Jinseigyakuten Uwakisare Enzai wo Kiserareta Orega Gakuenichi no Bisyoujo ni Natsukareru [LN] Bahasa Indonesia

 

Chapter 1: Alliance Formed!

1

The boys in this class were truly fortunate.

After all, they had two of the grade's most celebrated beauties right here.

One was Minase Mishio.

A lovely girl with medium-length hair. She was highly expressive, the very picture of innocent cheer. It was striking how often she used gestures and body language when she spoke—which made sense. She belonged to the drama club and was supposedly quite talented. There was even a rumor that she had attended a talent school back in elementary school.

Liked by everyone, regardless of gender, she was currently gathered with a mixed group of boys and girls during the break, chatting and laughing happily.

The other was Koreeda Murasakiko.

In stark contrast to Minase, she possessed a more refined, classically beautiful face. Her looks, long hair, and composed aura made her the object of admiration for many students, both male and female. However, perhaps because she seemed like a flower on a high peak, she was only ever surrounded by other girls.

Because her given name, Murasakiko, was so hard to pronounce, her close friends had called her Yukari since they were kids.

“Man, I’m seriously glad I got put in this class.”

It was no wonder such comments slipped from the mouths of the male students. Now that they were second-years, they would get to see these two every day for a whole year, so naturally, they felt grateful for their good fortune. Though, if they really felt that way, I couldn't help but think they should stop gazing from afar and actually go talk to her.

As for me, Aoi Sakura, I was one of those watching from a distance, but I had my own reasons for not wanting to get closer to either of them.

The chime signaling the end of the break rang out.

Everyone listlessly shuffled back to their seats. This included Minase’s group and the girls gathered around Koreeda—

“Hey.”

“—!?”

A sudden voice made me practically jump out of my skin.

The speaker was Minase Mishio. She had leaned in, peering right into my face. Her large eyes reflected my startled expression.

“What is it?” I asked.

“Were you just looking at me?”

That’s what she came out with. ...She’s sharp. I thought she was engrossed in her chatter, but she’d noticed my gaze?

“...You’re full of yourself.”

I dismissed her with a single word.

“I’m pretty confident about it, actually. It’s not just the stares aimed at me, but who’s looking where. I’m super sensitive to that stuff.” Minase said proudly.

Watching her, I suddenly understood.

“Is that because of the drama club?”

“Bingo.”

She held up a finger, as if confirming the correct answer.

“It’s important to know who the audience is focused on, see? You gotta draw their eyes to the right spot for the big scene.”

“Hmph.”

Though she’d hit the nail on the head, I forced myself to answer curtly. Still, I was impressed by how deeply that actor’s instinct was ingrained in her.

It made me want to ask her something I’d been wondering about, and the words almost slipped out, but I managed to swallow them back.

“You were looking at Koreeda-san, too.”

“...”

Was that also due to the acting skill Minase had just mentioned?

“Yeah, well, of course I was. She’s a total knockout. I really am glad I ended up in this class.”

“Liar! Like you actually think that.” Minase laughed.

As evidenced by the fact that I’d just repeated the exact words I’d overheard earlier, it was, of course, a lie. If Minase was a natural-born actress, maybe she could also see through people’s emotional tides and the meaning behind their words.

“Look, just go sit down already. Next is Sakazaki.”

“Ah, crap!”

Minase spun around in a panic. She seemed to have completely forgotten.

Our next teacher, Sakazaki, had a favorite saying: students should be seated and waiting when the teacher enters. If even one person was standing the moment he walked in, he’d launch into a lecture directed at the entire class.

That was why only a handful of classmates were still standing. At this rate, Minase would be the last one to take her seat.

Just as I thought that, the classroom door opened. It must be Sakazaki.

The first thing he did when he entered was scan the room for standing students. Minase was definitely going to get caught.

“Sensei.”

Before Sakazaki could launch into his usual ritual, I stood up and called out to him.

Sakazaki looked at me with a puzzled expression.

“I had a question about the last class, could I come ask you about it during lunch break?”

“Of course. Come any time.”

Without looking particularly pleased to see a studious student, Sakazaki simply nodded with a straight face. He probably considered answering student questions a teacher’s duty. I figured I’d just ask him about some random thing I mostly understood and pretend I was enlightened.

By the time Sakazaki looked around the classroom again, all of the students were seated.

I glanced over at Minase, who was pressing her hands together in an apologetic gesture, but I decided to pointedly ignore her.

§§§

The day’s classes were over, and I headed home.

I lived alone in a small 1LDK apartment.

I’d been good at soccer since I was a kid, and I dedicated most of my middle school life to the sport. Thanks to that effort, my club went to the national tournament, and I took pride in the fact that our brilliant record was partly due to my skill.

Wanting to hone my abilities further, I left home right after graduating middle school and enrolled in a strong soccer school in the city. That school was my current one, Shiritsu Kazamigaoka High.

But the vision I had of a powerhouse soccer school wasn't what I found there. A few of the upperclassmen, hiding from the advisor, were forcing brutal training on new members under the guise of “coaching.” They’d make us run endlessly, calling it basic conditioning, or forbid us from drinking water.

They claimed it was tradition. So, I followed along. I thought this was the source of a strong school’s power. But during the summer break of my first year, in a murderous heat that the news warned against daily, I collapsed from heatstroke during practice and was rushed to the hospital.

Fortunately, it wasn't serious, but that was where my spirit broke. My soccer peaked in middle school, at best. No, maybe I wasn’t cut out for it in the first place. I told myself that, and I quit soccer.

Having run away from the sport I'd been so devoted to—the one I thought was my life's calling—I now lived the life of a typical non-club student. I went home right after class. Sometimes I’d stop somewhere with friends. And a few times a week, including weekends, I worked my part-time job.

Today, I came straight home without hanging out with anyone. I didn't have work either. But when I checked the fridge, it was looking pretty bare, so I decided to head to the convenience store.

I left my second-floor apartment and was about to go down the stairs when I heard footsteps coming up from below. I instantly ducked into the shadows.

