A Childhood Friend, Reunited After 10 Years Acts Deredere With Me

“Wait, wait…this is awesome…oh no…I was in love with you to begin with, but I’m falling for you even more…”

Alice says this when she sees me wearing soccer clothes, stockings, etc. I think the reason I didn’t throw away the whole set of things for soccer is because I was still unmoved by it. Well, I had to replace the spikes because they didn’t fit my foot size.

“How can one change in clothing make such a difference?”

A little dramatic, don’t you think? I think so, but I don’t think Alice is lying.

“Sora, would you say the same thing if I was wearing a maid’s uniform?”

“I was in the wrong.”

It’s so easy to understand. Come to think of it, I remember when Alice was wearing a maid’s uniform at the cultural festival, it was seriously amazing.

“Umu, very well!”

As soon as I said that, I receive a text message. When I opened it, I saw that Kouren had sent me a picture.

I opened it and…

“Uwaah…are you serious…”

“Nn? Wat? W-What is this!?”

In the picture was Saionji, mixed in among the burly black athletes, and judging from the five of them, they were probably our opponents today.

“This is… this is very bad, isn’t it? Who are the members here?”

“Me and Kouren. And they are going to gather three people who can join us at random. It’s just a group effort, so don’t expect too much in the way of skills.’”

No, wait. There is a reason for this. It’s true that at first I was going to invite Hayaya or Akira. But…that’s not very artistic. If it was just me, it would be impossible not to score a single goal. But…if Kouren, who is as strong as me, is with me, I can do it, and instead of five of us smashing them, two of us smashing them will do more damage mentally, right?

“…Y-You’re not going to hurt him, are you?”

Would you normally worry about me in a game where you are the prize? But I thought it was wrong of me to say that since I almost died to save Alice, so I retracted.

“Well, if it’s a boxing match, I have no chance to win. Because my opponents are superior. But this is soccer, and the opponent has no equipment, but we have a rocket launcher with unlimited remaining ammunition at the beginning of the game.”

So it’s our monopoly. I grab my big enamel bag and turn the doorknob to my room.

“So, Let’s get going.”

………

……

…

“Uwaah…”

My voice and Alice’s voice overlap. In front of the soccer court. The red-haired guy, wearing a crimson uniform and carrying the number 10, was surrounded by a number of girls as they exchanged lines with each other.

“Hey, hey Sora…”

“Don’t worry about it. It’s a normal thing for him to do.”

I’ve got to get up and at it faster than that.

As I entered the field with a worn-out soccer ball, Kouren shouted out from outside.

“Oh! Sora, you bastard! If you’re here, call me! Why aren’t you wearing your uniform?”

The uniforms I wore in junior high school were… well… you know. I quit wearing it because I didn’t feel comfortable wearing it. What I’m wearing now is my practice uniform.

“I’m wearing a practice uniform anyway, so why not?”

“…Yeah. I’m not complaining if you’re going to be serious.”

With that said, he shook off the girls and entered the court with me.

“So, you’re going to do that thing?”

“Well…I’ve had a couple of weeks to get rid of some blanks, so I guess I can do it…yes.”

My special weapon in middle school. I couldn’t use it in junior high school because they took a lot of countermeasures against me, but it’s been quite some time since then, so I think I can use it.

It’s the best way to surprise attack.

“The city of 00 will now begin the soccer section of the ball game tournament. Players, please follow the instructions and start moving.”

I hear the announcement. Our team is on B court among the ABC courts. The size of the court is about the same as that of an elementary school, probably because our team consists of five players. Well, the goals are the same ones used in high schools.

“S-Sora!”

“Nn?”

“D-Do your best… well… it’s not for me to say, but I want Sora… to genuinely enjoy himself…”

My girlfriend is too cute.

Okay, I won’t give her to anyone. I’m going to win this one for sure.

“Leave it to me, Alice, and I’ll beat him by ten points.”

With these words, I took the pitch.

………

……

…

“Hey, you’re here.”

Saionji, the team captain, faces the crowd at the pre-game greeting. The black players lined up next to him, giving him an intimidating presence.

“Saionji…you are too much of a prick to win, no matter how much you want to win.”

“I will do whatever I can to win. If I win, Alice will be mine.”

“That’s right. If you win, that is.”

But only two of us, me and Kouren, are likely to be a force to be reckoned with. Saionji probably knows that. The three people that Kouren gathered are a serious match.

“Then, shall we begin?”

“Aah.”

The coin toss to decide ball or court, I had chosen ball. The court remained the same, and each of us got into position.

The position was, of course, two-top, me and Kouren. To put it simply, we were in the camp specializing in attack.

“We’ve been playing ball from the very beginning…Oh… this is…”

“They really take us for fools.”

The enemy, too, seems to have gotten into position and is opening up right in front of me and Kouren.

“Now, each player, please begin the match at the sound of the buzzer.”

Boo! and the buzzer sounds, and the ball is presented by Kohlen.

“Then, let’s begin.”

The engines were revved to full throttle. Pulling it into top gear, I kick the ball as hard as I can with all the strength in my body.

Boom! The sound of a cannon shot echoes through the court. The ball flies parallel to the ground with a wind noise.