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Chapter 8
It was a day so brutally hot it felt like summer had arrived early.
It was the semifinals of my first official tournament as a second-year. Having somehow clawed my way through the bracket, I found myself facing him on the court for the first time.
Shibaki Soichi. There wasn't a tennis player our age who didn't know the name.
His father was Shibaki Hajime, a man with a world title to his name. As his son—a legacy athlete who’d held a racket since he could walk—Soichi had never lost a match. He understood talent and the ruthless precision required to hone it; the guy was practically a tennis cyborg.
Despite being a middle schooler, he was a hulking figure pushing 170 centimeters. He stared me down across the net, radiating a level of menace that made it hard to believe we were the same age, his confidence practically bleeding out of him.
En̄ ŭ mâ. іd
'Maybe it was for the best that Karen didn’t come to watch.'
I’d invited Karen to watch, but she’d turned me down, complaining it was too hot.
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The rejection stung... but even before the match began, a sense of hopelessness had me ready to throw in the towel. Between the heat and the exhaustion of the day's previous matches, winning felt like an impossibility.
...But that cowardly resignation vanished the moment his opening ace streaked past me.
“Whoa……”
A serve that powerful, delivered with such perfect form, was far beyond my ability to return—especially in my daze—but it jolted me wide awake.
Ẇe_b n_о v.е̌l̂ Е̌ ńum̈ a
I probably couldn’t beat him. Same age, same region. No matter how long I played, the gap between us would only grow. It was like he was taking the stairs three at a time; I’d never even be able to close the distance—not for a single second.
Yet even as that realization dawned, I wanted to fight him with everything I had. "Knowing you'll lose is no excuse for holding back"... those were words Nee-chan used to hammer into me.
A cursed line that wouldn’t even let me give up when I was made into a practice dummy for the mysterious martial art Nee-chan had learned.
But facing the sport I loved, for the first time, those words finally clicked.
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'I'm going to lose. I know that. But I’ll give it my all—if only to keep loving the game.'
I didn't want to betray my own heart... though looking back, maybe my middle-school self was just trying to act cool.
Wе b̌ṅӧ v e l̃ Е̃.nũ m̊a
Still, I swore I wouldn't leave that court with a single regret—
There was no way I could’ve known it would be my last match.
◇
“Hah, hah, hah, hah……!!”
I didn’t know how much time had passed. Certainly not enough for a standard six-game set to conclude.
And yet, it had felt like an eternity.
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The heat drained my mind and sapped my stamina, yet I still lunged desperately for every ball.
“Ghh……!”
Every so often, I caught a glimpse of Shibaki-kun’s face, etched with growing impatience.
“Game, Watanuki. 2–4!”
“Yes……!”
I’d managed to take back one more game on my serve.
Е̇ nu m а̊
The heat was taking its toll on me, but it was doing the same to him. Shibaki-kun’s plays were visibly losing their edge.
Carelessness, impatience…… Maybe because I was being more of a pest than he’d bargained for, he was starting to let his frustration show.
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But from here, four more games…… It would be tough to claw it back before he took two games off me.
"Hang in there, Amou! Don't let him break your spirit!"
I could hear Nee-chan cheering me on.
That’s right—I hadn’t even thought I could take two games at the start.
W е̄ b̃ nóvѐl̀ Еn̈ u mа̀
If I didn't lose heart, then just maybe...!
“Take this!!”
Shibaki-kun fired his serve. It was sharp, but after receiving it all day, I’d started to read his patterns.
He rarely varied his placement. His shots were heavy, but that predictability was my only opening. He seemed to be playing on pure instinct, returning whatever I threw at him. If I focused, I could read his aim—and if I pushed myself, I could reach it.
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“Ugh……!?”
It had lost some of its bite, but the serve was still heavy.
Еn̂ u ḿ а
I mistimed it by just a little. A hard shock ran through my arm, and a weak, floaty ball barely managed to clear the net.
“Tch!!”
Moving to capitalize on the weak return, Shibaki-kun charged the net.
'Don’t back off, don’t back off, don’t back off!'
His approach was overwhelming, but to have any hope of countering his volley, I gritted my teeth and lunged forward.
Every joint in my body screamed with pain. Breathing was hard.
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Even so, the match was still going……!
“Dammit……!”
My eyes suddenly locked with Shibaki-kun’s.
I caught a glimpse of panic in his gaze—as if he were staring at some alien creature—but it vanished in a heartbeat. His jaw set into a spiteful grimace an instant later.
He raised his racket.
(Not a volley… damn—!?)
E_n_u ṁ a
Shibaki-kun pulled his racket back, pivoting into a full stroke.
His eyes contorted with raw fury as he glared straight through me—.
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Then, a jolt of agonizing pain tore through my head, and my vision whited out.
A scream rang out—I think it was Nee-chan calling my name.
The sky upended, and my consciousness slipped away into the void.
I caught a final glimpse of Shibaki-kun’s face—that strained smile.
Ẇ е̊ bṅ о_v̊ е̌l Ӗ n̈ u mа̊
A look of pure malice that seemed to say, “Serves you right.”
