V1C1 Part3

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Prince of Stride - Up the Wind and Drive Your Emotions (Novel Series)

Step 01: Let the Wind Blow

《03》

♛

I was wandering around the clubhouse building by myself with the orientation pamphlet in my hand when someone called out to me from behind.

“Nana Sakurai.”

Someone had suddenly called out my full name without honorifics. Surprised, I looked back to see the boy with glasses from my class.

“Um, Fujiwara-kun!” Because of his simple introduction in class, I remembered his name right away.

“You’re going to the stride club?”

“Huh? Ah, yes!”

Maybe he heard it from Riko. If so, that’s a little embarrassing!

“Let’s go.”

Without changing his facial expression, Fujiwara-kun started walking away. It seemed like he was guiding me.

You can’t say that the clubhouse building is clean even in compliment, but you can hear the sounds of people’s voices, their laughter, and the sounds of instruments. Enthusiasm from various clubs circulated through the building. As expected, city high schools are really busy.

“It’s here.”

The stride club room was located in a secluded part of the building. I wonder where all the enthusiasm from a while ago has gone? There was no one to be seen.

“Great, so there is a stride club after all!”

“Of course,” Fujiwara-kun said bluntly.

“Thank you.”

I thanked him for his help and took a deep breath. This is the stride club I longed for. I was kind of nervous. What should I say when I go in? Should I say I am grateful…please treat me respectfully….gah!

Without my knowledge, Fujiwara-kun suddenly opened the door without knocking.

“!”

Too engrossed in my own thoughts, I was surprised when Fujiwara-kun prompted me to go in. The door was suddenly opened, but it seems like neither of us wanted to enter first. But since it turned out like this, it can’t be helped.

“Excuse me!”

From the clubroom, we heard the sound of clicks.

“Takeback.“ The voice of a large-built senior rose aloud.

“No takebacks!” The senior with glasses rejects the timeout.

“Nope, you’re gonna have to let me take back my move.”

“I’m not gonna let you! This is RTS (Real Time Shogi) !”

This exchange came from two seniors sitting across the shogi board. They were the only ones in the clubroom. I tried looking around, but the boys from the video were not there. However…why were they playing shogi in the stride club?

“The other day I gave you a takeback!”

“Oho, when? What year, what month, what day, what hour, what minute, what day of the week….”

“You idiot!”

The seniors continued to talk so excitedly over takebacks and no takebacks that they had yet to notice us. Softly, I closed the door of the clubroom. I rubbed my eyes and looked at the nameplate of the clubroom again. ‘Stride Club’ is definitely written on the sign, but next to it, ‘Shogi Club’ was written as well. Was it the Stride club? Or the Shogi club?

“Um….” A voice called out to us from behind and I almost jumped. I looked back and saw a boy standing there with a friendly smile who appeared to be a senior.

“Perhaps you’re here to join the stride club?”

“Y-yes.”

“Great! Welcome! I’m Hozumi Kohinata in Year 2. Nice to meet you!”

After saying this, Kohinata-senpai opened the door to the clubroom. He had a gentle manner about him. Inside, the other two seniors were still squabbling over the shogi board.

Kohinata-senpai went over and clapped his hands. “New members entering the club!” He said with a bright voice.

He introduced us to the other two seniors. The one who was largely built and had the feel of a sports team member was Heath Hasekura-senpai. His facial features were also crisp and distinct like an actor’s. On the other hand, the one who looked smart and cultured was Ayumu Kadowaki-senpai.

“So, which one is it?” Kadowaki-senpai asked.

We were uncertain of what he meant. Kohinata-senpai grabbed Fujiwara-kun’s shoulder.

“Those eyes…those glasses…you are thinking of joining the Shogi club!”

“Wrong.” Fujiwara-kun expressionlessly denied.

Kadowaki-senpai, after staring closely at Fujiwara-kun’s face, slapped his knee in recognition. “You are the Fujiwara of Tsurugi junior high!”

“…Yes.” Fujiwara-kun nodded, still expressionless.

