Laid-Back Life in Tokyo: I Really Didn't Want to Work Hard
Chapter 213 - 187: July Athletic Festival (4)

Chapter 213: Chapter 187: July Athletic Festival (4)

Bang, bang, bang...

The glossy tan floor of the indoor gym echoed with the sound of a basketball bouncing, mingling with the squeak of sneakers and the alternating shadows of players in basketball jerseys.

Even the spacious Kamigoe Gymnasium was finally filled with people during this sports festival.

Speaking of basketball, it’s definitely one of those activities for the popular crowd at school.

For Tsubokawa Takahiro, who only likes playing video games,

he would never watch the games, play them, or even be interested.

Kyujuu Rika, donning the standard black sailor uniform of Kamigoe, sat in the audience, gazing at the school rivalry match below.

But as the class president, with male classmates participating, she had to come and watch.

Haneda Kimu sat in the seat reserved next to her, peering towards the resting court: "Ours hasn’t started yet, right."

"It’s next," Kyujuu Rika replied.

Haneda Kimu looked around, not spotting Uesugi Sakura: "It’s definitely settled, right?"

Kyujuu Rika held her forehead, helplessly saying: "There’s nothing we can do, besides Murakoshi from our class, only Uesugi looks like someone who can play basketball."

Murakoshi was previously the heartless scumbag with a wandering eye.

However, because he recently became obsessed with basketball, stopped dating, and his reputation had almost been polished smooth.

"What about Yafuji, Moritaku?" Haneda Kimu asked softly.

Kyujuu Rika shook her head even more helplessly: "They ran away."

The two of them were the only other guys in the class with the physical ability to play basketball.

The others were either bookish scholars or lazy homebodies.

Haneda Kimu put on a professional woman’s smile: "Haha, I figured."

After all, just like Tsubokawa, they were also members of the Uniform Research Department.

The first rule of the department: No participation in popular activities.

"By the way, is Uesugi okay with the match? I remember he least likes participating in these sports activities."

"When Murakoshi went to the hospital, he did ask me to find Uesugi." Kyujuu Rika recalled the serious expression Murakoshi Kojiro had before leaving.

He said Uesugi had to replace him and represent the class in the competition.

Kyujuu Rika remembered some instances from when they met: "It seems like Murakoshi had always been inviting Uesugi to join the basketball club, but he kept refusing."

Haneda Kimu clasped her feet in black high heels together: "The district representative team members have no objections, right?"

Kyujuu Rika glanced at Uesugi Sakura, already donning the No. 5 jersey in the venue:

"In such a hurry, they didn’t have any better options, after all, Uesugi was also strongly recommended by Murakoshi."

————————

The waxed basketball court is even shinier than during PE classes.

—— This was Uesugi Sakura’s first thought as the referee guided him onto the court.

He was now standing as the last member of their school team.

To be honest, Uesugi Sakura didn’t know how to play basketball, nor had he ever played it.

As a result, the other four team members were quite discontent with him being on the court.

However, their P.E. teacher—now the basketball team coach, made a temporary decision after giving him a look.

[You all, play around Uesugi]

The power forward was responsible for seizing the ball, the center for positioning and covering, the small forward acting when the time was right...

In short, just throw the ball to Uesugi and make sure he doesn’t get blocked.

Hoshin High Private International Academy vs Kanzaki Togoshi Private High School

Hoshin International Academy, as the name suggests, had foreigners.

The five players on their team—two Africans, two Americans, and one Spaniard.

Seeing their team, you’d think it wasn’t a Tokyo high school match; no one would believe it.

A Japanese high school team with not even a single local Japanese, it was quite peculiar.

On the basketball court.

Uesugi Sakura was the least conspicuous among the ten players on the court, except for his looks.

After all, they were significantly taller than him, and referees wouldn’t give you extra points for being handsome.

On the basketball court, dunking for points is the key.

"Are you sure you’re okay?" The burly power forward Ookubo Fumataro turned and asked Uesugi Sakura, who was wearing the No. 5 jersey, in a low voice.

He was a third-year senior and had always been the main player of the school basketball team.

In national tournaments, snatching the ball from opponents eight times in a game was a testament to his skill.

"I don’t know how to play basketball," Uesugi Sakura said in a normal tone.

"Then why did Coach Tachibana recommend you so strongly? Murakoshi too."

Ookubo Fumataro recalled what their school team coach, Coach Tachibana, had told them.

"Is your shooting really that amazing?"

Uesugi Sakura shrugged; he didn’t even want to come to this match.

The other three team members gathered around, no longer displaying their previous dissatisfaction.

"Just do your best, the opponent is Hoshin, I’m not holding out much hope anyway."

"Our school team might not be top-notch, but we can’t lose too badly, right?" another player said.

"Let’s have Uesugi try a shot later and see, if it doesn’t work out, we still have substitute players."

"Wait a minute!"

Uesugi Sakura raised his eyebrows, quickly stopping their conversation.

He realized a blind spot he’d overlooked all along.

"You have substitute players yet you still called me on the court?"

Previously, Kyujuu Rika, the class president, hadn’t mentioned this to him.

Center, Takamoto Minoru:

"We didn’t want to either, but Murakoshi, that twisted-footed guy insisted, and Coach Tachibana agreed, so we had no choice but to let you try."

Small forward, Chiyo Uemon:

"Don’t worry, even if we’re a bit dissatisfied with you on the court, a match is a match; the real goal is to take down those foreigners!"