**

A crisp morning paired with the smell of sweaty teens. As weird as that may sound, it was true.

Koji had walked out of first period and into the halls- ready to embark on a adventure to his next class. Today he was strangely optimistic and upbeat. So much so in fact that he actually stayed awake during Mr. Ledge’s lectures.

And due to that, Koji was the first out of his friends to reach the halls.

“Koji! Get your a** back here!..”

And because of that, Lucas was seen pacing the halls in conniption. Smoke parted itself from any orifices on his face- resulting in Lucas gaining his own unique spoor.

Right behind him was Ren, pleading for pardon from any of the inconvenienced kids who Lucas rammed through.

Finally, after Lucas had finished parting the sea of highschoolers like he was a knockoff Moses, he caught up to Koji.

“Wh- What happened to wai- waiting for… *huff* your friends..?” Lucas was very out of breath after his display of barbarism.

Before Koji could even say anything though, Ren was already at his throat. After all, he had to pick up after his act.

“The hell is wrong with you???”

Actually, it was less of a scolding and more so a display of disappointment…

Lucas looked around, catching glimpses of stares. Immediately, he turned red and shot his head down in embarrassment.

For someone who wants to be a movie star, he sure doesn’t like others' gazes.

Previously, Koji had stopped his walk to reduce casualties of Lucas’s rampage, so now that the three were together again- and Lucas in a more… docile… state -he continued.

After about 20 seconds, Lucas picked his head back up, devoid of any previous blushing. Instead, he now stared at Koji from behind with malicious intent.

“Hey!”

Koji whipped his head back to see Lucas’s eyes furrowed and Ren’s face surprised from the sudden noise.

“What happened Wednesday?”

And suddenly Lucas was devoid of any spiteful tone. Instead it was replaced with genuine curiosity.

‘What’s with his mood swings? Is it that time of month for him?’

No Koji, Lucas is not on his period.

“Lucas, I already told you why he never responded…”

Ren intervened.

“He had went to play basketball, and his phone died. By the time he had plugged it back in, the day was over.”

“…”

Lucas drew a blank stare.

“I know, shocking right?..

...Koji playing basketball…”

Ren’s voice was clearly filled with teasing intent. Koji stayed out of it for now, half expecting Lucas to say something along the lines of: “No you dimwit!” or “That’s not what I meant!”

“Yeah, kinda.”

‘…’

Was it really such a shock that Koji had played a sport?!?

Koji threw both of them a dirty look until he reverted back his gaze to the end of the hallway.

Eventually, Lucas ended up slipping away to his classroom- but not before “apologizing” for his brutish nature before.

Now it was Ren’s turn to disappear into his 2nd period class. But before he did…

“Hey Koji…”

Koji turned around and looked at Ren.

“I’m glad you're playing basketball again.”

Koji wasn’t expecting this, so he reacted with a subconscious look of shock.

“Tryouts are in less than a month, so keep that in mind… See’ya!”

Ren’s departure was quick spoken. Before Koji could even wave back goodbye, Ren was already gone.

Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

‘About a month, huh?’

Koji turned around and continued on his walk, feeling as the weights on his shoulders lessened.

One would expect an increase in weight due to the tight deadline, but in Koji’s eyes…

There was now a clear goal, and only one way to reach it…

**

In the back of Mr. Sole’s class, Koji sat face forward, eyes holding no intent. Like he often was, he was in a deep daze thinking to himself.

‘What should I do to prepare…’

He kept pondering to himself until a certain someone disrupted his productive thinking.

“Why do you always stare off like that?”

It was Akari.

Wait…

‘Akari?!?’

Since when had Akari started talking with him like it was normal? He knew she was in his class, but he would have never imagined she knew the same of him. Let alone that she would ever talk to him.

“Oh. Was just thinking about something… Why? What’s up?”

How had Koji always managed to respond so calmly to her under so much internal pressure?!?

“Oh… We’ll I wanted to ask you something but I saw you staring off like that again- just thought I’d ask, you know? Anyway I was originally gonna ask why you didn’t show up yesterday…”

‘She realized I was absent?!’

This was all quite the shocker for poor Koji. Never in a million years would he have thought Akari Anzai would strike up a conversation with him.

“Oh, I was visiting my brother who was about to head into surgery. I didn’t have time to go to school…”

And yet, he managed to push back his thoughts and respond thoroughly.

Koji thought the conversation was to end there, but what she said next almost made him spit out imaginary water.

“No, why weren't you at the courts?”

*screech

It was no coincidence that damn near every chair in the room turned at once. Nearly every guy and girl had locked their eyes on the conversation which took place at the back of the class.

