Chapter 5: Something More Important Than the Place I Once Belonged
1
Golden Week was over.
In the end, I only spent the first two days going out with Minase and Yukari. The rest of the break was spent working my part-time job—and, of course, I dutifully attended school on the weekdays in between.
And on the first day back after the long break—
“It’s hot...”
It was unseasonably hot.
I left my apartment to go to school in the morning, and the moment I took my first step, I groaned at the intense heat.
Simply looking at the temperature, summer would be hotter. But between a heatwave that gradually built up and a sudden midsummer day, the latter was definitely harder to bear. My body hadn’t adjusted to the heat, and it was rough.
I heard a weather segment on TV warning people about heatstroke.
“Tch.”
I clicked my tongue. I remembered being rushed to the hospital with heatstroke last summer. That incident was the catalyst for me quitting soccer.
I trudged forward, feeling weary about everything. Just as I reached the stairs, I heard footsteps coming down from above. There was only one person I could think of who would be coming down the stairs at this hour. I stopped and waited.
“Oh, it’s Sakura.”
As expected, the person who appeared was Minase. It was the first time I’d seen her in her uniform in a while.
“Hey.”
My greeting was utterly lackluster, worn down by the heat.
Perhaps my listless state looked like an opening to Minase, as she grinned like a child who had just thought of a prank.
The next moment, I realized my mistake. Minase ran down a few steps of the stairs, and—
“Hup!”
With a shout, she jumped from the middle of the flight. She landed right in front of me and squeezed me in a tight hug.
“Morning!”
“You’re hot!”
I hurriedly pulled away from her.
“Still as rude as ever.”
Minase stomped her foot in annoyance.
“I told you not to do things like that carelessly! And especially not today—it’s hot!”
I wondered if Minase wasn’t feeling the heat, so I looked at her again. She didn’t look the slightest bit bothered. She was as energetic as always.
“What are you talking about? We’re going to ride the water slide together this summer, so we have to get used to it now.”
“Sorry. I’m scheduled to be sick that day.”
I said, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible, and turned on my heel. I walked down the stairs. Minase laughed, saying, “There he goes again,” and followed.
Outside, the sunlight, strong for early May, stung my body.
“No, seriously, it’s hot.”
“Right?”
Minase agreed with my grumbling, but she looked perfectly cool. Maybe I was just weak.
We walked side-by-side as a matter of course.
“Cool Biz for adults starts in May, right? I wish they’d move up our uniform change, too.”
Spring in Japan was getting shorter every year. There was no need to cling to the old tradition of changing uniforms in June.
“I know.”
Minase agreed again, but her voice held a hint of a smile.
I looked at her.
“Ah, no, I was just thinking I’ve been complaining a lot.”
“...”
Minase was right, and I fell silent.
“My bad. I just remembered something unpleasant this morning. I’ll stop now.”
It wasn’t the right way to act toward a female classmate. I wasn’t taking my frustration out on her, but it couldn’t be pleasant to listen to.
“I don’t mind listening to your complaints, though.”
“I can’t rely on you that much, Minase.”
I had to manage my own mood. This unseasonable heat wouldn't last forever, anyway.
“What did you do during the break?”
Deciding to stop complaining, I changed the subject.
“Oh, a typical question.”
“Shut up.”
I thought so myself, but I couldn’t come up with anything else.
“What about you, Sakura?”
“I worked my part-time job.”
She had turned the question back on me, but it was only fair for me to answer first.
“I thought you’d come by at least once, Minase.”
“I can’t cause trouble for the shop or for Sakura.”
Minase smiled as she said that, but there was a lack of strength in it. She was probably still worried about barging into the shop on a whim.
“Don’t worry about that too much. I think the Manager would be happy if you came.”
Minase knew about the Manager’s late wife. The Manager would probably enjoy talking about her with someone.
“Besides, are you really not going to buy a drink yourself, just because he offered to treat you?”
“That’s a point. Okay, I’ll go next time.”
Minase smiled.
“So, what did you do, Minase?”
“I hung out with Asahi.”
Yakushiji, huh? I was glad they weren't awkward with each other.
“And I got together with everyone from my class.”
“From the school? The talent school?”
“Yep. Sierra, Sera, and Yozo-chan.”
The Japanese member of a popular K-POP girl group, a high school model, and the faceless diva who refused to show her face. A truly glamorous group.
The interesting thing was Minase’s position. She had quit every community she had belonged to: the talent school and our school’s drama club. Despite that, she maintained good relationships with her successful, amicable former classmates and the club member who was still there. It must be a testament to Minase’s character.
“Oh, right. I took a picture. Want to see it?”
Minase took out her phone and started operating it. Don’t do that while walking, it’s dangerous. Just in case, I looked ahead a little more carefully, ready to warn Minase if anything happened.
“It’s rare for all of us to be together. Especially Sierra.”
Well, her base of operations was overseas.
“Which one is good? This one has Yozo-chan in it, so no...”
Minase seemed to be choosing a photo to show me. She couldn’t show me Yozora’s face, which no one had ever seen. I wondered what would happen if someone accidentally saw it, but maybe it was fine as long as she didn’t explicitly state it was Yozora.
“Here, this one.”
She finally decided and held out her phone.
I took it and looked. Minase was in the center, with two girls on either side of her. I recognized them from the video call the other day: Sera and Sierra. The photo, which looked like it was taken while they were having a snack with juice, didn’t seem to be a selfie based on the composition. Did that mean Yozora, who wasn’t in the picture, took the shot?
“Looking at this, you’re not bad yourself, Minase.”
“What do you mean?”
Minase tilted her head.
“No, I just thought you were just as cute as the other two.”
“Oh, come on.”
Minase tried to laugh it off, thinking it was a joke or a compliment.
“No, I really mean it.”
“Really? I’m so happy.”
Minase looked pleased. I glanced at her from the side, and her face was slightly flushed. It was rare for her to look shy. She covered it up by saying, “I’m blushin’ here,” sounding like an old man.
“Hey.”
I thought about teasing her a little more about it but decided against it, choosing to bring up a different topic.
“Sera, Sierra, Yozora... all their names end in ‘ra.’ Is there a reason for that?”
