JPHiP Forum
AKB48 Fanfics => 46GROUPS Fanfics => Topic started by: tigers parade on July 19, 2016, 05:52:56 AM
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Hi y'all! After a hiatus, I have returned and decided to write a Nogizaka46 fanfic, because we all know that there aren't enough of those around here.
Anyway, it's a high school harem for my Nogi Oshimen, Nishino Nanase, but I'll probably include other pairings as well, based on popular opinion.
Here's the prologue--enjoy! :lol: :cow:
This Isn’t What My High School Life Is Supposed To Be!
Prologue:
I’ve seen it thousands of times. It’s spring, the beginning of a new school year, and the protagonist starts out high school expecting it to be the “spring of their youth” or something. Unfortunately, they have some sort of fateful encounter on the first day and then everything spirals downward from there. Nevertheless, their high school life is filled with excitement and (awkward) romances, so it’s not actually as bad as it seems. I know it seems cliched, but that’s pretty much what happened to me.
It was about three years ago, when I was a freshman entering Nogizaka Girls’ High. I was pretty excited, because high school = older age and older age = more fun and freedom right? Wrong. Well, not totally inaccurate, but “fun and freedom” came to me in a way that I wasn’t expecting. Anyway, I approached the horde of girls surrounded the lists of class assignments, only to get shoved out. Talk about scary.
“Are you okay?” A tall, raven-haired girl approached me from the left, sporting a concerned look.
“Y-yeah,” I stuttered. “I just lost my balance a bit.” Relief washed over her face and a brilliant smile replaced it. I felt my heart skip a beat the sight of someone so cool.
“That’s good,” she replied warmly. “You must be a freshman. I’m Wakatsuki Yumi, a third year.” She pulled me off the ground and waved. “Well, I’ll get going, but if you need help, feel free to ask, okay?”
Blood rushed to my cheeks, turning me into a tomato. By now, most of the crowd had dissipated, making it easy to find my classroom. I quickly gathered my stuff and headed to room 1-D.
Upon entering the classroom, I noticed my childhood friend Ikoma Rina waving her hands excitedly at a group of other girls. The group was familiar to me—most of the girls there had graduated from the same middle school as me. I casually approached the circle of desks and greeted them.
“Hi guys. Mind if I join?”
“Ah! Naa-chan, I see we’re in the same class!” Ikoma-chan frantically gestured at a seat beside her, followed by a chorus of heys and hellos from the others. Before long, I had integrated myself into the friend group and was happily chatting away until the bell.
Our homeroom teacher was unremarkable, an average woman in her mid-thirties, but she was nice enough. By some miracle, I ended up sitting behind Ikoma-chan. I rested my chin against my hand and gazed outside at the courtyard, now devoid of any students. Well, was devoid. A girl with long, brown hair dashed through the courtyard towards the main building. I furrowed my brow. Late on the first day? That’ll be awkward.
“Nishino Nanase?” The teacher’s voice jolted me out of my musings.
“Y-yes?” I squeaked out. I might have been relatively smooth when greeting Ikoma-chan and co., but that was only because I already knew them. When introduced to brand new people, I became the shyest person in the world.
“Your self-introduction please.”
“Ah, sorry, I forgot!” Someone in the front row giggled at my response. “Um, my name is Nishino Nanase, and uh, I like drawing. I hope we can get along!” The class echoed out a response and the teacher continued on.
Something poked me from behind, and I turned to see a snickering Ikoma Rina. “Real smooth, Naa-chan,” she voiced. I rolled my eyes and flicked her forehead.
The introductions flew by my head; the only thing I caught were people’s names. Matsumura Sayuri, Akimoto Manatsu, Ikuta Erika, etc. I was just starting to doze off when I heard the slapping of footsteps in the hall. Everyone turned to stare when a pretty girl with light brown hair stormed into the room, very much out of breath. Ah! It’s the late girl from before! Upon closer inspection, she was incredibly pretty, with fair skin and fine features. She probably could have been a teen model.
“Sorry,” she huffed, still trying to breathe normally. “I’m. late. I ran. into a bit. of traffic.” The teacher evidently surprised, managed to ask her to introduced herself.
She smoothed her uniform and flashed a dazzlingly bright smile. “Hi, I’m Shiraishi Mai,” she announced. “I enjoy singing and playing softball. I hope we can get along!”
“Thank you, Shiraishi-san. Why don’t you take the empty seat next to Nishino-san?” The teacher directed her towards me.
She made her way down the aisle, only stopping to smile at me before sitting down.
“Hi Nishino-san, I hope we can be good friends,” she whispered.
I could only manage to nod my head back in return.
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yessssss!!!!
fanfic 'bout my oshi nanamaru~~~~ XD
update longer please
there's not many nogi eng fic that i can find
most of them in thailand language
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yeah! :cow: more nogi-fic... :inlove: thanks for writing, and keep updating your fanfic.. :) :)
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Yeah, there isn't enough N46 English fics in the whole universe!
I'm not sure how harem concept gonna go for Naachan in this fic, but it does sound interesting. She's probably one of the few members who I can picture having a harem besides Maiyan, Wakatsuki or MaiMai (but she's the Holy Mother and everyone likes her so it's different).
And of course it had to be the ultimate ikemen who appeared first :lol:
Would Ikomachan be included in Naacahan's harem too? She's the proclaimed number one fangirl after all. But it seemed more like she took on the best friend role.
Why am I not surprised it's Maiyan in the end....it's kinda fitting somehow, opening with Waka then ending with Maiyan.
Speaking of Naachan's pairing, I also ship her with Kazumin. There were many moments of them in the early Nogizaka days and Kazumin seemed to be a rather a constant/calming presence for her, before more of JouKazu happening lately.
Even with my N46's OTP (read: WakaRei) and some of my fav pairs, I found that everyone is practically shippable in Nogi. It'll be fun to see many combination of other pairings and not just Naachan's harem.
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Yas! This is totally what we need, more and more of N46 stories around. Thank you for writing one author-san and it sounds interesting as I too like Nanase and of course with the presence of my beloved Maiyan which is a bonus haha. You'll be seeing me hanging around the comment section for a while. Can't wait for the update. Goodluck! :twothumbs
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Yeeayy!! Another nogi fic to read!! Thank you author :twothumbs
Please update soon.. This fic is kinda interesting.. :D
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Hey guys, sorry for the late update! I've been traveling a bit during the summer, but I managed to get this written. All reviews would be highly appreciated! :D
@pretend_2besome1: Yeah, I'm planning on including Ikoma in the harem. I totally know what you mean about WakaRei and Nanase x Kazumin. I'll probably put a bit of both ships into the story as well, so look forward to that.
@ttwm123: Yup, as I don't speak Thai, I needed something in English.
@weirdasspotatoe: Any comments you have would be welcomed! Thanks for reading!
Chapter One
Nishino POV
“Naa-chan! Let’s go home together!” As usual, a perky Ikoma was towering over me as I gathered up my books.
“Sorry, but I have a Manga Club meeting today. Maybe tomorrow?” I swear I could see a pair of ears and a tail droop down as Ikoma-chan registered my words.
