The Fall, Part-One
The Fall, Part-One
Shirogane Kozo, head coach of Teiko, the person with an iron will handle the five prodigies who came to be known as the Generation Of Miracles.
The person coached Teiko Middle School Basketball Club for many years, but unfortunately, his age took effect on his health, and he fell ill.
Shirogane Kozo's health declined even further. Taking his old age into account, his family felt it safe to admit him to a hospital.
Naoto Sanada, the assistant coach for Teiko Middle School Basketball Club, visited the hospital to check on his health.
-*-*-*-
Sanada knocked on the door of Shirogane's room.
Shirogane was sitting on his bed when he heard the knock on his door.
He turned his head towards the door and saw his colleague at the door. He smiled and spoke.
Shirogane: "Oh, Naoto-kun. Come in."
Sanada entered the room and walked to Shirogane's bed.
He bowed to his senior and put a fruit basket on the side table. He turned back to his senior and asked.
Sanada: "Shirogane-san, how is your health?"
Shirogane gestured and said.
Shirogane: "Pull out a chair from under the bed. For my health, it is getting better."
Sanda pulled out a seat from under the bed and sat on it.
Sanada: "Will you be able to return to coaching?"
Shirogane fell silent for a moment before shaking his head in negative.
Shirogane: "No, I won't be able to return to coaching.
My doctor has advised me not to participate in any form of strenuous activity.
So, coaching a bunch of young kids is out of option."
He looked at Sanada and continued.
Shirogane: "It looks like you will be taking the mantle as the head coach.
Take care of the kids, alright?"
Sanada nodded, seeing that, Shirogane continued.
Shirogane: "They truly are the strongest Teiko team to date.
Starting members with unlimited potential, a bench filled with veteran third years, a manager who excels at scouting, and an unusual and unpredictable sixth man.
If not for Tokiwadai's Kageyama Shun, it's unimaginable that they could lose.
Even he wasn't able to keep up, and Tokiwadai collapsed without their ace."
Sanada smiled and spoke.
Sanada: "Yeah, there isn't anything to worry about. Next year, the starting members will become third years, and I don't think even Kageyama Shun would be able to stop them."
Shirogane looked out of the window and said in a slow and clear voice.
Shirogane: "I'm actually quite worried. They're too strong.
Even now, Aomine and Murasakibara remained troubled by their own strength.
All five of them work their hardest every day, and after the Tokyo preliminaries, their efforts have become even more prominent."
Sanada furrowed his brows and questioned.
Sanada: "What is wrong with them working harder?"
Shirogane sighed and explained.
Shirogane: "The harder they work to catch up to Kageyama Shun, the more they end up moving away from the general populace.
Aomine and Murasakibara overwhelmed National level teams with pure speed and strength.
Kise fooled around on the court, even that level of play outclassed other players.
Midorima just needs to shoot normally to break the spirits of other teams.
Akashi didn't even actively participate in offense or defense, he just scored his mandated twenty points, guarded his mark and set up passes for the others."
Shirogane laughed mockingly at himself.
Shirogane: "Those five think that they can hide it from me, but I can see their mood while playing in practice.
All of them give it their best in drills and after practice, but when it comes to in-house games, they play like they don't want to be there."
He stared at Sanada with a serious and grave expression.
Shirogane: "To keep the team together, we'll need to give them even more support from now on."
He let out an unhappy sigh and uttered.
Shirogane: "The current team is in a very fragile state, and if I didn't fall sick, I would've wanted to be there for them from the moment they entered the gym to the time they left for their homes.
But, I can't, so I plead to you that you must take care of those five.
Or else, you will lose the team."
Sanada nodded, but he didn't know that soon the words that his coach had said were about to come true, and the sad part was that he couldn't do anything about it even if he wanted.
-*-*-*-*-*-*-
Day after day, Sanada watched the five starting members of Teiko, practice in the gym and saw the things that his senior told him about.
And, just like that one day, he was called upon by the Regent Chairman.
In the office, he heard something ridiculous.
Regent Chairman: "Those five students dubbed the Generation Of Miracles.
No matter what happens, those five must play every game full-time from here on."
Sanada was shocked to hear that.
True, the five miracles were the starting members, but they didn't play every game.
In practice games, a maximum of three of them played, even then they only played three quarters at maximum.
Even in the preliminaries, none of the five miracles played full games and only remained on the court for a maximum of three quarters.
The only time all the miracles played the full game was Tokyo preliminary finals.
Even in the nationals, this condition remained active.
Even in the National finals, none of the miracles played more than three quarters.
Such was the measure taken by Shirogane for the sake of the team.
Sanada: "But..."
Regent Chairman raised his hand and cut off Sanada.
Regent Chairman: "When a hero flourishes, it's great advertising.
Moreover, I hear they haven't lost even once since joining."
Sanada tried to protest, especially after seeing the state of his players, but he was once again cut off by the regent chairman.
Regent Chairman: "Give them full freedom, as long as they keep winning, they won't have any restrictions placed upon them.
I'm telling you to give them special treatment. Those kids are a great promotion for the school, and whatever I said now is an order."
Sanada bit his lip and could only resign himself to following the administration's orders, as he was but an employee, who could be replaced anytime.