Mr. Gorilla

At 11:30 AM, thirty minutes before lunch break.

Katase Shouya, wearing a white short-sleeve shirt and dark blue shorts for his last period of gym, walked through the rarely visited equipment building.

The equipment building stored a variety of items, with classrooms for any subject needing tools.

However, some tools were seldom used, leaving many classrooms unused.

With the thought that leaving things empty was a waste, many broken and inconvenient-to-repair items were stored in those rooms.

Walking through the corridor, Shouya looked at the slightly dirty windows and the severely damaged desks, chairs, lockers, and other miscellaneous items through the glass.

He was not here out of boredom or because a teacher asked him to carry equipment.

He was sent here by his gym teacher and baseball coach, Tougou Toshizuo.

Shouya had some guesses about the reason, thinking it might be because the coach noticed his distracted state during Saturday's training.

As for the reason for his lack of focus..well it wasn't complicated, it was because he was still thinking about what happened on Friday.

Even though Nanao had explained it to him at the time.

But he saw someone give Nanao a drink, and not only did she accept it, but she also didn't resist when the person touched her shoulder.

Because of the distance, Shouya couldn't hear what they were saying, but judging by their familiarity, it was clear they knew each other.

Otherwise, given her personality, she wouldn't lightly let such a rude action slide if it were a stranger.

Since they knew each other, why did she tell him they were strangers?

And their shared smiles...

Shouya was a sunny, athletic, good-looking guy who never lacked girlfriends.

But having a girlfriend as stunning as Akane Nanao was rare, so he cherished her greatly.

And it was precisely because he cherished her, he became overly sensitive and suspicious.

This was normal.

Anyone who saw their beloved school idol girlfriend interacting closely with a handsome guy who was far superior to them in every way would have their minds racing with wild thoughts.

Especially when, upon questioning, the girlfriend lied, saying she didn't know the guy.

Then, shortly after, she smiled and greeted him.

Anyone would be tormented by such thoughts, especially a sensitive and fragile teenager.

With a troubled expression, Shouya looked up at the wooden signs indicating the room names, searching for the student counseling room he was directed to.

'If it's for a talk, there are many student counseling rooms in the main building... why choose such a remote place...'

As he walked further the current doubts replaced his earlier worries.

Shouya walked most of the way down the third-floor corridor and found the counseling room.

The door and frame weren't as dilapidated as expected, though they were dusty and not exactly clean.

If not for the white-painted wooden sign labeled 'Counseling Room' next to the doorframe, Shouya would have thought it was just an ordinary abandoned classroom.

Since the person inside could decide his future, the boy adjusted his clothes before knocking on the door.

Knock, knock—

"Excuse me, Coach Tougou, are you in?"

"Come in!"

A deep, heavy voice came from inside. Shouya recognized it as the coach's voice.

Click—

Pushing the door open and stepping inside.

In front of him was a sturdy middle-aged man in a white baseball uniform sitting behind a wooden desk.

To be honest, Coach Tougou's appearance was not particularly impressive.

To put it bluntly, he could be described as quite ugly, like a gorilla with human features.

Yet, despite this, rumors about him often floated around.

However, his looks and character were not important to Shouya Katase.

All that mattered was if he could help him reach Koshien.

So, upon entering the room, Shouya respectfully greeted him:

"Coach, you called for me..."

"Yo, Shouya, come in and sit. Don't be so tense."

Coach Tougou greeted his student familiarly.

With a face that he considered to be kindly smiling, he gestured for Shouya to sit and poured a cup of tea from a pot on the desk.

Being addressed so casually by the coach who held his future in his hands, and feeling his friendly demeanor, Shouya sat down across from him, taking the cup:

"Th-thank you, Coach."

"Have a sip. This tea is quite special, I paid a lot to get it from a friend."

Leaning back with one leg over the other, the gori...uh the coach bragged in a manner that would excite a young person:

"Ordinary members don't get to drink my tea, let alone have me add the special leaves. I wouldn't do this if I didn't see potential in you, kid. Hmph..."

Although Shouya believed he had what it took to reach Koshien on his own merit, the final decision still rested with the coach.

Thus, he never allowed himself to become arrogant despite being labeled the ace of the club.

The coach had never publicly acknowledged this before.

Now, receiving his recognition, Shouya felt like he had a bright future ahead of him, and started trembling with excitement like a gacha player hitting a jackpot.

Holding the paper cup, he downed the hot tea in one gulp:

"Cough~ Th-thank you for believing in me, Coach."

Listening to him, Tougou's smile didn't waver as he continued:

"Now, tell me, what happened during Saturday's practice? I want a Shouya focused on Koshien, not a dazed mess."

"This... uh, this is because..."

Hearing his words, the paper cup, still in the boy's hand, started to crumple from his grip.

Due to the coach's earlier praise, Shouya had forgotten most of the excuses he had prepared.

Before he could piece them back together, Tougou added:

"I was a student once too, I understand the urge when you're around pretty girls."

"But compared to Koshien, these urges are temporary. Once you make it to Koshien and get noticed by professional teams, what woman wouldn't you be able to get?"

"Of course, I get that students have feelings and don't want to let go. That's normal, but you need to know your limits. Understand? Don't let it affect your training!"

"After practice this afternoon, take her to the storage area and have a good talk. I'll make sure everyone else stays away."

"Coach, you..."

Hearing his almost explicit suggestion, Shouya looked at him nervously.

The no-dating rule in the baseball club was set by the coach himself.

So knowing that the coach was aware of his relationship with Nanao, Shouya was naturally anxious.

But realizing what the coach meant, he was more surprised than ever.

"What?"

"Do I need to spell it out and kick you out of the club for you to get it?"

The previously understanding and humorous expression vanished instantly from Coach Tougou's face, replaced by a fierce look that made Shouya sit up straight.

"No, no, I'll talk to her properly. I won't let you down, Coach."

"Make sure you do. Now get out of here!"

"Yes, Coach, I'll take my leave."

Shouya respectfully bowed and quickly left the room, feeling grateful for the coach's rough treatment.

Watching him leave, Tougou picked up the empty paper cup he left behind and sneered:

"Idiot!"

"Nanao..."

...