Minami and Kishimoto were sitting on the grassy area at the far edge of town thinking about their first meeting with their new coach, Kenehira. What the 31 year old man said in their gym just a few hours ago made Minami's blood boil.

"He's full of crap!" said Minami, his voice low, surpressed with anger.

"Yeah," Kishimoto agreed the wind blowing his chin-length hair away from his face. The breeze seeped through their thin cloth of their uniform but it did not cool their hearts of what had happened to the management of their team.
"He didn't even give respect to Kitano-sensei when he talked!"

"I still want to use the old style," said Minami with conviction, "We'll show them that fast and fierce is the only way to win. Then they'll let Kitano-sensei back in Toyotama."

Kishimoto slanted a glance at his friend before he nodded, acknowledging his captain's decision.

**

The redhead challenged, "Are you guys itching for a fight?"

"What?!"

"If you're offering!"

"C'mon then!"

"STOP IT!" shouted Akagi.

The spectacled-boy from Shohoku sighed in relief.

"No fighting," the tall captain said.

The redhead looked as if he wanted to protest but only grumbled at the missed opportunity of a fight. Kishimoto kept his eyes on the redhead just in case.
If he so much as move I'm going to-

"Stand down Kishimoto," ordered a familiar voice. Everyone turned to looked towards the boy coming up to them. Minami.

Minami stopped to stand in the middle of the source of tension and said to Akagi, "Tomorrow we'll find out who's the stronger."

Kishimoto saw Minami smile. It was a smile full of warning and challenge. Minami rarely smiles nowadays since Kitano resigned from being their coach and if the boy did smile it would be cold and sometimes insincere. The bitterness flows out, making Minami a person one would not want to associate with. The only person that understood him would be Kishimoto himself. Together they make an intimidating pair with their angry fuel in the desire to win.



**

Sweat was pouring down their bodies and faces and their chest heaved in their deep intake of breaths. Their energy was wearing out but what actually kept them down was the sudden lack of trust in their captain.

"What the hell are you doing?!" yelled Kishimoto to his friend, "Do you want to lose?!"

"What did you say?!" demanded Minami dangerously. How dare he! He knows...

Suddenly, the long-haired player grabbed Minami by his jersey, ignoring the panicked shouts from their team-mates and coach.

"That kid you're up against is just a year one and he's lost the use of one eye but he still managed to get 9 points!" Kishimoto pointed out angrily.

Minami roughly pushed Kishimoto's hand away from him, "Let go of me!"

The long-haired player's face screwed up in hatred before he gave a vicious shove, sending Minami stumbling in the arms of their team-mate "Snap out of it, Minami!"

"Osaka's King of points indeed!" sneered Kishimoto, "Zero points in 15 minutes of the 2nd half, that's what you got!"

Minami was too lost in his state of confusion that he didn't lift his head when Kishimoto went on. He's right... I've let them down... . Damn you Rukawa...

"You're Toyotama's greatest player, Minami! Have you forgotten why we're doing this for? Huh? Why we're fighting so hard to win?"

~tbc