Third Person POV
The last session for their morning class was about to finish, only five minutes left before the bell could ring, the buff P.E teacher was done packing his stuff unto his arms and announced their activity, "Next meeting, this afternoon, we'll have a physical activity based on the lesson we have discussed, basketball."
Rei perked up slightly as she heard her sensei's words, her face was in a bit of shock knowing that they will have a basketball activity since that was their whole discussion earlier. On the other hand, Haruko was gleaming with excitement. Though she knows she ain't athletic and such, she still wanted to play with Rei whom she knew who was a former basketball player just like her. Other students also had different reactions, some were ranting under their breaths while others were excited as well.
Rei wasn't happy of the news at all, in fact she hated P.E. Not because of the physical activities they had to comply but the fact her legs would get exposed to such an extent because of the school's P.E. uniform. Whispers began to rise inside the classroom, "Eh?? I don't want to get all sweaty." One of the female students complained as the others agreed with her.
"Guys, guys, it's P.E. again, I can't wait to see the girl's wonderful figures again." The boys smirked as they imagined in their heads seeing their female classmates wearing the uniform for the later activity. Rei was irritated as she heard her classmates whispering about them, she turned her head and glared at their eyes and the group went cold as they saw her fiery orbs. They gulped and went silent, feeling scared of what she could do to them.
*CLAP* *CLAP*
The teacher silenced the students with his claps, "Also! Boys and girls are separated for this activity, I'll see you guys in 4." The teacher bid farewell and the students thanked him for his time. The school's bell began to ring and the students started to ramble around the classroom. One by one they gathered to the group they belonged and started conversating as their voices filled the room.
Rei grabbed her purple bag and spaced out while staring at her basketball keychain. Thoughts began to occupy her mind. "Rei-chan!" Haruko's call made her snap back to reality and so she turned her head to see Haruko waving her hand to let her come and sit with the others.
She smiled at the sight and took her bento from her bag before heading her way to them. "Aren't you guys excited? We're gonna play basketball!!" Haruko said with a smile on her face. Matsui took a bite on her onigiri and replied, "I'm not really into basketball unlike you two, also aren't we just gonna do the basics of the sport?"
"But it's still possible for sensei to let us play." Yakumo added.
As the three chattered, Haruko noticed Rei was all silent and seemed occupied with her thoughts again. She checked on her but Rei said she was fine and as soon as she finished her lunch, she told Haruko she was gonna head out alone for a while. The three looked at each other as Rei went out alone.
Haruko was a bit worried and confused for her friend. She had been silent and never spoke about the activity. She wondered where her friend could be, "Matsui-san, Yakumo-san, I'm gonna go look for Rei." Matsui and Yakumo nodded and allowed their friend to head out too.
...
In the busy halls to the empty one, Haruko went to the gym and to confirm her guess she saw Rei standing at the center of the court with a ball on her hand. She called for her name and Rei turned her heel to see Haruko who's hands were behind her back, "Rei-chan, I knew you'd be here."
"Haruko.." Rei eyed at her while Haruko walked closer to her stature. Haruko frowned and commented, "What's bothering you?" Rei was caught off guard and was then conscious, "Was it that noticeable?" She asked.
Haruko smiled sweetly which confirmed Rei's question, making her sweat drop. Haruko's eyes trailed down to Rei's hands, seeing the orange leather ball between her hands, "You were about to play on your own weren't you?"
"Actually, I don't know. I just saw the ball on the floor and took it." Rei continued to stare at the object once again. Haruko knew it was a lie, she could tell that Rei was eager to play since it was written all over her face but why hesitate?
Then a brilliant idea came to mind, Haruko began to strip her uniform jacket and laid it down to a nearby chair outside the court. Rei was confused for a bit until Haruko tied her hair into a ponytail, "Wanna match?"
Rei was surprised and followed by joy though she hid it behind a smirk, she nodded in agreement and took off her jacket as well and stretched for the duel.
Rei's POV
I walked down to the center of the court and Haruko followed behind, we're lucky that no one is using the gym this lunch time. I stood on my position facing Haruko as she did so to me, she's playing offense while I'm at defense. She started to get into position and dribbled the ball down to the floor and back up to her hand again and again.
I spread my arms and stared to her eyes, anticipating for her next move. Her eyes were serious, eyes from her that I've never seen before. Sooner than later, she started to move but I blocked her so she could not get past from me. Moving side to side and eyes locked to each other, she moved to the side which I quickly turned to block her but to to my surprise, she went to the other side and passed, "A fake?!"
She ran to the hoop and I trailed her from behind but I was too late since she had did a lay up smoothly and I was left in shock. Haruko turned to me with a innocent smile on her face, asking if she had made the shot. I was baffled in a moment, "Yeah, you did. I forgot you were a part of a basketball team before."
Haruko giggled while scratching the back of her head, she bounced the ball to my direction and I caught it with my hands, it was my turn to do offense and her the opposite. It was time to be serious again and we got into position and eyes to each other, I did a fake just like she did but to my surprise I got past her. With no hesitation, I ran and did a jump shot to score for myself. But I was still baffled I got past her so easily, her defense is weaker than I thought.
