NTR Kousuke

Chapter 129: Sahori Unrivaled

Pii-pii! Timeout, third-years!

The third-year team is all tangled up and bickering.

The three of us talk things over while hydrating.

Sahori-senpai's weird, but he's a forward with real scoring power, and honestly, he is a genius type.

He's critically lacking in stamina, but... when it's the second game of a back-to-back and everyone's exhausted, it's a different story.

He's nothing but a threat.

Koji: "Why do you think Sahori-senpai was late?"

"...Who knows? But he's bound to come up with some weird excuse or say something that makes no sense, right? It'll be something even worse than what we imagine."

Koji: "...But his scoring is seriously threatening, you know? I really don't want Sahori-senpai rubbing it in my face now!"

I nod. He's the type who can't handle provocation... Should we target that?

Thud!!

The third-year team is getting pumped up.

Third-year: "Coach! Sahori! He says the reason he was late is because he didn't want to do basic drills since he'd get tired!"

Third-year: "Actually, he was late because he'd get tired just from warming up!"

Third-year manager: "So because you have no stamina, you planned to only play the second game since two games are impossible?!"

What a terrible reason...

Sahori: "I only want to play when I get to shine! I want to go on a rampage!"

Us first-years are fired up now more than ever.

After being told that, there's no way we're going to lose!

Isn't that right?

First-year: "I'm going to stick to Sahori-senpai like glue and drain his stamina! I can't stop everything, but I'll cling to him to my limit and drag this into a messy, muddy game!"

The strategy is set!

Game resumes!

Huh? Is Sahori-senpai trying to conserve stamina?

Sahori-senpai's movements are stiff and sluggish...

His third-year teammates run over.

Nodding, nodding.

Third-year: "Sahori didn't even warm up."

Is he stupid? Is he actually a fool?

If you jump into a game without warming up, there's no way you can move, and you might even get injured.

That's honestly infuriating, so—

"...Senpai, are you underestimating us just because we're first-years?"

Sahori-senpai, with a serious face,

Sahori: "...I just tried to save too much stamina...! If I'm not careful, I'll run out of gas just warming up...!"

With a completely handsome face, Sahori-senpai declared.

Seriously?

Senpai was subbed out and started warming up at the edge of the court, but...

He's honestly struggling just to warm up...

This is the guy who was our ace at last summer's tournament...!

First quarter ends, third-years barely ahead.

Both teams are in their second game, but the back-to-back is tougher on the first-years.

After some adjustments, the second quarter begins.

At last, Sahori is coming out...!

We always focus so much on how dumb and ridiculous Sahori-senpai is, we tend to forget.

...But Sahori-senpai really is a genius type.

The guy who said he'd drag it into an endurance match is now showing off agility and leaping ability no one can contain. His shot form is so high it's nearly unblockable.

If the ball gets to Sahori, it almost always leads to points...!

Did we underestimate him? Actually, I've always thought this,

When he's on your side, he can be unreliable at crunch time, but as an opponent, he's a real pain.

Sahori scored 15 points by himself in the second quarter.

But now, you can actually see his knees starting to give out.

"Thanks, I'll lock him down next."

Koji: "...Kousuke? Are you sure?"

"I've been focusing on stamina and defensive footwork with my recent training."

Third quarter starts!

Sahori: "Kousuke, huh! You can't stop me!"

"...Even if I don't, you'll probably stop yourself, right?"

In fact, Sahori-senpai's stamina was already gone, and he was losing his edge.

I drove in with my dribble, and he just watched without doing anything to stop me.

Since he's just watching, I end up free and score easily.

Sahori: "I'm done! Sub me out!"

Sahori took himself out of the game.

...Huh? Is that really okay?

Sahori: "I didn't lose to you guys! I just lost to myself! You couldn't stop me!"

The first-year team wins the game!

But what is this? Why does it feel like we lost?

I feel like Sahori-senpai got a win by running away...!

The game ends, and it's time for us to chat with our seniors.

The members who didn't get to play keep the game going, mixing up the grades.

We talk while watching the game—about the former captains' ambitions and dreams, our own goals and the play styles we aim for.

Sahori: "Me! I'm taking a gap year! Going for a good university! And then! I'll drive around in a supercar! I'll be a big man!"

Ahahaha!

Everyone laughs.

But Sahori-senpai truly, innocently believes in his own dreams...

Isn't that amazing? Even though he's repeating a year and should be in despair, he talks about his dreams and believes in himself.

He's dumb, but he's got a strong mentality.

I really do think that's amazing.

Sahori: "...I'm not saying this to everyone. I want my words to reach the ones who get it. I want people to watch, to listen, and to be moved by me!"

Serious Sahori-senpai almost looks handsome... I mean, probably just looks that way.

...Maybe.

Sahori: "I mean, come on! You know 'moving' means to be moved, right?"

Somehow, that actually sounds... like something good coming from Sahori-senpai?

...But it still feels off. There's no way he'd say something that deep.

Sahori: "Make your dreams concrete! For example, that supercar I mentioned earlier!"

He's trying to stick the landing!

With his proudest smug face at a 45-degree angle,

Sahori: "What I'm aiming for is black! Fairy!"

Murmurs,

"Fairy? 'Black fairy'?"

"Fairy? Like, a fairy?"

A black fairy?

Sahori: "Black fairy? That sounds kind of cool?"

Someone said,

"It's not black, it's your dark past, right? What kind of fairy are you? The Fairy of Dark History, obviously!"

Boom!!!

The basketball club bursts out laughing!

Officially recognized by the basketball club, Sahori Toshin, the Fairy of Dark History, is born!

A new history is written in the basketball club!

Third-year: "Seriously, you only get teased because you're always late, you know?"

Sahori: "...Actually, I stopped by the hospital... Honestly, I wasn't sure if I should come today. ...But, I wanted to see everyone's faces, you know...?"

Are you feeling unwell somewhere?

(...Maybe it's your head?)

I couldn't say that out loud, of course.

I don't really get it, but in the basketball club, Sahori is unstoppable—for better or worse.

☆ ☆ ☆

The Sahori inside Aru keeps insisting, lol.

Still wants to mess things up, lol.