Kuroko's Basketball: I'm not the boss?

"Well, it's alright, but some good things have indeed happened."

Xiangyang walked to the sink and began washing the vegetables with practiced ease. He knew that Yako usually ate vegetables for dinner.

Upon hearing Xiangyang's answer, Yazi gave a noncommittal "hmm," then took out a few steaks and began preparing dinner.

The air in the kitchen gradually quieted down, with only the sounds of water and steaks sizzling in the background.

After an unknown amount of time, a sound broke the silence.

"Ms. Masako, why are you helping me so much? Is Coach Takeuchi's influence that useful?"

(Eight chapters still owed! Not sure if there will be any tonight, but if it's not posted by 6 PM, don't wait up, brothers.)

Chapter 88 Masako Araki's Past

Masako paused slightly in her movements, but did not speak.

Xiang Yang glanced at Yako's reaction and teased with a smile, "What's going on, Miss Yako? You don't have a crush on me, do you?"

"hehe."

Masako rolled her eyes at Xiangyang and continued fiddling with the steak in the pot.

Xiangyang wisely refrained from speaking further, but he remained puzzled. Yazi had been incredibly kind to him; aside from the three months of private tutoring fees, Xiangyang hadn't paid a single penny for their daily meals, and Yazi had never asked him for any.

Is it because she's a rich woman that she doesn't care? But the effort she put into me was real; besides liking me, there seems to be no other explanation…

"It seems like you've misunderstood something. Let me explain it to you."

Masako's voice suddenly interrupted Xiangyang's reverie. She looked at the steak in the pot and said slowly, "I used to be a member of the women's national team."

"But my talent isn't outstanding, it's even terrible, just like yours."

…Feeling offended, Xiangyang didn't interrupt Masako, but just listened quietly.

"I wasn't selected for the national youth team at first because I was too short. They eventually chose another girl. Then I worked twice as hard and finally beat the team that girl was in a competition."

Hmm? Why does this scene feel so familiar?

A chill ran down Xiangyang's spine; he had a bad feeling. Ignoring him, Yako continued, "Later, the national youth team finally gave me a chance, allowing me to participate in their trials. The girl I defeated, however, joined the national youth team directly..."

At this point, Masako stopped. She flipped the steak in the pan over; it would burn if she cooked it any longer.

Xiangyang remained silent, and the air fell silent once more.

After some time, Yako walked over to Xiangyang, took the vegetables from his hands, and continued to work at the pot.

Just as Xiangyang was hesitating about whether to say something, Yako spoke up again.

"I performed quite well after joining the national youth team, but the coach and my teammates didn't take me seriously just because I was a trial player. Those days were really tough for me, and even now when I think about it, I still feel uncomfortable."

Masako subtly tightened her grip on the spatula, increasing the force with which she stir-fried the vegetables.

"The basketball association in this country is full of idiots who are all talk and no action. Xiangyang, promise me you won't follow in my footsteps. You have a great understanding of basketball. Apart from your physical talent, everything about you seems to be made for basketball. But some people have such narrow-minded views."

Yako went to great lengths to help Xiangyang, largely because she saw a reflection of herself in him. That's why she wanted to help him become stronger. She's probably the person who understands Xiangyang's feelings best right now, and also the person who knows best what will happen to him in the future. Because she is the perfect example.

They were both looked down upon, both lost to the same opponents they had defeated, and even the outcome... might be the same.

Masako didn't know how the basketball association had changed internally in recent years, but she was certain that if Hikaru faced a situation similar to hers...

So even if Xiangyang joins the national youth team or even the national team in the future, she won't be happy. In other words, she hopes to help Xiangyang, but she doesn't necessarily require Xiangyang to join the national team. She really doesn't have a good impression of that place.

"You can go out first, I'll bring the food out in a bit."

……

Outside the kitchen, Kise was running on the treadmill. When he saw Xiangyang come out, he waved and greeted him happily: "Xiangyang! This place is really nice. Did you train here before? No wonder you've gotten so strong."

Hearing Kise's words, Xiangyang forced a smile. What Masako had said to him in the kitchen earlier had also left him feeling unsettled.

"Little Xiangyang?"

Noticing that Xiangyang seemed a little down, Kise stopped running on the treadmill, jogged over to Xiangyang, and whispered in his ear, "You got rejected?"

"Go to hell."

Xiangyang gave Kise a shove, just as Masako came out carrying a plate.

Kise secretly observed Masako's expression and noticed that she also seemed a little unhappy.

Could it be that…

Kise felt like he had discovered something incredible.

Is there disharmony in your relationship?

