CH 12

Chp 12. Unfamiliarity

There are still lots of things that I’ve yet to get used to in my new school.

Unlike in Tsukinose, I don’t see any tractors on my way to school, nor do I see deer or wild boar in the school yard. Also, the classrooms here are full.

It was the same in gym class.

[I went there for the ball!]

[Lies! You can make it in time!]

[To be caught in a feint, how funny!]

[Tch!]

Today, we were playing various ball games jointly with the neighboring class in groups by gender.

Incidentally, my group was playing soccer.

My physical ability, trained by working in the fields while I was in the countryside, was outstanding compared to my classmates.

I also surprised my classmates with all kinds of feints and techniques.

My classmates warmly welcomed me with all kinds of laughter.

[Good work, Kirishima. What the heck, you’re good and kind of awesome!]

[Oh come on, today was my first time playing soccer, Mori. There weren’t enough people to play ball games when I was in Tsukinose.]

[Ahaha, I see.]

[Yeah. What was that sound?]

Suddenly, a loud cheer came from the gym.

Since the space of the gym was limited, all groups can’t play at once. So half of us have to watch.

Most of the people who were supposed to be watching seemed to be gathering to the gym.

I was strongly piqued as I wondered what on Earth attracted people more than those who were looking at festival floats.

[Ah, the goddess of victory has descended.]

[The goddess of victory?]

Mori urged me to go to the gym.

There was like a goddess flying mid-air. But in my eyes, I only saw a monkey.

[Why is she there?]

[She was floating for too long, are you sure she’s not flying?]

[Pass the ball to Nikaido-san as much as you can!]

[But, there’re always at least three people who mark her, right?]

It was the girls basketball game.

With one girl at the center of the game, the rapid offensive and defensive changes will make your hands sweat.

She flew around the court with the ball in all directions, never settling in one place

Just like a monkey jumping from tree to tree, she toyed with her classmates using her inhuman leg strength and stamina.

The interesting thing about this game was that Haruki was not the only one who stood out.

From the cheers coming from the crowd, I concluded that Haruki’s enemy was our school’s women basketball team. Even though Haruki’s performance stood out, the skill of the enemy’s teamplay was outstanding. They’re able to hold off Haruki and make the game a back-and-forth affair.

It was a match that I couldn’t help but be fascinated by.

I felt a strong sense of deja vu about this game

(Fascinating, that girl’s playing)

Haruki has always had a habit of not only playing games, but also jumping into a river, jumping over a fence, or swinging a stick she picked up.

She still puts up a cool face even when the enemy team looks exhausted. It’s a great way to make sure she’s getting the most of her team.

She involuntarily wrinkled her eyebrows, and she breathed out because of the strangeness.

[Haha… I knew that Nikaido-san would be amazing, Kirishima.]

[Well, I do agree with you, Mori]

[Basketball’s all good, but ‘that’ thing’s awesome.]

[‘That’?]

If you looked at Mori’s face, you’ll see that he had a tight and disheveled look on his face

I shifted my gaze for a moment, and I saw a lot of boys with the same expression.

If you followed their gazes, you’d understand what Mori’s talking about.

[EH?]

[Isn’t that great?]

[No, Uhm, I mean, that…]

It was Haruki’s breast. Her boobs. They weren’t particularly large compared to those around her.

But her athleticism was unrivaled as she flew around the court.

They swayed vertically with a bang and went horizontally with a shake. Sometimes, when she feinted with the ball, it made a big arc.

[What an art.]

Mori whispered admiringly, and I gulped as if agreeing with him

The size of Hauki’s body was standard or slightly below, but her supple and healthy movements were enough to make me conscious of the opposite sex.

(OI OI! You can’t see her like that, it’s Haruki!!!)

I desperately tell myself that in my head, but sadly, I am also an adolescent boy, and once I am aware of it, I can’t help but glance at her… Trying to pay attention.

[――]

[Urgh!]

At that moment, Haruki decided to shoot and noticed my gaze. For a moment, I can hear her saying [How is it?] with a smile. The timing was too perfect.

(Did she notice my gaze? She didn’t, right???)

The conflicting thoughts were running through my head, and my face was getting hotter and hotter.

I couldn’t stay here any longer.

[Where are you going, Kirishima?]

[Ah you know, I’m not used to crowds.]

[Ah, I see. What a waste.]

[Ahahaha…]

Leaving the gymnasium flatteringly, I felt like my head seemed to be boiled, partly because of the heat inside it.

As soon as I slid my head under the faucet and twisted the stopper, my head cooled down.

The cheers as usual, mixed with the sound of water, hit my back.

It stimulated some kind of irritation.

[AH, CRAP!]

I was certain that I was being swayed by Haruki.

I continued to cover myself with water in desperation.

It seemed that there are still many things that I’m not used to.