Volume 1
Chapter 4: My Feelings Are Accelerating (Not Necessarily in the Right Direction) (Part 3)
●○●The Basketball Club Junior High Girl Is a Child of Effort●○●
People in outdoor clubs often say indoor clubs have it easy in the summer. But the gym is swelteringly humid, and indoor clubs have their own struggles.
I think our teacher said indoor clubs have the second-highest rate of heatstroke after marathons.
Our basketball club just finished practice in that stifling heat, and now we’re in the changing room.
The sharp scent of deodorant fills the air.
Practice ended this morning, but I still feel like I haven’t moved enough.
“Wow, Yuka, that’s amazing!”
“Yuka’s been incredible since elementary school!”
“Haha… thanks.”
My classmates are excitedly celebrating with me, and the reason is the meeting we just had.
At the end of practice, our coach said I’d be starting in next week’s official game. I’ve started in practice matches before, but this is my first time in an official game.
My jersey number is 1, the lowest among the first-years.
Actually, I’m the only first-year who even got a number.
I’m grateful, but the pressure’s real. For the sake of those who didn’t make the bench, I have to deliver results…
“I’m totally cheering for you, Yuka!”
“You’re probably playing guard, right? Who’re you replacing?”
“Maybe that second-year…”
We finish changing and chat as we head out of the changing room.
That’s when it happens.
“First-years. Your mopping was sloppy. Do it again.”
“…Huh?”
I open the door to find three second-year senpai standing there.
“No ‘huh.’ Did you even mop? If the volleyball club uses the gym this afternoon and someone gets hurt, can you take responsibility? Hurry up and go.”
“…”
I’m pretty sure we mopped properly.
All the first-years did it together, and we even checked if the floor squeaked under our feet. …But that probably doesn’t matter.
This is harassment.
Reluctantly, we set our bags down and head to the gym.
It’s no big deal. Just endure it.
“Maeda.”
“…Yes?”
As everyone heads to the gym, I’m singled out.
A bad feeling creeps in.
“…I told you not to get cocky, didn’t I?”
“…Yes.”
“You’re just the coach’s favorite. Don’t get the wrong idea.”
Because I made the starting lineup, a second-year got bumped to the bench. But that senpai smiled and told me, “Do your best.”
Yet these people, who didn’t even make the bench, are targeting me.
“Excuse me.”
“Tch…”
Club life is tough. Is it really that frustrating for an underclassman to play in a game? If it were me, I’d train harder if an underclassman outdid me.
Those senpai don’t even seem to practice that much… Feeling their piercing glares on my back, I run to the gym.
I didn’t want to go straight home, so I ended up at the usual park.
Onii-san isn’t here today, but… I still haven’t practiced enough, so this works out.
Good thing I brought my outdoor ball.
It’s just past 1 p.m.
I’ll practice for an hour or two, then head home.
I thought there’d be more people, but the park’s basketball court is empty, maybe because it’s lunchtime.
Lucky me.
The blazing sun is dazzling.
It really feels like summer’s in full swing.
“Hup!”
I shoot from the free-throw line.
The ball swishes through the net with a satisfying sound.
“Yeah, feels good.”
Since I started practicing here with Onii-san, I’ve improved even more.
Without the skills he taught me, I might not have been chosen to start.
He’s taught me so much.
(Let’s try mimicking Onii-san.)
I picture my idol’s movements in my mind.
I’ve watched him up close so many times. And… because I love him. The movements of someone so dear to me are etched in my mind, ready to recall anytime.
I pick up the ball, dribble lightly… leg-through into a crossover. I drive right… roll turn.
Then a sudden stop into a fadeaway.
Yes, this move!
The ball clangs off the rim with a harsh sound.
As expected, it’s tough. Especially that final fadeaway.
Shooting forward while jumping backward is incredibly hard in practice.
(Onii-san really is amazing…)
He makes this difficult shot look effortless.
