Source
https://ncode.syosetu.com/n5018if/119/
“Thank you, everyone!~”
“Tsumugi chan~, you were so cute!”
“The best!”
After the Cure Cure dance, the cheerleading club’s performance comes to an end with great popularity.
It was really fun. It was great to join forces with all the club members, but it was also great to be able to do it together with Arisa chan, who was standing right next to me.
Her body size is a little too sexy for Cure Cure, but her eye-catching appearance is very attractive. I was surprised to see that Ryoma even made Arisa chan’s costume…… I really can’t compete with her.
As usual, Arisa chan kept her arms crossed and her face in a Buddhist monk’s pout. She had a very soft expression during the performance.
“Look, you have to smile too, Arisa chan”
“It’s okay. I’m not used to this.”
“Arisa chan’s character is a girl with a nice smile, and Arisa smiles in front of Shizuku chan and Ryoma right?”
“Those two are the most important to me. No one wants to show their weak side.”
Arisa chan has an image of being a loner. She rejects confessions from all kinds of men and only shows her true face to her closest friends.
In reality, she is a girl who is not good at high places and scary places. She may have too good a face and too much style, though.
I want to show her at least a little more friendliness. I had a good idea, so I poked her in the side.
“Hyaaan!?”
Her expression relaxes.
“!?”
Her cute voice drew everyone’s attention. I went behind her and tickled her flanks. Arisa chan’s flanks are really thin! Why are they so thin after eating so much?!
“Hey! Hey, stop it. Kyahahaha, no!”
“Arisa chan, smile, smile!”
“I really can’t go there! Kyahahaha!”
“Arisa chan, you’re so cute~! What’s her weakness?”
“Asahina Arisa, she smiles like that.”
“I think she’s pretty but honestly, isn’t she cute? The outfit suits her so well, I think I’m falling in love with her.”
“Yaann! S-Stop doing that.”
Arisa-chan jumped even further and got away. Hmm, I knew Arisa-chan’s weakness from when we were in the pool.
After all, Arisa-chan is cuter when she sounds like this. The extremely sensitive part is cute and I am sure Ryoma would agree.
When I tried to poke her further in the side, she ran away as if frightened.
“Tsumugi idiot!”
Arisa chan looks so cute when she gets teary-eyed and angry.
“brought it to you by Hiiragi Tsumugi and the adorable smiling Arisa chan! Thank you everyone!”
“Tsumugi chan, Arisa chan is so cute!”
“Let’s see more of their interaction!~”
The audience was so excited to see Arisa-chan, who was a little bit angry with the audience.
I managed to quiet Arisa, who was a little bit angry, and then I noticed that Ryoma was not there. I don’t think Ryoma would leave without me or Arisa, though…….
“Are you looking for Kogure-kun by any chance?”
She was a classmate from the cheerleading club. She had finished her performance before me and returned to the wings of the stage.
“He said ‘I’m going to a beauty pageant so I’ll be there first’.”
Yes, the boys’ beauty contest! The time was just about to start. The beauty pageant takes place inside the gymnasium. We had to move from the outdoor venue. Which reminds me, Ryoma said he would do the booking… I had completely forgotten.
“We had to change quickly, Arisa chan. The beauty contest is about to start!”
“Wait a minute, we have to take off our costumes carefully.”
We hurriedly changed into our uniforms and headed for the gymnasium. There were quite a few spectators in the gymnasium.
“There were about the same number of people as yesterday.”
“I didn’t know there were that many people there yesterday. I didn’t get to see it in the end because of cleanup and such. ……”
“I heard you talk to boys all the time.”
“Well, I can’t help it if they ask me! I can’t just ignore them.”
“I see… Oh well. Are you planning on going next year?”
I’m a little embarrassed because they said there would be a swimsuit competition.
“That reminds me, do they have a swimsuit judging for the boys too?”
I don’t care about Reo’s swimsuit, but I want to see Ryoma in a swimsuit again. Ryoma has a body that I like a lot.
“If only I could see Ryoma in a swimsuit ……jururi.”
Arisa seems to feel the same way. I think we’re a little bit alike in this way.
“Now, here we go! The last event of the joint cultural festival, the men’s beauty contest, is about to begin.”
“wow!”
