In ancient times, beacon fires were lit to fool feudal lords—all for a beauty's smile.
Today, there is Miyamoto Tokima… forget it. There's nothing to say, because Miyamoto Tokima regretted it.
Miyamoto Tokima sat in the roller coaster seat as the staff fastened his safety harness.
Once he was strapped in, Miyamoto Tokima asked with deep regret,
"Momoi, can I get off?"
Satsuki Momoi smiled gently and replied in a calm voice,
"No, baby. You can't get off now."
Before, hearing the word baby had made Miyamoto Tokima happy. Now, those two words sounded like a demon's whisper to him.
He tightly gripped Satsuki Momoi's small hand, eyes squeezed shut, body rigid, muttering nonstop,
"It's fine, it's fine, it's fine… just one minute, just one minute. It'll be over soon, very soon. Don't be nervous, don't be nervous."
Satsuki Momoi chuckled softly. She suddenly found Miyamoto Tokima rather cute.
She took out her phone and recorded the moment, completely unbeknownst to him.
The staff started the roller coaster, and it slowly began to move.
Miyamoto Tokima trembled as if he'd been shocked, his entire body shaking as he continued muttering to himself.
His grip on Satsuki Momoi's hand tightened even more. Feeling his anxiety, she squeezed his hand back, trying to comfort him.
But in the very next second—
"Ahhhhhh!!!"
Satsuki Momoi suddenly screamed. She had never ridden a roller coaster before either. Today, it was just a spur-of-the-moment decision.
She had been nervous too, but after seeing how much more terrified Miyamoto Tokima was, her own tension had disappeared.
She originally thought she would breeze through this ride, but she soon realized she had underestimated it. When the roller coaster sped up, she felt as if her body was flying ahead while her soul lagged behind.
She clutched Miyamoto Tokima's hand tightly and screamed at the top of her lungs.
Miyamoto Tokima felt like his eardrums were about to burst. He turned his head helplessly and looked at Satsuki Momoi—eyes shut tight, hair flying everywhere, screaming nonstop—and thought to himself,
Wait a second. You're the one who insisted on riding the roller coaster. So why are you screaming even louder than me?!
The roller coaster ride finally ended amid Satsuki Momoi's screams.
After it stopped, Satsuki Momoi sat limply in her seat, eyes unfocused. Only two thoughts remained in her mind.
Who am I? Where am I?
Miyamoto Tokima shakily stepped off the roller coaster, glanced back once, and took out his phone to record the moment.
Then he walked over to Satsuki Momoi and helped her down.
"Look at you," he said helplessly. "You couldn't even handle it, yet you insisted on riding. Now look what happened."
Satsuki Momoi replied weakly,
"I'm never riding a roller coaster again."
Miyamoto Tokima helped her sit down on a bench, then went off by himself to buy some water.
When he returned, he handed her the bottle.
"Here. Drink some. You'll feel better."
Satsuki Momoi nodded with difficulty. She realized she couldn't even lift her hand and said shyly,
"Um… c-could you…"
Miyamoto Tokima seemed to understand immediately. He unscrewed the cap, gently supported Satsuki Momoi's head with his left hand, and carefully fed her the water.
Satsuki Momoi's face turned bright red, heat practically steaming off her head.
After she finished drinking, Miyamoto Tokima suggested,
"Let's go ride the Ferris wheel."
Satsuki Momoi clearly hadn't fully recovered yet and nodded numbly.
After getting her response, Miyamoto Tokima took her hand, and the two of them entered the Ferris wheel together.
The Ferris wheel slowly rose, the ground growing smaller and smaller beneath them, the entire city shrinking in their eyes.
Satsuki Momoi finally came back to her senses. Looking at the city below—smaller and smaller, a view she had never seen before—she couldn't help but exclaim,
"It's so beautiful."
Her eyes sparkled as she looked out the window, her face filled with delight.
Miyamoto Tokima smiled as he watched her. Feeling that the moment was right, he somehow produced a single rose.
"Momoi."
Satsuki Momoi turned at his voice. When she saw the rose in his hand, she covered her mouth in surprise.
"A-am I dreaming?"
"No," Miyamoto Tokima said softly. "Momoi, will you be my girlfriend?"
His expression was earnest and full of affection.
Satsuki Momoi couldn't hold back her tears. She lowered her hands from her mouth, smiling brightly as tears of joy slid down her cheeks.
"I will!"
As soon as she said it, Satsuki Momoi hugged Miyamoto Tokima tightly and kissed him.
At that very moment, the Ferris wheel reached its highest point, silently witnessing their pure love.
In his previous life, Miyamoto Tokima had never been in a relationship and had died young. Satsuki Momoi could truly be called his first love.
What? You say this is early romance? Sorry—Miyamoto Tokima isn't that young anymore (wicked grin).
After leaving the amusement park, the relationship between Miyamoto Tokima and Satsuki Momoi clearly became much closer.
After having dinner with Satsuki Momoi and seeing her home safely, Miyamoto Tokima returned to his own house alone.
His father wasn't home—probably still at work.
After taking a satisfying hot shower, Miyamoto Tokima lay down on his bed.
Because he had officially gotten together with Satsuki Momoi, he was so excited that he tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep.
He had insomnia…
And he wasn't the only one.
Satsuki Momoi and Daiki Aomine were also unable to sleep.
Satsuki Momoi's insomnia was the same as Miyamoto Tokima's—pure happiness after confirming their relationship.
But Daiki Aomine was different.
As he lay in bed preparing to sleep, today's match suddenly came to mind. He abruptly sat up.
"Damn it!! Why did their coach have to faint?!"
Unable to sleep after not getting his fill of basketball, Daiki Aomine tossed and turned for a while. When he realized he wouldn't be falling asleep anytime soon, he got dressed and headed out to a nearby street court.
He walked along the quiet streets. It was already late, and aside from a few homeless people and some delinquents, there was hardly anyone around.
Perhaps sensing Daiki Aomine's presence, none of the delinquents dared to provoke him.
Honestly, if any of them had tried, Daiki Aomine probably would have beaten them senseless.
After all, in the original story, Daiki Aomine could knock Shogo Haizaki unconscious during high school with just two moves.
Spinning the basketball in his hand, he slowly made his way toward the nearest court.
As he drew closer, the sound of a basketball echoed from the court.
Thump… thump… thump…
Swish…
The sound of the ball was especially clear in the stillness of the night.
He had thought the court would be empty, but hearing the basketball made him curious. Who would be playing this late at night?
With that question in mind, Daiki Aomine quickened his pace toward the court, wanting to see who was still out there shooting hoops.