Rebound (bxb)

Chapter 5

Maki

"Are you nuts? Why would I join your crappy team?" tanong ni Inoue sa amin ni Yuki.

According to Yuki, si Inoue is the best player ng Midori Middle High School noon. But he quitted basketball pagkatapos ng graduation nila. Why? Because he can't find a suitable player that will match him in court but I knew his old school plays dirty and I knew Inoe probably fed up. His role is the center due to his height. He will be a great help in the team if he will join us.

Sa ibang eskwelahan siya nag-aral ng freshman bilang senior high at nag-transfer lang dito para bumuo ng gang group niyang basagurero or in other words, delinquent.

"I know you are good at playing Inoue kaya pinuntahan ka namin para sana i-recruit," sabi ni Yuki.

Tumawa lang ng malakas si Inoe kasama ng dalawa niyang goons.

"Not a chance. You stupid won't even match me," sabi niya sa akin bago ako kinuwelyuhan.

"If I defeat you, will you going to join the team?" narinig naming may nasalita sa likuran namin ni Yuki.

Sabay naming nilingon iyon at nakita namin si Raiga na nakatayo lamang habang nilalaro ng kanyang dila ang lollipop na nasa bibig niya.

Since kelan pa ito nasa likuran namin?

"Eh? Are you sure you can defeat me in one on one?," tanong ni Inoe kay Raiga.

I don't really know what Raiga's capability is because I haven't seen him play but Inoue's ability is another story.

"I'll try, but if I defeat you, you will join the team," aniya pa.

"Okay. I'll join if you can defeat me. I'm a man with words," sagot ni Inoe.

"Alright. It's settled then. We're going to play after class this afternoon," sabi ni Raiga.

"Got it," sagot ni Inoue.

"What's got into you?," tanong ko kay Raiga noong pabalik na kami ng club room. Hindi na kasama si Yuki sa amin dahil may meeting ito sa council student room.

"Nothing. Kung hahayaan lang kitang mag-recruit, sigurado akong pagtatawan ka lang ni Inoue. I know your good in playing back in middle school. But Inoe's out of your league," sagot nito sa akin.

"Are you saying hindi na ako marunong maglaro?" inis na tanong ko pagkatapos naming makapasok sa club room.

"No. Walang akong sinabi na ganyan," natatawang sabi niya. "But I decided to do that because I wanted to," aniya pa sabay lagay ng kanyang kanang kamay sa aking kanang pisngi at bahagya itong hinimas.

Nanindig na naman ang balahibo sa aking balat. Napakalapit ng aming mga mukha at napakapit pa ako sa kanyang wrist. Nakita kong may kumislap sa kanyang mga mata that I don't understand. But still something within me wanted his touch.

"Leave everything to me. I'll find suitable players and form our own basketball team. I know you love basketball so I'll do everything for you to be able to play like what you dreamt before," sincere niyang sabi.

Napapikit ako sa sinabi niya.

Is he serious?

Those words are music to my ears. And I hope that he really meant it.

"Huh? Matagal ng dissolved ang basketball team ng Serio academy," sabi sa akin ng headmaster ng eskwelahan. "We never won any tournament, that's why we decided to just let it go."

"Please, give us a chance sir. I'll find players and then form a team," pakiusap ko sa aking tiyuhin na siyang headmaster ng Serio private high school.

Alam niyang matapos ang injury ko due to unfair players noong third year middle high at nagpa-opera, mahigit isang taon akong hindi nakapag laro. The doctor told me I can be able to play again after a year but with precaution na huwag biglain ang aking kanang paa, hindi ako nakasali ng laro kung kaya hindi man lang nakapasok ng preliminaries ang eskwelahan.

Bumuntong-hininga ang tito.

"Okay. I'm giving you this year. You should at least recruit ten players and then we'll fund you," sagot niya.

"I only need to recruit eight and then we on for preliminaries right?" tanong niya habang nakayakap sa akin from behind.

"Raiga-kun you shouldn't do this with me," sabi ko sa kanya. "I'm a man and you also. My girlfriend ako at ikaw rin ay maraming babaeng naghahabol."

"I don't care. I'm still going to steal you away from Aoi. I don't play fair Maki-senpai because I like you. I already endured three agonizing years away from you. And I become a man who could match you. Senpai I liked you when I first saw you and then I fell in love with basketball too," seryoso niyang sabi.

"I bullied you. Alam mo iyan," sabi ko.

"Those bullies only fueled me up. And then I decided to lose some weight before I undergo training. I needed to hone every skill I have and it took me three years to do that. After graduating, I threw out all the offers I received just to go back here and looked for you. Then I heard you already got a girlfriend. I was angry so I decided to steal you away from her. Willing akong maghintay until you decide. But I won't accept any from you."

Hindi ako nakahuma sa sinabi ni Raiga. Is he for real?

Why am I feeling so surprised and proud at the same time?

Has he changed for me?

"I'm going to win this game for you, Senpai. Today, we're going to gain a new member," nakangiting sabi niya bago umalis sa aking likuran. Kinuha niya ang backpack niyang may lamang ng extra na damit at ang kanyang rubber shoes bago lumapit sa akin at hinalikan ako sa mga labi at saka lumabas ng club.

Bahagyang nanuyo ang aking lalamunan kaya kinuha ko ang tumbler na nasa mesa at uminom ng tubig. But I don't swing that way. I'm a man. We are both males. How can this be? Besides, may girlfriend ako.

