"Et tu… Mai-san?"
"…" Mai slowly turned her head around as she looked like she was slightly pouting.
"Did I… do something?"
"N-o-t-h-i-n-g."
"Then… why are you upset?"
"I'm not upset."
"Are you sur— okay…" Kei said as Mai turned around and slightly glared at him. Something that has never happened before.
As the two of them walked home, Kei had noticed since the earlier incident that Mai was not talking as much as she usually would and that she was kind of pouting. As he wondered how he had managed to offend her, Mai spoke up under her breath.
"Friend…"
"Hmm?"
"You… called me just a friend…"
"…Eh?"
Kei suddenly recalled his conversation with the two boys that he had interacted with earlier in which he had referred to Mai as a friend when he was scolding the two of them. Kei thought it was okay since he was actually referring to the truth but apparently it had been enough to offend Mai.
"Uhm… I don't understand…"
"Mou~ If you don't get it then forget about it!"
"…"
Mai pouted as the two continued for the rest of their journey back to their apartment complex.
'Just one more day. One more day and I will be able to find it in me to tell you everything…' Kei thought as the two of them walked home together in silence.
***
'This is a peculiar situation that I have found myself trapped in…'
Kei thought to himself staring at Mai sitting on the couch in the living room.
'She's been unusually quiet around me ever since the incident earlier… Was it something I said?'
It was the evening and Kei was preparing to make dinner for two. However, he couldn't get his mind off of Mai's sudden coldness towards him.
'Okay, let me try cooking up something nice for her to see if that will cheer her up.'
Kei took slightly longer than usual to cook today's dinner. On the table he had managed to serve up a steak dinner consisting of steak, fries, salad, and rice on the side. When he called Mai over, she was still looking slightly down. When she looked at the food that was on the table, her eyes widened as if in shock.
"W-what's the occasion?"
"Nothing… You seemed kind of down so I wanted to cheer you up."
"Hmmm~ Well, it wasn't your fault so you don't have to worry about it that much."
"But you were still upset. Fault or no fault, I'd cheer you up no matter what's the cause."
"Hehe~ I'll give you points for that statement there. No worries, I'm cheered up now. Thanks."
As the two of them happily ate the food, Mai couldn't help but notice a somewhat determined expression appear on Kei's face as if he was preparing himself for something.
"Kei-kun…"
"Hmm?"
"What time will your game be held tomorrow?"
"Hmm… 7 in the evening."
"That's quite a late start."
"Yeah… The first game will be the third-place match before we start our game. And since the tournament committee wants as big a turnout as it can be, they want us to play at a time where people have already finished their work hours."
Although it is just a high school tournament, the inter high school basketball tournament still manages to attract a relatively large crowd. Many of the spectators consists of players parents and also basketball enthusiasts. However, there are also many scouts and coaches from national teams who come to take a look at promising players that they can scout for their domestic leagues as well as the national team. This year's final has also been tipped to have a large turnout of scouts and coaches who are eager to see Tachibana High School's players perform as they had never imagined that the school would suddenly reach the finals out of nowhere.
"On the bright side, I'll get to watch you play in the game for real this time."
"Way to pile on the pressure."
"Pressure's good, isn't it? It helps push you further to perform beyond your own limits."
"Well, I'll try to get you a seat at the private stand."
"What's wrong with the normal stand?"
"Do you really want me to answer that?"
As Mai looked confused at Kei's suggestion, he was actually referring to the countless incidents where he had to fend off random males who approach her anywhere and everywhere she goes. It sometimes amazes him that Mai can still keep going everywhere by her own sometimes without a friend or two accompanying her.
"I'll be fine. You worry too much."
"I think I'll have an easier time concentrating on the game if I wasn't constantly wondering if some random is hitting on you again in the stands."
"Hmmm~ So basically what you're saying is… You're constantly thinking of me?" Mai said suggestively as Kei suddenly choked on his French fries.
"… Say, you've been quite aggressive lately…"
"I have to… mom sai—… Never mind. You won't understand what I'm saying anyway."
"Well, I'll get you to sit with the team managers."
As Kei sent Mai home shortly after dinner, Kei laid on his bed after cleaning up whilst looking at the ceiling.
'Tomorrow's the day. Well, what I will do depends on whether we win anyway. Who knows if it will actually happen.'
As Kei's thoughts were wandering all over, his mind slowly drifted as he slowly fell asleep.