[Warning 15+]
Chapter 1The Peak of Happiness
"Great job, everyone! Now, to Class 3-A's victory—Cheers!!"
"""""Cheers!!"""'""
Clink, clink—the sound of glasses echoed.
And so our victory celebration began.
─Today marks the annual event before Summer Break: the Sports Tournament.
The Sports Tournament is an event held at Akagawa Academy Private Middle School, where I attend. The boys compete in soccer and basketball, while the girls compete in volleyball and handball to vie for the championship title.
And we, Class 3-A, managed to win that fierce battle brilliantly, taking first place in the overall points standings for both the boys' and girls' divisions! I think it's because there are so many members of the Sports Clubs in our class, plus the secret practice we did beforehand, that we managed to win by a huge margin over the other classes.
Now we're celebrating our victory. At first, the whole class held a lively Karaoke Party, then we moved to a family restaurant for an After-Party.
It was getting close to dinnertime, and some might have had things to do at home, so we decided that only those who wanted to come would join… ...but for some reason, most of my classmates showed up.
Yeah—our class really does have the best team spirit in the school.
—Bustling, lively.
Naizeria, the students' favorite hangout spot in front of Seikyu Hands, was packed with people today as well.
Because of its location, this place is always full whenever we come, so it was definitely a good idea that we reserved a table in advance. But since the shop isn't very spacious, and there were more people than planned, we ended up having to sit scattered across several tables.
"You did a great job today, Kiyosato!" "Thanks a lot, Mei!" "Hi, President!"
"Yeay, cheers, cheers!"
Laughing, I went around toasting everyone.
At the same time, I checked the seating arrangements at each table.
─Best friends Kamiizumi-chan and Komaba-chan are sitting next to each other—Good. The very close-knit Fujimi Group is sitting together at one table, so that's no problem either. Takaido doesn't need to do anything, and Matsubara also seems to be enjoying her time with the group. Kuga-kun and Hamada-chan reportedly just had a fight, so it's best for them to keep their distance. Um, in that case, the others─.
"Ikenoue-kun, I can't reach! Come here!"
"Oh, okay!"
As I said that, I called over Ikenoue-kun, who was standing almost all by himself, and raised a toast with him.
"Great job! You played brilliantly in today's basketball game!"
"Eh, really…?"
Ikenoue-kun lowered his gaze and scratched his cheek.
Hmm... ...I guess it's half because Ikenoue-kun's embarrassed by the praise, and half because he feels guilty since he didn't really stand out that much, right?
Ikenoue-kun didn’t score any shots or pull off any spectacular plays, but he used his experience from youth basketball to support his teammates. Since he's the shy type, maybe he was holding back.
I made a split-second decision based on instinct, then thought about what I should do next.
Hmm, if I'm not mistaken, at that moment—.
When I glanced around, the gaze of the girl who kept glancing my way—Micchi—met mine.
Hmm, just as I thought.
Okay, let's do it this way.
"Look, before that last three-pointer in the first half, you made that backdoor pass without even looking. Micchi saw it too, right?"
As I said that, I casually changed the subject.
"Oh, I actually saw that! I thought, 'Wow, that was so cool!'"
Just as I expected, Micchi immediately responded to the topic with enthusiasm.
"I even thought, 'Do you have eyes in the back of your head?'"
"Huh, really? I don't think it's quite that extreme, though..."
Seeing Ikenoue-kun blushing at Micchi's compliment, I took his hand and led him to the seat in front of me.
"Come on, our hero, over here. Cheers!"
"Cheers!"
"Cheers! By the way, Ikenoue, why didn't you play basketball in elementary school? If you're that good—"
Yeah, okay.
Micchi does seem outgoing, but she's actually shy. But once she starts talking, she won't stop, so I guess I don't need to help her out anymore.
I quietly slipped away so as not to interrupt their cozy conversation, then breathed a sigh of relief in the corner of the bar.
—Okay, the atmosphere is warm enough now. The rest should go smoothly.
This Celebration Party—if everyone here can't laugh and have fun, then it's meaningless.
