"Tell me, Sendoh-san... Is that secluded area really as deserted as they say?" Ayako asks, her voice bubbling with excitement. Cheryl's eyes widen at her senpai's question, and Matsui and Fujii exchange knowing glances. Hikoichi, always curious, observes their subtle movements with suspicion.
Taken aback, Sendoh finds Ayako's questioning peculiar, but he answers hesitantly, "Um, yeah, I think so." Sendoh's uncertainty doesn't go unnoticed by Hikoichi, who narrows his eyes at the girls.
"It seems like you all have something malicious planned!" Hikoichi blurts out suddenly, causing Sendoh and the girls to jump in surprise.
"Huh?! What are you even talking about?!" Ayako defends.
"You guys are planning something and I know it! You have been eyeing each other, and whenever Sakuragi is mentioned, you all act weird! I-I-It's like..." Hikoichi hesitates, and his screaming attracts the attention of the Shohoku team. "You're planning to do something to hurt him!!!"
Akagi furrows his brow in confusion. Mitsui and Rukawa, who have returned from their tasks, curiously listen to Hikoichi's accusation. Yasuda and the sophomores, along with the freshmen, exchange looks of confusion. Haruko nervously watches everything unfold, while Cheryl worriedly holds Ayako's arm.
"Hikoichi... I don't think you should easily accuse them." Sendoh grabs the smaller boy's shoulder, hoping to calm him. Ayako glares at the nosy boy, her fan ready to hit him.
"It's not like that!!! We don't plan on doing something bad to Sakuragi-kun!!!" Ayako slaps her fan on Hikoichi's head to silence him, eliciting a yelp from Hikoichi.
"It is a matter of the heart! That is why I need to have Sakuragi in secret!"
"Ehhhhhh?!!!!"
"wHaaTttt??!!!"
"S-Sakuragi and A-Ayako!!"
"Miyagi's going to flip!!"
"A-Ayako senpai?"
"Hmmmm..."
The Shohoku members exchanged shocked glances as their eyes fixed upon Ayako, their expressions a mixture of surprise, curiosity, and amusement. Haruko whispers to Ayako to stop, but she doesn't notice. Cheryl nervously shakes at her friend's lack of discretion. Fujii and Matsui sigh. Akagi raises his eyebrow in question. Mitsui puts his hand on his chin, contemplating whether Ayako is helping Sakuragi confess to Haruko. Rukawa yawns in disinterest. Sendoh's eyes widen, but his lips curl with interest. Miyagi, who has just arrived, freezes in place, thinking that Ayako plans to rendezvous with Sakuragi. By the time Ayako realizes the damage she's done, it's already too late. Everyone thinks she and the red-head have something going on.
"Aya-chan!!!!!!!! I never thought y-y-you a-a-and S-Sakuragi-kun..." Ryota faints mid-sentence, and Yasuda and Shiozaki fumble to catch him.
"Seriously..." Ayako sighs, realizing her mistake, and she slightly bows apologetically to Cheryl.
"Cheryl-san." Haruko sympathetically looks at her.
"S-sorry... I didn't mean for things to end up like this. It's terrible that they found out!" Ayako explains to Cheryl, but unfortunately, Hikoichi misheard her and believes she is solely sorry about being discovered.
Hikoichi, taken aback, could not contain his shock any longer. "Wait a minute... Are you saying you're Sakuragi's partner?!"
Startled by Hikoichi's outburst, Ryota woke up abruptly, his eyes burning with fury.
"Sakuragi-kun betrayed me! That scoundrel! I swear, I'll make him pay for this!"
"No!!!! Miyagi-kun!!!!" Yasuda and Shiozaki struggle to restrain the small point guard. Ayako shakes her head in disbelief at the chaos in front of her. Meanwhile, a subtle smirk threatens to escape Akagi's seemingly stern expression, barely concealed beneath his furrowed brows.
"Hmmph. To think that bastard used to crush on Haruko. Well, it doesn't matter now. I won't have to worry about his slimy hands getting on my sister." Akagi ponders.
"Miyagi! It's selfish of you to hold back their blooming love. You should learn to let go and move on." Mitsui teases, although still irritated with Sakuragi for getting with Ayako before them.
"Well, it seems like you're finally showing some bravery, you fool." Mitsui sighs, directing his words at Sakuragi.
"Mitsui-kun, not you too!" Miyagi exclaims, his eyes filled with tears and anger as he accuses Mitsui of backstabbing. This heated accusation sparks an intense argument between the two teammates. Sensing the tension escalating, the first-years quickly step in to prevent further conflict, with the exception of Rukawa who observes from a distance.
Taking a moment to gather his thoughts, Akagi's attention is drawn to Sendoh, who watches all unfold with uncertainty and amusement. Meanwhile, Ayako is continuously hitting Hikoichi, who tearfully protests against her actions.
Standing next to him, he hears Haruko's voice, gentle and soothing, as she offers comforting words to their new friend who is on the verge of tears. Sendoh, realizing the gravity of the situation, starts to feel concerned and does everything in his power to prevent any more harm that Ayako could cause to Hikoichi. Cheryl takes a deep breath, attempting to calm herself, though her uneasy eyes dart around, clearly revealing her discomfort. The urgency in their conversation is palpable, causing Cheryl's previously nervous demeanor to unexpectedly recede as soon as Haruko mentions the name "Sakuragi." A surge of pure joy floods her cheeks, illuminating her face with a radiant and content smile.
His eyes suddenly widen in realization. Chaos has occurred because of some misunderstandings they had about Ayako and Sakuragi. It seems that the team manager is just playing cupid, and the new girl is not comfortable with everyone knowing about her attraction towards their boisterous red-head. It's in his hands to stop all the fighting and instead redirect their attention to the task at hand.
