By the second break, the score was 55-27.

Kasamatsu stopped Kise as soon as they were off the court. "What is it?" he asked bluntly.

Kise blinked at Kasamatsu. "What's what?"

"You're not playing like yourself," Kasamatsu said. Behind him, Moriyama and Kobori exchanged glances, but said nothing.

"I'm playing just fine," Kise protested. "Kurokocchi, tell them!"

Kuroko thought about what Aomine had said and frowned. "No," he said slowly. "Kise-kun's playing... differently."

"Of course I'm playing differently," Kise said. "We're a team, I'm playing on a team! Isn't this how you play on a team?"

Kasamatsu narrowed his eyes at Kise and then pointed to the bench. "Sit." He crooked a finger at Kuroko and pointed at a spot right next to where he'd told Kise to sit. "You too."

Kuroko sat down next to Kise and looked up at Kasamatsu.

Kasamatsu crossed his arms and sighed. "Kise, are you or are you not Kaijou's ace?"

"Of course I am!" Kise said indignantly.

"Are you sure?"

There was a dangerous glint in Kasamatsu's eyes. Kise opened his mouth, shut it again. Then he said, "I'm the only one here who can take on Aominecchi. Whether or not that makes me the ace, I'm the only one who can do it."

"Then do it," Kasamatsu said. "Don't look back, don't wait for us. Chase him down and make him pay, then leave him in your dust."

"But..." Kise looked confused. "Team play..."

Kasamatsu sighed deeply. "There's team play, and then there's playing as a team," he said. "Kaijou plays as a team. As a part of the team, you have a role to play, and your role is that of the ace. The ace leads us to victory. You don't do that by stopping to check on the rest of us as you go. Trust in us, we'll be right there behind you."

Kise fell silent.

Kuroko thought about Aomine's words again as he glanced at Kise's face, and then made his decision. "The stronger the light, the darker the shadow," he said.

Kise looked at Kuroko, blinking in confusion. "What?"

Kuroko had forgotten Kise's lack of affinity for poetic imagery. "The brighter you shine, Kise-kun, the more I can support you, and the longer it takes for my effectiveness to wear off. The better we play, the better Kaijou will be."

"The stronger the light..." Kise glanced at Aomine too, and then back at Kuroko. "Kurokocchi, are you saying you're choosing me as your light?"

Kuroko nodded.

"I can just... focus on beating Aominecchi?"

Kuroko nodded again.

Kise's jaw set. He nodded.

Kasamatsu looked as if he was going to ask a question, but then shook his head. "We're good?"

Kuroko looked at Kise, who was looking at Aomine with a new fire in his eyes. "We're good," Kuroko said.

They walked back onto the court. Aomine, sulkily dragging his feet onto the court, glanced at them, did a double take, and focused on Kise. He straightened and glanced at Kuroko. "What did you do?" he asked.

"I made a decision," Kuroko said.

"Is that so," Aomine said, looking at Kise. "Maybe you can tell me about it after I beat you."

"We're going to beat you," Kise said. "Focus on me, Aominecchi, or you're going to regret it."

Aomine flashed his teeth at Kise. "That's more like it," he said as the whistle blew.

Kaijou started with possession of the ball. Kasamatsu passed it to Kobori, who sent it to Kise. Kise and Aomine faced each other on the court, Kise dribbling, Aomine guarding.

"Come, entertain me, Kise!" Aomine shouted.

He lunged at the ball, and Kise pulled it back, turning away. Aomine put on a burst of speed and stole the ball. He bounced it off the court, and the ball flew high above the players towards Kaijou's basket. Susa and Wakamatsu leapt, ready to tip the ball in.

"That's not for you," Aomine said, jumping as he dashed past Kise. He reached up, pushing Wakamatsu out of the way to get the ball-

-the ball didn't budge as Kise's hand grabbed the other side. They struggled in the air, Aomine pushing the ball towards the basket, Kise pushing right back. As they landed, Aomine regained control of the ball. He jumped backwards and shot, the ball flying almost straight up, and landed on his back with a laugh. The ball swished through the hoop. 57-25.

"YES!" Aomine said, throwing his head back with a bark of joy. "Like that, keep playing like that!"

