Childhood Friend Heroine V1 Chapter 6
Chapter 6: (Photography) Club Trial
That night, following the day Lily and Saito had made a killing earning coins together, Saito was in the middle of his pre-bath muscle training when his smartphone chirped a cheerful tone. Wiping the sweat from his cheeks with a towel, he picked up the device to check the notification.
Hang out with me tomorrow.
The message was from a friend who was supposed to have died from drinking rotten sweet red bean soup—a complete lie, of course. Given that Lily had just been confessed to that day, the ridiculous thought briefly crossed Saito’s mind: Could I be getting confessed to, too? But the sender was another guy. Besides, he’d once said his type was “smaller, prettier girls than himself.” Saito, whose appearance didn’t match those criteria in the slightest, was definitely not his type. Absolutely impossible.
Shaking his head vigorously to banish such pointless thoughts, he typed out a reply.
Out of the blue. What’s up?
Thinking of going to try out a club.
Now? Isn’t it a bit late for that?
The “hang out with me” was, as expected, an invitation to check out club activities together—nothing more. Still, it was puzzling. The trial period had started a week ago, and Saito couldn’t help but echo his own confusion in his message.
What made you want to go all of a sudden?
I was wandering around school and found something that looked interesting.
“I see. That’s so very Kai-like,” Saito murmured to himself.
The reply was exactly what he would have expected from his friend. Since Saito himself could be just as moody, he found the sudden invitation perfectly convincing.
I don’t have any plans tomorrow, so sure.
Great. (cat stamp)
Should we bring Haruki along?
I invited him, but he said he’s joining the student council and turned me down.
Ugh, what a jerk.
Traitors must face retribution.
So, what club are you planning to check out?
The photography club.
Saito had been planning to get a part-time job after starting high school and hadn’t intended to join any clubs, but he figured just attending a trial session would be fine. After agreeing, he asked which club they were going to, and the answer came back: the photography club.
Ahh, you do have that artistic vibe about you.
If you say that, I’m starting to want to try the flower arrangement archery club.
Let’s get our licenses and join the scooter card fight club.
Having seen Kai taking pictures of the cherry blossoms on the day of the entrance ceremony, Saito thought it was a fitting choice. He’d meant it as a compliment, but Kai, apparently displeased, started making contrary remarks, so Saito decided to play along. Surprisingly, inventing ridiculous club names that sounded just plausible enough to exist was fun, and the exchange continued until they both grew sleepy.
“Fwahhh… Oh, right.” Yawning, Saito put down his phone and was about to burrow into his futon when he remembered. “I should tell Lily I can’t walk home with her tomorrow.”
He quickly fired off a message. A “read” receipt appeared almost instantly, followed by a reply.
Perfect timing.
As his half-asleep brain struggled to decipher her meaning, another message arrived.
Shuri-chan just invited me to try out the tennis club.
Apparently, she had received a similar invitation from her friend Shuri around the same time. What were the odds of two childhood friends getting separate invitations from their respective friends on the same night? He was genuinely shocked. Before he knew it, he had typed out the three characters for Seriously? with surprising speed.
Seriously. I was pretty surprised too when your message came.
It’s crazy how even the friends we make are similar, just because we’re childhood friends.
Yeah. Crazy. Well, that means we’ll both be at club activities tomorrow. So no walking home together, I guess.
Okay, have fun.
You too.
Yeah. I’m sleepy, so I’m gonna sleep. G’night, Lily.
The surprise had shaken off some of his drowsiness, but it was already past his usual bedtime. As they exchanged messages, a fresh wave of sleepiness washed over him. He had said what he needed to and confirmed everything was fine. It was safe to sleep now.
Relieved, Saito’s eyelids grew heavy. After sending his goodnight message, they shut completely—a full shutdown. As his consciousness sank into darkness, he faintly heard his phone chime one last time.
Goodnight, Saito.
Though it was just an inorganic, mechanical sound, to Saito, it sounded like his childhood friend gently weaving the words. A faint smile touched the corners of his mouth, and with a blissful expression, he fell into a deep sleep.
◇
After the moon had set and the sun had risen for some time, Saito and Kai stepped into a school building they had never entered before.
“This is the right building, right?”
“It’s right,” Kai confirmed, pointing. “The clubroom should be at that dead end over there.”
