<Sophia’s PoV>
“――――――!” (Sophia)
Someone was banging on my door, loudly and relentlessly.
I could hear a voice too, but my consciousness was so hazy that I couldn’t make out what they were saying.
What on earth is going on…?
I tried to sit up, but my body felt heavy, and I couldn’t move properly.
My body felt exhausted…
“Frost-san! Are you alright? Or are you just sleeping in there!?” (Kento)
Finally, the fog clouding my mind began to clear, and I started to recognize the voice.
It seemed the person calling out to me was Shirakawa-kun.
“Why are you so loud—” (Sophia)
As I murmured to myself, an unpleasant thought suddenly crossed my mind.
“Wait, what time is it right now――!?” (Sophia)
I quickly checked my phone screen, and I could feel blood draining from my face.
There’s less than ten minutes before Shirakawa-kun usually leaves the house.
“I-I’m sorry…!” (Sophia)
Panicking, I apologized through the door.
Since I had just woken up, I couldn’t open the door.
I didn’t want him to see me in such a disheveled state.
“Thank goodness, you were just asleep…” (Kento)
Even though I’d overslept and broken my promise to make breakfast, his voice sounded genuinely relieved rather than angry.
Maybe he had been anticipating the worst, thinking I hadn’t woken up at all.
No wonder he was noisy outside my room.
“I’m sorry, I overslept…” (Sophia)
“You’ve been studying so hard, so it’s no surprise you’re tired. Are you feeling okay?” (Kento)
Even though he had every right to be upset, he not only reassured me but also continued to worry about me.
His kindness made my chest ache just a little.
“I’m fine. Really, I just overslept.” (Sophia)
The truth was that my body still felt sluggish, but I didn’t want to make him worry any more than he already had, so I lied.
Besides, this fatigue was proof of my poor self-management.
It wasn’t something I could use as an excuse for oversleeping.
“I see. That’s good, then. You’ve still got plenty of time before you need to leave, so take your time to get ready.” (Kento)
He had morning practice, so he always left the house earlier than most students.
Thanks to that, I still had plenty of time before I needed to leave the house.
“More importantly, I’m sorry… I couldn’t make breakfast…” (Sophia)
“It’s fine, it’s fine. I just had rice with furikake1. Actually, I’m the one who should be apologizing.” (Kento)
Did he need to apologize?
Why?
“Did you do something…?” (Sophia)
“Well, I thought maybe you weren’t feeling well, so I looked it up online and tried turning the leftover rice into porridge. I’m not used to cooking, so it might not taste great… I did taste it, though… Sorry for doing something unnecessary.” (Kento)
Hearing his apologetic tone, I felt a complicated mix of emotions.
On one hand, I was happy that he had taken the time to make porridge for me, considering how busy his mornings were, but on the other hand, guilt surged over me. I had inconvenienced him, failing to follow through on the things I’d promised and even things I’d said myself.
“Why are you apologizing? You did that for me, didn’t you? Thank you.” (Sophia)
Pretending to stay calm, I forced out words of gratitude, but that was all I could manage.
I was genuinely relieved to have the door between us right now.
If we were talking face-to-face, I might have been so overwhelmed with guilt that I couldn’t say anything.
After all, the reason he was feeling guilty, despite doing it out of kindness, might be because of the fact that I often complain about even the little things to him…
“Hearing that makes me feel better. Well, I’ll head out now. If anything happens, let me know. And don’t force yourself to eat the porridge if it doesn’t taste good.” (Kento)
With that, he left with heavy footsteps.
Talking with me must have eaten into the remaining time he had left.
Leaning against the door, I slowly slid down to the floor and covered my face with my hands.
“I’m such an idiot… Really, such an idiot…” (Sophia)
As memories of everything that had happened since I met him came rushing back, I sank deeper into self-loathing.
If I could, I would like to go back to the summer vacation days.
But it was impossible to return to the past now.
—I kept repeating this thought to myself
After about ten minutes had passed, I lifted my head.
“――I need to at least make up for this…” (Sophia)
Honestly, I wanted to disappear entirely, but I knew that regretting everything wouldn’t change anything.
