I Chose the Plain Girl Instead of the Class’s Top Three Beauties, and Somehow She Became the Heroine - 54

Chapter 54: Worries

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《Sora Mukei’s POV》

The smell of the dojo floor still clung to my sleeves.

My wrist felt heavy from the repeated punching drills. On the way home, as I walked while replaying the form video in my head, a white signboard caught my eye. Orthopedics. And right in front of the automatic doors, Hino-san came out. She was limping slightly. It was clearly worse than when I saw her last time. There was a black ankle brace on her right ankle. The end of some taping peeked out from under it.

“Mukei-kun?”

When she called out to me, I realized that I had been staring at her.

“…Ah, good evening. Are you okay?”

“I want to say I’m okay, but I don’t think I can today. Hey, can we talk for a bit?”

There was a corner of the hospital with some vending machines. I bought two hot teas and handed one to her. Hino-san accepted it with a “thank you,” then let out a long breath.

“Can you walk a little?”

“Yeah. If it’s to the park nearby.”

A two-minute walk from the clinic led to a park. We sat next to each other on a bench. The streetlights softly illuminated the grass. She placed her cap on her lap and gently bent and stretched her ankle.

“My ligament… I guess I hurt it. I thought it was just a sprain, so I went back to practice on my own, and it hurt again. The swelling has gone down compared to before, but it’s still unstable. The doctor told me that if I rush it, it’ll become a chronic issue, so I can’t exercise for a month.”

As she spoke, she pinched the brim of her cap with her fingers. Hino-san had always faced basketball with unwavering dedication. And because she was serious, getting injured was all the more painful.

“There’s a tournament next week. But I can’t play. The doctor gave me a medical certificate, and I already handed it in…”

She was telling me all of this calmly. But it felt like her voice carried tears. She wasn’t crying, but her voice was.

“…Ah, why can’t I do things right when it matters most? The roster for the preliminaries is due next week. The coach said he wouldn’t let me push myself. I understand that in my head, but it feels like my heart is being left behind.”

She tried to smile, but it collapsed midway. The steam from her tea wavered softly at her hands.

“Hey, Hino-san. How long does the tournament go on?”

“It’s the prelims for the Winter Cup, so if we make it in, it goes until winter.”

“I see.”

If her teammates worked hard without her, there was still a chance Hino-san could play later in the tournament. But I couldn’t bring myself to casually tell her to “do your best.”

“I never thought not being able to run would be this scary. The sounds of the court feel far away. I used to be a starter, you know? …And yet, I can’t do anything now. The team is moving forward, but I’m the only one standing still.”

There was a bit of force behind the words “standing still.” Her frustration came through clearly.

“Today, they also explained the MRI results to me. It’s not a severe injury. That’s why I keep thinking I can come back quickly. If I heal properly, I can come back.”

She cut her words there and pressed her fingertip lightly to the corner of her eye. Not enough for tears, but it was clear she had been holding them in many times.

“Hino-san.”

“Yeah?”

“I think the reason you’re frustrated is because you’re strong. People who move forward are the ones who get scared when they have to stop. But still, not being able to run and forcing yourself to run aren’t the same thing. I think the doctor and coach are right.”

“I know they’re right!!!”

“Yeah. Knowing it doesn’t make it less bitter, though.”

She gave me a small nod. The way she cupped the paper cup with both hands made her look a little different from the confident version of her I was used to.

“Can I talk about me too? I’ve been struggling as well.”

“Yeah, tell me.”

“I decided to enter a karate tournament. I originally planned not to compete or get my black belt until I turned twenty.”

“Then why?”

“I wanted confidence.”

I had been okay with being a background character. Every class had its roles. There were cheerful popular kids, people who struggled talking to others, and then there were people like me and Akira, who didn’t stand out but just lived our lives normally.

“Confidence? Mukei-kun, you don’t have any?”

“…Yeah, none. I’m anxious and scared.”

“Mukei-kun gets scared too?”

“I do. Every day, I see all the things I’m still lacking. But I realized I can’t stay scared forever. Taking this step is important for me.”

I drank the hot tea to calm myself. I understood Hino-san’s fear very well.

“Hino-san, I want you to value the steps you can take right now. If you can’t run, you can study footage of your opponents, or train your upper body… I’m not an expert, so I can’t say what’s the right answer, but running isn’t the only form of practice. There are other ways to improve yourself or contribute to the team. I know I might sound like I’m talking in circles, but… I want you to shift your focus a little.”

No matter how many words I layered, I didn’t expect all of them to reach her heart. But I felt I needed to tell her everything I could say.

“Yeah… Thank you.”

She lifted her face just a little. And I had no idea what that expression meant.

“Coach told me the same thing today. Don’t rush. Be the strong Hino when you come back. I know that in my head. Maybe I love basketball too much.”

“Because you love it, I want you to heal properly. I want to play basketball with you again.”

“…Yeah.”

A breeze moved through the park, lightly rustling the leaves. A dog barked in the distance. She gently touched the ankle brace with her fingers.

“What scares me is thinking, what if I can’t come back? What if things stay like this…”

“You’ll come back. There’s no need to live assuming you won’t. If something changes, you can think about it then. For now, I want you to walk the path that leads you back.”

When I said that, she let out a breath and said.

“Yeah, you’re right.”

After a short pause, she added.

“Hey, can I ask you something?”

“Anything.”

“Will you watch my practice a little? I can’t run right now, so I want to increase the things I can do off the court. You’re good at observing stuff, Mukei-kun. Help me find movements or forms that don’t put stress on my ankle.”

She forced a little smile. I thought that was fine for now.

“Gladly. But first, please get well enough to stand properly.”

“Thank you. …And one more thing.”

“Yeah?”

“Can I come cheer for your tournament? If our schedules match?”

Warmth spread through my chest. Her words were completely sincere.

“I’d be really happy. Honestly, I’ll be nervous, but if you come, it’ll give me strength.”

“Then tell me once you know the schedule. I’ll cheer loudly. I’m good at that because of club activities.”

“That’s reassuring.”

She finally smiled. A smile close to the one she wore when she was ready to win. Even if she couldn’t push herself right now, Hino-san was still strong—strong enough to support someone else.

“But before that, tomorrow’s training menu. I’m going to do what the doctor approved.”

She stood from the bench. I matched her walking pace as we walked slowly. When we stopped in front of the crosswalk, she turned toward me.

“Sorry about earlier. My face was probably awful when I walked out.”

“That’s not true. I think Hino-san looks cute as always.”

“Cute?! Haha, no one’s ever told me that before.”

The light turned green. We crossed together. We reached the front of the orthopedic clinic, and she stopped.

“Thanks for today. I feel a little better.”

“Good. Don’t push yourself.”

“Yeah. And good luck in your tournament, Mukei-kun.”

At the moment we parted, she waved. I watched her until she turned the corner, and then I started walking too. Both Hino-san and I stepped forward while still scared. Our strides were different, but we were walking in the same direction.

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