Today was absolutely beautiful was all the caramel haired figure of Emiko Sasaki could think about. As she strolled through the front gate of the school, cherry blossoms were falling all around the recruitment stands of the campus clubs and extracurricular activities set up at the school's entrance. Posters, stalls and students were all huddled up in the small opening area, which made for quite a mess of people. Still, this was what happened on an opening day right?
Should I join one? The brunette pondered to herself, while keeping her head down. Even though it had been at least two years since she was known as Emi-chan, the famous pop idol, it was still a slightly bit nerve wracking going out in public. Sure, she had been recognized a few times during her daily activities and whatnot, but now she was going to be attending a school full teenage girls and boys, which was the age group most of her fans belonged to back in the day. Oh well, she thought to herself. You can't hide forever I guess...
"Interested in rugby?"
"Ever played shogi?"
"You gotta play baseball if you're Japanese!"
Those were only a few of the shouted words she could hear amongst the loud and bustling crowd. It didn't really help that she was so short either, because trying to find your way through a sea of people was especially hard when you couldn't see where you were going.
Her eyes drifted to a blue-haired boy that was quite a lot shorter than the others in the crowd. Noticing that he was ducking himself in and out of the crowd effortlessly while reading a book meant that he probably wouldn't notice if she followed him for a little while.
Wading through people while trying not to lose sight him, she had accidently knocked over quite a few people without noticing. She spun around and yelled back apologies just as she noticed what she'd been doing, hoping that this hadn't already made a bad impression of herself. As Emiko went back to follow the boy, she realized that he had already disappeared. "Great, just great! Now I'm stuck..." she mumbled to herself, before she heard an annoyed voice in the distance.
"What do you mean no girls' basketball team?" the voice exclaimed, Emiko fighting through the crowd to get a closer look at the situation. When she finally broke through the sea of people, there stood a pale purplette with her hands on the desk of the basketball recruitment table. The brunette girl behind the desk was giving her a sorry frown as she spoke up.
"Well, you see, the basketball club was only formed last year. We didn't even think of starting up a girls team. There also seems to be a lack of girls interested so..."
"I'll get a team together." she said. "And it'll be the best team you've ever seen. So I think if I can manage to get a team, then you can manage to get us up and running. Deal?"
The short haired brunette looked at the boy next to her with a hesitant look, him giving the girl leaning on the table a small smile. "Alright, if you can manage to get 10 girls together for a team, no more, no less, we'll make sure to create your girl's team. But, you're going to have to get it done by the end of this week, otherwise they won't take the new team forms." he told her, the girl then standing up straight.
She nodded enthusiastically, tightening the band around her ponytail while turning her back to them. "I'm going to start with... you!"
The girl was now pointing at the short brunette, giving a smile as she walked over and held out her hand. "Kyoko Takahashi, first year." she said as Emiko slid her hand into Kyoko's. "You see, I'm trying to recruit some members for a girls basketball team, because sadly enough they didn't think about the girls when making a basketball team." she frowned, putting her hands on her hips.
"So what do you say? Wanna join?" she grinned, causing the small brunette to get a bit flustered.
"Um, I'd love to but..." she began, before she was cut off by the taller girl in front of her. "Great!" Kyoko grinned, clasping her hands together before turning around to yell back at the basketball recruitment stand.
"You see that! Two members down, eight to go!" she yelled back, giving them a sarcastic smile, which they returned with a grin.
Gosh, this girl is pretty intense... Emiko thought to herself, but still smiled. Little did the girl who just recruit her know that the brunette had never played a game of basketball in her entire life, let alone knew how to. She did happen to have an older sister who did, but that was another story entirely.
She sighed, realizing the school bell had finally rung. Emiko adjusted her hand on the handle of her satchel and began to walk towards the main building. She had been proven wrong. High school was anything but ordinary.
"Emi-Chaaaaaan~!" "Emi~!" "Please sign this!" "I was your biggest fan!" was all Emiko could hear when she walked into the cafeteria. She put a hand to her face and groaned. So much for living a normal high school life. Even though she was slightly annoyed by this outburst of people, she did sign some autographs for some of the students before ordering her food. Just as she was about to slip out of the cafeteria stealthily, the brunette saw the waving figure of Kyoko Takahashi, munching away at... was that a plasic bag full of chip packets?
"Hey." she said casually, giving Emiko a small smile. "I never got your name back there at the club recruitment."
"Oh, um, about that... I..." she started, before she was once again cut off by the purple haired girl.
"Are you saying you don't want to play? Awh man, but I've already handed in the club registration form..." she huffed, folding her arms over her chest. "But if you really don't want to I'll find someone else."
