Chapter 60 : Visitors III

"What did you do to him?"

Furihata asked Kagami in an amused tone, pointing his look at Midorima. Judging by Midorima's foul mood, he could guess that Kagami probably mentioned the game yesterday and bragged around the shooting guard like he did when they won against Kise.

Kagami just showed a silly grin as he walked awkwardly with his crutches, taking a seat beside his bed, which was followed by the others.

"Nothing too harmful. Just had to remind someone who won the game."

Furihata had to give Kagami a hat off due to his boldness and stupidity. Bragging about his win in front of his opponent? That is just asking for a good old-fashioned beating.

"Well, seeing that our business is done, we will have to go." Otsubo suddenly stood up from his seat, followed by Kimura and Miyaji. "Takao, Midorima, let's go." Furihata could see the mood of Shutoku players is not good, especially after Kagami mentioned the game. However, Takao just grinned mischievously and shakes his head.

"Senpai, it is a rare chance for Shin-chan to see his former teammates, right? Let me accompany him for a while."

Midorima's head snapped immediately at the point guard.

"What the hell are you talking about, Takao?"

"Maah.. Don't worry about it. I know you are embarrassed to admit it out loud, right?"

"Ooh… So that is the case.." Kise suddenly chimed in, nodding his head repeatedly as if it solved a lot of questions.

Midorima is speechless at the sudden betrayal by his point guard. He couldn't believe Takao would gang up with Kise to corner him like this. The shooting guard turned around, trying to ask his Senpai for help to get out of this situation. However, he received another betrayal from them.

"Well, it would be good for Midorima to socialize with his friends. I don't mind about it. But if anything happened, you are the one who will be responsible, okay?"

"Yes, Senpai!"

Now, Takao is grinning while making a V-gesture at Midorima, The green-haired boy just slumped on his seat, didn't say anything else. But anyone who saw him could see the sour expression on his face.

"Anyway, we will go first. Have a speedy recovery, Furihata-kun."

Furihata nodded at the senior member of the Shutoku players.

"Thank you for visiting."

Then, he saw them leave the room, leaving him with Midorima, Kuroko, Kise, Kagami, Takao, and Kasamatsu.

'What a strange group.' He couldn't help but chuckle inwardly at this awkward situation.

"So, how is your condition?" Kagami asked his question once again, snapping him from his thought. Furihata just shrugged a little and said, "Not bad." Before he retold his story for the second time in a day. He knows he would need to retell this story over and over again to his visitor, so, he better get used to it right now.

The reaction he got from his visitors is quite unexpected. While the others have horrifying expressions on their faces, Kagami just hummed slightly and nodded his head repeatedly.

"So, not too bad, huh?"

Suddenly, everyone in the room has their eyes shifted at the red hair, their mouth gaped wide in disbelief.

'An almost-death experience is not too bad? What the hell?!'

Furihata just ignored the perplexed expression from his visitors and nodded.

"Yeah, no permanent harm done here. I will probably be allowed to practice again faster than you. How about your injury?"

Kagami hummed for a second before he handed a file that he carried nonchalantly.

"Just look at yourself."

Furihata opened the file quickly just to find himself in confusion.

"Red, I know I am smart. But I am not that smart, you know. While this image is sure horrifying, it doesn't tell me any information about your injury."

The file that Kagami handed to him contained the result of his MRI test. However, it only showed the x-ray image of Kagami's knee which Furihata didn't know anything about it. Kagami seems to realize that too as he explained immediately.

"Just a sprained ligament, but it has a risk of torn ligament too. I need to stay away from strenuous exercises for at least a month to avoid risking it further, so no basketball for me until then. You got luckier."

Just by now all of them understand why Kagami said Furihata is lucky. While of course, getting a near-death experience is horrendous, he could go back to his usual activity right after the doctor gives him clearance, which probably would only take one week or so. The same couldn't be said for Kagami as the red-hair has to go to rehabilitation a few times to make sure his injury doesn't get worse.

Then, Furihata noticed Kagami is about to stand up from his seat.

"You want to go already?" He asked amusedly. The red hair just shrugged a little as he replied,

"Yeah. I came here just to see your condition. Glad to see it is not that bad. See you later, bastard."

Then, he left the room, leaving everyone speechless at his action.

"Wow.. I didn't see that coming.." Takao speaks after a few seconds of silence. "I didn't expect he was so….."

"Cocky?" Furihata trying to Takao to form his opinion about Kagami. "Bold? Stupid? Which one is the best to describe him? Pick your poison."

"Let's go with bold. It is way more polite." After a few seconds of hesitation, Takao finally finished his sentence. Furihata couldn't help but roll his eyes at Takao's extra carefulness.

'Damn politician.'

Before he could say anything, he could hear Kasamatsu mumbling beside Kise.

"Honestly, he reminds me a lot of Kise. I am just glad Kise is not that grumpy."

"What the hell is that Senpai? Is that praise or an insult?" Kise grumbled under his breath. However, Furihata couldn't help but agree with Kasamatsu's statement. Both Kise and Kagami are way too similar. They both don't have any filters in their mouth, speak whatever they want even if it was insulting, and act all mighty as if they are the strongest and untouchable.

