Tokyo Sick Girlfriend

Chapter 40: A Design Full of Flaws

Student association building.

Saori Hasegawa followed closely behind Miyu Yokoyama, heading step by step towards the kendo dojo on the top floor.

Her hands, which she often used for training with a heavy sword, would tremble involuntarily.

When Yokoyama Miyu opened the door, Hasegawa Saori instinctively took two steps forward and stood in front of her.

A pair of pure eyes moved from the lower left corner of the dojo to the lower right corner, scanning the faces one by one, but the figure that had always been hidden in her heart was not seen at all.

She calmed down immediately, her expectations dashed, and a look of disappointment appeared in her clear eyes.

The words Hojo Shione said on the phone two days ago came to mind again:
"If you go there, you'll definitely run into him..."

not here?
Is she hiding from Saori...?

"Ok?"

Yokoyama Miyu glanced at Saori with some curiosity, noticing the downward curve of her lips, and asked in confusion:

"What's wrong? Saori, are you hungry?"

Saori Hasegawa sniffed, raised her eyes, and looked pitifully at Miyu Yokoyama, holding up two slender white fingers:
"Saori is in a bad mood today, so two pieces are enough for her."

Upon hearing this, Yokoyama Miyu looked at her with some surprise and confirmed:
"You only need to eat two? Why are you in such a bad mood? I'll get you some more in a bit..."

"Ah."

Saori nodded, her high ponytail swaying gently behind her.

Her gaze then swept over the members of the H University Kendo Club, she puffed out her cheeks, frowned and pondered for a moment, then asked softly:

"Minister, if we're going to draw lots later, could I draw them?"

"You're going to draw lots? Why did you suddenly decide to draw lots?"

"Um……"

This question seemed to have stumped her.

Hasegawa Saori frowned, scratched her temple, racked her brains for a long time, and finally blinked, reaching out to tug at her sleeve and asking:

"Can't Saori be drawn?"

The girl's eyes held a clear naiveté, and her pitiful, aggrieved appearance made it impossible to refuse her.

Besides, the lottery is just a formality, nothing serious. Yokoyama Miyu's heart stirred, and she nodded in agreement.

"Then you can draw it in a bit."

Upon hearing this, Saori Hasegawa's eyes immediately lit up, a clear smile appearing on her face. She extended her slender, white fingers towards Miyu Yokoyama and said:

"Minister, I'm in a better mood now, I'm going to eat five rice balls in a bit."

"..."

Yokoyama Miyu pursed her lips, suddenly regretting agreeing to her request. Her gaze swept over Saori's stomach as she said:

"No, you can only eat three at most."

"Oh."
-
After hearing what Yokoyama Miyu said, Fujiyama Keio looked at the girl who was bent over the table, writing a lottery slip while eating a rice ball, and couldn't help but ask:
"You mean she's also participating in the men's coaching exhibition match later?"

He couldn't help but take a closer look at Saori Hasegawa. Although she was quite tall for a girl, he estimated that she was over 1.7 meters tall.

However, in kendo, girls are ultimately at a disadvantage.

Whether it's the amount of training they do regularly or the strength and speed of their bodies, there's a significant gap between them and boys.

It's really unfair to have a girl compete in kendo against a boy; it goes against the spirit of kendo.

"Ah."

Yokoyama Miyu nodded, seemingly understanding Fujiyama Takao's thoughts, and narrowed her eyes, looking at him with some doubt, and asked:
"Fujiyama, do you remember when I told you before that a genius joined our club this year?"

"Oh? I remember."

Fujiyama Keio was taken aback for a moment, then looked at the girl on the field, said "Oh," and asked:

"Huh? You mean her? The one who participated in the IH tournament in her first year of high school and won the girls' championship?"

"uh-huh……"

Yokoyama Miyu gave a smug hum, then nodded and continued in the direction of Fujiyama Keio:
"It's Saori Hasegawa, who participated in the IH tournament with us that year and won the championship in her first year... She even made the newspapers back then, don't you remember?"

