Chapter 14: Room Dating Suddenly (Flirting And Munching)


TL: Akabane


***


[Aihara's POV]


"Makishima-kun likes soccer--"


Makishima started to cry at my words.


Makishima clenched his teeth and shed tears, holding back his voice as if he was about to scream.


Seeing him, tears welled up in my eyes as well.


Without saying anything, I patted his back.


His back was bigger and sturdier than I had imagined.


I realized that Makishima, who always looks so slender, is a boy.


"I'm sorry, Aihara, I'm..."


"It's okay to cry. It's not uncool to cry."


I cried every day when I was playing soccer, too.


Despite my love for soccer, I was never very good at sports.


Since elementary school, I have almost never made the starting lineup for anything other than a digestive game.


To add to this situation, from around junior high school, my breasts only grew bigger, and it became difficult for me to maintain the lines of an athlete's body.


I began to feel uncomfortable with the way people looked at me, and I quit playing soccer, which I loved, in the middle of high school.


From that day on, I began to spend my days just studying.


A monochrome, boring, exam-studying life.


Thanks to my efforts, I was able to enter Tokyo's most prestigious private university, Koto University (......), but there was no joy in it.


At that time, my eyes were caught by a soccer match on a large monitor in the cafeteria of the university.


The number 18 player entered the game in the middle of the second half. Even when he made a mistake and conceded a goal, he was not afraid to come down to the midfield and make a post play.


His refusal to run away even when he made a mistake was something that touched my heart, even though I had run away from soccer.


From that day on, I began to see myself in Makishima.


Makijima is the ideal figure I wanted to become.


"How is it?　Did you calm down a little after crying?"


"......Ah, I feel so much better."


Makishima replied with a smile as he wiped with a tissue.


"I'm always showing Aihara how uncool I am, aren't I?"


"That's not true, and I think Makishima-kun is growing through his mistakes."


"Oh, really?


"Yes, the post play you showed today when you and Asaki-kun played one-two, that post play was the reason we lost the last game, but we won today!　Besides, the opponent was the captain of Komasen University."


When I praised him, Makishima grinned plainly.


Makishima is cute in that his expression is unexpectedly easy to see.


"Thank you, Aihara. From now on--"


At that moment, I heard a shrill curtain opening, and Sasaki, wearing a black mask and glasses, walked in.


"Yes, excuse me."


Sasaki, who had gone to buy drinks, hands me a cup of tea and Makishima a cup of oshiruko for some reason.


"Hey Sasaki. Why do I get oshiruko?"


"I bought it, so I can't help it."


"You said you bought it. If you feel bad about it, exchange it for your own drink. Here, give me your tea."


"No, you're a sick person, you should warm yourself with oshiruko."


"What?"


Sasaki and Makishima started fighting like a married couple.


They said they hit it off over a conversation about Seishin Academy, but they seemed awfully close.


"Um, shall I get the oshiruko?　I'll give this tea to Sasaki, and you give green tea to Makishima?"


"But there's no need for Aihara to force himself."


"No, I don't mind.


I got oshiruko from Makishima and gave Sasaki the tea.


"Sasaki, why don't you grow up like Aihara?"


"Ugh."


Sasaki seems much different when she is talking to Makishima-kun than when she is in the Isawa seminar group.


"Makishima-kun?"


"What's wrong?　You don't want oshiruko anymore?"


"No, that's not what I meant. I mean, the two of you..."


"Makishima!　Are you alive?!"


There seemed to be too many people with bad timing today, and this time, Azaki opened the curtains and appeared.


"Stupid Azaki! This is a hospital."


"Oops, excuse me. I'm desperate because I'll be expelled if you die."


"Expelled?　What the hell are you talking about?"


"Oh, I didn't realize Aihara-san was there too. ...... It's been a long time since we've had a blind date."


Azaki changed his tone and extended his hand to me.


I'm not very good at Azaki after all.


I finished my oshiruko in my bag with a fake smile on my face and stood up with my bag.


"Well then, Makishima-kun, take care of yourself."


"Oh, oh."


I wanted to talk with Makishima a little longer, but ...... well.


After that, I left the hospital, ignoring Azaki's pursuit.


***


At the same time Aihara left the hospital, Azaki's asshole also left the hospital, saying, "I'll send Aihara-san on her way, see you."


"I hate that afro, it's creepy."


"I agree. I'm thinking of cutting ties with that guy soon."


It seems that Azaki has a talent that everyone hates more than his soccer talent.


The stormy man leaves and calm returns.


The sky, which had been clear and blue when we were on the ground, had completely changed to sunset.


"Well, I can't stay long, I think it's time to go home. Can you call the nurse?"


"Okay. I'll go get her."


I asked Sasaki to call the nurse and proceeded to get ready to leave.


On my way out, a middle-aged man opens the curtains of my bed.


He was wearing black sunglasses and a neck warmer up to his nose, so I couldn't see his face at all.


Who is this old man? Did I come to the wrong room?


"Well, this is my bed."


The old man looked at me, put the mysterious letter on the table, and disappeared.


Hey, what was that guy? And what is this ...... blank envelope?


I opened the letter with trepidation.


[Yutaro Makishima, long time no see. I am a lousy man who has no right to talk to you. I'm working for Tokyo Frontier's reinforcement department now. Your goal in today's game was the very goal I was expecting from you a year ago. The Ballon d'Or winner, Takato Oshito, played the same way in high school and was seriously injured. You are definitely following in the lineage of Hoshigami as number 9. Someday, I want to work in the same place. May I entrust you with such a dream of mine?]


The moment I read that letter, I ran out of the hospital room with my luggage, but that man was not there.


"......Why he don't say anything?!"


As I stood alone in the hallway, staring toward the stairs, Sasaki and the nurse came over.


"Makishima, you can go home now."


"......"


"Makishimaー?"


"Oh, oh!　Yes, I'm going home."


I still can't ...... forgive that man.


Even ...... the reason I'm here now is thanks to that man.


I want to live up to your expectations once again.


"Yosh!"


Sasaki took the shoulder bag I was holding in my hand


Sasaki takes the shoulder bag from my hand and puts it on her own shoulder.


"Hey Sasaki, that's my bag."


"Come on, we're going home together."


"Where are you going home with me?"


"To Makishima's apartment."


"What?"


"Tonight is a special night. ...... I'll take care of Makishima."


......?


***


I take a deep breath before unlocking my room.


"Hey Sasaki, give me three minutes. I want to clean up."


"What?　Is there anything you don't want me to see?"


"There is......."


As soon as I said that, Sasaki snatched the key from my hand, instantly opened the door, and started to storm into the room on her own.


"Hey!　Wait a minute!　How did you do that so fast?"


I desperately tried to grab Sasaki's clothes, but Sasaki evaded my hand with an excellent reaction and went into the room.


Oh, it's over, my private life.


I walk into the room after Sasaki with my head in my hands.


"Anyway, it's an ecchi book, isn't it?　You know, the book with the cover."


Sasaki, looking very happy, picked up a certain book on the bed and opened it.


"--What?!"


At that moment, in contrast to my blue face, Sasaki's face turns bright red and she starts shaking.


"Wait, wait, Makishima!　This..."


"No, Sasaki. This is..."


"Here, here!　This is my gravure photo book!"



(To Be Continued)




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Room Dating!


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