“Oh, that.”
Minase’s eyes sparkled.
“Actually, there is a reason. You know how in documentaries about Olympic medalists or high school baseball champions, they always have those themes? Like, ‘A vow with a deceased father,’ or, ‘A promise with a friend who fell ill’—”
“Eh?”
“Just kidding.”
The moment I thought she was about to tell me something heavy, Minase mischievously stuck out her tongue.
“You’re impossible.”
“But it’s true that we all deliberately chose to do that. The reason is a secret, though.”
Minase said.
It seemed there was a reason after all.
And one more thing was certain: there was a bond between them strong enough to share that secret.
Come to think of it, she mentioned a promise before. Their promise must be to fulfill their respective dreams.
2
As noon approached, the temperature rose, and it seemed today was the first midsummer day of the year.
And, unfortunately, our fourth period class today was P.E.
“So hot.”
The words slipped out of my mouth, and I quickly looked around.
“What’s wrong?”
Kuki, who noticed my behavior, asked.
“Oh, nothing. I just thought complaining was pathetic.”
“It’s actually hot, so you can’t help it.”
Kuki was understanding.
“Alright, let’s get fired up!”
There was a reason for his unusual enthusiasm. To my dismay, the P.E. unit for the next few weeks was soccer. The teacher wanted to see how well we could play first, so we were about to play a match divided into two teams.
We were in a strategy meeting now. However, we didn’t really have a strategy. After confirming our positions and roles, we were just lazily waiting for the match to start.
“Gotta show the girls what we’ve got.”
They’re in class, too. They’re not watching us, I thought. But when I looked for the girls, they were leisurely practicing passes on the handball court. In their relaxed atmosphere, many of the girls were facing us, casually tossing the ball and looking over. Still, I didn’t feel like showing off.
Suddenly, my eyes met Yukari’s, and she gave a small wave.
“There’s your reason to get fired up.”
“No, there isn’t.”
I dismissed him immediately.
Since quitting soccer last year, I hadn’t taken the P.E. soccer unit seriously. I just didn’t want to be involved anymore.
Fortunately, I was on the same team as Kuki. He was the guy expected to be the next soccer club captain. If I just passed the ball to him, our forward, he would score on his own and lead us to victory.
“Huddle up!”
The P.E. teacher, Sakurai’s, voice echoed.
Strategy time was over.
Sakurai, who was refereeing, explained that there would be no offsides and that dangerous plays like sliding tackles were prohibited—and then the match began.
Being high schoolers, the game didn’t devolve into the embarrassing spectacle of everyone chasing the ball like elementary schoolers. On the other hand, the game was slow. I watched the skirmish in the midfield from my position at side back, feeling frustrated.
I took my eyes off the game and looked at the girls. They had been tossing the ball back and forth, but now they were practicing lateral passes while running. They didn’t seem to have the leisure to watch the boys.
Despite that, Minase and I made eye contact.
She was walking and looking at me while returning to the starting position after passing the ball in a pair to the end of the court.
Please don’t watch me, was my honest feeling.
But then I wondered why I felt that way and shook my head.
It was probably because I felt pathetic about myself right now. I had quit soccer, and I was so sulky that I wasn’t even taking P.E. class seriously. Yet, I was getting frustrated at the slow pace of the game.
Minase, on the other hand, likened herself to a flower, lived by the motto “I’ll decide for myself where I bloom,” and hadn’t missed a single vocal exercise since quitting the drama club. She insisted she would act again somewhere.
Minase and I were so different.
Where, I wondered, was my place to bloom?
“Aoi!”
Suddenly, Kuki’s voice rang out.
I looked, and Kuki, on the front line, was gesturing for me to pass the ball to him. Why are you telling me that? I don’t have the ball.
“Tch.”
I clicked my tongue and ran toward the ball. Our teammate, Noro, a defensive midfielder on the opposite side, was currently keeping the ball.
“Pass it to me!”
“Noro, pass it to Aoi!”
My voice and Kuki’s overlapped.
We were saying the same thing. But Noro was confused. Why Aoi, all of a sudden? He looked back and forth between Kuki on the front line and me, looking bewildered.
“Sorry, I’m taking it.”
Judging that a pass wasn't coming, I stole the ball from Noro.
I didn't think my place to bloom would be in a P.E. class against amateurs, but I’d be damned if I let myself wither away like this.
I dribbled to the opposite side and advanced into enemy territory. Two defenders closed in, but they were amateurs. I easily got past them and sent a pass toward the goal.
“Ugh, that was awful.”
I couldn’t help but give a wry smile right after the kick. The control was far from accurate. It was the kind of pass that would have raised doubts about my motivation during club activities. Was it due to the long break?
“Well, Kuki will probably pick it up.”
I stopped running, as if to say, The rest is up to you, and watched the outcome.
And sure enough, Kuki ran to intercept the ball and trapped it cleanly. He dodged the closing defender and finally scored by exploiting a gap in the goalkeeper’s defense. It was more like a careful pass than a shot; the ball rolled gently and silently shook the net.
“Yes!”
Kuki roared in triumph.
The team erupted in cheers as the first goal was scored in a game that had been stagnant.
I watched Kuki with a cold eye, thinking, How can he be so happy over a P.E. class? But maybe that was his best quality. He played seriously even in this kind of soccer, and he rejoiced when he scored.
Kuki turned around and yelled at me with a smile.
“What the hell was that pass! If you’re not going to try, then quit!”
“Shut up!”
I realized all the boys were laughing.
Kuki then turned to Sakurai-sensei.
“Sensei, please let me switch to the other team.”
A sudden proposal.
“Aoi used to be in the soccer club, too, so the balance is off if we keep it like this.”
“I see. That’s a good point. ...Alright, Kuki, I’ll leave it to you.”
As expected, the ikemen normie had the teacher’s full trust.
Sakurai-sensei readily accepted Kuki’s proposal and left the selection to him. After some thought, Kuki chose one player from the opposing team and swapped places with him.
Thus, a trade was made even in the middle of the game—and the match resumed.
Although there was no explicit agreement, I slid into the center-back position, and Kuki, who had been a forward, dropped back to the defensive midfield. We both focused on directing our respective teams.
