"If not Kaede Rukawa, then who are you looking at? Oliver? Or maybe… Sakuragi Hanamichi?"
Ayako leaned closer to Haruko with a playful grin, her tone full of mischief.
"I never expected our sweet Haruko to be this popular. You've got three hot topics circling around you~"
"Ayako!!" Haruko's face turned bright red as she frantically waved her hands in front of her chest.
"Don't say weird things! I'm not popular at all—and being a 'hot topic' isn't something to brag about! We're all just classmates... that's it."
"Is that so?" Ayako smirked, folding her arms. "But those three aren't ordinary at all."
She motioned with her chin toward the court, where the boys were running laps during warm-up.
"First, there's Kaede Rukawa—your favorite. You know all about him already. He was famous in middle school for his flashy playing style and even won MVP at the league championship. A bunch of schools were watching him closely after that."
Haruko nodded silently. Of course, she knew all about Rukawa's accolades. As his number-one fan, she had followed every bit of his basketball journey since junior high.
"Next, there's Sakuragi Hanamichi, the red-haired whirlwind at the front of the pack," Ayako continued. "He's been the talk of the school ever since enrollment started. First, he took down a gang of third-year delinquents, and then—get this—he challenged your brother to a one-on-one and held his own."
"Don't remind me…" Haruko sighed, rubbing her forehead. She had witnessed all of Sakuragi's dramatic entrances firsthand.
"Hehehe… thanks to him, we even got to admire your brother's glorious backside!"
"Wha—Ouch! Ayako!!"
Haruko smacked Ayako lightly on the arm, her embarrassment spiking.
"Hahahaha! Alright, alright, I'll stop teasing you!"
Haruko pouted while Ayako waved her hands in surrender, still giggling.
"And lastly," Ayako said, her expression turning a bit more serious, "we've got the real mystery—Oliver."
Her eyes settled on Oliver, who was running silently with the others, his head slightly down, clearly deep in thought.
"Haruko, did you see the final match between Oliver and Kaede Rukawa back in junior high?"
"Ah? I remember reading a report in Weekly Basketball," Haruko replied, blinking.
As a devoted fan of Rukawa, she had certainly paid attention to that game. But she hadn't been able to attend in person due to a family commitment. Later, she was shocked to see a headline in the sports magazine: Rukawa Defeated!
The boy who had defeated him wasn't someone Haruko—or anyone—had heard of before. His name was Oliver, and his photo had been printed in the issue.
But she had never seen the actual match footage.
"Ayako… what exactly happened in that game?" Haruko asked curiously.
It was rare to see Ayako so serious. Something about her tone made Haruko lean in.
"Well…" Ayako let out a long breath, as if recalling the memory. "That match was unreal."
"In the first three quarters, Rukawa was unstoppable. He carried his team on his back, and Wako Middle School—the team Oliver was on—was crushed. The score gap went beyond 30 points. They were losing badly, and no one thought they could recover."
"Then, with ten minutes left in the game, the coach called a timeout. And during that timeout… Oliver was subbed in."
"No one took it seriously at first. Everyone thought it was just garbage time, that the coach wanted to give a rookie a taste of the court before the game ended."
"But then—everything changed."
Ayako's voice lowered, growing intense.
"Within seconds of stepping on the court, Oliver stole the ball from Rukawa and scored with a slam dunk! A slam dunk! From someone barely over 1.6 meters tall!"
"H-He dunked? At that height!?" Haruko gasped.
"Yes!" Ayako nodded vigorously. "That's when everyone in the stadium sat up. They couldn't believe their eyes. He wasn't just fast—his game sense, his ball control, his vision... it was like watching a professional out there."
"From steals to assists, to perfectly timed passes—he was everywhere. He wasn't just playing; he was orchestrating."
Haruko looked back at Oliver, now jogging steadily with the team, his pace unchanging.
