༺𓆩༒︎𓆪༻
The homeroom teacher of class 2-6 stood still behind the class's podium as the whole room sat in heavy silence. The tension in the air was so thick that some found it hard to even breathe. Even Suguru, who stands at the top of the class could only wait helplessly as his homeroom teacher prepared to speak.
This is where it all hangs in, the final score of their test. Whether their class's top players could participate in this year's tournament or not depends here.
Then, homeroom teacher Masamichi Hagimoto, (affectionately called mi-chan by his students), started his announcement.
"Now then, it's time to hand you back your test papers for the final subject of the midterm." He started.
And then, the name-dropping began.
"Wataru"
"Aikoh"
Silence.
As the first two names spoken are for the two highest scores in class and thus do not need to worry but should not be too lax either. But then the other two names are called.
"And then...
Kirishima!"
Twitch!
4 pass / 2 fails
"Usami!"
"Eep-!"
4 pass / 2 fails
And he stops for a moment, re-checking his papers just to make sure that he doesn't misread anything.
"You two...
DID NOT FAIL!!"
( ˶ˆ∇ˆ˵ ),٩(ˊ∇ˋ*)و ヽ(＾∇＾)ﾉ♪
And so they cheered. For a surely victorious tournament is just ahead of them. Hopefully.
Shohei are the first to break out of his shock as he cried out in relief. "Uwaaaaaa- that was so close! I thought I was actually finished this time."
↑ 61/100
"Man, we almost screwed up so bad." Eijirō followed up.
↑ 64/100
For context, the minimum passing grade is 60.
But from behind them suddenly came a horrifying presence, dark and ominous as if a dark heavy mist had descended upon them both as they felt chills running down their back.
Then, that voice came.
"What's this, 60s? From my own tutee?"
An enraged Suguru had entered the battle range.
"Ah," Such was the last word of our glorious brothers.
༺𓆩༒︎𓆪༻
Sport festival and Class Match, it is when every class in school suddenly have a bigger pride in their own class than in their nation. And also, the yearly events where students could challenge the unofficial status of Top Dog Class for the rest of the year.
"And that finalised our roster for each sport" Gumi, the representative of class 2-6 in the Class Match Committee exclaimed. "Since midterms are over we'll be able to do after-school practice sessions, so please make sure to make the time."
On the class board, a drawing of the field and a volleyball court with names written on them are already present as the results of our final discussion for all the competitions that will be held. Along with the two main sports, other smaller activities and competitions are also written on the side.
"While the timeline doesn't leave us much time for intensive practice, let's do as we can!"
"Also-" Beside him stood Guri, another representative of the Class Match added. "this is a request from me personally."
She took a small step forward as the attention focused towards her. "I want us to be in it to win the whole thing."
The best overall class award, granted to the class that shows the best athleticism, sportsmanship, and enthusiasm during the whole event.
And with the idea, comes the discussion.
"M-hm, an overall objective on top of a goal for each event is good for focusing our effort."
"We all want to release all that pent-up exam stress too"
"So a united front huh"
"And we'll get treated ice cream by Mi-chan if we win the main event too!"
Suffice to say, class 2-6 would be a lively place for the duration of the event.
༺𓆩༒︎𓆪༻
After one of their game after-school practice.
"Ha? Suguru, you got called?" Kirishima asked. The usual trio, Suguru, Eijirō, and Shohei are just about to walk home together before I suddenly remembered something important.
"Sorry, I can't go with you guys today, I got called to help with something at my dojo" He suddenly said before ditching his two friends as he ran ahead of them, eventually disappearing into an alleyway before either of them could say another word.
"Fueeh~ quite busy isn't he?" Eijirō puffed out as he rested his head on his hands leaning back. His eyebrows tense as he hums while thinking out loud.
"Oh, this is the first time he told us he went to a dojo right?" He asked.
"Yup" Shohei, walking right beside him had a different look to his face. "Well he's always been like that didn't he?" With his hands in his pockets, he walked as calmly as the smile on his face.
"I've been wondering for a while now," Eijirō suddenly stop, now turning his attention to Shohei as he turns his face towards him.
His face turned troubled as he went and asked his question. "Suguru has always been this... I don't know, kind of.. distant with all of us hasn't he?"
The question hung in the air and over them as Shohei also ceased his steps. But his face, in comparison, only showed confusion in response just as he asked.
"Really?"
Suguru, for a year-long memory that they share had always been... distinctly stereotypical. The popular handsome guy, good grades, good at sports, that picture-perfect school prince that you see in shoujo manga tropes.
You know, kinda like Kashima-kun.
↑ Binge-read the manga again for the n-th time.
"Well.. I'm kinda thinking it's the opposite"
"... Huh?"
Flashback . . .
"So, Suguru" Shohei started.
It was right at the end of the third period of the day, just after the lunch bell. Shohei and Eijirō were suddenly held back by the newly designated prince of middle school. "... do you think she's serious?" The ginger asked.
"sigh pretty sure" Let's break down the current predicament.
During a gathering at the summer festival, our usual trio and four other girl from their class were going from stand to stand, happily chatting with one another and joking around while plunging their wallets into unhealthy snacks and other festival rituals.
It was just as the fireworks show began, as everyone was looking up Suguru felt a shaky pull on his clothes. And as he turned towards the direction, she was there. Emma, her face red as she held his clothes in one hand and a small letter in the other.
"...The last day before our summer vacation, could you wait for me after school?..."
And now here he was, head down on his arms leaning on a chair's backrest. Asking his two, also single, friends about how to deal with a girl's confession.
