Chapter 17
It's Friday.
Lately, this has been the day of the week I look forward to most.
It's been two months since middle school started, but there's something I'm even more excited about than school.
(I hope I get to play lots of basketball with Big Brother today♪)
That's right. My basketball time with Big Brother at the park.
Last week, a few things came up and we didn't get to play much... So today, I want to play lots of basketball.
It's lunchtime now. I was wiping down the basketballs our club uses with a rag alongside the other members of the basketball club.
We don't have club activities today, but our upperclassmen told us to do it, so we first-years ended up cleaning the balls like this.
I don't mind doing this at all, but a lot of my classmates are complaining.
But for me, all I have to do is get through fifth period, and then I can go to the park!
Piece of cake!
"Hey, Yuka."
"Hmm?"
Rika-chan, who was wiping down a ball beside me, spoke to me with a bored look.
"Where have you been going on Fridays lately?"
"Uhh... well..."
People have been asking me that a lot lately. They asked me yesterday, too.
I wonder why? Maybe it's obvious how excited I've been...?
"Hey, I want you to be honest with me... It's a guy, isn't it?"
"N-no, it's not?!"
"Aah, you're getting flustered! So it is a guy!"
"Huh?! What, Yuka, do you have a boyfriend now?!"
"Everyone, apparently Yuka got a boyfriend!"
"I told you I don't!!!"
Jeez! Don't spring that on me out of nowhere!
My face felt hot. It's not like I have that kind of relationship with Big Brother...
He's just teaching me basketball—in a wholesome, totally wholesome way.
"I knew something was up lately! Yuka always bolts home on Fridays."
"It makes sense if Yuka finally got a boyfriend. She's secretly a little pervy, after all."
"Hey, stop it! It's not like that!"
A boyfriend, huh...
If, if I could go out with Big Brother... How happy and wonderful would that be?
Just thinking about it made my heart pound.
"Aah, you're grinning! So it's a guy after all! I can't let this stand! Let's all follow Yuka today!"
"Yeah, yeah! I'm curious what kind of guy he is!"
"N-no! Don't! Anything but that! Absolutely not!!!"
Big Brother is cool. No, way too cool.
If everyone followed me, they'd probably think he was cool, too, and it wouldn't be surprising if more girls came along after that.
Besides, Big Brother is so nice that even if more people showed up, he'd probably teach them, too...
"What's this fun conversation? Let us join in."
The air froze.
When I cautiously looked behind me, two second-year upperclassmen were standing in the doorway of the gym equipment shed.
Looking closer, I saw a second-year male upperclassman behind them, one of the basketball club members everyone said was handsome.
"G-good afternoon."
"Yeah, yeah. So? What is it? Did Yuka get a boyfriend?"
"...! ...No, it's a misunderstanding."
These two were the upperclassmen in charge of instructing the first-years, and honestly, I didn't really like them.
They were scary and intimidating.
"Hmm... Well, figures. The guy's probably ugly anyway."
"...!"
Big Brother isn't ugly!! I couldn't stand them making fun of him.
I was about to snap back, but Rika-chan tugged on my sleeve where the others couldn't see.
She must have been telling me to calm down.
"Are you done cleaning the balls?"
"We'll be done soon."
"I see. I'll check them when practice starts tomorrow, so don't leave any dirt on them, okay? And, Yuka."
She called me by name, and our eyes met.
The upperclassman strode over and looked down at me intimidatingly.
She spoke quietly right next to my ear.
"Don't get too full of yourself just because you made the starting lineup."
"..."
"Well, we're leaving. Sorry for keeping you, Kenji. Come on, let's go."
The two upperclassmen left, taking the male upperclassman with them.
I somehow swallowed my anger... and let out a breath.
"Yuka, are you okay?"
"Meru-senpai is seriously the worst."
"What was that? Bringing her boyfriend along just to show him off. That's seriously gross..."
Ever since I'd become a starter and started playing in games, Meru-senpai had been picking on me in a really weird way.
Meru-senpai probably hated that she wasn't a starter and a first-year like me was.
Still.
(She made fun of Big Brother...!)
I didn't care what they said about me.
But I couldn't forgive them for making fun of Big Brother.
School was over.
