Part Two: The Fork in the Road
Busy day!
written: 5.34 p.m. – Monday, November 21
Ever since Wednesday, me and the basketball team have become celebrities! People I've never seen before in my life are calling out my name in the hallways and coming up to congratulate me on winning MVP honour. It's really cool! I've always wondered what it feels like to be a celebrity, and now I know. It's absolutely great! I think I could really get used to people knowing my name and admiring me…haha!
Just a small update on that girl Miyuki: On Thursday, I received another letter from her in my locker which basically told me how 'amazed' she was after watching our match with Yokota. More importantly though, today she actually approached me. I was in the canteen having lunch with people like Koizumi and Inamuto and Hideo, even Eji, and this girl just came up to me and asked if I had a minute 'cause she wanted to talk to me. At that moment I didn't know who she was, though thinking back, Koizumi did shoot me a knowing look but it was kinda lost on me then. But anyway, I was confused, but also curious, so I said 'yeah' and followed her out of the canteen to the car park.
I was at a loss of what to do, so I kinda stood around with my hands in my pockets and said nothing. I mean, what the heck was I supposed to say, right? And it's not like I do things like that often! Unfortunately for me, she seemed to be expecting me to say something, so she was also just standing around and looking at me expectantly. It was just weird.
After what really felt like ten million years, she finally spoke. She was really quite to the point; basically asked me, "How come you haven't replied to my letters?"
What the heck! How was I supposed to know who you are? And quite honestly, at that time, it still hadn't clicked that she was the Miyuki person who's been virtually flooding my locker with her letters, so I brilliantly said, "Uh, who are you?"
Okay, it wasn't very nice, but what else was I supposed to do! What a bother!
When she said that she was Miyuki, it was like a light bulb went off in my head or something. I had to say something, so I just kinda went, "Oh, right. Uh, yeah."
Argh, how dorky I was! Then again, I don't really care all that much, so whatever.
After that she said, "Um, so, Mitsui-sempai…what do you think of the letters?"
What do I think of the letters! Am I supposed to think something of them! Talk about the weirdest conversation I ever had!
I said, "Uh, I don't know, thanks." I tried to smile but it was so forced that I think it came out really ugly. How nice.
But wait, how can a good-looking guy like me ever look ugly? Haha! Okay, I'm just a bit crazy right now; I didn't mean that. Please excuse me.
So anyway, after I said that she kind of looked a bit…sad? I don't know. She had this weird expression on her face, like she's just eaten a really sour mango or something. And then she went, "What does that mean, Mitsui-sempai?"
All these difficult questions. I was honestly dying out there. I just wanted to get out of there and join my friends and finish my half-eaten lunch. But I decided to be nice, so I replied, "Um, well, I appreciate it, but…I don't really have time for it right now, you know?"
"Don't have time to date?"
"Yeah."
"So…are you saying that we can't be together?"
Jeez, typing that out really made me cringe. She has got to be the most direct person I've ever came across. It was so awkward. I said, "Well, yeah, pretty much. Sorry, but thanks anyway."
I thought that would be it. I mean, if someone told me that, I'd leave immediately. But not this Miyuki girl. She was persistent! She asked, "But…why?"
Hello! I just told you! Weren't you paying attention!
Still trying to be nice, I answered, "Well, because I have to take my exams and there's still basketball, so…"
"But the season just ended!"
"Yeah, but it doesn't mean that I stop playing, so…"
At this point in time she looked like she was about to cry. This is quite melodramatic, but I swear it really happened. She went, "Is there anything that could ever take the place of basketball in your heart?"
Actually, no; there isn't. Basketball's my life. You don't just put your life on hold like that, not for anyone. At least, I don't, and I never will. The day I give up basketball is the day that I die.
And that was pretty much what I told her too, which didn't really go down well with her. She shot me this glare and then basically told me that she thought that I'm a stupid self-centred jock (she spat it out like it's a dirty word) who doesn't know what a huge mistake he's making, blah blah blah.
Sigh. What did I tell you about immaturity? And I don't think she's that pretty anyway; she's just so-so. Man, Koizumi has really bad taste!
Hmm, this 'small' update became quite a huge one didn't it? Haha! I'm in a really good mood right now and when I'm in a good mood, I tend to write a lot more, so that should explain it. After that encounter though I went back to the canteen, and was stopped by this girl who asked for my number. She was like, "I saw you play against Yokota and I think you're really cute. Can I have your number?"
Crazy! People are insane! I'm glad I'm not one of them! Jeez, imagine how badly my schoolwork and basketball would suffer if I were like that too! I'm so glad I'm Mitsui Hisashi and not some dumbo.
But yeah, I just kinda said, "Uh, well, maybe next time when I see you around."
I definitely don't intend to give her my number though. Don't really wanna be stalked, you know? Jeez.
Hence, my busy day today! On top of that, I missed a mark to an A for my Physics test! How crappy.
Promotionals are in a month. Better get the grades that I know I can get, or the parents would never shut up about basketball.