“Of course! He is a famous stride player U-15 (under fifteen). So, you came from Hyogo to Tokyo.” Kadowaki-senpai said, unintentionally staring at him.

Ah, so that’s it! I didn’t know at all.

“Oh, wow!” Kohinata clapped his hands for Fujiwara, who did not look embarrassed at all. He was brazen and unfazed.

“For a guy like him to join the stride club is a good sign! Apart from that, looks like the Shogi club was able to get…its first female member!” Kadowaki fist pumps the air.

“Ah, um, that is….” I couldn’t say any more.

“No, Sakurai is also joining the stride club.”

Thank you for saying it for me, Fujiwara-kun. But even though we’ve only met for the first time, why is he so certain?

“Ah, let me do this properly! I am Nana Sakurai. I came to Honan for stride and I want to manage the team. Please take care of me!”

Hasekura-senpai and Kadowaki-senpai gave each other a look. Only Kadowaki-senpai gave me a welcoming smile.

“Welcome to the club! I’m Ayumu Kadowaki in year 2. The late bloomer golden Kadowaki!”

“Ah, well we both would like to join stride club so….”

“Joining one means joining the other.” Hasekura-senpai said lazily.

Huh?

“What do you mean by that?”

“That is, the stride club is also the shogi club, since there are a shortage of members. The clubs would be disbanded otherwise.” Hasekura-senpai continued, looking bothered.

Kohinata-senpai took over explaining. “At this school, a club must have at least three members or else it gets disbanded. In other words, we three have to be in both clubs at the same time in order to keep the required amount of members.”

After hearing the explanation, Fujiwara-kun spoke up. “I’m not going to play shogi.”

“He’s already decided!” Kadowaki-senpai held his head in his hands.

“Boy I have a cramp….” Hasekura-senpai mumbled. He looked over at Kohinata-senpai.

“Hmm, well if you guys are joining, I guess we need a new activity that requires more players….like mahjong.” Kohinata-senpai said.

Well, I guess you can play mahjong with four people, but that’s not what I want to do!

“Please wait! So, with the three senpai here….”

“We are all members of stride and shogi clubs.”

Only three people are members?! I can’t believe Hōnan stride club would become like this. I almost cried in shock. The stride club here was so amazing, so why….

“Um, I watched a video of Hōnan. Because of that, I wanted to join the stride club here and decided on this school…”

It was my first big life decision, and yet….

“Video?” Hasekura-senpai showed interest for the first time.

“Ah, yes. Please wait a moment.”

If I show them, they’ll be able to understand. I took out my smartphone and tried to play the video I’ve seen so many times before.

―――――――――――――――

best_stride_ever.mp4

Upon request made by the Stride Association, this video has been removed.

―――――――――――――――

A cruel message was displayed.

“Stride Association, you idiot!!!” Without thinking, I nearly threw my phone, but thought otherwise. I felt discouraged. What should I do…?

“Huh? What’s so good about that video anyways?” Hasekura-senpai said provocatively, as he stared directly at me.

I straightened my spine.

“It’s just the only video where the relation was made at true top speed.”

For an instant, Hasekura-senpai’s face changed when I used the stride terminology I recently learned in my explanation.

It was only in this video that the next player received energy from the player before him. Their feelings were connected through the relation, and he became increasingly faster…

“It was good. Hōnan’s stride is better than the other videos.” I said, looking back into Hasekura-senpai’s eyes. Senpai did not avert his eyes from mine.

“The two in the video are now third years but…one is taking a leave of absence, and the other one…quit the club a long time ago,” Kohinata-senpai muttered.

“…What?”

These people who were so great at stride had quit the club so readily? Unbelievable.

“I’m sorry, but without enough members, it is impossible to participate in a match,” Kohinata said, apologetic.

Stride needs at least six members; five runners, and a controller called the ‘relationer’.

“However, in Shogi we can go to team competitions with just three people,” Kadowaki-senpai whispered.

But it’s not possible to stride with only three people.

“Ah, I’m still very happy that you guys came by! Even if we can’t participate in matches, we can still practice together!” Kohinata said brightly.

