Even in the evening, the sound of the basketball bouncing could still be heard by Shino. As he entered the gym, he was shocked to see that Yukio was still training.
Yukio shot a two-pointer, and it swished through the net. Upon scoring the shot, he stopped due to fatigue, taking heavy breaths and wiping the sweat off his face with his shirt.
Whoa, he's amazing! He's been training since morning—that's crazy! He's so dedicated, Shino thought to himself.
"I see that you're finally here. Go get ready," Yukio said.
"I will, right away!" Shino responded.
Once he changed into his gear, Yukio asked, "Okay, now that you're ready, I want to ask you something. Do you have any experience playing basketball?"
"Um... I've never played a basketball match before," Shino admitted. "I played a little in middle school and junior high, but I never got the chance to play in an actual match against another school. I didn't even get a jersey when match time came around."
"Huh, so you have no experience? Not even the basics?" Yukio asked.
"Well... no. I'm practically a novice to the sport."
The tournament is in six months. Will I be able to train him to at least be average in time? Yukio wondered. I mean, it's not like I have much of a choice—Takahiro and I are the only members.
"I know what you're thinking," Shino said suddenly. "You're thinking that I'll be a burden to the team. However, I love basketball, so I'll work hard to meet your expectations! I know I don't have any talent for the sport, but please help me develop!" Shino pleaded, tears welling up in his eyes.
"Okay, okay, I understand! No need to get all emotional on me—wipe your tears," Yukio said, sighing.
Shino sniffled and quickly wiped his tears before nodding. "Yes, upperclassman!" he shouted with determination.
"I want you to do some defensive slides, so watch carefully," Yukio instructed. "The key to good defense is maintaining a low stance and staying balanced. You have to bend your legs in a squat position, keeping your back straight and your chest up. This gives you a strong center of gravity and allows you to move quickly without losing balance."
He dropped into a defensive stance, demonstrating for Shino. "Your feet should be shoulder-width apart, and you should stay on the balls of your feet—never flat-footed. This keeps you ready to react. And when you move side to side, don't cross your feet. Instead, push off with your back foot and slide with short, controlled steps. Think of it like moving sideways like a crab—strong, steady, and balanced."
Shino nodded, watching Yukio's form carefully.
"Now, your hands are just as important as your footwork," Yukio continued. "Keep one hand low and the other up. The low hand is to anticipate steals and deflections, while the high hand is to contest shots and disrupt passing lanes. If you keep your hands too low, the opponent will have an easy time shooting over you. If you keep them too high, they'll drive right past you. You need to be active with your hands, but don't flail them around aimlessly—you have to be smart about when to reach in."
Shino dropped into a stance, mimicking Yukio's movements.
"Good," Yukio said. "Now, another thing: always watch your opponent's torso, not the ball. A lot of new players make the mistake of watching the ball, but skilled players use that to their advantage. They'll fake a dribble move and make you react, then blow past you. But no matter how much they fake with their hands or feet, their torso won't lie. If you focus on their chest and hips, you'll know where they're actually going."
Shino's eyes widened. "That makes a lot of sense! I always thought you were supposed to watch the ball."
"Yeah, a lot of beginners think that," Yukio said with a smirk. "Now, another key to good defense is anticipation. Defense isn't just reacting—it's predicting. You have to pay attention to your opponent's habits. Do they favor one hand? Do they like to drive to a certain side? Do they slow down before making a move? The more you study your opponent, the better you can anticipate what they're going to do next. You have to read their body language and be one step ahead."
Shino nodded eagerly, absorbing every word.
"And finally," Yukio said, "never reach in recklessly. A lot of players think defense is about stealing the ball every time, but that just gets you into foul trouble. Instead, focus on staying in front of your man. Make it hard for them to get where they want to go. If you play smart and disciplined, you'll wear them down and force them into bad decisions."
Shino clenched his fists with determination. "I get it now! So, stay low, move side to side without crossing my feet, keep my hands active but controlled, watch their torso, anticipate their moves, and don't reach in unless I see a real opening!"
Yukio smiled. "You're a fast learner."
"No, it's just that... you're the first person to ever spend time helping me learn," Shino admitted.
"Oh, that's too bad. I think you'd be a great player if you got the proper coaching," Yukio said.
"You really think so?" Shino asked, surprised and touched by Yukio's words.
"Of course. You'll get there one day."
"Okay, so now that you've got the gist of it, I want you to guard me."
"Huh?! Bu-but I just started!" Shino stammered.
"Just remember what I showed you, and you'll be fine."
"Okay... I'll give it a try."
"Are you ready to guard me?"
Just stay calm and remember what he said... anticipate his movements, Shino thought, steadying himself.
Yukio started dribbling the basketball. "Here I come," he said.
He crossed the ball between his legs and tried to get past Shino.
"I won't let you pass!" Shino said, quickly cutting Yukio off—to Yukio's surprise.
"Not bad. However, let's see how you handle this," Yukio said as he faked a shot.
Shino jumped but soon realized it was a trick.
"What?! A fake?!" he gasped.
Yukio then stepped past Shino and scored a layup, the ball swishing through the net.
"Not bad. It's your first time playing, but you anticipated my moves and almost stopped me. However, there's always room for improvement. It's only your first day, after all," Yukio said. "That's all I'll be teaching you for today."
"What?! That was only two minutes! How can we be done already?" Shino complained.
"Well, you see, I've been training since this morning, and my body is aching," Yukio said as his legs started shaking.
"Oh yeah, that's right... he's been on the court for a long time," Shino realized.
"I want you to research more about basketball when you get home. Apart from training, you should learn the basic rules of the game," Yukio instructed.
Shino nodded. "Got it."
After cleaning up, the two left the gym.
"Big brother, are you awake?" Usagi asked as she knocked on Tetsuo's door.
"Yes, I am," he responded.
"Alright then, I'm coming in," she said as she opened the door and entered.
"If you don't mind... can I sleep with you tonight?"
"Sure, but I'm going to do some research and make preparations for school tomorrow, so you can go ahead and sleep first," Tetsuo replied.
Usagi nodded as she placed her favorite pillow on Tetsuo's bed and lay down.
"There was a time when you used to comfort me by telling me stories when I had trouble sleeping as a child... time sure has passed," Usagi murmured.
"Indeed. Feels like it was just yesterday," Tetsuo said.
"You always protected me back then, and even now... despite all the dangers and the threats of losing your life, you would risk it all to make sure I'm safe and happy," Usagi whispered. "You practically put my safety over your own, which is what I love about you, Tetsuo. You are the embodiment of the big brother every girl wants."
She smiled softly before adding, "I want you to stay by my side forever. Don't ever leave me, okay?"
With that, she closed her eyes and soon fell asleep, snoring softly.
Tetsuo pulled the blanket over her and gently fixed her hair.
I don't care what happens to me... as far as I'm concerned, I'm already dead. But you... you are the little life and anchor I have left in this world. I'll protect you at all costs, even with my own life, he thought to himself.
He turned to his desk and glanced at his schedule.
"Let's see... so I have gym class first thing tomorrow, huh? Let me go get my gym gear," he muttered.
As he reached for his bag, he accidentally knocked over a framed portrait. He bent down, picked it up, and stared at the picture.
"I hope you guys are happy where you are, Mom and Dad," he whispered.