"Midorima!" I stood by the doorway and spoke in an unusually-high voice. I guess I was just excited about meeting him after his four-month physiotherapy in the hospital. "You're not going for lunch?" He was sitting by the window and kept staring at his book. I chuckled and approached him, taking noisy steps along the way. I raised my hand and gave him a hard slap on the head. That got his attention at last.

"I didn't notice you were here," he plugged off his earphones and looked at me with an annoyed face.

"Don't you always?" I gave him a smirk and plugged one of his earphones in my ear. "Horoscopes again?"

"I have nothing better to do," he replied in his usual deep voice, and took his earphones back.

"How about going for lunch?" I offered him again. "You need to eat a lot to recover, you know."

"I'm eating plenty," he started to read his book again. "By the way, I haven't seen you at all this morning."

"I came early!" I sat down on the seat next to him and gave a long sigh. "I needed to talk with the coach. Man, he's as annoying as always! Can't he be more energetic when we plan our strategy?"

"We don't need a strategy." As soon as he said that, I slapped his head again. He let out a grunt and complained, "Would you please stop that?"

"Don't act arrogant. You need your whole team to support you. Besides, you've just been injured."

"I don't need my legs to play. All I care about are my hands."

"But how are you going to move around the court if you can't use your legs properly?"
"Have you forgotten?" he lifted the rim of his glasses up his nose. "My range of shooting is—"

"Full court, I know!" I interrupted him and rolled my eyes. "I just hope you'll be more careful next time."

"The game's in three weeks. If you're that worried, then I'll bring a bigger lucky item next time."

I sighed heavily. "That's not my point! The team needs you so take better care of yourself, all right?" I stood up and headed for the door but paused for a bit and looked worriedly back at him. He bluntly returned my stare and asked, "Do you need anything else?"

"Just glad to have you back on the team," I let out a slight smile and exited the classroom. 'He's an idiot,' I thought, 'a complete and total idiot.' Just then, my phone vibrated. I opened the text message which read,

"See you soon. –Seira."

My hand trembled a bit, hesitating to text a reply. "I honestly think that you're one of the last people I'd like to go against," I mumbled to myself, and headed for lunch.

Shutoku High School is a prestigious private high school in Tokyo. When I first came here I was inducted as a member of the girls' soccer team, but after seeing how very immaturely the girls react to certain things, you could say that I wasn't as interested in it as much as I was before and quit. On that very day, I caught a glimpse of the boys' basketball team practicing in the gym, and became immersed in the sport immediately. The one who stood out the most was Midorima, the team's shooting guard, who could shoot from all positions on the court and never misses. He was a prodigy, all right, but a superstitious freak when it comes to horoscopes. He would always check for his horoscope, Cancer, every day (especially when there's a game) and bring that day's lucky item, which ranges from a piggy bank to a stuffed animal. I never understood why, but a skill like that is already a given even without the prediction of the stars. In three weeks' time the Spring Selection will arrive. That tournament will determine Tokyo's best, and I have recently received news that our first opponent will be Rakuzan High, a school with a feared basketball captain who used to go to the same middle school as Midorima. In their middle school years they were on good terms with each other, being captain and vice-captain, but the thought of them becoming bitter rivals now was not my only worry. Their captain's twin sister Seira is a childhood friend of mine who has an IQ of 210. She is an excellent strategist who backs up the team from behind, and was rumored to be the reason why Rakuzan has never lost a game.

"I won't lose to you," I said to her while we were talking over the phone one night. "I'll give it my all for Shutoku, and for Midorima."

"I wouldn't expect less from you," she let out a friendly laugh and hung up the phone. I knew I lost to her in terms of IQ, but I, as the team's manager, have been researching with all my might to come up with the best plan for our team. This match will not only be a battle between the two teams, but also between the strategists. The days passed by quickly. I had been keeping up with the coach's passive participation and carefully monitored the team, looking out for weak points and giving extra training. I stayed up the night before the match, frustrated over which strategy would suit best. At one point, Midorima texted, "You bandaged my ankle too tight."

And this is the thanks I get for changing your bandages every day? I texted a reply, "Go die. No, wait. Go to sleep, wake up tomorrow morning, and win the match for us. Then you can die. I have a strategy to plan out, so don't bother me."

