Into You

II

Aomine Daiki was dating someone - the very idea never struck her until it finally happened.

Momoi Satsuki had been with the tan-skinned teen for as long as she could remember. They were neighbors, playmates, childhood friends and perhaps, almost like siblings too, and she had been aware of the fans he obliviously drew, secret admirers who chose to express their affections from afar, a reasonable distance, partly hiding behind walls and windows, ogling him with desire. She did not mind nor care, mostly because she knew the Miracle Ace completely snubbed their existence.

So when Momoi learned someone was brave enough to confess to him, and subsequently succeeded in getting the teen to say yes, it excited her, and also made her wonder what was so compelling about the other person that they managed to convince the Miracle Ace to date them.

Then, she was face-to-face with that mysterious person, and it was a surprise, a pleasant but a huge, unbelievable surprise, that out of all the girls in their campus, it was the one girl she least expected - never even considered to be interested with a guy such as Aomine. And the Miracle Analyst found herself having trouble in believing what was thrust against her face.

Similar to Aomine Daiki being a prodigy in basketball, Yorukami Ruri was a genius in terms of academics, and as an intelligence gatherer, Momoi was fully aware of the sable-haired girl's reputation. In a school where ability spoke louder than everything else, her brilliance in academics garnered her fame and reverence among students and teachers alike apart from her appearance, and although the pink-haired girl gave special attention to names involved with basketball, with her childhood friend's subpar academic performance, she had long considered approaching the so-called Empress for help in pulling his grades up.

But somehow, despite her cheerful and outgoing attitude, she found it hard to approach the girl.

Until that day.

It was the opportunity she had been meaning to make in order to foster casual friendship with the academic genius, only to be made fun of by Lady Fortune herself, introducing that very same genius as the basketball idiot's date.

"Ah, Ruri. This is Satsuki, my childhood friend and manager." Aomine said dutifully, gesturing to the pink-haired girl who was still lost in her thoughts and was busy wrestling against her internal turmoil. He looked at her for a moment before rubbing the back of his neck and then sighing, "She's the reason why I'm late. Scold her all you want."

"It's okay," Yorukami replied almost immediately, making Momoi jolt in unease. And the polite smile that followed further alarmed the Analyst. "Have you eaten lunch yet? Go ahead and order up. I've already eaten so I'll simply wait for the both of you here."

She shifted in her seat and resumed eating her half-eaten burger, her obsidian eyes already glued back to the ridiculous pastel pink book she'd been reading, already unawares of the look of suspicion Aomine had thrown her way. He was not totally naive about the emotional roller coaster girls possessed, and the reason he always ignored their subtle changes of moods was because he simply did not care. But Yorukami was different, her composure was a tough shell, making it hard to catch her vibe or read her mind. And it was a curious thing, that he was getting concerned with how the gears of his date's mind worked when he previously didn't care.

And perhaps it took him a long time standing around in hesitation, that Yorukami was prompted to lift her face and check on him. She wore an expression that can be construed as wonder, easily morphing into worry with a slight curl of her brows. And in response to that he released a sigh before giving her a brief nod and turning to his heels without giving her a second look.

Then Momoi was left standing still, mouth left agape and eyes still glued to the sable-haired girl already biting over her food. One second and she flinched, the first sign of her comprehension of their current situation. She hurriedly pulled down her hoodie and removed her face mask and sunglasses, openly revealing her face to the other, and perhaps, it was adrenaline causing her to grab Yorukami's hands and making her speak in an eager tone, "I'm Momoi Satsuki, of the same class! I'm very happy to be acquainted with you, Yorukami-san!"

The Miracle Analyst had always been very bubbly, but the enthusiasm she exhibited was geared towards veneration for the other rather than plain friendship.

A flicker of surprise passed Yorukami's face, and then she giggled delicately, "Likewise," she replied, gently shaking their hands in ceremonial acknowledgement.

