Chapter 180 - Talk In The Park (1/2)

In the early evening, Shun walked home from school. Today was an off-day from the gym, so Shun was returning home after club practice, which earlier than his usual timing.

Things have gone ordinarily for the past few weeks. The only exciting thing to happen was Narumiya and Sora's shooting accuracy increasing a bit. Both of the first-year members didn't like to close in on the basket and liked to work from away.

Shun, as the captain, kept an eye on the whole team, so he was pleased that the team was making progress.

Shun was about to enter the residential area when he turned a corner and saw Satsuki entering the residential area. Shun grinned mischievously and decided to prank Satsuki.

He sneakily walked behind Satsuki and tapped her on the right shoulder, and moved to the left side, so she couldn't see him.

Satsuki turned back to see who tapped her on the shoulder, but there was no one behind. She heard someone move in front of her, so she turned to her front to came face to face with a sudden sound.

Shun: ”Boo!”

Satsuki was startled by the sudden scare and screamed in surprise. She closed her eyes for a second, before opening them to see a laughing Shun.

She calmed down from the scare, but anger replaced the surprise, and she hit Shun on his shoulder.

Satsuki: ”Shun-kun! That wasn't nice!”

Shun: ”Sorry, sorry. I won't do it again.., probably.”

Satsuki sighed in the face of Shun's antics started to make small talk with her neighbor as they walked home together.

Satsuki: ”You are early today.”

Shun reset the placement of his backpack on his shoulders before replying.

Shun: ”Yeah, it is a rest day.”

He peered at his companion and chatted.

Shun: ”So, how is school? How is it being a third-year, anything different?”

Satsuki thought about her experience being a third-year and tilted her while shaking it.

Satsuki: ”Not really. It is the same. Well, the teachers do always go on about the way a third-year should act.”

Shun: ”Ha! Teachers saw that every year. Now that you are in, insert school year, you need to act accordingly, and whatnot.”

Satsuki and Shun continued to walk and chat about random things before Satsuki asked about the basketball club.

Satsuki: ”So, captain of Tokiwadai Basketball Club, how is that going?”

Shun crossed his arms and thought about the things that came with being the captain. He hummed in thought and answered.

Shun: ”It is fine. I need to keep an eye out on the other members. Before, when the captain would scold the slacking members, I would laugh at the from the side, but now I can't do that, and that kinda sucks.

The first-string don't have first-year students, but I have to go the second-string to scout members, and let me tell you those first-years are really short.”

Shun beamed widely and added.

Shun: ”Being a third-year is cool in its own way. I can strut down the first-year corridor, and all of them would respectively greet me.

Ah~, the feeling of being addressed as senpai.”

Shun finished with a smile on his face, and Satsuki giggled at Shun's words. Shun put his hands behind his head and asked.

Shun: ”So, how are the miracle boys doing?”

Satsuki had to stop herself from laugh at Shun for calling the Generation Of Miracles, miracle boys. But, when she thought about the team and the club, her mood plummeted.

She looked at Shun, who was mumbling something about miracle boys. She decided to talk to him about what was going at the club.

Satsuki looked towards the park, they were passing by and pulled on Shun's shirt to stop him.

Shun stopped and looked at Satsuki.

Shun: ”Huh?”

Shun saw the somber look on Satsuki's face and got worried.

Shun: 'Huh? What the hell. Did I do something? I didn't say anything to make her sad, did I?'

He turned to Satsuki and asked, the worry was clear in his voice.

Shun: ”What happened?”

Satsuki looked up at Shun and softly spoke.

Satsuki: ”Can we talk in the park? I want to talk to you about something.”

Shun glanced at the park, turned back to Satsuki, and agreed.

Shun: ”Of course.”

Satsuki nodded and thanked Shun.

-*-*-*-*-*-*-

Shun looked at the blue sky, thinking about what Satsuki had just shared with him.

She had told him about the current atmosphere of the Teiko Basketball Club. How the Miracles had changed. She talked about the new directives from the school administration and the freedom that they provided.

Shun already knew that the time after the second-year Nationals till the end of middle school was the dark period for Teiko and the five miracles, but listening about it directly from an insider was a different experience.

He knew changes would happen, but he didn't know what the changes would be.

Shun: 'Aomine would definitely be stronger than the canon.'

He glanced at Satsuki, who was fiddling with the key strap on her bag. Shun sighed before starting, which caused Satsuki to look at him.

Shun: ”Those five shouldn't be on the same team.”

Satsuki: ”Eh?”

Shun leaned into the back of the park bench and continued.

Shun: ”Believe it or not, there is something as too much talent on one team.”

Satsuki was confused with that statement and asked.