Chapter 5

They say if you badly want to avoid someone then you will be able to do so. That fate and destiny would help you achieve whatever you want. You just have to believe that they are always your best supporter and think positively that it will happen.

"Auntie, can we have some Ikayaki here"

"Kise, that's greasy"

"It's fine, isn't it"

But Hanabi had thought of the kind of predicament she currently is in. Seated beside her is Kise who was busy staring at the menu and in front is Midorima who was seriously staring at her since they've arrived. Hanabi heaved out a sigh while uncomfortably shifting under the intense gaze of the green head. She thought of things that she might've done wrong to anger the heavens too much for them to put her in this kind of situation.

"Hanachi should we order some soba? You like cold soba right? We should order some too"

"Kise you shouldn't order something that Hana-san doesn't like"

"What are you talking about? Cold soba is Hanachi's comfort food"

"No it isn't, Hana-san likes crepes"

"Huh? Hanachi never liked sweets"

"Why are both of you arguing about what I like?"

As the two men argue on what food they should order for her. Hanabi threw a remark, making the two males stare at her. Midorima adjusted his glasses and leaned back in the chair while Kise sheepishly rubbed the back of his head making Hanabi roll her eyes. She couldn't believe they were arguing about something so insignificant as this. Although her heart did leap knowing that both of them still remembered the things that she had used to like.

Hanabi grabbed the menu from Kise and ordered some takoyaki making the two males throw her questioning looks. They had pondered on the thought of whether Hanabi always likes takoyaki or not.

"Hanachi, did you always like takoyaki?"

"I like all food okay? All food are my favorite ones so you can drop the topic already"

After having said this though, Hanabi regretted it as the silence filled them three. With both Kaijo and Shutoku teams in the background cheering as if they weren't enemies on the court, the three of them breathed out a sigh. Upon realizing that there was an awkward silence between them, Midorima took it upon himself to ask the first question.

"When did you get back?"

This threw Hanabi off guard and stared widely at the green head, she was expecting that the three of them would just eat in silence and go home after as they were all afraid of saying something. Kise had also stared at Hanabi as he too wanted to know the answer. In fact, he had wanted to ask so many things from her. He wanted to know what had happened to her, each and every detail of it.

"Just a couple of months ago, that's a surprise"

Hanabi even chuckled at the thought that they were aware that she was gone and moved far away.

"What's surprising?"

"Nah, just wasn't expecting you to be aware that I was gone"

This remark appalled both Kise and Midorima. Kise stood up from his seat and shouted so suddenly.

"OF COURSE WE'RE AWARE, YOU WERE GONE EVEN BEFORE GRADUATION WHY WOULDN'T WE ARE AWARE. YOU WEREN'T JUST SOME STRANGER YOU KNOW. YOU WERE OUR FRIEND"

Kise's sudden outburst caught the attention of everyone in the restaurant but he didn't care. He was well aware that Hanabi had suddenly gone before their middle school graduation. When he knew that she had moved to America with her parents, he was worried sick that they might have been mistreating her. He didn't want her to leave. That certainly wasn't the outcome that he had expected to happen.

This made Hanabi's heart jump out of her chest. She was only making that remark as a joke but seeing the blonde take it so seriously. Even going through lengths on shouting in a closed area restaurant made her instantly regret her words. Hanabi only stared at the fuming blonde in front of her, there she had noticed the small details that she didn't notice. Kise's glowing yellow orbs, his blonde hair that was much longer than before, the refined jawline and nose line, and his tall physique that had all contributed in making him more attractive. Hanabi had wondered why she hadn't noticed this before. She knew that Kise was hot and attractive but whenever she sees girls on the blonde's tail she would then grimace and turn the other way around. She didn't want to get caught up with him and his rumors.

Midorima witnessed all of this, the rapid change of emotions of Hanabi's eyes, the emotional outbreak of Kise, all of this only determined him to do what he needed to do. He too had missed her. He too had regretted what he had done back then. He hated losing, more than anything he hated losing to Hanabi but he had never thought that losing her was way much worse.

"Hana-san"

Midorima's voice snapped Hanabi out from her reverie and Kise from his sudden outburst. Hanabi shifted his gaze towards the green head only to be welcomed by a soft gaze. The gaze that was so uncommon for him to express.

"I'm sorry"

This sudden apology from Midorima had shocked both Kise and Hanabi. Like Akashi, Midorima was known for being prideful, one that takes everything under control and wouldn't want to admit their mistake. This was how both of them had known him. Hanabi stared at Midorima long enough to know that there wasn't a hint of uncertainty with him. Rather he was full of regret and longing and she felt that. Hanabi treated him like the big brother that she never had and he had always looked after her, maybe that's why it was much painful when he had cast her aside.

"We were all stupid for what we did to you and you should know that we---"

"Stop it right there"

Hanabi holds up a hand to stop Midorima from speaking. An action that raised an eyebrow from both males. Hanabi knows what they were about to say and she wants to stop her feelings from wavering anymore.

"The past is in the past, at least that's what I kept telling myself."

She stared directly at Midorima's green eyes, and there he saw pain. A pain that no one can imagine. Midorima's shoulders felt lax at the realization that what they did to her ran much deeper than they thought.

"As much as possible I want to put all of it in the past, that also includes the fact that we knew each other."

Kise's fist curled up into a tight ball as he stared at Hanabi who was now determined that this will be the last time she will see them. That wasn't what he wanted and this outcome certainly isn't the thing that he was looking forward to.