Momoi remained unaware of their contact, pulling on the other a bit roughly in the exhilaration of finally being able to converse with the cold genius, and then carelessly blurting out, "Your reputation precedes you, Yorukami-san! An academic genius with a pretty face! You're intimidating and it's hard to approach you, so I'm very happy to be able to talk to you right now!"

Yorukami kept her expression blank in silent contempt at the imprudent remark, a rebellious fire in a gaze steel-cold and black as the waters of the sea meeting lava, reminding the bubbly manager of the rumors about the girl's severity, in which she kept a reasonable distance among her peers, offering remarks sparingly and saying only what's strictly necessary.

And for a second, Momoi was under the scrutiny of a pair of obsidian orbs, almost an ironic thing, that their positions were reversed and she was the one being analyzed.

"Please skip the pleasantries. What brings you here, Momoi-san?"

There was an edge to her words - not for the needless compliments, but something else entirely. A wariness so vivid it thrummed between them, charging the air like the tense lull before a break of thunder. She had come uninvited.

"Oh, how rude of me!" Momoi quickly released Yorukami's hand and stepped back, bowing deeply in an apology. "My apologies for crashing into your date! I was so excited when I found out and I wanted to greet the person bold enough to approach that dork. Please forgive me, Yorukami-san!"

There was a pregnant pause, and it unnerved her, that the other female hadn't offered an immediate reply. And it drove her imagination wild, in which Yorukami resented her for the impulsive behavior she demonstrated, or perhaps, the girl felt alarmed by her association with the blue-haired wonder.

She must had mistaken her a rival for Aomine's affection.

Momoi almost choked at her own thoughts. She couldn't even begin to imagine the Empress burning in jealousy for the very same boy who she knew was lazy, mean and irresponsible - all traits rendering him unappealing to any sane girl around.

Yet he was attractive nonetheless, and he even caught the eye of the cold Yorukami.

So when it dawned on her, she no longer could resist her curiosity. And before she knew it, she had lifted her head up, staring straight at the other, her large pink eyes impatient and unapologetic as she decisively threw all tact and delicacy out the window, and then blatantly asked, "Why Aomine-kun?"

"What does that question imply, Momoi-san?" She retorted sharply, that cutting edge creeping into her voice again as she met her gaze squarely, the challenge clear in her words.

And it confirmed the Miracle Analyst's thoughts - Touou's Empress, the academic genius before her had been reduced to a girl crazy in love, recklessly jumping into conclusions and mindlessly attacking with words, sharp like a blade that could cut through any weak-minded lass foolish enough to chase after the object of her affection.

Momoi should be angry, displeased, or perhaps disappointed with Yorukami's attitude. However, on the contrary, she was all too amused with this new-found knowledge than she'd like to admit, because the sable-haired girl was a very daunting entity, her background and accomplishments spoke for herself; a woman of poise, brilliant and elegant both in mind and appearance, yet she was still just a girl, with feelings and emotions just like any other, completely vulnerable to falling in love.

Still, she felt rather offended being accused, though only indirectly, of pining over her childhood friend when in fact she was deeply in love with a much, much better man than the tanner-skinned teen.

"Please be at ease, Yorukami-san. He and I are nothing more than childhood friends." Momoi told her, almost sounding defensive, raising her index finger as if to get a point across. "There's nothing going on between us. That's a common mistake people tend to make of us."

She sniffed, perfectly conveying her contempt towards the poorly constructed reply she was offered. "Yet, you are here," she lifted her chin a little in an act of looking down on the other, "And I'll be hard-pressed to find a bigger lie." She flicked her hair, and, "If you've come here expecting an easy win, then you've misjudged me," she announced.

It came as a great shock, that the seemingly aloof Empress was just as ruthless as the rumors made her out to be. Her eyes cut sharp, an obsidian blade that could kill if looks were capable of it, and her disdain was a snake's poison in a slowly festering wound. It was perhaps the reason why she felt the sable-haired girl was hard to approach, because subconsciously, she felt her subdued hostility. And now that it was openly directed at her, she thoroughly felt it, the burning ferocity from the girl's ice-cold gaze.

