#'the ball is her friend' can we put her on a shonen please and ty

[managician-tls]

Basketball at Dusk - Confrontation 2 (8/10)

Featured characters: Asuka, Botan, Himari, Renren

Location: Gym

Asuka: Eh— Eeeeh!?

T-That's a surprise attack way too suprise~!

Botan: While you waste time saying that, the sun will keep going down.

Shoot. 4 to 0.

Well then. How many points are you going to let me have, Momochi-san?

Asuka: Ghh, I'm getting serious and going all out, too!

I won't let you score so eas...

Ah, sh, she got past me!

Botan: If you've got enough time to blabber on and on... It'd do you good to focus on playing, instead.

6 to 0.

Asuka: U, uuugh...!

Botan: Shoot. 8 to 0.

Asuka: (S-She's way too ruthless...!)

(If I can touch the ball just once, I win...)

(If you heard that, you'd think I have a "super" handicap in my favour.)

(And yet... It's as if the ball is getting drawn towards Komacchi-senpai.)

(By the time I try to go fetch the ball, Komacchi-senpai already has it in her control.)

(Whenever she shoots, it's the same, too.)

(To make sure she doesn't distance herself from the ball, she hasn't dared throw a dunk shot.)

(Even if this is Komacchi-senpai we're talking about, it's not like she's grown a pair of wings.)

(So her feet will always stay on the ground.)

(She shoots, and then she dives under the goal right away...)

(Since she hasn't failed any of her shoots, in a normal game, there'd be no need for her to do that.)

(It's precisely because of our special rules that she's doing this.)

(So that she can keep the ball under her control, forever and ever.)

(I-I can't win! I can't win this thing!)

Botan: 54 to 0.

Looks like... You've finally come to understand it.

The difference between our abilities, that is.

Asuka: I understand that much all too well already!

You won't let me have the win and, the way I am now, I don't have any plans that can break through your plays!

Botan: It might be a good idea to give up here, then.

Asuka: Uu...

Botan: It's about time, don't you think?

Shoot. Goal. 56 to 0.

Let's just end this... Momochi-san.

Since you already understand it's impossible for you.

Asuka: I— I...

Huh...? How, odd...

The tears won't stop falling...

But, even so, I think I'm having fun?

I wonder why's that...? So you had this kind of strength, Komacchi-senpai.

At practice, you were always going easy on us.

We weren't letting you play seriously... I've noticed that now.

And now, I'm... having fun. Facing off against a crazy strong opponent, I'm all fired up.

Even though you're going to quit playing, Komacchi-senpai. Isn't that weird?

Botan: ......

No. That's not weird at all.

I've also got some self-reflection to do. I underestimated you a little, Momochi-san.

I'll come at you, with all I've got.

Asuka: T-This speed..!

N-No way! This has got to be a bad dream!

By the time I notice it, she's already gotten past me and made the shoot in... You can't be serious.

But still... I won't lose! I can still keep going!

Himari: ...What an amazing battle this is, huh?

Even after we helped Mochimochi, she might not stand a chance.

Renren: That might be so, ba... But, if it's Momochi-san, she'll be fine for sure, ya.

Himari: Hm... Do you have some sort of secret plan up your sleeve?

Renren: Ufufu. Nope, no such thing at all, a!

Himari: You just went and said it!?

Renren: Even so, it'll be fine.

For Momochi-san, the ball itself is a friend, de.

And friends don't betray each other... There's nothing wrong in believing that much, ne.

◀ Chapter 7 • all • Chapter 9 ▶