Chapter 59 - A Showdown at the Beach (2)
"Here we go!"
With the start of the match, Mai let out a shout as she unleashed a powerful serve.
The ball spun through the air, gaining momentum as it glimmered in the sunlight, soaring through the sky. With perfect control, it headed straight toward the opposing court.
As expected from my little sister. The aim was flawless, and the power behind it was undeniable.
However, the anchor of the opposing team, Himeno Karen, effortlessly handled the serve. She deftly dampened the force of the ball, sending it gently into the air with a soft touch.
"Yuna, it's all yours!"
"Y-Yes!"
Following Himeno's command, Hanasaki immediately dashed across the sandy beach, keeping her eye on the descending ball. She hit it, passing it to Fusegawa Raito.
"UOOOOOOHHH!!"
With a roar, Fusegawa leaped into the air. He aimed the ball that Hanasaki had set straight toward our court.
But Mashiro stepped forward to block it.
"Don't worry, I've got this!"
She quickly read the trajectory and moved swiftly to the drop point. Crossing her hands in front of her chest, she crouched and absorbed the incoming ball head-on. The ball was cleanly received and returned, floating perfectly above Mai's head.
"Onii-chan, pass it!"
"Got it!"
My sister didn’t miss the chance. She swiftly adjusted her stance and set the ball high into the air. The height was perfect, and the position she aimed for was spot-on. This was the perfect setup for a spike.
I pushed off the sand and leapt into the air.
Swinging my right hand down, I aimed straight for the ball Mai had set.
The other team couldn't react in time, and my spike pierced through the sandy court.
"Nice one, Ryusuke! We got the first point!"
"Onii-chan, that was awesome! Nice spike!!"
"You two did great. That was some good movement."
"Ryusuke, you were super cool just now! I believe you’ll nail the next one too."
"Whoa, Onii-chan, looking sharp! You’re making me swoon here!"
"Yeah, yeah, thanks."
We exchanged high fives, basking in the praise.
Taking the first point against the protagonist’s team was huge. This was a great start.
Mashiro had always had athletic skills that rivaled any boy since we were kids, and that hadn't changed even in high school. And of course, being my sister, Mai had excellent athletic abilities as well.
I wanted to keep up this momentum and keep scoring.
While we were all smiles, Fusegawa Raito had a sour expression. It seemed he wasn’t pleased that his spike had been completely neutralized.
"Damn it… I thought that was a good hit."
"Don’t worry, Raito! It’s just one point! We can come back from this!"
"Yeah, Raito-kun. The match is far from over!"
"Y-Yeah… You’re right…"
Even after Himeno and Hanasaki’s encouragement, Fusegawa’s mood didn’t improve.
Watching him, I couldn’t help but think something was off.
There was something strange about him. His actions didn’t match the Fusegawa Raito I knew from the original story. In the story, Fusegawa Raito was always cheerful, a bit annoying, but impossible to hate.
But the Fusegawa in front of me seemed... uneasy.
As the protagonist, he should be more confident, and right now he should be encouraging each other with the heroines. At least Fusegawa Raito in the original story will do that.
As odd as it felt, the game continued.
Since we scored the first point, we retained the serve. Mai was once again in charge of serving until the other team managed to score.
Mai gave an enthusiastic shout as she prepared for the serve.
She took a running start and jumped, sending the ball flying. Just like before, it was aimed perfectly, heading straight for the opponent’s court.
But once again, Himeno easily received it and popped the ball into the air.
"Raito! Let me handle the next attack!"
"No! I’ll do it!"
"Wha—!? Huh!?"
Himeno looked shocked at Fusegawa’s sudden outburst.
Hanasaki, unsure whom to pass to, hesitated. Her uncertainty led to a mistake, and the ball rolled out of bounds.
"Yuna, what are you doing?! Get it together!"
"S-Sorry…"
"Raito, calm down! This isn’t the plan we discussed. We agreed to alternate attacks between you and me. Why are you rushing things?"
"...Sorry. I got too worked up. I just don’t want to lose... not to Shindo Ryusuke."
"You don’t have to apologize, but... I see. So it’s because you don’t want to lose to Ryusuke."
"Yeah. I hate losing. I promised myself I wouldn’t lose to him."
"I remember how upset you were after the exams... Alright, then. Do what you want, but promise me one thing: don’t push yourself too hard."
"Thanks, Karen."
"Raito-kun, I’ll do my best to connect the ball for you. So, you have to make it count...!"
"Yuna, sorry for earlier. I’ll score for sure this time. Trust me."
Both Hanasaki and Himeno smiled warmly and nodded at Fusegawa.
(So that’s it. The earlier mistake was meant to bring the protagonist and the heroines closer together.)
When the protagonist finds himself in a tight spot, he joins forces with the heroines and overcomes the obstacles ahead. His recent unease was all building up to this moment.
Now that the protagonist’s team has come together as one, their counterattack will surely start soon. We can’t afford to let our guard down.
I glanced at my sister.
Mai nodded, getting into position to serve once again.
She sprinted forward and hit the ball with force. But this time, it just barely caught the net and fell short.
"Oops… I might’ve overdone it a bit."
"Don’t worry about it, Mai. It’s impressive you nailed it twice in a row. Let’s just move on."
"Yeah, thanks, Onii-chan! I’ll do better next time!"
"Good, I’m counting on you."
I patted her head to cheer her up. She smiled brightly and reset her focus for the next play.
And finally, the protagonist’s team began their offensive.
I took a deep breath and braced myself for what was to come.