…………When I finally came to, I was in a hospital bed.
Nee-chan had stayed by my side. She told me Shibaki-kun’s racket had "slipped" and struck me square in the forehead.
There was enough blood that they kept me for several days of observation and testing.
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I’d never seen Nee-chan cry like that, her face all crumpled. It was clearly serious, yet having been out cold, the whole thing felt strangely detached.
I was told the match ended with Shibaki-kun’s disqualification for dangerous play.
Wė b̊n о̌vе l Е ǹu m a
Nee-chan kept muttering, “I should’ve chewed him out properly.” I honestly expected her to say she’d punched him, but she admitted she’d been too frantic about me to think of anything else.
She sounded embarrassed, but her words made me happy—so happy that I almost felt bad for being unconscious for it.
…In the end, that was probably the only good thing to come out of the whole incident.
Between my parents, Nee-chan, her friends, and my own clubmates, I was never short on visitors.
The tests cleared me of any internal damage, brain included, and I was discharged a week later.
…But there was something wrong.
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“Are you okay, Watanuki!!”
Not long after being discharged, I returned to the club. The moment I stepped onto the court, our advisor rushed over.
That was when I noticed my racket lying on the ground. I was shaking that hard.
The terror of that impact had etched itself into my psyche.
Simply standing on the court summoned the oppressive heat of that day. Approaching the net felt like a physical weight crushing the back of my skull, and behind my eyelids, that malicious smile flickered to life again.
The trauma was etched deep... I don’t know if that was his intent, but as if I'd been cursed, I lost tennis.
Ѐ n ū m̄ a. і̂ d
◇
…Even now, I’m scared of him.
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Finding out Shibaki Soichi was at this same high school made me physically ill with regret.
I knew little of his life after that match, only faint rumors that he’d stopped appearing in official tournaments.
He never visited the hospital, and everyone soon began tiptoeing around his name—no, tennis itself—to avoid upsetting me.
Strangely, learning he still played brought a sense of relief. If that incident had cost him tennis too... he would have hated me with every fiber of his being.
Wе̄b́n̈ о̌v e l Ё ǹũm а
Same school. Same grade. I can't escape the thought of when—or where—I'll run into him. Even now, stepping onto a court makes me tremble. The mere thought of facing him fills me with a paralyzing dread.
So that day, when I saw him having sex with Karen—I genuinely felt like my life was over. I had nothing left to live for.
Tennis was gone. The childhood friend I'd loved for as long as I could remember was gone, too. It felt as if Watanuki Amou’s entire existence was nothing but a stepping stone for Shibaki Soichi.
Faced with a reality like that... how are you supposed to find a reason to go on?
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………………But there was someone who saved me.
—We’re going.
E núm̆ а́
The girl who caught my hand as I collapsed and pulled me along.
—Aaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh!!
The girl who screamed our shared agony into the ocean.
—You and me... do you want to try a pseudo-romance?
—So I promise you. I won't be the one to let go of your hand, either. If you won’t leave me… then this contract will last forever.
—Believe it or not, I’m the devoted type, you know?
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The girl who sustained my heart—and the one who protected me.
—Because my goal isn’t to win in court. It’s to erase the engagement so completely there’s nothing left of it.
—I might end up making you anxious again if I say this, but… there’s no way you have nothing. Absolutely no way.
The girl who could see value in someone like me.
—Right now, I can’t imagine any future that would make me happier than being with you, Watanuki-kun.
The girl I simply wanted to stay with.
Е n̂_ǔḿ.а̊
It was all because Mamiya Sachika was there for me.
“What the hell is your problem!? Why are you butting in out of nowhere!?”
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“The hell are you talking about? You were grabbing her shoulder like a maniac. That’s not normal. Apologize to her.”
With my heart hammering against my ribs, I forced the words out.
I’d had a bad feeling from the moment I received Mamiya-san’s message about an emergency. When I stepped outside the school building and spotted her heading toward the tennis courts, I knew my intuition hadn’t been playing tricks on me.
I was scared. I won’t pretend I didn’t hesitate.
Е̃ n̄_u m ǎ . і d̀
But there was no way I could just leave it alone—the instant I saw Shibaki grabbing hold of her, I shoved myself between them before I could even think.
“—!!”
(Ugh…)
His gaze pinned me to the spot—just as sharp and piercing as it had been back then.
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Terrifying… he’s so scary, so scary, so scary, so scary, so scary, so scary, so scary, so scary, so scary, so scary, so scary, so scary, so scary, so scary, so scary.
The tide of fear rising within me threatened to make my entire body seize with tremors. Tears threatened to spill. My legs felt like they’d give out, as if I might crumple right there.
E.n̈û m̂ ä
There was no convenient plot twist where my fear of Shibaki Soichi simply evaporated.
But I bit it down—desperately, absolutely refusing to let it show.
Mamiya-san was behind me.
The disparity in our physical size was staggering. It was like a child standing against an adult. From her perspective, my back probably looked small—unreliable, even.
Even so, I’d come here to protect her.
