NTR Kousuke

Chapter 12

And so, I made sure to let the rumor spreaders hear the recording as a countermeasure to prevent further damage, and since I had already warned my acquaintances that bad rumors about me might circulate, I was somewhat hurt and got curious looks, but I managed to weather this negative rumor.

Satsuki and Yamamoto were spreading bad rumors while playing the victim, but with my recording counter, day by day, people started looking at them as if they were the aggressors, and they seemed to panic and stop spreading the rumors.

...From the start, the low-risk, low-return rumor of "Kousuke and Satsuki weren't dating" being spread and left ambiguous, forcing me to just accept it and cry myself to sleep, would've been far scarier.

Apparently, some people who listened to my recording questioned them, and their inconsistent responses raised suspicions.

I was dedicating myself to studying and club activities to change myself.

Increasing self-training, running more, and pushing my body to the limit!

Studying a bit more in terms of time, but also focusing on quality by glaring at reference books!

I absolutely don't want to be told I dropped my grades because of heartbreak! With Satsuki's attitude, she'd probably come at me with some lowlife teasing like that!

Of course, the damage and flashbacks are still there, and my wounded mentality hasn't healed yet, but I desperately stack up efforts every day.

It will show results! I believe in that and keep stacking up efforts every day.

The basketball club's summer tournament begins.

For the third-years, this is their retirement. The third-years' determination is incredible.

However, there's an exception.

Sahori: "Ahh, I'm not in good shape! Something's missing, man."

What do you mean by 'something,' huh? lol

And at times like this, the one who spoils him is...

Airi: "Senpai! It's your last tournament, right? Do your best♪"

Sahori: "Tch, fine, I guess. Hey, first-years, stop staring!"

...The one who has no choice is you, man! Flirting like that.

Hokusho easily won against a weak school in the first round, but narrowly lost to a mid-tier school in the second round.

The game is divided into four 10-minute quarters, and even as a first-year, I got to play starting from the third quarter!

(Sahori isn't moving!)

In the third quarter when I played, Sahori-senpai lacked his usual spark.

He was substituted out during a timeout midway, though...

Losing feels so frustrating.

Especially for the third-years, I bet.

Sahori: "Kousuke! Why didn't you pass to me more?!"

He starts taking it out on me.

"I couldn't shake off the mark, could I? You were totally exhausted."

Sahori was ranting that the others should've screened (acted as a wall) or acted as decoys to free me up so I wouldn't be marked!

And to top it off,

Sahori: "It's just that I didn't practice enough! I'm better in terms of raw talent! I didn't lose because of a lack of skill!"

Isn't lacking practice more pathetic? And isn't that your own fault?

This guy is supposed to be the ace (lol).

Well, once he's gone, the basketball club might get a little better.

Why is Airi-senpai dating a guy like this?

I could never understand the healing vibe of the basketball club.

Still, the older sister figure with her long hair tied up, bouncing around and running all over for the basketball club, is the club's healing presence.

This defenseless, innocent, and devoted older sister is far more valuable than that Sahori guy.

In the basketball club, Airi is the flower, and Sahori is the rope, and their criminal-like pairing is envied.

They talk about run-and-gun and boast about offensive basketball, but isn't a style focused on solid practice, prioritizing defense, and tenaciously outlasting opponents in games much more suited for this team?

Somehow, while thinking of a close friend, I imagine such a future vision.

Basketball club generational change!

And then, the final exams.

I've been putting a lot of effort into studying lately.

I feel confident. How did it go?

Ayaka Nagase, sitting next to me, talks about how the test went.

Nagase: "Kousuke-kun, how was it?"

"...Decent, I guess? Classical literature was a bit tough..."

Nagase: "I get that!"

While having such a conversation,

Nagase: "...Kousuke-kun, sorry. The one dating your ex-girlfriend Mishima-san is Yamamoto-kun, right?"

I nod,

Nagase: "I've actually been approached by Yamamoto-kun quite a bit for a while now? No, no! I've turned him down! Every time! ...But, like, even yesterday... he's still casually inviting me to hang out or go on dates... even though he has a girlfriend? I was shocked..."

Nagase-san says with a troubled look.

Satsuki... no, it's not something I should care about.

There was a rumor that Nagase-san was involved with a second-year student council officer from the same junior high.

She denied it vehemently, her face bright red and waving her hands wildly, saying it's not true!

Nagase-san is one of the most popular people in our grade. A refreshing beauty, and according to my friend Hiroshi, she's the owner of a healthy kind of sexy.

Nagase: "...Kousuke-kun, you're working hard, huh?"

Kousuke: "...Club activities? Studying?"

Nagase: "Both! You've got that real 'boy' vibe, you know?"

Giggling with a 'hehe,' Nagase heads over to her friends.

...Is Yamamoto looking over here...?

I glare at him.

Even if Satsuki was taken from me... I absolutely won't show any more weakness!

Well, right now, I'm not in the mood to fall for a girl at all.

Like my close friend, I tell myself that now is the training arc to change myself!

And then, the test results were returned.

I ranked 10th in the grade...!

I used to be upper-middle, so this is a huge jump!

...Satsuki... 250th out of 300, is she okay?

No, it's not my concern anymore.

Yamamoto is still in the middle ranks, but... he's definitely dropped.

...If you're messing around that much... well, right?

If those two are rotten grasshoppers, then I'm the expressionless, silent ant.

I swear to absolutely create a gap between us!

Summer break begins!

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