Daichi Itakura:

After promising to Otosaki that I would go together with her after school, I decided to go to the clubroom just to inform them that I would be heading home already. Of course no way I could tell them about my meeting with Otosaki.

I told Otosaki to wait for 10 minutes after school. In the mean time, I went to the clubroom. I slowly opened the door and saw four people inside. Three of them were of course the regular members. The odd one was a boy with an athletic physique and shaved head. I could guess he was probably a junior to us.

Tachibana senpai saw me and said, "Ah Dai-kun! Perfect time. This boy is our new client. Sit here and hear his problems."

"I see.", I answered and reluctantly sat on my chair. Honestly I wanted to just inform them and leave. But at this moment, it would be little disrespectful to do so.

"So Kazama-kun, tell your problems to us.", Tachibana senpai asked the boy.

"Okay...", He was a little bit uncomfortable but still decided to talk.

"My name is... Kazama Eiji. First year. Umm... actually I have a classmate named Shiina Nagi. I mistakenly told her that I love running... so now I have to run on the upcoming track and field competitions of our school."

"Wait. Wait. You mistakenly told her that you love running? Mistakenly? And now she wants you to run on the upcoming sports day?", I stopped him and asked.

"Y-Yes. Exactly."

"And how did you mistakenly tell her that, Kazama-kun?", Tachibana senpai sarcastically asked him.

"W-Well...", He stumbled. "She was talking me about how she loves seeing athletes running. And that the students of 'track and field' club are so cool. So, I kind of... you know... went with the flow and told her that even though I'm not a member of 'track and field' club, I still like running."

I see... A classic case of impressing a girl 'went wrong'.

"And you don't really like running, Kazama-kun?", Tachibana senpai asked.

"No... I don't like it. I actually used to run in middle school. But my record wasn't something to be proud of."

"So why don't you run?", Yanami Mai, who was silent until now, asked Kazama. 

"Umm... I can run, senpai.", He answered with sadness. "But I can't win or even come close to winning. Won't that be embarrassing? Nagi will think me as a loser."

"Can you tell me what your friend, Nagi is like?", Yanami looked really interested in this case.

"Nagi? She's... beautiful, cute, can look great in any dress."

"Hold your horses, I'm asking about her personality."

"O-Oh? Sorry. Nagi is kind, always tries to help her friends. She also talks to me everyday."

Dude, you're love struck. Until now, I have seen only some girls being this love struck. It's nice for a change.

Oh by the way, hearing 'track and field' club, I remembered of that girl, Wakamiya Remon. She was also a member of that club. I wonder what she might be upto on the sports day. 

"Then you should definitely take part on the sports day.", Yanami claimed. 

"Ehh... But I will lose... I won't even come top 10.", He retaliated. 

"Listen... Nagi does not seem like a girl who will look down upon you if you lose."

"Huh? How can you be so sure, Yanami?", I asked.

Yanami smirked at me.

"Fufu... You don't understand girls, Daichi-san. There's a reason why you got rejected four times."

"You!"

This girl trolls me everytime she gets the opportunity. 

"Anyway.", she looked back at Kazama and said, "You should definitely take part. Trust me, Nagi will see your efforts, not the results. If you give your 100%, I'm pretty sure Nagi will be impressed, even if you don't come in top 10 or even top 100. And who knows, maybe you even win the race?"

Yanami's motivation seemed to be working. Kazama looked like he was up for it.

"Okay! Thank you Yanami senpai. I'll try my best then. But... only if someone could help me to train..."

"Don't worry!", Hajime senpai, who didn't say anything the whole time, suddenly got pumped up hearing him.

"I'll train you, my boy. There's still two weeks till sports day, right?"

"Oh T-Thank you, Hajime senpai."

"Wait a minute, Hajime.", Tachibana senpai stopped him and said, "How can you train Kazama-kun when you suck at athletics yourself?"

"Huh? How does it matter? Managing someone else is a different work. Why do you think there's so many great trainers in the world who weren't great athletes themselves?"

"I still don't trust you, Hajime."

"Ughhh.... Okay! I'll challenge you then. I'll train Kazama and he will become champion. Right Kazama? We have two weeks. Let's go train already!"

I had never seen Hajime senpai this fired up. But I guess he has forgotten one important thing.

"Ah okay. Let's go senpai!", Kazama also was ready to leave with him.

"Wait wait guys. I think you had forgotten that next week are our midterms exams.", I swiftly reminded them.

"Ah yes! I forgot.", Kazama answered.

"So what, Kazama? Exams can wait. Training can't.", Hajime senpai was still persistent.

"NO!", Tachibana senpai ordered, "Kazama should study for the exams for now. Training CAN wait."

"But... then we will only have one week left.", Hajime senpai protested. 

"If you're so great of a trainer, why do you need extra time?", Tachibana senpai asked with a smug face.

"Ughh... okay then! I take the challenge."

The situation was literally fire between Tachibana senpai and Hajime senpai. Were these two always like this? I wondered. 

After Kazama left, this place calmed down a little. Then I remembered...

Crap! Otosaki's still waiting for me!

I looked at my watch. 20 minutes have passed since I'm here. I needed to leave.

"Umm... everyone! I need to leave immediately."

"Huh? Why so, Dai-kun?"

"Actually I need to meet a friend today. So, I'm leaving now, sorry."

"Ah wait for two minutes. We needed to discuss about the meeting place for our study session.", Tachibana senpai stopped me.

"Study session?"

"I told you last night. That we will have a study session, especially for Mai-chan."

"I told you, I don't need anyone's help.", Yanami protested. 

"You suck at study, Mai-chan. This is the best for you."

Yanami gave up and rested her head on the table.

"So... as both my and this guy's houses are too far away for all of us to go", Tachibana senpai indicated at Hajime senpai and said, "I was thinking about conducting the study session on either Mai-chan's or Dai-kun's house."

"My house is also full of relatives for this week.", Yanami said. 

"Hmm... well my house is only 15 minutes from here.", I said, "And my parents aren't home for this weekend as they're at my grandmother's house."

"Brilliant! So this Saturday, we will go to Dai-kun's house, right everyone?"

"Okay..."

"Yeah. It's much better than Tachibana's house.", Hajime senpai just had to take one last dig at Tachibana senpai. 

I never had anyone other than Keiichi coming to my house. So this would really be a great experience for me. I was honestly a little bit excited. 

[To be continued]