The footsteps passed the second floor and continued up to the third. I poked my head out and looked up, and there was the back of a girl in our school uniform. Her short skirt fluttering as she ascended the stairs, it was Minase Mishio.

Yes, Minase lived in the same apartment building. A strange coincidence: she lived directly above me. She didn’t know I lived here, and she hadn’t noticed. I was the only one who knew about her.

That aside, what bothered me was that Minase had been coming straight home every day since spring break. She was supposed to be in the drama club.

“She must’ve quit...” I muttered to myself.

Minase, who had been coming home late after dark all last year, was coming home early every day, even if it had only been a week. There could only be one conclusion.

“But still, I hear her voice exercises every day.”

Was it just habit? But judging by what I heard, it was a proper voice exercise, not something done out of mere inertia. Could she still have lingering feelings for the club?

That’s why every time I saw Minase, I was tempted to ask, but I always swallowed the words. I knew how painful it was to be asked something obvious—something you could tell just by looking—because classmates had asked me the same thing after last summer break. I should probably keep my vulgar curiosity in check here.

I stopped looking up the stairs and headed for the convenience store.

§§§

In the evening, I went out onto the balcony to take in the laundry.

There was no doubt it was dry, so I mindlessly took the items off the hangers one after another.

“Oh, crap...”

Just then, I heard a voice from above. Minase. I hadn’t noticed until now, but she seemed to be out on her balcony, too.

A moment after wondering what was wrong, I saw it.

“Are you kidding me...?”

I couldn’t help but groan.

It was a white bra. It had caught on the railing of my balcony. She must have fumbled it, and the wind pushed it back, resulting in this.

I let out a huge sigh.

For a second, I hesitated. But figuring it was only a matter of time before she realized I was here, I steeled myself and picked it up. Even if I didn’t, Minase would eventually have to come down to retrieve her fallen item.

I leaned out a little over the railing and looked up. Sure enough, Minase was looking down with a troubled expression.

“Is this yours, Minase?”

It went without saying, but I couldn’t think of anything else to say.

“Huh? Aoi-kun!? Why are you there!?”

“Because I live here, obviously.” I shot back at the wide-eyed Minase, keeping my tone dismissive.

“Just catch it. I’m throwing it up.”

“What? You’re throwing it!?” Minase looked horrified.

“Well, what do you want? Should I just hold onto it and wait for you to knock? Or should I bring it up to you?”

“P-Please throw it...” she replied, resigned.

Of course. She’d want to be rid of this thing as quickly as possible. I wanted to hand it over fast, too.

“I think it’ll be fine, but just in case it flies somewhere weird, don’t try too hard to chase it, okay? You’ll fall.”

“O-Okay...” Minase nodded, looking tense.

“Here we go. Hup.”

“Hoh!”

Minase caught what I threw up with a comical sound effect and a solid grab. Like a gymnast finishing a routine, she froze in that pose for a moment.

“Oh, thank you.”

By the time she offered her thanks, I was already halfway back inside with the rest of the laundry. Once the business was done, there was no need to linger.

“Wait, hold on! Hey, Aoi-kun!”

I heard her voice, but I ignored it. As if to say, Let sleeping dogs lie, I shut the full-length window to the balcony.

However, before I could even fold a few of the clothes I’d brought in, the doorbell rang. No, it wasn’t just a ring—it was a rapid-fire assault. Given the timing, I didn’t even need to check the intercom to know who it was.

I sighed again—and then opened the door.

“Hey!”

The moment I opened it, Minase, looking distinctly annoyed, shoved herself right up to me. The distance between us was practically zero. One more half-step and we’d be touching. Our faces were inches apart. Because of our height difference, Minase was looking up, and I was looking down. Seeing her up close again, I was reminded: she really was an unbelievable beauty.

I put a hand on Minase’s shoulder and pushed this girl, who was utterly oblivious to personal space, back a step. Then I took a step forward and closed the door behind me.

“Oh, you’re not going to let me in.”

“Like hell I’m letting you in! Don’t just try to walk into a guy’s apartment when he lives alone. Don’t you have any sense of self-preservation?”

Why did she look so crestfallen?

Also, I didn’t want her to see the laundry I’d just brought in, which was still unfolded.

“So, what is it?”

“Oh, right! Aoi-kun, why are you here!?”

“I told you, I live here.”

No matter how many times she asked, that was the only answer.

“Since when?”

“Since the beginning.”

I decided on this place when I entered high school. I hadn’t moved in partway through.

“Then when did you know I was here?”

“Since the beginning.” I gave the same answer again.

To be precise, it was a little after I started school. A rumor started going around about a cute girl in another class, and that’s how I learned about Minase. A few days later, I coincidentally found out she lived in the same building.

“Why didn’t you say anything?” Minase’s face tightened slightly.

It seemed this was the source of her annoyance.

“Why? Wouldn’t it be totally creepy? Having a guy from the same school living right next door?”

That’s why I kept quiet. When we moved up to the second year and ended up in the same class, it became even harder to say anything. That’s also why I didn’t want to get close to Minase at school.

“Hmm. So that’s how you think, Aoi-kun.”

Her annoyed expression vanished, replaced by a look of pure curiosity.

This is bad.

“That all you wanted? See ya.”

I abruptly cut the conversation short, quickly slipped inside, and closed the door.

“Wait, hold on!”

The sound of fists pounding on the door. Then the doorbell was hammered again. I ignored all of it.

“Moo!”

Finally, she let out that sound, gave up, and went home.

2

The next morning, just as I was about to head to school.

The doorbell rang.

I only knew one person who would visit this early in the morning. It definitely wasn’t a delivery. The saving grace was that she rang it normally, not with the rapid-fire assault from yesterday.

“Yes?”

I answered the intercom, holding onto a sliver of hope. However, the monitor that lit up the moment the call connected showed the person I expected.

“Oh, good. You’re still there. It’s me, it’s me.”

“...”

