By my first name

The next days we didn’t meet for other reason other than studying. Shun – kun was super energetic. He kicked me three times. I was fortunate enough to escape his other six kicks. I thought he had stopped doing that. Maybe it was my imagination. There was a lot of pressure on all of us. The frequency of the people calling him decreased. I continued playing drums daily, but the time I was playing was less. My aunt didn’t have time to cook, because she was sharpening her cooking skills, so we were ordering a lot. Kei – senpai was the one who brought pizza to our house twice. It was still awkward. The final exams ended and the summer break came. All students were waiting for it. One day, Shun – kun asked me…

- What are your plans for the summer break?

- I don’t have any.

- If you don’t have any plans, then what are you planning to do?

- I’ll st…

- Stop! That means you’ll not go somewhere else, right?

- Yes.

- Me neither. You’re lucky Hayate – kun. You’ll spend this summer break with me.

That’s what he said and what he decided for me on his own.

I don’t know if I’m lucky, but I didn’t agree to it. This phone hasn’t stop ringing for the last five minutes. Why is it not muted in the first place? Oh, right… I’m waiting for a phone call… A phone call…

- Yes?

- Finally, you picked up.

- Shun – kun. Why did you call me so early?

- I don’t know what happened last night, but it’s not morning. It’s afternoon.

What time is it? 5:33pm. He’s right.

- You called for a reason, right? What do you want?

- I’m outside of your house.

- You’re… What?

- Looks like I woke you up.

- Wait. Don’t leave. I’m hanging up.

I quickly put on the clothes I saw first and ran to the door.

- Hey. Will you come in?

- It’s cool in here.

- How much time were you standing outside?

- Not much. Is Mizuki – san home?

- No. Do you want to drink j… milk?

I immediately put my hand on my mouth, because I didn’t want him to see me laugh.

- I don’t. Why are you laughing?

- Well, I’m not used to ask someone if he wants milk.

- I know that you were ordering pizza a lot.

- How do you know that?

- Kei told me. But that’s not the point. The point is that you weren’t eating healthy food. Tell me that you were training during those last days.

- Not… that much.

- What? Oh, no.

Shun – kun is disappointed.

- Now that I think about it, could I have a glass of water?

- Sure.

I’m sorry, Shun – kun. I hope the training I did with you then didn’t go to waste.

- Thank you.

I’ll suggest that we watch TV. I can’t think of anything else right now.

- Let’s go.

- Eh? Where?

- We may be on a summer break, but we can still take part in our club activities.

We were on our way to school when we saw Haruhi – san ride a bike.

- Haruhi – san, good evening.

- Hi! Are you two going to school?

- Yes.

- Me too. Let’s go together!

- Is this a new bike? It looks a lot like the previous one you had.

- No, it’s the one I had lost.

- Really? How did you find it?

- Kei found it somewhere. He called me and told me he found a bike that looked a lot like mine. Because he didn’t know that I had lost it, I told him that I forgot it somewhere. So he brought it to my house!

- That’s nice, Haruhi – san! If I remember correctly, this is the first time we come across you at this area.

- I was so excited when I got my bike back that I wanted to ride a bigger distance. That’s why. We’re here! I’m going to my club’s room. I’ll come by the court later!

- Hey everyone.

- Oh, Shun and the new member are here!

- Pass me a ball.

- I knew he would say that!

- That’s what he said after the midterm exams too.

- He was playing basketball for four hours. After that he didn’t understand what he was doing. You can have the ball for two hours.

- He didn’t understand what he was doing!?

- Yes. One day, he came with a can of juice. We all know Shun hates that kind of things. He wouldn’t drink something like that.

- But he did! He was like he was drunk! Ha ha!

- Was that an apple juice?

- Yes, how do you know that?

- It was mine.

- Ha ha ha! That means he stole it! Ha ha ha…

This guy is really bursting out laughing.

- Shun. I didn’t know you could go that far. Sorry about that…

- I’m Nishio Hayate.

- … Hayate.

He just called me by my first name.

- Shun. Did you tell him our names?

- No.

- Tell him. It’s a pain for all ten of us to introduce ourselves.

- Okay.

Shun – kun took out a paper from his bag.

- Here.

- What did he give you?

- Ha ha ha! Shun, what the hell?

- I wrote the names and the classes you’re in on a paper, because it’s more practical. That way I can spend this time playing basketball. But if I wrote only the names, it wouldn’t make any sense. So I drew your faces.

Let’s see.

- Ueno Yoshio.

- That’s me!

He’s a first year and the one who was laughing earlier.

- Chinen Jona.

- That’s me.

He’s a second year. He’s the one who did the jump ball with Shun – kun the other day and the one who called me by my first name a minute after he met me.

- Hey, Shun. The glasses you drew aren’t the same with the ones I’m wearing.

- Yes, but the ones I drew suit you more.

- Please continue, Hayate.