That’s why I decided to take responsibility and fix my mistakes myself.
Fortunately, there was still time.
If I quickly cooked the rice now, I’d be able to make it on time without being late.
With that thought in mind, I hurried downstairs to wash the rice.
After setting the washed rice in the rice cooker, I was about to start getting ready for school—when my hand reached out toward the bowl of porridge left on the table.
It would be such a waste to let something he made for me go cold.
“――It’s delicious…” (Sophia)
He had said it might not taste good, but the rice was perfectly soft, and the saltiness was just right.
When I added the umeboshi2 that had been left alongside it, the added sourness made it even tastier.
He must have thoroughly researched and carefully prepared it so that I could enjoy it.
“Now my chest hurts even more…” (Sophia)
Imagining him tilting his head, staring intently at his phone, and earnestly making porridge, I felt a tight squeeze in my chest that I couldn’t shake.
◆
<Kento’s PoV>
“Haa… today was rough. The coach’s been really fired up lately.” (Shouta)
After finishing morning practice and leaving the clubroom, Shouta muttered tiredly.
“There’s the prefectural tournament in two weeks, so they’re probably expecting a lot from us.” (Kento)
This week marked the end of the league matches, and next week, the second-place teams from each league would compete for the remaining slots.
Once that was over, the prefectural tournament would begin immediately the following week.
Of course, the coach was going to be passionate about it.
“Still, we’ve got a game tomorrow, right? Does he really need to push us this hard…?” (Shouta)
“If you don’t like it, why don’t you just quit?” (Shuuto)
From behind Shouta and me, Shuuto chimed in, his tone calm and indifferent.
That remark made Shouta’s eyebrows shoot up.
“Again with that…! Are you okay with losing an important defender at a time like this!?” (Shouta)
Shouta was the regular shortstop in our team.
Of course, if he left, the position would open up.
“Someone else will just take the vacant spot. Our team isn’t short on talent.” (Shuuto)
That was one of the strengths of a powerhouse school.
Not only do they scout players, but talented athletes who want to make it to Koshien naturally gather, so there are several players for each position who could have been regulars at other schools.
Even if someone left, replacements were readily available.
“If you have a problem with the coach’s methods, then you should leave the team.” (Shuuto)
I see, so that’s what Hiiragi was upset about.
Despite his calm demeanor, he admired the coach.
That’s why he seemed angry at Shouta for complaining about the coach’s approach.
“Why do I have to listen to you…?!” (Shouta)
“Because you’re the one complaining—” (Shuuto)
“Alright, that’s enough, you two.” (Kento)
Before things could escalate further, I stepped between them.
This kind of thing is exactly why Kujouin-san says I’m always playing mediator.
“First off, Shouta was just venting because he’s tired. He doesn’t actually think the coach’s methods are wrong, right?” (Kento)
“O-Oh, of course not.” (Shouta)
When I looked at Shouta, he nodded quickly.
It had been clear from the way he was talking that he didn’t mean it seriously.
“Honestly, though, complaining about something like that just shows a lack of grit, doesn’t it?” (Shuuto)
Even though the misunderstanding about what Shouta meant was cleared up, Hiiragi still wasn’t letting it go and jabbed at him again.
“Everyone perceives things differently, don’t they? Besides, if we outright ban venting like that, people will just bottle up their stress, and even more might quit.” (Kento)
I understood what Hiiragi was trying to say, but his approach felt too forceful. It’s one thing to have expectations of others, but forcing them to comply is another.
“If they want to quit, they should just quit…” (Shuuto)
“That’s not right. The same goes for what you said to Shouta earlier—Hiiragi, you should learn to value your teammates more.” (Kento)
“What…?” (Shouta)
Hiiragi frowned, glaring at me, clearly not pleased with my words.
