"…What did you just call him, Haruko-sister?"
Sakuragi stood frozen in place, disbelief etched across his face.
"Elder brother," Haruko repeated calmly.
Sakuragi blinked, then pointed at Akagi like he'd seen a ghost. "E-Elder brother…?"
He cupped his hands into a trumpet shape and brought them close to Haruko's mouth, as if needing one more confirmation.
"Elder…brother…?"
The world around him started spinning. His forehead beaded with sweat. This couldn't be real. It had to be a joke. Behind him, Mito and the rest of the gang struggled to hold in their laughter, their smug grins making it worse.
"Brrrrrooootherrrr~" they mimicked mockingly.
Sakuragi's face turned white as chalk.
"…Sakuragi Hanamichi."
A deep, steady voice came from behind.
Sakuragi slowly turned his head, terrified, to see Akagi standing with arms folded and an unreadable expression on his face.
"I lost," Akagi admitted evenly.
Sakuragi's eyes filled with tears, and his face turned as gentle and harmless as a puppy's. "E-Elder brother…"
Akagi frowned, confused. Before he could respond, Sakuragi magically pulled out a small gift box from behind his back like a street magician.
"Brother! I'm Sakuragi Hanamichi! I will treat your sister Haruko well from now on! Please give us your blessing!"
"…WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?!" Akagi's voice boomed as he delivered a heavy fist to Sakuragi's forehead.
"You idiot!! What kind of nonsense is that?! And who the hell is your brother?!"
"Aaaaah, come on! It's just a small gift, not a marriage proposal!"
(Author's note: In Japanese culture, it's common for a man to address his wife's brother as "brother" after marriage.)
Akagi's fury only intensified. "Even if I die, I will never hand over Haruko to a blockhead like you!!"
"Alright, alright, Captain! Calm down!"
The basketball team rushed over to separate the two before the scene got even more out of hand. Akagi huffed in frustration while Sakuragi stood there, oddly satisfied, as if he had somehow won a major battle.
"Brother, this has all been a big misunderstanding! I'm sure once we spend some time together in the basketball club, we'll be the best of friends!" Sakuragi grinned, giving Akagi a thumbs up.
"Basketball club?" Akagi repeated, his brow twitching. "What are you talking about?"
Sakuragi tilted his head. "Uh… I'm joining the basketball club? Duh? I already beat you in a match! Doesn't that make me a shoo-in?"
"I didn't say I wanted you to join the club."
"EH?!"
Everyone present was stunned. Sakuragi stared at Akagi, mouth agape, as if he had just been betrayed by a close friend.
"Stop joking, you overgrown ape! I beat you fair and square! I even did a slam dunk!"
Akagi glared. "That and this are two separate things."
He pushed past Sakuragi and turned to Haruko. "This guy is clearly up to no good. He's reckless, doesn't understand the basics of basketball, and lacks any sense of perseverance. As the captain of the basketball club, I have no choice but to refuse his entry."
"You stinking gorilla! I'm not like that!!"
"Enough, Hanamichi!" Mito and the others quickly grabbed the furious Sakuragi before he did something he'd regret.
Seeing the chaos, Akagi snorted and walked over to another student standing calmly at the side.
"You must be Oliver."
"Yes, that's me." Oliver looked up at Akagi with a calm smile.
Whoa… he's huge.
Despite his calm demeanor, Oliver couldn't help but be a little overwhelmed by Akagi's sheer size. He stood nearly two meters tall—easily towering over most people. Even as a former professional in his past life, Oliver rarely came across such physically imposing players in high school.
"I've heard about you from Haruko," Akagi said, looking him up and down. "She said you're mature and steady. But frankly, the fact that you're hanging out with that red-haired idiot makes me question your judgment."
"WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?!"
Sakuragi thrashed around wildly in Mito's grip, but they held him down like a wild animal.
Akagi continued, unfazed. "I can't allow people like you to bring chaos into the basketball club. I'm rejecting your application."
The entire gym fell silent.
"Wait… brother, this isn't fair! Oliver hasn't done anything wrong—"
"Enough, Haruko."
Akagi raised a hand, silencing her.
"After the incident with Miyagi, the basketball club's image is already hanging by a thread. We can't afford to let in people who might cause more trouble."
"Gorilla! That's enough!"
Sakuragi stepped forward, his fierce eyes filled with righteous fury.
"Oliver is my friend. If someone needs to take the blame for this mess, it's me. Don't punish him for something I did!"
"Hanamichi…"
Mito and the others lined up beside Sakuragi, forming a wall between Akagi and Oliver.
"That's right," Mito said. "We won't let anyone badmouth Oliver."
Despite the absurdity of the situation, the loyalty was touching.
Akagi shook his head.
"See? This is exactly what I'm talking about. You're resorting to violence before even trying to solve things like proper athletes. How can I trust people like you in my club?"
He took a step forward, his presence suddenly oppressive.
"No matter what, I won't let you join the club."
The atmosphere grew thick with tension. It felt like a bomb was about to go off.
"Well, well… everyone, calm down."
Oliver's calm voice cut through the tension like a gentle breeze.
"Oliver, you—"
Sakuragi started, but Oliver raised a hand to stop him. He stepped forward, picking up the basketball used during the match and dribbled it twice before cradling it at his waist.
"Captain Akagi," he said, "are you confident in your basketball skills?"
Akagi narrowed his eyes. "Of course I am. What's your point?"
"I don't like yelling or arguing," Oliver said with a smile. "It's exhausting. I prefer to let the game do the talking."
He took a step closer to Akagi, his voice firm.
"As basketball players, we should settle things in the way we know best—on the court."
The crowd held its breath.
Oliver held out the ball.
"1-on-1. If I win, you let me join the team."
No further explanation was necessary.
Akagi looked down at Oliver, evaluating him silently. He had heard about the incredible comeback Oliver led at Heguang Middle School, closing a 30-point gap in just ten minutes and outplaying the infamous Kaede Rukawa.
But standing here now, Oliver didn't look particularly intimidating. He wasn't tall—barely reaching Akagi's shoulder—and his build was lean rather than bulky. If not for the rumors, Akagi would have laughed off the challenge.
Still, part of him was curious. How did this boy—who didn't look like much—pull off such a legendary game?
"Fine. I like that."
Akagi nodded and turned toward the court.
"Let's settle this like basketball players. No more talking."
"Brother…"
Haruko's voice trembled. She looked between the two players as they squared off.
How did things end up this way?
She looked so disappointed. From the beginning, she thought that Oliver, Sakuragi, and her brother would all become close teammates—maybe even friends. But now they were on opposite sides.
"It's okay, Haruko-chan."
Sakuragi smiled and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Don't worry. Oliver will handle this."
Mito and the others stood proudly beside him, nodding in agreement.
"…He won't lose."
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