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Chihaya Furu - Volume 1 - Chapter 1.2




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MIDDLE SCHOOL EDITION – VOLUME 1
taichi’s chapter – 2

-

taichi’s chapter
yo no naka yo michi kosonakere
(within this world, there is, indeed, no path)

-

2 – hito mo oshi (people seem dear)

-

During Golden Week, all the Kaimeisei Middle School students had a nine-day-long study camp. They had been going to an old hotel on the Bousou Peninsula since a few years ago, with proper staff for cleaning and meals.

The first years were split into two-people rooms by their classroom number, so Taichi and Hirai shared a room.

Ever since the soccer selection test, Taichi had been avoiding Hirai. He didn’t feel like congratulating him – rather, he’d probably say hateful things if he said anything at all. Just seeing Hirai with his bed head in the seat in front of him was enough to make Taichi feel fed up.

(Mum scolded me for ages about failing the selection, so I have to beat him in the test scores this time. I won’t allow myself to keep losing to a guy like that.)

Hirai was the same as always though, speaking in his usual lazy tone to Taichi about pointless things. Taichi didn’t know what to say that wouldn’t end up in him saying something angry, so he had been ignoring him and avoiding him this whole time. However, he wouldn’t be able to do that if they were staying in the same room for nine days.

After getting to the camp and their room, Taichi spread out his question books and reference books on the table by the wall. Then, Hirai spoke to him with a smile.

‘Mashima-kun, let’s both do our best. I toss and turn in my sleep, so could I have the bottom bunk?’

There was a bunk bed in the room that was originally a single, so that they could use it for two people. The room wasn’t that large.

Taichi looked away, finding it hard to breathe. That made Hirai come up to him. His innocent smile made Taichi suddenly think of a girl.

(No, no, no! Chihaya isn’t this annoying. She’s straightforward, frank and honest with herself, and is never two-faced… When we’re together, she always looks really happy and calls out my name.)

'Hirai… why do you look so happy?’

'I said that we got along well, right?’

'When we were two. This is stupid.’

'But I remember the things that make me really happy. I didn’t really make many friends like that afterwards.’

'It’d be weirder to have serious problems when you were two years old. If you don’t like something then, you can just cry.’

Since Taichi had a sister under seven, Taichi knew a lot about how young children couldn’t take any responsibility. No matter what the reason, if his sister cried, his mother always scolded him, the 'big brother’. 'But Rika – ’ Taichi had said that, but then his mother forbad the word 'but’.

'It’s your own fault that you don’t have friends. I’m going to study until the start of the review, so could you be quiet?’ said Taichi bluntly. Then, he sat at his desk and spread out a reference book. Hirai plopped himself down on the bed and took out a thick book. It looked like it wasn’t a reference book. On the front cover, the words “Research Essay Collection on Heian Literature” were written in gold. Taichi spoke up without thinking.

’… What’s that book?’

'It’s interesting! Since Ise Monogatari was so interesting, I borrowed this research book from my grandfather.’

'Ise… The one with Narihira, the author of “Chihayaburu”…?’

Taichi snatched the book from Hirai and flipped through the pages… but Taichi threw it back without ten seconds.

'I can’t read this – it’s full of old kanji and has old writing like on karuta – like the one that’s read"koisuchou" but written as “kohisutefu”.’

'Yeah, since it has essays from Showa 10. The kanji are the old ones.’

'Why are you reading that? Wait – you can understand enough of it to say it’s interesting?’

'I talked with Fujiwara-sensei about it, and he says my reading’s correct.’ There’s some research that says Ise Monogatari was split into three and had different authors, and the evidence for that is…’

'Asking was pointless. There’s no exam in liberal arts.’

Taichi made a sign with his hands to say he was done with the conversation and went back to his reference book. He had determined that Hirai was a madman of the highest level.

Hirai didn’t seriously study after that either. In the large room with a chandelier and red carpet that appeared to be a party hall, desks and chairs were laid out. Hirai took the classes there properly and handed in the homework and read the notes that were required.

