Shohoku High School basketball club.
All the Shohoku players had gathered together.
Ayako pointed at a spot on the schedule board with a ruler and raised her voice. "Our next opponent is Tsukubu High School, last year's top 8 team. If we win this one, Shohoku will make it to the top 8."
Top 8!
Everyone's eyes lit up as they started imagining what it would be like to become one of the elite 8.
That kind of glory was something they had never experienced before.
In the corner, Aoi Kunisaku yawned, looking bored, and mumbled to himself, "Top eight, huh? I wonder if we'll finally get some decent opponents."
Just then, Shimizu Kanon walked over holding a stack of papers. She spoke up, "Tsukubu is on a completely different level compared to the teams we've faced so far. But don't worry. I've done the calculations. Even without Saku-chan, our overall strength still edges them out."
She picked up one of the sheets and read, "First, there's Tsukubu's coach, Kawasaki Kazumi. He's been coaching the team for 3 years. He's incredibly passionate about basketball and inspires his players to fully commit to practice and matches."
She paused, then added, "He's also really good at coming up with targeted strategies. A very responsible coach. Oh, and he's actually a student of Coach Anzai!"
How do you even find out stuff like that?
Everyone at Shohoku felt a chill. Standing near Shimizu Kanon gave them goosebumps.
"Next is Izumi Takashi, a starting player for Tsukubu. 3rd year, height 172cm, weight 75kg, position: Small Forward…"
"Natsume Hiroshi, also a starter, 3rd year, height 160cm, weight 55kg, Point Guard…"
"Mine Kenta, 3rd year, height 174cm, weight 68kg, Power Forward…"
…
Shimizu Kanon went on to introduce several Tsukubu players.
Then her tone shifted a bit. She became more serious. "Now comes the key to whether we win or not. Nango Koichiro. Height 192cm, weight 89kg, Center, and a 1st-year rookie."
"Is this Nango Koichiro really that good?" Kogure Kiminobu asked, unable to hold back.
Everyone else also looked toward Shimizu Kanon. No one had heard of him before.
She answered, "Nango Koichiro has top-tier physical ability for a high school player. His vertical jump is especially strong. He's got solid scoring skills and decent defense too. What's most important is one unique skill—charging."
Charging?
Everyone looked confused.
What does that mean?
Shimizu Kanon explained patiently, "Nango Koichiro can charge up his strength. The longer he builds it up, the stronger his Blocks become. It works against Dunks too."
Everyone was stunned.
This rookie sounded tough. He wouldn't be easy to deal with.
Shimizu Kanon ignored their reactions and kept going. "Finally, Tsukubu's captain, Godai Tomokazu. 3rd year, height 180cm, weight 78kg, Shooting Guard. He's a deadly Three-Point Shooter."
Tch…
Mitsui Hisashi narrowed his eyes and sneered. "Three-pointers, huh."
Shimizu Kanon continued. "Besides being accurate from deep, he's also a strong leader and good at executing plays. That's something everyone should watch out for."
After she finished, Akagi Takenori's eyes went blank for a second, as if his thoughts drifted somewhere far away. "Godai…"
He was pulled back into memories of junior high.
Back then, he and Godai Tomokazu had played on the same team.
Who would've thought they'd face each other in their final year of high school?
He came back to the moment, crossed his arms, and spoke with determination. "Alright. Once we beat Tsukubu, we'll be in the top 8. Then comes Shoyo, the runner-up. We have to beat them to reach the finals. So give it everything you've got!"
"Yes!" everyone shouted together.
…
The next day.
It was a rest day.
Shohoku didn't have any matches scheduled.
Since Aoi Kunisaku's sneakers had worn out, Shimizu Kanon decided to take him out to buy a new pair.
As they walked, a commotion suddenly broke out ahead.
Aoi and Shimizu stopped and looked.
They saw a group of familiar faces.
It was Sakuragi Hanamichi and his gang.
"Saku-chan, it's Sakuragi Hanamichi…" Shimizu pointed and said quietly.
Aoi Kunisaku only glanced casually before looking away. "Let's go," he said flatly. "No need to bother with him."
Shimizu Kanon frowned and scolded him gently. "Saku-chan, how can you ignore someone you know? That's really rude!"
As she spoke, she grabbed Aoi's arm and dragged him toward Sakuragi Hanamichi and the others without giving him a chance to resist.
Aoi clicked his tongue in annoyance but followed along helplessly.
As they got closer, they were surprised to see Sakuragi and his gang crouched at the wire fence, all looking intense...
Wait, no.
Only Sakuragi Hanamichi looked furious, staring daggers through the fence.
The others just looked like they were enjoying the drama.
Aoi and Shimizu exchanged puzzled glances, then followed their line of sight toward the baseball field.
There, a boy and a girl were standing.
The girl was none other than Akagi Haruko.
She wore a soft pink T-shirt and bright yellow ultra-short shorts. Her long hair was tied up, making her already sweet face look even more innocent.
"It's Haruko," Shimizu Kanon murmured softly, eyeing her and the guy across from her. "Are they... on a date?"
The guy facing Haruko wore a helmet that completely covered his head. Not even a crack was visible. There was no way to see what he looked like.
