[Kuroko's Basketball] The First Promise

All that was heard was silence, except for the sound of cold water flowing.

The water flows down the eyebrows, wipes the eye sockets and slides down to the chin, and then drops down.

"I have been paying attention to the games of the seniors. I have watched every game this year."

Akutagawa shook his blond hair, smiled and took the towel next to him and handed it to Heizi: "Then I heard that seniors are going to come here for special training, so I also came here. Ah, it's just me."

Heizi turned his head, lowered his eyelids, and splashed cold water on his face, and the water splashed out even more.

He doesn't have much affection for Akutagawa, it's the same in every way.

"Although we haven't fought head-to-head, Senior Vulcan also admitted that I am stronger than you."

Akutagawa kept raising his hand, holding the towel, still smiling gently, but the words got straight to the point: "It's just that senior has become stronger. So now I have the desire to fight with you again, senior."

"Vulcan Lord didn't say that." Heizi replied quietly, raised his hand to turn off the water, and went to get another towel to wipe off the water droplets on his face.He wiped it for a long time, and finally rubbed his eyes through the towel.

"But I replaced senior as the starter." Akutagawa kept smiling, and lowered his hand holding the towel.

"There's no comparison." Heizi glanced at the people around him calmly: "He did this to show that he recognized your ability."

"Senior said that can only be interpreted as a difference of understanding."

The smile on Akutagawa's lips suddenly widened, looking at the gentle young man suddenly gave off a strong aura: "Hey, seniors, let us prove it—who is stronger."

"Sorry, please allow me to refuse. We are in special training, and Akashi-kun is not allowed to compete in private."

Heizi folded the towel and put it in his backpack, turned around and was about to leave, when he was grabbed by the arm behind him as soon as he took a step.

"It's okay, aren't you resting now?"

Akutagawa smiled kindly, but held Heizi's hand with considerable strength:

"Hey, just fight for a while, I really want to fight with senior, you see, I will come to Kyushu from a long distance, just promise me~"

Heizi didn't speak, and raised his hand to break him away.

"And there—"

Akutagawa still has no tendency to let go of his hand, and his smile is getting more and more innocent:

"—Many people said that the little-known East Conference suddenly won last year's league runner-up Kanagawa University. In fact, it was Kiyoshi-senpai who deliberately let go?"

The azure blue pupils shrank slightly, and Heizi's expression turned cold suddenly.

"Why such an expression?"

Akutagawa laughed out loud, and let go of Kuroko's hand:

"If Senior Muji and the others really didn't release the water, then Senior Heizi will prove it to me, your Dongda's strength."

Companions are Heizi's bottom line, and he absolutely cannot tolerate anyone touching it.

Every player is the endorsement of his own team, and he can't stand that his team is belittled by outsiders.He understood better where most of the reasons for this misunderstanding came from.

He wants to prove that he is definitely not a dragging existence.

His team won aboveboard, never willing to hand out a victory from the opponent.

——He has decided to stand up, and decided to return to this generation.

—then he must, learn to protect his honor.no matter when.

The gym was divided into four halls, and Kuroko went to Hall No. [-], which was the farthest from Akashi and the others. The door was unlocked and there was no one inside.

Hall No. [-] is simpler than Hall No. [-] where he practiced before, with only two baskets inside.The stands are also dirty. It is estimated that there are not many people visiting them on weekdays, because it is too remote after all.

Heizi found a relatively clean step, put down his backpack, bent down and tied his shoelaces again.

Akutagawa flipped over a somewhat torn basketball behind the hoop.There was some dirt on it, and he patted the ball to shake off all the dust on it, which made it feel cleaner.

"It's just a simple one-on-one. It's the same as the assessment that my seniors gave me when I entered the Seirin Basketball Club."

Dribbling the ball to Kuroko, Akutagawa still smiled kindly:

"—I hope it will be a wonderful game?"

Heizi didn't speak, but his eyes became clearer and brighter.

No whistle, no crowd, just a basketball game with only two people.

The floor covered with a little dust felt a little astringent when running, just like Heizi's heart at the moment.

The first ball was controlled by Akutagawa, staring straight at the basket behind Heizi, and he rushed towards Heizi's right hand.Heizi's swaying footwork allowed Heizi to see clearly from the corner of his eye that the opponent's steps were actually going to the left but misdirected to the right. He stepped forward with his left foot, and Heizi staggered his position and directly slapped his right hand, hitting Akutagawa just now. ball on basketball.