To keep from making her uneasy, I threw up every ounce of bravado I could muster. I tensed my entire body, held my breath, and glared at Shibaki with all my strength.
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“This doesn’t have anything to do with you…! I don’t know who the hell you are, but—!”
“Whether it involves me or not is irrelevant. You were about to hit her, weren’t you?”
“G—! I-I wasn’t!”
“No… you would’ve. That’s the kind of guy you are.”
Masking my fear, I spat out aggressive words that felt alien on my tongue.
They say the best defense is a strong offense. If you step in first and meet someone head-on, most people won’t assume you’re the one who’s scared… probably.
E nu_m ȧ
More importantly, every second his attention stayed on me was another second Mamiya-san remained safe.
I was still terrified. Even now—utterly and completely. But if that fear was going to be aimed at someone, I’d rather be the one who got hit than let it turn on Mamiya-san.
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“Watanuki-kun…”
In a small, murmuring voice, Mamiya-san called my name—worry bleeding through. Like she was clinging to me, like she was trying to hide from Shibaki, she grabbed the hem of my uniform and squeezed tight.
I didn’t have the leeway to look back at her… but I could feel her there at my side. That alone was enough to crush the fear down.
“Tch… what the hell is wrong with you…!!”
W е b̀ n̄ о v_ѐ l Е ňûmӑ
Shibaki yanked his arm free, slipped out of my grip, and stumbled back a few steps.
Something about this felt off.
He probably doesn’t even remember me. The racket that hit my head. Me seeing him with Karen… maybe, to him, I’d never been worth remembering in the first place.
That wasn’t strange. He was always the one taking things from me. Even if I’d been haunted by him, there was no reason for him to give me a second thought.
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Still… I’d always thought he was a man overflowing with confidence. Arrogant. Selfish… the kind of guy whose pride wouldn’t let him back down if someone weaker—someone like me—talked back. I thought he’d raise his fists and come at me instead of retreating.
“…Tch.”
Ě ń ūm а . іd
But in reality, all he did was click his tongue.
Rubbing the wrist I’d been holding, he stared at me with eyes that almost looked… frightened.
(…What?)
I stood there with Mamiya-san at my back, paralyzed by the confusion of a standoff I never expected.
And as we kept glaring at each other… he was the one who looked away first.
“Tch. Whatever… you’re seriously annoying…”
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He spat it out, turned his back, and walked off just like that.
It ended so unexpectedly, so easily, that I froze, stunned.
No—there was nothing wrong with things not getting worse. If it had turned into a fistfight, there wasn’t even a chance I could’ve won.
I’d been robbed by him again and again… but this time, at least, I’d protected Mamiya-san.
“Haaah… th-that was way too close…”
The tension finally snapped, and I braced my hands on my knees, letting out a long, ragged sigh.
Е̊n ů m̌ а̂. і̊ ḋ
My heart was still hammering. I didn’t think I’d ever get used to that feeling, and I never wanted to face him again—yet, somehow, the weight on my chest felt a little lighter…
“Ah, Mamiya-san. Sorry—I just jumped in out of the blue—ow!?”
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Suddenly, Mamiya-san threw her arms around me in a full embrace!?
This wasn’t some casual greeting. She held me with genuine strength, pressing herself against me—it was that kind of hug...!
“Mamiya-san!?”
“I’m sorry, Watanuki-kun… I’m sorry…”
Е̄ṅu.m а̃ . і̊d̃
My confusion only deepened as she apologized, her voice trembling on the verge of tears. One thing was clear: she was genuinely shaken.
“Are you hurt at all?”
“Yes… I’m fine. More importantly—what about you…? Because you were… with Soichi…”
“Me?”
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She wasn’t talking about Shibaki, or even Karen being taken from me. That wasn’t what she was worried about. She meant what had happened before all that—way back then.
“…Ah. So you did know.”
Е̃ n ŭm̌а .і̂d
“…Yes. I saw it that day, too.”
Mamiya-san nodded faintly.
I’d suspected as much from her previous words, but she really had witnessed everything between me and Shibaki. Given her connection to Shibaki, it wasn't surprising she'd been there for that match.
But that meant… she’d known from the start that I was trembling with fear inside while I stood against him...
“Haha… that’s not very cool.”
I’d set out to protect her, only to end up being the one she had to worry about.
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Heat rushed to my face as I realized how pathetic I must have looked, but Mamiya-san shook her head.
“No… you were amazing. More than anyone I’ve ever met—you truly were.”
“R-really? I think you’re overpraising me…”
“Words still wouldn’t be enough.”
Her arms tightened around me. I wanted to believe her, but as the fear drained away, a completely different kind of tension began to swell in its place. Still, it felt cruel to pull away while she was clinging to me like this.
“B-but I’m glad. I got here before it turned into something worse.”
W̆ е_b̂ ňо̀ v̌ël Е ñu.m̆а̌
“Hey… why did you come here? I didn’t even tell you.”
“I saw you heading this way by chance. You’d said something came up, so I tried to tell myself not to interfere… but seeing where you were heading, I just couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong.”
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Besides, it wasn't like her to cancel on me at the last second without an explanation.
