Sunday morning arrived with a buzz of anticipation—it was our first match. The sun peeked through the clouds, casting a soft glow over the school parking lot where we gathered with our bags, water bottles, and nerves.
"Alright! Make sure you've packed everything you need!" Takeshi-sensei barked as he pulled up in a ten-seater minibus, slightly dented but reliable.
"Dibs on the front seat!" Taiga shouted the moment the door opened.
"I want it too!" Aizawa jumped in, and the two started bickering like always.
Seriously, they were like a comedy duo.
"Stop arguing. The front seat's for Sayaka," Rikuya said flatly, cutting through the noise like a samurai blade.
With our seats sorted, we piled in. Takeshi-sensei took the wheel, Sayaka claimed the front. The first row had Rikuya and Kaito—Rikuya's hulking frame meant the three-seater row now only fit two. Behind them sat Taiga, Rei, and Aizawa, squeezed like sardines. I ended up in the very back with Hiroki. Coach Tsugawa, looking cool as always, rode his motorbike behind us since there was no room left.
About ten minutes into the ride, silence filled the van. Not a tense kind, but the quiet that comes before something big. Maybe it was nerves, or maybe we were all just imagining how the match would go.
"Soooo... let's remember the ramen we're getting after this," Kaito said suddenly, trying to cut through the tension.
"Ramen!" Aizawa repeated with a grin.
That was all it took. Soon everyone was talking—about ramen, toppings, side dishes, even arguing over which shop was best. Just like that, the heavy atmosphere cracked open. Laughter filled the van.
When we arrived at Toyonaka High School, it looked just like I remembered : neat, traditional architecture with a modern gymnasium standing proudly in the center. We gathered our gear and headed inside.
"Excuse us..." Kaito said as he opened the door to the gym.
"Dirgaaaa! Otou-sannn!" a voice called out.
Aoi?
I blinked. In my past life, Aoi had been a cheerleader—not part of the basketball club.
"Aoi? What are you doing here?" I asked.
Takeshi's face twisted in confusion too.
"I already told you! I'm the new manager of the basketball club," she huffed, hands on hips.
"This is my daughter, Aoi Renji," Takeshi said with a sheepish smile as he introduced her to the team.
Before I could reply, a woman in her thirties approached us. Athletic build, commanding presence, short-dyed blonde hair. I knew her instantly.
Reina Kurogane.
She was my coach in my previous life—the one who scolded me, pushed me, and molded me into a better player. To see her again, still fierce and charismatic, sent a wave of nostalgia through me.
"She's the advisor and head coach of Toyonaka," Takeshi explained. "And this is our coach, Tsugawa Masaki."
Coach Tsugawa stepped forward and offered a firm handshake. "Looking forward to a good match."
Coach Reina returned the gesture with a small smirk. "Don't go easy on us."
Toyonaka's team already looked sharp. They had fifteen players suited up and warming up in sync, moving with the ease of athletes used to playing together. We looked like kids pretending to be a team by comparison.
But then—I saw him.
Masaki King.
Dark skin, neatly braided hair, lean and powerful build. The same guy who carried Toyonaka to the Nationals in my past life. The same guy who would later become the 10th overall pick in the NBA draft.
Masaki King, my former teammate—and my greatest rival.
Right now, though, he was just a second-year who had recently transferred. Most of the team likely didn't know how to deal with him. Being half African-American, his appearance made him stand out. Not in a bad way, but enough to make people hesitate. His Japanese wasn't fluent either, which created more distance.
In my previous life, no one had made the effort to break the ice with him. I wouldn't make that mistake again.
While the others changed, I walked up to him during warm-ups.
"Hey. I'm Dirgantara Renji. Nice to meet you," I said in English.
He blinked, surprised. Then smiled. "Your English is good."
We kept chatting while doing stretches and light drills. He told me he grew up in the U.S. and played basketball there. His parents had moved to Japan for work, and he transferred in the middle of the school year. His plan? Play here for one season, return to the States, get into college, and aim for the NBA.
Just like before. Nothing about his dream had changed.
My fingers itched to pull up his player stats, but Echo hadn't given me access yet. I'd have to wait until the game began.
Soon, both teams were gathered on opposite ends of the court. The warm-ups finished, and the noise faded.
"Everyone, gather up!" Coach Tsugawa called.
Takeshi stepped onto the court wearing a referee shirt. "I'll be officiating today's match."
Coach Tsugawa stood before us. "This is our first real game. Don't worry about winning or losing—focus on playing together. Stick to what we practiced, and the rest will come."
He looked to Kaito.
Our captain nodded. "I know I'm not perfect. I've got my own limits. But I believe in every one of you. I'll support you however I can. Let's play as one."
His voice wavered slightly. We all knew about his heart condition now, but that didn't make him weak. If anything, it made his determination even stronger.
"Yeah, Captain!" Taiga and Aizawa shouted.
"Leave it to me," Rikuya said calmly.
"I'll do my best," Rei added, fists clenched.
"I believe in you," Hiroki murmured, his eyes focused.
"I'll support you from the bench too!" Sayaka smiled.
"Alright, team," Coach Tsugawa said. "Let's go out there. Win, dominate, and drag them into our orbit!"
"Winnnn!" we all roared.
Suddenly, a blue system screen flickered into my vision.
[Quest Alert!]
Objective: Win the Game
Bonus Objectives:
Score more than 10 pointsRecord a Double-Double
Reward: Random Skill + Attribute +1 (random)
[Accept?]
Even before Echo could ask, I accepted it in my mind.