Rebirth In Kurokonobasket - Chapter 177

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A/N: Okay, to make it clear.

Kiyoshi, Hyuuga, and Izuki are all in the first year of high school.

Seiring High itself is in its third year. Like it has been three years since the school opened for business(education).

I am just assuming that the school opened earlier than Kiyoshi, and the gang joined Seirin. They were the ones that made the club.

I apologize; my vocabulary isn’t deep enough to portray what I want to depict.

Let’s move on with the story.

]

Hyuuga Junpei walked through the corridor of the school with an irritated expression on his face. And, when you paired that with his bleached hair, he looked like a person you didn’t want to approach.

The source of Hyuuga’s irritation was the person who was walking behind him, trying to gain his attention.

Izuki: “Hey, Hyuuga.

Hyuuga, hey now. Listen to me.”

Hyuuga wasn’t able to ignore his friend anymore and turned back to address the silky, black-haired person.

Hyuuga: “Shut up, man. I can hear you.”

Izuki Shun, Hyuuga’s teammate from middle school, smiled and greeted him.

Izuki: “Hey. It looks like we are in the same class again.”

Izuki looked at his friend’s hair. Hyuuga had let his hair grow, plus he bleached them.

Izuki tried not to laugh at Hyuuga, but he wasn’t able to hold it in and burst out in laughter.

Hyuuga frowned and growled in irritation.

Hyuuga: “What’s so funny?!”

Izuki wiped a tear off his eyes and started between chuckles.

Izuki: “Bleaching your hair at the start of high school. Basketball players don’t do that.”

Hyuuga’s frowned eased and spoke with a softer tone with hints of grief in them.

Hyuuga: “You are right, basketball players won’t, but basketball and I are done with each other.

It’s hard, and there’s nothing fun about it.”

He raised his arm in the air and spoke words that showed that he was leaning into his look.

Hyuuga: “I am going to take over this school and stand at the top!”

Izuki: “Jokes aside, Hyuuga, that’s not cool.

You’ve been working so hard since middle school. You never missed a practice either.”

Hyuuga didn’t turn back and spoke with a blank expression on his face.

Hyuuga: “What good came from that?

We didn’t win a single game.”

Hyuuga scoffed and continued.

Hyuuga: “Fortunately, this school doesn’t have a basketball club.

You should find a different club, too.”

Izuki looked at the ground and thought about his middle school days. Just like Hyuuga said, their team didn’t win a single game for three years in a row.

Izuki wasn’t a stranger to the feeling of despair that Hyuuga was going through.

He, too, had gone through the same phase. But, Izuki picked himself up. Izuki wanted to do the same and pick himself up.

And, maybe his prayers were answered as just when Hyuuga turned the corner, he met the person that would pull Hyuuga outside of the pit.

-*-*-*-*-*-*-

Hyuuga sat in his classroom, frustrated beyond the limit, drinking juice out of a juice box.

Izuki glanced at his friend and asked.

Izuki: “You have been in a bad mood, haven’t you?”

Hyuuga placed an elbow on the table and rested his head on the palm of his hand.

Hyuuga: “Of course, I have been. You try having a giant follow you around.

No damn way that’d put you in a good mood.”

Kiyoshi: “Don’t be like that.

Let’s play basketball together.”

Hyuuga spoke the same thing for the nth time.

Hyuuga: “I told you, I am not playing!”

Izuki leaned forward in his chair and spoke to Kiyoshi.

Izuki: “I wouldn’t mind me playing.”

Kiyoshi’s eyes brightened up, and he smiled.

Kiyoshi: “Really? All right! Now, we need two more.”

The ever stubborn Kiyoshi was still counting Hyuuga as a club member.

Hyuuga: “I told you – Don’t include me.”

He whipped his head towards Izuki.

Hyuuga: “Izuki!”

Izuki shrugged and said.

Izuki: “Who cares? Besides, I want to play.”

Hyuuga went silent at that. Not everyone was like him, Izuki as his teammate, went through the same thing as him, but still wanted to play.

He sighed in irritation and spoke in a loud voice.

Hyuuga: “Do whatever you want! I am not playing!

I am sick of losing.”

Hyuuga stood up from his chair and stomped out of the room.

Izuki and Kiyoshi stared at Hyuuga till he was out of the classroom, and then Izuki turned to Kiyoshi.

Izuki: “Kiyoshi-kun, right?”

Kiyoshi smiled and responded.

