The ex-intro club

The room was quiet.

Painfully quiet.

Not the peaceful kind

The kind that made you aware of every tiny movement… every breath… every thought.

“…Or do you all plan to stay this quiet forever?”

His voice cut through the silence so easily it felt unfair.

My shoulders stiffened.

And then

His gaze stopped on me.

“Let’s start with you.”

My heart dropped.

“W-what!?” I blurted out before I could stop myself.

Great.First impression: ruined.

I mentally buried my face in my hands.

Haruo blinked once—then smiled.

Not the teasing kind.

A softer one.

“Relax,” he said, resting his chin lazily on his arm. “I’m not asking for your life story… yet.”

A few students shifted slightly.

“Just your name would be a good start.”

“…Right.”

My fingers tightened around my sleeve.

Say it properly.

Don’t mess up.

“…Y-Yayoi Shizumi.”

It was Simple.Short.Safe.

But for some reason—

Everyone was looking at me.

“…That’s it?” Haruo tilted his head.

“…That’s it.”

A pause.

He stared at me for a second longer… then let out a dramatic sigh, throwing his head back.

“…Man, this is going to be harder than I thought.”

A faint ripple of awkward tension moved through the room.

“…Okay,” he sat up again, clapping once. “New rule.”

No one reacted.

“…We are not doing one-word introductions. That’s illegal now!”

Illegal?

I blinked.

“You,” he pointed—directly at me again.

My soul left my body.

“Say… one more thing about yourself.”

“…Why me!?”

“Because,” he grinned, “you look like the type who follows rules.”

…That was unfairly accurate.

I froze.

Think. Think. THINK.

“…I like studying.”

The moment I said it

I regretted it.

Haruo stared at me.

“…That’s not a personality, that’s a survival strategy.”

A few students actually let out small, accidental laughs.

My face burned.

“Okay, okay—progress,” he said quickly, raising his hands. “At least you said more than two words. I’ll take it.”

I sank slightly into my chair.

A pause.

“…We’re gonna work on that,” he sighed dramatically. “Next—”

Slide.

The door opened.

Everyone’s attention shifted instantly.

A boy stepped in quietly,like he didn’t belong to the noise of the world outside.

“…Morning.”

His voice was low. Flat. Like he didn’t care about being late or about being noticed.

But he was.

Of course he was.

Even I recognized him.

Aoto Ito.

My only classmate.

Different world.

I had seen him before

But only from a distance.

Training ground.

Archery field.

Always surrounded.

Always focused.

This was the first time I was seeing him properly.

Tall. Composed. Effortlessly distant.

His black hair fell longer than most, tied loosely into a half ponytail, a few soft strands slipping free around his face.

His eyes,sharp, narrow, and slightly downturned at the corners,gave him a naturally unreadable expression. Not cold… just distant. Like he was always looking past people instead of at them.

A small mole rested just beneath his left eye, subtle,but impossible to ignore once noticed.

It was a kind that stayed in your mind long after you looked away.

“…You’re late!” Haruo said casually,but his eyes lit up.

Not annoyed.

Interested.

Aoto didn’t react much.

“…Got held up.”

And just like that, he walked in and took a seat near the window like he belonged there more than anyone else.

Silence.

Then

Haruo suddenly leaned forward.

“…Wait.”

Aoto didn’t look at him.

“…You’re that Aoto Ito, right?”

A small pause.

“…Depends.”

Haruo grinned.

“National archery competition. Second place!”

Now the room shifted.

A few students looked at him again.

Some whispered.

Aoto clicked his tongue softly.

“…Yeah.”

Haruo’s eyes practically sparkled.

“Wait—that’s insane.”

No response.

“You competed at nationals!? How was it? Was it intense? Did you almost win? What was your score? Do you practice every day? How long have you—”

“…Stop.”

Flat.

Haruo paused.

Aoto finally looked at him.

“…Too many questions.”

A beat.

Then

“…I practice. I shoot. That’s it.”

Silence.

Haruo blinked.

“…That’s it??”

“…Yeah.”

“…You’re seriously not going to elaborate on that?”

“…No.”

A pause.

Then Haruo leaned back, exhaling.

“…Man, you’re tough.”

Aoto had already looked away again.

“…Next,” he added, like the conversation never happened.

For a moment

No one spoke.

But something had changed.

