“Kento-kun, Shirakawa-san, I’m here.” (Nadeshiko)
On the following Monday, during lunch break, as I waited with Sophia behind the usual school building, Kujouin-san popped her head out from around the corner.
She usually has a cheerful image, but today, she seemed to be in an especially good mood.
“Kujouin-san, welcome! Thanks for coming.” (Kento)
I bowed my head, and Sophia, who was standing next to me, followed suit and bowed as well.
“Kujouin-senpai, thank you for coming…” (Sophia)
When I glanced at her, Sophia had a tense smile on her face, and she seemed to be stiff with nervousness.
She wasn’t very used to talking to anyone other than me, so she probably felt she had to be polite, which made her nervous.
“Good afternoon to both of you. Thanks for inviting me.” (Nadeshiko)
Kujouin-san smiled brightly, then sat down next to the spot where Sophia’s lunchbox was placed.
“Sophia, go ahead and sit down.” (Kento)
I gently encouraged Sophia to sit next to Kujouin-san, giving her a light push on the back.
Sophia, still nervous, had a somewhat hesitant expression on her face.
“It’s okay, I’ll back you up if anything happens.” (Kento)
“Kento-kun… thank you…” (Sophia)
When I whispered in her ear, it seemed to solidify her resolve, and finally, Sophia sat next to Kujouin-san.
I sat beside Sophia, and as we ate our lunch, I decided to watch over the two of them for now.
“This is the second time we’re talking like this. I wanted to get along with Shirakawa-san, so I’m really happy.” (Nadeshiko)
As expected from Kujouin-san.
She noticed that Sophia was nervous and seemed to understand that she wasn’t good at initiating conversations, so she took the initiative to speak.
In response, Sophia…
“Th-Thank you…” (Sophia)
She was so timid, it was like she was a borrowed cat, huddled and quiet.
Who is this girl?
Huh, that’s strange…?
I thought they were talking just fine before…?
“……….”
It seemed like Sophia had already reached her limit, as she grabbed the sleeve of my shirt with her fingers.
She must be asking for help.
“Try to do your best on your own first.” (Kento)
If I help her this soon, she won’t change.
Though it pains me, sometimes pushing someone away is necessary.
“You’re so mean…” (Sophia)
Well, Sophia pouted her lips in dissatisfaction.
“No, it’s not that I’m being mean…” (Kento)
This is for Sophia’s own good.
“………” (Nadeshiko)
Kujouin-san peeked out from behind Sophia and glanced at me.
From her gaze, it seemed like she was asking, “What should I do?”
So, I nodded, signaling with my expression, “Don’t worry, just go for it.”
Sophia was probably aware of this since she had been looking at my face, but she was the one who needed to try.
She was able to talk before, so it’s likely just a matter of her mindset.
“Is the Special Preparatory Course really faster-paced in terms of lessons?” (Nadeshiko)
By bringing up something that Sophia is good at, Kujouin-san seemed to be trying to create an atmosphere where she could speak more easily.
In response, Sophia gave a small, subtle nod.
—And that was it.
…Did I make a mistake by having her talk to Kujouin-san?
It clearly seemed like she was too nervous to speak freely, probably out of concern for how she was being perceived.
Sophia would probably talk easily with someone she didn’t mind at all. And likely, she would speak without worrying even if she unintentionally hurt the other person.
Until now, Sophia had always spoken like this, but of course, she couldn’t afford to be rude to Kujouin-san, who had come all this way for her.
That’s why she must have been hesitant to speak freely.
If things continued like this, she might end up developing a sense of unease about interacting with others.
“U-Um—” (Sophia)
“Hehe, don’t worry too much. I don’t mind anything anyone says.” (Nadeshiko)
I had intended to say something to shift the atmosphere, but Kujouin-san gave a warm, kind smile and gently placed her hand over Sophia’s, as if to reassure her.
It seemed like she understood that Sophia was trying to be considerate of her.
And with that, Sophia slowly began to speak.
“I’m sorry… I haven’t really talked much with others until now… so it seems like I’m not good at this…” (Sophia)
Sophia was confronting her own shortcomings and revealing them.
It must have taken a lot of courage for her to open up about her weaknesses to someone else, but she seemed to be trying to be sincere with Kujouin-san, who was willing to listen.
