The school was hectic, as usual, but it only became much worse due to a certain shadow who kept on showing up wherever I went. I heaved out a sigh, I don't know why Tetsu-kun kept on hovering around me when I clearly threw a bomb at him the other day. I brushed my hair upwards before opening the door to the house.
"I'm home"
"Nee-chan!"
As soon as I step inside the house, a white-haired girl started running towards me. My eyes widened when I realized who it was. I quickly squatted down and gave her a tight hug.
"Yuki did you just came?"
She nodded affirmatively before hugging me tightly all the while plastering that wide smile on her face. I smiled genuinely, it had been years since I last saw her and she certainly had grown up well.
"Saki-nee chan told me that you'll be staying here forever is that true?"
She looked up at me and I can see the excitement visible in her tiny face, I laughed at how adorable she became. I noticed a piece of rice grain in her face, I wiped it off with my hands before patting her head.
"Yes, and I'll never leave again"
She smiled widely before hugging me tightly again.
"Hana-nee Aishiteru"
I lifted her and placed a kiss on her cheeks. Yuki had always been one of the sources of strength that I always want to keep by my side.
"I love you too, now where's Shiro?"
"Oka-san, welcome home"
Just then, a white-haired boy wearing an apron appeared in front of us, he was walking sophisticatedly that it made me laugh loudly. I placed Yuki down before hugging him too.
"Hello Shiro, I missed you and I told you to stop calling me Oka-san it's just nee-chan"
He shook his head before proceeding on hugging me tighter. Burying his pale face in my blouse. I sighed, I can finally feel that warmth of home once again.
"Oka-san is Oka-san"
I laughed at his reply, there's really no helping Shiro. One attitude of his is that he's as stubborn as a bull. One that thankfully, Yuki didn't have. I met both of them in an orphanage, since they were twins, the owner was eager to find someone who will take both of them in. They became my source of strength during my darkest days, and I think it was safe to say that I fell in love with them that's why Grandma and I decided to adopt them both.
"Are you helping Grandma?"
"Yes, Saki-nee is also here"
I sighed, he addresses my cousin as nee-chan but he refuses to stop calling me oka-san. If Yuki hears this all the time then she too will start to call me that. I honestly don't know why he calls me that when he can call grandma oka-san.
I patted his head before taking off his apron. I also did the same to Yuki who was now grinning widely.
"I'll take over, you should go play with Yuki outside."
He nodded before taking his sister's hands. Yuki gladly took it before smiling widely like she was waiting for me to tell her to go. I was just glad that despite growing up in an orphanage, they still both haven't forgotten that they're just kids.
"Don't go too far you two"
"HAI!"
I placed my bag on the countertop inside and went to the store. I put on the apron and kissed Grandma on the cheeks when I saw her preparing some side dishes in the kitchen.
"I'm home"
"Have you seen Yuki and Shiro?"
"Yes, I told them they can play outside"
Grandma handed me some of the side dishes before instructing me to proceed to the counter. Once out, I saw a blonde girl tending the counter, hands full, busy counting the money. Without even missing a beat, she took one paper bill and slid it slyly inside her pant's back pocket. I chuckled, habits are as usual as before.
I placed the side dishes on the table that ordered them before going back to the counter, notepad about to smack the back of the head of the blonde one. Unfortunately, her senses may be a bit too sharp, because the notepad barely landed on her head as she shifted on the side.
"Is that how you welcome your cousin whom you burdened to raise two annoying kids, geez you're welcome nee-chan"
I laughed at her quirky remark, she was the one who did something wrong and yet I felt like I was the one caught. I nodded at the money before wiggling my eyebrow.
"As thanks, I'll act like I saw nothing, definitely not a bill or two being inserted into a certain back pocket"
I smiled widely at her before laughing when her eyes widened. Certainly, she hasn't been paying attention to her surroundings while she was busy pocketing the restaurant's money.
"Well, I guess that's a win-win situation, I missed you nee-chan"
As if nothing had happened earlier, Saki proceeded on giving me a hug one that I surely appreciated as I haven't seen her for years too. I laughed at her attitude. Saki was diagnosed with a personality disorder most commonly known as kleptomania. I think she skipped all of her therapies that's why she still has this habit of getting a bill or two from grandma.
"Well, do you like my surprise?"
I creased my eyebrow at her remark before realizing what her surprise was, Saki was the one who enrolled me back here in Japan. I should've known she knew just exactly where the GOM enrolled themselves. I smiled sweetly at her before holding her on a chokehold.
"I liked it Atsaki, I liked it so much I wanted to just pounce the life out of you right now"
Tapping my arm lightly, Saki laughed like she was entertained at the idea of me having to meet a member of GOM once in a while. I breathed out before letting her go, I then sent a glare her way when I saw her smiling widely.
