“Alright! Are you all ready?! Our youth, effort, and passion! Let’s showcase everything we’ve prepared with all our might!!!”
WooAAAAAHHHHH!!!
Tateyama’s cheerleading, which she prepared, was hard to describe as flashy…
Maybe it felt that way because it was compared to the cheerleading Hinoshita-senpai prepared last year.
In fact, when Tateyama’s cheerleading began with her shout, some students watching started to murmur that it was a bit lacking.
But that didn’t mean the quality had dropped at all.
In my personal opinion, it was on par with the cheerleading Hinoshita-senpai prepared last year.
I didn’t rate it just because I felt embarrassed about what happened last year.
Objectively speaking, Tateyama’s cheerleading was absolutely perfect in my eyes.
If Hinoshita-senpai’s cheerleading last year focused on flamboyance and impact, this year’s cheerleading by Tateyama had a clean and precise feel to each movement.
Saying you had to choose one would mean they were both incredibly good in completely different ways.
Of course, if I had to choose, I’d probably side with Tateyama’s, but… I think comparing the two is just wrong from the start.
Both were the results of Tateyama and Hinoshita-senpai putting their all into it.
That’s why when Tateyama noticed a bit of disappointment earlier, I couldn’t help but smile.
She must have been confident in the efforts they’ve put in.
Seeing those who reacted like that cheer wildly made me feel inexplicably proud.
“Thank you!”
After finishing the cheerleading, which was the last activity of the day, Tateyama came over to me with a bright smile and hugged me tightly.
Thankfully, it was just tight enough that I could still breathe.
“How was it, Kayoutchi? Was I cool? Was I the best?!”
“Y-Yes… um, you were amazing…. Really the best…!”
“Thanks!”
Participating in three events during the sports day while preparing so diligently for cheerleading, I truly thought Tateyama was awesome.
“Look over there… it’s like Tateyama-senpai and the Ice Princess are close…”
“Are they really that close?”
“…or maybe it’s because they can’t allow the red team to lose this sports day.”
“If that’s the case, we have to win the following matches….”
“Last year’s cheerleading captain was Hinoshita-senpai, and she’s close with Tateyama, so…”
By the way, was it because I heard those things from the students earlier that my image spread in the school?
I could faintly hear the voices of people around me.
…It’s all a misunderstanding. It’s really embarrassing, so I wish they would stop saying that.
But I can’t say anything since I rejected that opportunity earlier…
While I was feeling down about that, Tateyama suddenly pulled away from me, looking somewhat startled.
“M-Mi, sorry… Kayoutchi! I just realized I’m all sweaty right now and probably sticky and smelly!”
“…Huh?”
I didn’t think I was sticky or smelly at all. If I had to say, I thought I smelled warm and sweet, which was nice.
That’s a bit disappointing…
“Suddenly, Tateyama-senpai pulled away.”
“Did I upset Kaya-senpai? Were they unhappy with the performance on stage or something?”
“Are they bullying…?!”
…Please stop misinterpreting!
As much as I wanted to shout that, there was no way I could say such things to first-year students I didn’t even know.
More than anything, no matter how much I insist that I’m not the Ice Princess, since my image has already been set as the cold person… everyone would think it’s just an excuse.
When you watch the broadcasts, no matter how much I claim to be a super cute girl and an extroverted atmosphere maker, the Izutomo crew just laughs at me while bullying me.
But, well, the Izutomo crew does that because they like me, so it’s not a big deal.
I just want them to know how much I cherish them…
Anyway, at such times, it’s better to show through actions rather than words.
Just how close I am to Tateyama.
Of course, Tateyama might not think of me as particularly close, but… at least I think of her as a really close classmate!
So I instantly approached Tateyama and hugged her tightly from my side, in contrast to earlier.
“Eh? K-K-Kayoutchi?!”
Tateyama was surprised by my sudden actions.
I whispered just loud enough for her to hear.
I still wanted to keep the hidden fact that I’m not the Ice Princess among our high school juniors.
“Hey, just hold on like this for a moment, okay?”
“Ah? Uh…?”
“I mean, I completely didn’t think Tateyama was sticky or smelly…. In fact, it was nice because you smelled warm and sweet….”
“What does that even mean…?”
Thankfully, Tateyama didn’t push me away, despite her confusion.
Thank goodness. This way, others should clearly understand how close I am to Tateyama.
Of course, Tateyama might not think that way, but… still, just how much I like her.
If asked to pick three people I want to remain in contact with after graduating, she would definitely be on that list.
Well, those three have already been decided.
“I mean, what I’m saying is that I like Tateyama…”
“W-What? You mean… as a friend, right?”
Friend…?
Wait, does that mean Tateyama thinks of me as a friend and not just a classmate?
