Source
https://kakuyomu.jp/works/2912051598917319858
The day after the entrance ceremony.
The event consisted of various instructions regarding university life and orientation sessions.
To be honest, though, that was just the opening act; the main event came afterward.
It was my first meeting with the classmates I would be seeing regularly in the same department.
Gathered in the classroom were 30 male and female classmates who, like me, had chosen German as their second foreign language. This group would be taking not only German classes together but also other required courses. In a sense, they were like my classmates.
Whether I could get along with them here would determine the start of my college life.
I was nervous thinking that…
“Hey, guys, do you want… past exam questions?!”
““Wooooo!!””
A roar of cheers erupted. At the center of it all was Shino.
(She’s amazing, that girl…)
Standing in front of her classmates, whom she’d just met, Shino was, for some reason, standing at the front of the classroom.
In one hand, she held a clear folder. Inside were several lecture handouts and what looked like copies of past exam papers—the kind of thing a freshman definitely shouldn’t have.
Usually, at a meet-and-greet like this, people start with safe, small talk while feeling each other out. But Shino seemed to ignore all that, breaking down the walls and taking control of the atmosphere in the blink of an eye.
Thanks to her, everyone else seemed to realize it was silly to hold back, and before I knew it, the classroom atmosphere had become completely relaxed.
“Rintaro, I’m making a group, so please invite everyone~”
“Got it, but when did you have time to prepare all that—”
Shuddering, I started inviting the people around me to the group.
Thanks to that, I got to talk to all sorts of people and even found someone who plays the same soccer game as me.
I guess this was probably exactly what Shino had planned.
When I first saw Shino in the same classroom, I was on the edge of my seat wondering what would happen, but now that she’s set everything up for me like this, I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep a wink tonight…
★ ☆ ★
The orientation and initial introductions ended, and people began streaming out of the classroom.
Just as I slung my bag over my shoulder, Shino naturally came and stood beside me.
“Rintaro, are you heading home already?”
“Nah, I was thinking of checking out the clubs before I go.”
“Can I come with you?”
I was a little taken aback by the unexpected invitation, but Shino explained her reason with a sheepish look on her face.
“I know you don’t want to stand out, Rintaro… but the morning recruitment drives were so intense I couldn’t even look around properly—”
“Oh…”
I understood immediately.
Even though she’s a bit of a wild card, Shino is a demure beauty when she keeps quiet.
Combined with the vibe that she’d go along with it if pushed, it wasn’t hard to imagine she’d been subjected to pushy recruitment pitches and pick-up lines from all sorts of people.
“So, could you help me keep the guys away?”
“Sure. I owe you one from earlier today, after all.”
Walking with Shino would definitely draw attention, but turning her down now would be nothing short of ungrateful. I’d do my best to fulfill my duties as her bodyguard.
“So, which clubs are you interested in?”
“Maybe the school festival committee or a club that puts out a magazine. I’m also curious about clubs that plan events—”
“You’re more serious than I thought.”
“Just as I look, right?”
Exchanging banter like that, we headed toward the area teeming with club recruiters.
The campus was filled with a different kind of excitement than yesterday’s entrance ceremony.
Everywhere, upperclassmen were handing out flyers, holding up signs, and grabbing freshmen to explain their activities.
Sports clubs, cultural clubs, volunteer groups, certification prep, event planning, and things I couldn’t quite figure out.
It seemed that university offered far more places to belong than I had imagined.
“Are you freshmen?”
“Would you like to at least hear what we have to say?”
She was approached right away, but Shino brushed them off casually, as if she were used to it.
Maybe because I was standing next to her, the upperclassmen seemed much less pushy than they had been this morning.
At least, not once did anyone approach her with the intense, pushy vibe of a pick-up artist.
“Ah, there it is. The Advertising Research Club.”
Once Shino spotted the booth she was looking for, she headed straight for it.
Unlike her lighthearted mood earlier, Shino was quite serious when asking about their activities.
About their specific activities and projects.
What career paths alumni have taken.
How often they meet, and whether it’s possible to balance it with classes and part-time jobs.
Her questions were so specific that the senior explaining them seemed a little surprised.
“…You’ve really thought this through, haven’t you?”
“Hehehe, you can praise me more if you want.”
Shino put the flyer she’d received into her bag and headed toward the next booth.
A magazine production club, a student group focused on planning, a media research society.
After visiting a few, Shino had gathered a decent stack of brochures.
“Alright, I’ve got my shortlist. Now I’ll just go to the orientation events, check out the vibe, and decide. So, it’s Rintaro’s turn next.”
“It’s fine, you don’t have to come with me.”
“Come on, I’m curious about where you’re going to join.”
Hearing that, I felt a little guilty.
Unlike Shino, who had been seriously thinking about her future, I really hadn’t thought about anything at all.
“I’m thinking of joining the futsal club.”
