My Popular-as-Hell Best Friend Is Annoying, So I Want to Get Him a Girlfriend and Shut Him Up - Chapter 77 & 78 & 79

Chapter 77: Sports Festival 3

Seeing Tsukikage Miharu in her gym uniform reminded me of the thought I had before, but there’s something fresh and oddly exciting about seeing her like this.

The breathable white T-shirt paired with navy blue half-pants exudes a simplicity that somehow feels profoundly appealing.

“It’s been a while, huh? What’s up?”

Kirita Akari, whom I hadn’t spoken to in about ten days, was looking back and forth between me and Tsukikage Miharu.

She seemed somewhat restless, her unease faintly noticeable.

“Uh, well, our team has the second match, and we were gathering, so I thought I’d call out to Tsukikage-san too.”

“Our team?”

“Tsukikage-san and I are on the same team.”

“Oh.”

Come to think of it, Kirita Akari and Tsukikage Miharu are in the same class.

She’s not playing in the match, but since they’re on the same team, Akari must have come to check in.

If that’s the case, I don’t mind if Tsukikage Miharu prioritizes her team.

“That’s fine, then. I’m staying with Yukiya-kun.”

But Tsukikage Miharu, with her usual smile, firmly told Kirita Akari as much.

“You sure? You don’t need to join your team?”

“I can’t play in the match anyway, so I’d rather not have people fuss over me.”

“Hmm, well, if you’re cool with that, whatever.”

Tsukikage Miharu can’t participate in the match.

According to her, she has a lung condition that causes breathing difficulties during intense exercise, and in the worst case, it could be life-threatening.

She once explained this to me with a laugh.

It doesn’t affect her daily life much, but naturally, she can’t take part in sports events like this.

That’s probably why she doesn’t want to join the team’s circle and disrupt the mood. No matter how well she gets along with everyone there, she can’t contribute to the team’s role.

“That’s how it is. Go tell your team.”

“B-But…”

“I said I’m fine. Sorry for making you come all the way here.”

“N-No, that’s not what I mean…”

“Hmm?”

Even after hearing Tsukikage Miharu’s response, Kirita Akari didn’t move right away.

She fidgeted with her hands and twirled her ankle.

Was she doing warm-up stretches or something?

“Um!”

After struggling to find a place to rest her gaze, Kirita Akari finally looked at both of us with determination.

“C-Can I… join you guys and talk too!?”

As soon as she said it, her cheeks gradually flushed.

Apparently, it took her dozens of seconds to muster the courage to say something so simple.

I don’t get it.

“I don’t mind, but what’s with the sudden request?”

“Uh, well… I want to get closer to Tsukikage-san! We’re in the same class, but we haven’t talked much!”

“I see. That’s what she’s saying.”

“If that’s the case, I have no reason to say no. But Kirita-san, don’t you need to get back to your team?”

“It’s fine, it’s fine! I’ll just chat until the match starts! I’ll go let them know real quick!”

Kirita Akari’s expression brightened instantly, and she dashed off the stage as if her earlier hesitation was a lie.

What’s with her?

Every time I see Kirita Akari, my impression of her shifts.

Her emotional triggers are completely unpredictable.

“You don’t talk much with Kirita Akari?”

“Not really. We both mostly talk to the classmates we had in our first year.”

That makes sense when she puts it that way.

I don’t talk much to anyone besides Uryu either, though that’s not exactly by choice.

“Sorry for the wait!”

About a minute later, Kirita Akari returned to the stage, inexplicably out of breath.

Calm down, what’s there to rush about?

“So, what should I do?”

“Just sit down. It’s awkward with you standing right in front of us.”

“R-Right!”

Kirita Akari approached slowly but then froze, as if time had stopped.

What now?

Her eyes darted left and right—specifically, to my left and Tsukikage Miharu’s right.

“W-Where should I…?”

Kirita Akari mumbled something, but it was too soft to hear.

It was clear she was troubled by something, but since when did she become so expressive?

“…Here goes!”