I'll do my best to make that happen, as the Student Council President—Oh, wait.
As Kiyosato Mei, that’s just what I'm supposed to do.
After making sure once more that everything was fine from a distance, I finished the last of the juice in my glass.
Alright then, I'll head back to my seat too.
I refilled my drink, and on my way back, I interrupted the server—who looked displeased—with an apology: "Sorry, this is just for a toast!" She replied, "There are other guests here too, so please keep it down…" and I returned to my seat.
In the far back corner, there was a table for four.
Over there—.
"Welcome, Mei. I saved a spot next to me."
"You're so late, Ms. Popular! I'm sick of waiting!"
"Oh, never mind, just sit down, okay?"
─My best friends.
All the members of my circle group were waiting for me with smiles on their faces.
I smiled back at them, then sat down in my seat.
Then I finished the glass of white grape juice I'd brought with me and let out a sigh.
"Wow, my sore throat is starting to feel better!"
"Ouch, don't drink like that. You're spilling it."
"This is what they call 'No-nonsense,' Mi-chan."
"You're using it wrong. …Come on, look over here."
My best friend since elementary school, sitting next to me—Mi-chan, aka Shinagawa Miharu—smiled wryly as if she couldn't believe it, then wiped my mouth with a handkerchief she pulled out.
Right in front of me were Mi-chan's neat, beautiful eyebrows and her deep black eyes, which looked stunning behind her glasses. Her shiny black hair was tied back in a ponytail, and she had long, delicate eyelashes. Her small, full lips stood out, fresh and plump like cherries.
Hmm.
"Let's get married, Mi-chan."
"…"
"Ouch, stop it! Don't pinch the fat on my stomach without saying a word!"
Girigiri, my fat is screaming.
"Hahaha, Mei is totally incomprehensible. What's going on in your head to make you act like that?"
That's what the boy sitting in front of me—Zomu-kun, aka Mitaka Nozomu—said, flashing his signature fangs and laughing like a kid.
"That's why you don't have a girlfriend yet, isn't it?"
"Hm. Maybe a girl's heart is just a little too hard for this weirdo Zomu-kun to understand?"
As I answered while waving my hand, Zomu-kun widened his eyes—which were slightly white at the top—with a puzzled expression and repeated what he'd said.
"Touhenboku? What does that mean?"
"It means a shameless fool, doesn't it?"
This time, the curly-haired boy sitting next to Zomu-kun—Oomori Asahi—said lazily, resting his chin on his hand.
Then, Oomori-kun turned his slightly droopy eyes to the side.
"It fits Mitaka perfectly, doesn’t it?"
"Huh? Hey, Asahi, are you picking a fight for me?"
"Kiyosato started it. You're taking it out on the wrong person, aren't you?"
"Oh, really? You're just trying to make it hard for me to understand, aren't you? Huh?"
...And just like that, the two boys started arguing.
Oh my gosh, these two boys...
"Hey, you two, calm down..."
As the two of them argued heatedly, Mi-chan tried to step in.
Perhaps because the atmosphere had shifted a bit, even some classmates sitting far away glanced our way with a "What's going on?" look.
Realizing this, I immediately clapped my hands.
"Hey-hey, Mi-chan's confused. If you guys really want this girl, beat me first before you can take her!"
"Oh, Mei. Actually, this is all because of your joke—"
"Ew! Don't touch my meat!"
Shouting in a joking tone, I got up, squirming.
Seeing that, my classmates gave a wry smile as if to say, "Oh, just like always," then went back to their own conversations.
─Phew, thank goodness. Did that look like a good joke?
Yeah, they're not that stupid to get into a serious fight in a place like this, but who knows—our classmates who don't know anything might feel uncomfortable. Better to be careful.
After reaching my seat, I sat down right away, and then Zomu-kun continued with a disappointed sigh, "Hah."
"Mei, if only you didn't have that disappointing impression, you'd be perfect, you know…"
"Hey, what do you mean by 'Disappointing impression'? I'm sorry."
