Lucky, She Called Me

*bang*

I kicked the door open.

"One ramen Skibidi Ohio style onegai. And make it extra sugoi today"

"Oh god it's him"

After picking up my phone from the gym I ran all the way over to Ethanolol's. It was a small restaurant in the towns main shopping center. It could fit about 20 people on a busy day, but it usually wasn't too packed. The main dining area had traditional Japanese decor and soft lighting, creating a quaint atmosphere. The walls were also painted with sick ass anime characters. There were only a couple other guest, so I spotted Abi chan and Joma pretty easily. I headed over to their table.

"Hello ladies. Did ya miss me"

"Ohayo Haise kun"

"Omhayo sempai"

"Did you find it" asked Abi.

"Hai"

"Gnarly. We already ordered so we're just waiting for now."

I sat next to Abi chan. The kitchen doors swung open and Ethan sensei came out to serve some other guest before spotting us. He walked up to me.

"Well well well if it isn't my favorite customer. I thought I smelled your spiritual pressure back there. So what'll it be today Haise the overthinking hooper? The Usue? (Short for the usual) "

"Yeah one of the waiters already got my order."

"Gotcha. Oh ho ho looky what we have here. Who are the two W gyatts you're sitting with."

"Ahh… just some of my classmates. We came here to celebrate me getting on the basketball team"

"EHHH !! Why didn't you say so earlier. Ramens on the house today. Curtesy of the kitchen."

"Score !!"

He rubbed my belly

"We'll get ya nice and full"

I purred.

-

"Itadakimasu !!" We said in unison.

"You know what's better than ramen" asked Abi.

"Ummmm… nothing"

"Free ramen !!"

"Ahhhhh… true dat"

"You're quiet the lucky one Haise kun."

I couldn't get my mind off it. Did that really happen earlier. It felt like a dream and not a moment in time seemed to had passed either. There's no way something like that could really exist, right? But it would make this ability I have make more sense.

*slurp*

"Ano… Abi chan"

*slurp*

"Hai"

"Do you know anything about a Hooper Society"

Her eyes widened.

*cuh hack*

She began chocking on her food.

"Na- nani? Where did you *cough* hear about that?"

So it was real. I told them both about my earlier encounter. Abi chan looked pale.

"Haise kun. Remember how I told you about my oto san losing the championship. He was forced into a deal with Skittle sama just like you."

"Ehhh… did your father have an ability too."

"Hai. They call it a Hoopism. Oto san was able to have extreme precision whenever his eyes were closed. You think with an ability like that he would've won for sure but… Skittle sama plays dirty"

"What do ya mean boo thang?"

"He'll do everything he can to make it impossible for you to win. That's why the Hooper Society is such a small group. No one knows how these abilities awaken but he can take them away if they lose a deal. And there's no way to reject his deals either. He has total control of everything"

"And even if somehow you do win you just become one of his pawns huh ?"

"Pretty much. He wants to have it all for himself. It's all a game for him. You said he knew your oto san too right. Didn't he ever tell you about the Hooper Society."

"I actually don't have many memories of my father. He disappeared when I was a little shota. His last words to me were 'Don't let it be for nothing' before going out to hoop, no one's seen him since. I have a feeling Skittle might have had something to do with it"

"When oto san lost the championship Skittle sama visited him that same night. After taking his ability he told him he wasn't done having his fun yet and disappeared. Oto san has been living in fear that Skittle same would come back for him ever since. Maybe that's what happened to your dad"

"You've gotta be rizzing me. This is too hot for me to handle. Too cold to hold. Why didn't you mention any of this before Abi chan?"

"I was hoping we would never have to deal with the Hooper Society. I thought we would be able to become average thinking hoopers without worrying about them. To think you would get a Hoopism…"

"Yare yare dawa"

"But we're in this together. We made a promise right?"

"A pinky promise. We'll take on this Hooper Society together. This is our nindo. Our hooper way."

We fist bumped with smirks across both of our faces. Joma just sat there swinging her feet while humming death note opening 1 hd.

-

I showed up to our very practice session the next day. When I got to the courts the only person there was Coach Ye.

"Nani? Where is everyone Ye sensei?"

"They all died of backshots last night. We don't have a team anymore. You're the only one left..."

"Eh ?"