For the moment, if Yukinoshita Yukino had expected a mawkish reunion, it was actually far from it. Kise, who would have tackled Hikigaya in a tight hug that could rival his obsession with Kuroko, was currently busy trying to catch his breath, and calming down his rapid heart-beat with Aomine, and Midorima. Momoi cried when she saw Kuroko, and proceeded to suffocate him with her chest while every male in the vicinity (except the Generation of Miracles) looked at Kuroko with envy.
"Welcome back to the Teiko school, Hachi-kun!" Momoi cried as she hugged the out of breath Hikigaya tighter. Yukinoshita and Yuigahama stood there emotionlessly but with hints of jealously and anger as they were both throwing cold glares at Momoi. Die, you pinkette! Momoi blinked away her tears to find her arms empty, and Hikigaya standing in front of the three surprised basketball players. "Eh?"
Kise breathed a sigh of relief, sniffing dramatically at the sight of his former Teiko teammate. "I didn't think you'd accept Akashicchi's proposal…" He sobbed, "Welcome back to this palce..."
Midorima pushed up his glasses as he tried to fight off any signs of emotion. "You're back faster than I thought Hikigaya..." There was a thin smile on his lips as his glasses glinted under the light.
Aomine pressed his lips into a smirk as he welcomes the fish-eyed boy. "Hikigaya, you bastard...I still had 20 points to score off you…" He scowled as Hikigaya just had to make his usual entrance.
Hikigaya simply looked blankly at them wanly before his eyes narrowed, as Akashi, Kuroko, and Murasakibara approached them, "Now that we're here, can we just get straight to business?" He asked, with thinly veiled irritation.
All eyes as one landed on Akashi, who just came in time to finally start the selection of players. "Ah, you're finally here, Hikigaya. So you ended up bringing that airhead and Yukinoshita all along with you." He said as Yuigahama almost choked in her throat. "Well, we can start right now but first, we'll have some news from Coach Shirogane although I don't know yet what would that be. Then Momoi would later bring out the team jerseys later since our opponent would be Lebanon…"
Everyone stopped in their tracks at what their captain had just said, "Eh…Akashicchi, did you just say Lebanon?" Kise dumbly asked.
"Yes, I heard it would be their national team as well…"
In an instant, all eyes turned to Kuroko and Akashi, the latter of whom just smiled innocently. "As expected of Kuroko. Now, we don't have any time to waste right now. Let's get going."
"Ah…you're all here, my former brats…"
Suddenly, that familiar voice rang out aloud as the face of Coach Shirogane Kozo appeared in the sidelines. Appearing as an older man, with a few wrinkles and short, thin and combed back light gray hair, he has a well-kept circle beard. His eyes are usually narrowed down. He dresses formal, in a dark business suit, a white shirt and a green tie. As the former head coach of the Teiko basketball team, Shirogane is a bright and intelligent man. At first glance, he looks kind and serene, while he is in fact quite ruthless (which Hikigaya can attest to). He has a strong-winners mentality and makes his decisions on whether or not it will bring his basketball team victory or defeat. He is proficient in training a team and is knowledgeable in basketball tactics and the like.
"Ah, I'm glad to meet you again, my lads…" Shirogane appeared beside Aomine, who almost choked at the fact that one of the very few people he truly feared from the bottom of his heart just appeared. "Oh and Hikigaya is actually here? How nice. It's been years since you've last played for us."
"Yo, Coach Shirogane." Hikigaya glumly greeted his former coach, who walks nearer to him. "I'm glad to see you in full health." There was some subtle mockery in his voice. "By the way, would it be fine to bring guests here just for the sake of having…uh…companions?" He just used a term that he never expected to use in his whole lifetime as he glances at his Service Club president and the loudmouth, who are sitting on the bench.
"Hmmm…I don't see why not." Shirogane thought for the moment and then chuckled. "So you did made friends in high school? Back in your Teiko days, you don't really speak to everyone except to your teammates. That's why everyone thought you're the anti-social one…"
"Coach, can we not talk about that already?" Hikigaya cringed at those memories.
"By the way, he'll be coming soon as well so it would be a fun reunion for all of you…" Shirogane said.
"He?" All of the present members of the GoM plus Kuroko asked simultaneously.
"Ah…that would be me, you fuckin' shits…"
Everyone then turned around to see the source of the voice and when they did, their facial expressions changed into one that is a mixture of confusion and growing anger. There stand in the door way was a man about the height of Kise with silver hair and piercings in each of his ear.
