Nishikata and Takagi in a game of Life

Chapter 29: Dodgeball

You have more patience than me if you're still waiting for updates.

" Alright students. Today we are going to be trying something different. Usually we separate the men and women to play their own sports, but today we are going to be having the men vs girls. It will be five boys up against five girls. So I will make the teams now!" The teacher explained holding a list of names.

For the boys it was Nishikata, Nakai, Takao, Kimura, and Hamaguchi. On the girls side it was Takagi, Mano, Houjou,Sanae,and Yukari.

"Same rules as usual. You get hit you're out. Someone catches your throw, your out. We will begin in five minutes!" The coach announced as the teams gathered.

"Damn! This sucks! I have to face off Houjou! What if I hit her too hard!?" Hamaguchi was beginning to panic.

Nishikata didn't even think about hitting Takagi,but what. Hamaguchi said made him think about it.

'Hit Takagi-san!? I c-can never do that!... Actually knowing her she will get me out easily...Well at least I won't have to hurt her though' He thought. He peeked a glance over at Takagi as she was talking to her team.

" Jeez this is bad!" Yukari was talking to Sanae.

"This game isn't so hard if you try enough" Sanae said with her blank stare.

"IM NOT TALKING ABOUT THAT! It's that Takagi-chan and and Nishikata-kun have to face off each other. And they're not the only ones! If things go wrong it could be bad for their relationship!" She bit her finger just thinking about it.

"Hey Mina cheer me on!" Sanae didn't listen to anything Yukari said.

"You got it!" Mina said with the rest of the people watching on.

"T-takagi-chan! I don't want to hit my boyfriend! And I doubt you want to hit Nishikata-kun! What should we do!?" Mano asked Takagi as she was also panicking.

"Just have fun. That's what I'm going to do with Nishikata-kun" She looked over at her boyfriend.

"Huh? When did you start calling him Nishikata-kun?" Mano asked, but before she could answer the whistle blew.

"Alright! Girls get the balls first to start off!" All the girls picked up a ball each, holding it in their hands as the boys stood on the opposite side of the floor. " And begin!" The teacher blew his whistle signaling the start of the match.

The girls all threw their balls at the same time. The only one to get hit was Kimura due to his large size. Yukari and Mano both hesitated with their throws.

" Damn. Already down one person" Takao watching Kimura sit down.

The boys all picked up the ball. They all threw their ball aside from Nishikata. The only girl who got hit was Mano and it was by Nakai.

"Hey! What was that for!?" She was upset she got hit by her own boyfriend.

"I'm just playing the game" Nakai said as Mano went to sit down.

The game went on and on. Soon it came down to Nishikata, Takagi, Hamaguchi, and Houjou.

"Nishikata. I'm sorry but I'm going to get out" He talked to Nishikata from behind the center.

"Huh?! Why?" Nishikata didn't want to be left on his own

"I...I can't hit Houjou-san! There's no way. And I suggest you don't do the same thing to Takagi-san" He walked forward with his ball on his hands.

He weakly threw it on the ground and it rolled into Houjou's feet. She picked up and up and stared at Hamaguchi.

"Takagi chan. I'm going to get me and him out.Will you be alright with Nishikata-kun?" Houjou asked as she slowly walked forward with the dodgeball.

"Hm. I may have a trick or two" She looked at Nishikata giving him a smile making him more nervous.

"Good" She stopped at the line and Hamaguchi was on the other side, just in front of her.

"Go ahead. Houjou-san" He bowed his head in defeat.

"You don't have to act so dramatic. But...thanks for not hurting me. This is for us both" She gently threw the ball hitting his shoulder. The ball bounced back and hit her leg before it hit the ground.

"The ball bounced back at hit Houjou! Both are out!" The coached announced. Hamaguchi and Houjou got off the court leaving only Nishikata and Takagi behind.

"C'MON NISHIKATA! WIN IT FOR US!" Several of the guys cheered him on.

"TAKAGI-CHAN DO YOUR BEST!" The girls, aside from Yukari, cheered her on.

'Damn. If I lose them these guys would never let me down for losing to a girl...but at the same time I can't hit Takagi-san! What do I do!?' Nishikata thought as he watched Takagi pick up the ball.

"Hey Nishikata-kun. I will let you win if you do me a favor" She wanted to make a deal with him.

"Really!? What is it?!" He asked. Anything to get win without hurting her.

"Just announce your love for me in front of everyone else" She gave a teasing smile as she held the ball.

"NO WAY!" He yelled. That would probably even be more embarrassing for him than losing to her.

"Hm. Alright. Catch!" She threw the ball hard at Nishikata, forcing him to duck. He picked it off the ground but noticed Takagi stood near the line not even looking like she was going to avoid his throw.

"My deal still stands" She gave him a smug look.

"NO WAY!" He declined her offer again.

She took about ten steps back.

"You will have to throw it much harder now"She gave another smug look.

'No! I...I can't!'He let the ball slip from his fingers and it rolled up to her. She picked it up.

"Nishikata-kun. Catch!" She gently threw it in the air making it a easy catch.

'Huh?! If I catch it I win!...but it can't be that easy! That one time she did something close to this. She probably has another ball ready to throw at me' He took a quick look at Takagi.

She had her hands up, completely empty.

Nishikata looked back at the ball. He reached up for it and safely caught it in his hands getting her out and winning the game.

"Boys win!" The coach announced. The boys cheered on,while some girls found it weird she just gave up like that.

"She really does love him!" Yukari talked to herself while Mina and Sanae were playing rock paper scissors.

"Good job Nishikata-kun" Takagi congratulated him on winning the game.

"W-why did you let me win?" He asked putting the ball down.

"I thought that since you were being such a gentleman, I would let you win. And after all you love me too much to ever hurt me so there's no other way you could have won" Her words made his face more red than the ball.

" W-well yeah! I obviously wouldn't hurt my girlfriend!" He said without really thinking.

Takagi was taken aback a bit but smiled nonetheless.

She made sure to give him a peck on the cheek before the school day was over.