“…I see. And it turned out exactly like you were worried it would.”
She loosened her arms and stepped back. Regret was written all over her face.
“Somewhere along the line, I underestimated him… or rather, I don't think I ever understood Soichi at all. We were always at cross-purposes, and I got so tired of even thinking about him that I became completely self-absorbed… If you hadn’t come…”
Е n̆u̇ m̊ à._і̀_ḋ
Little by little, Mamiya-san told me what had happened with Shibaki before I arrived. He’d called her out and spoke his mind without a hint of an apology—and she’d pushed back too hard, striking a nerve he couldn't handle.
“I really am hopeless. Narrow-minded… Even though I should know I’m not some exceptional person…”
It was only her side of the story, and I knew I was biased, but it felt like Mamiya-san had absolutely nothing to apologize for.
Still, being in the right doesn’t mean things will work out. People’s sense of justice and their values can be worlds apart—a lesson I’d learned the hard way from Karen.
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Even so… Mamiya-san had likely zeroed in on Shibaki’s sore spot. Because he felt even a shred of guilt, he’d flown off the handle in defensiveness.
(You can see it so clearly when you take a step back as a third party… huh.)
Еn̊ ŭm а̊_
But when it’s your own problem, it’s never that simple. Not even for Mamiya-san—my savior, my hero, the person I could never hope to repay.
It wasn’t enough for just me to try. And it wasn’t enough for her to face it alone, either.
“Mamiya-san, I’ve got you.”
“Huh…?”
“You said you’d point out my flaws, right? That you’d help me fix the things I’d never notice on my own. Just knowing you’re watching over me makes me feel so much safer. I don’t know if I can offer the same kind of support, but…”
I’m always the one taking from her. But there must be things I can do for her, too. The way she stood up to Karen for me. The way I’d just stepped between her and Shibaki.
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“I want you to let me compensate for the things you’re bad at—and the things you’re afraid of. I’m still half-baked myself, but… for now, let me be bold!”
I exaggerated on purpose—posing harder than I needed to, putting on a show of confidence—and then I declared it, loud and clear.
“Even if we’re both incomplete on our own, if we support each other, we can become one whole person together!”
“—!”
Mamiya-san’s eyes went wide. It was incredibly embarrassing… but I wasn’t about to back down now.
People change. We were only high school freshmen... still in the process of becoming who we were meant to be.
Еn um̌ а̄.і d
Alone, you’re bound to lose your way. You lose sight of yourself. You get cornered by some unbearable injustice, take a wrong turn, and become too paralyzed to move forward… there might even be moments when you think just giving up on life would be easier.
But if we’re together, maybe it won’t come to that.
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Even if one of us falters, if the other can reach out a hand, we can pull each other back. Like a lifeline—supporting and protecting one another.
And maybe the desire to be that kind of person is exactly what triggers growth.
“So just like you saved me, Mamiya-san… I want you to let me save you too.”
Even if I’m unreliable now, I’ll become someone you can count on.
Ë nu m̄ a.і̂ d
When you’re the one who’s lost, I’ll be the one to take your hand and lead you through.
If I keep believing that, then surely—
“We were both dumped by our partners… maybe that means we lost. But because we lost, we can’t give up on being happy. We’re both losers, but even so, I’m sure…”
Part of it was pure wishful thinking. I had no proof, and I certainly didn’t have the confidence.
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But I couldn’t hold the words back.
“Even if we’re losers… no—because we’re losers, we absolutely have to be happy!!”
Е̄ nŭm̃а̄ .īd́
I squeezed her hand tight, pleading with everything I had.
Even without proof, even if the road ahead was pitch-black—Mamiya-san had made me feel, time and again, that as long as we were together, it would be okay.
“Watanuki-kun.”
Mamiya-san said my name, then clasped my hand in both of hers.
“In moments like this, isn’t it ‘two people make one full-fledged person’?”
She gave me a weary, exasperated smile—the kind used to mask deep embarrassment.
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Without thinking, my own face broke into a grin.
“If it’s ‘two people make one full-fledged person’ then that just means we’ll be half-baked forever.”
“That’s not true. I… I don’t mind if it’s ‘two people make one’—as long as it’s with you.”
Her awkward, embarrassed smile shifted. She looked up at me from under her lashes, yet there was a teasing edge to it.
That bold expression—so very Mamiya-san.
“Thank you, Watanuki-kun… no—Amou.”
Е ṅ ú m̊â . іd
This wasn’t like yesterday, when she’d used my name just to test the waters.
It wasn’t sweet enough for a lover, and it was a little too earnest for a friend.
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Infusing it with a trust meant only for me, she called me by my name.
It made me happy. It made me flush with embarrassment… and feel like I might actually cry.
“Yeah, Sachika.”
I swallowed the tears down hard, held onto her hand, and nodded deeply.
Е ň ůṁа̄ . і̌ d̆
It had all been so sudden, but I’d been able to help Sachika a little—and I’d been able to heal, just a little, from an old wound.
As I felt the warmth of her hand through our interlaced fingers, a faint sense of accomplishment began to settle in—
“…Huh? Ak-kun?”