I’ve barely seen him miss from this distance in practice.
“Alright…”
I psych myself up.
This time, I’ll nail it—
“Hey, look, a great spot!”
I hear a familiar voice.
“Still haven’t practiced enough, right?”
“Totally get that. Wait, someone’s here?”
“Huh? That’s not our school’s jersey.”
The exaggerated voices…
It’s the second-year senpai who harassed me earlier. Looking closer, there’s a guy from the boys’ basketball team with them.
I think he’s the boyfriend—or something like that—of Ayako-senpai, the one I replaced in the lineup.
He’s supposedly super popular among the second-year boys’ team, but compared to Onii-san…
Well, it’s probably unfair to compare him to Onii-san.
He does look a bit uncomfortable, but if he’s tagging along, he might think I’m in the way too.
“…Good work.”
“Oh, it’s Maeda! Wow, practicing in a place like this?”
“We want to practice too, so let us have it.”
…This is the worst.
But there’s no choice. It’s probably best to back off quietly. Someone said “retreat to win,” right?
“Sure. Go ahead. I’m heading home. Good work.”
I grab my ball and head for the court’s exit.
But then.
My arm is roughly grabbed.
“What, don’t be so cold. Let’s practice together.”
That tone doesn’t sound like they want to practice together…
A bad feeling hits me. But it doesn’t seem like I can just leave…
“…Alright.”
I have no choice but to brace myself.
I wake up to a phone notification. Mornings like this have been more common lately.
“Ugh…”
I remember a main heroine from an old game who made cute little groans like that.
Realizing my own voice is just a plain groan, I sigh.
“What time is it…?”
I check my phone.
The lock screen shows 10:28 a.m. It’s Sunday, so I slept in until nearly noon.
Can’t help it, though. Last night, Yusuke-san (the waiter) invited me for late-night ramen—a major sin—so I couldn’t sleep right away. I didn’t get to bed until around 3 a.m.
By the way, Yusuke-san got a call from a woman as we were leaving and rushed off, pale as a ghost. What was that about? Sounds like deep drama.
I scratch my head, head to the bathroom, and wash my face before brushing my teeth.
Then I remember I woke up because of a notification. I pull my phone from my pocket and check.
Koumi
“Morning!!”
“What, so we’re really going to the batting center next time?”
“I’m confident, you know!”
…What were we talking about?
Oh, right! Koumi mentioned she played softball or something.
I bragged that I’m even better at baseball than basketball, so I might have gotten a bit cocky.
In this world, girls often seem better at sports. Looking at Yuka, I can’t help but think, Are junior high girls really this good?
It’s probably just a numbers thing. In terms of raw strength, guys are still stronger… I think.
I leave Koumi’s messages on read for now. I’ll reply after breakfast.
After Seira-san, I exchanged SNS with Yuka too, so my phone’s been buzzing a lot lately. They’re all so diligent. I’d be fine with just contacting when there’s a reason.
I open the fridge to find something for breakfast.
Not much… There’s ham, so I’ll slap some cheese and ham on bread and toast it.
I’m never hungry in the morning.
But skipping breakfast isn’t great for health, so I force myself to eat something.
“Hmm, what to do today…?”
Days without work or university are pretty free.
I’m grateful I can earn decent money with just two or three shifts a week.
I prep the sandwich and set the toaster, then remember something and check my phone again. Yuka said her tournament’s coming up.
She sent a message this morning too, so she’s probably at practice right now.
She’s really dedicated.
…Alright, I’m decided.
I’ll go play basketball today. Gotta stay active.
Plus, I need to get serious, or Yuka might actually beat me.
Knowing her, even if she won, she wouldn’t kick me out of the park like we agreed. But losing to a junior high girl? My pride couldn’t take it.
I munch on the nicely toasted sandwich and get ready to head out for basketball.
The park is lively, being a weekend.
