Don't Do Anything Unnecessary

"Haizaki, listen to me. Teiko Junior High School is a Mighty Lion that is always victorious, not a despicable hyena that kicks a man when he's down!" Ken Kaneki said coldly, looking directly into Shogo Haizaki's eyes.

"But..." Shogo Haizaki tried to struggle and say something more, but Ken Kaneki cut him off mercilessly.

"No 'buts'," Ken Kaneki said coldly. "Go down and think about it properly."

"...Yes." Shogo Haizaki responded unwillingly.

"BEEP BEEP~ Teiko Junior High School substitution!" With the referee's whistle, Seijuro Akashi was subbed in, and the game continued.

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Seihō Junior High School was not a team known for its offense to begin with. Coupled with Shogo Haizaki disrupting Seihō Junior High School's defensive foundation, the score difference between the two teams widened further in the later stages of the game. With ten minutes left in the game, both teams substituted their starting players, and the game officially entered garbage time. In the end, Teiko Junior High School won their first match in the prefectural tournament with a huge advantage of 128 to 53.

"Teiko Junior High School versus Seihō Junior High School, 128 to 53, Teiko Junior High School wins!"

"Thank you for the match!"

As the game ended, Shuzo Nijimura stepped forward and tightly grasped Tsutomu Iwamura's hand.

"Shuzo, Teiko has brought in a group of incredible geniuses. Congratulations." Tsutomu Iwamura said, feigning calmness.

"Your new players are also excellent, they just need more experience," Shuzo Nijimura said expressionlessly, feeling the trembling in Tsutomu Iwamura's arm.

"Captain, let's go!" The Teiko members who had finished packing called out from behind.

"Okay, coming," Shuzo Nijimura replied, patted Tsutomu Iwamura's arm, said nothing more, and turned to leave.

Tsutomu Iwamura watched the Teiko Junior High School members leave, then looked back at Tomoki Tsugawa, who was crying uncontrollably. He walked over and patted Tomoki Tsugawa's head to comfort him, "Stop crying, it's time to go. Come back next year."

"Yes... Captain..." Tomoki Tsugawa sobbed as he packed his backpack and followed the team back to the locker room.

"I'm thinking of quitting the club," Tsutomu Iwamura said as he walked down the players' tunnel, as if casually.

"What? Captain, you..." Takakatsu Kasuga seemed unable to accept such shocking news, staring intently at Tsutomu Iwamura as if trying to see through him.

"Don't spread it around. We'll talk more in the locker room later," Tsutomu Iwamura said, taking a deep breath, his pace quickening.

Soon, all the Seihō Junior High School members returned to the locker room.

"Um, I have something I want to announce," Tsutomu Iwamura said, trying to control the trembling in his voice, and clapped his hands. "I'm thinking of quitting the club."

"What?"

"How could this happen?"

"Captain?"

His simple words caused a huge stir, and everyone present was shocked.

"Originally... originally, I'm a third-year junior high student this year, and this is my last year in the Basketball Club," Tsutomu Iwamura said calmly, his eyes reddening. "In the past two years, I haven't been able to lead you all out of the prefectural tournament. It's my failure as captain. I'm very sorry."

"Captain, it's our fault..."

"It's not your responsibility. You've done your best, Captain."

The Seihō Junior High School members' eyes also turned red, and some of the more emotional ones were already quietly sobbing.

While Tsutomu Iwamura of Seihō Junior High School was making his resignation statement and handing over his captaincy, the Teiko Junior High School members had already showered, changed, and were preparing to leave the gymnasium.

"Kaneki, look at Seihō's side," Daiki Aomine gently patted Ken Kaneki's shoulder and pointed towards the Seihō Junior High School locker room, where several members were standing by the door, crying their eyes out.

"I see it, Aomine," Ken Kaneki replied calmly, "What do you want to do?"

"You tell Captain Nijimura I have something to do and will be there shortly," Daiki Aomine pointed at Shuzo Nijimura's back and turned to walk towards the Seihō Junior High School locker room.

"Don't do anything unnecessary, Aomine," Ken Kaneki, who was usually easygoing, uncharacteristically grabbed Daiki Aomine's arm and looked at the Seihō Junior High School locker room with a hint of pity. "This pain of defeat can only be digested by oneself. For the defeated, the winner's comfort is the greatest humiliation. All we can do is win for them, and make them lose to the national champions, not to some nobodies."

"Kaneki-kun is right, Aomine," Kōzō Shirogane, who had appeared at the back of the group at some point, suddenly chimed in with agreement. "Let's win the national championship. That's the best comfort for our defeated opponents."

"Yes, Coach." Although Daiki Aomine felt very uncomfortable at that moment, his respect for the coach made him give up his idea and he hurried away from the gym, following Ken Kaneki's footsteps.

On the bus back, the victorious members had excited expressions, except for Daiki Aomine and Ken Kaneki.

"Ken, Ken?" Satsuki Momoi patted Ken Kaneki's shoulder, who was staring out the window in a daze, and sat beside him softly, asking, "What's wrong with you and A-Dai? You both looked preoccupied when you came out of the venue just now. Can you tell me?"

"Sigh, Momo..." Daiki Aomine was about to speak when Satsuki Momoi interrupted, "Wait a minute, A-Dai. Ken looks unhappy."

"Do I look happy?" Daiki Aomine almost laughed in exasperation.

"It's nothing, Satsuki. I'm just a little surprised that we were able to defeat Seihō Junior High School so easily," Ken Kaneki said with a smile, stroking Satsuki Momoi's head.

"Really?" Seeing Ken Kaneki's vague response, Satsuki Momoi didn't probe further, only looking at him with concern.

"Really, I'm fine," Ken Kaneki said with a smile at Satsuki Momoi. "Thanks for your concern, Satsuki."

Looking at the gentle smile on Ken Kaneki's face, Satsuki Momoi's ears turned a little red. "Haha, it's nothing, we're all good friends! It's normal to care about each other!"

"Momo, I feel so sorry for Seihō, they were all crying after losing. It made me feel quite sad," Daiki Aomine interjected again.

"Really? That is quite pitiful. Drink more hot water, and you won't feel bad," Satsuki Momoi's face was almost written with the words "perfunctory."

"Ken-chan must be feeling the same way too, after all, Ken-chan is actually a very kind person!" Atsushi Murasakibara also noticed Ken Kaneki's abnormality, and for the first time, without immediately opening another rice cracker after finishing one, he spoke clearly, "Indeed, Ken-chan is a very kind person!" Satsuki Momoi nodded repeatedly upon hearing Atsushi Murasakibara's words. After thinking for a moment, she added, "How about we go eat ramen tonight? Ken, that Red Cat Ramen we went to last time was delicious, and the little cats were very cute. Petting cats is good for both body and mind!"

"Ah, I want to go too!" Daiki Aomine, who had been pretending to be dead, suddenly jumped up and said.

"Oh? Red Cat Ramen Shop?" Kōzō Shirogane also chimed in with interest. "Then let's all go tonight. My treat. Consider it a celebration banquet!"

"Yay! Coach, hooray!" The boys on the bus cheered in unison. The sunlight slanted into the carriage, exuding the fragrance of youth.