Kiyoshi: “You can call me, Teppei.”

Izuki started at the tall, cheerful person and sighed.

Izuki: “You don’t learn, do you?

Why are you trying so hard?”

Kiyoshi tilted his head at the question, and Izuki continued.

Izuki: “You are Kiyoshi, the Iron Heart, aren’t you?”

Kiyoshi g.r.o.a.n.e.d and expressed his embarrassment for his title.

Izuki stared at Kiyoshi and questioned.

Izuki: “If you really wanted to play basketball, I am sure a strong school would have recruited you.

Why come to Seirin?”

Kiyoshi leaned back and smiled.

Kiyoshi: “I don’t have a reason.”

Kiyoshi explained his family circ.u.mstances about being raised by grandparents, and he joined Seirin as it was the closest, and he could go back anytime if his grandparents needed him.

Kiyoshi: “I like basketball, but I am fine with being in any team.

As long it’s fine, that is.”

Izuki thought after listening to Kiyoshi.

Izuki: “He is a famous player, so I thought he would be more ambitious, but he is pretty laid back.”

Izuki opened his mouth and concluded.

Izuki: “So as long as you’re having fun, you don’t care if you win or lose.”

The smile faded away from Kiyoshi’s face, and he turned to Izuki.

Kiyoshi: “What? When did I say that?

Why do you think I am taking it easy?”

Izuki turned to look at Kiyoshi and saw a different expression from the usual goofball expression.

It was something different and something Izuki hadn’t seen before.

Kiyoshi: “Having fun and taking it easy are two different things.

Training to win,

Improving yourself,

Devoting yourself to what you enjoy,

Isn’t that what it means to have fun?”

Izuki felt a thirst for victory from Kiyoshi, and he immediately took his previous thoughts back.

Izuki: ‘I take back my words. Laidback? This guy is far from that.’

Just then, two people came and introduced themselves to Kiyoshi and Izuki.

Mitobe Rinnouske had played basketball in middle school, and Koganei Shinji was a novice. Both of them wanted to join the team.

Kiyoshi cordially invited them into the club and spoke.

Kiyoshi: “Now we have five players! We can finally play games.”

Izuki nodded but commented.

Izuki: “You’re still counting Hyuuga as a part of the club?

But, we better find more people, playing with just five people without substitutions is going to be tough.”

Koganei raised his hand and spoke in excitement.

Koganei: “A cute manager. We must have a cute manager!”

Izuki sighed and thought for a while. He looked at his new clubmates and spoke.

Izuki: “I do have someone in mind for a manager, though.”

Kiyoshi opened his mouth and asked.

Kiyoshi: “Who?”

Izuki gave them a name.

Izuki: “Aida Riko.”

-*-*-*-*-*-*-

Aida Riko was a girl with caramel brown color hair.

Her father owned a sports gym, and she hung out at the gym and observed her father’s work. And, from a young age, she developed the ability, Scan.

She could find individual stats just by looking at a person’s muscles.

She went to the same middle school as Hyuuga and Izuki and was familiar with Izuki.

So, when Izuki came to her to ask her to join the basketball club, she replied.

Riko: “No way.”

Koganei was a little taken back.

Koganei: “That was quick.”

The ever stubborn Kiyoshi pushed forward.

Kiyoshi: “Don’t be like that. Come on.

Join the basketball club.”

Izuki, who was still getting used to Kiyoshi, thought.

Izuki: ‘He won’t budge.’

Riko furrowed her brows and looked at Kiyoshi.

Riko: “Were you not listening?

Basketball’s my least favorite sport.

To be more accurate, what I hate is the atmosphere around our middle school generation’s basketball.

Teiko Middle School and Tokiwadai Middle School are overwhelmingly strong.

Generation Of Miracles and King Of The Court will be the future stars of high school teams.

And, I don’t have a problem with that per se, but everyone else has given up on winning.

That mentality will transfer to players when they come to high school, and that’s what I hate the most.”

She glanced at Izuki, and he understood that she was talking about Hyuuga’s current state.

Riko gazed at the current members and added.

Riko: “A couple of clubs have asked me to join them, but I am not accepting any offers unless they are serious about winning.”

Kiyoshi grinned and said.

Kiyoshi: “Which means we still have a chance.”

All the people were amazed at Kiyoshi’s optimism.

-*-*-*-*-*-*-

Later that day, the confirmed member of the club members gathered at a family restaurant to plan for the club.

