On Monday, it was another day at school for Shōgo, as he walked into the classroom yawning.
He was greeted by Rina's shining eyes, which made Shōgo feel a bit uneasy. Was he imagining things?
Normally, Rina's gaze at him was a look of joy, a slightly shy expression that a normal girl would have. However, the look in Rina's eyes this morning sent a shiver down Shōgo's spine. He didn't know what would happen next.
During the lunch break, Shōgo enjoyed the sushi bento that Rina had brought. The subtle taste of seaweed and the spicy kick of wasabi made his taste buds dance with an indescribable delight.
Closing his eyes, Shōgo felt like he was floating. It was as if the legendary luminous food was right in front of him.
Of course, this feeling was partly due to the deliciousness of the sushi and partly because of Rina's gaze fixed on him.
Shōgo had to put on an expression of amazement and appreciation, trying to please the innocent girl in front of him.
Seeing Shōgo's seemingly enjoyed expression, Rina took the opportunity to drop a bombshell that nearly made Shōgo choke on his food.
"Shōgo-kun, I've joined the basketball club. I'm now an assistant in the basketball club."
Shōgo took a big gulp of water, clearing the food stuck in his throat, and asked in surprise, "Um, Rina-chan, how did you join the basketball club?"
"In the morning break, I signed up to join!"
"No interview? Second round? Assessment? You just joined like that?"
"Yes, Kudo-sensei agreed immediately. He asked me to report today, and I'm participating in the basketball club's recruitment activities."
Gulping down the last piece of sushi, Shōgo showed a realized expression.
"Shōgo-kun, are you unhappy that I joined the basketball club?"
"Happy, very happy! Please guide me in the future, Assistant Rina."
Rina gave Shōgo a charming look, then fell silent and continued to eat her sushi.
Watching the adorable Rina in front of him, Shōgo fell into contemplation.
Did this girl join the basketball club on a whim, or was she simply following him?
Shōgo didn't think his current thoughts were narcissistic. He was considering the impact and growth that Rina's joining would bring to her and the basketball club.
At the same time, he also considered the effects and contributions it would have on the basketball club.
First, in terms of appearance, Rina's beauty would attract a large number of newcomers to the basketball club.
Setting aside whether newcomers were coming for her looks alone, the increase in numbers would bring fresh blood to the club, injecting new vitality and enthusiasm.
Second, Shōgo needed to figure out what aspects of basketball Rina excelled in. This could serve as a foundation for him to help her develop her abilities.
Becoming a special talent like Satsuki Momoi and Riko Aida would make Rina's joining the basketball club meaningful, rather than just being a decorative addition.
If Rina ended up realizing that she was merely a decoration after spending time in the basketball club, that realization would be the most damaging blow to her. This was not the outcome Shōgo wanted to see.
Casting a sidelong glance at her exquisite face, along with her rose-colored hair and eyes, Shōgo couldn't deny that he felt a flutter of excitement. Even he couldn't believe he was immune to this feeling.
"Rina-chan, what do you think of basketball? What's your first impression of basketball?"
"Well, basketball is great! You look so cool when you dunk, Shōgo-kun!"
"..."
"Was my answer not good?"
"No, it's good! What's your first impression of the basketball itself?"
"First impression? Um... it's like a little pet, especially when you play, Shōgo-kun. I feel like the basketball is an obedient little pet, so cute!"
"..."
Alright, Shōgo had to admit that his first attempt at collecting data and testing Rina's insights had failed.
Indeed, he didn't possess the abnormal ability like Seijūrō to instantly notice others' strengths.
In this regard, Seijūrō was truly exceptional.
Whether it was cultivating the first-generation Phantom Sixth Man, Tetsuya Kuroko, or developing the second-generation Phantom Sixth Man, Chihiro Mayuzumi, it had to be said that this ability was remarkable.
Shōgo had to admire this skill of understanding people. It was a skill that an upper-level person needed the most. As of now, Shōgo couldn't hold a candle to it.
Even Satsuki's data analysis and prediction abilities were developed by Seijūrō.
In the beginning, Seijuro saw Satsuki's talent and had her collect data every day. Satsuki's data analysis and prediction abilities were nurtured step by step through this process.
All of these memories were from the previous Shōgo. He held a mix of admiration, envy, and resentment towards Seijūrō's strength and abilities.
Sigh! It's all because of basketball, all because of inadequate abilities.
"Rina-chan, are you free on Saturday?"
"Yes, why? What's up, Shōgo-kun?"
"There's a college basketball game on Saturday. I'd like to invite you to watch it with me. Would you be interested?"
"Of course!"
Rina's cheeks turned slightly red, and she readily accepted Shōgo's invitation.
Shōgo's reason for this invitation was to take Rina to watch a real basketball game and see if she would have any keen observations about it or unique insights.
This way, Shōgo could help Rina design a plan for developing her abilities.
Sigh! Just thinking about all this gave Shōgo a headache.
Indeed, only a genius like Seijūrō excelled at this kind of thing, using his brain to understand people.
Making a mental note of this, Shōgo's interaction with Rina returned to normal, playful, and mundane, just like usual.
At 4 p.m., school ended.
Shōgo and Rina walked side by side into the indoor basketball training court. Shōgo went to the changing room to change into his uniform, while Rina followed another female assistant to help with the recruitment.
Wearing a red basketball jersey, Shōgo entered the court and stood with his teammates, waiting for Coach Kudo's instructions.
Coach Kudo had a sharp gaze, a stern expression, and a hoarse voice. He addressed all the players in front of him.
"I'll say this one last time. Our team relies on absolute discipline and obedience to create opportunities for victory. Those who can't obey arrangements can leave now without causing disruption."
"Most of us players don't have exceptional skills or awareness, so if we want to win, we must eliminate unnecessary actions and behaviors that lead to mistakes."
"You should all understand this. You all played in the last game, so you should have experienced the essence of our tactics."
"We're all support, we're all defenders. As long as we guard the players we're responsible for, it's the greatest victory."
"As for the offense, in the last game, Shōgo-kun demonstrated everything with his abilities and actions. He's worthy of our trust."
All the players listened to the coach's instructions, and all of them used their peripheral vision to glance at Shōgo, who stood at the far left of the front row.
At this moment, feeling the gaze of his teammates, Shōgo felt trust and a sense of reliance. All members of the school team entrusted their hopes for offense, shooting, scoring, and victory to him.
This was a burning feeling, almost scorching Shōgo's heart.