He is composed. Well, I wouldn’t do anything else in his place either. The next is a second year too.

- Ohara Kazue.

- Here.

He is the one who took the ball from me at the first pass Shun – kun did. The last one of the second years is…

- Okamoto Taji.

- Yes, here.

He is the one I was defending most of the time during the game. The third years are next.

- Daguchi Akio.

- He’s the one who is mopping the floor over there. Everyone does that, but it was his turn today. You can see whose turn it is to mop the floor on the marker board.

- Okay. Nishimura Takeo.

- He is playing with Shun right now.

Sometimes I think that Shun – kun is a third year. He is very good at it.

- Noguchi Kei. The delivery guy.

- It seems you already know him.

- Yes. Where is he?

- Giichi, do you know where Kei is?

- He’ll arrive soon.

- Ueno Giichi. Ueno?

- Ah, Yoshio and Giichi are brothers.

- Really?

- Strange, isn’t it? Their personalities are completely different. Yoshio is really noisy and Giichi doesn’t speak without a reason.

- I’m not noisy.

- You are talking more than playing basketball. You weren’t here the last time before our club meetings stop either.

- You ditched us, Yoshio. You went off somewhere, when Hayate and me were forced to play with three inexperienced first years. If you were here, we would play with two of them rather than three.

- Not to mention that Raijin wasn’t happy about that. I bet he’s still mad.

- Don’t exaggerate, Jona! There’s no way!

- Hayate, leave the rest of the names to me. Takao Hideyoshi. He is the one reading a book about sports over there. When he finds something interesting, he immediately informs us. Many students underestimate him for some reason, but he is as good as the other third years. Of course, Raijin is the best. He has an awesome presence and style of playing basketball. I think I didn’t forget anything.

- Thank you, Chinen – senpai.

- Ah, Hayate. I forgot to tell you that we call each other by our first names in the basketball club. So, forget about calling me ‘Shun – kun’.

- Why is that?

- It’s easier to react when you hear your first name and it’s more comfortable while playing. You don’t have to think about what class the other person is in and all that stuff.

I better get used to it. Everyone in here will call me by my first name.

- Are you ready, everyone? Akio, are you done mopping the floor?

- I just finished.

- Okay.

- That’s Raijin. Also, I forgot to mention that he’s our club’s president.

- Who is the vice president?

- Me.

- Everyone, stop what you’re doing. We’ll start with a warm-up. Do what I’m doing.

He started without delay.

- Shun, what kind of warm-up was that?

After a three-hour warm-up, Shun and everyone else are fine.

- You really are out of breath. You’ll get used to it.

- That’s what I was about to say. Hayate, sorry for being late introducing myself. I’m Chisaka Raijin. Don’t compare yourself with Shun right now. I know him from elementary school. We were training together and later I was coaching him. Actually, I’m still doing that from time to time.

So that’s why Shun was like a demon when he was coaching me. He is coached by Raijin.

- I’m glad we’re done!

- Yoshio. Where do you think you’re going?

- Eh?

- You’ll do warm-up with me for one more hour, while the others are playing. You know why, right?

- Yes.

- I told you that he is mad.

After the warm-up, we played a game leisurely and left from school, because it was getting late.

- How was your day today, Hayate?

- It’s strange hearing you calling me that way.

- Get used to it already. Just so you know, I’ll come by your place every day until the summer break ends.

Lucky me.

- Where were you, Hayate – kun?

- Shun came by and we went to school.

- I see. Tell him to come again! I’ll cook for you! I want to show my new cooking skills!

- Don’t worry. He’ll come without me having to tell him. I’m going to take a bath and sleep.

- Will you not play drums today?

- I think I’ll pass. I’m tired. I did a three-hour warm-up after all.

- It’s Sunday tomorrow.

That means that Ogawa – sensei will come.

- Forget I said that. I’m going to practice on them now.

I thought I’ll had enough time to sleep. But I was wrong. Shun had other plans.

- Why did you wake me up so early?

- It wasn’t early. It was nearly ten o’clock in the morning. By the time you came out of your house, it was fifteen past ten. You made me wait for twenty minutes. What were you doing for twenty minutes?

- I was eating breakfast.

- Why did you do that? How are you going to run forty rounds?

Forty? Ah, I forgot that Raijin is coaching the team. Shun brought his basketball with him.

- Take it.

- Okay, but why?

- Start dribbling it.

Why should I do that?

- Didn’t you hear me the first time? Start dribbling the ball and don’t stop until we reach the school’s entrance. Do what I’m saying.

I don’t know if he’s mad or too serious.

We finally arrived.

- Good morning.

- They came. We’re waiting for the two brothers now.

- I guess it’s normal for Yoshio being late. But Giichi is late today too.

- Come with me.

- Okay.

Where are we going now?

- Raijin.

- What happened to him?

- He was dribbling the ball all the way to school.

- From your house?

- No. From his.

- …

- …

What is Shun waiting to hear? They’re both scary.

