The first email came just after the the interhigh ended and read, Kagami, please send me Miss Alex's email.

"Oh," said Kuroko when he showed her the text. "Yes, I told Akashi-san that if she wished to get into contact with Miss Alex, it would be best to apply directly to you."

"And how did Akashi get my details," said Kagami.

"Momoi…" said Aomine. "Midorima… Murasakibara's boytoy… the alien computer implanted in the back of her brain…"

Kise nodded. "Could be any of those."

"Could be her," said Aomine, jabbing a thumb at Kise. Kise looked hurt.

Midorima's reply, texted furiously to Kuroko, demanded her to inform those vulgar busybodies to mind their own business, and that Takao would certainly pay for having unearthed their middle school yearbook from Momoi.

"Man, I don't even know where mine is," said Aomine. "I think maybe I burned it."

"But I signed yours!" said Kise.

"How'd Akashi even meet Alex?" said Kagami.

Aomine shrugged. "Not me," she said. "I never talk to Akashi."

"Akashi-san suggested to me that it was right after the Winter Cup," said Kuroko.

Oh yes, Tatsuya replied to Kagami. Alex kissed her. Murasakibara was very upset with me for not preventing it. But Alex's reflexes when it comes to kissing are top-shelf, Taiga.

"So that was what Murasakibarachi was so angry about," said Kise, suffused with laughter.

"Wow," said Aomine, her eyes dreamy. "I would've paid to see that happen."

Kagami went cold.

"Will she… kill Alex?" he said to Aomine.

"Not now," said Aomine, putting a comforting hand on top of his. "It's been like, months. Akashi's either angry at once or angry forever. She would have been doing something before now. And Alex was pretty cool. I mean, legitly cool. She wanted us to get together even then.."

Kagami blushed and roughed his hand through his hair. He squinted at his screen and laboriously typed out a question.

Why do you want it? he asked Akashi. He could almost picture the cool serenity of Akashi's eyes as she tapped out a thoughtful response, her face curving into a smile.

Do you really want to know? Akashi replied. "Typical," muttered Aomine, reading over his shoulder.

Uh, yes, Kagami typed.

We're going to L. A. for a short trip in the summer, Akashi said. You, too.

"We're what," said Aomine, snatching the phone from Kagami. "What?"

.0.

"We're not really going to do this," said Kagami to Kuroko, four email attachments, two phone calls, and one day later.

Kuroko looked resigned, exchanging one subject notebook for another. "We are," she said. "Akashi-san has already made all the arrangements and had Momoi-kun present Coach with the training schedule she means to keep us on while we are in her care." She ruminated on this and added, "He and Himuro-san and Takao-kun are to join us, so you will not be the only boy, and Himuro-san is your friend."

This was not helpful. Tatsuya coming along would make the trip more bearable, but it also seriously raised their chances of going-to-get-into-trouble. Real trouble. Even on a four-day trip.

"And we will be meeting Miss Alex as well, I understand," said Kuroko, reading the look on Kagami's face.

"That's not comforting," said Kagami. It wasn't that he didn't want to bring Aomine to the US, didn't have things to show her, but-

"I'm looking forward to it," said Kuroko, adding, "Kiyoshi-san will want to meet us there, too."

.0.

Kagami got to the airport bright and early with a sleepwalking Kuroko and Aomine grumbling behind him to meet an obscenely awake Momoi, who took them into the check-in lounge and extracted their passports.

"Just wait over there with Mukkun!" he said. "Almost everyone is already here! Isn't this exciting! Kagamin! Kuroko! Dai-chan!"

"Make him stop," groaned Aomine, bent over almost double to use Kuroko as a walking cane.

Murasakibara lay face-down on an entire row of seats, jacket pulled up and over to cover her head. Tatsuya sat opposite her, his legs propped up on an ottoman, looking sleek and pleased.

"Taiga," said Tatsuya, smiling at him. "Did you sleep at all?"

"What do you think," said Aomine. She threw herself down on another sofa. Mercifully, the lounge was empty except for them. She sighed. "Tetsu, come here, I need a pillow."

