“Alright, then let’s change the subject. I’ll hang the laundry in the washing machine for you. It’s not like your underwear’s inside or anything, so you don’t mind if I handle it, right?” (Kento)
Since it was already late, and today Frost-san had taken an especially long bath, any further delay would cut into her sleep time. Considering she had washed my training clothes, helping with the laundry seemed like the least I could do.
And besides, she’d be making breakfast tomorrow morning too.
“It’s fine, just that… you have morning practice tomorrow, right? I leave later than you, so maybe I should handle it.” (Sophia)
“Even if you leave later, you always wake up early to make breakfast, don’t you? That just means you’ll wake up even earlier tomorrow if you’re cooking for me.” (Kento)
“The effort you put into moving your body compared to me sitting in a chair all day is completely different, so don’t worry about me.” (Sophia)
Could it be that she’s unexpectedly the caring type? Or maybe she’s just bad at relying on others.
She tries to do everything herself when she could just leave some things to me.
“Don’t you get sleepy during class?” (Kento)
“Don’t underestimate me. I’m not like you all.” (Sophia)
“Ugh, well, that’s true…” (Kento)
Students in the Special Preparatory course like her likely listen carefully in every class.
On the other hand, in the Sports course, it’s common to see students nodding off during class.
Of course, anyone caught sleeping is reported to the coaches or staff and gets an earful, so everyone tries their best to stay awake.
Still, staying alert during boring classes can be a struggle. Before you know it, your consciousness starts drifting away.
“Besides, I’ll still be up studying anyway.” (Sophia)
“…Seriously? Even after all that work at cram school, you’re still going to study more?” (Kento)
I had heard from Jessica-san that the reason she stays in her room so much is because she’s studying.
I knew she studied even after coming back from cram school, but I didn’t realize she stayed up this late doing it.
Since she hardly ever comes out of her room, I never really knew when she slept.
“Being top-ranked but not getting arrogant, and still working hard at your studies—it’s really impressive.” (Kento)
I respect anyone who puts effort into something, whether it’s sports or academics.
If someone excels and doesn’t let it get to their head, that’s even more admirable. But if they’re proud of their achievements and share it, that’s only natural if they’ve put in the effort.
“…It’s just that I’m slow to catch on… If I don’t push myself this much, I can’t stay at the top…” (Sophia)
But for some reason, her expression clouded over, and she gave a self-deprecating smile.
I wonder if there’s something she’s worried about.
“…Maintaining effort isn’t something everyone can handle constantly.” (Kento)
I didn’t really understand what she had murmured or why she looked so down. But seeing her self-deprecating smile, those words slipped out of my mouth naturally.
“What do you mean…?” (Sophia)
Of course, Frost-san gave me a confused look, surprised by my words, since they came out of nowhere.
“Some people hate putting in effort, and some can’t keep going even if they want to. There are also those who give up after putting in a lot of work but not seeing any results. But despite all that, Frost-san, you are amazing for being able to keep it going.” (Kento)
These weren’t words meant to flatter or get close to her. It was just how I truly felt.
“In my case, the results came out…” (Sophia)
“Because you never stopped working hard, right?” (Kento)
“—!” (Sophia)
She froze, taking in a sharp breath at my words.
She must have some idea about what I was talking about.
When I saw how hard she pushed herself, to an almost abnormal degree, I thought that perhaps she was putting in effort because she had to.
People pushing themselves like that often think effort is the only way to get results.
Maybe it’s because I’m the same kind of person, but I felt like I understood her way of thinking.
“It’s not necessarily true that just because you get results, it’s because of effort, right…?” (Sophia)
Whether she meant to or not, she tried to shift the focus of the conversation.
But since she brought it up, she must care about what I was saying, one way or another.
So, I felt like I should respond.
“Sure, there are those rare ‘monsters’ in the world who get results without putting in much effort.” (Kento)
They exist in sports, too.
There are those who hate effort, mock it, and continue to achieve results purely based on their raw talent.
It’s not just sports, though.
In any field, there are always those “monsters” who can achieve results with little to no effort.
“But for most people, they can’t get results without putting in effort. So, when results are achieved, I think it’s because the effort was made.” (Kento)
Only a tiny handful of people can achieve results purely on talent.
Most people, at the very least, have to put in effort to climb up to where they are.
Of course, the amount of effort needed might vary depending on someone’s natural talent, but that doesn’t mean effort isn’t necessary.
More than anything—
“Also, if two people have the same level of talent, the one who puts in more effort is the one who will win.” (Kento)
Anyone can understand this, even a child. If you assume both have the same level of talent, the one who puts in more effort will have the advantage just from experience.