“Oh, okay,” she muttered, obviously disappointed. I couldn’t help but giggle at the sight; it was pretty cute. I reached over to pat her head, bringing back an embarrassed little grin back to her face.
“Well then, I gotta go! See you tomorrow,” I moved out of the aisle and through the door, waving at Ikoma-chan as I went. I skipped down the hall, excited for today’s meeting. We were supposed to start on our own original manga series today, and I was pretty pumped. I passed by a teacher, frowning at me, so I stopped skipping and tried to conceal my smile, coughing as I went past him. A couple minutes later, I found myself in front of a door decorated by a hand drawn poster featuring a medley of iconic characters from different series. Aside from the poster, nothing differentiated the room from a regular classroom. The only way to really tell was the sign hanging above the door, reading “Manga Club.”
I slid the door open and uttered a greeting to a senior sitting at a table, who was busily cutting up a sheet of paper. Setting my bag down on a chair across from her, I leaned in to see what she was doing. Looks like a lottery of some sort. There were weird phrases on each slip of paper, like “ALIEN INVASION” and “GIRL FALLS ON YOU FROM SKY.” Before I could question the strange set up, the rest of the club members trooped into the room, all carrying a stack of materials.
“Okay people, listen up!” The president of the club set her things down and motioned for us to come closer. “Today we will start on the original manga series. The only requirements are that it has to be written and drawn by you or by your partner, if you are working in pairs. Absolutely no 18+ content is allowed, regardless of topic. Is that clear?” The entire room nodded. “One more thing,” she continued. “Topics will be assigned by lottery.” She gestured to the slips of paper, now sitting inside a hat. “This is to test your creative prowess even under limits.”
She proceeded to pass around the hat and materials, ignoring the grumbling of other members. When the hat came around, I reached in and rummaged around before selecting a slip of paper that said “SOFTBALL SPORTS MANGA.”
Softball…? I knew absolutely zero things about sports in general, let alone softball. Good thing there was a softball team at school. Glancing around, I noticed that most people were heading out, probably to do research. I decided to follow suit and hastily grabbed my bag, moving out of the building.
Once outside, I directed myself to the sports field, listening to the screams and shouts coming from the back of the school. The weather was hot and humid—by the time I reached the softball field I was already sweating buckets.
Seating myself on a nearby bench, I absentmindedly observed the players. A line of girls, all dressed in white and purple softball uniforms, jogged around the diamond field. I took out my phone and snapped a quick picture for reference. Shortly afterwards, the train circled around to the edge of the field closest to me. I squinted my eyes, trying to make out the faces of the players. To my surprise, I recognized two faces, focused and sweaty, both entirely absorbed in running.
In the middle of the procession, a pink-faced Shiraishi Mai trailed behind a short-haired girl, while Wakatsuki Yumi followed after her. So Wakatsuki-senpai is on the softball team. I made a quick mental sketch of both faces, determined to keep the expressions in my head for later use.
The sun beating down on me proved too brutal for me to handle, so I moved into the shade of a nearby tree. From there, I was a little farther from the dugout, but no chain-link fence obstructed my view.
A middle-aged woman walked onto the field, and all the players gathered around her at once. Noting that, I figured she was the coach. The woman separated the group into two teams, setting them up for a short game. I made a note to google the term for that later. Shiraishi-san and Wakatsuki-senpai were placed on the same team, starting out in the field.
Both teams began to warm up, with the fielding team tossing a ball back and forth while the batting team took practice swings. After roughly ten minutes, the game began. From what I could tell, the match was pretty evenly matched, although Wakatsuki-senpai’s skills were a notch above the rest. For what it mattered, Shiraishi-san wasn’t too lousy either.
The scrimmage (which I had looked up earlier) carried on, and I regularly took photos and jotted down ideas every couple of minutes. Eventually, the short-haired girl from earlier stepped up to the home plate, hoisting a silver bat over her shoulder.
The atmosphere tensed. All of the players in the field moved back several yards into the outfield. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw that Shiraishi-san’s muscles were taut with apprehension. Evidently the short-haired girl was a good hitter.
Making use of the occasion, I snatched up my phone and snapped a barrage of pictures. Then I set to drawing an image of the pitcher and the batter.
It almost happened in slow motion. The pitcher, with sweat trickling down her brow, carefully wound up her arm and released the ball, letting it fly straight towards the batter—
Except it wasn’t. The ball’s trajectory was slightly skewed to the left, and if let continue, would hit the batter. The short-haired girl at bat had noticed as well. Her eyebrows were scrunched, eyes narrowed and focused only on the ball. Waiting until the ball was merely a couple yards away, she took a step back. Then she swung.
Crack! The ball ricocheted off the metal bat, rocketing away at an incredible speed. It would have been a perfect hit, except that the ball was headed straight for me. However, my feet refused to move, and I stayed rooted in place, waiting for the ball to hit me.
I saw Shiraishi-san turn towards me in horror and leap forward in an attempt to catch it, but there was no way she would make it in time. A flash a white and purple dove in front of me, and a resounding thud rang in my ears.
I cautiously opened my eyes, curious as to why there was no impact. Wakatsuki-senpai was standing in front of me, glove out, with the ball squarely secured in it. It was nothing short of a miracle, but somehow she had moved quick enough to catch the ball.
“Are you alright?” I raised my head in response to her question. The entire team was now forming a circle around us, concerned faces filled my vision. I nodded my head as the coach jogged up to me.
“Can you stand?” She held a hand out to me and I took it, surprised by how firm it was. “Sorry about that. We should have been more careful, right? Etou? Hashimoto?” The batter and pitcher looked sheepishly at me and mumbled apologies.
“It’s fine,” I responded. “I should have chosen a better place to observe from.” The coach glanced towards me again.
“Observe? Are you from the Manga Club?” Surprised, I nodded. “Again?” The coach grumbled. “They’re always sending people out to research crazy things.” She turned her head to look at me, this time with a softer expression. “Well, since we almost hit you, I guess it’s only right. If you’d like, how about sitting in the dugout? It might be safer than sitting out here.”
“Is that really okay?”
The coach smiled. “Of course. As long as you’re working on your project, feel free to use the dugout to observe.”
“Thank you very much!” Somehow, my near-death experience had landed me an opportunity I very much appreciated. Bowing to express my gratitude, I dusted off my skirt and slipped my phone inside my pocket, gathering up my materials. I followed after the team, carefully stepping inside the caged area.
“If you need a tour of the dugout or an explanation of something, feel free to ask me.” Without me noticing, Wakatsuki-senpai had snuck up beside me and was now smiling at me brilliantly. I could only nod in response; all the blood rushing up to my face made it hard to breathe.
As I took a seat on the bench, I couldn’t help but notice that only one player looked gloomy. Shiraishi-san was staring unhappily at Wakatsuki-senpai. She turned to look at me briefly before heading back out onto the field.