In response, Kujouin-san gave her another soft, reassuring smile.
“Yeah, it’s fine. I understand completely, so don’t worry. Just talk like you do with Kento-kun, okay?” (Nadeshiko)
For now, I decided to leave it to Kujouin-san.
In the midst of it, I figured I should occasionally step in and help guide the conversation. That felt like the best approach.
After all, Kujouin-san’s smile was something that brought a sense of security.
“Talk like you do with Kento-kun…” (Sophia)
Sophia glanced at my face for a moment.
When I nodded with a smile, she blushed lightly and quickly shifted her gaze back to Kujouin-san, as if escaping.
I might have made a mistake there.
“Um… I think the Special Preparatory Course is quite fast-paced… Everyone seems to be desperately trying to keep up…” (Sophia)
“I figured. It looks tough from the outside.” (Nadeshiko)
“By the way… Kujouin-senpai, I heard you always beat the Special Preparatory Course in the general academic tests…” (Sophia)
Sophia seemed to recall something during our conversation with Kujouin-san and brought up the topic of the tests.
In the sports course, the tests weren’t even really emphasized. In fact, they were treated as something that occasionally disrupted the regular schedule, taking place every few months.
I didn’t know Kujouin-san was that good at academics…
“Ahaha… It’s not like there are a lot of tests, and the scope is adjusted in the General Course to be easier, so it’s just that I’m at an advantage. It’s not really something to brag about.” (Nadeshiko)
Kujouin-san laughed awkwardly and shifted her gaze.
But the reality was probably different.
Even though the scope was different, there was no way students from a specialized, elite course focused on academics would lose to someone from the General Course.
These students would have studied for the all-course tests, and if they had lost once, they’d push themselves even harder to win the next time.
The fact that Kujouin-san kept winning just showed how good she was.
“Aren’t you planning to move to the Special Preparatory Course…? I thought there might have been talk of it during the promotion period…” (Sophia)
It seemed impossible that a student who could beat the Special Preparatory Course would be left as is by the school.
There was a high chance that the topic of switching courses had come up.
“Hmm, I don’t really like studying… And I want to prioritize the baseball club, so I declined.” (Nadeshiko)
That was unexpected.
It was a bit of a biased assumption, but she seemed like someone who would enjoy studying.
“Was something bothering you” (Nadeshiko)
Kujouin-san tilted her head slightly, looking at Sophia with a curious gaze, as if she had something on her mind regarding Sophia’s earlier statement.
Sophia, caught under that gaze, averted her eyes, scratching her cheek nervously before speaking up.
“It’s not that it’s a bother… but, well, sometimes I hear people say that if I were born a year earlier, the Special Preparatory Course could have been on top instead…” (Sophia)
I see…
The teachers in the Special Preparatory Course must really be unable to accept the fact that they’re losing to the General Course.
It seems they’re complaining that they wish Sophia had been born a year earlier, so she could have helped them win against Kujouin-san.
Well, that’s none of my business, honestly.
“Haha… sorry about that.” (Nadeshiko)
“No… It’s more of a problem for the people in the Special Preparatory Course to deal with…” (Sophia)
I wonder how good Kujouin-san really is at studying.
I knew she was smart, but with so few comparisons, it’s hard to gauge just how good she is.
Though, the fact that she can beat the Special Preparatory Course… that must mean she’s really amazing.
“There’s no rule that says you can’t join a club just because you’re in the Special Preparatory Course, right?” (Kento)
I was pretty sure there wasn’t an issue, but I decided to ask just to be sure.
“Yeah, there’s no such rule, and in fact, there are some people who are in clubs. So, there’s no problem if you want to join the baseball club, Shirokawa-san.” (Nadeshiko)
Kujouin-san smiled and responded to my question with a bright smile.
That means it’s not that she doesn’t want to switch to the Special Preparatory Course because she wants to continue being a manager.
Now that I think about it, did she originally want to attend this school?
“I just wish I had the knack and the brains that Kujouin-senpai has…” (Sophia)
“…………” (Nadeshiko)
At Sophia’s quiet muttering, Kujouin-san froze for a moment, which was unusual for her.
Sophia had said it innocently, but I wondered if it might have sounded like a jab to Kujouin-san, especially since she was unaware of Sophia’s background.
