Even The Perfect Yuzu-chan Makes Mistakes Sometimes

Translated by rsa16
Edited by bachi (previously mysth)
Proofread by rika

Read the PDF version here -> HERE

⛧─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───⛧

At long last, I had finally gotten my hands on RoboBus.

Yet, that Sunday, I ended up not playing it.

The lingering emotions from the game Yuzu and I had cleared on Saturday were still too strong—I just couldn’t bring myself to play anything else.  

Then came Monday.  

Since I hadn’t stayed up late gaming, I blended into the usual flow of students and arrived at school at the usual time. Yuzu, who I would normally be meeting up with around right now, was nowhere to be seen this morning.

Well, of course not. The Dating RPG we’d been involved in had already been cleared.  

I can’t deny—it felt just a little bit lonely without her. But… this was how things were originally supposed to be. I’ll get used to it eventually. 

Thinking that, I passed through the entrance and stepped into the classroom. The moment I did, however, I felt a strange tension in the air.  

“…?”  

I instinctively glanced around, but no one was looking at me.  

Rather, most of my classmates seemed just as confused as I was. It seemed that they hadn't fully grasped the situation either. 

In any case, I wouldn’t be able to gather much information on my own, so I sat down at my desk. And, as usual, I turned my attention to my phone.  

Even after waiting a while, the strange tension in the air didn’t fade. Now that I really focused on it, the classroom seemed quieter than usual.  

…Where’s Yuzu and them?

I looked over and saw that the usual group of main characters—the ones who always dominated the classroom atmosphere with their lively chatter—were nowhere to be found.  

Or rather, they were there, but not together. Instead, they sat at their desks in silence. 

Though the only ones actually present were Kotani and Namase. 

Sakuraba was missing as always—that wasn’t unusual, since he had morning practice. But… even Yuzu wasn’t here.  

Her bag was at her desk, so she must’ve come to school. But she wasn’t in the classroom.  

It was unusual.  

But, after seeing Kotani’s downcast expression and Namase’s seemingly restless demeanor, I more or less put the pieces together. 

“…She got rejected, huh.” 

Besides that, I couldn’t think of any other reason they’d be acting like this.

I mean, I got my reward, so it’s not like I lose out on anything. But still, after putting so much effort into it, I felt a little shocked to see it all end in failure.

I had even started to see some of Kotani’s good points, and if I could, I’d like to go encourage her. But coming from me, there’s no way she’d be happy about it.

This was exactly the kind of situation where Yuzu should step in…

And yet, at this crucial moment, she wasn’t by Kotani’s side.

Why?

Something felt off.

But now that my job was done, I had no reason to interfere any further. So, like the rest of the class, I chose to just sit back and watch.

⛧─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───⛧

That sense of unease I felt earlier lingered through the whole day.

Even during lunch, the usual group of normies didn’t eat together, each instead having their meals with other classmates.

—Except for Yuzu, who left the classroom the moment the lunch bell rang.

Maybe the heavy atmosphere was too much for her? I guess she could’ve gone to hang out with friends from another class.

But still—no matter how much of a narcissist she was, Yuzu had a keen sense of how others were feeling. It didn’t sit right with me that she would just leave Kotani alone in a situation like this.

“Alright, that concludes homeroom. Stand. Attention. Bow.”

The moment our teacher wrapped up the final homeroom of the day, the entire classroom felt as if it had been freed from some invisible weight.

It wasn’t just my imagination.

Even the classmates who usually took their time to pack up before heading home rushed out like they couldn’t leave fast enough.

And among them was Yuzu.

“…”

At this point, calling it just a “sense of unease” didn’t cut it. Something was seriously off.

I felt unsettled, but since I no longer have anything connecting me to them, I had no real reason to interfere.

Instead, I convinced myself that everything would be back to normal by tomorrow.

With that thought, I left the classroom, making my way down the hallway—toward the clubroom building, careful not to be seen.

“...Ah, crap. Moving on autopilot again.” 

There’s no reason to go to the literature club anymore.

Turning around on my heel, I left the school. Maybe I’d check out some new games at the store for the first time in a while.

I still had RoboBus waiting for me at home. But if I played it now, I’d probably just keep thinking about what happened in the classroom earlier. No way I’d be able to focus.

Besides, I’ve been playing too many retro games lately. Once in a while, I wanted to see the stunning graphics of the latest consoles.

Letting my feet guide me, I wandered through a few game shops, browsing for any promising new releases. Hanging out with Yuzu had been fun, but there was also something kind of freeing about strolling around aimlessly by myself.

After walking around for a while, I started feeling a bit tired. I decided to take a break and stepped into a nearby fast-food joint.

