MTLNOVEL Chapter 105: Angry
"Who are those people with you, Kuroko?" Hyuga leaned in close to Kuroko, whispering curiously.
"She was our middle school basketball team manager" Kuroko replied, glancing at Momoi.
The members of Seirin turned their eyes toward Momoi. Her striking appearance left them stunned, as if they'd never seen anyone so captivating before.
Dressed in a white blouse and a black skirt, her long, elegant legs stood out, complemented by black heels. Her radiant smile and graceful demeanor enhanced her natural beauty, leaving everyone momentarily entranced.
"That white-haired guy is Shiro, her boyfriend" Kuroko added, quickly snapping his teammates out of their reverie. Disappointment was evident on their faces.
"Man, just when I thought we'd finally met someone even more dazzling than coach, turns out she's taken" someone muttered under their breath.
"What did you say!" When Riko heard this, she clenched her slender hands and looked at the person who had just said this viciously.
"N-nothing! I was just joking!" the unfortunate player stammered, shrinking under her menacing gaze.
"Say that again, and I'll make sure you regret it" Riko warned, her voice icy.
"And that's Nijimura. He was our team captain in middle school" Kuroko continued.
After introductions, everyone exchanged polite greetings. Kise then led the group to the basketball gym.
"Here it is!" Kise led everyone into the basketball hall.
Seirin's team stepped onto the court while Shiro and the others settled in the stands to watch.
The gym was split into two half-courts. One side was bustling with players engaged in training, while the other was ready for the practice match.
"Only using half the court?" Riko asked, her brows furrowed. "And the other side is still training?"
As Seirin entered, an overweight coach holding a clipboard greeted them. "Ah, you've arrived. Hello, I'm Genta Takeuchi, Kaijo's coach."
The coach's eyes scanned the group, pausing in confusion at Riko. "And who's your coach?"
"That would be me" Riko said with a smile.
"You?" Takeuchi's jaw dropped. He pointed at her, incredulous. "You're the coach? Not the manager?"
Takeuchi's disappointment was almost palpable. He had expected a more "serious" coach, not a high school girl.
"I'm coach Riko Aida. Nice to meet you!" Riko responded with a bow, maintaining her composure despite his reaction.
Her gaze shifted to the half-court still in use. "What about that side?"
"Oh, those are the players who aren't part of today's game. No need for them to watch — it wouldn't teach them much anyway" Takeuchi said nonchalantly. "And to save time, we let them continue their usual training."
He added, almost dismissively, "By the way, our starting lineup will play against you. But let's try to avoid any embarrassing blowouts, like a triple-digit score difference, okay?"
With that, Takeuchi waved them off and walked away.
Riko's temples throbbed with anger, and a visible vein popped on her forehead. Her expression darkened, and she exuded an almost fiery aura.
Seirin's players, too, wore grim expressions, their glares sharp enough to pierce through steel.
Shiro, who was sitting in the audience, raised his mouth slightly and couldn't help laughing. He secretly sighed in his heart that the tension between the two sides was so strong before the game started. It was really exciting.
Nijimura, who was standing aside, also noticed the tense atmosphere on the field. He smiled and said, "Now I am looking forward to it more and more" Obviously, he was also very interested in the upcoming fierce battle.
Kawamura also smiled. Although he didn't say anything, the expectation and curiosity in his eyes showed that he also had a strong interest in this game.
Turning his gaze to the sidelines, Takeuchi Genta looked at Kise who had changed into his jersey and was about to play, and shouted, "Kise! Why are you wearing your uniform? I said you're not playing today! You're our ace player — we can't risk you in a scrimmage!"
Kise was embarrassed by the coach's flattery. He quickly smiled bitterly and waved his hands, trying to stop the coach from continuing, "Coach, stop talking, please don't use that kind of talk!"
Takeuchi waved him off. "If I let you play, it wouldn't even be a match."
This comment didn't sit well with Kagami, whose sharp gaze locked onto Takeuchi. He clenched his fists, his competitive spirit flaring.
"Sorry about that" Kise apologized to Seirin, his expression sincere. "But don't worry — I'll be on the bench. If you play well enough to impress Coach, maybe I'll get subbed in."
He flashed a confident grin. "After all, if you can't even force me to play, what chance do you have against the Generation of Miracles?"
As Takeuchi signaled for Seirin to head to the locker room, Kuroko calmly added, "Don't bother getting too comfortable on the bench. You'll be subbed in soon enough."
In the stands, Momoi pouted. "Shiro, Kaijo's coach is so irritating!"
"That's normal. After all, the basketball team of Seirin has only been established for two years, and we haven't heard of any strong people joining here, so it's normal for the other side to underestimate the opponent" Shiro smiled, then stretched out his hand to rub Momoi's hair and explained to her carefully.
Momoi nodded after listening, indicating that she understood, but still couldn't help muttering in a low voice "But their attitude is too arrogant..."
A sharp whistle suddenly echoed across the gym. The referee stood at center court, blowing into his whistle and announcing loudly:
"The scrimmage between Seirin and Kaijo is about to begin!"