CH 11

“Hey, Ando-san.”

We were having dinner together, as usual.

“What is it, Matsuo-san?”

“Would you like to go to the park with me on my next day off?”

“A park?”

“Yes. Wanna play catch?”

“Ah, ….”

Ando-san opened his small mouth.

“But come to think of it. Ando-san, you don’t like to exercise much, do you?”

“That’s not true. I’m not good at it, but… I’ll do my best.”

Ando-san struck a victory pose, as if putting on a bit of power.

“I understand. I’m looking forward to it.”

“Yeah. I’m… looking forward to it too.”

Ando-san lowered her head.

*****

It was still the rainy season but it was unusually sunny today.

“I’m glad it’s sunny. Well, if it rains, we can relax at home, so that’s good.”

“That’s right.”

“I would love to have you massage me again.”

“Ma-massage ……”

Then, for some reason, Ando-san’s cheeks turned red.

“What’s wrong?”

“N-No, it’s nothing.”

“I see. Well, let’s go to that place.”

“Y-Yes.”

I handed the glove to Ando-san.

“Have you ever played catch before?”

“I’m sorry, no.”

“That’s okay, don’t worry about it. Let’s start from a close distance.”

I grabbed the ball.

“Here we go.”

“P-Please.”

I softly threw the ball to Ando-san, who was nervous and tense.

“Ah!”

Ando-san’s glove bounced off the ball.

“S-sorry.”

“Don’t worry about it.”

She picked up the ball.

“Okay, now throw it.”

“U-Understood.”

Ando-san looked perplexed again.

“H-Here.”

The ball went flying in the wrong direction.

“Oops.”

“Uwah! I-I’m sorry!”

“It’s okay. Don’t worry about it.”

I picked up the ball and headed toward Ando-san.

“Hey, hold the ball for a second.”

“y-yes.”

Ando-san held the ball.

“Hook your index and middle fingers in these stitches.”

“L-like this?”

“Yeah. A little more here.”

I touched Ando’s finger.

“Hyah!”

Then she screamed.

“Ah, I’m sorry. I touched you out of the blue. I shouldn’t have done that.”

“N-no, it’s not like that. Don’t hesitate to touch me more!”

“R-really? Then, hold it like this.”

“Y-yes. ….”

“Rather, Ando-san, you have quite beautiful fingers.”

“Fuee!?”

“So I’m sure you’ll throw a good ball.”

“Uh, yes. ….”

“Okay, now let’s see how you throw it.”

I said,

“I thought this when I looked at it earlier, but your elbow is a little bit down, so I think you need to raise it up more like this …”

I touched Ando’s elbow.

“Hiyaaaa…”

“A-are you okay? As I thought, it’s better if I don’t touch you. ….”

“No, no. Please don’t hesitate to touch me. Matsuo-san is trying his best to teach me. I will do my best, too.”

“Uh-huh. Ando-san, you are a very hardworking person.”

“Hahhh~ ….”

“Well, let me just run you through the sequence.”

“Yes.”

“First, grab the ball correctly…yes. Slowly move your body halfway, pull your right arm, don’t lower your elbow, use your wrist…and throw.”

I touched Ando’s body and showed her how to throw the ball.

“Then we’ll start again. Throw it to me.”

“Y-yes. ….”

Ando-san’s face was somehow redder than before, I wonder if she’s okay?

“Ando-san, if you’re not feeling well, …”

“No, no, I’m fine!”

“I-I see.”

“Okay, Matsuo-san. I’m starting, okay?”

“Yes, Come on.”

Ando-san looked a little nervous, but threw the ball with the same form I had taught her.

“Yeah!”

The ball made a soft, sweeping motion and landed in my glove.

“Yay, you did it. Nice ball.”

“T-Thank you.”

“Well, good luck catching it this time.”

“Okay.”

Ando-san responded with a smile, perhaps feeling more confident.

I threw the ball again, softly.

But the ball didn’t fit in Ando-san’s glove.

“Wahh!?”

With a thud. Her forehead caught it.

“A-Ando-san!?”

I rushed over to her cowering body.

“Hey, are you all right!”

“Uuu~… sorry!’

Ando-san said with teary eyes, holding her forehead.

“Here, let me see.”

I slowly moved her hand away.

It was a little red, but the swelling wasn’t that bad.

“Is that so?”

I took Ando-san to a nearby bench and sat her down.

“Wait a minute.”

I walked to my car and returned to her with what I needed.

“Good, I brought a first aid kit.”

“Uwa.”

Ando-san’s voice trailed off.

“Let’s see, normally it would be a compress, but since it’s on your forehead, let’s go with … this.”

I take out the antipyretic sheet I use when I catch a cold.

“Ando-san, lift up your bangs a little.”

“Ah, yes.”

“Stay still.”

I gently put the sheet on her forehead.

“Hyah!”

“Are you okay?”

“Y-Yes”

“… Yosh, It’s done.”

I smiled at Ando-san.

“T-thank you.”

She said, looking down.

“You’re welcome. Shall we call it a day?”

“Oh, um, just a little more.”

“Oh, Ando-san. You have guts~”

I chuckled.

“Then we’ll just stick around a little longer, shall we?”

“Ha, yes.”

Ando-san stood up with a smile and grabbed the ball.

“Y-Yosh”

“Oh, nice ball. Okay, here I go.”

I threw the ball.

“Woah, woah, woah. ….”

Ando-san was impatient, but she managed to catch the ball in her glove.

“Nice catch.”

I said, and she smiled.