Chapter 17 Basketball 16

The next day, Tokyo Gymnasium.

The gymnasium was packed with people and the noise was deafening. Under the bright lights, the huge LED screen displayed the starting lineup of the Teiko Junior High School basketball team.

There were excited cheers coming from the audience, and the whole audience was welcoming these rising stars in the high school basketball world who were becoming more and more famous.

Kurikawa Sana has been a member of the Teiko basketball team for some time, but today is her first time to watch an official game with the team as the manager of the first team. She was instantly infected by the warm and amazing atmosphere.

"Sana, this is the first time you've seen their official match, right? They were really—super—amazing during their official match—"

Tao Jing Satsuki playfully stretched out the last syllable: "Especially A-Da. Although he's usually not very serious, he's so cool when he plays basketball that you can't take your eyes off him."

"I know. I've always felt it when I watched Aomine-kun play basketball at the gym at night."

"No, Ah Da is more impressive when he plays in official matches—much stronger than in training. If the opponent is also strong, it will be even more pleasing to watch."

Momoi Satsuki looked down at the opponent's profile. "This time, our opponent, Kirisaki First Junior High School, is very strong. In terms of strength alone, they even surpass Kirisaki's high school department. Furthermore, their starting lineup also includes Hanamiya Makoto, known as the 'Uncrowned Five'..."

When Hanamiya Makoto's name was mentioned, Momoi Satsuki's brows furrowed. Kurikawa Sana looked at her, "What's wrong, Satsuki?"

Tao Jing Satsuki said with a worried look on her face, "Although it's not nice to comment on seniors from other schools, I'm really worried that A-Da and the others will get hurt in this game..."

"The opposing team's point guard, Hanamiya Makoto, is nicknamed 'Bad Boy.' He's an excellent stealer, interceptor, and floater, but he loves to resort to trickery during games, especially when it comes to injuring opponents in the referee's blind spot."

...are there such people?

Upon hearing this, Kurikawa Sana couldn't help but frown. She has always cared about her physical health and found it difficult to understand why some people would take pleasure in hurting others in sports competitions.

"So who is Hanamiya really?" she asked.

Taoi Satsuki leaned over to her ear and whispered, "The one with black hair and number 4 jersey across the street."

Kurikawa Sana turned her head with a cold expression and looked towards the bench area of ​​Kirisaki First Middle School.

Unexpectedly, the man Mayu had mentioned, the one with black hair and jersey number 4, Hanamiya Makoto, was actually looking at her.

He was a young man with fair skin and delicate features, looking rather gloomy. Unlike his otherwise elegant appearance, the two thick eyebrows beneath his black bangs were a striking feature, further accentuating his already somewhat gloomy demeanor.

And for some reason, the other party seemed to be looking in her direction from the very beginning.

After meeting Kurikawa Sana's gaze, Hanamiya Shin paused and quickly looked away, as if nothing had happened.

"Wow, Sana, is it my imagination? It seemed like Hanamiya-senpai was looking at you just now?" Momoi Satsuki also noticed this scene and asked in surprise: "Sana, do you know him?"

“…I have no impression.”

"Hmm...it doesn't seem strange. It's perfectly normal for someone like you to be stared at for someone like that, Sana."

Kurikawa Sana: "And if I had met him, I would never forget his eyebrows. Those eyebrows are against the rules, right?"

"Pfft...!" Momoi Satsuki was instantly amused, but then she tried to regain her composure and hold it in. "No, no, if people find out I'm laughing at my seniors..."

"May, you just said that person is good at injuring his opponents in the referee's blind spot, right? I have a way to crack it."

"Hmm? What's the method?"

"There's a great invention in this world called the mobile phone, and one of its features is the camera." Kurikawa Sana pulled out her phone and said seriously, "Just because the referee can't see the angle doesn't mean the audience has a blind spot. If he dares to try something tricky, I'll take a picture."

Momoi Satsuki: “Pfft, pfft hahahahahahaha…!”

"Hey, you're smiling happily over there." Haizaki Shogo walked over to the two managers as if naturally, picked up the water cups they had prepared for the starters, and raised an eyebrow at Kise Ryouta beside him and said, "Ryouta, you didn't make the starting lineup today?"

Momoi Satsuki sighed helplessly. Here it comes again. Today's Haizaki provoking Kise has almost become a specialty of the Teiko basketball club.

I don't know why, but Haizaki-kun always has a strong hostility towards Xiao Huang.

Kise Ryota smiled nonchalantly, "Being the first player is just a matter of time for me anyway."

"I hope the opponent today will be stronger and not make me feel bored like other opponents." Aomine Daiki shrugged with boredom.

"Hmm... Is this Lizi's first time watching our official match?"

