As the first half ended with the whistle, I slowly let out the heat that had been building up in my lungs. This was the final match of the ball game? You had to be kidding me. I’d even believe it if one told me it was the final of the national tournament.
The offense and defense changed so rapidly that there was no time to even blink with the desperate voices of the players running in all directions across the court constantly being heard. There were cheers being shouted for them, “Don’t lose, do your best”. I, along with Shinji and Otsuki-san, even choked up as we continued to cheer them on.
“It is a good match. I’d say the first half was pretty even?”
“I don’t know. In terms of score, the gap is not that big, but maybe Yui-chan’s class has the advantage. After all, they’re all experienced.”
Both of the team’s strengths were different. That might be a good way to describe it. Even with the two outstanding players, Nikaido, the ace of the basketball team, and Kaede, the trump card (joker), they were still inferior to Yui’s class when viewed as a team. In fact, I wonder what would have happened if the two of them hadn’t been together.
“In the second half, there might be more of a gap between us and the more experienced students. If that happens, our class might find it tough….”
“Don’t say that, Shin-kun! I’m sure Ai-chan and Kaede-chan will be fine!? That’s right, Yoshi!”
Otsuki-san asked me with a tearful face. I could understand Shinji’s troubled face. In the first half, we managed to keep it even, but in the second half, the difference in the players’ skills and physical strength would leave a real impact. In that case, it was inevitable that our class would struggle. When I looked at the court, I saw Nikaido leaving the hall by himself, probably after the strategy meeting was over.
I took a deep breath and my eyes met Kaede’s as she took a breath. She smiled and waved cheerfully at me, and I returned the wave. Yes, at this rate, Kaede would be fine. She still had a lot of energy left. The problem was over there.
“I’m sorry, both of you. I’m going to the bathroom. I’ll be back before the game starts!”
“Hey, Yoshi!? I didn’t hear your answer!?”
Otsuki-san. I’ll tell you the answer to your question when I get back. If our class was going to win, we needed to send a pep talk with the ace in distress.
＊＊＊＊＊
The ace could be easily found. Only Nikaido or Kaede could make out the sight of them standing alone behind the gym looking as picturesque as a cropped photo.
“What are you doing here, Nikaido? Isn’t the second half about to start?”
“—Yoshizumi!? Why are you here?”
“Why or what? I saw Nikaido walking out of the gym by herself. I thought you might be depressed, so I came to cheer you up.”
The expression on Nikaido’s face right now showed a different kind of sadness than usual. I didn’t think they had given up on the game yet, but I wonder if they sensed the difference in their strength as a team in the first half of the game. That was why Yui and the others were such strong opponents.
“That’s right. It was more than I expected. I was surprised at how well we played as a team. The first half was manageable, but the second half would be tough, to be honest.”
“It’s not like you to sound weak.”
“The look in her eyes screams, “What do you want? “. Let’s have more fun. She has room to enjoy the game even when she’s giving it her all. I don’t have that.”
Nikaido said, tapping her foot and biting her lip. As a sports person, I knew exactly how Nikaido felt.
It was often said that one should enjoy the game, but this was only possible if one had a relaxed mind. If one’s mind is in chaos, they would be too occupied with the task at hand. So how does one make room for it? It was when they had confidence backed up with the amount of practice they’d done and the difference in ability between you and your opponent. That was why Nikaido must be frustrated. But I deny it. Because,
“Isn’t Yui-chan’s game strong because she believes in her team? Even if she is not good enough, everyone else will do their best. That’s why she is enjoying the confrontation with the seniors she respects. I think that was what she would be thinking.”
For… the… team. What could one do to help the team win? I thought that was what Yui was thinking as she entered the game. That was probably why she could afford it and was enjoying the serious confrontation with Nikaido.
“You’re too self-conscious by yourself, Nikaido. Look around more carefully. Kaede is still in good form, you know? So is everyone else. I don’t think anyone’s given up yet? So what if Ace gives up.”
“… Yoshizumi.”
“Trust your people. Trust Kaede. And you have to believe in yourself. If you can’t do that, then… yeah. I believe Nikaido will be fine, believe me! You understand?”
It was embarrassing for me to say these lines. But if I didn’t say something like this, I won’t be able to get Nikaido back on her feet, as she had almost fallen to near the bottom. I wish my words had that much power.
