Chapter 102 - Pre-Game Interactions (1/2)

Both teams ended their warmups, but the organizers were still not ready to start the game, so the players had time, so they decided to mingle with each other.

Mibuchi and Aone went to talk to the three third-year members of the team, that left the rest of them to talk with each other.

Shun was talking to a second-year, who was on the bench but rarely saw any playing time.

Then he felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned to see that Aomine, Kise, and Kuroko were standing behind him.

Shun smiled and turned to talk to the three.

Shun: ”Hey! I haven't seen you guys in a while. How are you guys doing?”

Shun did a slap-five with every one of them.

Aomine smiled and replied.

Aomine: ”It has been a boring couple of months.”

Shun smiled as he knew Aomine was going through, so he decided to keep the conversation light.

Shun: ”Dai-chan~, what are you saying? That is not what I heard. I heard that you are having quite the fun reading certain magazines.”

Aomine froze, and then whipped his head in Satsuki's direction.

Aomine: ”That, Satsuki! What has she been blurting?!”

Shun decided to answer the rhetorical question and yapped some facts that he picked up from Satsuki.

Shun: ”That you like them big, you have picked a new hobby of looking at gravure idol, you have become a fan of Horikita Mai.

Now that you have picked this hobby, now you divide your pocket money on buying magazines and basketball shoes.”

Shun pulled closer to Aomine and said with an evil smirk.

Shun: ”If I am to believe Satsuki, then I even know where you hide those magazines.”

Aomine was embarrassed when he heard Shun list out his preferences, and paled when he heard that Shun knew about his hidden magazine stash.

Shun smiled like an innocent angel and said.

Shun: ”Don't WORRY. I WON'T tell anyone. It's our secret. The information is SAFE with me.”

Shun patted Aomine's shoulders, and then without saying anything else, he moved on to talk with Kise.

Kise was shocked when he saw Aomine crumble with a few words.

Kise: 'Kageyama-cchi is really terrifying. He took down, Aomine-cchi with mere words.'

Shun turned to Kise and said.

Shun: ”Kise-kun, have you grown in the past few months. I hope you won't disappoint me.”

Kise snapped out his musing and answered.

Kise: ”Kageyama-cchi, Today, I will show you how much I have improved. I worked hard these past months.”

Shun smiled and said.

Shun: ”Then, I look forward to playing against you.”

Aomine had snapped out his doom-like state and commented.

Aomine: ”Don't get your hopes up. He has only begun to develop a sense for the game. He isn't that good yet.”

Shun was impressed.

Shun: ”He is already at that point. Huh, Kise-kun, you sure grow fast.”

Shun decided to clear one thing while he was on the topic of Kise.

Shun: ”Now that I look around, I don't see him. Where is Haizaki?”

Aomine and Kuroko became somber.

Kuroko was the one who spoke to break the news.

Kuroko: ”Haizaki-kun, quit the club.”

Shun internally hummed when he heard that.

Shun: 'It seems Akashi got rid of him. That means the other one is already active in the background. I have to see if he had already taken over, or the one playing today is the True one.'

Shun pretended to be surprised.

Shun: ”Eh, when did that happen?!”

Kuroko sighed and replied.

Kuroko: ”At the start of this year.”

Kise: ”Kageyama-cchi, why are you asking for Haizaki-kun.”

Shun glanced at Kise, while Aomine and Kuroko looked at Shun.

Shun: ”Ah, it was nothing serious. We made a bet last year, and I told him something during our game last year. I was wondering if he would confirm it this year, but it seems he already quit, huh.”

Shun didn't mention the details of the bet or the conversation Haizaki and Shun had last year.

Shun: ”Well, no use of talking about someone who is not here. Kuroko-kun, how are you today?”

Kuroko faintly smiled and replied.

Kuroko: ”I am fine. Thank you for asking, Kageyama-kun.”

Before they could continue, three more people joined the group.

Akashi, Midorima, and Mursakibara had arrived.

Akashi: ”It has been a while, Kageyama-kun.”

Shun extended his hand to shake hands with Akashi, and Akashi did the same. Shun gave a similar smile and said.

Shun: ”It sure has been. When was the last time we met?”

Kuroko decided to answer.

Kuroko: ”During the award ceremony, last year.”

Every except for Kise looked at Shun when they heard of the award ceremony.

Shun decided to laugh off the stares.

Shun: ”Hahahahaha... That was a good ceremony, wasn't it.”

Kise was confused at the reactions, so he asked.

Kise: ”I heard that Kageyama-cchi won all the individual awards, but did something else happen.”

Aomine decided to answer the question.

Aomine: ”He flipped us off when he got the MVP award, and then his mother shouted at him from the stands, and his teammates chased him down the court to beat him.”

Shun colored a little, but still up a solid front. He crossed his arms and said.

Shun: ”I don't regret shouting at you guys from the stage, but I do regret going to that ceremony, my back was not happy by the time the ceremony ended.”

Kise chuckled, but then a strange thing entered his vision. He looked at Midorima and pointed at the thing in Midorima's hand.

Kise: ”Midorima-cchi, why is there a ladle in your hand, don't tell me.”

But, before Midorima could answer, Shun answered.

Shun: ”Ah, wasn't ladle the lucky item from Oha-sa Horoscope, for cancer, today?”