Seeing her wince while bending over, Hayashi Shuichi quickly took the safflower oil. "Never mind, let me do it."
"Eh?" Shizuka froze, reaching to stop him and nearly knocking things over. "N-no, I'll do it myself when I get back…"
"The sooner it's applied, the faster it heals," Hayashi Shuichi reminded. "If you wait, the swelling will worsen. You still want to compete tomorrow, right?"
"…Of course I do," Shizuka whispered, head dropping, strands of hair hiding her burning cheeks.
"Then that settles it." Hayashi Shuichi knelt and gently removed her shoe.
When he started on the sock, her face turned scarlet. She reached out shakily. "I-it's only the ankle…"
"Better off. Oil will stain the sock." Without waiting, he smoothly slipped the sock off her left foot.
Shizuka's foot was delicate and small, the arch a graceful curve, skin pale and smooth, toes slightly curled with bright pink polish.
"Your foot…" Hayashi Shuichi paused.
"What?" She tensed, clutching her skirt.
She trained barefoot in kendo, but no boy had ever held her foot this close. Her heart pounded wildly.
"It's really pretty," Hayashi Shuichi smiled. "You were so against it—I thought maybe you were worried about smell…"
"You're the smelly one!"
Instantly furious, Shizuka kicked out with her left foot without thinking.
Hayashi Shuichi, completely off-guard, landed flat on his butt.
Shizuka hadn't expected to connect. "S-sorry! Are you okay?"
"If I were a masochist, that kick would've made me fall for you," he said casually, picking up the oil again.
"What's a masochist?" Shizuka blinked innocently, untouched by internet degeneracy.
"Some guys have special tastes—they like being dominated, especially having a pretty girl step on their face," Hayashi Shuichi explained patiently while pouring oil on her ankle and rubbing rhythmically.
It hurt at first—she frowned—but warmth soon spread, a comfortable heat flowing through her. She let out an involuntary soft moan.
Catching his glance, she panicked and changed the subject. "Are there really men who like being stepped on by a woman's foot?"
"First—I'm definitely not one," Hayashi Shuichi laughed. "Second, it's not just any woman. If she's not beautiful, she'd just get punched."
"Tch, men only care about looks," Shizuka huffed.
"Women too, right?" Hayashi Shuichi teased. "If some ugly crooked-faced guy were rubbing your foot right now, would you let him?"
"No way!" She blurted, then realized what she'd admitted and glared. "Who brags about being handsome like that?"
"Am I not?" Hayashi Shuichi seriously touched his face. "I can't even put a mirror in my bedroom—afraid I'll get obsessed with my reflection and never sleep."
Shizuka burst out laughing, eyes curving into crescents. "Shameless! Who praises themselves like that?"
"I'm just being honest—" Hayashi Shuichi suddenly froze mid-sentence.
Following his gaze, Shizuka saw Officers Yoshioka and Kitano escorting a handcuffed Morizono Gankyou toward the koban, head hanging, hair messy. Midori, Akio, Kazami, and the rest of the team trailed behind.
"What happened?" Hayashi Shuichi hurried to the door.
"He went too far," Kitano explained. "If we hadn't arrived, that robber would be dead from the shinai beating."
"Even against a thief, nearly killing someone means arrest and trial," Yoshioka said sternly, glancing meaningfully at Hayashi Shuichi—hinting not to interfere.
Hayashi Shuichi had no intention of getting involved; he wasn't that close with Gankyou.
"But tomorrow is the finals!" the coach wailed, stomping. "We're short a player…"
"Sorry…" Gankyou muttered guiltily, head lower.
At least after venting, he looked less gloomy—eyes clearer.
"Um… Coach…" Shizuka hopped over on one foot, awkward. "I twisted my ankle chasing the robber…"
"What?!"
The coach nearly fainted. "This was our best year! Finals tomorrow—Gankyou's out, and now our ace…"
"Sorry…" Shizuka smiled apologetically. "It's just my left ankle. I can still compete."
"Even if you can, you'll be weakened," Midori pointed out.
The mood sank further.
"Officers, bail isn't possible?" Gankyou looked up hopefully. "Money's no object!"
