Chapter 8
" 1, 2, 3, Sho Ho Ku!!!" The home team roared as they raised their long arms high in the air. Every member was then calm, and confident, determined to face the imminent battle.
Kogure deeply took a breath and exhaled, gathering up all his strength and yet, trying also to calm his soul. He sat down on the bench, next to Ayako, and roamed his eyes over the whole court. Seeing his opponents prepared as they were made his stomach tighten. He glanced at Shohoku's starting line-up. The team captain, Akagi Takenori stood at his right, stiff as a totem pole, contemplating on the game's strategies. Rukawa, with his usual expression of icy blankness, took in his occasional sip of water. Mitsui was intently talking with Coach Ansei, confirming and clarifying each detail of the game plan. Sakuragi was talking and boasting his intelligence in baskeball to Haruko, who was seated at the first row of the upper box. And finally, Ryota. There he was sitting on the other side of Ayako. . . with his usual flirty conversation.
Seeing both of them reminded him of Ayisha's cautious words. 'Sooner or later, you'll have to face your problem. . . '. His heart tightened knowing that his feelings with Ayako would probably destroy his friendship with Ryota. The answer to his pressing problem? He absolutely had no idea.
" Hey, Kogure Sempai! Do you think we'll stand a chance against them?!" Ryota asked, noticing Kogure's dazed entrancement towards the basketball court. Focusing their attention on the vice-captain, both Ayako and Ryota expected for an answer. Ryota's inquiry didn't seem to immediately register in Kogure's mind.
" I think the vice-captain's thinking shouldn't be interrupted, Miyagi. . . " Ayako commented, as she became aware of Kogure's strange passive behavior.
" I do hope I win. . .yes, I do hope I stand a chance. . . " Kogure muttered to himself.
" Nani, Kogure?" Ryota asked.
" Huh?! Yes! I think we do stand a chance." Kogure answered with a perplexed look, unsure of his reply.
Ayako and Ryota exchanged puzzled glances, revealing their own confusion on Kogure's actions. But everyone's thoughts and actions were interrupted, as the buzzer sounded signaling for the start of the game.
-*-
At the sound of the buzzer, Team Shoyo gave out a shout and slowly took their positions on the court. Fujima glanced for a while at the Press bench where his cousin was seated.
' Still no sign of her. . . and the game is about to start.' Fujima thought as his eyes roamed around the corner and darted from bleacher to bleacher.
As if on cue, a familiar person entered from one of the corners of the gym. Ayisha walked as fast as she could towards the bench passing by Shohoku's Team.
" Goodluck Kogure-san!" Ayisha cheered as she gave him a soft squeeze on the arm.
" Thanks, Ayi-san. I just hope we win this game. . . " The vice- captain replied worriedly.
Ayisha pulled his arm down, insisting him to bend towards her. Ayisha covered her mouth and whispered softly in his ear, " Who knows kogu-san, you might not only win this game but also win Ayako's heart?!"
Kogure grinned in amusement and let out a soft laugh as Ayisha nudged him. Ayisha waved a goodluck and walked towards Irene. Kogure smiled at her. It was amazing how such a short conversation about Ayako could remove the tension inside him.
But of course, watching it all from a distance, Fujima couldn't heart the words that they were uttering. He could only derive meaning from the actions that could speak more than what it really wanted to say. He glowered at the sight of Kogure's smile.
' Did she really have to do that in front of me?! I wonder what she told him. Words of love and support I suppose? Well, Kogure . . . I might've lost to you with Ayisha. . . but never will I let you lose in this game.'
-*-
" Where have you been? I have been looking all over for you!" Irene exclaimed as her bestfriend sat beside her.
" I'm sorry. . . I had a rough night and I over slept." Ayisha answered as she hastily fixed her things and prepared herself to watch the game.
Irene continued looking at her, as if trying to wait for some explanation.
" Nani, Irene?!" Ayisha said noticing the way she was being looked at.
" Is there something you want to tell me?" Irene asked.
" Irene-san, if you're referring to your cousin, I'm afraid this is not the right time to talk about it." Ayisha dismissed.
" So, that's the reason for that dark circle around your eyes. What happened? Did you guys talk or something?"
" Now, is not the right time Irene. . . the game is about to start. . . " Ayisha said impatiently.
" Okay, okay. But you ought to know, Fujima's been looking for you,too." Irene replied.
Ayisha looked at her bestfriend, wondering if she was joking or not. 'Impossible. Not with what I felt last night' Ayisha remembered angrily. She was too upset too even hear Fujima's name. Right now, with all her anger against Fujima, she felt a tremendous surge of school spirit well up inside her.
Players of both teams took their positions getting ready for the game's first jump ball. She could see the determination in the home team's eyes. ' You guys could do it, I know you can.' Ayisha thought to herself as she glanced at the worried look of the players sitting at the bench. She returned her look back on the court and glanced at one of the familiar player's of Shoyo.
As if by instinct, feeling someone watching him, Fujima looked at the girl sitting beside his cousin. He was surprised that Ayisha was even looking at him. But it was a different look now, very different from the look that she gave him last night. Now, only pain and coldness surfaced in Ayisha's hazel eyes.
" By the way, Ayi-san, is there something going on between you and Kogure?" Irene casually asked.
Ayisha's head whirled in astonishment. ' Where did that question come from?!' Ayisha asked to herself as she gave her bestfriend a perplexed expression. She was too shocked to even answer the question that all she could reply was the shaking of her head.
" Alright, alright, I thought so. Fujima's wrong again." Irene said, as she got the message coming from Ayisha's actions.
" Nani? Fujima?" was all that Ayisha could say.
