After saying goodbye to the basketball team, Oliver hung out with Sakuragi and the others at the shopping street. They filled their stomachs with takoyaki, played a few intense rounds of arcade games, and eventually parted ways for the evening.
Oliver's home was located in northern Kanagawa, about three blocks away from Shohoku High School. It wasn't particularly far, but not exactly close either—about a thirty-minute walk on foot.
Unlike Sakuragi, who came from a less fortunate background, Oliver lived in a modest Japanese-style two-story home with a private room of his own. According to his original memories, he was an international student from Daxia, currently residing in Japan with his aunt who had married a local.
His aunt's name was Gu Momei, though after marriage, she took her husband's surname and became Furukawa Momei. She was a graceful woman, the epitome of Yamato Nadeshiko elegance. Her husband was a food critic who traveled frequently for work. He doted on his wife and often took her on his culinary adventures, leaving Oliver behind.
To be fair, Oliver received a generous monthly allowance from them, so they weren't exactly negligent. Still, letting a high schooler live on his own might seem questionable if not for one important fact—he wasn't entirely alone.
"I'm back," Oliver yawned as he opened the front door, completely exhausted from the two basketball games earlier that day. All he wanted now was a shower and a soft bed.
"Too slow!!"
The sharp voice of a girl froze him in place. Blocking his path to freedom stood a girl in a sailor school uniform, arms crossed and expression sour. She had shoulder-length hair adorned with a panda hairpin, and her eyebrows were scrunched in displeasure.
Oliver sighed. "Oh no..."
Standing before him was Chika Furukawa, the daughter of his aunt and her husband—his distant cousin.
Chika was sharp, resourceful, and stubborn. With their parents constantly away, she managed the house like a mini general. Her efficiency was the reason their carefree guardians could gallivant across the country guilt-free.
Now, it was Chika's responsibility to watch over Oliver. And based on the fire in her eyes, he was in for a scolding.
"It's already nine! What kind of older brother leaves his adorable little sister alone and fools around until this hour?" she snapped, tapping her wristwatch.
"Also, you promised to bring me pudding! Where is it?"
"Oops... I forgot..."
Oliver scratched his head, his guilty smile failing to ease the situation. Chika's scowl deepened as she stepped closer.
"Don't be mad! I'll go buy it now!"
He dropped his basketball and bolted from the house, disappearing into the night.
"Hey! Wait!"
But he was already gone. Chika huffed, arms falling to her sides. Her eyes wandered to the still-rolling basketball on the floor.
"...Idiot."
She bent down, picked up the ball, and held it close. It was still warm.
---
In the shopping street, Oliver jogged to a small shop just as it was about to close. He bought Chika's favorite—an old-fashioned red bean pudding, the kind only available at these traditional stores. She always said the supermarket versions were too Westernized.
As he exited the store, bag in hand, he heard the familiar sound of a bouncing basketball in the distance.
"Huh? Who's playing ball this late?"
Curious, he followed the rhythmic sound to a quiet, slightly run-down apartment area nearby.
"Yoshi!! Slam dunk!!"
There, under the faint glow of a streetlamp, stood Sakuragi. With the ball in hand, he jumped and slammed it against a large stone protruding from a wall—his makeshift hoop.
"Hmm... doesn't feel right... How did Bean Sprout do it?"
He muttered to himself, clearly trying to mimic Oliver's dunk from earlier.
"I'm gonna keep practicing and surprise them all next time!"
Just then, Sakuragi turned and saw Oliver standing a few feet away.
"Yo."
"AAAHHH!"
Sakuragi jumped in shock. "W-Why are you here?!"
Oliver lifted the bag. "Buying pudding. Saw you practicing."
"I wasn't practicing! I'm a genius, remember? Geniuses don't need practice!"
Despite his loud denial, the sweat dripping down his face and the sheepish grin betrayed him.
Oliver chuckled. He remembered from the anime how Sakuragi would always practice in secret, not wanting anyone to know he was working hard.
"Tell you what, Sakuragi. How about we train together during the holidays?"
"Eh?"
Oliver leaned in with a grin. "Basketball makes you popular with girls. The better you play, the more they'll swoon."
Sakuragi's eyes sparkled. He thought back to the mysterious older sister cheering for him during the last match.
"I'm in! But... I'm not doing it just for girls, you know. It would be a waste not to use my incredible talent!"
"Sure, sure."
Oliver rolled his eyes. But in truth, he was glad. Training with Sakuragi would serve two purposes: help the redhead master basic basketball skills faster and give Oliver a benchmark to evaluate his own growth.
"Alright, we start tomorrow. 8 a.m. I'll come to your house."
"You better keep up, Bean Sprout!"
"You sure you can even dribble?"
"Watch your mouth, or I'll dunk on you first thing tomorrow!"
"If you mess up, you might get dumped for the 51st time!"
"YOU LISTENED TO YOHEI?!"
"Later, Sakuragi!"
Laughing, Oliver waved and jogged off into the night.
"Training starts tomorrow..."
He clutched the pudding bag tightly and began running toward home.
"Time to get stronger."
---
Back at home, Chika sat at the kitchen table, arms folded. The pudding was neatly placed in front of her.
Oliver walked in, drenched in sweat but smiling.
"I got your pudding."
"You're late."
"I saw Sakuragi practicing and stopped to chat."
Chika picked up the pudding, looked at it for a moment, then mumbled, "Thanks."
As Oliver headed toward the shower, she added, "Don't think I'm letting you off the hook tomorrow. You're scrubbing the kitchen."
"Yes, ma'am."
Oliver chuckled, heading up the stairs.
Tomorrow marked the start of his real journey—a summer of growth, sweat, and dreams on the court.
And he wasn't doing it alone.
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