───● The Middle School Basketball Girl Catches a Cold ●○●
The morning after Mizuho’s birthday.
Waking up just before noon, I checked the notifications on my phone and involuntarily muttered, “Oh.”
Maeda Yuka: Masato-san, I’m sorry.
‘I ended up catching a fever, so please let’s cancel today’s basketball practice.’
‘I think today was our last chance to see each other this year, so it’s really frustrating.’
‘Please have a happy New Year.’
Using the word “frustrating” felt very like Yuka, I thought. Even through the text, I could clearly feel her helplessness—or perhaps sadness.
“A cold, huh…”
I had plans to play basketball with Yuka this afternoon, so my schedule was suddenly wide open. Thinking about it, it really hit me just how much of my daily life revolved around my plans with Yuka and the other girls.
I thought about what to do for a while, pacing pointlessly between the living room and the kitchen.
…It’s the end of the year, so it would be fine to clean my room or get other chores done, but…
I opened my phone again and double-checked the message Yuka had sent me.
“Should I go check up on her…?” I wondered aloud.
I knew where Yuka’s house was since I’d walked her home a few times. It was a fair distance away, but definitely not so far that I couldn’t go.
After all, considering we first met at a nearby park, we shared pretty much the same stomping grounds.
Even if I went to check on her, I didn’t know if I’d be able to see her or if she’d even be happy about it. Still, the thought of not being able to see her again this year felt like a shame to me too. With that in mind, I decided to get ready.
Having made up my mind, I started by washing my face and checking my reflection in the bathroom mirror.
It suddenly occurred to me that thinking “I don’t know if she’d be happy about it” might be a bit rude to Yuka.
Of course Yuka would be happy. Given how much time we’d spent together, I knew that much very well.
When I realized that… I felt disgusted with myself for unconsciously trying to run away from the affection those girls showed me.
I let out a heavy sigh, then slapped both of my cheeks with a sharp smack.
It took about 15 minutes by bicycle. Along the way, I bought some sports drinks and pudding, thinking they might make her happy while she was sick. However, considering Yuka was a middle schooler who naturally lived with her parents, I couldn’t help but wonder if it was unnecessary.
Finally, I arrived at Yuka’s house.
Although I had walked her home before, I had never actually met her parents.
Feeling a bit nervous, I pressed the intercom.
A moment later, a bright female voice responded.
‘Yes, hello!’
“Ah, hello. I’m Yuka-san’s… f-friend? I guess,” I replied hesitantly.
‘Oh! Isn’t that Masato-kun!’
“Ah, yes.”
‘Wait just a second!’
Ah, she knows my name, I thought. At the same time, I deeply regretted not deciding how to best explain my relationship with Yuka to her mother beforehand.
But I didn’t even have time to dwell on that before the door swung open with a click.
Standing there was a woman with beautiful black hair—Yuka’s mother.
“Oh my! It really is Masato-kun! Welcome!” she greeted warmly.
“Hello. I’m the one who always plays basketball with Yuka-san. My name is Katasato Masato,” I introduced myself.
“Of course I know who you are! You even came to watch her match, didn’t you?”
Come to think of it, I had gone to the Gymnasium to watch Yuka’s match before. She might have remembered my face from back then.
“Well, I was actually supposed to meet up with Yuka-san today, but I heard she caught a fever…”
“She did! Oh, but there’s no point in just standing out here talking—come inside, come inside!”
“Eh, but I…”
“It’s fine, it’s fine!”
Honestly, I’d been thinking it would be fine to just hand over the care package and go home, but I ended up yielding to the pressure from Yuka’s mother and stepping inside.
As I was guided from the entryway to the living room, I couldn’t help but notice what a splendid house they had.
“Where is Yuka-san…?”
“She fell asleep just a little while ago. She was in a terrible mood, pouting, ‘I was supposed to see Masato-san today, too!‘ Oh dear, I wonder if she’ll be mad at me later for telling you that.”
“Ahaha…” I chuckled awkwardly.
