Teiko's basketball II: Second miracle

40: Prelude

Chapter 40:

Prelude

The girls had just finished their match. Sora was sitting outside and chatting with Akira and Yukiji. Akira looked around and suddenly said, "Eh? Is that Nijimura senpai? And is he dragging Haizaki?!"

"He looks in a state." commented Sora.

"He must have tried to bunk the match again." said Yukiji with a shrug.

"Pachinko." concluded Akira with certainity.

"Eh? You think so?"

*********

Nijimura shut his locker with a sigh. It was really getting on his nerves. Having to herd them all constantly. He took his mobile in his hand and checked the message box. There were no new messages. Nijimura hesitated and then read the previous one. It was from his sister.

*We'll be fine, idiot! P.S: I'm making ramen when you get back.*

Reading that message was just a bit relieving. But still, there persisted a slight nagging sensation at the back of his mind. Nijimura's father was unwell. His sister would have texted him if something had happened. Even so, it was not like he could put it out of his mind completely.

"Umm.... Senpai, coach's calling. Strategy meeting." said one of his teammates.

"I'm coming."

Nijmura shook his thoughts out of his head and tried his best to concentrate on the meeting. Just then he got a text.

*When are you coming?*

Something knotted his throat. He quietly got up. Coach noticed and nodded. He knew Nijimura's situation. Nijimura hurried home as soon as he got out.

He burst into his house.

"I'm home. What the bloody hell happened?"

"Eh? You're home early." said his sister poking her head out of her room.

"How is he?" he demanded.

"Not worse than usual. But tell me, why are you here so early?"

Nijimura pushed past her. He opened the door to his father's room and found him sleeping peacefully. He collapsed with relief on a chair.

"Hey, what happened?" said his sister gently.

"What? You're the one who texted me." he said.

"What?" she asked, confused. He showed her the message in response to that.

"You idiot!" she exclaimed. "I said 'When will you come home?' and not 'Come home.' There's a huge difference."

"You really had to do that...." he groaned.

"Hey, I was making dinner. Besides, it's a sad world where a sister can't even text her brother."

"I skipped an important meeting!" he said.

"I never asked you to!" she retorted and shut the door of her room.

Nijimura sighed and called up one of his teammates. "Yo. Sorry I bailed. What did coach say......"