“Hey, Souta, don’t you have club today?”

“Nah, Mondays are off. Don’t worry about it.” A familiar voice reached my ears.

Scanning the restaurant, I spotted a group of three high school students sitting at a table in the back.

Namase, Sakuraba, and Kotani. The usual faces.

But—Yuzu wasn’t there.

“…?”

I found it odd but didn’t dwell on it too much. Instead, I sat alone and started on my burger.

“Whoa, you played in the match?”

“Yeah, I was in the starting lineup.”

“No way! You might actually make the regulars!”

“Nah, the coach is still testing different players.”

It was mostly Namase and Sakuraba talking.

Kotani barely said a word, only nodding along now and then.

Actually, it felt more like Namase was doing all the talking, while Sakuraba just responded.

…I see.

So that’s how it was.

Namase was trying to patch things up between Kotani and Sakuraba after her failed confession.

In that group, I always thought Yuzu was the one who handled things like this. It was surprising to see someone else take on the role. Half-listening to their conversation, I finished my burger and pulled out my phone. 

Just then, through the reflection on the dark screen, I caught Namase’s eyes.

He froze for a split second, looking startled, then suddenly started acting all shifty for some reason.

What the hell? Is it really that weird that an introvert is eating at a fast-food place?

“Uh, I—I’m gonna hit the restroom real quick.” Forcing a nervous smile, Namase got up hastily, still looking fidgety.

…Oh. Maybe he was just holding it in this whole time. That would explain why he seemed so restless.

Nodding to myself, I shifted my focus back to my phone—only to suddenly feel a tug on the hem of my shirt from behind.

“Huh?”

I turned my head, wondering what it was—

—and for some reason, there was Namase. 

The same Namase who supposedly just went to the restroom. Now crouching down like he was trying to stay out of sight.

“Whoa, what the hell—?”

“Shhh! Keep your voice down! And just follow me, quietly!” Namase pleaded, flustered.

Before I could even react, I found myself being forcibly dragged into the restroom.

“What the hell is going on?” I stared at him, completely baffled.

And then, Namase suddenly bowed his head.

“I’m sorry, Izumi. Please just leave the store. Don’t ask any questions.”

“Uh, yeah, no. Absolutely not.”

“You didn’t even hesitate?!” Namase reflexively shot back, then coughed, regaining his composure.

“No, seriously. I can’t go into details, but it’s kind of a… complicated situation right now.”

His vague phrasing all but screamed “just read the room and leave.”

Under normal circumstances, if a normie asked like this, I guess most people would pick up on the hint and just leave. But I’m a guy who threw all my social skills in the trash.

Reading the room? Never learned how.

“You can’t just tell someone to leave without explaining anything. It’s rude. Not like I even approached you guys in the first place.”

When I hit him with pure, unfiltered logic, Namase hesitated.

“Well… yeah, I mean…” He trailed off, unable to argue back.

Logically speaking, I was in the right here. He probably couldn’t think of a proper rebuttal.

“Namase. I’m not trying to start a fight with you, and I’m not insisting on staying here just for the sake of it. I just want to know what’s going on.”

It wasn’t like I was being deliberately oblivious just to mess with him. I had my reasons. If I wanted to figure out why Yuzu wasn’t here, pressing Namase for answers was the fastest way to do it.

Namase’s expression twisted for a moment, like he was in pain. But when he realized that no amount of emotional appeal was going to make me budge, he let out a deep sigh and finally started talking.

“…It happened last Saturday. Aki confessed to Souta.”

“I see.”

That much, I had already expected. So, it didn’t surprise me.

Namase looked a little thrown off by my lack of reaction, but he didn’t comment on it. Instead, he continued.

“And… well, he turned her down. But when he did… uh… how do I put this…”

His words started getting choppy, hesitant.

I kept my gaze locked on him, waiting for him to finish.

Maybe that pressured him into talking, because after a long pause, Namase finally forced out the words.

“When Souta rejected her… he said… he liked Yuzu.”

“…What?” My eyes widened at the new revelation.

Almost instinctively, I glanced outside the restroom—towards the table where Sakuraba and the others were sitting.

I suppose I must have looked like I was about to charge straight at them, because seeing this, Namase panicked and grabbed my shoulders to stop me.

“Wait! Izumi, I get that you’re pissed! Yuzu’s your girlfriend, after all! But seriously, I’m begging you… just let this one go!” He was practically on the verge of tears as he pleaded with me.

I took a deep breath, forcing myself to stay calm, and cut straight to the heart of the matter.

“One thing. Answer me this.”

I fixed my gaze on him.

“Does Yuzu know?”

“…Yeah,” Namase nodded awkwardly, his tone heavy with discomfort. “None of us have been able to talk to her since.”

