Dong… dong… dong…
As the dismissal bell rang, Akira and Mr. Sakai returned to the gymnasium.
"Nothing more to say. School's out—be careful on your way home, everyone."
With that, Mr. Sakai dismissed the class and was the first to leave. The four groups scattered, and the once orderly gym instantly filled with chatter.
"Here. The juice you like."
Akira walked over to Shouko and handed her a bottle of 100% strawberry juice he'd picked up.
Shouko accepted it with a small smile, twisted the cap open, and took a sip before asking, "Was Mr. Sakai talking to you about the Track and Field Club?"
(He hadn't even drunk this yet—bad review.)
"How'd you guess that? Did he tell you ahead of time?" Akira blinked in surprise. Logically, there was no way she should have known…
"No. Takagi-chan guessed it." Shouko shook her head and handed the bottle back. "So it really was about joining track?"
Akira nodded, feeling oddly lighter after admitting it. "Pretty much."
"Then let's change back into our uniforms first. We can talk while walking."
"Alright, alright."
"So basically, Mr. Sakai wants you to join the track team and represent the first years in both sprints and the marathon at the sports festival?"
Shouko and Akira stood outside the Art Clubroom as he summarized the conversation.
"Yeah, that's the gist of it." Akira knocked on the wooden door. "But it'll only be decided after I race against the other first-years already in the club."
"I believe in you," Shouko said, flashing him a soft smile.
Click.
The door opened. A young woman with wavy brown hair in a white dress patterned with cherry blossoms greeted them.
"Hello, teacher, we're here to pay our club fees," Akira said quickly.
Shouko echoed his greeting politely.
Naruko-sensei stepped aside. "You must be Miyamura-san and Nishimiya-san, right? Yuki mentioned you both yesterday."
Her gaze lingered on Akira, studying him before nodding thoughtfully. "You certainly do make a strong first impression."
"Eh? What did Yuki-senpai say about us?" Shouko asked curiously once they entered.
Naruko-sensei chuckled, waving it off. "Nothing important. Come, sit down. And please—no need for honorifics. Just talk to me like a friend."
When she smiled, dimples appeared on her cheeks, and her eyes seemed to sparkle.
"Okay," Akira answered calmly.
Shouko, on the other hand, fidgeted.
"You don't need to be so nervous, Nishimiya-san," Naruko said kindly. "We'll be together for over two years. Too much formality will only tire you out."
She moved toward the coffee table. "Water or tea?"
"N-no, no, we'll help ourselves!" Shouko stood abruptly, flustered at the thought of a teacher pouring for her.
"Just water is fine, thank you," Akira said smoothly, remaining in his chair. He didn't stop Shouko—she needed to experience this herself.
Naruko poured two cups carefully, handing one to Shouko. "Here, would you mind giving this to Miyamura-san?"
She deliberately kept her distance—experience had taught her to avoid clumsy accidents with nervous students.
"Thank you, Naruko-sensei," Shouko said, taking the cup.
"Arigato, Naruko-sensei," Akira added. When Shouko sat back down, he held out his hand. "Thanks, Shouko."
But she pulled it back with a playful huff. "Who said I was giving it to you? I'll drink it myself. That's what you get for not asking properly."
Naruko-sensei smiled quietly, watching them banter. Childhood friends since infancy… The rumor was true. Their closeness made others envy them, and honestly, the chances of these two ending up married someday seemed very high.
Akira wasn't bothered. He knew she'd probably hand it over later—though chances were, it'd already be half-drunk.
"By the way, Naruko-sensei," Akira spoke up, "can I pay the fees now?"
"Oh! Right." She nodded, sipping her own cup of tea. "Your parents are aware of the amounts, yes?"
"Yeah." Akira pulled out his wallet. "It should be 4000 yen total—club fee, activity fee, and material costs, right?"
"That's correct." Naruko explained: "A one-time membership fee of 3000 yen, plus 1000 yen monthly for supplies and operations. Regular members pay this; casual attendees don't."
"Shouko and I both decided to be full members."
He took out the money for both of them and handed it over. (Shouko's mom hadn't been comfortable letting her carry cash, so she'd asked Akira to keep it for her.)
Naruko double-checked the bills before tucking them into her wallet. "All good. Just remember—there may be additional costs later, for things like competitions, sketching trips, or training camps. We'll notify you in advance."
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