"Ask Kagami-kun," said Kuroko, stretching her back back out. She wandered off in the direction of the food spread, and some vanilla yogurt drink.

"Taigaaaa," said Aomine.

"Not lying down, you're gonna have jetlag if you go back to sleep," he said. He sat down next to her, and she curled until she was using his back as a rest.

Tatsuya smirked at them.

Kagami blushed.

"Murasakibara, what are you doing? Sit up this instant! Aren't you ashamed to behave like this in public?"

Kagami and Aomine sighed together.

Murasakibara heaved herself upright to glare at the other girl, who unlike nearly all of them was wearing a long skirt, leggings, blouse, cardigan and scarf.

"You look like our fifty year old kindergarten teacher," said Murasakibara.

"That would be appropriate, because the rest of you always act like children," said Midorima.

Murasakibara sat up and put up the hood of her jacket. It had bear ears on it. She folded her arms and stared at Midorima, daring her to comment.

"So cute," said Kise, popping up behind Murasakibara, fondling the bear ears and rubbing them down on Murasakibara's head.

Murasakibara yelped, threw Kise's hands off her and slid off the sofa into a grumpy heap.

"See!" said Midorima. "Get off the floor!" She stared at Kise. "And what are you wearing?"

"It's L. A.!" protested Kise, wincing as she rubbed her hands.

Kagami looked at her tiny shorts, her crop top, her strappy heels. Not too long. But he did look.

"You are literally going to stick to everything," said Aomine.

Midorima swelled with indignation. "Kise, cover up this-"

"So you're sure you want to come," said Kagami to Takao.

"I would have come if I had to pack myself into luggage," said Takao, settling down. "Shin-chan would never have left me behind."

"You would have exceeded my weight limit," Midorima said to him severely.

"You're rich, you can afford it," said Takao. She said nothing, but reached out to smooth down his hair, fussing, fussing.

"Ugh, stop flirting," said Murasakibara in a loud voice.

Aomine fake-barfed into her hand and then leapt sideways out of Midorima's reach.

Takao grinned around at the group. "Is this everyone?" he said. "Where's- oh, there she is."

"I'm glad to see you're looking forward to it, Takao-kun," said Kuroko.

"This is the best thing that's ever happened to me," said Takao with conviction.

"Oh, is it?" murmured Midorima.

He took her hand and squeezed it. "Sure," he said, beaming at her.

Midorima blushed and then recoiled as Kise hauled herself over to stare sulkily at their happiness.

"So unfair," she said. She threw her arm around Kuroko. "SO UNFAIR!" Kuroko patted her shoulder.

"So Kasamatsu-san isn't coming," said Takao. "Too bad. Would've been fun to have him along."

"Isn't he afraid of girls," said Aomine.

"I asked sempai to come!" wailed Kise. "I told him Akashi would pay, I told him I'd pay, I told him how he could let me go alone all by myself to America and it's his holiday soon anyway, I tried everything but he said he'd rather eat worms and swim the Arctic."

"But you wouldn't be all by yourself," pointed out Kagami. "There's like ten of us. There's Akashi."

Kise glared at him. "I'm all alone while the rest of you are going to be snuggling and having a couples vacation and look, you're doing it right now, that's so unfair, I want sempai!" her voice broke on a whine.

Aomine tucked herself even tighter into Kagami's side. "You two wouldn't be snuggling anyway," she said. "You're still 'not dating'."

Kise muttered dark threats. "I'm working on it," she said.

Akashi and Momoi finished talking to the ladies at the counter and returned with their passports and boarding passes.

Midorima sat stiffly upright in her seat and said, "Akashi, you booked us into first class? That's so extravagant! It's such a waste of money!"

Murasakibara rolled her eyes.

"You're almost two metres tall," said Akashi.

"I'm just as outraged as you are, Shin-chan," said Takao. "No private jet? What kind of sugar mama are you?"

Midorima elbowed him in the side.

"I decided it was too much hassle to find an adult chaperone if we were going to fly privately," said Akashi mildly. "My father can be overprotective."