"You fools, this is no time to be playing around!!!" Akagi's commanding voice makes everyone stop and look at their captain in surprise.
"Boss Captain..." Ryota mutters.
"Even outside the court, Akagi is still a force to be reckoned with." Sendoh sighs in relief.
"Did you forget that today is Kogure's birthday?! We should be preparing for the party! Whatever Sakuragi's love life is, has nothing to do with us! But now our attention should be about giving Kogure a successful birthday party!!!" He bellows, silencing everyone.
"A-Akagi is right; we can't waste any more time arguing. Today should be a special day for Kogure." Mitsui turns away from Ryota and proceeds to gather any remaining equipment in the car.
Yasuda and Shiozaki reluctantly release Miyagi from their grip and decide to accompany Mitsui instead. With a tinge of guilt, the first-years let out a sigh and unwillingly follow suit.
Rukawa watches Cheryl, who doesn't seem to have noticed him yet. The girl appears relieved by Akagi's intervention. He shrugs and takes another box.
"B-But Aya-chan..." Miyagi looks as if he has lost hope in everything.
"You idiot! Nothing is going on between Sakuragi and me!"
"W-what?... Y-you mean?..."
"Yes, you thick-headed idiot! I'm just helping Cheryl out!" Everyone pauses in shock, realization dawning on their faces.
"Oops..." Ayako realizes her mistake again and guiltily looks away, Haruko's eyes remain fixed on her, filled with dissapointment.
"Oh no..." Cheryl collapses, absolutely drained from the accumulated weight of her emotions. For far too long, she has hidden her deepest feelings, worry, and anxiety, desperately wishing that the basketball team would remain unaware of her unrequited attraction, sparing her from the potential embarrassment that will come with confessing to Sakuragi and facing her inevitable rejection. She knows that the red-head is infatuated with Haruko, but she still wants to secretly let him know how she feels.
"Cheryl-san!" Fujii and Matsui approach her with worry.
Rukawa's eyes widened in disbelief as he gazed at Cheryl, who was now barely conscious. The unexpected fact of her falling in love with someone like Sakuragi struck him like a thunderbolt. Disappointment etched across his face, as he couldn't comprehend Cheryl's questionable taste in men.
"What a bunch of idiots." He shakes his head.
Akagi lets out a weary sigh, his attempt to divert everyone's attention proved to be fruitless. In an act of silent disappointment, he cast an admonishing glance towards Ayako, who, unable to meet his gaze, couldn't help but chuckle guiltily.
"Is that so... Nyahahahahaha!" Miyagi's anger and sadness immediately vanish, replaced with bliss. He puts his arms tightly around Hikoichi, almost choking him.
"You should be more careful about the words you say, Hikoichi-kun! You almost made me kill someone innocent... well, not exactly that innocent, you know!" Miyagi pokes his chest.
"I really don't think we should be talking more about Sakuragi anymore." Haruko gives a grateful smile to Sendoh, but his advice falls on deaf ears as Hikoichi shouts in astonishment.
"Unbelievable!!! Someone actually likes Sakuragi-kun!"
"Hikoichi!" Ayako shouts to shut him up, but everyone is already invested in the new girl's crush on their unlikable self-proclaimed genius.
"Gah! Please, no more!" Cheryl hides her face in embarrassment, rolling around on the ground and kicking her feet.
"Look what you've done!" Haruko exclaims.
"I can't believe Sakuragi actually has someone admiring him." Mitsui grinds his teeth in jealousy, unable to contain his envy for his younger teammate.
"Heh. He'll be happy to know that Rukawa's not the only one here with an admirer." Miyagi defends, giving a side-eye to Rukawa, who looks confused and has no idea what his senior is talking about.
"Sakuragi-san is so lucky." Iishi, the first-year with glasses, pouts.
"I'd give anything to have someone as pretty as Cheryl-san like me." Kuwata dreamily gazes at Cheryl, who continues to roll on the ground, not noticing the flying object targeted at his head.
"Oww! That hurts!" Kuwata with the rest of the first-years look back to see Rukawa shaking his head at them.
"Fools..." He mutters, offending them.
"Gah! Rukawa-kun, that's not nice!"
"Since when did Rukawa-kun care?" They stare at him curiously, awaiting his response.
Akagi's frustration is building, feeling increasingly agitated as yet another distraction interrupts their progress. Feeling a surge of anger, Akagi impulsively vents his frustration by delivering a swift punch to Miyagi's head for bullying Hikoichi and the first-years for pestering Rukawa.
"Get back to work, you imbeciles!!!" He orders, and they grunt and follow, some with painful bumps on their heads.
"I hear ya." Ryota pouts.
They don't notice Maki and a protesting Kiyota discreetly position themselves at a distance, their prying eyes fixated on the ongoing conversation that unfolds before them.
"Damn you, Sakuragi! You honestly believe Cheryl-san would fall for someone like you? This is nothing but a misunderstanding, surely!" Kiyota passionately declares, desperately attempting to convince both himself and Maki that his words hold genuine truth.
Meanwhile, Maki remains silent, shocked by the scene that unfolds before their eyes. Sendoh, with his comforting presence, extends a helpful hand to Cheryl as she struggles to regain her balance. Rukawa, ever cautious, regards Sendoh with a wary gaze, his instincts fueling his skepticism. In the background, Akagi, embodying his relentless determination, delivers swift punches to a few lax teammates while Kiyota continues to convince the both of them that what they heard wasn't the truth.
The gravity of the circumstance becomes overwhelmingly apparent, prompting Maki to utter with a hint of concern, "This situation is becoming troublesome."
