"Shu!!"
At International Airport—
Kota and Reiko had just stepped off their flight when they immediately spotted Shu waiting at the arrival gate.
Since it wasn't long ago that she'd returned home, Reiko was still visibly excited, though not as exaggerated as before. This time, upon seeing Shu again, she simply greeted him warmly instead of rushing in for one of her signature overenthusiastic hugs.
Kota smiled and waved as well. From their previous encounter, he already knew Shu was a kind-hearted guy—even if they'd only met once. And truthfully, Kota didn't mind interacting with people like him.
"You two made it! Hey, Kota, have you lost weight? You look thinner than last time! Haven't been eating well, huh? I'm telling you, as a basketball player, you gotta eat more! Put some muscle on that frame—otherwise, the moment you get into contact on the court, you'll fall apart like a Lego set!"
The moment they reunited, Shu's trademark enthusiasm came flooding back. He grabbed Kota's hand and started talking nonstop—without caring whether the boy understood a word.
This, apparently, was a universal trait of China's older generation: the instant they saw a junior, they couldn't resist launching into a barrage of "life advice." If Reiko hadn't cut him off in time, Shu would've gone on for another ten paragraphs at least.
"Anyway, I'll take you guys to lunch first. Coach Ebi specifically told me to bring you to this famous restaurant nearby—they serve amazing Huaiyang cuisine! The dishes there are just—"
"Wait, wait, hold on, Shu!"
Reiko quickly raised her hand to stop him before he could start another monologue. "Coach Ebi personally arranged this? Is he there too?"
"Yup. Not just Coach Ebi — Coach Sun is there as well. They're hosting this lunch just for Kota!"
Shu scratched his head and shot Kota a knowing glance.
The basketball scene in China was still in its early stages, and with the country desperate for talented players, news that a foreign prodigy point guard was joining the national program was huge.
The day Kota had first left China, Ebi started counting the days until he'd return. He even called Reiko several times to ask when Kota would finally arrive—but, to preserve his mentor's dignity, Reiko wisely never mentioned this to Kota.
Not that he would've minded anyway. Ever since deciding to return and play for China, Kota had already accepted that this was now where he belonged.
"Tch… so Coach Ebi's coming too."
Reiko's earlier excitement at being back home instantly cooled. She didn't particularly like Ebi — the old man's rigid, old-school attitude always made her feel tense just being around him.
Kota, on the other hand, wasn't bothered. What caught his attention was the other name Shu mentioned.
"Coach Sun? Have I met him before?" he asked in Japanese, glancing toward Shu, who was driving.
After a few practice sessions, Kota could now hold a basic conversation in China's language—though his pronunciation still sounded like someone trying to dribble with oven mitts. Still, he preferred revealing his progress slowly rather than shocking everyone outright.
After all, the last time he'd come here, he barely understood anything. Now, not even half a year later, he could talk casually? If that got out, they'd probably feature him on a science documentary titled "The Linguistic Miracle".
Fortunately, Kota had no plans to become famous for anything other than basketball.
"Oh yeah, Coach Sun's the current head coach of the China men's national team—basically like your national team coach back in Japan" Reiko explained. "Remember when I told you Coach Ebi used to coach the national team but stepped back to focus on training the next generation?"
"After he retired, one of his students took over—that's Coach Sun. The two of them are actually quite alike."
Shu, after all, was right there in the car, and although he probably wouldn't snitch, he would definitely deliver a heartfelt lecture about "respecting your elders".
All the way there, Shu kept up an enthusiastic running commentary on the passing scenery. Even though Kota had been here just months ago, he listened intently, smiling and responding now and then to encourage him.
Meanwhile, Reiko's eyelids grew heavy. Shu's impassioned commentary had the same energy as a tour guide describing a rock. Within minutes, she'd drifted off to sleep.
Not even the long flight or the car's occasional bumps could wake her.
Kota glanced at Reiko, mouth slightly open, clearly enjoying her nap, and chuckled quietly before turning back to Shu. Maybe it was nostalgia, but hearing about this world felt strangely fascinating. Even a random roadside tree became interesting when Shu described it.
After about half an hour, Shu finally pulled up in front of the restaurant with a satisfied sigh.
"It's been ages since someone actually listened to me talk this long," he muttered wistfully. "Alright, we're here. Let's get out."
But as he turned around to call them, he froze. Reiko's mouth hung open wide, a bit of drool glistening at the corner.
Kota immediately looked away, pretending he hadn't seen anything.
Shu's expression darkened. Without hesitation, he slammed his hand on the horn.
BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!
The loud honking jolted Reiko awake. She blinked, bleary-eyed, looking around in confusion for the source of the noise.
Kota coughed into his hand, suppressing a laugh. He'd trained for discipline—he wouldn't laugh, no matter how funny it was.
…Unless he really couldn't help it.
Shu climbed out of the car, slamming the door with enough force to make his point.
Reiko sighed, knowing what was coming. The dreaded lecture mode.
Sure enough, as soon as she stepped out, Shu started scolding her in his usual passionate style.
Kota followed at a relaxed pace. After all, he wasn't the one getting scolded. Besides, it had been a while since he'd heard a good old China-style lecture—it almost felt nostalgic.
With Shu's nagging as background music, the trio entered the hotel.
"Let's see… second floor, Room 7. Yep, this is it."
Shu led the way, pushing the door open. Reiko followed, still rubbing her ears, while Kota curiously scanned the surroundings.
Shu hadn't been exaggerating. From the elegant decor to the polished service, this place was clearly one of the city's top restaurants.
Kota had tagged along with Akashi and Araki to plenty of upscale spots before, so he knew quality when he saw it.
Still, the food wasn't what mattered most tonight.
Following Shu inside, Kota discreetly sized up the private room.
Seated near the center was an elderly man with gray hair, dressed in an old-fashioned suit, a cane resting against his chair. Ebi — unchanged since the first time Kota met him — radiated the same stiff, disciplined aura from across the table.
Beside him sat a middle-aged man, probably in his forties, also in a suit. He looked like a younger, cane-free clone of Ebi.
"Ah, Shu's here. Sit, everyone, please sit," Ebi said with a courteous nod. Despite being a senior, his manners were impeccable. Once everyone had taken their seats, he gestured toward the man beside him.
Kota didn't need an introduction—he knew from Reiko's earlier explanation that this was Coach Sun.
"You can start serving" Sun told the waiter waiting by the door. The waiter nodded and slipped out to bring the dishes.
As soon as the door closed, Ebi turned his gaze toward Kota—eyes gleaming like he was appraising a rare gem.
Kota kept a calm smile, while Reiko quietly rolled her eyes.
She'd worked in the China Basketball Association for six years now, meeting Ebi countless times, and not once had she seen that man look at anyone so… fondly.
"This is Coach Sun, my student—and your future coach," said Ebi in fluent Japanese.
Kota nodded and smiled politely at Sun in greeting.
"Master," Sun said lightly, raising his teacup, "you shouldn't speak so soon. You may be impressed, but I haven't tested this player myself yet."
He sipped his tea, eyes fixed on Kota, his expression unreadable.
"Well," he said with a smirk, "guess we'll find out soon enough."