"Hello, teacher. You wanted to see me?" Tetsuya Kuroko stood respectfully in front of a teacher in the faculty office.
"Ah, Kuroko." The teacher put down his pen and turned to face him. He studied Kuroko with a serious expression but said nothing.
"Teacher?" Kuroko's heart tightened. "May I ask why you called me here?"
"It's like this, Kuroko." The teacher looked away, unable to bring himself to look at the expression on Kuroko's face. "You know how things are. Your test results have consistently been among the worst, and whenever you take the court, it puts the team at a serious disadvantage."
"Teacher..." As Kuroko listened, his eyes grew dry and his lips trembled. He couldn't get the words out.
"Coach Sanada and I have both seen how hard you've worked, but..." The teacher gritted his teeth and forced himself to say it. "The coaching staff unanimously feels you might not be suited for the Basketball Club. Of course, don't misunderstand—we're not ordering you to leave. You should think it over and make your own decision."
"Yes, teacher." Kuroko's mind went blank as he replied mechanically.
["Kuroko, have you joined a club yet? I joined the basketball team, of course! I hope we can both fulfill our promises to each other soon and get to play in a game!"]
["Kuroko, I finally got my uniform! I'm still mostly stuck on the bench and can't play, but I'm going to work hard to become a starter! How are things going for you? Teiko's a powerhouse, but I believe that if anyone can do it, you can. Just keep working hard!"]
Kuroko had no idea how he'd made it out of the teacher's office. He flipped through the letters his friend had sent him again and again. The ache in his