Sasaki And Miyano: First Year Students

“Kagi-kun, go get that.”

“Okay, here you go.”

Kagiura Akira, hence the name Kagi-kun.

Hirano-san, my blonde senpai and roommate, still made me cringe at times whenever he mentioned my rather cutesy nickname.

The dormitory head, Hanzawa-san, assured me that he had never heard anyone but Hirano-san using my nickname.

It was the first time anyone had called me so. The usuals were Kagiura, Akira or Akki, the name of a courageous swordsman in a game I played with my friends. I’ve never been called that before, so “Kagi-kun” was special.

I had never imagined that I would find someone to love at the high school I entered, with the intention of spending all my time playing basketball.

The person was, of course, Hirano-san.

Although I endured disappointment at times due to my high expectations, I am living a fulfilling life, thanks to Hirano-san, who gave me a deep sense of belonging and unimaginable kindness.

November 11th was coming soon.

―― It was the day when two lovers played a special game.

Bearing a vague impression of it, the pocky sticks1 appeared in front of me.

*****

“Hey, Kagiura.”

“What’s this?”

“Pocky.”

“I can see that.”

I was about to leave my seat to go for my club activities when I was stopped. I set my bag down on my desk.

Shinbashi held up his hands with his index fingers next to his ears, as if to further emphasize his girlish appearance.

It’s just that, if you’re a polite person with manners, you wouldn’t stick your fingers in others’ faces. That’s what I’m trying to do.

“November 11 is ‘Pocky & Pritz Day’. Look, there’s a row of vertical barrels and they are supposed to be like snacks.”

―― Come to think of it, I don’t think I’ve ever heard of that before.

I nodded lightly in agreement, since every day was a celebration of something in the world.

“Yeah.”

Shinbashi looked slightly taken aback.

“You know about the pocky game?”

In the past half a year of our friendship, he had grown accustomed to playing the role of a ” tsukkomi2“. He seemed to have realized early on that I hadn’t quite grasped where the conversation was going.

“Hm, yeah. It’s a game where you eat the ends of the stick at the same time, like lovers do, right?”

Even I knew that much. Though I hadn’t experienced it.

“I have some pockys here that I got from someone.”

A box of red coloured snacks was presented to me. It was a very ordinary pocky.

“Who did ya get it from?”

“My friend from the club. He wanted to play the pocky game with me but I rejected him because it felt weird. Then, he just gave the pocky to me.”

“Oh.”

You had a hard time.

“That’s because I’m cute.” Although I’m used to seeing him act all triumphant and proud, he was still pretty much a pain in the ass. Anyone would be bewildered to receive such an invitation from an ordinary friend who wasn’t even your lover.

“Yeah, I’m not too bothered about that. I’ll give this to you.”

“Eh? I’ll eat it if you give it to me…… But why?”

I tilted my head in confusion as I stared at the box he handed me.

Was he petty enough to refuse eating it just to stop any advancements?

“Huh,” Shinbashi said, looking dumbfounded once again.

“Why don’t you eat it with Hirano-san in your dorm?”

“Hm?”

I thanked Shinbashi as I accepted the box, picking up my bag.

In any case, it was time for club activities.

I wondered what was going on, but it was almost time for club activities to start. I parted with Shinbashi and hurried to the club room.

As I changed into my gym wear, I overheard a conversation among the seniors. It seemed that they played the pocky game in class and their teacher had confiscated them for making too much noise.

…… Ah, was this what Shinbashi meant by eating it together with Hirano-san? I didn’t know. 

If I told Hirano-san, “Let’s play the pocky game”, Hirano-san would most probably react with, “Hah?” A kinder version would be, “I don’t want to.”

――Yep, I don’t think he would do it. This was where my delusions ended.

Once I reached the gym, there was no time to think about anything else. I changed into my basketball shoes and lined up at the assembly point.

The days in November were short.

The early sunset made the cold weather even more evident. Even though there wasn’t any white breath, my sweaty body could easily feel the piercing cold. 

I quickened my pace and hurried down the road from the station. I was almost reaching the dorms.

As I walked past the convenience store, I thought of the pocky sticks again.

