15.5 Chapter 4.1: To Each Their Own Growth Part1

From there we played in turns to our hearts' desire as a group.

We've finished doing 2v2 beach volley, we are now in the middle of doing 1v1 beach volley up to 5 points. The first match was between Keisei and Airi, and Keisei won 5-2. Then me versus Akito, and Akito won 5-3. Airi, not being athletic, must have gotten tired from one bout. I saw her seated by the poolside and called out to her.

"You looked like you had a lot of fun."

"Ah, Kiyotaka-kun. Yeah, it was really fun. Though I couldn't match up at all..."

For some reason she had been trying to stand up so she stopped and I sat down beside her.

"Honestly I'm still surprised. You're brave enough to do something like this."

"That's... yeah. I tried to stop thinking... it's really embarrassing even now though."

"Why are you being so brave?"

It's not because of a mere whim isn't it?

"On the uninhabited island, we were with our groups for almost 24/7 right? I talked with Haruka-chan a lot there. About when I was a child, and when I was in middle school. Then when I entered this school and got along with you guys."

Whenever there's time, a small chat ends up taking it. If that kept on happening, it's no wonder that they ended up digging deep. Because of the many days they spent together, the two were probably able to understand each other like long-time friends.

"I might be able to change now... I might not be able to change except if it's now..."

"Change? You mean not just in appearance?"

"Yes. I can't say it clearly yet but... I have to change, I've started thinking that I can't not change. I can't go on with being bad at studies and sports."

Even while feeling embarrassment and reddening cheeks, Airi conveyed her determination.

"And the beginning of that is your personal appearance?"

"Haruka-chan told me off, telling me that it's not good to deliberately avoid standing out.."

To begin with, Airi is disposed to not want to stand out.

So she lives while making her hairstyle reserved and wearing unnecessary fake glasses. Even with regards to her posture, she often rounds her back and avoids raising her head. Results in studies and sports won't come right away, but she can fix her appearance. Airi stared at the pool. The ball hit the water from the last match, and Akito gained one point from Haruka.

With this Akito has taken the lead ahead of the rest of us.

"I wonder if I'm... slow."

Having said everything, Airi nervously looked up at me.

"No, you're not slow."

I want to praise her honestly, that she did a good job resolving herself.

"I'll be cheering for you."

"Th-thank you Kiyotaka-kun. I'll, do my best."

"Ah- that's right, I forgot to say this, but Airi's image change is still a secret. She's gonna debut in front of everyone starting from the 2nd term after all."

By everyone, everyone in the classroom would be better. If she'll be nervous anyway it's better to do it in front of less people.

"So what do you think, Yukimu? Looking at Airi."

Haruka stopped serving and passed the ball to Keisei.

(TN: haha. get it? pass the ball? ahahaha)

"Do-don't ask me."

"If I don't ask, I won't know right? Don't hold back and let me know your thoughts."

Being told that, Keisei looked directly at Airi and examined her whole body.

Since she was par for the course embarrassed, Airi tried to run away.

"You can't run Airi."

Airi, who was wailing, cowering and clattering, was being suppressed earnestly by Haruka.

And after finishing his examination Keisei's evaluation was...

"...Not bad, isn't it? No, or should I say it's completely fashionable..."

Keisei, who usually doesn't show any interest in women, answered with embarrassment.

"Oo, if Yukimu is reacting like that you must be right on the mark!"

As if she herself was being praised, Haruka rejoiced and jumped high.

Then she did a serve to Akito who was looking at Airi.

"Uwa!"

"One po-int! Now it's 2 - 3!"

"That's unfair Haruka."

"Looking so intently at a girl puts you at fault. Carelessness is the enemy, the enemy."

"Don't say absurd things. But... just by removing their glasses and changing their hairstyles, can women change this much?"

"It just means that the raw material was outstanding. Don't you understand that?"

"But still... right?"

Akito and Keisei met eyes and nodded at the same time.

"Good grief. Well, it's because you guys act that way that I can talk with you normally."

Akito shook off his lusts and focused on his own serve.

When the match started again Airi said a few words.

"Studying, how can I get better, or smarter I wonder..."

Airi usually plans ahead for tests, but she fundamentally doesn't go to study groups to start from the beginning like Sudou or Horikita. If you're raising your academic skill then you can't miss that.

Keisei heard something about studying and pitched in to start explaining.

"Shouldn't you start from seeing what you can and can't do? In the beginning, from the 1st year of elementary school, everyone was the same. But gradually, their academic strengths and weaknesses appeared. Do you know why that is?"

"Um..."

"Everyone is different in terms of how well they can learn and how well they can absorb material, as well as how well they can focus. There are people who can't be patient for even one minute, and there are those who can adapt to the situation, control their focus and pass over an hour studying. Those are already enough to produce a difference in learning ability, but the kind of studying you do outside of class is a big factor."

