Chapter 4 | Yuu and Nagisa 

 

Umi, who was leading Class 11’s team, wanted to regroup and launch a counterattack, but the game continued to be dominated by Class 10’s team.

Since they didn’t have anyone with standout individual skills like Amami-san or Arae-san, Umi and her team tried to break through with teamwork to score, but it seemed the rest of Arae-san’s teammates had also put in solid practice, making it tough to even get near the goal.

“Ugh… This might be a bit tougher than I thought.”

“Miku-chan, pass it back. If you push too hard, you’ll get called for a foul.”

“Oh, got it!”

“Thanks! …It’s a bit far, but we’re almost at 24 seconds… Hup!”

With the shot clock running out, Umi took a shot from outside the three-point line, but perhaps the distance was too much— the ball hit the outside of the rim and bounced off helplessly.

“Nakamura-san, Ryoko-san, rebound, please!”

As Umi’s voice rang out, Nakamura-san and Hayakawa-san quickly moved under the basket and jumped, but a long white arm stretched out effortlessly and snatched the ball away, ignoring their efforts.

“—Got the ball!”

“Ugh, Tenkai-chan, you again…”

“Sorry, Nakamura-san, but this is a game!”

Having cleanly caught it and secured possession, Amami-san immediately swung her arm forward toward the front of the court.

“Arae-san!”

Had she started moving while everyone’s attention was on the rebound? Arae-san, already past the half-court line, received a straight pass from Amami-san heading right toward her.

“Tch, this time for sure…”

Though she was a split second late, Umi, who’d been wary of a counterattack since the rebound, rushed back to defend.

Catching up to Arae-san, who was dribbling the ball unusually slowly for a counter, the two faced off once again, just like before.

“I won’t let you get past me so easily this time.”

“…Oh, really? Well, I wasn’t planning on getting past you anyway.”

“Huh?”

“…This is how you shoot a three.”

With that, Arae-san leapt up quickly on the spot, tossing the ball toward the goal in a smooth arc.

Unlike her earlier half-hearted shot form, this one was textbook perfect.

Umi jumped and stretched out her hand to block it, but perhaps because she’d been anticipating a cut-in like before, her reaction was too slow, and she couldn’t touch the ball.

“! Everyone, rebound—”

—Swoosh.

Umi shouted instinctively, but before she could finish, Arae-san’s shot sank cleanly into the basket.

Slowly lowering both hands as if to show off to Umi, who’d just missed her shot, Arae-san muttered under her breath, clearly taunting her.

“…Lame.”

“You little…”

As if paying her back for yesterday, it was the second time she’d said “lame.”

It seemed Arae-san was still holding quite a grudge over Umi’s words and actions from the day before.

Having been thoroughly outplayed, even Umi bit her lip in frustration.

The first half’s ten minutes went by in pretty much that same pattern.

Of course, Umi and her team rallied together to score some points, but Amami-san’s team, riding their momentum, kept piling on points at an even faster pace.

Just as the score gap hit double digits at ten points, the whistle blew to signal the end of the first half.

They’d get a two or three-minute break before the second half started right after.

Would they be able to switch gears effectively in such a short time?

(Umi got pretty beat up out there… I hope she’s okay…)

Sure, it was just a practice game, but since it was meant to simulate the real class match, I probably should’ve gone over to Amami-san’s team instead.

Still, I was worried, so I quietly edged closer to where Class 11’s team was and decided to eavesdrop a little.

The five of them were huddled together, whispering about something— maybe a strategy meeting?

“…So, how far have you gone with Maehara-shi anyway?”

“You’re lovers, so you’ve at least kissed by now, right?”

“Have you already, y’know, greeted each other’s parents or…?”

“So, when’s the wedding? Right after high school graduation? It’s gotta be a student marriage for you two anyway.”

“W-Why does it always turn into this kind of talk…!”

Had their strategy meeting already wrapped up? By the time I could hear them, the five of them were deep into a conversation that had nothing to do with basketball.

The other day, when Class 11 dragged me along, I’d answered a bunch of questions about my relationship with Umi, but it seemed like they were still hungry for more.

I was about to slip away, but Umi noticed me and beckoned me over with a wave.

“Uh, good work out there, Umi.”

“Yeah. So, how’d I do in the first half?”

“…You got totally played by that girl.”

“Seriously, right? She’s got the build for sports, but I didn’t think it’d be basketball. Maki, you’re sure she didn’t volunteer for this herself?”

“Probably not. She seemed pretty indifferent about it, I think.”

Still, it left me wondering.

Anyone could tell, even an amateur like me, that she must’ve been really dedicated to the sport up until middle school, given how well she played.

Did she get fed up with club activities or something? But if that were the case, she probably wouldn’t hate basketball itself so much… The more I thought about it, the less I understood her.

She’s calmed down a bit now, but why was she so rebellious toward the teacher back then? And why does she have it out for Amami-san so much now?

Does she still have some lingering attachment to basketball, or not?

…Well, for now, that’s less important than Umi.

“Umi, the first half went like that, but what’s your plan for the second half?”

“It’s frustrating, but with our current skills, we can’t beat her head-on. It’s not much of a strategy, but we talked earlier about at least doing what we can. Right, Nakamura-san?”

“Yeah. I was pretty pathetic in the first half too, so I’ll make sure that tanned gal doesn’t get to run wild this time. Right, Miku, Kaede, Ryoko?”

“You bet!”

“Well, sure.”

“Can’t just let her keep getting away with it, right?”

The score gap was tough, but even during that earlier chit-chat, and despite being at a disadvantage, the team’s good vibe hadn’t changed.

At this rate, it didn’t seem like Umi needed any extra cheering up… but as the other four headed back to the court’s center, Umi stayed behind, staring at me intently.

(Cheer me up already.)

That’s probably what she was saying. Even when she didn’t need my voice specifically, Umi could be so greedy.

There was still some time left in the break, so a little wouldn’t hurt, I guess.

“Uh… Umi,”

“Yeah?”

“Do your best in the second half. I’m rooting for you.”

“…Thanks. I’m off.”

With a small nod, Umi headed back to the group of four with light steps.

“—Asanagi-chan, did Maehara-kun cheer you up properly?”

“—A hug? Or maybe a kiss?”

“—Neither! …It’s fine, he gave me a good push, so I’m okay.”

“—I see. The captain’s looking lively, so shall we do our best in the second half too?”

““““Ohhh!”“““

Seeing Class 11 fired up for the second half put me at ease, and I quickly slipped back to my original spot.

Then, as if she’d timed it perfectly, Amami-san came toddling over toward me this time.

“—Maki-kun.”

“Amami-san.”

“Welcome back. Did you get a good scoop from Umi about their second-half strategy?”

“A little… but I’m not a spy, you know.”

“I know. But knowing Umi, she’s definitely planning something, right?”

“Probably.”

After getting beaten that badly in the first half, Umi would absolutely adjust for the second half— Amami-san, as her best friend, surely knew that.

But looking at her team’s members, it still seemed tough to move in sync.

Following my and Amami-san’s gazes, there was Arae-san standing alone, looking bored, and a bit further off, the other three teammates practicing passes for the second half.

“Yeah, getting the team to work together is looking pretty tough…”

“Haha… Arae-san was amazing on offense, but she never passes when she has the ball, and she slacks off on defense. …We kinda got into a little argument earlier.”

That’s probably why Amami-san came over to me.

Up until now, Umi or Nitta-san had handled this kind of thing, but since they’re in different classes, right now, I’m the only ‘friend’ she can talk to about this.

“Earlier, I told everyone we should work hard together so we don’t lose. But then Arae-san said something…”

“Something unnecessary, to everyone.”

“…Yeah.”

Amami-san nodded weakly with a bitter smile.