- I’ll leave you two to discuss.

- Hayate, you’ll not run around the court today.

Eh?

- O-Okay.

Is that why Shun told me to dribble the ball all the way here? I never expected that there was a reason.

- Shun, you came to tell me something.

- You were watching the game we were playing before the club meetings stop.

- That’s right.

- The second years didn’t go easy on us. You told them to.

- I have told you many times. I don’t care about anyone’s circumstances. I just create an interesting game, if I have the chance.

- You never change. I admit that I enjoyed it.

- We’re even then.

- We’re all here and two more second years came. Did I interrupt?

- No. Jona, handle Yoshio for me. I’ll spend the whole summer break doing warm-ups with him if he doesn’t improve his program. This time, he made Giichi be late too.

- Understood.

Jona was coaching Yoshio, while Raijin was coaching the rest of us.

- Giichi, can I talk to you later?

- Yes.

- Hayate, you can do whatever you want now. Those who are not members of the club can take a break and bring the balls from the storage room over there. Then they'll run fifteen rounds. Hideyoshi, run forty-two rounds. Then I need you to search about sports on the internet. I brought my laptop. Takeo, you have to mop the floor today. Do it after all of us finish running. Don’t forget it. After running, we can all take a ten minute break. Jona, that’s enough. Yoshio, don’t be late ever again.

He didn’t forget anyone and anything.

- I want two almost equal teams for the game. So, you, Shun, Hayate, Jona and Kei are the one team. You, Yoshio, Taji, Akio and Kazue are the other one. Giichi, Hideyoshi, Takeo and me will play later.

We were at the end of the game, when…

- Hayate!

Okay, I caught it.

- Jona – senpai!

… I realized that I couldn’t call the others by their first names, except Shun.

- Yes?

- Jona, where are you looking at?

BAM!

- Ha ha ha! That was worth watching! The ball on Jona’s face! Ha ha ha!

- Don’t laugh, Yoshio. Your team’s losing. Hayate, call us only by our first names.

- Okay, I’m sorry… Jona.

- He hesitated for a moment, but he said it.

I left the court for a while. I needed a break and Shun wanted milk. So now I’m returning from the other side of the school, where the vending machine is.

It’s hot.

- I think they’ll fall. No, I’m sure they’ll fall. I can’t carry them much longer.

- Let me help you.

- Thank you. I’m sorry about that. I’m Nakano Tsukiya. I’m a first year.

- Don’t worry about it. I’m Nishio Hayate. I’m a first year too. They’re heavy. What are these boxes?

- They have paintings and tools inside.

- You were carrying all the four of them. You couldn’t even see where you were going.

- The others told me that they were only four boxes, but they have no idea how heavy they are.

- You are in the drawing club, right?

- Yes. Fortunately, I’m not carrying them for no reason. In which club are you?

- I’m in the basketball club.

- That’s nice. We’re almost there.

- Okay.

- They closed the door too.

- Ah, wait. I can put these down and open it.

- No need. AAAAAAAAAH!

He didn’t put the boxes down and he kicked the door. The door is wide open.

I was that shocked, that I thought the boxes would fall through my hands.

- Why did you close the door, after sending me carry these?

- It was really hot, so we decided to open the air-condition. We’re sor…

- Shut up! Haa… Haa…

He told a girl to shut up! He’s a little different from before.

- Hm? What’s your name?

- I’m Nishio Hayate.

- I’m Sakurai Nariko! Don’t worry about Nakano – kun. He’s like that, but he really can’t do without us!

She took the boxes Nakano – kun was holding one by one.

- Ah, let me take those.

Nakano – kun is back to normal.

- Where do I put these, Sakurai – san?

- Above the others.

- Thank you for your help, Hayate – kun. If you need anything, you can tell me.

- You too. Bye.

- Wait! You forgot something.

The milk Shun wanted.

- Thanks, Nakano – kun.

- You can come here anytime!

- Okay, Sakurai – san.

The drawing club has a lot of members. Some of them are boys too. I didn’t expect that.

- It’s warm. Where were you?

- I helped a guy carry some boxes to the drawing club’s room.

- I see. Let’s go to the cafe Haruhi – san is working tomorrow.

- Yes, let’s do that. I have to go home now.

- Okay. I’ll see you tomorrow.

- I’m home, aunt.

- Welcome home! Come here for a second! Look what I made!

- It looks good.

I don’t know about the taste.

- Taste it! It’s a lemon pie!

- Okay.

It’s the first time aunt made something like that. I’m nervous, but I guess she’s more nervous than me.

- Here I go.

- … So?

- It’s good. It’s really good!

- Really?

- Yes!

- Oh, I’m sorry, Hayate – kun. I’m going outside for a while.

- Okay.

- Hi, Mizuki.

- Hello, Hiroto!

- Did I call a bad time?

- No. Listen to this! Hayate – kun joined the basketball club!