Chapter 1

It was shortly after Saeki's leg injury. He left for a time to let his leg heal. Once it was healed, he spent a great deal of time doing physical therapy and another month or so rebuilding the strength so he could return. Once he returned, the coach said they had to let him go because they couldn't risk him getting another debilitating and lengthy injury.

Of course Saeki was sadden by this. Returning to the home he shared with his only brother, remembering how they were brought back into each other's lives.

It is just the two of them. After their parents got a divorce when they were in school, their parents each took one of them, so they were raised apart.

It was during his first few years as a pro first-string player when Dante heard about his brother's dream of going pro like their father did before them. During one of these games, he heard a voice ringing over the crowd, calling out to him. He turned his head towards the sound of the voice, seeing his little brother which shocked him, rushing over to him to speak with him.

For doing so he got in trouble with his coach and didn't have the chance to speak to his brother, whom he hadn't spoken to since middle school. He rushed back to the others to start the game and thanks to his brother showing up, it gave him the courage and strength to play his best and they won. After the game he was able to talk to his brother about many things, especially what he had been up to all those missing years.

Dante said that he wanted to move in with his brother. Saeki, of course, was ecstatic about that idea. After a year, Dante moved in with his brother, taking care of the house when Saeki had to leave the area for games.

Saeki remembered all of this when he broke the news to his brother who had always been there supporting him through thick and thin, even when he injured his leg. "Anaki, everything is going to be alright, I promise," said Dante, putting his arms around his brother and giving him a shoulder to lean on. "I can't believe it! Having gone through all of that therapy and rehab, for what? Just to get the boot!" he replies.

Dante helped Saeki to the couch to sit down and to calm down, before deciding on a future with his brother. Once he had calmed down with some green tea, Dante leans over with a smile to say "You know, even though you can't play pro doesn't mean you should give up. I mean why don't you try becoming a coach? There is a school being built down the street. When it's done, why don't you try there?" he asked. Saeki looked up at his brother with a surprised look on his face. After hearing what his brother had said, he stood up rather fast. "Are you serious about me being a high school coach?" he asked, giving his brother a curious look. Dante nods with a smile, putting his hand on his brother's shoulder to gently push him back down on the couch saying, "I am serious."

Saeki sat down from the gentle pressure of his brother's push to think about what Dante had said to say "Alright I'll give it a shot, but I've never taken any classes on teaching." Of course, this made Dante smile as he went to the kitchen to make dinner.

A year after the school was finished, Saeki went for an interview to be the coach of the basketball team. He stood in front of the principal, faculty and the school council, telling them he would like to be the basketball coach, letting them know what he did in the past. They were surprised that he had been a pro until he had injured himself. Because of this, they were willing to give him a chance as a coach, as a test.

He was thrilled. He went to buy new clothes for his new job, went home with a big smile to tell his brother about the job.

When it was time for basketball season to start, he had to deal with schoolboys, from first year to third year, but of course, it's never easy. They gave him a hard time at first but he didn't give into them. In fact, he gave them a real surprise when he walked onto the court with a ball in hand.

"Do not take me lightly," he said. He starts to dribble the ball down the court, moving his body in remembered patterns, setting up a jump shot. "I was a pro. I may not be at my peak anymore, but I can still do it."

It took a while before they started to work with him. Trying to make a team that could go all the way. They weren't good enough to make it passed the first few games. The best part was they were willing to try.

Years passed by. He hadn't yet been able to lead the team to the Inter high championship. One year a few boys with great talent appeared which gave him chills. Of course, a few needed attitude adjustments. He taps his finger on his arm trying not to loose his cool with these kids. Dealing with them and getting them to understand what's going on, telling them not to stop striving and pushing themselves, hoping they would have what it takes to become pros one day.

Shoutarou started that year, as well as Joel, Megal, Maxima, and Rentarou. Shoutarou hadn't played basketball on a team since pre-school and started to hang out with a rough and rowdy gang.

Once in high school he watched them play which made him want to join but the gang he is in gave him crap about the sport being for jocks that spends too much time playing with balls all day long. Sasabe the one of the members likes to rag on about jocks have nothing going for them as he said 'man Shoutarou why do you stand there watching when they have no future, just forget about it.'

