Chapter 42

~Teiko Days~

Shirane's POV

"What business do you have with Tetsuya?"

Akashi asked the guy who stood in front of us.

"I'm Ogiwari Shigehiro from Meikou Middle. I came to see how my friend's doing."

"From our opponent in the finals…Ogiwari?"

I muttered out remembering about the information that Momoi had gathered. Akashi had a considering look on his face before he came to a conclusion.

"…I see. So that's why Tetsuya acted the way he did in the previous match."

"Do you know about me?"

The guy, Ogiwari asked. Akashi gave me a look to go ahead without him first. I walked right ahead, past Ogiwari, toward Momoi.

"Is Kuroko awake yet?"

I asked Momoi as we entered the room.

"No…"

Momoi wore a worried expression. Kuroko was really hit hard on the head after all.

"I see…"

All of a sudden, I felt the stabbing pain in my head again. I clutch my head and winced in pain.

"Jun-chan?!"

"Pills…"

Momoi scrambled to the doctor in-charge of the infirmary. The doctor instructed her to guide me to the bed to take a seat as he look for the pills. No longer after, the doctor came over will some pills and glass of water in his hand.

"Here."

Handing me the pills, I took and swallow them before taking a sip of water from the glass of water given to me and soon after the pain subsided.

"Feeling much better?"

The doctor asked me. I nodded at him with a small smile.

"The beds are available if you want to rest."

With that, the doctor left me and Momoi to be.

"Jun-chan, you should really go and see a doctor."

Momoi spoke to me in concern. Remembering what I promised to Akashi, I nodded.

"Akashi is going to find a specialist to take a look at me."

Looking up at Momoi, I sheepishly smiled.

"So I will be fine."

Momoi expression broke out to a small but yet relieved smile.

"That's good to hear."

However the smile of hers did not last long as she turned to look at Kuroko. I knew that she was concern for Kuroko, however there was nothing I could do.

"Ah! Akashi-kun! Tetsu-kun's woken up…"

Shortly before Akashi entered the room, Kuroko had woken up. The doctor had check up on him the moment he woke up.

"Tetsuya…How do you feel?"

Akashi asked Kuroko as he stood by Kuroko's bedside.

"Akashi-kun… Momoi-san… Shirane-san…"

Kuroko turned to look over at us.

"The match…"

"We won, of course. The finals will be starting in five minutes. I'm afraid that's why the others can't be here right now."

Akashi informed him.

"I'll play too…!"

"Tetsu-kun…!"

"Kuroko…!"

Kuroko got out of his bed. Momoi and I panicked and ushered him to lie down.

"I won't allow it… The doctor said to rest. Don't make a fuss about it and go back to sleep."

"But…!"

"I know. Ogiwari-kun, right?"

Kuroko had this barely visible shocked expression on him.

"I just met him in the hall."

Akashi explained to him.

"'We should definitely play again.' He wanted me to tell you that."

Kuroko's expression changed after hearing Akashi's words.

"I…see…"

As Akashi was going to leave for the match, Kuroko call out to him.

"…Akashi-kun."

"What is it?"

"The finals…Please take them seriously. Please."

The tone of Kuroko was as though he was begging. Akashi glanced at him.

"…Are you sure? Regardless of what the point difference may be?"

"…Yes."

Kuroko answered was really firmed despite earlier on.

"He wouldn't want you to go easy on him. I'm certain… That's what he would say."

Akashi studied Kuroko for a bit before replying.

"I understand. I'll show them Teiko's Strength."

"…"

Because Momoi had to take care of Kuroko in the infirmary, I took over Momoi's place as the manager. The match had started and like usual, we were beating our opponent way ahead from them. As much as I didn't want to be there, I couldn't.

"Is this even the right thing to do…?"

I muttered to myself. Earlier before the game started, the guys where having a conversation among themselves.

"Ah, Akashicchi! How's Kurokocchi?!"

Kise asked Akashi as we returned from the infirmary. Despite asking Akashi the question, Kise glanced at me somehow worryingly.

"He's fine. There were no complications. Unfortunately he won't be joining us for this match…"

"That's too bad…"

"Whatever, let's just win first… We can all go report to him afterwards, right~?"

Mura-kun spoke up.

"…Yeah, let's do that."

Aomine spoke up as well. Both of them looked equally bored.

"That's fine…By the way, that discussion I overheard… What was that about?"

Akashi asked them.

"Ah, that was… We've gotten bored of seeing who can score the most points."

Aomine answered him.

"But~~~ That sounds like such a pain~~"

"That's what makes it interesting!"

"How pointless. Do whatever you want."

Akashi considered for a bit.

"…Hm. I don't see a problem with it. It seems much more engaging than just a point-scoring game. It's also perfect for our upcoming opponent."

I knew what they all were planning. I need to stop them before it's too late. Kuroko is pinning his hopes on this match. As much as I wanted to, I made a promise to follow Akashi, meaning I cannot object to his words.

And that his words are absolute.

The throbbing pain in my head surfaced again and I clenched my jaw to the point it hurts as I watched the entire match. The score was as clear as the guy planned in the beginning.

"Ogiwari-kun!"

Kuroko ran up to his friend who was uttered defeated. Ogiwari's expression was so despair that it was indescribable at all.

"Akashi-kun… Why…"

Tears flow out from Kuroko.

"Wh…wahhh…aaah…aaaah…"

Kuroko sobbed like no tomorrow. Watching him, I finally understood the reason for the pain in my head.