Despite her robotic, hesitant movements, Kirita Akari let out a small cry and plopped down next to me.

Wait, didn’t she say she wanted to get closer to Tsukikage Miharu? Why’d she sit next to me?

…Oh, maybe since they’re not that close yet, she hesitated and chose to sit next to me, her “mentor,” instead. What a hopeless disciple.

“Let me say it again, Kirita-san. I’m happy you want to get to know me better.”

“N-No, the pleasure’s mine! I’ve always thought you were so pretty from afar!”

Tsukikage Miharu offered a gentle smile, like a calming balm to the emotionally unstable Kirita Akari.

Her follow-up was flawless, but I was dumbfounded by Kirita Akari’s borderline stalkerish comment.

It’s like that time we talked in front of the Tea Ceremony Room—she says the weirdest things when she’s flustered.

“How did you and Yukiya-kun meet?”

Perhaps because I was sitting between them, Tsukikage Miharu brought up a shared topic.

“Uh, w-well, that’s…”

Kirita Akari visibly panicked.

Well, yeah, it’s not like she can easily say she approached me to deliver a love letter to Uryu.

That would reveal her feelings for him to someone else.

…Wait a sec.

Doesn’t Tsukikage Miharu already know that Kirita Akari came to me for love advice?

If so, it shouldn’t be hard for her to guess how we met. Why’d she ask?

“Oh, sorry, was that hard to answer?”

“N-No, I don’t think so…”

“Can I ask something else then?”

“Y-Yes, go ahead!”

Relieved to dodge the question, Kirita Akari braced herself as Tsukikage Miharu threw out a new one.

“Kirita-san, do you like Yukiya-kun?”

“W-WHAAAAT!?”

While Kirita Akari turned beet red in an instant, I was left speechless, utterly exasperated.

This girl’s totally testing whether Kirita Akari’s an easy target to tease, isn’t she?

There’s no way someone who came to me for love advice would like me.

Tsukikage Miharu knows that and still asked—she’s kind of a jerk.

But Kirita Akari’s reaction is way too perfect; she’s playing right into Tsukikage Miharu’s hands.

“Look, she’s got someone else she likes. We met when she asked me for advice about it. Anything else you want to know?”

As her mentor, I stepped in to cover for Kirita Akari, making sure not to mention Uryu’s name.

Who knows what she’d blurt out in her flustered state?

This was the best way to keep things from getting complicated.

“Hmm, if you say so.”

Tsukikage Miharu muttered playfully, her sage-like eyes locking onto me as if she saw through everything. I completely ignored her.

“I-I-I was so shocked…!”

Kirita-san, you really need to learn to hide your feelings better.

Chapter 78: Sports Festival 4

“Can I ask a question this time!?”

Having weathered Tsukikage Miharu’s teasing inquiry, Kirita Akari, her face still faintly flushed, raises her right hand straight up while sitting cross-legged.

“Of course. It’d be weird if I were the only one asking.”

“T-Thank you!”

“Thank you?”

Tsukikage Miharu agrees with a smile, while Kirita Akari bows repeatedly, keeping her posture low.

It’s as if some kind of hierarchical dynamic has formed, like Akari’s at her mercy.

More than that, I feel a sense of déjà vu watching Kirita Akari’s frantic demeanor and speech.

She’s been like this earlier too, but in moments like these, she tends to blurt out the most outrageous things.

“Are you two, like, not dating!?”

As expected—or rather, predictably—she says something completely off the mark with a face full of determination.

I can’t help but sigh at her disappointing antics.

“Just to clarify, why would you think that?”

“W-Well, you two were talking so happily alone…”

“What are you, an elementary schooler?”

“Ow!”

I deliver a chop to Kirita Akari for proudly proclaiming such a shallow assumption.

Hopefully, this resets her thought process to normal.

“We’re just hanging out as fellow slackers. Stop jumping to weird conclusions.”

“Slackers? Hirose-kun, you’re not playing basketball?”

“Why would I need to play basketball?”

“Huh? Why wouldn’t you play basketball at a sports festival?”

