#21 Arrogance

"I know, you probably think...How so? How come someone popular, athletic like him had no single relationship?... The matter with making friends, finding a girlfriend...it's not something you can just pursue, it is bound to happen naturally. You might refute it now, but you two are already friends. Maybe not good friends yet but you can't deny that you talk to each other and attend the same event together without tearing each other into bits." Yuichi said with a smile.

Ayanokoji appeared to be thinking hard about his words however Mei and Horikita had a different opinion.

"If you are going to only wait, nothing will be achieved. To get something, you need to work for it." Horikita said with crossed arms without refuting his words since it was practically meaningless to do that now.

"However this is a different matter and by being desperate, you will only scare people away. In the first place, you shouldn't start a conversation with anyone with the reason of befriending them. You can take it as scouting out your surroundings, learning other people's weaknesses and strong points, you can treat it as a game and if you find someone who is fine with being around you, you can consider them a friend." Yuichi replied to Horikita with a faint smile.

However, when Horikita wanted to say something, her mouth shut down while she began staring at the podium. All of them were confused by her behavior so they looked at the podium but they saw only another representative and line of a few people.

After a few more representatives of each club were finished, another boy arrived in front of the microphone. The other upperclassmen went towards the area with plain tables to get ready to accept any new members. The only one who remained on the podium was that boy in front of the microphone, he had sleek gray hair. He was scanning everyone in the gymnasium with his sharp gaze through his glasses however other students misunderstood his silence for nervousness so they started whispering to each other until giggles could be heard.

It was the same boy who had a short speech during the opening ceremony, Horikita Manabu.

'So they really are relatives, considering how she is staring at him...Their relation most likely is not at its best state.' Yuichi thought while glancing at Horikita standing near him.

Horikita Manabu once again introduced himself as student council president and explained that the student council is also looking for potential candidates among the first-years. The most distinguished thing between his speech and others' was that during his speech, none was talking, he was able to silence over 100 students in spacious Gymnasium.

The reception for all applications was open until the end of April, however, if anyone wanted to join any club later, they must bring the application directly to the club they want to join.

"Hey" Yuichi called out to Horikita however she was still in a daze and even when Ayanokoji tried calling her out, she didn't react.

"Hey, guys! You also came here, huh?" Suddenly someone called out from behind them and when they turned around, they noticed it was Sudo with Ike and Yamauchi in a row.

While Ayanokoji started talking with them, Yuichi glanced at Horikita who finally moved.

"Was that your brother?" Yuichi called out to her but didn't try to stop her physically as she began walking towards the crowd in front.

Horikita flinched at his words and stopped moving before turning her head at him.

"Why do you care?" Horikita asked with a frown.

"Just curious, no need to reply." Yuichi said, waving his hand.

"It's not like you don't know already" Horikita replied before disappearing inside the crowd.

"What was that?" Mei asked with a confused expression.

"I guess I hit the sore spot." Yuichi replied with a helpless smile.

.

.

"Oh, by the way, I created chat group just for guys from our class. Do you want to join? You too, Iwamura-kun." Ike said while holding his phone in front of him.

"Ah, I am sorry but it's guys only." Ike noticed Mei standing next to Yuichi so he apologized with a silly smile which only made Mei send a glare at Yuichi.

"It's alright..." 'I wouldn't want to even know what you guys are talking about through that chat group anyway...' Mei replied with a smile while thinking inwardly with a bit disgust.

"Sure" Yuichi had no reason to refuse so he and Ayanokoji joined in the chat group.

"Iwamura-kun, do you want to go apply for the basketball club right now?" Sudo asked with a curious expression.

Yuichi looked at Mei for a bit before he received her answer.

"Well, I don't see any reason why should we rush it but I guess we can go now." Yuichi replied.

Sudo and Yuichi separated from the group and also disappeared in the crowd of freshmen.

.

.

"Iwamura Yuichi, Point Guard. So you are play-maker, huh?" The upperclassman responsible for registrations said with a troubled expression when he received Yuichi's application together with the report from his Junior High with a proof that he was part of the basketball club.

