The steady squeak of sneakers echoed across the polished gym floor as basketballs thumped rhythmically in the background. The faint scent of sweat hung in the warm, open space, where fans spun slowly overhead, stirring the summer heat that clung to the walls. The members of the newspaper club had arrived, notepads in hand, eager to gather interviews for their upcoming feature.
Airi stepped up first, her ponytail bouncing slightly as she approached a tall player wiping his face with a towel.
"So you're the coach of the team, right? It's so great that you're training with your team despite getting older," she said with a beaming smile.
The boy blinked, pausing mid-wipe. "Um… I'm actually a player. I'm in my third year of high school," he replied, his shoulders sagging a bit.
Airi's face froze in mortified shock. "What? Really? I'm so sorry!"
"No worries," he chuckled, adjusting his grip on the towel. "I get that a lot."
Airi quickly recovered, clearing her throat and scribbling something on her notepad. "So, what's your name?"
"Takahiro Morikawa."
"So, Morikawa, how long have you been playing on this team?"
"I've been playing for two years, going on three now."
"Okay. Has this team been successful in any of its matches?" she asked, pen poised.
Takahiro smiled faintly. "We haven't played any official matches yet, but I'm sure we can go all the way this time around."
A few steps away, another player noticed a girl with long black hair standing off to the side, notebook tucked under her arm. He jogged over, the basketball tucked casually under his arm.
"My name is Noboru Takemoto. And what's yours, beautiful?" he said, flashing a grin.
"You can just call me Yuri, like everyone else," she replied, keeping her tone cool but polite.
"I must say, the name Yuri truly matches that divine face of yours."
"Um, thanks, I guess…" she said, forcing a smile. This guy is a bit weird, she thought, already regretting making eye contact.
Trying to redirect the conversation, she asked, "So then, what position do you play on the team?"
"I play all positions!" Noboru declared, puffing out his chest. "Someone as talented and versatile as me can't possibly be limited to just one."
This guy is absolutely full of himself, Yuri thought, suppressing a sigh. He's nowhere near six feet tall. I don't know what weird fantasy he thinks he's in, but he's delusional.
Meanwhile, Airi moved on to another player, her recorder in hand. "So, Nakajima, do you think this team has what it takes to reach the Inter-High?" she asked.
Hayato Nakajima stood tall and calm, nodding firmly. "Of course, we are capable. We just need to prepare and put in the hard work, and then I'm certain we'll make it."
"How long have you been playing on the team?"
"Well, this should have been my second year, but unfortunately, I suffered a serious injury during a practice match. So I had to miss the whole tournament last time. But I'll make up for it this year."
"I see. You were injured in your first year? I'm truly sorry to hear that," Airi said with sincere sympathy.
"Don't worry about it," Hayato replied, offering a relaxed smile. "In fact, I'm already fully healed up."
Across the court, Kanae approached the team captain, clipboard in hand.
"You're the captain of the basketball team, Yukio Hamaguchi, right?" she asked.
"Yes," Yukio said with a nod.
"How do you think this team will fare in the upcoming basketball tournament?"
"If I'm being perfectly honest," Yukio began, his tone serious, "Toshigawa Academy's basketball team will probably only make it to the fourth round at best. Even though we have a decent team, we lack enough players to rotate effectively on the court. Then there's the issue of stamina—we might struggle to play a full game. And, of course, there's always the possibility of one of us getting injured."
"You're also forgetting the fact that you need at least seven players to even qualify for the tournament, which is a major requirement," Kanae pointed out.
"Yes, I'm aware of that," Yukio said. "I've already come up with an idea of what needs to be done."
In the far corner of the gym, Shino Katsuragi bounced the ball between his hands with focused rhythm, sweat trailing down his forehead. The background chatter and laughter from his teammates barely registered.
I don't have time for their interview, he thought. If I rest now, I'll never catch up to Tetsuo. Noboru seems to be enjoying it, though. I'll just keep practicing.
From the sidelines, Rie Morioka clutched her notebook tightly, her palms clammy with nerves. Her eyes were locked on Shino, and her heart thudded in her chest.
She took a deep breath, swallowing her anxiety. "Um, hello Ka… Katsuragi," she stammered.
Shino paused his dribble and turned. "Oh, Morioka. What are you doing here?"