From his clothes and build, they could barely tell he was male.
"Damn it! Who the hell is that guy? Why's he standing so close to Haruko?" Sakuragi Hanamichi's eyes bulged like a cartoon character's, fixed on the helmeted figure. He looked like steam might shoot from his ears at any second.
Sakuragi's gang was equally glued to the scene. No one noticed Aoi and Shimizu arriving.
Back on the field, Akagi Haruko left shortly after.
The helmeted guy stood there alone.
A moment later, he slowly removed his helmet, like he'd just taken a hit, and revealed his face to everyone.
The first thing that stood out was his split-down-the-middle haircut. A few tufts of bright yellow hair stuck out from his forehead, catching the sunlight like flashing neon.
His eyebrows were so thick they looked fake. He wasn't exactly handsome, but definitely not ugly either. That cocky, half-smiling face of his just screamed "troublemaker."
Outside the fence—
Before Shimizu Kanon could greet anyone, Sakuragi Hanamichi couldn't hold back anymore.
He gripped the fence tightly, then scrambled over it like a wild animal. He marched right up to the guy and, without a word, lowered his head and rammed it into him with a brutal headbutt.
In the blink of an eye, Sakuragi and the other guy were shouting in each other's faces. Their voices grew louder and more heated by the second.
As soon as the helmet came off, Shimizu Kanon recognized him. "That's Nango Koichiro from Tsukubu!" she blurted out.
The Sakuragi gang finally snapped out of it and turned around.
Mito Yohei gave a friendly nod. "Yo, it's you two."
Ohkusu Yuji scratched his head and asked, confused, "Since when were you standing behind us? Didn't hear a thing."
Takamiya Nozomi eyed Aoi and Shimizu curiously, then grinned. "Don't tell me you two are out on a date?"
Shimizu Kanon's face flushed bright red. She glanced shyly at Aoi, then quickly stammered, "Don't be ridiculous! Saku-chan's shoes broke, so I just came along to help him buy a new pair."
But the whole gang looked at her with a "yeah, right" expression.
These two were glued together almost every day. Saying there was nothing between them? Not a chance.
Trying to change the subject, Shimizu quickly asked, "So, what are you guys doing here? I think I just saw Haruko."
Mito Yohei shrugged. "We're not sure either. But judging from how things went down... it's a little messy."
Everyone turned to look back at the field. Sakuragi and Nango were still yelling at each other. No one planned to jump into that mess.
Right then, Nango Koichiro, red-faced from shouting at Sakuragi, suddenly seemed to notice them watching. He spun around, scanned their group, then stopped yelling altogether and sprinted over.
He reached the fence, climbed over it in a flash, and rushed straight up to Shimizu Kanon.
Eyes sparkling, he said with a smitten look, "Beautiful girl, please be my girlfriend!"
"Eh?" Shimizu was totally stunned. Her eyes widened in disbelief. But after a moment, she composed herself.
Recalling the notes she'd read earlier, she remembered Nango Koichiro's personality traits.
Blunt, impulsive, competitive…
Basically, loud, outgoing, and shameless.
To put it bluntly, that was just shameless.
Shimizu Kanon smiled politely, her tone soft but firm. "Sorry, I'm not planning on getting a boyfriend right now. And we don't even know each other. I think you'll be disappointed."
But Nango Koichiro wasn't ready to give up. He stared at Shimizu Kanon with wide eyes and tried to charm her. "Don't say no so fast! Look at me—I'm handsome, got a great body, and most importantly, I'm really good at treating cute girls like you well. Just give me a chance. Be my girlfriend, okay?"
Shimizu Kanon kept her smile, calm and unshaken. "That's really not necessary. But thank you for your interest."
Nango Koichiro was about to keep pushing, but at that moment, a figure stepped in front of him like a wall of shadow.
Aoi Kunisaku stood there, face blank, eyes cold. "She said it clearly," he said, voice flat. "She's not interested in you."
Nango Koichiro looked Aoi up and down. His fiery gaze instantly turned cold. "Who the hell are you?" he snapped. "Why are you butting in?"
Aoi didn't answer the question. He just repeated calmly, "Kanon said she doesn't know you."
As soon as he finished, he reached out and grabbed Shimizu Kanon's wrist, ready to leave.
But just then, a sharp voice rang out from behind, loud as thunder in everyone's ears. "Aoi Kunisaku, you unholy ghost! What are you doing here? Were you spying on Haruko too?!"
Aoi froze mid-step. A dark vein popped on his forehead.
He spun around and glared at Sakuragi Hanamichi, eyes full of irritation. "Who the hell would spy on her? You think everyone's as dumb as you?"
Aoi really didn't want to deal with this idiot anymore. He grabbed Shimizu Kanon again and quickened his pace.
But before they could get far, another voice sliced through the air and stopped them.
It was Nango Koichiro. His tone was surprised and excited. "Aoi Kunisaku? You're that No. 9 from Shohoku in the news?!"
Aoi didn't even look back. He just kept walking with Shimizu Kanon.
Then Nango's next line hit like a hook.
