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"Did you wait~?"

Yuuji looked up from his phone to see Haruka standing before him with her hands behind, slightly leaning forward as she looked up to him to see his face.

Her cheeks slightly reddening in contrast to her jade white skin. Her glossy jet-black hair that curled at the end blew in the wind, carrying a waft of her flowery fragrance for Yuuji to smell.

"Sorry for being late! I was stopped by a second-year junior who tried to confess to me on the way here..."

She smiled sheepishly, but she kept her gaze at his face, watching his expression.

"It's fine, Haruka-senpai. I didn't wait long."

Yuuji shook his head and smiled back at her.

Haruka fell into a daze when she saw his smile. But she quickly snapped out of her daze and pouted her lips in annoyance.

"Hm? Why aren't you surprised? I just got confessed to, you know? Isn't your reaction a bit dull, Yuuji-kun?"

She expected him to be surprised, even a little bit! Or even better, she wanted to see him look jealous!

But this handsome junior just smiled casually and thought little of it?!

"Hm? There's nothing to be surprised about. After all, you're very beautiful, kind, and popular, senpai. It's not surprising that you were confessed to."

"!!!"

Red immediately colored her face as Haruka quickly turned away in a fluster.

"H-Hmph! You're so cheesy, Yuuji-kun! How could you say something like that so easily!"

"Well, I was just saying the truth."

"Alright! Don't tease your senior even more! What a bad junior!"

She slapped Yuuji's shoulder as she tried to hide her redly blushing face with her other hand.

"A-Anyway, what were you doing while waiting? I saw you playing with your phone. Were you chatting with someone?"

Haruka asked, trying to divert the conversation elsewhere. And even though he enjoyed seeing how adorable a flustered Haruka was, he decided to be merciful and let her off.

"Yes, I was chatting with my friends."

"Oh? Childhood friends? Or are they friends from your previous school?"

Haruka asked, curious about Yuuji from before she knew of him. After all, she only met him quite recently. So she was really interested to know more about him.

"No. We met quite recently, actually. But we get along really well and ended up making a group chat together."

Yuuji shook his head and placed his phone back into his pocket.

"Shall we go to the court now, senpai?"

"Sure~! Oh, but where do we get the ball from? Do you bring one?"

Yuuji shook his head.

"Hm... Let's see if we can borrow one from the Basketball Club."

"Okay~"

The two head to the gymnasium building and soon meet the captain of the basketball club, Yanagi Kenjiro.

"Hm? Ah, Yuuji-kun! It's been a while!"

"Good afternoon, Yanagi-senpai. I'm sorry to bother you?"

"No no, not at all? What's up?"

"I'd like to borrow a basketball, if possible. Just for today."

"Hm? Sure... Are you thinking of playing? If so, you can just use the court and play with the boys."

Yuuji shook his head.

"No, it's fine. We're planning on checking out the court in the park near our neighbourhood."

"I see..."

Yanagi glanced behind Yuuji and saw a beautiful girl, the famous third-year beauty that even he, who'd rarely care about girls and romance, knew of.

The blush on her face and her shy demeanor as she stood behind Yuuji was everything he needed to see to immediately understand the situation.

"Alright. Here you go. The coach usually don't let us bring home basketballs since we should be resting at home and also since we might lose it. But I'll keep this a secret from him. Don't forget to return it by tomorrow."

Yanagi handed a basketball to Yuuji as he gave him the warning.

"Thank you very much, senpai. I'll return it by tomorrow morning."

"Good. Then, see you. If you ever want to play, just come here. I need someone that would put down those young kids a peg or two so they don't get careless in a real game."

"Hahaha, sure. I'll come by from time to time. I'll see you later, senpai. Thank you."

"Thank you very much."

Yuuji and Haruka bowed, and left the gymnasium, leaving the third-year captain as he stared at their receding backs.

"Heh, kid's living the dream many of the freshmen could only daydream about."