"A middle schooler using the words 'I'm sorry' while acting all know-it-all—is that normal?"
"Hey, what's this? Is Oomori-kun going to betray us too?"
"Seriously, even after all these years, he still acts like an elementary school boy..."
"Mi-chan!? Hey, do you think I'm a boy!?"
Ahaha, everyone burst out laughing.
Seeing their expressions, I couldn't help but laugh along.
─Yeah, that's exactly right.
You know, being able to laugh together like this—that's the best part.
◆
Amid the commotion, we kept joking around as we reminisced about today.
"─Well! If I didn't score a goal here, it wouldn't feel complete, so I immediately ran up front and scored a perfect header!"
"Wow! That was so cool!"
Zomu-kun enthusiastically recounted the ins and outs of that game-winning goal.
Since the Volleyball Final was taking place at the time, I already knew the result, but I didn't know the details of the situation.
"It happened in the final minute, so the atmosphere was electric. Everyone was shouting, 'A new hero is born!'"
Mi-chan said that with a gentle smile.
Hah, as usual, Zomu-kun really does have that kind of side to him. You could say he was born with star quality, or that he has some kind of luck that lets him shine in the most crucial moments.
Zomu-kun crossed his arms and nodded.
"I mean, how do I put it? That sense of togetherness back then? It was truly amazing!"
Then, with a cheerful expression, Zomu-kun smiled broadly.
─Zomu-kun is an innocent and pure-hearted boy.
Even though Zomu-kun has a sharp tongue and acts carelessly, he has a charming personality that's hard to dislike, along with a natural charisma that draws everyone's attention.
When we moved from elementary school to middle school, we were in the same class for the first time and hit it off right away. Since then, we've stayed close friends like this. At the very least, I think Zomu-kun is the boy who suits me best.
By the way, Zomu-kun is really tall—over 180 centimeters—and he's great at all kinds of sports, so he's super popular with the girls. There are probably dozens of girls from every grade who have a crush on him. I'm not exaggerating, you know.
"Hey, hey, isn't that cool? Isn't that cool? I'm really cool, right?"
But yeah, basically Zomu-kun is still childish, so he likes to talk about things that really don't need to be talked about.
"Mitaka, you don't need to bring up stuff like that yourself…"
It seems Mi-chan felt the same way, because she spoke in a disappointed tone.
"Miharu-chan deserves some praise too, you know? Come on, come on!"
"Eh... ...sorry. To be honest, I think she’s kind of annoying..."
"Wow, your serious attitude really hurts."
Cut off completely by a scowling Mi-chan, Zomu-kun clutched his chest as he slumped onto the table.
As usual, Mi-chan is always so blunt, isn't she…? I think it would be okay if she were a little more tactful when saying things like that. But since it's Zomu-kun she's talking to, I guess it's fine, too.
"Just because you managed to throw a perfect ball, how can you be so arrogant?"
Oomori-kun, who had been calmly playing on his smartphone, suddenly muttered that.
Zomu-kun immediately looked up and glared at Oomori-kun with a look of pure condemnation.
"Oh, but it was way too high! If it weren't for me, there's no way anyone could've reached it!"
"If you don't put this huge body to use in moments like this, what's the point of having it?"
"Tsk… …You guys should be thanking me for my amazing jumping skills!"
"Yeah, yeah, thanks a lot."
Oomori-kun shrugged with an expression that seemed to say, "Oh, whatever."
Hm, so that’s how it is—Oomori-kun was the one who passed the ball. That means Oomori-kun passed the ball that Zomu-kun should have caught, right?
Oomori-kun is a very skilled boy. Whether it's academics or sports, he can handle everything calmly and without any trouble.
Besides, compared to other boys who tend to get carried away by their emotions, Oomori-kun has such a broad perspective that he can view everything objectively and calmly. He's a rare breed among his peers.
By the way, Oomori-kun is a handsome boy with a rugged face, and his popularity among girls is on par with Zomu-kun's.
"Hey, Asahi, don't waste your time being a member of that boring Library Committee—you should just join the Soccer Club."
