Chapter Five: The First Scrimmage.

The teams were chosen. Hide's team had Hideyoshi Sasaki, Ryuzaki Kurosawa, Takashi Matsuda, Kazuma Fujimoto, and Tomio Ohashi. Juro's team had himself: Juro Kuse, Nobuyuki Kuba, Yoshinori Nakama, and Kanero Hanamishi. Yusuke sat in front of the scoreboard table, looking down at the ground.

"Why didn't I get picked..?" Yusuke whispered to himself. The coach put his hand on Yusuke's shoulder. Yusuke looked up at the coach in confusion. 

"Come with me..." Coach Takeuchi said. Yusuke raised a brow, following him onto the other court. The coach tossed Yusuke a ball.

"Get past me..." The Coach said. Yusuke looked confused, dribbling the ball. Yusuke began to walk toward the basket, but the coach appeared in front of him. Yusuke then ran to the left but the coach followed. Yusuke ran to the other side, but the coach still followed. This continued for a good minute before Yusuke finally took a shot. The ball hit the coach's fingertips, hitting the edge of the rim and falling into the coach's hands. 

Yusuke sighed, breathing heavily. Yusuke lowered his back with his hands on his knees. 

"I suck..." Yusuke said. Takeuchi looked down at Yusuke. 

"Stand up..." Coach said. Yusuke sighed, standing up straight. He tossed Yusuke the ball. Yusuke caught the ball, looking at the couch in confusion.

"It's your feet..." Coach Takeuchi said. Yusuke raised a brow,

"What about my feet..?" Yusuke asked. The coach put his hands up, signaling to pass the ball. Yusuke passed him the ball. The coach walked in front of Yusuke. Yusuke looks extremely confused. 

"Guard me." Coach Takeuchi said. Yusuke nodded, opening his arms and bending his knees slightly. The coach started dribbling the ball, turning around and backing up to Yusuke. Yusuke looked even more confused. Coach Takeuchi then spun around, stepping back, and shooting. the ball soared through the air, into the basket. It went through the basket, falling on the ground. The ball bounced on the ground twice. 

Yusuke looked at the ball, breathing heavily. The space between him and the ball turned from a basketball gym to a white void. Voices then began murmuring to each other. His bangs shadowed over Yusuke's eyes. He then transformed back into his junior high self, wearing his junior high basketball jersey. the points on the scoreboard said Home: 41 to Visitors: 73.

"Yusuke." Coach Takeuchi said. The space around Yusuke then returned to normal. Yusuke looked over at the coach in shock. 

"You're flat-footed, making it longer for your feet to release off the ground and follow me." Coach Takeuchi said. Yusuke then stole the ball from the coach, dribbling it and shooting a lay-up. The coach looked at Yusuke, surprised. 

"It's not like I've never played basketball before... I know someone who plays professionally... I just haven't played since junior high..." Yusuke said. The coach looked confused,

"Then why didn't it say it on your transcripts?" Coach Takeuchi asked. Yusuke dribbled, walking toward the three-point line. He dribbled the ball a couple times, jumping to shoot a 3-pointer.

"Because..." Yusuke said. He landed on the ground looking at the coach,

"Because I suck..." Yusuke said. 

Meanwhile, Hide would be running up the court dribbling toward the hoop. Juro then jumped in front of him, blocking his path. Hide then passed the ball to Ryuzaki. Ryuzaki entered the three-point arc. He jumped preparing to throw the ball toward the hoop. Just then Nobuyuki blocked the ball, by hitting Ryuzaki in the arm. Hanako blew her whistle.

Nobuyuki landed on the ground. Ryuzaki stormed over to Nobuyuki, getting in his face.

"Hey! What the hell was that about!?" Ryuzaki asked. The two looked each other in the eyes, glaring.

"Your arm got in the way, pretty boy..." Nobuyuki snarked. Ryuzaki grits his teeth, punching Nobuyuki in the face. Nobuyuki punched Ryuzaki in the stomach. Hide ran over separating the two.

"MOVE OUT OF THE WAY HIDE!!" Ryuzaki shouted. Yusuke and Coach ran over in surprise. Yusuke held back Ryuzaki and Hide held back Nobuyuki. 

"Let go of me, loser!" Ryuzaki shouted. Yusuke shook his head, holding him tighter. Ryuzaki then hit Yusuke in the face with his shoulder. Yusuke fell on his butt on the ground. Ryuzaki walked toward Nobuyuki, swinging his fists at him. Yusuke got up and ran toward Ryuzaki. He then tackled Ryuzaki onto the ground. 

"GET OFF ME, YOU RAT!!" Ryuzaki shouted. Ryuzaki started punching Yusuke in the face.

"NO, I WON'T!" Yusuke shouted. Ryuzaki kept throwing punches while Yusuke blocked them with his arms. 

"WHY DO YOU CARE!!? YOUR NEPO SIBLING WHO'S NEVER PLAYED BEFORE!! AND NOW YOU'RE SUDDENLY ABOARD!?" Ryuzaki shouted. Yusuke looked down at Ryuzaki surprised. Hide separated the two. Hide helped Ryuzaki get up and Yusuke got up on his own. Yusuke wiped the cut on his forehead.

"Kurosawa, get out..." Hide said. Ryuzaki looked at Hide In shock.

"What!? Why!!??" Ryuzaki asked. Hide glared at Ryuzaki. Ryuzaki scoffed, running into the locker room. Ryuzaki then ran out of the locker room with his stuff. 

Yusuke walked toward Ryuzaki before the coach put a hand on his shoulder. Yusuke looked back at the coach in confusion. The coach shook his head. The coach then blew his whistle. 

"Yusuke Chisaka will join Hide's team..." Takeuchi said. The team nodded, walking back onto the court. Yusuke walked over to the coach,

"Coach... I don't play small forward..." Yusuke said. The Coach raised a brow, 

"What do you play..?" Coach Takeuchi asked.

Yusuke sighed, "Uhm... Point Guard..." Yusuke said. The coach nodded,

"Just like your brother, eh?" Takeuchi asked. Yusuke looked down, his bangs covering his eyes.

"Uh yeah, I guess you could say that..." Yusuke said. The coach sighed, looking at Yusuke.

"Just go out there and play... We don't have any other small forwards so you'll have to do..." Takeuchi said. Yusuke sighed, running onto the court. Hide passed the ball inbounds to Takashi. Takashi dribbled the ball up the field until Nobuyuki appeared before him blocking the way. Nobuyuki stretched his arms out, blocking any direction of movement. 

Takashi then passed the ball back to Hide. Hide then dribbled the ball up to the arc. He then passed it to Yusuke. Yusuke caught the ball, 

"SHOOT!" Hide shouted. Yusuke's eyes widened. Yusuke jumped up in the air. A sweat droplet flew off of his forehead. Everything suddenly turned into slow motion for Yusuke. Nobuyuki ran toward him, preparing to block the shot. Yusuke then shot the ball toward the hoop, letting it fly toward the air. The ball flew through the air slowly, cutting through the air in front of it. It spun mid-air until it reached the backboard of the hoop. Yusuke exhaled as the ball fell through the hoop. Yusuke landed on his feet, looking down at the ground. Sweat formed on his face. He breathed heavily as the silence in the room was vibrant. Hide then grinned,

"HELL YEAH!!!" Hide shouted. Yusuke looked up at Hide in shock. Kazuma then hugged Yusuke, tackling him to the floor. Yusuke grinned,

"I did it!" Yusuke internalized.