39 – After Party
The classroom door bursts open.
I was sobbing surrounded by male high school students I hadn’t seen before before raising my head to look at them.
“……… Sister!”
Eri Takase.
My proud older sister.
Perhaps he heard the news from Yuu-kun, he was wearing a school uniform that had just come running out of school.
“You guys. What are you doing?”
My sister asks in a growling tone.
At the cultural festival of the boys’ high school where I went to play for the first time with Yuu-kun, I was surrounded by students and dragged to a remote classroom, crying without anyone’s help.
The one who came to rescue me was Eri.
“That girl is my precious little sister. I will not forgive you for touching even one of her fingertips.”
My sister had a few words with the guys at first, but then she clench her fists…
“This is your final warning.”
I broke the window.
Ignoring the flying shrapnel and the splatter of blood, she said as she glared at the men.
“Go away. I won’t forgive you if you don’t listen to me anymore.”
At that time, the older sister was much more fearsome and cold-hearted than she is now, and was like a wild horse that no one could handle, but….
I always admired her older sister even now.
A cool person.
A person who is not simply strong and has a pulpit, but has the courage to stand tall and not collapse.
Different from me, who is often embarrassed, troubled, and drawn to others…
Eri was my pride and admirer.
***
To be honest, I was perplexed.
I can’t do this.
That’s what I expected.
In the original story without my intervention, Eri Takase continues to suffer from poor physical condition for various reasons and receives poor grades.
It ranks fourth.
She always never misses her medal, so her continued situation drives her into a predicament.
And she makes the worst choice.
I entered the track and field club to stop it.
“Sister……….”
When she turned her head, she saw Haruna sitting next to her.
Holding her hands together, I was watching Takase-senpai walking around after the game.
Her performance was 6th.
A bit further down.
That was a nonsensical ranking for Eri Takase.
On one side, players who placed 1st, 2nd, and 3rd are standing on the podium. Take a picture with a medal hanging around your neck. Originally, Takase-senpai, she should have stayed there.
That was the reason she maintained her fame and remained a senior admired by everyone.
“What…… There are days like that.”
Yuki, sitting next to Haruna, said.
“…… Is not it? Why is everyone so depressed?”
“Ugh, yes… That’s right. Because being her older sister can’t always do well.”
That’s right.
If I were the manager of an ordinary track and field team, I wouldn’t be so flustered by one poor performance.
The problem is what will happen in the future.
Her mentality is gradually breaking, and Takase Eri, who is crushed by the trust and expectations around her, says that if she continues like this, she will make unimaginable choices in her usual state.
…… It’s my job to stop that.
Avert your gaze.
At the bottom of the arena was Masao Suda, arms folded and an angry look.
That side continues to be marked.
I can stop that man who can’t get enough of it.
But Eri Takase…….
What happened?
“Let’s go. Don’t be like this here.”
“Ugh, yes… !”
Yuuki stood up and moved his body.
I also followed them.
Coming down to the stadium.
Senior Takase, who was surrounded by members, saw us approaching.
“Sister~!”
“Sister Eri!”
She stood in front of us with a smile.
It was a bitter expression that was not like Eri Takase, and did not show her usual confidence or trustworthiness.
“Ah… are you guys Sorry. For showing me like this.”
“No! My sister is so cool!”
“Yes, there are days like this. Can we do better next time?”
While Haruna and Yuuki comforted me, I looked around.
From noble mtl dot com
It’s the same with Takase-senpai, but the grades of the other members aren’t that good either. Overall, the members had a gloomy atmosphere.
Masao Suda is the one who clicks his tongue while giving a hard look at them.
Actually, you probably like it.
That man has no other choice but to satisfy his darkest desires rather than his performance in the track and field club.
I’m just waiting for the target I’m aiming for to gradually weaken and fall into the trap.
And the timing was right after the next tournament.
Takase Eri’s grades are lower than now.
With a broken mentality as soon as it breaks, you fall into his demonic hand.
“……… ….”
I was lost in thought for a while, but when I looked up, I met Takase-senpai’s eyes.
The senior avoided her gaze and turned her head away with an embarrassed expression.
While she was watching me, when our eyes met, she avoided me.
I wondered if I had something to say, but soon I approached the members who were avoiding me.
“Let’s go back now. Even if I stay there, there is nothing to do.”
“Ugh… huh….”
“Minsu, are you over there?”
I nodded at Yuuki’s question.
I go back on the same bus as the members.
“Then… See you at school tomorrow.”
I waved at them.
Even on the way back, Haruna looked back at her as if she was worried, but soon she, like Yuuki, moved out of sight.
Now… Now is the time for me to step in.
I was surprised by the unexpected situation.
In that case, it’s something you need to know from now on.
Takase Eri, the representative of the track and field club, is in poor physical condition and poor grades, of course, affecting the team members.
I tried to figure out why Eri Takase wasn’t using her strength more than usual.
“…… Thank you all for your hard work. Do you need a new towel?”
I approached the members and asked.
Like Takase-senpai, they greeted me with shyness or low tension.
“Yes. Will you give me one?”
“Manager-kun. How was it? Wasn’t it your first time competing?”