“… fufu. You’re Yoshizumi… pfft. That’s a cool thing to say.”
“Hey, come on, don’t laugh at me there. And what’s with the “you”? What’s with the “you”! I tried my best to cheer you up in my own way!?”
“Fufu, I know. Thank you, Yoshizumi. You’re right, I was being uncharacteristically self-conscious. I’d say we’re good to go, but… can you do me one favor?”
Selfishness was rare for Nikaido. I didn’t mind helping if there was something I could do for you. As long as it was not ‘I want to live with you’ like some other people.
“Fufu. What? It’s easy. You know, Yoshizumi… Just now. Just for now… can you please call me “Ai-chan”?”
“… yes?”
“Only now! If you could just call me by my name and tell me to hang in there… well… if you could just tell me to hang in there… I think I could hang in there really well!”
Nikaido placed her hand on her chest and earnestly appealed to me while her face turned bright red. There was a hint of a glint in her eyes. Her appearance was not that of the usual prince, but more like a puppy begging to be petted.
“All right, all right… just for now, okay? Hang in there, Ai-chan.”
“One more time. Just one more time, please.”
“… Hang in there, Ai-chan. Don’t lose. Come on.”
Nikaido closed her eyes quietly and listened to my words as if she were chewing them over. She took two or three deep breaths, perhaps to calm her mind.
“… Yeah. Thank you. Thanks to you, I’ll be able to do my best. In fact, it would probably be the best I’ve ever played.”
That was pretty simple. I’d like to say that I’d support you every time then, but I’d appreciate it if you’d just do this once.
“Fufu. It’s okay. Don’t worry. I’m rarely selfish.”
“That’s not very reassuring, is it!?”
“Well, now that I’m energized, I’d better get back to it. You will be keeping an eye on my game, won’t you?”
“I know, I know. I’m counting on you, ace basketball player?”
“Leave it to me! I won’t let Yoshizumi’s support go to waste!”
Nikaido’s face was not sorrowful, but it was the usual Nikaido, full of confidence and sparkling.
“Well… I should get back. I have to support Kaede.”
As the first half ended with the whistle, I slowly let out the heat that had been building up in my lungs. This was the final match of the ball game? You had to be kidding me. I’d even believe it if one told me it was the final of the national tournament.
The offense and defense changed so rapidly that there was no time to even blink with the desperate voices of the players running in all directions across the court constantly being heard. There were cheers being shouted for them, “Don’t lose, do your best”. I, along with Shinji and Otsuki-san, even choked up as we continued to cheer them on.
“It is a good match. I’d say the first half was pretty even?”
“I don’t know. In terms of score, the gap is not that big, but maybe Yui-chan’s class has the advantage. After all, they’re all experienced.”
Both of the team’s strengths were different. That might be a good way to describe it. Even with the two outstanding players, Nikaido, the ace of the basketball team, and Kaede, the trump card (joker), they were still inferior to Yui’s class when viewed as a team. In fact, I wonder what would have happened if the two of them hadn’t been together.
“In the second half, there might be more of a gap between us and the more experienced students. If that happens, our class might find it tough….”
“Don’t say that, Shin-kun! I’m sure Ai-chan and Kaede-chan will be fine!? That’s right, Yoshi!”
Otsuki-san asked me with a tearful face. I could understand Shinji’s troubled face. In the first half, we managed to keep it even, but in the second half, the difference in the players’ skills and physical strength would leave a real impact. In that case, it was inevitable that our class would struggle. When I looked at the court, I saw Nikaido leaving the hall by himself, probably after the strategy meeting was over.
I took a deep breath and my eyes met Kaede’s as she took a breath. She smiled and waved cheerfully at me, and I returned the wave. Yes, at this rate, Kaede would be fine. She still had a lot of energy left. The problem was over there.
“I’m sorry, both of you. I’m going to the bathroom. I’ll be back before the game starts!”
“Hey, Yoshi!? I didn’t hear your answer!?”
Otsuki-san. I’ll tell you the answer to your question when I get back. If our class was going to win, we needed to send a pep talk with the ace in distress.
＊＊＊＊＊
The ace could be easily found. Only Nikaido or Kaede could make out the sight of them standing alone behind the gym looking as picturesque as a cropped photo.
