The thud of a basketball echoed across the outdoor court. A nearby streetlight cast an orange glow over the cracked asphalt, illuminating the two players facing each other.
"Come on, dude! Quit stalling and shoot already!" one of them shouted.
He raised his arms and shifted his weight from side to side, keeping his eyes on the ball.
"All right. I'll show you just how bad you are!"
His opponent bounced the ball with his right hand, took two quick steps, and flicked his wrist.
The ball struck the back of the rim.
Clang!
It dropped through the net.
He landed on both feet, spun around, and pointed at his opponent.
"You suck, you still can't stop me!"
"Oi..."
Both of them turned.
A tall guy stood behind them, his cream-colored hair falling across his forehead. Small studs glinted in his earlobes, and both hands remained tucked into his pockets.
"What are you two punks doing here?"
One of the guys shrugged and spat on the court.
"What does it look like, dumbass? We're playing ball."
"Ye-yeah! That's right!"
The other guy took a step back.
The tall boy lowered his gaze to the spit on the asphalt. His jaw tightened.
He stepped forward and tilted his chin, narrowing his eyes.
"You're just asking to get your asses kicked."
One of the players squared his shoulders.
"Screw you! You think we're scared of you? If you wanna go, then let's go!"
He clenched his fist.
The tall boy's mouth curled into a grin. He cracked his knuckles.
"I was hoping you'd say that."
He lunged forward and drove his fist into the guy's gut.
"Gah—!"
The guy doubled over, clutching his stomach before collapsing onto the asphalt.
The other boy rushed in from behind, swinging wildly at the back of the tall boy's head.
The tall boy pivoted on his foot and swung a kick straight at his attacker's face.
The kick connected. The boy spun sideways and crashed face-first onto the asphalt.
"Damn... this guy's tough," the first hooper muttered, struggling to push himself up on shaky arms.
"Yeah, no kidding... He kicked both our asses."
The second boy wiped the blood from his lip and glared up at the tall boy.
"You're gonna regret this, bastard! You messed with the wrong gang! We're from Musashi High!"
The tall boy cracked his neck and stared them down.
"Do I look like I give a damn?"
"You son of a—!"
One of the boys staggered forward, his fist cocked back, but froze when the cream-haired boy stepped in close. Their faces were inches apart.
"W-WAHHH!"
He stumbled backward and landed on his backside.
"Th-the boss isn't gonna like this. You're screwed for sure!"
"Your boss can shove it."
Tadao held up his middle finger.
"Let him know that Tadao Hoshiguma is waiting."
The two boys froze.
"W-what?! He's Hoshiguma? As in Tadao Hoshiguma, the guy who wrecked that biker gang around here when he was fourteen?"
One of them swallowed hard.
"Let's get out of here!" the other shouted.
They scrambled to their feet and hurried away.
"Run away! You guys are a bunch of sissies!"
Tadao watched them disappear before turning toward the basketball hoop.
His grin faded. He let out a slow breath through his nose, then clicked his tongue.
"What the hell am I doing with my life?"
He turned and walked away.
At Toshigawa Academy, the players sprinted up and down the court, their sneakers squeaking against the hardwood.
"Ugh... Come on...When's she gonna let us stop? I'm gonna die at this rate."
Noboru's knees wobbled. He stumbled a step before catching himself.
"I-I don't think I can... hold out much longer. I'm gonna pass out."
Shino slowed to a stop and braced his hands against his knees. Sweat dripped from his chin as he drew several deep breaths.
Nanaho raised her whistle to her lips and blew.
"All right! That's the end of training. Good work, everyone!"
The players slowed to a stop.
Hayato bent forward, bracing his hands against his knees. Sweat dripped from his chin.
"You weren't kidding, Takahiro. Her training is hell."
Takahiro rested a hand on his hip, his shoulders rising and falling.
"I... I told you."
"Finally... It's over."
Noboru flopped onto his back and stared up at the ceiling lights.
"All right, everyone, gather around."
Nanaho tucked her clipboard under her arm.
The players made their way over, some still catching their breath.
Nanaho's eyes sparkled. She raised one hand and flashed a peace sign.
"I know we've only been training for two weeks, and half the team is still pretty inexperienced, but I've got some good news."
She paused, looking around at the players.
"We've got a practice match!"
Shino's eyes widened. He stumbled back a step.
"W-what?! B-but... isn't it too soon?"
Noboru leaned against the wall, the corners of his mouth lifting.
