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Sakuragi Hanamichi, the red-haired genius of Shohoku, as he would tell you himself, was used to seeing his Gundan at the entrance of the gym during practice. The four of them had always flocked to watch Sakuragi in training, often with Haruko and her friends, often boisterously laughing and throwing insults at him.
The members of the basketball team themselves had become used to the presence of their constant spectators. Sakuragi even had the suspicion that the Gundan might be unofficial members of the club now, if the way Megane-kun knew them all by name, or that Oyaji recruited their help for Sakuragi’s secret training, or even how Gori tolerated them, were anything to go by. Once, Ayako even asked Hanamichi where his friends were, when the four were late showing up to a practice match with a school from a neighboring prefecture.
From his peripheral vision, seeing the four of them at their usual spot even on a Saturday practice session was nothing new by now but Sakuragi couldn’t shake the nagging feeling that there was something different. Something…odd.
He looked intently at them, momentarily forgetting the ball he was dribbling until it rolled off his hands and was subsequently picked up by one of the other freshmen in the club.
"Yo, Hanamichi, watch it!" Noma jeered from the entrance and was followed with "where’s your head at again, Hanamichi?" by Ohkusu, and all members of the Gundan errupted into comical, open-mouthed laughters.
Sakuragi squinted in their direction. Takamiya was shoving handful of chips one after another into his mouth like always. Ohkusu and Noma were downing a bottle of soda and trying to sneak some potato chips off Takamiya like always. His scrutinizing gaze turned to Mito— and there it was.
Sakuragi had known his best friend Mito Youhei since they were kids, so much so that he could tell there was something different about Mito today. He leaned against the doorframe with his head turned to the courts like always, an easy smile on his face like usual, but today, he was wearing the Shohoku basketball team’s official red jersey number 14.
The tensai basketman’s jaw dropped open just as Mito’s voice carried across the gym, addressing someone a few feet behind where Sakuragi stood.
"Looking for this?"
"HAAAAAAAAAA!" Mitsui Hisashi’s embarrassed shout echoed around the gym, startling everyone inside. Even the normally stoic Rukawa flinched a little with how loud it was. Sakuragi grimaced, fingers in his ears, as Shohoku’s resident shooting guard marched past him with hurried steps.
Mitsui begrudgingly stomped to where Mito stood with a shit-eating grin plastered on his face, very proud of himself. Hanamichi’s ears felt like they were growing thrice their size as he strained to listen to what would be a most curious exchange.
"What do you think you’re wearing?" Mitsui hissed, his face turning a deep shade of scarlet that was almost a match for Shohoku’s signature red.
"You forgot it at my place when you left this morning," Mito responded nonchalantly, "so I thought I’d surprise you. Doesn’t it look good on me?"
"Of course, it looks good you, you bastard. It’s even sexy on your skin tone." Mitsui did not dare say that out loud. Instead, he settled for, "don’t ruin that."
"Okay," Mito said then added, "can I get a kiss?"
If Mitsui was red with embarrassment a while ago, it was nothing to what he was feeling now. He was practically burning at this point.
He bunched his fists tighter on his sides and was already plotting on choking the life out of Mito when he got the chance later. But if truth were to be told, he honestly wanted nothing more than to snog Mito senseless right there and then. It was just that Mitsui wasn’t used to public displays of affection or flirting in the open. And the bastard, the very affectionate and incredibly charming bastard in front of him, enjoyed teasing him to his wits’ end.
Mitsui had to exhale a couple of times to calm the furious beating in his chest, and quite frankly, the mounting heat pooling in his groin.
"I have to…ah, I have to get back to practice," he stammered.
He turned around and walked back to court as Mito’s eyes followed his boyfriend’s retreating form with a look of silent adoration. Mito guessed his face must have displayed the expression of a lovesick fool, but he couldn’t help it. He liked watching Mitsui play and knew that Mitsui liked it when he watched.
For now, he was content to gaze at Mitsui from afar and join his friends in teasing Sakuragi. Later, his mind would be filled again with flashbacks of how good Mitsui looked last night when they—
“Youhei.”
Sakuragi’s voice cut through his thoughts and Mito’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. He didn’t notice the taller man approaching and now stood in front of him.
“Hanamichi,” his expression softened, “I was going to tell you eventually…”
"You know Mit-chi has problems with stamina, right?" Sakuragi grinned with a mischievous wink. "Just don’t tire him out too much. Even with a genius like me on the team, sometimes we also need his 3-point shots." The red-haired, self-proclaimed genius cackled, head thrown back and shoulders shaking.
"You don’t think it’s weird?" Mito’s voice was quiet, almost a whisper.
The look on Sakuragi’s face turned serious.
"If you like each other, it is what it is," Sakuragi shrugged, "I should know; I like someone, too."
Akagi soon yelled at Sakuragi for dillydallying during practice and Mito watched as his closest friend sauntered back to court, bumping into Rukawa in the process.
"Oi, kitsune, you’re in my way!"
Mito was about to leave when it hit him. Sakuragi said he liked someone, but he didn’t mention Haruko. He turned to look and caught sight of the distinct red hair; mouth slightly agape.
He should ask Hanamichi whom he meant but Mito figured that was a story for another day.