The gym smelled of sweat, polished wood, and the faint tang of liniment. The echo of sneakers against the floor still lingered in the corners, but the atmosphere had shifted tense, electric, almost sacred. Hikari Kanzaki stood in front of the team, her clipboard tucked under one arm, pen in the other. The court behind her gleamed under the harsh fluorescent lights, the single word scrawled in bold letters catching every eye:

BONDING.

"Bounding" they all said together

"This… is what I'm trying to teach you," she said, voice calm but piercing. The team leaned in instinctively, as if the air around her had gravity.

"Bonding? Isn't that just… teamwork?" Riku asked cautiously, his arms crossed, eyebrows knit.

"Or team synergy, maybe?" Kenji chimed in, glancing around as if seeking validation from the others.

"Yeah, like moving in sync on defense," Rei added softly, almost as an afterthought.

Hikari's hand tapped the board sharply once, the sound slicing through the murmurs. "No. Teamwork, synergy, synchronization—all are tools. Bonding is a connection. A living, breathing connection."

Her voice softened slightly, but it still carried the weight of steel. Every word had to land. Every pause had meaning.

"Bonding happens," she continued, "when two or more players stop trying to control the flow… and instead, share it."

Yuuto's eyes widened. He remembered—the Shikoku game. The final seconds. The blind pass. Marcus already there, cutting perfectly, dunking through the chaos. That unspoken understanding. That instinctive timing. He felt a shiver crawl down his spine. That's what she means… that's bonding.

Marcus folded his arms, skeptical but curious, his gaze locked on Hikari. "So… you're saying me and Yuuto actually did that? Bonding?"

Hikari allowed a faint smile, the edges of her lips barely noticeable. "Yes—but what you two experienced was only semi-bonding."

The room stirred. A low murmur ran through the players.

"Semi? What's the difference?" Rei's voice carried a mixture of irritation and intrigue.

"Semi-bonding," Hikari explained, "happens by accident—adrenaline, emotion, shared purpose. True bonding is when you can enter that state on command. When you choose to trust, not just when it's convenient."

She turned her eyes toward Yuuto, piercing but calm. "Kai. You remember that pass to Marcus during Shikoku?"

"…Yeah," Yuuto said softly, almost reverently.

"What did you feel?" Hikari asked, voice lower now, almost intimate in its intensity.

Yuuto hesitated. The memory hit him—the roar of the crowd, the weight of the ball in his hands, the perfect, surreal silence before it left his fingertips. "It was like… time slowed down. I didn't even think. I just knew where he'd be."

"Exactly. That's the essence of bonding," Hikari said, her eyes sweeping the room again, ensuring everyone absorbed the words. "That's what separates players who simply play together from those who move as one. That is what makes legends."

Silence fell like a thick blanket. Not one dared interrupt. Even the air seemed to still.

Then Shunjin snorted, breaking the tension. "So… we just have to get along better? That's it?" His grin was cheeky, challenging.

Hikari chuckled softly—a sound that was equal parts warmth and warning. "If that's what you think, you didn't listen at all," she said, her tone carrying the weight of a lesson hard-earned.

She walked to the center of the court, holding out a basketball. The gym seemed to lean forward with her. "Yuuto. Marcus. Up here."

Yuuto blinked, startled slightly. Marcus straightened, adjusting his stance as he followed.

"Show them," Marcus asked, almost hesitant.

Hikari nodded. "That moment from Shikoku. Let's see if you can do it again."

The gym's energy spiked. Players instinctively formed a half-circle around the two, forming a human audience, their fatigue momentarily forgotten in anticipation.

Yuuto stood at the top of the key, bouncing the ball lightly, his brow furrowed in focus. Marcus positioned near the paint, eyes locked, heart pounding in rhythm with his anticipation.

"No talking. Just feel it," Hikari instructed.

Yuuto inhaled sharply and nodded. The air thickened with silence. Even the hum of the ventilation seemed to pause.

He dribbled forward slowly, each bounce thudding against the floor like a heartbeat, Marcus moving with him, almost unconsciously matching rhythm and pace. Thud… thud-thud… thud.

Yuuto crossed right, Marcus rotated left. Toma, a defender standing in, stepped forward to contest. Without hesitation, Yuuto spun, drawing the defender perfectly, flicking the ball backward mid-motion.

Marcus caught it instantly. The transition was seamless. No pause, no thought—pure instinct. He leapt for the layup, the ball gliding through the net with effortless grace. Swish.

The gym seemed to hold its breath. Not a cheer, not a word. Only awe.

"Semi-bonding," Hikari said softly, eyes gleaming, "still incomplete—but the instinct is real."

Yuuto exhaled, chest rising and falling rapidly. Marcus turned, serious and intent. "That… that felt just like last time," he said.

"Yeah. I didn't even think. My body just moved," Yuuto admitted, a faint smile crossing his exhausted features.

"That's the key," Hikari said, stepping closer, voice soft but commanding. "Bonding isn't thinking. It's trusting. When you trust your teammate more than yourself, that's when the court opens, when the game bends to you instead of the other way around."

