44 Let's Form a Team Part 3

As Hideki got to the back, Kanai entered and asked Hideki "So who are those guys?" Hideki said "Kiyoshi's classmates. Kiyoshi was gramp's Ace player in Seiho, so I offered them half discount, it it okay?" Kanai just told him, "It's fine, I'll deduct it on your next pay" Hideki then told his mom, "Thanks mom, you da best"

After Hideki cooked the quarter pounder beef patty, he and Kanai served it to the Seirin boys, who introduced herself as the Manager "Good Evening boys, I'm Kanai Takeuchi, the Manager here. I hear you're Kiyoshi's classmates?" The boys nodded and Hideki sat at the table to eat with the guys, Kanai decided to take her dinner there too so she got her share of the food Hideki cooked. 

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As they sat down, Kanai asked the boys, "So are you boys the members of Seirin's basketball team?" Izuki answered that and said "Yes and no ma'am, Seirin doesn't have a basketball team, but Kiyoshi Teppei recruited us to form one." 

Kanai didn't have any facial reaction and just said "Oh okay, so how's Hideki's cooking boys?" The boys got into Hideki's cooking like dogs on their favorite treat, and they answered with mouths full, except Mitobe Rin, Izuki Shun said "Nice Rice and Super Burger Hideki!" while Kogenei said, "This is delish! Didn't know you could cook this good of a food Takeuchi-san!" 

Hideki then waved his hand and said "Oh come on Koganei-san, just call me Hideki" But Hideki's head got kinda big but still said in a humble manner "Well, the manager here saw my talent in cooking so he let me cook here every once in a while." Then in finality Hideki said, "And of course, as an athlete, I should always watch my health so, cooking is an alternative to having a chef cook food while watching what you eat."

The three Seirin boys nodded while eating and after a while, the food was completely devoured by them.

As Hideki finished eating his portion, he then asked about them and the boys' plan to build a team. So Izuki answered and said "Well firstly it was Kiyoshi who wanted to "join" the basketball team." Hideki raised his eyebrow at the known fact that Seirin doesn't have it's own basketball team, but he let Izuki continue, "So, me and Hyuga told him that Seirin doesn't have one. And the reason Hyuga chose this school" Hideki just nodded slowly in understanding.

Izuki continued and said "So Kiyoshi then told us that we'll build a team from scratch." Hideki blinked and Izuki scratched his chin and said "Well, long story short, we're already 5-man and have a manager. Hyuga is included in that 5-man as the Shooting Guard." Now Hideki was quickly blinking at that development, and asked Izuki, "So Kiyoshi is still adamant on having Hyuga join the team?" Izuki nodded.

So Hideki told him, "As far as I know Kiyoshi, he would want to play with Hyuga as he saw that Hyuga still loves basketball, crap the quitting part-" Kanai slapped Hideki's hand and said "Language young man" So Hideki changed that part and said "-Quit the quitting part, he could still see Hyuga not quitting basketball as his phone's wallpaper is still Ray Allen" Koganei and Mitobe was shocked that Hideki knows that fact so Hideki told them "Well I saw that wallpaper when he was still playing last year. Him not changing that means that he still doesn't want to quit ball." The three Seirin players nodded at this.

Izuki then asked Hideki, "Did you enter Seirin with the same reason as Kiyoshi? No offence Hideki-san, you beat Kiyoshi last year so I personally thought you would enter a much more established school rather than Seirin High." Hideki told him, "Well I got offers from prestigious schools and they are numerous, every day last school year, I had at least 3 letters everyday from various schools and that lasted for 3 to 4 months. Fine with me as that meant exposure of the cafe hehe"

After Hideki chuckled, he said "But I turned them all down as Megumi and Riko are going to Seirin, and Seirin is closer to home than the other schools." As he said that Izuki then chuckled and said "Well that latter part was one of the reasons Kiyoshi chose Seirin, the other one was he wants to be near his grandparents." Hideki nodded in understanding and faced Kanai and said "Well that's what gramps said about Kiyoshi" Kanai giggled at Kiyoshi's thoughtfulness.

Hideki then looked at Mitobe and Koganei and asked them "So did you guys play basketball?" Koganei energetically said "Yes!" and pointed at Mitobe and said "Him!" Hideki looked at Koganei suspiciously and asked "How about you?" Koganei straight out said "Nope, but I played tennis before…" He paused for a second and added "And other sports" Koganei saw Hideki's face and said "But I saw Mitobe played basketball so I thought, this could be fun!" 

Hideki reached out his hand and shook Koganei's hand and said "You are not wrong on that part Koganei-san, basketball is indeed fun! I hope you play soon." Koganei shook Hideki's hand in return and said "Yeah thanks! I'm looking forward to it!" 

Hideki looked at Mitobe and asked "How about you?" Mitobe nodded and Koganei was his interpreter and said "Yeah, he also plays basketball" Hideki asked "What position" Mitobe put up his hand and it said four and did a motion and opened his 5 and did another motion, so Koganei said "What's that Mitobe? 4? And Power Forward? And You can go Center?" Hideki nodded in understanding and said "Oh okay, we do play the same position Mitobe-san. Hope you would play too!" Mitobe nodded happily in return and Koganei said "He said thanks" Hideki looked at Koganei and chuckled and said "Well that part was what I understood." So he and Koganei laughed.

Then Hideki looked at Izuki and asked "How about you Izuki?" Izuki answered "Point Guard" Hideki nodded and said "Oh yeah, I remember you were one of the point guards for your team." He wanted to added that unfortunately their team didn't go deeper in the qualifiers but Izuki knew this but Hideki said "Well, you're calm about that part, but Hyuga was not, but not gonna lie, that mini-depression episode is just a teardrop in a lake, he hasn't even faced the Miracles yet unlike me and Teppei." Izuki smirked and said "Well yeah something like that" But Hideki said "But to be honest after seeing some clips of your team's play, you and Hyuga are good, just that your team in general was not up to par for the Middle School Basketball level. I personally saw Hyuga swished more than average. Not that great but he's up there, and much better shooter than me, so that's a thing."

Izuki then asked Hideki, "Wait I guess Teppei's not here to ask this question but…" Hideki was now serious to hear this so he let Izuki continue. "Do you want to join us on the team?" 

Hideki put a hand on his chin and contemplated, then he said "Well, I want to play basketball, but I'm with Riko on this one. If you guys showed us your passion and dedication to be on top, then I'll join. And to be honest, I think that's the same sentiment for Megumi. I guess."

Izuki nodded in understanding and asked, to nobody, just a question hanging in his mind "What do you guys think Teppei will pester Hyuga with this time?" Hideki chuckled and said "Maybe he'll ultimately make this the final call? Or the finale? And give him an ultimatum." The three boys looked at Hideki in suspense.

So Hideki continued and said.

"Maybe he'll battle Hyuga on a 1 v 1 and if Hyuga beat him, he can let Hyuga walk away"