A Late Bloomer's Powerful Restart ~My Second Life Starts at a Prestigious School Where the Gender Ratio Is Totally Off, and for Some Reason, All These Talented Girls Get Attached to Me...!?~ - 14-15

Chapter 14: The Spreading Rumor About Sasa

◇◆◇＜First Loop＞◇◆◇

After entering university, I joined the triathlon club.

Unlike casual circles, we were serious enough to compete in tournaments, so I put a lot of effort in too.

I was close with my club mates and often went drinking together.

But since it was mainly an individual sport, people started dropping out over time.

“I’m quitting the club.”

The one who said that to me was a senior one year above. He was the club’s ace who won a tournament last year. But he hadn’t been in top form this year, and I still remembered him failing the recent prelims.

He didn’t look shocked, but I didn’t think he was completely unaffected.

That’s why, during a cycling trip I invited him on to cheer him up, I wasn’t surprised when those words came out.

“Is it about the last tournament?”

“Yeah, sort of. Pedaling as a hobby suits me better than competing.”

I quickly realized those words, like he was convincing himself, weren’t his true feelings.

But looking at his eyes that showed faint regret, I didn’t know what to say.

Soon, the senior continued.

“Taiki. There’s a decisive difference between you and me. Know what it is?”

I don’t know.

Since my talents bloomed, I never felt inferior in physical ability, and if anything, maybe I was more popular with girls. But that didn’t feel decisive.

As I puzzled over it, the senior sighed and spoke.

“I’ve always succeeded at everything from the start and hardly ever failed.”

“…Bragging?”

“Hey, I’m not joking. You really are…”

He brushed it off as a joke, but he was definitely bragging. Probably no bad intent, but it was his bad habit. He was supposed to be the type who never lacked confidence.

“I’ve always been expected to succeed. There’s weight to that. I couldn’t fail even once… Carrying those expectations, that’s how I faced the sport. So this is as far as I go.”

His face showed no tragic resolve. Rather, his refreshed expression just left me confused.

If you’re giving up, the quicker you switch, the better. But if he really carried those expectations, shouldn’t he hesitate more normally?

“Watching you, Taiki, I think now. Experience with failure is important.”

“It’s not fun.”

“Yeah, probably. But it’s definitely… something I needed badly.”

He and I are different. Our environments, talents, everything.

But as fellow athletes, I respected him. That he envied my past, which I hated, filled me with an indescribable feeling.

Maybe he wanted to say he should have failed earlier.

But to me, who bloomed late, thinking it’s too late now was incomprehensible.

Still… even if I didn’t understand, his words etched into my heart.

◇◆◇＜Second Loop＞◇◆◇

Today’s class is orientation under the name of physical education.

Looking around, the motivated students and the unenthusiastic ones are clearly contrasted.

Unfortunately, I haven’t made any male friends besides Ousei yet, so I want to use chances like this… but sadly, I’ve never known how, even from my previous life.

Some seem to know each other from family connections, but most don’t.

So I thought just talking normally might make friends… but they naturally avoid me when I approach.

“That Kashiwado guy was with Kokonoe the other night.”

“He got hugged from behind in the cafeteria.”

“Misseeing, right? Kokonoe wouldn’t do something that improper.”

And three of the only six boys had somehow formed a group and were whispering about that rumor.

What Kagurazaka told me was true.

At first I thought it was baseless, but the details were too specific… soon I realized it was a misunderstanding.

The truth is probably that night when I hurried to get Sasa out of the boys’ dorm and we ran to the cafeteria together.

“Muu, you could have carried me on your back~~”

Sasa, slow on her feet and about to be left behind, whined and shook my shoulders… someone probably saw that.

From certain angles, it might have looked exactly like a hug.

What’s strange is Ousei’s name didn’t come up even though he was there.

No, he’s slow too, maybe he wasn’t there at that moment.

By the way, from Sasa’s carefree face, the rumor hasn’t reached her yet. Everyone seems to be considerate.

“That guy’s definitely trying to get in good with Kokonoe.”

“A commoner getting cocky…”

As expected, the three boys don’t like me.

Or rather, they don’t like commoners?

The last remaining boy besides me and Ousei is quiet and doesn’t fit in, so probably a commoner.

Then I should talk to him… but that might close the path to getting along with these three.

They’re just kids who became high schoolers. I should be careful.

But what I need to do is simple.

Just get them to accept me.

The problem is not luckily running into such a chance.

But that time came surprisingly soon.

—

Chapter 15: Let’s Make Some Guy Friends

Once the rumor spreads this far, it’s not a situation where I can make new friends.

Then maybe I should change plans and try talking to Shika instead.

No… this time, a bad rumor might start about a guy approaching Shika.

Thinking like this, even just a rumor is troublesome.

Those two young ladies from the two major domestic groups are the source of my worries, but—

“Shika Nanamiya, nice to meet you! I’ve wanted to talk to you once! Let’s be friends?”