"You need to stop pushing us away Hana-san, we deserve another chance"

Hanabi's ears pounded at Midorima's remark, her expression quickly changing from a sad one to an angrier one. Her lips pursed into a thin line and the little fire that had died down deep lit up in her glowing rose gold orbs. An expression that made the two male froze in their place. Never have they ever saw this expression from the lass before. Hanabi was the type of person that had never been angry, that they know but this was something else. Hanabi crossed her arms in front of her chest and lead back in her chair. As she crosses her legs, she eyed the two males before chuckling subtly.

"That was a funny remark, reminds me of certain individuals who pushed someone away"

And that hit homerun. The anger and the pain of the past that she was trying hard to ignore and bury had all resurfaced. Gone was the light feeling that she felt after watching Tetsu-kun's game, all that was left were the repressed feelings of betrayal. She doesn't want to play good anymore, right now what she wanted was for them to know that she will never forgive them.

Not after what they did.

"Hanachi"

Hanabi sent up a cold stare at the blonde before standing up. Taking the few belongings she had, she sent a glance at the two males. She doesn't want to be there anymore.

"Let me just finish what I said earlier. What you did isn't easy to forget and as long as I keep on seeing any one of you I will only remember the pain and betrayal. So I hope there will be no more next time or see you again to come. Meeting you lot was one of my life's greatest regret"

Without even batting an eye Hanabi took a step forward leaving the two males frozen in their place. Kise gripped at his chest, he could feel it. He could feel his chest tightening from the inside like it wanted to close off. Like he couldn't breathe anymore. Hanabi's greatest regret was the last thing he wanted to hear. What he wanted to hear the most from her was her 'I miss you' and 'see you again'. As Kise watch, Hanabi took off he could feel his surroundings closing off once again. Like it was closing its doors once again, it was the same feeling he had when he realized that he can never have her.

"Kise"

Kise broke out of his thought and glanced at Midorima who was now standing up. The green head looked at him and in his eyes, there was an unspoken determination. Even without him saying it loudly, Kise knew what he wanted to do. What they wanted to do the most. So without another word Kise took off and followed Hanabi who had just finished untying Nigou's lace from the nearby post.

Having a sense of the two males, Hanabi quickly gathered Nigou in her arms and threw another cold gaze at them. It broke Kise's heart more but he was determined this time. This is his only chance and he wouldn't let it go anymore. He can't let her go once more, once was enough, twice will just be him making a fool out of himself.

"If I win, you'll give us another chance. If I don't, then we will respect your wishes"

Hanabi only stared at him, she knows exactly what he wants to do. Kise took Hanabi's silence as a sign for him to continue, he heaved out a sigh before facing her eye to eye.

"I challenged you to a one on one basketball play Hanabi Hayazawa"

Hanabi faced them fully now, for the last time she won't run away. She'll face them for the last time and she'll do it with the only thing that had always connected them. Basketball.

"I accept"

"You..."

"I'm not stupid to not get therapy for it Kise-kun"

As Kise slumped down on the ground panting, he just stared at Hanabi who was standing while holding the ball on her hand. He had thought that he grew stronger, he had this naïve thought that he might be able to conquer Hanabi now because he was stronger than before. But it wasn't just him that changed, Hanabi never really stopped playing basketball.

"After a year's worth of therapy, I finally was stable again to play basketball. It was an eye-opener really. The west's basketball is so much different than the east's"

And it really was, Hanabi started playing street basketball. She was able to display a different kind of play that no one would've thought was possible. This very thought much shocked both Midorima and Kise, not only was her play more flawless than ever but she was very much stronger than any of them right now. She might even be able to defeat Akashi, that was what they thought.

"I hope you will uphold your end of the promise Kise-kun"

Hanabi stared back at the blonde who was now staring back at her, eyes full of pain and regret. She could feel her heart bursting into tiny bits at the sight in front of her. She was stupid, that was what she thought. Without another word she grabbed Nigou and her belongings and started to walk away.

She had this thought that she might burst into tears if she kept on looking. Even after all of what they did, she can never really hate them. She don't want them to feel the pain she felt. She couldn't bear the look of pain in their eyes. But she also didn't want to stay by their side anymore. She couldn't forget what they did, the things they said, the way they treated her. She wants them to live their life to the fullest without her because honestly, their betrayal was something she couldn't forget for the rest of her life.

She would still be reminded of that day and she hates it.

Kise gloomily stared at the ball and Hanabi's back. After a while he started laughing and leaned back at the wall, Midorima only stared at this weird display of his old friend.

"She really is amazing right, Midorimachi?"

Midorima can't help but agree, she was and still is amazing. He still wanted to be her friend, he never really wanted for them to part ways.

"We should tell the rest don't you think?"

Midorima adjusted his eyeglasses before looking at Kise who was now sending him a deathly glare. It was obvious he hated that thought. Not only will Aomine know that she's here but Akashi too will surely do something to win her back. Now that the old Akashi had returned, he doubts that he would just sit still and let Hanabi walk away from him.

"You can't keep her for yourself Kise if you can't make her stay then none of us can. It always has been Akashi who was able to make her stay"

That certain fact annoyed the blonde one because it was true. He wanted to finally be the one that makes Hanabi stay but he was still nowhere near Akashi's level. He wants to blame that childhood friendship they had but he knew it wasn't because of that. He knew that even if Hanabi met him first, she still wouldn't choose him.

Breathing out a heavy sigh, Kise fished out his phone and typed a small message on their newly made group chat. After that, he threw an arm around his face hiding the painful features from his old friend. Midorima took out his phone and read the message that Kise sent.

Ryouta Kise: Hanachi's back in Japan.

And that message was enough to sent chills down everyone's spine, making a certain redhead smile genuinely.