After a brief introduction, Sayaka brought out a large whiteboard and placed it beside Coach Masaki.
"I've already seen all of you from the video tape that Takeshi got for me," she said, picking up a marker.
Dirga blinked in surprise. A video tape? This was 2006, so that meant... it must've been a cassette. How did Takeshi even find a working VCR for that?
Masaki Coach stepped forward, arms crossed. "You guys have potential. Some of you might already be ready to compete." He scanned the team one by one. "But basketball isn't a game of one-on-one. It's team versus team. To fully utilize all your skills, we need an orchestra. And fortunately,"—his gaze passed over Dirga, Kaito, and paused briefly on Shouta—"we have a few lead instruments, and even some rough gems."
There was silence, just the sound of sneakers shifting nervously on the court.
"We have defensive talent. Scoring talent. Hustle. Grit. That means we have no excuse for weakness—as long as we can learn to play together."
Dirga was caught off guard again. He had assumed Masaki Coach would be the old-school drill sergeant type. The kind of coach who yelled more than he taught. But this guy? He was surprisingly... reasonable. Tough, but thoughtful.
"Today, we'll start by listing each of your weaknesses—and how to overcome them. A week from now, we'll have our first scrimmage."
Aoi's eyes widened. "Wait—our school?"
"Yes," Takeshi chimed in. "Toyonaka Kensei Junior High. An elite basketball school. They've reached the national tournament before, and they've been rebuilding these past two years."
Dirga's heart stirred. Toyonaka Kensei. He knew that name well. In his previous life, he had played for them. Reached the quarterfinals of the national stage with them. He hadn't won, but that team had been special. And next week... if any of those players were still there, it would be a solo reunion. The irony? He'd be the only one who remembered.
"For the lineup," Masaki Coach continued, "we'll observe who manages to confront and overcome their weaknesses in the coming drills. I don't care about your name, your background, or your grade. What I want to see is passion—and the willingness to push through."
Sayaka and Ayaka began handing out individual notes. When Dirga opened his, he wasn't surprised. If anything, he was impressed.
Dirgantara Renji
Weakness
Physical Limitations: Undersized, underweight. Needs serious strength & conditioning.
Stamina Issues: High-output plays come at a heavy cost. Risk of physical burnout.
Contact Game: Struggles finishing through contact. Gets bumped off balance easily.
Reckless: Occasionally overextends himself to carry the team. Needs to trust others more consistently.
…
Dirga read the note in silence. Not wrong. In fact... dead-on.
"This is confidential," Coach Masaki said. "These weaknesses are what I'll use to evaluate you for the scrimmage lineup. Training starts tomorrow. Today? We warm up with some light exercises."
"Alright! Move, move, move!"
….
Huff... Huff... Huff...
It felt like the air was being vacuumed out of the gym. Everyone was on the floor, drenched in sweat, bodies scattered like the aftermath of a battlefield.
"This... this is all you've got?" Masaki Coach's voice echoed. "That was just the warm-up!"
No one answered. Not because they didn't want to—but because they couldn't. Everyone was too exhausted. Dirga could barely move. Still, he turned his head to glance at Kaito. He was tired too—but thankfully, no signs of strain. Masaki Coach must've known about his heart condition already.
"Alright. That's it for today," the coach finally said. "I want to see more tomorrow."
Sayaka and Ayaka handed out towels and drinks. Everyone slumped onto benches or leaned against walls. Groans filled the air.
"You guys need to work on your endurance," Masaki Coach said. "Basketball is an explosive sport. If you can't breathe, you can't play."
He paused, then grinned.
"As an introduction to the new regime—tonight, I'm treating you all to ramen."
"IT'S FREE?!" Taiga shouted, eyes sparkling.
"Of course. It's on my tab."
"YEAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!"
The whole team exploded into cheers.
…
We hopped on a bus, while Takeshi, Aoi, and Coach Masaki drove in Takeshi's car. It felt like déjà vu. Just a few days ago, I was the new guy on the way to the same ramen shop.
"RAMEN YEAHHH!"?" Rikuya gave a curious look.
"Ramen Yeahhhh!" Aizawa chuckled under his breath.
"RAAAAAMEEENNN YEAHHHHH Taiga roared.
Everyone burst out laughing.
The shop was just like before. Same signs, same mouthwatering smell drifting out the windows. Everyone slid into their seats, already debating toppings and spice levels. As bowls were being prepped in the kitchen, conversation turned back to basketball.
"Kaito-senpai, is Toyonaka Kensei really that strong?" Yuto asked.
"Of course they are," Aoi interrupted before Kaito could even answer.
"They're strong. Especially their shooting guard," Rikuya added.
I knew exactly who they meant. A half-American kid. Started playing in elementary school. A pure scoring machine. He was the core of the rebuild. Even back then, he was scary.
"Yes, their shooting guard is a monster," Kaito confirmed. "They made it to the finals of the prefectural tournament last year. They're a team on the rise."
"What about the rest of their lineup?" Rei asked.
"They're decent," Kaito said. "And improving every year. This is a good test for us."
The ramen bowls finally arrived, and the chorus of slurping began. Heaven in broth form.
"So, what do you say, Aoi?" I nudged her. "Want to bet on the scrimmage?"
Aoi narrowed her eyes at me like a demon queen about to make a deal.
"What do you want to bet?"
"Ice cream for a week."
"Make it snacks. You choose."
"Deal."
"Deal."
Our fists bumped across the table. The drill had just begun—but so had the fire in all of us.