The silence didn’t feel as suffocating anymore.

It felt… cracked.

Like something had finally started.

Haruo glanced around, then clapped his hands lightly.

“Alright, this is good.”

No one agreed.

But no one disagreed either.

“…We’ve got an cute overachiever,” he pointed at me.

I froze.

“…and a national-level archer with the personality of a brick.”

Aoto didn’t react.

“…This is going to be fun.”

For some reason

That made me nervous.

The room felt… different now.

Not loud.

Not lively.

But no longer suffocating.

Like a window had been cracked open,just enough for air to slip through.

Haruo leaned back in his chair, balancing it slightly as he scanned the room again.

“…Alright,” he said, stretching his arms lazily. “We’re getting somewhere.”

No one responded.

But no one looked like they were about to disappear either.

That was progress… right?

His gaze moved again

And stopped.

“Oh wait.”

He straightened slightly, eyes lighting up.

“I know you.”

A girl sitting near the edge of the table stiffened immediately.

“You’re in my class, right?” he continued, pointing casually. “Mila… Miyaki?”

The way he said it,so easily, so normally

Made something in the room shift.

“Man, that’s a relief,” Haruo sighed dramatically, placing a hand over his chest. “At least there’s one person here I recognize. I thought I got thrown into a completely random room.”

A few heads tilted

The girl hesitated.

“…Ah…”

Slowly,almost reluctantly,she stood up.

And for the first time, I really saw her.

Her brown hair was slightly long, tied loosely into a single braid that rested over her shoulder. A few strands had slipped free, framing her face in a soft, uneven way.

Her glasses sat slightly crooked, like she adjusted them too often.

She looked delicate.

Like someone who tried very hard… not to be noticed.

Her fingers twisted nervously into her sleeve.

“M-myself… Mira Miyaki…” she said quietly.

“…Nice to meet… you…all..”

A small pause.

My thoughts tripped.

…Mira?

No-

Mila Miyaki

I blinked slowly.

Does she… have a lisp?

Around the room, a few students shifted in their seats.

Not loudly.

But noticeably.

That kind of silence

The one where people don’t know how to react.

Haruo paused for just a second.

Just one.

Then

“Ohh, Mila,” he said naturally, like correcting it wasn’t even a thing. “Yeah, I remember now.”

Smooth.

No awkwardness.

No reaction.

Just… normal.

Mila’s shoulders eased,barely but I saw it.

“Alright!” Haruo continued, leaning forward slightly, resting his chin on his hand. His voice softened just a little. “Give us something more. Anything. Hobbies? Likes? Favorite food? Secret talent?”

Mila froze.

Her fingers tightened.

“…I—”

Her voice came out small.

“…I…can sing…”

The word slipped unevenly.

Her voice dropped at the end.

Like she wished she could take it back.

Silence followed.

A fragile one.

And then

“…Singing?”

A calm voice cut in.

Everyone turned.

Satoshi.

He hadn’t spoken until now.

He sat slightly apart from the others, posture straight but relaxed, his presence quiet but firm. His gaze rested on Mila not sharply, not curiously

Just… attentively.

Like he was listening.

Not judging.

Mila flinched under the attention.

“…Y-yes…”

A small pause.

Then

Satoshi nodded once.

"Nice.”

That was all.

No hesitation.

No confusion.

No reaction to how she said it.

Just

Acceptance.

Simple. Direct. Uncomplicated.

Mila blinked.

Like she hadn’t expected that.

“…You should sing sometime,” he added, just as calmly. “If you’re comfortable.”

Something in the air shifted.

Not dramatically.

But enough.

Haruo’s lips curved into a small grin as he glanced between them.

“Ohhh,” he dragged slightly, tapping the table. “We’ve got hidden talents in this club? I like where this is going.”

No one laughed.

But

No one looked away either.

Mila slowly sat down again, her movements a little less tense than before.

And for the first time

I thought I saw it.

A very small smile.

Almost invisible.

But real.

Haruo clapped his hands once.

“Alright! This is good. This is very good.”

He leaned forward again, eyes gleaming with energy.

“We’ve got a top student who thinks studying is a personality trait—”

“…Please don’t remind me,” I muttered under my breath.

“—a national-level archer with emotional expression issues—”

“…Say that again,” Aoto said flatly from the window.

“—and now, a singer.”

