Chapter 04 ・Against the Saints

The referee whistles.

The gymnasium was quiet, everything was going in slow motion and soon the sound of the ball touching one’s palm was heard. The East High’s starter players were Jang Wonyoung – Center, An Yujin – Power Forward, Kim Chaewon – Shooting Guard, Choi Yena – Small Forward, and Jo Yuri – Point Guard. Jang Wonyoung wasn’t able to get the jump ball, she was too surprised at how the South High’s center jumps as high as her previous jumping point—when in fact, and she knew her in middle school as her team’s Power Forward, Did she even jump like this when we were in middle school? I don’t remember—No! She never jumped as high as this!. It was Kim Minjoo, who wore the gold collared white jersey with a gold number nine (9) printed on it, matched with the white shorts with gold linings on its edges, which was like what the other players from her team were wearing. Her basketball shoes had the same color as her jersey, a white body and a gold sole.

Just before the game started, Yuri noticed Hyewon, Nako, Sakura and their coach being the inhabitants of the house just in front of them. She kind of remembered that one night when Wonyoung accidentally threw their trash bag to the roof of the house in front of them. She soon thought that thinking about it in-game is too disturbing and decided to just forget about it.

It was the first time for Jang Wonyoung to wear their team’s jersey. She wore a midnight blue-collared black jersey with a printed midnight blue colored number eleven (11), her shorts were of the same color, black shorts with 5 inches wide midnight blue lines on its sides, which was also the same for her teammates. She and her teammates followed Minjoo as she dribbled the ball near the hoop were An Yujin stood near at. Jo Yuri and Choi Yena decided to double team her.

“We’re not going easy on you.” Yena said as she tried to predict what Minjoo would do next. Yena read her eyes, she was looking at Sakura who was positioned five full steps behind her. She suddenly went on a chest pass position, and when Yena was just about ready, Minjoo made a bounce pass on her right side towards the girl that Yena never forgot—Lee Chaeyeon, the number four (4), one of the monster freshmen that she fought two years ago.

I won’t let you! Yena dashed to where Chaeyeon stood. She was surprised to see the ball back on Minjoo. She forgot about the small girl that stood near Chaeyeon a while ago, Yabuki Nako, number five (5). Despite being a second year, she was quickly appointed as the vice-captain for her fast thinking skills. She immediately passed the ball back to Minjoo when she was on her way.

Minjoo made a three pointer, Yuri jumped and tried to stop her shot, due to the height difference, she wasn’t able to. She turned around to watch the ball…

“Jang Wonyoung, is that really your highest point?” Kaeun raised her left brow as she looked at Wonyoung desperately trying to jump higher than she could.

Kaeun sighed. “Wonyoung, do this every day.” She handed Wonyoung a small note, written on it were various exercises that can help her increase her jumping power. She did it almost every day, and on the second week, she increased it from a hundred to a hundred and fifty and started doing it not only every day but every single day, once during the morning and the night.

Wonyoung haven’t even tried jumping on her highest point again. She figured out that cancelling the three point shot from Minjoo was the perfect timing. She grabbed the ball midair, everyone in the gymnasium was surprised. The South High Saints, East High Knights, the students and the ‘Prince An Yujin’ fanatics were surprised on her jump. She took this chance to take the ball to the other hoop, where when she positioned herself to do a three pointer, Minjoo was there in front of her along with their Small Forward and number six (6), Miyawaki Sakura. Wonyoung didn’t have enough time to think, she saw Yuri making a signal—she passed the ball to her team captain waiting a few steps beside her. Yuri then sent the ball to Kim Chaewon.

Chaewon was once again threatened by Chaeyeon who stood in front of her, like what she did during their first Compass Tournament. Chaewon took a quick back step and made a jump shot. Everything was too fast, Chaeyeon jumped to try and touch the ball with her fingertips. When she felt the ball’s rough texture, a smile drew on her face. She froze when she saw Chaewon smiling back at her. What?! Chaeyeon thought to herself. The ball hit the hoop, she saw someone jump and dunk the ball in—An Yujin.

On the benches, Kwon Eunbi stood surprised, this was not what she expected back when they watched last year’s footage. I see, so their team work is different with Kim Chaewon in the court, she really is a daughter of a sportsman. Minjoo will surely figure this out. From a worried expression, she suddenly smiled.

The East High got the first points.

The next time, they did it again. But Chaeyeon jumped too late. Chaewon’s three pointer went in. During the eighth minute of the first quarter, the score was 15-0.

Minjoo hasn’t noticed it yet!? Eunbi’s eyes enlarged as she saw her team she worked hard on get crushed into the court in front of many people. She saw Nako come closer to Minjoo to whisper something. Yena and the others were curious on why isn’t their center guarding near the hoop, instead it was their Power Forward. When Chaewon took a quick backstep, like she usually does, she felt something behind her. Sakura was also guarding her. It was a sudden change of formation for them. Chaewon tried continuing her technique despite her knee being attacked by the other team. The referee can’t even see that their center, Minjoo was behind her.

Chaewon felt the aching pain she last felt years ago—her knee injury. She still forced herself to jump to her highest point and do her thing. She released the ball too soon, Chaeyeon got to grab the ball and bring it to the other side.

Kaeun then called a time-out after noticing something on Chaewon’s knees.

On their benches, Kaeun frankly told Chaewon that she can no longer play for the rest of the game.

“Chaewon, we’ll have to sub you out.”

