Changed (KNB Fan Fiction : Haizaki Shogo)

:Chapter Twenty-Eight:

My transfer was supposed to be finalized when my father's secretary arrived to hand my letter to the principal. I'd be guessing he'll be arriving whenever the secretary would be free.

It was short but I enjoyed my stay here in Fukuda Sogo. My time with Ai-chan, Tsuko-chan and Nagai-kun was fun. My time with the basketball club was memorable. And being with Haizaki-kun was the best. I couldn't ask for more.

I didn't have the heart to tell the team I'd be transferring schools because they need to focus solely on the Winter Cup than my transfer. My transfer isn't even worth mentioning actually.

While I didn't have the heart to tell the basketball club yet, Tsuko-chan and Nagai-kun knew everything. I told them the moment I saw them at school; to Tsuko-chan when I entered the classroom and to Nagai-kun when I saw him during lunch.

Tears whelmed my eyes again but I forced them to not stream down my cheeks, blinking them away as I let my head bent low. It was only a few months. I had been here for a few months, meeting Tsuko-chan and Nagai-kun, watching Haizaki-kun from afar, making him join the team, and eventually joining the basketball club as well. I had been branded as a stalker but that was fun, I'm telling you. I got to meet his sister, study with him when exams neared, watched him train hard and play hard. And of course winning a slot in the Winter Cup.

It was short yet I've made a lot of memories that I know I'll never forget.

"Koki-chan?" I heard Tsuko-chan's voice beside me. Her gentle voice was comforting but it didn't ease the pain in my chest.

I looked up, gave her an empty smile as my eyes glistened with unshed tears. I tried to act normal, like nothing was bothering me. But as time passed by, this sad feeling overwhelming my chest dominated my eyes, causing them to release tears, so I blinked to keep them from falling.

Club finally started when Ishida-senpai told the team to run outside. I had my usual work when everyone groaned in protest. Hearing them mumble something made me chuckle in amusement but it seems Ishida-senpai took it the wrong way and added another lap.

When I was done, the team came in the gymnasium one by one, one by one sweating like there's no tomorrow. I had the towels and bottles ready and offered them to each player. The practice was hard as usual but I know they're doing this for the team, to win the Winter Cup and be the number one in Japan.

I heard a tired sigh beside me as I checked my notes. "Practice gets harder everyday." I hummed my response, eyes still glued on my notes. "Could you ask captain to lessen the load or something?"

I hummed again.

"Could you drop that notebook?"

I removed my eyes on my notes and decided to look up, eyes nonchalant, and met the familiar yet unfamiliar set of ashen eyes. Familiar because they still held the cheekiness that I knew would never be removed but at the same time unfamiliar because his eyes were not clouded anymore. They're no longer filled with anger, irritation, and annoyance. Instead they're filled with something else that I knew was the exact opposite of what he felt then; a mix of emotions that I cannot tell. I'm happy. I'm happy that all negative emotions he used to felt were slowly disappearing.

"Can I help you with something?" I asked, nonchalantly.

He smirked, but this smirk was also different from all the smirk he showed me before. "Ask the cap to lessen the load."

I furrowed my eyebrows. "What load?"

"Y'know," Haizaki-kun shrugged. "The practices are getting tougher. Maybe you could tell him to lighten the practice regime."