Soccer is a team sport. It wouldn't work if only Kuki and I, with our superior skills, tried to carry the game. This was the best way if we wanted to play a match to win. And it was the right thing to do for a P.E. class.
As intended, the game became a proper soccer match and a close contest.
In the final moments of the game, with the score tied at three-three, Kuki Shōma finally made his move. He wasn’t planning to end the game with a simple, That was a good match, that was fun. He was coming to snatch the victory in the very end.
Kuki dribbled forward himself.
“Stop him!”
Of course, my teammates tried to stop Kuki without my instruction, but he dodged them all. Kuki’s scenario was probably for him to score the goal and for the final whistle to blow immediately after.
“Guess I have to.”
He was a little far, but I decided to go for it.
I ran at full speed, closing in on Kuki. I caught him. Kuki looked at me closing in from the side. The moment our eyes met, he must have realized what I was about to do next.
We conversed with only our eyes.
(You idiot...!) (Ah, sorry...)
Immediately after, I executed a full-on sliding tackle. It was the prime example of a dangerous play, the one that had been prohibited before the match.
I aimed for the moment the ball was furthest from Kuki’s foot and knocked it away with the slide.
“Whoa!”
Kuki let out a strange cry as he jumped over my sliding body—and failed to land properly, tumbling onto the ground.
The whistle blew.
“What are you doing, Aoi! I told you that was prohibited!”
Sakurai-sensei’s angry roar was heard.
“Sorry, Sensei! I just... couldn’t help it!”
“Go get the ball!”
“Yes, sir!”
I immediately stood up and chased after the cleared ball.
“Sensei, I’m fine. I’m used to it.”
I heard Kuki’s voice from behind me. Since this was a daily occurrence in soccer, I wasn’t particularly worried, and sure enough, he seemed fine. He even covered for me.
The ball had rolled over to where the girls were playing handball, and Minase picked it up and was waiting. She smiled.
“Sakura, that was cool.”
“You think so?”
That wasn’t what you should say to a guy who had just been yelled at and told to fetch the ball. Still, I didn’t feel bad about being called cool.
I took the ball from Minase and returned to the court.
3
“You still look like you’ve got it in you.”
Kuki said this during lunch break.
He must have felt a response after seeing my performance in P.E. class. The blood of the persistent recruiter, who always told me to come back, must have started boiling again.
“Don’t be an idiot. I’d be totally outmatched against the current club members.”
Who was the guy who yelled, If you’re not going to try, then quit! after seeing the accuracy of my pass?
I only did moderately well because it was a P.E. class against classmates who had never played soccer. If I rejoined a national-level powerhouse soccer club, I’d be worse than the new freshmen, at best.
“What a waste.”
Kuki sounded disappointed, but he wouldn’t give up with just this. He would undoubtedly keep inviting me back at every opportunity.
“It really is a waste.”
Then, Yukari appeared.
“Look what I found.”
Found? Her way of speaking was quite childish. I worried that her image strategy would be ruined.
She held out her phone.
The screen showed an old online article from a local newspaper. The content was about a local middle school soccer club making its first-ever appearance at the national tournament.
“That’s Sakura, isn’t it?”
The photo accompanying the article showed the soccer club members. About twenty of them, all lined up in two rows, shoulders linked, crouched down.
It was my middle school, of course. I, the key player in their national tournament debut, was in the center.
“Ugh, that’s embarrassing...”
That was two years ago. I looked so much more childish than I did now.
“Eh, what is it?”
“What are you guys talking about?”
Girls nearby came closer. They all tried to peek at the phone I was holding, so I couldn’t help but put it on the desk, as far away as possible. What kind of penalty game was it to have everyone look at my childhood photo?
“Is that Aoi-kun?”
“Wow, the national tournament!”
They exclaimed in surprise.
“Oh-ho, Aoi the player's stock is skyrocketing!”
“Shut up.”
Kuki, who was on the same soccer team, was probably the only one who knew about this. Around this time last year, I was still confident and boasted loudly about how I had led the club to nationals.
I looked at Yukari.
“I knew your middle school went to nationals, Sakura. I was worried about what you were doing after you moved. But I didn’t think to look up online articles back then.”
So she had dug them up now.
“I watched you in P.E. today, too. Why don’t you just go back?”
“Well, I’ll think about it.”
Feeling a little overwhelmed by having my past self dragged out, I gave an answer that could be taken as either lip service or a throwaway line.
“Seriously!?”
Kuki immediately pounced on that.
He leaned across the desk with a face full of joy, so I silently grabbed his face and pushed him back.
After class today, I went home and took in the laundry a little late in the evening.
“Hot.”
The word escaped my mouth the moment I stepped onto the balcony. The lingering heat of the unseasonable day was still present, even at this hour.
“It won’t cool down until it’s completely dark.”
“I know.”
I was startled by the unexpected response. It came from above.
“Minase?”
I peered over the balcony railing and looked straight up.
“It’s me. ...Oh, just a warning, I’m wearing a mini-skirt right now.”
“!?”
I hurriedly pulled my head back.
Minase’s face, which I saw for a moment, was normal. Why was she so calm? Shouldn’t she be the one being careful, not me?
In the end, I rested my arms on the railing and looked at the view from the balcony. There was nothing special to see; it was a perfectly ordinary view. I could hear a distant ambulance siren, but it had devolved into the background noise of the early evening. Since it wasn’t loud enough to interrupt a conversation, I started talking.
“It was hot today.”
“Tell me about it.”
Minase agreed with a wry smile.
“I took a shower right after I got home. Look, I just got out of the bath. Super sexy.”
“I can’t see you!”
Why was she trying to make me look at her? Who was the one who just told me to be careful?
“If only we didn’t have P.E.”
Of all days, we had P.E. at noon, right in the middle of the unseasonable heat. Bad luck.
“But, Sakura, you looked like you were having fun.”
“Well...”
I searched for words, making a meaningless sound.
“I guess I realized I really do like soccer.”
Just as Minase was searching for a place where she could act, maybe I should search for a place where I could play soccer. I wondered if a place that wasn't too intense but was serious enough would be good.
Minase only said, “I see...” to that.
