I Died on the Court, Now I'm Back to Rule It

Horizon locker room

Horizon entered the locker room with happy, cheerful faces and a buzz of energy.

"Nice play out there. And nice thinking, Dirga. I didn’t know you were such a bad boy," Coach Tsugawa teased, grinning.

"Well, I am a bad boy, Coach," Dirga replied, doing an awkward, exaggerated "bad boy" face.

Laughter followed.

"Okay, for the third quarter, I’ll let Hiroki play. Rei can take a breather," Tsugawa added.

"Yes, Coach! I’ll make you proud," Hiroki replied sharply, like a soldier snapping to attention.

"Okay, okay—don’t be too tense. We still don’t know what Rakuzan will bring, but we’ll anticipate anything and everything, so stay ready," Coach Tsugawa warned.

"Yes, Coach!" all of us answered in unison.

Dirga knew they would come.

Especially Asahi.