Reo and Ryoma …… the only two on the stage?
It was the same for the girls, but not so many boys either.
“If possible, I wanted to go in the direction of a showdown between the two schools,……. Konohana, the student council president.”
The student council president of the other school, Konohana Sakuya-san, who is sitting at the judges’ table on the stage, stands up.
“I’m sorry, but I’ve found that none of the male students at our school are of the quality that would be appreciated at a beauty pageant. Yesterday, there was also a report that a contestant candidate had seduced a student from your school and interfered with the cleanup, so I have decided to withdraw him from the contest.”
“Well, that’s unfortunate.”
The unexpectedly serious words left the moderator speechless.
“The particular girl also had a devilish side that beguiled many boys, so I can’t say it’s a bad thing in general.”
“Hee~. I wonder what kind of girl that little devil girl is.”
“You’re kidding, right?! You don’t even know you’re a devil, do you?”
“Hee?”
“You shouldn’t join any clubs when you get to college. I’m sure it will destroy you.”
“But Kokoro chan and I have agreed to join various clubs together after we graduate from high school.”
“I can just picture Ryoma and Shizuku scratching their heads.”
I didn’t really do anything though… In the end, all the friends I made at other schools ended up being blocked on LINE. In the end, all I have are Shizuku-chan, Arisa-chan, Kokoro-chan, my gal friends and the cheerleading club.
So there were only two contestants. One is the most popular student in our school. He is the ace of the basketball team, and although he narrowly missed the inter-high school tournament, he was chosen as one of the best five students in the prefecture as an individual. Hirasawa Reo, the most promising candidate for the men’s beauty contest.
“Kyaaaaaaaaaah! Reo kunn~~n!”
“I love you~~~!”
I was surprised at the number of girls in the front row. Not only from our school, but many from the other school as well.
“Aren’t there more people in Reo’s fan club? Everyone knows that Shizuku chan is his girlfriend right?”
“That’s what’s so great about Shizuku. She is so good at gripping people’s hearts and minds. She’s been able to steer the fan club in the right direction and make it come alive. There is no one who can say anything bad about Shizuku at this school anymore. I think Ryoma is the only one.”
“Shizuku-chan has helped me out a lot as well. She’s a really amazing girl. To be honest, Shizuku-chan has made great strides in Ryouma’s shadow.”
I heard that she’s almost certain to become student council president, which is really amazing. Even now she’s proudly sitting on the judges’ seat.
“What do you think about the Contest, Hirasawa san? But to be honest, even though your opponent is getting the most attention, he’s not even close to you, is he? In fact, I think you are sure of victory.”
“Ha? Are you mocking Ryoma?”
“Reo kun.”
“Gohon. I didn’t really want to do this, but I thought I should attend a school function once in a while. Thanks for your support.”
“Kyaaa!!~~”
“You’re so cool~~! I’ll be rooting for you all the way~!”
“That Reo is showing his affection.”
“That’s what Shizuku wants. Maybe he wants to change his image.”
Just now I thought I saw Shizuku chan smiling and calling the Reo’s name.
Suck on that.
“Now, the next contestant is from the self-recommended category!”
There are two types of contestants in the Miss Contest: those who are nominated by others and those who are nominated by themselves. In the self-recommended category, the selected student can decide whether or not to enter the contest.
I was surprised to hear that Arisa chan was not the only one who was selected to participate. At first, neither Arisa nor Reo had any intention to enter the contest, but Ryoma’s plan was to enter the contest after all. I think Arisa-chan is just a rivalry with Hina-chan though.
In the self-recommendation quota, you apply for it yourself, and if the student council president gives you permission, you can go.
In fact, all self-nominations by students other than Ryoma have been rejected by Shizuku.
That’s quite an abuse of authority. Ryoma is working extremely hard this time to become worthy of this self-nomination, so no one will question if Ryoma competes in the self-nomination quota.
‘This is Kogure Ryoma, the lucky boy from yesterday’s Women’s Miscon.”
“Wow! Your meal was good!”
“Men are not as good as their faces! defeat Hirasawa!”
“Go for it!”
He is well known and is usually supported by the public. Maybe the boys appreciate him more.
“What do you think about that other guy, Hirasawa Reo? Are you actually proud that you are better looking than Hirasawa-san?”
