Chapter 27

Weeks had passed since the National championship, and things were starting to return to normal for Ichigo. Well, as normal as they could be after winning the championship and defeating the best middle school team ever assembled.

With the National tournament behind them, school resumed as usual. However, for Ichigo, school was proving to be more challenging than playing against Teiko Junior High. It wasn't because of his academics, though.

As someone who had been transmigrated, Ichigo didn't have any trouble with his studies. While he may not have been the top student in his class, he was still above average. Plus, with the memories of the old Ichigo, he knew the importance of studying. Being an orphan, he had always been serious about his education, as he had no one else to rely on.

The problem arose from the fame he had gained after defeating the Generation of Miracles. He constantly found himself featured in magazines and newspapers, even weeks had passed by after the championship game.

Some magazines gave him nicknames after that game, and one even went so far as to call him the King of Miracles simply because he had defeated Teiko. However, the worst name they gave him was Father of Miracles or Miracle Daddy, which was just plain weird.

At first, Ichigo felt proud when he heard someone call him the King of Miracles. Most of his schoolmates referred to him by that title, and even the teachers and staff joined in.

But as time went on, it became more and more embarrassing and annoying for him. Whenever someone referred to him as the King of Miracles, it felt as though they were making fun of him. What made it even worse was when people started calling him the Father of Miracles and Daddy Miracle, which only intensified his discomfort. The situation bothered him to such an extent that he began skipping classes just to avoid the constant attention.

Despite his decision to skip a few classes, Ichigo remained committed to the basketball club. This was his final year as a member of Meiko, and he continued to attend practice diligently every day after school.

Actually, he didn't need to participate in his club activities because it was his last year of middle school. Even his coach tried to persuade him to prioritize his academics in order to attend a prestigious high school. However, he was determined to attend the club practices. He believed that attending a well-known high school was already guaranteed, especially after their victory with Teiko. Many prominent schools offered him athletic scholarships once they learned that he was an orphan, with some even providing him his own apartment just to entice him to enroll.

Because of these offers, he did not have any concerns about where he would go for high school. Despite his coach's efforts to convince him otherwise, he remained determined to participate in club activities. The coach eventually relented, realizing that his involvement in practices benefited the team's overall improvement. His presence inspired and motivated the underclassmen, who looked up to him with admiration. Witnessing him attending practices, even when it was unnecessary, encouraged them to work harder.

And for the coach, that's a huge plus, especially since this was the last year for Ogiwara and Ichigo in the club. In particular, next year, they won't have someone to carry them like Ogiwara and Ichigo did in this year's National tournament.

Although Ichigo carried them in the championship, it was Ogiwara, the team's ace, who truly led them to victory. Next year, Meiko will have to defend their title without both of them. It will be challenging for the team to secure another championship if the underclassmen do not step up their game. However, with Ichigo and Ogiwara training alongside the team, the coach has confidence that his players will be prepared for the upcoming year.

As the day progressed, it was time for the club members to head home. However, Ichigo and Ogiwara were different. They continued to practice, engaging in one-on-one matchups even after everyone else had left the gym.

Initially, Ichigo easily defeated Ogiwara in their battles. However, as time passed, Ogiwara's skills started to improve significantly. With each game against Ichigo, he grew stronger and presented a greater challenge.

Although Ogiwara hadn't won a single game yet, his consistent improvement indicated that it was only a matter of time. Ichigo was amazed at how quickly Ogiwara had progressed in just a few weeks. However, upon reflection, Ichigo realized that Ogiwara had been the team's star player and had led them to the National Championship before Ichigo took over in the second half of the championship game against Teiko.

Therefore, it was reasonable to conclude that Ogiwara had considerable talent. While he may not have been on the same level as the Generation of Miracles, he was still quite skilled. Although he may not have been their equal, he had the potential to match the talent of the uncrowned kings or even surpass them.

With Ichigo training alongside him, Ogiwara's improvement will be even greater once he enters high school. In contrast to the anime, where Teiko humiliated Ogiwara's team and he became discouraged to play basketball, the victory over Teiko in this scenario has kept his passion for the game alive.

As they wrapped up their one-on-one session, with Ogiwara experiencing yet another defeat, they both sat on the court to rest and replenish themselves with bottles of water. Being enveloped in a comfortable silence, Ogiwara suddenly posed a question to Ichigo, "Hey Ichigo, have you decided which high school you'll be attending?"

Ichigo responded, "Not yet. I'm still unsure about my choice, but I have narrowed down my options." With numerous offers for a full scholarship, he didn't feel the need to rush into a decision. Instead, he planned to take his time and carefully evaluate the schools that were recruiting him.

"My top priority was finding schools that offered a full scholarship and an apartment," he added.

"I need to think practically because I won't be able to support myself if I have to pay for rent during high school," Ichigo said, fully aware of his priorities.

"Moreover, with basketball taking up a significant amount of my time, I can't take on a part-time job. Besides, it's challenging to find a part-time job at our age these days," he added with a sigh.

Ichigo looked at Ogiwara and asked the same question, "What about you? Have you made a decision yet?"

"I'm still unsure of my destination, but I do have options," Ogiwara expressed with uncertainty.

Hearing this, Ichigo had a sudden idea. "Hey, how about we team up in high school?" he proposed to Ogiwara.

Smiling at the suggestion, Ogiwara replied, "I would love to, but I know you're going to a prestigious school. I'm not sure if I can afford it," he sighed.

"If you say yes, I can attend a school of your choice," Ichigo offered eagerly. The thought of playing together with Ogiwara in high school excited him. "It's like defending our title, but this time in high school," he added.

Ogiwara pondered for a moment, a smile still lingering on his face. "That's a nice thought if you put it that way," he said. "But unfortunately, I need to decline," Ogiwara added.

Perplexed, Ichigo asked, "Why?" He couldn't understand why Ogiwara would turn down his offer to play together.

"Actually, after we won the championship, maybe a day or two passed, but I feel like I didn't contribute much to the game. You carried us that night, and it makes me feel undeserving of the achievement of beating the Generation of Miracles, like our schoolmates and other people say," Ogiwara said, his voice filled with disappointment.

"Don't say that. I couldn't have won without the support of the team, especially you. If you hadn't helped me defend Aomine during the game, I wouldn't even know if we could have overcome Teiko's lead," Ichigo consoled Ogiwara.

Upon hearing these words, Ogiwara smiled. "I knew you would say that, and I appreciate you believing in me," he replied.

"Actually, the main reason I don't want to team up with you is that I feel like I have more to prove. I want to show that I can win without relying on you. If we were to team up, even if we won many games and championships, it would never satisfy my ego because I would always feel like you carried me," Ogiwara explained with a serious expression on his face.

Hearing that Ichigo feels bad for making Ogiwara feel inadequate, Ogiwara, who is not depressed like in the anime but instead feels this way in reality, pats Ichigo on the back. He reassures Ichigo, saying, "It's not your fault, so don't be down. Also, now that you've beaten the Generation of Miracles, you have become a big target. I'm sure all the teams, especially the ones that the Generation of Miracles plays for, will want to beat you." Ogiwara consoles Ichigo.

"That's also why I won't be teaming up with you. I want to beat you," Ogiwara adds with a competitive tone.

"I want to experience what it's like to defeat you, especially after witnessing your incredible performance in the game against Teiko. In my mind, you're like MJ and LeBron, combined together, with the way you play, and that's why I idolize you," Ogiwara explains.