I know I haven't finished my other story but the plot bunny just kind of left me in the dust... So I've started this one! I don't know how long I'm going to be interested in it quite frankly. But, oh well...
I might make this a love story. Depends on how you all want it to be. As of right now, there is no particular love interest in my mind.
Happy readings~! [Please excuse my grammar errors and the format might have gotten messed up.]
In front of a large brick building labeled Teikō Junior High are multiple stands set up with clumps of people milling around. Colorful banners and the steady stream of chatter lighten the mood, making it seem almost like a festival. Upperclassmen are heard shouting and waving flyers to attract the newcomers to their clubs.
"Looking for a good book to read? The Book Club is definitely something you should check out!"
"Do you enjoy folding paper? ... Then, please join the Origami Club!"
"If you're a competitive swimmer or just like being in the water, definitely come to the Swim Club!"
"Welcoming all students!"
However, there is one unique table situated at the far end. Despite it being rather plain in appearance, an abnormal amount of people crowd in front of it.
A blue-haired, tanned boy weaves his way through the throng of moving bodies. His rather tall stature makes it easy for him to forge a path in the cramped area. His dark blue eyes scan the banners hung up over the stands, seemingly searching for a specific one.
"Hey, have you found it yet?! This place is too crowded..." a pink-haired girl sidles up next to him, pouting. She crosses her arms, making her large bust appear even bigger. The blue-haired boy merely shrugs casually.
"Not yet... Stop being so impatient, will ya?" he teases her lightly. He continues to glance the rows posters as he pushes his way forward, determined to reach his destination. The pink-haired girl merely huffs but continues to follow him. Suddenly, large light blue lettering catches his eye. He abruptly stop in his tracks and turns to face the banner.
Teikō Basketball Team
The girl, caught unawares, bumps into the tall boy. "Don't just stop all of the sudden like that!" she squeals, falling on her rear. Despite being rammed into, the tall boy doesn't even budge. A wide grins slowly unfurls across his tanned face.
"Found it!" he grins excitedly. He quickly grabs the girl's outstretched hand and hastily tugs her along.
"H-Hey! Slow down!" she cries, her body whipped around like a rag doll under the boy's not very gentle pull. The blue-haired boy rudely shoves his way through the impressive crowd of people in front of the table.
"Oi!"
"Watch it!"
"First years... they never know how to respect their senpai...!"
The blue-haired boy slams his hands down roughly on the table, jolting the two upperclassmen who are seated behind.
"Oi! This the basketball team, right? Lemme sign up!" he demands, not waiting for an answer.
One of the boys behind the table frowns, taken aback the blue-haired boy's impulsiveness. "Hmph. You're a first year, right? Don't get so cocky, Teikō's basketball team is no ordinary team. We're the best of the best. Even making the second-string isn't easy."
"Yeah, yeah. Just hurry up, will ya? I wanna sign up!" the tanned boy cuts in rudely, ignoring his senpai's glare.
The other upperclassman shakes his head before wordlessly handing over a clipboard with a sign-up sheet attached. The blue-haired boy beams before snatching it up. He grabs a pen lying on the table and quickly scribbles down the information required in the designated blank areas.
"Here!" he exclaims, thrusting the clipboard into the quiet upperclassman's frame.
"Hey! Treat your senpai with more respect!" the other one scowls. The pink-haired girl immediately pushes the tanned boy to the side before he can retort. The boy is sent careening into an unsuspecting group of students.
"Sorry for his rudeness!" she bows quickly. The upperclassmen catch themselves staring at her well endowed chest, accentuated by the girl's school uniform.
"A-Ah..."
"Ahem..." They avert their glances with red faces.
"Do you know if the basketball team is looking for a manager?" she questions, clasping her hands together in front of her.
"Uh... You'll have to ask the captain... who isn't here today." one replies, trying not to stare.
"Oh... alright then! Arigatō!" she bows again before taking her leave and dragging the reluctant blue-haired boy away.
The two upperclassmen trade dubious glances before uncaringly tossing the sign-up sheet into the ever growing pile of paper. They don't bother giving it a second glance, quickly dismissing the brash, blue-haired first year.
At least a hundred junior high boys gather in one of Teikō's vast gymnasiums after school. The spacious room has four full sized basketball courts laid out side by side. Some of the players warm up with basketballs while others chat idly with friends.
"Did you hear?"
"Hear what?"
"Apparently, Teikō got a new first-string captain!"
"... Nande?"
"That doesn't matter... But, I heard that this mysterious new person is a super famous, Japanese basketball star that has played abroad!"
"Woah...! Really?! No way!"
A nearby red-haired boy raises a thin brow in interest upon hearing these words, lazily dribbling an orange basketball. An ear-piercing blast from a whistle silences the entire gym. All heads turn to the imposing figure at the doorway.
"Kon'nichiwa!" All of the students bow in respect. The man stares impassively at the gathered players.
"Line up by grade." he orders. There's a collective sound of shuffling and murmuring as they group themselves vaguely into first-, second-, and third-years. The man walks to the center, in front of the gathered students, with three other male teachers not far behind. A hundred pair or so of curious eyes follow them as they move. "We will split you all into groups of five and then set you up in a series of quick games to fifteen points. Remember, we will be assessing your skills. Our decisions decide which string you will be divided into."
A familiar girls with pink hair bursts into the gymnasium, panting slightly from running. She recomposes herself, trying not to make a scene, and climbs into the bleachers. A stranger in a hooded sweater catches her eye as she makes her way up the rows of otherwise empty seats.