That was all the confirmation I needed.

Brushing off his grip, I turned to leave the restroom.

“I-Izumi!”

“Relax. I’ve got somewhere to be. I’m not about to storm over to them and start something.”

I reassured him before he could cling to me again.

And with that, I left the store.

⛧─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───⛧

Certain RPG games feature a branching narrative system.

Depending on the player’s choices throughout the game, the outcome of the story can branch into different endings. There’s the good ending, which is the best you can get. The next best is the normal ending. Followed by that is, the worst of all—the bad ending.

If I were to categorize Yuzu’s situation by those standards—there’s no doubt.

Yuzu had just reached a bad ending. 

Her reputation now amounted to someone at odds with Kotani, the one who held the most sway over the girls of the class. Once she was branded with that label, she had no choice but to leave.

Even if the finer details of their fallout haven’t spread, the people around them would notice. It’s not just their friend group that’s tense; it’s the atmosphere between Yuzu and Kotani.

At this point, the chances of the other girls accepting her back are slim to none.

The places she could go, the people she could interact with—her options were limited. If there was someone she could turn to, it’d have to be someone completely detached from the class’s social hierarchy. Like, someone who never cared about relationships in the first place. Or someone who’s just easy to be around, without needing to tread carefully.

“…There are some terrible stories out there.”

I let out a sigh, gazing up at the school building I’d unexpectedly returned to.

There was only one place left that Yuzu could be at right now.

Through the school entrance. Down the corridor. And into the club building.

I walked down the path that I’d been so familiar with.

Was I angry? Was I sad? 

I couldn’t tell. 

All I knew was the smoldering impulse in my chest wouldn’t let me stop moving. 

When I finally reached the Literature Club room, I took a deep breath—

—And reached for the doorknob.

The door was unlocked. I opened it without hesitation.

Just as I expected, someone was already inside. The TV was on, an old game console hooked up.

She sat there, playing alone.

“…You left the door unlocked. What if a teacher found out?” Slowly, I stepped closer, addressing her—Yuzu.

At my words, she let out a lighthearted laugh.

“Whoops, my bad. Even the perfect Yuzu-chan makes mistakes sometimes, huh? But hey, even my mistakes add to my charm—that’s just how amazing I am.”

I glanced at the TV screen.

The game running wasn’t the one we’d been playing before.

“…Started a new game?”

“Yeah. Got a little hooked on RPGs, so I figured I’d try some others too. Here, Yamato-kun, let’s play together! I’ll set it up, so hold on a sec.”

Grinning, she eagerly plugged in a second controller.

Watching her force that enthusiasm, I knew that there was something I had to say.

“Man, this one’s tougher than I thought. I really can’t get anywhere without you, huh?”

“Yuzu.”

“Oh, right! I bought a few more games, so you can pick one if you want. I haven’t made much progress in this one anyway.”

“Yuzu.”

“Feels like I’ve discovered a whole new world. Playing games together is fun, right? Wouldn’t it be great if we kept this up forever? Maybe we should actually start dating for re—”

“Yuzu.”

“…” At the third call, her forced smile finally vanished. She fell silent.

And so, I told her, letting every word sink in. 

“I’m not a substitute for your friends.” 

“…!” Her eyes welled up with tears. 

Even so, I had to reject her. Because the time we spent together was special. 

There was no need to force a smile. No need to pretend to be interested in things we didn’t care about. There was never a need to swallow our opinions down if we think something is wrong. And sure, that meant we constantly bickered over small things, irritated each other all the time, and left each other exasperated more times than I could count.

But—that’s exactly why, when Yuzu smiled, I could believe that precious smile was real. Not simply “Classmate A” or “Popular Girl A,” but as Yuzu Nanamine herself.

I could believe that her joy was genuine.

It was by no means just another forced smile, painted over the fear of losing yet another place to belong—like before.

“Don’t give me that fake, ingratiating smile. I know you used to be way more narcissistic than that.”

As she was right now, it would probably be easy to accept her. To be with her. And if I did, it would almost certainly be fun.

A girl as beautiful as Yuzu, looking only at me, loving only me. A quiet little world where just the two of us could exist, in this room.

But that would be an insult. 

An insult to everything we’d been through together. Accepting her now would lock us in a cage. A cage that would make all the time we spent together—everything I thought was special—feel utterly meaningless.

And that I could never accept.

“I…”

Speechless, Yuzu lowered her gaze, unable to find any words to say back to me.

Still, I continued pushing her away. “If you were going to put on that fake smile anyway, you should’ve just done it for Sakuraba. Date him, and you’ll be back in your old place just like that. It’s a lot smarter than clinging to me.”