So this is Touou's Empress, Yorukami Ruri. Momoi thought to herself, and then a wide smile graced her face, that which she could hardly suppress just from the mere notion of a feral serpent tamed by none other than her shitty childhood friend.

It was absurd, the whole circumstance was simply impossible, and because it was so unpredictable she couldn't deny how much she liked how things turned out.

And she ended up helplessly guessing whatever it was that made this fierce woman fall over such a slacker of a man.

"Aomine-kun loves basketball more than anything else." Momoi unceremoniously began, her large pink eyes looking straight at the now-dumbfounded Yorukami. Despite that, she continued nonetheless, and her smooth voice conveyed a sincerity that even the cold genius could not fathom to grasp its roots. "Basketball is what he enjoys doing the most, so you'll have to at least know its basics. You don't necessarily need to be able to play it but you'll have to be willing to go with him and watch him play on street courts. Also, he eats a lot. Real lots. So you'll want to hone your cooking skills if you want to please him."

"Uh, Momoi-san?"

She ignored the utter confusion written all over Yorukami's face and continued, now with increasing enthusiasm, leaning closer to the girl with her index finger raised still. "His favorite food is Teriyaki burger, and he likes insect hunting, particularly cicadas. Oh, if you're going to invite him to another date, you'll have to schedule it late in the afternoon, he'll be sleeping in." She then promptly grabbed her hands together, beaming eagerly as she declared next, "I'm not an enemy, Yoru-chan! In fact, I'm your greatest ally!"

Needless to say, Yorukami was left flabbergasted. She seemed startled at the nickname she was given, but didn't show any sign of disliking it. Momoi was like a tumultuous tornado, and for all of Yorukami's calmness and sobriety, she struggled to catch onto the other female's pace. And in spite of herself, the avid distrust she once held so tightly for the pink-haired loosened somewhat as she gazed at her large pink eyes, shining in anticipation and unadulterated joy. Then, Yorukami decided it wouldn't be so bad to give her the benefit of the doubt and allow her a chance to earn her trust.

Not later, Aomine arrived at an incredible scene, where Yorukami looked like she needed help in deciphering the things Momoi had been spouting. She would nod her head, and ask questions here and there, showing some interest in spite her apparent confusion along their conversation. He wasn't even surprised that himself was the subject of their discussion.

"So, badmouthing me now, Satsuki?" Aomine interjected, placing his tray filled with nothing but burgers right between them.

The females paused to acknowledge his presence, and it took him a moment before he decided to take the seat right beside his childhood friend. Then his gaze immediately fell on Yorukami's direction, curious at her response on the choice he just made.

Yorukami had a look of utter surprise pasted on her pretty face, obsidian orbs focused at the mountain of burgers before her. Aomine didn't know how to interpret it - he expected her to react negatively about him sitting next to his female friend, because as his memory served, girls disliked guys choosing their friends over them. At that moment, however, it looked to him she was only concerned at the actual amount he was capable of devouring, and he was unsure how he should feel about it.

Relief. Irritation. Confusion. Aomine never imagined he was capable of feeling those all at once.

"I wasn't. Besides, Yoru-chan here won't allow me to speak ill about you." Momoi replied in a teasing tone, her eyes flicking over the sable-haired girl's direction.

And upon hearing Momoi's remark, heat flushed Yorukami's cheeks in embarrassment. She was aware how intuitive women can be, and she admittedly got carried away by letting her hostility slip, allowing the other female to notice.

Aomine only hummed, deciding that mind games weren't exactly his game. So he began scarfing down on the burgers he bought, never offering even a single one to his childhood friend, and to his date.

=/=

Touou's basketball ace and their manager soon found themselves at an arcade, and it seemed such a strange and foreign place when they thought about the individual who led them there.

"She's a scholar, right…?" Momoi muttered softly to herself, conflicted at how she should feel about their current location.

"My brother used to bring me here after school." Yorukami told them, oblivious of the puzzled expressions and looks of shock her company wore. "We'd play games until dusk, then eat dinner at a ramen stall on our way home," she added, and in spite the eager tone of her voice, her fondness at the memory was audible.