"Hands off my snack, you gluttonous oaf!" Sakuragi exclaims, the frustration evident in his voice. He swiftly shifts his plate of mouthwatering takoyaki away from Takemiya's reach, narrowly avoiding a catastrophe. With one hand already occupied, he struggles to fend off Takemiya's persistent attempts to snatch a ball with his stick.
"Quit squirming around! You're going to knock it all over!" Sakuragi warns, frustration creeping into his tone.
"Then be a decent human being and share!" Takemiya retorts, his greediness unwavering. "You didn't even pay for your own food!"
Amidst the chaos, Ohkusu interjects with a mischievous grin. "HaHaHaHaHa! Just take over my shift Hanamichi so that I can get paid doing nothing!" His laughter reverberates in their table, causing even the gang to join in.
Fury boiling over, Sakuragi slams his hand down on the table, the loud thud resonating throughout the room.
"You guys always pick on me!" The swift distraction, from Hanamichi's grants Takamiya the golden opportunity to swipe two of his precious takoyaki balls.
With a mischievous grin plastered on his face, Takamiya wasted no time in savoring the delightful morsels. "That's very yummy. Give me the rest, Hanamichi," he taunted, daring the fiery-haired Sakuragi to challenge him.
The momentary shock quickly transformed into fury as Hanamichi's eyes widened and the familiar flames of rage engulfed his being.
"Ahhhh!!! My food!!! How dare you!!!" he bellowed, preparing to launch himself towards Takamiya with a headbutt.
However, the cunning thief had already seen it coming. With lightning speed, Takamiya darted ahead, leaving Sakuragi in his dust. Noma and Ohkusu burst into uncontrollable laughter, reveling in Sakuragi's comical outburst.
While the chaos unfolded before him, Yohei couldn't help but chuckle as he leisurely savored his cool refreshment. Chewing on the ice absentmindedly, he observed the spectacle with amusement. Eventually, he decided to stand up, knowing that Noma and Ohkusu would soon experience what Sakuragi had just endured.
Sure enough, they became the next targets of Sakuragi's wrath. With Takamiya nursing a hissing bump on his forehead, he laid sprawled on the floor in pain. The relentless teasing from his friends just aggravated the flaring red-head even more.
"Grrrrrrr..." Hanamichi growled, his voice dripping with fury. The anger radiating from him threatened to consume everything in its path.
Yohei leaves his group to take an urgent leak. He heads to the shop's bathroom and gets surprised to see a very tall, old-looking man using one of the cubicles before him.
"He looks familiar..." Yohei ponders, causing him to unconsciously stare at Maki's behind.
The taller gentleman feels a presence staring behind him. He gets uncomfortable and pees faster.
"What is he doing?" He finishes and swiftly fixes his pants. He sighs and faces the man watching him, only to see one of Sakuragi's friends.
"Mito Yohei?" He blurts out.
"Oh. No wonder you looked familiar. You look older when you're turned away."
"What?" Maki feels like he's been stabbed with his sentiment.
"Shinichi Maki. The renowned captain of Kainan," Yohei stated, a smug smirk playing on his lips. Maki's lips curved into a faint smile, memories flooding back as he remembered his time with Sakuragi. However, a twinge of concern began to seep into his thoughts.
"Is Sakuragi here with you?" Yohei's brows furrowed with question, his stance shifting into a protective one. Despite his protective posture, his smile retained its calmness, providing a glimmer of reassurance to Maki.
"He's outside. Causing a ruckus as usual." Just as Yohei says that, they hear shouting and chairs scuffling outside.
"You ugly red-haired monkey! No one should be falling in love with you!"
"Ha?!!! What did you say, you wild monkey! You want me to feed you to the sharks!"
"Go Hanamichi! Hit him!"
"Show him who's the more superior monkey!"
"S-Shut up, you punks! Who are you calling a monkey!"
"Look at yourself in the mirror, and you'll see what a monkey looks like! Nyahahahaha!" Sakuragi laughs at Kiyota.
Yohei and Maki share a worried glance, their concern mirrored in each other's eyes, urging them to hastily navigate their way towards the origin of the cacophony. Their hearts pound with worry as they arrive, only to witness Kiyota and Sakuragi engaged in a heated confrontation, their foreheads locked in a tense standoff while sharp insults pierce the air.
"What's going on here?" Yohei asks as the Gundam make bets with bruises on their foreheads.
"Who cares! As long as Sakuragi wins and I get my money!" Takamiya puts a couple of bills on the table.
"The Kainan guy might surprise you, Takamiya! It's too early to make assumptions!" Ohkusu intercedes.
"That headband guy came in and called Hanamichi unattractive. Now they're having a battle about who's more good looking." Noma chastises Takamiya for trying to take one of the bills.
"You're so ugly that even old ladies hate you! Fufufufu." Sakuragi snickers, and Kiyota pushes his head back.
"Not even animals take a moment to look at your disgusting face! HaHaHaHaHa!"
"How dare you, you wild monkey!"
Maki sighs like a father tired of his child's antics. Yohei also shakes his head in defeat.
Fujima and Hanagata of Shoyo suddenly appear, carrying a volleyball. They get surprised at Sakuragi and his gang, along with Kainan's Maki and Kiyota. An unlikely sight for sure. Maki meets their eyes in acknowledgement, but their attention is diverted to the troublemakers of Kainan and Shohoku.
"Look, Shoyo's here! Surely you'd surrender in defeat and avoid disgracing yourself after I beat you! HaHaHaHa!" Sakuragi pushes his head harder, which hurts both of them, but they dare not show it.
"Just give up, Hanamichi! We need to get back to work and you're making us lose money here!" Noma protests.
