Chereads / THE PERFECT SHOT: A CHANGE FOR THE BETTER / Chapter 31 - AN ENCOUNTER WITH OLD TEAMMATES , PAINFUL MEMORIES

Chapter 31 - AN ENCOUNTER WITH OLD TEAMMATES , PAINFUL MEMORIES

(Basketball shoes rubbing on court)

(Hayato dribbles the basketball)

(Takahiro sets a screen for Tetsuo)

(Tetsuo cuts in the key)

(Liam sets a screen for Tetsuo in the Key)

(Yukio cuts through the key)

(Tetsuo runs to the opposite side of the three point line)

(Hayato passes the basketball to Tetsuo)

(Tetsuo shoots a three pointer)

(Swoosh)

Nanaho: alright great work everyone, run that play again but this time Liam will be the one whose scoring

Everyone: yes

(Yukio sets a screen for Tetsuo)

(Tetsuo cuts in the key)

(Liam sets a screen for Hayato)

(Hayato dribbles to the hoop and passes the basketball to Liam)

(Liam dunks the basketball)

Nanaho: great work , run that play once more, this time with Yukio scoring

Everyone: yes

(Nanaho): training has been running real smoothly lately, I can't wait for our first match , it gives me goosebumps just thinking about it

(Shino): this one will make a hundred made layups with my left hand

(Shino shoots a layup)

(Swoosh)

(Shino): finally finished, now I have to do two hundred and fifty dribbles with my left hand and five hundred with my right

(Noboru running with the girl's track team)

(Noboru): ever since that foreigner Liam joined the team, I don't get to practice at all with them lately, that can only mean that I'm not one of the starting members , this sucks

??: wow, Noboru really has adjusted to training with the girls that runs the eight hundred meters race, he really is something isn't he.

??: yeah he's really committed to his training

Naomi: if anything he's just thick headed and stubborn

???: I heard that Liam quitted the track team

??: for real?

?: yes and he's now playing on the basketball team

Naomi: well, I believe that basketball suits him he's tall and vertically athletic, he'd be more impactful playing basketball than running

??: that's true

(Makoto): well , time to go home

Hayami-sensei: Makoto hands these papers to the president of the literature club

Makoto: Really? Why choose me of all person?

Hayami-sensei: just shut up and do what I say

Makoto: this is such a pain, that teacher is really getting on my nerves

Makoto: here you go

??: thank you

Makoto: no problem

Makoto: I have to go get my bag then get the hell out of here before she comes back

(Makoto leaves the classroom)

Sachiko: wait, you're Makoto Kurai right?

Makoto: yes

Sachiko: good , I need a favor, I was on clean duty today however I have a student council meeting that I need to attend, could you fill in for me please

Makoto: sigh, yes

Sachiko: thanks, I appreciate it, also be sure to empty that bin

Makoto: sigh

(Makoto empties the trash)

(Makoto ): that's the last of it, alright then time to go home

(Makoto bumps into Daichi)

Daichi: watch where you're going punk

Daichi: wait, well, well,well look who we got here , I never thought that I'd see your sorry face again, Makoto Kurai

(Makoto): no way, these guys are from my junior high school

(Shino dribbling the basketball)

(Shino): 138,139,140,141

(Rie peeping at Shino from the gym door)

Yuri: today was tough, I'll have to study more harder for those surprise pop quizzes

Yuri: wait, is that Rie, she's over at the basketball gym, is she watching that boy

(Yuri walks over to Rie)

Yuri: hey Rie!

( Rie jumps)

Rie: jeez Yuri, don't scare me like that

Yuri: sorry, are you here to watch Katsuragi train

Rie: shush, do you want him to hear us?

Yuri: everyday you come out here and watch him train why don't you go over ad say hi to him

Rie: I can't , it's complicated

Yuri: why do you even like him so much?

Rie: well that's ....

Nanaho: alright take a seven minutes break everyone

(Yukio): we are starting to function effectively as a team, these plays Nanaho came up with will be the key to victory

(Shino takes a deep breath)

Takahiro: hey Shino, mind if I send you out to get a drink from the vending machine for me?

