𝐀 𝐋𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭

𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝟿

Seirin lost 87-102. Overall, it was an impressive game and some of the Kaijo regulars were sweating from the effort. Kasamatsu gave a nod of respect to the Seirin coach and captain. His own coach was looking smug, but the newer team had played well enough to keep the regular regulars from running wild. Their miracle, however, was something else.

He had yet to play with Kise on the court before this, but Kasamatsu couldn't help but be impressed. He knew Kise was a prodigy. He had seen the videos of his matches during the recruitment process and he had managed to wrangle the blonde enough to see some of his skill in practice, but the copycat ability did not thrive in any of those scenarios like it had thrived today.

The more frustrated they got Seirin's number ten, the more impressive and challenging moves he used. The more challenging moves he used, the more Kise warmed up. It was like he was playing with a completely different person at the end of the match compared to the first quarter.

"Excuse me, captain, but I'm going to walk Seirin out!"

"Eh? Why are you dressed? We still have to clean up."

Kise shot Kasamatsu one of those mock-innocent faces, tilting his head to match. God, Kasamatsu hated the miracle's model background sometimes. Did he think that his acting was foolproof when he over-exaggerated stupid actions like that?

"Wouldn't it be rude to just let them walk out, though? They did travel all the way here for the practice match!"

With a twitch of his eye, Kasamatsu figured he could work with this. "Then I'll walk them out. You're being presumptuous. You're not forgetting who the captain here is, are you?"

With a jump and frantic waving of his hands, Kise almost complied. However, the blonde also saw the flash of pink in his peripherals and decided to buckle down. He promised he'd crush whoever he needed to and that included pulling the coach's favor against his senpai.

"N-no, Kasamatsu! I just! Coach? Coach! I did a lot in the game, right? The one you wanted me to sit out of originally? You know, because you said I 'was on a whole different level'? It shouldn't be too much of a bother if I walk Seirin out in Kasamtsu's place, right? Right?"

The Kaijo coach gathered himself enough to give the team a parting nod. He wasn't so far gone to refuse recognition to a team with potential and a decent amount of skill when he saw it. The teenage girl being their coach was startling and aggravating at first, but she knew her stuff well enough and he could see the boys on her team were growing well as players. If he didn't have Kise, they might have tied but only might have.

"Do what you want so long as you don't hold us up from locking the gym."

Kise gave a mini fist-pump while Kasamatsu turned towards their coach, a complaint on the tip of his tongue. Before the encounter could draw out too long, Momoi caught the blonde's attention and gestured for him to usher the opposing team out.

Outside, the blonde didn't stop until he had the Seirin players and coach by the Kaijo entrance. "You guys must be hungry. I can treat you all to some food before you leave. We still need to talk about that favor, anyway."

Riko and Hyuga stiffened. He was going to jump right into this? They hadn't even had time to rest from the match and all of them were exhausted! Then again, the miracle didn't even work up a sweat until halfway through the third quarter. And he was offering them food...

Resigned, Riko gave a small nod. "Lead the way, Kise."

With a smile and a skip, the blonde led the large group toward a steak house. Just a little bit of pressure from flaunting his money wouldn't hurt and they had made the practice challenging enough for the miracle to get a little excited. They weren't strong enough for him, but they were enough for Kurokocchi to work with. He still thought it would be better if the light blue boy went somewhere stronger, but the youngest miracle would get upset with him if he tried to strongarm a transfer right now.