"Why you...!"
Shoyo's coach shakes his head in disbelief and focuses his attention on the civilized boys in front of him.
"I never expected to see you here, Maki-san, Yohei-san." Fujima greets, and they nod back. Shoyo's captain gestures to the teary-eyed sneering boys in front of them.
"What's with them?" Hanagata asks nonchalantly.
"Nothing worth paying attention to." Maki bluntly answers, and Fujima chuckles while his companion sighs.
"Anyways... I assume you're here with Akagi and the Shohoku team?" Fujima looks at Yohei.
"Akagi? He's here?"
"Yeah. They're on the other side of the beach. It seems they're preparing for a party or something." Hanagata says.
Sakuragi stops his competition with Kiyota to look at Hanagata with confusion.
"What?! Gori's here?!" Beside him, Kiyota raises his fist in victory while Takamiya begrudgingly gives his money to Noma and Ohkusu.
"Y-yeah. Miyagi said they're preparing for Kogure's birthday, which earned him a punch from Akagi. Guess they wanted to keep it a secret. But since it's you guys, I don't see the need to hide it." Fujima shrugs.
"D-Damn! So that's the thing that's been nagging at me since morning! I forgot to help them!" He cries, and Kiyota pokes fun at him.
"You forgetful red-haired monkey! You don't even remember a simple party and call yourself a tensai!" Kiyota laughs, making Sakuragi fume in anger. He doesn't notice Maki's hand flying towards his head.
"Enough, Kiyota!" The freshman looks up with sad puppy eyes.
"T-That hurts, Maki-kun..."
"Deserves you right!" Sakuragi victoriously laughs, and Yohei intervenes and calms his friend down to avoid any more confrontation. Kiyota clenches his teeth in irritation, but refrains from taking any further action under Maki's watchful gaze.
"Hanamichi, will you go see Akagi?" Yohei asks, hoping to distract him from Kiyota.
"Oh yeah!" Sakuragi puts his hand on Fujima's shoulder and looks at him levelly.
"Tell me where they are..."
"Everyone, I'm terribly sorry for being late! But fear not, for the tensai Sakuragi has finally graced you with his presence! HaHaHaHa!" With a burst of energy, Sakuragi sprinted towards his teammates who were meticulously arranging the party's decorations outside a beach house. Their jaws dropped in disbelief, utterly unprepared for his sudden entrance.
"Hey, would you look at that! It's the man of the hour!" Sendoh exclaimed with a mischievous grin, catching Sakuragi completely off guard.
"What are you doing here, Sendoh-kun?!" His question is met with a painful hit on his head.
"You idiot! Where have you been?!" Akagi fumes as he grabs his steaming head. Beside him, Mitsui and Miyagi glare at him.
"How dare you make us do the hard work and appear when everything's almost finished now!" Miyagi retorts.
"I say he should clean up alone after the party's finished!" Mitsui suggests.
"What an idiot..." Rukawa mutters as he passes by.
"Why are you all being cold to me? And damn you, Rukawa!" Sakuragi looks at his senpai with confusion, but they coldly look away from him.
"Hey! What's with the treatment? Ryo-chin! Mitchi!" He calls out their nicknames, but they persistently cross their arms.
"How dare you ignore this genius! Did that tricky fox Rukawa brainwash you?!"
Sakuragi approaches them, hoping for a welcoming response. However, their dismissive actions strike a blow to his pride and emotions, leaving him hurt and dejected. Even Akagi feels pity, which is why he covers their view and gets in front of a confused Sakuragi.
"You'll regret this!" The red head kicks the sand in frustration. He bites his thumb, pondering over whatever reason his seniors are treating him terribly.
"Sakuragi! Ignore them! For now, I need you to help me with something!" Akagi pulls a protesting red-haired Sakuragi with him. Sendoh offers a consoling look to him, which makes the red-head escape Akagi's grasp and grab Sendoh's shoulder.
"Tell me! Did that useless fox make Mitchi and Ryo-chin because he's jealous of my abilities?!" He glares at the retreating form of Rukawa.
Sendoh softly laughs at him, shaking his head.
"You've got it all wrong. It's better if you see for yourself." Akagi and Sendoh nod to each other.
"H-huh? W-what? What's happening?..." Sakuragi gets confused when Sendoh puts his arm around him in a friendly manner while Akagi leads them. The rest of the Shohoku members give him thumbs up and congratulations. Rukawa, however, gives him a disapproving glare.
"W-what's happening?" Sakuragi tenses, but Sendoh reassuringly smiles at him, messing with his hair playfully.
"Just follow us and don't ask too many questions," Akagi remarks irritably.
"It will take a while, Sakuragi, so just trust us."
"What do you plan to do to this genius?!"
"Sakuragi's on his way! I'm jealous and excited at the same time!" Iishi mutters, and the first years agree with him.
"It would be painful if Cheryl always came to cheer him up during practice!"
"Don't be so discouraged. Your time will come soon," Yasuda puts his arm around Iishi comfortingly.
"We're not even sure if Sakuragi-san is going to date her! He's been loyal to Haruko-san, even if she's in love with Rukawa," Shiozaki sighs.
On the opposite side of the house, Mitsui and Miyagi trudge back, their expressions heavy with disappointment. Completely absorbed in their sour moods, they plop down with a defeated air next to a sleepy Rukawa who sits on a long wooden bench.
Unbeknownst to them, Sakuragi's companions, including Maki and Kiyota, Fujima and Hanagata, sneak up from behind. Oblivious to their presence, both their focus is riveted on the tranquil ocean gently caressing the shore, lending a serene ambiance to the summer afternoon scene.
"Just imagine how cocky that bastard Sakuragi will be if he ends up dating Cheryl-san!" Mitsui fumes.
