by Takehaya
“...Hmm?”
Koutarou noticed her by chance. As he was passing through nearby, he happened to hear Harumi’s small cry for help. If she had been recruiting like normal, Koutarou probably wouldn’t have noticed her at all.
“P-Please stop! Let go!”
“It’s fine, right? You want members, and I want to go out with you. It’s win-win, don’t you think?”
“That’s not what this society is for!”
“But you don’t have enough members, right? Time to face facts.”
“No! Let go of me!”
A powerless, delicate girl was trying to escape the grasp of a persistent, sleazy guy. She seemed to be recruiting for some club, but the boy was just there to hit on her. Koutarou had picked up on the situation just by watching them, and casually approached.
Jeez, could you at least think twice about where you pull this kind of stunt?
Seeing someone be so selfish irritated Koutarou.
“Welcome! Oh my, aren’t you a cutie?”
Koutarou spoke in a flamboyantly feminine voice like something out of a TV show, and threw his arms around the boy.
“Wh-What?!”
“You’re joining our club, aren’t you? That’s great! You’re just my type!”
“L-Let go! Who the hell are you?!”
Surprised by Koutarou’s sudden hug, the boy let go of the girl’s hand. Seeing that, Koutarou kept talking while forcibly separating the boy from the girl.
“Oh, I thought you wanted someone to go out with?”
“Wh-Who would want to go out with you?!”
“You want to go out with someone, and I want to go out with a boy. It’s win-win, don’t you think?”
“The hell it is! Let go of me, you freak!”
“Oh, don’t be so shy!” Koutarou spun around and let go of the boy. “You’ll join, won’t you?”
“Who the hell would join a boring club like this with a freak like you in it?”
“Oh, you’re breaking my heart...”
“Ugh, disgusting!”
The boy spat out those words and ran off. Since he was only there for the cute girl, he left as easily as he had come.
“Phew. There are so many idiots this time of year... I sure hope he’s not in my class.”
While he was relieved that he’d been able to resolve things safely, Koutarou still let out an irritated sigh. Even after the boy was long gone, Koutarou continued staring in that direction for a while.
“Um... Thank you very much.”
“Wha?!” Koutarou let out a strange yelp in surprise at the sudden voice.
“Ah, I’m sorry for startling you!”
The voice belonged to the girl who the boy was pestering. Seeing Koutarou’s surprise, she frantically bowed her head.
“Oh, no, I’m sorry. I forgot you were here too.”
Koutarou had been so irritated at the boy that he had completely forgotten the girl was there at all.
“He was pretty relentless, so you really helped me out...”
“I was out of line. I even chased away a potential member when you’re out here recruiting.”
“No, that’s okay. He wasn’t interested in knitting anyway...”
The girl’s expression finally relaxed.
She has such serene eyes...
The girl had a mild, soothing aura about her. Just looking at her made Koutarou feel at ease.
“Knitting?”
“Yes, I’m the president of the knitting society.”
“The knitting society, huh?”
Behind the girl was a desk bannered with the words “knitting society.”
“...I’m sure it’s not very interesting for boys.”
The girl’s face turned slightly gloomy and she lowered her head. Seeing that, Koutarou realized that her club lacking members was a big problem.
“That’s true, even I—”
Koutarou was about to agree when he suddenly remembered the half-finished sweater that he was keeping safely wrapped up at home.
If I join this club...
“Um, Senpai...”
“Yes?”
“If I join this club, would I get better at knitting?”
“Of course. That’s exactly what we’re here for.”
The girl nodded her head.
“Would it be possible for even a complete amateur to knit a sweater?”
“I’m sure it would be impossible at first, but if you keep at it...”
“Even if I’m not very good with my hands?”
Koutarou showed the girl his large, manly fingers. Looking at his hands, she nodded.
“You’ll be fine. In the end, training and effort are more important than dexterity.”
“That’s my specialty. I’m an athlete, after all.”
After talking for this long, Koutarou made up his mind. Knowing that he wouldn’t be able to continue with baseball because of his father’s sudden job transfer, it didn’t bother him too much.
“Um, c-could it be that you would like to join?”
The girl’s expression brightened up. She had realized from their conversation that Koutarou was interested.
“Yeah, if it’s not a bother, I would like to join. Do you mind?”
“Not at all! W-Welcome!”
Seemingly very happy, the girl spoke quickly as she welcomed Koutarou.
“Please come this way! Th-There’s an application form to fill out!”
“Sure.”
Led by the girl, Koutarou started walking.
“I’m Satomi Koutarou. It’s nice to meet you.”
“Oh my goodness, that’s right...”
The girl gave a small, embarrassed smile that soon turned into a large grin.
“I’m Harumi. Sakuraba Harumi. I’m the president of the knitting society.”
And that was how Koutarou and Sakuraba Harumi met.
“Satomi-kun, if you were here, you should have just said so...”
“Hahaha, you looked like you were having so much fun with the children that I would’ve felt bad about butting in, Senpai.”
