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The beach is empty for a summer holiday.
There are some families here and there, but for the most part, it's rather quiet. Perhaps it's because it's a weekday. Fujima had chosen the right day to come to the ocean, a place that he rarely visits.
He doesn't go into the water. He doesn't even remove his shoes. Instead, he keeps his eyes on the waves, standing in a place secluded away from the other people on the beach.
The last time he had come to the beach, he was with some of the members from the basketball club, unwinding after just missing out on the Winter Invitational qualifications. It was too cold to play around in the water, but it was satisfying enough to enjoy hot red bean soup with his team mates while watching the ocean.
His thoughts slowly flicker back to the basketball club, regrouping after their loss to Toyotama in the Inter High Championships. It's a day off for the Shoyo members today. Still, Fujima is pretty sure some players are in the basketball gym training right now. He would have joined them, but the doctor had told him not to practice too vigorously for the time being, to avoid reopening the wound he suffered during the Toyotama game. He supposes he can enjoy a day off once in a while.
But he didn't come to the beach to have fun. He came to... just stop thinking for a while.
There's a belief that the ocean has healing properties. Fujima doesn't know whether that's true. But it is relaxing to look at the ocean. The worries accumulated just from one week ago seem to dissipate as the waves crash upon the shore.
He remembers his last trip to the ocean. Back then, he was excited for the future, determined to overcome the wall that had stopped him from victory. But now... all he feels is the overwhelming pressure that comes from responsibility.
Fujima shakes his head, pushing the thoughts out from his mind, and his eyes wander to the row of stalls at the corner of the beach, offering all sorts of beach-related activities. To his surprise, he sees someone familiar exiting one of the shops. The person in question notices him at the same time, and pauses, before heading over to him.
"Don't come here," Fujima mutters under his breath. But it's too late, and before he can move away, he comes face to face with his number one rival, Maki Shinichi.
"It really is you," Maki says, lifting a hand in greeting. "Yo, Fujima."
"Maki," Fujima responds.
Fujima has a sort of... complicated relationship with Maki. He's lost every match he's had against Maki, and because of that Fujima can't help but harbour some bitterness towards him. But they've played alongside each other too, in training camps and during the Autumn Sports Festival, and they somehow ended up having an amicable relationship outside their infamous rivalry. Fujima doesn't know whether they can be called friends, but he supposes it's close enough.
"You were surfing?" he asks, noting Maki's wet hair and the surfboard under his arm.
"Pretty much," Maki replies.
It's not a secret that Maki surfs. He mentioned it quite a bit when they were in training camps together. But at the same time, the other Kainan players claimed to have never seen him surf. Fujima was just a few moments late, but then again, he couldn't care less about whether he sees his bitter rival ride the waves.
"Good work to you," he says mildly.
"Thanks," Maki replies. "How about you, Fujima? What brings you here?"
Fujima exhales.
"Just wanted to clear my head a bit."
Maki blinks at him. For a second it seems like he wants to pry further, and Fujima gets ready to defend himself. But instead, Maki just smiles.
"All that surfing has tired me out," he says. "Shall we get something to eat?"
Despite Fujima's initial refusal, the two of them end up eating soba at a place near the beach. The owner seems to be familiar with Maki, greeting him cheerfully when the two of them enter. While waiting for their food, two girls come up to them and announce their undying support for Fujima, much to his chagrin and to Maki's amusement.
"How's your injury?" Maki asks, once the girls leave. Fujima subconsciously touches his scar. He had to get stitches, but the worst of the injury is gone.
"It's fine," he replies. "The doctor said that it won't have any long term effects."
"That's good to hear." Maki seems pleased at the news.
"I heard about Kainan's game against Sannoh," Fujima goes on. "I guess even you guys couldn't do anything about the kings."
"Yeah, well." Maki shrugs. "They have amazing new players, even better than the year before. I got to talk to Fukatsu afterwards, too. He's a little weird, but it was a good experience to play against him. We'll do better next time."
Maki doesn't sound hurt at the loss. Unlike Fujima, who can't help but feel bitter, Maki never shows any animosity towards the players who best him. It's admirable and irritating at the same time.
"As always, you're a brick wall," Fujima says finally. "Even losing by thirty points doesnt hurt your pride."
"Well, I won't say it didn't sting to lose that badly," Maki admits, with a smile. "But it's nothing a bout of surfing can't fix."
"Like I said, a brick wall," Fujima huffs. Maki chuckles at that.
"What's done is done," he says. "Good work in the Inter-High, Fujima."
"Same to you," Fujima replies, smiling wryly. Getting a blow to the head and losing by thirty points wouldn't be considered happy endings to a championship run, but at the end of the day, there aren't any other words that can be said anymore. They can only close the door behind them and move on to the next tournament.
The food arrives, and they eat in silence, before Maki finally speaks again.
"How's your summer? Apart from the Championship, I mean."
"Not much. Training for the Winter Invitational, I guess." Fujima takes a breath, and exhales. "I'm taking over as captain."
"Already?" Maki raises his eyebrows. "Have all the third years retired?"
"Some of the third years are staying," Fujima answers. "But our captain is retiring, and the seniors want to pass the baton early. I'll be the coach too, after all."
Despite Shoyo's outstanding results in the basketball team, the club still doesn't have enough funding to hire an official coach. Due to this, Shoyo's captain will double as the team's coach. Fujima is simply taking over the mantle.
