Rebound (bxb)

Chapter 19

Raiga

"Hey! Do you know him?" tanong ng kasamahan niya kay Deizon.

"Yup. He's my employee's son. He's Raiga by the way," sagot nito sa lalaki bago nakangiting tumingin sa akin.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Raiga," sabi ng lalaki. "I'm Mizaki," sabi pa niya at saka inilahad ang kanyang kamay.

Of course ayaw kong magung bastos. Even though we are opponents, it doesn't mean that I have to disrespect him.

"It's nice to meet you too," sagot ko sa kanya sabay tanggap ng kanyang kamay at nag-handshake kami.

"Let's try our best, yeah? Goodluck to both of our teams," sabi ni Deizon bago ito kumindat sa akin at pumuwesto sa gitna ng center circle for tip ball to begin the game.

Napunta sa amin ang bola matapos mapalo ng Inoue ang bola at saka nasalo ito ni Andro.

"Pwesto guys!" sigaw niya habang nagdi-dribble ng bola.

"Hi again," nakangiting sabi sa akin ni Mizaki habang binabantayan ako. "Sorry in advance but I think you guys will lose to us," sabi pa niya.

"Huh?"

"We've been reigning since the beginning and you, being new to the game, will never gonna pass us. I don't care if you're friends with Deizon but you are obviously a leech. Did you purposely befriend him to spy on us?" nakangising tanong nito sa akin in an insulting way.

Huh? What's his deal? Is he trying to provoke me and make me lose focus on the game?

Not a fat chance.

"I'm counting on you. If you really win against us with you crap style if provoking me, I'd like to tell you, that won't work on me," sagot ko sa kanya bago sinalo ang bola na ipinasa ni Xeno sa akin.

I stepped my left foot and then dribbled the ball right at his face to give him a warning before I spun off of him and dunk the ball right on his face.

Shoot. Score for us.

"You're way too late for that kind of a crap," sabi ko pa bago patakbong umalis patawid sa kanilang half court kung saan nasa kanila ang offensive ball.

Nakita kong lumapit sa kanya si Deizon at tiala may pinag-usapan sila.

Whatever it was, I didn't really care.

Agad akong pumuwesto sa kanyang harapan. Of course, he's the one I need to guard. Coach already studied the team two weeks ago. He purposely assigned me to this guy because according to him, I can read his moves. He's open as a book.

"I'm used to insults," sabi ko sa kanya habang nagdi-dribble siya ng bola. "I don't give a damn thing about it. But if you really want to to insult me, you have to defeat us. If you can, I'll give you a credit," sabi ko pa sa kanya bago inagaw ang bola sa kanyang mga kamay at ibinato ito kay Akira na na noon ay mabilis na tumakbo patawid sa sarili naming court bago nag-layup at umiskor sa aming koponan.

Hindi ko sila minamaliit. There is a reason why Honda High is one of the best teams in Tokyo. Hindi ako pwedeng makampante.

"Time out, Serio High," sabi ng announcer.

"Raiga, don't focus on one player. I have this feeling that they are observing you," sabi sa akin ni Coach. Focus on the game," dagdag pa niya. "Remember guys, this is finals. There will only be two teams who can enter the nationals. If we lose, we're done. So I'm asking you all to pay attention to the game. Are we clear guys?"

"Yes, coach,"

Nakita kong hindi pumasok sa team si Mizaki, instead ay iyong fraternal twin ni Deizon ang pumasok.

What was his name again? Daki? Dan? Danchi?

Ugh whatever. Mom told me his name but I wasn't really interested in the twins so I forgot what the other guy's name was.

"Hello," sabi nito sa akin. "I'm going to be your partner on behalf of idiot Mizaki," sabi pa niya.

This guy's shorter that Deizon. In fact baka nga magka-height lang kami. According to coach, this guy is real monster than his twin brother. Ayon pa sa mga sabi-sabi ay ito talaga ang nagdadala ng panalo sa team nila.

"I'm not just going to sit here and watch you guys playing fools to my teammates, especially to my idiot brother. We will be serious now so brace yourself," seryosong sabi niya sa akin.

Ngumiti ako.

"I'm on a challenge. Game on," sagot ko sa kanya.

When I was still in the early stage of playing basketball, I always loved being challenged or the one who challenges pro players older and taller than me. I don't really care if I win or lose. The only thing I wanted was to enjoy back then. When I entered a real tournament when I was in second year of middle school after everything I had to achieve what I have today, I was a little nervous. Wala sa akin kung mananalo kamino hindi, ang mahalaga ay nag-enjoy ako.

But when the actual game started, nakaramdam ako ng thrill lalo na kapag alam mong kailangan ng both team na manalo, I had to give my all. Ibinuhos ko ang focus sa laro.