After all, Sophia was rumored to be a genius, possibly the best in the school’s history.
In reality, Sophia spent most of her time studying from morning to night to maintain her current grades, while Kujouin-san, despite being in the General Course and spending time with the baseball club, still managed to outshine those in the Special Preparatory Course.
It was understandable that Sophia might feel envious of Kujouin-san’s success, and now I realized I might need to follow up with Kujouin-san later to clear things up.
“Basically, Sophia wants to stay a special scholarship student and join the club, but that means she has to figure out a way to balance her studies. Especially because, if she joins the club, she’ll have to quit her cram school.” (Kento)
This is the main issue.
Honestly, I think we can manage the communication part with the club members. She may be clumsy, but she’s not a bad person. If Kujouin-san and I step in and help, Sophia should be able to bond with the club members.
But as for the studies, I don’t have any clear solutions yet.
If she joins the club, she won’t be able to attend cram school like she did before, and with the late hours, joining a different cram school won’t be easy either.
It would be great if Sophia could make up for it with self-study, but considering she was in a cram school up until now, it seems unlikely.
“That sounds tough…” (Nadeshiko)
“By the way, if you don’t mind me asking, how do you manage, Kujouin-san?” (Kento)
I guess Sophia will soon find herself in a situation similar to Kujouin-san’s.
In fact, since Sophia is in the Special Preparatory Course, which has more classes focused on academics, she’s actually in a better environment for studying than Kujouin-san was.
If we use Kujouin-san as a reference, maybe Sophia can figure out a way to handle everything well in the future.
“Eh, me? I just review what we learned in class and do some preparation for upcoming lessons, then study for tests during the exam periods. That’s pretty much it!” (Nadeshiko)
With her finger on her lips and looking up at the sky, Kujouin-san generously shared her approach.
All I could think was, This is why geniuses are unfair…! I almost felt sorry for the senpai students in the Special Preparatory Course.
“…………” (Sophia)
Sophia also seemed unsatisfied, staring at Kujouin-san with a look of frustration. From her perspective, she was probably envious. She wants to do what Kujouin-san does—being a manager and balancing it with academics—so I can understand why she feels that way.
Before Kujouin-san notices, I lightly pat Sophia’s shoulder.
Her expression shifts to realization, and she seems to snap out of her thoughts.
“I can’t do what Kujouin-senpai does…” (Sophia)
For someone as proud as Sophia to admit she has trouble managing things, it’s clear she struggles with studying. That’s why she puts so much effort into cramming. She’d probably be better off accepting that her situation is different from Kujouin-san’s.
“There’s a lot to memorize in the Special Preparatory Course. It’s not like I can just do it the way someone in the General Course would. I just wish there was someone who could teach me.” (Sophia)
If I were as smart as Kujouin-san, maybe I could do it too. But unfortunately, I’m far worse at studying than Sophia.
I wish I could hire a tutor, but who would come at such a late hour… Oh, wait! That’s a good idea…!
“Thank you, Kujouin-san!” (Kento)
“Huh? What? Did I do something?” (Nadeshiko)
When I expressed my thanks, Kujouin-san blinked a few times, looking confused.
Whoops, I got so excited that I skipped a few things…
“Well, thanks to you, Kujouin-san, I’ve come up with a solution for the study situation. It’s not entirely clear yet, but it looks like it’ll work out somehow.” (Kento)
I still need her agreement, but she probably won’t refuse.
She’s pretty soft on Sophia.
“Really…?” (Sophia)
When I mentioned that I had figured out a solution, Sophia looked up at me with a pleading look, trying to confirm it.
She’s the one most worried about this, so I imagine she’s holding onto this like a lifeline.
“Yeah, I’ll talk to you about it when we get home. For now, Sophia, you need to work on getting used to being around other people.” (Kento)
Even though the study situation seems solved, if the communication issue still isn’t working out, then it’s all for nothing.
Since Kujouin-san made time for this, I figured we could discuss things at home.
But then…
“Kento-kun, you’re surprisingly secretive, aren’t you?” (Nadeshiko)
For some reason, Kujouin-san gave me a lonely expression.
“Is that so…?” (Kento)
“Well, it’s fine. By the way, how about we change how we address each other?” (Nadeshiko)
After laughing helplessly, Kujouin-san turned her gaze toward Sophia.