Haruo pointed at Mila with a grin.

“This club is way more interesting than I expected.”

A pause.

Then he leaned back again, balancing his chair like he had no fear of falling.

“…Man.”

He looked around the room.

At all of us.

Nervous.Quiet.Different.

And yet,Here.

“…This might actually work.”

I didn’t know why

But hearing that

Made something in my chest feel lighter.

Just a little.

“Alright,” he said, glancing around. “Who’s next…”

His eyes moved

And stopped.

Near the far end of the table.

A girl sat with her back straight—too straight.

Like she was trying not to take up space.

Her hands were folded neatly on her lap, fingers interlocked so tightly her knuckles had turned pale.

She hadn’t spoken once.

Had barely moved.

“…You,” Haruo said, softer this time.

She flinched.Not dramatically.

Just enough to notice.

“…M-me?” her voice came out barely above a whisper.

Haruo’s tone changed instantly.Gentler.

“Yeah. You.”

A pause.

She hesitated.

Her fingers tightened even more.

Then slowly

She stood up.

And for a moment

It felt like the room itself was holding its breath.

She was… beautiful.

Not in a flashy way.

But in a quiet, almost untouchable kind of way.

Her long dark hair fell neatly down her back, smooth and carefully maintained. Her posture was elegant—too perfect to be natural.

Like it had been taught.

Practiced.

Expected.

Her eyes didn’t meet anyone’s.

They stayed lowered.

“…S-Sayuri… Minamoto,” she said softly.

Her voice trembled.

“…N-nice to meet you…”

She gave a small, respectful bow.

Every movement precise.Controlled.

Silence followed.

Not awkward,But cautious.

Like no one wanted to disturb her.

Haruo watched her for a moment.

Really watched.

Then

“Sayuri?” he said lightly, though his tone stayed gentle. “That’s a nice name.”

She flinched again.

“…Th-thank you…”

“…Anything you want to share?” he asked. “Hobbies? Things you like?”

A pause.

A long one.

Her lips parted slightly.

Closed.

Opened again.

“…I—”

Nothing came out.

Her fingers trembled.

Just a little.

“I… I don’t…”

Her voice faded.

Like the words themselves refused to come out.

My chest tightened.

She looked like she was apologizing

For existing.

Haruo didn’t push.

Didn’t rush her.

“…That’s okay,” he said quietly. “You don’t have to force it.”

Her shoulders dropped.

Just slightly.

Relief.

“…We’ll get there,” he added with a small smile.

Sayuri nodded quickly and sat back down, almost as if escaping.

The silence that followed felt… different.

Softer.Careful.

“Next.”

Haruo glanced around the room, clearly expecting someone anyone to step up.

No one did.

The silence stretched just long enough to become uncomfortable.

Then a voice came from the side.

“You skipped someone.”

It wasn’t loud, but it carried easily.

Haruo blinked and turned. “Huh?”

Everyone followed his gaze.

Satoshi.

He had been sitting quietly the entire time, not drawing attention to himself, yet somehow not fading into the background either. His posture was relaxed, his expression unreadable, as if he had been observing everything from a distance rather than participating in it.

Haruo leaned forward slightly, interest replacing his earlier boredom. “Skipped who?”

Instead of answering immediately, Satoshi glanced along the table, then back at Haruo.

“You’ve been calling people in order.”

There was a brief pause.

Haruo followed his line of sight, then frowned slightly.

“…Wait.”

Another pause.

“…I actually have.”

A faint reaction spread through the room. Mila let out a quiet snort, and even Aoto lifted his eyes for a second before looking away again.

Haruo clicked his tongue, half amused. “Alright, that’s on me.”

Then he pointed at Satoshi

“Since you’re paying that much attention, go ahead.”

Satoshi didn’t argue. He stood up without hesitation, the movement calm and unforced, like this was just another small task rather than something worth thinking about.

“I’m Satoshi Fujiwara.”

He sat back down immediately.

Haruo stared at him for a moment.

“…That’s it?”

“Yes.”

“You interrupted me for that?”

“You were doing it wrong.”

I choked on a laugh, covering my mouth.

Haruo pressed his lips together, clearly trying not to laugh.

“You’ve got confidence, I’ll give you that.”

Satoshi didn’t react, which somehow made it worse or better. It was hard to tell.

