Nationals Epilogue

The Nationals was over and like a coin, which has two sides, Hanabira was feeling two emotions right now. The only sad moment was that Hanabira failed to win the cup but the happy side of that coin was that they improved from their previous placing and they showed that they could compete with the best of the best, against the champions Teiko a Nationals powerhouse themselves.

But on this time the sadness outweighed them Tanaka, Suzuki and the Yamamoto twins, will retire, as they have to move on to their respective High Schools. 

Another heavy bad news is in regards to Benjie's injury against Minamikaze in the Semi Finals. 

As Kanai knew, she told the team in their celebratory dinner at a restaurant, "Sorry to disrupt the happy meal but, I was in contact with Benjie-kun's doctor and…" Kanai was beginning to tear up and tried to speak, but it was a little gibberish, she said "H-He won't be able to play his whole Middle School career here due to his injury. The injury was gruesome and he will miss the second year due to the operation and he will miss the third year due to rehab." 

Kanai somehow recovered from her tears in the middle and with a somber face she said, "The doctor said that is the most optimistic view and positive outcome, the worst is that his rehab may take him longer to play basketball, and the most worse of that all is…" Kanai inhaled deeply and said, "He won't be able to play basketball anymore. That's why the doctor is very delicate in handling the situation." 

Mr Smith, our forgotten character, asked Hideki to translate, which he did and told the team through Kanai "Guys, I know this is a piece of very sad and depressing news, but, don't forget the goals you achieved this year. Yeah, I know losing at the end sucks but remember the goals you set. Now let's bounce back from this. Make another set of goals for next year, and achieve them. It's okay to cry now, but remember the happy things that happened!" 

Now the players got back to their happy ways of eating, and Kanai told Coach Yoshida that Benjie gave a letter to the team, which was received by Kanai. The adults (coaching staff and Kanai) read the letter from Benjie.

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Dear Hanabira,

I will address this letter to all of who had been a part of my journey here in Japan.

Firstly, I want to thank all of my classmates in Hanabira as they helped me learn about my Japanese roots, even if it was for a short period of time. I got to know how to be Japanese, thanks to you all. 

I was really nervous to feel what the adults called "xenophobic" but Hanabira was a really good environment for people like me, who is a half Japanese.

Next I want to thank the Basketball Club's coaching team. They instilled to me the Japanese kind of discipline that was not introduced to me by my Japanese mother. But more importantly they instilled the school's motto "Having fun, in everything you do", this made my integration to the team very seamless and smooth.

Lastly, I want to thank my very first buddy, my best friend in the school, Hideki. You were the first guy who talked to me, like a kindred spirit who was also a half-Japanese, but raised in Japan, you knew what I was feeling and not just covered me from all of those 'xenophobicness' but also explained to me why these kind of things happen.

Thank you all for everything.

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Now as you think why am I writing this paper? 

As you may or may not know, I will have an operation to my knee after some checks with the doctor.

But what you don't know is that, I will have my operation back in America. My father knows a doctor there who specializes in these kinds of injuries most especially to players, I think Mr. Smith knows this doctor too.

Now you may ask, will I go back to Japan? 

Well after a long talk with my parents, I may come back to Japan depending on the circumstances and limitations set by my parents and I, I will go back to Japan before I go to college. The three of us wants me to go take college in America, but I can still take High School in Japan.

But you may ask when will I go back to Japan, I may not go back in a year or two, the most probable answer would be High School. 

This is why I am sendnig a thank you letter to all, I may not see you again once I am back in Japan, due to all of us going to different schools.

As for my basketball future, I still love basketball, but I still don't know if basketball will love me back after all of this that will happen in the future, but don't worry, I will still love basketball. I could be like our managers or assist a coach in a team, who knows what the future will bring to us.

Again, Thank you for everything

Benjie Nakamura