If There's Something I Would Ask For
--- Sordid Ego ---
Chapter1: The Challenge
It was May as I remember it. It was one spring then.
I arrived late in school for the graduation ceremony. Everyone was in panic looking for me.
"There you are, Rukawa!" My sensei rushed towards my direction as if there's an emergency that had happened.
"Where have you been? We have been looking for you for hours already." I listened to him while I was parking my trusted bicycle in the lot along with the others.
"What do you want?" I calmly asked my teacher.
"We are all in trouble looking for you everywhere in school and you're just going to ask me what I want? What kind of student are you?" my sensei yelled back at me.
I was so late for the ceremony so I did not anymore bother to listen to his complaints. Before he could even finish with what he was saying, I already left him behind and headed for the hall.
"Oi! Where do you think you're going?" my sensei shouted at my back.
"To the hall. Where else could I go?" I stopped and looked at him.
"If you have nothing extremely significant to say, I am so sorry but I really must be going." I told him.
"Chotto." My teacher said blocking my way.
"Nan desu ka?" I was really getting so impatient with him yet I decided to wait for him to speak.
"The principal has a message for you." He said and I only stared at him with one of my eyebrows raised. My sensei was really annoying. He was wasting my time as he was always beating around the bush.
"The principal wants you to deliver your speech just before the valedictorian deliver his." He finally added.
"Are you serious?" my eyebrow was raised higher.
"Yoshi! Do you think I will be making all these things up?" he angrily replied.
"What is happening here?" the principal appeared in the hallway.
The principal was a middle-aged man with white hair and thin white beard. He was tall either but not as tall as me. If you would compare his height with mine, I say he would just reach my nose.
"Has your teacher explained to you already?" the principal asked me arranging his spectacles over his large nose.
"Do you mean the speech?" I respectfully asked.
"Hai, suki desu. So he has explained to you already." He replied eyeing my sensei.
"But, what for?" I questioned him again.
"You are the ace player in your team and you will be leaving this school so soon. I decided to let you speak in front of everybody so as you can give inspiration for the generation of players next to you. Do you understand?" he explained himself along with many pauses that allow him to cough.
I did not answer. I was in really deep thought.
I was still hesitating but what could I do?
Would I turn the principal down or would I be accepting the challenge?
Nevertheless, if I succumb to do him this one last favor, what would I say?
I am not used to speaking with a single person not even to one of my teammates and now this guy wants me to speak in front of the crowd? Ridiculous! I thought.
I sighed… contemplated… and at last…
"Daijoubu. I'll do it." I finally said.