Something unpleasant happened at lunch, but it wasn't enough to dampen my excitement about spending time with Big Brother.
I hurried home and got ready to go to the park.
I had to return the towel I'd borrowed from Big Brother, too...
I stuffed the towel into my bag.
I'd already washed it at home, so I thought it wouldn't smell like Big Brother anymore... but a faint scent still lingered.
Big Brother, you're incredible.
Just for a little bit. Just a little, I pressed the towel against my face...
(Fwaah...)
N-no, I can't. I'm melting.
If it still smelled like that after washing, then nobody can blame me for doing all those things to it before washing it. Right? Definitely.
"What are you doing?"
"Waaah?! Mom, don't just barge in!"
"Well, you told me to make your water bottle..."
While I was wrapped up in Big Brother's scent, Mom had come into my room.
Th-that was close. It'd be way too embarrassing if she saw me totally spaced out.
"Okay, I'm heading out!"
"Oh, wait, Yuka!"
I left in a rush without listening to Mom.
Big Brother's waiting! I'm really, really looking forward to this!
"Did that girl even check the weather forecast...?"
"T-today, Big Brother, I'm taking this spot back from you!!"
"Oh, you're here, Yuka-chan."
A little after three.
As expected, Big Brother had arrived first and was warming up.
Big Brother's outfit today was amazing, too. A white T-shirt with a short-sleeved black shirt over it.
It was a little cool today, so his outfit looked refreshingly comfortable.
His loose pants were easy to move in and suited his height perfectly. So cool.
...Come to think of it, he called me Yuka-chan. I was happy when he just called me Yuka, since it felt more intimate, but...
Am I being selfish?
I decided to be just a little brave.
"U-um! Since we're opponents, you don't have to show me any mercy. So, please call me just Yuka."
H-how was that? It came out kind of like a samurai, but it was natural enough, right?
I nervously watched Big Brother's expression.
"Heh-heh... Ahahaha! You're right, you're right! All right, Yuka. I'm taking this spot for myself again today!"
—! Yes! I'm so happy!! And Big Brother's smile is dazzling! He's so cool!! I love him!!
I almost couldn't stop myself from doing a little happy dance.
"W-well, then, let's get started..."
"Hey, no cheating."
"Huh?"
When I took the ball out of my bag and tried to start playing, Big Brother stepped in front of me.
"Did you already forget what happened last week? Warm-ups! We aren't playing unless you do them properly today."
"...! R-right, I did!"
Even the way he made an X with his hands was wonderful... so cute...
No, that's not the point. He's right, I need to warm up properly.
I started warming up carefully, doing bends and stretches.
While I did, Big Brother kept shooting at the hoop.
His touch on the ball was so soft.
His shooting form was beautiful... I couldn't help staring.
Looking at his cool profile... I remembered how the upperclassmen had made fun of him at lunch and got irritated.
But it's fine. Those upperclassmen have no idea I'm playing basketball with someone this wonderful.
I basked in my own sense of superiority.
"—Hup!"
"Oh...! Seriously?"
I somehow got all the way under the hoop, faked a shot, then pivoted and turned. I managed to get past Big Brother's block, and my shot went in.
"...Yes!"
"Seriously, how...? I was trying to stop you for real..."
Playing basketball with Big Brother is so much fun. Of course, sometimes his coolness makes my heart skip, but I genuinely love playing basketball with him.
Big Brother is taller than me, of course, and I think he holds back, but he plays at just the right level, where it's a close call whether I can score.
"You're really getting better and better, Yuka... Maybe you'll actually take this spot back from me before long."
"Yes! I'll definitely take it back!"
To be honest, I have no intention of taking it back at all.
I wish this time together could go on forever.
"Okay, my turn on offense."
"All right. Come at me!"
He handed me the ball, and I took a defensive stance.
—And then.
Plip, plip.
Something cold touched my head.
Huh?
"Huh?"
Big Brother looked up, too.
I was so focused on basketball that I hadn't noticed at all, but
the sky had suddenly grown dark.
The droplets I'd felt turned into something else the next moment.
Rain came pouring down as if someone had overturned a bucket.
"Whoa?!"
"Eeeek?!"
Big Brother and I hurried to take shelter.
First, we shoved the ball into our bags and held the bags over our heads as makeshift umbrellas.
