Episode 10 – School’s Madonna Receives Cheers

“Hey, Aikawa, pass it over here !”

I stopped dribbling and pushed the ball with my right hand to pass.

“Whoa, that’s a pretty good pass.”

Aizawa receives the ball, dribbles in, and shoots a layup.

[ [ [ [ Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa] ] ] ]

The loud cheer of the female students can be heard.

“Nice pass !”

Aizawa, who had returned, raised his right hand and asked for a high-five, to which I responded despite my embarrassment.

“Now, everyone. Let’s go for the win at once !”

“Yeah. Of course !”

The other classmates’ eyes lit up. The eyes are telling that they are not going to let Aizawa be the only one to take all the glory.

The reason why Aizawa and the other classmates are so fired up is because today is the ball game tournament.

“Good luck, boys–!”

“Yeah ! Leave it to us !”

Two and a half months after entering the school, the students’ positions in the class have been decided and their relationships have been established.

There are groups of the same sex that share the same interests, and there are mixed groups of boys and girls.

Ball games are a chance for students who have only been able to show themselves through their studies to show off their surprising athletic skills both inside and outside the class.

Many guys especially want the gir;s to be aware of them, so it was inevitable that they would get worked up because the girls were there to cheer them on.

“Look, Aikawa. A pass !”

As I was thinking about this in the game, a pass came from Aizawa. I feel like I’m not going to moderate it, but the impact is added to my hand, but this kind of strength happens occasionally when fishing, so it was no problem.

“I’ll definitely stop you !”

A student from the enemy team rushes in with bloodshot eyes. His first opponent is in the same grade, so maybe he too intends to win glory here and appeal to the others.

If that’s the case, I thought I’d let him fulfill it, but…….

“Aikawa, out !”

I switch the ball to my right hand and dribble past him.

“Whoa !”

I suddenly evaded him, and he lost his balance and fell down. With this sight beside me, I looked at the goal and fired a one-handed shot.

The basketball arced and was neatly sucked into the ring, and I heard a “psst” sound. I don’t mind the sound of a clean shot.

“Damn ! Aside from Aizawa, even that shady guy is so strong !”

Some people say rude things. I’m not surprised, since I usually act so inconspicuously, and I wonder if the other sees me as Aizawa’s follower?

Anyway, the goal may have turned the tide decisively, and Aizawa continued to play an active role in passing the ball to me and the other members while scoring a goal himself, and we won the first round in a convincing fashion.

“Good job !”

After the game, I returned to a corner of the gymnasium, where my classmates were hanging out.

“Aikawa kun, you’re really athletic, aren’t you? I was impressed when I saw you dribble past him so brilliantly.”

The class president spoke to me.

“I don’t think so, I think it’s normal to be that good.”

The boys on the opposing team were just over-enthusiastic about showing the girls how good they are, and it’s not something that I would praise for someone like me, who only works out occasionally.

I cut off my conversation with the class president and looked around the gym…….

“Misa chan, fight !”

There was an unusually large crowd of spectators and an exciting game.

The indoor division of the ball game tournament is basketball for the boys and volleyball for the girls.

When I turned my gaze, there was a volleyball game going on, and Watanabe san was just in the middle of a game.

“Wow……it’s so exciting over there, too.”

I was watching the game, and the class president spoke to me.

“Even so, most of the boys watching the game are rooting for Watanabe san…..and there are boys in our class.”

Watanabe san’s popularity is as great as ever, and a cheering group has formed around.

“If it were me, I would get nervous and make a mistake if I were being watched like that.”

“I agree with you.”

I make mistakes because my body becomes stiff when I’m burdened with people’s expectations. I’m not good at that kind of thing, and I also try to avoid attracting people’s attention as much as possible.

“But Watanabe san seems to be fine with that.”

She is an eye-catcher by nature, and a popular one at that.

She is probably used to this kind of cheer since she has spent her elementary and middle school years in the same way.

The other team seemed to be having a hard time with the cheers, looking bitter and out of breath.

“Misa chan, nice !”

She seemed to have scored again, and the loudest cheers echoed through the gym.

The spike she just hit was also quite powerful, perhaps she has a rather strong wrist?

I think it’s suitable for fishing.

“Aikawa, the girls in our class have a game next over there, so let’s move.”

Since she cheered for me, I will cheer for her too. It’s a very disciplined thing to do, but I guess this is the secret to being popular with girls.

The girls in our class are very strict when it comes to boys who are preoccupied with girls in other classes.

As I was thinking that I should be careful too, I arrived at the back of the volleyball court.

I’m now standing at the entrance to the gymnasium.

It is partitioned off by a net to prevent the ball from going out, but I can see her back from here.

There are many boys standing in front of her, appealing to her, but she seems to be concentrating on the game and not paying attention to them.

“I knew Watanabe san was the best among them.”

Aizawa whispered to me.

The way she bounces back from pressure and lives up to the expectations of those around her is certainly the brightest of all the girls participating in this match…..or even of the entire school.

There was no hesitation in her movements, no wasted energy, and the match was one-sided in a natural state.

“Oops !”

As I was thinking that, a volleyball flew at me, perhaps off course.

“Excuse me, can you get the ball for me……”

As I was picking up the ball, Watanabe san ran up to me to receive it.

“Yeah, here.”

I can’t talk here, so I make a flat voice and hand her the ball.

“T-thank you very much.”

She bowed politely as usual, and went back to the game. Her demeanor was somewhat unnatural, and I felt a sense of discomfort, unlike when she was fishing.

“It would have been a shame to miss the chance to talk to the Madonna of the school.”

“No, she was in the middle of a game, so she didn’t have time for that.”

Aizawa is saying something, but if I were to have a conversation here, I don’t know what the boys in front would do.

I thought about that and turned my gaze back to watch the game……

“Misa chan, don’t mind.”

Watanabe san was on the floor with her feet.

“What’s the matter, her movements seem to have suddenly stiffened?”

Aizawa raised an eyebrow and made a dubious expression.

“It’s just a coincidence. Even athletes have their ups and downs.”

I replied as I looked at Watanabe san, who had fallen and was smiling shyly.