He pointed straight at Aoi, grinning provocatively. "Since you're from Shohoku, how about we make a bet? If Tsukubu wins, this cute girl by your side becomes mine. If I lose, I'll give up chasing her forever!"
The whole place went silent. Time itself seemed to freeze.
Shimizu Kanon's face flushed with rage. She spun around and shot Nango Koichiro a deadly glare.
What the hell did he think she was?
Some prize to be fought over?
She was about to snap at him, but then noticed Aoi Kunisaku moving.
Hoo...
A sudden chill burst from Aoi Kunisaku, sweeping across the court. It wasn't wind, but it felt like it.
Even under the blazing summer sun, Nango Koichiro, Sakuragi Hanamichi, and the rest of the gang felt a wave of bone-deep cold.
It was like standing at the edge of a bottomless pit, trapped in a tiny cage, surrounded by starving beasts baring their fangs—ready to pounce and rip them apart.
That deathly chill raised every hair on their bodies. Cold air surged from the soles of their feet to their scalps, making their skin crawl.
"Saku-chan..." Shimizu Kanon's heart skipped a beat. She quickly called his name, trying to stop him.
But Aoi's eyes stayed icy. He stared at Nango Koichiro for a long moment. Then, without a word, he turned around and walked away, still holding Shimizu Kanon's hand.
Nango Koichiro, Sakuragi Hanamichi, and the rest stood frozen like statues, staring blankly as Aoi and Kanon walked farther and farther away.
No one spoke. No one moved.
No one knew how much time passed before the Sakuragi gang finally snapped out of it.
They all let out deep breaths like they'd been underwater.
Takamiya Nozomi was drenched in sweat, face pale. His legs gave out and he dropped to the ground, voice trembling. "What the hell... just happened?"
Ohkusu Yuji still looked shaken. He gave a slight shake of his head and said, "Who knows… that guy's aura was way too dangerous."
Mito Yohei stared off in the direction Aoi Kunisaku had left, brows furrowed, expression serious. "This is gonna be trouble."
Even Sakuragi Hanamichi's face took on a rare, solemn look.
But unlike the others, after the initial shock, his eyes lit up with a sharp gleam and burning battle spirit. "Damn it! Aoi Kunisaku, just you wait! Someday, I'll beat you for sure! And that stupid fox Rukawa Kaede—I'm not letting him off either!"
As for Nango Koichiro, he was still standing in place like a statue. His eyes were wide like copper bells, his face frozen in fear, his body trembling slightly.
He had no idea what had just happened. It felt like he'd brushed past the gates of hell. One wrong step, and he might not have made it back.
…
Meanwhile, Aoi Kunisaku and Shimizu Kanon were walking side by side along the road, their pace steady and unhurried.
Maybe because of Nango Koichiro's scene earlier, the mood had dipped. Neither of them spoke. The air between them felt a little heavy.
Shimizu Kanon stole glances at Aoi Kunisaku now and then. Her heart was fluttering. "Was he that angry… because of me?"
Thinking that Aoi had unleashed that terrifying pressure to protect her, her cheeks blushed pink. A proud smile tugged at her lips.
Finally, she broke the silence and asked softly, "Why didn't you accept his bet just now?"
"Why would I? Idiot," Aoi answered bluntly, his tone cold and matter-of-fact.
But that wasn't the answer Shimizu Kanon wanted.
She tilted her head and pressed, "But you're so strong. There's no way you'd lose. If you'd agreed, you could've totally put that cocky guy in his place!"
Aoi let out a short snort. "I don't need to bet anything to crush him during the match. What's the point of wasting energy setting up some extra game?"
Ugh…
Shimizu Kanon was briefly speechless. But the more she thought about it, the more his logic made sense.
Still, part of her was disappointed. She really wanted to know what Aoi was truly thinking.
Just as she was tangled in her thoughts, Aoi suddenly spoke. "Hey, Kanon…"
"Hm?" Shimizu turned to him curiously.
Aoi paused for a moment, then said, "I want to start in the game against Tsukubu."
Her eyes lit up. A radiant smile bloomed across her face, so warm it could melt the darkest clouds.
Feigning surprise, she teased, "Eh? Really? You want to start? That's rare!"
"Quit talking nonsense," Aoi grumbled and looked away, trying to hide the slight blush creeping up his ears.
Shimizu Kanon covered her mouth and laughed, then said playfully, "I mean, starting's fine and all… but I guess it depends on your performance!"
"Hah?" Aoi narrowed his eyes at her, already seeing through her mischievous plan.
She was definitely trying to make him spend money again.
But he didn't really mind.
"Tch…" Aoi scoffed softly. "Whatever you say."
"Yay!" Shimizu Kanon jumped with joy. Her eyes sparkled like stars.
She grabbed Aoi's hand and hurried forward. "Then it's settled! I think there's a basketball event at the mall up ahead. First place gets this limited-edition keychain I've been dying to have!"
Aoi twitched at the mention. "Basketball again? Shouldn't we be going for a nice meal or shopping for clothes or something normal?"
"None of your business," Shimizu replied proudly.
…
Their figures gradually faded into the distance, disappearing down the street under the envious, jealous, and resentful gazes of passersby.