The first practice session for the new students in the Shohoku basketball team was taking place. Kogure stood and listened as the juniors introduced themselves one by one. When each of them finished Kogure gave a friendly nod, a contrast to the silent and still captain who was like a looming giant making the juniors sweat just by looking at him.
Suddenly a shuffle from behind made them all look to see a girl with a cap just entering the gym with a sheepish grin but her expression turned devilish when she saw the new players. Walking up to the group with a bounce in her steps she began to tease and torment the juniors with delight that Akagi had to tell her to stop to continue the formalities which she has distrupted.
"Sakuragi Hanamichi! Class 1-7!" the tall redhead announced in a loud voice. Akagi arched an eyebrow while Ayako giggled. Kogure watched him, the left side of his mouth curved in a smile. Kaede who was standing beside the redhead gave the redhead a slanted look.
"I am Akagi Takenori, your captain from year 3," said Akagi.
"I am Kogure Kiminobu, assistant captain also from year 3," said Kogure.
"And I am Ayako, your manager from year 2," Ayako said giving them a salute with the clipboard in her hand. The juniors blushed as did Ryota but he instantly gave the younger boys a deadly glare.
Akagi then began giving a quick speech about hows and whats about the basketball team and warning them beforehand that the practice session that he would be giving would be strenuous to prepare them for the games against the other teams from different schools.
While Akagi talked, Kogure let his eyes wander and when they alighted on the redhead in particular, the boy was staring at him with a thoughtful look on his face. Kogure quickly diverted his gaze, uncomfortable - knowing that Sakuragi was probably wondering about him when the junior found him in the basketball supply room crying.
When Akagi ordered that the first practice session to start, Kogure discreetly breathed a sigh of relief, thankful that now those brown eyes were looking elsewhere.
*****
Kogure, Akagi and Ryota were walking along the main corridor towards their classes as they talked about the the new recruits in the basketball team. The seniors were pleased that Kaede has joined the team because since pre-highschool Kogure's younger brother was known for his amazing skills on court but Akagi reminded them that Anzai-sensei wanted Kaede to start developing team cooperation because the junior seemed only to be interested in solo performance.
Suddenly they heard a commotion coming from behind and when they turned around they saw four boys being chased by a furious redhead. Students around them quickly edged back in fear of being pushed or trampled by the group.
"What do you guys think about Sakuragi?" asked Ryota, watching at the quickly disappearing backs of the juniors nonchalantly. Since the first time he met the redhead, he knew that those sort of things will be a daily occurance with the junior in their school.
"He doesn't know how to play and he has the attitude of a 6 year old," said Akagi with an annoyed voice.
"But he does have potential," Kogure reminded him, "He has strength and his speed is impressive. Have Ayako coach him the basics for now."
Akagi grunted in agreement before they continued walking. Then Ryota had to part from them to get to his class and Akagi and the vice captain walked on.
"I heard that Aota is hunting Sakuragi to get him to join the judo team," informed Akagi suddenly.
Kogure looked at his friend in surprise, "He can't! Sakuragi is already in the basketball team!"
"Aota is persistent and I can't stop him from asking Sakuragi. We should let the boy decide for himself," said Akagi firmly.
Kogure frowned, "Why would he take an interest in Sakuragi?"
"You said so yourself that Sakuragi is strong. That boy managed to defeat three of Aota's best fighters and with Sakuragi's reputation going around..."
"Reputation?"
"Yeah," said Akagi, giving Kogure a look as if the spectacled-boy should know what he was talking about, "Sakuragi has a reputation of a fighter in every school he was in, making trouble together with those four friends of his. I even heard that he managed to knock down the three-year punks yesterday at the rooftop. No one reported this to the school authorities but the everyone was talking about it."
Kogure went silent, his face a mask of worry. That Sakuragi kid sounded like he was a handful to handle but try as he might he couldn't understand why he trusted the redhead to a point that he wanted forget the evident flaws.
