Chapter 2: The Feelings That Go Round in Daily Life

───● The Childhood Friend-type University Girl Hits Back ●○●

I think that a university is an educational institution where the amount of time you’re tied down each day depends entirely on the student’s own initiative.

Some people who don’t care just have others mark them as present while they go out and play, and some motivated people take tons of classes to rack up credits.

Of course, I’m sure not all universities are like that.

I’m somewhere in the middle, taking a decent number of classes but also a decent amount of time off.

And today was more of a day off.

My third period class ended, and I didn’t have any others for the day.

“Mmmph! I’m beat! Man, we have a quiz next week~ I’m not confident at all.”

“It’s fine, it’s fine! It’ll work out somehow!”

“Mizuho, you always say that and then barely scrape by…”

“Barely scraping by is still an okay, my friend!”

The three of us took our classes together today, just like always.

Lately, I feel like I’ve gotten used to us moving as a trio.

I glanced over at Masato’s profile as he laughed at Mizuho’s words.

And because I’ve gotten used to it… I find myself shrinking away, thinking about what would happen if I threw my feelings at Masato and he turned me down.

But if I keep things vague forever, someone’s going to snatch the dangerously naive Masato away.

That’s the one thing, the only thing, I can’t let happen.

“…? Koumi, is something wrong?”

“Nope! It’s nothing! Anyway, let’s go to the batting center like we promised! There’s one a few stops away by train!”

“Oh, yeah, sounds good.”

I’d already made plans to go to the batting center with Masato today.

You wouldn’t know it by looking at me, but I used to play softball, so I’m pretty confident in my batting. But Masato absolutely refuses to believe me, so today, I’m going to prove it! That’s the plan for today.

“Mizuho, you’re coming too, right?”

The carefree, twintailed girl walking next to me is also good at sports.

She seems to have warmed up to Masato recently, so I was sure she’d come, but…

“Huh? Ah… Haha! I actually have something else on today… You two have fun!”

“Oh? You do?”

“Yup, yup! The super-popular Mizuho-chan is just so busy, you see… sniffle, sniffle.”

She said it jokingly, but I couldn’t help but think it was unusual.

I’ve known Mizuho for a long time, and my impression of her is that she’ll pretty much come wagging her tail whenever I invite her somewhere…

“Mizuho, you have plans?”

“…!”

Masato must have thought it was a little strange too, because he leaned in to get a look at her face.

“N-No way~! This is such a dilemma. Does Masato-kun really want this Mizuho-chan to come that badly? But I can’t today! Sorry! Well, you two, see you tomorrow~!”

“Ah, wait, Mizuho!”

Mizuho adjusted her marine cap and then took off running.

Was she in that much of a hurry? We were supposed to take the same way to the station…

“Mizuho was acting a little weird, huh.”

“Ah…”

Hearing him say she was weird, I realized.

Mizuho was being considerate. So that Masato and I could have a date, just the two of us…

“You idiot, Mizuho… you didn’t have to do that…”

“? What’s up?”

“It’s nothing! C’mon, let’s go!”

I’ll have to give her a piece of my mind when I see her tomorrow.

Tell her that I like spending time with the three of us, and that there’s no problem at all with the three of us going to a batting center.

It’s true that we’ve been hanging out as a group of three a lot more at university, but that doesn’t mean I find Mizuho annoying.

I was the one who introduced them in the first place.

Because I love Mizuho, too.

About ten minutes by train from our university’s station.

Masato and I arrived at the station near the batting center. As soon as we exited the ticket gates, we could see the roof of the building in front of us was enclosed by netting.

We could also hear the distinct metallic ping of a bat hitting a ball.

“It’s been a while, I’m getting excited to do some batting.”

“Hehe, you’re like a little kid, Masato.”

“With stuff like this, you’ve gotta let your inner child out!”

I chased after Masato as he bounced on his heels toward the elevator.

Masato as a kid, huh… I wonder what he was like. Was he already handsome back then?

We got on the elevator and went up to the roof.

I put 1000 yen into the ticket machine, and it spat out tickets for four turns at bat.

“Who’s hitting first?”

“You can go first, Masato. Your eyes have been sparkling this whole time.”

“Haha, was it that obvious?”

He really was like a little kid. That part of him was cute, too. Endearing.

Masato quickly walked over to a batting cage… wait.

“Masato, that one’s 130 km/h, you know? Isn’t that a little… fast to start with?”

“It’s fine, it’s fine! I’m actually pretty good at hitting!”

“I wonder about that…”

It was the second-fastest cage at this place.

I think even for a guy, hitting that would be pretty tough…

“Ah, sorry. Can you hold this for me?”

“Oh, sure.”

Before stepping into the cage, Masato handed me his backpack, his watch, and his necklace.

…Wait, doesn’t this feel kind of like I’m his girlfriend? This whole thing of holding your boyfriend’s stuff for him, it’s super girlfriend-like, right?!

I’m just gonna go ahead and say I’m his girlfriend now (self-contained conclusion).

I’m so happy…

“Alright! Here I go!”

Masato stepped into the right-handed batter’s box, rolled up his sleeves, and took his stance.

I watched him from behind the net.

The monitor lit up, and the virtual pitcher wound up.

In sync with the animation, a ball shot out.

“Hup!”

Masato’s bat, swung with a sharp crack, made contact with the ball. A high-pitched metallic sound rang out.

The ball flew in a beautiful arc toward center field.

“Whoa, amazing! You’re actually really good, Masato!”

“Right?! I told you so! Hup!”

He connected with the next ball, too. This time to right field.

He was bringing the bat through from the inside, so the hard-hit ball flew to the right.

Whoa, he’s good… This is bad! At this rate, I won’t be able to prove that I’m better!