Shino: no not at all

Takahiro: thank you, here

Hayato: one for me and Liam as well

Shino: ok, be right back

Rie: he's coming this way, what can I do

Yuri: calm down girl, what's with you

(Rie hides behind Yuri)

Shino: um, you are from the newspaper club right? Are you here for more material from us?

Yuri: nope, I'm here because Rie asked me to be, she wanted to say something to you

Rie: Yuri please don't

(Yuri pushes Rie in front of Shino)

Shino: what did you want to say?

Rie: uu..mm.ehh. train hard and all the be.best with your games

Shino: yes, thank you , I really needed that

(Shino walks off)

Rie: why did you do that to me?

Yuri: well, at least you made more progress with him, it's way better than looking like a stalker

(Noboru breathes heavily)

??: I'm impressed Mr. Takemoto , you were able to adapt to our training in such a short period of time

Noboru: so you're finally realizing how great I am

Naomi: don't feed the idiot's ego, he will only get more delusional

Noboru: what's that suppose to mean and who are you calling an idiot ?

(Noboru spots Shino)

Noboru: hey amateur, where are you running off to?

Shino: I told you to stop calling me that

Shino: I'm off to go buy some drinks for the team

Noboru: sweet, get me an apple juice please , I'll pay you back

Shino: okay

(Shino) : let's see one for myself, Takahiro, Hayato, Liam and Noboru, I have to hurry up and head back to training. Huh? Is that Makoto?

Daichi: I never thought that I'd see trash like you at such a fine school as Toshigawa

Hidesuke: yeah me either I thought he was an idiot

Basara: this loser quitted basketball in junior high, how much more pathetic can he be, then again he wasn't even worth much on our team either , even Coach Syouto said that he was worthless

(Makoto): these bastards are getting on my nerves, if it comes down to it ill have to fight them

Shino: I don't know what's going on but please leave him alone!!

(Shino stands in front of Makoto)

Makoto: Katsuragi what are you?

Daichi: who is this softy? What are you going to do wet your pants

Hidesuke: wait, no frickin way is that bean sprout

Basara: now that you said that it does look like him, you know that pipsqueak you took that girl from

Daichi: you're right, it is him

Shino: nn.oo ww.ay it's you guys my seniors at junior high

(Tears starts falling down Shino's eyes)

(Shino): all the memories of her are flooding back my brain , I can't take it

Daichi: I've took good care of Emiko this whole time don't worry your little head bean sprout

Hidesuke: wait , he seems to be in training gear, don't tell me , you are actually still trying to play basketball at the high school level

Basara: haha, don't make laugh a worthless shrimp like you couldn't even become the water boy , you were our useless errand boy back in junior high what hopes do you have in ever making a team

(Shino holds his head down to hide his tears)

(Makoto): wait so he was that person who they treated like crap in junior high, that timid and weak junior high school student

Noboru: what the hell is taking Shino so long my throat is dry from sweating a lot, when I see him I'll-

(Noboru): what the hell, are they ganging up on Shino, not on my watch those punks are going to get it

Noboru: what the hell are you guys doing to my teammate, you bastards

Hidesuke: who is this clown? And by teammate do you mean this piece of garbage

Noboru: he may be an amateur but don't you dare call him garbage

(Noboru punches Hidesuke in the face)

(Hidesuke staggers backwards)

Hidesuke: how dare you touch me, you're dead

(Hidesuke rushes after Noboru)

Takumi: that's enough

Daichi: captain, he started the fight

Takumi: don't reduce yourself to their level, a petty street fight is not worth the trouble

(Noboru): no way, this guy is Takumi Ida, the bastard who defeated my team 104-2 in junior high, the one who took all of Naomi's attention away from me

Takumi: come on, let's go

Noboru: Takumi!!

Takumi: do I know you?

Noboru: we played against each other in junior high

Takumi: sorry , but I don't remember every bug I squash

(Takumi walks away)

(Noboru): that bastard

Makoto: let it go Noboru, now is not the time

Noboru: but-

Noboru: Shino, why is he crying

Makoto: it all makes sense now why he follows me around and ask me to join the basketball team, we were on the same junior high school team , well technically he wasn't