I Was Cheated on by My Girlfriend but My Devilish Junior Now Yearns for Me V1 Chapter 7
Chapter 7
Club Activities
Shinohara, who was waiting for me at the entrance of the gym, bounced on the balls of her feet as I approached.
“There’s something about the smell of a gym, you know? It just gets me all excited.”
The other club members nearby were watching us with undisguised curiosity. The guys on the basketball court started showing off, pulling flashier moves than usual before taking a shot. Every single one of them was trying to get Shinohara’s attention. Just having her standing next to me was enough to make me feel restless—that’s the kind of presence she had, even though she was just happily bouncing in place.
A staircase in the lobby led up to the second floor. My plan was to guide her there so she could watch from the spectator seats. As I started walking, Shinohara followed obediently, her steps light and eager.
“Where are we going?”
“To the second floor.”
As soon as I said that, I felt a tug on my sleeve. I turned to see Shinohara looking up at me, her expression a clear pout.
“But that’s so far away. I want to watch from up close. Can’t I?” she pleaded, clearly already aware of the second-floor seating.
The municipal gym that start rents for its activities has a court about the same size as the university’s. The main advantage here is the second-floor seating, which offers a great, wide view of the entire court—perfect for spectating. That’s why I couldn’t quite understand her complaint.
“There’s barely any space to watch on the first floor, and it’s dangerous if a stray ball comes flying over.”
“But it’s more intense up close! You have to watch basketball right from the sidelines,” she insisted, though her eyes were darting in a completely different direction. It was obvious she was lying, or rather, she wasn’t even trying to hide it.
“Is there some other reason?” I asked.
She pouted for a moment before letting out a small sigh.
“…It’s lonely, you know?”
“Huh?”
“Being stuck in the second-floor all by myself would be so lonely! I hate doing things alone!”
“Y-You sound just like I did in middle school!”
“Say whatever you want!” she huffed, turning her face away.
I was momentarily taken aback. Here was this ridiculously cute college girl, dressed in a stylish trench coat with her hair done perfectly, yet she had these surprisingly pure, almost childish sides to her.
“In that case, why don’t you join in? It’s fine to just jump in on days when we don’t have a tournament.”
start has a pretty relaxed atmosphere, welcoming enough for even total beginners. We even lend out practice jerseys for the girls. During the new student welcome period, we advertised it as a club where beginners could just have fun, so there shouldn’t be any issue.
But at my suggestion, Shinohara’s expression clouded over.
“Hm? What’s wrong? You like basketball, don’t you?”
“Well, yeah, I do, but…” she trailed off, her reluctance clear.
Maybe there’s a difference between watching and actually playing. Now that I thought about it, that made perfect sense. I couldn’t just carelessly push her into it. The best option for both of us was probably to just head back down and let her watch from the first floor like she wanted. There was some space on the court-side, and while the presence of other club members was a bit of a drawback, Shinohara would probably be fine.
“Alright, you can watch from the first floor. Just be careful not to get hit by a stray ball.”
At my words, Shinohara’s face lit up. “Thank you so much!” she said, bowing her head deeply.
I hadn’t really done anything special, so her formal gratitude felt a little embarrassing.
“It’s nothing.”
“Ehehe~”
Seeing her happy, bashful smile made me smile in return.
Back in middle and high school, I also found it daunting to do things alone. I was always with my friends, talking and joking around. Just being with like-minded people was fun, and when I was by myself, I had no idea how to kill time. But once I got to university, my perspective naturally shifted. Now, I can go to karaoke by myself without a second thought, something I could never have done back then. I was too self-conscious.
I don’t want anyone to see me. What will the staff think of me coming here all alone?I used to feel like I was constantly being watched by some invisible crowd. But that feeling faded. Walking through the city, working my part-time job, I realized how rarely I paid any attention to random passersby, and even if I did, the thought was gone in an instant. Once I understood that this was how most people thought, the feeling of being watched vanished completely. It’s something you just naturally figure out when you have a little time to yourself.
Eventually, Shinohara’s perspective would probably change too.
“You really are younger than me, huh?”
I knew perfectly well that she was younger, but it wasn’t often that I was reminded of it so clearly. My comment, which had slipped out unintentionally, earned me a dissatisfied reply.
“Hey, what’s that supposed to mean? Do I look old or something?”
“Hahaha, that’s not what I meant.” Amused, I placed my palm on her head. She let out a surprised little yelp. “Hyah.”
In that moment, I remembered how she’d reacted to Motosaka on Christmas day, brusquely shaking off his hand. I immediately pulled my hand back.
“My bad,” I apologized.
“Eh?”Shinohara looked confused for a second, then her face broke into a cheerful laugh as she understood. “It’s okay if it’s you, senpai.”
