Childhood Friend Heroine V2 Chapter 3
Chapter 3
A Sense of Unease
It was a crisp afternoon, less than two weeks before the sports festival, when Saito and Lily, both members of the representative relay team, were summoned to the school grounds. The landscape had already begun its transformation, with tents now dotting the scenery. They made their way to one such tent, a banner proclaiming it the “Sports Festival Management Headquarters,” and stepped inside.
“Hey there! I’m Minazuki Saito from Class 3, Year 1. Thanks for having us,” Saito announced with a casual air.
“Hello, I’m Machigane Lily, also from Class 3, Year 1. Thank you for having us today,” Lily added, her tone more formal.
“So it’s you two. Good to see you.”
“Student Council President! It’s been a while!”
The one who greeted them was none other than Houjou Takumi, the student council president whom Saito had met just a week prior. Uncharacteristically, he wasn’t in his usual uniform but had donned a set of gym clothes. The sight of the normally intellectual and composed Takumi in shorts created an indescribable sense of mismatch.
“Those gym clothes… they don’t really suit you, do they?” Saito remarked bluntly.
“You really are a rude one, aren’t you?” Takumi replied, shooting him an exasperated look that suggested this was typical Saito behavior.
Between the two of them, such a comment was no big deal. But for the girl watching from the sidelines, it was another matter entirely.
“I am so sorry! This idiot of mine… Saito, what are you saying to someone older than you, and the student council president at that!?” Lily’s face went pale as she apologized, forcefully pressing down on Saito’s head with her hand.
“Ugh, stop that. The president isn’t going to get bent out of shape over something like this,” Saito grumbled, trying to free himself.
“Even so, it’s rude! Apologize.”
Though annoyed by the sudden turn of events, Saito attempted to clear up his childhood friend’s misunderstanding. But the fact remained that he had been rude, and Lily was insistent. When she got like this, she was stubborn, and he knew she wouldn’t let up until he complied. It was getting to be a hassle, so he stopped resisting and offered a grudging bow.
“Sorryyyy.”
“Hey, apologize properly.”
His half-hearted apology clearly didn’t meet her standards, and she demanded a proper one. That was the first time he’d compromised; a second would be a real pain. Saito shot Takumi a pleading look, a silent request for help. Fortunately, the president seemed to understand, his eyes conveying a resigned, ‘Can’t be helped.’
“It’s fine,” Takumi said, stepping in. “Just as Minazuki says, I’m not bothered by it.”
“But—”
“Despite how he may seem, your childhood friend knows where to draw the line. You of all people should know that, Machigane-san, given your long history together.”
“…He does mistakenly cross that line sometimes, though.”
“Kuku, I can imagine. When that happens, feel free to scold him even more harshly than you are now.”
“Understood.”
Whoa, as expected of the student council president. Or rather, as expected of the young master of the HoujouGroup!He skillfully talkedLilydown. Saito inwardly praised Takumi for defusing the situation with his clever rhetoric, choosing to conveniently ignore the ominous promise that had just been made between the two.
“By the way, we were told to check in. What do we need to do?” Saito asked, remembering the reason they were there in the first place, the shock of Takumi’s gym attire having momentarily distracted him.
Takumi turned, placing a sheet of paper and a pen on the desk. “You’ll find your names on this list. Just put a mark next to them.”
“Got it.”
Saito took the pen and quickly found his name, marking it as instructed. Seeing Lily’s name directly below his, he asked if he could mark hers as well. Takumi gave his permission, as long as she was attending practice, so he checked off her name too.
“Registration’s done. Now, go wait over there,” Takumi instructed, gesturing toward a crowd of students. “When it’s time to start, I’ll come over and explain everything.”
“Got it. Well then, excuse us for now.”
“Truly sorry about earlier.”
Knowing other students were waiting to register, Saito and Lily bowed and started toward the group Takumi had indicated. However, as they approached, they noticed gazes starting to fixate on Lily. Realizing they’d likely be swarmed with questions, they changed course and found a spot to sit on a nearby set of stairs, a little removed from the crowd.
“Phew, I never imagined you’d be on good terms with the student council president. That was completely unexpected,” Lily said, breaking the silence.
“Your panic was pretty funny, Lily.”
The conversation naturally drifted back to their earlier exchange. For Lily, the casual relationship between Saito and Takumi was apparently quite a shock. It made sense, he supposed; one wouldn’t normally expect a third-year and a first-year from different school buildings, with no shared club activities, to be so familiar. Still, they had known each other for years. He thought she’d be able to gauge his relationships better, but her level of panic over his light banter with Takumi had been unexpected even for him. When he teased her about it, Lily’s face soured.
