Standard disclaimers apply.
PROLOGUE
The school stood somewhat majestic the way it used to. The building structure had changed a little, and some of the walls had been painted with a different color—but it was pretty much Shohoku as he had once known it.
He breathed; this was the same air that used to fill his nostril as an adolescent. A sudden rush of images began to invade his senses, the sound of distant thudding of a basketball and the oblivious cheers of a wild crowd. Even in the middle of this throng of students, he could just be blown into that whirlwind of memory. A small smile tugged at his lips.
Teenagers in uniform were coming in and out through the unclosed gate—a few of them threw calculating glances at him before giggling and chatting to themselves. He hoped he didn't look funny—wearing a white t-shirt underneath a black coat, complete with a faded blue jeans and a pair of Air Jordan sneakers.
Ignoring them, he began striding towards the school office with ease—as he knew the place by heart. In fact, he probably even knew the place more than any of the kids here did. Some of the girls began to whisper—he registered everything and tried to catch the phrases uttered by their lips to no avail. He marched solemnly and arrived in front of the school office.
"So today the new basketball coach is coming eh?" Tanaka Sato, the perky man who was also Shohoku science teacher voiced as he sat on his rotating chair, rotating himself slightly left and right like a playful child.
"According to the letter we received from the Prefecture Office, yep. And I also did a little research on the guy. He happens to be an ex-student here, and was a basketball player for Shohoku even," another man said proudly. He was Nohara Takashi, a math teacher for the Shohoku senior class. He then fixed the black-rimmed glasses on his nose.
"Was he from the golden years?"
"Well, he was. After school, he went to college with minimum requirements and ended becoming a teacher like the rest of us."
"I heard he's good looking!" A small woman who looked in her forties said with dreamy eyes. Her name was Murabe Kaoru, the Japanese language teacher. Her shiny ebony hair was neatly curled just under her ears. Her lips were red as blood, but surely she was no snow white. She was single, but she looked about to burst with so much joy anytime.
"Yeah, don't forget to send us invitation cards when you manage to court him eh? Looking forward to drink some booze to cheer us tormented souls," Tanaka continued, and beamed.
"Loser, pay for your own booze, okay?" The woman answered, pouting her lips.
"Is that the manner of a teacher?" Takashi continued mockingly, and giggled. "Why don't you be a little less scary, right miss Akagi? And then, perhaps we can finally have that free booze we'll never have."
Akagi Haruko looked behind and saw Tanaka wink at her.
"Miss Murabe is great," she answered tonelessly, followed by a heartfelt laughter by Miss Murabe—almost like a school bully snickering.
"Joykiller Akagi," he said with a naughty smile spread on his face.
Then the office door opened with a squeak.
"Hi, pleased to meet you. I'm here to report as the new Shohoku basketball coach. My name is Mitsui Hisashi."
And Akagi Haruko rotated her seat and saw the man, who then had just straightened his body after bowing to the teachers--standing before the door. She thought he looked incontestably more mature, but as their eyes locked--she saw the same sharp eyes that looked piercingly at her and felt he exude the same intensity he once had.
"Welcome, Mitsui-san," teachers said almost in unison.
Warmed, she stood and bowed.
"Welcome back, Mitsui senpai!"
#
Prologue ends
Note: I'm rusty, so be patient kay? Well, if anyone is reading this.