Chapter 348 - Glorious Fanfare
(1)
"Ah, Katagiri-kun, you came. I've been waiting."
A staff member from the Japanese national team was waiting at Haneda Airport.
Toya-kun headed straight to the athletes' village from there.
I was taken by Yukari-san and the others to the hotel.
The hotel room was for three people.
After putting down our luggage, we went to eat dinner.
An Italian restaurant recommended by Yukari-san.
"How's Toya-kun doing?"
"He's fine. What about Aida-kun?"
And so it started with updates on each other's boyfriends.
We were having girl talk over dinner, but...
"Hey, Airi. I've been wondering about something."
"What is it?"
"Why is Toya-kun studying so seriously? There are plenty of teams reaching out to him, right?"
Yukari-san pressed the issue.
Ugh...
"I heard from Ai-chan too. Apparently there are scouts from the NBA too. She was asked if he's decided which team to sign with," Yui-san also asked.
This is troublesome.
I answered.
"I think he'll give an answer once the Olympics are over. Please let him concentrate until then."
"…Airi, you know the answer, don't you?"
"Mm…"
"Well, tell us when it's over."
They both said to me with smiles.
Those smiles hurt, though…
Even after we finished eating, their topic was still Toya-kun.
What will he do in the future?
They seemed worried about that.
Then what about their boyfriends?
I asked.
"I heard Aya is joining the B.League."
"Ai-chan seems to be struggling. Whether to go with the NBA or return to Japan."
Both of them live for basketball.
"Is Toya-kun different?"
They asked.
I hesitated to answer.
"It seems the offers are definitely coming in. Maybe he's struggling with which team to go to?"
"Airi is lucky, you know. If it's the NBA, the salary will be huge too. You'll become rich overnight."
"Isn't that the same for both of you?"
"That's true~"
"Oh, right. There's somewhere I need to stop before we go back to the hotel, Airi."
"Huh?"
They took me to the station.
"Buy some electronic money. Tomorrow we'll mainly be moving by train, so it'll be tough."
"I'm fine with that. I can use the one I bought back home."
"Don't forget to charge it. If we have to buy tickets, we'll run out of time."
"Got it~"
I charged a little bit.
We bought alcohol at a convenience store and had a pre-celebration at the hotel.
I kept it moderate.
If I accidentally let something slip, it would be a disaster.
"I heard it starts from tomorrow afternoon, so we can take it easy."
"And the venue isn't that far away either."
I spent the night listening to that kind of talk.
(2)
"What a coincidence, meeting you in a place like this."
It was Oki, a player from the Japanese national soccer team.
There were a few others with him.
"Ah, let me introduce you. These are the national soccer team players."
When Oki introduced them, a tall player said.
"Oh, so this is the Katagiri who ran away from soccer?"
Are national team players always this arrogant?
Well, I guess it's nothing to worry about.
"Yep, so that has nothing to do with you guys. See ya."
I said that and left.
"Katagiri-san! Can I have your autograph? I'm from the women's basketball team…"
After that, I was asked for autographs by various athletes, from the women's soccer team to swimmers.
By the way, I didn't accept any.
If Airi found out, she'd sulk again.
"It's tough being popular."
Seijin said.
"I just want to focus on eating."
"This might be a good environment for you, actually."
Seijin laughed.
"But you're pretty relaxed. I can't believe you delayed your arrival here until right before the games just because of exams."
Yuichiro said.
"I want to get some qualifications and stuff."
"What are you going to do with those? You could go pro, right?"
"Haven't the scouts come? Want me to introduce you?"
Yuichiro and Seijin said.
"They've come, they've come."
"I don't get you at all. What you're doing."
What Yuichiro said was only reasonable.
"It's insurance. In case I fail as a pro."
I lied.
"I'd rather use that time to practice."
Yuichiro said.
"Speaking of that, I heard something too."
Kazuto came over.
"Toya, I heard you turned down an offer from an NBA team? I heard it from an acquaintance."
The story had spread that far.
"I didn't turn it down. I just asked them to wait because I want to focus on the Olympics for now."
"Wouldn't it be easier to focus if your future was decided?"
"There are a lot of things to think about, you know? I wanted to concentrate on the Olympics more than that."
"I see…"
"But Toya, I also heard a rumor…"
Even Aya came.
"Is it true you already have an unofficial job offer?"
Whoa, he touched on the thing I wanted to avoid the most.
The four of them looked at me.
"Don't your actions contradict each other? You refused a contract saying you want to focus on the Olympics, but you have an unofficial offer."
Yuichiro pressed.
