When the Crickets Cry
"Taichi...?"
Mori Yuuya tilted her head, pausing in her quiet routine of checking the leopard gecko's terrarium temperature and prepping for cleaning.
"Haha."
Tae-il flashed his usual awkward, strained smile, reading the unspoken question in Yuuya's eyes: What the hell are you doing here? It was definitely not his day to show up. Yuuya only came to the Animal Husbandry Club every day because she loved spending time with him—and because at home, there was nothing but video editing and homework waiting for her. Even when Asakura had scolded her for ignoring the schedule and showing up daily anyway, saying, You're basically majoring in this club like me, Yuuya had just laughed it off self-deprecatingly. She was that obsessed with the club.
Tae-il wasn't like that. Sure, with Yuuya—the club vice president and his senior—dropping by every day, he felt obligated to show up too. But deep down, he didn't have anywhere near her level of commitment to the Animal Husbandry Club. His involvement was purely payback for their help—a fair give-and-take. He was serious enough to see things through once he started, but he wasn't about to pour extra effort into it. The fledgling Light Music Club was ramping up and keeping him swamped anyway. Unlike Yuuya, who had no real reason to stay home and thus haunted the club, Tae-il was genuinely run off his feet.
Yuuya understood that. She missed not having him around every day, but she was grateful—and happy—that he showed up as reliably as he did.
So why was he here today, when it wasn't even his turn?
Yuuya stared at him, dumbfounded. Under her persistent gaze, Tae-il grew flustered and rubbed the back of his neck cautiously.
He forced the words out like they were being squeezed from him. "Asakura-sensei's off today on vacation, so I figured you'd have a tough time handling everything alone..."
"Well, that's true, but..."
The workload was indeed heavier than usual. A normal student might grumble about the backlog, but Yuuya welcomed it—it was a reminder of how much Asakura cared about the club. Honestly, after getting an earful from Asakura in the staff room yesterday, she'd secretly hoped Tae-il would show up.
Even if the image of him on a date with that pretty classmate from yesterday kept flashing in her mind, making her chest ache, these quiet moments with him in the club would surely chase away that heaviness with their simple joy.
But she hadn't expected him to show up with company.
"..."
Her sharp gaze shifted slowly behind him.
There were two girls standing there. Amber eyes blinked, followed by purple ones.
Familiar faces, both of them.
Ayane, peeking out from directly behind Tae-il like she was hiding, was the first to meet her eyes. She offered an awkward smile and a shy greeting. "H-Hi, it's been a while, senpai...?"
Yuuya sighed at the roundabout "it's been a while," even though they'd seen each other yesterday. Well, no one wants their crush knowing they're a stalker. Yuuya got that feeling all too well, so she played along. "Yeah, it's been a while."
Ayane let out a relieved breath at Yuuya's response.
"Hm?"
Sakuya picked up on the subtle vibe between them, but Tae-il—oblivious since their last encounter had been so straightforward—missed it entirely.
Yuuya turned to Sakuya. "I know who you are since you're famous, but just in case—you're Sakuraba Sakuya, right? I'm Mori Yuuya, second-year Class 7."
"Ah, hi! Sakuraba Sakuya here, first-year Class 7."
"Got it."
Unlike the shy Ayane, Sakuya stood tall and proud, greeting her politely. Yuuya nodded back with a casual glance.
With the pleasantries done, Ayane turned to Tae-il. But her real question wasn't about identities.
"Taichi, why are these two here...?"
Yuuya pouted, clearly miffed at her anticipated alone time with him being ruined. Tae-il caught on from her tone and hurriedly clasped his hands in apology.
"Sorry! I tried not to bring them, but they insisted on helping and just tagged along on their own..."
"I see...?"
Yuuya's eyes flicked from Tae-il to the girls. Ayane clinging to his back like a baby koala. Sakuya linking arms with him like they were a couple.
"Haa."
