Chapter 123: Wordplay, Hand Play
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 123: Wordplay, Hand Play
“Miura? Did something happen today? You seem down.”
At Renka’s exceedingly kind voice, Tetsuya, who had been mechanically swinging his shinai, flinched.
He’s been spacing out all day, thinking about what happened this morning. If he keeps this up, his mind is going to snap.
Not that I care.
“Nothing in particular happened...”
“That’s a relief, then. Your posture is collapsing after your strikes. Focus on holding it.”
“Yes, Captain.”
“Keep up the good work. I’m rooting for you.”
“Thank you...!”
As Tetsuya began practicing again, a bit of color returned to his face.
It seemed Renka’s encouragement had given him strength... How pathetic.
I snorted quietly and was silently folding dry towels when,
“Matsuda.”
I turned my head as Renka’s call cut through the sharp cracks of the shinai.
“Come here.”
Renka was beckoning to me from a corner of the club room.
I finished folding the towel and walked over to her.
“What is it?”
“Are you free on Saturday? I want to use my wish.”
Of all days, Saturday?
I was supposed to have a hot night with Miyuki the day before and then get some rest...
But if I say it’s a bad time, it’ll look like I’m backing down. I have no choice.
“I’m free.”
“Aren’t you going to ask what the wish is?”
“I’m sure you’ll tell me when you’re good and ready.”
“...Fine. I’ll text you the time and place on Friday, so come there the next day. I’ll pay for gas, of course, so don’t worry about it.”
Her mentioning gas money suggested it was somewhere far.
Or maybe she just hated being indebted to me in any way, so she was offering to pay even for a short distance.
“Understood.”
“As for your outfit, workout clothes or anything comfortable to move in will be fine.”
Is she planning on making me farm or something?
Exhausting me with hard labor... She doesn’t have such an old-fashioned idea, does she?
I doubt she’d use her precious wish on something like that, but...
Considering the distance in our relationship right now, she might not have a good wish to use, and since it expires in a month, she has to use it soon. So it’s not entirely out of the question.
“Alright. Is that all you needed to say?”
“...Yes.”
“Then I’ll get back to work.”
“Go ahead.”
As I was finishing up the remaining tasks, I saw the club room door open and a man who looked to be in his sixties or seventies walk in.
He hesitated, watching the club members practicing and sweating. When a bewildered Renka approached him, they exchanged a few words before entering the coach’s office together.
And a short while later,
Click.
“Matsuda!”
The door to the coach’s office flew open and Goro popped out, looking for me.
* * *
A man was looking at me with a warm gaze, Goro was fidgeting nervously in front of him, and Renka was standing at ease.
Surveying the three people in the coach’s office, I had a rough idea of what was going on.
It’s about yesterday.
The woman from the minor collision had noticed my uniform and looked closely at my name tag. This was definitely related to that.
“This is the Vice Principal. Greet him.”
Goro introduced the man in a gentle tone, unlike the one he used to call me.
So she was the vice principal’s daughter, not the principal’s.
Who cares whose daughter she is? As long as she looks young for her age and is pretty, that’s all that matters.
“Hello. I’m Matsuda Ken. Did I cause some kind of trouble?”
I bowed my head, pretending to know nothing. The vice principal, who had a full white beard, let out a hearty laugh.
“No, it’s nothing like that. By any chance, were you in a minor car accident yesterday in an alley leading to Nerima Ward?”
“Yes. How did you know?”
“The person who caused that accident was my daughter. I came to thank you.”
A shame.
It would’ve been better if she’d come to the classroom during class or break time. Of all places, she had to express her gratitude at the kendo club.
Still... a good deed like this is beneficial no matter who sees it, so I’ll let it slide.
“Ah... was the woman I met yesterday your daughter?”
“Yes. When she came home, she was so happy, saying a student from our academy named Matsuda Ken had graciously let it go. When I heard the name, I wondered if it was the Matsuda Ken I knew, and I was surprised to find out it was true.”
As someone involved in the school’s administrative affairs, there’s no way he hadn’t heard the rumors about me.
I scratched my head as if embarrassed and said, “I am rather famous, but not in a good way.”
“That was in the past. Not anymore.”
“I appreciate you saying so.”
“It’s good to see you turning over a new leaf. But... could I ask why you accepted money from my daughter yesterday?”
It didn’t seem like he was trying to find fault with me for taking money I didn’t need to. It looked like he wanted to confirm what I was thinking at the time.
“Because if I just let it go, she might get complacent and cause another accident. That’s what I was thinking then.”
“Excellent.”
“You’re too kind.”
“Is your car okay? If the repair costs are high, I’ll take care of it.”
“No, it’s fine. There’s no problem at all.”
After a few more words, the vice principal expressed his sincere gratitude one last time and left the office.
Goro, whose lips had been twitching the entire time, slapped my shoulder hard.
