Haruko shoots another mid-range shot, and to her surprise, it swishes again. She takes another, but this time, it bounces off the rim.
"I got the gist of it, but it seems like I need more practice to be consistent," said Haruko as she picked up the basketball.
"Yes, just keep working on it, and you'll be a great help to your team," Tetsuo said. He then dribbled the basketball between his legs and behind his back before stepping back and shooting a three-pointer that hit nothing but the net—a perfect shot.
"So cool… this guy is absolutely amazing. It's not just that he makes shots—his form is so perfect, so beautiful," Haruko thought to herself, mesmerized by Tetsuo's shooting technique.
Tetsuo took another three-pointer, and once again, he swished it.
"Since you're just staring, why don't we play a friendly one-on-one to seven?" Tetsuo suggested.
"Oh, I'm sorry, was I that obvious?" Haruko asked, blushing in embarrassment.
"Yeah, it kinda was."
"I'm sorry about that. It's just that I haven't seen someone this good at shooting before," she admitted.
"So how about it?" Tetsuo asked again.
"Oh, you're so on!" Haruko said with a smile.
"I'll give you the ball first, but bear in mind—just because you're a girl doesn't mean I'll go easy on you," Tetsuo warned.
"That's fine by me," Haruko replied confidently.
Tetsuo passed the basketball to Haruko, and she received it in a triple-threat position. Without hesitation, she attacked, dribbling between her legs, then behind her back, before stepping back and taking a mid-range shot. Tetsuo jumped into the air, attempting to block, but the ball swished through the net.
"I made it! I actually made it!" Haruko thought to herself in excitement.
Tetsuo immediately passed the basketball back to her.
"Beginner's luck. It won't happen again," he said.
On the next possession, Haruko dribbled toward the rim and attempted a layup, but Tetsuo blocked it, securing the ball.
"I'm just realizing… this guy is like a giant with the way he jumps," Haruko thought.
On Tetsuo's possession, he faked a shot, causing Haruko to jump. He then dribbled to the side and shot a three-pointer, which swished through the net.
"I fell for his fake… but who wouldn't after seeing how well he shoots?" Haruko thought.
Possession after possession, Tetsuo continued to make three-pointers until he eventually reached seven points.
"You're really amazing, Kawaguchi," Haruko said, breathing heavily. "He made seven three-pointers in a row… if this were a real game, he would have scored twenty-one points."
"To be honest, you're a great player—decent handles, excellent defense, and now you can shoot," said Tetsuo.
"Thanks for the compliment. You're not half bad yourself," Haruko teased.
The sun had risen higher in the sky. "It's getting brighter… it's about time for me to leave. Thank you for teaching me," Haruko said sincerely.
"It wasn't really anything special," Tetsuo replied.
"Well, it was to me. It won't just make me more reliable on the court and in games—it'll also make me a better overall player. I really appreciate what you've done for me. I can't thank you enough," Haruko said as she began to walk away.
Then she suddenly stopped and turned back.
"Oh! I almost forgot!" she exclaimed. "Um… if it's okay with you, can we meet here again so you can give me more tips on how to improve?" she asked, blushing awkwardly.
"Sure, I'll be coming here often, so why not?"
"Alright, great! Let's exchange numbers."
"Uh, okay," Tetsuo said.
"Thank you! Well then, see you later," Haruko said as she left.
Later, on the court…
Tetsuo drove to the rim with astounding speed and shot a layup. The ball bounced off the backboard and swished through the net. As the ball hit the ground, Tetsuo found himself thinking about a conversation he had with his sister.
"Join the basketball team for your own sake. I know you love the game. My well-being is what's holding you back from doing what you love, and I don't want to deny you that," Usagi had said.
"But you're not. You're my responsibility," Tetsuo had replied.
"I know that part of you yearns to play basketball again, which is why you haven't stopped playing all these years," Usagi had insisted.
Tetsuo sighed. "Looks like Usagi was right… I really do love playing basketball. Today was the most fun I've had in a long time… and yesterday's gym session too. Maybe… I really should join the team," he murmured to himself.
At the school entrance…
"I went to karaoke last night with two of my good friends, and we met two members from the boy band The Seven Crimson Hearts," a girl from Toshigawa High said excitedly.
"Whoa, for real?!" her friend responded, shocked.
"Yes! And they sang for me all night! Their voices were so angelic," the girl gushed.
"I envy you! Why didn't you call me?!"
"I even got one of their phone numbers," the girl bragged.
"No way! Can I get it too?" her friend asked eagerly.
"Yes, you can—for five thousand yen," the girl smirked.
"Never mind. I don't have that kind of money to waste," her friend pouted.
"I thought you were a big fan of theirs, but I guess not," the girl teased.
As Tetsuo made his way to the school entrance, he was suddenly stopped by Sachiko.
"Good morning, Kawaguchi. Can I talk to you for a bit?" she asked.
However, Tetsuo ignored her and walked right past.
"What the…? That's it!" Sachiko thought to herself as she grabbed Tetsuo's hand.
"Hey! What the hell is wrong with you? Why are you avoiding me?" she demanded. "Ever since the first day of school, you've been acting cold toward me, and I don't even know why. Did I ever do something to you?!" Sachiko asked angrily.
"Answer me! Why are you avoiding me?!"
"Let go of me," Tetsuo said, his eyes cold.
"Oh… sorry. I got carried away," Sachiko muttered, startled by his glare.
"There's something important I'd like to discuss with you," she said.
"And why should I listen to what you have to say?" Tetsuo retorted.
"What's your deal?"
"Class is about to start. I don't have time for you or your problems," he said before walking away.
"That guy is really getting on my nerves. I thought he was someone I knew… but I guess I was wrong," Sachiko thought to herself.