“For starters, I can confidently plan a pitching strategy that relies on forcing grounders because Shouta is holding down the shortstop position. If it were someone else, I might have to switch to a strikeout-focused strategy. And if that happens, your pitch count will increase, leaving you more fatigued in the late game. You’d also end up playing fewer matches as a result, wouldn’t you?” (Kento)
Hiiragi might be our ace, but ultimately, it’s my job as the catcher to decide the game’s pitch distribution.
Hiiragi usually doesn’t shake his head, so he probably doesn’t have any issues with how I lead.
That’s exactly why he might not have considered what it means to adapt the strategy, but for me, adjusting the pitch selection based on our team’s strengths is a given.
If, as Hiiragi suggests, teammates start leaving, the overall level of defense will naturally decline.
When that happens, relying solely on his pitching, how far does he think we could advance?
Honestly, I don’t believe we’d make it to Koshien.
The accumulated fatigue and increased risk of injury would only make things worse.
“Heh… It’s rare for Kento to give a lecture.” (Shuuto)
Hiiragi scoffed, staring intently at me.
He didn’t seem like he was listening, but the fact that he wasn’t arguing back meant he understood.
“If something is obviously wrong, of course I’ll speak up. In Shouta’s case, he’s not just a defender but also our leadoff batter. He’s the fastest on the team. There’s no way we can afford to lose such a valuable asset, right?” (Kento)
Even though we could replace someone if a vacancy arose, losing a player who had fought hard to secure their spot as a regular would inevitably weaken the team.
With the tough requirement of taking first place in the prefectural tournament, deliberately lowering our strength at the last minute seemed outright foolish.
“Haa… So even someone like this is indispensable, huh?” (Shuuto)
“Someone like this?!” (Shouta)
Shouta snapped in frustration at Hiiragi’s exasperated sigh.
These two…
“It’s the same with everyone else. Hiiragi, I respect your dedication and discipline, but pushing that onto others isn’t right. And telling someone to quit is absolutely out of the question. Some people rise to the challenge at their own pace and improve.” (Kento)
“…Yeah, I get it.” (Shuuto)
Hiiragi seemed to think for a moment, but he didn’t argue and nodded in agreement.
I half-expected Hiiragi to say something like, “At their own pace? Are they really making an effort? Or are they just satisfying themselves with the illusion of effort?” But maybe he decided to hold back, knowing I’d have a rebuttal ready.
Since it seemed like he understood for now, I figured the conversation was done.
“Haa… I don’t think I could ever win an argument against Kento…” (Shouta)
Shouta muttered, having watched our exchange.
“No, I’m not really good at verbal fights, you know?” (Kento)
I mean, I always lose to Frost-san when it comes to that.
Besides, I don’t like fighting in the first place.
“Well, I can’t imagine you ever getting into a fight, Kento. You seem like you’d get along with anyone. I bet you’re all lovey-dovey with Frost-san at home too.” (Shouta)
Shouta added with a look of envy as he glanced at me.
Despite everything I’ve told him before, he still doesn’t get it.
“Ahaha… stop it. Seriously, I’ll get scolded at home for this.” (Kento)
Shouta’s teasing must be because of that rumor Frost-san mentioned before.
Just when it felt like the distance between us was starting to close, if rumors about us being lovey-dovey spread even more, it could undo all the progress we’ve made.
I really couldn’t let that happen.
“—Wait, speak of the devil… isn’t that Frost-san over there?” (Shouta)
“Huh?” (Kento)
I followed Shouta’s pointing finger and spotted a blonde-haired beauty peeking at us from behind the clubroom building.
It was definitely Frost-san.
“What’s she doing…?” (Kento)
She had no reason to be near the field.
And the way she was silently watching us… was a little unsettling.
I haven’t done anything to upset her this time… right?
As I thought that, Frost-san stepped out from behind the building and slowly started walking toward us.
She must have noticed that we had spotted her.
“H-Hey, she’s coming this way…!” (Shouta)
“Why are you so excited? Clearly, she has business with Kento, not you.” (Shuuto)
Hiiragi sighed in exasperation at Shouta, who was getting visibly excited. Shouta, in turn, pouted, and the two looked like they were about to start bickering again.
But before they could, Frost-san reached us, and they both fell silent.
