The game between the third years and second years at Hachioji Academy continued. The sharp squeak of sneakers echoed off the gym walls, mixing with the faint hum of overhead lights. The ball thudded rhythmically against the hardwood as the second years dribbled up the court, sweat glistening on their foreheads.
A girl on Kazue's team eyed her target and stepped into a pass—but Haruko darted in, her sneakers squealing against the floor as she cut across the lane. The ball smacked into her palms with a sharp thud.
"What?! How did she get there?" the girl gasped, her breath catching as she skidded to a stop.
"A steal! Get back on defense!" shouted another, shoes pounding against the hardwood as she pivoted hard to recover.
Kazue met Haruko at the top of the key, sweat sliding down her temple as her eyes narrowed.
"Come at me, Haruko. You think you're so good just because of that stupid shot you made?" Kazue sneered, bending her knees and dropping low into a defensive stance. The rubber soles of her shoes pressed hard against the court, her fingertips twitching as she spread her arms wide. A bead of sweat rolled down her cheek, stinging as it slipped toward her jawline.
Haruko didn't speak. The ball bounced in a steady rhythm under her hand—thump, thump, thump—as her calm eyes fixed on Kazue.
Then—zip!—she dribbled between her legs, her body shifting left in a sharp fake.
Kazue lunged, sneakers squealing against the hardwood. Too late.
Haruko spun cleanly, her jersey brushing against Kazue's arm, and whipped a behind-the-back pass. The ball cut through the air and dropped neatly into Sayaka's hands as she stepped into the paint. Sayaka gathered it with both palms and laid it gently off the glass—swish.
"Nice pass, Haruko!" Sayaka grinned as their palms smacked together in a crisp high-five, the sharp sound bouncing across the gym.
Kazue's jaw tightened. Her teeth ground together as she glared at them, chest rising and falling faster. Tch… she's mocking me.
"Hey! Pass me the ball!" she barked, snapping her hand out sharply.
The ball came to Kazue, but the second years were unraveling. Their passes grew rushed, hands fumbling as the ball slapped unevenly against the floor.
That's when Suzume pounced, her arm shooting out to snatch it away.
"Argh, I messed up—she stole it!" a girl yelped, sneakers squealing as she scrambled to give chase.
Suzume didn't hesitate. She whipped the ball forward with both hands, the pass zipping down the court. Kotone caught it in stride, her ponytail flying as she drove to the rim and finished with a clean layup off the glass.
Kazue gritted her teeth, chest heaving as her shoulders rose and fell rapidly. Sweat stung her eyes, and she wiped a hand across her forehead. I hate to admit it… their defense is solid. And Haruko… she always slipped through ours so easily. But now she's scoring too? This is bad…
From the sideline, Coach Maeda leaned slightly forward, hands resting on her knees. Her eyes tracked every pass and cut, following the ball as it bounced across the court. The faint scent of sweat and polished wood hung in the air. The girls are looking really good out there. Haruko's energy seems to have lit the whole team… but will she really play this sharp in a real match?
Kazue took the ball again and dribbled up the court, sweat sliding down her temples and dampening her hair. But Haruko was there—again. She pressed in with quick, precise footwork, forcing Kazue to backpedal unevenly, sneakers scraping against the hardwood.
"Back off!" Kazue snapped, her voice cracking as she lunged forward.
Then—slap!—Haruko snatched the ball cleanly and broke into a sprint. Kazue's chest tightened, heart pounding in her ears.
"I won't let you go any further!" a second-year girl shouted, lunging forward, fingers brushing the ball as she tried to intercept it.
Haruko dipped low, the ball thumping steadily against the floor—thump, thump, thump—crossed between her legs, and spun behind her back. Her shoulder grazed the defender's jersey as she shifted her weight, sneakers squealing against the hardwood. The ball rolled smoothly from one hand to the other, slipping past the girl's outstretched fingers as Haruko accelerated toward the basket.
"She's too good… I couldn't keep up!" the girl muttered, stumbling and scrambling to recover, watching helplessly as Haruko's rhythm carried her forward.
Haruko rose for a mid-range shot, her muscles coiling smoothly. Sweat glistened on her arms and forehead, sliding down her skin as her hair swayed with the motion. Arms extended, fingers releasing the ball with a soft flick, she followed through perfectly. The ball arced cleanly, spinning through the air—and swish—the net snapped sharply as it fell through.
"Inbound the ball—quickly!" Kazue barked, eyes wide, chest rising and falling fast with panic.
But just as the ball left her teammate's hands, zip!—Haruko darted in front, her sneakers squealing as she snatched it cleanly. The ball thumped sharply against her palms before she pivoted away.
"No! I didn't see her!" Kazue gasped, fumbling for the ball as her heartbeat hammered in her ears.
Haruko stepped back instinctively, feet sliding on the polished hardwood. She squared her shoulders, fingers gripping the ball, sweat slick on her forehead.
A quick inhale. A smooth flick of her wrists. The ball spun off her fingers, arcing cleanly toward the basket. Light glinted off its surface as it sailed through the air.