It’s not the kind with tons of playground equipment but more for enjoying nature, with benches and a pond, so it’s not usually swamped with kids.
Tucked away in the back is a basketball court, which makes it a hidden gem.
“Oh… but of course, someone’s here.”
It’s a weekend.
Even a hidden gem like this has players on a day like today. I hear the sound of a basketball bouncing as I approach.
“Huh…?”
As I get close enough to see the court, I notice something.
Among the four or so people playing, one has glossy black short hair with a sparkling blue hairpin.
She’s wearing what looks like her school’s track uniform—a girl I know well: Yuka Maeda.
The others around her… there’s one guy too.
They’re all wearing the same track uniform as Yuka, so they must be from her school.
“Yuka’s practicing with her clubmates here… She’s so dedicated. I’ll have to pat her head next time.”
Lately, watching Yuka stirs some protective instincts in me.
Her cute appearance contrasts so well with her serious expression when she plays basketball. Is this what having a little sister feels like?
“…Hm?”
I figure I’ll just do some handling practice somewhere else and head home. But something feels off, so I look closer.
Yuka’s expression looks strained.
Practicing in this heat could explain it, but the others are the problem.
They’re clearly laughing at Yuka. And it’s not friendly—it’s mocking.
…Bullying?
A bad feeling races through my mind.
If it’s bullying, I have to stop it. But if I’m wrong and barge in, I’ll just be meddling—
In the end, hesitating was a mistake.
One of the girls swings her elbow, hitting Yuka square in the face.
Yuka collapses hard onto the ground and others began to laugh.
Seeing that, I don’t have any choice but to step onto the court.
How much time has passed?
Thirty minutes? An hour? Honestly, I’ve lost track.
“Maeda, you’re already worn out? Can you really handle the game like this?!”
“Haa…! Haa…!”
Running nonstop in this scorching heat with no breaks.
The senpai take turns resting, but I get none.
I expected something like this, but it’s still brutal.
“Alright, let’s do a 2-on-2. Gotta get some game experience, right, star first-year?”
“Haa…! Haa…!”
At least let me hydrate.
My body’s screaming for air and water.
“Come on, Maeda, hurry up! You’re starting on offense.”
They toss me the ball, and I barely catch it.
It’s 2-on-2, so I have a teammate. But that’s just in name—this situation doesn’t care about that.
My “teammate” senpai has no intention of receiving the ball.
I have no choice but to try driving past them.
But my body’s wrecked, nowhere near its usual sharpness. Another player joins in, double-teaming me, making it even harder to hold onto the ball.
“That’s it?! Maybe you should just drop out!”
“Think about how Ayako feels, getting benched!”
I know.
That’s why I’m trying so hard, for Ayako-senpai’s sake too…
“Come on, what’s wrong with you?!”
“…!”
A sickening thud echoes.
My vision goes black.
It feels like the senpai’s swinging elbow hit me square in the face.
It hurts.
Breathing is hard.
All I hear is laughter.
Why? Why do I have to go through this?
All I did was love basketball…
…Wait. The laughter that was mocking me just moments ago—it’s gone.
Is my hearing fading…?
“You guys sure have some fun practices.”
Huh?
—That’s impossible.
It’s Sunday.
We didn’t make any plans.
And yet.
This voice—I know it so deeply it drives me wild.
I look up.
There, standing before me, is my favorite—
“Yuka, can you stand?”
“…Onii-san…?”
The person lending me a shoulder to lean on.
It’s unmistakably him—my favorite person.
Masato-san.
“W-Who are you?”
“We’re in the middle of club practice.”
The senpai are visibly shaken.
Maybe they’re just stunned by how cool Onii-san is.
“Oh? Bullying one girl until she’s battered and laughing at her—that’s what club activities are like these days?”
“…”
Onii-san is angry.
I can tell just from his voice.
It’s the first time I’ve seen him angry.
He casts a cold glare at the senpai, then turns back to me.
