1 Chapter 1__: Junior High school(1)
AN__: This is a more realistic look into the KnB world. Nobody will shoot 100% from the three-point line every game, but they will be more talented than the rest. You can see the generation of miracles as high-school Lebron, Garnett, Zion, Lonzo, etc. They might not be able to compare with those people(Slightly less talented), but that's how it feels to the other Japanese high-school players. Also, I'll throw in some capable characters from the show Slam Dunk. Talented players will be shown in the novel. Players like Rukawa, Sendo, and Akagi. Original characters, strong ones, can also appear, but not too much.
I know Koganei started playing basketball in high school. So you don't have to remind me. I changed it because it suited the premise I was hoping for. I hope you like this novel.
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'I still can't believe it!' Thought Shinji, getting up from his bed. It's been a couple of days since he reincarnated, and he still couldn't believe that something like that had happened to him. Although he managed to integrate himself into his new identity, he still felt awkward when talking to relatives and close friends.
'I'm getting there, though!' He thought, smiling as he walked toward the bathroom. He's 15 years old and a senior on Yuuki Junior High School's basketball team. Although he might be on the shorter side of players, he believed his non-standardized and non-professional training to be the reason.
"After a year of training, I might not be able to rival the generation of miracles, but I'll be at a great level for high school basketball." He spoke, confident in his belief. He might not sound like it, but Shinji was a professional basketball trainer. Due to an early injury, he had to change his career from player to trainer to survive at the highest level of basketball. Heading into the bathroom, Shinji started the day in a good mood.
After doing his toiletries, Shinji walked toward his study table. Unplugging his iPhone 5s, Shinji glanced at the time and the date on the top of the screen.
(August 1st, 2014. 7:28 AM)
"There is one month left before school starts again. I can train myself to a good level during that time." Spoke Shinji, fishing out a piece of A4 paper with a pencil.
"I need to make a good training plan. Since I can't increase my physical fitness short term, I need to focus on technique right now. Fitness can be improved slowly as time passes." He continued, writing a detailed plan on the paper.
A couple of minutes later, a week's training was planned and written on paper. "I might need to upgrade it later since I don't know this body's adaptability." Mused Shinji, reviewing the training plan he had created.
"170 cm at 15 years old, and he dares play the small forward position. This guy is either dumb or knows nothing about basketball." Laughed Shinji while looking at the memories of the former body's owner. He's short, one of the smallest in the school's basketball club, but he's a starter because of his seniority. "Seeing my father being around 180, maybe I can have a growth spurt before starting high school." That's the best he could hope for.
However, he still had to change his playstyle and focus on shooting and movement without the ball. "Maybe if I grow taller, I'll return to the SF position, but I can only be a shooting guard now." Smiling at his words, Shinji got up and out of his bedroom.
Shinji Koganei comes from an upper-middle-class family. They can't be considered super wealthy, but they are comfortable. They don't need to stress about anything financially. The two parental figures of the family have worked enough for both of their children to continue living without working too hard.
They reside in a two-story villa in Ebisu, Tokyo, a friendly place to live for students at any level. The neighborhood seemed to have everything, allowing the residents to avoid going far to buy things they might need.
"Is breakfast ready?" Asked Shinji as soon as he came down the stairs. His mother, Hirano Koganei, exited the kitchen after she heard her baby's voice. With a kind smile, she beckoned to Shinji.
"Not yet, but it's almost done." She responded before pointing at the dining table. "Take the plates and clean them. We're going to eat soon." She finished, rushing back to the kitchen, knowing that Shinji would perfectly complete the task.
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A couple of minutes later, the family of four sat around the dining table and started eating their breakfast while conversing with each other. Any outsider would feel deep jealousy upon seeing the harmoniousness of the Koganei household. However, the eldest child had to spoil Shinji's good mood.
"Hey, you've been doing nothing these past few days. Don't you need to find a hobby? Otherwise, you might grow fat before your next semester starts." She eloquently spoke, not even looking at her brother, before putting a piece of bacon into her mouth.
Seeing the condescending smile on her sister's face, Shinji had the urge to slap it off her face. However, their parents were present, so he could not make that move. However, he responded, a slight smirk on his face.
"Don't worry about me. I play basketball." He slowly started, gaining the attention of his sister. "However, last night, I walked past your room and saw that big belly you got. I was scared. I almost thought you were pregnant." He countered, the smirk not leaving his face. It's been a long time since he could have such a friendly banter with somebody close to him. So, if you asked the current Shinji what he liked the most about being reincarnated, he would say his close relationship with his family.
"How about you come with me later since you're not busy with anything? I'll be training on the basketball court in the neighborhood." Shinji continued with relish as he noticed his sister's expression getting uglier.