“I-I see. Well, that’s good then.”
“Aha, you’re so cute, senpai.”
“Shut up.”
I could feel my face getting warm, so I turned my back to her before she could see me blush. I could just imagine the satisfied smirk on her face. I think that was the first time I’d truly fallen for her little devilish charm.
As I started walking back toward the court without looking back, Toudou appeared at the entrance, dangling his basketball shoes from his hand.
“Oh, what’s up with you two?”
“Ah, Shinohara wants to watch from the first floor. That’s cool, right?”
Toudou glanced at Shinohara for a moment, then nodded. “Totally fine. In fact, I think everyone will be happier if she’s closer.”
“Thank you very much!” Shinohara chirped, bowing energetically. Toudou just gave her a casual wave.
“No problem, no problem. Since you’re here… let’s see. You’re Shinohara-san, right? Come over here for a sec.”
“What is it?”
Looking like he’d just had an idea, Toudou beckoned her over. When I made a move to follow, he stopped me.
“You go on and practice by yourself for a bit. You’re a pain in the ass.”
“What do you mean, a pain in the ass?!”
“Ahaha, so you’re the troublesome type, senpai!” Shinohara cackled at my retort.
I certainly didn’t remember ever being a troublesome type, but it lightened the mood, so I decided to let it slide. Besides, I trusted Toudou not to do anything stupid.
I left the two of them and walked onto the gymnasium court, the nostalgic smell of anti-slip wax welcoming me.
◇◆
Most of the activity time for my club, start, is dedicated to playing games. We don’t really set aside time for structured practice because we don’t have any major goals. If I had to name one, it would be winning the university-wide tournament where all the basketball clubs compete for funds to throw drinking parties and go on training camps.
We just want to get some exercise and enjoy playing basketball.Since that’s the mindset of everyone who joins, our activities naturally center around games. I’m one of them, of course. Joining a serious sports team in university was never part of my plan. For someone like me who longed for the ideal “campus life,” the long, restrictive hours of a sports club felt like a shackle.
But as someone who had been in the basketball club through middle and high school, I couldn’t just let everything I had devoted myself to go to waste. It wasn’t all fun and games, but those years made me who I am today. With that in mind, during the welcome season for new students, my feet naturally led me to the basketball club.
Recalling this, I bounced the ball lightly. It rebounded from the floor and settled back into my palm as if being pulled by a magnet. I love that feeling—the confidence that even after it leaves my hand, it will return right where I want it to.
As I was enjoying the familiar rough texture of the ball with a series of quick, low dribbles, a third-year student came into view. I stopped dribbling for a moment and put on a smile.
“Long time no see~ You been well?”
“I’m good. It’s been a while,” I replied, an exchange I must have repeated a dozen times today.
As expected when you show up to club activities after a long break, everyone comes over to say hi. I guess everyone also knows I broke up with my girlfriend, since I’d occasionally get a, “Heard you broke up!” It didn’t feel bad, though. It would probably be a much heavier burden to have to tell everyone myself.
I shot the ball in my right hand toward the hoop. It drew a perfect arc and swished through the net, shaking it gently. That feeling of scoring without the ball even grazing the rim was still just as satisfying as ever.
“Nice shot!”
With the shout, my vision suddenly went dark.
“Whoa!”
I pulled the towel off my head that had been thrown over me from behind and turned around. As expected, Shinohara was standing there with her hands on her hips, a playful grin on her face. Her casual clothes were gone, replaced by a jersey.
“…Why the jersey?”
She snorted with a “hmph.”
“Sen~pai. Do you know one of the top-ranking situations that athletic guys dream of having with a girl? Here’s a hint: it starts with ‘mana’!”
“Mannequins and Instagrammable moments?”
“That’s wro~ng! What kind of situation is that?!” she cried out in exasperation. She picked up a stray ball rolling nearby and handed it to me with both hands.
“So what’s the right answer?”
“The correct answer is a club with a cute manager! Please go and restart your life.”
“Isn’t that a bit harsh for one little mistake?”
I got the ball settled in my palm and took another shot. Once again, it was sucked into the net without a sound.
“Senpai, are you, like, actually good at this?”
“Just seems like I’m in good form today.”
In reality, after a two-month break, my shooting sense should have been considerably dulled. That shot was just a fluke. Suppressing the quiet thrill of sinking my first shots in a while, I asked Shinohara a question.
“Did Toudou ask you to be a manager?”
“Hmm, I’d say I was less asked and more given a choice.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
Shinohara picked up the ball again and started to dribble it clumsily. As she moved under the basket, she explained, “He said it’d be boring for me to just watch, so he let me hang out in the manager’s room. It’s my first time being a manager.”
“Hoh. Well, don’t get in the way.”
“So harsh!”