“What? No. I won’t leave the court.” Chaewon protested. “I can still play, I wasn’t even on my A game yet.” She added.

“Are you sure you can play with a knee like that? I’m sure you can’t even jump right now.” Kaeun crossed her arms and pointed her right index finger at Chaewon’s leg.

“You can’t remove me from this game! I’m gonna show her, I’m going to show that Kwon Eunbi that I’m not the Chaewon from two years ago! I can surpass her!” She took a step forward and felt the unimaginable pain on her knee.

“See? If you can wait until the last quarter and if your knee recovers even just for a bit, then I’ll let you in.” Kaeun succeeded on persuading her.

“Honda Hitomi, you’re in.”

On the other side of the benches, there was the smiling Eunbi at the sight of Kim Chaewon sitting quietly beside their coach as the game resumed. She was wearing a midnight blue sweater, with her team’s nickname on it, Knights. She once wore something like that but of a different color, it was way back when she was in high school with Lee Kaeun.

“Yuri, can we talk?” Yena approached Yuri who was tying her shoes on one of the benches.

“What do you need?” Yuri replied.

“Why are you so cold to me when we’re together, but you kinda change when we’re with other people? To be honest I don’t even understand why we broke up. Everything was going fine. You could’ve told me what I lacked or what I’ve failed to do—”

“East High School Basketball Team Vice-Captain Choi Yena, we are in the middle of a game. Let us not talk about things like that on court.”

“Yuri, have you already forgotten about what we had before?”

“Choi Yena, stop. We’re having a practice match. Things like that can wait until later—”

“But I can’t wait any longer.”

“Yena, though this is a practice game, we can’t let our guard down.”

“Joyul…!”

“Can you please focus on our game first!?” Yuri gave Yena a glare before getting on the court.

Wonyoung definitely noticed the cold atmosphere between their captain and vice-captain. She immediately asked Yujin about it, but Yujin was too focused on thinking what she had to do in-game to even answer her. She decided to ask Chaewon instead, a few seconds before the game resumed.

“Chaewon, did something happen between Yuri and Yena?” She asked.

“To be honest, I have no idea. I heard them talk a while ago, and I have a bad feeling about what will happen. It's annoying how that Gun Middle School girl still uses dirty tactics. Because of her, I can't even play.” Chaewon expressed her anger by glaring at Minjoo who was at the court, practicing shots.

The game resumes, as soon as the game started, the South High Team immediately started scoring. They knew how weak their team is without Kim Chaewon, their mysterious all-rounder. They just made use of the plan they thought off when they watched their games. Yuri and the others had even more problem when the opponent team's shooting guard, Kang Hyewon, started doing her absolute three-pointers that closed the gap between their scores. To Yuri and her team, it was surprising that their opponents were able to make twelve points in two minutes.

The second quarter soon started and Yujin noticed how Yuri and Yena weren't even passing the ball to each other, she saw how pressured Hitomi while being the way to pass their balls to each other. They've reached the fifth minute and there are still no movements with their team's score. The South High had taken control of the game.

“Chaeyeon, the castle is finally going down in pieces.” Sakura whispered to Chaeyeon the moment they got near to each other.

“I don't think so, that small puffy-cheeked girl seems like she's planning something.” Chaeyeon pointed at Hitomi who was carefully looking around the court with her eyes. “Also, that… giant… baby… looks so soft.” She then pointed at Wonyoung who was standing near the center of the court, without any movements, even her eyes.

“She really looks soft…” Sakura nodded in response.

How the heck are they always at war, then suddenly turn like those goddamn married couple without children on court? This should be added to the mysteries of the world. Nako shook her head while looking at the two third years who looked like they were taking everything easy. Sakura should really delete that girl's number on her phone and get back with Chaeyeon. She sighed heavily.

When I hear Hiichan, I should come to the center and jump. When I hear Hiichan, I should come to the center and jump. Wonyoung was repeating this on her mind.

“Jang Wonyoung!”

Wonyoung saw the ball in midair, I was too focused I didn't realize Hiichan already made the pass! She jumped on the center. The ball was perfectly on her hands, to be very honest, Wonyoung isn't sure if her shot would go in, she's been practicing this move even before they had Kaeun as their coach. While in midair, she remembered what Yujin told her during the time out they had.

Wonyoung, if this miss, don't worry I'll make sure it'll go in. I'll make it an alley 'oop.  

Wonyoung decided to let go of the ball, and as she landed, she watched the ball and waited if they succeed or fail.

Are they serious? Shooting from the center?

Her form is perfect. Wow.

The students watching on the bleachers can’t believe how Wonyoung attempted to shoot from the center, she looked confident that the ball would go in. It went inside the hoop. The scores were 18 - 28. Filling the ten-point gap sounds so simple but it wasn't, especially with the South as their opponent.

“Yena!” Yuri sent a ball towards Yena via a bounce pass.

Yena did a lay-up with the ball.

If they thought our teamplay has gotten weak just because Chaewon isn’t here on the court, then they’re wrong. We have two point guards playing on court, they may have forgotten about it. Soon, Yuri’s team had closed the gap to 50-55, during the seventh minute of the third quarter.

Seeing the score gaps, Sakura ran towards Chaeyeon to steal the ball from her. She was on her way to do a lay-up to increase their score. It was what broke their formation.

What the heck did she just do? Didn't we agreed to just do three-pointers to easily finish the game? This girl