Chapter 114: Different Dreams on the Same Bed
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 114: Different Dreams on the Same Bed
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What did I just hear?
Did I hear that correctly?
“A wish...?”
“Yes. A wish. Earning points from the club captain means I did a good job, right?”
Matsuda was the one who said he wanted to spar, yet here he was, setting conditions.
Was he even properly reflecting on his actions? It was absurd.
And what was with that shy expression...?
“Are you serious?”
“If not, we can just do it. Should I get ready right now?”
“Hah...”
A brat who didn't seem to take kendo seriously.
And yet, a wild horse with the visible talent to become an incredible master, brimming with potential.
That was how Matsuda looked to me right now.
Have we ever had a club member with such a strong personality?
I’d never seen anyone like him, not in the academy, nor in middle or high school.
A strange sense of stubbornness began to well up inside me.
“I’m trying to approach you in my own way, but you’re still looking at me with prejudice, Captain.”
Caught off guard by Matsuda’s sudden remark, Renka frowned.
“Prejudice...? Your actions can’t be called good, even putting it nicely.”
“You mean me mentioning a wish?”
“That, and the violent behavior you showed Miura...! That’s the biggest issue. Are you asking because you don’t know?”
“I am reflecting on it.”
“It doesn’t look that way to me at all.”
“That’s because the person in front of me is you, Captain.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It’s obvious you dislike me, and you act like you disapprove of everything I do. Anyone would get defiant if they were treated that way.”
Matsuda’s tone was growing a little heated.
He looked like he was about to unleash everything he’d been holding back.
Deciding to watch a little longer, she crossed her arms, and Matsuda continued.
“Didn’t we get off to a good start? Things were a little off at the very beginning, but when I was cleaning the school gate to get my volunteer hours, I bowed to you, and you encouraged me, telling me to keep it up. Remember?”
“Yes, I remember.”
“I also remember the day we happened to run into each other when I went to buy a figure. You even laughed at my joke back then.”
“That’s right. And I’m still grateful you gave me a ride home.”
“But everything went wrong after that, didn’t it? The exact moment was probably... after the spar with my classmate.”
Now that he mentioned it... something had definitely started to go awry after that.
Like gears grinding against each other, creating a jarring dissonance.
Of course, things had been precarious even before then, but the conflict truly escalated after the friendly match.
Hitting the side of a classmate’s helmet is an act of disrespect toward one’s opponent.
The martial art of kendo, which Renka herself loved so dearly.
She had been furious with Matsuda for not respecting it, and after the match, she had called him over and lectured him in a stern tone.
And Matsuda had shown a disrespectful attitude, barely pretending to listen.
‘Is it because of... pride?’
Matsuda had a strong ego. Just like highly skilled athletes who have their own standards.
And in that, she was the same.
Matsuda wouldn't have wanted to back down from her, who was consistently cold to him.
And she hadn't wanted to speak kindly to the flippant Matsuda.
As this continued, and as she watched Matsuda stray from the path from time to time, her feelings had built up, and it seemed they had finally exploded this time.
“I haven’t caused any trouble and have been quiet since joining the kendo club, but you’ve always disapproved of me, Captain. Because I’m stuck with the image of a delinquent.”
“There’s that, but things would have been different if you had shown even a little respect for your opponent in that match. If you had apologized right then and there, it wouldn’t have come to this. And do you remember what you said back then?”
“What was that?”
“When your classmate was hit on the side of the helmet, the coach told you it wasn’t a valid striking area. You answered that you knew. And when I asked you why you would hit the side of the helmet, what did you say? You said it wasn’t a foul, and that it was a free spar, right? Doesn’t that mean you knew that strike was bad manners?”
“I didn’t know it was something like an unwritten rule.”
“It was a misunderstanding?”
“Yes.”
Renka’s voice rose slightly.
“Then you should have said so sooner... If you had just said you didn’t know the etiquette in the first place, I would have explained it, told you to be careful next time, and it would have ended on a good note.”
“In the first place? If we’re going to talk about ‘in the first place,’ shouldn’t you have first asked if I knew or not?”
“When you answered like that, as if you knew, who would have thought you didn’t?”
Putting aside the circumstances and who was right or wrong, their relationship showed no signs of improving because they were endlessly caught in this loop, clinging to their pride and stubbornness.
In times like these, one person has to yield or back down.
But neither Matsuda nor she had any intention of doing so.
After the friendly match, when Matsuda was scolded by Chinami, seeing his docile reaction had made her briefly wonder if her own methods were wrong.
It was also true that he was gradually improving under Chinami’s guidance, and that she had viewed Matsuda with a narrow perspective.
As the captain of the kendo club, she knew the right thing to do was to take a step back here, but...
If she did that with someone as ego-driven as Matsuda, there was a chance he would become even more insolent.
And honestly, as a person-to-person contest, she didn’t want to lose this battle of pride.
She didn’t care if others thought it was childish.
She desperately wanted to tame him. That wild horse.
So, what should she do?
As a headache began to set in, an idea flashed through Renka’s mind, and her eyes lit up.
‘A wish, he says...’
Perhaps she could use Matsuda’s proposal to resolve this broken relationship.
For instance, she could also set a condition, that if met, he would have to obey her unconditionally...
Or that he would have to spend two hours a day learning about kendo...
Something like that.
Given Matsuda’s personality—he wasn’t one to make excuses—he would follow without complaint if he lost.
If so, couldn’t she use this method to guide him?