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"Alright, Shinji! You can stop teasing your sister now." Seeing his daughter's ugly expression, Tsuji Koganei, the family's father figure, spoke to diffuse the embarrassment. However, he didn't stop and looked at Akane Koganei, his daughter, before speaking. "You need to lose weight. How could you find a boyfriend with a body like that?" He finished and looked at Hirano for support.
Seeing her husband's look, Hirano's expression tightened, ready to cry at any moment, as she added. "I'm already 41 years old, and I still can't hold a grandchild while most of my friends are grandmothers. Do you want to embarrass me when I go out with them?" She said, a single tear threatening to fall down her cheeks.
Of course, it was acting. Akane and everybody in the family knew that she was acting. However, they couldn't help marveling at how real she made it seem. Akane, of course, didn't feel that way as she showed the unwillingness her stubborn character allowed her to possess. Few people could make her bend to their will if she didn't want to. She's that stubborn and strong-minded.
Seeing his sister's unwilling expression, Shinji decided to get involved. "Who would want to marry her with a body like that? Let her come train with me later." He spoke, not even looking at Akane.
"That's a good idea!" Hirano's face brightened as she glanced at Akane. Noticing her daughter's unwilling gaze on her, she continued. "You're going to follow your brother later. You can't find a man with a body like that. When I was your age, I ran five kilometers every day. How do you think I got married so early? Plus..." She started telling stories of her past. To Shinji and Akane, most of those stories sounded like fantasy. However, they couldn't help but pay attention to her.
She's their mother, after all. Plus, she was the only one who could force them to do things they didn't want to.
In the end, with a wave of a slipper (shoes), Akane is forced to train with her hateful and arrogant little brother.
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"Are you trying to kill me?" Asked Akane as she slumped on the floor, too tired to sit down properly. Seeing his sister like that, Shinji smiled while continuing his workout.
"That's it for today. Doing too much will only lower your enthusiasm about exercising. We can upgrade your training intensity every week from now on." Finishing his speech, Shinji continued doing his workout.
"Since when were you this knowledgeable? You changed a lot." Suddenly asked Akane, surprised by such a knowledgeable Shinji. She was used to seeing the friendly and talkative Shinji. But she never saw a serious, almost professional Shinji. That's a first for her.
Shinji looked at his sister and answered, a smile on his face.
"I'm an athlete. Of course, I would research the things I'm involved in. The internet exists for a reason." Seeing his sister nod with a 'you're not wrong!' expression, Shinji sighed and stopped moving. He finished his fitness workout and was about to improve his basketball skills, starting with the basics. "Can you wait for me? I need someone to help with this next workout." He asked, glancing at Akane, who readily accepted the offer. She's glad to help her baby brother.
Although they argue and fight a lot, they still depend on each other a lot.
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"You lost 5 kg in two weeks. You tried very hard, didn't you?" Spoke Shinji as he looked at Akane, who was on the balance. Looking at the number shown by the balance, he continued. "You're currently 65kg. That's a good weight for a woman measuring around 175 cm. Now, we need to strengthen you since you reached your ideal weight. I want to see at least a four-pack within a year." He finished, nodding at the reduced belly. He doesn't have to worry about whether she's pregnant from now on.
"Alright. You're the professional, so I'll follow whatever you say." She said, excited that she had lost 5 Kg in two weeks. If she returned to her friends, they would be surprised to see her proud figure.
"Thank you for trusting me!" Shinji answered and smiled while Akane checked herself out in the big mirror, completely ignoring him.
A few minutes later, they both exited the house and started jogging toward the outdoor basketball court. It's ten a.m., and people don't usually go to that place at times like that, so the two of them can work out to their heart's fill.
After the initial rejection, Akane started enjoying working out very much, to the point where Shinji didn't have to supervise her anymore. Now, they can do their thing on both sides of the court without disturbing each other. That made Shinji like Akane even more.
Before starting his career as a basketball trainer, he was a regular personal trainer. He helped multiple people lose weight. However, she's the first female to never complain about the training intensity. She's a stubborn individual, after all. She couldn't allow herself to complain or give up after starting something.
'I have to add some Yoga to her training plan. A woman needs to be flexible.' He thought, dribbling the ball with his right hand before transferring to his left after a while. Two weeks of training drove his basic skills to become pretty solid. However, he didn't want to do anything complex for a bit, so he kept at it while perfecting his shooting and finishing at the basket. He can start doing combos after he's proficient.
Right-hand dribble for two minutes, left-hand dribble for another two minutes, then he would do crossovers, between-the-legs, and behind-the-back dribbles for two minutes each before having a five-minute rest. He would repeat that five times before working on his layup and shooting. He has to score two hundred mid-range shots and one hundred three-pointers before finishing his workout with a stretching routine. That has been his skills training for the past two weeks, and he feels like it's time to increase the intensity.
"Alright, I think I might improve a lot before school starts again." He sighed at his hard work before going home, content about his improvement.
