章 19: I Understand.._(Part 3)

"Yeah, bro! I get that you do this every year, but they're just local, friendly matches, right? We're practicing for this year's tournament! It's very important!"

"These matches are important to us because they're friendly! We're building relationships with other schools. You guys are being unreasonable!"

The soccer team's clubroom was on the verge of exploding as they argued with around a dozen older students from the baseball team. Neither group was planning on backing down as they glared daggers at each other.

"Let's all calm down. Criticizing each other isn't going to get us anywhere."

Alisa tried to mediate for the umpteenth time, but it didn't seem to be working. She had prepared a new practice spot,a riverbed near school, to use in the negotiation, but now they were arguing about who would use the schoolyard and who would use the riverbed.They were talking in circles at this point, and now half the conversation was essentially them hurling insults at each other.Alisa tried her best to find a point of compromise, but the two groups were far too heated up to even listen.

"Listen, the soccer team has way more members! It would be easier for you guys to take the riverbed!"

"You get a bigger budget because of that, though! And now you're trying to bully us so you can steal the only thing we have left? The place where we practice?"

"Okay,okay! Relax!"

Alisa was trying to calm them down, but she was getting close to her breaking point. No matter how tough she was, being surrounded by a bunch of older, athletic guys was terrifying. It didn't help that they were ignoring her proposals and insulting each other. And if they started hurling those insults at her? Even Alisa would mentally break. She managed to hold it together because of her strong sense of responsibility and stubbornness, but even then, she was reaching her limit.

Nobody's listening to me. I guess I really can't...

She couldn't reach them emotionally. Alisa always had a faint feeling that she didn't have what it took. She'd always look down on others,thinking they wouldn't be able to keep up with her, and she refused to try to understand or compromise with them.

And these were the consequences. Who would listen to someone like that?How would someone who only arrogantly forced their reasoning on others without considering how they felt ever be able to connect with others?

I'm all alone...

That fact chilled her heart like poison.

It wasn't anything she wasn't prepared for, though. Alisa was the one who chose this way of life. It was because she only viewed others as rivals and lived her life as if it was a competition that she couldn't lose. These were the consequences of her decisions.

I know that...I know that,but...!

But...!

"<Help...>"

But no one here would be able to understand her feeble cry in Russian.She couldn't throw away her pride and run away. She couldn't cry. She couldn't even ask for help. That's why you're always going to be alone, she thought. And while she truly believed that, she strained her trembling voice and said:

"<Somebody...please help me...>"

That weak, pathetic murmur was an SOS-a desperate cry for help that took everything she had to make. They were the words of a lonely girl who knew they would simply be drowned out by the angry insults being hurled around the room...or so she thought.

Rattle!

Everyone looked over as the door suddenly slid open. Standing at the entrance was your ordinary male student. The color of his tie made it clear he was a first-year, and he had an average build, making him the skinniest guy there.Yet everyone caught their breath the instant he glared at them. They were swallowed by his aura. Even the older students from the soccer club fell silent before his gaze. The male student boldly stepped into the room...then gently smiled and said:

"Hey, the student council sent me to help. I'm Masachika Kuze. I'm in charge of general affairs."

After arriving in front of the soccer team's clubroom, Masachika overheard Alisa's solitary struggle from outside.

Alya, you're not going to solve this today.

Masachika came to this decision while hearing Alisa run out of things to say. Both groups were too worked up. They needed to make a fresh start and talk at a later date after cooling off. Someone as smart as Alisa surely understood this,but she seemed to be so anxious to solve the task she was given that she didn't know when to call it quits.

I feel bad, but I guess this will be a good learning experience for her.

They were not going to reach an agreement at this rate. If anything, it was going to end without a resolution, but they could discuss things again at a later date after cooling off. At any rate, nobody wanted to hear what an outsider would have to say. Plus, saying anything would also hurt Alisa's pride.

"You can do it, Alya."

After that brief whisper, Masachika turned on his heel when...

"<Help...>"

...he heard Alisa's faint SOS signal and froze. It was a feeble, desperate voice. It was something he had never heard before: Alisa asking for help.Masachika's chest tightened, and he pulled at his hair.

Dammit! Why did you have to say that?!

He should've left a few moments ago. Then he wouldn't have had to hear her say that. What kind of sad excuse of an SOS was that? She should have just askd the president or her sister for help if she really wanted it. But she couldn't.That's why she was always alone. That was why...

"<Somebody...please help me... Nobody understands that I...>"

This is why I can't just abandon her. He softly muttered:

I understand

"ЯпонЯЛ."

Masachika understood that she needed help. He understood everything,so he combed his hair back before turning toward the door.

While most students were bewildered by this intruder's sudden appearance, a few of them, including the club leader of the baseball team, uttered his name in surprise.

"Kuze..."

They were the ones who knew him from middle school when he had been in the student council.

"Kuze..."