“Well done, Matsuda. You did a great thing.”
“Things like this happen by chance, I guess.”
“They certainly do. This is a joyous occasion for our kendo club. We might even get a small budget increase next year.”
Judging by the vice principal’s image, he seemed like the type to separate his public and private affairs. Would he really do that?
It would’ve been better if he’d given me a personal reward... like his daughter’s body...
“Does this mean next year’s training camp will be at a hot spring?”
“If you’re still here next year, I’ll consider it.”
After a brief exchange of jokes with me, Goro went outside to watch over the members’ training.
Renka, who had been watching me silently with a look of surprise, spoke up.
“I’m surprised.”
“About what?”
“Nothing. You did well.”
“A compliment from the captain... I don’t feel particularly good, but not bad either, you know?”
“...Even when I compliment you...”
“I’m kidding.”
“Haa... I must be crazy... Let’s go.”
Renka opened the office door, muttering to herself in a self-deprecating tone.
Did Renka’s opinion of me go up, even a little?
She’ll probably forget all about it when I’m acting as her instructor, though... But it’s not a bad thing if I think of it as a good deed canceling out a bad one.
* * *
“Tomorrow is finally the day.”
Chinami was steeling her resolve like a soldier heading into battle.
I casually brushed down the dress shirt of my uniform and nodded.
“Yep. It’s tomorrow. But why are you so nervous?”
“Ahem...! It’s not nervousness, it’s anticipation. I’m sure you’re looking forward to tomorrow as well, Junior?”
“Of course I am.”
“Hee hee... good. I’ll buy the ice cream tomorrow.”
“I really don’t think you need to do that...”
“It’s a monumental day where I get to meet a new junior who will become a new friend. As a senior, I can’t possibly let you pay. So that’s settled.”
Do you have any idea that the more you try to act mature, the more adorable you look?
I smiled gently and said, “Alright.”
“Chinami! Hurry up!”
Renka’s voice cut through our pleasant conversation.
Chinami turned her head and shouted back, “Okay! I’m coming! Well then... see you tomorrow, Junior.”
“Yeah. Get home safe.”
She waved one hand cheerfully and began to walk away from me.
The urge to just bite her grew as I watched her approach Renka, humming a little tune.
As I was watching her back with a fond, fatherly smile,
“Matsuda. Let’s go.”
I turned around at the grating sound of a certain pest’s voice.
“Did you forget anything?”
“Nope. Are you picking up your car today?”
“Yeah.”
“Isn’t it expensive if the rear bumper is busted?”
“It wasn’t that much.”
“That’s a relief. I was worried.”
Worried, my ass... Seeing him put on such a fake act is recharging my disgust.
As I was making small talk with Tetsuya on our way to the main gate,
“I think Nanase-senpai mentioned Miyuki earlier... is that right?”
Tetsuya, who had been walking with his eyes on the ground, finally got to the point.
I clasped my hands behind my head, yawned, and answered, “Ah... that? Yeah.”
“What did you talk about?”
“About ice cream. We decided to get some tomorrow.”
“Ice cream? The two of you are getting ice cream?”
“The three of us, including me.”
At my words, Tetsuya’s mouth clamped shut for a moment.
I couldn’t quite tell if he was annoyed or jealous...
It was probably both, which would explain that ugly expression on his face.
“...Did Miyuki agree to it?”
“Of course she did.”
“It’s not like you forced her to go, right?”
What kind of delusion is this?
“Force her? Do you think Miyuki is the type to just go along with it if I tell her to?”
“Right... that’s true. Unless you blackmailed her with some weakness she has... Ah, you know I’m kidding, right? Don’t get upset.”
The moment I heard that, I stopped in my tracks and looked straight down at Tetsuya.
Then I slapped his cheek lightly, just enough to make it sting.
Thwack.
“Ugh!?”
Tetsuya let out a short cry, his hand flying to his cheek.
He seemed genuinely shocked, as if he never expected me to hit him. His eyes had doubled in size.
“Hey, are you crazy?”
“Wh-what...?”
“You think I’m just going to let it slide when you provoke me and then say it’s a joke? There’s a limit to joking around. Isn’t what you’re doing just a provocation?”
“That’s not what I meant...”
Not what you meant, my ass... Those words were clearly filled with sincerity.
You really are showing the depths of patheticness. It’s impressive.
Still, should I praise him for mustering the courage to challenge me?
“I used to think you were a thoughtful guy, but why do you keep crossing the line lately?”
Tap, tap.
I tapped his covered cheek a couple more times, and he stumbled backward in a panic.
I followed him, about to shove his shoulder and continue my tirade, when,
“Matsuda-kun! What are you doing!?”
Miyuki’s loud voice echoed from a distance.
I turned toward the sound and saw a horrified Miyuki running toward us.