“Is something wrong…?” (Kento)
Like Hiiragi said, out of the three of us, it was most likely that she needed me for something.
So I decided to ask.
“May I borrow him for a moment?” (Sophia)
Ignoring my question, Frost-san addressed Shouta and Hiiragi with her usual cool demeanor.
“Y-Yes, of course! Feel free to do whatever you want with him—boil him, roast him, anything!” (Shouta)
Clearly thrilled to be spoken to, Shouta cheerfully handed me over.
This guy, acting like it’s none of his business, says whatever he wants. What’s he going to do if I really do get boiled or roasted?
“Is it something you can’t talk about here?” (Shuuto)
Unlike Shouta, Hiiragi—completely uninterested in girls—fixed her with a cold gaze.
For a moment, Frost-san seemed to flinch under his sharp stare. Considering Hiiragi’s height of 182 cm, it was no surprise that a girl like her might feel intimidated.
But she quickly regained her composure and returned a similarly icy look.
“It’s a family matter. It has nothing to do with you, does it?” (Sophia)
As expected, she was strong-willed.
Hiiragi was quite the handsome guy, but his sharp gaze and rough way of speaking were enough to intimidate most girls. They’d be too scared to speak after just a glare… Yet here she was, directly responding to him.
“Is this something that needs to be discussed all the way out here on the field?” (Shuuto)
I understood what Hiiragi was trying to say.
If it was a family matter, she could talk about it at home, anytime. So why come all the way out here to discuss it?
Still…
“Don’t glare at her like that. She’s here because she has business with me, right?” (Kento)
I thought it was a bit much for Hiiragi to intimidate her, so I placed a hand on his shoulder to stop him.
No matter what reason she had for being here, it wasn’t right to treat her dismissively.
“So she’s your younger sister huh, the so-called ‘Solitary Flower’? She did say it was a family matter, after all.” (Shuuto)
Despite me stopping him, Hiiragi continued.
Frost-san, who understood the meaning behind that nickname, looked irritated by the mention of it.
“So, what’s the problem?” (Kento)
I moved to stand between Hiiragi and Frost-san, positioning myself in front of her as a shield, just in case.
“You’re protecting her?” (Shuuto)
Naturally, everyone here understood what I was doing, and Hiiragi took the chance to press me on it.
“She’s family, after all.” (Kento)
I gave a smile and shrugged my shoulders.
I thought I understood Hiiragi’s personality to some extent.
He wasn’t the type of person who would hurt others without reason.
However, if there was a clear intention behind it, he wouldn’t hesitate to hurt someone.
And I had an inkling that Hiiragi might direct that kind of harshness at Frost-san.
His straightforward words could hurt her, even if she doesn’t show it.
That’s why I needed to fully shift the focus onto me.
“…………” (Shuuto)
Hiiragi stared intently into my eyes.
He was probably trying to figure out what I was thinking.
Even though we’d only known each other for about a year, we’d spent a lot of time together. More importantly, we were the ones who had been most serious and honest with each other.
As much as I thought I understood Hiiragi, he probably understood me just as well.
“Heh, you’re not pushing her away, you’re protecting her… I see.” (Shuuto)
Hiiragi muttered to himself, seeming to come to some sort of realization.
It was hard to catch exactly what he said, since it was under his breath.
As I kept an eye on his movements, he leaned in closer to my ear.
“When did she become so important to you?” (Shuuto)
“—!” (Kento)
I froze at his unexpected words.
“What are you talking about…?” (Kento)
“Playing dumb, huh? Fine, whatever.” (Shuuto)
Hiiragi pulled away from me and shifted his gaze toward Frost-san.
“So, the rumors about a girl troubling Kento… I guess that’s not the case, huh?” (Shuuto)
It seemed like he was now addressing Frost-san directly.
“I’m not sure what you’re talking about…” (Sophia)
Naturally, Frost-san, not understanding the context, tilted her head in confusion.
“Hiiragi, stop saying weird things.” (Kento)
I quickly stepped in to stop him.