It was the pain of others in despair that came from the opponents we played with. There were also the feelings of those that simply lost their enjoyment for basketball. Even though I wasn't directly affect but I could feel these emotions. Being able to feel all these emotions at one go, it's no wonder it hurt so much.

And from that day forth, I declared to myself that I hated basketball.

After that day, Kuroko rarely comes to school. He didn't attend the graduation from the club at all. Momoi looked for him several times but he never comes out. As for the rest of the guys, they had been receiving scouts from high schools that were well-known in the basketball circle.

As for me, I avoided the basketball club guys ever since I left the club. I purely focus on studying for high school entrance exams. The only person that I had link to the basketball club was Akashi.

Akashi arranged a specialist to take a look at me already. Despite several visits to the doctor, the doctor did not know the cause of my throbbing pain. They can only assume that it was because of that incident with Mura-kun that started the whole thing. The only thing that could aid me in my pain was the pills that they had given me while they try to search for the answer.

And now I was at the library studying. My study session was soon going to be interrupted.

"Shirane?"

I looked up from my book to find a teacher approaching me.

"Yes sensei?"

"There's a scout that would like to meet you."

"Eh?"

I made my way to the meeting room where I was supposed to meet the scout. This was not the first time that has happened to me already. I had already refused them all up until now and I was planning to do so as well.

I knocked on the door before I slid the door open. There seated on the chairs was a middle-aged man with a very familiar red-headed person. It was Akashi.

The middle-aged man stood up the moment he heard me step in.

"You must be Shirane. I heard so much about you."

The man came closer to me and raised his hand up for me to shake.

"I'm Shirogane Eiji, coach of Rakuzan High."

"Shirogane…?"

Isn't that the same name as Coach?

Akashi stood up as well. I glanced at him as he nodded, confirming what I thought.

"Please, take a seat."

All of us went back to take a seat on the chairs.

"I suppose you know about Rakuzan?"

I nodded at him. Rakuzan High is a school that had been the defending champions of the winter cup for the past 5 years. Their school won the most tournaments as well. It's located is in Kyoto which is pretty far from here.

"Then I will cut to the chase. I hope that you can join us as an assistant."

Shirogane-san didn't beat around the bush. It was a good thing for me since I hate it when they do that.

"Thanks for the offer but I would have to refuse."

I said out what I had already planned to say from the beginning.

"Is it because of your condition?"

I gave a look of surprise when he mentioned that. I didn't even say a word about it to anyone other than Momoi and Akashi.

"I heard about your condition from Akashi."

" I see…"

I took a glance at Akashi who didn't seem to be affected by my glancing.

"But despite your condition, I really hope that you would consider coming to Rakuzan."

"You should consider it, Jun."

Akashi cut in, looking at me. It was then I remembered that I promised Akashi that I would follow him.

"Maybe this will help change your mind."

Shirogane-san took out a letter from his pocket. It was folded in half and was a bit crumpled at the edges.

"He wanted me to hand this over to you."

Shirogane-san handed the letter over to me.

"This is…"

"If you changed your mind after reading this…"

Shirogane-san took out his name card and gave it to me.

"Do give me a call. I will provide the necessary arrangements for you."

Shirogane-san stood up and gave us a bow.

"I look forward to seeing you two again."

He headed for the door and left. There was a short moment of silence between Akashi and I.

"You are free to go ahead choose your own school."

"Eh…?"

"My promise between you does not extend to the point where you have to follow me to whatever school I choose to go to."

Akashi explained himself.

"Despite the fact that I hope you would, but this concerns your future as well. Do not let your choices to be affected by the promise we made."

"I see…"

I am sort of glad that Akashi wasn't that serious about it.

"However I believe that you should consider this offer."

Akashi continued on as he stood up to walk out of the room.

"…You know that I no longer want to be part of this…"

My sentence immediately stopped his tracks.

"But you know that's inevitable."

Akashi glanced at me for a bit before leaving me in the room alone.

That night, after having dinner and showering, I lie on my bed and look around my room. As my eyes wandered to my bag, I remembered about the letter that I received earlier today. I got up and open my bag to take that very letter out.

I tore the edge of the letter to take the paper out to read.

Dear Shirane,

How have you been lately? It's been such a long time since I last saw all of you after my retirement. Don't worry about this illness of mine. I am doing fine as we speak! The hospital that I transferred over to is taking very good care of me. I believe that I can be discharged soon.

Anyway, I have seen the final match for the championship. As much as I want to congratulate all of you, it isn't right for me to say that. Your expression at the final match says it all. I'm really sorry that couldn't have been there to see you all through your final year. I know things have been really tough with everything that has been happening but you didn't have the power to stop it. Don't blame yourself because of it.

I suppose you have met the guy that handled his letter over to you. I have told him about you and he hopes that you would consider joining Rakuzan High. I hope you would too, despite all the things that have happened. I know you might not want to touch on basketball again but is it okay for you to give up on something you put your heart and soul on?

I know it's not the best sentence that I ever come up with but I hope you think about it. If you join Rakuzan High, you can continue where we left off.

Till next time,

Shirogane Kozo

"Coach…"

What should I do?

Sorry for the super late update! I just started university about 3 weeks ago and adjusting to school life. However with the addition of school, I will not update as frequently as I should so I apologise in advance.

Anyway, I am going to end the story for Teiko Arc here. Thank you guys so much for following this story till now! I will be writing the sequel to this story sometime soon so do look out for it!

UPDATE!

Like a Blank Sheet of White Paper has a sequel called Limitless White. Do go check it out if you haven't read it!