Chapter 24
The four walked towards the court and Himuro picked his chance to learn more about the boy.
"So you play basketball?"
He guffawed loudly and threw his arm around Himuro - he understood that the no-boundary part was a genetic thing.
"Yea. I actually go to the UCLA but I play baseball now."
"Woah. That's amazing. What are you studying there?"
"Ah, not much studying's possible with everything that goes on but officially, I'm pursuing a degree in economics."
"Oh, do you like it?"
"Nah. I'm the jock in the family. I'm no genius like my vanilla-slurp over here to excel in sports and academics. But then money bores my love so somebody's gotta take care of it and if I don't do it then what kind of a brother am I?"
"Yuu-chin's basketball career ended?"
The boy looked at Atsushi with a blush and glowed with happiness.
"You remember?! Man, that's so sweet. I played basketball in high school and I got a lot of offers too but.. I love baseball more."
Himuro nodded and noticed Yuri's silence.
"Yuri, you never told me you had a brother."
The boy gasped in shock as he heard this but Yuri only grimaced.
"What's there to say? He's an idiot, a nut-head. I'm ashamed of him."
"But sweet-treat, you promised you would be proud if I made it into the baseball team someday and I did!"
"Tch. I thought being a professional sportsman would change you but it looks like idiots remain idiots."
"If my idiocy is what made you so amazing then I'm the proudest of all berry-bear! Gimme a sugar-high now."
He opened his arms out for her but she ducked behind Himuro and cursed under her breath. Himuro couldn't understand how someone so old could be as silly as the boy.
They reached the court but Atsushi refused to enter. He claimed he had already played too much in practice and sat down with his snacks.
"Atsushii... Go play one game. Please? Pretty, pretty please?"
But Yuri's pleading had no effect on him as he refused to join in. Himuro and the boy stood facing each other as Yuri played the umpire's part.
She threw the ball and the tip-off was stolen easily by the boy but Himuro already knew this. He didn't even jump high and instead went for the steal as soon as he turned to dribble.
Yukio depended upon the physical advantage to dribble faster, jump higher and dunk harder while Himuro used his own technique to make his shots. He struggled to match the boy's pace when he took the ball but thanks to Yuri's training, he didn't get exhausted as easily. He managed to steal the ball a few times and did his usual perfect dance while making his shots.
"She wasn't kidding! It's like seeing a dance bro! I don't even wanna move, I just wanna watch you dance."
He hummed at the compliment but wasn't completely satisfied as he was still behind on the score.
The boy made some taunting comments as he played to provoke Atsushi into playing by saying things like- 'imma dunk this hard baby, lightning quick, watch and learn boys' and many more.
"Man, you played me two years ago and I won because you weren't ready. But you're still scared?! That's just.. That's just depressing bro."
"I'm not scared. Yuu-chin should be scared."
"Aww. Empty threats made with empty words!"
He stuck his tongue out at him and Himuro knew it was working to get the boy to play.
"I can crush Yuu-chin easily."
"What's that I hear? Did you just say you want me to take you home and put you under your bed? Sure bro- there's no shame in admitting defeat. Lemme just finish this game and I'll give you a ride."
That did it. He gave Yuri the snacks in his hand and walked to the middle of the court. Himuro was shocked but he was also happy that he would finally be able to see Atsushi's famous offense play.
"Muro-chin play offense. I will defend."
"Ooh. I'm scared boys, bring it on cuz my feet are burnin' baby! Little sis! This one's for you."
She boo-ed him and came to start the game again. The tip off was more than exciting as both the giants jumped for the ball with everything they had. Himuro stood ready for the ball because if there was one thing he was absolutely sure of, it was that his friend never lost the tip off.
Sure enough, the ball reached his hand and he jumped immediately to make a shot from his position. The boy jumped high to stop his shot but Himuro smiled at this and sent the ball flying through him.
He rejoiced as the ball went in smoothly and hi-fived Atsushi while Yuri fist bumped into the air.
"Little sis isn't even cheering for me?! How unfair! I'm just gonna have to amaze her then."