She saw her face on the monitor and decided to skip introducing herself.

“...Hold on a sec.”

I hung up the intercom and stepped outside.

Minase Mishio stood there, wearing the standard blazer uniform cutely and holding her school bag. She had apparently stopped by on her way to school.

“What do you want?”

Was it another complaint?

“Oh, yeah. I thought we could walk to school together.”

“I really don’t want to, though.”

“An instant rejection!?” Minase’s eyes went wide, as if she hadn’t expected to be turned down. I suppose not many guys would refuse to walk with a cute girl like her.

“Now, now, don’t be like that. We’re neighbors, after all.”

Her surprise lasted only a moment before she immediately started pressing me again.

“Neighbors... I asked you this yesterday, but don’t you think it’s creepy having a guy from the same class living right next door?”

It was a purely male perspective, but wasn’t it kind of terrifying? In a way, it felt scarier than a complete stranger. So, I figured it was best for both of us to just pretend we didn’t know.

“Hmm? I wonder.” Minase thought for a moment.

“It’d be creepy if you were a guy who was secretly into me and I didn’t feel the same way, I guess? But you’re not like that, are you, Aoi-kun?”

“Well, yeah.” I answered vaguely.

To nod in agreement with Minase’s question would be the same as saying I didn’t feel anything for her, so I avoided a clear statement.

“See? I knew it.” Minase didn’t seem to mind.

“And you’re considerate enough to have kept quiet about it until now, right? I actually like that about you.” Minase smiled. It was an expression of pure innocence, and it made my heart skip a beat.

“So, what do you say? Wanna walk together?” Minase asked again, her face completely guileless.

“What do you mean, ‘So’? That doesn’t follow at all.”

“Aww, come on. We’re neighbors, aren’t we?”

“Just neighbors, that’s all.”

When I shot back, her face turned into a little pout. She then narrowed her eyes and glared at me.

“...Even though you were clutching my bra just yesterday.”

“Hey! Don’t use that to gauge our relationship! That was an accident!” I felt the need to shout. I wasn’t exactly thrilled to hold it either. But I thought resolving the situation quickly was best for both of us, so I did what I did.

“If that wasn’t enough, I’ll throw something else down next time.”

“Stop! What kind of threat is that?”

Just as I was starting to fear she’d do it intentionally next time, not accidentally, her face instantly went from narrowed eyes back to normal. Her expressions really did change on a dime.

“Well, that was half a joke. But walking to school with someone is nice, you know? It was normal in elementary and middle school, but now I hardly ever do it. Oh, sometimes I run into someone on the way, I guess.”

Minase was popular, so no one would ignore her if they saw her.

A thought occurred to me. Was she lonely?

Minase had probably quit the drama club over spring break. In other words, she’d lost one of her communities.

I understood, having quit a club myself. Right after I quit, I felt a real sense of loss. I stopped contacting the guys I was connected to through soccer, and since my life since middle school had been a straight shot from class to practice, I didn’t know how to spend my afternoons. Whether she realized it or not, Minase might be feeling the same way now.

“Fine, whatever.” I heard myself say.

“Really!? Yay! Can you leave right now? Or should I come back later?”

“No, I’m ready. Just wait a sec.”

“Okay, I’ll wait.” Minase looked delighted.

It was hard to feel bad when she looked that happy. With her watching, I stepped back inside to grab my school bag.

I walked with Minase toward the station.

Kazamigaoka High, which we attended, was about three train stops away. Fortunately, both the walk from home to the nearest station and the walk from the destination station to school were short, so we only had to use the train.

Minase’s steps beside me were light and bouncy.

“What was your first name again, Aoi-kun?” she asked, turning her body toward me. I worried she’d trip walking like that.

“Sakura.”

“Sakura, huh?” Minase nodded, as if satisfied with the information.

“Sakura, you—”

“Hold on, you’re calling me by my first name already?”

Was her sense of personal boundaries broken?

“In that case, you may respectfully refer to me as Minase-sama.”

“...Nah, I’ll stick to just calling you Minase.”

Come to think of it, I was calling her by her first name, too.

“…Sorry, just Minase is fine.” Come to think of it, I’ve been calling her by her last name without honorifics too.

“Then I’ll call you Sakura. First names feel kinda nice, don’t they?”

It seemed her sense of boundaries was still broken.

“Why do you live alone, Sakura? Is your family far away?”

“It’s far. The sticks. It’s a prefectural capital, so it’s not that rural, but... I don’t really want to talk about why I came here.”

“Gotcha.” Minase didn’t press for details.

She lived alone, too, so I was tempted to ask her the same, but I swallowed the words. Just as I hadn’t wanted to answer that question after quitting soccer, Minase might have her own reasons for not wanting to talk about it—family issues, for instance.

“Still, I can’t believe we live in the same building.”

I guess not. Living alone as a high schooler was rare enough, so you wouldn’t expect someone in the exact same situation to live right next door.

“Hey, can I come over sometime?”

“No! I told you yesterday, I’m not letting you in!”

Where was her self-preservation instinct? She needed to let it do its job.

“Ooh, naughty. You’re thinking weird things.”

“I’m not! I’m telling you to consider the possibility!” I shot back at Minase, who was smiling teasingly.

Of course, I had no intention of doing anything if Minase came over. But that was only true for now. Even if I said that, there was a chance I might lose my head and act recklessly if I were alone with a cute girl like Minase. I didn’t trust my own self-control that much.

“Duly noted. But Sakura isn't going to do anything weird. And neither am I. So, no problem.”

“Suit yourself.”

I secretly decided that if she came, I would absolutely send her away.

We arrived at school while chatting about such pointless things.

Along the way, Minase was often greeted by other students in our uniform, which showed just how popular she was. It was only natural that a few people next to her were startled when they saw me, too.

“Good morning!”

Minase called out a greeting to no one in particular the moment she entered the classroom. A few classmates responded, mostly girls. This was the usual morning scene in our class, and it was a feat neither of us could pull off.

