(Yesterday's two chapters were truly necessary for plot progression, there's absolutely no going back, and the protagonist isn't love-struck. But the criticisms from you all yesterday were valid, so as a sign of my sincerity, I'll kowtow twice first! Don't worry, the protagonist won't go back. Those who abandoned me, yesterday's days cannot be kept! Even if I had eight times the courage, I wouldn't dare to deceive you all!!!)
During the timeout, Taoka Moichi stood on the sidelines, holding his tactics board but not rushing to draw. He first gave Gu Jin a meaningful glance.
"Your playing style just now..." His voice was low, but tinged with worry, "That will quickly deplete your stamina."
Gu Jin was still panting, his fringe completely soaked with sweat. Hearing this, he just lowered his eyes and said nothing.
"Ryonan is a five-person team!" Taoka Moichi tapped the floor with his tactics board. "You're not fighting alone, you're not by yourself, you still have your teammates. They trust you, and they're worthy of your trust." He scanned Gu Jin—this kid was holding a lot in, but he couldn't let him snap.
Changing the subject, he leaned over and drew a few lines on the tactics board: "Akita's guys will definitely defend Gu Jin even tighter, possibly even double-teaming him.
Uozumi, get more position under the basket. If Gu Jin drives in and gets trapped, pass the ball to you immediately.
Fukuda, you and Sendo run on both sides. If Akita's zone defense is disrupted, there will definitely be open shots. If Gu Jin passes it out, you two should shoot.
Sakuragi!"
"Here!" Sakuragi Hanamichi immediately straightened his back.
"Rebound! Whether we miss a shot or Akita misses, grab all the rebounds for me!" Taoka Moichi pointed at various positions on the tactics board. "Remember, they want to shut down Gu Jin? Then let them see that Ryonan has more than just Gu Jin!"
The few of them exchanged glances. Sendo raised a hand and patted Gu Jin's arm, smiling, "The lone hero act just now was indeed cool, but you still have us."
Fukuda also chimed in with a muffled voice, "I'm a beast when I'm open."
Sakuragi even waved his fist and shouted, "Leave the rebounds to me!"
Gu Jin's Adam's apple bobbed. He finally looked up, the fierceness in his eyes somewhat softened. "Understood, Coach."
When the whistle blew, Akita Tsukikan's players, as Taoka had expected, changed their defensive strategy right at the start of the game.
As soon as Gu Jin received the pass from Sendo, Minamoto Yuta and Matsumoto Hideki surrounded him from left and right—a direct double-team.
Akita's supporters in the stands immediately cheered. Matsumoto Hideki still had a slight smile on his lips: Weren't you charging wildly just now? Let's see how you charge when you're double-teamed.
But before his smile could fully settle, he saw Gu Jin give a slight flick of his wrist, and the basketball flew out like an arc.
"Fukuda!"
Fukuda Kiccho had already positioned himself on the right baseline. As he caught the ball, he quickly cut in, jumped, and made a layup in one smooth motion. "Swish!"
Two points scored.
Akita's players were momentarily stunned—why did he pass?
The referee signaled Fukuda's score as valid, and Akita Tsukikan inbounded the ball from the baseline.
As soon as Minamoto Yuta handed the ball to Tanaka Yota, who had crossed half-court, Gu Jin had already come back on defense from the frontcourt and was on him.
Tanaka Yota tried to move outside the three-point line to find shooting space. As soon as he raised his wrist, Gu Jin seized the opportunity, reached out, and tipped the ball, which rolled directly towards Ryonan's frontcourt.
Sendo was already near mid-court to receive, and seeing this, he chased after the ball in a few steps and picked it up. Gu Jin had already dashed past the three-point line like an arrow.
Akita's defense hadn't fully set yet. Minamoto Yuta frantically chased Gu Jin, and Matsumoto Hideki also came over from the side to reinforce. The two tried to block his breakthrough route from left and right—clearly intending to double-team him.
But Gu Jin suddenly stopped near the free-throw line. Instead of charging hard, he turned sideways and gently pushed the ball with his wrist, sending it sliding along the floor towards the basket.
