Rekindling The Old Love

5

Sakuragi was really preoccupied because of one certain lady manager in his team. She too can't bear to speak with him. Why? It's because it's happening again. Sakuragi is being approached by other ladies again. Well, Sakuragi can't be blaimed he was the one being approached.

They are now training drills. Sakuragi's so serious about the drills. He's not talking to anyone, not even when he's being called by Yoko herself to rest for a bit. Well, it's  because he's being bothered. By a thought that he did something wrong. Again.

But, he is in training with the boys. That's why he can't let it bother him for now. So he's being serious. Doing leg and arm strengthening exercises. Akagi was never used to this, he expected that the Sakuragi that he'll get is the old Sakuragi who's never serious. Unrefined and undisciplined like today.

Sa bench naman ay nagtataka si Yoko kung bakit seryosong seryoso si Sakuragi ngayon. What happened to him? Is there something they did to offend him? Is there something she did to offend him. Wala siyang pinapansin sa kahit kanino sa kanila.

Rukawa's family is not there today, Haruko got called up in the ER and Rukawa was left home to tend to Baby Kaeri. Kaya walang ibang makausap si Yoko. Nalulungkot naman siya dahil pati siya ay hindi pinapansin ni Sakuragi.

Is it because of Ms. Kiriyama? Did she do something to Sakuragi to offend him?

Maya maya ay nilapitan na ni Fukuda si Sakuragi para sa practice match. And Sakuragi complied and went to the center court with Akagi. Sakuragi lost the jump ball and now on D. He's being posted up by Akagi at the middle. Well Akagi is just strong that's why Sakuragi got pushed out and Akagi proceeds with an easy lay up.

He in bounded the ball to Mitsui to set the play, And Sakuragi was just walking. And his eyes went to there bench at nagkasalubong nga ang mga mata nila ni Yoko. Umiwas agad siya ng tingin at nagjog na papunta sa court nila and posted up Sendo sa high post. Halatadong kabado si Sendo dahil big body nga ang nakuha niya sa depensa. Although mas matangkad siya kay Sakuragi, mas malakas naman si Sakuragi sakanya, at hindi hamak na mas mautak. Though mas agile si Sendo, mas magaling naman sa evasion si Sakuragi kaya bandang huli, isang napakagandang ikot nga ang ginawa sakanya nito at biglang nagfloater sa baseline para hindi siya abutin ni Akagi.

The game is with bo referees, you call your own foul, your own violation. Parang larong kalye lang pero slightly organized. This is just a scrimmage. A game of 35. And Sakuragi's team won again. He immediately went to the bench and sat besides Yoko, na ikinagulat naman ng babae. Pero pinagwalang bahala lang din ni Sakuragi. Maya maya pa ay bumulong si Sakuragi ng hindi naintindihan ni Yoko.

Yoko: Ahh. May sinabi ka ba? Hanamichi-kun?

Sakuragi: Ah, wala wala.. nagiisip lang ako ng mga galaw na pwede kong pagaralan hanggat off season palang.

At natahimik lang silang dalawa. "Tatanungin ko ba?" Yan ang ibinulong ni Sakuragi sa kanyang sarili kanina. Again, with this. Sakuragi is having this sensation again. It can't be right? He doesn't want to fall to the first girl who broke his heart all over again. This needs to stop. Ayaw niya nang umasa sa wala. He hated this, his old feelings to her is being rekindled by small moments again. Yoko may not know that Sakuragi knew the reason why he got rejected.

She listened to the one egging her. To her tormentor. It was being revealed to him during his first year of college. Buong akala niya ay may problema sa paguugali niyang palaging seryoso noon kaya siya nabasted. So he decided na kung anumang nararamdaman niya para sa babaeng katabi niya ay kailangan niyang mapigilan.

They proceded with the practice game again as Sendo asked for "rebanse"  Rebanse is a term to use when you are asking for a rematch in a street basketball.