Source
https://kakuyomu.jp/works/16818093093152263860/episodes/822139837192819933
On the way home from karaoke that evening—the conversation was all about Toka. Her singing was truly unmatched, an overwhelmingly powerful performance.
“Asahina-san, you sing way too well!”
“Pros are just on another level!”
“I feel embarrassed singing myself now!”
I learned something. You can’t count on Tohka’s self-proclaimed weaknesses.
If I’m around level 10, Touka’s easily level 30. Sure, she probably has natural talent, but more than that, I could see the traces of her hard work.
“Asahina san, let’s all go karaoke again sometime!”
I heard one of my classmates, who’s also around level 10 like me, say that to Touka.
“Uh, yeah…”
That Toka walked modestly behind me. Unlike at school, she tentatively gripped the hem of my uniform.
“See ya, Asahina-san! See you tomorrow!”
“Don’t go overboard tomorrow! Our homeroom teacher is starved for boyfriends!”
“It’d be a real pain if romance really got banned.”
With such cheerful farewells, I parted ways with my classmates. It was my first time doing something like this with everyone, but talking to them, I realized most of them were surprisingly nice people.
“…So, what’s bothering you, Toka?”
As we started walking toward Toka’s house, I asked her straight out. Her feelings really show on her face immediately. She’s easy to read.
“I… I made you part of a harem…”
“Wait, what!?”
“Even I get that it’s awkward having one guy surrounded by girls.”
“……”
“Sorry… okay?”
……Maybe I was showing it too much too. Toka saw right through me. I figured if someone said something, I’d read the room and sing, but there was absolutely no need to worry. Everyone just sang whatever they wanted and it ended on its own.
Someone kindly offered to cover the bill, but obviously, since I just listened and didn’t sing, it was totally boring. Maybe that’s just how karaoke with classmates goes.
“Well, I guess I should apologize too.”
“Why are you apologizing, Ryo kun?”
“You’re bad at singing, right? I just thought it wasn’t right to make you do something you dislike for fun.”
“…”
“Fitting in with the class is tough, huh. I don’t think sucking up is the way either. Well, personally, I’m satisfied I got to hear Toka sing. So no apologies. I’m the one who should be sorry.”
“You said no apologies, but you just said it yourself.”
Compared to summer, the sun was setting earlier now. The surroundings were growing dark. Already September… It felt like a blink since meeting Toka back in April. So much had really happened.
“Toka, hands.”
“Uh, okay…”
I took her hand myself. So many hopes had been pinned on this small hand for years and years.
“I’ll write it in the training notebook. Avoid unpleasant things as much as possible.”
“Huh?”
“Today was my mistake. Let’s take our time figuring out school life together from now on.”
Until now, I’d rushed to help Toka, but maybe it’s okay to take things slower from now on. Maybe a development plan that takes the full three years of high school to achieve slowly is fine. Seeing everyone’s reaction to Toka today made me think that.
“Ryo-kun, you’re smiling.”
“I just thought we don’t need to rush anymore. The development plan, let’s take it slow over the three years of high school.”
“Yeah. I like taking it slow too.”
“Right. But if we say three years of high school, it kinda sounds like a club activity, doesn’t it?”
“Club activity?”
“Well, like sports clubs have that thing about how much you can improve over three years, right?”
“…So, should we make it a club activity too? The Development Club.”
“The Development Club!?”
“Yeah, just a club for me and Ryo-kun.”
This is getting interesting. If you asked what would change, I don’t think anything would, but having this framework just for the two of us feels like a secret base and gets me excited.
“Sounds good! So from now on, all development activities at school will be handled by us, the Development Club!”
“Ryo-kun is the president.”
“…My roles keep piling up.”
Manager, development supervisor, club president… it’s getting harder to keep track. But it just means my connection with Toka is growing, so it’s a good thing, right?
Yeah, yeah. It’s a nice idea, fitting for high schoolers to tie it into school life. We kinda lacked awareness about school life before, after all.
“From now on, if a teacher says anything, we’ll just say it’s ‘Development Club’ activity!”
“That’ll probably get us disbanded immediately.”
When I said that, Toka laughed out loud. It made me so happy, I couldn’t help but smile too.
“You know, as a Development Department member, I’ve decided something.”
“And that would be?”
“It’s not okay for me to be selfish and leave Ryo-kun isolated like today. If I keep doing that, he’ll end up hating me someday.”
“That won’t happen.”
“No. I think I was terrible today as your girlfriend too. I made you go to the staff room alone.”
…Man, I love this side of Toka. She’s such a kind girl at heart.
“Plus, it seems I’m lacking in common sense.”
“Now…?”
“Mmm!”
Ouch! She pinched the back of my hand hard.
“So, I! I’m going to learn common sense! Asahina Toka, commencing installation of common sense!”
“Installation?”
“This is the first activity for the Development Department.”
“You just decided that on your own.”
“I think achieving the ‘Become a Normal High School Girl Project’ lies beyond this!”
I told her to take it slow, but Toka is incredibly motivated.
…The hot summer is over, and next week brings September.
I feel bad for Toka, but honestly, I’ve got something else I’m way more motivated about in September.
September 9th—Asahina Toka’s birthday.
I have to prepare the best birthday ever to make Toka happy!
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