Kicked Out of the Bottom Soccer Team, I Found My Strength Thanks to My Beautiful Junior Manager. What Began as a Simple Act of Kindness Turned into Her Coming Over Every Day.

Chapter 42: Shutting Down the First-Year’s False Accusations.

“Before I answer, I want to ask one thing: why do you think I’m ‘hanging around’ Shirayuki-san?”

“Because you’re obviously not on her level.”

“Visually?”

“Of course! What else?”

Haruhiro’s irritation was palpable.

I’m the one who should be angry here, Takumi thought.

“So, what you’re saying is that Shirayuki-san is the kind of girl who chooses who to associate with based solely on their looks?”

“T-That’s…! But do you even know how much she loves soccer? There’s no way she’d willingly spend time with someone who was stuck in the third string for over a year.”

Takumi saw Haruhiro shift the goalposts, but he decided to play along.

“So what? Shirayuki-san only chooses her companions based on how good they are at soccer? Regardless of their personality?”

“I-I didn’t say it was only that!”

“But that’s exactly what you’re implying. Because if you didn’t believe that, you wouldn’t conclude—with zero evidence—that she couldn’t possibly want to be with me, and therefore I must be the one pestering her.”

“I… uh…”

Haruhiro ran out of words.

“First of all, who are you to her? Her boyfriend? Her spokesperson? No. Did she ask you to do this?”

“Well, no, but—”

“Then I don’t see any reason to listen to you. I’m not her boyfriend, but I believe we have a good relationship. I’m not ‘hanging around’ her, and I have no intention of distancing myself. Haruhiro, instead of acting on assumptions, maybe you should start by verifying your own hypotheses. Try that before you go forcing your selfish ideas on others.”

“What…!?”

Haruhiro glared at Takumi with pure venom.

“If you have a counterargument, I’m listening.”

“…Tch! Just you wait! You’ll regret this!”

Biting his lip, Haruhiro spat out the cliché parting shot and stormed off, leaving behind nothing but a hateful glare.

***

“…Whew.”

Alone in the park, Takumi let out a long, heavy breath.

“Maybe I went a bit too far…”

Kana had mentioned that she hated “delusional types” more than anything. Takumi wasn’t a fan either, but what he detested most was people acting purely on emotion and assumptions when their logic was fundamentally flawed.

Haruhiro had checked every single one of those boxes. That was why Takumi’s tongue had been a bit sharper than intended.

I’m always telling Kana to be careful; I’d better watch myself too, he reminded himself as he started the walk home.

***

No matter how calmly one thinks, emotions aren’t something that can be perfectly suppressed by logic. Kana, who arrived after Takumi had finished his shower and returned home, saw right through his sour mood immediately.

“Takumi-senpai, did something happen?”

“Eh?”

Kana leaned in, peering into his face with a scrutinizing look.

“Hmm… it doesn’t seem like you’re sulking because you couldn’t walk home with me.”

“It’s nothing, really.”

“Liar. You’re pricklier than usual, and your eyes look sharp. Though, a ‘scary’ Senpai has its own special charm too.”

Despite the joke, Kana’s eyes were serious. They held the color of absolute certainty. Takumi gave in with a resigned sigh.

“…I really can’t hide anything from you, can I?”

“Hehe! Noticing subtle changes in a player is a mandatory skill for a manager!”

Kana puffed out her chest proudly. The bear printed on her loungewear was pushed upward, making it look like it was lying on its back staring at the ceiling. Takumi quickly averted his eyes.

“You’re especially observant, Kana.”

“Of course! If it’s about you, Takumi-senpai, I can even tell what percentage your ‘pee meter’ is at.”

“That is sincerely disgusting.”

“Are you sure you’re using ‘sincerely’ correctly there?”

“Who knows?”

Takumi tilted his head with a feigned air of ignorance. Kana laughed, remarking that he could be surprisingly irresponsible at times.

“…Thanks for worrying about me. But I’m really okay.”

