"We're finally here. Hopefully, we didn't miss much of the action."
Kanae stepped through the front gates, her stride sharp and precise. Her shoes clicked rhythmically against the pavement, and the breeze lifted the edge of her blazer.
She inhaled lightly, the faint scent of flowers brushing past, yet her icy gaze stayed locked on the buildings ahead. Her arms hung loosely at her sides, fingers slightly curled, poised and controlled as if ready for anything.
"Well… we wouldn't have, if a certain someone had actually listened to my directions instead of wandering off," Yuri muttered, her voice low and dry.
Her shoulders slumped slightly as she shuffled along, one hand buried in her jacket pocket while the other swung loosely at her side.
She cast a sidelong glance at Airi, eyes narrowing just a fraction as if silently scolding her.
"Yokonan is really huge, isn't it?" Airi exclaimed, raising her camera high as it clicked rapidly.
She twirled lightly in place, her shoes scuffing against the pavement and her hair bouncing with each spin. Her wide eyes sparkled with awe.
She froze mid-step, captivated by a butterfly drifting past, and nearly bumped into Yuri—who sidestepped with a groan, arms crossing briefly in mild annoyance.
"Yes, it is. I wonder where we can find their basketball court… Let me ask around."
Kanae's eyes swept the area with sharp precision, chin lifted as she scanned every corner.
Spotting a Yokonan student sitting alone on a nearby bench, she began walking toward him. Her steps were silent yet purposeful, back perfectly straight, exuding quiet authority.
"Excuse me," she spoke, her tone polite but firm.
The student blinked, his carefree expression faltering as he straightened, spine stiffening. "Would you happen to know where the basketball court is?"
He paused, blinking once more, then pointed toward a tall gymnasium ahead. "It's right through there. You can go around to the side and enter from the east door."
Kanae gave a small nod, her eyes flicking briefly to the others. "Thank you."
She pivoted smoothly, walking away with a subtle flick of her wrist to signal them to follow, her expression remaining perfectly calm and unreadable.
A quiet murmur escaped her lips, almost to herself, "This is going to be one of the best scoops we've gotten this semester."
The corners of her mouth lifted just slightly, barely noticeable, like the smallest crack in her otherwise composed demeanor.
After the second quarter, everyone slumped onto their benches, breathing heavily. Shirts clung to their backs with sweat, and the air was filled with the squeak of sneakers and the pop of water bottles opening.
Nanaho leaned over and gave Shino a firm pat on the back. "See, Shino? I told you—you're getting the hang of the game. You scored some points! Great work, keep it up."
Her smile was bright, encouraging, and her hand lingered on his shoulder for a brief second.
Shino's eyes lit up, a shy grin spreading across his flushed cheeks. "Y-You really think so?" he asked, chest rising and falling unevenly beneath his jersey, still catching his breath.
"It's not like it's anything special. He only scored two points, so stop praising him," Noboru scoffed, crossing his arms tightly over his chest. His brows furrowed, jaw clenched, and one leg bounced impatiently, a subtle tremor of frustration.
Nanaho leaned forward slightly, tilting her head with a teasing, smug smile. "Aww, someone's jealous. Don't worry—you've got plenty of time to shine too, Noboru."
Noboru's jaw tightened as a vein pulsed at his temple. I have to score more points. Can't be on the same level as that amateur.
He clenched his fists in his lap, knuckles pressing hard against his thighs, and leaned forward on the edge of the bench, eyes narrowing with determination.
"Yukio, Hayato, we might actually win this!" Takahiro's voice carried a calm authority beneath his excitement, eyes gleaming as he leaned forward, knees wide and hands pressed firmly on his thighs, steadying himself while catching his breath.
"No." Yukio straightened his posture, gaze fixed on the court, calm and unwavering. "We are going to win this."
Hayato's eyes narrowed with determination, tone firm as he added, "Yes. We won't settle for a loss."
"They're so amazing…" Haruko whispered to herself, eyes glued to Tetsuo.
Despite being a six-player team, they're leading Yokonan High, one of the top schools in basketball.
Her hands were clasped tightly in front of her chest, and her heart raced with admiration.
Tetsuo really is something… he's in a league of his own.
Nanaho clenched her fists on her lap, knuckles whitening as she muttered under her breath,
We're leading forty-eight to thirty-nine… with just twenty minutes remaining, we can do this.
"There you guys are! I've been looking everywhere for you!" Kanae called out as she strode toward their bench, each step brisk and even, her presence slicing through the background noise.
Nanaho's brow lifted in surprise. "Kanae? What are you doing here?"
Kanae adjusted her glasses, folding her arms neatly across her chest, expression composed and professional. "We're here to gather information about the basketball team… for the newspaper."
"Wow, you guys aren't messing around! You're up by nine points against a team like Yokonan?" Yuri exclaimed, eyebrows arching in surprise as she leaned casually against the wall, arms crossed.
Not bad… she added silently.
Airi's voice chimed brightly as she bounced on her toes, camera in hand, waving them over. "Come on, everyone! Get up! I want to take some pictures of you!"
