The rehab center smelled sharper than usual that morning antiseptic, faint rubber, and a metallic tang Yuuto couldn't quite place. His heart was pounding so hard it felt like the sound might echo off the polished white walls.
He sat in the waiting room, bouncing the basketball lightly on his knee, the rhythm steady but too fast anxious. Every bounce made a soft thup-thup-thup, but his mind wasn't on the ball. It was on the words he might hear in a few minutes.
Cleared. Or not cleared.
Those two possibilities had weighed on him all night. He hadn't slept more than a handful of hours. His mom had even asked if he was sick because he barely touched breakfast.
Across from him, Marcus leaned back in a plastic chair, arms crossed, chewing on a piece of gum like it was the most casual day in the world. His best friend gave him a sidelong glance.
"You're bouncing that ball so hard I swear the floor's about to crack."
Yuuto stopped, gripping the ball tighter. "…I can't help it."
Marcus smirked, leaning forward, elbows on his knees. "What's the worst-case scenario? They tell you you're still broken, and you keep training anyway. You'd find a way. You always do."
Yuuto let out a dry laugh, shaking his head. "Easy for you to say. You don't know what it's like to almost lose everything."
The words slipped out harsher than he meant. Marcus blinked, then gave him a small smile. "You're right. I don't. But I do know you. And I know you don't quit."
Before Yuuto could answer, the nurse stepped out from the hallway. "Kai Yuuto? The doctor's ready for you."
His stomach dropped. He stood, clutching the ball like it was a lifeline. Marcus clapped his shoulder once, firm and reassuring. "Go show him what you've been grinding for."
The exam room was quiet, bright, and unnervingly clean. Posters of muscular systems and skeletal diagrams hung on the walls. A padded table sat in the center, alongside resistance bands, weights, and medical equipment.
Dr. Ishikawa, a man in his late forties with rectangular glasses and calm eyes, greeted him with a measured nod. "Yuuto. You've made quite the progress over the summer, according to Ms. Sakamoto'sreports."
Yuuto bowed politely, voice low. "I've… been working hard, sir."
The doctor motioned for him to sit on the table. "We'll see just how hard. Today's the evaluation. Strength, flexibility, pain response. If your knee proves stable, you may return to controlled basketball practice. But if I see signs of regression…" His tone sharpened. "…you'll wait. Understood?"
Yuuto swallowed hard. "Understood."
[System Notification: Special Event – Medical Evaluation]
Objective: Demonstrate sufficient recovery to be cleared.
Bonus Objective: Exceed expectations.
Reward: +1 Recovery | System Progress Boost
Dr. Ishikawa guided Yuuto to lie flat. He carefully bent Yuuto's right leg, testing the knee's range. The familiar pull of scar tissue resisted, and Yuuto bit his lip hard enough to taste iron.
"Relax," the doctor instructed.
Relax. Easier said than done. Every nerve screamed at him to resist, to fight. Yuuto closed his eyes, inhaled slowly, and let the system numbers anchor him. Control +2. Balance +1. Iron Will Lv.2. He forced his muscles to yield.
The stretch burned, but it didn't break him.
"Better," Dr. Ishikawa murmured. "You've improved since the last visit."
[System: Flexibility Test Passed – Recovery +0.5]
Next came resistance drills. A strap was tied around his ankle, attached to a small weighted pulley. "Extend. Hold. Bring it back slowly."
Yuuto gritted his teeth, pushing forward. The weight pulled against him, dragging like an anchor. His quadriceps quivered, sweat forming instantly along his brow. The pain in his knee flared, white-hot.
His grip tightened on the table edge. Don't quit. Don't fail. Not here.
Marcus, watching silently from the corner, stepped closer. "C'mon, bro. Pretend that weight's Shun's smug face. Push through."
Yuuto barked out a strained laugh mid-effort, almost losing form, but the humor gave him fuel. He extended fully, muscles screaming, then drew the weight back under control.
Dr. Ishikawa's expression remained neutral, but his pen scratched notes onto the clipboard. "Again."
Five reps. Then ten. By fifteen, Yuuto's leg was shaking so violently he thought it might snap.
Iron Will activated: Stamina consumption reduced.
Yuuto pushed through the last set, collapsing back on the table, drenched in sweat but smiling faintly.
[System: Strength Test Passed – Recovery +0.5]
Finally, the doctor guided him to a balance board. A simple half-sphere with a flat top. "Stand. Hold position. No crutches."
Yuuto's chest tightened. He hadn't practiced this exact drill before. His hands trembled as he placed one foot on, then the other. The board wobbled instantly, threatening to throw him off.
Marcus leaned forward, fists clenched. "You got this. Steady. Lock in."
Yuuto bent his knees slightly, spreading his arms, letting instinct take over. The board teetered, but he adjusted, small corrections in his ankles and core. Sweat rolled down his jawline, dripping onto the polished wood.
Five seconds. Ten.
The board wobbled dangerously. His heart leapt, but he forced a controlled exhale. The system chimed softly.
[System Assist: Balance +1]
Fifteen seconds. Twenty.
The doctor raised a hand. "Enough. Sit."
Yuuto stepped down, heart hammering. His shirt clung to his chest, but his grin was unshakable.
[System: Balance Test Passed – Recovery +0.5]
Dr. Ishikawa set the clipboard down, steepling his fingers. The silence stretched. Yuuto's palms sweated against the ball. His mind replayed every failure, every moment in the wheelchair, every sleepless night. If he heard "not yet," he wasn't sure he could take it.
Finally, the doctor spoke. "Kai Yuuto. You are not fully healed. Your knee remains vulnerable to overexertion. Reckless play could undo all of your progress."
Yuuto's throat tightened. His chest felt heavy.
"But," Ishikawa continued, "based on today's performance, I am clearing you for controlled basketball activity. Light drills, non-contact play, and gradual return to form. No competitive matches until your next evaluation in three months. Do you understand?"
For a moment, Yuuto couldn't breathe. Then the words hit like a lightning strike.
Cleared.
Not perfect. Not full-speed. But cleared.
He bowed deeply, voice shaking. "Yes, sir. Thank you. I won't waste it."
Marcus whooped, slapping Yuuto's back so hard the ball nearly dropped. "Let's gooo! Told you, bro. You're back!"
[System Notification: Special Event Complete]
Reward: +1 Recovery | Hidden Progress Boost +2%
[Hidden Progress: "Path of the Comeback" – 12%]
On the way out of the clinic, Yuuto walked not rolled, not limped, but walked beside Marcus. The summer heat wrapped around them, but it felt different now. Lighter. Like the air itself was celebrating with him.
Marcus grinned. "So, Mr. Cleared-for-Basketball, what's first?"
Yuuto spun the ball on his finger, the glow of determination in his eyes. "School starts in a week. I'm stepping back onto the court. Not to survive. To take back everything I lost."
Marcus laughed, throwing an arm around his shoulder. "Then let's make the comeback real."
Yuuto squeezed the ball, his chest swelling with pride and resolve. For the first time since the injury, the future didn't look like a wall. It looked like a court open, endless, waiting.
And this time, he wasn't just dreaming of stepping on it. He was walking toward it.