She clapped her hands and cheered at me and I couldn't help but smile to her adorableness. We took turns again and again she got through me and scored. Haruko is pretty slippery and my defense isn't the best either, I knew if I continue making jump or lay up shots and it won't end.
Finally I decided to use my trump card after a never ending back and forth of scores, I got into position and so did she and with a single fake she had took, I stepped back and jumped high with my arms arched to execute a three pointer.
Third Person POV
Haruko's eyes widened as she saw Rei fly up and threw the ball in a smooth shot. It passed through the hoop without touching the rims and when Rei finally landed back to the floor on her feet, Haruko started cheering with joy and amazement.
"Rei-chan!! That was awesome!! A three pointer!! Three points!! Amazing~~!!"
Unbeknownst to them, Hisashi was heading to the gym alone with his gym clothes on and a basketball on his strong hand and a duffle bag to his shoulder. As he got closer to the opened door which made him confused why it was so, Haruko's voice was now audible when she cheered for her friend.
Hisashi was even more confused, why was Akagi's younger sister inside the gym and who is she cheering at? He went through the door and saw Haruko and Rei inside the gym. The two did not notice his arrival however.
"Hey!" Hisashi's call made the two turn their heads, seeing him heading his way to them. "Ah! Senpai!" Haruko got scared for second while Rei just stood still while watching him getting closer.
"We don't have practice today, are you training alone perhaps?" Rei questioned the tall student and he blushed from embarrassment even though there is nothing for him to get embarrassed at, "Yeah so?"
Haruko interrupted with her lips still stretched into a smile, "Mitsui-san! You can't believe what Rei just did! She did a three point shot!! She's amazing!" Rei could not fathom of what Haruko just spilled, she never kept her skill a secret but revealing it like this was just embarrassing. Rei pinched her cheek and pulled her closer to stop her babbling, "Haruko-san!! Stop!"
"Ouch Ouch!!"
Hisashi was baffled to hear such a thing and so he smirked, "Oh really? I hardly believe it." His teasing comment made Rei furrow her brows in irritation. "No no, I don't need a delinquent's comment on my skills." Her shade made Hisashi gasp in disbelief, "You-!"
"Anyways, the gym's all yours. Later." Rei waved her hand around and walked away from Hisashi while Haruko trailed behind. Taking their jackets and wiping their sweat with a handkerchief, the girls took and leaving Hisashi all alone in the empty.
Hisashi scoffed and let out a breath to calm himself and focus on his training. He stretched his arms and legs and once he was finished, he took his duffle bag and rummage to find a water bottle. His eyes got locked on a particular cloth and so he took it with his hand.
The clean white cloth was the one he used to clean the blood from his nose when meeting Sakuragi, Rei and the others before. He remembered his friend offered him the handkerchief and upon using it, he sniffed a scent of something sweet.
He wondered why his friend had such a girly scent, it was probably from his girlfriend but he hardly believes it since his friend was not seeing any girl at the moment. "I better return this later." Hisashi whispered to himself and then went on to the court.
...
The time finally came and Rei with her classmates headed to the locker room to change. Slipping her legs through the holes of her lower uniform, she grumbled under her breath, complaining how short her shorts were.
After finishing getting into her clothes, she took out the essentials for today's activity. In her duffle bag there was the usually kits and stuff she needed and head outside with Haruko. The students found themselves outside at a courtyard with everyone scrambling around while waiting for the teachers.
Rei's POV
We're waiting for the P.E teachers to come and the girls chatted stuff as they waited. I looked around and observed everyone and my eyes stopped when I saw Haruko was waving at a bush. I walked forward to get near and discovered what she was waving at, "You guys?!"
"Ah! It's Rei!" Nozomi screeched while the others were visibly wide eyed in surprise. This isn't the first time I caught them gawking at the girls during P.E. I stomped my way to theirs and all four of the group backed up a bit when I bended down to their level, "You guys checking us out again? Don't you have anything better to do? Class is starting too!"
They tried to explain but they seem to be flustered and red more when I went to them, "N-No! W-We're just keeping an eye out for you guys!" Yuji said in a stuttered voice.
Out of all the four, a familiar figure bursted out from the left bush which caught me off guard and to my surprise, it was Sakuragi himself. "Yeah! He's right, Rei-chan. Keeping an eye out if there are any perverts around the perimeter!" Sakuragi said and squinted his eyes around the environment and did so as he said, but I ain't buying any of their excuses.
Haruko came in to the paint and she was happy to see them unlike I, "Hi everyone! Are you guys here to watch us play basketball??"
"H-Haruko-san!!" Sakuragi was now in heaven, seeing his crush like that made the boy getting red as a tomato.
I stood back up and crossed my arms and let out three 'tch's while shaking my head, "I'm very disappointed in you guys, SENSEI!!"
"HEY!!" The deep and scruffy voice made the group panic and ran away just how they did before. I let out a long sigh as the teacher tried to chase the group. "Oh? They're not watching us play then?" Haruko's question got me giggling under my breath, "Nah, they were here to gawk on us. Come on, the class is about to start."