"I heard that the unofficial offer had to be decided by June or it would be a pain later."
"So you have a job lined up?"
Kazuto asked.
"…It's insurance. Whether I can really make it as a pro depends on the results of the Olympics, right?"
"I thought you could make a living in the B.League."
Aya said with a laugh.
Has he caught on?
"How long are you going to keep eating? Hurry up and rest. We have adjustments in the morning and then the game."
The coach came.
We ate quickly and went to our room.
Starting tomorrow, huh…
Oh, I have to call Airi.
I call Airi.
"Toya-kun?"
"Yeah, were you sleeping, Airi?"
"No, the three of us are still making noise."
"Is it okay now?"
"Yeah, I left the room. Hey, what should we do? Toya-kun."
"What's wrong?"
I heard the situation from Airi.
Apparently she was being asked about my future plans too.
"Tell them I'll talk about it after the Olympics."
"Mm, that's what I'm saying."
"It seems to start tomorrow afternoon."
"I heard."
"Be careful, don't get lost, okay?"
"I'll be fine. I have two guides with me."
"Then you should be okay. Well, see you tomorrow."
"Do your best, Toya-kun."
"Thank you."
"See you."
The call ended.
I took a shower and lay down on the bed.
I can't lose a single game. I'm starting to get nervous.
(3)
"Well, good work on the first semester, everyone~"
I took the lead and the party began.
"It finally starts tomorrow."
Manabe-kun said.
"Toya-senpai has got it in the bag. Easy win."
Haruto said.
"Pride comes before a fall."
Shiratori-san said.
Everyone was worried about Toya.
Can he really win the gold medal?
I said.
"All we can do is support him. It's the path he chose himself."
I said that and drank beer.
"Katagiri-senpai is going to quit after winning the gold medal, right? Will he play in the league games?"
Takatsuki-kun asked.
"He said he will play. It's fine."
Sakura-san said.
"But that it will be his last official game."
Sakura-san sounded somewhat lonely.
"When he gets back, we've got to throw him a victory party."
Mika said.
It'll probably be a real wrap-up party in the true sense.
"Moping around isn't gonna help anything! We sent Toya off. All we can do is cheer him on."
Kanna-san said.
That's true.
Let's change the subject.
"How are Makoto and Eita doing since then?"
"Makoto has started refusing even the soccer club's drinking parties."
"Eita seems to be refusing the club's drinking parties too."
"That's right~ It's no fun, so I'm skipping them too~"
Kanna-san, Ai-san, and Sakura-san said.
They're here today, though.
"You two are fine with karaoke for the after-party, right?"
"Of course we are. What a thing to say… hahaha."
"Y-yeah. Of course we are."
They seem to have really learned their lesson.
Then I can relax.
"How about Asakura-san and the others? Are things going well?"
"Thankfully, yes," said Asakura-san.
"Probably…" said Chitose-san.
"I'm not confident," said Kitamura-san.
Not confident?
"What do you mean?"
"I haven't done a single thing that lovers do. I mean, I don't know what to do."
"If that's the case, don't worry. I like you just the way you are."
When Kuribayashi-kun said that, everyone cheered and teased them.
"By the way, the basketball starts tomorrow. Is everyone going to cheer?"
"Of course. Everyone, make sure you come to the finals."
Emi-san said.
"Yeah, I took that day off," said Kanna.
"We'll pass. We can't take time off from Blue Bird," said Kitamura-san.
"I want to go too, but it's still not possible with just Kitamura-san," said Sakai-kun.
Everyone else seemed to be coming.
"Then, let's all cheer for Toya in his final big stage."
Everyone raised their fists high.
All that was left was to wait for Toya to stand on the final stage.
(4)
It was a huge upset.
The Japanese national team's stunning advance.
They swept through the league preliminaries, advanced to the top 8,
won the semifinals, and secured a medal.
It was an unprecedented event in Olympic history.
Basketball fans all over Japan were watching.
And at the center of that spectacular performance was, of course, Katagiri.
His scoring was outstanding.
Not just scoring—the number of steals, the 3P success rate. Everything was on a completely different level.
He had finally shown his true abilities, producing results that even the journalists who had previously criticized him could not help but praise.
Of course, it wasn't just Katagiri's performance.
He drew the defense and sent sharp passes.
The other players who played off those passes were also brilliant.
But the opponent for the finals was, as expected, America.
A roster known as the Dream Team.
The level was incomparable.
But even so, that was fine.
Just winning a medal was worthy of praise.
A press conference was held before the finals.
Everyone talked about their aspirations for the final game.
