NOVEL SIMPLE Chapter 428
In my previous life, I didn’t really enjoy after-school activities, and it seems like I’m the same in this life.
Back in middle school, there were indeed some club activities I could have participated in if I wanted to. I probably could have found friends to join me if I tried.
However, there were times when I had other things to do after school, and I disliked having to come up with excuses to tell the kids each time.
In a way, it might have been a bit bothersome to stay at school even after classes.
In middle school, the school was close by, and almost everyone lived within walking distance. Since it was an average school that didn’t require intense studying to attend, that was probably a given.
But here, things are a bit different.
It’s not that far, but it’s annoying enough that I have to take the train to get here.
If I go over to a friend’s house and end up playing late, getting back home becomes a hassle. Conversely, if my friends come over to my place, isn’t that a waste of time too? Since I’d be stuck in the train during the ride.
So, I thought of finding a spot at school where I could stay for a long time without much fuss, kind of like a hideout. Preferably, a club that doesn’t openly ask too many questions about my comings and goings, one that doesn’t usually have active activities. Surely there’d be something if I looked around, right?
Well, I originally planned to try out a club when I entered high school. The club I had in mind back then was something like the Literature Club where you don’t have to move around too much.
“Club activities?”
After hearing my story, Yuka initially seemed a bit taken aback.
But less than ten seconds later, her expression became quite serious.
Yuka had never participated in anything like that.
Not only that, she had never properly attended a school in her whole life.
Both in the original story and here, Yuka had a yearning towards an ordinary school life. I expected her to react this way when I brought it up.
“Have you thought about where to have activities?”
“…Not yet, I’m still thinking.”
I responded vaguely.
The real purpose, in the end, was securing a place where I could hang out late without much concern about getting in trouble.
However, I didn’t want to be too honest about that with these kids. Even though I managed to have thoughts resembling those of a high school student throughout my time living in this world, it was a bit embarrassing even so.
If I mentioned that I was set on the Literature Club from the start, I felt like they would ask me why I chose that.
It wasn’t that the Literature Club was a bad choice; it was just that I had never been one to be deeply involved in books. I did enjoy reading well enough, but it was just average for someone of this era.
If smartphones had developed in the 2020s and all kinds of streaming sites were available, I might have just ended up watching those instead.
“Um, really?”
Yuka didn’t probe any further.
“Well, if you think of any club activities you’d like to do, just let me know.”
Yuka said just that.
It was obvious she was implicitly expressing her desire to join in.
Seeing growth in Yuka, I felt strangely proud, even though it wasn’t a skill of mine.
“…Why?”
“Oh, it’s nothing.”
Yuka seemed to sense my feelings and questioned me about something, but I shook my head. That feeling was hard to explain in words.
*
I thought about visiting the Literature Club, but still, I was concerned that charging in right from the start might be a nuisance.
I approached them rather casually, but it could be that they take literature quite seriously.
So first things first, right after homeroom, I went alone with Koko.
It would have been fine to head home first today, but since everyone said they’d wait in front of the school, I thought it would be best to quickly check the atmosphere and just say hi.
“…”
As I stood in front of the door, I felt a little nervous.
Until now, I had only been playing around with peers, but there would surely be seniors in the club.
Even though I found it a bit odd to be thinking that after the scuffle we had in the bathroom not long ago.
“Koto Ne?”
“Yeah, I’m about to enter.”
I flashed a slight smile towards Koko, who was tilting her head beside me, and raised my hand.
Before I could even knock on the Literature Club door—
“Ah!?”
I jumped a bit at the loud voice coming from the end of the hallway.
“Wow?”
Koko was startled too.
We both turned to look in the direction of the sound at the same time.
At the end of the hallway stood what I could only describe as a very energetic person.
Among my friends, Harumi gave off the most lively impression, but even she didn’t appear to be openly athletic. Rather, she liked to dress up, giving her skin color a fashion vibe.
But the person at the end of the hallway was a bit different.
Their hair was cut short, and there was no sign of grooming. While I wondered if Harumi had intentionally tanned, this person seemed to have genuinely been running around outside under the blazing sun.
So I found it a bit puzzling.
Sports clubs usually have nice treatment. Popular and well-regarded clubs had rooms in the basement of the newly-built building, and less popular ones were located in the basement of the old building, so there was no need for sweaty activities to go up to the fourth floor.
Most of the clubs gathered on the fourth floor of the old building didn’t seem to be that popular or required frequent physical activity… In a way, that might overlap with the two reasons.
Anyway, the person who called out to us from the end of the hallway charged towards us.
Creek!
With a surprising screech made by sliding shoes, the person approached us with a gleaming sparkle in their eyes.
“Uh, um… hello?”
“Hi!”
Thinking I should say something, I spoke up, and the person greeted us back with a big smile.
“I have a question! Are you two twins?”
Hmm.
Many people are surprised that we’re twins. Teachers are surprised, students are surprised, and even strangers walking by sometimes glance back at us.
However, rarely does anyone openly ask us with such excitement.
“Yeah, we’re twins…”
Are they from our grade?
I thought I was somewhat famous. After all, there was that fight in the restroom not too long ago.
While a few people did distance themselves from us after that, there haven’t been any major issues as of now.
“Wow…!”
Their eyes sparkled even more when they looked at us.
“Uh, um, do you two have telepathy or something?”
“…….”
Hmm.
What should I say in response to that?
They seem to expect something amazing, should I humor them…?
But just before we could continue our conversation, an sliding door on our side creaked open. It didn’t seem very well maintained as it opened with a little clatter.
“…Kaoru.”
The person from beyond the sliding door had skin much paler than the person called Kaoru. They looked like someone who would hate going outside. They wore thick glasses, and their hair was braided, giving off the image of a typical literary girl. Yes, this person screamed Literature Club. Otherwise, they’d be a librarian, or I’d feel betrayed.
“What are you doing to the Literature Club visitors right now?”
“Uh? We haven’t exactly gone in yet, have we?”
“No, I heard footsteps. You definitely stopped right in front of this door and hesitated for a moment.”
“Wow, what? You were eavesdropping on us from outside? Izumi, how creepy.”
So it appears this person is called Izumi.
This Izumi person didn’t seem overly surprised to see us, perhaps annoyed at Kaoru or just not having any bias against us.
“Who’s creepy? The content of the books you read is much creepier.”
“Ocult isn’t creepy; it just makes religion look all creepy. ”
“…Don’t equate occult with religion…”
Izumi pressed their hand against their forehead like something was pinching it.
After taking a deep breath with their eyes closed and letting it out, they glanced at us.
“Uh, are you perhaps first years wishing to visit the Literature Club—”
But they couldn’t finish that sentence.
As Izumi looked back and forth between me and Koko, their mouth opened slightly.
“Whoa, you’re twins?”
You’ve been standing here the whole time, you know?
It seems they really didn’t notice us.
Still, there didn’t seem to be any club members visible inside the literature club. Or is it that there really are no club members?
“Ah, no, I’m losing my mind.”
Seeing me tilt my head, Izumi brushed their hair aside.
“…I’m the head of the Literature Club, Ikeda Izumi. I’m in the second year. Did you come to see what kind of club the Literature Club is?”
“Ah, yes.”
“Great! New students are always welcome.”
Izumi seemed to be trying a bit hard to look like a senior.
As the two of us followed Izumi inside, Kaoru naturally tagged along as well.
Since Izumi didn’t say anything else, could it be that they are also part of the Literature Club?
“Hey, by the way, how about joining the Occult Club instead? We’re currently recruiting members.”
“Ka—oru—!”
Hmm.
Looks like that’s a no-go.