I character-bashed Kirishima once, like, two years ago (I think) and I didn't like what I did and what I said so I made this.

Warning: Probably OOC 'cause I practically left the SC! fandom for a year or so… (and because I'm not so sure how to characterize Fuyuki xb;;)

Disclaimer: I don't own Shugo Chara!, its content, or anything here I don't own.

I wasn't a shoe-in for the basketball team in Seiyo Academy like Fujisaki and the other players. I had no hatred towards them because of their ability though. They were amazing; they could jump so high and shoot from long distances and so many things that I couldn't do.

But I knew that I loved basketball. How the wind breezes past you when you make a feint and dribble towards the opposing team's basket… That light, cheerful feeling that flutters in your heart when you make a basket. The significant pause in the air when you just threw the ball that makes everything feel like it's in slow motion. Everything. I loved everything about it. And that was the reason I kept pushing myself to the top.

Then, days whizzed by until it was the day for tryouts.

"Today's the big day," I talked to myself in a voice no louder than a whisper to calm my nerves. I practiced for days, not giving up unless absolutely necessary. I could do this. Taking a deep breathe - inhale, exhale - I told myself, reassuringly, "I can do this."

Even though those words of encouragement passed my lips, my shaking hands found their way to the bottom of my gym shirt and held them tightly while my legs lost their cool.

"I can do this," I whispered and straightened my posture, releasing the cloth from my grip. "I can do this." And I kept telling myself that same phrase as I jogged to the court with my pace quickening the closer I was until I got there. I slowed down. All the other try-ee's looked so confident… I gulped.

"I hope."

A week later, results came out and it turned out that I… didn't make it. I should've known that from the start. They're all shoe-ins born with the talent, and I…wasn't.

I didn't play anymore. And basketball-less weeks went by.

I was drowning in my misery, walking around the school when I stopped all of a sudden. A bright orange appeared in my eye range. At my feet sat a lonely basketball. Just laying there. Looking up, I found myself at the school basketball courts.

Was I magnetic to this place or what?

It must mean something.

Picking up the ball, those little round bumps pressed lightly into the palms of my hands. It felt… good. I felt the adrenaline rush through my veins. I remembered that. I liked it.

Dribbling it a couple of times, I jumped high in the air, ready for a slam dunk. My jump fell short and the ball rebounded off the rim, flying off to a bed of grass.

Of course.

I shrugged it off and ran to the ball's destination. Over there was that one overrated girl. I stopped in my tracks when she tossed it back to me.

...Did I imagine that?

She smiled…

Her smile must be contagious because, right after, I did. And I felt encouraged again.

"Maybe…I could give it another try."

Huh. This was…okay. And short. It just came off the top of my head and I went as I thought. Yup. Didn't look back to recheck things at all 'cause I'm lazy and I'm supposed to be eating dinner right now. So it's not so great. I might write another Kirishima fic to make up for this one... I'ma do a Tadase one too sometime 'cause I'm pretty sure I bashed him a couple of times… (But these guys I bashed would make great ukes for yaoi pairings… -cough-) I prefer het in SC! though. 'Kay. There you go. …Bye.

-iPBR (07.12.10)

…"I was stupid back then." That's what I'd always say when I told someone to wake me up early to finish some school assignment. And, well, I was stupid back then.