"I don't want to sweat, so I'll pass."
"Wow, you're still so cold, aren't you!"
You could say that Oomori-kun isn't very cooperative, or more accurately, he rarely makes an effort to interact with others—that's his only flaw….
It's possible that, since Oomori-kun is the only one who thinks like an adult, the people around him seem childish to him. That's why he's built a wall between himself and his classmates.
Besides, maybe because Oomori-kun tends to be cynical or seems sly, he isn't very popular with the other boys, so he's been somewhat isolated in class from the start.
"Oh, never mind, this is Asahi. But in return, you have to take the Sports Festival seriously! Because you're the one who has to be my balanced partner for the three-legged race."
"I usually hate being paired with Mitaka."
"Okay, it's decided!"
But Zomu-kun, in a good way, doesn't care at all about things like that, so he always drags Oomori-kun into the class social circle like this.
Even though their personalities are polar opposites and they’re always fighting, …it's actually those stark differences that seem to work, and even though they argue a lot, they often spend time together. Their relationship is like what's called "bad friends."
—Turns out, bringing the two of them together was definitely the right decision.
It was a bit of a bold move, but for some reason I felt like we were a good match. That kind of intuition is usually spot-on for me.
As I was thinking deeply about that, Mi-chan suddenly furrowed her brow and looked down.
"You guys can all play sports, so that's great. As for me, I'm really just a burden…"
"I can't win at all," Mi-chan said, pouting in frustration.
Oh, come on, Mi-chan, you're starting to think about that again.
I clapped my hands together.
"Hey, don't think so negatively! Besides, didn't someone say we have to win?"
"Yeah, that's right. Miharu-chan has already been doing things just like a Manager. So, doesn't that make sense?"
Even though Zomu-kun and I tried to calm Miharu-chan down like that, she still wouldn't accept it.
"I'm just handling the grunt work. Besides, I don't have to do it."
Then, Mi-chan pouted and turned her face away.
Mi-chan does seem to have a calm demeanor, but she’s actually quite stubborn; Once she's made up her mind, it's hard to change it.
In my opinion, Mi-chan's determination is definitely her main appeal, but sometimes it comes across as self-deprecating, and that's what confuses me.
"I think that's way better than people who are just good at sports, though,"
…He said.
Oomori-kun spoke up while maintaining his calm demeanor.
"It's Shinagawa who's raising the class average. When it comes to contribution, she's clearly way ahead, isn't she?"
"Eh… …maybe, yeah?"
"Isn't that just how it is? At the very least, Shinagawa's better than those people who only get to show off twice a year."
"Hey, is that supposed to be about me? Asahi-kun?"
"If you're aware of it, why don't you just fix it?"
Watching the two of us chat, Mi-chan gave a little smile.
Phew, thank goodness—it looks like Mi-chan has recovered.
Mi-chan's tendency to be negative does stem partly from her past experiences, but fundamentally, it's all due to her lack of self-confidence.
Like Oomori-kun said, Mi-chan is one of the best in the class when it comes to studying, and she has many other strengths. I always hope Mi-chan will be more proud of her strengths, not her weaknesses.
Besides, most importantly, Mi-chan is cute. She's just so cute. Even I, as a fellow girl, feel that way, so it must be true. She needs to realize that more and be proud of it.
"Well… …thanks, Oomori-kun!"
Just as I was feeling satisfied, Mi-chan bowed her head and looked up at Oomori-kun.
"Oh, it's okay. This isn't the time to say thank you, is it?"
"No. It's not like that… …because you've been looking out for me so well."
Then, at the end, Mi-chan muttered in a slightly softer voice.
Oomori-kun shrugged without saying a word, then looked back down at his smartphone.
I watched the two of them with a faint smile, sipping my juice.
—As you can probably tell from our conversation just now.
It seems Mi-chan likes Oomori-kun.
I've only known Oomori-kun since starting the third-year of middle school this year, but the two of them have been in the same class since last year, and have also been close since both joining the Library Committee.
