Chapter 29: The final
Saturday's victory had felt like a dream—one earned through blood, sweat, and sacrifice. But now, that dream had a shadow.
The sun rose on Sunday morning. The Spring Tournament Final loomed just hours ahead.
And we were wounded.
The semifinals had pushed us beyond our limits. Our bodies ached, and our spirits—though high—were frayed at the edges. But worse than the bruises and fatigue was the news that followed the final buzzer.
Kaito—our captain, our compass—collapsed after the game.
None of us saw it coming. One moment he was grinning, high-fiving Rei, nodding calmly at Coach. The next, he was on his knees, struggling to breathe.
The gym fell silent as medics rushed in.
We stood in shock.
They said it was his heart.
Nothing life-threatening, not yet. But enough for the doctors to pull him from the court. Enough to move him straight to a hospital for tests. And enough for us to realize that, no matter how close we were to the championship... Kaito might not return.
We gathered that morning in the gym.