The moment the whistle blew, the tension on the court skyrocketed. Kagami faced off against Kise Ryōta for the tip-off, both of them leaping high into the air. Kagami barely won, slapping the ball toward Kuroko, who quickly passed it off to Izuki. The match was on.
Luin smirked as he dashed down the court, eyes sharp as he anticipated Kaijō's movements. He had played against his cousin before, and he knew exactly how annoying Kasamatsu's defense could be.
"Don't think I'll let you move freely, Luin-kun," Kasamatsu taunted, keeping up with him.
"Then try to stop me," Luin shot back, feinting left before accelerating past him.
Izuki passed the ball, and Luin caught it, smoothly maneuvering toward the basket. But before he could attempt a shot, Kise appeared in front of him with his signature confident grin.
"Luin-kun, I won't let you score so easily~" Kise teased, his golden eyes sharp as he moved to block.
Luin clicked his tongue. "Damn copycat."
Kise laughed but didn't deny it. He had already mimicked Kagami's defensive stance, making it harder for Luin to break through. But Luin wasn't about to back down. He passed the ball back to Kuroko, who vanished between defenders before making a clean pass to Kagami.
Kagami grinned. "Nice one, Kuroko!"
He went for a dunk, but Kise jumped with him, their battle beginning in the air.
The game continued at an intense pace. Seirin's teamwork was sharp, but Kaijō's offense was strong, especially with Kise copying techniques effortlessly.
Luin found himself in a back-and-forth battle with Kasamatsu, both of them pushing each other harder with every play. The competitive spirit between them only fueled the excitement.
Kuroko, with his usual quiet presence, suddenly intercepted a pass from Kaijō, flipping the momentum. He turned toward Luin, his cold yet determined expression in place.
"Luin-kun."
Luin understood instantly. He darted ahead, receiving Kuroko's pass in perfect sync before making a quick, precise shot.
The ball swished through the net.
Seirin's bench erupted into cheers.
Luin smirked at Kasamatsu. "Told you I wasn't holding back."
Kasamatsu crossed his arms, clicking his tongue. "Tch. This match isn't over yet."
On the other side of the court, Kise grinned, cracking his knuckles. "Guess I need to get serious now~"
The match was far from over.
The practice match had reached a short break, with both teams gathering by the sidelines for water and strategy discussions. Luin was wiping sweat from his forehead when a girl—one of Kaijō's managers—approached him with a bright smile.
"Luin-kun, right?" She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, her eyes practically sparkling. "You're amazing on the court! You move so fast, and your passes are so sharp! I bet you have a ton of girls chasing after you."
Luin blinked. "Uh, thanks?"
Before he could step away, the girl leaned in a little closer, smiling sweetly. "Maybe after the match, you'd wanna grab some snacks together? You know, just the two of us?"
Kuroko, standing nearby with his water bottle, immediately turned toward Kagami. Without missing a beat, he spoke in a flat voice, "Kagami-kun, Luin-kun is being targeted."
Kagami, already smirking, let out a low chuckle. "Oh-ho~? Looks like Luin's got himself a fangirl."
Luin shot them both a glare. "Don't."
Kagami, of course, ignored him. He elbowed Kuroko, grinning like a maniac. "Think she knows Luin's so flirty but only when it's with guys?"
Kuroko tilted his head. "It's possible she hasn't noticed yet." He then turned toward the girl and, with a completely straight face, said, "Luin-kun prefers aggressive men."
Luin nearly choked on his own spit. "OI!"
The girl blinked in confusion. "H-Huh?"
Kagami outright burst into laughter. "Oh man, Kuroko, you're brutal."
Luin dragged a hand down his face, exasperated. "I hate you both."
Kuroko took a sip of his water, unfazed. "We're just supporting you, Luin-kun."
The girl, looking increasingly flustered, stammered, "I-I didn't mean to make things awkward! If you're already seeing someone—"
Kagami jumped in before Luin could even open his mouth. "Oh yeah, he's totally taken." He slung an arm around Luin's shoulders dramatically. "He just doesn't know it yet."
Luin groaned. "I really hate you both."
Meanwhile, from Kaijō's side, Kise, who had been watching the whole thing, was laughing so hard he had to hold onto Kasamatsu for support. "Pfft—Luin-kun, you're so popular~!"
Kasamatsu clicked his tongue in annoyance. "Focus on the damn game, idiot."
The girl awkwardly excused herself, and Luin turned back to Kuroko and Kagami, cracking his knuckles.
"After the match," he warned darkly.
Kuroko blinked. "Are you threatening us, Luin-kun?"
Kagami smirked, leaning in close. "What're you gonna do, flirt us to death?"
Luin inhaled deeply. "I swear, I'm the one who's gonna kill you two."
And just like that, the match was back on—with Kaijō none the wiser that Luin was currently plotting very specific revenge against his so-called teammates.