I Was Cheated on by My Girlfriend but My Devilish Junior Now Yearns for Me - Chapter 16

Chapter 16   Santa and Basketball

The Santa who had been waiting by the gym entrance was clearly in a bad mood.

“Hey, Senpai, how long are you going to leave me hanging after saying you were going to change? I didn’t even know where I was supposed to watch from!”

Shinohara crossed her arms, venting her frustration. The other club members were watching us with interest, and I could hear a few comments like “She’s cute,” clearly aimed at Shinohara.

“My bad, I got caught up.”

“You ‘got caught up’ and just left your junior behind?”

“Pretty much.”

“Hold on! Don’t just admit it like that!”

Ignoring the fuming Shinohara, I made my way toward the gym’s lobby. There was a staircase leading to the second floor, where I intended to take her. When I looked back, I saw Shinohara obediently following me.

“Uh, Senpai, where are we going?”

“Upstairs.”

“Ugh, that’s too far! I want to watch up close.”

It seemed she had noticed the second-floor seating. The gym that “Start” were using was a municipal facility, as big as the university gym. From the second floor, you could get a great view of the entire court, making it perfect for watching the game. Despite this, Shinohara was complaining, which puzzled me.

“You don’t want to deal with people’s stares, right?”

“Yeah, but you get more excitement when you’re closer. You should watch basketball up close.”

As she said this, her eyes were looking off in a different direction. It was obvious she was lying, not even trying to hide it.

“Is there another reason?” I asked. Shinohara looked annoyed for a moment before sighing.

“…It’s lonely.”

“Huh?”

“It’s lonely being stuck in the second-floor seats all by myself! I hate doing things alone!”

“You sound like me when I was in middle school!”

“Say what you want. I came here thinking I’d be with you!”

With a huff, Shinohara turned her face away. I couldn’t help but feel a bit exasperated by the scene.

She was a stunningly cute university girl in a trendy trench coat, with meticulously styled hair. Yet beneath that appearance, she still had such a pure and honest side.

“Alright, alright. In that case, why don’t you join in? As long as it’s not a tournament day, you can join without any notice.”

Earlier, Shinohara had hinted at being a basketball player by saying, “I used to play,” suggesting she had some experience. Even if her experience was just occasionally participating in a club, our group was pretty laid-back. We even lent out practice clothes for girls, and “Start” prided itself on being welcoming to beginners during recruitment, so there shouldn’t be a problem.

But Shinohara’s face darkened at my suggestion.

“Hm? What’s wrong? You said you’re experienced, right?”

“Well, yes, I am… but…”

Her vague response made it clear she wasn’t very enthusiastic. Given that, I couldn’t push her too hard. The best outcome for both of us would be letting her watch from the courtside, as she wanted.

“Alright, then. You can watch from the side of the court. Just don’t get hit by a stray ball.”

Shinohara’s face lit up as she cheerfully said, “Thank you!” and bowed her head. Since I hadn’t really done anything special, her bowing made me feel a bit embarrassed.

“It’s fine. Sorry for dragging you here and then leaving you alone.”

“That’s okay.”

When she smiled brightly, I couldn’t help but smile back. I used to hate doing anything by myself during middle and high school. I always wanted to hang out with friends and fool around. Being with people you got along with made everything more fun, and when I was alone, I didn’t know how to pass the time.

But things changed as I became a university student. Now, I could go to karaoke alone, something I never would have done in high school. Back then, I was embarrassed by the idea. What if someone saw me? What would the staff think of someone coming to karaoke by myself?

I used to feel like I was always being watched. But over time, that feeling changed. As I spent more time walking around town, working part-time jobs, I realized that people don’t pay as much attention to random passersby as I once thought. And even when they do, it never lasts. Once I understood that this mindset wasn’t just mine but something many adults shared, the feeling of constantly being watched disappeared completely.

If you spend some time alone, you naturally start to realize these things. One day, Shinohara’s perspective will change too.

“You really are younger than me, huh.”

Of course, I knew full well that Shinohara was younger than me. But there weren’t many opportunities where I really felt it. The words slipped out without thinking, and Shinohara responded with a slight look of displeasure.

“What? What do you mean by that? Did I look older?”

“I didn’t mean it like that.”

I waved my hand while laughing, but Shinohara pouted, still not satisfied. Just as she was about to speak again, a voice suddenly called out from behind us. It wasn’t me who was addressed, but Shinohara.

“Oh, Shinohara. What are you doing here?”

It was a female university student with distinctive upward-slanted eyes. The fact that she was wearing a tracksuit indicated that she was someone participating in today’s club activity. I recognized her; her name was Akemi, though I didn’t know her last name. I had occasionally seen her chatting with Ayaka.

She seemed to notice me too, as she let out a small “Oh.”

“You’re Ayaka’s friend, right? Yuuta-kun, wasn’t it? I didn’t know you were in this club.”

“Yeah, it’s been ages since I came here today. Did you just join recently?”