I felt a brief buzz in the classroom when I followed Minase in, but I pretended not to notice.

“Morning.”

The moment I put my school bag on my desk, I heard a voice.

I turned around to see a male student with a well-defined face and a healthy, light tan from repeated sun exposure. His name was Kuki Shōma.

“Morning, Kuki.”

I answered his greeting and sat down. Kuki took advantage of the empty seat in front of me and plopped down.

“Did you, by any chance, come with Minase?”

“We ran into each other on the way.”

Kuki knew I lived alone. But I hadn’t told him Minase lived in the same building. Maybe I should tell him before he finds out from an unexpected source.

“Nice one.” Kuki grinned, looking amused.

“I didn’t do anything. I’m not as popular as you, Kuki.”

“Nonsense. You’re not bad yourself, Aoi.”

“Is that a dig? Or a boast?”

Kuki was undeniably handsome. Girls liked him. A compliment from Kuki just sounded condescending. I felt like the unspoken words after his line were, ...But you’re not as good as me. Of course, Kuki wasn’t that kind of guy.

“Wanna know my secret to being popular?”

“What is it?”

I didn’t actually want to know, but I asked just to keep the conversation going. Kuki leaned in as if to share a secret.

“You rejoining the soccer club, Aoi.”

“Not this again.”

I regretted engaging.

Kuki Shōma was an active soccer club member. That meant I had practiced side-by-side with him from the start of the year until summer break.

“Come back, Aoi.”

But now I was a former member. Kuki, on the other hand, was the ace and already a candidate for the next club captain. And he constantly tried to persuade me to rejoin. Otherwise, a sporty, wild-type ikemen like Kuki wouldn’t pay attention to me.

“Let’s just drop it. I ran away. That’s all there is to it.”

“It wasn’t your fault, Aoi. If we kept that up, someone was going to collapse sooner or later. It just happened to be you.”

Kuki was probably right. The amount and intensity of that practice were insane for a Japanese summer, where murderous heat had become the norm. It was inevitable that a member would collapse like I did. But I couldn’t just accept it. In the end, all that was left for me was the fact that I’d run away from soccer.

“It’s been half a year, no, seven months. I can’t catch up now even if I went back. You want me to start over from scratch with the new first-years?”

I hadn’t even played soccer seriously in P.E. since then. My body probably couldn’t move like it used to. And it was pathetic, but I couldn’t bring myself to start over with a clean slate like a new recruit. My pride, the pride of a guy who had dedicated his life to this sport since childhood and led his middle school team to nationals, wouldn't allow it.

“You can do it, Aoi.”

“I’ll think about it.”

I brushed off the persistent Kuki with those words. It was essentially my way of saying I wouldn’t think about it, but this was our usual exchange. Kuki was the kind of guy who wouldn't give up, and he’d probably ask again.

“I’ll be waiting for a good answer. See ya.”

“Yeah.”

I raised a hand in response to Kuki as he stood up and left.

Just then, my eyes caught Koreeda Murasakiko.

“...”

Our eyes met briefly, and I felt myself quickly look away. Was she looking at me? I wanted to think no way, but the fact that I had a reason for her to be looking was the problem.

3

The day, which had started with a frantic morning, ended up being surprisingly normal.

When all the classes and the final homeroom were over, I gathered my things into my school bag and stood up. I turned toward the classroom exit—

“—!?”

And I froze.

Minase was standing right in front of me. Hands on her hips, striking a defiant pose. However, her face didn’t have the severity of a guardian statue; she was beaming.

I scanned the room with my eyes. The classmates nearby held their breath, watching to see what would happen, and those further away were whispering and looking over.

“Let’s go home.” Minase declared innocently in the middle of it all.

“Nah, I’ll pass, thanks.”

“I figured you’d say that.”

When I dismissed her with the same words I’d used this morning, she just laughed merrily, not at all offended.

“See ya. Tomorrow.”

I tried to slip past Minase.

“Oh, wait, wait!”

Of course, she wasn’t going to just let me go, and Minase immediately chased after me.

The classroom buzzed again, just like this morning, but I ignored it and left the room.

I figured tomorrow was going to be a pain.

We walked down the hallway side-by-side.

“You said you didn’t want to, but you’re not running away?” she asked, looking at my face and smiling happily.

“The effort isn’t worth the payoff. Besides, even if I ran, you’d probably just chase me down.”

Since we lived in the same apartment building, we were going to the same place. If I left her feeling unsatisfied here, she might just show up at my apartment.

“Well, if you actually ran away, I probably wouldn’t chase you.”

“Crap. I should’ve done it.”

“Hey, hey.” Minase gave a wry smile.

Even as we talked, Minase was greeted by several passing students and waved back.

Watching that, I said, “You must have tons of friends who’d walk home with you.”

Minase was cute and popular, as evidenced by this. She probably had no shortage of people to hang out with.

But then—

“You’d think so, wouldn’t you?” Her reply was strangely vague.

I looked at Minase, and perhaps sensing my gaze, she looked back and smiled sweetly.

We arrived at the shoe lockers just then. I took my school-issued leather shoes from my cubby and slipped my feet into them, moving away from the area. Minase, being a girl, was carefully putting on one shoe at a time.

“I’ll wait outside.”

“Oh, okay. I’ll be right there.”

I called out to her as I passed.

I exited the shoe locker area and waited where I wouldn’t block anyone. For a second, I thought about just leaving, but Minase appeared before I could decide. After all, it was just changing shoes; the difference between fast and slow was only a minute or two.

“Sorry to keep you!”

Minase jogged up, then gave a small hop and landed on both feet right in front of me.

“Oh, you didn’t run off. Impressive.”

“Like I would.”

I thought about it, though.

Having a girl stand right in front of me at point-blank range was bad for my heart. I walked away as if fleeing the spot. Minase fell into step beside me.

“Why are you having so much fun, anyway?”

“Huh? Because it is fun.”

Minase answered without hesitation. She acted happy because she was happy. It was so obvious that I felt stupid for asking.

