Interclass

"Oh...? What's the matter, little boy?" She teased.

"Little?! I'm older than you!"

"By a few months."

"I was infinitely older than you before you were born!"

"What kind of logic is that?"

"Hmph!" He smiled, making it clear he was just acting. 

She chuckled. "But seriously, you're really not going to play?"

"Play what? I love playing games."

"The interclass, dummy!"

"Hm? What's that? What's an interclass?"

"Don't play dumb, I know you're trying to avoid the question."

"You know I don't like sports."

"Lies! You love competing with me!"

"With you. I don't anyone from other classes."

"It's an opportunity!"

"I don't want to lose against someone younger than me..."

"You underestimate yourself, Yuri. If it weren't for me, you'd be the best of the best."

"You superestimate me, Mao. I'm mediocre at best."

"Participating is the best part of any competition!"

"Not when your pride is at stake..."

"You care too much about what people think of you, Yuri. Loosen up a bit."

"I don't..." except for what you think of me, Mao. But I can't say that out loud.

"See? You're thinking about something right now. Clear your mind, let your brain rest for once." I might be projecting a bit, but... she thought, at least I don't care what people think of me... well, not other people...

"You know I can't do that. It's involuntary."

"Nothing is involuntary if you try to change it, Yuri. So, how about you watch my match, at the very least?"

"Your match? After classes? Hmm..." He put his finger under his chin, struggling to make a decision.

"Pleeeease?" She dragged out the word, with pleading puppy-dog eyes.

"I was thinking of spending the afternoon playing..." He scratched the back of his neck, trying to avoid the situation.

"Come on, don't let me down!" she pleaded, grabbing his arm and shaking it back and forth. "Who knows if this will be my last game? I might get discouraged if you don't come..."

"Eh? Don't get discouraged! I know we don't have the same tastes, but you should never give up on your dream!"

"I knew I could count on you, Yuri! That means you'll come to my match, right?" She smiled after successfully manipulating him into her own trap.

Huh?! Yuri recoiled, realizing her strategy. She wasn't the type to think that far ahead, so he was caught off guard. Maybe I influenced her a little too much...

"So...? Are you going to let me down, Yuri?" Her pleading eyes were too much for him to resist. 

Trembling, he nodded. Mao wrapped her arms around him, overflowing with joy.

After the last class before the start of the interclass tournament, Yuri went straight to the gym. "Yuri?" Hideaki called. "Did you forget your way home?"

He stopped, turning to look at his friend. At first, he didn't understand the insinuation. "Oh, no, I'm going to watch the game."

"Wait, what? Is it going to rain today?"

"I don't think so, the forecast said that—"

"I'm talking about improbable situations, you idiot!"

"What do you mean?"

"You don't engage with sports! You're a loser, just like me!"

"Well, I do that in physical education class."

"But you never spend any time at school when it's time to go home!"

"Well, this is a special circumstance."

"Special...? In what way?"

"Why don't you come and see for yourself?"

"Nah, I have better things to do..." he turned his back, ready to leave. "...is what I'd normally say, but now I'm curious. What's so special to you?"

Eh? He actually accepted? I wasn't expecting that.

"What's wrong? Lead the way!" Hideaki insisted.

"Ah, you know, it's just that..."

"If you don't want to show me, tell me what it is!"

Yuri sighed, feeling defeated. "Fine... let's go."

They went to the gymnasium; the match was about to begin. Mao and her team watched from the bench. It's probably not her turn now... I think we can talk a little while we wait.

"Oh! Girls!" Hideaki pointed at them, shouting as if he didn't care about being noticed. "Look, Yuri, lots of girls!"

Yuri looked around nervously, trying not to seem as strange as his friend. I regret not lying to him...

"You invited me to watch girls play against each other? What's the fun in that? Besides, you know..." he slowly approached Yuri and whispered in his ear: "...girls..."

