A/N: This is Koichii. Sorry if I took long enough. The pace is utterly slow. Sorry again. ;u;

Disclaimer: We do not own Kuroko no Basketball obviously~

Chapter 3: Interesting

"The fuck is that?!" Kagami exclaimed, rage contorting his features when Kuroko told him and Ogiwara what happened earlier. "You should have called us, Kuroko!"

"It's fine, Kagami-kun. I wasn't harmed," the bluenet replied stoically as he, Kagami and Ogiwara walked stealthily across the huge hallway. The three of them were headed to the school secretary to know what dormitory they're going to stay in while at school.

"Even so! What if something happened to you?" Kagami persisted, not the least bit concerned that his voice was already high and that the other students' were already glancing curiously at them.

"It's not like we don't trust you at all, Kuroko," Ogiwara said. The orange-head male finally decided to intervene when he noticed Kuroko's dimming expression, knowing fully well that the smaller male doesn't like to be questioned. "But we're your familiars. It's our obligation to protect you."

"I didn't ask you to come with me." Kuroko's voice remained monotonous but Kagami and Ogiwara knew fully well that he's already irked. "If you do not like my way of dealing with things, then leave."

Kagami scowled at that while Ogiwara sighed. "You know that we're here for him, too," he murmured softly, his sharp eyes not missing the way Kuroko slightly flinched at the mention of the bluenet's late master. "He has done so much for me and Kagami and we want to help you in avenging his death."

"But you can't keep us from getting worried about you," Kagami said as he placed his huge hand atop the bluenet's head, ruffling it in the process. "We promised him after all that we will take care of you in his stead."

Kuroko was silent for a moment, his teal orbs staring far ahead. Seconds later, he pulled Kagami's hand away from his head. "If the time comes that I have to give up my life just to avenge him, I will do it in a heartbeat. And no one will be able to stop me, not even you two. Remember that." Without waiting for a reply, the bluenet then continued walking, not even bothering to look back at the strained faces of Kagami and Ogiwara.

~AkaKuro~

"Welcome to Seirin dormitory!"

"Haaah?!"

Kuroko, Ogiwara and Kagami stood there by the dorm entrance, gaping (in Kagami's case), sweatdropping (Ogiwara's) and staring blankly (Kuroko) at the scene laid out before them.

"What are the three of you doing there standing like idiots?" the tall black-haired glasses-wearing male barked at the three freshmen when the latter just remained by the door. When the three didn't move, he growled under his breath and turned to glare at the snickering males behind him. "I told you to stop with the confetti and balloons. Now the freshmen would think we're a bunch of idiots!" he yelled.

"Eh, you're no fun, Hyuuga," another black-haired male quipped before he skipped forward, thereby approaching the three. "Yo! My name's Izuki Shun. I'm a second year and that one, that grumpy old man behind me is Hyuuga Junpei, the dormitory's head. Hothead, if you must." A few snicker then followed his statement that made Hyuuga glare even more at him.

"Shut up, Izuki!" Hyuuga yelled again. "You, what are your names?"

"I'm Ogiwara Shigehiro, senpai," Ogiwara said with a small bow. "It's a pleasure to meet all of you. Please take care of me."

"K-Kagami Taiga desu!" Kagami yelled enthusiastically as he did a super formal bow. Hyuuga raised an eyebrow at him while Izuki looked amused. "I look forward to working with you!"

"No need to be so formal, Kagami-kun," someone said which made the trio look up. They were met by the smiling face of a tall brunet who now stood beside Hyuuga. "I'm Kiyoshi Teppei. I'm a second year just like Hyuuga and Izuki here. Nice to meet you." His eyes then turned to the quiet Kuroko, his smile faltering a bit when he felt something faint with the boy's aura. "And you are…?"

"My name's Kuroko Tetsuya, senpai-tachi," Kuroko introduced himself as he gave a small, polite bow. Everybody expected him to say something more but the bluenet just stared silently at them. "Why did you elbow me, Kagami-kun?" he asked, eyes turning to the redhead beside him when the latter suddenly hit him lightly by the ribs.

"You do not introduce yourself like that, Kuroko!" Kagami exclaimed before he blushed when he realised that his voice was a bit louder than usual. "You really never learned people skills, have you?"

"You're one to talk, Kagami-kun," Kuroko retorted which had Kagami twitching his weird eyebrows.

"You!"

"Okay, okay, stop it," Ogiwara said as he stood in between Kuroko and Kagami. He then grinned at the three upperclassmen who were staring at them with amusement and irritation. "I apologise for their behaviour, senpai-tachi. This is how they show their love for each other."

