Scene 1: The Reporter's Secret
The old wooden floorboards creaked under Yuki's careful footsteps as she slipped into her father's private study—a room strictly off-limits since her childhood. The stale scent of aged paper and ink filled the air as she clicked on the dim desk lamp, its yellow glow illuminating the dust particles floating in the stale air.
Her fingers trailed along the rows of filing cabinets before stopping at one marked "Tachibana Case - 2005."
"Why would Dad have a file on Kenji's father...?"
With bated breath, she pulled it open. Inside lay a collection of documents that made her blood run cold:
- An unpublished newspaper article with the bold, red-inked headline: "STREETBALL LEGEND'S 'ACCIDENT' WAS A HIT-AND-RUN - POLICE REPORT FALSIFIED."
- Crime scene photos of Sora Tachibana's mangled car, the windshield shattered in a spiderweb pattern from the inside.
- Handwritten notes detailing illegal underground gambling rings operated by the Kurogane family, with a circled entry: "Sora Tachibana - 50M yen debt. Eliminated per order."
Yuki's hands trembled as she pieced it together—Kenji's father had been murdered. And the Kurogane heir wasn't just tormenting Kenji out of spite... it was a generational vendetta.
The sudden SLAM of the front door downstairs made her jump.
"Yuki? You home?" Her father's voice echoed up the staircase.
Heart pounding, she hastily stuffed the documents into her schoolbag just as heavy footsteps approached the study door. The doorknob turned—
Click.
Yuki dove behind the curtains just in time as her father entered, his sharp journalist's eyes scanning the room suspiciously. For a terrifying moment, his gaze lingered on the slightly ajar filing cabinet...
Then, with a sigh, he left, shutting the door behind him.
Yuki exhaled shakily, gripping the damning evidence tighter. She had to tell Kenji.
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Scene 2: Rising Stars
The next morning, the Shinwa High gymnasium buzzed with energy as Akira burst through the doors, waving a sheet of paper triumphantly.
"We did it, idiots! Sweet 16!"
The team crowded around as he slapped the official tournamentbracket onto the bench, their school's name now boldly printed among the elite.
"And that's not all," Daichi added, grinning. "The school's finally giving us proper funding. New jerseys, shoes—the works!"
Jiro, ever the cynic, tossed a thick, embossedinvitation onto the pile with a smirk.
"Oh, and we've been cordially invited to the Kurogane Foundation's All-Tokyo Basketball Gala." He made a mock bow. "How fancy."
Haru adjusted his glasses, already pulling up data on his tablet. "Statistically, 89% of athletes who attend this event receive scholarship offers. However..." He hesitated. "70% of those sign exclusively with Kurogane Sports Agency afterward."
Kenji's stomach dropped as his fingers traced the Kurogane family crest embossed on the invitation. This was a trap.
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Scene 3: The Gala Trap
Kurogane Tower loomed over Tokyo like a monolith of glass and steel, its interior dripping with opulence. Crystal chandeliers cast shimmering reflections over the sea of elite athletes and scouts, the air thick with the clinking of champagne flutes and false pleasantries.
Kenji stood stiffly in his rented tuxedo, eyes scanning the crowd for any sign of the heir.
"Looking for me, *Tachibana*?"
The smooth voice sent a chill down his spine. He turned to face Kaito Kurogane for the first time—tall, impeccably dressed, with cold, calculating eyes that mirrored Kenji's own.
"Why go through all this trouble?" Kenji demanded, keeping his voice low. "Why target me?"
Kaito swirled his drink, unfazed. "You still don't understand, do you? This was never just about you." He leaned closer, his breath hot against Kenji's ear. "It's about erasingyourfather'slegacy—down to the last dribble."
Before Kenji could respond, the lights dimmed, and a hush fell over the crowd as Kaito took the stage.
"Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce Ryusei High's newest recruit—a player who needs no introduction!"
The spotlight shifted to reveal a muscular figure stepping into view.
"Renjiro 'The Chainsaw' Hoshino!"
Kenji heard Akira's glass shatter on the floor behind him.
There, clad in Ryusei's colors, stood Akira's former teammate and rival—the one who'd vanished from Shinwa a year ago after a bitter fallout.
Renjiro's smirk was razor-sharp as he locked eyes with Akira across the room. "Miss me, Captain?"
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