High Speed! Volume 2

Chapter 3: Promise

Since there were absentees in the P.E. lesson, they adjusted the number of players for basketball, so Haruka and Makoto played in the game on the same team. It's not a coincidence. The P.E. teacher, who is also the advisor for the basketball club, planned it. As evidence, Kisumi and Asahi, as well as Ikuya were on the opposing team. When all's said and done, you could say that it's an 'ability inspection of the notable guys'.

"Haru, over here!"

Makoto calls for a pass while running. However, Ikuya was sticking close to Makoto. Including the passes that he made in the first half, since Ikuya's marking him, most of them are blocked. Compared to Makoto, there's a considerable height difference between them, but he was covering it with so much momentum that it can't be felt.

It'd be okay to aim for a 3-point shot from here, but thinking that at long last Kisumi is standing in the front, he decided to slip past him. It's a good opportunity to try out if the dribble he had used before to slip past Ikuya works against Kisumi.

Haruka speeds up at once––.

"Like I'd let you go!"

Asahi came cutting in all of a sudden. He was supposed to have been underneath the hoop until just now, yet he's coming back already. He tries to dodge Asahi right away, but he can't make it. As a last resort, he starts to do a drive by force, prepared for a foul.

"Uwah."

"Ouch."

Asahi and Kisumi came into contact. He tries to open up that gap, but without a moment's delay, Ikuya came in to block. However––.

The bound pass that Haruka tossed behind his back crossing over to Makoto who had become free, it beautifully made a jump shot.

"Kisumi, it's your fault!"

"It's because Asahi cut in."

Exiting the gym, the performance review meeting began. Makoto slips past Haruka who's squinting his eyes from the sunlight.

"Haru, I'm going ahead. Because Music is next."

He wonders why he says every little thing, but he's gotten used to it.

"Oi, Haru. Don't think you could slip past me with something like that."

Reflecting Asahi's displeasure, his spiky hair sharpens.

"Really, it's a disgrace. Haru has no choice but to join the basketball club now."

The sunlight glints off of Kisumi's white teeth, the wind strokes his silky hair.

"He said he's not joining. Right, Haru?"

He thinks he'd be okay with joining.

It's not that he's discovered a special meaning in basketball. However, there's no meaning in swimming now, either. If he's swimming meaninglessly, then it's the same as playing basketball meaninglessly. It may still be better, if at least Makoto is there.

Speaking of which, Kisumi has invited him many times, but Makoto hasn't ever invited him yet. He had only invited him to the swim club's weight training once. It could possibly be because Makoto hasn't made up his mind yet, either.

"Haru and Makoto––"

Kisumi says while walking next to him.

"I thought that you two might be like brothers, but maybe that's not quite right, huh."

"What do you mean by that?"

"You understand each other on a much deeper level, or rather, it's like your hearts are connected––"