Kise grabbed the ball and stepped out. He threw with all his might, and then both Aomine and Kise took off running towards the other end of the court.

Two minutes later, the score was 62-32. Kise had scored with a last-minute tip, but Aomine had then sent the ball roaring back from the half-court line and into the basket. Kise reciprocated with an identical shot. Aomine stole the ball from Moriyama's throw-in and wove past the rest of Kaijou; he beat Kise and dunked the ball firmly into Kaijou's basket.

Moriyama ran back towards the other side of the court, panting. "I want to help, but stepping into that would be like stepping into the eye of a hurricane."

"Just be ready," Kasamatsu said, giving Moriyama a pat on the back as he passed him. "All we can do right now is keep the others from interfering."

The brighter the light, the darker the shadow, Kuroko thought. All eyes were on Kise and Aomine now. Kobori threw the ball in as Aomine and Kise sped down towards the other side, and Kuroko stepped up, pushing the ball out of the way into Kasamatsu's hands. Kasamatsu didn't hesitate-he shot before any of Touou's other players could react.

Aomine blocked the shot and landed to face Kise's guard. He smirked, stepping back behind the three-point line, throwing himself backwards horizontally as he shot.

Kise threw himself forward over Aomine, swiping the ball away.

Kasamatsu chased the ball, catching it just in time; he flung the ball back onto the court as the momentum of the chase kept him running straight off it. Moriyama ran for the ball, but Wakamatsu was faster-

-Kuroko was there, hand on the ball, changing its course, sending it flying towards Touou's basket. Kise was there, Aomine was there, and Kise reached out. Aomine stuck his hand between the ball and the hoop as Kise tipped the ball up and over the basket-

-into the hands of Kobori, waiting on the other side. Kobori pushed the ball in. 62-34.

Sakurai barely managed a shot despite Moriyama's block. 65-34.

Kobori screened Susa to give Moriyama room to move. 65-37.

Kuroko stole Imayoshi's pass, and Moriyama picked it up for another three-pointer. 65-40.

Aomine dunked the ball into Kaijou's goal. 67-40.

Moriyama shot. Sakurai's fingers brushed against the ball. Kobori won the rebound. 67-42.

Imayoshi's shot from the three-point line swished through the basket. 70-42.

Kuroko stole the ball and Kise mimicked Imayoshi. 70-45.

Aomine stole the ball from Kobori and threw it at the goal one-handed. The ball bounced off the backboard, met the rim, and fell into the hoop. 72-45.

Kise ran past Kuroko, driving the ball down the court. "Not enough, not good enough," Kuroko heard him mutter.

Imayoshi stepped in front of Kise. Kise ducked to the side and kept going. Imayoshi, turning to follow, ran into Kasamatsu's screen. Kise stepped up to face Wakamatsu and threw himself backwards as he shot in a mirror image of Aomine's form.

The ball swished in. 72-48.

The last break came while the score was 78-56. Kuroko dropped himself onto the bench, too tired to drink.

Kasamatsu glanced at Kuroko. "Can you still go on?"

"Yes," Kuroko said, standing up to prove it. His legs gave way, depositing him back on the bench. "No. I'm sorry."

Kasamatsu patted Kuroko's shoulder. "You did well. Rest. We'll keep it going."

Hayakawa returned to the court in Kuroko's place. He drove the ball down the court, running towards Wakamatsu, and then at the last moment passed to Kise. Kise dunked despite Wakamatsu's block. 78-58.

Imayoshi passed the ball to Aomine, who slammed the ball into the basket over the heads of Kobori and Moriyama. 80-58.

Susa threw the ball to Imayoshi, but it was intercepted by Kasamatsu. Moriyama made the three-point jump shot. 80-61.

Kise stole the ball from Sakurai. Aomine stopped Kise from driving down the court. Kise feinted to the left, but Aomine matched his movements and held him at center court. Kise darted forward, trying to dribble, but Aomine swiped at the ball. Kise lifted the ball high overhead and shot one-handed; it hit the backboard. Hayakawa grabbed the rebound and scored. 80-63.

