Naturally, Onoi… no, Onoi and the others began to admire Yuna and follow her lead.
And they achieved results that were unimaginable from a small school.
As a result, of course, they were greatly pleased.
However, Yuna alone seemed constantly frustrated…
Perhaps because of this.
As the club members became satisfied with the current results, Yuna began to become more radical little by little.
Rigorous training routines, including reckless passing.
Yuna kept saying, as if possessed, “[To the nationals…]” all the time.
With a somewhat worn-out face but ambitious eyes, she appealed to me as her only hope.
Unable to refuse the pleas, Onoi reluctantly followed Yuna, pushing herself beyond her limits.
Perhaps Yuna couldn’t hear the voices around her anymore.
she couldn’t see her surroundings and her vision narrowed.
There are risks inherent in rigorous training.
One day…
It happened suddenly.
Onoi injured her leg during intense practice.
Other members noticed and unanimously said,
“Takamori, she’s a monster. She doesn’t understand us ordinary people. We can’t keep up anymore.”
“And she made Onoi get injured? Seriously talking about nationals, isn’t it ridiculous? It’s obviously impossible.”
“She used to be a good kid, but she changed after losing that match. Saying it’s for the team while only wanting to go to nationals herself. She thinks of us as tools or pawns. I can’t keep up anymore. Onoi got injured, so it’s natural that everyone can’t keep up with Takamori. In that case, we should just kick her out.”
“……………”
“Onoi, I understand it’s hard for you because you’re kind. But Takamori is weird now. It’s not good for the team like this. She should take a break from basketball to cool her head.”
The opinions of all team members.
Certainly, from Onoi’s perspective, Yuna now… looked different from the previous Yuna.
Yuna was no longer facing each member individually to boost morale.
She was selfishly striving for herself.
That couldn’t be denied.
Following the suggestion of other members to take a break from basketball to cool her head.
So Onoi, with a heavy heart, said firmly,
“I want you to take a break from the club.”
However, now in this game, Onoi realize painfully.
Onoi was immature back then.
(I was following Yuna’s lead. I was always chasing after Yuna.)
(I felt like that.)
So… Onoi couldn’t speak to Yuna on equal terms.
But that wasn’t the case.
That wasn’t it. What Onoi should have done to Yuna, who was tired and somewhat insane at the time.
(That’s right… Takamori. It was up to you to deliver what I admired about that girl Takamori Yuna.)
At that moment.
Onoi now reproduces the play Yuna showed her.
(……I won’t just pretend to be behind you anymore.)
(You, who I admired so much, were always there for someone.)
While captivating through play… treating everyone equally.
(I… no. We weren’t always behind you. The Takamori I admired should have been far away, but even so, you were next to me. That’s what excited me the most about you.)
So, in her heart, Onoi added.
(Words are unnecessary. Captivate through play. You’re not the one who excited me anymore… I’ll awaken you, Onoi thought, with a daring smile.
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**
(Why did it end up like this… even though Haru-san was expecting so much from me?)
Yuna was on the verge of losing her fighting spirit as she sweated unpleasantly.
Noise spread throughout the world, and everything dulled.
Time felt slow… and everything was so quiet.
It must be similar to looking back on life like a flashback at the moment of death.
(Why did it happen, that’s obvious…)
Yuna herself didn’t want to play like this now.
Charging in alone, scoring alone.
This isn’t the basketball Yuna enjoys.
Basketball isn’t an individual sport; it’s a team sport.
Even though she didn’t need to be told, Yuna herself knew it wouldn’t work with her current style of play.
But she still played alone…
(It’s scary. I’m sure I’ll be looked at like that again…)
She suddenly remembered hurting her former rival.
And the disdainful gazes of her comrades who had admired her.
…She couldn’t forget.
Bitter memories of the time when they all aimed high and played basketball happily.
It’s a shameful story, but Yuna is afraid of teamwork.
For a while, it might have been a disadvantage to be away from basketball.
In addition to that, there was the pressure of expectations from Haru, and the feeling of “I can’t fail anymore,” which bound Yuna’s actions.
To be honest… Yuna had noticed her own cowardice during the first practice after joining the basketball club.
Despite trying not to dwell on it because others said things like, “It’s okay, we still don’t know each other well. But you’re really good, Takamori-san”
… deep down, she knew.