Kirita Akari’s eyes practically scream, “Aren’t you the weird one here?”

Damn it, her thought process got fixed at the worst possible moment.

What a pain.

“Because I hate team sports. Playing along with others? No way.”

“That makes a lot of sense. It suits you perfectly.”

“Right? If it’s something like tea ceremony, a solo sport, I might consider it.”

“Is tea ceremony really a solo sport…?”

Kirita Akari’s nitpicking at my words again.

Instead of just saying, “Hirose-kun, you’d be the ace of the Tea Ceremony Club,” she’s still defying her mentor.

“That’s beside the point!”

“You’re the one who brought up slacking, you know?”

“No, I mean, I kinda wanted to see Hirose-kun play basketball.”

“I’d have liked to see that too. I can’t even imagine it.”

“No matter what you say, I’m not playing. I wouldn’t even be much help.”

Basketball? I’ve only touched a ball in gym class, can barely shoot, and at best, I can pass like in dodgeball or dribble a little.

I’d be useless on the court.

““That’s not what we meant…””

In that moment, Kirita Akari and Tsukikage Miharu exchange a glance, covering their mouths.

Wow, they harmonized a pretty long sentence perfectly.

This deserves a spot in the Guinness Book, doesn’t it?

“…That was surprising.”

“Y-Yeah! It’s kinda embarrassing…”

“Haha, same here.”

Both of them blush slightly, exchanging wry smiles.

Their words aligning must’ve let them peek into each other’s thoughts, making them feel shy.

Wait, what were we even talking about?

The impact of their harmony was so strong I forgot.

“Hey, you guys, don’t slack off so blatantly.”

A voice—somewhere between a lifeline and a nuisance—cuts through the slightly awkward atmosphere.

Standing before us, arms akimbo, is Misono Izumo.

Our class representative makes her entrance with a displeased expression.

“I’m not playing in the match, you know?”

To counter Misono Izumo’s attempt at control, I throw a preemptive jab.

Just because we’re in the same class doesn’t mean I’ll sit through her lectures.

I’m absolutely not playing.

“Fine by me. As long as the team wins, I don’t care. ‘Victory through teamwork’ is just a pretty phrase.”

“What’s with you? You’re actually making sense today.”

“It’s not me being reasonable today—it’s your warped logic. I’ve never said anything strange.”

With that, Misono Izumo lets out a resigned sigh, crosses her arms, and glares at me.

“I’m not great at sports either, so I figured sitting out is better than dragging the team down.”

“Brilliant thinking. You share my noble convictions.”

“…Why does it suddenly feel like a cheap mindset?”

What’s that supposed to mean?

I was praising her, and she’s getting cocky.

As expected, we’re like water and oil—completely incompatible.

“So, what are you even doing here?”

“I came to check if my two friends were being messed with by you.”

“Huh? Why am I automatically the bad guy?”

“Because of your usual behavior. It’s your own fault.”

“Hey, you two, tell this woman I’m harmless.”

“He chopped me, and it hurt.”

“His comment about my cardigan was harsh.”

“What an impressively blatant offender. I’m in awe.”

No way.

Where did this mysterious unity come from?

They must’ve rehearsed this script.

Tormenting innocent little me like this is the height of cruelty.

“Enough of this stupid back-and-forth. At least watch the matches. It’s the sports festival, after all.”

Satisfied with her attack on me, Misono Izumo takes a deep breath, regains her composure, and points toward the gymnasium.

On the courts, three matches are underway for the first round. Six teams, two per court, are fiercely competing for victory.

It’s, how should I put it, a feast for the eyes. Girls playing sports are so unguarded, so dynamic—or to put it plainly, fantastic. Watching the matches? Absolutely delightful.

“Plus, the match closest to us is practically a finals-level showdown. You’ve gotta see it. Those two are incredible.”

Prompted by Misono Izumo, the three of us stand and move to the front of the stage.

“Oh!”

Facing off in my line of sight are two girls I know well.

“Haruka-chan and Mayoi-chan, huh?”