Relying on memories from the club introductions a week prior, Kai soon spotted their destination at the very end of the hall. It was a corner of the building where sunlight never seemed to reach, and as they neared the door, a sharp, vinegar-like smell grew stronger.
“Is this really the photography club? It smells like vinegar.”
“It’s fine, it’s right. Konichaa~”
Saito grew anxious, but Kai, who seemed to know the source of the odor, opened the clubroom door without a hint of hesitation. Nervously, Saito followed him inside. The room was clearly a photography club, with photos posted on every wall. Several victory shields and certificates were on display, indicating they had achieved some decent results.
Looking around, however, there was no sign of any club members.
Probably no one’s here yet since it’s right after school.
Just then, a door at the back of the room opened, and an even more intense smell hit him. He instinctively covered his nose and mouth. Standing in the doorway was a female student with a somewhat flashy appearance, her uniform slightly disheveled.
“Oh, are you first-years? How unusual to see new faces this late in the year. Did you come for the trial participation?”
“That’s right,” Kai answered.
“Yep,” Saito added.
“Really!? That’s great! I’d given up, thinking no one would come this year, but two of you showed up—how lucky! Oh, we have tea if you want some.”
“Don’t trouble yourself.”
“Ehh~ You don’t need to be so reserved~”
“No, it’s not that,” Saito explained. “The vinegar smell is so strong, I don’t think I could calmly drink tea right now.”
“Ahaha, I see. Sorry about that~ We’re used to the developer smell, but I guess it’s tough for people who aren’t. I’ll close the door right away.”
Learning that they had come for the trial, the girl with silver-streaked hair beamed, her voice bouncing with joy. She tried to play the host, but the smell was too much for Saito. When he asked, she apologetically shut the inner door, and the smell subsided enough for him to breathe a sigh of relief.
“This should be better. Welcome to the photography club. I’m Utsuseya Sayano, the club president. Nice to meet you.”
“First-year, Akashi Kai.”
“Also a first-year, Minazuki Saito.”
With things settled, they introduced themselves. Saito had seen her name on several of the certificates and shields, so this Sayano was probably quite skilled. Her appearance suggested she’d be more at home giggling with friends downtown or singing karaoke, but you really couldn’t judge a person by their looks.
“Akashi-kun and Minazuki-kun, right? Got it. Um, wait just a moment. I had everything prepared for the trial, but since so few people came, I put it all away yesterday. I’ll get it ready right away, so don’t you dare leave, okay?”
“Got it. We’ll kill time looking at the photos,” Kai said.
“We’ll look around,” Saito agreed.
“Thanks! I’ll be back at super-express speed!”
With a pabyuun sound effect that seemed entirely out of place for a culture club, Sayano flew out of the room.
(Note: pabyuun is a Japanese onomatopoeia used to indicate fast movement)
“She seems like a good person, Utsuseya-senpai.”
“……”
Though she looked a bit intimidating at first, she was surprisingly approachable. Saito offered the compliment to start a conversation, but Kai didn’t respond. He glanced over and saw his friend staring intently at a set of framed photographs.
“…Not bad,” Kai finally muttered. “Not as good as me, but decent.”
“That’s pretty condescending for someone who’s only done it as a hobby. Are you really that good?” Saito asked, giving him a suspicious look. He’d never seen Kai’s photos and thought it might just be sour grapes.
“Naturally. I’m a genius, after all.”
“Then show me some proof. Let me see your photos.”
“Fine. Here.”
“…Whoa, you’re actually really good!”
“Right?”
When skeptically asked for proof, Kai readily held out his smartphone. Though Saito knew nothing about art, even he could tell that Kai’s photos were wonderful—at least on par with the ones displayed in the clubroom. He had been so sure it was just empty boasting. While Saito was left floored, Kai puffed out his chest in triumph.
“Hah, hah… sorry for the wait! Everything’s ready~ Anyway, for the explana—cough cough!”
“You should take a break first,” Saito advised. “You don’t need to push yourself after sprinting at full speed.”
“Here, take deep breaths~” Kai added, demonstrating.
“Huff, huff, fuu—”
“That’s the Lamaze method,” Saito pointed out. “Instead of easing pain, I just want you to regulate your breathing.”
