Tōdai High School was very large.
The campus was filled with cherry blossom trees.
The cherry blossoms drifting through the air were breathtakingly beautiful.
After walking around and asking a few seniors for directions, Ueno finally found his classroom.
Class 1-A.
And Kurumatani Sora, whom he had just met, was in Class 1-B next door.
Sitting in the back corner by the window, Ueno began to observe the other students in the classroom.
As for why he chose the back corner by the window…
The back row by the window—the seat of kings!
Ueno estimated there were about forty students in the class.
Half boys, half girls.
After waiting quietly for about half an hour, a female teacher wearing sky-high heels walked in as the bell rang.
The moment she entered, the noisy classroom instantly fell silent.
Pushing up her glasses, the teacher looked at this year's freshmen with a smile.
"Hello, students. I am your class advisor. For the next three years…"
After the class advisor finished speaking, they distributed textbooks, followed by self-introductions.
Standing at 185 centimeters tall, Ueno could definitely be considered a pillar of the class.
Before he even spoke, he caused a stir in the room.
"He's so tall!"
"And he's so handsome!"
"Why does this guy look so familiar?"
Ignoring the chatter, Ueno gave a simple self-introduction.
"Hello, everyone. My name is Ueno Juri. Please take care of me."
Unlike China, where Ueno used to live, school bags in Japan were more like handbags.
They couldn't hold many books; students usually only brought home what they studied that day.
Or they only carried the books for the classes they had, leaving the rest at home.
It was the first day of school.
Mostly textbook distribution and getting to know each other.
Seeing that the timing was right, the class advisor began the most important task of the day.
General cleaning.
As the "pillar of the class," Ueno was given the heavy responsibility of removing spider webs.
The classroom wasn't actually dirty, but first-day cleaning had probably become tradition.
While sweeping the webs with a broom, Ueno suddenly felt someone staring at him.
Turning his head, he saw Kurumatani Sora looking at him happily, carrying a bucket.
"Ueno-kun?"
"Oh, Sora? Hello!"
Holding the bucket with both hands, Kurumatani Sora looked at him expectantly.
"After school, shall we go to the Basketball Club together?"
"Okay."
After a brief pause, Ueno nodded.
Looking up at the 185cm-tall Ueno, Kurumatani Sora's eyes were full of shock, and his voice was filled with envy.
"Ueno-kun, you're really tall!"
Hearing this, and seeing the envy in Sora's eyes, Ueno was about to speak when a voice suddenly called from the hallway.
"Sora-kun!"
"Here!"
"Sorry, Ueno-kun! See you after school!"
"Yeah, see you after school."
Watching the flustered Kurumatani Sora run off, Ueno smiled helplessly.
A moment later…
Ueno heard a conversation between Kurumatani Sora and a girl.
"Sora-san, I almost thought you got lost while getting water."
"I'm really sorry, Nao-san!"
Time passed quickly.
Perhaps because there wasn't much to do on the first day, school ended very early.
It was only around four o'clock when the class advisor dismissed the class.
Ueno thought he had been dismissed early, but as soon as he left the classroom, he saw Kurumatani Sora leaning against the stairwell entrance, waiting somewhat boredly.
"Sorry to keep you waiting, Sora."
"No, I just got out too."
Every club at Tōdai High School had its own club room and dedicated training grounds.
However, the Basketball Club seemed different.
After searching for a while, Ueno and Kurumatani Sora finally found it.
They had already seen the indoor basketball court earlier, but there were no basketball club members there—only students from other clubs.
It wasn't like what Ueno had imagined.
In the end, they had to search for the club room.
The Basketball Club was located in a small building.
A small building that didn't even have a lock.
It was right next to the basketball court—just outside the gym and around the corner.
Standing at the door, Ueno quietly observed the inside.
The room was about seventy square meters.
Inside were two wardrobes, a long table, many NBA star stickers on the walls, and a few worn benches.
Nothing else.
If not for the sign that clearly read "Basketball Club,"
Ueno would've thought they had come to the wrong place.
Unlike Ueno, Kurumatani Sora was extremely excited, his face flushed.
"Yo, you're here? Pretty early."
While they were still inspecting the room, a familiar voice came from behind.
Turning around, they saw the two seniors from recruitment.
"Hello, seniors!"
"Yeah, come in. It's a bit rough, don't mind it."
Hearing this, Ueno said nothing, but Kurumatani Sora replied excitedly,
"No, no, no—this is already great!"
The senior looked a little surprised at Sora's enthusiasm.
He tossed his bag onto the table and pointed at the wardrobes.
"Pick one. Just don't touch the ones with nameplates—they're taken. The rest are free."
After speaking, he leaned back lazily and started chatting with the other senior.
"Yes!"
Kurumatani Sora excitedly began choosing.
Ueno, meanwhile, quietly counted the wardrobes with nameplates.
Seven.
Adding himself and Kurumatani Sora…
That made nine.
Fewer than his middle school team.
His father's words echoed in his mind.
There might be a gap in expectations for the Basketball Club.
There really was a gap.
Choosing a wardrobe at random, Ueno put away his backpack.
Recalling the empty court earlier, he looked at the two chatting seniors and asked,
"Seniors, aren't we going to practice?"
As soon as he spoke, Kurumatani Sora also leaned over curiously.
"Practice?"
The two seniors exchanged looks and smiled bitterly.
One of them looked at Ueno's tall frame and said,
"I really don't know why you came to our school. If it's for academics, that's fine. But if it's for basketball—you picked the wrong place."
The other senior added,
"Our Basketball Club doesn't really have 'practice.' If you want to play, take a ball and go find somewhere to play yourselves."
He pointed toward the corner of the room.
There sat a broken bamboo basket.
Inside were several deflated basketballs and two air pumps.
Ueno frowned slightly.
Beside him, Kurumatani Sora fell silent.
Then, under the surprised gazes of the two seniors, he walked over, knelt down, and wiped the dust off a basketball.
The room fell quiet.
Then Kurumatani Sora suddenly turned around, holding the flat ball, and said excitedly,
"Ueno, this ball is still good! It's just out of air!"
Looking at Sora's bright expression, Ueno felt a trace of helplessness—and something else he couldn't quite name.
He smiled unconsciously.
"Yeah," he said."Then let's pump it up."