However, he didn’t do anything beyond that. He didn’t even review on his own. He hadn’t brought his own question books or reference books either. Just his textbooks.

While Taichi studied in all his free time, not wanting to waste any of it, Hirai just read his thick books. It wasn’t just Heian literature – he read books filled with formulae that looked to be on physics.

’… Hirai, what’s so interesting about that book?’

'I get to know about things I don’t know. Mashima-kun, don’t you ever think that knowing the unknown would be interesting?’

'It doesn’t have anything to do with proficiency tests… How can you have the time for that?’

'This is normal for me though?… I know I’m not normal. Mashima-kun, you study for your tests. I know that’s normal – I know it’s right. Everyone is like that…’

Hirai shut the book and held it to his chest in a lonely manner. Taichi made a click with his tongue. Seeing Taichi look like an abandoned cat made Taichi feel guilty.

’… I don’t need this time. I’ll be like everyone else…’

'Don’t screw with me!’ yelled Taichi, which made Hirai curl up more.

'Listen, Hirai. The guy on top shouldn’t complain. It’s uncool.’

Taichi pointed his thumb down scornfully.

Hirai let out a quiet groan.

'I’ll correct that. You can just be your hateful carefree self. You can be so hateful that I’d want to say “Ha, serves you right!” when I beat you in a test. I’d never be able to look up again if I lost to a crybaby weakling.’

Taichi turned away from Hirai. Why did he want to deal with a guy as strange as him? He probably just wanted to say a couple of things.

’… Hirai. I definitely won’t lose to somebody like you… I really, really, really hate you.’

-

After Taichi pretended to be asleep when a teacher came around to check that the lights were off, he got up. He checked that Hirai on the lower bunk was sleeping and then when towards the desk quietly with a torch. He was going to start studying again.

– Before he’d noticed, it had already become brighter outside. The torch was on the floor.

'Shoot.’

Taichi got up, which made the blanket fall from his shoulders. Somebody had put it there after he fell asleep.

'This… Hirai?’

There was nobody else. Hirai was sleeping without a blanket. Taichi put the blanket back on him. Hirai was murmuring something, so Taichi put his ear close without thinking –

'Why don’t you understand… It’s interesting if you think about it… Hating it without thinking about it is… The Fibonacci sequence has a harmony with the numbers that come before… Why? I’m not strange… I’m not… strange…’

'What, sleep talk? That’s too long. Saying you’re not strange is strange in itself.’

(It’s strange, but you can like what you want. I kind of understand his loneliness. Somebody could be first place in karuta in elementary school and still have no friends… I wouldn’t have bothered to find out more about Arata if Chihaya hadn’t talked to him either.)

Taichi remembered how Arata’s eyes had sparkled when he said, 'Let’s play karuta.’ That wasn’t happiness that came only from being able to play karuta – he had been happy because he had found friends.

(I bullied him because he was a dark and strange guy without trying to get to know him. I didn’t notice that he had come here leaving his karuta friends behind. It’s because Chihaya was there that…)

'I… guess, in the end… I’m friends with… Hirai, too…’

-

The day after the nine-day camp, Taichi went to school for the proficiency test for five courses. The results –

1. Class 5 – Hirai Harutaka – 500 points
2. Class 5 – Mashima Taichi – 498 points

(I lost…! I lost even though I tried so hard!? Even though I studied when he was sleeping too.)

Rather than frustration, Taichi was stunned by how illogical it was. He felt like his head was numb.

'This… like I’d accept this! That guy doesn’t study at all compared to me – ’

'Mashima-kun, you really tried hard this time!’

The moment Taichi heard Hirai’s carefree voice, he grabbed Hirai by the collar and thrust him away.

'I don’t want your sympathy! Like you can understand how I feel!’

Taichi had nowhere o run. As long as Hirai was in this school, Taichi had no place where he could say, 'I can win in this. I can be first.’

(That guy’s not my friend. Not at all. We’re definitely not friends!)

Taichi wanted to hit himself for being such a fool, thinking even for just a moment that they might be friends.

After school, Taichi skipped club and cram school. Before he’d noticed, his feet had brought him to the practice hall for the Shiranami Society.

