And One

08. Sweet Revenge

October 16, 2020

A cool Friday evening at Shiketsu High School, the location of today's highly anticipated game between the Shiketsu Knights and the Yuuei Bullets, going head-to-head for the first time since Yuuei's disappointing loss in Game 6 of the 2020 Finals. For Shiketsu, it was just their second game of the regular season. For Yuuei, this was a game they had waited all summer for. This was the game they had practiced for. This was the game they had to win and that's no disrespect to the other six teams in the league, but Yuuei wanted their revenge and tonight was their chance to get that revenge.

Out of all of the Yuuei Bullets, the one player that had been waiting for this and wanting this the most. That one player was the one who had a chance to force a Game 7 and keep Yuuei alive in the Finals. That one player was Shouto Todoroki. He'd be lying if he said there was a night he didn't think about how he let his entire team down against what he considered an annoying Shiketsu team. He couldn't stand the cocky grins on their faces every time they just ran around the damn arc and chucked up a three that somehow went in eighty percent of the time. Yoarashi and Shishikura especially. Mora wasn't too bad off the court, but on the court he was just the most annoying piece of shit. He always complained to the referee about everything and he was just downright dirty at times. Todoroki knew how many people related to him with his opinion. It was him, his teammates, many of his close friends, and especially other teams. Shiketsu High was respected but not very well-liked so Todoroki was determined to shut their loud mouths up by having an unbelievable game.

Todoroki was usually a very reserved person. He did not like to share his feelings with his teammates nor his coach nor anyone. He was happy to make an exception for one person. That person happened to be his girlfriend, Momo Yaoyorozu.

"You've been staring into nothingness for the last five minutes, Shouto," Momo said, snapping Todoroki out of his deep thoughts. "Are you okay? Are you nervous?"

Todoroki looked over at his beautiful girlfriend. She was wearing a white jersey that he had gifted her a few days ago; his jersey, complete with his last name and his number fifteen. She looked good in it and Todoroki blushed at the thought that she could possibly have that last name in the future if things went right. Momo Todoroki certainly didn't have a bad ring to it. He smiled at the thought, causing Momo to giggle.

"And now you're smiling? What's going on with you, silly?"

Todoroki wrapped his left arm around Momo and brought her closer to himself, giggling along with her. He hummed as he rested his head on top of hers and Momo rested her head on Todoroki's shoulder.

"I'm fine, babe," Todoroki breathed out. "Just a little excited. You know how long I've been waiting for this."

"I do know how long you've been waiting, though I wasn't exactly there for you the entire time. I wish I was, however."

"I'm sure you do," Todoroki said as he kissed the top of his girlfriend's head, not having a care in the world how many people were staring at them. All that mattered was that he was holding his girlfriend in his arms and it was giving him a level of comfort he hadn't felt in a long time.

"You can do this, Shouto. I believe in you."

"How many points do you think I'll score tonight?"

"Hmmm..." Momo looked down at the jersey she was wearing, the number 15 appearing to be upside down from her perspective. "Twenty-one."

"Twenty one, huh?" Todoroki chuckled as he nuzzled against Momo's head and sniffed her hair before kissing her. He always loved the sweet smell of her hair and it just drew him to her so easily. It was a smell he had become accustomed to and he was looking forward to smelling it before every game and after every game.  "I'll shoot for twenty one then. What if I get more than twenty one points?"