Rei's POV
I stretched my arms and yawned from the weariness I felt. Walking through the halls, I saw Yohei and his friends waved their hands to my direction and they greeted to me one bye one. "Good morning everyone!"
"Say, I heard Hanamichi was able to play a practice match yesterday. How'd it go?" Ohkusu lightly bended from his position, indicating his anticipation to get an answer. Everyone else leaned in for the answer and I crossed my arms to tell them the story.
"Well, actually he was able to join only the last two minutes before the game ends. He did get a block from his opponent and looked very flashy!" I gleamed my eyes with excitement and theirs we're in disbelief.
"Really? Hanamichi blocked one of the senior's pass?" Noma questioned in curiosity. "There has to be a catch, Rei-chan." Nozomi said.
I frowned and sighed as I remembered the image flashing through my mind, "Sakuragi got hold of the ball for a while and he refused to pass Rukawa. He ended up slam dunking the captain's head." I shook my head in disappointment as the group laughed from the story.
It turned some heads since the laughter was loud, "That happened?! Man, I wish I could've seen it!" Yohei commented as he cackled. "As expected! Hanamichi!"
However, I felt the chill behind my spine when recalling right after that incident. Akagi-san was very angry with Sakuragi and almost ended up beating him. "I gotta go guys, there's someone I wanna talk to." I bowed down my head and ran pass through them. They waved goodbye and so did I.
Arriving at the second floor, I looked around Ayako's classroom to find her. A male student approached and asked me, "Uh, excuse me. Is there something you need?"
"Oh uhmm.. I'm looking for Ayako-san, is she here?" I asked the tall student and he turned his way to his back, "Ayako-chan! Someone's looking for you!"
"Ah! Rei-chan!" Ayako greeted me with a smile and I blushed from her pretty appearance. "G-Good morning, senpai. There's something I want to talk about with you." I asked nervously.
"Can we talk somewhere private? Senpai?"
Ayako agreed and we both went up to the rooftop since there were no students loitering in the place, and it was a good spot to have a private conversation. "Ayako-san, do you know about a student named Mitsui Hisashi?"
Her eyes widened when she heard his name, this tells me she does know something about him. But I must tell her why I am asking about it, "Mitsui-san and I used to be schoolmates back in junior high. I heard he was enrolling in Shohoku back then and that is why I came here as well. I wanted to ask some questions for him but lately I haven't seen him in a while."
Yes, I've been longing to see him to get answers. I knew him as an amazing basketball player in Takeishi Junior High who really loves to play the sport. Yet, when I met him a few years later his heart suddenly changed and despised basketball with his all.
"Rei-chan... Mitsui... He's been hospitalized."
I felt my heart dropped when I heard the news, I curled my hands into a fist and wished it wasn't critical. "W-What happened to him?!" My voice cracked a little and my body was shaking, I had no idea he was such in a state right now.
"Mitsui-san ganged up on a basketball member of our team, Miyagi Ryota. Ryota is also hospitalized and currently healing." Ayako's voice was shaking. I was a bit confused who this Miyagi was but then I suddenly remembered Kogure mentioning an absent player of the team.
I was now even more confused, why did Mitsui beat up a member of the basketball team? Did he had a grudge to that student? "I'm sorry, Ayako-san." I felt bad asking about things that made Ayako recall some bad memories.
However, Ayako did not know why Mitsui did such a thing either and she did not know much about him but a delinquent student in the campus. "I don't know what ties you have with Mitsui, but he is a dangerous man now. Be careful, Rei-chan." Ayako looked at me in worry before leaving me alone at the rooftop.
I leaned my back against the railings and let out a long breath, I didn't know what to think but the fact Mitsui harmed a student to the point of hospitalization. I gently pressed my forehead with my palms and gripped the iron bar at the other, "Mitsui-san, what on earth is going inside your head?"
We spent our remaining days practicing and preparing for the practice match against Ryonan. Sakuragi improved fast and learned how to lay up but he still has a lot to catch up on. Everyone was fired up for the match and looked forward to play against Ryonan.
It was already the weekend before the practice match, I spent the last two hours with my little brother, Eita, at a basketball court in a park. It has always been our routine to come here and play ball, well at least I used to. Eita is a second year basketball player in his junior high and I always watch him practice in this court.
Sitting on a bench with a towel on my hand, I watched Eita shoot to the hoop but missed terribly.
"Ah! I missed again."
I stood up from my seat and approached my young brother and offered him the clean towel I had in my hand. He took it and wiped his sweaty face, "Thanks sis."
"By the way, when are you gonna teach me how to shoot three points?" Eita asked as he glared to my eyes. Irritated and annoyed by his question, I pinched his cheek and pulled it and he screamed in pain, "I've told you everything before! You never listen to me when I try to explain things!"