"Y…Yo…" Hikigaya didn't know what to say other than a stuttered greeting to the one who just came.
"Yo, Hachiman! I didn't expect to see your face again." The silverette smirked
"The fuck!" Aomine can'thelp but curse out aloud as he points rudely at the silverette. "What the hell are you doing here, Haizaki? Oi, what's the meaning of this, Akashi, coach?!"
Yep. The man was none other than Haizaki Shougo, Fukuda Sogo's ace and the one thing Hikigaya and the rest of the Generation of Miracles, to put it bluntly, are disgusted with.
"I see you went back to silver hair…" Understandably, Kise was very much upset to see the guy who tormented him in middle school. "Why are you here?"
"Dunno. This old gasbag of a coach of ours just told me to come here. He said something about playing for the national team…" Not surprisingly, Haizaki shrugged as he rudely compliments their coach.
Akashi, hearing this, was very much surprised. "Coach, what is the meaning of this? I already have kicked him out of the old team before. I can't say he'll jell with the rest of the team right now."
"Now. Now. Akashi." Shirogane calmed down the red-headed captain. "Just because he is here doesn't mean he would be selected immediately. There are still plenty of guys out there whom we can choose."
"Can we just choose others, coach?" Aomine barked loudly. "I don't want to be near this asshole!"
Everyone gave Aomine a look.
"Tsk…speak for yourself, asshole!" Haizaki retorted.
"We don't want to hear that from you, asshole!" Kise shouted. "And don't come near me!"
"And where the fuck am I supposed to stay then?!" Haizaki yelled as he noticed everyone was putting some distance from him. "Even you Hachiman, you asshole…"
"I don't appreciate being called as such, you asshole…" Hikigaya muttered.
"It seems that the word "asshole" is the main talk in their conversation, nanodayo…" Midorima whispered to himself.
In the bench, Yukinoshita can only watch with some bewildered expression as Hikigaya, Aomine, Kise, and Haizaki argued with one another. "They don't like that guy with silver hair?" Yuigahama asked.
"It seems that was the case, Yuigahama-san." Yukinoshita replied.
Currently, all of the players who will be part of the selection felt like to bolt out of their seat because of sheer tension the Generation of Miracles emitted. They didn't have to be a genius to guess why. It must be either their red-headed captain or the coach. Only these two could make them behave out of character. Speaking of selection matches, reserve players had learned they were even less than reserved in bench; they were just the warm bodies to fill the bench. But unlike any other day, even for a mere selection match, the GoM were all strangely focused to the point the bench felt hotter than usual.
Particularly because their ace, Aomine Daiki looked ready to kill someone. They didn't know though, if it was their captain, their coach, or the silverette teen that just came inside their gymnasium. The former was a likely target since they knew Aomine hated control Akashi had over him but in the same time, grudgingly respected the red haired captain, the latter...well it was understandable the ace was pissed at the sudden decision to include Haizaki at the playing team today.
"What's with that face you make today, Aomine-kun?" Kuroko, who was readying the cam recorder in case they can't select today, asked Aomine who was deep in thought and totally didn't notice his shadow was already in front of him since who knows when.
"Whose fault do you think?" Aomine growled ferally.
"I know that you're very pissed off that Haizaki-kun is here." Kuroko smiled as Hikigaya is beside him being instructed by Akashi. "But I'm pretty sure that everything will turn out all right."
"Well then…" Akashi suddenly voiced out as he browsed through the list of name on his clip board. "Midorima, did you tell them that we are not going to choose the winning team but the best for each position?" He asked his already wide awake team, as if they never disobeyed him in the first place. Kuroko tried to ignore Kise and Haizaki who were in each other's throats as they were again arguing but it came to the point where Midorima can't anymore bear with it and shouted. "Can you two stop the fight right now?! We have another matter to attend to right now."
"Like hell!"
"Can you quit the lovebird's touching reunion for now?" Akashi drawled wryly much to Haizaki's and Kise's chagrin and they behaved reluxctantly. Then he turned to Midorima, "So what have you told them, Midorima?"
Midorima inwardly rolled his eyes as he knew what Akashi is implying. "Of course not. It would be a mess if each member playing for their own sake." He pointed out loftily. "We can't see the teamwork and not to mention some member with bad temper would create a fuss about getting not enough ball for example…"
Akashi chortled at that. "I thought it would be interesting if we told them actually, we can weed out the bad seed."