Midorima subsided, overcome with horror at the thought of the luxury they had so narrowly escaped. Takao patted her back supportively.

"Thanks," said Kagami.

"Taiga, we're sitting together," said Aomine, pleased. "What'd'we owe you?" she said to Akashi.

"Couldn't you have asked her this question anytime before today," said Kagami.

"If any of you take so much as one eyelash out of line while we're in Los Angeles, I'll leave you there," said Akashi, ignoring him.

"Done," said Aomine.

.0.

The invisible hand of Akashi's influence ushered them through security, customs and into a mini-bus, which brought them to Kagami's house before he even had the chance to tell them his address, which Kagami kind of wished he hadn't noticed.

"Kagamin, your house is so big!" said Momoi.

"Told you we didn't need to book a place," said Kagami. "There's lots of space."

"Your dad doesn't mind?" said Takao.

"Nah, we'll stay out of his way," said Kagami. "It's just a few days."

"Did you remember to ask him?" said Midorima sharply.

"Yeah, I called," said Kagami. He dug in his bag for his keys and they walked in.

It was simply furnished, spick-and-span clean, and very, very empty.

"You checked that your dad still lives here, right," said Aomine.

"He does," said Kagami. "I think the last girlfriend moved out three months ago. He's got a cleaning service."

The rest of the girls, desperate to avoid an awkward conversation which probed into Kagami's family situation, put down their bags and started exploring.

"There's no food," yelled Murasakibara.

"The vehicle will remain at our disposal for our stay," said Akashi. "We might purchase groceries shortly."

"We can unpack your snacks," Tatsuya said to her. "Is that okay?"

"Did you seriously carry over snacks for her," said Kagami.

"Some are for you," said Tatsuya.

Murasakibara sighed. "If I have to," she said.

"We should shower and change too," said Kise, flapping a hand around her neck. "Doesn't anyone else feel gross?"

"Didn't you touch up your makeup enough times?" said Midorima acidly. "Nearly poking out your own eye, I might add."

Kise looked at Midorima with what could only be called a speculative look in her eye. "I can do you later, Midorimachi," she said. "Just like camps back in Teikou! Makeovers all night."

Kuroko vanished up the stairs, possibly scouting for escape routes.

"I want to come," said Takao.

"Maybe later," said Akashi, a thoughtful promise. "We're meeting Miss Alex for dinner."

"We gonna play some ball?" demanded Aomine, stretching up onto her toes. "I need to get moving, I sat for way too long."

"There's a street court a couple of blocks over," said Kagami. "I used to go to it all the time back when-" He looked at Tatsuya.

"It's still there," said Tatsuya. "Or it was when I left."

"Will we at least get something to eat," said Murasakibara.

"You could have had my cake on the plane," said Tatsuya.

"I didn't want it then," said Murasakibara.

Somehow, with totally uncoordinated yet devastating efficiency, they split up into two rooms, unpacked, tumbled in and out of the three bathrooms ("You are so rich, you asshole," said Takao cheerfully, and no one at all took Kagami's side), and poured themselves back into the-

"I thought cars would be less conspicuous," said Akashi, then divided them among party lines and they were off.

"Is this just what you had to put up, all the time, back then?" said Kagami, who was reaching new and amazingly annoying levels of Miragen saturation. "All the damn time?"

"I was so mad when I went to Touou and no one brought me lunch or carried my bag everyday, man," said Aomine. "Only Momoi. And then Ryou."

"Akashi-san has always handled management issues like this for her clubs," said Kuroko. "With Momoi-kun to help her, she can accomplish more."

"Akachin just likes to boss people around," said Murasakibara, accurately. "Look how she's dragged all of us across the ocean just to… do whatever it is she's doing."

Aomine snorted. "What, you don't know either?" she said.

"You don't," retorted Murasakibara.

"Yeah, but I've never known what she's thinking," said Aomine. "Isn't that your job?"

Murasakibara rolled her eyes to the side, communicating that Aomine was too stupid even to fight with.