“Well, if you say so, I won’t pry… but please lean on me sometimes, okay? Since I’m always the one relying on you, I feel a mountain of guilt.”

“Is that so? Personally, I feel like I haven’t even begun to pay you back for everything.”

Being able to stay in the soccer club. Finding joy in the game again. The reality brought about by Kana’s presence was, for Takumi, a debt of immense proportions.

Kana waved her hands dismissively with exaggerated motions.

“No, no, no! Your debt was paid off ages ago! You’ve added interest that would make a loan shark blush. If you give me any more back, I’ll shrink from the weight of the guilt.”

“Wait, then you’d disappear. I wouldn’t like that, so maybe I’ll keep it in moderation.”

“Ah! You just called me short in a roundabout way! For that, a bad person gets this!”

Kana circled behind Takumi and pressed down on the crown of his head. However, she quickly transitioned into playing with his hair.

“As usual, it’s so fluffy and soft… and it smells so good.”

That would be you, Takumi thought, though he kept it to himself.

“Ah… I knew it. There are some nutrients you can only get from this.”

“And what nutrients would those be?”

“You know, the ones in spinach… Boobies!”

“I knew you were going to say that. It’s Popeye. And that’s not a nutrient; it’s just the character’s name.”

Takumi corrected her without even trying to hide his exasperation.

“Wait, really? I always thought that was the name of the nutrient.”

“I thought so too, at first.”

“Right? And somehow, doesn’t ‘Popeye’ sound a little dirty now?”

“You’re completely corrupted. I think you should check into a hospital immediately.”

“Ooh, sharp-tongued Takumi-senpai is nice too.”

“You’re invincible, aren’t you?”

“At my level, I’m basically in a permanent ‘Star Mode’ state. Takumi-senpai, you’re the Banana—wait, is that one of the off-limits ones?”

“Yeah. Just for almost saying it, that’s a yellow card.”

“Aww, Senpai! Don’t give me a yellow card for a banana~!”

Kana grabbed Takumi’s shoulders and shook him back and forth.

“Want me to hit you with a Red Shell instead?”

“Wait, I don’t have hemorrhoids!”

“Well, it is applied to the butt, technically… Why is your brain so quick at the wrong things?”

“Hehe, I’m just that good.”

Kana physically spun her head around in circles. As expected, she ended up groaning, “Ugh, I feel sick…” as she slumped back down onto the sofa next to him.

Takumi finally understood the saying: The sillier they are, the cuter they are.

“What are you even doing… are you okay, Kana?”

“Yeah… okay, jokes aside.”

Kana looked deep into Takumi’s eyes.

“Really, if something happens, lean on me. I’m always here to listen.”

“Yeah, thanks.”

Takumi nodded with a smile. He truly felt he was lucky to have such a wonderful underclassman.

***

“Haaa…”

Back at her own home, Kana let out a heavy sigh.

“I wonder if he really just sees me as an underclassman…”

For Kana, who wanted a relationship where they could support each other, the fact that Takumi hadn’t shared anything with her was a significant shock.

Looking back, she had almost no memory of him ever relying on her. At most, he had asked her to bring some third-string match footage from school a week or two ago—and even then, it was only because she happened to be at school for supplementary lessons anyway.

“Is it impossible for a senior and junior to be on equal footing…? No, I can’t be negative. He definitely treats me with affection, and he even said I’ve supported him more than I realize.”

Even if it was a bit of an exaggeration, knowing Takumi’s personality, it couldn’t have been a total lie.

“Yeah, it’s fine. I can still do this! I’m definitely going to make him fall for me! Let’s go!”

Kana thrust her fist into the air.

Having successfully boosted her own mood, Kana spent the next while replaying Takumi’s words in her head—“You’ve supported me in so many ways already. Probably more than you realize”—and grinning like a fool.

However, another male student from the Sakura High soccer club, who was also thinking about Takumi, was feeling the exact opposite.

“It’s just wrong for that guy to be so close to Shirayuki… I’ll strip away that mask of his and save her myself…!”