[Warning 15+]
Part One~She Only Acts Like Her Old Self When She's with Me... Wait, Hold Up!~Chapter 12Things He's Not Used To
There's still a lot of things Hayato's not used to as a new transfer student.
Unlike back in the countryside of Tsukinose, Hayato doesn't pass any tractors on his way to school anymore, and deer or wild boars don't just wander onto the school grounds. Even the classrooms are packed to capacity.
And it was the same deal during P.E. class.
"Ball's headed your way!"
"No way, can he even make it from there?!"
"Yeah, but he falls for every single feint, it's hilarious!"
"…D*mn it!"
Today, they were having a joint session with the class next door. They split up into several groups by gender to play different ball games.
For the record, Hayato's group was playing soccer.
Hayato's physical stats, forged by farm work back in the sticks, were off the charts compared to the other kids his age, which totally blew everyone away.
But then Hayato surprised them a second time by showing just how easily he got played by every trick and technique in the book.
Still, everyone welcomed the transfer student with open arms and a good laugh.
"Good work, Kirishima. Well, how do I put this... you're pretty impressive in a lot of ways, man... pfft!"
"Shut it, today was my first time ever playing, Mori. Back in Tsukinose, we didn't even have enough people to play ball games…"
"Haha, alright, that explains it… …wait, huh?"
"Hm? What's that?"
Suddenly, a massive roar of cheers erupted from the gym.
Since space in the field and the gym is limited, not everyone can play at once, so half the students have to watch.
But it looked like the vast majority of those spectators were crowding into the gym.
There were more people gathered there than at a festival float, which seriously piqued my curiosity about what exactly everyone was looking at.
"Oh, looks like the Goddess of Victory has descended."
"Goddess of Victory?"
Mori nudged me along toward the gym.
There, I saw someone like a goddess soaring through the air— —well, according to my own subjective view, she looked more like a monkey.
"How the heck did she get over there?!"
"Her hang time is insane! Is she actually flying?!"
"Just get the ball to Nikaidō-san, no matter what!"
"Wait, isn't she constantly being triple-teamed?!"
It was a girls' basketball game.
The back-and-forth action centering around one girl was so intense it made your palms sweat.
She was tearing across the court with the ball, never staying in one spot for even a second.
The way she played the other team with her superhuman leg strength and stamina was exactly like a monkey swinging from tree to tree.
The cool part about this game, though, was that Haruki wasn't the only one standing out.
Picking up on the cheers from the crowd, it sounded like even though the opposing team was technically a weak squad that usually got knocked out in the first round, half their roster was packed with girls from the actual Girls' Basketball Club. For every flashy move Haruki made, their tactical teamwork to shut her down and keep the game neck-and-neck was seriously impressive.
It was the kind of game that just totally sucks you in.
And for Hayato, this whole scene gave him a massive sense of deja vu.
(Showboating… …that idiot is totally playing around.)
Ever since they were kids, it wasn't just with video games. Whether she was jumping into a river, hopping over a fence, or swinging a stick she found on the ground, Haruki always had this weird habit of trying to look cool.
Even now, while the other team was gasping for air and looking completely gassed, Haruki had this cool, composed look like she was barely even trying.
Hayato couldn't help but scowl and let out a weird sigh.
"Man… …Nikaidō really is something else, isn't she, Kirishima?"
"Huh… …Yeah, I totally agree. Nikaidō's definitely something else, Mori."
"The basketball is one thing, but 'those' are pretty incredible too, right?"
"'Those'?"
Hayato looked at Mori to see what he meant, only to find him putting this totally slack-jawed, dazed expression.
Checking around, Hayato realized a ton of other boys were making the exact same face.
Suspicious, Hayato followed their gaze until it landed on one specific spot.
"Wait—what!?"
"Right? Pretty amazing, aren't they?"
"I—well—I mean, ugh..."
It was Haruki's chest. Her melons. It's not like they were especially huge compared to the girls around her.
However, the sheer amount of energy Haruki put into tearing across the court was in a league of its own.
They were bouncing up and down, swaying side to side. Sometimes, as she pulled off a feint with the ball, they'd swing in a wide, sweeping arc.
"That right there is straight-up art, man,"
Mori whispered in awe. As if agreeing with him, Hayato felt his throat go dry and gulped.
The size might've been average or even a bit less, but the way they moved so flexibly and energetically was more than enough to make any boy sit up and take notice.
(Whoa, whoa, cut it out! These are Haruki's we're talking about?!)
Hayato tried his best to talk himself out of it, but unfortunately, he was still a teenage boy. Once he'd noticed it, he couldn't help but steal glances. He tried to stay focused, but—
"―"
"Gasp!"
Right then, Haruki—who had just nailed a shot—suddenly caught Hayato's eyes. For just a split second, she flashed him a huge grin, like she was saying, "How'd ya like that!". The timing was just too perfect.
(Did Haruki catch me looking?! No, there's no way she knows, right?!)
Those conflicting thoughts started racing through Hayato's head in circles, making his face get hotter and hotter by the second.
Hayato'd officially reached his limit being there.
"Hmm? Where you going, Kirishima?"
"Oh—well, you know, I'm just a countryside bumpkin, so I'm starting to get a bit dizzy from all these crowds."
"Oh, for real? Your loss, man."
"Hahaha…"
Hayato stumbled out of the gym, his head feeling like it was about to boil over, partly thanks to the heat.
Desperate to cool his brain down, Hayato shoved his head under a faucet and cranked the handle.
Mixed in with the sound of the running water, the non-stop cheering from the gym kept hammering at Hayato's back.
For some reason, it sparked a feeling that felt a lot like irritation.
"Oh, d*mn it!"
There was no doubt about it—Haruki was totally messing with Hayato's head.
In a fit of desperation, Hayato just kept dousing his head with water.
Looks like there were still plenty of things he wasn't used to yet.
TL: Reeze27
ED: Reeze27
PR: Reeze27
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