Chapter 13: Yuno
Yuno heard the cheers and jeers from the crowd in the stands in the Clover Imperial Escalator Academy reverberate through the boys' locker room. However, the boys on the basketball team were focused on their two coaches and their captain. Yuno was excited. It was November, several weeks into the season, but today was a big game for the team—it was Kirsch's official last game.
Not only were the whole team losing their captain, but they were also losing the best point guard. Kirsch had enough school credits to graduate early in January, which meant that he was starting college at the end of January. According to Mimosa, Kirsch wanted to spend the last few months of high school focusing on his studies before heading off to college. Today was also the day that the coaches were going to announce who was taking Kirsch's place as Captain and the Varsity point guard.
It was also an important day for Yuno because it was his first game back on the court with his JV teammates. He lost out in training and the first few games not being able to show off his skills, so he and the team had to win against their opponents (the Diamond Kingdom's Mage Warriors).
"The girls' teams will be finished shortly with their games," said William. All three basketball courts currently had the Freshman, JV, and Varsity girls' teams playing their games against the Witches' Teams from a small country between Clover and Diamond Kingdoms. The crowd was going wild. "As you may remember this Kirsch's last game, but that doesn't mean that we aren't going to continue to work hard and strive for good sportsmanship and teamwork to continue to be the best we can be. Kirsch has a few things to say to you guys, so listen well."
Kirsch put his hands on his hips and said, "None of you better lose when I'm gone. Play beautifully and intelligently."
"You're not dying, Kirsch, don't be so dramatic," Solid (Noelle's brother and Kirsch's cousin) said, rolling his eyes.
"Don't act like you carry this team, Captain. We all work equally as hard as you," said Klaus.
"As usual, you never fail to piss us off. We're fueled by spite," David joked.
"Good riddance to you and your perfectionist, annoying ways, Kirsch," Xerx sniffed, annoyed.
Kirsch raised an eyebrow and said, "You'll miss my beautiful self, you'll see."
Leo, Kiato, Magna, Luck, and the rest of the first-string, second-string, and third-string team members just burst out laughing, because they would miss Kirsch, but at the same, they wouldn't. Yuno hid a smile behind his hand. Langris rolled his eyes and looked up, praying to heaven for patience, as he normally did.
Zara and William clapped their hands together to get their attention. Zara said, with a grin on his face, "Now that we're done teasing Kirsch. Let's get out there and do your best."
"And at the end of the game, we'll announce the new Captain and the new Varsity point guard. We put a lot of thought into the choices so I hope you'll respect the decision, like I know you all will," said William, mildly.
"Yes, Coach!"
Yuno and his teammates (Langris, Magna, Luck, and Leo) headed out together to the JV court.
Magna patted Yuno on the back. "It's good to have you back. Kiato was great and all, but we missed playing with you."
"Hopefully, you're not out of practice from sitting on the bench," Langris commented, unhelpfully.
Yuno didn't take anything Langris said seriously because he knew that Langris was just an awkward guy who didn't know how to compliment anyone. Mostly, Yuno knew that Langris was a good guy underneath all of his…prickly personality since he had to bear witness to Langris being in love with Mimosa for years. "I'm not."
"He's been playing with Asta on the weekends," said Luck, grinning.
Yuno felt his face warm.
Leo laughed and clapped Yuno on the back, just like Magna did. "Good for you!"
Langris grimaced. "My brother's friend? He plays?"
"Yeah, he's good," said Yuno, in defense of his crush.
"If you say so," said Langris, baffled. "Anyway, we need to be on guard for the Diamond JV. They have Mars Kruger as their point guard. Their defense has improved from what I heard."
"We know. Like we haven't faced Mars before," said Luck, eyes darkening. In the last game that their team played against the Diamond JV team last season, Mars and his team beat them and it was the match-up that would have qualified Clover's JV team for the semi-finals. It was a painful loss and Luck didn't take losing to them too well.
"Relax," said Magna, ruffing Luck's hair. "We got them this time."
"He's right," said Leo.
"Let's get this done," said Yuno and Langris, at the same time.
Yuno and his team won.