She’d glossed over it out of kindness, but it was probably something dismissive toward her teammates.

Arae-san was undeniably impressive in the first half. But that impression didn’t last long— as time went on, her tendency to play solo stood out more and more.

“Sorry, Maki-kun, for dumping this on you when it doesn’t help. I just really needed to tell someone. Umi and Nina-chan aren’t here right now.”

“No, I’m sorry I can’t be more help. …Still, you sure focus a lot on Arae-san, huh? Even though she’s got it out for you, you’re still trying to connect with her. Umi and I totally gave up on her already.”

“Hehe, I’m not much different. I’m the team captain, so I’ve got to at least try until the real match is over.”

And, she continued, gazing at Arae-san, who was acting like a lone wolf on the court.

“Even if she ends up hating me, I’d rather she hates me after actually knowing who I am. We haven’t even really talked… or at least I don’t think we have, so it feels awful to be liked or disliked based on some random image she’s made up. I think that’d be true for Arae-san too.”

“You’re pretty stubborn about this, huh?”

“…Yeah. I think this might be the first time someone’s said stuff like ‘annoying’ or ‘I hate you’ to my face like that. In a way, maybe I’m being stubborn about it too.”

Amami-san’s one of the most well-known people in school, so even if Arae-san’s in a different class, she must’ve heard the rumors. Yet she still throws those negative feelings right at her face— she’s either clueless about reading the room or seriously gutsy.

That’s probably what’s piqued Amami-san’s interest in her.

Whether Amami-san herself realizes that, I’m not sure.

“Well, I should get going. Maki-kun, it’s fine to cheer for Umi, but I’m in your class too, so you’ve got to cheer for me sometimes, or I’ll be upset, okay?”

“Uh… I-I’ll do my best.”

“Haha, you’re the same as ever, Maki-kun. …Well, that’s fine, I guess.”

“…Amami-san, did you just mimic me? You did, didn’t you?”

“Hehe, who knows~?”

Umi, Amami-san, and sometimes Nitta-san too— every now and then, they tease me by copying how I talk.

I don’t think my tone or speech is that distinctive, personally.

For now, since Amami-san seemed to have cheered up a bit, I’ll let it slide.

…But even though I’d promised to cheer for Umi, I ended up kinda rooting for Amami-san too, didn’t I?

Amami-san’s an important friend, just like Nozomu or Nitta-san, but as Nitta-san warned me a while back, Umi’s the jealous type compared to others.

I wonder if this exchange falls into the ‘okay’ category for Umi.

A little nervously, I glanced over at Umi. She probably couldn’t hear what we were saying, but she definitely saw me and Amami-san talking.

“—Bleh.”

“…Hmm.”

How should I take this? She stuck her tongue out at me (cute). That alone feels like an NG, but she didn’t seem that mad, so it’s hard to judge.

[T/N: NG likely stands for “No Good”—a term borrowed from Japanese slang where it’s used to mean something is unacceptable, bad, or a failure.]

For now, I’ll assume the real answer will come after the game.

As the second half started, Umi made her move right away.

“…Lame. Can’t win, so you’re ganging up on me?”

“It’s strategy. …Nakamura-san.”

“Got it.”

Umi and Nakamura-san double-teamed Arae-san, who had the ball. Amami-san was marked by Hayakawa-san, the only athletic club member on the team, but the other two didn’t have fixed marks and moved fluidly.

You didn’t need to hear it from Amami-san— anyone watching could tell Class 10’s team was having issues, and Umi had smartly targeted that.

“Nakamura-san, just block her path. I’ll handle the rest.”

“Got it. That’s a pretty good way to use me.”

“…Tch.”

Arae-san clicked her tongue for the first time, caught between Nakamura-san’s long limbs clinging to her and Umi keeping just enough distance to react to either a shot or a cut-in.

“Arae-san, over here! I’m open!”

With two people marking one, it naturally created a numbers advantage elsewhere.

From how Umi and Nakamura-san were defending, it looked like they’d already accounted for a pass, so there were plenty of options— the unmarked trio or Amami-san, who could shake Hayakawa-san with her footwork. Those routes had a higher chance of scoring. Even an amateur like me could see that.

“…”

“Arae-san!”

“…Shut up.”

But even knowing that, Arae-san didn’t pass to anyone, trying to break through the two defenders herself.

“Not passing? Looks like your teammates want it, though?”

“I said, shut—!”

Clearly provoked by Umi’s obvious taunt, she tried to force her way through— but then the teacher’s whistle blew.

She’d made hard contact, and Umi fell on her butt. It was an offensive foul.

“Hah!? Where’s the foul in that!? It was just a light bump!”

Still, she’d pushed, so the call stood. She got warned for arguing with the ref too, earning another foul.

Our school’s class match doesn’t have ejections, but there’s a special rule: if a team racks up five or more fouls, the other side gets free throws, no questions asked.

So, careless fouls were pretty much a no-go.

“Asanagi-chan, you okay? Your butt?”

“Don’t call it my butt… But I’m totally fine.”

Umi stood up, brushing her butt lightly, and didn’t seem hurt at all.

…The little tongue she stuck out suggested she might’ve exaggerated a bit to draw the foul.

That’s how determined Umi was to fight back, no holds barred.

Once they took the ball, it was all theirs— they scored easily. Whether she was bad at it or just slacking, Arae-san didn’t defend, so they got a numbers advantage without much effort.

It was just one play in the second half, but from there, Class 11 seized control of the game.

Arae-san, who’d been so dominant in the first half, was like a different person, completely shut down by Umi and her team. She’d demand passes but then go solo, refusing to rely on her teammates, only to lose the ball to fouls or forced shots.

Less than five minutes into the second half, the score gap started shrinking fast.

“—Miku-chan, shoot!”

“Aye~!”

Taking a pass from Umi, Shichino-san sank a shot with a clumsy form, finally putting Umi’s team ahead.

“Yay! We took the lead!”

“We can keep this up— let’s go for it~!”

Thanks to Umi’s plan working perfectly, the unexpected comeback fired up Class 11’s cheers even more.

At this rate, our class would just get further behind.

At the restart, Amami-san ran over to Arae-san.

No matter how selfish she was, they were teammates right now. There shouldn’t be anything odd about that.

…Or so it should’ve been.

“Arae-san, it’s okay. We’ve still got time, so if we all attack together—”

“…Don’t need it.”

“Huh? What did you just…”

“I said I don’t need it. Stop consoling me— it’s creepy.”

“N-No, I just meant we could regroup and try harder…”

“…That’s why I’m saying…!”

Had something about Amami-san’s persistence rubbed her the wrong way? Arae-san, who’d been cold up until now, suddenly had a sharp glint in her eyes.

I had a bad feeling, but watching from behind the net, I couldn’t jump in right away.

“I don’t need that crap… That’s what I’m saying!”

With that shout, Arae-san smacked the ball out of Amami-san’s hands with a loud slap, like she was swatting it away.

The sudden loud noise and voice echoed through the gym, drawing the eyes of almost everyone there— even the volleyball players on the next court— straight to the two of them on the basketball court.

“Arae-san, why’d you suddenly do that…?”

“…You’re loud. I told you not to talk to me anymore.”

Maybe realizing it was a bad move, Arae-san quickly reverted to her usual tone, but we couldn’t just ignore the mood she’d created.

Umi, catching my glance, nodded and rushed over to Amami-san, with the teacher following a beat later to step between them.

The game paused, and the gym buzzed with confusion, but Amami-san smiled at the two approaching her like it was nothing.

“…I’m fine, Umi. You too, Sensei.”

“No, but—”

“It’s okay. She’s just throwing a tantrum like a kid.”

“! Yuu, you…”

Her smile was gentle, but her words were harsh.