"That's-right. Now that you mention it, the people who went to cram school were smart."

Having understood a natural thing, Airi nodded.

"Ura!"

The ball avoided Haruka's catch, giving away the 5th point. The result was Akito's win by 5-2.

"A-alright. It's my win."

"How frustrating-. But I lost because I wanted to hear their talk so I couldn't concentrate."

While giving an elaborate excuse, Haruka went up to side.

"What if Kiyopon teaches you how to study?"

Haruka proposed from the flow of the conversation.

"Sorry but I'm not good at teaching others how to study. Besides, a teaching specialist is nearby isn't he?"

I averted the eyes that were faced here towards Keisei to encourage him.

"Well... if it's okay with Airi, it's okay with me."

"No, but look, Akito and I want Yukimu to do favors for us from now on. Airi's on a different level so if she joins won't it become hard to teach?"

"U, that means I'm an idiot doesn't it? ...uu."

"Aah no no! That's not it!"

"No, that couldn't have been taken as anything but that Haruka."

Not being able to protect her, Akito sighed and muttered.

"I was just, you know... Ah geez, I'm sorry my words went a bit too far!"

At the same time Haruka bowed her head low to Airi, two lumps dramatically-.

It's probably a good thing that we saw it. It drew all our attention.

Then everyone laughed and the air slackened.

"There we go. So now it's Airi and Keisei's revenge match."

"Eeh, no matter how many times I try I won't be able to win~!"

"I can go with you as backup so don't worry."

"Wa-wait Akito. That would put me in a huge disadvantage!"

Even while complaining Keisei obediently entered the pool. That shows his honesty.

"Do-do your best!"

Airi had gained a reliable teammate in Akito and made a small guts pose.

Haruka and I watched the new match from the poolside.

"Hey, can I ask you something?"

"Hm?"

Right after the bout started, Haruka asked me with her eyes on the match.

"It's fine if I'm not imagining it, but aren't you a bit cold towards Airi?"

"I don't mean to be."

"But, it would have been okay for you to teach her man to man right? You can do that can't you?"

If it were a question of whether I could or not I could do it without problems.

"I feel like you're being kind of unfair to Airi."

"No matter who it is, I treat them fairly."

"Really?"

"Apart from pretense I really haven't had any favorites."

"...Which means you treat her and your close friends the same way?"

"Yeah."

"Like, isn't that a bit weird? Like you feel distant. I'll say it now that I can, but haven't you been looking at us from afar since before?"

Somehow it seems that sort of thing has been conveyed to Haruka.

"Like your laughing face. I haven't seen it before."

Saying that, she extended her right hand and pinched my left cheek.

With some degree of force, she pulled and played with it.

"If we can at least make Kiyopon laugh we'd be grateful."

"It's not like I'm trying not to laugh."

She separated her fingertips from my pinched cheek and linked her arms with discontent.

"There's still a reason I'm not directly telling you. The distance between Airi and I has been too small from the start."

"What's that?"

"I'm thinking that the one who will make her grow isn't me, but those around her."

"Those around her?"

"You're there, Akito is there, and Keisei is there. For Airi the most important factor to grow is to be surrounded by her close friends. Actually, right now Airi is trying to change so much because of you."

"I think that the most important thing to Airi is you though."

"If she was the type to grow from falling in love, then maybe that could've also been done."

"I've heard before that you've noticed Airi's feelings. But how do I say this? That's kind of a harsh way to put it..."

Maybe she herself didn't know how to express it. She looked at me with complicated eyes.

"Ever since we were 1st years, Airi has been thinking of me in no small manner. That makes me happy. It's just-"

Eyes that looked as if they belonged to a maiden waiting for the reply to her confession looked at me in unease.

Airi's love. There's no mistaking that she has been praying for it to come true as a close friend.

"What's necessary for Airi right now are people whom she can trust."

"Bu-but isn't it fine for love to be there? She might be able to work harder."

"There might be synergy as you say."

It's just the thing called love can't coexist with dangerous things.

For starters, if one person is sitting on a chair and another person tries to sit on it as well, they will have to cast away the first person. Of course, if managed well two or three people sitting at the same time isn't impossible, but in this exclusive school that can't be called anything but unfit. If it were discovered then the damage would be far greater. I stood from the poolside.

"In the future Airi will suffer a little shock to her spirit. At that time, Haruka, please stay close to her and cheer her up more than anyone else."

"What's that? What do you mean?"

"Sorry but I can't answer now."

Airi has the lowest value in our class.

Academic ability + Physical ability + Other factors. Looking at them holistically, no other judgement can be made.

Not just the OAA, I also feel the same.

Nevertheless, Airi is trying to improve herself now. Depending on herself, though slowly, she can develop.

After half a year or after one year, she might escape the lower ranks of the class.