“Yuka, drink this for now. You haven’t had enough water, have you?”
“Thank you.”
He hands me a plastic bottle.
I take it and drink immediately. I can feel my parched body coming back to life.
Onii-san gives me a gentle smile and walks me to a bench.
He helps me sit down.
“Sorry I was late. Rest for a bit.”
Pat, pat. He places his hand on my head.
My body heats up, but for a different reason.
Even in a moment like this… my body can’t help but feel happy.
Still, my mind is reeling.
I thought there was no way Onii-san would show up.
“So? What’s your goal in bullying Yuka?”
“W-We’re not bullying her! We were just checking if Maeda’s worthy of being a starter!”
“Y-Yeah! So can you not interrupt us?”
“…Oh, really?”
I can’t believe they’d say that.
Their real plan was probably to hurt me—physically or mentally—so I’d have to give up my spot as a starter.
“Then if Yuka proves her skill, you’ll back off. That’s what you’re saying?”
“Tch, that was the plan all along! But Maeda’s so bad, it ended up like this.”
They knew they couldn’t beat me fairly, so they tried to wear me down!
And if I got injured in the process, that’d be a bonus for them…
Anger bubbles up inside me.
Onii-san turns back to me.
“Yuka… if you rest a bit, can you move?”
“…Huh?”
Onii-san’s suggestion catches me off guard.
He crouches down, meeting my eyes as I sit, and smiles gently, stroking my head.
“Let’s show them how strong you are.”
Those words are more than enough to fire me up.
“…Yes.”
More power surges through my body than ever before.
Onii-san turns back to the senpai.
“If Yuka beats you, that’s it, right? I’ll team up with Yuka. You four can play together.”
“Huh? Four against two? Are you joking?!”
“I’m not joking. Also, I won’t jump. The height difference would make it unfair.”
Not jump? He means he won’t jump at all?
Basketball is a sport where the goal is up high, so jumping is essential.
It’s a game of constant jumping. And yet, Onii-san says he won’t jump.
“You’re underestimating us… Fine.”
“And… if you lose, you’ll accept Yuka as a starter. Got it?”
“Then if we win, Maeda has to give up her starter spot, okay?”
I don’t want to give up the spot I earned. But at the same time… with Onii-san on my team, I don’t feel like we can lose.
Meeting Onii-san’s gaze, I nod.
“Fine. I accept.”
“…Alright. Let’s do this.”
Onii-san slowly takes off his necklace. The motion is so effortlessly cool it sends a shiver through me.
Joy wells up in my chest.
It’s not how I wanted it to happen, but…
I get to play basketball on a team with Onii-san!
“We’ll start on offense.”
Onii-san takes the ball.
As expected, two of the girls’ basketball senpai double-team him.
Two come for me.
Those two are among the better players here.
But… honestly?
“Hah…!”
They’re no match for Onii-san.
“What?”
“Huh?”
Ignoring their shock, Onii-san spins past them with a lightning-fast move.
He charges straight for the goal.
“What are you doing?!”
One of them panics, leaving other to defend under the basket.
Onii-san could easily dodge that and sink a shot.
But.
Catching his glance, I react instantly.
I sprint toward the free-throw line.
I know how skilled Onii-san is.
But right now, I can’t just ride on his coattails.
I have to show the results of my practice, my effort.
I have to prove myself!
“Ah…!”
The senpai, thinking Onii-san won’t jump, leaps to block his shot.
Onii-san slips a bounce pass right under her.
The ball lands perfectly in my hands.
With only one defender left on me—the guy from the boys’ team—I move.
“Hah…!”
I fake a drive to the right, then pull off my signature crossover.
A move I’ve practiced countless times in this very spot.
A move I’ve drilled until I can do it without looking at the ball.
The boys’ team senpai stumbles, unable to keep up. I blow past him without mercy.
Then, a back layup.