"I had no idea he was so incredible…"
Ayako smiled knowingly. "That's why he earned the nickname 'Violent Oliver.' His offense was like a storm—quick, sharp, and impossible to defend."
"But I think people are missing something even more amazing than that."
"Huh?" Haruko tilted her head, curious.
Ayako raised one finger, her expression serious again.
"Everyone focused on his outrageous individual skills. But the real magic? It was in how his teammates started playing better once he entered the game."
"Really?"
"I rewatched the match video several times," Ayako continued. "Every dribble, every move Oliver made had a purpose. He wasn't just scoring—he was creating space, drawing defenders, setting screens with his body language. He made everyone around him better."
"He would draw the defense and then pass—right on time, right to the right person. And because of his setup, the receivers always had clear opportunities to shoot."
"That kind of game awareness? You can't teach that. Running fast and jumping high is one thing, but understanding the rhythm of the team and guiding its flow? That's next-level talent."
Haruko stared again at Oliver, now completely absorbed in practice. He didn't even realize the girls were watching and gossiping about him.
"Wow…" she whispered.
Ayako smirked again and slipped her arm around Haruko's shoulder.
"So… which one is it?"
"H-Huh?!"
"Which one's your destined one?" Ayako grinned wickedly.
"Ayako! You're doing it again!!" Haruko's face turned as red as her shoes, and she pushed Ayako away in a fluster.
"Oh, come on~ You're already this old and still this shy?" Ayako teased, leaning in again.
"J-Just stop it already… We're all just good friends… You're being mean…"
Haruko's voice had dropped to a whisper, barely louder than a mosquito's buzz.
"Hahaha! Okay, okay! I'll stop teasing you—for now," Ayako said, giving Haruko's back a gentle pat. "You're just too cute, Haruko. I couldn't resist."
Haruko shot her a mock glare, but couldn't help the small smile that tugged at her lips.
"Let's change the subject then," Ayako said cheerfully. "Since you're so familiar with all three of them, tell me—what are they really like?"
"Huh?"
"I mean, I'm the manager now. It's important that I understand their personalities too. Knowing my players helps me manage them better."
"Well… okay." Haruko nodded, taking the question seriously now.
"Rukawa-san is always calm. He doesn't talk much, and he keeps to himself a lot. But I think he's a good person at heart."
"Yeah, he was always like that in junior high too," Ayako said, waving her hand. "He just has a permanent poker face."
Haruko laughed softly, then moved on.
"Sakuragi-kun is... loud. He's cheerful, kind of wild, but in a good way. He's easy to talk to, and he's not as scary as he looks."
"Hahaha! That's so true! Sakuragi's like a giant kid!"
Ayako nodded in agreement, then leaned in again.
"And what about Oliver?"
"Hmm… Oliver…" Haruko tapped her cheek thoughtfully.
"He gives off a really mature vibe. He's thoughtful, gentle… but also…"
"But also?" Ayako urged.
"There's always this… distance," Haruko said, gesturing vaguely in front of her. "He's kind, and polite, but you never feel like you're getting close to him. Like there's this fog you can't reach through."
"A fog, huh?"
Ayako fell silent for a moment, absorbing Haruko's words.
Even Haruko… couldn't see through him.
She glanced once more at Oliver on the court, still running silently in formation, his movements precise and steady.
He's more mysterious than I thought.
Then Ayako smiled slyly.
"Alright, serious question time—if you had to pick one of them to be your boyfriend… who would you choose?"
"Wh-Wh-WHAT!? Not me!!" Haruko cried, her hands flying up again.
"HAHAHA! Okay, okay! I'm just joking!"
Ayako winked mischievously while Haruko turned away, her face still bright red.
From behind the gym window, the boys continued running. Their steady breaths and synchronized movements echoed with energy and determination.
But inside the gym, another kind of rhythm was unfolding—a rhythm of laughter, blushes, and the warmth of youthful friendship.
And just like that, the gossip continued…
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