EIGHT TARGETS
25. Basketball Player I admire, Kaiser

Kaiser who had just entered the classroom with his princely smile was immediately greeted by a gaze of admiration mixed with warmth by his classmates who instantly turned into a look of astonishment when they realized that there was no longer a bodyguardthe bodyguard is behind him.  Looking at that gaze, Kaiser only laughed softly as he stroked her delicate hair.

“Kaiser, where are your bodyguards?”  Andika immediately welcomed Kaiser's arrival with a question that everyone in the class actually wanted to ask. 

“Hehehe, I told them not to come anymore because we will soon UTS.”  Kaiser replied with a soft laugh. 

Kaiser then put his tote bag on the table and prepared to sit down.  However, before Kaiser's perfect sitting position, Beni suddenly came from outside the classroom by running to the point that it hit Andika so it almost fell, but managed to hold Beni before falling down.

“Kaiser, Andika!”  Said Beni while staring at Kaiser and Andika in turn. 

He then put his hands together in front of his face while lowering his head. 

“Please, this time only, join our basketball team to practice match.”  Pinta Beni with great hope. 

Andika then looked at Kaiser and Beni alternately.  Mouth bent.  There seemed to be a hint of hope in his eyes that Kaiser would agree to it.

“But we are not this school basketball team.”  Kaiser tried to answer. 

“No problem!  Who does not know you in basketball?  Please, just once!”  Beni once again clasped her hands and bowed her head before Kaiser. 

“Kaiser, let's just take it.  I'm also curious how we are progressing now.”  Andika tried to persuade Kaiser. 

“But we have not played an official match for a very long time.  I'm afraid our game is rusty.”  Kaiser fused his hands together and clamped his nose with those two cupped hands. 

“Come on, we will also sometimes still play basketball, although not full round.”  Persuade Andika again. 

Kaiser seemed to be still considering.  Andika bent her knees and lowered her position to align with the face of Kaiser who was sitting on the chair.  He then rested the front of his body on the table. 

“Come sure is fun.” 

Hearing Andika's words, Kaiser smiled. 

“Come, it seems okay too.”  Kaiser agrees to Beni's request. 

Hearing that, Beni then jumped up and down in excitement with his noise to the point that finally the vice-chairman of the class stepped in to calm him down.

***

“Halo, Kaiser!” 

Kaiser looked shocked to see the five basketball players who would soon be practicing a match with him who were before him at the moment.  The five players looked smiling with nostalgic smiles. 

Apparently, 2 of them were Kaiser's opponents in the final round during the Junior High level national basketball game.  He was his opponent in the quarter-finals.  The other one had never competed directly with Kaiser, but seemed to admire him greatly after seeing his performance in the last match.

Andika is actually already a very talented player where many people are impressed with his stunning jump shot.  However, his talent was covered by Kaiser's more radiant talent. 

Kaiser is a very reliable player who passes and has excellent field supervision techniques.  He is very adept at drawing the attention of his enemy in the other direction before passing in an unexpected direction - presumably leading to other players shooting. 

If the opposing player is too focused on Kaiser passing, then they will be slaughtered by Kaiser's three-point shoot. 

“Oh, nice to see you again.”  Said Kaiser while smiling with his princely smile to them. 

The opposing players looked so warm at Kaiser's welcome.  They seem to think of Kaiser as their role model.

Unnoticed, the podium suddenly crowded.  Apparently it was the act of fanatical Kaiser fans who came to watch their idol performance after a long time. 

“It seems, I can't disappoint them.”  Kaiser said with a friendly smile towards the podium which made the cheers on the podium more crowded.

The match also began.  The game begins with a dribble from Kaiser who successfully passes the opponent.  The opponents who intercepted Kaiser then gasped in shock when they saw the ball was no longer in the hands of Kaiser and immediately lay up was launched by Andika. 

2 Points for the home team.  After the whistle is sounded again, the enemy starts attacking the team's defense, but soon the ball is captured by Andika and pass to Kaiser. 

The opposing team trying to block Kaiser's passing with their much taller body, must accept the harsh reality when Kaiser steps back 2 and instantly takes a three-point shoot. 

The match was run for 4 innings which was closed by the home team's victory with a score of 52-78.

“It seems that your skills have not rusted yes Kaiser.”  Said one of the opposing team members while shaking Kaiser's hand. 

“Of course.  Sometimes on Sundays, I play basketball with Andika and the kids.  Well, even if it's just street basketball anyway.”  Kaiser said with a mischievous smile. 

The player then looked more intensely at Kaiser.  He pursed his lips and tightened his hand before finally speaking. 

“You know, Kaiser.  I was selected to be the first player in the team since I was first class.  For two seasons, our team always won the 1st national basketball championship.  That's probably what makes me so arrogant that I feel like I'm the greatest person in the world about basketball. 

At least, that's how I felt until you came and destroyed all my fantasies.  You beat us who were champions in the previous season with a score of 20-101. 

Frankly, I was very frustrated at the time.  I trained hard with the team to get my revenge, but in the end, you beat us again the following season with a score of 55-91.  The score is still a bit embarrassing, but much better than the previous season. 

I also felt that our efforts to practice were not in vain.  So I think, if we can recruit talented 1st grade kids and fix the flaws in our team, then in the next session, we can win. 

But you disappeared without a trace.  And precisely the person who replaced you immediately lost in the quaification round at the regional level. 

Honestly, I was once very angry about it.  I'm disappointed in you for running away at this self-made rivalry.  But after a while, I finally heard the news. 

I finally found out why you disappeared from basketball.  Well, I don't think it's your fault either so it's certainly not right to blame you for my selfish desires.  You must also be in a difficult position because of that. 

For this reason, I try to ask the coach to be able to compete with you again.  It was I who also asked Beni to help in order to fulfill this selfish desire of mine.  So, be this match.  Well, at the end of the day we lost.” 

The player then turned his gaze to Kaiser for a moment and shouted softly to release his frustration.  However, there was a slight implied feeling of relief in his frustrated cry.

The player then looked at Kaiser again. 

“But I'm relieved that I can finally play with the players I admire the most.  Thank you Kaiser.”  The player smiled with a meaningful smile.  Kaiser without saying anything then just smiled kindly while patting the shoulder of the player.

After his conversation with that player, the memories Kaiser wanted to forget returned to his memory.  About Dirga and about Dios who because of his incompetence to protect his people, had to be bullied which caused Dios to still be in a coma until now.