"Looks like you will finally be able to end this basketball thing in 2 days, huh?"
"Mmm…"
"Time passed by so fast…huh?"
"…"
The sky had turned down during the time that Kei had spent changing and showering in the boys' locker and shower. A few moments ago, Azusa had stormed out of the changing room exasperated at Kei's behaviour and perception towards the other boys in his basketball team.
"You don't have to feel so down, you know?"
"Hmm?"
"It's just as Azusa-san said, you hurt yourself more than you hurt everyone else."
"You… heard?"
"Mhm… but… you know?"
Before she finished her sentence, Mai snuck up on Kei from behind and wrapped her hands around his waist while her eyes were now closed.
"It's okay to share some of the burden… Especially with someone you care about. It can be a friend, a family, it can even be me… Just stop suffering in silence, okay?"
Kei said nothing as he could only look down on the ground, whether in disappointment or even a hint of sadness, his expression could almost certainly not be seen by anyone. The two uttered not another word as they left and walked home together.
***
"Did Kei say anything to you when you two walked home together yesterday, Mai-chan?"
"Hmm… Not really. Why do you ask?"
"He's been quite cold since yesterday. I tried to hug him in the morning like I usually do and he just dodged me."
"…I think that's more of a 'you' problem…"
At a table of the school cafeteria, Mai and Chihaya were both seated facing each other having lunch during the break whilst the other students watched them in envy and passion. They had several guys trying their luck asking them whether they could sit together but each and every one of them were thoroughly crushed by Chihaya.
"Maybe he's just finally getting serious about the competition, you know? It is tomorrow, after all."
"Hmm… that's not how Kei-chin gets serious. When he's serious, he turns into a cold-blooded monster that will drive you insane in practice while grinding you to d— owch!"
Before Chihaya could finish her sentence, a karate chop landed on her head.
"Who did that… uuuu."
"Who are you calling a cold-blooded monster?"
"K-K-Kei-chin?! Et tu… It's nothing! I was definitely not talking about you!"
"I definitely heard my name in that sentence. Do you want me to treat the girls like boys in training from now on?"
"Eeeek! Uuuuu… Sowwy…" Chihaya said with slight tears in her eyes.
As Kei gave Chihaya the iron claw, he was approached by one of the guys who had approached the two girls earlier.
"Oy! How dare you lay your hands on her?!"
"Huh? Who are you?"
"Haah… Men like you are the reason this society is unfixable. Come Saki-san!" The boy said as he grabbed Chihaya's wrist before pulling her away from him.
"Uh, what are you doing?"
"I know a damsel in distress when I see one! Don't worry milady, your knight is here to save yo—"
Before he could finish his cliched sentence, Kei proceeded to give him the iron claw as well after letting go of Chihaya.
"Don't disturb other people's conversations!" Kei said as he almost looked like he was about to throw the boy's whole body away.
"I'm sorry boss!"
"Get down on your knees and give me 500 push-ups."
"Yes boss!"
The boy proceeded to listen to what Kei said as he feared for his life. The other students watched on in confusion. Mai and Chihaya were speechless when they watched what happened.
"…This… Is what I meant by… cold-blooded monster…"
"Kei-kun is scary…"
"Oh Chihaya, there is something I need to talk to you about."
When Kei proceeded to sit beside Mai on the table, the boy was beside him on the floor still doing his assigned push-ups. As this happened, Kei proceeded to have a normal conversation with the two girls until the lunch break was over. When everyone had returned to their classes, the boy continued doing his remaining 300 push-ups as he feared for what would happen to his life if he even thought about skipping one push-up.
"Alright, the results for the recent exams are out. The ones who are exempted from the supplementary classes this time is as usual, Amane Kei and Chihiro Mai. Also, Saki Chihaya is also exempted from the supplementary classes as well."
When Chihaya heard her name, she couldn't help but silently celebrate to herself. Tears flowed down from her eyes as she thought about the countless times she had been punished by Kei whenever she got any answers and questions wrong. Not only that, she had also managed to increase her overall average and had managed to rise to a higher rank compared to her previous rank. However, that was not the only reason she was celebrating as she thought back to Kei's haunting words when the bell rang to signal lunch had ended and he silently whispered to her as he walked past her.
"If you end up in supplementary class, then I will have to find new ways to make you understand and memorize the questions, won't I?"
She was sure that if she had dropped below the 50th rank, she wouldn't know of sunlight anymore.
"Ah, Amane-san, I have something important to speak to you about, can you see me in my office after the classes end for the day?"
"Yes, Shiki-sensei."
"Good, that is all for today. Class is dismissed."
As the students bowed in respect to Shiki-sensei as she left the classroom, Kei proceeded to sit back leaning on his hand on the table looking out the window, he wondered what kind of trouble did he end up roping himself into this time.
'I don't like where this is going… haah…'