Chapter 267: Acknowledged Efforts

"..."

Silence hung in the air before Aomine, without uttering a word, rose to his feet and began walking away.

The abrupt action left Momoi flustered, prompting her to hastily seize Aomine's hand. "Daiki, where are you going?"

"...Tsuna's place," Aomine replied, scratching his head lightly and averting his gaze.

"Why?"

The response only deepened Momoi's confusion, prompting her to tilt her head and blink her eyes. 

Without warning, Kise interjected, "That's right, I'll come along, Aominecchi..."

He rose from his seat, only to wince in pain as the realization struck him that he was actually injured. Midorima shook his head at the sight and muttered, "Idiot..."

"Huh? Are you looking for a fight, Midorimacc---!"

Kise was on the verge of snapping out of embarrassment, but Kasamatsu swiftly intervened, delivering a firm smack to Kise's head. "You've got to get back to the hospital, you dumbass..."

"...No! Everyone, please help me!"

Without uttering a word, Kasamatsu took charge, dragging a protesting Kise out of the room with desperate cries for assistance echoing in the air.

"..."

The atmosphere descended into an awkward silence, each person observing the unfolding spectacle with a mix of disbelief and amusement.

Midorima shook his head before exhaling a sigh as he gracefully rose to his feet, prompting both Momoi and Aomine to turn toward him with expressions of surprise etched across their faces.

"Why? Let's go; Tsuna owes us an explanation for that," Midorima declared, eliciting a smirk from Aomine in response.

"Wait!"

Momoi's sudden intervention halted them in their tracks, causing both to furrow their eyebrows. Despite their confusion, they stood in place, their attention now fixed on Momoi as they awaited her explanation.

A wry smile played on Momoi's lips before she spoke, "…Do you really think Tsuna will be at home?"

"…"

Her words hung in the air, casting a contemplative silence over Midorima as he delved into his thoughts.

Meanwhile, Aomine scratched his head, countering, "And how do you know he won't be coming home?"

"Obviously, Fukuda Sogo has their accommodations provided, and as a captain, it's only right for him to be together with his teammates, no?" Momoi explained, prompting Aomine to nod in realization as he clicked his tongue in understanding.

"I happen to know where they're staying for the tournament," a bored voice emanated, causing everyone to turn towards Murasakibara.

He stood up, leisurely devouring his last snack, his gaze lingering on it longingly. 

Although Murasakibara was typically the type to get lost even in his own house back in Akita, this was an exception.

"...I need more of these," he muttered softly.

For those particular snacks, Murasakibara could transform into a temporary genius navigator.

"..."

Though Murasakibara's words were not uttered loudly, the room fell into a hushed silence, each person comprehending that Murasakibara would likely head to Tsuna to request more of those irresistible treats.

"It seems like I have to leave Atsushi to you guys," Himuro's gentle voice resonated as he bid his farewell before walking away in the opposite direction, seemingly eager to meet Kagami.

Murasakibara offered a nonchalant nod, "Alright..."

He began to walk, his disinterested expression unchanging.

The trio exchanged glances before collectively nodding in agreement. Without uttering any more words, they decided to follow Murasakibara, who ambled away.

Meanwhile, back on the court, after concluding their post-game ceremonies, Fukuda Sogo wearily readied themselves to gather their belongings, still feeling the fatigue from the intense match.

Upon catching the sound of approaching footsteps, Tsuna turned to find Hyuga approaching him with dried tears marking his eyes.

Hyuga extended a handshake, "Congratulations on the win, Kazama!"

"Thanks, it was a great game..." Tsuna firmly shook Hyuga's hand.

"You're exaggerating; we're simply nothing compared to you..." Hyuga shook his head, interpreting Tsuna's words as mere politeness.

From the start, Seirin had stood no chance!

It was an unequivocal one-sided beating from Fukuda Sogo. Hyuga couldn't help but acknowledge this, no matter how disheartening it sounded.

Tsuna couldn't help but let out a soft chuckle, catching Hyuga off guard.

He then gently parted his lips, "I'm not just tossing out politeness here. That was, without a doubt, an exceptional game. You guys stuck it out until the very end, fully aware of the downright impossible situation you were facing..."

A subtle smile played on Tsuna's lips, revealing a touch of nostalgia in his eyes as he recalled his own past. Back in the day, he stood alone, confronting a game that seemed utterly insurmountable when everyone else had thrown in the towel.

"Sure, this place might not be the biggest," he mused silently, reminiscing about similar scenes at Kaijo High, Shutoku High, and now, Seirin High.

His contemplation bestowed upon him a newfound appreciation for Japan.

Continuing down this mental path, he concluded, "But this place houses people deserving of my respect."

Tsuna's genuine smile adorned his face as he surveyed the faces of each individual in Seirin.

Their emotions struck a chord with him, a connection that endured even through his final breaths.

"Your resilience alone earns my respect," Tsuna acknowledged, sincerity coloring his words.

However, he paused, adjusting his choice of words with a subtle shake of his head. "No, let me phrase that differently. Seirin High, you've truly earned our respect..."

His words reverberated across the court, prompting surprised expressions from Seirin's players. In response, the members of Fukuda Sogo returned their gaze with a subtle smile, each reflecting a genuine sincerity.

Despite Haizaki's nonchalant click of the tongue and his averted gaze, the discerning eyes of Seirin's team could perceive a hint of shyness beneath the surface, prompting a collective chuckle among them.

The effect was quite clear to see and caused Haizaki to experience a sense of discomfort that he wished he could dig a hole and vanish into it.

His face contorted into a peculiar expression, a blend of embarrassment and a bit of anger.

Kuroko shifted his gaze to Ogiwara, who responded with an encouraging thumbs up and his characteristic bright smile. This gesture, a regular occurrence from Ogiwara, led Kuroko to shake his head ever so slightly.

A small, subtle smile managed to break through the disheartened facade on his face.

As this exchange unfolded, the previously gloomy atmosphere that surrounded them dissipated.

It was as if a weight had been lifted from their shoulders, evaporating into the air and leaving behind a sense of lightness and relief.

A palpable sense of weight lifting dispersed into the air, leaving behind a feeling of lightness and relief.

Kagami's gaze met Tsuna's, the unspoken understanding passing between them.

"..."

No words were exchanged, but it was evident that Kagami hadn't given up. His eagerness for improvement shone through, a silent determination to face Tsuna once again.

Tsuna responded with a smile, conveying the unspoken invitation to Kagami to come to him anytime.