Kuroko sighed inwardly, "Because there's no point if they behave well now but later in real match, they will compete with each other for 20 points quota."
"How they will act in real match is none of our business." Aomine huffed as he dribbles the basketball. "We already in high school by then anyway…" Hikigaya actually scratched his head at that. Great. I was thinking the same thing as Ahomine.
The phantom player narrowed his eyes at the ace. "You think this new team or rather any of member of this club will shut up about the new regular is chosen by the us?" All of them except Akashi tensed at that, "It will reflect poorly on us either way so choose properly." He hardly care about reputation but this was the least they should do for school who had raised them as the ultimate team.
"We can always give them advice as alumnus to this school." Akashi suggested gleefully.
"Please don't terrorize them anymore Akashi-kun…" Kuroko pleaded while rubbing the bridge of his nose.
Akashi was a mastermind but sometimes he had too much fun terrorizing people around him, including his teammates in both Teiko and Rakuzan. But just like a perfect captain he was, Akashi knew when to quit playing around for the sake of the team. Even if it was a team they weren't a part of anymore. "Very well… it's not bad to pamper them just this once."
He clapped once and all juniors who were in the middle of warming up stopped at once. "Assemble!"
As expected, all the juniors started to fuss among themselves when they heard how the final regulars for Teiko would be chosen. They were all expecting the winning team would be the regular, but if this was how it works they had to compete even within their team!
Akashi as if he could read their mind spoke. "Yes, you have to compete even within your own team. It's no different from how the former regulars which is none other than us play in official match. All of you have to fulfill the 20 points quota." He paused. "However, for now I would like you to do your best in game without that in your mind, especially if later some idiots fighting over dominance of the ball which definitely not going to impress us at all." Some kid on the back row seemed ready to bold out of the gym because of sheer pressure Akashi emitted.
Yuigahama can only stare in fear as Akashi began to speak. "Neh, Yukinon, Akashi is truly terrifying. I'm wondering how Hikki and the rest of them can put up with him."
"That's…something you must ask to Hikkiball-kun…" Even Yukinoshita is frustrated since not only does one of the few things she doesn't understand happens to be basketball' it's frustrating more when Hikigaya's captain happen to be the heir of the family that is in a deep rivalry with the Yukinoshitas.
Hikigaya nodded in agreement followed by the rest of retired regulars. Afterwards, Hikigaya began to speak as well as Akashi told him to give some words. "It doesn't matter how much score you make. What we want to see is skill and also your teamwork. And there is no point how skilled you are if you messed up the teamwork." He paused before continuing. "As what have been told before, we are the one who will recommend you for our respective position. So do your best to impress us." Once again, Hikigaya paused when his fish eyes saw someone from third row, a boy with shaved head and tanned skin looked restless and his eyes kept glancing at Kuroko.
His rotten eyes narrowed. "Tanaka, is it? Do you have any question you would like to ask?" Hikigaya got the attention of Tanaka. "You've been restless there for a while…"
"Eh?" The boy stuttered as his eyes locked to Kuroko's, who was standing between Hikigaya and Akashi, and he flushed a deep red. He was definitely not used to attention and didn't expect a former Teiko great to know his name. "Uhm, I… am just wondering if Kuroko-senpai will recommend someone for his position."
Hikigaya merely looked at Kuroko, who smiles back at him.
The Sobu student scratches his head as he then said. "Well… if…"
"Kuroko is irreplaceable." Akashi took this cue to cut Tanaka off coldly. "There is no one else who can become the sixth phantom player of Teiko. He's a unique type so put that in your mind."
Harada looked ready to faint as he trembled under Akashi's Emperor Eyes, "Hai!"
"That was unnecessary." Kuroko said tonelessly to Akashi as the first match between team A and B was underway. Right now, the tealnette was busy recording the game with a camera as the rest were now busy observing. Hikigaya seemed to be eyeing someone in the team as Aomine was sweating bullets as he haven't yet selected a player close to his standards and he feared he might even get punished because of it. Haizaki was sent to the office of Shirogane to have some word with their assistant coach.
Akashi snorted. "Your empty word to raise their hope is." He corrected the phantom player.
"Well, at least they're trying." Hikigaya muttered as he was beside Yukinoshita, who requested that she be beside him as she wanted to observe how Hikigaya would choose a regular as well as wanting to have the opportunity to "dehumanize" her club mate again. But so far, she was impressed with how Hikigaya was watching the players with some professional skill.
