Chapter 71 More Than Just Basketball

"I feel like you'll spoil me like a princess."

Aside from her family, Kanon rarely maintains close relationships with anyone else.

Upon arriving here, she met these adorable boys and was determined to help them achieve their goals.

She unexpectedly falls in love with Rukawa Kaede.

Rukawa Kaede's presence was so strong that she would always think of him first and trust him in everything she did.

Hanon was momentarily dazed.

So, without realizing it, she had already gotten used to having Rukawa Kaede around?

"It wasn't because I spoiled her."

Rukawa gently pushed the shoes onto her heels, making sure they fit perfectly, carefully tied the laces, stood up, and reached out his hand to her.

He looked at her with his beautiful fox-like eyes and said with certainty, "You were born to be betrothed to my little princess. From now on, I will wear your wedding shoes."

Rukawa Kaede didn't think there was anything wrong with what he said. He was the kind of person who had an extremely strong learning ability, was single-minded, and only cared about what he wanted.

If you want anyone or anything, just work hard to achieve your goal.

If you love basketball, you only think about playing basketball; if you like Hanon, you naturally think about their future.

Hanayin's pupils dilated slightly.

The gentle sound that Rukawa Kaede uttered softly from his throat was so captivating that it melted one's heart.

Hana reached out and took his hand, standing up. Her earlobes couldn't help but burn: "Hey, what are you talking about? It's like a marriage proposal!"

Rukawa Kaede seemed to think about it seriously for a moment, his calm voice tinged with distress: "I'm only fifteen years old."

Huayin:…………

That was a bit abrupt, making her sound like a brothel madam who seduces children.

Kanon pinched Rukawa's tender cheek: "Little brat."

The next moment, her wrist was grabbed by Rukawa Kaede.

Rukawa Kaede held Kanon's head firmly with one hand, preventing her from looking away.

He lowered his head and pressed his forehead against hers, his breath mingling with hers, and his beautiful fox-like eyes slowly revealed a dangerous aggression.

"I'm not a little kid."

Even a casual glance at Huayin felt like he was about to leave his mark on her skin.

Hanon subconsciously held her breath; the magnified, perfectly high-class face was too impactful, and she was slightly lost in thought.

Kanon's absent-mindedness was noticed by Rukawa.

Rukawa Kaede nuzzled her nose against hers, staring at her with a fanatical and obsessive gaze, his cold voice tinged with displeasure: "I'm not a little kid."

Hanon was a little shy. Her eyelashes were curved, and she imitated his action by rubbing her nose against his, unaware that this gesture was no different from being coquettish.

"Okay, my big boy, go pay the bill."

The beautiful fox eyes lit up instantly, but the voice kept lowering, almost like a breath: "...Mmm!"

Hana's eyelashes curled into a thick row: "Feng Feng."

"Um?"

"You have a beautiful smile."

Rukawa Kaede lowered his eyes, looking incredibly obedient and adorable. A small smile played on his lips, and his voice sounded somewhat unnatural as he said, "Thank you."

Should I say thank you?

Isn't that being too polite?

She liked him so much.

They even make a point of praising him for smiling.

The fox was excited, the fox was shy.

The young couple, having just bought their sneakers, looked completely bewildered.

Hanon asked, "What should we do next?"

Rukawa Kaede puffed out his cheeks, spread his thumb and forefinger, and rested his chin on his hand to indicate that he was thinking seriously.

See a movie?

But it seems the two of them fell asleep in the movie theater last night; they just slept in a different place.

Eating?

I just had a meal, so I'm already quite full if I eat again.

Shopping?

But isn't buying sneakers also shopping? He couldn't find any other way to go on a date.

Hanon looked at Rukawa Kaede, a thought flashing through her mind. She thought for a moment, then softly called out to him, "Kaede."

Rukawa Kaede reacted almost immediately, "Mm."

Hanon: "Do you want to go back to the training hall to practice?"

Rukawa Kaede nodded decisively: "Okay."

So, after less than an hour of dating, the two returned to the training facility.

Hanon sat by the basketball court, watching him practice intently for a while.

Rukawa Kaede's offensive ability is undoubtedly outstanding. He can easily break through the opponent's defense with his excellent skills and create scoring opportunities time and time again.

In comparison, his defensive ability seems rather unremarkable and may not pose much of a threat to strong opponents.

After a moment's thought, Hanon concluded that defense was more stable than offense.

The role of defense is not only to limit the opponent's scoring, but also to create valuable offensive opportunities for the team.

While an offensive strategy can provide a temporary advantage, it is not enough to guarantee victory in the entire match.

