THEN

Anna gazed at the four first-string members, dominating the court at their first practice, securing a place in the gymnastics team as well as playing co-manager with her new friend the pink-haired female Momoi Satsuki. As the ravenette folded the fluffy white towels and Momoi counting if there were enough bottles for each player.

Anna recounted when Seijuro told her he along with three others made first-string despite being first years.

"Sei, did you make the second string?"

"No, Anna don't be silly. I made first string," as Anna spit out her drink.

And sadly... one of them was none other than puberty.

"Anna!" Aomine waved, "Can you pass me the ball, it's right next to you," Anna looked next to her as she grabbed the ball passing it to him.

"Thanks!" he then dribbled back to the court. Sighing, it had been a week and a half since they passed the preliminaries, all four brightly coloured players from the first years had truly shined. Aomine the power forward was a force to be reckoned with. His highly skilled dribbling with hints of pure streetball seen along with Anna helping him to perfect his guarding.

"Nice block Mursakibara!"

Mursakibara. Anna smiled at the newly befriended peer, the tall giant would always offer one he had a lot for himself, ever since Anna bought a whole box for him being overly nice and new to the whole 'friend' thing.

"Midoriama!"

Anna whipped as her green-haired classmate shot a flawless three-pointer. Midoriama Shintaro. Not the most talkative one, Anna knew of him due to him being in her classes along with Seijuro.

---

*ᴀɴɴᴀ'ꜱ ɴᴏᴛᴇ-ᴛᴀᴋɪɴɢ ꜱᴛʏʟᴇ ɪɴ ᴘɪᴄ ᴀʙᴏᴠᴇ

As practice came to an end, with the last few practice games soon closing in; Anna had hummed a tune as she swung her legs to the beat as she highlighted texts about the players for the first round of nationals they would face -Kōen High. As she switched her periwinkle blue highlighter for her teal coloured one she drew a line under the captain's weaknesses, putting her highlighter down as she got her black pen and started writing out dot points, and with another neatly writing how to expose it and use it.

Grabbing her pencil she drew a small rough sketch of the action and arrows showing what to do, as she labelled it in a red pen.

As she went to grab her highlighter on the bench, instead she felt fingers as she jerked looking to the side to feel Sejuro's.

"Ah! Sei! I'm so sorry!" she cried as he chuckled.

"Anna, it's fine-, what are you doing?" he asked peering at the stapled notes as she flushed.

"I-uh, nothing. Nothing important," she looked to the other side as he grabbed the paper as he scanned through it, his eyes widening.

"Anna, did you write all of this?" he said flicking through the next page as he read.

"Yeah. I had time last night so, I dunno, thought I watched some of the high school preliminary games. I thought I would write notes-, not that it will help-,"

"Anna this incredibly helpful data," he smiled approvingly.

"Well, it's not like I can do anything. I'm not the coach, I'm just a manager," she looked down.

"Anna," he began as she looked up, "A manager contributes how the players do, work and they're health. This data-, Coach Sanada," he stood up as Anna blushed.

"Sei, what are you doing?!" she shouted whispered as the male walked up to the two first-years.

"Yes?"

"Anna has valuable data about our upcoming opponent, its amazing," he handed it to him as he skimmed through as his eyes widened.

"you did all of this?" he asked as she nodded.

"You think you can finish this and hand it to me?" he requested.

"of course sir!" she bowed.

"I expect great things from you," he nodded as he walked back.

NOW

The white-haired female glared at the destination in front of her. The house, the 'home', she had grown up in throughout her childhood. Francine's tight bun was the same as always, the same way that she had greeted her mistress back home as the double doors opened revealing the classical interior.

Her emerald eyes simply glared at it. For such a place to look so opulent, warm and welcoming, Anna commended the interior designer who did the place for making such a great mask for her horrible childhood.

"What does that man want?" Anna seethed as her governess only put her head down keeping her expressionless state.

"Your father is in his study," she replied in her honeyed tone as Anna made her way up the stairs. Without any knock, Anna had waltzed in to find the man dressed in a white-dressed shirt and sleeveless vest, lighting his rather large cigarette as he blew a large cloud of smoke.

I hope the man dies soon

Sitting in the seat in front of her, she eyes at the black-haired aristocratic male as green orbs looked at a similar pair, only on a face that had looked outrageously like his wife's.

"Summoned me, daddy dearest," she said calmly, crossing her legs in a Sussex slant.

With another puff of smoke, Katsuro had put his half-diminished cigarette on the table as she chuckled at the sight of it.

"I'm surprised you haven't burnt your study," she joked as the man tilted his head.

"Did they teach you humour Anna dear, along with tanning your once precious porcelain skin? Are you trying to ruin your value?" he asked, "Has this house have become now used to you, with all that I've done. The trees blocking any source of the sun from burning your precious skin,"

Anna only stifled as she shook her head, "Everyone has their own standards of beauty and wealth, Americans are tanned skin. It shows that they travel a lot,".

Katsuro narrowed his cat-like eyes as her that seemed to pierce at her soul. She was more relaxed now, with no sudden outbursts. The school she had attended had broken her down, an emotionless perfect doll.

"It seems you've grown out of your... immature state. I've come to the conclusion that you are worthy to inherit from me," he mused. Anna scoffed letting out a laugh as she tilted her head.

"Oh so you've come to the conclusion," she mocked as her father glared at her as he twisted the bottom of the cigarette in the shallow cut glass cup.

"I heard your managing some boys basketball team?" he chuckled amused, "Not only that I did some research they only formed last year? Is this a joke?"

"Nothing is official yet," Anna muttered.

"Good, you can resign," he said as her ears perked.

"I'm not going to do that," Anna chided.

"Why not?"

"I-, I think they can go a long way," she trailed feeling a warm feeling inside of her when she said it, as the nostalgic memories of her in her Teiko years danced in her head like an old friend.

"If you wanted to become a manager for a basketball team why don't you attend a more prestigious school. What about an international school? Or Rakuzan, I remember in my years there it was a very-,"

"I don't think they'll just let a random student cut in the middle of the year," she retorted.

"I can pull a few strings," he proposed.

"No, besides I'm too dumb," Anna muttered.

"Well, whose fault was that?" he remarked.

"Your's," Anna crossed her arms, "It's not my fault that Japan's curriculum got boosted up a bit, and your the one who sent me to that school in LA," she fired.

"Anna watch your tone, remember whose your father," he reprimanded, "I'm already paying rent for your apartment Anna, I suggest you keep you attitude in check. There are so many other schools that have better opportunities, I met one of the board member's cousins of Cambridge university at Rakuzan," he informed as he began to speak further.

"I also don't see why as you indirectly stated you are half managing a team that doesn't have any consecutive titles. What opportunities will you make out of such... dull players,"

"Let me make something clear father. I acknowledged you 'looking out for me' but I will make this clear, you will not insult my teammates nor my peers. I will not attend nor transfer to other school and whether or not I get into a good college is my path alone so don't control this aspect of my life before you ruin me like you've ruined our family!" Anna seethed as she arubptly got up and stormed her way out.