“Anyone would panic at that! No matter how close you are, you don’t just tell someone older than you that something doesn’t suit them, you know?”
But her annoyance lasted only a moment.
“But he really didn’t look good in it, right?” she asked, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper.
“…He didn’t.”
“Pfft!”
“Hehe.”
“Ahahaha!”
When Saito brought up Takumi’s gym outfit again, it turned out Lily had been thinking the exact same thing. Unable to hold it in any longer, the two of them burst out laughing. Once the floodgates were open, there was no stopping them.
“If only he’d at least worn a tracksuit or something.”
“Right? With his looks, the short sleeves and shorts are just wrong.”
“The president’s legs are too long.”
“His proportions are too perfect; it gives off a strong cosplay vibe.”
The words they had held back in front of him now overflowed like a burst dam. Saito and Lily were excitedly dissecting why Takumi looked so out of place in gym clothes when they suddenly felt a sharp gaze upon them.
“Ah, crap.”
They turned to see Takumi glaring at them from the tent. A shiver went down their spines.
“…Let’s stop now.”
“…Yeah.”
They knew he couldn’t possibly have heard them from that distance, but the “what if” was enough to instantly extinguish their heated discussion.
After chatting about other things for a while, Saito noticed something. “Come to think of it, aren’t there any other student council members around?”
“True, I’ve only seen the student council president this whole time.”
The other officers were nowhere in sight. A fair amount of time had passed since school let out, yet none of the students wearing the distinctive student council armband that Takumi wore were present. It was possible some had forgotten to put them on, but if so, why weren’t they helping Takumi?
That left two possibilities.
“Maybe he has the other members doing something else?”
“I was just thinking the same thing. But if it’s something like carrying equipment, Shirayuri-senpai usually handles that, so I don’t think they’d need that many people.”
“Then maybe there’s some kind of trouble?”
“That’s possible too.”
Either Takumi had assigned the other members a task large enough to require all of them, or some trouble had occurred. As Saito and Lily pondered the possibilities, the answer arrived sooner than they expected.
“Everyone, I’m so sorry. Thank you for helping pick everything up.”
“Nah, don’t worry about it, Shirayuri-chan. It was partly our fault for packing it so loosely.”
“That’s right. The guys who made a girl carry such heavy things are the ones to blame.”
“The prez and I aren’t at fault, you know. We were just compiling data on student council budgets and audience turnout.”
“I know, I know that the president and Nonohara-kun have been working hard. Don’t get so worked up, yeah? You’re lacking calcium~. Want some of my strawberry milk?”
“I don’t want it! And Kawada, why are you just leisurely drinking juice without carrying anything? Carry at least one box!”
From the top of the stairs where Saito and Lily were sitting, Koyuki and several upperclassmen wearing student council armbands appeared, all carrying large cardboard boxes. From the sounds of their conversation, it seemed there really had been some trouble. Saito and Lily shifted to the side to stay out of their way. Koyuki’s eyes met theirs, and she widened them in surprise. After excusing herself to the other members, she approached them.
“Minazuki-kun and Machigane-san. Hello. Does you being here mean you were selected for the representative relay?”
“Yup. We’re pretty fast on our feet, despite how we look,” Saito replied.
“My goodness! That’s amazing. I’d heard from Haruki-kun that you were good at sports, Minazuki-kun, but Machigane-san, that’s truly unexpected.”
Koyuki was genuinely surprised to learn they had been chosen for the relay team, especially Lily. The compliment made his childhood friend scratch her cheek in embarrassment. “Ahaha, thanks,” she mumbled.
“Are you running too, Shirayuri-senpai?” Saito asked.
“No, I’m not nearly fast enough for the representative relay. Today, as you can see, I’m just helping out as part of the student council.”
“I see. Thanks for your hard work.”
Seeing her in gym clothes with her hair tied back in a ponytail, he had assumed she was participating. It seemed she had just changed to match the others. Unlike Takumi, the gym outfit suited Koyuki well, and like Lily, she was drawing her own share of admiring glances.
“Well then, I need to get this box to the tent, so I’ll excuse myself. Do your best, you two.”
“Will do.”
“Yes, please do your best too, Shirayuri-senpai.”
She must have sensed the attention they were getting. Koyuki gave a quick glance toward the boys who were looking their way, then rejoined the other student council members and disappeared into Takumi’s tent.
“Shirayuri-senpai’s about as popular as you, huh?” Saito muttered casually, his eyes following her retreating figure.
“What, all of a sudden?”
Lily’s voice dropped noticeably, and Saito tilted his head, confused.
