Chapter 25: The Next Party And The Contract With Azaki
TL: Akabane
***
The day after watching a soccer game with Sasaki.
I woke up on the bed where Sasaki had slept yesterday, agonizing over her lingering scent.
I guess it will never happen again that I wake up in the morning and Sasaki is next to me.
"......Yes. He said that Azaki's guy is coming over today before practice."
Before practice means ...... he might be coming soon.
I take a shower to wake up my sleepy body and chug hot water in powdered corn soup while baking bread in the toaster.
"Sasaki's potage soup, that was delicious, wasn't it?"
It wasn't just the soup, the pasta and potato salad were also delicious, although the ............ amount was insane.
I saw a lot of different Sasaki's in just yesterday.
Sasaki cooking, Sasaki taking a bath (clothed), Sasaki sleeping in my arms, Sasaki being kind to children.
She is easily offended, annoying with her appeal to her age, and childish, but at the end of the day, I can't dislike her because she has a smile on her face that is more than 100 points.
Sasaki is also in love as a girl of her age, and she is looking for that person she saw at work in the past.
Ayane Sasaki is such a good-natured person that she even took care of me for a night. I wanted to support Sasaki's love, at least as a way of saying thank you.
"I wonder what a man who made a beautiful girl who is a national treasure falls in love at first sight would look like?"
I'd like to see that just once, wouldn't I?
Is he as good-looking as a johnny or a Korean idol?
Maybe he has a Western look like a Hollywood actor, unexpectedly?
...... Either way, he's probably from the entertainment industry.
Suddenly, my chest became blurry, and to clear the haze, I gulped down a bowl of corn soup.
"Ahh, hot! ...... hmm, hmm?"
The phone in my pocket suddenly vibrates.
A phone call ......? Ah, it's from Azaki.
|| "Oh Makishima! I've arrived at the apartment, so unlock your room."
"He's so noisy in the morning. Is he trying to collect a debt?"
With a cup of soup in one hand, I unlocked the door, and a few seconds later, a jersey-clad Azaki came into the room.
"Hey. Good morning, Makishima."
"Good morning."
"What is it? Is it an appeal for spending an elegant morning with a cup in your hand? You are a skipping person, you know that?"
"If you want to complain, talk to the coach. I want to practice too."
"No, you can't. You should take a day off."
"I'm more worried about my emotional state than my overwork."
I let Azaki into the room and we chat across the tea table.
We talk about yesterday's East Flo game, the recent state of the club, and a host of other topics, but then Azaki gets down to business.
"Makishima, you were frustrated at the last blind date, weren't you?"
"I don't know. I just got caught up in your mess."
"I'm frustrated. Since then, Aihara-san has been cold toward me, and I've had a string of failed attempts at picking up girls in Shinjuku and Shibuya."
"Are you ...... doing that kind of thing on a regular basis?"
If there are girls who are going to be invited by this guy with ulterior motives, I'm afraid to go with him.
I think it's time to stop calling this guy my best friend.
"I was a soccer prodigy in the countryside, but I guess some things don't go so well in the city."
"Cut to the chase!"
When I hurry him, he clears his throat and sits down in front of me.
"You may have been dimly aware of this, but ...... last time we went to a party, I took the bait on you. I gave Igarashi, who was the leader of the girls' side, a picture of you that was on the club's website, and she quickly said yes. ...... Sorry!"
Azaki rubbed his forehead on the floor and apologized.
Come to think of it, at the blind date, Sasaki told me that Azaki used me as bait.
Was that story true?
"Makishima! I'm sorry!"
"You don't have to get down on your knees like that."
"Please lend me your strength again."
"You have no intention of apologizing, do you?"
Azaki sat back down on the tea table with his elbows on the floor.
I could see how insincere he had been in getting down on his knees earlier.
"I'm going to talk about the next blind date I sent you yesterday in the Lime chat."
"You're switching stories too fast."
"You need to be fast in transitions because that's what you need to be as a soccer player."
"You're all about negativity, aren't you?"
"Don't be so quick to pick on your best friend."
