The Kaijou boys were literally embarrassed, none of them brought enough money out! Their plan to treat the girls were ruined by something like that!
In the end, Harumi suggested everyone should go to her place because she lived alone and would like to have a party with them as a celebration on getting to the finals. The boys were a little embarrassed that their original plan went down the drain but they forgot all about it after ordering pizza and some take outs.
At some point, Shiki went to the balcony to look up at the moon, getting some peace and quiet from the noisy inside of Harumi's apartment. This year was a good year, she didn't think there was hope for her to begin with. Perhaps meeting with Kaijou re-shaped her perspective...
"Shiki." Kasamatsu noticed she was missing and he found her out here.
"Hey, how come you're out here?"
"I can be asking the same thing from you too." Kasamatsu took off his jacket and put it over her shoulders to keep her warm from the cold winter night. "Tomorrow will be the deciding moment..."
"Yeah. Tomorrow will be the last time I will hold Aozora on my shoulders as the captain. I will miss it for sure, I love this team and the girls."
"Ah."
"Cheer for me, okay? I will carry your fighting spirit along to the win." As always, when she's aiming for something, she will reach the peak. Kasamatsu liked the way she's always moving forward, she reminded him of the vast sky.
"Don't make it sound like you're the only one carrying it. I am sure your teammates feel the same way too. They also want to win while carrying our fighting spirit."
"Heh, I guess you're right."
"Win, okay? I believe in you."
"So show me." Was it just him or does her sultry smile make it hard for a man to not think properly? She seems to have grown the tendency to tease him and make his heart beat wild whenever she felt like it.
"Eh? Show you...I just told you I believe in you!"
Shiki shook her head and hugged his arm, leaning her head against his own, not caring if she's invading his personal space. "If you think I am satisfied with words of encouragement alone then you really don't know me. I don't remember not being selfish when it comes to you."
"Don't look at me with such a smile..." He looked away with a heavy blush but his eyes will always dart back to look at her again. "Everyone is here...what if they see me kiss you?! I'll get embarrassed!"
"So let them see." She can see the panic on his face and it just urged her to tease him more. "What if I tell you I am an exhibitionist?"
"You are...?"
"Pfft!" It's hard for one to keep a straight face when teasing Kasamatsu.
"You were joking?!"
"You seriously believe everything I say?"
"Stop that..."
"Okay, okay, I'll stop. You are so cute." Shiki kissed him on the cheek, still giggling at how he believed she's an exhibitionist. "What do I get from you if I win, hm?"
"You want something? I can't get you anything expensive..."
"I want a kiss where the Tip Off is done."
"What the?! Tip Off?! That's right at the center of the court! Aren't you pushing it?!"
"I want it right after the match."
"Hey! Listen to people when they are talking! I won't do something so embarrassing!!"
"It's decided already." The grin on her face remained as he spouted out many complaints about her wants. Who said she was not greedy?
When it was getting really late, the boys decided to leave the girls. They promised them that they will watch their match even if the match between Seirin and Rakuzan was over.
"Tomorrow is the last time we will play as a team. Let's play without any regrets. Any questions?" Shiki asked them all.
"Yes, how are you and Kasamatsu-senpai progressing?" Harumi raised her arm to ask the ridiculous question, not fearing Shiki's fist.
"I am curious also!" Fuu jumped in on the bandwagon too while the remaining three sweatdropped.
"I don't see how my progress with Yukio is related to this but we are progressing just fine."
"When is he going to put a baby in you?" Akina's blunt question made her two kouhais blush like a tomato.
"When I tell him not to wear a condom. Moving on! Let's talk about the formation!" Maybe the biggest mystery in this little apartment should be how Akina's blunt question can go on with an answer and without receiving a hit from Shiki...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After watching the Kaijou vs Shutoku match and the Seirin vs Rakuzan match, it was finally the time for the girls to prepare for their match to reach the win.