As soon as they entered the place, their ears rang from the scattered booming noises of loud speakers, video game machines, chattering and shouting. It was a very loud, noisy place, lively with groups of young lads and lasses. It wasn't very crowded, yet the multicolored teens seemed to struggle traversing the place, on the other hand, Yorukami proceeded with ease and got to the counter fast.

"I didn't expect Yoru-chan to like this sort of place." Momoi commented, giving each arcade machines a quick glance. "I mean, she's smart, so I figured she'd prefer bookstores and libraries over this sort."

Aomine suddenly laughed, amused at this unexpected side of the so-called Empress. "Interesting. I wonder if she can play basketball on the playstation," he muttered as he scanned the place, eagerly looking for the hoops game.

Momoi giggled, perhaps she was too quick to judge, and if her childhood friend enjoyed that kind of date, maybe the two of them were a good match for each other.

The three of them indulged in everything the arcade place has to offer, but they mostly spent their time playing with the hoops. They stayed there for only an hour, because Momoi insisted they should go to some place more romantic, like for example, a quiet park. Yorukami didn't quite agree to her suggestion, and Aomine even looked disgusted at her proposition, but the pushy Analyst seemed to have a way with words that she was able to convince them later.

However, Momoi wasn't exactly a lucky person, because instead of being granted her fantasy of the couple having a quiet, sweet, romantic date, she found herself sitting right next to Yorukami at the side benches as they both watched Aomine play with a few guys on an open basketball court.

Touou's manager pouted her mouth in annoyance. She had failed to take into consideration the route to get to that park couples frequent. She was planning to leave the two of them there and sneakily take pictures while they were getting to know each other better, acting sweet at one another, and then getting mushy and hot and steamy and -

Her train of thoughts shattered once she saw her childhood friend take another formless shot. An overwhelming victory for the basketball prodigy like usual, but unlike before, Aomine seemed to enjoy the game once again. And she thought, perhaps it was a better sight than blackmailing him with scandalous pictures.

She had heard the enthusiastic applause beside her every time the Miracle Ace scored, tempting her to take a glance at how the sable-haired girl was taking their somewhat ruined date. Contrary to what Momoi initially suspected, she saw how Yorukami's eyes sparkled in excitement and pure affection as she watched her object of affection shine on the field, and it got her thinking, subconsciously speaking her mind aloud-

"You really like Aomine-kun, huh?"

Yorukami gave her a long, skeptical look and, "You make it sound like a bad thing."

Momoi was slightly surprised, because although Yorukami worded it bluntly, her voice was wrapped in harmless wonder. And it made the Miracle Analyst hold her tongue, for she couldn't bring herself to tell the other how rough and painful the path which led towards her idiotic childhood friend's heart could be. She didn't want to be the one who ended up discouraging her.

But then again, Yorukami Ruri didn't seem like the type to get discouraged so easily.

"You know, being with Aomine-kun will be tough. He's rude, egocentric and insensitive, and sometimes he goes overboard and might inadvertently hurt your feelings. He's not exactly a romantic type, so I hope you'll be patient with him."

Yorukami blinked, looking startled. Momoi hadn't been paying attention to her staring, until she voiced, "How envious," her lips curled up into a smile that was both sad and happy, then, "Despite all those negative traits you spoke of, your fondness for him is palpable. I wish I could be just as close like you are with him."

Those words made Momoi anxious somehow, and, "Don't misunderstand, Yoru-chan! It was a harmless remark-"

"I know." Yorukami quickly replied, interrupting the Analyst's panicked words. "Don't worry, I understand you mean well and I appreciate that you support us," she paused, her gaze resumed following the tan-skinned teen who continued running across the open court, and, "It's just, I've done my research. I know you two have been close and have stuck with each other for a long time. And I know this may sound childish, but I couldn't help but feel inferior every time I look at your interaction with him. It makes me especially self-conscious."