Fujiyama Keio scratched his head, glanced at Hasegawa Saori for a couple of seconds, and explained in a troubled tone:

"It's been three or four years since I was in my second year of high school. Unless you've had a crush on her the whole time, you wouldn't be able to remember what she looks like, right? After all, people's appearances change..."

And I haven't heard of her participating in any competitions since then..."

He paused for a moment, then looked at Yokoyama Miyu to confirm:
"You didn't participate in any competitions, did you?"

Upon hearing this, Yokoyama Miyu pursed her lips and nodded, saying:

"Hmm...I don't know why either..."

This was a question that puzzled her greatly when she was in high school.

If Saori Hasegawa wanted to, she would definitely have a spot in the IH tournament the following year, but she hasn't been seen in the national tournament since, and it seems she didn't participate in competitions like Yulongqi either.

She had asked Saori this question privately before, and when she asked why she stopped participating in the competition, the answer was always silence.

She guessed he had some unspeakable difficulties, so she didn't ask any further questions.

"That was just a fleeting moment."

Fujiyama Keio couldn't help but sigh.

Upon hearing this, Yokoyama Miyu unconsciously frowned and corrected him:
"This isn't a flash in the pan; Saori will participate in this year's kendo tournament..."

Not wanting to dwell on this issue for too long, she continued:

"Anyway, there's no need to worry about her ability. If she hadn't taken the initiative to request it, she wouldn't have been allowed to participate in this kind of coaching exhibition match at all."

Fujiyama Keio knew what she meant.

The kendo club is divided into two groups.

Some joined the kendo club out of interest and a desire to experience the spirit of kendo.

Another group joined the club with the goal of participating in kendo competitions. These people are the competition reserve team members. They are taught by instructors during regular training, and their training volume is far greater than that of ordinary club members.

The coaching exhibition match is equivalent to the opening ceremony of a sports meet. The draw is open to all club members, so it can be considered as a club activity.

On the one hand, it can save money to meet the school's activity targets, and on the other hand, it can also allow ordinary club members to have a sense of participation, so that they are not just spectators.

If she's that skilled, it's really a waste of her talent to give swordsmanship instruction to ordinary club members.

Seeing that Yokoyama Miyu had already put it this way, Fujiyama Keio could only nod and say:

"Okay, actually I was worried that people would be careless and feel unbalanced if they saw that she was a girl."

"Carelessness? Imbalance?"

Yokoyama Miyu paused, pondered the word for a moment, and then realized what it meant and said:

"If you have this kind of thinking, shouldn't you first ask yourself why a girl can be your opponent? Maintain a humble attitude, have enough respect for your opponent, and then go all out."

“You’re right, but…”

Fujiyama Keio wanted to say something more, but then he saw the person standing on the table collecting the lottery slips raise his hand to indicate that everything was ready.

So he stood up and went forward to draw lots.

To prevent cheating, the candidates for the lottery were predetermined, and the representatives sent out drew lots from each other's pools.

Saori Hasegawa stood in front of the lottery pool, her eyes fixed on the slip of paper that Takao Fujiyama had drawn.

When she saw that her name was written on the paper he drew, her eyes lit up. Then, she flicked her sleeve, put a crumpled piece of paper in her hand, and pretended to take it out of the lottery box.

Fingers eagerly pried open the crumpled paper, revealing the name on it:

"Shiratori Seizai"

Fujiyama Keio paused for a moment, initially not noticing anything amiss.

However, after a while, he called Shiratori Seiya's name several times without getting a response. After searching around, he found that Shiratori Seiya was not there at all.

He paused for a moment, then looked at the deputy minister beside him and asked:

"Taiwa, where are the others, Shiratori Kiyosuke?"

Tian Ze was also taken aback by the question, scratched his head and said:

"Huh? I don't know."

"..."

After a moment of silence, Fujiyama Keio pondered for a moment, then looked at Yokoyama Miyu with an awkward smile and said:
"Um, he doesn't seem to be here. Did you write the wrong name?"