"Does anyone have anything to say before we head out?" Shiki asked the girls, everyone proudly wearing the jersey that consisted the color of black, white, and gold. "The 1st and 2nd quarter, Fuu will be taking the spotlight. We will overwhelm the other team with Fuu's stamina; Harumi, save your strength until I call for you. I want to save Harumi's Zone so let's widen the gap between the scores and then go for the win!" When Shiki announced the plan, everyone in her team nodded in agreement. "Another thing...let's win for us and for Kaijou!"
Kasamatsu and his team sat within the audience. None of them were complaining in coming in 4th place. After all, it was further than where they went last year.
"There it is, Tsuchi Academy..." Kobori spotted the team wearing a dirty green jersey.
"Those five girls are sisters and I heard they're quintuplets." Moriyama eyed the girls with brown hair and brown eyes. They were all of a tall height like Natsuhi and they all had their hair tied to a low pony tail. They all looked the same and it's their jersey numbers that sort of helped differentiate who was who.
"Th-they look the same..." Kise sweatdropped at the never seen before sight. "I wonder what Harumi-senpai would think about it."
"I'm worried Fuu will make a big deal out of it." Nakamura said to Kise, a little worried about Fuu since she's his dear little kouhai.
"Nakamura-senpai, you need to believe in Fuucchi! She will be fine! Ah! There they are!"
The moment Aozora made their way to the basketball court, Shiki looked into the audience to look at where Kaijou was sat. She raised a fist to them, silently telling each one of them that they will win in their place, they will reach the place they couldn't reach.
"Woah..." Just as Nakamura expected, Fuu was in awe; she never seen quintuplets before.
"Fuu, don't stare." Shiki warned, "It's rude."
"I'm sorry! You have to think it's amazing too, Shiki-senpai!"
"It is a rare sight but that's not the point right now, we need to win. I want you to go all out, okay?"
Fuu knew what Shiki was talking about straight away and she nodded.
"Natsuhi, get the Tip Off straight away." Shiki and the girls lined up and the game will begin!
The ball went up into the air and Natsuhi was unable to get the Tip Off. The girl wearing the number 4 on her hit the ball to one of her sisters.
"Change of plans! On your marks-" Shiki didn't even finish her sentence and the girl wearing the number 10 did a sudden three pointer.
Aozora were not the only ones who were shocked, the Kaijou members were just as shocked! The accuracy of the shooting was on the same level as Midorima Shintarou! Already the other team has gotten 3 points without a sweat.
Fuu got the ball and she didn't let the previous score get to her. She passed the ball to Akina so she can return the favor. Akina was marked but she faked a shot and passed back to Fuyu, who passed the ball back to Shiki. Shiki was able to drive through two markers on her without any problems and she smirked at the fact that they were slow to intercept her. She passed the ball to Natsuhi so she can perform her Half Court Launch.
'No, they got it!' Natsuhi was disappointed that one of the girls got it. The girl with number 6 performed a three pointer and it got in with a clean swish before Fuyu can mark her.
"No way...don't tell me everyone here can shoot from anywhere on the court?" Shiki didn't think they would have to deal with five Shooting Guards at once.
The very quiet quintuplets were all Shooting Guards! They were very good at shooting; any of them can get the ball and shoot for the basket without a problem from anywhere on the court.
As the timer decreased, the score kept increasing for Tsuchi Academy. The crowd were amazed that Aozora, the team that usually pressured their opponents, were now at the mercy of their opponent.
"Each one of them have the same shooting form. No matter who receives the ball, the score will come their way because they never miss." Moriyama looked at Akina, "What are you going to do, Akina? You have a total of five Shooting Guards to deal with. Height-wise, you have already lost..."
"Captain, what shou(l)d they do?!" Hayakawa can see many of Aozora's formations were not working at all against the five sharp shooters. Their height and their defense were good enough to stop Shiki and everyone from scoring.