She was a very cheerful mother. My first impression was that she was a beautiful woman. Having a kid around Yuka’s age meant she had to be at least a certain age, but she certainly didn’t look it… I also figured that Yuka’s beautiful black hair was definitely inherited from her.
I was shown into the living room and she even brewed some hot tea for me. I hadn’t planned on staying long, so I couldn’t help but feel a bit guilty.
“You know, Yuka has been looking so happy lately.”
Yuka’s mother said that after placing two teacups on the table and taking a seat.
“I think it started around… May of this year. She clearly became a lot more energetic. Before that, it seemed like she was always left feeling unfulfilled when playing basketball, so I figured something must have happened,” she explained.
“May… is it?” I replied.
That was undoubtedly right around the time Yuka and I first met. If meeting me was what boosted her motivation for basketball, there was nothing that could make me happier.
“And that wasn’t all. After that, she suddenly started paying attention to her appearance. Can you believe she even asked me to teach her how to do makeup? Honestly, I couldn’t help but laugh at how transparent she was being.”
“Ahaha…”
Yuka would definitely be mad if she heard that, I thought. Still, it didn’t feel bad to hear. I felt that wanting to look as good as possible for someone was a perfectly natural thing.
“Yuka-san is extremely polite, and she’s great at basketball, too. Seriously, I’m always on edge wondering when she’s going to overtake me while I’m teaching her,” I said with a smile.
“Hehehe, that girl is actually quite famous in this area.”
“I bet. In fact, I’d be worried if she wasn’t. Otherwise, I’d have to wonder just how talented modern middle school girls are these days.”
I took a sip from the teacup. It tasted like roasted green tea. The gentle flavor and aroma warmed my slightly chilled body.
As we talked, I picked my words a bit carefully.
Since I had no idea if her mother knew about the feelings Yuka harbored for me, I figured I should naturally steer clear of that topic. That was what I was thinking, when suddenly—
“Say, I know this is a lot to ask, but… Masato-kun, if you wouldn’t mind, could you try seeing that child as a young woman?”
“…Err,” I faltered.
Caught completely off guard by such a direct request, I instinctively pulled back the hand I had been reaching toward my teacup.
“She might still seem childish from your perspective, Masato-kun, but that girl is genuinely in love with you. That much I know for sure.”
“Did she… tell you that herself?”
“No? I can tell without her having to say a word. I am her mother, after all.”
Yuka’s mother smiled mischievously.
Perhaps part of it was because I didn’t have a mother myself, but… I thought it was incredibly nice.
“Just from chatting with you a little bit like this, I can easily see why she fell in love with you. You’re a wonderful young man, Masato-kun. So, please, I just ask that you don’t push her away simply because of her age.”
“That’s… I’m really not that great of a person,” I mumbled.
I wasn’t trying to be humble. Even after having her feelings conveyed to me, I was still unable to give her an answer. I was just that pathetic of a guy.
“Well, anyway, that’s my request to you as Yuka’s mother. Setting all this talk of love and whatnot aside, please continue being good friends with her,” she said kindly.
“Of course, absolutely!” I declared.
As long as Yuka continued to value our bond, I intended to cherish it as well. That was my honest truth.
Even if it hadn’t been long since we met, Yuka had already become a very important person to me.
“A-Are you sure it’s okay?”
“It’s fine, I don’t really catch colds.”
I had pushed my luck a bit to ask Yuka’s mother if I could see her. She had told me, “Well, I’m sure Yuka would want to see you too, so that’s fine,” so after borrowing a mask from her, I headed to Yuka’s room.
I really don’t catch colds, though. Ever since I was reincarnated into this world, I hadn’t been sick even once.
“…Excuse me,” I whispered.
Knowing she was probably asleep, I realized I didn’t even need to announce myself, but I still muttered it quietly before slipping inside.
It was a cute, stereotypically girly room.
Yuka was asleep on her bed, lying flat on her back.
I borrowed a chair and sat down beside her.
“…Nnh.”
Her cheeks were slightly flushed, making it clear she still had a fever.
Yuka’s right hand had slipped out from under the covers, so I gently reached out to tuck it back beneath the blanket, but—
“…Masato-san?”
