Ace of the Bench

The cool Friday morning breeze swept through the quiet neighborhood as the sun climbed lazily over the horizon. Faint streaks of gold painted the rooftops, and the air carried the earthy scent of dew and wet grass. Birds chirped somewhere in the distance a soft reminder that the day had just begun.

Inside his room, Yuuto sat at the edge of his bed, elbows resting on his knees. His hair was messy, eyes still half-lidded from sleep. The open suitcase before him told a story of quiet determination two neatly folded jerseys, a towel, a hoodie, slides, a small bottle of cologne, and a crumpled note with words written in bold ink:

"Sharpen. Focus. Dominate."

He ran a thumb across the note and smiled faintly.

"Three days to sharpen everything," Yuuto muttered under his breath. "This camp… this match… I'm not losing this time."

He zipped the bag, slung it over his shoulder, and stood tall. The air felt heavier filled with anticipation and nerves. Ever since the tournament grouping was announced, everyone had been on edge. No one wanted to say it out loud, but they were up against one of the Kings of the Court in thier second match they never wanted to go against them so early.

The kind of opponent that made players lose sleep.

Downstairs, the smell of frying dumplings and eggs wrapped around him like a warm blanket. His mom stood by the stove, spatula in hand, while his dad sat at the table with a mug of coffee and the newspaper spread wide.

"Morning, champ," his dad said, glancing up with a grin. "Big day today, huh?"

Yuuto adjusted his bag strap. "Training camp starts today. We'll be staying at school all weekend."

His mom turned off the stove and placed a plate in front of him. "Then you better come back sharper than when you left," she said, smiling. "And eat something first. You can't go fight the Kings on an empty stomach."

He chuckled, grabbing two dumplings and stuffing them with eggs. "Obviously. You think I'm letting them beat me?"

His dad smirked. "Talk's cheap, son. Make sure your game speaks louder."

Yuuto gave a confident nod, mouth full. "Don't worry. It will."

By the time he reached school, the campus was unusually quiet. The sky still carried that pale morning hue a sleepy orange that made the gym glow faintly from inside. A few players were scattered around the court, sitting with their duffel bags, yawning or half-asleep.

Yuuto dropped his bag beside the bench and looked around. "Where's Coach?"

"Late, bro," said Marcus, sprawled across the bench, arms folded behind his head. "Said seven sharp. It's seven-thirty. My stomach's already mad at me."

"She's never late," Ren replied, rubbing his eyes. "That's… weird."

Yuuto frowned, tapping his knee. Coach being late? That's not normal.

He had a bad feeling like something unpredictable was about to happen.

Then, a deep engine hum broke the silence. Heads turned toward the gate as a sleek black SUV rolled onto the campus. It parked neatly by the court.

The door opened and Coach Hikari stepped out, dressed in a navy tracksuit, sunglasses reflecting the morning light. Her usual calm confidence radiated like heat.

But the next person who stepped out made everyone freeze.

A girl.

She looked around with quiet curiosity long black hair tied into a loose ponytail, smooth skin kissed by sunlight, and sharp brown eyes that seemed to read every face in the crowd. She wore a white hoodie and shorts, her duffel bag slung casually over one shoulder.

"...Who's that?" Marcus muttered, sitting upright.

"Yo," Ren whispered, elbowing him. "No way. That's Coach's daughter, right?"

"Wait, Coach got a daughter like that?" someone whispered a bit too loudly.

Yuuto blinked, watching her. He hadn't expected this twist.

The girl followed behind her mother toward the court. In an instant, every guy's posture transformed backs straightened, hoods came off, some even fixed their hair or spritzed cologne when they thought no one was looking.

Coach Hikari stopped in front of them, hands on her hips. "Alright, boys! Up!"

Everyone jumped to their feet instantly.

"This is my daughter," Coach announced, glancing beside her. "Her name's Arisa. She'll be around for the camp. And before any of you start acting like fools don't."

A wave of chuckles rippled through the group. Arisa tilted her head, smiling faintly not shy, not cocky, just calm.

"Hi," she said softly, her tone light and warm. "I'll try not to get in the way."

Marcus elbowed Ren. "Bro, I'm in love."

Ren whispered, "If she walks by me, I'm confessing."

Yuuto sighed. "Idiots," he muttered under his breath.

Coach clapped loudly, cutting through the chatter. "Focus, gentlemen!"

Silence.

