Chapter 119 Basketball Isn't the Most Beautiful Thing
She's back!
In the blinding backlight, that figure, like the first ray of dawn breaking through the clouds, instantly dispelled all the gloom in Rukawa's eyes.
As Hanon ran, her long, black hair flew behind her, and the loose hospital gown she wore was more dazzling than any battle uniform, as if she had the rhythm of the entire court under her control.
Hanon raised her hand cleanly and decisively, her index finger spinning with undeniable power.
"challenge!"
The entire room fell silent.
"Referee, please review the defensive move just now."
Her voice wasn't loud, but it jolted the referee awake: "Shohoku team requests a challenge!"
The entire audience erupted in uproar.
Rukawa's eardrums were ringing, and his heart was pounding so hard it felt like it was going to shatter his chest.
His vision narrowed; all sound, light, and color faded away, leaving only her silhouette standing in front of the technical table—
She casually tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, revealing her fair neck. This seemingly ordinary gesture made his breath catch in his throat.
"At the moment when Hakata's number 6 broke through Shohoku's number 11, his right shoulder pushed forward, and his elbow made a clear outward pushing motion!"
Her calm, analytical tone sent a jolt through Rukawa's veins. The sharp edge that the always gentle, smiling woman was now displaying made his heart race to over 180 beats per minute.
"Shohoku team, challenge successful!"
The referee raised his hand to signal: "Bodo committed a defensive foul! Two free throws and possession!"
An uproar erupted from the audience.
[OMG! Shohoku pulled off a comeback?!]
This is absolutely NBA-level play!
[My older sister is so cool!]
[Idiot! That's Shohoku's coach!!]
The entire Shohoku team jumped up and roared, "YES!! Long live Coach Kanon!!"
Rukawa's auditory system automatically filters out all noise.
The instant Kanon turned to look at him—
With her eyebrows curved and her lips slightly parted, she said silently:
"Well played."
—A tingling sensation came from the left side of my chest.
...It's all over.
Rukawa sighed inwardly. It was supposed to be the most crucial moment of the match, but his thoughts were completely occupied by this excessively dazzling person.
He lowered his head, the corners of his mouth involuntarily turning up slightly, which he quickly covered up with a cough.
...Too cunning.
...He didn't say anything, yet his defenses completely collapsed.
……but.
...He enjoyed it immensely.
—The whispers in the audience were like the receding tide.
[Did Rukawa just laugh?]
[Impossible! That guy has a naturally expressionless face!]
[But the atmosphere between them...]
Rukawa took a deep breath and walked to the free-throw line. His back was ramrod straight, but his fingertips were still trembling slightly.
He absolutely must win this match!
Present it to her with the most perfect performance.
***
Hanon returned to the Shohoku bench.
Kuwata jumped up and punched the air: "Coach Kanon is so cool!!"
Kakuta stared in disbelief: "That stance move! It was like something out of a movie!"
Kogure pushed up his glasses: "As expected of someone who can tame those problem children..."
Ayako grabbed Kanon's wrist: "Kane! Are you alright?"
Hanon chuckled, "It's alright, compared to this..." She turned to look at the scoreboard, "We have 5 minutes to win back."
"Oh ho ho ho..." Anzai's round chin trembled slightly: "Looking forward to your surprise tactics."
Huayin: "..."
Here we go again! That lazy old fox!
Sakuragi was dancing wildly on the court: "Sis! You're finally back! This genius knew you wouldn't die!"
Hana's lips twitched: "..."
The Shohoku team facepalmed: ...There's something Rukawa should say.
"You big idiot!" Rukawa kicked Sakuragi hard in the butt.
***
"Whoosh—"
"Whoosh—"
Two free throws went in cleanly, 78-81.
The pause whistle blows.
Hanon sat on a bench, holding a cotton swab, and wiped the wound on Rukawa Kaede's palm.
The moment the iodine touched the wound, she could feel Rukawa Kaede stiffen. She asked, "Does it hurt?"
Rukawa's gaze was fixed on her lowered eyelashes—
The tiny shadows cast by the stadium's overhead lights trembled slightly with her blinking.
When she looked at me with that kind of gaze, my voice automatically slipped out:
"……pain."
Hua Yin ruffled his black hair, her eyes crinkling with laughter: "Then I'll have to feel sorry for you."
Rukawa's left side of his chest throbbed violently again.
"Tch! You scheming fox!" Sakuragi waved his hand frantically: "Sis! This genius's elbow is scraped too! It hurts so much!"
Ayako grabbed the red-haired monkey by the throat and forced him onto the bench: "Sit down!"
Hanon tore off the adhesive tape and helped him put it on, but Rukawa grabbed her wrist.
Hanon looked at him: "?"
“…Tactics,” Rukawa Kaede said, his voice low and hoarse.
"Ah, right." Hanon quickly came to her senses. "Everyone, come here."
As the crowd surged forward, Rukawa Kaede took a half step forward, using his shoulder to separate everyone, creating an invisible barrier around her.
This guy is incredibly possessive...
Hanon lowered her head to hide her smile, her marker drawing sharp lines on the tactics board: "Next—"
***
[Hakata's substitute bench]
Coach Hakata stared intently at Shohoku—
The woman in the hospital gown was surrounded by the Shohoku team members, with only half of her raised wrist visible.
What a joke... His fingertips tapped his knee in frustration.
“Hana…” Coach Hakata ground his back teeth.
Five minutes ago, Hakata was confident of victory, but now it feels like there's a thorn stuck in their throat.
They actually made a comeback at the last minute and even turned the tide with a challenge!