****
The next day Kogure was rushing down the stairs for breakfast, seeing that he was already late for it. Downstairs his mother was already washing the dishes, chastising him for being unusually tardy when it was normally Kaede who would be found still asleep in his bed.
He grabbed a piece of toast and crammed it in his mouth, munching on it while fixing the top button of his blazer. His eyes quickly darted in search for his lunch bag that his mother usually sets on the table before they leave for school and when he couldn't find it he asked, "Okaa-sama, where's my lunch?"
His mother gave a look of bewilderment before she said, "It was here with Kaede's lunch just a few minutes ago..."
"Where's Kaede?" asked Kogure, trying to comb his hair with his fingers.
"He already left, saying that he's walking to school with his friend..."
Already Kogure was gone in a flash, guessing that his absent-minded brother has accidentally taken his lunch when he left. It was outside the gate of the school that he caught up with Kaede, the boy leaning against the wall of the gate asleep. The bell from the school clock chimed making the spectacled-boy panic, and totally forgetting about Kaede's reaction to anyone waking him from a nap, Kogure gave his brother a rude shake. When he saw the arm swing, Kogure quickly ducked with an undignified "eep".
When the fox-eyed boy slowly opened his eyes, the older sibling gave him an annoyed and harried look, "Give me my lunch back!"
"What?" asked Kaede scratching at his mussed up hair. Kogure knew his hair was as untidy as his brother since he didn't have time to groom himself properly at home but he was too worried about being late for class than to start worrying about how he looked.
"My lunch," clarrified Kogure, "You took my lunch by mistake with yours."
"I already ate it," said Kaede. Kogure gaped, "You what?"
"I thought okaasan made as extra one for me," Kaede said in a monotone. One would think that if someone has done something wrong by mistake, that person would look apologetic but the blue-eyed boy didn't not show such an expression.
Kaede hung his head in dismay. He was already late for roll-call, his lunch has been eaten and he looked as if he's just been dragged out of bed - forcefully. The day couldn't get any worse.
Suddenly he heard a chuckle and twisting his head to look behind Kaede there was Sakuragi, leaning against the inner side of the wall of the school compund with his hands in his pockets.
"Ohayo, sempai!" greeted Sakuragi and then he grinned at Kogure's appearance, "You always look so tidy before and I assumed that you are always on time for class. Bad day?"
Kogure blushed, embarrassed that the junior saw him in his worst, "Uh, yeah." Then he asked, "You two walked to school together?"
"Aa, we're in the same class," affirmed the blue-eyed boy, "he walks by our house to school."
"You're Kaede's brother, eh? I'm the only kid in my family so I've always wanted an older brother," said Sakuragi smiling. The redhead looked so sincere that Kogure found himself surprised at the openness of the boy.
The the redhead pushed himself off of the wall to stand straight, his fists by his sides in a military-type manner, "I am Sakuragi Hanamichi, the tensai of Shohoku and my dream is to bring the school to the championships!"
Kaede rolled his eyes and Kogure smiled. "I believe you will Sakuragi. Together with Kaede, ne?" the senior said looking at his brother, hinting. Already he has told Kaede that the boy should try practice team playing skills to help their overall game performance.
"Hah! The tensai can do it without the kitsune's help!" boasted the redhead.
Kaede said in a low irritated voice, "Do'aho..."
"Temme...!"
Kogure instantly wanted to get in between them to stop the apparent beginnings of a quarrel but seeing more late-comers run by him also eager not to be too late for class, he changed his mind.
"Look you guys, I got to go!" said Kogure already running towards the school building's entrance, "Kaede! Sakuragi! You two should go to class as well! It's already late!"
"Hai," said Kaede but his reply was lost to the boy already far away to hear him.
Sakuragi stepped beside him to watch to parting senior, "Your brother's ok. I wish I have one like him."
Kaede shrugged, "If you want you can take him."
Sakuragi laughed, "Why not?"
The raven-haired boy arched an eyebrow, making the redhead chuckle, "I was kidding."