"Say, do you remember the day when we met?" asked Hayato, his voice casual but carrying a faint note of nostalgia.
Liam leaned back slightly against the gym wall, his hands resting on his thighs as the cool surface pressed through his track pants. He looked up at the overhead lights, their dim flicker humming faintly in the quiet.
"Yeah, of course I do. You were my first-ever Japanese friend. When I first came to Japan, no one in my grade would even approach me to say a single thing. I know I didn't know much Japanese back then, and the language barrier would have been an issue, but no one took the initiative to talk to me. It was pretty lonely back then. Until you came up to me one day, out of the blue."
The memory came back with surprising clarity. The sun had been hot that day, beating down on the wide concrete courtyard. His uniform shirt had clung uncomfortably to his back with sweat. Liam had stood alone near the edge of the schoolyard, fingers nervously brushing the hem of his backpack strap when a voice rang out, loud and direct.
"Hey you, big guy down here, how are you so tall? What are they feeding you?" asked Hayato, practically yelling from a few meters away.
Liam blinked and turned slowly. His palms were damp, his mind scrambling to process the Japanese words he half-understood.
"Are you talking to me?" he asked, hesitant.
Hayato scratched his cheek, a sheepish grin forming as he stepped forward. "Oh, I'm sorry, your Japanese probably isn't that good," he said, and then paused, switching gears into English. His pronunciation was clunky, but the effort was clear. "Nice to meet you, my name is Hayato Nakajima, and you are?"
Liam relaxed just a little, easing the tension from his shoulders. "My name is Liam Ainsworth."
"So, Liam, where are you from?" Hayato asked, his voice rising with curiosity.
"I'm from the United Kingdom, and I'm British."
"I see." Hayato eyed him up and down like a curious specimen. "What do they feed you? You are absolutely massive. How old are you, actually?"
"What do you mean? I'm fourteen, just like you."
Hayato's eyebrows rose so far they practically disappeared into his fringe. He laughed, shaking his head with a short exhale.
"Damn, have you ever considered playing basketball? You'd definitely make a great player in the future," said Hayato, lightly bouncing on his heels.
Liam shifted his stance, adjusting the weight on his feet. "I haven't thought of that before, though I'm on the track team, so I'm not sure if I can play basketball at all."
"I see, that's too bad," Hayato said, the brightness in his tone dipping ever so slightly.
"It wouldn't hurt to try, though, but I can't take it as seriously as running a hundred meters," Liam added, rubbing the back of his neck as a breeze picked up a bit of dust from the court nearby.
"Fair enough. Let's play after school. I'll teach you everything I know," Hayato said with renewed confidence, flashing a grin.
"Alright, thanks," Liam replied.
He could still feel the ball in his hands that afternoon—the worn leather rough against his palms. The sound of sneakers scraping concrete echoed in his mind. The sting in his fingertips when a pass hit too hard. The sheer joy when the ball finally bounced off the backboard and dropped into the hoop. It was a different kind of adrenaline from sprinting—looser, less solitary.
"You taught me all I knew about basketball: how to make a layup, dribble, pass, how not to travel, and you showed me a lot of videos on how to dunk, and I eventually got it. Even though basketball wasn't my main sport, I enjoyed playing it. The thrill of dunking alone is enough to get anyone hooked on the game. We would always dominate everyone in street basketball, and despite my inexperience, we would always win."
Hayato's expression changed—his usual lightness giving way to a firmer resolve. His fingers curled slightly at his sides before he stepped closer.
"Liam, I was wondering," he said, his voice quieter now, nearly lost in the soft echo of the gym.
"Huh? What is it?" asked Liam.
"Would it be possible for you to join the basketball team? No, I want you to join the basketball team."
The words hung in the air. Liam's heart kicked slightly against his chest. He looked away, exhaling through his nose as he watched a speck of dust swirl past in the sunbeam from the high window.
"Don't be silly, Hayato. Remember, I'm a track athlete. I've devoted myself to it for years now."
"I'm being serious. The team needs someone like you if we want to have a shot at going to the inter-high," said Hayato, the determination in his tone steady and grounded.
Liam let out a breath, tilting his head slightly. The rubber sole of his sneaker squeaked faintly as he shifted his footing.
"Listen, man, I'm sorry. I really want to help you out. However, I'm devoted to running. I can't just drop it like that."
