Chapter 19: Mini Reunion and Training Camp Prep
For the first time, I went to my best friend's part-time job, ate hamburger curry with Tomonaga-san, and got to see my best friend again after a long time!
That night, I heard that a classmate who went on to a strong baseball school aiming for Koshien was coming home from the dormitory for the first time in a while, so about fourteen Shinkawa Middle School boys gathered.
At the neighborhood riverside park, everyone brought snacks, drinks, and junk food at night, and we chatted, played, and even played basketball!
We played and made noise together until late at night!
Since our middle school didn't have a basketball club, there were people who joined the basketball club in high school, so we exchanged information.
Huh? Practice like that? Oh! You attack like that too? This is educational.
Basketball got super heated, and Sho, as always, had endless stamina, dominating with sheer energy and great defense... He was a plain but annoying player. I wish he'd join the basketball club, but he said he has enemies there.
Are you learning countermeasures from seniors at your part-time job? I see.
Tanaka-kun was watching with a smile, occasionally filming with his camera.
The guy who went to that strong baseball school and Aoi, the handsome guy who went to Toko High School with Sho, both played center under the basket, shoving each other with such force you could almost hear a squish. I wish we had them on our team. Sho and Aoi apparently play 3-on-3 at night with the manager and college students from Sho's part-time job. I want to join in...!
Even some gal classmates who heard about it showed up, so it turned into a real mini reunion.
Maybe I've forgotten how to play and have fun like this lately... It's nice once in a while.
Now then, Yukari Tomonaga's diet has been going for almost two weeks.
Sometimes she goes to my best friend's part-time job and eats high-protein, low-fat, low-sugar menu items and calorie-cut pancakes to let off steam, but it seems tough.
But her weight is definitely dropping! That's the only thing keeping Tomonaga-san going right now.
Now, in our basketball club, we're having a training camp for about three days starting the day after tomorrow, August 7th.
On the first day, we'll invite nearby schools and, after a solid physical menu, have practice matches.
On the second day, we'll go to a nearby university, join their practice, then play a game with the college students.
On the third day, when everyone's tired, alumni will come and put us through the wringer, then we'll have practice matches—a hard 2-night, 3-day schedule. We'll use the school's training camp facility.
Airi: "So, you want me to help with the shopping together?"
Tomorrow, we'll split into teams and go shopping to prepare for the camp the day after!
There are five teams: food team, drinks team, training camp facility cleaning and organizing team, equipment team, and laundry team.
The managers each become a top girl and pair up with a first-year, apparently.
Food is apparently the biggest hassle, since you buy and cook with the club budget.
So, by Airi-senpai's suggestion, they want Tomonaga-san to help as a temporary manager.
Managers are pretty busy, and they need more hands, plus there's a lot of moving and physical work, so it's good for dieting!
I see... That might be good?
And so, Yukari Tomonaga became a temporary manager.
Since I was on ball duty, after practice I was polishing the balls alone when Airi-senpai came over with a big smile and suddenly declared,
Airi: "So, about tomorrow's shopping... Kousuke-kun! I choose you!"
"...Me?"
Airi: "...I thought you'd say, 'Isn't that a Pokemon line!' or something!"
☆ ☆ ☆
This is off topic, but even though she's a senior, Airi-senpai is cute.
During last year's summer camp, there was a recreation after dinner with the advisor present, and if you drew the lot, you had to do an impression.
Airi: "...Pi, Pikachu♪"
Apparently everyone melted from how cute she was!
Incidentally, even though Sahori-senpai always tells others to do things, when he drew the lot, he absolutely refused to do an impression.
Airi did Pikachu♪, Sahori is selfish!
...Or so it was said.
A second-year senior said,
"They say beautiful girls always do Pikachu or Crayon Shin-chan impressions, and it's true! Compared to that, Sahori-senpai is..."
And right after this, those two started dating. The basketball club cried tears of blood at losing Airi-senpai.
☆ ☆ ☆
After polishing the balls, I returned to the clubroom.
Having been picked by Airi-senpai for tomorrow's shopping, the other club members were envious.
Of course, the other managers are picking first-years too, but I think you need more people for buying food, right?
After changing clothes, I looked for Airi-senpai and suggested, "Should we call more people too?"
Airi: "Kousuke-kun? Can't you do what your senior says?"
She laughed but puffed up her cheeks a little.
Airi-senpai is cute.
...Which is why she's scary...
I can't say it out loud, but when I sense a girl's presence, I get scared.
Airi: "Okay! After morning practice tomorrow, let's change and meet up at 1 or 2 p.m., okay?"
Nodding,
"...Roger that..."
Airi: "So stiff! Relax! Okay? Like, it's just for fun! Like a date! Like a trip!"
As Airi-senpai laughed "Ufufu!", I unconsciously took a step back.
Airi: "Are you blushing? ...Then, for tomorrow's meetup? Should we exchange addresses and LINE?"
Huh? Is that necessary?
Airi: "Huh? You're making a face like, 'Is that necessary?' right? Of course it is!"
She made a "bad!" face.
I've been feeling uneasy for a while now.
Airi-senpai is an attractive girl. She's a senior, but definitely one of the most popular girls among the second-years.
Plus, she's also "Sahori-senpai's girlfriend."
...Maybe it's because of the way Satsuki dumped me?
I've developed a weird sort of obsession with purity.
Airi-senpai knows I got dumped.
"...Uh, I... I got dumped recently... My girlfriend was taken by someone else. ...So, maybe that's why? I feel uncomfortable exchanging contacts or going out one-on-one with someone else's girlfriend...!"
I feel guilty saying something like that to Airi-senpai, who's been looking out for me.
I feel bad rejecting her kindness and exposing my weakness.
But I can't ignore my own discomfort and disgust, so I accidentally spill out my feelings.
Prompted by her, I even talk a little about Satsuki.
Airi: "I see, that was tough, huh? That's why you've been working so hard lately..."
Airi-senpai listened quietly. Maybe I still want someone to hear me out?
What a weak guy, how pathetic.
Airi: "Ah, but, maybe you don't need to worry about it?"
About what?
Airi: "You know, with my boyfriend. With Sahori-senpai... we broke up."
The smile that had just been on Airi-senpai's face clouded over.
The clear sky until a moment ago suddenly became overcast, pitch-black rainclouds covering the sky.
...And then, the rain began to fall slowly, then gradually harder...