Enlightenment

"Haizaki wasn't recruited through the normal Basketball Club tryouts; Shuzo recommended him directly to me," Kōzō Shirogane said, clicking his tongue as he spoke to Ken Kaneki. "Just like how he recommended you and Daiki Aomine."

Ken Kaneki was silent for a moment after hearing this, then replied, "Thank you for your trust, Coach and senpai."

"That doesn't sound like Nijimura at all," Kōzō Shirogane said with a sigh. "He's very serious about basketball. It was only after he joined Teiko Junior High School last year that Teiko officially transformed from a strong team in the Tokyo district to its overlord."

"Nijimura-senpai is indeed very strong," Ken Kaneki agreed. "I will learn from Nijimura-senpai."

"That's not necessary. You're very much like Shuzo, both born leaders on the court. But your styles are different," Kōzō Shirogane said, plopping down on a street bench and patting the seat next to him. "Ah, I'm getting old. Just walking this short distance has made my back ache... Kaneki-kun, you sit too."

"Thank you, Coach," Ken Kaneki said gratefully, sitting down beside Kōzō Shirogane.

"Do you know the biggest difference between you and Shuzo?" Kōzō Shirogane looked at the rising star of Teiko Junior High School beside him.

"I..." Ken Kaneki felt like he was grasping something, but not quite.

"You're too conflicted," Kōzō Shirogane said, seeing Ken Kaneki thinking for a long time without answering, and directly revealed the answer.

"Conflicted?" Ken Kaneki asked, as if to himself or to Kōzō Shirogane.

"Yes, conflicted," Kōzō Shirogane took out two cans of cola from his bag and handed one to Ken Kaneki. "Shuzo is like a basketball idiot. Everything he does is to ensure Teiko stays on the path to victory. He doesn't care if he's the most important part of the team."

"But you're different," Kōzō Shirogane opened his can and took a long gulp. "I feel like you already know you'll win before every game. It's good to have that confidence, but because you're so sure of your intuition, your performance in games feels more like a show."

"Indeed, your talent is very mature, and playing games like performances is understandable. But this is where you're conflicted. You want to be the best actor yourself, but you also want to take care of your teammates. This results in you never feeling satisfied after a game. I'm being responsible here, I've been observing you for a long time, Kaneki-kun. Whether it's today's prefectural tournament or the previous practice matches, you've never truly smiled from the heart after a game. Games feel more like a task to you."

"Coach, I..." Ken Kaneki was rendered speechless by Kōzō Shirogane's words. The coach's insight was truly sharp.

"You don't need to explain right now, Kaneki-kun. I just want to ask you one thing: do you like basketball? What do you want to get out of basketball?" Kōzō Shirogane asked earnestly.

Kōzō Shirogane's words, light as a feather, struck Ken Kaneki's heart like thunder. Ken Kaneki certainly didn't dislike basketball, but he wasn't particularly passionate about it either.

In the eyes of others, he was a disciplined demon who trained hard day after day, an omnipotent ace on the court. But he knew it was just to complete the System's missions. Like Murasakibara, he was only pushed to this point by his talent.

"Coach... I... I don't know..." Ken Kaneki, who was like a lion king on the court, was now as fragile as a child.

"There's no need to feel so guilty, Kaneki-kun," Kōzō Shirogane comforted him, patting his head. "Do you know why I agreed to Nijimura Shuzo's proposal to promote you directly to the First String, even adjusting the entire First String's tactics for it?"

"No, Coach," Ken Kaneki said dejectedly.

"Because I believe in the future. I believe the outstanding talent hidden within you is like a seed that will surely bloom beautifully in the future," Kōzō Shirogane said, looking up at the bright moon. "Waiting and hoping, that's the greatest help I, as a coach, can give you."

"Believe... in the future..." Ken Kaneki murmured.

"Yes, believe in the future, believe in your future teammates, and believe in your future self. You're still young, and you'll find your own path sooner or later. By then, maybe I can brag to my old friends about how I, Kōzō Shirogane, cultivated the best player in the world." Kōzō Shirogane looked at Ken Kaneki with kindness.

"The best... player!" Hearing Kōzō Shirogane's words, Ken Kaneki's eyes grew brighter and brighter, and his previously lost and anxious heart became lighter.

"Coach!" Ken Kaneki said in a deep voice, "I know what I want now!"

"Oh?" Kōzō Shirogane looked at Ken Kaneki with a slight smile. "It's good that you've found your path. You don't need to tell me, just show me."

"Understood, Coach!" Confidence bloomed on Ken Kaneki's face.

"Detected: Host has completed hidden side quest: Enlightenment. Reward: One random blind box. System auto-upgrade in progress. Upgrade time: 24 hours." Just as Ken Kaneki found his own goal, the System's prompt sounded in his mind.

"Alright, Kaneki-kun, this heart-to-heart talk tonight ends here. It's getting late, hurry home," Kōzō Shirogane said, seeing that his goal of guiding Ken Kaneki tonight had been achieved. He stood up and bid Ken Kaneki farewell.

"Thank you for your guidance, Coach. I will work hard," Ken Kaneki said sincerely, bowing to Kōzō Shirogane in gratitude.

"Good job~" Kōzō Shirogane patted Ken Kaneki's arm with satisfaction and turned to leave gallantly.

Ken Kaneki watched Kōzō Shirogane's retreating figure, then turned and walked home. Under the moonlight, Ken Kaneki's shadow stretched long. The dust kicked up by the ceaseless stream of cars, however, made Ken Kaneki feel the warmth of the human world.

The next day, Teiko Junior High School Basketball Club's evening practice.

"Little Ken seems very happy today! This is the first time he's trained with such focus," Satsuki Momoi said, watching Ken Kaneki sweat profusely on the court, her eyes filled with gentle smiles. "Even though Little Ken has been in the Basketball Club for a long time, it's only now that I feel he's truly integrated into the club."

"Oh, really? Isn't that great?" Kōzō Shirogane, hearing Satsuki Momoi's delighted voice, smiled and looked at the group training on the court. The white hair at his temples reflected the light of experience under the lamps.

"Immeasurable! The way these children will bloom..." Kōzō Shirogane murmured with anticipation.

The plot's turning point and progression are a bit difficult, let me think about it. I'll try to have a third chapter tonight. Thank you all for your collections, monthly passes, and recommendation tickets. Beng Beng is immensely grateful.