"Good luck," Maki tells him. "I look forward to the new Shoyo."
"...I wonder if it's the right choice," Fujima wonders to himself.
He doesn't even notice that he's said the words out loud, until Maki speaks up.
"You've been in the starting lineup since first year," he says. "It's inevitable that you would be captain."
"I know that," Fujima snaps, then sighs. "But still, passing the responsibility onto me so quickly... I'm afraid I might blow it."
Maki hums in response. They fall into an awkward silence, before Fujima finally realises that he's pouring out his insecurities to his greatest enemy.
"I'm sorry," he says, quickly. "I know we're not really friends like that. It was weird to bombard you with these thoughts when we're not even from the same school."
"That's fine," Maki replies. "I'm not your teammate, and you don't feel any sense of responsibility towards me. Maybe that's why you were okay with telling this to me."
Perhaps Maki is right. Fujima hasn't spoken about his new position with anyone in the club. He doesn't want to trouble the others, at least not yet. As reliable as his teammates are, he wants to prove that he can take over his new responsibilities seamlessly. He wants to have a clearer thought process before involving his teammates. That's why he went to the ocean - to have a quiet moment to himself, and think about what to do next.
But Maki... Fujima has no need to hide anything from him. Maki has seen him get angry, curse, even cry his eyes out, yet Maki has never seen Fujima as anything less than a rival. There's no need to pretend.
"This time last year, all my thoughts were about defeating you," Fujima confesses. "It's only been a year, and yet there are so many things to think about."
"I'll take your words as a compliment," Maki smirks.
"That's the only compliment you'll ever get from me," Fujima snipes back. Maki laughs at that, the atmosphere relaxing as they move on to other topics. They talk about Sannoh's championship victory, about the exciting rookie at Ryonan, about the upcoming Autumn Sports Festival. Maki doesn't try to offer any advice, and Fujima is glad for that. He doesn't want advice, especially not from his number one rival. But perhaps he just wanted someone to listen.
A number of people enter the shop, and the two of them take it as their cue to leave. The sun is starting to set, and the sky is painted in a beautiful hue of pink. Perhaps this sort of scenery brings people healing, Fujima thinks to himself, as the two of them head to the station together.
"You'll do well, Fujima," Maki says out of nowhere. When Fujima turns to look at him, he has a smile on his face. "I can't tell you not to worry. I'm sure you'll have a lot of worries, actually. But even so, I'm sure you'll do well."
"How can you be so sure?" Fujima can't help but ask.
"You're my number one opponent, after all," Maki replies. His smile widens. "No matter how difficult it may be, we'll fight in the end. You'll make sure of that, I'm sure. So you'll do well."
"What the hell," Fujima mutters, feeling embarrassed. The words are cheesy, but the way Maki says them doesn't sound like a joke at all.
They reach the station in a relative silence. Fujima isn't really sure whether he's gathered his thoughts just yet, but he does know that he's much calmer than before. Maybe it's the ocean, maybe it's Maki's words. But somehow, the feeling of worry that plagued him when he reached the beach is now being replaced with a determined feeling, similar to the one he had last winter.
"It was nice seeing you today," Maki tells him. "My coach will be contacting your school for the Autumn Sports Festival, so I guess we'll meet again sometime."
"See you around," Fujima returns. Maki lifts a hand in farewell, and turns to leave.
As he sees Maki head off in the opposite direction, Fujima suddenly remembers something that happened at the restaurant, and calls out to him.
"Oi, Maki! I almost forgot. How much was the meal?"
Maki turns around, and grins at him.
"It's on me," he calls back. "Congratulations on being captain."
They're not really friends like that. But still, the gesture warms Fujima's heart, as he waves in thanks. A warmth that doesn't fade, even as he rides the train back.
On the way home, Fujima passes by the school, and he notices one of his fellow second years leaving the school grounds. He waits until Hanagata reaches him, and the two of them head in the same direction home.
"Self practice?" Fujima asks. "You're working hard!"
Hanagata chuckles in response.
"Well, I did go to practice at first, but... somehow, I ended up helping some of the seniors with their studies."
"Whoa, as expected of Hanagata. Academics and basketball, both are top class!"
"You're exaggerating," Hanagata laughs. "How about you, Fujima? Did you go into town?"
"Nope," Fujima replies. "I went to the ocean."
"Oh, how unexpected."
"Well, it's not summer until you go to the ocean, as they say."
"That may be true," Hanagata says, and takes a breath. "Say, Fujima."
"Hm?"
"If there's anything you need, you can tell us. Being captain and coach is hard, I'm sure. We'll help you in whatever way we can."
"Hanagata..."
Hanagata has become more reliable, ever since third years had relinquished their duties. It puts Fujima at ease.
"Thanks," he says. "Give me a little time, okay? I just need to think by myself first."
"Just know that all of Shoyo is standing behind you," Hanagata tells him. Fujima smiles at that.
It will be difficult, and a lot of pressure. But Fujima loves Shoyo, and his goals are Shoyo's goals. To be Kanagawa's best, and the nation's best. No matter how much struggle and suffering it takes, Fujima will make sure that Shoyo strives towards those goals.
And the only way towards that goal... wouldn't it be to defeat Kainan?
"We'll fight in the end. You'll make sure of that."
For the first time since becoming captain, Fujima gets excited.