After Asari had carried out her online schooling for the day she changed into work attire in order to attend the Tōō Academy basketball practice. After placing a pale blue shirt with vertical, white stripes over her head and tucked it into her black trousers she exited her apartment. Once she had reached the destination of the school she opted to go to the reception instead of wandering around lost in the large establishment. Asari tucked the stray hair which escaped her low, messy bun before approaching the man sat at the desk.
"Hello, I'm Asari Rei. I'm working with the Academy's basketball team as a physical therapist for one of the students. Do you know how I could get to where they are practicing?" She asked politely.
"Of course, if you follow that path to the right it will lead straight to the sports hall." The receptionist said pointing to a concreted trail outside the window.
"Thank you," The teenager smiled as she exited the building, following the man's instructions and gestures.
Soon enough she heard the squeaking of trainers on wooden floorboards and the blow of high pitched whistles. Asari opened the door peering through slightly at first to ensure she had found the right sports team despite her confidence that she was correct. Shortly within glancing around, Asari's eyes met the pink hair of the girl who had previously sat in at the appointment.
"Asari!" The said girl exclaimed in joy.
"Hi Satsuki, how are you?"
"I'm brilliant, and you?"
"Yeah, I'm alright." Asari replied, a little taken aback by Satsuki's enthusiasm. Asari glanced around the sports hall attentively in hope to find her blue haired patient. But, to her dismay, despite recognising a certain blonde from the other day, she had no success. "Where is Aomine?"
"Oh, um, he's not here today I'm afraid." Satsuki answered slightly embarrassed by Aomine's unreliable presence.
"Why not?" Asari questioned, curious to the dynamics of the team.
"He thinks that he doesn't need to practice so sometimes he just doesn't show up… Are you still able to get an idea of the training we do with the basketball team?"
"Uh, yeah, sure. I'll just watch what the other players are doing I guess..." Asari answered slightly confused by the pink haired girls previous statement. 'Doesn't need to practice? What the hell is up with that?'
Asari opened up her rucksack, rumbling through it to find her notebook and pen. Then she began making brief notes on the training Tōō Academy carried out. Once the practice had finished and the basketball players were bathed in sweat she queried Satsuki about Aomine's physical details such as his weight and height, both of which she answered off the top of her head. Asari would be lying if she did not find Satsuki's analytical skills and attentive attitude to each individual member of the team as a manager impressive.
"You know Asari…" Satsuki voiced. She appeared to be hesitant to speak.
"Yeah?" Asari replied, urging the girl to continue.
"I admit that Aomine is hard to work and get along with but that's just him. He's special in his own way. In the past Aomine loved basketball but then everything changed, all of his basketball opponents gave up because he was too strong… It was hard for him and he began to hate basketball though I know deep down he still loves it."
His lips cracked open into a smile and Asari felt shivers run up and down her back at the sight of his expression. A good kind of shivers. She watched as he continued, running up and down the court aimlessly keeping the basketball by his side at all times. He moved disorderly, with no pattern. But he made it look so natural, so clean, so smooth. He moved as though he was in full control and, from what she was witnessing, he probably was. It didn't appear as though the ball was an ornament of the game to him, it was as though it was a part of him.
"So, please support me in helping to see Aomine love basketball again." Satsuki then bowed before the teenager who was a little stunned by the girls actions.
"Ofcourse!" Asari responded quickly, eager for Satsuki to change her position in embarrassment. Immediately, the pink haired girl stood up straight with happiness radiating from her smile.
"Thank you so much, Asari!" She proclaimed taking Asari into a bone crushing hug.
"No problem." Asari beamed. Despite the discomfort of the hug, she returned it willingly.
That weekend Asari entered the clinic for her appointment with Aomine. She couldn't deny that she was a bit nervous and anxious, although it was nice to hear Satsuki's words they weren't exactly encouraging. About to enter her office, she put on her white lab coat, pushing up her two french plaits to ensure they were over the material.
"Good morning, Aomine." Her eyes met with the male whose body was hunched over sitting down with his head resting on his propped up fist on his knee. He grunted in response and Asari automatically became irritated by his attitude. 'It's going to be a long day…'
She sat down in front of him crossing her leg over the other in a diagonal direction. "Today I'm mainly going to have to do a couple tests so we can establish a regime to ensure that you maintain in your best physical shape." Aomine looked up at Asari briefly before returning his eyes to the floor. "Okay… We will begin with some stretches. Could you please lie down on the yoga mat please?" The girl asked gesturing towards the cushioned mat laid out on the floor. Aomine stood up with a resentful nature, Asari instantly felt slightly inferior in comparison with his height but she stood too, trying to maintain her confidence. Aomine sauntered to the mat before sitting down and lowering his back to the material. The brunette lifted his right leg, bending it upwards. "Please can you stretch out your arms either side of your head. Make sure that it feels like someone is tugging each of your hands to really get the stretch." He silently cooperated. Asari pulled his right leg to the left at 90 degree angle his knee touching the mat. Then she tucked a stray hair that had escaped her plaits behind her ear catching a glimpse of Aomine intense stare on her. She turned her head to meet his gaze apprehensively. "How does your body feel after a basketball match?"
"Tired." He replied nonchalantly.
"What about during a match?"
"It depends who I'm playing against."
"Okay let me rephrase my question." She said attempting to move him astray from his short responses. "Do you feel as though your body becomes strained at any point?"
"Occasionally." Aomine muttered as Asari switched legs.
"What feels the most strained when that happens?"
"My knees feel like they are gonna give in sometimes."
Finally receiving some useful information from him, her suspicions were affirmed. When she had watched Tōō Academy basketball practice earlier she had discovered that a lot of stress was placed on the legs, particularly the knees. Though knee issues were common amongst all sports it was especially common in basketball due to the low positioning of the body. In the future it would be necessary for Aomine to find different exercises that, although reached the same destination of fitness as his current training, would reduce the pressure on his knees. To be blunt, the earlier he did that the better.
Aomine inspected her facial features with cold, blue eyes as she became lost in her thoughts. He met her own hazel ones once she had escaped her trance, her brows furrowed with focus. She held her hand and Aomine placed his coarse ones in hers as she aided him to his feet.
"We just need to do a couple more physical tests before I can determine a better training regime for you. Follow me."
ngl this was a bit of a boring but necessary chapter so sorry about that but I there is plenty of excitement to come! ;)
