Black Basketball: A false start

Chapter 33 Don’t Do Extra Things

"Haisaki, listen to me carefully, Teiko Junior High School is an invincible lion that wins every battle, not a despicable hyena that takes advantage of others' misfortune!" Kaneki Ken said coldly, looking directly into Haizaki Shogo's eyes.

"But..." Haizaki Shogo wanted to struggle to say something, but was ruthlessly interrupted by Kaneki Ken.

"No buts." Kaneki Ken said coldly, "Go down and think about it carefully."

"...Yes." Haizaki Shogo responded unwillingly.

"Beep beep~ Teiko Junior High School substitution!" With the referee's whistle, Akashi Seijuro was substituted on the court and the game continued.

Zhengbang Middle School was not a team known for its offense, and with Haizaki Shogo disrupting the basic defense of Zhengbang Middle School, the gap between the two sides widened in the following games. With ten minutes left in the game, both sides replaced their starting players, and the game officially entered garbage time. In the end, Teiko Middle School won the opening game of the county competition with a huge advantage of 128 to 53.

"Teikou Junior High School vs. Seikyou Junior High School, 128 to 53, Teikou Junior High School wins!"

"Thanks for the advice!"

As the match came to an end, Nijimura Shuzo stepped forward and held Iwamura Tsutomu's hand tightly.

"Shuzo, you have a group of incredible talents in Teiko, congratulations to you." Iwamura Tsutomu said calmly.

"Your newcomers are also excellent, they just need more experience." Nijimura Shuzo said expressionlessly, feeling the trembling on Iwamura Tsutomu's arm.

"Captain, let's go!" Behind him, the Teikou people who had packed up shouted.

"Okay, I'll be right there." Nijimura Shuzo responded, patted Iwamura Tsutomu's arm and turned and left without saying anything else.

Iwamura Tsutomu watched the backs of everyone leaving Teiko Junior High School, then looked back at Tomoki Tsukawa who was crying bitterly, walked up to him, touched Tomoki Tsukawa's head and comforted him, "Don't cry, it's time to go, come back next year."

"Yes... Captain..." Tomonori Tsukawa sobbed, packed his backpack, and followed the team back to the locker room.

"I'm going to quit the club." Iwamura Tsutomu said casually while walking in the player tunnel.

"What? Captain, you..." Kasuga Takakatsu seemed unable to accept such shocking news. He stared at Iwamura Tsutomu, as if he wanted to see flowers on his face.

"Don't say anything, we'll talk about it in the locker room later." Iwamura Tsutomu took a deep breath and quickened his pace.

After a while, everyone from Zhengbang Middle School returned to the locker room.

"Well, I have something to announce." Iwamura Tsutomu tried hard to control the trembling in his words, clapped his hands and said, "I am ready to quit the club."

"what?"

"How could this be?"

"team leader?"

A single stone can cause a thousand ripples. Iwamura Tsutomu's simple words shocked everyone present.

"Originally...Originally, I am also a third-year junior high school student this year, and this is also my last year in the basketball club." Iwamura Tsutomu said calmly, but his eyes were getting redder and redder. "In the past two years, I have not led you to the county competition. It is my fault as the captain. I am very sorry."

"Captain, this is all our fault..." "It's not your fault. You have done a good job, Captain."

The eyes of everyone in Zhengbang High School were red at this time, and some of the emotional ones were even sobbing quietly.

Just as Iwamura Tsutomu of Masakuni Junior High School was announcing his resignation and handing over his captaincy, everyone from Teiko Junior High School had already showered, changed their clothes, and prepared to leave the gymnasium.

"Kaneki, look over there at Masahiro." Aomine Daiki patted Kaneki Ken's shoulder gently, and pointed with some reluctance to the locker room of Masahiro Middle School where several people were standing at the door in tears.

"I saw it, Aomine." Kaneki Ken asked back with a normal look, "What do you want to do?"

"Please tell Captain Nijimura for me. I have something to do and will be back soon." Aomine Daiki pointed at Nijimura Shuzo's back and turned around to walk towards the locker room of Zhengbang Middle School.

"Don't do unnecessary things, Aomine." Kaneki Ken, who was usually easy to talk to, pulled Aomine Daiki's arm, and looked at the locker room of Masahiro High School with a look of pity, "You can only digest the pain of this kind of defeat by yourself. For the loser, the consolation of the winner is the greatest humiliation. The only thing we can do is to win with him, and let them lose to the national champion, not to the unknown people."

"Kaneki-san is right, Aomine." Shirogane Kozo, who had come to the end of the team at some point, suddenly agreed, "Win the national championship. This is the best consolation for the defeated opponent."

"Yes, coach." Although Aomine Daiki felt very uncomfortable at the moment, his respect for the coach made him give up his idea in the end. He followed Kaneki Ken's footsteps and hurriedly left the gym.

On the return bus, everyone who won had excited expressions on their faces, except Aomine Daiki and Kaneki Ken.

"Xiao Yan, Xiao Yan?" Tao Jing Satsuki patted Kaneki Ken's shoulder who was staring out the window in a daze, sat down next to Kaneki Ken calmly and asked softly, "What happened to you and A-Da? Just now I saw you two came out of the venue and you looked worried. Can you tell me?"

"Hey, Momoko..." Aomine Daiki was about to speak, but Taoi Satsuki interrupted, "Wait for A-Da first, Xiaoyan doesn't look very happy."

"Do I look very happy then?" Aomine Daiki was so angry that he laughed.

"It's okay, May, I'm just a little surprised that we could defeat Masakuni Junior High School so easily." Kaneki Ken said with a smile as he touched Momoi May's head.

"Really?" Seeing Kaneki Ken's vague tone, Momoi Satsuki did not delve into it further, but just looked at Kaneki Ken with concern.

"Really, I'm fine." Kaneki Ken smiled and looked at Momoi Mayu and said, "Thank you for your concern, Mayu."

Seeing the warm smile on Kaneki Ken's face, Tao Jing Satsuki's ears also felt a little hot: "Haha, it's okay, we are all good friends! It's normal to care about each other!"

"Taozi, I felt so pitiful for Zhengbang and the others after they lost the game. They were all crying. It made me feel bad for them." Aomine Daiki interrupted again.

"Really? That's quite pitiful. Drink more hot water and you won't feel uncomfortable." Tao Jing Mayu almost had the word perfunctory written on her face at this time.

"Yanzi must be the same, after all, Yanzi is actually a very Asian person!" Murasakihara Atsushi also noticed the abnormality of Kaneki Ken at this time. As was rare, after finishing one rice bran roll, he immediately opened another one and spoke clearly.

"Yeah! Xiaoyan is indeed a very Asian person!" Taojing Satsuki nodded repeatedly after hearing what Murasakibara Atsushi said. After thinking for a while, she said, "How about we go eat ramen tonight, Xiaoyan, the red cat ramen last time was delicious, and the kittens are also very cute. Petting cats is good for your physical and mental health!"

"Ah, I want to go too!" Aomine Daiki, who was lying there pretending to be dead, suddenly jumped up and said.

"Oh? Chimao Noodle House?" Shirogane Kozo also interrupted with interest, "Then let's all get together tonight. I'll treat you. Just think of it as a celebration party!"

"Yeah! Long live the coach!" The young men in the car cheered in unison. The sunlight shone obliquely into the car, bringing with it the fragrance of youth.

(End of this chapter)