The hum of fluorescent lights buzzed above, barely audible over the steady drone of the teacher's voice. A soft breeze slipped in through the open windows, rustling the pages of half-open notebooks. Dust motes floated lazily in the sunbeams that streaked across the classroom. Amid the quiet atmosphere, a faint whisper of breath escaped Haruko's parted lips as her head lolled slightly forward.
"Haru!" called a little boy's voice in her mind, bright and full of energy.
Her dream unfolded softly, like a memory waiting to be remembered.
"What is it?" Haruko asked with a light smile, her dream self younger, voice higher, heart warmer.
"Let me show you something cool," said the boy, his eyes gleaming with mischief. "You've been wanting to see me do this for a long time, but you were too afraid to ask."
He lowered himself into a slight crouch and began dribbling the basketball, the rhythmic thump-thump-thump bouncing off an unseen court. In one smooth motion, he crossed it through his legs.
Haruko gasped, her eyes glistening. "Whoa! You're so amazing! That's so cool!"
"You really think crossing the ball between my legs is amazing?" he grinned. "Just wait until you see this trick."
He carefully balanced the ball on his fingertip and began to spin it. The basketball twirled, catching the light, spinning faster and faster until it blurred.
"I'm amazed you can do things like that! Who taught you?" Haruko asked.
"I honestly don't remember," he said, looking up at her. "All I know is that I'm able to do this. But it's amazing, isn't it, Haruko?"
"Haruko! Haruko! Haruko Takahashi!"
A sharp voice pierced the dream like a needle through silk.
Haruko jolted upright. The classroom snapped back into focus. Her cheek was warm from leaning against her arm. A thin trail of drool clung to the edge of her lip, and she hastily wiped it away.
"Err… y-yes, sir! Yes, sir!" she stammered, fumbling to grab her textbook from the desk.
Several students chuckled, some trying to hide it behind their hands.
"Ms. Takahashi, please continue where Takeru left off," said the teacher, tapping his pen against the podium.
"Yes, sir," she muttered, flipping open her book. Her heart thudded in her chest as she squinted at the page.
"Um, sir, I'm afraid I don't understand this," she said, furrowing her brow in confusion.
"That's because your book is upside down, young lady."
Her face flushed. "Oh… my bad, sir."
Laughter erupted across the room. Even the usually quiet students joined in. Haruko lowered her head slightly and turned her book the right way up, her ears burning.
"Read line six on page eighty-six in the textbook, please," the teacher said with a weary sigh.
Haruko swallowed, then read aloud, "And there he stood all alone, forgetting all the hard work he had done, all the things he had accomplished, all the great men and women he had met throughout his life, and all of his loved ones. He cried when he came to the realization that the old man was right."
"Thank you, Haruko. That was excellent English. Well done. But next time, please do not take my class for a nap session."
"I'm truly sorry, sir," she said, bowing her head slightly.
When the bell rang minutes later, students poured out of the room in a flurry of chatter and shuffling feet. Haruko didn't join them right away. She walked a little slower, her mind still lingering in the dream.
Outside, the air smelled of fresh earth and sunlight. Birds chirped in the nearby trees, and a breeze tugged gently at her uniform. Petals from the cherry blossom trees fluttered around like soft-pink snow.
She made her way to the quietest place on campus—a worn wooden bench nestled beneath a large cherry tree. The bark was rough and familiar under her hand as she sat down. The blossoms above her stirred gently, a few petals drifting into her hair.
"I haven't had a dream like that in years," she murmured, gazing up at the petals. "I wonder if it's a message…"
Her voice trailed off. She clasped her hands in her lap, brows knitting in thought.
"I can't remember that person's face, where he came from, or if he's even around anymore. He just appeared out of nowhere and then disappeared without a trace. That little boy… despite smiling so brightly when he played basketball, carried a lot of burdens all by himself. I didn't understand back then, but I could see it in his eyes."
A light wind carried the scent of blossoms across her face.
"He was the one who made me fall in love with the sport and dream of going pro at a very young age. I trained hard every day to become a great player.
"I'm certain that if I continue playing basketball, our paths will cross one day. I would like to thank him for introducing me to the game."
"Haru, you look troubled."
Haruko looked up to see Sayaka approaching, her bag slung over one shoulder, a strand of dark hair brushing her cheek.
"No, it's nothing like that, Sayaka. I'm just lost in my thoughts," Haruko replied, forcing a small smile.
Sayaka sat beside her, placing her bag gently down.
"Haruko, are you bothered by what our teammates say about you behind your back?" she asked, voice hushed but sharp. "I don't like how the younger girls gossip about you. They look down on you because they think they're better after our last game last season. It must be hard to train and play with them while they talk behind your back. If it's bothering you, just give me the signal, and I'll knock some sense into them."
Haruko chuckled softly. "That won't be necessary, Sayaka. Maybe in the past, I was affected by what they said, but over time, I stopped caring and focused more on becoming a better player."
Sayaka gave her a sideways smile. "I know you'll prove them all wrong this year. You're amazing."
"I definitely will," Haruko said, eyes narrowing with quiet determination. "This time, I won't let what happened last season repeat itself."
She leaned back, staring up at the branches as memories returned like old bruises.
"We were up by six points halfway through the second quarter of our round-two match. The score was twenty-two to sixteen. We were doing well—I was playing incredible defense and making a lot of good passes. But after a while, the opposing team caught on to the fact that I couldn't score.
"There was nothing our coach could do. I was the only second-year capable of playing well enough to start. Sayaka, Suzume, and Kotone were inexperienced back then. So, the coach had a hard time deciding whether to sub me out because it wouldn't have changed the outcome.
"For the remainder of the game, they left me unmarked and heavily guarded my teammates, forcing me to take shots before the shot clock ran out."
Her hands curled into fists.
"I was useless. I couldn't help the team at all."
Sayaka stayed quiet, letting her speak.
"In the end, we lost thirty-seven to twenty-six. My coach didn't blame me for the loss, and neither did the third-years. They all said I did my best.
"But after our previous captain and coach decided to make me the captain this year, our juniors went ballistic. They started bad-mouthing me, avoiding me, and ignoring my instructions when the coach wasn't around. It was a horrible experience for me."
Haruko inhaled deeply, the scent of blossoms filling her lungs.
"This time, I'll aim for the top and win once and for all."
Sayaka stood up and offered her a hand. "Then let's go show them who we are."
Haruko smiled and took it, rising to her feet. The sun peeked through the trees as if lighting the path ahead, and a single cherry blossom landed on her shoulder.
This time, she wouldn't hesitate. This time, she'd rise.