Teiko's basketball III: Three's a charm

The new members

"Basketball! Basketball club for girls! Please register here!"

It was canvassing time again. Akira was calling out while Sora was holding the board. A familiar face disentangled herself from the crowd and came towards them.

"Yo!" said Mayu. "Put me down guys." Sora grinned and showed her the list. Mayu's name was already on it. "What in the blazes...." muttered Mayu.

"Miyu-san had been to see Satsuki this morning." explained Sora. "She wanted to join us as our manager. Satsuki-san took her to the coach who in turn told me. I figured that you would be putting in your name too since your twin had joined us."

"What a network!" said Mayu. "But seriously, you really had guts to put my name on beforehand....."

"No harm done. Afterall, this is probably why they invented whiteners...." said Sora. "Anyway, welcome to the club!"

"Nae, what about our match...." began Akira.

"Oi, I hardly joined!" protested Mayu.

"Don't worry, Mayu-san. You're not obliged to do it or anything..... Akira-san is well known for jumping the gun...." said Sora.

"Hey!" said Akira. "Oh and by the way, can I call you Ma-san?"

"What? No way! That sounds horrible!" exclaimed Mayu.

"No! It's cute..."

"There is no way you are calling me that..." grumbled Mayu and turned to leave.

"You can't fast forward on human relationships, Akira-san...." said Sora.

"What? That was not fast."

"Well, you're not so intimate that you can go around giving each other nicknames. Tell me, if some random person came up to you and called you Aki-san, would you let it pass?"

"I wouldn't mind. It's just a name." said Akira with a shrug. "Which reminds me, why do you always use my full first name? It's almost creepy."

"It's not creepy, it's only proper. Besides, your names are pretty. No use shortening and disfiguring them." said Sora.

"Sometimes I never understand you."

"Same here..."

"Hey, guys." said Yukiji who had come up to the registration desk. Yukiji had been helping out the people at the literary club.

"Hi,Yuki-san. Seriously though, spend more time at the basketball desk." said Akira.

"I promised that I'd help out Nakatani-san. Nae, Sora-chan, you're a member too, so shouldn't you be switching desks occasionally?" said Yukiji.

"I got permission." said Sora. "I want to meet the new ones as soon as possible. I'm a bit excited at the prospect of new people joining us."

"Speaking of which, did any first years give their names?" said Yukiji.

"Nope." said Sora. "Not as of yet. So other than the eight of us third years, there are a couple of second years and no first years as of now. God, this is scary...."

"It's probably better this way. I'd rather have one or two people who love basketball than a hundred who join just for the sake of it." said Akira.

"Basketball head!" said Sora with a laugh. "But I have to tell you, you're damn right."

Yukiji left after a couple of minutes and Sora and Akira were left to do the canvassing again.

"Basketball! Basketball club!"