The setting sun dyed the track a warm orange. Shangguan Che clung to the chain-link fence, watching the Soccer Club members already working up a sweat, and tried to sneak into the crowd.
As long as I'm fast enough, no one will notice I'm late...
"Shangguan, you finally made it!" A clear voice rang out. Hirata stood in the middle of the field, waving at him, his voice loud enough to carry across the entire grounds.
Shangguan Che froze, wailing inwardly, Come on, Hirata! Your eyes are sharper than a homeroom teacher catching a truant. Could you keep your voice down?
He steeled himself and walked over, waving a hand. "Don't say anything, don't say anything. Just pass me the ball so I can jump right into training!"
"Hold on, the club president wants to see you." Hirata grabbed him and pointed to the bench at the side of the field—the Soccer Club president was standing there with his arms folded, looking like he'd been waiting for ages.
Shangguan Che's heart sank. He trudged over, already weighing his options. Maybe I should apply to hand out water on the sidelines. Or get myself a title like 'special technical adviser.' Then I could have a perfectly legitimate excuse not to come to practice.
After all, his soccer skills were practically nonexistent. If he wanted to improve, he'd have to go from zero to one—a daunting prospect. Taking it easy sounded much better.
"President, what did you need me for?" He did his best to smile sweetly.
The president pulled out a bottle of water and tossed it to him. "Nothing major. The former star player of the Soccer Club, now the Student Council vice president, Miyabi Nagumo, heard we've got a 'genius' in the club and wants to play a match against you. Don't get too nervous."
Shangguan Che's eyes lit up. He sidled closer and whispered, "President, do you think I can win?"
He knew how things worked in Japan: underclassmen had to show their seniors plenty of respect, especially when the other person was in the Student Council. The president had to be hinting that he should go easy on Nagumo.
"Just do your best. It should be fine." The president took a sip of water, avoiding a direct answer.
Shangguan Che immediately caught on and thumped his chest. "Thanks for the advice, President! But you got one thing wrong—I'm not a genius. I'm a prodigy, beyond the limits of ordinary people!"
The president laughed and waved him off. "Go on. Nagumo's waiting over there."
"Oh, which one is he?" Shangguan Che stood on tiptoe and looked around.
"The blond one by the goal."
Shangguan Che followed his gaze and spotted a blond boy leaning against the goalpost. He was wearing the Advanced Nurturing High School uniform, which looked completely out of place beside the Soccer Club's sportswear.
"Why does he look a bit like Hirata? Does everyone at this school who likes soccer and has a name look like that?" Shangguan Che muttered as he walked over.
"Hello, Senior Nagumo. I'm Shangguan Che from Class 1-D."
Miyabi Nagumo turned around with a gentle smile. "Hello, underclassman. The club members say you're great at soccer and that you've got a lot of talent."
"Oh, it's nothing. I only know a little bit." Shangguan Che had his own calculations in mind. Aside from the talent skill granted by the system, all he knew were the basic rules, like "don't touch the ball with your hands" and "score by kicking it into the other team's goal." He wasn't lying.
"Pretty modest, aren't you?" Miyabi Nagumo raised an eyebrow and gestured toward the field. "How about a match?"
"Sure." Shangguan Che agreed without hesitation.
"You can pick your team first. I'll give you a little advantage," Miyabi Nagumo said with a smile.
"Then I'll gladly accept!" Shangguan Che looked over the club members and called out, "All the first-years, plus a few third-years! I heard Senior's a second-year, so that way you can play without holding back."
He was delighted. Isn't that what youth is all about? Talk big during the match, then shake hands afterward and be friends.
Miyabi Nagumo paused. "Are you sure?"
"Absolutely! I'm so sure I could chew on the word 'sure'!" Shangguan Che grumbled to himself, then answered with a straight face, "I'm definitely sure!"
