The girls at Hachioji Academy had just finished a training exercise and were now on break.
"I wonder where Haruko is," said Sayaka worriedly.
"That's true. She has never missed a training day—never at all," said Kazue.
"Even if she was sick, she would be here training," said Suzume.
"Are you guys forgetting the time she skipped training and school to watch that practice match at Yokonan? So why does it surprise you that she's not here now? She's probably going out on a date with Kawaguchi," said Kotone.
"Maybe she's just running late. Why do you have to jump to those conclusions, Kotone?" asked Sayaka.
Haruko arrived at the basketball court. However, instead of heading straight to the locker room, she went to her coach.
"I wonder what's wrong. Haruko's face looks so serious," Sayaka thought to herself.
"Coach, could I please get a day off from training today? There's something important I have to deal with. I promise I'll make up for it tomorrow," said Haruko.
"I have no issues with you taking a day or two off. You have been working harder than anyone else, and I really appreciate you informing me first. Thank you, Haruko," said Coach Maeda.
"Okay, thanks, Coach," said Haruko as she left.
"No way! She actually left?" said Kazue, surprised.
"See? I told you she's going on a date with Kawaguchi," said Kotone.
"Sorry for keeping you waiting, Usagi," said Haruko.
"I wasn't waiting long, so it's alright," replied Usagi.
"That's good. Shall we get going then?" asked Haruko as they both left the compound.
At Toshigawa Academy, Shino was on the basketball court, dribbling through cones with the ball in his left hand.
"Twenty-seven, twenty-eight, twenty-nine, thirty, thirty-one..." he counted to himself as he dribbled the ball back and forth through the cones.
"Today was really tough on me. I'll have to study even harder for those surprise pop quizzes," said Yuri to herself as she sighed.
"These teachers are really making my head hurt," said Yuri out loud.
After walking further, she spotted Rie staring into the gym.
"Wait, is that Rie? She's over at the basketball gym. Is she really watching that boy?" Yuri asked herself as she walked over to Rie.
"Hey, Rie!" she shouted, which startled Rie, causing her to jump.
"Geez, don't scare me like that," said Rie after realizing it was Yuri.
"Sorry about that, I was just curious. Are you here to watch Katsuragi train?" asked Yuri.
"Shush!! Do you want him to hear us?" asked Rie as she covered Yuri's mouth.
"Fine, I get it. But every day you come out here and watch him train, so why don't you just go over and say hi to him for once?" asked Yuri.
"I can't. It's way more complicated than that," replied Rie.
"Why do you even like him so much?"
"Well, that's..."
"Alright, take a seven-minute break, everyone," said Nanaho.
"We're starting to function effectively as a team. These plays Nanaho came up with will be the key to our victory," said Yukio, sweat dripping from his shirt.
Shino, who was visibly tired, took a deep breath and smiled, satisfied with the progress he had made.
"Hey, Shino, mind if I send you out to get a drink from the vending machine for me?" asked Takahiro.
"No, I don't mind getting it for you," replied Shino.
"Thank you. Here," said Takahiro as he handed him some money.
"One for me and Liam as well, please," said Hayato as he handed him some cash.
"Okay, I'll be right back, everyone," said Shino as he left.
"Oh no, he's coming this way. What am I going to do?" said Rie as she panicked and hid behind Yuri.
"Um... you're from the newspaper club, right? Are you here for more material from us?" asked Shino, freaking out.
"No, don't worry, I'm not here to take pictures of you today. I'm here because Rie asked me to. She wanted to say something to you."
"Wait, Yuri, no, please don't!" said Rie, her hands shaking from nerves.
Yuri then pushed her in front of Shino, causing Rie's heart to skip a beat.
"What do you want to say to me, Rie?" asked Shino.
"Uu... mm... erm... eh... Train hard and all the best with your games, Shino!!" she shouted.
"Yes, thank you for that. I really needed it," said Shino as he smiled at Rie and walked off.
"Wow, I didn't know that you two were so comfortable calling each other by your first names. I gave you less credit than you deserved, Rie," said Yuri teasingly.
"Why did you do that to me and put me on the spot?" said Rie, blushing bright red as she started hitting Yuri with her small hands.
"Cut it out, Yuri. At least you made progress with him—you should be thanking me. It's honestly way better than looking like a stalker," said Yuri.
After running for a long time, Noboru finally got the chance to stop and rest with the girls' track team.
"I'm impressed that you were able to adapt to our training in such a short period of time," said a girl on the track team.
"So you're finally realizing how great I am," said Noboru as he smirked.
"Please don't feed this idiot's ego. He will only get more delusional than he already is," said Naomi.
"What's that supposed to mean? And who are you calling an idiot?" asked Noboru angrily.
"Was I not clear? I said you were an idiot. What are you gonna do about it?" asked Naomi.