Aomine narrowed her eyes at the larger girl, and then they both looked at Kuroko.

"I don't know either," said Kuroko. "Akashi-san will reveal her purpose when she is ready."

"What are you guys talking about?" said Kise, staring distracted at her phone. "Which do you think is the better picture? Should I be taking it together with you guys so he doesn't think I'm going off by myself? How's the lighting?"

The other girls stared at her.

"One time the guy in the next class carpeted your entire desk in rose petals," said Murasakibara. "They got everywhere. They got in my snacks."

"He hasn't responded to any of the texts I sent before I got on the plane at all!" wailed Kise. She collapsed limply in her seat.

"We're here," said their driver.

"Finally," said Aomine, ignoring Kise's mumble of protest. "I'm starving. We drove for so long!"

"That's just how it is here," said Kagami, straining a little to get out of the car- of course Akashi had gone in the other one- so Aomine grabbed his arm and pulled him until he popped free. He leant over the driver's side. "Thanks," he said. "Do you, uh,"

"It's taken care of," the driver assured him. "The whole trip."

Kagami nodded, relieved. Akashi really had to be dropping a packet on getting them up here, and even if she had cash to burn, Kagami couldn't figure out what her goal was in all of this. Was it just Alex? Was she really planning to leave them all here, and ensure Rakuzan had an uninterrupted sweep to the Winter Cup? Was she going to kill them all?

Kagami was still cranking through these possibilities while they walked through the doors of the restaurant and saw Alex, beer bottle already in hand, waving to them with a big smile on her face. Akashi was weaving through the tables towards Alex, her hair tied up in her match-ready pigtails, focus and straight-backed and sure.

And at the table, talking quietly with Kiyoshi and laughing under his breath, was Nijimura Shuuzou.

.0.

"I wanted it to be a surprise," said Momoi, his eyes gleaming with happy tears as he passed the girls more potato skins.

"No wonder Shuu was being so mysterious about meeting up," said Tatsuya. He waved to Nijimura, who, surrounded by women, raised a suspicious eyebrow at him.

Akashi had claimed immediate pride of place at his free side, and the rest of the girls had arrayed themselves around him and were alternating between being passionately interested in him and passionately interested in their food.

"He's a nice boy," said Alex. "He helps out at the club with the younger kids, too. Kiyoshi goes to school with him. Small world, huh?"

"I met him at gambling basketball last year," said Kagami.

"I saw," murmured Tatsuya wickedly.

"Shin-chan never showed me," said Takao. He sucked a shrimp out of its tail, watching the show along with everyone else. "This is weird to everyone else, right?"

"So weird," said Kagami.

"I like Shuu," said Tatsuya.

"Nijimura's been really good to me while I was in the hospital," said Kiyoshi. "It was nice to see a familiar face."

"I mean, he was good-looking, but I didn't think they were all that into him," said Kise, her lovely brow furrowed.

The boys looked at her.

"I only joined in my second year," she reminded them. "And I guess, he'd already stepped down from captain by then." She sipped her iced tea. "And," she lowered her voice, "his dad, you know?"

"I really don't," said Kagami.

Akashi Looked at them across the table, and Kise shut up, hurriedly putting her burger into her mouth. The rest of the girls didn't even bother looking around at them, having magically and inexplicably transformed into polite, docile, well-behaved children with their elbows off the table and their legs tucked away under their seats, all of them watching Nijimura congratulate them on their choices of and progress in high school with attentive, enlarged eyes.

Kagami thought the guy was attractive too, and it made sense that they would be happy to see him again, but this was so weird.

The spell lasted all the way until it was time for dessert, and the awed waitstaff brought out ice cream and cookies and brownies and once again fourteen teenagers set to and demolished the lot like ants stripping a carcass.

While Midorima explained to Kuroko and Murasakibara in lengthy detail about cavities and diabetes, Nijimura turned his head to where Aomine was spoon-feeding Kagami some of her sundae and said, "Kagami Taiga, huh?"

Kagami twitched. "Uh, yeah?" he said. "Uh. Sorry about the photo."

