Make Me Proud (Kuroko no basket)

Prologue

"Thank you! Please come again!" I said cheerfully to the old woman who had just purchased some sweet bread. Dad takes pride in this bakery, it is the one thing that has kept him busy enough to distract himself from basketball. After losing his leg in a car accident, he's been very restless. Well, the accident happened well before I was born but I get the feeling that I am right. He was amazing when he could play; I think he was part of something calls the Generation of Miracles in his time. Since he can't play anymore he has been coaching me, but, I feel like I have been letting him down a lot lately. . . My running has improved considerably and I can easily pass Ikki now. My shooting and parcour training has also gotten better these past weeks, but the one thing my dad is looking for is for me to get into a school that will accept me in their basketball team. There are few girl basketball teams in the region but that is not what i have been aiming for. I've been trying to get into a boy's basketball team so that I can enter the same league as my dad had. I know that this would make him the most proud if I can pull this off. "Ohayo!" Ikki called as he waltzed into the bakery. "Ohayo. How was practice?" I asked as he came to rest on the counter. Ikki is a top soccer player at Seirin, his skills excel those of a regular player. I would be lying if I said that the three of us were not born athletes. Ikki, Taro and I all play different sports, but we're always there to support each other. "Good. We have a tough competitor at the beginning of the season so we're preparing ourselves. Plus we know we'll have some first years to train too." I nodded, Seirin is a pretty new school. Their population of third years is very low, whereas their population of second years is quite large. I've been there a few times with when Ikki has had games there; it's a nice school. "Oh, I have some friends by the way that want to have a word with you. They're both second years like me, but I'm sure you've read about them in the school newspaper I brought you home last year." I got on my toes to look around my brother and was surprised to see Junpei Hyuga and Riko Aida sitting at one of our tables. Hyuga is well known for his shooting and Aida is the coach of the Seirin basketball team; the team was founded last year by Hyuga and a boy named Teppei and I heard that they got pretty far last year. I know that this year they will be looking for first year students to play since the team right now is only made up of second years. "This can be your big break. You better go talk to them." Ikki said to me, snapping me completely out of my dazed presence. "Hai, will you watch the counter for me? I think Kyo - Kun is busy with dad in the back." I said as I moved around my brother. "Sure, sure. Just don't mess this up." He told me lightly as he tapped me on the head. I rolled my eyes and made my way over to the two. Aida noticed me approach first and smiled lightly at me. "Konichiwa." I said as I bowed. "You must be Hikaru - Kun. Come sit." Aida said as she motioned to the empty seats across from them. "What?! You're a girl?!" Hyuga exclaimed. Aida hit him smoothly and gave him a fearsome glare. "Ah, what was that for?" He groaned as he held his head. "Sorry, perhaps you were thinking of my younger brother? His name is Taro; he's a third year in middle school now though. . ." I rambled nervously, maybe Ikki forgot to mention that I am a girl. "No, I knew that we were coming to see Ikki - Kun's sister. I can't believe he forgot about you. I am sure he's been here before, he and Ikki - Kun are good friends after all." Aida said as she pushed some papers towards me. I inspected them and noticed that it was an outline on me, it is obvious that she has researched me a little. "Ikki - Kun was the one who made this for me. I don't have the skills to research people like other coaches can but I do have another ability that will tell me if you are good enough to play for our team." She said to me as she fiddled with her thumbs. "Do you mean you are giving me a shot?" I asked. "Of course. If your good enough to play then I'm not going to stop you from joining because you are a girl. There are technically no regulations about a girl joining so you're all good. You just have to prove to us that you can play." "Ah, so that's why you brought the rest of the team." Hyuga said as he looked out our big store window. "Of course. Now let's go. I saw a basketball court not far from here. Let's see what you've got." Aida said as she offered me her hand. "You're on." I said as I shook it politely and followed her out of the bakery. Ikki gave me a small smile and a thumbs up before I left and I couldn't believe this is happening. "What took you two so long?" One of the boys complained. "We weren't that long. Now lets go. We're gonna test her." Aida said as she hooked her arm in mine and began to pull me down the street. "Her?!" The boys exclaimed. "This is going to be so much fun." Aida whispered to me. I laughed and knew that if I were to make it onto the team, the coach and I are going to get along just fine.