“What are you doing here, Nikaido? Isn’t the second half about to start?”
“—Yoshizumi!? Why are you here?”
“Why or what? I saw Nikaido walking out of the gym by herself. I thought you might be depressed, so I came to cheer you up.”
The expression on Nikaido’s face right now showed a different kind of sadness than usual. I didn’t think they had given up on the game yet, but I wonder if they sensed the difference in their strength as a team in the first half of the game. That was why Yui and the others were such strong opponents.
“That’s right. It was more than I expected. I was surprised at how well we played as a team. The first half was manageable, but the second half would be tough, to be honest.”
“It’s not like you to sound weak.”
“The look in her eyes screams, “What do you want? “. Let’s have more fun. She has room to enjoy the game even when she’s giving it her all. I don’t have that.”
Nikaido said, tapping her foot and biting her lip. As a sports person, I knew exactly how Nikaido felt.
It was often said that one should enjoy the game, but this was only possible if one had a relaxed mind. If one’s mind is in chaos, they would be too occupied with the task at hand. So how does one make room for it? It was when they had confidence backed up with the amount of practice they’d done and the difference in ability between you and your opponent. That was why Nikaido must be frustrated. But I deny it. Because,
“Isn’t Yui-chan’s game strong because she believes in her team? Even if she is not good enough, everyone else will do their best. That’s why she is enjoying the confrontation with the seniors she respects. I think that was what she would be thinking.”
For… the… team. What could one do to help the team win? I thought that was what Yui was thinking as she entered the game. That was probably why she could afford it and was enjoying the serious confrontation with Nikaido.
“You’re too self-conscious by yourself, Nikaido. Look around more carefully. Kaede is still in good form, you know? So is everyone else. I don’t think anyone’s given up yet? So what if Ace gives up.”
“… Yoshizumi.”
“Trust your people. Trust Kaede. And you have to believe in yourself. If you can’t do that, then… yeah. I believe Nikaido will be fine, believe me! You understand?”
It was embarrassing for me to say these lines. But if I didn’t say something like this, I won’t be able to get Nikaido back on her feet, as she had almost fallen to near the bottom. I wish my words had that much power.
“… fufu. You’re Yoshizumi… pfft. That’s a cool thing to say.”
“Hey, come on, don’t laugh at me there. And what’s with the “you”? What’s with the “you”! I tried my best to cheer you up in my own way!?”
“Fufu, I know. Thank you, Yoshizumi. You’re right, I was being uncharacteristically self-conscious. I’d say we’re good to go, but… can you do me one favor?”
Selfishness was rare for Nikaido. I didn’t mind helping if there was something I could do for you. As long as it was not ‘I want to live with you’ like some other people.
“Fufu. What? It’s easy. You know, Yoshizumi… Just now. Just for now… can you please call me “Ai-chan”?”
“… yes?”
“Only now! If you could just call me by my name and tell me to hang in there… well… if you could just tell me to hang in there… I think I could hang in there really well!”
Nikaido placed her hand on her chest and earnestly appealed to me while her face turned bright red. There was a hint of a glint in her eyes. Her appearance was not that of the usual prince, but more like a puppy begging to be petted.
“All right, all right… just for now, okay? Hang in there, Ai-chan.”
“One more time. Just one more time, please.”
“… Hang in there, Ai-chan. Don’t lose. Come on.”
Nikaido closed her eyes quietly and listened to my words as if she were chewing them over. She took two or three deep breaths, perhaps to calm her mind.
“… Yeah. Thank you. Thanks to you, I’ll be able to do my best. In fact, it would probably be the best I’ve ever played.”
That was pretty simple. I’d like to say that I’d support you every time then, but I’d appreciate it if you’d just do this once.
“Fufu. It’s okay. Don’t worry. I’m rarely selfish.”
“That’s not very reassuring, is it!?”
“Well, now that I’m energized, I’d better get back to it. You will be keeping an eye on my game, won’t you?”
“I know, I know. I’m counting on you, ace basketball player?”
“Leave it to me! I won’t let Yoshizumi’s support go to waste!”
Nikaido’s face was not sorrowful, but it was the usual Nikaido, full of confidence and sparkling.
“Well… I should get back. I have to support Kaede.”