Uozumi Jun had already gotten good position on Sato Ken. He bent down, picked up the ball, turned, and went up—"Bang!" he slammed it in with one hand.
16:4.
Akita's coach slammed his tactics board on the sidelines and waved to his players—the double-team needed to be more decisive.
For the next few minutes, Akita was truly in a difficult position.
If they didn't double-team Gu Jin, he was unstoppable with the ball. He would either shake off his defender and make a layup, or draw a foul, causing chaos in the paint.
But if they double-teamed him, his passes were even quicker. He would either feed the ball to Uozumi like before, or dish it out to the sides. Fukuda could drive when he got the ball in the corner, and Sendo could shoot a mid-range jumper with the ball at the free-throw line. No matter how they defended, it was wrong.
Sakuragi was even more active under the basket. He would jump to grab Akita's missed three-pointers, then immediately pass them to Gu Jin or Sendo, who would then charge forward with the ball for another fast break.
In the stands, Fujisawa Eri's fingers, which were clutching the hem of her clothes, relaxed. Gu Jin's state just now had worried her, and suddenly she felt a warmth in her eyes.
When he charged earlier, he was like a stubborn beast, but now he could run with his teammates. The arc of his wrist when passing, even the way sweat dripped onto his jersey, was dazzling.
A girl next to her called out, "Eri, that Gu Jin is amazing!"
Fujisawa Eri nodded, gazing at the figure on the court who had just screened a defender for Sakuragi and then patted Sakuragi's back. She quietly thought, 'He's really... becoming more and more dazzling.'
Fujisawa Eri's fingertips clenched even tighter, her gaze still fixed on the figure on the court who was high-fiving Sendo—Gu Jin had just assisted Sendo with a mid-range jumper thanks to Sakuragi's rebound. As he ran back to half-court, the sweat from his forehead flew off, shining like scattered stars under the lights. Her Adam's apple moved slightly before she turned her gaze back to Hua Xi, who was sipping soda through a straw beside her.
"Hua Xi, you're my best friend, right?" Her voice was a little lower than before, with a tightness she hadn't even noticed.
Hua Xi chuckled, bumping her arm with her elbow: "Of course. But what you said isn't quite right—I was already your best friend." She took a sip of soda, tilting her head to look at her. "Why are you suddenly so sappy? Don't you usually just call me 'hey'?"
The cheers from the stands surged again like a wave. It was Gu Jin again, intercepting Akita's pass and driving towards the basket. Sato Ken tried to stop him, but Gu Jin deftly spun around him and scored a layup with an underhand shot.
Fujisawa Eri's gaze followed him, and when she turned back, her eyes held a hint of pleading: "Hua Xi, I hope you can... use your Uncle's resources to get Gu Jin permanent residency."
Hua Xi's hand, holding the soda bottle, paused. The smile that had been on her face faded slightly.
She was silent for two seconds before slowly taking the straw out of her mouth and looking at Fujisawa Eri: "I knew there was a reason you suddenly asked me to watch basketball today, and specifically chose seats so close to the front." There was little emotion in her tone, but it made Fujisawa Eri's heart sink.
"Gu Jin, he..." Fujisawa Eri wanted to explain, wanted to say that Gu Jin would be deported because of his Uncle's situation, but the words were cut off by Hua Xi.
"Is he 'that person' in your heart?" Hua Xi's gaze swept over Gu Jin, who was high-fiving Sakuragi on the court, then returned to Fujisawa Eri's face. "My dad's resources aren't just for anyone to use. Do you know how many procedures are involved in getting permanent residency? Not to mention his current situation. Do you know how many eyes this has to pass through?" She paused, her voice softening slightly. "Eri, do you know what you're saying?"
Fujisawa Eri's fingers, clutching the hem of her clothes, turned white. She nodded: "I know. But he can't leave." She watched Gu Jin running on the court, like a wild grass growing towards the light. If he were uprooted, he might wither. "He can only continue playing basketball if he stays here. He..."
"You like him a lot?" Hua Xi suddenly asked, so directly that Fujisawa Eri was stunned. Her cheeks flushed instantly, and she frantically shook her head: "No... I just think he shouldn't leave. He plays basketball so well..."
Hua Xi didn't respond, she just looked up at the court.