Harumi stood alone on the second floor of the gymnasium, her gaze locked on the basketball court below. The faint hum of the overhead lights blended with the sharp squeaks of sneakers pivoting on hardwood. The echo of the ball bouncing in rhythmic intervals added a pulse to the atmosphere, punctuated by the occasional bark of instructions and encouragement. Her arms remained crossed over her chest, and a small frown tugged at her lips. The whole court felt alive with energy—except for the part of it she most wanted to see.
"It looks like Tetsuo didn't come to training at all today," she murmured, her voice barely audible over the ambient noise. Her brow furrowed. "That's too bad. I really wanted to see him play. I wonder what happened..."
She remained there for another few minutes, her expression unreadable, before turning away from the railing. Her footsteps were soft against the steel staircase as she descended, the ambient noise growing louder as she approached the court. "Tetsuo... " she thought.
Down on the court, the intensity of the scrimmage grew sharper. Makoto crossed half court, his sneakers tapping rapidly against the floor as he moved. Hayato shadowed him closely, arms outstretched, his weight centered and ready to shift. Makoto's eyes darted left, then right. With a sudden drop of his shoulder, he feinted and zipped a bounce pass to Yukio, now firmly planted in the post.
Yukio squared up against Liam, who stood with his knees slightly bent and arms hovering like steel bars. The gym lights glinted off the sweat gathered on Yukio's temples. He gave a subtle pump fake, causing Liam to twitch, then pivoted sharply and passed the ball back out to Takahiro on the wing.
Takahiro's hands closed around the ball with a dry slap, and Shino immediately stepped up, forcing a reaction. The two locked eyes for a brief second. Takahiro took a step in, then rotated his hips to swing the ball back inside. Yukio caught it in stride, planted his left foot, and drove to the hoop. His shoes gripped the floor with a short screech as he leaned into the motion, slipping past Liam's outstretched arm. The ball kissed the backboard and dropped cleanly through the net.
"Nice! That's game," Yukio called out, panting, a line of sweat sliding down the side of his face.
Liam smiled as he bent down to retrieve the ball. "Nice one, Captain. But I almost had you."
"Nice game, Makoto," Hayato added as he jogged up.
Makoto gave a half-hearted yawn, stretching his arms overhead before walking toward the bench. He grabbed his water bottle, the plastic cool and slightly slippery in his hand. Unscrewing the cap, he tilted it back for a long sip. But something caught his eye.
Just past the three-point line, Noboru stood stiffly, dribbling a ball with slow, robotic motions. His brows were pulled together, and his eyes shimmered—not from sweat, but from a quiet, coiled frustration. A single tear lingered at the corner of his eye.
Makoto choked mid-sip, coughing as the water burned down the wrong way. He turned abruptly, shoulders tense, choosing not to look at Noboru any longer. The guilt in the air was thick. His grip on the bottle tightened slightly.
"We all told her that Tetsuo was going to be late," Noboru muttered, just loud enough to draw attention. "And he's the one who doesn't show up at all. How am I the one who gets punished for it?"
Nanaho stomped closer, arms folded and a scowl on her face. "I can't believe Tetsuo of all people would choose to skip training at such a crucial time. He'll pay for that..."
Tomoe stepped between them, her presence calm but firm. "No, Nanaho. I'm sure Tetsuo has his reasons. He isn't the type to miss training."
Nanaho exhaled sharply, her jaw slackening just a little. "I hate to say it, but you're right. He's not that type of person… I just hope everything's alright with him."
As the boys began to cool down with light shooting and stretching, the gym's energy began to settle. Sneakers still squeaked across the court, but the earlier urgency was replaced by scattered laughter and low chatter.
Meanwhile, across town at Hachioji Academy, the girls' gym pulsed with its own rhythm. Another practice was nearing its end. The sharp shrill of Maeda's whistle sliced through the air.
"Come on, girls, move faster down the court! Our second game is in two days. We want to be in peak physical condition!"
"Yes, Coach!" came the tired but unified reply.
