NTR Kousuke

Chapter 13

Summer break doesn't change the fact that club activities are still on.

Wednesdays are off, and weekends are off during summer break too.

Basically, except for Sundays, it's all club activities and breaks, with summer cram school squeezed in.

Right now, I want to train hard while the passion is hot!

In August, there's also a training camp for the basketball club, so it's super busy.

My best friend Shou seems to be swamped with his part-time job and is having a tough time.

...Speaking of which! Shou started playing 3-on-3 basketball with people from his job and got totally hooked!

We made plans to meet up at night sometime soon to play basketball!

I'm really looking forward to it!

Anyway, lately, I've been seeing a lot of Nagase-san from the girls' basketball club, who sits next to me.

After all, we practice on adjacent courts, and sometimes when I look over at their court, our eyes meet, and she waves at me.

...I wish she'd stop because the other club members get jealous.

I'm a beginner, so I don't have enough practice yet.

I got to participate in the summer tournament earlier, but it's still not enough.

Even so, improving just by practicing is a beginner's privilege, and doing club activities until I'm exhausted every day is fun and helps me forget about unpleasant things.

Nagase-san has been playing basketball since middle school, so she gives me a lot of advice.

I'm grateful for it.

She jokingly smiled and said, "Wanna exchange contact info?" but... I'm not good with girls right now...

Cute or beautiful girls somehow scare me on a visceral level... I know I need to get over it, but I break out in a cold sweat.

By the way, Nagase-san and I go to the same cram school.

Well, we don't talk there, though.

Anyway, with the third-years retiring, the new captain, a second-year, gives the rallying cry to pump us up.

With a change in generation, the team's direction and vibe change too!

But...?

Sahori "Hey! Your voices aren't loud enough!"

The former ace of the third-years (lol) keeps showing up all the time.

If anything, he's around more now than during the times when active members slack off.

This is annoying. Since he doesn't have to run, he tries to increase the physical training! He tries to interfere with practice! He even chats up the girls' manager who's working.

If that wasn't enough, he messes around with the girls' basketball club too.

Flirting with other girls in front of his girlfriend? Even so, Airi-senpai doesn't get mad and always keeps a gentle smile... Man, Sahori-senpai is such a pain, just ignore him, right?

During summer break at the basketball club,

Airi is a saint, and Sahori should be ignored

became our motto.

After spending the whole morning at club activities, I think about eating lunch at the school cafeteria, which is operating on a smaller scale, when Satsuki passes by in front of me.

Satsuki is one of the students who has to attend remedial classes. She walks past with a few other students, looking fed up while chatting, and our eyes meet.

"But? That's surprising! Mishima-san always gave off a smart vibe, but she's in the remedial group?"

"I know, right!"

Satsuki "..."

Satsuki glares at me, her face turning red, before quickly walking away.

Satsuki is very self-conscious.

Even though it's summer break, she probably doesn't want anyone to see her attending remedial classes... Especially after hearing something like that, the humiliation must be intense.

She was weak in English and math, but strong in Japanese and social studies, though.

With Japanese, like understanding the author's feelings or the characters' emotions, could she empathize or relate to that right now? Thinking about such pointless things, I eat lunch and head to the cultural club building for the Video Research Society.

One of my best friends, Tanaka-kun, is becoming the leader here.

Tanaka-kun and I have been friends since middle school, and in the same class, we've fought alongside Shou and the "Flawless Girl," making him one of my closest friends.

...Even with this recent incident, he left it alone and didn't pry. I'm nothing but grateful.

He seems to be organizing things with seniors and peers, planning for the fall.

Tanaka "For the fall cultural festival, the Video Research Society has to film a video project and submit it to the high school video contest!"

"..."

Tanaka "Even though you're a ghost member, Kousuke-kun, you've got talent, so I'm counting on you! If you've got any good ideas or hints, let me know!"

I nod.

Tanaka-kun starts pitching me to the seniors.

Tanaka "Kousuke-kun has talent! Didn't I show you before? The riverside duel! That was his work, and he edited it too! He even looks great in drag! He played a witch in the cultural festival play! It was Kousuke-kun! You saw it, right? If we can't find a heroine, let's film a whole project with Kousuke-kun!"

Hey, stop it. Is there still footage of that?!

Tanaka-kun is overrating me.

Even so, this guy got third place in our grade on the final exams.

He's smart, but his ideas are a bit out there.

I stayed at the Video Research Society for about two hours as a break.

Anyway, as I leave the school building in the evening to head home, I hear something.

On the path beside the school building, are there two people, a guy and a girl?

"...Sorry, I don't think I can consider dating right now."

A refreshing, handsome guy is speaking apologetically to a slightly chubby girl?

No, maybe not. He was pretty firm in rejecting her.

I don't know the flow of the conversation.

But from the context... it's a confession, right?

"Ah, ah, s-sorry... of course."

The chubby but cute-faced girl says that, bows her head, and leaves at an incredible speed.

The guy, with a refreshing face, gives me a "Don't stare!" look before walking off.

It's only the third day of summer break.

Every day, I'm desperately juggling studies and club activities!

But I already feel like some kind of trouble is creeping closer...!