While I Was Giving Love Advice to My Best Friend, the School's Most Beautiful Girl Somehow Became the Closest Person to Me-Chapter 9Volume 1 .1 - I Want to Know More About You

Chapter 9: I Want to Know More About You

Looking back, it might not be right to peek at a confession scene like a nosy bystander, but both Asahina-san and I have invested considerable effort into this path of love, so perhaps a little eavesdropping can be excused.

I’m also curious about how Reo will confess, and I wonder about Asahina-san. Is she interested in seeing how Otsuki-san will react to the confession?

Luckily, there was a conveniently located bush near the two of them, so I decided to sneak closer. From here, I should be able to hear their voices and watch them closely.

However, there’s just one problem.

“Asahina-san, you’re really close.”

“It can’t be helped. It’s cramped here.”

“I just played a match, so I’m sweaty.”

“It’s not that bad. I don’t dislike boys who sweat.”

Asahina-san snuggles up even closer. Is it on purpose?

I feel something pressing against my back. I can even hear Asahina-san’s breath. If I turn around now, our faces will be super close.

I definitely can’t turn around.

“Why is Hirasawa-kun sitting down? Did he get rejected already?”

“Don’t say something with such bad omen. He’s probably just out of energy.”

“Yeah, he’s sweating like a waterfall.”

Basketball games consist of four quarters, each lasting ten minutes, for a total of forty minutes.

For teams with few members like us, where he’s a starting regular, it’s common to play the full forty minutes. As the ace, the physical toll on Reo must be significant.

He must be at his limit after fighting through a full forty-minute game and then running here with Otsuki-san.

Otsuki-san takes a large towel out of her bag and starts wiping the sweat off Reo’s drenched body.

“Do you long to have a girl wipe your sweat?”

“Of course. Even Reo seems really happy to accept it.”

It’s just like Otsuki-san to have brought a bath towel in anticipation. That bag of hers probably also contains sports drinks and ice packs.

As I continue to watch the two of them, someone suddenly wipes the sweat from my forehead.

“Hey, what are you doing?”

“Kogure-kun is sweating too, so I’m wiping it off for you. I don’t have a towel, but I have a handkerchief.”

“No, no, no.”

Indeed, I did play a bit at the end and am sweating, though not as much as Reo. Still, it feels wrong to have her wipe it off for me.

“The handkerchief will get dirty and become unusable.”

“I have plenty of handkerchiefs. It’s more of a problem to leave the sweat.”

“Well… at least let me wipe it off myself.”

“Nope.”

Asahina-san happily continues to wipe the sweat from my face and body. Under my uniform, I’m shirtless, so she’s probably getting a direct look at me.

It would feel quite inappropriate if it were the other way around, but it’s fine since I’m a guy. Her touch on my collarbone feels a bit weird though.

Looking over at Reo, I see that he has changed into his school uniform. Perhaps he changed for the big confession. Then he should return the windbreaker I lent him. He said he forgot to bring his, so I lent it to him for the sake of our ace.

Reo takes a sip from the sports drink bottle handed to him by Otsuki-san. He must not have fully recovered his strength yet.

“Isn’t it reckless to confess after a game?”

“Men like to show off. Reo played full games twice today.”

“…the last minute of the final game was especially amazing. I was moved watching it.”

So Asahina-san was actually watching. I thought she might have been sound asleep since she came as Otsuki-san’s companion… I guess I was wrong.

“Yes, Reo’s three-pointers and dunk shots were amazing. Everyone was moved by Reo’s play.”

“That’s true. Hirasawa-kun’s play was indeed impressive.”

It’s somewhat pleasing to hear that Asahina-san recognizes Reo’s greatness. Those two always end up in light arguments whenever they meet.

I need to spread the word of Reo’s achievements more…

“But I was also moved by your play, Kogure-kun. You assisted both of Hirasawa-kun plays.”

“Yes?”

I’m taken aback by her unexpected compliment. Instead of praising Reo for his big plays, she’s praising me, who only played for a few minutes. I never thought she would commend my play.

“Aassists is important in basketball too, right? I’ve seen videos of artistic passes.”

“It’s because of Reo’s flashy plays that this team shines. It can’t be helped.”

“Why? Kogure-kun’s plays were cooler.”

It was the first time.

It was truly the first time that someone had praised my play for being cool. I started playing basketball because Reo did, and unlike him, who was overflowing with talent, I had none at all.

My shots never went in, and my dribbling was terrible. But my passing was the only thing that was good, and I was recognized for coordinating well with our ace, Reo, which allowed me to play in crucial moments.

My role was really just to make Reo shine. Even when our teamwork was perfect, it was only because I was the starting point for Reo’s points, not because my play was better. It was all thanks to Reo always being in the right place.

So, there shouldn’t have been anyone focusing my play.

“It might not stand out, but Kogure-kun who moves for everyone’s sake looked the coolest in the world.”

This chapt𝒆r is updated by frёewebηovel.cѳm.

“Ah, thank you… I’m really happy you say that.”

I felt a warmth in my eyes at Asahina-san’s kind voice.

I was proud when Reo shone, knowing I had done my job, but I felt even happier this time.

“Feeling this happy… maybe I really wanted to be praised this whole time.”

“If that’s the case, I’ll keep praising you a lot. You’re amazing, Kogure-kun.”

I felt my face turning red at Asahina-san’s words. While I was feeling cheerful, Reo finally stood up. He returned the towel and the water bottle to Otsuki-san.

Reo then stood up and faced Otsuki-san.

“It’s starting.”

“Yeah.”

Both Asahina-san and I watched intently from within the bushes as the two of them interacted.

Hang in there, Reo!