"Shut up, Ogiwara!"

"That's gross, Ogiwara-kun."

"That's enough!" Hyuuga yelled, effectively shutting everyone up. "You three are not going to speak until I say so, get it?" He sighed when the three nodded in response. "Good. Now you come with me and I'll show you your rooms."

~AkaKuro~

"And you are one of the three newcomers? Wow! We've got a total of six freshmen this year!"

"And who are you?" Kagami asked as he squinted at the brown-haired girl standing in front of him. He was seated at the couch on the common room that night when the girl suddenly appeared. "Hey! What are you doing?!" he exclaimed, slightly panicking when she leaned closer to him, her eyes silently analyzing his physique.

"Hmm…" the girl hummed, her eyes roaming all over making Kagami suddenly self-conscious. "Wow, you've got excellent statistics. And your potential is unfathomable. You're not a normal human being are you, Kagami Taiga-kun?"

Kagami paled slightly at the question, his mind running all the possibilities and excuses that he might give her for his extraordinary build and aura. Damn him for not being able to control his powers that well even after several years. "Well, I love to eat burgers so…"

"What lame explanation is that?" The girl pouted which had Kagami twitching an eyebrow. "Burgers are unhealthy, you know."

"What's going on here?" Ogiwara asked as he approached Kagami and the girl, making the former heave a sigh of relief for the distraction. The orange-haired male raised an eyebrow when the girl turned to squint at him, scanning his body visually in the process. "Err… excuse me, Miss…?"

"Riko. Aida Riko," the brunette replied almost absently, her eyes scanning Ogiwara's body. Then they widened when she was done. "Wow! You two have excellent physique and aura! Unfathomable prowess and endless potential," she murmured to herself, almost drooling at the possibilities.

Kagami and Ogiwara stared at each other, almost sweatdropping. Aida Riko is one hell of a weird girl. And the fact that she could tell they're not ordinary human beings was quite unsettling. Did she actually just make them up for spirit familiars?

As the two were pondering over the thought, and thinking of any excuse if she ever did think they're familiars, Kiyoshi appeared with Kuroko right behind him. "I see you've met Riko," the upperclassman said when he noticed the two younger males' expressions. "Don't worry, she's just like that. Her family owns the local gym and her father is a sports coach. She's always with him when he trains athletes so she's used to analyzing people's skills," he explained.

"Oh." Kagami and Ogiwara heaved a sigh of relief when they heard Kiyoshi's expression. Kuroko would surely be mad if Riko finds out about their real identities.

"So you're not a familiar then," Kuroko suddenly spoke which pulled Riko away from her thoughts. His expression remained the same even as the brunette shrieked in surprise, almost destroying the ears of her companions at the common room.

"Why didn't I notice you there?!" the brunette exclaimed as she pointed an accusing finger at Kuroko. Then she scowled, her eyes narrowed, as she leaned closer. "Impossible. I've never seen someone like you!"

Kagami and Ogiwara suddenly froze, their stances subtly changing at Riko's declaration. They're obviously ready to defend Kuroko if something happens.

Their actions though, subtle as it may, did not go unnoticed by Kiyoshi.

"What do you mean, Aida-san?" Kuroko asked ever so casually, not giving any indication as to what he's feeling as of the moment, contrary to Kagami and Ogiwara.

"Your body stats…" Riko murmured, eyes still nailed on Kuroko's lithe form. "Why are they so low?! I've never seen a creature as weak as you!"

~AkaKuro~

"Why is Akashi in a good mood today?" a tanned male asked as he eyed the small redhead playing shogi with himself by the window that evening. Being the redhead's friend since they were kids, he knew if the smaller male was amused or irritated despite the seemingly poker face he's always sporting.

"Akashicchi found someone interesting today, Aominecchi! That's what Murasakicchi said," a golden-haired male cheerfully said as he bounced towards the tanned male. "But Murasakicchi won't tell me his name though," he added with a pout that would surely pull several hearts apart.

"Aka-chin told me to keep mum about it," Murasakibara replied as he opened another pack of umaibo and began to munch on it.

"Seriously, Akashi?" Aomine Daiki asked as he sprawled on the couch, his dark blue eyes trained on the redhead's small figure. "This is rare. What made him interesting?"

"That's for me to know and for you to find out, Daiki," Akashi replied, his eyes not leaving the shogi board laid out in front of him. "And if you ever find out, remember that he is mine. And I will annihilate anyone who dare to come between us."