He shook his head, and returned to preparing for the afternoon practice.

--------------------------------X--------------------------------

The court near Haruka's neighbourhood was usually empty during weekdays.

Although there were two high schools in close proximity to it – Bonyari and Seirin High School – both of which had their own basketball club, the basketball court was mostly always empty during weekdays since students in the club would normally use their own gymnasium.

But this time, as Yuuji and Haruka neared the court, they could hear the thumping sound of basketball hitting the ground and footsteps.

Upon arriving, they finally saw the source of the sound.

It was a young man, throwing some hoops and doing layups on one side of the basketball court.

He was tall, slightly taller than Yuuji, with short dark red and black hair on his head and a muscular build beneath the white and black tracksuit and long pants.

He was completely focused, his attention spent solely on the ball and the hoop, that he only noticed Yuuji and Haruka's presence when Yuuji called out to him.

"Excuse me. Good afternoon."

"Hm? Ah... Good afternoon."

The young man blinked a few times, a trace of surprise apparent in his eyes when he suddenly saw a pair of absolutely beautiful couple in front of him.

A thought immediately crossed his mind.

Were they artists? They're holding a basketball... Are they having a photoshoot for some basketball apparel magazines? I've never seen them before...

"Sorry to bother you. My friend and I are thinking of playing some basketball for a bit. We'll be on the other side of the court. I hope you don't mind."

"Ah, sure. That's fine."

"Thanks."

He nodded and went to pick up the ball from under the hoop while Yuuji and Haruka went to the other side of the court.

"Alright, then let's start with the lesson!"

"Yes, Yuuji-sensei!"

Haruka saluted before the two laughed at their own little antics.

"Let's start with a simple free throw. Stand on this line here. This is the free throw line. All you need to do is throw the ball to the hoop there."

"Yes!"

Yuuji handed Haruka the ball and led her to the free throw line.

"Okay, let's try shooting the ball to the hoop. Do your best."

"Yes! Hmmmm... Hya!"

Charing her shot, Haruka bent her knees and held the ball with both hands in front of her belly. Then, with a cute warcry, she threw the ball.

It travelled through the air in a beautiful arc, and landed a few meters left of the hoop.

"Eh? That's strange... I was clearly aiming at the hoop."

"... Yes, that's strange."

Yuuji looked at Haruka, the hoop, then the ball that was nowhere near the basket in amazement...

"Let's try again. This time, maybe try aiming more to the right."

"Yes."

Yuuji went to pick up the ball and handed it to Haruka for another shot.

This time as well, the ball didn't even hit the ring nor the backboard. But, it got closer.

"Ah, so close!"

"Yes, you're getting closer! But... let's try changing your shooting form. The way you're shooting now makes it difficult to shoot accurately. Here, let me show you first."

"Yes~!"

Haruka stepped aside and let Yuuji take her place.

"This is a normal shooting form. See here, I'm holding the ball with my right hand from under it, while my left hand stabilizes the ball. Then, when you're about to shoot, you bend your knee and elbow down, then push up!"

Yuuji took his shot, and the ball swished through the basketball, barely touching the net.

"Oooh~! That's amazing! Let me try!"

Haruka clapped and excitedly took her place again on the free throw line and took on the ball again.

She tried to imitate Yuuji, holding the ball with her right hand from under it and using her left hand to stabilize it.

Then, she bent her knees and elbow, and shot with all her might!

A loud clang echoed as the ball hit the front rim of the basket and bounced back towards them before Yuuji caught it.

"That was so close! You almost got it! Let's try again!"

"Yeah~!"

Haruka tried a few more times. But each time, she only came close to making it in. She'd air ball, hit the backboard, or hit the rim again before it bounced back out.

And with every try, her lips curled into a little adorable pout as her eyes glared "menacingly" at the basket.

It was an adorable scene for Yuuji. She looked like a frustrated little puppy or a hamster.

