The scrimmage match ended quickly.
Unexpectedly, the original first-string team led by Nijimura Shuzo lost to the group of five first-year players.
Actually, it wasn’t that unexpected.
It had been over a week since the new semester started, and this wasn’t the first time the first-years had beaten the original Teiko first-string starters.
Other than marveling at how freakishly talented this year’s freshmen were, the second and third-year players didn’t have much to say.
By this time, Aizen had also finished his basic dribbling drills.
He went straight to Momoi, hoping she could help him find a part-time job nearby.
He really wasn’t familiar with the area.
“Hey, uh, April—”
“My name is Satsuki.” (T/N: Reminder, Satsuki means May in Japanese.)
“Uh, close enough.
Only about thirty days off.”
‘Thirty days?’
‘Is that how names work?’
Momoi puffed up her cheeks in annoyance.
No one knew how much she’d been looking forward to yesterday, only for Aizen to disappear after his tryout, leaving her waiting for half an hour.
‘So infuriating!’
“What do you want?” She asked with clear displeasure.
“I wanted to treat you to some ramen.”
“You dare bring up ramen again?
I waited for you for over half an hour yesterday!
Do you have any idea how I spent those thirty minutes?”
“…”
Aizen finally remembered now.
He’d been wondering what he’d forgotten.
‘So I’d stood her up.
No wonder she looked like she was about to explode.’
“I’m really sorry about that.
I was too excited yesterday and completely forgot.
How about this—today I’ll treat you to double the portion.”
“I can’t eat that much.”
“No problem, we can split it into two separate meals.
I promise you’ll get your fill.”
“Fine.
But you’d better not stand me up this time.”
“Absolutely not!
Let’s go right now!”
…
The basketball club activities are over.
“Why are you following us?” Aizen glared at Aomine, clearly annoyed.
‘This bastard had been mocking me plenty during the scrimmage earlier, and now he wanted to freeload too?’
“I’m not following you.
I’m following Satsuki.”
“Is there a difference?”
Aizen was speechless, ‘Who would’ve thought that this dark-skinned guy, despite his honest appearance, was so full of schemes—trying to get a free meal out of me?’
“Anyway, Aizen, why do you always wear cloth sneakers?” Momoi changed the subject.
She’d noticed earlier that Aizen had never worn basketball shoes even once.
“Oh, those?
I just haven’t had time to buy any yet.”
“Is that so.” Momoi tapped her finger on her lips.
“How about we go buy a pair together?”
“Sure.”
Aizen was thinking the same thing.
He couldn’t keep playing in cloth sneakers forever.
So the group headed to a shoe store.
The moment he walked in, his eyes locked onto a pair of blue-and-white Air Jordan 1s.
He was a perimeter player, so naturally he wouldn’t choose bulky big-man shoes that would restrict his movement.
Jordan’s signature line was excellent—Nike had designed them with guards in mind.
Sure enough, the shoes fit him perfectly with no discomfort.
The lockdown felt great, and the risk of rolling his ankle was low.
Aizen was satisfied and told the clerk to ring them up.
But when it came time to pay, he realized he didn’t have enough money.
At this time, AJ1s hadn’t been driven up to the insane resale prices they’d reach later, but Jordan shoes were always in high demand and among the most expensive on the market.
A regular pair of AJ1s cost around $150, more than double the original retail price of $65.
That $150 translated to about 20,000 yen.
Aizen only had 15,000 yen on him, and he still needed to pay for daily living expenses.
He blinked, looking at Momoi, then at Aomine.
“What are you looking at me for?
I’m not lending you money.” Aomine understood immediately and flat-out refused.
Actually, it wasn’t that he didn’t want to lend money—if he had any, he’d be more than happy to help out a fellow basketball enthusiast like Aizen.
The real reason he refused was because he was broke too.
All his allowance had gone toward buying Horikita Mai’s photo books.
Aizen immediately turned to Momoi, who pulled a 10,000-yen bill out of her little wallet with a reluctant expression.
“Thanks, May.
You’re a lifesaver.
I’ll pay you back soon.” Aizen took the money and paid without hesitation.
After that, the group started walking through the shopping district to help Aizen find a job.
As expected, in Japan, even students could find work without much difficulty.
He settled on a juice bar, where he’d be serving drinks.
That was actually pretty good pay.
The owner had hired him so readily mainly because Aizen was good-looking and could attract female customers.
“Ah, I finally got a job sorted out.
Thanks, Satsuki.” Aizen was in a good mood after getting both shoes and a job done in one day.
With a grand gesture, he declared, “Alright, let’s go get that ramen.”
Momoi thought, ‘Finally—this ramen has been way too hard to come by.’
The three of them found a ramen shop.
Momoi unhesitatingly ordered a large bowl and ate to her heart’s content, her little belly sticking out slightly by the end.
“I’m so full!
This place is delicious.
I want to come back again.” Momoi said contentedly, then turned to Aizen.
“Go ahead and pay.”
But Aizen didn’t move.
Momoi asked, “What’s wrong?”
After finishing the last sip of his soup, Aizen said seriously to Momoi, “Satsuki, you know me—I spent all my money on those shoes.
I’ve only got 5,000 yen left, which is my living expenses for the rest of the month.
You don’t want me to starve on the streets, do you?”
Oh right, Aizen spent all his money on shoes.
She turned to look at Aomine.
Aomine immediately said, “Satsuki, you know me—I never save money.
I spend it all on Mai-chan.
I’ve been collecting for so long my whole room can’t even fit everything!
Speaking of which, Mai-chan’s new photo book is coming out.
Could you lend me some money?”
Momoi’s expression froze completely, ‘So both of these guys were total freeloaders!’
She felt like crying, ‘Weren’t the boys supposed to be treating?
How did I end up paying again?’
“I’m never going out with either of you ever again!” Momoi paid the bill angrily and stormed out of the shop.
Aizen scratched his head and said to Aomine, “You know, if you’d just lay off the inappropriate stuff, you’d have money.
Now look at how awkward this is.”
“Huh?
What are you talking about?
I wasn’t the one who said I’d treat.
This has nothing to do with me.
Satsuki, wait up!
Think about my request for a loan!”
On the way back, Aomine shamelessly kept asking Momoi for money.
Momoi ignored him completely.
She also ignored Aizen, walking ahead with a puffed-out face.
She felt like she must have been cursed.
Every guy around her was exactly the same!