How can you call your best friend your best friend when you're selling him out?
And so, what's up with this blind date?
You're not listening to me.
Azaki put his phone down on the table, opened a chat, and slid his phone toward me.
"Oh my god! My next blind date is with that Tokyo Aristo Women's University."
"Tokyo Aristo? That's a fancy name."
"You don't know?"
"Yeah."
When I replied, Azaki snickered at me.
"Hmph, that's why you're a country bumpkin."
"You called yourself a hick earlier, too, didn't you?"
Azaki ignores me and continues talking.
"Tokyo Aristo is the best women's university in Japan, where only perfect girls are allowed to enter. It is said that the examinations are not only based on academic ability, but everything about being a lady is evaluated."
"So in short, it's a college for young ladies?"
"That's right. It is said that just by virtue of being from Aristo, they are in the top class of the female caste."
"So, these young ladies are going to come to a blind date with a bunch of beasts like you?"
"Oh, I caught three of them with Makishima's picture."
"Hey! You're doing it again!"
"Besides..."
Azaki smirks and starts patting the chabudai with his index finger.
"You know, the ladies have a lot of stuff on their hands because of all the girls in the university. You could have caught them with a picture of a beast like me, you know."
"Don't talk dirty to me."
I let out a sigh and go to the kitchen, returning with a plate of bread from the toaster.
"I'm not going this time, even if you're flirting with a reward."
"Aristo girls who come to the party, they're all older than me."
This guy ...... knows about my habit and shoots me off.
"I'm not going! Never!"
"I see, you're not coming."
Surprisingly, Azaki seemed to give up easily, stood up and put his backpack on his back.
"Then we're breaking up, the golden duo."
"I don't remember forming this group."
"I'm not going to give you any more killer passes or crosses."
Huh?
Azaki walked out of the room with one hand waving, and put on his shoes.
"Too bad, Makishima. I can't believe you're a heartless guy who won't help your best friend when he's in trouble."
"You're wrong! Don't make it sound like it's my fault!"
"Just choose, Makishima. If you refuse, you'll end up in the second team of Koto University for the next four years."
"......!"
The moment he said it, I felt a thrill in my body.
"I want your determination. On the other hand, you want my perfect pass. We are always destined to be together. But a passer only has to create chances to get recognition and eventually make it to the first team. But you, the finisher, have to score to get to the first team. The only one who has to end the relationship is you."
"But I--!"
"If you join the blind date, I'll make Yutaro Makishima the No. 1 striker of college graduates. If you refuse, our relationship is over."
Damn ...... even the idiot and scumbag Azaki has become a first-rate wily guy.
But Azaki does have a point.
Watching Azaki's passing sense and soccer IQ up close and personal has helped me grow as a person.
If I part ways with Azaki here, I'll just end up like I did in ...... high school, not playing well.
"What are you going to do? Just come to a party and drink some water and you'll be a pro, right?"
"......"
"Just make up your mind, Yutaro Makishima!"
I want to change.
Someday, I want to be a pro and carry the number 9.
That's why I came to Koto.
"......I understand. I'll go to a party and become a pro with you."
"Makishimaaa......"
"You are a piece of trash and less than a scum, but I need Seiichi Azaki for me now."
"You're not a good talker."
Thus, I, Yutaro Makishima, once again made a contract with the devil named Azaki to attend a blind date with Tokyo Aristo Women's University.
***
The day of the party.
Eight members of the soccer club, including myself, came to a restaurant with a moody atmosphere in an all-private room.
Except for me and Azaki, all of the male members this time were third- or fourth-year students, and I was instructed by the seniors to hold my own.
In short, this was a party for entertainment.
But this party was about my future.
I would do anything, even shoe-licking.
When we entered the private room, we found eight beautiful ladies, the pride of Tokyo Aristo University, gathered there and each was happily chatting with the other.
However, there was one girl who seemed to be in a different mood.
(Continued)
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It's been so long since I've had an chapter without Sasaki in it that I'm starting to suffer from the "I want to write about Sasaki" syndrome. I miss Sasaki.
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