Chapter Forty-Five: Summer Festival
After Ryonan's opening victory, according to the schedule, they had no games for the next two days.
With Kainan High School's first-round match already concluded, Coach Taoka organized the players to observe the remaining main opponents' games—Shohoku, Kaijo, and Shoyo.
Shoyo 119 - Bokichi 64
Kaijo 131 - Fujishiro 61
Shohoku 120 - Nanno 43
Whether influenced by Ryonan's game or not, these three teams played their opening rounds extremely seriously. Even facing unremarkable ordinary schools, they fielded starters through the entire first half, each margin more exaggerated than the last.
"That's Shoyo's interior ace, one of Kanagawa's four great centers—Hanagata Toru!" Aida's gaze locked onto that tall figure wearing glasses on court, furiously recording in his notebook.
"His playing style feels really different from Uozumi-senpai and Akagi-senpai..."
"Correct. Hanagata Toru is the most unique among the four great centers. He's a pure technical specialist representative." Coach Taoka analyzed for the players. "He possesses stable mid-range shooting ability, quite solid low-post footwork, and decent facilitating vision."
"If I had to say," Coach Taoka turned to look at Uozumi beside him, "he and Uozumi represent completely opposite development directions."
Uozumi silently watched Hanagata's flexible movements on court, his brow furrowing slightly.
In last year's game between Ryonan and Shoyo, he and Hanagata had basically neutralized each other—neither could stop the other.
"Rukawa's improved quite a bit compared to the practice game." Sendoh was more interested in Shohoku.
"Speaking of which, that Sakuragi Hanamichi too—on court he no longer looks like a beginner." Ikegami said. "Though his performance is still pretty raw."
Sakuragi's debut only netted 2 points. Though grabbing 6 rebounds, he'd also fouled out early with 5 personal fouls.
"Sorato keeps watching toward Kaijo," Uekusa said. "Because of Kise?"
"Yeah." Yagami nodded. Kise Ryota's playing style had indeed changed. Though still primarily isolation-based, his passes at key moments were all exquisite—even faintly carrying shadows of his and Sendoh's movements.
"Really troublesome..."
"Really? You look like you're smiling happily to me." Koshino quietly commented from the side.
Besides observing opponents' games, training remained Ryonan's focus.
Even during the two rest days, Coach Taoka arranged simple, targeted practice sessions. Ryonan's gymnasium maintained its usual rhythm—everything as normal.
Afternoon of May 20th.
After regular training concluded, Yagami walked straight to courtside and began packing his equipment.
"Hmm?" Ikegami was first to notice the anomaly. Yagami wasn't like Sendoh, who after training wanted to slack off—no, go fishing.
"Yagami, not doing extra practice today? Leaving so early?"
Yagami, gathering his belongings while heading to the locker room, answered honestly after hearing the question: "Yeah, I've got plans today. Made plans with a friend to go to the festival."
"???"
For an instant, the surroundings seemed to fall silent.
"Festival?"
"Oh, a festival."
"It's a festival."
Players repeated the strange word.
"Ahem, just asking—this friend of yours, male or female?" Ikegami asked with his last shred of hope.
"A girl. Why?" Yagami's expression remained characteristically calm.
His voice wasn't loud, yet sounded particularly jarring in the gymnasium.
Several seconds later, various voices erupted like an exploding pot.
"Why?! Just because you're good-looking?" Ikegami shouted angrily. "I am too!"
Even Uozumi couldn't help looking over. "Ikegami, you look about the same as me, right?"
"???" Ikegami stared at Uozumi in shock. "Uozumi, you're actually insulting me like this!"
"Challenge! Challenge!"
"Wait, is it that summer festival?" Koshino asked belatedly.
"Damn! I really want to go too!" Sugahira let out a yearning wail.
Everyone looked at Yagami with "betrayal" in their eyes. How much was "envy, jealousy, and hate" only they knew.
"Ah, a festival... Sounds really nice. I think there's goldfish scooping and candy apples." Sendoh had already packed his things, commenting as if unconcerned. "Too bad I have a feeling I'll catch a big fish tonight, otherwise I could check it out with friends too."
"Sendoh. Yagami." Ikegami called out coldly.
"Hmm?"
"You two hurry up and leave. Don't disturb everyone's training."
"Oh, I'm heading out then." Just as Yagami was about to exit, he suddenly wondered if the players' abnormal behavior stemmed from him "slacking off," so he added: "Actually, if I could really get out of it, I'd rather train with everyone."