She sighed, nodding as she pieced it all together perfectly. "That must be rough..."
For you. And for me.
Faced with these formidable girls, Yuuya could only muster a wry, self-mocking smile.
* * *
Asakura Sera. A completely ordinary college student and aspiring teacher, a Yuuma High alum—nothing special otherwise. If you had to pick something unique, she just really, really liked animals. She didn't discriminate much, already keeping several lizards at home.
Anyway.
The flower of youth had a dilemma on her hands. Not romantic, but tied to her dreams.
Student teaching application season was approaching.
She agonized. Should I apply to do my student teaching at Yuuma?
Yuuma was private, so they mostly took alumni for placements. She'd almost certainly get in.
Choosing Yuuma had plenty of upsides. For starters, it's close to home, so no hassle with commute or time. In a work-life-balance-obsessed world, a nearby job was a huge win.
And that wasn't all. Her cousin, Asakura Huyuko, already taught biology there—no awkwardness there. She could even ask for direct help or advice from her teacher-senior. Huyuko, a hardcore workaholic, probably wouldn't overload her with work anyway.
It seemed like all pros, no cons—yet here she was, hesitating. Simple reason.
Yuuma's great and all, but the free classes are the problem...
The infamous free classes, Yuuma's claim to fame.
Yuuma wasn't some hyper-elite prep school; the college-prep kids were solid middle-class, well-rounded types. The free classes? Different story.
Yuuma's sports clubs were filled with elite athletes carrying Japan's athletic hopes. Talent got you in— if you could endure the grind and shine.
Art and music clubs were similar, though mostly loaded kids, making them a nightmare for teachers.
Especially the free-class kids' pride—it's insane...
Survivors of cutthroat competition, they oozed sky-high self-esteem. The school encouraged it, making control tough. Tribal loyalty was off the charts among students, but cooperation with teachers? Minimal.
It's intimidating...
She'd been burned as a student herself; the worry deepened.
Prep classes would be a breeze, but the odds were zilch.
Sera knew the tradition: Student teachers at Yuuma always get stuck with the free classes.
The terror of Yuuma's free classes had broken countless trainees.
Still...
It had been years since her school days. Sports were thriving, but art and music had slipped, from what she'd heard. Huyuko had hinted the school was stressing over it. Maybe the free-class prickliness had mellowed.
And time with Yuuya-chan would be fun...
Mori Yuuya. Influenced by her cousin, Sera had gotten into breeding beyond just admiring pets—and Yuuya had seemed downright mystical. She could've starred in a TV special. Reptiles following her like tamed mammals, no special training needed—it was straight out of Sera's childhood anime. Bonding with pets. The dream of every aspiring breeder, achieved by Yuuya at such a young age.
Just getting closer to Yuuya-chan makes Yuuma worth it.
Sera liked animals, sure, but practically and financially, befriending Yuuya was a boon. Huyuko knew it—that's why she'd roped Sera into club duties. The board was set; now it was up to her. Classic caring(?) cousin move. Probably just to exploit the convenient relative, though.
"Mm-hm."
Blissfully unaware of her cousin's scheming, Sera nodded, leaning toward Yuuma. "Gotta ask Yuuya-chan about the school vibe these days."
A rare legal chance to visit Yuuma. She aimed to milk it.
Vacation meant missing old teachers, but current students could sway her decision.
"Heard they got a new club member—wonder what she's like?"
Yuuya raved about her, so probably great. Naive Sera believed it. No one who loves animals is bad.
* * *
The hallway was eerily quiet—vacation, or just early morning?
Sera looked up at the "Animal Husbandry Club" sign.
Her blue eyes sparkled with fresh nostalgia. "Hehe. Been a while here too."
Back then, it wasn't a full animal club—just rabbits mostly. No advisor, not even official. She'd thought it'd die after graduation.
But it survived to now.