How sweet is that…
So it turns out I was already friends with Tateyama!
I was so happy about that fact that I nodded vigorously.
“Yes…!”
“No… I mean, you must have known, right? Yeah.”
“What do you mean?”
“What I mean… is that your behavior is kind of bad. …We’re on a break for a while.”
Huh?
My friend… just disappeared as soon as I got one…?
“…You two seem pretty close.”
“It’s a nice sight to behold…”
“So the Ice Princess has that side to her, huh….”
“Seeing that makes me not want to lose in the upcoming matches…”
But thankfully, Tateyama didn’t push me away, so I was able to prevent any strange rumors from starting.
“Red team! We win!”
“WhoaAAAAH!”
Fortunately, red team was able to win just barely in the sports day.
Though I didn’t do anything at all!
★
“Th-That happened.”
Luckily, after I was stiff for a while, my kind friend Tateyama smiled and explained that it was a joke.
She did say something strange right after about whether I was everyone’s enemy, but…
That must have been a joke too.
Sometimes, Tateyama makes jokes that are difficult for me to understand, only comprehensible to the top tier of the school caste.
I wonder if I’ll ever reach that level?
The thought of not being able to imagine it at all makes me feel sad…
[So Izumi was acting like that at school too…]
“Eh?”
Kurokami-senpai let out a sigh after hearing my story.
Why? As the mom figure, shouldn’t Kurokami-senpai praise me for making friends at school?
How hard did I work today?
And what does she mean by acting like that at school?
Is she ridiculing my inability to blend in with others…?
That can’t be! Kurokami-senpai is kind…
[Well, putting that aside… Izumi.]
“Y-Yes?”
[You mentioned the Mass Media Club, right? Are you really okay with it just ending that way?]
“…Huh?”
What does she mean by that?
[I could say the junior who followed you afterward could be mistaken, but even if there were misunderstandings and misjudgments, those juniors were too rude. I’d like to speak as gently as I can since they’re your juniors, but personally, I find that type detestable… they only move for their own purposes.]
“…Eh?”
[You should definitely be getting a formal apology. It might be good to consider filing a complaint at school. If you say it’s difficult, I can step in… ]
“N-No? No?! I mean, they didn’t say anything, but those juniors came to apologize again after the sports day… I’m fine.”
[…Is that so?]
“Yes.”
It’s not a lie to evade the moment.
Those from the Mass Media Club came to me right after the sports day and bowed deeply.
“We’re really sorry, senpai!”
Just how far all three of them bowed to me.
I felt a bit guilty just watching.
“I can’t believe I was worried about the senpai who must have struggled with being misunderstood until the end instead of thinking about our circumstances. It’s so detestable to think I was concerned about my own issues at the start of our Mass Media Club activities, to prevent a victim….”
“It’s entirely my fault for obsessing over only features about you, senpai. The rumors circulating about you at school must all be true. I told them that.”
“I was wrong for following you even after you turned your back on me that first time, senpai.”
Only after I insisted repeatedly that I was truly okay did they finally lift their heads.
And there were tears of regret in their eyes.
With juniors speaking like this, who would refuse to forgive them?
So, to lighten their burden, I scratched my cheek and said honestly.
“At first, I was shocked… but I really am fine. Isn’t it kind of great? Not matching up with people’s imaginations… a hidden secrets girl.”
Well, my comment about how they didn’t need to lighten their burden so much felt strangely out of place.
But I was genuine… didn’t these kids know the dream of a boy?
“Kayanoh-senpai, even if you get misunderstood again in the future, we will always believe you first…!”
Anyway, with that conversation, everything ended well, meaning Kurokami-senpai really wasn’t needed.
“I-I really said we resolved it….”
[Hmm… since Izumi said that, I’ll believe it for now.]
Thank goodness Kurokami-senpai seemed to take a step back as if agreeing with me.
Hey, guys! You better remember! I saved your lives!!!
[…It seems like there’s only one way left to do this…]
And then Tsurusaki, who had been silently listening, suddenly spoke up.
“W-What do you mean by that…?”
[You’re making your school friends feel uneasy… no, causing trouble for them. Seeing you caught in such absurd incidents makes me worry for you, Izumi-senpai.]
Trouble for Tateyama? That never happened.
Though I did get caught in absurd incidents…
[In that case, I’ll have no choice but to keep you locked up at my place and personally train you… ]
“Wha?!”
[…I’m just kidding! Joking!]
No way. When Tsurusaki says that while trying to pin me down, it genuinely sounds scary, so I hope she stops…
Of course, I know Tsurusaki clearly distinguishes between me and ‘Kainoh Izumi’, but lately, when we talk, it feels like there’s an incredibly sticky vibe, and there’s hardly any distance anymore…
Just now, she came off feeling like a genuine yandere, and it was scary…
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