Enemies Meet on a Narrow Road

The draft concluded just like that. As for the third pick, fourth pick, and so on, they would surely appear one after another later. Right now, the most frustrated person was Sakuragi. Sakuragi had been selected in a peculiar way, and the team that had chosen him was none other than the Kobe Jaguars, who had claimed the first overall pick in the draft!

"Y-you-you, did you pull out the wrong business card?" Sakuragi could hardly believe it.

"I didn't. Isn't the photo on it you?" General Manager Kawaguchi explained.

"You won't fool this genius that easily! Hurry up and tell me what team you're really from. Are you with the Tokyo Egg Team? Or the Osaka Teppanyaki Team...?"

"What egg? What teppanyaki? What nonsense are you talking about? Did you pass out from hunger, Sakuragi?" Kawaguchi asked skeptically.

"Are you really from the Jaguars?"

"Yes, absolutely. I have other matters to attend to, so I'll be going now. Oh, right! There'll be a press conference for you tomorrow, so get ready. Someone will notify you of the exact time and place. Keep your phone on." With that, Kawaguchi turned and left.

"Kobe Jaguars!" Sakuragi gritted his teeth as he said it.

Clearly, Sakuragi did not feel the joy one was supposed to feel after being drafted. He was not slow on the uptake when it came to this matter—the team that had selected him was the very same team that had taken Rukawa Kaede with the first overall pick.

After leaving the arena, Sakuragi looked like someone who had gone undrafted.

Tokyo at night had cleared up. A breeze swept through the streets as Sakuragi walked alone, looking unusually exhausted and utterly dispirited.

"Ring-ring-ring-ring-ring." Sakuragi heard a cyclist's bell and slowly raised his head. In the distance, he could still make out a poster promoting the draft hanging from a streetlamp. On it was the "first overall pick," Rukawa Kaede.

"That damn Rukawa Kaede always steals my spotlight." Sakuragi wished Rukawa would appear before him right now so he could beat him senseless!

"Rukawa Kaede is so handsome."

"Yeah, yeah! And I heard he's an amazing player too!"

"I'm watching Jaguars games from now on!"

"Mm! It'd be even better if we could see one live!"

"Okay, hahaha!"

"Look at you, acting all lovestruck."

Two girls passed Sakuragi while chatting, and every word cut into his heart like a knife.

Indeed, if Rukawa Kaede had only been famous in Kanagawa Prefecture during high school, then now he was practically a household name! It was not only his outstanding basketball skills, but also his handsome face, which had captivated countless young girls.

During his freshman year, he had dominated the Japan University Basketball League! Though he had only played five games, he had averaged . points, 6.5 rebounds, and 5. assists per game. Those numbers were terrifying for a college student and immediately displayed his dominant ability! Compared to his high school days, Rukawa had improved in every aspect!

After finishing his first year of high school, Rukawa had desperately wanted to further his studies in America. However, many people, including Coach Anzai, strongly opposed it, and Rukawa's determination to go to the United States wavered. Shohoku, having lost both Akagi and Mitsui, ultimately could not keep Rukawa either.

Rukawa left Shohoku and left Japan. His next destination was—South Korea.

Rukawa's mother was Korean, while his father was Japanese. During Rukawa's childhood, his parents had chosen divorce due to all sorts of conflicts, ending their cross-border romance. Rukawa had been raised by his grandmother. After his parents divorced, because Rukawa had always held Japanese citizenship, he settled in Japan with his father once he began school. Then, during his first year of high school, his grandmother's sudden serious illness made Rukawa feel that he needed to stay by her side.

In South Korea, Rukawa had not wasted his talent. Training three times a day had long become routine. The Korean Basketball Association had once tried to persuade Rukawa to change his nationality and play for South Korea, but Rukawa had always carried a lingering obsession: returning to Japan, competing on the same court as Sendoh Akira, and crossing the mountain that had stood in his way for so many years!

As his grandmother's condition steadily improved, Rukawa realized that the time had come.

Meanwhile, Sakuragi had checked into a hotel and tossed and turned in bed, looking back on everything that had happened since his rebirth. On his first day back in Japan, countless thoughts filled his mind.

"Ring-ring, ring-ring..." Sakuragi's phone suddenly rang.

"Mr. Sakuragi, tomorrow's press conference will be held promptly at 10:00 a.m. in Conference Room 117, Building A of the Ginza Grand Hotel. Please be sure to attend on time."