"So Ikki - Kun has a sister. I had no idea." A boy named Shun Izuki said. A big stoic boy beside him nodded; his name is Rinnosuke Mitobe. The other current second years are Shinji Koganei, Satoshi Tsuchida and of course Junpei Hyuga. They are all considerably taller than I am but I knew I wouldn't have too much of a problem getting around them. "Okay, you boys go and sort yourselves out. Kaneko - Kun, can you please lift your shirt up for me?" Aida asked as she moved to stand in front of me. The boys automatically disappeared but Hyuga stayed but turned so his back was to me. "Sure. . ." I said quietly as I lifted my shirt so that it sat above my bra. "What do you see?" Hyuga asked; not daring to turn and look. I watched Aida inspect me curiously, her eyes darted around as if she were looking at something that was invisible. "Her numbers are so high. . ." I heard her say. "How high is high?" Hyuga asked. "Higher than everyone currently on our team." She replied as she motioned for me to replace my shirt. "Hm, how interesting. Let's get going then. I want to see this." Hyuga said as he turned and pulled me in the direction of the court. "We'll have a short game. Izuki, Mitobe and Hyuga on a team versus Kiyoshi, Tsuchida and Kaneko - Kun." Aida instructed as she positioned herself so that she could throw the basketball up. I stood to the right of Kiyoshi as he was going to jump to retrieve the ball. "Start!" Aida declared as she threw the ball up high. Kiyoshi was against Izuki and it was Kiyoshi who had gotten the ball since he had a hight advantage. It soared my way and I grabbed it swiftly and moved forwards. Mitobe was on me quickly and I stood there dribbling the ball while planning out what I was going to do. I can easily pick up on players habits but I haven't seen them play much, so I am unsure of their full potential. I feinted right and knew right away that my speed was greater than his. I dashed around him before he had realized that I had moved and headed towards the basket. "Oh no you don't!" Hyuga yelled at me as he got in my way. I rolled my eyes and jumped going in for a dunk. Hyuga has a large hight advantage over me, but that didn't concern me much. I kept going up as he started to come back towards the ground. I smiled and planted my foot on his shoulder; easily dunking the ball into the basket. I landed gracefully behind Hyuga and brushed back my hair. "How in the world. . ." Izuki muttered as he straightened his position from guarding Tsuchida. "It's only going to get harder." I told Hyuga as I walked past him and back over to my side of the court. "Nice." Kiyoshi said to me as he held out his hand. I tapped his fist lightly with mine and smiled up at him. I turned and targeted Hyuga as my target. He moved swiftly through the court but I managed to step quickly in his way and blocked him. He growled a bit and attempted to pass the ball to Izuki but I'd tapped the ball and sent it flying towards Kiyoshi. I ran around Hyuga and followed Kiyoshi. He passed me the ball around Mitobe and I jumped at the three point line; sinking it. "It's only going to get harder, believe you me." I said quietly to myself as I turned to face the dumbfounded seniors.

The game ended relatively quickly, my team winning thirty one to sixteen. I played at a level in which was averagely above theirs; I couldn't show them all of my tricks. Dad says the least of myself I give away, the harder it will be for opposing players to predict my movements. "You're brother sure didn't give much about you away." Hyuga said as he sat down beside me on the bench. "No? I am sure he wanted you to see how good I was for yourself, Hyuga - Senpai." I said as I signed my name at the bottom of the page. "I've never seen someone work them so hard. Good job Kaneko - Kun." Aida said as she took my finished paper. "Arigato. I really am grateful that you are allowing me to play for your team. I will make Seirin's team something to be afraid of." I told her as I stood and stretched myself out. "You deserve to be on this team. I didn't let you join because of a favour asked by your brother." Hyuga said. "You truly are amazing." Izuki praised me as he tapped me lightly on the head. Mitobe nodded and gave a smile. "Ah, I knew you'd make it." I turned and faced my loud mouthed brother. I punched his shoulder lightly and grimaced at him. "This surely will make Dad's heart sing." I said to him as he trapped me in a headlock and ruffled my hair. "Yeah! Of course it will! My Onee - Chan in the same school as me. How lucky am I?" Ikki said as he laughed loudly. I flipped him over my shoulder and he landed with a thud on the pavement. "You're really lucky and how many times have I asked you not to ruffle my hair like that?" I said annoyed as I smoothed my hair back into place. "Alright, alright. No more fighting you two." Hyuga said as he got in between the two of us. "Fine, but you watch out Ikki - Nii." I dodged him as he made a lunge for me and laughed as he'd run into Mitobe. "You're such a dunce." I told him as I shook my head. My fingers shook slightly; I couldn't shake the feeling of knowing that I am one step closer to my dream. I will surely make him proud.