Yokoyama Miyu didn't see anything wrong with it and nodded, saying:
"Then let's try one more time."

Then, she looked at Saori Hasegawa and said, "Saori, try again."

"Oh."

Upon hearing this, Saori Hasegawa responded blankly.

He reached into the box again, flicked his sleeve to grab the prepared slip of paper, and then unfolded it for everyone to see, just like before.

"Shiratori Seizai"

I see this name again.

Fujiyama Keio was stunned, completely unexpected.

What does that mean? Did someone write Shiratori Seiya's name twice when they were writing notes?
Is this a mistake?
Just as he was about to ask, he suddenly heard a girl's voice in his ear:

"Can't find him?" "But I clearly saw him coming just now..."

Fujiyama Keio's gaze fell on her face. Looking at the girl's innocent appearance, he unconsciously dismissed the possibility of her 'lying'.

However, I also had some doubts and couldn't help but ask:

"You know Shiratori Seiya?"

"Yes, we know each other."

The girl nodded sweetly, then her clear eyes flickered twice as she asked:

Is he afraid of me?

"You guys are a bit timid, even the girls are scared."

Saori Hasegawa stood on the stage, her voice not quiet, and everyone around could hear her.

The surroundings suddenly became quiet.

Yokoyama Miyu realized what was happening and, hearing her words that were practically brimming with hatred, quickly stepped forward and reached out to pull her back, saying:

"Saori, don't talk nonsense."

“Saori wasn’t talking nonsense.”

The girl suddenly looked aggrieved and said:

"Running away without a fight, isn't that just cowardice? Otherwise, I'll fight a few more times. You won't be afraid of taking turns fighting, will you?"

"If you're afraid of this, you have absolutely no skill in swordsmanship... um..."

"Saori!"

Yokoyama Miyu was startled. She never imagined that such words could come out of Saori's mouth, and quickly covered her mouth.

However, her words had already spread, causing an uproar among those around her.

This was tantamount to a blatant insult, and someone immediately stood up and said:
"Shiratori-kun didn't come today. I didn't see him earlier. I'll call for him."

Saori Hasegawa glanced at him, pried open Miyu Yokoyama's hand that was covering her, and asked:
"If you lose, will he come?"

"?"

Nagano Ritsusuke was stunned for a moment, completely unexpected to receive such a reply, especially seeing that the other person was a girl. His face immediately darkened as he said:

“If I lose, he will come.”

"Really?"

Saori Hasegawa's lips curled slightly upwards, a hint of doubt flashing in her clear eyes as she asked:

"You won't break your promise this time, will you? This is also against..."

Before she could even utter the words "the spirit of kendo," Yokoyama Miyu, standing beside her, quickly pulled a rice ball from her pocket and stuffed it into her mouth.

He then reached out and pinched her waist hard, glaring at her fiercely.

We're here to provide kendo instruction, not to make enemies or challenge other schools!

"Well……"

As the rice ball entered her mouth, Saori Hasegawa was completely speechless. Chewing on the rice ball, she looked at Takao Fujiyama with a questioning expression in her eyes.

Fujiyama Keio's brows were already furrowed.

Despite being friends with Yokoyama Miyu, he was still quite displeased to be said that in front of everyone, and nodded directly in agreement:

"If you can beat Nagano, I'll definitely call Shiratori over for you, even if it means taking a taxi to his house and kidnapping him."

Hearing Fujiyama Keio say this, Hasegawa Saori was overjoyed. Before she could even swallow, she mumbled:
"It's a promise!"

Fujiyama Keio nodded in agreement.

He still didn't really believe that Saori Hasegawa could be that amazing.

Kendo competitions are divided into male and female groups, and the gender gap is quite large.

He believes this is not prejudice against girls, but a fact.

Moreover, Saori Hasegawa doesn't seem very smart, and her words are full of hatred; calling her stupid wouldn't be an exaggeration.

Although I won the IH competition in high school, I haven't participated in many competitions since then. Regardless of the reason, my skills have inevitably declined over the years.

