Basketball World War

The final bell echoed throughout the academy.

Kara and Katon waited outside the classroom for Rurouni.

One minute passed.

Then another.

Finally...

Kara decided to leave Rurouni alone.

"...Looks like he's really not coming."

Katon nodded  as he adjusted his glasses.

"Efficient conclusion."

The two headed toward the basketball court.

Since Rurouni hadn't shown up, they decided to forget about him and have a one-on-one match instead.

The rules were simple.

The first one to give up would be the loser.

Kara spun the basketball on one finger.

He looked at the hoop.

"...Easy."

He shot confidently.

The ball flew much harder than he intended.

It slammed into the backboard.

Hit the rim.

Bounced high into the air...

Then somehow...

Dropped perfectly through the basket.

Swish.

Silence.

Both boys stared at the hoop.

Kara blinked and picked up the basket.

"Hey, that wasn't intentional."

Katon watched the entire thing.

"...Calculated."

Kara nearly dropped the basketball from laughing.

"Yo! I'm the one who scored, and you're saying it like it was your plan!"

Katon looked back at the basket.

"...I accept the compliment."

"...No one complimented you, by the way."

Katon walked to the center of the court.

He took a deep breath.

Then shot.

The ball struck the rim...

And bounced straight back into his hands.

Kara laughed, pointing at him.

"Looks like you'll be confessing to a girl tomorrow."

Katon picked up the ball again.

He shot once more.

Swish.

This time, it went in.

He nodded as he adjusted his glasses.

"...Now that you mention it..."

"...You're right."

Kara scratched the back of his head.

What kind of idiot is he?

"Idiot."

"You're supposed to say something cool after making the shot."

Katon picked up the basketball.

"...That doesn't change the fact that you'll most likely win."

"Your stamina is better."

Kara looked genuinely confused.

"Hey."

"I never even showed you my stamina."

"...There wasn't any need."

"I can make a reasonable approximation just by observing you."

The match continued.

Kara attempted a layup.

The ball bounced off the rim.

Then the backboard.

Then somehow...

Hit him on the shoulder.

Katon calmly picked it up.

"...That was impressive."

"...Ouch! I wasn't aiming for myself!"

A few minutes later...

Katon dribbled confidently.

The basketball rolled directly between his own legs.

"..."

"...That never happened."

He quietly picked it back up.

Looks like wearing these glasses isn't good while playing basketball.

"...I'll remember it."

Kara burst into laughter.

"...See?"

"Even you can mess up!"

A little later...

Katon pointed confidently toward the basket.

"...Watch this."

He shot, the ball flew beautifully.

Perfect arc.

Perfect speed.

Perfect accuracy...

Into the wrong basket.

Silence.

Kara slowly pointed behind him.

"...Wrong direction."

Katon turned around.

"...Noted."

I wonder which coffee should I try today.

Another twenty minutes passed.

Eventually...

The two collapsed onto the grass beside the court, trying to catch their breath.

Katon removed his glasses and slipped them into his pocket.

"...I give up."

Kara got shocked like a cat.

"Huh?"

"What?"

"You still have enough stamina left."

Katon stretched lazily.

"...It's more efficient this way."

"I'd rather confess to ten girls than keep playing."

Kara blinked with shock, couldn't believe the words he just said.

W-What?

Is he serious?

"...Really?"

"I didn't know I had such a pro friend."

Katon corrected him immediately.

"...Being a pro has nothing to do with this."

"It's all about choices."

Then looked down at his legs.

"...Either way..."

"I think my legs have officially resigned."

Kara copied and looked his legs too.

"...Yeah."

"Mine filed a complaint halfway through."

"...Probably because you're not even human."

For a brief second...

Kara froze, completely on guard.

...Did he somehow figure out I'm a Monking?

He quietly studied Katon.

No reaction.

No suspicious expression.

...Nah.

...Probably just joking.

So he let the conversation slide.

"Huh."