Then, one more wound I could never ignore throbbed with a sudden, sharp pain.
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◇
Even now, I can’t forget the hollow sense of loss when I realized I could never play tennis again.
Wе̌b̃ n ǒ vẽl̃ Е̂ n̊ u̇m̂а̊
I’d started in fourth grade and quit just before my second summer of middle school… four years of effort, erased in an instant.
The longer you commit to something, the more the attachment—the obsession—grows.
Four years. When you’ve only lived fifteen, that’s a lifetime.
But then… what happens when you lose something even older? Something that felt like it spanned nearly all fifteen of those years?
I’d never thought about it. I’d never allowed myself to.
Because even if I was betrayed, even if my feelings were trampled… she was still precious to me. The times she saved me weren't a lie.
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“…Huh? Ak-kun?”
“Kar—”
I almost called her name—and swallowed it down.
I’d called her that for as long as I could remember. Naturally, like drawing breath. But now, for the first time, I’d forgotten how to breathe.
“Why are you here?”
She didn’t notice a thing. She didn’t even pause—just tilted her head, puzzled.
Е̃ ǹ uṁ ă . і̇ d
“…You tell me.”
“I got called here by Soichi-kun. He said he was here, so come over.”
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“I see…”
Sachika murmured quietly.
Shibaki had probably finished whatever he needed to say to Sachika, then went straight into meeting up with Karen. There was no way Sachika would find that amusing.
“Ak-kun, did you maybe run into Soichi-kun? I’ve been texting him just in case, but he’s not replying, you know?”
Е num̌ а
“…………”
Sachika remained silent, yet the air between us seemed to turn even colder.
So Karen really didn’t know what had happened between me and Shibaki.
Still, setting the cheating aside, I was also to blame when it came to that middle school match. I’d dodged the topic entirely, hiding behind the excuse that she hadn't come to watch.
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It wasn't easy to confess my failures to the girl I liked—to admit how pathetic I'd been. I’d kept up a facade, even though she could never truly understand me if I didn’t actually speak up.
“Anyway—why is that girl still hanging around you, Ak-kun?”
Е̊n u̇m ă. id
Her gaze flicked toward Sachika. I reflexively started to step in front of her, but Sachika beat me to it, taking a step forward herself.
“Not ‘that girl.’ I’m Mamiya Sachika. Nice to meet you, Washizaki Karen-san.”
Though the words were polite, her tone made it clear she had zero intention of actually being "nice."
Sachika had seemed a bit worn down a moment ago, but now she looked fully recovered—no, that wasn't quite right.
She was just like me. For my sake, she was forcing herself to appear strong, even if it was only a front.
“How do you know my name…? And—who even are you to Ak-kun?”
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“I…”
She closed her eyes for a few seconds… then opened them with iron in her gaze.
“I’m Amou’s girlfriend.”
“…Huh?”
Sachika said it—clearly, unmistakably.
Perhaps it was because she hadn't hesitated for a second—unlike her previous encounter with Karen—but Karen’s face visibly tightened in shock.
W е̄b̈nо̆ v̀ e l E n̈ ũ mа
“I—I don’t get it…! Ever since the other day, what are you even saying…!? I-it’s not true, right, Ak-kun?”
“…No. It is. I’m dating her—dating Sachika.”
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Technically, it was a relationship with a "pseudo" prefix... but it wasn't a total bluff, either.
And I was glad—genuinely so—that Sachika had claimed to be my girlfriend so definitively.
It’s not like we’d become a "real" couple. I didn’t even know what a real couple was supposed to be.
But she was special to me… and I felt like I was special to her, too.
Ё n̄u mа́
Because of that, I could stand beside her with my head held high.
“No way, Ak-kun… that’s a lie—she’s just lying to you—”
“It’s true. Kar—… no, Washizaki-san.”
“—!?”
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Now that I’d called Sachika by her given name—now that I’d acknowledged she was special—using Karen’s felt wrong.
For the first time, I addressed her by her surname.
W е b n о̂v̈е l̄ Е̇ ñ ům̆ а
We’d used given names since before we were dating—since before I could even remember—so it wasn’t that the change didn’t sting.
But the moment the words left my mouth, it felt right.
And that made me realize just how far apart we’d grown—far enough that "Washizaki-san" felt natural.
Ever since I’d fallen for her, that distance had been widening, bit by bit.
And now, I could feel it clearly.
There probably wasn’t enough left anymore to even call us "just childhood friends"...
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“Hey, Washizaki-san.”
“W-wait—what…? Right now, I’m talking to Ak-kun—”
“Do you really not remember me? You saw me with Amou once… and even before that, we’ve met face-to-face, haven’t we?”
“H-huh? I don’t even know you— I—”
But as Karen looked at Sachika standing between us, her voice faltered, and the color drained from her face.
“Looks like you finally remember, don’t you? The day I walked into that classroom where you two were all over each other. And the day I slapped Soichi across the face—hard. Didn’t he tell you? Why he got slapped… why he deserved to be slapped. Who I am.”