“Sorry. I didn’t come here to make friends.”

Right there was Sasa, who had just approached her and got lightly brushed off.

I didn’t know much about Shika, but I knew she had no friends. But she’s actively avoiding them… just from her attitude, it feels like there’s some reason.

Sasa stood frozen in place after being rejected by Shika.

I thought she’d be shocked from the refusal, but her eyes didn’t look like giving up.

As I watched her, Ousei came over. I felt a bit relieved he hadn’t been pulled into the recommendation group.

“I knew it, but it looks hard for Kokonoe to get close to Nanamiya.”

“Seems so. Is it… that rivalry between daughters of rival companies?”

“Probably. With her attitude, I think it’s certain. Well, Kokonoe will keep trying anyway.”

In my previous life, I wasn’t completely uninvolved with the Nanamiya Group. Shiki Nanamiya, who will inherit the group in a few years, was a very gentle person. If he’s Shika’s father, I can’t imagine her being placed in an environment that makes her see rival companies as enemies from this age.

Right now, with me being close to Sasa, directly talking to Shika probably isn’t good.

If I can create an opportunity, that’d be great, but no point rushing.

…As I thought that, someone called from behind.

“Hey, Taiki Kashiwado.”

Aoyagi Kotetsu… one of the three boys who had already formed a group.

He’s a pretty built guy who doesn’t look like a first-year high schooler. His shirt doesn’t fit right, and he’s been wearing his uniform sloppily since the first day, standing out.

From what Ousei said, he’s apparently from a famous potter family lineage. So, recommendation group.

This is a chance to get along… I throw away that sweet thought.

His buddies are glancing over here.

“…Aoyagi, right? What?”

“Hmph, you remember my name. Good memory, at least.”

He doesn’t even hide his provocative attitude…

I didn’t expect someone to come at me directly.

The previous life me might have been scared.

“Any event is fine, compete with me.”

“…Suddenly challenging me to a contest.”

“No confidence? Well, if studies are your only strength, can’t help it.”

I get why he doesn’t like a general admission guy like me, but it’s not a smart way.

Still, the other two boys are getting excited.

The one with glasses is Tano, and the one with long hair tied back is Yūki, I think.

They look unique, but their nature is childish.

“No need to force yourself to go along with Aoyagi’s idea, Taiki. He doesn’t seem to understand the point of orientation.”

Ousei steps in to stop it.

Having an ally here is reassuring.

Maybe because he knows Ousei is recommendation too, Aoyagi frowns.

“No, Ousei, I’ll take Aoyagi’s challenge.”

“Taiki…!?”

He looks at me worriedly. He saw me running with Sasa, though.

Well… considering Aoyagi’s obviously athletic build, it’s understandable he’d worry.

“Hah, good. That’s the spirit… Heh heh, I’ll show you. That I, who’s better at sports than a smart guy like you—am the most popular with girls among the guys!”

“…Huh?”

He suddenly says something like a middle school boy.

Well, he was one not long ago, so similar.

“Hey, you don’t get it. There are so many girls… I’ll look cool here and get a girlfriend!”

Is he an idiot…?

I thought he just wanted to compete with me, but that’s the goal!?

But just being a bit athletic… being fast won’t easily win girls over.

“That’s why I trained! Born into a potter family, seen as old-fashioned—I’m not that guy anymore… So I’ll win!”

“O-Oh.”

Being born into a traditional artisan family makes him think that…?

What drives Aoyagi was unexpected, but I won’t call it stupid.

I think even I, in high school in my previous life, believed being good at studies or sports made you popular.

Now I think… it’s just youthful folly.

“I get you trained, but what are you good at? There are various races.”

“I aim to be a pro athlete! I’ll crush you in any event.”

W-Wow confidence… like he’s never lost…

Not childish omnipotence, but because he seriously trained.

The motive is… impure though.

But as a guy, it’s surprisingly exciting.

Aoyagi clearly plans to use me as a stepping stone, but that makes it extremely fair… athletic ability can’t be faked.

Then I suddenly remember the back of the senior who helped me in university in the first loop.

‘Watching you now, I think. Experience with failure is important.’

In the future, as a triathlete, I never heard the name Kotetsu Aoyagi.

That means… ahead, an insurmountable failure awaits him. If left alone, he’s destined to give up this path.

Of course not for Aoyagi’s sake. Just remembering my senior… it’d be a waste to lose that passion.

“Then the contest is each picking one event, two matches.”

“What if it’s a draw.”

“You’re confident in crushing me, right?”

“Hmph, obviously.”

One time isn’t enough to show ability. But no need for three or more.

Since we both believe it’ll be one-sided, I thought he’d agree.

He probably underestimates me.

For his future too, I’ll make him taste solid failure.

…If we don’t become friends after, then that’s that.