Kogure quickly stuffed his things inside his gym bag and went outside after locking up the gym, hoping that Sakuragi have not been waiting too long for him at the gate. He was still a little shocked at meeting Mitsui earlier during practice and so he didn't expect to bump into the aforementioned person along his way.

"Mitsui," greeted Kogure, smiling warmly at his friend, "Why are you still here?"

Mitsui brushed his hair back and smiled as well, "I just had to see the school again so I went around meeting some of the senseis and I also met some of our friends from class..."

"I thought you didn't like teachers," teased the spectacled-boy.

"Well," shrugged the Ryonan player, "I did like some."

Kogure chuckled and when he stole a look at his watch he suddenly remembered Sakuragi, "Look, Mitsui. I've got to go. It's already late."

Mitsui shoved his hands in his pockets and nodded, "Yeah, sure. See you at the practice match then."

"Yeah," said Kogure turning around to leave, "See you there."

"Kogure..."

The spectacled boy turned around and looked at Mitsui questioningly, "Yeah?"

Mitsui hesitated as if he was finding words to say but all he said finally was, "Nothing. Ja ne."

And then without another word, Mitsui left Kogure standing there, staring at him in puzzlement.
Mitsui?

****

Sakuragi played around with the loose concrete of the sidewalk outside the school gate while he waited for the senior at their usual meeting place. He was thinking about what has happened in practice just now and also to a time after that where he confronted Akagi into telling him what the captain knows about Mitsui. The redhead tried to be discreet as he knew that Akagi already knew about he and Kogre from the spectacled senior but anyone knows that no one can ever get anything past the wise captain especially by someone who lacks subtlety like Sakuragi.

"What with this deal on Mitsui?" asked Sakuragi an hour ago at the locker room. Nearly everyone has gone except for a few who were slowly trailing out and Kogure was busy cleaning the court outside with a second year. As mentioned earlier the redhead lacked subtlety.

Akagi sighed, "What is there that you want to know more about Sakuragi. He is one of out friends a great player. He was voted at MVP before highschool so that shows how good he is."

The redhead scowled, "But still he couldn't get past your Steamboat if he tried, right?"

Akagi's pride in his skill began to take over him, "Yes. He tried to the first time we met. He's a good three point shooter. I excell at closer shots and guarding the basket."

Sakuragi laughed, "Yeah Gori! He couldn't beat you in a thousand years!"
Somehow that made the redhead as ease especially when he personally thought that he could beat the captain if he asked for a one-on-one but everyone else, especially Rukawa doubted that.

"Don't celebrate yet, Sakuragi," warned Akagi slinging his bag over his shoulder and stood up from his seat on the bench, "That was a few months ago. He might have gotten better now."

The redhead nearly frowned at the double meaning in the first sentence Akagi has just spoken. Before he could say anything else, the captain was gone.

"Hana-kun."

Sakuragi was jolted from his thoughts when a hand dropped on his shoulder gently. The redhead turned around to see Kogure give him a curious look behind the smile, "What were you thinking about?"

"Nothing special," said the redhead pushing himself from the wall of the gate he was leaning on.
Yeah, right.

"Let's go," said Kogure motioning with his head.

The two walked in silence until Sakuragi opened his mouth to ask a casual question, "Hey, Min-kun. You told me once that you joined the team because you liked basketball. Is that really the reason?"

"Yes, it is," nodded Kogure. And then Kogure thought for a moment before continuing, "Actually at first I didn't know a thing on the game but the first time I saw Mitsui on the court I thought, 'Yeah, this game is really something. I wish I could play like him'. So when I entered Shohoku I instantly went to join the basketball team. I didn't know Mitsui enrolled in Shohoku until I met him at the staff room to hand in my ECA form."

"So that means you joined the team because of Mitsui?" concluded the redhead.

"I guess," laughed Kogure but his smile disappeared when he saw the serious look on the junior's face. Something's wrong here...

Kogure cleared his throat and quickly changed the subject, "The intensive training will start in 3 weeks time. Are you ready for it?"

With the rigorous training under Akagi's leadership and Anzai-sensei supervision, the redhead has no idea how much more intensive this intensive training can be compared to the normal one but instead of giving up he felt more challanged, "The tensai is ready! Under this training I will be made into the first star-player from year one compared to Kaede!"

Kogure smiled, "That's good to hear. Other than Akagi, Mitsui-kun was the first first year to excell his skills by those training with Anzai-sensei's help. He and Akagi were amazing and we were surpised at how quick they were able to raise faster than the third year..."