Amidst that, Katagiri said something strange.
"I want to have a game with no regrets."
"This is Sakoshita from OS. Does that mean it's okay to lose?"
I threw a malicious question.
"Of course I'm going to win."
His confident words stirred the venue.
"Then what do you mean by 'no regrets'?"
"…I've requested the staff. I want to hold a solo press conference after the tournament."
What are you thinking, Toya Katagiri?
(5)
"Airi, not that way, this way!"
"But according to the route guide…"
"That doesn't include the private railway lines. This way is faster."
I was told by Yukari-san and followed.
Getting to the venue was quick, but I'm still not used to it.
When we arrived at the venue, we took our seats.
I could hear the passionate cheers of the boosters.
It's finally here.
Toya-kun's last big stage.
It might not be his last, but I want to make it his last.
If there is a god of basketball, please grant his wish.
Wait, Toya-kun is called the god of Japanese basketball, isn't he?
Then maybe praying to gods won't work either.
"It's finally time!"
When Yukari-san said that, the national team entered.
Before shooting practice, Toya-kun touched the floor briefly and prayed.
He's concentrating.
He intends to dominate this court.
After that, Toya-kun practiced his shots with a serious look.
His shots went in as if being sucked into the basket.
His condition seemed perfect.
The team formed a circle and gave a cheer.
They entered the court one by one.
The black uniforms are the Japanese national team.
Once everyone was in, they shook hands with the opposing players.
And then they took their positions.
The ball was thrown high into the air.
The game began.
(6)
The game started. We were cheering at Emi-senpai's accommodation.
The game was a seesaw battle.
Offensive power on par with America.
Full-court press that didn't allow America to fast break.
And fast breaks after they scored.
Michael was guarding Katagiri-senpai's defense.
He wouldn't let him shoot 3-pointers easily.
But as Coach Higashiyama proposed, Katagiri-senpai was assigned to guard point guard Malik.
It was a strategy to cut off the offense from its source.
The strategy worked.
Katagiri-senpai's defense was an iron wall that didn't even allow the ball to be thrown into their own half.
And when he got a steal, he immediately picked up the ball and went for a 3-pointer.
That slight difference gave Japan the advantage.
However, in set plays, Japan was slightly at a disadvantage.
America's offensive power was also relentless.
But Katagiri-senpai wouldn't allow passes from the point guard to the center.
Not only that, his intensity didn't allow the opposing point guard to play basketball.
The seesaw game continued.
But Katagiri-senpai's defensive ability, cutting off the supply of America's offensive power, slightly chipped away at America's offense and tipped the game.
At the end of the 2nd quarter, Japan had a 3-point lead.
The game changed significantly in the 3rd quarter.
Katagiri-senpai's movements leveled up even further.
Agile movements that even Michael couldn't keep up with.
Katagiri-senpai, dribbling with his eyes closed, calmly listening to his breath, and cutting in at a momentary lapse of attention.
Getting even half a step ahead of Michael, he would leap.
Once Katagiri-senpai jumped, even Michael couldn't stop him.
It was the moment Katagiri-senpai surpassed Michael.
When it came to this, they had no choice but to double-team Katagiri-senpai.
But not even a double team, not even a triple team could stop Katagiri-senpai's movements.
Confusion arose in the opponent's defense.
Was this perhaps the first time for Michael as well?
The player who had been playing so genuinely happily at first began to show signs of panic.
His panic caused confusion in his play, and that confusion disrupted the team play.
The Japanese national team's coach made a move.
He changed the defensive style.
Was he going for the win?
He instructed Katagiri-senpai to defend both Malik and Michael.
The remaining four formed a zone.
A box-and-one.
Naturally, Malik wanted to send the ball to Michael.
But Katagiri-senpai, while keeping distance from Malik, also stood between him and Michael, blocking the passing lane.
A steal was made.
Malik and Michael cornered Katagiri-senpai.
But that was fine.
What the Japanese national team needed now was not an Air Walk.
It was a 3-pointer. They wanted to pull ahead even by one point.
Katagiri-senpai answered that expectation.
His 3-point success rate on that day exceeded 90%.
He easily sank a 3-pointer from the baseline, which was said to be his weak point.
The score remained a 4-point difference as they entered the 4th quarter.
(7)
As the 4th quarter began, the boosters' cheers reached their peak.
If they could hold on for 10 more minutes, Japan would win the gold medal.
We were shouting desperately too.
Did it reach Toya-kun?
Toya-kun looked at me and smiled.
The intense seesaw game gradually began to tip.
