Ken Sudō's troubles

In the early morning, there was more than sunshine on Chabashira-sensei's face...

After his wild session with Sae Chabashira, Ken Kaneki was finally satisfied. He had to admit, Sae Chabashira's figure was superb, and her breasts were large enough to make him feel as though he were sinking into them.

But Ken Kaneki did not lose himself in it. The deal had been struck, and he had enjoyed himself. Next, it was time to fulfill his promise.

The prerequisite for advancing to Class A was maintaining the class's current roster. The school rules were harsh; if anyone dropped out, the class would suffer a devastating blow.

The immediate priority was ensuring that the three bottom-ranked students-Ken Sudō, Kanji Ike, and Haruki Yamauchi-passed their midterms.

Kiyotaka Ayanokoji's approach in the original story, letting things take their course while testing the waters, was far too inefficient.

Ken Kaneki knew some of this school's hidden information. He knew the upperclassmen had actual midterm papers from previous years, which could be purchased with points.

With those papers, passing would most likely be a breeze, but he could not produce them yet.

If he revealed his trump card too early, these poor students would only continue slacking off. They might even leak the news and put the other classes on alert.

Revealing the papers on the final day would maximize the benefits. That was more or less what Ayanokoji had done in the original story.

As for trading that information with other classes, Ken Kaneki honestly felt it was unnecessary. Class Points mattered more to him now; he needed to narrow the points gap between his class and the others.

Kanji Ike and Haruki Yamauchi had no minds of their own. They were essentially followers. Ken Sudō was the core of their little trio, and once he was dealt with, the other two would obediently fall in line.

Before leaving, Ken Kaneki glanced at his phone. There was a message from Kiyotaka Ayanokoji in the group chat.

For the sake of their Class Points, Horikita Suzune was organizing a study group for the struggling students.

She had privately approached Ayanokoji, asking him, Ken Kaneki, and Rokusuke Koenji to serve as tutors, but Ayanokoji had turned her down.

Horikita Suzune thought highly of herself and was aloof and proud. She had no idea how to communicate with struggling students, so she would probably run into plenty of obstacles soon.

Ken Kaneki thought this to himself as he left the hotel.

He planned to deal with the thorn that was Ken Sudō first, then bundle those three troublemakers into Horikita Suzune's study group and squeeze some work out of her.

Before he knew it, Ken Kaneki had walked to the school gym.

It was the weekend. Most students on the campus's main road were heading to Keyaki Mall in groups to spend their money, leaving the area around the gym deserted.

Ken Kaneki pushed open the doors. The dull thuds of a basketball striking the wooden floor echoed continuously through the empty gym.

Wearing a red sleeveless jersey with the number 10 printed on it, Ken Sudō was practicing shots alone beneath the basket.

He was drenched in sweat and breathing heavily, but his eyes remained fixed on the hoop as he jumped and shot again and again. Ken Sudō had a pure love for basketball.

Ken Kaneki stepped onto the court, his sneakers making a faint squeak against the wooden floor.

Hearing him, Ken Sudō stopped and turned. When he saw Ken Kaneki, he frowned, somewhat surprised.

"What are you doing here?" Ken Sudō held the basketball in one hand, his tone unfriendly.

Ken Kaneki did not answer. He simply raised his right hand and beckoned with his fingers, signaling for Ken Sudō to pass him the ball.

Ken Sudō snorted and pushed the basketball toward him with both hands.

Ken Kaneki stood calmly in place. He reached out with both hands and turned his wrists, smoothly absorbing the basketball's momentum and catching it in his palms.

He bounced it a couple of times to feel its rebound, then bent his knees slightly and lowered his center of gravity before springing off the floor.

He adjusted his posture in midair, leaning back slightly and flicking his wrist. The basketball traced a high arc through the air.

With a swish, the net fluttered as the ball passed cleanly through.

Ken Sudō walked over, picked up the basketball, and hurled it back to Ken Kaneki.

Ken Kaneki caught it and turned to walk beyond the three-point line. Without the slightest pause, he jumped and released, his movements flowing seamlessly in one motion.

Swish.

The basketball sailed cleanly through the hoop again.

Ken Kaneki walked forward, picked up the ball, and retreated to the opposite corner. He jumped, shot, and scored.

Five consecutive shots, all nothing but net. The basketball struck the floor with rhythmic thumps.

Standing beneath the basket, Ken Sudō was somewhat shocked. He practiced hard here every day and knew just how much muscle memory and physical coordination that accuracy required.

His palms began to itch, his competitive spirit fully awakened.

"Hey, Kaneki! What's the fun in just shooting? Play me one-on-one!" Ken Sudō shouted, a fierce fighting spirit blazing in his eyes.

Ken Kaneki caught the bouncing ball in one hand, the corners of his mouth lifting.

This was exactly the result he wanted. Only by crushing his opponent in the area he took the most pride in could he gain a say afterward.

"Sure." Ken Kaneki nodded. "Any special rules here?"

"Just the usual. First to five baskets wins." Ken Sudō stepped inside the three-point line, assumed a defensive stance, and clapped his hands. "I'll guard you. You go first."

Ken Kaneki did not refuse. He stood beyond the three-point line, holding the ball in both hands.

