All four members of the Sakuragi Gang pulled long faces in unison. "No!"
"All right." Shirasawa sighed. "When Sakuragi comes around, pass this on for me. Being a delinquent is boring. I've gotten into a sport lately, and I want him to join me." He turned to leave, then added, "Oh, and according to our bet, he has to follow me now."
Even after Shirasawa disappeared from view, Yohei Mito still hadn't snapped out of his daze.
Shirasawa wanted to... play basketball with Sakuragi?
At Shohoku High School?
Shirasawa went to Shohoku too?
So this whole fight had been about getting Sakuragi to play basketball... that reason really was hard to wrap his head around.
Then again, Yoko had just rejected Sakuragi because she liked Oda from the basketball club. By now, Sakuragi probably hated the very word "basketball"...
But could he even refuse at this point?
Shirasawa didn't seem to mean any harm, but he was unusually firm about this, and had even told them to come see him tomorrow. How were they supposed to bring this up with Sakuragi...?
When Shirasawa got home, he found a black iron tower planted outside his door.
"Captain Akagi? Were you looking for me?" He was a little surprised.
Takenori Akagi looked him over with a dark expression-blood marked the corner of his mouth, and his clothes were torn in places. He had obviously been in a fight.
He had looked into Shirasawa's background: a bona fide delinquent. That was precisely what worried Akagi, because the Shohoku basketball team already had the notorious Ryota Miyagi.
If those two got together...
Would the team ever have a peaceful day again?
Just thinking about it gave him a headache.
Coach Anzai, however, hadn't seemed particularly concerned. He had only told Akagi that talented players tended to have a bit of personality, and that he should keep them in line. With that, Coach Anzai had washed his hands of the matter, dumping all the pressure on Akagi.
Akagi was already at a loss over what to do, and then he happened to catch Shirasawa coming home from a fight. His temper flared at once.
Takenori Akagi stared at Shirasawa, his expression dark.
"I don't care what you were like before. Now that you've joined the Shohoku basketball team, stop causing trouble!"
Shirasawa felt rather wronged. He had clearly gone out to recruit someone, even if his methods had been a little unusual. When Shirasawa said nothing, Akagi could only sigh, thinking there would probably be no shortage of trouble ahead.
"Shirasawa, I came to let you know that the team will be starting a training camp soon," Akagi said. "Get yourself ready."
Only then did Shirasawa understand. Shohoku's record was so bad this year, and they still want extra training? What good would it do even if those guys on the team trained themselves to death? Still, he did like Akagi. After all, this stern-faced captain was willing to shoulder anything for the team.
But a training camp would do little for Shirasawa. He could only improve his abilities through games.
"Captain, I'll sit out the training camp. I have my own way of training." Shirasawa smiled. "See you when school starts. I'll have a big gift for you then."
Takenori Akagi's expression darkened. In truth, he had expected that answer. Shirasawa wasn't the first person he had approached. Over the past few days, his teammates had all reacted much the same way, and several had even quit the club outright.
The reason was simple: they all thought the Shohoku basketball club had no future. Who would want to train at a time like this? After making the rounds, Akagi hadn't recruited anyone; instead, he had lost several players.
Fortunately, Akagi was tough enough to dismiss them as trash without perseverance. Out of sight, out of mind. Looking at Shirasawa's smiling face, he gave a cold snort.
"Do as you see fit. See you when school starts." With that, Akagi turned and left.
Whatever anyone else did, he was determined to hold the training camp, even if only he and Kiminobu Kogure remained. This year was their last chance.
The following evening, Sanae Nakagawa arrived at Shirasawa's home carrying bags of all sizes.
Looking at the things covering the floor, Shirasawa teased, "Planning to move in?"
Sanae rolled her eyes at him.
"In your dreams. These are all daily necessities and clothes I bought for you." She sorted through them as she spoke. "You wouldn't come shopping with me, so I had to handle it myself."
Sanae paused, as though something had occurred to her.
"Oh, right. I saw a red-haired man hanging around outside when I got here. Do you know him?"
Red hair? Who else could it be!
Shirasawa's eyes lit up.
"Oh, that's a friend of mine." He headed outside as he spoke. "Sanae, keep putting things away. I'm stepping out for a bit."
Sanae suddenly stood up and blocked his path, their faces almost touching.
"No fighting, okay?" she said softly, a teasing note in her voice.
The corner of Shirasawa's mouth curled up. He slipped an arm around her waist, then spun away and slipped past her.
"Have fun putting things away," he tossed back as he went out the door.
Sanae shook her head and murmured with a smile, "Honestly, I must owe him something. Though he does seem to have gotten a little naughtier lately..."
Hanamichi Sakuragi was pacing back and forth outside. After the beating Shirasawa had given him yesterday, he hadn't recovered until that evening.
He accepted that he'd lost...