I stopped scolding when I realized he was now dazing to the sky, "Eita!!" He flinched and I let go of his cheek. He mumbled things as he rubbed his cheek and went to the ball's direction. I scoffed from his hard headedness. He was always like this, always daze off to something whenever I try to explain things.
"Catch!" I quickly caught the ball that was thrown to my direction. "Rei-san, how about we play today? It's been a while since I get to play with you." Eita lowered his head. I looked at him in pity but I have things to get to right now.
"Sorry Eita, maybe some other time. I need to go somewhere today." I passed him the ball and I walked back to the bench to get my sling bag. "Where are you going, sis?" Eita asked from behind.
I went to my black utility bike and sat on the saddle, "I'm going to a hospital. I might get home a little late so go home by yourself."
"Eh? What about mom?
"Just tell her I'm visiting someone at the hospital!" I took off with my bike and Eita watched me leave the premises. It took me some time to get through the city but I arrived at the hospital I was heading.
I head my way to the front desk, "Excuse me, miss. Can I ask which room is Mitsui Hisashi at?"
"Ah! Mitsui Hisashi, I'll call someone to lead you." The nurse gently smiled and nodded to her in agreement, she phoned someone and asked to come over. I had to wait for a few minutes but shortly after a nurse approached to my direction, "Are you Ms. Genji?"
I stood up from my seat and said to her yes. "Well then, I'll escort you to Mitsui's room."
We walked through the halls of the hospital, the smell of bleach and medicine filled the area and light chatters between nurses and doctors were audible. Patients and residents coming in and out of rooms, hospitals are always busy.
"Mitsui-san rarely has any girl visitors, are you perhaps his girlfriend?" I was stunned by the nurse's assumption and quickly denied her claims. "Uh, no. He's just a schoolmate of mine."
"I see, I'm sorry for assuming." The nurse was embarrassed and bowed her head down.
"I-It's okay, don't worry about it."
The walk was silent and awkward after, I preferred it to be that way though. Now, we have finally arrived at a door with a room number on top, it was no doubt this was the room Mitsui was staying since the nurse stopped and faced the door.
She opened the door and lead me inside a wide room with a few empty patient beds. The nurse guided me to the last bed which was at the corner of the room, a partition blocked my view for a while to see him.
Third Person POV
"Mitsui-san, you got a visitor." The nurse smiled to Mitsui and he was surprise to hear someone was coming to see him, "A visitor?"
He turned his head to see who was coming in and widened his eyes when he saw Rei entering, "You?" Rei also got stunned when she got a closer look to Mitsui, his face was a bit haggard and his hair really changed his appearance but she really couldn't see everything since Mitsui had a facemask covering his mouth.
"Well I'll leave you two for now. I'll come to you miss when visiting hours is over." The nurse bowed once again and Rei thanked the female nurse as she watched leave the place. It was only Mitsui and Rei left at the spot.
Mitsui glared to Rei as she grabbed and sat on a chair at the end of Mitsui's footing. "Mitsui, I don't really know if you remember well so I'm gonna have to introduce myself again. My name is Genji Rei, we met before at the gym when we were in junior high."
"I know, I remember you. Just what exactly do you want from me?" Mitsui's deep voice pierced through Rei but she was unfazed and her eyes were only gentle.
"Mitsui-san, the day we stumbled from each other at the gym. And the time you aced the finals and won championship. I was very touched and inspired, you were the one who made me play on the court, you showed me how amazing that sport is...yet...." Rei gripped her bag as she remembered the words that hit her heart bad, "You disgust me."
~Flashback~
It was the day of the final game for the championship, the most anticipated game of the girl's basketball team in Takeishi Junior High, Rei was already a third year and this was her first and last game before she could graduate.
"200!" Rei counted as she shot her final ball through the hoop. She still had enough time to practice before the tournament. Rei was practicing her shooting at the typical outdoors basketball court that she and her brother would hang out. The ball fell down from the hoop and rolled away before at someone's foot.
The boy picked up the ball with one hand and stared at it for a while before glancing up to Rei who was running to his direction. "Ah! Thank you for getting the ball." Rei bowed her head down twice then looked to see the tall boy's face.
Her eyes widened then began to gleam as she was met with Mitsui himself, "M-Mitsui-san?!" Mitsui was stunned, not knowing who this girl was. Rei noticed his confusion and quickly rambled to introduce herself, "I-It's me! Genji Rei, we met at Takeishi's school gym remember?"
"You're that girl." Mitsui said when he remembered their encounter too.
"How time flies by, you're already a second high school student and I'm graduating from junior high." Rei smiled as she remembered the days and memorable moments she got during her last few years.
"Ah! Also, I finally entered the basketball team. It took me a while to apply but when I watched your championship tournament two years ago, it was really awesome! You were like this and that! It got me fired up on applying and here I am, finally reaching the championship!" Rei blushed and rubbed her cheek, feeling a little coy.