“Nope, I’m on the basketball team. I didn’t have practice today, so I thought I’d drop by the club for a bit.”

“Oh, a club.”

I involuntarily expressed a mix of respect and admiration. Unlike me, who just wanted to casually play basketball and hang out, Akemi seemed genuinely passionate about the sport, dedicating a significant amount of time to her club. It appeared that Akemi knew Shinohara as well.

I glanced at Shinohara, wondering if I was intruding. She had furrowed her brows and pressed her lips together. When our eyes met, hers quickly darted away, making her seem uncomfortable.

That was when I remembered that Shinohara had quit her club. She had mentioned it when we first met. She called me “senpai” because she was new to addressing older people differently after just quitting her club.

Before I could dwell on that thought, Akemi spoke to Shinohara again.

“Are you feeling better after your injury?”

Shinohara’s lips remained sealed, her eyes still darting around, exuding a sense of restlessness. When Akemi urged her with a “Hmm?” Shinohara finally managed to respond.

“…Y-yes. Thanks to you. I’m sorry for quitting so suddenly.”

Her response was so thin and fragile that I couldn’t believe my ears. This was the same Shinohara who had boldly lectured Motosaka and even snapped at Ayaka. That was the impression I had of her.

“Well, injuries happen. It’s a shame, especially since we were just getting to know each other. Ayaka was surprised to hear that you quit the basketball team.”

“…Is that so? Ayaka-senpai too?”

Shinohara’s response was so mechanical that I felt the need to interject.

“Hey, is it okay if I chime in?”

The stern expression on Akemi’s face brightened instantly.

“What?”

“Well, I’m surprised Shinohara was in the university basketball team, but Akemi-san… are you both from the same middle school team?”

As I hesitated a bit with the name, Akemi chuckled and said, “You don’t need to add ‘-san’.”

Then she nodded, “Yeah, that’s right.”

Akemi and Shinohara were in the same basketball team during middle school. This meant that, from our conversation, Ayaka and Shinohara must have been in the same basketball team too. I had already learned that Shinohara and Ayaka knew each other from middle school when we encountered each other at my house.

However, it was the first time I had heard that the two were on the same basketball team. I didn’t even know Ayaka played basketball. I had heard she was in the “homecoming club” during high school and had also been in that club during middle school.

“Ayaka played basketball? She could have told me.”

“Oh, you didn’t know? Well, Ayaka doesn’t talk much about her middle school days.”

“Yeah, she doesn’t mention that sort of thing. Was she good at it?”

“Of course, she was the captain! It’s strange that she didn’t continue playing basketball in high school.”

“The captain, huh? That suits her.”

When I laughed without thinking, Akemi joined in with a cheerful laugh.

“Yeah, Ayaka’s class was a lot of fun… Oh, Shinohara.”

Akemi turned her attention back to Shinohara. Shinohara looked up at Akemi with a slightly tense expression. They exchanged glances for a moment.

“…You should think carefully about when to quit. I feel bad saying this in front of Yuuta-kun, but you should reflect on that.”

“…Yes. I’m sorry.”

“Good!”

Akemi flashed a bright smile and ruffled Shinohara’s hair. For the first time, Shinohara smiled back, and I felt inexplicably relieved.

“Well, I’m going to go touch the ball first. You two get along, okay?”

Akemi said this in a light tone and walked onto the court. I realized I would need to clear up any misunderstandings later; we weren’t in that kind of relationship.

Shinohara watched Akemi’s back for a moment before turning towards the stairs that led to the second floor.

“Hey, aren’t you going to watch by the court?”

“I think it’s fine up here. It looks easier to see from this side.”

“Is that so? Well, I agree, but aren’t you going to feel lonely?”

“…Maybe.”

“Sounds like you will. It’s better to be on the first floor, right?”

As I said this, Shinohara slowed her pace.

Since she wasn’t walking quickly to begin with, it would likely be a bit stressful for me to keep up with her pace.

“Hey, senpai.”

“What is it?”

“Akemi-senpai is scary.”

“Oh, yeah, she seemed a bit intimidating. She’s a nice person usually, but she might be scary in the club.”

Shinohara gave a wry smile.

“Yeah, very much so.”

“Haha, I can’t imagine that.”

Someone who’s easygoing usually but scary in club activities. That’s the kind of person you wouldn’t want as a senior at work. I’ve had experiences where they’d yell a lot during work hours but would casually chat during their off time, leaving me unsure how to handle the situation. Shinohara probably feels the same way.

“By the way, if Ayaka was in the basketball club, she could have just told me.”

As those words slipped out, I immediately regretted saying them. I had briefly forgotten that Shinohara and Ayaka had a disagreement just moments ago due to this new information.

However, contrary to my concerns, Shinohara said in a nonchalant tone, “It’s not a big deal; Ayaka-senpai is just like that.”

I wondered what she meant by that. As I watched Shinohara head up to the second floor, I thought about it for a moment.