1. Chapter:

The one where it starts

3 hours after midnight. Everything was quiet. Too quiet. Nagisa Shiota stared blankly at the ceiling of his room before shooting a glare at the clock.

'No way I'm gonna sleep now.'

The boy stood up moving his body to the window. There he placed his hand on cold glass admiring the crescent moon.

He was actually quite tired but no matter how much he wanted he just couldn't fall asleep. There was too many thoughts occupying his mind to allow him to sleep. There was too many thoughts to allow him to stood still in one place as well.

After a while he stepped away from the window and left his room. He was careful not to make any noise and tiptoed to the kitchen. His mother wasn't the one you would want to wake up in the middle of the night.

Nagisa was rather proud of his eyes which could accommodate even to the darkest of places in the night. There was no need to turn on the lights.

He didn't know why but he found himself taking a kitchen knife. He held it tightly in one hand, the flashbacks of previous day flooding his mind.

It was different holding a real knife in his hand. He had already suspected that it wouldn't be the same. But the actual feeling differed from his expectations greatly.

He didn't understand his emotions at all. When Karasuma-sensei handed him the knife earlier, something in him twitched.

When he wielded it against Takaoka-sensei he wasn't holding back. He didn't hesitate. He went for the kill exactly as his teacher told him to do. He had no doubts the man would dodge the attack yet he wouldn't really mind stabbing him. He attacked to kill after all.

He didn't really think about it at that moment. All of his movements were logical. All well planned. But he didn't really plan them. He just somehow naturally moved as his instincts were telling him. In that moment everything seemed to be so simple. He just had to kill.

The boy slashed the air with the knife. It was a little bit heavier than the knifes he was used to but that just suited him. Shivers ran down his spine filling him with excitement. The same one he felt after placing the back of the knife to Takaoka's throat. But back then he had to held back. He went against his instincts. If he had listened to them he would have finished off the teacher in one quick move.

A smile crept on the boy's lips. His heart was pounding his breathing accelerating. What was that kind of feeling? He returned the knife to it's place and went back to his room. He sat himself on the floor looking through the window at the moon again.

'I'm just happy that Karasuma-sensei picked me. That he trusted me. And that I didn't disappoint him. That's all.'

"Nagisa! You are going to be late!"

The boy was long awake yet he stayed in his bed staring at the ceiling. He had no idea why he remembered something that happened almost a year ago. But it was not like it was the first time.

Ever since he killed Koro-sensei the memories of that night after his first fight with Takaoka kept flashing in front of his eyes. He should have realize it back then. He should have noticed. He loved assassination. The feeling of the knife in his hand and the feeling of shoving it into the heart of his target.

The face of the yellow octopus formed inside his mind. Even now he felt that bitter-sweet feeling that came with his assassination. He liked it. He liked it a lot. He wanted more. He needed another target. But even though he knew that, even though he was craving, he still pushed his feelings away to go get himself ready to school as if he was any normal student. In the end, that was all he could do.

"Oh, so you are finally awake," his mother greeted him and left the house soon after.

Nagisa took a quick shower and dressed himself in his school uniform. Then he spent at least ten minutes in front of a mirror with scissors in his hand. He neared the scissors to the strand of his blue hair but was unable to cut them.

This had been repeating ever since his graduation from junior high. Even though he swore he would cut his hair he still couldn't make himself do so. The boy didn't want to admit it he was still trapped by his mother.

It was not like their relationship was that bad anymore. His mother still had her moments but she didn't hurt him. She even stopped trying to make him wear girl's clothes. But she still bought them and showed them to him from time to time. Nagisa didn't miss the look on her face when she did so. She was still scary.

It didn't happen often but at times when he felt his mother was at the edge he would play along with her wishes and wear the dress she had showed him. Just to please her.

In the end he gave up like every other day and tied his hair as usual.

He collected his things, had a quick breakfast and after taking the lunchbox he had prepared the previous night headed to school.

"Shiotacchi, your lunch looks amazing! May I have a bite?"

"Go ahead," the bluenette smiled at his blond classmate and offered him his lunch.

It was a complete mystery why the famous Ryota Kise clung to him and Rio Nakamura. But neither Nagisa or Rio questioned him about it. The three of them were put in the same class and made it a habit to have a lunch together every day.

Rio was sure that the reason for the model and new ace of the school's basketball team to start hanging out with them was Nagisa. It was clear as a day that Ryota was interested in him in some way. She suspected that he had just seen Nagisa during the entrance ceremony, thought that he was cute and followed him like a lost puppy.

Whatever reason the blond boy could have, Rio didn't mind. She enjoyed his company. At first he didn't seem to like her very much but it seemed that he warmed up to her recently. Maybe he found out that it was a good thing to have her as a friend especially when it came to coppying the homework.

