1. Not Good Enough

The stadium is crowded. Shouts for both teams seem to clash on top of the ceiling. The board shows 3'16'' left to the end of the 2nd half. The score is Aiwa 94 - 70 Shohoku. Exhausted Shohoku's #11 stands in from of Dai Moroboshi, Aiwa's ace and captain. Kaede Rukawa opens his arms and lowers his body while he keeps looking at the star of Aichi, who was quickly bouncing the ball. Moroboshi changes the ball to his left hand and starts heading towards the basket. Desperately, as fast as he can,
Rukawa moves to block his way. Then, almost instantly, Moroboshi changes to his right hand again and goes Rukawa. He quickly runs towards the basket and jumps. Rukawa, already unable to get him, watches in frustration how the ace of aiwa dunks the ball while a 2-men screen prevents Captain Akagi to reach his position.

- I'm not good enough... - Kaede says to himself.

- Not good enough... - Says his mother, sadly looking at him from her deathbed.

- Not good enough... - Says his father, playing basketball with 5 year old Kaede.

- Not good enough... - Says his father again, speaking on the phone while the Statue of Liberty can be seen on the window.
Mr. Rukawa then hangs and takes a basketball ball. - ¡Hey son! ¡Let's go out playing!

- Sure, dad. - Eiji Sawakita answers. - I love playing basketball with you.

Kaede wakes up in shock. While breathing quickly, he looks around. His room is as messed up as always. The clock says it's 11:11. He has been sleeping even more since he got back from the national tournament. Luckily, he still has almost two weeks until classes resumption. After stopping by the bathroom, he goes downstairs for something to eat.

While Kaede is opening the fridge, his grandmother shows up.

- Oh, ¡Kaede! It was about time for you to get up.

- Good morning, Grandma.

- Your father sent some extra money. He is so generous! Since your mother passed away, we only get by thanks to his help. He keeps sending money to you besides having another family now. Even when you were so meant to him! You should be thankful. Oh,
a letter to you arrived earlier. You can find it on the table.

Kaede looses his breath after reading the envelop. The letter is from Japan Basketball Association.

"You have been picked to take part on All-Japan Youth Basketball Team Training Camp from..."

- Eh...Granma...¡Granma! Look. I was picked for the national team.

- You leaving again? Don't you have to study?

Kaede breathes out and looses himself imagining what kind of reaction he would have liked. How would his mother react. And how would his father.

Late at night, Kaede sits on his bed. He's got the phone in one hand and holds one rusted piece of paper in other. One long telephone number is written on the paper. He dials and waits.

- ¿Hello? - Somebody is on the line.

- Hi. Eh...I am...

- Why do you call me? I told you i don't want to know anything about you. That's why I send all that money to you. Isn't it enough for you to keep quiet and solve your problems by yourself? You still have your grandmother, right?

- Eh...no. I just wanted to tell you i was picked for the youth national team. I...

- You'd better speak to someone else. I can't listen to you, i'm sorry. Please don't call again.

Kaede starts to squeeze the phone. Suddenly, he throws it with anger. The phone breaks in pieces when crashing with the wall.