The Haunting of the Basketball Gym

On a hot summer day, everyone continued training tirelessly in the gym. They sprinted across the court like the wind, sweat pouring as they pushed their limits.

Suddenly, with a loud "bang" the gym door burst open as Nijimura kicked it in. He marched in, dragging a bruised and battered Haizaki behind him like a sack of potatoes.

Haizaki bellowed in anger, "You scumbag, you told me you were sick, and I caught you at the arcade!"

Everyone looked at Haizaki, worn out and disheveled, and shook their heads in resignation. It wasn't surprising—he'd been skipping practice so often they were used to it by now.

Nijimura's anger only grew as he shouted at Haizaki, "You're already weaker than Shiro, and now you're skipping training?"

At the mention of "Shiro" Haizaki's body shuddered slightly. His eyes filled with fear as he lowered his head, not daring to look at Shiro.

Only he knew what he'd gone through. On the day he lost to Shiro, he'd tried to salvage his pride by confronting him afterward. But before he even got close, a group of men in suits had grabbed him and dragged him into a narrow, dark alley.

Without a word, they beat him relentlessly, leaving him bruised and bloodied within minutes. As he drifted in and out of consciousness, he was warned sternly to never bother Shiro again. Even more shocking, they identified themselves as representatives of the Kawakami family.

This revelation terrified Haizaki. He hadn't realized that Shiro was the heir of the Kawakami family. If he'd known, he would never have dared to provoke him. Facing such a powerful Japanese conglomerate, Haizaki couldn't even muster the slightest resistance.

Meanwhile, Shiro continued his shooting practice with unwavering focus, completely unaware of what was happening with Haizaki—and even less interested in his fearful expression. To him, Haizaki was just a small fry, not worth his attention.

"Oh, by the way, everyone gather up! I have an announcement!" Nijimura called out, his voice booming as he gathered everyone around.

"Captain, what's going on?" they asked, curious, as Nijimura addressed them with a serious expression.

"I have something important to announce. As you know, the position of vice-captain has been vacant. After much consideration with Coach Shirogane, we've decided that Akashi will take on the role"

Nijimura finished his speech and looked at Akashi with a solemn expression. "Akashi, from today, you're the vice-captain of the basketball team. Carry this responsibility well"

Akashi nodded, signaling his understanding, but his gaze drifted towards Shiro. In his mind, he felt Shiro was actually more suited to the role.

The first-year members had no objections—they'd only recently joined and didn't know much about the team dynamics. The second-years, however, looked slightly puzzled but chose to trust Nijimura's and Coach Shirogane's judgment.

...

Just then, Aomine dashed over to where Shiro was practicing, interrupting him mid-shot.

"Shiro, Shiro!" Aomine called out, breathing heavily.

"What's up?" Shiro asked, easily sinking another shot and turning to face Aomine, a look of mild curiosity on his face.

"Shiro, there are rumors going around that the gym is haunted. Let's go ghost hunting tonight!" Aomine whispered conspiratorially.

Hearing this, a certain blue-haired figure appeared in Shiro's mind—Tetsuya Kuroko.

'It's time for him to make his appearance' Shiro thought to himself.

However, Shiro was more focused on his relationship with Momoi at the moment. He'd grown deeply fond of her and was determined to pursue his feelings, even if it meant going off-script from the original storyline.

"Alright, we'll check it out after practice" Shiro replied casually, then quickly refocused on his intense training.

"Damn, he's working so hard—I need to train, too!" Aomine muttered, feeling inspired. Although he wouldn't readily admit it, Shiro's skill was indeed a notch above his own, fueling Aomine's resolve to train even harder.

Time ticked by as the sky grew darker, and the night eventually blanketed the court. Shiro and Aomine were ready to uncover the truth.

"Shiro, Daiki, you're still here?" Momoi, who had been waiting nearby, saw them and jogged over, stopping beside Shiro with a curious look in her eyes.

"Momoi, Aomine mentioned rumors of hauntings at the gym, so we thought we'd check it out" Shiro replied, smiling at her, excitement in his voice. Her presence lifted his spirits, making everything feel brighter.

Momoi seemed like she wanted to ask more questions, but just then, a leaf landed on her pink hair. Shiro noticed it right away and reached out, his right hand gently brushing past her hair.

"Momoi, you've got a leaf in your hair. Let me get it for you" he said with a soft smile.

His movements were gentle as he carefully removed the leaf, playfully twirling it in front of her before tossing it into the trash. Then, he looked back at her with a warm, affectionate gaze.

Momoi's expression softened, and she leaned forward ever so slightly to make it easier for Shiro to reach. A faint blush spread across her cheeks, her eyes holding a mix of bashfulness and disappointment. She'd hoped for a playful head pat, not just a simple leaf removal.

Suddenly, the gym lights flickered on, breaking the spell of the moment.