Putting that aside, watching Masato bat from behind was just so cool.

So cool that I was completely captivated, forgetting to even speak.

Oh, right. I should take a video.

I want to watch it again when I get home.

I pulled out my phone and launched the camera.

I started recording Masato.

“Hup!”

“Whoa, awesome, awesome! You’re hitting almost everything!”

“This is a piece of cake! Hup!”

My heart was pounding.

And this conversation is being perfectly recorded on my phone.

If I posted this on social media… wouldn’t that basically mean he’s my boyfriend?

Maybe I should just start locking things down from the outside in? I think that’s a brilliant idea, if I do say so myself.

In the end, Masato cleanly hit back almost every single ball.

“Man, that was fun! It’s been a while, but I could still hit pretty well!”

“No, seriously, that was amazing. I’m shocked. You really weren’t kidding.”

“Right~!”

Masato was more hyped up than usual, and it was making me smile too.

Alright, now it’s my turn to show what I’ve got.

“Okay, I’m next!”

“Whoa, hold on, Koumi. You’re gonna hit in that cage too?”

“? Yeah, I am.”

“Isn’t it a little too fast? There are other cages, you know…”

Oh-ho.

So Masato still underestimates me, does he?

“Here! Hold these!”

“O-Oh.”

This time, I shoved all of Masato’s stuff that I’d been holding, plus my own stuff, into his arms.

Fine! I’ll show you!

I stepped into the batter’s box and inserted my ticket.

Without hesitation, I pressed the start button.

I’m glad I came in hot pants and sneakers today.

I thought we might be doing something active, so I chose an outfit that was easy to move in. It was the right call.

The ball shot out from the pitcher on the monitor… and I swung through it sharply.

Yes! A line drive to center!

“Whoa! Seriously?!”

“See?! I told you so!”

Masato was surprised. Yes, yes, that’s the reaction I wanted!

I had the chance to get into baseball when I was young, and from there I just sort of kept playing softball.

Somehow, I got pretty good at it, and I played seriously in high school, too.

I’ve always liked sports.

After hitting that first ball, my softball spirit ignited.

Alright, from now on, I’m not letting a single ball get past me~!

I started making solid contact with one ball after another.

A hit to center, a hit to right, a hit to left. Keep my left leg from coming up too high, shift my weight.

It reduces my power for hitting long, but it increases my ability to make contact.

Before I knew it, I was completely absorbed in hitting ball after ball.

After we were done at the batting center.

Masato and I were taking a break at a fast-food place on the first floor of the same building.

…But.

(I-I overdid it~~~~…)

I was in the middle of some serious regret.

After that, I got fired up and just kept hitting like crazy.

But now, I can’t help but wonder, what does Masato think of that?

We came here together, but if he didn’t have fun… and if I couldn’t get him to think I’m even a little bit attractive, then there’s no point!

And yet, I just got competitive and batted my heart out…

What if he was thinking, Whoa, this girl hits like a monster, that’s scary… What do I do? I wanna die…

“Sorry for the wait~”

As I was slumped over the table, Masato came back with our order on a tray.

“Man, that was fun~ Whoa, what’s wrong, Koumi?”

“No… ahaha…”

What do I do, I definitely overdid it… I should, I should probably just ask him.

I decided to ask Masato, who was sipping his drink with a puzzled look on his face.

“Masato… what do you think about… girls who are good at sports?”

“What do I ‘think’?”

“Um~ Well~ Like, as a type? In terms of whether you like them or not~”

Okay, gotta wrap this in bubble wrap.

Gotta minimize the potential damage…!

“I dunno, maybe it’s because a friend I was close with back in the day and I used to play sports together a lot, but I think I actually like them. People who are good at sports.”

“…I see.”

A friend he was close with back in the day…

I see. Of course. Masato has a past, and there’s no way someone as cool as him wouldn’t have something like that.

Even though it should have been a good answer, I hate myself for getting all gloomy.

“When did you start playing softball, Koumi?”

“Huh? I think it was around late elementary school?”

“I see~ And you played all the way through high school? No wonder you’re so good.”

Masato nodded in admiration as he ate his fries.

Is… is it okay to be happy about this…? He said he doesn’t dislike athletic girls, so it’s okay to be happy, right…?

We got on the train to head home.

In the end, I couldn’t ask him much about his childhood.

We’ll have plenty of chances to talk from now on… I’m sure another opportunity to ask will come up.

“Alright, this is my transfer.”

“Oh, okay! Take care! See you tomorrow!”

I waved goodbye to Masato as he got off the train.

Honestly, our current relationship is comfortable.

We can hang out together at university, we text all the time, he even goes on dates with me that feel like we’re almost a couple… though I’m sure he doesn’t think we’re dating at all.

I don’t want to hand him over to anyone else. Absolutely not.

But at the same time, I’m also afraid of destroying what we have now.

If I couldn’t be with Masato anymore… I think I would break.

Ping.

A notification on my phone.

Wondering who it was, I pulled out my phone. On the screen was the name, Masato.

I wonder what it is. Did I forget to give something back to him…?

Masato: Thanks for today! It was really fun~!

:Masato: <Image Sent>

An image… from Masato?

I quickly tapped to open it.

There it was, a picture of me when I was completely absorbed in batting, my expression serious as I waited for the ball, ready to swing.

The photo was taken from an angle, slightly behind me.

Masato: Took a sneaky pic lol You were super cool! I’ll let you have the win for today’s match!

—Ahh. Why does this person.

I instinctively clutched my phone to my chest.

Sitting there in my train seat, I savored this feeling.

He does all the things I want him to do.

He says all the words I want him to say.

“I really do love him… I love him so much…!”

I whispered it quietly.

My heart was pounding so loudly I couldn’t even hear the rattling of the train.