I frowned. “Strange…”
Shiraishi POV
To say I was unhappy was a little inaccurate. I was frustrated. I had seen the ball hurtling towards Nishino, yet I was unable to do anything. Instead, that Wakatsuki had played the hero and saved her. I mean, it was a good thing that she was safe, but you know…
I wanted to be the one to save her.
I wanted that dazzling smile with eyes full of adoration to be directed at me, not Wakatsuki.
On the first day of school, I had been late. Well, shit. That only mattered until I stepped into the classroom. But the moment I did, I noticed a girl staring at me. It wasn’t that she was extraordinarily pretty, but there was something enticing about her. Like a silent kind of a beauty. And that made her, well, gorgeous.
Since then, I had been secretly following her with my eyes. When she stepped into the classroom, my eyes were on her. I was hooked, but I never found the courage to go up to her. And considering how shy she was (very), she would never approach me unless it was necessary (which was never).
Until today. I had noticed that she was watching our practice from the sidelines, and secretly ecstatic, I had put all I had into looking cool in front of her. Until Nanamin hit a ball at her and Wakatsuki dove in to save her and shit.
I sighed and rubbed my eyes. I needed to focus. Glaring at the retreating back of Wakatsuki, I cursed whatever girl-charming voodoo she had used to make Nishino look so red.
“Shiraishi, get back on the field!” Coach hollered my name, and I turned and jogged back towards my spot grudgingly.
Hoping to find her gaze directed at me, I took once last glance at Nishino to see who she was watching.
It wasn’t me.
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thank you for updating! :)
aww... maiyan jealous to our waka-sama^^
i think wakatsuki just look at naachan as friend(?) we all know she is still reika's husbando~ :D
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A jealous Maiyan is adorable kekekeke. I'm rooting for a moment between them! Thank you for the update author-san. Keep up the good work! :twothumbs
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Believe me, I'm totally looking forward to all kind of ships here :D
“SOFTBALL SPORTS MANGA.”
That's fate, Nanasemaru :yep:
Such a real ikemen that Waka.... that makes it Wakatsuki 1 and Shiraishi 0.
Although Wakatsuki doesn't seem to be developing an interest (yet) towards Naachan the way Maiyan did, so maybe there will be a Waka POV later to see how she feels?
Naww Maiyan, don't be jealous. Waka just happen to be a natural at it, but you have your own charm, you cool beauty.
I don't know who to root for, I can't wait for Reika and Zu to appear...............and I'm suddenly reminded of Mukuchi na Lion PV XD
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Chapter 2
Shiraishi POV
Every so often I would turn my head slightly, just enough to sneak a peak at the girl sitting quietly in the dugout, diligently scribbling in a sketchbook. At the moment, her eyes were trained on Nanamin, who was once again up at bat, precariously swinging her bat around.
I shifted my weight onto my toes, switching my attention back onto the pitcher, who was winding back her arm. Her right arm locked into position before crashing forward and launching the ball towards home plate. In the background, I saw Nanamin prep her bat for the swing, pulling it back and then pushing it forward to connect with the ball, punching the projectile outwards into the air. The softball sailed though the air, its trajectory becoming obvious after a moment. I readied myself, raising my glove and stepping back.
Out of the corner of my eye, I registered Nanami racing towards me, desperate to reach first base before I caught the ball and forced her out. My muscles tensed in apprehension and I extended my arms, anticipating a solid thwack in my glove. It never came.
Nanami hurtled towards me at the speed of a bullet train, sweat flying off her brow. Unfortunately, she did not bother to slow down, as over-running first base was perfectly acceptable, and instead of skidding to a stop, barreled head first into me. We tumbled to the ground, and I watched the ball fly past my outstretched arm and into the glove of Wakatsuki, who had run up behind me to back me up.
The coach blew out a tweet on her whistle, signaling a timeout as she jogged towards the tangle of limbs that consisted of Nanamin and me. I pushed the other girl off, and pulled myself off, wincing as I did so. The impact had left me long-winded and bruised, and a good amount of blood was gushing from my right calf.
“First Nishino and now Shiraishi,” the coach complained. “What has gotten into you today, Hashimoto? You’re injuring everyone!”
“Sorry, Coach,” Nanamin muttered, lowering her head sheepishly. Coach merely sighed and shook her head, massaging her temples as she turned towards me.
“Shiraishi, take a rest for the rest of the day,” she commanded. “You can sit with Nishino for the remainder of practice, but go wash your leg first.”
“Thanks, Coach.” I shrugged and limped off the field, silently blessing Nanamin for crashing into me. The silver lining had become apparent.
I reached the dugout and found a pair of anxious eyes gazing at me. “Are you alright?” Nishino inquired worriedly.
“Uh, yeah. I’m fine,” I mumbled, averting my eyes. Setting down my glove, I rummaged around my bag for my water bottle, nonchalantly brushing off the pain in an attempt to seem cool.
Nishino had stood up, her drawing materials neatly stacked in a pile on the bench. In her hand, she clutched the first aid kit, patiently waiting for me.
“I’ll help you clean off the wound,” she motioned.
“It’s fine, I can do it by myself,” I lied. “I don’t want to disturb you.” Truthfully, the only thing I wanted was for her to take me to the nurse’s, but there was no way I would say that to her face.
“Don’t be silly,” she chided. “Let me help you.” I gave in easily and allowed her to help me up. She placed an arm around my shoulders, supporting my weight to keep it off my leg. I gulped at the contact. She smelled like flowers and candy and sugar and spice and anything and everything pleasant. I, on the other hand, reeked of sweat and the sickeningly sweet fragrance of blood. Suddenly aware of my unwanted body odor, I cursed myself for not at least wiping the sweat off in the dugout.
“Sorry,” I apologized. “I probably smell really bad, and I’m getting your uniform all dirty too.”
“It’s okay,” she replied shyly. “We have to take care of your leg.”
We spent the rest of the trek to the nurse’s office in silence, with me racking my brain for conversation topics and her refusing to even look at me. I was in despair as she slid open the door.
“Huh, doesn’t look like the nurse is here.”
“That’s fine. I know how to administer first aid, so just sit still.”
I obediently settled on the edge of one infirmary beds, watching Nishino prepare gauze and rubbing alcohol. She maneuvered herself around the counter, reaching over to a cabinet for a bag of cotton balls. Setting the bag down, she grabbed a pack of wipes and handed it to me.
“Can you wipe off the blood and dirt while I finish this?”
“Sure.” I peeled off the sticker on the bag and pulled out a wipe. Bracing myself, I gingerly wiped off the surrounding gunk on my leg, careful not to reopen the scratches. A couple wipes later, I finished the job and tossed the used sheets in the trash.
Nishino came over and propped my leg up on a foot stool, carefully dabbed a couple drops of rubbing alcohol on a cotton ball and apply it to the wound. I hissed at the burning sensation in my leg, my jaw clenched in a grimace until the stinging went away.
She dropped the cotton in the trash can and unwound a roll of gauze, wrapping it around my calf.
“Can you hold this end in place?” I took the white fabric in my hand and rested it against my leg, relaxing as I watched her work.
“So what exactly is your project?” I asked, gazing hopefully at her.