“Change how we address each other…?” (Sophia)
“Yeah. I know it’s usually something you do once your relationship deepens, but I thought it might be nice to change it up. You know, calling each other by first names kind of makes it feel like the distance between us shrinks, don’t you think?” (Nadeshiko)
She said that and deliberately glanced at me.
She was probably hinting that since Sophia and I call each other by our first names, we look pretty close to each other.
And I have to admit, she’s right.
Since we started calling each other by our first names, I feel much closer to her than when we used our last names.
“First name… Nadeshiko-senpai, right…?” (Sophia)
As expected, Sophia is quite sharp.
Even though it was a difficult situation when she introduced herself, soaking wet, I still remembered Kujouin-san’s first name.
“Yeah, that’s right. Thanks. I’ll call you Sophia-chan, okay?” (Nadeshiko)
“Sophia-chan…” (Sophia)
Sophia squirmed a little, probably because she wasn’t used to being called that.
The only person who calls her by her first name like that is my dad. But that’s for a different reason.
“Kento-kun, you can call me by my first name too, you know?” (Nadeshiko)
Maybe because I was also present, Kujouin-san turned to me as well.
She must have been trying to be considerate.
I smiled and made sure to convey that I wasn’t bothered by it.
“No, it’s fine.” (Kento)
If I called Kujouin-san by her first name, I’d probably get all kinds of reactions from the coach and the other club members.
They’d definitely see me as an enemy and make things really tough for me.
“…Somehow, I’m sorry…” (Sophia)
For some reason, Sophia suddenly apologized, and Kujouin-san started nodding repeatedly with a smile on her face.
“Ah…No, it’s fine. I know this is how he is. Really, it’s all good.” (Nadeshiko)
Behind Kujouin-san, I thought I saw some kind of dark aura, and maybe—just maybe—even though she was smiling, she was actually angry?
I wasn’t sure, but I could feel a cold sweat trickling down my back.
“U-Um… Nadeshiko-senpai, do you enjoy being a manager?” (Sophia)
Just as the tense atmosphere seemed about to take over, Sophia nervously asked Kujouin-san this question.
Maybe despite her admiration for being a manager, she didn’t know what it actually entailed.
And, of course, she was probably curious.
The strange pressure on Kujouin-san seemed to lift after being asked the question.
Thanks to Sophia, it seemed like Kujouin-san’s anger had subsided.
“Of course I enjoy it. If I didn’t, I’d have quit a long time ago. It’s tough, though.” (Nadeshiko)
Kujouin-san likely said this with the intent of making the atmosphere more approachable.
She shrugged playfully and gave a cute wink.
That said, it must indeed be tough.
Not only does she have to prepare drinks for the team members, but she also has to restock if they run low, and make onigiris too.
And that’s not all—she also has to do the cleaning and maintain the equipment, among many other tasks.
For Kujouin-san, she also helps by organizing data and assisting with analysis, so it must really be a lot of work.
Sophia seems strong with data and analysis too, so it’s likely Kujouin-san would appreciate her help in the future.
“What’s the most fun part of it…?” (Sophia)
“Hmm, I’d say, after all, it’s probably cheering for the team during the matches. Since I’m part of the team too, I get really fired up, and I think I can feel the same joy the players do when we win.” (Nadeshiko)
“I see…” (Sophia)
I thought I saw Sophia’s eyes sparkle, perhaps with the desire to be a part of it too.
She probably wants to be involved in that atmosphere. To help her achieve that, I need to make sure I do my best…
“I’ll be waiting for you, Sophia-chan.” (Nadeshiko)
“I’ll do my best…” (Sophia)
“Hehe, don’t worry. Kento-kun will figure something out. Right, Onii-chan?” (Nadeshiko)
As I observed the conversation, I was suddenly called out by Kujouin-san.
Her deliberately exaggerated “Onii-chan” call seemed like a way to get back at me for making her angry earlier.
…Honestly, I still have no idea why I upset her.
“I’ll do my best, so that I don’t rely only on Kento-kun.” (Sophia)
“I see, that’s admirable.” (Nadeshiko)
When Sophia showed her determination to not depend completely on me, Kujouin-san nodded with a gentle smile.