Nagano Ritsusuke's skill level is above average in the club, and he has participated in various competitions from his first year of high school to his third year.

Fujiyama Keio felt that he was on the same level as Shiratori Seiya, so after the latter refused to participate in this year's national tournament, he directly nominated Nagano Ritsusuke.

Saori Hasegawa suffered three defeats, while Ritsusuke Nagano won three.

The probability of losing is not high.

Having made up his mind, he nodded to Yokoyama Miyu.

…………

In the dressing room, as Yokoyama Miyu strapped protective gear onto Saori, she frowned and asked:
"Saori, what exactly are you trying to do?"

"Uh……"

Saori Hasegawa remained silent, as if she had entered a state of silent meditation.

His face had an innocent expression that said, "It's none of my business, I don't know anything about it."

"Do you know that White Bird guy?"

"..."

"What's your relationship with him?"

"..."

"Does he have a grudge against you?"

Yokoyama Miyu stared at the girl's face, then suddenly noticed her averting her gaze guiltily. Sensing something was amiss, she immediately asked:
"You've known him since high school?"

"You absolutely must see him today?"

The girl's gaze became even more unpredictable.

Yokoyama Miyu had never seen her with this expression before, as if she were deliberately hiding something. She tentatively asked:
"You don't actually like him, do you?"

As if triggered by some keyword, Saori Hasegawa's hand trembled involuntarily.

Yokoyama Miyu immediately noticed this. She stopped binding the protective gear, her eyes filled with surprise, and asked again to confirm:

"You really like him?"

The girl gently bit her lip, a blush spreading across her fair face.

The cycad is blooming.

The word popped into Yokoyama Miyu's mind, and she instantly understood it, but she was also a little curious about what kind of person Shiratori Seiya was.

Hasegawa Saori was naive, and she had never seen her talk about feelings. All she did every day was practice swordsmanship.

If it weren't for her unwavering pursuit of delicious food, she would almost have thought this child was a ruthless sword-training machine.

Then, something suddenly occurred to her, and she couldn't help but ask:
"So you rigged the lottery yourself just now, didn't you?"

"..."

When Saori Hasegawa guiltily turned her head away, looking like a child caught doing something wrong, Miyu Yokoyama understood completely.

He reached out and pinched the girl's fingertips, saying in a tone of disappointment:
"After you finish meeting with Shiratori Seiya, come with me to apologize to Fujiyama."

"Oh."

This time, Saori Hasegawa didn't pretend to be mute and responded with a soft "yes".

I was a little naughty just now.

I did something bad...

It's all Kiyoya's fault...

Yokoyama Miyu never doubted that she would lose to Nagano. Having spent almost a year together, she knew better than anyone just how terrifying this girl in front of her was.

She could naturally sense the slight prejudice that Fujiyama Keio harbored.

No amount of talk will change anything; strength speaks for itself.

And that's exactly what happened.

After putting on her protective gear, Saori Hasegawa stood in the dojo holding a bamboo sword.

When she saw the referee, Fujiyama Keio, swing his hand down, she dashed out like lightning.

As quiet as a virgin, as active as a stray rabbit.

Nagano Ritsusuke reacted quickly and raised his bamboo sword to block, but the next second, he felt his wrist go numb from the shock.

He tried to retaliate, but his opponent's next sword strike followed.

'Bang! Bang! Bang!'

The girl's sword blurred in mid-air as she slashed wildly toward Nagano Ritsusuke's face.

The crackling sounds almost blended together in the air, each strike was powerful and heavy, and in just a moment Nagano Ritsusuke could not hold on, and the bamboo sword in his hand almost slipped out of his grasp.

The next moment, Hasegawa Saori's bamboo sword suddenly moved like a nimble snake, gently deflecting the opponent's bamboo sword.

She raised the bamboo sword in her hand again.

"noodle!"

……
-
　The issue regarding the person who participated in the national competition but didn't recognize Saori has been revised and supplemented with explanations.
　　
　
(End of this chapter)