I practiced as a monk alone in Japan.

Chapter 104 Saying You Like Watching Football (5000 words~)

The last week before summer vacation.

It's clear that many students in the class are already eager to get started and are thinking about how to relax and unwind during this wonderful summer vacation.

"How come exams are coming up again so soon?"

Hearing the exam schedule for two days, Akihiko Miura felt utterly dejected. He slumped onto his desk, as if he'd lost all motivation since the beginning of the day. Of course, his motivation to study was also limited. He had indeed pretended to listen to some lectures these past few days, but it was extremely difficult. It seemed he could only manage to hold out until summer vacation, and then return to his old ways after the break.

Forget everything you should forget, and then face the fact that you're not cut out for studying. However, for Miura Akihiko, studying is indeed not the only way out; he has many options. As long as he doesn't try to start a business, a life of wealth and luxury is not a problem.

What's most frightening is being a rich second-generation heir with too much ambition, like those second-generation emperors of ancient China. They could have been a ruler who maintained the status quo, but instead they wanted to establish great achievements.

"It's been so long since the last exam, and summer vacation is almost here. You can't possibly tell me that you're only remembering the final exams now, can you?"

Gen Tsukino didn't have many thoughts about the final exams. Maintaining a decent level and getting a scholarship would be enough. As for consistently ranking first in the grade, that was certainly achievable, but there was no need for it. He didn't want to be treated as some kind of academic role model by the school and then displayed everywhere like a mascot.

Taking anything to the extreme will inevitably lead to a loss of freedom; the more benefits you gain, the more constraints you face. Yet, many people are still willing to put on these shackles for the sake of their desires and ambitions.

For some reason, I suddenly remembered the big star I met yesterday.

"Is it possible that during your exam, you accidentally dropped a piece of scratch paper, and I happened to pick it up? I did some divination on that scratch paper, got a few numbers and letters, and then randomly wrote them on the exam paper. Luckily, I did quite well on the exam."

Seeing the look in Miura Akihiko's eyes, Tsukino Gen couldn't help but laugh and said, "If you want me to help you cheat, just say so. What's with all this 'perfect match' stuff, and fortune-telling? Do you need to set up an altar and perform rituals just to take an exam?"

"May I?"

Akihiko Miura carried hope.

Gen Tsukino shook his head directly, "You're overthinking it. I am the embodiment of justice, and I never do anything unfair. When darkness falls upon this world, that's when I will raise the torch."

"Where did this cringeworthy line come from? Dare you say it again?"

"Hehe, you're talking like a chuunibyou (a person with delusions of grandeur), but you've already silently memorized this line and are ready to practice it at home, haven't you?"

Miura Akihiko's eyes widened, his face turning red. "Nonsense! Do you think I'm that kind of person?!"

Seeing the boy's ambiguous smile, Miura Akihiko guiltily turned his head away.

How did he know?
I was planning to post this update tonight.

The class was as usual. Looking at the young men and women in the classroom, Tsukino Gen was originally going to just lie on the table as usual and ignore their youth.

It wasn't that he was deliberately distant or indifferent; he had simply gotten used to this state. His different experiences and backgrounds made him feel a slight sense of incongruity with the others in the classroom.

Although it's not very obvious, it can be seen from the fact that he has almost no other serious friends besides Akihiko Miura.

He didn't like forcing himself to fit into this atmosphere, pretending that he had truly integrated into this world and found a sense of belonging. But for some reason, a few boys from his class gathered around him today.

"By the way, I've been in the same class as Tsukino for so long, but I still don't know what she likes to do in her spare time. Do you play games?"

"I rarely play games. I probably just read books or take a nap to pass the time."

"Huh? Really? Tsukino-kun is so handsome, I thought he was always dating different girls."

"How could that be? I'm not very good at talking, and I'm not that popular with girls at all."

"If you put it that way, then we have a lot in common, hahaha."

It must be admitted that boys' ways of making friends are really simple, and quite childish. Although territoriality is deeply ingrained in men's genes, which can lead to possessiveness and a desire for control, a few simple words or a childish topic can easily dispel any preconceived notions.

"By the way, just between you and Tsukino, everyone in the class says you and Kazama are a couple. Is that true?"

"We're just good friends. I think these kinds of rumors can be really bothersome for girls. Let's talk about it less in the future."

"Really? But I heard from the girls that Kazama-kun always seems very happy whenever this rumor comes up."

Hmm? She's secretly pleased with herself, isn't she?
"It must be an illusion."

"Hahaha. Oh right, after school today, we have a soccer match with Class 1. We don't have enough boys in our class, Tsukino-san, would you like to come and play?"

See you at the picture?

Tsukino Gen suddenly remembered these four words.

His first reaction was, of course, to refuse: "I'm not very good at soccer, so I won't drag you guys down, okay?"

The boy who spoke immediately laughed and said, "How is that dragging us down? If you don't go, we won't even have enough people to go. Those guys from Class One are too arrogant; they said whoever loses has to treat everyone to a meal. Can we tolerate that?"

