Tendou Kageyoshi soon left Teiko Middle School.
Teiko hadn't started classes yet—the new semester would begin in about a week.
With his enrollment issues now settled, Tendou faced another pressing matter:
"Where am I supposed to get money?"
"Guess I'll just have to work part-time."
Part-time culture was popular in Japan. Even middle school kids often held part-time jobs to earn spending money, which explained why youthful service staff were everywhere.
Just as the thought crossed his mind, Tendou noticed a coffee shop with a hiring notice displayed prominently outside.
Without hesitation, he walked right in.
"Welcome, sir. Do you have a reservation?"
As soon as he stepped inside, a polite waitress, about eighteen years old, greeted him warmly.
Hands casually tucked into his pockets, Tendou scanned the café's interior, approving of its comfortable atmosphere.
"I saw the recruitment notice outside. I'm here to apply for the job."
Interview?
The waitress eyed him strangely. Given Tendou's flashy, cocky appearance, he looked more like an arrogant young master than a part-timer.
After all, who wears such stylish sunglasses to a café job interview?
But she remained courteous and led him inside.
"You'll need the owner's approval to proceed."
"Follow me, please."
"Thank you," Tendou replied lightly, following behind.
They quickly arrived at the kitchen area behind the café. Despite its name, the place clearly offered more than just coffee.
"Boss, someone's here for an interview!"
The boss turned around, instantly stunned by the handsome figure standing before her.
Even behind those flashy sunglasses, her experience immediately told her this boy was drop-dead gorgeous.
"I'm here—"
"Take off your sunglasses," she interrupted.
"Huh? Oh, sure."
Obediently, Tendou removed his shades in a stylish gesture, revealing strikingly beautiful azure-blue eyes.
In that instant, the image of a cocky rich kid transformed into that of a refined young nobleman.
"Hello, I'm here to—"
"You're hired!"
The café owner eagerly pushed past the waitress, studying Tendou's face closely.
"That's it?"
"Yes, you've got the job. Come to work tomorrow!"
Wasn't this too casual?
Though skeptical inside, Tendou couldn't resist asking, "Don't you need to check my skills or something?"
"Well, do you know how to make coffee?"
"Nope!"
"No problem at all. You can learn slowly. By the way, what's your name?"
"Zhou… Tendou Kageyoshi!"
"Tendou Kageyoshi! What a strong, domineering name!"
Tendou fell silent.
There were just too many things he wanted to roast.
Was this shop really hiring waitstaff and not male hosts?
Why had this woman been staring at his face nonstop since he walked in?
"Little Tendou, where are you from?" the owner asked casually.
Little? I'm definitely above average in size, lady!
"Where am I from… Well, I'm probably not local."
"What about your parents?"
"They're not around."
Not technically wrong—they were in another world.
"So, you're alone?"
"For now, yeah."
"Got a place to stay?"
"Not yet, planning to find one later."
His so-called "finding a place" involved robbing from the rich to give to the poor—borrowing money from a few "good-hearted" street punks to afford a night's stay.
That's exactly how he'd spent his first night here—since his stingy system didn't provide food or shelter, he had no choice but to rely on the kindness of local delinquents.
"In that case, there's an apartment behind the café. I used to stay there before having my child, but now it's empty since I need to care for the kid. You can rent it temporarily."
Was this café's employee benefits package really so generous?
Tendou glanced suspiciously at the waitress beside him, whose expression looked ready to burst into tears of unfairness.
This instantly pushed his mind into dangerous territory.
"I'm sorry, boss, but I refuse to sell my virginity!"
"Virginity? I don't want your virginity—I want your youth!"
"Sorry, boss, but my youth is as precious as my virginity!"
Tendou immediately felt like fleeing the scene.
Damn it, I just wanted a part-time job, not a sugar mommy!
"Stop talking nonsense," the boss scoffed, rolling her eyes. "My café might sell coffee, but since we're near a school, most customers are students. Get it?"
"Nope."
"Idiot, I'm hiring your pretty face, understand?"
Unable to resist, she reached out and pinched his handsome cheek, sighing dramatically. "If only I were twenty years younger, I'd chase you until you agreed to be my boyfriend!"
"Ah, no worries. I can certainly handle being eye candy."
"Then it's settled! By the way, where do you study?"
"Teiko Middle School."
"Oh, that's pretty close. Your work hours will be from after school until 10 p.m. You'll have one day off per weekend, making four days a month total. Any objections?"
"None!"
With that, Tendou easily solved his accommodation issue as well.
...
That night.
After getting an advance from his boss and buying some daily necessities, Tendou lay down on the unfamiliar bed, staring at the ceiling, one arm draped over his forehead.
"Seems my luck isn't too bad. Met some kindhearted people immediately—this is actually a pretty decent start."
Tendou had accepted that he was now in another world and would soon be appearing frequently on screen, living a life similar to Truman's.
Fortunately, unlike Truman, the camera wouldn't always focus on him; it would primarily follow that guy, Kuroko.
"No, wait. If I want to be the most popular character, I need the determination to turn 'Kuroko no Basket' into 'Tendou no Basket!'"
At that thought, he flipped out of bed, moved to his desk, and began carefully drafting a detailed character plan based on Gojo Satoru.
Countless anime existed, featuring endless numbers of beloved characters—especially in sports anime, which always ignited viewers' passion.
Take Hisashi Mitsui from Slam Dunk, for instance—a redeemed prodigal who captivated countless fans.
But the world of Kuroko no Basket was different. While it had plenty of hot-blooded moments, it primarily thrived on shock value and spectacle.
The first time Aomine entered the Zone, viewers everywhere were mesmerized by his dazzling display of sheer talent and numbers.
In this anime's world, hard work was meaningless. Talent was the only deciding factor.
Even the protagonist's team, despite endless effort, got easily crushed by the Generation of Miracles—except for the similarly cheat-code duo, Kuroko and Kagami.
So, to truly stand out and capture popularity, emphasizing individuality and strength was essential.