Black Basketball: A false start

Chapter 28: First Battle (I)

"What? The competition venue is so far away?" On the Teiko Junior High School team bus, Murasakibara Atsushi yawned and said sleepily, "We have to gather at 6 o'clock in the morning. I'm so sleepy."

"Okay, Murasakibara, stop complaining. I heard that if you can win the county competition, the school will give you a bonus. You can buy lots of rice bran rolls and potato chips." Kaneki Ken tempted with a wicked smile.

"I don't want to eat those things." Murasakibara Atsushi refused nonchalantly, "It's just that I haven't played a formal game for a long time, and I want to see how much I have improved."

"Very good, very energetic!" Kaneki Ken handed over a wet towel and said, "But wipe your mouth first, your saliva is almost falling on your clothes."

"Oh, thank you..." Murasakibara Atsushi took the tissue stupidly, and then realized that he was deceived, "You are lying, Yanzi, I am not drooling at all!"

“Hahahaha…” Everyone in the bus burst into laughter except for Haizaki Shogo, who always had a sour face.

"Oh, you are so silly, Xiaoyan." Taoi Satsuki patted Kaneki Ken's arm in a reproachful manner and said, "Murasara-san is stupid...bah, simple-minded, and you always tease me like this."

"But Murasakibara is cute like this, isn't she?" Kaneki Ken asked with a smile.

Looking at Kaneki Ken who had a sunny and cheerful smile on his face, Momoi Satsuki was stunned for a moment, and then a blush crept up on her cheeks.

"Whatever you say is right, how can I argue with you?" Tao Jing Satsuki muttered, and then rummaged through the small bag beside her, took out a bracelet and handed it to Kaneki Ken, saying, "Here, today is your birthday, and it happens to be the first day of the competition. I don't know what gift to give you. I hope you like it."

Kaneki Ken stared at the bracelet in front of him. Since his parents passed away, few people remembered his birthday. Looking at the smiling girl in front of him, Kaneki Ken felt that a soft spot in his heart was touched.

"Xiao Yan? Xiao Yan?" Momoi Satsuki looked at Kaneki Ken who was staring at her blankly, her face blushing as if it was about to boil.

"Oh, sorry, I'm so rude." Kaneki Ken apologized embarrassedly, took the bracelet from Momoi Satsuki's hand and put it on gently.

"How is it? Do you like it?" Momoi Satsuki asked Kaneki Ken nervously and shyly.

"I like it very much. Thank you, Momoi-san, you are so thoughtful." Kaneki Ken touched Momoi Satsuki's head and said with a smile.

"It's...it's okay..." Momoi Satsuki was made even more embarrassed by Kaneki Ken's sudden action, and it seemed as if steam was coming out of her head.

"Hmm? Taozi, where's mine?" Qingfeng Daihui also came over to join in the fun, "My birthday is only a few days away, can you give me something too?"

"Ada, you are so annoying. Give it up, give it up, I'll give you a bottle of soy sauce. Do you want one?" Taoi Satsuki glared at Qingfeng Daiki, who was ruining the mood, with some embarrassment and turned her head to the window without saying anything else.

"This old woman, why is she so angry for no reason?" Qingfeng Daihui was stunned.

"Okay, stop talking." Shirogane Kozo, who was sitting in the front and leading the team, stood up and said, "The competition will start soon, so you all should be more nervous. If anyone fails today, we will have to practice twice as much; if we lose the competition, we will have to practice five times as much!"

"Ah? Really? Coach?" Everyone wailed as if they were joking or fearing.

Amid the wailing of the crowd, the team bus arrived outside the competition venue.

"Ah~ There are so many people!" Qingfeng Daihui, who got off the bus first, looked around like a curious baby and said, "Look over there, there are people taking pictures."

"That's called a reporter, Aomine-san." Akashi Seijuro, who had been used to big events since he was a child, explained with a smile, "Today there are two games. One is between Teiko Junior High School and Masahiro Junior High School, and after us is Hakusuikan vs. Fukuda Junior High School. It's not a big sporting event, so it's normal to have reporters here."

"Yoshi! So we absolutely cannot lose today." Nijimura Shuzo, who got off the car last with the coach, picked up his backpack and said, "Hurry up and get on the field and warm up."

"Hi!" everyone responded in unison.

As everyone changed into their equipment and filed out of the locker room, the number of spectators on the field gradually increased.

"Wow~ that's amazing." Murasakibara Atsushi, who was warming up, looked at the audience and exclaimed, "There are a lot more audiences than those from Mini Basket." "So are you scared, Murasakibara?" Kaneki Ken teased.

"Ah? Scared? What are you talking about?" Murasakibara Atsushi glanced at the players from Zhengbang High School on the opposite side with some disdain and said, "Just relying on those mediocre people, let alone you, Yanzi, they have a hard time dealing with me."

Just as people off the field were still whispering, the broadcast above the stadium sounded.

"The next match is the first round of the prefectural tournament Tokyo qualifiers. The two teams that will enter the field are Teiko Junior High School and Masakuni Junior High School."

"Now let me introduce the starting lineup of Zhengbang High School."

"Center, number 4, Iwamura Tsutomu."

"Power forward, number 6, Kazuma Tagawa."

"Small forward, number 8, Kasuga Takashi."

"Shooting guard, number 12, Tomoki Tsukawa."

"Point guard, number 5, Koichi Sakamoto."

With the sound of the broadcast, the starting lineup of Zhengbang Middle School was officially unveiled.

"It looks just like what the coach said, nothing special." Midorima Shintaro muttered to himself.

"Don't be careless, Midorima." Kaneki Ken hooked Midorima Shintaro's shoulder and reminded him, "The guy on the opposite side who looks like a bald head, No. 12 who is facing you, as far as I know, is still a freshman, but his defensive skills are amazing. I believe you won't miss the ball today, right?"

"Hmph, today Cancer's lucky item is the round fan. Cancers who bring the round fan will have the best fortune today!" Midorima Shintaro snorted arrogantly.

"Next, let me introduce the roster of Teiko Junior High School."

"Point guard, number 4, Nijimura Shuzo."

"Shooting guard, number 8, Midorima Shintaro."

"Small forward, number 6, Aomine Daiki."

"Power forward, number 5, Kaneki Ken."

"Center, number 7, Murasakibara Atsushi."

"Wow, captain, they look so tall!" Tomoki Tsugawa is a young man after all. He looked at the people from Teiko Junior High School in front of him and pointed at them.

"Be quiet, Tomoki. We are the affiliated middle school of the King of the North in Tokyo. Don't lose face." Iwamura Tsutomu said as he slapped Tomoki Tsukawa's bald head. I have to say, it felt pretty good.

Seeing that both teams had already entered the court, the referee walked to the center line with the ball and said, "Both teams line up! Salute each other!"

"Please give me some advice!"

As the two teams finished their salute, Murasakibara Atsushi and Iwamura Tsutomu also came to the center line to prepare for the jump ball. The Miracle Generation's junior high school dynasty began here.

(End of this chapter)