124 – The Weight of a Senior
I saw them having fun flipping the banana boat and splashing in the water.
Should I say I am full of energy?
I had a lot of fun yesterday and am playing hard today as well.
“…… “What are you doing there?”
Yuki came out of the room late and looked at me with a puzzled expression.
“Ah… “That’s how it happened.”
As for me, I was buried in the sand with only my head sticking out.
Today, I was taking a nap on the sandy beach again. When I opened my eyes, they had buried half of my body.
I was buried with my entire body, with only my head sticking out to watch them.
“Aha….”
Yuuki seemed to understand without having to say anything and held up the tube and looked in that direction.
“What is that tube?”
“Oh, because I can’t swim.”
Yuuki, who proudly declared, tilted his head.
“But Haru-chan, did anything good happen?”
It was her Haruna, laughing at the sight of her falling into the sea as Shiraishi overturned her banana boat.
“Something seems very pleasant.”
“I see.”
Yuki, who was confused for a moment, soon entered the sea.
The women who found him came over and showered him with water.
I looked at Yuuki, who was unconscious after being attacked three-on-one by Haruna, Yuuko, and Shiraishi, and then looked away.
I saw senior Takase riding a surfboard from afar.
Seeing her senior like that reminded her of meeting Sayoko senior during her vacation.
***
I saw Senior Sayoko coming in through the door.
I, who was sitting waiting first, waved my hand.
“Senior~”
She approaches and sits down.
“Sorry for being late. “I called you out.”
“No.”
It was a family restaurant near the school.
The senior I met around evening still had a short ponytail, and her skin was stained black as if she had been burned by the sun.
“There was practice for the track and field team today as well. “It can’t be helped.”
“Yes, there will be field training soon…” “Even though I’m in my third year, I can’t miss it.”
Smiling, the senior poured water into her cup and drank it.
“Whoa~ It’s refreshing.”
“How is the practice?”
“No problem. “Thanks to the good training provided by the manager, my successors are also doing well.”
“How long will I be a manager?” .”
He said with a bitter smile.
The menus I ordered just arrived.
“My sister will live today.”
“Thank you.”
I gratefully accepted the favor and started eating.
If Sayoko-senpai had called her out saying she had something to say, she expected it to be something related to the track and field club.
Contrary to my worries, it is said to be running without any problems.
Then, for some reason, I couldn’t find inspiration.
“…… “I heard you’re going on a trip soon?”
“How did you know?”
That’s what I heard from Takase-senpai.
She had no idea that topic would come up.
“I have no intention of meddling in Manager-kun’s vacation, but….”
She said after cutting the steak and putting it in her mouth.
“The travel itinerary… “Actually, it overlaps with our track and field team’s field training.”
“Ah… ….”
If so, that is a problem.
If so, why didn’t Takase-senpai say anything?
When the Shiraishi family gathered together to make plans, she did not mention her training camp.
“Eri decided to skip training.”
“Yes?”
Why?
If she had just told me that much, she could have made any adjustments.
“Oh, then… I’m calling Takase-senpai now….”
“No, don’t do it. “Actually, that’s why I called you.”
My senior stopped me from hastily taking out her cell phone and gave me a troubled look.
“Is there anything I can do?”
“……… ….”
Senior Sayoko sighed softly as she chewed her steak without saying a word.
“Actually, Eri, I have been neglecting the track and field team activities for a long time.”
“…… “In the past.”
I’m talking about the past to some extent.
The senior glanced in my direction and said.
“To be specific, it started gradually from the time the manager left the track and field team. Continue.”
“……… ….”
“Oh, I’m sorry. I don’t really blame you. Really.”
Waving her hands, Sayoko senior denied it.
However, for me it was a serious problem.
“There were midterms and finals. “I wasn’t able to participate in club activities even during the cultural festival.”
I remembered the many days I spent with Takase-senior.
We gathered together in Yuuki’s room. Participate in village festivals.
Gather at Shiraishi Street and enjoy a tea party.
We have accumulated various memories.
