When Shirase and I walked around the club fair, I couldn't help but notice the attention we were getting. Shirase didn't seem the least bit bothered by it though.
Anyway, we were set to meet up with my friends. I figured I'd introduce her since I'd already mentioned them a couple of times. Of course, I made it clear first that the person I was supposed to meet up with at the south gate this morning wasn't any of them.
"Kazu-chan!"
There he is. And he's with Keisuke as well.
"Hiro, Keisuke!"
The two of them approached us and said hi.
"This is Shirase Yumina. She sits next to me in class, and I became friends with her this morning."
"Ah! So this Tendou Masahiro-kun and Kazehara Keisuke-kun," she responded cheerfully. "I'm Shirase Yumina. Katsuhira-kun told me a lot of things about you two!"
"Ohh, I remember you! You're that popular girl from Kougyoku Middle School, right?"
"W-Well, I don't know about popular..." Shirase lightly scratched her flushed cheeks.
This girl... I know you're aware of your own status, you little goober.
"I've seen you before too," said Keisuke. "You were cheering for Kougyoku during last year's prefectural finals, right? I remember our guys in Fujitama making a fuss about you in the audience area."
"O-Oh, really? Ahaha, how embarrassing..." Then, Shirase put on a happy face as if she was never flustered in the first place. "Ah, speaking of which, I do remember you, Tendou-kun! You were one of the players for Fujitama, right? You're amazing!"
"Really?! Ehehe, thanks! I'm gonna work even harder this year! As far as I know, Kougyoku High's basketball team isn't the strongest in the prefecture, but they're still solid. I'm looking forward to joining the club!"
"That's great! I don't know much about basketball, but you guys defeated us back then. So it's reassuring that two of the best players from the enemy team will be on our side this time!"
Ugh... Hiro and Keisuke looked at me in anticipation.
"No. I already told you... I won't join the basketball club this year," I said.
"Please, Kazu-chan! We've always been together in basketball since we were little kids! You're just going to leave me all alone in high school?!"
"What do you mean 'all alone'?! I'm sure there will be other first-years."
"Oh, are you not joining, Katsuhira-kun?" asked Shirase.
"Not this time. I want to relax in high school, so I don't plan on joining any clubs."
"I see..." she nodded understandingly. "Is Kazehara-kun going to join a club?"
"No, I won't. Most students from Class 1-A or the Preparatory Class don't plan on joining clubs. Our curriculum is much more brutal than the rest of the classes, so I doubt we'd be able to keep up. The only viable option would be to join a club with no intensive activities and no mandatory attendance," Keisuke explained.
"You guys have it rough, huh?" I commented.
"It's so-so. It's a shame you didn't apply with me, Kazuomi."
"No way. How can I relax if I'm required to bust my ass studying?"
"Eh? Is Katsuhira-kun academically smart?" Shirase tilted her head in curiosity.
"At the very least, he's above average in all subjects, and his English is native level."
"Wow! I didn't know you were such an amazing person!"
YOU ARE READING
I Just Can't Win!
RomanceKatsuhira Kazuomi had always hated the idea of coincidences. Sometimes, they work in his favor, but most of the time, they make him miserable. Entering middle school, Kazuomi refused to give in to his misfortunes through effort. Of course, this end...
