Chapter 07 • Monster

Coach Lee Kaeun was impressed by the basketball team’s performance, she have decided to permanently coach them with a cost—that no one would have a grade below average. It was easy for Jang Wonyoung and Honda Hitomi but was quite hard for An Yujin who had always on Math. While on the seniors, it was only Choi Yena who at a few subjects.

Many things happened during the whole month where various changes occured, Miyawaki Sakura and Lee Chaeyeon began dating again, Jo Yuri and Choi Yena became closer than before and also back together, Kim Chaewon would always go out at night to train by herself at the park nearby, Kwon Eunbi became a stricter coach, Kim Minjoo and An Yujin’s late night meetings lessened, Yabuki Nako got taller by 0.1 centimeter, Honda Hitomi was eating more bread than usual, Kang Hyewon still is thief of snacks, the South High Saints lost a member, the East High Knights officially lost three of its valuable members—the changes, however, is not only present in the East and South.

In the West High School, the five third year girls were eating lunch at the single round table in the cafeteria.

“Jurina, have you heard? Sakura’s new team lost to the East!”

“Really Aoi? Can you lend me that school newspaper?”

“Woah woah, what happened to her?”

“They got cancelled by the new wall of East High, the girl's smaller by a centimeter to their old one, but she has an unusual jump.”

“Looks like our final Compass would be exciting. I can't wait.”

In the North High School, two girls familiar to each other bumped in the school entrance, one was Murase Sae, a former player of the South High, and the other was Shiroma Miru, one of the former power forwards of East High. They met each other during the practice match.

“What're you doing here?” Miru asked.

“Huh? That's what I'm going to ask you about! What are you doing here?” Sae raised a brow and retorted to Miru.

“I received a transfer notice from this school. I'm the new captain of the basketball team, they told me.” Miru sighed before explaining herself to Sae.

Sae then did the same, “I also received a transfer notice, they assured me a good position in the team and gave me the vice-captain position.” She tilted her head and smiled. “Looks like we'll be working with each other on our graduating year, Shiroma Miru.” She offered her hand for a shake, which Miru gladly shook.

“Hey!” Wonyoung asked for a pass, Yujin sent her the ball through a bounce pass. Wonyoung went and ran towards the center, she made a three-pointer from where she stood.

Kaeun's whistle echoed in the whole gym. The players immediately gathered around her, three new players, namely, Wang Yiren, a third year student who returned from East High's Chinese branch, and plays as another Point Guard. Huh Yunjin, a sophomore and transferee from the Volleyball Team's Team B, formerly known as East High Volleyball Team's Solid Wall, plays as another Center. Kim Choyeon, a sophomore, and plays as another Small Forward.

“I've received an invitation to the prestigious Moon High School Cup!” She showed them ten tickets. “Well, I got this yesterday with Kwon Kazoo— I mean the Executor— no, Kwon Eunbi.” Kaeun added.

“Everyone's going, right?” She asked.

Everyone shouted yes in response.

The next day, they were surprised to see the South High's five main players sitting on the set of chairs beside them, what's even more surprising was Han Chowon wearing their Team Jacket and Track Pants. The game started and the tournament surely took an interesting turn, the North High School that sent their application to the tournament and the West High School that was invited as the team to be faced in the finals were going to face each other head on. Both teams on the bleachers stood up in disbelief after seeing Shiroma and Murase—their former substitution players, standing beside each other, as the captain and vice-captain of the North Team. However, Sakura was looking at a different team— the West High School Team, it was the team where she used to play when she was just a freshman, and the team where she and Nako came from when they were transferred a year ago.

J-Jurina and Aoi…? Her hands were shivering. Aoi was her perfect pair before, they were so perfect that no one could even stand their way when they were still in Japan.

“Man, they're all Japanese!” Yena exclaimed as she observed the members in the benches. “It's all Japanese for North High, but the West had a few Koreans on their bench, though their main players are Japanese.” Yuri corrected her girlfriend.

“Oh, I'm sorry.” Yena apologized while still looking at the players.