Hirata quickly gathered a team for him. As they were introduced, Shangguan Che's gaze stayed fixed on a short-haired boy with black hair. He played about as well as Hirata, and, more importantly, he had a name: Shibata Sou, from Class 1-B.
The others can be whoever. If they were written into a novel, they probably wouldn't even get names, he muttered to himself.
Once everyone was ready, Shangguan Che waved a hand and laid out the plan. "Hirata, Shibata, and I will handle offense. Everyone else, guard the goal. Simple and direct!"
Once the match began, Shangguan Che darted across the field with the help of his talent skill. Hirata and Shibata worked together seamlessly, and before long, they'd scored three goals in a row.
Standing at the edge of the field, Miyabi Nagumo's smile gradually vanished. One thought filled his mind: Is this really a student who just started high school? His skills are even more ridiculous than mine were!
After a brief farewell to Miyabi Nagumo, Shangguan Che immediately went to find the president and presented his "grand plan." "President, I'd like to ask for a reasonable schedule so I don't have to come to practice every day. What do you think?"
The president stared at him in silence, his expression complicated.
Shangguan Che fabricated an explanation in his head. The match must have been so spectacular that the president was stunned. It's only natural that he hasn't recovered yet.
After a long pause, the president finally spoke. "You... never mind. Come whenever you want. If your skills start slipping, you'll come back and make up for it immediately. And work on your stamina. At this rate, it'll hold you back sooner or later."
"Got it! I promise my skills will only improve, and I'll work on my stamina too! I'll get going, then. See you, President!" Shangguan Che made a getaway faster than a rabbit.
As soon as he'd left, the Soccer Club's female manager came over, looking puzzled. "President, you're really just letting him go? What a waste not to train him more!"
The president watched Shangguan Che's retreating figure and sighed. "His skills are already at their peak. There's not much room for improvement. I haven't spent much time with him, but I get the feeling he won't change easily unless he suffers a major setback."
"He's still young. Learning the hard way sooner rather than later isn't a bad thing."
"I see. You really have thought this through, President." The female manager nodded, and together they watched Shangguan Che say goodbye to Hirata before disappearing at the far end of the grounds.
There was one thing the president hadn't said: Shangguan Che was from Class D, and that made him a real handful.
Back at the school building, Shangguan Che and Sakura ate dinner early in the cafeteria, then confirmed the details for the photo shoot.
"Should we talk about the time and place for the photos on our phones?" he suggested. In his mind, he was already scheming. If Sakura was too concerned about his feelings to tell him what she really wanted, wouldn't that make him the villain who got in the way of her love of photography?
If they talked on their phones, she'd probably feel more comfortable speaking up. Maybe he'd even get to see her without her glasses!
I'm so considerate. I'm looking out for her feelings and getting unique photos out of it. Two birds with one stone! The more Shangguan Che thought about it, the more pleased he became.
Back in his dorm, Shangguan Che switched on his usual "daily observation mode."
Using Clairvoyance, he saw Karuizawa Kei standing in the hallway with several girls. She had her arms folded, and she lifted her chin slightly as she spoke, looking every bit like a delinquent queen bee. That doesn't make sense. She doesn't look like someone who's been bullied at all. Did I get it wrong?
But as soon as the thought occurred to him, Shangguan Che dismissed it. Impossible. I wrote her character profile myself! Besides, I told her to 'show her true self naturally,' and the way she's acting now is obviously an act. I'll have to keep an eye on her so she doesn't fool me.
Looking toward Ichinose's dorm, he saw her sitting in a circle with several classmates, a notebook in hand. He couldn't make out what they were discussing, but laughter occasionally drifted over.
"As expected of a top-tier social butterfly. She's so good at bringing people together—she can organize class activities just like that." Shangguan Che pursed his lips. "Too bad there's nothing useful to find out. I've been watching for nothing."
He stretched and collapsed onto his bed. "Another perfect day of youth! I wonder when the Student Council will send out its notice... Whatever. I'll take a nap first!"
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