Now here he stand in the middle of the court again, facing the hoops that
were hung up high. A red, leather-covered basketball was in his arm, he
held it beneath his armpit. Kiyota, in his first year, looked around and
realized that he had been training all by himself. "Why am I here, anyway…?
It's weekend and I am practicing by myself? Damn!" He then grabbed his
indigo parasuit jumper and neatly placed the round ball inside his sport
bags. In a second he left the field vacant and headed home for a fresh
shower. This kind of thought in his head had ran often lately. Everytime he
stepped into the gym to practice, a sudden thought came into his head.
Since when did he start to like basketball anyway? He was never really
obsessed with NBA or international basketball leagues like the other team
members do. Even Maki, the head captain of the team, sometimes used to ask
'why did you join the team when you hated to watch the games on tv?'.
Something inside of him must've driven him to join the club unconciously.
Every night he tried but he couldn't remember many things from his past. He wondered why, though, it's like the memories in his mind were smudged off, erased, deleted. To tell the truth, he never really enjoyed basketball, even though he had the potential to be an excellent player.
Kiyota hated to think about it. It just gives him creeps and lame headaches. So he shook it off as he undress himself before he soaked himself wet. A warm bath in an autumn morning feels rejuvenating. "What should I do for the rest of this day…" He rubbed his chin as he started thinking to himself. "Perhaps go downtown with Jin-san!" And as that thought rang his head, he snapped his hands together in agreement.
The water's starting to get cold. No wonder. He had been bathing for 1 and a half hour. He cussed under his breath as he stood out of the tub. Then he dressed in his casual clothes after he had cleaned the tub. Making a phonecall to Jin is next on his head. So he headed down and dialed his residence's number.
"Moshi-moshi…"
"Jin-san?"
"Aa… Kiyota?"
"Yeah it's me!" He breathed out in relief to see that his close friend has not gone anywhere yet. "I was wondering… I'm bored at home… Care for a movie?"
"Hmmm…" Jin rolled his eyes as his finger played with the cord. "Sure, but I won't be too long, though."
Kiyota's brows arched in disappointment. "Why?"
"Well… I'm gonna join Maki-san and the others at the gym later this evening. They said they're gonna held up an unofficial practice for the national tournament. So… Yeah, ya know. I gotta prepare too."
Basketball again. He hated it. Sometimes they're just too pushy about practicing for the tournament. The practiced too much and now they got less time to spend to enjoy their teenage life. Is basketball all that ever matters to them? Kiyota kept grumbling in his head. He didn't know that Jin was still on the other side of the phone, waiting for his response. "Hello? Kiyota-kun?"
"Aa! Gomen gomen! Well… I guess that would be okay… Let's meet down right now or else we won't have time, okay?"
"….Say, why don't you join the practice too? I mean… You're one of the key players in our team." Jin suggested.
Kiyota didn't know what to say. It would be awkward to stay away from practices, he'll get left behind. He didn't want to sweat so much sweats too, though, but he guessed that's the risk for joining a school sports club, risking a lot of time for practices. "Sure… I'll go with you…" He answered in a weak, dull voice.
"Okay. See you then. A.S.A.P, ok?" Without waiting for Kiyota's answer, Jin hung up the call. Kiyota was quite pissed. In the morning he had planned this day to be a perfect, normal weekend. And now it's gonna end with a nonesense basketball practice? Now his love for basketball had finally turned 180 degrees. It's now hatred, not love.
"Basketball, basketball, basketball? What's in their mind?! Are they crazy!? Yeah sure is the national championship is damn important!!" Knowing that there won't be anybody around to answer him, he shrugged and quickly packed his bags with his towels and practice clothes, and not to mention an extra undies and shirts.
***
"Jin-san!" He waved his hand as he saw the Kainan sophomore leaning against a huge tree trunk in the park. Jin lifted his head and waved back at him. "Where have you been, Kiyota? What took you so long?"
Rubbing his head, he gather up reasons to satisfy his inquiry. He gathered up good reasons, not some sappy ones like walking around the house, cursing the basketball practice that he had to attend. "Well you see, my house is not that near like yours to this place."
