Chapter XVII

* POV: Coach Miyamura -

I blew my whistle sharply, signaling the end of the scrimmage. "Alright, hit the showers! That's enough for today."

The boys trudged off the court, drenched in sweat from the grueling practice session. As they filed past me, I could see the fatigue etched on their faces - good, that's how I wanted it. No shortcuts to greatness.

"Kojima, Sugahara, stay behind for a minute." The two lingered back as the others headed to the locker room.

Kojima wiped the sweat from his brow. "Yes, Coach?"

"Your defense was sloppy out there. I expect better from you next time." I turned my steely gaze to Sugahara. "And you - that fade-away jumper ain't gonna cut it against our next opponents. You gotta get lower on those knees."

Sugahara nodded, not even a hint of protest on his face. Good, he was learning.

"Now get outta here and get some rest. We got another brutal session tomorrow."

As they headed off, I allowed myself a small smirk. Breaking them down was the only way to build them back up stronger. That's how champions were forged.

The next afternoon, the squeak of shoes on hardwood filled the gym as we ran full-court drills.

"Come on, hustle! You callin' that defense?" I barked at Arisu as Sugahara blew past him for an easy layup.

Arisu gritted his teeth, refusing to make excuses. That's what I liked to see.

We transitioned into rebounding drills, the thunderous thuds of bodies crashing into padding echoing through the gym. Reo and Nakamura went at it particularly hard, neither wanting to give an inch.

"That's it, use that physicality!" I shouted over the chaos. "The battle's won on the boards!"

In the final scrimmage, tensions ran high as usual. Elbows flew, trash talk intensified with each possession. Just how I liked it - they were getting hungry.

Sugahara barreled down the lane, meeting Reo's resistance head-on. The two collided like freight trains, falling in a tangle of limbs. I had to resist the urge to grin as they helped each other up, slapping backs with grudging respect.

"That's what I'm talkin' about!" I bellowed across the court. "You bring that same intensity on game day, we can't be beat!"

They knew I meant business. More importantly, they were starting to believe it themselves.

I watched intently as the boys hustled up and down the court, their sneakers squeaking against the varnished hardwood. Sweat poured down their faces, mixing with the intensity in their eyes. In that moment, I was transported back to my playing days in the B.League.

Those were some of the best years of my life. The bright lights, the roar of the crowd, the thrill of battling against Japan's top talent night after night. I can still feel the adrenaline coursing through my veins when I think about that game-winning shot I hit against the Sendai 89ers. Bottom of the fourth, tie game, the rock in my hands with the clock winding down. I gave my defender a couple of deadly crossover dribbles, created just enough space, and let it fly from way downtown. Nothing but net as the buzzer sounded. Pandemonium erupted in the arena. I'll never forget that feeling.

Off the court, those were wild times too. Living it up with the guys after big wins, hitting up the nightlife scene in whatever city we happened to be in that week. I chuckle remembering that one night in Osaka when we snuck out and ended up....well, maybe it's better if some stories stay untold. Let's just say we had a few too many drinks and got a little carried away with the celebrations. Good times.

A sharp whistle snapped me back to the present as one of my guys went down hard under the basket. I rushed over, concerned, but he just needed a second to catch his breath. Gotta be tough to survive out there. As I helped him up, I could see that same hunger in his eyes that I once had. The fearlessness of youth, thinking you're invincible. I envied that mentality sometimes. These kids had no idea what awaited them, the challenges and successes still to come. All they knew was the game right here, right now. And in this practice, they were giving it everything they had, just like I did all those years ago.

* * *

* POV: Kojima -

I wiped the sweat from my brow as Coach Miyamura's whistle pierced the air, signaling the end of another grueling practice. My lungs burned and my legs felt like lead, but the familiar ache was a welcome reminder of the hard work we'd put in.

As I gulped down some water, I noticed Sugahara eyeing the basket with a glint of determination. Nakamura had just thrown down a thunderous dunk, rattling the entire backboard. A sly grin spread across Sugahara's face as he grabbed the ball.

"Hey, Koji!" he called out, his voice cutting through the din of squeaking sneakers and clattering basketballs. "Watch this." he added.

I knew that look all too well. Sugahara had been trying to nail that elusive dunk for weeks now, coming agonizingly close each time. The whole team had seen his failed attempts, but his tenacity was admirable.

With a few powerful dribbles, Sugahara built up a head of steam and launched himself into the air, his lean frame seeming to defy gravity for a split second. The ball left his fingertips and...clang! It smashed against the front of the rim, denying him once again.

"Aw, man!" Sugahara groaned as he landed, his shoulders slumping in disappointment. "I was so close that time!"

