Club Activities

It was the height of cherry blossom season. Blossoms danced through the sky, petals drifting on the wind and landing on every student who passed by.

Hachiman Hikigaya tugged at his summer uniform, silently griping about the school's bizarre rules.

The weather was already starting to warm up. This was exactly when they ought to be wearing summer uniforms.

He could feel gazes from all around him, but Hachiman was already used to it. After all, having three or four girls gathered around him was bound to attract attention.

After exchanging contact information with Kushida, an announcement came over the classroom speakers, informing the first-year students that the clubs had begun recruiting new members.

He had never been particularly interested in clubs. Rather than attending one after school, he would have preferred to go back to his room and loaf around—or go on a date with a beautiful girl.

However, the moment Kushida heard the news, she invited Hachiman to check out the Gymnasium with her.

He had no choice. He really could not refuse a girl's request.

At first, he had been rather excited. Even if they were only looking at club recruitment booths, going together felt a little like a date, didn't it?

Who would have thought that, aside from him, Kushida had also invited several girls she was fairly close to?

Her social butterfly trait was no joke. Only one day had passed, yet aside from a few problem children, she had already gotten along with every classmate.

"Hey, hey, I thought Hikigaya-kun was kind of scary."

"Yeah, yeah. I never expected Hikigaya-kun to be so easygoing."

The elegant beauty Hasebe Haruka cheerfully started the conversation, and the other girls chimed in.

Hasebe was also one of the more well-known students in the class. With looks like hers, she was constantly drawing the boys' attention.

Hachiman shyly scratched his head and gave them a sunny smile, making several girls blush furiously and unable to meet his eyes.

If he could get close to one of them and develop it into a romantic relationship, then he would finally have something to look forward to in his school life.

No. Hachiman viciously slapped himself in his mind.

With Ito Makoto's Scumbag Trait, one of the Five Tyrants, how could his dream be so small?

Before long, the group of four girls and one boy arrived at the club recruitment venue—the Gymnasium.

There were plenty of people both inside and outside the Gymnasium, and they all seemed to be first-year students from this year.

They were probably all quite interested in club activities.

After all, they would be spending the next three years at this school. They could not possibly have no extracurricular activities beyond classes every day, right?

"Hikigaya-kun, what kind of sports do you usually like?"

Kushida asked with a smile, her gaze moving across the booths as she searched for clubs that interested her.

"Hmm... I've played all kinds of ball sports, but there isn't one I especially like."

Before enrolling in this school, Hachiman had tried quite a few sports.

Although none of his traits had anything to do with athletic ability, Ayanokoji's combat trait had given him fairly good physical conditioning. These sports were not particularly difficult for him.

"Really? You totally don't look like it."

Kushida looked astonished, and Hasebe added, "Exactly. Hikigaya-kun, you look so slim. You really don't seem like someone who works out regularly. Don't you think, Onodera?"

"Yeah, I couldn't tell at all."

Onodera Kayano had muscles that completely did not fit a girl, so she probably did some sport regularly.

"Really. It's just that I'm not very good at them," Hachiman said modestly.

"It's fine. Sports are just for fun."

Onodera gave Hachiman's shoulder a comforting pat, but froze the very next second.

These muscles... Something feels off.

After chatting for a while, Hasebe and the other two girls left together to ask about the booths that interested them.

In the blink of an eye, only Hachiman and Kushida remained. They wandered around the Gymnasium and happened to run into some familiar classmates.

There was the Idiot Trio led by Sudo Ken, as well as the utterly mismatched pair of Horikita and Ayanokoji.

"Huh? Isn't that Horikita?" Kushida noticed the two of them as well and suggested, "Hikigaya-kun, let's go say hello."

"Sure." Hachiman did not refuse.

"Hi, Horikita, Ayanokoji."

Kushida greeted them gently. She had even remembered Ayanokoji's name. Just as expected of her.

It looked like she had memorized everyone's names. That was quite an impressive feat.

Ayanokoji raised a hand in greeting, while Horikita chose to ignore them.

"Are you two here to join a club too?" Kushida did not feel awkward at all and started another conversation.

What a great personality...

Ayanokoji answered expressionlessly, "No. We're just looking around. I'm not good at sports at all."

It was a low-key, plain statement that revealed nothing suspicious.

"Is that so? What about you, Horikita?"

It seemed Kushida's real target was Horikita. Ayanokoji had most likely just been incidental.

Horikita sighed helplessly, powerless in the face of Kushida's persistence.

"I have no intention of joining a club either."

After replying simply, Horikita's gaze settled on Hachiman.

Her eyes seemed to say: Scumbag.

Hachiman awkwardly scratched his head. He had talked with her for quite a while yesterday, yet today he was walking around with Kushida. It was easy to misunderstand it as him failing to pursue Horikita and turning his attention to Kushida instead.

"Horikita, I really want to be friends with you. Please exchange contact information with me."

Kushida extended the invitation with a smile. As the saying went, one did not strike a smiling face; normally, no one would reject Kushida when she was being like this.

Unfortunately, she was dealing with Horikita.

"Sorry, but I have no desire to do that. I do not want to be friends with anyone. It is not that I dislike any of you; I simply do not like it."

What a blunt answer—so blunt that it made people uneasy.

"Okay, but I won't give up. Over the next three years, I'll definitely become Horikita's friend. That's my goal!"

Kushida declared spiritedly before turning and leaving.

Ayanokoji:?

Horikita gave the unruffled Hachiman a faint look and said, "It seems you and she understand each other quite well."

She seemed to be hinting that they had both asked her for her contact information.

Hachiman showed no particular expression as he answered, "Not really. We only just met too."

After saying that, Hachiman said goodbye and left.

Then, after wandering around with Kushida for a little longer, they found the other three and left the Gymnasium together.

Of the five, only Onodera joined the swimming club. The others found nothing they liked and could only return empty-handed.