Volume 4 - Me, Her, and our Changing World
Chapter 15
[TN: You might get confused by how the characters call both Satou Hajimes in this chapter. Just remember this distinction: the MC calls the other Satou Hajime as (Satou-kun), while the other Satou Hajime calls the MC just (Satou). Ishizawa Shinji calls the MC (Hajime) and the other as (Satou). Ishizawa and the mobs call the MC (number two) and call the other Satou Hajime as (Satou).]
"So, you were at the station with Minamino-san on Sunday, huh? Word's already getting around. Still, it's great that things seem to be working out for you two."
Someone called out to me during PE class after lunch, which was a joint session between classes. It wasn’t like we always had these joint sessions, but when we do group sports once a week, for example, three of the total six classes are brought together for it.
I nodded at him, thinking that this was probably the first time we had ever talked at school.
"Yeah, I'm sure you of all people get it, Satou-kun. It was our first date without needing any disguises. ...Anyway, about that phone call from before. I sent my thanks through Sakurai-san, but I never had a chance to say it to you in person. So, thank you again. Also, Toudou-san told me you also helped shut down some weird rumors about us, is that true?"
Class D, in other words, the class of the Satou-kun in front of me, naturally had him at its center. Whether it was coincidence or his influence, there were a lot of basketball club members in his class. When word got around about Chinatsu and me, people apparently started teasing about our names right away. However, I had also heard that it was Satou-kun who admonished them for it. Incidentally, Toudou-san’s admiration for Satou-kun only grew stronger after that.
“Nah, I just told everyone that you were a good guy and that you didn’t like the nickname ‘number two,’ that’s all.”
He brushed off my thanks like what he did was nothing, as if that kind of thing didn’t bother him. He really did have that main-character aura about him.
Maybe because we were such an unusual pair, his usual group of friends kept their distance, and none of the other guys came to give me any trouble. It was a nice change of pace. Since Chinatsu and I didn’t share PE classes, I usually have to deal with some questions or jealous glares. This was much more relaxing.
“Well, that’s an unusual pairing. Hajime and Satou, huh? …Actually, you two shouldn’t stand next to each other. It’s confusing to call either of you.”
The only one who would say something like that, ignoring the mood entirely even though he could read it, was Shinji.
“I don’t really mind if you call me number two, Shinji. Honestly, as long as there’s no malice behind it and it’s just a nickname, it doesn’t bother me.”
"If you said that to Minamino, she'd probably snap at you. ...Your play style is so assertive, yet you back down in the strangest moments."
Shinji said that with a sigh, clearly exasperated.
He wasn’t wrong though. It was true that Chinatsu was far more sensitive to the "number two" nickname than I was. Thanks to her, I was no longer called that in the classroom.
“Yeah, I mean, it's not like either I or Satou chose to be born with this name. Anyway, Aizawa, I was watching your plays earlier. You've got good form. Why don’t you join the basketball club? Oh, and Satou, you too. You don’t even have to come to practice every day. You guys play street basketball sometimes, right?”
“…Huh? And how does the Satou even know about us playing street basketball? Well, whatever. Club activities just eat up too much time and freedom. I’m not interested.”
“Yeah, I get that. I kind of feel the same way. I’ve been thinking there’s no point joining a club now. Between my part-time job, playing street basketball every now and then, and spending weekends with Chinatsu, I’m pretty content.”
"...Setting aside Aizawa's lack of interest, you know, Satou... honestly, compared to someone like me who just does club activities every day and doesn't even have a girlfriend, you sure are living a much more fulfilling life, huh?"
It was rare to see Satou-kun looking that disgruntled.
"Tch, for a 'number two,' he's getting pretty damn cocky... I bet the other Satou is better at basketball than him anyway, and he's getting a big head just 'cause the girls are fawning over a little cooking or whatever."
I could hear a voice saying such things, deliberately loud enough for me to overhear. When I looked over, a few guys from the soccer club were gathered together, looking in our direction. The one who had spoken was Ishizawa, who had been in the process of losing his standing in the class because of that incident. To be precise, his already-low reputation with the girls had dropped even further, to the point that most just ignored him now.
Gossip during all-male PE periods wasn’t anything new, and since it caused no harm, I usually ignored it. But this time, something felt different.
"Seriously, all of you. Just what is your problem with Satou? And stop saying I'm better than him. Frankly, I'm sick of being used as the excuse for you guys to call him 'number two.'"
“...I mean, come on, he’s supposed to be from the basketball club, but the rumor is he quit and ran away because he got scared of playing against you, Satou. And then, he used all that free time from being in the go-home club to snag a big fish like Minamino, and the other day they were all over each other in front of the station. Aren’t you pissed off, Satou?”