To be honest, Xiao Xiangyang did spend a rather short time out of the kitchen…

For a moment, Kise was lost in thought and didn't even hear Xiangyang calling him.

This guy... he's probably thinking about something unhealthy.

Xiangyang glared with dead fish eyes and simply pulled Kise to sit down at the table.

"There's another plate inside. I'll go get it. You guys eat first."

Masako left after saying that.

Kise finally came to his senses. He looked at the dishes on the table and was dumbfounded.

"Why is it all vegetables?"

Kise is a purebred carnivore.

Having already gotten used to it, Xiangyang picked up a floret of broccoli and put it in his mouth. He gestured to Kise with his lips and said, "Isn't there a steak?"

"this…"

Kise wanted to complain about how one steak could be filling, but Masako had already brought out the plate.

Kise looked at the newly served plate with hopeful eyes, expecting to see something he wanted to see... a large portion of rice.

Although Kise isn't fat, as a basketball player, he's bound to have a huge appetite. If he doesn't want to eat vegetables, a steak with rice simply won't fill him up, and his dining experience will definitely be terrible.

Looking at Xiangyang, he had already picked up his chopsticks and was eating with relish. To cater to Kise's taste, Masako had specially added some salt and soy sauce to the vegetables, whereas normally they were just boiled in plain water.

Have you washed your hands?

"I had already washed up when I came out of Haichang."

Wash your hands before meals.

Hi hi~

Upon hearing Masako's command, Hikaru raised his hands in surrender and, as he got up, pulled Kise along to wash his hands.

"Xiao Xiangyang, did you eat that kind of food every day during your training?"

Kise, watching Hikaru washing his hands, finally couldn't help but ask.

Hearing Kise's words, Xiangyang tilted his head and thought for a moment before replying, "Not exactly."

Kise breathed a sigh of relief. If it were every day...

If everyone ate that kind of stuff, wouldn't they go crazy from suffocation?

"Normally, there's no steak; it's mostly boiled chicken breast or something like that."

Kise: ...

Back at the dining table, Xiangyang ate heartily again. Apart from his once-a-week indulgent meal, he rarely ate vegetables with soy sauce.

Masako, who was sitting next to him, was also eating in small bites. Neither she nor Xiangyang were people who liked to chat while eating. But Kise was different. He was a chatterbox. If no one chatted with him while eating, he would go crazy.

"Um... the schedule for the Winter Cup official tournament is out..."

Considering the identities of the three people present, Kise finally came up with a suitable topic after racking his brains for a long time.

Masako did not react; as Yangquan's coach, she had naturally already studied the matter.

Xiangyang looked up, swallowed the food in his mouth, and picked up the conversation, asking, "Really? Who are we going to fight?"

He had been focused on training and hadn't returned to Haichang, so he really didn't know who his opponent in the first round would be.

Thankfully... that suffocating atmosphere is over.

Kise secretly breathed a sigh of relief and replied, "I think it's called Fukuda Comprehensive High School. Kasamatsu-senpai said that their point guard seems to be quite skilled."

Futian Comprehensive? That sounds familiar.

As Xiangyang tore off a piece of steak, he pondered the name.

Futian Comprehensive... Futian Comprehensive...

Wait a minute, who did Hai often fight in the original story? I remember there was another guy who didn't appear.

Hmm? Fukuda Corporation? The former Generation of Miracles—Shogo Haizaki?

For a moment, Xiangyang paused in his chewing of the steak, but then relaxed.

In the original work, Hai Chang could handle any opponent, so with him around, that disgusting guy wouldn't be able to cause any trouble at all.

"You might meet some really interesting guys."

Xiangyang licked his lips and smiled as he spoke to Kise. He was very curious about Kise's reaction.

Wipe your mouth.

From a certain icy beauty.

Hi hi~

(After thinking about it, I decided to post it anyway. This book is progressing very slowly, and it will probably be more than half a month before it is published. I don't need to worry about this chapter anymore...)

Chapter 89 Wild North District

"Xiao Xiangyang, you didn't watch the preliminary rounds in the North District, but they were amazing, let me tell you!"

Kise and Xiangyang walked side by side along the roadside. They had finished their dinner with Masako, and Xiangyang had eaten very contentedly. Kise, on the other hand, had even bought some fried skewers from a roadside vendor; he simply couldn't stand facing a bunch of green stuff while eating.

Xiangyang tilted his head slightly, waiting for Kise to continue.

"Xiao Lü, Xiao Qingfeng, and Xiao Heizi, their three teams each played a match, and I watched every single one!"