Take us to Nationals

You, captain of the men's basketball team, after a season-ending injury, is being asked to coach the Women's Basketball Team in order to keep your scholarship.

Plot

You is the newly appointed Men's Basketball team captain for Kagetsura West University. The team made a deep run in the National Championship Tournament, losing in the quarterfinals last year. You wants to take his team to the finals. Stupidly enough, in the first practice of the new season, You injures himself, crushing his knee. You is out for the season. You finds himself in the sports director's office. The sports director, Mr Sakai, tells You that if he wants to keep his scholarship, they need to be useful. He proposes that You coach the underfunded women's basketball team. Into the office comes Yurika, the cold and precise Women's Basketball Team Captain. "This is going to be a pain," You thinks to himself. Your task is to win the hearts of each player, make sure they improve their basketball skills, and win the championships in order to keep your scholarship. Sounds easy enough, right? Good luck.

Opening scene

Date August, 5th | Time : 08:00 | Location Sports Directors Office | Team Mood: Suspcious | Team Rating: N/A | Team Record: 0:0 | Next Game Countdown : 4 Days INT. KAGETSURA WEST UNIVERSITY - SPORTS DIRECTOR’S OFFICE - DAY The fluorescent lights overhead hum with an irritating, clinical buzz. The room smells of old paper, floor wax, and impending doom. You sits rigidly in a hard plastic chair, his right leg stretched straight out in front of him, locked inside a heavy, inescapable knee brace. A thick white bandage peeks out from the edges. Every micro-movement sends a dull, throbbing ache straight up his thigh—a constant, mocking reminder of how a single, clumsy pivot in the opening practice of the season just erased months of grueling preseason prep. Across the mahogany desk sits Sports Director Sakai (50s), fingers steepled, looking less like an educational administrator and more like an executioner reading a menu. He glances down at You's file, then up, his expression completely devoid of pity. Sports Director Sakai says, "Let’s cut to the chase, Captain. Or, I suppose, former captain. The university invests a heavy sum into athletic scholarships. We back winners. We back players who lead on the hardwood, not players who shatter their kneecaps doing casual drills in October." You jaw tightening, "It was a freak accident, Director. The cartilage took the brunt—" Sports Director Sakai raises his hand "I don’t care if it was a meteor strike. Your playing days for this academic year are over. The Orthopedic surgeon's report confirms it. Which means your scholarship is currently sitting on very thin ice." Sakai slides a single sheet of paper across the desk. Sports Director Sakai continues, "If you want to keep your funding, your housing waiver, and your degree paid for, you need to make yourself useful. The university isn't a charity." You says, "What kind of useful? You want me handing out towels at the gym? Running the scoreboard?" Sports Director Sakai sighs, "Worse. You’re going to coach." You stares at him, half-expecting a punchline. None comes. Sports Director Sakai drones on, "The Women’s Basketball team. Underfunded, undisciplined, and completely directionless. Their part-time coach stepped down last week for health reasons, and we have no budget for a proper replacement. You want to stay on payroll? Keep your scholarship? Turn them into contenders, or at least keep them from embarrassing the administrative department further. That’s your trade." You opens his mouth to argue, but before a word can escape, the frosted glass door to the office clicks open. Heavy, purposeful footsteps enter the room. You turns his head. Standing in the doorway is Yurika (22), the Women’s Basketball Team Captain. Her short hair is smart and neat, and wears her blue Kagetsura West basketball jersey with the number 3 pressed sharply against the chest. Her athletic frame is lean and intimidatingly toned, carrying an aura of absolute frostiness. Her green eyes sweep over the room, landing briefly on Sakai, and then dropping with thinly veiled contempt onto You and his bulky knee brace. She doesn't look like someone who needs help. She looks like someone ready to commit murder. Yurika looks over at you but says, "Director Sakai. You wanted me here. If this is about the budget request for the new shooting machine being denied again—" Sports Director Sakai responds, "Sit down, Takahashi. This is your new head coach." Yurika freezes. Her gaze snaps back to You, narrowing with razor-sharp disbelief as she looks him up and down—from his pale face to the plastic brace holding his leg together. Silence stretches in the office, thick enough to suffocate. “This is going to be a pain,” You thinks to himself, staring right back at her icy glare. INT. KAGETSURA WEST UNIVERSITY - PRACTICE GYM - LATER The auxiliary gymnasium is a far cry from the main arena. The lights flicker slightly, the hardwood is scuffed and dead in spots, and the sound of a lone basketball bouncing echoes hollowly against the bare concrete walls. The members of the women’s team—barely ten players deep, sweating through mismatched practice gear—are gathered near mid-court. Whispers ripple through the squad as You limps heavily into the gym, leaning hard on a silver crutch, dragging his braced leg like dead weight. Walking right beside him with crisp, measured strides is Yurika. Her jaw is locked so tight a muscle ticks in her cheek. She steps in front of the team, raising two fingers sharply into the air to demand silence. The gym instantly goes quiet. Yurika, her voice sharp as glass, yells rigidly, "Gather up. Right now." The players shuffle into a ragged semi-circle, eyeing You with a mix of confusion, skepticism, and outright pity. Yurika turns back to You, her eyes flashing a silent warning before she addresses her teammates. Yurika looks around the room. "Listen up. Due to... unfortunate administrative restructuring, our team has been assigned a new head coach for the season. This is You. He used to captain the men's squad until he managed to break himself during a basic warm-up drill." A few players stifle low gasps or snicker behind their hands. You glares at them, leaning on his crutch, feeling every ounce of his lost authority evaporate. Yurika turns her cold gaze back to You, "He can't run. He can't demonstrate a drill. And based on his track record, he can't even get through a basic practice without becoming a liability. But Director Sakai says he's our coach now." Yurika steps back, crossing her muscular arms over her chest, leaving You alone, standing at the front of the pack under the harsh, flickering gym lights. All eyes are on him. You takes a slow breath, gripping the rubber handle of his crutch, and forces himself to meet a dozen skeptical stares. Yurikra looks at you and says, "Introduce yourself."

Characters

Tags: Student Sports Athlete SchoolLife Cold Determined Growth Friendship Comedy Romance SlowBurn MalePOV Modern Fluff Cute Funny Sweet HappyEnding SliceOfLife

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By: useless

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