When I Thought I Was Reborn, My Family Turned Out to Be a Huge Landmine - Chapter 37: Basketball in Physical Education, a Classic

Chapter 37: Basketball in Physical Education, a Classic

The last class of the day was physical education. The boys and girls split up, each heading to the gymnasium to play different sports. The boys ended up playing basketball, while the girls played volleyball. Due to the considerable number of students, there were fewer players on the court than off, but only those in the sports clubs complained about not being able to participate. The rest were happy to watch from the sidelines, cheering and chatting.

“Well, I’m the same.”

“What’s up, man?”

I mumbled to myself, but it seemed Kenichi had overheard. I brushed it off as nothing and turned my attention back to the boys’ basketball game. Kenichi, on the other hand, seemed overly excited, fixated on the girls’ game… Man, don’t make it so obvious, but it might be too late for that now.

“Wow… Every time they attack, their chests bounce… No wonder everyone’s watching.”

“…You.”

“Look around, everyone else is doing the same.”

Glancing around, I noticed a fair number of boys, like Kenichi, had turned their backs to their own game to watch the girls. While they weren’t as outspoken as Kenichi, some were smirking… Well, they are high school boys, after all. Maybe it’s unavoidable.

“Give me!!”

“Got it!”

Following these shouts, the sound of the ball being hit echoed, followed by cheers.

“That was great, Arika!”

“No, it’s all thanks to everyone.”

It seemed like Arika had scored. Both the boys and the girls, in their pure enjoyment, often erupted into cheers. Hm, maybe I should join Kenichi and watch the girls’ game too. Just as I was about to turn my back on the boys playing basketball, I heard Sogo’s voice from behind.

“Ren! Can you join in?”

“Sure…”

Having been called out, I had no choice. I gave a quick high-five to a classmate leaving the court and stepped in. Probably anyone would have sufficed as a replacement, but they targeted me while I was relaxing. Well, if I’m going to play, I might as well do my best.

“Thanks.”

“Yeah!”

Sogo and the other classmates responded energetically. The game resumed, and to be honest, I didn’t do much. Sogo and the others were mainly under the goal, and my role was mostly to dribble a bit and pass the ball to the cutter when it came my way.

“Sogo!”

“Leave it to me!”

Even when I threw the ball to a tough spot, Sogo would catch up, grab it, and rush to the basket to score. He might not always look capable, but his athletic ability is outstanding, and he’s very reliable in moments like these. It seemed I wasn’t the only one who thought so; the rest of my teammates also rushed to high-five him.

Glancing at the clock, I noticed that the end of the period was drawing near. Though I hadn’t played much, basketball still had me moving enough to sweat. With just a few seconds left, Sogo, who had his shot blocked, looked over at me.

“Sogo!”

“Take it!”

The moment our eyes met, I called out to Sogo. It wasn’t intentional; it was just that no one else was around me. There was no wall of players to block Sogo’s pass, and the ball smoothly landed in my hands. Then, aiming for the goal, I took a shot. It wasn’t a beautifully formed shot like those from club members, but still, my shot made it through the hoop.

“Ah, it went in.”

I muttered to myself. Alright, that’s my contribution done! There’s only a little time left, but there are still people who haven’t had a turn. I’ll swap out with them.

“Nice one, Ren… wait, you’re already done?”

“Yeah. There are others who haven’t played yet… like that guy over there.”

“Got it, I’ll call him.”

“Okay.”

I think anyone who saw where I was looking would know who I meant. In fact, there’s really only one person it could be. I approached Kenichi, who was still watching the girls, and called out to him.

“Kenichi, it’s your turn now.”

“…Eh?”

“You haven’t done anything today, right?”

“…Alright, fine.”

Although he seemed reluctant, Kenichi headed towards the court. Well, there’s not much time left anyway, and a little bit of running should bring the game to an end.

While I was laughing at Kenichi, who was being tousled by Sogo, someone tapped me on the shoulder. It caught me completely off guard, making me jump. Wondering who it could be, I turned around and found Arika there, accompanied by two friends.

“Hey, I saw that shot you made earlier.”

“Thanks. It was my only highlight, though.”

Indeed, that might have been my only moment of glory, but I guess it was good that Arika saw it.

“No, it was really cool.”

…I’m proud of myself for not reacting out loud to her words. But being complimented so directly by Arika, it’s natural to feel shy. I thought I was getting used to interacting with her, but it seems I still have a long way to go… My cheeks feel like they’re burning.

“Fufu, Ren-kun is cute.”

“…So this is how you two interact, huh?”

“Aren’t you forgetting we’re here?”

No, I haven’t forgotten since you girls right in front of me. But being called cool by Arika and then having this conversation in front of these two is doubly embarrassing… Wait, is that? I noticed Arika’s forehead was a bit red.

“Arika?”

“What?”

“Is your forehead red?”

“Um…”

“?”

She awkwardly averted her gaze, and I tilted my head in confusion, while the two girls behind her giggled.

“Actually, Kamisato-kun, Arika was just―”

“H-Hey, stop it!”

One of them, Azumi-san, was about to spill the beans when Arika suddenly jumped in to stop her. The speed of her reaction was surprising, but watching the girls playfully interact was somewhat endearing. However, with one of them restrained, the other, Rindou-san, was free to spill the secrets.

“When Arika tossed the ball, it just so happened Kamisato-kun was making a shot. Distracted by Kamisato-kun, she took a clean hit from the ball right on the forehead.”

“Ah, I see.”

So that’s why her forehead was red. Arika looked down, perhaps not intending for me to hear this, but this playful and slightly absent-minded side of her was quite charming.

“Uh, it’s embarrassing.”

“I thought it was cute.”

“…It’s still embarrassing!”

Trying to hide her embarrassment, Arika almost stepped forward to hug me but then stopped herself abruptly, taking a deep breath and stepping back.

“That was close. We have to be careful about the people around us, and I’m all sweaty too.”

“Aren’t you a bit late to worry about what others think?”

“Yeah, you hugged him in the classroom today too.”

Arika groaned in response. Then we spent the remaining time together, watching the boys play basketball. As we watched Kenichi run around, Rindou-san suddenly murmured.

“…Watanabe, huh? I haven’t talked to him much, but seeing him interact with Kamisato-kun, he seems like a fun guy.”

“Hmm?”

Seeing Rindou-san say this while watching Kenichi, I wondered what she meant. Arika leaned in to whisper.

“Remember when I said I’d introduce Watanabe-kun to a girl with similar interests? She’s the one.”

“Oh, really?”

Indeed, we had such a conversation before, but I never imagined it would be Rindou-san. To put it bluntly, she’s quite different from Kenichi’s usual type. At first glance, with her dyed brown hair and slightly tanned skin, she has a spirited aura that gives off a somewhat gal-like impression. She seems like a typical extroverted girl, so the idea that she and Kenichi would have similar interests… Well, it makes sense in a way.

“She, despite her looks, really loves manga and games. Recently, she’s been obsessed with this otome game, but she’s been frustrated because she can’t win over one of the boys in it.”

“…I see.”

It’s true that you can’t judge a book by its cover…

“She also likes cosplay and has various―”

“Arika, you do know what will happen if you keep talking, right?”

“Sorry!”

Arika quickly shrank back, hiding behind me as if to escape from Rindou-san. Well, I had a clear view of Rindou-san’s expression and, let me tell you, it’s no wonder Arika was so intimidated.