"Rugby! Swimming! You have to play baseball! Come join our club!" I heard the shouts of others trying to get more members to join their clubs. I pulled my baseball cap down lower, covering my cherry blossom-colored eyes. My mid-back baby pink hair was tied into a pony-tail that hung out of the hole on the back of my cap. I stuffed my hands into the pockets of my hoodie, trying not to stand out. I was a girl of average height at 5'5". My phone was tucked in the back pocket of my skinny jeans, and my ankle high boots silently glided over the stoned courtyard. I technically wasn't a student here yet, since I had just turned in my transfer forms in yesterday with my otōsan. I was here just checking out the clubs Seirin High offered. I continued to stroll around, straining my ears to hear those magical words that I wanted to hear.

"Basketball! Basketball! How would you like to join the basketball team?" A brown-haired second-year shouted out, waving a flyer. My ears perked up eagerly. I looked around, finding the source. He was standing with two other tall students with black hair. They must be second-years since they're trying to recruit more members.

My feet began to walk by themselves, leading me towards my passion. I heard them as I got closer.

"You need to say it like this: 'new kids, join basketball. The basketball club needs some serious help!'" The one in the middle laughed jokingly. The brown-haired boy's face fell.

"I've had enough of you jokes, Izuki."

The tall second-year on the end silently smiled, holding out flyers. Without thinking, I found myself in front of them.

Ah! Would you like a flyer for the basketball club?" The brown-haired one asked, handing me one. I lifted the bill of my cap so that my eyes met his brown ones. I shyly smiled, taking it from his hand before pulling my cap down again, disappearing from their sights.

"Woah, did that guy just take a flyer?" Izuki asked Koganei, who nodded.

"I don't think that was a guy, Izuki…" he replied slowly. Mitobe raised an eyebrow and pointed at the disappearing figure. Koganei vigorously nodded his head, "Yeah, that person!"

"I'm home, otōsan!" I called out, walking into the living room. My dad appeared from the kitchen.

"Did you join the music club yet? What about dance?" That was the first thing he asked. Not 'did you find any interesting clubs? How was your day?' Just 'did you join the music club yet' and 'what about dance'. I sighed irritably.

"No, not yet otōsan. I don't think they have a music club here." But they do have basketball… I climbed stairs up to my room, taking off my hoodie and jeans, changing into a basketball uniform from my old middle school in America. I headed into the room next to mine – the practice room. In the spacious room sat a grand piano and a bookshelf full of music. A desk was next to the bookshelf and blank music scores scattered over the desk. I grabbed a couple sheets of the blank scores and a pencil, sitting down at the piano bench. My long fingers hovered over the polished keys before I gently placed my hands familiarly on them. I pressed down on the piano keys, closing my eyes, and music flowed out from underneath my fingertips, River Flows in You. The emotions poured out of me, changing the romantic feel of the music to something of sorrow and longing. What I longed for, I didn't know. I just wanted to change the music.

After the song ended, I picked up my pencil and scratched music notes onto the once blank paper. It was a hobby for me to write my own music, creating whatever I felt like. I decided to play one of my favorite pieces, Wait for You, singing in tune with the piano.

"I never felt nothing in the world like this before

Now I'm missing you and I'm whishing

You would come back through my door, ooh.

Why did you have to go?

So baby I will wait for you

Cause I don't know what else I can do

Don't tell me I ran out of time."

I continued to sing passionately, fingers gliding over the keys effortlessly. Finally hitting the last key, I let the sound echo through the room. I'll do whatever it takes to play basketball. After all, my father and I made a deal: as long as I either danced or joined the music clubs at school, I could play basketball as long as I didn't damage my legs or fingers. I had agreed to his bargain.

I went back to my room and grabbed my basketball, climbing out the window to the tree that stood outside my room. Otōsan really didn't want me to play, so I would always avoid him on my way out so he wouldn't complain about my sport.

I walked around the block, searching for a basketball court and I finally found one unoccupied. I smiled, running onto the court warming up with my three-pointers and hook shots. I didn't even notice the group of high-schoolers watching me until I heard their voices.

"Is that a girl playing basketball? Wow, she's pretty good. Let's see if we can play with her." They headed over to me, and I looked over.

"…" I waited for them to say something.

"Eto… mind if we play with you?" My eyes widened in surprise – among the five of them were three of the guys that I saw earlier today from school handing out flyers.

"Uh… s-sure."

"Mitobe and Izuki are with me," the guy with glasses said. "Koganei and Tsuchida are with you, is that okay?" he asked. I nodded my head, not caring either way.

"I'm Masami Fujika." I introduced.

"Satoshi Tsuchida and Shinji Koganei." They smiled at me. I allowed one side of my mouth turn up into a half-smile. Let's play.

In twenty minutes, the six of us were panting. I had the ball and the guy with glasses, Junpei Hyūga, was blocking me. My other two teammates were being guarded. I dribbled the ball, faking for the left but then twisting in a circle to the right. I broke through his defence and headed straight for the hoop. I wasn't tall enough to dunk, but I had a trick up my sleeves (or lack thereof…): a fade away. I loved doing it because the shots always went in, and since my throws were formless, nobody could block it. I jumped up, leaning back until my body was parallel with the ground before letting the ball roll off my fingertips. It was a high arc. Hyūga jumped for it, missing the ball by a couple of centimetres. I could see the surprise and disbelief on his face. SWOOSH. Nothing but the net. I grinned, dragging my arm across my forehead, wiping the sweat off.

"That was awesome, Fujika-san!" Tsuchida and Koganei high-fived me. 32 – 28, we were winning. I glanced at my watch, 6:02.

"Ah, shoot!" I suddenly cried out. The five of them looked at me startled. "Sorry, I have to go now! Nice game you guys!" Hyūga tossed my ball back and I caught it mid-jump, landing gracefully on my feet.

"Shit, shit, shit." I was muttering. "Hitmoi-sensei is going to kill me… Argh!" I sprinted off back towards my house, leaving my new acquaintances mystified. I grabbed my pointe shoes and my ballet leotard, stuffing them in my duffel bag, running towards the ballet studio where I attended. As expected, I was punished with having to perform in front of the class and got criticized by Hitomi-sensei.

We were practicing for our performance in six months. We only perform two to four different plays every year, putting on numerous encores. This time, we were rehearsing for our big play, "The Willoughby's Lullaby," a level five out of six in difficultly. I was competing with a fellow friend from the studio for the lead role of the water nymph Lillian.

After a gruelling two hour training, I trudged home, wearing an oversized jacket over my leotard and changing my pointe shoes to sneakers.

"Tō-san, I'm back!" I hurried into my bathroom, taking a shower.

During dinner, it was silent as always, with the exception of making small talks. I placed my plate in the sink, heading back up to my room after I was finished. I'll check out the basketball club tomorrow after school.