Municipal middle schools would still have club now. Chihaya, who was in the go-home club, would definitely be here, so Taichi hoped as he went through the door to the municipal culture centre.

(I’ll enjoy myself by teasing Chihaya. Her responses are so straightforward – it’s really interesting.)

However –

'Oh, how unexpected. It’s Matsuge… Taichi-kun. You’re the first to arrive!’

The woman at the reception was surprised.

'Where’s Chihaya?’

'She said she was taking a break today. Her older sister’s in show business, right? Her sister got a big job, so she’s having a meal with her family and people from the company to celebrate. In Roppongi – amazing, isn’t it?’

'Hm…’

How boring. Waiting in an empty room like this by himself was so boring it put Taichi in a bad mood.

(Chihaya must’ve waited like this by herself too… None of the adults are hear yet at this time. Hyoro’s school is far too, and the elementary school kids only come sometimes.)

Taichi opened his homework, with nothing else to do. Soon… the adults started to gather and Harada-sensei came.

'Oh, Matsuge-kun, welcome. You’ll be participating at D-kyuu in the Saitama C/D/E-kyuu competition this weekend that you applied for, right? Chihaya-chan’ll be in D-kyuu too.’

'Chihaya’s D-kyuu now?’

'Yeah, she finished second during the E-kyuu competition before Golden Week. She said she was going to give it her all to participate in the same competition you were. I’ll lead since the others seem busy, but you’re fine with me, right?’

'Yes, thank you very much.’

'Chihaya-chan’s really been practising. You can’t lose, Matsuge-kun. I’ll give you special training today.’

'I can’t beat you, Sensei,’ said Taichi sullenly, wanting at least to win in karuta to clear his head.

Harada-sensei laughed. 'Did something happen? It’s fine – even if something happens to you outside of karuta, you can use that to face karuta and become stronger. That’s something I envy in you youngsters.’

'I wonder about that.’

Harada-sensei sat in front of Taichi and looked at him with kind eyes.

'You’ve become stronger, Matsuge-kun. Today, my handicap for you is four cards.’

That day, Taichi had three practice matches with Harada-sensei.

'Matsuge-kun, how’s it feel? Changing the handicap from ten cards to four cards didn’t change the results, right? You became stronger because you lost. Don’t think about anything unnecessary and just go at the cards – that’s the power of concentration.’

'I’ve only been studying though… I just did image training.’

'Hahaha, that’s fine. Though there are a number of details I want to comment on. For example, when there are fewer cards left and there are many remaining in the opponent’s bottom-left row, be sure to move your hand closer to the cards rather than leaving it in its usual position. You don’t need to keep your hand at its regular position all the time. You want to move your hand as straightly as possible. Hopefully you’ll be able to start thinking about those kinds of strategies soon, as you play.’

'Yes,’ replied Taichi, reviewing the movement of his hand.

'That said, don’t lose yourself in your strategies. Since you’re good at thinking, you think too much, and you’re too good at remembering. You have to remember to “forget”.’

'Remember… to forget?’

Sensei replied with a deep nod.

* * *

Three days afterwards, there was the C/D/E-kyuu competition in Saitama. Harada-sensei took Taichi, Chihaya and the C-kyuu society members to the hall. The competition was being managed by another karuta society and was being held in a public building with many large Japanese rooms, like the one where the Shiranami Society practised. The competition was held once a year in various parts of Japan.

'I’m in the same competition as Taichi! We really are! Harada-sensei wasn’t lying!’

Chihaya had been in high spirits ever since getting on the train.

'Hey, hey, Taichi – I’m going to get the ooyamafuda today, OK? Especially “wata no hara ya”! Since the sounds “ha”, “ra”, and “ya”, all have the vowel “a”, it’s harder to hear than “wata no hara ko”. I practised kakoite too – ’


'If it’s hard to hear, it’s “ya”, right? If it’s easy to hear the reader’s breathing, it’s either that or “ko”, so decide there. And calm down a bit. The train is public transportation. Ah, you’re so noisy.’