“I’ve known Reo since childhood, so I know more than enough about his charms. He is the best looking man in the world. There is no better looking man in the world than Reo!”
“Ah, yeah.”
As usual, Ryoma likes Reo too much. This is why he always chooses Reo over me.
“So I decided to participate in the beauty pageant. I’m going to show you that I’m going to beat this best looking guy in the world. I’m going to win!…… and I will confess to her once again.
I’m going to tell her again, with the proof that I won the most popular guy in school!”
“Oh!”
“Don’t tell me you’re going to confess to Asahina Arisa again!”
“Moreover, it seems Kogure is a strong candidate to win the Most Outstanding Achievement Award at this year’s cultural festival, so if he wins the beauty contest too… he’ll be the perfect match for Asahina Arisa!”
Ryoma’s speculation is succeeding. It would be enough just to get the best merit award, which honors the most active student at the festival, but if he wins the men’s beauty contest, he can dance with Arisa at the night’s after-party.
Even if Reo wins, he will never dance with Arisa. It would look great on the outside, but Reo and Arisa don’t get along with each other any better than I do with him.
But there is one concern, and that is Konohana Sakuya. It’s the only concern I have about Ryouma’s past. Will she make the decision as the student council president, or will she make the decision based on her personal feelings?
I think it depends on that. Besides.
“I heard that Hina-chan left yesterday after the MissCon, but I wonder if she was alright.”
“It doesn’t matter. Ryouma and I don’t need his first love anymore.”
“Arisa-chan ……”
“If that student council president woman does anything unnecessary,……, I’ll just use my secret plan.”
“A secret plan?!”
I wonder what it is! Come to think of it, I knew Arisa was doing something in the shadows of the cultural festival.
“Now, which game shall we have you two play?”
“Reo, there’s only one other thing for us to face off about, isn’t there?”
“I guess so. So, what do you want to do?”
“What? Um, ……, you two.”
“Hirasawa Reo, play a game of basketball with me! I’ll beat you, the ace of the basketball team, and win the men’s beauty pageant.”
“Yeah, come on, Ryoma!”
“Um~! The progress!~”
The two were carried away by their enthusiasm, and the content of the beauty contest turned out to be a basketball showdown.
Everyone knew that both Reo and Ryoma were on the basketball team. But Reo is one of the best five players in the prefecture. The height difference between the two is nearly 10 centimeters, and their athletic ability is comparable to mine as a cheerleader. Can Ryoma beat Reo?
The spectators moved around the gymnasium, and the basketball half-court was opened. There, Reo and Ryoma faced each other in their school uniforms. They had changed only their shoes to bash shoes.
“What do you want to do?”
“I’d like to play “one-o-one,” but there’s no way I can win. Then this is the only way.”
Ryoma twirled the basketball with his finger and walked to a certain point.
That spot is where the big score is going to be. The three-point line. Ryoma grabs the ball, leaps slowly, and makes a high point throw.
Gakon! The ball doesn’t enter the ring, but falls to the court and rolls to Reo.
“Huh?”
It’s missed. ……. Reo picked up the rolling ball, dropped down to the three-point line, and threw it. The ball was sucked into the ring with a beautiful sound.
“In the last few games, the success rate of three-pointers has been close to fifty percent. I don’t miss them very often now. Are you still going to challenge me, Ryoma?”
“Of course. The three-point is only in the forty percent range, even for professional players. In other words, the probabilities converge.”
The three-point shot duel between Reo and Ryoma began. Ryoma, it is okay. Because he said he has a weak vision in his left eye. I wonder if there is a chance to win. But I have to believe in Ryoma.
Reo and Ryoma took their turn to shoot.
“Here we go.”
The three-point shot that Reo threw drew a parabola and landed beautifully inside the ring. It was a perfect throw without any hesitation. I think Reo is a formidable opponent now. With Shizuku-chan as someone he needs to protect, he has become incredibly strong compared to before. To be honest, as a rival, it’s frustrating.
I thought they could fight on equal terms.
“Ryoma, hang in there.”
Arisa clenched her hands and wished. Regardless of whether he wins or loses, I think Arisa and Ryoma will be tied together. But ……. I know, I want him to win, don’t I? I know because I’ve known him since childhood. I know that Ryoma hates to lose as much as me and Reo.
