Ace of the Bench

The moon light filtered through the curtains of Yuuto's room, brushing against the basketball posters plastered across the walls. The faint hum of a fan mixed with the distant sounds of the city outside. Yuuto slumped onto his bed, still wearing the hoodie from the bus ride back from the tournament. His phone vibrated incessantly on the bedside table, notifications blinking like a strobe light in the quiet room.

"Finally home," he muttered, rubbing his face with one hand. The scent of lingering stadium sweat clung to his clothes, a tangible reminder of the battle they had fought earlier. It had been a victory Seiryō High had triumphed over Easton Technical by a single point, Shunjin's incredible fadeaway jumper sealing the deal. But Yuuto didn't feel victorious. Not really.

The door creaked open.

"Yuuto," his mother said, leaning against the frame with a smile that radiated warmth and relief. "How was the game?"

He tried to smile. "We… won," he said quietly, his voice flat.

"But you," she pressed, stepping fully into the room, "you didn't look like you had a great game out there. Did you play well?"

Yuuto shook his head. "I… didn't really do much. I mean, we won, but most of it was Marcus and Shunjin. I just… tried to help when I could."

His father stepped in from the hallway, crossing his arms. "Helping is still contributing, Yuuto. Wins aren't just about scoring points. You were part of the rhythm, part of the plays. That counts."

Yuuto's gaze dropped to his hands. He knew they were right, but the feeling of inadequacy still gnawed at him. He wanted to do more, to push harder, to be the kind of player who didn't just react but dominated. He could feel it burning inside him the desire to prove himself, to justify his place on the court.

"Next match is Friday," he murmured. "I… I need to do more by then."

His mother ruffled his hair gently. "I know you will. Just rest tonight. You've earned it."

The night passed slowly, but Yuuto's mind couldn't relax. Every play, every step on the court, the image of Kanzaki's smirk and Ryu Kazen's 200 points haunted him. They weren't just players they were warnings, living examples of what it meant to dominate.

The Next Morning

Yuuto woke to the shrill buzz of his phone again. Groaning, he fumbled for it, only to be met with an overwhelming flood of notifications.

Tweets. Reels. Clips. Memes. Articles. Everywhere, Seiryō High and the tournament were trending.

The first video that caught his eye was Shunjin's game-winning fadeaway jumper. The caption flashed across the screen: "Seiryō High: Pulse Unleashed! #ShunjinRedLion #SeiryōWins #GameWinner"

He swiped to the next Ryu Kazen, Hakuro Academy, had scored all 200 points. His final shot, calm and precise, ended the game in an absurd 200-0 victory. Fans and commentators alike were calling it a "perfect storm" of dominance.

Yuuto's jaw tightened. One player… every point… every game… The sheer scale of it made his chest constrict. This wasn't just a warning it was a declaration of what real dominance looked like.

He scrolled further, seeing clips of Marcus orchestrating plays, Daichi's explosive moves, and Shunjin's clutch moments. Each highlight was met with thousands of likes, comments, and reposts. Social media was a wildfire, and they were in the middle of it.

"Crazy," Yuuto whispered, eyes glued to the screen. "Everyone's watching. Everyone knows… everything we do."

A notification popped up from Marcus.

"Yuuto, you seeing this? The hype is insane. But don't let it get to you. Focus on Friday."

Yuuto tapped back quickly. "Yeah. I know. But… I want to do more."

The rest of the team's messages flooded in. Shunjin: "Guys… my hands are still shaking from the shot. That was insane."

Riku: "Ryu Kazen… 200 points."

Daichi: "Don't let it intimidate you. We'll rise."

Yuuto felt a mix of pressure and excitement. The world had noticed. The weight of expectation pressed down on him, but the fire in his chest flared brighter.

By mid-morning, news outlets were reporting the outcomes of all four matches played that day:

MATCH 1 — Easton Technical High vs Seiryō High

FINAL SCORE: 109–110

MVP: Itsuki Sera

MATCH 2 — Hakuro Academy vs Raijin High

FINAL SCORE: 200–0

MVP: Ryu Kazen

MATCH 3 — Kurogane Tech vs Westpoint Academy

FINAL SCORE: 88–73

MVP: Yoru Takamine (48 points, 12 steals)

MATCH 4 — Kingsborough Academy vs Otani Elite

FINAL SCORE: 129–118

MVP: Atsuya Rin (52 points, 11 three-pointers)

Sports commentators flooded the feeds with breakdowns, reactions, and speculations.

"Shunjin's buzzer-beater will be remembered for years!"

"Ryu Kazen: Is this humanly possible? 200 points, zero conceded!"

"Marcus is the rising star of Seiryō High but can they maintain this level under pressure?"

Rival schools weren't silent either. Private group chats buzzed with disbelief, jealousy, and excitement. Some mocked, others praised, but the unifying consensus was that the tournament landscape had shifted dramatically.

Yuuto scrolled through comment sections. Highlights of Shunjin, Marcus, and even himself sparked debates and memes.

One meme depicted Shunjin as a literal red lion, claws slashing through Easton Technical defenders. Another had Ryu Kazen photoshopped into a godlike figure, raining basketballs down on Raijin High.

The supportive comments:

"Seiryō High is unstoppable!"

"Shunjin is a legend already!"

"Marcus and Yuuto are a deadly duo!"

The critical ones:

"Yuuto? Who? Did he even do anything?"

"Seiryō squeaked by Easton. Not impressive."

"They'll crumble against real competition."

Yuuto's phone vibrated constantly. Every ping was both a thrill and a weight.

He turned to Marcus, who was staring blankly at his own feed.

"We're… trending everywhere," Yuuto muttered.

Marcus exhaled slowly. "Yeah… and everyone's watching. Every move, every mistake, every highlight. The pressure's real, but that's what makes us stronger. You ready?"

Yuuto nodded, determination solidifying. "I'll show everyone… what I'm capable of. Friday, we take it further."

Rival teams began adjusting their strategies, analyzing Seiryō's plays down to the second. Clips of the team's tactics were dissected on forums. Coaches scrolled through social media with frowns and furrowed brows. Students posted reaction threads:

"Seiryō's defense is tighter than we thought. They move like a single organism."

"Marcus controls the floor like a general. Can't beat that with raw talent alone."

"Shunjin's clutch shots… that fadeaway was insane. Watch out for him."

Meanwhile, discussions about Hakuro Academy and Ryu Kazen dominated every basketball forum. Analysts debated how one player could physically execute every shot without fatigue. Coaches from other schools prepared simulations, scrimmages, and conditioning programs just to keep up with the level shown in these four games.

Yuuto closed his phone and exhaled. The quiet of his room felt heavy now, like the calm after a storm. He thought of Ryu Kazen, Kanzaki, Marcus, Shunjin — all of them, each a mountain to climb.

"I have to be more," he whispered. "Not just a side character… I need to control the pulse, dominate, be seen."

Yuuto clenched his fists, letting the fire inside him burn brighter. The pressure of social media, the comparisons, the memes, the analysts, the rival schools it was all fuel.

"I'm ready," Yuuto said firmly. "Friday, I'll show what I can really do."