"Kuroko! Over here!"
Momoi's voice echoed through the corridor, causing Aomine to casually scratch his head as the attention of everyone in the vicinity shifted toward them.
The members of Too Academy nonchalantly turned their heads, glancing at the approaching Seirin players.
"Whoa? Everyone from Too Academy is here too?" Hyuga muttered in surprise, not expecting to find the entire team waiting for them.
He had assumed it would be just Aomine and Momoi.
"Well, well, looks like being winners has kept you guys busy, huh? You've kept us waiting for ten minutes..."
Imayoshi remarked with a seemingly polite tone that carried a hint of sarcasm.
"Ahaha, my bad. We had an interview a while ago..." Hyuga sheepishly scratched his head, offering a light apology.
"Oh? An interview, huh?" Imayoshi raised his eyebrows with curiosity, maintaining his polite smile. He squinted his eyes and added, "Certainly something more important than keeping us waiting for ten minutes..."
Wakamatsu, typically fiery, shot a weird look at Imayoshi. "He was definitely mad..."
"...I apologize. We shouldn't have made you wait."
Hyuga apologized once again, acknowledging Imayoshi's continued sarcasm. The others from Seirin joined in with sheepish laughter, sharing a sense of guilt.
Aomine sighed, glancing at Kagami as he handed over the shoes in the bag. "Here are the shoes. Just don't break them..."
Kagami accepted the shoes with a nod, saying, "Thanks, I appreciate it."
"..."
After his reply, a heavy silence descended, casting an awkward atmosphere.
Both of them seemed at a loss for words, their interactions usually limited to the basketball court.
In Aomine's case, he lounged around lazily until game time. However, his social skills were on par with Kagami's, leaving them both grappling with the unfamiliarity of casual conversation.
"...Try not to lose too badly," Aomine broke the awkward silence with these words.
Kagami frowned but then responded with a confident smile, "Hah, I won't lose as badly as you. Don't worry..."
"Huh?" Aomine furrowed his eyebrows at the retort.
Aomine had attempted to offer a bit of encouragement in his own way, though Kagami was far from understanding his intentions. The jab also annoyed Aomine, prompting him to add, "We'll see you try..."
The two of them locked eyes, creating an intense atmosphere that left everyone around them somewhat speechless at their weird interaction.
Meanwhile, as they turned their attention to the girls, a harmonious atmosphere surrounded Momoi and Aida, their faces adorned with bright smiles.
It offered a sense of relief to the guys, knowing that at least one interaction was amicable.
However...
"Ah, Flatboa--Aida, I wish you the best of luck for today's game..."
"...Ahaha, you're annoyin--you're very kind as usual, Momoi."
Both women laughed gently, their eyes squinted in a smile.
Yet, the atmosphere suddenly turned icy, causing everyone to break into a nervous sweat as they collectively thought, "Nevermind, their interaction was the worst one."
Aomine shook his head before redirecting his attention to Kuroko.
"Well, good luck with your game."
"Thank you, I'll give it my best!"
Aomine nodded before offering some advice, "Tsuna's strong, and he's the merciless type. Be cautious of his subtle traps..."
Kuroko nodded, his expression turning serious. The atmosphere around Seirin also shifted as their focus intensified.
"I'll keep your words in mind, Aomine. Thanks." Kuroko expressed gratitude to Aomine, who casually looked away, dismissing it as nothing.
Seirin had gathered some insight into the kind of person Fukuda Sogo's Captain was through observing his gameplay and court control.
While surprisingly approachable off the court, he showcased a completely different persona during the game.
After chatting for a while, they strolled through the corridor together before finally emerging into the arena where the first round of the semi-finals was set to take place.
Once inside, they parted ways to find their respective seats.
As they settled down, the realization hit that the game was on the brink of beginning, with players from both teams assuming their positions on the court.
"Midorima against Akashi, huh?" Kagami muttered, memories of Akashi's previous attack lingering in his mind.
"I'm curious if Shutoku can pull off a win..." Izuki pondered aloud, his gaze fixed on the players on the court.
Hyuga shook his head, interjecting, "It doesn't really matter if they win or lose. We should be more concerned about our own circumstances..."
Laughter rippled through the Seirin team at Hyuga's remark, each member chiming in with a unanimous, "You're right..."
Their concern about winning and advancing to the next round had long vanished; it didn't matter much anymore. All they cared about was playing with their best effort and leaving no room for regrets!
Aida smiled gently seeing her team's expressions. She then turned toward the court, where the referee threw the ball up in the air.
The court buzzed with anticipation as the ball soared into the air.
Otsubo's eyes sparked with determination, launching himself skyward, hand outstretched to snatch the ball. Mibuchi mirrored the intensity, jumping alongside him.
But when their hands collided with the ball, Otsubo's sheer power gave him the upper hand. In a swift move, he pushed the ball toward Takao, who wasted no time in zipping it back to Midorima.
Rakuzan High's players were taken aback by the unexpected move, and Mibuchi quickly sprang into action and quickly chased down Midorima.
But unfortunately, he was just a hair too late.
Midorima was already in his shooting stance as he soared into the air. The ball left his hand in a graceful arc, drawing gasps from the onlookers as they marveled at its elegant journey toward the basket.
"You'll see me try, you said?"
Midorima's confident voice echoed across the court, his eyes locked onto Akashi, who smiled in amusement.
Undaunted by Akashi's nonchalant demeanor, Midorima retorted, "You're still holding your head too high. Well, get ready, Akashi. I'm putting my heart into this. Brace yourself for a firsthand lesson in defeat..."
With Midorima's bold proclamation hanging in the air, the ball smoothly glided through the basket, the net swishing with a satisfying sound.
The crowd immediately erupted into cheers!
"Right from the get-go!?"
"That's our Midorima!"
"Shutoku, let's do this!"
Whispers and exclamations spread like wildfire among the spectators. The intensity kicked off right at the beginning, and that's precisely why they gathered today – to witness the heat of such an exciting game!
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