Jin only rubbed Kiyota's capped head and started walking. "Maa… Let's go. What do you wanna watch…?"
"I don't know… What's in your head, Jin-san?"
"What about… hmmm…" He paused to think for a minute. "What abouttt… Shallow Hal (sorry but that's the only movie that crosses my head that time heheh)?" An index finger were risen as he suggested.
"Whatever you say… Let's go."
And they headed off towards the cinema. Paid a ticket for two, bought popcorns and cokes, and then they went in to watch the whole movie.
***
"Wahahaha that guy is stupid!" He cried and laughed out loud as they exit the building. Jin only smiled. And they walked their way towards their highschool, Kainan, for the scheduled practice that Maki had held.
"Deuce!" Both of them hollered out as he slid the gym door open. Everybody was already inside, practicing hard.
"Where have you two been? You're 15 minutes late!" Maki announced as he screamed from the other end of the gym. He was dressed in black, his usual, favorite color, and white shorts.
"Gomen, Maki-san… We're watching a movie and we had to walk all they way here." Kiyota nodded to accompany Jin's explanation.
"Well then get changed and start with 20 laps around the gym."
"20 laps?! Are you crazy, Ma—" Kiyota's protest were held off as Jin slid his hand to cup Kiyota's mouth to kept it shut.
"Sshh… I don't think Maki-san's in a content temper today. Better watch what you're doing, Kiyota-kun. And besides, we used to have 40 laps around and you don't complain at all…"
"Well I think I'm just too lazy to practice today…" Kiyota finally managed to talk after Jin pulled his hand off his lips.
"Something must be wrong with you. I never knew you could be lazy to play basketball." The Kainan three-pointer began undressing his top yellow shirt inside the locker room. From his bag, he pulled out his white t-shirt and put it on. On the other hand, Kiyota hasn't even touch his own clothes and start changing. "Oi… Get dressed and don't waste time…" Ordered, Jin. His tone had turned deep and serious now.
The self-claimed golden rookie obeyed him. After he is properly dressed for the exercise, he didn't forget to put on his violet purple headband. Soon after that they exit the locker room and warmed themselves up with 20 laps around the gym. In his heart, he continued to nag about it. He disliked the idea of cutting off weekends for an extra rehearsal. But when he looked around, all of the members, even the newcomers and other freshmen, were there. Well for now, all he can do is hope for time to fly by.
a.n : bad start for the story? I don't know… Therefore, REVIEW! Oh yeah… Where's the girl? It's on the next chap. Be sure to read on!!!
Every night he tried but he couldn't remember many things from his past. He wondered why, though, it's like the memories in his mind were smudged off, erased, deleted. To tell the truth, he never really enjoyed basketball, even though he had the potential to be an excellent player.
Kiyota hated to think about it. It just gives him creeps and lame headaches. So he shook it off as he undress himself before he soaked himself wet. A warm bath in an autumn morning feels rejuvenating. "What should I do for the rest of this day…" He rubbed his chin as he started thinking to himself. "Perhaps go downtown with Jin-san!" And as that thought rang his head, he snapped his hands together in agreement.
The water's starting to get cold. No wonder. He had been bathing for 1 and a half hour. He cussed under his breath as he stood out of the tub. Then he dressed in his casual clothes after he had cleaned the tub. Making a phonecall to Jin is next on his head. So he headed down and dialed his residence's number.
"Moshi-moshi…"
"Jin-san?"
"Aa… Kiyota?"
"Yeah it's me!" He breathed out in relief to see that his close friend has not gone anywhere yet. "I was wondering… I'm bored at home… Care for a movie?"
"Hmmm…" Jin rolled his eyes as his finger played with the cord. "Sure, but I won't be too long, though."
Kiyota's brows arched in disappointment. "Why?"
"Well… I'm gonna join Maki-san and the others at the gym later this evening. They said they're gonna held up an unofficial practice for the national tournament. So… Yeah, ya know. I gotta prepare too."
Basketball again. He hated it. Sometimes they're just too pushy about practicing for the tournament. The practiced too much and now they got less time to spend to enjoy their teenage life. Is basketball all that ever matters to them? Kiyota kept grumbling in his head. He didn't know that Jin was still on the other side of the phone, waiting for his response. "Hello? Kiyota-kun?"