"Oh Raiga's determined to recruit new members for us? Omg, I'm so moved," bigla sabi ni Yuki sa aking likuran . Naibuga ko bigla ang tubig na nasa bunganga ko ng nagulat ako.

Did she see the kiss?

"Ew that's gross," sabi niya sabay bato ng pamunas sa akin.

"K-kanina ka pa ba d-dyan?" kinakabang tanong ko.

"Kakarating ko lang pero enough na marinig ko yung ipapanalo ni Raiga ang laro laban kay Inoue," sagot niya sa akin bago naupo sa kanyang mesa at binuksan ang kanyang laptop.

"Y-yun l-lang?" nag-aalala na tanong ko.

"Yes. Bakit meron pa ba dapat akong malaman bukod doon?" tanong nito.

"N-nothing," sagot ko sa kanya sabay talikod.

"Good. We need to focus on recruiting more efficient members," sabi niya maya-maya.

Kinalimutan ko muna ang halik ni Raiga sa akin.

Bagkus ay lumapit ako kay Yuki at tignan ang ginagawa niya.

"Oh binggo," sabi niya sabay turo sa akin ng picture ng isang lalaking freshman mula sa ibang eskwelahan.

"Andro Yix?" tanong ko sa kanya.

"He's in Midori Academy but he's not a member of their basketball team. That's odd considering Andro's one of the best forwards during middle high," sabi ko sa kanya.

"Well, it said here na nagpa-part time siya bilang isang singer to support himself and pay his apartment. Do you want to do something about it?" tanong niya.

Ngumiti ako.

"Scholarship?"

Ngumisi si Yuki.

"Why not?"

"Heh. Leave everything to me then," nakangisi kong sagot sa kanya.

For such an ability, I'm going to gamble. And I hope Uncle will say yes. Last year hindi na kasali sa anumang tournament ang academy dahil na rin sa kawalan ng magaling na players pero ibang storya ngayon. I'm sure I can still play but I'm having a little bit doubt bunga nga ng injury sa aking paa though I already undergo surgery.

Back then during my big bro's time, he led Serio's basketball glory to Nationals. It was the time when our school became famous among other schools. Well, my big bro was a pro basketball player before he took charge of our family business.

After graduating Senior high school, unti-unting nawala sa Serio ang light of glory. Some school produced excellent players that defeated us. Palagi na lang iyong nangyayari until such time school administration decided to dissolve it and lock the basketball court for many years. And I'm really hoping na one of these days ay magbubukas ito permanently.

Kinuha ko ang bola na nasa tabi ng aking bag at saka nag-dribble.

Naglalakad kami noon nina Kanami habang bitbit ang nabili naming pagkain mula sa canteen. Pareho naming narinig ng tunog ng dribble ng bola sa basketball court kung saan madadaan ito kapag pabalik kami na kami ng aming classroom noong sophomore pa kami sa Middle School.

"Eh? Seryoso?" sabi sa akin ni Kanami ng makita naming yung nagdi-dribble ng bola ay si Raiga.

Nakita namin kung paano siya mag-shoot ng bola at lahat niyon ay ringless.

"He has some skills and all he needs to do is to polish," sabi ni Kanami.

"There's no way a fatty like him is going to enter our team. It's embarrassing," sagot ko sa kanya

It ticked me off kapag may mga taong especially katulad ni Raiga na naglalaro ng basketball carefree.

"Tara na," sabi ko kay Kanami na nagpatiuna ng maglakad.

"Don't you wanna invite him? Maybe he can use some dieting or something." "Not a fat chance," sagot ko sa kanya.

When I rejected Raiga's application sa team namin nagsimula na siyang i-bully ng mga estudyante ng academy. It wasn't my intention na insultuhin siya dati. I was just pissed kase natalo ang team namin. Nabalitaan ko nanlang mga ilang araw na nag-transfer na raw sa ibang school si Raiga. Naging sunod-sunod ang talo namin simula noon. Parang karma ko na iyon until I was involved to dirty playing ng ibang eskwelahan ng championship. Naramdaman ko na lang na may sumipa sa aking tuhod habang sinusubukan kong umiskor para sa final quarter.

Bigla na lamang ako nakaramdam ng biglaang pagsalakay ng sakit at napasigaw ako sa sobrang sakit.

Naalala ko ang mga nag-aalala na mukha ng aking mga ka-team mates bago ako agad isinugod sa ospital. Nabalitaan ko natalo ang aming team at hindi namin nasungkit ang championship noon. Iyon pala ang objective ng captain ng kalabang team. They were desperate at alam nilang isang malaking pilay sa aming team kapag wala ako. Kaya pala sobrang higpit ng defence nila sa akin. Iyon pala ay upang itago sa mga mata ng referee ang dayang nagaganap.

"Tara na sa gym. Sigurado akong maglalaro na sina Inoue at Raiga ngayon," sabi ni Yuki na nagpabalik sa aking alaala sa kasalukuyan.

Bumuntong-hininga ako at saka kinuha ang bag na nakalapag sa upuan.

"I hope Raiga will win," sabi ko.

"He will. I trust him."

"I can see the light at the end of tunnel," nakangiting sabi ni Yuki sa akin.

Ngumiti rin ako sa kanya bago kami sabay na lumabas.