Nijimura shrugged, like passing around photos of someone was a normal, human thing that just happened to anyone, but narrowed his eyes.

"This him?" he said to Aomine.

Aomine put her other arm around Kagami's shoulders and pulled him to her, saying, "Yes." with a smug smile.

Nijimura grunted. He gave Aomine a nod, then turned away.

"Did I just pass some kind of test," Kagami whispered to Aomine.

"Yeah, he's cool with you," said Aomine. Her arm slipped up around his neck to ruffle his hair. "This is cool."

Kagami blushed and looked down the table in embarrassment. At the head of the table, opposite Alex, Akashi glowed with satisfaction. When she noticed that he was looking at her, she met his gaze, and smiled.

.0.

Alex rubbed her hands together as she looked at them all. "This is going to be so fun," she said. "I'm glad Akashi had this idea of bringing all of those girls here."

"And us," prompted Tatsuya.

"Well, also you," said Alex, smiling at him. "Not that I'm not happy to have you boys back here together with me, just like old times!"

"You're not planning on kissing any of the girls, are you," said Kagami.

"My reflexes aren't too good right now," Alex mourned.

"Alex," said Tatsuya. "I don't suppose you know why we're here? All Murasakibara would tell me was that you must have said something to Akashi."

"Aren't you here on vacation?" said Alex. "And it seems to me that she brought you boys along so that girls wouldn't get bored."

"That sounds right," said Kiyoshi, pleased. "It looks like it's been a lot of fun so far!"

"Kiyoshi-sempai," murmured Kuroko dampingly.

"Are you not having fun?" said Kiyoshi with concern.

"I am," said Kuroko, looking up at him under her eyelashes. "How have you been?"

Kagami tuned out and tuned back into Tatsuya talking to Nijimura.

"-all staying in one guy's house?" said Nijimura.

"Yes, but can you imagine what Akashi would have done otherwise?" said Tatsuya. "Overflowing the Sheraton with sixteen-year-old Japanese schoolgirls." He paused. "We could have cleaned up on room charges," he added.

"Akashi made the right call," said Nijimura, after staring suspiciously at Tatsuya and his suggestion of fraud. "She's got years of experience keeping these monkeys in line."

"Are they all still twelve years old, then?" murmured Tatsuya. "Even Akashi?"

"Yes," said Nijimura frankly. "Giant, noisy, overgrown twelve year olds on sugar highs with boyfriends."

"Nice boyfriends?" said Tatsuya.

"I guess?" said Nijimura. "That's their business, though."

Up ahead, Kise was forcing Aomine and Momoi to take selfies with her, tilting her head and pursing her lips while Aomine put her in a headlock and Momoi flashed the peace sign.

"Has Kise taken five thousand photos today yet, or just four?" said Midorima waspishly.

"Kise is enjoying herself in her own way," said Akashi. "Photographs are her way of remembering her time with us."

"It's just that Kise-chin's brain is so small she'll forget what she looks like," said Murasakibara. "Like a goldfish."

"I'd say it's more that Kise doesn't really care how she looks," said Akashi, spoiling a perfectly good burn round.

"Yeah," Nijimura said. "My girlfriend's the same way."

.0.

Despite Takao's dire theories shared freely after lights-out, they didn't have to wake up the next day and run two hundred laps around the block just to warm up for ball-handling drills.

("Morning Dad." "How's school, son." "Fine Dad." "Good.")

Kagami did have to cook breakfast for ten people, but once Kise had gently ushered Momoi out of the kitchen and Murasakibara sat on him to keep him from coming back in, between Kuroko and Tatsuya, they got it done.

"Time is of the essence, so you may do as you wish until the afternoon," said Akashi, apparently because thirty-six hours was her limit for spending close personal time with her dearest and most precious friends.

"Guess we'll walk around, play some ball?" said Kagami to Aomine.

"Oh," said Aomine. "I'm going to- I'm going with Akashi today. You'll be okay, right?"

"This is my house," said Kagami.

"Yeah," she said, distracted. She stepped up to him and kissed him on the cheek, holding him close a moment. "Yeah. I'll see you later."

