Yuya-kun!! You were so, so, so… !! You were so cool!!”
“Thank you, Kaede. I’m glad you’re here, but could you please step away first? Because the stares around me will uproot my few remaining lives.”
When I pulled up from the ground after the game, Kaede jumped on me with a big smile on her face. I patted her on the head to thank her for the support, which made her hug me more tightly, and she started slurping her cheek against my chest like a cat.
“Kaede… I know you love Yoshizumi, but why don’t you leave him alone for now? I’m sure you’re tired after the game.”
I was happy, but embarrassed and dying, and the one who helped me was Nikaido, who had a dumbfounded look on her face. Next to her, there was Yui-chan with a red face. By the way, Otsuki-san was not here as she was patting Shinji’s head.
“Nikaido-senpai is right, Kaede-neesan. You’ve been playing a game until just now, you need to give your senior Yoshizumi a break!”
“Uuh… That’s true too. I’m sorry, Yuya-kun.”
“Aah… No, it’s not something Kaede should apologize for.”
It was hard not to be happy when the person you love was so close to you. It was not just that I was exhausted like Nikaido and Yui-chan said, but I was also sweating a lot.
“Good work, Yoshizumi. Wipe off your sweat with a towel, drink some of this, and take a break.”
Nikaido threw me a towel and a sports drink. The drink was cold and unopened. Did she go to the trouble of buying it from a vending machine? If you would look closely, you would be able to see the sweat on Nikaido’s forehead?
“It’s just your imagination. What’s more important! Congratulations on your win, Yoshizumi. The shot that tied the game and the pass to Higure were really cool.”
“Haha… thanks. If you asked me to do the same thing again, I don’t know if I could.”
Wiping off the sweat with a towel, I replied with a wry smile. It was a miracle that I was able to shoot the ball coming from behind while dodging the defenders with my senses and my presence of mind. I was able to connect the ball to Shinji despite being surrounded. I would never be able to do the same again.
“Still, it was amazing. What do you think it’s called? When the whistle blew to signify the end of the game… Well, I was very moved. That’s what I’m crying about.”
Nikaido’s cheeks were flushed with vermilion as she smiled, and I was involuntarily thrilled. There were manga and anime where you think you were a prince but you were actually a princess, and that was exactly what Nikaido seemed to be right now. The gap was too big!
“That’s rude. I think I’ve told you before, I have a desire to be a princess too, you know? Well, even if I told Yoshizumi, he wouldn’t understand.”
Nikaido crossed her arms, sniffed and turned away. However, she might be quite embarrassed because even her ears were bright red.
“No, no, no… !”
“Kaede, hey! Calm down! Please, calm down! I’m going to break again! Help! Help me, Yoshizumi-senpai!”
I heard Yui-chan’s voice desperately calling for help, so I turned around to see Kaede hugging Yui-chan with all her might, just like before. Her cheeks were puffed up like a blowfish, and she was staring at me with tears in her eyes.
“Eh, Yoshizumi. Kaede was the only one who believed in you guys, even though everyone else, including me, thought your team might lose. She was the only one who thought that Yoshizumi and the others would win.”
“Oh, Ai-chan!? What are you saying all of a sudden!?”
“That absolute trust was really amazing, wasn’t it. Especially, ‘Yuya-kun is a person with a strong heart who never gives up more than anyone else’, ara ‘My favorite person is not such a weak person’ I was numbed by that. You are truly loved, Yoshizumi.”
I couldn’t hear everything, but I could hear the last words clearly. Because of Kaede’s tearful voice, I think I was able to create a miracle. Without Kaede, I could say with certainty that this victory would not have been possible.
“Thank you, Kaede. It’s thanks to Kaede that we won.”
When I approached and patted her head again, Kaede instantly overheated and her face turned red like a boiled rice cake. Taking advantage of the opportunity when the restraints loosened, Yui-chan ran away to Nikaido.
“I believed that my Yuya-kun would never give up. That’s why I found myself saying the words.”
Kaede then smiled ehehe as if to cover up her embarrassment. Aah, that was really cute. But at the same time, I loved it. If this had been home instead of the field, I would have hugged her without saying a word. That was how happy I was with Kaede’s words. So I’m going to pat her head gently with all my feelings. This was the best I could do right now.
“Oh, um… Yuya-kun? I’m glad you’re stroking me, but why are you mute? Please say something.”
” “
I just kept stroking Kaede’s head to say thank you and that I loved her. At first, Kaede was confused, but she soon gave up and did as she was told. However, her expression was soft and her mouth was relaxed.
“… Nikaido-senpai. What are we being shown?”
“Listen, Yuki. If you think about it, you’ll lose. Now that we’re in our own world, there’s nothing we can do about it. Let’s just leave them alone, get dressed and get ready to go home.”
“… Yes, it is. Let’s do that… Anyway, Kaede-neesan seems to be happy.”
Yui-chan, Nikaido and the others were leaving. Shinji and the others had also started to leave. If we don’t do something, we would be left behind on the ground!
“Kaede. It’s time for us to get ready to leave too. We’re going to get left behind.”
“Mmm… let me enjoy it a little more.”
Kaede grabbed my hand as if she wouldn’t let go, and spoiled me with her cat-like voice. That was cute, so I couldn’t help it, but I can’t keep doing this forever.
“I’ll give you as much as you want when I get home. Now let’s just get ready to go home, okay? Eh?”
“… Hmmm . I’ve been waiting for you to say that! I’ve got your word! Please be prepared for that when you get home, okay?”
“Prepare… ? What the h**l are you going to make me do?”
“That’s. Fufu, you’ll have to wait until I get back!”
It was a moment that made me uneasy all at once.
