I Was Cheated on by My Girlfriend but My Devilish Junior Now Yearns for Me - Chapter 97

Chapter 97   An Unknown Side

“Yuuta!”

At the sound of my name, the orange ball landed in my hands. I glanced at the basketball hoop—it was still too far to take a shot from here.

Two defenders were in front of me.

One quickly cut off my passing lane. Clicking my tongue internally, I scanned for another teammate to pass to. But each of my teammates was tightly marked, leaving no clear options.

“Take it yourself!”

I heard someone shout, their voice tinged with frustration.

Shifting my weight onto my pivot foot, I leaned forward, testing the defender. The opponent immediately adjusted, blocking my path with their body.

Here’s my chance.

I spun backward, slipping half a step ahead of the defender.

The opening revealed Toudou, standing in position.

I reached out to pass, but for a brief moment, his expression hardened.

“…Got it.”

I continued dribbling, forcing the covering defender away with a sharp lateral move. Mid-air, just before landing, I released the shot.

The ball bounced off the backboard and fell neatly into the hoop.

“You can pull that off, so why do you always try to pass first?”

Toudou said, tapping me lightly on the shoulder.

My body, still feeling the strain from the quick movement, ached slightly.

“Passing is just as important for the team, you know.”

“Of course it is. But it’s a different story if passing is your only choice.”

Toudou crushed an empty water bottle in his hand and frowned.

“Your hesitation to take responsibility for the outcome shows in how you play.”

“Ouch, ouch—okay, I hear you.”

I shook my head, trying to block out Toudou’s voice. Toudou was pretty skilled at basketball.

Maybe that’s why he often gave me advice after games. Not on technical skills, but more about the mental aspects.

Back when I joined with Shinohara, he told me, “Even just passing the ball is an important contribution.” But today, his advice seemed to be the complete opposite.

“Still, you took the shot in the end, didn’t you?”

It was a situation where individual play was the safer bet, so I went for a somewhat forceful move. The exhilaration of breaking past the defense with sheer effort was still smoldering deep in my chest.

“Well, you always make the call when it matters. No matter the situation.”
“What are you even trying to say? I don’t get it.”
“Haha, sorry. But seriously, that last shot was awesome.”

With a cheerful laugh, he extended his hand for a high five, which I returned lightly.

Just then, a soft voice came from above.

“Yuuta-kun, that was really cool.”

Reina said, handing me a sports drink.

“Thanks.”

I placed the tea Toudou had treated me to nearby and gratefully accepted the drink. Toudou didn’t seem to mind my actions and instead turned to Reina.

“Aisaka-san, is this the first time you’ve seen Yuu play basketball?”
“Yeah, it’s the first time. Yuuta-kun never really talked about basketball either.”

Reina responded as if reminiscing about our time as a couple.

Considering she knew the full story now, it felt like this could’ve created an awkward atmosphere. But Toudou’s smile didn’t let any of that awkwardness surface.

“I see. So, what do you think of Yuuta’s basketball?”
“I’m glad I saw it. He’s amazing.”

Watching Reina speak so happily, I couldn’t help but feel a bit uncomfortable.

“Stop it, it’s embarrassing.”

“Why? It’s true, so what’s wrong with saying it?”

At Reina’s response, I scratched my head furiously.

Toudou found my reaction amusing and burst out laughing.

“Well, it seems like you two get along now. That’s good.”

“I mean… compared to before, yeah.”

I couldn’t help but respond hesitantly. Talking about what happened with Reina felt like exposing my own immaturity. My stupid pride made me unconsciously hold back.

“Toudou -kun, Yuuta-kun told you everything, right?”

Reina directed her question at Toudou.

By “everything,” she probably meant the reason we broke up. Toudou seemed to understand what she was asking and gave a small nod.

“Yeah, I heard it. Do you want to go over it to make sure? If there’s any misunderstanding, there might not be another chance to fix it.”

“No, that’s fine. I trust Yuuta-kun.”

Reina turned him down so easily that I was a little surprised.

Toudou also seemed caught off guard but soon nodded as if he understood.

“Yeah, fair enough. I trust him too.”

“…Uh, thanks.”

Their exchange prompted a quiet thank-you from me.

Reina’s expression softened.

“Yuuta-kun, you don’t need to say anything that puts you at a disadvantage. Let’s make Toudou-kun the last person you confide in about this, okay?”

Her words made me shake my head.

“Actually, I already told a few of my friends from the department. I’ll set the record straight with them.”

“No, you don’t need to. I leaned on Toudou-kun because he’s your closest guy friend. But if you tell everyone, and it leads to people gossiping behind your back, I’ll be the one scolding you next time.”