“It’s not strange, is it? It’s an important question.” (Shuuto)
As I had suspected, Hiiragi seemed to be questioning what was really going on between me and Frost-san.
“Don’t worry, it’s not what Hiiragi thinks, and I’ll keep my promise.”
What Hiiragi was probably worried about was the promise I made to not let Frost-san distract me from baseball. The fact that she came all the way to the field and that I protected her seemed to have gotten to him.
“Yeah, I expect you to keep that promise. Well, what I was worried about wasn’t that… Seems like it was unnecessary concern after all.” (Shuuto)
It seemed the conversation was over.
Or so I thought…
“…Just so you know, if you try to get in our way, I won’t forgive you.” (Shuuto)
He glanced back one last time, glaring at Frost-san.
In response, she instinctively pinched the sleeve of my shirt with her fingers.
Fortunately, it seemed like neither Hiiragi nor Shouta had noticed.
“That’s not how you should say it. Besides, she has nothing to do with our situation. Don’t just assume things about her.” (Kento)
As Hiiragi mentioned, if I were to actually lose focus because of Frost-san, the fault would lie entirely with me. She wouldn’t be to blame.
Of course, there was always the possibility that she might do something to make things difficult for me, but she was a earnest person by heart, so I didn’t think she would intentionally interfere.
As for my mental stress—honestly, I felt like it had decreased a lot these past few days.
“…I think this is the first time I’ve seen you so worked up.” (Shuuto)
Hiiragi, looking at my face, unusually shrugged his shoulders.
“No, I’m not angry or anything…” (Kento)
“Really?” (Shuuto)
Hiiragi tilted his head in confusion.
It seemed I had looked angrier than I thought.
“Anyways, it’s fine as long as she doesn’t interfere. Looks like the two of you are getting along well.” (Shuuto)
Hiiragi waved his hand dismissively as he headed back to the school building.
“What was that guy… I don’t get it.”
Frost-san furrows her brows in anger after Hiiragi had said his piece and left.
Well, I couldn’t really blame her for being upset about how he acted…
“O-Okay, I’ll head to the classroom first! I’ll see you later!”
Shouta, who was clearly trying to avoid the tense atmosphere, left, following Hiiragi.
It wasn’t like Shouta to act like this, but with Frost-san in such a bad mood, he probably figured it was better to leave than stick around with her.
Which left me alone with Frost-san—just the two of us—and my stomach began to hurt.
“U-Um… sorry about what Hiiragi said.” (Kento)
I apologized quickly, deciding to take the initiative.
In situations like this, it’s best to act first.
“You shouldn’t apologize for that… I mean, you were just protecting me… thank you…” (Sophia)
I hadn’t expected it to work, but this approach surprisingly got through to Frost-san. Instead of the irritated remarks I had braced myself for, I ended up receiving a genuine thank you.
Maybe this method wasn’t so bad after all.
“Hiiragi can be easily misunderstood by his words and actions, but he’s not a bad guy, really… Please don’t misunderstand him.” (Kento)
“Not a bad guy… with that attitude…?” (Sophia)
I had tried to cover for Hiiragi, but I could see the doubt on her face. It seemed like it wasn’t convincing at all.
Well, I couldn’t blame her. It probably sounded too hard to believe with how rude he was.
But really, he wasn’t a bad guy. He was just a baseball fanatic, and he couldn’t stand anyone interfering with that…
“He’s Kurogane-kun, right? I can’t believe you can be teamed up with someone so intimidating…” (Sophia)
Intimidating?
Her words were so unexpected that I couldn’t help but wonder.
“You think guys are scary, Frost-san?” (Kento)
I was also surprised that she knew Hiiragi’s last name.
“Of course… All guys are scary.” (Sophia)
She didn’t seem like someone who would think that, though…
Could it be that the reason she keeps people at a distance is because of that? But if that were the case, she should get along with the girls better… There was still so much I didn’t understand about her.
“Ah, anyway… about what I came here for… is it alright if I talk to you about something?” (Sophia)
The tense atmosphere Frost-san had earlier faded, and she began fidgeting restlessly.