With that, he ran for the ball and Himuro couldn't stop it. But he wasn't as worried as he knew he'd run into trouble soon. Atsushi didn't even feign interest as the boy ran to make a dunk above the violet head. He jumped too and pushed the ball right out of his hands and Himuro reached in time to catch it and make another shot.
"2-0. Isn't that enough?"
"No way! I'm just getting started kiddo. Come at me boy- I'm gonna teach you a lesson."
Himuro grinned at his threat and moved to attack this time. He dribbled and managed to fake him out one time and jumped but he didn't have the ball anymore.
"So long, beautiful!"
He ran towards the basket but Atsushi stood in wait which made him shift to the jumping position immediately and made a three instead.
"A three pointer?!"
"Of fucking course I can shoot 3s! Now get serious because that's not the last trick up my sleeve."
Himuro sensed the air get thicker and got ready for the play as well. It got interesting as the game began to progress but the pattern remained the same. Atsushi stuck to defending the basket but the boy managed to shift in the very last moment and score. Himuro used his fakes to get through and made his own shots. It continued until the match stood at a draw.
"Oh man! You boys are tough. I think I need little sis to win. Come on sister, lets show some sibling power!"
"Go die."
"Yuri.. Join in, it'll be fun."
She was rejecting him but Himuro wanted to see her play. He looked at Atsushi for support and he too nodded.
"Yuu-chin is losing. If Yuri-chin doesn't have to play then neither should I."
"No no Atsushi. I'll play."
She then sent a glare flying in her brother's direction.
"Deal with Atsushi. Tatsu is mine."
She smirked at Himuro who gave a small smile, having forgotten about the game for a second and thinking how good that sounded.
"Sure, little sis."
But then the boy paused all of a sudden before launching himself on her and enveloped her in a bear hug.
"You sounded so grownup there love-bear!"
She struggled to breathe and looked like a child when compared to his huge frame.
"What's wrong with you moron?! Let go!"
He released her and they restarted the game.
Himuro stood in position to take the ball that he knew would come and reached forward to it as it came flying in his direction. He moved to catch it but it disappeared and he caught a whiff of hair move past him.
He turned to follow Yuri who was making her way with the ball towards the basket. Atsushi moved to assume his position under the basket but Yukio was quick to screen him out.
Himuro ran to stop her but she began to run away from the basket and screamed.
"Behold! Carrot head's unstoppable three pointer!"
She released the ball and turned away immediately and pushed her glasses up just like the green haired boy would, even though she wasn't wearing glasses anymore. But the only difference was that Himuro caught the ball which went nowhere near the basket and jumped to make his own three pointer and succeeded.
"What spunk! What amazing confidence sweet-pea! Don't you worry about the score, we'll score next time."
Thus, the game continued with Yukio managing steals and passing it to Yuri who imitated various players from the GoM.
"The only one who can beat me is me! Daiki's formless shot, here it comes!"
"Oh I'm not mature enough for all this serious play! I just want to beat you Tatsu... Ryota's gross imitation of your mirage shot is here to pass through all of you...!"
"I'm sick of you stealing the ball from me. Emperor eye- here it comes! I see your pretty face from all the way here Tatsuya.. I see your bored look Atsushi.. I see your poop coloured eyes too Yuu! I. Am. Absolute!"
Himuro felt like he was more of a ball boy in a golf game than a basketball player as he caught every one of her missed shots and scored.
"Yuri-chin is very misleading. You shout like you're going to imitate Mido-chin and Mine-chin and Kise-chin and Aka-chin when in real you imitate Kuro-chin. It's a very dirty trick to pull Yuri-chin."
She flamed up immediately.
"What did you just say?! Don't you dare compare me to that smurf Viola!"
"Did you just insult little sister's play?! While I'm standing right here? UNFORGIVABLE! This one's for you my moonshine!"
Himuro sensed a monster waking up in the boy who was done being silly the entire time. Each time Himuro jumped to make a shot, he slapped the ball right out of his hands. They were leading by 4 shots but the boy surpassed Himuro twice and made a three pointer for the third shot. The fourth shot, he managed to dunk over Atsushi using repeated fakes.
