Monday morning.
The moment Sakuragi Hanamichi stepped through the school gates, he sensed that something was different.
The gazes around him landed on him like spotlights, following him all the way from the entrance to the school building.
A few younger girls passed by, slowed their steps, huddled together, and whispered while sneaking glances in his direction.
He caught fragments of their conversation.
“That red-haired guy…” “Yesterday’s game…” “Dunk…” The corners of Sakuragi’s mouth lifted involuntarily.
He straightened his back, lifted his chin, and strode forward with long, confident steps, like a peacock proudly displaying its feathers while patrolling its territory.
The same thing happened in the hallways.
In the past, students would instinctively step aside because he was the infamous red-haired delinquent known for getting into fights.
Today, they still gave him space.
But their expressions had changed.
A few boys even nodded respectfully.
“Great game yesterday.” Their voices were hesitant, as though they weren’t sure whether speaking to Sakuragi would earn them a friendly reply…
or a punch.
Sakuragi blinked in surprise.
Then he flashed a broad grin.
“Of course!” He answered proudly, raising his chin even higher.
When he pushed open the classroom door, most of Class 3 had already arrived.
The noisy classroom suddenly fell silent.
Several boys peeked over the tops of their textbooks.
One finally gathered enough courage to ask, “Sakuragi…
you really dunked several times yesterday, right?
Everyone in the next class is talking about it.” Another immediately chimed in.
“And that alley-oop…
was that real?
They said you jumped from the free-throw line!” Sakuragi set his schoolbag on his desk, turned around, and planted his hands on his hips.
“The free-throw line part is exaggerated,” he said in the tone of someone pretending to be modest while secretly bragging.
“But the dunk over two defenders?” “That part’s absolutely true.” The boys exchanged glances.
So it really happened…
Across the classroom, several girls had gathered together.
Their eyes drifted toward Sakuragi through the gaps between the desks.
Before today, whenever they looked at him, their expressions clearly said: Stay away from me.
Now…
There was curiosity.
Scrutiny.
And a hint of surprise.
“So this delinquent can actually play basketball…” One short-haired girl whispered, “He looked…
pretty cool when he dunked.” Her voice was barely audible.
Unfortunately for her…
Sakuragi’s ears had become more sensitive than radar whenever compliments were involved.
His face reddened slightly.
But the smile on his lips grew even wider.
He dropped into his seat, stuffed his bag into the desk, clasped his hands behind his head, tilted his chair onto two legs, and leaned lazily against the wall.
His expression practically screamed: “I’m famous now.” Sunlight streamed through the window, falling across his bright red hair.
He looked like a large cat that had just eaten its fill and was lazily basking in the warmth.
Before his chair had a chance to rock twice— Four familiar figures swarmed him.
The Sakuragi Army surrounded him from all directions with the speed of a military operation.
Takamiya popped up on his left.
Ohkusu appeared on his right.
Noma leaned over from behind.
Meanwhile, Yohei calmly pulled a chair over, turned it backward, and sat down.
All four wore the exact same expression.
Half-lidded eyes.
Raised brows.
Every face clearly saying: “Confess everything.” Takamiya fired the opening shot.
“Hanamichi!” “Spill it!
How did you meet Yanai Yuri?!” “She’s such a beautiful girl, and you actually hid her from us!
That’s unforgivable!” He slammed both hands onto Sakuragi’s desk, making it scrape forward with a loud creak.
Ohkusu immediately joined in.
“Exactly!
Aren’t we brothers?
If we’re brothers, tell us the truth!” “Resistance is useless!” Noma rested his chin on Sakuragi’s shoulder and delivered the finishing blow.
“And she even came specifically to watch your game!” “She cheered for you!” “Do you know how awkward it was sitting beside her?
She ignored us the entire time.
She only watched you!” The three talked over one another nonstop.
Like three chickens fighting over a bowl of feed.
Sakuragi’s grin stretched wider…
…and wider…
…until Takamiya thought his face was about to split in half.
Yet he refused to answer.
His eyes narrowed into smug slits.
His entire expression screamed: “I know exactly what you want to hear…
and I’m not telling.” “Just tell us already!” Takamiya shouted.
“Nope.” Sakuragi crossed his arms proudly.
“What terrible loyalty!” Ohkusu slapped the desk.
“Absolutely disloyal!” Noma slapped it too.
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
The three of them pounded the desk like they were beating drums.
Yohei remained silent the entire time.
He simply rested his chin on his folded arms atop the chair’s backrest, quietly watching the commotion with a faint smile.
Only after the others finally calmed down did he slowly speak.
His voice wasn’t loud.
But it struck the heart of the matter.
“So…” “Did you confess?” Sakuragi’s smile instantly froze.
A direct hit.
His lips moved twice, yet no words came out.
The classroom fell silent.
For about two seconds.
Those brief two seconds were enough.
Takamiya, Ohkusu, and Noma all completed the exact same train of thought.
“…Ooooh…” Takamiya dragged out the sound dramatically.
“So…” “You haven’t confessed yet…” Ohkusu suddenly understood.
“No wonder…” Noma pronounced each word separately, one after another.
The three exchanged looks.
Their expressions instantly changed from interrogation…
…to discovering an entirely new continent.
Takamiya opened his mouth to continue…
Ring!
The class bell interrupted him.
The teacher entered the classroom.
Yohei stood up.
