taking advantage of his feelings, yes, but his love for the Phantom was too much he could not ever get mad at him. 'But Kise-kun is a broken reflection, he cannot copy anyone stronger than him. That's why, I'll only appear to you when you're ready.' Such harsh words that could overcome an angelic smile. His lips soflty brushed against Kise before he could even kiss back.

'…. Hai.'

The regulars of Kaijou thus ate in a talkative manner at the nearest Ramen shop. Turns out the convenience store bought back too much memories. Kasamatsu having sense that had ordered them to settle for noodles instead.

"Yosh! I'm fil(r)ed up! R(l)ets take Interhigh and get those l(r)ebounds!"

"Shut up! People are stariing at us!"

"Seconds!"

They were the noisiest of the group and Kise as a model would've died in embarrassment… but he didn't. Instead the noise calmed him down from reminiscing the ridiculous choices he made in the name of love. Kise then joined the conversation from time to time, drowning out the ring in his phone, completely ignoring Midorima's message.

Author's Note:

Thanks for the reviews and sorry for the long wait!

Shittyboy- what happened to kuroko until he changed like that? it is very painful when innocent people used to be very happy and also care with everyone be heartless tbh...i can not imagine if it was kuroko who didn't return aomine fist bumps ._. /shoot myself/ (sorry for this, jeez i was drowning in feelings /again/ sighs) this chapter is awesome btw! :D i'm looking forward to the next chapter x""D- U read my mind, Kise was really the next one on the reactions. Hahah Kuroko's past will be revealed on the latter chapters on why he didn't return Aomine's fist bumps or the ACCIDENTS he had that changed him ;)

Will be updating soon!