"We advanced to the second round of the tournament thanks to everyone's growth and effort," Haruko whispered to herself, seated on her bed with the moonlight casting long shadows across her room. A soft breeze fluttered the curtains as she stared at the basketball she had carefully placed on her desk earlier. Her fingers curled around the edge of her blanket.
"But… if it weren't for Tetsuo teaching me how to shoot, how to score… we wouldn't have done nearly as well."
A faint blush rose to her cheeks as she smiled at the memory of his calm voice correcting her form, his firm hands guiding hers during free throws and jump shots. She could still remember the warmth of his touch, the quiet patience in his eyes.
"He believed in me… when I didn't even believe in myself."
She sat up straighter, gripping the hem of her blanket. "I know. I'll just call him. Ask him to meet me at the court tonight. That way, I can tell him about the amazing game I had—and maybe… maybe find out if what my sister said is true. If he's really Tetsu-kun."
—
Meanwhile, in Tetsuo's apartment, the air was filled with the soft scent of miso soup and steamed rice. Steam hissed gently from the bathroom, and the sound of running water came to a stop.
"Tetsuo, dinner's ready," called Usagi from the kitchen as she set the table. "When you're finished with your bath, come straight down."
"Yeah," came his calm voice from behind the door.
Usagi glanced toward the hallway, frowning slightly. Big brother's acting different today. He was always quiet, but this time… there was something heavier in his silence. Something that lingered.
Suddenly, the ringtone of his phone echoed through the room.
"I'll get it!" Usagi said, hurrying to the small wooden table where his phone was charging. She picked it up and looked at the screen.
Haruko?
A smile tugged at her lips. Without hesitation, she answered.
"Hello, Haruko?"
"Oh, Usagi! It's been a while," came Haruko's warm voice.
"It really has. I don't even see you at school anymore."
"Well, maybe you just haven't been looking in the right places. Like the basketball court," Haruko teased gently.
Usagi laughed. "That's probably true."
"Is your brother home?"
"Yes, but he's still in the shower."
"I see. Well, could you tell him to meet me at the basketball court tonight?"
"I'll definitely let him know. You can count on me."
"Thanks so much, Usagi," Haruko said before the call ended with a soft click.
A few seconds later, Tetsuo appeared in the hallway, a towel draped around his neck, still drying his damp hair. "Who was that?" he asked, his tone neutral.
"It was Haruko," Usagi replied with a teasing grin. "She asked if you could meet her at the court tonight."
"I see." He paused, then nodded. "Alright. I'll get dressed."
Usagi tilted her head. "You know… I've noticed something. You never say no to Haruko. Ever. Why is that?"
Tetsuo froze mid-step, glancing over his shoulder. "What do you mean?"
"Forget it," she said with a playful laugh. "You probably haven't even noticed it yourself."
He didn't respond. He just turned back and disappeared down the hall, lost in thought.
—
The sky was a deep shade of navy by the time Tetsuo arrived at the court. The streetlights cast long pools of light, and the hum of the floodlights filled the quiet space. A rhythmic thudding echoed in the air.
Haruko was already there, dribbling with fluid ease. She turned as he approached, her face lighting up.
"Tetsuo! Hey, it's been a while."
"Yeah. A few weeks now," he said, hands tucked into his pockets. "What did you want to talk about?"
She caught the ball and held it against her hip. "I just wanted to thank you. For everything. We made it to the second round—our first game ended 77 to 15—and I… I actually played well. I scored twenty-five points, Tetsuo. Real points!" Her voice cracked slightly. "And I owe so much of that to you."
Tetsuo gave a small nod. "I'm glad to hear that I helped."
"You're not gonna smile even a little?" she said, nudging the ball against his leg.
"I am glad," he replied, eyes softening. "You worked hard. You earned it."
Haruko stared at him. The way he spoke, the quiet strength in his voice—it all stirred a deep, distant memory. Her sister's words echoed in her mind: He might be Tetsu-kun.
She took a breath. "Tetsuo… can I ask you something?"
He looked at her, unreadable. "Sure."
"Are you… are you Tetsu-kun?"
