[Kuroko's Basketball] The First Promise

From the beginning to the end, he has been admiring his shadow.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++The midnight after the rain is cooler, autumn is coming It's here, and the faint humming of cicadas on the mountain may not be heard after a while.

Heizi touched the tip of his nose that was a little cold, and sat on the stone platform outside the open-air basketball court, holding a basketball in his hand, silently watching the dark orange empty court under the dim street lights.As long as he closes his eyes, he seems to be able to hear the cheers outside the court and the empty echo of the basketball hitting the ground.

This place that carried their blood and allowed them to sweat to their heart's content, now seemed a little strange to him.

In other words, it brought him a strange sense of tension.

Heizi felt that the basketball in his arms was about to be warmed by himself.He lowered his head and touched the rough surface of the ball. Every pattern touched by his fingertips was like a cocoon he had worn out after dribbling for a long time.

It's been a long time since I've been so restless. Even the insomnia I suffered in the early stage of the competition in high school was due to being too excited.

But tonight is different.

He was just nervous, because he cared too much about winning or losing this game.

As the cold wind blew, Heizi felt his body tremble, and the next second a hot can was pressed against his cheek.

Heizi looked up in astonishment, and saw Qingfeng standing behind him, bending over, pressing a can of hot cocoa to his cheek.

"...It's hot, Aomine-kun."

"Haha, really, I thought you liked it, Ah Zhe."

Heizi smiled, reached out to take the can of hot cocoa, and held it in his palm to keep warm.

"Why didn't Qingfeng-kun go to bed? Everyone went to sleep."

"Huh? Ah - I just wanted to get some water. When I found out that you were not there, Ah Zhe, I came out to have a look. Sure enough, you are here."

"...Sorry, I'm a little nervous."

"Well, I know."

Putting his coat on Heizi's shoulders, Qingfeng sat next to the person, bent his left leg, put his elbow on his left knee, rested his chin with one hand, and tilted his head to look at his taciturn partner next to him: "It's so important! Tomorrow's practice match?"

"It's not a practice match, it's a competition."

"Ah... for a reason, you can treat the game as a simple practice game, don't be nervous."

Qingfeng yawned, raised his lips and smiled, and raised his hand to mess up Heizi's hair: "It's been a long time since I saw Ah Zhe who was so nervous before the game that he couldn't sleep. Let me think about it—what was the last time?" The time is coming, remember when you represented Diguang as the starter for the first practice match?"

"um, yes."

"—Because you really want to win?"

Qingfeng laughed lowly:

"Or, just don't want to lose to that guy named Akutagawa? How good is that guy? It makes me want to fight him too."

Heizi nodded, then shook his head again:

"No, not all."

Qingfeng raised an eyebrow:

"Why is that? It's not that you want to win too much, but that you are not sure of winning?"

After hesitating for half a second, Heizi nodded and said in a low voice:

"These days of practice... Aomine-kun has also seen that I don't cooperate well with them, and I don't quite adapt to their playing style. Maybe I have adapted to playing with everyone, and I changed my teammates all of a sudden. Habit."

"Ah - I guessed that."

Qingfeng smiled lowly, bent his index finger, and tapped the can of hot cocoa in Heizi's hand with his knuckles, signaling him to drink it while it was hot: "That's not your fault, as long as you get used to it more. There is no competition in normal training Atmosphere, wait until you have a match with that guy Akutagawa tomorrow, and you will get along well." After a pause, Aomine added: "That guy Akashi's intention is probably to let you get in touch with partners of different styles. It feels different."

Heizi nodded, lowered his head to pry open the can, and drank the hot cocoa slowly.The warm liquid slid through his mouth, and he felt his body warm up.

Seeing that Heizi started to drink, Qingfeng continued:

"But I don't understand what that guy Akashi is thinking. If you really just want to get in touch with different partners, you can try it in the usual training. Why use it in tomorrow's game? These few days The training is really rushed, really... Otherwise, I will talk to Akashi tomorrow morning and ask him to replace me on the court, so that we can take care of each other on the court."

Hearing this, Heizi immediately shook his head and rejected:

"No, no need. This is too dependent on Aomine-kun. Occasionally... I really want to prove myself without relying on everyone's ability."

