Episode 80: My Cute Junior

A first-year student has joined the club, a cheeky little junior who’s brilliant at basketball and has a cute face.

Apparently, she used to be one of Hoshizora’s private tutoring students, so she often comes to see her. But the frequency is a bit odd, and behind that look she gives Hoshizora, there must surely be…

　That cute junior is really dedicated to her club activities.
She gave it her all during the prefectural high school championships qualifiers too.

At that time, the junior and I made a promise. To fulfil that promise, today, I’m going on a date with her.

Amidst the crowds of people coming and going in the shopping centre, I spotted her, tucking her short, cropped hair behind her ear, looking lovely in her simple outfit.

‘Hey there! I was so excited about our date today that I ended up coming early!’
‘Mai-senpai, you’re fifteen minutes late.’
‘Oh dear?’

I really did think I’d come early because I was looking forward to it, though.

‘Do Hoshizora-san and Hina-senpai have to put up with this sort of thing every time?’

Miumi-chan seems a bit annoyed.
Being late is one of my good points, though… no, actually, it’s a massive flaw.

“Sorry. I’ll treat you to something delicious later, so please forgive me.”

“Right then, that extra-large parfait over there.”

When I checked the price, it turned out to be a parfait costing 2,500 yen each. What a spoilt junior. I’m surprised she doesn’t show the slightest consideration for me, even though I’m two years her senior.

“To think the day would come when I’d be fleeced by a junior… oh dear.”
“Mai-senpai, you’re taking the mickey too far.”

　Perhaps because we’d been having such a silly conversation, Miumi-chan started to get quite angry. However, I didn’t let it bother me in the slightest and started shopping.

“Calling you ‘-chan’ is a bit of a hassle, so I’ll just use your first name. Miumi, do you have any particular likes?”
“I suppose my favourite person is Hoshizora-san.”
“You’re quite devoted, aren’t you? What is it about her that you like so much?”

I’m not sure why, but I was interested in Miumi, so I asked.

“Her kindness, her cuteness, the way she’d probably love me so much if she fell for me, how smart she is, and how she tries her best even though she’s a bit clumsy, I could go on forever.”
“Oh.”
“You asked the question, but aren’t you showing a bit too little interest?”
“I’m listening properly. Is that the romantic kind of ‘like’?”
“It was, until a little while ago.”
“Is it different now?”
“Because the person who’ll make Hoshizora-san happy is already right there beside her.”

　Ahaha, Miumi gave a wry smile and looked rather pained.

‘What about the option of not giving up, even so?’
‘I don’t have the confidence that I could make Hoshizora-san happier than Hina-senpai.’
‘Well then, first of all, Miumi needs to be happy herself.’

I fixed my gaze firmly on her.
And then, it felt as though the gloom that had hung over Miumi’s face for so long had lifted just a little.

“You’re right, Mai-senpai. I feel a bit better now. Let’s have lunch.”

I think Miumi works harder than anyone else.
She’s put in so much effort that nobody knows about.
To be honest, it’s pretty cool.
I can only manage to do things at a moderate pace, so I’m always impressed by passionate people like Miumi.

Ever since I started thinking that way, I’ve started paying more attention to Miumi. That’s probably why I noticed right away who she had a crush on.

　It’s true that, as time went on, Miumi gradually became someone I couldn’t ignore. Perhaps she’s like a little sister to me.

So, I was surprised when she said she was going to compete against my friend Hina, and it was painful to see the two of them talking about Hoshizora. I can’t just leave either of them to their own devices.
I can’t bear to see the pained expressions on the faces of my important teammates.

　When we entered the restaurant, Miumi’s eyes lit up as she looked at the menu. Seeing her dithering over whether to choose this or that struck me as still very childlike and cute.

‘Why did you say you wanted to go out with me if I kept my promise, Mai-senpai?’

To cheer up Miumi, who was feeling down. I couldn’t bring myself to say that. After the match, Miumi looked absolutely heartbroken.

It’s not that I think my friends are in the wrong in the slightest, but perhaps I couldn’t just leave her be because I understood how she felt a little.

When I was in secondary school, I went through a lot of heartache because the boy I’d fallen for didn’t notice me, and he ended up dating someone else.
She reminded me so much of myself back then that I just wanted her to feel a little better.

‘Maybe it’s because I wanted to get on well with my juniors for a change.’
‘Mai-senpai, you look so intimidating, no one seems to dare come near you.’

Miumi chuckled softly.
I thought that was a bit rude, but since Miumi was showing me so many sides of herself that I hadn’t seen during club activities, I decided it was fine.

　After we’d eaten, we went to a general store and had a look at some clothes. Miumi seemed to be enjoying herself more than I’d expected, but every now and then she’d look sad.

If those fleeting moments of sadness are what’s causing her pain, I think it might actually be better for her to just confess her feelings and get rejected.
It’s definitely better to be rejected and move on than to suffer in silence forever without ever telling her how she feels.

A way for Miumi to stop feeling this pain…

‘Do you know who we’re up against in the prefectural tournament?’
‘Of course I do. It’s a school that makes the last eight every year.’
‘Do you think we can win?’
‘Honestly, it might be rude of me, as a junior, to say this, but unless a miracle happens, I don’t think we stand a chance…’

No chance, eh… Hina and everyone else are working so hard, but it’s true that basketball isn’t the sort of sport where you can just train hard for a short time and win.

‘Well then, shall we make a bet?’
“—A bet?”
“Yeah. I’ll bet on my team beating the team we’re up against in the first round. Miumi, you bet on our team losing. If Miumi wins the bet, I’ll grant you one wish. But if I win…”

Perhaps because I was looking unusually serious for once, Miumi looked at me intently, clearly puzzled.
My next words got a bit stuck in my throat.

“――Become my girlfriend.”
“Eh… what? …………Huh?”

She looked completely baffled. No wonder. Even I didn’t quite understand what I’d just said myself.

Still, I reckon I can make her smile and keep her happy better than if she were with Hoshizora.

“Do you think I like you in that sort of way, Mai-senpai? I don’t feel that way at all…”

She’s right.
I don’t think I like her in a romantic way.

But is it wrong for someone to be a partner if you just want to make them smile or spend time with them?

I don’t think doing the things ordinary couples do is necessarily a prerequisite for being partners.

　It didn’t seem like saying that would get through to Miumi, or that she’d understand, so I let the question drop.

“Are you in or out?”

“―――― I’m in.”

I couldn’t quite fathom why Miumi had agreed to this bet, but since she’d taken it on, I decided to give it my all.

‘No cutting corners just because you want to win the bet, mind you.’
‘Do I look like the sort of person who’d do that?’
‘No, you don’t.’

She’s still as surly as ever.

Still, I think I’ll give it my all for her sake.

The day of my final high school match was the day I, who usually messed about and approached everything half-heartedly, gave it my all for the first time in my life.