As usual, please refer to the Table of Contents for the chronological reading order.
Part 2 should be done in 2-3 days.
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Reiryuu Gakuen Seitokai
Encounter Arc
※Episode2 – Dodgeball and Lucky Girl [Part 1]
It is almost a month since becoming a 2nd-year.
“Our next opponents are the third-years, huh…”
In this period when the students have gotten used to their new classes, the event happening in Reiryuu’s High School division is the class matches. Also known as・The Solidarity Dodgeball.
Looking at the competition chart, Meru heaves a deep sigh. The girls of Class F has just ended a match. Partly because their opponents were first-years, they were somehow able to win.
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“Sighhh…”
“You, stop with that sigh that sounds like we’ve already lost.”
Or so Maiko says to Meru who has been heaving unfathomable sighs.
“‘Cos, they’re third-years you know? They even have people who can throw stuff like ‘demonic’ balls, don’t they. Our starting lines are different. It’ll hurt if you’re hit by that you know? Probably.”
Meru gives a faraway look. She can feel the pain simply by recalling the balls the upperclassmen throw.
“As if you’ve the right to say that. When you won’t even get hit.”
“Ehe, I call it the『Body Concealment Strategy』~”
“It’s just being unmotivated, right!”
In response to Maiko pointing it out, Meru goes “That’s not true~” as she laughs. Being unmotivated is Meru’s standard stance. It is not just limited to dodgeball.
“I’ll work to get the ball next time then. I’ll get scared tho, no doubt.”
Saying thus, Meru heads towards the match area with Maiko.
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The dodgeball begins with a ball throw.
Meru is standing alone at a corner of the court. That position is one where you’ll definitely be hit as long as the ball goes into the outfield.
“Kusuhara-san… is amazing in a way huh… She’s standing there but isn’t getting hit.”
“True; standing there so boldly makes the opponents question if she’s part of the infield and they’ll hesitate to hit her.”
Maiko and the students in Class F looks at Meru. The first match had also ended with her standing still like this.
“Looks like Kusuhara may survive till the end this time too.”
“I know right…”
Maiko mutters as she dodges her classmates and the ball.
After 10 minutes, the girls from Class F gradually disappear from the court. As for Meru, just as the two predicted, she is standing so calmly in the court that it makes one question if she’s even participating in the game.
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Considering the remaining time and the number of people still in infield, it will probably be the third-years’ win this time. The game will safely end if she continues to remain standing like this. Or so Meru has been carefreely thinking, but her thoughts come to a standstill at the voice that suddenly rises.
“Ah, it’s Fuuga-kun! Fuuga-kunnn!!”
The third-year girls in the outfield brush aside the game and look towards the gymnasium’s spectating platform[1]. It seems that there are a lot of Fuuga’s fans in the third-year class that Meru is competing against. As a result, the ball stops moving for a moment.
“Eh, aa, senpai.”
The ikemen at the spectating platform a.k.a. Fuuga, shoots a smile at the female upperclassmen playing dodgeball below. It is one of the rare times when there are no girls in his immediate vicinity.
“Please work hard, okay… wait, AHHHHH!”
Right after Fuuga scatters his ikemen smile, he scrutinises the court where those female upperclassmen are playing dodgeball, and lets out a shout.
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Hearing that shout, Meru’s face immediately turns blue. Nonetheless, she persists at pretending she is unaware.
Unfortunately, there is no way he will fail to notice Meru, his current favourite.
“It’s Meru-chan! All the bestttt!”
Meru’s vain struggle is futile; Fuuga has even very kindly cheered for her.
“Dang, it’s over for her huh. Our ace.”
So says Maiko, who is already in the outfield, as she gives Meru a sympathetic look. That said, as she is also frankly envious of being cheered on by the top ikemen of the school, that gaze also contains some envy.
“‘Meru’… who’s that?”