"Mitsui-san, I heard you enrolled in Shohoku High. What's it like joining their team?" Rei was excited to hear her idol's sports life but Mitsui went silent and slowly handed the ball to her. Rei took the ball from his hand and went silent too, she felt something was off about him.
"You still enjoy that disgusting game?" Mitsui's eyes were filled with disgust and Rei was confused why he said what he said. "M-Mitsui? Are you okay?"
"Basketabll? Tch, Shohoku's team are just a bunch of dumb idiots. Basketball is not even that amazing, it's boring as hell." Mitsui continued his trash talk and Rei felt scared and confused seeing him like this. "But, I thought you loved the game. Don't you love playing it?"
Her body stiffened seeing Mitsui's indigo eyes pierced through her, "You said you applied right? What made you think you're cut off of joining anyway? You looked foolish when I saw you back at the gym, you're not even that great."
"You disgust me." Mitsui's last comment hit like a truck at Rei. She did not understand where the words came from, why was he spiteful to the sport? What made him say things like this? Was the compliments he gave back at the gym were untrue?
Mitsui left the court leaving Rei in shock all alone.
"Foul! White number 15! Personal foul!"
"Rei-chan! Focus!"
"R-Right!" Rei already got her third foul and it was already the second half of the game. Takeishi scored 125 points and the opposing team 122 points. Rei tried to focus her head in the game but Mitsui's words was stuck on her mind.
"You disgust me."
"Foul! White number 15! Charging!" The referee announced the foul and Rei's team got their backs against the wall.
"Number 15 is really losing it." "I thought she was a good shooter, turns out she's good at fouling." "She's really dragging her team down." The audience whispered to each other and Rei felt the negative comments weighed her mind.
"Rei! No more fouls! We really need your three points!" A tall teammate scolded Rei and with worry.
Rei nodded back to her captain, and shut her eyes as they ran into formation to defend. "30 seconds left, don't worry we'll get this one!" The captain yelled to her teammates.
"Yes, ma'am!"
Takeishi's points:125, opposing team: 127. With only thirty seconds left, Rei and her team had to gain 3 points to win the game. "Basketball is not even that amazing." "YOU'RE WRONG!!"
Everyone in the stadium went silent and turned their heads to Rei, "Genji... you okay?" A teammate asked her in worry. Everyone was stunned when they heard Rei scream out of nowhere.
And without even a warning, Rei slapped herself, the sound of the skin smacked was violent. Her cheek stung but her eyes were now clear, "Yosh! We'll get this one girls! Don't worry!"
The girls were now surprised to see their ally came back to her senses, they let out a smile and believed they could win this.
They defended the ring like an iron wall, the opposing struggled to get through and lost the ball. A member of Rei's team caught it and passed it to the captain and called for a fast break. The crowd went wild to cheer for the team and the ball was passed to Rei who positioned herself to a three pointer distance.
An opponent got to her and tried to block, however, it was too late for Rei released the ball elegantly and shot the ball through the hoop. Slowly falling back down to the floor from her jump, her smile quickly fade away when she saw her opponent fall unto her back.
"Foul! Basket not counted!"
*BUZZZZZ!!!*
~End of Flashback~
Rei gritted her teeth from the memory of her last match, she regretted not being able to focus herself with that game. But there's nothing she could do for it is all in the past.
"I don't know why you hate basketball so much now. I might never know why either, but.... Rukawa... Sakuragi.... Akagi... everyone... they showed me how awesome that sport is and they're really amazing at it!" Rei lightly raised her voice and felt her face heating up.
Mitsui however gripped his blanket that covered his legs, his hands and arms were lightly shaking from anger but Rei did not notice. With rage, Mitsui moved to grab Rei's collar from her shirt and pulled her in closer to his face, glaring to her in anger.
"Listen here you little b*tch, I despise the game, I despise the players, and I despise you. Just what exactly is your reason to come here? Huh?!"
Rei was terrified, her face showing fear and broke a sweat, but something in Mitsui's eyes was telling her it was different. "Mitsui, you still.. love basketball... do you?" He quickly loosened his grip, as he felt some truth from her words.
He slowly lets go of Rei's shirt that was now wrinkled, and looked down with his eyebrows furrowed and twitched. He knelt down with his weight on the bed and Rei slowly sat back down and looked at him in concern, "Just... What exactly happened...Mitsui-san?"
He avoided her stare and did not say a word, Rei saw the sadness and anger in his eyes so she did not ask any further. "Ayako-san told me you beat up a basketball player and got him to a hospital bed... Say what you think you want to say.... Hate the game, hate the players but if you hurt any of my team again, I will do anything to stop you."
She stood up from her seat and before she could leave, she looked at him once more, "Also, I came here to see how you are doing."
"I'm doing great." Mitsui replied sarcastically.
"I hope you'll get well." Rei bowed to him then left the room without looking back.
Mitsui felt furious, something in his mind snapped and mustered up some words with anger in his voice, "Basketball team huh? Oh, I'll treat them well all right."