Because of Basketball (KNB Fan Fiction : Midorima Shintaro)

:Chapter Eleven:

"I'll be heading out, mama!" I shouted as I sprinted towards the door, my bag and bento in hand.

Before I could close the door, I heard my mother yell goodbye, and I finally sprinted out of our apartment, running through the way towards school.

I checked the time through my wrist watch and panic enveloped me in its hands. "Oh no, I'm late."

I ran as faster as I could while half panicking, sweat dropping from my forehead. I don't even care if my hair will be messy after this. I just need to arrive at school before 6 o'clock.

Why am I in a hurry you ask even though school starts later? Today is the start of my trial period as a manager for the basketball club. And yes, I am taking that job. I finally got the gut to move on.

I finally arrived at school and I plopped down on the ground as I inhaled and exhaled.

Once I had enough air, I stood up and dusted my skirt and socks, then walked towards the door of the gymnasium.

"Made it!" I exclaimed in glee when I held the large door and thought of opening it when suddenly it opened by itself.

Emerad eyes held my gaze as I stared at them in panic. The owner held a mocking look but kept his face firm and emotionless.

"First day and you're already late? What will happen when you finally became the manager?" He walked passed me and I just glared at his back, cursing him with all the curses I know.

But I stopped when someone suddenly chuckled right behind me. "Don't worry, it's his tsundere way of saying he's hoping you'll be the manager."

"How can you tell?" I questioned as my eyebrows met.

"It's actually obvious, Yuki-chan." He chuckled once more.

I only stared at him and his annoying chuckling, then I shrugged. He somehow resembles Ryuu-san... In a way.

"C'mon in!" He excitedly chirpped and pushed me inside the gymnasium. I didn't even get to ready myself. Is my hair okay? Do I look haggard? Do I look like I just woke up? Should've brought my comb.

"Oi!" He called the attention of other players, wailing out his annoying voice. "Yuki-chan's here!"

All attention were once again switched to me. My body tensed at the sudden attention and I tried to loosen up. But thanks to Takao-kun, that won't be easy.

I tried to recompose myself by inhaling enough air and slowly exhailing. Then I closed my eyes and kept on rewinding 'relax' over and over again inside my head.

How should I start? I asked myself, even walking further the gymnasium.

As I thought of things I could do, Kikuchi-kun approached me with a welcoming gaze and a warm smile. "Yo! Yuki-san!"

"Good morning, Kikuchi-kun." I returned his smile with my own greeting as I brought down my bag. "Practice will start soon, right?"

Kikuchi-kun nodded. "Yup. And this is your trial period, right?"

It was my turn to nod.

I felt a hand on my shoulder, making me slighlty jump from where I was standing. I switched my attention from the stretching players to the first year basketball player beside me.

He gave me an encouraging smile, comforting me with those soft gazes. "Good luck."

I returned his soft gaze and smile with my determined face. "I'll try my best."

"Gather 'round!" All eyes and attention switched to where the booming voice came from.

The captain stood in front of the stage in the gymnasium, beside him are the other seniors, looking all intimidating for all of the first years.

"The Interhigh Preliminaries are coming faster than we have thought." Every ears turned to the intimidating captain, explaining to us about this yearly basketball competition; their plans and visions for team, aiming high as they can and beating all teams, including the schools where the Generation of Miracles are enrolled in.

Otsubo-senpai roamed his eyesight, seeing all the determined faces of every player inside the gymnasium, including me. "Don't forget our goals; try your best and never forget teamwork. Now, I want to feel your determination with not just your looks, but with actions. It's time to get serious!"

Everyone screamed their response as the capain gave his own determined smile, sharing his own feelings for victory.

He clapped his hands, signaling the start of training. They all went to their respective teams for their training, divided by footwork, shooting, and more.

And as a manager... correction, as a trial manager, I'm in charge of refilling their water containers, washing used towels and replacing then with new ones, giving them ice and relaxing massages, taking down notes for future references that would be helpful to the team, and more. It's like being a mother to a team of grown men.

But the good thing is I don't see the ball that often so I don't get irritated that often. But the bad thing is if this keeps on, I won't get use to the ball, and I won't get this hatred out of my system.

I placed the fresh new towels on the bench and checked if they were enough for the whole team, until someone called for my attention.

I turned my eyes to look at the person who called for me and gave him an inquiring look.

"Ah, Yuki," Otsubo-senpai paused for a second to breathe before continuing, "Classes are about to start, so you can go ahead."

Standing up straight, my eyebrows knitted together as I stared at the captain. "I can go later with Takao-kun,  Midorma-kun, and Kikuchi-kun."

"You don't have to stay long since you're just a trial manager." He said, kindlier than he used to speak.

Displeasure was what I was feeling because of what the captain just said. Even if a person is a trial manager, she shouldn't just leave the team like that. She might not know if they still needed her with anything. And I feel angry at a manager who act like their the boss so they should go first instead of the team.

With my eyebrows knitted toether, I crossed my hands to my chest as I stayed firm and persistent. "I'm sorry senpai, but this I won't obediently listen. What if the others needed me with something like medical treatment, or another bottle of water, or more clean towels and I just left like that? Then I have failed as a manager who's job is to make the players' feel comfortable in or outside a game?

"I have failed as a manager who should be thinking of the welfare of her team than herself. So my final answer is to stay here until practice ends."

"Yuki-san!"

I gave Otsubo-senpai one last look then bowed before switching my attention to Akiyama-kun. "Coming!"

But before I could leave, I caught a slight glimpse of senpai smiling proudly at himself, his hands crossed on his chest. I just shrugged and ignored him as I continued to jog closer to Akiyama-kun and help him in anything he needed.

"I guess we have our new manager."