Chapter 17: Sora

Today felt different. My routine was the same old boring stuff, but my mind kept drifting back to last night. Yui had sent me pictures of her day, her smile practically glowing in every shot. She looked like she'd had a blast. I couldn't help wondering, would she have had even more fun if I'd been there? Or maybe it wouldn't have changed a thing? The thought lingered, warm and heavy, like a cup of tea I couldn't quite finish.

As I walked to university, following the same streets I'd memorized by now, my mind felt foggy. I wasn't really thinking about anything, just drifting along in a comfortable daze.

Then someone tapped my shoulder.

I flinched, spinning around to see Saku grinning like an idiot, already laughing at my reaction.

"Dude, you looked like you saw a ghost!" he said, barely holding back another laugh.

"Yeah, yeah, hilarious," I muttered. "I was just daydreaming."

"Daydreaming, huh? Sorry to break your vibe, but that was gold," he teased. "Anyway, I wanted to ask you something."

I raised an eyebrow. "What's up?"

"Do you play basketball? Or, like, did you?" he asked, tilting his head.

"I did," I said before I could overthink it.

His face lit up. "Perfect! Wanna play with some of the guys after school?"

I hesitated. I'd thought about asking Yui to grab a bite after lectures, but what if she was busy? Or what if I came off as clingy? Maybe hanging out with Saku and his friends was a better idea.

"Yeah, sure," I said with a nod.

Saku's grin widened, and he pumped his fist like he'd won a prize. "Sweet! I'll tell the guys. Don't worry they're all super chill. Just playing for fun, a little break from all the stress."

His energy was contagious, and for the first time that morning, I smiled. Maybe today wouldn't be so ordinary after all.

Basketball, huh?

It's been ages since I last played. The last time was way back in my first year of high school when I was still on the team. Those days were fun. The adrenaline of running up and down the court, the satisfying sound of a clean shot swishing through the net, and the thrill of close games that had the whole gym buzzing. Yeah, I miss that. Sometimes I wish I could go back, just to experience it all over again.

The guys on the team? I guess you could call them friends. We spent a lot of time together during practice and games, and we always grabbed food afterward when we had the energy. But outside of basketball? We didn't really hang out. Maybe that was on me. I probably didn't put in enough effort to really get to know them. Maybe I kept my distance without realizing it, never pushing for that deeper connection that turns teammates into close friends.

As I sat through the lecture, I felt two emotions battling inside me, excitement and anxiety. On one hand, I was looking forward to playing again, to feeling the ball in my hands and the rush of being on the court. But on the other hand, I couldn't help but worry. What if I wasn't as good as I used to be? What if I totally embarrassed myself in front of Saku and the others? What if they were expecting too much from me? The thought made my stomach twist.

"Psst!"

The sound broke through my thoughts.

I turned to see Yui leaning toward me, her eyes gleaming with curiosity. She gestured for me to come closer, clearly about to say something she didn't want anyone else to hear.

I leaned in slightly. "What is it?"

"I heard from Saku that you're gonna play basketball with the guys," she whispered.

"Yeah," I said with a shrug. "Thought it might be fun to try something different."

Her grin widened, and there was a mischievous sparkle in her eyes. "Anika, Emi, and I plus a few other girls are gonna watch. So do your best, okay?"

Wait, what?!

They were gonna watch? Seriously?! As if the pressure from Saku and his friends wasn't enough already!

I rubbed the back of my neck, trying to hide my panic. "Uh, don't expect too much. I'm really bad at basketball, just saying."

Yui giggled softly. "That's okay! As long as you have fun, that's what matters."

Her words were simple, but they eased some of the tension in my chest. At least I'd managed to lower their expectations a bit. Now all I had to do was show up, play, and try not to humiliate myself.

No big deal, right?

As soon as the lectures had ended, I dashed home, my mind racing. I needed to grab my basketball shoes and some decent attire for the game Saku had invited me to. Standing in front of the mirror, I realized my outfit was a bit shabby. Well, not terrible, just not something that screamed "basketball star."

Whatever. No time to obsess over looks. I gathered my gear, double-checked that I had everything, and rushed out the door.

The location Saku sent me was clear enough, or so I thought. Turns out, I had absolutely no idea where the sports center was. I knew the streets around my neighborhood and the way to campus like the back of my hand, but this place? Totally foreign territory.

After wandering around like a clueless tourist and asking at least three people for directions, I finally made it, thirty minutes late.

Luckily, the court was booked for two hours, so I still had about an hour and a half to play. Small victories, right?

"You're late, man!" Saku called out, panting and drenched in sweat.

"Sorry, got lost," I admitted. "Where can I leave my stuff, though?"

"Over there with Yui and the others." He pointed toward the stands, where three girls sat chatting. Yui waved enthusiastically. "Just drop your stuff beside them and get changed."

I nodded and sprinted over to the girls. Yui greeted me with a teasing grin.

"You're late," she said. 

"Yeah, you know me. You should've expected it," I joked as I dropped my bag down beside her.

"Good luck! Go have fun with the guys!"

"Sure will!"

After a quick stretch and some warm up moves, I jogged to the center of the court. Saku clapped me on the back and introduced me to the other players. They all seemed like good guys, friendly, energetic, the kind of people who made games fun.

The rules were simple. A race to 30 points, with 1s and 2s for scoring. Courts switched at 15 points. Just like the scrimmages back in high school.

As the next game kicked off, I couldn't help but wonder. Who was the best player here? I'd missed the first match, so I had no clue.

But one thing was clear, this was going to be fun. And I was ready to dive right in.