"So you are awake," he texted back. "Get some rest, manager. Good night." That startled me a bit. Was he worried about me? Could it be that he was worried about tomorrow's match and couldn't sleep? It must have happened to the other team members, too. Takao, Miyaji, Otsubo, and Kimura… are you guys sleeping well? I clenched my teeth and got back to strategy-planning. I would have to do my best for this team, the team who warmly-welcomed me the very moment I became their manager. I owe the coach, too, for giving me a chance to be with them. In other words, I felt more motivated to win. I looked at Midorima's text message again and laughed. "You're an idiot. A complete and total idiot."

The roar of the audience echoed throughout the stadium. It was the first time that I had ever been to a tournament, and pressure was building up on me. I had a hard time keeping my eyes open and was almost late for departure this morning.

"We'll go full-action in the first quarter, relying on passes as major move. Watch out for number 7, especially, because he's extremely fast. Midorima, don't keep the ball for yourself for too long otherwise they'll end up cornering you," the coach briefed our players. Midorima nodded and clutched his lucky item of the day, which was a chess piece of the rook.

"Lastly," the coach continued with an even sincere voice, "use your manager's strategy to the fullest. It's a great piece of help." I caught him giving a quick wink at me and the rest of the team members gave me thumbs up, which I happily returned. Their smile faded as they saw someone approached. She asked the coach if she could have a moment with me. He reluctantly agreed and told the boys to warm up, with each of them giving a nasty stare to her. I went off with her and she started the conversation.

"It's been a while," she spoke in a soft voice.

"Yeah, I guess…" I fidgeted a bit, seeing how awkward this whole situation was. As I was about to say something else, she spoke, "Saori… do you think that you'll be able to win?" Her voice sounded uneasy, and she had no intention of being sarcastic or intimidating. "My brother and his team, they're really strong. My brother, especially, since he has been looking forward to this game for a long time."

A moment of confusion ran through my head, and it was soon replaced by anxiety and fear. She waited patiently for my answer, but then I remembered what I had told her over the phone that night.

"I thought I told you," I clenched my fists and looked directly at her, "as their manager and strategist, I won't lose!"

"We won't lose," Midorima suddenly appeared behind me, emphasizing on the 'we'. "Even though it's my former captain I'm going against, I'll use everything I have to defeat him."

Seira and I looked at him in surprise. It was the first time that I have ever seen him so serious.

"Then you need to exert all the power you've got," Seira smirked and walked passed us while whispering the words, 'Good luck' in my ear. I stood still, my mind filled with anxiety once again. Even though we were childhood friends, I was always scared of going up against her; strategy-planning for basketball is no exception because she would always have the capability to excel in something when she has the mind to do it.

"I guess your friend doesn't believe that we'll make it," he turned around and walked back to the others. "Let's go, Saori."

I snapped out of it and followed him. 'It's been a while since you've called me by my name,' I thought.

"I believe in you, Midorima," I spoke with confidence. Seira's IQ has nothing to do with my determination to help my team anymore. All that mattered were our team's improvement and the strategy that I have made for them. I won't be afraid of you anymore, Seira. I'll do my best. For Takao, for Miyaji, for Otsubo, for Kimura, and of course…' I looked up to Midorima and smiled, '… for Midorima.' He got confused by what I had said and slapped me lightly on the head.

"Stupid. If she wants power, then we'll show her what Shutoku's basketball team is made of."

"Yes," I agreed. "Besides, this team's true power lies within your hands." I caught a glimpse of his large hands and admired them. The coach beckoned him to get back on the court.

"I'll be going now," he lightly massaged his left hand.

"Yeah. Score as much as you can."

"I know," he ran for the court and got into his starting position. Seira sat on the bench right across us, and I took my seat next to our coach. We exchanged one last glance before the coach talked to me.

"We're counting on your strategy, manager," he said.

"Yes, coach. I won't let the team down," I sternly replied. He chuckled and asked, "I bet you're probably wondering why I chose you for our manager."

"Sir?"

He took a long breath and continued, "Even though you were just a soccer girl and knew nothing about basketball, you were interested in the game right away. I knew that you'd be the team's backbone and support them as far as your determination takes you. I can see it in your eyes. You'd do anything for these guys, right?" he turned to look at our players, and I followed his gaze.

"Yes," I replied, and took a good look at them, one by one. "They mean a lot to me."

He advised, "Remember, manager, no matter the outcome of every game, I just want you to keep that in mind. Never lose it."

Shortly afterwards the commentator announced, "Let the preliminary game between Shutoku High and Rakuzan High begin!"

May the best strategist win.