The subsequent fishing went exceptionally smoothly, with a bountiful catch over two days.
Mr. Matsusaka's smile almost never left his face.
The two-day, one-night stay at sea allowed Rudy Tomjanovich to get along even better with the others.
This also gave him more time to observe the boy Kawamoto Kazuki.
He discovered a maturity in this young man that was beyond his years.
No matter how trivial the task Captain Matsusaka assigned, the boy would always listen quietly and then silently complete it.
He never picked and chose dirty or strenuous work, and never showed the slightest disdain or laziness.
What impressed Rudy even more was the unassuming steadiness of the boy.
After demonstrating his amazing strength and achieving great merit, the boy did not show off in the slightest.
This composure was especially rare for Rudy, who was used to seeing flamboyant young United States players.
He showed no signs of worldly restlessness or the harshness that comes from entering society too early.
There is only one kind of tenacity: once you've identified your goal, you keep your head down and move forward.
His opinion of the quiet boy rose even higher once again.
After returning safely to port, the Boss Matsusaka generously paid an extra 50,000 yen in wages and also packed three extra styrofoam boxes of fish.
Although the quality was slightly lower, the fish, shrimp, and crabs were all very fresh, and they were thoughtfully kept chilled with crushed ice.
" Kawamoto- kun, take this back for your mother to try."
Kawamoto did not refuse, and accepted it after expressing his sincere gratitude.
Boss Kobayashi drove him home.
Seeing her son return safely, Mom Kazuko's eyes reddened slightly. "Thank you for your hard work, Kazuki."
Kawamoto looked at his mother and said softly, "It's okay, Mom. By the way, I want to pick out some good quality fish to give to the convenience store Manager Uemura and Manager Fujiwara usually take good care of me, as well as the restaurant Manager Yoshida I often work at."
"That's only right."
Mom Kazuko nodded repeatedly, her face full of a relieved smile.
"You should remember the kindness you receive. Come on, let Mom help you choose."
The mother and son carefully sorted the food, packing some of each of the fattest sea bream, the most plump tiger prawns, and the freshest flower crabs.
Kawamoto carried these gifts and delivered them to the bosses one by one.
Upon receiving this gift, which carried the fresh scent of the sea, the store managers were both surprised and delighted, and expressed their gratitude.
The joy of sharing seemed to make even the evening breeze feel exceptionally pleasant.
Carrying the last item, Kawamoto arrived at the somewhat dilapidated house belonging to Hanamichi Sakuragi.
Sakuragi had mentioned his home address during their previous chat, Kawamoto Kazuki remembered it.
Sakuragi, who opened the door, was taken aback when he saw Kawamoto and the styrofoam box in his hand. "Brother Kawamoto, what brings you here?"
"I just got back from a sea trip and brought back some seafood for you to try."
Kawamoto's words are concise and concise.
Wow! That's awesome! Come in quickly!
Sakuragi's eyes lit up, and he casually took the styrofoam box from Kawamoto's hands.
As he entered, Kawamoto inadvertently noticed a pair of oversized old sneakers next to the shoe cabinet.
So I casually asked, "Aren't your parents home?"
"My father passed away when I was in middle school."
"My mom... well, I've never seen her since I was little, I don't know where she is."
Sakuragi sat cross-legged on the floor, opened the styrofoam box and looked curiously at the fish and shrimp inside, speaking in a relaxed tone as if he were talking about someone else's family affairs.
He spoke nonchalantly, but a fleeting hint of melancholy flashed across the depths of his eyes.
Kawamoto paused almost imperceptibly as he sat down.
He suddenly remembered Sakuragi's overreaction when he received the sneakers he had given him.
It turns out that no one had ever bought him new shoes.
It turns out that this seemingly carefree, high-energy red-haired boy grew up in this way.
"I'm sorry," Kawamoto said softly.
"It's okay, this genius is used to being alone! Look, I'm doing just fine now!"
Sakuragi didn't look at Kawamoto when he said that.
Instead, he glanced quickly at the empty corner of the room before looking away just as fast.
It's as if there should have been something there, yet I've long been accustomed to the fact that there's nothing there.
"I'm more than happy to have seafood to eat!"
As he spoke, Sakuragi excitedly began to figure out how to deal with the large flower crabs and sea bream.
"Then, I'll take my leave now."
"I send you."
After Kawamoto left, Sakuragi's always ramrod straight back relaxed slightly as he leaned against the cold wall behind him.
There was no sadness in his eyes, only an emptiness that had been worn down by time to the point of indifference.
As Kawamoto left Sakuragi's house, Kawamoto walked along the street as dusk deepened, his heart heavy.
In his mind, the figure who always proclaimed "I am a genius" and the figure who had flashed a lonely look in the empty, simple room just now kept overlapping.
Back home, the mother Kazuko were humming a cheerful tune as they prepared the remaining seafood in the kitchen.
Kawamoto hesitated for a moment, then walked to the kitchen door and whispered to his mother about Sakuragi's situation.
Mom Kazuko stopped scaling the fish.
She turned to look at her son, her gentle eyes slowly welling up with tears.
She didn't speak, but simply listened quietly as Kawamoto finished speaking.
"Mother..."
Kawamoto's voice was soft. " Sakuragi is still growing, and his training volume is so high, he needs a better diet. I mean, if conditions allow, could you..."
Kazuko raised her hand and gently wiped the corner of her eye with the back of her hand, but a powerful smile appeared on her face.
She interrupted Kawamoto Kazuki.
" Kazuki..."
She said softly, "Mom is all better now. Dr. Kitakura himself said at the last checkup at Kanagawa General Hospital that she can stop taking the medication. Look how strong Mom is now."
She walked up to her son, looked up at him, and gently smoothed Kawamoto's slightly disheveled collar.
"There's no financial pressure at home now, so you don't need to work anymore."
"It's okay, Mom. Working can help me strengthen my body and will."
Kawamoto Kazuki struck a pose like Popeye.
"Mom is saving all the money you earn. You'll definitely need it when you pursue your basketball dreams. As for your classmates, Mom understands..."
Her voice was soft yet firm, carrying the warmth of a mother that can soothe all suffering:
"From now on, every morning, Mom will prepare two nutritious lunchboxes. One is for you, and the other is for your Sakuragi- kun."
"Remember to come home before you go to school. Tell her that Mom is trying to make some new dishes, and there's always a lot of leftovers every day."
She paused, tears welling in her eyes, but her smile grew even warmer and brighter, "I can tell you admire that child. I believe he's a good child just like you. Good children shouldn't go hungry, and they shouldn't be left unattended."
Kawamoto looked at his mother's face, which was filled with tears but with a warm smile, and felt as if something was stuck in his throat.
He said nothing, but simply reached out and gently embraced his mother's thin yet exceptionally strong shoulders.
Outside the window, night had completely fallen, and lights from countless homes began to illuminate the night.
Under one of the lamps, a seed of kindness is quietly sprouting.
It will become an ordinary bento box, nourishing a boy who stumbles along the path of basketball.