Chapter 5: Did You Think You Could Live a Normal Life?

───● The Basketball Club Middle Schooler Plays in a Match ●○●

Sunday.

I wonder how long it’s been since I was last out under the morning sun, listening to the chirping of little birds.

“Yaaawn…“

I rubbed my sleepy eyes.

The current time is an astonishing 7 AM.

The last time I woke up this early was probably when I was in high school.

At least, I’ve never woken up at this hour since coming to this world. Ever since starting university, my lifestyle has fallen into complete disarray.

I stretched upwards with a groan and let out a big breath.

The air is dry and feels great. It’s like the fresh green of the park is circulating through my entire body!

Arriving at my destination, I put down my bag.

There are a few people here wearing work clothes I don’t recognize. What are they doing? It doesn’t look like they came here to exercise, that’s for sure.

“Hmm…? Oh well, I guess I’ll warm up for now…”

I’m sleepy and thinking about it won’t give me any answers, so I’ll just do some light warm-ups first. I did some squats, followed by some jumps.

Yep. Body’s moving okay.

There’s a reason I came here today, of course.

If there wasn’t a reason, my body wouldn’t be capable of waking up at this hour.

“Masato-nii-san!”

A cheerful voice called out. I turned around to see a familiar girl standing there, a navy-blue enamel bag on her back.

“Yuka, morning.”

“Yes! Good morning!”

So full of energy in the morning. Her smile is radiant.

I had promised to do some morning practice with Yuka today.

Apparently, she has a tournament later, and she asked if I would help her warm up.

I honestly told her I might not be able to wake up because it’s so early… a pathetic excuse, I know, but she gave me a morning call at 6 AM.

How considerate of her… (he said, flatly.)

I have no objections to helping Yuka warm up; in fact, it’s something I wanted to do, so it’s all good.

“I’m so sorry! For making you come out this early…!”

“It’s fine, it’s fine. I need to wake up early for my health every once in a while, too…”

Bowing her head over and over, Yuka also put down her bag and started her warm-ups.

We’re planning for about an hour. Any more than that would interfere with her tournament, so this is really just a light warm-up.

“How are you feeling? Nervous?”

“Hmm… I don’t think so. It’s not like my opponents will be stronger than you, nii-san.”

Wh-what guts…

I may have created a monster…

In my heart, I apologized to the opposing school.

“Hah!“

“Oh, nice form.”

The ball released from Yuka’s hands swished cleanly through the hoop.

Her shooting form is beautiful. I wonder how many middle schoolers can move like that.

“Alright, that feels good.”

Yuka’s expression as she opened and closed her right hand was deadly serious.

The gap between this and her usual cute side is another one of her charms, I think.

I looked at the clock installed in the park.

It was almost 8 AM.

“Yuka! Let’s wrap it up. Doing too much isn’t good, and this should be just right!”

“…! Yes! Thank you very much!”

Yuka seemed to have been so absorbed in basketball that she hadn’t noticed the time, and looked surprised when she saw the clock.

She really has a basketball craze.

After Yuka took a drink of the sports drink in her water bottle, she started putting away the ball and her other things.

Her expression seems a little tense, so maybe even if she’s not consciously aware of it, she’s still nervous.

Oh, that’s right.

“Yuka, can I have a second?”

“…? What is it?”

I took the object I was looking for out of my own bag.

In my hand was the black wristband I used to use.

I bought it for matches, but… due to certain circumstances, I barely got to use it.

“You can say no if you don’t want it, but… here, if you’d like, you can use this.”

“! A-Are you sure!?”

“Of course. It’s practically new. Ah, but it’s got my initials on the back, so if you don’t like that—”

“I’ll use it!! Just like this!! Please let me use it!!”

Wh-Whoa, she cut me off with some serious intensity.

I handed the wristband to Yuka, and she immediately slipped it onto her arm.

Her eyes are sparkling like she just received a priceless treasure.

I-It’s really not that great of a thing…

“Using it for the first time in a real match might feel weird, so try it on in practice beforehand, and if it feels off, take it off. If there are no problems, I think you can wear it.”

“Yes…! Thank you! I’ll treasure it, truly, truly, I will…!”

The pressure is intense.

It’s not that great of a gift… but well, I don’t mind if it makes her happy.

“I’ll do my best today!”

Yuka’s bursting smile was, as always, adorable.

After Yuka waved her hands frantically and headed off to her tournament.