The ball with some spin was hit to the back of Akutagawa's side. Taking advantage of the inertia of turning sideways just now, Heizi took a step to reach the ball and then rushed to the basket behind the opponent. There was a rush of strength behind his arm, and a hand was hollowed out directly under his elbow, and the palm hit heavily on the ball that Heizi hadn't had time to dribble away.

At the same moment when Heizi was stunned, Akutagawa laughed lowly, hooked the flying basketball into the area under his control, turned his posture very quickly, dribbled the ball and ran back directly, and when Heizi turned around again, it was already Unable to catch up, he watched the opponent rush to the basket and then easily scored the first point with a hook layup.

"I still remember the trick that Senior Heizi taught me back then. Intercept the ball from behind and run back."

Akutagawa threw the ball to Kuroko, smiling softly:

"——I remember every trick you taught me clearly."

Heizi hugged the ball tightly, his nails almost digging into the rough texture of the basketball.

Those clear blue eyes instantly dimmed a little.

He regretted it.

He regretted passing on his abilities to Akutagawa.This junior has unlimited potential, and at that time he also hoped that Akutagawa could live up to expectations and bring victory and glory to Seirin.

——This will also reduce his pain after quitting the company.

But the fact is just the opposite. Under the pressure of worsening eye injuries, he taught Akutagawa all the skills he could teach, except those disappearing skills that Akutagawa's physique couldn't learn.

——But what was given back to Heizi was a result that made him feel cold in his heart.

The junior whom he and Vulcan had given high hopes for, the rookie who was about to release his abilities to the peak, transferred to another strong school without warning, and joined the opponent's basketball club.

——And in the final league finals, Seirin was completely defeated.

Heizi was sitting in the lounge at that time, watching the broadcast on TV, biting his lower lip forcibly, blood came out.

The skills he is familiar with are displayed on the court one by one, and are flexibly used by that junior with unlimited potential, but it is not at all to help Seirin win.

——It was to lead Seirin to failure.

——Step by step, unhurried, but always clearly leading.

——Heizi hates him, hates him for using himself as a perfect stepping stone, but also hates his own incompetence even more.

If the eyes weren't hurt, Seirin wouldn't be like this.

Why did the team he loves, the glory he guarded, fall to the point of being trampled on by others.

He can't change, he can't save, he is no longer the shadow that anyone can rely on at the beginning.

Heizi looked at Akutagawa's gentle smiling face in front of him, and looked down at his hands holding the basketball.

He wants to prove to Akutagawa that he is no longer the Kuroko Tetsuya he once was.

Now he has the ability to support the team he loves, no longer blindly hiding in the lounge, quietly.

With a sudden explosion under his feet, Heizi rushed towards Akutagawa at an almost unprecedented speed. The latter spread his arms intently, quickly judged the direction of Heizi's attack, and immediately raised his hand to intercept Heizi when he rushed to his right.Slightly tilting his head and sweeping over, Heizi's feet suddenly stopped sharply. When Akutagawa's whole body center of gravity leaned down, Heizi quickly reversed to the left and started, successfully breaking through Akutagawa's defense.

The dribbling rhythm has been mastered, Heizi quickly dribbles to the basket, and he has greater confidence in the short-range shots. When he just raised his hand, he felt a strong pressure on his head. The ball has been slammed to the ground.

The second ball was broken again by the opponent within a few seconds.

Heizi looked at the basketball rolling back to his shoes in a daze, not knowing where his mistake was.

"Senior Heizi still hasn't changed at all."

Akutagawa smiled and bent down to pick up the basketball at Kuroko's feet:

"—Is it my illusion? I always thought that Senior Heizi became even stronger after going through these few games."

His breathing was a little unstable, and Heizi felt a sudden panic in his chest.

He wants to win, and the feeling is so strong that it swells uncontrollably.He is not a person who is easily provoked, but he has never been so eager to prove his efforts and changes.

When the third ball was rushed by Akutagawa, Kuroko bent down slightly.Seeing Heizi's posture, Akutagawa's smile deepened. He suddenly slowed down the speed of his feet, crossed his hands and dribbled the ball in front of Heizi without haste, as if he was inducing the opponent to steal the ball.Heizi didn't move, but his eyes fell on the opponent's dribble hand.

At the same moment when Akutagawa's left foot exerted force, Heizi directly stretched out his hand to slice the ball. Perhaps because he had already guessed Heizi's motives, Akutagawa's fingertips staggered the angle of the dribble track, and Heizi's fingertips rubbed the basketball to cut it. At that time, Akutagawa had regained control of the basketball, took a step forward, and when Heizi tilted in the opposite direction due to inertia, he directly opened the distance between the two to two steps away, and threw the ball before rushing into the inside lane.