Even if she was trying to brush it off, Amami-san’s human too. It’s only natural she’d get fed up with selfish words and actions.

“…Heh, I thought you just hid behind your friends, but you’ve got some bite. So that’s your true self, huh?”

“True self or not, this is how I am. I think I’m pretty patient, but even I have my limits.”

For me personally, this was probably the second time I’d seen Amami-san angry. Last year’s committee lottery feels like a distant memory now, but compared to her emotional state back then, she seemed quietly furious this time.

She somehow reminded me of Umi in that moment.

“Let me be clear— you’re really uncool right now, Arae-san. Acting stubborn all by yourself, getting mad, bothering everyone… Try reflecting on your actions a little. Otherwise, like Umi said before, you’re just lame and embarrassing to watch.”

“Wha…!?”

“I don’t know or care why you hate me. Feel free to hate me more if you want. But don’t make the people I love and care about feel bad because of it. If you’re gonna target someone, just target me. That should be easy for you, right?”

“…”

Amami-san had been hesitant around Arae-san up until now, but this sudden shift left even Arae-san speechless, caught off guard.

And even Umi, who’d been her best friend for so long, seemed surprised.

“…Sorry, I got a little emotional. But it’s not like I didn’t care before— I just had friends nearby to get mad for me, so I was fine.”

“That’s why you’re annoying. We’re just stuck in the same classroom— not friends or anything— so quit preaching at me like you’re above me.”

“Fair enough. We’re not friends, true. But we’re still on the same team, right? Even if we’re not friends, isn’t it normal for teammates to help each other out for the team’s sake? If you’ve played basketball, you should know that—”

“—We’re not teammates.”

“Huh?”

“…Deadweight isn’t teammates.”

Arae-san’s muttered words left Amami-san— and me and Umi nearby— momentarily stunned.

For just a second, something about Arae-san seemed off.

“Tch… Whatever. I’m done. …Sorry, Sensei. I feel sick and like I’m gonna puke, so I’m taking a break.”

Realizing what she’d said, Arae-san clicked her tongue and stormed off to the girls’ locker room, locking it from the inside with no sign of coming out.

The teacher went after her, but with the door locked, there was nothing to be done.

With some game time still left, it didn’t seem like they could keep going like this.

And Amami-san, too…

“…Sorry, Sensei. There’s not much time left anyway, and we’d just bother everyone else, so can we call this our loss and move to the next game? I’m gonna step outside to cool off a bit.”

Apologizing to her remaining teammates with a weak smile, Amami-san jogged out alone toward the water fountain outside the gym.

In terms of results, this pre-match scrimmage ended in Umi’s team’s victory, but with it ending like this, there was no way they could celebrate honestly.

“…Asanagi-chan, what now? After the game, we’ve got scorekeeping and cleanup to do.”

“Nakamura-san… Sorry, my throat’s dry, so I’m gonna hit the water fountain too. I can’t just leave Yuu alone either.”

“Got it. Me and the others will handle the rest, so go check on Amami-chan. She’s your precious best friend, right?”

“Yeah. Thanks— and everyone else too.”

They’d have to let Arae-san be for now, but supporting Amami-san was up to me and Umi.

It’d mean ditching PE class for a bit, but that didn’t matter. Right now, taking care of an important friend came first.

“Maki, let’s go.”

“Yeah.”

To be there for Amami-san, who was probably feeling down alone right now, Umi and I temporarily left the gym.

Chasing after Amami-san, we reached the water fountain and found her already splashing her face with water from the tap.

Noticing us, she looked up quickly, and I could tell her eyes were slightly red.

She’d probably been crying.

“Yuu, here’s a towel. It’s a little used, sorry about that.”

“…Umi.”

“Yuu, don’t push yourself. It’s just us here now.”

“…Umi!”

As Umi offered the towel hanging around her neck, Amami-san didn’t take it and instead threw herself into Umi’s chest.

The force made Umi stumble back a step, but I was right beside her and steadied her firmly.

“Umi, Umi…”

“Geez, you’re all wet from the water… Come on, wipe your face before you cling to me. Here, step back and look up.”

“Okay… sniff.”

Umi gently wiped Amami-san’s face with the towel as she responded with a nasally voice. She wiped away the tears still spilling from her eyelids like she was taking it all in.

“Sorry… Sorry, Umi. I meant to stay calm, but I got startled when Arae-san smacked the ball so hard… I didn’t mean to say that stuff.”

“No, I got carried away too, wanting to put her in her place even though it’s not the real match. …Come here.”

“…Yeah.”

As her tears subsided a bit, Umi pulled Amami-san back into her arms, ruffling her soft blonde hair to comfort her.

Just like she did for me last winter when I was a mess over family stuff.

Maybe it calmed her down, because Amami-san’s sobs gradually steadied into even breathing.

“…Hehe, Umi’s scent.”

“Feeling a bit better?”

“Yeah, a little. …When was the last time you did this for me?”

“Hmm, I don’t really remember, but probably not since we first met? You were such a crybaby back then, and I’d comfort you like this sometimes until we ended up in the same class.”

“Was it? Then I want you to do it more from now on.”

“What a spoiled best friend… Well, maybe if I feel like it.”

“Ehh? That’s the kind where you totally won’t do it!”

“This is a special occasion thing only. If I did it all the time, you’d get used to it.”

“…But you do it for Maki-kun all the time?”

“!? Uh, w-what, how…!?”

Umi immediately panicked and looked at me, but I shook my head desperately to deny it.

Like Amami-san said, since we started dating, Umi’s buried her face in my chest to comfort me a few times— when we’re messing around and the mood’s good, or when I’m beat from my part-time job… But that’s a total secret between us. Even Amami-san wouldn’t spill something like that.

“Oh, I just guessed, but it’s true, huh? I’m jealous, Maki-kun~”

“…Yuu, can you let go now? You’re done crying and calmed down, right?”

“Nooo, sorry~! I’ll apologize, so just a little more~!”

Saying that, Amami-san rubbed her face against Umi’s chest. It was just us here, sure, but she was in full-on spoiled mode— though I totally get why that spot’s so comfy.

Back when I couldn’t sleep over my parents’ stuff, I ended up crashing at Umi’s place and slept soundly till morning like that, so I know it’s legit.

“Maki-kun, sorry too. You tried to stop me, but I brushed you off and ended up losing my cool anyway.”

“No, it’s fine. You’re involved, so it’s okay to get mad, Amami-san. Compared to Umi last week, it was nothing—”

“Ma-ki-kuuun?”

“…Sorry, I got carried away.”

“Idiot.”

I got a light flick on the forehead, but seeing Amami-san laugh at it made the tiny sting worth it if it helped her out.

Even if she lost it in front of everyone, letting out all that pent-up frustration probably cleared her head a bit.

Acting on anger’s not great, sure. But bottling it up too much and breaking yourself over it— I’ve been there, and finding that balance is tough.

For a comms newbie like me, there’s still so much I don’t get.

“Hey, Yuu. If you’re up for it, wanna come with me to Sanae and Manaka’s place today? I’d be breaking a promise, but let’s practice together.”

“Huh? Is that okay? I’d love to join everyone if I can…”

They’d decided at the start to practice separately until the real match, so Amami-san hesitated, unsure what to do.

But even so, Umi reached out to her.

“It’s fine. Times like this, moving your body full-on to let it out is the best way. It’ll be a hassle for Sanae and Manaka, but they’ll probably be happy like last time. Right, Maki?”

“Yeah. I’ll tag along too, of course.”

Even if they’re rivals in the class match, Umi and Amami-san are best friends. No need to hold back.

Practicing together, giving it their all, knowing each other’s moves inside out, and then settling it with pure strategy on the day— that feels fair and square to me, and I like it.