The first match on the stage side pits Class C, led by Kamishiro Haruka, against Class A, led by Natori Mayoi.

Chapter 79: Sports Festival 5

Kamishiro Haruka holds the ball, facing off against Natori Mayoi.

The two, glaring at each other just beyond the three-point line, are anything but ordinary.

Suddenly, Kamishiro Haruka dribbles quickly, faking a crossover to the left before swiftly cutting past Natori Mayoi’s left side.

Her agility with the ball is almost inhuman.

But Natori Mayoi isn’t backing down.

Keeping just enough distance to avoid a foul, she backsteps to keep up with Haruka.

In an instant, Kamishiro Haruka slows her momentum with an under-the-legs dribble, smoothly grabs the rising ball with both hands, and shoots.

Natori Mayoi, nearly thrown off balance, steadies herself and leaps toward the shot’s trajectory.

It’s unclear if she made it in time, but Kamishiro Haruka’s shot hits the rim and bounces out.

If we’re judging, Natori Mayoi takes this round.

“Alright!!”

Despite the play still being live, Natori Mayoi strikes a bold fist pump.

That alone shows how much passion she’s pouring into this.

She probably even touched that shot.

“Not bad.”

I could’ve sworn Kamishiro Haruka’s lips moved to form a frustrated smile.

I only caught the tail end, but these two might have been locked in a razor-thin battle the whole time.

That said, the scoreboard reads “10-4” with Class C in the lead.

With seven-minute halves and one minute left in the second half, it’s still anyone’s game, but something about the score feels off to me.

“Mayoi’s not passing to her teammates at all. Haruka’s spreading the ball well, so that’s probably why the score’s lopsided.”

“…That makes sense.”

Misono Izumo’s explanation finally clicks for me.

In this match, Natori Mayoi is fixated on beating Kamishiro Haruka to win, while Haruka’s fine letting her teammates score elsewhere.

That’s the difference.

Compared to those two, the other eight players on the court are negligible.

But even they can score if they shoot close to the basket.

Natori Mayoi doesn’t seem to grasp that.

Or maybe Kamishiro Haruka’s defense is so tight that Mayoi can’t think that far ahead.

Frankly, it’s already bizarre that Natori Mayoi, who’s not even in the basketball club, is keeping up this well.

The back-and-forth continues from there.

Perhaps deciding she’s free to play her way since the gap isn’t closing, Kamishiro Haruka starts deliberately setting up one-on-one plays with Natori Mayoi.

Their chestnut and blonde ponytails whip side to side, looking like they’d sting if they hit. That’s how fiercely they’re moving.

The four of us watch in silence, completely absorbed.

No idle chatter—just our eyes glued to these two, who could probably dominate a boys’ match, until the whistle blows.

※

When the final whistle sounds, the players gather at the court’s center to bow to each other.

The score is “16-10,” with Class C’s victory, but it was so thrilling that either side could’ve won.

I knew Kamishiro Haruka from the basketball club was amazing, but I never would’ve guessed Natori Mayoi could move like that.

Her argument with Rando-dono a while back about her skills wasn’t entirely off-base.

She’s got the raw talent to shine if she started club activities in June.

Not sure if that applies beyond basketball, though.

“See? Wasn’t it worth watching?”

Misono Izumo puffs out her chest as if it’s her own achievement.

I’ve got no comeback—it’s true, that match was fun.

“Yeah, it was really exciting.”

“It’d be so fun to move like that.”

Tsukikage Miharu and Kirita Akari, who watched with us, seem to agree.

Just like a pro athlete’s play can stir the heart, there was something in their performance that set ours ablaze.

“Hey! Everyone’s all together!!”

As we idly stare at the court where the match just ended, the star of that game jogs over with a grin, wiping her cheek with the towel around her neck and flashing a bold V-sign.

“First win of the day, secured!”

While Kamishiro Haruka beams with delight,

“Tone it down, you boob monster.”

“Ow! Mayo-nee, you hit me hard!?”

Natori Mayoi joins us, not even trying to hide her irritation.