Ace of the Bench

The night before the first day of school always carried a strange weight. For most students, it was the buzzing excitement of fresh notebooks, new classes, and catching up with friends after summer. For Yuuto Kai, it was heavier like a stone pressing against his chest.

He sat at his desk, the dim glow of his lamp casting shadows over a scatter of old notebooks, system pop-ups still faintly hovering in the corner of his vision. His knee brace lay folded neatly on the bed beside him, the straps worn from months of use. Outside the window, the cicadas had gone quiet, replaced by the occasional hum of a passing car on the main road.

Yuuto spun a pen between his fingers, staring blankly at the wall where his middle school jersey hung in a frame. #7 – Kai. The number mocked him sometimes, reminding him of who he used to be: the fearless guard, the "prodigy of the court," the kid with endless energy and swagger.

Now, he was the boy trying to claw his way back to standing on his own.

He opened his stat menu with a thought. The familiar blue grid hovered before his eyes:

Yuuto Kai – Progression Stats

Recovery: 12 (+1)

Balance: 10 (+1)

Dribbling: 6 (+2)

Layups: Gold – Fundamental Shot Lv.1 unlocked

Court Vision: 5 (+1)

Willpower: 8 (+1)

Hidden Progress: "Path of the Comeback" – 10%

The numbers weren't flashy. To anyone else, they'd look mediocre. But Yuuto stared at them with a faint smile tugging at his lips. Three months ago, these stats would've been empty. Three months ago, I couldn't even stand without shaking.

He closed the menu, letting the screen fade into the air. His hand drifted over his knee unconsciously. The joint still ached when he pushed too far, still reminded him of its fragility every morning, but it no longer felt like a death sentence. It was part of him now his weakness, but also the reason for his strength.

"Yuuto?"

His mother's voice broke the silence. She cracked open the door, peeking in with her usual gentle smile. "Still awake?"

"Yeah," Yuuto said softly, putting the pen down.

She stepped in, holding a cup of tea that carried a calming aroma of roasted barley. "I thought you could use this. Big day tomorrow."

Yuuto accepted the cup, the warmth seeping into his palms. "Thanks, Mom."

She sat on the edge of his bed, studying him the way only mothers could. "Nervous?"

He chuckled dryly. "That obvious?"

"Mm." She sipped her own tea, gaze soft. "You've been through a lot, Yuuto. It's natural to feel scared. But don't forget you've already overcome more than most people ever will."

Yuuto looked down into the steaming cup, watching the ripples. "…What if I'm not the same anymore? What if I can't keep up?"

Her hand touched his shoulder lightly. "Then you adapt. You grow. The boy who refused to give up after the accident that's who you are. That hasn't changed."

The words hit him harder than expected. He swallowed past the lump in his throat. "…I'll try."

She smiled knowingly. "No. You'll do more than try. You'll fight. You always have."

After she left, Yuuto sat back down at his desk, sipping the tea. His phone buzzed.

Marcus: "Yo. You awake, cripple?"

Yuuto rolled his eyes and typed back: "Don't call me that. And yeah."

The reply came instantly. "Good. Tomorrow's the big show. You ready?"

Yuuto hesitated before typing: "Honestly… I don't know."

A video call popped up before he could lock the phone. Marcus's grinning face filled the screen. "Bro. If you start doubting now, I swear I'll drag you onto the court myself."

Yuuto laughed weakly. "I can't just flip a switch and stop being nervous."

"Sure you can." Marcus leaned close to the camera. "You just remember all the sweat you poured into this summer. The pain, the setbacks, the grind. You think that was for nothing? Nah. That was the fire. Tomorrow you show the sparks."

Yuuto stared at the screen, Marcus's energy infectious even through pixels. "…You're annoyingly good at pep talks."

"Facts. It's my second talent after dunking on freshmen."

Yuuto groaned. "Don't remind me."

Marcus smirked. "Listen, bro. Tomorrow ain't about proving to everyone else that you're back. It's about proving to yourself. Walk in there with your head up. Even if you trip on the first step, you keep walking."

The call stretched late into the night, filled with teasing, arguments over who would score more this season, and Marcus's relentless optimism. By the time Yuuto hung up, the weight on his chest had lightened.

Yuuto stood in front of the mirror above his dresser, holding the basketball Marcus had given him months ago the same one that had rolled stubbornly away when he first tried standing to dribble.

His reflection stared back: older eyes in a young face, scars both visible and hidden. He turned the ball over in his hands, then bounced it gently against the floor. Thump. Thump. Thump.

The sound echoed in the small room. Each bounce steadier than the last.

He spoke softly, almost to himself. "Tomorrow, I stop being afraid."

He gripped the ball tighter, meeting his own gaze in the mirror. "I don't care if they laugh, or doubt, or pity me. I'm not done yet. Basketball's still mine."

The conviction settled in his chest, firm and unshakable. For the first time in months, he didn't feel like he was lying to himself.

Yuuto crawled into bed at last, the lamp turned off, the city's faint glow spilling through the curtains. He lay on his back, staring at the ceiling.

The system chimed softly in his mind, a voiceless notification:

Reflection Complete.

Hidden Progress: "Path of the Comeback" – 10%

He smiled in the darkness, pulling the blanket closer. Tomorrow would be brutal. Tomorrow would be terrifying.

But tomorrow would also be his.

And Yuuto Kai was ready to fight for it even if it means losing everything.