“Really? If that’s the case, I’d be happy too… sniff.”

“Geez, Yuu, you’re crying again… Can’t help it with you.”

“Sorry, Umi… Hehe, I’m so lucky.”

Amami-san’s eyes welled up again, but this time it was more from being overwhelmed, so these tears were no problem at all.

Amami-san definitely looks best smiling brightly like this.

“You two, class is about to end soon, so let’s head back early. We’ve gotta thank Sensei and Nakamura-san’s group properly too.”

Since Nakamura-san’s crew helped us out so much, I’d have to swing by Class 11 after school to say thanks myself.

They’re a quirky bunch, but all super reliable.

“…Yeah. Oh, and Arae-san too.”

“Even her? Yuu, you don’t give up after all that, huh.”

“Yeah. After what happened, I’m a little scared… but I still think that’s better. Is that bad?”

“Nah, it’s fine. Kinda feels more like you anyway.”

“Thanks, Umi. You’re the best best friend.”

“Seriously. Praise me more. Worship me.”

“Yeah, amazing, amazing! Umi, you’re just the best ever!”

“Your vocab’s so weak… Well, whatever, I guess~”

“…Umi, just checking, but did you just mimic me? Is that, like, a trend with you guys?”

“Not really~? Right, Yuu?”

“Hehe. Right, Umi?”

“…You two besties.”

Still, at this point, I’m fine just watching over them from close by.

It’d been a while, but seeing them get along so well— like someone in class said, is ‘precious’ the right word for it?

It might not last forever, but I hope they can stay this close for as long as possible.

“Anyway, Yuu. Time to let go already, yeah?”

“Boo~ I wanna enjoy it a bit more~”

Anyhow, thanks to Umi’s— er, not ‘Umi-paa,’ but her efforts— we got Amami-san back to normal for now and headed back to the gym for the next thing on the list.

Lucky or not, we didn’t get to talk to the other person involved, Arae-san, and the day ended like that.

According to Nakamura-san and the others who stayed in the gym, Arae-san left early around the same time we went after Amami-san. It could’ve just been her usual skipping, so the teacher kept an eye on her, but she really looked pale and off, so they had to let her go.

And then, the next day— today.

Arae-san showed up to school as usual but completely shut Amami-san out this time.

“Um, Arae-san.”

“…”

“I really want to talk about yesterday.”

“…”

I kept an eye out subtly, but from morning till after school, it was like this all day.

She ignored Amami-san when she spoke to her, and if Amami-san got closer, Arae-san would just get up and leave the classroom— totally unapproachable.

After school, when we all gathered as usual, that’s all we could talk about.

“Goddamn, that girl… If she’s got something to say, just spit it out instead of sulking like a kid.”

“Yeah… But why’d she get that mad back then? Usually, she’s more annoyed than anything— she never lashed out like that before.”

“Feels like there’s a reason, maybe. …But if so, she’s gotta tell us. Expecting us to ‘figure it out’ when we don’t even know her— that’s just selfish.”

Umi’s right about that, but when it’s something tough to share with ‘mere strangers’ instead of friends, there’s even less we can do.

“Arae-cchi, huh… She’s got a kinda intimidating vibe, but she wasn’t that weird back in first year. Did something happen over spring break, or maybe back in middle school with club stuff? Hey, Yuu-chin, she’s gotta be experienced, right?”

“Yeah. Her individual skills were crazy good. If it’s just that, she could go toe-to-toe with Sanae or Manaka, I think. Just my take, though.”

The second half ended with her gassed out and Umi’s team hounding her, but she ran wild in the first half, so I get what Amami-san’s saying.

That might mean she faced off against Sanae and Houjou-san’s team in a middle school match or something.

“Well, whatever about her— let’s just practice our butts off today. Sanae and Manaka made time for us even though it’s late.”

“About that, is it really okay for me to tag along? I know them and we’ve swapped contacts, but this time I’m kinda an outsider for real.”

“It’s fine. I told them, and they said, ‘Nitta-san too, please!’ I’m happier with you, Nina, and Maki-kun all together anyway.”

I’m practicing with everyone here too, but I’ve been doing softball practice during lunch breaks too.

By the way, I told Nozomu about today’s practice, and for some reason, he made me swing extra hard today.

…Anyway, I’ve gotta make sure I don’t drag everyone down today.

Today’s practice was set to happen at Sanae’s house, where there’s a basketball court.

A basketball court in her backyard (with night lighting too)— it’s private property, so it’s perfect for late practice. As expected of a true ojou-sama.

From Umi’s place, it’s another twenty-minute walk.

When we reached the huge estate’s front gate, Sanae and Houjou-san, already in practice gear, came out to greet us.

“Everyone, welcome! Hehe, when was the last time so many friends came over like this?”

“Sorry, Sanae-chan, Manaka-chan. You had practice today too, and we dragged you into this right after.”

“No, it’s fine. We were gonna do some extra practice with Manaka anyway.”

“In return, you’re joining our practice today, so be ready~! Maehara-san, no slacking just ’cause you’re tagging along, got it?”

“…Y-Yes, I’ll do my best.”

So, we changed into practice clothes and started with warm-ups.

“Maki, let’s stretch together.”

“Sure.”

Umi and I, Amami-san and Nitta-san, Sanae and Houjou-san— we split into pairs to loosen up our muscles.

We went through the routine step-by-step, but compared to everyone else, my body’s ridiculously stiff. I can’t touch my toes in a forward bend, my shoulder blades and surrounding muscles barely move, and stretching even a little makes my whole body scream.

“Ma-ki, come on, push it. A little more. Here, streeetch.”

“Y-Yes… Nghhh… Umi, no, mercy, please.”

“Nope~ No mercy~! Hehe.”

“Ugh… Umi, you fiend…”

“Yeah, yeah, say what you want~”

Umi leaned on my back to push me forward as far as possible.

She hugged me tight from behind, her soft parts naturally pressing into my back, but I didn’t have the luxury to enjoy it right now.

“Hey, you lovey-dovey idiots over there. What’re you flirting for during stretches? This is someone’s house, y’know~”

“Yeah~ Like Nitta-chan said~”

“If you two want, how about a run around our place? Ten laps or so?”

“…No, we’ll pass.”

Holding back the urge to mess around as a pair, we moved on to the rest of the warm-up honestly.

It’s called a warm-up, but we’d already been at it for over thirty minutes. Push-ups, sit-ups, timed runs, and shuttle runs in the court— I was about to collapse before we even touched a ball.

Even Umi and Amami-san had sweat on their foreheads, but the coach duo doing the same stuff looked totally fine.

According to them, this was just a ‘light warm-up,’ and they usually do triple this amount.

…That’s a world I can’t even imagine.

“Alright, let’s start with shooting practice then. Manaka and I will toss balls from under the basket, and you catch and shoot right away.

Layups, three-pointers, whatever— but shoot within three steps after catching. No dribbling basically, and if you miss, ten push-ups on the spot. Same as last time. We’ll show you first.”

As a demo, Sanae lobbed a gentle arc to the free-throw line, and Houjou-san ran in from the half-court line, caught it, and sank a layup.

After making it, she ran back to her spot, repeating it over and over. The passer tosses the next ball as soon as it goes in, so if you dawdle, you miss the catch and get a penalty… It looks simple but quietly drains your stamina.

“Got the style, cool. So, what about Maki?”

“For Maehara-san, how about he subs in when Umi misses a shot and does push-ups? No penalty for him if he misses, but every shot he misses adds a set of push-ups for Umi.”

So if I keep missing, Umi could end up doing push-ups forever.

This might be a bigger responsibility than I thought.

“That’s the shooting practice our basketball club does for warm-ups. So, you two, any questions so far?”