Mi-chan, just like she did a moment ago when facing Zomu-kun, can sometimes speak her mind without hesitation. This is actually because she has a strong sense of responsibility, but she's often misunderstood by people who don't know her well. That's why there was a bit of a commotion when they were on the Library Committee, and it was Oomori-kun who helped her back then.
Oomori-kun does sound rough when he speaks, but he's actually a kind-hearted and sensitive boy. I think he can sense what Mi-chan wants to say, then casually offer his help. No other boy can do something like that, so maybe that's what makes him seem attractive to her.
On the other hand, I'm not exactly sure how Oomori-kun feels about Mi-chan. But since he still often helps her like he did just now, he must not be completely uninterested in her.
As their best friend, I really want to help their relationship grow—.
I glanced around involuntarily.
However, when it comes to romance, if you're not careful, it can lead to unwanted conflicts.
For example, there might be another girl who likes Oomori-kun so much that it causes a commotion, or they might become the target of their classmates' jealousy. In any case, the repercussions would be huge if a problem arose, so I can't openly support them, and that's what's making me anxious.
Now, while making sure that kind of problem doesn't happen, I'm also working hard, thinking of ways so that everyone can offer their congratulations with the feeling, "You two really are a perfect match."
Yeah─.
So that everyone I can reach is filled with smiles.
Just for that dream, just like I've always done, I keep giving it my all.
"—Mei, hey, Mei!"
"…Huh?"
Suddenly, I snapped out of it when Zomu-kun called out to me.
"You were sleeping, weren't you? I've called you 💯 times, you know?"
"Oh, right, maybe I was sleeping with my eyes open. What's up?"
"You won't admit it, will you… …sigh!"
Zomu-kun shook his head in disbelief, then snapped his fingers with a "Pishin" sound.
"Summer Vacation! Are we going to do it?"
"Wow, Summer Vacation!"
As I said that, I quietly looked around to make sure none of my other classmates were paying attention to us.
It seemed like no one was listening to us. It wasn't exactly an embarrassing story for others to hear, but better safe than sorry.
"That's what you mean, right? The four of us going on a trip somewhere?"
Zomu-kun smiled and nodded.
"Yeah. So, how about this year we go to… ...the beach! Or to Shousai, for example!"
"Wow, what a great idea!"
Let's go! I've only been there once, back in elementary school on a field trip.
Swimming in the ocean is definitely fun, but exploring those hidden cafes I used to be too scared to enter would be super fun too!
"Oh, well, I... ...I don't really like going far..."
While the two of us were getting more and more excited, Mi-chan muttered with an awkward expression.
Oh, that's right. Mi-chan's family is really strict about that. She said she even had a little argument today just to be able to come along.
Going out of town with just middle school students seems a bit difficult.
"In that case, let's just go within the city, okay? That way, it'll be easier to convince them, right?"
I did suggest that, but Zomu-kun waved his hand reluctantly.
"Oh, in that case, isn't Ooba Grey the only place we can go? Or maybe toward Katou?"
"Besides, there's no need to insist on going to the beach, right? It's hot, though."
"Huh? Hey, what are you talking about? Summer is supposed to be hot! Besides, summer without even going swimming once is impossible—no way!"
In response to Oomori-kun's half-hearted answer, Zomu-kun crossed his arms energetically and shouted, "Batsubatsu!"
…With Zomu-kun's stiff demeanor, for some reason I felt there was a hidden motive behind it.
But yeah, I agree with the idea that summer without swimming isn't really summer at all. It looks like we won't be able to go on a Family Vacation this year either because of Dad's work.
Besides, I'm going on a Summer Vacation with my close friends. I also want to go on a little adventure.
Is there a good place… …hmm….
Oh.
"Summer Park! How about we go to Summer Park?"
Clapping my hands together, I looked around.
Summer Park is located in the western part of the city; It's an amusement park that offers a variety of water attractions perfect for summer, like a lazy river, a wave pool, and water slides. I remember when I was a kid, I went there with my family and my aunties, and it was so much fun.