"Aa! Gomen gomen! Well… I guess that would be okay… Let's meet down right now or else we won't have time, okay?"
"….Say, why don't you join the practice too? I mean… You're one of the key players in our team." Jin suggested.
Kiyota didn't know what to say. It would be awkward to stay away from practices, he'll get left behind. He didn't want to sweat so much sweats too, though, but he guessed that's the risk for joining a school sports club, risking a lot of time for practices. "Sure… I'll go with you…" He answered in a weak, dull voice.
"Okay. See you then. A.S.A.P, ok?" Without waiting for Kiyota's answer, Jin hung up the call. Kiyota was quite pissed. In the morning he had planned this day to be a perfect, normal weekend. And now it's gonna end with a nonesense basketball practice? Now his love for basketball had finally turned 180 degrees. It's now hatred, not love.
"Basketball, basketball, basketball? What's in their mind?! Are they crazy!? Yeah sure is the national championship is damn important!!" Knowing that there won't be anybody around to answer him, he shrugged and quickly packed his bags with his towels and practice clothes, and not to mention an extra undies and shirts.
***
"Jin-san!" He waved his hand as he saw the Kainan sophomore leaning against a huge tree trunk in the park. Jin lifted his head and waved back at him. "Where have you been, Kiyota? What took you so long?"
Rubbing his head, he gather up reasons to satisfy his inquiry. He gathered up good reasons, not some sappy ones like walking around the house, cursing the basketball practice that he had to attend. "Well you see, my house is not that near like yours to this place."
Jin only rubbed Kiyota's capped head and started walking. "Maa… Let's go. What do you wanna watch…?"
"I don't know… What's in your head, Jin-san?"
"What about… hmmm…" He paused to think for a minute. "What abouttt… Shallow Hal (sorry but that's the only movie that crosses my head that time heheh)?" An index finger were risen as he suggested.
"Whatever you say… Let's go."
And they headed off towards the cinema. Paid a ticket for two, bought popcorns and cokes, and then they went in to watch the whole movie.
***
"Wahahaha that guy is stupid!" He cried and laughed out loud as they exit the building. Jin only smiled. And they walked their way towards their highschool, Kainan, for the scheduled practice that Maki had held.
"Deuce!" Both of them hollered out as he slid the gym door open. Everybody was already inside, practicing hard.
"Where have you two been? You're 15 minutes late!" Maki announced as he screamed from the other end of the gym. He was dressed in black, his usual, favorite color, and white shorts.
"Gomen, Maki-san… We're watching a movie and we had to walk all they way here." Kiyota nodded to accompany Jin's explanation.
"Well then get changed and start with 20 laps around the gym."
"20 laps?! Are you crazy, Ma—" Kiyota's protest were held off as Jin slid his hand to cup Kiyota's mouth to kept it shut.
"Sshh… I don't think Maki-san's in a content temper today. Better watch what you're doing, Kiyota-kun. And besides, we used to have 40 laps around and you don't complain at all…"
"Well I think I'm just too lazy to practice today…" Kiyota finally managed to talk after Jin pulled his hand off his lips.
"Something must be wrong with you. I never knew you could be lazy to play basketball." The Kainan three-pointer began undressing his top yellow shirt inside the locker room. From his bag, he pulled out his white t-shirt and put it on. On the other hand, Kiyota hasn't even touch his own clothes and start changing. "Oi… Get dressed and don't waste time…" Ordered, Jin. His tone had turned deep and serious now.
The self-claimed golden rookie obeyed him. After he is properly dressed for the exercise, he didn't forget to put on his violet purple headband. Soon after that they exit the locker room and warmed themselves up with 20 laps around the gym. In his heart, he continued to nag about it. He disliked the idea of cutting off weekends for an extra rehearsal. But when he looked around, all of the members, even the newcomers and other freshmen, were there. Well for now, all he can do is hope for time to fly by.
a.n : bad start for the story? I don't know… Therefore, REVIEW! Oh yeah… Where's the girl? It's on the next chap. Be sure to read on!!!