“Walking home with someone is nice, you know?”

“You said the same thing this morning.”

“Did I?” Minase tilted her head, seemingly unaware.

“What about you, Sakura? Aren’t you having fun?” she asked in return.

Well, I was a guy, so honestly, I couldn’t not be happy walking next to a cute girl like Minase. Though there was a part of me that felt self-conscious, like a guy like me shouldn’t be.

“I wonder.”

But I didn’t want to admit it outright, so I dodged the question.

“Hey, Sakura, what do you usually do for dinner? Do you cook for yourself?”

“Mostly, yeah.”

I was a high school student, so I got an allowance from home. Plus, I had a part-time job, so I had a decent amount of spending money. Still, it was best not to waste it. I planned to save whatever I didn’t use, pay it back upon graduation, and then ask them to use it for my university tuition.

At that thought, my face darkened. I had just remembered a certain fact.

I still hadn’t told my parents I quit soccer. I had pressured them into letting me take the entrance exam for a strong soccer school far away, so I hadn’t been able to tell them I quit less than six months after starting, and here we were.

It was a pathetic story, no matter how you looked at it.

As I was thinking that—

“What’s wrong?” Minase asked. Had it shown on my face? I looked over, and she was looking at me with a puzzled expression.

“Nothing, it’s fine.”

“Okay. ...So, what about today?”

“Tonjiru.” I answered simply.

“Tonjiru?”

“Yeah, tonjiru. My mom taught me before I came here. She said, ‘As long as you can make tonjiru, which gets you meat and veggies all at once, you’ll be fine.’”

It was a very broad philosophy, but it had saved me many times. When I got lazy, I’d make a huge batch of tonjiru and just eat it with rice in a big bowl.

“Ooh, that sounds good. Can I come over and try some sometime?”

“No. Don’t make me say it again.”

And she was already assuming I’d cook for her.

“Then, wanna come to my place?”

“No! Don’t just casually invite a guy over!”

Her sense of boundaries was still broken. Was she always like this? As the person living directly below her, I remembered hearing her call over female friends and being noisy, but I never sensed a guy’s presence. Though, I might have just missed it.

“What about you, Minase? Do you cook for yourself?” I asked her in turn.

“I do. I’m not bragging, but I’m a good cook. My specialty is curry.”

“Curry, huh...”

A bad memory flashed through my mind, and I couldn’t help but wince.

I’d thought I should learn to make curry, too, so I tried it once. To maximize cost and time efficiency, I made three days’ worth, but I quickly got sick of eating the same meal for three days straight. To top it off, when I reheated it on the third day, I scorched it spectacularly, and cleanup was a nightmare. The cost and time efficiency ended up being terrible, and I hadn’t touched curry since that day. I usually just ate instant packets when I craved it.

“Oh, I know! Wanna eat together sometime?” Minase suggested, as if a great idea had just struck her.

“I told you, I’m not going to your place, and I’m not letting you into mine!”

“No, I mean, don’t you think it’d be a feast if we combined my curry with Sakura’s tonjiru?”

I imagined it after she said that.

“It would be, actually...”

Since both were quintessential working-class dishes, I questioned whether combining them would make it a feast, but it would certainly be a substantial meal for someone living alone.

“That sounds good.”

“Right!?” Minase grinned happily.

Even so, it would require either me going to Minase’s place or Minase coming to mine. The problem ultimately came back to that.

I looked over, and Minase was already trying to figure out side dishes that would go with curry and tonjiru, muttering things like, “No, that won’t work,” and, “What about this?” She looked genuinely happy. I bet she wasn’t thinking about the concerns I was having, not even a little bit.

I couldn’t help but let out a massive sigh.

“?”

Minase heard it and tilted her head, looking at me. She must think I was a strange person by now.

“Being with you makes me feel like an idiot, you know?”

I wasn’t going to do anything to Minase, and she didn’t suspect me of anything. So why worry? I was overthinking it. I should trust myself more.

“So, when should we do it? Today?”

“You’re rushing things. Some other time.”

If I was going to make tonjiru and Minase was going to make curry, today would actually be the perfect opportunity. No time like the present, right?

But if Minase was coming over, I hadn’t exactly trashed the place, but I’d still want to clean up and organize first. Conversely, if I went to her place, I needed to prepare myself mentally. Unfortunately, I wasn’t experienced enough with girls to just casually accept an invitation.

“Hmph.” She pouted for a brief moment. She quickly cheered up on her own and started thinking about menus to go with the curry and tonjiru again.

Her expressions really did change constantly. My mouth naturally curved into a slight smile.

“This isn’t so bad.”

And as I walked beside the girl, I realized I’d muttered that to myself.

Fortunately, Minase didn’t seem to hear it.

§§§

The next day.

Annoyed that I’d had such a thought despite being jerked around by Minase since the day before yesterday, I left home before she could spring her morning ambush. Although, she might not have come today anyway.

I also killed some time at the convenience store by the station and caught the train that would get me to homeroom just in time. Since high school commuting was usually at its peak then, the train felt more crowded than usual.

I entered the classroom right as the chime rang.

I casually looked over at Minase, who was, as usual, surrounded by a few classmates and chatting away. When she noticed me entering, she gave me an annoyed look. ...Looks like she came to my place again today.

Minase stood up. Just as I braced myself for a complaint, the homeroom teacher walked in right behind me. The students who weren’t seated shuffled back to their desks. Me too, of course. Minase sat back down with a face full of clear dissatisfaction.

It seemed all I’d accomplished was making her mad.

The first period ended, and it was break time.

“You were cutting it close with being late today, that’s rare.”

Kuki came over. He sat on the chair in front of me, as usual.

“I had a bit of a situation.”

“Hoh, the Aoi who used to be the first one at practice, no matter what.” Kuki showed interest. I figured this would lead to him asking for details or badgering me to rejoin the soccer club.

Just then, a shadow fell over us. The voice that came from above was Minase’s.

“Hoh-hoh-hoh. Well then, why don’t you let me in on this ‘situation’ of yours?”

