"That's your gift, Kuroko."
"I don't believe your lack of presence is just some cruel joke from God."
"Find the bright spot in it. Dig it out—and you'll become an outstanding player."
With that, Tendou Kageyoshi flipped the ball with one finger into his other hand.
Kuroko's gaze followed the ball, tracking it as it shifted to Tendou's left hand.
But when he turned back, Tendou's other hand was already wide open, five fingers spread out right in front of him.
"See? Players are the kind of creatures who always follow the ball."
"And you—you're like an unnoticed hand!"
In that moment, Kuroko's pupils dilated slightly.
That spark, that flash of realization—he had finally grasped it.
"I think… I know what I should do now." Excitement surged through Kuroko's chest, the dark clouds that had been building for days instantly dispersed. "Arigatou, Tendou-kun!"
"What did he figure out?" Riko mumbled around a mouthful of food. "Kuroko's still a weakling who can miss everything even under the basket."
Pfft.
Another arrow straight through Kuroko's heart.
Why did such a gentle-looking girl have such brutally cold words?
But it didn't matter. Kuroko had found his path. His heart was filled with hope for the future.
He was about to say something when Tendou spoke again.
"Zip it, Riko."
"A true strong man should always offer encouragement to the weak."
Pfft...
Another blow to Kuroko. His heart was tired. Why did these two always hit different beats, yet stab just as hard every time?
『I can't with these two!』
『Riko is the ultimate finishing move queen!』
『LOL, every time she opens her mouth, Kuroko takes damage.』
『Now that's a true waifu. Riko always hits where it hurts most!』
『Ah, the smell of love is in the air!』
...
Real World.
Another week had passed. The popular streamer "FanGeGe" was back online for another live watch party with his viewers.
"Hey hey, what's up, fam! Good evening!"
"Tonight, we're continuing with Kuroko's Basketball: The Generation of Miracles prequel."
"But wow, this anime's unique. The main series hasn't even aired, and here we are watching the prequel first."
With a quick laugh, he pulled up his favorites list.
He saw the shiny "NEW" tag on the second episode and immediately clicked in.
Since the episode had already aired, he could scroll ahead—but he rarely did. He even let the OP play out fully.
The second episode opened with a recap of episode one, mainly showing off Tendou and the others' stunning performances in the entrance trials.
"Okay, I think I'm starting to understand what 'Generation of Miracles' means now."
"It's gotta be the story of Kuroko and these prodigies."
Most viewers agreed. After all, the first episode had focused heavily on those characters.
One thing that puzzled FanGeGe, though, was that Tendou and the others already made a full five-man starting lineup. So what role did Kuroko play?
Was he the sixth man?
Could this anime be so bold as to focus on that rather than the starting five?
Not that he was overthinking—it was his job to analyze and comment on the plot. That's what made him look professional, after all.
The episode continued.
We were back in Teiko's gym. The opening scene had the audience bursting with laughter.
Tendou and Aomine were punished for slacking off during warm-ups and made to run extra laps.
By the time they were done, Kuroko still hadn't finished his laps.
Worse yet, his presence was so thin, no one even noticed he hadn't completed them.
Tendou and Aomine were already chatting on the sidelines.
Kuroko passed by them.
Tendou suddenly shivered. "Did something just float past us?"
FanGeGe burst out laughing at that line.
The game hadn't started yet. Kuroko hadn't even unlocked his true abilities.
Right now, the story was still fairly flat—what you'd call a slow burn.
The biggest draw at this point was still Tendou's hilarious antics. His sharp one-liners had become the main attraction of the show.
『Dude, is Tendou the only one who can see Kuroko?』
『You're only noticing that now? I've been saying this since episode one.』
『TRUE LOVE!』
『Hey you freakin' fujoshi, stop stinking up the chat. I'm trying to take a dump here and your vibes are making it worse.』
『Dude, why would you SAY that out loud???』
『It's probably his peripheral vision stats. Tendou's steal ability is off the charts.』
FanGeGe ignored the chaotic comments and just nodded at the last one.
Even though the series hadn't gone full sci-fi yet, it already showed hints of being more than just a standard sports anime.
All these subtle details felt like future setups.
And while FanGeGe had made a few accurate guesses, even he couldn't foresee that this was going to turn into an actual supernatural basketball show.
So when Aomine and the others started unlocking their powers later on, his shocked expression matched that of the audience—completely blindsided.
But that's a story for another day.
Back to the present episode.
The three practice matches were shown from Kuroko's point of view—brief, lacking details.
All we saw were strong performances by Tendou and the others and the lopsided scores that proved Teiko's overwhelming dominance.
Maybe the producers sensed that the narrative needed a little extra kick, so they inserted a slice-of-life scene: Tendou watching a drama with Riko at their apartment.
Riko was bawling her eyes out.
Tendou looked like he was enduring torture.
Their dynamic was so ridiculous, viewers couldn't help but laugh.
『OMG this is exactly how my boyfriend looks when he's forced to watch K-dramas with me.』
『Tendou's soooo cute, teehee!』
『Riko: Why aren't you crying? Tendou: It's just a show. Riko: It's based on real events! Tendou: ... I'm done.』
『Athletic boys always fall into the 'emotionally dense' stereotype, huh?』
『Wait wait wait—so if I like basketball, I = a straight man = Tendou = I'm also a drop-dead gorgeous genius?』
『Nice logic! I approve.』
『You gross otakus are ruining my mental image of Tendou! Hands off!』
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