Chapter 60: The Weight of Dreams
Eriri was still smiling faintly, her cheeks flushed from bickering with Lucien D. Blackthorn.
There were very few people in her life who could make her feel this comfortable—who could argue, tease, and still leave her smiling.
She tilted her head and suddenly changed the subject.
"Do you know? Recently, more and more students at school have been talking about basketball. During recess, they rush to the courts to play. After classes, so many gather in the gym just to watch the basketball team practice."
Her lips curved into a mischievous smile. "Lucien, do you know why?"
Lucien smirked faintly. "Is it because of me?"
"Humph! Don't flatter yourself!" Eriri shot back, rolling her eyes. "It's all thanks to Rukawa Kaede!"
Lucien's mouth twitched. He tapped the sketchpad beside him and said with mock indignation, "Eri, let's be clear—who created Rukawa Kaede? Answer properly!"
She stuck out her tongue, then folded her arms smugly. "Well, the real reason is Mai Sakurajima. She's the one who made Slam Dunk go viral!"
Lucien gave her a look of pure dissatisfaction. "That's not the main reason. The real reason is because Slam Dunk has quality. Even without Mai Sakurajima, the story would eventually stand on its own."
Eriri opened her mouth, ready to argue, but hesitated. Thinking it over, she realized he was right.
The manga had gotten progressively more exciting—even she had been pulled in, flipping through pages with her heart pounding.
She laughed lightly and gave in. "Alright, alright, whatever the patient says is right!"
Her teasing tone made Lucien chuckle.
After a moment, she leaned forward, her eyes bright. "By the way, the National High School Basketball Tournament is about to begin. Doesn't it feel just like the plot of your manga?"
Lucien sighed, his voice tinged with regret. "It's a shame our school isn't Shohoku. Whether we even qualify is still a big question."
"It would be amazing if our basketball team had a real Rukawa Kaede," Eriri said dreamily, her face lighting up. "If that happened, every single girl in school would rush to the gym to cheer for them!"
Lucien glanced at her. "Including you?"
"Of course!" she answered without hesitation.
For a moment, Lucien said nothing. His expression softened, but then dimmed, shadows clouding his eyes.
Eriri noticed immediately. "What's wrong?" she asked gently.
Lucien tilted his head back against the hospital pillow, gazing at the ceiling. His voice was quiet, tinged with longing.
"I also want to go watch the games in person…"
The words struck Eriri's heart.
He knew—by the time his treatment allowed him to leave this hospital, the National Tournament might already be over.
Lucien loved basketball. Always had. But instead of cheering in the stands, feeling the heat of the crowd, he was trapped here. Bound by frail lungs, by needles, by the suffocating scent of antiseptic.
To say he had no regrets… would be a lie.
Eriri's chest tightened. She imagined the vibrant summer outside—youth blazing under the sun, sweat and passion staining the courts. Boys chasing their dreams with every dunk and dribble.
And yet, Lucien could only lie here, wrestling not with rivals, but with illness and the looming shadow of death.
Fate was cruel. Too cruel.
Her eyes stung. She bit her lip, forcing herself not to cry.
Her voice softened, trembling with warmth. "The doctor said your condition has stabilized. The cancer cells aren't spreading. After a few more chemotherapy and radiation sessions, maybe… maybe you'll be discharged soon."
Lucien forced a smile, turning his gaze back to her. "I hope so."
---
Days passed.
The second volume of Attack on Titan and the fourth volume of Slam Dunk were released both in Manga Jump and online. The buzz spread like wildfire.
Lucien's author account—Whale—gained followers at an incredible pace. Within just days, his following had surged to nearly 40,000.
On LINE, enthusiastic readers had already formed fan groups dedicated to discussing his works.
Curious, Eriri secretly registered a small account and slipped into one of the groups. To her surprise, she quickly became popular among the fans, rising to the position of administrator.
That night, before bed, she logged in again to chat with readers. The group was buzzing with activity.
---
[AttackOnTitanFan]: I re-read the first two chapters of Attack on Titan Vol.2… My god, it was brutal! Almost the entire training corps was wiped out. I really hope it won't stay this dark!
[Kotsuru_Kazuma]: Haha, don't be naive. It's definitely going to be cruel. There are three main characters—convention says one of them will be sacrificed, to push Eren's growth.
[Hayabusa]: If anyone dies, it's gotta be Armin. They won't kill Mikasa—she's obviously paired with Eren.
[Yuki_Daisuke]: Why not Eren himself? He is reckless enough. I think the author's building toward a huge reversal.
[Sawara_Arata]: Honestly, this is something the rival series Titan Wars could never predict. Their author probably didn't expect Attack on Titan to take such a bold direction, haha!
[Zhao_Ritian]: Exactly. Titan Wars is just recycled clichés. I gave up on it already.
[Sakurata]: Then switch to Slam Dunk! It's not sad at all, just pure adrenaline. The story just entered its most exciting arc!
[Zhao_Ritian]: I'm following it too. Every chapter gets me fired up!
[Hayabusa]: And don't forget—Mai Sakurajima herself is reading Slam Dunk! Ahhh, she's my goddess!
[Sayahara_Arata]: True! Our school basketball team has been training till dark every day since hearing that Mai-chan follows it. Talk about motivation!
[Never_Losing_Otaku]: Oi, what are you guys chatting about?
[AttackOnTitanFan]: Welcome, Otaku! We're talking about Slam Dunk!
[Never_Losing_Otaku]: Heh. Then you're talking about Rukawa Kaede, right?
[AttackOnTitanFan]: Of course! Rukawa's #1 fan has arrived!
[Hayabusa]: Too bad no one like Rukawa exists in real life. But there are guys like Akagi Takenori—our school captain is basically a gorilla like him!
[Never_Losing_Otaku]: …A gorilla?
[AttackOnTitanFan]: Wait, is your captain also like 197 cm tall?
[Hayabusa]: Close. He's 192 cm.
[Dazed]: 192?! I'm just a kid barely 160 cm, you're scaring me here!
[Sawara_Arata]: Can high schoolers even grow that tall?!
[Zhao_Ritian]: Absolutely! Our team has one at 198 cm, another at 191, another at 189, and the rest are all above 183.
[Sawara_Arata]: Which school are you from?!
[Zhao_Ritian]: Tokyo Seirin High.
[Sawara_Arata]: …Wait, last year's national champion?! I'm so sorry, senpai!!
[Never_Losing_Otaku]: …
[AttackOnTitanFan]: By the way, when's Vol.3 of Attack on Titan dropping? If it updates as fast as Slam Dunk, that'd be perfect.
[Never_Losing_Otaku]: Rumor says it'll follow seamlessly right after Vol.2, with two chapters per issue.
[AttackOnTitanFan]: As expected of Whale-sensei! His speed is insane. Truly a god-tier creator! Unlike that old thief Togashi—master of hiatus!
[Sawara_Arata]: Speaking of Whale-sensei, does anyone actually know who he is?
[Never_Losing_Otaku]: Nobody. He chose a pen name for a reason—probably wants to avoid being disturbed.
[AttackOnTitanFan]: I did hear he's familiar with the doujinshi artist, Eri Kashiwagi.
[Zhao_Ritian]: Wait, the Eri Kashiwagi? The one who drew Eguchi's artbooks?!
[Hayabusa]: Eri Kashiwagi, my idol! I've collected every single one of her works!
[Never_Losing_Otaku]: …Uh.
---
✨ End of Chapter 60
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