Category: British Stepsister

The day after the prefectural tournament ended, the time had finally come for Sophia to officially join the club as a manager.

The coach had asked her to wait until the tournament was over, so she was set to join the day after the finals—but it seemed like she still wasn’t mentally prepared yet.

“You okay?” (Kento)

I glanced at Sophia, walking beside me, and called out to her.

“W-W-W-What do you mean…!?” (Sophia)

Standing in front of the school gate, Sophia was more nervous than I had ever seen her before.

She had a strong attachment to the baseball club, and perhaps the idea of jumping into an unfamiliar group, especially one full of boys, was weighing on her.

Up until now, she had always kept boys at a distance, refusing to let them get close. It was probably a huge hurdle for her to start getting along with them now.

Ever since her decision to join was finalized, she had been acting strangely, and I figured that was the reason why.

Though for some reason… she was acting distant toward me as well.

Even though we were going to the same place today, she had tried to go separately. She had also stopped asking for head pats after studying with Jessica-san.

If anything, she had even stopped making eye contact with me entirely.

She must really be struggling to keep her composure.

“You don’t have to be so nervous. They’re all good guys, so you’ll be fine.” (Kento)

Sophia always had bad rumors following her, but not a single club member was against her joining.

If anything, they all seemed to be welcoming her with open arms.

“I-It’s not like I’m nervous over something like that…” (Sophia)

Turning her face away with a pout, Sophia averted her gaze.

She was as stubborn as ever.

“Ah, Kento-kun, Sophia-chan, good morning!” (Nadeshiko)

As we stepped through the school gate, a bright and gentle smile greeted us.

It was none other than the school’s Madonna, Kujouin Nadeshiko-san.

She must have been waiting for us, knowing that Sophia was joining the club today.

The two of us bowed and returned the greeting.

“Finally, this day has come. I’ve been looking forward to this, Sophia-chan.” (Nadeshiko)

With a cheerful smile, Kujouin-san approached Sophia.

Back when they hadn’t spoken before, she had seemed a bit wary of Sophia. But lately, perhaps thanks to having lunch together, they seemed to have gotten quite close.

More than that, I had a feeling Kujouin-san actually liked Sophia.

That’s probably why she had gone out of her way to wait here, and compared to how she interacted with the other junior managers, her demeanor towards Sophia felt noticeably closer.

“This is all thanks to Nadeshiko-senpai and everyone in the baseball club. Congratulations on your victory.” (Sophia)

Sophia, who had grown more comfortable with Kujouin-san, expressed her thanks and congratulations with a mature smile.

She wasn’t great at socializing, but if she could manage polite formalities like this, she’d probably get along just fine with everyone.

Even in the long run, it didn’t seem like she’d have much trouble.

“Mm, thank you. But honestly, the things I did were pretty minor. Both your joining and our victory were thanks to Kento-kun working really hard. Of course, that’s not to say the rest of the baseball club didn’t give it their all too.” (Nadeshiko)

Kujouin-san said this as she turned her gaze toward me.

Since she was a kind and considerate person, she was probably saying this to raise Sophia’s opinion of me.

It was just flattery, so I shouldn’t take it too seriously.

If anything, a huge factor of our victory was thanks to Shuuto.

Of course, his ability to shut down strong opponents was one thing, but his mere presence had a huge positive impact as well.

Having an ace gave us a sense of security during matches while simultaneously putting pressure on our opponents.

—Of course, that didn’t mean we won solely because of Shuuto’s strength.

“Kujouin-san’s ability to gather information and create data played a huge role in helping us.” (Kento)

In truth, her ability to gather information was on another level.

Not only did she have many friends from other schools, but her refined demeanor, humble attitude, exceptional looks, and natural communication skills allowed her to easily get close to people. Thanks to that, she was able to collect information and videos on opposing players.

On top of that, she was smart, so her data was not only accurate but also easy to understand.

Since my playstyle heavily relied on analyzing data for both offense and defense, her insights had been a tremendous help to me.

To be honest, when it came to data compilation, Sophia was probably just as capable as Kujouin-san. However, expecting her to gather information at the same level as Kujouin-san would be unreasonable, so after Kujouin-san graduated, things might get a little difficult.

“Kento-kun, you’re really good at giving compliments.” (Nadeshiko)

“I’m just stating the truth.” (Kento)

Suddenly, I noticed Sophia puffing out her cheeks slightly, giving me a sidelong glare.

She looked somewhat displeased.

“What’s wrong?” (Kento)

“Eh?” (Sophia)

When I called out to her, Sophia blinked in surprise.

…Wait, does she not even realize it herself?

Since her reaction was different from what I expected, I couldn’t shake off a sense of unease.

“No, it just seemed like you wanted to say something…” (Kento)

“—!” (Sophia)

At my words, Sophia visibly gasped, as if she knew exactly what I was talking about.

Then, as if trying to escape my gaze, her eyes wandered while she desperately tried to think of something.

A few seconds later, once she had seemingly made up her mind, she hurriedly spoke.

“I-It’s just your imagination…!” (Sophia)

Her voice came out slightly rougher than usual, and for some reason, her face had turned a bit red.

I didn’t think I had said anything to make her upset, though…?

“A-Anyway, I’ll go from here with Nadeshiko-senpai…!” (Sophia)

It was as if she were outright saying she didn’t want to be with me, as she tried to leave with Kujouin-san.

Since our destination was the same for the most part, I didn’t see the need for us to split up…

“Hmm~? We’re going to the same place, so why don’t we just go together? You’ve come this far with Kento-kun, after all.” (Nadeshiko)

As Sophia hurried to leave, Kujouin-san tilted her head with a smile on her face.

If it were her, she had probably already noticed that Sophia was trying to avoid being with me and was deliberately keeping her from leaving.

Most likely, she was giving us time to talk so that Sophia and I wouldn’t bring any awkward tension into practice.

“If Nadeshiko-senpai and I are with Kento-kun, we’d stand out too much…” (Sophia)

“It’s fine. Everyone already knows that Kento-kun and I are in the same club, and most people know that you and Kento-kun are siblings too. So, I don’t think anyone would find it strange if we walked together.” (Nadeshiko)

Kujouin-san blocked off Sophia’s escape route with a dazzling smile, countering her attempt to slip away with logic.

If she were in one of her more absentminded moments, it might have been different, but when she was aware of the situation, there was no getting past her with excuses or half-baked reasoning.

Sophia seemed to understand that as well—

“…I suppose so.” (Sophia)

—And, as if resigning herself, she returned to us.

However, by placing herself next to Kujouin-san, she created an artificial wall between us.

…Had I somehow ended up making her dislike me again without realizing it?

“…Well, I guess it’s fine for now.” (Nadeshiko)

Kujouin-san placed a finger on her chin, looked up at the sky as if deep in thought, and then muttered something softly with a smile.

It seemed she had no intention of interfering further.

She had definitely noticed Sophia’s strange behavior, yet she wasn’t stepping in to smooth things over between us. That probably meant she had an idea of why Sophia was acting this way.

Since it wasn’t like there was an actual problem, and we still had to introduce her to the other club members, I figured it was best not to poke at the situation too much.

With that in mind, I decided not to push the conversation with Sophia any further. Instead, I chatted casually with Kujouin-san as we made our way to the clubroom.

◆

“—Shirakawa Sophia desu. Starting today, I’ll be working as a manager. It’s a pleasure to be here.” (Sophia)

“““““She’s here!””””” (Club members)

The moment Sophia finished her introduction in front of the gathered team, the club members erupted in cheers.

Some even whistled loudly—clearly, they had been eagerly awaiting her arrival.

While I was happy to see my imouto so warmly welcomed, at the same time… I had a bad feeling about today’s practice.

After all, our coach was smiling ear to ear, enjoying the situation way too much for my liking.

“Ok, you lot. Since you must still be tired from the tournament yesterday, I was planning to end the morning session with just basic training and give you the afternoon off—but it looks like you’re all brimming with energy, huh? With the regional tournament coming up, we might as well go all in with practice, right?” (Coach)

My bad feeling turned out to be right on the mark. With a refreshingly cheerful smile, the coach had just dropped a bombshell.

This wasn’t just about extending practice into the afternoon.

He was declaring that both the morning and afternoon would consist of grueling, Spartan-like training.

The team members, who had been told after the match yesterday that “tomorrow’s practice will be just in the morning,” reacted with a collective shock.

Only Shuuto seemed eager, muttering, “Practice is better anyway.”

“Coach, we don’t have lunch, though…” (Team captain)

The captain, perhaps hoping for some leniency, hesitantly raised his hand to appeal to the fact that no one had brought food.

But if something like that could sway him, he wouldn’t have said anything in the first place.

“Don’t worry, I’ve already arranged meals for everyone.” (Coach)

“………” (Club members)

Realizing that the coach was completely serious, the entire team fell silent.

Though he was doing his best not to show it on his face, it was clear that the coach’s decision had left the team feeling disappointed.

I glanced at Sophia.

She was still standing next to the coach, looking uncomfortable and often casting her gaze downward.

…It couldn’t be helped, I suppose.

I wasn’t too keen on playing this kind of role, but—

“Coach, because the Chugoku Tournament is coming up, shouldn’t we take the opportunity to rest when we can? If we’re still tired and unfocused, training will be inefficient, and the risk of injury increases.” (Kento)

When I raised my hand to speak, everyone looked at me in surprise.

The coach, however, was already wearing a smirk, as if he had known I would say something like that.

Seeing that expression, I immediately realized I’d walked straight into his trap.

“What’s this, Kento? It’s rare to hear you say something like that, considering you’re always so focused on practice.” (Coach)

“No, I just thought about what would be best for the club…” (Kento)

I gave the usual polite response, but in reality, the reason I spoke up was because I felt that, if things kept going this way, Sophia would end up blaming herself for what was about to happen.

Even though the club members were making a ruckus, if it hadn’t been for her, that wouldn’t have happened in the first place.

Of course, no one would actually blame her, but she, as the main cause of it, would likely worry about it.

That’s why I intervened, but when I thought about it, I realized that the coach must have already anticipated the club members’ reaction to Sophia joining and knew I would step in to protect her.

This whole situation had been carefully orchestrated, and the coach had probably planned it in advance.

What a mischievous person he was.

Well, if I hadn’t intervened, we probably would have had a brutal practice for real.

“Fine, I’ll let it slide this time, but it’s a one-time deal.” (Coach)

The coach said that, then gave Sophia a look, signaling her to continue her introduction.

It might have been the coach’s consideration, knowing that the club members getting too rowdy would make Sophia uncomfortable.

At least now, the club members wouldn’t be making a fuss.

I glanced at everyone’s faces, and they looked relieved.

They were probably exhausted, so this was for the best.

“……..” (Shuuto)

Well, it seemed like one person wasn’t too happy about it, though.

Ah, my stomach hurts.

“Um… actually, there’s something I’d like to thank you all for.” (Sophia)

With the room falling silent, Sophia hesitated a little, finding it hard to speak, but she continued with polite words.

I could tell what she wanted to say, but thanking everyone in this situation felt off, and I had a feeling this was going to lead to something a bit awkward.

But I couldn’t stop her, so Sophia opened her mouth to continue.

“Last week’s match was tied to my joining the club, and thanks to everyone’s hard work, I was able to join. So, thank you very much—” (Sophia)

“Don’t get the wrong idea. We didn’t do it for you.” (Shuuto)

As Sophia was speaking with a serious and grateful attitude, a sharp interruption came out of nowhere, cutting into her words.

I had a feeling this would happen… I shifted my gaze toward the one who had spoken.

It was none other than Shuuto, the same person who had been glaring at me earlier.

“Kuragane-kun, she’s speaking right now, so…” (Nadeshiko)

“No, it’s fine. Let him say it.” (Coach)

Just as Kujouin-san hastily tried to stop Shuuto, the coach intervened.

Whether the coach wanted to see how Sophia would respond or whether he agreed with Shuuto’s stance, I couldn’t say for sure. But I really hoped he wouldn’t let this go on.

Even if I tried to stop it now, the coach would most likely put a stop to me, too, so… What should I do?

As I stood there, watching the situation unfold, Shuutou continued speaking, despite Sophia’s confused expression.

“We were just playing for ourselves. There is no reason for you to thank us, nor is there a reason we owe you any thanks.” (Shuuto)

Without caring about the accusing stares from the others, Shuuto said exactly what he wanted to.

As usual, Shuuto was far too blunt, and it made my head hurt.

I understood what he was trying to say, but he really needed to think about his phrasing a little more. At this rate, all he was going to do was make Sophia angry.

“I knew it… I really dislike this person…” (Sophia)

When I glanced at Sophia to check if she was about to shout, I saw her mutter something quietly under her breath.

She was trying not to show it, but it was clear she was expressing her dissatisfaction.

The other members of the club were glaring at Shuuto as well, though they were holding back their anger for the coach’s sake. There was no doubt in my mind that they’d be voicing complaints to him later.

“—Sophia, what Shuuto meant is that you don’t have to feel like you owe a debt or something.” (Kento)

Realizing things might get worse, I raised my hand to explain to Sophia.

It would be troublesome to have to explain this one by one later, so I figured I should just clear things up for everyone right now.

This time, everyone turned to look at me with surprised expressions.

“Even with the whole situation involving the challenge, the baseball team was only playing for themselves. So, just because Sophia was able to join, it doesn’t mean that you need to feel like you owe a debt or you need to do something in return. Shuuto was just trying to say that you don’t have to feel burdened by this thought, and should just focus on doing your best as a manager.” (Kento)

As I finished explaining, the club members all exchanged glances, their faces full of uncertainty, as if thinking, “Wait, that’s not quite right, is it?”

No one seemed to take Shuuto’s words in the way I had intended.

However…

“Didn’t I just say that?” (Shuuto)

Shuuto indirectly confirmed what I had said, making the situation even more awkward.

“Ehhh…?” (Club members)

Because of that, everyone wore an indescribable expression.

I understood what they were thinking.

It was the same thing I had thought just a few moments ago.

“Is this… Is this guy a tsundere…?” (Sophia)

It seemed that Sophia had come to understand that Shuuto hadn’t meant anything malicious by his words.

But it was so unexpected that she seemed genuinely confused.

Because of that, she had blurted out exactly what she was thinking.

And that, of course, became the new source of tension.

“Are you trying to start a fight with me…?” (Shuuto)

Shuuto, who had interpreted the tsundere comment as an insult, glared at Sophia with a sharp look.

It was clear he wasn’t just being awkward; he was genuinely angry.

Well, it was understandable. Being called a tsundere like that when that’s just how he talks was insulting in his eyes.

“Shuuto, wait…! Sophia didn’t mean any harm…!” (Kento)

“In this case, isn’t it worse when there’s no ill intent…?” (Shuuto)

“Well, maybe, but let’s just calm down for now! You know, it’s in front of the coach…” (Kento)

The coach is strict when it comes to arguments among the team.

If things go badly, the afternoon practice and intense drills that had been canceled earlier might come back.

That’s something I definitely want to avoid, and besides, Shuuto respects the coach. If I bring up the coach, he’ll likely calm down.

“…Yeah, I guess you’re right.” (Shuuto)

As expected, Shuuto quieted down.

This is really nerve-wracking today.

“Thanks. I’ll talk to Sophia properly later.” (Kento)

“Yeah. Speaking of which, I also have something I want to talk to you about, Kento, about earlier.” (Shuuto)

“…I figured.” (Kento)

It seems like Shuuto was still holding a grudge over the comment I made against the coach.

Just when I thought the crisis was over, here comes another one.

Well, I figured we’d talk about it later when we were alone, so it wasn’t too big of a deal.

“By the way—” (Shuuto)

Shuuto shifted his gaze back to Sophia, as if he had something else to say.

Seeing him look at her like that, Sophia tensed up, probably thinking he was about to pick a fight again.

This girl sure has strong defense instincts, huh…

“You don’t have to thank us, but you should thank Kento, the coach, and Kujouin-san. They’ve been the ones working behind the scenes for you.” 

Shuuto said this while pointing at me with a smug look on his face.

To him, it was probably just stating the obvious.

But Sophia, who was on the receiving end of that, looked stunned.

And it wasn’t just her. Every single member of the team, except Kujouin-san, was shocked as well.

It was clear that Shuuto’s words had caught everyone by surprise.

It was a surprising turn of events, but I hoped this might help clear up some of the misunderstandings the team had about Shuuto… at least a little bit.

“I understand, I’ve already expressed my thanks…” (Sophia)

“Well, that’s fine then.” (Shuuto)

It seemed that Sophia’s response had satisfied Shuuto, and he gave a snort of amusement.

It looked like he wasn’t planning on saying anything more.

Afterward, Sophia gathered her thoughts and began speaking again—but I, unusually, shifted my gaze to the coach, who had been letting the team do whatever they wanted.

Normally, he would have intervened much earlier, so why had he been so passive?

As I pondered this, Sophia had finished speaking.

Then, after the coach jokingly warned us not to injure ourselves while trying to look cool, he gave the instructions for practice.

We all started warming up, but—

“Coach, aren’t you being a little too hard on Kento-kun…?” (Nadeshiko)

“No, no, I just want him to grow more. He’s the center of the team, so he needs to work on his mental strength and leadership.” (Coach)

“But it’s such an important time for him. Please don’t put too much pressure on him.” (Nadeshiko)

“Don’t worry, he’s not that soft. You know that as well as I do, right?” (Coach)

The coach replied, his voice full of confidence. From the way he was grinning, it was clear he was enjoying the conversation with Kujouin-san. Given the expression on his face, I couldn’t help but wonder if he was thinking of something troublesome, though I doubted he’d increase the intensity of the training at this point.

◆

“Good job. You holding up alright?” (Kento)

During the break, I called out to Sophia, who was focused on a piece of paper with Kujouin-san beside her. It seemed she was learning how to write up the score.

“Hmm, I’m not tired at all. I haven’t been doing anything physical.” (Sophia)

Sophia didn’t look up from the paper but answered me nonetheless.

From what I could tell, Kujouin-san had left the other managers to handle the drinks and equipment, while assigning Sophia tasks that required more mental effort. With more managers on the team, it seemed like they were distributing roles according to each person’s strengths.

…Honestly, though, I figured the real goal was to have more people capable of handling data and scoring.

Currently, even though I was helping with the data side, the only one among the managers who could do it effectively was Kujouin. It looked like none of the other managers had quite grasped how to write up the score yet.

To be honest, Kujouin-san’s burden is too heavy, so it’s good that Sophia joined.

Not to mention, Kujouin-san is good at managing people, and she keeps a proper eye on everything, so I trust she won’t push Sophia too hard.

Thanks to Kujouin-san, I can focus on practice without worrying about the kind of person who tends to overdo it.

Also, the fact that I don’t have to worry about Sophia causing any issues is because Kujouin-san is by her side.

Of course, I can never say that to her face.

“I know she’s very smart and quick to get things done, but she’s still new. We’ll teach her without rushing, so Kento-kun, you can relax.” (Nadeshiko)

“Yes, thank you. By the way, Sophia, do you think you’re getting along with the others?” (Kento)

It seems that Sophia had already met the other managers when she was spectating with Kujouin-san during the match, but whether she’s getting along with them is another matter.

However, Sophia turned away awkwardly when she heard my question, so it seems things aren’t going too well.

“Um… I talked with them a little, but I wouldn’t say things are going well.” (Sophia)

“Is it because you’re being careful with your words?” (Kento)

“Yeah.” (Sophia)

Sophia understands that there can’t be any fights within the club, so she’s trying to avoid provoking anyone and making an effort to be considerate.

However, this seems to make talking even harder for her.

That said, since she’s already gotten used to Kujouin-san, there’s no need to worry too much.

“I think this problem will fix itself over time, so Kujouin-san, please take care of Sophia until then.” (Kento)

“Hehe, Kento-kun, you’re quite a fine onii-san (older brother).” (Nadeshiko)

“You think so?” (Kento)

Feeling embarrassed, I scratched my cheek with my finger and gave a wry smile.

Indeed, from the outside, I probably look like a brother who’s overly concerned about his imouto.

In reality, Sophia does emanate a bit of a troublesome imouto aura, so it’s not entirely wrong.

Well, that’s what makes her cute.

“………” (Sophia)

Before I knew it, Sophia was looking at my face again, as if she wanted to say something.

However, as soon as our eyes met, she quickly looked away.

If she has something to say, she should just say it…

“Sophia—” (Kento)

“—Kento, you’re always talking to Shirakawa-san, that’s so unfair…!” (Shouta)

“—Huh!?” (Kento)

Suddenly, someone threw their arm around my shoulder from behind, and I was startled, turning to see who had done it.

I recognized the voice, but it seemed like Shouta was crying as he put his arm around me.

“Why are you crying…!?” (Kento)

“This is a cry of frustration…! You’re the only one getting all the attention…! I wanna talk to Shirakawa-san too…!” (Shouta)

I’m not exactly sure what’s going on, but this is probably what you’d call jealousy from a guy, right?

Since the match where Sophia joined, a lot more women have been coming up to talk to me, so maybe Shouta’s been holding a grudge about that.

“Isn’t it fine to talk normally…?” (Kento)

If I went at it too aggressively, Sophia would probably dislike it, but there shouldn’t be a problem with interacting casually.

“It’s not allowed, the coach didn’t let us…!” (Shouta)

“Eh?” (Kento)

“So, it’s forbidden…! The coach said not to talk to Shirakawa-san until she’s fully settled into the club…!” (Shouta)

It seems that some sort of restriction was put in place while I wasn’t aware of it.

“Is it just you, Shouta?” (Kento)

“It’s everyone in the club…! Why do I have to be the only one forbidden from doing it!?” (Shouta)

I thought only Shouta was being banned for aggressively approaching the girls, but it seems that isn’t the case.

That said, it’s odd that I didn’t know about this…

“After the game where Kento-kun hit three home runs, you went over to talk to Sophia-chan, right? After that, all the club members were gathered and told not to do it. Otherwise, everyone would want to talk to Sophia-chan, and it would cause a ruckus.” (Nadeshiko)

My confusion was quickly cleared up by Kujouin-san.

Once I had met the conditions, Sophia’s membership was already decided, so the coach probably took action right away.

Given that many club members would have tried to close the distance with Sophia, who had previously been difficult to approach, the coach’s decision wasn’t wrong.

Now it makes sense now why no one approached Sophia even though it was break time.

“Could it be that I’m also crossing a line?” (Kento)

“Of course not. If anything, Kento-kun, you should be supporting her.” (Nadeshiko)

I was worried, being a club member myself, but Kujouin-san laughed at me lightly, as if somewhat exasperated.

Since I live with Sophia as her brother, it would be strange for me not to talk to her, so perhaps that makes sense.

“Right, Kento is special…! I know that, but…!” (Shouta)

It seems Shouta understands that there’s no problem with me talking to Sophia, and he emphasized that point.

That said, it makes me wonder what his problem is.

“But still, isn’t it a bit much to act all lovey-dovey in front of everyone…!?” (Shouta)

“…… Huh?” (Kento)

What is this guy talking about?

I couldn’t help but think that, but Shouta looked completely serious.

“Well, isn’t that obvious? You two were talking so happily and seemed to be enjoying each other’s company…! And this morning, you were walking together like a couple…!” (Shouta)

Wait, what is Shouta even talking about?

I was actually talking to Kujouin-san, so there’s no way I was being lovey-dovey with Sophia, and this morning, we were just talking normally.

Is he seeing things? I was about to open my mouth to argue.

But then…

“~~~~~!” (Sophia)

For some reason, Sophia suddenly ran off.

Her profile, which I caught a glimpse of, seemed to be completely red.

“Wait, Sophia!? Where are you going!?” (Kento)

I called out to her, but Sophia didn’t even look back.

I had thought she was unusually quiet, but I didn’t expect her to run off like this.

“A-Ah, should I have not said that…?” (Shouta)

Shouta, thinking that Sophia must be angry and left because of him, suddenly turned pale.

Shouta seemed to lose all color from the unexpected situation.

It was definitely his words that caused it, but at the same time, it was Sophia’s overreaction, so I didn’t think it was something to blame him for.

At the very least, if it were her usual self, she would have just ignored it.

It was clear that something was off with her since the last match.

“Girls care about things like that, so you should think carefully before saying things like that.” (Kento)

I didn’t mean to scold him too harshly, but I had to warn him, just in case the same thing happened again.

“Ugh…!” (Shouta)

Surprisingly, Shouta, whose mental fortitude was fragile when it came to relationships, seemed to take my words to heart.

