I Chose the Plain Girl Instead of the Class’s Top Three Beauties, and Somehow She Became the Heroine - 8

Chapter 8: Female Friends

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Hino-san closed in on me with a dribble. Her footsteps were light, but her center of gravity was low. She showed right and cut left with a fake—fast.

“—!”

I twisted my hips and followed her. When I narrowed her course with the angle of my shoulders, she paused for a beat and pulled up. The ball slid out from under her elbow, and the net gave a light swish.

“One.”

“So good!”

“Of course.”

She grinned and started bouncing the ball again. Next, it was my turn. I exaggerated the right-hand dribble and let only my eyes move in the opposite direction. The tips of Hino-san’s toes bit forward by half a step. I drove straight through that opening, stopped, and took a fadeaway. I banked it off the board for a point in return. Barely.

“Not bad.”

“As long as no one is injured.”

The improvised one-on-one she suggested—first to seven—turned into a steady trade of points. Cross, stop, side-step. I read ahead with everything I had, but she made the decision to step forward quickly, and even though I read the spacing, she still tricked me. Somehow, we reached 6–6, last possession. After we bumped shoulders, she tugged my gaze outward for just an instant and slipped in a layup with her off hand.

“Seven. Done.”

“I lost.”

“Just barely. But seriously, Mukei-kun, you’re really good.”

Breathing hard, we both sat down at the edge of the court. The night breeze stroked the surface of our sweat. Under the streetlights, the white lines faintly floated up. The night lights and Hino-san in her jersey looked beautiful. As we passed a water bottle back and forth, I suddenly thought that Akira would cry with joy at a situation like this. Hino-san spoke quietly.

“Thanks… For earlier.”

“Earlier?”

“The thing with Anno-san. Kai caused trouble, right? As his childhood friend… I’m sorry.”

Her profile looked just a little more mature than her usual brightness.

“Why are you the one apologizing, Hino-san?”

“Hmm… I just feel like our presence might be making Kai get carried away.”

I had a vague understanding that “our” referred to the Three Great Beauties.

“Back then, Kai was more honest. He was a pretty good guy. Good reflexes, played a lot of basketball… But once we got into high school, I guess being told he was close with the three of us made him weirdly happy. He got full of himself. I know we should stop him, but he doesn’t listen to us anymore.”

Her words mixed with the wind and slowly fell. I closed the cap on the bottle and looked at her.

“You don’t have to apologize to me.”

“Huh?”

“And it’s not your burden to carry.”

Asuka-san turned to face me.

“If Okabe bumps into someone, then Okabe should be the one to say ‘sorry.’ That isn’t your fault, Hino-san. And of course it isn’t Kiritani-san’s or Miura-san’s either… It’s Okabe’s responsibility for causing trouble.”

They were close with Okabe. Feeling apologetic just because of that was strange.

“But it still makes you feel bad, right?”

“Hmm… I think it’s like the court. You start the game, and when it’s over, there’s no resentment. I just didn’t put in enough effort. It’s frustrating, but that’s how it is.”

I compared it to basketball. Hino-san let out a soft laugh. The tension in her shoulders eased.

“Yeah…You’re right. Mm, thank you, Mukei-kun. We hardly talked before, but you’re interesting. The way you talk is kind of… Like you’re already an adult.”

“You mean old?”

“I’m complimenting you! Properly! Hey, why don’t you join a club? You’re really good at basketball.”

“I’m bad at balancing things. The dōjō already takes everything I have.”

“The karate one?”

Apparently, she knew I practiced karate. Akira must have told her.

“Yeah. Whether it’s matches or practice, reading the situation is the same. Today was fun. I didn’t think I’d talk this much with you, Hino-san.”

“Same here. …Thanks about Kai. I feel like my heart got a little lighter. And I’ll get close with Anno-san, too. I’ll protect her so Kai doesn’t bother her.”

“That sounds good. But she has a quiet atmosphere, and I think that’s what makes her nice, so be gentle with her, okay?”

That was just my opinion. I didn’t know what Anno-san actually thought.

“Wow, you really understand Anno-san, don’t you?”

“I don’t know her true feelings. But I like that calm, quiet air around her.”

“Whaaat, you can just say you ‘like’ her that casually?”

“Aren’t you used to being told things like that?”

“I’m not! I’ve never even dated a guy!”

That was unexpected. Akira might be delighted to hear it.

“Really? You’re athletic and pretty, so I didn’t think guys would leave you alone.”

“P–pretty!? No one’s ever said that! They say I’m too energetic or boyish!”

“Really?”

“Mukei-kun, you’re the type who can just say things like that without blinking, huh. I get it now.”

Hino-san stood up. I got up as well, and two shadows stretched across the night court. I passed the ball back to her.

“So, staying for another round?”

“This is the admission fee, right? I’ll just take that one.”

Hino-san spun the ball around her waist and glanced up at the hoop once.

“Play with me again sometime.”

“If the timing works.”

“You’re not making a promise?”

“I only make promises I can keep.”

“You’re really mature. …Well, see you. I had fun talking with you. Thank you.”

She bounced the ball once, hard, then ran toward the baseline. I left the park and headed toward home. Behind me, the net gave one last soft swish.

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