Vol. 1 Chapter 32 – The Confession of a Lifetime

“Eh? Wh-What do you mean…? The best…?” (Hikaru)

Appearing suddenly and spouting nonsense, even Asahi-san was understandably bewildered.

I succeeded on my surprise dice roll and felt the definite response of having seized the initiative.

For someone like me, inferior in basic stats, to defeat her from here, landing a surprise attack was the only way.

“It was last Friday… Having safely overcome the midterms, I bought a stash of energy drinks on the way home and hurried back. My objective, of course, was to play the games I had backlogged and backlogged and backlogged just for that day.” (Reiya)

As I suddenly started narrating, Asahi-san floated even more question marks above her head.

Still, I continued, certain that this would get through to her.

“I got home and immediately booted up one of them from my PC. Naturally, freed from everything, it was just fun, fun, couldn’t get enough. For a whole day after that… I immersed myself solely in the world inside the screen. Without a wink of sleep… occasionally washing down food ordered via delivery with energy drinks, as if just remembering to. Unhealthy, unsound… but it was the best time.” (Reiya)

Recalling the feeling from back then, I continued my story.

“So… what I’m trying to say is…” (Reiya)

I regulated my breathing, calmed my heart, and looked straight into the eyes of the dumbfounded girl.

“This year, from here on out, there are several major titles coming out that will represent the whole year. So this time… I want to have that kind of experience with you. Without any worries… Getting hyped up over pre-release info before launch, playing together once it’s out, and discussing our thoughts after clearing it.” (Reiya)

This wasn’t something pretty like hope or encouragement.

Sorry, Hino-san, but I still don’t think Asahi-san necessarily has to overcome the pressure.

So, this is a curse from me, the Dark Attribute.

If you want to run away, you can run away to the easiest path possible.

“No matter what kind of Asahi-san you become, if you’re smiling genuinely next to me… I think that would surely be an even better experience for me…” (Reiya)

So that whatever choice she makes in the end, she’ll be smiling.

“…Yeah.” (Hikaru)

To my long, passionate speech, Asahi-san replied with just one word.

As the cool night breeze cooled my flushed head, I gradually understood the meaning of my own words.

Isn’t this… pretty much like a confession…?

“Basically… uhm… To put it simply, it’s just about wanting to hang out together again… There’s no ulterior motive… not that there isn’t, but, well… about half of it was just getting carried away—” (Reiya)
“I want that too.” (Hikaru)

Asahi-san interrupted my words with a trembling voice.

“I don’t know what will happen to me from now on… But… even if everything else goes wrong… When I’m playing games with Kageyama-kun, just that time, I want to laugh and have fun from the bottom of my heart… Is that okay…? Even someone like me… is that okay?” (Hikaru)
“…Of course. Next time, let’s play silly games until morning and laugh enough for a lifetime.” (Reiya)

I answered her straightforwardly as tears welled in her eyes, and we pressed our palms together through the wire fence.

Whose it was, or perhaps both, I couldn’t tell, but flushed body heat was exchanged.

What seemed like it separated us back then was, after all, nothing more than a wire fence.

“Hikaru! What are you doing?!”

From the opposite side of the court, the voice of the woman who seemed to be her mother echoed.

Asahi-san replied, ‘I’ll be right back,’ and turned back to me once more.

“I have to get back to practice… Well then, see you later.” (Hikaru)
“Yeah, later.” (Reiya)

Wiping her tears with the hem of her clothes, she chose to fight after all.

Returning to her mother’s side and gripping her racquet, she seemed to radiate the same brilliance as that day.

Later, back home, writhing in bed remembering what I’d done today, I received a single PINE message from Asahi-san.

‘There’s a tournament this Saturday, so I want Kageyama-kun to come watch too.’

Along with words that conveyed a strong determination, the location and date of the match were attached.