Not that she would admit it in front of him. She had too much pride for that.
"Ah that one is pretty good, number 11 would be a good small forward." Kise said as looking at a tall brunette who had scored a perimeter shot with a smooth jump shot before heading back to defense.
Hikigaya turned to the one Kise mentioned. "Hm...he is quite agile and skilled as I notice from the tip-off but something feels a bit off. It looks like he was fretting too much. Players like that won't even last for the whole first half."
"That's Shinoyama-kun, according to his stats and profile." Kuroko narrowed his eyes as he watched Shinoyama's shooting. "As Hikigaya-kun said, he's too tense." Kuroko marked the name. "His from the second string and he can be recommended for firsts string but not regular. He is too nervous from what I and Hikigaya-kun notice. He already sweat a lot and his form is stiff."
The Akashi nodded as he joins him. "Probably he hasn't been in match enough to be a tough one. By second quarter, he would be fumbling for sure."
Kise sighed as he looks back at the game. "So this one's no good either? But Hikigayacchi and Kurokocchi are so amazing!" He exclaimed. "I can't tell that the boy is sweating or nervous at all!"
Hikigaya sighed at Kise's reaction. You're just an idiot. That's all. "I just can tell his breathing is quicker than the rest and sometimes his reaction slowed down as if halted by something. That speaks something."
Akashi nodded in agreement. "He is also looking around a lot, and when he does shoot the ball, the timing is a bit off."
Yukinoshita and Yuigahama, who joins them, looked at Hikigaya in shock, "Hikki! Just what kind of eyes you have that you can tell something so complicated?" Aomine asked in disbelief.
"One with retina, iris and pupil like yours..." Came Hikigaya's statement-of-the-year answer.
Yuigahama huffed as she was throwing tantrums. "That kind of answer is annoying, Hikki!"
Akashi ignored them as he narrows his eyes in the game. Then suddenly his authoritative voice echoed through the gym. "Okay that's enough!" and at once no one in court dare to move even an inch as their eyes turned to their feared captain.
"Eh?" Aomine, who was near to them, turned to his captain in shock.
"Akashi! This is in the middle of a match!" Midorima reminded him in horror. "Just what the hell do you think you are doing?!"
Akashi crossed his arms as he arrogantly said. "This is pointless and a waste of time." He said tonelessly. "Momoi, go to second gym and tell them to stop and gather in the first gym."
"But Akashi-kun…" Momoi was appalled at his order and tried to reason with him.
"Oi, Akashi..." Hikigaya didn't like where this is going to.
The captain smirked. "I want you to make this more interesting, Hikigaya. Think of it as your welcome back present."
Hikigaya was not amused, frankly speaking. Just as I thought.
"It sounds more like an order and punishment instead of a present." Hikigaya corrected his captain, "But since this is your order as our captain, what can I do, right?" He said it tonelessly but there was an undertone of sarcasm on his voice.
Shock and revolted were not enough to describe the expression that painted in their junior's face, especially when the former Teiko captain proposed to finish the test in one match without time limit. It was still five on five but the player would change from time to time on Akashi's demand. When he orders someone to get out of the court immediately, one had no choice but to get out without question and when he asks someone to sub someone, that person should go inside the court without complains immediately. There would be a score counted in the match but that's not important because the goal was to see potential of the best players in their respective positions.
"But Akashi-kun! If they play in this kind of situation we..." Momoi trailed off unsurely as she wasn't sure why Akashi is doing this right now.
"Will push them to their limit in short time." Akashi finished as he looks at Hikigaya, who seemed to be nodding. "That's fine for the juniors. They should deal with pressure more... right Hikigaya?"
Much to Momoi's shock, Hikigaya nodded in agreement. "The downside of us dominating the game for three years is that those who would succeed us would have lack the tenacity and game instinct in real match." Hikigaya shrugged. "So far, we would try to fix that dilemma with a pressured practice match and the threat of penalty of demotion to the lower strings, but as we can see, it's not working as well as we hope it would."
Momoi had to agree with that. Her eyes then trailed to Hikigaya's basketball gloves—something he would only wear when he would play. Instantly, she noticed her wearing his pair of Fly Wades, white t-shirt, and a Miami Heat shorts as he already doing light stretching. "Uhm…Hachi-kun, why are you stretching?"
"Are you an idiot?" He answered as flexing his wrist. "I will play of course."
"Ehh?"