Himuro stood amazed as he saw the boy's quick movement, anticipation of moves, high jumps and strong dunks. His natural talent combined with his experience made him too amazing to deal with.
The next shot he jumped to make was blocked by Atsushi so he used the chance to pass the ball to Yuri. Himuro didn't expect the move as he knew she would miss anyway.
"Atsushi... You are too sweet but this shot's here to crush everyone here. Here comes.. Thor's hammer!"
Himuro's eyes widened in shock and so did Yukio's as she jumped high to dunk the ball with both her hands. Yukio and Himuro were quick to reach for the rebound, but it wasn't necessary. Atsushi slapped the ball away and caught Yuri who had jumped too early from the free-throw line. The ball was knocked out of bounds as Yuri got back on her feet and said she was okay.
"Little sis took such a dangerous shot for our win! I'm going to win for little sis!"
He made a three pointer from his position which wasn't an easy feat at all and ran to get the ball again and made another shot in quick succession, leading by two shots. He went for a third too.
The dribble was fantastically fast and Himuro felt him run right past his defense. But right next to follow sent a shock through Himuro. He froze completely as he saw Atsushi's violet hair fly past his face while running to catch up with Yukio. He managed to get the ball with a back tip and turned around.
"Yuri-chin can watch and learn."
Atsushi Murasakibara jumped to dunk the ball and did it so hard that it proved to everyone who he was- the player from the generation of miracles.
As if to further validate the proof, the basket along with the pole creaked dangerously and began to bend. Yuri, standing right under it was too busy being frozen by the awesome shot she had just witnessed. Even Atsushi didn't look back as he walked to his bag of chips but Himuro and Yukio were more attentive.
Himuro ran to push her out of the way and was surprised when he reached before Yukio was even in his sight. He pushed a surprised Yuri out of the way, knocking them both over in the process.
The four shut their ears as the pole fell to the ground- thus concluding the game.
"Are you okay?"
She nodded yes, looking pale from the shock of it all. Yukio was quick to reach his sister.
"Are you okay princess?! Tell me where you're hurt, don't hesitate- I don't care if its embarrassing. Do you want to whisper in my ear? You can whisper in m-"
"Yuu.. I'm okay."
Himuro smiled at the concern spread over Yukio's face that was quickly replaced with relief as she answered properly.
"Muro-chin, you need first aid."
He was the first to notice the generous amount of blood that was soaking Himuro's shirt now. Yuri looked and panicked.
"Tatsu! Your elbow! Yuu, lets go home."
She helped him stand even when he didn't need it and asked him a string of questions on the way back. She offered to make everyone carry him and in the end volunteered to do it herself. Himuro shook his head in amusement and answered all of her questions.
Atsushi departed on the way and the three made it home. Yukio carefully observed his sister rush for the first aid box and treat his wound. He had been observing the two the whole time and it was too obvious.
The boy's hesitation to talk to him about the simplest things was the first hint. After that, it had been overly obvious with the way he looked at her and followed her every movement. He knew a crush on his sister was too easy to happen but when he saw the boy run to push her out of the way, his thinking changed immediately.
The desperation with which he ran, the imminent fear in his eyes and the ignorance to his own pain proved it to Yukio. He felt almost sad at the moment for the boy as he had fallen for his sister of all the people.
He was aware of her aversion to anything romantic or cheesy. He knew her strong belief in friendship and the high regard to that relationship. He knew she would break his heart if she hadn't done it already.
But even that certainty began to vanish as he watched her. He knew she wasn't one to worry about little cuts and stitches. The Yuri he knew would definitely perform first aid and attend to the wound but here, she was panicking.
Her constant flow of questions, his response to all of them assured him. He knew how special it was when she offered to carry him- she liked to call herself a lady at all times.
A boy had fallen in love with his little sister. He knew the love was no light feeling, he sensed the overwhelming emotion. But impossibly, surprisingly and amazingly - somewhere down the lane, his little sister had fallen for him as well.
He smiled sadly and hoped she would be strong enough to accept it.