“By the way, no guarantee this’ll make you better at shooting, so don’t blame us~”

It’s more stamina training than skill practice, I guess. And this is still just a warm-up? When do they do real practice?

“…Maki, it’s like this, but you good?”

“…I’ll do my best as much as I can.”

“Yeah. Let’s do it.”

We got their okay to report if we got too worn out and needed a break, then steeled ourselves and started the practice.

“Alright, here we go~ First one.”

With that cue, Sanae tossed a gentle arc toward the basket.

“Catch this and shoot right away, right?”

“Yep. First one’s an easy spot, but I’ll start throwing trickier ones or change the speed, so watch out. No fakes this time, though— keep an eye on my gaze and predict the path a bit.”

“Got it.”

Umi caught the slow, high-bouncing ball and sank a layup with light steps. Her form’s still crazy clean for an amateur— probably from watching Sanae and Houjou-san up close.

“Nice shot~ Okay, next one, here we go~”

“Bring it on!”

From there, Umi nailed the second and third shots in a row, sinking them into the basket.

Shooting practice lasts ten minutes, so if she keeps this up, I might just watch the whole time— but of course, the coach duo wouldn’t let it be that easy.

“Alright, now we’ll throw some mean passes. Manaka, you’re up.”

“Sure thing~”

“Huh? Ah—!”

The moment Sanae handed off to Houjou-san, the pass veered off from Umi to the sideline, barely in bounds.

Umi reacted and grabbed it, but it was so far from the three-point line that sinking it was tough, naturally.

“Ugh, crap… Missed it after all.”

“Yep, miss. Umi-chan, ten push-ups. Doesn’t count unless your chin hits the floor.”

“Muu… You two are mean.”

“No backtalk~ Come on, hurry up, or you and Maehara-san will just tire yourselves out for nothing.”

One, two— Sanae’s count echoed with the whistle.

Maybe hyped for the special training, the two of them showed us zero mercy.

“Maehara-san, don’t just stand there— make the shot for Umi-chan, or she’ll never get to practice.”

“Oh, right. Please, you two.”

The ojou-sama duo’s basketball boot camp for us was just getting started.

After ten solid minutes of running around the court for warm-ups, we finally moved on to proper ‘practice.’

Things got way more practical— one-on-one against Sanae and crew, two-on-one defense with a numbers advantage, pass drills, all kinds of situational stuff packed into a tight schedule.

“—Alright, it’s been about an hour since we started, so let’s take a break.”

“““…Haaa.”““

At Sanae’s ‘break’ call, all four of us collapsed in sync.

I was toast, but even Umi and Amami-san, who’re pretty fit, were breathing hard, so you can imagine how intense that hour was.

We grabbed water from a cooler they’d prepped to quench our dry throats, then decided to fill Sanae and Houjou-san in on what went down in yesterday’s PE class.

I figured they wouldn’t know Arae-san was experienced since they hadn’t seen her play, but their reaction caught me off guard.

“…Ahh, I knew it. Ever since that day, Manaka and I kept saying ‘she looks kinda familiar,’ and it’s that Arae-san, huh?”

“See~ Sanae? Told you my hunch was right. That girl had serious vibes when she held the ball. Like, total ace energy or something?”

“Huh!? Sanae-chan and Manaka-chan, you know Arae-san?”

“Not ‘know’ exactly— we just played against her once in middle school.”

“Yep~ Think it was, like, the county summer tourney, best four or so? She was crazy good— stood out a ton— and stuff happened after that match, so we kinda remembered her… Look, it’s even in this notebook from back then~”

Houjou-san pulled out a ‘basketball notebook’ from her bag, and sure enough, the page had ‘Arae Nagisa’ written down with detailed notes on her playstyle and counters.

Plus pics of her in her old uniform. Obviously not the trendy look she’s got now— just a typical, earnest basketball girl vibe.

“No. 4, Captain Arae Nagisa… Huh, Arae-cchi had a phase like that. Wild~”

“It’s been about two years since then, but she quit club stuff… And now she’s got it out for Yuu-chan?”

“That’s the crazy part, right~? We’ve got match footage somewhere, but she was all about leading the team— plays, voice, the works. Total team ace vibe.”

According to the notebook, her school wasn’t that strong originally, but once Arae-san became captain, they went on a tear, hitting best four in her third year and facing off against Tachibana Girls, a regular at the county tourney.

They also showed us old match videos from a tablet folder, filmed for strategy back then.

And there she was— middle school Arae-san, totally unlike the tanned, sulky version who’s always scowling at Amami-san now.

“…Wow.”

“…Hmm.”

Amami-san and Umi each let out their own little reactions.

The footage was from the best-eight match before Tachibana, but Arae-san was the team’s core, shining bright.

When they were down, she kept her teammates’ heads up with plays and shouts, and once they flipped the script, she pushed harder, rallying them with her own back.

No audio in the video, but watching her clap her hands and yell big, you could almost hear it anyway.

Her hair was way shorter back then, tied up in a neat little ponytail— same tanned skin and recognizable face, but the vibe was a total 180.

That Arae-san looked seriously cool.

“Whoa, that move just now was kinda wild… Wait, was she maybe even better than you two back then, Sanae, Houjou-san?”

“Now, I dunno, but back then, yeah, she was a bit above me and Manaka, I’d say. Compared to our ace, she held her own.”

“Yep~ Usually steady, but when it counted, she’d pull tricky shots or fakes to score… Plus, she had a size edge, so me and Sanae talked about how to stop her back then~”

In the video, Arae-san slipped past three defenders, sinking a tough shot from a weird angle.

She got the basket plus a foul for a free throw, throwing up a guts pose after.

For a second, her figure overlapped with someone else.

“…Hey, everyone, can I say something?”

“Maki? What’s up?”

“Just my personal take, so if I’m off, tell me, but… That play just now, didn’t it kinda remind you of Amami-san?”

“…Oh.”

Umi nodded, rewatching the footage like she saw it too.

“What about the rest of you?”

“I’m the person in question, so I’m not sure… Sanae-chan, Manaka-chan, what do you think?”

“Basics are different, but the playstyle’s like Maehara-san said, I think.”

“Yeah. The split-second ideas feel kinda Yuu-chan-ish.”

I’d seen Amami-san’s flashy, instinctive plays in practice a bunch, and they clicked with how middle school Arae-san was killing it in the video.

Not their faces, but their vibes overlapped sometimes. Especially how they fired up the team— that part really stood out.

“But she was going so hard and looked like she loved it— why’d she quit? That Arae-san was so cool.”

Everyone there, me included, nodded at Amami-san’s murmur.

Sure, people quit for all kinds of reasons— family stuff, grades, whatever. If Arae-san quit satisfied, I wouldn’t judge.

But then, that mutter she let slip during the Class 11 practice match, when she argued with Amami-san, sticks with me.

—Deadweight isn’t teammates.

Would someone who played that hard in middle school, quit feeling fulfilled, and then say something like that about teammates— even amateurs— in a casual game?

Sure, having a reason doesn’t give her the right to rag on Amami-san or pick fights all the time.

That arcade thing from before still isn’t settled either— I’d love an apology for all of it.

Is she maybe holding onto some frustration or baggage she can’t tell anyone about too?

A few days later, it was finally the class match day.

The morning sun peeked through the curtain gap, dazzling me as I got up. Late April’s got nice mornings— sleepy, sure, but no clinging to the blankets anymore.

Not cold, not too hot. Perfect timing.

I hit the sack early last night, got about eight hours, and slept like a rock— feeling top-notch.

“Ngh… Alright. Yeah, I’m good.”

Stretching lightly, I checked my body, still a bit sore from practice. Basketball, softball— busting my butt almost daily paid off. My puppy-level stamina from the start’s grown a little.