There they saw Hyuuga passing outside of the family restaurant, and Kiyoshi, as always, decided to take the opportunity to convince Hyuuga.

He ran out and called out to Hyuuga.

Kiyoshi: “Hey, Hyuuga!”

Hyuuga froze for a second before turning and yelling.

Hyuuga: “You, again!”

Kiyoshi put a hand on Hyuuga’s shoulder and said.

Kiyoshi: “Let’s go home together.”

Hyuuga knocked Kiyoshi’s hand off his shoulder and growled.

Hyuuga: “Get off me.”

Hyuuga started to walk forward, but when he turned back, he saw Kiyoshi walking beside him with a smile on his face.

Hyuuga g.r.o.a.n.e.d and sighed.

Hyuuga: “I am not playing basketball with you guys.”

Kiyoshi nodded and replied.

Kiyoshi: “I know. I won’t ask anymore.

Which is if you beat me in a one-on-one.”

Both of them moved to a basketball court.

Hyuuga was taken aback and stuttered.

Hyuuga: “Wh-What?

You got to be kidding me. You got to play in the best four in middle school!

There is no way I can beat you!”

Kiyoshi rolled up his sleeves and looked at Hyuuga with a bored expression.

Kiyoshi: “You score one bucket on me, and it’s your win.

Is that not enough of a handicap?”

Hyuuga felt anger boil in his head.

He glared at Kiyoshi and spoke in a cold voice.

Hyuuga: “Shut up.

I don’t care if you are the Iron Heart. You’re pushing your luck now.

Don’t underestimate me. I will make a basket before you know it.”

-*-*-*-

It was already dark when Hyuuga and Kiyoshi started playing.

Hyuuga had the ball, and he dribbled to the basket. Kiyoshi ran with him, sticking close to Hyuuga.

Both of them closed in on the basket, and Hyuuga did a quick spin fake to throw of Kiyoshi and jumped for a layup.

Kiyoshi didn’t fall for Hyuuga’s quick fake. He kept his eyes on the ball and jumped at the right time to smack the ball out of Hyuuga’s hands.

Hyuuga: “Gah!”

Kiyoshi ran to the ball and took possession of the ball, cleared the ball out of the three-point arc, and then charged to the basket.

Hyuuga side-stepped into Kiyoshi’s way, Kiyoshi got past Hyuuga with an abrupt left-to-right crossover.

Hyuuga froze still and thought in shock.

Hyuuga: ‘Isn’t he a center, how is he so quick?!’

Kiyoshi dribbled to the basket and jammed the ball into the hoop with a dunk.

-*-*-*-

Once again, it was Hyuuga’s turn to have the ball.

Hyuuga stared at Kiyoshi and sprinted to the basket at his highest speed.

Kiyoshi immediately ran back to the basket ready for a layup, but Hyuuga suddenly stopped in his path and jumped for a face-up jump shot.

Hyuuga: “Got you!”

Kiyoshi wasn’t a center for no reason. He had excellent defensive skills, so even when he was defending for a rim-finish, he kept Hyuuga at a distance at which he could contest a shot.

And, contest the shot he did. He ran to Hyuuga and once again blocked the shot and stole the ball.

He once against cleared the ball past the three-point arc and ran towards the basket.

Hyuuga was ready for defense, he shouted at Kiyoshi.

Hyuuga: “Come! I will stop you!”

Kiyoshi’s expression didn’t say anything and immediately posted up against Hyuuga and started to push in towards the basket.

Hyuuga cursed in his mind and tried to slow down Kiyoshi, but was unsuccessful.

Kiyoshi suddenly jumped and hooked the ball o the basket. Hyuuga jumped to get a hand on the ball, but Kiyoshi was too tall for him. He could only watch as the ball dropped into the basket.

Hyuuga: “SHIT!”

Hyuuga stomped his leg on the ground and yelled.

Hyuuga: “Next.”

-*-*-*-

Hyuuga dribbled the ball and moved forward with full speed, once again Kiyoshi focused more on a rim-finish, and just like last time, Hyuuga suddenly slowed down.

Kiyoshi, just like last time, stopped and moved closer to Hyuuga.

But, this was all part of Hyuuga’s play, as when Kiyoshi came close, he once again charged to the basket.

Hyuuga: “Yes!”

Hyuuga ran to the basket and jumped for the basket. But, just as he released the ball, it was smacked out of its way by Kiyoshi.

Hyuuga grabbed his knees, and he was sweating hard. He spoke between heavy breaths.