It seems that boys of this age enjoy this kind of hot-blooded fighting. Fighting is certainly not good, and gossiping and bickering seem petty and even less dignified. On the contrary, sports like football are quite suitable; they involve many people, provide a lot of exercise, and have a very good foundation in this country.

It's at least better than my hometown, right?
After thinking for a moment, Tsukino Gen said, "Why don't you ask someone else first? I'm really not very good at this."

Since Tsukino Gen had already said that, the boy who was speaking naturally couldn't force the issue. However, his gaze towards Tsukino Gen was still full of goodwill, clearly indicating that he felt this handsome boy who seemed so out of place among them was actually quite easy to talk to.

They're not as difficult to get along with as they think.

Gen Tsukino really had no interest in participating in such things, because it would be too much of a show for him to go. Wouldn't pretending to run a few steps just be considered slacking off? Winning would be fine, but losing might be embarrassing. So he simply decided not to participate.

I just didn't expect that during Sakuraba Yuki's class in the afternoon...

This strikingly beautiful and sophisticated young woman didn't immediately start talking about the class, but rather...
"Suzuki-kun, I heard you guys have arranged a soccer match with Class 1 after school?"

The boy named Suzuki is the one who approached Tsukino Gen earlier. He's popular in class, loves sports, and has a cheerful and outgoing personality. He's also the class's sports representative.

Suzuki seemed a little nervous. "Oh, yes. Don't worry, Sakuraba-sensei, we didn't argue, we were just playing around."

It seemed that the female teacher was somewhat worried that the boys did not understand their 'passion' and mistook it for something like fighting or being aggressive.

Unexpectedly, Sakuraba Yuki pushed up her glasses and said with a smile, "I heard from the teachers of Class 1 in the office that whoever loses is going to treat everyone to a meal, and they told me to be mentally prepared for that it's too arrogant."

"Eh?"

Are you confident you can win?

Suzuki's eyes widened. "Of course I'm confident! But... but there's a slight problem right now, we don't have enough people."

Speaking of this, Suzuki was a little troubled. Actually, it was possible to find someone. However, the ratio of boys to girls in the class was about six to four. There were only about thirty people in total. Some of the boys were too shy to join, and a few were just too physically weak and didn't look like they could run. They would be better off as cheerleaders.

Upon hearing this, many classmates looked over with great interest, but Tsukino Gen had already sensed something was wrong.

He turned his head and glanced at Miura Akihiko. "You participated?"

"Of course, I've disliked those people in Class 1 for a long time. It's one thing for their average grades to be better than ours, but they also try to outdo us in sports, as if they're trying to impress us! By the way, did you participate?"

Uh, this
"Tsukino-san, did you participate?"

When Sakuraba Yuki looked over, Tsukino Gen immediately understood the situation. He raised his hand in full view of everyone.

"I'll participate, Sakuraba-sensei."

Good grief, are you forcing us into a youth culture?
You have no idea how terrifying this is, sigh.

Sakuraba Yuki nodded in satisfaction. Very good; she had begun to tame this boy. He was becoming more and more like a normal high school student.

"Okay. After school, let's all go cheer for the boys. If they win, we'll all go out for dinner together."

"Great!!"

It seems that many people did not expect Sakuraba Yuki to say that, after all, many teachers at this school do not like to get involved in this kind of thing. They would not say they would stop it, but they certainly would not support it.

After all, this kind of sport involves a lot of physical contact, and since everyone is a boy, full of youthful vigor, if something happens in the heat of the moment, whose responsibility would it be? In this school, with such good salaries and benefits, no one wants to cause trouble; keeping their jobs and striving for steady advancement seems to be everything.

Suzuki, in particular, was quite excited.

It was as if I suddenly understood what class honor meant. Sometimes, the responsibility on your shoulders is indeed a pressure, but for teenagers, this level of pressure is simply a driving force that makes their adrenaline surge.

"Please rest assured, Ms. Sakuraba! I will definitely lead our class to defeat Class One!"

"Okay, the teacher will be waiting for your good news on the sidelines. Our class is definitely no worse than any other class."

"That's right!!"

"Take down Class One!"

Depend on.

Why am I getting so excited? Looking at the enthusiastic boys about to raise their arms and shout, Tsukino Gen had to admit, Sakuraba Yuki really knew how to be a teacher.

He wouldn't say that such a thing is childish or meaningless. Of course it's meaningful; it leaves a memorable mark on your youth, a competition with your classmates that concerns the honor of your class. Even if, years later, you look back and it seems like you gained nothing, just a friendly match.

But isn't this exactly what young people should be doing?

It's about youth, about sweat, about passion. It's also about the companions who fight alongside you. Happiness itself is more meaningful than meaning itself.

Hmm? The boy who had this thought instantly realized something. He seemed to be getting increasingly abnormal?

Miura Akihiko, who was standing next to him, was already excited.

"Great, now our Class 3 twin stars will be fighting together again."

Where are the Gemini stars?

Gen Tsukino stretched and said, "Don't count on me, you kick your own."

