Book 3: Chapter 5: Part 2

Heres the chapter, enjoy~T/n: Changed director agency to president agency

Part 2

The day before the ball game tournament. The decisions for the event were finished in the previous class, but as each of us were planning our strategies and making careful preparations for the ball game tournament, Ryo suddenly remembered something and opened his mouth.

Come to think of it, there will be a photographer coming to the ball game tournament to take Yuuyas picture, right?

A-ah, yeah, thats right.

Mmm? Ryo-kun, Shingo-kun, what do you mean by that?

When Ryo and Shingo-kun remembered the conversation with the entertainment company president the other day and asked that question to me, Kageno-kun, who happened to be listening to the conversation, asked them with a glint in his glasses.

The other students were also surprised and turned their attention to us.

Um on our way home the other day, a person from an entertainment agency came to scout Yuuya.

T-then Yuuya-kun refused the offer, but the agency couldnt give up on Yuuya-kun, and instead of him joining the entertainment industry, they decided to put him in a feature on the Ousei Gakuen, which will be published in a magazine. The staff members are going to come to this ball game since they got permission to photograph the event.

I had completely forgotten about it because of Usagi-san and the evolution, but when the classmates heard Ryo and Shingo-kuns explanation, they all started buzzing.

I-I didnt know that was going to happen

Eh, so theres a chance we could be in a magazine too?

Uoooo! Well need to work extra hard on this one!

I was worried about what it would be like to have an outsider come to a school event, but everyone seemed to be in a rather welcoming mood, which I was very grateful for.

Then, one of the boys suddenly muttered something.

Hmm? Wait a minute? If that shoot is for Yuuya, then if we bring Yuuya into the team, we have a better chance of getting into the picture, isnt that right?

..

At that word, everyone was silent at once.

And then.

Yuuya-kuuunnn! By all means please join us in football!

Huh? Of course, he will join the basketball team!

No, no, no, he should have chosen dodgeball!

U-uh?

I am very grateful and happy to be recruited, but in the end, trouble is inevitable no matter which event I participate in

Besides, I wonder if people have forgotten about it?

Um Im supposed to play table tennis, but

..

The boys froze in silence at my words.

Aahh, thats right!

Why why didnt I win at that time!

I want to go back to that day and do the rock-paper-scissors again!

I didnt know what to say to them, because they were all more frustrated than I thought. Then Ryo looked at them all in a daze and put his hand on my shoulder.

Well, dont mind these people, just do your best at table tennis!

Y-yeah.

I could only nod, with an indescribable expression on my face.

The day of the ball game tournament. The school is filled with the unique and fluffy atmosphere of the event, and everyone is already anxious since the time of homeroom. Todays schedule is only for the ball game tournament, so no one is in their school uniforms, but in P.E. clothes and jerseys instead.

Alright, its an important ball game tournament for senseis bonus. Be sure not to lose!

No, its not like were fighting for you, sensei?

Everyone nodded at Ryos calm tsukkomi. Yeah, as usual, Sawada-sensei is very honest well, I think she was saying that just to make the place more relaxed. Is that right?

After the briefing, we headed to the venue for our respective events. And along the way, I met Kurosawa-san from the entertainment agency and the president of the agency.

Well, Yuuya-kun. Ill make sure to take pictures of your gallant performance today.

H-haha

Oh, but please dont be strangely conscious of the camera or anything. From what Miu and Hikari have told me, youre not used to being photographed yet, so just be natural.

Well

Confused by the presidents words, I shifted my gaze to the numerous photographers behind her. Following my gaze, the president and Kurosawa-san also turned their gaze once to the photographers behind them.

Dont be nervous!

Impossible!

Well, there are more photographers than I expected! I had assumed it would be at most two people, but it looks like there are actually about ten photographers who came. And it wasnt just SLR cameras, there was also some kind of T.V. station cameras prepared, so it was a pretty large scale.

Its going to be okay! Once youre in the entertainment industry, you will get used to this so quickly!

No, I think I declined that offer already, so

Ara? I havent given up yet, you know?

..

I thought she had given up on me already, so I was dumbfounded when she clearly told me that.

But really, you dont need to be so nervous today. Its just that the name of the event is a special feature for the Ousei Gakuen, and were going to be taking photos of the scenery of the school and other students. Well, I would definitely like to have Yuuya-kuns picture, so just keep that in mind.

She says that I dont have to be nervous, but if my picture is definitely taken, I cant help but be nervous.

Well, it would be all for naught if I lose the game because I get distracted by the photoshoot. So I have to brace myself for it.

Uh sorry. Ill be heading to the venue now

Yeah. Im looking forward to it.

Yuuya-san. Good luck.

After separating from Kurosawa-san and the others, I went straight to the venue.

L-lets do our best, Yuuya-kun.

Yeah! S~eaʀᴄh the nôvelFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

When I arrived at the gymnasium where the table tennis match was taking place, Shingo-kun and the other classmates, who were also competing in the table tennis match, had gathered there as well.

Whoa! Im so nervous

I didnt expect Yuuya-kun to join us for table tennis.

Yes, yes. I thought you were going to play football or basketball or something like that.

Oh, man its not like Im going to be the one to be photographed, but the thought of a photographer coming here to take pictures of Yuuya-kun makes me even more nervous.

In this table tennis tournament, other than Shingo-kun, the rest of my classmates werent those who were good at sports like Ryo, but rather more of the indoor type boys like Shingo-kun.

I, myself, didnt often go outside before I started going to another world, and its a little comforting to see that many of them are the same type as me. They thought I was going to participate in football and basketball, and the entertainment agencys staff was going to be there, so they thought the photographers wouldnt come here.