“For the manga club? I’m creating a manga about a softball club, so I thought I’d check you guys out.”
“Did you just start today? I haven’t seen you at the field before.”
She nodded. “We just got the project today, so you’ll probably see me around for a while. If that’s okay with the team, of course,” she added hastily.
“No problem,” I beamed. I was delighted with the prospect. “Stay as long as you need to.
“Thank you, Shiraishi-san.” My heart skipped a beat at her words. It was the first time she had ever said my name, and I certainly wouldn’t mind if she said it a couple more times.
My eyes drifted to her hands, which were swiftly weaving a bandage around my leg. Slender fingers and smooth hands, I noted. She probably has never played sports or anything too rigorous. I silently observed her fingers, nimbly unwinding the roll without a break. For a moment they brushed against me, and I was surprised to find that they were rough, unlike like their soft appearance. Taking a closer look, I found that her index and middle fingers had callouses on them, built up from years and years of drawing.
“Shiraishi-san.” Her voice startled me out of my musings; it didn’t seem like her to initiate conversations.
“Y-yes?” I squeaked meekly. She giggled at my response. God, she was such an angel.
“Haha, that was kind of cute.”
“Cute?” My face was betraying my brain. I could feel all my blood rush to my face, a very evident blush blossomed on my cheeks.
“Ah, sorry, I didn’t mean to say that.” She deftly tied a knot with the gauze and cut the strip off. “There, all good now.”
“Oh, thanks.”
“Mhm. Anyways, I meant to say that you always seem so cool and aloft; it surprised me a little to see you like this.”
“What do you mean ‘like this?’” I cocked my head to the side, confused.
“Hm, I guess you seem more vulnerable and less perfect.” It took all my willpower to maintain my cool. I wanted to coddle her.
“Do I really seem that way?”
“A little. You’re kind of hard to approach.”
“That’s surprising. I didn’t think I was like that.”
“Well, I’m just shy, so don’t worry about it too much. Normally, I’d never have a chance to talk to you like this, so this makes just a bit happy.”
“Same here.” We finished tidying up the room and headed back out towards the field. By the time we got there, practice was already ending and the team was already walking to the locker room. I gathered up my belongings, pausing to wait for Nishino, who was organizing her notes.
“Um, Nishino-san,” I called.
“Is there something wrong?”
“I forgot to ask this earlier, but would you like to be friends?”
“If you’re alright with that,” she replied, genuinely surprised.
I grinned to myself. That was one step closer to where I wanted to be.
Nishino POV
I studied Shiraishi-san with renewed interest. Ever since her dynamic entrance on the first day of school I had viewed her a mysterious figure too distant for me to reach, but the events of the day had changed that. In the nurse’s office, she was friendly and approachable, not at all like what I had imagined of her. At the end of practice, when she asked to be my friend, I found myself taking an interest in the beautiful girl.
Intently observing her figure, I noted the lean, muscular arms the melded into a slender back, complete with perfect curves. Shiraishi-san’s body was that of a model; her pale skin was untarnished and held no traces of blemishes.
She turned around to grab a towel and for a brief moment, made eye contact with me. I immediately whipped my head to the side, praying that she had not noticed my staring. Feeling the heat in my cheeks, I focused on the rest of the team, taking note of the different interactions they held.
I had followed Shiraishi-san into the locker room in order to gather more data for my manga, but all I seemed to be doing was ogling her body. It was much more toned than I had expected, and I found my self idealizing the body.
Switching my attention to Wakatsuki-senpai, who was engaged in a heated debate with the short haired batter from before, I made a quick sketch of the two. I strained my ears to catch a bit of their conversation, but failed to make anything out of it. I shrugged. It didn’t really matter, I would just fill in the scene with another topic.
Slowly, players began to trickle out of the locker room in pair or trios, leaving only Wakatsuki-senpai, her short-haired friend, and Shiraishi-san.
Noticing that the three of them were all preparing to leave, I quickly gathered my belongings to go home as well.
“Nishino-san, where do you live?” Wakatsuki-senpai’s voice stopped me from exiting, and I turned around to face her.
“I live near Omotesando. Why?” I tilted my head quizzically.
She laughed. “I was going to offer to walk you home, but it seems like we live in opposite directions. I live in Akasaka. Maiyan lives in that area though, so she can walk you back.”
“It’s fine,” I protested. “I can get home by myself.”
“Don’t sweat it, Nishino-san,” Shiraishi-san smiled kindly at me. “I could use a little company on the way home.”
“That settles it then. You two stay safe; Nanamin and I are heading home.” She paused by the door and gestured at the short haired girl from before. “Oh, by the way, this is Hashimoto Nanami.”
The tall girl nodded, extending her hand to me. “Hashimoto Nanami. Nice to meet you.”
I received the hand cordially. “Nishino Nanase. It’s my pleasure.”
“Not at all,” she responded. “Sorry I almost hit you with the ball.”
“Don’t worry about it.” She smiled apologetically and exited the room with Wakatsuki-senpai, leaving Shiraishi-san and I in an awkward silence.
She shuffled her feet. “Shall we get going?”
Shiraishi POV
We strolled down the streets of Omotesando together, taking in the night lights. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine this would happen. I fist-pumped to myself, mentally noting to thank Wakatsuki later.
“The lights are so pretty,” my companion marveled. She was enchanted by the fully of lights and colors, and I was enchanted by her.
“Aren’t they?” I agreed. I kept my real thoughts to myself, voicing in my head silently. I think you’re the pretty one though.
A/N: SHE THOUGHT THE VIEW WAS PRETTY, BUT I THOUGHT SHE WAS PRETTY. Anyway, sorry for the delay, but I hope you've enjoyed this chapter. :lol: :lol:
@ミサキ: Yup, we all know who Wakatsuki belongs with!
@weirdasspotatoe: I hope this was the moment you were waiting for lol
@pretend_2besome1: I am too. Nogizaka girls are just so ship-worthy.
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thank you! i'm sick now, but your fic cheer me up and make my day lol
yeah we all know that old married pairing can't be separated from each other :D when you make our capt. appear in this fic? and please add more nogi-memba too :bow:
and, ugh... i can't breath, nanamai scene is too much for me :wub: :inlove: really, you should thank waka later maiyan for adding more precious time with naachan :roll:
please update soon author-san! :bow:
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Is Nanamin alright? Or the mistakes were all just coincidence?
I wanted to laugh at Maiyan attempting to be cool around Nanase, that silly person. Plus, what’s with the smell thing? That’s very Reika like.
But NanaMai is making a nice progress in this chapter. They’re being awkwardly cute around each other.
Wakatsuki is always nice :mon cute:
Now, it’s Waka 1 Maiyan 1. And if the walking home goes smoothly, Maiyan might have the upper hand before another character(s) shows up.
