Hello! I did some major changes with the chapters, and most of it was that I replaced all the Japanese words, aside from the honorifics, with English words. Why? Because I realized, as I was re-reading them, that it was so cringy asf. 😭 I blame my 16-year-old self for that.
Anyways, enjoy the chapter!
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♕零♛
⊱ ──────ஓ๑🏀๑ஓ ────── ⊰
IT WAS hard to believe that it was already spring.
Despite the supposed season, the blue skies were void of any form of cloud, and the breeze, which was meant to be cold, still had a touch of warmth in them, making the atmosphere very relaxing and easing. Oh, and the sakura trees! Just how pretty they had blossomed into.
It was truly a sight to see.
And to Hiraoka Yuuto? He would consider this as one of the perfect days he witnessed.
Underneath this beautiful horizon, the vermilion-haired boy had his back comfortably laid on the floor of Teikō Middle School's rooftop with his left arm serving as his pillow. He seemed to be enjoying himself ─ despite the fact that hanging around at the rooftop was strictly prohibited.
He wasn't worried though. It's not like anyone's gonna find out anyways.
He had a smile on his face and his eyes were closed as he was softly humming to the song that was booming loudly through his headphones ─ his right index finger swinging left to right with the upbeat music.
"Kimi no zen zen zense kara bokuwa kimi wosagashihajimeta yo. Sono bukicchom na waraikatawo, megaketeyattekitanda yo...♫" he sang, his voice melodic. "Kimi gazenzenzenbunakunattechirijiri ni nattatte. Mou mayowanai mata ichi kara sagashihajimerusa ─♫"
[SONG▷| RADWIMPS – Zenzenzense]
Suddenly, his eyes fluttered open, showing off his gold-like orbs through his two-colored stripe designed eyeglasses. He felt something light fall on his nose and he saw that it was a single, pink petal that came from a cherry blossom tree.
'The wind must've blown it here,' he thought, chuckling as he picked the petal off his nose before sitting upright. Then, he took off his headphones, and placed them around his neck.
Without the loud music, he could now perfectly hear the random noises coming from the school grounds below. He could only assume that the chattering sounds were created by the clubs, who were probably in the middle of recruiting members among the freshmen students.
He got up from his position, placed his hand in his pocket, and strode towards the railings of the rooftop. From where he stood, he saw that his assumption was right. He still had the petal in between his fingers when he looked down at the scene below him.
"Looks like it's that time of the year again, huh?" he smiled to himself, feeling rather excited to meet some new additions to the team. "I wonder how many will get in the first string...?"
He knew that a lot of the male freshmen would try out for the basketball team. Not to brag, but Teikō Middle School's team is one of the best ─ if not, the best ─ in the city, and he knew that everyone knows that. He also knew that some would die to be part of the team, especially the first string.
The first string is where all the starter players are. They are the regular ones, and they always get the chance to play in games, and competitions. Well ─ the second or third string isn't totally prohibited to play, but most of the time, they play in practice matches.
That being said, because of the team's reputation, the standards are really high, and almost no one from freshmen students get to be part of the first string at their first try. If they're lucky enough to get in the second or third string, then the only thing they can do is train their way up to the top.
Seeing their efforts and skills, Hiraoka Yuuto can't be any prouder to hold the title as the manager of Teikō's Basketball Team.
Yuuto was recruited by none other than coach ShiroganeKōzō, who is also his neighbor. He, as a kid, would always go to the man's house to pester him until they got close, and Shirogane eventually got to the point where he treated the boy like his own grandson.
At first, it would just be Yuuto tagging along with the old man to watch the training at Teikō, but when he reached middle school, Shirogane insisted that he join the team as a player, and when he continuously declined, he settled as the manager of the team.
Some ask him why he only chose to be a manager when he had such athletic build himself, but he'll simply brush off the question with a smile for he refuses to answer.
Heck, even Shirogane doesn't know why.
"Well, it doesn't really matter what string they got into. A teammate is a teammate, no matter what string they belong to..." Yuuto mumbled, playing with the petal in between his fingers. "...right, Petal-chan?"
KRIINGGGKRIIINGGGGKRINGGGG
His ringing phone cut off his little moment with the petal, making him fish it out from his pants, and answer the call. "Hello, hello?"
"Oi, where are you?" a familiar voice said from the other line, and he instantly recognized that it was the voice of the captain of Teikō's Basketball Team and his dearest best friend — Nijimura Shūzō.
Yuuto parted his lips, and he was about to answer when Nijimura spoke once more. "Wait, don't answer that. Judging from the sound of the winds, I already know that you're at the rooftop. Just come down here at the stall."
"Got it, Shūzō-chan!" Yuuto replied, grinning as he jokingly made a salute sign despite the fact that the other boy couldn't see him.
From the other line, he heard the captain groan. Nijimura did appreciate to know that it meant that he respects him, but he'd rather not be called by the not-so-manly-sounding nickname. "And, stop calling me that, Hiraoka!"
Yuuto laughed aloud, "come on, Shūzō-chan! It's cute ─ " he didn't finish his sentence because Nijimura suddenly ended the call. He shook his head in amusement as he put the phone back in his pocket.
"Break's over," he said to himself, raising the petal to his eye level, then blowing it along with the wind. He stared at the floating petal with a smile on his face before turning his heel, and began to walk to the open door of the rooftop.