There was no hostility from the tone of Yorukami's voice, and it sounded more of a bittersweet acceptance which Momoi found strangely endearing. She felt a nagging urge to ask again why and how she fell for the Aomine Daiki, truly a wonder, because the cold genius wasn't cold at all, rather, she was too precious to be paired up with an asshole that was her childhood friend.

And even then, she still couldn't imagine the two as a couple - as lovers.

=/=

Ever since their first date, Aomine felt weirdly uneasy. There wasn't really anything awkward between him and Yorukami, but somehow he believed it was the exact reason why he felt bothered - very slightly so. The two of them acted normally around each other - eat lunch together, talk about their day and then walk out the campus together before separating ways to head home.

And although he himself internally decided it was enough for the time being, an unpleasant cloud persisted just beneath the surface of his thoughts.

Especially on times and days Yorukami never bothered him.

Obviously, he was relieved by the casualness this so-called Empress was taking their relationship. She wasn't too pushy, and she had never demanded anything too intimate or overbearing for his tastes, but then later on, he found himself lost and confused about it.

Came another day when Yorukami hadn't approached him during lunch, and instead quickly slipped out of the classroom, completely oblivious of the intense gaze he had on her. Despite finally exchanging contacts, she hadn't messaged or emailed him even once. Of course, he didn't as well, but somehow, this fact pissed him off. And so, it was the final straw, and it pushed him to confront her right then and there out of annoyance and of a subliminal feeling of indignation regarding their positions.

As soon as Yorukami stepped out of the room, Aomine hurriedly followed her. A harsh clattering of the chairs and tables he angrily brushed aside as he made his way to her easily grabbed the sable-haired girl's attention. And perhaps, she missed that sullen look on her dearly beloved's face, for she offered him a shy smile in acknowledgement.

"Daiki, today I-"

Her sweet voice was instantly cut short by a loud bang from the door slammed by tan hands, "What is it with you, woman?!" He growled. "You've got guts to toy with me like this!"

Yorukami looked absolutely shocked by his words, completely thrown out of the loop. "What…what do you mean?" She stammered, her shock had morphed into fright when she realized how he furiously glared down at her.

You fucking said you liked me! Aomine wanted to scream so badly, yet he clenched his teeth in so much vexation that all he could do was slam the door and walls with his fists, a small act of resilience, because he knew he was about to make a fool out of himself, hurting his all-important ego along with it.

He didn't like her back, he believed it so, but he had become doubtful of himself, of the funny feeling bubbling deep within him. What was he even expecting from her?

"It's nothing," he weakly muttered, averting his gaze. "Forget it." He told her, his voice carried a firm finality to it. Then, he walked across the doorstep, leaving her stunned and bewildered.

Romantic. The word was simply incompatible with him, he knew that well. Curious, however, was the word he pinned at the peculiar feeling surfacing from inside him. She had an air of authority, her presence always seemed so large inside their classroom, an oppressive aura, particularly when she answered and corrected - politely - their teachers during class. She radiated strength, though not the physical sort, and she was more than capable of carrying her own weight and flaunting her strong suit, which made her an intimidating character.

But when it was only the two of them, he felt a different sort of awareness, not kinder but something else, something rare that he wondered if it had something to do with him.

Despite the weight she carried with her she never made him feel small or even attempted to. And if all those advances of hers were any indication, it was clear she was head over heels for him. Yet, if he was so certain, why did he feel agitated somehow?

Why?

"Why? It's natural to feel that way if you think she's ignoring you." Momoi flatly stated with an unimpressed brow raised.

That day, Touou's manager was surprised to see their ace's lazy ass come for practice on time, and before she was able to rejoice his punctuality, the first thing she heard once he opened his mouth was something about the cold genius Yorukami.

Initially, she wanted to stay out of it, because she experienced firsthand the ferocity of the girl in question. However, since Teikou dominating the championship and the whole team members began changing, it was the first time Aomine looked seriously troubled again.

