Shamer

“Nice game! Well done!”

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After the game, as Touya and I were walking down a residential street to go home, it was not the soccer team coach who clapped his hands and praised us—but a beautiful girl.

“Why are you acting so superior?”

“Because this year, when I cheered for you, you always won! In other words, the soccer team won because of me!”

The beautiful girl replied proudly in a good mood.

Her name was Aima Ruri.
She was the one who was cheering for us at the game earlier.

She had round eyes and well-groomed, shiny hair that reached to her back.

Her face was rather cute, and she seemed to be popular with all kinds of boys.

Ruri and I have known each other since we were little — since we could remember, so to speak.

We have always done everything together.
I have been playing soccer since elementary school, and Ruri has always come to my games to cheer me on.

“But we never lose a game when Ruri is there, so I think she is our goddess of victory.”

Touya said in a fresh voice.
But as Ruri herself said, it’s only this year… Last year and two years ago, when Ruri came, we usually lost.
Was it possible to have a goddess of victory for this year only?

“As expected of you, Touya-kun! You know me well~!”

“Right!”

After such an exchange, Touya and Ruri laughed at each other.

When Touya was in the fifth grade, he transferred to the elementary school where I and Ruri live.
Since then, we gradually became good friends, partly because our houses were in the same neighborhood, and now, it was a matter of course that the three of us were together.

“But you know, joking aside, both of you were really great! Touya had a nice dribble and a nice shot, and Kinu’s passing was great too!”

“Touya’s dribbling and shooting was really impressive!”

I agreed with Ruri.
I started playing soccer in elementary school, while Touya started in middle school, but he originally had a great sense of athleticism, so he improved very quickly.

He was now the dependable captain and absolute ace of the soccer team.

Rumor has it that he has received offers of recommendation from several strong high schools.

I don’t know if Touya was concerned about me, but he doesn’t talk about it at all.

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“Kinu’s passing was more impressive! You were watching the opponent’s moves!”

“I’m not that good.
I didn’t overtake three players or shoot over their heads.”

By the way, that guy kept taunting me.

That was probably why I was able to make the pass through the legs.

“What are you talking about? That’s not true.”

“That’s not the case!”

Ruri came close to me and insisted in a loud voice.
Why so loud!?

“What is it all of the sudden… My eardrums almost broke.”

“Because! Kinu said things that I don’t understand! You were working hard today!”

“Well, maybe I was trying hard, but—”

Compared to Touya, I really didn’t do anything.
When I was about to say that.

“I know that Kinu runs more than anyone else and works hard in attack and defense.”

“Working hard… is something everyone does, right?”

“No.
Maybe everyone else is doing their best, but Kinu is definitely the hardest worker on the team! I guarantee it!”

Ruri placed her hand on her chest and said confidently.
When was that tone of voice?

“Besides! You also encourage those who make mistakes, praise those who play well, and do your very best in those areas!”

“! O-Oh, I see…”

It was true that I considered the atmosphere of the team and paid attention to details…

“Ruri really looks out for others.”

“Yes! As Kinu’s childhood friend, I’ll be watching you all the time!”

Ruri smiled cutely.

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The smile she suddenly showed me made my heart jump in an instant.

I didn’t mean it that way…

“Kinu has a really good childhood friend.”

Following Ruri, Touya also said something like that.

“What are you talking about? If we were childhood friends, then so is Touya.”

“Eh…yeah, well, right.
I forgot about that one.”

Touya laughed inadvertently as he put his hand behind his head.

He’s been with me for years, but he’s such a terrible person to forget that.

“But as Ruri said, it was Kinu’s passing that allowed me to dribble freely, score a goal, and win the game today.”

“R-Really? I think that’s an exaggeration.”

“That’s not true.
Kinu’s passes always reach me when I want them.
Thanks for everything!”

“! …T-That’s good to hear.”

I got embarrassed and looked away at what Touya said.

What a man.
Is he trying to make me fall in love with him?

“Hey, Kinu! I have a feeling you’re happier than when I praised you!”

“What? Of course, I’d be happy if Touya praised me.”

“What’s that~! You should be happier when I praised you!

“No good.
You always get carried away.
You’re always asking me to buy you something next time!”

“Let me get carried away~! Buy me something~!”

“No way!”

As the two of us were talking to each other, Touya started to giggle.

“You two really get along well.”

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“I mean, we’ve known each other for a long time.”

“We’ve been together since we were very young.”

It was just as Ruri said.
I had the feeling that she was already by my side when I realized it.

Maybe they felt the same.

“…Not fair.”

Touya muttered to himself.

…but his voice was too quiet for me to hear.

So, when I tried to ask Touya about what he said—

“Oh no! It’s already so late!”

Suddenly, Ruri looked at her phone and shouted.

“What’s wrong? Are you playing games again?”

“Good answer! I actually promised to play a game with my online friends after this!”

“You…what would you have done if we had lost the game today?”

“I would postpone the appointment and comfort you both! Especially Kinu, I would use a pacifier and a rattle to make him wobble—”

“You would comfort me like a baby!?”

I was now really glad we didn’t lose today’s game.
My childhood friend was about to create black history for me.

“Congrats on today! I’ll definitely be there to cheer you on in your next match! Bye-bye!”

Ruri waved her hands in the air and then left the place like a ninja.

How much do you want to play games?

“Ruri really likes games.”

“I guess so.
She is the one who had to decide between the soccer team manager and the after-school gaming and ended up picking the game.”

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“So I guess that means we’re less than a game.”

“…That’s for sure.”

Ruri’s love of video games was exceptional, unlike most video game enthusiasts.
Ever since she was a little girl, she used to make me play games with her.
The worst days were the ones when she made me play all day long.

…However, for that, Ruri also spent all day with me doing what I wanted to do.

When I was just starting to play soccer, if I was practicing on my own to get better, she came to help me every time, whether it was a weekday or a holiday.

Ruri even gave me the nickname “Kinu.”

Well, even though it was a nickname, only Ruri and Touya called me by it.

When I was in elementary school, before Touya came to my new school.
My classmates made fun of me for having a normal name, and I had a complex about my name since.

Then, my game name was “KN,” so they started calling me by my nickname “Kinu,” which she just took from there.

She was always free, but always acted with someone else’s best interest in mind.

She was a good friend to me—

“Hey, Kinu.”

Touya called my name.

“Hmm? What is it?”

“…Do you want to go to a nearby park and talk for a while?”

“At the park? Can’t we just talk on the way home?”

When I asked, he shook his head.

“No, it’s very important.”

Touya has a serious expression on his face.
He was not usually a jabbering dummy, but it was a little unusual to see him with this kind of expression on his face.

“I understand.”

I nodded my head, wondering what the heck he was going to talk about.