At that, Yuzu’s head snapped up, anger flashing in her eyes.

“How could I!? If I dated Souta… where the hell would Aki go!?” Her voice trembled. “She confessed, got rejected, and then—her best friend goes and takes Souta for herself? In a situation like that… where is she supposed to go!?”

That was why Yuzu left her group.

Because throughout all of this, she really had put a lot of thought into everything.

If Sakuraba and Kotani worked out, great. If they didn’t, and if Kotani ended up leaving the group, then Yuzu would follow suit. In order to set it up so things ended in that way, she lowered her normie levels by dating me, the class introvert.

But of all things, it was Sakuraba who threw it in her face—that she was the reason Kotani got rejected.

With that truth out in the open, staying in the same group—no, even staying as friends—became virtually impossible. One of them had to leave. One of them had to be alone.

And when she was faced with that decision, Yuzu chose to be the one who left.

“But losing your own place in the process? That’s just pathetic.”

She’s an idiot.

She’s cunning, narcissistic, and always calculating, yet she constantly worries about others. She’s always trying to smooth things over, pretending, and faking just to keep her friendships in balance.

And in the end, she drew the short straw, took the loss, and ended up with nothing.

She once told me—

“Friendship only works when you show your ugly sides, your weaknesses.”

But Yuzu never did that.

She had flaws—so many of them. But she never let them show. And when she was forced to show one, she created a fake flaw—pretending to date me—just to avoid revealing anything real.

So, yeah. She probably never had a real friend to begin with.

And because of that, in the end—she lost every place she could belong.

“You know, Yuzu... I really enjoyed being with you.” Quietly, I let my feelings out. “I don’t think I’ve ever had this much fun being around someone before. Even just now, I almost wavered. I wanted to stay with you. That’s how much you mean to me.”

“Yamato-kun...” She looked at me, eyes filled with both confusion and hope.

But... I’m sorry.

I can’t give her what she’s hoping for.

“But not the way you are now. The Yuzu I liked was the one who laughed from her heart.”

Honestly, it was likely just by coincidence that she showed me her true self. Maybe because she had to explain something and couldn’t do it while faking. Or maybe because she thought I was such a nobody that it didn’t matter if I saw the real her. Something dumb like that. 

Yeah, the reason was definitely something like that. But now—

“I’m going to bring that Yuzu back,” I firmly declared.

Yuzu’s eyes widened. 

“…What are you going to do?”

“I’m going to talk to Sakuraba and the others.”

“…” Yuzu stiffened, completely speechless.

Without looking back at her, I turned on my heel and left the room. I could feel her gaze stabbing into my back. But even so, she never called out to stop me.

⛧─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───⛧

I’d nearly forgotten, but I had exchanged contact info with Sakuraba a while back.

For the first time, I put it to use and called him.

When I said, “We need to talk,” over the phone, Sakuraba inhaled sharply before replying in a stiff voice.

“Got it.”

The meeting place: the gym.

Normally, this place was lively with the basketball and volleyball teams practicing, but at our school, all clubs were required to take Mondays off. It was completely empty.

I’d stopped by home to grab my old basketball shoes, then borrowed a ball from the equipment room and started shooting hoops to kill time.

My fingers weren’t as sharp as they’d been in middle school, still, after a few shots, my accuracy gradually improved.

I wouldn’t be back at a hundred percent, but if I was going to have this talk with Sakuraba, this was the best way to do it.

After working up a sweat, I took off my uniform blazer, placed it along with my phone in a corner, just as the gym’s heavy door creaked open.

Stepping inside was Sakuraba.

And trailing behind him were Namase and Kotani. Seems they were still sticking together.

“…We’re here, Izumi.”

Sakuraba’s voice was tense as he called out to me.

“Yo. Sorry for dragging you out here.” As I answered, I sized up his entourage.

Namase, who had gone so far as to bow to me just to avoid getting involved, was visibly displeased, but since Sakuraba had decided to come, he held his tongue.

Kotani had followed as well, but her head was down. It seems things between her and Sakuraba were still unresolved.

And then—

…No, not now.

“So, what’s this about?”

Sakuraba’s usual cheerfulness was nowhere to be found as he asked in a subdued tone.

It was an obvious question, and I responded with an equally cold expression. “What else? This is about Yuzu. I hear you’ve got a thing for my girlfriend?”

“…Yeah.” 

He didn’t try to deny it. Just nodded.

Beside him, Kotani flinched. I ignored it and let out a long, deep sigh.

“Can you not do that? Yuzu’s my girlfriend, you know. Keeping it to yourself is one thing, but saying it out loud? That’s not okay, alright? Thanks to you, her whole social life’s a mess.”

