This was Hanamichi's first time visiting Rukawa's house, and he was thrilled. It wasn't just because he had hit it off so well with Rukawa's mother; more importantly, he felt he had found the next great mountain he wanted to climb. He was going to go play basketball in America.
Only sixteen years old, Hanamichi had no idea how difficult it was to play in America, what requirements had to be met, or whether he could ever reach that level. He had simply set his mind on going to play alongside Rukawa on the courts he had seen in the videotapes.
When they finally came out of Rukawa's house, pitch darkness had already settled over the world. Only the streetlights stood tall against the biting wind, and the streets were completely quiet.
Chapter 28