Chapter 20 Basketball 19
Weekend, Hakone hot spring hotel.
"Coach Platinum is so nice to us!"
Momoi Satsuki excitedly pulled Kurikawa Sana over and said excitedly, "Sana, our room is facing Lake Ashi!"
Kurikawa Sana also smiled and squeezed her hand, "That's great, May."
After Friday's training, Coach Shirogane suddenly announced that he would pay for everyone to relax at a hot springs hotel in Hakone. Early this Saturday morning, we all took the JR Tokaido Line to our destination, feeling like a group outing.
Akashi Seijuro smiled gently and said, "Momoi, Kurikawa, Coach Shirogane has reserved room number one with the best view for you. The manager of the Teikou basketball team has a lot of work to do, so I appreciate your hard work every day."
"Thank you, Minister Akashi!"
The young men who followed them in were incredibly tall, filling the wooden hot spring hotel to the brim, and their hair of various colors was dazzling.
This hot spring hotel is indeed located in a unique location. Its rectangular all-glass window design is similar to that of the Hakone Narukawa Art Museum. The public rest area in the lobby can already take in the views of Lake Ashi and Mount Fuji.
The azure blue lake and the white snow-capped mountains complement each other, like a beautiful shimmering painting, which is refreshing.
"Just because we won the game against Kirisaki First Junior High School, Coach Platinum paid out of his own pocket as a reward for us to go to Hakone to take a hot spring bath..." Kise Ryota exclaimed.
Midorima Shintaro adjusted his glasses. "Besides celebrating the victory, the coach is also sympathetic to us because we were injured by our opponent in the match against Kirisaki, so he suspended this week's training to let us relax."
"There's more to it than just that." Murasakibara Atsushi glanced at Akashi and Nijimura beside him, "It's also to celebrate Akashi taking over as captain."
And—farewell to third-year senior Nijimura Shuzo.
Not long ago, Coach Shirogane announced that Akashi Seijuro would officially replace Nijimura Shuzo and become the new captain of the Teiko basketball team.
While everyone knew that third-year seniors would eventually retire, few did so so soon. Only a select few knew the truth: Nijimura-senpai had left the basketball team so early because his father was seriously ill, and he would soon be traveling to the United States with him for treatment.
The Hakone Hot Springs trip arranged at this time has a sense of transition from the old to the new and a farewell to the predecessors.
"That's right, from now on Akashi is the official captain of the Teiko Basketball Club. Everyone, listen to Akashi's words."
Nijimura Shuzo smiled brightly, his teeth radiating white. The atmosphere became relaxed again under his guidance. "Alright, everyone, cheer up a little. Don't let the coach down!"
"Yes, Minister!"
"It's a shame Coach Platinum couldn't come because he's not feeling well...it seems like he's been coughing a lot lately."
"Then don't complain about the coach's intense training menu when you get back, Kise."
"That's all I said. I've completed every training session well!"
"Speaking of which, where's that guy Haizaki? Didn't he come with us?"
In response to Aomine Daiki's question, Akashi Seijuro said calmly, "I have already persuaded Haizaki to withdraw from the First Army. He is no longer a member of the Teiko basketball club."
“…………”
Everyone was silent for a while.
Akashi is gentle and generous most of the time, but sometimes he can be shockingly decisive.
Kurikawa Sana couldn't help but think that Haizaki had withdrawn from the starting lineup of the Teiko basketball team... Could this be the reason why Haizaki is not the target of the strategy?
The system said that she could obtain a maximum of 600 health points in the basketball world, and each target could only provide a maximum of 100 points.
However, after so far contact, neither Haizaki nor Minister Nijimura could trigger the favorability prompt sound, and she only found five possible targets: Akashi, Midorima, Murasakibara, Kise, and Aomine.
So where is the last remaining person? Clearly everyone in the army...
……etc.
It seems that I have forgotten one person, Kuroko Tetsuya, who is also the first team starter of the Teiko basketball team.
Kurikawa Sana suddenly raised her head and looked at the sky-blue-haired boy who was always the quietest in the crowd, so quiet that his presence was almost invisible.
Unexpectedly, the other party was also looking at her.
She just bumped into the boy's blue eyes that were as calm as a lake.
Kuroko's gaze was calm yet contained a certain firm power that made it impossible to look away.
Kurikawa Sana couldn't help but be stunned for a moment.
When she thought about it carefully, she suddenly realized that she seemed to have missed the black spot.
Normally, Kuroko rarely takes the initiative to talk to her. When Kuroko and Aomine train together in the gym at night, Kuroko always concentrates on practicing. The two have no contact. At best, they can only be regarded as acquaintances between players and managers.
She couldn't help but think absentmindedly - the last person...
Could it be a sunspot?
…
*
Hakone is dotted with stars at night, and the fresh air carries the faint sulfur smell unique to hot springs. The wooden exterior of the hotel is matched with warm lights and dotted with the sound of gurgling water, creating a comfortable and peaceful atmosphere.