“Good morning to you, too, Minase.”

“Don’t ‘good morning’ me! I went to Sakura’s place again today! What the hell do you mean by leaving early!? That’s so mean!”

Just as I suspected, she was mad. And to make matters worse, she used my first name. The classmates nearby gasped and looked over.

“Sakura?” Kuki, who heard it up close, tilted his head in confusion.

“What’s with you two, all of a sudden?”

“Well, just a little something.” I spoke vaguely.

Kuki’s question was valid, but... should I tell him the truth? This wasn’t just about me. If I just blabbed, Minase’s address would get out to any number of guys. If she lived with family, fine, but she was a girl living alone.

As I was racking my brain,

“Yeah. Just a little something.” Minase cut in, mimicking my words. A kind of smug superiority was leaking into her tone because she was in on the secret.

“Right?” she asked, looking at me for agreement, but I remained silent.

Minase’s face turned into a pout.

“Shouldn’t you say, ‘Right’?”

“Like I’m some kid...” I muttered. Was that my style?

“Minase, we should tell Kuki.”

More accurately, I wanted to prevent the information from spreading endlessly by sharing it with Kuki. If classmates knew, it would spread through the grade, and eventually the whole school. In this day and age, there was no benefit to making a girl’s address public information. Countless guys would want to know where Minase Mishio lived. The fewer hints that could lead to identification, the better.

“Oh, right. Good point.” Minase seemed to grasp the danger.

“Sakura, can you switch seats with me?”

“Sure.”

I got up from the chair, and Minase took my place. She then leaned close to Kuki so they could talk without being overheard. Kuki leaned in, too.

“Actually, I live in the same apartment building as Sakura.”

“...Seriously?”

“...Seriously.”

Kuki’s eyes went wide, and Minase nodded with a solemn expression.

Kuki looked at me with the same expression.

“It’s true. Right above me.” I answered, sensing the meaning of his gaze.

“Man, you lucky bastard.”

“And since I don’t want a bunch of guys thinking that, you gotta help us cover it up, Kuki.”

He was what you’d call high on the social totem pole and had influence. Most people would believe a small lie from him, and if he told them to stop prying, everyone would comply. It wouldn’t hurt to have Kuki Shōma on our side.

“You owe me one.”

“Say that after you’ve actually done something to earn it. ...Though I’m still not rejoining the club.”

I needed one more influential ally besides Kuki—I thought, and casually scanned the classroom while talking to Minase and Kuki.

My eyes landed on Koreeda Murasakiko.

“...”

She was looking over at us, and she looked genuinely pissed off. Her mouth moved slightly.

(What? You need something?) Her eyes were narrowed. It was pretty scary.

(N-Nothing at all!) I said in a whisper that couldn’t possibly be heard, and quickly turned my face away.

I had wanted her as an ally, but I decided against it.

4

As expected, the sudden closeness between Minase Mishio and me caused a stir. Mostly in the form of the other boys being jealous and grilling me about it.

Kuki was a huge help. He mostly shut things down with a single line: “Those two just happen to live close to each other.” Plus, Minase herself was the type to be friendly with everyone regardless of gender, which probably helped things settle down quickly.

We walked to school and home together on and off. One time, I waited for her, thinking she might show up, but she’d already gone to school by herself, so I decided to do whatever I wanted from then on. If Minase showed up before I left, we’d go together, and if she called out to me before I left the classroom, we’d walk home together.

About a week passed like this, and mid-April was already upon us.

It was a rare day when I came home without exchanging a single word with Minase at school.

After taking a moment to relax at home, I went out onto the balcony to take in the laundry.

“Hmm? Sakura, you there?”

A voice drifted down from above.

Minase, of course. She must have been on her balcony, too, and heard me come out.

“Oh, I’m here.”

I poked my head over the balcony railing and looked up. Minase’s face was there. She was smiling happily, without a care in the world.

“What is it?”

“Nothing. I just called you because it sounded like you were there.”

“What kind of reason is that?”

She probably meant it literally. She called because I was there. No ulterior motive.

“This is kind of nice, isn’t it?”

“You think so?”

I didn’t quite get what was so great about it. It was the kind of scenario you’d see in a manga or drama—childhood friends in neighboring houses coming out onto their balconies to chat. Though, in our case, it was vertically adjacent, so it didn’t seem like we could keep it up for long without our necks hurting.

Just then, I noticed something in Minase’s hand, which was resting on the balcony railing. It looked like a piece of white cloth, and I hoped it was a handkerchief.

“Ah...”

This time, Minase noticed where my eyes were focused. Her face flushed, and she quickly pulled her hand back. Her reaction told me exactly what she was clutching.

“You’re too careless...” I wanted to hold my head in exasperation.

“Oh, r-right!” Minase quickly changed the subject, as if to cover up her blunder.

“You busy now? Wanna come over?”

“To your place? Is there a reason?”

“Well, I can make you coffee, at least.”

So, no particular reason, then.

I thought it was reckless to invite a guy to an apartment where you lived alone, and equally reckless to just go when invited, but after spending a week with Minase, I had to admit that thinking that way felt kind of stupid.

“Are you any good at making it?”

“Nah, just okay. I let the coffee maker do all the work.”

And she still thought that was a good enough reason to invite me over.

“Fine, whatever. ...Alright, I’ll go.”

Maybe it was time to drop the unnecessary restrictions.

“What should I do? Should I come up right now?”

“Um... give me about five minutes, okay?”

“Got it.”

Alright, I’d take in this laundry, tidy up, and then go.

The laundry was indeed tidied up in five minutes, but between changing clothes and generally making myself presentable, it was closer to ten minutes before I stood in front of Minase’s door.

I rang the doorbell. Minase answered the intercom right away.

“It’s me, Aoi.” I announced myself, even though she could see me on the monitor.

“I’ll open up now.”

The intercom cut off, and the door opened shortly after. Minase was wearing a casual house dress with a miniskirt.

“You’re slow!” That was her first line.