Yuya-kun!! You were so, so, so… !! You were so cool!!”
“Thank you, Kaede. I’m glad you’re here, but could you please step away first? Because the stares around me will uproot my few remaining lives.”
When I pulled up from the ground after the game, Kaede jumped on me with a big smile on her face. I patted her on the head to thank her for the support, which made her hug me more tightly, and she started slurping her cheek against my chest like a cat.
“Kaede… I know you love Yoshizumi, but why don’t you leave him alone for now? I’m sure you’re tired after the game.”
I was happy, but embarrassed and dying, and the one who helped me was Nikaido, who had a dumbfounded look on her face. Next to her, there was Yui-chan with a red face. By the way, Otsuki-san was not here as she was patting Shinji’s head.
“Nikaido-senpai is right, Kaede-neesan. You’ve been playing a game until just now, you need to give your senior Yoshizumi a break!”
“Uuh… That’s true too. I’m sorry, Yuya-kun.”
“Aah… No, it’s not something Kaede should apologize for.”
It was hard not to be happy when the person you love was so close to you. It was not just that I was exhausted like Nikaido and Yui-chan said, but I was also sweating a lot.
“Good work, Yoshizumi. Wipe off your sweat with a towel, drink some of this, and take a break.”
Nikaido threw me a towel and a sports drink. The drink was cold and unopened. Did she go to the trouble of buying it from a vending machine? If you would look closely, you would be able to see the sweat on Nikaido’s forehead?
“It’s just your imagination. What’s more important! Congratulations on your win, Yoshizumi. The shot that tied the game and the pass to Higure were really cool.”
“Haha… thanks. If you asked me to do the same thing again, I don’t know if I could.”
Wiping off the sweat with a towel, I replied with a wry smile. It was a miracle that I was able to shoot the ball coming from behind while dodging the defenders with my senses and my presence of mind. I was able to connect the ball to Shinji despite being surrounded. I would never be able to do the same again.
“Still, it was amazing. What do you think it’s called? When the whistle blew to signify the end of the game… Well, I was very moved. That’s what I’m crying about.”
Nikaido’s cheeks were flushed with vermilion as she smiled, and I was involuntarily thrilled. There were manga and anime where you think you were a prince but you were actually a princess, and that was exactly what Nikaido seemed to be right now. The gap was too big!
“That’s rude. I think I’ve told you before, I have a desire to be a princess too, you know? Well, even if I told Yoshizumi, he wouldn’t understand.”
Nikaido crossed her arms, sniffed and turned away. However, she might be quite embarrassed because even her ears were bright red.
“No, no, no… !”
“Kaede, hey! Calm down! Please, calm down! I’m going to break again! Help! Help me, Yoshizumi-senpai!”
I heard Yui-chan’s voice desperately calling for help, so I turned around to see Kaede hugging Yui-chan with all her might, just like before. Her cheeks were puffed up like a blowfish, and she was staring at me with tears in her eyes.
“Eh, Yoshizumi. Kaede was the only one who believed in you guys, even though everyone else, including me, thought your team might lose. She was the only one who thought that Yoshizumi and the others would win.”
“Oh, Ai-chan!? What are you saying all of a sudden!?”
“That absolute trust was really amazing, wasn’t it. Especially, ‘Yuya-kun is a person with a strong heart who never gives up more than anyone else’, ara ‘My favorite person is not such a weak person’ I was numbed by that. You are truly loved, Yoshizumi.”
I couldn’t hear everything, but I could hear the last words clearly. Because of Kaede’s tearful voice, I think I was able to create a miracle. Without Kaede, I could say with certainty that this victory would not have been possible.
“Thank you, Kaede. It’s thanks to Kaede that we won.”
When I approached and patted her head again, Kaede instantly overheated and her face turned red like a boiled rice cake. Taking advantage of the opportunity when the restraints loosened, Yui-chan ran away to Nikaido.
“I believed that my Yuya-kun would never give up. That’s why I found myself saying the words.”
Kaede then smiled ehehe as if to cover up her embarrassment. Aah, that was really cute. But at the same time, I loved it. If this had been home instead of the field, I would have hugged her without saying a word. That was how happy I was with Kaede’s words. So I’m going to pat her head gently with all my feelings. This was the best I could do right now.
“Oh, um… Yuya-kun? I’m glad you’re stroking me, but why are you mute? Please say something.”
” “
I just kept stroking Kaede’s head to say thank you and that I loved her. At first, Kaede was confused, but she soon gave up and did as she was told. However, her expression was soft and her mouth was relaxed.
“… Nikaido-senpai. What are we being shown?”
“Listen, Yuki. If you think about it, you’ll lose. Now that we’re in our own world, there’s nothing we can do about it. Let’s just leave them alone, get dressed and get ready to go home.”
“… Yes, it is. Let’s do that… Anyway, Kaede-neesan seems to be happy.”
Yui-chan, Nikaido and the others were leaving. Shinji and the others had also started to leave. If we don’t do something, we would be left behind on the ground!
“Kaede. It’s time for us to get ready to leave too. We’re going to get left behind.”
“Mmm… let me enjoy it a little more.”
Kaede grabbed my hand as if she wouldn’t let go, and spoiled me with her cat-like voice. That was cute, so I couldn’t help it, but I can’t keep doing this forever.
“I’ll give you as much as you want when I get home. Now let’s just get ready to go home, okay? Eh?”
“… Hmmm . I’ve been waiting for you to say that! I’ve got your word! Please be prepared for that when you get home, okay?”
“Prepare… ? What the h**l are you going to make me do?”
“That’s. Fufu, you’ll have to wait until I get back!”
It was a moment that made me uneasy all at once.
