The locker room was buzzing, but I barely noticed. My body ached, the adrenaline fading and leaving me with nothing but the dull throb of exhaustion. A shower helped—barely. As I sat on the bench toweling my hair, I caught Takeo's voice cutting through the chatter.
"Hey, Akira, an MVP doesn't get to sit in the corner all quiet. Go out there, soak in the glory!"
I rolled my eyes, tossing the towel onto my bag.
"What glory? It was just a friendly."
Takeo leaned against the lockers, a smirk plastered on his face.
"Tell that to the crowd. They're probably still chanting your name out there."
"They weren't chanting" — Renji chimed in, stretching out on the bench. "But I'm pretty sure I heard some 'that blonde guy is insane' or two."
I snorted, grabbing my phone from my bag. I didn't have time for their teasing, especially not when I had texts from Dad waiting—something about reviewing game footage together later.
The next morning, I found the first note in my locker.
"Kingsley, you were amazing last game! Keep it up!"
It wasn't signed, but the handwriting was neat and bubbly, probably a girl from one of the lower grades. I couldn't help the small smile tugging at the corners of my lips.
By the end of the day, there were three more notes waiting for me. They ranged from shy praise to outright admiration, one even jokingly asking for an autograph. It was flattering, sure, but also a little overwhelming.
"Looks like someone's popular."
Hiroto's voice startled me as I closed the locker. I turned to see him grinning, his glasses sliding down his nose as he tilted his head.
"What's all this about?"
"Friendly match" I said, shoving the notes into my bag. — Some people thought I played well.
"'Well'?" Hiroto mimicked, raising an eyebrow. "Akira, everyone's talking about you. Even the second-years who usually act like nothing impresses them. You're a celebrity now."
I laughed, shaking my head.
"Yeah, well, it's just a friendly. It's not like I won a tournament or something."
"Are you crazy?! You beat Makito's ass, one of the best players in the last tournament, and even if was just a regular players, that doesn't mean it's not worth celebrating." He paused, then added "Oh, by the way, the cheer squad got something planned for the next match. A surprise. You'll see."
Hiroto walked off, leaving me both curious and slightly nervous. A surprise? Knowing him, it could be anything from a banner to some elaborate choreography.
Practice that afternoon was intense. Coach Yamamoto wasn't letting the team bask in the glow of victory for long.
"You think Kadooka was tough? Kamata West is on another level."
Coach paced in front of us with his arms crossed, his gaze sharp.
"Their last friendly was against Shoei Junior High." He paused for effect, then added, "Final score: Kamata West 78, Shoei Junior High 72."
A murmur spread through the team. Everyone knew Shoei—last year's finalists and one of the top teams in the region.
"They were trailing by a massive margin," Coach continued. "28 to 46 at halftime. Shoei dominated the first half completely. But then, within just a few minutes, four of Shoei's players were ejected for unsportsmanlike conduct. Kamata West didn't waste that opportunity. They clawed their way back, turned the game around, and won."
Takeo let out a low whistle. "Wait, four players ejected? What the hell happened?"
Coach shrugged. "Tensions boiled over. Shoei got rattled, started making mistakes. Kamata West capitalized on every single one of them. They're disciplined, they're patient, and they know how to exploit weaknesses."
Four players getting ejected with mistakes… I don't know, this doesn't feel right…
Renji leaned forward, his brow furrowed. "So, we're going up against a team that just took down Shoei? That's... a big deal."
"Exactly," Coach said, tapping the whiteboard. "They've shown they can handle adversity and punish teams that lose their focus. That's why we need to stay composed. No reckless fouls, no unnecessary arguments with the refs, and no losing our heads. They're waiting for that."
Hiroshi, sitting silently beside me, finally spoke up. "It's not just skill—it's mental toughness. We'll need that."
Coach nodded. "Right. Control the tempo, play smart, and don't give them any openings. They thrive on chaos, but if we stay sharp, we'll have the upper hand."
Takeo crossed his arms, a determined smirk on his face. "Let's make sure we don't give them anything. If they want this game, they'll have to work for it."
The room hummed with focus and determination. Kamata West may have pulled off an incredible comeback against Shoei, but we weren't going to let them do it again.