The game started with the West High getting the jump ball. The game looked so sad to watch as the North High can't even touch the ball for long, whenever they were dribbling it, West High's number nine (9), the point guard, Murakawa Bibian, would always steal the ball from them.

Shiroma Miru would always run off and follow the player whom Bibian would pass the ball to, Matsui Jurina, the captain and the ace. Most of the time, Jurina and Miru would look like the only ones in the court, if they didn't have their point guards with them, then the game would really look like just a one-on-one between the two captains.

The game was unpredictable, near the end of the first quarter, the North High started scoring back. They were smaller than most of West High players but they use their heights to their advantage. On their bench was a tall woman, she had a nice built and had a long flowing hair.

“Wait. Kazoo— I mean Eunbi, look at the North High Coach over there!” Kaeun patted Eunbi on her back.

“Isn't that Hyuna?!” Eunbi squinted her eyes to see the woman closer.

“Now I understand why those North High players know what to do with their lack of tall members.” Kaeun went back to her seat and leaned back. “Hyuna knows the tactics of tall players, she probably trained them one by one like how she trained you in high school, when we were still teammates.” Kaeun laughed at how Eunbi was still as small as she was before. “Kwon Eunbi, the executor, the point guard!” She teased

“Eh?! She played as point guard? She'd always tell us she played as the shooting guard!” Sakura exclaimed. She went closer to Kaeun who looked like she was ready to tell a story.

“I'll admit that thing later. Kaeun! Look at how weird the North High plays!”

“Why do they look like…” Kaeun covered as she was reminded of the North High players forms, “They looked like Eunbi when she played as small forward once!” she exclaimed.

“Huh? Why would Coach Eunbi play as small forward? Isn't she sma—” Chaewon almost fell from the bleachers railings. “Shut up, Chaewon. I played as small forward that time because we needed a strong offense on that game.” Eunbi sighed and observed how the North High players move. “With proper execution, they could switch back to their own roles with a few moves. At this time on the court, everyone is a small forward.” She explained.

“I've been wondering. I only see the club adviser on the West High benches. Where's their coach?” Hitomi asked, exploring the whole court.

“They don't have one. Nako, care to explain?” Sakura glanced over at Nako who walked towards the railings to look at the game closer.

“The coach is that captain herself. Matsui Jurina.” Nako pointed at the girl who was dribbling the ball on her hand. “Back in Japan, during her middle school, she'd always snatch all the MVP trophies, she was a prodigy in basketball. No one can rival her, until she transferred here in Korea. She enjoyed basketball here since she met worthy rivals.” Nako explained.

“Hey look, they took the game from the west!” They heard the audience cheering on the North High.

The East and South High players were surprised on how North High's score slowly goes up, they aren't even letting their sister school score. They could easily get the ball from West High. The scores were 24-29, with the North High on the lead.

“Are they even human!?” Yena couldn't believe what she was seeing. North High moves in sync, and they were fast to react.

“Coach Kwon, what is that timer for?” Minjoo peeked over Eunbi's phone that was bright open.

“In twenty seconds, North High players will play as they were in the first quarter again.”

It was true. They went back to their original play. But they aren't so sure if the West could even take the game back.

“Look! Isn't that pass too strong?” Nako pointed at Miru who released a pass to her teammate, Katou Yuuka. However, a member of the West High Team ran towards them and tried to steal the pass. After getting to steal the ball, she immediately passed it to Jurina, then she later refused to function as a member by the end of the second quarter. With the scores 24-55, the gap was more than a half, and soon the West high team replaced Bibian with Aoi.

But Aoi, wasn't even standing up. All they saw was Jurina doing a facepalm.

“Music please.” Aoi raised her left hand.

“Aoi, try doing that and I'll drop you.” Jurina glared at Aoi. The smaller girl whose number was five (5), stood up and entered the court. “Meanie.” She mumbled. She was looking happy and bubbly until someone in the bleachers caught her attention— Sakura. She immediately became serious.

When the third quarter started the West immediately started taking back the