As if waiting for Heizi's words, Qingfeng laughed and raised his hand to pat Heizi's shoulder: "Ha, you are indeed Ah Zhe. Don't worry, although they are substitutes and are different from us, you are still you, Ah Zhe. You are not just a shadow now, you can pass the ball, you can dribble, and you can score.”

Qingfeng's tone seemed to soften a bit, but when he looked carefully, his expression remained the same: "Azhe, you are no longer simply relying on us. Although you are not reconciled, everyone is happy for you. Your basketball Isn't it recognized by everyone, that's enough."

After talking so much, Qingfeng found that Heizi was staring at his face all the time, his eyes almost straightened.After coughing dryly, Qingfeng looked away at the dark basketball court opposite, and his tone suddenly became a little fierce: "You... what are you looking at me for?"

"It's nothing."

Heizi couldn't help laughing, the contours of his cheeks became softer:

"It's just that I didn't expect Aomine-kun to say such provocative words... I'm a little surprised."

Hearing what Heizi said, Qingfeng became even more uncomfortable, and coughed twice before turning to look at the people next to him: "What are you talking about? I don't mean anything else, I just want to tell you not to think so much, play basketball, no Is it because you like it? Because of winning or losing a game, you don’t sleep at night and come out to blow the night breeze, you can’t figure it out.”

Heizi couldn't help laughing out loud, holding a basketball in one hand and drinking hot cocoa in the other, tilting his head and smiling at the people next to him: "Yes, it really is what Qingfeng-kun said."

Qingfeng felt that Heizi was just making fun of what he said now... I really don't know if this person listened.Rubbing his hair helplessly, Qingfeng patted Heizi's back: "It's all right, let's go back to sleep quickly. Are you done drinking?"

Heizi shook his head, put the basketball on his lap, held the hot cocoa in both hands, and looked back at the basketball court: "I don't really want to go back... Don't worry, I won't go back very late, I just want to sit here for a while. Qingfeng Go back and rest, sir? You have worked so hard to stay with me for so long..."

Qingfeng frowned and looked at the people around him. He wanted to stretch himself and stood up, but he still didn't move.He felt that his body was now firmly nailed to this stone platform, and he couldn't get up if the person next to him didn't move.

"—Well, forget it. Since I've been with you for so long, it doesn't matter if I stay with you for a while longer."

"It feels like I'm forcing Aomine-kun."

"Since you know you're forcing yourself, don't laugh so happily!"

"I didn't."

"It's useless to hold back your laughter!...Hey, go back when you're sleepy, it's easy to catch cold if you sleep outside."

"Um……"

"...Did you hear that?"

"..."

"Well... Really. You can rely on it if you want, it's really worrying."

Qingfeng rubbed the broken hair on his forehead and sighed.The person leaning on his shoulder seemed to be asleep, breathing steadily.

He didn't turn his head to look at Heizi, Qingfeng suddenly became a little timid, and kept the motionless posture like this, and didn't care whether his shoulders would go numb after a while.

Although I think it's good to get along like this, but the night wind is getting a little loud... Sure enough, I'll wake him up and go back together later.

Thinking of this, Qingfeng suddenly remembered that the starry sky and novels he saw in Wuyue, which he laughed at and sneered at, actually happened, and he didn't feel disgusted.

Clicking his tongue in embarrassment, Qingfeng raised his hand to help Heizi tighten the coat on his shoulders.

He suddenly remembered a sentence, but forgot where he saw it.That is to say, to really like someone does not lie in what the other person can give you, but that you appreciate him from the bottom of your heart, that person.

From the beginning to the end, he has been admiring his shadow.

Whether he wins or loses tomorrow's game, he understands that his shadow is very important.But he wasn't that worried.

How could Ah Zhe lose?

Qingfeng gave a low laugh, resting his chin on one hand and looking at the two elongated and slanted figures under his feet.

——Failure happens after giving up completely, and his shadow never gives up.

He felt the empty jar in his hand cool down, but the other party's body temperature also spread over.

Heizi felt very comfortable and at ease relying on it, even if it would appear that he was a little too dependent, it didn't matter, he was just greedy, this person's body temperature.

Own light...

Slightly raised his lower lip, Heizi squinted his eyes, and suddenly felt at ease.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++ Before the game started, Kise deliberately ran to a mountain store far away to buy a cup of vanilla milkshake, and gave it to Heizi when he returned. Found that I forgot to take the straw.After laughing awkwardly a few times and then apologizing, Kise was about to go to the restaurant to ask if there was any, but the sunspot over there had already stopped him.