Did I offend her somehow?
“Nah, just that she was getting a ton of stares earlier. It was just an observation.”
Unsure what had made her angry, he explained his reasoning. Lily fell silent for a moment before finally speaking again.
“…What do you think of her, Saito?”
She was asking about Koyuki. What did he think of her? It was a simple enough question.
“A beautiful senpai who treats me to juice when I help out.”
“How very like you.”
It wasn’t a question that required much thought, so he answered honestly. Lily’s expression seemed to be a mixture of exasperation and, for some reason, relief. Then, peeking at his face with a hint of hesitation, she asked her next question.
“S-speaking of which, do you have a type? When it comes to girls, I mean. I’ve never asked before, so I’m curious.”
“My type, huh? I haven’t really thought about it much.”
The type of girl you like.
Since Lily usually shied away from romantic topics, it was a subject they had tacitly avoided. Faced with the unexpected question, Saito found himself genuinely stumped for a moment.
“Hmm. Well, for starters, someone I’m comfortable around is a must. Then, someone who can handle some sports, can play games, and is good at cooking would be even better. As for looks, honestly, as long as she’s not super tiny like a kid with no chest, anything’s fine.”
A clear image didn’t come to mind, but he listed the vague conditions as they occurred to him.
“I-I see. Huh~” Lily made a suggestive sound and turned away. Her teasing tone made Saito’s face scrunch up in annoyance.
“What? Got something you want to say?”
“Not really~. I just figured out why you’ve never said anything about that cute girl Mizuki-chan in our class~”
“Ah, yeah, that’s pretty much it. Mizuki just feels like a kid, so no way.”
“That’s just mutual dislike between kindred spirits.”
“Wrong! I just can’t see her as a member of the opposite sex, that’s all.”
“Ahahaha! I see~. Mizuki-chan would be hurt if she heard that~”
“She wouldn’t care if I said it. She’s got Haruki anyway.”
“That’s true too.”
In contrast to the slightly disgruntled Saito, Lily was now in high spirits for some reason, teasing him and laughing as if she found the whole thing hilarious. Seeing her so animated, Saito felt a mix of annoyance and exasperation at her sudden mood swings.
“What about you then? Your type of guy.”
“Me?”
Lily blinked widely, then a mischievous look crossed her face.
“Well, what kind of person do you think is my type?”
“Why am I the one answering when I’m the one who asked?”
“C’mon, c’mon, just give it a try.”
His attempt to get back at her had been skillfully deflected, and now he was on the receiving end of a counter. He sighed in resignation. Looking at his childhood friend’s cheerful, expectant smile, he knew he had to answer. His instincts, honed by years of friendship, told him so. He decided to give it a serious thought.
First, appearance? I have no idea. I’ve never heardLilycall anyone handsome. Next, personality. Don’t know that either. She seems to dislike every guy she deals with. Well, I do know she doesn’t like guys who come on to her just for her looks. So then, wealth. That doesn’t seem to matter either. She doesn’t have much desire for material things. Her parents are a bestselling author and a pro photographer who’s also the editor-in-chief of a women’s magazine. She’s not hurting for money. …Hmm. The more I think about it, the less I know.
After much deliberation, he realized one thing: guessing his childhood friend’s type was insanely difficult. There were simply too few guys in her life to use as a sample. As far as he knew, he was the only one she was close to. But saying it was someone like him felt too simple. She saw him as family, her childhood friend. She always acted like an older sister, so she probably only thought of him as a troublesome little brother. He wasn’t even in the “opposite sex” category to begin with. In other words, he had zero information. He didn’t know a single thing.
“A handsome rich guy,” he threw out, half-heartedly.
Lily made an ‘X’ with her arms. “Bzzzt! Jeez, Saito, what do you think of me? That hurts. There’s no way I’d fall for something so superficial.”
She lamented that it was disheartening to be seen that way. Even as he’d said it, Saito knew it was wrong. But he couldn’t help it; nothing else had come to mind. When he explained his reasoning, Lily’s expression softened into slight disappointment.
“…Well, I guess that makes sense,” she conceded, but her bright expression quickly returned as she looked him straight in the eye. “Then I’ll give you a special answer. My type is someone I’m comfortable around. And also, someone who can handle some sports, can play games, isn’t wishy-washy, and isn’t indecisive.”
“That’s almost a complete copy of mine.”
The answer she gave was remarkably similar to his own. When Saito pointed this out, Lily stuck out her tongue cutely. From her reaction, it was clear she had made it similar on purpose. Still, there were differences. He now vaguely understood that she disliked indecisive and wishy-washy guys.
