Chapter 24: An Invitation

As the final quarter begins, the scoreboard reads Yumei High 72, Higashiyama High 70. Haruki's eyes are sharp, focused, and the crowd is electric. Hiroshi takes his position under the basket, ready to guard Higashiyama's formidable power forward, Jiro, who's been giving them trouble throughout the game.

The whistle blows, and the play commences with a fast break from Higashiyama. Haruki reads the court as he sees Jiro storming towards the basket. However, Hiroshi, who's been saving energy, launches into the air to block Jiro's dunk. The crowd erupts.

As the fourth quarter progresses, Haruki pushes the ball up the court. He executes a spin move, getting past Higashiyama's point guard, Kenji, and drives towards the basket. However, Jiro steps up to block him. Thinking quickly, Haruki kicks the ball out to Tetsuya on the wing, who sinks a three-pointer. Yumei now leads by five points.

Higashiyama doesn't waste time. They throw a long pass to Jiro, who has leaked out in transition. Hiroshi, trying to keep up, races down the court. Jiro goes for the dunk, but this time Hiroshi was too late, and Jiro managed to dunk the ball.

The intensity continues to build as both teams go back and forth with scoring and defensive plays. Daichi has been doing an excellent job boxing out and grabbing rebounds, while Ryota is running tirelessly off screens to get open shots.

Higashiyama then sets up a pick-and-roll with Jiro and their shooting guard, Sato. They execute it flawlessly, ending with an alley-oop dunk by Jiro. Higashiyama regains the lead.

On the next possession, Haruki tries to break through Kenji's defence, but he's double-teamed. With a burst of speed, he splits the defence and throws a no-look pass to Daichi, who finishes with a layup. The crowd goes wild as Yumei takes the lead again.

However, Higashiyama responds with a barrage of points, showing their resilience and physicality. They score through fast breaks and second-chance points. Yumei struggles to keep up as Higashiyama takes a two-point lead.

Seeing the shift in momentum, Coach Saito signals for a timeout to regroup and strategize.

As the players head to the bench, they are panting and drenched in sweat. The crowd's cheers echo through the stadium, and the Yumei High team huddles close, knowing that this game will be won through sheer will and determination.

The Yumei High team huddles around Coach Saito, their breaths heavy and their eyes focused. The coach, flipping through his clipboard, designs a play that requires perfect execution. "Trust each other," he emphasizes before sending them back onto the court.

Haruki's eyes meet Hiroshi's, an unspoken understanding passing between them. As the team disperses from the huddle, they get back into position with renewed vigour. The air is thick with anticipation. The referee blows the whistle, the game clock starts ticking, and Haruki takes the inbound pass.

He moves up the court, scanning the opposition and the positioning of his teammates. Kenji, eager to disrupt the play, applies tight defence. Ignoring the pressure, Haruki signals Ryota, who darts away from his defender and comes around a screen set by Daichi. Haruki passes the ball to Ryota, who, without wasting a second, passes it back to Haruki.

Meanwhile, Hiroshi is on the low post, battling with Jiro. Haruki spots Hiroshi's movement and lobs the ball towards the rim. Hiroshi, using his height and strength, pushes past Jiro and leaps high, snagging the ball mid-air and slamming it into the hoop. The Yumei crowd erupts into cheers.

On the defensive end, Hiroshi again challenges Jiro, who's determined to get his points back. But Hiroshi is relentless. He shuts down Jiro's next two attempts, making it clear that he won't let him have easy points.

Offensively, Haruki continues to command the floor. He orchestrates another play involving a series of swift passes that disorient the Higashiyama defence. This ends with a wide-open three-pointer by Tetsuya, who had been struggling earlier in the game. He shoots, and the ball swishes through the net.

The final minute is chaos. The crowd is on its feet, and players on both sides give everything they've got. Haruki, like a maestro, commands the court, guiding his teammates and making plays. Hiroshi's presence under the basket is relentless, his defence against Jiro unwavering.

With 10 seconds left, Yumei leads by three. Higashiyama has the ball, and they attempt a three-pointer to tie the game. It's Sasto who takes the shot. Time seems to slow down as the ball soars through the air, but it bounces off the rim. Hiroshi grabs the rebound and passes it to Haruki as the final buzzer sounds. And the crowd erupts as Yumei High clenches victory by the narrowest of margins. The players on the bench jump to their feet, and the entire team rushes onto the court in jubilation. The audience's cheers reverberate through the stadium as the Yumei High basketball team relishes the sweet taste of victory.

As the celebrations continue on the court, the teams line up to shake hands with each other. There's a sense of respect in the air, and Haruki makes sure to give a nod to Higashiyama's star player, Maruyama Jiro. Jiro, in turn, compliments Haruki on his game. "You were amazing out there," he says.

Following the customary handshake between the two teams, Haruki and Hiroshi are left on the court, the noise of the crowd fading into a jubilant background hum. Hiroshi ruffles Haruki's hair, teasing, "You were pretty good out there."

Haruki grins, catching his breath. "We were pretty good."

Coach Saito joins them, a rare smile on his face. "Good game, boys," he says, patting both of them on the shoulder. He takes a moment to survey the cheering crowd, the triumphant team, and the glowing scoreboard. This is what they've worked so hard for. This victory.

The team heads to the locker room, the air buzzing with elation. As they celebrate, Hiroshi turns to Haruki, his voice barely audible over the noise, "Want to come over to my place?"

