KNB: Strong (Himuro Tatsuya)

11 - Opening

ELEVEN – Opening

Himuro Tatsuya is lovely. He has this angelic face that could start and stop wars. His gentle and caring yet strong persona drives everyone to him. His passion for basketball is contagious. Anyone who has met him thinks he's a godsend. He isn't just lovely; he is beautiful, friendly, strong, caring. Perfect.

Ayano is lucky enough to be his friend. Maybe if she didn't bump into him on his first day, they wouldn't be friends. She would have missed all of the quirky jokes, all the lunch days under that specific tree on the grounds of Yosen, the smiles, the laughs, the voice, his arms wrapped around her. His presence. She would have missed it all. She is too damn lucky to have been his friend.

"Today's the day, guys. It's another term! The Journalism Club has a lot to take up today..."

She may not be too lucky to have been his friend. If they met someplace else, like the basketball interview, or on the grounds on the job, then maybe they wouldn't be friends. He may have looked at her differently, and seen her in a different light. He could have looked at her as someone who is not a friend. Maybe someone like Shizune-san.

"Students meeting up with their friends! Refreshed athletes itching to grab the ball after being away from it for so long! And most importantly, the opening ceremony!"

It's been a running joke between them. She would act as his crazed admirer to pull his strings. She'd fawn about how handsome he looked, on how he looked so cool shooting the ball into the net, things like how his normal fangirls would react. He'd just laugh them off, and get back some way. Little did he know that she wasn't acting all this time.

"I'll need the news writers to cover the entire opening ceremony. The photojournalists are going to have their hands full. You'll be scattered around the school, taking the best pictures..."

Maybe he did know. He's smart enough to pick things up. She was certain that he could sense the little crush she held for him. But, why doesn't he talk about them? He's always been so straightforward about these matters. He knew it was the right thing to do. Or maybe he's just too dense to get it.

"Ayano-chan, I'm counting on you and your team!"

---

Today is another start of the new term, and students are flooding the school – from the shoe lockers to the hallways to the classrooms and at the grounds. Photojournalists from the Journalism Club have spread and are taking pictures.

Ayano is assigned to the grounds, mostly focusing on the sports clubs. The morning sun hit her skin – but she didn't mind. She smiles like she always did. She waves at others and then asks them for a picture, which all of them agree to.

However, she doesn't feel as well. She is missing him. She wanted to see him captured on lens, looking at her, and then engage to small talk.

She has gone through all of the clubs, except for one. She heads to a specific gymnasium, saving the men's basketball team for last. She expected to see Himuro there, talk to him for a few minutes before they are all called to the auditorium for the assembly.

She literally skipped towards the building, but stopping immediately as she saw the ruckus running amok. There were girls flocking over the entrance of the gymnasium. She could clearly see two members of the basketball team infront of the door.

"Hey! Could you please get out of the way so we could start practicing?" she hears Fukui say. He seemed polite, but the tone of his voice felt irritated. She didn't know; she couldn't see him.

"Canst thou wit this footling cease?" Wei Liu asks.

"I don't know what you just said, b-but we need to start practicing..." Okamura stutters, his eyes swarm around the area, losing his mind seeing a ton of girls infront of him. "But I can't hurt one of these girls. Maybe I might have a shot with one of them!"