Glancing over, I noticed Kinoshita, Haruno, and Yamato had also been watching the attempt with rapt attention.

"Don't worry, Sugahara," Yamato piped up, a warm smile spreading across his face. "I remember back in middle school, it took me months to finally get my first dunk down. You'll get there." Yamato stated.

"You've been dunking since middle school?" Sugahara said with a gasp.

"I don't get what the big deal is about dunking anyway. Seems like a huge waste of energy if you ask me." Haruno spoke up.

A dunk is one of the most powerful scoring methods in basketball. It gets the crowd hyped and demoralizes the other team." Yamato explained.

"He's right," I chimed in, recalling some of the most electrifying dunks I'd witnessed. "When you see someone rise up and throw it down with authority, it's like a statement of dominance on the court."

Sugahara nodded vigorously, his eyes lighting up again as he found his voice. "Exactly! It's not just about the points, it's about sending a message. Like, 'You can't stop me from getting to the rim, so you might as well get out of my way.'" Sugahara said.

* * *

* POV: Kinoshita -

I walked out of the gym with Kaori, trailing behind the boys as they laughed and joked around after a tough practice. The sun was setting, casting a warm orange glow across the school grounds.

"Man, I'm beat," Kojima said, stretching his arms above his head. "Coach really put us through the wringer today."

Sugahara grinned. "What's the matter, Kojima? Can't handle a little extra conditioning?"

"Oh, I can handle it just fine," Kojima retorted, playfully shoving Sugahara. "I'm just saying, it was intense."

"You boys and your macho posturing," Kaori chimed in, rolling her eyes. "Personally, I think it's good that Coach Miyamura is pushing you so hard. It'll only make you better players in the long run."

"Easy for you to say," Sugahara quipped. "You just sit on the sidelines and watch us suffer."

Kaori scoffed. "Excuse me? I'll have you know that being a manager is no walk in the park. Keeping you boys in line is a full-time job."

I couldn't help but giggle at their banter. "She's got a point, you know. We work hard too, even if it's not on the court."

As we continued our walk home, the conversation shifted to lighter topics - upcoming tests, funny moments from practice, plans for the weekend.

However something happened as we were walking home.

A small cardboard box sat on the side of the path, the flaps folded inwards.

"Hey, did you guys see that?" I pointed towards the box.

Sugahara squinted. "Yeah, what is that?"

As we drew closer, the box shifted ever so slightly. Kaori's eyes widened.

"I think there's something alive in there," she said.

We cautiously approached the mysterious container. Kojima crouched down and carefully opened the flaps.

A tiny meow greeted us. Curled up inside was an adorable gray kitten, its eyes blinking up at us.

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

"Awww!" I couldn't contain the squeal that escaped my lips. "It's a little kitty!"

"Well I'll be..." Sugahara murmured. "Who would just leave a box with a cat out here?"

Kaori frowned. "Probably some jerk who didn't want it anymore."

The kitten mewed again, sounding distressed. Without thinking, I scooped it up into my arms, cradling its small body.

"There, there, it's okay," I cooed, gently stroking its soft fur. "We've got you now."

The kitten seemed to calm down in my embrace, nuzzling against me. I felt my heart melting.

"What should we do with it?" Kojima asked, concern furrowing his brow.

We fell silent, each of us pondering the dilemma. As much as I wanted to keep the poor thing, I knew my parents wouldn't allow a pet.

"We can't just leave it here," Sugahara said finally. "That's just cruel."

Kaori nodded thoughtfully. "I agree. But what are our options?"

We all stared at the tiny kitten cradled in my arms, its big eyes blinking up at us innocently. My heart ached at the thought of abandoning the poor thing out here all alone.

"Well, we obviously can't just leave it," I said, stroking its soft fur. The kitten purred contentedly, melting me even further.

A heavy silence fell over the group as we pondered our options. I couldn't bear the idea of taking the kitten to a shelter - who knows what kind of uncertain fate might await it there?

Sugahara cleared his throat. "What if one of us took it in, just temporarily? You know, until we can find it a good permanent home?"

We all exchanged uncertain looks. Taking in a stray pet, even for a little while, felt like a huge responsibility none of us were prepared for.

"I could probably take it," Kojima said slowly.

My eyes widened. "Seriously? You think your mom would be okay with that?"

He shrugged. "Maybe? It's worth a shot at least. We can't just abandon the little guy."

I beamed at him, clutching the kitten closer. "Kojima, you're the best! Are you sure it'll be alright though?"

Kojima waved a hand dismissively. "My mom's a total softy. She won't be able to resist this cute little face."

"Besides, if it's only temporary, my mom might never even know about it," he added.

