First Battle (1)

"What the heck? The game venue is this far away?" Atsushi Murasakibara yawned sleepily on the Teiko Junior High School team bus. "We have to gather at 6 AM, I'm so tired."

"Alright Murasakibara, stop complaining. I heard if we win the prefectural tournament, the school gets a cash prize~ We can buy tons of rice bran rolls and potato chips~" Ken Kaneki tempted him with a mischievous grin.

"I don't want to eat that stuff," Murasakibara refused dismissively. "I just haven't had a formal match in a while, and I want to see how much I've improved."

"Very good, very spirited!" Ken Kaneki handed him a wet wipe. "But wipe your mouth first, you're about to drool on your uniform."

"Oh, thanks..." Murasakibara blankly took the tissue, only realizing after a moment that he'd been tricked. "You lied, Ken-chan, I wasn't drooling at all!"

"Hahahahaha..." Everyone on the bus burst into laughter, except for Shogo Haizaki, who always had a scowl on his face.

"Oh, Ken, you're terrible," Satsuki Momoi chided, lightly hitting Ken Kaneki's arm. "Murasakibara-kun is already so simple... no, honest, and you always tease him like that."

"But Murasakibara is cute like this, isn't he?" Ken Kaneki retorted with a smile.

Looking at Ken Kaneki's bright and cheerful smile, Momoi blinked, and a blush crept onto her cheeks.

"Whatever you say is right, I can't argue with you," Momoi muttered. She then rummaged through her small bag and pulled out a bracelet, handing it to Ken Kaneki. "Here, it's your birthday today, and it's also the first day of the tournament. I wasn't sure what gift to get you, but I hope you like it."

Ken Kaneki stared blankly at the bracelet. Since his parents passed away, very few people remembered his birthday. Looking at the smiling girl before him, Ken Kaneki felt a soft spot in his heart being touched.

"Ken? Ken?" Momoi watched Ken Kaneki staring blankly at her, her face burning red.

"Ah, sorry, that was rude of me," Ken Kaneki apologized, slightly embarrassed, as he took the bracelet from Momoi and gently put it on.

"How is it? Do you like it?" Momoi asked, looking at Ken Kaneki with a mix of nervousness and shyness.

"I like it very much, thank you, Momoi-san. You're very thoughtful," Ken Kaneki said, patting Momoi's head with a smile.

"It's... it's nothing..." Momoi became even more shy from Ken Kaneki's sudden gesture, her head feeling like it was about to steam.

"Huh? Momo, what about mine?" Daiki Aomine joined the fun. "My birthday is also in a few days, can you get me something too?"

"A-Dai, you're so annoying. Send send send, want me to send you a bottle of soy sauce?" Momoi glared at the mood-killing Aomine with annoyance and turned her head to the window, refusing to speak further.

"What's with this old woman, why is she getting angry over nothing?" Daiki Aomine was stunned by her outburst.

"Alright, everyone, be quiet," Kōzō Shirogane, who was at the front leading the team, stood up. "The game starts soon, so get serious. Anyone who slacks off today will have double practice; if we lose, it'll be five times the practice!"

"Ah? No way, Coach?" everyone wailed, half in jest, half in fear.

Amidst the wails, the team bus arrived outside the game venue.

"Ah~ So many people!" Daiki Aomine, the first to get off, looked around like a curious baby. "Look over there, people are taking pictures."

"Those are reporters, Aomine-kun," Seijuro Akashi, who had seen many such scenes since childhood, explained with a smile. "There are two games today. One is between our Teiko Junior High School and Seihō Junior High School. After us, Hakusui vs. Fukuda Sogo Junior High School. It's a moderately sized sports event, so it's normal for reporters to be here."

"Yosh! So we absolutely cannot lose today," Shuzo Nijimura, who got off last with the coach, picked up his backpack. "Let's get inside quickly and start warming up."

"Hai!" everyone responded in unison.

As everyone changed into their gear and filed out of the locker room, the crowd in the stands gradually grew.

"Wow~ This is amazing," Murasakibara, who was warming up, remarked while looking at the spectators. "There are way more people than at the mini basket games."

"So are you scared, Murasakibara?" Ken Kaneki teased from the side.

"Huh? Scared? What are you talking about?" Murasakibara glanced dismissively at the Seihō Junior High School players opposite them. "With those mediocre players, let alone you, Ken-chan, they'd struggle just to deal with me."

While the people off the court were still whispering, the broadcast announcement echoed from above the arena.

"The next match to be held is the first round of the prefectural tournament Tokyo qualifiers. The teams about to enter the court are Teiko Junior High School and Seihō Junior High School."

"Now, introducing the starting lineup for Seihō Junior High School."

"Center, number 4, Tsutomu Iwamura."

"Power Forward, number 6, Kazuma Tagawa."

"Small Forward, number 8, Takakatsu Kasuga."

"Shooting Guard, number 12, Tomoki Tsugawa."

"Point Guard, number 5, Koichi Sakamoto."

As the broadcast continued, Seihō Junior High School's starting lineup was officially revealed.

"They look just like the coach said, unremarkable," Shintaro Midorima muttered quietly.

"Don't let your guard down, Midorima," Ken Kaneki said, slinging an arm around Shintaro Midorima's shoulder. "That guy who looks like he's balding, number 12, your matchup. As far as I know, he's still a first-year, but his defense is incredible. But I believe you won't miss any shots today, right?"

"Hmph, today Cancer's lucky item is the Gunbai. With the Gunbai, Cancer's fortune is number one!" Shintaro Midorima retorted proudly.

"Next, introducing the starting lineup for Teiko Junior High School."

"Point Guard, number 4, Shuzo Nijimura."

"Shooting Guard, number 8, Shintaro Midorima."

"Small Forward, number 6, Daiki Aomine."

"Power Forward, number 5, Ken Kaneki."

"Center, number 7, Atsushi Murasakibara."

"Wow, Captain, they look so tall!" Tomoki Tsugawa, being young at heart, pointed and exclaimed as he looked at the Teiko Junior High School players.

"Be quiet, Tomoki. We are the affiliated school of the Northern Kings of Tokyo, don't lose face," Tsutomu Iwamura said, slapping the bald back of Tomoki Tsugawa's head. It had to be said, it felt quite good.

As both teams' players took the court, the referee walked to the center line with the ball and said, "Both teams line up! Bow to each other!"

"Please take care of us!"

After both teams bowed, Murasakibara and Iwamura moved to the center line for the tip-off. The national middle school dynasty of the Generation of Miracles begins here.