125 Chapter 125: Kagami's resolve!
After the game ended, Kagami went to the changing room when he overheard Kiyoshi's shout.
He abruptly stopped, alarmed by the shocking news of Kiyoshi's severe knee injury. Kagami clenched his fists and gritted his teeth, overcome with frustration.
Standing outside the changing room, Kagami was lost in thought as his mind racing.
"...Kagami? Why are you standing outside?"
Suddenly, a voice broke his reverie. Kagami turned to his left and found Kuroko looking at him puzzled.
"Whoa! Hey, don't startle me like that!" Kagami exclaimed, surprised by Kuroko's sudden appearance.
From the changing room, the sound of footsteps approached as Hyuga and Kiyoshi emerged, having packed their belongings and getting ready to leave.
Kagami was feeling a bit awkward seeing them.
"Hey, Captain, Senior..."
Observing their beloved duo in Seirin, Hyuga shook his head and said, "Grab your things. It's time to head back."
Kiyoshi smiled and said, "Well, I should head out first. Riko needs a hand with something."
He walked away towards their coach's assistance.
Kagami and Kuroko went to gather their belongings while Hyuga watched Kiyoshi's departing figure with a somber look.
Afterward, the three of them left the stadium and headed for the nearest subway station.
Each was about to take their own path to their respective homes. Kagami, however, found himself preoccupied with the conversation in the changing room, causing him to steal occasional glances in Hyuga's direction.
Kuroko noticed this and asked, "Kagami, is something bothering you?"
These words furrowed Kagami's brow, causing all three of them to come to a stop. Kuroko and Hyuga turned their attention to Kagami, who then questioned Hyuga with a determined look, "...Captain, what's going on? Why did Kiyoshi say this is his last shot?"
Hyuga's expression changed slightly as he let out a sigh.
"I see. You overheard our conversation, huh?"
Kuroko, who was unaware of the situation, listened with curiosity and a touch of concern.
Hyuga sighed and said, "I suppose it's only fair to tell you both about it, huh?"
He looked at the ground with a serious expression and explained the situation.
At the same time, in Tsuna's house, Midorima seemed rather annoyed as he pointed at Kise and asked, "What on earth are you doing here?"
Kise seemed confused and tilted his head, responding, "I'm the one who suggested coming over to hang out with Kazamacchi."
"Hang out? I wasn't informed about this. Why didn't I receive an invitation?" Midorima adjusted his glasses and questioned.
"What? You weren't invited? Then why did you show up, Midorimacchi?" Kise shot back.
Midorima remained silent and averted his gaze in response to Kise's question.
"Why are you avoiding the question? Answer me!" Kise demanded in annoyance.
Tsuna took a sip of his coffee, letting out a sigh as he relaxed. Momoi, seated nearby, chuckled at the sight, finding it rather amusing.
Just then, the door burst open, and a voice echoed through the house, "Tsuna! Let's do a one-on-one game?"
Upon hearing the shout, Tsuna let out another sigh, while Momoi's expression shifted to one of mild irritation. Meanwhile, Kise was still engaged in a heated discussion with Midorima off to the side.
Before long, Aomine walked into the room, sporting his signature grin as he addressed Tsuna, "Come on, Tsuna, let's have that game now!"
Tsuna rubbed his temples in exasperation.
He looked at Aomine and said, "Can we do this later?"
Aomine seemed a bit disappointed but shrugged, settling down on the sofa and grabbing the TV remote as if he owned the place.
The group hung out in Tsuna's house for a while, discussing the recent final league.
Kise was particularly interested in Seirin's upcoming match against Kirisaki Daiichi, and he had plenty of questions. Midorima mentioned that Kirisaki Daiichi had a history of being a tricky opponent for Seirin, and they delved into their past encounters.
Momoi chimed in to share the backstory of the intense rivalry between Seirin and Kirisaki Daiichi, describing their previous hard-fought match that Seirin had won.
"...Tsuna, who do you think will come out on top this time?"
Midorima, fixing his glasses as he asked Tsuna about his prediction for the upcoming game while Tsuna calmly sipped his coffee.
"Surely you already have the answer, right?" With a hint of amusement, Tsuna responded.
Aomine sported a smug grin as he watched his favorite TV channel, while Momoi sat contentedly beside Tsuna on the sofa, wearing a gentle smile. Kise let out a soft chuckle, and Midorima, donning a smirk, adjusted his glasses once more.
All of them shared a similar thought.
Tsuna couldn't help but smile with amusement as he contemplated the game scheduled for the next day.
Despite Kirisaki Daiichi being Seirin's archenemy, he was confident that the current Kagami had the capability to overcome their tricks.
"...That is if he could stay calm," Tsuna muttered to himself as he recalled Kagami's fiery personality.
After their conversation, Aomine couldn't contain his excitement and asked for his one-on-one match. Kise eagerly joined in.
Momoi's eyes sparkled with anticipation, seeing this as an opportunity to analyze Tsuna's skills and potentially gain an advantage for their team.
Tsuna seemed to sense Momoi's intention and chuckled.
However, the outcome was clear – both Aomine and Kise were soundly defeated by Tsuna in their one-on-one matches.
Meanwhile, Kagami couldn't fall asleep after reaching his home. Restless, he decided to head to the nearby streetball court, conveniently located just around his apartment, to blow off some steam through basketball.
As he played, the memories of his recent conversation replayed in his mind
It was about how Seirin came into existence and their journey through the Interhigh preliminaries, which was a tumultuous one. They battled fiercely in each round, culminating in a hard-fought final victory against Kirisaki Daīchi High.
However, this triumph was marred by the injury that befell Kiyoshi, which was indirectly caused by Hanamiya's actions.
Kiyoshi's hospitalization meant he'd be away for at least a year. In the final league of the preliminaries, they faced the formidable Three Kings of Tokyo, unable to secure a victory.
Understanding all of this frustrated Kagami to no end.
"...I can't stand seeing those expressions again!"
He could vividly picture the distress, panic, and helplessness that had taken over their opponents today as he continued to dribble the ball.
Recollections of the day's game rushed back to him, and he recalled witnessing that very same expression when Midorima had completely altered the course of their match.
"That's why..."
His gaze was unwavering, fueled by a determination that refused to let those pained expressions repeat as he dribbled it forward to the basket. Within his eyes, an unusual fire sparked, igniting a newfound sense of resolve deep within his soul.
"...I promise to myself that no matter what..."
At that moment, Kagami might not have realized it yet, but his eyes were blazing with intense, fiery red sparks as he soared toward the hoop. With a powerful leap, he executed a thunderous dunk, sending shockwaves through the street.
He looked at the ball, now bouncing on the ground, and declared, "...this time, we're taking the tournament!"
In another part of Tokyo, Aomine opened his eyes suddenly as he felt something. "...Did he walk in now?"
He smirked as he sat up from his sleeping position as he gazed out of the window.
"...Things are getting interesting, huh?"
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