“Yeah, I guess I am pissed off.”
Satou-kun muttered that in response to Ishizawa's line, which was a rare display of exasperation from him.
“See!? I knew it! Someone like number two—”
“No, I’m pissed at you guys, obviously. Satou’s a good guy, and it’s not weird at all that he’s dating Minamino-san. What’s weird is how you guys who have nothing to do with their lives are the ones getting all worked up. Right, Aizawa?”
"...Hah? You're dragging me into this? You sure are quite the character. Well, whatever. But for what it's worth, at least this guy here is actually quite skilled at basketball. I don't know where that 'he ran away' rumor came from, but regardless, what gives you the right to talk like that? What's it to you?"
Satou-kun was angry. And probably Shinji too.
Just like Chinatsu, I had somehow gained people who got angry on my behalf. Maybe I’d been wrong to think, It’s my problem, so it doesn’t matter. It's true that, while it was something I couldn't really imagine, I realized that if Chinatsu, Shinji, or even Toudou-san, Sakurai-san, Hojoin-san, or Satou-kun were being ridiculed somewhere for something that had nothing to do with them, I would get angry on their behalf too.
“…Then prove it.”
“Huh? Prove what?”
When he threw that out like a sore loser, my confused response was perfectly reasonable.
“I’m saying you should prove it by playing one-on-one against Satou.”
“What? That makes no sense. And why would I be playing against Satou-kun in the first place? Shouldn’t a one-on-one match between me and you make much more sense, Ishizawa?”
My retort was absolutely logical. But what happened next was strange.
“A match, huh…? That doesn’t sound bad. What do you say, Satou, wanna go for it?”
“Eh? Why?”
“…Hey, Satou, you’re not planning to throw the game on purpose, are you?”
That came from one of Satou-kun’s classmates standing behind Ishizawa. If I remembered right, he was one of the guys who’d confessed to Chinatsu when she was on her way home and got rejected.
"You know what, your ragebait is actually working on me. What do I, as a basketball club member, have to gain by having a one-on-one match and then intentionally losing?"
“…Sorry to interrupt, but—why are Satou-kun and I suddenly supposed to be having a one-on-one match?”
I asked hesitantly. I was well aware that the conversation had taken a strange turn. It was also annoying that Shinji was laughing a little.
“Why not? I think it’ll be fun. I’ve always wanted to play against you anyway. It’s also a good chance for you to show how skilled you really are at basketball And… if I win, Satou, you have to join the basketball club.”
“Heh… I like that. Tell you what, if Satou beats Hajime, I’ll join the basketball club too.”
“Hey, Shinji, what are you—?”
Raising his hand as if to stop me from speaking up, Shinji looked around.
“But! All of you eavesdropping, listen up! If Hajime wins, none of you ever call him ‘number two’ again!”
“Ooh, nice one. Then if I win, both of you have to join the club! But just getting people to stop the 'number two' nickname? That should happen anyway, which would make the bet one-sided in my favor. So to make it fair, if I lose, I’ll do any one thing you ask, Satou, no complaints.”
As Shinji made winning conditions, Satou-kun continued, and with that, including the boys who had been watching from a distance, the flow of events was decided.
"...Shinji, Satou-kun... why are you both going so far?"
When I murmured that, half-resigned, they answered.
“I’ve honestly been fed up with this atmosphere. You don't deserve to be looked down on, Satou. And like I said before, I seriously want you to join the basketball club. I mean, I’m only a first-year, but being called the ace just shows how weak our team really is. You’re a point guard, Satou, and Aizawa, you’re more of a small forward, right? If the three of us stick around till second or third year, we could make the team pretty strong.”
“I’m curious how you know all that about Satou, but yeah, you’re probably a power forward yourself, huh?”
“Exactly! Personality-wise too, I think we’d work well together. Let’s aim for nationals, the three of us.”
“I see how it is… Satou is already acting like he's won… You okay with that, Hajime?”
While Satou-kun and Shinji were having that conversation, Shinji grinned at the end and spoke as if to provoke me. Well, it's true that while I have a gap in terms of official play, I have been playing every week. Being thought of as the loser from the start… stimulated my competitive spirit a little.
“Jeez, you don’t have to taunt me like that… but fine. Since you’re both doing this for me, I’ll take you up on it. Best of three, whoever scores more wins. Sounds good? Should we do it now?”
“Nah, let’s do it after school. The gym’s open for the basketball club the day after tomorrow. How about then?”
“Got it. I’ll get my feel for the hoop back before then.”
And so, for the first time, we decided to have a match—our way of fighting back against the labels that had been forced on us without a real contest. But what I never would have guessed at that moment was that this simple agreement would give rise to some very strange rumors.
