The morning after the first night of camp came alive with the hum of sneakers, the soft swish of nets, and the sound of voices rising with the sunrise. The gym was already bright sunlight cutting through the glass windows like molten gold and every breath in that space carried the same rhythm: focus.
Yuuto wiped sweat from his brow, his lungs burning, the familiar ache of competition pushing him forward. Conditioning drills were brutal. Coach Hikari wasn't holding back.
"Pick it up!" she shouted, her voice slicing through the noise. "You slow down now, you'll be crawling by evening!"
"Y-Yes, Coach!" a few players shouted back, voices ragged.
Marcus stumbled on the sideline, clutching his knees. "Yo, why does this feel like military training?"
"Because it basically is," Ren wheezed beside him.