Swish! The net snapped sharply. Haruko's eyes widened slightly, a small smile tugging at her lips as she felt the thrill of the shot.
Coach Maeda blinked, leaning forward slightly. Wait… did she just make a three-pointer?
Sayaka jumped up, hands clapping together, sneakers squeaking against the floor. "Wow! You're really on fire today!"
Kazue staggered back a step, chest heaving, sweat dripping down her temples. When… when did she get this good at scoring? Was she… pretending all this time?
Point after point, the third years overwhelmed them. The second years were gasping for air, sneakers squeaking against the hardwood as they tried to keep up.
The ball was passed to Kazue in the paint. Kotone stretched her arms high, fingertips brushing the air, her sneakers squealing as she angled her body to block. A teasing grin tugged at her lips.
Is this all you second years can muster after all that big talk? she whispered in Kazue's ear.
Kazue spun, dribbling hard—the ball thumping sharply with each bounce—toward the basket, but Kotone slid into her path. She faked a shot, and Kotone jumped instinctively. Kazue stepped through with her non-pivot foot, releasing the ball cleanly. It arced up, kissed the backboard lightly, and dropped in—swish!
"Don't take me for a joke," Kazue muttered, chest heaving, glaring before turning away.
"Well, well… looks like you're not bad," Kotone said with a smirk, sneakers squeaking as she adjusted her stance.
As soon as Kotone inbounded the ball to Suzume and she began to dribble, Kazue was ready. Legs bent, arms wide, she pressed tight. The ball thumped under Suzume's fingers, then—snap!—Kazue snatched it and passed to her teammate.
"We'll catch up bit by bit. Everyone, focus!" Kazue called, voice steady despite her heavy breathing.
Kotone laughed, shaking her head, hair bouncing slightly. "Well, looks like I'm not the only one who made a mistake."
"I'm pretty sure she didn't score on me, though," Suzume said flatly, sliding her feet and keeping her arms up, tracking every move.
"Their defense is too tight—there's no opening!" a frustrated girl groaned, sweat sliding down her temples as she struggled to shake off Suzume, who mirrored her every move with unyielding focus.
"Pass me the ball!" Kazue shouted again.
Her teammate flipped the ball toward her. Kazue caught it, fingers pressing into the textured rubber as it thudded against her palms. She shifted her weight slightly, shoulders tense, pivoting on her toes as she scanned the court for a way through.
I don't know whether she was pretending to be bad or not, Kazue thought, hands trembling slightly. But I know one thing for sure—I will not lose.
Kazue rose up for a shot, sneakers squeaking against the hardwood. Suzume jumped to contest, arms snapping up.
"A fake?!" Suzume gasped, her usually expressionless face flickering with surprise as Kazue stepped through, sliding past her.
Kazue attacked the rim. The path was open. This was her moment.
But then—
Smack!
Haruko came flying in from the weak side, her hair whipping behind her and her jersey brushing past Kazue as her palm collided with the ball mid-air. The rubber smacked sharply against her hand before bouncing loose.
The ball bounced loose, thumping sharply against the hardwood. Suzume lunged forward, fingertips brushing the floor before scooping it up smoothly.
"Yes, I got it," she called, pivoting quickly as she readied her next move.
"Pass it! I'm near the basket!" Sayaka shouted, pivoting on her toes.
With a full-body twist, Suzume hurled a long, crisp pass. The ball zipped through the air, thumping into Sayaka's hands as she caught it in stride and finished with a clean layup—swish!
Coach Maeda's eyes glowed with quiet pride as she watched the court. The girls are looking really strong out there. It hasn't even been five minutes, and they're already one shot away from twenty-one points. The second years haven't scored much… I'm so proud of them.
The final possession began. Suzume dribbled the ball up the court, sweat matting strands of hair to her forehead.
"Alright, everyone, let's score one more time!" she called, voice sharp and steady.
Sayaka caught the pass, her eyes scanning the court quickly. She pivoted on her toes and fed the ball into Kotone in the paint, who readied herself for the next play.
Kazue stayed tight on her, bodies pressed together, breathing coming in short, harsh bursts.
Kotone scanned the court quickly—no clear shot. She passed the ball back out.
Suzume caught it, fingers gripping the textured rubber, then flung it toward Haruko. Kazue's eyes widened.
"No!" she gasped, abandoning the paint and sprinting to close the gap, sneakers squeaking against the hardwood and hair bouncing with each step.
"This isn't over! You will not score on me, Haruko!!" Kazue shouted, voice sharp, sneakers scraping against the hardwood as she planted firmly.
Haruko met her gaze with quiet determination. She dribbled hard, the ball thumping sharply with each bounce, and swept past Kazue—but Kazue recovered instantly, sliding her feet, arms wide, pressing tight. Their shoulders brushed as they jostled for position, and a flash of heat passed between them.
