A NEW BEGINNING
Chapter 2
It had been a week since she first came to Shohoku High. Her life with her grandparents was falling into routine. Wake up at seven every morning, have a silent breakfast with her grandparents, go to school, go home, eat, drink, sleep.
She wondered how long it would stay that way until she was shifted to yet another relative, if there were any who didn't yet have her to be burdened with. A burden, that was who she was, an unwanted relative - the product of a disapproved marriage between two young, irresponsible people called her parents. They were always bickering and fighting and shouting, which finally stopped when she was three, the age when they were killed in an accident.
From then onwards, she was moved from one relative to another, all her aunts or uncles but never her grandparents until now. Her newest guardians didn't want anything to do with her as to them she resembled their daughter, her mother, too much. They only looked at her outwards appearance - which was very similar to her mother and assumed she would grow up to be like her mother too.
Her grandparents accepted the responsibility for her as there were no one else willing to take her in - the last one was going to marry again and her soon-to-be-hubby didn't like having a kid around while her grandparents from her father's side had long departed to the next world before she was even alive.
Kazuha walked aimlessly, soaking up the morning rays. She was feeling quite depressed and restless lately. Her life seems empty, her only goal in life was to be the best in her study, to show everyone that she was not her parents all over again, but beyond that it was…empty. Yet it was full too, full of all her emotions wanting to break out of the dam she had built all these years, to keep from being hurt and vulnerable to whatever life throws at her.
She stopped, hearing an unfamiliar sound. It came from somewhere around the corner in front and wanting to keep her mind away, however briefly, from the depression and restlessness, she walked towards the origin of the sound.
A red headed boy, the one from school was dribbling an orange ball in a court, while watched by a group of mismatched misfits. Sakuragi, yes that was his name if she remembered correctly.
Suddenly, he jumped high and with a loud roar, slammed the ball into the hoop at the end of the court. Kazuha, who was quite hidden behind some tall trees nearby, let out a gasp.
In all her life, she had never seen such raw power being released before. She replayed the dunk in a slow motion again and again in her mind. Something within her responded and unfurled slowly until it burst into a realisation.
Basketball.
A loud nerve-grating laughter broke her out of her reverie. "Nyahahahahahahaha! The tensai has scored again!"
A sweating Sakuragi was standing under the hoop with his hands on his hips looking rather smug while the misfits - which she now remembered from school also - cheered him loudly.
"Kazuha-chan! Fancy meeting you here!"
Oh no… it's that annoying girl again. She turned slightly towards the owner of the chirpy voice and tilted her head briefly in greeting.
Meanwhile, Haruko was feeling rather pleased with herself for catching Kazuha unaware while she was watching the basketball practice.
"Now that you have seen Sakuragi play, maybe you will be tempted to come to the next basketball practice at the school gym. They practice everyday you know."
Kazuha shrugged and with a brief "Ja" walked away leaving Haruko looking confused at her.
Basketball…
*****
The next day after school. The Shohoku gym.
The gym was empty except for one solitary black-haired figure shooting balls into the hoop. Kazuha watched as he made a smooth dunk and clung to the hoop before gracefully landing on his feet. The guy glanced at her for a moment before ignoring her and continuing with his shots.
Seeing that the guy obviously regarded her as being insignificant, Kazuha walked towards the basketball rack and picked up a ball. She threw it to the floor and caught it as it bounced back up. She did this repeatedly, trying to emulate the dribble she watched Sakuragi made the day before.
A hand appeared out of nowhere and snatched the ball in mid-bounce and with a quick movement, dribbled it away from her and into the hoop. It was Sakuragi.
"Nyahahahahahahaha! Now you know the power of the tensai!" he announced looking rather smug.
"Baka."
"Nani?! You dare call me that!!! Who is the baka here huh?! You don't even know how to dribble!"