4
The next morning, as I was changing my shoes at the school entrance, a conversation caught my ear.
“Did you hear? Someone was rushed to the hospital in an ambulance after school yesterday.”
“Seriously? Who?”
“I don’t know. But they said it was someone from the soccer club.”
I doubted my ears for a moment. But even after listening to the rest of the conversation, the story was the same as what I first heard.
I quickly changed my shoes, walked past them as they continued their standing conversation, and headed for the classroom.
Was the ambulance the one I heard yesterday?
The soccer club, you say? Could it be...?
As I walked quickly down the hallway, anger slowly began to well up inside me. I reached the classroom, went inside, and looked around. ...There he was. Kuki.
He was at his desk, looking unusually subdued. Several classmates were around him, but he didn’t seem to be participating much in the conversation. Besides, today was a morning practice day for the soccer club. Kuki being here at this time was unusual in itself.
I walked over to him, still holding my school bag.
“Kuki!”
“Oh, Aoi. Morning.”
His morning greeting lacked energy.
“Is morning practice canceled today?”
When I asked, Kuki seemed to realize that the news had reached me. He gave a self-deprecating laugh before answering.
“Of course, it is.”
It must have been abruptly canceled in response to yesterday’s incident.
“What happened?”
“The same thing that happened to you last year.”
When I pressed him, Kuki answered in a sullen voice. Was that attitude due to the awkwardness of feeling guilty?
“They were still doing that!?”
I couldn’t help but slam my hand on Kuki’s desk. The eyes of every classmate who had arrived turned to me.
The same thing that happened to me last year—that meant a new club member collapsed from the grueling practice. Yesterday was unseasonably hot, and even without the ridiculous practice volume, there must have been freshmen who weren't yet used to the training of a powerhouse school.
“I should offer a defense—they stopped doing anything blatant after what happened to you last year, Aoi. Besides, that kind of thing is part of what makes us strong. You get that, right?”
I fell silent.
Ah, right. Kuki was a bit of a spiritualist, too.
I had thought the same thing last year. That this grueling practice was the very reason why a powerhouse school was a powerhouse school. But then I collapsed. My spirit broke, and I quit soccer. That was why I couldn’t accept Kuki’s way of thinking.
“...The member who collapsed?”
There was no point arguing with Kuki here. I asked what was bothering me.
“He’s fine. He went home last night.”
“I see.”
It was a small relief that it wasn’t a major incident.
“Aoi, why don’t you come back?”
“This isn’t the time to talk about that!”
Kuki’s comment was uncharacteristically tone-deaf, and I snapped.
“No, listen. After yesterday’s incident, they couldn’t cover it up anymore, and a few of the seniors who were in charge of the freshmen training were immediately kicked out. That kind of thing will never happen again.”
Kuki stated firmly.
It was true that the grueling training for the freshmen was something a few seniors did behind the teacher’s back. If those seniors, including the ones who managed to cover it up and escape punishment last year, were all removed, then the same thing wouldn’t happen again.
“Since I’m being called the next captain, I can influence the club’s policy. We’ll do things properly from now on. So, come back.”
Kuki was more serious than he had ever been.
“...Let me think about it.”
Honestly, my heart was wavering, and I only managed to say that much.
I looked around, and all my classmates were watching us, including Minase. She looked worried.
5
There was no further development for the next few days.
Kuki had stopped recruiting me back to the soccer club. He probably thought it was time to wait for my answer. He himself seemed busy with rebuilding the club as a candidate for the next captain and a representative of the second years. That was understandable. There must have been talented players among the seniors who were just expelled. While it wouldn’t be a total collapse of their strength, the situation must be quite difficult.
I wondered if it was right for me, with my long break, to jump into that.
One day during lunch break, I went to the staff room for an errand.
“Who is that? Was there a beauty like that in our school?”
“I don’t know. First time seeing her.”
That was the conversation that reached my ears in the hallway in front of the staff room. I looked up to see what they were talking about, and beyond the male students, there was a single female student.
With reddish, soft-wolf cut hair and a listless expression, she was fiddling with her phone, her uniform deliberately disheveled. But perhaps she heard the male students’ voices, or felt their gaze, because she shot a glare at them.
“Whoops.”
The two of them quickly retreated.
Immediately after, she noticed me.
“Sakura.”
The female student who called my name was, needless to say, Misumi Ririka-senpai.
She was so indifferent to her surroundings and focused on her phone that she probably didn’t realize how much attention she was drawing. But since Misumi-senpai called my name, the attention naturally shifted to me.
“Are you here for a school day?”
“Yeah, something like that.”
She was trying to graduate with the minimum required attendance, so I rarely saw her at school. Yet, her looks and attitude gave her such a strong presence that new students were surprised to see her, and those who knew her treated her like a rare character.
“It’s been a while since I saw you in your uniform, Misumi-senpai.”
This might even be the first time I’d seen her at school this year.
“Don’t look at me with those pervy eyes.”
“I’m not looking at you like that. ...By the way, what are you doing here?”
“The homeroom teacher called me in. And now that I’m here, they told me to wait five minutes.”
I wondered what she had done to get called in. Was it her tendency to skip school? Still, to call someone in and then make them wait was terrible, even if the teacher had an urgent matter.
“That’s a pretty self-centered teacher.”
“Tell me about it.”
I see. So that was why she was killing time by looking at her phone here.
“Hasn’t five minutes passed yet?”
When I asked, Misumi-senpai looked at her phone.
“LOL. It’s way past five minutes.”
“No, this isn’t a time to be laughing. You need to go in now.”
The victim of the teacher’s selfishness was turning into a perpetrator herself.
“Shut up...”
Misumi-senpai said with an annoyed look and disappeared into the staff room. Is she going to be okay with that attitude? I hoped she wouldn’t annoy the teacher and raise the bar for her own graduation.
“Aoi-kun.”
As I watched Misumi-senpai leave, a voice called my name. I turned around, and a girl with a small stature but a determined look stood there. It was Yakushiji Asahi.
“Perfect timing. Do you have a moment?”
“What is it?”
I also had an errand in the staff room, just like Misumi-senpai, but I didn't have a specific time to be there.
“Have you heard anything from Mishio?”