Did I wake her? I wondered, but Yuka’s eyes remained closed. Thinking it would be pitiful to accidentally rouse her fully, I just watched over her without saying a word.
Then, Yuka’s right hand suddenly grabbed the hand I had extended to fix the covers.
“Ehehe… Masato-san,” she mumbled.
…I didn’t know if she was awake or still lost in a dream, but seeing Yuka look so blissful with her eyes closed…
I left our hands joined together.
“Masato-san, I love you…”
“…”
Suu… Having muttered just that, Yuka seemed to embark on another journey back to the world of dreams.
As I quietly watched Yuka breathe softly in her sleep, I recalled the words her mother had told me just moments ago.
‘Could you try seeing that child as a young woman?‘
Once again, I gazed at the face of the petite, adorable girl sleeping peacefully before me.
“…I already do, more than enough…” I murmured.
It made me question my own morals a bit, but…
After being subjected to Yuka’s full-force advances time and time again, I couldn’t help but naturally start seeing her that way.
…Whatever choice I ended up making, for the sake of Yuka’s future, I knew I needed to give her an answer soon.
“Oh my, are you leaving already?”
“Yes! In fact, I’m sorry for intruding when I really hadn’t planned on coming inside,” I said apologetically.
I had wanted to watch over Yuka until she naturally let go of my hand, but in the end, she never did. Left with no other choice, I painfully unlaced our joined hands with my other hand, and excused myself to leave her home.
Yuka’s mother came all the way to the entryway to see me off.
“Thanks for coming. I’ll be sure to tell her later. I’m sure Yuka will be delighted… or rather, maybe she’ll just be angry at herself for not waking up while you were here.”
“Ahaha, I wonder,” I replied lightly.
Knowing Yuka, she really might complain about wanting to see me properly.
“Ah, by the way, has Yuka kissed you yet, Masato-kun?”
“Excuse me?!”
I nearly tumbled over right as I was putting on my shoes. W-What kind of thing is she asking out of nowhere?!
“If anything, she needs to be at least that aggressive. But judging from your reaction, it doesn’t seem like things are going too poorly, hmm?”
“Er, well, how should I put it…” I stammered.
As expected, I couldn’t just casually confirm it, so I had no choice but to play dumb. S-Seriously, what is this situation?!
“You see, the way I ended up marrying my husband was because I locked him down super aggressively. So Yuka better step up and do the same, or else I’d be worried about her,” she beamed proudly.
“I-I see…”
Yuka’s mother had a terrifying sparkle in her eyes as she spoke. Honestly, I couldn’t help but feel a pang of sympathy for Yuka’s father, whom I had never even met.
And thus, it ended up being a day where I was fully convinced that Yuka was exactly the way she was precisely because she had a mother like this.
[ Case: Maeda Yuka ]
[20:58] Yuka:
Masato-san!!!!!!!!!!
[20:58] Yuka:
Is it really true that you came to my house?!?!?!
[21:17] Masato:
Good morning. Yes, actually I dropped by to check on you since you were sick.
[21:17] Masato:
Are you feeling any better now?
[21:22] Yuka:
I’m feeling better… but…
[21:22] Yuka:
I wanted… to see you…
[21:22] Yuka:
Ah, jeez! Why didn’t Mom wake me up?!
[21:45] Masato:
Now, now, you were fast asleep. I can definitely understand why she wanted to let you rest.
[21:45] Masato:
Even if you are feeling a bit better, make sure to turn in early tonight, okay?
[21:47] Yuka:
Wait, hold on a second.
[21:47] Yuka:
Is it really true that you saw me while I was sleeping?!
[21:50] Masato:
…Sorry. Since I was already there, I just wanted to see your face before leaving.
[21:50] Masato:
If that crossed a line, I’m really sorry.
[22:12] Yuka:
It’s not that it crossed a line or anything, but…
[22:12] Yuka:
M-My sleeping face is way too embarrassing!!!
[22:12] Yuka:
Jeeeeez!!! You’re just going to have to take responsibility for this!!!