She shrugged and picked up another ball, ignoring him. Sakuragi, who was used to commanding attention due to if not his brash attitude, then his height, or his hair, was fuming. How dare she ignored the tensai! I'll show her the power of the tensai!
But before he could steal the ball from Kazuha, a loud squeal sounded from the gym's entrance.
"Kazuha-chan! You're here! I knew you would come!" Haruko rushed to her side and dragged the taller girl to the bench. "I knew you would come" she repeated, "after I saw you yesterday."
"Ya, I saw her yesterday watching you practice your dunk Sakuragi-kun." She told a bewildered Sakuragi.
"Then you already know the power of the tensai! Nyahahahahahahaha!"
Prak! A paper fan landed on the top of Sakuragi head. A pretty girl with curly hair under her cap retreated her hand. "What are you doing laughing like a maniac, go practice now!"
Amazingly, Kazuha watched Sakuragi did as was told.
By that time, the whole of the Shohoku basketball team was already there. Haruko immediately introduced Kazuha to everyone, who was rather curious of the new girl.
"You're rather tall for a girl, Kazuha-chan." Ryota, a short guy with buns shaped hair, commented. A paper fan landed on his head. "What was that for?!"
"For being rude!" replied the pretty girl, who was introduced as Ayako to Kazuha. She was also the team manager.
"I'm Mitsui," another guy smoothly introduced himself, "It's a pleasure to meet you. On the behalf of the team, I would like to say that we welcome any new addition especially if it's such a pretty girl as you - it's quite boring having Ayako - Hey!" Quickly he moved away from Ayako and laughed at her red face.
"That one is Rukawa Kaede," sigh "he's a super rookie" sigh "and a very good player," said Haruko breathlessly, pink hearts appearing in her eyes.
"And as you probably know, Sakuragi Hanamichi is the loud one," said Ayako seeing that Haruko was at the moment too busy sighing at Rukawa.
"My brother's in the team too," said Haruko proudly, "He's the team captain - there he is!" She pointed to a very tall, dark-skinned guy with an afro haircut who had just entered the gym.
Kazuha lifted one of her eyebrows slightly in skepticism but remained silent. Ayako, who didn't quite know how to react to her aloofness, invited her to sit at the bench.
"Do you play basketball, Kazuha-chan?" asked Ayako.
"No."
"…Uh, do you want to?"
"Maybe."
"I could show you some pointers!" Haruko said excitedly. She immediately picked up a ball and showed Kazuha how to dribble it. The she tossed it to Kazuha who caught it on reflex.
"You got a quick reflex and with your height, we can make a basketball player out of you," commented Ayako.
Kazuha merely shrugged and started to dribble the ball as taught by Haruko. She made a few mistakes at first but soon got the hang of it.
Fast learner too, thought Ayako.
The team stopped after practicing for half an hour to have a short break and they took the chance to watch the new girl learned under Haruko tutelage. Akagi stepped in seeing that Haruko only knew some of the basics. He showed Kazuha other basic stuff about basketball. Miyagi, Mitsui and Sakuragi soon joined in, not wanting to be left out. Pretty soon, the basketball practice became basketball class for Kazuha.
Prak! Prak! Prak! Prak! Ayako's paper fan landed on top of almost every player, reminding them the real purpose of being there.
"Sorry to spoil the fun Kazuha, but we're going to have a practice game with Ryonan in roughly six weeks time - they're sort of our biggest rival. If you really wanted to learn basketball, you can come here on weekends when we have some free time to teach you. Anyway, the stuff they showed you is probably too much for you to take in all at once."
And so Kazuha practiced under Haruko's supervision while Shohoku basketball team continued their practice.
*****
Basketball… it's amazing how I never noticed it before. The release of power and tension.
The corners of her lips lifted for a fraction of a second. She looked back at the school's gym before walking home, feeling as if the emptiness inside her had been filled and all her emotions been let free.
Basketball…
*****
Ayako watched as the tall girl walked away. She frowned, her brain at the moment was busy trying to figure out the puzzle that was called Mitsuhito Kazuha.