Taichi had convinced his mother – who had said, 'If you hadn’t made a mistake, you could have had full marks too,’ instead of praising him for being second on the test – to let him leave the house, but it had taken him much effort. He was exhausted. He didn’t feel like competing. If he wasn’t first in today’s competition, he probably wouldn’t be able to go home. He hadn’t even had the energy to choose what to wear, so he was in his soccer jersey from school.

'Ah, right, Taichi – you’re so smart! But “asaborake ya” and “asaborake u” are – ’

'Don’t wait for the full six syllables once some cards are read. Kimariji keep changing – the same card won’t be read twice. Remember all the cards that’ve been read during the match.’

'But… That’s impossible. My heart’s pounding just from thinking about what’ll be read next for half of the match – it takes all of me to focus on the cards that are going to be read, and the cards are still all lined up… Though I can tell once there are fewer cards left.’

'You’ll lose if you wait until then. Use your head to think more.’

Chihaya looked to be deep in thought about that, which made Harada-sensei laugh.

'Chihaya-chan, just take the cards faster than your opponent. Rather than thinking about it, hear the words quickly and move your hand quickly.’

'Sensei, that’s completely different from what you told me.’

'People have different skills. First, master your own skills and be confident in them.’

-

Chihaya won without playing in the first match and Taichi won with a seven-card difference. They both won the second and third matches and soon, their mouths both gaped in surprise when they reached the quarterfinal match.

'I’m going to play with Taichi!’

'My opponent’s Chihaya!?’

Though they had played countless matches during practice, Taichi had never thought that they would meet in a competition, where they would have been eliminated at any loss. They were both still shaken as the match began.

They had fifteen minutes to line up their cards and remember their positions. Taichi tried to put aside the thought that his opponent was Chihaya. He knew that he would go easy on her or end up feeling like losing otherwise.

(No matter who the opponent, all I have to do is take the cards! Rather than memorizing the positions of all the cards in order, I’ll imaging where I’ll reach out to when each poem is read – )

'I look forward to playing with you.’

They each had twenty-five cards, sitting between cards beside them in three rows. They bowed and the opening poem was read.

<naniwazu ni
sakuya kono hana
fuyu gomori
ima wo harube to 
sakuya kono hana
ima wo harube to
sakuya kono hana>

(In Naniwa Bay,
now the flowers are blossoming.
After lying dormant all winter,
now the spring has come
and the flowers are blossoming.
Now the spring has come
and the flowers are blossoming.)

Tension was high on the tatami mats.

<arashi>

The moment just as the sound 'shi’ could be heard, there was a light clapping sound, and a card flew. Chihaya retrieved the taken card which had 'tatsuta no kawa no nishiki nari keri’ written on it in hiragana from a corner of the room.

'Yay!’

'Tsk. We’re just getting started.’

Taichi just couldn’t win against Chihaya sometimes when differentiating between consonants. Though he felt like they had touched the card at the same time, just the slightest difference had given the card to Chihaya.

(Chihaya’s a slow starter. She can’t remember all the positions of the cards. Her strategy is simple too – she just lines them up in the easiest way for her to take them. That makes it easy for me to take them too. Chihaya’s just quick with her good hearing.)

After that, with about half his cards left, Taichi was overwhelmingly putting the pressure on Chihaya.

(Ah, I’m easily in the lead… The tension from a real match keeps my concentration up. Maybe because I’ve experienced the same thing during cram school tests and sports matches. Chihaya’s heart must be beating wildly. Her face is bright red.)

In the second half of the match, Chihaya finally managed to get the same amount of cards that Taichi had, but Taichi had one left with a ten-card difference because of his head start.

Taichi took a few deep breaths to clear his head while the previous card’s poem was being read until the end. When he worked himself up, he sometimes missed the reader’s breathing, so he cleared his head to nothingness and let his ears… his whole body drown in the reader’s voice.

<kaze>

(Which is it? 'kaze so’ or 'kaze wo’ – they’re both in Chihaya’s row, split between left and right – )

<wo>

It wasn’t the ’s’ consonant which Chihaya was so good at hearing. Taichi swept away the 'kudakete mono wo omou koro kana’ card from his opponent’s middle left row without any hesitation.