“Anyway, I need to go after Sophia. If she skips practice on her first day, it’ll affect everyone’s opinion of her.” (Kento)

I didn’t think she would actually leave, but there was still a possibility, so I had no choice but to chase after her.

However, if I didn’t return before practice resumed, there was a chance that, regardless of the coach, Shuuto might try to push Sophia out.

I couldn’t afford to waste too much time.

“Hmm, wait. I’ll go.” (Nadeshiko)

Just as I was about to run after her, Kujouin-san grabbed my hand.

It wasn’t surprising for her to act this way, given how caring she is…

“She’s my imouto, so I can’t trouble you with this, Kujouin-san…” (Kento)

“But right now, I’m the one in charge of Sophia-chan. Besides, things like this are usually easier for girls to talk about with each other, right?” (Nadeshiko)

Kujouin-san tilted her head cutely and gave me a sweet smile.

She really was the kind of person who was always so kind.

But I couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more to it than just that.

“Do you have an idea of what might be causing Sophia to act this strangely recently?” (Kento)

There was something in Kujouin-san’s words that piqued my interest, so I decided to ask her about it.

She had been with Sophia during practice, and it seemed like Sophia had started warming up to her. It was possible that she had confided something to her.

“Well, there is something that comes to mind.” (Nadeshiko)

Kujouin-san smiled a little awkwardly.

That smile… Could the cause of this be something related to Kujouin-san?

If that’s the case, I wasn’t sure whether it was okay to let her handle this.

However, until just earlier, Sophia didn’t seem to have any aversion to Kujouin-san. In fact, they had seemed to get along well during practice.

More than anything, I trusted Kujouin-san’s character, so it seemed best to leave this to her.

“Yeah, she might have something on her mind, so could you listen to her?” (Kento)

“Leave it to me.” (Nadeshiko)

Kujouin-san nodded with a beautiful smile and was about to rush off to follow Sophia.

“—Ah.” (Nadeshiko)

But then, it seemed like she had remembered something, and she stopped in her tracks.

She turned on her heel and looked at Shouta.

“Kannagi-kun, I understand you’re excited that Sophia-chan joined, but please think about your words and actions. If the coach finds out about what happened earlier, you’ll get in trouble.” (Nadeshiko)

It seemed that what Kujouin-san had remembered was a warning for Shouta.

Kujouin-san wasn’t someone who liked to reprimand others, especially not juniors, but it seemed that Shouta’s earlier behavior had crossed a line for her.

Well, considering that Sophia had run off because of it, it was understandable.

“I’ll be more careful…” (Shouta)

“Mm-hmm, if you calm down, I think you’ll find more girls will approach you. Do your best.” (Nadeshiko)

With that, Kujouin-san said, and this time, she really headed toward Sophia.

She knew exactly how to handle Shouta’s feelings gently, making sure not to hurt him too much. That was impressive.

Now, with any luck, Shouta would calm down…

“Wait, wait!? Does this mean…!? If I calm down, does that mean Kujouin-san will accept me as her boyfriend!?” (Shouta)

“…How did you get to that conclusion?” (Kento)

Even though he had just been told to calm down, Shouta excitedly blurted out something completely off the mark. I couldn’t help but ask for his reasoning.

“Well, think about it!? When she said ‘If you calm down, girls will talk to you,’ it means you’re attractive, and since Kujouin-san said that, it means she thinks I’m the kind of guy she likes when I’m calm, right!? So—!” (Shouta)

“That’s not how it works. If you take women’s words like that literally, all you’re doing is setting yourself up to get hurt.” (Kento)

If you’re someone with good communication skills, flattering the other person to improve their mood is a common tactic.

In fact, there are times when such compliments are subtly meant to convey the opposite—”I’m not interested in you.”

If you take those words too literally and believe them, it can end up causing embarrassment or trouble.

“But…!” (Shouta)

“Also, if you make a move on Kujouin-san, you’ll get on the bad side of the captain and others, right? In both senses.” (Kento)

Kujouin-san isn’t just the school’s Madonna; she’s also considered the idol of our club.

Naturally, many members are interested in her.

And, since relationships within the club are prohibited, making a move on her would cause trouble in more ways than one.

“I know that, but…!” (Shouta)

Even though I had warned him, Shouta didn’t seem ready to give up just yet.

I understand that it’s easy to get caught up in the idea when someone is as attractive as Kujouin-san, but…

“Well, even if you want to date Kujouin-san, make sure to confess after she retires.” (Kento)

Nine times out of ten, what Kujouin-san said earlier wasn’t romantic interest towards Shouta. However, if Shouta genuinely wanted to confess, there was no reason for me to stop him aside from the club’s rules.

Once Kujouin-san retires, making any romantic advances within the club would no longer be an issue, so he could go ahead if he wanted.

Whether they end up dating or not would be up to Shouta, and his responsibility.

That said, he gets excited every time he sees a pretty girl. Does he just want any beautiful girl?

I think he should pay more attention and get to know someone well before deciding to pursue them. It’s better to focus on one person and really go for it, but, well, it’s ultimately up to him.

Still… I’ll be keeping an eye on him to make sure he doesn’t make a move on Sophia.

◆

<Sophia’s PoV>

“What am I doing…?” (Sophia)

I had run away to the back of the school building where Kento-kun usually practices during lunch, and now I was holding my head in my hands, thinking about what I had just done.

Kento-kun had tried to talk to me, but not only could I not look him in the eye, I had acted so strangely…

And then, when I was called out for seeming like a couple, I ran away without thinking.

He and Nadeshiko-senpai must have thought I was weird, and even though it was just a break, I might get scolded for leaving the field.

On my first day, I had already made a bad impression.

“Maybe I shouldn’t have joined after all…?” (Sophia)

I had wanted to do my best for the club, but because of my feelings for Kento-kun, I ended up doing something that might have disrupted the club’s atmosphere.

Even if they called me a nuisance, I wouldn’t be able to deny it.

“――That’s not true.” (Nadeshiko)

“Eh…?” (Sophia)

I heard a soft, comforting voice from behind me, and I slowly turned around.

There stood Nadeshiko-senpai, smiling even though she was drenched in sweat.

“Hah… hah… I knew it was here… Sophia-chan, you’re amazing. I’m not good at sports, so I’m out of breath, but… you’re not even breathing heavily…” (Nadeshiko)

It seemed like Nadeshiko-senpai had chased after me this entire time.

When I had left Kento-kun and the others, I had slowed down, so I wasn’t that tired… but seeing her struggle like this made me feel bad.

“I-I’m sorry, it’s my fault…” (Sophia)

“You don’t have to apologize. I’m the one who followed you on my own.” (Nadeshiko)

Nadeshiko-senpai shook her head and approached me with a smile.

It didn’t seem like she was angry about me running off suddenly, but honestly, I was still scared that she might scold me.

However, she quickly erased that fear with a smile that was so kind and warm, it almost felt like a mother’s love.

“I’m sorry about Kannagi-kun. The coach had already warned him, but it seems like he couldn’t hold back his desire to talk to you.” (Nadeshiko)

“No, there’s no need for you to apologize…” (Sophia)

I hadn’t run away because I didn’t want to talk to Kannagi-kun or because I disliked what he did.

I was sure Nadeshiko-senpai could tell that much.

Even though she knew the reason I ran away, she tried to distract me with her words, apologizing as if to reassure me.

“Are Kento-kun and the others angry…?” (Sophia)

Since it’s still during club activities, even if it’s break time, I wondered if anyone might be upset about me leaving the field.

I asked hesitantly.

“No one’s angry, not at all.” (Nadeshiko)

“And the coach…?” (Sophia)

When it comes to situations like this, I imagined that the coach, as the person in charge of the club, would be the most likely to get angry.

He’s usually a kind older man, but I’d heard from Kento-kun that he can be strict about the club’s rules and training, so I thought he might be mad at me.

“Heh, you don’t need to be so scared. It’s true that the coach was away at the time, so he didn’t know about it, but he’s actually surprisingly broad-minded. He understands students’ situations, so as long as you come back and try to fit in with the team, it’s not a problem.” (Nadeshiko)

It seemed the coach wasn’t angry, so I let out a relieved sigh.

If I had been kicked out of the club on the first day, it wouldn’t have been funny, so I was really glad.

But—

“Well, how should I put it… Isn’t this a bit too lenient on me…?” (Sophia)

It feels strange to say this when I’ve been treated specially, but allowing me to leave the field freely until I get used to it seems like quite a generous arrangement for a top-tier team.

There’s a possibility that other members might start complaining, and more importantly, it would cause trouble if I just disappeared without notice.

So why…?

“I told you, the coach is someone who understands students’ situations. People have different personalities and circumstances, so if you treat everyone the same way, the team won’t function well. That’s why he’s flexible depending on the student, and to put it another way, the coach is someone who really takes the time to understand each individual. Of course, he’s careful not to let any sense of unfairness arise, though.” (Nadeshiko)

Nadeshiko-senpai said this with a smile and a wink.

In my case, it seems like the coach thinks that, since I haven’t been able to get along well with others in the past, it’s unlikely that I would suddenly adjust to group life right away.

Since I ended up running away like this, I couldn’t really argue with that.

I think that Nadeshiko-senpai staying with me is also part of the coach’s consideration.

“I’ll be careful not to cause any trouble…” (Sophia)

“No one thinks you’re a bother. I actually enjoy having you around, Sophia-chan.” (Nadeshiko)

“That can’t be true…” (Sophia)

“Are you saying that I’m lying?” (Nadeshiko)

I had said that thinking there was no way she wouldn’t find it troublesome, but Nadeshiko-senpai tilted her head with a smile.

It was a gentle smile without any pressure, but from her earlier words, I could see a certain sharpness to her.

With just one sentence, Nadeshiko-senpai had put me in a position where I had no choice but to admit that “Nadeshiko-senpai doesn’t think I’m a trouble and enjoys being with me.”

If I denied it any further, I’d be accusing her of lying.

It was a clever move, far more effective than continuing a pointless argument.

Considering when she brought up the no-dating rule earlier, I didn’t think she was just a kind, soft-hearted senpai.

—Of course, she wasn’t the type to put on a friendly face in public and secretly plot bad things behind the scenes either.

“I don’t think you’re lying…” (Sophia)

“I see, I’m glad. I really do enjoy being with you, Sophia-chan.” (Nadeshiko)

I couldn’t help but wonder what could possibly be so enjoyable about being with someone like me.

At the very least, even I wouldn’t want to be friends with me.

But now that I had acknowledged it, there was no way I could say anything to doubt it.

“I… don’t know what to do…” (Sophia)

Feeling that I couldn’t take up any more of Nadeshiko-senpai’s time, I decided to honestly share the troubles I was carrying.

Nadeshiko-senpai, still wearing her gentle smile, slowly opened her mouth.

“Is it about your relationship with Kento-kun?” (Nadeshiko)

As I thought, she seemed to understand.

She had seen us eat together during lunch breaks before I joined the club, so maybe it was just that I had been easy to read.

“Well… we’re siblings, but due to our parents’ remarriage, we’re actually siblings with no blood relation… But people, like Kannagi-kun earlier, sometimes see us as a couple… And that makes me worry that I might cause trouble for Kento-kun because of the club’s rules…” (Sophia)

I didn’t mention that I liked him, just the fact that I was troubled by the current situation.

If I were just acting normally, people wouldn’t see us as a couple just because we were step-siblings. But the more we got along and spent time together, the more we seemed to appear like a couple.

I personally didn’t want to quit the club, but more than that, I absolutely didn’t want Kento-kun to have to leave.

After all, he’s been working so hard at practice… If he were to leave because of me, I wouldn’t be able to face him.

“Sophia-chan, you’re really serious, aren’t you?” (Nadeshiko)

“Serious…?” (Sophia)

“Yeah. I don’t think there’s anyone else who’s thinking so deeply about club relationships as much as you.” (Nadeshiko)

Nadeshiko-senpai laughed as if it couldn’t be helped and gently took my hands in both of hers.

The unfamiliar skinship made me tense up.

“I’m sorry. It’s my fault you’re feeling troubled. Don’t worry… Even if there are rumors that you two are a couple, the coach won’t just believe the rumor. He’ll make sure to confirm the facts properly, and he’ll be very careful with something like a forced withdrawal. At least, there’s no way that you’d be forced to leave the club just because the rumors exist.” (Nadeshiko)

Nadeshiko-senpai seemed to trust the coach quite a lot.

It was true that in a club that was putting so much effort into training, there were promising players like Kurogane-kun and Kento-kun, and the coach would likely do everything he could to prevent anyone from quitting.

Above all, there was no way they could allow someone to be kicked out by mistake, and it wasn’t something that could be done lightly.

“So, is it really fine as long as we don’t acknowledge that we’re dating?” (Sophia)

That was the part I was most concerned about.

If we’re allowed to ignore it and not acknowledge it, then there would likely be many members secretly dating, which would defeat the purpose of the rules.

In that case, if it clearly appeared that we were dating, wouldn’t we be forced to leave the club even if we didn’t admit it?

That’s what I was afraid of.

“Well, if something like kissing was caught, that’d be a problem… But, as long as you’re not doing something like that, I think you’d be fine?” (Nadeshiko)

It seemed that I had been overthinking things. As long as no one caught us in a situation that could be conclusively judged as dating, there wouldn’t be an issue.

That being said, it did make me wonder if there were any members who were secretly dating.

“Well, I get what you’re saying, Sophia-chan. In our case, rumors are probably more likely to spread than for others, huh?” (Nadeshiko)

Nadeshiko-senpai and I seemed to stand out, making us easy targets for rumors at school.

Just the other day, simply being together had caused a bit of a stir.

Naturally, if there was even a hint of a guy around, it would likely spark a rumor.

There was just no way it wouldn’t.

“That’s why this is my advice. If you let it bother you, people will think you’re being conscious of it, so just act normal. And if anyone brings it up, just say, ‘Of course we’re close, we’re siblings.’ That should be enough. On the other hand, if you keep obviously avoiding him like you are now, that’s actually more suspicious, you know?” (Nadeshiko)

With a playful wink, Nadeshiko-senpai said this and gently pressed her finger against my nose.

Even though there was only a one-year age difference between us, to me, she seemed so much more mature.

For a moment, a lot of the weight on my heart was lifted.

Not only did I receive advice, but she also gave me a good hint on how to avoid misunderstandings from those around me.

“Thank you, Nadeshiko-senpai. It really helped to have someone listen.” (Sophia)

“Don’t mention it. This is part of my job as a senpai. If you ever have any troubles or worries in the future, don’t hesitate to come to me, okay? I’m always happy to help.” (Nadeshiko)

With a playful tone, Nadeshiko-senpai said that before swiftly turning on her heel.

“Now then, shall we head back to the field? Kento-kun is waiting for you too.” (Nadeshiko)

With those words, she smiled innocently and extended her hand toward me.

Not only did she have the graceful and mature presence of a saint, but she also had this warm, childlike friendliness that made her so easy to approach. No wonder everyone adored her.

As I gazed at that radiant smile, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of admiration—she was such a bright and wonderful person.

---

Thanks for reading!

I felt like this was more of a build-up for Nadeshiko as a love interest more than anything. For a second, I thought that she maybe knew about Sophia’s feelings but I guess not.

Btw I just remembered that a couple of chapters ago, our MC mentioned a certain younger female cousin whom he hasn’t met in a while. Maybe that cousin is the new kouhai character we saw in the illustration.

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1. None

<Sophia’s PoV>

“Ugh… morning already…?” (Sophia)

Waking up to the sound of my phone’s alarm, I slowly opened my eyes.

A week had passed since the match that decided my entry into the club, and today was the day I had been eagerly waiting for—the day I would officially join.

Yet, even so, I couldn’t fully rejoice.

“The day has finally come… but I still don’t know how to act around Kento-kun…” (Sophia)

Yes, even though a week had passed since then, I had awkwardly developed a strained relationship with Kento-kun.

The reason was—there was a rule in the baseball club that prohibited romantic relationships within the club.

“Mou! Mou! Why is it that even though I have more time to spent together with him, things have gotten so complicated? I can’t even talk to him properly!” (Sophia)

I pouted and bumped my head into the pillow, venting my frustration.

If anyone found out that I liked Kento-kun, it would cause trouble for him.

Worse, if Kento-kun ever realized how I felt, he might start avoiding me.

So, I had to make sure neither Kento-kun nor anyone else found out about my feelings. But the problem was, I didn’t know how to do that.

—No, there was one thing I could do to achieve that.

I could treat him coldly and keep my distance, just like before.

But that would undoubtedly make him hate me.

Not to mention, after everything Kento-kun did to help me join the club, it would be like repaying his kindness with betrayal.

No matter how much I wanted to hide my feelings, it wasn’t something that I could forgive myself for doing.

In fact, if I had to go that far, it would be better to just quit the club altogether.

Of course, I had no intention of treating him coldly.

And so, without finding an answer, I arrived at this day.

“Starting today, we’ll be together at practice… but how am I supposed to act in front of everyone…?” (Sophia)

I couldn’t even hold a normal conversation with him at home anymore.

Because of that, I hadn’t gotten my usual daily head pats as a reward recently, and it felt like everything was going wrong one after another.

“If only there was a way to make sure no one misunderstood my feelings, or thought we were dating…” (Sophia)

If such a convenient solution existed, I wouldn’t be struggling like this.

---

Thanks for reading!

I got a heart attack thinking that she was gonna go back to being cold to MC just to cover up, but thank god she was smart enough to not go that route.

You know, Sophia, there is one solution. It starts with “Onii” and ends with “-chan”. It would be so funny to see everyone react to her calling MC that.

Also, from the looks of the illustrations, new kouhai and senpai characters? Maybe they’re the other managers.

Btw, there is also an extra chapter after the epilogue this time, and the chapter is called “The Moment the School Madonna Found Out About Love”. So, yeah. I kinda got spoiled while reaching the ToC so I’ll spoil you guys too lol.

---

1. None

---

Spoiler Warning Obviously…

---

“Ah, there he is!” (Girl)

“Shirakawa-kun, you were amazing!” (Girl)

As I stepped out of the stadium after the game, a group of girls from my school, who had apparently been waiting, called out to me.

“Seriously, hitting three home runs is insane!” (Girl)

“As expected of our cleanup hitter! I want your autograph!” (Girl)

—No, wait, before I knew it, I was completely surrounded.

What the… is this…?

“Whoa… isn’t that more than three times the usual number of fans?” (Team Captain)

“Damn it, why is it always Kento and Shuuto…!” (Shouta)

“Captain, I want to be surrounded by girls too…” (Team Vice-Captain)

Hearing my teammates’ voices, I glanced over and saw the vice-captain, the captain, and Shouta watching me with envious looks.

Shifting my gaze, I spotted Shuuto in a similar situation, surrounded by girls.

Well, for Shuuto, this was nothing new. He’d probably shoo them away himself anyway, so that wasn’t my concern… but why me too…?

Up until now, only three or four girls would come talk to me after a game…

“Uh… thank you for your support…” (Kento)

Since they had been cheering for me, I decided to at least express my gratitude.

The moment I did, high-pitched squeals erupted around me, which honestly freaked me out a little.

Seriously, what am I supposed to do here…?

“――Everyone, my apologies. He’s tired, so could you please let him go?” (Nadeshiko)

As I struggled with the unfamiliar situation, I heard Kujouin-san’s voice from behind the girls.

“Kujouin-san…” (Kento)

“But…”  (Girls)

Perhaps they couldn’t bring themselves to oppose Kujouin-san, as the girls suddenly fell silent.

With a gentle smile, Kujouin-san spoke again.

“Thank you for your support today. You’ll have plenty of chances to talk to him at school, so please feel free to approach him there.” (Nadeshiko)

With a flawless smile that left no room for argument, Kujouin-san effortlessly silenced the crowd.

Perhaps not wanting to be disliked by someone as popular as her at school, the girls quietly backed away.

…Isn’t her influence a little too strong…?

“You’re really popular, huh?” (Nadeshiko)

As the crowd of girls disappeared, Kujouin-san looked up at me with a slightly amused smile.

“It was so unexpected that I was caught off guard…” (Kento)

“It just means you’ve become a proper star player, Kento-kun. More importantly, your adorable imouto is waiting for you.” (Nadeshiko)

Saying that, Kujouin-san deliberately shifted her gaze in a certain direction.

Following her lead, I turned to look—and there, peeking out from behind the corner of a building, was Sophia.

…What is she doing…?

“Looks like she’s having trouble coming out because of the crowd. I’ll let the coach know, so go to her, okay?” (Nadeshiko)

“I appreciate the concern, but I can talk to her at home…” (Kento)

“I’m sure there’s something you two want to say to each other before the excitement of the game wears off, right?” (Nadeshiko)

I didn’t think there was any real need to talk right now, but Kujouin-san’s cheerful smile seemed to carry the unspoken message of “Stop complaining and just go already,” leaving me unable to argue back.

So, without protest, I headed toward Sophia.

“――Ah…” (Sophia)

As I reached her, Sophia averted her gaze uneasily, looking unsure of what to do.

She seemed awkward.

“Thanks for cheering me on. With this, Sophia, you’re officially the baseball team’s manager.” (Kento)

I wasn’t sure what was making her hesitate, but to make things easier, I spoke with a smile.

Hearing that, her expression softened into one of happiness.

She started twirling a strand of her hair between her fingers before slowly opening her mouth.

“I should be the one thanking you… This is all thanks to you, Kento-kun…” (Sophia)

“It’s because you worked hard, Sophia.” (Kento)

I had only helped a little. The reason she was able to join was because of her own hard work.

I shouldn’t let that go unnoticed.

If there hadn’t been any unnecessary interference, she would have been able to join the club through her own efforts alone.

――Can someone just deal with that homeroom teacher already?

As I was thinking about Kuzumine-sensei, Sophia suddenly fell silent.

She seemed off—restless, even.

Would it be better to give her some time?

We could always talk at home anyway.

“Sorry, I have to catch the bus. Let’s talk later at home.” (Kento)

I turned my back to her—

“W-Wait…” (Sophia)

She grabbed onto my sleeve from behind.

“Sophia?” (Kento)

Surprised that she was holding me back, I turned to look at her.

Sophia’s face turned bright red, and her teary eyes gazed up at me.

“I don’t want to let my feelings be noticed… so I’ll say it in English… Kento-kun, you were really cool today… And knowing that you worked hard for my sake made me really happy… Thank you so much…” (Sophia)

For some reason, she spoke in English despite not seeming flustered.

I understood the “Thank you” at the end, but… why English?

“Sorry, but could you say that in Japanese?” (Kento)

“…Sorry, I can’t.” (Sophia)

Curious about what she had said, I asked, but she simply shook her head with an awkward smile.

It seemed she had deliberately spoken in English so I wouldn’t understand.

“Did something happen?” (Kento)

Sophia sometimes acted strangely, but today felt different from her usual behavior.

When I asked, she simply shrugged.

“Now that I can be a manager, I feel like I can’t hold my emotions back… But more importantly, you have to go, right?” (Sophia)

She said that and gently pushed my back.

This really isn’t like her.

“It’s fine, I’m just thinking about what to do for now. I really, really appreciate everything you’ve done for me, Kento-kun.” (Sophia)

Sophia continued speaking as she pushed me forward.

I couldn’t see her face, but it felt like she was struggling with something again.

“If something’s on your mind, talk to me, okay…?” (Kento)

“I know. Right now, you’re the person I rely on the most, Kento-kun.” (Sophia)

I never expected Sophia, who usually isn’t so open, to say something like that.

That’s exactly why it felt strange—but after hearing her say that much, I couldn’t just brush it off.

“I see. Then feel free to continue relying on me anytime.” (Kento)

“Yes, I’ll do just that. Really, thank you.” (Sophia)

With those words, she let go of my back.

I turned around, wanting to see her expression, but she had already turned away, walking off as if avoiding the crowd.

…Seriously, what’s going on with her?

◆

<Sophia’s PoV>

A little over ten minutes earlier――

“Congratulations on joining the club, Sophia-chan.” (Nadeshiko)

After the game ended and Kento-kun spectacularly hit three home runs, Nadeshiko-senpai congratulated me.

Behind her, the three manager girls followed suit, offering their own congratulations one after another.

I bowed my head to thank everyone, trying to keep my cool, but inside, I was overjoyed.

After all, I had finally become a baseball team manager—something I had once given up on. Of course, I was happy. And more than that, I would now have even more time to spend with Kento-kun. That alone was enough to make my heart race.