"This genius is actually stumped by a press conference! How ridiculous." Sakuragi gave a bitter laugh.

Sakuragi felt an indescribable emotion in his heart. He longed to attend the press conference and officially announce this genius's return! But when he thought of being overshadowed by Rukawa in the draft, he felt too ashamed to face Haruko!

Perhaps because he had been exhausted all day, Sakuragi fell asleep the moment he lay on the bed in a spread-eagle position without even taking off his clothes...

"Ding-dong, ding-dong, ding-dong..." The continuous ringing of the doorbell became Sakuragi's alarm clock. He staggered out of bed and opened the door.

"Looks like I didn't come for nothing!" General Manager Kawaguchi, who understood Sakuragi's personality well, was the source of that "alarm."

"Wrong room..." Sakuragi said as he moved to close the door.

"Wake up. Don't tell me you've forgotten me already?" Kawaguchi sounded rather helpless.

"Forgotten," Sakuragi answered without hesitation.

Kawaguchi nearly fell over when he heard that.

"I'm Kawaguchi! The press conference starts at ten!" Kawaguchi said bitterly.

"Press conference?" Sakuragi looked as if he had gotten blackout drunk and remembered nothing.

"Jaguars," Kawaguchi said quietly, afraid someone else might hear.

"Ah!" Sakuragi's eyes suddenly widened, as though he had found the clue to crack a case.

"What time is it now?" Sakuragi pressed.

"There's still time. It's only seven-thirty. You remember now?" Kawaguchi finally stepped into Sakuragi's room.

"How could this genius's memory forget something so trivial?" Sakuragi haughtily declared.

"Then hurry up and get ready. The car's waiting downstairs!" Kawaguchi finally breathed a sigh of relief.

For a team's general manager, a figure second only to the owner, to personally wake up a rookie showed just how highly the Jaguars valued the unpolished gem that was Sakuragi Hanamichi.

The time reached 9:30 in the morning, with half an hour remaining before the press conference began.

Backstage, Rukawa Kaede sat quietly on a large sofa, eyes closed as he listened to music leisurely. Sakuragi, in the room next door, was nowhere near as relaxed.

The thought of appearing before everyone—especially since Haruko was very likely to be there—and the possibility that Rukawa might steal his spotlight again left Sakuragi unable to sit still.

Although it was merely a meet-and-greet to introduce the team's new signings, dozens of media outlets had arrived. Even the steps along both sides were packed with reporters who had come late. In their words, "That's the first overall pick of the century! Who would want to miss this?"

"I heard the Jaguars will also introduce a mysterious player signed from overseas today..."

"With Rukawa Kaede here, who would notice someone like that?"

"Exactly. I've watched Rukawa Kaede's college games before. He's practically a monster!"

"I can't wait to see Rukawa Kaede in a Jaguars jersey!"

Several reporters had already begun discussing it.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the Kobe Jaguars' new player press conference is officially beginning! First, please welcome the Jaguars' general manager, Mr. Kawaguchi Miyako!"

Kawaguchi walked to the front with his usual gentlemanly manner.

"Next, please welcome our newly crowned first overall pick and newest member of the Jaguars—Rukawa Kaede!"

The moment the host called out Rukawa Kaede's name, every reporter in the room bent forward as though preparing for a hundred-meter dash.

The instant Rukawa emerged from the side door, the entire conference room was engulfed by the rapid crackling of cameras.

The flashes hurt people's eyes, and that storm of photographs continued for a full half minute!

Some reporters could no longer hold back and had already raised their hands, eager to ask questions!

"Please wait! Please wait! There's still one more new player who hasn't come out yet, so please remain calm!"

But who was paying attention to what the host was saying now?

"Um..." The restless crowd left the host extremely embarrassed!

At that moment, a tall figure suddenly leaped out from the side door! In two great strides, he vaulted onto the stage, smoothly snatched the microphone from the host with his left hand, and completed the entire sequence in one fluid motion. Then he jumped onto the table and shouted into the microphone—

"I, Sakuragi, will defeat you, Rukawa Kaede, and become the greatest first overall pick of them all!"

The thunderous roar echoed throughout the conference room. The room that had been boiling with excitement seconds earlier fell completely silent!

Yes, only Sakuragi would dare do something like that. This time, Sakuragi truly stole all of Rukawa Kaede's spotlight!

"This idiot." Rukawa did not even raise his head.

And so, Sakuragi Hanamichi and Rukawa Kaede, those two sworn rivals, met on a narrow road.