'Thank you very much.’

After the quarterfinal match ended, Harada-sensei came up to the two of them from where he had been watching.

'Matsuge-kun’s win then? Chihaya-chan, maybe you should have thought more about strategy.’

'I’m not that weak, Sensei!’

'You always lose to me though.’

Taichi gathered the cards and put them back in the box, ignoring Chihaya who was sticking out her tongue. On the very top of the cards was the one he’d taken last, 'kaze wo’. Harada-sensei looked in.

'If it had been “kaze so”, the game probably wouldn’t have ended here. Chihaya-chan would’ve got it. She’s good with that consonant and it was on her dominant side.’

’“kaze wo kudake” and “kaze so miso” – with “so miso”, the sounds string together like do-re-mi so they’re easy to remember,’ murmured Taichi. He memorized kimariji by the sounds, but Chihaya wrote them on paper and put them up all around her room.

'The “kaze wo kudake” card has this poem:

“kaze wo itami
iwa utsu nami no
onore nomi
kudakete mono wo
omou koro kana”

(Waves that beat against the rocks,
fanned by a fierce wind – 
it is I alone
who breaks, those times
when I think of her!)

The wind is so strong that the waves are beating against the rocks and breaking them – like that, the speaker alone is troubled. Even though the speaker is thinking about someone else, that someone feels nothing. That’s the meaning of the poem. A card to remember for going against the wind and crying out, “Only me!”’

'That feels kind of like a sports manga… I thought it was something like “I caught a could so I’ll fix it with a shot”, so maybe I couldn’t remember it because it sounded painful to me.’

'Ahahaha, that’s a doctor’s kid for you. That’s a good way of remembering it too.’

Only Taichi was listening to Harada-sensei’s explanation. At some point, Chihaya had curled up and fallen asleep right there.

’… It looks like Chihaya-chan’s used up all her energy. How about you, Matsuge-kun?’

'I’m still fine.’

Taichi won the next match and would advance to the final. He had guaranteed advancing to C-kyuu as well. Of course he was tired. However, it would be too frustrating to go home here without taking first, so he persevered and was victorious with a two-card difference.

* * *

It was halfway through May. At Kaimeisei Middle School, clubs were put on hold a week before midterms so that students could study for tests. Before then, the university course soccer club had one match. Their opponents were the local middle school.

'While “building the body”, you “build friends” – that’s the goal of this club. Just practicing and playing futsal within the club isn’t enough to make you feel that.’

After saying that, Coach Ono , he announced the members who would go. Taichi was the only first year who was chosen for the team. He was a forward, just as he’d hoped.

(Yes, I can tell Mum that I’m the only first year. She’ll probably just tell me to win though.)

Ever since the win at the karuta competition, Taichi’s heart had been feeling lighter and lighter.

-

They borrowed the physical course’s pitch to practise for their soccer match. While Taichi and the others warmed up, Taichi noticed Hirai standing by the goal post in a short-sleeved jersey. The moment Hirai spotted Taichi, he waved.

'Mashima-kuuun, I’m cheering for you!’

Taichi, unsure of what to reply, looked to the ground. Ever since Taichi thrust Hirai away, he hadn’t had a proper conversation with him, which meant of course that he hadn’t apologised either.

Hirai was in the alternate team for the physical course soccer club – it seemed he was doing his best in the troops. They only had one day’s break, right before the midterms. Taichi had decided to study while Hirai couldn’t take a break from his club. Taichi had taken a break from cram school as well – he had nothing on his mind except how to prepare for his exams, with methods such as summarizing his own notes.

(Next time, I’ll definitely be first on the tests. It’s not a match I can’t win – even he can’t keep getting full marks forever.)

Even if Taichi didn’t listen to Hirai, he always had him in the corner of his eye. He’d noticed that Hirai didn’t talk much lately and often seemed to be in a daze.

There was something off with how Hirai was being different from normal, but Taichi also felt it was great that Hirai wasn’t as noisy. Taichi also felt like he should leave Hirai alone if he was feeling tired.