From now on, our bond would grow even stronger――

“By the way… I didn’t really get a chance to bring this up earlier, so I might as well say it now.” (Nadeshiko)

While I was silently celebrating inside with my usual composed expression, Nadeshiko-senpai suddenly brought up something in a scary way.

At this point, what was she going to say…?

“Our baseball club has a no-dating policy… are you sure you’re okay with that?” (Nadeshiko)

“…Huh?” (Sophia)

For a moment, I couldn’t understand what she had just said.

Did I mishear her?

I must have misheard, right?

I could feel the sweat trickling down my back as I desperately prayed that I had misheard.

But――

“You see, since our baseball team is really strong, there are players who aim to be professionals in the future. Because of that, some girls try to become managers just to get close to them.” (Other Manager)

“Yeah, yeah. And since that could lead to unnecessary drama, the rule has been in place for a long time. It’s actually a pretty well-known fact at school.” (Other Manager)

“Kurogane-kun is really popular, but there aren’t many girls who aim to be managers because of that rule. Well, for us, we figured that if we got close as managers and built a connection, we’d have a better chance once they retired, so we went for it.” (Other Manager)

The three manager girls chimed in from behind Nadeshiko-senpai, hitting me with a harsh dose of reality.

What is this? No one told me about this…!

This is literally the first time I’m hearing about it…!?

And if it’s so famous, why have I not heard of it?!

“S-Speaking of which… what happens if someone breaks the rule…?” (Sophia)

With my throat dry, I somehow managed to squeeze out a question to Nadeshiko-senpai.

“If you break the rule, both the player and the manager have to leave the team… Ah, but as long as you’re not officially dating, it’s fine to hang out and stuff!” (Nadeshiko)

Nadeshiko-senpai added that as if to soften the blow.

It did not soften the blow at all.

You’ve got to be kidding me…!?

I had always dreamed of being the baseball team’s manager, and I had been waiting for this moment for so long!

But now, after joining, there’s a no-dating rule!?

Does that mean if I want to be a manager, I can’t date Kento-kun…!?

――I suddenly felt the overwhelming urge to withdraw from the team immediately.

But of course, after working so hard and receiving so much support from various people—especially from the person I loved—I couldn’t just quit now.

More than that, now that I had finally gotten my hopes up, there was no way I could give up on joining so easily.

So at the very least――

Why is this happening to meeeeeeeeee!?

――I could only scream inside my heart.

Yeah, I wanted to cry.

---

Thanks for reading!

Oh…

The fact that she was only told of this after she joined is kinda cruel cause now she doesn’t have a way out.

I’m also 100% confident Nadeshiko doesn’t know much about love, otherwise, she would have probably noticed Sophia’s feelings and told her before the match and everything.

From what I’ve read, Sophia starts calling MC “onii-chan” to disguise her getting close to him as just sibling love.

---

1. None

---

Ignore my lack of baseball knowledge.

And also:
Kurogane is Shuuto’s last name
Kannagi is Shouta’s last name

---

<Sophia’s PoV>

Finally, the day has come for the match that will determine my admission to the club.

Since today’s match was extremely important to me, I asked my mother for permission to take the day off her lessons.

I believed that Kento-kun would surely come through, and yet, I couldn’t completely shake off my anxiety.

“—Ah, Kento-kun…” (Sophia)

As I walked down the hallway, I spotted Kento-kun at the entrance, putting on his shoes. Without thinking, I called out to him.

“Hmm? What’s wrong?” (Kento)

Even though he was about to head off to the match, Kento-kun seemed as calm as ever, showing no signs of nervousness.

He exuded the reassuring presence of a seasoned player.

“Did you forget anything?” (Kento)

I tried my best to suppress the overwhelming anxiety, consciously offering him a cute smile.

Once the match began, there would be nothing more I could do, so I wanted to be of some help to him now, even if just a little.

“Yeah, I’m good. Sophia, you’re coming with our parents, right?” (Kento)

“To the venue, yes… But I feel a bit out of place mixing in with them, so once we get there, I plan to split off from them.” (Sophia)

I wasn’t great at blending in with adults, and the thought of standing out as someone carrying a different atmosphere made me uneasy.

Our school would likely win today’s match without any trouble.

If I looked too serious while everyone else seemed calm, I would definitely attract attention.

“I see… Oh, by the way, Kujouin-san said to contact her once you arrive at the venue.” (Kento)

“Nadeshiko-senpai did? But isn’t she supposed to be on the bench?” (Sophia)

She had been on the bench during the summer tournament, and she had also been there for the autumn district preliminaries. Naturally, I assumed she would be on it for this match as well.

However—Kento-kun shook his head.

“Kujouin-san won’t be on the bench for today’s match.” (Kento)

“Huh? Why not…?”  (Sophia)

“She said she wants to cheer together with you.” (Kento)

“Ah…” (Sophia)

As Kento-kun shrugged with a resigned smile, I held my breath.

Nadeshiko-senpai must have assumed that I would end up watching the match alone, lost in my thoughts.

She was being considerate so that wouldn’t happen.

“Whether you contact her or not is up to you, Sophia, but if you don’t mind, you should let her know your choice.” (Kento)

Just as Kento-kun said, I wasn’t obligated to reach out just because I had arrived at the venue.

If I wanted to watch the match alone, I could simply choose not to contact her.

But doing that… would be betraying a senpai who had done so much for me.

“Yes, I’ll make sure to contact her.” (Sophia)

The old me might have chosen not to.

But now, I wanted to face Nadeshiko-senpai properly and repay her kindness.

“Thanks. Well then, I’m heading out.” (Kento)

“Ah—wait…” (Sophia)

Just as Kento-kun opened the door to leave, I instinctively reached out toward him.

Even though there was nothing I could do to stop him.

“Sophia?” (Kento)

“Sorry… It’s nothing…” (Sophia)

I quickly let go of the fabric of his shirt that I had grabbed.

There was a set meeting time, so what was I even doing?

He needed to focus on the match. That was what mattered most right now.

“…Hey, Sophia.” (Kento)

Hearing my name, I lifted my gaze.

“Will you tell me to do my best?” (Kento)

“Eh?” (Sophia)

“I feel like I can really give it my all if you say something.” (Kento)

Kento-kun gave a rare, bashful smile.

Maybe… he had noticed how I was feeling.

A sudden wave of embarrassment surged through me, but I swallowed it down.

This was the last thing I could do for him before the match.

“Do your best, Kento-kun. And make sure to hit three home runs.” (Sophia)

With the biggest smile I could muster, I sent him off.

◆

“—Ah, there you are! Hey, Sophia-chan~!” (Nadeshiko)

When I arrived at the match venue and was waiting near the vending machines, Nadeshiko-senpai spotted me and waved at me.

Behind her, three girls followed, all dressed in baseball club support attire.

“Good afternoon, Nadeshiko-senpai.” (Sophia)

I bowed and greeted her.

That alone seemed to stir the three girls behind her.

It was probably rare for them to see me bow.

“Good afternoon, how are you? Isn’t it hot?” (Nadeshiko)

“The sunlight is bright, but the heat is fine.” (Sophia)

Considering it was October, the temperature was higher than expected, but since I was wearing a hat, I didn’t think I needed to worry about heatstroke.

I also made sure to bring drinks to stay hydrated.

“Good to hear. Well then, let me introduce you to these girls.” (Nadeshiko)

Nadeshiko-senpai called out to the three girls who had been hiding behind her, urging them to come forward.

As a result, all three of them timidly stepped up in front of me.

…I recognized all of them. They were the girls I had casually brushed off in the past, so it was no surprise that they looked nervous.

It’s true that you can’t completely separate the things you’ve done in the past from the present.

Lately, I’ve been regretting a lot of things since then.

The three of them were also managers and introduced themselves one by one, and I made sure to remember both their faces and names right away.

I wouldn’t forget them again, and I wouldn’t act cold toward them either.

From now on, I plan to make an effort to get along with them.

Once their introductions were finished, it was my turn.

I took a deep breath, being careful not to speak too quickly, and opened my mouth.

“I’m Sophia Shirakawa, a first-year in the Special Preparatory Course. I look forward to working with you.” (Sophia)

It was a simple greeting, but I wanted them to get to know me not just through words, but by spending time with me.

I felt that approach suited me better since I wasn’t very good with words.

If only I had better communication skills, maybe I could have bonded with them right then. Unfortunately, my abilities in that area were disastrously low, and before long, they had started distancing themselves from me.

As expected, reality wasn’t as smooth as I had hoped.

And it wasn’t just the students from our school who were staring at us…

“Whoa!? Those girls are way too cute, right?!” (Other Student)

“Hey, go talk to them!” (Other Student)

“No way, you go!” (Other Student)

Students from other schools were also watching us.

The match hadn’t even started yet, but I was already feeling really uncomfortable.

“Try not to mind it, okay? Boys like that are everywhere.” (Nadeshiko)

Having gone through similar experiences herself, Nadeshiko-senpai must have sensed how I was feeling.

She gently smiled and took my hand, leading me away.

She guided me to a spot where I could see the batter more clearly.

“After all, it’s better to be able to see Kento-kun, right?” (Nadeshiko)

“Yes… Thank you…” (Sophia)

I truly respected how thoughtful she was. She was a senpai I could genuinely admire.

Her face was incredibly cute, always wearing a gentle smile, and her voice was pleasing to the ear. Her figure was great too—maybe Kento-kun liked this kind of person…?

From my perspective as a girl, Nadeshiko-senpai was so perfect it almost felt unfair.

I’m jealous…

“Hmm? Why are you staring at my face like that?” (Nadeshiko)

Though I had been glancing at her from the side, it seemed she noticed because I had been looking for a while.

She tilted her head with a puzzled expression, and even that gesture was cute and unfair.

“I thought you were cute, and I was a little jealous…” (Sophia)

“Ahaha… I don’t know how I feel hearing you say that, Sophia-chan…” (Nadeshiko)

I had just said what was on my mind, but Nadeshiko-senpai laughed awkwardly.

It was truly how I felt, though…

“Shirakawa-san, you’re ridiculously cute, after all…” (Nadeshiko)

“But, Kujouin-senpai, you’re ridiculously cute too!” (Sophia)

“You know, I actually envy you quite a bit, Sophia-chan. Really.” (Nadeshiko)

She said it with a certain implication, but I couldn’t quite figure out what there was to envy about me.

As a British person, I did stand out among the Japanese, but standing out also meant attracting unwanted attention.

I was also more likely to face discrimination, so I honestly thought being like Nadeshiko-senpai—Japanese and stunningly beautiful—would be much better.

Her chest was also just naturally bigger than mine.

…I wish I was like that.

“—It’s about to start.” (Nadeshiko)

Seeing the players finish their pre-game warm-up, Nadeshiko-senpai murmured.

“It looks like we’re batting second. The pitcher… is Kurogane-kun, right?” (Sophia)

After looking at the name on the electronic scoreboard, I asked her.

If we win today, there will be another game tomorrow, so it’s unusual for Kurogane-kun to be pitching against a mid-tier school.

“Kurogane-kun insisted on pitching himself so that Kento-kun could focus on batting as much as possible.” (Nadeshiko)

There was probably some debate about it.

Nadeshiko-senpai smiled in a way that suggested she had already resigned herself to the situation.

Kurogane-kun… I had thought he was the type who only cared about himself, but I guess I was wrong.

He was willing to step up for Kento-kun’s sake.

“But if we win today, we’ll be facing a powerhouse team next, won’t we…?” (Sophia)

“Well, either way, Kurogane-kun can’t carry the entire tournament by himself. Even against a strong team, our second and third pitchers will have to take the mound at some point. I’m sure Kento-kun will do his best to lead the team and make it work.”” (Nadeshiko)

If I remember correctly, our school’s coach is a former professional baseball pitcher who retired due to an injury.

Using his bitter experience, he’s made it a policy to avoid overworking a single pitcher, no matter how talented they are, so that no one has to go through the same thing he did.

When I was choosing a school, I made sure to research not only the players who were currently attending or rumored to join, but also the coach, so I’m certain about this.

…Come to think of it, that coach used to be on the same team as my father, didn’t he…?

I don’t remember much…

Even though he was apparently an amazing player in his prime, it’s strange, isn’t it?

If he had such a bold personality, I thought I would never forget someone like that after meeting them just once.

Well, I was rarely allowed to go to the stadium since it would interfere with work, so maybe that’s why I don’t remember.

“More importantly, let’s focus on this game. This match is incredibly important for us as well.” (Nadeshiko)

Nadeshiko-senpai was right.

Winning this game is a given—what truly matters is whether Kento-kun can hit three home runs.

“What’s the pitcher like for today’s opponent?” (Sophia)

Ever since entering high school, I had been too busy with my own studies to follow anything beyond our school’s game results and the records of powerhouse schools aiming for Koshien.

When it came to mid-tier schools and their aces, especially with a new team, I had no idea.

“He’s a control pitcher with great accuracy. His fastball speed is average, but he can precisely place his pitches on the outside low or inside low corners, which makes him tricky to handle. But he only has two breaking balls—a forkball and a curveball—so at the very least, our regulars should be able to start hitting him in the later innings.” (Nadeshiko)

Nadeshiko-senpai seemed to have all the data on the opposing team memorized and quickly explained everything to me.

Indeed, if the pitcher’s strength is his control, then a team full of excellent hitters would likely be able to figure him out by the later innings, even if he’s throwing accurately. Especially the top batters—I’d bet they’d be able to hit well from the start.

But—

“If his control is that good, then he’s not likely to make many mistakes, right…?” (Sophia)

Just because a pitcher’s fastball isn’t overpowering doesn’t mean it’s easy to hit—if he can place it in difficult spots, it could still be tough.

If the batters could sit on just the fastball, that would be one thing, but if he mixed in his curve and forkball well, it might put Kento-kun at a disadvantage—especially since he needed to hit home runs.

—Or so I thought.

“If he doesn’t make mistakes, that just means he’ll throw exactly where he intends to. Kento-kun is the type of batter who reads the pitcher’s sequences, so this matchup is actually really good for him.” (Nadeshiko)

So, it turned out that because of the pitcher’s control, Kento-kun would actually have an easier time.

Now that I thought about it, it made sense. It’s easier to hit a pitch when you expect it and it comes exactly where you anticipated—rather than having a wild pitcher accidentally throw something completely different.

Kento-kun had sharp eyes and rarely mis-hit the ball.

“He can hit three home runs, right…?” (Sophia)

“Of course. He analyzed the opposing battery more than usual, and his batting skills are top-notch. More than anything, I’m really looking forward to this game.” (Nadeshiko)

As always, Kujouin-senpai spoke gracefully, yet there was a hint of excitement in her voice.

It felt like she knew something I didn’t, and that piqued my curiosity.

“Is there something special about this game?” (Sophia)

“Kento-kun has always prioritized the team’s victory over his own performance. If it’s not necessary, he doesn’t aim for home runs. Instead, he thinks about how to score points with minimal risk and keep the game moving forward. That’s how he bats. That’s why I want to see how brightly his talent shines when he’s put in a situation where he has no choice but to hit a home run.” (Nadeshiko)

Watching Kujouin-senpai speak with such joy, I realized something.

I had already suspected it, but she probably—liked Kento-kun.

In a romantic way, too.

I wondered… was she really okay with me joining the team?

“—Really, Kujouin-senpai, you get so talkative when it comes to Shirakawa-kun.” (Other manager)

“You’re usually so graceful and gentle, but when it comes to Shirakawa-kun, you get so passionate while talking about him~” (Other manager)

The other managers must have been thinking the same thing as I was.

Grinning, they started teasing Nadeshiko-senpai.

“T-That’s not it! I always tell you that…! I was just answering because I was asked…!” (Nadeshiko)

For once, Nadeshiko-senpai’s face turned red as she desperately tried to argue back.

Although she had the strong impression of being calm and composed, but at the end of the day, she was a girl our age, just like me.

…She’s kind of cute.

“Come on, it’s our turn! Stand up, stand up…!” (Nadeshiko)

When it was Seijou High School’s turn to bat, Nadeshiko-senpai urged us to get up.

It was probably because we needed to cheer, but I had a feeling she was just trying to hide her embarrassment.

The first batter for Seijou High was Kannagi-kun.

He was always with Kento-kun and had a reputation for being a bit of a jokester.

However, his batting average was on par with Kento-kun’s, making him a solid contact hitter with no apparent weak spots.

“He’s Seijou High’s lead-off hitter. Unfortunately, he can’t take on the role of a decoy, but his high on-base percentage ignites our offense.” (Nadeshiko)

The decoy’s role is to assess the opposing pitcher’s condition—whether their fastball has good velocity, the types of breaking balls they throw, how much they break, and so on—by stepping up to the plate and observing.

They deliberately make the pitcher throw more pitches, and it’s often the job of the first batter in the lineup.

But it seemed Kannagi-kun wasn’t assigned that role.

…Well, he doesn’t seem suited for it.

Even so, being entrusted as the leadoff batter meant that his on-base percentage was so high that it more than made up for his lack of ability as a decoy.

“—He hit it!” (Sophia)

With a sharp crack, Kannagi-kun’s ball shot through the gap between third and short.

He reached first base with ease.

He’s really fast.

“He’s so reliable, isn’t he?” (Nadeshiko)

With the leadoff batter safely on base, Nadeshiko-senpai nodded in satisfaction.

She was usually graceful and quiet, but when it came to baseball, her excitement rose, making her seem like a completely different person.

It was fun to watch.

“Think he’ll run?” (Sophia)

“They’re probably keeping an eye on him, but he’ll most likely go for it.” (Nadeshiko)

Just as Nadeshiko-senpai predicted, the opposing pitcher threw a pickoff attempt to first base. However, he couldn’t catch Kannagi-kun, forcing him to focus back on the batter.

The moment it became clear that no more pickoff attempts were coming, Kannagi-kun easily stole second base.

“Getting run on like that must be frustrating for the pitcher. It messes with their focus and disrupts their rhythm.” (Nadeshiko)

Yeah, having someone constantly moving behind you would definitely be annoying.

Kannagi-kun always had that smug grin on his face too, which probably made it even more infuriating.

“They’re going to bunt him over to third, huh?” (Sophia)

“Even if Kento-kun has his own goals to meet, the team’s priority is winning. The next batter is Kurogane-kun, and Kento-kun is up after him. Our go-to strategy is to secure at least one run between the two of them.” (Nadeshiko)

Kurogane-kun, the ace pitcher, wasn’t just skilled at throwing—he was also an exceptional batter.

His batting average ranked third, right after Kannagi-kun, and in terms of extra-base hits, he was on par with Kento-kun.

He had hit several home runs too, making him one of those infuriatingly talented, all-rounder types.

…Honestly, it was a little irritating.

Why was God so unfair?

The second batter effortlessly laid down a bunt, advancing the runner, and the third batter, Kurogane-kun, casually hit a clean single, allowing Kannagi-kun to make it home.

“First point…!” (Sophia)

With the score on the board, the team erupted in excitement—but I couldn’t focus on that.

Kento-kun’s first at-bat was finally here.

“—Yeah, he’s in the zone and focused.” (Nadeshiko)

Even from a distance, Nadeshiko-senpai could tell what kind of condition Kento-kun was in.

She wore a smug expression, as if she knew exactly what was coming.

While Kento-kun stepped up to the plate, his gaze never left the pitcher.

The opposing team was clearly on high alert against him.

The first pitch was a forkball, but it was outside the strike zone, aka a ball.

Next came a curveball, but that too was a ball.

With the count at 0-2, things weren’t looking great. But maybe he was deliberately letting the count get worse because he was confident he could still get a strike when needed.

That said, a 0-3 count would be risky.

Expecting the pitcher to aim for a strike here, I watched closely—and my prediction was right. The pitcher threw a fastball into the strike zone.

—However, Kento-kun didn’t swing.

“That pitch… Kento-kun could have hit it, right…?” (Sophia)

If even I could predict that a strike was coming, then Kento-kun surely saw it too.

The pitch wasn’t too fast for him to hit, so why didn’t he go for it?

“Yeah. With a 0-2 count, it’s standard for the pitcher to go for a strike, and based on data, the opposing battery usually throws a strike in this situation. Normally, Kento-kun would have gone for it. But since they still had one more ball to spare, the pitcher aimed for a tough spot. It looked like a good pitch, but Kento-kun probably wasn’t certain he could turn it into a home run—so he let it go.” (Nadeshiko)

I see, so that’s why he didn’t swing.

Basically, rather than just going for a hit, he was only swinging at pitches he was sure he could turn into a home run.

This was Kento-kun under the restriction that he had to hit a home run.

After that, Kento-kun carefully selected his pitches, taking balls and working the count to full.

If the pitcher threw a ball, Kento-kun would get a walk. But if he took a strike, it would be over.

Carefully waiting for the perfect pitch to hit a home run had backed him into a corner.

“Kento-kun…” (Sophia)

I clasped my hands together and closed my eyes, as if in prayer.

In baseball, you never know how many at-bats you’ll get. Yet, he was aiming to hit three home runs.

Getting one in his first at-bat would be huge.

Please… hit it…

“—It’s fine. This is all going exactly as Kento-kun planned.” (Nadeshiko)

“Huh?” (Sophia)

As I kept my eyes tightly shut, I felt a hand gently rest on my shoulder.

When I looked up, Nadeshiko-senpai met my gaze with a warm, confident smile.

“Just watch. Kento-kun is going to hit the next pitch for a home run.” (Nadeshiko)

“Eh—” (Sophia)

The moment I hesitated at Nadeshiko-senpai’s words, the sharp, crisp sound of the bat echoed through the air.

“It’s innnnnnn!” (Other managers)

I hadn’t been watching, so I didn’t see where the ball went.

Since I hadn’t been watching, I couldn’t track the ball’s flight, but from the managers’ loud cheers, I understood that the ball had gone into the stands.

Looking over, I saw that the fielders at each base had stepped aside, and the base umpire was making a wide circular motion with his right hand above his head.

Meanwhile, Kento-kun was leisurely jogging around the bases.

Just as Nadeshiko-senpai had predicted, Kento-kun had hit a home run.

“How…?” (Sophia)

I couldn’t help but wonder how she had known and turned to look at Nadeshiko-senpai.

Noticing my gaze, she let out a small, resigned smile and shrugged.

“Sorry, I made you miss it.” (Nadeshiko)

“Ah, no… I would have closed my eyes either way…” (Sophia)

Even if she hadn’t spoken to me, I wouldn’t have seen Kento-kun’s home run as my eyes were closed from praying.

“The opposing ace, you know, has given up almost zero walks so far. Do you know what that means?” (Nadeshiko)

“That means he has good control, right…?” (Sophia)

“Even if someone has good control, having almost zero walks is extremely rare. Even Kurogane-kun gives up a few every now and then. Now, what if I told you that there’s also data showing he often gives up hits when the count is 2-3?” (Nadeshiko)

“Ah…! That means he’s aiming for the strike zone, right…?” (Sophia)

“Exactly.” (Nadeshiko)

My answer seemed to be correct, as Nadeshiko-senpai gave me a playful wink.

Because of his excellent control, the opposing pitcher might be extremely afraid of giving up walks.

So when he reached a situation where he couldn’t afford another ball, even though he had the batter cornered, he became too focused on throwing a strike and ended up pitching into an easy-to-hit zone.

Since his ability to suppress batters relied entirely on his control, if he threw a pitch over the plate in a bad spot, it was bound to get hit.

“Kento-kun was aiming for that from the start…” (Sophia)

“Of course, if an easy pitch had come earlier, he would’ve gone for it. But since the pitcher was deliberately aiming for the edges, it shows he’s a skilled player.” (Nadeshiko)

A skilled player, huh…

“Then shouldn’t he just avoid getting into a three-ball count in the first place…?” (Sophia)

If he was prone to throwing hittable pitches in a full count, wouldn’t it be better to prevent the situation from reaching that point?

Up until then, he had been successfully keeping batters in check.

“The catcher probably hasn’t noticed this habit of the pitcher.” (Nadeshiko)

“…Really?” (Sophia)

“Yeah. He’s been calling pitches in a way that keeps leading the count to full. That’s why I think he hasn’t caught on. You’d be surprised how often people miss things like this. Well, Kento-kun figured it out after just watching a little bit of the data and game footage, though.”(Nadeshiko)

While Nadeshiko-senpai proudly brought up Kento-kun in passing, I couldn’t help but think—wasn’t she a little too fond of him?

As I debated whether to tease her about it, our fifth and sixth batters were quickly retired.