Ugh! If it was going to rain, I would've brought a folding umbrella!
"Yuka! Let's go over there!"
"Okay!"
Where Big Brother was pointing... there was something like a rest area with a roof.
We ran to take shelter together.
"Phew! I can't believe it started raining this hard."
"Hah... hah... Yeah..."
We managed to find shelter, but we were completely soaked in an instant.
My socks were drenched, too, and the inside of my shoes felt awful.
"Towel, towel... Phew. Yuka, are you okay? Do you have a towel?"
"Yes, I do—"
I stopped mid-sentence.
Today, besides the towel I'd borrowed from Big Brother, I'd brought my own towel.
That was fine.
More importantly—
(B-Big Brother, y-your shirt is... it's see-through under there!)
Big Brother was just as soaked as I was... and I could faintly see his skin through the white T-shirt.
I-it's too sexy... Hold on. His hair's wet in a really nice way, too, and he's so alluring! Is this, could this be one of those moments right before something happens???
"Man, what should we do? We can't really play like this."
"..."
"Yuka?"
Ah, I can't think straight.
I can't think about anything!!
Wait, my breathing's getting all ragged.
This is bad. If he realizes I'm looking at Big Brother sexually because of something like this...!
'Ew... Gross. Never come near me again.'
(I-I'd die if he said something like that...!)
My life would be over if he said that to me.
I absolutely, absolutely must not look.
The temptation is there. But I can resist this much temptation...!
"...? Seriously, what's wrong, Yuka? Are you feeling sick?"
"...!"
H-his, his hands, his hands, his hands...
Big Brother's soft, big hand is pressed to my forehead!!
We're so close!! Big Brother, all wet and sexy, is so close!!!
Stop!! My heart!! My heart's going to explode!!!
"You don't seem to have a fever... Oh, right, you must've gotten pretty cold... Ah, I know."
Big Brother pulled out his bag as if he'd remembered something.
"Here, put this on. It's short-sleeved, so it might not help much, but it's better than nothing, I think."
"Huh..."
Something landed softly on my shoulders.
Big Brother's short-sleeved shirt.
It was the shirt he'd been wearing when he came. He'd put it away when we started playing basketball, but...
"Sorry, it's all I've got... Let's wait until the rain lets up a bit."
"...O-okay..."
My heart wouldn't stop pounding. Big Brother was beside me, his shirt see-through, and I was wrapped in his clothes.
I felt like every part of me was being dyed more and more in Big Brother's colors.
"Ah, Yuka, sorry. Could you look the other way for a bit?"
"Huh...?"
"This might be bad... Well, as long as you don't see, it's fine, right? Probably. That'll do."
W-what could he mean?
F-for now, I turned to face the direction he wasn't in, as he asked.
My heart was still pounding, though.
Then...
There was a rustle of fabric.
The sound of something being wrung out.
Then the sound of water dripping.
Huh?
"Whoa, did it soak up this much water...? It's crazy how much came out just from wringing it once... Hmm, I think I brought a spare T-shirt..."
Huh?
C-could Big Brother be...
Taking his clothes off?
"Let's see, it should be around here..."
Thump, thump, thump.
My heart was beating louder than ever.
Wait. If I turn around now, will Big Brother be... naked???
H-huh, huh, huh.
Can I look? I can look, right?
I mean, this is unavoidable! This is an accident.
No girl could resist looking!
B-Big Brother's skin. His bare skin.
I timidly turned around.
He was facing toward his bag, not me.
His back came into view.
A beautiful, skin-colored, toned back...
Big Brother's scent.
Big Brother's skin.
"Hah... hah...!"
Big Brother's scent.
My head was spinning.
It's okay, right? I can just give in now, right?
I can throw my arms around him from behind and rub my cheek against him, and nobody will complain, right????
Nobody would complain if I licked him, right????
I mean, nobody's looking right now, right??? So it's okay if I go all the way, right??
"Oh, there it is. Thank goodness I brought a spare... Yuka?!?!"
Ah... I'm losing consciousness...
Sorry I'm such a coward. I wanted to savor Big Brother's skin one last time...
As Big Brother pulled on a fresh shirt and shook my shoulder, my consciousness faded once again.