Haruo leaned back, studying him more carefully now. “Alright. Quiet observer type. I get it.”

“I just pay attention,” Satoshi replied.

That simple answer landed heavier than expected. The room didn’t fall silent because it was awkward,it fell silent because everyone had heard it.

Before Haruo could respond, a small sound broke the moment.

Mila’s pen slipped from her fingers and rolled off the table.

She froze, staring at it like she made a huge mistake by disturbing the silence.

Satoshi bent down, picked it up, and placed it back in front of her.

“Here.”

“Th-thank you…”

He gave a small nod, then added, “You don’t have to rush when you speak.”

Mila blinked, surprised. “W-what…?”

“You hesitate like you’re afraid of getting it wrong,” he said calmly.

“Take your time. No one’s stopping you.”

She stared at him for a second, then slowly nodded, her grip tightening slightly around the pen.

“…Okay.”

It was quiet again, but not in the same way as before. Something about the atmosphere had shifted, just enough to make the room feel less suffocating.

Haruo exhaled softly, watching the exchange.

“…Yeah,” he said after a moment.

“You’re the kind of person who doesn’t say much, but somehow changes the mood anyway.”

Satoshi didn’t respond. He simply leaned back in his chair, as if the conversation had already ended for him.

And strangely enough

no one tried to continue it.

The silence lingered for a moment after Mila sat down, still clutching her skirt like it was the only thing grounding her.

Haruo glanced around the table again, tapping his fingers lightly against the chair.

“Alright… who’s next?” he asked, scanning the room.

A chair scraped slightly.

“I’ll go.”

The voice was firm.Clear.

A girl leaned back in her seat, arms crossed, posture relaxed,but her expression carried a sharp edge that made it feel like she was already judging everyone in the room.

Her hair was pulled into a high ponytail, the strands swaying slightly as she shifted.A few loose strands framed her face, softening it just enough, but not enough to take away the edge in her eyes.

“Kei Tanaka,” she said. “Second year,section D,That’s enough, right?”

The tone was blunt.Almost rude.

The room tensed slightly.

I froze.

…She sounds mad.

Haruo blinked once, then tilted his head.

“…Wow. Straight to the point,” he said, a hint of amusement in his voice. “You always like this?”

Kei shrugged one shoulder.

“Like what?”

“…Like you’re about to start a fight.”

A few students flinched.

Kei didn’t.

Instead, she let out a small scoff.

“If I wanted to start a fight, you’d know.”

Oh.

That did not help.

I sank slightly into my chair.

…She’s definitely scary.

But then

Kei glanced sideways, almost reluctantly, like she didn’t want to say the next part but forced herself anyway.

“…I’m not good with people,” she muttered, quieter this time. “So don’t expect much.”

That was it.

Just… honesty.

Haruo noticed it too.

His expression shifted just slightly,not teasing this time, but understanding.

“…Got it,” he said simply. “We’ll work with that.”

Kei looked away immediately, clearly done with the conversation.

But the tension around her… softened.

Just a little.

“…Next?”

Silence.

No one moved.

Haruo opened his mouth again—but before he could speak—

A soft sound interrupted him.

“…mmh…”

Everyone turned.

A boy at the far end of the table had his head resting on his arms.

Completely still.

Not reacting.

Not moving.

“…Is he… asleep?” someone whispered.

Haruo stared.

“…No way.”

Haruo stood up and walked over, leaning slightly.…that boy didn't look like someone who should blend into the background.

His hair was a soft shade of ginger,slightly messy, like he had just woken up and didn’t care enough to fix it. A few strands fell over his forehead, catching the light in a way that made it hard to ignore.

And his eyes

Hazel.

Calm. Half-lidded. Like he was only half present… even now.

“Hey,” haruo said, nudging the table lightly. “You alive?”

No response.

“…Hello??”

A pause.

Then

“…I’m awake.”

The boy didn’t even lift his head.

The room went silent again.

I blinked rapidly.

…What?

Haruo blinked too.

“…You sure?” he asked.

“…Yeah.”

Same position.Same tone.No movement.

Haruo stared at him for a full second… then suddenly laughed.

“…Alright, this is new.”

Finally, the boy slowly lifted his head, blinking lazily like he had just woken up from the deepest sleep of his life.

His hair was slightly messy, his expression calm to the point of looking half-asleep even now.

