It was the start of the new school year, and a new school year meant having new club members. The basketball team's members, both old and new, assembled in the gymnasium under the supervision of their coach, Nakatani Masaaki. "First years," the middle-aged man cleared his throat before continuing, scanning the people for new faces. "Since there are new ones who just joined, your captain and vice-captain will introduce themselves once again." He gestured to the two third year students beside him.
Takao took a step forward, his heart beating wildly in his chest. "I…"
He tried to calm his heart down, but the thing kept pounding furiously it scared him. 'Just relax', he advised himself, remembering his conversation with their former captain.
Before the end of their second year, Miyaji Yuuya, the former captain and also their senpai, appointed him as the next captain. The point guard was bewildered and asked if it was a joke, but their upperclassmen looked serious. Even Midorima who was beside him acted like his friend being captain was the most natural thing in the world.
It wasn't.
"Miyaji-san…" he started, confused when he went after Miyaji. "Miyaji-san, why me?" Sure, he got along with everyone on the team and everyone respected him, but he wasn't sure if he deserved such a role.
He wasn't sure if he could shoulder such big responsibility.
"Moron." The blond stopped in front of him and ruffled his hair quite affectionately. "Do you not have confidence in yourself? Because we have, ever since the first day we played with you. That's why we reached a unanimous decision that you should become captain. Besides," He grinned at him, his eyes all-knowing. Takao will miss those eyes.
"We all know that the vice-captain you'll obviously choose will always support you. After all, in some ways, you are his light and he is your shadow, am I wrong?"
His shadow, huh? Takao smiled, reminding himself that Midorima will always guard his back. The constant presence of the boy made him feel that he could break past all the obstacles.
That's why he fell in love with him in the first place.
"I am Takao Kazunari, your captain…."
"Hmm, that Kurusu, he's 193 centimeters, correct?" Takao asked for confirmation, drinking water from his tumbler. After some drills, he made the first years battle in a 3-on-3 to test their abilities. Midorima and he were seated on a bench on the side, assessing the first-year's skills.
The boy beside him replied. "Yes. He has fast reflexes, too. He could be our new center."
"Takao!"
The called boy turned his head to where the voice came from. It was from the red-haired Ichijou Yaku, the current power forward and also a third year like them.
"Yeah, what's up?"
"There's a strange light coming out of your sports bag in the locker room." Ichijou said, pointing to the direction of said room. "Did you place your phone there? It was weird, it's really bright. I thought I should tell you."
"Strange light? Maybe it's just from the phone screen. Why call it strange?" Takao stood up and placed his tumbler on the bench.
The redhead shrugged. "Just see for yourself."
"Um, okay. Thanks for telling me."
"No problem."
The coal-haired boy went to the locker room while Ichijou sat on the bench and talked with Midorima. Takao peeked over his shoulder and smiled, grateful that he had reliable teammates.
'We have a chance to win this year…' Takao thought, the smile still plastered on his face.
It quickly faded away as soon as he touched the doorknob.
If you are given the chance to send messages to the future, will you take it?
As if on cue, the mysterious question from the e-mail that bugged him off a few days ago popped into his mind upon opening the door. He shouldn't be worrying about it right now; the e-mails have stopped, and for days he didn't have to worry about peculiar messages sending some virus to his phone.
Why remember it right now?
The light really was strange. Takao was still by the door, the knob in his firm grip, but he could see the light through the cloth of the black bag on the bench. It was gleaming from the exact place where he placed his phone. Takao closed the door behind him and went closer.
The first weird thing about the light was that it was iridescent. Normally, lights from phone screens emit a bright white color, but the light he's seeing now resembled colors made by light passed through a prism. The other weird thing was that it was too bright like it didn't come from the small screen of his phone at all. In fact, the light looked like a big patch that occupied a large part of his bag.
He stood in front of the bag, bent over, unzipped it and pulled his phone out, and what he saw filled him with amazement and curiosity.
The light wasn't from his phone screen at all; it was surrounding the phone itself, like some sort of a ball of energy. Aside from the ball of brilliance, the phone was also surrounded by thick tendrils of rainbow light, circling the phone over and over again.
He held the phone at eye-level and noticed that the wisps of light began to surround his hand as well. It left him dazed, his eyes focusing only on the ethereal blaze that surrounded his hand.
"What...?"
When Takao opened his phone, the light suddenly disappeared as if it was never there at all, his eyes meeting with some sort of a date counter.
"Isn't this the one you use to set the date or something?" he mused. The date at the counter showed the current date which was April 12, 2016. He pressed anywhere on the screen except the counter, but nothing happened. It was as if it wanted him to set a date. "But this is the current date…"
If you are given the chance…
The hawk-eyed boy rubbed his temple with his free hand. "What's with me and my phone these days?" He grunted in frustration. First he was attacked with strange e-mails, next he saw strange light surrounding his phone and disappearing so suddenly and then there was this odd date counter filling up his phone screen that won't come off.
…to send messages to the future…
"Is this…? But it shouldn't be possible..."
…will you…
Takao's thumb hovered over the counter involuntarily.
…take it?...
The boy gulped. He moved the year to 2027.
All of a sudden, a number appeared at the top left corner of his phone's screen.
30… 29… 28… 27…
"Eh? It's a countdown? Just what is this?!" Takao fought the urge to drop his phone on the floor. His body trembled from where he stood, cold sweat falling down from his forehead. His hands shook, but his grip on the phone was firm.
"W-What… It's not stopping!" The countdown was down to sixteen seconds.
"Takao?"
A baritone voice from behind him pulled him out from his messy thoughts. He turned around and saw Midorima.
"Yes, Shin-chan?" he said quietly.
Only half of the spectacled boy's face could be seen since he was only peeking, but Takao clearly saw the suspicious look given to him. Midorima didn't ask anything, though. "Coach wanted to talk to you."
"Oh, okay, I'll be there in a jiffy! I just have to…"
He was interrupted when his phone vibrated all of a sudden.
Midorima craned his neck to and directed his gaze towards Takao's phone. "A text? Is it from your mother?"
"Uh… I…" The point guard slowly moved his gaze from Midorima to his phone.
The date counter was gone as well as the countdown. Only five words filled up his screen.
You have received an e-mail.
16:49-04/12/16
To:
From: TKazuHawk .jp
By using the date counter, you are now an active participant of a secret e-mail exchange program. Your phone now has the ability to send messages eleven years to the future. Before midnight, you must choose your recipient and send back a message containing the name of the person you wish to exchange messages with. It could be any name as long as it belongs to an existent person.
We ask that you choose wisely.
"I'm coming, Shin-chan!"
23:38-04/12/16
To:
From: TKazuHawk .jp
Takao Kazunari.
You have received an e-mail.
23:40-04/12/16
To: TKazuHawk .jp
From:
The process is complete. Starting tomorrow, you will be able to talk to the Takao Kazunari from the year 2027. Additional details will be given tomorrow. We wish you the best of luck.
TBC
A/N: Well… that was rushed. I always have a hard time making the second chapter so I apologize. There will be more explanation in the next chapter.
