I Got Into a Secret Relationship With a Girl Who Was Out of My League
The sound of the ball bouncing and the squeaking of shoes echoes through the gymnasium.
Occasionally, the sound of the ball passing through the net, the cheers of the boys, and the shouts of encouragement from the girls can be heard.
“Hey, pass !”
“Nice shot !”
“As expected of Ichihara !”
“Ichihara is too good !”
“Haha, well, yeah.”
Physical education class.
Today’s boys’ class is basketball. The girls are playing volleyball on the adjacent court, so it’s inevitable that they can see each other.
While the boys are playing, the girls who aren’t participating in the game are mostly watching the boys play and getting excited.
Who’s good, who’s cool, and so on.
The one who attracts the most attention is Ichihara from our class.
He’s a member of the boys’ basketball team and has been a starter since his first year, so his skills are well-known.
His good looks and high communication skills also make him popular with the girls.
On the other hand, since he’s in the same class, he often hangs out with the Nanamori’s group, so it’s natural that rumors are spreading that he’s targeting them.
…Well, he’s like the top dog of the class.
Unlike us, he’s at the very top of the class hierarchy. He’s an opponent we can’t beat no matter how hard we try.
“Damn it ! Ichihara ! That show off ! I’ll take him down !”
There’s one guy who’s burning with determination to take on such an opponent. He’s Shinji, who has the unfortunate nickname of “the handsome guy with a sad aura” among the girls.
“Hmph. According to the data, the probability of him taking a shot next is 82%. From a right dribble, it’s 74%. It’s like predicting the future based on data. I’ll show you.”
And the man with the sharp eyes, Akihiko, also joined in, sending a fiery gaze at Ichihara.
“Why are you guys so motivated today?”
I tease them.
Usually, they say things like, “P.E. is so boring,” or “What’s the point of sports? I’m a brainiac.”
“Huh? Of course I will !”
“Are your eyes rotten?”
“That’s right ! You’re crazy !”
They were being harsh. So why are you so excited?
“Look at the girls’ eyes over there ! The cheers ! The swaying fruit during the attack !”
Shinji shouted at me.
Your voice is too loud. But I get what you’re saying.
Boys want to look cool in front of girls. They want to show off and be popular. That’s what’s motivating them.
I get that, but I think they should hide their perverted tendencies.
Looking over at the other court, the girls are talking happily while watching us.
No wonder Shinji and the others are more motivated than usual.
That’s why the atmosphere feels different from usual.
I could see Nanamori talking with the others in the same way.
Nanamori, wearing a tracksuit over her shoulders, looked somehow fresh.
The silhouette, which fit her body just right, emphasized her slender figure.
And the boys were definitely glancing at Nanami as well.
I can understand how they feel, but I’m sure it’s not a good feeling for her. I’ll be careful not to do that myself.
However, no matter how much I understand it in my head, once I become aware of it, I’m no different.
Moreover, since I’m in that kind of relationship with her, I remember that moment more vividly, as well as its shape and size.
“…..”
I shook my head and tried to force myself to look away, but I felt like I made eye contact with Nanamori.
But Nanamori quickly looked away and started chatting with Itsuka and the others again.
…She must have been annoyed just now.
Maybe I was making a weird face. I need to be careful.
“Hey ! Are you listening, Subaru? You, me, and Akihiko will form a triangle formation and seal him off !”
“No, I’m not listening. What is it?”
“According to the data, if the three of us surround him, he won’t be able to do anything.”
…Isn’t that normal?
“What about the other four? Aren’t those guys going to do anything?”
“As long as he doesn’t do anything, that’s fine ! !”
“That’s right. We might not be popular, but as long as he’s not popular either, that’s fine !”
What a bunch of cheapskates…
It seems their goal is no longer to be popular themselves, but to find a way to bring down the popular guy.
Perhaps they’ve already lost the moment they arrived at that conclusion.
After that, our team played against Ichihara’s team, and despite our strategy, we were soundly defeated.
◆
After the morning P.E class ended, I was unlucky enough to be assigned cleanup duty, so I was putting away the scoreboard and ball bags in the gym storage room.
Shinji and the others didn’t seem interested in helping, so they just gave me a thumbs-up and hurried back to the classroom.
Well, it’s fine.
I guess I can understand why they wanted to hurry back before the snacks at the school store sold out.
—Clang.
“Oops. I did it again.”
I was lost in thought and bumped the scoreboard into a shelf in the storage room, causing the equipment to fall off the shelf.
Seeing the scattered line tape and mini cones on the ground, I let out a sigh.
“…Hm?”
At that moment, the light shining in from outside the gymnasium was blocked. Along with the sound of the door closing.
Wondering what was happening, I turned my gaze toward it, and there was—.
“Nanamori?”
Nanamori was there in her gym uniform.
…Why is she here? And why did she close the door?
With the door closed, the warehouse was dimly lit. There were a few small windows near the ceiling, but they were insufficient to provide much light, only a faint glow.
When I looked at Nanamori, her cheeks seemed slightly flushed.
She didn’t respond to my call and refused to move from in front of the door. It seemed as though she was trying to keep me from leaving.
After a moment, she murmurs something softly and approaches me.
When I look at her face, which has stopped in front of me, it seems that the redness on her cheeks was not just my imagination.
What is she going to say? Or rather, in this closed room…
“…”
My heart skips a beat.
At the same time, Nanamori opens her mouth.
“Yagami kun. Shall we do it here?”
Maitoshi