I Was Cheated on by My Girlfriend but My Devilish Junior Now Yearns for Me - Chapter 72

Chapter 72   New Normal 3

“You’re part of the basketball club, right?”

After we finished lunch, Toudou asked with a serious tone.

Feeling a bit puzzled, I nodded. “Yeah, I am.”

Lately, I haven’t missed any membership dues and have been showing up for activities. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call me a fully participating member of the basketball club.

“Am I the manager?”

“You’re an assistant manager. Whenever you’re here, you’re always with Yu.”

Toudou answered Shinohara, then turned his gaze back to me.

“Next week is the annual inter-club basketball tournament. You know about it, right?”

“Oh, right. It’s that time of year already.”

Every year, this competition takes place during the welcome season for new students. It’s held in the short period after the senior members graduate and before the newcomers join. Our university has several basketball clubs besides ours, “Start.” Each club differs in size and vibe—some are laid-back and friendly, while others have an atmosphere closer to a serious sports team.

There were times I wondered if those who were so serious about basketball shouldn’t just join the actual team, but some students have to work part-time jobs to pay for their tuition. Considering that, the different skill levels and atmospheres across clubs allow players to find a place that suits them, a benefit you won’t get on the official team.

But that also means that in competitions, clubs with more casual players are at a clear disadvantage. Some clubs even opt out from the start for that reason.

“Is your club strong?”

Unaware of the context, or maybe just curious, Shinohara asked this question.

Toudou and I exchanged glances and nodded slightly. Toudou spoke up.

“There are seven basketball clubs at our university that participate in the tournament. Last winter, we finished right in the middle.”

“In the middle, huh? Fourth place… That’s kind of hard to react to.”

“Right? But if Yu hadn’t slacked off, we could’ve at least gotten second or third.”

Toudou smirked, and I frowned.

“I wasn’t slacking off.”

To be precise, I was bedridden—because of what happened with Reina. I was so down that I couldn’t bring myself to do anything. Even now, although those feelings have faded a bit, there’s still something stuck in my chest. The look on Reina’s face that I saw from inside the elevator on Valentine’s Day is still burned into my memory.

The meaning of those tears—probably only she could explain. Maybe that’s why I sensed some sharpness from Natsuki the other day. After all, Natsuki is Reina’s friend.

“Hey, senpai.”

“Hm?”

Her voice snapped me out of my thoughts, and I gave a brief response.

“I want to see you shine in a match, senpai.”

“Nope.”

I rejected her instantly, and Shinohara puffed out her cheeks.

“Boo!”

When I poked her puffed cheeks, the air whooshed out, making her pout even more. Just then, Toudou cut in from the side, chiding us, “Don’t flirt in front of me.”

“We’re not flirting.”

“What, really? I thought that’s what you were going for.”

“No, it’s not! Zip it!”

“Senpai, watch your language!”

Ignoring Shinohara as she flailed in protest, I turned back to Toudou.

“I don’t want to participate.”

“Got it, thanks.”

“Wait, doesn’t that sound out of place?”

Toudou just shrugged in response.

“Start is a club, after all. Most people just want to take it easy now, so we won’t have any of the hassles we had before. We can go all out if we want,” Toudou said.

“Going all out? What are you expecting from me exactly?” I asked.

“Well, super plays, of course.”

As I opened my mouth to respond to Toudou’s casual comment, Shinohara beat me to it.

“Senpai, are you really that good?”

Toudou immediately nodded. “Yeah, he’s pretty good. Didn’t you get that vibe just from his shooting?”

Shinohara stood up, exclaiming, “I thought so!” Her voice quickly blended into the background noise of the cafeteria. The two of them seemed to be getting excited, but I doubted I could live up to their expectations. My stamina was down, and if I tried to play an entire match, I’d probably pass out. That’s my current state.

“And yet, during matches, Yu only passes the ball. All the prime moments end up coming to me. Honestly, he’s useless in that sense.”

“That’s harsh…” I sighed, feeling drained, while Toudou gave a sly grin.

“Does the tournament offer any kind of prize if you win? I bet if there’s something, Senpai will be hooked in no time!” Shinohara laughed.

“Whose side are you on?” I snapped at her, and she burst into laughter.

“If you think allies are always supportive, you’re sorely mistaken!”

So, she’s clearly on Toudou’s side. Not exactly a loyal choice, but that’s typical Shinohara. Realizing I couldn’t count on her, I turned back to Toudou.

“Is there any prize money? If not—”

“There is.”

“Huh?”

Toudou’s quick response made me widen my eyes in surprise.

Last year, the prize had been a travel voucher, awarded to the top two clubs. Back then, our club, “Start,” wasn’t exactly excited about going on a trip, so for me, it was as good as no prize at all. That’s why, even with the situation with Reina, I hadn’t hesitated to skip the winter tournament.

But if Toudou is leading the club now and there’s prize money involved, that changes things.

“So, what’s the prize money going to be used for?”

At my eagerness, Shinohara made a small noise, sounding a bit taken aback. I’d prefer a quiet reaction from a student model who’s making plenty of money.

“Look who’s suddenly all interested,” she said.

“Try living alone and then we’ll talk.”

With prize money on the line, my motivation was definitely kicking in. We couldn’t exactly distribute it directly to members, so it’d likely be used for club purposes. The question was how.

Toudou answered my question with a reassuring grin. “Don’t worry. It’ll go towards club expenses. If we win first place, we’ll get a three-month club fee waiver.”

“So that means…”

The monthly club fee is 2,000 yen, mostly used for gym rental, balls, shoes, and other equipment. If any funds remain, the rule is to distribute them equally to all members at the end of the year, though that’s never actually happened—probably because the extra funds go toward welcome events and such.

In effect, each member would receive about 6,000 yen, which makes this a pretty interesting incentive. Plus, the strict upperclassmen from half a year ago are all gone, and the few that remain are focused on job hunting and aren’t participating anyway; they’re all nice people too.

With things as they were, I couldn’t find a reason to turn it down. Trying to hide my eagerness, I put on a reluctant expression and spoke up.

“Alright, fine. I am still a club member, after all.”

Considering the lazy days of spring break, joining the tournament seems like a pretty worthwhile way to spend my time. Besides, I felt a bit of a desire to help out my friend, Toudou.

Toudou flashed a grin, showing his white teeth.

“Alright, then it’s settled. I’ll send out the details in the group chat next week, so look out for it.”

“I’ll come cheer you on too!” Shinohara added.

“Yeah, yeah.”

I was only just starting my third year, but I had a feeling this would be an eventful year, far from boring. Next year is job hunting, after all. Maybe it wouldn’t be a bad idea to start joining in on events I missed out on last year. Watching Toudou head off toward the dish return area, I thought as much.

“You’re not being very honest with yourself, Senpai.”

“Mind your business.”

Shinohara, it seemed, had seen right through me. Probably Toudou had as well. Feeling a bit self-conscious, I placed my empty plate on the tray.

“Let’s go.”

“Coming!” she chirped.

—I’ll try not to embarrass myself out there.

Sensing my junior cheerfully trailing behind me, that thought crossed my mind.