Just as Kai finished his bragging, a breathless Sayano returned. She tried to jump straight into her explanation but ended up choking and had to stop. It took a full five minutes for the two of them to calm down the embarrassed upperclassman, who was making all sorts of strange gestures before she finally regained her composure.
“Ahem. Now then,” she began, clearing her throat to cover up her earlier blunder, “I’d like to explain the activities for today’s trial participation.”
“Yeahh!” Kai cheered.
“Alright, we’ve been waiting!” Saito joined in.
“You guys have good energy. Thanks. Well, sorry to disappoint you two when you’re so pumped up, but what we’re doing is simple. Just take pictures with this digital camera. Snap away as much as you want.”
“How generous!”
“Three-tiered belly. Ooph!”
“It’s rude to say things like that to a lady, Akashi-kun.”
“S-sorry! Ow ow ow!”
The activity was ordinary photography club fare, but Kai, who had been looking forward to it, got so excited that he blurted out some nonsense and earned himself an iron claw from Sayano.
What an idiot. You definitely can’t say that to a woman, Saito thought, conveniently forgetting the many times he had said similar things to Lily and suffered painful consequences. Watching the scene with cold, detached eyes, he thought what an insensitive guy Kai was and made no move to help.
◇
After being handed digital cameras and taking pictures around the school building for a while, Saito’s group headed outside. The sky was clear, with only a few scattered clouds, and the sun shone brightly—perfect weather for photography. Feeling like he might get some good shots, Saito pointed his camera upward and clicked the shutter.
“Hmm, mediocre.”
He peered at the screen to check the photo. It was neither good nor bad. He had taken dozens of shots by now, but they were all similarly bland, and he was starting to get bored. If only he could create the kind of presence and dynamism he saw in Sayano’s and Kai’s photos, but with his poor artistic sense, it seemed impossible.
What should I do?
Still, since he had come all this way for a trial, he wanted to take at least one satisfying shot to bring home. As he mulled it over, he spotted Kai staring vacantly into the distance.
Maybe I’ll figure something out if I watch him.
If he observed how a skilled person took photos, he might find some hints for improvement. With that in mind, Saito decided to watch his friend for a while.
Click.
The moment the thought crossed his mind, Kai suddenly pressed the shutter. Saito hurriedly looked in the same direction, but there was nothing particularly noteworthy there, leaving him puzzled.
Maybe I’ll understand if I watch again.
He’d been caught off guard that time, but he was determined to see it now. Saito focused intently, trying not to miss a single movement.
Click, click.
But no matter how much he watched, he understood nothing. Kai would just wander aimlessly, then suddenly be moved to take a photo as if struck by something. He did this over and over, capturing scenes Saito wouldn’t have even considered photographing, which only made Saito more anxious about whether the photos were actually any good.
Finally unable to bear it, Saito asked, “How do you decide when to take a photo?”
Kai answered simply: “When it sparkles.”
“When it sparkles? I didn’t see anything sparkling at all.”
“It’s sparkling. All glittery~ I like capturing things when they’re at their most radiant.”
“I see,” Saito said, sighing. “At least I understand that’s not helpful advice.”
He had hoped for a detailed explanation but learned nothing beyond the word “sparkling.” As expected of someone who called himself a genius; Kai apparently saw a different world than ordinary people. It had been a mistake to ask him.
Pulling himself together, he decided to try asking the photography club president, Sayano. She had been in the club for three years; surely she would be good at teaching people.
That’s what he thought, but—
“Tips for taking good photos? Just press the shutter when you think, ‘That looks nice.’”
“Ah, I see.”
You’re intuitive too?!
—Total failure.
He had expected her to teach him about color combinations or angles, but he got no proper advice at all, and his face twitched in disappointment. Birds of a feather really do flock together; the photography club seemed to be a den of intuitive types.
“Now, now, don’t make that face,” Sayano said, patting his shoulder encouragingly. “Photography is just a way to record feelings like ‘that’s nice’ or ‘that’s pretty’ so you never forget them. It’s best not to think too deeply about it.”
“Got it.”
I’m asking because not thinking deeply isn’t working! Saito held his head in his hands mentally.