The brunette shook her head furiously. "No, it's not that... The problem is... How do I say this without looking like a total loser..." she pondered to herself.
Kyoko put a hand to her face. "You don't know how to play do you?" she groaned, letting out a small sigh. The two were silent for a moment, waiting for one of them to say something. Emiko gave a small nod, hoping that would help clear the akwardness just a little.
Kyoko cleared her throat and grinned. "Doesn't matter. Trials are this time next week. Just come along and give it your best. If you suck you suck, nothing I can do about it." she said, still a bit disappointed that she managed to recruit a novice in the sport. "Emiko Sasaki." the brunette said, holding out her hand.
"Got it. See you around Sasaki. Or... Emi-chan? That's what everyone seemed to be calling you. What a lame nickname. How do they even know you anyway?" Kyoko said, letting out a small laugh after she had finished chewing the chips she had shoved in her mouth. She looked down at her watch and let out a small sigh of disapproval."You can tell me later, I've got some things to sort out for the club. Remember, 5pm, next Tuesday. See you then! " On that note, the purplette figure strolled out of the cafeteria, leaving Emiko just a little dumbfounded.
Emiko stared at the floor for a few seconds. "This has to be the first person not to know who I am." she said to herself, slightly shocked. The girl had to admit, the feeling of not being recognised was... weird. As she snapped back into reality, Emiko realised that she was still standing in the middle of the cafeteria. Without speaking, she slowly weaved through the crowds before leaving the building. For the first time ever, she felt as if she might have a real friend.
"Maya-chan, I'm home!" Emiko yelled as she slipped her feet out of her school shoes and into a pair of slippers. Slowly stepping up the stairs and walking down the hallway, she turned to a door to her left, pushing it open and revealing a girl a couple of years older than herself lying in a white bed. The brunette gave the other girl a small smile, before wandering over to the bed and sitting down.
"Hey Emi, I was getting a bit lonely here." the girl laughed, pressing a button next to her bed to bring herself up into a sitting position. Emiko just smiled softly at as she patted the duvet next to herself.
"Sorry Maya, I got lost on my way home and had to call a friend. I have to say it was rather embarrassing." the brunette laughed, lifting herself off the bed once again.
"Is there anything I can get you? Water? Food? T.V remote?" Emiko asked, receiving a small nod from the other girl for a reply.
"Can you get me my basketball magazines and videos? Pretty please?" Maya smiled, and Emiko became a little hesitant.
"Sure. I'll be a second." the small brunette said quietly, slowly moving towards the door. Pausing for a moment, she put her hand on the door frame beside her.
Maya had been involved in a major traffic accident when the two had been younger, which sadly enough left the elder sibling without the use of her legs. Maya Sasaki was well known for one thing other than being the older sister of Emi: that she was a fantastic basketball player. She had already been on her way to becoming part of the national Japanese women's team at the age of 16, and even competing for the country in the olympics. But, here she was, confined to a bed for most of her daily hours, wasting away to nothing.
"Maya…" Emi started slowly, looking down at the floor. The room was silent for a few seconds before the younger brunette continued on. "You see… At school today… I was asked to join a basketball club. I… I've never played basketball… What if I make a fool out of myself?" she said quickly, sounding slightly alarmed. Would Maya be mad at me for joining a club of a sport she loved most? I should've just kept my mouth shut! she thought to herself, feeling overly guilty.
The older sibling let out a laugh. "Emi, don't be silly! Come here!" she grinned, ushering the girl back over to the bed. Emiko slowly turned around and made her way over to the bed, before being pulled into a hug by her sister. "You'll be absolutely fine. You've got the Sasaki blood, you've got to have some basketball talent!" Maya smiled, pulling away from the hug.
"And I bet you're thinking I'd be mad, ay? You're a silly one y'know that?" the older brunette said, before her eyes lit up with an idea.
"I'll be your coach! That sounds great! You got it? Good!" Maya said sternly, causing Emi's eyes to light up in the same way. The smaller brunette nodded furiously.
"Training starts today! Would you please fetch me my wheel chair my dearest sister." she said jokingly, causing Emi to laugh. Obediently, Emiko walked over to the wheel chair over in the corner of the room and wheeled it over. Helping her sister get into the chair, the two were off down into the backyard. Emiko was just so glad that her sister wanted to help her, and having an ex nation champion as a sister would give her and even better chance at learning some skill in basketball.
Grinning as she ran down the stairs to meet her sister in the backyard, she couldn't help but let out an excited giggle. Maybe being asked to join the basketball club wasn't such a bad thing at all.