“It took longer to get ready than I thought.”

“Gotcha. ...Come on in, come on in.” Minase stepped back, inviting me in.

I’d noticed by watching her up close: Minase was highly emotional, and that included getting angry or sulky. She’d get mad like she was now, but it would pass quickly. She was probably just honest about her feelings in the moment.

Now that I knew that, I tried not to worry too much about her emotional fluctuations.

“Oh, use those.” She pointed to a row of slippers lined up right inside the entryway. They seemed to be for guests.

I slipped my feet into them, but then stopped, unable to take the next step.

“What’s wrong?” Minase asked, noticing I wasn’t moving forward.

“Nothing. You didn’t leave the laundry lying around, did you?”

“Of course not!” Minase pouted.

“Like I’d let you see my laundry! I’d rather you saw under my skirt, even—”

“You’d be okay with that!?”

“Assuming it was an accident, yeah.”

It was nice to know she’d overlook an accident. I hoped I wouldn’t be charged with a crime for that.

Minase turned and walked ahead. I followed.

“But guys who try to peek? You’re all bad.” Minase said that, half-joking.

She turned around to face me after we passed the short hallway.

“Are you the type who wants to see that, Sakura?”

“No comment.”

“Wow, surprisingly honest.” Minase giggled.

“Shut up.” I looked away from her, turning my attention to the room.

The layout was the same 1LDK as mine. Due to the building’s structure, adjacent apartments were mirror images, but since this was directly above mine, it was exactly the same.

The door to the next room was closed. That was probably Minase’s private room.

“Just sit wherever.”

I looked where she pointed and saw a stylish two-seater sofa and a low table. My place had a zaisu (legless chair) and a low table that turned into a kotatsu in the winter. That small difference made me realize this was a girl’s apartment.

I sat on the sofa.

“Wait a sec. I’ll brew it right away.”

Minase said that from the kitchen, and immediately after, I heard the low, heavy whir of a machine. It seemed to be a coffee maker that brewed a single cup at the press of a button.

“Milk and sugar?”

When the sound stopped, her voice came flying over.

“Just milk is fine.”

“Okay. ...Here you go.”

Minase quickly returned and placed a mug and two coffee creamers on the low table. She then went back to the kitchen—and the coffee maker started whirring again.

I watched Minase as I poured milk into my mug, thinking she was a hard worker. Maybe she had a nurturing personality.

Minase soon returned with her own cup.

“Okay, scoot over, scoot over.” She said, then plopped down right next to me.

“You’re too close.”

I stood up, ready to switch places.

“But, like, this is the only couch, right?”

“Fine. I’ll sit on the floor.”

Minase Mishio was truly oblivious to personal space. The sofa was a two-seater, but it wasn’t meant for two people to sit so close. We weren’t touching shoulders, but it was cramped.

Just as I was about to sit on the floor.

“Ah...” Minase let out a small sound.

I froze in my half-crouched position. Was there a problem with sitting on the floor?

“What is it?”

“If you sit there, it might be an accident, you know? You sure about that?” Minase said with a mischievous look.

Minase was sitting on the sofa in a short skirt, and I would be sitting on the floor—it certainly looked like an accident waiting to happen.

I slowly straightened my knees and stood up.

“I hate to ask the host to do this, but could you sit on the floor instead?”

“You should’ve just let an accident happen once, for science.” Minase said, and to my horror, she pinched the hem of her skirt with her fingers.

“If you do it on purpose, it’s not an accident. It’s a crime.”

Minase finally stood up, and we switched places. We both sat down. I took the sofa. Minase sat on the floor, in a typical girl’s sitting posture.

“So? What do you think of my place?” Minase asked after we both took a sip of coffee.

I had tried not to look around much, thinking Minase wouldn’t like it, but now I finally scanned the room.

From what I could see of the kitchen and this living room, it probably wasn’t much different from my apartment. Some things felt a step up—like the sofa and low table here versus my zaisu and low table—but the types of items weren’t that different. There was nothing overtly feminine in the design or color, either. The difference would probably be in her private room behind that door.

“It’s nice, I guess. Feels like you put a lot of thought into it.”

By keeping the overly feminine look subdued, the room had a calm atmosphere. Maybe she aimed for that kind of vibe in the living room.

Though, I felt far from calm right now, but that was probably because I was in a girl’s apartment alone.

“Oh, you can tell?” Minase leaned in.

“It took me a whole month to settle on this layout. I’d think, ‘This angle right here is the best,’ but then I’d go to school and come back and think, ‘No, something’s still off,’ and move it a little again.”

“For a whole month?”

“Yeah!” Minase laughed merrily.

I was amazed she kept that up for a month. But that’s probably why the space felt this way. I would have compromised immediately.

“What about your place, Sakura?”

“My place? It’s normal.”

I hadn’t obsessed over it like Minase, but I did make sure to pick out furniture I liked, since I’d be living there for three years.

“Is it super messy, maybe?”

“Sorry to disappoint, but I’m careful about that.”

I was afraid that if I let it get messy once, I’d lose all control and it would spiral endlessly. Having lived a sports-focused life, I kept it tidy more out of seriousness than fastidiousness.

“Can I come over sometime?” Minase asked, her voice full of expectation.

“Well, we still have that tonjiru and curry collaboration, so... eventually.”

We hadn’t even decided whose place we’d eat at. If it was my place, I guess that would be fine. As long as it wasn’t spur-of-the-moment.

Minase gave me that mischievous smile again.

“You’re not saying ‘don’t come’ anymore.”

“I told you, it started to feel stupid.”

Minase was talking about coming over and wanting to go to my place without any self-consciousness, so it felt idiotic for me to be the only one acting so serious.

“I don’t think I was wrong to think that, though.”

“No, you’re probably right.” Minase replied instantly when I said that with a sigh.

“I like that about you, Sakura.” Minase said something that made my heart flutter again.

“But hey, it’s fine, isn’t it? We’re neighbors. We go to the same school, and now we’re in the same class. Let’s be friends and help each other out. When you’re sick, being alone can really take a toll on you.”