That was an ominous way to start a conversation.
“No, nothing.”
“The truth is, Mishio said she was thinking about coming back to the drama club.”
“Huh?”
I couldn't help but let out a surprised sound.
“It wasn’t a definite wish, more like she was vaguely considering it.”
Listening to Yakushiji, I thought about it.
Returning to the drama club? Minase? The Minase who had firmly stated that place wasn't where she could bloom?
“No way.”
“I think so too.”
My tone had inadvertently become forceful, but Yakushiji calmly agreed.
“I’m curious. I’ll ask Minase about it.”
“Could you?”
I nodded in response to Yakushiji’s question.
Still, since the option of returning to the drama club wasn’t an obvious mistake, all I could do was ask. Even if she said she had simply changed her mind, I couldn’t tell her to reconsider. I was on the verge of changing my mind about soccer, too.
§§§
Today’s classes and homeroom were over.
I packed my things and looked at Minase. She was chatting happily with a few classmates. She didn’t look like she was going home anytime soon. I decided to leave first. Minase noticed me leaving the classroom and waved, so I raised a hand in response.
I went home and, about an hour later, headed to Minase’s apartment.
I rang her doorbell, but there was no response. She wasn’t home yet. I decided to come back later and turned to leave. That was when—
“Oh, it’s Sakura.”
I ran into Minase, who was coming up the stairs.
“Hey.”
I hadn’t expected to see her at this moment, so I felt awkward even though I hadn’t done anything wrong.
Minase looked back and forth between me and the top of the stairs.
“Were you coming to my place?”
“I was hoping we could talk for a bit.”
I decided to look on the bright side—I’d saved myself a trip—and brought up the topic.
“Oh, really? That’s unusual. Sure.”
Minase walked past me and up the stairs. I followed her. Since the distance was short, we reached her front door without saying anything.
“Hold on. I’m just going to check inside first.”
She said, turning the key in the lock.
“Should I come back later?”
“No, no. I think it’ll be fine, but just in case.”
Minase went inside.
After waiting for a little over a minute.
“All clear.”
She reappeared and invited me in.
“Use those.”
She pointed to the slippers she had already set out. I slipped my feet into them and walked further inside.
“I think I’ll go take a shower now.”
“I’ll come back later.”
I turned on my heel.
“Just kidding, just kidding. But I want to change, so wait a little bit.”
This time, she disappeared into her own room.
I felt like I’d been watching her disappear behind doors a lot lately. Was it symbolic of something?
I sat down on the sofa, as I had before, and waited, looking at my phone to kill time.
“Thanks for waiting.”
Minase finally emerged, wearing a mini-skirt. It was a simple design, top and bottom, probably because it was her casual wear.
“Coffee is fine, right?”
She asked, heading straight for the kitchen. I gave a short “Yeah,” to her back.
Soon, the heavy, low sound of the coffee maker brewing a single cup of coffee could be heard. It was followed by a second time.
“Here you go.”
“Thanks.”
I took the mug and poured the milk she had brought with it into the coffee.
“I talked to Yakushiji today.”
As before, Minase sat on the floor, and I waited for that before starting the conversation.
“With Asahi? Oh, really? I’m happy if Sakura and Asahi are getting along.”
Minase smiled softly.
It pained me to interrupt her cheerfulness, but I asked her directly.
“Are you going back to the drama club?”
“Ah...”
Minase made a meaningless sound.
“Asahi told you. ...Yeah, I’m thinking that might be an option.”
Then, she admitted it honestly.
“I know I have no right to interfere, but I’m going to butt in anyway. ...Why?”
That was what I wanted to know.
“Hmm, maybe because I changed my mind?”
“If you say that, there’s nothing more I can say.”
I had a feeling she would say something like that.
“Are you against it, Sakura?”
Minase asked.
“I just said it. I can’t say anything. So I’m neither for nor against it.”
Ultimately, this was Minase’s life, and she was the one who had to decide. My approval or disapproval wouldn’t matter. If she truly wanted to return to the drama club, I would simply support her.
“But, I think it’s a damned shame.”
“A shame?”
Minase tilted her head.
“Yeah, it’s a shame. It’s a shame to think you’d have to lower your head to get back into the club. The people there look down on you as a dropout from the talent school, right?”
“Well, I mean, it’s true that I quit the school.”
“You quit the school. That’s the only thing that’s true.”
It was true on the surface, at least.
“But you quit because of a difference in direction with the school, right?”
The talent school Minase belonged to wanted people who could sing and dance. Minase, who purely wanted to act, didn't match their needs and was marginalized.
“Besides, your classmates at that school are all amazing. There’s no way you, who competed with them, aren’t amazing, too. So why should you be looked down on?”
Minase chuckled softly at that.
“What is it?”
“No, I just thought you were getting so angry on my behalf. I like that about you, Sakura.”
“Shut up.”
Minase looked straight at me and said that, making me feel embarrassed, so I looked away. I rested my elbow on the back of the sofa and propped my chin up, behaving poorly.
I let my thoughts wander for a while—and then an idea struck me.
“Minase, lend me your phone.”
I held out my hand, demanding it.
“? What for? I don’t have many sexy selfies, though?”
“That’s not it... Wait, not many!?”
“Yeah, I have a few. I took them as a joke when Sera gave me clothes.”
I froze in front of Minase, who was smiling happily. Her phone suddenly felt like a bomb. Still, I couldn’t let the plan I’d come up with fall apart over this. And if I thought about it, I didn’t need to operate it myself.
“...I need to contact either Sera or Sierra.”
I forced the words out, bringing the conversation back.
Since Sierra said to contact her if anything happened, I thought I’d be audacious enough to take her up on the offer. But I needed Minase to connect me.
“Oh, I see. Then Sera, maybe? Just a moment.”
It was probably easier to catch the high school model in Japan than the artist whose base of operations was overseas.
Minase started operating her phone.
“Oh, Sera? Hiya, it’s me, it’s me.”
The other person seemed to have answered right away. She really was connected to a famous person everyone envied, just for casual chats. I felt like I was being shown that reality.
“Hey, Sakura wants to talk to you, Sera. Is that okay? ...Yeah. ...Really!? Thanks!”