I cleared away the coffee dregs Mom left before heading to work early and the ashtray with one stub in it.

Same old morning routine, nothing new.

Washing my face at the sink, I heard the door rattle open with a clatter.

Probably Umi coming to pick me up, but the footsteps from the entrance sounded like more than usual.

Besides Umi, one more— no, two?

“Morning, Maki.”

“Morning, Umi. …And Amami-san and Nitta-san too.”

“Morning, Maki-kun.”

“Yo, Class Rep. Grey top and bottom— your pajamas are as lame as expected.”

“One comment too many… Anyway, this is rare, Umi bringing you two along.”

Usually, Umi comes alone to pick me up (or wake me up), and we meet Amami-san and Nitta-san on the way to school, so this morning combo’s unusual.

“Sorry, Maki-kun. It’s not normally like this, but… I got a little nervous last night. Ehe…”

“Oh… Didn’t sleep much or something?”

“Yeah, kinda. Usually, I’m the sleepyhead, huh.”

Amami-san’s eyes looked just a tad darker than usual with her sheepish smile— not my imagination, it seemed.

“I was planning to meet up on the way like usual, but I could tell something was off with her the moment I made the morning call. So, I figured I’d stick with her as much as I could today and invited Nina along too.”

“Don’t call me an afterthought. I’m worried about Yuu-chin too, y’know.”

Showing up with a crowd out of nowhere threw me off, but if that’s the reason, I’ve got no complaints. If anything, it’s just extra effort to brew coffee for everyone… and less time to mess around with Umi, but I’ll deal.

Since it’s Friday and the class match will be done by the weekend, we can have all the alone time we want after.

To shake off the sleepiness, Umi and I brewed coffee for four, sipping it with a fuu. We all added sugar or milk, so it’s not black, but it’s more about the vibe anyway.

“—So, in the end, nothing’s moved forward with Arae-cchi since that PE class last week, huh?”

At Nitta-san’s words, the three of us nodded in unison.

“After that middle school stuff came up, I’ve been thinking I really wanna talk to her… But it’s not something to hash out in front of everyone, and Arae-san’s been straight-up ignoring me.”

I’d seen it too— post-PE, Arae-san’s dodged Amami-san even harder.

Before, she’d at least react if Amami-san pushed, but now? Nada.

She’s stopped saying or doing stuff to tick people off, so the class vibe’s stayed calm-ish, but the gap between her and the other girls feels wider than ever.

From skirmishes to a full-on cold war now.

Class 10’s situation might’ve gotten worse, you could say.

And that’s the state Amami-san’s heading into the class match with today.

The class match is supposed to bring a new class closer together every year, but ours is doing the exact opposite.

“Yuu, I’ve said it tons, but don’t blame yourself too much. You didn’t do anything wrong— Arae Nagisa’s the one who’s messed up.”

“Right, right. Even if there’s some decent reason behind it, this time Arae-cchi’s just way too selfish, I think.”

Combining everything that’s happened in class so far with the info we got from Nitori-san and Houjou-san, it’s predictable that Arae-san isn’t just hating Amami-san ‘for no reason.’

But that’s just her own personal baggage, and it’s totally unreasonable to expect us to figure it out or tiptoe around it.

If she’d honestly apologize for everything up to now and explain in her own words why she hates Amami-san, maybe our response would shift a bit.

But if Arae-san stays like this, there’s nothing more we can do.

“Thanks, everyone. Fwaa… Mmm, talking to you all kinda calmed me down, and now I’m getting a little sleepy…”

“There’s still about thirty minutes till we head to school, so if Amami-san’s okay with it, why not lie down for a bit? You can use the bed in Mom’s room… though it might smell a little like cigarettes.”

“Then how about the Class Rep’s room? Just for a quick nap, even Umi wouldn’t… Oh, wait, there’s that other thing there, huh. My bad, my bad.”

“What’s ‘that other thing’?”

Even though they’re friends, my room’s hardly the right place for Amami-san to sleep, so I’ve got to be mindful of that.

By the way, Umi naps on my bed all the time, but that’s that, and this is this.

“Umi, let me borrow that sofa over there for a bit. I’ll hold you so your clothes don’t get weird wrinkles.”

“Oh, sure. If Umi says so.”

With that, Amami-san moved to the sofa and took a nap, clinging to Umi like a hug.

“Umi… It’s okay. No matter what happens, we’re on your side.”

“Mm… Thanks, Umi, everyone… Zzz…”

As Umi gently stroked her head, Amami-san started breathing softly in sleep within a minute.

Amami-san’s sleeping face, resting so peacefully, is honestly beautiful.

If possible, I’d love for her to stay like this forever, never having to feel anxious.

A clouded expression doesn’t suit Amami Yuu—that’s probably what everyone here thinks.

“Hey, Maki.”

“…Yeah.”

“…I might have to play the bad guy a little more, so I’m counting on you when that happens.”

She’s probably talking about during or right before the match. I’ll leave the specifics to Umi, but I’ll prep myself to act fast if something comes up.

“Got it. Then I’ll be the bad guy with you when the time comes.”

“Me too. Dealing with Arae-cchi’s honestly a pain, but… well, Yuu-chin’s a way more important friend, so I’ll help out.”

“Thanks, Maki, Nina—then let’s rest a bit more ourselves. To prep for the real thing.”

We set an alarm for five minutes before leaving, and the three of us closed our eyes to relax.

After a thirty-minute nap to settle our nerves, we headed to school again.

Since it’s class match day, you could spot some students in jerseys mixed among the uniforms on the way. The really pumped-up classes even had people wearing headbands, probably aiming to win it all.

“Hey, Umi. After today’s over, how about we all go hang out somewhere? Eat together, hit up karaoke, and sing our hearts out.”

“…That’s what the princess decrees, but what do you think, Maki?”

“I don’t mind hanging out, but… maybe not karaoke.”

“Ehh? Come on, let’s go to karaoke~! I wanna hear Maki-kun sing too~”

“Huh? Uh, for real? The Class Rep sings? Can he even sing? Okay, I’m in—this sounds fun. Oh, I’m filming it, by the way.”

“Not ‘filming it,’ but ‘can I film it?’…”

It’s the weekend, so I’d usually spend it alone with Umi, but given everything, maybe hanging out with everyone, including Amami-san, just for today wouldn’t be bad.

As for alone time with Umi, we can make that happen on another day off later if we want.

“…Alright. If you three are cool with it, I’ll tag along. I’m not great at singing, but if that’s fine with you.”

“It’s fine, it’s fine! I’m just gonna sing whatever today too. Ehe, it’s Friday, so I thought it might not work out, but I’m glad I asked. Okay, I’m super looking forward to it!”

Maybe sleeping with Umi’s chest as a pillow helped, because Amami-san’s complexion looks a bit better than before.

If Amami-san’s team makes it to the end, that’s three league matches plus two in the finals—five games total.

I hope she can pace herself and not overdo it.

As we passed through the school gate and walked up the gentle slope to the entrance, a figure running toward us caught my eye.

Wiping sweat with a towel, Nozomu approached us in practice gear.

“Yo, morning to all four of you.”

“Morning, Nozomu. You’ve got white powder on your cheek—ground prep, maybe?”

“Yeah, sorta. They roped me into line-drawing after morning practice just ’cause I’m in baseball. I mean, I did it ’cause I’d rather not leave it to the others and end up with wobbly lines, but still.”

Baseball and softball—similar but different. Some teachers don’t get that, so I’ve got mad respect for Nozomu and the baseball crew.

“Oh, right. Nozomu, about after school today…”

“…Shuu.”

“Huh?”

“Ren, shu, shu, shushushu…”

“? Seki, what’s that, a train impression? It’s not even close, and it’s not funny.”