“Now then…”

I’ve actually already looked up which school Yuka’s tournament is being held at.

And that the general public is allowed to spectate.

“Guess I’ll go watch~”

I want to see Yuka play in a real match, after all.

I was in full “Onii-santher going to watch his little sister’s game” mode. Not that I’ve ever had a sister.

I went home once to take a shower.

The moment I got out of the shower, I was hit by an intense wave of drowsiness, but I managed to fight it off with pure willpower.

If I sleep now, I’ll definitely be out until the evening. I have to avoid that…

The venue for Yuka’s tournament was at a school within biking distance.

It’s nice not to have to pay for transportation. After resting a bit and having a late breakfast, I went outside again.

Straddling my slightly beat-up bicycle, I pedaled off with vigor, undaunted by the blazing summer sun.

About 30 minutes by bike.

Having reached my destination, I parked my bike in the designated area.

In addition to the usual sound of a ball bouncing, I could hear the sounds unique to a basketball tournament: the buzzer, and the squeak-squeak of basketball shoes.

I borrowed some slippers at the entrance and headed up to the second floor, where spectators could watch from.

“Whoa~ It’s pretty big…”

The gym was larger than I expected, and it was divided in the middle with games being played on two courts.

I think Yuka’s school name was…

“Oh, it’s over there.”

My timing seems to have been perfect.

Their warm-ups were over, and they were just lining up now.

Yuka is tall for a first-year middle schooler, so I thought I might not be able to tell which player she was just from the lineup, but…

That was a needless worry.

“That kid…”

Before her hairstyle, before her jersey number.

The black wristband on her left arm was the first thing that jumped out at me.

I wonder if she actually checked to see if it felt weird. She doesn’t have to force herself to wear it… but still, the fact that she is wearing it makes me a little happy.

I moved to a position where I could get a good view… and I could see Yuka’s expression.

It was more serious than I’d ever seen it. She looks like she’s focused.

It’d be bad if she noticed me while she was concentrating and got needlessly nervous, so I didn’t go to the front where the parents were likely sitting, but instead took a seat in the back to watch the game.

To state the results first, Yuka was, as I expected, an absolute freak.

That girl is way too good. She was scoring like crazy right from the start, so much so that the other team couldn’t handle her and had to double-team her, but Yuka’s passing game is also good.

Her third-year teammates are skilled too, so if they get the ball when they’re open, they’ll make the shot.

She told me that it was the second-years who were bullying her, and that the third-years were all nice, so their teamwork seems solid.

The third-years also seem happy to entrust the ball to Yuka.

Watching the point gap widen, I was trembling.

Could it be that… our girl is too strong!?

Even though I’m not her actual brother, I was as happy about Yuka’s success as if it were my own.

“Ah, excuse me~…”

As I was enjoying the Yuka-led massacre, one of the parents…? in front of me called out to me.

He was a timid-looking man.

“? Yes, what is it?”

“Are you here to cheer for our middle school?”

“Ah~ well, something like that, yes.”

“Great! In that case, please, won’t you come watch from the front?”

So that’s why the parents have been glancing over at me. Hmm. I guess now that the point difference is this big, it doesn’t really matter… maybe?

Since they’re offering, I do kind of want to see her play a little closer.

“W-Well then, if you insist…”

I stood up and moved to the front.

From here, I can see the game much better.

“Wow! He’s so handsome~! Who are you here to cheer for?”

“My, he is handsome! Is he someone’s Onii-santher?”

“I don’t think any of the girls had a brother this good-looking!?”

What is this, I’m getting swarmed!

“I’m… Yuka… Maeda Yuka-san’s… kind of like her brother.”

“Ehh~! Yuka-chan has a Onii-santher!?”

“No wonder Yuka-chan is so cute!”

Slightly overwhelmed by the mothers’ intense excitement, I turned my attention back to the court.

We were in the second half, and the point difference was already quite large… but Yuka wasn’t letting up.

She was still being double-teamed.

Even so, she used her specialty crossover to create space between the defenders and broke through with a sharp drive.

She drew in the opposing defender who came to help, then passed… or so it seemed, but it was a pass fake.

The defender fell for it completely. Exploiting the opening, Yuka went for a mid-range jumper.

Yuka leaped gracefully into the air.

That was a spot I liked too. My success rate on mid-range shots from there was good, and I used to shoot from there a lot.