Murasakibara Atsushi walked over, his tall figure instantly casting a shadow. He naturally stuffed a delicious bar into Kurikawa Sana's hand and said, "Kuri, just sit here and watch while you eat the delicious bar."

"For every one you finish, I'll take twenty points."

Tao Jing Satsuki: "..."

Wow, Xiao Zi’s declaration sounds like something is wrong!

Kurikawa Sana: "No, it's not a good idea to eat snacks at the manager's table."

"..." Momoi's eyes moved in May.

It might be more convincing if you, Sana, had already opened the package of the delicious stick without saying anything insincerely saying it.

However, the atmosphere in the team is really great now. Amidst the bickering and noise, there is a warm and intimate atmosphere... It would be nice if Tetsu-kun was here too, Taoi Satsuki thought, holding her chin.

I don't know if it's because he knew that today's opponent might cause someone to get injured, but Akashi-kun didn't arrange for Kuroko-kun to participate in this game today. Akashi-kun attaches great importance to the development of Kuroko, the team's phantom sixth man.

"Murasara, don't fight alone!" Midorima Shintaro frowned and said, "My three-point shot is the fastest way to score."

"Tsk, I don't want it." Murasakibara Atsushi lowered his eyes and looked at the black-haired girl, and said lazily, "Be it the ball or anything else, whoever grabs it gets it."

Oh? It seems to be implying something.

Akashi Seijuro glanced over here, with a half-smile in his gorgeous rose-red eyes.

…

"The game begins!!"

With the referee's whistle, Murasakibara Atsushi took the lead in grabbing the ball with his amazing height and jumping ability. Amid the sudden enthusiastic cheers from the audience, the game began.

The regular players of Teiko Junior High School's basketball team are truly renowned talents, with skills so impressive that the audiences can't keep up. A match between students actually brings a visual feast that is even more amazing than any basketball game on TV.

Aomine Daiki's unpredictable shooting and lightning-fast speed, Murasakibara Atsushi's mountainous build and his absolute defensive pressure in the paint, Midorima Shintaro's machine-like three-pointers, Haizaki Shogo's ruthless pursuit of opposing players' signature moves, Akashi Seijuro's commanding presence with his passing and control of the entire game...

Watching them like this, Kurikawa Sana raised her hand to cover her chest to suppress the sound of her violent heartbeat, almost to the point of being in a trance.

Just as May said, they were confident, strong, dazzling and skilled in the official competition.

The trivial activities they do after school on weekdays cannot reflect one tenth of their charm at this moment.

Perhaps this is the charm of sports competition, the fierce confrontation between strong muscles and bodies, the tenacious willpower of never giving up, the contest of tactics and wisdom... It is so exciting that it is impossible to take your eyes off it.

They shine in their own field.

Just as Kurikawa Sana was staring in a trance, suddenly, amid the sharp whistle and the players' efforts to score a goal, she saw the black-haired boy wearing the green No. 4 jersey on the opposite side seemed to slow down intentionally or unintentionally. The slowing movement was particularly conspicuous among the extremely fast-paced things around him.

Her gaze once again met a pair of gloomy and calm black eyes.

——It was the eyes of the senior from the opposing team, Hanamiya Makoto, that Mayu mentioned.

But soon, Hanamiya Shin looked away again, as if the sudden turn of his gaze towards the audience was just a coincidence.

Kurikawa Sana was stunned for a moment.

...was it her imagination? The eye contact just now.

But soon, the direction of the game changed.

"Damn it... that guy has finally started!" Momoi Satsuki was so angry that she suddenly stood up from her seat, "Sana, did you see that?! When he swung his arm down to grab the rebound just now, it hit Shi-kun's solar plexus!"

"I saw it. It was done at an angle that the referee couldn't see. The referee didn't call a stop."

"I should have known that! No wonder he suddenly went inside to grab a rebound even though he's the point guard. He's definitely starting to get into trouble! Luckily, Zi-kun is tough and seems fine... Wow, Zi-kun's face looks scary. He must have realized it was intentional!"

"May, leave it to me."

Kurikawa Sana's expression turned cold as she took out her phone to take photos and videos, wanting to record the other party's trickery, but she saw -

Hanamiya Makoto turned towards the audience again, and the boy curled his lips in a wicked way and smiled at her camera.

Kurikawa Sana: "...?!"

The cell phone recorded Hanamiya Makoto's malicious smile at that moment, making his fair and handsome face look evil in an instant.

Now she was really sure that the previous eye contact was not an illusion.

Hanamiya was really looking at her.

It's not for any other reason, but a simple and clear provocation.

It's like saying - "I know what you want to do, it's useless."

And, simply for fun.