“Nitta, you’re loud. After the class match cleanup, we’ve got practice till night as usual, damn it.”

“Oh, gotcha…”

I kinda figured, but class match or not, baseball club’s schedule doesn’t budge, so I decided not to push it today.

…Well, I’ll try inviting him again anyway.

“Alright, I’m off to warm up with my class. Maki, we’ll probably face off in the second match, so see you then.”

“Yeah. I’ll try my best to at least hit your pitches, Nozomu.”

“Cool. …Oh, and Amami-san.”

“Fweh? Me?”

Amami-san blinked in surprise as Nozomu suddenly called her out.

It was rare for him to talk to her directly when we’re all together like this, so it caught us off guard.

“Oh, s-sorry, you startled me. What’s up?”

“Uh, well… You don’t look so great today, Amami-san. I just wanted to say, if it feels rough, make sure to hit the nurse’s office. Your face looks kinda off from usual.”

“I’m fine. I didn’t sleep much, sure, but otherwise I’m totally okay. Thanks for worrying, Seki-kun.”

“Nah, it’s nothing… Alright, I’m off for real this time. Everyone else, it’s supposed to get hot this afternoon, so watch out for heatstroke. Stay hydrated and rest if it gets tough.”

With a casual show of concern for Amami-san, Nozomu headed off to the parking lot where Class 4’s team was waiting.

“Man, that Seki guy, blushing in front of Yuu-chin… Who’s the one with heatstroke here?”

“…Nitta-san, that’s one comment too many.”

Still, that subtle care’s pretty sportsman-like of him.

Maybe moving up to second year’s shifted something in him—seems like Nozomu’s trying harder bit by bit. Wonder when those feelings will properly reach the one he likes.

After parting with Nitta-san on the way, Umi, Amami-san, and I hung out in the hallway outside the classroom before homeroom, chatting a bit.

“Maki, when’s Class 10’s softball match? The team wants to watch, so I need to let them know.”

“Depends on how fast things go, but I think it’s around eleven… Wait, Nakamura-san and them are coming too? I’m not gonna do anything impressive, though.”

Cheering’s up to them, but… I tried imagining my turn at bat for a sec.

Probably something like this:

‘Go for it, Maki. It’s fine—just do it like in practice, and you’ll hit the bat. (Umi)’

‘Yeah! Maki-kun, crush it~! Knock it out~! (Amami-san)’

‘Hey, hey, Class Rep is shaking~ (Nitta-san)’

‘Oi, everyone, it’s Asanagi-chan’s boyfriend’s turn. Don’t we need to give him some loud cheers here? Right? (Nakamura-san)’

Umi and Amami-san cheer properly, Nitta-san jumps in for laughs, and Nakamura-san eggs the others on… That’s how it’d go, and it’s kinda terrifying.

Things have calmed down, but with all the guys still jealous, adding more girls to the mix would ramp up the pressure in a whole different way.

Anyway, I’ll pray now that the opposing pitcher’s aim doesn’t slip and send tight chest-high pitches my way—or that I don’t get a chorus of tongue-clicks. Gotta toughen up mentally today.

I need to stay strong too.

And then,

“Umi, do your best today. I can’t be right by your side like in regular PE, but I’ll be cheering near the court.”

“Yeah. Keep your eyes on me the whole time today… I’m gonna go all out.”

“Got it. I can’t cheer out loud since you’re the enemy team, but I’ll be watching.”

“You said it, huh? I’ll check on you sometimes, and if you look away, a forehead flick won’t cut it.”

“Haha, roger that.”

Since she put it that way, I’ll keep my eyes locked on Umi’s performance during the match.

With such a hardworking, cute girlfriend by my side, the jealousy around me’s no big deal.

“Muu~ That’s not fair, just Umi~ Maki-kun, you’ll cheer for me too, right? Right? We’re classmates, allies, yeah?”

“Uh… Yeah, sure.”

“Aww! You won’t even say ‘do your best’ anymore~!”

With that punchline, the three of us chuckled together.

This is how we should be.

There’s still a lot unresolved, but if we can keep meeting up like this after the class match, that’s enough for me.

…Enough, so I’d like to focus on the match now, but—

“—You three look like you’re having fun. All carefree, just like the weather today. Giggling away, oblivious to how I feel.”

Right then, an unexpected voice cut in.

Messy uniform, tanned skin, light brown hair.

It was none other than Arae Nagisa herself.

“! Arae-san?”

“…What’s with that look, Amami? Is it that weird for me to talk to you guys?”

“I didn’t say that, but…”

Still, it’s definitely unusual.

Up till now, she’s blatantly avoided Amami-san and barely interacted with us—so for her to approach us now, at this timing, and alone without her usual friends? It’s hard not to suspect something’s up, given everything.

“I’m not here to start anything… Just had something to tell you.”

“You’ve got something for me, Arae-san?”

“Yeah. You’re the team leader, so it’s only natural, right?”

“…Arae Nagisa, what’s your angle this time?”

“I’m not talking to you.”

Brushing off Umi’s reaction, Arae-san kept going.

“—I’m gonna focus on passing to you today, Amami. With you as the center, so do your best out there.”

“Huh…?”

It was shocking enough that Arae-san came to talk, but what she said was even more unexpected.

Up till now, she’s trashed Amami-san and Umi’s plays, and in the practice match, she went full solo, treating teammates like deadweight.

She soured the mood, never once joined team practice… Because of that, Amami-san worked hard with Nitori-san and Houjou-san on things like shaking marks and passing, trying to support Arae-san—the team’s best individual player—while begging the others to somehow sync up as a team.

From the start, Amami-san’s goal was clear: to win against her best friend, now an opponent, no matter what it took.

That’s why she kept pushing to unite the team and communicate with Arae-san, all for that purpose.

Of course, there’s no way Arae-san could know Amami-san’s inner resolve.

But why say this now, on the day of the match?

Amami-san’s face, which had just started to soften, clouded over again, like time rewound.

“…Arae-san, what’s that supposed to mean?”

“Exactly what I said. I’ll play support for you guys today. You’ve been practicing properly, right?”

“Yeah, but… Are you really okay with that, Arae-san?”

“Okay with what?”

“Well, I mean…”

Amami-san glanced at Umi beside her.

It’s about that unresolved practice match from the other day.

They lost to Class 11, sure, but up to a point, Arae-san’s solo effort kept the score close, and she still hasn’t settled the score with Umi, who outplayed her.

I recalled middle school Arae-san from the footage.

That Arae-san hated losing. If someone got past her, she’d strike back just as hard; if they hit a three, she’d fire one right back.

No way that core drive changed in just a year or so after quitting club.

“You got outdone by Umi—doesn’t that piss you off?”

That’s what Amami-san asked, but—

“—Hah, not really?”

Arae-san laughed it off through her nose.

“Like, why’re you getting so serious about this, Amami? The class match is just a silly little event. Win or lose, it’s about having fun and bonding… Getting all worked up over it just makes you look out of place, y’know?”

“B-But during the match with Umi, you were so intense…”

“That was just me getting annoyed at her for a sec. Plus, there was that stuff from before. Looking back calmly, I kinda regret acting so childish.”

Arae-san’s awfully chatty today. Maybe this side’s always been there, but to us, used to her tongue-clicks and attitude, she feels like a different person.

Did losing to Umi in that practice match make her reflect…? Nah, if she were that type, she wouldn’t have clashed with Amami-san from the start.

Honestly, this feels worse than when she was just clicking her tongue.

“…So yeah, after all that mess, that’s my stance. I’ll half-ass it just enough not to embarrass myself… Moving around’s a hassle. Leave the sweaty ‘gotta win’ stuff to you, Amami. See ya.”

“Ah, wait, Arae-san, hold on…!”