Kazue caught the ball near the paint and pivoted fluidly before banking a layup. Suzume intercepted a rebound and passed to Sayaka, who drove hard to the basket, her sneakers pounding against the floor with practiced speed. She scored clean. Yuna received the next pass and flicked it to Haruko. Without breaking stride, Haruko stepped past her defender and executed a clean layup. The ball finally landed in Kotone's hands, who glided into the key and dropped the shot with a soft touch.
Maeda's whistle blew again. "Alright, that's enough for today. Don't burn out before the next game. Go home, rest up. Tomorrow, we review plays—nothing too rigorous."
"Yes, Coach!" they repeated, relief audible in their voices.
"I'm exhausted," Kotone grumbled, her shoulders sagging.
"You can say that again," Sayaka mumbled, tugging her hair free of a loose band.
"That's just practical," Suzume replied, pulling off her damp jersey and tossing it onto the bench. Her tone was measured, like always. "If you want to win, you train. You hone your skills."
Kotone slung her arm around her with a grin. "Oh really? Under all that calm and cold, I bet you're more tired than any of us."
"Hey—get your sweaty self off of me!" Suzume recoiled as Kotone leaned in as she started laughing.
Their commotion bumped into Kazue, who stumbled with her shirt halfway off. "Will you guys please quit it!? I'm trying to change here!"
In the corner, Yuna sat quietly on the bench, legs swinging slightly. Her fingers fidgeted with the hem of her shorts as she watched her seniors with a flush on her cheeks, absorbing the casual camaraderie. It all felt so natural for them.
Kotone spun theatrically. "Well, look who it is! The Rookie of the Year, Yuna! You scored six points in our first game the other day—how do you feel about your performance?"
"Um... I-I..." Yuna's voice barely escaped her throat. Her hands clutched tighter around her water bottle.
Haruko tugged on Kotone's arm. "Alright, quit teasing her."
Kotone sighed, hands raised in surrender. "Fine, fine... then maybe I'll tease you instead," she said, nudging Haruko with her elbow.
Haruko rolled her eyes, grabbed her bag, and walked out into the cool evening air. Her limbs ached in that familiar, satisfying way. Her body felt spent, but her mind was buzzing.
Later, she sat at the dinner table, still replaying drills in her head. Her older sister, Sachiko, sat next to her, and across from them were their parents.
"Haruko," her father began, his voice calm but weighty. "Sachiko told me you had your first game the other day."
She nodded, cautious.
"She said your team won. 77 to 9. That's impressive." His eyes held hers. "I'm proud of you. Keep it up."
Haruko blinked.
He continued, "And... I apologize. For the way I acted the other day. I shouldn't have said what I did. If you love basketball that much, then I'll support your dreams."
She swallowed, warmth gathering in her chest. "Thanks," she whispered.
Her mother smiled. "Well, isn't that great? It was about time you apologized."
"Oh come on," her father groaned, half-laughing. "I've been thinking about it."
"Sure you have," her mother teased, the table filling with soft laughter.
Afterward, Sachiko brushed past her in the hallway.
"Hey, big sis."
Haruko turned. "What is it?"
"Thank you for talking to Dad about everything."
Sachiko blinked. "Don't thank me… it was something I should've done a long time ago. I mean—it's your dream, after all."
They hugged, and the tension that had once lived in Haruko's chest dissolved, replaced with something gentle and real.
Later that night, Haruko lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling. The rhythm of her heart had finally slowed to a steady beat.
"I'm so happy right now," she whispered.
Bing!
Her phone buzzed.
She sat up fast, grabbing it off the nightstand.
Tetsuo.
Her heart stumbled.
Tetsuo: hey
Haruko: hi….
Tetsuo: I'll be playing basketball at the court tonight because I missed out on training today. You usually ask to play together, so... would you like to come along?
Her fingers fumbled over the keys, cheeks burning.
Haruko: of course, I'll be right there!
Tetsuo: i'll be there by 8
Haruko leapt off the bed. Her legs moved on instinct, carrying her across the room as she pulled on her sneakers and grabbed her gym bag. Her chest felt tight, but not from fear.
She was excited. Giddy. Nervous.
She was going to see him again.
And somehow, everything felt right.