Maiyan, ask Naachan if she wants to go to school together too :mon psst:
Gosh, all those thoughts….Maiyan is so gay for Naachan :wahaha:
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I agree, Maiyan being so gay for Naa-chan is adorbs hihihi. And yes Maiyan should probably walk Nanase to school as well to gain an upperhand. But softball Shiraishi is always so cool and seeing her demeanor crumble slowly for Nanase and turning awkward and shy mess is really cute. Not to mention NanaMai interactions and Shiraishi's rivalry against Waka-sama for Nanase :twothumbs . Thank you for the update author-san!
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Hello, this is a nice story :deco:
I wonder what's wrong with Nanamin she was pretty messed up, but in the other hand it gives Maiyan opportunity to get closer to Naa-chan so yeay!
Aaah Maiyan is falling hard with Naa-chan :heart: But on the other hand Waka is natural lady killer that getting Naa-chan to like her seems so easy. But I'm still not sure whether Wakatsuki actually like her back or not.
I'll be waiting for the next chapter :cow:
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A/N: Hello everyone! I'm finally back with an update after a (very) long hiatus. It's a bit short, but I hope you enjoy it!
Chapter 3
Shiraishi POV
Light filtered in through the window blinds, illuminating a spot on my bedroom floor. It created a sort of picturesque, peaceful atmosphere, but I was in no shape to appreciate it. Ironically, on the other side of my room, I was a hot mess running around, trying to get ready for school in a flurry of chaos and disorder.
I flew down the steps and out the front door, automatically slipping a hand inside my skirt pocket, feeling for my phone. The screen switched on, displaying the time.
7:43 AM.
I was late. Cursing under my breath, I stuffed the phone back into my pocket and dashed down the street, throwing out a quick greeting to the grandma who ran the corner store across from my apartment. As I ran, my thoughts flashed back to last night, walking home in the dark with a certain girl. My face flushed and I quickly shook my head to clear my mind. Focus on running, or you’ll get detention for being late.
Fifteen minutes later, I stormed into classroom 1-D, just barely making it on time.
“Shiraishi!” My teacher scolded. “Stop being so noisy in the morning! This is a school, you hear?”
“Yes,” I muttered. “Sorry, sensei!”
“And come to school earlier!” She turned back to the blackboard and continued writing.
As I made my way down the aisle to my seat, I suddenly came face to face with the girl I spent last night dreaming about. Nishino Nanase. God, what an angel.
“Good morning, Shiraishi-san,” She smiled kindly. “Glad to see you’re as punctual as always.”
I laughed nervously. “Haha, I try my best,” I replied idiotically. “Are you going to the softball club today too?”
“Yeah, I’m still trying to figure out what I want the manga to be about.”
I fisted pumped mentally. Yesterday was a mess, but I would show off my skills during today’s practice. Screw Wakatsuki. I’d be the hero today. “Ah, then would you like to go together after school?”
“I’d love to. I’m still a bit shy around the team,” She smiled sheepishly. “So it’s nice to know you’ll be there.”
I must have turned into a tomato. Her cuteness was definitely not good for my health. I ducked my head and mumbled out “no problem” before plopping into my seat. I was such an idiot.
Nishino POV
I giggled at the sight of Shiraishi-san with her head in her arms. So she has a side like this, too. Yesterday night, she had walked me to my house, despite the fact that it was already late. In that moment, I thought she was quite the gentleman, much like Wakatsuki-senpai. Maybe the softball team was just filled with cool people.
Someone poked me on the head. “Naa-chan, good morning!” I turned around to find an energetic Ikoma-chan. “How was manga club?”
“It was fun,” I smiled. “We got assignments to draw manga, and mine is supposed to be on softball, so yesterday I spent the afternoon observing the softball team.”
“Ohhh, Wakatsuki-senpai is on the team, right? I heard she’s really popular with the underclassmen.”
“You know her?” I felt a strange sinking feeling in my chest. Was it disappointment?
Ikoma-chan nodded. “She’s gotten five confessions in the last month.”
“Woah, that’s a lot…” I trailed off, not know how to respond. Thankfully, the teacher chose that moment to begin the class, and I averted my attention.
After listening to the lecture for about twenty minutes, I could feel my focus start to run out, and found myself staring out the window. To my surprise, Shiraishi-san was also gazing out the window, contemplating about something.
My mind kept drifting to what Ikoma-chan had said earlier, the fact that Wakatsuki-senpai was so popular. I had gotten a bit caught up in the way she had saved me (multiple times), that I guess I had begun to hope that I was a bit special to her. However, this prospect now seemed unlikely. I sighed and turned my attention back to the window.
Shiraishi-san had stopped staring out the window and was now focused intently on the teacher, periodically scribbling down notes. Just like I had in the dressing room yesterday, I began to observe her features.
I already knew she was beautiful, but her arched eyebrows and straight nose gave her a tomboyish look. Ah, Shiraishi-san is probably popular as well. My eyes wandered around the classroom. Our class was filled with absurdly cute girls. Everyone looked like they could be part of some idol group. No doubt some of them would be attracted to Shiraishi-san, or that Shiraishi-san would be attracted to one of them.
Oddly enough, I found myself experiencing the same emotion I had felt earlier when Ikoma-chan told me about Wakatsuki-senpai. Maybe jealousy was a better term for it. No, not jealousy. I shook my head. It couldn’t be that. I had just gotten to know Shiraishi-san, and was most likely excited over the prospect of a new friend. Disappointment was still more accurate.
I frowned. What an unpleasant feeling.
Shiraishi POV
School could not pass by fast enough. I barely registered anything the teacher talked about. All I could think about was after school, when Nishino would be watching the team—watching me—practice.
The lunch bell rang, and I instinctively reached into my bag for my bento box. I rummaged around for a bit, but no lunch appeared. I swore silently. In my rush to get of the house this morning, I had left my lunch at home.
“What’s wrong, Maiyan?” Matsumura Sayuri towered over my desk, holding an impressive amount of yakisoba bread in her arms.
“I forgot my lunch at home, so I’m gonna go to the school store to get something. Do you want me to get anything for you?” I asked, eyeing the bread mountain.
“Ohh, can you get three pork buns for me? I’m feeling a bit hungrier than usual.”
I rolled my eyes at Sayurin’s gluttony. “You’ll get fat, you know.”
“No I won’t,” She pouted. “You’re just jealous of my yakisoba.”
“As if,” I snickered. “Iku-chan, want to go to the store with me?”
Ikuta Erika, who was holding her own massive pile of bread, nodded happily. “They’ve got good sandwiches today!”
“Alright,” I gestured at Sayurin. “We’ll be back soon.” I stood up and stretched a bit. Sitting down was tiring. I preferred to be active, but sports like soccer and basketball were a bit too physical for me. Softball, however, required feats of teamwork but still allowed you to maintain personal space. Unless, of course, if someone crashed into you.
I was reminded of the damage Nanamin had caused when a sudden stinging sensation shot up my leg as I walked.
“What’s wrong?” Iku-chan had noticed the grimace on my face.
“Oh, it’s nothing.” I smiled. “I got a bit scratched up yesterday during practice.”
Iku-chan frowned. “You gotta be careful, Maiyan. Sports are so dangerous. Unlike piano.” She nodded approvingly to herself.
