Chapter 32 – The Sports Festival and the Odd-Jobber and the Staying Over (5)
Now then, the Izumino Gakuen Ballgame Tournament has arrived.
Refreshing youths brought out everything they honed in the practice till now as they perspired, aiming for victory as they bore teamwork within their hands.
Looking at such youths, I thought. The Student Council’s odd-jobber is truly a dreadful position, which all sorts of odd jobs are entrusted to.
From the Student Council’s odd jobs and a.s.sistance of the Health Committee members, to a.s.sistance of the Sports Committee members who organised the Ballgame Tournament and so on. Odd jobs for all of them. Rushing over like a gopher once I’m called, and toiling like a cart-horse.
Honestly, it’s tough to complete the odd jobs, but it’s much better than having to appear more than necessary in the ballgames I’m poor at.
”Sakuraiー, if you’re free, help with carrying thisー.”
“Do I look like I’m free, Hasumi?”
I’m currently babysitting the infirmary as a Health Committee member.
There was a shortage of personnel because the original Health Committee members left to partic.i.p.ate in their respective matches. Thus the one selected to replace them was I, the odd-jobber.
The work of a Health Committee member was fairly hectic.
Despite that, this Hasumi seemed to have come all the way to the infirmary just to push odd jobs to me.
With both hands full holding huge boxes, she grinned. Even though Hasumi’s extremely kind towards Mitsuki, she’s extremely severe towards me, Mitsuki’s brother.
According to Subaru, it appears Hasumi a.k.a. Hasumi Yuiko is the rival character on Soutarou and Kaname’s route.
Certainly if you ask whether the boyish and lively Hasumi, resembles Bak.u.matsu Shishi Girls’ Takasugi Sakura who Soutarou said he liked, then yes, she does.
Though there’s no such signs at all at this point, there’s no harm being on the lookout. Besides, she could be a repeat of Madoka.
“People like Health Committee members are free when no one comes, right. In other words, you’re free right now, yes?”
She nonchalantly pa.s.sed me the box that contains table tennis rackets.
Moreover there’s about 20 rackets inside. It’s moderately heavy, to think Hasumi managed to carry both boxes.
“Well, I’m free butー”
Certainly I’m free but, I don’t think it’s right to leave the infirmary completely vacant.
However, well, it’s not far to the gymnasium from here, so wouldn’t it be fine to vacate for a while? There shouldn’t be any problem if I leave quickly and return quickly. It’s not good to let a girl carry such heavy things, and if I were a girl I’d like some help carrying these.
I adjusted my grip of the box, drawing nearer towards Hasumi’s direction.
“Got it. I’ll help. Just a bit, okay.”
“As expected of Sakurai~. Kind~!”
“I’m an ikemen only at heart after all. Hasumi, you can put the box over there on top too.”
For some reason all around me are no one but sparkly men, so I have to at least be an ikemen at heart.
That’s precisely: appearing dashingly with a refreshing smile like the hero of a shoujo manga, carrying himself with ease. I’m female precisely at heart but, now that I’m living as a male, I do want to be at least a little popular with girls.
Like this, as a guy, I wonder how it feels to get kyahkyah’d at by girls. Now that I’ve become a guy, I’d think of wanting to be told “Sakurai-kun, so cool, kyah kyah” by cute girls.
“That’s true huh. There’s no one but ikemen who’re at a level where they’re hard to compete with, around Sakurai after all.”
“Does Hasumi, as expected, prefers ikemen too? Like Soutarou or Kaname?”
It’s a chance to hear what she thinks of Soutarou and Kaname, in this natural course of events.
Well then, Hasumi, how will you reply?
I casually examined Hasumi’s expression as we walked in the corridor. Hasumi’s face flushed faintly as she looked in my direction.
“Ah, ehh…… I’m not too concerned about stuff like looks. Besides, right now it’s more fun to play around with friends…….”
Judging from this reaction I think it doesn’t feel like she’s become Mitsuki’s rival yet. Good good.
