In Shadows

Chapter Fifteen

Welcome

"Aomine-kun! There you are!"

Gina whipped around as a pink-haired figure stormed toward them, arms folded over her chest and her face set into a scowl. The girl glared pointedly at Touou's ace, so focused on him that she didn't notice anyone else nearby. "Everyone's been looking for you!" Momoi huffed.

Gina bit her lip to stifle laughter. "Momoi!" she greeted brightly, once she'd calmed down.

Momoi spun around, and the frown vanished from her face almost instantly. If was replaced by the wide grin Momoi reserved only for her friends. "Gina-chan! And Tetsu-kun, Kagami-kun!"

"Hello, Momoi-san."

Momoi smiled apologetically. "Sorry, I wish I could stay and chat, but the team wants to go." She wheeled around to face Aomine again. "Come on, Aomine-kun." Momoi grabbed the arm of her childhood best friend and tried to drag him after her. Aomine barley resisted, and let Momoi lead him outside to his team.

Gina was grinning from ear to ear. "I'll call you later!" she yelled, waving.

"Okay! See you later Gina-chan, Tetsu-kun!"

"Bye!" 

As they disappeared down the corridor, Gina could pick out the two arguing. Their voices soon started to die away. Gina chuckled as she watched them. She could barely recall a moment when those two weren't arguing over one ridiculous thing or another. Despite that, they had one of the closest bonds Gina had ever seen. She wondered if those two realised just how important they were to the other.

"Ah, there you three are! How's Kuroko?"

Gina turned around and saw the entire of Seirin approaching them.

"I'm feeling better," Kuroko said, much to the relief of everyone else.

Riko grinned. "Right, are we ready to go?"

Gina frowned. "Go where?"

"You haven't guessed?" Kagami pulled her to his side; Gina squeaked as she was caught momentarily off-balance. "We still haven't celebrated you becoming manager yet!"

Gina blinked. "Wait, what? We're celebrating?"

 No one's ever done anything like this before. Every time I joined a club it was the usual welcome and then straight off to training!

Kiyoshi smiled. "We're going out for dinner tonight, to celebrate you joining the team!"

"Oh..." Gina felt a rush of blood to her face. "I - I wasn't expecting this. Thank you."

"Of course, baka," Hyuga said gruffly. "It's our official welcome."

"By the way, it was Kuroko's idea," Furihata said, pointing to the blue-haired boy and effectively making him the centre of attention... for once.

Kuroko nodded. "I thought it would be nice..."

Gina smiled and walked over, giving him a quick hug. "Thanks, Kuroko. A night out with the team... I love the idea."

"Come on, let's go!"

"Hang on, won't many places be closed at this hour?" Gina asked. For a time this late, Gina knew she would prefer to be at home preparing for bed instead of working and serving food for others.

"Not this place," Izuki said.

Hm. Interesting.

It was quite cold outside. Gina shivered and pulled her jumper closer around her body. She hoped the walk wouldn't be too long so they could get out of the biting cold.

Gina was deep in discussion with Kuroko and Kagami that she didn't noticed they'd arrived until Riko called, "Here we are!"

Gina looked where Riko was pointing, and spotting the familiar M sign. She gasped.

"A Maji Burger joint?" she exclaimed. 

"Sorry, it's not much..." Kuroko said. 

But Gina was shaking her head, an elated smile on her face. "Guys, it's perfect," she enthused. This was more than enough; she'd have hated to go to an expensive restaurant, knowing her friends were spending all that money on her. She liked Maji Burger, and liked the thought they put into this even more. "I don't want to go to a big fancy restaurant. I want greasy fries and everything."

Kogani blanched. "When you put it that way..." His face scrunched up. "Maybe we should've picked the restaurant after all."

"Idiots," Riko grumbled, watching a few members exchange dubious looks. She crossed her arms. "You were all for it a few minutes ago." 

Gina rolled her eyes. "Come on, guys!" she yelled. "This party is for me, and I'm saying we go to Maji Burger!"

Riko sent her an approving nod. "You heard her. Listen to your manager!"

"Yes ma'am!" everyone responded instantly. 

Gina's eyebrows raised at the given title. "Ma'am, huh?" she smirked. "I definitely could get used to that."

Riko laughed. "It's what you deserve." She rested her arm around Gina's shoulders and guided her into the store. "Oh, and we forgot to tell you this, but we're paying for you. This is your party. Now, tell me what you want."

Everyone placed in their order. While everyone else stayed by the counter to order (that certainly was chaotic), Gina ambled into the store to get seats.

Unsurprisingly, there was no seating arrangement fit to seat thirteen. She got to work dragging a few tables over to make one large row.

"Do you need some help with that?"

The voice came up behind her. Gina screamed and whipped around, only to relax when she saw who it was.

"Goodness, Kuroko, stop doing that," she laughed. "But yeah, I'd love some help. It would get the job done quicker."

Kuroko nodded and they set to work, dragging the last few tables over. Just when they finished and slid into seats next to one another, the others approached with trays laden with food. Gina's eyes didn't even widen when she took in the fifteen-odd cheeseburgers on Kagami's tray - she was used to his huge appetite by now.

