3 bar menu

Chapter 76 Part 1

Inter-class Ball Game Competition (4) ~The Final Match is Friday~

「Since we’re at it anyway, what do you say we all form a circle and put our spirits into it?」

「A circle?」

Just before the start of the first-year volleyball finals, Yuu said so to Youko and the other participating players in a corner of the gymnasium.

Even in this world, it was a common practice for the players to form a circle at critical moments such as before or during a match and put their spirits into it.

Yuu suggested that the boys and girls did it together before the match.

「T, that’s…」

「Right…?」

「For real?!」

「Is, is it really okay? Is it really okay?」

The boys and girls showed contrasting reactions. Of course, it was the girls who were showing expressions full of anticipation.

Then, Yuu opened his mouth as he tried to talk everyone there, including the boys, into it.

「We’ve come this far. So surely you want class 1-5 to win, right?」

When Yuu looked at the boys one by one, they nodded their heads in agreement.

「But it looks like our opponents in the finals, class 1-1, are pretty strong, doesn’t it? I don’t think it will be like the second round. Even so, I believe we all want to earnestly cheer for class 1-5. So first of all, we who are cheering for them and all the players must become one.」

Like Class 1-5, Class 1-1, who were seeded and then advanced to the finals, dominated their opponents 25-11 in the second round.

According to the observation of the girls who watched the match, overall, their movements were energetic and they made few amateurish mistakes, probably because they were made up of girls with good motoric abilities.

On top of that, the team was pulled together by those who had played volleyball in middle school, the same as class 1-5.

Truly a worthy matchup for the finals, they thought.

A large number of people had already gathered around them, mainly classmates from class 1-1 and 1-5, who had been eliminated in the other events, and they were naturally showing excitement.

「Yeah, you’re right. We’re cheering for them, so I definitely want them to win.」

「Y, yes. If we can of be of help even a little, then….」

Perhaps pushed by the enthusiasm that permeated the gymnasium, when Masaya and Rei said so, the other boys vigorously nodded their heads as well.

「Alright! Then, everyone, form a circle.」

As the boys scattered and stood in between the girls, they formed a circle with the boys and girls mostly alternating between each other.

Partly because it was the first time for them to be shoulder-to-shoulder with someone from the opposite sex, everyone but Yuu had a look of embarrassment and shyness on their faces.

Yuu exchanged glances with Youko, who was standing next to him on his right, and gave a cue.

「Class 1-5~, Fight!」

「「「「「On! 」」」」」

At Yuu and Youko’s call, everyone shouted loudly and hyped themselves up.

「Alright, we’ll definitely win!」

「Thanks to this, I’m overflowing with strength!」

「Now that we’ve come this far, the championship is as good as ours!」

「Everyone, do your best!」

Sent off by Yuu and the other boys, the female players headed toward the court.

At that moment, Youko came to Yuu’s side and said in a small voice.

「Thank you so much, Yuu-kun.」

「You can thank me after you win.」

「Ahaha, you’re right. Then, if we win, I wonder if you can give us some kind of reward, or something…?」

Youko glanced at Yuu, fidgeting a bit.

Partly because the match was about to begin, Yuu immediately responded.

「Sure. I’ll think of something. A reward for everyone, including the substitutes, I mean.」

「Ooh! Yay! I’m looking forward to it.」

Hearing his response, Youko immediately broke into a radiant smile.

「I’m looking forward to your valiant effort, Youko.」

When Yuu lightly smacked her on the buttocks, Yoko said, 「Yes!」 and ran to her teammates with springy steps.

When she told them that Yuu would give 『reward』 to everyone, all the players on the court immediately went 「Whoaa!」 in excitement, and it was easy to tell that they were overflowing with energy.

◇ ◇ ◇

Perhaps them forming a circle and Yuu’s 『reward』 had been effective, class 1-5 scored three points in succession as soon as the match began.

However, class 1-1 was no slouch either, and combined with the fact that they had gathered players that were taller than class 1-5, they slowly began to catch up.

The match progressed with the scoreboard showing no more than a two-point difference, but as class 1-5 made a series of painful mistakes, it eventually allowed class 1-1 to turn the tables to 12-13.

