NBA Skills: Dominating Kuroko no Basket

The sun was shining, and the sky was bright.

A new day had begun, with warm sunshine and a gentle breeze.

At that moment, on the second string court, a blonde-haired boy was bent over, holding a mop along with his teammates, diligently cleaning the floor.

Suddenly, a pair of pristine white sneakers appeared in front of Kise's mop, blocking his way.

Startled, Kise looked up slowly, only to find a beautiful girl standing before him with a radiant smile.

"Excuse me, are you Ryota Kise, a second-year student?" the girl asked sweetly.

Hearing the question, Kise quickly straightened his posture, standing at full height. A bit confused, he replied, "Yes, that's me. And you are?"

"I'm Satsuki Momoi, the manager of the basketball team. Starting today, you're officially part of the first string. Please head to the main gym to join the team" she explained looking up at him.

Kise's face lit up with joy as he nodded eagerly. "Oh, great! I'll head there right away" Around him, murmurs of surprise erupted among the players.

"Wow, that's incredible! He didn't even need to go through the usual promotion tests, straight to the first string!" someone exclaimed.

"Seriously? Kise's only been on the basketball team for two weeks!" another added, awestruck.

As Momoi led the way toward the main gym, Kise couldn't help but grin. "Well, that's expected, right? I mean, it's me after all! If this team really calls itself elite, they've gotta…"

BANG!

Kise's train of thought was interrupted by a thunderous crash that echoed across the court, instantly drawing everyone's attention.

Hanging from the rim in mid-air was Aomine, gripping it tightly as if showcasing his raw power and skill. The earth-shaking sound? Undoubtedly his doing.

"Momoi! What are you doing here with Kise?" Aomine asked from the rim, puzzled.

"He's joining the first string today" Momoi answered, her eyes scanning the gym as if searching for someone.

Aomine dropped to the floor, a hint of surprise crossing his face. "Not bad, Kise! Just started basketball, and you're already this good?"

Kise widened his eyes in disbelief, staring at Aomine. 'Good? You're the one who's incredible! Dunking like it's nothing even as a middle schooler — these guys really are monsters!' 

"Do you know where Kuroko is?" Momoi asked, still glancing around the gym impatiently.

Aomine grabbed a ball and casually started dribbling, shrugging. "No idea"

Momoi frowned, hands on her hips. "This is annoying. Kise's trainer is supposed to be Kuroko"

"Trainer?" Kise tilted his head curiously, his expression puzzled.

"Yeah, even though you're a second-year, you're new to the team. So, like the first-years, you'll have a trainer to guide you" Momoi explained, continuing her search.

"So, this trainer… is the one called Kuroko?" Kise asked skeptically.

"You're calling me?"

A soft voice suddenly came from right beside Kise.

Startled, Kise glanced to his left but saw no one. He quickly turned to his right—still, no one.

"There's… no one here?" he muttered, growing more confused.

Finally, he turned back to face forward, only to find a pale blue-haired boy standing right in front of him like a ghost.

Their eyes met, and Kise froze in shock.

"What the—!?" Kise yelped, stumbling backward, his eyes wide as saucers. His face was filled with a mix of confusion, fear, and astonishment.

Unfazed, Kuroko stood silently, his expression calm and enigmatic, as if he were entirely used to such reactions. Offering a faint smile, he said nothing.

Momoi turned back, noticing Kise's panicked state. She smiled reassuringly. "Ah, Kuroko, there you are! This is Ryota Kise, the new recruit we talked about yesterday. Starting today, you'll be guiding him"

Then, she turned to Kise. "Kise, this is Tetsuya Kuroko. He'll be your trainer for the time being. If you have any questions, feel free to ask him"

As Kise listened to the introduction, he exhaled a breath of relief, though his curiosity about Kuroko only deepened.

He studied the boy carefully but found nothing remarkable—Kuroko's build was much slighter than any of the other players on the court.

"Hello, I'm Tetsuya Kuroko" Kuroko said, bowing politely.

"This guy… is my trainer?" Kise raised an eyebrow, dubious.

Momoi, however, had already moved on, cheerfully handing a water bottle to Shiro. Her voice softened as she said, "Here, Shiro, I brought you some water"

Shiro, sweating and catching his breath, gratefully accepted the bottle. "Thanks, Momoi" He took a deep swig, his Adam's apple moving rhythmically.

Momoi watched him quietly, her gaze filled with affection. Being in a new relationship with Shiro made her heart swell with happiness—she relished every moment they spent together.

"Is that Kise?" Shiro asked casually.

"It is" Momoi replied with a smile, pulling out a towel and gently wiping Shiro's sweat.

Around them, other players couldn't help but grumble at the obvious display of affection. "Are they… together?" someone muttered enviously.

From a distance, Nijimura appeared behind Akashi, watching the scene with a grin as warm as a proud uncle's. "Not surprising" he said softly.

Akashi's lips curved slightly into an approving smile. To him, the two seemed like a perfectly matched pair—a golden couple destined to be together.