Aomine and the rest of Generation of Miracles except Akashi and Kuroko gaped at him. "What are you up to Hiki-chin?" Murasakibara drawled as he eats his chips. "It would not be a fair match if you join in."
"The purpose is to show them what it had to take to become a legendary regular in Teiko." The Sobu student explained gruffly as he stretched his legs. "I will play as instructed by Akashi." He seemed to have a bitter taste in his tongue.
Yukinoshita looked like she had swallowed a very sour lemon. She never expected this kind of side from her Hikigaya.
"Sounds interesting Hikigaya. Of course, as we watch in the sidelines, I request to you that you show these kids the true standard of being a Teiko regular." Akashi said with gleam on his Emperor Eyes. "I will enjoy the show..."
When they were told that Hikigaya would play in the game, they knew that Akashi was already decided the outcome of the whole selection thing even before it all began. Midorima simply gritted his teeth as though Akashi had seemed to return to his Bokushi side. Meanwhile, Yukinoshita was watching with interest as she made herself comfortable in her seat as Kuroko sat beside him. Once the tip off was done, the center for Team A wacked it towards Hikigaya, who began to dribble as fast. He then immediately flings the ball immediately to the unsuspecting number 11, who nevertheless was able to catch the smooth and well-timed pass and he ended up making the shot.
Remembering that the one who was handling the ball was the backup of Akashi once, some of the juniors then tried to keep up with Hikigaya's speed as the latter stole the ball and quickly made a fast break. A power forward came up and tried to block him from behind but Hikigaya then ducks in mid-air and quickly executes his signature double-clutch as he scores his first basket. The pace of the match was insanely fast as it was just three minutes but both teams already score 25-28 and neither showed any inclination to slow down. Of course, Hikigaya didn't show any signs of fatigue.
Midorima adjusted his glasses, mouth open in shock as he was looking at Hikgaya who intercepted another pass again and quickly made a fast break towards the opponents' goal. He then made good use of the screen provided to him as he initiates a pick-and-roll by passing back to the one who screened to him as he purposely attracts his defenders. "I can't believe this..."
Kise turned to him. "Midorimacchi! What Hikigayacchi is doing? They are all playing as if their lives depended on his pace! At this rate before first quarter ended, all of them would run out of energy!"
Midorima gritted his teeth as he observes the match cosely. "That Hikigaya! He is controlling the pace of the game with his playing style. While usually a quarter would be dominated by team who in control of the flow, in this case neither of them have it. Hikigaya is the one who is controlling the flow of the whole game!" He scowled in irritation. "That's why they can't all help but dance to his tune."
"Number 16! Number 28! Sub out!" Akashi's voice snapped them out of their musing and the game stopped for a moment. " Number 45, Team A! Number 32, Team B!" Akashi ordered with authoritative voice, "Next time that I sub someone, don't stop playing! Continue the game! Understood?"
All of them blanched as they continued the game without question, "Yes, Akashi-senpai!" And once again the intense game continued and no one dared to even pause when Akashi sub the player one by one as the game progressed.
Aomine scowled, "This is insane! It's not just Hikigaya who is pushing them to their limit, but Akashi pulled them too!"
"Number 11! Sub! Fumbling with the basketball is not acceptable in our game!" Akashi said icily and the player with number 11 literally run away from the court and almost missed to high-five the player who replaced him. "Keep your concentration! Anyone who fumbles will get penalty training!" Akashi added. Exhaustion always a main cause of fumble and that was something unacceptable for an ultimate school like Teiko.
Midorima scoffed at that. "There is a reason why Akashi had chosen Hikigaya to be his backup."
Murasakibara yawned as he eats his sweets. "That looks tiring. Won't Hiki-chin die at this rate?" He commented then continued sucking his basketball-sized lollipop.
"Oh…" Yuigahama voiced out her then suddenly made an expression of worry. "But would Hikki be okay?! I mean…this game…it's too fast…"
Akashi smirked as he watches Hikigaya made a turnaround fade-away shot. "Don't worry, Yuigahama-san. He would be fine as he is a perfect player. Besides, Hikigaya wouldn't appreciate it if you interrupt the match."
"Akashi…" Now, Yukinoshita was very worried for her club mate as she noticed all of the players subbed in are now looking like zombies from exhaustion. "Do have some heart to pull Hikigaya-kun out of there. I don't want him suffering from laziness tomorrow for the reason that he is tired. Besides, didn't you think that you're too much?" The raven-haired beauty has venom on her voice as while Kise was wailing beside her for Hikigaya.