"Nee-chan, you may admit it or not I know you wanted to get back at them for all of the things they did"
The smile that Saki had quickly turned into a large grin, one expression that I'm pretty familiar with now. I eyed her before shaking my head.
"I don't want to associate myself with any of them ever again"
"Oh but you haven't noticed it yet haven't you?"
"Notice what?"
I raised an eyebrow at Saki who was now fiddling with my apron. She took steps towards me before closing the distance between us, making sure that she whispers exactly in my ear.
"The best revenge they deserve is to see you change so much that you're barely recognizable"
She then moved away and smiled again, I looked at the mirror by the corner and stole a glance at myself before staring at Saki again.
"I haven't done any plastic surgery so they pretty much still can recognize me you know"
Saki gawked at me like I just said something stupid which I know for a fact that I didn't. Instead of answering me back, she just took off her apron and placed it on the counter.
"You're hopeless, I'm playing with Yuki and Shiro"
And just like that my ever so wonderful cousin left me to my own thoughts, still pondering what she meant when she said barely unrecognizable. Judging by Tetsu-kun's actions, I'm pretty much sure he recognized me immediately. So I just don't get what she meant by that.
"Hey miss, can I get some gyoza here"
I looked at the customer who shouted and replied with a brief coming, before relaying the order to the people working in the kitchen.
---------------------
Unbeknownst to Hanabi, a huge surprise was heading towards her way as the whole Seirin High basketball team gathered around impatiently waiting for someone. Riko impatiently glanced at the entrance of the gymnasium, the battle with Kaijo High ended just an hour ago. It was taxing if she was, to be honest, the whole team had exerted so effort into that game that all they want to do is just sleep or eat or both at the same time.
Riko glanced up again, eyes glaring at the redhead that was cooly walking towards their direction. An annoyed look etched at the coach's face as she took in the audacity of the redhead to take their time while they were waiting on the cold night outside. As Kagami walked closer to them, Riko gave him a smack in the back of his head.
"IT HURTS! DAMN IT!"
"Serves you right for making us wait for almost half an hour"
"Kagami aho"
"What did you do anyway?"
The redhead sheepishly bowed his head at his seniors before stating his agenda for making them wait too long.
"I was in the men's comfort room doing some personal stuff"
The other members laughed at him while Riko just let it go by snorting stating that that was typical of him.
"Let's go, we still need to strategize before the fight with Rakuzan"
"Can we get something to eat first?"
As if on cue all of the member's stomach growled out loud indicating them that they were indeed hungry. Riko put her finger on her chin and thought about where they can get good food with the short amount of money that they have. Not a moment later she finally gave up and confided with the team that they were short in terms of money.
"I want to give you guys a nutritious meal but I'm afraid we're currently short on budget"
"Ahh coach I know a place, it should be worth it"
All eyes fell on Furihata-kun who was fidgeting while suggesting going into a certain ramen place. When Riko deemed it worth their time, they started heading to the particular restaurant.
"Thank you, come again"
Hanabi bowed as she bid their last customers goodbye, she stretched in front of the store as she found the streetlamp extremely bright tonight. Shiro and Yuki were already asleep and she was getting ready to close the restaurant as it was past 11 in the evening already. Hanabi peeked inside the restaurant and saw Saki busy fiddling around the counter re-counting the money while her grandma stood beside her eyeing her every movement.
Hanabi chuckled at the thought of her cousin being found out, she then decided to sit in front for a minute or two. She wouldn't want to be in the way of her grandmother scolding her cousin. She stared at the lamp's light. That was when she remembered that today was the game between Kaijo High and Seirin High.
Seirin had miraculously won against Yosen and had advanced up ahead. She can't help but be nervous, it just seemed like her world was gradually closing up and people whom she was with before kept on reappearing in her life.
Just around the corner, a group of people emerged just in time to see Hanabi sitting on the pavement in front of the store. Before any of them can utter a word or sound at the sight of her, she looked their way with eyes wide open. The only person who was just calmly looking at the whole picture were Tetsu-kun who had been there before, Furihata-kun who gave them the idea and Kagami-kun who was too hungry and beat up to even care.
Hanabi stood up and greeted the coming group of people, she bowed to give respect to her seniors. Her demeanor calmly masking the shock of having to see them especially her old friend whom she had been thinking just a minute ago.
"Riko-senpai, this is a surprise what brought you to this part of town'
Instead of answering, Riko proceeded on hugging Hanabi squeezing her so tightly so she can feel the affection that she has for her. This had been their routine whenever they see each other. Since the first day they met, Riko had been showering her affection that it almost seemed so normal between the two of them now.
