Chapter 15
Chapter 15
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 15
Chapter Title: Is This School Full of Nothing but Perverts?
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We arrived at the Basketball Club, changed into our gym clothes in the locker room, and headed out to the court.
...But as much as I'd hoped otherwise, they were really matching couple gym uniforms.
"Yujin, stay here and watch! It's fine if you just observe today!"
Airi's beaming smile, a far cry from her usual slightly timid expression.
Was Airi part of the Basketball Club? The members greeted her warmly, so maybe.
Basketball... I'd tried it once before.
But after I botched a shot and broke my pinky finger, I quit.
'...Airi's amazing.'
Even to a total beginner's eyes, the gap in skill between Airi and the others was obvious.
Her height towering a full head above the rest, those long limbs. Come to think of it, her body's perfectly optimized for basketball.
"Wow."
A fiery dunk shot.
They say that's insanely hard in real life, but Airi makes it look effortless.
Airi sank shot after shot, exchanging feedback with the club members before resuming practice, repeating the cycle several times.
Just watching was entertaining enough that I didn't notice an hour had passed until I checked the time.
"Yujin! How was it!?"
Clap clap clap—.
"It was super, super cool!"
"Hehe... ehehehe..."
What is this? She's so cute.
She was just moving so coolly a second ago—what's with this gap, huh?
"So, shall we head to the Tennis Club next?"
"Huh?"
Tennis Club? Why?
"Come on, we're short on time!"
Airi grabbed my hand from where I was sitting and started running off at a brisk pace.
Running across the wide field with the Basketball Club waving us off felt great... but why the Tennis Club!?
"Airi, why the Tennis Club...?"
"I promised to help with their practice today."
"Ah...?"
She's in Basketball Club but helping with Tennis Club practice too? Airi's so kind, she probably couldn't turn down their request...
A short while later, we arrived at the Tennis Club.
The six or so members burst into applause the moment they saw Airi.
"Lady Airi! And even Lady Yujin! Ahh... what bliss is this!"
"Indeed! Ahh, such supreme happiness...!"
The problem was, these were the same voices I'd heard from the bathroom stalls.
You guys are in the Tennis Club...?
"Yujin, I'll spot for the captain's practice, so why don't you play with Clara over there? She's skilled, so it'll be fine even if you're a beginner."
"I'll go easy on you, Lady Yujin!"
"...We'll allow it."
This atmosphere made it impossible to refuse.
With so many eyes on us, they wouldn't try to eat me alive... right? Scary.
In the end, Clara and I took over an entire court for our match, with the four spectators—excluding Airi and the captain—watching.
You guys should practice too.
"Lady Yujin, hit the ball as hard as you like! I can receive anything!"
Sawaa, sawaa.
...In Japanese, it'd be like desu wa~ desu wa~. I thought it'd sound weird in real life, but with Clara's bread-hair bun and noble vibe, it kinda fits.
"Hiyah!"
Regardless of her speech, I swung my racket full force.
I don't love moving my body much, but tennis is light enough to enjoy casually.
"Hah!"
The ball headed toward the opponent's side after hitting my racket, but Clara was instantly there, smacking it back to my side.
Strangely, at a speed I could actually return.
"Yah!"
And so the rally continued.
I'm a beginner, so my returns were sloppy, and the ball occasionally flew out of bounds, but Clara never missed once, always sending it back to me.
No matter the angle I hit it, it always came to where I stood, at a speed I could handle. I knew she was babying me, but it was still fun beyond that.
'What is this.'
Thud—!
Thud—!
'This is fun!'
Tennis is such an enjoyable sport.
Moving my body felt great, filling me with energy all over.
I only ever did basketball after watching Slam Dunk, but this could be a new hobby.
"Ahh, I've lost."
After several long rallies, the ball finally bounced twice in Clara's court.
...No, that's not it.
"Clara, you could've returned that last one, right?"
"Y-Yes?"
"I want to see your real strength."
"...My real strength, desu wa?"
"Yeah."
Maybe she read the determination in my eyes, because Clara's relaxed smile turned into a blazing stare as she picked up the ball.
Her intensity made my whole body twitch—I wanted to run—but I gripped my racket steady.
"Here it comes!"
Swoooosh—!
A smash totally different in speed and power from before.
The ball whizzed past me in an instant, bounced off the ground, and vanished into the distance.
Thud—.
"L-Lady Yujin! Are you okay!?"
Tension sapped my legs; I collapsed, and Clara rushed over to support me.
This... is a ball with real intent behind it.
"Amazing..."
"...Huh?"
"Clara, you're amazing! I couldn't even see it properly."
I hugged her slim waist tight and looked up at her.
At first, she scared me, but now admiration welled up.
"L-Lady Yujin...?"
"Can I come practice with you again sometime? I want to one day return your real shots."
"O-Of course!"
"Hehe, thanks."
Squeeze—.
Today was worth following Airi around.
Feels like I found a great hobby.
"Yujin, you look like you're having fun..."
"Ah."
As I enjoyed petting Clara's soft hair while hugging her, I felt an intense gaze from the side and had to turn.
Airi, glaring daggers, yanked me from Clara's arms, hugged me tight herself, then bowed to the Tennis Club members.
"Everyone, see you next time."
"...Good work, Lady Airi."