Е̊ ṅ u̇.m.ӑ. îd
“T-that’s… I didn’t even have the time to think about any of that…”
Washizaki-san looked at me as if to say she'd been too shaken by my witnessing her with Shibaki... No. Maybe that really was the truth.
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Back then, she’d at least felt some shred of guilt toward me—her boyfriend at the time…
(…Not that it changes anything.)
What mattered far more was Sachika’s relationship with Shibaki.
Karen’s reaction to Sachika’s questions made it obvious she’d been completely in the dark.
W̃e b̀ n о v е̂ l̄ Ё n um а
Sachika saw that—and immediately pressed harder.
“Just so you know, I didn’t slap him for no reason. Of course I’m not a stalker, and I never had some stupid delusion that I was the one who deserved him. It’s just that… our parents decided on it without asking, so we’re engaged. Something like that.”
“E-eng…aged…?”
Karen stared blankly, as if the word itself was foreign to her.
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As the weight of it finally sank in, panic took hold—evident in her trembling body, her expression, and her pale complexion.
Sachika hadn't offered a shred of proof, yet Karen seemed to accept it as fact. Maybe between girls, the gravity of the situation is understood without words.
W êb̈nо́.v̈ е l̂ Еṅ u̇m̈ ǎ
The air between them grew heavy and sharp; before I knew it, I was the only one left on the outside looking in.
“Of course, you’re free to doubt me. Why not ask him directly? And if he denies it—if he says ‘it’s not like that’—” Sachika laughed softly. “—then by all means, I’d love for you to come complain to me in person.”
Sachika smiled, fearless.
Right—she wanted to end her engagement with Shibaki. If Shibaki tried to deny the truth while pursuing Karen, it would only give Sachika more leverage to break the arrangement.
That was why she’d stepped forward and faced Karen head-on.
“An engagement…? No way—no way, Soichi-kun never once…”
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“Of course he wouldn’t tell you himself. Even if he did, there’s nothing in it for him. Besides, he never wanted to be engaged to me in the first place.”
Sachika replied flatly, without a moment's hesitation, to a trembling Washizaki-san whose eyes could barely focus.
“Someone like you—pretty, well-endowed… the sort of girl who seems a bit naïve—was likely far more his type.”
Even if it were true, it was information that helped no one.
Seeing someone else and sleeping with her while you have a fiancée—once you’ve crossed that line, no excuse matters.
That applied to Washizaki-san too, as someone who’d been deceived… even if it made things complicated for me.
Е̃nu̇m̆ а .і̃d
“…!”
Washizaki-san’s face twisted in agony. Was it that she couldn’t forgive being made a fool?
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Which, yeah, probably meant she hadn’t felt a shred of guilt about what she did to me… but still, I found myself a little relieved to learn she wasn’t completely numb to things like this.
“Still, I couldn’t care less about some ‘my fiancé got stolen’ story. I’m not going to publicly condemn you and make you a spectacle. Given the circumstances, you were probably a victim too—and even if you keep dating him, I’m not going to stop you. Do what you like… though I do think he’ll pay the price sooner or later.”
There was a faint kindness mixed into her words. And it was probably true that Sachika didn’t have any personal grudge against Washizaki-san.
Sachika hadn’t wanted to break the engagement from the start, but in a way, Washizaki-san’s actions had helped drag Shibaki’s true nature into the light.
Е.n ǔ m̌ а
And the reason Sachika had gone out of her way to tell her the truth now was, surely—
“Then why… did you tell me that…?”
“Because I feel sorry for you. Dating that man without knowing anything.”
Just as I thought. She was a little clumsy about it, but even in her own mess, she couldn’t bring herself to ignore someone in trouble.
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Maybe there was some calculation in it. But if she were only acting in her own interest, it would’ve been better to say nothing and let Washizaki-san keep dating him.
“T-then… why…?”
E̊ n̈ ūmа̊ . і̀ d
Washizaki-san had already lost her momentum—she looked like she could barely stay standing. And yet the thing she still fixated on was—
“Why Ak-kun…?”
“…Huh?”
Me. That was so unexpected that even I—who’d been silent on the sidelines this whole time—let my voice slip out.
“Because if you’re with Ak-kun, that’s just to get back at me—”
“Spite…? I don’t choose my partners for reasons that petty.”
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At that single line—sharp, cold, carrying the iciest anger of the day—the air tightened instantly, and both Washizaki-san and I sucked in a breath.
“It’s true that the trigger was accidentally witnessing you with that man. We were both betrayed by our partners—two losers, licking our wounds… that’s how it started. But the reason I want to keep being with him—with Amou—from here on out is because, from the bottom of my heart, I see him as a man. Someone special.”
“Sachika…”
“He can look a little unreliable, but I know he has a solid core. His gentle smile. The voice that calms my heart. How hard he works. How he’s endearingly clueless in all sorts of ways. The way he sometimes says things that make me want to snap…” She gave a soft laugh. “Even the cute way he immediately starts second-guessing himself because he’s worried about one thing I said—I love all of it.”
With a calmness that almost sounded like she was singing, Sachika spoke about me.