'Do your best, Mashima-kuuun!’

Coach Ono replied for Taichi.

'Yeah, thanks for the encouragement.’

Then, Coach put a hand on Taichi’s shoulder.

'You lost to Hirai. He kept coming to bow his head to me, telling me to let Mashima be in am atch too… Saying that you would’ve been able to do better if you hadn’t been injured in the selection test.’

'Am I… only in this match because Hirai asked?’

'That’s not it. You’re definitely more than fit for this team. Just keep in mind that Hirai came to ask. He’s a good friend, right?’

(Why’s that guy asking things like that for me… I didn’t beat him in the last test and I lost in the selection too – is this him pitying me?)

Taichi ran up to Hirai.

'Oi. I don’t want your sympathy.

’… Eh? I just want to see you handle the ball, Mashima-kun. Is that no good? I can’t see it often since we practise in different places for club.’

A gentle smile that didn’t seem to have any hidden meanings to it at all – since Hirai looked so happy, all Taichi could do was silently turn away.

(If you want to see it so badly, I’ll show you.)

– Fortunately, Taichi’s team members relied on him. It seemed that the way this team thought of 'friends’ was that whether or not they actually liked the guy, theywould use him to win.

'Mashima-kuuun, look out for your back! Never mind and be careful.!’ cheered Hirai in English. It wasn’t just Hirai. All the instructions during practice and the matches were in English. It seemed it was because there was no point in studying English if you couldn’t use it when you needed to. The first years had started following that rule the week after the selection test since they had become used to the club by then.

At first, Taichi had been stuck – his mouth always moved to speak in English. However, after becoming used to it, he could now speak lightly even in English without any hesitation. They were having this match in English too, at their usual pace.

However, the local middle school team liked displeased.

'Tsk, that’s just bullying from the smart cards.’

'That’s cowardly – we can’t tell what they’re saying at all..’

'What do you think this is – the world cup? They’re getting aheado f themselves, like idiots.’

In the end, Taichi’s goal and one assist goal gave them a win, 2-1. However, the opposing team looked sullen and didn’t even great them properly at the end.

'Cowards! Cowards! English-using cowards!’

When they were leaving, one of the opposing team started mocking them and then they all joined in.

'Come on – stop it! I’ll request for Japanese next time,’ scolded the opposing team’s coach. Then, they left.

The upper-years on Taichi’s team burst into laughter.

'Losing their nerve because their stupid – that’s just sad. It’s their own fault!’

'Yeah, yeah – it’s their problem.’

For some reason, Taichi was angered by those words. It was true that the opposing team’s attitude had been childish… but making fun of that would make them the same.

'Mashima-kun, you were amazing. I want to make a goal like that too!’ When Taichi saw Hirai come up to him with shining eyes, he ended up saying something cold.

'Like you can’t. You’re in the physical course, aren’t you?’

That put Hirai at a loss for words.

(I’m… the same as those guys who said we were cowards for using English, aren’t I. I have an inferiority complex.)

'Mm… It’s true that I’m envious. I still… have something I want to do on the field. Right now, I’m just doing goalie practice. Since they want to make use of my height.’

(He’s not in the field? He showed his ability as a leader and his skills during the selection test – wasn’t that why he was chosen? He’s a goalie?)

’… You definitely have the skill to be a goalie too.’

After saying it, Taichi bit his lip. His words weren’t much consolation.

'That’s true. Thanks! If they’re telling me to do it, I must be OK at it. Better than I think I am, anyway. I feel better after hearing that from you, Mashima-kun!’

Taichi hated himself as he saw Hirai smiling at him. Taichi still hadn’t apologised for thrusting him away, but he now noticed that he’d already been forgiven.

(Even when I said something awful, Hirai didn’t say anything. He didn’t blame me either. Hirai’s a guy who doesn’t say any “but"s, like me. Probably something he decided himself – unlike me, who stopped saying it on Mum’s orders.)

Hirai’s back looked large as he ran off. Like that of an adult.

(Eh, why this all of a sudden…)

That feeling pierced Taichi’s chest.



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