"You all saw the group announcement last night," she said, her voice dropping into that serious tone everyone respected and feared. "We're facing one of the Kings of the Court. This camp isn't a vacation. It's preparation for war."

The word "war" echoed in Yuuto's chest. The air felt colder suddenly heavier with resolve.

"The camp runs from today, Friday, until Sunday night. You'll train, eat, and sleep here. No junk food. I'm handling the meals myself. You'll eat what keeps your bodies in peak shape."

Groans erupted.

Coach ignored them. "Each of you has an individual plan based on your weaknesses. You'll also have team drills. If we can't move as one if we can't breathe the same rhythm we lose before we even step on the court."

Arisa stood quietly beside her, scribbling something on her notepad. Her eyes occasionally scanned the group, amused at their nervous energy.

"Oh, and one last thing," Coach added. "Arisa's helping me with the camp. And she's not interested in any of you clowns, so keep your hormones in check."

Marcus clutched his chest dramatically. "Damn, Coach… straight to the heart."

Yuuto snorted, trying not to laugh.

Inside the gym, they began rolling out mats, setting up sleeping areas. The smell of varnish and old sneakers filled the air. Yuuto picked a spot by the window he liked the breeze slipping through the cracks.

Marcus dropped his bag beside him. "Yo, bro, you ready for this? 'Cause I'm already tired and we haven't started."

Yuuto chuckled. "You'll survive. Probably."

Marcus grinned. "You think we actually got a shot at beating them? The Kings?"

Yuuto stared at the floor, his mind replaying the fiery image of the court lights, sweat, the roar of a crowd.

Then he lifted his gaze. "Yeah," he said quietly. "We can. We just have to want it more."

The day kicked into high gear.

Balls bounced. Shoes squeaked. The gym echoed with sharp voices and relentless energy. Coach divided the team into groups dribbling drills, defensive footwork, transition plays, and shooting circuits.

Yuuto's shirt clung to his back with sweat. His legs burned. But he didn't stop.

"Yuuto!" Coach barked. "Faster on that pivot!"

"Got it!" he yelled, twisting with more precision.

From the bleachers, Arisa sat with her clipboard, jotting notes, watching. Her expression was hard to read focused but curious. Some of the boys kept sneaking glances at her, nearly tripping over cones.

"Eyes on the ball, not the girl!" Coach shouted.

"Sorry, Coach!" a chorus replied.

Yuuto smirked, shaking his head. Pathetic.

He wiped sweat from his brow and pushed harder. Each motion was cleaner, faster like something inside him had switched on.

Evening rolled in fast. The sun painted the gym with gold as shadows stretched long across the floor. Everyone was exhausted but proud. The air now smelled of food spicy curry chicken and steamed rice, courtesy of Coach Hikari.

They sat in a circle, laughing, trading jokes as they ate.

Marcus nudged Yuuto. "Bro, Arisa gave me extra rice. I think she's into me."

Yuuto deadpanned. "She gave everyone extra rice."

Ren leaned in with a grin. "Yeah, but she smiled at me."

"Sit down, lover boy," Yuuto muttered, pushing him back. "She smiled at the rice."

The group burst out laughing. Even Arisa, sitting beside her mom, hid a small laugh behind her hand. For a second, Yuuto looked her way and their eyes met.

Her gaze was gentle, her smile real. Just for a heartbeat, Yuuto's chest tightened something small but undeniable.

He looked away quickly. Focus. Basketball first.

Night fell like a curtain. The camp grew quiet except for faint whispers and distant laughter. The stars blinked faintly through the cracked window.

Yuuto lay on his mat, hands behind his head, muscles aching but spirit awake. The ceiling above felt like a blank canvas for his thoughts.

"Tomorrow's gonna be hell," Marcus mumbled from beside him. "Coach said conditioning starts at sunrise."

"Then we better wake before she does," Yuuto replied, eyes still on the ceiling.

Marcus groaned. "You sound like an anime protagonist, bro."

Yuuto smirked. "Maybe I am."

The two laughed softly, and soon the noise faded into quiet snores.

Outside, the wind whispered through the trees. Somewhere near the coach's tent, Arisa's soft voice could be heard talking quietly to her mom, her laughter faint under the moonlight.

Yuuto's eyes closed.

One camp, he thought. One shot to close the gap between us and the Kings.

The night deepened, silent and heavy with dreams of victory.

The real battle had only just begun.