First-Year, Class 6 — Shohoku High School
"Hurry up, Ace! If we're late on the first day, we'll leave a terrible first impression," Shimizu Kanon scolded as she tugged at Qing Junce's arm.
"Hwao~haa~…" Qing Junce let out a lazy yawn. "Alright, alright, I'm coming."
"This is all your fault! Now I'm late too," Kanon muttered, frowning.
Qing Junce shrugged nonchalantly. "So what?"
"How dare you!" she growled, landing a light punch on his shoulder before dragging him toward the basketball gym.
Before long, they arrived at the gym.
The moment they stepped in, they saw the court already alive with action — first-years and upperclassmen locked in a practice game.
"Looks like it's already started," Kanon sighed, slightly out of breath.
Qing Junce lazily glanced toward the court.
Right then, Kaede Rukawa was weaving through defenders with the ball — dribbling swiftly, faking left, then slicing right. His movements were smooth and precise, commanding attention with every step.
Qing Junce surveyed the court and quickly lost interest.
Truth be told, he was unimpressed.
Shohoku's current level… was weak. Far too weak.
Only Akagi Takenori and Kaede Rukawa stood out — and even then, just barely.
The rest? Not even worth a second look.
Kanon led him over to the sidelines, where Ayako was trying to teach Sakuragi Hanamichi the basics.
"Sorry we're late," Kanon said politely. "I'm Shimizu Kanon. I applied to be the team manager."
Then she pulled Qing Junce forward. "And this guy here is Qing Junce. He's a new student and also applied to join the team."
Ayako blinked at them, momentarily stunned.
She glanced from the apologetic Kanon to Qing Junce — who was standing off to the side, yawning like he was ready to fall asleep.
Before Ayako could respond, a familiar voice shouted from nearby.
"Ah! It's you!" Sakuragi Hanamichi pointed accusingly. "What the hell are you doing here?"
Qing Junce didn't even flinch. "You're here. Why can't I be?"
"WHAT did you say, you jerk!?" Sakuragi exploded, veins bulging on his forehead.
"Do you two know each other?" Ayako asked, looking between them.
Both replied in perfect sync:
Qing Junce: "Never seen him before."
Sakuragi: "Who the hell knows this guy?"
Ayako blinked again and let out a sigh. "Well, everyone's still playing. Please have a seat and wait a bit."
Kanon nodded and pulled Qing Junce over to a bench.
From the sidelines, Coach Mitsuyoshi Anzai watched quietly.
He had noticed them the moment they entered — or rather, he'd noticed Qing Junce.
There was something about that boy.
Even as he sat there lazily, Anzai could feel it — an oppressive, almost primal energy, like a wild animal at rest. It was the kind of presence you didn't encounter often.
Soon, the game reached halftime.
Only then did most of the players notice the two newcomers sitting at the side.
The reaction was immediate.
All eyes — upperclassmen and first-years alike — locked onto Shimizu Kanon.
Beautiful. Stunning. Gorgeous.
She had the looks, the figure, and the air of elegance that turned heads instantly.
But not everyone was looking at her.
Two pairs of eyes were fixed on Qing Junce.
Akagi Takenori — strong-willed and razor-focused — felt something stirring the moment he looked at the boy.
There was an undeniable aura about him. A kind of pressure that couldn't be faked.
He's not normal, Akagi thought.
Kaede Rukawa, meanwhile, felt something off...
An instinctive sense of threat.
Strong.
That was the only word that came to mind when he looked at Qing Junce.
As Akagi stepped off the court, Ayako walked over to make introductions.
"This is our team captain, Akagi Takenori," she said.
Kanon immediately stood, gave a slight bow, and said, "I'm sorry for being late on the first day, Captain Akagi. I'm Shimizu Kanon, and I'm applying to be the team manager."
Akagi, noting her sincerity and respectful tone, nodded approvingly. Well-mannered girl.
But the moment his eyes shifted to Qing Junce — slouched on the bench and barely keeping his eyes open — his expression darkened.
Kanon noticed and quickly pulled Junce to his feet. She gave a sheepish smile. "Hehe, this guy's with me. His name is Qing Junce, and he's here to join the basketball team."
"Wait… the 'lazy idiot' you mentioned in your application — that was him?" Kogure Kiminobu blurted out.
"Huh?" Qing Junce looked at him, utterly confused. "Lazy what now?"
"Ack— That's not important!" Kanon cut in quickly. "Anyway, we're both here to apply, so we'll need your approval, Captain."
Akagi's eyes narrowed at Qing Junce.
He didn't like what he saw. Sloppy posture, sluggish attitude — did this guy even care?
Kogure, sensing the tension, stepped in.
"Hey now, since they're here, let's just give them a chance. We can't kick him out before we've even seen what he can do. And another tall player could be a good asset."
Akagi let out a grunt, still unconvinced. "Fine. But we're in the middle of a practice game, and this guy…" — he shot a glare at Qing Junce — "…better not be wasting our time."
Kanon quickly added, "Don't worry! He's really good. You'll see."
"Really?" Akagi raised a brow, clearly skeptical.
Still, he didn't argue further.
At the very least, Qing Junce's height was promising. If he had any real skill, he could be useful.
Coach Anzai finally spoke, his warm chuckle breaking the tension.
"Hohoho… So, your name's Qing Junce, eh? Tell me — how long have you been playing basketball?"
Qing Junce gave it a quick thought, then answered casually, "Over ten years, I think."
"…What?"
The entire gym fell silent.
Over ten years?
The players stared at him, expressions ranging from shock to disbelief.
Sakuragi scoffed. "Oh, please! That's the biggest lie I've ever heard! We're the same age — sixteen! That means you started playing before you were six?"
Qing Junce couldn't be bothered. "Believe what you want. Doesn't matter to me."
"You—! Say that again, you jerk!" Sakuragi roared, fists clenched.
Kanon stepped in to calm things down. "It's true! He started really young — he's been playing since forever."
"Hohoho…" Anzai chuckled again. "In that case, you'll play the second half."
Qing Junce just yawned and nodded. "Sure. Might as well get some light exercise."
Akagi's forehead twitched with frustration. "What an arrogant brat… I'll make sure he learns a lesson."
Kogure gave a nervous laugh, unsure how to smooth things over.
But then Sakuragi, hearing that Qing Junce was going in, exploded again.
He stomped over to Coach Anzai, pinched his round chin, and shouted, "Pops! Why does that lazy guy get to play, but I don't!?"
BONK!
Akagi slammed a fist onto Sakuragi's head. "Shut up and focus on training!"
"Nooo! I wanna play too!" Sakuragi wailed like a child throwing a tantrum.
Kogure stepped in again. "Why not let him play, too? This match is to test the new guys, after all."
Akagi hesitated.
He turned to Coach Anzai. "Coach, he's brand new — still learning the basics. Honestly, his personality's a bit... unstable."
As he spoke, Sakuragi slipped behind him and suddenly began showing off — whipping the ball through his legs, spinning it around his body with surprising speed and control.
Coach Anzai's glasses flashed with interest. "Hmm… interesting. Let him try."
The happiest person in the gym was instantly Sakuragi Hanamichi.
He let out a triumphant laugh "Nyahahaha!", grabbed a jersey from a stunned freshman, and pulled it over his head.
The poor freshman just stood there, looking betrayed, wiping imaginary tears like a silent victim.