Even though the opposing pitcher had given up a three-run homer in the very first inning, he hadn’t crumbled under pressure. He really might be a solid player.

“At least we got one on the board…” (Sophia)

If Kento-kun hit two more home runs, we would win.

I let out a small sigh of relief—until I noticed Nadeshiko-senpai’s expression.

“Yeah, that’s true, but… three runs in the first inning, huh… This might be bad…” (Nadeshiko)

Her face was unusually serious.

As the game went on, Kurogane-kun threw fastballs relentlessly, striking out batter after batter.

Pure power pitching.

Normally, he relied on controlled pitching to induce groundouts and flyouts, but today he was going all out.

Unfortunately, our offense wasn’t holding up as well. The bottom of our lineup struggled, and one by one, they were taken down by the opposing pitcher.

I could see Nadeshiko-senpai watching them with a look of pity, muttering, “They’re going to get drilled in practice again…”

Judging by her tone, they’d already been through some brutal training before.

And just like that, Kento-kun’s turn at bat came around again in the third inning.

Just like in the first inning, Kannagi-kun got on base. The second batter, seeing the point gap, went for a hit, and though he made perfect contact, the ball flew straight at the opposing shortstop, leading to an unfortunate out.

Then, Kurogane-kun hit a triple, adding another run, which brought us to the current moment.

“Do you think he’ll do the same thing in his second at-bat?” (Sophia)

“Hmm… I don’t think the opposing battery is going to throw him a fastball this time.” (Nadeshiko)

The pitch Kento-kun hit for a home run earlier was a fastball.

To avoid the same mistake, they might try to hold him off with breaking balls.

They probably misunderstood from the last at-bat, thinking that he wouldn’t be able to hit breaking balls.

“I bet he’s going to swing at the first pitch.” (Nadeshiko)

Nadeshiko-senpai made another prediction.

I was curious whether she’d be right again, but more importantly, I wasn’t going to miss seeing him hit a home run this time. I fixed my eyes on him, watching with all my might.

And the result—

“It’s in agaaaaaaain!!” (Other managers)

—Just as Nadeshiko-senpai said, Kento-kun swung at the first pitch and sent the ball flying into the stands.

Senpai, you’re kind of scary.

“How did you know this time…?” (Sophia)

“Ahaha… You don’t have to look at me like that. It’s simple.” (Nadeshiko)

Simple? What part of this is simple?

“The opposing pitcher has a fastball, a curveball, and a forkball. But since his fastball got turned into a home run last time, he’s hesitant to throw it. That leaves the curveball or forkball. But Kurogane-kun is on third base, so if the catcher fails to catch the ball and it gets away, that’s another run. That makes the forkball risky to throw in this situation. That’s why Kento-kun knew the first pitch would be a curveball.” (Nadeshiko)

Nadeshiko-senpai explained it thoroughly, using her fingers to illustrate each point.

She always says she doesn’t study much, but honestly, I was starting to suspect she secretly stays up all night studying. Or maybe she’s just naturally this smart.

Also… she knows way too much about Kento-kun. It’s kind of terrifying.

“I think the first pitch could’ve been a ball too, though…” (Sophia)

“Kento-kun completely saw through the balls in his last at-bat, right? If they can’t get a strike, they have no choice but to aim for the edges of the zone—that’s probably what the battery was thinking. Well, all of this was something Kento-kun told me beforehand anyway.” (Nadeshiko)

Just as I was feeling a little… unnerved by Nadeshiko-senpai, she snapped a wink at me again.

So she knew all this because Kento-kun had already explained it to her.

…So, Kento-kun is the terrifying one?

“Then, does that mean everything is going exactly as Kento-kun planned…?” (Sophia)

“Yeah, since the plan hasn’t fallen apart. Of course, if something unexpected happens, we’ll adjust it, but… we analyzed everything thoroughly for you, Sophia-chan. It’s not that easy for the plan to break down.” (Nadeshiko)

—Correction. They were both terrifying.

What is this baseball team? A bunch of monsters?

Are all powerhouse schools like this…?

I felt like I had just witnessed firsthand the true horror of elite-level teams.

But… knowing they did all this for me made me really happy.

The game continued, and by the end of the third inning, we had a five-run lead. Because of that, at the top of the fourth, Kurogane-kun moved to right field.

The player who had been in right field shifted to left, and the left fielder was taken out, making way for a new pitcher.

Since Kurogane-kun was also one of the core hitters in the cleanup lineup, they couldn’t just bench him, but they were probably trying to save his arm and stamina.

The second pitcher, a second-year student, took the mound and began warming up calmly.

“People say that outside of Kurogane-kun, Seijou High’s pitching staff is pretty thin…” (Nadeshiko)

Nadeshiko-senpai murmured as she watched her teammate practice on the mound, seeming lost in thought.

“I don’t think that’s true at all. Kurogane-kun is amazing, but the second- and third-year pitchers who are entrusted with those roles are very skilled, too. In fact, since Kento-kun has been behind the mask, no one has allowed any runs in an official match.” (Nadeshiko)

I knew that the second-year pitchers didn’t get great evaluations from others.

Well, it wasn’t just the pitching staff.

There weren’t any standout players from the second-year class who had competed nationally during middle school, and some even said it was a year of underperforming talent.

But whether that assessment was correct or not would be decided from this fall onward—now that it’s their year.

Personally, I didn’t have any particular attachment to them, and since they were one grade above me, I didn’t have any strong opinions on the “underperforming” label they were given.

However—

When the news spread that Kurogane-kun decided to attend Aoshi High School, it seemed like many promising players gathered in the first-year class, yet six out of the nine starting players were second-years.

Even the bench was filled with more second-years than first-years.

That must be the second-years’ determination to prove themselves against the notion of being a class with few promising prospects.

At the very least, Coach Hijima is well-known for his meritocratic approach, so I didn’t think it was out of sentimentality.

And when people carry that kind of determination, I believe they’ll make something happen.

“I really hope they make it to Koshien…”

I didn’t know much about them beyond their results and what happened during games, but I wanted those who worked hard to be rewarded.

They had fought a close battle in the summer finals, only to suffer a heartbreaking defeat. Seeing the third-years in tears made me feel this even more strongly.

“This time, we’re going to Koshien for sure. That’s why we need your help too, Sophia-chan.” (Nadeshiko)

Nadeshiko-senpai smiled as she placed her hand over mine.

I wasn’t even officially part of the team yet, and even if I did join, I wasn’t sure what I could do—but for these people, I wanted to do whatever I could.

More than anything, I wanted to go to Koshien—for myself and for the person I loved.

“Do you really think I can be of help…?” (Sophia)

“Sophia-chan, you’re really smart, so I have high hopes for you! Seijou High—or rather, Kento-kun, our core player on both offense and defense, relies heavily on data. Whether we can compile precise data or not has a huge impact on winning or losing. Right now, it’s just Kento-kun and me handling it, but if you help us, that would be amazing!” (Nadeshiko)

Nadeshiko-senpai beamed at me with a warm smile.

Data analysis… That really did sound like something I could be good at.

More than anything, being able to support Kento-kun made me incredibly happy.

From what I had heard earlier, he didn’t just rely on data for calling plays as a catcher but also used it to improve his batting. That meant it was really crucial.

I had to do my best. Absolutely.

If things continued like this, this would be Kento-kun’s last guaranteed at-bat.

“I’ll do my best to be of help.” (Sophia)

“Yeah, I’m counting on you. For that, we need Kento-kun to give it his all too.” (Nadeshiko)

Nadeshiko-senpai nodded with a smile before shifting her gaze back to the field. I followed suit, returning my focus to the game.

The match continued to progress in a completely one-sided manner.

In the fourth inning, with the bases loaded in front of Kurogane-kun, he hit a grand slam. Given his talent, which was said to be capable of making an impact globally, he was already a monster at this stage.

“Now it’s a nine-run lead… Kento-kun, you’re running out of chances…” (Nadeshiko)

Before I knew it, Nadeshiko-senpai had clasped her hands tightly together as if in prayer.

It took me a second to grasp what she meant—until I realized the significance of that nine-run difference.

“Oh… the mercy rule…” (Sophia)

In this tournament, the rule was set at a ten-run lead after five innings.

Since Seijou High was playing as the home team, if they ended the fourth inning with a ten-run lead and the opposing team couldn’t close the gap by the end of the fifth, the game would be called without playing the bottom of the inning.

If the current nine-run lead remained at the end of the fourth, and Seijou High scored just one more in the fifth, the game would end before Kento-kun got another turn at-bat.

At this rate, the only guaranteed chance for him to bat was now.

If he didn’t get a hit here, Kento-kun might not get another turn at bat.

And I had a feeling I knew why Nadeshiko-senpai looked so uneasy.

I wanted it to be nothing more than an unnecessary worry, but reality was—

“Ball!” (No idea who said all this)

“Ball!”

“Ball!”

“Ball four!”

Kento-kun ended up drawing a walk.

It wasn’t an intentional walk.

If they had intended to walk him, they could have just declared an intentional base on balls.

But after getting hit for two home runs, that pitcher probably lost the ability to throw a strike against Kento-kun.

“In this case… what happens to the promise?” (Sophia)

The game wasn’t over yet.

As long as our team didn’t score one more run, the mercy rule wouldn’t apply.

For now, only the top of the lineup had been scoring, so there was still a chance for Kento-kun to get another turn at bat.

But—I just couldn’t help but ask.

“I wonder… He wasn’t given a real chance to hit, and the pitches he did get, he turned into home runs both times, so he could argue for it… but I doubt Kuzumine-sensei would agree.” (Nadeshiko)

I knew exactly what she meant.

That teacher was our homeroom teacher, after all. There was no way he would nod in approval.

What do I do…? What can I do…?

I turned my gaze to first base, clinging to the sight of Kento-kun.

He had his hands on his hips, his eyes turned toward the sky.

Did he… give up?

After that, the fifth batter got a hit, but the sixth, seventh, and eighth batters all failed to connect, leaving us without any additional runs.

Why…? Why do I have to feel this awful even though we’re winning…?

At this point, I almost wished the other team would score.

If they did, the score gap would shrink, and we wouldn’t have to worry about the mercy rule anymore…

But Kento-kun was still going all out to get outs, without any calculations or hesitation.

The no-hitter was still intact.

“It’s still too early to give up, though.” (Nadeshiko)

“Nadeshiko-senpai…” (Sophia)

I hadn’t given up either.

But even if Kento-kun got another turn at bat, it wouldn’t mean anything if they still refused to pitch to him properly.

Even for him, hitting a home run off balls outside the strike zone would be impossible.

“To tell the truth, we anticipated this scenario.” (Nadeshiko)

“What…?” (Sophia)

Even though the situation was dire, Nadeshiko-senpai looked calm as she said that, so I turned my eyes to her.

They had predicted this? But she had looked more worried than I was just a moment ago…

“I didn’t want to think about it too much, but considering Seijou High’s batting strength, a mercy-rule win was always a likely outcome. And after hitting two consecutive home runs, there was a strong chance that pitcher wouldn’t be able to throw a strike against Kento-kun anymore. His biggest weakness seemed to be his mental game—he crumbles under pressure.” (Nadeshiko)

So not just Nadeshiko-senpai—Kento-kun had anticipated this, too…?

Then… did they already have a plan in place…?

“If they can’t throw strikes, they’ll have no choice but to face Kento-kun. That’s why Kento-kun asked everyone to load the bases for him.”

With the bases loaded, if Kento-kun gets walked, a point will automatically be added, forcing the opposing pitcher to throw strikes. I understood that logic.

But in reality—

“Kento-kun hasn’t had a full base yet, has he? In fact, even though the bases were loaded, Kurogane-kun neatly cleaned things up…” (Sophia)

No matter how much planning Kento-kun did, if it couldn’t be put into action, then it was meaningless.

Not that I was blaming Kurogane-kun for hitting the grand slam, but still…

“It’s a fundamental rule never to hold back in a game. Honestly, even I didn’t expect that grand slam… But I think that was Kurogane-kun providing cover fire.” (Nadeshiko)

“Cover fire…? You mean he didn’t just swing without thinking…?” (Sophia)

“Ahaha… Given the situation, I get why you’d think that… but when it comes to baseball, Kurogane-kun thinks things through very carefully. And he would never do anything to go against Kento-kun’s request.” (Nadeshiko)

I only knew Kurogane-kun as a scary person and someone who was incredible at baseball, so I didn’t really understand why Nadeshiko-senpai was so confident in his intentions.

But if this incredible senpai said so, maybe she was right.

“It’s not just Kurogane-kun. It was hard to get a bases-loaded situation, but I think next inning will be different. Everyone is grateful to Kento-kun and wants to repay that debt. And above all, they really love Kento-kun. They’ll make sure to fulfill his request, no matter what.” (Nadeshiko)

Nadeshiko-senpai said this with a confident smile, then raised both hands in a victorious gesture.

She probably wanted to reassure me, to say that everything would be okay.

“Repay… a debt?” (Sophia)

I didn’t know what Kento-kun did with the other team members in the baseball club. But I imagined that he must be communicating well with everyone, and whenever someone was struggling, he would help them without expecting anything in return.

When you’ve been treated that way, it’s natural to want to repay the favor.

I understood that feeling because I felt the same.

“They’ll definitely fill the bases for him, right?” (Sophia)

“Of course…!” (Nadeshiko)

Then all that was left was for Kento-kun to hit.

As I thought this with a smile, I also felt a bit guilty.

“If things had gone as usual, this game could have ended without too much burden on him… But because of me, he has to hit a home run, and since this is his last chance, the pressure is even higher… I’m really just a burden, aren’t I…? A curse…” (Sophia)

I wanted to help Kento-kun, yet all I had done was drag him down.

Knowing that he was trying so hard for my sake only made it harder to accept that I was the one putting him in this position.

“…Sophia-chan, you’ve got it all wrong.” (Nadeshiko)

“Wrong…?” (Sophia)

“Eii!” (Nadeshiko)

Nadeshiko-senpai suddenly grabbed both of my cheeks and started squishing them.

“Hyah, shtop it pweash…!” (Sophia)

“You can’t keep thinking so negatively, okay? Sophia-chan, you’re actually helping Kento-kun move to the next stage.” (Nadeshiko)

Once my cheeks were finally released, I rubbed them with my hands, still not quite understanding what she meant.

Helping him move to the next stage? I couldn’t think of anything I’d done that would count as that…

“If you’re just trying to comfort me, please stop…” (Sophia)

“No, it’s true. The coach said it, didn’t he? That Kento-kun needs to become a monster.” (Nadeshiko)

What Nadeshiko-senpai brought up was what happened after Kento-kun’s argument with Kuzumine-sensei in the faculty room.

I remembered how, when Kento-kun had been furious in the hallway, the coach had indeed said those words to him.

“The goal of Seijou High’s baseball team is to win the Koshien championship. But to do that, we have to defeat schools that have so-called ‘monsters,’ ‘stars,’ and ‘once-in-a-decade geniuses’ on their teams. And we also have to take down the reigning champions, a ridiculous school where every single regular player is a star athlete. Kurogane-kun might be considered a monster, but that alone isn’t enough. If we want to win the championship, Kento-kun also needs to become a player that people call a monster.” (Nadeshiko)

There were several schools that came to mind when Nadeshiko-senpai mentioned that.

In reality, the Koshien tournament always had teams filled with players known as monsters, and the schools that won the championship were always the ones with those so-called geniuses.

That’s why just one wasn’t enough—they needed at least two.

And even then, they might still fall short against that star-studded powerhouse school.

“Kento-kun is the kind of person who can break through his limits when he carries the expectations of others. He proved that during the summer tournament. That’s why the coach believed you were necessary for him to move on to the next stage, Sofia-chan. Otherwise, he never would’ve come up with such a ridiculous condition.” (Nadeshiko)

A demand as extreme as hitting three home runs—it was meant to push him to grow.

No wonder it wasn’t just Nadeshiko-senpai but even the coach who had gone out of their way for me, someone who wasn’t even an official club member yet.

From the very beginning, they had been acting with Kento-kun’s best interests in mind.

“Am I… not just a burden?” (Sophia)

“At the very least, Kento-kun is turning it into strength. The two home runs he already hit are proof of that. He’s never hit consecutive home runs in two at-bats before.” (Nadeshiko)

Nadeshiko-senpai’s words made my chest tighten with emotion.

Knowing that my presence wasn’t just weighing him down filled me with a joy so overwhelming that I almost felt like crying.

I hadn’t done anything special, but if just being here could help him in some way, that was enough for me.

“As for the pressure, you don’t need to worry about that either. This is the same guy who was sent up as the final batter in the semifinals of the summer tournament—his debut game, no less—and hit a home run. His mental strength is like steel.” (Nadeshiko)

When she mentioned that semifinal match, I recalled the day I first started to feel drawn to him.

That intense expression of focus, sharpened to a frightening degree… Watching him like that, it was impossible to believe that someone like him would crumble under pressure.

“You’re right… I think so too.” (Sophia)

If it was him, he would laugh in the face of this pressure and brush it aside with ease.

“Yeah! Now, Seijou High School’s final inning is about to begin! Let’s give it everything we’ve got and cheer him on!” (Nadeshiko)

Nadeshiko-senpai’s voice rang out as the bottom of the fifth inning—likely their final offensive chance—began.

First up was the ninth batter.

He was a second-year senpai who had been called in as a pitcher during the fourth inning.

Although he tried to hold on by hitting several foul balls, he ultimately grounded out on a low outside pitch.

With one out, the lineup turned over, bringing Kannagi-kun, the leadoff batter, back up.

He had hit successfully in every at-bat so far, proving his consistency.

And this time was no exception—he connected cleanly and got another hit, once again showing just how impressive he was.

The real concern, however, was this next batter.

In his first at-bat, he had laid down a sacrifice bunt.
In his second, he had swung and been put out.
In his third, he had managed to get a hit.

Right now, what they needed was a full set of loaded bases.

All they could do was hope he could push his batting average from .300 to .500 for this moment.

“Show them the pride of a second-year…!” (Nadeshiko)

Beside me, Nadeshiko-senpai clenched her hands tightly, her gaze locked onto the batter’s box.

After nearly two years of playing together, it made sense that she would be so invested.

I also prayed hard, as I knew we needed him to get a hit.

Then, he was pushed to a full count—oh no, but by holding out, he managed to hit a pitch that had become slightly easier for him.

“He did it! He got on base…!” (Other manager)

“Next up is Kurogane-kun…!” (Other manager)

One out, runners on first and third.

Now it was Kurogane-kun’s turn at bat.

If he hit, the game would end.

But of course, no one was going to tell him not to swing, and he wouldn’t accept that kind of order anyway.

So, what was he going to do…?

All I could do was believe in what Nadeshiko-senpai had said—that Kurogane-kun would never betray Kento-kun—and keep my eyes fixed on the field.

As everyone’s gaze locked onto him, Kurogane-kun did something completely unexpected—

A bunt.

Not just a simple sacrifice bunt to advance the runners, but one meant to keep himself safe as well—a safety bunt.

“Kurogane-kun… bunted!?” (Other manager)

“No way…! I’ve never seen him bunt in an actual game before…!” (Other manager)

As the manager girls let out cries of surprise, the ball rolled toward third base.

The third baseman quickly picked it up, but standing on third was the fleet-footed runner, Kannagi-kun.

If he dared to throw to first, Kannagi-kun would dash straight for home in an instant, ending the game.

That was why the third baseman hesitated, unable to throw. In that brief moment, the runner on first advanced to second, and the swift Kurogane-kun sprinted safely to first.

“The bases are loaded!!!” (Other managers)

While the manager girls cheered, Kurogane-kun stood on first with a relaxed expression, his gaze shifting toward the next batter’s box.

From there, Kento-kun was making his way to the batter’s box, their eyes meeting as he walked forward.

Then—almost as if to say I kept my promise. Now you finish this properly—Kurogane-kun sharply pointed at Kento-kun.

In response, Kento-kun gave a firm nod.

And for some reason, his gaze turned toward us.

He stretched out his right hand, reaching straight in my direction.

In the middle of this huge crowd, there was no way he could have found me without knowing exactly where I was.

Maybe he had asked Nadeshiko-senpai in advance where I would be sitting.

Since he had gone through the trouble of reaching his arm toward me, I exaggeratedly mouthed “Go for it!” and clenched both fists in a guts pose.

Kento-kun hadn’t expected me to respond like that—his eyes widened in brief surprise before he broke into a delighted smile.

What is this feeling…? My chest feels so warm.

“…That’s nice…” (Nadeshiko)

I thought I heard Nadeshiko-senpai mumble beside me, but I was too fixated on him to properly take it in.

Kento-kun took a deep breath and stepped into the batter’s box.

—By now, I was probably no longer on his mind.

Right now, the only things in his world were the pitcher standing before him and the opponent’s defensive formation. His mind had to be completely focused on reading the opposing battery’s pitch selection.

I believed in him and waited for the moment.

“…Are they going to walk him again…?” (Other manager)

One of the managers murmured quietly.

The one who immediately responded was Nadeshiko-senpai.

“If they walk him, the game ends in a cold-game loss. They have no choice but to throw strikes.” (Nadeshiko)

Just as she said, now that the bases were loaded, if Kento-kun was walked, the forced run would add another point to the score.

The score difference was already nine runs. If one more run was added, the game would be called due to the mercy rule.

That meant the opposing pitcher had no way to avoid him.

Now, I finally understood what Nadeshiko-senpai meant when she talked about Kurogane-kun’s covering fire.

This nine-run lead was only possible because of his grand slam.

If the lead had only been seven or eight runs, the opposing team might have chosen to walk Kento-kun, even with the bases loaded, just to avoid the risk of him hitting a home run.

If they were at risk of giving up four runs instead of just one, that would have been a reasonable strategy.

That was why Kurogane-kun had instinctively gone for a grand slam.

—No, actually… the fact that he pulled it off on purpose is just ridiculous in so many ways.

“They’re being careful.” (Sophia)

“Probably because it’s his last at-bat, so it’s only natural.” (Nadeshiko)

The strikes were coming in properly, but Kento-kun wasn’t swinging recklessly in desperation.

Even in this high-pressure situation, he remained calm, waiting for the perfect pitch he could turn into a home run.

“—Do your best, Kento-kun…!!” (Sophia)

Caught up in the moment, I accidentally shouted out loud.

People around me turned in surprise, but with the brass band playing and the baseball team’s loud cheers filling the air, my voice likely hadn’t reached the one person it was meant for—Kento-kun.

And yet—just for a moment, his face turned in my direction, and I could have sworn I saw a smile on his lips.

Taking a deep breath, Kento-kun faced the pitcher once more.

And then—

“““He did it!!!””” (Everyone)

—A new monster of a batter was born that day.

---

Thanks for reading!

Here’s a chapter which I have no idea wtf is happening cause I don’t play baseball. Translation is definitely scuffed if you have knowledge on baseball.

Nadeshiko is slowly transitioning to another main heroine.

P.S. I’ll release the epilogue and V3 illustrations within the next 24 hours.

---

1. None

“――No, I won’t approve the club membership.” (Teacher)

On the first Wednesday of October, Sophia handed her club application form to her homeroom teacher in the faculty office, only to be immediately rejected without room for discussion.

Her eyes wavered as she turned to look at me, seeking help.

So, I stepped up beside her and addressed the homeroom teacher of the Special Preparatory Course first-years.

“I don’t understand. Whether she’s in the Special Preparatory Course or a scholarship student, there is nothing in the school rules prohibiting her from joining a club. What’s wrong here?” (Kento)

“You are… if I’m not mistaken…” (Teacher)

“I’m Kento Shirakawa from the Sports Course, Class 1B. I’m Sophia’s older brother.” (Kento)

As I introduced myself, the teacher pushed his glasses up with his index finger and looked at me with a condescending gaze.

“A student from a course that only excels in sports should refrain from interfering in matters concerning the Special Preparatory Course.” (Teacher)

“――!?” (Sophia)

The teacher’s words made Sophia’s complexion visibly change.

Even though she wasn’t the one being insulted, her face was filled with anger.

I took her hand and gently guided her behind me.

Naturally, she looked up at me with a dissatisfied expression, but I shook my head, signaling her to stay silent.

This teacher was deliberately trying to provoke us.

If we responded with anger or let our frustration show, he would gladly label it as problematic behavior.

And then, using that as an excuse, he would reject Sophia’s application.

When dealing with someone like this, we had to stay calm.

Normally, I’d think Sophia could handle someone like him, as she tends to stay composed even when irritated. But right now, she was too worked up, so it wouldn’t be ideal.

