Chapter 14 – “Because She’s Mine!”

The sun dipped low over the field, streaking the sky with orange and gold. The Sports Festival was over, but the crowd lingered — still buzzing from the insane soccer match between Daichi and Rei.

Riko sat on the bleachers, towel draped around her shoulders, sipping water. Her muscles ached pleasantly, but her heart was still racing — not from running, but from them.

Rei and Daichi.

They’d played like two storm fronts colliding — and she’d been caught right in the middle.

“Riko,” Mina’s voice teased from behind, “you realize half the school’s already writing fanfiction about that match, right?”

Riko choked on her drink. “WHAT!?”

Mina smirked, pulling out her phone. “Team Daichi vs. Team Rei. Hashtag FestivalLoveTriangle is literally trending on the class chat.”

Riko buried her face in her towel. “I hate everything.”

“Sure you do,” Mina said, patting her back. “Just wait till they start voting who you should end up with.”

Riko groaned. “You’re the devil.”

---

Meanwhile, Daichi was still on the field, pretending to tie his shoelaces for the fifth time. His teammates had left; the crowd was thinning, but his heart refused to slow down.

Every time he remembered Rei’s smirk — “especially when she’s watching” — his blood boiled.

And when Riko had smiled at him after the goal…

He’d felt something dangerous. Something that made his chest feel like it might explode.

He gripped his towel tighter. “Tch… stupid Rei. Acting all cool…”

---

“Riko!”

Her head turned as Rei approached, his smile bright but easy. He looked annoyingly composed for someone who’d just played three full matches.

“You were amazing today,” Rei said warmly. “Your teamwork really carried the game.”

Riko blinked, flustered. “Ah, no! You were great too! That assist was perfect—”

He chuckled. “You’re always so humble.”

Riko rubbed her neck. “Uh, thanks, I guess?”

Then he tilted his head. “Mind if I walk you home? You must be tired after all that.”

Riko blinked. “Huh? Oh, um—”

“—She’s with me.”

The words cut through the air like a whistle.

Rei turned. Daichi stood a few steps away, arms crossed, eyes sharp. His voice wasn’t loud — but it carried.

Riko’s heart skipped. What’s with that tone?

Rei blinked once, then laughed softly. “You’re acting like she’s your girlfriend.”

Daichi’s jaw tightened.

For a heartbeat, no one breathed. The late sunlight glowed behind him, catching the sweat on his skin. His next words came out fast — pure reflex, no filter.

“Because she’s mine!”

The world froze.

A distant soda can dropped somewhere. Someone gasped. Mina’s jaw hit the ground.

Riko’s entire face turned crimson. “W-WHA—!?”

Daichi’s brain short-circuited. “I—wait—I didn’t—! That’s not what I—!”

Rei blinked, then grinned like a cat who’d just discovered something interesting.

“Ah, I see,” he said lightly. “Then I’ll back off… for now.”

He gave Riko a polite nod, smirking faintly at Daichi before strolling away.

Silence blanketed the field for a few seconds. Then—

“OOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!”

The crowd erupted.

“Daichi confessed!”

“He said she’s HIS!”

“Riko, you lucky girl!”

“Are they dating!?”

Riko’s brain stopped functioning. “W-We’re not—! It’s not—! You’re all getting it wrong!!”

Mina clutched her stomach, laughing so hard she cried. “Daichi, my man, that was legendary!”

“Shut up!!” Daichi yelled, face redder than a tomato.

Riko smacked his arm. “You idiot! What was that!?”

“I don’t know!” he shouted back. “It just came out!!”

“You can’t just say stuff like that in front of everyone!”

“I wasn’t thinking!”

“Clearly!!”

They glared at each other, cheeks burning, surrounded by hysterical classmates chanting, “Riko and Daichi! Riko and Daichi!”

Mina recorded everything. For “memories,” she said.

---

By the time the sun fully set, the field was empty.

Riko walked home, still dazed. Every sound — the chirping cicadas, the crunch of gravel — faded beneath the echo of his voice.

> “Because she’s mine!”

Her face flushed again just remembering it.

She pressed her hands to her cheeks. “Ugh, stop smiling, stupid face…”

But she couldn’t stop.

That loud, embarrassing, impulsive boy had said something so ridiculous — and yet her heart wouldn’t calm down.

“Mine, huh…” she whispered into the evening breeze, a tiny, shy smile curving her lips.

---

Across town, Daichi was dying.

He lay face-down on his bed, muffled groans echoing into his pillow.

“Why did I say that!? I didn’t mean mine mine! I meant like, teammate mine! …Does that even make sense!?”

He rolled over, grabbing his hair. “I’m dead. I’m so dead. Mina’s gonna post it. Everyone’s gonna—AAAAGHHH!”

From his phone, a new message popped up.

Riko: “Thanks for today, idiot. …And, um… good game.”

Daichi stared at the screen, his face still buried in his pillow.

“…Yeah,” he mumbled to himself, heart pounding all over again. “Good game.”