The lonely figure is clad in a rather large sweater with baggy slacks, effectively concealing their gender. The hood is pulled up, cutting Momoi's view of their face. However, she could just make out the gleam of plastic reflecting off the gymnasium light. Why would someone wear sunglasses indoors?
With her curiosity piqued, the pink-haired girl shuffles towards the seated stranger.
"Kon'nichiwa! Is this seat taken?" she asks cheerfully. The figure shakes a hooded head, not tearing their eyes off of the gathered boys on the gym floor. "A-Ah... Ano... I am Satsuki Momoi! I'm a first year in class 1-D!"
"Eh..." is the person's only response. A rather peeved look crosses Momoi's delicate face before quickly disappearing.
Maybe they're just shy... She amends and settles in her seat before turning her focus on the basketball players.
The four adults had efficiently divide the players into teams of five, like in a normal basketball match, within their own grades. They're ushered onto different courts, playing against other teams, and sitting out every once in a while when there is no available court to play on.
Momoi scrutinizes each player carefully, only a handful of players making a lasting impression. She glances at the blue-haired player with fond eyes, noting that he is crushing his opponents with ferocious attacks. As usual. Her eyes are instead drawn to a red-haired player who's quick speed and flawless plays amaze her.
He can't just be a junior high student... Momoi observes the moves he uses, quickly able to catch on and read his pattern.
"He's going to go for a layup..." she mumbles distractedly to herself. Just as predicted, the redhead dodges the other team's defenses and executes a clean layup. The ball swishes through the net before bouncing a couple times on the polished, hardwood floor.
The stranger sitting next to her tilts their head in surprise as Momoi's prediction becomes true, before scrawling something down on the clipboard in their hands. Momoi peers over inconspicuously at the piece of paper. Her widen in astonishment as basketball drills and playout sketches litter the page. Another paper has a long list of all of the players trying out with markings and side notes along the margin.
Just who is this person...? Momoi narrows her eyes in suspicion. A cheer from the courts redirects her attention. The team the redhead was on had just won, no doubt thanks to the talented boy's skills.
As if feeling the weight of her stare, the red-haired boy suddenly switches his gaze to the bleachers, piercing the two bystanders with his crimson gaze. Momoi offers him a cheerful wave which he replies with a curt nod. The other person's gaze is hidden by a large pair of black sun glasses which prevents him from reading their expression.
The person slowly pulls out a cellphone from their sweater pocket and types something into it. Momoi tries to slyly catch a glimpse as to what the message could be but is severely disappointed when the person punches out the message at lightning speed. The text is sent too quickly for her to read.
The red-haired boy watches this with slight amusement when out of the corner of his eye, he spots one of the coaches pulling out his phone. The pre-teen's sharp red eyes don't miss the swift glance he sends to the seated figure after reading the message.
The teacher blows sharply into his whistle as the final game wraps up. "Alright, based off of what we have observed, we will place you into new groups." He rattles off a few names and calls them to play, repeating so until the air is once again filled with the familiar squeaking of shoes and the bouncing of basketballs.
Momoi peers at her neighbor's papers once again and is shocked to find that the newly formed groups had been formatted and circled out on the page even before they were assigned.
Eh?! What is this?
"We will be announcing the first, second, and third-string rankings shortly. However, we, the coaches will introduce ourselves first." one of the adults explains. All of the set-up matches had finished and the players were allowed a small break as the three adults gathered for a small discussion.
One of the teachers, an overweight and short but relatively young man steps forward. His face beads with sweat even though he had not participated in any form of exercise. He clears his throat noisily, "Ah, yes, I am Tanaka. I coach the third-string."
A second man, this one tall and visibly fit, steps forward with an amiable smile. "Nice to meet you all, I'm Kobayashi. I'm in charge of the second-string."
A stern-looking man pushes up his glasses before speaking. "I am Sanada, the first-string coach of Teikō."
Everyone focused on the fourth figure with apprehensive eyes after the other three had shared their introductions. The man had a dignified aura to him that commanded attention. He was, afterall, the one who had orchestrated all the matches. Murmurs arose as he begins to speak."I am Kōzō, the head coach." A heavy and slightly uncomfortable silence weighs in the spacious room.
"Eto... who's the captain of the first-string?" someone blurts out, unable to withstand the suspense.
"Yeah, I would like to know as well." an upperclassman adds. The first years are stunned.
"Nani? Not even the senpai know who it is...!"
"What secrecy!"
The red-haired boy slowly pieces the information he's gathered together, allowing a smirk to grace his lips. So that's who you are... He stares at the hooded figure off to the side. No one else seems to have caught on as quickly or even notice their small audience as they stare expectantly at the doorway, waiting for an impressive figure to walk in and introduce himself.
"She will introduce herself shortly." Sanada replies coolly, not at all perturbed by the random question.
"..."
"HAH?!"
"'She'?!"
"Nani!?" Voices clamor from the surprised players and rise in pitch as they take in the shocking news.
"Heh... that'll be me..." the hooded figure mumbles to herself amusedly before standing up.
"E-Eh?! You?!" Momoi's jaw drops to the ground as she stares flabbergasted at the stranger who was sitting next to her the entire time. The revealed female pulls off her sunglasses and winks slyly at her loud neighbor. How could I have not noticed?! Of course! It all makes sense now! But... she looks so young...
Upon hearing Momoi's loud exclamation, everyone's head simultaneously turns to face the standing figure in the bleachers. Their attention drops on the figure as she ambles down the stairs and crosses the gym floor to stand next to the adults. Along the way, the hood of her sweater falls back revealing startling white, coiled hair.
"I would like to introduce our new first-string captain." Sanada continues, completely ignoring the dead silence that fills the room.