"Yeah! We defeated Kainan! Hooray!"
"Hooray!"
The Shohoku players could no longer suppress their excitement. The moment they stepped into the locker room, they burst into cheers, jumping and clapping in celebration.
During the post-game handshake with Kainan, they had kept their composure, hiding their grins. But now that the "King" was no longer watching, their joy came flooding out.
"Hehehehe, of course, this victory was all thanks to me—the genius Sakuragi! You don't need to thank me too much, though. Saving the team is only natural for me! Wahahaha!" Sakuragi puffed out his chest, already carried away with his usual antics.
Mitsui and Miyagi exchanged a knowing smile, not bothering to argue. No one else did either—this was a moment to celebrate.
Rukawa simply shook his head and began changing into his clothes, quietly preparing to go home.
Akagi, though equally elated, clenched his fist and barked, "Idiots! It's only one victory! Don't celebrate too soon. The round-robin has just begun!"
"Tch…" Sakuragi's grin faltered, and the others also fell silent.
Kogure quickly stepped in, his voice calm. "Alright, let them enjoy this, Captain. You should relax too. It wasn't easy to beat Kainan."
He was right. Akagi was more thrilled than anyone—defeating Kainan had been his dream for years. This game had been a brutal battle: Akagi had been benched early, Shohoku had lost the lead, then fought tooth and nail until the very last seconds. To finally win… why stay so tense?
"Kogure, but we still have two more games—"
"Exactly. And those games are still a week away," Kogure cut in, smiling. "Everyone is exhausted today. Let's enjoy tonight. Tomorrow, we train again."
He turned to the team. "What do you all say?"
"Glasses Guy, you said it perfectly!" Sakuragi jumped up. "Gori, no need to worry about the next games—leave it all to me, the genius Sakuragi!"
Just as Akagi's vein began to bulge, Ishii Kentaro stepped forward. "That's right! We'll train hard tomorrow!"
Kakuta pumped his fist. "Captain, we'll definitely make it to Nationals this year!"
Seeing their confidence, Akagi exhaled. He couldn't bring himself to scold them anymore.
In the corner, Nango sat quietly, a faint smile on his lips, content just to watch.
"Alright, dismissed. Be careful on your way home."
"Yes, see you tomorrow!"
"Take care, goodbye!"
The team split up, their laughter still echoing in the hallway.
Sakuragi and Miyagi, however, couldn't hide their envy as they watched Nango and Kano leave together. The two were clearly heading out on a date.
After such an intense game, Nango was starving, so he and Kano strolled the streets, searching for a place to eat.
Once the rest of the team was out of sight, Kano giggled. "Congratulations, Nango! Give us your victory speech!"
Nango's eyes curved in amusement as he gently pinched her cheek. "Stop teasing."
But Kano noticed something strange. His smile wasn't bright with joy—it was the polite, distant smile one gives to strangers.
"What's wrong? Aren't you happy?" she asked, pouting.
"Hm? No, it's not that." He blinked innocently.
"Then why do you seem… so far away?"
Nango sighed. "I just don't feel satisfied. We won the game, but my performance… wasn't good enough. I couldn't stop Maki. I knew it might happen, but it still bothers me."
As a transmigrator with knowledge of the story, the thought cut deep. If I can't even stop him here, am I really improving fast enough? Can I really reach the other side of the ocean?
Kano rolled her eyes. This big idiot… always basketball, basketball, basketball.
She asked softly, "So what's your real goal?"
"To play in the NBA." His answer came instantly, without hesitation.
Kano blinked in surprise. She had expected him to say "dominate the nation," like Akagi and the others. She hadn't imagined his sights were already set on something far greater.
Nango continued, voice steady. "So whether it's Kanagawa's No.1 or Japan's No.1… it doesn't matter. What matters is my own level."
For a moment, Kano was silent. Then she smiled faintly. "Maybe… you'll get a chance to find out."
"Hm?"
"Our school has an exchange student returning soon. He's been playing in the US, and I heard he's already on the NBA's radar. Eri wants our club to play a practice game with your team. If Coach Anzai agrees… maybe you could test yourself against him?"
Nango's eyes narrowed. He faintly remembered such a subplot, though the name escaped him.
"If it's after the Prefectural Tournament, it should be possible. I'll talk to Coach and Captain then." His voice was firm—this was an opportunity he couldn't miss.
After all, aside from the upcoming practice match against Josei High, Shohoku had few chances to test themselves. A game against Ryokufu High would be perfect.
Two birds with one stone.
Kano smiled, pleased with her own clever idea.
Seeing her grin, Nango's mood lightened. He pulled her close, whispering into her ear, "Thank you, my little darling."
Her cheeks turned crimson, but she didn't resist, quietly leaning into his embrace.
After escorting Kano home, Nango returned to his own house. The moment he walked in, he noticed something unusual.
"Mom, why aren't you asleep yet?"
"What do you mean 'yet'? Whether I sleep or not is none of your business!" his mother snapped. "Drink your soup before it gets cold!"
"Okay, okay…" Nango raised his hands in surrender, still wary of her nagging.
"Oh, by the way—your dad bought these for you." She slid a shoebox across the table. The swoosh logo gleamed on the lid.
"Shoes? But I already have—"
"Your father said you played well today. He wanted to reward you."
Nango's eyes lit up. He tore open the box and froze. Inside sat the latest pair of black AJ8s. Expensive. Brand new. A gift that carried weight.
His father's silent approval.
For the first time that day, Nango's chest swelled with pride. With Kano's comfort and his father's encouragement, the fog in his mind finally cleared.
Slipping the sneakers on, he grinned. "No need to exchange them. They're perfect. I'll wear these to bring home the national championship."
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A/N: Hey everyone, I'm really sorry for not being able to post any new chapters lately. Our city in Davao Oriental was recently hit by an earthquake, and things have been pretty rough. The tremors shook our whole neighborhood — our house even got slightly damaged, and it's been chaotic ever since.
I've been trying to gather myself and make sure everyone's safe first before I get back to writing. The experience honestly left me a bit shaken (literally and emotionally), but don't worry — I'm still here, and I haven't forgotten about you all.
Thank you so much for your patience and understanding. I'll be back to updating as soon as everything settles down. Please keep us in your prayers. 🙏
Patréon com/DaoOfPeeking