Fortunately, right then, it was time for them to sub-in substitute players, which allowed class 1-5 to recollect themselves.

「The match is only getting started, okay?!」

「Let’s take it one point at a time!」

「Look carefully and stay calm.」

The whistle for the beginning of the second half rang, and the players headed to the court, sent off with cheering from the players who had subbed-out in the first half and the boys cheering them on.

In the second half, neither class 1-5 nor 1-1 yielded to the other side, and the back-and-forth exchange of offense and defense continued.

Mao unleashed great attacks, Kazumi defended against opponents’ attacks with blocks, and Youko pushed the ball in with feints.

Yuma, with her small body, moved nimbly to pick up the ball, and Mashiro, who subbed-in midway through the game, connected it to create a chance. They were showing a play where all six players played as one.

Sweat glistened on the foreheads of the girls in gym uniforms and bloomers as they chased the white ball coming and going over the net in the gymnasium, which was getting hotter and more humid in the afternoon.

As for Yuu, he couldn’t help but follow with his eyes the breasts, buttocks, and thighs of the girls as they moved about, not only the ones from class 1-5 but also when he looked at the opposing class 1-1. It was a very natural reaction for a man with a mindset like that of Yuu’s.

Although there were such impure feelings in the mix, there was no doubt that Yuu felt a closeness with Class 1-5 as if they were in the same class.

As the match approached the final points, the cheering voices of Yuu and the other boys became louder and louder.

The match reached its climax, with a tie score of 20-20.

It also happened to be the rotation where the tall players from class 1-1 moved to the front, so class 1-5 were faced with a pinch.

「Deriyaa!」

Along with a not so girlish dusky toned cry, the attack unleashed by the opposing player slipped through the opening in the two-person block, but Yuma jumped to the side to pick it up, and Mashiro connected.

However, it became a chance ball for the opposing team, and as a powerful smash was unleashed toward them again, they ended up yielding the lead.

Unable to stay still any longer, Yuu put his hands to his mouth like a megaphone and shouted loudly.

「Yuma, nice receive! Mashiro, too, you did well connecting the ball! Keep it up! C’mon, Mao, score more and more points for us! Kazumi, block their attacks firmly! Don’t hesitate to jump! Youko, you can still go on, can’t you?! Show us how cool you are! …..」

As Yuu called their names and cheered them on one by one, the players, who had almost gotten frozen under the pressure, smiled at each other and gave a thumbs up to Yuu.

Yuu ended up attracting the attention of the many students who were watching the match in the gymnasium, but he paid it no mind and waved his hands to cheer them on.

Following that, both teams scrambled for points and managed to get two each, and as Mao and Kazumi scored points consecutively, class 1-5 finally took back the lead with 24-23.

If they could get one more point, victory would be theirs.

However, as expected, class 1-1 showed their determination and got one point back, and the match went to deuce.

「Just one more point, go!」

「Please, please win!」

「Class 1-5, just a bit more and we’ll be the champion! You can do it!」

「Don’t lose, class 1-1!」

The heated match continued amidst the echoes of cheering from not only the boys in charge of cheering their classes and their female classmates, but also the students from other classes who were watching the match.

The flow in which whenever Class 1-5 took a one-point lead, Class 1-1 would catch up continued, and the score was now 28-27.

Class 5 seemed to be pushing, but they were unable to get their hands on the final one point.

Fatigue must have been building up among the players, but each and every one of them was absorbed in chasing the ball.

Yuu and the boys were also cheering loudly, playing no mind to the fact that they had become hoarse.

Yuma ran with her all to pick up the ball, which was hard to tell whether it would go out of the court or not, at the edge of the line and Mashiro connected it to the front.

As expected, everyone thought it would be impossible for them to launch an attack, but Youko skillfully pushed the ball to the very end of the opponent’s sideline.

Perplexed for a moment, a player from class 1-1 managed to somehow pick the ball up, but as she was unable to control it, the low ball ended up going back to the side of class 1-5.

When Kazumi took that chance to make a low toss, Mao launched a quick attack in a synchronized manner.

Class 1-1 were unable to block it in time, and the ball fell to the court with a sharp, satisfying sound, before then rolling off here and there.

◇ ◇ ◇