Besides that, there are also standard attractions like roller coasters and a Ferris wheel, so we can enjoy a full day there.
"Wow, that place in the countryside! It's great, isn't it!?"
Zomu-kun nodded enthusiastically, then immediately wrapped his arm tightly around Oomori-kun's shoulder.
"Hey, hey, Asahi agrees with that too, right!?"
"Oh, I don't mind, though—"
"Okay, it's decided!"
Great, great—it looks like those two boys came to an agreement pretty quickly.
I turned to Mi-chan, who seemed to be deep in thought next to me.
"Mi-chan's okay with it too, right?"
"Um..."
Mi-chan, who had fallen silent for a moment, still looked awkward.
Hmm, I wonder why? It's not like we're inside the city, so it shouldn't be anything too serious, right─.
Oh, could it be?
I immediately sensed something was off, made sure the two boys weren't watching us, then slowly brought my mouth close to Mi-chan's ear.
Then, in a soft voice.
"─I'll help you pick out a cute swimsuit. Okay?"
To Mi-chan, who suddenly looked up at me, I gave her a wink.
Mi-chan's ears immediately turned red, and her body started to tremble.
─Ahahaha.
See? Mi-chan is so cute, isn't she?
…But not long after that, my leg started screaming in pain again.
◆
"See you later! Be careful on the road!"
"You too!"
In front of the store, we said goodbye to Zomu-kun and the others, waving our hands widely. Since only Mi-chan and I were taking the private train, we had to part ways with the others here.
"Come on, let's just go home."
"Okay."
The two of us started walking through the nightlife district.
The sky visible behind the buildings was indeed pitch black. But since this city seemed to truly come alive at night, the lights shone brightly, even more vibrantly than during the day.
But, really, for middle school students, coming home this late might be a bit excessive. Hopefully, none of us will get in trouble.
As she thought about that and walked toward the station, Mi-chan suddenly murmured softly.
"...Really, every day is so much fun, isn’t it?"
"Yeah?"
"I go to school feeling like this. Really, it feels like a dream."
As Mi-chan brushed the bangs covering her eyes aside with her hand, she narrowed her eyes as if gazing into the distance.
─My friendship with Mi-chan began when we were in the fourth-year of elementary school.
At first, I attended elementary school in another prefecture, but because of Dad's job, my family moved here and I transferred to Akagawa Academy Private Elementary School.
This was actually my third move since kindergarten, so I was used to changing schools, but since it was my first time joining a class mid-term, I remember feeling a little nervous at the time.
However, since I'm really good at making friends, I was able to get along with my classmates right away and spent my days having a great time.
─Just one thing.
What always worries me is that there's a girl who's always alone in my classroom.
'That girl can't read the room. She's always saying 'This is boring.'' 'Yeah, yeah, she's an otaku who just reads books all the time.' 'She's just average, though, and ugly.' 'It's no fun when she's around.'
All the girls say things like that and exclude that girl.
…Things like that happened a lot at my old elementary school, too.
Because they felt the girl didn't fit in, because she acted like she knew it all, because she acted all cute, because she only hung out with the boys—.
Everyone always points out that girl's 'Flaws,' as if that's reason enough for them to exclude her.
And, at times like those.
I always respond like this.
'Well then—what if it's actually more fun when she's there?'
Everyone has their strengths. It's just that the girl's strengths are hard to see, to the point where everyone misunderstands her.
If I can find that special quality and help that girl gain everyone's recognition, things will definitely be more fun. We'll be able to laugh together with her and everyone else, and we'll all be happier than we are now.
And I've been honing my skills to make that happen.
So—there's no reason not to do it, right?
That's why I went over to the girl who was sitting alone reading that novel.
'Hey, hey, Shinagawa-san!'
'...?'
'That novel is really great, isn't it?!'
That was the first conversation between me and that girl—Mi-chan.
—From that moment on, I came to discover many of Mi-chan's charms: How cute she was when she was shy, how smart and perceptive she was, and how she seemed shy but actually had a strong will and was reliable, and so much more.