“Damn!”
But Ryoma’s shot drew a beautiful parabolic line, but it didn’t enter the ring well. He missed three shots, and in no time at all, the gap was closing.
“Come on!”
Reo puts in his fourth shot. It’s now four-on-zero. The odds are hopeless. I thought there was some secret plan, but …… I knew there wasn’t. Ryoma is trying to beat Reo with his current ability.
“Go for it, Ryoma!”
I cheered for Ryoma loudly. But Ryoma didn’t hear me, he was sweating cold sweat and shaking as he tried to shoot. I had to be in a better position to be heard! I grabbed Arisa’s hand, pulled her along, sniffed out the people, and got as close as I could to the two playing.
“Go for it!”
I yell out, but Ryoma doesn’t notice. He was about to shoot with shaky hands. No, it won’t go in that way! Is it no good now ……? That’s when I thought so.
I saw Arisa step forward from next to me.
“Ryoma, win!”
Ryoma shook and looked at me at those loud words. And then …….
“…… yeah.”
He laughed. Then the shot was released, drawing the highest parabola ever, so high you would have thought it was an inverted U, and went into the ring.
“Kogure-san’s shot was finally decided! Will it be a breakthrough from here?!”
The MC was stirring things up, and the place was abuzz with excitement. I felt a change in the atmosphere.
“I miss that throw.”
“Reo.”
I could hear their conversation as I approached.
“When you were in junior high school, you always had that high throwing form, didn’t you?
“That’s right. I remember the old days.”
“I’m telling you, I’m not going to cut corners.”
“Yeah, but the tide has turned. I have a winning attitude.”
“Yeah, so do I!”
Reo’s fifth shot was fired. But here comes the fifth shot, and it misses the ring.
Four shots in a row was too much. It was only natural for it to miss here. Then Ryoma’s fifth shot goes in to the ring.
“Reo, this is where it starts.”
“Sorry, but if I get two more shots in, I win!”
Reo’s sixth shot. It hits the ring and the board several times.
“Get in!”
His persistence carries the ball through the ring. I could feel Reo’s seriousness, and I thought his first miss would make a big difference here, but …….
“Enter.”
Ryoma also made his sixth shot. He has made three in a row here. Three to five, two more to go, and the gap is not closing.
Reo and Ryoma would both get their seventh shots.
“They were both amazing.”
“They usually don’t go in like that.”
The three-point shot is said to be a 40% shot at best, but they made it. Both of them were truly amazing. But there are only three left. The gap between the two is still unbridgeable.
“Damn!”
Reo’s eighth shot was not good enough. If Ryoma scores here, there will be only one shot left. But if he misses, there will be nothing left to do. And yet…
“Why are you smiling like that?
“…… Ryoma.”
“Is it because Arisa is watching?”
Ryoma sank the eighth one, and then the ninth one in a row.
This would catch up with him at six to six. After missing two in a row, Reo could not afford to lose any time. He threw down his tenth and final shot.
“Go!”
He shouted with great enthusiasm. But why? I don’t feel like going in at all. Maybe that’s what everyone here is thinking. They are starting to want a storyline where Ryoma wins, rather than a storyline where Reo wins. The ball bounced off the floor and bounced off the ring.
“Damn!”
If Ryoma takes the next shot, he wins. There was a possibility that the game could have gone to overtime with the score still 6-6, but I guess it would be ……. I thought it would probably end here.
“It’s Kogure-san’s last shot! If it is decided, Kogure-san will win.”
“You’ve already made all of your shots from the fourth one. The odds are too high.”
“But the momentum is completely with Kogure.”
“Phew. ……”
Ryoma bounced the ball against the court several times and eventually grabbed it and took a deep breath. The last throw, he seemed very focused. Ryoma leaps and releases the last ball. He drew a high parabola, I want it to go in. I want it to be settled. No, I might not be able to see it.
“It’s okay.”
“Arisa chan?”
“Ryoma will surely win.”
Where does that strong trust come from? I should have known that it’s been longer since we met… But Arisa’s words really struck me, and I felt that it was definitely going to happen. So I kept watching Ryouma’s shot until it went through the hoop.
It went in. Seven consecutive successful shots. In other words, Ryoma won!