Ken Sudō lowered his center of gravity and spread his arms, watching Ken Kaneki's shoulders and footwork closely.

He had excellent physical abilities and was confident he would not lose to anyone when defending one-on-one.

Ken Kaneki suddenly moved. His right foot drove hard against the floor, his body leaning left as he rapidly dribbled the ball between his legs.

Ken Sudō immediately shifted right to block him. At that very instant, Ken Kaneki flicked his wrist, sending the ball behind his back, and forcibly changed direction to break past Ken Sudō's left side.

Ken Kaneki was simply too fast. Ken Sudō's vision blurred for a moment, and Ken Kaneki was already past his defense.

He hurriedly turned to chase him, but Ken Kaneki drove into the paint and scored an easy layup.

"One-zero." Ken Kaneki wagged his index finger and announced the score.

Ken Sudō gritted his teeth and took the basketball. This time, it was his turn to attack.

He tried to overpower Ken Kaneki with his size advantage, posting up and slamming backward into him.

But Ken Kaneki's body was rock-solid. No matter how much force Ken Sudō used, he could not push him into the paint.

Ken Sudō was inwardly stunned. He could not understand how Ken Kaneki's body contained such terrifying strength.

He forced a turnaround jumper, and Ken Kaneki leaped high, extending his long arm.

A solid block sent the basketball flying hard out of bounds.

Breathing heavily, Ken Sudō stared at Ken Kaneki. He finally realized that the man before him completely outclassed him physically.

Ken Kaneki retrieved the basketball and returned to the three-point line. Rather than attacking immediately, he dribbled one-handed and spoke casually.

"Aren't you going to the study group?"

Ken Sudō wiped the sweat from his forehead and settled back into his defensive stance.

"What for? To listen to them lecture me from their high horse?"

Ken Kaneki changed direction with a crossover, throwing Ken Sudō off balance, then pulled up for a jumper. The basketball dropped neatly into the hoop.

"You know you'll be expelled if you fail the midterms, right?"

Ken Kaneki had possession again and dribbled as he looked for an opening. Ken Sudō stuck close, trying to steal the ball.

"I don't need you reminding me. I've got my own plans!"

Two consecutive fakes made Ken Sudō jump, and Ken Kaneki easily drove under the basket to score a reverse layup.

"Your plan is to practice here and wait to get expelled?"

Ken Kaneki's voice was calm, but his words struck Ken Sudō right where it hurt.

Ken Sudō roared and rushed forward to pressure him at close range. His movements grew somewhat rough, even including some covert body contact.

"What do you know? My goal is to become a professional basketball player! As long as I make the starting lineup, the school won't expel me!"

Ken Kaneki withstood Ken Sudō's collision and stepped back to create distance.

"That's pretty naive." Ken Kaneki mercilessly shattered his illusion. "The school rules are perfectly clear. Fail, and you're expelled. There's no additional clause exempting students with athletic talent. If you aren't even qualified to stay at school, what dreams are you talking about?"

Ken Kaneki jumped and released a three-pointer, sinking it cleanly.

Ken Sudō froze, clenching his fists until his nails dug deep into his palms.

He panted heavily, sweat dripping steadily from his chin. Of course he knew the risk of expulsion, but he truly could do nothing about it.

"My brain doesn't work that well." Ken Sudō lowered his head, his voice growing somewhat hoarse.

"All that stuff... I'm hopeless the moment I try studying it. Reading makes me sleepy, and I forget formulas right after memorizing them.

"Even if I went to the study group, they'd just laugh at me for being an idiot. It wouldn't help me much."

Looking at Ken Sudō, Ken Kaneki suddenly understood. It was not that Ken Sudō did not want to learn; he was hopeless as soon as he looked at the material, and even more hopeless when he tried to study it.

"I understand." Ken Kaneki stopped dribbling and held the ball.

Now there was only one basket left.

Ken Sudō lifted his head, his eyes bloodshot. With a roar, he unleashed all his strength and lunged at Ken Kaneki.

He absolutely refused to be shut out. He had to stop this shot.

"I won't let you score this last basket!"

Watching Ken Sudō charge at him, Ken Kaneki neither drove past him nor stepped back to create distance.

From two steps beyond the three-point line, he rose straight up for a jumper against Ken Sudō's attempted block.

Ken Sudō stretched his arm out with everything he had. His fingertips could even feel the basketball's surface.

But an instant before he touched it, Ken Kaneki had already flicked his wrist and released the ball, landing on both feet.

Rather than watching the ball's flight, he turned and walked toward the gym doors.

Ken Sudō landed on the floor and whipped his head around, staring at the basketball in midair.

The basketball traced a perfect arc through the air. With a swish, the crisp sound of the ball brushing the net rang through the silent gym. Nothing but net.

"I lost!"

Ken Sudō stood dumbly beneath the basket, then turned to look toward the gym entrance.

Ken Kaneki's figure had already disappeared outside, leaving only the doors still swaying slightly.

Ken Sudō stared toward the doors for a while, then took a deep breath, shook his head, and walked to the sideline to pick up the basketball from the floor.

He pushed the distracting thoughts from his mind, returned beneath the basket, and continued practicing.

Only this time, there was something else in his eyes.