Practice was over and everyone was either resting on the floor or sitting on the bench, all trying to regain their breath. Haruko had already gone home shortly before Kazuha left.
"What is it Aya-chan? Something seems to be worrying you? Is it the team?" asked Ryota, noticing her deep frown.
"No no it's not that. I was just thinking… Miyagi-san, do you notice something familiar about that girl?"
"Kazuha-chan?"
"Umhm."
"Well, I noticed that Haruko seemed to be very excited around her and wants to show her everything."
"Yes, I noticed that too and it has to do with what I'm thinking."
"Tell us then Ayako!" Demanded Sakuragi, after hearing Haruko's name.
Ayako's eyes slid briefly over to Rukawa before turning them back to the rest of the team. "Maybe later."
"Hey I want to know now!" The others nodded in agreement.
"I don't think now is the right time."
"But-"
"I'm sure Ayako-san has good reasons." Everyone (with the exception of Rukawa) stared in astonishment at Anzai-sensei, the one who spoke out. "Ho ho ho, don't let it bother you. Why don't everyone go home and get a well- deserved rest."
After that, they packed up their things and went back home to do what Anzai- sensei had just told hem.
*****
Rukawa could sense Ayako's eyes resting on him momentarily at the gym. She probably thought that no one was watching when she did so but he could feel it.
And he had a good guess for why she had done so.
It probably involved the new girl. The one with brown hair and black eyes. The one who was taller than the average girl. He noticed her alright, although he didn't know why he had when he had never before took any notice of any girl. She was so still, as still as a statue and held herself rigidly.
She reminded him of…himself.
Nobody noticed it but the corner of his eyes followed her every movement since she entered the gym. He had seen the wonder showed so briefly that no one would have seen it if they haven't looked closely. That look appeared when she first picked up a ball.
Mitsuhito Kazuha… Kazuha.
It's going to be interesting seeing you bloom.
Chapter 2
It had been a week since she first came to Shohoku High. Her life with her grandparents was falling into routine. Wake up at seven every morning, have a silent breakfast with her grandparents, go to school, go home, eat, drink, sleep.
She wondered how long it would stay that way until she was shifted to yet another relative, if there were any who didn't yet have her to be burdened with. A burden, that was who she was, an unwanted relative - the product of a disapproved marriage between two young, irresponsible people called her parents. They were always bickering and fighting and shouting, which finally stopped when she was three, the age when they were killed in an accident.
From then onwards, she was moved from one relative to another, all her aunts or uncles but never her grandparents until now. Her newest guardians didn't want anything to do with her as to them she resembled their daughter, her mother, too much. They only looked at her outwards appearance - which was very similar to her mother and assumed she would grow up to be like her mother too.
Her grandparents accepted the responsibility for her as there were no one else willing to take her in - the last one was going to marry again and her soon-to-be-hubby didn't like having a kid around while her grandparents from her father's side had long departed to the next world before she was even alive.
Kazuha walked aimlessly, soaking up the morning rays. She was feeling quite depressed and restless lately. Her life seems empty, her only goal in life was to be the best in her study, to show everyone that she was not her parents all over again, but beyond that it was…empty. Yet it was full too, full of all her emotions wanting to break out of the dam she had built all these years, to keep from being hurt and vulnerable to whatever life throws at her.
She stopped, hearing an unfamiliar sound. It came from somewhere around the corner in front and wanting to keep her mind away, however briefly, from the depression and restlessness, she walked towards the origin of the sound.
A red headed boy, the one from school was dribbling an orange ball in a court, while watched by a group of mismatched misfits. Sakuragi, yes that was his name if she remembered correctly.
Suddenly, he jumped high and with a loud roar, slammed the ball into the hoop at the end of the court. Kazuha, who was quite hidden behind some tall trees nearby, let out a gasp.