Sakuraba had probably confessed his feelings for Yuzu to Kotani out of sincerity. Since they were close friends, he must’ve thought he owed Kotani a proper explanation if he was going to reject him.

But that so-called sincerity hadn’t done anyone any good.

“…I do feel bad. I’m sure I made things awkward for both Yuzu and you, Izumi,” he said, apologizing. However, there was a slight edge to his words.

He was a good guy, but he wasn’t so weak-willed that he’d sit back and take verbal jabs from a romantic rival.

But right now, that part of his personality worked in my favor.

“Let’s settle this.” 

With a flick of my wrist, I tossed the basketball at Sakuraba. Although he seemed surprised, he caught it with practiced ease.

“Revenge for our 1-on-1 the other day. You embarrassed me in front of my girl back then. I’ve been meaning to get you back. If I win, stay away from Yuzu,” I demanded. 

Staring at the ball in his hands, Sakuraba muttered a quiet question.

“And if I win?”

Despite phrasing it as a hypothetical, his tone carried an air of confidence—like he had no doubt about his victory.

Well, given how our last match had gone, I couldn’t blame him.

“Yeah… in that case, I’ll give you this.” 

I reached into my pocket and pulled something out, holding it up for him to see.

Sakuraba frowned, his expression puzzled. “An old game?”

What I’d shown him was RoboBus 2R. Guess he wasn’t much of a gamer, seeing as the title didn’t ring any bells for him.

“This is something special between me and Yuzu. She gave it to me when she confessed. Man, she was so cute back then,” I began to brag. “She just handed it over, all nervous, and said, ‘Take this and go out with me.”

At my sudden boasting, Sakuraba’s gaze sharpened slightly, clearly irritated. Seeing that my taunt had landed, I flashed a wicked grin.

“—And I’m saying I’ll hand it over to you. If I do that, well… Yuzu will probably lose all respect for me. What happens after that is up to you. Whether you make a move or do whatever else, that’s your call.”

In other words, I would break up with her.

Winning a simple basketball match against me would hand Sakuraba an opportunity he could only dream of.

That’s why he hesitated.

“…I don’t get it. You already know I’m better than you at basketball. That match the other day proved it. So why would you give yourself such terrible odds?”

I let out a contemptuous snort at his words.

“See, that’s your first mistake right there. You really think that last match was my best? If you do, you’re blind. This time, I’m going all out. You don’t stand a chance against me.”

The two of us locked eyes, neither of us backing down.

Sakuraba still looked doubtful, but I knew he’d accept the challenge. No matter what tricks I had up my sleeve, his pride as an active player in a club wouldn’t let him believe he could lose.

“And besides—if I don’t crush you at your own game and completely shatter your pride, I won’t be satisfied. That’s how pissed off I am.”

With that final push, Sakuraba exhaled slowly, as if trying to rein in his emotions. “…Fine,” he said a few moments later, as I expected. “Give me a second to get ready.”

Still in our school uniforms, we laced up our basketball shoes and did a few light stretches. That was all it took for us to shift into battle mode. Standing at the center court, we stood face-to-face, ready to go.

“Same rules as last time—first to three wins. Any objections?”

He nodded without hesitation. “None.” 

After exchanging a pass, checking the ball, the game began with me on offense. I started with the same move as before—feinting with my gaze before driving the ball. Sakuraba’s defense was just as solid as last time.

It was nearly impenetrable— no matter how hard I tried, there was just no getting past him. In the end, failing to break through, I switched tactics and pulled up for a mid-range shot. Just like before.

—But this time, things were different.

“…!?” Seeing me enter my shooting form, Sakuraba’s eyes widened.

And for good reason too. Unlike a normal jump shot, this time, I jumped backward. A fadeaway shot.

By jumping away from the defender, I widened the distance between us, making my shot much harder for him to block.

“Tch…!”

Sakuraba stretched out his arm in a desperate attempt to stop it, but the ball arced gracefully through the air, just beyond his reach.

My shot sliced clean through the hoop with a sharp swish.

Last time, I played the role of Sakuraba’s stepping stone, deliberately staying away from any flashy moves that might have drawn attention to me. But this time, there were no such restraints.

“I told you, didn’t I? I wasn’t going all out before,” I declared with pride. 

Sakuraba’s expression hardened.

“…Yeah, I can see that now. Looks like I might have underestimated you.”

Slapping his cheeks to refocus, he returned to his starting position. Now, it was his turn to attack.

The game resumed, and Sakuraba came at me with an aggressive drive. I quickly stepped into his path, cutting off his lane—but he tried to spin past me again. 