I’ve done this hundreds of times. I can shoot with confidence. There’s no way I’ll miss!
The ball swishes through the net with a clean sound.
Ignoring the stunned senpai, Onii-san holds up two fingers.
“That’s two points for us.”
Oh no.
Even in this situation, even though I’m exhausted and out of breath…
This is fun…!
The senpai’s offense ends with me stealing the ball.
Their dribbling is too sloppy. It’s like they’re begging me to take it. Compared to the 1-on-1s I do with Onii-san, this is child’s play.
They can’t even dribble without looking at the ball. That’s just amateur.
Our offense again.
“We’ll stop you this time…”
“We were just caught off guard before.”
The two marking Onii-san come at him with fierce defense.
Honestly, I think Onii-san could still break through easily.
But from that last play, I get it. Onii-san’s trying to set me up.
No—he’s making it so I have to be the one to score. I have to prove my effort…!
Onii-san, dribbling, signals me with his eyes.
From the way his gaze moves, I catch his intent. I start running without hesitation.
I stick close to the senpai guarding me, one of the two on Onii-san, blocking her from going left.
A screen.
“…!”
Seeing it, Onii-san drives left.
With me as a wall, the defending senpai can’t keep up with him.
“Switch!”
The senpai shouts.
A signal to swap marks. But that’s exactly what Onii-san wanted.
Taking advantage of their confusion over who’s guarding who, he fires a pass to me as I cut toward the goal.
A dive move.
One we watched in videos together.
“What…!”
The defenders are all behind me now. They can’t match my dribbling speed.
Dribbling is naturally slower than running.
But these senpai can’t catch up to me.
I’ve practiced sprinting with the ball countless times. My dribbling isn’t something they can just overtake!
From a full-speed dribble, I plant my foot hard and go for a layup. A layup at top speed can overshoot if the momentum’s too strong.
So I stomp down, channeling the force downward.
Another thing Onii-san taught me, practiced over and over. The ball slips through the net with a soft swish.
The pale-faced senpai huddle together, whispering.
“Was Maeda always this good…? I had no idea…!”
“Shosuke, move properly! Don’t you care if Ayako can’t get back in the lineup?!”
“But…”
“Let’s give up on stopping the college guy and focus on Maeda. She’s the one shooting, it seems.”
…They’ve noticed Onii-san’s strategy.
How he’s setting me up to take the shots.
“Nice shot, Yuka.”
“Huh? Oh, yes! Nice pass, Onii-san!”
“I was being cautious, but… looks like we’re fine.”
“Huh?”
Onii-san glances at the other team, a bit surprised.
Then, with his usual smile, he says to me:
“You could beat them all on your own, Yuka. So, next time, you take the ball and break through. I’ll be ready to receive a pass if it gets tough.”
“Got it!”
Onii-san trusts me.
That alone makes me feel like I can push myself a million times harder!
The senpai’s offense fails again, and it’s our turn.
First to five points, so if we score now, we win.
I take the ball. This time, three of the girls’ basketball senpai are on me.
One of them glares at me with resentment.
“Maeda… who’s that guy?”
“…He’s someone very important to me.”
“…! You’re so annoying… You’re really annoying!”
A tiny sense of superiority flickers in me.
I glance at Onii-san.
He’s watching me. Those eyes convey absolute trust in me.
I want to live up to his expectations!
Onii-san is my—my very own—precious person!!!!
I cut sharply to the right.
With three on me, the senpai on the far right follows.
I stop short. Leg-through into a crossover. My best move.
The rightmost senpai stumbles.
Seizing the gap, I charge through the middle!
“You…!”
One senpai steps in, blocking my path with a near-foul move.
I dodge that too. Using my forward momentum, I roll past her.
Blowing by one, I shift into shooting form.
“Don’t… mess… with me…!”
Out of sheer defiance, the last senpai jumps to block my shot.
This is bad.