“How? I showed you something like this.”
They approached the seniors who joked among themselves and laughed self-deprecatingly, and held out a towel.
“It can’t be. I saw it with my heart pounding.”
“Was it fun?”
Senior Yuni smiled and accepted the towel I gave her.
“Yes. Everyone is so cool. The atmosphere itself is different from usual. Senior Anda looked cool for the first time.”
“What~? You cheeky manager!”
When I made her joke, senior Anda immediately responded and tousled my hair.
“You bastard! You bastard!”
“Don’t do it~! Manager-kun, you hate it!”
A calm laugh spreads among the members. Touching the hair that stretched out here and there, I glanced at it.
Masao Suda is talking on the phone from afar.
“We… Shall we have an after party when we go back?”
I suggested, lowering my voice subtly.
The members looked at each other, noticing what she had said inaudible to him.
“But… ….”
“If Suda knew, he wouldn’t be quiet….”
Hush, I put my index finger to my mouth and said.
“So, except for that person, just us. We go back and pretend to disperse, then get back together.”
Looking back at the members with a smile.
“How is it?”
There was silence.
An after-party is originally a place to celebrate and enjoy the achievements so far. Can I spend that kind of time in the state of low grades now? An atmosphere of hesitation descended.
“Please~ This is my first time having a tournament or an after party. Couldn’t you do it for the rookie manager?”
But I want to get together to play and eat.
That’s why no one was able to firmly deny or reject it and just noticed.
“…… Eri.”
Her
Sayoko called her as she was about to get up and go back.
“……… Ha.”
She turned around and sighed.
“……… I will go back and rest.”
As soon as the senior spoke, the members made a fuss.
“…… But for the sake of the manager, I can’t help it. It’s fine with you guys.”
That was an unusual sign of acceptance.
The members liked it with small cheers and eye smiles.
I looked at Takase-senpai’s back as he moved.
I’m going to fall alone… It can’t be.
Why did you insist on having an after party?
After the tournament, I returned to school, and after listening to Suda’s nagging for thirty minutes, the members dispersed.
However, when Suda confirmed that she had left work after dinner time, she planned to gather in the club room and enjoy an after party.
I got out of the school gate in advance and waited at the corner of the street where my senior passed by.
To hear the sincerity of the senior at the after party today.
It was a completely unexpected character, but Takase-senpai was weak against alcohol.
The only thing I drank that day during the field training was two small cans. He did that to me when he was just that drunk.
Oops… When I think about it, my heart is beating again.
Alcohol is such a scary thing.
She makes her men and women without any ointment cling to each other on the bed like that.
Even after the effect disappears, the events of that time continue to haunt oneself. It was the so-called black history.
A mistake caused by alcohol.
Let’s not drink and buy again.
I’m not the only one making such a promise.
Takase-senpai also apologized to me.
But I was going to touch her again today.
Drinking reveals her tightly hidden inner thoughts.
Since there are other members, there is no such thing as an unfortunate incident like that time.
There is nothing better than if we can show each other’s weak sides and unite with more harmony.
Well, this plan might have as many side effects.
At least I wanted to hear what Takase-senpai was thinking.
If she wasn’t different from usual, she wouldn’t be able to record the low grades like now.
I thought that by keeping Suda in check, she did a good job preventing her senior’s mentality from collapsing.
How did the rank go down?
I wanted to know why.
“……… Senior!”
They jumped up and blocked Takase-senpai’s way.
“……… Manager.”
She looked down at me and tilted her head.
“Why are you here?”
“Because I was waiting for you.”
Now it’s not even acting. As the only male manager of the women’s track and field team, my role of winning favor with them and taking care of everyone in a bright and energetic way had already been solidified in that way.
Yeah, it was acting at first, but I got used to it by acting like that and continuing to do it.
This is my role here.
“It’s a bit disappointing when everyone gets together and only the seniors are left out.”
“………… I just want to rest.”
The senior said calmly.
“I can’t help it if you’re tired, but….”
I honestly conveyed my feelings while scratching the back of my neck.
“I just want to tell you that if you are going to be alone out of consideration for the members, there is absolutely no need for that.”
“…………….”
Perhaps because of my mood, these days, my senior seemed particularly cold towards me.
There’s no such thing as saying coldly like Sayoko-senpai. That expression was as calm as usual.
“Then stop….”
A senior passes me by. She shouted at her back.
“Because I feel sad when I don’t have a senior… !”
“……… ….”
“It’s not about being considerate of seniors… I just waited on purpose because of my greed.”
Yes, my goal is Eri Takase, not anyone else.
Takase-senpai stood tall and did not move from the spot.
He then went up behind him and stuck out his head.
“…… Senior?”
“……… ….”
Then, the senior avoided my gaze and quickly turned her body. It’s like you don’t want to show your face.
“Are you leaving?”
“………… Ugh.”
Put her head back in the direction she turned her body.
Then the senior avoided me again.
“Let’s go together~”
“………… You, you….”
She poked her head at the senior who kept avoiding me and made an earnest request.
The senpai stood there stubbornly and did not move her one step.
She didn’t even try to walk away from me.