“Makishima-kun, you really do love soccer——”
With just that one sentence from me, Makishima-kun started to cry.
He gritted his teeth, holding back what sounded like a scream, while tears streamed down his face.
Seeing him like that made my own eyes fill with tears.
I didn’t say anything. I just gently rubbed Makishima-kun’s back.
His back was bigger and rougher than I expected.
Even though he always looks so slim, I realized again that Makishima-kun is still a boy.
“Sorry, Aihara, I—”
“It’s okay to cry. Crying isn’t uncool, you know.”
I cried almost every day back when I used to play soccer too.
Even though I loved soccer, I was never good at sports.
From elementary school onward, I hardly ever made the starting lineup unless it was a meaningless match.
What made things worse was that, around middle school, only my chest kept getting bigger, and it became hard to maintain an athlete’s body shape.
Eventually I started to feel uncomfortable with the way people looked at me, and I quit the soccer I loved midway through high school.
That’s when my life turned into nothing but studying.
A boring, monochrome routine filled only with exam prep.
Because of those efforts, I got accepted into Takahigashi University, one of Tokyo’s top private schools… but I didn’t feel happy.
Then one day, my eyes were drawn to a soccer match playing on a big screen in the university cafeteria.
A player wearing number 18 came on in the second half. Even after making a mistake that led to a goal, he didn’t run away—he dropped back to the midfield for post play again and again.
Seeing someone who didn’t run from his failures struck me deeply, because I had run away from soccer.
From that day on, I started projecting myself onto Makishima-kun.
Makishima-kun was the ideal version of who I had wanted to become.
“How do you feel? A little calmer after crying?”
“…Yeah. I feel way better.”
Makishima-kun wiped his face with a tissue and answered with a smile.
“I dunno… feels like I only ever show you the uncool sides of myself.”
“That’s not true! Besides, I think you grow every time you fail.”
“R-really?”
“Yeah! Your post play during that one-two with Azaki-kun today—sure, it was the reason we lost the other match, but today you won! And your opponent was the captain of Komassen University!”
When I praised him like that, Makishima-kun’s face lit up in an obviously goofy grin.
He really shows his emotions easily… it’s kind of cute.
“Thanks, Aihara. From now on—”
Just then, the curtain slid open with a swish, and Sasaki-chan walked in wearing her usual disguise of black mask and glasses.
“Heeey, excuse me coming throoough.”
She had gone to buy drinks. She handed me tea, and for some reason gave Makishima-kun… oshiruko.
“Hey, Sasaki. Why am I getting oshiruko?”
“I hit the wrong button, can’t help it.”
“Wrong button? If you feel bad, then trade with me. C’mon, give me your tea.”
“Nooope. You’re the patient here, so warm up with oshiruko.”
“…Hah?”
The two of them immediately started bickering with the rhythm of a married couple’s comedy skit.
They said they bonded over Hoshigami Academy talk, but… aren’t they a little too close?
“Um—how about I take the oshiruko? I’ll give Sasaki-chan my tea, and then Sasaki-chan can give Makishima-kun the green tea?”
“But Aihara, you don’t have to—”
“It’s fine, it’s fine.”
I took the oshiruko and handed Sasaki-chan the tea.
“See, Sasaki? Maybe try being as mature as Aihara.”
“Shut it.”
Sasaki-chan’s vibe around Makishima-kun is totally different from when she’s with the Izawa seminar group.
“Makishima-kun.”
“What? Getting tired of the oshiruko already?”
“No! That’s not it. I meant… you two are…”
“Makishimaaa! You alive!?”
Too many people with bad timing today—this time it was Azaki-kun who threw the curtain open.
“You idiot, Azaki! This is a hospital!”
“Oh, my bad. But if you died, I’d get expelled so I was panicking.”
“Expelled? What are you talking about?”
“Forget that! Oh, and Aihara-san—you’re here too. Haven’t seen you since the mixer.”
Azaki-kun suddenly changed his tone and offered me his hand.
Yep. I still can’t deal with him.
I forced a polite smile, tucked the oshiruko into my bag, picked up the bag, and stood up.
“W-well then, Makishima-kun, take care.”
“Ah, yeah.”
I wanted to talk to him a bit more but… oh well.
I ignored Azaki-kun trying to follow me and left the hospital.
✳︎✳︎
Right when Aihara left, Azaki the idiot also ran out saying, “I’ll walk Aihara-san home, later!”
“I hate that afro guy. He’s gross.”
“Agreed. I’m planning to cut ties with him soon.”
Azaki may have talent in soccer, but he’s even more talented at getting on everyone’s nerves.
Once the human tornado left, the room felt peaceful again.
The sky that was bright blue earlier over the field had turned orange with sunset.
“Alright, I shouldn’t stay too long. Can you get a nurse for me?”
“Okay, I’ll go call one.”
While Sasaki went to call a nurse, I started getting my things ready.
But before I finished packing, a middle-aged man suddenly opened the curtain around my bed.
He had pitch-black sunglasses and a neck warmer pulled up to his nose so I couldn’t see his face at all.
Wh-who the hell is this guy? Did he enter the wrong room?
“Uh, this is my bed—”
He saw me, placed a white envelope on the table, and disappeared.
Wh-what the hell was that? And this… completely plain envelope…
I nervously opened it.
“Makishima Yuutaro-kun, long time no see. To you, I’m the worst kind of man. That alone should tell you who I am. I currently work in the Tokyo Frontier FC development division. Your goal today was exactly the kind of goal I hoped you’d score a year ago. You are without a doubt Hoshigami’s number 9. Someday I want us to work in the same place again. If you’ll allow it, let me entrust that dream to you.”
As soon as I read the letter, I grabbed my things and ran out of the room, but he was already gone.
“…Why didn’t you say anything…?”
While I stood frozen in the hallway staring toward the staircase, Sasaki and the nurse arrived.
“Makishima, they said you can go home now.”
“…!”
“Makishimaaa?”
“O-oh! Yeah, I’ll go.”
I owe everything to that man.
I want to answer his expectations again.
“Here, lemme help.”
Sasaki snatched the shoulder bag I was carrying and slung it over her own shoulder.
“Hey Sasaki, that’s my bag.”
“Come on, we’re going home together.”
“Together? To where?”
“To your apartment, Makishima.”
“…Huh?”
“T-tonight… I-I’m gonna take care of you. Specially.”
…What?
✳︎✳︎
Before unlocking the door to my room, I took a deep breath.
“Hey, Sasaki. Give me three minutes. I need to clean.”
“Why? Is there something you don’t want me to see?”
“…Yes.”
The moment I said it, Sasaki snatched the key from my hand, unlocked the door at lightning speed, and tried to rush inside.
“H-Hey! Wait! What was that speed!?”
I desperately tried to grab her clothes, but Sasaki dodged with godlike reflexes and entered my room.
I—I’m done for. My privacy is dead.
Holding my head, I followed her inside.
“It’s gotta be some dirty magazines, right? Oh, maybe this book under this cover—”
Humming happily, Sasaki picked up a certain book from my bed and opened it.
“—Eh?”
While my face turned pale, hers turned bright red as she started trembling.
“H-Hey, Makishima! This—this is—”
“I-It’s not what you think, Sasaki! That’s—”
“Th-this! This is MY gravure photobook!!”
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