"Shiki..." Kasamatsu clenched his fist, worried about her situation right in the very first quarter.
There was 3 minutes to the first quarter left and Tsuchi Academy has a grand total of 45 points while Aozora was stuck at zero.
"Why isn't Hakanai-senpai sending in Harumi-senpai?!" Kise can see Harumi from where he was. He can see the look in her eyes was the same as his during Kaijou's match with Seirin.
"It's not that Shiki doesn't want to, she can't. Not yet..." Kasamatsu can tell what Shiki was planning, she's preserving Harumi's strength until the last moment. Harumi's Zone will be needed as their last resort.
"Kasamatsu-senpai, don't worry. I think Fuu has warmed up enough." Nakamura smiled at the young Chinese girl with confidence.
Just after the release of the ball, Fuu intercepted the ball, surprising her tall opponent with her jump. For a small girl, she has a jumping power that amazed many.
Before the ball fell to the floor, Shiki got it and quickly passed it to Akina so she can perform a backwards shot to the basket. Aozora got their first three pointer and everyone cheered for them.
"Fuu..." Nakamura was proud of the young acrobatic girl.
"Woohoo~! First three-pointer! Let's go and kick some ass!" Fuu cheered, not even minding the great gap in score. Fuu felt Shiki ruffle her hair and it made her very happy from the bottom of her heart.
"Good job, Fuu. How many more jumps can you show everyone?"
"Tons!"
"Go wild."
"I will!"
"Akina, good job." Shiki bumped her fist with Akina's.
"Ah. Then, what's the plan?"
"Fuu will intercept the shooting attempts. Natsuhi and Fuyu will be my guidepost."
"We're doing that?" Fuyu asked Shiki, "Isn't it a bit too early for it?"
"No. If we keep it onhold, the gap in scores will increase." Shiki then looked at Harumi, who was holding in the urge to jump into the game. Shiki can tell their Ace wanted to come and turn the game around but she won't allow that just yet.
The first quarter ended just like that. The 2nd was on its way, the quintuplets stepped up on their defense on Fuu. Shiki marked the girl who was holding the ball. The girl from Tsuchi Academy wondered why such a small captain would personally mark her when there's an obvious difference in height.
"Heh..." The girl did a Barrier Jumper. This move would have shocked an ordinary basketball player...
Who said Shiki was normal?
When the girl blinked once and then open her eyes again, Shiki was already in front of her and she hit the ball the moment the girl tried to get into position to shoot.
"...!" The girl was shocked that she couldn't react. When she looked forward, Shiki was already gone. Why did she hit the ball but run off from it?
Natsuhi got the ball and she quickly passed to Fuyu before she ran ahead of her. Fuyu was marked but she managed to pass to Akina, who passed the ball back to Natsuhi again.
"I see. For this formation, Tsuyu and Yukihime are Shiki's guidepost. They will be responsible for guiding the ball to Shiki." Kasamatsu explained to his team. "Tsuchi Academy's team are strong when it comes to shooting but if you looked at how Shiki was able to drive past them earlier, they are slow."
"I see, you are saying Shiki will use the speed of passing the ball to distant the ball from the opponent." Kasamatsu nodded at Kobori's answer.
"She is a very fast player. Of course she would expect her team to be able to pass the ball at a high speed. Look,"
The ball that's being passed between Natsuhi and Fuyu were too fast for the quintuplets. The ball will either make it to Shiki, who will perform lay-ups, or to Akina who will be responsible for three-pointers.
"The guideposts will lead to two routes...or a third route." Kasamatsu can see Fuyu about to pass but she did a drive and performed a dunk. "Will the guideposts guide the ball to the players? Or will they break from their post and score by themselves?" Kasamatsu looked at Shiki with pride, 'You really are one heck of a woman, Shiki...you've come up with such battle plan such as this even when the odds are against you.'
Little by little, the gap started to decrease...