"You're all staying over?" I blinked, staring at the heap of sneakers, duffel bags, and one very large Sakuragi sprawled across my floor.
"Coach said we needed extra training before the summer matchups," Mito said, stretching like he owned my tiny apartment.
"But why here?" I glanced at the overflowing rice cooker in the corner. "This isn't a dojo. It's a closet with free WiFi."
Sakuragi beamed. "Because you have the best moves, Kudo!"
"And a working PlayStation," added Yohei with a grin, holding up NBA 2K like it was some kind of sacred artifact.
Great.
It wasn't just a sleepover. It was going to be Basketball Brotherhood Bootcamp™.
Heaven help me.
🛒 Grocery Runs and Game Plans
Before anything else, we needed food.
Like a proper delinquent family, we stormed the nearest konbini. Mito grabbed enough onigiri to feed a volleyball team, while Sakuragi argued with the clerk about which energy drink would make him "jump higher."
"Just get the one that doesn't taste like battery acid," I muttered, hauling a basket of instant ramen.
Rukawa silently grabbed a bottle of Pocari Sweat and disappeared to the checkout without saying a word.
I looked at him.
He looked back.
"...Wanna practice passing drills later?"
He shrugged. "If you keep up."
Did… did Rukawa just talk trash?
🏀 Drills and Discovery
Back at my place, we shoved the futons aside and got to work.
Using balled-up socks as cones, we set up footwork drills on the tatami mat. It was a hilarious disaster.
Sakuragi tripped twice. Mito knocked over a lamp. Rukawa refused to participate—until he saw Sakuragi trying to copy my one-handed whip pass.
"Wrong angle," Rukawa muttered.
"Oh?" I raised an eyebrow. "Want to demonstrate?"
He did.
Perfect form.
Sakuragi gasped. "How did YOU learn that?"
"Watched Kudo six times. Easy."
Sakuragi immediately tried again… and launched the ball straight into my rice cooker.
🍛 Dinner and Dumb Questions
By evening, we were sweating through our shirts, and the room smelled like instant curry and effort.
"Who's the strongest player you ever faced?" Mito asked between bites.
I paused.
There it was again—that tug from another life.
[Flashback – My Past Life]
His name was Victor. 6'8", wingspan like a pterodactyl. My rival and my best friend. We trained together in the States. We fought for the same dream.
Until I collapsed during our final match.
He cried in the hospital room. I never got to tell him it wasn't his fault.
[End Flashback]
"Kudo?" Sakuragi asked.
I smiled faintly. "Let's just say he could've dunked over a car."
Mito's eyes lit up. "Can you teach me that?"
"Sure. Step one: grow a foot taller."
🎮 Sakuragi vs. Technology
After dinner, we booted up NBA 2K. Sakuragi insisted on playing the Chicago Bulls because "they have a red jersey, like me."
He lost in five minutes.
"I pressed triangle! I SWEAR I DID!" he cried.
"Triangle isn't the 'dunk' button, it's for switching players," I explained.
"Then why does it look like a jump—ARAAAGHHH!"
Rukawa, sitting calmly, beat him with the Golden State Warriors using one hand.
Mito and Yohei collapsed laughing.
"THIS IS RIGGED!" Sakuragi shouted. "I'M GONNA DUNK YOU INTO THE TV!"
🌌 Late-Night Reflections
Once the chaos died down, the room was quiet—just the hum of the fan and the occasional snore from Mito.
I stepped out to the balcony.
The moon was high. My heart was heavier than it had been in weeks.
I felt Sakuragi step beside me. "Yo. You okay?"
"Yeah," I said. "Just... thinking."
"About basketball?"
"Always."
He scratched his head. "You know, I used to hate it."
I turned. "Seriously?"
"Yeah. I only joined to impress Haruko."
I grinned. "I knew it."
"But now…" he looked up at the stars. "Now I love it. The sweat. The fights. The way I jump and feel like I can touch the clouds."
He turned to me. "That's 'cause of you, y'know?"
I froze.
He grinned. "You believed in me even when I sucked. That counts."
God, I thought. You really sent me to the dumbest, kindest kid in the world.
💬 Haruko's Message
Later that night, I got a text.
[Haruko: Hey! Great game today. You and Hanamichi are getting really good. I drew this earlier. Hope you like it 😊]
She sent a photo.
It was a sketch of Sakuragi and me doing a high-five mid-game.
She'd captured the moment perfectly—my surprised smile, his overconfident grin. The background was blurred, like motion lines in a manga panel.
I stared at it for a long time.
Then typed:
[Kudo: Thank you. That means more than you know.]
But I deleted it.
And just sent:
[Kudo: Looks awesome. Thanks, Haruko.]
🌅 Training Afterglow
The next morning, we all dragged ourselves to the court outside.
Shoes squeaking on concrete. Morning breeze. Tired smiles.
We ran drills again. Sloppy at first. Then cleaner. Crisper.
We weren't pros. Not yet.
But we were becoming something just as powerful—
A team.
💢 A Shadow Appears
As we packed up, a group of older students entered the court.
One of them spun a ball on his finger. Tall. Muscular. A scar under his eye.
"You Shohoku guys?"
Sakuragi puffed out his chest. "Yeah. Got a problem?"
The tall guy smirked. "Nah. Just wondering if the rumors are true."
He locked eyes with me.
"You the 'miracle pass boy'? The one who makes losers into winners?"
I narrowed my gaze. "Depends. You the kind of guy who needs a miracle to win?"
Mito stepped forward. "You wanna scrimmage or something?"
"Not today." The guy flipped the ball toward me. I caught it.
"But soon."
They left, laughing.
The challenge was clear.
🌟 End of the Night
Back in my room, surrounded by tired teammates and the fading scent of instant noodles, I sat cross-legged on the floor.
Rukawa was half-asleep.
Mito snored like a motorcycle.
Sakuragi drooled on my spare pillow.
And I smiled.
Not because life was perfect.
But because this—this chaos, this heat, this dream shared by fools and underdogs…
This was my second chance.
And I wasn't going to waste it.