There was no way I could match him with brute force alone. I had to time it right—knock the ball loose just before he went into his shooting motion. 

As Sakuraba went up for a layup, I reached out, aiming to swat the ball. 

—But at the last second, he switched hands from right to left.

A double clutch ^[1]!?

It was a high-level move I had rarely seen in middle school. I could only watch in shock as his shot arced gracefully into the hoop.

“If we’re bringing up last time,” Sakuraba said, unfazed by his own incredible play, “I was also making sure I didn’t humiliate you more than necessary.”

He repeated my words back at me, throwing them right in my face.

“…I see. Then let’s settle this. Let’s see which one of us is actually stronger.”

“Fine by me.”

Our eyes locked, sparks flying as we entered the second round.

My turn on offense. Sakuraba still had that fadeaway shot fresh in his mind—I could see the hesitation in his defensive stance.

I seized the opportunity, driving straight past him.

“Damn it!”

Leaving Sakuraba cursing behind me, I answered with a layup of my own. That made it 2-1.

For an average player, the pressure alone would be enough to slow them down. But—elite players have the mental fortitude to match their skill. Especially those who are used to success in their everyday lives.

Sakuraba was on offense again.

Throwing in a simple faint, he then charged straight in with his dribble. Pure speed and power. Refined technique, sharpened through years of training.

It was a textbook offensive play. And because of that, someone like me—who had a disadvantage in physique and hadn’t played for quite a while—couldn’t stop it easily.

“Tch—!”

Thrown off by his feint, I reacted a step too slowly and was sent flying as he powered through me, sinking another layup.

“That wasn’t a foul, right?”

“…Yeah.” I had no choice but to nod at Sakuraba’s confident question. 

It wasn’t a foul—I had been overpowered by sheer skill and strength alone.

So, I really can’t beat an active player, huh?

In a way, these plays of ours had been a test of hierarchy—we were evaluating who was superior between the two of us. Sakuraba must have sensed that my fadeaway had thrown off his grip on the game, so he deliberately chose an attack that reasserted his dominance.

“Your turn, Izumi.” Sakuraba passed me the ball.

But the momentum had shifted. I hesitated.

That first fadeaway had worked because it was a surprise. Sakuraba had already adapted to it. And now that he’d shaken off his earlier hesitance, there was no way I could count on it working again.

That said, given my time away from the sport, I didn’t have many viable offensive patterns left. 

If I had one more move… it would have to be that.

I started dribbling slowly, keeping a relaxed rhythm. Sakuraba, likely wary of my suddenly slow pace, kept a slight distance. 

What I aimed for was an attack that lay completely outside his expectations.

—A three-pointer.

“What!?”

Sakuraba was completely caught off guard again, unable to respond in time.

In a 1-on-1, three-pointers had such low success rates that they were usually avoided. That’s why, if I could land it here, it would be huge...!

Energy surged from my lower body to my upper body, transmitting through my shoulder and arm, and finally to the ball.

With a snap of my wrist, I launched the shot.

The ball arced in a beautiful parabola toward the hoop like a rainbow.

But—it bounced off the rim and fell back to the court.

“…” I couldn’t help but make a sour expression.

A three-point shot is difficult to begin with. It’s not the kind of shot you can just rush into and expect to land. I knew that, but I had no choice but to gamble on it.

And by the time I had been forced into this position, the outcome had already been decided.

Sakuraba’s third attack. He easily shook off my defense and scored a layup. 

The tactical exchange at the beginning felt like a lie compared to this simple, almost anticlimactic back-and-forth.

And with that, our game came to an end.

“…I win. Izumi,” Sakuraba declared coolly, without a single sign of exertion.

It seemed like he wasn’t savoring the victory—whether because it was what he expected or because of the bitter taste that it left behind.

“…Yeah.” I nodded, accepting my perfect defeat. There were no excuses for how cleanly I had lost.

Taking a deep breath to steady myself, I walked over to Sakuraba and handed him the Robo-Bus. “Here you go, just like I promised.”

“No, that’s…” Even now, at this point, Sakuraba showed a hint of reluctance to accept it. After all, he was still a good guy.

Despite it being him who got provoked to take the challenge, he didn't try to humiliate the opponent more than necessary.

Still, I handed him the Robo-Bus.

“A promise is a promise.”

“…Yeah. I guess.” 

Then, although in a slightly hesitant manner, Sakuraba reluctantly took the game. 

No, he ended up taking it.

As soon as I confirmed that, I turned and walked away from him, heading to the corner of the gym where my smartphone was resting.

“Izumi, are you really breaking up with Yuzu?”

“Yeah. So, well, what happens after that is really up to you. But I’m rooting for you.” As I said this, I picked up my phone and stopped the recording that had been running. “But, well—that’s if you’re even allowed to stay in this school, that is.”

