"Akira, is there any club you want to join?" Shouko placed the stack of application forms she had collected over the past two days in front of him.
"...?"
Akira tore his gaze from the stars outside the window and glanced at the forms. "Does the Go-Home Club count?"
Shouko didn't answer. She only looked at him quietly, her expression saying enough.
Earlier today, Nanase-sensei had explained why students should join a club, but most had ignored her lecture and promptly forgotten it.
"Hmm…" Akira thought for a moment, then spoke.
"Far East Magic Nap Society's Summer."
Shouko blinked. "Eh? Our school has a club like that? I've never even heard of it…"
She couldn't shake the suspicion that Akira was just making up a ridiculous name to get rid of her.
"Yes, it exists. It's tucked away in a corner of the recruitment area," Akira said with a nod. Seeing her doubt, he added patiently, "If you look carefully tomorrow, you'll find it."
As for why he'd chosen that? Simple. If he really had to join something, that club was the closest thing to a Go-Home Club. You could leave early, sleep whenever you wanted, the members were laid-back, and there was hardly any pressure… well, assuming you could tolerate a few quirks.
Shouko studied his eyes for signs of a lie. But after staring for a while, all she found was that Akira's eyes were… really beautiful.
Shaking off the thought, she shifted the topic. "How was driving school in Shibuya this afternoon?"
"The environment's fine. I just met the instructor, picked up the materials, and came straight back. Otherwise, I wouldn't have gotten home before you."
Shouko nodded. Then, smiling, she shared stories about wandering the recruitment area with Ayumi earlier. But all she got from Akira were half-hearted "uh-huhs" and "I see."
Finally, puffing her cheeks, she grabbed both his cheeks in her hands and rubbed them hard.
"I want to go with you to the driving school tomorrow too," she pouted.
Akira hesitated, but in the end he nodded.
"Then don't you dare go back on your word!" Shouko said happily, releasing his face. She turned back to her seat and began sketching again.
Whether or not she still needed to check out that "Nap Society" tomorrow no longer mattered.
—
Later that night, after Shouko packed up and wished him goodnight, Akira skimmed his driving materials for about ten minutes before heading to bed.
He was confident now. Barring accidents, he'd have his motorcycle license by next week at the latest.
Early April in Tokyo: cherry blossom buds sprouted, mornings and evenings still carried a chill. In the blink of an eye, two rains passed, the air warmed, and the buds bloomed in full. Crowds swapped coats for lighter jackets.
By the weekend, the wind through the cherry trees near the station made petals rain down in pink sheets.
"Today is the last day for club recruitment," Nanase-sensei reminded the class from the podium. "If you haven't applied yet, hurry. Otherwise, you'll have to wait until next year."
Akira, staring out the window at sparrows, didn't hear a word.
A week had passed since his promise to Shouko at the driving school. He'd already passed the written test and several practical ones. Only the emergency braking test remained.
He expected to clear it within a few days—and walk away with his license in hand.
As for clubs, he hadn't joined any. Shouko and Ayumi had signed up for the Art Club just yesterday.
He'd briefly worried whether Shouko might be isolated or bullied, but with Ayumi by her side—and with Miyagi Yuki, their former Art Club president from middle school now a senior here—he wasn't worried at all.
Takagi, meanwhile, had joined the Literature Club at the last moment. And naturally, Nishikata had signed up right after her.
Why Takagi changed her mind? Shouko had explained: the Literature Club allowed occasional early departures and gave members first access to new manga and novels. That was more than enough for Takagi… and for Nishikata too.
As for Akira himself, he'd already encountered almost every member of the Far East Magic Nap Society. The only ones he hadn't seen yet were its eccentric "main characters."
At first, he thought Senpai Isseki Makoto seemed oddly hostile toward him. But the next time they met, that feeling had vanished entirely.
Dong! Dong! Dong!
Nanase-sensei clapped her hands sharply. "Alright, class dismissed. Be careful going home."
The classroom erupted instantly into noise, desks scraping, voices chattering. With a helpless shake of her head, she left.
"Akira, it's the last day. Want to check out the recruitment area again?" Shouko asked while packing her bag.
He'd only gone on the first day and hadn't returned since.
Shouko's question carried a touch of hope—maybe if Akira found something he liked, she could sign up alongside him.
But Akira shook his head. "No. You all have club registration today. If I went, I'd just be wandering around alone. Might as well head to driving school."
"Okay…"
Shouko sighed, hiding her disappointment. She'd been willing to switch into another club if it meant spending more time with him.
Still, she found a silver lining: even if she couldn't be with Akira after school every day, they could still walk home together.
The downside… well, she'd just have to trust that no foolish girl would try to flirt with him when she wasn't around.
After lingering for a bit, their group split up, each heading toward their respective clubs.
Even if their activities differed, they could still reunite on the way home.
After all, clubs might start and end at the same time—but the bonds between them went beyond schedules.
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