Chương 55: Epilogue:"A Step Forward"

Lunch break. In the gym, everyone was getting ready to play dodgeball happily. Today, I had a resolution. I will absolutely get them to let me join. I'm going to play with them.

"Hey." When I called out to the circle of classmates, a few turned around. Reactions varied. Some made disgusted faces, some laughed mockingly, and some acted like it was nothing. I dared not to care and said.

"Can you let me join too?" Maeda, one of the guys who teases me often, said with a nasty look.

"What do you want. Even though you're Hoshimi."

"Please. I want you to let me in."

"No way! If you touch the ball, we'll catch Hoshimi germs~." Laughter leaks from around us. Not minding Maeda's badmouthing or the laughter, I looked at everyone straight on and pleaded once more.

"I'll play properly. Please. Let me in."

"He says! What should we do?" Then, the surroundings buzzed a little, unsure how to react. Heart pounding, I waited silently for the answer. Eventually, the class leader spoke to calm the scene.

"Now, now. Isn't it fine?"

"Cheh. Can't be helped." Maeda withdrew reluctantly, and the leader spoke to me.

"Hoshimi-kun. We were actually just missing one person for the outfield. If you're okay with that, we can let you in?"

"Yeah. That's totally fine."

"Alright. Then we have enough people, let's start!" I did it! I got in! I feel like jumping up with joy. But if I do something too weird, I'll stand out, so let's stay quiet. This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. We did rock-paper-scissors, and I ended up on the same team as Maeda. The game started. I wait patiently in the outfield. I was on the side. The ball doesn't come easily.

Eventually, the ball hit the infield players of both teams one after another. The ball hit Maeda too, and came this way. He went to the opposite side of me. And finally, although by chance, the ball came to me. When I picked it up, naturally everyone was looking at me. Since that usually doesn't happen, it was a strange feeling. From here and there, Hey! urged me to pass the ball. Without panicking, calming down, I looked around. Near Maeda, there is an opponent team's infielder who is spacing out. Chance.

Let's cooperate. I raised my voice without hesitation." Maeda! Catch!" I throw the ball with all my might. It draws a beautiful arc and settles perfectly into Maeda's hands.

"Oops!" Maeda, who received the ball, threw it immediately and hit the spacing-out infielder.

"Alriiight!" Striking a victory pose in high spirits, he returns to the infield. At that time, Maeda looked at me and praised me a little shyly.

"Hoshimi. That was a nice play."

"Yeah!" There, I finally understood. Problems with classmates were much smaller things compared to problems at home. Depending on my feelings and attitude, it was a problem that could be managed somehow. Although I didn't know at that time that it was because I was in second grade—an age that was still childish in a good way and honest—that I could easily return to the class circle. Anyway, with Maeda's words at this time, I thought I could get by.

From then on, I made plays that helped those around me here and there. So that everyone could play more pleasantly than myself. I actively raised my voice too.

"What. I thought he was a gloomy guy, but he's quite bright." I felt like I heard someone's voice saying so. Seasons passed. I had completely blended into the class and could talk normally with Maeda.

"Multiplication tables are a pain, aren't they."

"But, we use them when doing column multiplication, and if you don't know them, you'll be in trouble in daily life too." Hearing that, Maeda made a dubious face.

"You, how far have you advanced now?"

"I'm doing the scope of 4th-grade textbooks."

"Oi oi. Seriously?"

"I thought I'd do my best in studying. While I was at it, I started reading various books. When I try to remember something, for some reason I can remember it easily just by reading it once. It's fun."

"Sigh. I'm envious. I'm forced to go to cram school three times a week even though I hate it."

"Haha. That's tough."

"Tell me about it. Ah~ I want to play." After school, I often play with the usual members. Hikari and Mirai.

"Sorry I'm late. Cleaning took a long time." When I apologized lightly, Mirai yawned boredly.

"I'm tired of waiting. I thought about leaving you behind."

"My bad." Hikari said with a smile.

"Where shall we go to play today?"

"Shall we go a little far? In the spirit of exploration." I agreed with Mirai's proposal.

"Sounds good."

"Sounds fun." Hikari also shows agreement.

"Alright. Then, let's go."

"Yeah."

"Okay." We walk together, the three of us, today as well. Looking up suddenly, beyond the endlessly beautiful blue sky, I felt like someone was quietly watching over us.