"Is there something wrong with it?" Yuichi frowned and asked as Sudo was listening in since he was waiting for him on the side.

"Frankly? Yes. The point guard is usually considered captain and it's one of the hardest positions since you need not only personal skills but you also need to be perceptive. You must be able to lead your team as a general into battle and see their weaknesses and strengths..." The upperclassman put down Yuichi's application on the table and said with an apologetic smile.

"So if I were to join as Point Guard, I would be at most benchwarmer?" Yuichi bluntly asked what his Senior didn't want to tell.

"...Practically, yes" He replied with a bit guilty expression.

"Is there any problem here? The queue stayed in the same position for a while already..." Someone walked out of the crowd and asked the one responsible for the registrations of the basketball club.

"Ah?! No! Not at all, student council president!" The guy replied with a bit startled expression as he suddenly noticed Horikita Manabu who appeared out of nowhere.

"It doesn't seem so..." Manabu said in a soft tone while frowning down and adjusting his glasses. He glanced at Yuichi and then back at the guy sitting at the table.

"Hm? Student council president, there indeed is a problem however it is a problem more about traditions instead of rules." Yuichi turned at Manabu and said with a calm expression, directly staring into his eyes.

"Oh? And you are...?" Manabu seemed a bit intrigued by this problem but he first asked for Yuichi's introduction.

"Iwamura Yuichi, class 1-D." Yuichi introduced himself shortly and lowered his head slightly before raising it back up.

"Alright, tell me what the problem is..." Manabu nodded and gestured with a gentle wave of his hand for Yuichi to continue.

"I would like to apply to the basketball club as Point Guard position which practically means becoming a captain, however, Point Guard position is impossible apparently." Yuichi explained.

"And you think you have what it takes to become captain and play-maker of our core team?" The guy sitting at the table asked, a bit irritated by Yuichi's constantly pushing this matter. And it couldn't be denied that Yuichi was now acting quite arrogant.

"No matter how amazing are your past achievements, here you are starting anew. Students here are older than you, more experienced, and most likely more skillful. Becoming a general isn't an easy thing, even if you were accepted here, none of the 3rd or 2nd years would have respected you as Captain. Just apply as Point Guard for a different division and slowly climb the ladder." Manabu suggested with a soft tone before turning around to leave.

Hearing his words, Yuichi narrowed his eyes as his eyes slowly lost their radiance.

"Wait" Yuichi said before calming down and his eyes once again regained its radiance.

'? What was up with his voice?' Manabu stopped and thought still with his back to Yuichi. He was able to recognize the threatening tone in his voice however once he turned at him, he couldn't see any difference.

Their conversation naturally garnered a lot of attention as even Hirata's group and Ayanokoji were listening to them.

---

"Hirata-kun, what is going on here?" Karuizawa asked Hirata with a worried look since she had no idea why was there such a tense atmosphere between Student council president and Yuichi.

"I have no idea...but it looks like there is a little dispute between Yuichi-kun and one responsible for registrations for the basketball club." Hirata shook his head with a helpless expression as he continued to watch.

---

Manabu gestured for Yuichi to continue.

"Students here are evaluated by their abilities, right?" Yuichi asked.

"Naturally" Manabu nodded his head.

"In that case, I want a chance to prove myself, and I won't ask for a long time either..." Yuichi said with a faint smile.

Manabu wanted to tell him that chances aren't given to everyone just like that however it was Basketball club's matter so he turned towards the person sitting at the table.

"Eh? What do you mean by that?" The guy asked after getting a glance from Manabu.

Yuichi smirked when he heard his question and stretched out his hand towards Manabu while showing 3 fingers.

"3 Weeks. Give me your weakest players, so-called substitutes or benchwarmers and in 3 weeks of practicing with them, I will destroy this school's basketball's so-called core team." Yuichi said with a confident smile while staring straight into Manabu's eyes.

'On the court, I am not a captain that gives out instructions, I am a king that gives out undisputed orders.'