The conversation seemed to be settled, and Minase handed me the phone.
“Here.”
“Thanks. You’re a lifesaver.”
I took it and held it to my ear.
“Ah, it’s Sakura. I talked to you briefly the other day. Sorry for calling out of the blue.”
Since Minase connected me using the name Sakura, I introduced myself by my given name, too.
“Oh, Sakuracchi. Long time no see. What’s up?” “I have a favor to ask.”
Sera’s casual way of speaking made it easier for me to bring up the subject.
I glanced at Minase, then pointed toward her room. That was my way of telling her, “Go into your room for a bit.” I wanted to proceed with the plan without Minase knowing.
But Minase, for some reason, put both index fingers on her cheeks and gave an unnecessarily cute smile. You idiot, that’s not what I meant! How did she interpret it that way? I pointed emphatically at her room door again. Minase laughed loudly and disappeared into her room. She did that on purpose, the brat.
I finally started talking to Sera about my plan.
5
A few days later, a meeting was arranged between Minase and the drama club seniors.
The location was “Miss Me Blind”.
We were waiting there for the drama club members to arrive.
We had left plenty of time so they could make it even if they headed straight here after school. But they weren't here yet.
I looked around the cafe. There was a studious old man using his electronic dictionary to read a difficult-looking book, and a pair of old ladies enjoying a chat. These two groups were regulars. There was also a rare group of three girls.
The rest were the Manager behind the counter and Misumi-senpai in front of him.
“So, what are you plotting with Sera?”
Minase asked, looking up at me as I stood.
“It’s a secret.”
“Sera wouldn’t tell me either.”
Minase pouted in annoyance.
I had prepared a truly absurd plan. It would be obvious soon enough. However, if the discussion proceeded as hoped, the plan wouldn’t be needed. I would be able to remain silent, just a part-timer. I planned to tell her about it afterward, in that case.
The door chime at the entrance rang.
Two female students in the Kazamigaoka uniform entered. They must be the drama club seniors. They were cutting it close. But they had made it by the appointed time, so I wasn’t going to complain.
I saw that one of them was the same girl I had met at the ramen shop the other day.
“Welcome.”
I greeted them.
“You...”
The other person seemed to recognize me, too. She must have remembered me hitting her with logic, as her face twisted in displeasure.
“I work here. ...Minase is over there.”
I indicated the table where Minase was sitting with my gaze. As the two upperclassmen headed over, Minase stood up to meet them.
“I apologize, Mikami-san. Thank you for coming all this way.”
“Don’t worry about it. I am the club president, after all.”
The female student I was meeting for the first time replied. She was apparently Mikami, the third-year drama club president. My first impression was that she seemed more reasonable than I expected.
“Kaburagi-san, too.”
Minase then turned to the other female student. The senior I had met the other day was named Kaburagi. But she said nothing, only snorted.
Minase directed the two upperclassmen to sit by the window.
I brought them cold water, took their orders, and delivered their coffee. During that time, the three of them—no, Minase and Mikami-senpai—exchanged pleasant small talk.
“Yakushiji-san told me you want to return to the club.”
President Mikami brought up the subject once the coffee was served. I had asked Yakushiji to help set up this meeting, and the purpose had been conveyed at that time.
“If you say so, I welcome you back wholeheartedly.”
“Thank you very much.”
Minase bowed her head.
Kaburagi-senpai, meanwhile, was fiddling with her phone next to President Mikami, looking uninterested in their conversation. If she just kept quiet, everything would go smoothly.
“Minase-san really has exceptional acting skills. Her expression is rich, her performance is powerful, and her emotion is so deep that she instantly captures the hearts of the audience. It’s a rare talent to be able to do that with the very first line, no matter how ordinary the words are.”
President Mikami was praising her more profusely than I expected. This must be the genuine assessment of Minase’s abilities.
However, I, who was observing the situation from the counter, didn’t miss it. Kaburagi-senpai’s face subtly twisted again.
“How’s it going?”
Misumi-senpai asked me in a low voice across the counter.
“Nothing much so far. There’s a slightly ominous feeling, though.”
It all depended on how Kaburagi-senpai reacted.
“If you come back, we won’t have to worry about next year and beyond.”
Looking back at Minase and the others, President Mikami’s lavish praise continued.
But then Kaburagi-senpai cut in.
“I wonder about that.”
She said, placing her phone on the table.
“Aren’t you just going to run away again soon?”
“I intend to make sure that doesn’t happen.”
Minase returned her spiteful remark with a smile.
Perhaps irritated by her composure, Kaburagi-senpai’s cheek twitched.
“When you quit next time, I hope you have at least a little desire left to come back.”
She spat out the words.
That was not a gentle thing to say.
“But before that, if you’re coming back, don’t you have something to say? Huh?”
Kaburagi-senpai looked at President Mikami. Receiving her gaze, President Mikami considered for a moment.
“That’s true. You did formally submit a letter of resignation.”
And that was the conclusion she came to.
“Hold on a second.”
As expected, the conversation was not going in the desired direction, so I decided to interject before Minase could say anything. That was why I was here.
“Minase is the kind of person who was even in a talent school. She’s serious about becoming an actress. Shouldn’t you be the ones lowering your heads to get her back?”
It was true that what the two of them were saying was correct. Minase had resigned from the club. She couldn’t just return as if nothing happened. But what was the reason for her resignation? I couldn’t accept the narrative that completely ignored that and made it seem like Minase was at fault.
“What are you talking about? She gave up on that talent school halfway through, too, didn’t she? That’s nothing to brag about.”
Kaburagi-senpai retorted. Minase must still be a dropout in her mind.
“Mikami-senpai, Minase quit the drama club because Kaburagi-senpai kept saying things like that and made her miserable. You know that, right?”
“Well, yes...”
President Mikami answered vaguely.
Judging by Kaburagi-senpai’s personality, she wasn’t the type to badmouth people behind their backs. She must have said it directly to Minase in front of others. If so, President Mikami must have been aware of it.
I turned back to Kaburagi-senpai.
“You keep putting Minase down, but do you have a better resume than her, Kaburagi-senpai? I’m not very familiar with that world, but were you in a theater troupe or something?”
