Black Basketball: A false start

Chapter 210 Reasons, Encounters, Parachutes

["Wow, you ask me why I came back? I gave many reasons in front of the media, but the real reason is that there was a nasty kid who disliked my baseball playing too badly and mocked me for not being as good as Hakeem. I still remember that day I was very angry and gave Glover, my personal physical trainer, an almost impossible goal." - Excerpt from the 2023 edition of Jordan's autobiography: "For the love of the game"]

"Wow, boss, you've just played baseball for more than a year. It's not easy to get back to your peak form." Glover on the other end of the phone thought Jordan was joking, "You need a completely different training system to adjust your core muscle groups."

"I'm not asking you to tell me how difficult it is. I'm asking you to plan a plan for me to get back to my peak form within two months." Michael Jordan said in a serious tone.

"Okay, okay, if you insist." Grover said helplessly, "But I have to tell you in advance that this may be a very painful training that lasts for two months."

"That's not what I'm worried about, Grover." Michael Jordan had a determined smile on his face, "Rather, I enjoy the feeling of pain."

……

"Ken-kun...are you going to the United States?" On Kaneki Ken's side, Momoi Satsuki looked at Kaneki Ken with some reluctance.

"Not so soon, just going to participate in some activities." Kaneki Ken touched Momoi Satsuki's head and said, "Didn't I promise you? When I decide to officially go to the United States, I will definitely take you there as long as you are willing."

"Yeah!" Momoi Satsuki looked at Kaneki Ken's sincere eyes and nodded heavily.

"Why did it take so long to answer the phone call? Jin Shanshan..."

When Kaneki Ken and Momoi Satsuki returned to the box again, the celebration banquet was almost over. Sakuragi Hanamichi looked at Kaneki Ken with some curiosity and asked.

"Haha, it's nothing. I'm just discussing with May about what kind of surprise we should prepare." Kaneki Ken said with a smile.

"Surprise? What surprise?" Sakuragi Hanamichi became interested and asked repeatedly.

"The surprise is that I have prepared 180 million yen and signed up for a summer tour for everyone." Kaneki Ken said with a smile, "Then everyone, including Akagi-senpai, can participate."

"Yeah! Long live Gilgamesh!" Sakuragi Hanamichi, who loves playing by nature, jumped up excitedly.

……

"So this is the surprise you mentioned? Jin Shanshan..."

Three days later, when the players of Shonan High School excitedly boarded the bus and arrived at their destination, they found out that the so-called tour group was just the team's summer training camp, and the so-called tourist attraction was just a deserted little beach.

"Why, don't you like this surprise?" Kaneki Ken smiled and patted Sakuragi Hanamichi on the back and said, "This beach B&B has mountains and forests behind it. The scenery is so beautiful, with mountains and water."

"Okay..." The players of Shonan High School went to the hotel to check in, thinking that since they were already here, they all went there.

"Okay, everyone go and have fun! Sakuragi stay a while." After counting the number of people, Kaneki Ken waved his hand and asked everyone from Shonan High School to disperse and move freely, leaving only Sakuragi Hanamichi alone.

"What happened? Why did you leave me alone, Kaneki Ken?" Seeing his teammates leaving one after another, Sakuragi Hanamichi, who was left alone, looked at Kaneki Ken with some confusion and asked.

"Because I have a gift for you." Kaneki Ken smiled mysteriously and took out a thick package from his backpack.

"Gift? Let me see!" Sakuragi Hanamichi's eyes lit up when he heard Kaneki Ken's words. He excitedly took the package and opened it. "Huh? Parachute? Kaneki Ken, why are you giving me a parachute?"

"A secret." Kaneki Ken smiled at the confused Sakuragi Hanamichi, repacked the package, waved his hand and said, "Go out and play first, you'll know tomorrow morning."

"Oh." Sakuragi Hanamichi didn't understand, so he stood up and walked out of the hotel.

"Hey, let's all go out and play~" Kaneki Ken stood up, walked slowly to the window, and murmured as he watched everyone leave, "From tomorrow on, you won't have time to play~"

……

Just as the people from Shonan High School left, an orange bus stopped in front of the hotel.

"Ah~ I'm so tired!" Takao Kazunari stretched lazily and walked off the bus, muttering, "Where is this place? It feels so remote..."

"Okay, you've been talking all the way, stop talking, Takao." Midorima Shintaro got off the bus with a remote control, tapped Takao Kazunari on the head and said.