Walking in the hotel's own courtyard in a yukata, Kurikawa Sana was looking for the figure of Kuroko Tetsuya.
You must touch the body of the captureable target for the favorability voice broadcast to sound, even if it is just a light touch on the other person's fingers.
But for such a long time, she hadn't even touched a hair of Kuroko, so naturally she had no way of knowing whether he was a possible target.
She wanted to confirm... whether Kuroko was one of the targets.
Midorima and Akashi share a room, Kise and Murasakibara share a room, Aomine and Kuroko share a room, and Nijimura-senpai lives alone in a room. Aomine, Kise, and Satsuki were interested in the temple fair, so the three of them went out to visit the temple fair together. I wonder where Kuroko is and what he's doing now?
Kurikawa Sana walked around the hot spring hotel aimlessly, but didn't see Kuroko Tetsuya. Just when she thought she might not be able to find him tonight... a bright sky blue color came into view.
The young man not far ahead was wearing a black yukata, which made his skin look even whiter and his hair color even more eye-catching.
!!!
It’s Heizi!
She was so surprised that she was about to step forward and shout, but someone suddenly grabbed her wrist from behind.
Kurikawa Sana: "???"
She turned around with a puzzled look on her face, and what she saw was Murasakibara Atsushi's face. He frowned and grabbed her wrist, and his expression was clearly full of emotions.
"M-Murrasakibara-kun?"
Murasakibara Atsushi pursed his lips in displeasure and walked silently towards the rockery at the back of the courtyard. As she turned to leave, Kurikawa Sana failed to notice the sky-blue-haired boy in front of her turn his gaze towards her.
He was tall and had long legs, and his movements were very fast. Kurikawa Sana was holding his hand and walking in wooden clogs on the gravel road in the courtyard, and she was staggering a little.
After being pulled over by Murasakibara Atsushi and standing on the rockery, Kurikawa Sana looked up at him in surprise, "What's wrong, Murasakibara-kun?"
Murasakibara Atsushi still held her wrist tightly and took out a lot of delicious sticks from the large pocket of his purple yukata.
Kurikawa Sana: "...?"
Facing the girl's surprised expression, Murasakibara Atsushi said calmly, "Don't you like eating this? This."
"Ah? Oh..." Kurikawa Sana didn't understand, but she did feel a little hungry. The dinner at the hot spring hotel was not very appetizing, and she didn't eat much.
She ate all the delicious bars that Murasakibara Atsushi fed her from the torn packaging.
Today's delicious sticks are cheese and corn flavored, salty, fragrant and crispy. She really likes this kind of puffed food, which she was not allowed to eat when she was seriously ill. She eats it with great satisfaction.
"Lizi."
"Um?"
"After you finish eating..." Murasakibara Atsushi lowered his eyes and looked at her, "Shouldn't there be that?"
"Which one?" Kurikawa Sana looked confused.
"A kiss on the cheek." There was a sense of matter-of-factness in the boy's lazy and magnetic voice.
Kurikawa Sana: "..."
...So this is how Murasakibara thinks!
If you put it that way... isn't she herself the source of all evil?
At that time, in order to quickly gain favorability and purchase system mall items to pass the entrance test, she kissed Murasakibara Atsushi on the face after eating the delicious stick he gave her, calling it the British "kiss on the cheek".
So after that, Murasakibara Atsushi always thought that feeding the yummy stick would trigger the same kiss on the cheek as last time...
Kurikawa Sana couldn't help blushing.
Although she has always been proactive in her efforts to regain her health, in reality, she has never been in a relationship, let alone had any experience of close contact with the opposite sex.
"Then, then Murasakibara-kun, please lower your head. It's too high..."
The purple-haired boy obediently lowered his tall body, just like a giant dragon lowering its proud head in front of the elegant and beautiful princess.
Kurikawa Sana blushed, stood on tiptoe, and gently kissed his cheek.
Murasakibara's cheeks were so hot...
Last time, in order to quickly gain favor, she didn't pay attention to the touch of the kiss on the cheek. This time, Kurikawa Sana clearly felt the temperature of Murasakibara Atsushi's skin and the boy's hot breath at a very close distance.
[Murasara Atsushi, Favorability +7. ]
"Is this all right? I'll be leaving first, Murasakibara-kun..."
She was about to step back, but she found that the other party was still holding her wrist tightly. Not only did he not let go, but the strength was getting stronger and stronger, making it impossible to escape.
...Huh?
Kurikawa Sana looked at him in some surprise. The purple-haired boy frowned. He had just increased his favorability towards her, but the displeasure on his handsome face became more and more intense.
"No, you looked at Heizi during the day, right?"
Murasakibara Atsushi frowned tightly, his tone calm and lazy, but with a rare seriousness, "There are already a lot of people, Lizi, you can't add any more."
"Otherwise, even I would be angry."
Kurikawa Sana: "..."
Huh? So you're unexpectedly an intuitive type? Murasakibara-kun!
So he knew everything she did all along?!
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