Dinner

Reality was nothing like anime, after all. When you were backed into a corner, shouting about friendship, your hometown, or your bonds with others wouldn't suddenly turn defeat into victory. Under Ken Kaneki's overwhelming natural talent, Taro Sugiya's First String team suffered a crushing 28-point defeat, losing 78 to 50 after a resistance that was neither tense nor fierce—in fact, it was a little boring.

Taro Sugiya couldn't accept the truth. After the game, he threw down the ball and stormed out. After seeing Ken Kaneki make an example of him, no one else dared step forward and say they wanted to challenge Daiki Aomine and the others. The evening practice that had been planned also ended early in that strange atmosphere.

"Hey, Ken-chan." In the locker room, Atsushi Murasakibara spoke as he changed, seemingly offhandedly. "That ramen you said you'd treat us to—is it for real?"

"Honestly, I'm surprised you still remember that." Ken Kaneki smiled helplessly as he towel-dried his hair. "Let's wait for Aomine to finish getting ready, then we can all go."

"Coming, coming." Daiki Aomine, who'd been listening closely to their conversation, quickly changed and walked over. "I want chashu ramen~ Let's go to the Red Cat Ramen Shop. I heard you can pet cats there!"

"Ah~ The Red Cat Ramen Shop... Murasakibara, what do you think?" Ken Kaneki looked to Atsushi Murasakibara for his opinion.

"Huh? Me?" Atsushi Murasakibara peeled open a bran roll and mumbled through a mouthful, "I don't mind. As long as it's good."

"Okay, then it's settled." Ken Kaneki got dressed and gathered his things. After a moment's thought, he looked at Shintaro Midorima and Seijuro Akashi. "Akashi, Midorima, do you two want to come with us?"

Shintaro Midorima had planned to refuse out of sheer tsundere pride, but when he saw Seijuro Akashi readily accept Ken Kaneki's invitation, he agreed too, not wanting to look so antisocial.

By the time they left the gym, the moon was already high in the sky. Beneath the streetlights, the shadows of the six boys and girls who'd only just met stretched long across the ground.

"Hey, Kaneki, you've been hiding your skills way too well." Daiki Aomine stretched and complained. "You told me you weren't good at basketball, and this is what 'not good' looks like? Who even are you? You seem like you're hiding all sorts of things."

"I'm just passing through... I'm just a poor guy you accidentally knocked over." Ken Kaneki shook his head with a helpless smile.

"What do you mean, hiding your skills? Aomine, if you ask me, Ken-chan's just a clueless idiot who doesn't know how to be a friend." Atsushi Murasakibara lazily remarked, a strip of seaweed dangling from his mouth.

"You're the idiot! You're the clueless idiot who doesn't know how to be a friend! Anyone who calls someone else an idiot is an idiot themselves!" For some reason, around Atsushi Murasakibara, Ken Kaneki acted like a kid too.

"Honestly." Satsuki Momoi smiled awkwardly. "Murasakibara, Kaneki, stop arguing. Akashi and Midorima will laugh at you if they see."

"Haha, not at all. Kaneki seems to be really close with Murasakibara and Aomine," Seijuro Akashi said with a smile, coming to Satsuki Momoi's rescue.

"Murasakibara and Kaneki are desk mates." Satsuki Momoi gazed at the three kids walking ahead with a fond, almost motherly look. "This afternoon, they were reading manga and got caught by the teacher. Murasakibara said it was Kaneki's idea, and Kaneki handed Murasakibara's manga over to the teacher. Honestly, they're both so immature. As for how A-Dai and I met Kaneki... that's a long story."

Seijuro Akashi didn't press her for details. He nodded and said nothing.

Before long, they reached the Red Cat Ramen Restaurant Daiki Aomine had mentioned.

"Welcome!" The server at the door greeted them warmly. "What can I get you?"

"I'll have a bowl of chashu ramen," Atsushi Murasakibara said, raising his hand.

"Soy sauce ramen, please," Ken Kaneki said with a smile.

Once they'd ordered, the group sat facing one another and got to talking.

"Kaneki, you really surprised me this afternoon," Seijuro Akashi said with a smile, looking at Ken Kaneki. "I never expected that someone as skilled as you would be unknown in mini-basketball."

"Haha, I usually just play casually near my house. I've never played mini-basketball. But I heard Murasakibara's really good at it." Ken Kaneki deftly shifted the conversation onto Atsushi Murasakibara.

"Huh?" Atsushi Murasakibara seemed a beat slow to react. He shrugged indifferently. "Good or bad, it's all the same. Most people don't have any talent anyway. You can just play casually."

"Hmph. Another one who doesn't put in the effort." Shintaro Midorima snorted and lifted a glass of water with his left hand, downing it in one go.

"What's that you're holding in your right hand?" Atsushi Murasakibara asked, unconcerned by Shintaro Midorima's displeasure. He reached over, took Midorima's figurine, and examined it closely.

"Don't just take other people's things!" Shintaro Midorima snatched the figurine back and scolded him.

"Um, is your left hand injured?" Daiki Aomine asked cautiously. "Why is it always wrapped in bandages?" After getting a thorough scolding from Ken Kaneki, he was careful about asking questions whenever he saw something like this.

"Sorry you had to see that." Seijuro Akashi explained, "Midorima is a firm believer in fortune-telling and the occult. This figurine is his lucky item for the day, according to his morning horoscope. As for his left hand, he wraps it to make sure his shooting hand doesn't get injured outside of games."

"Pfft—hahahahahaha! I can't believe you believe in that stuff, Midorima! Even my grandma doesn't believe in it! Hahahahaha!" At Seijuro Akashi's explanation, Daiki Aomine clutched his stomach, laughing so hard he could barely stand.

"Hmph! You fool! Don't you know what it means to do everything in your power and leave the rest to fate?" Shintaro Midorima had clearly been rattled by the mockery.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever you say. Hey, Midorima, why don't you go get your fortune told? Try switching to a different pair of sunglasses." Daiki Aomine couldn't have cared less that Shintaro Midorima was getting upset.

"Your orders are ready. Please enjoy~" Just as Shintaro Midorima was about to say more, the server interrupted them.

"Come on, A-Dai. Midorima has his reasons, and you should learn to respect other people." Seeing Shintaro Midorima turn red with anger, Satsuki Momoi quickly offered him a way out.

"Clink, clink." Ken Kaneki tapped his chopsticks against his glass, then raised his juice. "It's fate that brought us all together on the same team. I hope we'll get along from now on! Cheers!"

"Let's get along~" As their glasses clinked together, the beginning of the Generation of Miracles truly began right there, in an ordinary ramen shop.