Before he could answer, a harsh voice rang out from the darkness.
"Well, well, well… what do we have here?"
A tall, broad figure stepped into the light. His uniform was rumpled, his posture aggressive. A sneer spread across his face as his eyes locked onto the two of them.
"I thought I warned two lovebirds to stay off this court after dark," he said, cracking his knuckles. "It belongs to me at this time of day."
Tetsuo's eyes narrowed. "Tadao Inoue."
"That's right." Tadao grinned. "Wait a minute… you're that punk from the basketball team. Perfect. I'll beat you to a pulp and send a message to the rest of them for messing with me."
Haruko instinctively stepped back. The ball slipped from her fingers, rolling across the pavement. "Tetsuo…"
Without hesitation, Tetsuo stepped forward, placing himself between her and Tadao. His body was relaxed, but his eyes were cold, calculating.
Tadao cracked his neck. "You're quick on your feet, huh? Let's see how long that lasts."
With a roar, he charged, swinging wildly.
Tetsuo moved quickly.
He ducked under the punch, pivoted, and sidestepped. His eyes never left Tadao's. He didn't just dodge—he studied. Calculated. Waited.
"Hold still so I can kill your ass!" Tadao shouted, swinging again.
Haruko gasped from behind, her heart racing. "Tetsuo, look out!"
But he already knew. He weaved past another punch, fluid and precise. Then, in a flash, he caught Tadao's arm mid-swing, using the brute's own strength against him. With a sharp twist and a shift of weight, Tetsuo flipped him.
Tadao crashed onto the pavement with a sickening thud.
The court went silent.
Haruko stood frozen, eyes wide. "Tetsuo… that was…"
He turned to her, shaking his head. "Let's get out of here."
She hurried after him, still stunned, her heart pounding.
They walked side by side under the streetlamps, the night wrapping around them in quiet. Neither spoke for a while.
"You really are something," Haruko finally said. "You didn't even hesitate. Or show fear."
"I didn't want you to get hurt," he said simply.
Haruko blushed bright red as she looked up at him. "You still didn't answer my question."
He didn't look back, but his voice was quiet. "Yeah. You're right. I'm Tetsu-kun."
Haruko stopped walking. He did too.
She stared at him, searching his face. "Why didn't you say anything before?"
"Because I didn't realize that you were Takahashi's younger sister until recently. And… I'm not the same person I used to be. A lot has happened since then." He looked down at the ground. "In those days, I was just a kid trying to survive. Trying to protect my little sister. I gave up everything else so she could have a chance at living a normal life."
Haruko remained quiet. She didn't fully understand what kind of sacrifices he meant. But somehow, she could feel the weight of his pain. She recalled the time when they first met. It was in winter when she encountered Tetsuo, who was barely able to stand on his feet. He looked malnourished, wore rags, and was covered in dirt, as if he hadn't had a bath in years.
Though he looked weak and hopeless, wandering aimlessly in the cold, he held onto both a worn-out basketball and a little girl. She remembered it all vividly. He kept going for Usagi even after he disappeared without a trace. She was his reason to live.
"I'm glad it was you," Haruko said softly, her voice trembling. "Even when I wasn't sure that you were that boy… I'm glad you're alive. I'm glad you're the one who taught me. And I'm really glad you came tonight. And it doesn't matter to me if you've changed. You're still the same person in my eyes." She blurted it out, then immediately started blushing.
"Thank you, Haruko," Tetsuo replied.
Haruko tightened her grip on the basketball in her hands, staring down at it as if it might help calm her nerves. Her fingers trembled slightly against the leather. "Y-you're welcome," she said, her voice small. Then, after a pause, she laughed nervously, cheeks flushed. "I didn't think I'd actually say all that out loud."
—
Back on the court, the stillness was interrupted by a groan.
Tadao stirred, blinking slowly as he sat up. He clutched the side of his head and winced.
"Ugh… what the hell…?"
His vision swam. He looked around in confusion.
"Where… am I? What happened?"
His head throbbed with a dull, angry pain. The lights above flickered in his blurred sight, and his mind struggled to recall what had just occurred.
But it was gone. All of it.
And he was alone.