She then decided, maybe it wouldn't hurt to give him pointers. After all, it was his first time to get real attracted to someone, and she figured he must still be confused or in denial.

"I mean, you do like her too," she told him in conclusion.

"I-what?!" Aomine spluttered, brows knotted in amazingly open confusion, as if she had spoken in alien language.

"It's true." She told him, crossing her arms together then nodding to herself, and, "Otherwise, you would have turned her down. There's no way you'd simply agree to date anyone if you didn't feel any attraction to them." She added, sounding complacent at her own theory.

He fell silent then, staring blankly at the floor. The wooden floorboards of the gym looked fascinating to him at that moment, and he took notice of the lace on his left shoe still undone.

"What do you think of her anyway?" Momoi asked before the silence stretched longer.

Aomine took a moment before finally opening his mouth, answering rather weakly, his gaze still fixated at his untied shoelace, "I just think she's pretty, that's all…"

"Really?" Momoi sounded unconvinced, her pink eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Why are you so troubled, then? If it's just her appearance, the campus have more than its fair share of pretty girls you know."

"Hah! You seriously think they can compare to her?" Aomine abruptly exclaimed, a smug smirk decorating his face. "Their heads don't have the same sheen on her dark hair, and there ain't any girl who has longer eyelashes than hers, not even yours, Satsuki!"

Momoi took offense at that, and, "Who said I was competing?!" She retorted back, mouth pouted in a sour frown.

"Hah! That mouth of yours ain't even cute!" He countered, his tone teasing, his smirk mischievous. "Your voice is annoying and it gets tiresome hearing you talk about all kinds of things. If it's Ruri, she can talk all she wants and I don't get tired staring at that beauty mark on her lip. It's a shame I don't hear her talk…much…" Aomine caught himself a bit slow, his monologue fading into a stop when he realized how his childhood friend stared at him with her mouth wide open in amazement. Her expression told him she just heard something amazing, and once his brain caught up with his mouth, he felt his cheeks on fire.

"That pretty much confirms it." Momoi said with a knowing attitude, pink eyes grinning in amusement. "It hurts to be compared one-sidedly, but I forgive you. Naturally, you'll be biased to the one you like and I get that."

"That wasn't-! It wasn't-!" Aomine attempted to give a spiel, or maybe change the subject, yet he failed. He usually didn't have any problems retorting back with something venomous, and yet his tongue seemed tied. His mind was in shambles, then Yorukami's face flashed briefly in his head, and for some reason it pissed him off, that he was thrown out of his element by one girl.

"Just face it, Dai-chan. You do like her."

"No, I don't!" Aomine angrily yelled. "I don't like anyone in that way! No way!" He repeated, almost as if to convince not only the pink-haired but also himself.

"But Dai-chan-"

"Shut up, Satsuki! This is none of your business!" He snarled. He turned to his heels and stormed out of the gym, and, "I'm tired of your know-it-all attitude! Go bother someone else!"

"Dai-chan you idiot!" Momoi snapped. She had picked up a half-filled water bottle and threw it over to the tan-skinned teen, hitting him bullseye on the head, prompting the man to stop on his tracks whipping around to face his manager who inflicted him so much physical pain.

"What the- that fucking hurt, Satsu-!"

"What's the point of dating her then, huh?!" Momoi bellowed in pure anger and vexation at the teen, brusquely cutting his complaint short. "Do you intend to play around with her feelings?!"

It startled the Miracle Ace, because Momoi raising her voice that much was so rare, not even when she's fed up at his stupid shenanigans. And an exasperated expression replaced her usual dumb face, that perhaps it was the first time her gaze had an intensity to it which made him pause, taking in the words she harshly spat against him.

"You have no idea how anxious Yoru-chan gets when it comes to you! Or how nervous she gets when she's with you! Now, just because you think she's ignoring you, you get angry at her without even trying to talk to her?! How stupid can you get, Dai-chan?! How petty can you get?!"

And she did not cry. She was purely angry at him. Not sad, simply angry.