If I shoot now, it’ll get blocked…
—In that moment, I recall Onii-san’s signature move.
Crossover, roll, sudden stop, and then…
I jump.
Backward.
“What…?”
This way, the block won’t reach.
A move I’ve watched countless times.
I’ve seen this shot go in time and time again.
So, it’s fine.
I can do it too!
“I didn’t learn that move until high school, you know…?”
I think I hear Onii-san’s voice.
I release the ball with my right hand.
It traces a perfect arc… and the ball sinks into the net.
The match is over, and the senpai have left. As expected—or maybe not—they apparently followed me to this park.
At the end, it seemed like the boys’ basketball senpai was arguing with the three girls’ basketball senpai. If I heard correctly, he was telling them to stop bullying me.
Then the girls’ basketball senpai apologized… I don’t really get it.
I asked Onii-san if he knew anything, but he just smiled and said, “Nothing?” Knowing how kind he is, he probably said something to them behind my back.
If this reduces the bullying at school even a little, I’d be so happy.
“Yuka, that last shot was awesome.”
“Oh, thank you!”
I made that shot because I was watching Onii-san’s moves…
It’s all thanks to him.
I was basking in the glow of victory, but… wait, that’s not the priority!
I need to thank him properly!
“Um, thank you so much for helping me today!”
“No, no, I’m the one who’s sorry for being late. Also, you know, I was actually watching for a bit.”
“Huh…?”
“I thought you were having fun with your teammates, so I was just watching. But then the vibe felt off, and you got hit… I realized it was bad and rushed over. If I’d noticed sooner, you wouldn’t have gotten hurt.”
…Tears welled up.
He’s just too kind…
Onii-san continues with his usual soft smile.
“It happened like this, but I had fun playing basketball with you on a team, Yuka. You’re really good. You’ll surpass me in no time.”
“W-What?! No way! But… I was really happy to play with you, Onii-san!”
That part, I’m truly grateful for.
I don’t know if I’ll ever get another chance like this.
I sit on the bench.
Time to head home. I’m exhausted from everything.
As I pack my ball into my backpack, savoring all these emotions, I start getting ready to leave.
“Yuka, hold on a sec.”
“Huh…?”
Onii-san steps closer, crouching slightly to meet my eyes.
Our gazes lock.
His face is, as always, so beautiful.
…He’s so close.
Onii-san’s face inches nearer.
…Huh?
W-W-W-Wait a second!
Is this… could it be, could it be… a k-kiss?
Is this leading to a kiss?
Sure, today’s events felt kind of fated, and the situation might be perfect, but—
My heartbeat races.
My first kiss, outside of all places? And the sun’s still up, even if it’s setting!
W-Wait, that’s too soon.
What do I do? I mean, I’m happy, of course I’m happy. Should I close my eyes? That’s okay, right?
—I close my eyes.
Mom, Dad, today I’m giving my first kiss to the person I love most.
Something sticks to my cheek with a peel.
…Huh?
I open my eyes.
“Good thing I started carrying bandages in my bag after I scraped myself biking the other day! You had a little blood on your cheek, so this should do it. Sorry, I should’ve noticed earlier…”
I touch my cheek.
The surface of a bandage is pretty smooth, isn’t it?
“…!”
“Wah! What’s wrong, Yuka?!”
A whirlwind of emotions clashes and explodes.
It wasn’t a kiss, but he was worried about me, and that makes me happy, and—
I can’t make sense of it anymore. On impulse, I throw my arms around Onii-san.
I don’t care if he pulls away! Right now, I just want to pour all these feelings into him!
My whole body feels hot.
Is this okay? Is he uncomfortable?
Onii-san gently strokes my head.
“…You did great, Yuka. You were so cool.”
—I can’t think anymore.
All I can see is Onii-san, Masato.
(I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you… I love you so much!)
As if to confirm my feelings.
I hug Onii-san tightly, so tightly.
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