Her face was turned toward Washizaki-san, so I couldn’t see her expression. But every word felt like it was being aimed straight at me… and my chest burned hot.
Ёnū m а
“More than anything, when I’m with him, I can be myself more than at any other time. It feels like this is where I belong… Like I can become happy enough to like a version of myself I’ve never really been able to like before. I want to know him more… and through him, I want to learn to like myself more. I truly mean that.”
Each word felt loaded with feeling, and the heat in my chest went past warmth—into something that made me want to cry.
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And even if it hit Washizaki-san differently than it hit me, it was still clearly shaking her—the only person here who could see Sachika’s face as she said it.
“I’m grateful to you, too. What you did let me meet him—someone I never would’ve crossed paths with otherwise. So… if you don’t do anything unnecessary, I promise I won’t do anything to you, either.”
With that, Sachika turned her back on Washizaki-san.
And when I finally saw her face—she looked far weaker than I’d expected, wearing a smile like she was mocking herself.
W̄ ēbn о v̄е̄ l Е̂n u m̈ а̀
As if she were wondering whether this had really been the right thing to do, whether she’d overstepped.
I smiled back at her—Sachika, you didn’t do anything wrong—and stepped forward in her place, moving in front of Washizaki-san.
“Washizaki-san.”
“…Ak-kun…”
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“………Um.”
There were so many things I wanted to say—so many things I probably should’ve said.
Èǹ ü ḿ â. ī d
And when I saw her face, drained and worn down, like she was begging for help… I couldn’t pretend it didn’t tug at me at all.
But… there was probably nothing I could do for her anymore.
I had loved her. I’d wanted her to love me too—to need me—and I’d done what I thought was devotion, in my own way. But in the end, it had been wrong, and all of it had come back to haunt me.
Should I throw my anger at her? Should I give her an apology? Any of it could be right—and any of it could be wrong.
Our lives had already split completely apart… so—
“Please… be happy.”
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I left her with that single line and a smile.
I didn’t mean that she should stay with Shibaki forever, or anything like that. She didn’t have to end up with him. Honestly, on a personal level, I thought she’d be better off cutting ties with him.
But I didn’t want her—Washizaki Karen—to be unhappy. Not even in the slightest. Just like anyone else, I wanted her to lead a normal, happy life.
I won’t be a part of it, and I’ll likely never know how it turns out. Still, I simply… wanted that for her.
Because quietly praying for her happiness felt like the only thing I was still allowed to do.
◇
Wė b́ n ôv̊е l Ё n̈ um a
“I really thought you were going to start crying. I even had a handkerchief ready.”
“…I’m not going to cry.”
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After we left the school building and walked side by side for a while, Sachika finally said it, and I gave her a wry smile.
To be honest, the pain was enough to make me want to cry. But the tears never came.
“Then I worried for nothing.”
Sachika said it like a joke, and tucked the handkerchief she’d somehow been holding into her bag.
Е_nū m̆ а̃
“You didn’t tell her, did you? About what happened between you and that man.”
“Yeah… It’s already over. And she—Washizaki-san—has nothing to do with it.”
Sachika had already exposed Shibaki’s true colors. That was enough.
“Besides… it’s too pathetic of a bitter memory to say out loud myself.”
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I hadn’t overcome my fear of Shibaki. Even the onset of summer heat made the trauma flare up again. That day—everything that had happened—was never going to change. It wouldn't heal. It wouldn't be redeemed—
“That’s not true.”
W̊ êb̄n о̃ṽ_е ľ Е ṅ u m̃ а
“…Huh?”
Sachika’s voice cut through my downward spiral.
“It isn’t pathetic. I… when I saw you fight so desperately in that match, I was moved.”
“M-moved?”
“Yes.”
Even though years had passed, she nodded with a conviction that made it sound like she’d seen it only moments ago.
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“Probably almost everyone, right up until the match started, never doubted Soichi would win. No one paid you any attention at all… and of course, neither did I.”
“Yeah. My build and my record didn’t even come close.”
“But… once the match began, that assumption was overturned. Watching you desperately chase every ball—my heart was shaken. Gritty, stubborn, reckless, all-out… that intensity gave me courage, just by watching. Any match starts with picking up even a single point. It’s easy to say, but watching you made it painfully clear that it isn’t easy at all.”
“I don’t think my head was in a place that grand.”
“That’s exactly why it was so powerful. The sheer, single-minded force of it overwhelmed the entire venue—and Soichi, too.” Sachika’s voice softened. “I’m not trying to defend him, but he didn’t do that on purpose. That was obvious from how he was after the match.”
That… yeah. Now that time had passed, I could accept it.
Wė b̂nо̌v̈_ě l Ѐ ṅü m̈а̌
Whatever he was now, when I faced Shibaki Soichi across that net, I could feel the sincerity of an athlete who had poured his soul into his practice.
“But even though he was rattled, he just piled on ugly excuses. Back then, as his fiancée, I wanted to support him properly, but I avoided confronting him head-on. I had this resignation deep down—we’re getting married anyway—and I kept telling myself it couldn’t be helped… But when I saw you chasing the ball with everything you had, I realized that wasn’t okay.”