"Basketball is all about teamwork, Raiga. You have to play with your team at huwag kang gahaman sa bola. One cannot win against five. Basketball isn't perfect when you all focus on yourself. This is a game for a team not for you alone. In order to win, works as a whole team," madalas itong sabihin ng Coach sa akin back then.

He drilled those words inside my head and until now, I have it on me. I wasn't relying on myself only. I had my team. I know just like me, they also wanted to win.

So what if Honda High is better than us? We are still rookie while that team player a couple of times before and they are pro for high schoolers. Sabi nga suki na sila ng Nationals but we also want to win. Beache Rebel Perses King, your rare guy next door, a gentleman, sweet and owner of a face and body that could rival Zeus is the apple of the eye of all those women who wanted him themselves. Aside from his physical looks, Rebel is the heir to a multi-million company all around the world. Who would not want such a guy like that?

But Rebel isn't the guy who you can call gentle nor sweet. He's ruthless. He's dangerous and he brings death to whoever he sets his eyes on. As the Ace of Spade from the King bloodline, he takes pride as the most feared assassin specializing in sniping and took the name Bullet which everyone from the underworld feared of. He kills without care as long as money is involved accurately and in calculated moves. He doesn't have any weaknesses because weaknesses are a hindrance.

One shot, one kill that's the only rule Rebel follows. No more room for mistakes. His secret should remain secret. He was good keeping it secret until an idiotic, emo punk who must be a fanatic of black with tendency of self-harming who likes self-pitiying saw him on the same roof top as he execute his mision. He was about to kill the punk but he changed his mind and took him home instead. Something from his blackened heart started to change and he knew he would be damned.

A raging war between killing the punk or keeping him made him confused for the very first time. If he keeps the punk, he will have his weakness and if he has a weakness, enemies will use it against him.

Will he also bring death to the punk who is slowly making way in his heart or will this punk kill him instead? Because for us Serios, we also wanted to mark our name in the high school's basketball history.

Third quarter, bahagya na kaming hinihingal.

"What on Earth is that guy doing?" tanong ni Inoue habang nagpupunas ng pawis sa kanyang mukha habang nakaupo kami sa bench.

Kumuha ako ng bottle water at saka ininom iyon ng straight.

70- 90.

Lamang sila ng ten points.

When that Dai boy entered the game, his teammates fueled up. But not that Deizon guy. Hindi ko alam kung bakit kapag ka nagtatama ang aming paningin ay palagi iyong nakangiti which irritate me to be honest. What was he thinking?

Sa tingin ba niya ay matatalo kami sa bandang huli? Hah! He's wrong. We've come to this far at ang talo ay wala sa aking bokabularyo.

We managed to lessen the gap between our score in the fourth quarter. 95-98.

Xeno's three points made the score tie and I can feel the other teams being agitated. I understand that since they look down on us at hindi sila sanay na matalo lalo na kung sa amin na baguhan pa lamang sa liga.

"This will end here, Raiga-kun. My team will enter the Nationals and not yours," sabi pa nito sa akin bago pumuwesto sa three point line. He throws the ball towards the ring. I can tell that the ball will go right through the ring and will score three points if I let it happen. At kapag nangyari iyon, considering we only have few second left, matatalo kami.

We've come to this far at hindi ako papayag na mangyayari iyon.

Nakita kong nasa half court namin si Andro and he's looking at me like he is confident that I can prevent that ball from being shot. Tumalon ako, as high as I can me and spread my arms as long as I can for me to reach the ball and slap it towards Andro.

"What an amazing jump! Who could have guessed that a rookie from Serio high school would be able to jump as high as that!" narinig kong sabi ng announcer.

"Andro! Shoot the ball!"

Pagkalapag ko sa sahig ng court ay narinig ko ang pamilyar na tunog ng game end.

"Serio High won the game against Honda," sabi ng referee

Nanghihina akong napaupo sa sahig. I never pulled that kind of a jump before. I can't even believe I did that. Well I guessed Uncle's training was actually not that bad.

Nilingon ko si Uncle Rafa who winked at me while smiling. He mouthed those words I already heard a thousand times from his mouth.

"This is too heavy for me, Uncle," reklamo ko sa kanya tuwing pinapasuot niya sa akin ang belt bag na iyon na punong-punong buhangin. It was so heavy that the first time I carried it while running and the next day, it hurt my lower waist.

"That thing will help you one day," sabi pa niya. "I guarantee you that," aniya pa.

It started by just walking with it and then running and then jumping. First I did it on land and then later on in the water which l felt like I'm going to die.

"Nice jump," sabi sa akin ni Deizon. "You won," aniya pa.

"Thanks," sagot ko.

"You pulled some unexpected stunt there, rookie. I give you credit," sabi ng lalaki. "I guess the rumor about you is real after all."

"What about it?"

"You're the real monster."