11 Kyōsen Private Middle School
※・Arc 2: My Fun School Life Is Just Getting Started!・※
"A-Anyway! Where is this school even? If you're talking about the school that is rather infamous for choking, I think there's only one school that fit the description. It's Kyōsen Private Middle School, right Riko?"
In response to Kosaki's question, Seiji couldn't help but briefly interject.
"Kyōsen Private Middle School? Never heard of it."
His words of course received a wry smile from Riko as she said, "That's because you never really paid attention to the middle schools around here, private or public."
"Well, I guess you have a point," Seiji said while scratching his cheeks.
"Anyway, as Kosaki have said, I'm inviting you guys to go to the same school as me which is Kyōsen Private Middle School. They have a pretty strong team this year with their powerful center who's really tall, one of the best in middle school basketball, and there's also a quite promising second year power forward."
As Seiji didn't really mind which middle school he'll attend, he immediately agreed to Riko and even helped her convince Kosaki.
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After the whole enrollment process got handled by Mia, who insisted that she should be the one doing it, Seiji and Kosaki was finally set to attend one of the most prestigious school in the whole Nara Prefecture. As a kind of celebration, Kosaki, Seiji, Riko and Mia visited the Nara Park and played with some tamed sika deers.
After they had their fill of fun, Riko invited her friend who she introduced as someone who is currently studying in Kyōsen Private Middle School. She further stated that he is a part of the first string of the Kyōsen's basketball team, along with his friend. They all went to a nearby Japanese restaurant and shared a meal with Riko's friend, Junpei Hyuuga.
The girls mostly had their own conversation circle while Seiji and Hyuuga, who felt left out, started their own conversation about basketball.
"I really like the match of the Warriors and the Barbarians. Every year, their players would show us something great. I also like the long time rivalry between them. Their games just have a different feel to it than other teams."
"I agree with you Hyuuga-senpai. Their match ups every year just gets spicier and spicier."
"The team plays and the hero ball plays from each team is such a sight for sore eyes. However, the player who I really like the most amongst all the IBA players is the sharpshooter of the Slovenian team, Benette. His jumpers are just gorgeous to look at."
"For me, I like no one from the IBA league. I've watched some old clips from the past and I really like the powerful scoring ability of Kobe and the instinct driven plays of Iverson. There are also some other players from that past era who are really very great."
Hyuuga was visibly surprised by Seiji's words as he never would've expected someone from this day and age to like a player who's already mostly considered to be a legend these days. There's also the fact that basketball in the past was not like today's basketball where three pointers was an important asset to have.
The people of this era considers the past era as inconceivable as players rarely made any three point shots. Three is higher than two, what took them so long to figure that out? Nowadays, players who does midrange shots at the IBA league are often criticized when they have a low amount of shots made inside the arc.
"Mid range jumpers doesn't yield that much points per shot every year. Compared to three pointers, mid range shots nowadays are considered as lost arts. That's why three pointers are much better."
Seiji couldn't help but look at the guy with an amused expression.
"Really now? If a basketball savant with a breathtaking array of mid range shots enter the league today, I bet they'll be able to score points like there's no tomorrow. Do you know why?…"
Seiji then paused for a few seconds before looking at the guy who plays the Shooting Guard position.
"Why?"
"…It's because the space inside the arc is much bigger than it used to be. What I mean by that is, there are too many shooters who shoot from beyond the arc. Some defenders even pick up their mark before they enter the half court for good measure. Heck, even centers and power forwards who are supposed to only guard the perimeter sometimes pick up the opposing team's center or power forward from beyond the arc because the opposition knows how to knock down those threes. Of course, this rarely ever happens but there are precedents."
Seiji then looked at Hyuuga and said seriously, "When the three point stripe was added back in the day, the goal was to give guards a fighting chance and to open up more space on the court. What's a better scoring option in such a league with very spacious driving lanes or passing lanes than to go for a mid range shot or maybe even a dunk or an easy layup?—"
"Haaa…"
Hyuuga was left dumbfounded when he heard Seiji's speech. That's until he saw him show a bright smile while scratching his cheeks.