"Then I'll ask Aya-chan next! I won't sit idly if they get all lovey-dovey during practice! I'd rather clean all the basketballs!"
"What about you, Rukawa?! Isn't Cheryl-san your classmate in Tomigaoka?! From what I've heard, you two were close with each other!" By being close, Mitsui means talking to each other more than 7 times a week.
"Doesn't matter... It's Cheryl-san's choice," he nonchalantly says.
"What kind of answer is that, Rukawa?!"
"Let it go, Mitsui-kun. We should be happy for Hanamichi-kun, not the other way around," Miyagi sighs, and Mitsui looks away guiltily. They know that they acted terribly towards their kohai.
"W-Whatever... I guess we can't exactly stop love from blossoming." Mitsui pouts.
"That's impossible! Hanamichi's a klutz when it comes to girls!" They look behind at the sudden voice that interrupts their conversation. Their eyes widen as they see Sakuragi's gang, along with Kainan and Shoyo.
"Kainan and Shoyo... W-what are you all doing here?" Miyagi says, and both he and Mitsui gawk at them. Rukawa also looks at them with surprise. Kiyota glares at Shohoku's ace.
"We followed Hanamichi. We heard from Kiyota about his new admirer," Yohei smiles at them.
"She's not his admirer!" Kiyota interjects.
"We sure can't miss such entertainment!"
"It's definitely a step up from watching him get rejected! Nyahahahaha!" The trio laughs.
"Damn... Everyone seems to know what's about to happen then," Miyagi sighs.
"I'm impressed. I didn't know Sakuragi had it in him," Fujima grins.
"That's just pure luck! There's no way Cheryl-chan will date that red-haired monkey!" Kiyota protests.
"Cheer up, kid," Hanagata said comfortingly, his hand gently resting on the smaller boy's shoulder. However, the boy shrugged it off angrily.
"Who are you calling a kid?! Besides, Maki-san shouldn't you be worried about your cousin dating someone unreliable and rowdy like Sakuragi? She deserves someone better!" Kiyota smirked confidently, pointing at himself.
"What?! Maki and Cheryl are cousins?!" The group burst into a chorus of shocked exclamations. Rukawa and the Shoyo members maintained a composed demeanor, but inwardly, they couldn't help but feel astonished.
"Why are you so calm about all of this, Maki-san?" Ryota snapped irritably, his frustration evident.
"This definitely makes things more complicated," Mitsui rests his head on the table tiredly.
"I can't stop Cheryl from doing whatever she wants to do. I will respect her decisions and support her the best way that I can," everyone falls silent at the Captain's declaration. The atmosphere becomes serious, and even Kiyota chooses not to show his disagreement with Cheryl and Sakuragi dating each other.
Yohei looks at the rest of the gang and nods at them. They now know what they're going to do now. They start to walk away without saying anything. The others let them go without any question, except Mitsui, who has the slightest idea about what they plan to do.
"Where are you going?" he asks, making Yohei slightly tilt his head in his direction.
"To support our friend, of course."
"Do you even know where they are?!" Kiyota shouts after them.
Yohei just waves his hands as they walk further away.
"Of course we do," he grins.
Sakuragi arrives at the imposing cliffs overlooking the beach, accompanied by Sendoh, who continuously reminds him to "be prepared." Akagi, maintaining his solemn expression, brushed off Sakuragi's persistent inquiries. Sakuragi couldn't help feeling a slight pang of anxiety as he was ignored and reassured, akin to a child being taken on an enigmatic excursion by their secretive parents, which sparks vivid imaginations of being fed to wild bears or left to fend for himself in an unfamiliar forest or jungle.
He shivers at the thought of being killed by Gori and Sendoh. He knows that Gori is much larger and stronger than he is, even though he hasn't seen Sendoh fight yet. Sendoh could probably be a challenge with his large stature if Akagi decides to tie him up and throw him into the ocean.
They move closer to the edge and the red-haired boy's legs shake. His heart pounds loudly and his nerves shake as he sees Sendoh grin at him, but his scared mind conjures an image of him smiling menacingly with an evil look.
"W-w-what a-a-am I-I-I d-d-d-oing h-h-h-here...?" His teeth chatter, but he doesn't get an answer. Sendoh pats him and whispers good luck, leaving him bewildered.
"Will Gori strangle me, and him wishing me good luck means..." Sakuragi shakes his head in fear, not wanting to dwell on any terrifying scenarios in his mind.
"Sakuragi..." The red-haired boy flinches and slowly turns back to his captain.
"Y-y-y-y-yes??..." He smiles nervously, causing Akagi to raise his eyebrows at him in wonder.
He moves closer, and Sakuragi moves back dangerously close to the cliff. His face is serious and unwavering, although for a fearful Sakuragi, his face looks murderous.
"I hope you're ready."
"N-n-n-n-n-nooo G-Gori-I-I mean A-Akagi... Y-You must think c-c-carefully be-before d-doing this!" Sakuragi stammers, and his words confuse Akagi.
"What are you talking about?"
"A-Akagi... I might not show it sometimes, but this tensai knows your evil plan! This is so unlike you Gori!"
'Evil plan?' Akagi thinks, suddenly it clicks for him. The poor boy is shivering in fear, and they're dangerously close to a cliff. He's also been telling Akagi to reconsider and think of the future of Shohoku without the tensai. But Akagi ignores him or just hits him hard on his head.
"I think you've got this all wrong, Sakuragi! That's not why we're here!"