It could be that Hasumi hasn’t moved into the rival position as Mitsuki hasn’t entered Soutarou’s route or Kaname’s route. Thank goodness. After all, Hasumi and Mitsuki are good friends. It’ll definitely be saddening if someone you’re on good terms with suddenly turns into your rival.
I don’t want Mitsuki to weather sad feelings. I wish for Mitsuki to live a fun high school life. To that effect, I increasingly want Mitsuki to progress on Prince’s route.
There’s no problem stopping with the love stories since I already heard what I want from Hasumi, but as it doesn’t feel right to chop the conversation abruptly, I decided to continue with the harmless love stories for the time being.
“I see. But you’ve a type you like and so on right?”
“Eh! U-un. That’s, I am a girl after all?”
For some reason Hasumi blushed, and started getting worked up.
To be embarra.s.sed over something like love stories, even Hasumi has a girly side huh, I secretly thought such impolite things.
“A girl, only on the outside?”
I’ll tease you a little, I thought as I grinned.
Hasumi knitted her brows like she was sullen, as she poked my side.
“Shut up. It’s because Sakurai’s like this that you aren’t popular.”
“It’s okay. Even if I’m not popular, someday I’ll get a cute girlfriend who’s delicate and pet.i.te.”
If I do get a girlfriend, a soft, cute and healing type of girl would be good. A girl who’s pet.i.te and like a small animal, causing one to want to protect her, is good.
Well, though in truth I’ve absolutely no intention of having a lover in this world.
After all, I don’t know how long I’ll be here. It could be till March next year in accordance to the game’s scenario, or I may end up having to live here for life, or I may return to the real world when I wake up tomorrow.
To have a special and important someone despite being such an existence, I can’t do such an irresponsible thing. It’ll just be painful for both parties that way.
“Sakurai likes cute girls don’t you? If it’s the Bak.u.matsu Shishi Girls, someone like Katsura Koharu.”
“Eh, ah, un. How did Hasumi, know that I like Katsura Koharu?”
“I heard from Tsubaki. How is it, are girls like Katsura Koharu your type?”
Bak.u.matsu Shishi Girls’ Katsura Koharu is certainly cute.
She’s a 152cm tall and weighing 36kg, slender, small-chested and baby-faced small-animal type female. She’s a girl who seems like she’ll suit soft, pink, lavish frills.
Saying she’s my type may make me sound les but, well, I think she’s a girl so cute that even the hearts of girls would thump.
“Yeah, well, if it’s Bak.u.matsu Shishi Girls, it’s Katsura Koharu. She is cute.”
“I see. As I thought, guys do like cute girls.”
Hasumi seemed to be mulling over something, looking down as she made a complicated face.
I wonder what’s wrong. It’s just a possibility but, could it be, Hasumi likes me or something……Nah, it can’t be. Hasumi’s the rival character when you capture Soutarou and Kaname y’know. No way, no way. There’s no way, no way Hasumi likes me.
It’s me being too self-conscious huh. Hahaha, how embarra.s.sing.
Hasumi and I finally reached the 1st gymnasium, and we lowered the boxes that contained the table tennis rackets.
“Ah! It’s Mako-chan and Hasumiー. Yo there!”
“Ah, Kaname, yo. How was your match?”
“Duh! I’m the overall champion y’know~, or at least I’d like to say, but unfortunately I’m in the best 8. As expected the 3rd-years are strong, man.”
I was busy with the odd jobs, and couldn’t cheer for Kaname at all.
But this is the substantially high specs Kaname. He likely played a huge role even in the basketball match. He’s slightly short for playing basketball, but he possesses skill that doesn’t let you feel so. Enough that I, who’s poor with ballgames, feel envious.
“Even the best 8 is amazing. It’s the best 8 out of 24 cla.s.ses after all. You’ve worked hard.”
Izumino Gakuen’s Normal Department consists of 5 cla.s.ses from A to E, and besides that, there are the Special Cla.s.s, English Special Cla.s.s and Mathematics Special Cla.s.s.
If it’s the best 8 out of 24 cla.s.ses, I believe it’s quite an excellent result. I wanted to see Kaname play an active role.
