I don't think many would be interested in a Maki fic – but I couldn't help but write this one! He he he! I dunno why or how I got myself up to do this, but I sure am having fun! And one more thing, if Alexia consents and doesn't mind, then I dedicate this fic to her. : )
"Superb, coach!" Nobunaga Kiyota exclaimed, pausing from his strenuous activity of balancing the ball on his nose. "That is just superb!"
Coach Takatoh of Kainandai High frowned, waving his fan in his face. "I'm not talking to you, Kiyota." He turned back to Shin-ichi Maki. "Well, Maki?"
"An all-girl team?" Maki muttered dubiously scratching his chin. "I don't know, coach. It seems a little far-fetched for me. And I don't see why I'm the one who has to responsible for them."
The coach spread his hands expansively. "Ah, but that's because you're the only one I can trust, Maki. No one else could do a better job that the most important player in the Kanagawa prefecture."
Maki smiled. "And you think I'm going to fall for that?"
"No, but it was worth a try," the coach's face turned serious then. "It's really important, Maki. There will be a tournament at the end of this summer, and we simply can't let the all-girl team lose. We've always been champions, and I think it's vital that we make sure the all-girl team get a good start." His face turned whimsical. "We do have a reputation to uphold after all."
"I really don't know, coach…"
"I know the idea of girls playing basketball is absolutely alien to you. But I have seen some good ones, and if you try hard enough you can find them right here in Kainan. Of course, they might need some training, but that's only natural. Besides, you can take comfort in the fact that the other girl-teams from other schools wouldn't be all that good either." The coach placed a hand on his favourite player's shoulder. "All I need you to do is to make sure our team is good enough, that's all. Your tournament has ended after all, and I believe you have time to spare."
"But, coach…"
"Maki," Takatoh's eyes grew hard. "Do it." He slapped his fan over one hand in finality.
"It's not so bad, Maki," Kiyota said excitedly. "I mean, the worst you can get is being surrounded by dozens and dozens of girls! It's not gonna kill you, trust me. By the way, can I come over and watch sometime?"
They ignored him.
"Surely you don't want the girls to get a bad name for the school when they miserably lose in the tournament, do you? Or worse, if we don't send any representatives at all." The coach persuaded. "Our good name is at stake, Maki! Help me save it!"
How dramatic. Maki almost rolled his eyes but managed to stop himself in time. "It's not like I have a choice, is it?" he sighed.
"Good, Maki," the coach gave him congratulatory slap on the back of his chest. "That's what I expect out of a good captain."
"Here are the list of girls," Jin came to him a day later, three dozen papers in hand.
Maki's eyes bulged. "That many??"
Jin grinned. "Actually, the first form was empty. But when the coach added in that you're going to be coaching them, they came running. I had to literally hide myself under the table before they tear me into pieces just grabbing for the paper."
Maki groaned, rubbing his face. "This is going to kill me," he said confidently. "I won't live long enough to go to college."
"This might help," Jin bent down and showed his captain the papers. "I've marked the girls with the most potential with a huge green star. That narrows it a bit. And there's also another list of girls recommended by various sports teachers. All in all, you only have to approach about twenty of them. Feel free to throw out those who don't do well anytime you want to lower the number to ten."
"Thanks, Jin. I think I might live after all."
Jin laughed. "You'll live. All right, see you."
Maki decided he better get it over and done with, and then go home to drown himself in his bathtub. He spent the next few hours wandering around in school, looking for the marked girls in his never-ending list.
Most of them squealed their agreement and delight even before he finished saying 'hello'. Some simply beamed at him proudly and others shyly looked at him from between their eyelashes. But only one looked at him in incredulity.
"What?" the girl, all decked in sports attire stared at him.
"I said, you're accepted into Kainan's girl basketball team."
She frowned, resting all her weight on one foot and shuffling the other. "But I never even applied for it."
He shrugged. "Then you must have been one of the recommended ones. You're Mai Kiraki, aren't you? Volleyball co-captain. I am Shin-ichi –"
"Maki," she finished. She smiled at him. "Basketball captain. Number one point guard in the district. MVP of the year. I know who you are." She laughed at the faintly surprised look on his face and decided he didn't need to know that she'd had a crush on him since Year 1. "Nice to meet you. But I have to go home. I've just finished my volleyball practice."
"Yes," he nodded. "I was watching. You jump surprisingly high and your arm power is surprisingly strong." "What do you mean, 'surprisingly'?" she asked, eyes narrowing.
"You're a rather small person," he explained. "Your energy does not match your size. Anyway, now that I've seen what you can do, I really think you should join the basketball team. You could be an asset to the team."
She looked at him for a minute. And then – "I'm a volleyball player, Maki," she said slowly. "You know – ball, net, beach, sand –"
"And babes." Kiyota supplied, suddenly appearing out of nowhere.
Mai smiled even as Maki pointedly told Kiyota to get lost.
"Ah, but I know this school from top to bottom, Maki," Kiyota was replying reasonably. "It's not possible for me to get lost." He turned his attentions. "So, you're the new member of the all-girl basketball team, eh? I dunno about you, but whoever thought up this idea should get an award. Girls playing basketball…" Kiyota had a dreamy look on his face. "Can you just imagine the amount of entertainment –"
"Go." Maki said firmly, hands grabbing the back of Kiyota's neck and pushing him aside. "Now." He casually kicked Kiyota out of the way, doing it with so much ease that Mai suspected that it wasn't the first time he did that.
"Well?" he asked her then. "Have we agreed yet?"
"On what?" she raised an eyebrow. "I'm not joining the team. I told you, I play volleyball, not basketball. Thanks for your compliments, though. Or were they insults?"
"Neither," he countered her patiently. "They're facts. I'm saying what I think, and I think the new team will have a good chance if people will just cooperate with me." The first signs of his temper flashed in that spiteful tone.
Mai's eyes widened. Man, he's scary. "I don't know anything about basketball."
"So did Sakuragi."
"What?"
"Never mind." He looked at her. "What did you think I'm here for? I'll teach you basketball. Now are we going to go on arguing, or do I have to tie you up and drag you into the team?"
She gawked at him. "Are you threatening me?"
"No, I'm asking you a question. Now I'll ask you another one. In or out?"
"You mean, in or in?" Mai corrected sourly. "You're not going to let me say 'no', are you?"
"No. In or in?"
She discovered he had a weird sense of humour. "All right."
"Good." He smiled then, one of victory and satisfaction, and Mai decided she wouldn't mind it if he smiled like that more often to her. "Practice begins next week. Two to six."
*nothingtodo shakes head at Maki's bossy ways*