Haibara’s Teenage New Game+ - Volume 5 - Chapter 3.2

Once eleven came around, we did a light warm-up before stepping onto the court. Our first opponent was class 1-4.

“Line up!” shouted the referee.

As directed, we took our places at the center line and faced the students of class four. Mei stood across from me, shaking violently.

“Oh no no no no no,” he muttered.

“You’re way too nervous. Loosen up and take a deep breath,” I told him.

He started inhaling rapidly.

“No, not like that. Don’t just breathe in. Breathe out. Let it out.”

“Haaah, haaah!” he exhaled. “I-I’m sorry.”

We were causing quite the scene—the kids from class four smiled wryly at our exchange.

“Sorry, Mei. I’m not gonna go easy on you,” I said.

“I know you won’t. I wouldn’t want to win that way either,” he said.

I sneaked a glance at the spectators. Funayama-san’s eyes were focused on Mei, and her hands were clasped together as though she were praying.

“My crush is cheering for me. I may not be good at basketball, but I’ll give this everything I’ve got.”

Seeing him so determined put a smile on my face. He’s become dependable in the blink of an eye.

“Natsuki-kun! Good luck!” Hikari yelled from our class bench. I waved back at her.

Our surroundings erupted with shrill screams and teasing jeers. We’re way too popular. I scanned the vicinity and spotted Miori on the second floor. Realizing that I’d found her, she put on an exasperated look. Her lips moved, and though I couldn’t hear her, I knew what she’d said.

“Don’t lose, Natsuki.”

Sure thing, Miori. It’ll be just like the old days. If that’s what you want, then I’ll win.

All the players lined up and yelled, “Let’s have a good game!” And then the ref kicked off the match.

The ball flew high above the center circle. Okajima-kun fought for it, but class four won the tip-off and took control of the first play. They passed the ball to pinny number five, Kijima-kun of the basketball team.

Victory comes to those who make the first move. I’ll seize the initiative here. The moment Kijima-kun began to nonchalantly dribble, I kicked off the ground. Keeping my body low, I stretched out my arm and just barely nudged the ball.

“Crap!” he yelled.

I accelerated forward, grasped the ball, and dribbled away. Kijima-kun chased after me. I pushed my way up the court and shifted into a layup. He jumped to block me, but I’d never intended to shoot the ball in the first place. I brought the ball behind my back and let go.

“Nice pass,” said Reita, who had taken off at the same time I did. He caught the ball and shot from right under the hoop.

“Wow!” exclaimed the audience. Our class bench went wild. Uta and Hikari were leaning forward so far that they were about to fall over. Move back a little! That’s dangerous.

Kijima-kun clicked his tongue. “Tsk. I let my guard down.” He caught the ball and tried dribbling forward again.

I was in charge of marking him. We had Tatsuya posted on number three, their tallest player. Kijima-kun brought the ball to the top of the key and looked at me, eyes narrow.

“Tatsuya’s not on me? You guys must underestimate me,” he said and then came at me. He dribbled to the right and then cut back, passing the ball between his legs. He tried to shake me off by rapidly stepping to his left, but I reached my hand out from behind him and jabbed the ball with my fingers.

“What?!” he cried.

Tatsuya scooped up the ball, and I instantly broke into a run. Seeing me move, Tatsuya threw the ball ahead. It bounced once and flew far in front of me. I somehow managed to reach it and straightened out my posture with a dribble before transitioning into a layup. The ball fell through the hoop, making it our second goal.

I was a bit winded after running that hard, so I told off the passer. “Dude, Tatsuya, you put way too much force into that throw,” I said.

“I believed you’d get it,” he replied.

“Well dang, can’t stay upset if you say that.” Knew it—he’s half-assing this! He’s not blatantly cutting corners, but that’s the feeling I get.

“My bad, guys! We’re gonna get the next point!” Kijima-kun exclaimed.

Unlike Tatsuya, Kijima-kun was chock-full of competitive spirit. This time, he advanced with a classic drive, but I could react to that. I anticipated where he was heading and blocked him, so he stopped mid step and moved back instead.

“Shinohara!” Kijima-kun passed to their number seven, Mei.

“G-Got it!” Mei practically deflected the ball towards number three, who was standing in the corner.

Considering how he couldn’t pass properly a week ago, he’d really improved a lot. Their number three caught the ball and shot from where he stood. The ball drew an arch in the air, hit the hoop, and bounced back up. Tatsuya decisively grabbed the soaring ball, controlling the rebound.

If Tatsuya was playing seriously, he wouldn’t have even let the guy take a shot. Oh well, it worked out. It’s time for a fast break. I ran forward.

Tatsuya passed the ball to Reita, who sent it to the wing where I was. By the time I caught it, only Kijima-kun had kept up with me. I acted like I was about to throw down against him, but instead tossed the ball up.

Okajima-kun dashed in, snatched the ball, and—though his form was a bit sloppy—took the shot. However, it bounced off the hoop and went straight to our opponent.

