Taking a breath, we move off the field. The first half was over and the score had been tied at 1-1, but we should honestly be relieved that we haven’t lost yet.
“Thank you for your hard work, Yuya-kun. Are you okay?”
“Uuh… thanks, Kaede.”
Yes, I drank the sports drink Kaede handed me and caught my breath. Shinji, sitting next to me, was also handed a drink by Otsuki-san. Mogi and the others looked at me with grudge filled eyes, but I pretended not to notice.
“Good work, Yoshizumi. Third-year students are tough opponents after all. Are you going to be okay in the second half? Do you think you can win?”
Nikaido asked in a somewhat worried tone. Yu-chan was pouting. What was the matter? But first, I had to answer Nikaido’s question.
“Aah… Well, the first half was both expected and unexpected, I guess. It was good that we were able to take the lead, but I don’t think we would be able to defend ourselves after that.”
“Even as a soccer amateur, I could tell that Yoshizumi and Higure were not able to move freely. So I knew that much.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. Me, Shinji, and everyone else, none of us are giving up.”
In a strong tone, I said to Nikaido, who was looking down, imagining a pessimistic future, and patted her roughly on the head. I tried my best to keep my voice cheerful as Nikaido looked at me in protest, wondering what I was doing
“Just watch me. We’ll make a good comeback and win. So don’t look like you’re about to cry.”
“What!? Yo, Yoshizumi idiot! I don’t look like I’m about to cry!”
“Yes, yes, yes. I’m fine with being an idiot. Well, well. I’m going to wash my face and get fired up.”
I got up from the bench and headed towards the washroom at the edge of the field by myself. I’m not sure if it was intentional, but I couldn’t let anyone see it. I said that to Nikaido, but to be honest, there was a little hope of us winning. I did score a goal in a split second with Shinji assist, but after that, even Shinji couldn’t touch the ball properly. The ball would be taken away from him before he could get to it.
On the other hand, our opponents were attacking us in waves, devoting their numbers to the attack. It was all we could do to keep from being swallowed up by the surging waves, even as we desperately tried to bounce back. This was how serious the Sugiya-senpai’s team members were.
No, no, no. Don’t be weak. Be strong-hearted. Kaede and Nikaido didn’t give up in the face of adversity, right? There’s no way I can fail them. I washed my face to get rid of my weakness. Oh, I didn’t bring a towel.
“—Yes, take a towel.”
“ah, thank you… that’s Kaede!? Why are you here!?”
Half unconsciously, I accepted the towel, but I didn’t realize it was Kaede. I’m grateful for your help, but I wish you hadn’t come. I didn’t want you to show my weakness.
“It’s okay, okay? You can show me your weakness.”
“… eh?”
You’re lying, right? I think I thought I had disguised myself perfectly, but I didn’t think Kaede had noticed?
“Did you think that I wouldn’t notice that Yuya-kun was forcing himself to act cheerful? If so, Yuya-kun has underestimated me. You need to be punished.”
“Oh, you’re punishing me? That’s a little… I don’t know if I want that.”
“No, no, no! If you’ve been carrying it on by yourself and overworking yourself, you will be punished!
“AAH, bow your head, please!”
Kaede urged, and reluctantly, I bowed my head like a knight hanging his head for the Queen. When I was nervous about what she was going to do to me, she gently stroked me with her warm hands.
“Yuya-kun will be fine. I have seen Yuya-kun working hard every day. So it’s okay. Be confident. Besides… you’re not alone, Yuya-kun.”
Kaede stroked my head as she spoke to me in an admonishing and comforting way.
“I, Ai-chan, Akiho-chan, Yui-chan, and everyone else are rooting for you. Higure, Mogi, and the others haven’t given up yet. Yuya-kun will take care of it. I believe so.”
“Kaede”
“So it’s okay. You will win. If you’re still worried… well, let’s just dangle the carrot, shall we?”
Dangling carrots? What does that mean? I was about to ask back, but Kaede put her face close to my ear and whispered sweetly.
“If I win… I will heal Yuya-kun to the point where his body and mind will be debauched.”
“Kaede… that’s… well… seriously?”
“Fufu. Yes, I’m serious. So, Yuya-kun… do your best.”
When Kaede left my ear after saying that, she was bright red up to her ears. It was too cute when you think you’d seduced someone with your seductive voice, but you’d actually forced yourself to be embarrassed instead. I resisted the urge to hug her right now.
“Thank you, Kaede. Aside from the reward, your words gave me energy and courage.”
“That was good. Aah, it’s time to go back. The second half is about to begin, okay?”
“Yeah, I guess so. Okay! I feel like I can go!”
It was a bit naive of me, but Kaede’s support and encouragement, along with the promise of a reward for winning, was enough to cheer me up. Even if it was just a joke to cheer me up.
“I’m not lying, okay? I’ll give you a reward if you win, okay?”
The second half of the battle that cannot be lost begins.
