Chapter 44:

Sign

Akashi watched the last of the members leave. This had been one hectic day. Kise had been back after his sprain. With him, there were a lot of 'well-wishers'. This had made the entire club antsy during practice. Few of the players had broken under the presence of playing in front of so many people. Oh well, it would be good practice. There had been a few squabbles yet again. All in all, a hectic day. Akashi wondered how Nijimura had taken his first few months. He wanted to play so badly. He could always catch Himeji before she left anyway. Akashi was shooting a few hoops.

Kise had been in his element that day, however. His copying ability was really picking up. One day, he would probably be a valuable player. Pretty soon. Anytime, infact. Plus, he was a lot more pliable as far as rules went and turned up for practice regularly. Akashi was engrossed in his own thoughts.

"I'll be right back! I left that sh*t somewhere in here."

Akashi turned towards the source of the shout. It was Haizaki. He was turning the benches over for something. He left the neatly arranged benches in complete disorder. Somehow, that rubbed Akashi the wrong way.

"Practice is over, Haizaki."

"I know." said Haizaki, still searching for whatever he left. He didn't even look up at him when he spoke. This further addded fuel to the fire for no reason.

"Where were you? Why did you skip practice?"

Haizaki looked up in annoyance. "Whereever the hell I wanted to be! Now shut up and mind your own business, brat."

Akashi's lip curled slightly. He went over and held down the bench Haizaki was moving firmly. "I asked you, where were you during practice?"

Now Haizaki was irritated too. "I said shut up! Why can't you leave me alone, you little swine. Why the heck should I answer you?"

"You are accountable to me."

Something in his tone made Haizaki look up. "No brat, I am not. You know what, I don't give a damn about basketball. I'm not like you people. Going about saying 'Oh, basketball is life'. I have things to do. So, out of my way."

"Then quit the club." said Akashi quietly. That really angered Haizaki.

"What did you say, punk?" he said grabbing Akashi's collar.

"I said quit the club." said Akashi again, firmly. "You said it yourself. You don't care about basketball. One day, you'll be replaced. Did you see Ryouta play today? Ah, you weren't at practice today is it. Well, one day, he'll beat you. Then, you'll be forced to leave. You can decide yourself, Shogo. This way, you can salvage what's left of your honour. If such a thing exists as far as you're concerned...."

"What.... you...." Haizaki felt his grip on Akashi's collar loosening for some reason. This was getting creepy. What was with the whole first name thing? And there was something wrong with his face...... Haizaki found that it was almost painful to keep up his eye-contact. He lowered his eyes. His words had struck him.

"You will listen to me." continued Akashi in the same manner. "I am never wrong. I am absolute."

"Shogo-kun?" his girl-friend called out. She had entered the court. "Have you found what you were looking for?"

Haizaki found that he was holding a fist in air. Akashi was standing on the floor looking at him. When did that happen.... He was back to normal again. His face was a mask, betraying no signs of their quarrell. He just looked at the girl and then at Haizaki.

"I see where you were, Haizaki." he said curtly. Then he nodded at him and left.

"You alright, Shogo-kun?" she said hesitantly.

"Of course." he snapped back. But he was not likely to forget the whole thing.

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Haizaki stood in front of the incinerator with his shoes. Now all they were doing was giving him bad memories. Akashi had uttered everything he didn't want to hear. He remembered all the times he'd been called in for behaviour. It was surprising that he'd hadn't gotten the sack yet. That would probably be because of the way he played. And then that upstart Kise Ryouta turned up. He was right. It was only a matter of time. He was sick of the whole thing, anyway.

"Haizaki-kun, what are you doing!" said a shocked voice behind him. Haizaki jumped. It was Kuroko.

"Can't you see? I'm burning this sh*t?"

"But they're your basketball shoes....."

"I'm quitting."

"So, it's true then...." said Kuroko sadly.

"Oi, why do you sound so sad? That doesn't even make sense....."

"Haizaki-kun, you're a good player. I'll understand if you quit the club. But should you really give up basketball? Even though you say you don't care, that's untrue. You shouldn't quit."

Haizaki just threw the shoes into the incinerator as a response. Watching them burn invoked all sorts of mixed feelings within him. The games he had played, the crowd who had watched him, the way it felt to run with the ball, being almost unstoppable, facing his opponents, the fights, the disagreements, the face of his replacement, Akashi's words......

He closed his eyes for a second. "When you go out into the real world, you find all sorts of people. Mean ones, powerful ones, scary ones...." he said, thinking of his encounter with Akashi. "You find that you do all sorts of things just to save yourself from getting eaten."

"Haizaki-kun...." said Kuroko hesitantly. Haizaki could see that Kuroko was genuinely worried. That made him smile, just a bit. He instantly covered it up.

"See 'ya."