Koutarou and Harumi were now sitting on the bench together. As they talked, they watched over the children in the hospital courtyard. The kids had split into groups and were running around playing.
“Are you here often, Sakuraba-senpai?”
“Yes. I’ve had a weak constitution ever since I was a child, so I have regular checkups. Since school starts tomorrow, the doctors wanted to make sure there was nothing wrong.”
“And do you play with the children every time you come to the hospital?”
“...Yes.” Harumi blushed slightly as she nodded.
“Onee-chan!”
“Is he bullying you? Should we get him?!”
The children adored Harumi. Koutarou could tell from just this short exchange. That’s why he figured that they had known each other for a long time.
“It’s okay! This boy is my friend.”
“I see.”
“Why don’t you take a hint?”
“How adult.”
“It’s an adult!”
Seemingly satisfied with her answer, the children began playing again.
“I’m sorry, Satomi-kun. It’s rare for young people to come here.”
“It’s okay. I don’t mind. They’re your friends, right?”
“...Yes. Very precious friends.” Harumi nodded firmly in response as she looked back up at the children with a loving gaze. Harumi adored the children too.
“So why are you in the hospital, Satomi-kun?”
“Is it that surprising?”
“Yes. You look so healthy.”
“I’m not sick, just a little banged up. Here, look.”
Koutarou turned his back to Harumi and showed her the back of his head. The wrap had been removed, but he still had a bandage over the bump.
“Are you okay?”
When Koutarou turned to face Harumi again, she looked quite worried.
“It’s just a bump and some small scratches. It’s nothing serious.”
“Oh, good... But how did you get hurt?”
Harumi let out a sigh of relief, but then curiously tilted her head.
“Actually, I tripped and hit my head on the job. That’s all it was. Hahaha, I guess I’m too energetic.”
Koutarou smiled and shrugged, but Harumi still had a worried look on her face.
“...You really are okay, aren’t you?”
“I’m fine. I can’t get any dumber than I already am.”
“Then I suppose it’s all right.”
“Heh, don’t worry so much, Sakuraba-senpai.”
“Head injuries can be pretty scary, you know? Besides, you’re a member of the society after all.”
“I see. So it’s a very calculated worry.”
“Calculated?! I would never...”
Harumi’s face turned red as Koutarou laughed to himself.
“Pfft... Ahahaha!”
“Oh you, Satomi-kun...”
As Harumi’s lips pursed into a small frown, one of the children thrust her face between Koutarou’s and Harumi’s.
“Uwah!”
“Kyaah!”
The child that had appeared was one of the older girls. She had climbed over the back of the bench to surprise Koutarou and Harumi.
“Did I scare you? Hey, are you Onee-chan’s boyfriend?”
“B-Boyfriend?!”
Unaccustomed to this kind of question, Harumi’s eyes shot wide open and she was left speechless.
“Haha, I wish. I’m not her boyfriend. Just her apprentice.”
“Apprentice? Of what?”
“Of knitting. She’ll be teaching me starting the day after tomorrow.”
Club activities would begin on Tuesday, the day after the school’s commencement ceremony.
“I see. Onee-chan is a good knitter.”
Satisfied, the girl smiled. Even among the children, Harumi’s knitting skills were famous.
“Hey! Kou! Where are you?!”
That was when Kenji appeared at the entrance to the courtyard.
“Ah...”
Spotting him, Harumi’s expression became more strained.
“Mackenzie! Over here!”
Koutarou didn’t notice the change, and waved over Kenji.
“You idiot! What about the medicine?!”
“Oh shoot, I forgot!”
Koutarou jumped off the bench and ran towards Kenji.
“Hey, Onee-chan.”
The young girl was looking at Koutarou’s back and leaned over to whisper to Harumi, who was doing the same thing.
“Yes?”
“Is he really not your boyfriend?”
“He’s not. He’s a friend from school who I promised to teach to knit.”
“You’re lying. He’s the only adult man you’ve talked to without getting flustered.”
“Th-That’s not...”
Harumi was quick to deny it, but the young girl was right. Harumi had only met with Koutarou a few times in the days after the results were announced. She’d come across him by chance in town, but they weren’t particularly close. Even so, Harumi wouldn’t ordinarily be able to speak to a man under those circumstances.
“I... um...”
Yet for some reason, Harumi didn’t feel like she needed to keep her guard up around Koutarou. This was something unexpected even to her, so she couldn’t help but feel a little puzzled.
“S-Satomi-kun and I aren’t...”
As Harumi muttered his name, Koutarou finally met up with Kenji and turned back towards Harumi.
“Senpai! I know it’s sudden, but I have to go now! I’ll see you the day after tomorrow!”
“Y-Yes! The day after tomorrow, then! Goodbye, Satomi-kun!”
Despite being caught off guard by Koutarou’s timing, Harumi was still somehow able to answer.
“Goodbye!”
Koutarou bowed his head and left the courtyard with Kenji.
“...”
Harumi clasped her hands to her chest and watched Koutarou as he walked away.