“Thanks,” I laughed. “But softball has its merits as well.”
“Like what?”
Like being an excuse to see Nishino everyday after school. As if I could say that. “Like working off all that fat from eating so much.” I reached over and pinched Iku-chan’s stomach, resulting in a yelp.
“That’s not fair!” She cried. “I can’t help it that I love eating!”
“Sure, sure.” I grinned. “Teasing you is so easy.”
“I hate you.”
“You love me.”
“Shut up.”
We turned right down the hallway, nearly bumping into another classmate.
“Oh good timing, you two!” Sakurai Reika seemed very out of breath and very irritated. “Have you seen Waka anywhere?”
“Wakatsuki?” I raised my eyebrows and looked at Iku-chan. She shrugged. “Nope, sorry. Is it something urgent?”
“Uh," Reika suddenly seemed very flustered. “It’s just that she promised to eat lunch with me today. But I can’t find her anywhere!”
I smirked. “Awww, cute. A romantic lunch.”
“S-shut up!” Reika flushed.
Iku-chan grinned. “Reika, why don’t you just confess already. With how popular she is, she’ll be taken any time now.”
“It’s not that simple!” Reika pouted, looking at me.
I shrugged. “She’s got a point.”
“Ahhh, whatever!” She thrust a finger at us. “You guys don’t understand a maiden’s heart at all!”
“Hey,” I protested. “We’re girls—I mean, maidens—too.”
“Yeah, but you’re also dense. So it doesn’t count.” She stuck her tongue out. “But anyway, if you see Waka, tell her I’m looking for her.”
“Sure thing,” I laughed.
“Thanks!” Reika began to walk away. “She’s in for it now, that Waka!”
Iku-chan and I stared at the retreating figure for a moment.
“Am I really that dense?”
Iku-chan nodded. “Yep.”
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Interesting fic Author-san :) Please include Kazumin here, coz I ship NaaZumin (NanaseXKazumin) sorry I don't know the real ship's name, I'm new to the fandom tho. Waiting for the next update Author-san :)
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I just finsihed first day of test and then....BAAAM!! Yesh a Nogizaka fandic update today. Love the pairing of Maiyan and Naachan...been looking for fics with the pairing...mah OTP.
I can understand the feeling of being dense... My high school days also like that. I like how Maiyan describes Nanase in her mind...makes me squeel (a lot...dunno why....probably instinct) Wakarei...Nanamai...will Nanamin have her own scenario?
Would love to read more Nanamai scenes...Kyaaa
Thank you for the update Author-san...I dont really mind if its short...love the content. Ahihihihi
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finally, you update this fic.. I'm so glad that you come back from your hiatus.. Love the story of nanamai so much. And, can you put another couple like hashigawa (nanaminxmaimai) or ikuhime (ikuchanxhimetan). :mon cute: :mon cute: :mon cute:
Thank you for the update :mon inluv: :mon squee:
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Thanks for a new chapter :D
The story is great
I will wait for more moments NanaMai and some moment of WakaRei :heart:
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A/N: Yikes, I almost forgot about this for a bit. Sorry for the delay guys!
Chapter 4
Shiraishi POV
When the bell signaling the end of the school day finally rang, I shot up out of my seat and promptly banged my knee on the table. Immediately dropping to the ground, I clutched my now bruised leg and hissed in pain.
“Shiraishi-san, are you alright?” A concerned pair of brown orbs stared down at me.
“I’m fine,” I grimaced. “Just got a bit too excited, that’s all.”
“Excited?” Nishino raised her eyebrows. “Is something happening today?”
“Ah, no.” I blushed. “Nothing in particular, but I’m just happy you’ll be there to watch practice today.” Real smooth, Mai.
She laughed. “That’s nothing to hurt yourself over, though. Be careful, okay?”
I nodded sheepishly. “Shall we go?”
Nishino POV
I smiled inwardly at Shiraishi-san. She’s cute when she’s shy, too.
“Shiraishi-san,” I called. “Do you mind if I take these papers to the staff room first?”
“Sure, no problem. I’ll come with you.”
She suddenly leaned in towards me, taking me by surprise. Swiftly, she took the stack of papers out of my arms, smirking at me as she did so.
“Looked like you were struggling a bit with them,” She grinned. “Forgive me, but I think I’ve got a bit more muscle than you.”
Once again, I found myself blushing at the sudden act of chivalry. This time, however, a tinge of nervousness settled in. Almost like I was shy around her.
“A-are you sure you can carry all of them?”
Shiraishi-san nodded nonchalantly. “Yep, no problem.” Winking, she added, “Anything for you!”
I watched as she turned and started in the direction of the staff room, whistling cheerfully. Taking a deep breath to calm myself down, I glanced at my reflection in the window. My face was a dark shade of pink.
Shiraishi POV
Anything for you! I cringed internally at my own cheesy line. And a wink? Seriously? I needed a filter for my actions. I’d known the girl for two days, yet I was already trying to hit on Nishino.
I attempted to mask my embarrassment by whistling and walking, only noticing that Nishino was still rooted to her spot after I had walked a few feet.
“Is something wrong?” I frowned. “Ah, did I make you uncomfortable with that just now? Sorry about that.”
“No, no, don’t worry about it.” She frantically shook her head. “Just a bit distracted.”
That sounded suspicious. Smiling apologetically, I waved it off. “Nah, that was my bad. I won’t do it again.”
“No it’s fine.” Nishino smiled at me and I felt my heart skip a couple beats. “If anything, I liked it. It was very sweet of you.”
“O-oh, I see.” I was secretly ecstatic. Mental note to act cool around her as much as possible. “We should really get going though, or we’ll be late to practice.”
She nodded, jogging a bit to catch up to me. “Let’s go.”
We walked in silence, which resulted in my desperate attempt to start a conversation. “So, what are these handouts?”
“Hm, I think they’re for science class, but I’m not too sure.” She shrugged. “The teacher didn’t tell me much.”
I wrinkled my nose in disgust. “Ugh, science. That class is so hard.”
“Really? I think it’s alright.”
“Haha, you must be really smart, then, Nishino-san.”
“Not at all,” She shook her head. “My grades are pretty average.”
“Still better than me,” I laughed drily. “I always have Nanamin tutor me before tests. Ah, we’re here.” I slid the door to the staff room open and greeted the teachers inside. Our science teacher waved us over.
“Thanks for bringing these over,” he smiled. “Must have been tiring, since there were so many.”
“Not at all.” Nishino and I bowed politely and made our way out of the room.
Once out of the room, I stretched my arms out above my head. “Time for practice. You got all your manga stuff?”
“Yeah, it’s all in here.” She patted here school bag affectionately. “Sketchbook and drawing pencils.”
“Alright, let’s go!” I felt the anticipation rise in me. Time to show off what I was capable of. I snuck a glance at my classmate beside me. Hopefully, I’d win a part of her over today.
Nishino POV
As we approached the softball field, a figure of a girl came into view. She stood in front of the dugout, conversing with the coach, but she didn’t have on a softball uniform like the rest of the team. Instead, she was a wearing a simple track suit, royal purple in color. Upon closer inspection, she hadn’t been at the practice yesterday, either.
