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It was the summer break of Imayoshi's last year of middle school. It was a very hot summer, they were facing an heatwave and they were forced to stop basketball practices until the weather became more bearable. A freshman had collapsed because of the heat, Imayoshi couldn't control everything, he couldn't stay behind everyone's back to remind them every second that they were supposed to drink a lot more than usual.
So they cancelled basketball practices, all practices actually. Imayoshi didn't care much, the only thing he cared about is that now he didn't have anything better to than to call Hanamiya over to discuss strategies.
Their team relied mostly on their brain to win, so, if they couldn't practice, they could at least prepare a little before he was forced to retire.
Calling Hanamiya was no easy task. The guy didn't talk a lot on the phone and he didn't like to go out in summer very much either. He didn't like to see people very much on every season of the year actually. But he was smart and Imayoshi thought the two of us made a great team. He also thought he would hand over the captainship to Hanamiya once he would retire but that isn't soomething he would tell the other just yet. He'd freak out.
So, when he finally managed to get Hanamiya to answer his phone (after ringing it at least a dozen times, Imayoshi was bad at answering his phone but not to this extent.) he was surprised by what he heard. He had just been invited by no other than Hanamiya Makoto, loner extraordinaire, to go fishing together. Fishing. Together.
"Are you sure you really are Hanamiya Makoto?"
"Did Imayoshi Shouichi become dumb or something?"
Imayoshi chuckled, no other people but Hanamiya dared to talk to him like that, it was refreshing, it felt kinda nice, "You would miss my brain if it were gone." and, after a pause, "I'll come."
And with that Hanamiya hung up. No goodbyes, no see you laters, no nothing. Dealing with this kid was tiring and, at the same time, Imayoshi couldn't leave him alone.
That's how he ended up sitting next to Hanamiya in a riverbank in a hot summer day. He had brought drinks, Hanamiya brought food and they improvised a pic nic under the trees.
They didn't talk a lot during this afternoon, that's what fishing was all about after all.
"I like you better when you're not barking orders." came the snarky comment.
"Can't help it, that's what being your captain is all about and do notice that I am nicer to you than to anyone else."
"Oh, and why's that?"
"You have a brain and you use it. I like that."
"I like my brain too."
"Sure you would."
They both laughed.
The afternoon went by in a flash, mostly small talk and shared muffled laughs.
They didn't catch anything but they didn't care.
"We should do that again." said Hanamiya as they walked home.
"We totally should. Tomorrow?"
"Yes."
Imayoshi could see himself becoming quite a fan of fishing very fast.
When they parted, both had a smile on their face.