Shuzo Nijimura

At that moment, Shiro and Momoi exchanged glances, sharing a knowing smile — they had both guessed who this person might be.

Shiro took Momoi's hand, and they walked onto the court, heading toward the man.

The crowd immediately noticed them, their faces filled with curiosity. This court was frequented by familiar faces, so the sudden appearance of two strangers was quite unexpected.

"Captain!" Shiro called out in Japanese, though nearly no one present understood what he said.

The man shooting hoops froze for a moment, then turned his head with a look of pleasant surprise. "Shiro!"

"Captain Nijimura!" Momoi couldn't help but shout as well.

Nijimura quickly dropped the basketball and ran toward them. "What are you two doing here?" he asked, visibly astonished.

"We're visiting New York on vacation" Shiro replied with a small smile. "We were just looking for a place to play basketball, never thought we'd run into you!"

"Hey, Nijimura, are you playing or not?" a tall, dark-skinned man impatiently asked in English. The game was on hold as the players waited for Nijimura, who had yet to return to the court.

"OK, OK, just a moment!" Nijimura replied with a laugh before turning to the others. "Can my friend join us?" he asked, draping an arm over Shiro's shoulder. He grinned and added boastfully, "He's even better than me!"

At this, everyone turned their gaze toward Shiro, sizing up the white-haired young man. He was undeniably striking, his sharp looks catching more than a few eyes. However, skepticism lingered. The locals were well aware of Nijimura's exceptional skills — if this newcomer was supposed to be better, they'd need proof.

"Fine, I could use a break anyway" said one of Nijimura's teammates, a burly black player, stepping off the court. He seemed just as curious to see if Shiro could live up to the hype.

"Thanks!" Shiro nodded politely at the man, then joined Nijimura on the court.

"There aren't many rules here" Nijimura explained. "It's just a regular 5-on-5 full-court game. The pace is intense, and we play to seven points. But knowing you, I'm sure you'll handle it."

Shiro nodded, his eyes glinting with confidence. "I'll give it my all!"

The whistle blew, and the game began. Shiro's team wasted no time. A smaller player on his team quickly dribbled past half-court and passed the ball cleanly to Shiro.

The other players spread out, giving Shiro space. They were eager to see what this newcomer could do.

Defending him was a towering, muscular player whose sharp gaze fixed on Shiro's every move. He clearly didn't want to be embarrassed in front of the crowd.

Spreading his arms wide, the defender stood like a wall, blocking Shiro's path to the hoop.

Shiro remained calm, retreating a few steps before stopping three strides behind the three-point line. Misreading Shiro's intentions, the defender braced himself for a potential drive to the basket, staying alert near the arc.

But to everyone's surprise, Shiro suddenly pulled up and shot a deep three-pointer with fluid precision.

The ball sailed gracefully through the air and swished through the net, the sound crisp and satisfying.

"Wow!"

"That's insane!"

Shiro's teammates rushed over, high-fiving him in celebration.

It was an open shot, but what made it remarkable was the distance — three steps beyond the three-point line. And he nailed it on his first attempt.

Even NBA players don't consistently hit shots from that range, so Shiro's effortless three-pointer was nothing short of extraordinary.

"You're amazing, Shiro!" Momoi cheered from the sidelines, clapping enthusiastically. Shiro smiled and made a heart gesture toward her, drawing playful groans from the single players nearby.

"Still as accurate as ever!" Nijimura grinned broadly, clearly impressed.

Shiro chuckled. "It's nothing special. The others have gotten even better. This year, we shut out our opponents in the finals"

"Seriously?" Nijimura's eyes widened in disbelief. Shutting out a team in the finals? That kind of dominance was almost unheard of.

Before Nijimura could process it further, the opposing team launched into a new offensive play. But Shiro swiftly intercepted the ball, dribbled downcourt, and soared from the free-throw line for a dunk. The sequence was so smooth and explosive that the onlookers were left speechless.

Throughout the game, Shiro continued to display his exceptional skills, dominating on both ends of the court. His teammates couldn't help but marvel at his near-flawless performance, while the opponents struggled to keep up.

After the game, Shiro and Nijimura grabbed water bottles Momoi had bought for them. As they rested, Nijimura looked at Shiro with a mix of pride and nostalgia.

"Time really flies" Nijimura said, his voice tinged with emotion. "You've grown so much since those days when you'd just follow behind, calling me 'Captain'. And now, you're this strong."

To be honest, Nijimura had felt a twinge of bitterness when he heard about Teiko's three-peat. If he had stayed in Japan, he might've had the chance to compete for even greater glory.

But life had other plans. He had to stay in the U.S. to care for his ailing father, sacrificing his basketball dreams. Now, seeing his father's health stabilize, Nijimura felt it had all been worth it.

Shiro smiled wistfully. "It's been over a year since you left, huh? I still think about the times we played together."

Suddenly, a thought struck Shiro. His expression turned serious, and he blurted out, "Nijimura, why don't you come back and play basketball with me?