“I, I’m...”
Kaburagi-senpai stammered.
“It doesn’t seem so. At best, you’ve been in club activities since middle or high school. If that’s the case, please stop mocking someone who tried and failed when you haven’t even tried.”
“What did you say!?”
When I said it clearly, Kaburagi-senpai was speechless. She probably wasn’t used to being talked back to so directly.
“What is your problem? Who even are you!?”
“Me? I just want Minase to be able to act in a proper environment. Honestly, I don’t care who apologizes to whom. Club activities are just a gathering of people with the same hobby, so why can’t you all just get along?”
I was too embarrassed to say it out loud, but the point was, respect each other.
“Mikami-senpai.”
I called her name, pressing her for a decision.
President Mikami was deep in thought, but Kaburagi-senpai cut in again.
“How could we possibly do that after things have gotten this complicated? It’s your fault. If you hadn’t butted in, this girl would have just apologized, and it would have been over.”
Kaburagi-senpai, whose language had become quite foul, glared at Minase.
What the hell are you talking about? She insults people without basis and then throws a tantrum when she’s called out on it. She was the one who was complicated.
“Forget it. She doesn’t have to come back. With a nosy friend like this, it’s never going to work out.”
“You’re right. Maybe it wouldn’t be good for either of us.”
President Mikami agreed with Kaburagi-senpai. It seemed that President Mikami was naturally siding with Kaburagi-senpai, whether she realized it or not.
“Oh, well. What a waste.”
“Seriously.”
Then, a girl’s voice, which was neither the two drama club seniors nor Minase, spoke up.
I turned around, and standing there was a pair of girls: one dressed in very fashionable clothes, and the other in simple, elegant pants that still made her look clearly not like an ordinary person.
“Sera! Sierra!”
Minase called their names, her eyes wide.
“Why are you here!?”
“Well, Sakuracchi called us. ...Hiiiii, Sakuracchi.”
Sera waved at me. It was my first time seeing her in person, and she was indeed a sparkly girl. She had an air that set her apart from ordinary girls.
“I came, too.”
This was Sierra. She stood behind Minase and put a hand on her shoulder.
“Was this what Sakura was talking to Sera about!?”
I figured it would be quicker if I had her two friends, who knew Minase well, talk to them. That’s why I had them wait in the cafe. If the situation had resolved itself smoothly, they wouldn’t have had to appear, but unfortunately, the drama club wasn’t mature enough, and here we were.
“You, you were really friends...?”
Kaburagi-senpai was surprised. It seemed she hadn’t believed the story about Minase knowing Sierra. With Sera showing up, too, there was no room for doubt. President Mikami next to her looked completely lost, as she didn’t know the backstory leading up to this point.
“Yep. Mishio was my classmate at the school. And Sera, too. My profile is on the agency’s website, so you can look it up later.”
Sierra said.
“And about our class. The school had two classes: the regular class, and the star class for students with exceptional talent who were being groomed for debut. And believe it or not, Mishio here was in the star class with the best acting skills among her classmates.”
Sierra spoke with a hint of pride. Next to her, Sera added, “Sierra and I were in the regular class.”
That was news to me, and I was quite surprised.
“Well? I think she’s a pretty good deal, don’t you?”
Sierra smiled, her hand still on Minase’s shoulder.
Kaburagi-senpai and President Mikami looked at each other. Judging by their expressions, they weren’t thinking about reconsidering anything; they were probably just overwhelmed. They simply stared at each other.
The silence was broken by Minase herself. She shook off Sierra’s hand on her shoulder.
“What was that...?”
Her voice was low and cold. It was a voice I’d never heard before, completely different from her usual cheerful tone. She glared at Sierra.
“That was so condescending. Did you come here to laugh at me, the one who didn’t succeed even in the star class? Kyōka, you’re super popular now, even though you were in the regular class.”
“W-Wait a minute, Mishio. I heard you were in trouble from Sakura, so I came with Sera—”
“I didn’t ask anyone to do that!”
Minase shot back, cutting her off.
“Mishio, that’s too much.”
This time it was Sera.
“It’s true we came on our own, but—”
“And you, Taeko, too.”
But Minase also cut off her words.
“Don’t call me that lame name!”
Minase continued to say what she wanted, ignoring Sera, whose face was bright red with anger. Judging by the flow of the conversation, Taeko must be Sera’s real name.
“Ah, I get it. You invited Kyōka so you could laugh at me together.”
“That’s not true!”
“Can you laugh at me, Taeko? You only succeeded in a field that has nothing to do with singing or dancing, anyway.”
Minase snorted. Her expression was cold.
What was this? What was happening? Watching the three of them glaring at each other in a hostile atmosphere, I was confused by the situation.
Could I have misjudged something? Minase’s complex? Had my simple idea of having Sera and Sierra talk her up ended up triggering her inferiority complex, which had been building up since she quit the talent school and the drama club?
This was a situation I had caused. I had to do something. Just as I thought that—
“Like this?”
Minase suddenly said, her face completely calm.
“Not quite.”
“Like this, like this.”
The other two followed suit, nodding at each other. There was definitely a smile on their faces.
“Well, that’s about it.”
She looked around at me and the two drama club members and repeated herself.
I finally understood the situation.
“Was that all acting...?”
“Yeah, it was.”
Minase smiled brightly.
“Sorry, Sakuracchi. When I heard the plan, I thought it sounded interesting. But since I’m Mishio’s friend, I talked to Mishio about whether we could do something more interesting.”
So, I had been used as a stepping stone.
“I was happy that you relied on me, though. Contact me again if anything happens.”
Well, whatever. Their bond was undoubtedly much stronger and firmer than mine, who had only met them recently.
Let’s get back to the main point. The general outline hadn’t changed, despite the irregularity.
I turned to the two drama club members.
“I, I know I was just tricked, too, but Minase’s acting skills are exactly what you just saw. Don’t you think the drama club needs her?”
My surprise had inadvertently slipped into my words, but I brought up the question anyway.
The upperclassmen, who had been simply flustered by the rapidly changing situation, snapped out of it and exchanged a look. Only eye contact was exchanged, no words.