Excessive offensive pressure often leads to turnovers and missed shots, while an efficient defense can stabilize morale, keep the team calm in adversity, and gradually regain the rhythm of the game.

Therefore, there is a well-known saying in the NBA—

Offense wins games, defense wins championships.

Hanon simply tied her hair up and challenged Rukawa Kaede with a bright smile: "Kaede, want to have a one-on-one match with me?"

"want!"

Rukawa Kaede agreed without hesitation, his eyes shining.

Hanon said casually, "Then let's have a six-ball trial game, and then I'll serve again."

Rukawa Kaede passed the ball accurately to Hanon, looking at her intently: "Please begin."

After 6 balls.

Rukawa Kaede lowered his head as if he had done something wrong, and said, "I'm sorry."

Hana wiped the sweat from her forehead, her breathing a little uneven. "It's nothing."

Rukawa spoke again, his tone even more sincere: "I'm sorry."

Kanon interrupted Rukawa, speaking directly and frankly, genuinely puzzled: "Your reaction is a bit slow, you got completely crushed by me 6-0."

She suddenly frowned. "Are you distracted, or are you deliberately letting me win?"

Rukawa Kaede's fingers tightened instantly, and he lowered his eyes.

Hanon was firing on all cylinders on the court, and Rukawa's perfunctory attitude made her a little dissatisfied.

The training hall was brightly lit, and the sunlight streaming through the window cracks made the dust particles sparkle like tiny beads dancing in the air.

Hanon's figure shimmered in the sunlight as she stood in the center of the court, half-jokingly and half-seriously tossing a straight ball:

"Do you think girls aren't good enough to compete with you? Do you find... competing against me annoying?"

Some boys who are good at playing basketball will deliberately avoid girls when they encounter them on the court.

It seems like girls shouldn't be on the court, and there's even a perception that women's basketball isn't very entertaining, with a lot of prejudice against female players.

Rukawa Kaede reacted unusually quickly this time, his voice revealing nervousness: "No!"

How could he think that Kanon wasn't worthy of fighting against him!

You won't find it annoying at all!

In Rukawa Kaede's opinion, Kanon looked breathtakingly beautiful in her basketball uniform.

Her courage and fearlessness while playing ball exude an irresistible charm, as if interpreting a vigorous vitality.

Why is that?

A few seconds passed.

Seeing that Rukawa Kaede was still standing there and refused to speak, Kanon said in a flat and somewhat casual tone, "Rukawa-kun."

Kanon originally just wanted to be his sparring partner with a relaxed attitude.

She never expected Rukawa to approach her one-on-one with such an attitude. She was going to teach him a lesson with her basketball skills and deflate his arrogance.

On the court, everyone is equal, regardless of gender, and Hanon doesn't believe she will lose to any boy.

Rukawa Kaede clearly sensed Kanon's growing distance. He suddenly grabbed her wrist, took a step forward, and moved closer to her body.

"I'm just worried that you'll get hurt."

Therefore, he has difficulty concentrating.

Physically, girls are very different from boys.

Rukawa Kaede is facing the girl he likes.

He dared not charge ahead recklessly as usual, dared not defend, dared not fight... he basically dared not do anything.

In two words, it's "admitting defeat".

That's how idiotic and stupid it is.

Rukawa Kaede was simply instinctively trying to protect her.

Hanon stared blankly at Rukawa Kaede.

She watched Rukawa Kaede remain silent, watched him hesitate, watched those pure fox eyes gaze at her, and sincerely said she was worried about him getting hurt.

Hanon felt an unprecedented, intense surge of emotion coursing through her chest.

She wasn't easily moved, but Rukawa's simple words sent shivers down her spine.

Despite being a man of few words, Rukawa Kaede showed her his most sincere self with overwhelming care and meticulous consideration, subtly and silently permeating her life.

Well, how should I put it?

Hanon... is really enjoying it.

I like it very much.

Rukawa Kaede knew in his heart that if he didn't say anything, Kanon might leave him, and he couldn't let this misunderstanding become a barrier between them.

He spoke in a slightly somber tone, "I really want to play one-on-one with you."

Seemingly feeling that this wasn't clear enough, he added, "You could even say we've been looking forward to it for a long time."

The only sound in the training hall was Rukawa Kaede's soft explanation.

Perhaps because the space was large and somewhat empty, his voice seemed to echo, reverberating endlessly.

Hanon's lips moved, but she didn't know what to say.

Hanon and Rukawa seem inseparable from basketball.

But it's not just basketball.