“Yuto Yamada,” he said, voice slow but clear. “Second year, section D.”

A pause.

“…I listen. Even when I sleep.”

The room processed that.

Slowly.

I stared.

…That doesn’t make sense.

Haruo crossed his arms, clearly entertained.

“…So you’re telling me you were asleep this whole time—”

“I heard everything.”

“…Including my speech?”

“…Yeah.”

“…And?”

A small pause.

Yuto blinked once.

“…You talk a lot.”

The room

Cracked.

A few quiet laughs slipped out before anyone could stop themselves.

Even Kei let out a small, surprised breath through her nose.

Haruo placed a hand dramatically over his chest.

“…Wow. I am OFFENDED.”

Yuto had already lowered his head back onto his arms.

“…Done?”

Haruo stared at him.

“…You’re kidding.”

“…No.”

And just like that

He closed his eyes again.

Silence.

But this time

It wasn’t heavy.

It wasn’t suffocating.

It felt…

Looser.Lighter.Alive.

Haruo looked around the group, a slow grin spreading across his face.

“…Okay,” he said, clearly enjoying this now. “This club is way more interesting than I expected.”

I swallowed.

For some reason

I had a feeling things were only going to get more chaotic from here.

Haruo glanced around the room, his fingers tapping lightly against the back of his chair.

“…Alright,” he said, exhaling softly. “Introductions are… decent enough for now.”

No one argued.

Mostly because no one had the energy to.

He straightened slightly, his expression shifting,not completely serious, but no longer just playful either.

“There’s one last thing you all need to know.”

Something in his tone

Made the room quiet again.

Not awkward this time.

Focused.

“This isn’t just a place where you sit around and magically become better at talking,” he continued. “If that worked, you wouldn’t be here.”

My fingers tightened slightly.

…That’s true.

“So,” he added, glancing at each of us, “there are rules.”

Rules?

That didn’t sound good.

“First,” he raised a finger, “attendance is not optional. If you’re part of this club, you show up.”

No one reacted.

But no one objected either.

“Second” he continued, “you will participate in every school event.”

Silence.

Then

“…Every?” someone whispered.

Haruo smiled.

“Every.”

My stomach dropped.

Wait.

Does that mean

Sports?

Performances?

Public events?

My mind started spiraling.

“That includes competitions, festivals, presentations… anything that involves people,” he added casually.

CASUALLY.

Like he wasn’t destroying our lives.

“That’s the whole point of this club,” he said. “You don’t improve by avoiding things.”

I felt my chest tighten.

This wasn’t just uncomfortable.

This was

Terrifying.

“And lastly,” Haruo said, his tone light again,but his eyes weren’t joking anymore.

“You don’t run away.”

A pause.

His gaze moved across the room.

Slowly.Carefully.

Like he was making sure we all understood.

“If you try to quit halfway,” he added, “I will personally drag you back.”

A few people stiffened.

I did too.

He smiled again.

Bright.Easy.

Like none of that was serious.

“…Relax,” he said. “It won’t be that bad.”

…That’s exactly what someone says when it is that bad.

Then

He clapped his hands once.

“Perfect timing, actually.”

My heart sank.

…Why does that sound dangerous?

Haruo leaned forward slightly, resting his chin on his hand.

“The first event is already coming up.”

The room stilled.

No one spoke.

No one moved.

He grinned.

“Inter high school baseball competition.”

Silence.

Then

“…We’re participating.”

Everything stopped.

Baseball?

I blinked.

Once.

Twice.

“…We?”

The word slipped out before I could stop it.

Haruo’s eyes landed on me again.

“Yeah,” he said simply.

A pause.

Then

His smile widened.

“Us.”

My mind went blank.

Baseball?

In front of people?

With other schools?

I couldn’t even talk properly

And now

“…This is a disaster,” I whispered under my breath.

Haruo heard it.

Of course he did.

His grin didn’t fade.

“If it feels like a disaster,” he said lightly.

“That means it’s working.”

The room fell silent again.

But this time

It wasn’t fear.Not just fear.

Something else had slipped in.

Something unfamiliar ,unsettling.

Something that felt like the beginning of something bigger than all of us.

I stared at the table, my thoughts spinning.

This club…

Wasn’t just going to change us.

It was going to throw us into things we could never run from.

And somehow

That scared me more than anything else.