Chapter 16

RAW

The day of the promise passed without anything unusual happening, but the next day, when I arrived at school, the stares I received felt different from usual—there was something off about them.

When I entered the classroom, Ishizawa was grinning, and Chinatsu and Tōdō-san were approaching me, both staring intently.

"Hey Hajime, what's going on?"

"Huh? What happened?"

Chinatsu looked a bit anxious, and as I stared blankly, Tōdō-san muttered, "Well, I guess it’s true."

"To put it simply, the rumor that you and Satō-kun are going to challenge Chinatsu to a basketball match, with her as the prize, has spread. Not just in our year, but in the second and third years too."

"...Huh?"

I was stunned by those words. What kind of rumor was that? No, wait—other grades, too?

"I heard that during yesterday's PE class, that’s when the topic came up. Is it true, Hajime? Yuko and Reina went outside because they had something else to deal with."

"Well, the match is happening, but the bet isn't Chinatsu. The bet is whether or not me and Shinji can join the basketball club. Also, if I win—or rather, if I at least make a good showing—then no one can call me ‘Second’ anymore. But, yeah, that’s how it started. I should’ve been more careful with what I said."

"Well, at least it’s good to know. If you were the type to gamble your girlfriend away like that, I’d probably hit you."

"See, I told you Hajime would never do something like that," Chinatsu added, trying to reassure me.

"But you looked a little worried too, didn’t you, Chinatsu? Well, make sure you cheer him up, okay? I’ve got to go gather more info—hey, Ishizawa, I really hate guys who spread nasty rumors like that. Do you happen to know anything about it?"

I shot a glare at Ishizawa, who jumped and immediately turned to leave, while Tōdō-san followed after him.

"…Sorry, Chinatsu. I didn’t think it would turn into something like this. I didn’t mean to make you anxious."

"It’s okay… but, Hajime, are you really going to play against Satō-kun? You know, in that match?"

"Honestly, I’m not even sure how it turned into that, but I think Sakurai-san probably told Satō-kun about me and Shinji’s basketball thing. Then, we got invited to join the basketball club, and during a usual teasing session, Satō-kun suggested we should just play a match. Shinji jumped on it, and then I kind of thought it’d be fun to try."

"...Hajime, that's kind of rare for you. But, okay, I get it. So, all I have to do is cheer you on while you win, right?"

"You really think I’ll win?"

"Of course! I don’t know much about Satō-kun or basketball, but there’s no way I’d cheer for you to lose. Plus, it’s the first time I’ve seen you so determined. No matter how you are, I love this side of you, and I know just how amazing you are."

"…You’re so cute, I might just have to take you home and… well, you know."

I whispered that quietly into Chinatsu’s ear, and she immediately turned bright red and lightly hit my chest.

I was glad no one else was around to see that.

---

*Later, after school:*

"So, Ik-kun, can you explain what’s going on here?"

Yūko was confronting her childhood friend behind the school building, where no one else could overhear.

"Well… I really wanted to play against Satō properly. You know the reason, right? You were the one who sent me that video, and after watching it, I got pumped up to try it out myself!"

"…? Wait, you haven’t heard the rumor yet?"

"Huh? The rumor? I noticed your message before class and came straight here. What are you talking about?"

"It’s about you and Satō-kun playing basketball to decide who gets to take Chinatsu-chan."

"Wh—? How did that even happen!? Wait, it’s true? After your message, I got a few others too…"

Yūko sighed, exasperated at her friend’s obliviousness. While he was often seen as the perfect model student, in truth, he charged ahead without thinking things through too carefully.

Still, thanks to his natural ability and the help of his friends, he often got away with it. But this time, it had backfired.

"...So, you’re really going to give it your all? You’re not going to let him win on purpose?"

"Of course not. Honestly, people are underestimating Satō. He’s been playing basketball a lot longer than me, and he’s got some real achievements under his belt."

"People don’t know that, though… But, now that I think about it, this could actually work in your favor. The girls love your cooking, but I thought it was a little lacking in punch. I get it now. But just so you know, I’m not cheering you on this time."

"…Yeah, I get it."

"Don’t look so glum… Seriously. But listen, I’ve said it before—I’m rooting for Chinatsu and Satō-kun as a couple. If you mess with that, even if you’re my childhood friend…"

"Okay, okay! I won’t mess with it. But it’s spreading already. How far has it gone?"

"Probably to the third years... I think the rumor got around because people already knew Chinatsu had a boyfriend, so they probably linked the name Satō to the match. It’s spreading like wildfire."

"Seriously, how fast does info spread around here? Ugh, denying it now will be useless."

"No, it’s fine. Just deny it loud and clear. As for the rest, let the rumor keep spreading. Just make sure no one blames Chinatsu for it. Let the rumor stay the same, and you’ll be fine."

"Alright, okay! I’ll do that. Don’t worry, everything’s gonna work out."

Yūko rolled her eyes, but deep down, she was already plotting her next move. She’d need to talk to Saki-chan and the others soon, but for now, she had to focus on making sure the rumor stayed under control.

---

*Meanwhile:*

"How much of this was according to plan?"

"…You're really asking that, of all things? It’s rare for you to take the lead like this, calling me out here at school."

Shinji was surprised by the appearance of his fiancée, Reina, who had called him out behind the school building. What surprised him even more was that she wasn’t questioning whether he was behind all this. It seemed like she knew exactly what was going on.

"You didn’t feel the need to hide it, did you? Now, answer me. How much of this was planned?"

"Well, I did help spread the word… But those guys who approached me yesterday probably thought they were the ones who started the rumor. They’re mistaken if they think they had that much influence."

Reina nodded, her sharp mind already piecing things together. She was one step ahead of everyone else.

"So, who do you think will win if Satō and Hajime really face off?"

"Satō. His physique and experience will give him the advantage. But if it’s between me and Hajime… Well, I’m confident I’ll win. He’s no match for me."

Reina raised an eyebrow.

"So you think Hajime will lose? And if he does, what then?"

"I doubt that’ll happen. But if it does, well, that’s just how it goes. If Hajime cracks under pressure, then I’ll know it’s not meant to be. But if he holds strong, then he’ll prove something."

"I see. You’re betting on him?"

"Exactly. If this works out, it’ll shake things up in ways no one expects."

Reina thought for a moment, then nodded.

"I trust you. Let’s see how this plays out."

Shinji smirked, confident in his plan. Even if things didn’t go exactly as expected, he was sure it would all work out. After all, he had carefully laid the groundwork for a big show.