Expedition to Takezono High School

With Wu Yufei's recommendation and help making connections, Naito Junko's application to join the basketball team as its manager went through without a hitch.

For one thing, Coach Harada truly needed an assistant to help him handle various miscellaneous matters.

For another, Coach Harada had vaguely noticed that something was off with Wu Yufei.

Having long regarded Wu Yufei as the key figure who could launch his coaching career to new heights, Harada readily agreed to a few simple requests from this little gold mine.

If this girl joining the team could make even Wu Yufei alone work harder in practice and games, never mind the whole team, then it would be a guaranteed win for Coach Harada. Why would he refuse?

And so, over the next two days, Junko officially took part in the basketball team's daily training as its manager, actively interacting with the players.

Junko was also very smart. She quickly became familiar with everything a team manager needed to do and handled it all exceptionally well.

As Junko's older brother, Naito Tetsuya watched the entire process. Aside from feeling admiration for Wu Yufei's series of maneuvers, he also honored his previous promise to Wu Yufei: he would not openly support him, but neither would he stand in his way.

Wu Yufei also had his priorities straight. It was true that he had feelings for Junko, but none of his actions would interfere with the team's routine or his own training.

At most, he tried to find time to chat with Junko, create opportunities for them to practice together, and teach her basketball hand in hand outside of team training.

He was neither affecting the team's training nor doing anything inappropriate. What could anyone else say?

Two days passed quickly, and soon it was Saturday morning.

All the Miuradai students were enjoying their weekend, but every member of the basketball team had gathered early at the school gate before boarding a bus bound for Takezono High School.

The bus had been provided by the school. After all, Miuradai was still a somewhat well-known private school, so it could afford this much.

Besides the basketball team's fifteen players, Coach Harada, and team manager Junko, making seventeen people in total, there were also two members of Miuradai High School's News Department on the bus. They had come to cover the team.

It was Miuradai High School's first game of the new school year. Though it was only an insignificant friendly, the News Department still took it seriously, sending people to accompany the team and planning to publish an article in next week's school paper.

"Hello, Yufei. May I interview you?"

Takei Yumi, the vice president of the News Department and a second-year upperclassman, came over with her notebook. Seeing that the seat beside Wu Yufei was empty, she smiled and asked.

As the team's acknowledged ace and cornerstone, Wu Yufei enjoyed the same privilege as Murasame Kengo: a seat all to himself.

"Of course. Please sit down, Takei-senpai."

Wu Yufei replied with a smile, picking up his luggage from the neighboring seat and placing it at his feet.

"Thank you."

Takei Yumi took the seat, pulled out her fountain pen, and formally began the interview.

"First question: do you know anything about Takezono High School, where we're headed?"

Takei Yumi asked her first question.

Wu Yufei looked up and thought for a moment before answering, "I know a little. They're an established top-eight team in the prefecture and have even reached the final four before. But with all their third-years having retired this year, Takezono's strength must have taken a major hit. Still, I heard that their new first-year, Oda Ryusei, is a pretty capable player. I'm looking forward to playing against him."

"It seems Yufei has done plenty of homework beforehand. Having such an attitude for just a friendly is truly admirable."

Takei Yumi had not expected Wu Yufei to know so much about Takezono. She was slightly surprised, but quickly recovered, praised him a little, and continued the interview.

"Then for this friendly, what do you think our team's chances of winning are?"

Wu Yufei smiled. "I wouldn't dare say one hundred percent. That would be a little too arrogant. To be modest, I'd say ninety-nine percent."

"Uh..."

Wu Yufei's sudden teasing left Takei Yumi unsure how to react. In the end, she could only smile and say, "Yufei, you really are funny. Are you really that confident?"

"Of course. Our goal this year is to defeat Kainan and wash away last year's humiliation. If we can't even handle a mere Takezono, wouldn't that be too embarrassing?"

"Well said!"

Murasame Kengo, the captain seated in front, could not help responding when he heard Wu Yufei's rousing words.

"That's an inspiring statement. It seems we'll be able to enjoy a spectacular victory today. Next..."

After that, Takei Yumi asked several more questions about Wu Yufei personally, such as when he had started playing basketball, why he had fallen in love with the sport, why he was so good at it, and why he had come to Miuradai rather than Kainan or Shoyo.

Wu Yufei considered each question briefly before giving a mild and appropriate answer.