With that, she shot the ball with both hands, but her form was a complete mess. She released it long before her jump reached its peak, sending the ball straight into the bottom of the rim. The ball ricocheted downward and struck her square in the face.
“Bffh.”
A low, muffled sound, unlike anything I’d ever heard her make, escaped her lips.
…That must have really hurt.She was crouched down, trembling. I walked over to check on her, and she abruptly lifted her face. As I expected, the tip of her nose was bright red.
“Senpai!”
“What now?”
“I hate basketball!”
“Like I care!”
Her clumsy play was more than enough to prove she wasn’t used to the sport. While my club has an atmosphere that welcomes beginners, there aren’t really any newcomers joining in the middle of winter. I had thought it might be okay for her to join a game, but having her act as a manager was probably the best choice for both the club and for her.
“Help me up~” she pleaded, holding out both her hands.
Reluctantly, I decided to pull her up by just one arm. As I gripped her upper arm, a softer sensation than I expected met my palm.
“Per~vert.”“Don’t be stupid.”
I dismissed her teasing with a tug, pulling her to her feet. Shinohara, who stood up a bit unsteadily, rubbed the spot I had grabbed.
“I held out both my hands, you know, but you went for my arm instead. You’re weird, senpai.”
“Holding hands feels kind of lewd, doesn’t it?”
“I think grabbing my upper arm is a hundred times more lewd, but whatever.”
Shinohara rolled up the sleeve of her jersey and took the hair tie from her wrist. In one smooth motion, she gathered her hair into a high ponytail and twirled around. The bundled hair gently brushed against the tip of my nose.
“How do I look?”
“Cute, cute.”
I said that and turned toward the basket where the other balls were piled up.
“Eh, wait! That’s all you’re gonna say?!”
Ignoring the little devil’s voice raining down on me from behind, I picked up a ball with one hand.
…She gives off a completely different impression with her hair tied up.She suddenly looked so much more mature, and it was definitely because of her hairstyle. For the first time, I think I understood how unfair it was that a girl could change her entire aura in an instant just by changing her appearance.
I feel like I now understand a little why guys fall so easily for that little devil.
The buzzer signaling the end of the warm-up echoed throughout the gymnasium.
◇◆
The men’s and women’s games were held in rotation. By now, the club activity time was nearing its end, with only the women’s game left. It had just started a moment ago, and I was on the sidelines cooling down, stretching out my heavy, fatigued legs. I could really feel the difference; my legs were much heavier than usual.
Even though I’m still young, if I don’t exercise properly for a few months, my body gets this sluggish. At this rate, I’m scared to think about what will happen when I become a working adult. The aging process has already begun.
As I was lost in these gloomy thoughts, a plastic bottle flew from somewhere and hit my thigh with a dull thud.
“Here.”
Toudou pointed at the bottle that had rolled beside me. It was a new bottle of a sports drink, probably bought from the vending machine in the lobby.
“Oh, thanks.”
I instantly forgave him for throwing it at me and offered my gratitude. Toudou sat down next to me, wiping sweat from his brow.
“She’s super popular, your girlfriend.”
“I told you, she’s not my girlfriend,” I replied with a wry smile. Toudou’s lips curled into a grin.
“I wonder…”I glanced over at Shinohara. She was in the middle of handing out drinks to the other club members. The water fountain area, usually deserted, was now bustling with people—mostly guys. Her actual basketball knowledge was probably lacking for a manager, but if the guys’ morale was this high, maybe it was a good thing for Shinohara to be here.
“Well, it’s not going to happen, I guess.”
“What isn’t?” Toudou asked, pausing with his drink halfway to his lips.
“Shinohara becoming a permanent manager.”
“Of course not. It’s already amazing that she’d suddenly join in at a club she just came to observe. Especially since she has no real reason to be here.”
“…I feel like her objective is just to kill time, though.”
I think the only reason we’ve been spending more time together lately is because it’s a way for her to kill time. And it’s precisely because I’ve accepted that, that she feels comfortable enough to come over to my place without any hesitation.
Hearing my reply, Toudou burst out laughing.
“If that’s her level of energy for just killing time, then she’s really something else.”
“You can say that again.”
“You should learn from her, Yuu. Let’s get hyped up.”
I get told things like that often. It’s true that I’m not overflowing with vitality like Shinohara, nor do I have the social grace of Ayaka, who always knows the perfect thing to say to anyone.
“Unfortunately, it’s just easiest for me to be myself.” I have no intention of changing who I am now.
Hearing my words, Toudou lightly patted my shoulder.
“Thought so. I’m relieved. It’s like you’re back to your old self.”
At Toudou’s words, the corners of my mouth lifted into a small smile.
For a while, I just savored the nostalgic echo of the bouncing ball as it reverberated through the gymnasium.
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