Chapter 17
Our school’s gym is quite spacious, with properly arranged seating for spectators on both sides of the court. It’s sometimes used for events like graduation ceremonies or official matches, but usually, it’s just used by club members.
However, that day, the gym was filled with many students. What was originally just a personal match between me and Sato had turned into something much bigger, as rumors spread, generating an unusual level of attention.
Because of this, I had consulted with Sato beforehand and decided that we should say a few words before the match began. We couldn’t stop the rumors, and denying them individually wouldn’t have any effect. So, I thought the most effective way would be to deny everything in front of everyone, rather than doing anything underhanded.
Sato listened to my reasoning and simply said, “I’ll go along with it.”
I took a deep breath and looked around. Strangely, I wasn’t nervous. Among the crowd, I quickly spotted Chinatsu. Although I couldn’t see her expression, I could tell she looked a little uneasy. It seemed that after our conversation, including Toudou-san, they had tried to address the rumors, but it had spread too far to be fully stopped. I had just told her not to worry, that everything would be fine.
(Well, I should do what I need to do before the match starts.)
With that thought in mind, I deliberately made the sound of the basketball bouncing a little louder. As the murmurs of the crowd hushed for a moment, I raised my voice and began speaking.
---
“Uh, before the match begins, there’s something I want to tell everyone who’s expecting something because of the rumors.”
With Chinatsu watching, Hajime stepped forward and said this. His voice echoed strangely in the silence that fell in the midst of the crowd, which was buzzing like an event.
For Chinatsu, it was just the voice that always gave her a sense of reassurance.
“The truth is, the bet between me and Sato from Class D isn’t about Chinatsu... my girlfriend, Minamino Chinatsu.”
The chatter grew louder.
“Are you backing out before the match even starts?!” came a jeer.
The person who shouted this was a senior who had confessed to Chinatsu and looked unhappy when she turned him down. A few others joined in with boos.
But Hajime remained completely unshaken, standing tall. He waited for the jeers to die down, then calmly continued speaking when his voice could be heard again.
“Some people are saying things, but just think about it. Isn’t it obvious? I don’t want anyone to misunderstand, but whether I win or lose this basketball match, there’s no way I’m going to let someone else decide if I’m with Chinatsu or not. The way I feel about her isn’t something that changes based on a game. And anyone who would bet on their girlfriend like that is the lowest, don’t you think?”
Chinatsu’s heart swelled with pride at his words. And now, instead of jeers from the boys, cheers came from the girls.
“...Wow, I’d love to hear that at least once!”
“Seriously, Chinatsu’s boyfriend is amazing. I didn’t know, but he’s such a find!”
“Well, I don’t think he can beat Sato, though.”
There weren’t many voices that believed Hajime would win, but his words had clearly started to change the mood of the crowd.
Hajime surveyed the reactions of the audience, then continued.
“Ahem. But aside from that, I’m still going to compete against Sato. We share the same name, so it’s only natural to be compared to each other. And Sato is really cool, you know? I thought it was fine being second, even when we first met...”
He paused, turning to look at Chinatsu.
“But, there are people who aren’t satisfied with that, and thanks to those people, including Sato, I’ve realized that maybe it’s worth having a proper competition. That’s why I’m here today. So, if you came here to watch some love triangle drama or whatever, you should leave. Whatever the result, I’m Chinatsu’s boyfriend, and Chinatsu is my girlfriend. No one has the right to complain about that... that’s all I have to say.”
His words, calm but carrying an undeniable conviction, seemed to resonate with everyone. By the time he finished speaking, no one could refute his sentiment. Chinatsu listened silently, feeling both proud and, for some reason, a little sad.
With his speech done, Hajime bowed and turned toward Sato.
Sato, similarly, surveyed the crowd and spoke up.
“...Hey, I’m the other Sato. I’m from the basketball club. Honestly, I can’t say anything as cool as this Sato, but there’s one thing I want to make clear. I have someone I like.”
His sudden confession caused a far louder stir than Hajime’s words. Screams of surprise echoed around the gym.
Chinatsu, seeing Saki’s confused expression and shaking her head, noticed Yuko beside her flinch slightly.
“Oh, sorry! I got nervous and mixed things up! Uh, it’s not Minamino-san, though! I just wanted to say that I’m not fighting over her!”
Sato laughed awkwardly, apologizing, and Hajime stifled a grin beside him.
It was clear that, despite the misunderstanding, the two of them got along far better than anyone might have guessed. And with that, the tension was gone, and a relaxed atmosphere began to spread.
“Well, I won’t be revealing who she is, since I’m not the type to make public confessions! The reason I’m having this match is... well, mostly for me and the basketball team.”
When Sato mentioned the basketball team, the murmurs grew quieter. People started asking, “For the basketball team?”
Hajime had already mentioned that Sato had encouraged both Aizawa and him to join the basketball club, but it seemed that not everyone was aware of this initial motivation.
“To be honest, our basketball team isn’t very strong. But, if you watch the match, you’ll see just how good Sato really is. Plus, I have another person in mind, and if I win this match, both of them are going to join the club!”
A chorus of “Whoa” filled the air, and a senior in the basketball team jokingly apologized, while the younger students laughed.
The atmosphere in the gym started to shift toward a more relaxed mood, almost like a basketball event.
“So, I’m going to give it my all! I’m coming at this like a challenger. But like Sato said, this is just a one-on-one match between me and Sato, so if you’re not interested, feel free to leave! ...Oh, and one more thing! If anyone keeps calling this Sato ‘second’ or anything like that, I’ll... personally take care of it, so watch out!”
As Sato wrapped up, everyone’s attention shifted from the rumors about Minamino Chinatsu to who this “other” Sato was, the seemingly perfect guy, and what he was like.
At this point, no one was leaving. Those who had been jeering earlier were now staying to watch Hajime lose. The rest probably figured they might as well stay since they were there.
The gossip about a rivalry over Minamino Chinatsu had long since faded, and now, everyone was eager to see how the match would unfold.
Meanwhile, Chinatsu stood silently, determined to watch every move of the match, not wanting to miss a single moment as Hajime took his position on the court.