"Here you go!" Riko said cheerfully, placing the tray with Gina's order in front of her; a small fries and a chocolate milkshake.

Kagami stared at her minuscule amount of food. "Is that all you're having? We're treating you, take advantage of it!"

Gina shrugged. "I'm not that hungry. Not all of us have unnaturally large appetites like you." She picked up one of her fries and popped it into her mouth, smiling as she did so. "Small fries and a milkshake is more than fine."

Izuki gasped. "Oh! Small fries for small fry!" He winked at her.

Gina resisted the urge to fling her small fries at him. "I'm not that short!" she protested heatedly, a flush to her cheeks. 

Then again, I am smaller than Kuroko, even Momoi... Ah, yes, I guess that kind of makes me short... 

Gina sighed and slumped back into her seat. "Okay, maybe I am," she muttered, much to the amusement of everyone else in the room. 

Once the laughter died down Hyuga hit Izuki over the head. "Just shut up, Izuki."

Conversations spiraled out from there. Gina laughed and joined in, munching on her fries as she did so. Their table earned a few stares from other people, since they were yelling to be heard from one end of the table, while ten conversations were going on at once.

And Gina loved it. She felt as though she belonged in this group, and they were all including her. She couldn't have wished for anything else.

As their conversation were starting to die down as tiredness began to creep up on all of them, Gina pushed her chair back. "I just need to use the restroom," she said quickly. "I'll be back soon."

"Hey, Gina," Izuki called, as she got out of her seat.

Gina sighed. "What is it?" If he makes yet another pun... I don't know what I'll do. 

Izuki shot her a wicked grin. "Don't fall asleep in the restroom."

Before Hyuga could but in with his usual infuriated comment, Gina grabbed her leftover fries and chucked them at Seirin's point guard. Nearly all of them hit, which gave Gina a sense of smug satisfaction. 

"Shut up, Izuki."

* * *

It wasn't long after Gina returned that they decided to head back to the hotel. Riko didn't want them up past an unreasonable hour, and no one wanted to argue with her.

When they arrived back at the hotel, they all split up and headed for their respective rooms. Gina stayed up long enough to exchange books with Kuroko - she even read a few chapters in her room before her eyes started to droop to much. The second she shut her eyes, she was out like a light.

When Gina woke up the next morning, she could tell she was dehydrated. She groaned, resting one of her hands on her throat. Not only was her throat dry, but her tongue felt a little swollen.

Gina massaged her temples. At least she didn't have a headache, though that would probably come later if she didn't get any fluid into her. Her mind wandered back to the previous day. Had she really had that little to drink?

Well... at Maji Burger, she'd only had a milkshake. And as for the rest of the day... Gina groaned, only recalling having a glass of water at breakfast. She had never been the best at taking regular drinks. She guessed everything was catching up on her now.

Another moan passed her lips as she pushed herself up into a sitting position, rubbing her tired eyes as she did so. At least there were vending machines dotted around this place. Gina had some loose change - it would be more than enough to buy a bottle of water or something along those lines.

Gina stood up and rummaged around her her jumper. She was as quiet as possible, since she didn't want to wake Riko. Riko was still fast asleep and curled lightly on her side. She looked peaceful in sleep, but Gina guessed that would soon change if she was woken up without warning.

Now changed and with money in her pocket, Gina silently made her way through the corridors, trying to remember exactly where she, Kuroko and Kagami met Aomine and Momoi the previous night. She knew there was a vending machine there, at least.

Gina rounded a corner, and smiled at see that yes, she'd found the vending machine. But someone else was there, someone Gina knew.

"Kagami?" she exclaimed.

Seirin's ace looked over at her and grinned. "Gina. Morning."

Gina tipped her head to the side, spying the large backpack Kagami had swung over his shoulder. "Where are you headed?" His attire was suited for one who was travelling, and it looked like he had been up for some time.

"Oh, I'm going to America for a while." He shrugged as he spoke, as though it were not that big of a deal.

However, Gina's jaw promptly dropped as he spoke. She spluttered, finding herself at a sudden close for words. "America?" she gasped. "Are you... are you joking? You're joking, right?"

Who ups and leaves for America on a second's whim? How long has this been planned - if it was planned at all? And how could he even think about heading for America when his teammates are all going to be practicing their butts off in preparation for the Winter Cup? 

Kagami chuckled upon watching the expression on her face. "Don't worry, I'm not going for a holiday. I'm going there for more training. There's someone there... her name is Alex. She taught me basketball, and is a pretty good player." He grinned. "I can get that little extra edge in training if I go."

Gina shook her head in disbelief. Honestly. That was extreme, even for Kagami; making the split decision to go to America just to train for basketball, then arranging to head out on a flight the very next day.

Well, it was a relief to know that Kagami wasn't just headed for America because he could. A light chuckle passed her lips. "It's all about basketball, isn't it?" she teased.