Finally! I get to show everyone just how amazing I am!
Nanaho's smile faded slightly.
"However... there's one little problem. We're not facing just any team. We're up against last year's Inter-High preliminaries runners-up, Yokonan High School."
Here we go again... She's putting even more pressure on us.
Takahiro let out a slow breath.
Hayato ran a hand through his hair.
"They were last year's runners-up and made a huge impact at the Inter-High. They finished fifth overall."
Yukio straightened.
"And they've got one of the best players around. He won multiple scoring titles back in junior high. I'd know. We used to be on the same team."
"They're strong. We had a practice match against them last year... and we lost."
Tetsuo watched Yukio. His fingers curled into a fist before slowly relaxing.
Shino glanced between them.
"S-so, Fukazawa-senpai... do you think we stand a chance?"
"Hehe..."
Nanaho's lips twitched.
"Honestly? I doubt it."
"But don't worry!"
She raised her thumb.
"Because I've got a plan!"
Nanaho turned toward the team and began pacing in front of them.
"There are three players we need to watch out for."
She raised one finger.
"First up is Takeshi Kayano. He's a guard, standing at 178 centimeters. He's a great scorer, an excellent passer, and a skilled playmaker."
She raised a second finger.
"Next is Kogure Kobayashi, a 193-centimeter power forward. He's their main scorer and one of the best defensive players in the league."
Nanaho stopped pacing and held up a third finger.
"And finally, their captain, Keichiro Yamada. He's 201 centimeters tall and plays center. He's a monster on both offense and defense. Once he gets into the key, he's almost impossible to stop."
Shino swallowed hard.
Hayato placed a hand on his knee, his gaze fixed on the floor.
Keichiro...
Noboru pushed himself away from the wall and stood upright.
"So what? I'm not about to let some tall guy scare me."
"I'll lead us to victory!"
A brief silence followed.
Takahiro crossed his arms.
"If we're lucky, they'll let us play against their second string."
Shino turned toward him.
"Wait, what do you mean by 'second string'?"
"Every year, Yokonan divides its players into three teams, with fifteen members in each. But when it comes to official matches, it's usually the first team that plays. Sometimes, the second team gets a chance, too."
Shino's shoulders dropped slightly.
Fifteen players per string? Just how many good players do they have?
Nanaho clapped her hands once.
"All right, that's enough about Yokonan for today. Starting tomorrow, we'll focus on both offensive plays and defense. You've all been improving individually, but now it's time to learn how to work together as a team."
Yukio nodded.
"That's good to know."
Nanaho glanced at the clock before turning back to the players.
"All right, you can go. Make sure you clean up the court, and don't forget to stretch before you leave."
"Right!"
The players began gathering their things and putting away the equipment.
Tetsuo headed toward a mop leaning against the wall.
"Um... Kawaguchi?"
He stopped and slowly turned his head.
"What is it?"
Shino stood a short distance away, fidgeting with the hem of his shirt.
"C-can I talk to you for a second?"
Tetsuo nodded.
Shino took a small step closer.
"Um... I was wondering if you could teach me how to do a layup."
He rubbed the back of his neck.
"During training, we haven't really practiced shooting. It's mostly been dribbling and passing drills. The practice match is only a week away, and I want to be able to score at least a few points for the team."
"S-so... would you please show me?"
Tetsuo studied him for a moment before walking over to the basketball rack.
He picked up a ball and held it at his side.
He began dribbling toward the basket, keeping the ball close to his body. After taking two steps, he lifted the ball toward the backboard and released it with a gentle flick of his wrist.
The ball struck the backboard and dropped through the net.
Tetsuo turned toward Shino.
"Were you paying attention?"
"Yes!" Shino replied, nodding quickly.
"A layup is one of the simplest shots in basketball, and it's usually a high-percentage shot when done properly."
Tetsuo pointed toward the backboard.
"Aim for the rectangle. Get your steps right. That's all."
He passed the ball to Shino.
Shino caught it with both hands and looked down at it.
"I see..."
He walked toward the left side of the key.
All right... Here goes.
He dribbled forward and took two steps toward the hoop. Lifting the ball, he flicked his wrist.
Thud!
The ball struck the backboard and bounced away from the rim.
"Huh?"
Shino hurried after it and retrieved the ball.
Okay, maybe I didn't get the angle right that time.
He wiped his palms against his shorts before returning to his starting position.
The ball sailed past the rim and missed the basket entirely.
