Inter-High day.
Yamato and I made our way to the gymnasium to witness the grand finale of Shun’s basketball journey, where the matches were being held.
The gymnasium was packed with students from other schools and those who came to cheer, but amidst the crowd, we spotted Shun in his uniform. We delivered our final cheer to Shun with all our strength before the match began.
Today’s matches were scheduled for both the morning and afternoon sessions. If they lost in the morning, it would be all over… but if they won, they could proceed to the evening match.
Anyway… I really wanted them to win the first round! Shun… Do your best…!!
During the morning match, the starting lineup of the basketball team, led by Shun, entered the court in front of us, who were cheering from the stands.
Both Yamato and I were in a position where we could clearly see Shun, despite Yamato still wearing his black-rimmed glasses, which made things a bit blurry. But it’s okay, Shun! I can see you properly!
Shun and his teammates exchanged greetings with students from other schools, and the tense atmosphere was palpable even in our stands… And then…
Beeeeep!!!!
The whistle signaling the start of the match echoed throughout the gymnasium!
The match was filled with the sound of the ball dribbling and the squeaks of shoes, accompanied by Shun and other students’ shouts, and from there, Shun repeatedly scored three-pointers, encouraging those around him with an even bigger smile than usual.
Even during the short breaks known as intervals, Shun could be seen spreading smiles to everyone around him.
And before the match resumed… Shun gazed at the “proof of friendship” and the “wish-infused bracelet” on his right arm, then returned to the court…
During halftime, a slightly longer break, he thrust his right hand forcefully towards us, as if saying, “I’m giving it my all!” I felt as if he was telling us that.
In response, Yamato and I both raised our right hands from the stands.
And so, the morning match came to an end in no time, with Shun and his team achieving a complete victory.
Both Yamato and I were overwhelmed with joy as we exchanged a high-five to share our happiness.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
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While the sound of the ball and shoes echoed, Shun’s three-pointers didn’t land as they did in the morning…
And soon enough, the score started to drift apart from the opponents…
Yes, the opponent was a powerhouse school that had even participated in the national tournament…
Nevertheless, Shun didn’t forget to smile… When his teammates scored, he would beam with a smile, and when he managed to score a three-pointer somehow, he would share the joy with his teammates with a beaming smile…
“Anyway, enjoy the last match with a smile… Regardless of the outcome, don’t forget to smile.”
At that moment, Yamato’s words to Shun were firmly received in his heart, and Shun, determined to make it happen, continued to smile until the very end.
* * *
That night.
The Inter-High for Shun and his team ended with a defeat against the powerhouse school…
Even beside the members shedding tears, Shun continued to encourage everyone with a smile as if to say, “It was fun until the end!” and left the court…
Yamato and I waited outside the gymnasium, wanting to say “good job” to Shun, but while other students were steadily leaving, Shun was nowhere to be seen…
Before we knew it, it was getting dark around us, and the lights in the gymnasium were turned off… Yamato and I exchanged looks and decided to look for Shun.
Even after searching the closing building, there was no sign of Shun… No response even after trying to contact him…
Where are you, Shun…?!
Once we stepped outside and were searching around the gymnasium, we heard a sound…
Thunk…
Swoosh…
From somewhere, the sound of a ball being shot reached our ears…
We rushed towards it as we were guided by that sound, and there, towards the basketball hoop outside the gymnasium, we saw Shun repeatedly scoring three-pointers…
As soon as I spotted Shun, I instinctively shouted his name loudly…
Shun turned back to us as he stopped his movements at my call…
We ran to Shun, and when we looked into his eyes… He was shedding tears, with loneliness and frustration on his face like we’d never seen before…
His eyes were red… and his eyelids swollen…
He must have cried a lot… He must have been frustrated… But still, as the captain, Shun fulfilled his duty with a smile until the very end…
And when Shun saw our presence, it was as if a tense thread had snapped, and he burst into loud sobs right there…
“Ahh… M-my… basketball career… It’s over…!”
Yamato and I each placed a hand on his shoulder after seeing Shun like that, as we were offering comfort and praising his efforts…
Shun… You smiled until the very end…
You were so incredibly cool, weren’t you…?
Truly, for these three years, thank you for all your hard work…
* * *
Shun’s tears settled, and Yamato and I sat down near the basketball hoop, sharing our thoughts.
“I’m really grateful that Yamato was there to give me energy… And no matter what, you guys were always there to support me… That’s why I could keep smiling until the end.”
“I saw Shun giving his all in basketball for the first time, but seeing Shun enjoying himself with a smile made me happy and proud.”
“Regardless of the outcome, your ability to enjoy and spread smiles until the very end, like a true team captain, reached not only your teammates but also our hearts.”
“Shun…? Really, thank you for these three years.”
“…You guys…”
Once again, there was a glimmer of tears in Shun’s eyes… And Shun rubbed his eyes, picked up the ball once more, and slowly stood up…
Shun was standing on the three-point line… This was his last three-pointer in high school…
“Yuto, Yamato… Thank you so much… I… I’m really glad I met you guys…”
“And… everyone on the basketball team… I had a blast for these three years…!!”
The ball left his hand with Shun’s feelings, tracing a beautiful arc toward the goal… And…
Swoosh…!
…Thunk!
The shot went in perfectly, and along with the ball falling through the hoop… Shun’s bracelet broke from his right hand, fluttering down to the ground…
“…Haha, my wish… came true, huh…”
Yes, with the broken bracelet in hand, Shun told us that his wish was to “be able to enjoy basketball with a smile until the end.”
Shun didn’t show any more tears with his wish granted. Instead, he showed us an unchanged smile, somehow refreshed and with a face that had accomplished everything.
And as the Inter-High came to an end, summer arrived in our town… On a slightly chilly night, the three of us walked home together, enjoying each other’s company.
Thank you for the chapters 🥰
You’re welcome. (˶^▾^˶)