“Mmm, you still don’t look convinced at all,” she observed. “Alright, then I’ll give you some special advice, just for you, Saito-kun. Try looking for something incredibly beautiful.”
“Something beautiful?”
“Don’t forget the ‘incredibly’—that’s the important part.”
“Hah~”
“From what I can see, Minazuki-kun, you have a broader field of vision than most people and are constantly aware of many things at once. So while it looks like you’re concentrating on one thing, you’re actually dividing your attention among others. For example, you might think the sky is beautiful, but at the same time, you’re also thinking the flowers in the flowerbed are beautiful. Because your consciousness is scattered, you can’t take a satisfying shot. So, if you can find something with such overwhelming appeal that you don’t care about anything else around it, you should definitely be able to take a photo you’re happy with.”
“Understood. I’ll try it.”
Saito was clearly making a “you’ve disappointed me” face, and as a senior, Sayano’s pride must have been stung. She offered another piece of advice, this time not about camera fundamentals or general principles, but something aimed specifically at him. At first, her explanation was a bit vague, but as she continued, he began to grasp what she meant.
Apparently, he was bad at concentrating on a single subject. Thinking about it, he was somewhat aware of this himself. When he had decided to observe Kai, his delayed reaction to that first shutter click made sense if he had been unconsciously dividing his attention. Looking back at the photos he’d taken so far, he realized that multiple potential subjects were mixed into every shot.
Something with overwhelming appeal, huh? Is there anything like that at this school?
If he could find something to become completely absorbed in, he could take a good photo. That’s what Sayano had said, but it was a more difficult challenge than he’d expected. He had already photographed most of the high school grounds. It was questionable whether anything remained that could truly captivate him.
“Hey there, Ito-cchi~!”
As he wandered aimlessly, searching, he heard his nickname called from a distance. Glancing over, he saw Lily and her friend, Shuri. Wondering what was up, Saito ran over to them.
“Yo, what’s going on?”
“Lily-cchi and I are about to have a match,” Shuri explained. “When we spotted you with a camera, Ito-cchi, we thought we’d have you take some cool shots of us.”
“Is that so? I was free anyway, so sure. Just don’t expect much, since I’m not very good.”
“Huh? Really?” Lily asked, surprised.
“I can't really see you being bad at photography, Saito.”
It seemed Lily and Shuri had figured out what the photography club would be doing and decided to ask him since he was nearby. Honestly, Kai would have been a better choice, but since he’d been nominated, he agreed to do what he could, making sure to set expectations low. Seeing such an unconfident attitude from her childhood friend felt off to Lily, who tilted her head in confusion.
“The world is apparently broader than we think, Lily.”
“Wait, are you making fun of me for being bad at photography too?”
“Hold back, Lily-cchi! Violence is wrong,” Shuri intervened.
The only photos of Saito’s that Lily had ever seen were group shots with multiple subjects. She didn’t yet know he was bad at taking photos of individuals. He had intended to explain that, but his phrasing must have been poor, because she got angry. A dark aura radiated from her as she tapped her racket against her palm. If Shuri hadn’t stepped in, he definitely would have been punched. He was grateful from the bottom of his heart that she was there.
After that, he somehow managed to clear up the misunderstanding.
“It’s fine even if you’re bad, Saito,” Lily said confidently. “After all, Shuri-chan and I are cute.”
“Yeah, yeah, that’s right,” Shuri added. “So don’t worry about it and just do it, Ito-cchi.”
“……The people around me really have high self-evaluations,” Saito muttered with a dry smile as the match—and his photography—began.
“Yah!”
“Hah!”
“Teya!”
“Soi!”
He captured the two of them serving and rallying. As they had claimed, the subjects were good, so none of the photos turned out strange. But perhaps because his attention was scattered, the shots were slightly off-center, or focused on the rackets and balls instead. They were hardly praiseworthy.
Photography is hard. I really can’t take photos like Kai after all.
Just as he was about to give up, thinking he just wasn’t suited for it, the moment suddenly came.
“Arrgh! I barely lost—so frustrating!!”
“I did it! I won! Hey, were you watching, Saito!?”
The victor of the two-game match between complete tennis beginners was Lily. While a defeated Shuri stomped her feet in frustration, a victorious Lily ran happily toward him.
“Yeah, I was watching. You were good at tennis.”