Hayato gave a small nod. He didn't look away.
"Fine, I understand, but promise me something," he said, locking eyes with Liam.
"And what might that be?"
"Be sure that you're running for yourself and yourself alone. Have fun while doing it. I know it may not be easy, and all odds are against you, but go ahead and leave them in the dust," said Hayato, extending his fist.
Liam looked down at it for a second, then smiled faintly and bumped it with his own. The brief connection was firm and warm.
"Of course. Thanks, Hayato."
[Present – Toshigawa Academy, Homeroom]
The homeroom was buzzing. A faint chatter rolled through the room like waves lapping at the shore. Students leaned across desks, laughed, and held up newspapers. The late morning sun cast angled lines across the hardwood floor.
"Did you guys hear?" asked a girl in class 1T, twisting in her seat.
"Hear what?" said a girl from 1O, peering around the classroom door with curiosity.
"The newspaper club wrote an article on our basketball team. Apparently, they lost by one point in a practice match against one of the top schools in the prefecture—Yokonan High."
Gasps and surprised murmurs rippled through the group.
"No way, are you serious? Let me see that paper!" a girl exclaimed, snatching it with wide eyes.
She flipped through it quickly. A pause. Then she burst out—
"Oh my god, they're so handsome!"
The girls leaned in. Fingers tapped against the desk. Pages rustled.
"Yes, especially this one. His name is Katsuragi Shino. He's so adorable."
"Wait, this guy is Yukio. He's in my class! He was one of the top scorers in the match with twenty-five points," said a third-year boy, sounding proud.
"Wow, that's amazing. He looks so mature and intelligent. I'll definitely have to check him out during practice," a second-year girl added with a giggle.
"And this one, Tetsuo Kawaguchi. He's so gorgeous, I can't take my eyes off him. I think I'm in love," another said, her hand clutched against her chest.
"He was the main scorer for the team with twenty-seven points, and not only that, he's a first-year. That's quite the accomplishment."
"You can say that again. These guys are truly reviving the basketball team in Seiji's place," said a third-year girl.
Naomi sat near the edge of the cluster, a corner of the paper folded neatly in her hands.
"The rebirth of Toshigawa Academy's basketball team, huh? They did really well yesterday," she said, her voice low but clear.
"Really? We did well?" asked Sachiko, her voice rising, cheeks flushing with sudden interest.
"Yes, they did. They only lost by a single point against the number two team in the prefecture. Oh, looks like Tetsuo made the front page. Do you want to see him?" Naomi asked slyly.
"What do you mean by that?" Sachiko shot back, brushing her bangs aside to hide her reaction.
"Oh, nothing. Don't worry about it," Naomi said, suppressing a smirk.
Sachiko crossed her arms, trying to steady her tone. "I'm glad that my school represented us well. Wanting to see the newspaper is only natural. It's not like I want it just to look at Tetsuo," she added quickly.
Naomi raised a brow but didn't reply. She just folded the paper again, her lips curling ever so slightly.
Nearby, Noboru slouched over his desk, flipping his pencil between his fingers when he looked up.
"Hey, Tetsuo, guess what?" he said, a grin spreading across his face.
"Huh?" Tetsuo mumbled, blinking away his drowsiness as he sat upright.
"I heard that we're on the first page of the newspaper. We did a great job against Yokonan."
Tetsuo rubbed the corner of his eye, his expression unreadable. "Yes, we did, but not the results that I want."
Across the room, Naomi set the paper aside. Noboru spotted her and stood up.
"Hey, Naomi, so you saw the newspaper? Tell me, how do I look? Don't be shy."
"For your information, your face didn't even make the front page. But you did score eight points, so at least that's something," Naomi replied without missing a beat.
"Yeah, I know. I'm awesome, aren't I?" he said with a wink, then froze. His smile faltered.
"Wait… did you just say that my picture isn't in the newspaper?"
"Um, yes, I did. Who would want to see your face first thing in a newspaper? This article would have been a bust."
"Let me see that!" Noboru yelped, snatching the paper.
He scanned it, his eyes darting furiously.
"No freaking way! How did that amateur make it on the front page and I didn't?! He only scored two points and I scored eight. Oh no… unless… Rie is behind this! I'll get her for this!" he shouted, drawing groans and laughter.
From a few desks away, Tetsuo was silent, leaning his head in his palm, staring absently out the window.