"Crack."
Yagami seemed to hear a strange sound.
Aida hurriedly pushed him toward the door. "Sorato, go quickly! Otherwise you won't be able to leave soon!"
"...You guys are really weird today."
After Yagami puzzledly finished his last sentence, he finally disappeared from the gymnasium entrance under the players' complex gazes.
"So, continue training?" Uekusa suggested.
"AHHH—!"
Ikegami's furious roar echoed through the gymnasium.
Evening arrived. Summer's presence intensified. A trace of orange-red glow still lingered on the horizon.
The summer festival had come as scheduled. The air gradually filled with the enticing aromas of fried noodles and takoyaki.
Yagami arrived at the festival entrance as agreed, spotting Chika Yuuki already waiting from afar.
She'd rarely changed into a light blue yukata decorated with delicate white flowers, her hair carefully arranged to expose her pale neck. Against the bustling crowd and rising lantern lights, she looked more gentle and charming than usual.
"Sorato! Over here!" Chika waved excitedly, her yukata sleeves swaying with the motion.
"Oh." Yagami responded, walking to her side. After showering at school, he'd changed into a clean T-shirt and pants—somewhat out of place with the surrounding yukata atmosphere, though he seemed completely unbothered.
"How is it?" Chika spun in front of him, her eyes sparkling as she anticipated his evaluation.
"Mm, pretty good." Yagami's answer was concise, but his gaze couldn't help lingering on her for a few extra seconds.
"Just 'pretty good'? You have no taste!" Chika muttered with feigned dissatisfaction, though her upturned mouth corners betrayed her good mood.
She naturally grasped Yagami's wrist. "Let's go! First, goldfish scooping! If we're late, all the good paper nets will be used up!"
The festival was packed with people, extremely lively.
Chika's face beamed with excitement as she lingered at every booth.
She first persisted at goldfish scooping but unfortunately lacked skill, consecutively breaking several paper nets without catching a single fish, stomping her feet in frustration. Next she tried shooting games, wanting the biggest plush toy, but her shots always missed by a hair.
Yagami didn't make a grand display helping fulfill her wishes, simply following quietly behind, responsible for paying and carrying things.
Originally he'd been thinking—at occasions like this, following common tropes, he might encounter familiar faces from other teams. Perhaps run into some ace also here to relax, maybe even have some small friction or interesting incident.
However, reality was that nothing happened. Only unfamiliar faces surrounded them.
Parents with children, laughing middle school couples, leisurely strolling elderly people—just no basketball-related elements intruding on this evening. Everything utterly ordinary.
"Hey, Sorato, stop spacing out! I want candy apples!" Chika's voice pulled him from his thoughts.
Yagami bought the candy, watching her contentedly lick the shiny sugar coating, her mouth corner accidentally getting a bit of red syrup. He very naturally wiped away the syrup, not noticing her face turning redder than the candy apple.
Before they knew it, night had deepened. The festival approached its end. The most anticipated fireworks show was about to begin.
Yagami and Chika found a spot on a slightly less crowded slope and sat down.
As the first whistle split the night sky, brilliant fireworks burst thunderously across the deep firmament, their flowing colors illuminating countless upturned faces below.
Just as a massive cluster of golden fireworks cascaded like a waterfall, Chika suddenly turned, carefully extracting a small omamori—a protective charm embroidered with the characters for "certain victory"—from her sleeve pocket and pressing it into Yagami's hand.
"Here, this is for you."
Yagami froze, looking down at the charm still carrying her body warmth.
Chika immediately turned her face away, pretending to focus intently on the continuously blooming fireworks in the sky. Her voice seemed subtle amid the fireworks' roar yet clearly drilled into his ears:
"D-don't overthink it! After all, basketball is kind of an injury-prone sport..."
"This is just so you won't get hurt!"
"Yeah, otherwise maybe I'd have to take care of you or something—what a hassle..."
The fireworks' radiance flickered across Chika's slightly flushed profile.
Yagami looked at the charm in his hand, then at her deliberately averted silhouette. Ripples arose in his heart.
"Bang!" The sky lit up again.
"Mm."
Amid the fireworks' ascending roar, Yagami responded quietly. He said nothing more, simply gripping tightly that small yet weighty sentiment, feeling this heartfelt stirring belonging uniquely to "youth."
The fireworks in the night sky remained brilliant, decorating this ordinary yet special summer evening with extraordinary brightness.
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