Taking a breath, we move off the field. The first half was over and the score had been tied at 1-1, but we should honestly be relieved that we haven’t lost yet.
“Thank you for your hard work, Yuya-kun. Are you okay?”
“Uuh… thanks, Kaede.”
Yes, I drank the sports drink Kaede handed me and caught my breath. Shinji, sitting next to me, was also handed a drink by Otsuki-san. Mogi and the others looked at me with grudge filled eyes, but I pretended not to notice.
“Good work, Yoshizumi. Third-year students are tough opponents after all. Are you going to be okay in the second half? Do you think you can win?”
Nikaido asked in a somewhat worried tone. Yu-chan was pouting. What was the matter? But first, I had to answer Nikaido’s question.
“Aah… Well, the first half was both expected and unexpected, I guess. It was good that we were able to take the lead, but I don’t think we would be able to defend ourselves after that.”
“Even as a soccer amateur, I could tell that Yoshizumi and Higure were not able to move freely. So I knew that much.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. Me, Shinji, and everyone else, none of us are giving up.”
In a strong tone, I said to Nikaido, who was looking down, imagining a pessimistic future, and patted her roughly on the head. I tried my best to keep my voice cheerful as Nikaido looked at me in protest, wondering what I was doing
“Just watch me. We’ll make a good comeback and win. So don’t look like you’re about to cry.”
“What!? Yo, Yoshizumi idiot! I don’t look like I’m about to cry!”
“Yes, yes, yes. I’m fine with being an idiot. Well, well. I’m going to wash my face and get fired up.”
I got up from the bench and headed towards the washroom at the edge of the field by myself. I’m not sure if it was intentional, but I couldn’t let anyone see it. I said that to Nikaido, but to be honest, there was a little hope of us winning. I did score a goal in a split second with Shinji assist, but after that, even Shinji couldn’t touch the ball properly. The ball would be taken away from him before he could get to it.
On the other hand, our opponents were attacking us in waves, devoting their numbers to the attack. It was all we could do to keep from being swallowed up by the surging waves, even as we desperately tried to bounce back. This was how serious the Sugiya-senpai’s team members were.
No, no, no. Don’t be weak. Be strong-hearted. Kaede and Nikaido didn’t give up in the face of adversity, right? There’s no way I can fail them. I washed my face to get rid of my weakness. Oh, I didn’t bring a towel.
“—Yes, take a towel.”
“ah, thank you… that’s Kaede!? Why are you here!?”
Half unconsciously, I accepted the towel, but I didn’t realize it was Kaede. I’m grateful for your help, but I wish you hadn’t come. I didn’t want you to show my weakness.
“It’s okay, okay? You can show me your weakness.”
“… eh?”
You’re lying, right? I think I thought I had disguised myself perfectly, but I didn’t think Kaede had noticed?
“Did you think that I wouldn’t notice that Yuya-kun was forcing himself to act cheerful? If so, Yuya-kun has underestimated me. You need to be punished.”
“Oh, you’re punishing me? That’s a little… I don’t know if I want that.”
“No, no, no! If you’ve been carrying it on by yourself and overworking yourself, you will be punished!
“AAH, bow your head, please!”
Kaede urged, and reluctantly, I bowed my head like a knight hanging his head for the Queen. When I was nervous about what she was going to do to me, she gently stroked me with her warm hands.
“Yuya-kun will be fine. I have seen Yuya-kun working hard every day. So it’s okay. Be confident. Besides… you’re not alone, Yuya-kun.”
Kaede stroked my head as she spoke to me in an admonishing and comforting way.
“I, Ai-chan, Akiho-chan, Yui-chan, and everyone else are rooting for you. Higure, Mogi, and the others haven’t given up yet. Yuya-kun will take care of it. I believe so.”
“Kaede”
“So it’s okay. You will win. If you’re still worried… well, let’s just dangle the carrot, shall we?”
Dangling carrots? What does that mean? I was about to ask back, but Kaede put her face close to my ear and whispered sweetly.
“If I win… I will heal Yuya-kun to the point where his body and mind will be debauched.”
“Kaede… that’s… well… seriously?”
“Fufu. Yes, I’m serious. So, Yuya-kun… do your best.”
When Kaede left my ear after saying that, she was bright red up to her ears. It was too cute when you think you’d seduced someone with your seductive voice, but you’d actually forced yourself to be embarrassed instead. I resisted the urge to hug her right now.
“Thank you, Kaede. Aside from the reward, your words gave me energy and courage.”
“That was good. Aah, it’s time to go back. The second half is about to begin, okay?”
“Yeah, I guess so. Okay! I feel like I can go!”
It was a bit naive of me, but Kaede’s support and encouragement, along with the promise of a reward for winning, was enough to cheer me up. Even if it was just a joke to cheer me up.
“I’m not lying, okay? I’ll give you a reward if you win, okay?”
The second half of the battle that cannot be lost begins.