"Thanks for your hard work!"
"Clara~ See you next time!"
Being carried by Airi, I waved back at Clara.
...Hey, Clara. Everything's fine, but could you stop drooling while staring? It's terrifying.
"Hey, Airi."
"Yes?"
"Where to next?"
"Next is Kendo Club, then Judo Club, then Fencing Club, then Rhythm Gymnas—"
"Stop, stop!"
I clamped my hand over Airi's mouth as she rattled off athletic club names nonstop.
No way—we only did three clubs yesterday with Seo-ah, and now all these in one day!?
"...You're in Basketball Club, right, Airi?"
"Huh? I love basketball, but I'm not in the club."
"...Then Tennis Club?"
"Hehe, same with tennis."
So she was just helping out of kindness? And she's mastered every sport to the point of assisting club leaders?
...I thought Airi was a literature girl who hated sports like me, but she's a total sports monster.
"Yujin, like I said, time's short!"
"Save me..."
In the end, trailing after Airi, we visited eight more athletic clubs.
Not just watching—I had to participate... She spared me basketball to avoid injury, maybe.
"I'm exhausted..."
"Hehe, good job today, Yujin."
Drained of all energy, barely able to walk, I ended up piggybacked on Airi as we headed somewhere else.
She said the next spot was just for watching... I hope so.
"Airi, is this the last one...?"
I'm seriously done.
"Last one. It's the club where I'm captain."
"You!?"
That one word sent endorphins surging through me, snapping my fatigued eyes wide open.
The all-around sports girl Airi is a captain!? How good is she... I gotta see!
"Yeah. I was hoping you'd take an interest and join... hehe."
"Mm, I'll think about it."
Come to think of it, I can join clubs too.
I've been too busy following Stella members around every day to consider it.
...Haven't found one that really clicks yet, though.
"Here we are."
"...Archery Club?"
The place Airi brought me to was the Archery Club, in its own large building.
Feels steeped in history and tradition.
"The other members are at a tournament, so no one's here today. Sit wherever you like!"
Tournament? Then why didn't Airi... No way she skipped for me.
"Hey, Airi, isn't it okay for you to miss the tournament?"
"Hehe, I've won that one multiple times already, so I'm yielding the chance to others."
Ah, got it.
I'd have been mad if she skipped for me.
"Yujin, wait a sec!"
Airi fetched me a cushion, then busied herself somewhere.
About five minutes later, she reappeared looking straight out of a Japanese manga.
White top, black bottom kyudo uniform, chest protector.
And a bow as tall as me.
"You shoot something that big?"
"Yep! Your hands get used to it after a while!"
I couldn't even draw the string.
"Yujin, watch this. I'll shoot three lightly!"
She gazed at the distant target, then closed her eyes.
Eyes closed, bow raised—it was like a photoshoot, and I gasped without thinking.
"Wow..."
Creak, creeeak...
Opening her eyes, Airi drew the bowstring, the massive bow bending with a loud groan.
A moment later, she released—the arrow flew like lightning.
Thuk—!
Too fast to track, it hit dead center, drawing another gasp from me.
Thuk, thuk—!
The next two arrows hit center too. Even as a complete novice, I knew this was incredible—how skilled Airi was.
Clap clap clap, clap clap clap—!
"Amazing! So amazing, Airi!"
"Hoo..."
She exhaled deeply and turned to me, sweat beading on her face—yet still stunningly beautiful.
The real Airi is this cool, huh.
"What do you think, Yujin? Tempted to join Archery Club!?"
"...Might be too tough."
"Wh-Why!?"
"The bow's too big..."
"Ah..."
I'd love to try, but physically impossible.
"We could make a special bow just for you, Yujin!"
"But don't they have standard sizes? Mine would have to be tiny, and that's not allowed."
"...True."
"Yeah. Still, you were super cool just now."
"Cool..."
Airi clutched her cheeks shyly for a moment, then knelt before me, locking eyes intensely.
For some reason, she looked even cooler, so...
I turned away.
"Yujin. We haven't hugged yet today."
"...True."
"Can I hug you now?"
Pat, pat—.
I hadn't even said yes.
Knowing I would, Airi tossed her chest protector aside.
...No helping it.
"Sure."
Squeeze—.
Thump, thump—.
"Airi, a little gentler..."
"Ah, sorry..."
Her hug was too tight; I asked her to loosen up, but then...
"...Sorry. Actually, hug me harder."
Something felt off, so I asked again. Sorry, I'm so fickle.
"Ah, ah..."
Sniff, sniff... haa.
Airi buried her nose in my hair, sniffing—still pervy as ever.
But for some reason, I didn't want to push her away.
"...Last time, Catherine removed the band-aid, right?"
"Huh...?"
"Yeah... it wasn't the same brand as mine. And after, you two were alone in the dorm."
...Airi's sharp. And scary.
"Yujin, if it hurts... I'm sorry. Really sorry."
Riiip—.
"Eek..."
Lick, lick—...
Hot.
My neck's hot. It hurts. Itches.
If I had any strength left today, I'd shove her off.
But I'm exhausted. So... be gentle....
"Haa... I'll put the band-aid back on."
A silver thread stretched between Airi's mouth and my neck.
Why does my neck attract all these perverts?
"...Put it on quick."
Maybe I should wear a scarf.