"I… It got posted… already?!"
"Mhmm! Akane-senpai and I were the ones who put it on the board! So naturally I know about it!"
***
1 Hour Earlier
"I am sure you both know why I called you here so early in the morning."
"Yes, Yanagi-sensei" A serious looking Akane-Senpai spoke up.
"Firstly, congratulations to you Fujinomiya-san, for making it into this academy. I'm sure it wasn't easy considering the school's qualification standards."
"Thank you, sensei. But… why are we here so early in the morning?"
It was 7 a.m. A time where very little students would have arrived at school. During the night before, Yanagi-sensei had sent an urgent message to Akane and Azusa to come to school early in the morning for an emergency meeting.
"I am unsure if you know, but the Inter-High Championship for the male division has been moved to an earlier date. This means that, like the girls, we will have to post the rosters for the boys' team today."
"So, in other words, you haven't decided on a complete roster yet and you want me to assist you, sensei?" Akane asked as if she had already figured out beforehand.
"Yes, that is right. And as Akane's right-hand, it would be a good learning experience for you, Fujinomiya-san. As you know, at this time of the year when we have to decide the roster, the boys will barge into my office to ask for inclusion in the team." Yanagi-sensei said with a dejected look.
Every year, even the boys who were not selected to be part of the representing team would barge into Yanagi-sensei's office asking or even demanding to be put on the team. This year would be especially tough due to Kei's presence on the team where many had questioned why Yanagi-sensei had set Kei as the captain itself and why an 'unworthy' first-year was included in the team where it hadn't done before.
"Okay, Sensei. Now, Maki-kun and Kei's place in the starting line-up is already cemented, I presume?" Akane instantly got to work.
"Yep, now comes the hard part in deciding who the other 3 starters along with the other 7 substitutes are."
"Given Kei's position is the point guard, and Maki's is the center, we have 3 candidates for each of the remaining positions. As for the center and point guard substitutes, we have one each so those positions are settled. Now, for the other positions, I suggest…"
This exchange went on for about 30 minutes before they had decided on a solid line-up that will give them the best chance at securing the championship. Akane also picked players who had good mental fortitude and respect towards their teammates who would cope well with Kei's sadistic style of command. While all this was going on, Azusa had a question lingering in her mind.
"Umm… Sensei… this Kei-kun… he is a first year, right?"
"Ahh, yes. See, this player was personally scouted for our school basketball team. We lacked leadership, and also lacked talented players in the point guard position. When we saw how this player had singlehandedly led his team to two middle school championship titles, the school did everything they could to lure him here."
"Ahh… by any chance… is this Kei-kun's full name… Amane Kei?"
***
"In any case, I have to take my leave now. I still have some things to do to finalise my enrolment here. See you two around~."
As Azusa left the two of them, Kei watched as he was now exhausted from the exchange that they had earlier. When the two of them approached the public board, there it was.
'Point Guard : Amane Kei (C) 1-A
Center : Sawamura Maki 2-F
…'
"Heheh~. Don't you feel a sense of pride seeing your name up there?"
"Is that really how you see it? It may be different for the girls but when a first-year guy makes it… just listen…"
When Chihaya listened at her surroundings, she was disgusted by what she had heard.
"A first-year? Impossible! Captain nonetheless!"
"Seriously? How much dirty money did his parents pay the coach?!"
"Parents should be setting better examples for their children. Not bribing like this!"
"Heh, I bet if we expose this scandal, we might even make the team!"
Around them were the dissatisfied voices of basketball club members who didn't make the team voicing their frustrations. Some of them were even boys Chihaya glared at them as they talked about Kei behind his back without knowing that he was actually there.
"Seriously… to talk like that about someone they've never even met… huh? Kei-chin?"
Chihaya looked around and saw the back of Kei who was just walking away and chased after him. She was not sure whether he was angry or just didn't care enough to confront the other boys who were making fun of him.
"O-oy… Kei-chin… come on… it's not that big of a de—"
Chihaya's eyes widened in shock as Kei walked away without even responding to her calling him. What she saw was not the usual expressionless Kei that she was accustomed to seeing, but the expression that few people like Chihaya knew he made when he was angry as if someone had just stepped on a landmine and he was about to go after them.
***
As Yanagi-sensei was relaxing in the teacher's office before the first period started, his office door slid open. The person who entered the room was none other than Kei himself who was seething at the moment.
"Ah Amane-kun, if you are here to ask me to change the captain position, you're wasting your time."
"Yanagi-sensei…"
"What is it—… are you okay Amane-kun?" A shocked Yanagi-sensei got up from his chair as this was the first time he had witnessed Kei's expression of anger.
"Today's practice, I want to hold a trial to test out how good the selected players are."
Yanagi-sensei dared not refuse his request, for he had a mix of emotions running through him at the moment. One was of how he had just heard Kei asking permission for an extra training session which he had never done. The other, was of how he had just witnessed Amane Kei smiling for the first time in his life when he said that last sentence.