Imayoshi feinted a shot. Hayakawa leapt to block it, and Imayoshi bounced the ball between Hayakawa's legs-

-Kise stole it and threw it one-handed over Imayoshi and Hayakawa's heads. The basket was too far, but there was Kasamatsu, running the ball down in front of Susa, driving it into the paint, passing the ball to Moriyama, waiting in the corner. Moriyama made another three-pointer. 80-66.

Slowly, Kaijou narrowed the point gap. With two minutes to go, the score was 91-80.

Beside Kuroko, Nakamura muttered under his breath. "Dear lord, please make it..."

Kuroko stared at the game, gripping the bench tightly.

98-86 with thirty seconds to go. Imayoshi transitioned into the same shooting stance as before. Hayakawa realized his mistake too late to block the shot. 101-86.

Kise copied Imayoshi's feint. Aomine snarled, looming before Kise. "If all you do is copy, you're never going to beat me!"

Kise shot. Aomine blocked the ball, pulling it down one-handed. He stepped back and shot. Kise blocked the ball, pulling it down one-handed. Kise dropped and drove forward, breaking past Aomine. Aomine spun and jabbed at the ball, but it wasn't there-Kise had put on a burst of speed. Aomine ran after him-

-Kise sidestepped and shot a three-pointer as Aomine caught up.

Kuroko blinked-it was as if Kise and Aomine had switched places.

The ball flew through the air and swished through the hoop. 101-89, twenty-seven seconds to go.

Wakamatsu tossed the ball at Sakurai. Kise intercepted the throw-in. Aomine cut in front of Kise, forcing Kise backwards. Kise juked to the left and transitioned into a shooting stance. Aomine didn't jump-he swiped the ball out of Kise's hands and ran down the court, Kise only a step behind him. Susa moved into their path, planting his legs as Aomine dodged to the left.

Kise slid to the right past Susa and kept up the chase. Aomine shot, Kise one step too slow to stop him. 103-89.

Kasamatsu stepped out and tossed the ball at Kise. Kise drove down the court again, Aomine on his heels, both of them weaving through the other players into the paint. Kise approached the basket for a lay-up. Aomine lunged, reaching over Kise's head-

-"Aomine-kun, NO!" Momoi shouted-

-Aomine bumped into Kise as Kise reached up. The referee blew his whistle. Kise twisted, releasing the ball in a backwards one-handed underhand shot Kuroko recognized as Aomine's from the first quarter.

"Basket counts, one throw!" said the referee. 103-91.

They lined up. Kise made the free throw. 103-92.

Sakurai threw the ball in. Kise intercepted it. Aomine stepped in front of Kise, and Kise transitioned into a fadeaway from underneath the basket. The ball flew up, away from the goal-

-Moriyama grabbed it and returned the shot as Sakurai lunged-

-the ball bounced off the rim into Wakamatsu's hands-

-Wakamatsu threw it down the court towards Aomine-

-Kise intercepted it, immediately returning the ball in a high pass-

-Kobori grabbed the pass and forced it in over Sakurai's head. 103-94.

"Less than ten points!" someone shouted from the stands. "GO, KAIJOU, GO!"

Seven seconds on the clock. Susa threw the ball to Imayoshi at center court. Imayoshi turned to drive-

-Kise stole the ball, rushing past him. Susa stepped in front of Kise. Kise pivoted smoothly, bringing the ball around him, dodging past Susa-

-Aomine reached in and grabbed the ball. He pulled back and threw one-handed. The ball slipped cleanly through the basket. 106-94.

Three seconds to go. Kasamatsu threw the ball high overhead. Kise and Aomine raced down the court, both of them leaping for it at the same time-

-Aomine edged Kise out.

They landed, both of them breathing hard; Kise lunged for the ball. Aomine stepped back, turned and shot. The referee blew his whistle just as the ball went through the hoop.

109-94.

"I told you. The only one who can beat me is me." Aomine turned, walking off the court without looking back.

On the court, Kise stared at the hoop, panting and choking down huge gulps of breath.

Behind Kuroko, someone said, "That was like watching the finals at Nationals."

"I couldn't breathe," said someone else.

"So this is what it's like when two players of the Generation of Miracles go up against each other."

"Our ace is better!" someone shouted. "A little more time and we would have won it!"

"Kaijou! Kaijou! Kaijou!"