The Japanese national team defended with a box-and-one against the American national team, who were applying full-court press.
The Japanese national team, developing their offense around Toya-kun, while the American national team had to move all five players at full stretch just to barely snatch a 2-point shot.
The defense Toya-kun set up completely blocked Michael.
Sometimes Toya-kun himself went for defensive rebounds.
Maybe it was the result of his daily training, but Toya-kun showed no signs of fatigue.
He probably intended to give it his all in this game.
Thanks to that, the Japanese national team was able to conserve some stamina.
But the American national team was not granted such luxury.
Even Michael showed fatigue, barely managing to keep up with Toya-kun.
Toya-kun's fast break from a steal switched from a pass to a 3-pointer. It widened the gap further.
The remaining time went under 5 minutes.
Toya-kun kept attacking.
And when the time went under 1 minute, we were in tears.
The gap was 10 points. It was safe.
And then, America's final attack.
The ball went to Michael.
Toya-kun defended him.
A one-on-one that defined the game.
Michael made his move.
Toya-kun responded and moved.
It was a split-second event. Toya-kun knocked the ball away and jumped for it.
Michael jumped for it too, not to be outdone.
Toya-kun was the one who got the ball.
Michael guarded Toya-kun.
Toya-kun's leg strength must have been further honed by that training.
His dribbling speed shook him off in an instant.
Toya-kun jumped.
A player who had rushed back tried to block.
Toya-kun dodged it and made the shot.
That was the clutch shot of the game.
Less than 10 seconds left.
But Toya-kun didn't let up until the end.
He wouldn't let Malik pass the ball.
Just before the buzzer, a long shot was attempted, but Toya-kun coldly blocked it.
The buzzer sounded.
Japan's first-ever Olympic medal was gold.
"We did it, Airi!"
The three of us hugged.
All three were crying.
And we grabbed whoever was around us and raised our joy.
This isn't a dream.
Toya-kun made his dream come true.
That's enough, Toya-kun. You did plenty. From now on, you're free.
I wanted to hug him right away, but I'll save it for later.
Congratulations, Toya-kun.
(8)
It's over…
When the buzzer sounded, I fell to the floor right there.
I did it.
A sense of satisfaction enveloped me.
I want to shout with joy.
This isn't a dream.
The American players, Malik and Michael, offered me their hands.
I took their hands and stood up.
"A complete defeat. Congratulations."
"No complaints. We fought with everything we had. I have regrets, but… you're the best in the world."
They said and shook hands.
The cheers wash over my back.
That was the fanfare directed at us.
A standing ovation broke out.
My teammates gathered around.
"Thank you. Thanks to you, Toya, we stood at the top of the world," said Seijin.
"This is the first time I've felt like this. Thank you," said Goromaru.
"It's going to be tough from here on out for you too," said Yusuke.
"It was a good game…" said Aya.
"This is a victory we all won together. Let's celebrate together."
With that, we bowed toward the booster seats.
Some were so moved they were crying.
I could see Airi too.
Airi, I'll let you cling to me all you want when I get back.
I looked at Airi with that message.
Airi seemed to have received it.
She was smiling, looking a little shy.
Yuichiro was also crying.
Then the awards ceremony began.
Seijin urged me to get on the podium.
Isn't that the captain's job?
"Just go and receive your baptism quietly."
Sawa said.
I stood on the tallest platform in the center.
After taking pictures, the gold medals were hung around the necks of the national team.
The applause didn't stop.
Cheers of victory were heard.
And so, my first and last Olympics ended.
When I went to the locker room, everyone was changing.
"You've all worked hard up to today! Keep up the good work from now on!"
"Sir!"
Everyone answered. I didn't answer.
It certainly felt good. But having tasted it once, that was enough. I had made that decision and worked hard up to this point.
"Coach."
I called the coach.
I had already told him beforehand.
"Ah, about the interview. It's being arranged for after this… Are you really sure about this?"
The coach emphasized.
I nodded.
And so, my final duty began.
Camera flashes went off. The emergency press conference began.
"Katagiri-san, how do you feel about standing at the top of the world?"
"It felt great."
"Can we expect more from you?"
"I don't know."
The venue buzzed.
"This is Sakoshita from OS. Does that mean there's still room for growth from your rival America?"
"I don't know."
"Then what do you mean?"
"Before that, can I say one thing?"
"Please…?"
The reporters focused on me.
I was getting nervous too.
I'm prepared to be criticized, probably.
But I've worked hard until now for this moment.
"I, with this tournament, am retiring from the Japanese national team… no, from basketball itself."