The Past Part VIII – Miyagi and Mitsui
What to do … university beckoned and yet … shuffling his feet down the street, looking blankly at the small rocks he was kicking aimlessly, Miyagi knew that he wasn't ready to move on just yet. Sure, Shohoku had achieved what everyone had thought was impossible, winning the Nationals against Ryonan in his year as team captain, but the ending of this dream year had left a sour taste in his mouth. The injury to Sendoh in the championship game had been the icing on the cake, the final thing which had caused all of the doubts about his future to finally take shape in his mind. Would he ever get an offer from a university! He was the best point guard in Kanagawa, damn it!
No … Miyagi sighed. It was more than that. It was his birthday, he was getting older, and there didn't seem to be a future for him, or at least one he wanted. If he couldn't play basketball, what could he do? And, It was Ayako. He didn't have the guts to ask he out, and yet he couldn't seem to let Shohoku go completely until he found out how she felt about him. But, how to do it?
As Miyagi walked towards his destination, a sushi bar, he heard "Miyagi!" from inside, and looked up to see Mitsui poking his head out of the bar's door. "Hey! Miyagi! Don't look so down! Get in here so I can give you your birthday present!" Miyagi smiled wanly, and then began to shuffle his way towards Mitsui.
Mitsui … now there was a surprise. Stayed back a year to win the championship he so desperately wanted, and then going into cram schools so he could boost his scores for university. Not really what you would have expected had you known the Mitsui before his return to Shohoku's basketball team, the gangster with the gap-toothed smile, but not surprising if you had seen him mature once he had rejoined the team. He was a man possessed, looking to make something of himself for the future … a drive which Miyagi wished he had for himself.
Miyagi sat down at Mitsui's table, and looked at his friend. "So, Mitsui, what's up?"
"Mitsui smiled. "I have two presents for you, lucky guy. Think of them as my way of saying thanks for what you did for me."
Miyagi looked confused. "Thanks? For what?"
"For giving me my drive back, my determination. It was you who lit the fire in me again two years ago, showing me that I still loved basketball. Yes, I had hated it for a time, seeing Akagi prosper while I suffered, but our fights were more about my jealousy of your love of the game while I hated the game for what it had done to me. Hated it, but not realising that it was I who had hated myself. You all helped me to see the errors of my ways, but you, Miyagi, you shoed me the way back. Without my hate for what you seemingly represented, I would never have fallen apart in front of Anzai-Sensei, would never have been able to beg to be let back on the team, and never have enjoyed the comradeship of the past two years at Shohoku."
Miyagi felt tears in his eyes as he heard Mitsui speak, and quickly ducked his head so his friend wouldn't see him wipe away the tears. Mitsui, though, knew what Miyagi was doing, and waited patiently and without comment for him to raise his head again before speaking again. "So, my first gift … a scholarship to Nihon!"
Miyagi's eyes widened. "What did you say? Nihon?! How?!"
Mitsui grinned. "Remember our last game against Ryonan? Anzai-Sensei had told me earlier that there were scouts from some universities in the stands, and that they had some interest in both yourself and myself as graduating seniors. I was shocked by this, but then one of the scouts, from Nihon, actually came by at that time to say hi to Anzai-Sensei, and he told me that, from what he had seen of my play previously, if I kept it up and improved my grades, a scholarship could be possible. Well, immediately after the game, you know that everyone went to see how Sendoh was doing at the hospital, but that Anzai-Sensei kept me back to talk to me about something, right?"
Miyagi nodded, urging Mitsui to continue.
"Well, Anzai-Sensei kept me back to talk with that same scout from Nihon, who informally offered me a full-ride basketball scholarship, provided I could raise my grades before the exams. Needless to say, I was stunned. But, then he asked Anzai-Sensei about you Miyagi, and how he wanted to offer you the same opportunity, but that you had already left the building. Well, Anzai-Sensei left it to me to tell you, so there you are. You still have to raise your exam scores like I have to, but I've already enrolled you in my cram school, so … happy birthday, Miyagi!"
Miyagi felt part of the burden he had been feeling suddenly release from his shoulders. He would continue to play the sport he loved, and do it alongside a friend. What else could he wish for …
And then, Mitsui laughed. "Oh, and one other thing, Miyagi. That gift was not really from me, just one I gave to you on someone else's behalf, but this one is from me … ah, there she is!"
Mitsui turned to see who Mitsui was waving to, and his breath caught in his throat as he saw Ayako standing in the doorway, waving back.
Mitsui saw Miyagi's reaction, and laughed once more. "Now, my present to you. You weren't going to do anything about it, so I talked with Ayako, and told her how much you liked her."
Miyagi spun back to face Mitsui, colour reddening his face. "Mitsui! I …"
Mitsui waved him off while standing up. "Hang on, Miyagi, let me finish. I told Ayako how much you liked her, and you know what? She told me she liked you too, especially after seeing how much you had matured this past year as captain. So, once I told her that I would be seeing you today for lunch, she asked to join you."
Miyagi gulped. "Me?"
Mitsui smiled. "Yes, you. Not me." As Ayako walked up to the table, Mitsui leaned down to whisper something in Miyagi's ear, so only he could hear it, and then patted Ayako on the shoulder as she sat down next to Miyagi before he departed.
"Ryota … Miyagi … I've been waiting to do this for a long time …"
Miyagi smiled at Ayako, and felt the rest of his burden lift from his shoulders, and his spirit suddenly feel more at ease. As he and Ayako reached out and held each other's hands, he knew that he would always remember the words which Mitsui, his friend, had said to him before leaving: "You gave me back my future, Miyagi, and now I'm giving you a future of your own. After all, what are friends for? Just don't blow it!"
Miyagi thought back to when he and Mitsui were fighting, trying to kick each other's teeth in, and then later at the basketball courts, when Mitsui was redeemed through the efforts of everyone on the team at Shohoku. He then thought back to the tears in Mitsui's eyes when they had finally won the Nationals, not because they had won, but because of the way they had won, seeing Sendoh's future, and Ryonan's hopes, crumble on the court before their eyes.
Don't worry, my friend, thought Miyagi as he looked into Ayako's eyes, I won't blow it.