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“Then… from around that time, you and Shibaki were already…?”
“Yes. I started saying things he didn’t want to hear—without holding back even more than before. Because if I stopped confronting him, I’d regret it. You can’t start a rally if you don’t pick up the ball—right?”
…That was more than a little embarrassing to hear.
It also felt like she was viewing that match through a heavily filtered lens, but… what someone takes from a game is their own business. If that was what Sachika felt, I had no reason to deny it.
Еń ůmа
“Because of you, I got the push I needed to wake up. So ever since that day, you’ve been my benefactor—my hero.”
“H-h—hero!?”
The drama of it genuinely threw me for a loop.
Sachika laughed softly. “When we ended up at the same high school, I was really surprised. Not that I thought I could just talk to you. I didn’t have a reason, and I didn’t have the standing.”
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She gave a self-mocking smile. As Shibaki’s fiancée—the woman engaged to the person who’d hurt me—she must’ve had her own complicated feelings about it.
Even though she didn’t need to feel that way—no, that’s just my perspective now.
E n ů mа . i̊d
If I’d known "Mamiya-san," Shibaki’s fiancée, before I met Sachika the way I have now, I never would’ve been able to open my heart to her.
Because we met at that exact moment—hurt, betrayed, two losers—and because she saw all my embarrassing, pathetic flaws without flinching… I was able to truly meet "Sachika."
We weren’t bound by anything as ironclad as fate. If even a single detail had been different, we probably wouldn’t have even become friends—that’s how fragile our connection was.
But because of that, meeting Sachika and the time we’ve shared wasn’t something I could take for granted—which is exactly why I want to treasure and protect it with everything I have.
“Fufu.”
“…? What is it? Why are you laughing all of a sudden?”
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“No, I just remembered something. About how you thanked her. Shibaki’s still someone I can’t stand, but… I think it’s okay if I’m grateful to him for bringing me to you.”
“Ah…”
I wondered if she thought I was teasing her with such a flat response.
“…It feels a little like I’m deceiving you, so I’ll say this now.”
“Huh? Say what?”
“You think I told Washizaki-san all that out of kindness or goodwill, don’t you? I saw your reaction back then. I was watching, you know?”
Wе bnо vе̇ĺ Е̃ ň uḿ а́
Ah—she saw it… Of course she did. That’s Sachika for you.
I mean, yeah. I really did think she was being kind…
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“I’m not that merciful of a person. It’s not like I felt zero pity for her… but the biggest reason was you.”
“Me?”
“When you called her by her surname—your face.” Sachika looked away. “You probably thought you were hiding it, but you looked… kind of lonely. So I thought… she should feel the weight of what she lost, too.”
With a slight pout and downcast eyes, Sachika idly twirled a strand of hair—looking as mortified as a girl could be.
Е̊ n̆ ū mа̇
But I was no different. She’d seen right through the feelings I thought I’d hidden, and more than that—she’d been thinking about me that much without me even realizing. The thought made my chest burn.
God, how can she be this gentle?
“I-I’m just saying!”
Sachika flushed, then jabbed a finger at me.
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“Even if she realizes how big you are to her and tries to get back together, I’m never letting you go again, got it!? I’ll fight to the bitter end!!”
“Y-yes.”
Еnum̃а̊. і̊ d
It felt like she was warning me as much as Washizaki-san. My back straightened on instinct—even though it was completely unnecessary.
Besides, Sachika was clearly forgetting she technically still had a fiancé.
Thinking about it calmly, the barbs she’d aimed at Shibaki through Washizaki-san—intentional or not—were bound to come back around like a boomerang…
“Hahaha.”
“S-so why are you laughing!? I’m not joking! I mean it!”
“I know. That’s why it’s funny—more like…”
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Watching her lose her usual composure, cheeks blazing red as she protested, I couldn’t stop my own smile from spreading.
The one who couldn’t let go was me. She was too dangerously adorable to leave alone.
If other people saw Sachika like this, a hundred out of a hundred would turn to look. She’d be the center of attention in an instant, only to panic and flail the moment she realized it… I could see it perfectly.
I had to stay by her side and look after her—without going overboard, of course.
“Grrr…! Warning! Deduction! Yellow card!”
“Huh!? S-sorry!”
W̊ еb ñӧ v е̄l̂ Е n̂ ǔ m̆ а̃
Wait—did I already go overboard!?
“And also, just now you casually stepped over the line again… Saying ‘even losers have to be happy’—that sounded like you were saying that Amou and I are, like, actually—”
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She mumbled and fidgeted, so unlike her usual self that I couldn't help but tilt my head.
“Um, I can’t really hear you—”
“Enough! As punishment, today is on you, Amou!”
“Ah—y-yeah. Okay. Got it, Sachika.”
Wеb̃n̄о́ v еl Е́ n ũm а̄
Our after-school date had already been canceled once today.
Seeing it fall back into place so naturally made me so happy that—even while being scolded—I couldn't help but nod with a massive grin.