I remember laughing at other coaches when I watched the Kanagawa Prefecture tournament recordings.
He was completely fooled by a little girl!
Coach Anzai's tactics are at least predictable, but this woman is completely unpredictable!
Clang!
The tactical board was broken.
"Coach?" Assistant Coach Hakata's voice trembled.
***
Back to the game.
The cheers erupting from the stands made Coach Hakata's temples throb.
He saw the woman hold up three fingers, a knowing smile playing on her lips.
Damn it... I'm sweating profusely on my back.
What tactical meaning does that gesture convey?
"Everyone switch positions! Mark number 14 closely!" he roared hoarsely.
But it was too late.
Rukawa made a behind-the-back pass, but the ball flew in the exact opposite direction—
"Whoosh!"
Mitsui's three-pointer pierced the net.
81:81, a tie!
Bodo's players' pupils contracted—this wasn't right!
According to the data, Mitsui Hisashi of Shohoku should have a shooting percentage of less than 30% in the fourth quarter!
"Get back on defense! Lock down Rukawa!" Coach Hakata's roar trembled.
The next second, Rukawa Kaede burst out from the side and intercepted the ball that Hakata's number 6 was passing to the center with a palm strike!
What? !
Number 6 looked down in astonishment—
Rukawa's fingertips were at least half a meter away from his passing lane. How could that be?!
The same question exists on the Shohoku bench.
“It’s anticipation.” Hanon remained seated on the bench. “Their passing patterns are too easy to read.”
The palace has already charged forward.
When Hakata's point guard was frantically chasing down the defense—
"Bang!"
Sakuragi Hanamichi rammed his pursuer solidly into a human-shaped cardboard cutout of cover.
"Nice pick and roll!" Miyagi laughed, flicking his wrist.
Feint!
The moment Rukawa Kaede jumped, the Hakata center's knees creaked under the strain. The basketball slid towards the baseline—
"Whoosh!"
Mitsui Hisashi hits again.
84:81, Xiangbei takes the lead!
The cohesion that Hakata players were so proud of was crumbling. It wasn't a machine malfunction; rather, every pass from Shohoku was like a scalpel, precisely slicing through their most confident teamwork.
"Timeout! Timeout!" Coach Bodo roared.
Hanon beckoned with her finger, and the Shohoku players immediately formed a tight circle. She quickly drew on the tactics board: "Next they will..."
He returned to the field.
Sakuragi and Akagi guarded the backcourt, while Miyagi had already made a long pass to Rukawa who was coming down the court.
Bodo's defensive formation was completely thrown into disarray.
They are like rusty machines, every move they make is anticipated, and every defensive maneuver is a beat too late.
Scoreboard changes:
92:86
With 30 seconds left, Bodo's number 6 hand trembled uncontrollably. He looked towards the bench; the coach's suit was already soaked with sweat.
And in the Xiangbei seat—
The two coaches were smiling and drinking tea.
The whistle blows, and the ball goes in.
The score was 96-88.
...We won.
Before Rukawa Kaede could catch his breath, his body turned around before his consciousness could.
Fifteen steps away.
Hanon stood in front of the substitutes' bench, a gentle smile curving her lips.
Their gazes met in the air—
Is it fate?
Sweat stung his eyes, causing Rukawa to blink. When he opened them again, Kanon was mouthing something. No sound was needed; the lip movements were already etched into his mind—"Well done."
...No, that's not true.
Rukawa Kaede silently refuted.
What's beautiful isn't basketball.
...It was her.
It was the moment she raised her index finger in front of the referee, the lines she drew on the tactical board, and the gaze that still accurately reached her eyes despite navigating through thousands of people.
His body was being pushed forward by his teammates, but his gaze remained stubbornly fixed on the spot.
***
"We won!!"
A deafening cheer erupted in the Shohoku locker room.
Sakuragi ripped off the towel, jumped onto the bench, and waved it around, shouting, "This genius is truly the strongest! Sis, did you see that last rebound?!"
"I saw it, I saw it~" Hanon laughed as she dodged the water droplets he was flicking, and handed the sports drink to Rukawa beside her, but in the instant they were handed over, he grabbed it firmly.
His palms were hot and damp, still warm from the intense match, yet firm and unyielding.
Hua Yin glanced at him again, but he stared at her without changing his expression, and tightened his grip on her hand.
She smiled, tightened her grip on Rukawa Kaede's fingers, and the two held hands firmly.
Ayako: "The match between Ryonan and Sannoh is this afternoon. Do you want to go watch it?"
"Of course!" Mitsui tilted his head back and gulped down water, his Adam's apple bobbing. "After all, our next opponent is Sannoh!"
Hanon narrowed her eyes slightly: "No, Ryonan will win."
"Huh?!" The exclamations were all in unison.
Miyagi exaggeratedly picked at his ear: "Wait...didn't you say before that Ryonan had no chance of winning?"
“So,” Kanon stood up, tapping her tactical board lightly in her palm, “I’m going to help Ryonan defeat Sannoh.”
"Pfft!" Kogure, who was drinking water, spat it out.
A hint of surprise flashed in Rukawa's dark eyes.
Sakuragi exaggeratedly lunged forward, exclaiming, "Sis, are you crazy?! That's our opponent!"
Kanon pressed her fingertips against Sakuragi's approaching forehead, her gaze sweeping over each confused face: "Basketball is not a sport for one person, nor is it the glory of a team."
Her voice was soft: "If Ryonan can defeat Sannoh, that proves—"
"Shohoku has already reached for even higher skies."
Hanon wanted them to see a wider world.
Coach Anzai's glasses flashed: "Oh ho ho ho... This is truly an exciting development."
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