“Ugh! Seriously?!” he shouted.

Mei grabbed the ball; evidently he had sprinted as fast as he could back to their side of the court. “Kijima-kun!”

“Nice one, Shinohara!”

Mei passed the ball to Kijima-kun, who then passed it back to Mei. They got past our defense for a counterattack. I ran after them, but I couldn’t catch up. Tatsuya was the only one on our half.

Kijima-kun used Mei as a decoy and passed to their number one. He shot from the corner. However, it bounced off the hoop.

To begin with, it was best to assume that most shots were going to miss in a game between a bunch of amateurs. Rebounds were more important here. It was chaos in front of the goal, but Tatsuya overwhelmed everyone and secured the ball.

The spectators gasped collectively. In terms of both jump strength and power, he was on a whole nother level. Tatsuya’s an absolute beast.

“Bring it on, Tatsuya,” Kijima-kun said.

Tatsuya ignored his provocation and threw the ball to Reita, who was on the left wing. Reita passed it to Hino, who subsequently passed it to me. Marking me was number three. He dropped his hips low and spread his arms wide.

Is that your attempt at defense? Sorry, but you’re full of holes. I didn’t need high-level techniques in a real game. Performing basic techniques at a high level would suffice.

Our eyes locked. I looked to my right and simultaneously lurched forward. Number three reacted to my movement and followed me. Once I knew I had him, I drove the ball in the opposite direction.

Fakes were the simplest technique, and very effective. I easily slipped past number three. Mei came to cover me, but I sidestepped him with a crossover. I faked a shot and passed to Okajima-kun. I’d drawn three defenders to me, so he was unguarded right in front of the hoop. He caught the ball and sank the shot through the ring this time.

“Ohhh!” cheered the crowd.

That should do it.

The moment I relaxed, Kijima-kun threw the ball forward. “Shinoharaaa!”

Crud, I dropped my guard. They’re launching a fast break!

Mei beelined straight for our goal.

“Him again!” I exclaimed.

Mei had probably thought long and hard about how he could be useful. Even if he didn’t have the techniques down, anyone sprinting like mad on the court was trouble. After all, it allowed his team to go on the offensive in a flash, just like now.

Mei caught the pass, stopped in front of the hoop, and leisurely took a shot. The ball bounced off the backboard and went clean through the net.

“Nice one!” class four called out to Mei.

Though his breathing was ragged, he responded to each of them.

“Nice shot, Shinohara-kun!” Funayama-san shouted. I was surprised she could be so loud.

I looked over her way. She was being teased by all the girls around her, and her face was bright red. Mei beamed with utmost satisfaction and struck a victory pose. You look pretty cool. But sorry, you’re gonna have to lose here.

We were on offense now. I caught a pass from Reita in the corner of the court. I was up against number three, but Kijima-kun was positioned so he could assist him at any time. It would be hard to get past them, so I didn’t try to. I faked to the side, faked a pass, and then leaped straight up. I raised the ball from my chest up above my head and snapped my wrists, pushing it off with my pointer and middle finger.

“What?!” Kijima-kun gaped, at a loss for words.

I sank a three-pointer through the net without so much as a noise. It was followed by the whistle signaling the end of the first half.

When I returned to the bench, I was met with a warm welcome from my hyped-up class.

“Nice shot, Haibara!”

“Haibara-kun, how the heck are you so good?!”

There were multiple events going on at this time, so about a third of the class was present. But everyone from my usual friend group was here.

“Here you go, Natsuki-kun.” Hikari handed me a water bottle.

I took it from her and quenched my thirst. I flicked my eyes to the scoreboard—we had a devastating lead after the first half. So far, so good.

“Hell yeah, let’s gooo! We got this in the bag! Haibara is killing it out there!” Okajima-kun, who was in a euphoric mood, smacked my back.

Dude, that hurts. “Don’t let your guard down. The score’s still close enough that they can turn the tables.”

“Ha ha ha! Yeah, I gooot it! You’re always so serious!”

Tatsuya stood up, his expression blank. “I’m gonna go wash my face.”

We all watched him go, collectively bothered by his strange lack of emotion.

“What’s up with him?” Okajima-kun asked, cocking his head to the side.

“Who knows? Eh, who cares. He’s playing fine,” Hino replied lazily.

After a beat, Uta said, “I’ll check up on him,” and then chased after Tatsuya.

“Let’s go too,” Reita said.

“Yeah. Something about him is bugging me,” I said.

Reita and I followed after the two of them.

***

Tatsuya washed his face off at the sinks a short walk from the gym. The clamor of students could be heard in the distance. No one was around except for the four of us. Uta kept her eyes on Tatsuya’s back. Reita and I hid close by in the shadows with our breaths held.

“Tatsu,” Uta tentatively called out to him.

“What’s up?” he replied, wiping his face with a towel.

“Why’re you being so passive?”