“That sounds great. You’re going to play soccer in college too?”
“Well, I just want to get some light exercise.”
I have no intention of joining a serious sports club.
That said, if I don’t do anything, I’ll end up not getting enough exercise.
A place where I can get some light exercise about once a week, where drinking parties aren’t mandatory, and where beginners and experienced players are mixed in a balanced way.
If there’s a futsal club like that, I think it would be pretty typical for a college student.
“Oh, isn’t this the one?”
Where Shino was pointing, there was a sign for a futsal club.
I went over right away to ask about it.
The first one had too many activities.
Practice three times a week, matches on weekends, and training camps in the summer. No way I could handle that.
The second one had seniors who were way too hyper.
Half of their explanation was about drinking parties and events, so I immediately ruled them out.
The third one looked pretty good.
They meet once a week, welcome beginners, and while there are experienced players, it’s not too competitive. They have drinking parties, but attendance is optional. The upperclassman who explained it seemed calm, and the atmosphere looked good.
“This place isn’t half bad, is it?”
“Yeah, I think I’ll add it to the list.”
I took the flyer and put it in my bag.
With that, I’d achieved my goal of looking for a club for now.
“Well then, thanks for today. Thanks to you, I was able to check them all out properly.”
“Nah, no big deal. I was just standing next to you, that’s all.”
Saying that, Shino gave a slightly wry smile.
“Just standing there, huh… What about when you casually stepped in to cut off those pushy recruiters?”
“Well, if it’s about keeping guys away, that’s the least I could do, right?”
“…That’s exactly the kind of thing I’m talking about.”
What do you mean, “that’s exactly the kind of thing”?
I don’t get it. As far as I’m concerned, I just did what I was asked to do—I kept the guys away, just like that.
Hmm, “normal” is a tricky concept.
★ ☆ ★
The day after the entrance ceremony.
I, Elis Wiegert, was walking through the crowd of club recruiters.
“Freshman? Would you like to hear what we have to say?”
“Are you an international student? Interested in cultural exchange?”
People have been approaching me over and over again.
Club and organization recruitment—and guys using that as an excuse to hit on me.
At first I answered in Japanese, but it got annoying, so halfway through I started answering in German.
“Entschuldigung. Ich habe es eilig. (Excuse me, I’m in a hurry.)”
“Eh, uh, wait…?”
“Sorry, what language is that?”
While the other person was confused, I gave a slight bow and walked away.
I felt a little bad about it, but if I turned them down in Japanese, the conversation would just drag on.
Even if I said I wasn’t interested, they’d insist that just talking was enough. Even if I said I was in a hurry, they’d just ask for my contact info.
So this was the quickest way out.
“You’re cute, but aren’t you being a little cold?”
“But isn’t that what makes you so good?”
I could hear those voices behind me.
Cute, pretty, cold, stuck-up.
I honestly couldn’t care less about the good or bad opinions of the people around me.
I didn’t become cute just to be friendly to everyone.
I didn’t study Japanese just to be praised by someone.
I didn’t grow my hair out or pick out my clothes just to be looked at by some guy I didn’t know.
It was all—all for Rintaro.
So that Rintaro would notice me.
So that Rintaro wouldn’t forget me.
So that I could properly step back into Rintaro’s life once more.
And yet, Rintaro isn’t here right now.
“…Rintaro.”
I whisper his name softly, then immediately shut my mouth.
Because I promised at college that I wouldn’t disrupt Rintaro’s normal life.
But still, I feel a little lonely.
I want to be with Rintaro more. I want him to feel that flutter in his heart for me more.
“Hey, you there. Freshman?”
Just as I was thinking that, someone spoke to me again.
When I turned around, a group of guys with a laid-back vibe were standing there, grinning.
They were holding colorful flyers.
“Interested in international exchange? We get a lot of international students, so it’s a great way to make friends.”
“We’ve got welcome events every day this week. Come check it out if you’re interested.”
The flyer was filled with words like “exchange event,” “welcome party,” and “beginners welcome.”
(Is this a sketchy club?)
Rintaro had mentioned it.
He said there were a few groups at this university that were only called “clubs” in name—they just held drinking parties and got rowdy.
Rintaro is serious, sincere, kind, and cool, so he probably wouldn’t like people like this.
I don’t like this kind of thing either, so I was going to decline in German—
But then, a thought suddenly crossed my mind.
(If I said I was going to this, what would Rintaro say?)
What kind of face would he make when he tried to stop me?
Would he try his hardest for my sake?
“Thank you.”
With that in mind, I took the flyer.
I have absolutely no intention of going to the welcome event.
This is just a little prank.
I’m such a bad girl.
I took out my phone and snapped a photo of the flyer.
Then I opened my chat with Rintaro.
“Rintaro, I got invited to this club’s welcome party. What do you think?”
Staring at the screen after sending the message, I chuckled softly.
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