But as much as he wanted to enjoy her cuteness, Yuuji also wanted her to have fun. So, he decided to help her again a bit.

"Haruka-senpai, let me help you adjust your form a bit."

"Eh? Ah-!"

Yuuji approached her from behind, and held her hands, enveloping it with his larger ones.

She could feel his broad, hard chest on her back, his head to her side, and the steady, warm breath by her ear.

Her mind went into overdrive as she felt her face grew hotter and hotter. She couldn't even register the adjustments Yuuji was doing to her grip on the ball, only the fact that he's touching her hand and finger so much!

Also! The way he's reaching out from behind her made them look like he's embracing her from behind!!!

No, isn't this what he's essentially doing?!

"Y-Yuuji-kun..."

Yuuji glanced towards Haruka to see her blushing redly. Her knees were bent, just like he told her. But they were slightly shaking nervously.

Moreover, he could also feel her body trembling slightly in his embrace.

He was aware of it from the very beginning. It was harder not to realize it when she was acting so cutely.

But, he decided to keep teasing her, and try to see how much more adorable this senior of his would become.

"What's wrong, senpai?"

Yuuji softly whispered to her red ears, making her shiver from his breath.

"Y-You're a bit... close..."

"Of course. I have to be. Otherwise, how could I fix your form and show you how to shoot."

"B-But..."

Yuuji held her hands tighter and pressed his chest against her back.

"Look. Focus, Haruka-senpai. This is how you need to hold the ball. Now, all you need to do is aim at the basket, and shoot."

Haruka's legs and arms felt like jelly in Yuuji's embrace. And his whispers only made her lose her strength even more!

"Come one, senpai. Here, I've aimed it for you. Now, all you need to do... is shoot."

"G-Geez... I get it already! Eiii!!"

With all her might, Haruka threw the ball up, and to her surprise, the ball hit the inner rim and circled it a few times, before going into the basket!

"Ah! I-I did it!!! Yuuji-kun, it went in!!!"

Haruka's eyes brightened in happiness, and in her excitement, she turned around and jumped into his embrace, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"I did it!!!"

"Yes, you did it, Haruka-senpai! That was amazing!"

Yuuji wrapped his arms around her waist and returned her embrace, and the feeling of his arm around her made her follow what her heart desired and tightened her own hug around Yuuji.

It was only until a few moments later that Haruka snapped out of her excitement and realized what she was doing.

"Ah!!!"

She quickly let go of Yuuji and stepped away, her face blushing super redly.

Initially, Yuuji didn't want to let her go and simply keep hugging her, enjoying the warmth and softness of her body. But at the same time, he also wanted to see her flustered expression, so he let her go.

"Congratulations, senpai~ You made your first basket~"

Haruka looked at Yuuji, and saw him with a smirk, smiling teasingly at her.

That was when she realized. He was doing all of that on purpose!!! He was teasing her all this time!!!

Her lips immediately pouted as she glared at him with tears threatening to flow down the corner of her eyes. Though, her attempt to look menacing was ruined by her redly blushing cheeks, which only made her look adorable.

"Geez! Yuuji-kun, you're such a bad junior! H-How could you tease your senpai like this! Y-You lecher!"

"Ahahaha! I'm sorry, senpai. You were just so cute that I got a little bit carried away. But, it worked, didn't it? You made your first free throw~!"

"..."

Haruka puffed her cheeks. This junior of hers was clearly still teasing her.

But... didn't he call her cute? Was he telling the truth...?

Ugh... She hated to admit it, but it made her... really happy...

"How about we try shooting some more, senpai?"

Yuuji picked up the ball and handed it to her.

And seeing him, Haruka couldn't help but melt from his smile.

In the end, she couldn't stay mad at him for teasing her.

"Uhn..."

Haruka nodded, and the two continued their "basketball date" as the orange-red light of the afternoon sun basked over their figures.

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