Chapter 42: Becoming starters

Everything appeared to return to normal the next day, with one notable exception. Sanada wore a perpetual scowl.

The freshmen, who had just returned from their trip, couldn't make sense of this. They had achieved victory against Hibiya, which should have been cause for celebration. Usually, Assistant Coach Sanada would at least crack a small smile.

What added to the confusion was that when they approached the second years, hoping for an explanation, their senior seemed to possess some hidden knowledge but remained tight-lipped.

Baffled, they turned to Tsuna for answers.

Tsuna sighed, trying to find words that wouldn't reveal too much. "Let's just say, we witnessed something unusual yesterday."

This cryptic response only fueled their curiosity.

With their upcoming game just around the corner, the players expected a light training session to maintain their fitness. However, today's practice turned out to be unexpectedly grueling.

After the demanding training session, Assistant Coach Sanada halted the team as they were about to head to a nearby fast-food joint for some relaxation.

"I need everyone except the first-years to stay back for a bit," Sanada instructed, earning groans of disappointment from the older players.

The freshmen, baffled by this, left the gym in a state of confusion.

"What's all this about?" Aomine grumbled loudly.

Tsuna offered a faint smile as he explained, "The seniors are getting some extra practice..."

"Huh? Why?" Aomine asked, his brow furrowing in puzzlement.

"Don't look at me, I'm in the dark about this too,"

Tsuna said nonchalantly as he lied through his teeth, raising his shoulders lightly.

"Is it really okay, though? We've got another match tomorrow. Making sure they're in their best shape should be the priority, not extra training," Akashi questioned as they headed towards their destination.

Midorima adjusted his glasses, nodding in agreement with Akashi's concerns.

All eyes turned to Tsuna, expecting an explanation.

"Well, you're right in a way. But it should be fine. We're the starters now," Tsuna clarified.

Aomine's face lit up with a wide grin. "So, that means we'll get more playtime, huh?"

Akashi stayed quiet, deep in thought. In most cases, experienced players were prioritized as starters. In their case, while first-years could get a shot at starting, it usually depended on the data provided by Momoi to adapt to the opponents.

And the fact that all first-years were now Teiko's starters, a team considered a top contender for the tournament, was unprecedented. It didn't seem possible unless something extraordinary had occurred.

Tsuna understood Akashi's perspective.

However, what Sanada had witnessed the previous day was not something typical on the basketball scene. Particularly in middle school, having a first-year player control the entire game flow was unheard of.

Sanada had come to realize that he had underestimated not only Tsuna but also the potential of the future Generation of Miracles. That's why he decided to put them in the starting lineup, believing that more playing time would help them develop their talents even faster.

"Hey, look at this, all the prodigies hanging out together," a voice interrupted their conversation. They turned to see a tall, athletic guy with light gray hair.

"Who's this dude?" Aomine whispered, clearly puzzled. Midorima adjusted his glasses and shrugged. Akashi sighed lightly and explained, "That's Shogo Haizaki."

"The one who always skips practice, right?" Kuroko asked, his brow furrowing in uncertainty.

Murasakibara nodded, not really caring but munching on a new snack he had found in the school cafeteria.

Haizaki, feeling ignored and slightly irritated, approached them. It just so happened that the closest person to him was Tsuna.

Seeing this, Aomine whispered again, "Uh-oh, this doesn't look good."

"Huh? Why?" Kuroko asked, clearly puzzled.

But before anyone could answer Kuroko's question, Haizaki casually reached out as if he was about to put his hand on Tsuna's shoulder. However, to his shock, the world suddenly spun around him, and he found himself sprawled on the ground, gazing up at Tokyo's night sky.

"...Huh? What just happened?"

Haizaki muttered, his confusion evident. He had no idea what had just occurred.

Tsuna looked down at Haizaki and calmly said, "Please don't touch me like we're old pals. I don't appreciate it..."

Upon hearing this, Haizaki met Tsuna's cold, piercing gaze, and it felt like his eyes were drilling into his soul. A strange sensation of suffocation washed over him.

Before Haizaki could make sense of the bewildering sensation, Tsuna continued to walk ahead, leaving him utterly baffled by the strange turn of events.

Kuroko's mouth formed a surprised 'O' as he watched Tsuna walk away, his actions leaving a lingering sense of amazement.

The rest of the group merely shrugged and followed Tsuna, catching up to him as they moved along.

Aomine scratched his head and explained, "See, that's what happens when you touch Tsuna without thinking..."

Akashi, wearing an amused smile, shook his head slightly.

"But, Aomine, I saw you do that sometimes though?"

Kuroko walked alongside the others, glancing back at Haizaki's bewildered expression on the ground.

Midorima said, adjusting his glasses as he spoke, "It's a bit different..."

"...Tsuna already considers Aomine a friend, so it's fine for Aomine to do that." He continued, holding a small tambourine in his hand.

"Actually, I can relate. I don't like it when anyone, even a friend, carelessly touches me."

Midorima added, his tone reflecting his usual seriousness.

Aomine chuckled, brushing off the topic. He felt a bit shy as he scratched his neck awkwardly. "Haha, let's drop it. Tsuna, how did the match go yesterday?"

His laughter shifted the conversation to a topic everyone was eager to discuss. All eyes turned to Tsuna; even Murasakibara, who typically kept to himself, looked to him for an answer.

Tsuna grinned as he shared, "I must say, the Hibiya match was one of the toughest we've had."

This response caught everyone off guard.

"Seriously? Damn, I should've skipped that trip like you, Tsuna," Aomine lamented, his face reflecting his regret. It must have been a real challenge if Tsuna considered it a tough match.

With that, they dove into discussing the game, seemingly forgetting about Haizaki's brief intrusion as if he were a passing nuisance.

---

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