Wait, I don't wanna talk about them and ruin my good mood, so…
Yeah, this is it for the day. Until next time!
Hisashi
Am I made of gold!
written: 6.27 p.m. – Wednesday, 24 November
Haha, guess what? I just received two calls, one from Shoyo and one from Kainan! And yesterday, the Ryonan coach personally came down to Takeshi and asked me to join his team. Am I made of gold! It definitely appears so!
It was so fun rejecting Kainan! Some guy whose name I've forgotten sounded so surprised when I told him that I'm going to Shohoku, and that my mind's already made up. He was like, "Shohoku! But don't you think your talent would be better harnessed in Kainan? We're the top team in the prefecture after all!"
Uh, not quite the point, dude! I'd go to Kainan if Anzai-sensei were there, but he's not, so thanks, but no thanks!
The same pretty much applied for Shoyo. The conversation wasn't very interesting though, so I shan't say too much about it.
What was quite funny was how the Ryonan coach went to Takeshi to try to convince me again to join Ryonan even though I told him 'no' after the match with Yokota. He kept saying how he's getting this 2-metre tall giant from some school and how he'd have the perfect team that'd become the national champions, things that I didn't really care about because my ambition is now to make Shohoku the national champions, even though I'm still in Takeishi and preparing for my exams. That's how much Anzai-sensei has impacted me. Who can ever mess with that?
An hour after practice had started, I saw the Ryonan coach watching from the bleachers. Ten minutes later, he was gone.
I hope he never comes back again. It's not really easy to say 'no' so many times, you know!
In other news, I'm in the midst of preparing for my exams, so updates may be less frequent for the rest of this month and also the next, until my exams are over. I don't really need really good grades to get into a high school since I have basketball, but I kinda want to excel, to prove my parents wrong…and also because I'm Mitsui Hisashi, and Mitsui Hisashi never says die. Haha!
Yep, until next time then!
Hisashi
Stressed!
written: 3.42 p.m. – Wednesday, 1 December
Argh I can't take this anymore! I hate studying! I wanna play basketball! I'm so sick of sitting in front of my table all day long and reading nothing but stupid things about Math and Science and other boring stuff! Why can't they have a subject called 'basketball' or something? I'd ace it without having to study for it!
I can't wait till the exams are over. Put me out of my misery. NOW!
Freedom is finally here!
written: 5.09 p.m. – Tuesday, 14 December
Okay, the exams are finally over and I'm FREE! Wahoo! I don't want to talk about the exams; I don't wanna jinx it, you know? So all I'm gonna say is that I hope I did well and I'm pretty sure that…
Then again, I'm not going to make any predictions. Whenever I do that, the outcome is always the opposite of what I'd predicted, which is really bad, so let's move on, shall we?
So today was the last paper. Man, you should've heard the cheers that flooded the room when the invigilator announced the end of the paper! A few people in front of me actually jumped up and started hugging each other, which caused the invigilator to yell at them to keep quiet. Haha, it was quite funny. Lame, but funny all the same.
After that, I met up with my mates from the team and we went to the gym and shot some hoops. Man, it felt so absolutely good to be playing basketball again! I can't believe I went that long without playing; it's insane!
We went to catch a movie after that, but it wasn't that great so I shan't talk about it.
Um, I have nothing else to say. Well, I do, actually, but it involves my parents and I don't feel like talking about them right now so whatever.
Well, until next time then.
Hisashi
Very irritated.
written: 3.39 p.m. – Thursday, 16 December
I'm so irritated with my parents right now that I'm positively seething. I can't believe the things they said to me. I finally told them that I've decided that I want to go to Shohoku High, and they said 'no' without even listening to my explanation. They kept saying how I should go to a better-ranked school like Kainan and not some unknown school like Shohoku, which got me really mad because they didn't even know the whole story! And anyway, how could they say something so insensitive and biased? It's not very nice.
When I finally got a word through, I told them my reasoning behind wanting to go to Shohoku. And guess what? That only made them even more agitated. What the hell? They practically told me in my face that my reason for wanting to go to a school is stupid and that I'm only ruining my own future.
Well, screw it, really. I can't be bothered with them anymore. They've never understood me anyway and they certainly don't give a damn about my passion for basketball. They keep thinking it's just a phase that I'd outgrow, and that I'd focus on becoming a doctor or whatever when I grow up, but they're wrong. I live for nothing but basketball; everything else are merely along for the ride. Why can't they just understand?
Sometimes, I really wish that I didn't have my parents as parents. I mean, my friends from the team have really supportive parents who attend our matches and everything, and once, the father of this really rich dude on the team even drove Koizumi and I to one of our matches because we were late. Why can't I have such supportive parents too?
Life is truly unfair. I really don't understand how my MVP title can mean so little to them.
I guess it's time that I get used to it. What other choice do I have?
I hate my life right now.
Exam results!
written: 7.24 p.m. – Friday, January 7
We finally got our exam results today, and guess what? I did really well! I had A's in everything except Maths, but I got a B in that and not an F as my sadistic and demented Maths teacher had predicted! Eat that, you old slimy hag!
