Electric Hearts! [Hoshiumi Kourai]

Prologue

Enaga Fumi was six years old when she decided what she wanted to do for the rest of her life. It was, of course, her only hobby, her only enjoyment—writing.

She liked folding paper planes, too, but—even in her young mind—she knew it would never be a viable career option in her lifetime.

Primary school was fine for her. She didn't have many friends, but she preferred to have her nose buried in a book anyway, drawing inspiration from all sorts of literature to craft stories of her own.

When she entered middle school, Enaga realized that, maybe, she was a little lonely. All the other kids had already formed their own cliques and friendship groups by the time she came to this realization, and she spent a lonely three years in her school before high school rolled around.

It was a fresh start—a new opportunity.

"Join the basketball club!" a senior was calling on the first day of school, waving flyers around. Nearby, others were doing the same.

"No, no! The baseball club is where it's at!"

"Come join the art club, everyone!"

A club, huh? Curious, Enaga surveyed her options. While she'd been part of a club in middle school—the literature club—she had never really socialized with the other girls and boys. It made her cross the art club immediately. High school wasn't for lazing around—she would be a go-getter this time! She would push herself out of her comfort zone, and join—

"Look out!"

Enaga turned around just in time for a humongous force to run right into her, knocking her flat on the ground. Groaning, she clutched her head, even though her lower body hurt a lot more. "What the heck...?"

"Oh god! Are you okay?!"

Her brown eyes fluttered open to meet bright green ones. A boy, a senior probably, she realized dazedly, was on top of her.

But he was quickly on his feet and helping her up. "It was an accident! Are you hurt?"

"Uh," Enaga was still aching, but he seemed genuinely concerned and remorseful, so she didn't speak it, "It's fine, senpai." She noticed that, during the fall, the papers he had been carrying had scattered everywhere. "Do you need help with those?"

He declined her offer. "It's alright! It's my fault anyway, so I'll pick it up myself."

Enaga, however, helped him anyway. It would've been more awkward for her to simply stand there and try to rebuild her train of thought. What club was I gonna join again? Dammit, my head's still spinning a little... She crouched down and picked up one of the senior's flyers. The volleyball club?

"Ah... Are you interested?" The boy rubbed the back of his head, a sheepish grin on his face. "We need a manager."

"Yes!" Enaga blurted, eyes wide. A manager! It was new! It was exciting! It was just what she was looking for! "I'd love to!"

"Great! I'm Hirugami Fukurou."

"Enaga Fumi! It's nice to meet you."

Over the course of her first year, Enaga learned many things about her upperclassman. He was a little less than a year older than her, and was the baby of the second years. Which was funny, since he had already outgrown all of the second years and most of the third years. He had a little brother and sister, both of whom he adored. And—interestingly enough—Hirugami hailed from the Nagano Prefecture, and had gone to Yurisei, a volleyball powerhouse school, for junior high.

"What are you doing in Miyagi, then?" she asked one day during lunch, shoving a spoonful of yogurt into her mouth.

"Long story," Hirugami cast her a crooked smile, "I'm here to look after my grandpa. Dad has to work, and only mom can look after Shouko since she's still a baby. Grandpa's health... It's not good. The doctors give him till February next year."