Waking Up Engaged to a Cool Yandere Beauty: My Wild Journey with a Love-Obsessed Senior - Episode 14: The Fiery Finals. Hang in there, my body

Episode 14: The Fiery Finals. Hang in there, my body

“Line up!”

The time has come—the finals.
Standing before us, the eleven members of our tennis club, were the ten members of the Handicrafts Club… plus one extra.

“Huh? Why is Utakata-san here?”

“Because Nikaido promised me something nice if I showed up.”

Her annoyed gaze pierced through me. It seemed like something had happened.

“Hmph, how long I have waited for this moment! Anzai, Uka! To stand against you in battle like this—I’m thrilled beyond words!”

Uh, wait a minute. This guy suddenly started acting like some sort of battle maniac.

“Hah, what a coincidence. I’ve been longing to settle things with you as well.”

Captain, why are you getting caught up in this too?

“Then…”

“Indeed.”

“No words are necessary!”

Captain and Nikaido exchanged a knowing glance before retreating to their benches.

“…What is going on here?”

Left behind, the rest of us and the Handicrafts Club members exchanged awkward nods before also heading back to our benches.

“Captain, you chose to go first. Was there some kind of strategy behind it?”

“Hmph, Uka. It seems you still have much to learn.”

“Chess, shogi, and any competitive game—seizing the initiative is paramount. By securing the first move, we have gained the upper hand!”

“What!? No way!”

It’s true. I’ve heard that having the initiative often leads to higher win rates.

“Oh? Mariri, wasn’t it common knowledge that in baseball, the second team is said to have the advantage? A book I read yesterday mentioned how the second team can adapt to the game’s flow and has the chance for a walk-off win in the final inning.”

“…”

Wait a second. That triumphant look she had earlier is now completely replaced by the serene expression of a bodhisattva.

“Uka, do you think a slight handicap like this is enough to defeat us?”

“You’re the one who created that handicap, Captain.”

“The past is irrelevant. What matters is the present. …Alright, Isaka! Get out there and swing!”

Oh, she’s dodging the issue. Well, whatever.

“It doesn’t matter if I hit, does it?”

“Isaka… you…”

He ran his hand through his blond hair, acting all suave, and stepped up to the plate.

“Heh, think you can hit my pitch?”

The pitcher was none other than Nikaido. She had an intimidating aura of strength about her… but still.

“Fweeeh—”

Two strikes. He was cornered almost instantly. Honestly, it wasn’t even a contest.

“Hey, Rei-kun.”

“Yes, what is it?”

“He’s terrible at sports, isn’t he?”

His stance was pathetically weak, his swing feeble at best. To be honest, even an old man from the neighborhood would probably perform better.

“For all three years of high school, his score was one. Do you know what that number represents?”

The senior shook her head.

“What does it stand for?”

“According to him, it was his grade in gym class. He says he never scored higher than a two, even in middle school.”

“…That’s pretty bad.”

“Strike three! Batter out!”

Yeah. The bat was at least thirty centimeters away from the ball. In fact, he swung after the ball had already landed in the catcher’s glove. That’s not gonna cut it.

“Alright! Next batter!”

“I’ll hit it for sure, yessiree!”

Yeah, no, this guy’s not hitting anything. He’s the mole, after all.

“Captain, don’t you think it’s time to pull that extra out of the game?”

“Huh? What’s this all of a sudden?”

The Captain tilted her head in genuine confusion. I hadn’t told her about Keyama being a mole. Did she really not know? Or was she pretending?

“He looks like he’s not feeling well.”

I made up a random excuse. If the Captain truly didn’t know, revealing the truth would be risky for me. If she did know and I was caught hiding it, I wouldn’t just get scolded—I’d be sent to the East Campus as punishment.

“I see. However, he’s our only…”

“Guhah!”

A spectacular strikeout. Yep, no good.

“…Next! Batter three!”

“Leave it to me. With the right bulk, I’ll hit it. That’s all that matters.”

Hah, even if he’s slimmed down, his swing seems steady. Maybe this time…

Or so I thought.

“GUHAA! My side! My ribs!!”

…Nope, useless. You’re not gonna make it, man.

“Three outs! Change sides!”

“Hmm… what should we do?”

Even if we ignored how weak our batters were, I couldn’t see anyone other than the Captain managing to hit Nikaido’s pitches.

“Hmph, the opponent’s no pushover. But we’ve got the strongest battery on our side! Alright, everyone! Let’s tighten up!”

Oh, she stole my line! That’s what I wanted to say! It’s the whole reason I agreed to be the catcher, despite how tough the position is.

Bottom of the first inning: Our defense.

I suited up in full gear and crouched behind the plate just as Nikaido stepped up to bat.

“Yo, Uka.”

The leadoff batter was Nikaido herself. In this tournament, she had seven hits in seven at-bats—a perfect record.

“Hey there. You don’t smell as bad today. Did you actually take a bath for once?”

“I bathe every day! …Anyway, that aside—have you figured out who the mole is?”

It sounded like Nikaido also knew the identity of the traitor.

“Well, I know. But it doesn’t matter. Winning solves everything.”

“Interesting. I had hoped to defeat you under fair conditions, but you’ve willingly embraced a disadvantage.”

Ah, so that’s why she used Utakata to tip me off.

Oh, I get it now—she’s a tsundere.

“Let’s get started. You’ll strike out anyway.”

“Quite the sharp tongue. This will be fun.”

…

“Strike three! Batter out!”

A cloud of dust rose. The Captain’s pitch tore through everything, landing squarely in my gut.

“…Nice pitch.”

“Hah! I see. That’s a fine ball. But next time, I’ll hit it. See you in the final inning.”

Was that the grace of a defeated opponent, or did she have some trick up her sleeve to counter this pitch?

I had no idea.

But one thing was certain.

“Captain… your love is too heavy.”

“Rei!!”

And once again, my friends’ voices echoed around me.

Ah… three more innings. I wonder if my body will hold out.