"For the team, aho." He ruffled her hair, a teasing grin on his face. Gina squeaked and danced back, her hands shielding her hair protectively while he just laughed. She tried to glare at him, but only dissolved into laughter herself. She could forgive Kagami for messing up her already knotty bedhair, which would now be even more of a pain to brush out!

"Have you told Riko?" Gina asked, once things had calmed down. If there was one person who needed to know before Kagami was off to America boarded a plane, it was the coach.

He shook his head. "No. I was up early, making arrangements."

"You'd better let or know, or she will murder you when you get back."

"I know. Don't worry, I was just headed to grab some breakfast and then tell her." 

Gina nodded, and then wrapped her arms around her friend. Once again, she cursed her short height. "We're all going to miss you while you're gone, you know."

He embraced her back. "I'll be back by the time the Winter Cup starts." They parted, and Kagami adjusted his hold on his bag, and gave her a quick wave with his free one. "See you around, Gina."

"Bye! Try and keep in contact!"

"Overseas phone bills are expensive!"

"At least try!"

He laughed, and waved at her once more before he turned the corner, vanishing from sight. Gina sighed, then turned back to the vending machine to compete the goal she had set out to achieve. The drink appeared, and Gina snatched it up, opened it and took a long draught. She sighed in content as the cool water passed by her dry throat.

She continued to sip at her drink as he headed back for her room, deciding it would be a good thing to do something about her bed hair before anyone else awoke and saw it.

It was going to be weird, these few weeks without Kagami, she reflected as she walked. Gina sighed. Oh well. She was sure these few weeks would pass quickly, as she spent it around her friends. Kagami would be back on Japanese soil before she knew it.

Gina entered the room she and Riko shared, and found the coach had woken up in the time she had been away, and also gotten ready: she word a new pair of clothes and her hair was brushed.  "Morning, Gina!" Riko chirped. "How are you?"

"Morning, Riko. I'm well thanks." Gina beamed at her new friend, then flicked her thumb back in the direction of the door. "Kagami says that he needs to speak to you." 

Riko was on her feet in an instant. "Do you know where he is?"

"Last I saw him, he was headed to get breakfast." 

The coach nodded. "Okay then. We're leaving soon, and meeting just outside the complex - try not to be too late!"

"Understood," Gina said with a grin, as Riko walked off to find Kagami. Gina peered around the room and chuckled, realising that not only was Riko ready in appearance, but her bag was packed and ready to go.

Unlike herself. Gina winced as she saw all her belongings strewn carelessly around the room. Her clothes from last night were in a rumpled pile on the floor, the book she'd exchanged with Kuroko last night lay by her pillow; she'd been reading it last night. Her other belongings - her phone, her iPod, her toiletries - were scattered around the room.

Gina exhaled heavily through her nostrils. You brought this upon yourself, for being so lazy! With a sigh, Gina got to work packing up.

She pulled on her change of clothes, brushed out her tangled mess of hair and washed her face. She didn't clean her teeth since she hasn't yet had breakfast. Once she was washed up, she packed all her belongings back into her bag.

Well, shoved might've been a more accurate description.

Ack, I need to become for organised if I want to be the manager for this team! 

Once she was finally ready, Gina hurried out of the door, her bag swung over one shoulder. She navigated through the halls until she found the dining hall, grabbed herself a few things to eat, and made her way to where the team would be meeting up. She attracted a few odd looks from people, since she was scoffing her food down.   

Finally, she was outside. And it looked like she was the last one there.

"Where's Gina?" Hyuga was calling.

She swallowed the last bite of the cinnamon roll. "I'm here!" she called, her voice still a little muffled. She raised her hand and jogged on over, taking her place beside Kuroko. She choked back a laugh; his hair was sticking up all over the place. That was some bed hair. It rivalled even her own.

"Right, let's go home!" Hyuga called, now they were all assembled. The members started to make their way off.

"Hey, where do you think you're going?" Riko called sharply.

Huh? What's she talking about? Gina awaited an explanation.

Riko grinned, a devilish smirk spreading across her face. "Our training camp starts now."

A cry came from all members of the team. Even Gina was surprised. Riko hadn't mentioned anything about a training camp to her last night.

If it was possible, Riko's grin only continued to grow wider with each word she spoke. "You'll be at training until the Winter Cup," she declared. "Now hurry up; we don't want to arrive late." 

Groans and mutters came from the others as they headed for the bus that was awaiting for them. Gina chuckled. The team couldn't have had good experiences with training camps in the past if they were acting like this.

Then again, training camp was a phrase that often sent your spirits plummeting. Guns remembered attending a few of them back in Australia. They were exhausting things.

Gina fell into step beside Kuroko as they walked. She glanced over at him, and couldn't help but roll her eyes. "Your bed hair's sticking up all over the place!" she exclaimed. Standing high on her tiptoes, Gina smoothed back Kuroko's hair the best she could. She wished she had a brush or something - there was always that bit of hair that just wanted to remain standing upright.

Gina sighed and stepped back, having done the best she could have with just her fingers. "There. You look halfway decent now," she teased, a grin on her face.

Kuroko smiled back, amusement shining in his eyes. "Thank you, Gina."

Gina couldn't explain why her heart just skipped a beat.