I know I haven't written in about a month, but that's because I didn't have much to write about. And here's some good news: my parents finally came to terms with my decision to go to Shohoku! Over dinner just now, my dad suddenly said, "Hisashi, if you really want to go to Shohoku, then I guess we can't stop you. But make sure you don't regret it, okay?"
I was so surprised that I almost choked on my miso soup. I looked at my mom and she was smiling at me, and I kind of nodded and said 'thanks', so it's all good! I think my good results had a huge part to play in their sudden change of heart though, haha!
My friends did relatively well too, but none of them had as many A's as me. Koizumi got an A in Maths though, but that's expected since he's always been a genius at it. And remember that football captain friend of mine who failed everything except PE? Well, he did better this time round: he passed everything except Physics. Haha, he was screaming for joy when he got his results since he was convinced that he'd fail everything, and everyone was staring at him and laughing at him (his many failures are known throughout the whole school). It was really funny!
Oh, and just when I thought I'd heard the last of that crazy stalker girl Miyuki, she appeared again today out of nowhere and asked me how I did for the exams. I was with the basketball gang then, and as soon as she appeared, they took a few steps back, away from me, and proceeded to whisper and snigger amongst themselves. Ugh, what horrible friends they are!
I just told her my results and muttered something about having to go and I left really quickly. I was probably really rude but bleah, I can't be bothered anymore. I can't believe she still likes me, even after she called me a 'self-centred jock'. What a weirdo!
So yeah, that's it for now. We're supposed to apply to our high school of choice within this week, and after that, it's the end-of-term holiday! Hooray for holidays! I'm going to send in my application to Shohoku on Monday. I saw the fork in the road and I pulled it out. Haha! What a corny analogy, but there you go. Senior high already looks promising!
Until next time!
Hisashi
Graduation
written: 8.43 p.m. – Saturday, January 15
Graduation today. It was such a bore! We spent the whole time watching people go up the stage and collect their certificates. How boring! The only interesting part was when it was my turn to go up. It was really cool. I received the Sportsperson of the Year award as well as the All-Rounder award, and when I was walking towards the principal to get my cert, my basketball pals were leading this "Go Mitsui the MVP!" cheer! Haha, it was great!
But that's about it though. The rest of the event almost bored me to tears, and it didn't help that I had to wait until close to a thousand people to get their certificates before it was my turn. I cheered for my friends and all, but that didn't take up too much time. I spent most of my time flipping through NBA magazines with Koizumi, Hideo and Inamuto.
Oh, and before I forget, my parents miraculously attended my graduation. I thought they wouldn't even bother to make it, since my dad initially had some important meeting going on or something. But wow, he actually cancelled the meeting just to attend the ceremony! And he gave me a pat on the back after I'd received my awards and my certificate! It may seem like a small gesture, but coming from my dad, it means a lot. He hardly ever praises me and avoids physical contact with me like the plague, so that was really special. My mom gave me a hug. Haha!
Well, today also marks the last day of junior high. It feels a bit strange, to be honest. Even though my clique is going to Shohoku with me, I'd be leaving some of my friends behind, like Namiki, the football captain. I hope we keep in touch, but who knows?
Okay, I don't know what I'm typing here. I'm gonna miss being basketball captain though. I mean, they'd definitely make me captain when I'm in my third year, since I'm sure that I'd be the best player in my year, but I'd have to wait two agonising years before I'm captain again. Definitely going to miss giving orders and acting as though I had a clue as to what I was talking about when in fact, I had close to no idea what I was doing. Haha! But hey, I pulled it off really well, so who's complaining?
In any case, the holidays are here and I'm gonna have a blast. All things considered, I definitely deserve it. Don't you think so?
Until next time!
Hisashi
Here's the part where I reply to your lovely reviews:
Laziness Incarnate: Ah yes, that made sense (the thing about Ayako and Rukawa recognising Mitsui). I only put in Tomigaoka because I was too lazy to think up a proper Japanese name. I totally suck at Japanese names! But it's too inconsistent though, so I'm gonna go change it. Thanks for pointing it out!
DriftingwandererThank you. The Shohoku ones will come in later. )
Night Strider: YOU are Miyuki? Yeah right, you're too smart to be her! Thanks for the review and I hope to see new fics from you sometime between now and next week. Bwahahaha.
Hagane Thank you darling. You should be writing more too! It's been ages since you last wrote a MitRu!
Taka and Keichirou: ) (Stupid reply, I know, but I couldn't think of how to put the smile on my face into words, so…)
Uta Argh I hate that Mitsui/OC fic of mine! I'm so tempted to delete it but my narcissistic self is preventing me from doing so. I highly doubt I'd continue it though; sorry. But then again, it really depends on my mood so if I feel like continuing with that piece of crap, you're in luck. Thanks for reading my stuff and taking the time to review. I appreciate it!
This part was supposed to be done ages ago but I kind of forgot the plot that I thought up (am too lazy to write things down which is BAD) which is why it took so long. Yes yes.
Anyway, enjoy and have fun!
Yelen