"What a way to interrupt our lunch man.." Shohei sighed helplessly watching this so-called "Ōji" friend of his, but he couldn't say he blamed him either.
"sorry" Suguru muttered.
He didn't expect this specific confession to hit him this bad, it wasn't his first, and others have done so before. Girls he barely recognised, secret crushes and admiration taken too far but.. never someone that he had called a friend since elementary school, and not in this way before.
"It's alright, bros look out for one another right?" Eijirō tried to lighten up the atmosphere. "but still, we never even got asked out bro, this is four to zero- well five to zero now, in experience, to both of us."
"I know.." Awful mood is still in full effect.
Shohei and Eijirō looked at each other, uncertainty is a given looking at the situation but they just couldn't let their friends lament alone too. So they tried to break it down from the bottom.
"Well, I guess we could just be straight then," Eijirō asked, pulling himself a chair to sit on while Shohei opted to just sit on a nearby table, pulling out his lunchbox. "do you like her back?"
For a minute their only response from him was silence. "...not in the way she wants it to, but I don't want to break what we already have either."
"mm~ But also you don't want to bring that relationship further? You guys were in the same school since elementary right?"
"Wha- childhood friends too?!" Then there was Shohei, his face already drenched in jealousy as he chewed his food. "man.. you handsome guys are the worst,"
"... well, that means you don't want to be a couple right?"
"...no,"
"fuh~ then.. guess we'll better prepare that rejection letter now" He decided as he put down his lunch and reached under his desk while feeling around. "Don't worry, I have some materials on hand" As he pulled out 3 manga volumes from right under his desk.
And so the promised time came.
"mmm..." Suguru stood, his hands in his pockets relaxed as he leaned to a light post beside him. Before him, stood a young girl, a student from his class. It has been months since middle school started in proper.
"Wataru-kun.. I-" It was already evening, and most other students had already gone home. "I- I have this feeling, since, the first time."
The sun was setting over the horizon, casting its orange hue across the earth. The two classmates stood facing each other, two mirror opposites of one another. One flustered and blushing, the other calm and collected. One fidgeting in embarrassment, the other leaning still against a light post. One so painfully, obviously in love-
... the other wasn't.
"Since that first time, when I got lost in that train station" He was there, a first-year student just like her, walking their first day of middle school together.
"a- and that time too, during basketball lesson, and I got embarrassed because I kept messing up" He was there too, when she would secretly practice alone when no one was around. Guiding her patiently.
"and then.. a- and then" This boy.. this raven-haired Yankee looking boy that's always been so kind, so thoughtful, so stuck on her mind with those captivating purple eyes of his.
This boy who's so painfully, obviously.. doesn't share her feelings.
Before her first tears could even hit the ground, he was already upon her. His arms wrapped her in a gentle embrace, despite her own heartbeat thundering in her chest, her ears caught his next words in full clarity.
"... I'm sorry, Emma" And the tears couldn't stop falling.
"I know hic.." Even while her hands could barely hold him back and her tears sipping into his clothes she still tried to put her feelings into words. "I've always known you don't feel the same, I just-"
But somewhere, among the trees lining the path to the school gate, two figures sat in silence as they watched the confession scene unfold.
"hic it's- just like in the manga hic damn him, damn him I'm so jealous!" A familiar ginger head tried to sniffle his tears of jealousy-fueled pride.
"o-oi! Usami keep it down you're gonna get us caught" Eijirō, desperately tried to steady them both while they tried to keep themselves hidden atop the tree they're hiding in.
Meanwhile at the tree right next to them.
Two agents dutifully observe in silence as they always had for the past years.
"hic he's growing up so fast hic"
"what are you, the dad?"
To the present
Back in the present, both Eijirō and Shohei are still on that pathway home, laughing and reminiscing about the year like it was just yesterday.
"man, thinking about it now seeing him all open like that is weirdly disturbing," Shohei's thought came out of his head as easily as ever. "you know? Like, uh... seeing your cheerful dog suddenly acting weird or somthn"
"Pfft-! What was that comparison man?"
"I don't know I ran out of ideas. I was about to say like seeing your dad crying but I don't know if that's a good idea. "As a small bead of sweat rolls down his cheek.
Eijirō eventually just rub head absentmindedly as the wave of nostalgia passes by. "Man.. guess I'm worried about nothing, now I feel bad, wanna grab something for him tomorrow?"
"Ha? Me too? You're the one who started it" As doubts of the mind clear by itself, the two friends reaffirmed their trust in the third even as they know he carries more secrets that they might ever know about.
But that's alright, everyone got one anyway.
And so the walk home continue as before.
༺𓆩༒︎𓆪༻
Extra
Character profile:
Name: Shohei Usami | Mustafa Private Middle School, Class 2-6
Age: 14
Birthday: May 27th
Height: 5'5"
Blood type: B
Sign: Gemini
Family composition: Father, Mother, Younger Sister, Younger Brother
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Quirk: Gummy Pitch
His joints are able to stretch far beyond the normal limit, along with his muscles and bones to some extent. The further he is able to stretch them together, the more power he'll be able to exert in results. He chooses from his early love for baseball and as he now mainly uses it to throw pitches beyond the sound barrier.
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He likes his food, Ramen, Fried chicken, Hamburg steak, and Omurice are just to name a few. Generally considered an airhead, he usually goes around doing whatever in his free time but would always prioritise being with those he consider supa close. Is canonically good at drawing.
Ch. End
༺𓆩༒︎𓆪༻
Fuahh~... In the end it somehow it ended up being a long chapter, sorry 😔
Oh, and I also started a ZZZ fic which I'll update in turn with this one so that's news too.
Well thanks for reading anyway by-by~!