Flash! Flash! Flash!
A barrage of blinding camera flashes filled the room.
Coach Takeuchi, calm and composed in his sharp suit, stood before a crowd of reporters, answering questions and posing for photos as if he'd done this a hundred times — which, frankly, he had.
Seated beside him were two players: Kise and Yuki. Kota wasn't there this time.
Kise, a veteran of interviews, smiled brightly for the cameras and even waved playfully at one of them, clearly enjoying the attention. Yuki, on the other hand, looked like a nervous deer caught in headlights. His hands fidgeted with the hem of his jersey, and each time a question came his way, his eyes darted toward Kise for help.
"Aah, sorry about that!" Kise laughed, patting Yuki's head with exaggerated affection. "My cute little kouhai's new to this stuff. If you've got any questions about the team, shoot them my way — I know everything!"
The reporters chuckled, happy to redirect their mics toward Kise instead.
"Mr. Kise" a young female reporter began, her voice sweet and professional, "congratulations on another Interhigh championship! How does it feel to win again? And could you tell us the secret behind your team's success?"
Kise gave her a once-over — she was young, mid-twenties maybe, stylish, and not hard on the eyes. His trademark dazzling grin widened instantly.
"Winning always feels amazing," he said smoothly, leaning in just a little. "Honestly, I'm in a great mood right now… and I'm thinking of celebrating — though not exactly with basketball."
The flirty undertone was obvious, and when the reporter's cheeks flushed pink, Kise's grin grew even more radiant.
"As for our secret to success…" He turned, gesturing broadly. "It's simple! We've got the best captain in the world, and the best team in the world. Every single one of us is a top-tier player."
He sneaked a glance at Takeuchi, who was a few steps away, posing confidently under the spotlights, looking every bit the champion coach with three national titles under his belt.
"And of course," Kise added with a sheepish chuckle, rubbing his nose, "the best coach too. Can't forget him."
The reporters laughed lightly, missing the slight hesitation in his tone, and the next question followed quickly.
"By the way, where's Kota today? Coach Takeuchi usually brings him along for interviews."
Kise thought for a second, then shrugged. "Who knows? Maybe he's not in the mood for interviews today. But trust me, that guy's never alone…"
He flashed a mischievous smirk. "For all we know, he's off somewhere with his girlfriend right now."
Achoo!
In the men's restroom, Kota rubbed his nose suspiciously. "Weird… is someone talking about me?"
Beside him, Akashi calmly washed his hands, meticulously cleaning off the faint marks of the game. The stadium's facilities were top-notch — spotless, even — but a full match always left its traces.
"Caught a cold?" Akashi asked casually, not looking up.
Kota shook his head. "Don't think so. I've just been sneezing a lot lately. Creepy, huh?"
Akashi didn't respond, turning the faucet back on and rinsing his hands again.
"Anyway," he said finally, "congratulations. Another championship for Kaijo."
Kota blinked in surprise, then grinned slyly. "Oh? Hearing that from you sounds kinda… bitter, don't you think, Mr. Akashi?"
Akashi rolled his eyes through the mirror. "It's a genuine compliment. Take it or leave it."
"Of course I'll take it!" Kota yawned, stretching lazily. "Still, playing you guys is exhausting. That game felt like it drained two matches' worth of energy out of me."
Then, his grin turned nostalgic. "Hey, Akashi — remember what I asked you last time we were in this exact spot?"
Akashi froze mid-motion. "You asked me who the number one point guard in Japan was."
Kota laughed. "Good memory. And back then, you said your own name without blinking. I was stunned. Guess rich heirs don't even know what modesty means."
His tone softened, though. "But, Akashi… I'll admit it now — you've earned that title."
There was pride in his voice, but also respect.
Akashi, however, looked conflicted. "After losing to you twice, and once even falling short of the finals… do you really think I deserve that title?"
He gazed at his reflection — messy hair, faint sweat, and eyes that held a trace of self-mockery.
Before he could continue, Kota smacked him lightly on the back of the head.
"OW!" Akashi clutched his skull, stunned. "You—you hit me?!"
"What, first time someone's done that?" Kota clicked his tongue. "Man, you've got issues, Akashi. Back then, I said I'd fight you for the top spot, and you acted like it didn't matter. Now I'm telling you you've earned it, and you're still sulking? Make up your mind!"
He grinned. "I'll be heading to China soon. If you're not Japan's number one point guard when I'm gone, I'm gonna be very disappointed."
Akashi's expression steadied. "When are you leaving?"
"Next week — after my birthday. I'll finally be old enough to switch nationalities."
It was true — he'd been pre-selected for China's national youth team, but legally, he couldn't change his citizenship until adulthood. That delay had kept his "main quest" incomplete… much to his irritation.
"But when I get back," Kota said with a smirk, "I'm going to be stronger than ever."
His confidence was radiant.
Akashi nodded solemnly. "Then I'll be waiting. Rakuzan will be stronger too."
Just as Kota was about to reply, his phone rang. The screen showed: Araki
"Miss Masako?"
"Are you still in the restroom?"
"Yeah, what's up?" Kota frowned slightly — her tone sounded off.
Something wasn't right.
"Where are you now? Still near the court?"
"No… I'm at the restroom entrance. There's someone here who wants to see you."
"Huh? Someone wants to see me?" Kota blinked, puzzled. "Alright, I'm coming out."
Akashi raised an eyebrow. "Something wrong?"
"Not sure," Kota muttered, pocketing his phone. "Guess I'll find out."
He pushed open the restroom door, Akashi following behind.
Outside, standing a short distance away, was Ayako — talking to a middle-aged man in a tidy Japanese-style suit.
Kota's sharp eyes immediately took him in. The man's attire was plain but proper, his demeanor anything but ordinary. Though well past fifty, his presence was commanding, his gaze sharp and deliberate — the kind of aura that came from years of authority.
"Miss Masako" Kota greeted with an easy smile.
"You're here," she said, turning toward him before gesturing to the man beside her. "Let me introduce you. This is Chairman Kurikuni."
The older man chuckled warmly, extending his hand. "So you're Kota, huh? I saw your game today — spectacular performance!"
He then noticed Akashi and smiled even wider. "Ah, Akashi too! Rakuzan played brilliantly as well. You two really gave us a show."
Kota blinked, confused by the familiarity in the man's tone, but extended his hand politely nonetheless. His eyes flicked toward Akashi in a silent question:
You know this guy? Akashi's calm glance back: Yeah.
Unfortunately, their telepathy wasn't quite at Kise-level efficiency.
So Kota turned back to Araki, wordlessly asking for clarification.
Araki smiled faintly. "Chairman Kurikuni is the current president of the Basketball Association. He's here today because he wants to invite you to join the national youth team."