Aomine bristled at the tone in instant offense, yet he resisted the urge to insult the pink-haired teen, because admittedly, she had a valid point. He could only grit his teeth in irritation, not only at his meddling childhood friend but at himself too.

Why was he so against to admitting he was into her in the first place?

Pride. The fact that Yorukami Ruri, a girl to which his childhood friend offered her utmost respect out of all the girls in their school, was the one who approached him first. It stroke his ego to heights he himself was unaware of reaching, and it deluded him into thinking that women should chase after him, even though he was not one who fancied being surrounded and constantly being fawned over by females in general.

He remembered Kise Ryota, the blond miracle who also worked as a model, famous for his looks and skills. Aomine didn't compare himself to the guy when it came to the matter of girls, because he wasn't one to imitate such way of life. He had always found it to be a drag, how his former teammate pleased all the girls who kept following him around. And he disliked their awful squeals, their loud voices, their thick make-up and their stinking perfumes.

However, Yorukami Ruri was different from those other girls. It was a heaven and earth level of comparison. She always quietly called him by name when they meet, followed by a shy smile that looked so feminine on her it made him subconsciously nod in agreement to the talk of how striking her appearance was. And she didn't seem to wear any make-up, or if she did so, perhaps it was so minimal that he was unsure if her soft-looking lips were touched by a lipstick, or if her long eyelashes were enhanced by the so-called mascara, or if the gloss of her dark hair was artificial, or if her fair skin looked smooth due to the use of lotion, or if the nice smell wafting to his nose every time she got close to him was perfume or was simply either her soap or shampoo.

Crap. He considered her beautiful.

He realized he failed to keep his own ego in check, and it became the main reason as to why he was driven into a position he never imagined to fall into. She was strong - too strong, in fact, that he had become anxious of her independence of him she so often displayed. Sure, his childhood friend Momoi Satsuki was also different from other girls, for she was extremely talented and amazing in her own way, but when it came to overall bearing, Yorukami could be considered a monster.

Then it crossed his mind, how Yorukami Ruri was dubbed an Empress, and now that he had become aware of his own faults, his head had finally caught up with his feelings. True enough, to him, the title really suited her.

"Keep making Yoru-chan take the first move every time and she'll get tired of you fast! I do hope she breaks up with you soon! She doesn't deserve you! Asshole!"

Their initial roles were then reversed. Momoi had become angrier and the one who ended up storming out of the gym instead. And Aomine was left rooted in place, but the lucid expression on his face suggested he had made a clear-cut decision.

"Hey! What was that all about?" A tall, muscular blond man shouted from across the court. He had heard their team manager's angry yell, and when he shifted his attention to them, the pink-haired girl had already stomped off.

He was Wakamatsu Kosuke, their basketball team's newly appointed captain, and he had never liked Aomine Daiki because of the teen's egotistical personality. Nevertheless, the boy was still the team's ace who remained unbeatable when it came to one-on-one, so he had long accepted to tolerate the guy.

However, there was no way he would mask his displeasure to the man. Not ever.

"What the hell did you do this time, Aomine, you bastard!?" He shouted, obviously pissed at the scene he had witnessed.

"Shut up, loudmouth." Aomine, likewise, openly communicated his own dislike to the other male. "Your shouting is hurting my ears."

The remark grated unpleasantly on the blond man's ears, and, "You fucker! You picking a fight?!"

"It's not about basketball." Aomine stated, apathetic, and it made the angry captain halt in his tracks, dumbfounded.

"What the hell are you-"

"I'll speak to Satsuki, so stop concerning yourself about her."

Now, Wakamatsu froze, because the asshole Aomine sounded sensible for once, and it made him wonder what it was all about.

=/=

Days went on until it was Friday, the last school day in a week. On such a day, basketball practice was scheduled after school, and for a change, Aomine decided not to skip and instead, even came to the gymnasium on time.

Needless to say, his abrupt punctuality was met with open incredulity among his coach and peers alike. The disbelief quickly elevated into great astonishment once they realized he brought an unexpected guest with him.