Haruko shifted her weight back slightly, knees bending, hair sticking damply to her forehead. She inhaled, feeling the textured grip of the ball under her fingers, and pushed off the floor. Kazue leapt with her, arms snapping up, fingertips grazing the ball mid-arc. The rubber rattled against Kazue's hand, spinning slightly off-axis—but Haruko adjusted instantly, wrists flicking, sending it toward the basket.
Time seemed to stretch. The ball arced high, glinting under the gym lights, spinning steadily. Haruko's muscles tensed and released in rhythm, sneakers squeaking softly with the jump.
Swish. The net snapped sharply, and the ball fell cleanly through.
The game to twenty-one was over.
The gym fell silent for a brief heartbeat before energy exploded again—laughter, cheers, and the squeak of sneakers echoing across the court.
"If only real games were this easy," Kotone shrugged, a teasing smirk tugging at her lips.
"You're right—it was honestly way easier than I expected," Suzume added flatly, sliding past Kazue alongside Kotone. Kazue stood frozen, head bowed, fists clenched, shoulders tight.
Her chest burned—not from exertion, but from shame, heat prickling her skin as she struggled to look away.
"Nice shooting out there, Haruko! You really surprised me," Sayaka said, walking over, sneakers squeaking softly against the floor. "Where did you learn to shoot like that?"
"Yeah, I've been wondering too," Suzume added, sliding into place beside her.
"Come on, spill the beans, Haruko!" Kotone teased, tilting her head with a grin.
Haruko scratched the back of her neck, cheeks flushing slightly, strands of hair sticking to her forehead from sweat. "Well… when I was out one morning practicing my shot, I met a high school boy who taught me."
"Ooh, so you were out late with a boy—and in high school, no less," Kotone smirked, tilting her head and crossing her arms casually.
"I bet it was love at first sight," Suzume added flatly, her expression unreadable as she leaned slightly on one leg.
"All he did was teach me how to shoot, jeez!" Haruko groaned, brushing a damp strand of hair from her forehead.
There was a brief pause, the faint squeak of sneakers and the soft bounce of a stray ball filling the gym.
"Haruko…" Kazue's voice was quiet, almost shaky. She looked away, hugging her elbow like she wasn't sure what to do with her hands.
Haruko tilted her head, eyes steady. "Yeah? What's up, Kazue?"
"I… I want to say sorry for how I treated you," Kazue admitted, voice tight. "I was just… jealous that you got to be captain even though you couldn't score at all. I thought if I made things hard, you'd quit… but instead, you just got better…"
She swallowed, fists curling at her sides. "You don't have to forgive me or anything, but… I'll do my part and start respecting you from now on."
Haruko studied her for a second, noticing the tension in her shoulders, the slight shake in her hands—the little whispers, the past grudges, all of it.
Then she smiled, soft and calm. "Hey… it's fine. I didn't play against you to get back at you or anything—I just wanted to show you I'm giving my all as captain. So… you're forgiven."
Kazue blinked, a little stunned. Then she gave a small nod, her bangs sticking slightly to her forehead from sweat. "...Thanks, Haruko."
Sayaka popped in between them with a huge grin. "Aww, look at you two making up! This is, like, straight out of a drama!"
"Drama? More like a cliché," Suzume said flatly, brushing a few damp strands of hair from her forehead, her face unreadable as always.
Kotone slung an arm around Kazue's shoulders. "Well, if we're all friends now, that just means practice is gonna get even tougher. Don't think I'm going easy on you just because you had your big heart-to-heart."
Kazue stiffened, her face heating up. "Tch… as if I'd want you to!" She shoved Kotone's arm off roughly, turning away with a scowl.
Kotone laughed, unbothered. "Ha! There's the Kazue I know."
Kazue's fists tightened at her sides, but her ears betrayed her, glowing red as she stomped off toward the bench.
Coach Maeda clapped her hands sharply, the sound echoing through the gym. "Excellent work out there, girls! Those were some great plays and incredible defense. If we keep this up, we'll definitely go far this season. You all impressed me today, so I'll end training early. Go home and get some rest—our practice match is in a week."
"Yes, Coach!" the team replied in unison, their voices bouncing off the gym walls.
Kotone let out a long breath, rolling her shoulders. "Man, I'm beat…" She stretched her arms high overhead, her jersey lifting slightly as sweat still clung to her skin. "I really need a bath right now."
"You're right," Suzume said flatly, pinching her nose for emphasis. "I can smell you all the way from here."
Kotone whipped her head around, eyes wide. "W-What?! No way!" She raised her arm and sniffed under it with a groan. "Ugh, come on, I don't stink that bad… do I?"
"I'm sleeping in tomorrow—so glad it's Sunday," Sayaka sighed, dragging her feet toward the bench. Her sneakers squeaked lazily against the gym floor as she slumped down, towel draped around her neck.
"Unfortunately, I don't have that luxury. I've gotta help my mom at the shop tomorrow," Kotone sighed, rubbing the back of her neck.
Before Sayaka could reply, Coach Maeda's voice carried across the gym.
"Haruko."
Haruko straightened, blinking. "Yes, Coach?"
"Come with me—I want to talk to you."