Yuri shuddered at the ominous word, but mostly because his friend was too close. "W-What are you even saying? What's so strange about watching our classmates play against another class? We need to give them a morale boost!"

"You've never done this before... Let me guess, Mao?"

Yuri shuddered again, feeling caught.

"Haha, gotcha! Of course you only care about this game because of your girlfriend."

"S-She's not my girlfriend!"

"Soon she will be. And I will be abandoned, once again..." Hideaki looked up, his eyes closed, as if accepting his fate.

"Having a female friend is nothing special. I don't understand why you're so obsessed with that idea."

"Then give me yours!"

"She's already your friend."

"Friend? We barely talk! You're the bridge between me and her; we never interact if you're not involved."

"Not my fault." Wait, why do I suddenly feel nervous? "You know what? I think it's best if she doesn't get too close to someone... like you."

"What does that even mean? Do you have a death wish?"

They sat near Mao's team, which was made up of Yuri's other female classmates, since that day's interclass was exclusively for girls' volleyball.

"Ah, Yuri!" Mao stood up from the bench and hugged him, not caring about being seen. Yuri blushed, feeling uncomfortable being the center of attention. He pushed her away lightly, giggling nervously.

Trying to distract them, he watched the match between two other teams. "Who do you think will win?"

"Hm?" Mao replied. "I think the veterans, since they're older and bigger."

"This tournament is not fair at all..." added Yuri.

"Fair? Most tournaments aren't fair. This one has the advantage of being a friendly match, so nothing is at stake."

"Even though we're the youngest here," said a classmate who was on Mao's team, "we have a trump card." She smiled smugly, raising her eyebrows at Mao, the tallest on the team.

She blushed slightly, feeling overestimated. "I-I wouldn't say we have any advantage here..." She waved her hands dismissively.

"You're our best player, Mao!" added another classmate. "Thanks to you, we have a chance!"

"They're right, Mao," Yuri agreed, nodding with a smile. "I'll be cheering you on from here."

She blushed, feeling overwhelmed by the attention and expectation. A little nervous, she giggled, unsure how to react.

"But, as you said before," he added, trying to break the tension, "participation is the most important part of it all. Even if you lose, the competition is what really matters."

Mao's eyes sparkled, feeling lighter. After a moment of silence and reflection, she nodded with a determined smile. The other colleagues nodded as well, impressed by her motivational speech. Hideaki, on the other hand, whistled.

"What was that for, Hideaki?!" Yuri complained.

Mao laughed, grateful for the synergy between the two; one motivational, the other sarcastic, but in a way that provided comic relief.

After a while, Mao's team was called in. As expected, the older team won the first match. As a result, the younger team had to compete against them, which seemed unfair, but some enjoyed the thrill, especially that girl who stood out from the crowd.

"Wish me luck!" Mao said as she walked away.

"You don't need any luck, Mao," Yuri retorted, "It would only hinder your efforts."

She pouted, feeling betrayed. "It doesn't hurt to bless someone, even if they don't need luck!"

"Then I wish you the best of the best, Mao."

She smiled with relief and nodded. "Hmm!"

As soon as her team came down from the benches, Hideaki kept staring at Yuri, who was smiling in a silly, lost way. He whistled sarcastically once more.

"Stop it, Hideaki!"

The match began with the referee's whistle. Luckily, Mao's team was chosen by a coin toss to kick off the game. Thank you, Yuri! she thought, grateful for the good luck wish.

She jumped, time seemed to freeze as she analyzed the other team, two years older than them. Mao was taller and more athletic than some of them, but even so, they were at a great disadvantage. She served the ball, aiming for the shortest girl on the other team. Another, however, managed to intercept it, throwing it to the other side.

In the midst of the desperate defense, Mao easily deflected the ball, as it was within her reach. The other team, however, anticipated her reaction and instantly returned the ball, aiming it out of her reach. The ball flew so fast that it hit one of Mao's classmates in the head, knocking her down.

"Foul!" the teacher announced.