Though I couldn’t blame her—she was angry on my behalf.

“Even if I belong to a different course, Sophia is my precious imouto. As her brother, I want to respect her wishes.” (Kento)

“You might not understand since you’re still a child, but respecting someone’s wishes isn’t always in their best interest. Sophia is said to be the greatest genius this school has ever seen, and the school has high expectations for her. What if she joins the baseball club and her grades drop? Who will take responsibility? Throwing away a once-in-a-lifetime talent over a fleeting emotion is utterly foolish.” (Teacher)

It was impressive how smoothly he could spew insults like that.

He must be someone who looks down on others on a regular basis.

“With all due respect, Sophia isn’t attending this school for the school’s sake. She’s here for herself. Shouldn’t she be allowed to do what she wants?” (Kento)

“She’s a scholarship student. Since the school is fully covering her tuition, she has an obligation to uphold her end of the deal.” (Teacher)

“She will do everything in her power to maintain her grades. And even if she does end up slipping, that responsibility falls on her. As long as she is willing to take responsibility for herself, I don’t see an issue. What do you think?” (Kento)

If Sophia’s grades dropped, she would lose her scholarship.

That is what it means to take responsibility.

Since there was never a rule prohibiting scholarship students from joining clubs in the first place, there was no reason for anyone to complain.

Of course, as I said earlier, Sophia would put in maximum effort to maintain her grades. Based on my impression of her studies with Jessica-san, I was confident she could manage without her grades slipping.

“If she joins the baseball club, which is a specially designated elite team, she won’t have enough time to study, and her grades will definitely drop…! Are you too stupid to understand something so simple…!?” (Teacher)

“――!!” (Sophia)

The teacher’s heated words were met with an equally intense heat radiating from behind me.

I didn’t need to turn around to know—Sophia was absolutely furious.

I tightened my grip slightly on her hand, trying to calm her down.

In response, Sophia squeezed my hand back—hard.

The strength of her grip reflected just how angry she was.

I gently squeezed her hand again, then met the teacher’s gaze head-on and opened my mouth to speak.

“Nadeshiko Kujouin-san from the General Course, second year, manages to balance being a baseball club manager while maintaining a level of academic excellence that rivals the Special Preparatory Course. Wouldn’t that be proof that it’s possible to balance both studies and club activities? And I believe Sophia is just as capable.” (Kento)

“――!?” (Teacher)

The moment I brought up Kujouin-san, the teacher’s expression visibly twisted.

Unlike before, this wasn’t just an act—he was genuinely irritated.

I was certain this was the same teacher who had been complaining about how things would have been different if Sophia had been born a year earlier.

“There’s no guarantee that Shirakawa can do the same as Kujouin…!?” (Teacher)

“So, does that mean you believe Sophia’s academic ability is inferior to Kujouin-san’s?” (Kento)

The teacher once again swallowed hard at my question.

But wasn’t that exactly what he was implying?

If he was claiming that what Kujouin-san could do was impossible for Sophia, despite calling her the greatest genius since the school’s founding, how would he counter this contradiction?

“Tch… Brat…!” (Teacher)

Having no retort left, the teacher glared at me with obvious disdain.

For someone who loves to provoke others, he sure couldn’t handle being provoked himself.

He wasn’t much older than our coach, yet their attitudes as people were completely different.

—That said, guys like him were troublesome.

The type who firmly believed they were always right and refused to listen to anyone they looked down on.

If there weren’t a rule requiring approval from the homeroom teacher to join a club, we wouldn’t have had to go through this hassle.

Maybe we should just bypass him and take this matter to someone higher up.

As I was considering that—

“—Isn’t it rather ironic for a teacher to be getting worked up while the student remains calm and attempts to hold a rational discussion?” (?)

A familiar, pleasant voice interrupted our conversation with a tone of gentle admonishment.

When I turned to look, two figures stood at the entrance of the staff room.

One of them was the person whom we were just talking about, Kujouin-san, standing with a graceful posture and a kind smile.

And beside her stood our coach.

“Kujouin-san, and the Coach…? Why are you two here…?” (Teacher)

The coach was from the Sports Course, and Kujouin-san was from the General Course, so their school buildings were different from this one.

There was no way they had just happened to stop by.

“I heard you were submitting the club application during lunch today. Figured things would turn out like this.” (Coach)

“We do hear a lot of rumors, after all.” (Nadeshiko)

It seemed that the coach and Kujouin-san had anticipated that we would run into trouble.

The “rumors” were probably about this teacher.

Kujouin-san must have informed the coach about it, which was why they had come here.

“Now even more outsiders are getting involved…!” (Teacher)

Sophia’s homeroom teacher made no attempt to hide his displeasure.

His expression was particularly hostile toward Kujouin-san.

She was the only one who had ever managed to outperform the Special Preparatory Course and had refused their invitations to join, so he must have despised her for that.

“Ara ara… it seems you hate me quite a bit.” (Nadeshiko)

Kujouin-san placed a hand near her mouth, staring at Sophia’s homeroom teacher with eyes that were far from smiling.

I didn’t know how much she had overheard, but for someone like her to adopt such an exaggeratedly polite tone, she must have been quite irritated.

“Kuzumine-sensei, let’s have a more constructive discussion here.” (Coach)

While Kujouin-san maintained her silent pressure against the teacher, the coach stepped forward in front of us.

“Hijima-sensei… People like you are the ones I hate the most.” (Teacher)

In response, the homeroom teacher—Kuzumine-sensei—visibly reacted with displeasure.

Had something happened between these two before?

“Now, now, no need to say that. The issue at hand concerns the baseball club, doesn’t it? As the person responsible for the club, I can’t exactly stay out of the discussion.” (Coach)

“No matter what you say, there’s no benefit to the school in allowing Shirakawa to join the baseball team. Therefore, I have no intention of approving her admission.” (Teacher)

Kuzumine-sensei was clearly trying to wrap up the conversation as quickly as possible.

His reasoning—that it didn’t benefit the school—was infuriating, but for now, it seemed best to let the coach handle things.

I focused on keeping Sophia calm, making sure her anger wouldn’t explode.

“That’s not necessarily true, is it? At the very least, I believe Shirakawa Sophia joining the baseball club would be beneficial to the school.” (Coach)

“Hah? And how exactly would that be?” (Teacher)

Kuzumine-sensei scoffed and tilted his head mockingly.

I was starting to worry the coach might actually throw a punch.

“If the baseball team makes a name for itself at Koshien, it’ll be great publicity for the school.” (Coach)

“Hah…! And here I thought you were going to say something worthwhile. A manager who can’t even play in games has nothing to do with that. Ridiculous.” (Teacher)

Kuzumine-sensei ridiculed the coach even further.

I wished he’d get what was coming to him at least once.

“A manager who supports the team behind the scenes is an invaluable presence. More than that, I believe this girl is our goddess of victory. Don’t you think so, Kento?” (Coach)

For some reason, the coach suddenly turned to me. What exactly was he up to?

However, with a glance from the coach, I instantly understood what was being asked of me.

“Yeah, I think so too.” (Kento)

It was the right move to go along with the conversation, so I nodded immediately.

But Kuzumine-sensei just shrugged and looked at us with an exasperated expression.

“Where’s your basis for saying that?” (Teacher)

And as if he had been waiting for this moment, the coach flashed a sly grin.

“For the next game—the third round of the prefectural tournament, this guy will hit three home runs. If he can do that, would you be willing to approve Shirakawa Sophia’s membership? If he can’t, then we’ll have to drop her application.” (Coach)

“Huh—!?” (Kento)

I couldn’t believe what the coach was saying. He was proposing something absolutely outrageous!

Three home runs in a single game!?

There’s no way that’s possible…!

“Haha, even someone like me, who knows almost nothing about baseball, can tell that’s impossible!” (Teacher)

Kuzumine-sensei clapped his hands together, laughing loudly.

But in this case, he was right.

“Then, is the negotiation settled?” (Coach)

“…Wait a second. To decide a student’s future based on that—no matter how you look at it, that’s…” (Teacher)

As the coach tried to make a firm agreement, something seemed to have caught Kuzumine-sensei’s attention, and suddenly his attitude shifted.

Since the coach was so confident, maybe he felt something was off and hesitated.

I was relieved that the deal hadn’t gone through yet, but just as I was thinking that…

“—Then, if he can’t do it, I’ll transfer to the Special Advancement Course whenever you prefer, on top of everything else.” (Nadeshiko)

“Eh!?” (Kento)

Just when Kuzumine-sensei had stopped, an unexpected push came from behind.

The one who made the suggestion was none other than Kujouin-san herself, the one who had been refusing the invitation to the Special Advancement Course all this time.

“Kujouin-san joining the Special Preparatory Course…!? That’s…!” (Other teacher)

“Kuzumine-sensei, this is a huge opportunity…!” (Other teacher)

“Exactly, three home runs is impossible anyway…!” (Other teacher)

With Kujouin-san’s unexpected proposal, the teachers from the Special Preparatory Course, who had been quietly observing, all jumped into the conversation.

That was how valuable she must have been to them.

Even in the regular course, her outstanding grades would be even easier to maintain in the Special Preparatory Course. Moreover, there was a real possibility of her advancing to one of Japan’s top universities.

That would be a significant achievement for the school, and it would likely have a direct impact on the teachers’ performance (and salaries) as well.

By the time she entered her third year, I could see them competing over who would be her homeroom teacher.

Above all, they’d no longer have to worry about the Special Preparatory Course losing to the regular course.

This was turning into something extraordinary…

Naturally, with such a tempting opportunity dangling in front of him, and backed by the support of those around him, Kuzumine-sensei—

“Fine. I’ll take you up on that offer!” (Teacher)

He nodded with a refreshingly bright smile as if he had just won a victory. Even though he had seemed to dislike Kujouin-san, it looked like he was now thinking of how he could take credit for bringing her into the Special Preparatory Course.

This situation had really escalated…

◆

“Coach!” (Kento)

After leaving the staff room, I called out to the coach, who was about to leave down the hallway.

“What is it? Why are you shouting?” (Coach)

The coach turned around with a look of mild annoyance, clearly trying to act nonchalant.

“I appreciate your help, but why did you make such an unreasonable demand…!? And Kujouin-san, too—why did you do that…?!” (Kento)

“Haha, it’s the first time I’ve seen you this angry, Kento!” (Coach)

“Well, I knew you were going to do something like this, but still…” (Kento)

The coach laughed cheerfully, and even Kujouin-san couldn’t help but chuckle.

How could they be laughing in a situation like this?

“Three home runs in a single game? That’s beyond unreasonable…! And you’re betting on Sophia’s club entry and Kujouin-san’s course change…!” (Kento)

“Calm down, Kento. I don’t say things I think are impossible.” (Coach)

In response to my complaints, the coach spoke in a surprisingly calm voice.

Somehow, his face, which had been smiling moments before, had shifted into a serious expression, his eyes now filled with a strong determination.

“You really don’t think it’s impossible…? Are you serious about that?” (Kento)

“The field we’ll be playing on has narrow outfield lines and a low fence. The opposing school’s already decided, and they’re a mid-tier school. It’s the perfect scenario for this challenge.” (Coach)

In other words, the environment was perfect for hitting home runs, and the opposing team’s ace pitcher was someone well-suited to be taken on.

Even so, it was hard to simply agree with him.

“Even so, only a monster could hit three home runs in a single game! No matter how you look at it—” (Kento)

“—Oh? So you get it, then. That’s right, you just have to become that monster.” (Coach)

“Huh…?” (Kento)

Caught off guard by his response, I fell silent.

Become a monster…?

“You’re the cleanup hitter for a team aiming for the Koshien championship. If that’s the case, you need to become the kind of player people call a monster. Hitting three home runs should be nothing for you.” (Coach)

“……” (Kento)

“Besides, if I hadn’t said something that extreme, the Special Preparatory Course would never have accepted Shirakawa Sophia’s application.” (Coach)

“That… might be true, but…” (Kento)

There probably weren’t many students as academically gifted as Sophia.

That’s exactly why, now that she was here, the school wanted her to enter one of Japan’s top universities and add to their track record.

It made sense that the Special Preparatory Course wouldn’t let her go so easily.

As I hesitated, the coach placed a firm hand on my shoulder.

“It’s for your precious little sister, right? Show them what you’re made of. Well, I do feel a little bad that our club’s idol got involved in all this.” (Coach)

“Coach~? Don’t act like you weren’t involved~ We properly discussed this and decided together, didn’t we~?” (Nadeshiko)

As soon as the conversation started shifting as if the coach had nothing to do with Kujouin-san getting involved, she immediately shut it down.

In other words, even her joining in on the bet was all part of their plan from the start.

“Haha… as terrifying as ever. Well, that’s how it is. I’ll leave the rest to you.” (Coach)

With that, the coach turned and walked back alone to the sports course building.

—He probably ran away.

“Kujouin-san, I’m really sorry for dragging you into all this…” (Kento)

Now that the coach was gone, I bowed my head to Kujouin-san, feeling guilty for involving her.

Sophia, who had been quietly listening, quickly followed suit and bowed as well, but—

“It’s fine. I did it because I wanted to.” (Nadeshiko)

Kujouin-san simply smiled and brushed it off.

“But there’s no merit in this for you, Kujouin-san…” (Kento)

“Hmm, no, there is. If Sophia-chan joins the baseball team, I think Seijou High can achieve more.” (Nadeshiko)

It seemed that Kujouin-san also believed in what the coach was saying.

When it came down to it, just like Shuuto, she trusted the coach.

—No, now that I thought about it, the whole baseball team was like that.

Everyone followed the coach because they believed in him.

I couldn’t be the only one who didn’t.

“I believe in you, Kento-kun. You’ll hit those three home runs, right? But don’t worry, I’ll support you however I can. Let’s go over the opposing pitcher’s data again during practice.” (Nadeshiko)

Even though she had faith in me, she wouldn’t just leave everything to me.

She’s doing what she could to support me properly—so we could fight together.

“Thank you…” (Kento)

Not only did she become Sophia’s conversation partner and put herself on the line to help her join the team, but she was also willing to fight alongside us. I bowed my head deeply to my senpai.

“Save your thanks for when everything works out. Well then, I have to head back now. See you later.” (Nadeshiko)

With lunch break almost over, Kujouin-san waved and walked away.

I really can’t thank her enough…

“Nadeshiko-senpai is such a kind person…” (Sophia)

Maybe because she realized how much trouble had started because of her, Sophia finally spoke up.

“Yeah, she really is. I have to do my best so I don’t betray her trust.” (Kento)

This wasn’t just about me and Sophia anymore.

The conditions were insane, but with no way out, I had no choice but to make it happen.

“…I’m sorry…” (Sophia)

“Sophia?” (Kento)

Hearing her trembling voice, I turned to look at her.

Tears welled up in her eyes as she bit her lip.

She was probably feeling guilty for dragging everyone into this, frustrated that she couldn’t do anything herself.

“This all happened because of me…” (Sophia)

“It’s okay. You’ve been working hard—not just with your studies but also with trying to get along with everyone. Thanks to that, we’ve made it this far. So now, just leave the rest to me.” (Kento)

Looking back, I had only been helping set up the right conditions for her—I hadn’t actually done anything for her directly.

Now that I had the chance to prove myself with my own hands, I would definitely make sure to live up to her feelings.

With that thought in mind, I gently placed my hand on her head and softly stroked her hair.

---

Thanks for reading!

In this day and age, this teacher would get in trouble for refusing the application for such a reason. It’s not even like Sophia has bad grades or anything, so there’s no reason for the application to not go through. 

Man, reading this was so infuriating.

P.S. Amazon is doing some annoying shit where you can’t download books anymore or something, which kinda makes it difficult for me since I have to download the books to extract the text before translating. Basically, I might not even be able to translate anymore new light novels (aka vol 3) after this  unless I find a workaround. Either that or I misunderstood their change.

---

1. None

“—Dad, please help me.” (Kento)

It was right after we had finished dinner together.

I bowed my head to my father.

“H-Hey, what’s going on all of a sudden? You’re not acting like yourself…” (Dad)

Since I rarely bow to my father, he seemed confused.

Jessica-san looked surprised and turned to me, while the only one who knew the reason, Sophia, also bowed her head just like I did.

“Dad, please.” (Sophia)

“Sophia-chan too!? What’s going on with both of you!? First, raise your heads and explain what’s happening!” (Dad)

The moment Sophia, his stepdaughter, bowed too, my father was clearly shaken.

Good, we’ve completely shifted the pace to ours.

“I’m sorry for asking this out of the blue, but I’d like you to be Sophia’s tutor.” (Kento)

Not only does Dad work as a math teacher at the high school where Jessica-san teaches English, but he also graduated from a high-ranking school and university, so his academic background is impressive.

Apparently, my dad had worked part-time as a high school tutor during his university days, so there couldn’t be anyone more qualified than him.

And since he lives in the same house, he can adjust his time accordingly.

The only issue is that I’m asking my dad, who’s probably tired after work, but I’m sure he’ll make an effort for his beloved daughter.

“Sophia-chan’s tutor…? I could understand if it was for you, Kento, with your bad grades, but Sophia-chan doesn’t need that, does she…?” (Dad)

Hey, Dad.

Don’t just casually diss your son like that.

Besides, my bad grades were only up until middle school. My grades are good now in the Sports Course, which has easy tests.

Even back in middle school, I was barely below average, so I don’t think it’s something worth throwing shade at me for.

Feeling slightly disgruntled, I complained silently in my head.

“Could it be that you want to quit the cram school?” (Jessica)

Unlike my dad, Jessica-san seemed to quickly figure out the reason for the request, sensing her own daughter’s feelings.

It would be more natural to ask Jessica, her biological mother, for help. However, she teaches English, which happens to be Sophia’s strongest subject. Therefore, it wasn’t really a priority. Since Sophia can manage English on her own, I decided to ask my dad instead.

“Yeah… I want to join the baseball club and become the manager… To do that, I’ll need to quit cram school due to time constraints…” (Sophia)

Dad, hearing this for the first time, was surprised and looked at me with suspicion. But even if he glared at me, I hadn’t done anything wrong.

Any misunderstandings would likely be cleared up by Jessica-san later.

She had already subtly pinched Dad’s cheek to stop him from glaring.

…It’s hard to tell because he’s so kind, but my dad has somehow been completely dominated by Jessica.

“She’ll be using the study time she had for cram school for the baseball club, and honestly, I’m not sure how well she’ll be able to maintain my grades with a tutor. However, I’d like to try this approach first, and if her grades drop significantly, we can consider other options.” (Kento)

I answered Jessica-san like that.

To be honest, even though Dad has tutoring experience, I’m not sure what the outcome will be. As a teacher, his skills are likely still sharp, but when compared to a cram school instructor,  there’s a good chance his expertise outside of his specialized subject could be lacking.

On top of that, since the time Sophia used to spend studying independently at home would now be used for her tutoring sessions, her total study time would be significantly less compared to when she was attending cram school.

How much of her intelligence she can compensate for this reduction in study time is something we won’t know until we try.

“I see… I understand the situation.” (Jessica)

Jessica-san, who had originally wanted Sophia to join the baseball club, likely wouldn’t oppose this idea.

The real issue was how to block off any possible escape routes for Dad… or so I thought…

“I have two conditions. If you agree to them, you can quit the cram school.” (Jessica)

Unexpectedly, Jessica-san asked us to accept her conditions.

This twist was completely unforeseen, so both Sophia and I exchanged looks.

“Don’t worry, I’m not asking for anything unreasonable. For the first condition, I’ll take over teaching all subjects except for math.” (Jessica)

“Jessica-san… is going to teach…?! But, well…” (Kento)

She is fluent in Japanese, but I haven’t heard that she studied in Japan.

Given that she hasn’t been taught subjects like history, geography, or classical literature—subjects that Japanese students learn—wouldn’t that be a bit too much for her?

I’m not too worried about Dad, as he’s already traveled this path, but…

“Don’t worry. She’s far smarter than I am and very diligent, so she has a deep understanding of Japanese history, classical literature, and many other subjects. If she’s teaching Sophia, she’s far more qualified than I am.” (Dad)

Noticing that Sophia and I were both confused, Dad added that explanation.

So, Sophia’s sharp mind comes from Jessica-san, I guess.

As someone who doesn’t know Jessica-san’s background in detail, I do feel a bit uncertain about whether I should take Dad’s word for it. But surprisingly, Dad is a very responsible person.

Given that he made this suggestion after understanding the situation, I’m inclined to believe that Jessica-san is indeed diligent and knowledgeable about history, and it’s likely not a lie.

It might actually be easier for Jessica-san to teach than Dad, who’s not her biological parent. Maybe I should give it a try and leave it to her.

If it doesn’t work, I can always ask again. And since this was a condition put forward, I don’t have much choice but to accept.

“I think it’s fine if we go with Jessica-san, but is that okay with you, Sophia?” (Kento)

Since I had originally told her I’d ask Dad, I needed to confirm things with her now that the plan was changing.

“Y-Yeah…” (Sophia)

Sophia slowly nodded her head.

She seemed shaken, but it was probably because it was now going to be Jessica-san, not Dad, who would be teaching her.

…Wait, no. It looks less like she’s just shaken, and more like… she’s actually scared?

What is she so scared of…?

The answer came to me right away.

“Hehe, you can leave it to me. She’s my daughter, after all. I’ll make sure to teach her well. Oh, I’ll be tough about it, of course.” (Jessica)

With her hand on her cheek, Jessica-san smiled sweetly, her expression so lovely.

Behind her, it almost looked like flames were burning up.

…She’s fired up.

“Eeek!?” (Sophia)

Faced with her switched-on mother, Sophia couldn’t help but flinch and let out a startled noise.

So, Jessica-san might usually be gentle, but it seems she has a scary side after all…

Well, I’m glad it’s not me.

“Looks like it’s definitely better than having Dad teach her.” (Kento)

With that kind of enthusiasm, I’m sure she’ll keep a close eye on Sophia’s studies.

She seems so strict, almost like a demon, so honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if Sophia’s grades not only stayed the same but actually improved.

“You’re so nonchalant about this…!?” (Sophia)

Well, the person who should be most concerned, Sophia, is on the verge of tears.

There’s nothing I can do to swap places with her, so it can’t be helped.

“Let’s start by trying it tonight. We’ll use the time she normally spends on self-study. Once she quits cram school, we’ll continue like this, so getting used to it is important.” (Jessica)

“Hey, Kento-kun! My mom’s doing something weird?! She talks about ‘getting used to it’ but her eyes are all intense!” (Sophia)

Pointing at her mother, who was setting the plan while giving off an unspoken pressure, Sophia clung to me with teary eyes.

Looking at her expression, it seems there’s no chance of her easing into it. I can already easily picture the scene where she’ll be tough from day one.

“She’s doing this for your sake, so you have to try your best.” (Kento)

“Ugh, traitor…!” (Sophia)

No, I’m not betraying you.

The plan just changed a little.

Besides, once Jessica-san got this motivated, there’s nothing I can do anymore.

“So, what’s the second condition?” (Kento)

I asked, glancing sideways at Sophia, who was looking at me resentfully. We hadn’t discussed the final condition yet.

The first one had been quite impactful, so I was bracing myself for the second one…

“The second one is simple. After the study session with me at night, you’ll stop studying on your own and make sure you get a good night’s sleep. If you follow that, it’ll be fine.” (Jessica)

Surprisingly, the second condition was quite gentle.

However, Jessica’s intention behind it was easy to understand.

In fact, I was relieved to hear this condition, so I felt thankful.

“Eh, is it really okay with such a simple condition…?” (Sophia)

But it seemed that Sophia hadn’t picked up on Jessica-san’s intention, and she asked hesitantly.

This made Jessica-san sigh, seemingly in disbelief.

“I had to say it, otherwise you’d keep cutting into your sleep time to study, right? I don’t want you doing that during your growth period. Not only is it bad for your health, but it’s also bad for your beauty, so you’d better stop. I’ll make sure you study enough during the time I give you, so you won’t have to do that.” (Jessica)

“Ah, haha…” (Sophia)

Jessica-san smiled brilliantly as she spoke, causing Sophia to let out a dry laugh.

If Jessica-san were to drill Sophia’s academic skills within a limited time to ensure she gets enough sleep, it was clear that she’d be put through a tough regimen.

Good luck, Sophia.

“What happens if she breaks the rule?” (Kento)

I asked about the consequences, wanting to make sure Sophia gets her proper sleep.

