Chapter 155: Asking for a favor

Late at night, a teenager with blue hair, sporting a Seirin High jacket, gazed up at a towering five-star hotel in the lively city of Tokyo.

"...Oh, you must be Kuroko, right?"

A voice brought him back to the present, and he turned to see two teenagers coming toward him.

"Yes, that's me. Tetsuya Kuroko. Nice to meet you both..."

Kuroko then gave a polite bow as he introduced himself.

The tall teenager, his long black hair reaching his chin and his eyes strangely gentle, offered a smile as he introduced himself, "Oh, nice to meet you too. I'm Reo Mibuchi."

"And he's Kotaro Hayama."

Mibuchi then gestured to the other teenager.

Hayama, with curiosity written on his face, asked, "Oh? Aren't you from Seirin, Kuroko? What brings you here?"

"Yes. I'm here to meet Akashi..."

Kuroko nodded.

Hayama's eyes widened in surprise, and he looked to Mibuchi, who confirmed it with a nod. Mibuchi added, "Akashi mentioned your arrival today. He should be in the lobby, waiting for us."

"Follow me, I'll lead you to him..."

Mibuchi said, motioning for them to enter the hotel.

Kotaro casually draped his arm around Kuroko's neck, giving the impression of closeness as he fired various questions at him on their way to the lobby.

Entering the hotel lobby, an unusual hush fell, and Kuroko could hear the soft sound of their own footsteps as they approached Akashi. He noticed Akashi engrossed in a game of shogi at the central table. The other guests seemed hesitant, not wanting to disturb his concentration.

"...Sei, I've brought your guest," Mibuchi spoke in a hushed tone. Akashi looked up, briefly glancing at Kuroko.

Kuroko felt a bit tense under Akashi's gaze.

"...Tetsuya, huh? I was curious why you wanted to meet me, but..." Akashi spoke slowly. Then, he turned his attention to Mibuchi and Hayama, saying, "Could you please leave us alone for a moment?"

Mibuchi and Hayama nodded without hesitation, leaving Kuroko and Akashi alone. Interestingly, the other guests followed suit, clearing the area.

Kuroko observed the peculiar situation with calmness, though a subtle unease lingered.

"Have a seat, Tetsuya..."

Akashi seemed to sense Kuroko's discomfort but brushed it aside, extending his hand in a gesture for Kuroko to take a seat.

As Kuroko took his seat, Akashi rested his hand on his chin, deep in thought.

He spoke, "No matter how many times I thought about it, I couldn't understand why you came to me..."

"So, Tetsuya, what's your purpose for coming to our hotel and meeting me?"

Akashi's eyes gleamed with interest. Kuroko was the last person he expected to seek him out.

Hearing the question, Kuroko pushed aside any discomfort. His gaze lit up with determination as he replied, "...I've come to ask you for a favor, Akashi."

Akashi's eyes brightened even more with his curiosity reaching its peak.

"Could you please teach me how to shoot?" Kuroko finished his sentence, surprising Akashi a bit.

"...What did you want me to do?" Akashi frowned upon hearing the request.

Kuroko looked down, wearing a guilty expression as he explained, "I originally intended to approach Kazama, but he's the one who pointed out my specialty and has been offering insights without even being asked. I don't want to bother him no more..."

Akashi felt the corner of his lips twitch, but he maintained a poker face. Kuroko might not have realized it, but Akashi fully understood that what Tsuna had told Kuroko wasn't exactly what Kuroko had perceived.

Akashi didn't delve into the details, considering Kuroko essentially his test subject for the ideal Small Forward on the team, ultimately resulting in the final prototype, Chihiro Mayuzumi.

However, the fact that Tsuna was the first person Kuroko thought of made Akashi feel a tad uneasy. Kuroko continued, "That's why there's no one else besides you who has guided me in the direction of refining my misdirection..."

"...Sure, let's give it a try," Akashi responded after careful consideration.

He glanced at Kuroko, whose eyes lit up with excitement, silently thinking, "...Don't regret this later, Tetsuya."

Akashi understood that due to Kuroko's physical limitations, shooting conventionally might not work for him. 

He shook his head, recalling the night Kuroko had asked him for help. Glancing at the court where the Seirin players surrounded Kuroko, looking pleased with the result, Akashi felt a sense of detachment.

The crowd remained energetic, their focus fixed on Kuroko. Akashi couldn't help but think, "...Just as I expected, he's come up with something flashy again, hasn't he?"

"Let's go, we have a game to catch as well," Akashi said, rising from his seat. The others followed suit, walking out of the stadium.

"Ah, finally. I got bored of watching..."

Nebuya expressed his excitement. Mibuchi gently shook his head at Nebuya's comment before glancing at Akashi.

Recalling the night when Kuroko approached their hotel and noting that Akashi seemed aware of Kuroko's new technique, Mibuchi wondered, "...Was he the one who taught Kuroko that shot?"

"Haha, I've been eager for this since the opening ceremony!" Hayama joined Nebuya's excitement with a hearty exclamation.

On the other side of the audience, in a partially empty section with only a handful of people scattered...

"...So, Seirin took the win, huh? That was quite surprising."

Nijimura expressed a hint of surprise in his tone.

Having witnessed Aomine's incredible skills firsthand, he recognized the improvements he had made since then.

Even from the stands, Nijimura was certain that facing Aomine again, whether he was at his best or not, would result in Aomine wipe the floor clean with his corpse.

Shaking his head, Nijimura observed Aomine's expression of disbelief on the court, thinking, "...I suppose playing solo only takes you so far, huh?"

While it was undeniable that Aomine at his peak would effortlessly outshine the entire Seirin team with his skills, Kagami's presence changed the dynamic. Though Kagami might struggle against Aomine alone, with the support of the Seirin team, it was enough to catch Aomine off-guard once in a while.

"Let's head back; there's nothing more to watch," Tsuna's voice suddenly rang out. He got up, strolling towards the exit gate.

Nijimura didn't question it; he simply stood and followed, like a loyal follower. Despite the confusion among the others, who expected more matches, they trailed along.

"...But isn't Rakuzan still playing?" Ogiwara inquired, his head tilted in confusion.

Nijimura shook his head in response, "They've got the game in their bag already; there's truly nothing more to see..."

Ogiwara nodded in agreement, saying, "Yeah, now that you say it, it makes sense..."

Tsuna smiled in response, casting a glance at Seirin. In his thoughts, he said, "...Seirin, huh? See you in the semi-finals, then."

---

Author notes:

Hey guys, sorry I haven't been able to reply individually to your comments. Real-life stuff has been keeping me busy, and I've received requests for bonus chapters. I'd love to do that, but honestly, I'm swamped right now.

I'm going through a tough time, probably one of the lowest points in my life. I'm working hard to bounce back, though.

I appreciate your patience, and I hope you'll stick around. I'll keep writing; it's just that I might not be as chatty as before. I know life's tough for everyone, and I'm not trying to make excuses. Just letting you know what's up.

Thanks for understanding.