Vengeance of the Phantom

Chapter 4

June turned around slowly staring at me. "Tet-Tetsuya. Where the hell did you just go? What did you just do?"

"Woah! So cool!" Kiki yelled enthusiastically but I saw the other two, they were beyond shocked.

"I told you, a shadow is what I've become. And I don't shine anymore, so no one sees. Please, change me back, to stronger than my strongest form. Help me win against the back-stabbing traitors. I'm getting the crew back together. That was the plan from day one. But first, I need your help. Will you help me?"

I explained to June and she took it all in. June laughed, "Who would I be if I didn't? Come on, Tetsuya, I brought it out in the first place, I can bring it out again. I'll bring your zone back out, the sun you once were, will shine again."

~~

"No."

"No."

"No. No. No. No. No."

"June!" I scream after three hours of hearing the same word over and over again. "Could you say anything but 'No'?"

"No." June said with a straight face. She was serious right now. I sighed and continued doing the drill. It was tough, not going to lie, especially in my physical condition.

"June!" I heard Kaho call her. I stopped dribbling for a split second.

"Don't stop." June yelled at me and I continued but eavesdropped on their conversation. "So, you finished already?"

"Yep, Tetsuya's new work out regimen to get him back to more muscles than before. He'll be at least twice as strong and four times as fast. Although, I can't help with growth." I swear a tick mark was on my forehead.

"Kaho, I'm not short." I argued.

"You're 5'7. I may love you but you're short. I'll be taller than you in a few years." I stuck my tongue out at her and she stuck hers back out.

"Yes!" June yelled startling both me and Kaho.

"What?" We both asked at the same time. June pointed at the ball I was dribbling. I was utterly confused, Kaho was in the same boat.

"That's the first time you've communicated and not looked at the ball while continuing to dribble. Basic knowledge for basketball players but I started at the basics. Finally, we are making progress." June cheered patting herself on the back.

It was true, every time June tried to make my look up and talk to her while contouring to dribble, it either rolled away or I lost it. For the first time today, I was proud of myself in ways no one could describe. Sure, we were back at the basics like June mentioned, but I was gaining my natural basketball playing self back slowly.

"Sweet. Few more hours and you'll be dribbling everywhere not looking at the ball in your hands once." June said and I nodded dripping with sweat.

Another hour passed by and I made exceptional progress. Like June said an hour ago, I'm dribbling without looking at the ball but not at the speed I'd like or at the speed I should go, but it's something.

"Tetsu!" I hear the familiar voice that I love but that nickname is also said by another, but who cares. I smile and look over at my very handsome younger brother, Tadashi. He's running towards me in his outfit that he probably wore to the photo shoot. He didn't care that June was telling him to get off the court because we were practicing. He ran over to me and jumped into my arms.