“If she breaks it, she’ll have to quit the baseball club.” (Jessica)

“That’s strict…” (Kento)

I had expected there to be some punishment, but the reality was far more severe than I imagined.

Being kicked out of the club for one slip-up seemed way too harsh, and it even felt like it contradicted Jessica-san’s wish for Sophia to join the club in the first place.

“She’ll hide and study on her own otherwise.” (Jessica)

“Ah, I see.” (Kento)

As expected of a mother… She really understands Sophia.

“It’s frustrating that you agreed so easily, though…” (Sophia)

Apparently, Sophia wasn’t happy with me agreeing so quickly, as she shot me a sharp look from beside me.

She probably already knows this without me having to say it…

“Well, Jessica-san’s right, isn’t she?” (Kento)

When exams approach, I can easily imagine her sneaking off to study secretly.

“Huh… You really know how to talk back, huh…? You’ve got guts…” (Sophia)

It seemed like she thought I was teasing her, as she gave me a strained smile, her eyebrows twitching in irritation.

We hadn’t been fighting lately since we’d gotten along better, but it seemed like her temper was still quick to flare.

“I’m telling you now, no studying by waking up earlier, got it? If you want to study at school like you usually do, that’s fine, but if you wake up earlier to study, then there’s no point in deciding your bedtime.” (Jessica)

While Sophia glared at me with a forced smile, Jessica-san made sure to lay down the rule.

If she can’t study at night, there’s a chance she’d wake up even earlier to do it. Given that she already wakes up early, allowing her to wake up any earlier would be unreasonable.

“It feels like my life just got a lot tighter…” (Sophia)

Sophia puffed out her lips in frustration, clearly unhappy about having her sleep, wake-up, and study times all decided for her.

I understood what she was trying to say, but since she was trying to maintain her academic performance while being the manager of the baseball club, it couldn’t be helped.

“To do what you want while not neglecting other things, that’s what you need to work on. You should learn from Kento.” (Jessica)

“Eh, me…?” (Kento)

I was suddenly brought up as an example, and I became bewildered.

“Even though you’re still in high school, you manage yourself well, don’t you? Even though you’re exhausted from club activities every day, you make a schedule for yourself and do independent training. You’re a good kid because you can think about what’s necessary for your future and work hard.” (Jessica)

“U-Um, Jessica-san… How?” (Kento)

I wasn’t prepared for this sudden praise, and I was hit with a wave of embarrassment.

I had made sure to keep my independent training a secret, but what she said—about knowing what’s needed for my future—did she somehow find out what I was doing in my room…?

Wait, how did she know…?

“Kento-kun is amazing, I know that better than mom…” (Sophia)

And for some reason, Sophia started competing with her.

Looking at her expression, it seemed like she was sulking, but I couldn’t understand why she suddenly decided to compete.

Was she trying to take out her frustrations about all the new rules being imposed on her in this way…?

“Before saying such things, you should make sure you can properly read the other person. You’re still far from being able to compete with your mother, you know?” (Jessica)

“What’s that supposed to mean…! I definitely know more than you…!” (Sophia)

When Jessica-san tilted her head with a confident smile, it probably got on Sophia’s nerves.

Sophia became stubborn.

She must have a lower tolerance when it comes to her mother than with others.

I understand her well, since I feel the same when it comes to my father.

—Wait, this isn’t the time to be watching this leisurely.

“Jessica-san, thank you for listening to our selfishness. And thank you, Dad. We’ll talk about the details tomorrow, so please bear with us.” (Kento)

I said that, then quickly grabbed Sophia’s hand and led her out of the dining room.

There wouldn’t be anything good coming from letting them continue their argument.

Well, Jessica-san was handling it with ease, so maybe Sophia was just losing the argument anyway.

“Ugh, this is so annoying…!” (Sophia)

As I pulled her hand and we climbed the stairs, Sophia let out an angry voice.

“Are you still angry…?” (Kento)

Even though the person she was angry with was no longer around, Sophia seemed to be fuming.

She was the type to hold onto things, so I figured this was probably inevitable…

“Because there’s no way mom knows more about Kento-kun than I do…! We’ve spent way more time together than she has…!” (Sophia)

It seemed that Sophia was upset about Jessica-san knowing more about me than she did.

To be honest, I didn’t really think it was something to be upset about…

And besides, I didn’t think the amount of time spent together necessarily meant you knew someone better.

It came down to how much attention you paid to the other person, how interested you were in them. That was what truly made the difference.

If you paid enough attention to someone, you could start to understand them, even without spending all that much time with them. On the other hand, even if you’d spent a long time with someone, if you weren’t interested in them, you probably wouldn’t know them very well at all.

In Sophia’s case, she wasn’t the type to show much interest in others. Naturally, she hadn’t been very interested in me either and had actually avoided me for a long time.

On the contrary, Jessica-san had been trying to see me as a son and had made the effort to connect with me, so it wasn’t surprising that Jessica-san knew more about me than Sophia.

Actually, Jessica-san had talk to me much longer than Sophia had.

But if I said that, Sophia would probably get even angrier, so I kept it to myself.

“I think you were just teased, so maybe you shouldn’t worry about it?” (Kento)

I was unsure how to calm her down, so I decided to just laugh it off.

Since Sophia was worked up, she was probably just upset in the heat of the moment, and once she calmed down, she’d stop caring about it.

“Even so, I don’t like it…!” (Sophia)

“Eh…” (Kento)

Is she really this upset?

This is already…

“Sophia knows more about me than anyone.” (Kento)

“Right? I knew it…!” (Sophia)

It seemed like Sophia wasn’t going to calm down unless I agreed with her.

On the contrary, by acknowledging it, Sophia’s face lit up with a smile, as if a little puppy was wagging its tail in excitement.

She was still the same, a bit confusing at times.

But, since she was cute, I thought it was fine as it was.

I almost wanted to pat her head, but since she wasn’t weak at the moment, I held myself back.

“More importantly, you’re lucky. Jessica-san agreed to be your tutor.” (Kento)

And, Dad would help out too.

“That’s…” (Sophia)

However, Sophia looked at me with dissatisfaction.

She muttered something under her breath, but it seemed she wasn’t happy about Jessica-san being her tutor.

“Is Jessica-san really that scary?” (Kento)

When she first came to our house, Sophia showed a fearful expression around Jessica-san.

But from my perspective, having interacted with Jessica-san, she seemed more like a kind mother—or rather, an older sister.

I didn’t think she was scary, and I had no negative feelings toward her.

“Normally, she’s kind… but when she gets angry, she’s scarier than a demon… And when she switches on, she’s really strict…” (Sophia)

Sophia seemed to be recalling the time when she was scolded, clutching her head and shaking with fear.

She was so scared, yet she had dared to bite back earlier… Is she out of her mind?

The “switch” she mentioned was probably the moment earlier when Jessica-san had that fiery aura surrounding her.

She had said something about being strict with Sophia, so it was clear that Sophia was in for a tough time.

“Well, the truth is, we kind of need her to do that, so we’ll have to push through it.” (Kento)

If there was any better plan, we’d consider it, but right now, having Jessica-san as the tutor was the best option available.

“Ugh… I’ll try my best… but…” (Sophia)

“But?” (Kento)

“…I might want a reward for my effort…” (Sophia)

Sophia twirled her hair with her finger, glancing up at me with a shy look.

A reward… It feels like joining the baseball club was supposed to be the reward, but if Jessica-san’s strictness is really that intense, she might need a reward each time just to get through it.

Sophia had been eating her pancakes with a happy look on her face, so I asked her.

“Are you thinking of something like pancakes from a family restaurant or cakes you can buy at a shop as your reward?” (Kento)

“That’d make me gain weight, so no way!” (Sophia)

When I gave a specific example, she immediately denied it.

Despite her slim figure, she seems quite sensitive about gaining weight.

Plus, I’d start worrying about her health, and my allowance definitely wouldn’t cover it.

“Do you have anything in mind?” (Kento)

In situations like this, it’s better to try and fulfill what Sophia wants to keep her motivated.

If she asks for something impossible, I’ll have to decline, but I’ll try to be as accommodating as I can.

“…Lend me your hand…” (Sophia)

“Eh?” (Kento)

“Just, give me your hand…” (Sophia)

For some reason, Sophia suddenly asked for my hand.

…I don’t know why, but this is kind of scary, right?

Because, honestly, I have no idea what she might do.

I hesitated, not understanding why she was asking for my hand.

She said it was a reward, so it shouldn’t be something too bad, but…

“…” (Sophia)

As I stood there conflicted, Sophia silently grabbed my right hand with both of hers.

“Wait!? What are you doing!?” (Kento)

“You wouldn’t lend it to me…” (Sophia)

Sophia pouted, looking dissatisfied.

Wait, is she sulking because I didn’t just give her my hand right away?

While I was trying to figure it out, she kept glancing up at my face.

It seemed like she was trying to gauge my reaction, maybe realizing that being forceful might not be the best approach.

“…What do you want me to do…?” (Kento)

I decided to ask her directly what she wanted, just to clarify.

Then, slowly, she guided my hand toward her head.

“—!?” (Kento)

I was completely taken off guard. I never expected Sophia, who didn’t seem particularly weak, to do something like this.

Could it be that she’s running a fever…?

“Is this good for the reward…?” (Sophia)

She continued to gently rock my hand back and forth, clearly intending for me to pat her head.

It seemed that her idea of a reward was for me to stroke her head.

—Wait, is she really sick…?

“Should I get the thermometer…?” (Kento)

“I’m not sick…! What do you think I am…?” (Sophia)

Sophia’s cheeks were flushed, and she shot me a glare, as if frustrated.

This redness wasn’t from a fever, was it…?

Normally, Sophia wouldn’t ask for something like this on her own. It felt strange.

“Because… this is just head pats—” (Kento)

“—! N-No, it’s because…! Head pats are good for a tired mind, that’s all! It only works if someone else does it, so I’m just borrowing your hand, okay?!” (Sophia)

Before I could finish my sentence, she rapidly interrupted me, as if trying to set up a defense before I pointed it out.

But since she wasn’t speaking in English, it didn’t seem like she was too flustered.

It was clear she anticipated I’d bring it up, though.

Still… her explanation was a bit ridiculous.

Even I couldn’t be fooled by that… right?

Well, given how desperate she was to explain, it was pretty clear she wanted this…

“…I see, well, I guess there’s no helping it.” (Kento)

I suppressed my urge to tease her and pretended to believe Sophia’s words.

In truth, there was no downside to this for me; it was all upside.

Having patted Sophia’s head before, I had already developed a fondness for it. The only reason I hadn’t done it more often was that I feared she’d snap at me unless she was really out of sorts.

If she was the one asking for it, though, of course I’d want to pat her head.

“You really believed me just like that… You have a surprisingly innocent side, huh… But, I’m going to get head pats from now on…” (Sophia)

Sophia muttered something in English, though her face, which had been turned downward, seemed a little softer now.

If only she’d be more honest and just let herself openly depend on me, but as usual, she was so awkward about it…

—And so, it was decided. Every day, I’d reward Sophia’s hard work with a pat on the head.

In the days that followed, she gradually got used to communicating with Kujouin-san during lunchtime, and by night, she would be completely exhausted after intense sessions with Jessica-san.

A pleasant surprise was that studying with Jessica-san, who could teach in English, seemed to be having a tremendous effect on Sophia. At this rate, it seemed like she could maintain her grades even without attending cram school.

One of the reasons she said she was bad at studying was because she had been taught in Japanese, which seemed to be an obstacle for her.

…Well, the main factor in her maintaining her grades was probably due to Jessica-san’s harsh training.

Because of that, when Sophia’s spirits were down, she would come to me for head pats, becoming like a little child. It was endearing, and I felt somewhat privileged.

Seeing that things were progressing smoothly in solving Sophia’s issues, we decided to move forward with getting her to join the club.

---

Thanks for reading!

So cute, good job, Sophia! Head pats everyday achieved~ 

We are halfway through vol 2 and I just remembered that the author still haven’t revealed their father’s name LOL

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1. None

“Kento-kun, Shirakawa-san, I’m here.” (Nadeshiko) 

On the following Monday, during lunch break, as I waited with Sophia behind the usual school building, Kujouin-san popped her head out from around the corner.

She usually has a cheerful image, but today, she seemed to be in an especially good mood.

“Kujouin-san, welcome! Thanks for coming.” (Kento)

I bowed my head, and Sophia, who was standing next to me, followed suit and bowed as well.

“Kujouin-senpai, thank you for coming…” (Sophia)

When I glanced at her, Sophia had a tense smile on her face, and she seemed to be stiff with nervousness.

She wasn’t very used to talking to anyone other than me, so she probably felt she had to be polite, which made her nervous.

“Good afternoon to both of you. Thanks for inviting me.” (Nadeshiko)

Kujouin-san smiled brightly, then sat down next to the spot where Sophia’s lunchbox was placed.

“Sophia, go ahead and sit down.” (Kento)

I gently encouraged Sophia to sit next to Kujouin-san, giving her a light push on the back.

Sophia, still nervous, had a somewhat hesitant expression on her face.

“It’s okay, I’ll back you up if anything happens.” (Kento)

“Kento-kun… thank you…” (Sophia)

When I whispered in her ear, it seemed to solidify her resolve, and finally, Sophia sat next to Kujouin-san.

I sat beside Sophia, and as we ate our lunch, I decided to watch over the two of them for now.

“This is the second time we’re talking like this. I wanted to get along with Shirakawa-san, so I’m really happy.” (Nadeshiko)

As expected from Kujouin-san.

She noticed that Sophia was nervous and seemed to understand that she wasn’t good at initiating conversations, so she took the initiative to speak.

In response, Sophia…

“Th-Thank you…” (Sophia)

She was so timid, it was like she was a borrowed cat, huddled and quiet.

Who is this girl?

Huh, that’s strange…?

I thought they were talking just fine before…?

“……….” 

It seemed like Sophia had already reached her limit, as she grabbed the sleeve of my shirt with her fingers.

She must be asking for help.

“Try to do your best on your own first.” (Kento)

If I help her this soon, she won’t change.

Though it pains me, sometimes pushing someone away is necessary.

“You’re so mean…” (Sophia)

Well, Sophia pouted her lips in dissatisfaction.

“No, it’s not that I’m being mean…” (Kento)

This is for Sophia’s own good.

“………” (Nadeshiko)

Kujouin-san peeked out from behind Sophia and glanced at me.

From her gaze, it seemed like she was asking, “What should I do?”

So, I nodded, signaling with my expression, “Don’t worry, just go for it.”

Sophia was probably aware of this since she had been looking at my face, but she was the one who needed to try.

She was able to talk before, so it’s likely just a matter of her mindset.

“Is the Special Preparatory Course really faster-paced in terms of lessons?” (Nadeshiko)

By bringing up something that Sophia is good at, Kujouin-san seemed to be trying to create an atmosphere where she could speak more easily.

In response, Sophia gave a small, subtle nod.

—And that was it.

…Did I make a mistake by having her talk to Kujouin-san?

It clearly seemed like she was too nervous to speak freely, probably out of concern for how she was being perceived.

Sophia would probably talk easily with someone she didn’t mind at all. And likely, she would speak without worrying even if she unintentionally hurt the other person.

Until now, Sophia had always spoken like this, but of course, she couldn’t afford to be rude to Kujouin-san, who had come all this way for her.

That’s why she must have been hesitant to speak freely.

If things continued like this, she might end up developing a sense of unease about interacting with others.

“U-Um—” (Sophia)

“Hehe, don’t worry too much. I don’t mind anything anyone says.” (Nadeshiko)

I had intended to say something to shift the atmosphere, but Kujouin-san gave a warm, kind smile and gently placed her hand over Sophia’s, as if to reassure her.

It seemed like she understood that Sophia was trying to be considerate of her.

And with that, Sophia slowly began to speak.

“I’m sorry… I haven’t really talked much with others until now… so it seems like I’m not good at this…” (Sophia)

Sophia was confronting her own shortcomings and revealing them.

It must have taken a lot of courage for her to open up about her weaknesses to someone else, but she seemed to be trying to be sincere with Kujouin-san, who was willing to listen.

In response, Kujouin-san gave her another soft, reassuring smile.

“Yeah, it’s fine. I understand completely, so don’t worry. Just talk like you do with Kento-kun, okay?” (Nadeshiko)

For now, I decided to leave it to Kujouin-san.

In the midst of it, I figured I should occasionally step in and help guide the conversation. That felt like the best approach.

After all, Kujouin-san’s smile was something that brought a sense of security.

“Talk like you do with Kento-kun…” (Sophia)

Sophia glanced at my face for a moment.

When I nodded with a smile, she blushed lightly and quickly shifted her gaze back to Kujouin-san, as if escaping.

I might have made a mistake there.

“Um… I think the Special Preparatory Course is quite fast-paced… Everyone seems to be desperately trying to keep up…” (Sophia)

“I figured. It looks tough from the outside.” (Nadeshiko)

“By the way… Kujouin-senpai, I heard you always beat the Special Preparatory Course in the general academic tests…” (Sophia)

Sophia seemed to recall something during our conversation with Kujouin-san and brought up the topic of the tests.

In the sports course, the tests weren’t even really emphasized. In fact, they were treated as something that occasionally disrupted the regular schedule, taking place every few months.

I didn’t know Kujouin-san was that good at academics…

“Ahaha… It’s not like there are a lot of tests, and the scope is adjusted in the General Course to be easier, so it’s just that I’m at an advantage. It’s not really something to brag about.” (Nadeshiko)

Kujouin-san laughed awkwardly and shifted her gaze.

But the reality was probably different.

Even though the scope was different, there was no way students from a specialized, elite course focused on academics would lose to someone from the General Course. 

These students would have studied for the all-course tests, and if they had lost once, they’d push themselves even harder to win the next time.

The fact that Kujouin-san kept winning just showed how good she was.

“Aren’t you planning to move to the Special Preparatory Course…? I thought there might have been talk of it during the promotion period…” (Sophia)

It seemed impossible that a student who could beat the Special Preparatory Course would be left as is by the school.

There was a high chance that the topic of switching courses had come up.

“Hmm, I don’t really like studying… And I want to prioritize the baseball club, so I declined.” (Nadeshiko)

That was unexpected.

It was a bit of a biased assumption, but she seemed like someone who would enjoy studying.

“Was something bothering you” (Nadeshiko)

Kujouin-san tilted her head slightly, looking at Sophia with a curious gaze, as if she had something on her mind regarding Sophia’s earlier statement.

Sophia, caught under that gaze, averted her eyes, scratching her cheek nervously before speaking up.

“It’s not that it’s a bother… but, well, sometimes I hear people say that if I were born a year earlier, the Special Preparatory Course could have been on top instead…” (Sophia)

I see…

The teachers in the Special Preparatory Course must really be unable to accept the fact that they’re losing to the General Course.

It seems they’re complaining that they wish Sophia had been born a year earlier, so she could have helped them win against Kujouin-san.

Well, that’s none of my business, honestly.

“Haha… sorry about that.” (Nadeshiko)

“No… It’s more of a problem for the people in the Special Preparatory Course to deal with…” (Sophia)

I wonder how good Kujouin-san really is at studying.

I knew she was smart, but with so few comparisons, it’s hard to gauge just how good she is.

Though, the fact that she can beat the Special Preparatory Course… that must mean she’s really amazing.

“There’s no rule that says you can’t join a club just because you’re in the Special Preparatory Course, right?” (Kento)

I was pretty sure there wasn’t an issue, but I decided to ask just to be sure.

“Yeah, there’s no such rule, and in fact, there are some people who are in clubs. So, there’s no problem if you want to join the baseball club, Shirokawa-san.” (Nadeshiko)

Kujouin-san smiled and responded to my question with a bright smile.

That means it’s not that she doesn’t want to switch to the Special Preparatory Course because she wants to continue being a manager.

Now that I think about it, did she originally want to attend this school?

“I just wish I had the knack and the brains that Kujouin-senpai has…” (Sophia)

“…………” (Nadeshiko)

At Sophia’s quiet muttering, Kujouin-san froze for a moment, which was unusual for her.

Sophia had said it innocently, but I wondered if it might have sounded like a jab to Kujouin-san, especially since she was unaware of Sophia’s background.

After all, Sophia was rumored to be a genius, possibly the best in the school’s history.

In reality, Sophia spent most of her time studying from morning to night to maintain her current grades, while Kujouin-san, despite being in the General Course and spending time with the baseball club, still managed to outshine those in the Special Preparatory Course.

It was understandable that Sophia might feel envious of Kujouin-san’s success, and now I realized I might need to follow up with Kujouin-san later to clear things up.

“Basically, Sophia wants to stay a special scholarship student and join the club, but that means she has to figure out a way to balance her studies. Especially because, if she joins the club, she’ll have to quit her cram school.” (Kento)

This is the main issue.

Honestly, I think we can manage the communication part with the club members. She may be clumsy, but she’s not a bad person. If Kujouin-san and I step in and help, Sophia should be able to bond with the club members.

But as for the studies, I don’t have any clear solutions yet.

If she joins the club, she won’t be able to attend cram school like she did before, and with the late hours, joining a different cram school won’t be easy either.

It would be great if Sophia could make up for it with self-study, but considering she was in a cram school up until now, it seems unlikely.

“That sounds tough…” (Nadeshiko)

“By the way, if you don’t mind me asking, how do you manage, Kujouin-san?” (Kento)

I guess Sophia will soon find herself in a situation similar to Kujouin-san’s.

In fact, since Sophia is in the Special Preparatory Course, which has more classes focused on academics, she’s actually in a better environment for studying than Kujouin-san was.

If we use Kujouin-san as a reference, maybe Sophia can figure out a way to handle everything well in the future.

“Eh, me? I just review what we learned in class and do some preparation for upcoming lessons, then study for tests during the exam periods. That’s pretty much it!” (Nadeshiko)

With her finger on her lips and looking up at the sky, Kujouin-san generously shared her approach.

All I could think was, This is why geniuses are unfair…! I almost felt sorry for the senpai students in the Special Preparatory Course.

“…………” (Sophia)

Sophia also seemed unsatisfied, staring at Kujouin-san with a look of frustration. From her perspective, she was probably envious. She wants to do what Kujouin-san does—being a manager and balancing it with academics—so I can understand why she feels that way.

Before Kujouin-san notices, I lightly pat Sophia’s shoulder.

Her expression shifts to realization, and she seems to snap out of her thoughts.

“I can’t do what Kujouin-senpai does…” (Sophia)

For someone as proud as Sophia to admit she has trouble managing things, it’s clear she struggles with studying. That’s why she puts so much effort into cramming. She’d probably be better off accepting that her situation is different from Kujouin-san’s.

“There’s a lot to memorize in the Special Preparatory Course. It’s not like I can just do it the way someone in the General Course would. I just wish there was someone who could teach me.” (Sophia)

If I were as smart as Kujouin-san, maybe I could do it too. But unfortunately, I’m far worse at studying than Sophia.

I wish I could hire a tutor, but who would come at such a late hour… Oh, wait! That’s a good idea…!

“Thank you, Kujouin-san!” (Kento)

“Huh? What? Did I do something?” (Nadeshiko)

When I expressed my thanks, Kujouin-san blinked a few times, looking confused.

Whoops, I got so excited that I skipped a few things…

“Well, thanks to you, Kujouin-san, I’ve come up with a solution for the study situation. It’s not entirely clear yet, but it looks like it’ll work out somehow.” (Kento)

I still need her agreement, but she probably won’t refuse.

She’s pretty soft on Sophia.

“Really…?” (Sophia)

When I mentioned that I had figured out a solution, Sophia looked up at me with a pleading look, trying to confirm it.

She’s the one most worried about this, so I imagine she’s holding onto this like a lifeline.

“Yeah, I’ll talk to you about it when we get home. For now, Sophia, you need to work on getting used to being around other people.” (Kento)

Even though the study situation seems solved, if the communication issue still isn’t working out, then it’s all for nothing.

Since Kujouin-san made time for this, I figured we could discuss things at home.

But then…

“Kento-kun, you’re surprisingly secretive, aren’t you?” (Nadeshiko)

For some reason, Kujouin-san gave me a lonely expression.

“Is that so…?” (Kento)

“Well, it’s fine. By the way, how about we change how we address each other?” (Nadeshiko)

After laughing helplessly, Kujouin-san turned her gaze toward Sophia.

“Change how we address each other…?” (Sophia)

“Yeah. I know it’s usually something you do once your relationship deepens, but I thought it might be nice to change it up. You know, calling each other by first names kind of makes it feel like the distance between us shrinks, don’t you think?” (Nadeshiko)

She said that and deliberately glanced at me.