"You're one to talk."

"I've never met someone who likes efficiency more than you."

Katon answered calmly.

"...True."

"I've also never met someone who gets beaten up by his mother at this age."

"...Huh?"

"How do you know that?"

"...I asked Rurouni."

"He mentioned your famous introduction."

Kara looked at him suspiciously.

"...Hey, Katon."

"You're not a stalker... are you?"

"...No."

"I simply observe things."

Yeah.

He's weird, all right.

The sun slowly began setting.

Before they separated...

Kara reminded him,

"...Don't forget about the bet."

Katon nodded once, very little.

"...I won't."

As Kara walked home...

He sent a short message to the group chat of the three of them, summarizing the entire Basketball World War.

Meanwhile...

Rurouni read the message.

His eyes sparkled with joy.

"What? They actually played without me."

A relieved smile spread across his face.

"...Thank God."

Just then...

A familiar hand rested on his right shoulder.

Rurouni got goosebumps in his entire body.

Somya stood behind him.

Her eyes were closed.

A cold smile rested on her face.

"...Having fun chatting with your girlfriend?"

"When are you planning to introduce her to me?"

"...Who knows."

"I might even help you two become a happy married couple."

Rurouni immediately smiled nervously, even though he nearly had a heart attack.

Let's just agree whatever she says.

It's not like I can win in an argument or a fight with her.

"...Let's...talk about that some other time."

After everything that had happened...

His recent nightmares had completely distorted his imagination.

He genuinely believed saying the wrong thing might get him killed.

Somya gently patted his shoulder.

"...You kept such a big secret from your Onee-chan."

"So... how about saying—

'Onee-chan is the best,' 

'Onee-chan is cute,' 

'Onee-chan is kind,' 

'Onee-chan is gentle,' 

and 'Onee-chan is smart'—

ten times each..."

"...And doing the household chores for another week?"

Normally...

Rurouni would've protested.

Today...

He really didn't have the energy to argue.

"...Anything for you, Onee-chan."

He happily repeated,

"Onee-chan is the best."

Ten times.

Then he prepared to start the chores.

Before he could leave...

Somya grabbed his wrist.

"...Where are you going?"

"You only finished 'Onee-chan is the best.'"

"...What about cute?"

"...Kind?"

"...Gentle?"

"...Smart?"

Rurouni couldn't see any loophole.

All he could see right now...

Is his negligible chances of survival.

Yup.

She's ruthless, all right.

"...Yes, ma'am."

He spent quite a while repeating every single one.

After finishing...

Somya grabbed both of his cheeks like he was still a two-year-old child.

"That's my sweet brother. Do you want me to help you with washing the dishes?"

Rurouni stood up immediately,

Just leave me alone, would you?

"No sister, leave it to me." 

Then...

Somehow, he finished all the household chores without complaining once.

Later that night...

He returned to his room.

Collapsed onto the bed.

"...Yayyyyyyy..."

"...I survived."

But then a thought crossed his mind.

He had to go to school again tomorrow.

But he still hadn't completely recovered from what had happened with Aurelia.

His mind starts playing with him.

What if I collapse tomorrow?

What if tomorrow is my last day?

What if...

His expression became sad again.

Then he remembered all the funny moments with Kara and Katon.

9:37 P.M.

Rurouni decided he should at least tell them how he truly felt.

He opened his phone and wrote a message.

Rurouni:

I really wish tomorrow were a holiday, but I guess these things aren't in our control. I'm not feeling very well right now, so... please come tomorrow, okay?

He sent the message.

Then closed his phone.

For a moment, he simply stared at the ceiling for no reason.

Finally...

A small genuine smile.

"As long as either of those two idiots is there..."

"I think I can survive tomorrow."

And with that...

Rurouni finally fell asleep normally.

At the time of doing something wrong to the ultimate extreme...

Rurouni Rakhora controlled himself.

He wasn't afraid of tomorrow.

At least...

Not yet.