I understood that she had to get to the point quickly, since school would start soon, but… why did she suddenly become so restless?
“Ah, what’s wrong?” (Kento)
“Well… it’s not really a big deal, but…” (Sophia)
She said that, almost as if setting up a defense, and for some reason, she looked down.
As I wondered about her behavior, I noticed that, in addition to her schoolbag, she was holding something in her hand.
It was probably a lunch bag.
And it looked more like a men’s lunch bag than a women’s one.
Wait…?
Doesn’t she usually eats in the cafeteria, just like me…?
I’d seen her a few times either heading to the cafeteria or eating there, so I assumed that was correct.
Or rather, I’d never even seen her prepare a bento at home.
As I was thinking that—
“T-This… it’s a thank you for this morning…!” (Sophia)
Suddenly, she thrust the lunch bag toward me.
She tightly shut her eyes, looking embarrassed, and her face was bright red.
She seemed to be struggling just to hand it over.
Did she make this just for me…?
“Thank you…” (Kento)
I glanced down at the bento box inside the bag that she handed me.
“This… you made this yourself, right…?” (Kento)
“Y-Yes, well… I couldn’t make breakfast, so… this is my apology…” (Sophia)
She really was an earnest person, after all.
Oversleeping is something that happens to everyone once in a while—it’s unavoidable. But the fact that she still took the time to make this for me despite already waking up so late…
“You didn’t have to go that far…” (Kento)
“It’s nothing, really. I can make something like this in no time.” (Sophia)
“I see, as expected of you… Thank you, I’m really happy.” (Kento)
“—!?” (Sophia)
When I expressed my thanks with a smile, her already red face turned even redder.
Then, she quickly turned her face away.
“That’s not fair…! To show such a smile here, that’s too much…!” (Sophia)
She was muttering something under her breath, but what was that about?
If I somehow made her angry with that, I don’t even know anymore…
As I watched her, she started taking deep breaths (*Suu… Haa…*)
Once her breathing calmed down, she turned back to face me.
Her face was still red, and she was lightly sweating, trying her best to put on a cool expression.
“Ahem…!” (Sophia)
For some reason, Frost-san deliberately cleared her throat.
“S-Since I went through the trouble of making lunch for both of us, we could, um, use this as a chance to strengthen our family bonds and—” (Sophia)
*Ding-dong-ding-dong!*
*Ding-dong-ding-dong!*
Just as Frost-san was speaking, the morning bell rang, almost as if to interrupt her.
“Ah, no way, it’s already this late…! We need to get to our classroom!” (Kento)
We were still on the field, so if we didn’t rush, we’d be late.
Being late would be no joke, and Shouta and the others would start having weird suspicions again.
“Come on, Frost-san, you need to hurry too! It’d be bad if we’re late!” (Kento)
She was holding her school bag, which meant she had come directly to the field instead of heading to the classroom.
Naturally, if we stayed like this, we’d definitely be late.
“Ugh… I was trying so hard to invite him to lunch to make up for things, and now it’s come to this…! It’s all Kurogane-kun’s fault…!” (Sophia)
Once we parted ways at the separate building, I heard Frost-san shouting something in English.
Was what she was about to say that important…?
Well, if it was really that important, she’d probably message me later on my phone.
Thinking that, I stopped worrying about it and hurried toward the classroom.
TL Notes:
Thanks for reading!
I wished the author picked another name instead of Shuuto. Shouta and Shuuto is just too confusing for my brain to handle.
I’ll apologize in advance if the baseball part didn’t make sense since I don’t play baseball and I don’t really know about the various roles and positions and whatnot.
“If I quickly cooked the rice now, I’d be able to make it on time without being late.”
I dont think cooking rice in 10 mins is possible tho…
“I wished the author picked another name instead of Shuuto. Shouta and Shuuto is just too confusing for my brain to handle.”
Real…i think you can use their first names? Hiaragi? Or is that the last name? Japanese names confuse me bruh
Unfortunately, Shuuto and Shouta are their first names. For consistency sake, I always refer to the speaker using their first name for all characters.