It was of course due to the underlying connotation which stood behind those words. Or more so the possible implications behind them. The idea that Akari Anzai was talking to a nobody could be overlooked- but “plans” made outside of school?

No wonder the vultures basically broke their necks to listen in on their conversation.

“I was doing homework. Didn’t have time.”

‘shit shit shit!’

The attention was getting a little hard to handle.

“Hmm…”

Akari stood there and rubbed her chin. Half the class probably got- actually, never mind.

“Well, don’t take basketball so lightly.” She followed up with a bit of a pretentious tone as she puffed out her chest.

Why had she sounded like a father scolding their child in the 50’s?

‘The hell?’

“Hey, tell that to yourself.”

As Koji said that, he tried his best to re-enact Akari’s granny shot from a seated position.

‘This… this wasn’t the best decision.’

It seems the pressure of many cynical gazes finally made Koji crack.

You see, doing a granny shot from a seated position… is kind of hard to discern from humping the air.

So, as Koji pulled a Joel Embiid, the rest of the class was shocked.

They probably would’ve started screaming hellish curses at Koji if not for Akari.

“Hey! That’s uncalled for!.. I got better…”

As her sentence continued her voice trailed off in embarrassment. The class couldn’t help but watch in shock.

After a little pause- in which Koji used to debate his life decisions -Akari began walking to her desk, with a bit of a pout on her face.

Koji was finally able to breathe again as the class directed their attention to Akari- whom they probably rarely see pouting.

‘whew.’

“Oh, and you better be at the courts today.”

And just like that the class was back to shooting daggers at Koji with their piercing eyes. Eyes which screamed “I’LL KILL YOU!”.

Koji wanted to curl up into a ball.

As he was attempting to ball-ify himself, a small distance away Akari could be seen sitting herself down next to her best friend; Yuki.

As she finished composing herself, Yuki engaged Akari in a small whisper.

“Hey, who was that?”

“Oh, just somebody I met the other day…”

Akari paused for a moment…

“You might know him as Tensai’s brother…”

**

Yesterday Morning- 2 Hours Prior to Tensai’s Surgery

Koji found himself in his older brother's hospital room, which was devoid of any sunlight- only a few small artificial light sources built into the ceiling here and there.

The dim, flickering, lights contributed greatly to the depressing air in the room.

Although it was Wednesday, it was as if ‘Monday’s Last Hope’ had finally let the Monday Demons get to him…

Tensai, who had always been a joy to be around, was now hard to even look at.

His ghostly pale face, empty expression, and deadman-eyes were all deprived from the most depressing aspect of him.

His missing leg.

Tensai, the star of his local town, and the highly praised basketball prospect- had lost his leg, as well as his future.

For someone who always thought in the present, you would think losing their future wouldn’t hurt them so much.

“Hey… Tenz…”

Koji wanted to talk with his brother before he went into surgery. The surgery was supposed to be a long term patch up for his leg- so it was nothing life threatening, but he wanted to clear his own conscience.

Instead of responding, Tensai simply shifted his pupils which were filled with cross-hatched black. Underneath the shading was a dark blue which had lost any life it previously held- along with any sign of joy.

Tensai of course was still covered in pretty heavy clothing and bandages. If not for the beating of his heart which sounded through the vacant room, you would think the man who lied on this bed was without doubt; dead.

Although, who’s to say he’s not. Heart beat aside- an empty human is no more than a grave waiting to be dug…

“I decided to play basketball again…”

Koji’s voice stayed submissive, as it quivered a little.

In response, Tensai moved the gaze of his eyes to the ceiling- which hosted a flickering white light.

Koji started to grow teary eyed as he began to stand up. He figured if Tensai wouldn’t respond- he’d prefer to not see his brother in such a state.

“Hey… Koji…”

Just as Koji had thought that- a raspy voice reached out to him. One that had a hint of life left. One which had a seedling of hope. Not hope for himself, but hope for his brother.

Tensai shifted his head towards Koji, who was standing over him with tears rolling down his face. He had tried to hold it in by tightly clasping onto his inner palms, but it was to no avail.

Koji looked into Tensai’s eyes as tears blurred his vision.

Even so, he knew what he saw.

Koji saw light underneath his brother's shaded eyes and dull pupils. As if underneath it all was a small incandescent fire which had still burned- signifying all of Tensai’s hopess and dreams.

All his aspersions.

“…Do your best…”

Tensai’s voice was still raspy, but he continued.

“…For me…”

With those final words, Koji watched as the burning light, which had seemed invincible, burnt itself out. It dimmed, paled- and then disappeared.

Tensai’s eyes were once again those of a dead-man’s.

As Koji’s became those of one crying.

**

End Chapter 4:

Deadman’s Gleam