Noisy inside. Recalling the club's lonely start to the year, Sera steadied her alumni nerves and stepped in.
"Hey, Yuuya-chan!"
"Kyaaah!"
"W-Wait, Ayane! If you run around like that, I can't help!"
"Save me, Shin-nii!"
"I'll save you if you just stay still, you idiot!"
A girl shot past her. Her bangs fluttered in the wind, freezing Sera solid.
"Wha...?"
The club was nothing like she'd imagined.
The girl who'd zipped by spun in circles, screaming in panic. "Shin-nii! Ayane thinks this is bad! Kyaa! It's moving again! Save me!"
"Stay still and I'll get it off! Ugh...!"
"Kyaaah!"
A girl pale-faced and shrieking from a cricket latched to her head. A boy fumbling with sanitary gloves to pry it off.
In stark contrast, two calm girls chatted with a gecko perched on one's hand.
"Are these the famous geckos?"
"Yep."
"Cool. I thought lizards were all creepy, but these are kinda cute? Different from salamanders... Oh, can I hold one?"
"You sure?"
"Unlike that one, I'm not a scaredy-cat. Do they bite?"
"Mm. These are chill. But Toto bites."
"That turtle?"
The extremes drew Sera's eyes to the calm duo—familiar faces.
"Oh. This is... more than I expected."
Sakuraba Sakuya. The volleyball star who'd dominated Interhigh, heralding Yuuma's new golden era. Top person to watch out for as a trainee, Sera recalled.
"Feels good, right?"
Mori Yuuya. Club vice president, bonded over a gecko handover before—Huyuko's prized pupil. She spotted Sera and smiled softly. "Ah, Sera-san, you're here?"
"Y-Yeah, long time...?"
Sera returned the greeting with an awkward smile.
"Kyaaah!"
"Ayane! Stay still... Gah!"
Sudden chaos nearby—a boy and girl crashing down with shrill screams.
"Oh, over there..."
Yuuya murmured with deep regret.
A plastic terrarium tipped over on the floor, lid popping loose from recent feeding.
"Ayayaya... It hurts... Huh?"
The girl, hand on the floor instinctively, froze at the creepy sensation crawling up her skin. The heavy feeling dangling from her hair was gone—but now two thin somethings brushed between her fingers. Then three, four. More kept coming.
Her face hardened in tension. The boy beside her sat up, rubbing his head.
"Ow... My knee hurts. You okay, Ayane?"
"Sh-Shin-nnii..."
"Ayane?"
It felt just like insect antennae and legs.
Tears welling, she asked, "C-Can you tell Ayane what just touched her hand...?"
"Your hand? Hold on... Hep!?"
The boy glanced at the scattered mess behind her and gulped.
His eyes slid to her right hand.
"Uh..."
His face drained of color.
For the girl—who'd fixed her terrified gaze on him, dreading the truth—that was answer enough.
"Shin-nii. Ayane's gonna faint for a sec...?"
"Faint—!"
Thud.
"Ayaneeeeeee!"
The boy's wail echoed through the club like a comedy skit.
"..."
Sera, still lost, shot Yuuya a pleading look.
Their eyes met. Sera's asked: Is this a skit?
Yuuya shook her head—nope. With utmost seriousness, she conveyed the truth plainly: This is real life.
Good lord.
Sera panicked and froze as Sakuya sidled up to the wailing Tae-il, flashing a creepy grin and snatching a fleeing cricket barehanded.
It thrashed in her slender grip.
"Pathetic."
Sakuya smirked, clenching her fist.
Crunch.
Its antennae drooped limply.
"S-Sakuya...?"
Tae-il, imagining the squished bug, instinctively shrank back and edged away from her.
"Ah..."
Yuuya sighed deeply at the wasted food source.
"??????"
Sera, the outsider, floated a storm of question marks above her head, utterly lost.
Chirrr.
A surviving cricket cried out, as if mourning its comrade.
It was summer.