No Matter What the Result
~ A Short Story of Winning…and Losing ~

The ball went bouncing out of the court. One team looked on with anguish. The other rejoiced. It meant hanging on by the skin of their teeth to victory for one team. It meant a destroyed chance at a comeback for the other.

The scoreboard read 99-98.

-XXX-

The ball hit the backboard. One team looked on with anguish. The other rejoiced. It meant hanging on by the skin of their teeth to victory for one team. It meant a destroyed chance at a comeback for the other. The scoreboard read 67-66.

-XXX-

The ball was just beyond the reach of his lunge. One team looked on with anguish. The other rejoiced. It meant hanging on by the skin of their teeth to victory for one team. It meant a destroyed chance at a comeback for the other. The scoreboard read 89-88.

-XXX-

There are so many ways to "almost lose", or in a sadder fashion, "almost win". One team would leave with wide smiles on their faces. The other would shed tears.

The bespectacled boy knew this, as he took a gulp of water from his water bottle. Substitution. He was ready. Another player slapped his hand and patted his back with a sweaty palm, as he hobbled off court.

-XXX-

A key player falls. And twists his foot. One team looked on with anguish. The other secretly rejoiced. It meant hanging on by the skin of their teeth to victory for one team. It meant a destroyed chance at a comeback for the other. The scoreboard read 87-88.

-XXX-

The bespectacled boy adjusted his wristband. The whistle blew, and the game began again.

Five minutes. Might as well have been eternity. He caught the ball.

Thirty seconds. He flicked it at the basket. And it was tipping…tipping…

-XXX-

Kogure woke up with a start as his alarm rang. Today was game day. The big game against Ryonan. Kogure smiled. Despite the task ahead of him. For he knew that they were winners to have come such a long way. And they would be bigger winners still if they just held their own against Ryonan.

The fact that Ryonan had beat them by one point in the practice game was not lost on him. Three months. Seemed like eternity. And anything could have happened in eternity. And many things did. Then, the more recent game against Kainan came to mind – a heart-breaking loss for Shohoku, but they managed to shake the prefecture's traditional powerhouse.

Kogure Kiminobu looked in the mirror. As long as we play with our whole hearts, we're winners. No matter what the result. And he knew that. Because he could walk proudly off the court in that game. Because he could look back and say that they had done well. He wanted to be able to do it for their next match. And the ones after that.

-XXX-

Written in honour of the winners and "losers" in the World Cup. Especially those that came so close. So near and yet so far. But all played well, and for an exciting time, I thank you. Soccer inspiring a basketball fic? I couldn't help myself, but look at it this way: Sports do share the same principle – of sportsmanship. And that's where the grace of losing comes in.