The first day Kagami Taiga stepped into Seirin’s gym, the team already knew he wasn’t your average rookie. His towering height, sharp eyes, and raw athletic energy left everyone staring as he introduced himself.

Practice after practice, his fire only grew. Kagami’s skills on the court were explosive, but it was the quiet presence of one certain teammate that surprised him most—Kuroko Tetsuya.

Despite being nearly invisible on the court, Kuroko’s strange but brilliant passing style lit something inside Kagami. Before long, the two of them were talking constantly after practice, Kagami’s booming voice mixing with Kuroko’s calm, almost monotone responses. They were complete opposites, yet somehow… it worked.

One morning, Kagami decided to come in earlier than usual. He pushed open the doors of the empty gym, the sound of sneakers already echoing inside.

Thud!

A basketball smacked him straight in the face.

“Ah! I’m so sorry!” a girl’s voice cried. She rushed forward, panic written all over her face. Without hesitation, she cupped Kagami’s cheeks and tilted his head up, checking him like he was about to collapse.

Kagami froze, his entire body stiff. His heart skipped as he got a good look at her—sweat-damp hair tied up, determination in her eyes, and a guilty pout on her lips.

“You’re not bleeding, are you? Can you see straight? Do you feel dizzy?” she asked quickly, her hands still holding his face.

Kagami’s cheeks went redder than his hair. He stammered, “I—I’m fine!”

She sighed in relief, finally letting go, though Kagami almost wished she hadn’t.

Before he could even speak, a calm voice floated from the side of the gym. “…It’s been a while. Hello, [Name]-san.”

The girl’s eyes lit up. “Ah! Kuroko-kun! I didn’t know you went to Seirin.”

Kagami blinked, looking between them. “Wait—hold on. You two know each other?”

Kuroko nodded. “Yes. We were on the same team in middle school.”

Kagami tilted his head. “…You mean Teikō? Don’t tell me she’s—”

The girl smiled softly, spinning the ball on her fingertip.

Kuroko answered plainly, like it was the most normal thing in the world. “…She’s one of the Generation of Miracles.”

The words hit Kagami harder than any dunk. His jaw dropped. “Wha—WHAT?! Don’t joke around! How the hell could someone like her not be mentioned before?!”

Kuroko’s eyes slid toward her. “Because she chose to stay in the shadows. Just like me.”

The girl tilted her head with a playful grin. “Guess I was the real invisible one.”

Kagami’s face burned red all over again—not just from embarrassment now, but from shock. A girl who had knocked him out with a basketball and made his heart skip beats… was actually one of them.