Kogure stopped when the redhead mumbled, "Mitsui-kun's that great, huh?"

Shimatta...

"Y-yeah... and Akagi too..."

Kogure's instantly felt guilt and as he tried to look for another topic to talk about, the redhead kept walking and the senior could only stare at the redhead's back while silently pleading,
Hana-kun ... please don't jump to conclusions... it's not like that...

The reason he was unable to say it out loud is because that he himself didn't want to jump into any conclusions especially with the confused feelings he was feeling at the moment since Mitsui came to see them.

****

The Shohoku team was greeted by the Ryonan team inside the gym and each exchange pleasantries with hidden scrutinisation one would expect from opposing players. The Shohoku juniors were more than a little intimidated when they saw how huge Uuzomi was compared to their own captain and seeing how two other players, Sendoh and Fukuda, were they were glad to have Sakuragi and Rukawa to balance the power in terms of height. Sendoh gives a good first impression on them when he was the first to greet them with his air of joviality and ease. In fact he and Sakuragi clicked when the good humoured Ryonan indulged the Shohoku rookie with the redhead's usual sense of egotistical attitude that irked the other player Fukuda. Mitsui hasn't arrived yet but they were nevertheless shown to the guest team locker room to change.

"Is everyone ready?" asked Kogure, patting a junior's back for support as the whole team gathered inside the Ryonan gym's locker room for their practice match against the Ryonan team.

There were hesitant responses but some sounded determined which brought an amused grin from the spectacled senior. Akagi instantly rectified that, making a power circle to boost their morale and faith of themselves.

After Akagi made the juniors nearly hoarse in trying to proclaim how strong they were, Kogure excused himself to go to the toilet. The restroom was easy to find and when he reached there the place was empty except for one stall. The occupant came out just as Kogure was about to enter another stall when the Shohoku player realised that the person was Mitsui.

"Kogure..."

"Mitsui," greeted Kogure, "I didn't see you just now."

"I was late coming here," explained Mitsui sheepishly, "Boy, was Taoka-sensei pissed. I thought only Sendoh would get the coach that annoyed but I was shown how wrong I was just now. On the other hand Taoka-sensei always looked pissed..."

Kogure laughed, "You always have trouble with senseis, don't you?"

"Except Anzai-sensei, mind you," reminded Mitsui grinning, "If I had to chance to not transfer, my reason would be because of him..."

Kogure smiled, "Aa."

"And you..."

Kogure looked at Mitsui in surprise.

"When the team decided to invite you guys to a practice match I offered mysef to extend the invite just to see you guys again in the place where we first became a team - me, you, Akagi, Anzai-sensei..."

The Shohoku player gave a gentle smile, thinking that Mitsui was talking about their friendship when Mitsui surprised him again by saying, "That last day before I left Shohoku... when you told me..."

Kogure's form tensed as he listened to Mitsui continue after a short stop as if the boy was forming the words before he spoke them, "My thoughts were all about baskeball and school exams that all sensei's thought I need to improve on to pass... and of course, girls..."

Mitsui-kun...

"I was surprised when you told me how you felt and I didn't get to think about it until after I felt calm to do so and that's like nearly three weeks after I left. And I thought much about you..."

Please, don't...

"I know it was selfish of me..." said Mitsui

...don't make me remember...

"...I understand now..." Kogure heard Mitsui say.

...so much pain...

"...I want to turn back the time..."

...at that moment. It hurt me...

"...I wonder if it's already too late?"

Startled, Kogure's eyes widened and the words he knew he should be speaking that was screaming in his brain was logged in his throat, refusing to come out.
I already have someone...

Mitsui watched Kogure in silence as the spectacled-boy warred with his own feelings. Seeing that the boy in front of him was not about to answer his question, Mitsui's head lowered in disappointment.

"I'm sorry," said the scarred-face boy to his friend, "If this is sudden... and I know what I'm saying should not be considered since I let you down the first time... so that was why I didn't want to see you until now. I was afraid of being rejected like I did to you..."

No, don't say it...

Mitsui stepped closer, making Kogure suck in a quiet gasp of breath.
"But I hope that you would consider... I'll wait for your reply..."

Not waiting for Kogure to say anything else, Mitsui turned to walk away.

Sakuragi quickly walked away when he heard Mitsui about to reach the door he was standing near to. He has heard the conversation between Kogure and the Ryonan player and the troubled feelings brewing inside him since he met Mitsui reached the surface of his heart with pained ferocity.


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