kscans

Chapter 498 - Friend

It's basically a one, two, three, go rhythm.

First step, I kick off with my right foot, toes pointed slightly outward.

As for the second step, who knows. I just sort of gauge the distance and hope for the best.

The third step, also no idea. I just keep adjusting the distance for the final approach—

Fourth step. Swinging my right arm in time with my legs,

"—Here goes!"

Focusing on drawing a perfect arc with my fully extended arm, I cast aside all petty techniques and simply release the ball in a straight line— CLUNK!

"Aaaargh…!!!"

It was only natural that another bout of unrestrained laughter struck my defeated back as I listened to the merciless sound of the ball dropping into the gutter. I mean, anyone would laugh at four gutterballs in a row.

I knew full well that I was laughably, hopelessly bad at this when I came here. All I could do was swallow my pride and play along for the sake of a good time.

The game was down to its final throw. Compared to Toshiki, who was nearing a score of 160, my score was a tragicomic 40 points flat. I knew I wasn't good at this, but this was just pathetic.

"…J-Just you watch. I'm the man who worked a miracle on his very first throw in his life—"

"Yeah, I've heard that like twenty times now. How many times are you gonna tell that story? We're done with the tale of how you burned out after getting a strike from beginner's luck."

"I haven't said it that many times…!"

Then again, who knows. I might have unconsciously used it as an excuse every time I made a fool of myself—damn it, you think I'm gonna end this in tatters?!

Just watch me, you bastard! In the end, all I have to do is throw it as hard as I can without letting it curve, right?! Alright, oooone, twooooo, three-HRAAAGH!!!

WHOOSH! THUD! CLUUUUNK!!!

"Gahhh!!"

"Pfft…! Hah, guh…—Haaaaah, oh man, you're the best. My opinion of you just went way up in the last twenty minutes, Haru. You should be happy."

"I'm not happy…!"

It was evening, just two guys after school.

It was probably just him being considerate of me constantly hopping between the real world and the virtual one, but Toshiki had uncharacteristically invited me to hang out that very day.

I didn't have any plans or summons myself, so I figured a little break would be nice and agreed on the spot. After wondering what to do for about five seconds—

"Ahaha, that was hilarious. That was without a doubt the most fun I've ever had in a single game."

"I'm so honored, you jerk."

We had ended up at an indoor theme park that was, for all intents and purposes, a full-blown amusement park. It was one of those crazy places with futuristic decor where a compact roller coaster zipped nonchalantly through the building.

It wasn't so much that we were two guys out for a serious day of fun; it was more that he was showing me around since I'd never been. We decided to save the screaming and shouting for another time when the girls could join, and just get some light exercise for now.

And this was the result of our first memorable activity.

I hadn't done it many times in my life, so it was natural I'd be bad, but it seemed my bowling sense was well below the general average.

I was even losing to an elementary schooler playing with his dad in the lane two over. As an eighteen-year-old, I was honestly pretty embarrassed.

"Man… If I knew it'd be this much fun, I should've brought the girls along. Or at least recorded it. If I tell Shoko, she'll get mad and say, 'Don't you dare have fun without me!'"

"I am never bowling again in this life."

A second game was out of the question. I changed my shoes, grabbed the ball, and made a hasty escape from the lane, only for Toshiki to fall in step beside me, chuckling.

"I bet Kaede and Mizuki would want to see it too, you know? And you're a real sucker when a girl like Kaede hesitantly asks you for something, right?"

"Anyone would have a hard time saying no to that, guy or girl."

I tossed my shoes into the return slot and shot my friend, who couldn't stop teasing me, a half-lidded glare. That damn jock-type was getting pretty full of himself after bowling a good score.

"Besides, if you just kept your mouth shut, I could avoid that tragic future, you know?"

"That's asking the impossible. If I keep quiet, Shoko will get mad anyway and say, 'You're hiding something fun from me, aren't you? Spit it out.'"

"You two are really close…"

How can she get mad if he keeps quiet? Is this that childhood friend telepathy or something?

◇◆◇◆◇

"—So, how've you been lately?"

"How have I been? What do you mean?"

"What do I mean? You know, your 'partner,' your 'fairy-sama,' your 'princess,' and all that?"

"Dude, two guys having love talk is just insane."

We'd stopped by a food court to grab a bite and take a break.

When I brought it up while munching on fries with a burger in hand, my "friend" across the table shot me a glare, his face contorting in a very predictable frown.

I let a smile slip at his completely expected reaction as he pretended to be annoyed and took a bite of his donut. For the record, the phase of me teasing him with, "Are you a girl?" for choosing a limited-edition Fruity Angel French and a Caramel Macchiato was already over.

I knew he had a sweet tooth, but it seemed he was more hardcore than I'd thought.

"It's not like that. I'm just checking if you're okay. Mentally, I mean."

As your supporter and follower—or so I proclaimed, with a deliberate, theatrical flair.

"Ah… well… Right. I'm not okay, but I'm okay. Yeah."

He leaned back, looking up at the ceiling, and his answer came out in disjointed fragments. He didn't look okay at all… but maybe that was exactly what he meant.

"Well, if anything's getting to you, just let me know. Complaints, whatever. I'll pretend to listen."

"Hah, that's reassuring."

Just some clichéd words of encouragement and support. I was still not capable enough to offer anything more, but Haru probably didn't need anything else from me right now.

It wasn't that he had plenty of other people to help him—people who were far bigger 'big shots' than some random university student. It wasn't about that.

It was because this friend of mine, whose atmosphere had changed as if a switch had been flipped recently, was always looking forward without a shadow of a doubt, no matter how much he worried or tired himself out.

He really is special, I thought again. Every time I saw different sides of him, in both the real and virtual worlds. And because I knew he was special,

"—Alright, let's move on. What else are you bad at?"

"Why? Don't sound so happy about exposing my weaknesses."

I felt that his struggle to move forward without letting go of being "ordinary" was something that deserved to be cheered on.