A thick silence hung in the air like a fog that refused to lift.
Then, a sharp electronic buzz pierced through the quiet, signaling the end of the third quarter.
All movement seemed to pause for a moment. Takahashi and Sotomura turned their heads in sync, their gazes locking onto Kouhei. Neither of them said a word, but their expressions said it all—they hadn't expected that. Not from him.
From the beginning, Takahashi had no faith in Kouhei's ability to do anything meaningful on the court. The only reason he'd even passed the ball to him was pure desperation, a final, reckless gamble when there was nothing else left. Hope hadn't factored into the equation. And Sotomura? He didn't even consider Kouhei as someone worth defending seriously. He had brushed him off entirely—until that shot.
A three-pointer.
Perfect form. Smooth execution. Clean release.
And it landed.