“Sorry for the wait,” a voice called out, interrupting them. “Let’s get right to explaining practice. Those who can’t hear well, please come closer.”
It seemed everyone had finished registering.
Saito and Lily got up and moved to the back of the group, listening to Takumi’s words.
“Thank you for taking time out of your day to gather here. Today, we’ll do light introductions and then run through the relay once at full speed. Don’t half-ass it. Give it your all for the sake of the future. That’s all. For now, split into red and white teams and introduce yourselves.”
“Yes (Sure)!!”
Unlike the principal’s long-winded speeches, Takumi’s words were concise and easy to understand, yet they carried a commanding presence that stirred the students’ hearts. Energized by his speech, the students responded with spirit, and the after-school practice began in a positive atmosphere.
However, at one point, a problem occurred. It was after practice had ended, and many students were lounging around, catching their breath.
“Ugh, we lost because you messed up the baton pass!”
“Don’t give me that crap. I fumbled a bit, but we got passed because you’re slow. Don’t blame it on me.”
“Hah? It’s your fault.”
“It’s not my fault!”
Students from the red team, which had lost the practice relay, suddenly started arguing, their voices escalating until they were grappling with each other. One might think it was just practice, but about a fifth of the students at Seira High School were athletes on sports scholarships. They tended to have high pride and were often sore losers. When such individuals made a mistake and lost, conflict was almost inevitable.
The reactions of those around the two shouting boys varied. Some moved away, wanting no part in the drama. Others wanted to intervene but were intimidated by the intensity of the argument. A few, exasperated at seeing this happen again, chose to ignore it.
While many simply watched, one girl decided to act.
“Senpai, please stop!”
It was Koyuki. Unable to bear the childish quarrel, so unbefitting of third-years, she stepped in to mediate.
“Shut up. Don’t get in the way!”
“This is our problem. Outsiders stay out of it.”
“Please calm down! You’re third-years; this is shameful!”
“Shut it!”
But the boys, their blood up, paid no heed to Koyuki’s words. Perhaps her intervention only added to their stress, because suddenly, hands flew.
Thud!
One of the boys shoved the other’s shoulder hard, sending him stumbling to the ground.
“You bastard!? Are you serious? I’ll knock you out!”
With that, the simmering tension erupted, and a physical brawl began.
“Please stop!” Koyuki cried out in anguish as the two third-years threw punches, but her voice no longer reached them. They were completely absorbed in their fight, each focused only on defeating the other and proving himself right.
This is seriously bad. Saito had thought Koyuki would be able to stop them, but the situation had escalated beyond his expectations. Just as he was about to move in to make sure she didn’t get caught in the crossfire, a black shadow moved past him.
“Useless as always. You’re in the way. Stand back.”
The one who appeared before Koyuki, his voice and gaze sharp and cold, was Takumi.
What the hell is that? Saito’s eyes widened. This was a side of Takumi he had never seen before.
“But!?”
“Then what can you do in your current state? In a situation where words have failed. What can you do when you don’t even have the resolve to physically intervene?”
“…That’s—”
Even against Takumi’s overwhelming presence, Koyuki didn’t falter, but his harsh words instantly deflated her. She bit her lip in frustration and took a step back. Takumi watched her with disinterested eyes before turning his gaze to the two fighting students and charging in.
“Guh!”
Two fists slammed into his abdomen, and a groan escaped his lips.
“President!”
“Takumi! What are you doing?”
“That’s my line. You fools!”
“Guh!”
Takumi roared, and the two boys, momentarily shocked back to their senses, flinched at his sheer intensity.
“Underclassmen grow by watching their seniors’ backs. If we, as seniors, act like this, our underclassmen will follow the same path! Know shame!”
“…Sorry.”
“…Yeah. We were in the wrong.”
Seizing the opening, Takumi pressed his advantage. The two boys, now fully composed, bowed their heads in shame.
“Hmph. Don’t make me waste my time on something this trivial. Ridiculous.”
Rubbing his aching stomach, Takumi spat out the final words and began walking toward the school building with unsteady steps, leaving the three of them standing frozen in place with pained expressions.
Amazing… but still, something’s off.
Watching from the sidelines, Saito was impressed by Takumi’s manliness, but at the same time, he was struck by a strange, inexplicable sense of unease. Perhaps this was just a new side of Takumi he didn’t know—the kind of person who lashed out at those around him when angry. But somehow, it didn’t feel like him. Saito felt that even if Takumi were angry, he would have resolved things more peacefully.
So why had he acted like that?
He didn’t know. But an unpleasant sensation, like a fishbone stuck in the back of his throat, made him frown.
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