For example, honing your physical strength through training is one thing, but experience also plays a crucial role.
The ability to make quick decisions in critical moments, knowledge of the competition and sport, and strategy—all of these are honed through experience.
There’s no such thing as a guaranteed win, but there’s no doubt that experience creates a significant advantage.
Statistically speaking, the person who puts in the effort is the one more likely to win.
“To be so passionate about it… that’s not like you.” (Sophia)
“Is it really that passionate…?” (Kento)
I didn’t intend to get so worked up about it…
“You’re trying too hard to encourage me, it’s creepy…” (Sophia)
“O-Oi!?” (Kento)
Sure, I wanted her to understand the greatness and value of her effort, but I wasn’t trying to flatter her.
“Our conversation’s been off-track halfway through.” (Sophia)
“You’re the one who changed the subject…!” (Kento)
“Hehe… but I was a little happy to hear that.” (Sophia)
“――!?“ (Kento)
She unexpectedly flashed a cute smile.
*Thump*—my heart skipped a beat.
“W-What’s up with that…?” (Kento)
I muttered to cover up the heat rising to my face.
Because, seriously… that’s cheating.
“Just a little. Maybe about this much.” (Sophia)
She made a small gap between her thumb and index finger, emphasizing her words.
She’s probably trying to emphasize how happy she was with just that tiny gap.
But there’s almost no space at all…?
“Was there really a need to emphasize that…?” (Kento)
“I just don’t want you to misunderstand or get any weird expectations. Even if you tried to hit on me, it’d never work.” (Sophia)
When exactly did I try to hit on her?
This is a completely baseless accusation…!
“I’m not going to try and hit on you…” (Kento)
“Who knows?” (Sophia)
She tilted her head cutely, staring at my face intently.
Could she really think that I was hitting on her?
…No, there’s no way.
“There’s no way, so stop worrying about it.” (Kento)
Sure, there were times when I thought she was cute.
But actually hitting on her? I would never think of that.
After all, I’m not experienced enough with women to even try that.
And when it comes to someone like Frost-san, there’s no way I’d do that.
“What’s with that ‘I’m not interested’ look…?” (Sophia)
For some reason, she glared at me with a dissatisfied look.
This is strange.
Why am I getting glared at in this situation…?
I just said I wasn’t trying to hit on her, so normally, she should feel relieved, right…?
Dealing with women really is complicated…
Anyways, I need to change the atmosphere—
“That aside, effort is a good thing, but overdoing it isn’t good, you know?” (Kento)
Wanting to escape from her glare, I decided to steer the conversation back.
“But you just said effort is a good thing.” (Sophia)
At this, she once again looked dissatisfied.
However, the glare she gave me wasn’t one of hostility—it was more of a look of disagreement, so it didn’t really affect me.
“There’s a term called ‘overwork,’ right? Whether it’s practice or studying, doing too much isn’t good.” (Kento)
Overdoing practice can lead to injuries, which in turn would reduce practice time or cause breaks that could hinder progress.
Anything done excessively can lead to negative results.
“That’s true for practice, but studying is different, right? The more you do it, the better.” (Sophia)
“Even if it means cutting into your sleep?” (Kento)
I hadn’t intended to bring this up.
I knew it would lead to an argument if I did.
But seeing how little she seemed to understand, I couldn’t help myself and let it slip out.
“…I do sleep properly.” (Sophia)
She’s a smart girl so she probably understands what I’m trying to say without needing me to explain it all.
The fact that she turned away was a clear sign that she had something in her mind.
Considering it’s so late and she’s still trying to study, it’s no surprise.
“If you wear yourself out, it’ll be for nothing.” (Kento)
“Leave me alone. You don’t know anything.” (Sophia)
This time, she glared at me with eyes full of clear hostility.
It was the same kind of glare she used when we first became a family, the one meant to keep people at a distance.
Out of all the recent glares, this one felt the sharpest.
It was clear that this was something she didn’t want to discuss.
“I’m sorry. But please, don’t overdo it.” (Kento)
“It’s none of your business.” (Sophia)
No, this isn’t going anywhere.
She’s acting like a stubborn child, refusing to listen.
I knew this would happen, that’s why I was trying not to say anything…
“I won’t say anything about your studies. But we should divide the housework. That way, you can make time for sleep, right?” (Kento)
I understand how much she values her studies, and if she’s this stubborn, convincing her is impossible.
It’s better to reduce her burden in other areas.