"Not about money," Yoshioka shook his head. "The robber's still in surgery. If he dies, no bail. And eligibility checks take time—impossible before tomorrow."
"We're screwed," a teammate groaned.
"We'll take him in now. Investigation Division One is coming later," Yoshioka nodded to Hayashi Shuichi before they hauled Gankyou inside.
"No point blocking the koban entrance," the coach sighed. "Let's go to the izakaya and figure out tomorrow."
Everyone nodded listlessly. Akio and Kazami exchanged guilty looks.
"We'll stay with Gankyou," Akio said. "This is kind of our fault…"
"It's not," Shizuka cut in gently. "He's the one who beat the guy—not you two."
"But…" Kazami twisted her hands, eyes down.
"Heartbreak is his own issue," Shizuka smiled warmly. "Blaming you would be unfair."
The team agreed.
Akio and Kazami bowed silently.
Midori was about to offer to carry Shizuka when Hayashi Shuichi crouched again—and Shizuka naturally climbed on.
Midori's eyes widened in shock.
Only then did Shizuka realize and blush furiously, trying to get down.
"Stop squirming—it's just a piggyback," Hayashi Shuichi grumbled. "I carried Midori the other day."
"Eh?" Now Shizuka was surprised. "You two are…?"
"No!" Midori shook her head. "I crashed my bike downhill and twisted my ankle—he carried me up."
"…Good," Shizuka muttered softly—too soft for Hayashi Shuichi to hear, but Midori caught it and felt a complicated pang.
She was a girl too; she understood the implication.
I met senpai first… but—
Midori quickly shook her head.
Shizuka didn't know Hayashi Shuichi's situation—she did.
Just at the izakaya alone: Eri, Yukiko, his cousin… Who knows how many more girls at school!
My future boyfriend has to be devoted only to me!
A playboy like senpai is absolutely off-limits!
…
Izakaya
Unlike the usual lively cheers, despite today's victory, the team sat wilted like frostbitten eggplants.
The coach and remaining members either frowned or sighed; the air was suffocating.
Shizuka stared blankly ahead at the counter, idly spinning a glass.
"Even if we lose this year, there's next year," Hayashi Shuichi said.
"Next year I'll be a junior—academics ramp up. I'll probably quit the club," Shizuka shook her head.
"Isn't Morizono-senpai older? He's still in it," Midori asked.
"He's a grad student," Shizuka explained. "Everyone's different. Even if I stay, the team won't be the same."
"Maybe I'm just not destined to win a championship."
She gave a wry smile full of helplessness.
"In middle school, I was sure I'd take first—lost in the finals to an amazing underclassman and cried like a baby. I quit competing after that until university."
"Last year we lost in qualifiers. This year everything was perfect… until now."
"Hey, Midori—two more beers. Bad mood today…"
Midori glanced uncertainly at Hayashi Shuichi.
"Alcohol won't fix tomorrow's match," he frowned.
"At least when I'm drunk I won't care anymore," Shizuka said bitterly.
"It'd be such a waste to lose like this," Midori looked at Hayashi Shuichi. "Senpai, you're an Investigation Division One advisor—can't you…?"
"If the robber dies, even if I were the section chief, I couldn't get him out," Hayashi Shuichi said, then thought. "Hold on—I'll make a call."
He stepped to the phone.
Shizuka tugged Midori curiously. "Advisor? Isn't he just a high schooler?"
"You guys didn't check Mikan news before coming?" Midori eagerly began recounting Hayashi Shuichi's heroic deeds.
"…After solving several major cases back-to-back, Division One needed his help and made him an official advisor."
"He's that amazing?" Shizuka's eyes sparkled.
Hayashi Shuichi returned.
"Well, senpai?" Midori asked.
Shizuka looked at him expectantly.
"The robber will live, but intentional assault charges stick," Hayashihe said slowly. "Tomorrow Officer Megure will bring him for a scene walkthrough—slipping him in for ten minutes to compete isn't impossible."
"Really?!"
Shizuka's face lit up, gloom vanishing.
"Yeah," Hayashi Shuichi nodded, then warned, "Keep it quiet. If tomorrow's opponents hear, they'll protest. If the tournament bans him, I really can't help."
(End of chapter)
-------------------------------
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