“It’s thanks to you, Saito.”
“Huh? I didn’t do anything, though.”
“You taught me how to hit a tennis ball before, remember?”
“Huh, really? That actually helped?”
Thinking back, he recalled going to a trial tennis class in elementary school and boastfully “teaching” Lily what he had learned. Though he called it teaching, it was mostly just bragging, and he hadn’t said anything particularly useful. He remembered Lily looking annoyed the whole time. He never dreamed a day would come when she would remember that and say it was helpful.
“Yeah. So, thank you, Saito!”
Thanks!
Ah, so this is the sparkly thing Kai was talking about.
Just like when they first met, Lily turned a pure, unblemished smile toward him in gratitude. Her figure seemed to sparkle, and thinking this might be the world his friend saw, Saito raised his camera and pressed the shutter.
A moment later, a single photo appeared on the screen. Seeing it, he felt his mouth relax into a satisfied smile.
“You’re incredibly beautiful, you know.”
“Wha—!? Wh-what are you saying all of a sudden?”
He looked straight at Lily and told her what he thought. Her face flushed red like a boiled octopus.
“I just thought that while taking the photo. Huh? What, are you embarrassed? Even though people call you pretty all the time?”
He thought she would have brushed off a compliment like that by now, but her reaction made him blink in surprise.
“I’m not embarrassed! I’m just a bit flushed from the exercise!”
“Ow, ow, ow, don’t hit me! You’re stronger than most guys!”
Rather than cute, playful taps, Lily was hitting him with solid thuds, her eyes welling with tears. Saito had no choice but to flee from the pain.
“Who are you calling a gorilla!? Hey, wait up, Saito!”
“I didn’t say that—you’re being paranoid! Calm down!”
“Ahh, youth~”
A game of tag suddenly erupted between the two childhood friends, with Shuri watching them, laughing with amusement.
◇
“Now then, time for the results!”
“Wahhh!!”
Thirty minutes before dismissal time, as planned, Saito’s group returned to the clubroom five minutes early to have Sayano evaluate their photos. They each printed out the single shot they thought was their best from the day’s work. Currently, Saito and Kai held their photos pinched between their fingers like playing cards.
“Since figuring out the order is a pain, let’s go by alphabetical order. Akashi-kun, you’re first.”
“I’ll show you the overwhelming difference in our class,” Kai declared, presenting his photo.
“Whoa, you captured sheet music dancing in the sky—that’s amazing!” Sayano exclaimed.
“Plus, the sun is right in the center. The composition is great, too,” Saito added.
The photo he presented was perfect enough to be mistaken for a professional’s work, drawing admiration from both of them.
“Naturally,” Kai said, his nose practically stretching with smug satisfaction. “So, what’s yours like, Saito?”
The sight of his friend’s nose extending like Pinocchio’s was intensely irritating. Saito felt a sudden urge not to lose.
“My photo is this.”
With a voice filled with fighting spirit, Saito presented the photo of Lily he had taken earlier. The image of a beautiful girl showing her best smile against the setting sun was, if he did say so himself, quite well taken. This might not break his friend’s extended nose, but it could at least shrink it back to normal.
As he glanced at his friend, he saw Kai’s eyes fixed intently on the photo.
“……Beautiful.”
“Right?”
“Well, well, to think a shot like this could be taken with just one piece of advice—truly surprising,” Sayano mused. “Could this perhaps be the power of love?”
“Lily and I are just childhood friends. It’s nothing like that.”
“Ehh, but she’s this cute. You definitely like this girl, right, Minazuki-kun?”
“I like her as a childhood friend.”
“Kyaa! See, see, I’m right! Tell your big sister all about it, won’t you?”
“Were you even listening!? I just said I like her as a childhood friend! Why does it turn into that!? Don’t make weird assumptions—it’s annoying.”
“Getting all flustered—how cute.”
“So annoying! We really are just childhood friends!”
Having successfully deflated his friend’s ego, Saito smiled happily. But his victory was short-lived. Sayano, a creepy grin on her face, closed in on him, completely misunderstanding his relationship with Lily.
So focused on desperately clearing up the misunderstanding, Saito didn’t notice the heated gaze his friend directed at Lily’s photo.
And he could never have imagined that this one photograph would set so much in motion.
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