But Midorima disagrees with that.

"Instead of Kise, I could see him as the slightly worse version of Aomine. Even though he couldn't beat that bastard's cockiness, of course."

Furihata raised his eyebrows at that.

"When you mention 'that bastard', is that Aomine or Kagami you refer to?"

Midorima snorted before he replied,

"Of course, Aomine. Your teammate is good, but no one could defeat him in terms of cockiness."

Kise also nodded in agreement, which amused Furihata a lot.

"Wow, for two of the Generation of Miracles to have an agreement of which one is the biggest bastard there, he must be a piece of shit, right?" Takao asked, trying to hold his laughter.

"You don't know half of it," Kise muttered lowly. "I still remember when he said only God and himself could be him. The audacity. Fortunately, he gives me enough hints on how to beat him."

Furihata nodded, could see where Kise comes from. If only God and himself could beat Aomine, the battle between him and the copy of himself would be legendary.

"Can you copy him, though?" Furihata couldn't help but be curious. "As a matter of fact, can you copy your former teammates' movement?"

Kise's mood turned into a sour one after hearing his question. Midorima just snorted mockingly at the blonde before he answered Furihata's question.

"Of course, he cannot do that. He is good, but not that competent, you know? Who the hell do you think we are, to get copied by a rookie like him?"

"Hey!" Kise tried to protest, but Midorima just gives him a look that dares him to deny it, making the blonde deflated momentarily. "Anyway, I might not be able to copy you in middle school, but I have been practicing a lot! Don't you think I might have a shoot on Aominecchi?"

Midorima pondered for a moment before he nodded reluctantly.

"I guess if that bastard stops practicing, I could see that coming. But that's only him! You will not be able to copy me and the other." He added quickly, wiping the smug on Kise's face.

"Grrr… Just wait, Midorimacchi! I will do that in the future!"

Midorima just snorted at Kise's bold declaration.

"Excuse me?" Kasamatsu who didn't speak a lot since the beginning suddenly interrupted, gaining the attention of the other. "Why is it that Kise couldn't copy you? Is the skill difference really that big?"

Kasamatsu only knows the Generation of Miracles from their fame. He has never seen them play together in middle school. So, when he saw Kise play for the first time, he was amazed by the sheer talent the blonde possessed.

To have someone say Kise is weaker than his former teammates is something he would never expect at all. He couldn't help but wonder how talented the other Generation of Miracles are.

"Well, it is not that Kise couldn't copy us," Midorima replied. "Do you know the weakness of Kise's perfect copy?"

Seeing the blank look from Kaijo's captain, he explained immediately.

"Kise could only copy a skill. He couldn't copy a lot such as physical ability, basketball intelligence, and experience. He could only gain that by practicing. That's why he couldn't copy our point guard, as he doesn't share the amount of intelligence Akashi has, or our center, as Murasakibara is the strongest in terms of physical ability. The closest he could copy is Aomine and me, considering our skill set doesn't require that much talent. Kise's physical build is similar to Aomine, so once he could grasp Aomine's skill, he would have an easier time copying him. As for me, if he had the patience to do the repetition training in three, I am sure he could do that."

His explanation leaves the other speechless for a moment.

"Hey, is that okay to share this intelligence with your future opponent?" Furihata asked. Midorima just shrugged nonchalantly before he replied,

"Not my business. We are just former teammates now, and they all are a bit bastards. It would be good to see them lose."

Furihata snorted, amused at his reasoning.

"So, you are still a sore loser, huh?" Kise suddenly chimed in, speaking to Midorima with a mocking tone. Midorima clenched his fists, trying to hold back his anger. Furihata who noticed that changed the topic immediately before they went too far.

"Anyway! Speaking of your former teammates, where is Kuroko?"

That's when they all realized Kuroko is not with them anymore.

"Aaaah! Where is Kurokocchi?!" Kise asked the same question with a panicked face. Takao snickered in amusement before he replied shortly, "He probably slipped away from our attention when Kagami-kun leaves the room."

Kise also realized the same and stood up from his seat.

"I am not done talking to him! Senpai, let's go and find him!"

"Kise, Wait! Damn!" Seeing the blonde has already run away, Kasamatsu turned around and bowed quickly to Furihata. "I am sorry for our rudeness. I hope you have a speedy recovery. See you later!"

Then, he left the room, leaving Furihata with only Midorima and Takao.

"For a talented player like Kise, he sure has a short attention span, right?" Takao let out a small chuckle at the deadpanned expression from his teammate.

"You don't know half of it," Midorima muttered lowly. "Anyway, we will also take our leave. I hope you have a speedy recovery, Furihata. And don't lose to anyone until I take my revenge. Goodbye." He stood up and left the room without waiting for Furihata to say anything.

"Eeh?! Wait for me, Shin-chan!" Takao stood up immediately, bowed slightly at Furihata, and says "See you later!" Before he left the room too, leaving Furihata alone right now.

Seeing no one in the room, Furihata let out a tired sigh as he muttered,

'What a long day..'

Before he fell asleep at his bed.

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Author note :

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You can also read this fanfiction up to chapter 80 on that page. Thank you! :)

-Zeta Faes-