She was probably hinting that since Sophia and I call each other by our first names, we look pretty close to each other.

And I have to admit, she’s right.

Since we started calling each other by our first names, I feel much closer to her than when we used our last names.

“First name… Nadeshiko-senpai, right…?” (Sophia)

As expected, Sophia is quite sharp.

Even though it was a difficult situation when she introduced herself, soaking wet, I still remembered Kujouin-san’s first name.

“Yeah, that’s right. Thanks. I’ll call you Sophia-chan, okay?” (Nadeshiko)

“Sophia-chan…” (Sophia)

Sophia squirmed a little, probably because she wasn’t used to being called that.

The only person who calls her by her first name like that is my dad. But that’s for a different reason.

“Kento-kun, you can call me by my first name too, you know?” (Nadeshiko)

Maybe because I was also present, Kujouin-san turned to me as well.

She must have been trying to be considerate.

I smiled and made sure to convey that I wasn’t bothered by it.

“No, it’s fine.” (Kento)

If I called Kujouin-san by her first name, I’d probably get all kinds of reactions from the coach and the other club members.

They’d definitely see me as an enemy and make things really tough for me.

“…Somehow, I’m sorry…” (Sophia)

For some reason, Sophia suddenly apologized, and Kujouin-san started nodding repeatedly with a smile on her face.

“Ah…No, it’s fine. I know this is how he is. Really, it’s all good.” (Nadeshiko)

Behind Kujouin-san, I thought I saw some kind of dark aura, and maybe—just maybe—even though she was smiling, she was actually angry?

I wasn’t sure, but I could feel a cold sweat trickling down my back.

“U-Um… Nadeshiko-senpai, do you enjoy being a manager?” (Sophia)

Just as the tense atmosphere seemed about to take over, Sophia nervously asked Kujouin-san this question.

Maybe despite her admiration for being a manager, she didn’t know what it actually entailed.

And, of course, she was probably curious.

The strange pressure on Kujouin-san seemed to lift after being asked the question.

Thanks to Sophia, it seemed like Kujouin-san’s anger had subsided.

“Of course I enjoy it. If I didn’t, I’d have quit a long time ago. It’s tough, though.” (Nadeshiko)

Kujouin-san likely said this with the intent of making the atmosphere more approachable.

She shrugged playfully and gave a cute wink.

That said, it must indeed be tough.

Not only does she have to prepare drinks for the team members, but she also has to restock if they run low, and make onigiris too.

And that’s not all—she also has to do the cleaning and maintain the equipment, among many other tasks.

For Kujouin-san, she also helps by organizing data and assisting with analysis, so it must really be a lot of work.

Sophia seems strong with data and analysis too, so it’s likely Kujouin-san would appreciate her help in the future.

“What’s the most fun part of it…?” (Sophia)

“Hmm, I’d say, after all, it’s probably cheering for the team during the matches. Since I’m part of the team too, I get really fired up, and I think I can feel the same joy the players do when we win.” (Nadeshiko)

“I see…” (Sophia)

I thought I saw Sophia’s eyes sparkle, perhaps with the desire to be a part of it too.

She probably wants to be involved in that atmosphere. To help her achieve that, I need to make sure I do my best…

“I’ll be waiting for you, Sophia-chan.” (Nadeshiko)

“I’ll do my best…” (Sophia)

“Hehe, don’t worry. Kento-kun will figure something out. Right, Onii-chan?” (Nadeshiko)

As I observed the conversation, I was suddenly called out by Kujouin-san.

Her deliberately exaggerated “Onii-chan” call seemed like a way to get back at me for making her angry earlier.

…Honestly, I still have no idea why I upset her.

“I’ll do my best, so that I don’t rely only on Kento-kun.” (Sophia)

“I see, that’s admirable.” (Nadeshiko)

When Sophia showed her determination to not depend completely on me, Kujouin-san nodded with a gentle smile.

In reality, this problem couldn’t be overcome by relying solely on me.

After all, when it came to studying, there was no other option but for Sophia to work hard, and in terms of communication, it was ultimately up to her.

All I could do was help and provide a good environment for her.

“I’m sorry to ask this of you, but could you continue to help us starting tomorrow?” (Kento)

“Yeah, I understand. I’m enjoying talking with Sophia-chan too, so don’t worry about it, okay?” (Nadeshiko)

When I looked to her for reassurance, she offered me a kind smile and words of comfort.

It seems like I can safely assume that she’s not angry with me anymore.

“Are you really enjoying it…?” (Sophia)

Sophia, who hadn’t really been able to talk comfortably with others before, must have still felt some anxiety.

She lowered her gaze, looking at Kujouin-san, as if gauging her reaction.

“Yeah, it’s really fun. I want to talk to you more in the future too.” (Nadeshiko)

I wasn’t sure whether Kujouin-san was just being considerate or if she genuinely felt that way, but from the way it seemed, she was really enjoying herself.

At the very least, I don’t think she had a bad impression.

“I’m glad…” (Sophia)

Sophia let out a relieved sigh, her hand gently resting on her chest as she seemed to relax.

Sophia probably had her reasons for not being able to connect with others before, but deep down, she likely wanted to get along with people all along.

“Hehe, looking forward to working with you from now on.” (Nadeshiko)

Yeah, it seems like Kujouin-san is handling this perfectly.

I’m glad I asked her for help.

“Oh, Kento-kun, you’re going to do your usual swing practice, right?” (Nadeshiko)

As I closed the lid of my lunchbox after finishing, Kujouin-san spoke up. She had known about my swing practice before, even before all the matters with Sophia. I wasn’t sure how she found out, though.

“Yeah, that’s right. Kujouin-san, it’s fine for you to return to the classroom.” (Kento)

I felt bad about having her stay with me for the entire lunch break, so I had only asked her to stay while we ate. Once we finished, she was supposed to go back to the classroom… or at least, that was the plan.

“Sophia-chan is staying, right?” (Nadeshiko)

For some reason, Kujouin-san didn’t seem to want to go back to the classroom and instead seemed more interested in what Sophia would do next.

“Yes, I usually stay here until lunch break ends…” (Sophia)

“Well then, I guess I’ll stay here until lunch break is over too. Is that okay, Kento-kun?” (Nadeshiko)

“…Go ahead.” (Kento)

I nodded after a brief pause in response to Kujouin-san, who tilted her head with a bright smile.

To be honest, I was a bit embarrassed about being watched, but I couldn’t just ask for a favor and then dismiss the other person’s request.

Besides, her staying meant that Sophia would have more opportunities to get used to interacting with others.

I should take advantage of Kujouin-san’s kindness.

“If that’s the case, feel free to talk without worrying about me.” (Kento)

Normally, Sophia would stay quiet to avoid distracting me, but that was partly because she didn’t have anyone else to talk to. As long as I wasn’t the one talking to her, small talk wouldn’t distract me, so I wanted her to feel free to chat.

“Thank you, I’ll do that.” (Nadeshiko)

Naturally, I thought that Kujouin-san understood my intentions and said that in response, but then…

“…………” (Both of them)

W-Wait, they’re staring at me…?

As soon as I began my swings, both of them went silent.

I felt their intense gaze on me, so I glanced over, and sure enough, both of them were staring at me.

This was making me extremely uncomfortable.

“Uh… it’s really okay for you to talk, you know…?” (Kento)

“Yeah, I know. Right, Sophia-chan?” (Nadeshiko)

“Yes, I understand.” (Sophia)

Well then, why aren’t you talking!?

Is it because you can’t talk without me intervening!?

But wait, just now, Kujouin-san was leading the conversation just fine!

I wanted to call them out on it, but they weren’t just any pair; one was Sophia, and the other was my senpai, so I held back and swallowed my frustration.

This is seriously awkward…

In the end, they both remained silent, watching me until I finished my practice.

---

Thanks for reading!

Seeing Sophia feel sorry for Kujouin because MC didn’t call her by her first name is funny. Cause, I bet if MC does call Kujouin by her first name, she would start pouting.

There’s still a part 3.

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1. None

“Coach, Kujouin-san, there’s something I’d like to discuss with you. Would that be alright?” (Kento)

The day after the incident with Sophia at night, I headed over to coach and Kujouin-san, who were talking to each other after practice.

It was convenient that they were both here.

“Kento-kun?” (Nadeshiko)

“Hah, you’ve got quite the determined look on your face. What’s up?” (Coach)

Kujouin-san looked at me with a puzzled expression, while coach grinned in amusement as he turned toward me.

“I know it’s a bit selfish of me to bring up something personal before the tournament, but…” (Kento)

“It’s nothing to worry about. It’s a coach’s job to make sure the players are in their best condition for the competition.” (Coach)

“That’s right. Feel free to say whatever’s on your mind.” (Nadeshiko)

Coach crossed his arms with a smile, while Kujouin-san looked at me with a warm, radiant expression.

Because it was these two, I felt I could bring this up.

“I know it’s a topic we already discussed on the bus after the match… but I’d like to have my sister, Sophia, join the club as a manager.” (Kento)

I tried to explain as simply as possible, and though Kujouin-san didn’t say anything, her surprised expression spoke for itself.

When Shuuto tried to recruit her, she had refused so adamantly, yet now my stance had done a complete 180, and I was the one trying to bring Sophia into the club. That was probably why they were surprised.

“What made you change your mind?” (Coach)

The coach stared intently at my face.

He didn’t seem angry, but it was clear he was curious about my sudden change of opinion.

Since he wasn’t trying to pressure me, I didn’t feel particularly uneasy.

“Sophia wants this. That’s why I want to support her.” (Kento)

“Shirakawa-san…?” (Nadeshiko)

It must have been difficult to imagine coming from Sophia, as Kujouin-san murmured her name with a look of surprise.

I had felt the same when Jessica-san first told me, so I couldn’t blame her.

“Shirakawa Sophia said that herself?” (Coach)

“Yes, I heard it directly from her.” (Kento)

I had expected the coach to ask for confirmation, so I immediately nodded in response to his question.

The coach was a laid-back and fun guy outside of baseball, but he didn’t like actions taken without the person’s genuine will behind them.

Especially when it comes to actions or opinions that are merely influenced by others rather than stemming from one’s own will, he tends to reject them outright.

On the other hand, if it’s something the person truly desires, he is always willing to offer his full support.

“—Then it’s fine, isn’t it? I have no reason to refuse.” (Coach)

I hadn’t been too worried, but the coach grinned cheerfully.

He had been the one trying to provoke Shuuto into recruiting Sophia in the first place, so it wasn’t surprising that he wouldn’t object now.

Even though he was a coach for the sports program, he was still a teacher, so he must have heard the rumors about Sophia. Yet, he didn’t oppose the idea.

“I welcome her too. If there’s anything you need help with, don’t hesitate to ask. I’ll gladly cooperate.” (Nadeshiko)

Kujouin-san nodded with a smile.

Since she had interacted with Sophia directly and even mentioned that she was a very good girl, she likely had no concerns.

“Now I get why you wanted to consult Kujouin too. I’ve heard plenty of bad rumors about Shirakawa Sophia. You want her to be accepted by the other club members, right?” (Coach)

The coach winked and asked with a playful grin.

As expected, he had already figured out what I was thinking.

“Well… yeah. There will definitely be some club members who feel uneasy about her joining.” (Kento)

Given that she was famous for not getting close to others, the idea of her joining a baseball team—a sport that relies heavily on communication—was bound to rub some members the wrong way.

Considering that this team was seriously aiming for to win the Koshien tournament, it wouldn’t be surprising if some players wanted to eliminate any potential uncertainties.

At the very least, her presence would cause some unease.

“Well, I don’t think you need to worry too much about that. Once they know you’re involved, they won’t be concerned, right?” (Nadeshiko)

“Huh?” (Kento)

“Kento-kun wouldn’t do anything that harms the club. If there were any issues with Shirakawa-san, you’dmake sure to address them before letting her join. Everyone trusts you on that.” (Nadeshiko)

“Exactly.” (Coach)

As I tilted my head in confusion, Kujouin-san added with a smile, and the coach nodded in agreement.

Realizing the level of trust they had in me made my back feel strangely itchy.

“Kujouin beat me to it, but if anything comes up, don’t hesitate to ask. I’ll help however I can.” (Coach)

“Thank you…” (Kento)

The warmth in the coach’s words made me bow my head deeply in gratitude.

I was truly glad that he was our coach.

—Well, it was precisely because he was the coach that I was standing here now.

“Really, don’t hesitate to ask for anything, okay?” (Nadeshiko)

“Kujouin-san… In that case, if I may ask something right away?” (Kento)

“Sure, what is it?” (Nadeshiko)

“Would you have lunch with me tomorrow?” (Kento)

“……” (Nadeshiko)

Taking her words to heart, I invited her to lunch, and Kujouin-san froze on the spot.

And then—

“Fweh!?” (Nadeshiko)

—With an almost audible boom, her face turned bright red as she let out a strange sound.

…Huh?

“Ohh~ You’re quite smooth, aren’t you?” (Coach)

As I stood there confused by Kujouin-san’s reaction, the coach smirked and threw in a teasing remark.

This guy never misses a chance to mess with me…

“No, uh… Sophia isn’t used to interacting with people, so I thought it would be good for her to get closer to Kujouin-san first. I figured that out of everyone in this school, you would be the best person to get along with her, given how kind you are…” (Kento)

Sophia, having been helped by Kujouin-san before, always behaved politely toward her.

Even when they passed each other in school, I had seen Sophia bow her head in greeting, even if she didn’t say anything. When Kujouin-san accompanied her to see the teachers, she had been nothing but respectful.

More than anything, Kujouin-san had an almost supernatural ability to get along with anyone. If there was someone best suited to help Sophia get used to people, it was her.

Of course, I had already gotten Sophia’s approval beforehand.

“A-Ah… Y-Yeah, that makes sense…! You two always eat together, after all…! Of course, I’d be happy to join you…!” (Nadeshiko)

Kujouin-san, seemingly understanding my intentions, nodded vigorously, looking a little flustered but determined.

She was quick to catch on, which was a relief.

However, as the coach watched our exchange, he suddenly muttered—

“You better be careful… One day, some girl’s gonna stab you…” (Coach)

—A strangely ominous warning.

“Don’t just say something that scary out of nowhere!?” (Kento)

“Nah, I’ve kind of suspected it for a while, but you’re in pretty deep, you know?” (Coach)

I thought he was just joking, but the coach placed a serious hand on my shoulder, looking genuinely concerned.

Wait, did I say something that bad…?

Sure, Kujouin-san was incredibly popular with both guys and girls, and there were probably plenty of students who wanted to have lunch with her, but…

“Ah, there are people you’ve been eating with before, right? Is that going to be okay…?” (Kento)

Kujouin-san usually ate lunch in her classroom, and given her popularity, there had to be people she regularly ate with.

If she had to turn them down just to join us, I’d feel guilty about it.

That was probably what the coach was worried about, too.

“Mm, you don’t have to worry about that. If anything, I’m more concerned about whether I’d be intruding…” (Nadeshiko)

After nodding reassuringly, Kujouin-san tilted her head slightly and looked up at me, as if trying to gauge my reaction.

She knew that I usually had lunch with Sophia, so she was probably wondering if she’d be getting in the way of something.

To be honest, a part of me was disappointed.¹

But right now, Sophia’s feelings took priority over anything I might feel.

“Rather, having you there would be a great help.” (Kento)

“I see…” (Nadeshiko)

Kujouin-san let out a relieved expression and tucked her hair behind her ear with her fingers.

Being as considerate as she was, she must have been more worried than I thought about whether she would be intruding.

“Well, with you guys, things probably won’t turn into a battlefield. Good luck.” (Coach)

Perhaps realizing he was no longer needed, the coach waved his hand lazily and walked off.

Since he had already offered his support, I knew he’d help if I asked, so there was nothing to worry about anymore.

“We’re meeting at the usual spot behind the school building, right?” (Nadeshiko)

“Yes, that’s correct. Sorry for the trouble, and I appreciate it.” (Kento)

“Mm, I’m looking forward to it.” (Nadeshiko)

With just those words, Kujouin-san turned and lightly ran off.

She was still in her jersey, so she had probably gone to change.

Then, as if taking her place, I heard the sound of footsteps approaching from behind.

“—So, you’ve decided to let Shirakawa Sophia join the team?” (Shuuto)

“Shuuto…” (Kento)

When I turned around, Shuuto was standing there, now changed into his uniform, staring at me intently.

For someone like him, who wanted me to focus solely on baseball, this situation probably wasn’t to his liking.

“Are you against it?” (Kento)

“Hm? Why would I be?” (Shuuto)

When I asked, he looked at me with a puzzled expression.

…Huh?

“I was in favor of her joining from the start. I’m not going to suddenly oppose it now.” (Shuuto)

“That’s true, but… There are a few issues that need to be resolved before she can actually join. I need to take action for that to happen—doesn’t that bother you?” (Kento)

At the very least, I had to focus on something unrelated to baseball.

That wasn’t what Shuuto wanted.

“…Saying it doesn’t bother me would be a lie.” (Shuuto)

Shuuto shoved both hands into his uniform pockets and leaned against the clubroom wall.

His gaze was directed toward the night sky, where countless shining stars floated.

“That’s an unusually indecisive statement from you.” (Kento)

Shuuto was the type to speak his mind clearly, for better or worse. For him to say something so ambiguous was rare.

“I don’t think it’s good to be thinking about anything other than baseball before the tournament. Especially for you, Kento. You already spend twice—no, three times as much time as anyone else analyzing and preparing for the matches. You shouldn’t have room for anything else.” (Shuuto)

Shuuto had a point. As a catcher, I had to study the data and watch the videos of not only our upcoming opponents but also potential ones. I needed to analyze their pitching patterns and devise strategies for our own battery.

On top of that, my batting style wasn’t based purely on instinct or raw talent—I relied on careful analysis of the opposing pitchers’ repertoire and their battery’s patterns to predict the next pitch. That meant even more preparation was required.

Unlike the cleanup hitters from powerhouse schools, who could rely on their natural hitting instincts and daily practice, I had to make sure I was fully prepared for every at-bat.

“I won’t let it affect the team.” (Kento)

“You’re going to cut into your sleep time to prepare? That’s just going to affect your condition on game day.” (Shuuto)

“…So, you are against it after all?” (Kento)

Since I couldn’t refute his logic, I decided to hear him out instead.

It wasn’t a lie that he said he wouldn’t oppose it, but the more I listened, the more it sounded like he was opposing it.

I wanted to know why he said he wasn’t against it if that was the case.

“That was only one complaint. Of course, if there’s something that can bring more benefit, I’d naturally agree.” (Shuuto)

“Are you saying that, for Sophia’s sake, I can push myself beyond my limits? But that’s just baseless—” (Kento)

In other words, it was just something the coach had said.

Shuuto didn’t voice it, but I could tell it irked him.

“Baseless? There’s evidence. In the summer tournament, Kento carried everyone’s feelings and produced results. That’s more than enough reason to trust you.” (Shuuto)

He was referring to the summer tournament—probably the semifinal and final.

I was used as a pinch hitter in both the semifinals and the finals, where I was entrusted with crucial moments in both matches. It seemed like that was the example Shuuto was drawing on.

“That was just two instances…” (Kento)

“Exactly. But in those two games, you were extraordinary. And just the other day—when you were taking care of Shirakawa Sophia, I saw the same intensity. In the semifinal and final, you carried the feelings of us and the third-years. And in that last match, if you put in more effort for Shirakawa Sophia—then it all makes sense.” (Shuuto)

Shuuto, who had been staring at the night sky, now turned his gaze back at me, his eyes filled with a powerful resolve.

Shuuto’s gaze was serious.

In other words, he truly believed that when I carry the emotions of my teammates or when it’s for someone important, I can bring out more than my usual strength.

And he was probably trying to say that on the day I was looking after Sophia, I showed something close to the level I had in the semifinals and finals of the summer tournament.

It was true that I had been more focused than usual that day.

“But if that’s the case, then doesn’t that mean I can bring it out when I’m pushed during a match?” (Kento)

I figured that I hadn’t yet been under that kind of pressure in an official game, but if I could show the same strength as during the summer tournament by carrying my teammates’ emotions, then Sophia’s presence wouldn’t really make a difference.

Shuuto should understand that.

“Our goal is to win the Koshien.” (Shuuto)

“Where did that come from…?” (Kento)

I was caught off guard by Shuuto suddenly changing the topic, my confusion showing.

“We’ll be facing schools with monsters, with players who are called beasts—especially those with star players. Against schools like that, it’s too late to act once we’re pushed. There are games where we won’t even have the chance to get to you in the final inning. So, I need you to be ready to handle that pressure, always. For that, Shirakawa Sophia is necessary.” (Shuuto)

So that’s the reason Shuuto was so insistent on Sophia.

It seemed like Shuuto thought that if it was for Sophia, I could maintain the highest level of focus from start to finish.

In reality, it wasn’t that simple, but…

“I get what you’re saying, Shuuto. You’re saying that the benefits outweigh the risks, and that’s why you’re okay with welcoming Sophia, right?” (Kento)

It seemed that Shuuto was still only thinking about baseball, as always.

“It’s not just that.” (Shuuto)

“Huh? There’s more?” (Kento)

“Yeah, actually, this part is more important.” (Shuuto)

I thought the conversation had ended, but apparently, there was something even more important to discuss.

What could it be?

“It’s not just the coach or Kujouin-san—if there’s anything you need, you can count on me too. If we resolve the Sophia situation quickly, we’ll be able to enter the next tournament in the best condition, right?” (Shuuto)

I couldn’t help but take a sharp breath at Shuuto’s words.

I never expected that he would offer to help with something outside of baseball.

“If we can’t make it in time for the tournament, you don’t need to force yourself, Kento. Even if it’s the first match, I’ll pitch. And until we face a tough team, you can take a more calculated approach with your lead, not just try to strike them out.” (Shuuto)

Even though he’s the ace, Shuuto won’t pitch every game.

In fact, the coach’s policy is to not rely solely on him, but to use other pitchers when possible in order to prevent wasting Shuuto’s talent and energy.

Since the coach is someone who retired from professional baseball due to an injury, this policy is even more important to him. However, it seems that Shuuto is willing to pitch despite going against that policy.

Not only that, but if we’re facing a high school that can be handled with pure strength, it looks like he’s willing to go with a more aggressive approach, ignoring the finer details of the pitch strategy.

The truth is, for someone like Shuuto, who is considered the number one player in the prefecture, it’s actually harder to rely on a “hit and run” strategy against teams other than the top-ranking ones. That’s because his fast, hard-hitting fastballs and sharp, well-executed breaking balls are so difficult to hit, it’s almost a challenge just to make contact.

However, if he keeps striking batters out, Shuuto’s stamina and arm will wear out. That’s why a strategy that involves making batters hit the ball rather than striking them out is necessary, and I was analyzing the opponent to plan that lead.

So, if he’s okay with taking a more forceful approach with strikes, then my burden will be lighter.

“…I never expected you’d say that. Thanks.” (Kento)

I decided that, even though I wouldn’t want to rely on him too much, if it came down to it, I would lean on Shuuto. It felt like the right thing to do, especially since he was the one who offered his help first.

“I’m the one who practically dragged you into this, Kento. I’ve always felt I need to repay you for that favor from back then.” (Shuuto)

I can understand what Shuuto is saying.

However, I should be the one who’s grateful.

The reason I’m here right now is all because of him.

“—Yeah, if anyone complains about Shirakawa Sophia joining, I’ll shut them up.” (Shuuto)

“—!?” (Kento)

As I was silently thanking Shuuto in my heart, I heard something rather ominous.

“If we do that, then Shirakawa Sophia could join right away, don’t you think?” (Shuuto)

After facing Shuuto for so long, I knew that look.

He was serious.

“Please don’t…! It’s definitely going to end badly if you do that…!” (Kento)

“What!? You can’t turn down someone’s kindness like that…!?” (Shuuto)

“No, I get it! I know you’re saying it out of kindness, Shuuto, but please, just don’t!” (Kento)

I could only see a future filled with arguments, and if I forced her to join like that, I knew that somewhere down the line, someone’s dissatisfaction would explode.

“If there’s ever a time I need your help, I won’t hesitate to ask, but for now, trust me and leave it to me!” (Kento)

“Is that so…? Well, if you say it like that… I understand.” (Shuuto)

It seemed like Shuuto had decided to just quietly watch.

Thank goodness… I almost ended up with an unexpected bombshell just before the tournament…

With the discussion wrapped up, I headed home, and Shuuto returned to the dorm.

