Groans and complaints echoed through the hall of the third gymnasium of Teikou's Basketball Club. "Quit complaining, start moving!" The threat slash motivation of one of the seniors cut the howling souls of the lower years being tortured.

"I think it's time for you to meet the team, Momoi." The head coach suggested and led the young girl inside.

She took a careful step inside and inhaled the smell of perseverance, hardwork, and sweat from the players-in-the-making. She can't help but smile because once again she's in her habitat, the basketball floor that is. It was always an issue for everyone who knows her, a beautiful young girl who is in the stage wherein she is expected to be having the time of life is stuck in watching basketball matches from local school competitions to NBA games and has a stack of Monthly Basketball in her shelf rather than fashion magazines or shoujo mangas. But alas, the opinions of others never stopped her from her passion, her parents are even supportive, and of course, her childhood friend who has also a special place in his heart for the sport, so there is nothing else to lose.

She turned her head side-to-side to observe the players, and the players did the same for her. Who would have guessed, in the midst of their hell-like training, an angel was sent from above (or to at least from the gym doors). She actually had at least 78% of the men inside the gym gazed at her; the remaining percentage just took a glance and went on.

"This is the third string of the basketball club, they are mostly the new recruits, but we still have to filter them to select the best and those who are worthy to play for Teikou."

She was a bit crestfallen with the words worthy to play for Teikou. In her opinion, basketball is for everyone, it is a sport after all to be enjoyed, at least. Even she finds it very enjoyable even if her chance of shooting a ball is below the negative integers. Ever-Victorious, unbelievable, it is a mixture of amazement and horror to know such motto, to push for victory even if some things are left empty. Momoi has already seen it, there is still something lacking in the club, something that even she cannot figure out.

Her deep and depressing train of thoughts crashed somewhere when she felt someone or something bumped against her. She turned to see who was it but no one was actually there.

"I'm sorry." She heard a soft voice. Once again she turned but still, no sign of life was back there, confused, she shrugged the incident off.

After 30 minutes more of walking inside the third and second gym, meeting more staff and senior players, and being ogled by more men, she was few feet away from the first gymnasium, where the first string practices.

The first string huh, they were considered to be the best of the best.

She entered the gym, and an aura of great confidence, passion and (still) sweat welcomed her.

"Wait for a while, Momoi. I'll get someone who you should meet first."

She bowed politely and observed quietly. Basketball shoes squeaked and a series of running feet can be heard everywhere, such symphony for her ears.

The head coach returned with a tall, short-haired guy beside him. She quickly straightened her uniform and tucked locks of her peach hair behind her ears for to be at least presentable, in irony wherein she always was.

"Momoi Satsuki, this is Nijimura Shuzo, the captain of the first string, he is a year ahead of you. Nikimura, this is Momoi, the new manager of the team."

"Good afternoon, Momoi-san." He offered his hand to shake which Momoi politely accepted.

"Pleased to meet you, Nijimura-senpai." She smiled back.

"I'm going to leave you two here, I have things to take care of, Nijimura, by the way, when will the new freshmen practice with you?"

"The ones who got in the first string first? Oh, they will be joining us tomorrow; their class schedules are still a bit mixed up so I gave them the rest of today to fix everything before starting the practice."

"Oh, I see. I'll go on ahead, see you, Nijimura, Momoi."

The two bowed and Nijimura led Momoi to the other players present in the court. To his surprise, it was the players who led themselves to Momoi upon seeing an actual girl inside the court. Of course there were other girls who are part of the club, those who assist the players in things like getting water for them or washing their smelly towels and of course, first-aid. But good heavens, she has pink hair, they exclaimed, not to mention, very nice vital statistics. A literal mob dashed over the two and started asking Nijimura whoever the damsel is.

"Nijimura-kun, who is she!?"

"Is she part of the string too?!"

"Hello there, miss!?"

"I saw her first!"

"No, I did!"

And a series of other irrelevant questions and an intense argument followed. Nijimura scratched his head. Men.

"STOP!" Nijimura yelled at the top of his lungs. Momoi sighed heavily and chuckled lightly, "They're very energetic aren't they?" She looked at Nijimura who gave her a shrug with an apologetic face.

"Good afternoon, I'm Momoi Satsuki, starting from today, I'm your manager." She bowed down as eyes followed her; they bowed down too eventually and greeted her "Manager-san" which she found cute.

"Now you know her, go back to practice!" He commanded. The players went on as commanded, dragging their squeaky kicks inside the court again; Nijimura frequently gets angry after all.

"Sorry about that, they just get excited whenever a rare sight comes by..." He coughed while planning of whatever torture he can give to those hard-headed kids.

"No problem about that, senpai." She chuckled lightly.

"Oh by the way, about what the coach mentioned earlier, there were really freshmen who got promoted to the first string?"

"Oh, yes, even we were surprised, they are a bunch of super-talented kids, and they really have something in them that a normal player doesn't have." He dazed off distance.

I wonder how Dai-chan's application went. He hasn't talked about it since he applied for the club.

"I guess you've met everyone, atleast, practice is usually after class, but whenever a game is approaching we make sure to have more time for it." He broke the sudden silence and awkwardness.

"Yes, thanks for today,senpai." She bowed down again.

"Oh no problem, welcome to the club, Momoi-san."

"I'll be going now." "By the way..." she added, "Senpai, ice pack on your left foot for every hour, and wrap some bandages around it to ease the pain, I'm the one having the rough time seeing you walk like that." She smiled leaving him in great awe.

She noticed? He chuckled lightly and went to the clinic to get himself an ice pack. She might have some crazy talent too; after all, she's not that different from those rainbow-head kids. He smiled to himself then winced in pain after pressing the cold compress in his foot.

Momoi-san, huh?

Hello! First interaction, Nijimura-senpai! I always thought he's cool, I mean he really is, right?

Quite long compared to those first ones, expect the following are as long as this one!

Thanks for the reviews, faves, follows, and also to those silent readers as well! R&R if your heart desires!

Next chapter...MiraGen is introduced!