They played until a little past 10 p.m. before gradually returning to rest. Inside the guesthouse, Haizaki Shogo stood alone by the window of his room, gazing out at the distant basketball court. Two figures were still there. As expected. It was Aomine Daiki and Kuroko Tetsuya.
Aomine and Kuroko had stayed behind. This island trip had been organized with Aomine sharing a room with Haizaki. That arrangement allowed Satsuki Momoi and Shimizu Rena to room together instead. Now, Haizaki's room was empty.
Aomine was still out there, personally teaching Kuroko how to shoot. No surprise. After their earlier match-ups, Kuroko's shooting ability had been painfully weak. And if anyone here was qualified to fix that flaw, it was Aomine. Not because of kindness, but because Aomine's "unorthodox style" allowed him to understand Kuroko's basketball on a deeper, almost distorted level. Only Aomine could clearly see Kuroko's limitation and the key to breaking through it. Haizaki could probably do it too. So could Kise Ryouta. But neither of them would understand it as deeply as Aomine.
Haizaki watched the faint silhouettes on the court for a while, then turned his gaze toward the ocean. Winter Cup, now that's something worth looking forward to.
=======
The next morning, all eight of them had breakfast together. After touring the island by cart, they eventually split up for free time.
Haizaki walked along the sunlit beach with Shimizu, enjoying the morning sea breeze. "Shogo-kun, guess who planned this whole trip?" she asked.
"Kuroko," Haizaki answered immediately. "No one else has that kind of personality, or patience."
Shimizu blinked in surprise. She had only learned that last night from Momoi, yet Haizaki had guessed instantly. "How did you know?"
"Yesterday's scrimmage. The one who was most serious about it was him. And the only person who could gather Aomine, Midorima, and me together, is Kuroko."
"Then why not the others from the Generation of Miracles?" she asked.
Haizaki shrugged. "We're all in Tokyo. That already makes us the easiest group to assemble." "Plus, I don't get along with Kise. Murasakibara doesn't care about anything like this. And Akashi," he paused slightly, "forget it."
Shimizu tilted her head. "They're all very unusual people, aren't they?"
"Yeah. They are."
Haizaki then changed the topic. "We're alone today. Where do you want to go?"
Shimizu hesitated, then smiled softly. "I like the beach. Let's just stay here."
"Alright." He stepped forward, but then she spoke again, slightly shy. "Shogo-kun, can you carry me?"
He paused. Then turned back. Without a word, he bent slightly. Shimizu climbed onto his back. Her arms wrapped gently around his shoulders. He supported her legs. For a moment, warmth settled between them. Not loud. Not dramatic. Just quiet closeness.
Haizaki walked along the shoreline, sand and seawater brushing under his feet. The earlier awkwardness slowly melted into something calmer, almost peaceful. They talked in soft voices only they could hear.
When they got tired, Haizaki would stop and turn toward the sea. Shimizu would lift her hands slightly, as if waving goodbye to the waves themselves. From a distance, the two figures looked like a single silhouette under the morning sun. Young. Bright. Unbothered.
=======
By afternoon, everyone regrouped. Aomine Daiki returned carrying Momoi on his back. She was unusually energetic, greeting the others from there without getting down. Haizaki and Shimizu exchanged a glance. No words. Just understanding.
Soon after, Midorima, Takao, Kuroko, and Kagami arrived as well. All eight boarded a ferry back to the mainland. At the dock, they parted ways. Different paths. No need to walk together anymore.
That night, Haizaki returned home. He ate dinner with his mother, then went out to walk the dog. At the park, he ran into Dr. Mitsui Jiro, an orthopedic doctor he had met several times before. Their conversations had grown more natural over time. Familiar. Unforced. Mitsui had a certain stubbornness in him. To others, it might look like obsession. But to Haizaki, that kind of focus is a strength.
=========
Back home, Haizaki swam laps in the pool, using butterfly stroke to drain his remaining energy. When he climbed out, his older brother was already there. He held a towel and robe, waiting.
"You're back early," Haizaki said.
"Half an hour ago," his brother replied. "About that thing you asked, there's news."
Haizaki stepped out, taking the towel. "Tell me."
"The team that invited you, Jabberwock, they really are holding an exhibition match."
Haizaki raised an eyebrow. "And?"
"It's also a wager match," his brother continued. "Not illegal. Not a black-market game like you thought. But money is involved behind the scenes."
"So it's legal?"
"Officially, yes. It's treated as an exhibition. It even has international attention. Whatever happens off-court has nothing to do with the sport itself."
Haizaki clicked his tongue lightly. "And the opponent?"
"A youth team from a professional club in Serbia."
Haizaki paused. "A real pro system."
"Exactly."
No wonder. This wasn't just a random invitation. It was something far bigger.
========
Later that night, Haizaki lay in bed. He thought back to Kuroko's island trip. So that's what he was doing, using Aomine, Midorima, and even Haizaki himself as pressure points, to push Kagami forward. At the same time, trying to evolve his own game through Aomine's guidance. Seriously, Kuroko never stops planning.
Then his thoughts shifted again. The Jabberwock match. Foreign players. Professional-level youth teams. Summer's going to be interesting.
He closed his eyes. And fell asleep.