"If you're certain, man," Sugahara said, clapping Kojima on the shoulder.

Kaori still looked skeptical. "Are you positive your mom won't get mad about you bringing home a stray animal?"

"I'm sure it'll be fine," Kojima insisted with a confident nod. "What's the worst that could happen?"

His breezy reassurance helped ease my worries.

I reluctantly handed the kitten over to Kojima, who cradled it in the basket of his bike.

We entered the brightly lit pet supply aisle of the grocery store, the air filled with the scents of dog treats and cedar shavings. Kojima cradled the tiny gray kitten in his arms, its big eyes darting around curiously at all the new sights and smells.

"Aww, look how cute it is!" I cooed, reaching over to gently stroke the kitten's soft fur. It purred contentedly, nuzzling against Kojima.

Sugahara had already wandered off, browsing the shelves lined with pet supplies - food bowls, litter boxes, toys galore. "So, what exactly are we gonna need to take care of this little guy?" he called over his shoulder.

"Well, food and litter for starters," Kaori replied. "Probably some toys too, to keep it entertained." she added.

I made a beeline for the cat toy section, my eyes lighting up at the array of feathery wands, jingle balls, and catnip-filled mice. "Oh my gosh, look at all the cute toys! We have to get this one!" I held up a plush fish dangling from a long string.

The kitten batted at it curiously with its tiny paws, entranced. I melted into a puddle of goo right then and there.

"Alright, alright, we'll get the fish toy," Kojima stated.

Kaori shook her head in amusement. "You're going to spoil that cat rotten, Aiya."

"What's the point of having a pet if you can't spoil it?" I retorted with a wink.

"Well actually it's Kojima's pet, not yours," Kaori said.

"What? Well maybe I should take him!" I retorted.

Though my words had no weight because no way my mom would let me bring a kitty home.

As I piled more toys into the basket Sugahara was carrying, he raised an eyebrow at me. "You know, this is only supposed to be a temporary thing. We can't exactly adopt the cat permanently."

My smile faltered slightly at the reminder. Of course, as much as I wanted to keep the adorable little kitten forever, I knew that wasn't realistic. Still, that didn't mean we couldn't make its time with us as comfortable and fun as possible.

"I know, I know," I said, running a finger along the kitten's soft head. "But we can at least make sure it's well taken care of while it's with us, right?"

Sugahara's expression softened. "You've got a point there."

Our shopping cart was practically overflowing with all the supplies we'd gathered for the sweet little kitten Kojima was taking in. There were bags of premium cat food, plush beds, a litter box and litter, toys galore - we'd gone all out to make sure this furry friend was well taken care of.

As we approached the checkout line, Sugahara started unloading the items onto the conveyor belt. "Alright, let me just get my wallet out to pay for all this."

I blinked in surprise. "Oh no, Sugahara you don't have to pay for everything!"

Kaori nodded in agreement. "Yeah, we can't let you cover the whole cost. That wouldn't be fair."

Sugahara waved a dismissive hand. "Don't worry about it, it's no big deal. Consider it my contribution to taking care of the little guy."

While I appreciated his generosity, it didn't feel right to let him shoulder the entire financial burden. I mean we're high schoolers, we don't have that much money.

"At least let us split it with you," I insisted. "We're all going to be helping look after him, so we should divide the costs evenly."

Kaori nodded emphatically.

Sugahara opened his mouth to protest, but Kaori leveled him with one of her signature no-nonsense looks. He seemed to think better of arguing.

"Alright, alright, you win," he relented with a good-natured chuckle. "We'll split everything three ways then. Kojima shouldn't have to since he's taking the cat in." Sugahara said.

We stepped up to the checkout counter.

"Did you guys find everything you—...oh!" the cashier said.

The cheery greeting trailed off as the cashier looked up and her eyes landed squarely on Kojima. It was none other than Emi from the sewing club, the girl who we went to karaoke with the other day.

Poor Emi immediately turned beet red, her eyes darting away shyly. "H-Hi Kojima..." she mumbled, suddenly unable to meet his gaze.

Kojima simply nodded politely. "Hey Emi."

I couldn't help but notice the flustered look on Emi's face as she began ringing up our items. Her hands trembled ever so slightly as she scanned each item.

Sugahara, being the ever-observant one, didn't miss a beat. He flashed Emi a bright grin and leaned against the counter conspiratorially.

"Hey Emi, did you see what Kojima's doing? He's taking in this stray kitten we found abandoned on the side of the road. How cool is that?"

Emi's eyes widened almost comically as she looked over at Kojima, who was gently cradling the gray ball of fur. "R-Really? That's so...so nice of you, Kojima."

