That stupid runt who reunited with me after 10 years is now transformed into a beautiful and innocent high school girl - Chapter 29
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Growth and Tears.
1
“O~oh, all’s so nostalgic. There, right there, there’s the gym…”
Saturday.
After a long absence, I visited my high school, my alma mater.
On both sides of the road, trees were lined throughout while going to the avenue site. Sakura trees were in full bloom, forming a spectacular row of cherry blossom trees. As I walked there, I was immersed in reminiscing the memories of my high school life.
To the south side of the avenue site was the soccer club members practicing, while the track and field club’s long-distance runners ran around it.
Umm, such a nostalgic scene indeed.
It would appear that the women’s volleyball club was holding a practice match today, so I came to watch it.
Just to tell you, I don’t mean anything strange in any way at all. I just want to see what it’s like and how they are faring as Mahiru was the team’s captain. There were no lascivious motives behind it, just to say, thinking of protecting my honor.
Thinking that she also enrolled in the same high school as me, thinking about that itself makes my eyes kind of hot.
I guess, as I’ve gotten older, I have become more vulnerable to tears.
I went to the second gymnasium, the volleyball club’s activity base.
It looks like they were already over with warming up.
The players gathered at the sections of their respective high schools and were in the middle of the stretching.
As expected of the volleyball club. There are a lot of girls with a better physique than me.
Um, I guess the North High school students have the section over there?
Mahiru, Mahiru…
Mahiru was standing in front of a banner with the motto of her school, my alma mater,
“Vigor, Belief, Honest.”
It seems that she was having a meeting with the volleyball coach.
If I go right now, I will definitely get in her way.
I go upstairs and sit down in a suitable seat. Let’s cheer for her from this seat.
As I see their meeting and conversation are over, I shout out loud.
“Hey~! Mahiru~!”
“?”
Hearing that call, Mahiru looked around her in confusion. Well, I didn’t say I would come to watch her play today.
“Up, here~.”
Mahiru’s small face turned upwards, and our eyes met.
“Yu—Yuu-nii!”
“Yo~”
Mahiru rushes over. Seeing her face up close, it was pretty red. Is it because of the warm-up from just before?
“What is it? I didn’t know you would come?”
“I’m here to support Captain Mahiru.”
“Don’t tease me tte~. So how do you know it’s my game today?”
“One of our regulars is the mother of an opponent’s high school player. I just happened to hear that her girl would play a practice match against North High School on Saturdays.”
“Is that how you managed to come today?”
“Was it a bad idea to come today? Ah, perhaps your boyfriend came to see as well?”
“No, I don’t have a boyfriend in the first place. It’s okay to cheer for you as you like. But please ensure not to get too much attention because of it, okay?”
“I understand. Well then, allow me to take a closer look at you over here already, then.”
“……Hentai…”
“TH—”
No, trust me, it’s not like that. I came here with a healthy and pure mind, I tell you.
I tried to give out an excuse to save my image, but Mahiru turned back on her heel and returned to her teammate’s camp.
*
(POV: Mahiru)
I didn’t expect Yuu-ni would be coming.
Even though it was just a practice match.
MOU!
“Mahiru-senpai, could it be that the person you were talking to earlier …is that your boyfriend?”
“Mah~hi’s got a boyfriend?”
My teammates had already surrounded me.
“Hey, so you finally got a boyfriend?”
“Ah, mou. It’s different. It’s not at all like that.”
“But you’re so quite-very friendly, or rather, your face is already tomato red. Senpai.”
“I–it’s just because it’s hot in here.”
“Even though the windows are wide open?”
“So the corners of the Iron Wall Saint have finally begun its fall….”
Who was that! The person who gave me a nickname with such a bratty taste?
“AS-I-AM-TELLING, he’s like an Aniki who would take care of me from when I was little.”
“Fu~un”
“Heh~”
“Well, let’s leave it that way for now.”
“Ah, MOU”
Damn you, Yuu-nii!
See how troublesome it has become now.
I’ll make you pay in full on our way home.
“H—hey, rather than that, it’s about time for our match. Don’t let your guard down just because it’s a practice match now.”
2
Forming their respective circles.
Mahiru briskly gave instructions as everyone listened to her words.
“Kitataka…Fight!”
Mahiru shouted out loud.
After a moment’s delay, members follow.
“OU!!!”
The match has now begun.
I don’t know the detailed rules of volleyball, but I think it’s best to hit the ball into the opponent’s territory.
The ball flew left and right as the players flew, bounced, and slid under it. There was a lot of fuss about it.
It seems that Mahiru was doing well as a captain.
If a colleague made a mistake, she would run up to them in order to follow up. Again if someone scored, she would express her joy more than anyone else, keeping everyone inspired.
“You–you’ve grown up so well…”
My memories of Mahiru, who was as naughty as a boy back then, came rushing in front of my eyes.
That very Mahiru.
That tiny, cheeky, and strangely confident bratty girl, That same Mahiru, was now leading her comrades as a captain.
Seeing that figure, I once again felt the weight of the passage of ten years.
The inner corners of my eyes get hot.
“Uooooooooooooohhhhhhh, Mahiru!”
Before I knew it, I was already standing up, raising my voice, and cheering.
*
“Uwaa, what the hell is with that old man? He is cheering while crying!?”
“Even though it’s just a practice match…”
“Mah~hi, isn’t that person from a while ago?”
“HaaaHaah, well, he is not a bad person. Rather focus on the game.”
“yes”
“yes”
“yes”
…I can’t concentrate.
Does that man have no sense of shame?
Cheering in such a loud voice.
DAMNIT, that stupid, stupid Nii.
Well, the fact that he was cheering on me itself … makes me happy, though.
3
The match ended safely with a victory for North High School.
On the way home.
A crow flies in the sunset sky.
Yuu-ni and I walked alongside other office workers and housewives who were on their way home after a long day’s work and shopping, respectively.
“Be a good adult, and don’t cheer while crying out loud. It was really embarrassing on my end right there.”
“But, but, that Mahiru has grown up so splendidly… Uhhh.”
Uwaa, he started crying again.
I guess I really can’t help doing anything with him.
“Here, here~ it’s okay~.”
I lean over Yuu-ni and stroke his head.
“… don’t treat me like a child!”
“Even though you were crying there, weren’t you?”
“Even so, it was kind of amazing. That spike was so fast.”
“Well, even if it is a woman, getting to a speed of around 100km/h or more is normal.”
“Amazing”
Yuu-ni suddenly stopped and looked at me.
His eyes were staring right straight into mine.
“Ten years, huh? It’s quite a long time.”
Suddenly, why say such a thing.
“Well, that’s no surprise.”
The two of us walked on our way together towards home.
Our shadows stretched out at the front were about the same in length.
End Of Chapter