Hyuuga: “I am not done yet.”

Kiyoshi looked down at Hyuuga and said.

Kiyoshi: “Hyuuga, give up.”

Hyuuga growled in anger.

Hyuuga: “Shut up!”

Kiyoshi shook his head and cleared his point.

Kiyoshi: “That’s not what I meant.

Give up on giving up on basketball.”

Hyuuga was taken back and felt shocked.

Kiyoshi continued with his words.

Kiyoshi: “If you really hated basketball, I wouldn’t say anything.

But you-”

Hyuuga cut off Kiyoshi and interrupted.

Hyuuga: “Shut up!

Regular guys like me can’t up with talents like you!”

Kiyoshi gazed at Hyuuga and responded.

Kiyoshi: “Natural talent has nothing to do with it.

I am just like you.

At the very least, I…”

Kiyoshi paused before continuing.

Kiyoshi: “I fought against the prodigies of Teiko and the monster of Tokiwadai and tasted despair, too.

I considered trashing my basketball shoes plenty of times.

But no matter how many times I tried, I just couldn’t let go.

You hate losing, and that’s why you can’t forget.

You like basketball as much as I do.

Maybe, even more, than I do.”

Hyuuga felt angry as even though he didn’t want to admit it, he knew that Kiyoshi was telling the truth.

Hyuuga: “I know that!

Ever since I stopped, I feel bored every day, but I can’t…”

A smile came over Kiyoshi’s face, and he spoke.

Kiyoshi: “Well, I am going home.”

Hyuuga looked up at Kiyoshi and asked.

Hyuuga: “What?

What are you talking about?!

We are not done yet!”

Kiyoshi shook his head and replied.

Kiyoshi: “No, it’s fine.

Either way, today’s the last day I’ll follow around.

But, I am glad to hear how you really feel.”

Kiyoshi picked up his bag and walked away. He waved his hand in goodbye and spoke.

Kiyoshi: “Bye, you are still invited to the basketball club if you want to join.

See you around.”

Hyuuga followed Kiyoshi with his eyes, till he couldn’t see him anymore, then he looked at the ball that Kiyoshi had left behind.

He stood there alone with his thoughts.

-*-*-*-*-*-*-

The next day, Aida Riko stood in the school field for the morning assembly.

The next moment she heard a familiar voice coming from the roof of the school building, and she looked up to hear.

Kiyoshi: “WE SWEAR AN OATH!”

Riko’s eyes widened as she looked at Kiyoshi Teppei on the roof.

Riko: “What is he doing?”

The whole student body could hear Kiyoshi as he continued.

Kiyoshi: “WE, THE BASKETBALL CLUB, WILL COMPETE IN THE NATIONAL TOURNAMENT THIS YEAR TO BECOME THE BEST TEAM IN JAPAN!

CLA.S.S 1-E, NUMBER 7, KIYOSHI TEPPEI!”

Riko kept on looking at the roof as the students nearby started to murmur.

Student A: “What did he say?”

Student B: “What is he doing?”

Student C: “We had a basketball club? Since when?”

Kiyoshi wasn’t the end as more people came near the railing of the roof and yelled.

Izuki: “CLA.S.S 1-C, NUMBER 3, IZUKI SHUN!”

Koganei: “CLA.S.S 1-B, NUMBER 8, KOGANEI SHINJI!”

Another person came to the railing, and the last voice spoke again.

Koganei: “CLA.S.S 1-B, NUMBER 17, MITOBE RINNOUSKE’S ALSO ON BOARD!”

When no more voices came from the roof, the four people retreated from the railing, and all though that this was it, but then after a pause, another person came to the railing and yelled out.

Hyuuga: “CLA.S.S 1-C, NUMBER 28, HYUUGA JUNPEI!”

Riko was already shocked to hear the basketball club members yelling on the roof, but Hyuuga yelling out with them was a surprise that she wasn’t expecting.

The student body heard a teacher scolding the five on the roof, then one last yell reached their ears.

Hyuuga: “WE WILL DO IT!

IF WE DON’T, I’LL CONFESS MY FEELINGS BUCK-N.A.K.E.D.”

The student body started to laugh and began cheering on for the newly formed basketball club.

And, Riko started to laugh, like crazy.

Riko: “These guys must be crazy!

But, I am in, now let’s see you guys do it.”

Just like that, Seirin Basketball Club vowed to become the best in Japan, and the roof vow became a yearly tradition at Seirin High.