In all her life, she had never seen such raw power being released before. She replayed the dunk in a slow motion again and again in her mind. Something within her responded and unfurled slowly until it burst into a realisation.
Basketball.
A loud nerve-grating laughter broke her out of her reverie. "Nyahahahahahahaha! The tensai has scored again!"
A sweating Sakuragi was standing under the hoop with his hands on his hips looking rather smug while the misfits - which she now remembered from school also - cheered him loudly.
"Kazuha-chan! Fancy meeting you here!"
Oh no… it's that annoying girl again. She turned slightly towards the owner of the chirpy voice and tilted her head briefly in greeting.
Meanwhile, Haruko was feeling rather pleased with herself for catching Kazuha unaware while she was watching the basketball practice.
"Now that you have seen Sakuragi play, maybe you will be tempted to come to the next basketball practice at the school gym. They practice everyday you know."
Kazuha shrugged and with a brief "Ja" walked away leaving Haruko looking confused at her.
Basketball…
*****
The next day after school. The Shohoku gym.
The gym was empty except for one solitary black-haired figure shooting balls into the hoop. Kazuha watched as he made a smooth dunk and clung to the hoop before gracefully landing on his feet. The guy glanced at her for a moment before ignoring her and continuing with his shots.
Seeing that the guy obviously regarded her as being insignificant, Kazuha walked towards the basketball rack and picked up a ball. She threw it to the floor and caught it as it bounced back up. She did this repeatedly, trying to emulate the dribble she watched Sakuragi made the day before.
A hand appeared out of nowhere and snatched the ball in mid-bounce and with a quick movement, dribbled it away from her and into the hoop. It was Sakuragi.
"Nyahahahahahahaha! Now you know the power of the tensai!" he announced looking rather smug.
"Baka."
"Nani?! You dare call me that!!! Who is the baka here huh?! You don't even know how to dribble!"
She shrugged and picked up another ball, ignoring him. Sakuragi, who was used to commanding attention due to if not his brash attitude, then his height, or his hair, was fuming. How dare she ignored the tensai! I'll show her the power of the tensai!
But before he could steal the ball from Kazuha, a loud squeal sounded from the gym's entrance.
"Kazuha-chan! You're here! I knew you would come!" Haruko rushed to her side and dragged the taller girl to the bench. "I knew you would come" she repeated, "after I saw you yesterday."
"Ya, I saw her yesterday watching you practice your dunk Sakuragi-kun." She told a bewildered Sakuragi.
"Then you already know the power of the tensai! Nyahahahahahahaha!"
Prak! A paper fan landed on the top of Sakuragi head. A pretty girl with curly hair under her cap retreated her hand. "What are you doing laughing like a maniac, go practice now!"
Amazingly, Kazuha watched Sakuragi did as was told.
By that time, the whole of the Shohoku basketball team was already there. Haruko immediately introduced Kazuha to everyone, who was rather curious of the new girl.
"You're rather tall for a girl, Kazuha-chan." Ryota, a short guy with buns shaped hair, commented. A paper fan landed on his head. "What was that for?!"
"For being rude!" replied the pretty girl, who was introduced as Ayako to Kazuha. She was also the team manager.
"I'm Mitsui," another guy smoothly introduced himself, "It's a pleasure to meet you. On the behalf of the team, I would like to say that we welcome any new addition especially if it's such a pretty girl as you - it's quite boring having Ayako - Hey!" Quickly he moved away from Ayako and laughed at her red face.
"That one is Rukawa Kaede," sigh "he's a super rookie" sigh "and a very good player," said Haruko breathlessly, pink hearts appearing in her eyes.
"And as you probably know, Sakuragi Hanamichi is the loud one," said Ayako seeing that Haruko was at the moment too busy sighing at Rukawa.
"My brother's in the team too," said Haruko proudly, "He's the team captain - there he is!" She pointed to a very tall, dark-skinned guy with an afro haircut who had just entered the gym.