“I’ll do the laundry.” (Sophia)
“This stubborn girl…” (Kento)
I couldn’t help but feel like she should’ve at least let me handle something.
At this rate, we’re getting nowhere.
“Then, breakfast—” (Kento)
“I’ll make it.” (Sophia)
“…………” (Kento)
What, is she sulking now?
Is she getting so stubborn because she’s sulking?
“Either way, you can’t make breakfast, can you?” (Sophia)
“Well, no, I can’t… But when I get out of the bath, I’ll just go to the convenience store and grab some bread or something.” (Kento)
I wasn’t particularly attached to making a home-cooked meal, and honestly, I was fine with just bread when it came down to it.
It wasn’t that uncommon for a high school student’s breakfast to be just bread.
However—
“No, that’s not good. You’re still growing, so you need to eat a proper, balanced meal.” (Sophia)
It was an unusually maternal comment from Frost-san.
Was she talking about herself, or was she concerned about my health?
Either way, she’s really stubborn.
At this point, trying to convince her would be a waste of time if she’s not going to budge.
So, I decided to let her have this one.
In exchange, I could get her to compromise somewhere else.
“Alright, I’ll cook the rice then—” (Kento)
“I’ll do it.” (Sophia)
“Are you planning to do everything!?” (Kento)
I couldn’t help but raise my voice at her persistence.
At this point, I couldn’t just stay silent. She was pushing my limits.
“Cooking the rice is part of the making the meal, isn’t it?!” (Sophia)
Frost-san, seemingly startled by my outburst, took a small step back before offering her explanation.
I felt bad about scaring her, but still…
“We were talking about dividing the tasks, right? Why do you insist on doing everything yourself?” (Kento)
“Because sleep is important for athletes…” (Sophia)
“Are you saying you’re going to sacrifice your own sleep just to make sure I get mine?” (Kento)
Hearing something like that made me think that, at her core, Frost-san must be a kind person. Despite probably not liking me, she’s prioritizing me. But that’s going too far.
“Sleep is important for everyone, not just athletes. It’s important for adults, and especially for kids like us. That means it’s just as important for you, Frost-san.” (Kento)
“Well, that might be true, but…” (Sophia)
It seemed like she was starting to agree with me, but something still seemed to be bothering her.
“When it comes to priority, you’re the one doing something physically demanding… so shouldn’t you come first?” (Sophia)
“We’re the same age, and on equal footing. There’s no such thing as ‘priority’ between us. Dad and Jessica-san would be mad if they overheard that.” (Kento)
Those two, even though we’re not all related by blood, have never prioritized one of us over the other. They’ve treated both of us with the same care as if we were their own children.
Sure, there might be some differences in how they treat us based on gender, but the priority isn’t based on whether we’re doing sports or studying.
“Both of them have nothing to do with this…” (Sophia)
“You’re the one saying strange things. Between us, there’s no such thing as one being prioritized over the other. Isn’t that enough?” (Kento)
She used to always act as if she didn’t care about what others thought. So, why was she saying something like this now?
If something in her had changed, that was a good thing, but it didn’t mean she should neglect herself.
“…Can you even cook rice?” (Sophia)
It seems like she’s started looking for flaws in me, now that she’s run out of things to say in response.
“I’ve definitely cooked rice before, so you can rest assured about that.” (Kento)
If I hadn’t, I wouldn’t be pushing this hard.
If I were to say something so confidently and then reveal I couldn’t cook rice, that’d be a real joke.
“I see…” (Sophia)
Frost-san pauses for a moment, thinking.
Is she still trying to argue?
For now, I waited for her to come to a conclusion.
“—Alright. Then, I’ll leave the rice cooking to you.” (Sophia)
It seemed like she finally understood my point, and she gave in.
It took so long… I really felt that.
“Yeah, leave it to me.” (Kento)
And so, I became the one in charge of cooking rice the next day.
After taking a bath and finishing the laundry, I secretly helped with hanging it up as well.
Of course, she complained about it, but I managed to convince her that it would be more efficient for the two of us to do it together and that the workload distribution felt better this way.
And then, the next morning—she didn’t even wake up on time.
TL Notes:
Thanks for reading!
I can’t believe that after the two of them argued for so long, she didn’t even wake up on time 😂
Maybe she was sick or something?
Ehhh I hope the whole effort conversation wasn’t too confusing. I tried to make whatever sense I could out of it.
I have absolutely no idea what’s Special Preparatory course or Sports course refers to in Japanese high schools. It sounds like a college/university thing.
Footnote:
- None