It wasn’t that I didn’t want to do couple-y things with Hirano-san. I just couldn’t hold any expectations to be able to enjoy the game with him. If the two parties weren’t equally willing to do it, there was no way I could get excited about it.

However, when I thought about my family, my parents would probably do it as a joke. 

In my parents’ house, there was an atmosphere of sharing everything which was really fun. I felt nostalgic as I reminisced about the memories. 

I couldn’t help but burst into laughter at the image of my parents playing the pocky game that I hadn’t seen before. For some reason, I really missed it so much. I guess I’m a little homesick.

―― How nice it was to have fun playing with each other.

It would be fun to walk the streets at night, even better if it was with Hirano-san.

I wouldn’t be discouraged if I couldn’t do it. I could imagine how it would feel to pull it off though.

Well, Hirano-san and I were still not close enough to reach the state of being a family.

“… Huh?”

As I entered the residential area, I spotted a familiar figure with its back against me, just a little up ahead. I broke out into a run.

That blonde hair, that uniform, that walking posture.

“Hirano-san!”

When I caught up with him and called out, he turned around and softened his expression, “Ah, Kagi-kun.”

“Good work today, you had another committee meeting, Hirano-san?”

“Yeah. Kagi-kun, you’ve worked hard too. What’s up? You look like you’re in a good mood.”

“Eh? Is that so?”

Hirano-san, who asked this, had a somewhat tired expression on his face. It was rare for the committee meeting to last this long, so I figured that they must have had tons of work to do. When I entered high school, I was surprised to find that the committee was established as a separate section on campus, with a strong policy of letting students run their own affairs. 

The workload was especially heavy on the second-year students who took the reins. It wasn’t something that could be finished in one sitting. So, Hanzawa-san who was a member of the table tennis club, the vice-chairman of the disciplinary committee and dormitory head, was a superhuman presence.

“You’re grinning.”

“Yeah. Actually, my friend gave me a pack of pocky today.”

“Good for you.”

“Do you want to play the pocky game?”

“……Ha? Ain’t gonna do it……”

Ah, called it.

Just as I expected, I was turned down.

Even though it wasn’t a good idea, seeing the actual reaction made the loneliness more prominent. I guess I had somehow mistook the pocky game for a standard of friendliness along the way.

“I know, right?”

“What’s wrong, Kagi-kun?”

Hirano-san glanced at me with concern, as if I looked very bummed out. Despite his blunt manner, he was intelligent and sharp about the subtleties of emotions, so he was probably probing to see how he could follow-up.

It wasn’t such a big deal, so I explained briefly.

“My friend gave it to me and suggested I do it as a joke, so I just did it. I mean, you know about the pocky game too, don’t you, Hirano-san?”

In response to my attitude that everything was fine, Hirano-san nodded as if his strength was sapped.

“I don’t even know what I know…… There were a lot of bastards joking around in class today, creating such a loud ruckus. This isn’t a game of chicken……”

Listening to him, I could tell that he was agitated about something. I could easily imagine how the whole class would be in a festive mood for the pocky game.

“Hirano-san’s class is pretty lively, isn’t it? I wonder if my class will change in the second year.”

They had an atmosphere of gathering after a festival, but our class didn’t have such excitement. 

I’m in the general course, a class filled with students who excelled in either sports or arts. But because of this, they tend to focus on other things and lack a sense of unity. Since there was only one class for the course, the class would stay together for 3 years.

“I don’t think you need to change that aspect.”

Although he sounded as if it was a hassle, it was clear that Hirano-san obviously liked his current class.

“Hmm.”

Feeling a little dull, I walked through the doors of my dorm.

When I caught a glimpse of Hirano-san’s inscrutable affections, I couldn’t help but strongly desire to be part of it. I didn’t want to say anything about my childish desires.

“Ah… There’s so much homework……”

As soon as we entered the room, Hirano-san headed straight for his desk and I took out my worksheets too.

If I worked on my assignments now, I would have the time to ask Hirano-san any questions I had.