Then, when we moved up to the fifth-year of the elementary school, that misunderstanding vanished completely, and Mi-chan was finally accepted as part of our circle group.
Of course, even now, no one has ever said anything bad about Mi-chan. In class, she's known as someone who's meticulous and reliable, even with small details, and she serves as my Assistant.
By the way, even though we met under those circumstances—thanks to our shared love of reading, we hit it off right away.
Above all, I think the fact that we both really love young adult novels played a huge role. We'd often chat all night about our favorite works, or get excited analyzing the characters' feelings, and so on.
Well, that's how it is—to this day, we're still irreplaceable best friends and getting along just fine.
"─For some reason, every day feels like it's straight out of a young adult novel."
Mi-chan suddenly muttered in a nostalgic tone.
"Back then, just like Mei said. So things like this really do exist, huh?"
I unconsciously sat down on the curb, walking as if on a balance beam while snorting, "Fufun."
"Didn't I tell you? That young adult novel—a world full of smiles."
That means—.
"Here's the thing. If we do our absolute best to make everyone smile, we'll naturally get closer to that goal—I mean, isn't that obvious?"
"…With something like that, people would just give up right away because they know it's impossible. Even elementary school kids know that."
Mi-chan let out a sigh as if she couldn't believe it.
"But Mei is actually the kind of person who really does that…"
Then, with deep feeling, I muttered,
"I didn't do anything special, though. I just did what I could."
"…But the range of things you can do is way too broad, Mei."
"Not really—but if I said that, it would sound sarcastic, so I just replied, 'Yeah, that's true.'"
"Both of those sound sarcastic, you know."
Haha, you're right…
To be honest, I realize that I am indeed luckier than others, both in terms of looks and abilities. Everyone has often told me that, and when viewed objectively in terms of academic grades or competition results, I know that's true.
But I don't think I've ever acted as if I were bragging about it excessively. Even so, sometimes people still get offended.
So usually, I try my best to steer the conversation away from topics like this. But since I'm talking to Mi-chan, I'll just speak openly.
"But honestly, I just have a lot of stuff—inside, I'm just an ordinary person. I don't want to become a doctor just because I can study, nor do I want to become a professional tennis player just because I'm good at tennis, and even though I look good, I don't want to be an idol or a celebrity either..."
I came back down to earth slowly.
"I just want to go about my days calmly and peacefully, to be able to laugh together with everyone—that's all. It's nothing special, is it? It's just an ordinary thing anyone could think of."
"…"
Suddenly, I realized Mi-chan had stopped, so I turned around.
Mi-chan kept her head down, muttering softly.
"Days like this… …I wonder how long this will go on…"
"Ouch!"
Without hesitation, I slapped Mi-chan on the forehead. Pretty hard.
"Ouch! Hey, why did you slap my forehead?!"
"Of course, because the photo turned out great."
As I rubbed Mi-chan's forehead, I looked into her eyes, which were staring intently at me.
"Our lives today exist because Mi-chan has fully shown your charm, and everyone recognizes that. Because you've worked so hard, we can smile every day just like this."
Then, I smiled gently.
"So, if you keep trying like this, you'll be able to keep smiling forever."
Hearing those words, Mi-chan fell silent for a moment.
Then Mi-chan nodded slowly.
"…Yeah, you're right. The important thing is that we just keep trying, right?"
"Yeah, yeah!"
Slowly, I patted Mi-chan on the shoulder, then stepped forward lightly, tap-tap-tap.
Then, after taking a few steps, Mi-chan turned around and suddenly spread her arms wide.
"Besides, it's okay! From now on, whether it's high school, college, or even when we're adults later—"
Forever.
Yeah, forever.
"—So we can keep laughing together. I'll keep doing my very best!"
That's right.
That is the dream that must be fought for by—
Kiyosato Mei, who is blessed with a little more talent than most people.
◆
My family is a very ordinary middle-class family.
If asked what sets us apart from other families, perhaps it's just the habit of adding sugar to barley tea? They say it's a custom from Dad's hometown, but I've never heard of it in the city.