Shoutarou gritted his teeth trying not to let the comment get to him as he turned his head away from Sasabe not wanting him to see how angry he is. 'Whatever lets just get out of here' said Shoutarou as he started to walk away as the others from the gang he joined in middle school, fallowed him almost like if he was the leader.

Some days later Saeki was walking in the park as he comes to a stop in his tracks to hear sounds coming from a street court as he looks over where the sounds is coming from as he sees a amazing shot being made.

He took a step forward placing his hand on the chain linked fence seeing a young boy the age of a freshmen as he knew the boy has what it takes. He saw how beautiful the shot that Shoutarou made being almost hipnotized by his movements on the court.

Saeki came threw the walk in gate as he puts his hand on Shoutarou's arm turning him around to say 'What school do you go to?' with widen eyes. Shoutarou turned his head to see Shoyan's coach as he was shocked to see him there with his hand on his shoulder, 'Shoyan High' he replies which surprised Saeki even more. Saeki placed both hands on Shoutarou's shoulders with a surprised look.

'What? Why didn't you join us when you started going to Shoyan?' asked Saeki

'Because I haven't played it for three years' he replies

'You got more talent than others, so please think serious about joining us' said Saeki

''Sorry I'm not interested in joining' said Shoutarou as he pulled himself out of Saeki's grasp, turning away from him, hiding his face because deep down he loves to play basketball. 'I don't know you're reason but as long as you can play, you can do it, what I wouldn't give to have my body to play like it use to when I started in the pros world' said Saeki.

Shoutarou turned his head with a shocked look, looking at Saeki taking a step closer reaching out to him to say 'What did you say, you where a pro basketball player?' Saeki gently takes the ball out of Shoutarou's hands as he dribbled it a few times before shooting it at the basket, letting out a sigh.

'Fresh out of high school I became a pro but it only lasted until I was 26 and then I got injured, after healing and returning to the pro world but was let go. But thanks to Dante I became a coach, giving my knowledge, hopes and dreams to the younger generation' he explains to Shoutarou.

Shoutarou was shocked to hear what he said about what happened to him as he greeted his teeth and clutched his fist, shacking a bit to look away. He continued to shack as he began to speak about why he had stopped playing, slowly looking up at the coach.

'My father and I would always go watch our team play because we loved to watch it and my father wanted me to become a pro one day, but one night he was coming home late after work with a special present for me for my birthday. But a drunk driver was weaving threw lanes and smashed into his car totaling it beyond repair and with that my father was killed. Since then I haven't played in any official games' he explains Saeki gave a sad look taking a step closer to Shoutarou gently putting his arms around him to speak in a calm voice to say 'I'm sure he rather watch you play the sport you love so much than avoiding it.'

Shoutarou felt the hug as he placed his hands on his arms pushing him back with a slight blush on his cheeks, first time he was hugged by another guy. 'Don't do that again and I'll think about it' he said as he turns to leave the street court but there standing in the way is Sasabe and the others from the gang.

Shoutarou backed up when Sasabe came threw the gate with a cocky pissed off look on his face, he leans forward with his hands out slightly. 'Shoutarou... What's this? Are you gonna betray us and play lame sports that you never said you use to play' said Sasabe slamming a metal pipe on the ground.

'What are you doing, it is against school rules to pick fights' said Saeki, stepping forward to stand in front of Shoutarou. Sasabe laughs raising the metal pipe up to slam it against the fence with a smirk to say 'We are not on school grounds, now are we old fart?' he said. Saeki was pissed for being called an "old fart" as he takes a step forward to the young boys to say 'Even so, I won't let you hurt someone that can become big in the pro world.'

Shoutarou being taken by surprise by the way that Saeki praises him as lowers his head, Clenching his fists tight, thinking deeply about what Saeki said when asking him to join the team. He rose his head high, taking a step forward placing his hand on the coach's shoulder to speak 'Let me play. I want my father to smile down on me from heaven.' Sasabe didn't like the thought of their toughest and tallest gang member to join a team, so he rose the metal pipe once again pushing Saeki out of the way.