“Ahahahaha…”
Meru can only smile bitterly upon hearing the third-year’s voice nearby. To the point where cold sweat is running down her face.
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“Meru-chann! Pigtails suit you too!”
It is no longer cheering, but at the level of a love confession. No strangers to Fuuga ‘attacking’ Meru, the class F girls looks at her enviously. However, that is not the case for the third-year girls who are true Fuuga fans.
“Pigtails…?”
By the way, the only ones with pigtails right now in class F are class F’s earnest class rep and Meru. Moreover, Fuuga’s gaze is evidently in the opposite direction of the class rep. In other words, it is as clear as day which girl is the ‘Meru’ whom Fuuga is cheering on.
“Hahaha. Rengetsu-kun, be quiet.”
There is no helping it since she has been exposed. Meru turns towards the spectating platform with a broad smile, and says to Fuuga.
Then, the game of dodgeball resumes.
Of course, the third-years’ aims are concentrated at one point.
“Sigh… Rengutsu-kun, you idiot.”
Frowning, Meru heaves a sigh. The ball is passed to the third-years. In order to make certain to bring down Meru, the ball is passed to the strongest female student in their class.
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“RUN, Kusuhara-san!”
“No no, it’s impossible to dodge such a fast ball.”
Or so her classmates say, but Meru doesn’t move, remaining carefreely in the position she had decided on.
The ‘demonic’ ball that Meru termed previously is precisely what’s flying towards her right now.
“Yikes, her hand is…!”
“Be careful, Meru-chan!”
The female student’s hand strays and the ball slips out of her hand. That ball flies towards Meru’s face and Fuuga reflexively shouts.
Several girls close their eyes at the sight.
Slam
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Meru seizes the ball before her face. However, she held the ball for merely an instant; the ball quickly falls with a plonk sound.
Judging from the resounding sound, there is no doubt about the power of the ball thrown. Even if it is just avoiding being hit on the face, it is a job well done for the Miss Average, Meru.
Pii, the whistle that signals touch-out sounds and Meru moves to the outfield. Adjacent to the merry-making third-year team, Maiko rushes up to Meru.
“Meru, are you okay!?”
“My hand hurts. I worked to get the ball but it was impossible.”
“Something like that is hard to catch even for those skilled at dodgeball!”
Maiko comforts the shrugging Meru like this. That was a ball that was fine even if one could not catch.
“… Meru-chan, are you hurt?”
Looking down from above Meru who has moved to the outfield, Fuuga murmurs.
“What is the matter, Rengetsu-kun?”
“Ah, Yuuri-kun.”
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Yuuri, also a student council executive, comes to Fuuga’s side. Neither of them appears to have any matches now, and are patrolling as executives.
Standing beside Fuuga and seeing where his gaze is at, Yuuri’s expression changes to one of understanding.
“Is Kusuhara-san already in the outfield?”
Looking at Meru standing in the outfield with a nonchalant attitude, Yuuri asks with mild curiosity. Fuuga nods as he looks at Meru.
“Un, I made a racket… I’ll apologise later.”
“Please do not cause Kusuhara-san too much trouble.”
Even now, Meru seems to be ‘playing tag’ with Fuuga, and is receiving penalties frequently. The only girl who escapes when Fuuga goes to see her is definitely Meru alone. As it is a rule that catching Fuuga’s eye = the stares from his fans will be painful, Meru’s actions are not entirely incomprehensible.
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However, Yuuri has never seen Fuuga look at a girl with such a happy expression. That is why, even as he feels apologetic towards Meru, the warning he gave Fuuga became indulgent.
“Still, making a racket without considering the fans is truly unlike Rengetsu-kun, isn’t it.”
Same as Fuuga, Yuuri says while looking at Meru. He was not only referring to now, but to all of Fuuga’s conduct towards Meru recently.
Being told so, Fuuga’s eyes widen and their corners immediately lower.
