NOVEL WEB Chapter 67: Debate
"Why are you just standing there like an idiot?! If you'd set a screen just now, I could have taken a completely open shot!" Midorima glared at Murasakibara, clearly annoyed at his lack of action during the last play.
"What's the big deal? You could've just passed the ball to me directly, and I would've scored!" Murasakibara retorted, pouting as he stared down at Midorima.
Both players clenched their fists, their eyes brimming with mutual dissatisfaction.
In the next instant, they were face-to-face, practically nose-to-nose, shouting in unison, "It'd be better if I took the shot!" Their proximity was so close that it almost looked like they were about to kiss.
"Hey, calm down! Don't fight!" The senior members of the team stepped in, trying to defuse the tension.
Coach Sanada stood nearby with a clipboard in hand, glancing at Coach Shirogane. He sighed, exasperated. "Seriously, what are they even doing?"
"Well, Captain Akashi, what should we do about this?" Nijimura asked, his tone filled with helplessness.
"Let's observe a little longer" Akashi replied with a calm smile.
"You're so annoying," Murasakibara muttered, scratching his head as he gave Midorima a sharp glare.
"I'd say you're the annoying one!" Midorima shot back, standing on tiptoes to get closer to Murasakibara's height as he shouted at him.
Once again, the two found themselves almost glued together, bodies tense and voices raised, bickering incessantly.
"Alright, that's enough" Shiro suddenly appeared between the two, gently pushing them apart with a firm shove. "It's just a small issue, no need to argue so much."
Both Murasakibara and Midorima snorted in unison before turning away, crossing their arms and pouting like sulking children.
Shiro chuckled lightly at their childish behavior. It was hard not to find it amusing.
However, as Midorima cooled down, he couldn't help but be impressed by Shiro's strength. With ease, Shiro had managed to separate him and Murasakibara — despite the latter's sheer size and mass. How strong did Shiro have to be to pull that off?
Just then, the slight and unassuming Kuroko approached the group. His expression remained neutral, but his voice was unusually loud. "Stop arguing. Right now, even I could beat both of you"
Midorima and Murasakibara turned their wide-eyed gazes to Kuroko, stunned by his audacity. Was he being serious?
Kuroko wasn't joking. He continued, "After practice, let's settle this with a game. I'll prove it to you."
Unwilling to back down from the challenge, both Midorima and Murasakibara nodded in agreement.
Shiro gave Kuroko a thumbs up, inwardly admiring his strategy. So this is how he plans to teach them the importance of teamwork?
...
"For this game, we'll use the current lineups. First team to score 10 points wins" Kuroko explained to Kise and Aomine. Shiro, meanwhile, sat nearby catching his breath after his rigorous training session. Coach Shirogane had pushed him harder than anyone, likely aware of Shiro's resilience.
Kise nodded. "Got it!"
"We just need to work together and win, right?" Aomine said confidently.
"Exactly"
The match began. Kuroko, Kise, and Aomine faced off against Akashi, Midorima, and Murasakibara.
"Akashi, you're not holding back, are you?" Murasakibara panted, drenched in sweat, as their team trailed by a wide margin. He glanced at Akashi with suspicion.
"Of course not. I'm playing as I always do" Akashi replied between deep breaths.
"Unbelievable," Murasakibara muttered with a scowl, while Midorima, panting heavily, adjusted his glasses in frustration, equally perplexed by their team's poor performance.
Suddenly, Kuroko lobbed a high pass into the paint. Both Kise and Aomine leapt for it, only to crash into each other mid-air. The ball flew out of bounds.
"Ow!" Aomine groaned, lying on the floor as he rubbed his head. He glared at Kise. "What the hell, Kise?! That pass was meant for me!"
"Why you? Clearly, it was for me!" Kise shot back, equally indignant.
"Are you kidding me? It was mine!" Aomine stood up, and Kise immediately followed. The two butted heads, their foreheads pressing together as they argued. Soon enough, they started wrestling.
"No, it's my ball!"
"Mine!"
"Why are you two fighting now?!" Midorima shouted, exasperated, as he tried to stop them.
"You idiot!" Kise grabbed Aomine's face, pulling at it while Aomine retaliated by tugging at Kise's hair and kicking him.
...
Nearby, Shiro finally completed his latest set of grueling exercises. He collapsed onto the bench, his shirt soaked with sweat. Momoi appeared almost instantly, handing him a chilled bottle of water. "Here, Shiro" she said softly.
Grateful, Shiro took the bottle and smiled at Momoi. But she didn't stop there. She picked up a towel and began gently wiping the sweat from his forehead with utmost care. Shiro felt a wave of warmth from her affectionate gestures.
"Thanks, Momoi. Love you!" Shiro made a tiny heart with his fingers, his tone playful and light.
Momoi's cheeks turned red as she lowered her head shyly, though her eyes sparkled with joy.
Glancing at the chaos on the court, Momoi frowned slightly. "Are you sure they won't get hurt, Shiro?" she asked, her voice tinged with concern.
Shiro grinned, waving her off. "Don't worry. Guys are like this. They'll roughhouse, argue, and somehow bond through it all. Honestly, they might just be doing it to show off to Midorima and Murasakibara" He winked mischievously.
Momoi relaxed a little, smiling as she sat beside him. Gently, she rested Shiro's head on her shoulder, and the two basked in a moment of peace amidst the noise.
...
"Things just keep getting sillier" Murasakibara muttered, averting his gaze from the scene.
"At least we understand how ridiculous this all is now, Kuroko" Midorima sighed, adjusting his glasses again. But as he turned, he noticed Kuroko kneeling on the ground, retching. Alarmed, he shouted, "Why are you throwing up?!"
"It seems everything has been resolved" Akashi remarked with a faint smile as Nijimura returned. His expression exuded calm confidence, as though he had anticipated the outcome all along.
Nijimura responded with a simple "Oh"
With that, Akashi turned and left, his presence fading as the lively atmosphere around the team carried on. Nijimura stood quietly, his lips curling into a subtle smile.