If I think about it, I should have felt something strange there.
The senior, a member of the track and field team and the team captain, should be busy with club activities.
She never missed our meetings.
“Even excluding those periods, Eri increasingly indulged in side practice or focused on other outside activities.”
“…… “Outside activities?”
“You know. Model shoots and interviews are becoming more common these days.”
I also participated in such a schedule of my senior.
“What on earth are you thinking?” “If you ask her if she wants to become a celebrity, she denies it.”
The senior frowned at her with concern.
“You know. “I feel like you’re misunderstanding, so let me tell you, I don’t really want to interfere with what Eri is doing.”
“…… “Then?”
“She is the face of the track and field team. “It is a signboard and a very important focal point.”
She nodded.
That was something everyone knew.
“If such a leader shows neglect in her department’s activities, of course our members are bound to be affected as well.”
“……… ….”
I had nothing to say.
Even if Sayoko-senpai said something that seemed to blame Takase-senpai, I couldn’t refute it.
“Third year is now the time to decide on your career path. “I’m going to a sports college.”
“……… Yes.”
The senior quickly finished her plate and put down her fork.
“As vice-captain, I want to know captain Eri’s thoughts.”
“……… That….”
“I’ve already tried several times. “But that’s too bad.”
This isn’t even a member of the club.
Sayoko-senior asked me a favor.
“Please. “Can’t you find out what concerns Eri has and what she thinks?”
Did she think I would know?
It was extremely difficult for me as I was no longer a member of the track and field club, but I accepted my senior’s request.
***
I saw senior Takase approaching me with a surfboard on her shoulder.
“Manager. “What does that look like?”
She giggled and squatted down in front of me and asked.
“I guess so.”
“Do you need any help?”
“It’s okay. “This is quite comfortable.”
The senior sitting next to me put down the board.
It was a situation where it was just the two of us.
In a word, good timing.
“…… Senior.”
“Yes. “Why do you do that?”
The senior answered brightly while flipping through her wet hair.
“…… Ah… no.”
No, if you bring this up now, the atmosphere will definitely become heavier.
After a pleasant trip, I didn’t want to bring up an uncomfortable story.
Even if I didn’t intend to do that, if this story got deeper, it could have turned into a tone of questioning or blaming my senior.
In the first place, I had never even thought about my career path.
You have to go beyond just your career path and go into personal concerns for counseling.
It was a huge burden for me, who was not a psychological counselor.
Is it proof that Sayoko trusts me that much by entrusting me with such a difficult problem?
Yes, I am quite close to Takase-senpai.
I was aware that although we weren’t as close as Haruna or Yuuki, we were close enough to go on a trip together now.
Besides, the senior… ….
– I want you to be my manager… Only for me. –
– Of course, it will be in the distant future. –
– If you decided to walk with me… Please keep that medal. –
There was a time when someone made such a semi-coercive promise to me.
Now that I remember that incident, it has become even more difficult to open my mouth.
“Manager.”
“Oh, yes.”
I flinched without realizing it and raised my head in surprise.
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However, the body did not move.
“…… “You look uncomfortable.”
The senior with a bitter smile held out her hand.
I dug into the sand nearby and exposed my shoulders.
“… Tskcha.”
Then he grabbed both of my shoulders and lifted me up lightly.
My body came out in an instant like a green onion root being pulled out.
Sand is falling.
“As expected, a senior….”
No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t get out, so I gave up.
“hehehe… ….”
The senior smiled slightly and said while shaking the sand off my shoulders.
“There is a competition coming up soon.”
“Oh, yes.”
“I hope the manager comes to cheer us on that day.”
“…… Yes. “Of course.”
I’m sure we’ll all go together.
However, I couldn’t understand why they were specifically asking for me.
It was difficult for me to immediately listen to Sayoko’s request right after this conversation.
However, Senior Takase was smiling softly as if she had no such worries or problems, or as if all her heavy burdens had been lifted.
She came to think that if she was next to such a senior, she would want to watch his smile no matter where she was or what she was doing.