Source
https://kakuyomu.jp/works/16817139558660048790/episodes/16818093076784743575
I’m getting a bit nervous. After all, even though it’s only a ball game, it’s my first match in a few years.
I made that promise to Suika, but it’s also for my own good.
I told Suika that I was a great guy, but I had a history of running away from the same thing.
At the time, I too had been the target of senior members’ taunts.
I used my family situation as an excuse, didn’t face my teammates and turned away. When I saw Suika playing basketball, I realised that I still love basketball.
Even so, I was afraid of seeing what I had lost, so I got involved in a bland way.
But here I am trying to stop running away from the reality that I don’t want to face.
I’ve told Suika to have confidence, so what if I don’t do it?
So I want to finish this ball game and be able to confidently say I love basketball.
This is also my way of putting to rest the half-hearted feelings I have for basketball.
Unbeknownst to others, I head to the court with such a resolution and a promise to Suika.
Just before the game starts, my teammates are waiting for me at courtside.
“Arase, you’re late!”
‘Oh, sorry!’
The teammates other than Sasaoka have only spoken to me a little in class.
I think …… it was Nishino, Sugiura and Yamauchi.
“Do you think Ito-kun, who replaced Sakai, can play basketball?”
“Well, I guess he’s an experienced player.”
“Oh!”
“We don’t have much experience, so please help us out.”
After a quick chat, the teacher who will be acting as the referee will prompt to head to the center of the court.
If I remember correctly, the opponent is from the same group as Suika.
There, for some reason, there was someone who looked at me harder than anyone else.
I feel like he look familiar, but… I can’t remember.
“When I heard that it was Class 4, I was nervous, but I’m glad it’s not Nakashiro’s team. Still, I can’t believe I’m going to have to fight with a transfer student here.”
“Well, …… sorry. Do I know you?”
“……! I-I’m Machida! I went to the café with Takimoto, during Golden Week!”
“…………yeah”
“You definitely forgot.”
I remembered something about coming, but I don’t remember what kind of conversation we had at all.
I had a lot of trouble during Golden Week.
“Hmm? Arase, do you know Machida?”
“No, not so much as an acquaintance. Are you acquainted with him Sasaoka?”
“Yeah, we were in the same class in junior high. …..even so, against the basketball team, it’s tricky.”
“Sorry, but I’m not going to take it easy on you. I pay you back!”
Machida declared, showing off his hostility.
What do you mean by “pay”…however, this guy is always so serious about it.
It’s a ball game, why don’t you have a bit more fun ……. I’m the one who’s unusually serious about taking part.
After a few words of greeting, the whistle blows and the game begins.
Before it starts, I look around and look for Suika. I’m playing basketball for Suika, so it’s meaningless if Suika isn’t watching.
And then I found Suika looking at me with Okai-san on the bleachers.
Although they still look awkward, it seems that they are able to talk.
Seeing that, I felt a little relieved.
“—!”
Eyes meet Suika’s.
—Watch me.
Suika gave a small nod. Apparently, my intentions were conveyed.
“Alright, let’s do it.”
When I was fired up, we started with the jump ball.
Nishino, who is taller than me, stands by in the centre circle.
The players from the other class took the same position – and the game began.
Unfortunately, the ball came from the opponent.
Machida, who holds the ball, confronts Sasaoka.
“Sasaoka. I’m sorry for you too, but I’m going to have to pull you out!”
“Machida. I’m sorry to you too, but I’m going to be popular!”
What’s with that reply? From the side of saying such things, Sasaoka was quickly overtaken by Machida and scored.
Sasaoka also tried his best to defend, but as expected, the other side was better.
“Damn, this is a test given to me! If I overcome this, I’m sure a wonderful tomorrow is waiting for me! It’s not over yet!”
…… This guy is amazing. He doesn’t give up at all.
But he’s right, we’ve only just begun. You don’t know if you’re going to win until the time is zero.
So both Sasaoka and I attacked aggressively, but the game was flowing at our pace and the first 10 minutes were over in the blink of an eye.
◆
“Arase-kun, is everything alright?”