"Don't worry, I'll pass the ball to you as soon as I get it. I've seen your footwork; it's very pure."

"You're really something."

Dude, that's kicking someone, do you want to have a Shaolin Soccer match?

However, when Tsukino Gen saw the barely contained excitement on Suzuki's and the other boys' faces, he had to admit that the best stage of life was adolescence.

school.

The activity room 215, which seemed empty and quiet, had the air conditioning on at 21 degrees Celsius.

The girl, whose glacier seemed unchanged and would remain unmelted even in ten thousand years, glanced at her phone. Her brows furrowed slightly.

It's this late, and they haven't said a word. What do these two think this place is?

However, there seems to be no need to be anxious or uneasy; this is simply the norm in my life. My world is vast yet empty; I've grown accustomed to no one coming, and therefore, no one leaving.

Building bonds and developing relationships with so many people isn't something she'd do. Because the more bonds one has, the more concerns one has, and the more easily one becomes swayed by emotions.

There's nothing I can't get used to. I'm just doing the same things as always in this classroom. I don't want to go home so early, so I've found a place like this to kill time. I'm never waiting for anyone.

This was true before, it is true now, and it will be true in the future.

“Crack.”

When she heard a sound at the door, Asagiri Rin subconsciously looked up.

But then I saw a face that was somewhat unexpected.

"why you?"

Saionji's smiling face came into her view.

"That's a strange statement. Does it mean I'm not the person you wanted to come in? Who are you waiting for, Tsukino-kun?"

As expected of Saionji Karen, with such an aura, every word she utters is irritating.

"You're overthinking it. I'm just wondering why you came here. I don't want you asking me for help with some weird stuff again."

"Don't worry, it's not about those things." Saionji Karen took a few steps closer, not rushing to close the door, but looking at the other person with a strange expression. "By the way, didn't you know? Aren't you in Class 1?"

"What do I know?"

"I can't believe it," Asagiri Rin said impatiently.

"Your class is going to play a soccer match against the boys from class three."

"What does this have to do with me?"

What does it have to do with me if those childish boys arrange a soccer match? They don't expect me to be a cheerleader, do they? Even the national team wouldn't qualify. Let alone... wait, Class 3?
"Tsukino-kun is in Class 3."

Saionji Karen's words made Asagiri Rin understand why she had made a special trip here.

The girl frowned slightly.

"It has nothing to do with me."

He wouldn't participate in such childish things; at most, he'd go out of consideration for the class. He's essentially similar to me, only he seems to fit in into this youth, but in reality, he's still the same—detached from everyone else.

Karen Saionji smiled and said, "Still being stubborn."

"Get lost."

Asagiri Rin was too lazy to argue with this woman.

Karen Saionji wasn't in a hurry, and said with a smile, "Whatever you want~ I'm going to watch the game anyway, and Tsukino-kun will be there too. Oh my, I wonder what Tsukino-kun will be like playing soccer? It sounds so exciting. I'm going now, do you want me to save you a seat?"

"Leave quickly."

"Ha ha ha ha."

Asagiri Rin didn't move, and the door to the activity room closed again.

She understood Saionji Karen's intention perfectly: she wanted to see if she truly cared about this boy.

Is he deliberately trying to pique his interest by bringing up this kind of thing, wanting to see if his hypocrisy would be exposed?
nonexistent.

She had no interest in football, and she had even less desire to watch more than twenty teenagers chasing a ball on the football field, even if that one of them was there. But why would he participate?
Does he even respect such childish competitiveness? Is he just too free lately, or is there some unavoidable reason?

"You're getting more and more childish."

She gave up thinking, stood up, and left the activity room.

"Miss, are you going straight home?"

When she got into the familiar car, Morita Kaoru immediately asked.

In the past, such questions rarely arose, but recently Kaoru Morita has been asking them frequently, though the reason is hard to say. However, Morita feels it is necessary.

Times have changed.

Flowers have their blooming season, animals have their mating season, and of course, people do too.

Asagiri Rin slightly parted her red lips, just about to respond, when she suddenly heard a strange commotion coming from not far away.

Looking over there, that's the direction of the football field.

There were many people, and more were still gathering in that direction. It was as if a grand event was being held.

She dislikes grand events and festivals, has no interest in joining in the fun, and finds crowded places troublesome.

Ok.

and so.

"You like watching football, right?"

".Um?"

Morita Kaoru paused for a moment, looking at the girl with dark eyes with a strange expression.

She stared straight at herself as she spoke.

"You said you like watching football."

"I like watching football."

Kaoru Morita uttered those words softly.

Then the girl opened the car door and said, "Okay, since you drive me around so hard every day, I'll take you to see a football game. It might not be that good."

If it's not good, then don't watch it.
Who exactly likes watching football?
However, Morita Kaoru felt that she had become much smarter recently. For example, in situations like this, she no longer needed to ask questions or question or refute.

He obediently turned off the engine, got out of the car, and even walked ahead of the girl towards the now bustling football field.

……

(End of this chapter)