It's strange... (Rin's Point of View)

--An inter-class sports festival.

The event I am competing in is basketball.

I plan to participate in almost every event, but right now I am playing in the first round.

All the games are tournament style, so the cheering crowd is very passionate and it is a very important game.

Because, if we lose, that is the end.

If we lose, the two days of the sports festival will be free, in a sense...

So, it is a very exciting event.

Well, there are some other reasons, such as being allowed to open a stall at the festival.

Anyway.

For those reasons, I cannot lose.

I understand, but why?

Today I am ... not getting the results I want.

Everything I do backfires.

Like right now...

"Ah~! Wakamiya-san missed again!!"

When my shot misses the ring, such voices can be heard from the audience in the gallery.

As if in response, those around me started to make noise, "Why!!!?" and they were shouting.

People in the same glass and people in different classes say with their mouths, "I wonder why?" and "That's so unusual!" in a curious way, but their eyes seem to me to have a spark and a nasty gleam in them.

... I wish they would be a little quieter.

Normally I don't mind those noises, but ... today they were echoing in my head so much that I hated it.

Even I... know.

I know I've been dragging my feet for a while now.

I know ... that because of me, we're going to lose.

--Why is it so hot?

It's as if I'm walking in the desert, breathless and thirsty.

I feel a strange sense of frustration and irritation that I have never felt before, and no matter how many deep breaths I take, it doesn't calm me down.

--Low field of vision.

--Distracted.

Why?

Why?

This has never happened before...!

I received the ball from my classmate, dribbled and the ball was easily stolen from me.

The score gap widened further as the ball went straight to the shooter.

The sports festival doesn't take as much time as a regular basketball game.

Each game is only 20 minutes long.

So it is getting tougher and tougher to catch up in time.

I know that, and that's why I have to do something about it...

Am I out of tune because Towa-kun is not here to cheer for me?

No, I am not.

I have no such a naive attitude.

Of course I want him to support me.

I have the feeling that what I witnessed in the morning is shaking me up.

But I don't want to bother him with his own work.

So to me, such upset should be a trivial matter...

My goal-- After the game is over, I report back with a smile, "I played well!" and smile... and ask for praise.

If he pats me on the head and says, "That's great.", or "You did your best.;", that's all I need to be satisfied.

That's what I thought, and I was all fired up.

Why can't I do what I normally do?

I receive the ball from my teammate and dribble into the defense. Then I stop dribbling and do a backstep before taking a jump shot.

The defense is panicking .... and I can't get to it.

I am free and have room to spare.

So there is no way I can miss.

But ...my shot bounced off the ring again.

The cheers are different from the excitement in the gymnasium.

The ball rolled lonely on the floor.

...Why.

Why again?

I can't shake the question.

My legs felt heavy as if they were covered with lead, and my body felt listless.

A feeling of resistance, as if I were running underwater, was overtaking me.

"Hey, who is that guy?"

With such voices, the noisy gymnasium gradually turned into a noise that was different from cheers.

I tried to pick up the ball without paying attention to it, but someone picked it up in front of me.

I looked up in a panic...

"Look, Rin. Here's the ball."

The figure of my love, him, jumps into my field of vision.

He smiled at me with a clumsy smile.

"Um, um, thank you... Thank you."

I am stumped by the appearance of Towa-kun, who was not here a moment ago.

I'm glad you came ...

But on the other hand - I feel bitter.

Such a sight.

I didn't want him to see me like this.

It's not cool, it's pathetic, it's not like me.

Such a figure...

So I turned my back as soon as I received the ball.

"Then I guess I'll go to the... match."

"Wait a minute. Forgot something."

"Forgot something? Was there anything... Kyah!?"

I turn around, wondering, and something cold touches my cheek.

Suddenly startled, I shrieked, and the gazes gathered on us more and more.

Curious gazes, envious gazes, and stunned gaze..., such a variety of eyes stare at me and Towa-kun.

The only place where time seems to have stopped is here, where there was a lot of noise earlier.

Towa-kun awkwardly hid the bag of ice in his hand behind his back.

He then pulled a face and said, "I'm afraid I've done something wrong with this response... hahaha".

His face and this mood were hilarious...

"Pfft.... ahaha..."

I couldn't help but laugh.

"Don't laugh, ... damn!"

"I'm laughing. The silence became funny."

"Just go ..., or see. The game's stopped, so ... I came."

Towa-kun motioned for me to return with a wave of his hand.

"Let's have lunch later... Don't be nervous Rin. You will be fine."

Towa-kun says just that and hurriedly bows his head to those around us before retreating.

Then, in a flash, he dropped behind the crowd and was out of sight.

Even though he is supposed to ... not like to stand out.

Really, Towa-kun is...

"Don't be nervous Rin. You will be fine."

His words slip into my heart, bringing a sense of calm and elation.

--Peching!!

The sound of my own cheek being slapped echoes, making everyone around me cringe.

A blistering phrase or attitude in a scene that cheers you up.

Did he bring the bag of ice all the way from the first-aid tent?

The cold sensation on my cheeks seemed to cool my hot head.

I see...

Towa-kun was right, I was, apparently, nervous.

Certainly, I had never been before in sports.

"... Rin?"

" I'm sorry for worrying you, but I'm fine now! My eyes are finally starting to pop. I'm sure I can see just fine now. Kotone-chan, please rest and don't run around!"

"... Yes. I'm glad to hear that."

Kotone-chan stared at my face and then gave me a pat on the head.

"... Seems like you've got a cold head, doesn't it? You're going a little too far on your own."

"Yes!"

"... Huh. Do you really understand?"

"Of course I do."

Chuckling, Kotone-chan shrugs her shoulders and pushes me back and says, "You'll be late if you don't fly..."

I smile and nod back.

I looked toward the gallery where he disappeared and saw that he was watching just out of view of us.

Now I can do my best again.

Yes, ... let's have a meal with him after this match is over.

And then - thank Towa-kun.

I'm sure he'll call it "meddling" as usual.

"...Rin, Ball."

"Yes!!"

This time, I hit a three, avoiding the two people who are right in front of me.

As if the previous play was a complete lie, the ball goes through the ring in an arc that I had expected.

My classmates and the cheering crowd see this and start to get excited.

" ...Nice shot. You're getting better."

"Of course I am! I'm going to shoot from a distance now to catch up!!"

"... Wait a minute! If you say that, aren't you giving away our strategy!?"

"It's okay. I don't think I'm going to lose now!"

The gap between the two teams was getting smaller and smaller.

The audience was in the mood to catch up, and the atmosphere was even more exciting.

--The result was...

The result was a stunning last-minute victory!