Shiraishi-san, however, seemed to recognize the girl. As soon as she had spotted the girl in the track suit, she waved her hand excitedly and called out.
“Maimai! Long time no see!” Shiraishi-san ran towards the girl, who was smiling and waving back.
They must be close friends. I quietly followed Shiraishi-san over to the dugout.
“Ah, Maimai, this is Nishino Nanase-san. She’s here to observe us for a softball manga reference.”
I nodded politely. “Nice to meet you.”
The girl smiled back. She seemed very mature and level-headed, but her pale skin suggested that she wasn’t very athletic. “Nice to meet you, too, Nishino-san. My name is Fukagawa Mai, the manager of the softball team.”
“Maimai just came back from Shizuoka, so you didn’t see her yesterday,” Shiraishi-san explained.
“Ah, I see. I’ll be in your care then.”
“Same here, I hope we can get along.”
“Alright girls!” The coach clapped her hands. “Let’s get to work. Shiraishi, hurry up and change.”
“Yes ma’am!” Shiraishi-san saluted her comically and ran off.
I made my way into the dug out, where Fukagawa-san was opening a cardboard box. “Fukagawa-san, is there anything I can help with?”
“Ah, don’t you have to work on your manga?”
“It’s fine,” I smiled. “It’s just a bit of sketching.”
“Hm, then can you help me sort these mitts by size?” She gestured at the ground. “You can just separate them into three piles.”
“No problem.” I knelt down into the dust and got to work.
Shiraishi POV
I glanced over towards the dugout and frowned. This time, Maimai had enlisted Nishino’s help, and she was preoccupied with sorting mitts rather than observing. I felt my excitement dissipate. Even though I was trying so hard to show off my best, Nishino wasn’t even looking my way. So much for that plan.
Resigned, I shifted my focus back to Nanamin, who was up at the plate. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Wakatsuki tense up in apprehension, afraid that Nanamin would hit the ball towards Nishino again. Jealously, I mirrored her, even though the fence in front of the dugout would block any incoming softballs.
I sighed and shook my head. Gotta focus. I narrowed my eyes at Nanamin and took a few steps back. Just cause Nishino wasn’t watching didn’t mean I could slack off. I had a responsibility to the team as well.
From the pitcher’s mound, Hori cranked her arm back and let it swing forward. The ball flew straight towards Nanamin, who leaned forward and swung the bat. A resounding crack filled the air, and I saw the ball zoom past me and into left field. Luckily, it landed squarely in the mitt of Itou Junna, who whirled towards me and threw the ball. Catching it, I turned towards first base and hurled the softball at Wakatsuki, who grabbed it out of the air and tagged Nakada Kana with it. A double out for Nanamin and Kana-chan. A fine play between Junna, Wakatsuki, and me.
The coach shouted out an affirming remark as Wakatsuki tossed the ball back to Hori. Returning to my spot as shortstop, I smiled at Junna, who in turn smiled back shyly at me. She was a bit flushed, probably because it was so hot out. I wiped the sweat off my brow and snuck another peek at the dugout. The two girls inside had finished sorting mitts and were now deep in conversation; Nishino’s drawing pad set aside, untouched.
Nishino POV
“Woah, that was so cool!” I had just witnessed a feat of teamwork between Shiraishi-san, Wakatsuki-san, and another girl further out into the field.
Fukagawa-san smiled proudly. “Isn’t it? Maiyan and Wakatsuki and the pride of our team, you know!”
“Haha, I can definitely see that,” I nodded my head in agreement. “Who was the girl who caught the ball?”
“Oh," Fukagawa turned her head to look at the girl. “That’s Itou Junna-chan. She’s one of Maiyan’s biggest fans, so I imagine that she’s quite happy over this play.”
“Ah, so she wants to show off her good side?”
“Yep, kids are so cute these days.” She laughed and turned to look at me. “If you want to spot cool poses, I’d recommend paying close attention, because they move fast.”
“Oh, right.” I picked up my drawing pad, which lay next to me on the bench. “Thanks for the reminder.”
“No problem,” Fukagawa-san smiled. “Do you mind if I see what you have so far?”
“Sure.” I flipped the pad open to the pages I had worked on yesterday. I hadn’t drawn in any faces, but the positions and hair styles easily gave away who my models were: Shiraishi-san and Wakatsuki-san. I wondered if Fukagawa-san would notice.
Fortunately, she didn’t seem to see and simply marveled over the drawings. “You’re quite skilled, aren’t you?”
I smiled modestly, relieved. “Not at all.”
Fukagawa POV
I watched as Nishino-san flipped through the pages of her drawing pad. She lingered for an extra second on a drawing of a girl crouching over, focused intently in front of her. It looked like Maiyan. I looked up at the girl sitting next to me, whose gaze was focused on the shortstop—Shiraishi Mai.
No way. I smiled to myself. It looks like Maiyan’s got a new admirer. I took another look at the drawing. It was impressively detailed for a rough sketch. I smiled inwardly again, deciding to keep my newfound discovery to myself.
“You’re quite skilled, aren’t you?” Young love was so cute.
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Wooooooo Author-san. It was a good thing you didn't forget about this fic. I was waiting for an update. Yehey
I like how Maiyan was being so smooth. Good job Maiyan. Maiyan being a gentleman in front of Naachan makes me imagine things. Hababahahaaba. Probably, Naachan should be developing feelings for Maiyan cuz i ship them.
Thanks a lot author-san
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AN: Wow, it has been a while. Sorry for not updating in so long. I felt inspired (and saddened) by Nanase's recent graduation annoucement. Best of luck to her, she will always have my support. Enjoy chapter 5!
Chapter 5
Shiraishi POV
“Good work everyone!” The coach raised her arm, signaling at the team to gather around her. “We’ve got a game next week, so make sure you take care of yourselves.”
“Yes, ma’am,” the team chorused. Our first game of the season was quickly approaching and you could feel the excited nervousness of the team.
As we started to head back to the locker room, I swung by the dugout, where Maimai and Nishino were waiting.
“Good job today,” Maimai smiled at me. “We saw that play between you, Waka, and Junna-chan.” She handed me a towel and a bottle of water.
“Thanks.” I wiped my face with the towel and grinned cheekily. “Cool, wasn’t I?”
Maimai laughed and turned to Nishino. “Maiyan sure is full of herself, isn’t she?”
“I thought you were cool,” Nishino laughed in return. I blushed at her compliment.
“Don’t praise her too much,” Maimai warned jokingly. “It’ll go to her head.” She turned to hand water to Nanamin, who had just entered the dugout.
“Wanna head to the locker room?” I grabbed my bag and looked at Nishino, who nodded back at me. We started walking towards the building. “Did you draw anything today?”
“Yeah, I made quite a few more sketches.” Nishino gestured at her sketch pad.
“Would you mind if I looked at your work sometime?” I wondered if she had sketched me. My heart skipped at the thought of her drawing me, watching me intently with her soft brown eyes as she made pencil strokes on paper.
