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“Alright, first is the team competition!”

It was finally time for the intra scholastic tournament’s regional team competition! Incidentally, the individual competition would be tomorrow.

By the team competition’s rules, we fought in teams of five. The order the team members fought was vanguard, second, center, vice-captain, and finally captain¹. If you lost, you dropped out, and if you won, you stayed in the game and fought the opposing team’s next in line. Ultimately, the team with the least combined individual defeats won.

It was possible for the captain to turn everything around and defeat the whole opposing team on their own, so you couldn’t let your guard down.

“Anyway, it’s our job to reduce the burden on the club head!”
“And if possible, win this thing without him ever being needed!”

There was laughter. It looked like none of them were nervous. The previous seniors in the team had all graduated, so it now consisted of four second-years and one very talented fist-year.

As a result of training solely with me without interruption, Gouda had improved so much in the span of a single day, he apparently couldn’t believe it himself. Gorilla Sensei had asked me to do that, and afterwards I repeated the same with the other members who’d compete in the team fights. I could’ve done this for the better part of a year, so I felt a bit bad for starting so late.

“Let’s go!”
“””YEAAAAAAAAH!!”””

We formed the usual group circle. Rir, the group’s only woman, was between our instructor and me. She’d said she’d do her best to cheer us on.

The circle was dissolved, and everyone found a place in the waiting room.

Incidentally, I was the team captain and Gouda the vice-captain. The sole first-year formed the vanguard, and the second and center were filled by the remaining two second-years who were balanced in their abilities, so they usually took their team position by preference.

The first-year vanguard, Hoshino², was shouting things like “I’ll beat the whole team myself! I’ll steal the spotlight from you, Seniors! Ha-ha-ha!” so I had high expectations for him. When I trained with him the day before yesterday, he’d genuinely improved by a lot.

“Shuu, you can do it! It’s only the regional competition, so it’s probably easy, but don’t let it get to your head!”
“Right. Thanks, Rir.”

Yesterday after training was over, she had given me a massage. Not sure where she picked up the skill, probably somewhere in Anazumu, but before I knew it, she had turned into a massage-pro. With her slender hands, she did her utmost to help unknot my muscles. It was cute, awfully cute.

Along the way, maybe because she started massaging parts that weren’t exactly needed, or because she gave permission for me to touch her too, it turned into a very different kind of massage, though that was likely something that happened only between lovers.

I do have a wonderful girlfriend. Lucky me.

“…Do you want a kiss?”
“…We ain’t at home, so not on the mouth.”
“Woof, alright!” she replied before pulling me into an embrace and pressing a kiss on my cheek.

Suddenly, I’m super hyped up! Well, it’s possible I don’t get a turn today. Even without me, our team is said to be the strongest.

“God damn it, I’m so jealous! I’m way too jealous of you!”
“You got all intimate yesterday, didn’t you? It shows.”

These comments came from Futayama and Nakagawa³, the second and center of the team. These guys always made jealous jabs when Rir and I were talking.

“…W-Well, she’s my girlfriend, ain’t she?”
“Ugh…”
“Grrrrrrrrr.”

At this point, they looked like they might start crying blood any moment. Thinking of it, the two of them were friends and neither of the two had ever dated someone.

I mean, I was the same until I met Rir, but those two are pretty popular with girls at this point, so how dare they complain? I just don’t get them.

“In any case, please do you best, Futayama!”
“I-I will…!”

Rir had grasped Futayama’s hand with both of hers. The boy in question turned red and fell silent.

“The same goes for you Nakagawa, alright?”
“Y-Yes’m!”

She did the same with Nakagawa. When did she learn to captivate men just by grasping their hands?

“Hoshino, do your best, too, alright? We expect much from you!”
“Y-Yesh! I’ll do my besht!”

In the same vein, she walked up to our vanguard and took his hand. Still, he seemed way too hyped up.
Well, that’s ’cause Rir’s so cute.

“Gouda, please do your best to support Shuu.”
“You can count on me.”

Gouda was last. It didn’t show on his face, but I was sure that he inwardly reacted the same as Nakagawa and the others.

Afterwards, she proclaimed that she’d be rooting us, which was followed by excited shouts. She then returned to my side.

“Rir, when did you learn to deal with people like Ayumu?”
“Woof? I only told them to do their best and that I’d be cheering them on? What does that have to do with Alim?”
“Well, don’t worry ’bout it.”

Guess that just now was her own talent. She might have the natural makings of an idol… Heh, but she’s my dear girlfriend. It probably won’t turn into some huge deal like with Ayumu.

“I told you earlier, but do your best! I’ve seen you work hard for months now, so I know you can do it!”
“Right, with you rootin’ for me, I have superhuman strength.”

I impulsively patted her head.

Now, time to get serious! Just like last year, let’s aim for the national tournament and win this!

1. My quick Google search didn’t yield any official English names for these team positions, so these names might be off.
2. Been a while since we had new names. This one has multiple possible readings with the original being 星野 (lit. Star Plain).
3. Two more names with multiple possible readings. The originals are 二山 (lit. Two Mountains) and 中川 (lit. Middle of the River).

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