“Rather than a basketball player rampaging on the court, it’s better to let the beginners have fun.”

“Well, maybe...” Uta was at a loss for words—his reasoning was sound.

“Plus, it’s just the ball game competition; it wouldn’t be very mature of me to go all out.”

That seemed to tick her off. “Who cares about that! Be immature! You never cared about things like that before!”

Tatsuya’s eyes widened. He was shocked that she’d snap at him like that. He shook his head. “We can’t stay kids forever, so I want to grow up a little.”

“So is this how you think adults behave? If it is, then I’d rather you stay a kid!” Uta urged, her voice a strained yell. “I don’t like the way you are right now. Go back to being the old Tatsu.”

It felt like the air froze over. Tatsuya’s expression twisted sorrowfully. “I’m a terrible person. That’s why I want to better myself as much as I can. Not selfish like I used to be, but someone kind and considerate of others. I want to quit acting like a brat and be a little more respectable. And you’re telling me to stop?”

“Why...do you want that all of a sudden?”

“For a split second, I was glad that Natsuki rejected you.”

Uta blinked at him in surprise.

Tatsuya dropped his gaze. “I was disappointed in myself. But if I put in the work like Natsuki did and tried to change my behavior...then I figured even someone as low as me could transform.”

The way he delivered each word stoically while hiding his emotions was completely different from the normal Tatsuya. And it truly showed what he was striving to become.

“Also...if I became a better guy, I could help you more.” He cut himself off there.

A blanket of silence settled between them for a while. The noise from the gym was far away, and it was so quiet that it felt like time had come to a halt.

“Tatsu, listen...” Keeping her eyes fixed on Tatsuya, Uta suddenly inhaled deeply and then screamed, “You moooron!”

I was wondering what she’d come up with, but she had stooped to name-calling. Reita and I exchanged glances.

“H-Huh?” Tatsuya furrowed his brows, perplexed.

Uta seemed furious; she thrust her pointer finger at him. “You were happy I got rejected? Of course you were!”

Her unexpected assertion threw him for a loop. “Huh? Th-That can’t be right. Any guy with a decent personality wouldn’t think that.”

She kept on the pressure, not allowing him to recover from his confusion. “I mean, don’t you love me?! If Hikarin had rejected Natsu, then I would’ve been happy too! How could we not feel that way?!” she shouted with over-the-top honesty, her cheeks flushing madly.

“What?” Tatsuya uttered, stunned.

Should I be hearing this? Definitely not, right? Sorry.

“If you were glad, then that just means you were seriously head over heels for me, right?!”

Tatsuya couldn’t say a thing. His silence was all the confirmation she needed.

“I’m happy to hear that, and I don’t think you’re the worst. It’s normal to feel nasty things sometimes. We’re only human. So don’t do that... Don’t hate yourself.”

“Uta, are you...?”

“I’m not crying!” She shook her head, tears spilling down her cheeks. “If you want to help me, then...stay the Tatsu I like!”

Seeing Uta cry put Tatsuya in a nervous panic.

She rubbed her eyes with her arm before continuing. “I don’t want to discredit all the hard work you’ve done. But I hate that the Tatsu I know is disappearing. So please, stay the version of you I like.”

Their gazes locked, and for a few moments, there was only silence.

Finally, Tatsuya let out a long sigh, as if to vent all the tension that had been building up inside of him. “I’m sorry, Uta.”

“You don’t need to apologize.”

“To be real, I still don’t really like myself. I’m stupid, rude, inconsiderate, selfish, pushy... My faults are endless. I’m nothing compared to Reita and Natsuki.”

“Yep. You’ve got that right!”

“You’re not even gonna deny it? You know, I’m more sensitive than you guys think.”

“Hey, it’s the truth! I know you get hurt super easily. I also know that you actually think about lots of stuff. Like when you get carried away and say something weird, you beat yourself up and reflect on it quietly.”

“Shut up. How do you know all that?” Tatsuya asked.

Tatsuya, so you also have the special skill of self-flagellation just like me? The knowledge moved my heart. Reita gave me the side-eye. I feel a new sense of kinship with Tatsuya. We’re the same type of person. I’ll always be your friend, only me...

“Ah ha ha! Duuummy! Tatsu, I pay more attention than you think.” Seeing that his regular expressions and tone had returned, Uta grinned widely, satisfied.

Tatsuya looked up at the sky, his expression brighter now. “I got it. If you like me the way I am, then I’ll quit forcing myself to change.”

Reita and I looked at each other and smiled wryly at the same time. We’d come up with all sorts of plans, but it turned out we wouldn’t need any of them. After all, there was nothing that’d work more effectively on Tatsuya than Uta.

“Halftime’s almost over. I better get going.” Tatsuya turned away from Uta and began walking back to the gym.

“Hey, you’re going to get that win, right?” she asked.

A small chuckle escaped from his lips, and then he simply said, “Leave it to me.”