“Why would it come to that?”

“Because if people start seeing you in a negative light, it makes me sad. Or are you saying you’re not willing to listen to my selfish request of don’t do things that make me sad anymore?”

Reina looked at me with her eyebrows slightly furrowed, seeking my response.

…That’s an unfair way to put it.

How could I possibly refuse when she says it like that? It was sneaky, yet kind. Reina was always thinking about me, no matter what.

“Alright, I won’t say anything anymore.”

“Mm, thank you.”

“That should be my line. How kind can you be?”

When I gave a wry smile, Toudou chimed in with agreement.

“Seriously, she’s incredibly forgiving. You don’t find people like this often.”

“Hehe, I just wanted to show off in front of Yuuta-kun.”

“That’s usually the other way around!”

Toudou teased Reina, then continued speaking.

“You should stop by from time to time. Our club’s pretty flexible about that kind of thing.”

“Huh? Even if I’m not officially in the club?”

“Yeah, it’s fine. We even have someone who acts as a manager without officially being a member.”

Toudou shot me a playful look.

He was almost certainly talking about Shinohara. That junior has probably spent more time in this gym over the past few months than she can count on her fingers.

Considering that, Toudou’s suggestion was entirely realistic.

Reina seemed to think about it for a moment before smiling and saying, “I might take you up on that.”

“Alright then, I’m up for the next game. Yuu, take a break.”

Toudou stood up and headed for the court.

“It’s winner stays on, right? I’ll play too.”

As I got up, Toudou quickly waved me off.

“Idiot, we’ve got a guest here. Keep her entertained—or at least don’t let her get bored too often. Do it for the sake of the club leader’s dignity.”

“That’s just for your sake!”

Toudou laughed lightly at my retort and jogged onto the court.

It looked like one of the underclassmen would be taking my place, so I wouldn’t be playing for a while.

When the whistle blew to start the game, Toudou moved with precision and immediately gained control of the ball.

As I watched the game unfold for a bit, Reina turned to me and asked a question.

“You and Toudou-kun have been friends since your first year, right?”

“Yeah, that’s right.”

Toudou drove in for a shot, his movements dazzling even from the perspective of another guy, no bias involved.

Thinking back, I remembered how we’d teamed up for inter-club matches against other basketball groups when we had just joined Start. It felt nostalgic, realizing how much time had passed since then.

It’s been two years since we first met. My friendship with Toudou would probably continue even into adulthood.

I’d heard people say that friends made in university last a lifetime. It’s likely because such friendships are formed after both people have reached a certain level of maturity in their values and behavior. Conversations with Toudou often made me feel that way.

Had we met in middle school, I’m not sure we’d have gotten along. The same goes for Reina and Shinohara.

“What brought you two together?”

“Another club’s welcome party. We got to know each other there, then both joined Start.”

“I see. That’s nice, having friends you make in university.”

Reina said this, pulling a bottle of tea from her handbag. It was a smaller size than the one she’d given me.

She opened the cap, took a sip, then turned to me with a soft smile.

“It’s embarrassing when you look at me so much.”

“Oh, sorry.”

I quickly averted my gaze. I hadn’t meant to stare—her mouth just happened to be in my line of sight. But regardless, I couldn’t exactly pat myself on the back for it.

Still, Reina had an aura that stood out in the gym, drawing my attention. Like with Shinohara, wearing casual clothes in a gymnasium naturally made her more noticeable. If the person themselves was striking, it only amplified the effect.

“Come to think of it, you’ve never come along to my club, have you?”

Reina’s tone was as though she’d just remembered.

“No, I haven’t.”

“That’s what I thought.”

She nodded, then screwed the cap back onto her bottle and put it away in her handbag.

I’d always known Reina was in the archery club, but I’d never had the chance to see her practice. Honestly, it had never even occurred to me to visit her club.

“When you think about it, there’s probably a lot we don’t know about each other.”

“Probably. There’s only so much you can learn in a year.”

Even families who’ve been together for twenty years don’t know everything about each other, so it wasn’t surprising.

Still, for students, a year is a fairly long time. That we still had so much left unknown about each other might suggest there’d been some kind of distance or hesitation in our relationship.

“But you tried to get to know me, and I tried to get to know you.”

Reina slipped off her thick coat and draped it over her left arm. It looked heavy, so I instinctively reached out to take it but pulled back. My arm was still sweaty from the game—it wouldn’t have been considerate.

“But I think we both held back somewhere along the way. There were a lot of things we just couldn’t put into words.”

She tucked her bangs behind her ear and continued.

“So, there’s something I want to ask you now. Yuuta-kun, do you like anyone right now?”

Her direct gaze locked onto mine.