"Ahh Hana-chan, my energy is restored. I'm with a cute one right now, I'm so fed up of being with these ruffians, I'm so glad you're here now"
"Hey that's mean"
"Not to mention that we just won"
"Ahhh I'm too tired to even refute Riko"
Hanabi laughed at the collective sighs and comments of the guys but what caught her attention was the thing that Koga had said.
"You guys won against Kaijo?"
Awe and disbelief were evident in Hanabi's tone of voice, something that didn't go unnoticed to the bluenette's ears. Seeing something, an expression like this on his old friend sparked some hope for him.
"We did Hanabi-san"
Hanabi looked over at the little guy who answered her. Immediately her expression stiffened and her lips formed into a thin line as she took in what Tetsu wants to convey to her. After a moment of locking eyes with the bluenette, Hanabi decided to just alter the conversation.
"Anyway Senpai what brings you here again?"
Repeating her earlier question, Riko then glanced at Furihata-kun who was now hiding behind the large physique of Mitobe.
"Furihata-kun said there was a good ramen shop here that served cheap but good food so we went but we can't---"
Riko looked up and saw the name of the store where they were, after a moment of silence, her glance went to Hanabi who was still wearing the store's apron. It took a minute before the bigger picture registered to Riko and everyone else. They then stared at Hanabi who was now just staring wide-eyed at them confused at the fuss that was happening.
"Hana-chan do you work in this restaurant?"
"Hmm? Ahh this is my grandmother's restaurant, I'm just helping out"
The shock was evident on everyone's face and they refused to believe that this was all just a big coincidence, their eyes all went to the person who recommended the place. As if they were duped, they were sure now that Furihata recommended the place due to other reasons.
"Well, are you still open? It looked like you were closing"
Kiyoshi peeks inside the restaurant and saw that there was nobody there anymore. No customers and the chairs were neatly cleaned up. Hoping that Hanabi would say no, the other members hopefully looked at her eager to get their fill after a whole day's work.
"Actually we are"
And with the last spark of hope of easing their hunger gone, the tall muscular red-head went and grabbed Furihata's collar lifting him as the smaller male grabbed his arms for support and fear of being dropped off brutally.
"We came all this way, my stomach won't shut up now and you're telling me that there's no food left"
Seeing how Kagami is about to go ballistic, Hanabi quickly regretted her choice of telling them no. Indeed there is no man more dangerous than a hungry one. As Riko and the others struggle to free Furihata from Kagami's grasp, an old woman emerged from the entrance of the store to see what the fuss that was happening in front of her store was.
"Oh my Hanabi, are they customers?"
Hanabi glanced at the owner of the voice and smiled sheepishly as she introduced the whole team to her.
"Yes grandma, they actually went here to eat, they're the school's basketball team. Senpai this is my grandma"
"Ahh nice to meet you"
"Good evening"
"Hello ma'am"
"Oh my, you're a rowdy bunch"
The old woman smiled at the sight of the team along with Hanabi, to say that she was delighted was an understatement, she was celebrating that the people whom her granddaughter had gotten along with a team much similar to her former one.
As the others greeted her with so much respect, they had neglected the poor male who was still in the tight and deadly grasp of a hungry redhead. Seeing Furihata almost passed out in Kagami's hands, Hanabi decided to take action.
"Grandma, do you think we can serve them something? They came all this way to eat your special ramen"
The whole team sheepishly smiled and pleaded along with Hanabi as they were all hungry and were scared that they might be on the verge of a bloody massacre from a muscular redhead. Hanabi's grandmother smiled and roamed her eyesight around the bunch when her sight landed on a small bluenette figure that was also staring at her. Having recognized who it was, she put her hand on her mouth, shock to see the familiar figure.
"Oh, my aren't you Tetsuya? It had been so long since I last saw you"
Having been acknowledge, Tetsu-kun bowed his head and greeted her a wonderful evening, enough to garner the eyes of his current teammate.
"This is a surprise, well I can sure serve something up for you kids seeing how Hanabi's friend is also with you. Hanabi let them in and I'll personally cook the food for them'
Tetsu-kun smiled at Hanabi's grandmother's words, knowing that she still acknowledge him as her friend is something that makes his heart joyous. Hanabi went inside too but not after notifying the team to come inside and have their fill. Once inside, the whole Seirin High's basketball team landed on Kuroko. Eyes questioning and were evidently curious at the shocking interaction that had just happened in front of them.
"Friend?"
"You?"
"Kuroko did you know Hana-chan from before?"
Kuroko slightly nodded his head as he eyed his current teammates. Silence filled them, a clear indication for Kuroko to continue answering as there was just more to what he answered. Having noticed them, Kuroko sent himself into deep thought on whether or not he should tell them about Hanabi or not. In the end, he had decided that there was no harm in telling them so he did.
"Hanabi-san also went to Teiko Middle School, she was a friend of both mine and the whole generation of miracles"