It was pathetic that I was stuck even with today’s homework, but I had a number of subjects that I was about to fall behind in. Rather than being ignorant about it, Hirano-san patiently reminded me that I should be aware of what I couldn’t do and be willing to be taught.

Or perhaps, huh……? I suddenly lost my understanding.

―― It was originally a given for me to review my studies, but I should be able to do much more.

I tried my best, but the amount of blank spaces made me want to scratch my head.

It reminded me of what Hirano-san said to me, “It’s impossible to understand something just by hearing it once. That’s a given.” In fact, I spent more time at my desk than I did in junior high school because I was encouraged not to give up and not to get carried away, even though it was easy to slack off.

――Basics. So this was what we call ‘foundation’.

Biting my teeth at the pain of fumbling, I compared my notes with the worksheets and tried to find the content related to the part I couldn’t solve. I also opened the relevant page in the textbook, reread the question again, and began to write it down semi-confidently.

―― Oh, today’s coverage might work out.

Since I just started a new unit, I gradually found that the questions were almost identical to those taught in class.

This was in the range of the basic questions. And as I solved it again, my view changed. The content of my understanding was instantly transformed into a vivid theory.

It was Hirano-san who gave me this experience, which I would name it as a pleasant feeling of learning that requires patience and time.

I stumbled through middle school in several subjects, but he was enthusiastic about teaching me.

I desired to repay that kindness. I still sucked at studying and I don’t think I’ll ever come to enjoy it.

“…… Alrighty.”

After finishing my homework which I thought I had completed perfectly, I opened the box of pocky.

Hirano-san was still at his desk, so I decided to rest quietly.

―― That reminded me, it’s been a while since I’ve had one of these snacks.

I thought about it as I munched away. Snacks weren’t enough to satisfy the hunger after club activities, so when I bought food, it tended to be onigiri and other light meals. I also drank sports drinks and protein, which I try to avoid, but just couldn’t resist the temptation at times.

“Come on, it’s time for dinner.”

Hirano-san heard a crunch and turned around to look at me.

“I’m drained from studying, so I’m going to take a break and wolf down my dinner.”

“Even the bell peppers?”

I was quickly shot down. It was a painful blow to me. Regarding the peppers, it was Hirano-san who helped me countless times in the past.

“Hirano-san’s so mean……”

Even though I know in my head that I shouldn’t be so picky, my body refused to accept it. It was almost cowering.

I know that it was childish.

“Haha!”

Hirano-san stood up while laughing and walked up to me.

As I continued munching and chewing, his face came right in front of mine. Hirano-san’s slightly naughty and mischievous smile, seen up close, was proof that he was in a good mood. 

“……?……”

“What?” was a question I wanted to ask but couldn’t so I cleared my throat. 

Hirano-san didn’t answer with words. He caught the other end of the pocky stick from my mouth and snapped it. His index fingernail lightly brushed against my upper lip as he bent the stick in two.

Um, eh, hmm were the only sounds that could come out as my eyes nearly popped out of my sockets.

To my greatest surprise, Hirano-san slipped the rest of the broken pocky stick into his mouth.

“Now I’m an accomplice. If I have dinner leftovers too, I’ll ask Kagi-kun to finish it for me.”

He watched my reaction with amusement as I froze in surprise and tried to dash out of the room.

“Eh, Hirano-san, huh?”

“I’m going to the loo.”

――That’s not what I meant!

I plopped down on my bed in a daze. My mind was occupied with the smooth texture of the fingernails on my lips, and the fact that Hirano-san had just eaten my half-eaten pocky.

“Unfair, unfair, unfair, really sneaky, unfair…….!!”

I felt like he did something much more daring than a game of pocky.

No, it wasn’t a fragment of my imagination, right?

The fact that Hirano-san didn’t seem to have any intentions at all made me claw at my heart again.

―― But I wished to be pushed around by this one person for the rest of my life.

My heart raced and I just felt so happy. It felt like a shame to keep it all to myself. When Hirano-san returns, I’ll tell him, “Thank you.” He had participated in the pocky game I told him of in his own way, albeit from a distance. I was surprised, but it was fun. If I asked him to do it again, he would probably get mad at me for eating too much.