"Well, you see… I'm part of the newspaper club," she mumbled, avoiding his gaze.
"Oh, I see. I had no idea."
"If it's not a bother, ca… can I interview you?" she asked hesitantly.
"Sure, go ahead," Shino said, his tone gentle.
Back near center court, Noboru was still going strong. "Did I mention that I was a great basketball player in middle school? I scored thirty points in my debut game. Even I was shocked at how amazing I was!"
Does this guy have an off switch? Yuri thought, her face twitching in irritation. He's the most annoying and self-centered person I've ever met.
She glanced over toward Shino and her eyes widened. "Huh? Rie is actually interviewing someone?" she muttered under her breath.
Rie, still a bit flustered, asked, "So… what's your favorite color?"
Shino raised an eyebrow. "That's not really related to basketball, but my favorite color is orange. There's actually a funny story behind it. Do you want to hear it?"
Rie nodded quickly.
"One time, I was helping my father paint my cousin's room yellow. He was rushing me for more paint, so I mixed some more—but I accidentally spilled another color into it without realizing. So when my father started painting, the paint turned out orange instead of yellow.
"He got so angry that he threw the bucket of paint at me. The paint wouldn't wash out for weeks, and from that day on, everyone called me 'Pumpkin Head.' That's how orange became my favorite color," Shino explained.
"Haha, P-pumpkin head? That's such a funny name!" Rie giggled, her earlier nerves melting away.
"Yeah, that name stuck with me until junior high," Shino replied with a chuckle.
Yuri raised an eyebrow, lips curling into a sly smile. What? Could it be…? Is Rie interested in that guy? How intriguing.
"Hey! Are you even listening to me?" Noboru snapped, waving his hands.
"This guy is so annoying…" Yuri thought, sighing.
"Um, I have to interview that guy over there now, so please excuse me," she said quickly, escaping without waiting for a response.
"Oh, okay! If you want more details, you can listen after you're done!" Noboru called after her enthusiastically.
Phew, I finally got rid of him, Yuri sighed in relief and approached her next target.
"Um, excuse me…" she said, voice tentative.
Tetsuo didn't answer. He was entirely focused, sinking a perfect three-pointer without even glancing in her direction.
"Can I ask you a few questions?" she tried again.
Tetsuo released another shot—swish.
Yeah… he's totally ignoring me. I'll just leave him be, Yuri thought, disappointed but not surprised.
As the interviews wound down, Kanae addressed the team one final time. "Thanks for your cooperation," she said, flipping her notebook shut.
"Fukazawa, I'm also going to need an overall medical report for each of them so I can make the article more enticing. Be sure to get it done for me," she added briskly.
"See you guys around! I'm expecting great things from you this year. You may be a small team, but if you have the guts to fight, you'll be alright," she called out with a smile before heading toward the exit.
"S-see you later, Katsuragi," Rie said shyly, her voice barely audible.
Shino turned to her. Without thinking, he reached out and gently took her hand.
"Call me Shino. And if it's okay with you, can I call you Rie?"
"Ye… yes, Shi…no. See you tomorrow," she stuttered, cheeks glowing like embers.
He held my hand! He actually called me Rie! And I called him by his first name… Shino. I'm so glad. This is like a dream come true! she thought, giddy with happiness.
Yuri smirked, walking beside her. "That's the first time I've ever seen you so talkative—and with a guy, no less. Wait, don't tell me… do you have a crush on him?"
"Wha… what?! No, it's not like that!" Rie protested, covering her face.
"I'm right on the money, aren't I?"
"No! Quit jumping to conclusions!"
"But you're as red as a tomato. What else am I supposed to think?"
"I am not! And lower your voice—he'll hear you!"
"Yes, yes, your secret is safe with me."
"It's not a secret! Just stop, please!"
Meanwhile, Noboru strolled over and patted Shino on the back.
"Shino, I didn't know you were such a playboy," he teased.
"What do you mean? We're in the same class—you know we're both the class representatives," Shino replied, brushing him off.
"That's not how I see it, but okay."
Yukio clapped his hands loudly to get everyone's attention. "Alright, sorry for the delay, everyone. Let's get back to training."
The thump of basketballs resumed, louder now, filling the gym with the sound of a team gearing up for something more.