“Haa, haa, haa…”
Nothing about the game situation was registering in her mind.
Her head was completely blank.
Her feet moved, but her heart didn’t. When the ball came her way, she immediately passed it to someone else.
She didn’t really want to play basketball like this…
(…I was going to face Onoi too, I’m sorry.)
And just as Yuna turned to apologize to Onoi,
Yuna’s eyes widened and she froze.
(…Why does she look so happy?)
Onoi, who was here, was genuinely enjoying playing basketball while sweating.
But that wasn’t all.
The team around opponent was moving more actively than ever, centered around Onoi.
The sounds of basketball were irregularly beating rhythmically.
Everyone looked at each other with trust. Despite being physically exhausting for everyone, they seemed to enjoy basketball, at least in Yuna’s eyes.
(What is this feeling of excitement…?)
Yuna looked back and this time saw the members of her own team, in her field of vision.
She saw the team members who had allowed opponent to score and widen the gap.
(…No one is giving up. Everyone is… trying to find a way to turn it around. For the sake of the team…)
Looking at the members of opponent and Eiga,
Yuna couldn’t contain her excitement.
And now, seeing Onoi shining the most on this court, everything fell into place.
───Oh, right.
(When did I stop facing my teammates…?)
Her own origin.
Until the middle of her second year of junior high school, Yuna had faced each of her teammates.
However, when she felt the gap between her and her teammates’ goals, Yuna, overwhelmed by immense loneliness and frustration, became fixated only on showing her back.
Seeing Onoi, who emulated her former self, made Yuna realize.
(It’s so arrogant to ask them to follow me when I’m not facing them…)
While holding regret in her heart, she looked again at the Eiga team members.
(These people are facing me. They see me as a teammate, even though I’ve just joined and haven’t coordinated with them. And they put me in the game.)
Yet, none of these teammates are giving up, still seeking a chance to turn the game around.
Why am I allowed to break down?
Yuna thought it would be rude not to face them sincerely.
And above all, she added.
(…It’s disrespectful to play basketball without smiling, even though I love it.)
Yuna regained her fighting spirit completely.
In the audience, all eyes were on one player.
Onoi Michiru. opponent High School – Basketball Club’s command tower.
Even though she was a first-year student, her presence had suddenly changed, raising the team’s concentration.
She consistently gave precise instructions to improve the teamwork of the team members.
While her charisma was not as great as Yuna’s at that time, Onoi’s play was still enough to be admired.
Haruya glanced at Yuna.
(Nayu-san, do your best. I believe in you…)
Haruya was attracted to Yuna’s play.
Of course, it included her own skills, but the other aspects were rather significant.
(…Look at Onoi-san, Nayu-san. I was attracted to that kind of play.)
While feeling frustrated, watching the game, he heard the voices of S-class beauties from a distance.
” …That girl on the other team seems to be awakening, doesn’t she? I didn’t intend to watch her specifically, but my eyes are naturally drawn to her. No, no. We should be watching Yuna, right~? “
Rin murmured with apparent conflict.
” But I understand Rin-san’s feelings a bit. I was also drawn to Yuna-san’s fast dribbling, but it’s transient… I can’t help but be drawn to that person for a long time. “
Sara agreed while resting her chin on her hand.
” Ah, I see… Sara-chan! It feels like that person is making the whole team stronger… So maybe that’s why we can’t help but watch her? “
” Y-Yeah, maybe so. Now that you mention it… “
Indeed, as they said, Onoi was enhancing the team’s strength.
By showing off her play.
But more than that, Haruya felt a clear difference between Onoi and Yuna.
(Smile… Nayu-san isn’t enjoying basketball. She’s still struggling, looking uncomfortable playing basketball.)
“Yuna-rin seems a little down. Should we try cheering for her again, Sara-chan?”
“U-uh, d-do we have to do the ‘F-Fight’ again?”
Sara hesitated and glanced around the audience.
“Yeah. Then maybe Yuna-rin will… you know, come back to us!”
“Uh, well, um, I-I mean, maybe not…”
Sara’s weakness was that she couldn’t deny it outright.
(But, but it’s embarrassing to shout ‘Fight’ into a megaphone! And no one else in the audience is doing that.)
As Sara scanned the audience, – that was the moment.
she froze when she saw someone familiar from this seat
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