Alisa called his name. Her voice was brimming with astonishment and wonder but was also imploring. After patting her on the back, Masachika stood in front of her as if to protect her.

"The president gave me a brief rundown of what was going on. You're arguing about who's going to practice in the schoolyard and who's going to use the riverbed. Is that the gist of it?"

"That about sums it up."

"Great."

It was the captain of the baseball team, having remained silent this entire time for some reason as the others had hurled insults, who answered Masachika's question. He turned a gaze, half-hopeful and half-trusting, toward Masachika, who then looked at each individual student.

"Then how about this? Considering how many members are in each club,the baseball team should move to the riverside for practice. In return, the soccer team should send some members to help them move," he suggested.The soccer captain was bewildered while the baseball captain became irate.

"What?! Why do we have to get the short end of the stick?"

"Why do we have to be the ones who practice at the riverside?!"

It was only natural that they argued, but all their complaints came to a sudden end when a certain member of the soccer club spoke up.

"If the baseball club is okay with that, then we managers would be more than willing to help."

It was one of the female captains in the soccer club who spoke up. She was the chief manager and extremely popular among the male club members due to her cute appearance and dedication to the athletes.

"If she'd help, then..."

Members in the baseball club began to warm up to the idea after her unexpected proposal, but now the soccer club began to show reluctance.

"If they're going to let us use the schoolyard, then this is the least we can do in return."

Her words alone were enough to shut them up.

"We're fine with those conditions. How about you?" asked the leader of the baseball club, since he could tell his club was okay with it. The leader of the soccer club subtly frowned but nodded in response.

"It's settled, then. Just stop by the student council tomorrow to apply for permission," instructed Masachika, wrapping up the meeting after the problem surprisingly resolved itself.

Masachika and Alisa were making their way down the hall in the clubhouse en route to the main building. They quietly walked without exchanging a word or even glancing in each other's direction.

"Hey... Sorry about that," eventually said Masachika as if he couldn't bear the silence any longer, but Alisa shot him a quizzical glance. "I guess I kind of stole your thunder by barging in and doing all that."

"...It's fine," Alisa replied dryly before facing forward once more. Then,still gazing straight ahead, she said, "Hey. Why did you make a proposal like that?"

"Hmm?"

"Under normal circumstances, the baseball club would have immediately shot down an idea like that. But it looked like you almost knew that the manager would offer to help."

"Wow... I'm impressed you noticed."

"Of course I did. You were staring at her the entire time the baseball club was protesting."

She really is observant, he thought.

"What I'm about to tell you is just between you and me, okay?" exclaimed Masachika as if he was going to disclose a secret.

"...?Sure."

"That manager...is actually going out with the leader of the baseball club.""What?!"

Shocked, Alisa turned to look at Masachika.

"You remember how the leader of the baseball club didn't say a word the entire time they were arguing? It's because he didn't want to say anything harsh,since his girlfriend was in the other group. They say you can't mix business with personal affairs, and now we see why. That's life, though."

"I had no idea..."

"Plus, she knew they were asking for way too much, so it must have been really awkward for her. That's why I knew she'd jump in and offer to help."

"...Oh."

"The guys in the baseball club are happy that some cute girls are going to help them practice, and the soccer club is happy since they get the schoolyard all to themselves. And those two lovebirds are happy because they get to spend time together during practice, despite being members of different clubs. What a perfect ending to all this!" claimed Masachika.

"I feel like the guys in the baseball club who have no idea what just happened kind of got the short end of the stick, though," he added with a laugh,causing Alisa to crack a slight smile as well.

"...!"

But Masachika's smirk twitched slightly when he saw a male student standing at the end of the hallway connected to the main building.

"Were you able to work something out?"

"President..."

It was Touya, smiling and unfazed by the fact that Masachika and Alisa were together, as if he had known this was going to happen.

"The baseball club agreed to give up the schoolyard and use the riverbed in return for the soccer club's managers helping them with practice... Kuze was the one who worked things out with them,"explained Alisa in a detached tone.

"Really? Good work,Alisa."

But Touya didn't say any more than that. Masachika, however,glared at him with a scornful,rebellious gaze.

"This was all part of your plan, huh?"

"Hmm? Not exactly."

"The fact that you didn't deny it and say 'What are you talking about?'shows that you were at least somewhat expecting this to happen, though."

"Heh...You got me."

Touya raised his hands in surrender, killing Masachika's enthusiasm and causing him to sigh.

"So? Have you made a decision?"

He knew all along that this would happen, thought Masachika as he raised a white flag.

"Well... Although I'm unworthy of the honor, I suppose I wouldn't mind taking a seat at the student council."

"I'm glad to have you." Touya smiled while Masachika grinned bitterly,knowing he was no match for the president's cunning. Alisa stood back and watched with a complicated look on her face as they firmly shook hands with their contrasting smiles.