Hidden in plain sight, figures lurks, relentlessly stalking the fiery-haired Sakuragi. Concealed behind the dense foliage, Sakuragi's gang discreetly crouches, accompanied by Mitsui and Miyagi. Fujima and Hanagata position themselves in the shadow cast by a towering tree. Maki and Kiyota, lurking inconspicuously behind the gundam, observing intently. Rukawa, begrudgingly dragged along by his seniors, huffs irritably beside Hikoichi, who watches in awe alongside Sendoh.
Now, the curious tale of their collective surveillance began when Kiyota, hoping to sabotage Sakuragi, clandestinely trailed the gundam. Unexpectedly, his captain decided to tag along. Intrigued by Sakuragi's progress, the Shohoku boys eagerly joined the mission, while Shoyo, searching for entertainment on the mundane beach, followed suit.
"Someone just kicked me in the shins!" Miyagi grabs his groin in pain, angrily looking back in the cramped space but gets ignored.
"It seems you care more about your teammate than you let on." Sendoh gestures towards Sakuragi to Rukawa, and he only scoffs.
"I don't need to come and see to know how disastrous it'll be." Rukawa's sharp eyes glare at him. Sendoh backs away to avoid further irritating him.
"So when will Cheryl-san actually come?" The gundam trio impatiently watches while Akagi argues with Sakuragi.
"At this rate, it seems Sakuragi will be killed by Akagi." Maki sighs as Akagi punches Sakuragi above his head for insulting him.
Sakuragi looks at the high distance of the cliff over the ocean. Jumping now would be better than being killed by Akagi for him, so he turns back, gulps, and prepares to jump.
"What are you doing?! You'll fall, Sakuragi!" Akagi shouts in concern, making their stalkers pay full attention to them.
"Ah!!!! That fool's going to jump!"
"Yeah, jump, red-haired monkey!"
"Hanamichi! You idiot!"
"U-Unbelievable!!!"
Surprised and worried comments come from the stalking group.
"Sakuragi-kun, no!!!" comes a feminine shout.
With an air of tension and anticipation, the imposing Gundam's emerged simultaneously from their concealed locations, mirroring the synchronized appearance of the girls, Haruko, Cheryl, and Ayako. An electric atmosphere pervaded the space as they locked eyes, incredulous and fascinated, their expressions a captivating blend of confusion and curiosity.
Akagi looks back with confusion at Sakuragi's gang, and he notices a couple of eyes watching them from the shade. Sakuragi looks back and sees everyone's stupefied faces. Some are shocked, some worried, some unsure, and some on the verge of exploding, just like Akagi.
Akagi's brows furrowed in confusion as he cast a bewildered glance at Sakuragi's gang, their expressions a mix of shock and worry. Uncertainty, and barely contained fury—a reflection of Akagi's own inner turmoil. Amidst the tense atmosphere, his keen eyes caught a glimmer of movement, hinting at hidden observers concealed in the shadows. Sensing the weight of the situation, Sakuragi instinctively turned around, his gaze locking with his comrades' stupefied faces, mirroring the same bewildering emotions that coursed through him.
"What's this?!!!!" he shouts, pointing at the stalking party and Sakuragi's gang in front of him.
"Why are they here?!" Ayako's eyes switch between Akagi and Haruko. Their plan of playing cupid seems to have gotten more complicated.
"Uhhhhhh... What's going on?" Sakuragi scratches his head in confusion, his brows furrowing deeply. Kiyota, unable to contain his emotions, feels his cheeks warm with a blush when his eyes land on Cheryl, but her discomfort is evident as she shifts uncomfortably in her place, avoiding any eye contact. And amid this her gaze remains fixed upon the red-headed Sakuragi, who, with a bashful demeanor, can't help but steal shy glances at Akagi's little sister.
This infuriates Kiyota, setting his emotions ablaze, and in a fit of rage, he abruptly bursts out of their hiding spot, completely disregarding Maki's order for him to halt.
"You fool! How dare you even live in this world! Cheryl-san is in love with you, and you dare gape at another woman!" Kiyota's hand clenched into a tight fist, his knuckles turning white with the intensity of his emotions. The area grew eerily silent as everyone turned their attention towards Cheryl, the object of Kiyota's reason for outburst. Embarrassment tinged her blushing cheeks as she squealed, completely caught off guard by the sudden shift of eyes on her.
"Kiyota, you idiot! What are you doing?!" Maki steps out from behind the tree and punches his kohai harshly on his head.
"H-huh?..." The clueless Sakuragi blinks, pointing at himself. Apparently, he wasn't paying attention when Kiyota said Cheryl's in love with him, so he doesn't pay Cheryl any attention.
"Y-you-" comes the muffled voice of Kiyota as Maki clamps his hand over his mouth. He bows apologetically to Akagi, who frowns.
"I'm sorry, Akagi. We didn't mean to intrude."
"It's already a complete disaster," Akagi exclaims, frustration etched on his face as he crosses his arms, deepening his frown.
Ryota and Mitsui can hardly contain their restlessness, their agitation visible to everyone present. Sendoh, filled with worry, lets out a heavy sigh, feeling helpless in the chaotic situation. Meanwhile, Hikoichi meticulously documents every detail in his trusty notebook, a testament to the gravity of the moment.
"W-What?!" Ryota blurts out in disbelief, his voice laced with frustration. "I can't believe Sakuragi-kun is so ridiculously clueless!"
Fujima cringes, sympathy evident in his expression, while Hanagata shakes his head in dismay, clearly disappointed.
"What an absolute fool!" Hanagata exclaims, his voice dripping with disdain. "No wonder he fouls out more than anyone else on the court."
Amidst the turbulent atmosphere, Rukawa remains stoic, his words unspoken, but his intense gaze fixed solely upon the red-haired Sakuragi. His eyes convey a mixture of disbelief, irritation, and perhaps a sliver of expectation.