Ryota's grades were below average and it seemed that the only thing on his mind was basketball. She didn't mind him using her to get to her homework and to have her tutor him when they had test coming. After all, they both were using each other. Rio made him return her favors by introducing her to his fellow teammates and other models. Honestly, Nagisa thought she went a little bit over board with dating.

"I want too! Nagisa's lunches are best!" the girl grinned before snatching away fried shrimp from Nagisa's lunch box.

"W-wait you two! If you continue like this there will be nothing left for me! You both have your own lunches," Nagisa realized when both of them hungrily attacked his lunch.

"But Nagisa's really good. Once you will make some guy really happy~" Rio teased.

Fortunately, Nagisa managed to chase away those two from his lunch box and eat what they left. It wasn't much but it was enough and the two of them turned out not to be so cruel and gave him a taste of their lunches in return. After they ate they still had enough time till the next lesson so they just chatted.

"Well, you two, have you already decided what kind of club you will join?" the basketball player asked throwing his arm around Nagisa's shoulders.

The boy didn't really mind that kind of skinship. Karma and Rio also didn't know what personal space was so he let the taller boy do what he wanted.

"Not yet," he shook his head with a smile.

"I did!" the girl declared. "I'm in the 'go-home club'."

Ryota laughed letting go of Nagisa and leaning on the desk.

"Well, what about joining the basketball club?" he gave both of them an excited look.

"You would make cute managers!"

Nagisa was quite offended that he didn't think about inviting him to join as a player but he wasn't really interested in the first place. After all, he was small, weak and never actually played basketball. And their team was good, so there was actually no point in amateur like him trying.

The blonde girl hummed a mischievous grin appearing on her lips.

"I guess if Nagisa joins I will too. I have so many ideas for cute manager's dress I can make him wear!"

Nagisa almost choked at his blueberry juice.

"Rio! You promised me not to tease me like that again!" he frowned at her.

"It's okay from time to time~."

"No it's not!"

"I would really love to see Shiotacchi in cute dress!"

"Not you too, Kise!"

The blond haired duo laughed at their pounding classmate and after a while decided to give him a break.

"Well, I'm not going to force you join the club, but I hope that the two of you would at least come cheer me on today," the boy shot them a look waiting for their answers.

"You have a match?" Rio shot him a surprised look. "I thought Interhigh is going to start in a month or so."

"Yeah, that's right. This is just a practice match," he explained.

"Then you don't need my support there. Count me out."

"My old teammate will be playing against me. I wanted to introduce Nakamuracchi to him after match but-"

"Count me in!"

The athlete cheered that he managed to play his friend and turned to the bluenette.

"Sorry, I would love to, but I can't. Mom invited her boyfriend over for dinner. She would be pissed if I missed it," Nagisa explained smiling awkwardly.

He would prefer his own father coming over for dinner but he knew that that wouldn't happen. It had been more than ten years since his parents divorced and his father didn't want to see neither him or his mother.

Ryota didn't seem happy about it but he just nodded and let it be. Rio warned him a long time ago not to push Nagisa when it came to his mother. He didn't know the details but he guessed that the two of them didn't have the best relationship.

"So you were hiding here! Jeez, you disappeared like some ghost or something," Rio stood above the basketball player, hands on her hips and grin on her face.

Ryota looked up to her fearing what kind of look she might have been giving him. He was taken aback seeing her eyes were not smiling like her lips were. They held some kind of sympathy.

He lowered his head and put it under the running water trying to wash away the tears on his face.

Rio must have seriously pitied him since she made no comment. She just handed him a towel.

"That old teammate of yours is really something. Kagami, right?" she spoke a minute later.

She was careful about what to say. She understood that Ryota was proud basketball player. He himself laughed at the thought of losing. But here he was. He lost against Seirin high. It was just a practice match but still... it must have been a blow to him.

"Kagami-cchi?" the boy blinked and then shook his head.

"No, no, no. You got it wrong! He is not that old teammate of mine!"

Rio was a little bit shocked by that. She was sure that she got the name right.

"That tall guy with red hair..."

Ryota shook his head again.

"Wait, that's not the one?! But he was the only one who was drawing the attention to him!"

She noticed a light chuckle escaping the boy's mouth.

"My old teammate was that short bluenette, Kurokocchi."

The girl looked up to the sky, her index finger slightly touching her lower lips as she tried to revive her memory.

"I...I don't remember seeing a player like that. Did he not play?"

"Yes! Yes he did play!" Kise burst into the laughter leaving Rio utterly confused.

"Sorry, sorry," he waved his hand toward her trying to calm himself down.

"Actually, he has a lack of presence so it's not surprising that you didn't notice him," he explained smiling at her.

Rio wasn't really pleased that she didn't manage to notice him, but she was glad that her friend cheered up.

"Crap, have Seirin players left already?" the boy suddenly paled.

"I think so. I saw them walking toward the gate."

