บท 228: Chapter 228: The Semi-finals!
Hey guys, my apologies for the late updates. I was pretty busy yesterday and thought I had scheduled the chapter for the day.
It turns out I did.
It's just that I put the wrong date in it.
I'm sorry!
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Two days flew by, and the four teams making it to the semi-finals were getting ready to head to the gymnasium for their matches.
Fukuda Sogo rode in a private bus en route to the gymnasium.
Tsuna sat calmly, engrossed in a book, while the rest of the team chatted eagerly, excited about the upcoming game.
Ishida turned to Ogiwara suddenly, asking, "Hey, Ogiwara, that ghost guy was your childhood friend, right?"
"Are you talking about Kuroko?"
"Oh, right. I'm talking about Kuroko..."
They had practiced together a while back during the Interhigh, but at that time, they focused on their individual tasks and never really socialized with either Seirin or Shutoku, given the intensity of their training.
Ogiwara responded with a wry smile.
He could understand why his teammates referred to Kuroko as a ghost. Kuroko's presence was so subtle that people were often taken aback when they suddenly realized he was there.
"Well, yeah, he was my neighbor back when I lived in Tokyo..."
"Hoh? Interesting. What's Kuroko like?" Mochizuki chimed in.
Ogiwara wore a thoughtful expression as he tried to sum up Kuroko in a word. He chuckled and replied, "Stubborn. That's the best way to describe him."
Ishida and Mochizuki's expressions lit up with interest. They then turned to Haizaki, who was idly gazing out the window. Ishida spoke, "What about you, Haizaki? You knew Kuroko at Teiko, right?"
Haizaki clicked his tongue upon hearing the question. He knew he'd get pulled into the conversation, and annoyance bubbled within him.
Still, memories of his encounter with Kuroko at Teiko flashed in his mind. Back then, he was on the verge of tossing his shoes into a fire pit, ready to quit the basketball club.
Kuroko had insisted he stay, unaware that Haizaki's situation wasn't as simple as choosing to stay.
Akashi had basically shown him the door. With no other option, Haizaki tossed his shoes into the fire pit, shaking his head mockingly as he declared Kuroko a fool.
So...
"He's a clueless guy," Haizaki evaluated, summing up his thoughts on Kuroko.
He didn't particularly like the guy, but he didn't hate him either. After all, Kuroko was the only one who reached out and asked him to reconsider his decision.
However, Haizaki couldn't help but mumble, "...and a moron, I'd say."
Haizaki knew that Kuroko's actions were for his own selfishness. Not for him, but for Kuroko himself.
"Oh? So, Haizaki actually held Kuroko in high regard. That's surprising. Seems like this guy is genuine," Mochizuki said, nodding in understanding.
Ishida seemed to share the sentiment, nodding along.
"..."
Nijimura shook his head in silence at the conversation, thinking, "What kind of high evaluation is calling the other guy a moron?"
However, he glanced around and noticed someone was missing. Nijimura then turned to Tsuna and asked, "...Young Master, where's Coach Alex?"
"She's likely still sleeping..."
Tsuna kept reading his book, responding casually as if it was a usual occurrence.
Nijimura sighed, massaging his temple, while the others chatted and filled the bus with a lively atmosphere. Tsuna was unfazed by the atmosphere and continued with his activities.
The bus rolled down the street, passing a bustling road with plenty of people strolling along the sidewalks. In the midst of the crowd were several teenagers sporting Seirin High's sport jackets.
"Kagami, did you miss out on sleep again today?" Hyuga inquired, spotting Kagami's tired eyes and dark circles.
"Yeah..."
Kagami nodded.
Kiyoshi suddenly burst into hearty laughter, throwing his arm around Kagami's shoulder. "Looks like our Ace is pumped for today's game, huh?"
"Well, you could say that."
Kagami replied with a hint of hesitation, leaving the others in confusion, their heads tilting in curiosity.
"Why the hesitation?" Koganei couldn't help but express his confusion.
"I've got the shoes, Kagami..."
However, before Kagami could respond, Kuroko chimed in, startling everyone who had just realized he was with them.
"Shoes?" Aida looked at Kagami, puzzled.
Kagami scratched his head, explaining, "...I noticed my shoes were worn out yesterday, so I ran around the city to get new ones, but couldn't find any in my size."
He had shared his dilemma with Kuroko, and together, they visited nearby shoe stores early in the morning, only to face disappointment. Luckily, when Kagami mentioned his size, Kuroko realized it matched Aomine's.
Kuroko advised Kagami to wait as he attempted to reach Aomine through Momoi, possibly asking to borrow the shoes.
"...So, that's why you couldn't sleep?"
Izuki's eyes widened in realization.
"...."
The others, who initially assumed Kagami was just his usual hyper self, now wore dumbfounded expressions. Kagami could only sheepishly nod, feeling a bit embarrassed.
Meanwhile, in a cozy Tokyo neighborhood, Momoi wrapped up her makeup routine and got dressed. Glancing at herself in the mirror, she smiled, striking a pose before stepping out.
Exiting her house, she spotted Aomine patiently waiting, holding a medium-sized bag.
"...Why do I need to bring my shoes?" he grumbled, rolling his eyes in annoyance.
Momoi chuckled, saying, "Kuroko asked if he could borrow your shoes..."
"Tetsu? Why?"
"Seems Kagami's shoes wore out, and he couldn't find new ones anywhere..."
Aomine furrowed his eyebrows at the mention of Kagami. Shaking his head, he followed Momoi to the bus station.
Their shoe sizes were a bit large for most Japanese, and finding them ready-made was a real challenge. Aomine, too, always had to wait for a few weeks to get his shoes, as they had to be imported.
So, he could understand why Kagami struggled to find the right size if Kagami's shoe size was indeed close to his.
"Daiki, I heard the others are coming to watch the semi-finals..."
"Imayoshi and the crew?"
Momoi nodded, checking her phone after reading Imayoshi's message. He told her to join them at the gymnasium to watch the game together.
Even though Imayoshi and the other third-year students were likely swamped with college exam preparations, they made an exception for today and possibly tomorrow for the final.
Seeing the confirmation, Aomine just shrugged. He didn't really care.
Meanwhile, Fukuda Sogo's private bus finally pulled up at the Yayogi Gymnasium.
The gymnasium appeared to be bustling with activity, likely due to the heightened excitement of the semi-finals taking place that day since both games promised intense competition between formidable teams!
As they stepped off the bus, onlookers caught sight of them and began pointing fingers.
"...The King of Kings!"
"Whoa, they're here early..."
"Wasn't their game supposed to be after Shutoku vs Rakuzan?"
Whispers spread among those who had stopped to see Fukuda Sogo's players. However, the players seemed accustomed to this attention, calmly following Tsuna's lead as they made their way inside.
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