" 1, 2, 3, Sho Ho Ku!!!" The home team roared as they raised their long arms high in the air. Every member was then calm, and confident, determined to face the imminent battle.
Kogure deeply took a breath and exhaled, gathering up all his strength and yet, trying also to calm his soul. He sat down on the bench, next to Ayako, and roamed his eyes over the whole court. Seeing his opponents prepared as they were made his stomach tighten. He glanced at Shohoku's starting line-up. The team captain, Akagi Takenori stood at his right, stiff as a totem pole, contemplating on the game's strategies. Rukawa, with his usual expression of icy blankness, took in his occasional sip of water. Mitsui was intently talking with Coach Ansei, confirming and clarifying each detail of the game plan. Sakuragi was talking and boasting his intelligence in baskeball to Haruko, who was seated at the first row of the upper box. And finally, Ryota. There he was sitting on the other side of Ayako. . . with his usual flirty conversation.
Seeing both of them reminded him of Ayisha's cautious words. 'Sooner or later, you'll have to face your problem. . . '. His heart tightened knowing that his feelings with Ayako would probably destroy his friendship with Ryota. The answer to his pressing problem? He absolutely had no idea.
" Hey, Kogure Sempai! Do you think we'll stand a chance against them?!" Ryota asked, noticing Kogure's dazed entrancement towards the basketball court. Focusing their attention on the vice-captain, both Ayako and Ryota expected for an answer. Ryota's inquiry didn't seem to immediately register in Kogure's mind.
" I think the vice-captain's thinking shouldn't be interrupted, Miyagi. . . " Ayako commented, as she became aware of Kogure's strange passive behavior.
" I do hope I win. . .yes, I do hope I stand a chance. . . " Kogure muttered to himself.
" Nani, Kogure?" Ryota asked.
" Huh?! Yes! I think we do stand a chance." Kogure answered with a perplexed look, unsure of his reply.
Ayako and Ryota exchanged puzzled glances, revealing their own confusion on Kogure's actions. But everyone's thoughts and actions were interrupted, as the buzzer sounded signaling for the start of the game.
-*-
At the sound of the buzzer, Team Shoyo gave out a shout and slowly took their positions on the court. Fujima glanced for a while at the Press bench where his cousin was seated.
' Still no sign of her. . . and the game is about to start.' Fujima thought as his eyes roamed around the corner and darted from bleacher to bleacher.
As if on cue, a familiar person entered from one of the corners of the gym. Ayisha walked as fast as she could towards the bench passing by Shohoku's Team.
" Goodluck Kogure-san!" Ayisha cheered as she gave him a soft squeeze on the arm.
" Thanks, Ayi-san. I just hope we win this game. . . " The vice- captain replied worriedly.
Ayisha pulled his arm down, insisting him to bend towards her. Ayisha covered her mouth and whispered softly in his ear, " Who knows kogu-san, you might not only win this game but also win Ayako's heart?!"
Kogure grinned in amusement and let out a soft laugh as Ayisha nudged him. Ayisha waved a goodluck and walked towards Irene. Kogure smiled at her. It was amazing how such a short conversation about Ayako could remove the tension inside him.
But of course, watching it all from a distance, Fujima couldn't heart the words that they were uttering. He could only derive meaning from the actions that could speak more than what it really wanted to say. He glowered at the sight of Kogure's smile.
' Did she really have to do that in front of me?! I wonder what she told him. Words of love and support I suppose? Well, Kogure . . . I might've lost to you with Ayisha. . . but never will I let you lose in this game.'
-*-
" Where have you been? I have been looking all over for you!" Irene exclaimed as her bestfriend sat beside her.
" I'm sorry. . . I had a rough night and I over slept." Ayisha answered as she hastily fixed her things and prepared herself to watch the game.
Irene continued looking at her, as if trying to wait for some explanation.
" Nani, Irene?!" Ayisha said noticing the way she was being looked at.
" Is there something you want to tell me?" Irene asked.
" Irene-san, if you're referring to your cousin, I'm afraid this is not the right time to talk about it." Ayisha dismissed.
" So, that's the reason for that dark circle around your eyes. What happened? Did you guys talk or something?"
" Now, is not the right time Irene. . . the game is about to start. . . " Ayisha said impatiently.
" Okay, okay. But you ought to know, Fujima's been looking for you,too." Irene replied.
Ayisha looked at her bestfriend, wondering if she was joking or not. 'Impossible. Not with what I felt last night' Ayisha remembered angrily. She was too upset too even hear Fujima's name. Right now, with all her anger against Fujima, she felt a tremendous surge of school spirit well up inside her.
Players of both teams took their positions getting ready for the game's first jump ball. She could see the determination in the home team's eyes. ' You guys could do it, I know you can.' Ayisha thought to herself as she glanced at the worried look of the players sitting at the bench. She returned her look back on the court and glanced at one of the familiar player's of Shoyo.
As if by instinct, feeling someone watching him, Fujima looked at the girl sitting beside his cousin. He was surprised that Ayisha was even looking at him. But it was a different look now, very different from the look that she gave him last night. Now, only pain and coldness surfaced in Ayisha's hazel eyes.
" By the way, Ayi-san, is there something going on between you and Kogure?" Irene casually asked.
Ayisha's head whirled in astonishment. ' Where did that question come from?!' Ayisha asked to herself as she gave her bestfriend a perplexed expression. She was too shocked to even answer the question that all she could reply was the shaking of her head.
" Alright, alright, I thought so. Fujima's wrong again." Irene said, as she got the message coming from Ayisha's actions.
" Nani? Fujima?" was all that Ayisha could say.