"We need to go out," Coach Tsugawa finally spoke, his voice calm but firm. "We owe it to our fans. We have to show them our respect."
The locker room was quiet. Silent, heavy, like everyone had left a part of themselves out there on the court.
I sat there, still feeling the throb in my heel. We lost. By one point. One painful, unforgettable point.
Taiga and Aizawa walked up to me, each taking one side. "Come on," Taiga said, half smiling. "Don't make us carry your dramatic ass like a wounded hero."
Aizawa chuckled, though his voice was low. "Hey, you were the hero. Now let's limp out of here like proper warriors."
I stood up—slowly. Every step was an ache, but my heart ached more than anything. We gave everything. We bled, fought, clawed our way through titans and chaos. We made it all the way to the finals. And still… it wasn't enough.
But at least, we could hold our heads high.
Coach Tsugawa stepped ahead and glanced back with a sly grin. "How about we go get some ramen? My treat."
We all blinked.
"Wait... your ramen?" Taiga's eyes lit up like fireworks.
"Niceee!" Aizawa pumped his fist. "Let's drown this loss in shoyu and pork fat."
Even Rikuya, usually the calm one, let out a visible breath of excitement. The 'Buddha' looked more like a starving monk who just got a bowl of salvation.
"Nice ramen," Kaito said from the bench, pale-faced but trying to smile.
The weight lifted slightly. For the first time since the buzzer, someone laughed.
We walked out of the locker room as one.
The court was mostly cleared now, but the fans… they hadn't left.
"Horizon! Horizon! Horizon!"
The chant echoed like a heartbeat.
They were still there. Flags still raised. Voices still calling our name. And leading them—Ayaka. Her eyes were shining, her hands cupped around her mouth as she shouted our name louder than anyone.
Takeshi sensei stood beside her, nodding proudly. Sayaka was waving a Horizon towel like she was a cheerleader.
We stood in a line at the center of the court. Uniforms damp, hearts heavy.
Kaito stood tall and bowed first.
"We're sorry… and thank you for believing in us!"
We bowed in unison, voices echoing across the gym.
Ayaka shouted first, "It's okay! Win next time—we're still here!"
The rest of the fans joined in, cheering us on even through the heartbreak.
Somewhere inside me, something softened.
This wasn't just a team anymore. This was a family.
…
After packing up and resting briefly, we returned to the parking lot.
"My sister wants to come to the ramen shop," Sayaka casually mentioned. "She said she has something to say."
"Ohhhh?" Taiga raised an eyebrow. "Something to say to a certain someone?"
"Sayaka," Aizawa grinned, nudging her, "you better greet your future brother-in-law properly."
I rolled my eyes, but my face was redder than Kaito's sweatband.
"Shut up, guys," I mumbled, pulling my hoodie over my head.
Everyone just laughed louder.
Coach Tsugawa and Rikuya took one of the motorcycles to make room in the car. Somehow—fate or Sayaka's careful planning—I ended up sitting next to Ayaka in the back seat.
The ride was silent at first. Most of the team fell asleep quickly, their heads bobbing like puppets on strings. Only Ayaka and I stayed awake.
"So… how's your foot?" she asked softly.
"Not broken," I replied. "Just a strain. A week or so of rest, maybe two."
She looked relieved. Then it got quiet again.
"You know," she added after a pause, "the tournament's not over yet, right? What happens next?"
I hesitated for a second before answering, trying to sound confident. "We move on to the Kansai Regional Tournament. One team from that qualifies for Nationals in Tokyo."
I added quickly, "Senpai."
She pouted. "Why are you suddenly calling me Senpai?"
Did… did I mess up?
"Uh, I thought you'd be mad if I didn't," I said awkwardly.
She turned away, but I could see her smile.
Before I could get more embarrassed, Coach Takeshi turned his head from the driver's seat. "We're here."
I gave him a glance. Was that a knowing nod? Was he helping me out?
The car rolled to a stop in front of a small, cozy restaurant.
It looked the same as before.
The sign read: "YEAHHHH!!! RAMENNN!!!"
Inside, Coach Tsugawa had already changed into his chef uniform.
"Tonight, order whatever you want. It's on me," he announced. "Three days off. Rest, recover—and eat like warriors."
"YESSSS!" Taiga shouted.
"You sure about that, Coach?" Aizawa laughed. "You're about to go bankrupt feeding us!"
Rikuya gave no comment—just immediately picked up a menu and began scanning for the biggest bowl available.
We dug in like we hadn't eaten in a week.
Flavors exploded in my mouth—rich broth, chewy noodles, perfectly seasoned meat. Each bite healed something inside.
Laughter rang out. Plates clattered. Even Kaito, still pale, cracked jokes and teased Hiroki about his appetite.
It felt like winning.
We finished our meals and gave Chef Tsugawa a collective, "Thank you for the meal!"
He just nodded and waved us off. "Next time, bring a trophy."
We filed into the van again, full and warm.
On the way home, we sang dumb songs, made fun of each other, and shared stories from the tournament.
And then—when I got home—I found something tucked into my bag.
A note.
My heart skipped.
I unfolded it.
It was… an invitation.
A date.
My hands shook.
I stood up so fast I forgot about my heel.
Pain shot up my leg and I collapsed to the floor.
But I was laughing.
So stupidly happy.
So overwhelmingly full of joy.
Maybe we didn't win the trophy tonight.
But I had everything else.