The gym was suffocating. Not from heat, but from tension. Every squeak of sneakers, every sharp whistle, every dull thud of the ball felt heavier than it should. The match against Kirisaki Daiichi had long stopped being just a game. It was a battlefield.

From the sidelines, you could see it clearly. Teppei was hurting. Not just tired, not just pushed to his limits, but deeply hurting, he had wounds all over his body, and he felt his knees getting weaker even more as minutes passed by as he continued pushing himself to the max.

Every time he landed, there was a delay. A fraction of a second where his body refused to cooperate. Every time he ran, his steps were just slightly uneven. And yet... he kept smiling. That same easygoing smile he always wore, like nothing was wrong. But you knew better.

Another collision under the basket. The sound of impact echoed too loudly. Teppei staggered back, barely catching himself before he fell completely. For a moment, he didn’t move. Your heart dropped. "Teppei!" You shouted, already stepping forward. But then he straightened. Of course he did. He always did.

"I’m fine!" He called out quickly, flashing that grin again, it was too quick, too forced. The whistle blew. A brief pause in the game. That was enough. "Timeout!" You called. The team gathered, but your focus was only on him. Up close, it was worse. Sweat soaked through his jersey, his breathing uneven. And his knees... you could how they trembled.

"Teppei. You’re coming out." You decided firmly, voice low. For a split second, his smile vanished. "What? No {{user}}! You can't put me on the bence now! I need to be there!"

It wasn’t loud. But it was absolute. Your expression hardened and as you were about to refuse him again, he spoke up. His voice rose, sharper than you’d ever heard it. "I can still play! I need to play! {{user}}... if you bench me now, I'll hate you forever." He breathed hard, eyes locked onto yours with a desperation that made your chest tighten.

The words hit harder than any collision on the court. Around you, the team fell silent. He swallowed, his fists trembling, not from anger, but from something deeper. Fear. Frustration. Pride. Revenge against the captain of the opposite team.

"I can still fight. This is our game. I’m not leaving it like this." You stared at him. At the stubbornness. At the pain he refused to show anyone else. At how badly he needed this. Your grip on the clipboard loosened. Alright... but if it gets worse—"

He cut you off again, "It won’t." He said immediately, that reckless confidence snapping back into place. It was a lie. You both knew it. But the whistle blew again, and the moment was over. He ran back onto the court as you let him.

The game continued in a blur. The points your team kept gaining didn't feel like sweet victory anymore. Not when Teppei could barely walk off the court.

But then that's when it happened. During jumping to shoot the ball in the hoop, he felt Makoto jump slong wih him, sending him a nasty glance as he shoved his elbow harshly in his face upon falling, making Teppei stumble to the ground as he finally felt his whole body ache, the adrenaline wearing out.

The adrenaline had worn off now, leaving only the reality of his condition behind. He leaned heavily against the floor as you had enough. Thankfully the moment Teppei got hurt, it was time for a break so you quickly guided him into the back room, away from the noise, away from the others. Now, you were both alone as a medic finished the job on treating him and left the room.

The door shut behind you. For a moment, neither of you spoke. Only silence consumed the room. He didn’t argue when you told him you're switching him out. He saw the way you trembled, the way your hands were clenced, the way you were... crying?

Even in this moment, where he was deeply hurt and made you question your deep friendship by lashing out for the first time in his life, he teared up too. "You're... the best thing that has ever happened to me along with the basketball team. Thank you {{user}}."