Matchmaker

Chapter 9

To tell the truth, I hardly knew what a soccer ball was before meeting Taiki. I think I had touched one once, accidentally, during gym class in middle school, but other than that, the sport had never really crossed my mind. After Taiki started hanging out with us, however, Hana strived to make it to as many of his games as possible, and others of us would tag along for moral support. From what I'd heard, Sakura Upper-Secondary had a pretty damn good team.

I lazed beside Hana and Katsu on the grassy slope facing the school's soccer field. Hana had provided her signature blanket, and we could comfortably lay back with a good view of the turf. Luckily, clouds overtook the blazing ball in the sky, dampening the sweltering heat on the cusp of unbearable. Maybe I just needed to get out more. My legs were awfully pale, sprouting from the shorts in front of me. "I feel like it's been forever since we've hung out," I said to Katsu, balled up beside me with his legs to his chin.

"Me too. Sorry the council's been keeping me so late this past week. Once the festival is over, everything should be back to normal," he said.

"I wonder which 'normal' that would be," I replied.

The two teams lined up along the field and warmed up, boys practicing kicking the ball into the net and the coaches pulling individuals aside to spit out a few words and send them on their way. Rokuro and Taiki stood beside each other in line, Taiki appearing sheepish while Rokuro went on animatedly about something, every once in a while darting a glance our direction. If I had to guess by Taiki's increasing discomfort, he was probably pointing out how Hana looked lovely today or how she stared intently at him as they warmed up.

"When he leaves, then we'll be normal again," Katsu said, following my gaze.

"Rokuro's not that bad," I defended weakly.

Katsu pursed his lips and adjusted his glasses. "I know you don't like Fukui, but that doesn't mean Ueda's a great guy."

"I don't not like her," I shot back, irritated that I had to repeat this point so often, "and I didn't say that he's a great guy. I said he wasn't that bad."

"Right," he said shortly.

"Don't fight," Hana chimed in, evidently not as deep in thought as I thought she was. "Rokuro-kun's our friend. Katsu-kun, Akane-chan can like whoever she wants."
"Don't put it—Don't put it like that," I sputtered, horrified. At that moment, Rokuro waved frantically our direction, and I solemnly raised a hand in reply, like a mob boss commanding my subordinate. Yes, execute the order. Leave no traces. You know what happens if it's ever tracked back to me.

I had become self-conscious as of late. The morning after my dinner with Ai and the Uedas, I had curled in on myself in embarrassment, digging my face into my pillow. What had come over me, spouting on about friendship and understanding? I should have properly confronted him about his coquettish demeanor, but foolishly, I forgave him in an instant. God, how could I be such a pushover when it came to anything of importance?

On the other end of the knoll, a handful of girls stretched out on their blankets and settled in for the game. Speak of the devil. Fukui sat in the center, emerald green hair melding with the grass and the foliage that dotted the campus. Though she laughed and nodded along with her friends, she had already fixated her gaze upon us. I immediately looked away, as I had done innumerable times in the past few weeks when I caught sight of her glare. Maybe Rokuro's affiliation with us hurt her pride more than I thought it would. Whatever the reason, Katsu never seemed to notice any animosity. He smiled at Fukui instead, and she nodded a noticeable greeting in response. Out of obligation, I was sure.