Was it annoying? Thats what I thought, but everyone was very positive about it, and Im very grateful.

There are two different types of table tennis tournaments: doubles, and singles. I will participate in the singles tournament, and Shingo-kun will participate in the doubles tournament.

After a little while, the fixture list was posted, and I went to check it. When Shingo-kun saw the list, his expression grew cloudy.

Uwahh My first opponent is a student from P.E. class, huh

P.E. class?

Ah there was no physical education class or anything like that on the field trip the other day, so Yuuya-kun doesnt know about it.

When I tilted my head at the words I didnt know, Shingo-kun explained to me gently.

To summarize the content of the explanation, it seems that apart from the General Class that Shingo-kun, I, and the others belong to, there is another class called Physical Education Class where students who are admitted through sports recommendations get together.

I didnt know about this class because I never met them in school. After all, they were in a different school building, and they didnt participate in the field trip we took part in.

However, it seems that this Physical Education Class took another special class instead of the field trip. It was called Physical Education Class, so I guess they were taking a special class that was tougher than our field trip, wasnt it? Well, fortunately, I had some skills, so I didnt have that much trouble with the field trip, but

I-I heard that Ryo-kun was supposed to be in P.E. class, but he wanted to focus on something other than sports, so he was put in the same general class as us.

Ryo, you really do have the specs like the main protagonist of the story! Rather than the existence of another class, Ryo was more surprising to me.

Ugh I would hate to just lose the first game.

Shingo-kun walked over to his doubles partner with grief on his shoulders. G-good luck. No, Im worried about Shingo-kun, but I also have to think about my opponent, too, right? I havent even practiced table tennis in class, will I be able to do well?

I was getting anxious now, and before I knew it, it had come to my turn.

Come on, lets get some pictures!

The photographer followed me around tightly. No, I cant be natural in this situation!

Um could you please take a few more steps away?

I cant do that.

Eeh

Apparently, I dont have the right of refusal. I give up and head to the assigned table tennis stand.

And then

Hoo? So youre my opponent here, huh?

There was a man with amazing muscles standing in front of me. He was dressed in a tight, short-sleeved, half-pants gym uniform, and looked taller than me, maybe around 190cm tall.

And most of all, he has a sharp and piercing face, like a certain sniper who doesnt allow himself to stand behind. [T/n: sorry, I cant get the reference for this.]

Hmm? Huh? Is he really a high school student? He doesnt look the same age as me at all!

While I was frozen in place by my unexpected opponent, the schoolboy opponent(?) snapped his fingers.

Fufufu can you keep up with this delicate technique of mine?

By all accounts, he is far from delicate in appearance! If anything, I get the vibe that hes going to say that power is everything!

I mean, why would there be a boy like this in table tennis! He doesnt look like a table tennis player by any stretch of the imagination! I mean, isnt there some sport thats more appropriate for him?

Doesnt he belong to that P.E. class that Shingo-kun was talking about? I remembered that all of a sudden, but

The boy in front of me methodically checks his racket to ensure that its in perfect condition, while I am getting even more anxious. Then he glances at the photographers.

Fumu its a little uncomfortable to have a match while feeling the strange stares, but

Ah, I-Im sorry.

My classmates took it well, but the boy student in front of me seems to dislike it.

What, dont be so apologetic. Always perform your best in every situation; thats what being a professional is all about.

P-pro?

He doesnt look like a high schooler Maybe hes a famous player that I just dont know about. But if anything, hes got the dignity of a professional background.

Hmm? H-he is! Isnt he the Sniper? one of the nations regulars?

Wha-what!? That Sniper who always hits that exact spot?

Speaking of which, he was also a student at Ousei Gakuen, huh

Hes so unlucky to have his first match against the sniper.

No, wait, hes really famous! And they even call him Sniper? What a perfect fit!

But sure, as the staff says, Im not having any luck against such a famous player or anything like that. I dont even practice table tennis in class, so will I be able to compete properly?

As I was anxiously holding my racket in my hand, the umpire-sensei came over.

Yes, let the match begin. Well then begin!

Then, my opponent took a low stance.

Fuh my serve is enough to beat you!

When he said that, he hit an amazingly spun serve! The ball spins like a bullet and comes towards me.

W-what a serve!

Hes aiming right at the corner of the opponents court

Him being called the Sniper is not just for show huh.

Hey staff members, since when did you guys become a live reporter?

They are terrified of the skill my opponent possesses in disregarding their job of photographing. I wonder if that is okay?

Regardless, I focused on the ball that was coming towards me.

U-uoh oh?

I was surprised by the momentum of the racket swing and the unusual rotation rate of the racket, but the moment I focused my attention on the ball he had hit, the ball suddenly seemed to move slowly to me. It had been moving at a normal speed, but now the ball and the movement around me appeared to be in slow motion.

However, I had a vague recollection of this phenomenon.

It also happened when I almost got hit by the male boxer model who came in late when I took photographs with Miu-san before. It seems that my body, which is getting used to the speed of fighting in the other world, doesnt feel its fast anymore unless it is as fast as those monsters.

I still cant get used to it, and Im still confused, but if I just stood still like this, he would have scored a point, so I hit the ball back in exactly the same way he hit it.

*Poof!*

Huh?

The ball penetrated the table tennis table and went straight through the gym floor.

..

The teacher, the photographer, and I, too, stare at the table tennis table and floor, which have been struck out in silence.

Sensei, I forfeit.

I gently raised my hand.