"Thank you, sensei," the class bowed to the man standing in front of the classroom. The man bowed back and dismissed them.

Akagi gave a stretch, making his tense joints crack.
"How did you do?" the captain asked his spectacled friend who was clearing up his own things from the desk.

Kogure pushed up his glasses and answered, "It was ok. I nearly got stuck with question number 9, though."

Akagi's quick memory did a playback. "Yes," he said rubbing his chin, "It was a trick question. I remember sensei telling us once about the differences in formula."

Kogure nodded and glanced out of the window to see Sakuragi and Kaede running towards the direction of the gym, followed by Miyagi, Ayako and the rest of the team. They seemed to be in a race and the redhead was in the lead with Kaede beside him. However Miyagi was gaining onto the juniors and Ayako was cheering him on what Kogure heard was, "Show those rookies the meaning of speed, Ryota!!"

"Come on, Akagi!" said Kogure excitedly, his enthusiasm ignited by the playful competition among the team he was witnessing, "Let's go practice!"

"You sure are enthusiastic today," drawled Akagi, "I wonder by whom?"

Kogure turned around with a blush on his face, "It's not what you think."

"Oh really?" said Akagi as he stood up, "Whatever."

Kogure followed the captain, his face still red from the tease but a smile graced his lips.
Yes, him...

****

Sakuragi was head to head with Miyagi in the race until they reached the gym where the redhead suddenly ran into a person standing inside the gym in front of the door with Anzai-sensei. The stranger and Sakuragi fell onto the floor, both too dazed to do any more than to groan as they lay there trying to get their bearings back. Miyagi suffered less concussion since he ran into the plump coach and bounced backwards towards Kaede while Anzai-sensei fell on his butt.

"Oww," groaned the stranger, "What hit me?"

"Baka!" cried the redhead, "You shouldn't be standing here!"

"You shouldn't be running into the gym with shoes like that!" the stranger shot back angrily.

Whatever the redhead wanted to say to defend himself, it was cut short by Ayako's voice calling out delightedly, "Mitsui-sempai!!"

"Mitsui?" Miyagi spoke up, getting up from the floor where he fell. Kaede who was thrown onto the floor earlier by the impact got up as well as he looked curiously at scarred-face boy.

"What are you doing here?" the Shohoku guard asked.

The boy called Mitsui grinned, "I'm here to extend an invitation. Ryonan would like to have a practice match with you guys next week. Anzai-sensei said that it was ok."

"We got better after you left, Mitsui," warned Miyagi.

"We did?" asked Ayako dryly.

"Hell yeah!" Sakuragi answered, "You've got the tensai now!"
The redhead strode to Miyagi and dropped his arm around the guard before the two players shot the 'V' sign to Mitsui. This Mitsui-person may have been the star player of Shohoku once but they've got the tensai now!

The scarred-face boy smiled, "Really?"
Suddenly a ball went flying towards Mitsui and the boy instantly caught it. They turned around to see Kaede motion to Mitsui, saying cooly, "One on one."

"With those shoes?" smirked the Ryonan player, bouncing the ball twice before twirling it on his index finger, "Not in this gym, junior."

Kogure blinked stupidly at his outdoor shoes for a moment before glaring at Sakuragi when he heard the redhead snicker, "Baka kitsune."

"Do'aho."

"Temme!!"

"Mitsui."

Their attention shifted from the two juniors to the large form standing at the threshold of the gym. Behind Akagi was Kogure, looking at Mitsui with an expression akin to shock.

"What are you doing here?" asked the tall captain.

"He invited us to a practice match with Ryonan next week. Anzai-sensei said that we'll go," answered Ayako for him.

"Hm," nodded Akagi, "It'll be interesting to see how you have improved."

"You too, Akagi," said the boy in a challanging tone, "And it's good to see you too."
Akagi gave a nod and Mitsui turned his head to look at the boy beside the tall captain.
"You too Kogure," Mitsui said warmly, "Good to see you."

Kogure smiled, feeling strong emotions from the past flooding into him, "Aa. It's been a while, my friend."

Sakuragi watched the short tableau with trepidition. He felt something going on when he saw the caring way Kogure looked at Mitsui and when he heard the spectacled-boy call Mitsui his friend did it finally click.
Him. It's him.

****

The team started practice after they've changed into their clothes (and shoes) and Mitsui stayed longer to talk to his ex-coach. The players did their strenuous exercises with dedication except for a few people. One was Kogure who found himself looking at Mitsui in between exercises, another was Akagi whose concentration was marred when he could see how Kogure was looking distracted by Mitsui's presence and the other was Sakuragi who couldn't help but feel threatened by the possibility of Mitsui being the guy who Kogure loved before.

"Sakuragi!" cried Ayako, "Watch where you're going!"

Sakuragi eeped and tried to stop but it was too late as he crashed into Kaede who was just receiving the ball from Miyagi.
"Itee..."

"Ahou!" growled Kaede, rubbing at his forehead as he stood up.

The redhead rubbed at his own face, but he didn't make to stand up.

"Are you ok?" asked Kogure, jogging up to the redhead.

Sakuragi didn't answer.
Why am I hurting like this?

"Hana-kun," said Kogure softly, hunching down to lean closely to the junior, "Are you in pain?"

"It's him isn't it?" asked Sakuragi suddenly, "That 'friend' that you scratched about on your desk."

Kogure was silent for a moment before pulling at Sakuragi to stand up, "Yes. But that's in the past. It's over now."

Sakuragi patted Kogure's back cheerfully when he saw the senior's sad smile, "Yeah, he doesn't look like your type anyway."

Kogure gave a surprised laugh, "Really?"

"The tensai knows," grinned Sakuragi before running off to get back into the exercise but however light he tried to make it sound he just couldn't make himself believe that it was all over between Kogure and this Mitsui-guy.


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