"Alright, you can sit anywhere—make yourself comfortable," Kaito said with a warm grin as the team settled into the clubroom. It wasn't much yet, just an empty room repurposed for their use, but it already felt like something real. Something theirs.
He stood in front of a whiteboard with a marker in hand, energy bubbling under his usually calm expression. "We'll be entering a tournament in November. It's not the main one, but it's a good test of our skills. You can see the full timeline here."
He flipped the board around to reveal a hand-written schedule:
April
School year starts, club registration
May
Prefectural-level spring tournaments
June
Prefectural qualifiers for the national tournament
July
Regional tournaments
August
All Japan Junior High School Basketball Tournament (National Championship)
October
Prefectural winter tournaments begin
November
Final middle school tournaments for 3rd-year students
December
Training camps & high school recruitment
March
School year ends, graduation
"We need to use our time wisely," Kaito said, tapping the board. "Every month matters."
He grabbed another marker and wrote out the current lineup under the positions.
Starting Five:
PG: Renji Dirgantara
SG: Aizawa Haruto
SF:
PF: Taiga Okabe
C: Rikuya Asano
Bench:
Kaito Nishida
Kaito turned to face everyone. "Right now, we're short on players. You all know about my limitations—I can't play for long. That's why we need depth."
He circled a few names. "Aizawa can shift to SF if needed. Taiga can cover PF or even Center in a pinch. But Rikuya-senpai will always be our anchor at the five."
His eyes gleamed with excitement. For Kaito, this wasn't just a school club. This was the first step toward a dream he'd long carried—coaching, managing, building something that would last.
"And since we've got the minimum number of members, I can officially register us with the school," he continued. "Now there are a few things we need to figure out. First: uniforms. Since we're new, we get to design our own. Suggestions are welcome."
Before he could go on, Taiga raised his hand, then burst out: "Can we get a cute girl as our manager?!"
"Make that two," Aizawa added without missing a beat.
Kaito sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "We'll make a pamphlet and set up a booth during Recruitment Day. We'll hope for the best. Manager applications are open."
He paused, then looked serious. "The most important figure, though, is our coach. I've already been in contact with someone through our advisor… Someone special. But we'll keep that under wraps for now."
Everyone leaned forward at the tease, but Kaito didn't give anything away.
"Next week is Recruitment Day. All clubs will be out trying to draw in first-years. For you first-years already on the team, you'll help with the event."
Dirga raised his hand. "What about training?"
Kaito smiled. "Good question. I'm planning a 2v2 session this week. Rikuya and Dirga vs. Aizawa and Taiga. I'll rotate in now and then. Physical drills will continue as usual."
"Yes, Captain!" everyone shouted in unison—even stoic Rikuya joined in with a small grin. It felt childish. It felt like a real team.
The sky had already darkened by the time I stepped off the bus. The cool spring breeze brushed past me as I walked through the quiet residential street toward home.
…
"I'm home," I called out, stepping through the front door.
The soft clatter of dishes echoed from the kitchen. A familiar voice called back.
"Welcome home."
It was Aoi—my older cousin. She sat at the table in her usual spot, nursing a cup of tea and reading through a pile of documents. Her uniform jacket was slung over the chair, and her long hair was tied back in a loose ponytail.
"Where's Ojisan?" I asked, dropping my bag by the door.
"Still at work," she replied, barely looking up. "Beginning of the school year. You know how it is."
I walked over and poured myself some water. "Right… I forgot he gets super busy this time of year."
Aoi exhaled and leaned back. "Yeah. It's always like this. For the first few weeks, he disappears into that office of his like some kind of overworked tanuki."
I chuckled and took a seat across from her. "You miss him?"
She glanced at me, then looked away. "A little. It's been like this for years, but... I guess I hoped this time might be different."
Her voice wasn't bitter—just quiet.
"You don't have to put on a strong face," I said.
She raised an eyebrow. "Says the kid who acts like a thirty-year-old trapped in a thirteen-year-old's body."
I blinked. "You're not… entirely wrong."
She laughed—a short, genuine laugh. "Well, at least you're aware of it."
I smiled. "Still… I get it. Even though it's been years, there's always that part of you that wants things to feel normal. Wants family around."
Aoi stared at her teacup. "You've changed, you know."
I looked at her. "How so?"
"You're still you, but… there's something calmer about you now. Stronger. I'm not sure if it's because of everything that's happened or if you're just growing up fast."
"…Maybe a bit of both."
Aoi stood and walked to the fridge, pulling out a plate of mochi.
"You're lucky," she said, setting it down. "I was going to eat these."
I grinned. "I am lucky. You're finally acting like a proper older sister."
She narrowed her eyes. "Don't push your luck."
We shared the mochi at the table, just the two of us. No grand gestures. No dramatic music. Just family—bonding over small things, sharing warmth in the absence of someone who loved them both.
"Thanks for being here, Aoi-neesan."
She blinked at the sudden use of the title.
"…Anytime, Dirga-kun."
A strange jolt ran through me, like static electricity down my spine.
"…Okay, stop. Don't say it again," I muttered.
She burst into laughter.