In any case, it's just a small difference; This is indeed an ordinary family that can be found anywhere throughout Japan.
Dad is an office worker who commutes to work every day on a crowded train. He is a calm and kind-hearted man, and on his days off, he always makes time for his family.
Mom works part-time in the clothing section of a department store; Even though she often grumbles, the meals she makes every day are truly delicious.
However, because Dad is frequently transferred for work, it's hard for me to have friends who can stay close. Also, since I don't have any biological siblings or cousins my age, I used to cry because I felt lonely when I was little.
But, in return, I was spoiled rotten by my Aunties on Dad's side. I guess they hadn't been blessed with children of their own, so they treated me like their own flesh and blood.
Aunties always smiled warmly and were so kind; I loved them dearly. Every time I went back to my hometown, they took me to play at various places, and during celebrations like Birthdays or Christmas, they gave me lots of gifts.
When I came in first place in the Children's Tennis Tournament, won a gold medal in the Calligraphy Contest, or won the English Speech Contest, the Aunties rejoiced as if those were their own achievements.
When Aunties laughed happily, I felt happy too.
So, I worked hard at all sorts of things.
Then, when I was still a toddler,
My oldest Aunt—Dad's big sister—stroked my head and said,
'Mei-chan, you're truly blessed with many talents. Someone like you should use those abilities to make lots of people smile.'
'Lots? How much?'
'As much as your hands can hold, Mei-chan.'
'Then, will I be happier?'
'Yeah, of course.'
'Okay, then, I'll try my best!'
I want them all to always be smiling.
And in the midst of it all, I want to be smiling too.
And if that's really the best way to feel happy—then there's no reason not to do it, right?
─Ever since then.
As much as possible, make as many people laugh as I can.
That's the goal I want to achieve.
◆
'Next stop~, Seijyō Academy High School~, Seijyō Academy High School~'
The announcement on the train snapped me back to reality.
…Wow, I must have dozed off without realizing it. I'd just been having a dream full of memories.
Rubbing my eyes, I looked around with a confused expression.
Mi-chan, who was supposed to be sitting next to me, wasn't there. We'd already passed the nearest station, so she must have gotten off quietly so as not to wake me up.
I yawned softly, then absentmindedly imagined how the dream would continue.
—Just like Auntie said, I'm trying my hardest to make lots of people smile.
At first, it was small things like giving gifts I liked or playing together.
Next, I tried to think about what Auntie would find fun or happy, and did my best to make it happen.
As time went on, I naturally began to understand other people's feelings, and my intuitive guesses were increasingly accurate. Eventually, I was able to do the same not only with my close friends but also with people I had just met.
On the other hand, I also began to see the negative and unpleasant sides of others.
If only a person's negative side comes to the surface, everyone around them gets dragged down and becomes unhappy. Therefore, to prevent that from happening, if their negative side becomes too prominent, I try to suppress it as much as possible, highlight their many positive qualities, and strive to create an environment where everyone can respect one another.
Although I often face failure, every time it happens, I correct my mistakes and do my very best to achieve better results.
And, thanks to that continuous effort─.
Now, everything is going perfectly.
No one is left out, no one hurts each other, and we can stick together no matter what. It's so wonderful to spend our school days filled with laughter in this amazing class.
Spending my days laughing with close friends who are unique, interesting, and open to talking about anything is truly a joy.
So, from now on and into the future.
I will continue to pursue my dreams.
─Outside the train window, rows of lights stretched out.
Maybe it was because of the tears in my eyes right after waking up, but everything seemed to glow with a sparkling, beautiful light, making me feel a little lucky.
Next week is the summer vacation I've been waiting for so long.
Summer Vacation does come every year, but no two are exactly the same; This is a special moment. It would be a shame not to enjoy it to the fullest.
With my cheeks still feeling relaxed, I stepped off the train with a light step, my heart pounding.
TL: Reeze27
ED: Reeze27
PR: Reeze27
RP: Angga Kun
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