Kasamatsu walked up to Kise. "You did well," he said, patting him on the back. "Come on. It's time to line up. We'll make them pay at the Interhigh."

Kise let out a sob and squeezed his eyes shut, gritting his teeth and failing not to cry. Kasamatsu put an arm around Kise, guiding him to the line-up. Kuroko dug his nails into the bench beneath him, wishing he'd had the stamina to help.

Some time between the end of the match and the time Touou boarded their team bus, Kise disappeared. Kuroko waited until the Touou bus was outside the school gates before going in search of Kise. He checked the locker room, the gym, the equipment room, and even peered into Coach Takeuchi's office. No Kise.

It wasn't until Kuroko had showered that he realized there was one more place he hadn't checked.

Kuroko pushed the door to the rooftop open. "Kise-kun?"

"Oh, I've been found!" Kise was still in his basketball uniform. He gave Kuroko a wan smile. "I should have guessed you'd find me, Kurokocchi."

"I'm the one who first told Aomine-kun about the Teikou rooftop," Kuroko said. "May I join you?"

Kise nodded, and Kuroko sat down beside him. Kise leaned back and rested on his arms, looking up at the sky again. "Say, Kurokocchi..."

"Yes, Kise-kun?"

"Are you sure there are worse things than losing?"

Kuroko leaned back too, hands resting on the concrete rooftop. "I'm sure, Kise-kun."

"Okay." Kise mulled it over for a little while. "This really sucks, though."

"It does."

Kise let out a loud sigh and released his arms to lie back and look up at the sky. Kuroko looked for the sun. It was a bright day, and there was plenty of blue between the white clouds, but the sun was nowhere to be seen. He listened to the birds chirping. In a couple of months, there would be cicadas to drown out the birds.

A few minutes later, Kise said, "I really thought that together, we would beat him today."

"Me too, Kise-kun."

They sat in silence. It wasn't an uncomfortable one.

"I need to get stronger," Kise said at last. "I'm going to get stronger."

Kuroko nodded. "Me too."

"The next time we meet, Aominecchi's going down."

Kuroko nodded. The Interhigh preliminaries were a couple of months away. Touou was in Tokyo, so Kaijou would have to get to the knockout rounds before they would meet Touou on the court. Looking at Kise's determined face, Kuroko knew they would get there.

Kise's phone rang, the bouncy J-pop ringtone breaking the silence. Kise glanced at the phone. "It's Kasamatsu-senpai," he said, sounding surprised. He picked up the call. "Hello?"

"WHERE ARE YOU? GET BACK TO THE LOCKER ROOM, YOU'RE MISSING THE POST-MORTEM!"

Kise nearly dropped the phone. From where he was sitting, Kuroko could hear every word Kasamatsu was shouting clearly. He winced in sympathy for Kise's hearing.

"Ah, sorry, senpai, we're coming right back!" Kise said, jumping up.

"That 'we' had better mean Kuroko is coming back too!"

Kise glanced at Kuroko. Kuroko nodded. "Yes, we're both coming right now!" Kise said.

Kuroko could hear a muttered "Damned freshmen, you just can't leave them alone..." and then a beep.

Kise blinked. "... Senpai hung up."

Kuroko got up, dusting his pants off. "We shouldn't keep them waiting," he said.

As he crossed the light threshold between the bright rooftop and the darker interior of the building, a thought occurred to Kuroko. "Kise-kun?"

Kise turned back from the landing to look up at Kuroko. "What is it?"

"After the meeting-" Kuroko eyed Kise's uniform- "after your shower, let's stop by the convenience store on the way home."

After a moment, Kise beamed, the Sunshine Sparkle Smile back in full force. "Sure! Wanna split a popsicle? It's been a while since I've had someone to share it with!"

"That sounds nice." Kuroko smiled back at Kise. "I haven't had a popsicle in a while."

Kise threw both his hands in the air and cheered. "All right! I hope the post-mortem doesn't take too long! Come on, Kurokocchi-the sooner we get there, the sooner we get out of there!"

"I'm coming, Kise-kun." Kuroko closed the door to the rooftop slowly so it wouldn't slam and joined Kise on the landing. Kise fell in step beside Kuroko, and together, they headed for the locker room, where the rest of the team was waiting.