"If anything, you're the idiot, Naomi," said Noboru as he laughed.
"What? How dare you!!" shouted Naomi.
Noboru, who was about to lash out at Naomi, spotted Shino walking briskly.
"Hey, amateur, where are you running off to in such a hurry?" asked Noboru.
"I told you to stop calling me that, and I'm going to purchase some drinks for the team," replied Shino.
"Sweet! Get me an apple juice, please. I'll pay you back."
"Okay, but be sure you're not lying to me," said Shino as he left.
"Let's see... one for myself, Takahiro, Hayato, and Liam. I have to hurry up and head back to training because I want to get my reps in. I'm really making steady progress with my training. I feel more and more like a basketball player each day... huh? Is that Makoto?" asked Shino, shocked at the situation he was witnessing.
"I never thought I'd see trash like you at such a fine school as Toshigawa," said Daichi.
"Yeah, me either. I thought he was an idiot, a stupid, dumb coward," said Hidesuke as he laughed.
"This loser quit basketball in junior high. How much more pathetic can he be? Then again, he wasn't even worth much on our team anyway. Even Coach Izanagi said that he was useless," said Basara.
"These bastards are getting on my nerves. If it comes down to it, I'll have to fight them," said Makoto as he clenched his fist.
"Hidesuke, three years of playing big and I never once heard of you in weekly basketball news. Must be tough being talentless, huh?" said Makoto with a straight face.
"What the hell did you just say, punk?" said Hidesuke as he got in Makoto's face.
"Wait!! I don't know what's going on, but please leave him alone!" said Shino as he stood between Makoto and Hidesuke.
"What are you doing here, Katsuragi?" said Makoto to himself.
"Who the hell is this softy? What are you gonna do wet your pants?" said Daichi as all the boys laughed.
"Wait, no freaking way! I recognize this kid. Is that bean sprout?" asked Hidesuke.
"Now that you said it, it really does look like him. You know, that pipsqueak you took that girl from, Daichi," said Basara.
"You're right. It is him," said Daichi.
"No way, it's these guys—my seniors from junior high!" said Shino, shocked, as traumatized tears started to fall down his face.
"All of the memories of what they had put me through and the memories of Emiko are rushing back in. They're flooding my brain. I can't take it!" said Shino as he broke down.
"I've taken good care of Emiko this whole time, don't worry your little head, bean sprout," said Daichi.
"Wait, he seems to be in training gear. Don't tell me you're actually still trying to play basketball at the high school level, at that?" said Hidesuke.
"Haha, don't make me laugh. A worthless shrimp like you couldn't even become a proper waterboy. You were our useless errand boy back in the day, so what hope do you have of ever making a high school team?" said Basara.
Shino, hurt by their words, held his head down to hide his tears.
"Wait, so he was that person they treated like crap back in junior high? That timid and weak junior high school student?" said Makoto to himself, shocked.
"What the hell is taking Shino so long? My throat is so dry, and I'm sweating a lot. When I see him, I'll—"
"Shit, the hell? Are they ganging up on Shino? Not on my watch! Those punks are gonna get it," said Noboru as he ran over to them.
"Hey!! What the hell are you guys doing to my teammates, you bastards?" asked Noboru, pissed.
"Who is this short clown? And by 'teammate,' do you mean this piece of garbage?" asked Hidesuke.
"He may be an amateur, but don't you dare call him garbage," said Noboru as he punched Hidesuke in the face, causing him to stagger backward in pain.
"How dare you touch me? You're dead meat," said Hidesuke as he rushed after Noboru.
"Bring it on, you piece of shit."
"That's enough," said a guy who was above six feet tall but not the tallest of the group.
"But Captain Takumi, he started the fight," said Daichi.
"Don't reduce yourself to their level. This petty street fight is not worth the trouble. Besides, you guys are third-years. Act like it," said Takumi.
"No way, this guy is the bastard who defeated my team 104-2 in junior high. The one who took all of Naomi's attention away from me," said Noboru to himself.
"Come on, come on, guys, let's go. Takumi!!" shouted Noboru, which made Takumi stop.
"Do I know you from somewhere?" he asked.
"We played against each other in junior high."
"Sorry, but I don't remember every bug I squash," said Takumi coldly as he walked away, followed by the rest of the crew.
"That bastard! How dare he?" said Noboru as he was about to rush after them.
"Let it go, Takemoto. Now is not the time for that," said Makoto.
"But..."
"Look with your eyes for once," said Makoto.
"Shino, but why is he crying? Did they hurt you?" asked Noboru.
"It all makes sense now. Why he always follows me around and asked me to join the basketball team. I was confused at first, but now I know. You were on the same junior high school basketball team as me. Well, technically, you weren't," said Makoto.