“That happened to you?” I asked, prompted by her heartfelt tone.

“Just once last year, with a cold.”

It was based on her actual experience. That meant Minase was sick and alone right here, directly above my apartment. At the time, we had no connection; I only knew her as a celebrity, but I felt strangely apologetic.

“Someone from the club came over after school that time, though.”

“I see.”

I gave a casual nod while thinking about something else entirely.

The "same club" meant the drama club. Now that I was closer to Minase, I thought this might be the first time she had mentioned the club.

It was a good opportunity, so I decided to ask.

“Hey, did you quit the drama club?”

“Huh?” Minase looked bewildered. She probably hadn’t expected to be asked that. That meant she didn’t know that I knew she had quit.

“Oh, no, I just heard a rumor.”

I had heard no such rumor. I wanted her to take it in the sense of having overheard it somewhere.

The truth was, I only figured it out because Minase wasn’t going to club activities after becoming a second-year and was coming home early every day. But saying that would sound creepy, like I was monitoring her and eavesdropping. So, I spontaneously lied.

“Oh. ...Yeah, I quit.” Minase said casually, without fuss.

“Just... a few things happened.”

“Hmph.”

I waited a moment, but Minase didn’t seem ready to elaborate. Still, from the way she spoke, something definitely had happened.

“Did you know? Kazamigaoka used to be a regular at the national drama competition.”

“For drama? No, I didn’t know that.”

I didn’t even know there was a national drama competition. But if there were national competitions for chorus, band, and Hyakunin Isshu poetry, I guess drama wasn’t so strange.

“Ah, so that’s why you live alone, Minase.”

It seemed the answer to the question I’d almost asked before was right here. Essentially, she was the same as me—someone who had left the countryside to enroll in a strong school, in her case, for drama. This school was surprisingly multi-talented.

“Yeah, exactly. I thought this was where I could finally get serious about acting.” Minase smiled weakly as she said that.

“It’s fine, isn’t it? Quitting is an option, too. I quit, you know.”

“Huh...?” Minase’s eyes widened. This was news to her.

“Well, you wouldn’t know. I quit during the summer break of my first year.”

Minase and I were in different classes last year, and even the guys in my class have probably forgotten by now. There was no way Minase would have heard.

“What club?”

“Soccer. ...You see Kuki coming over to me a lot, right?”

“Oh, so that’s the connection.” Minase nodded, finally understanding. She must have thought we were a strange pair.

“I see. So Sakura quit his club, too.” She murmured quietly.

For a while now, I’d had the feeling she was bothered by having quit her club. I felt the same way, so I thought I understood. You joined with ambition, and you quit without seeing it through—no matter what the circumstances, that’s all that remains. It leaves a distinct scar on your heart.

That’s why, knowing it was irresponsible, I threw those words at Minase. If starting is an option, then quitting should also be an option. Who decided that if you start something, you have to finish it, or that quitting is a failure?

Still, it felt like I was just rationalizing my own inadequacy, and frankly, it wasn't a good look. It was a convenient sophistry to cheer up Minase, but one I didn't want to apply to myself.

“I think it’s a shame you couldn’t pursue drama seriously at a strong school. But—”

“Then we’re the same!” Minase cut in, her voice rising. She leaned over the low table, her eyes shining as if she’d found something fascinating.

“Huh?” A dull sound escaped my lips.

“The same what?”

“That we quit our clubs.”

That much was obvious from the flow of the conversation.

“I’ve actually been stuck with too much free time lately.”

“Wait, so you’ve been clinging to me because of that?”

I could sympathize with the feeling of not knowing what to do with your time after dedicating yourself to a club, but I didn’t appreciate being used to pass the time.

“Well, come on, it’s fine. I really do want to be friends because we’re neighbors.” Minase brushed off my protest.

“But this officially makes us allies, right?”

“Allies of what?”

“Wait a sec. I’m thinking of a good name right now.”

Minase crossed her arms, tilted her face up, and began to think. As I watched her, I thought about how you don’t usually get to see the underside of a girl’s chin, which was a completely irrelevant thought.

Minase turned her face back to me.

“How about, “The Quit-Club Alliance”?”

“What the hell is that?” The words slipped out.

“Is it bad?”

“Of course it’s... wait. Is it... bad?”

I carelessly started to think about it seriously.

I looked back at the last few days.

We walked to school and home together. At first, she got mad if I left first, but lately, it’s been completely random. Some days, like today, we don't exchange a word in class, but then here we are, drinking coffee because we live in the same building.

Maybe this distance wasn’t so bad after all.

“What would we even do if we formed an alliance like that?” I asked, trying to shake off the conclusion I was leaning toward.

“I haven’t thought that far ahead, but I think I just wanted a name for something.” Minase said with a soft smile.

A name.

A name for a new community, perhaps.

“Is it no good?” Minase asked, her voice full of hope.

“I get how you feel, though.” I scratched my head, letting the thought escape as a murmur.

Last summer, I was in the same situation. As soon as I quit the soccer club, I suddenly had nothing to do. It was summer break, so it wasn’t like I could go to the classroom and see my classmates. I could have contacted someone, but I hesitated because I was afraid they’d ask about the club.

Eventually, I started working part-time, and I got used to life without the club—the place I belonged, the pillar of my identity, soccer. Even so, it would be cruel to just dismiss Minase by saying she’d get used to it eventually.

I let out a sigh.

“Fine. I’m in.”

“Really!? Yay!” Minase’s face instantly brightened.

“Seriously, why are you so happy when we haven’t even decided what this group is going to do?”

“Well, we’ll figure that out later.” Minase laughed, trying to cover it up.

She probably really just needed a name for a community. For some people, just belonging to a community is enough to feel secure.

“Glad to have you, Sakura.”

Minase rose to her knees on the floor and held out her hand over the low table. After a slight hesitation, I took it.

In any case, the “Quit-Club Alliance” had been formed right here.

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