Actually, they barely won. The game stood at 56-54 in favor of Yuno's team. There were a few close calls and Luck almost got kicked out of the game, but Magna managed to calm Luck down. Yuno sighed in relief, as he and his teammates went over to the Varsity court to cheer on their team. The boys' Varsity match was the only one still going and the crowd of Clover and Diamond supporters was roaring loud in the stands.
"Good work," said William, handing Yuno a water bottle.
"Thanks," said Yuno. The freshman and the JV boys' teams and all three girls' basketball teams stood off to the side watching. Yuno glanced at the crowd and spotted Asta with his friends. They were easy to spot because all Yuno had to look for was Zora's red hair in the crowd. Asta was intensely watching the game, so Yuno didn't bother waving. He'd text Asta later. He hoped Asta was having a fun time. He knew that the other boy loved basketball just as much himself.
"Kirsch is in great form as always," said William, watching the game with critical eyes.
"He is. I still can't believe he's not going to the college league," said Yuno, shaking his head. Basketball was his dream. It baffled Yuno that Kirsch, who was one of the best players in the kingdom, who stood a chance at going all the way to the Clover Basketball League to be Pro, declined a full-ride basketball scholarship to study history, of all things.
"Me either," said William, not taking his eyes off his players.
"Did he say why?"
"No, but just that he thought about it for a while and decided his course," said William, narrowing his eyes as one of the Diamond players tried to "accidentally" trip David, who caught himself in time. Kirsch had command of the court and diverted the attention to himself, buying Klaus enough time to score. "Every time, the Diamond and the Spade teams try those tactics." His father said it with disgust.
Yuno shook his head in disgust. They never caught either because they were subtle enough. But Kirsch and the others on the Varsity team knew what to do. William and Zara were well-versed with those who tried to use brute force tactics to win.
There was one minute left in the game, the score was 78-79, in favor of the Diamond Varsity team.
Yuno shook his leg in place as he stood watching, as the Diamond Varsity's defense was closing in on Clover Varsity. Zara and William were yelling instructions. Magna and Luck were leading cheers, pissing off the actual cheerleaders. Langris and Leo watched with tense looks on their faces.
"Come on," muttered Yuno.
"Cheer louder," said Leo, nudging Yuno in the shoulder.
"No," said Yuno. He wasn't about to scream his head off for no reason.
Kirsch and the Varsity team had the ball and darted expertly around the court. Kirsch passed the ball to Klaus, who passed it to David. They had to keep the ball away from the Diamond team, in order to make the one-shot needed to win.
"At least he's not show-boating," said Langris, scoffing.
Yuno agreed silently.
Leo shook his head. "Kirsch knows when to get serious."
And then, as the clock ticked down, Kirsch received the ball again and made a shot to make the basket.
"HE DID IT!" This was screamed by all the watching basketball players and the roar of the crowd.
Yuno grinned.
After celebrating, William and Zara always insisted that the team get back to the locker room for a quick review and so the stands could clear without anyone bothering the team since the basketball team had some enthusiastic fans. Yuno grabbed Leo, while Langris grabbed Magna and Luck by the back of their shirts to drag them to the locker room.
Once the entire boys' team (all strings and all levels) were in the locker room, William spoke up. "Wonderful work, boys! You worked very hard in training and it shows with the wins."
"They were wonderful games, truly! But I know what you're waiting for, so we'll let Kirsch announce it," said Zara.
Kirsch, sweating and grinning from his teams' wins, said, "Yuno, you're the new Varsity point guard, congratulations."
Yuno said, "I'll do my best."
"Yay, good job, Yuno," said Magna and Leo hugging him.
"Figures," said Langris, with a huff, but he wasn't too mad.
"And Langris, you're the new basketball captain and second-string Varsity point-guard," said Kirsch. "Congratulations on running this asylum."
Langris looked startled, as Leo and Magna went from harassing Yuno with hugs to Langris, so Yuno said, "Better you than me." Yuno hadn't wanted to be Captain, just the Varsity point guard.
William and Zara looked at the team, fondly, and said, together, "Pizza on us!"
~to be continued
Notes:
Let me know what you think. I have two chapters for June, waiting to be edited.
Next month we're starting on the drama and angst.
