"What's up, coach?" Couch Ashiro was a large man. Standing six foot six, he was built more like a football player than a basketball player. That aside, he was one of the best couches the basketball program had in years. His dark hair and beard made his face resemble that of a bear, but he was a very kind and loving man deep down. At the moment, he sat at the center table, nursing a beer.
"TK, I was just talking to Ryu and Akira. They mentioned that last question at the arena. Well? Were you serious?"
"Yeah," TK admitted. "When I started playing basketball in junior high, it was a form of release and stress management. When I got to my senior year of high school, I got that athletic scholarship, so I promised myself that I'd play until I found a good way to stop. I'd say that winning the championships in my junior year seams like a good way to go."
"Well, I'm sorry to see you go, but I don't plan on getting in your way. Still, how do you plan on paying for your senior year without the scholarship?"
"I'm still working that out," TK ruefully admitted.
"Tell you what," Ashiro said. "You don't want to play anymore, right?"
"I just don't want to get trapped into playing basketball for the rest of my life," TK amended.
"Well then, how about assistant couching for your senior year?" Couch Ashiro asked. TK stared at him for a moment in confusion.
"What about Joseph?" he asked.
"His visa runs out at the end of the year. He has to go back to America, and he doesn't think that he's going to come back next year. So I need a new assistant couch. That should cover the requirements of the scholarship. I should know since I wrote it." TK opened his mouth to speak. "Of course," Couch Ashiro continued before TK could say anything. "You have much more experience with the sport than Joseph did, so we'd have to adjust the pay scale accordingly."
"Let me get this straight. I get the scholarship and a job, I don't have to play anymore, and I get credit for this?" TK demanded.
"Interested?" Couch Ashiro casually asked.
"Hell yes!" TK exclaimed.
"There is one condition," Couch Ashiro added. TK looked at him, visibly bracing himself for bad news. "Call me Amano," Couch Amano Ashiro grinned. TK grinned right back at him.
"Attention everyone!" All conversation quickly died down as Couch Ashiro's voice reverberated around the large room. All heads turned to look at the couch as he stood on the stage with the assistant couch and TK at his side.
"I'd like to thank everyone for their help during this season. I especially want to thank all of the parents for their support and money." This elicited a chuckle from the crowd. "And I want to thank our foreign exchange student slash assistant couch Joseph Stevens." Everyone applauded as Joseph bowed. "And I want a big round of applause for the star of our little show, TK Takeshi!" TK smiled and bowed as he was given a standing ovation. "And now," Couch Ashiro continued, "I have a few announcements to make before this party gets out of hand. First off, Joseph's visa expires at the end of the year and he will be leaving us." There were several cries of regret.
"I've had a blast," Joseph started. "It's been a great year and I'm glad that I was able to be part of such a great team and season. Unfortunately, the separation has been causing some problems with my girlfriend back home, so I don't think I'll be coming back next year. I'll really miss all of you, but, well, she wins," he shrugged.
"Since Joseph will be leaving us," Couch Ashiro continued, "I've been keeping an eye out for a new assistant couch and I finally found one. But first, I have some more bad news. TK has decided that he won't be playing next season." He waited for things to quiet down before continuing. "I know that we'll all miss his skills on the court, but I hope that you will all join me in wishing him luck in his new assignment."
"What did you drop us for?" one of the players, Kaneda, called out.
"It's a teaching assignment," TK replied, casually.
"What, potty training brats?" Akira called out.
"Well, I thought that you all knew how to use the toilet, but I'll be happy to included a refresher at starting camp next summer," TK replied nonchalantly. It took a moment for the comment to fully sink into the brains of everyone in the room. Kari let out a squeal of delight and ran up to TK and threw her arms around him as everyone else started cheering and congratulating him.
"Congratulations little man." Tai grinned as he walked up to TK and his little sister, Kari, and gave him a high-five. "Sounds like a great opportunity. I hope you can get used to teaching instead of playing. Still keeping your major?"
"Definitely," TK replied, tightening his arms around Kari's waist. "I put a lot of effort into that Creative Writing major, and I don't plan to give it all up my senior year."
"Are you two behaving yourselves?" Tai grinned as he addressed his little sister.
"Takeru is a perfect gentleman," Kari replied with an indignant huff.
"I wasn't talking about TK," Tai grinned.
"Well, it's still none of your business," Kari smiled. "Besides, Davis lives with us. Do you honestly believe that we'd do anything with him right there?"
"And not for lack of their trying," Davis commented as he walked up. TK scowled at him. "Hey, you guys are the ones sucking face, not me," he defended as he shrugged.
"Thanks for blocking for me tonight," TK commented, choosing to let his comment slide.
"Hey, man, no problem. It's going to be a shame, not sharing the court with you next year. Still can't believe that you don't want to play after a game like that."
"Actually, it's because of games like tonight's that I don't want to play anymore," TK admitted. "I like playing ball, I just can't see myself doing it for a living, and the press is close to taking bets on which team is going to get me when I go professional. I already have a job in mind, and it doesn't involve basketball."
"You mean that project that you won't share with any of us," Davis grumbled.
"What project?" Ken asked as he and Yolei walked up to join the group.
"Takeru's been working on something since his freshman year, whenever he can find some spare time to devote to it," Kari replied.
"Why do you keep calling him Takeru?" Yolei asked. Kari blinked in surprise.
"It's his full name. Didn't you know that?"
"No, I thought that TK was his name. Takeru, huh?"
"Don't call me that," TK interrupted. Kari smiled and leaned back, pulling his arms even tighter around her.
"I'm the only one he lets call him by his full name," she supplied. "It's an emotional thing. Now, I want to dance." She and TK moved out onto the dance floor, followed by Ken and Yolei. Mimi and Michael were already there, as where Matt and Sora.
"It's great to see them together, isn't it?" Davis commented to Tai as he watched TK and Kari dance. "It's like watching poetry in motion. Tai looked at him for a moment and then laughed.
"It's nice to know that you're over your crush on Kari," Tai commented.
"What makes you think I'm over her?" Davis asked. "She and TK belong together. He makes her happy and she does the same for him. I'm not going to interfere."
"Do TK and Kari know that you still love her?" Tai asked quietly.
"I'm not sure if it is love, but yeah. They know."
"What did they say?"
"TS said that since he's in love with her he can't really blame me. He then graphically described what he would do to me if I tried to get in the way. I think he was kidding."
"Oh?" Tai asked.
"Yeah, I'm not a doctor, but I'm pretty sure that most of the thinks he threatened to do to me aren't possible. At least, not after the first one, anyway."
"What did Kari say?" Davis grinned.
"She smiled, kissed me on the cheek and said that her heart belonged to TA and that I shouldn't let myself wallow in guilt and anger and that I should go out and enjoy life." He paused for a moment. "Then she threatened my life too." Tai smiled at the younger version of himself.
"I know what you're going through," he admitted. "It wasn't easy, at first, watching them together, but you kind of get infected by how happy they are." Tai was watching Sora and Matt now. Davis laid a hand on Tai's shoulder.
"Let's go get drunk," he suggested. "Neither of us has anything to do tomorrow, and I don't think I want to go home too early tonight." He pointed over to a group of girls. "And since it's well known that TM is taken, it's my job as team second to console all of our adoring public."
"I think I like this option much more than wallowing in self-pity," Tai agreed.
