"Well, let's see what Toshigawa can do," said Kogure as he winked confidently and strolled back toward his team's bench, his hands in his pockets like he already knew the outcome.
"Kogure-senpai, look over here!" shouted a first-year girl, her voice high and eager over the chatter of the gym.
"Kogure-senpai, I love you!" another girl screamed, practically swooning from the stands.
"Senpai, be sure to crush them!" came a third, voice shrill with anticipation.
"I don't think he'll play in such a low-class game. This team is practically a walkover," scoffed a boy nearby.
"I guess this Kogure guy and I are in the same boat," said Noboru with a smug grin. "We're quite popular with the ladies."
"I don't know what I'll do to cure that delusional mind of yours," Nanaho muttered, giving him a deadpan stare as he posed dramatically for imaginary fans.
Coach Arimoto, a tall, broad man wearing a jacket with "Yokonan High" embroidered across the back approached. "Hey, you must be the coach of Toshigawa Academy. Nice to meet you. I wanted to ask, though, why are you wearing their jersey?"
"This man thinks Takahiro is our coach," Noboru said, doubling over with laughter.
"Actually, I'm the coach. He's a player," Nanaho replied plainly, offering a stiff smile.
"Oh, I'm sorry. It's just that he looks way too old to be in high school. You should shave that beard," said Coach Arimoto with a chuckle.
"Even Coach Arimoto is calling me old, and he looks old… And why is he acting like this is the first time he's seeing me?" said Takahiro, his shoulders slumping in sadness.
Coach Arimoto turned to the players. "Yukio, I see that you're doing well. Do your best out there."
"We definitely will, don't worry," Yukio replied, nodding firmly.
Coach Arimoto sat down with a calm but calculating look, observing every movement on the court.
Nanaho stepped in front of the team, her face focused. "Listen up, everyone. I want you to play smart and read the game. I know that you may feel outclassed and demotivated due to the crowd, but do not give in to fear—because I know that you can win."
Her voice held weight.
"I want you guys to give me every ounce of energy you have in this game and use it to win. We are up against Yokonan High, a school famous for the sport, considered the top of the food chain. But if we give it our all, we will win."
"Alright, are you ready?" asked Yukio, clapping once.
Everyone responded with a sharp nod, adrenaline in their veins.
"Toshigawa!!!" Yukio roared, his voice booming in the gym.
"Fight!!!" the team echoed, tugging their jerseys tight and fixing them into their shorts, the slick fabric clinging to their skin from pregame sweat.
"Fukazawa didn't tell us the starting five. I guess I'll just go sit on the bench," said Shino, already turning away with a defeated look.
"Tetsuo, I want you on the bench for now," Nanaho said.
"Okay," Tetsuo replied calmly, sitting down without question, his eyes steady on the court.
"Why did she put Tetsuo on the bench? Shouldn't he be starting? I'm so confused…" Haruko muttered, with a slight glance at Tetsuo who sat beside her.
"Shino, you'll be starting. Go knock them dead," Nanaho said with an awkward smile, giving him a hesitant thumbs-up.
"What!! I… I can't," Shino stammered, his knees nearly buckling from nerves. His fingers trembled as he clutched his jersey hem. The overhead lights suddenly felt ten times hotter. The low hum of the crowd, the bouncing of balls on nearby courts, even the squeak of sneakers—all of it swirled around him in a dizzying mess. His vision narrowed slightly, and for a split second, he wondered if he'd collapse before even stepping on the court.
"Calm down and take a deep breath," Yukio said, placing a hand on Shino's shoulder. "This is what you've been training for. We need you today, so let's do our best."
"The captain's right," Shino whispered. "I want to be better, and I want to help this team. If I don't do this now, I'll never get as good as you."
Yukio watched him a moment longer, eyes narrowing slightly.
"I have never questioned Nanaho's way of thinking and strategizing before, but was this the right decision to let him start?" Yukio wondered silently.
Nanaho bit her thumbnail, pacing slightly behind the bench. "I know that this might be far-fetched and risky, but we need a few trump cards to stand a chance in this game. I hope they can hold on."
"Let's get this game over with," said Eiji, his voice calm as he entered the court with a loose swagger, chewing his gum slowly.
"I kind of feel sorry for them. They are going to be the laughingstock of our school," Ryuu said, barely able to keep a straight face.
The bleachers shook with the roar of Yokonan's home crowd—students, teachers, and alumni shouting in unison. Their voices rose in waves of chants and cheers, echoing off the gym's high ceiling.