"Okay, stop complaining." Nakatani Hitoshi clapped his hands, looked around at Shude's efficient players and said, "I have booked a gym nearby for you. I will take you to familiarize yourself with the gym's environment later. The training will officially begin tomorrow." "Yes, coach!" The players of Shude High School responded in unison.

"Hello, we have made a reservation before, for a total of 25 people... Hey? Kaneki?" Just when Takao Kazunari came to the hotel to check in everyone from Shutoku High School as instructed by Nakatani Jinsuke, Kaneki Ken standing in front of the vending machine attracted his attention.

"Hey, Takao~" Kaneki Ken waved to Takao Kazunari as a greeting.

"Takao, who are you talking to? Hurry up...Kaneki?" Midorima Shintaro walked out from the corner of the corridor and saw Kaneki Ken.

"Isn't this a coincidence? Isn't this a coincidence?" Takao Kazunari laughed and looked at Kaneki Ken and said, "What are you doing here? Traveling?"

"No..." Kaneki Ken took a can of drink from the vending machine and said, "I am here with Shonan High School for training. What about you guys?"

"We are here for training too." Midorima Shintaro looked at Kaneki Ken with a serious look in his eyes.

"Oh, come on, you guys are so strong and work so hard, why are you leaving us ordinary teams alone to survive?" Takao Kazunari stepped forward and joked.

"Let's go, Takao, we still have to familiarize ourselves with the venue." Midorima Shintaro stared at Kaneki Ken for a long while, then suddenly turned around and left the front desk with Takao Kazunari.

"It's important to say this, the world is really small..." Kaneki Ken took a sip of his drink, shook his head and smiled, "I actually chose the same place as Seirin and Shutoku..."

"Kaneki-san, come here for a moment." Just as Kaneki Ken was staring at the backs of the Shutoku High School players in a daze, Anton Mitsuyoshi's voice sounded from behind Kaneki Ken.

"Yes, coach." Kaneki Ken turned and walked towards Anton Mitsuyoshi's room.

"I've read the report you submitted." Anton Mitsuyoshi sat on the futon, reached out to pour a cup of tea for Kaneki Ken, and made a gesture of invitation, "It's a very detailed training plan."

"Thank you for the compliment, Coach. I was just doing it casually." Kaneki Ken was a little confused about Anto Mitsuyoshi's thoughts, so he could only speak tentatively.

"I heard from Taoi-san that you were going to the United States." Anton Mitsuyoshi looked at Kaneki Ken and said with a smile, "I am very pleased that you can reach this level. There is nothing special about calling you here today. I just want to remind you that for a young and promising basketball player like you, playing basketball well is the easiest thing and the hardest thing to make a name for yourself in the United States."

"I understand what you mean, but please rest assured, Coach Anton." Kaneki Ken took a sip from his teacup and said, "I am going to the United States this time just to exchange ideas with more powerful basketball players. I... will not follow in Yazawa's footsteps."

"I'm glad you understand." Anton Guangyi picked up the teacup, took a sip, and asked as if he remembered something, "When are you leaving?"

"Five days later, coach." Kaneki Ken said in a deep voice.

"Hmm..." Anton Mitsuyoshi nodded silently.

"Coach, it's nothing, I'll leave first." Kaneki Ken asked tentatively while looking at the silent Anton Mitsuyoshi.

"Yeah." Anton Mitsuyoshi nodded slightly and waved his hand, indicating that Kaneki Ken could leave.

"Goodbye, Coach Anton." Kaneki Ken bowed slightly and said goodbye to Anton Mitsuyoshi.

"Ken-kun?" Kaneki Ken just came out of Anton Koichi's room and bumped into Momoi Satsuki, "Didn't you go out for a walk?"

"No, Coach Anton talked to me about something." Kaneki Ken shook his head, "I will be leaving in a few days, and I'll leave the team training to you. I will probably be back during the Winter Cup, and I hope everyone can become stronger by then."

"Just leave it to me, Ken-kun." Momoi Satsuki put her hands behind her back, looked at Kaneki Ken and said with a smile.

……

"Huh? You said Captain Kaneki gave you a parachute?" Miyagi Ryouta looked at Sakuragi Hanamichi with some confusion and said, "Does he want you to go to the mountain next door to practice low-altitude parachuting?"

"What? What parachute?" Izawa Shuji came over and asked curiously.

"I don't know why, Gilgamesh gave me a parachute..." Sakuragi Hanamichi is still confused.

"It's over, Sakuragi..." Izawa Shuji's face turned ugly when he heard what Sakuragi Hanamichi said, "It seems that this holiday... I'm afraid none of us will have a good time..."

(End of this chapter)