She struck them as a staggeringly lofty creature, striding into the gym with her head held high, a queen's bravado clad a student's uniform. Her eyes cut deep, like an obsidian blade of a guillotine, meant to inspire fear and instill respect.

Intimidating. A rare aspect that which emanated from a lone woman.

When the beauty she had never paid much attention to had turned into a curse, she became aware of little else but the coveting gazes that followed her everywhere. If there was anything she was familiar with, it was the sweet affections of men, and the cloying poison it concealed. And so, out of habit, she dug her heels in and displayed a coldness that shot down any flattery which could come her way before they could even speak them.

Standing some inches taller than Touou's basketball team manager, Yorukami Ruri scanned the new environment she had entered, sweeping over the many heads present until her eyes stopped on a certain pink haired.

"Momoi-san," she called in acknowledgement, and her expression seemed to soften at the familiar face present on that foreign place. "It's nice to see you again."

Momoi remained stunned for a few moments, because she was completely unaware of the Empress dropping by at the gym that day. She was never informed that her childhood friend no less was taking said woman for a visit.

And she was at a loss at how she was supposed to introduce her to the team, because Aomine dating somebody had only been a rumor, and it remained as such for the last three weeks it even began.

The gym had fallen into a deafening silence, because despite being on different classes, in a school where ability spoke louder than everything else, all students by default were accustomed to familiarize themselves with individuals who rank at their academic grading term.

Yorukami Ruri happened to top both their preliminary and midterm examinations. She was well-known by then, and majority figured the final examinations was already a done deal.

"Ah, the school beauty." A middle-aged man with black, slightly curly hair spoke, breaking the awkward silence that seemed to go unnoticed by everyone present. He was Harasawa Katsunori, Touou's basketball team's coach. "What brings you here today, Yorukami?"

She bowed her head slightly in respect and acknowledgement, then gestured towards the tan teen at the corner who was sloppily sliding into a yellow practice uniform, perfectly uncaring of the commotion he created by simply bringing the girl into the gymnasium.

"Good day, Harasawa-sensei. Please excuse my intrusion but I wish to watch your basketball team practice," she answered, her voice soft and tone polite. "Daiki said my presence would not be a bother."

First name basis. It made the older man's eyebrows raise questioningly.

"Huh? You mean, that lazy bastard suggested you come to watch?" Wakamatsu was overtly shocked when he heard, and he couldn't restrain his immense wonder about the fact, because he was under the impression that Touou's smug, egotistical ace was socially inept, especially to women.

"I did. You got a problem with that?" Aomine bluntly replied, eyes sloping down into an annoyed glare.

Wakamatsu's heart seemed to stop at that, and they all simultaneously thought the world must be ending. Aomine didn't seem to notice, everyone was staring at him as if he just spouted gibberish nonsense as he walked nonchalantly towards Yorukami whose smile was blindingly radiant.

They spoke briefly, and from that brief exchange everyone had an inkling, no, it was in plain sight, and they could not believe how Touou's Empress could be easily read like that, it was impossible - Yorukami Ruri was into their bastard ace.

Later, the gymnasium ruptured into indistinct noises, mostly complaints and whining of the jealous and confused, with the last coherent one being shouted in chorus, 'How come the Empress is with you?!'

A/N: Aomine Daiki doesn't do sappy romance so, yeah, I hope you enjoyed the reactions of the people around our main characters, hehe. Also, it was fun writing about how Aomine might confront the raging hormones of a teenager, haha, though I do hope it didn't seem too out of character.

Hooray! I'm alive, yes, and I have decided to add another, uh, chapter to this. Though I still don't plan on making this into a series, but I'll add some more in the future, I guess. However, I'm graduating soon so I've been very busy, and I still plan on finishing that other fic I've been working on for years now. Anyhow, I want to thank everyone who took their time reading this whimsical fic of mine, and I sure hope you enjoyed it! Also, I am very grateful to the people who reviewed this fic. You must know, it did help encourage me to write more, haha. Thank you very much and have a good day!