“What is this, I wonder? This feeling. It’s the first time. Being so engrossed that I completely lose sight of the surroundings.”
“… Engrossed, you say?”
Certainly, it may be the most fitting word to describe the current Fuuga.
“Is it Meru-chan’s talent? Attracting whenever we meet.”
Meru is really a normal girl. Both Fuuga and Yuuri know that. The more time they spend together, the more that hits home. Nonetheless, the air Meru has on and the words she says are unique.
“That is… not entirely incomprehensible.”
“Eh.”
Fuuga shows an anxious look at Yuuri’s words of consent. Yuuri ignores such a Fuuga and simply gazes fixedly at the normal, pigtailed girl.
“Yuuri-ku…”
“Ah, the match for class F’s girls seems to be over.”
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Yuuri informs before Fuuga can say what he intends to. Hearing his words, Fuuga’s mind quickly switches to that.
“I’ll be going to Meru-chan!”
“Please make sure you do not cause a racket.”
It is unknown if he properly heard Yuuri’s words. Just like that, Fuuga descends the spectating platform and runs towards Meru.
“What are you doing, Yuu-chan? Isn’t your match next?”
A pretty voice sounds out from behind Yuuri who became alone.
The person he finds as he turns around is as per his expectations; it is Hiiragi Raira in an adorable get-up.
“Rengetsu-kun was here, so I watched the match with him.”
“The executives’ match hasn’t begun, right? It sure is rare for you to watch another person’s match.”
With those words, Raira shifts his gaze towards the area Yuuri had been overlooking a while ago.
“Ah, that girl… Fuu-chan’s.”
Raira places his elbows on the railings and terms the girl he is looking down towards.
The match seems to have ended, yet that area is still boisterous.
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“Are you really okay, Meru-chan!?”
“Yes, I’m fine. So let go alright?”
“Let’s go to the infirmary. I’ll bring you!”
“Leaving me aside, Rengetsu-kun should go to the hospital first?”
“Eh, I’m not injured anywhere though? Ah! Could it be, you’re worried about me, Meru-chan!?”
“That’s not it… hey, don’t cling to me!!”
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At the end of the two’s gazes, the already-conspicuous Fuuga is being rowdy. His companion is the type of girl who will definitely not be conspicuous had she been alone.
“Kusuhara-san… it appears I had better apologise too, later.”
Yuuri says with a sigh as he looks at Fuuga’s behaviour. Glancing sideways at such a Yuuri, Raira goes “Hm~m”, a reply where one cannot read his emotions.
“… She’s a normal girl, isn’t she.”
“Does Hiiragi-san also know about Kusuhara-san?”
“Rather than ‘know’… we’ve never spoken but I investigated her.”
Saying so, Raira grins at Yuuri. Yuuri lowers his head in comprehension.
“Ah, did that girl catch your eye too, Yuu-chan?”
“Not as much as Rengetsu-kun. It is just…”
With his gaze still on Meru, Yuuri continues.
“I am not sure how to say this, but I have a feeling her wavelength is different from others.”
Yuuri says with a serious expression. Finding that amusing, Raira laughs, going “Hm~m” again. One can sense inquisitiveness in his tone this time.
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“… More importantly, you’ll be late for your match if you don’t go soon, you know?”
“True. My next opponent is… Class A, is it?”
“Yeah, a showdown with Emperor-sama. Shou-chan pushed his glasses up and went “So it’s the decisive battle of truth?”, you know.”
“I would prefer if you do not raise the hurdle.”
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Raira speaks amusedly as he imitates Shoutarou, but Yuuri has a troubled look in contrast. Regardless, weak utterances will completely vanish from Yuuri the moment the match starts.
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The two descend the platform and head to the match venue while having such a conversation.
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[1] Original: Catwalk. It’s an actual term in Japan. It’s not a fashion runway! An elevated area at the perimeters of the gymnasium where people can observe the game.
Nakimushi 