I glanced at the recording while responding to his question.

“…What do you mean by that?” Sakuraba watched me cautiously, but it was already too late.

I smiled and showed him the screen of my phone.

“What do you mean by that? It’s simple. A current member of the basketball team has been gambling on basketball. There’s no way there wouldn’t be consequences, right?”

At my words, Sakuraba’s eyes widened.

The onlookers, who had been silently watching until now, started to burst out in alarm. 

It was Namase who immediately snapped back. “Gambling…? You’re exaggerating it too much! All we bet was an old game, just one!”

However, that wasn’t even a decent rebuttal.

“The game I just gave you is a collectable ^[2]. As of this morning, its market price is about thirty-five thousand yen. That’s quite a bit of money.” 

“Thirty-five thousand… yen…?”

Namase groaned in disbelief.

Why did I take such an unfavorable bet? It’s simple. The moment the challenge was accepted, I knew I’d won.

As Namase stood there, stunned, Kotani glared at me. “But... you’re going to face some kind of punishment too, right?”

“Yeah. A week or two of suspension.”

It’s not like I’m walking away completely unscathed. Still, my victory was certain.

“But Sakuraba would be suffering a far worse fate than mine, wouldn't he? After all, he’s an active member of the basketball team. If someone like him got caught gambling on basketball, well… Even if you look at it from the best possible angle—the basketball club will likely end up suspended from club activities.”

There could be bans on external games, withdrawal from official matches, or even the disbandment of the club. The challenge Sakuraba took lightly had suddenly escalated into something much bigger.

“So, what will you do, Sakuraba? I wonder, can you really just go on and play your fun little pretend-love games with Yuzu, all while everyone in your club resents you? Will you just ignore it all?” I said provokingly.

“Izumi...!” Sakuraba clenched his teeth while glaring at me in fury.

Even under the onslaught of his intense anger, I made an effort to put on a deliberately smug grin. “You know, I thought it over, and—the quickest way to settle all of this is to just... eliminate you. So, yeah, I decided to do all this. Though I admit it is a bit dirty.”

This situation wasn’t about Yuzu or Kotani being the ones to leave.

No, there was a third option. To eliminate the root cause: Sakuraba.

It’s simple. The reason things get awkward and suspicious is because there's room to be torn, choosing between love or friendship. So if I removed Sakuraba and forced the remaining into a situation where they could only choose friendship, they’d have no choice but to reconcile and avoid unnecessary trouble.

That’s why I’d have Sakuraba’s presence exit here. That was the choice I made.

“So long, normie. If you stay at this school, you might just become a target for bullying. I recommend transferring.”

At this point, neither Sakuraba, Kotani, nor Namase could find a way to defeat me. To put it simply—this was never a winnable battle for them. Right now, I am an opponent that they can’t fight against.

But if there was one person who might be able to beat me...

“Stop! Yamato-kun!” 

Suddenly, the gym door opened, and a voice that almost screamed reverberated through the room.

Everyone in the room turned their attention to the source of the voice at once. There, standing at the door, was the final person involved in this whole ordeal—Yuzu.

“Yuzu... you...” Kotani muttered in disbelief.

Yuzu couldn’t look her in the eye; she bit her lip and looked down.

“Hey Yuzu, you showed up too! I just took care of a few pests that’d been hanging around you.”

Although I greeted her like that, I figured she had probably been nearby this whole time. Yuzu, always so considerate about others, would’ve never been able to just stay in the clubroom after seeing me leave with those words still hanging in the air. She must’ve been waiting outside the gym, hiding so Sakuraba and the others wouldn’t spot her.

That’s why—she had the right to stop me.

“Yamato-kun, that isn’t a valid bet. You know that, don’t you?” Yuzu said as she walked over to me, throwing her words almost accusingly.

But I’m someone who can’t read the room. I couldn’t just listen and agree to something that vague. She needed to say it properly.

“I don’t know what you mean. Seems like I have Sakuraba perfectly trapped to me.”

Say it. Say the words. Don’t run away.

With that in mind, I pressured Yuzu.

She hesitated, her eyes shifting around the room, as if lost. In the end, however, her feelings for her friend seemed to win. She finally lifted her chin and answered me.

“No, it doesn't count. Because—Yamato-kun, you're not dating me. So, the whole premise of the bet is wrong. The bet’s invalid.” 

Finally, Yuzu spoke those words.

“What do you mean, Yuzu-cchi!?” Namase shouted in confusion.

Kotani gasped. “You...”  

“…”

Sakuraba merely stood in stunned silence.  

Watching their reactions, Yuzu lowered her head to them.  