After all, Wu Yufei dreamed of playing in the NBA someday. When that time came, he would inevitably have to deal with all kinds of media, so he did not dislike Takei Yumi's interview. On the contrary, he regarded it as an important source of experience.

Takei Yumi presumably knew Wu Yufei's status on the team, so she had prepared plenty of questions for this interview. In any case, they still had some distance to go before reaching Takezono High School.

A few minutes later, after she had likely finished asking all her prepared questions, Takei Yumi looked up with satisfaction.

"Then please allow me to ask one final question. It's also the question that many girls at our school care about most: Yufei, do you have a girlfriend?"

Huh?!

The instant Takei Yumi finished asking that question, a gaze shot directly toward Wu Yufei.

"Uh... will the answer to this question also be published in the school paper?"

Wu Yufei scratched his head, feeling slightly embarrassed.

"If you personally don't want it published, then I won't publish it. And if you want to keep it confidential, you don't have to answer."

Takei Yumi smiled.

"It's not really something that needs to be kept secret. I don't have a girlfriend right now."

Wu Yufei ultimately gave his answer.

At that response, an unguarded glint flashed beneath Takei Yumi's gold-rimmed glasses.

"Really? That's wonderful news for many girls at our school. It means everyone has a fair chance to compete, doesn't it?"

"Does that include you too, Takei-senpai?"

Wu Yufei could not help teasing her again.

Swish, swish, swish!!

This time, it was no longer just one gaze. More than a dozen pairs of eyes turned toward the two of them at once. That question was some seriously explosive gossip.

As vice president of the News Department and one of the recognized beauties on campus, Takei Yumi was the dream goddess of many Miuradai High School boys. Naturally, that included some of the basketball players.

"Oh? Are you hoping I'll join the ranks of people pursuing you, Yufei?"

A meaningful smile appeared on Takei Yumi's face.

"Come on, come on, I'm just kidding. Just kidding."

Although this was only their first conversation, Wu Yufei could tell that Takei Yumi was absolutely the career-woman type. She was as beautiful and captivating as a rose, but she also had the same thorny bite.

Simply put, her looks were certainly attractive, and her figure was remarkably curvy, but she was not Wu Yufei's type.

"I see. What a pity."

Takei Yumi deliberately put on a lonely expression.

In an instant, Wu Yufei felt several murderous glares bearing down on him.

These guys really did not know how to hide their feelings at all.

"Takei-senpai, I hope you won't publish the answer to that question in the school paper after all."

Wu Yufei spoke up.

"Why not?"

Takei Yumi asked in return.

"First, I don't want something like this to affect the basketball team's normal training. And besides, there's already someone I like, so..."

Before he could finish, Wu Yufei realized that he seemed to have said too much and hurriedly stopped himself.

But Takei Yumi had heard every word of what he had said halfway through.

He already had someone he liked?

"That's truly terrible news for all the girls at school who currently have crushes on you."

Takei Yumi teased him, and Wu Yufei could only answer with an awkward smile.

"Can you tell me which girl is so lucky? To actually be liked by our school's big star."

"Sorry, I can't say. Right now, it's only my one-sided feeling, and I don't want to cause her trouble because of it."

"Yufei, you really are considerate."

Takei Yumi put away her pen and closed the notebook in her hands.

"Then, in respect of your wishes, let's treat that final topic as nothing more than gossip from me as a girl and a member of the News Department. I won't publish it in the school paper, so please rest assured, Yufei."

"Thank you very much."

After finishing her interview with Wu Yufei, Takei Yumi went over to Murasame Kengo to continue interviewing him.

Wu Yufei wiped the faint sweat from his forehead and let out a long breath.

As for Naito Junko, seated on the other side, she began to let her imagination run wild again.

Yufei said he has someone he likes? Who is it? Could it... be me?

"Based on my experience, the way Yufei looks at you definitely isn't how he looks at an ordinary classmate!"

Her mother's teasing words began replaying over and over in the girl's mind.

It couldn't be me... could it?

Quietly, Junko glanced toward Wu Yufei again.

"!!"

At that moment, Junko discovered that Wu Yufei was looking at her too, and he even smiled and waved at her.

That made Junko hurriedly avert her gaze. She did not dare meet Wu Yufei's eyes again, instead looking out the window to calm her racing heart.

A few minutes later, Takei Yumi finished interviewing Murasame Kengo. As she passed by Naito Junko, she looked at Junko's face, and a sly glint suddenly flashed behind her lenses.

I see. The basketball team really is an interesting place.

"Excuse me, may I sit here?"