After the fireworks festival was over, Skitta and I spent everyday after school practicing our game. I still wasn't able to make a single shot though.
"Screw this crap I'm gonna go watch anime."
"Baka baka baka. What about our promise. At this rate you'll never become the king of hoopers. Plus tryouts are already tomorrow."
"Which is why I came up with a super secret plan. Don't worry I've gyatttt this."
There was no super secret plan.
-
Skitta chan and Joma came with me to watch the tryouts. I caught Joma watching us during our practice sessions a few time and eventually told her she didn't need to hide from us. She started to tag along after that. I didn't mind the company.
Any who I was ready to give it my all, to put all the skills I've honed to the test. Except I kept on flubbing it. Coach Ye called me over to the side. He wasn't impressed.
"Ummmm what the Ohio."
Nande…
"Gomen Overthinking Hooper but there's only one spot left on the team and you're not that guy pal. You're not that guy. You haven't even been able to make a shot yet. Ganbatte next year gaki."
"But I am working hard. I am. Somebody please. Somebody please be nice to me. I've fought so much. I'm doing the best I can. Can't you treat me better. Can't you be nice to me ! Why can't you be nice to me !!"
I got on my knees and started to tug on Coach Ye's shirt.
"Onegai onegai onegai. Isn't there anything a boy can do."
I batted my big beautiful eyelashes at him.
The gyms doors suddenly bursted open.
"Hmmmm."
Ohhhh crap. I knew that voice from anywhere.
"If you can beat me in a game of 21 the spot is all yours bay bee."
It was him. Hmmmm.
Coach Ye scratched his chinny chin chin.
"If you say so Hmmmm. Well gaki the courts all yours."
"Ganbere ganbere sempai !!"
I looked over to the stands.
"Quite Joma."
Skitta chan stood up and pumped her fist.
"You've gyatt this Haister. Fight on !!"
I scratched the back of my head and smiled nervously.
"Ehehehe. Arigato Skitta chan."
Cuteness overload !!
-
Hmmmm stood right behind the line in the center of the court. He would start us off. Hmmmm field advantage he called it.
"Check."
He bounced the ball to me.
"Mate."
I bounced it back.
As soon as he grabbed the ball he swiftly brushed past my right.
plunk
1-0
"Hmmmm >:)"
Hmmmm was a 2nd year who had just transferred here from TTMSHS. He was the star player back at his old school so Coach Ye didn't even ask him to come to tryouts. The spot was already his.
My turn.
"Check."
"Mate."
swoop
Hmmmm snatched the ball from my hands and ran past me to clear the ball. Then he went for a half court shot.
swish
3-0
He was just showing off.
"Che-"
"Mate"
swoop
swish
5-0
"Bucketsssss."
6-0, 7-0, 8-0… 18-0
I looked out in the stands at Skitta chan. Seeing her gave me a bit of hope. I've been letting everyone down for so long. But I found one person that could believe in me. The one person who would be there no matter wha-
swoop
swish
"Hmmmm… ka ka"
19-0
Then something just snapped, something inside of me.
"No! No more! That's it! I don't care !!"
I didn't care anymore. I didn't care about being better than Hmmmm. I didn't care about being an average thinking hooper. I didn't care if I lived. I didn't care about anything!
And then...it happened. Yes, that's how it happened... That's how I became the overthinking hooper. The sleeper has awakened. I am Haise the Overthinking Hooper.
Everything around me went dark. The only things I could see were the court, the hoop, and Hmmmm. I saw exactly how it was all gonna play out. After passing the ball back to me he was gonna step to my left and immediately swipe the ball from me. He would then run past me to my right and go for the half court shot to win the game. He would make it. At least that's what was supposed to happen.
"Mate."
I side stepped to the right, completely dodging Hmmmm. Wouldn't it be funny if he tripped.
Hmmmm tripped.
Wouldn't it be funny if I made this shot.
swish
19-1
I made my first shot. Everything around me turned normal again. A single tear of blood ran down my face.
"Kyaaaaa!! Sugoi Haise kun !!"
Skitta chan and Joma were cheering me on.
"Hmmmm… you got lucky overthinking hooper. Let's see you try that again."
His ball now.
"Check."
"Mate."
Everything went dark again. Going for a dunk I see. Show off. Too bad he left such a wide opening. A half court shot would get the crowd going.
"Yoink !!"
swoop
swish
19-3
"KYAAAAAAA !!7"
I wiped my face. There was blood smeared on my fingers. My eyes were a little irritated.
"This is gonna be easy peesy lemon squeeze."
"Hmmmm…"
19-4, 19-5, 19-6… 19-19
"Nani… This isn't right… I was supposed to be the star player dammit. I won't loose to the pathetic overthinking hooper. Check."
I could hardly see. All of the blood made my eyes extremely irritated and my vision was beyond blurry.
"Mate."
He charged right past me and slammed the ball in the hoop.
"Hmmmm…"
I wasn't gonna get another chance and I didn't know if I could use that ability again. But I needed this. One last shot. Onegai kami.
"Check."
"Mate."
A shot in the dark. At half court too. It was all I could hope for. If Hmmmm got his hands on the ball again I would be finished. It was this or nothing.
swoosh
20-21
Checkmate.
END OF PART I. THE OVERTHINKING HOOPER.