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“You new at riding bikes?” A guy jumped out from behind one of the cycling shop shelves, looking as if he’d been waiting just to give advice to whatever random rookie happened past.
“Oh, no. My cousin, Horio Junpei, maybe you’ve heard of him? He’s really good. He’s been riding for two years,” Horio swelled with pride. “I’m just here to pick up a couple things for his bike.”
“Oh? Two years hmm?” the guy smirked, slicking hair back with the palm of his hand, “The name’s Sugimoto Terufumi. Been riding for three, so you could say I’m a bit of an exp-”
“It’s more like two and three quarters,” Horio cut him off, “And, like I said, he’s really really good!” Horio tacked another ‘really’ on for emphasis.
With a swish of the hand, Sugimoto ignored the interruption, rambling on. “Anyway, since I’m such an experienced rider why don’t I show you around the shop? I might even be able to give a newbie like you some words of wisdom.”
The shop was small, and they were already in the correct isle. Still, Sugimoto made a big show out of finding each item, giving small speech about it’s purpose, and even talked Horio into buying some other supposedly useful things.
**
That night, Horio couldn’t get Sugimoto’s smug know-it-all grin out of his mind.
It felt eerily familiar.
Almost too familiar.
Horio thought and thought, but he couldn’t come up with anyone who reminded him of Sugimoto.
He tried to shrug it off the next day, but the thought kept bugging him. He even imagined seeing him in the bathroom mirror at school, but it turned out it was just his own reflection. How weird!
That was the last straw, and Horio decided he needed one last look at Sugimoto to clear his head. Luckily, he remembered which school he attended since he’d made such a big deal about it at the bicycle shop. I’m on a world class team Sugimoto had said, not so subtly flashing Horio a glimpse at the Sohoku logo on the shirt hidden under his jacket.
**
Sohoku turned out to be only a few blocks from Seigaku, and Horio got there in a flash thanks to his two years speed walking experience. But, when he arrived at the cycling club practice, he discovered Sugimoto wasn’t riding with the core members of the team. Instead he worse a wistful longing smile, watching as cyclists in bright yellow jerseys zoomed past.
Horio recognized that look anywhere. Of course he did, that was HIS trademark look! The look of a star with extraordinary potential who’s been picked over, replaced, and forgotten in favor of others. (Something about lacking things like ‘accuracy,’ ‘technique,’ and ‘poise’).
But Horio tried not to pay it much mind, because everyone knows the real stars aren’t the ones in the spotlight. The real stars are the ones who patiently do the drills at practice, keeping the data about their unlimited talent secret from pesky rivals. And, one day when the team was peril, like if Ryoma decided to screw everyone over and go back to America, Horio would be there to save the day!
He felt a sort of kinship with this Sugimoto character. Maybe he was a little full of himself, but Sugimoto definitely possessed the star quality that would make him valuable teammate.
The practice ended, and when Sugimoto saw Horio, his confident demeanor faltered for a split second.
“I-I-uh...”
“Oh ho ho, you don’t have to tell me, star," Horio winked, nudging him in the ribs.
“S-star? Me?” Sugimoto choked, taking a moment to recover before prattling on, “That’s right! That’s right, in fact I’m the team’s ace!”
**
They are both stars waiting for their moment to shine.