Kazuha lifted one of her eyebrows slightly in skepticism but remained silent. Ayako, who didn't quite know how to react to her aloofness, invited her to sit at the bench.
"Do you play basketball, Kazuha-chan?" asked Ayako.
"No."
"…Uh, do you want to?"
"Maybe."
"I could show you some pointers!" Haruko said excitedly. She immediately picked up a ball and showed Kazuha how to dribble it. The she tossed it to Kazuha who caught it on reflex.
"You got a quick reflex and with your height, we can make a basketball player out of you," commented Ayako.
Kazuha merely shrugged and started to dribble the ball as taught by Haruko. She made a few mistakes at first but soon got the hang of it.
Fast learner too, thought Ayako.
The team stopped after practicing for half an hour to have a short break and they took the chance to watch the new girl learned under Haruko tutelage. Akagi stepped in seeing that Haruko only knew some of the basics. He showed Kazuha other basic stuff about basketball. Miyagi, Mitsui and Sakuragi soon joined in, not wanting to be left out. Pretty soon, the basketball practice became basketball class for Kazuha.
Prak! Prak! Prak! Prak! Ayako's paper fan landed on top of almost every player, reminding them the real purpose of being there.
"Sorry to spoil the fun Kazuha, but we're going to have a practice game with Ryonan in roughly six weeks time - they're sort of our biggest rival. If you really wanted to learn basketball, you can come here on weekends when we have some free time to teach you. Anyway, the stuff they showed you is probably too much for you to take in all at once."
And so Kazuha practiced under Haruko's supervision while Shohoku basketball team continued their practice.
*****
Basketball… it's amazing how I never noticed it before. The release of power and tension.
The corners of her lips lifted for a fraction of a second. She looked back at the school's gym before walking home, feeling as if the emptiness inside her had been filled and all her emotions been let free.
Basketball…
*****
Ayako watched as the tall girl walked away. She frowned, her brain at the moment was busy trying to figure out the puzzle that was called Mitsuhito Kazuha.
Practice was over and everyone was either resting on the floor or sitting on the bench, all trying to regain their breath. Haruko had already gone home shortly before Kazuha left.
"What is it Aya-chan? Something seems to be worrying you? Is it the team?" asked Ryota, noticing her deep frown.
"No no it's not that. I was just thinking… Miyagi-san, do you notice something familiar about that girl?"
"Kazuha-chan?"
"Umhm."
"Well, I noticed that Haruko seemed to be very excited around her and wants to show her everything."
"Yes, I noticed that too and it has to do with what I'm thinking."
"Tell us then Ayako!" Demanded Sakuragi, after hearing Haruko's name.
Ayako's eyes slid briefly over to Rukawa before turning them back to the rest of the team. "Maybe later."
"Hey I want to know now!" The others nodded in agreement.
"I don't think now is the right time."
"But-"
"I'm sure Ayako-san has good reasons." Everyone (with the exception of Rukawa) stared in astonishment at Anzai-sensei, the one who spoke out. "Ho ho ho, don't let it bother you. Why don't everyone go home and get a well- deserved rest."
After that, they packed up their things and went back home to do what Anzai- sensei had just told hem.
*****
Rukawa could sense Ayako's eyes resting on him momentarily at the gym. She probably thought that no one was watching when she did so but he could feel it.
And he had a good guess for why she had done so.
It probably involved the new girl. The one with brown hair and black eyes. The one who was taller than the average girl. He noticed her alright, although he didn't know why he had when he had never before took any notice of any girl. She was so still, as still as a statue and held herself rigidly.
She reminded him of…himself.
Nobody noticed it but the corner of his eyes followed her every movement since she entered the gym. He had seen the wonder showed so briefly that no one would have seen it if they haven't looked closely. That look appeared when she first picked up a ball.
Mitsuhito Kazuha… Kazuha.
It's going to be interesting seeing you bloom.