"Why did she just kiss you like you're going off on the Titanic?" said Takao. "And what do I have to do to get Midorima to do that?"

"No idea," said Kagami shortly.

They ended up going to streetball, where they met with Kiyoshi and Nijimura again and alternated between lying in the shade listening to Midorima and Kise practice their english and playing pickup themselves, though not, since Midorima vociferously insisted, for money.

Tatsuya appeared sometime after lunch, waving to old friends and sitting down next to Kagami with a sigh.

"I thought you were with Murasakibara," said Kagami stupidly.

"No, she went with Akashi and Aomine too," said Tatsuya.

"Then where have you been?" said Kagami.

Tatsuya smiled.

"Never mind," said Kagami.

"She said she was on her way," said Tatsuya. "There they are."

Akashi, Murasakibara and Aomine trudged towards them, following a very attractive girl who was talking with Akashi while the other two stared at them, owl-eyed.

"Thank you for the ride," said Akashi.

"No problem," said the girl, who greeted Nijimura with a kiss. Miragen heads turned from all directions, then quickly looked away. Nijimura introduced them to his girlfriend, who smiled and nodded because she didn't speak Japanese and they seemed content to stare like goldfish at her and smile and nod in return.

"She seems nice," Kuroko murmured.

"She is, she volunteered to drive us over rather than have us wait for our car," said Akashi. "She's also given me some recommendations for dining or sightseeing, if anyone is interested in that."

"Now I'm really confused," said Kise, crossing her (long, bare) legs to stare at Nijimura's girlfriend. "You knew about her?"

"I follow him on facebook, Kise," said Akashi. "She's all over his profile. We've exchanged comments many times."

"You are on facebook?" said Kise. "Why haven't you friended me?"

"Yes," said Akashi. She stretched her neck backwards and said, "We'll play the next round. Call teams, Kuroko."

.0.

Kagami's feeling of vague unease persisted until the night, when true to her promise, Akashi ran them all through their paces at the empty streetcourt near Kagami's house, until Kuroko was lying face down on the concrete and all of them had sweated straight through their practice clothes. Kagami almost immediately felt better. Tired and in pain, but better.

Akashi pushed a sweaty lock of hair off her face and stood. They all looked at her.

"No practice breakdown," said Murasakibara. "Unless you can keep it under five minutes each."

"That will come later," said Akashi. She took in a deep breath, and let it out.

"I understand there has been some confusion about the purpose of this visit," Akashi said to them. "I wish to clarify my reasons now, so that we can get on with enjoying our vacation."

"Point of order, I've been enjoying myself very much," said Takao. Midorima put her head into her hands.

"Thank you for your input," said Akashi. She looked around at all their faces, as though memorising them.

"I wished to consult with Miss Alex," said Akashi. "Next year… after our third year of high school… I plan to study overseas and continue playing basketball for as long as I can, and I wanted her help and to speak with people she could put me in contact with. I wanted to do this face-to-face, and I wanted my friends here for moral support."

"Akashichi," said Kise tearfully.

"Will it really-" said Midorima. "I mean, I want to become a doctor. But will your family-"

"Thank you for your support, Midorima," said Akashi.

She looked to her side. Aomine sighed. "Yeah, I," she said. "I got to talking with Alex's contacts too. It's… it's happening, I guess."

Momoi buried his face in his hands and started to cry.

"Why are you crying?" Aomine said.

"You're thinking about your future," Momoi wept. "I'm so happy, Dai-chan, you're going to be in the WNBA! You'll definitely go pro, I know you will!"

"Uh, I mean maybe, it might- oh quit crying," said Aomine, and hugged him. "It's in the cards, that's all I'm saying."

She looked at Murasakibara, who was staring at the treeline as though she wasn't involved in any of this. "You've got an offer too, you know. If you want it."

"I know," said Murasakibara. "I don't want to talk about it."

"But you are thinking about it?" prodded Akashi.

"Yes," said Murasakibara. "Congrats us. Woo."

"Why did nobody ask me," said Kise plaintively.