“Oh, oh, oh! Is this for real?
He beat the ace of the basketball team!”
“Seven three-pointers in a row, that’s amazing!”
“Amazing~!”
The crowd cheered loudly and got excited again. Ryoma won, but the way he won was amazing. Seven three-pointers in a row, even for an amateur, is an amazing way to win.
“You’re doing great, Ryoma. Can you actually see it?”
“No way. My sense of perspective is still crazy.”
“If that’s the case.”
“Once you’re in, all you have to do is the same movement. It won’t work in a game, though.”
“Haaa……, I couldn’t stop once I got into it in junior high school. The first year, the only regulars were me and Ryoma, who was good at three-pointers.
“After the accident, I stopped playing three-pointers and practiced passing all the time.”
That’s right.
Ryoma was such a good basketball player before he had that accident. He said he was Reo’s support, but I think Ryoma is the main character after all.
“You know ……. It turned out to be different from the original beauty pageant. …… what should we do about this?”
The student who was the MC looked troubled. It seemed like they wanted to make it similar to a beauty contest for girls, but since things have come to this, that’s probably not going to happen. Shizuku-chan, who was sitting in the judges’ seat, stood up.
“I think it’s safe to say that it’s settled. I think the showdown for the boys’ beauty contest is the end result of a shoving match between the two of them. Reo kun is my boyfriend, so in terms of personality, he is the one I would choose, but right now, in my position as acting student council president, I should give the cup to the winner. I’m sure you think so too, don’t you, president Konohana?”
Student Council President Konohana had been staring at Ryoma since the beginning.
I know what that glare means because I have heard from Ryoma about the cause about the Konohana sisters. If president Konohana is going to have personal feelings about it, she will certainly never make Ryoma the winner. But Shizuku did a good job of bringing the topic to the attention of Chairman Konohana.
That’s why this happened.
“….. Yeah. The winner of this matchup can also be the winner of the Miscon if you want to remove any personal feelings from it. I’m a student on that side, and I have no objection to that.”
“The two student council presidents who were the judges recognized Kogure-san. In other words, the winner is Kogure Ryoma san. The winner of the boys’ beauty contest has been decided!”
“Oh~!”
Once again, cheers filled the gymnasium. The gymnasium trembled and echoed like an earth tremor.
“Ryoma, congratulations~!”
“Woah!”
Reo lifted Ryoma’s body and held him by the shoulders. Reo’s way of showing his appreciation for the winner.
Ryoma isn’t small either, but what a force he has. Seriously… I suddenly looked away and saw Arisa’s eyes were streaming with tears.
“Why are you crying, Arisa chan!”
“Huh? Oh,……, I’m happy for him.”
“Yeah. Ryoma, you did your best, wow!”
“That’s part of it, but ……. I am very happy that Ryoma is appreciated by everyone. I’m really happy that someone who works so hard for everyone and who is kind enough to shed tears when his friends ask him for advice about their love lives is being praised by everyone.”
That feeling I couldn’t reach. I knew I couldn’t win.
I see, that’s right. Even though we were childhood friends, I didn’t understand Ryouma’s position at all. I only had eyes for Ryouma. But Arisa-chan saw Ryoma in his entirety. …Maybe that was the difference.
“Thank you.”
The words came out.
“Sniff, what’s with this all of a sudden?”
“Nothing.”
Arisa chan, thank you for liking Ryoma. As a childhood friend, I want to say that, but as Hiiragi Tsumugi, I don’t want to say it. I’m not completely given up on yet.
After that, Arisa chan and I left the gym and sat down on a bench nearby to calm her down.
I really wanted to share our victory, but Ryoma and Arisa were not yet in a committed relationship. It would not be good for the relationship between Ryoma and Arisa to be exposed because of their joy in front of the audience. That would have to wait until after the event. Everyone comes out of the gym.
With this, all the performances of the festival are over. The students from the other school have gone home, and the after-party is to be held at our high school alone. That’s strange. ……
“Ryoma and the others aren’t coming out.”
“So are Shizuku chan and that student council president.”
It seems like all the students, including the teachers, have left the gym. But only the people we know are still there. I have a bad feeling. Arisa and I go back into the gym. There we see Ryoma, Reo, Shizuku… and President Konohana.
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