“Ou. Mako-chan too, all the best for volleyball. I, will come cheer you on! Hasumi will come and cheer too right~”
“Un, I’ll come cheer you on along with Mitsuki. Sakurai, all the best.”
Not to mention playing an active role, I’ll definitely end up weighing everyone down.
No matter how much I practised with Soutarou, I didn’t become able to play ballgames at all. Not to mention that, I didn’t even improve a tiny bit. Despite practising that much, not even a bit.
I can only think that I’ve no ability to play ballgames.
“Ah, un, I’ll do my best.”
“Ah, Mako! Did you come to cheer us on?”
Soutarou rushed over with a full-faced smile.
In the area Soutarou appeared to have been at until a while ago, were kyahkyah-ing girls who appeared to be his fans.
Surely, they clamoured “Tsubaki-kun, so cool!”, “So dreamy!” as they watched him play an active role. Sheesh, it’s enough to make one envious.
“Oh, Soutarou, you worked hard.”
“Volleyball’s in the afternoon, right. Let’s do our best together.”
To think I’ve no choice but to partic.i.p.ate in the volleyball match later, sheesh how depressing.
“U-un…… Ah, un, I’ll do ma best. Well then, the Health Committee member me will return to the infirmary.”
Speaking in a fake Kansai dialect, I left for the infirmary hurriedly.
“Eh, Mako, wait.”
I don’t want to partic.i.p.ate in the volleyball match. I don’t want to partic.i.p.ate but I’ve no choice but to do so.
It’s precisely because I know it’s useless no matter how much I grumble, that I’ve to calm my heart. That’s why, let’s take it easy in the quiet infirmary.
Since it seems I’ll be crushed by various kinds of pressure if I remain here. I’m happy for their support, but it seems a little like I’ll be unable to bear this pressure anymore.
As I headed to the infirmary in a quick pace, Soutarou who followed behind grabbed my hand, holding me back.
It was just right before the infirmary.
“Mako! Mako, wait. Um, you know!”
“What’s up, Soutarou? Did you get hurt?”
“That’s not it…… It’s just that I was thinking Mako seems to be hurting over something, so I ended up chasing after you.”
Soutarou lowered his head as though he was embarra.s.sed.
“……Soutarou.”
He may be a scaredy-cat, gets lonely easily, and is undiscerning at times, but he always carries a warm heart. He’s a good guy who’ll offer his hand when I want a hand to reach out to me.
“It could just be a misunderstanding on my part though.”
“Nah, …… thanks. As I thought, Soutarou is kind. I feel incredibly relieved.”
As I thought, the aura Soutarou’s wrapped in is kind. I can feel my face which was acting strong gradually fall apart.
Soutarou sure is magnanimous. It’ll be good if someone like Soutarou’s my onii-chan.
I want to become a person who Mitsuki will think of that way. For that purpose, too, I want to aim to be that kind of onii-chan.
Soutarou’s eyes widened in shock, and he laughed as though he was embarra.s.sed.
“Un, I’m happy Mako feels that way.”
Soutarou strengthened his grip on my hand.
“Just like how Mako always comes to save me, just like how I save Mako, …… Even for the volleyball this time, I’ll save Mako.”
The smile this time was one in which dog ears and tail did not spring up. It’s one like a hero from an otome game’s. It’s a little embarra.s.sing.
“Though I can’t do ballgames by any means, I’ll work hard the best I can.”
I probably can’t contribute much. Nah, rather than ‘probably’, it’s ‘definitely’ can’t contribute much.
There’s no point getting nervous since I can’t do it anyway. If I go at it the best I can, Soutarou will probably come save me when I reach a really painful point.
Soutarou is, always my ally without fail, and always comes to save me. I believe he’ll definitely not lie.
Nah, let’s say he does betray me, I’ll likely accept it if that’s the case. Because there should definitely be some reason for Soutarou to do such a thing.
I wonder why I trust him this much despite having known each other for a mere several months.
Somehow or other, right.