Four: Gym shoes

It was the third period and everyone else was seated randomly in the laboratory classrooms. Mr. Yamato then got up from his seat and made an announcement.

“Alright class, please group yourselves into four. I know it sounds a lot for a group, but I do not want a repeat of last year’s 2-C batch. It would always take a while for the class to finish the experiments because there were ‘too few’ people in the group.” Mr. Yamato sighed, probably recalling the extended class time that he always went through back then.

Chatters filled up the room and people started forming small circles. I got up from where I was seated and approached one of the groups and asked if they lacked one more person.

“Oh, Ikeda! Sorry, we’re waiting for Suzuki. He’s in the classroom right now, he left his textbook.” One said.

“Ikeda! Sorry, man, Saito is our last member.”

“No, sorry. I felt bad for Mori because she is absent today so I already told the teacher that our group will take her in.” Another said.

Great, I never knew it was so hard to find groupmates. I guess I’ve always relied on Rin last year whenever there were group activities.

Feeling like I had nowhere else to go, I walked over to the back of the room and saw that two people were seated facing each other. I approached them and asked, “Hey, can I join?”

“Sure!” The guy answered. After we reintroduced ourselves, I suddenly remembered that the guy was Fujimoto Mitsuo. He introduced himself as the vice-captain of the volleyball club a few days ago.

“Hey, I’m Satou Eri. Please call me Eri!” The dirty blonde-haired girl beside Fujimoto chirped and waved at me.

Eri leaned forward and lightly patted my shoulder, “You don’t have to keep introducing yourself, class rep. We know, okay?”

I chuckled and shrugged at her. The three of us began to talk about who will be the best leader for the group. Just then, a familiar face came over and sat beside Eri. It was Takahashi.

“Sorry, that took a while. And no, Mitsuo, I did not do number two okay.” Takahashi said, placing a palm in front of Fujimoto’s face. She finally noticed me and drew a shocked expression on her face.

“Hi, Teruhiko.” Takahashi nonchalantly said my given name.

“Teruhiko?” I whispered confusedly.

Eri’s face lit up and she clasped her hands together. “Okay! I see we’re all acquainted now. Going back, I think that Ikeda should be our leader!” Eri said.

Fujimoto fired back, defending me, perhaps. “I suggest not. Ikeda is already dealing with a lot as the class rep. I think one of us should be the leader instead.”

“It’s okay, Fujimoto. I’ll be the leader.” I told him. Besides, I think I need more exposure like these so that I could gain enough courage to talk to other people.

“Yay!” Eri clapped in joy.

I stood from my seat and excused myself so that I could inform the teacher of our group. After dealing with that, we were assigned to sit three rows away from the board and we had to move to that table. Takahashi then sat beside me and plopped her bag on the counter.

“Hey,” Takahashi said, nudging me lightly. “Why did you join our group?”

“I didn’t know you were a part of it,” I reassured her.

“Haha, it’s not like that. It’s fine, okay.” Takahashi smiled and stuck out a hand, waiting for me to shake it. “It’s a pleasure to be working with you, then!”

I smiled back and shook her hand. It was soft and small. I couldn’t help but feel nostalgic and remember how similar it was to Akemi’s hands.

Thinking about Akemi soured my mood a little bit, so I spent the rest of the class in silence. I tried my best to focus on Mr. Yamato’s lecture, but images of Akemi just kept popping up in my head. It’s already been a while since I’ve dealt with her, I don’t know why she still shows up in my brain.

At the end of the discussion, the bell rang and the class slowly exited from the room. I noticed Fujimoto a few steps in front of me in the hallway and I picked up my pace to walk beside him.

“Hey!” I called.

“What’s up?” Fujimoto asked.

“I was thinking of creating a group chat for our group. Is it okay?” I told him, having already pulled out my phone and ready to type.

Fujimoto took out his phone and we exchanged contact information. He also decided to just give me Eri’s and Takahashi’s. “Might as well just give it to you.” He said.

I gave him my thanks and we started chatting away. Fujimoto never wanted to be the vice-captain but his senior who he was close with became the captain. So, he was forced into the role.

We found ourselves to have arrived in the classroom already and before he stepped in, Fujimoto asked me. “How about you? Why do you always volunteer to be a leader?”

“I like the responsibilities,” I replied.

“Hahaha, that’s weird.” Fujimoto laughed.

***

The day was over before I knew it and people slowly left one by one. I tidied up the cleaning closet at the back of the room, then went out to head to the faculty room to return the class logbook. As I walked past the hallways, I overheard the track and field club yelling their jogging chants in the field. At the end of the hallway, guitar riffs and drums can be heard from the light music club room. Multiple students in laboratory gowns ran down the halls carrying what I believe to be test tubes.

I wonder if it’s still okay to join a club even though I’m already in my second year.

“Excuse me. I’m returning the logbook, Ms. Takana.” I said as I knocked at the door. Mr. Yamato opened the door and motioned for me to get in, instructing me to just leave it on her desk since Ms. Takana left school early. I politely bowed before leaving and headed my way downstairs.

As I arrived at the entrance of the school doors, I saw Takahashi standing in front of one of the shoe lockers. She had a duffel bag over her left shoulder and carried a basketball in her right hand.

“Hey,” I called out to her. “What are you doing?”

Takahashi turned around and looked at me with sad eyes. She placed the bag and ball down on the floor, then walked closer to me. With a scrunched-up look on her face, she sighed and slumped her shoulders.

“I left my gym shoes. Coach is a bit strict with the uniform so I can’t play at the club today.” Takahashi said.

Oh, right, she’s in the basketball club.

“Are you going to go home instead?” I asked as I took out my outdoor shoes and placed my indoor shoes inside the locker. I closed the locker door and saw that she still had a disappointed look. I guess she wanted to attend her club activities that badly.

“I guess so.” Takahashi shrugged, unsure if she was going to stay behind and watch the team practice or just leave early.

“My gym shoes are just here in my locker. They might be a bit big for you but my feet are quite small in the men’s size, I think. Do you want to borrow–”

“Yes! Please! It’s fine, I can just stuff my extra socks inside the shoes. I’ve done this before, trust me, please.” Takahashi interrupted me. She fell on her knees, bowed down, and started pleading.

I stood there a bit frozen, simply shocked that she was prostrating for a pair of shoes. “It’s not that big of a deal, please get up,” I told her and helped her stand up by the arm. Takahashi looked up and our faces met, literally a few inches apart. I could see up close how her bangs were messily sprawled all over her face and that her eyes were sparkling in joy, probably because I lent her the shoes.

Realizing that my face started to heat up, I pulled away quickly and faced in the direction of my locker door as I frantically looked for the gym shoes. I got them out and Takahashi repeatedly bowed at me before leaving.

I let out a sigh and leaned against the lockers, recalling what just happened.

“She’s prettier up close.” I thought to myself.