Chapter 120 Before the Match

Chapter 120: Chapter 120 Before the MatchEffort is an annoying thing, but sometimes you unknowingly get deeply involved in it. After a week of training, the moment to participate in the preliminaries has finally arrived. Next to the open-air dojo, Uesugi Sakura, dressed in a clean kyudo uniform, walks along the corridor with four companions. Around them are high school students carrying long bow bags. "It feels like there are so many people this year." Looking at the crowd chatting around them, Hirata Masanobu feels as if he’s in a bustling city. Seisuke Yooya: "Actually, there are fewer people this year than in previous years; quite a few people practice kyudo." "I thought there would be more participants this year," he adds. "Then why do we have so few people in our club?" Uesugi Sakura asks, actually enjoying places that are quiet with fewer people. "Yeah, yeah," Chitose Mai nods in agreement, "now there are only three girls left in the club, even though everyone is really nice." "Haha, it’s my fault, my fault, I didn’t really try to keep people at the time." Seisuke Yooya turns back. "It’s not the club president’s fault; it’s their own problem." "Girls still prefer healing things like flower arranging and tea ceremony," Kanai Hideyoshi says. Sakurai Fumiko laughs and says, "Actually, before I joined the Kyudo Club, I was quite interested in the Gardening Club or the Cheerleading Dance Department." What she said was quite thought-provoking. Because of her large chest. When others hear this, they start imagining cheerleading seniors bringing sound, smiles, and spirit. But the boys in the Kyudo Club have all been through the "Seisha Hicchu" baptism, and their mindset is very steady, without any ripples. In fact, the Kyudo Club is also considered a sports club, but it has nothing to do with cheerleading. You can’t just have cheerleaders dancing and cheering every time an arrow hits the target, can you? The atmosphere would be too strange. "Actually, I’ve always felt it’s really unfair," Chitose Mai unsteadily chews on gum, "why can cheerleaders only be girls cheering for boys? Don’t sports events also have women’s volleyball and women’s soccer and such? There should be male cheerleaders too." "There are." Sakurai Fumiko says with a smile. "There are!?" Chitose Mai is so surprised that she stops chewing her gum. "Yes, there are at our school." "There are at our school!?" Chitose Mai is shocked again. "The Uniform Research Department, last year at the sports day they cheered for women’s basketball, and, well... they were quite cute, I guess..." The term "quite cute" is a bit subtle. Uniform Research Department? If Uesugi Sakura remembers correctly, it’s the club that Tsubokawa joined. "Isn’t it that weird club that likes to collect girls’ uniforms?" Chitose Mai, following behind the others, looks curious. "It’s famous around the school for being so quirky," Hirata Masanobu turns back and says, "Their illustrations are too detailed, meticulously analyzing and introducing even the zippers on the skirts, and the matching undergarments." "Hmm?" Hearing this, Kanai Hideyoshi looks at him with a weird expression, "Have you seen it?" Hirata Masanobu quickly shakes his head, covering his right hand on the back of his head and laughing lightly: "No, no, haha... why would I look at something like that." "Believe you?" Whether he’s seen it, everyone knows in their hearts. Uesugi Sakura wasn’t listening to their conversation much, instead focusing on the team approaching in front. Also dressed in feather weave and hakama, Fuya Nanori leads four people, walking slowly. When facing Sugita Shuhei, his face is filled with an elegant smile. "We meet again." His voice is as gentle as a spring breeze. "I’m glad to face you in competition again, Shuhei." On the wooden corridor, the unique aura of the two draws the attention of the surrounding crowd, who all know who they are. "How’s your grandfather Kyoichiro’s health?" Fuya Nanori says in a peaceful manner, like old friends catching up. "Thank you for asking, my grandfather is well." Sugita Shuhei also seems to know him, exchanging pleasantries. Shimokawa Binro suddenly steps out from the team, wearing an enduring smile: "Hello everyone, you’re from the Kanzaki Togoshi Kyudo Club, right? I’m Shimokawa Binro, pleased to meet you all." Seeing his actions, Yagi Ruijin in the back frowns. After the Kamigoe team reports their names, Shimokawa Binro extends his right hand to Uesugi Sakura, his eyes squinting with a smile: "I’m Shimokawa Binro, a freshman in the Mitsuki High School Kyudo Club and our team’s top forward. I hope to learn from you, Senpai." Squinty eyes are never good people. Uesugi Sakura silently labels him in his heart, extending his hand: "Uesugi Sakura." "Hello, Senpai, I heard you just started learning kyudo recently?" Shimokawa Binro grasped his hand. "Yes." "May I ask what rank you are?" Asking when he already knows the answer. "No Rank." Uesugi Sakura firmly attaches the "squinty eyes are not good people" label to him. "What a coincidence, I just got promoted to First Rank. The teachers who assess kyudo are way too strict. Even though my hits surpass my peers, they only gave me a just-pass mark." "Oh." Shimokawa Binro opens his squinty eyes, "Mentioning this is just to offer some experience in dealing with those teachers to Senpai. I’m really looking forward to seeing Senpai shine in this competition." "Enough, Shimokawa." Fuya Nanori interrupts, "Less talkative, more action. Today’s preliminaries, I hope you take them seriously." After saying this, he nods slightly at Sugita Shuhei, turns and leaves with his team. "Feels... that person is weird." Chitose Mai cranes her neck in the direction they left and says. "Very weird," Hirata Masanobu says. "Classic villain squinty eyes, nothing strange about it." Uesugi Sakura’s tone is flat, indicating no deep meaning behind it. "I’m sure everyone knows Mizuki’s strength, so let’s give it our all. Our goal is to win the championship." Sugita Shuhei recalls those junior high days. Though Fuya Nanori has left, many eyes are still focused on him. Most high school students practicing kyudo have heard of this peer who has made a name for himself in national competitions. "Let’s go to the opening ceremony first." At the opening ceremony of the Tokyo Shinjuku Kyudo Association Competition, the members of the Kamigoe Kyudo Club sit in the audience, watching the arrow-passing ceremony in the dojo. "Sorry for being late." A cool voice is heard, and Ogata Asaka, with her long ponytail, sits down next to Uesugi Sakura. Below in the dojo, a steady middle-aged man, exposing his left chest, takes a white feather arrow handed over from behind. "Why did you come so late, Senpai?" Chitose Mai asks Ogata Asaka, who has just sat down. "I was just finishing up something with my sister." Ogata Asaka sits calmly in her seat, quietly watching the arrow-passing ceremony in the dojo. It related to Goto Iwao. Uesugi Sakura hasn’t paid attention to Goto recently, but if Ogata Asaka is involved, he has no choice but to acknowledge it.