Imperfect match // Daiki Aomine (Kuroko no Basuke)

43. Gambare Satori!

It's D-day. Like many others, Satori was invited to today's training camp this morning and try outs are this afternoon.

She feels nervous, but excited. She's worked so hard to be there. All she can do is her best. If she's not selected she knows that she will have done everything in her power and won't have any regrets, just disappointment.

Training this morning was really good. She found it very interesting to work with a different team, all extremely talented, but kinda scary.

There are a few blockers like her and she can say with confidence that their level is similar to hers. It may be hard for the selection team to make a decision but it's not her problem.

It's lunchtime and, coming out of the gymnasium, wiping her face with a towel and holding her water bottle, she scans the place and finds Akiko and Eri waving while holding Bento boxes.

Seeing their excited faces is calming her.

They go outside and sit on the grass, under a tree. Well they sit and Satori lays down for a minute, looking at the sky, the sparse clouds moving slowly.

His face, smiling, pops into her head, and she feel her heart fluttering.

Is it because she knows that she will soon have to make a decision and is excited at the thought of seeing him?

She wonders if he's okay and misses him... like she's never missed anyone before.

Maybe separation is what she needed. Maybe this is the proof that she is ready.

But maybe he's not waited for her. Maybe he got impatient and tired of her. He's not tried to contact her and she doesn't know if it's because of that or because he just wanted to give her space. She feels terrible not having let him know how she was doing but she had to focus.

"Satori!"

"What?" Satori asks as she didn't realise Eri was talking to her, and sits up to face her friend.

"I was asking you how this morning went." She says handing Satori a bento.

"Good! Wow this looks delicious. Did you make these?"

"I did. Thought you could do with a tailor made lunch."

Not only does it look fantastic, it also tastes divine.

Akiko is distracted, looking around to see if Aomine has decided to show up. She hopes that he will. This is such an important moment in Satori's life and if he could be there to share it, it would be awesome and make such an impact on Satori's decision making.

"Is everything okay Akiko?" Satori asks.

"Yeah! I... I'm just checking the competition."

After a nice chat, food and isotonic drinks, Satori feels much more relaxed. It's the last stretch. She can do this!

"It's time. I gotta go."

"Gambare Satori!"

Walking back inside with her peers, they align on the court while being given instructions and groups while Satori manages to locate Eri and Akiko leaning against the wall out of the way, like a lot of other people there to supports their friends and family.

First, they get measured. Nothing new, she's still 176 cm tall, which is average compared to the other players, a few giants are there too, very imposing.

After that, they measure their vertical elasticity and, as she continued Jordan's training plan even after the research finished, she hopes to at least having maintained her latest measurement.