Love Live! New Mixed Gender Project!

chapter 37: [μ's] Tainted Reputation

Mishiga Shire sat on the rooftop, feeling the wind blowing on his face. It was a windy day, but it wasn't autumn. No one went to the rooftop, as they were too busy with studying. Mishiga didn't seem to mind not studying at all. Suddenly, Mishiga heard fast footsteps coming up to the rooftop.

'It could be Kosaka-senpai. Then again, I could be wrong.'

The door burst open, revealing a panting Hanayo Koizumi, holding onto her knees. Mishiga raised an eyebrow.

"What is it, Koizumi-san?" Mishiga asked, when Hanayo regained her composure. He used to call Hanayo by her first name, but he slowly grew uncomfortable of using it, and began to call her that. Hanayo had also did the same, as she had the same reason as Mishiga's. Besides, people just kept on teasing them whenever they said each other's name by the first.

"I want to ask you something, Shire-kun," Hanayo replied.

"What would that be?"

"I was wondering if you would like to. . . Um. . ."

"What? What is it?"

"To help Eli out with this program she is interested in joining."

"Ah?"

Hanayo soon got closer to Mishiga, and began explaining.

"She came across a program called the Elementary English Program, where volunteers would help the elementary students with English. She thinks you know English very well, correct?"

"Well, if Ayase-senpai wanted me to join with her, why didn't she come towards me instead, and not from a messenger like you?"

"I. . .I don't know. But she wanted me to give the message to you. I'm just waiting for your reply."

"Okay. . . Tell her I said yes."

"Alright. Thank you for your answer, Shire-kun."

Hanayo bowed and ran back downstairs.

"Oi! Be careful when you're on stairs!"

"Okay!!"

The next day [Saturday]

Mishiga wanted to get more sleep, but it was interrupted when he heard the doorbell ring. And it was just 7 AM.

"What the crip crapping hell? Who would come to a person's house on a Saturday?" Mishiga muttered, before getting out of his bed and opened the door. He saw Eli Ayase, wearing casual clothes. She wore a white shirt, a black vest, and blue shorts. She still had her hair tied into a raised ponytail.

"Shire-kun? Why aren't you ready?"

"What're you talking about?"

"You forgot yesterday?"

". . . . . Ah, shoot. I forgot. Come on in first, I'll take a quick shower, wear clothes, some food to eat, and then we're good to go."

"Okay then. . ."

It took ten minutes for him to do all that he had listed. It took three minutes of shower, a minute of wearing his clothes, which consists of his usual dull orange jacket and brown pants, five minutes of toast and orange juice, twenty seconds of making sure that every electrical appliances are turned off, twenty seconds for him to find his phone, power bank, wallet, headphones and his entire plug and charging cable, ten seconds for him to grab his shoulder bag and ten seconds for him to meet Eli back.

"I'm ready now," Mishiga announced to Eli.

"Good. Let's go now."

Mishiga locked the door of his house and shoved it into his shoulder bag, before Mishiga took his bicycle, which was nearby, while Eli rode her own bicycle, waiting for Mishiga. Mishiga soon rode his bicycle and was now beside Eli, pedalling alongside her.

"So, this Elementary English Program thing. Is it only like teaching the kids on how to properly talk and write English? On a Saturday?" Mishiga asked, while cycling, as he was curious. In Mishiga's opinion, it was an audacity for an elementary school to have. . . Well, another school time, on a SATURDAY. He had strapped his shoulder bag onto the handle of his bicycle, preventing it to slide off and fall off of his bicycle.

"Yes. Something like that. But, after the past few years, I heard that it slowly had a bad reputation, as it became a place for looking for partners, and ended up with having multiple reports of teenage pregnancies."

"WHAT THE EF?" Was the first thing that Mishiga had said.

"I know, right?"

"So, why'd you wanted to volunteer?"

"Because I wanted to help kids with the English language. Besides, I know you enough that you won't do 'it' to me, right?"

"WHAT THE ES?!!" Was Mishiga's reply, before shaking his head.

"Yeah. You're right."