──Somehow, I see myself in Yuka. Even though Yuka is already a much more splendid player than I ever was.

A beautiful form. There was no way she would miss. I was sure it was going in the moment she shot it.

The instant the ball sank through the hoop with a satisfying swish.

My eyes met with Yuka’s, whose face was filled with surprise.

The buzzer sounded for a timeout by the opposing team. However, no matter what strategy they come up with now, the point gap and the remaining time are hopeless.

Yuka’s team’s victory was unshakable.

…As she returns to the bench, Yuka is sneaking a lot of glances over here.

I gave her a little wave, but I’m glad I wasn’t in a visible spot from the beginning. I might have just put unnecessary pressure on her.

The way Yuka is pointedly showing off the arm with the wristband is adorable.

──Alright, alright. It’s okay. I was watching.

After watching one more game, I decided to head home.

Between the parents pestering me relentlessly, and being bombarded with questions during the break by the group of energetic kids I taught basketball with alongside Yuka, I was extremely tired.

Middle school girls are terrifying.

Yuka was a superstar in the second game, too.

With two wins today, it seems the third-years’ retirement has been postponed.

The sight of Yuka celebrating with the third-years was dazzling.

I’m sure she’ll be busy with meetings and other things after this.

I’ve been active since the morning and I’m tired. Maybe I’ll just go home and sleep…

I returned my slippers to the shoe rack, and stepped outside──.

“Masato-nii-san!”

…Or so I thought.

I turned around, and there stood today’s hero.

“Yuka, great job.”

“Ah, um, thank you for.. coming.”

“It’s no problem. Actually, I’m sorry for coming without telling you.”

“No! I was happy… um.”

Yuka looked down and fidgeted.

After a short pause, she looked up as if she had made up her mind.

“Um! The meeting will be over in about 15 minutes… would you… would you walk home with me…?”

Honestly, until a moment ago, I was so tired that all I wanted was to go home and sleep.

But being asked like this by today’s hero, I had absolutely no intention of turning her down.

After that, as I was waiting near the school gate, Yuka came running.

The seniors and parents behind her were shouting something at the top of their lungs, and Yuka came barreling towards me with her face bright red, so I had no idea what was going on.

But she forcefully pushed my back, so I had no choice but to leave the scene.

I put Yuka’s bag in my bicycle basket, and we walked together down the evening road.

“Jeez… why didn’t you tell me you were coming?”

“Well, if I told you, I felt like I’d put pressure on you, you know?”

“Hmph…”

Even her pouting face is cute. It’s so different from when she’s playing basketball.

To the opposing team, she must have looked like a demon…

“Hey, Masato-nii-san, want to play some basketball before we go home?”

“Ehh!? Yuka, aren’t you exhausted…?”

“Just a little! Just a little!”

It’s true that the usual park isn’t that far from here.

But Yuka just played two whole games.

I don’t want to make her push herself when she’s obviously tired… and besides.

I looked up at the sky, dazzling in the sunset.

“Isn’t it going to get dark soon?”

“Then let’s hurry!”

As soon as she said that, Yuka pointed at the bicycle I was holding.

“I’ll pedal! You ride on the back, nii-san!”

“No, if anyone’s doing that, it’s the other way around!”

“Eh, really? Then will you give me a ride?”

Ugh… being asked like that with those upturned eyes makes it really hard to say no. Ah, whatever! Yuka worked hard today.

“Alright! Get on, we’re going!”

“Yay…! Thank you!”

After confirming Yuka was on the back, I started pedaling.

Feeling Yuka’s body heat pressed against my back.

The wind blowing past feels so good.

“~~~♪”

I don’t even have to turn around to know.

Yuka is in a great mood, and her hands wrapped around my waist are very tight.

──Well, this isn’t so bad every once in a while.

The incident happened after we arrived at the park.

Yuka and I arrived safely, and I went to the bike rack to park the bicycle. In the meantime, Yuka took the ball and headed for the court, but.

Right in front of the court, Yuka had stopped dead in her tracks.

“…What’s wrong?”

When Yuka turned around, her face was pale, and I couldn’t help but be startled.

What on earth happened…?

“Masato-nii-san… this…”

Yuka’s voice was half-filled with tears.

At the entrance to the court.

There was a notice posted there. Come to think of it, there was something there this morning, too…

From behind Yuka, I read the contents of the notice.

Written there were the words: ‘Notice of Basketball Court Demolition’.