“If not for a game, what are the practices for?” Hasekura-senpai’s low voice echoed through the clubroom, and everyone fell silent.

The silence was broken by Kohinata-senpai.

“Sakurai-san, did you want to be a manager? If that’s the case, there will be four players including Fujiwara-kun.”

Let’s see, that’s Fujiwara-kun, Kohinata-senpai, Hasekura-senpai….

“We are short two members in order to participate in any tournaments.”

“Um, that’s three people Hozumi-kun, don’t add me to the number of people,” Kadowaki-senpai complained with a strange tone.

“Ah, I will definitely find two more people!” I said forcefully.

“Three more people!” Kadowaki said, but I did not stop.

“I want to do stride like I saw in that video… the video is gone but I’m sure there are many others like me who love stride!”

Hasekura-senpai openly frowned. “No one comes to the stride club anymore. No one cares. It’s better if you go and look at other club activities.”

He waved his hand as if he was shooing us away.

“It’s no good if it’s not stride!” My voice became loud. “Didn’t you guys join the stride club because you love it?”

My voice trembled. Hasekura-senpai and Kohinata-senpai’s faces were sullen. I know that I’m only a first year that has just arrived. I know what I said was rude. But still -

“Wah!”

Suddenly, Kadowaki-senpai let out a strange noise. Fujiwara-kun, who has been silent this whole time, was crouched by Kadowaki-senpai and rubbing his legs.

“…Not bad.”

Fujiwara-kun…what are you saying? I felt my energy leaving me. Kohinata-senpai laughed happily.

“Have you noticed? We’ve been training hard. Even though it’s only part of our club, we are still the stride club!”

“What! I thought we were aiming to be the fastest shogi club!”

“Tsk tsk tsk. Ayumu-kun, your body has already been modified by us for STRIDE!”

“What the hell did you do to my body!! I’m scared!”

Squatting next to the exaggeratedly frightened Kadowaki, Fujiwara-kun stared straight at Hasekura-senpai. “You said what’s the use of practicing, but what do your words mean when you have trained an outsider’s body?”

From his tone, Fujiwara-kun was completely starting a fight. They glared at each other, but Fujiwara-kun averted his gaze first. Getting up slowly, Fujiwara-kun looked at me with his black eyes, framed with his glasses.

“Sakurai.”

“Ah - yes!”

“Two more people,” was all Fujiwara-kun said. He started to relax.

I nodded with resolution. We cannot stop now. If there aren’t enough people, we should increase it. “I’ll absolutely bring in two more people. If we can do this, could we work as a proper club?”

Hasekura-senpai watched us as if he was testing us. “Yeah, sure. If you can. As the captain, a man is only as good as his words.”

Fujiwara pushed his glasses up as a confirmation.

“I’ll help out!” Kohinata said, smiling.

“Oh thank you!”

“It’ll be fine, Heath-kun.”

“…Have it your way.” Hasekura-senpai, seemingly uninterested in us, headed back to the shogi board and Kadowaki-senpai.

“Do your best, Sakurai-san!” Kohinata-senpai tightly made a fist to cheer me on.

“Yes!” I’m not going to be defeated by something like a member shortage.

——————————–

(regular perspective)

Hozumi watched the two first years leave the room.

“Hozumi is really caring…” Ayumu Kadowaki, captain of the shogi club, muttered as he sat down.

Heath Hasekura, captain of the stride club, sat in front of the shogi board as if nothing happened.

And you, Heath, are too uncaring, Hozumi Kohinata thought. These days, nobody has the enthusiasm to join the club. I wish you were a little more pleased.

Heath struck the board with a loud sound. It seems like this place was becoming livelier after all. Ayumu stared at the face of the board…it was a good move. Perhaps the tides have turned.

“This move was a really good idea.”

“It’s because a good wind is blowing.”

Heath laughed and smiled. That laughter was something Ayumu hasn’t seen in a long time. It may have been the kind of smile when he was scheming, but perhaps he was pleased.

“Looks interesting.”

The shogi board, as well as the club’s activity, was starting to look interesting.