"Can't you see we're trying to focus on our game? Buzz off!" Noboru snapped, scowling as he turned away, arms folding tightly across his chest.
Nanaho jabbed him lightly on the shoulder, the dull thud echoing softly. "Sorry about that, Kanae," she murmured, a sheepish smile tugging at her lips.
"Ouch! That hurt, goddammit! I still got a game to play, you know!" Noboru grumbled, rubbing the sore spot with a grimace.
Nanaho's eyes gleamed with determination as she leaned slightly forward.
"Then it's a good thing we have six players now, isn't it? Everyone, go take some pictures. We've got around eight minutes before the game resumes, so it shouldn't be an issue."
Kanae stepped aside, nodding toward Airi. "Thank you. Alright, stand in the spot one by one while Airi takes your pictures."
One by one, Airi snapped pictures of Yukio and the rest of Toshigawa's basketball team. Her fingers danced over the camera buttons, tilting and adjusting it to catch the best light. She smiled softly, offering quick, cheerful cues between shots.
Airi lowered the camera with a satisfied nod. "That'll do for now."
Yuri reached out and grabbed the camera, lifting it with a practiced flick. "Lend me this," she murmured, eyes glinting with curiosity.
She paused a moment, adjusting the lens, then tilted her head slightly. "Wait… you're Shino, right?"
"Y-Y… yes, I am," Shino stammered, shifting his feet nervously and holding his arms close to his sides.
Yuri tilted her head, a small smirk tugging at her lips. "Could you stand back over there? I want more pictures of you."
"O-Okay… b-but why me specifically?" Shino's voice wavered, eyes blinking rapidly.
"Oh, no particular reason," Yuri chuckled, tugging him gently toward a better-lit spot.
Coach Arimoto crossed his arms, clipboard tucked under one arm, gaze still fixed on the court.
"Great work out there, Kayano. Not perfect, but at least you made them score some points after that huge shutdown."
Kayano wiped sweat from his brow, jaw tight, stance firm despite exhaustion.
I was aiming to close the gap in points, but my efforts alone won't be enough. Toshigawa actually has a team…
Coach Arimoto jabbed a finger toward the court, clipboard tucked under his arm, eyes hard with resolve.
"Kogure, you're going in. Take over this game for me. This team was quite the shocker, but now I know that it's better to crush them from the start."
I underestimated that girl's ability as a coach… just a high school student in my eyes. Better not take them lightly, or we'll lose. We need to crush them entirely.
Kogure muttered under his breath, stretching and bouncing lightly on his heels.
You did it, Yukio… you got Coach to put me in. Great job.
He rolled his neck and swung his arms in quiet anticipation.
Coach Arimoto's eyes narrowed. "Do I have to tell you what to do?"
Kogure flashed a grin, excitement barely contained. "Come on, Coach. Give me some credit. I'll score thirty points to make up for the others' mistakes."
A student in the bleachers leapt to their feet, shouting, "No way!! Kogure is coming in?"
A soccer player pumped his fists in the air. "About damn time! Hurry up and put Toshigawa Academy in their place!"
A girl from the crowd screamed, "Kogure-senpai!!!! I love you!"
Others cheered in unison. "Kogure-senpai, do your best!"
"Kobayashi-kun, beat them!" Eiji added, fist raised.
Nanaho's expression darkened, mouth set in a straight line, fists clenched against her knees.
"Here he comes… Yokonan High's ace, Kogure Kobayashi."
Yukio's jaw locked, eyes narrowing.
This game's going to get difficult from here on out.
He gestured for a huddle. "Nanaho, everyone, I have a plan. Come here." His voice was steady, stance confident.
Nanaho crouched, nodding as she shifted closer to the group.
"Wait… that actually might work. It's a good suggestion."
Hayato frowned, eyes calculating, voice low. "No… it won't. That's the only way we'll keep up in points, though."
Takahiro stepped forward, arms braced. "So you want me to guard that big guy over there, right?"
Yukio's gaze met his. "Yes. He may be bigger than us, but he's around the same height as me. Not too hard to handle—trust me."
Yukio's expression darkened as he continued, voice grim.
"I'll have to guard Kogure. I played alongside him in junior high, and my older brother was the only one who could stop him from scoring. That guy's unstoppable… an offensive machine."
He turned to Tetsuo. "Lock down Manabu. Keep him away from the ball. Don't worry about helping on defense."
Tetsuo nodded stiffly. "Yes. I'll try not to."
"Hayato," Yukio said, arms folded, gaze serious, "I know it'll be tough, but you need to handle Takeshi Kayano."
Hayato planted his feet wide, arms folded. "I knew I'd have to face him one way or another… don't worry. I'll figure it out."
Nanaho's sharp voice cut through the huddle. "Noboru, you rested enough yet?"
Noboru stretched, arms swinging above his head with audible cracks. "I wasn't even tired in the first place. I'm raring to go!"
Nanaho brushed aside her bangs, eyes blazing with determination. She clapped her hands once. "Good. Let's go for it, everyone. End this game with no regrets."