Shino stopped beneath the hoop, his shoulders sinking as the ball rolled across the court.
"Why can't I make it? I did exactly what he did."
"Isn't it obvious?" Noboru asked. "You're just not cut out for basketball."
Shino's eyes widened. His gaze dropped to the floor, and his lower lip quivered.
"Shut up!"
Nanaho marched over and smacked Noboru on the shoulder.
"Ouch! Hey, that hurts!" Noboru jumped back, rubbing the spot.
Hayato shook his head.
"That's your own fault for saying something like that."
Shino stared down at the ball.
Maybe Noboru's right... I'm just wasting Kawaguchi's time.
"Focus."
"Huh?"
Shino raised his head.
Tetsuo pointed toward the rectangular marking on the backboard.
"Aim for the corner of that rectangle. If you get the angle right, the ball should drop into the basket."
Shino followed his finger, studying the marking.
His grip tightened around the ball.
All right... One more time.
He dribbled once, then stepped toward the basket. His knees bent as he lifted off the floor, and he flicked his wrist to release the ball.
The ball struck the backboard, hit the rim, and rolled along its edge.
Shino held his breath.
The ball dropped through the net.
It bounced once against the hardwood.
Shino stared at the rim, his mouth hanging open.
It went in...
"I did it! I actually made it!"
He hurried over to Tetsuo and grabbed his hand with both of his.
"Thank you! Seriously, thank you! I'm so happy!"
"What are you...?"
Tetsuo's words trailed off.
Shino's shoulders shook. A tear slipped down his cheek, followed by another.
"I'm... so glad..."
Tetsuo's eyelids twitched.
Why does this feel so familiar?
He hesitated before lifting his free hand and giving Shino a light pat on the shoulder.
Shino looked up at him, his cheeks wet.
"Try making a few more before we head out for the day."
Shino wiped his cheeks with his sleeve and nodded.
"Yes!"
He hurried back to the basket, retrieved the ball.
He dribbled toward the hoop and attempted another layup.
The ball struck the backboard and bounced away.
"What?! But how?!"
Then Takahiro burst out laughing.
"You really thought you'd get it every time?"
Shino's cheeks reddened.
"Hey! Don't laugh!"
Takahiro wiped the corner of his eye.
"Relax. You'll get the hang of it eventually. Just keep practicing."
Yukio watched as Shino continued practicing, making some shots and missing others.
A small smile appeared on his face.
"I'm home."
Tetsuo slipped off his shoes by the entrance and stepped inside.
"Welcome home, Big Brother! You're just in time for dinner," Usagi called.
Tetsuo walked over to the table and sat down.
"Thanks."
"It's the least I can do, considering you cover all the expenses here."
Usagi placed a plate in front of him and smiled.
Tetsuo picked up his fork, scooped up some rice, and took a bite.
Usagi leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table.
"So... how was training?"
"Not bad."
"I see. Do you feel any different?"
Tetsuo paused, his gaze settling on his plate.
"I don't know. But I can't deny that I feel something when I'm playing basketball."
Usagi's smile widened.
"I'm glad. That means you're making progress, Big Brother."
His phone buzzed against the table.
Tetsuo put down his fork and picked up the phone.
"Hello?"
"Hey, long time no see!"
"Who is this?"
A brief pause followed.
"Seriously? You forgot already? It's Haruko Takahashi. We met at the court the other day."
"Oh..."
"Anyway, I was wondering if you could come by the court tonight. I need your help with something. But if you're busy, I understand."
"I'll be there in an hour."
"Really? Great! I'll be waiting. See you!"
The call ended.
Tetsuo placed his phone on the table and looked up at Usagi.
The corners of her mouth curling upward.
"Was that a girl?"
"What exactly are you two planning, meeting at this hour?"
Tetsuo pressed his palms together.
"Thanks for the meal."
"Hey! Don't ignore me!"
Tetsuo stood up and picked up his phone.
"So, she plays basketball too?"
"Yeah."
Usagi crossed her arms and leaned back in her chair.
"Are you sure you're not in a relationship with her?"
"No."
Tetsuo walked toward his room.
A short while later, he emerged with his things and headed for the entrance.
"I'm heading out. Lock the door while I'm gone."
"Sure, sure. Stay safe, Big Brother. And don't stay out too late, okay?"
Usagi waved as he stepped outside.
The door shut behind him.
Usagi lowered her hand and glanced at the empty seat across from her.
"He really is changing, isn't he?"