President Mikami looked straight at Minase. Kaburagi-senpai, meanwhile, was looking away sullenly.
“Minase-san—”
“I’m sorry, Mikami-san.”
But Minase cut off President Mikami’s words.
“Please forget about today’s discussion.”
“Eh?”
“I was serious about returning to the drama club until I came here. But it seems I was wrong, after all. I’m truly sorry.”
Minase said, bowing deeply.
6
Kaburagi-senpai and President Mikami from the drama club had left, and the only ones remaining were me, Minase, Sera, and Sierra.
“How much of that was actually true?”
I asked. I felt like there was quite a bit of information in the argument they acted out.
“Well, it’s true that Mishio was the only one in the star class among us.”
Sierra said.
Minase was the only one treated as an elite back then, even though the other two achieved enviable success.
“And it’s true that I succeeded in a field that has nothing to do with singing or dancing. I really wanted to be like Sierra, though.”
Sera looked up at the ceiling and lamented. Was her goal to debut as a dance and vocal group, too?
“Thanks to that, it’s hard to face the classmates who were aiming to be models.”
I see. So some students at the talent school were aiming to debut as models.
“And your name is Taeko?”
“Don’t call me that lame name!”
Sera glared fiercely. But she didn’t seem truly angry. She seemed to be turning the whole sequence into a self-deprecating joke.
“Misaki Taeko. That’s my real name. Misaki is fine. But Taeko... Is it one of those old-fashioned names?”
Sera gave a wry smile.
“I think it’s a nice name, though. The character for tae means ‘excellent,’ right? I think it also meant ‘beautiful.’ Combined with your last name, it describes you well, doesn’t it?”
Two characters for beautiful. Perfect for a model like her.
When I said that, Sera blinked a few times.
“Sakuracchi, I think I like you. Can I take him?”
“Absolutely not.”
Minase immediately cut in, saying it with a look of exasperation.
“Oh, right. Where’s Yuka-chan today?”
“Yukari? No, she has nothing to do with this.”
“I see. Too bad.”
Sera seemed quite taken with Yukari. I hoped they would have a chance to meet someday.
“Alright, we should head back now.”
Sierra said, choosing the right moment, and stood up.
“I have an evening flight back.”
She was so spontaneous. She came all the way back to Japan just for this and was leaving right away. This must also be a result of the bond between the classmates.
“See ya.”
“Yeah, bye.”
Sierra and Minase waved at each other.
“Hey, we’re leaving!”
Sera called out to the back table, then headed for the entrance with Sierra. Immediately after, a small girl with a hood pulled low over her face to hide it walked past us. She left the cafe with Sierra.
“Um, was that...?”
I pointed toward the cafe entrance, where the girl had disappeared, and asked Minase.
I remembered there were three girls at that table. I had been told Sera and Sierra were coming, but the third person was part of the plan after my original one was hijacked. In this case, there was only one possible identity for the third person.
But Minase just smiled and said nothing. It seemed I should forget about this, too.
“Well, Master. We’ll come again. Please tell me about Ruka-san next time.”
Sera paid for all three of them and left the cafe.
As expected, due to her profession, she also knew about the Super Senior Model, Misumi Ruka. The Manager saw her off with a pleased look.
§§§
“Are you really okay with that?”
“Yeah, I’m done with it.”
When I asked her on the way home, Minase nodded clearly.
“I realized it again today. That place isn’t where I can bloom.”
I agreed. Things were getting ominous, and it was probably better not to go back there.
And if she was fine with it, I had nothing more to say. For me, half the objective was achieved when the drama club acknowledged her skills. The other half was to make them lower their heads and beg Minase to come back, which was probably about to be achieved. On top of that, Minase firmly stating she wouldn’t return gave me a sense of satisfaction.
The drama club could realize the size of the fish they let get away, including the fact that they wouldn’t get to know Sera and Sierra.
“Minase, were you thinking that if you returned to the drama club, I would also be able to decide to return to the soccer club?”
“Eh? Um...”
When I asked her so directly, Minase stammered, searching for words.
“I hit the nail on the head, didn’t I?”
Minase nodded silently.
I thought as much. Minase consulted Yakushiji about returning to the drama club right after Kuki seriously tried to convince me to return to the soccer club. Those events must have influenced her.
“Unfortunately, I have no intention of going back to the soccer club.”
“Eh?”
“Because there’s something more important.”
I said clearly to the surprised Minase.
“Something important?”
“The Quit-Club Alliance.”
Minase immediately stopped walking. I stopped a moment later, and she looked at me in surprise.
“Is that so weird? It would be a waste to disband it the moment we formed it, right?”
It was true that I had always played soccer, and I thought I would continue to do so forever. That was why I didn’t know what to do after I quit. I didn’t know what to dedicate myself to instead or how to spend my days.
Ah, I see. This is the life of someone who failed, I was starting to think. Minase taught me two things.
One was that fun still awaited, even after my pathetic failure at soccer. That was what the “Quit-Club Alliance” was for.
The other was that I get to decide where I, the flower, will bloom.
If I found a place where I felt I could play soccer again, I would return then. If I didn’t, then soccer wasn’t that important in my life after all.
So, for now, I wanted to cherish this bizarre alliance.
“I see. I really wanted to continue, too.”
“Then it’s settled.”
She was a pain in the ass. She was the one who kept dragging me into things, always suggesting this and that, and who formed the “Quit-Club Alliance” without asking. Yet, why didn’t she say the most important thing at the most important time? I couldn’t help but laugh.
“Ah...”
Minase made a small sound right after. Her eyes were wide, as if she had realized something.
I tilted my head, wondering what was wrong. She turned around and started walking. I followed, matching her pace.
“But, Sakura, you’re too soft. There’s no way I wouldn’t notice Sera and Sierra. I could tell even when they turned their backs and tried not to show their faces.”
“I guess so.”
That must be the strength of their bond.
“But you thought about all this for me, didn’t you? I really like that about you, Sakura—”
Minase’s words broke off there. I looked at her side, and she was opening and closing her mouth.
“What is it?”
“No, nothing.”
When I asked, worried, Minase shook her head.
“Anyway, thanks.”
“You got it.”
I replied honestly to Minase’s words of gratitude.
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