With a commanding lead in the score, Meikō's team burst into cheers, and the crowd joined in, sharing their excitement.
Noticing the despondent looks on their opponents' faces, Meikō's players, still frsutrated by Hibiya's dirty tricks, couldn't resist taunting them, prompting a warning from the ref.
Assistant Coach Makiyama, looking weary, scolded them for their excessive behaviour.
Hikki, amused by it all, shook his head slightly.
Once the formalities were done, they were given the green light to leave the gymnasium.
"What's the plan for after this?" Fujiwara asked, his voice carrying across the team.
Kazama rubbed his chin thoughtfully for a moment before answering, "I know a budget friendly okonomiyaki place nearby. How about we head there?"
Hikki recognised the neighbourhood and remembered that his family had a restaurant nearby.
"I also know a nice spot. How about some A5 Wagyu?" Hikki suggested. The rest of the team immediately shook their heads in response, declining the offer.
Kazama stated, "I can't swing those pricey joints with my allowance."
He demonstrated this by displaying his empty wallet. Fujiwara offered him a sympathetic pat on the back.
Hikki grinned, "No worries guys. It's my treat."
"Really?" The team exclaimed in surprise and delight.
Kazama, still in disbelief, clapped a hand on Hikigaya's shoulder. "How deep are your pockets, man? You're not secretly a millionaire, are you?"
Hikki shook his head at this with a smirk on his lips.
"That question gives me a pause. I haven't really considered the specifics of my pocket money before. When you reach a certain level of wealth, the exact amount becomes irrelevant as everything becomes free to me." As he said this, the team looked at the freshman with wide eyes.
Ryou finished off his talk, "I'm not exactly sure about the amount. But we don't need to worry about the bill, as there won't be a bill to pay."
"Why won't there be a bill to pay?" It was Noboru who asked this question, though everyone felt as if they already predicted the answer.
And as expected, Hikki dropped the bombshell, "Because my family owns the place..."
"..."
The gymnasium fell into a stunned silence.
"...Hikigaya, can you adopt me?" Takaheshi asked with a bloodshot eye, his request met by a playful smack from Kazama, the latter jokingly claiming he should be the one to get adopted.
The team laughed at this banter, and Hikki shook his head in amusement.
Then, he suddenly felt the urge and asked his teammates to proceed as he needed to use the restroom. They all nodded and eagerly headed towards the destination.
Ryouta encountered an unexpected individual inside the rest room, apparently there for the same reason.
"Huh? Well, look who's here, the freshman who bested us. Congratulations on the win."
Ryou glanced over at the guy, surprised to see him here, of all places.
"Just mind your own business, Hanamiya."
Hikki shook his head as he continued his business, clearly uninterested in engaging conversation with Hanamiya.
Hanamiya, however, persisted, his words trailing after Hikki.