'Over my dead rotten corpse' said Sasabe as he swings the metal pipe at Shoutarou, 'Die fucker' as he hits him rather hard. With the hit he stumbled back against the fence with his arms up protecting his head, peering between the gap of his arms.

The others started to whale on him with all sorts of tools and weapons knowing that together they could wound Shoutarou, putting him into the hospital or worse. Saeki had to step into get them off of Shoutarou knowing he can't do much with a bum leg but he tries anyways, also getting hurt in the processes.

He was put down on the ground which caused his cell to fall out of his pocket, coming open. One of the members of the gang stopped to see the main picture to see Saeki as a young adult with a pro basketball team. The boy's mouth dropped to see it to say 'You're the famous rookie that was MVP of the year when he was only 18.'

The others stopped to look at Saeki on the ground bleeding and bruised seeing a leg brace threw his jeans, he crawls over to take his cell in hand. He makes his way to the unconscious Shoutarou laying on the ground with more injuries on him than Saeki does. Saeki with a worried look in his eyes looking back, 'He could be MVP of high school, but in his condition it is going to be a while with the damage you did. I just hope he can still play and move on to be a pro one day, like I was and hope he doesn't get hurt like I did' he said.

Sasabe turned his head towards Zane to say 'What is MVP mean? You said it when you saw that old fart's cell.' Zane sighs putting his hand on his face, he slowly looks at Sasabe threw his fingers, takes a deep breath, closing his eyes for a moment before removing his hand from his face. 'MVP is basketball term for "Most Valued Player" so that means it's the highest honor you can get as a player' explained Zane.

Saeki leans against the fence, clutching onto his cell with a smirk glancing up at Sasabe 'And they are most popular with the women, so there for if Shoutarou becomes one, he can have his pick of any women he wants' he taunts. This made Sasabe think, a sly grin crept across his lips turning to look at Saski more as he tilts his head in a cocky way. 'What if they are close friends to a MVP, then what?" he asked, leaning over poking Shoutarou, 'I guess we screwed him up bad.'

'I wouldn't know' Saeki said dialing for an ambulance to come and get Shoutarou that is still out cold, bleeding from several places when he was hit. Sasabe with his anger problems rose the metal pipe over his head, slamming it down onto Saeki's bad leg to his shout 'And why not you old fart!'

Saeki gave out a loud cry of pain, swiftly placing his hand on his bad leg with sweat dripping from his face when Zane places his hand on the metal pipe, taking it away from Sasabe. 'That wasn't called for, of cause he wouldn't know because he was the MVP that year' said Zane, walking over to Saeki, kneeling down.

Sasabe reached to take a hold of the metal pipe, pulling it away from Zane to say 'Don't you ever do that again you brat.' Zane moves in front of Saeki with his arms out and shouts, 'Stop it Sasabe, this has gone on long enough!'

The ambulance arrives with the police following behind. Once there, they rushed threw the gates, the pushed the gang to the side rushing over to see how bad Shoutarou and Saeki where.

The medics saw the wounds on Shoutarou, turning their heads to look at Sasabe and the others holding some sort of weapon that was used on Shoutarou. 'What happened here young boys?' asked one of the medics while the police put the gang members up against the fence, patting them down.

Saeki tilts his head, slowly placing his hand on one of the officers to say 'Not that boy, he tried to stop the others' he said weakly about Zane. Zane gave a shocked, surprised look as he glanced at Saeki who just spoke, he gave a gentle smile to say 'It's alright Mr. Tarou, I am part of this gang so it's only fair that I go with them.'

Saeki tried to rise to his feet but because of his injured leg wouldn't let him, he hits his back against the fence. 'Careful sir, you need to sit down before you put to much strain on your leg' said a medic. 'Do not worry about me. I dealt with this injury since I got it, I'm more worried about that boy' said Saeki pointing at Shoutarou that is being loaded into the ambulance. 'Yes we know sir so please lay down on the stretcher so we can also place you into the ambulance' said the medic, getting Saeki to lay down they could take him and Shoutarou to the hospital. Once he did, the young boys had to go to juvi and let their parents come and deal with them.