Sugahara nodded enthusiastically. "Right? Only a guy with a heart of gold would go out of his way to rescue a poor defenseless animal like that."

I had to stifle a giggle at the way Sugahara was blatantly playing up Kojima's heroics.

Kojima seemed oblivious to the whole thing, simply focused on keeping the kitten calm in his arms. Emi, on the other hand, was practically melting into a puddle behind the register.

"I-I think that's really admirable," she stammered, sneaking another glance at Kojima. "Not many guys would do something so selfless."

Emi rang up the last item, her cheeks still flushed a delicate shade of pink. "That'll be 6,892 yen, please."

We finally arrived at Kojima's house, our arms laden with bags full of pet supplies. I carefully cradled the tiny gray kitten in my arms as we headed inside.

The moment we stepped into Kojima's room, the kitten's ears perked up. Its big eyes darted around curiously, taking in all the new sights and smells. Kojima gently set down the carrier we'd bought, opening the little wire door.

Without hesitation, the kitten scampered out and immediately began exploring its new surroundings. It scurried under Kojima's desk, poked its head out from beneath the bed, and batted playfully at a stray sock on the floor.

"Well, someone's making themselves at home," Sugahara remarked with an amused grin.

I couldn't help but giggle as Sugahara fumbled with the litter box assembly, his brow furrowed in concentration. He squinted at the instruction manual, turning it this way and that as if the words might magically rearrange themselves into something coherent.

"Why am I not surprised you suck at putting things together?" Kaori told Sugahara.

"Need some help over there?" I teased, watching in amusement as he somehow managed to tangle himself up in the very instructions he was trying to follow.

Sugahara shot me a playful glare, the litter box pieces scattered haphazardly around him. "I'm fine, I've got this!" he insisted, his voice muffled by the crinkled paper obscuring his face.

Kaori rolled her eyes good-naturedly. "At this rate, that poor kitten will be using Kojima's laundry hamper as a litter box."

Kojima simply watched the scene unfold with an amused shake of his head. The kitten, meanwhile, was far more interested in pouncing on the dangling instruction booklet swaying from Sugahara's face.

"Here, let me take a look," I said, picking up the discarded instructions and smoothing them out.

Within a few minutes of studying the diagrams, I had the whole setup assembled neatly. Sugahara watched with grudging admiration as I effortlessly clicked the final pieces into place.

"How's that?" I asked with a satisfied grin, admiring my handiwork. "One fully functional litter box, ready for use!" "Impressive. You've got to teach me your ways, Kinoshita" Sugahara told me.

"What can I say? I'm just naturally good at this kinda stuff," I replied.

I scooped up the kitten and gently placed it inside the brand new litter box. It sniffed around curiously before pawing at the fresh litter.

"There you go, little guy," I said giving it an affectionate scratch under the chin. "Your very own litter palace, courtesy of yours truly."

With the litter box situation handled, I stood up to stretch a little.

The kitten suddenly leapt up onto Kojima's bed, its tail swishing excitedly. But in its enthusiasm, it accidentally knocked over a precariously balanced stack of DVDs perched on the edge of the nightstand.

The cases went clattering to the floor in a messy cascade, scattering in every direction.

"Oh no!" I rushed over to help clean up the clutter, Kaori right beside me.

Kaori shot Kojima a pointed look as she started gathering the fallen DVDs. "Honestly Kojima, when was the last time you cleaned this pigsty of a room?"

Kojima rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "Heh...been a while I guess."

As I knelt down to collect the scattered cases, I couldn't help but glance at some of the titles curiously. A few questionable covers immediately caught my eye, their provocative images leaving little to the imagination.

I felt my cheeks grow hot as I hurriedly averted my gaze. "Um...Kojima? You, uh...you've got some interesting taste in movies..."

Kojima's eyes widened in alarm as he seemed to realize just what kind of DVDs had spilled out onto the floor.

"Wait weren't those your DVDs Sugahara?" he said bluntly.

Sugahara looked over my shoulder to examine the one I was holding.

image [https://i.imgur.com/Z8pNpSd.jpg]

"W—what?! Don't pin it on me! Suzuki brought them over!" Sugahara said defending himself.

Kaori simply rolled her eyes as she continued cleaning, muttering something about "typical boys" under her breath.

I couldn't help but sneak another glance at one of the DVD covers, my cheeks still burning. The image was...well, rather eye-opening to put it mildly.

Shaking my head, I decided it was best not to pry any further. Some things were better left unknown when it came to guy friends.

Though I did make a mental note to maybe give Kojima's room a good clean-up the next time I was over… for the kitten's sake.