In stark contrast to Kuroko's low shooting percentage, Akutagawa's three-pointer went to the basket without any suspense.

This almost one-sided situation made Heizi unable to calm down very well. He raised his hand to wipe the cold sweat from his forehead, and bit his lower lip.

Looking at Heizi's darkened eyes, Akutagawa's expression is very relaxed.

He has indeed been following Heizi all the time, from the time of Taiguang to the growing Dongda University, from every game of Heizi, to the slightest movement of Heizi on the court, he has not missed anything.

He worships Heizi's skills, which can reduce his own sense of existence and allow people to focus their realization on themselves and cannot be removed.After the real one-on-one fight with Heizi, this kind of admiration gradually evolved into a desire to surpass.He hoped that one day he could also be worshiped like Heizi and control the audience.

And it was at this time that the relationship began to twist.

Slowly, he began to envy the existence of Heizi. When Heizi applied to quit the company for various reasons, he was not satisfied at all.

Why is this person still welcomed by everyone after he quit the company?Why didn't the outside world shift their attention from that person to themselves?Obviously, he has replaced Tetsuya Kuroko as Seirin's new point guard.

Not reconciled not reconciled not reconciled not reconciled not reconciled.

Why, the outside world only remembers that Kuroko used to be a member of Teiguang, why, the outside world only accepts that Kuroko led Seirin to win the league championship, why, the outside world only remembers that Kuroko supported Vulcan as the captain, and supported him all the time Starting from Seirin's basketball club?

——Why, everyone only remembers the surprise and touch that Heizi brought to people, but they never remember that he is now replacing Heizi and truly standing on the court.

"Why didn't Kuroko play? Is that Akutagawa a newcomer?"

"Huh? Heizi won't play? I came here just to watch his match against Vulcan. It's so boring!"

"Really, I won't be able to see Kuroko's stunts... What a disappointment, why did Seirin want to change to an unknown newcomer?"

"Oh, sure enough, this rookie has no special features, and he doesn't know how to play Heizi's disappearing basketball. It's boring, let's go."

Akutagawa doesn't understand why those people always compare him with Heizi.

If they lost, they said it was because Cheng Rin replaced him.He won the game, and the difference in points won't be too big. It is also said that his ability is not as good as Hei Zi's, so he dragged the team back.There was a big difference in winning points, which also relied on the help of other players, and he only contributed a little bit of his own strength.

Why can't he get the corresponding price for his efforts?Why was the attention and focus he deserved replaced by Heizi?

He wanted to completely destroy Heizi Tetsuya.

He wanted to see Tetsuya Kuroko who was completely defeated, including that aura of invincibility.

Even if the outside world doesn't understand it, that's fine, but he just wants Hei Zizhe to understand that he is the strongest.

"In that game, I hit five balls."

Akutagawa patted the ball slowly, smiling slightly, but there was no smile in his eyes: "——Do you want to continue playing today? Senior Heizi, there are still two goals left."

Heizi's eyes were a little distracted, he took a few low breaths while supporting his knees, and straightened his body again.

"continue."

Although Heizi's voice was not high, it was extremely powerful.

Akutagawa smiled and threw the ball into Kuroko's arms.The latter didn't take a breath at all after receiving the ball, and just copied the ball and dribbled it over, his steps were a bit messy.

He understood that Heizi was upset.

After Heizi turned sideways and crossed the ball to the non-ball-handler's side, he quickly switched back. After bypassing Akutagawa's one-handed marking, he was about to make a reverse breakthrough, but it was obvious that the latter's reaction was extremely fast. Rebounding back into his hand, Akutagawa put his five fingers together and slashed straight at it——

In this way, the ball was pushed hard in Heizi's palm, and hit the escalator of the auditorium beside him in an instant.

The basketball landed on the ground and slowly rolled away a little distance, the shadow was like twisted hair.

"It's the fourth ball."

Akutagawa smiled and shrugged:

"Do you want to continue? Senior Heizi."

Heizi's lips turned slightly white.

"Come again."

His voice fluctuated, as if trembling.

Akutagawa smiled helplessly, as if he felt that Heizi was so stubborn that it gave him a headache.

"Do you still need to continue? Senior, you have already lost four goals."

Akutagawa's voice was tepid, but he couldn't hide his smile:

"It can be over, Senior Heizi."