In reality, this problem couldn’t be overcome by relying solely on me.
After all, when it came to studying, there was no other option but for Sophia to work hard, and in terms of communication, it was ultimately up to her.
All I could do was help and provide a good environment for her.
“I’m sorry to ask this of you, but could you continue to help us starting tomorrow?” (Kento)
“Yeah, I understand. I’m enjoying talking with Sophia-chan too, so don’t worry about it, okay?” (Nadeshiko)
When I looked to her for reassurance, she offered me a kind smile and words of comfort.
It seems like I can safely assume that she’s not angry with me anymore.
“Are you really enjoying it…?” (Sophia)
Sophia, who hadn’t really been able to talk comfortably with others before, must have still felt some anxiety.
She lowered her gaze, looking at Kujouin-san, as if gauging her reaction.
“Yeah, it’s really fun. I want to talk to you more in the future too.” (Nadeshiko)
I wasn’t sure whether Kujouin-san was just being considerate or if she genuinely felt that way, but from the way it seemed, she was really enjoying herself.
At the very least, I don’t think she had a bad impression.
“I’m glad…” (Sophia)
Sophia let out a relieved sigh, her hand gently resting on her chest as she seemed to relax.
Sophia probably had her reasons for not being able to connect with others before, but deep down, she likely wanted to get along with people all along.
“Hehe, looking forward to working with you from now on.” (Nadeshiko)
Yeah, it seems like Kujouin-san is handling this perfectly.
I’m glad I asked her for help.
“Oh, Kento-kun, you’re going to do your usual swing practice, right?” (Nadeshiko)
As I closed the lid of my lunchbox after finishing, Kujouin-san spoke up. She had known about my swing practice before, even before all the matters with Sophia. I wasn’t sure how she found out, though.
“Yeah, that’s right. Kujouin-san, it’s fine for you to return to the classroom.” (Kento)
I felt bad about having her stay with me for the entire lunch break, so I had only asked her to stay while we ate. Once we finished, she was supposed to go back to the classroom… or at least, that was the plan.
“Sophia-chan is staying, right?” (Nadeshiko)
For some reason, Kujouin-san didn’t seem to want to go back to the classroom and instead seemed more interested in what Sophia would do next.
“Yes, I usually stay here until lunch break ends…” (Sophia)
“Well then, I guess I’ll stay here until lunch break is over too. Is that okay, Kento-kun?” (Nadeshiko)
“…Go ahead.” (Kento)
I nodded after a brief pause in response to Kujouin-san, who tilted her head with a bright smile.
To be honest, I was a bit embarrassed about being watched, but I couldn’t just ask for a favor and then dismiss the other person’s request.
Besides, her staying meant that Sophia would have more opportunities to get used to interacting with others.
I should take advantage of Kujouin-san’s kindness.
“If that’s the case, feel free to talk without worrying about me.” (Kento)
Normally, Sophia would stay quiet to avoid distracting me, but that was partly because she didn’t have anyone else to talk to. As long as I wasn’t the one talking to her, small talk wouldn’t distract me, so I wanted her to feel free to chat.
“Thank you, I’ll do that.” (Nadeshiko)
Naturally, I thought that Kujouin-san understood my intentions and said that in response, but then…
“…………” (Both of them)
W-Wait, they’re staring at me…?
As soon as I began my swings, both of them went silent.
I felt their intense gaze on me, so I glanced over, and sure enough, both of them were staring at me.
This was making me extremely uncomfortable.
“Uh… it’s really okay for you to talk, you know…?” (Kento)
“Yeah, I know. Right, Sophia-chan?” (Nadeshiko)
“Yes, I understand.” (Sophia)
Well then, why aren’t you talking!?
Is it because you can’t talk without me intervening!?
But wait, just now, Kujouin-san was leading the conversation just fine!
I wanted to call them out on it, but they weren’t just any pair; one was Sophia, and the other was my senpai, so I held back and swallowed my frustration.
This is seriously awkward…
In the end, they both remained silent, watching me until I finished my practice.
TL Notes:
Thanks for reading!
Seeing Sophia feel sorry for Kujouin because MC didn’t call her by her first name is funny. Cause, I bet if MC does call Kujouin by her first name, she would start pouting.
There’s still a part 3.
Footnote:
- None