"—That's just a theory though. I don't have any concrete evidence to prove it as most of the teams who wins games almost exclusively rely on threes."
With cold sweats visibly forming on his forehead, Hyuuga just laughed in an awkward manner. Unknown to the both of them, they were being watched by three pairs of eyes that are filled with curiosity.
'It seems like Seiji/Seiji-kun could get along just fine with a boy around his age.'
These three are obviously Riko, Mia, and Kosaki. They are all worried that Seiji wouldn't have a male friend but it seems like they are just worried for nothing.
The month of April is slowly arriving and every students are getting ready for that day.
※・※・※・※
April finally arrived and students from the city of Nara is now slowly gathering on their respective schools. As one of those schools, Kyōsen Private Middle School is more than ready to welcome their new students and their students who advanced a year.
These students who are in their second and senior year are now gathered from around the pathway starting from the school entrance, building a makeshift stall or just simply placing tables and chairs on the corner of the pathway to recruit new blood to their club.
From all the students and some teachers who are gathered there, a certain group of four especially stood out. This group is Seiji's group. The four of them, especially Seiji and the two girls, stood out amongst the crowd. However, nobody dared to approach them as the menacing aura that the glasses dude behind the three of them is emitting scared them away.
After their group strolled around the school grounds for some time, they eventually went their own ways, with Hyuuga heading towards his coach to report. He was accompanied by Riko as she wanted to talk to the coach and possibly apply for the managerial position of the whole team.
On the other hand, Seiji and Kosaki went to the location that Hyuuga told them. Seiji wanted to apply to the basketball club while Kosaki just accompanied him. It took them quite some time before they were able to figure out where the exact location of the basketball club's booth is. The school is just that big.
On their way there, they saw within their peripheral vision a group of three boys wearing the same uniform as them, a deep blue colored blazer on top of a white polo with long sleeves, blue colored necktie, and gray colored pants. This group of three can be seen gawking at the females that pass by with a lecherous smile on their stupid looking face.
"Saruyama, can you see it!? A sea of beautiful babes is waiting for us to be discovered and conquered!" the only bald boy among the group said.
"Hehehe, do you still regret following me and Matsuda into enrolling in this school?" the only boy with glasses among their group said while adjusting his glasses.
"No! I am absolutely grateful to my past self for agreeing to follow you guys, Motohama!" the monkey looking boy among their group replied, his face filled with tears of what seems to be joy.
When the three's gaze happen to land on Seiji and Kosaki, their happy expressions immediately morphed into that of deep seeded anger.
"Damn normie and his girlfriend! Don't show off in broad daylight you shameless prick!" Matsuda, the bald guy, shouted while crying hysterically.
"God damn it! The guy just bagged such a beautiful chick right at the start of the school year! What an unfair world we live in! Damn iiiiiiiiittt!" Motohama, the four eyed guy, bellowed.
Similar to his friends, Saruyama, the monkey looking guy with the hairstyle of a saiyan from the past era, also cried out hysterically.
"Why does handsome guys have it easy!? If this guy is here, how can we create our dream HAREM! CURSE YOU, YOU NORMIE! DIEEEEEE!"
As the trio shouted their lamentations towards the sky, screaming about how unfair this world can be, Riko arrived and joined Seiji and Kosaki's group with a bright smile on her face. This caused the already damaged hearts of the trio to shatter into pieces.
On his way to the school building, Seiji couldn't help but smile. He heard the three and couldn't help but compare them to those salty guys on the internet who has nothing better to do with their lives.
'It's just the start of the school year and its already this lively,' Seiji thought inwardly.
That particular trio spent their entire morning while cursing Seiji a million times over like some sort of mantra. Girls started to avoid them, completely opposite of what they intended to do at the start.
※・※・※・※
To be continued…
[A/N¹: Alright! The introductory arc is over and we're finally moving on to the middle school arc. I won't be including 'EVERY' players from every sports anime right from the get go as I want to leave it for the high school arc.]
[A/N²: A certain trio is introduced to add a fresh atmosphere to this fanfiction. I just want them to be themselves so I won't be removing their perverted tendencies but I'll most certainly tone it down a bit. We can't have them get expelled by the school. Also, I won't be showing them that much.]