Rei, usually brash, whispered under his breath, mesmerized. "…Trust more than yourself…"

Hikari clapped her hands sharply, bringing everyone back to attention. "Alright! Everyone up. Today's training isn't over."

Groans rolled through the gym, but a new energy had taken root. Something electric, beyond exhaustion or repetition, hung in the air.

"We're not chasing individual improvement anymore," Hikari continued. "We're building pairs that can bond. Not just in drills, not just in theory—but in rhythm, heartbeat, and instinct." She gestured toward the polished floor. "Every one of you will reach for that state before the week ends. Until then… don't call yourselves a team."

The players exchanged glances—tired, but resolute. Determination sparkled in eyes previously dulled by fatigue.

Yuuto looked at Marcus. For the first time since the training began, Marcus didn't seem burdened by expectation. He simply nodded.

"Guess we've got work to do," Marcus said.

"Yeah… but this time, we do it together," Yuuto replied, a small grin forming.

Hikari turned away, concealing a faint smile. They're starting to understand… maybe this generation can rise, she thought.

The whistle blew, and the sound of sneakers echoed again, sharper, more alive. The whiteboard glowed faintly under the fluorescent lights:

BONDING.

Her gaze swept across every sweat-streaked, exhausted face. "That kind of trust doesn't come from talking. It comes from knowing."

She set her clipboard down deliberately. "You all failed today. And that's fine. Because failure builds awareness—and awareness builds unity."

The players sat, silent, absorbing the weight of her words. Even Rei's smirk faded, replaced by a thoughtful expression.

---

Quiet Aftermath

Practice ended. The players filtered out slowly, humidity thick around them, yet the air felt lighter somehow—charged with new understanding.

Yuuto stopped beside Shunjin, extending a fist. "You're reckless," he said, smiling faintly. "But you make the game fun."

Shunjin blinked, then smirked in acknowledgment. "thank you I know"

Their fists met in a brief, silent acknowledgment of connection.

Marcus and Rei walked side by side toward the exit. Rei glanced over. "Guess you're not as bossy as I thought."

Marcus grinned. "Guess you're not as chaotic as I thought."

A quiet laugh escaped them tired, genuine, unguarded.

Inside the gym, Hikari remained alone, the polished floor reflecting her figure. She whispered to herself, just enough to be heard by no one:

"Chaos breeds connection. Good… they're starting to get it."

She clicked off the lights, leaving the gym in darkness. Silence returned, but the word lingered in every player's mind: BONDING.

A seed had been planted. And Hikari knew it would grow.

The echo of the gym faded behind them as the players spilled out into the humid evening air. Streetlights flickered along the empty sidewalks, casting long shadows that stretched behind their tired bodies. Sweat still clung to their jerseys, mixing with the scent of the gym, but their faces carried something new—contemplation, curiosity, a faint spark of excitement.

Marcus adjusted his bag over one shoulder, glancing at Yuuto as they fell into step together. "You're not gonna hit the gym again tonight?" he asked casually, but his tone carried a subtle challenge.

Yuuto shook his head, hands tucked into his pockets. "Nah… I think I need to let it settle in, you know? Process it. Everything Hikari said."

Marcus grunted, half in approval, half in disbelief. "Huh… you actually sit still instead of obsessing over every play? That's new."

Yuuto smirked faintly. "Not sitting. Just… reflecting. I think bonding isn't something you can force, Marcus. You either feel it or you don't."

Marcus nodded slowly, kicking at a pebble on the sidewalk. "Yeah… I get that. But damn, it's weird. I've played with you a hundred times, but today… it felt different. Like we were moving as one or something."

Yuuto glanced at him, eyes thoughtful. "That's semi-bonding. What we did in Shikoku wasn't luck. It was instinct, muscle memory, trust. But we didn't control it. We can get better."

A few steps ahead, Rei jogged lightly to catch up to them, wiping his sweat-streaked face. "You two sound like philosophers," he muttered, shaking his head. "I swear, bonding… it's a fancy excuse to make us feel guilty about screwing up today."

"Or maybe it's just what we've been missing," Tsubasa said from behind, adjusting his glasses. "All those times we relied on instinct, thinking it was enough… it wasn't. That's why today hurt. But it also showed us the potential."

Sora bounced up beside Daichi, nodding eagerly. "Yeah! I mean… I could actually feel what Daichi was gonna do for once. Even though I messed up a ton, it felt… right. Weird, but right."

Kenji and Kento, the twins, ran side by side, grinning. "It's like some video game level-up," Kento said. "Only the cheat code is knowing your partner inside out."

"Bonding," Rei muttered again, quieter this time, almost thoughtfully. "I guess it's more than just talking or passing signals… it's… knowing someone so well that words don't matter."

Marcus looked at Yuuto, then at the rest of the group. "We've got work to do. But if today's anything to go by… we might actually pull it off."

Yuuto nodded. "Yeah… together."

And as the group continued down the street, their conversation blending with the rhythm of their footsteps, the word echoed in their minds: BONDING. Not just a drill. Not just a lesson. Something bigger, something that could change the way they played, and maybe even the way they trusted each other.

Next chapter will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.