"I don't see anything wrong with this. Perhaps, do you have so little faith in him, Yukinoshita?" Akashi asked back, as of daring her to reply back.
Yukinoshita tensed as she didn't expect this question from Akashi Seijuro. To all of those who heard him, this was what they hated the most about Akashi when he is controlling them. He knew where to hit their weakest part and abide them to his will.
"There is no need to worry." Aomine began as Kuroko and an unnamed Teiko player were preparing bottled waters for the players. "Hikigaya won't die from such a fast-paced game. If he does, then there's no point in him being a regular in our heydays. I mean, didn't we play in much physical and brutal games than this?"
"But…"" Kise blinked and sighed. "But Hikigayacchi's a backup in the past and right now, he's already in the middle of this intense match for two and half quarter without any rest!" The blonde pointed out. Aomine only looked at him with a disapproving look.
Momoi nodded in agreement as she then looks at the sidelines. "Players you subbed are sprawling on the floor!" She pointed at lump of meat on the sidelines which were players Akashi had replaced. All of them looked pretty dead in spite of they only played for five minutes at most. "They only played for few minutes, and Hachi-kun has been in court for more than twenty minutes!"
Midorima sighed tiredly as he was getting irritated from Kise's and Momoi's voice. "Momoi, can you please keep your head cool for once? You too Kise. As Aomine pointed it out, Kuroko Hikigaya would be just fine in this game. He's used to the fast-paced style of playing. He's an explosive one, after all."
Momoi became quiet. "Ugh...Hachi-kun has been running back-and-forth since the start of the match. I'm just worried about him."
Akashi nodded in agreement and sighed as if she didn't even understand the situation in the first place. "Momoi, I think I needed to remind you that back in our Teiko days, when we needed to speed up the game, we have Hikigaya entering the court." He smirked. "Speed is his bread and butter so he'll be fine."
He then heard the buzzer sound off, signalling the end of the game.
"Well…it looks like Hikigaya has given us a very entertaining show."
"Good work! You are dismissed!" Akashi announced the end of the test match, smirk on his lips firmly in place as he addressed their junior. They had recovered from the intense match but some was ready to capsize over in the floor, but Akashi paid no mind to them as he turned around to face his team.
"That's a very interesting match, Hikigaya" Akashi said as turned to the phantom player who was panting lightly as wiping sweat that drenched his fair face. "Hikigaya?" Akashi called again when the man with rotten eyes gave no response.
Hikigaya inhaled deeply, "Ah yes. I'm just exhausted but that's all. I'm fine in the end." He then sat down on the floor as relaxes himself.
As everyone was then gathered around, one of the juniors who played in the game came back and relayed some sort of a message. "Akashi-senpai, the Lebanese are already waiting outside. Shall I show them in?"
Akashi looked as if pleasantly surprised that their first opponents as a national team has arrived. "Looks like our guests have arrived. Let them inside, then." The junior player complied and in a few minutes, several men in red and white jogging pants and jersey jackets began to enter the gym as the rest were busy preparing and mopping the gym floors for another practice game.
This time, it would be Japan versus Lebanon.
Suddenly, as the rest of the Generation of Miracles were now busy warming up, with Haizaki making fun out of Kise, Hikigaya was slowly getting up to his feet. Dammit, another practice game. Just what did I do to deserve such treatment from Akashi? He groaned as he'll be playing one more game. Wait…did Akashi say Lebanon? If it is…then that means…
As Yukinoshita was about to say something again to Hikigaya, someone beat her first to it.
"Eh? Hachiman?" Suddenly, a Lebanese player, who looks to be a flat six-footer, walked near them and looked at Hikigaya with wide eyes. "Is that really you?"
Yukinoshita saw the exchange and was slightly surprised. "Hikigaya-kun, you know him?"
"Ah…" Hikigaya wasn't able to greet the Lebanese properly but nevertheless, he spoke back. "Yo…It's been a while, Ahmad."
It seems that Yukinoshita Yukino is bound to meet another person that Hikigaya at least knew in the basketball circles.
Sneak Peak: It's just a simple practice game between Japan and Lebanon but for Hikigaya Hachiman, it paved his way for an unexpected reunion with one of Lebanon's rising stars whom he once encountered back in Teiko's training abroad in the Middle East. As expected, Yukinoshita and Yuigahama would be surprised to see that this Ahmad Saoud knows their club mate better than them.