“….. isn’t the right one to worry about? In case you’re wondering, our class is winning.”
“O-Oh, no, that’s not what I meant ……!”
Today, I should say finally, I’m able to talk to Natsu.
The first game was good because we won, but communication between me and Natsu was terrible.
But when Natsu, who had gone somewhere after the match, came back, she apologised to me.
She said she was sorry for not being able to think about Suika’s feelings. In response, I also apologised for the terrible things I said.
From there, we started to be able to talk a bit more, although not as much as before, and now I’m watching Arase kun matches with the boys in my class.
In truth, it should be my class that should be cheering, but I was more concerned about Arase kun after he made that promise.
Now the first ten minutes are over and it’s half-time.
Arase’s team only scored eight points, while ours scored 20.
It’s Machida, isn’t it? He’s a member of the basketball team, so he’s good at it.
In comparison, Arase-kun’s movement was far from the sharpness of the 1-on-1 he showed at the park.
…… is there something wrong with him?
“Go for it, Arase-kun. ……”
I had denied that it was possible to win, but before I knew it I was cheering for Arase-kun.
◆
It’s bad. The opponent is strong.
Machida-kun, right? He’s just as good as he says he is.
I’m also far from my natural movement.
If I look outside, the sky, which had been so clear, has become slightly cloudy. It may not rain yet, but it looks like it will at some point.
“Haa….”
Thanks to this, my knee is slightly sore. It’s an old injury.
It’s no big deal to run a bit, but it’s starting to scream from the hard work of basketball.
If I want to win the championship, I’ll have to play a lot of games today. I wanted to conserve my strength in anticipation of that and see how my knee was doing.
“That’s why I hate the rainy season.”
I’ve always hated the dreary weather. And this year there’s an added reason why I don’t like it.
“Oh no! He’s a strong opponent! If this keeps going on, my popular harem plan is going to be ruined!”
“Well, I’ll do my best from the second half onwards, so for now, you do your best and make some shots. If you do, you’ll be popular with the ladies.”
“Even if my hands get torn off, I’ll score!”
He’s easy to handle. Some pain is just something you have to put up with.
“Then let the counterattack begin.”
An electronic beep from the timer signals the end of the half. It’s the signal that the game is back on.
The ball comes from the end line. It is played by Sugiura and carried by me.
‘Let’s push them over the line!”
Machida is the man in front of me. His eyes are sharp and you can see how serious he is.
He is low to the ground and determined not to be overtaken.
He is a troublesome opponent. Even so, if you don’t fight, you can’t win.
‘I’m sorry, but I have a promise to keep too.”
“Wha!?”
I received the ball, faked a right-left and then a right again, and drove to the right again.
I got out of the way and scored a lay-up to close the score.
◆
“Wow. Ito-kun can move like that!”
Natsu was surprised next to him. It’s a sharp move that wasn’t shown at all in the first half.
I see, is this the first time Natsu has seen Arase-kun play basketball?
For some reason, seeing Natsu’s astonishment made me feel proud of myself.
“But he’s even more amazing.”
When we played 1-on-1 in the park, he had injured his dominant hand. And yet I was faster and better.
It was something I experienced right in front of me then, but seeing it from the outside was different. I knew that Arase-kun’s movements were those of someone who was exceptionally good, even among experienced players.
“Now three!”
Natsu said so, and Arase-kun made a three-pointer from the top of the check with ease and intention.
….. amazing. He was barely off the mark.
The momentum of Arase-kun did not stop after that.
This time, he made it look like he was going to shoot himself, but instead he passed the ball precisely to a fellow player who had become free.
His team-mates were surprised, perhaps not expecting the pass to come to them, but he somehow received it and scored an easy shot at goal, and before I knew it, he was two goals ahead.
I want to see more.
“…… sounds like fun right, Suika”
“…… eh?”
I had no idea what she was talking about. But I soon realized that I was excited by Arase-kun’s every play.
─ ─ I’ll remind Suika of the fun of basketball once more.
If Arase-kun won the championship, I didn’t know if I would really be able to enjoy playing basketball again.
But now I realised that something had already started to change in me, and my heart was racing.
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