A hit with unbelievable power brushed against Housen-kun's racket.
His rage was being transformed and brought into the game itself, my ideal form of sportsmanship.
The scattering sweat sparkled like gemstones.
"HELL YEEEAAAAAAAAAAAHH!!"
Seeing Sudou yelling from his very core, I couldn't help but frolicking in this victory.
"We did it! We did it!"
Housen-kun, who we had been playing with, looked frustrated and smashed his racket to the ground.
"We won Onodera! All thanks to you!"
Sudou ran towards me, and I raised my hand for a high-five but was met with air instead.
I was embraced with both of his hands around me in a hug.
"W-w-wha,, wha-wha!?"
A happiness followed by a surge of panic.
But I was the only one flustered as Sudou just looked all happy and excited.
He was starting to squeeze harder, so I tried to pull out.
"Wai-, ouch, it hurts Sudou-kun!"
He finally noticed my distress and now he was the only flustered.
"M-my bad!"
We were trailing due to my injury, but turned that into victory, never giving up until the very end.
Our beliefs and tenacity beat Housen-kun's by a mile.
"Congratulations! You won all your events, Sudou-kun."
"Yeah, thanks a lot Onodera. If not for you, we'd have lost this match for sure."
"That's not true. I was probably a hindrance…"
"Could have been a fluke, but when you got hurt and I just snapped, I thought we'd lose this. But you were the one to call me back."
His eyes looking straight at me felt like they were sucking my in.
"I see, then we… are a pretty good combo, right?"
"Of course! Easy to work with and rely on. Yeah, you are the best Onodera. Ah, maybe Suzune was watching me from somewhere too?"
His eyes that I felt I could watch for eternity withdrew from me and scanned the area around the gymnasium.
"Suzune…right?"
I muttered. He reacted like a dog at that name and suddenly looked questionably at me.
"Eh? Where? Where is she!?"
"Ah, eh well, sorry, looks like it was another person."
"Shit. I see, maybe she's on the field then.."
I hate losing and that lit the fighting spirit within me ablaze.
Yes, I have to admit it.
I'm, interested in Sudou-kun.
I can catch up and show some results, no matter how far ahead he is.
That's the sportsmanship that I believe in.
"Let's eat on our way next time after clubs, okay?"
"Eh? Ah, sure I guess. More importantly, help me look for Suzune. Where are you, Suzune."
"Hahaha, absolutely not."