It was a bit coercive, but wasn’t that the nature of wishes?
Given time, Matsuda would adapt.
The only worry was that she didn’t know what kind of wish Matsuda would make.
It was unsettling. His mentioning a wish out of the blue.
Of course, all she had to do was not lose, and she was confident she would win, but...
Considering the sharp instincts Matsuda had shown during their spar and the improvement in his skills through training, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to set up a safety net.
“Let’s end this topic here and get to the point. What kind of wish do you want to make?”
“I don’t know.”
“What do you mean you don’t know? It didn’t seem like you said it in the heat of the moment, so you must have something in mind. Don’t tell me you’re planning on suggesting... something weird?”
“Something weird?”
“.....”
Unable to bring herself to say it, Renka clamped her mouth shut. Matsuda let out a small “Ah...” of realization and then asked.
“You’re not thinking of something sexual, are you?”
At his direct question, Renka’s face flushed bright red.
Seeing her face, Matsuda shook his head as if in disbelief.
Feeling a pang of guilt, Renka quickly replied.
“I-I wasn’t thinking of anything sexual...! Don’t jump to conclusions...!”
“Well, that’s a relief. In any case, it’s nothing like that.”
The serious atmosphere was strangely lightening up.
But why? They had only exchanged a few words.
It was ridiculous.
Renka squeezed her eyes shut then opened them, composing herself before speaking.
“I’m going to set a condition, too.”
“A condition? A wish?”
“Yes. We’ll both wager a wish. Considering the skill gap, let’s say you get one point, and I get ten. Whoever reaches their score first gets their wish granted. A total of 30 matches. When the sparring is over, I’ll just drop the single digit from my total score. How about it?”
“Ten points?”
“Yes. Don’t you think that’s fair?”
“....What about a referee? Is it Nanase-senpai?”
“It’s me. Since I’m your opponent, I’m confident I can judge accurately.”
“Huh...? You’re going to be the judge...?”
Matsuda’s mouth fell slightly open.
Renka let out a hollow laugh, as if she understood how he felt.
“I called it an instructional spar, but honestly, I see this as an emotional battle. Isn’t it embarrassing to tell anyone else?”
“....Well, you have a point.”
“I promise to judge fairly. If you have even the slightest doubt about a call, we’ll find a new referee then.”
“No, I have no complaints. Let’s do it that way.”
“Good. How about 10 PM tonight?”
“Sounds good.”
The conversation had moved so quickly it could have been called impulsive.
Still, it was what they both wanted...
By the way, why on earth did Matsuda go so far with Miura?
Weren’t they close friends?
She knew Matsuda even gave him rides home, and that the three of them, including Hanazawa, were close...
Did they perhaps fight about something yesterday?
She hadn’t had many chances to observe the two of them, but now that she thought about it, Miura had never actually called Matsuda a friend.
The way they always addressed each other by their last names was also a bit... their relationship felt somewhat ambiguous.
Whatever the case, that wasn’t what was important.
Preparing for the spar tonight was the priority.
Shaking off her distracting thoughts, Renka opened the door to the training room.
“Shall we go in and finish training? I was originally planning to push you hard, but your body shouldn’t be tired for the spar, so let’s take it easy.”
“Yes.”
* * *
From the moment I mentioned the wish, I had expected Renka to propose a bet.
But I didn’t know it would be like this.
I thought she would at least try to compromise. Something like a best-of-five or best-of-seven.
But to think she’d fight fire with fire...
It showed how confident she was in her skills, but wasn’t she even a little worried about me? So typical of Renka.
And 30 matches, no less. Considering a standard match is a best-of-three, this would take an enormous amount of time.
It was a marathon match, a number of rounds that would demand incredible concentration.
Things had gone slightly off-track, but it was more or less what I wanted.
I have to score, no matter what.
Checking the time and seeing it was almost our appointment, I stood up and put on my coat.
I glanced over at Tetsuya, who was just fiddling with his phone.
He’d become noticeably quieter since our spar. It’s nice to finally have some peace and quiet.
Out of consideration for your despairing heart, I’ll forgive you even if you snore today.
Tucking my uniform inside my coat, I walked past him and said.
“I’m going for a walk.”
“Again? Be safe.”
“Yeah.”
After our awkward exchange, I went outside and headed for the training hall, a short distance from the mountain lodge.
The lights were on, so Renka must have arrived first.
After confirming no one was around, I opened the door and went inside. Sure enough, Renka was there in her uniform, stretching.
She was loosening up, extending her long limbs, when she spotted me and walked over.
“Get changed and stretch.”
“Yes.”
“Wait a minute... I have something to ask you before that. What are the limits of the wish?”
Why is she being so meticulous?
With those bright, clear eyes... she’s full of surprises.
“Anything goes, except for sexual stuff.”
When I mentioned the minor incident from the afternoon, Renka flinched and cleared her throat.
“....Fine.”
“No using a wish to cancel out the other’s wish.”
“I agree to that as well.”
“Alright. Then we’re set.”
Renka said no more and focused on warming up.
Letting out a quiet chuckle she couldn’t see, I went into the makeshift changing room and started to get undressed.
Now, it was time to resolve our built-up misunderstandings by clashing with all our might.
No, that’s not right. It’s time to make the seeds of conspiracy I’ve sown begin to sprout.
I have to show her everything.
I’d like to get about five points, but since my opponent is the genius Renka, I’ll set my maximum at around three.