"Haven't you already spoken to university scouts back in Japan?" said Akashi, raising an eyebrow. "Together with some endorsement deals, as well."

"Yes," said Kise. "But you could have asked."

"You can ask Miss Alex about it tomorrow," said Akashi, with a shrug.

"Then why did you invite the boys along as well?" said Midorima, her brow furrowed in bewilderment.

"I thought it would be nice for everyone to have a vacation at the same time," said Akashi. "I think having them along has made things more enjoyable," she added, with all apparent sincerity.

"I think that it would be very enjoyable to not have Kurochin puke her guts out the rest of our training," said Murasakibara.

"Unkind," murmured Tatsuya, who also looked a little green.

Everyone looked at Kuroko, who, still lying face-down, raised her fist off the ground.

"Thank you for the encouragement, Kuroko," said Akashi.

Kuroko waved it a little in the air, then reached out and punched Murasakibara as hard as she could in the leg.

.0.

"That's nice to hear," said Kiyoshi the next day. "It's great that she's got her future planned out." He peered at Kuroko. "Do you?" he said.

"No," admitted Kuroko. "But as you do, I admire their commitment and wish them all the best."

Kiyoshi patted her on the head, which Kuroko allowed.

Kagami looked at Kuroko. "You really are enjoying yourself," he said.

"At first I thought I might not," said Kuroko, which Kagami was pretty sure was a massive understatement. "But yes, it's been quite fun." Her perceptive eyes searched his face. "Do you know what you want to do, Kagami-kun?"

Kagami looked down and shuffled his feet in their basketball shoes. "Follow her, I guess," he said. "I mean. I want to."

"That would be interesting," said Kiyoshi.

"And easier for you than to enter university in Japan," said Kuroko.

"Wow, thanks," said Kagami.

"They're finishing up," said Kiyoshi. He rocked back and forth with excitement. "Think I can get in on the next one?"

"Did Coach say you can?" said Kagami. Kiyoshi looked at him sadly.

"I will ask Akashi-san," said Kuroko.

Akashi was once again in conversation with Nijimura, though why they were talking in english about time-travelling apples, Kagami couldn't even begin to guess.

"Kiyoshi-sempai wants be to included in our game," said Kuroko.

"It's not too much trouble," said Kiyoshi, giving Akashi his most pathetic look. "Riko said I'd have to ask you."

"I have Aida-san's permission to push you a little if your recovery permits, yes," said Akashi. Nijimura snorted. Akashi smiled up at him. "Would you like to participate as well?" she said. "It's been a long time."

"I think I'm up to it," he said, tapping her lightly on the forehead with his closed fist.

"Certainly," said Akashi. She raised her voice, getting the attention of the rest of the Generation of Miracles. "Gather up," she said. "We're having another match."

"Us as well?" said Tatsuya.

"Yes," said Akashi.

"Aomine.

"Midorima.

"Murasakibara.

"Kise.

"Kuroko.

"You're all on my team," said Akashi.

"Wow, we are going to get creamed," said Takao.

"What a poor attitude," called Midorima.

"Bring it on," said Kagami, grinning at Aomine, who stuck her tongue out at him and laughed.

"This feels like cheating," said Kise.

"Will it be cheating when I slap you guys into the next week for disrespecting your seniors?" said Nijimura.

"At least one of us should probably go on the other team," said Kuroko to Akashi, quietly.

"Certainly," said Akashi, smiling, smiling. "But at least one more time, I want to play basketball with my friends again."

::END::

Note: So four years ago according to the Ao3, I started posting Miracles... and four years on, this is the last chronological installment of Miracles. I have nebulous but unformed plans for at most a handful of wrap-ups, but this is the end of Miracles! Thank you all so much for being with me and reading along for as long as you have- from the time when genderswap shojou blither was niche crackfic to the period of time when Miracles was inexplicably the biggest fic on the KnB Ao3. Writing Miracles has gotten me through some hard times in my life. I want you to believe that they're happy with where and who they are, or are on the way to being so, and I want all of you to get there too.