"Let's go! Let's go!Yokonan!"
"You can do it! Yokonan!
"Crush them!"
"Show 'em how it's done!"
The relentless noise pressed down on the court like a tidal wave. Sneakers squeaked, sneakers thudded, and the sharp bounce of the basketball mixed with the clapping and stomping of hundreds of fans.
In a quiet corner of the gym, Haruko sat alone, her eyes locked on the players. She didn't cheer, didn't shout—she simply watched, her gaze steady and thoughtful, taking in every move, every play.
The referee stepped forward with the ball. "Are you ready for the tip-off?"
"Yes, I'll be the one jumping," said Yukio, already stepping into the circle.
The rubbery orange ball was firm in the referee's hand, textured with pebbled grain and worn grip marks from past matches. The whistle blew. The ball rose into the air like a slow orbiting moon.
Both Yukio and Ryuu launched upward.
Their sneakers squeaked violently against the court as they exploded off the ground, air rushing past their ears. Yukio's knees bent just right, his arms slicing up like twin blades. Their heads nearly aligned in height, but Yukio's fingertips found the ball first, tapping it cleanly behind him.
"What?! No way!" shouted Ryuu, stunned as he landed with a thud.
"Got it!" Hayato shouted, snatching the ball mid-stride with both hands before quickly pivoting.
"Noboru, catch!" Hayato launched a sharp overhead pass that zipped through the air. The ball slapped against Noboru's hands with a thump, and without breaking stride, he laid it off the glass and into the net.
The crowd erupted with gasps.
"Nice shot, Noboru! Keep it up!" Nanaho called from the sideline, fists clenched.
"That was quick. He passed the ball in the blink of an eye," Haruko whispered to herself, amazed.
"Nice shot, Noboru, and great running," Hayato said as they slapped hands with a sharp smack.
"That was nothing. Just wait and see," Noboru replied with a cocky grin.
Seconds later, Eiji dribbled calmly up the court. The ball bounced steadily against the polished floor, the sound echoing in a rhythmic beat.
"Alright, everyone, you know what to do," Eiji said, eyes scanning the court.
A Yokonan player darted in, setting a hard screen on Yukio. His shoulder slammed into Yukio's chest.
"Damn, that caught me off guard," Yukio grunted, knocked slightly off balance.
Eiji lobbed a precise pass over Hayato's outstretched fingers. Ryuu caught it on the move, turned on one foot, and sank a clean post shot—the net snapping crisply as the ball passed through.
Without hesitation, Noboru scooped the ball up from under the net and inbounded to Hayato.
"Alright, everyone, let's score some points," Hayato said, his sneakers thudding against the hardwood as he advanced.
Takahiro barreled in from the side and set a heavy screen. The collision sent the Yokonan defender stumbling, allowing Hayato to drive hard to the rim.
Ryuu rotated over to help, springing up for the block, his arms stretched like a wall.
At the last second, Hayato shifted in mid-air and flicked the ball to Yukio, who had stepped into the paint like a shadow.
Yukio caught it in stride.
The ball's grip clung tightly to his fingers as he leapt—a perfect, explosive vertical, his feet leaving the floor like a compressed spring. His body arched as he rose above Ryuu's outstretched arm. In one smooth, powerful motion, Yukio slammed the basketball through the rim with a violent one-handed dunk. The backboard trembled. The crowd gasped. Ryuu collapsed beneath the force, landing flat on his back.
For a brief moment, the gym fell into stunned silence. The scoreboard flickered, the bright red numbers changing from 2–2 to 2–4, marking Toshigawa's sudden lead.
Yokonan's fans were frozen, their usual roar replaced by shocked murmurs and uneasy glances. The tide of the game suddenly felt less certain.
"There's more where that came from. We'll knock your asses down a peg," Noboru barked, grinning as he jogged backward into position on defense.
"That was so cool! So this is what high school basketball looks like!" Haruko beamed silently, eyes wide as she took it all in.
"No way! Ryuu got dunked on! Hahaha!" Kayano cackled from the stands, slapping his friend's shoulder.
"I like number ten. He's funny," Kogure smirked, his eyes sparkling with amusement.
Yukio turned and pointed directly at Kogure from across the court.
Kogure raised an eyebrow. "Not bad at all, Yukio. Keep it up, and maybe Coach will put me in this game."
Coach Arimoto's jaw tensed. His brow furrowed.
"Give me a timeout, please," he said, barely hiding his irritation as he stood up, arms crossed.