Sakuragi's affectionate gaze followed Haruko as he waved at her, his eyes filled with love and longing. Meanwhile, Cheryl's disheartened expression conveyed the depths of her heartbreak, causing Ryota to emerge from his hiding spot.
"I can't bear witness to this any longer!" Ryota's voice quivered with a mix of frustration and concern. "Kiyota was right—it's as if you might as well have flung yourself off a cliff!"
Driven by a surge of frustration, Ryota sprinted towards the fiery-haired Sakuragi, his foot aiming directly for the legs of his unsuspecting friend. The unexpected blow hit its mark, resulting in an astonished yelp escaping Sakuragi's lips.
"Ouch! R-Ryo-chin! Have you lost your mind? Kicking this tensai!" Sakuragi almost punches Ryota, but gets stopped by his gang.
"Calm down, Hanamichi!" Yohei steps between Sakuragi and Ryota.
"Tensai?! Don't make me laugh! You don't have an ounce of sense in your brain!"
"H-How dare you, Ryo-chin!"
"Nyahahaha! I told you everything will not work out well!" Kiyota victoriously laughs.
"Such a waste of time." Rukawa turns to leave before Sendoh can stop him.
"This is truly a disaster. No wonder he got rejected 50 times already." Mitsui also stands up to leave, and the Shoyo's captain and vice captain follow, disappointment on their faces.
"Please make them stop, oniichan! This is getting out of hand already!" Haruko pleads.
"She's right." Ayako bows defeatedly, her voice regretful as she faces Cheryl.
Ayako raises his eyes to look at Cheryl, his voice tinged with regret, "I'm sorry my plan didn't turn out exactly how you wanted." However, to his surprise, he is met with a determined look on the girl's face. Her eyes glimmer with an unwavering resolve.
"C-Cheryl-chan..?"
Cheryl takes a deep, steadying breath, feeling a surge of determination coursing through her veins. Confident in her decision, she starts to walk purposefully towards Sakuragi, his hand latching onto Ryota's collar. Ignoring Kiyota's desperate calls and the concern etched on Maki's face, Cheryl refuses to be swayed. Haruko moves to intervene, but Akagi steps in, his solemn shake of the head conveying a silent message.
"Look!" Hikoichi exclaims, capturing the attention of the departing players. In that instant, all eyes turn towards Cheryl, who strides towards the fiery-haired troublemaker. Her movements exhibit a newfound sureness as she stops just a breath away from the chaotic scene. Unbeknownst to them, Sakuragi and the Ryota are still embroiled in their arguing with the gundam pulling the red-head back, unaware of Cheryl's presence.
"Is she really?..." Sendoh says.
"Cheryl-san." Rukawa's eyes fall upon her.
.
"N-No! T-This c-cant be!" Kiyota tries to pull Cheryl, but Maki's strong arms stop him.
"Do not hold me back! Let me go!" Kiyota's voice quivered with a mix of anger and frustration, resembling that of a defiant child. But his struggle proved futile against the sheer physical might possessed by his captain.
She is no longer feeling affected that her cousin and everyone is watching her for whatever reason. But when she sees the red-head be so clueless and watch Haruko with the same passion as she does when he makes her heart beat fast, it ignites a burning passion and motivation in her. Her heart really yearns to let Sakuragi know how she feels. She might not get another chance again. She doesn't care if he rejects her or not. For her, the long months and days she's been waiting will end now. She knows she's being irrational now, but she'll deal with any embarrassment later. She is sure that whatever the result, she will not regret it.
"HANAMICHI SAKURAGI!!!" She shouts with tenacity, silencing everyone.
Sakuragi finally notices Cheryl's presence, and he lets go of Ryota. His gang also lets go of him. Their eyes switch over to Sakuragi and Cheryl with anticipation.
"Cheryl-san? You're here too? Nyahahaha! I didn't notice." Sakuragi laughs nonchalantly, causing some people around him to groan.
"Grrr!! Let me go! I'll kill that bastard!"
"Seriously..."
Cheryl sighs, but she takes a deep breath to settle her nerves.
"I have something to tell you." All ears perk up, and they move closer to look and hear. Sakuragi is oblivious to the tension around him, and he only gives her his toothy grin.
"What is it, Cheryl-san."
'This is it.' She inhales deeply. Her black eyes meet Sakuragi's brown orbs with seriousness and affection.
"I..." Everyone holds their breath.
"I..." Mitsui squints, Kiyota cries, Haruko and Ayako squeal with delight.
"I..." The gundam and Ryota lean in excitedly.
"I..." Akagi and Maki look at each other, mouths open. Fujima and Hanagata hold their breath.
"I..." Rukawa watches closely. Sendoh is stunned. Hikoichi fumbles with his camera, struggling to get the perfect angle.
"Come on Cheryl-chan!" Ayako fusses.
"I... Like... You..." Cheryl bravely meets Sakuragi's eyes, who frowns with confusion, and then his face suddenly becomes red with realization.
Silence passes for a couple of minutes, and only the sound of the waves and wind can be heard. They're all staring agape at Sakuragi, including Rukawa, who is more reserved with his emotions.
"Eh.. Eh..." Sakuragi stammers, his face dangerously turning beet red.
"Eh!!!!!" He sputters and looks wildly around him. Cheryl bites her lip in anxiety as Sakuragi stands frozen in place. Even the gundam is not sure how they'll react; it's not every time they see Sakuragi get confessed to.
"I think we should give both of them privacy now." Akagi is the first one to break the ice.
"Agreed. I don't think our presence is needed here." Maki gives an encouraging nod to his cousin, who gratefully smiles at him.