As Arae-san turned to leave after saying her piece, Amami-san grabbed her shoulder on impulse.

Arae-san’s face flickered back to her old scowl for a split second before settling into that vague, smirky look again.

“What? I’m done here.”

“You can’t just drop that on me out of nowhere… I begged everyone on the team to make sure you wouldn’t end up isolated like last time. They weren’t happy, but we agreed to gather the ball and support you—”

For Amami-san, it must’ve been a tough call. Bending her wish to have fun as a team wasn’t ideal, but she chose to make the match work with all five.

Having that flipped right before the game—naturally, she’d want to say something.

Same goes for me and Umi.

Umi’s hand, gripping mine tight without me noticing, I squeezed back gently.

For now, all we can do is watch over them.

“I get what you’re saying, but why’s that a problem? It’s not like I’m doing nothing. I said I’d support you, didn’t I? Doesn’t that work better for you? I overheard—you two are having some personal showdown, right?”

“That’s just us promising to do our best—it’s not like we’re bringing personal stuff into the match at all—”

“Oh, I get it. Maybe you’re both fighting over Maehara here? You’re super tight with him in class, huh. Trying to show off and steal him from her? Cute face, but you play dirty, don’t you?”

“…!”

I reacted first to that.

She probably blurted it out in the heat of the moment, but there’s a line between what’s okay and what’s not, and that crossed it big time.

Good thing no one’s around yet—but this has to be corrected right here, right now.

“Arae-san, take that back. I don’t care what you say, but I can’t let that slide.”

“Huh? What, you’re getting mad over a joke? Or maybe you actually—”

“…”

“…Tch, what’s with you, acting tough in front of your girlfriend…? Fine, fine, sorry for spouting crap~… There, happy? I’m going to change, so I’m out.”

“Wait, before that, apologize to everyone—”

As Arae-san shook off my hand and started jogging away—

—“Lame.”

A voice came from behind.

“Huh?”

“Lame! Arae Nagisa, you’re the worst—way too lame!”

A shout loud enough to echo down the hall hit her, and even Arae-san couldn’t ignore it.

“—Hey, what’d you just say?”

“…If you didn’t hear, I’ll say it again up close, so come here. Don’t worry, I’m not gonna bully you or anything. I’m not a coward like you.”

“…Oh?”

With that, Arae-san’s expression shifted, and she stormed back toward us.

She stopped in front of Amami-san.

Yep, the one who’d just yelled wasn’t Umi—it was Amami-san, face red with anger, letting it all out.

For a split second, I thought it was Umi.

Umi had planned to step in as the bad guy if Arae-san picked a fight with Amami-san before or during the match—becoming their ‘common enemy’ to give them a chance to bond, just like back at the arcade.

She’d told me and Nitta-san that right before we left.

And since we couldn’t leave Umi alone, I—and maybe Nitta-san, depending—were ready to jump in too.

So this unfolding scene was somewhat in line with Umi’s expectations. We didn’t know exactly how it’d play out, but some clash was inevitable, and Umi was supposed to step up then.

Same setup as that arcade mess.

We knew Amami-san would get mad.

But not that she’d explode this loud.

“So, I came back like you wanted. Say it again.”

“Sure. I’ll say it to your face as many times as it takes.”

With tears in her eyes, Amami-san kept going like a machine gun.

“Lame, so lame, Arae-san. You’ve been like this since we got put in the same class. Embarrassing, selfish, just pathetic. Saying stuff in front of everyone to mess with me, dragging my precious people into it without a care.

And it’s not just that—basketball too. At first, you acted all high and mighty like ‘I can handle these losers alone,’ but when they countered you and you started losing, you ran off crying about feeling sick. Then you’re all, ‘It’s just a game,’ ‘Why so serious?’ Arae-san, do you even realize how petty you sound? Oh, sorry, guess you wouldn’t, since you’re saying it without a clue. Your head’s really something else, huh?“

“…You little, Amami…!”

Maybe it all hit the mark, because Arae-san’s face flushed red too, and she grabbed Amami-san’s collar, popping a blouse button in the process.

This is bad—I grabbed Arae-san’s arm right away.

“! What’s your deal, Maehara? Don’t touch me so casually.”

“What are you doing, Arae-san? Violence is way out of line—”

“Maki-kun, wait.”

But as I tried to pull them apart, Amami-san gently touched my hand.

“Maki-kun, please don’t stop her. You too, Umi. Just a little longer.”

“Amami-san, but—”

“Yeah, what’re you saying, Yuu? If we leave her like this, who knows what she’ll do?”

“It’s fine, really.”

Still, Amami-san wouldn’t budge.

“Even if she hits me, a tantrum punch from a brat like her wouldn’t hurt or itch.”

“Amami… You don’t even know how I feel…”

“That’s because you won’t tell us, so how could I? Why do we have to guess and tiptoe around some past we don’t even know? Maybe that’s why your old teammates got fed up with you too.”

“!! Oh, is that how it is…!”

“Ngh…!”

Ignoring me and Umi’s attempts to stop her, Arae-san tightened her grip on Amami-san’s collar and shoved her against the hallway wall.

She quit club, but has she kept training somehow? Her arms are firmer than I expected. Between her anger and strength, it’s taking both me and Umi everything to hold her back.

“Yo~ I had a sec, so I came to check… Whoa, what’re you guys doing!? That’s way too far!”

“Sorry, Nitta-san, help us!”

“Geez… Not the time to complain, though!”

With Nitta-san’s timely help, we finally managed to pull Arae-san off Amami-san.

I left Amami-san to Umi and held Arae-san down with Nitta-san, but her glare didn’t waver from Amami-san for a second.

It’s almost nine. Soon, students not in the morning matches will head back to class—but we can’t just let these two loose with their switches flipped.

If only there were somewhere, anywhere, we could go without interruptions, even for a bit—

“—Hmm, I thought it was noisy out here… What’s with all this commotion?”

“! Nakamura-san.”

Right then, Nakamura-san—today in ‘sports mode’ without glasses (her words)—peeked out from Class 11’s door.

She scanned me, Umi, Amami-san, Arae-san, and Nitta-san, quickly grasping the situation.

“Hmm… Okay. I don’t fully get it, but you seem in a bind?”

“Y-Yeah… Nakamura-san, how many people are still in your classroom?”

“The boys are at the morning match on the field. For girls, it’s just us Class 11 A-team waiting for Asanagi-chan, plus a few others… Want to use it?”

“! Thanks, Nakamura-san.”

“No biggie. You owe me one, though… Miku, Kaede, Ryoko, little favor.”

Thanks to Shichino-san, Kaga-san, and Hayakawa-san answering Nakamura-san’s call, Class 11 was soon empty for a bit.

With Amami-san and Arae-san like this, we need some kind of resolution here, so having an interruption-free space, even briefly, is a huge help.

I don’t know if this is the right call, but for Amami-san’s sake—and mine and Umi’s too—it’s better to let it all out before the match.

And after it’s over, we’ll have to apologize to everyone who helped.

“Arae-san, since everyone’s set this up for us, let’s you and me talk properly. You’re not gonna chicken out over something like this, right?”

“…Bring it on.”

Spurred by Amami-san’s taunt, Arae-san followed her into Class 11’s room.

Naturally, me, Umi, and Nitta-san went too.

“I’ll keep watch. If it gets bad, I’ll call right away, so settle it before then.”

“Thanks, Nakamura-san. For going along with my… our selfishness.”

“No worries. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime high school thing—stuff like this adds some flair.”

“…Yeah, maybe.”

Still, I’d rather not deal with this every time.

We swapped places with Nakamura-san, stepping into Class 11 and closing the door.

For the match coming up soon, and to laugh freely with everyone—and with Umi—afterward, I’ve got to do my best here too.