"Will Kise-kun watch my game later?"

Huang Lai looked back at him in a little surprise, and laughed for a while:

"Of course, I will definitely watch Xiao Heizi's game, and I will cheer for you~"

Hearing this, Heizi smiled, and before he could speak, a straw was placed in front of him, he was stunned for a moment, then Heizi turned his head to look over and saw Akutagawa whose expression was still gentle.

I don't know where Akutagawa is staying these days. Heizi saw him in the hot springs a few days ago, but he has never seen him since, and he glanced behind Akutagawa and didn't follow his teammates. It seems that he I came here early.

"How are you preparing, senior?"

Heizi nodded and didn't speak, nor did he pick up the straw.

Akutagawa didn't care, and took the milkshake in Heizi's hand with a smile, inserted the straw into it, and stuffed it back into his hand: "Come on, I'm looking forward to the results of the hard work of seniors these days."

After that, Akutagawa looked away at Kise, who was about the same height as him, smiled more gently, and stretched out his hand to him: "—Senior Kise, it's nice to meet again, I didn't have time to say a word last time .”

Kise didn't have a good impression of Akutagawa, but his professionalism made him never reject an enthusiastic person. He raised his hand to shake Akutagawa's fingertips symbolically and let go. Kise's voice didn't change significantly: " Thanks."

Akutagawa didn't care either. He looked down at Heizi who was holding a milkshake but didn't drink it, and smiled softly: "Why don't you drink it, senior? Senior Kise bought it for you. It won't taste good when it melts."

Heizi kept staring at the straw all the time, as if he remembered something, his expression was not very good, Akutagawa saw it, his smile remained unchanged, he looked up at Kise: "By the way, when I was in junior high school, I didn't know what to do. I'm the one who bought the milkshake for senior, besides vanilla milkshake, senior also likes mint milkshake, does Kise-senpai know?"

Startled for a moment, a person like Kise whose mind turns so fast didn't understand what Akutagawa meant by saying this suddenly.

"Sorry, I don't like it now." Heizi quickly added. He looked at the milkshake with half a second of hesitation in his eyes, but quickly continued: "It's just that the mint flavor was fresher at that time. .The vanilla flavor is even better, thank you Kise-kun."

Kise nodded half understanding.

"Is Tetsuya ready here?"

When the atmosphere of the three fell into subtle embarrassment, Akashi's voice suddenly broke in.Heizi immediately turned his head to look at the person, only to feel that the hand holding the milkshake suddenly became empty.

Akashi took away the milkshake that Kuroko was holding, and put it in his hand with a bottle of normal temperature white water: "Try not to eat such cold things before the game, and Ryota must remember."

Kise hurriedly responded, and Akutagawa next to him saw Akashi approaching, and immediately showed a friendly smile, just watched Akashi walk past him, put a brand new pair of wristbands in Kuroko's hands, and then Help him unscrew the cap of the water bottle.After watching like this for a while, Akutagawa suddenly laughed, and raised his hand in front of Kuroko to shake hands with Akashi: "Senior Akashi, you haven't talked properly a few times before, let's get to know each other formally?"

Akashi kept his gaze on Kuroko's face. He helped Kuroko pull the zipper that was a bit low, and then checked to see if Kuroko's shoelaces were tied tightly.Seeing that Akashi didn't intend to respond, Akutagawa on the other side couldn't hold back his smiling expression, and continued: "Senior Akashi really takes care of Senior Kuroko, just like Senior Vulcan back then."

Heizi glanced quickly at Akutagawa, who tilted his head and smiled at him, and continued, "However, before the game, Senior Vulcan will help Senior Heizi tie his shoelaces with his own hands. It looks very warm~"

Akashi patted Kuroko on the shoulder to signal him to warm up, and then he could prepare for the game.

He turned and walked towards the basket, his eyes were slightly cold when he passed by Akutagawa, and he just glanced at him so lightly, the coat draped over his shoulders was blown up by the wind, Akashi's tone was indifferent: "You are too noisy."

Looking at Akashi's bland smile, Akutagawa was startled for no reason. Before he could reply, Akutagawa felt that he suddenly couldn't keep his balance when Akashi passed by his body. In the next second, his legs went limp He fell directly to the ground.