"B-But... But." Kiyota weakly protests as he gets pulled away by his captain.
"Our work here is done, Haruko-chan. Let's just hope for the best." Ayako gives a thumbs up to a stammering Sakuragi and Cheryl.
"We already saw what we came here for." Fujima tiredly laughs, exhausted by just being surrounded by a chaotic group like Shohoku. Hanagata follows, but not before giving Sakuragi a congratulatory look.
"Come on Hikoichi. We should also leave. They deserve some privacy." Sendoh puts his arm around Hikoichi to lead him away.
"It's a shame, really. I wanted to stay longer, but I should let love blossom." He giggles while Sendoh affectionately ruffles his hair.
"I cannot say anything else, Hanamichi, but you're such a lucky bastard." Yohei playfully punches his shoulder.
"Y-Yohei."
Yohei winks at Cheryl, and she blushes but smiles at him thankfully. Yohei was the only one in Sakuragi's clique who was able to catch on to her feelings for him. He never really confronted him about it, but he gave a subtle hint yesterday in basketball practice about Sakuragi being at the beach today.
"What can I say, but good luck." Noma laughs.
"Just being with a chick magnet like me gave you chances with women!" Takamiya seriously dictates, but his friends just look at him in disagreement.
"We must leave you now so that you can face this like a man." Ohkusu concludes, and they also leave Sakuragi.
"Don't leave me here, guys!" He whispers, but they only give him friendly pats on the back and walk away.
"Don't be ridiculous, Hanamichi. You're throwing away a grand opportunity." Ryota sighs wistfully, looking at Ayako's retreating back.
"If you reject her, I would never forgive you!" Ryota grins at Cheryl and leaves with Mitsui, who coolly nods at Sakuragi.
The only one who is still left with them is Rukawa. He reveals himself from the dark shade of the trees and bushes, which surprises both Cheryl and Sakuragi.
"Ru-Rukawa." Sakuragi growls at his rival, but his opponent's eyes are set on Cheryl.
"Rukawa-kun...? I-I didn't realize you were also here..." Despite Cheryl's sudden bravado earlier, her courage depletes when she sees her former classmate.
Rukawa is silent with an unreadable look towards Cheryl. Sakuragi notices the familiarity between the two, which irritates him for no reason at all.
"Cheryl-san." Rukawa calls, surprising the red-head.
Cheryl looks conflicted between Rukawa and Sakuragi. She knows they don't get along well in practice, and even though she and Rukawa don't communicate much when they see each other at school, the boy manages to give her a nod and they sometimes have brief conversation. But since she doesn't know much about basketball, their communication is brief, paired with jealous and angry looks from his zealous fans stalking him in school corridors.
Now Rukawa's standing silently before her with his usual emotionless expression. She doesn't know what he wants, and neither does Sakuragi. Yet, it seems that he has something to say about the current situation.
"Oi! Stop staring, you creepy fox!" Sakuragi clenches his fist at him, making Rukawa look at him with irritation.
"Shut up, bird brain."
"Huh?!! Say that again!" Sakuragi moves forward to grab Rukawa, but Cheryl stops him.
"Don't, Sakuragi-kun!" He stops immediately, and the red-head hesitantly moves back, scoffing at Rukawa.
"Rukawa-kun, please don't pick a fight with him." She pleads, and he looks at her curiously.
"Are you sure about him, Cheryl-san?" Rukawa blurts out of the blue towards Cheryl. This offends the red-head, but he bites his tongue when Cheryl stands between them to act as a buffer.
Sakuragi coughs, embarrassed and blushing from the close contact with her, and Rukawa grimaces at him.
"He's a pervert." Rukawa accuses, angering him again. It takes a moment before Cheryl can calm them both down.
Cheryl sighs and faces Rukawa, a serious look on her face.
"I am serious, Rukawa. I really do like Sakuragi-kun." Sakuragi chokes at the unexpected answer, and Rukawa raises his brow at the flustered red-head.
"He's a no-good idiot. He won't do you any good."
"Why you?!"
"Even so, Rukawa-kun, I know what I said and won't take it back." Rukawa remains quiet again. His eyes bore into Sakuragi, and his rival glares at him. He looks like he's about to say something insulting again, but he just ends up sighing.
"Sakuragi." Rukawa stares at him seriously.
"Don't screw this up." He briefly says and stares at Cheryl with the look of a trustworthy friend, and walks away from them.
"W-What would you know anyway, you creep!" Sakuragi pouts, but he gets his message.
'Don't break her heart.'
Sakuragi is still blushing, but his back is turned from Cheryl. If he were in a stage where he had been dumped by the 50th girl of his life and had not met Haruko, then he would willingly accept Cheryl. But now that he's matured in some ways, his feelings for Haruko are still deep and special. His tendency to easily misinterpret things has him overthinking about Haruko getting angry at him for betraying her and for breaking another girl's heart. He knows how it feels to be rejected; he's an expert at it. However, he never really saw Cheryl as something more than a friend. She confessed how her feelings came to be when they were left alone by Rukawa.
For him, he was just being helpful at that time, and while he did find her beautiful, it still wouldn't compare to his bond with Haruko. As he contemplates, Cheryl patiently sits on a boulder behind him. She knows what she said shocked him, and she's willing to give him as much time as he needs to process his feelings. She knows it's stupid or useless to have given her heart out to him when his heart already belongs to another.
She still wants to hope for a chance and have an answer before her heart becomes heavier with longing towards him. Any answer will provide rest to her; otherwise, she'll regret not taking this chance.
"Cheryl-san..." He breaks out of his reverie, softly calling out to her. It is a surprise when his voice is usually rowdy. She looks and her heart warms at the scene in front of her.