---

Thanks for reading!

Man, that was so smooth. Even I didn’t expect MC suddenly asking Kujouin out for lunch 😂

I spent an entire day yesterday finishing Wuthering Waves 2.1 content. Trying to reach fishing lv 12 was such a pain. Well, at least I got Phoebe… at the cost of like $70 😢

---

1. I’m guessing he means that he is disappointed he can’t have lunch alone with Sophia

[Kento’s PoV]

“The thunder really is intense, huh…” (Kento)

After Sophia was done, I thought she might be hungry, so I had dinner with her before heading to the bath myself. But while I was in the bath, thunder struck relentlessly nearby.

It was so intense that I was actually scared the power might go out.

“I wonder if Sophia’s okay…?” (Kento)

She had been really frightened by just one strike of lightning, and even though we were indoors, with the thunder being so close, she must have heard it in her room.

I hope she isn’t too scared…

Thinking that, I must have been more worried than I realized, because as I was climbing the stairs, I witnessed an unbelievable scene.

“…! …!” (Sophia)

“Sophia…?!” (Kento)

While climbing the stairs, I saw her from behind—she was curled up on the floor, hugging her knees, and without thinking, I called out to her.

“—!” (Sophia)

Then, as soon as she noticed me, Sophia suddenly leaped into my chest.

The body I caught reflexively was trembling violently.

It seemed that while she was on her way to her room, lightning had struck nearby, and since then, she had been too frightened to move.

“It’s okay, don’t be so scared.” (Kento)

Seeing Sophia, not her usual confident self but trembling like a young child, I consciously used a gentle voice and soothing words to comfort her.

She really was like a completely different person at times like this.

“I hate thunder…” (Sophia)

“I know, it’s okay.” (Kento)

Sophia, sounding like she was regressing to a younger age, hugged me tightly, so I rubbed her back, trying to calm her down.

By the time I started my bath, the lightning had already been striking, and it had continued several times while I was in the bath. It was clear that she had already reached her limit.

“Let’s go to your room for now.” (Kento)

There was no point in staying in the hallway, so I decided to take her to her room.

If she gets under the covers and waits for the thunder to pass, she’ll probably fall asleep before we know it.

“*Sniff*…” (Sophia)

“It’s okay. It’s okay.” (Kento)

I kept reassuring Sophia, saying “It’s okay” over and over as she cried.

In reality, as long as we were inside the building, there was no real danger from the lightning.

While we had to be cautious about secondary disasters like fires, the chance of dying from being struck by lightning was low.

“See, we’re at your room.” (Kento)

“……….” (Sophia)

Even after I brought her to her room, Sophia shook her head and wouldn’t let go of me.

Since the sound of the thunder was still there, she probably didn’t want to be alone.

At this rate, she wasn’t going to study, so it might be better to stay by her side until she fell asleep.

“Well then, you should get in bed—” (Kento)

Just as I was about to say that, a lightning strike louder than any before struck, and the room went completely dark.

“Kyahhhhh!” (Sophia)

“Sophia, calm down! It’s just a power outage!” (Kento)

Sophia screamed and clung to me with immense force such that I raised my voice.

I felt like it was the only way to reach her.

“No… Why…” (Sophia)

For someone like Sophia, who’s also afraid of the dark, this must feel like hell right now.

I’m not fond of the dark either, so I could feel my own anxiety rising within me.

But—if I let myself be consumed by fear too, it would only make Sophia more scared.

So, I took a deep breath and focused on calming myself first.

I remember when we had a power outage from lightning before, Dad told me that you had to turn off the breaker, and then for safety, unplug all the electrical appliances, right?

I recalled that lesson from my dad during a similar situation.

“It’s dangerous, so how about you get into bed and close your eyes for now, Sophia?” (Sophia)

Even though I had a rough idea of where the furniture was in the house after living here for so many years, moving around in the dark with her, while she was so scared, was too risky.

I knew Sophia was afraid of thunder and the dark, but considering her safety, it was probably best for her to stay still in bed.

However—

“No… don’t leave me…” (Sophia)

Sophia pressed her face against my chest, clinging to me desperately.

Even though she understood logically that nothing would happen if she stayed in bed, her mind was probably running wild with fearful thoughts and bad imaginations.

Her intelligence likely made her more prone to these kinds of fears, especially in situations like this.

“Okay, just hold on to me.” (Kento)

Even in the pitch-black darkness, with time, your eyes will adjust, and you can start to make out your surroundings.

And the flashlight… wait, am I an idiot…?

The time I needed a flashlight during a power outage was when I was a kid. Now, I’ve got a smartphone…

I guess the sudden situation had thrown me off too.

“Alright, with this, I can go get the flashlight.” (Kento)

Since I didn’t know when the power would come back, I couldn’t rely solely on my phone.

To conserve the phone’s battery, it was probably best to get a flashlight as well.

I took Sophia, who was clinging to me in fear, along and went to get the flashlight. After that, I turned off the breaker and unplugged any electronics I thought might be connected.

Once all that was done, I returned to Sophia’s room.

“Sorry for dragging you around.” (Kento)

It had taken longer than I expected since I unplugged everything one by one.

Because of that, Sophia must’ve been even more scared.

The thunder hadn’t stopped either.

“Bed…” (Sophia)

“Yeah, I know. Let’s get you to bed.” (Kento)

Sophia was still acting like a scared child, likely wanting to get into bed as quickly as possible.

I took her to the bed as she asked.

“Here, get in.” (Kento)

“Shirakawa-kun too…” (Sophia)

“Huh!?” (Kento)

I thought she’d get into bed alone, but as she sat on the edge of the bed, she pulled on my arm.

Does this mean she wants to sleep together!?

That’s crazy… right!?

“Thunder and the power outage… they’re scary…” (Sophia)

“Yeah, but…” (Kento)

“Please…” (Sophia)

Sophia pleaded with a voice full of desperation.

She was clearly overwhelmed, and I could understand that. But… still, I couldn’t just sleep with her.

“Would it be okay if I stayed by your side until you fell asleep? Is that not enough…?” (Kento)

“Sleeping is impossible…!” (Sophia)

Until now, Sophia had only spoken in a weak voice, but now, her voice was desperate, almost on the verge of breaking.

It seemed like I had no choice but to get into bed with her until she fell asleep and then slip out once she was calm.

“Are you really sure about this…?” (Kento)

“…! …!” (Sophia)

When I asked one last time, Sophia, with tears welling up in the corners of her eyes, nodded vigorously, clearly trying to hold back the emotions.

It seemed like her fear of thunder and the dark outweighed any sense of danger she might have of having a man in her bed.

“Alright… then, excuse me.” (Kento)

Seeing how desperately she had pleaded, I couldn’t turn her down. I climbed into bed with Sophia.

Then, as if to make sure I wouldn’t leave, Sophia clung to me and pressed her face against my chest.

I gently wrapped my arms around her and stroked her head, trying to ease her fear, even just a little.

Of course, my heart was pounding so hard it felt like it might burst.

“I’m not going anywhere, so just relax.” (Kento)

I know that I said I would slip out after she fell asleep, but I decided to let go of those thoughts I had earlier and decided to stay with Sophia for the night.

Given how scared she was, if she woke up and found I was gone, it would be too cruel.

To help her sleep peacefully, I needed to put aside my embarrassment and stay with her.

…But, I would have to control myself, not crossing any lines.

Still…

“Thank you…” (Sophia)

Right now, Sophia was just too cute…

It was impossible not to feel something when Sophia clung to me as though she couldn’t be without me.

The contrast with her usual cool demeanor only made my heart race even more.

This situation felt like it could be great training for mental discipline.

—As I silently continued to stroke her head, the tension in Sophia’s expression slowly started to fade.

The sound of the thunder had lessened and became quieter, which probably helped ease her a bit.

At this point, it seemed like talking might be a good way to distract her.

“Feeling a little better?” (Kento)

“Mm…” (Sophia)

When I asked, Sophia gave a small nod.

That was the response I’d expected.

But then—she followed that up by pressing her face into my chest, rubbing it gently like she was seeking more comfort.

I understood the desire to seek comfort when feeling vulnerable.

I understood it… but still, when I was already struggling to keep my composure, having her do something like this made it hard to hold back.

“That’s good… you can sleep whenever you feel tired, okay?” (Kento)

Even though my heartbeat was racing painfully in my chest, I managed to force a smile, trying not to let it show.

But with her face pressed against my chest like that, I had a feeling she knew how fast my heart was pounding.

Honestly, asking me to hold back when a cute girl like her was snuggling up to me in bed… was impossible.

No, I didn’t want to betray her trust, so I couldn’t make a move but… damn, why is she so cute?!

As I struggled with my inner turmoil, Sophia slowly opened her mouth.

“…I might not want to sleep.” (Sophia)

“Huh? Sorry, what did you say?” (Kento)

I was so focused on holding myself back that I missed what Sophia murmured.

It didn’t sound like her usual English muttering; this time, it seemed like she was speaking in Japanese.

“I feel at ease when we’re like this… And… it makes me really happy…” (Sophia)

She seemed to mumble “happy” in English afterwards.

I definitely knew what “happy” meant, and it was clear she was feeling comforted and happy about the situation.

I wasn’t sure why she switched to English for the second part, but it seemed like a small slip, nothing major.

At least, she seemed to feel at ease, which was a relief.

Suddenly, it hit me.

When Sophia is vulnerable, she becomes much more honest, almost like a completely different person. If I brought up the manager situation now, she might open up and tell me the truth.

If her mental state were to improve too much, she would likely slip back into her usual, more guarded self. This could be the perfect moment to ask her.

“Hey, Sophia. Do you really not want to be the baseball team’s manager?” (Kento)

I asked her gently, keeping my tone softer than usual to avoid pushing her too much.

At that, Sophia lifted her face and looked up at me with her watery eyes.

The sight of her, so close and gazing at me with such a vulnerable expression, nearly overwhelmed me.

But I couldn’t let myself be swept away by it. I had to hold my ground.

…This is truly some good mental training…

“Because…” (Sophia)

Sophia murmured softly at first.

I had expected that it would take a few more exchanges before she’d start talking, but as I thought, when she’s feeling vulnerable, she becomes unexpectedly honest.

I kept silent, making sure not to say anything that might make her change her mind, and just waited for her to continue.

“Because… I don’t want to trouble my mom with my selfishness… Besides, there were many other people who wanted that scholarship… I can’t just take up a spot and then quit…” (Sophia)

From her tone, I could tell her mental state hadn’t fully recovered yet.

Just like when she was feverish, when she’s weak, she becomes more childlike in her behavior, which likely causes her voice to sound more childish as well.

Normally, her tone is more like that of a cool, composed adult woman, so it’s easy to tell whether she’s vulnerable or not based on how she speaks.

That said, there are always limits to how many students can receive a special scholarship in both academics and sports.

Sophia, who has been at the top of her class since her entrance exams and continues to dominate in tests, probably has one of the highest-ranking scholarships available.

Sophia was a serious person, someone who clearly felt the weight of the responsibility she had taken on with the scholarship. Having secured it by surpassing others, she likely couldn’t bring herself to let it go.

What she said was right—and admirable.

Not many high school students are able to face their responsibilities so directly and possess such a clear mindset.

“If you just maintain your grades, it should be fine, but… I’m not good at managing things… If I reduce study time, my grades drop… And that’s not all… Even if I were allowed to join the baseball team, I wouldn’t get along well with the other members… I’d just cause trouble for them, too…” (Sophia)

It seemed like Sophia was truly thinking about everything. She faced her own shortcomings, but she also considered the well-being of others.

Many students probably saw her as the “Solitary Flower” who is cold, rude, and indifferent to others.

But in reality, she was a kind-hearted girl who put others before herself, even if she struggled to convey that to those around her because she was clumsy in doing so.

“I’m not asking about all the reasons why you think you can’t do it. What I want to know is whether you want to be the manager or not.” (Kento)

I had already heard from her before that she couldn’t be a manager with how she is right now.

But that’s not what I needed to hear.

What I wanted to know was what she truly wanted—what her own heart desired. Once I had that, I could figure everything else out next time.

Considering the way she spoke earlier and how she had mentioned all the reasons she couldn’t do it, I already had a pretty good idea of the answer. But still, I needed to hear it from her own mouth.

No matter how much I prepared the path for her, the final decision lies with her.

I wasn’t going to let her run away from the crucial moment, so I’d make sure she couldn’t escape from this.

“I… !… want to do it…” (Sophia)

She gripped my clothes tightly with the hand she had used to hold me.

“I definitely want to join the baseball team…!” (Sophia)

The words she forced out held a firm conviction.

This wasn’t something she had said just because of the atmosphere in the room.

Finally, I heard her true feelings.

“Thank you for telling me.” (Kento)

I first expressed my gratitude to her for sharing her true feelings.

Then—

“I’ll think about it. I’ll figure out a way for you to stay as a scholarship student and still be the manager of the baseball team. Regarding the relationships with the team members, I already have a plan for that, so you can rest easy.” (Sophia)

—I had made up my mind to face this issue head-on.

“Is that okay…?” (Sophia)

Sophia looked up at me, her eyes filled with uncertainty.

She was probably worried about causing trouble again.

“It’s fine. It’s just what I want to do. I want you to join the baseball team, Sophia.” (Kento)

I said that and gently patted her head again.

Even though we were classmates, and she usually carried herself like a mature young woman, I couldn’t help but feel a deep sense of affection for her.

It was probably because she had become so vulnerable and childlike in her current state.

The feelings an older brother might have toward his imouto could be something like this.

—Though in my case, it’s complicated because I can’t see Sophia as just an imouto.¹

“Thank you…” (Sophia)

Sophia said her thanks while tightly clinging to me.

She then pressed her face into my chest.

Through that, I felt a variety of emotions coming from her, but I simply kept stroking her head, letting it pass.

I was glad she thanked me, but I still hadn’t done anything yet.

I needed to make sure I didn’t waste her words of gratitude and her feelings, and properly solve the situation for her.

“Um…” (Sophia)

“Hm? What’s up?” (Kento)

As I continued to stroke her head, Sophia looked up at me again and called out, so I shifted my gaze back to her.

“Is it okay if I ask for something selfish…?” (Sophia)

That was a rare request coming from her. Given her pride, Sophia hardly ever asks for things like this.

Personally, I would be happy if she made more selfish requests like that.

“Of course. Well, it doesn’t have to be just one.” (Kento)

I had said something similar before, but it was sincere, so I wanted to make sure she knew it again.

“U-Um… I want to call you Kento-kun…” (Sophia)

Sophia shyly looked up at my face, her voice hesitant and uncertain.

At that moment, my mind nearly short-circuited.

What is this… She’s way too cute…

I had to hold myself back from hugging her tightly and instead forced a smile as I spoke.

“Well, if I call you Sophia, there’s no reason why you can’t call me Kento-kun, right?” (Kento)

“Ah… I guess that’s true. Thank you…” (Sophia)

I could faintly hear an “ehehe” sound, as Sofia’s cheeks softened into a relaxed smile.

If I hadn’t known her usual self, and if I didn’t understand that she was in a weakened state right now, I might have pushed her down.

That was how irresistibly cute and unfairly charming she was.

――In fact, I almost felt like I was falling for her.

While I was caught up in such internal conflict, Sofia pressed her face against my chest once more.

And then――

“Kento…kun” (Sophia)

She said my first name slowly, almost as if savoring it.

Please stop… I couldn’t hold onto my reason any longer…

In just this one night, my self-control was teetering on the edge of collapse.

As for what happened afterward――

“Suu… Suu…” (Sophia)

Not only had the storm settled, but it seemed like her emotions had completely calmed down from our conversation as well. Sophia, with her face still pressed against my chest, had unknowingly fallen asleep, breathing in a cute, steady rhythm.

Being in the same bed like this, with her sleeping so peacefully, made me feel like she wasn’t seeing me as a man, and it was a complicated feeling… but for now, I was just glad she was able to sleep.

…And also, since she had been unknowingly trying to break down my self-control over and over again, I was thankful she had fallen asleep.

If she had kept clinging to me like that, I might have given in and done something I’d regret.

That said――I was still lying here with her pressed up against me, and the feelings of her affection were still swirling inside me.

If I didn’t do something about this, I might end up making a move on her while she was sleeping.

――Damn it, I can’t stand nights like this…

I gritted my teeth and fought the urge, trying to hold myself back from doing anything while she slept.

◆

[Sophia’s PoV]

“Mn…?” (Sophia)

Wrapped in the sensation of warmth, I slowly opened my eyes.

I couldn’t hear the alarm, but my thoughts were unusually clear.

In fact, it might have been the best I’ve felt waking up in a while.

For some reason, my heart felt incredibly calm――

As I was thinking this, I suddenly realized something.

There was something in front of me.

“…………” (Sophia)

Despite just waking up, my thoughts were clearer than usual, and at that moment, I instantly understood what it was.

And then, when I slowly turned my gaze upward――there was Shirakawa-kun’s face, softly breathing in his sleep.

“~~~~~~!?!” (Sophia)

W-W-Wait, is this what I think it is!?

We slept together, didn’t we!?

From the fact that we had both been in the same bed, I quickly reached that conclusion.

It would have been fine if that was all, but slowly, memories of last night began to resurface.

――Yes, I had clung to him, terrified by the thunder and the blackout, crying and acting as if I were a little child, completely relying on him.

“Noooooo! I can’t! I want to disappear! I wish there was a hole I could crawl into!” (Sophia)

Recalling that unbelievably embarrassing scene, I wanted nothing more than to vanish right then and there.

Why does this always happen to me!?

I’m going to die from embarrassment!

“Mmm?” (Kento)

“Ah…!” (Sophia)

It must have been because I screamed.

Shirakawa-kun furrowed his brows, looking uncomfortable as he shifted in his sleep.

Not wanting him to wake up right now, I pressed my hands against my mouth, holding my breath.

Soon――I could hear his steady breathing again.

“Thank goodness… If he had woken up now, I wouldn’t have been able to face him…” (Sophia)

Honestly, I was terrified of what he might think of me right now.

He had been treating me with that calm, kind expression, like an adult man with composure, but there was a possibility that, deep down, he was completely put off by me.

He was kind enough not to show it, but still…

“It’s so weird… acting all cool, yet trembling like a child at the thunder and darkness…” (Sophia)

If he hated me, I might not be able to recover.

But… still, as long as he’s sleeping next to me like this, I don’t think he hates me at least…

“Come to think of it…” (Sophia)

Not all the memories that resurfaced were bad.

Yesterday, while I was being pampered by him, I had become even more clingy――and then I brought up how he should address me.

Thinking back on that moment, I wanted to crawl into a hole again, but honestly, since the real me couldn’t have done it, I thought it was a fine play on my part.

In return, let’s forget about everything that happened yesterday.

…As if it were that easy. If I could easily forget it, I wouldn’t be struggling so much right now.

“Kento-kun…” (Sophia)

Taking advantage of the fact that he was asleep, I whispered his first name softly near his ear.

But he was still asleep, showing no signs of waking up.

“Hehe… Kento-kun ♪ Kento-kun ♪” (Sophia)

I’d wanted to call his name like this for so long, and now, feeling delighted, I couldn’t help but call it over and over again.

If he woke up, I needed to make sure I could call him naturally, without any awkwardness. I had to get used to it now, while I had the chance.

Besides, opportunities like this don’t come often, so I decided to press my face against his chest as well.

Since he was asleep, there was no need to worry about anything.

It was fine to nuzzle my cheek against him.

“I’ve always been bad at relying on others, but for some reason, I just want to lean on Kento-kun…” (Sophia)

Well, I can’t be honest and clingy when he’s awake.

Sometimes, I wish I could have been born with a more straightforward personality.

“And he still smells so nice… Speaking of which, I heard that people are drawn to the scent of others when their genetic compatibility is high?” (Sophia)

Maybe that’s why I end up wanting to rely on him.

As I leaned in like this, my heart felt warm, and I couldn’t help but feel incredibly happy.

I wanted to wake up to mornings like this every day.

“Hehe, Kento-kun… ♪” (Sophia)

I want to sleep together with him every day.

Maybe I should ask him to do so on thunderstorm nights…

As I called his name while thinking such mischievous thoughts――

“――Um…” (Kento)

Immediately, I heard a familiar voice from above.

“――!?” (Sophia)

I couldn’t help but look up, only to meet Kento-kun’s gaze as he smiled at me, looking a bit confused.

“A-Ah, u-uh, this is…!” (Sophia)

Caught off guard by the unexpected situation, I couldn’t get the words out properly.

My face was burning with heat, and sweat was dripping down my face.

What should I do? I have to find a way to cover this up…!

“I-I was just half asleep…!” (Sophia)

In a panic, I quickly lied.

But――he tilted his head, looking at me with a puzzled expression.

It seemed like I had unconsciously used English again.

I wasn’t sure if he didn’t understand it, or if it was because I had rambled so quickly that he couldn’t catch it, but it only made the situation even more embarrassing.

But I couldn’t afford to back down now.

I had to convince him, and fast.

“Y-Y-Y-You were happy to sleep with me, right…!?” (Sophia)

Ahhhhhh!

What am I even saying!?

No, that’s not what I meant to say at all!

Or rather, I’m the one who was happy that we could sleep together…!?

In a panic, I said something completely ridiculous because I thought I needed to say something quickly.

“Ah, yeah, that’s true…” (Kento)

Maybe he was put off by what I said, or maybe he was just taken aback by my momentum, but Kento-kun nodded hesitantly.

I hoped it was the latter.

“N-No, that’s not it…! What I meant to say…!” (Sophia)

Worried that he might hate me now, I scrambled to correct myself.

However――something gently landed on my head.

“It’s okay, calm down. You were confused because we woke up together, right?” (Kento)

It seemed that his hand had landed on my head, and he gently started to stroke my head.

Despite being tickled by the sensation, normally this would have calmed my heart and given me a sense of comfort. But right now, all I felt was utterly miserable.

To cover up my embarrassment, I said something careless and even sounded condescending², but Kento-kun remained calm and handled the situation like an adult.

The truth was, it was my fault in the first place, and I should have handled things properly…

This is where one’s usual behavior and character really show.

Compared to such a wonderful person, I felt like the lowest.

“I’m sorry…” (Sophia)

“There’s nothing to apologize for. You’re a girl, and it’s perfectly normal to be surprised and flustered if you wake up next to a guy you’re not dating.” (Kento)

Even after I apologized, he continued to show that calm, mature side of him.

Even though we were the same age, Kento-kun seemed years older than me.

I couldn’t help but wonder if he was really a high schooler.

“I was surprised… but it wasn’t that I didn’t like it…” (Sophia)

At least, I thought I should clarify that so he wouldn’t misunderstand.

Even though my image might have dropped a little, as long as he knows that I wasn’t bothered with sleeping together with him, I still believe there’s a chance to redeem myself someday.

What I’m really scared of is him misunderstanding me and not being able to sleep together in the future.

Especially on those stormy nights when I’m completely dependent on him to stay calm.

“I see… just make sure you don’t push yourself too hard, okay?” (Kento)

Even though it wasn’t his idea to sleep together, and I had clung to him for it, he still tried to be considerate as if it were his responsibility.

That only tightened my chest even more.

“I’m not pushing myself… I’m just scared of thunder and the dark… So, having you sleep with me made me feel really reassured… Not to mention… I was really happy to be able to sleep with you…” (Sophia)

I said it in Japanese first, but then quickly corrected myself in English.

It felt more accurate to say I was happy rather than reassured.

But correcting myself in English was a sign of my weakness.

I was afraid to express that I was happy because I thought he might dislike me.

If he rejected me and started distancing himself, I knew I wouldn’t be able to recover from it.

“Everyone has things they don’t like or are afraid of, and it can’t be helped. I’m really glad you relied on me.” (Kento)

Really, he’s so kind.

It’s not an exaggeration to say that he’s too kind.

He’d told me before that he was happy when I relied on him, but hearing him say it with a smile after I had done so felt like a lifeline to me.

It made me feel like it was okay to rely on him, that it was really alright.

…I love him.

With that feeling building inside me, I pressed my face against his chest.

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Thanks for reading!

Ah yes, the classic “He’s definitely not awake” trope. Hopefully he heard all the “Kento-kun ♪”

This chapter is too cute… Her deredere side was really turned all the way up for this. We need more chapters of just the two of them being together.

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1. Huh? What do you mean? As in because you’re not blood-related? Or something else?
2. Condescending means having or showing an attitude of patronizing superiority.