Taiga’s Journey: Finding Success and Serenity in Japan

Chapter Text

For the first time, Taiga wears the jersey of his new team. It’s only been three weeks since he arrived in Tokyo, and only six since his agent contacted him to offer him the contract. After four years in the NBA, he wanted to see something else. He knows that he is a good player and that he still has good years ahead of him, but he will never spark on American soil, whereas in Japan, he has the feeling that he can really bring something. He hesitated, the NBA remained his ultimate dream, he knows that by playing professionally, he will never completely escape the pressure, but in the NBA it was particularly intense. He gets anxious easily and playing in the NBA was becoming physically difficult for him. He had to make a choice and when he looked for a new team, he naturally thought of Japan, after all it is also an opportunity to discover his origins and he knows that here he already has quite a few supporters who support him. are dedicated.

His teammates received him quite well, enjoying seeing a Japanese NBA player join them. He’s been playing with them since he arrived, he didn’t wait to settle in, just one day to recover from his jetlag and he had his feet at the gyms. Now he’s a little nervous, he’s always nervous before any match. It’s not something he talks about a lot, he’s pretty good at hiding it and a little nervousness before a match never surprises anyone. He finishes tying his shoelaces and leans against the wall, takes a deep breath and closes his eyes. He tries to ignore his surroundings to find some calm within himself, but he knows he won’t be truly calm until he’s on the floor. So he chomps at the bit.

He is a bit of an event of the moment and the coach wants to spare his effect, so he leaves him on the bench for the start of the match to his great despair. He watches the match, tense, one leg vibrating nervously. His team isn’t doing too badly, but he could do so much more if he took the field. He watches the minutes pass with frustration.

Without knowing why his gaze regularly drifts to the number twenty-seven of the opposing team, his tattoos intrigue him. On his right arm, in the movements of his biceps, with a sort of optical illusion, spiders seem to be climbing his shoulder.

“KAGAMI !”

He jumps and looks at the coach. Finally, in the penultimate minute of the first quarter he enters the field. He steps onto the floor with relief. The stands cheer him and for his first entry onto the field in Japan, he does not ignore the fans and raises his arm to greet them, without taking his eyes off the game. He takes his place alongside his teammates with flexibility and immediately immerses himself in the match, the adrenaline running deliciously through his veins and the anxiety finally abandoning him while he is in his element.

The match goes by, he is not on the field 100% of the time, but a good part of the match. He finally feels like he can really express his basketball, finally being able to show what he can do. He had to fight for a few minutes of a match in the NBA, now the coach no longer seems to want to take him out and that only boosts him a little more. He finally feels… up to it.

The buzzer ringing at the end of the last quarter sounds. His team wins by thirty points. He smiles as he accepts the hugs from his teammates and with them joins the fans to sign some autographs. This victory confirms his choice and does him good as he realizes that the NBA has hurt him much more than he dared to admit.

2023-10-02 21:13:33
#step #closer #Chapter #Kurohagi #Kuroko #Basuke