“...I get it. You’re not dating, but you’re interested in him, right?”
Studying Harumi’s behavior, that was the conclusion the young girl reached.
“Wh-Wh-Whaaat?!”
Harumi’s face turned bright red. She was absolutely speechless. She desperately searched for the words to deny it, but nothing came to her.
“It’s okay, I’ll keep it a secret.”
“...”
In the end, Harumi was unable to say anything back to the young, smiling girl. She simply stayed quiet.
“Does your club president hate me or something?”
“Huh?”
“When I called out while you guys were talking, she got really nervous all of a sudden, remember?”
“Really?”
“...You could at least notice something that obvious.”
Kenji smiled wryly at Koutarou as he got on his bike, which he had left at Corona House. In the morning, Kenji would take the train to Harukaze Station and use his bike to get to Corona House from there. And once he met up with Koutarou, they would walk to Harukaze High together.
“I don’t know if she hates you or not, but if a scumbag like you approached her, she’d be tainted. Don’t get near her. Shoo, shoo!”
“Come on now...”
Koutarou smirked at Kenji’s reaction, but his expression soon turned more serious.
“Well, to be honest, it does seem like she is a bit shy.”
While they had only spoken a few times, Koutarou had at least picked up on that.
“Hmm, she seems pretty fine with you though.”
“A lot happened when we first met, you know.”
“Ah, you mean that time with a real scumbag.”
“Right. She was grateful back then, but we’ve bumped into each other a couple of times since. That’s probably why.”
Harumi was normally meek and bashful. If they hadn’t met under such circumstances, she probably would have been nervous around Koutarou as well. At least, that’s what Koutarou figured.
“That’s how it is. So leave her be until she gets used to you, scumbag.”
“Would you stop calling me that?”
Normally, Kenji was the one who was popular with women.
“Just understand that it’s not a laughing matter, Mackenzie-kun.”
“Yeah, yeah.”
Kenji knew he was mostly joking. He smiled and shook his head as he turned his bike around.
“Well then, Kou, tomorrow’s the entrance ceremony, so make sure you get to bed early.”
“I know, I know. You don’t have to worry. I got up just fine today, right?”
“Right. Well, see you.”
“Yeah. Be safe.”
Kenji got to pedaling, and Koutarou returned to Corona House. Neither of them looked back. It was how they usually parted ways.
The door to room 106 unlocked with a click. While the door looked old, the landlord, Shizuka, made sure to change the locks every time a tenant changed. Thanks to that, it didn’t give of the impression of a worn out apartment. The door didn’t even creak as it opened, a sign that it had been well maintained.
“I’m back,” Koutarou muttered to himself as he entered the empty room.
As expected, coming home to an empty house is boring...
The image of his mother flashed through Koutarou’s mind. He recalled the sight of her welcoming him home. Until just a few years ago, that was a daily occurrence.
“You’re finally back, you thickheaded jerk!”
However, a voice rang out from the back of the room, interrupting his nostalgic moment.
“What?!”
Surprised, Koutarou hurriedly threw off his shoes and ran to the inner room.
“In the end, you never noticed anything last night, but I’ll chase you out today for sure!”
Koutarou was met with the sight of a small girl in a s
ummer dress as he entered the room. She looked several years younger than him. With her slender body and short stature, she looked to be in elementary school. But her strong eyebrows, large eyes, and frowning mouth left quite an impression.
“Plan number one! Start up with the noises even though it’s still evening!”
Koutarou wasn’t sure if the girl had noticed him or not, but she began loudly clapping her hands in the middle of the room.
“What...?”
The sight of this girl clapping and running through the room left Koutarou astonished.
“What is she doing...?”
Koutarou was too distracted by what the girl was doing to worry about how she had gotten into his room in the first place.
“It was a mistake to wait until night to try and wake up this thickheaded dweeb with a scare! I’m so on top of my game today! I’m a genius to think of starting up with the racket while he’s still awake!”
The girl continued running around the room while happily clapping her hands.
“Now get scared and leave, you dimwit! This place is haunted!”
The girl finally turned towards Koutarou. As she did, she saw him staring at her.
“...”
“Surely you’ll leave now!”
The girl stopped moving.
“Huh?”
She hesitantly clapped one final time. And the two simply stared at each other.
“...”
“...”
“...What are you doing here?”
Koutarou was the one to break the silence. He pointed to the girl’s hands, still pressed together, and called her out in a dumbfounded tone. It was only reasonable he’d feel that way upon returning home after a long day, only to find a girl going mad in his apartment.
“Whaaaaat?!”
In response, the girl opened her eyes wide in surprise. Her already large eyes became completely round.
“H-Hey, you! You can see me?!”
The girl leaned forward and brought her face closer to Koutarou’s.
“Of course I can see you. What are you talking about...?”
“Y-You can’t just see me, but you can hear me too?!”
“What are you talking about...?”
Koutarou had no idea what the girl was trying to say, and tilted his head to the side in confusion.
“B-But, you couldn’t see me yesterday. You couldn’t hear my voice either!”