Takamiya, Ohkusu, and Noma scattered back to their seats like frightened birds.
Sakuragi quietly let out a sigh of relief.
His face was still slightly flushed under the morning sunlight.
One period later.
During the break…
Yohei returned.
This time, he came alone.
Takamiya and the others gathered at the other side of the classroom, clearly wanting to eavesdrop.
Yohei merely glanced at them.
That single look said everything.
Don’t come over.
The three obediently withdrew their heads.
Yohei sat beside Sakuragi.
Gone was his teasing smile.
His voice carried an unusual seriousness.
“Sakuragi.” “What do you really think about Yanai Yuri?” Sakuragi had been sleeping on his desk.
He’d worked late at the convenience store the previous night and gotten up early this morning.
Hearing Yohei call him, he lazily lifted his head.
The moment he heard Yanai’s name, however…
His eyes immediately brightened.
He thought for a while before quietly saying something Yohei had never expected.
“It’s different this time.” Yohei blinked.
“Different how?” Sakuragi frowned as he searched for the right words.
“Before…” “I just thought those girls were pretty.” “They had nice hair.” “Pretty faces.” “Beautiful smiles.” “So I confessed.” “If I got rejected…” “So what?” “It was just embarrassing.” He paused.
“But Yanai…” “…she’s different.” Yohei remained silent.
Waiting.
“I’m happy whenever I see her.” His voice was softer than usual.
Much slower.
As though he were talking about something incredibly precious.
Something fragile enough to break if he spoke too loudly.
“I don’t know why.” “I just feel happy.” “When she smiles…” “I stay happy the whole day.” “When she comes to watch my games…” “I feel like I can do anything.” He looked straight at Yohei.
His eyes held an earnestness unlike anything Yohei had ever seen.
“I used to confess because…” “I simply wanted to confess.” “But with Yanai…” He hesitated again.
“I don’t want to treat her like that.” “What do you mean?” “I mean…” “Running up to her…” “Saying, ‘I like you.
Please go out with me.'” “Getting rejected.” “And that’s the end.” He slowly shook his head.
His bright red hair swayed with the motion.
“That isn’t right.” “She’s different.” “I don’t want to ruin it.” Yohei stared into Sakuragi’s eyes.
Normally…
Those eyes were either reckless…
Fierce…
Or smiling foolishly like a blooming chrysanthemum.
But today…
There was something new inside them.
Seriousness.
Yohei’s heart sank.
This is bad…
He’s completely fallen for her.
Not another three-minute crush.
Not another confession because he thought some girl was cute.
This…
…was something growing from deep inside his heart.
Something even Sakuragi himself couldn’t explain.
His body understood it before his mind did.
Yohei had known Sakuragi for years.
He had watched him confess…
Thirty-four times.
And watched him get rejected…
Thirty-four times.
Every single outcome had been obvious from the beginning.
Because those confessions had never contained genuine love.
Only impulse.
The Sakuragi Army would joke about it.
Sometimes they encouraged him.
Sometimes they even bet on how quickly he’d get rejected.
No one ever took those confessions seriously.
But this time…
Everything was different.
Yohei had sensed it the very first moment he saw Yanai Yuri.
The look in her eyes wasn’t the embarrassment of a girl being pursued.
Nor was it the cold annoyance of someone being harassed.
Instead…
She looked at Sakuragi as though she had discovered something endlessly fascinating.
Like someone watching an enormous dog…
Fluffy.
Tail wagging.
Ready to leap over the moment it was teased.
She simply thought he was adorable.
Yohei knew exactly who Yanai Yuri was.
The leader of Koyo Junior High’s delinquent girls.
And…
The eldest daughter of the Yanai family.
Either identity alone was enough to make people wary.
Combined together…
They made one thing perfectly clear.
She wasn’t an ordinary girl.
And Sakuragi…
…was exactly the kind of straightforward idiot who wouldn’t know how to deal with someone like her.
Yohei sighed inwardly.
He looked at Sakuragi’s face.
The sparkling eyes.
The smile he couldn’t suppress whenever Yanai’s name came up.
He wanted to say something.
To warn him.
To tell him…
“That girl may be far more complicated than you think.” But the words never came out.
How could he even explain it?
“Yanai is the leader of Koyo Junior High’s delinquent girls.” Sakuragi would probably just ask, “So…
is she really good at fighting?” Or…
“She’s the eldest daughter of the Yanai family.
You two come from completely different worlds.” Sakuragi would probably answer, “Different worlds?
Isn’t there only one Earth?” Most importantly…
Sakuragi looked genuinely happy.
Yohei had known him for years.
He had seen Sakuragi laugh wildly after winning fights.
Seen him pretend not to care after being rejected.
Seen him stare blankly into the distance while sitting alone on the rooftop.
But never…
Not even once…
Had he seen Sakuragi’s entire face light up simply because someone’s name had been mentioned.
Yohei opened his mouth.
Then closed it again.
He swallowed every warning that had reached his lips.
Finally, he smiled his usual lazy smile.
“Alright.” “Then…” “Good luck.” Sakuragi grinned.
It was a foolish smile.
An honest smile.
A truly happy smile.
Yohei stood up and walked back to his seat.
Even so…
The worry in his heart remained.
Some things couldn’t be solved with words.
And some people…
Even if they crashed headfirst into a wall…
…would never choose to turn back.