His Score (Mitsui Hisashi x OC)

Chapter 32: Offer to Help

Third Person POV

Hisashi was lost in his thoughts as he walked on the school grounds. His eyes furrowed as he tried to understand the feelings that kept bothering him for the past few days.

"Hey, hey, Mitsui-san?" a familiar voice called.

He snapped back to reality, his head turned to see Rei who seemed a bit confused as she tilted her head to the side, "Are you okay?"

Flustered by her appearance, he rambles in his mind to find words and successfully he did, "Oh-uh, yeah. I'm good."

"Is that so? Well, good!" Rei stretches her arms in the air and yawns, "Gosh darn it, I'm beaten. And it's just the start of the day, haha." 

"Stayed up late?" Hisashi asked.

"Yeah, I had a few subs to study. And Akagi-senpai is really going hard on the team's training. Can't blame him though since Shoyo is our next opponent, but a good night's rest is what I need right now." 

Yohei called for Rei and the two turned to see him, Rei greeted the boy back while Hisashi just looked at him silently. Yohei caught up to them and walked side by side with Rei, "I haven't chatted with you in a while. You must have been pretty busy." He commented.

"You're right. Now my body has taken a toll on me because of that." Rei yawns again but it was even longer than before, wiping the tear that escaped from her eye. Hisashi's eyes stared at Rei, "Genji has been working really hard for the team," He recalls a memory where Rei had told him she will continue to be the assistant manager of the team just so she could support him, a blush painted on his cheeks at the memory.

The bell rang and apart from the two boys, Rei jumped in worry, "Ah!! I'm gonna be late again!! I gotta run-!" Just as she said, she quickly left the two who seemed nonchalant of their schedule. "I'm gonna head first," Yohei said to Hisashi who responded with a hum.

Later, Hisashi arrived at his class and as it continued with its session, he really wasn't paying attention to their lesson. His mind kept replaying the memory he shared with Rei when they were alone in the gym. She poured her genuine feelings about how she felt when he mocked her and the genuine intentions she had for him to support his basketball. The cringe that overcame him when he remembers how horrible he was to her made him facepalm, and furrow his brows.

"Stop it! Rei has forgiven you already, you should too. You can't go on like this," 

...

"Good effort, guys!" Ayako cheered the panting athletes as they went to the bench side to replenish themselves. Kogure went to Hisashi to cheer him up as well but he wasn't noticed as his eyes were planted on Rei. Kogure tilted  his head in confusion and asked his teammate, "Mitsui, why are you staring at our assistant manager like that?"

Hisashi flinched at the question, quickly turning to him, waving his hands to clear the air, "No, no! It's not like that." His eyes trailed down to the floor, musting up the courage to tell him what has been bothering him and his seek for advice. He sighs in defeat, "How do I get rid of this guilt?"