"I didn't introduce you to Kurokocchi!"

Honestly speaking, Rio forgot about why she agreed to go watch the match. She just shrugged her shoulders and grinned.

"I guess you will have to do it some other time."

"W-well, I am leaving," Yukio Kasamatsu stuttered speaking mostly toward Kise as he stood up and let Rio to take his place.

The blonde girl noticed the look he gave her.

"Hey, Kise! Does he loathe me or something?" she asked her friend after sitting herself beside him.

The boy sighed. "Do you really have to ask? He is bad at talking to girls. Do you know how much courage did it take for him to ask you out? And yet you broke up with him after three days!"

"Four days," she corrected him earning a frown.

"Doesn't matter! You have no heart."

The girl puffed her cheeks and set her eyes at the game.

"Seirin is playing," she observed.

"With Shuutoku. Interesting match."

The girl hummed watching both teams carefully.

"If I'm not wrong, there is one of your old teammates in Shuutoku too, right?"

Ryota confirmed it with a nod and pointed at the greenhaired boy. "Midorimacchi. He is the best shooting guard I've ever seen. Kurokocchi will have a hard time. Especially since today is a lucky day for cancers."

Rio didn't get his last comment but didn't question him. She let herself be absorbed into the flow of the game. She didn't really know why but she chose to cheer the Seirin high. That's why she was more than satisfied with the end of the game.

"Seirin won! Have to admit, it was really thrilling. Maybe I can give a second thought to your proposal to be the basketball club's manager," she grinned placing hands behind her head when they were walking to the exit.

"I can't say I expected that outcome, but I have to agree. Watching games like this surely gets your blood pumping. Aaah, I wanna play~."

Seing the boy like this put a gentle smile on Rio's lips. She noticed that his attitude changed a little. After that defeat with Seirin several weeks ago he started to work harder than before.

"Oh, that's right! You never introduced me to your friend from Seirin," the girl remembered.

"Do you want to do that now?" Ryota raised an eyebrow.

"Nah! Let them celebrate their victory. And I'm hungry. Buy me something for dinner!" she ordered, usual grin on her face.

"Wait, wait, wait! Why should I buy you anything?"

"Because you are man, practically a superstar and you don't want those embarrassing pictures of you crying pathetically to get online~."

"When the hell did you managed to take pictures?! But fine," he sighed in resignation. "I'll treat you."

"Yay!" the girl cheered and followed her friend to the closest restaurant.

"So Nagisa didn't come in the end. Again. Is he avoiding me?" Kise asked with a gloom expression when they were seated in the restaurant.

"I wouldn't say so. He just... mentioned his mother," Rio shrugged but it didn't seem that Kise's mood was any better.

"Oh, come on! He comes to watch your matches, you know that."

"Yeah, I know."

"Um, Kise?"

"What now?"

"Seirin."

Kaijou's ace turned his head toward the door just in time to meet Taiga Kagami's surprised expression.

"Kise!" he yelled while the boy just waved to him.

Ryota and Rio both stood up while Seirin's couch pushed her players to their seats. Riko Aida obviously didn't want to interrupt this encounter.

"Kagamicchi! Kurokocchi!" Kise greeted them with a smile.

"Oh, good timing! Let me introduce you. This is my friend, Nakamuracchi," he waved his hand toward Rio.

"Rio Nakamura. Nice to meet ya!" she smiled sweetly at the big redhead.

"Taiga Kagami. Same here," the boy replied.

Suddenly, another voice spoke beside him spooking the girl. She didn't notice anyone else except Kagami.

"Testuya Kuroko. Pleasure to meet you," small bluenette bowed.

Rio's eyes widened. And it wasn't only because of the shock he gave her. She studied him with her eyes, examining his light blue hair, pale skin, azure eyes and small and delicate figure. She said nothing.

After the first year duo from Shuutoku high arrived she didn't protest when she was dragged to another table so Kise, Kagami, Kuroko and Midorima could sit at the same table.

But she failed to be impressed by that ridiculous combo. Her eyes didn't leave Kuroko.

"Is something wrong?" Riko asked her when she noticed how much she stared at one of her players.

"No, it's nothing. There is just something weird and amazing happening in front of my eyes," she answered not sparing her even a glance.

"I know, right! Those guys sitting at the same table make me excited as well!"

'That's not it.'

The rest of the time she just chatted with the Seirin's players, their coach and Takao Kazunari. She tried to ignore the guys at the nearby table, but her eyes would search the small bluehaired basketball player from time to time.

Rio would later curse herself for not enjoying her time with those sportsmen at fullest, but at that time there was one question that was straining her brain.

"Hey, Kise," she looked at her classmate on the way home.

"That guy, Kuroko. His hair was short and his expression a little bit dull but..."

The blonde boy snickered knowing exactly what was going through his friend's mind.

"Why the hell did he look exactly like Nagisa?!"