Black Basketball: A false start

Chapter 161 Be a good person
With the announcement of the national competition divisions and match schedule, colleges and universities across the country were both happy and worried. The major colleges and universities that were divided into the East Division were wailing, everywhere, as if they had lost their parents.

"What? You said our first-round opponent is Shonan High School?" In the Fukuda General Stadium, the sleepy Haizaki Shogo just entered the stadium and was awakened by the match situation informed by Ishida Eiki. "So, we are going to play against Kaneki Ken in the first round?"

"That's right, Haizaki-san." Ishida Eiki turned his head away, not daring to look at Haizaki Shogo's face which was distorted by shock. "So the coach asked me to ask you, do you have time to participate in team training recently? If you can't deal with Kaneki Ken, we won't be able to play..."

"Playing ball? Are you awake?" Haizaki Shogo looked at Ishida Eiki sarcastically, "Playing ball? That's Kaneki Ken. It seems that our IH's luck is not very good..."

"Haisaki-san, what do you mean?" Ishida Eiki looked at the sarcastic expression on Haizaki Shogo's face and had a bad feeling in his heart.

"What I mean is that there's no way they can win. There's no hope. Let's just wait for the Winter Cup." Haizaki Shogo turned and left the gym. "I was thinking we could beat Kaijo High School or something and take back the title of Generation of Miracles from Kise Ryota, but I didn't expect this loser to not even make it to the national tournament. Tsk tsk... I didn't expect you to make mistakes sometimes, Akashi."

"Where are you going? Haizaki-san!" Ishida Eiki hurriedly chased after him and asked.

"There's no game to play, so why bother training? If I have the time, I might as well spend time with my two girlfriends." Haizaki Shogo waved his hand proudly, leaving a arrogant back view to the players of Fukuda Soso, "Just train well, you useless pieces. Kaneki Ken will show some mercy to the hard-working useless pieces."

"Captain!" Nakazato Takashi roared as he watched Haizaki Shogo walk away, "How long are you going to indulge him? Do you really want our three-year dream to be trampled on by him?"

"Okay, Takashi!" Ishida Eiki said with reluctance in his voice, trembling, "Haizaki Shogo is still here, at least there is still hope for the Winter Cup..."

"Alas!" Nakazato Takashi looked at Ishida Hideki's calm yet desperate expression, feeling angry at his lack of resistance, yet sad at his misfortune, and walked away in anger.

……

"So you're saying that after the match schedule was announced, Haizaki Shogo didn't even participate in training and directly gave up the game, right?" In the locker room, Kaneki Ken, who was making pre-match preparations, listened to the news reported to him by Momoi Satsuki with some embarrassment. After a long silence, he asked calmly.

"Don't be angry, Ken-kun." Momokage Satsuki, who knew Kaneki Ken very well, quickly comforted him, "Maybe Haizaki-san is just a little nervous in front of you. I think he should come over."

"Haha, you are a useless thing, you are just a bunch of useless shit." Kaneki Ken was silent for a while, then suddenly sneered, "If you don't want to come, then don't come. If I show up again, it will only embarrass Fukuda."

After that, Kaneki Ken looked at the first-year trio and said, "The comprehensive competition with Fukuda will be handed over to you. The coach is not feeling well today and is not here. Mayu will be in charge of the on-site command and dispatch. Are you, Rukawa, and Karaji all right?"

"Of course I have no problem, Gilgamesh." Sakuragi Hanamichi deliberately glanced at Rukawa Kaede and said, "I just don't know if those stinky foxes are ready."

"I'm fine, Captain." Rukawa rolled his eyes at Sakuragi Hanamichi, "But is it really appropriate to hand over the first game of the national tournament to this idiot?"

"What did you say, you stinky fox?" Sakuragi Hanamichi looked at Rukawa Kaede in anger, "Do you dare to compete with me to see who has the best data after the game?"

"Stop it, Sakuragi!" Kaneki Ken was a little angry, and for the first time he yelled at Sakuragi Hanamichi, "If your purpose of going on the court is to humiliate your opponent, then you might as well not go on the court!"

After saying that, Kaneki Ken put on his coat and walked out of the locker room.

"Golden Knight..." Sakuragi Hanamichi was a little panicked and wanted to say something to keep Kaneki Ken, but was ignored by Kaneki Ken.

"Little Peach, Gilgamesh he..." Sakuragi Hanamichi looked at Momoi Satsuki blankly, not knowing what to do.

"Oh...it's okay, Sakuragi-san. Ken-kun is just...a little disappointed." Momoi Satsuki looked at Kaneki Ken's back helplessly as he left and comforted him.

……

"Damn it, I lost again." Haizaki Shogo angrily slapped the game console in front of him, stretched out his hand to the two girls beside him and said, "Do you two have any money left?"

