The Beautiful Senpai from the Archery Club Is Sleeping in My Room with Her Stomach Exposed. - Chapter 4: Common Events in Everyday Life.

Common Events in Everyday Life.

Ever since I moved to this area two years ago, I had already decided that I would attend this high school.

It’s a large private school with a high student population, and since I spent most of my middle school years playing FPS games, I figured I could get in as long as I put in the effort. A purely pragmatic decision.

More than anything, the fact that I could walk to school was a huge plus. Minimal commuting costs—an efficient choice.

Unless I oversleep, I’m always one of the first to arrive at school in the morning.

Even though I was dealing with Watanuki-senpai just a few hours ago, I still managed to wake up on time, so once again, I claim first place.

“Man, I’m exhausted… I swear, this Friday, I’m treating myself to the special relaxation course…”

No classmates were around to hear my mumbling.

I closed my eyes for a moment to let my mind rest, waiting in the dim classroom for my peers to arrive.

—Here they come.

A guy from the back of the room poked his head in. He was supposedly a promising player on the basketball team. Looks like today’s first interaction is with him—nice. Still sitting on my desk, I casually raised a hand in greeting.

“Morning.”
“Yo. You’re early again, Amemoto.”
“Not much to do at home, so I figured I’d come early.”

I make it a point to talk to whoever arrives first. With just the two of us in the room, conversation becomes inevitable.

“How’s it going? Everything good?”
“Dude, you seriously suck at making conversation.”

He chuckled and gave me a light jab on the shoulder.

We weren’t particularly close, but after greeting him enough times, we naturally fell into a casual talking routine.

“Same as always. The seniors’ training sessions are brutal. Ever since the second semester started, I’ve been completely drained.”
“Yeah… even after you settle into high school, being in a sports club is always tough.”
“Right? Just being a first-year feels like a punishment. I can’t wait to move up.”

It was just small talk, but for me, conversations like these were valuable sources of information.

Just from this, I could tell he was feeling the pressure of being an up-and-coming first-year on the team—and he wasn’t happy about it. He was building up frustration.

He had a strong personality and was one of the more influential voices in class. His mood often affected the overall atmosphere.

In other words, if his bad streak continued, it could disrupt the environment where I spent half my day—our classroom.

Better to butter him up a little.

“Sounds rough, but aiming for nationals must be exciting. That kind of passion is cool. I suck at sports, so I’m kinda jealous.”

A low-profile guy like me showing a bit of admiration (which was about 60% genuine) seemed to do the trick. He grinned.

“Those seniors are annoying as hell, but it’s tough love, so it’s worth it. Still, I’ve been feeling on edge after practice lately…”
“I see. Oh, I’ve been trying out some stress-relief aromatherapy lately. It’s got a calming scent—want to give it a shot?”
“The hell? That sounds like something a girl would use. I should say no, but—”
“But?”
“That massage place you recommended last time? It was amazing. I’ll think about it.”

The first-year basketball club member, exhausted from accumulated fatigue, nodded earnestly. Good—seems like my steady efforts to build rapport are paying off.

Through the process of drawing out information, I casually shared some tips on refreshing oneself, and lately, I feel like I’ve gained a bit of trust.

For the sake of keeping the class atmosphere peaceful, I’d prefer if he could find ways to unwind more. I was about to recommend my go-to place to make it easier for him to take that step, but—

“Morning~! Did I just hear someone say that aromatherapy is ‘girly’? Isn’t that kind of outdated?”

“Things that smell nice are universally pleasant, right?”

“Huh? I wasn’t asking you two. I was talking to Amemoto.”

—With the arrival of a few girls who had just gotten to school, the topic naturally shifted, and I decided to hold back my input. Instead, I simply greeted them with a “Good morning” and started chiming in with nods and brief responses as their conversation gained momentum.

As more people joined in, I gradually faded into the background. No one noticed when I slipped away from the circle.

The discussion had taken off at the heart of the class, improving the overall mood, so I’d say my objective was accomplished.

Well, my influence is hardly anything to boast about, but if these quiet interventions can increase the chances of a peaceful day even by just 1%, then it’s worth it.

It’s about the same effort as collecting daily login bonuses in a mobile game—might as well do it while I can.

Now then, who should be my next conversation partner? Or rather, who should I gather intel from next to keep the classroom atmosphere stable? I sat back in my seat and scanned the room.

If we’re talking about someone who could impact the class mood—there’s the girl sitting next to me. She still carries that unmistakable presence.

As I observed her closely, our eyes met.

“…What?”

“Ah, no, nothing. Watanuki-san.”

I immediately forced a polite smile to avoid provoking her.

Her name is Watanuki Shion, though she shares a surname with that dignified yet somewhat pitiable upperclassman, she’s nothing like her.

A lone wolf, if you put it nicely. A scary loner, if you don’t.

Her wolf-cut hairstyle and chain earrings in both ears perfectly complement her sharp, striking beauty. The cold gaze she fixed on me had an intensity that was hard to describe.

The undisputed number one on my personal “Hardest People to Approach in Class” ranking let out a sigh, then glared at me with a blank expression.

“…Since this is a good opportunity, let me make this clear. You’re probably trying to butter me up like the others, but it’s pointless.”

“Wait, what? Where is this coming from?”

I was caught completely off guard by her sudden statement. Butter me up…?

“Don’t play dumb. You’ve been acting like the class’s middle manager for a while now. But you don’t need to go out of your way to keep me happy—it’s a waste of time. So don’t bother. You get what I’m saying, right?”

So my quiet efforts to maintain a good atmosphere in the class… were being seen as me playing some kind of middle management role? That stung—a little.

“…Haha.”

All I could do was force another smile.

Watanuki Shion is a lone wolf who often disrupts the class’s harmony. She avoids group work and class events, and I’ve heard several complaints from other girls about her attitude.

I had hoped to build some kind of relationship with her so I could one day ask her to handle things more smoothly… but that plan was apparently dead on arrival.

“I never intended to act like some middle manager. If I came off as arrogant, I apologize. I’m just a lowly employee at best.”

“I don’t care about your self-deprecation. I’m telling you—getting involved with me is a waste of time. Just don’t.”

Looks like getting along with her during our time in school is impossible, huh? (Resigned sigh.)

“Uh… by the way, Watanuki-san, do you have any relatives at this school?”

Secret technique: topic diversion. A special move I refined back in middle school when full-party conversations started turning awkward.

If bringing up her senior with the same surname could even slightly lighten the mood—

“…Huh? Why are you asking that now?”

Her gaze sharpened even further…! Yeah, I think it’s safe to say we don’t get along.

“Well, uh, I was talking to a senior with the same last name yesterday. Thought maybe you two might be distant relatives or something.”

“Second-degree relative. She’s my sister.”

“You’re kidding…”

No way. They look nothing alike—so much so that I had unconsciously ruled out the possibility of them being siblings.

If the elder sister is an elegant longbow, then Shion is an unsheathed, gleaming knife—dangerously sharp, like she’d cut you if you reached out carelessly.

“Anyway, just handle the class without me. That’s all I have to say.”

She abruptly averted her gaze, pulled out a phone without a case, and effectively shut out both me and the surrounding world.

…Well, technically, it’s not me who keeps the class running, but that basketball guy and his circle. I wanted to argue that, but it was too late.

Also, ever since I mentioned her sister, the tension in the air had noticeably thickened. Do they not get along?

Maybe the next time I talk to Watanuki-senpai, I’ll ask.