Second Chances

Chapter 17

All of the Seirin Basketball Team members started to back away from him slowly. 

"The old man sharing my room taught me!"

"So?" 

"It's fun." 

I sweat-drop, looking at my senpai weirdly. What the freaking hell. 

"That's got nothing to do with basketball!" 

"Also, one more thing..." Kiyoshi senpai suddenly became serious. "I'm putting my undefeated three year high school career on the line. I'm serious about doing this. My goal is, of course...where is it?" 

I blinked my eyes once...twice...a few times. 

Hah? 

"Where's the Inter High being held?" He asked. 

"It changes every year, and we already lost! We've got our sights set on the Winter Cup now!" Izuki-senpai answered in an annoyed tone.

"Where is it this year?"

"In Tokyo, every year!" 

"Wow." I remarked quietly, as the other first-years also look dumb-founded. 

"Anyway, if you're going to climb up a mountain, you've got to aim for the top. But let's not forget to enjoy the scenery." And Kiyoshi-senpai smiled. 

***********

My eyes and attention are focused on one person - definitely just one person in their practice, as I readied my clipboard and pen to scribble down anything that I might found in him while analyzing. 

Kiyoshi-senpai. 

But I got so distracted every time I tried to focus, since another guy was also trying to steal my attention, and made me worried so much. 

Kagami-kun, are you really okay? 

He dunked over Koganei-senpai and Furihata, which is a foul. 

"That's a foul, Kagami-kun!" Coach Riko scolds. "You're too forceful! Pay more attention to your surroundings!" 

He grunted, and continue playing. 

There was this something about him that bothers me so much ever since we lost to Toou. I frowned, observing him intently. 

"Doesn't he seem especially on the edge?" I questioned myself. "I thought he would be okay when he recovered, but that won't be happening soon...I was wrong. I think..he's acting like he did when he first joined."

So that's what you meant, huh? 

He doesn't rely on others. 

He's playing basketball by himself. 

What just really happened, Kagami-kun? 

"Hey, Kagami-kun." Kiyoshi-senpai called him. "I want to play soon too, but I don't think it's fair for me to ask to play just like an upperclassmen so...why don't we play some one-on-one for the starting position?" 

"Seriously?" I mumbled, surprised, just like everyone who is in the gym right now. I'm not good at reading people just like Kuroko, but I can sense that Kiyoshi-senpai is up to something. 

**********

We all watched intently as Kiyoshi-senpai started dribbling the ball. All attention are pinned on them, including mine. I even stand up from where I was sitting and stand to watch beside the other first years. 

Kiyoshi-senpai broke away from Kagami's guard, and just as he was about to do a lay-up, Kagami quickly block the ball from the net. 

Amazing....Kiyoshi-senpai is bigger than Kagami, but he is fast as him..! I widen my eyes as I watched them in anticipation, just like the other first years who continue to marveled on how the both of their abilities are on par.