“Sure,” she smiled shyly. “I’d love to show you.” God, this girl was adorable.
Just as we approached, the door to the locker room swung open, revealing Wakatsuki at the threshold.
“Hello, Nishino-san.” I mentally cursed Wakatsuki for interrupting the two of us. “What did you think of practice today?”
“You were so cool when you tagged that girl out,” Nishino smiled. My heart sank. I wanted to be the only one she thought cool. Not Wakatsuki.
“If you want, do you want to come watch our game next week?” Wakatsuki flashed a confident smile at Nishino, and I mentally cursed her again. I should have invited her first.
“I’d love to.” Nishino smiled back.
“Great. Let’s exchange numbers so I can contact you with more information.”
“Good idea.” I watched bitterly as the two of them exchanged phone numbers. Nishino was blushing a little. I couldn’t stand watching them anymore, so I turned and went to my locker, blocking out all thoughts of Nishino and Wakatsuki acting all lovey-dovey with each other.
“You alright?” Nanamin approached me from behind. “How’s your leg?”
“It’s fine,” I sighed. “I was just worried about something else.” Nanamin raised an eyebrow.
“If you wanna talk, I’m here for you.”
“Thanks. I’ll bring it up later.” She nodded and turned around, walking to where Maimai was waiting. I watched the two of them leave and briefly scanned the locker room. Both Wakatsuki and Nishino had disappeared. Only a few members of the team were left. I sighed again and picked up my stuff. I wanted to go home and take a nap.
Nishino POV
I frowned, looking around the room. While I was talking with Wakatsuki-senpai, Shiraishi-san had already left. A sinking feeling in my heart revealed my disappointment—I was hoping we could walk home together again.
“I’m leaving now, Wakatsuki-senpai,” I called out.
She waved at me. “Get home safely.”
I stepped out of the room. It was almost dark out, and getting a little chilly. I rubbed my arms to get the blood flowing and started walking home.
While waiting to cross the street, I looked up and saw a familiar figure: Shiraishi-san. Walking with another girl. I frowned, feeling my heart tighten in my chest. Brushing off the unpleasant feeling, I squinted, trying to see the two girls a little more clearly.
They were laughing and smiling, obviously very at ease with each other. If Shiraishi-san was beautiful, the girl next to her was equally pretty. She was clinging onto Shiraishi-san’s arm, occasionally resting her head on the other’s shoulder. My heart tightened a bit more. For some reason, seeing some beautiful girl hold onto Shiraishi-san made me slightly angry.
I shook my head, trying to clear it. The two figures were already no bigger than my hand, quickly fading away into the night. The light turned green, and I crossed the street in the opposite direction that they went.
It took all my willpower not to take another glance at Shiraishi-san and her friend. Instead, I brushed off the uncomfortable feeling that had been building up in my chest and walked faster. I wanted to go home and sleep.
Shiraishi POV
“Do you understand, Maiyan?” Reika whined. “She doesn’t even register my existence half the time.”
I rolled my eyes. “I know, I know. Your beloved Waka is busy flirting with other girls.”
“Don’t say that!” Reika slapped my arm. “You already know how much I like her.”
“Does she even know that you like her?” I raised my eyebrows skeptically.
“Well, no.” Reika frowned at the admission. “Should I confess?”
“Yeah,” I nodded. “Just go for it. You guys have known each other for ages, it’ll be fine.” If Reika confessed, maybe Wakatsuki would go out with her and I could sweep Nishino off her feet.
“It’s not that easy,” Reika complained. “She’s so popular. There are definitely other girls out there.”
“Then you should confess sooner. The longer you wait, the higher the possibility of some girl coming and taking her away.”
Reika remained silent, mulling over my words. I patted her back reassuringly.
“If you need a wingman, I’ll help you out.”
“Really? You’ll help me?”
I nodded. “Yeah.” The sooner Wakatsuki was out of the picture, the sooner I could go after Nishino.
“You’re the best, Maiyan!” Reika hugged me from the side, nearly knocking me over.
“Yeah, yeah,” I laughed. “Iku-chan will probably help too.”
Reika smiled brightly and skipped ahead, humming to herself. Watching her, I felt slightly better. Maybe I did have a chance with Nishino after all.
I went to sleep that night with the resolve to ask Nishino for her phone number tomorrow. I couldn’t let Wakatsuki get too far ahead of me. That beautiful, shy girl would be mine.
Nishino POV
I sat apprehensively at my desk, continually glancing at the desk next to me every few minutes. Would Shiraishi-san be late again today? I couldn’t stop thinking about the girl next to her from last night. I wanted to ask about the girl, but what would Shiraishi-san think? Would that be too clingy of me? We had only just become friends a few days ago.
“What’s on your mind?” Ikoma-chan slipped into her seat.
“Nothing,” I shook my head. “I’m just a little tired.”
“Are you sure?” She leaned forward and put her forehead against mine. I blushed immediately. “You don’t seem to have a fever. Your face is a little flushed though. Maybe you should go to the nurse’s office.”
“It’s fine.” I quickly shook my head, trying to cool down. “I’m not sick or anything.”
“Okay,” Ikoma-chan frowned. “Let me know if you feel sick. I’ll take you to the nurse.”
I nodded. The classroom door slid open noisily, revealing Shiraishi-san, laughing with one of our classmates, Ikuta-san. My eyes followed her as she made her way to her desk.
“Come on, Iku-chan,” she pleaded. “Help me out!” Curious, I put my head down on my desk, trying to listen in on their conversation.
“I’ll consider it if you buy me some food,” Ikuta-san responded. “Preferably sweets.”
“Fine,” Shiraishi-san huffed. “I’ll take out for food sometime. Ikuta-san nodded, satisfied with herself and took her seat. I wondered what they were discussing.
“Good morning, Nishino-san.” I looked up and found Shiraishi-san smiling at me.
“Good morning,” I responded shyly.
“I’m glad you got home safe last night,” she continued. “Sorry I couldn’t walk you home. I had to meet someone.” Once again, I remembered the girl from last night. I shoved the thought of her out of my mind.
I shook my head. “It’s okay, don’t worry about it.”
“Do you want to walk home together today? The softball team doesn’t have practice after school.” She looked at me expectantly.
“Sure, I’d love to.” I wondered if she could tell that I was secretly ecstatic.
“Great!” She flashed a radiant smile. “We can get something to eat on the way home.”
Before I could respond, the teacher entered, calling our attention. I shifted my focus to the front, waiting for the day’s classes to start.
“Nishino-san,” I heard a whisper from besides me. I turned to see Shiraishi-san grinning at me. “I’m looking forward to after school.”
I nodded. “Me too,” I whispered back. She winked in response and turned to look at the teacher.
I stared dumbly at her side profile, feeling my face become hot and flushed. Shiraishi-san affected my emotions even more than Wakatsuki-senpai. I had never met anyone who made me feel this way before. Just a simple wink and my heart was thumping loudly. I snuck another glance at the girl besides me, feeling more curious about her than ever.