"What are you doing, Haizaki?" One of the girls looked at Haizaki Shogo with disdain and said, "You're out to play, and you're asking girls for money. Do you have any shame?" "That's right, you really think you're a good guy. You're just generous." Another girl nodded in agreement, looking at Haizaki Shogo as if he was looking at trash, "Don't pretend to be rich if you don't have money. Don't contact me anymore."

"Haizaki, why are you staying here if you don't go to the competition?" Just when Haizaki Shogo was getting a little annoyed by what the two girls said, Nijimura Shuzo's voice came from outside the door of the game room.

"Nijimura... Nijimura-senpai..." Haizaki Shogo shrank back and didn't dare to look Nijimura Shuzo in the eyes. He stammered and couldn't speak.

"Hey, handsome boy, are you the senior of this rubbish?" The girl who spoke first looked at Nijimura Shuzo with interest, "I'm telling you, don't deal with this kind of person. You have to spend a woman's money to have fun... But if it's you, I don't mind. I happen to like abstinent boys recently~"

"Hey, what are you talking about? If you don't want to go out with me, get out!" Haizaki Shogo was furious. His suppressed emotions were completely ignited. With red eyes, he was about to rush up to teach the two girls a lesson.

"Okay, Haizaki, stop making trouble." Nijimura Shuzo grabbed Haizaki Shogo's arm and turned to look at the two girls. "If you have nothing else, leave. Don't contact Haizaki again."

"It's like who wants it." The two girls rolled their eyes and walked out of the game room in a twisted manner.

"Haizaki, you haven't answered my question yet." After the two girls left, Nijimura Shuzo looked at Haizaki Shogo calmly and said, "Today is your first game against Shonan High School. Why are you here?"

"Captain Nijimura..." Haizaki Shogo didn't know why, but every time he faced Nijimura Shuzo, he always felt a lack of confidence, "I... I'm not feeling well today, I asked the captain and coach for leave..."

"Hehe..." Nijimura Shuzo stared at Haizaki Shogo's eyes for a while, and suddenly laughed out loud.

"Don't hit me, don't hit me. Captain, I'll go right away..." Haizaki Shogo heard Nijimura Shuzo's sneer, and reflexively covered his head with his arms, shouting in fear.

"Put your arms down, Haizaki." Nijimura Shuzo looked at Haizaki Shogo with a hint of pity in his eyes, "I won't hit you anymore, and I won't care about you anymore."

"Captain Nijimura..." For some reason, Haizaki Shogo, who should have been happy, felt as if struck by lightning. He looked at Hongcun Shuzo in a daze, not knowing what to say.

"You are afraid of Kaneki, right? Ever since Kaneki Ken went to the United States, you have been targeting Kise. I can see that Kaneki has become your inner nightmare." Nijimura Shuzo said softly, like a sharp sword piercing the most hidden part of Haizaki Shogo's heart, "Speaking of which, Fukuda Sozo is really pitiful... Your teammates regard you as a trump card and a savior, but you came here because of your cowardice and gave up on yourself..."

"What do you know?" Haizaki Shogo, who was hit on the heart, simply gave up and kicked over a nearby table, shouting at Nijimura Shuzo, "Anyway, it wasn't you who was humiliated by Kaneki Ken! It wasn't you who was kicked out of the basketball team! How do you know what's in my mind? How do you know how I got through all these years?"

"Yeah, I don't know." Nijimura Shuzo quietly lifted up the table, "I didn't come to see you today on purpose, we just happened to meet."

As he spoke, Nijimura Shuzo took out two Fukuzawa Yukichi notes from his pocket and handed them to Haizaki Shogo, saying, "This is the bonus I promised to give you when you agreed to let me join the basketball team at Teikou Junior High School. Now we are even."

"Captain Nijimura..." Haizaki Shogo mechanically took the money handed over by Nijimura Shuzo, not quite understanding what Nijimura Shuzo wanted to do.

"That's it, Haizaki. You can use this money to settle your bills here, or continue playing games. I don't care. I won't help you anymore, Haizaki." Nijimura Shuzo said, turning around and leaving the game room. "You are no longer the Haizaki Shogo I had high hopes for. The Haizaki Shogo I knew, although he was defeated repeatedly, at least he still had the ambition to challenge Kaneki Ken... and the courage to punch me."

"Fuck it! Fuck it! Fuck it!" Haizaki Shogo looked at Nijimura Shuzo's back as he left, and angrily smashed everything in his sight, "Generation of Miracles! Kaneki Ken! Why did you take away even the last thing I had!"

"What are you doing, little brat? Where do you think this is?"

"Pay me money, or you won't be able to leave today!"

After venting his anger and getting beaten up, Haizaki Shogo sat on the street with a bruised face. He looked up at Akashi Seijuro who was being interviewed on the TV screen and muttered, "One day... one day I will also take away the things you cherish!"

Yes, Haizaki Shogo actually understood in his heart that the reason why he was afraid of Nijimura Shuzo and Kaneki Ken was not because he was afraid of their iron fists and strength, but because they hoped that he could truly become a good player, or at least a good person.

(End of this chapter)