Haruki raises an eyebrow, surprised. But before he can respond, the rest of the team engulfs them, the victory celebration continuing into the night.

The scene shifts to Hiroshi's house, which is located in a quiet neighbourhood. Hiroshi opens the door and ushers Haruki inside. The interior is cozy and smells like home-cooked food. Haruki, who hasn't been in such a homely environment in a long time, feels slightly out of place but is appreciative of the warmth.

They are greeted by Hiroshi's parents, who are both tall and jovial, resembling Hiroshi. His mother, with a kind smile and soft features, rushes to greet them while his father, a robust man with a deep voice, ruffles Hiroshi's hair and claps Haruki on the back.

"Ah, you must be Haruki! Hiroshi talks about you all the time," Hiroshi's mother beams. "I'm Ayano, and this is my husband, Shigeo."

Before Haruki can form a polite reply, Hiroshi's father inquires with a grin, "Did you two give 'em hell in the game today?"

Hiroshi laughs, "Of course, we did, Dad."

As they sit down for a snack in the living room, Haruki learns that Hiroshi's family moved to Shikoku because Shigeo received a promotion, requiring them to relocate. This gives Haruki clarity on why Hiroshi changed schools.

There's another figure peering curiously from the hallway. Hiroshi's younger sister, Hana, is on the volleyball team. She has a similar cheerful demeanour to Hiroshi and is excited to meet Haruki. After a brief introduction, she rushes back to her room.

Haruki, though shy, makes an effort to converse with Hiroshi's family. He finds himself talking about the basketball game, the school, and even snippets of his personal life.

Hiroshi's parents are intuitive and soon recognize Haruki's reserved nature. They playfully tease him but in a kind and affectionate manner, and he feels himself being absorbed into the warmth of their family.

"So, Haruki, do you play video games?" Shigeo asks with a glint in his eyes.

"Yes, Mr. Nakamura, sometimes," Haruki replies cautiously.

"Call me Shigeo, not Mr. Nakamura! Everyone here is a Nakamura, and you should see Hiroshi's gaming setup!" Mr. Watanabe exclaims.

Hiroshi, hearing this, decides it's time to give Haruki a tour of his room. They leave the living room, and Hiroshi leads Haruki upstairs to his bedroom. It's spacious, with posters of basketball players and a gaming setup that leaves Haruki in awe.

Meanwhile, Ayano brings up some snacks and sodas for the boys. The atmosphere is light and cheerful. Haruki starts to loosen up as they play video games and talk about basketball.

After playing for a while, they head back downstairs, where Shigeo challenges Haruki to a game of table tennis in the garage. Haruki accepts, and they all head to the garage, which has been converted into a recreational room.

As Haruki and Shigeo play, Ayano and Hiroshi cheer from the sidelines. Haruki loses the game but doesn't mind; he is genuinely having fun.

As they return to the living room, Ayano brings out a photo album and starts showing Haruki pictures of Hiroshi as a kid. Hiroshi is embarrassed, but Haruki finds it amusing. They share stories, and Haruki learns more about Hiroshi's family background.

At some point, Hiroshi's sister Hana comes down with her volleyball and asks if Haruki can help her with some serves in the backyard. As they move to the backyard, Hana sets up the volleyball net. She's a spirited girl with a clear love for volleyball. She eagerly asks Haruki to help her with her serves. Haruki, who hasn't played much volleyball, agrees, thinking his height will be an advantage.

Hiroshi, Ayano, and Shigeo all take seats on the patio to watch. Hana starts serving the ball to Haruki, who tries to return it over the net. However, Haruki's first attempt goes wide, and the second hits the net. The third attempt sends the ball over the fence and into the neighbor's yard.

Everyone bursts into laughter. Haruki's cheeks turn red with embarrassment.

Hana, laughing too, says, "Don't worry, basketball and volleyball are different! You'll get the hang of it!"

Shigeo jokingly comments, "For someone who's 6'2", Haruki, you really need to work on those volleyball skills!"

Hiroshi decides to join in and tries to coach Haruki on the basics of serving and spiking. It turns into a teaching moment, with everyone giving Haruki advice and encouragement.

As they continue to play, Haruki starts getting slightly better, but he's still hilariously uncoordinated compared to Hana and Hiroshi, who are more adept at volleyball. It's evident that while Haruki may be a basketball prodigy, volleyball is not his forte.

During one of the plays, Haruki tries to spike the ball, but he completely misses, and the ball ends up hitting the lemonade pitcher on the table. This sets everyone into another round of laughter.

Despite his lack of skill, Haruki can't help but laugh along with them. He's having genuine fun and is surprised at how volleyball, a sport he knows nothing about, could bring so much joy.

After they're done playing, Hana thanks Haruki and mentions how he should join them for volleyball more often. Haruki, still catching his breath, agrees, and they all head back inside.

Afterwards, they all sit down for dinner. The table is lively with chatter and laughter. Haruki looks around and realizes how comfortable he feels with Hiroshi's family. It's as if, for this brief time, he's a part of something bigger.

"Thanks for inviting me over," Haruki murmurs, genuinely grateful.

Hiroshi claps him on the back. "Anytime, buddy. "

Outside, Haruki takes a deep breath. He feels lighter, happier. He didn't know how much he needed this evening until now.