Heizi clenched his lower lip and took half a step back.

What's wrong with him?Why can't he find any state and sense of the ball today, just blindly being intercepted by others.

"Look, now I can prove that I am stronger than you."

Akutagawa's words were gentle, but in Kuroko's eyes, they were extremely harsh.

"—I've completely surpassed you."

"—Senior Heizi can no longer threaten me."

"Come again!"

Heizi suddenly raised his voice and quickly interrupted Akutagawa's words.The latter was stunned for a moment, and couldn't help but smile.

"Ok ok, last ball."

Akutagawa's tone seemed to be coaxing an angry child:

"There's really nothing I can do about you, Senior Heizi."

As soon as the words fell, Akutagawa had dribbled the ball and passed people quickly, and Heizi tried his best to focus on the rushing person.

Walking with one hand and one foot, Akutagawa dribbled the ball on the same side, and then passed through the same leg. Heizi fully noticed this misleading move, and almost immediately chased the ball in reverse.Akutagawa frowned slightly when he saw that his action just now didn't throw the person away. He hit the ground and dribbled the ball with his right hand, turned around, and switched the ball to his left hand.

Can't lose.

This was the only belief in Heizi's mind.

He didn't want to lose, not at all.He has always believed that hard work will pay off, and he can't even count how much he has paid to stand up again.

His right eye ached sharply, and the soreness made his eyes turn red instantly.

Don't lose, please don't be here, just let me stop.

Heizi clenched his lower lip as if he was about to bleed, knowing that he could no longer catch up with Akutagawa dribbling the ball, but he still tried his best to rush over against the inertia, stretching out his hand to reach the ball Akutagawa dribbled.

Almost, just a little bit.

The severe soreness in his right eye blurred his vision for a moment, and the next second his over-accelerated steps made him stagger, and the ball fell hard to the ground before reaching Akutagawa.

His knees ached from the cold floor.

Realizing that Heizi had fallen, Akutagawa was not in a hurry to help him. He first dribbled the ball to the basket, scored a standard three-step layup, and then clapped his hands and walked in front of Heizi.

The blue-haired young man sat up propped on the dusty ground, his bangs hanging down part of his eyes.

Akutagawa squatted down with a smile, threw the ball to the side, looked at the shadow under Heizi's bangs, and said softly: "Senior, look at how embarrassed you are now. Without Senior Vulcan and those members of the Generation of Miracles, you are really can't do anything."

Heizi only felt the severe pain in his right eye, as if it had spread to his heart and was tearing fiercely.

Tears welled up in his right eye.

"—Senior Heizi, in front of me, you are a loser."

Akutagawa's words made Kuroko's shoulders tremble a little.Watching Heizi stand up silently indifferently, Akutagawa laughed a couple more times and stood up with him.

"What's wrong? Senior won't say it again, will you? You should go back to training, right?"

Heizi raised his head and covered his right eye, pressing his eye socket weakly, as if he wanted to destroy his aching eye.

Why can't you win.

He has worked hard and is desperate to win.

He just can't win, he can't win no matter what, is he really too weak, he can't move half a step away from the light source.

Unable to accept this fact, Heizi took a few steps back again, obviously it was almost summer, but the air was so cold that he almost froze his body.

In the next second, a large soft towel covered his head from behind without warning.

Then he felt a familiar breath suddenly appearing behind him.

The snow-white towel hanging next to his cheek blocked most of his sight. He couldn't see anyone coming, but he saw a white hand suddenly appear, and gently wiped his right eye that was overflowing with tears due to pain.

"Stop questioning, Tetsuya."

Akashi's words were commanding as usual, every word, every word sounded so clear: "—I will not let go of the guy who doubts your ability, even if it is yourself."

Bending down to pick up the somewhat worn-out basketball next to him, Akashi looked indifferently at the blond young man opposite, and waved the ball into the man's arms.

Steadily receiving Akashi's ball, Akutagawa frowned subconsciously, and even took half a step back without standing still.

"—Of course, a defective product that can only be copied in a single way, let alone criticize him."

Akashi's tone was bitterly cold.

The summer light in April is so dazzling, shining through the cracked window glass on the young man with fiery red hair, the mottled and swaying shadow is like the truth that can only be portrayed with a strong and soft pen.

Akutagawa's figure was reflected in the eyes of different colors, as if he was torn apart in the burst of red and yellow.

He just looked at Akutagawa quietly.

Quiet, strong, burning with an inextinguishable anger.