“I'm sorry. Everything I said was a lie. I knew that Souta liked me. And I knew about Aki's feelings too... So, in order to avoid any conflict between us when he confessed, I asked Yamato-kun to pretend to be my boyfriend.”  

At this truth, the three of them fell silent, unable to say anything.  

Seeing their reactions, perhaps feeling guilty, Yuzu continued with a distorted expression.  

“I'm really sorry. I'm such a horrible person. I couldn't face Souta's feelings directly, and even though I said I was supporting Aki, all I cared about was my own safety... And when I messed up in the end, I just ran away from it all. But...”  

A drop fell to the gym floor.  

Tears flowed from Yuzu's eyes, and they kept falling without end. Yuzu, who was always smiling, was now crying.  

“But... even so, I still want to be with all of you...!”  

—At that moment, Yuzu showed them her weakness for the first time.  

The girl who had been calculating, lying and maneuvering to protect herself. Now, for the first time, she revealed the side she had always hidden.  

“I'm sorry, Yuzu...!”  

The first to rush forward was Kotani.  

She hugged Yuzu tightly, tears streaming down her face as she couldn’t hold them back. “...I’m sorry. I didn’t do anything to support you.”  

Next, Namase bowed his head in a sign of helplessness, trying to suppress his feelings.  

And lastly, Sakuraba looked up at the sky, as if biting down on his regret.  

“Yuzu... I'm sorry. We... no, I pushed you to that point, haven’t I?”

It must have been painful for him to push the person he liked this hard. However, it seems that Souta Sakuraba is not the type of man who would crumble because of that. He quickly tightened his expression and turned to face Yuzu directly.  

“I don’t know if we’ll be able to ever go back to the way things were... but still, I don't want us to fall apart either. I want us to start over together. For that, please... let me put an end to one thing for once and for all.”  

There was a resolute look in Sakuraba's eyes.  

And so, understanding what was about to happen, Kotani gently pulled away from Yuzu.  

“—Yuzu. I like you. I've always liked you. Please go out with me.”  

It was a straightforward confession, free of any pretense.  

“….”  

Yuzu, who had been running away from those words until now, finally accepted them directly, looking him in the eye. Then, with a smile, she gave her answer in her own way.  

“Souta, you’re... an important friend. Probably someone I’ll always consider one.”  

That was her answer. They were words that showed a different kind of bond from what Sakuraba was seeking.  

“I see... yeah, I see.”  

After hearing that, Sakuraba nodded a few times, holding back the bitterness. Finally, a radiant smile rose to his face.

“Let’s start over.”

Though his heart likely still bore the weight of that pain, he, once the heart of the group, planted his feet with steady resolve and became the pillar at its center once more.

"Yeah. I think that's best."  

"I agree. It’s more fun when we're all together."  

"I’ll stop dragging it out too."  

Yuzu wore a gentle smile, Namase tried to create a bright atmosphere, and Kotani nodded as if swallowing her own feelings.  

It seemed that Sakuraba's determination had been rewarded, as the three of them gathered around him with bright expressions.  

—As I watched this youthful drama unfold, I, no longer having anything to do with it, discreetly turned on my heel and departed in the midst of their conversation. Not wanting to draw attention to myself, I watched my footsteps as I left.

I simply walked off, silently leaving the stage. My part here was done.  

Leaving the gymnasium, I walked down the corridor that connected to the school building.  

There was no one to walk alongside me, just me, alone. 

But I wasn’t lonely.  

I hadn't interfered because I wanted to be part of their group, nor had I wanted praise or recognition.  

It was simply... right.

"...If I’m going to clear this, I’d rather it be a happy ending."  

The conclusion to my long-running youth RPG roleplay with Yuzu should be bright.  

That was the only reason I had stood up this time.  

"Well, maybe it’s not so bad to make a final boss move once in a while?"  

After all, in RPGs, it's always the hero who wins.  

Sometimes, it’s nice to be the villain who loses and ends the story.  

With light steps and a bright mood, I continued to walk alone, carrying with me the catharsis of a happy ending that no one would share.

Translator's Notes:

[1]: A double clutch is sort of a mid-air pump-fake that switches hands afterwards, in a sort of “up and under motion.” So, Souta feinted going for the layup as Yamato tried swatting it out of his hand, and then he went over and under to his other hand, which he used to do the final layup. I couldn’t find a good video of it, but that’s the best way I could describe it.

[2]: The original phrase used here is translated literally as “The game has a premium attached to it.” (ゲームにはプレミアが付いている). This essentially means that it’s a product that rose up in value because of its rarity, so the best translation I could come up with in English is collectible. Feel free to interpret it in other ways.