No! Something's wrong!
The current Miyahito is super, super, super wrong!
Watching him dribble the basketball with steady, heavy thuds, the Class D defender assigned to guard him swallowed hard in fear.
He'd seen people play seriously before. He'd even played against Miyahito before.
But somehow, today's Miyahito moved like a predatory tiger, looking ready to tear every single Class D opponent apart, chew them up, and swallow them whole.
The match was only in the second quarter, fourth minute, but Class B already led Class D by an absurd 58-23.
But that wasn't the scariest part. The scariest part was that at least 41 of those 58 points came from Miyahito alone.
Fast breaks, straight drives, baseline cutbacks, half-court steals... With his full arsenal unleashed, Miyahito had single-handedly turned an inter-class basketball match into his personal highlight reel.
He'd never been this overwhelmingly dominant in casual matches against other classes.
Gritting his teeth unconsciously, the Class D defender stared at Miyahito, whose breathing hadn't even hitched. He forced himself to focus.
Good lord, is this guy made of iron?
After that intensity of offense and defense last quarter, your breathing isn't even messy?
But the moment he let his guard down for a split second, Miyahito seized the opportunity without hesitation, executing a flashy crossover to blow past his defender.
One step, two steps, jump.
Palming the ball, leaping high, Miyahito kept his face tense as he slammed the basketball through the hoop.
Beep——! Class B scores.
Hearing his class score again, Tachibana-sensei, who had come to watch, stared blankly at Miyahito darting across the court like lightning, then at the other boys—including his own—chasing him while gasping for air.
She leaned toward Kyoko, who was sitting beside her, and whispered, "Kyoko-chan, was Miyahito-kun always this good at basketball?"
"Ahaha... I guess so?" Kyoko gave a vague, noncommittal answer, while internally roasting:
'If it weren't for a certain girl coming to watch today, Miyahito would play like this? No way.'
The moment the thought crossed her mind, Kyoko instinctively looked up, her gaze landing on the figure standing on the second-floor platform. She sighed silently.
Is this the legendary "power of love"?
I hope the Class D boys don't actually cry after this match.
Glancing at the scoreboard, the glaring "69:25" stared back.
She then looked at the increasingly gloomy Class D bench and the players on the court, their faces practically screaming "Despair."
Sigh, poor kids.
Can't be helped. Kasumigaoka-san isn't in your class.
With the girl he likes watching from the stands, how could Miyahito possibly hold back?
"Hmm?" Suddenly, a thought struck Kyoko.
If I'm not mistaken, Kasumigaoka-san came to supervise today... and she's holding a water bottle and a towel, right?
Oho ho ho.
Smirking slightly, Kyoko turned and lightly nudged Yuki with her elbow.
When Yuki looked over, Kyoko whispered a few words in her ear.
Instantly, Yuki's face mirrored Kyoko's mischievous grin.
The next second, reaching a silent consensus, the two girls simultaneously shouted toward the court, where Miyahito had just intercepted a long pass:
"Miyahito, look up!"
Everyone on the court, Miyahito included, paused in confusion, then instinctively followed their direction, scanning the stands.
But unlike the clueless spectators, the moment Miyahito looked up, his eyes instantly locked onto the girl standing alone by the railing, towel and bottle in hand, watching him.
It's Utaha... She came.
Then, he saw her raise both hands, palms facing inward, framing her mouth.
Silently, she mouthed a single phrase to him.
「Do your best! Miyahito-kun! You promised me you'd win!」
OHOHOHOH!! My fighting spirit is completely ignited!
"Miyahito!"
Noticing he'd inexplicably stopped, Tooru turned back and yelled,
"Stop spacing out! Pass me the ball! I'll finish the at..."
Beep——! Class B scores.
"Eh?"
Tooru stared in disbelief as Miyahito shot past him like an arrow, saying not a word before delivering another slam dunk on the stunned Class D defense.
Fine. You're the boss. I, Ishikawa Tooru, yield.
....
When the final score locked at "102:69", the PE teacher acting as referee blew his whistle sharply and announced loudly,
"Match over! Class B wins!"
""""YEAH!!!""""
Instantly, the Class B bench erupted in massive cheers. Students from the stands, boys and girls alike, happily swarmed the court, excitedly surrounding the Class B players.
Especially today's Best Player, MVP, and Scoring King, Miyahito, who was immediately grabbed by the arms and legs and hoisted into the air by the guys.
"One! Two! Toss!!"
"Wah! Hahahaha!"
Tossed into the air again and again, Miyahito couldn't help but laugh out loud in pure joy.
Just then, catching sight of a slender figure leaning against the wall outside the court, gazing at him with eyes full of tender affection, Miyahito hurriedly yelled,
"Alright, alright! Put me down already!"
"It's just one match! Don't get so carried away!!"
After some 'desperate pleading', the guys finally set him down.
But when he struggled his way out of the excited crowd,
"Eh? Where's Utaha?"
Not seeing Utaha where she should have been, Miyahito's shoulders slumped in disappointment.
"Why'd she leave already? Didn't she say she'd bring me something?"
The moment the words left his mouth, he felt a light tap on his shoulder.
Assuming it was Utaha, his face lit up as he instinctively looked up.
But it was Tooru who'd tapped him.
However.
Tooru seemed completely oblivious to the disappointment on Miyahito's face. Instead, he just smirked teasingly and jerked his chin toward the gymnasium doors.
Following the gesture, Miyahito instinctively looked over.
Through the half-open gym doors, a strand of long hair dancing in the breeze briefly caught his eye, before quietly disappearing from sight.
"Cover for me."
Without another thought, Miyahito dropped those two words and sprinted toward the gym doors.
Left behind, Tooru watched his friend's retreating figure and chuckled softly.
"Go get her, Romeo."
"Good luck, Miyahito."
...
After rushing out of the gymnasium, it didn't take Miyahito long to find Utaha leaning against a tree trunk, her back turned to him.
A happy smile spread across his face as he jogged up to her, his voice brimming with joy and pride.
"Utaha! Did you see it? I won!"
"I kept my promise to you!"
Hearing his voice, Utaha turned around, her eyes smiling warmly at the triumphant boy before her.
Noticing the sweat on his face, she instinctively raised the blue towel in her hand, gently wiping his forehead and cheeks. Her tone was doting.
"Yes, yes. I saw it all, my dear Miyahito."
"Congratulations."
His gaze fixed on the towel—identical to his own—and feeling the familiar, gentle touch, Miyahito suddenly let out a silly grin.
"Utaha, your towel is exactly the same as mine."
"Eh?" Utaha's movements paused for a second. Then, her smile growing even more tender, she continued wiping his sweat and murmured softly, "Then I'll just keep buying this brand from now on."
That way, you won't feel awkward next time I wipe your sweat for you.
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